Sai-chan here! This is the side story to my fic Owari but it can be read alone. This will probably take about two or three chapters depending on my mood and basically the reviews. I won't babble much but I wish to take this chance to thank everyone who read and supported Owari. Thank you very much!
Wind and Flame: To tell you the truth those quotes were random notes in my old notebook that sort of ended up inspiring me to write Owari. I'm glad you like it. You made a good point about a pocket knife being not sharp enough to cut through a vein. To tell you the truth I have a bad experience with knives that simply freaks me out so I've never really tried one… Oh, well. Hope you like this one!
Asga: Wow! You reviewed every single story in my portfolio! I'm in awe! Thank you!
Tomoyo129: Thank you very much! Your reviews make me laugh. Take care!
Arika-Chan: Thank you! I'm glad you like Owari, I hope you like this too!
Cristal-shian: Thanks! And yes, ET rulez! Evil cackle
MoMo-ChAn1: Thank you! I hope you like the sidefic!
If there was one room Eriol loves in the Li manor in Hong Kong asides from its enormous library that is about as big as the Parthenon in Athens that would have to be the wine cellar by the South Wing.
Not only does it have a wide array of wine from all parts of the world that can drive a wine connoisseur insane, it also has a secret stairway that leads to a small balcony with a beautiful view of the pond in the forest of a garden the Li's have.
The balcony was big enough to accommodate an old rocking chair, a potted plant and a small table for a lamp and was the perfect spot to chug away a bottle of century old wine straight from the bottle without anyone knowing. It was also a great spot for reading a book.
That night he was there doing both with two bottles of red wine and a book of Collected Poems of John Keats, disregarding the fact that he was holding his book upside down and was not actually reading but in a daze.
He got out of his daze though when he heard footsteps coming from the stairway and he realized that he has company.
"My cute little descendant, shouldn't you be in bed at 1 in the morning? Or do you want me to sing you a lullaby?" he teased with his usual smirk.
"Shut up, Hiirigizawa," the future Li-Clan Leader barked as he sat by the railing with ease.
"What a great way to call your ancestor who came all the way here from England for your engagement party tonight, can't you be a little respectful?" Eriol commented teasingly as he took another chug of wine.
"In your dreams," Syaoran retorted grabbing the bottle from Eriol and drinking down its contents in one sip.
"Nervous?" Eriol asked his face full of disappointment for the now gone wine. It was a good thing he took two bottles with him that time.
"No," Syaoran replied flatly, placing the bottle by the table.
"Then why are you here? In case you don't know, you just drink up my favorite wine and you're disrupting my reading," Eriol said opening the remaining bottle and taking a sip.
"First of all, that was my wine from my cellar, second, you're book is upside down. And for you to know, your pesky guardian created a fiasco in front of my room just so I'd check on you," Syaoran said with his trademark scowl, grabbing the bottle from the young sorcerer and guzzling its contents.
"And what is there to check on me?" Eriol asked grabbing the bottle from Syaoran before he drinks it up all again. It took him about half an hour just to find the bottle in the cellar and isn't in the mood of sharing it with anybody.
"You tell me," Syaoran demanded arms crossed. "You've been acting weird lately."
"I thought I'm already weird in your opinion. Can I actually get any weirder?" Eriol asked taking another sip of the alcohol.
"I thought you couldn't, but yes you are. What's up with you?" Syaoran asked his voice fierce the same time concerned.
Eriol looked at him in the eye then turned to the gray sky. There were no stars that night, just the moon illuminating the pond and the picturesque garden before them.
"I don't know," he finally answered after moments of silence.
Syaoran looked at him brows twitched.
"Eleven days… I've been having a strange dream for eleven days…" Eriol narrated rocking his chair lightly.
"Dream? What dream?" Syaoran repeated.
"Ash colored hair just like the night sky when its about to rain… a very pale face that can pass for a sheet… and very purple depths…" Eriol replied closing his eyes as he tries to recall every detail of his dreams.
"And?" Syaoran prompted him to continue.
"That's all," Eriol shrugged opening his eyes realizing he can't delve further.
"What does that suppose to mean?" Syaoran asked.
"I don't know," Eriol simply replied.
Syaoran then ceased from firing questions and they were left in comfortable silence.
He always knew that his ancestor was a terrible liar and when Eriol said he doesn't know then it must be the truth no matter how incredulous it may sound hearing it from the reincarnation of the most powerful sorcerer in the world.
"I'm going to bed now, how about you" Syaoran asked stifling a yawn.
"I'll stay here for a few more minutes," Eriol replied rocking his chair yet again.
"Make sure you do or else I'll have my sisters go after you," Syaoran muttered walking to the door. Eriol chuckled.
"Syaoran…" Eriol called our stopping the chestnut haired lad on his tracks. "Arigatou"
Hearing this Syaoran smirked and went on his way.
With the footsteps becoming fainter Eriol found his lids closing and drifted to sleep.
The Firefly
Side Story to Owari
Another ET Fic by: Akizuki Sai
Despite the insistence of the cherry blossom and her wolf for a simple engagement party Li Yelan got her way with an orchestra and a popular band performing by the lush garden lit by bejeweled scones that hang loosely on the towering trees.
Everything was immaculately white save from the deep red roses at the center of every table.
Describing the event as glamorous would have to be an understatement, for the said adjective doesn't even come close.
The couple already made their announcement minutes ago and everyone was now dancing, chatting or drinking the night away in celebration for the couple's upcoming union.
Eriol on the other hand was sneaking away from the crowd, smiling and waving to old acquaintances every now and then.
Loosening his pristine white tie he grabs a glass of sparkling wine from a passing waiter and walked his way further away from the crowd.
He was having a splitting headache and the chatter and merrymaking in the party wasn't helping matters any.
Drinking down his glass, his attention turned to the crescent moon by the night sky.
"Beautiful…" he admiringly thought.
His glass now empty his eyes then surveyed his surroundings in search for a table or better yet a waiter for another glass.
He wasn't that lucky though and he found himself conjuring the glass.
Ah, the life of lazy reincarnations of the most powerful sorcerer in the world.
Realizing his guardians might be indulging way too much over his absence he was to turn on his heel when something flickered and caught his eye.
"Fireflies?" he muttered after taking a couple of seconds to comprehend what he was seeing. He then heard something rustle from a tree a few feet away from him and he knew he was not alone.
Normally under these circumstances he would simply walk away minding his own business, but at that time, at that place, and at that moment something compelled him to do the opposite.
It was then when he saw her.
The wind was playing with her ash colored stresses and her dainty fingers were struggling to hold them in place to no avail.
The moonlight emphasized her petite figure making her skin look paler and illuminating the freshly formed tears at the corer of her purplish eyes.
"Did it hurt?" he found himself saying as he walks closer to her.
Instinctively she wiped her eyes dry and turned to him allowing him to admire the simplicity of her black cocktail dress.
"I beg your pardon?" she said politely despite her present annoyance.
"When you fell, did it hurt?" he asked again.
"Fell?" she repeated confused.
"From heaven… did you break your wings?" he said wiping her eyes with his handkerchief.
She gave a light chuckle.
"That was suavely said Hiirigizawa-kun," she said with a smile. He raised a questioning brow.
"Surely you remember me Hiirigizawa-kun, or do I have to sue your optometrist for prescribing you a wrong pair of glasses" she lightly teased, completely dismissing the fact that she was annoyed by his presence earlier.
He slightly frowned. For the first time in his two lifetimes his memory was failing him.
"Aphrodite?" he tried puppy-eyed.
"Flattery will get you nowhere… does Tomoyo Daidouji ring a bell to you?" she asked stifling a grin.
"Daidouji-san?" he stammered not believing his eyes.
Who would've thought that the vixen before him was the card mistress' best friend?
"It's Tomoyo to you, Eriol-kun," Tomoyo pouted childishly.
"My mistake, Tomoyo-san… dance with me?" Eriol said offering his hand like a perfect gentleman. In the background the orchestra started to play Moon River.
The Daidouji heiress looked at him hesitantly.
"Now, now, Tomoyo-san, that's not how you treat a good friend you've been reunited with," Eriol said taking Tomoyo by the hand and leading her to dance the waltz.
Disclaimer:I own no CCS. Don't rub it in.
The two of them were soaking wet.
In the middle of their dance her heel got tangled with a vine making her loose her balance and they both crashed into the pond.
Her hair was now tangled and the water made her dress a mere silhouette of her petite frame. His hair on the other hand was sticking to his face and neck.
Being the gentleman he is, he quickly removed his coat and handed it to Tomoyo to cover herself.
"Are you alright?" he asked worried.
"I'm fine, just a bit cold. How about you?" she asked shivering. Eriol's coat was wet but it was better than nothing.
Eriol nodded and like three year old kids the two broke into hysterical fits of laughter.
"There goes my Mahnolos," Tomoyo giggled tossing her heel to a bush and sneezing in between.
"We better change before we catch a cold, but I don't think it's a good idea walking through the crowd looking like this."
"Any good ideas?" Tomoyo asked sneezing yet again.
"I could zap us to our rooms but my magic isn't something you can trust when I took alcohol, especially now my power's split in half," Eriol said taking of his shoes and socks and walking at a small trail with Tomoyo following behind.
"It wasn't you who conjured a glass right on top of Syaoran's head now, was it?" Tomoyo asked suspiciously.
"It ended up in my descendant's head?" Eriol asked with a tinge of mischief in his eyes.
Tomoyo giggled." So, where exactly are we going?" she asked.
"There's a small balcony by the south wing that leads to the wine cellar and the hallway at the second floor. We can climb our way up there," Eriol explained assisting Tomoyo make her way through the bushy trail.
"How do we get up?" Tomoyo asked upon sight of the balcony. To her surprise Eriol bent down on his knees prompting her to stand on his shoulders.
"Are you serious?" Tomoyo asked doubtful.
"Well, you can't exactly carry me now, can you? Once you get up there tie my coat at the balustrade so I can climb up as well," Eriol instructed as Tomoyo sat on his shoulders.
"1…2…3" he counted before standing up. Tomoyo geld on the edge of the balcony and slowly stood on Eriol's shoulders.
"Woah…" she muttered trying to keep her balance. " You better not be peeking Eriol or I swear I'll have my bodyguards after you."
Eriol smirked. He didn't realize their awkward situation until Tomoyo reminded him. Now that he thinks of it looking up isn't a bad idea.
"You have really nice legs, Tomoyo…" Eriol teased imitating the voice of a dirty old man.
"Eriol!" Tomoyo exclaimed stomping her feet on Eriol's shoulders like as if they've been together for years.
"You know, Tomoyo, despite the fact that you have a drop dead gorgeous body, you are really heavy," Eriol commented with a sly grin as Tomoyo tries to climb the balcony railing. After a short struggle Tomoyo managed to get in the balcony and helped Eriol get up.
"That was quiet tough," Tomoyo said pushing her hair away from her face and catching her breath. She was never the athletic type and all she wants to do now was to take a nice warm bath, change her clothes and party all night.
"Uh… Tomoyo, we have a problem," Eriol announced with a defeated face.
Tomoyo looked at him anxiously.
"The door's lock…"
And that's the initial chapter of The Firefly. It will take a while before I get to update this one as I will be working on Anata, Fata, and the other fics stuck in my good old notebook. Please wait for it, okay? Puppy eyes
Please do make my day and review!