A/N: Sorry, i had a few grammar mistakes last chapter, and i wrote Julian instead of Yukito, my apologies. Thanks for the 2 reviewers last time, you guys Rawk!
More Than Meets the Eye
Story by Shimmerdream, CSS owned by Clamp, not me!
Hong Kong, China. Li Mansion
Syaoran, paced the inside of his magnificent Chinese room. This piece of news he received from his mother could be very useful. She told Syaoran that she had a proposition ready to tell the Elders, she didnt tell him any great details of it but said that this was a decision factor about him, Eriol and Meiling. He was hoping that this would be another 'Overseas Exchange Student' programme to Japan, specifically to Seijou High School in Tomoeda, but knew that couldnt be it. Inside he was still hoping for it, each day anticipating for the time when his Mother and the Elders would have this little 'Chat' she promised him.
'But why would she drag Eriol into this matter?'
He went a tad red headed, he didnt like Eriol that much, as anyone with two plain non-magical eyes could see.
'Doesnt he already have a life in England now, i wouldnt imagine him to come back, even if the Elders and Mother requested him to. So this must be important for mother to even try to attempt it.'
'Hmm... and I wonder, what Sakura's doing at this moment... she should've got that letter by now. I really wish i could talk to her, maybe if i ask the Elders real nicely if i could phone her... who am i kidding?! They wouldnt go back on the rules they just set!'
Knowing it was fruitless, he just laid back on his bed trying to sort the difficult things in his mind out.
In came the faithful family butler of the Li household, as much as Syaoran likes to see him out of all the other people in the household, he couldnt help but groan, knowing exactly what he'd say.
"Master Li, your five minute rest is up and the elders request you come back and do your training now."
"...Great.", getting off the bed reluctantly, he made his way to the rich oak wardrobe and to his secret compartment within it. A little smile etched upon his face as he looked at the sweet and kawaii picture of Sakura. Then he went and grabbed his Sword, still hot from the magical and physical use of the previous training session beforehand. With sword mantled, then preceeded to go back down to the field for another day's intensive combat training lesson.
The Next Day in Tomoeda. Kinomoto Residence
Sakura sat down bored on her chair within her room, looking briefly over her math's revision sheet that she was supposed to be filling in and handing in the following day.
With a yawn, she placed the sheet down on the hard desk, with her pencil being idly twirled around her fingers like if she were giving them a mini-baton practice. She was clearly not in the mood to give her brain some exercise today, who could be bothered to on a perfect sunny Sunday? 'Syaoran would for one... ack, i have to stop thinking of him! concentrate Sakura!!'
Fustrated, she put her fingers in her hair and yelled out in vain like a crazy lunatic, she was sick of this! The third term holiday's had just ended, and somehow she had to endure the last term of school without losing her mind completely.
Her class and others of the same year in Seijou High School have all been assigned hard work for the upcoming exams. After the summer holidays their work would actually go towards their National Qualifications, and it was important for them to do the same level of work now so when that time would come, the workload may not be just as stressful...
'Yeah Right.' She thought bleakly.
Fujitaka, seeing how his young, beloved daughter was struggling with school for some time, had suggested the idea of a tutor to teach her part time whenever she wasnt involved in any school activities afterschool. Sakura had refused this politely, knowing her Otousan had hardly the money to spare. So in stepped Touya and Yukito, who have patiently taught her since she started High School a couple of years back. So far she has managed to excell above average in all her subjects, all apart from one...
"I can hear you working your voice but not your pencil on those equations Kaijuu!" Came the voice of her annoying Oniichan next room over.
"GGGRRRR!!!! I just cant get my head around this, i mean honestly who needs to know this Trigonometry stuff when they leave school?"
"Oh only about the Majority of the working force..." Came his sly remark.
"Hoe..." Her head whacked on the desk. 'I wont pass for sure, then I'll become a nobody on the streets... unable to get a decent job... My own Okaasan would be ashamed if she could see me right now...'
Touya then appeared at the door frame, preparing his mocking face, but his face fell when he saw she was on the verge of tears. He decided to help rescue her, she did waste most of the sunny afternoon sitting in here getting nowhere anyway...
After a couple of minutes of actually helping her, her cheerful personality perked up.
"Oh i see, i never knew i had to enter that button on my calculator, now it makes it more easier for me, thanks Oniichan!!" He was surprised when she hugged him, and even seeing her face bright up was what made this moment all the more touching. Of course he'd never tell her this in a million years. It would break the code of the mean big brother role.
"See? Maths isnt that hard as you make out Sakura, but now that i helped you - can you help unstack the dishwasher? I want to quickly bike down to Yukito's house and see if he wants to come over for dinner. Is Butter Chicken okay? Thought we may try Indian tonight for a change."
"Yum, i havent had that in ages, not since i took Home Economics last year... It did turn out rather burnt though, heh"
"Hah, well at least I'll be cooking tonight, I'll be back around 5 then."
"Oh wait Touya, do you think Tomoyo can come for dinner tonight as well?"
"What?.. Oh yeah sure thats fine by me, but she's not to mention Modelling at the table!"
Sakura giggled, 'looks like he still hadn't got over our conversation last week'.
As Touya biked down the smooth concrete path smiling to himself, he noticed a girl in a pale grey dress walk across the quiet secluded street in a weak, mysterious like manner. But before she made it to the otherside of the footpath, she turned her gaze directly at him, eyes half closed, the dull color of smokey Jade, but penetrating just the same.
When he blinked automatically from the shock of seeing her, she had then disappeared into thin air with the soft breeze and drifting cherry blossoms of the season.
He looked on, heart pounding rapidly. What was going on? Didn't he just see...? Yes he did, he knew when he saw a ghost, and that one wasnt just any... 'but, if she appeared... then that must mean that... .... Wait, what does this mean?? Oh no Yukito!!!'
After the realisation dawned upon him, he started on his bike once again with breakneck speed. Still heading for the original destination as before.
He became slightly wet on his ride from a rainshower, which soon turned out to be a raging, watery storm once he reached a bold and classical looking door...
"YUKITO! YUKITO!! You in here?!" He barged through his best friend's Traditional Japanese house, flinging watery droplets everywhere from his drenched hair and soaking wet clothes, searching desperately for any sign of his mysterious friend.
"To-ya? what is it, im up in the sitting room, is anything wrong?" Came his worried voice from up the stairs.
"Im-Im not sure, um, is your grandparents around?..." He looked around carefully.
"No, they went out today to go visit the shrine, why are you so worried?"
"Look, i think something is wrong, are you sure your alright?" He replied in a fast manner, Yukito didnt like the look of him. He looked like he saw a ghost or something...
"Im perfectly fine To-ya... why, am i not supposed to be or something? Look sit down here on the couch, take all the time in the world to talk, im not going anywhere today in a hurry."
Touya proceeded to sit down by him, took a deep breath and started to talk again. "Look, i saw a spirit today, just minutes ago!"
This made Yukito's eyes grew wide, grabbing his interests immediately. "You-You did? But i thought you sacrificed your power to help preserve my other form... Yue."
"I did! im positive i gave every last ounce of magic to you, and you know that, i didnt want either of you two to fade away... But that... girl ghost, i saw her clear as day, her very presence was unmistakenable, what do you think this means Yuki..?"
Hand stroking his chin lightly, replied "..You sure it was a ghost, and not one of Sakura-chan's cards or anything?"
"Well to tell you the truth thats what i thought at first, as she was dressed in what looked like one of their apparels, but the hair... h-her hair, i almost mistaken her as my mother for a moment. Wavy, amethyst hair Yukito! How many girls have that hair color?"
"Your right, its very rare to have such a color, i can only think of your mother from her photos, and theres also young Tomoyo, doesnt she have the same color as her?"
"Yes she does, and she looks quite like Okaasan. But that girl was not Tomoyo, im almost positive that if it were anyone, it would be Nadeshiko, but as a little girl like the one ive seen in one of great-grandad's albums. She also had these lifeless green eyes, like what she had whenver mother was sad. But why, why would her former self come to me? I know i have not the power to see the spirit world anymore!"
Yukito spoke like if in a trance, the words instantly came out of his mouth like of their own accord. "Maybe you might just have a little magic left, not enough to see the otherside nor your mother full form. It could be possible for you to see her as a child instead, where it would not require as much strength nor power to call upon."
Touya was too overworked and tired to notice the difference in Yukito "Yeah just maybe... I hate to do this, but i think i might swallow my pride and ask Sakura when i get.. get back... home... even though, she.. doesnt like... ghosts" His head in a dazed state, decided to lie down on Yukito's couch to clear his head a bit, it was too overwhelming to see what he did outside before.
In just moments his figure lay asleep, Yukito's eyes turned slightly clouded, swirling in silver mist.
'It appears you too were listening in Yue, are you sure about what you whispered to me earlier? I see... If so, Nadeshiko may be here once again for one single purpose...'
Kinomoto Residence
"Konnichiwa Sakura, where's your brother?" Asked Fujitaka, entering the house and putting down the umbrella while having his nose in the air getting wift of the heavenly Indian aromas.
"I think he's still at Yukito's house, he said he was going to ask him to join us for dinner, i suppose he's just a little late coming back. So i started cooking Dinner"
"Oh alright, I think I'll get back in the car and pick them up then, there was a downpour before so they could've been stuck in the rain back at Yukito's house, hope theyre not stuck out in the storm."
"Yeah, that was weird, i thought i heard the forecaster said It would be cloudless for all of today, she said something about going through a dry spell for all of this week... oh well" She shrugged the thought off.
"All of us can get it wrong sometimes." Although he didnt sound convinced of his own words.
"So... anyway, is there anything that you need while i get those two? Extra food for dinner or something?"
Kero's ears twitched from his hiding place. Sakura, thinking exactly of what he'd want spoke up.
"Um... I think we'll be alright with all of Dinners ingredients, but if you could get some pudding that would be good. We have nothing for dessert i dont think."
While smiling, he went down to reach for his Umbrella again.
"Alright then, I'll see you in 15 minutes, so dont burn the house down between now and then okay Sakura?" He asked with a soft eyed look behind those frames.
She laughed nervously, okay so they couldnt trust her in the kitchen sometimes, especially when it came to baking cookies or cakes. Nice to know how much faith they had in her at times.
Yukito's Grandparents House
"Arrggh.... Shoot! How long have i slept?" Touya got up groggily, his head pounding like if it were full of bricks.
"Around about an hour or so, thought you could need the rest To-ya. You look a little physically and spiritually drained... you did get quite the shock in seeing her didnt you?" Came Yukito's soft voice.
"...Yeah, but i mean who wouldnt? She was the person I'd least expect to see on a lazy Sunday afternoon."
I smiled tugged at the end of his lips "Your father is here by the way to come and pick us up, hes out in the kitchen with my grandparents now having a catch up talk."
"He is? Oww... my head, i shouldnt have got up so fast!"
Yukito chuckled softly, earning one of Touya's famous glares. Though it turned out rather playful since he was too weak to make the look scary.
"Um Yuki... Is it alright if i get some tablets in the medicine cabinet? I dont think this headache wants to go anytime soon."
"Yeah sure To-ya, you remember where the bathroom is, third door to your right up the stairs."
"Dont worry I know where it is, it hasnt switched places since i last came here."
Yukito looked at his retreating back as he got up to leave. Then turned his head in the direction of Fujitaka who stood by the room entrance, the one and only ((well one of two i should say)) half incarnation of Yue's former master. He always treated Fujitaka like a long lost friend, their relationship formed by words unspoken since the very beginning.
"Tell me Yukito, is Touya regaining much of his energy from before?" He asked.
"Ah yes, It certainly looks that way, although hes denying that any magic is coming back to him at all, i think hes a bit scared at the moment. Yue had come and said to me before that It'll take sometime for it to all come back to him."
Fujitaka looked on, no emotion evident on his face. He'd remember part of Clow Reid's memories when left with his old guardians alone, but would soon forget about it all at once of any conversation concerning them whenever he walked away. The same applied to Yukito - but now he and Yue have become somewhat more merged and aware of each other. This was their quiet little secret together that not even Sakura nor Touya knew of.
"Hmmm, You know why his magic is slowly coming back, right Yue?"
Yukito's eyes turned from clouded to one resembling like an overcast, grey stormy night. He spoke his other voice known only so chilling, so percingly cold.
"I daresay their mother has come back, more clearly seen by her first born's eyes. He first saw of her today, but im intrigued as to why he'd see Nadeshiko's spirit in the form of a child. I believe there is a link between her and the ancient Chinese magic i have sense over these parts the last few days, this magic poses no threat, and is very strong. Perhaps it is your last incarnation's family line, the Li's doing, forgive me if im mistaken, but there seems to be a magical disturbance in the air between Hong Kong and here"
"Yes, your more observant than I gave you credit for Yue. I think your right in telling me this, I could sense something strange before with the storm a few hours back, I think Sakura did too but didnt think much of it - i didnt at the time either. This could get very interesting over the next few days so just keep an eye out, for i think theres more here than meets the eye. Has Kereberos mentioned anything to you yet?"
"No, i dont think he realises whats actually happening. I'll talk to him later on tonight, and try to reach Eriol. Its about time I had a word with both of them, It's been so long..."
"Very well, we should get back to the house then shouldnt we? I can hear Touya being sick upstairs, i can tell his body will have a hard time adjusting to the magic. Its been a few years, no?"
"He will have to take care and rest up for a few days, or this could take some toll over him. He'll find it hard for the next week or two with the University Exams coming up, and will somehow need to revise between now and then.
Fujitaka looked more grim. Closed his eyes and appeared to be in deep concentration.
"Right, can you help assist Touya then Yukito? I'll start the car."
He must've reverted back to his self thought Yue, he too followed suit and went deep inside of his shared body.
Yukito blinked, then remembered that Yue must've taken over before, he could hear parts of the conversation between Fujitaka and Yue, but the black cloud of forgetfulness had forsaken him for this round, and he found himself not remembering any of it at all.
'Must've thought that this conversation was not for my ears this time, well, i guess i have to respect your Judgement Yue. I hope it wasnt anything too serious'
A voice popped into his mind, a thought of not his own doing, but yet felt familiar.- what he had always assumed was the Moon Guardian.
'Thankyou Yukito, i would not burden you now with such knowledge. You'll find out soon enough what it is in the future, in time when you are meant to know.'
He smiled inwardly with gratitude, that was all the response he needed from him.
He then jogged lightly up the stairs to an ill Touya, and helped assist him to the car.
'Get well soon To-ya...'
A/N: Okay i know, hardly any mention of Sakura or Syaoran this chapter, but i had to say what was happening around with the other guys first so you know whats happening. Sorry in Advance if i made any mistakes, although ive checked it thoroughly. Oh and if you guys have ANY ideas for modern/traditional chinese or japanese names for minor characters in this sotry, please let me know! I'll give credit :D - and i'll love you 4eva!!
P.S - Touya & Yukito arent coupled in this, but they will appear to be close. As you do -;
Please Review! Id really, really love it if you do!!
And if i can get 5 more reviews, I'll update another chapter I've already made Tomorrow Afternoon! If not, I'll do it the day after that, so there :P