DISCLAIMER: The usual blah blah about intellectual rights and who owns whom, etc.
Beta-Readers: Shiranai Seito and Aya-san. ^_^ Bless them.
Yami no Matsuei Consultant: Kyo-kun and her partner in crime, Library Cat. ^o^ They also have one mean x-over YnM HP fanfic going on. Links are in my bio. Do check it out!
Magical and Wiccan Consultant: Dark Angel Hime –- My friend from the moon. ^_^
Support Group: The Otaku Council in the yahoo group The Gripe Vines
Apologies: Virus outbreaks on PCs and in the Net so it took sometime for my beta-readers and me to get back with each other. In addition, we had other lives too so gomen if this was so delayed. Anyway, Chapter 14 will be up soon since it is more or less done too.
Review Replies: Please check out my Fanfic Writer's Corner blog in E-bloggy.com. Link is in my bio. This chapter is veerrry long (14 pages O_o) so I temporarily placed the replies there. Gomen.
WARNINGS: Reikai Tantei in Europe = mayhem in London. Oh god, somebody save the Queen. O_o
===================================================================================
WORD WATCH:
Onmyoujitsu – Spirit related magic. Different from other magic in that it concerns more on the Balance of things. Also a Japanese term for certain Japanese type of magic.
Onmyouji – A caster of onmyoujitsu.
Slyphs – Elemental creatures of the air.
Vertigo – A sensation where you can't tell which way is up or down. Commonly experienced by people afraid of heights (Gack! I can so empathize. .)
Maboroshi – A Japanese term for a very strong illusion magic.
Mahou – Japanese word for magic.
Matte – Short for chotto matte yo which generally means wait.
Doppelganger – There is a story that fairies would come into the room of a baby that they fancied and take it away. In order for the parents not to miss the child, they leave behind an exact copy of the child. The doppelganger would then act, speak and look like the original except it is not the original. Think Mirror card in CCS. Other term is 'changeling'.
C'est la vie – French for "That's life"
===================================================================================
READING NOTES (Darn FF.net for not allowing us to use different fonts .):
'Text' –notes
Text – thoughts only
"Text" - Voices in your head (reader or character). In Shakespeare's play these are sometimes called 'asides'. In asides, a character speaks to the audience in a conspiratorial manner as a way of drawing them in the story. If my definition is wrong please feel free to send hate mail to my English teacher in college. ^_^
/Text/ - telepathy
(Text) - Talking or arguing with your self.
===================================================================================
Chapter 13: Yume wo mite 'ru anata wa
You Who Dream
"Hello, Traveler.
Let me be your guide to the House of Reed. Now watch your step and be careful to follow me. Do not wander for who knows what tricks the Magician has up his sleeve.
My name you say? My name is not important for now. What is important is that you know that strange, beautiful and TERRIBLE things are going to happen.
When you ask? Who knows, the Future is hidden from ordinary mortals. No, Traveler. Trust me. You do not want to know the Future. You will meet it soon enough.
Yes, yes. I know. Our Future should be in our own hands, right? Not this time, I'm afraid. The Fate of the Three Realms is not just for anyone to decide. It is best left to the Ta'verens.
What can we do, you say? Believe. Yes, dear Traveler. Believe. We must believe that the Ta'verens will make the right choice. As to what is the right choice...who knows?
However, let us set those weighty matters aside for now. Que sera sera, whatever will be, will be. Right now, you have to pay attention as I guide you into the House of Reed. And remember, do not wander or you will never know where you might end up.
Ahaha, you are right. This place IS worse than Hogwarts.
See the light at the end of this corridor? That's the sitting room. Two of Reed's children are there. I'll take you to see them but we are observers, ne? Do not address them. They will not even know we are here.
Oh, do not look so skeptical. I too have my gifts. I brought you here without harm, didn't I?
Who is Reed? You'll get an idea soon enough. Go ahead. The door is open. Trust me. Watch and listen."
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Is the youkai gone?" A small orange head peeked out from a half-eaten mound of chocolate cake. The cake was sitting atop a round table near a roaring fireplace. A huge window whose rich draperies were pulled back slightly, fronted a comfortable sofa where a huge navy blue panther was sprawled luxuriously.
The big cat lifted his head disdainfully and gave the first speaker a withering look.
"Whaaat?" the first speaker whined. Small white wings fluttered and we can now see the first speaker's complete form as he moved away from the cake and flew towards the blue cat.
"His name is Cerberus, Traveler.
Do you find it ironic that a talking orange plush toy is named after the guardian hound of Hell?
Yes, Reed-sama always had a quirky sense of humor. Oh, I see you noticed the cat's butterfly wings. His descendant, Eriol is no better than he is, I'm afraid, when it comes to quirkiness. However, you could also argue that Reed and Eriol are one and at the same time, they are two different people. Confused? Let me explain. The 12 Houses of Men, they are connected not by bloodlines but by magical lines though the bond is usually stronger when they are not only connected by magic, but by blood as well. Eriol is his magical descendant. Reed made Cerberus-that zippy, cheerful Sun Guardian. Cerberus represents and possesses the power of the sun in all its brilliant glory. Eriol made Spinel Sun. Spinel is the personification of the subtle but still powerful strength of the rising and setting sun. And as you can see, they are both polar opposites. Two sides of the same coin and both equally powerful.
But enough explanations. Just listen to them for now."
"I was EATING for Pete's sake! Are you holding that against me?"
"Yes."
"Bleh! You need a personality, Suppi."
"No thank you. I like mine as it is, Kero." Spinel snapped using Cerberus's other nickname.
Kero stopped flitting around the panther and settled on the armrest of the sofa. He went very still as he stretched out his senses and touched a few of the magical lines that crisscrossed the world. Through it, he could get a feel of the events that were unfolding.
"Oh, the demon was called away," he said after a while.
"No, duh," was Spinel's curt reply.
"They found Eriol," Kero said again after a few more minutes.
"So?"
"Aren't you worried?"
"We're talking Eriol here, hello."
"Fine! But I'm still worried."
Spinel ignored his older brother and continued to lounge lazily. So far, he was ignoring the cake. He was pleased because at other times, he would be wolfing it down too and that would not be good. He had a tendency to loose control when he was on a sugar high.
"Now what is Eriol up to now?" Kero said suddenly. He was still tapped into the magical lines.
Spinel just shrugged, "He'll tell us eventually. That, or suddenly everything will make sense."
There was a moment of silence as Kero detached himself from the magical lines and let his own mind absorbed what he had just learned.
"I don't feel comfortable leaving Sakura-san behind." Kero said after a while. There was a worried knot on his small round head.
"You don't trust the Li Family?" There was a sneer in Spinel's voice. Spinel knew that Kero and Shaolan weren't exactly getting along even though both had acknowledged each other as Sakura's protector. Kero was Sakura's Guardian and well, Shaolan, was Sakura's boyfriend who at one time willingly sacrificed all his memories and feelings to the last of the Clow Cards in exchange for Sakura's safety and happiness.
"Ch." Kero pouted. The Li family did have immense magical powers but still HE was Sakura's guardian. He looked at Spinel, "And you're ok leaving your Master behind?"
"Unlike you, older brother, we do not get overly emotional and attached. Eriol has instructed us so we obey."
"Ch. Just as cold as Yue." Kero made a face at Spinel
Spinel ignored him. He was far too refined for such childish antics. "Do not compare us to our eldest. His feelings for Clow Reed run deep, though he will not show it. Yue has a vow to fulfill. And so do you. You've sworn it on Clow Reed's sister's deathbed."
"Yeah, yeah. Cake, Suppi?"
Spinel eyed him with distaste. Stupid Akizuki for calling me Suppi in front of everyone. Now the nickname stuck.
This time Kero shrugged. "Suit yourself. More cake for me then."
"Ugh. Why do you like that form so much?"
"Huh? You mean this? Two reasons, one is that I'm extremely portable..."
Spinel groaned.
"...and two, food portions are bigger in this form!"
The cat shook his head. Of all things, to be stuck at home, alone with a prat like his brother Kero.
"Oh loosen up, Suppi!"
"Do NOT call me Suppi!"
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Let's go, Traveler. Our time in that House is over. There are other things that I want to show you. Take my hand and do not be afraid. Yes. Now hold on. I will not let anything harm you. You are in my Realm and I am the Master here. I will take you somewhere else
Behold, Traveler. The city of London. Isn't it beautiful at this height? Look at that beautiful view. See how the outline of the city's buildings meet the dark of the night. See how the lights in the skyscrapers twinkle like stars. And the moon! Look at it. It hangs like a perfect pearl on midnight blue velvet.
Relax. I will not let you fall. My cloak will protect you from the bitter wind and I will hold you. Eh? No, we are not flying. At least not, as how you understand flying. Shh...I told you, this is my Realm and I am Master here. This Realm encompasses all. Reality is how I wished it or rather how you wished it.
But don't fret. All will be clear in time.
Yes, people do look like insects from this height. But that isn't what I wanted to show you. Look. Yes. Over there. See that man? The one that is hovering below us in the very heart of the city.
He is a God of Death.
Don't be afraid. He does not see nor sense us. He has other more important things in mind to think about. I'll show you."
~*~*~*~*~*~
The wind whipped Tatsumi's long coat ferociously. The biting cold had no effect on him. An ofuda that he'd cast took care of that. Now he was free to concentrate on the chase. He was hovering way up high in the center of the city coordinating the Rei Tantei as they chased the magician Eriol. The boy did not seem to have any particular place to go to in mind and seemed content in leading the group into a merry chase. So far, Eriol's Porsche kept making random turns and just when Tatsumi thought that he and the Rei Tantei had cornered the car, the car would suddenly make a surprising turn and they'd be off again.
Kurama had found Eriol and immediately notified them. It didn't help that he, Tatsumi, was right in the middle of a discussion with high-ranking arawns. The arawns had grumbled at his rudeness for suddenly leaving the meeting but he couldn't care less. It was so damn boring. Nothing important was really discussed. At least nothing that he already didn't know. It took all his self-control not to yawn or roll his eyes. The European branch of the Bureaucracy of the Dead was well...dead. Everyone was more concerned about politicking rather than getting the job done. Hence the profusions of wandering spirits in Europe. And the power levels that the arawns possessed were frighteningly low. But maybe that was because he was comparing the arawns with their penchant for wands to the shinigamis.
How in blazes did Western onmyoujitsu sunk so low?
He could still remember when powerful western magicians walked the earth. What happened to their descendants? Why was the quality of their magic so degraded to the point that magic was mostly practiced not to harness and maintain the balance of things but rather to make a wizard's life easier?
All the more reason to find the boy Eriol. The boy's magic strongly resembled that of Clow Reed and Clow Reed's magic was unique in that it was neither Western nor Eastern derived. Perhaps Eriol could also explain the strange bursts of magical aura in Japan from time to time. No one could trace the source of the magic because no one could identify the signature. The magick used was unlike anything anyone had known- it was both ancient and new. It was, in a certain way, the same as Tsuzuki's onmyoujitsu. Nobody knew what it EXACTLY was and nobody knew where it was derived.
And they had to know because the magick that the Commandments was based on was unknown. If someone who doesn't have the three Realms' best interests in mind figured it out, all Hell would break loose. Literally.
With his eyes closed, his mind's eye could see the movements below. He'd filtered out the distractions - people, other vehicles - and focused on five presences. The five auras flared brightly amidst the backdrop of magical and lifelines. In his peripheral sense, he could just make out other arawns who were struggling to keep up with the five. Eriol's essence was a changing kaleidoscope of colors. The Rei Tantei's auras reflected their personalities. The arawns' auras were more subdued compared to the five, a testament that all was not well in Europe's Processing Bureau.
Hiei was coming from the southern side of the city and heading straight for the car. He'd come from the Hiirigazawa Manor and Tatsumi sensed that the boy was rather pissed at something. Whatever that was bothering Hiei did not seem to affect his speed. The little fire demon was fast- even on foot. He'd used the rooftops as jumping points and if any mortal would accidentally look up, all they would see was a shadow blurring past. To Tatsumi, Hiei was a bright fireball streaking on the face of the city.
Yusuke was equally fast; but unlike Hiei who avoided human contact, the Toushin-human hybrid didn't think twice about using the streets. Thrice, Yusuke had jumped the length of the wide streets and crashed several rooftops. The occupants of said buildings wondered if something must have fallen from the sky.
/Tatsumi! Where do I turn next? /
/Turn right, Yusuke and keep going east. /
/.../
/Careful. There's monstrous traffic ahead of you. /
/Heh. /
Tatsumi grimaced as he realized that Yusuke wasn't going to avoid the traffic jam. The teenager blazed through the streets, causing several people to scream as something incredibly fast whizzed by. A few cars turned over with the sudden force and two buses sported wrecked roofs. Yusuke was nothing more than a green-blue blur.
He heard a few arawns at the background grumble at the recklessness of Yusuke. A small smile crept on Tatsumi's lips. The arawns were struggling to keep up with the Rei Tantei. Their magick and enchantments could barely allow them to keep up with the group. Even a few that were on brooms could not catch up. They were simply not prepared to deal with abilities shown by the Rei Tantei and the cunning tricks of the Magician.
Don't they realize that Eriol has cast some sort of magical web?
The magician had bent the Rules so that no matter how fast the Rei Tantei or his other pursuers went, they could never exactly catch up with the car. Reality was slightly altered for the Magician's purpose. The chase was happening slightly discordant with the rest of world. It was almost dreamlike.
That was why he was up here, away from the effects of the spell. He could see the fine invisible web that Eriol had thrown up over the city. Since he could see it, he could guide the Rei Tantei to where Eriol was. Kurama had figured it out a few minutes into the chase and told Tatsumi the plan. It wasn't in exact words. It was as if he understood what the fox wanted him to do - more empathy than telepathy.
In theory, it was supposed to work. In theory.
/Very good shinigami. You and the fox are quite clever. You make an excellent team. /
/Oh, shut up Eriol. We'll get you. /
Chuckle.
/Yes. I don't doubt that, Mr. Secretary. But not tonight. /
Tatsumi didn't reply. Kurama had just sent him a thought. Change of strategy.
/Not tonight, shinigami. Tonight I am having fun. / Eriol seemed quite happy to ignore his silence.
/We saw through your tricks. Give it up. / Tatsumi finally replied. Eriol didn't seem to suspect anything from his brief silence.
/True… But then, aren't your people still chasing me? /
Damn.
/I thought so. /
/WHERE THE HELL AM I? /
The mental equivalent of a yell disoriented Tatsumi for a moment before he regained his composure. Damn! Kuwabara. The bloody idiot!
/Tsk. Tsk. One of your charges seems to be lost, Tatsumi-san. / Eriol chided Tatsumi.
/I'll let En-ma know that I will personally escort you to Meifu. /
/I'm honored. When it's my time to go I'll specifically request for you. /
The mental link was broken as Eriol withdrew. Tatsumi could now see Kuwabara. The kid was lost. He was closest to Eriol's general location in relative terms. But since he did not have the speed of the three, Tatsumi had instead pointed him to short cuts that more or less took him closer to the chase.
Despite possessing a high reiki for a human, Kuwabara was still mortal and so was forced to take a taxi in order to keep up, more or less. Then he got into an argument with the taxi driver as he kept giving the man several directional changes. The driver got fed up and told Kuwabara to make up his mind. They were still arguing. Tatsumi could hear them in his state of heightened awareness.
/Tell the man you're going to pay him a nice fee. / Tatsumi sent out his mind voice to Kazuma. He could sense the boy's rising frustration.
/I KNOW THAT ALREADY! I TOLD him THAT! /
/Stop yelling. You're making my head hurt. /
/Where the hell are the others? /
/Wait.../
/WAIT?!/
He ignored Kazuma's outburst. He stretched out with his senses again. The car was turning and this time it was going to a deserted section of the city. There were no establishments or houses in that area. Just several abandoned buildings and entrances into the city's inner system - drains, sewers and utility tunnels. Good. Hiei and Yusuke had done their jobs.
/Alright, tell the man to head south and keep going there. /
There was a moment of silence as Kuwabara argued with the driver.
/He's giving me a weird look. /
/Who cares? Just GO! /
Tatsumi sensed the taxi with Kuwabara inside move towards the area that he pointed out. He could also sense Kurama hot on Eriol's trail and coming from the eastern side. If all things go well and the Magician didn't throw them another trick from his proverbial hat, they would successfully corner the kid in that section. It seemed that Kurama's plan was working. They were slowly driving Eriol into a corner-eliminating one by one Eriol's avenue of escape as they closed in from 4 directions. They couldn't catch up with the boy so the fox had thought that they might as well try to force Eriol into a certain location by determining where he would go. So far, everything was going according to the strategy.
But for some reason, Tatsumi couldn't help but feel that maybe all this was still part of Eriol's plan.
Kurama knew that no matter what would happen tonight he would have to catch Eriol. Tonight. If he failed, he would never have this chance again. Deep down, he knew that the Magician showed himself for him and him only. Eriol had thrown the bait and though Kurama knew it was risky, he took it never the less. He'd followed the boy as soon as Eriol threw him the challenge...catch me if you can.
Let's just hope he doesn't have a nasty hook hidden, Kurama thought morosely though he rather suspected that that was the case.
On he ran, leaping over rooftops, finding foot holds on the exterior of skyscrapers and landing lightly without a sound until he was nothing but a silver blur flying across the cityscape. Yusuke left carnage in his wake as he passed by. Kurama left everything as it is with nothing but a slight hint that something was there.
The Magician had altered Reality to suit his own purpose and Kurama knew that no matter how fast he ran, he would not be able to catch up with the car. Twice he came closed and twice the Porsche got away.
He felt the wind tug his hair and whisper to him to run, run...run and catch Eriol if he can. The very spirits in the air sided with the Magician. Sylphs tried to distract him by whispering sweet distractions and all the while, he could sense Eriol's amusement. It was annoying.
Unexpectedly, a chasm opened up beneath him. A sudden wave of vertigo hit him and he fell. Instinctively, he called out his weapon of choice. The rose seed that he held turned into a whip, fed with his own unique chi. He threw the whip up and out. It wound around an outcropping and he felt the sudden tension in his hands as the whip stretch out with his falling weight then snap back in place.
The maboroshi shattered and he found himself hanging six stories up from the side of a skyscraper. The glasses that he wore for disguise fell to the streets below. He saw his whip had hooked around a gargoyle statue at the side of the building. Quite a few people inside the building saw a teenage boy hanging in mid-air. Kurama flashed them a smile before swinging out and disappearing, leaving some folks wondering if they had too much to drink and that maybe it was time to go home.
Damn Eriol and his tricks!
/You used to like them...oh wait...you forgot. / Eriol said bemusedly.
/Screw you. /
/My, my. Watch your language dear boy. Is that how a good boy like Minamino speaks? /
Kurama didn't answer. He was thinking about something else. The car's position and the layout of the street based on the bird's eye view Tatsumi was giving him.
/Ah...No wonder all the girls go crazy for you. Not only are you quite a sight for sore eyes but you've also nailed the 'good guy with a touch of nasty' persona. /
He ignored Eriol. He shifted from Tatsumi's bird's eye view to that of his own and saw the car turn into a narrow deserted street from his position at the top of a nearby building. If I time it right...
Kurama lept off, falling gracefully from the great height...and missed the car by a few inches. The ground on his feet broke up with the force of his impact creating a mini crater on the paved street. He looked up and found himself staring into the Porsche's headlights.
Shit.
He had instinctively tucked his body in on landing to lessen the brunt of his impact so that he now found himself kneeling in front of Eriol's car. He could see the warm air rising from the hood and the soft purr of an engine idling.
/No Youko. I won't run you over. Where's the fun in that? /
The car backed off, changed directions and sped away; all with the agility that Kurama knew human engineers didn't factor in while they were drawing up the plans for the car.
He stood up and frowned. He had timed it right. Except at the last second, Eriol did something again. Eriol bent a few Rules to work to his advantage.
Matte...he may have bent the Rules, but they are still Rules and so Eriol would also be bound by them...hmmm...
He brushed the dirt from his clothes and struggled to regain control with the youkai within. Youko was putting up a fight. He wanted to emerge. From time to time, he nearly let the other take over but pulled Youko back at the last minute. This maybe exactly what the Magician wanted.
He wrinkled his nose as he smelled something. Human. Pheromones. Fear. He turned around quickly towards the direction. There in the shadows he could make out a man and a woman. They had clearly been interrupted with their business when he 'dropped' in.
Kurama strode over to the frightened pair. The woman shrank back, pulling her clothes to cover herself. The guy was wide-eyed. Kurama couldn't care less. There was another thing that he wanted from the pair. In his mind, he heard Youko chuckle.
(Dear boy are you really going to? You don't have a license.) Youko mocked him.
Oh shut up, Youko. You're going to help me since you're being so damn smug.
(Oh, I can ride that machine. Ningen machines are easy compared to our toys. But can YOU handle it? )
"I need to borrow your bike," Kurama said evenly to the man. It was not a request. The man nodded dumbly, still in shock. The woman whimpered. Kurama dimly heard Youko laugh inside his head.
"Thank you," Kurama said. He took the man's keys, gloves and helmet. After that he tossed towards the pair his wallet.
"I have enough in there to cover the repairs for your Ducatti when you will find it tomorrow." He had no doubt on that. The bike was going to get wrecked and Tatsumi had enough funds to spare, thanks to the Ministry of the Dead here. A thought crossed his mind. There was a time when he would just take what he wanted and not ask, damn the consequences.
(Really, Shuichi. All these human guilt trips. It's going to slow us down. )
Kurama screened out Youko's comment and mounted the black and silver Ducatti. Just before he put on the helmet he turned to the almost naked pair, "Use the extra cash to get a room."
Sheesh...men today don't know how to romance women properly.
(I agree. If I was that guy…)
I really don't want to know, Youko. Now shut up and help me.
If his analysis of the situation was right then this might just work. Mahou wasn't working on the Magician and neither was the use of reiki or youki. Eriol was manipulating magical lines to suit him but had largely left the other aspects of Reality alone otherwise, even ordinary humans would notice that something was amiss. The car, from what Kurama had seen, still obeyed regular physics - just like everything else non-magical. It was pushing the limits of physics though.
Following Eriol's logic, he should be able to keep up with the Porsche if he used a vehicle of some sort and not his youkai abilities.
The bike gave a satisfying roar when he started it. Good. It was in excellent condition. Apparently, lover boy knew more about motorbike TLC then TLC-ing women. He wasn't complaining though. This was one hell of a machine and he could tell that even Youko approved of the Ducatti.
He pushed off and the machine roared to life. He felt the power beneath him and took off towards where the Porsche disappeared.
I really should get one of these for Christmas...
/Go around that corner! / Tatsumi's mind voice came clearly and interrupted Kurama's passing thought.
/Where is he heading, Sei-san? / Kurama responded.
/An abandoned site on the east side of the city. /
/Yusuke and the others? /
/They're cutting him off now. /
Kurama threw the bike into a mean wheelie as he rounded the sharp corner, and then saw the car's taillights ahead of him.
/Found him. /
He increased his speed coming ever closer to the car until he came almost side by side by it. Together, car and bike weaved in and out, dancing on the streets like two champion figure skaters. Other vehicles and people rushed to get out of the way and somehow Kurama knew that no matter how fast they were going no innocent bystander was going to get hurt. Eriol had made sure of that in this altered reality. Several times he thought that the car or he would clip a bystander and always they passed by with no harm done.
I can see the morning papers' headline now: Ghost Vehicles running the Streets of London.
/WATCH OUT! /
Kurama jerked back to awareness at Tatsumi's warning. He had not noticed that the car had suddenly made a hard left into a tiny street and that he was now heading straight towards a battered wall in a dead-end alley.
He pulled hard on his bike, lifting the front wheel up and using the Porsche's fleeing tail end as a springboard to jump the wall. He felt the back wheel clipped the top of the cement wall before the bike buck underneath him. At the last moment, before he and the Ducatti would hit the ground on the other side, he jumped off.
There was a crash, then the sound of machinery sliding and grinding on hard earth. Sparks flew and the Ducatti smashed onto the side of an abandoned building before exploding.
Damn, Youko. Pay attention will you?
(Ch. If I had full control of this body…)
/Kurama! / Yusuke's mind voice came across loudly and interrupted the mental argument Kurama was having with his other self.
/Are you all right, kid? / That was Tatsumi. Calm as ever.
/Huh? What'd I miss? / Who else but Kuwabara?
Kurama lay on the dust, allowing himself to catch his breath. He'd hit the ground hard, knocking the wind out of him. He could hear the others calling out to him telepathically, worried if he was hurt badly, though in Hiei's case…
/Get up fox! /
/Gee...thanks, Hiei. For your concern. /
Kurama pulled himself up trying to get his bearings. Despite the situation, he found himself grinning at Hiei's remark. He'd learned to pick up the nuances and hidden sentiments in Hiei's gruff responses.
(This is not the time to be amused.) Youko chided him.
Right.
/Where am I Tatsumi? / he asked the shinigami as he took a quick scan of his location.
/You're in the place that I mentioned about. /
/Eriol? / Kurama asked the shinigami.
/The car's parked several yards away from you. He seemed to have entered one of the tunnels. /
/Ok, I'm going then. /
/No. Wait for the others. /
/We'll loose him. / Kurama retorted.
/Let him go. He's old enough to take care of himself. / Hiei butted in.
/Guys? Where are you now? /
/I'll go get Kuwabara before he gets lost again. / Yusuke offered.
/Be careful, Kurama. / Tatsumi repeated.
/Am I Youko or am I YOUKO? /
/Hn. Isn't that what got you into trouble in the first place? /
/Yo! Fox! / It was Yusuke. /We'll be there in a few minutes. Don't start the fun without us, you hear? /
/I hear you Yusuke. /
He lifted his head and saw the full moon. For a while, he sensed his other self-waiting just beneath the surface. A cold, calm clarity filled his entire being.
Let's go hunting, Youko.
Somewhere in the depths of the city's underground tunnels, a boy holding a huge ornate staff stood in the middle of a magical circle that glowed with strange symbols. Just beyond the magical circle a woman stood. She was looking at him skeptically.
"Really, Eriol. Is all this necessary?"
"Now Mizuki, I'm just having fun."
"How about a simple encounter? A simple hello, nice to meet you kind of encounters."
"Tsk. So ordinary. Where's the fun in that?"
"You have a strange concept of fun."
Two beings stepped up near the edge of the circle. One was a frail looking girl that seemed made of wisp. The other was Eriol's doppelganger.
Eriol turned to the girl, "You know what to do Melody?"
The girl nodded quietly then disappeared like white smoke.
Next, Eriol turned to the doppelganger and smiled, "Now go and lead him to us."
His twin vanished.
Mizuki shook her head, " I still don't think this is necessary, Eriol. They're all going to see each other in Hogwarts anyway."
"A stuffy castle is not exactly an ideal place for a first encounter."
"Akizuki is already here. You felt the need to add more mayhem?"
He responded with a smile.
Mizuki sighed and smiled back. C'est la vie.
"Mizuki-san..."
"Yes?"
"They are not exactly ordinary people."
"Right. Well, I must call it a night. I have an early day tomorrow."
"Give Dumbledore my regards."
Kurama looked around helplessly. Where the hell did that boy slipped off to? There were several possible places to hide or escaped in and checking them all out was not practical. He'd followed the scent when the wind suddenly changed and he lost the track. The trail petered out and he found himself standing in the middle of a scrap yard.
Dammit! Where the hell are you?
There was movement to the left of him. He turned around quickly. It was a black cat scrounging for scraps. He took a moment to rein in his growing frustration. In the past, he had no trouble at all controlling his feelings because he simply did not experience them the same way humans did. He was always detached from it. However, when he merged with the human boy, he also blurred the lines that divided Youko Kurama from Shuichi Minamino. Sometimes, the emotions he felt as a human were overwhelming if not controlled immediately.
He took another deep breath as he sensed the other members of the Rei Tantei coming. Tatsumi had gotten held back. The shinigami was busy misdirecting the arawns to the location. Tatsumi wanted them to get first crack on Eriol.
Except Kurama couldn't find Eriol now.
An empty can rolled near his feet and he glanced up. There on a small dirt hill, stood Eriol. He was smiling again. Kurama felt his annoyance at being toyed with grow stronger. Only a few feet separated them. Without even thinking about it, he launched himself at the boy only to see Eriol standing in another place, another few feet away from him.
Fine. He understood the Rules of the game. No supernatural speed or anything.
He took one-step forward. Eriol didn't move. In fact, he seemed please. He made a slight gesture to indicate to Kurama to follow him. The boy had taken down the spell that he cast over the city. As long as Kurama cooperated, there was no need for any spell. If the fox had other ideas like last time, Eriol would retaliate. It was an old Rule. Eye for an Eye. Magic vs. Magic. Youki vs. Reiki. It was the Rule that everyone in Makai lived with.
(We could always take him.) Youko suggested.
No. Not until we know what we are up against with. He seems to twist the very fabric of Reality itself.
Youko was silent. He, of all the members of the Rei Tantei, knew the value of prudence. Left with no other alternatives, Kurama followed.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Did you see, Traveler? Did you understand what I have shown to you? No? Oh dear...let me try to explain. All things are connected. All Life is connected. Small things. Big things. All are intertwined and inseparable from the other. Modern life has made you feel that you are separate. You are not. Just as the demon Kurama's fate is bound to that of Reed's descendants so is your fate bound to the events that are happening.
Everything is connected. Everything. Light and Dark. Good and bad. That is what I want you to understand and know. That is why I brought you here. To see what you otherwise could not witness.
Here in Tel 'Aran 'Rhiod, the Sleeping Realm, all things are possible. All things happen. Time is of no consequence. I created this world and you created me. I am both greater and lesser than you, gods or demons in that I shape all your sleeping worlds but in turn it is those very sleeping worlds that shaped me and gave me form. This Realm is superior to all the others in that it encompassed them all but it is inferior in that it needs the others to exist. You can only enter if I let you in.
Before I brush the sand from your eyes and you wake up to your world I will tell you one last thing. My name is Morpheus. I am the third of my family that was hidden by Mother from Father's wrath. I am the Endless that you call Dream.
Now, remember everything and nothing. But do not forget that no matter how your family hates you or how you hate them, you are tied to them by blood. Soon…you will meet your other family. Magick will be your bond. Magick will be your salvation. Magick will be your undoing, T'a'veren…
Now wake up, Harry…"
TBC
===================================================================================
K.H.: It's been Hell Week for me, minna. I just hope that it doesn't turn into Hell Month. That'd suck big time considering that March is my birth month. Early birthday presents, anyone? Surprise parties?
Alternatively, you can always use the review button to lift my spirits up or send it crashing down. Doesn't matter. I can't get any lower therefore I can only start to go up, ne? ^_~ Or drop by my blog or the Gripe Vines, or…whatever…
P.S. Shaolan is the compromised version of the Japanese name Syaoran and the Chinese name (Mandarin, Hokkien, Fokkien, Cantonese, etc.) Xiao Lang or Shao Lang or Xiao Lan depending on whose sub or dub your watching. ^_^ Many thanks to Shira for pointing this out.
=============================================================================================
