NOTE: Fanfiction.net and I are friends again. Forget about the mailing list, everyone, and thank you for showing your support! Chapter XIII should be out soon! ^ ^ Enjoy Chapter XII for those who have not read it yet!
Cessation
Izzy Girl XII collect your thoughts and if you are not foolish you will unbind the chains from your feet and not your heart Syaoran wasn't sure how comfortable he was with this. It was morning, Eriol had been properally bandaged and Syaoran had taken it upon himself to call everyone who was worth calling over. Now they all sat crowded in his dusty living room, Ruby and Spinel gazing at their former master with a sort of awe and Touya concentrated on the task of tightening the ropes around the mage's pale wrists. "You know," Syaoran observed from where he was slumped in his old reading chair, dark eyed and wanting for sleep, "I don't think that's really necessary. Touya raised his dark head and shot Syaoran a glare that clearly said: 'I remember what Meiling said that night and if it suits me I'm about ready to believe it. You were hardly deserving of my sister's love in the first place, now keep your mouth shut before I am forced to do some sort of physical damage unto your personage.' Syaoran thinned his lips and shrugged, "It was just a suggestion." From across the room Eriol beamed a maddening grin in the chinese boy's direction and said: "Oh, Xiao Lang, don't worry so much. Kinomoto-san is simply taking such percatiouns for everyone's saftey. Soon he will realize that I am no threat and this entire matter will be cleared up." Syaoran narrowed his eyes and leaned his heavy head into his arms once again. Touya finished securing Eriol firmly to the chair and stepped back to admire his work. There was a long, pointed silence as Kero raised his eyebrow, Syaoran balked, Touya hmm-ed, Tomoyo blinked akwardly, Ruby and Spinel clambered silently for the proper words and Eriol smiled a most genuine smile for one who was tied up and who had nearly died the night before. 'Well, at least he's not muttering incomprehensible sentences anymore.' Syaoran sighed inwardly and raised his gaze just enough to observe the dark haired mage. He was pale and haggard, of course, but that smile shone through as if he were doing it just to spite Syaoran. Finally, the chinese boy let out a low growl and snapped, "Would you quit smiling like that, Hiiragizawa. It's creeping me out." Eriol opened his eyes fully and turned the edges of his lips downwards in an almost-frown, "Why so unfair, Xiao Lang? I am simply happy." he paused, "Are you not happy for me?" "So what, you expect us to believe that all of a sudden you're not Clow." Touya leaned forwards, raising a black eyebrow. Eriol simply grinned at him unnervingly. "I do not see why you all find the concept so difficult to grasp. Seeing that the body was in danger, the spirit of the reincarnation fled. How else would one stay alive? You can hardly expect a soul that lingers in a dying body would flourish?" "You just said it yourself." Syaoran hung his head as he spoke, not even having the energy to keep his head upright, "So Clow's gone. You have no soul." Eriol closed his eyes and aquired a contemplative look, "That, only time will tell." "But wouldn't you be able to feel it?" Tomoyo asked breathessly, "Surely you'd know if your soul was missing!" Eriol opened his large, glassy eyes and graced Tomoyo with a lingering glance. He spoke carefully, "I... I do not know what it feels like to not have a soul. Perhaps I will have to meditate on this, Tomoyo-kun. I do feel... different than I did before, but..." he trailed off, which was not something Eriol usually did in everyday conversation. His dialouge was always sharp, percise and to the point. He'd finish his statement boldly and his words always held conviction, his speech flowing together and connecting points like a well written essay. This alone caused Syaoran to raise his eyebrows in surprise, even though his face was hidden. "This is pointless." Touya cut in, falling back on the couch beside an unusually quiet Ruby, "We're not here to debate the metaphorical existence of the soul. We're here because you know things we don't." "Ah." the grin returned, but this time it held a bitter twist, "Of course. But first don't you think we should wait for everyone?" "Hmm?" Syaoran looked up, though not fully and gave Eriol a questioning look. Met by silence, the British boy continued, "Why, where is fair Yukito? And my dearest friend Yue, it has been a while." "Who are..." Syaoran began, though in his mind there was the faintest flash of luminesence- white feathers and a mop of messy, dirty blonde hair. "Not this again." Touya muttered, shooting Ruby a dirty look, "You talked to him beforehand." Ruby raised her forearms defensively, then brushed a long strand of brown hair over her shoulder as if turning her nose up at the young man, "I did no such thing. What had happened to you, Touya Kinomoto. You used to be such a good natured little boy!" Touya grimaced and made a flippant hand gesture, closing his eyes to convey the depth of his growing impatience, "Yeah, yeah. You've all had your fun. Is there any chance we can get to more serious matters before lunch?" "Someone's cranky today." Kero remarked, drawing attention to himself. Syaoran noticed that it was the first time the sun gaurdian had spoken throughout the entire meeting, which was strange since Kero was almost impossible to shut up with his endless speculations and pointless injections. For him to be quiet meant that something was most definitely wrong. "I think I have a right." Touya muttered, "This past week hasn't exactly been stress free. And spending my entire evening in the Police Station didn't help much either." Tomoyo looked up and nodded, "Things aren't going to be easy with the card issue out in the public now. We have to be careful." "Master Clow," Spinel began slowly, correcting himself a split second too late, "Ah, I mean Mr. Hiiragizawa... Miss. Daidouji had the idea that we may be able to communicate with the cards and explain to them..." Eriol cut Spinel off. He spoke in English, that thick and clumsy language of his homeland, and Spinel drew back slightly. Similar reactions were gathered from Ruby and Kero, but the other three occupants of the room were left in the dark. Syaoran himself spoke only the barest traces of English and was horrible at understanding it. It bothered him when people spoke a language he was unable to understand in tones that sounded important. When he was finished speaking, Eriol heaved a deep sighed and twitched one of his bound arms as if resisting the compulsion to push his dropping glasses further up the bridge of his nose. He blinked longly and met Touya's befuddled gaze. "Ask away, Kinomoto-san." Touya hesitated and Syaoran stole the opportunity to begin, "Hiiragizawa, exactly what the hell is going on here." Everyone looked at the chinese boy as if he had broken some great rule by asking such a blunt question. He felt that it was against proper tradition, but he was very tired and sick of playing mind games. Eriol had told them he would answer whatever questions they had now that Clow was no longer residing in his body. Syaoran wasn't eager to trust him, but what better way to test his words than to come right out and ask what everyone really wanted to know. Eriol immedietly understood the intent and repainted a wry smile back onto his grimacing face, "Straight to the point, eh Xiao Lang? Very well, but it is a long story." "I don't care." "I meant that I do not enjoy telling it, and since I am no longer Clow, in a manner of speaking, there may be gaps I am unable to fill." "Tell what you can. We'll figure it out later." "Very well then." Eriol took a deep breath and shifted uncomfortably beneath the rope, flattening his back against the kitched chair, "From what memories of Clow I have maintained, it all began with our dear friend here Keroberos." "What!?" a loud shriek emenated from where Kero had settled himself atop Syaoran's seat. The gaurdian bounced indignantly, raising himself to his full height (which wasn't very high, considering his current form), "What are you talking about!?" "Don't you remember?" Eriol's fridgid gaze was like a knife as it set on the tiny sun gaurdian and Syaoran swore that Kero shivered, "If I remember, surely you would?" when Kero didn't answer, Eriol took that as incentive to explain, "You see, Keroberos was concerned that the next gaurdian of the cards would be too modern and too occupied with frivilous things to really be a good choice." Kero gasped, interrupted the mage's paragraph, as if he had just remembered something. He muttered something incomprehensible, but something that sounded quite a bit like: 'Of course. How could I have been so dense!' Eriol continued, "Clow, of course, was not exactly pleased with this assault on his competence, but nevertheless to assure his gaurdian he placed, in addition to all the tests you witnessed, a true 'Final Judgement'." "But, Sakura already passed the 'Final Judgement', didn't she?" Tomoyo's voice quivered as she remembered the night Nakuru had revealed herself to be Ruby Moon, second gaudian of the Clow Cards. Eriol nodded, "Yes, Miss. Daidouji, that she did. This 'other test' Clow crafted was something unconcious. It wasn't the sort of test that could be passed with someone knowing about it." "But that doesn't make much sense." Touya furrowed his brow, "That means Sakura could have failed it by accident." "Oh, but it wouldn't be an accident. It was a simple test of morals and priority." "Are you insinuating that Sakura lacked either?" Touya hissed, ever defensive of his sister's pride. "No." Eriol shook his head lightly, "Not at all. I am simply trying to explain that this test may have been imperfect. I do not think that Clow ever took into consideration that Sakura might pass away. It is quite possible that with her sudden dissapearence, the cards were unprepared and panicked. Her death may have triggered some hidden mechanism in them and they began to behave as if Sakura failed that last test." "It would... explain many things." Tomoyo said cryptically. "What do you mean, Tomoyo?" Syaoran wondered. "Well." the girl shifted her folded hands, searching for proper words, "The cards told me that Sakura betrayed them." she raised her dark eyes and looked at Eriol, "If Sakura had failed this test, would the cards feel betrayed?" "Yes, of course." Eriol replied, "After all, it was a test of character. If the cards believe she failed in her duty, they would of course begin to fester a very deep resentment towards her." "Okay, okay, so it's all coming together." Touya rubbed at his temple absently and in a very adult-like manner, "So now that we know what their problem is... how do we fix it?" Eriol paused and a great, expectant hush fell over the room. The british boy chuckled and shrugged his bound shoulders, "Now that, I do not know." "But weren't you the one who created it?" Touya protested, "Shouldn't you be able to counter act it somehow?" "Ah, but if only it was me!" Eriol frowned apologetically, "Remember, I'm not Clow anymore."
The boy walked like a living, waking ghost. Those who saw him make his way, wraith-like, through the streets swore that they thought he was a shadow, sheltered by the faint outline of a gaurdian angel illuminated in the dull gray air. What was truly odd about this was that in a strange way, those who made such claims were closer to the truth than they realized. Yukito felt himself slipping, like the feeling of silk running through soft-calloused fingers- slow, but with little resistence. Yue followed behind him, barely noticed but very real, one hand placed on his other half's shoulder and wings folded about them like a sheild. It had been days since they'd left Tomoeda and Yukito hardly knew where they were anymore. It had been a confusing mess of travel between trains, carriages and cabs on rainy afternoons. All he knew is that wherever they were it was very gray and even when it was a sunny afternoon, the entire place felt like rain and dripping. Finally, he collapsed. He folded himself into a conviniently placed park bench and slumped over, breathlessly. Yue glided gracefully and almost invisiably beside him and crossed his long arms. "Where are we going?" Yukito asked after a brief pause. Yue stared past Yukito with an unfocused gaze, "To find someone who can help." "Hmm." Yue said no more and Yukito turned his head weakly to study the gaurdian's blank features. He coughed purposefully, "And who would that be?" Yue blinked and looked at Yukito in an expression of almost surprise, "Oh. We're going to see Miss. Mizuki of course." Yue smiled subtly and nodded, hanging his head again, "Ah. Of course." he chuckled lightly, "You know, it was much more useful when we were always thinking the same thing. I think you might forget that." "Maybe." Yue stood and wrapped long fingers around Yukito's arm, helping him up, "We'd better go if we want to meet her before she heads off to work." A few more minutes of strenious walking found them at the foot of a tall, gray-brick townhouse finished with black-painted ivy grating. There were dying suggestions of ivy winding through the grating and suddenly it hit Yukito. Something about the old, cliched mental image of that townhouse set something off in his head. "Oh. We're in England." Yue detatched himself from Yukito's arm and approached the tiny, red door of the house and lifted the knocker slowly, letting it fall with a dull, muffled thud. The two waited for a long moment until they were certain there would be no answer. "She must not be home." Yukito observed with a sigh. "No. She's gone." Yukito raised an eyebrow, "How do you know that?" "Her aura. I don't feel it anywhere. There would have at least been traces of it around this building. She's been gone for some time." Yukito ruffled his brow and sunk deeper into his jacket, "That's strange. Where would she have gone." "I have no idea. I didn't know her very well. After all, you were the one who spent more time with her." "That's true." Yukito raised his eyes and watched the skies cloud over. Kaho always talked about returning to England. Where else would she go besides... "Of course!" he breathed in sharply, and flashed Yue a pale grin, "I think I might know where she's gone."
It was rather akward for Syaoran to watch the edges of Eriol's long robes drag along the hardwood floor of his kitchen as the British boy prepared tea for himself while humming cheerfully. 'He should stay with you in the manor, Li. It only makes sense. He is you responsibility, after all.' Tonight Eriol's robes were a dark crimson, very nearly black, with thin rivets of silver lining at the wrists and hems. The heavy stentch of British tea made him curl back his nostrils in disgust, so he sipped his cha quietly and tried to avoid conversation. 'It's not like he's going to try anything, Li. And he's not even at full power anymore. You're forgetting that Eriol was never really a threat in the first place, you're just blowing things out of proportion because you never liked him. Grow up already.' Eriol sat down and regarded Syaoran curiously, sipping his tea with a somber expression on his face. "You seem to be in a rather melanchony mood this evening, Xiao Lang." Syaoran mumbled something incomprehensible in response. It was still raining outside and if he concentrated hard enough, he could almost imagine that the violent strokes of the raindrops hitting the window sill were drowning out Eriol's words completely. "Hmm. Interesting, I never did figure you as the sort who went for one night stands." Syaoran's eyes widened and he sputtered wordlessly, sending half-swallowed cha out across the table. He slammed his hands on the table and said hoarsely, "That never happened! Do you understand me?" he shot Eriol the most ferocious glare he could manage under the circumstances. Eriol shrugged lightly, "Of course." "And don't you dare even think about trying anything else or I swear to whatever the hell God you pray to that you'll be dead before you can even breath another breath." "Would it make you feel better if I made a pledge?" There was a bemused grin working it's way up Eriol's lips, but his eyes also had a wearied look swimming beneath the surface. Syaoran raised an eyebrow, "A pledge?" Eriol closed his eyes and placed one hand over his heart in a mockery of an American criminal swearing on the Holy Bible, "I swear that I shall not behave towards you in a manner that is unbecoming. I shall not even refer to you in terms any more personal that 'Li-kun' or, if you'd like 'Li-san'." Eriol opened one eye and shot Syaoran a half wink, "Unless, of course, you'd like me to." Syaoran made a disgusted expression and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest, "Whatever. I don't care what you do." "Then it's a deal, Li-kun." there was no change in tone as Eriol stated the title, but Syaoran could have swore that he heard one. Eriol's voice lowered a half-note and he sounded bitter. The mage opened his eyes and continued to work on his brimming mug of tea, carelessly tapping his fingers against the kitchen table, "Now that I've got your attention, there are matters we must discuss." Syaoran chewed his lower lip and shook his head slowly, "I have nothing to discuss with you." "Nonsense, Li-kun." Eriol sounded cross and he looked at Syaoran sharply, "This is important. Do you really think that everything that should have been said was said this morning?" "What do you mean?" "I mean simply that there are things that I might be more inclined to speak of now that I'm not bound and gagged in such an ungraceful position. More so, there are things that I wish to inform you of that may be of at least minimal interest." he paused and when Syaoran made no reply except to stare at him somewhat blankly, Eriol cleared his throat and asked, "By the way, Li-kun, do you by any chance remember what happened a few years back when Sakura was still alive... a certain situation with the 'Void' card." Syaoran narrowed his eyes and peered at the mage as if he were tyring to see through him, "Yeah. Of course I remember. What does that..." He was cut off by a particularily loud crack of lightning, followed by the tell tale tingling in his bones that was characteristic of magic-related unsettlements. He perked his head and noticed Eriol do the same thing. His joints were still aching from the previous day's battle and he very nearly groaned, resisting an overwhelming urge to say something along the lines of: 'Again? Ah, screw it. Hiiragizawa, what was that you were trying to say?' Instead he lept to his feet and quicky made his way to the stairwell where his sword was leaning casually against one wall beside the coat rack. He swept on his raincoat and grumbled under his breath in chinese as he threw the door open, followed closely by Eriol. The mage chuckled. "Now, now Li-kun. That was rather rude."
"Shit." Touya cast in Syaoran's direction one of those indesricbable looks of his, made ridiculous by the sight of his black hair plastered against his forehead. His arms were crossed and water dripped from every angle of his features. He was not wearing anything akin to a rain jacket and had, in his haste, completely forgotten to grab his umbrella on the way out the door. In otherwords, Touya Kinomoto had all the brevity and seriousness of a drowned rat about him. "Exactly my sentiments, Li." he muttered, turning away swiftly and eyeing the destruction before him, "What exactly went on here anyways?" "The 'Wave' card." Eriol answered matter-of-factly. "The what?" Touya raised his eyebrows. "The 'Wave' card. It has the ability to transform anything it touches into a wave." Touya shook his head slowly, "I really don't like the sound of that..." "I really don't like what I remember of it." Syaoran scoffed, "Tomoyo?" Tomoyo looked up briefly and shrugged, immedietly returning her attention to her notebook where she was writing something ferociously under the cover of an umbrella held by Ruby Moon. Whatever she was writing was a mystery, but she was unusually absorbed in it so the others assumed it must have been something of importence. Meanwhile, Touya narrowed his eyes in Eriol's general direction, "Why would you ever make something stupidly ridiculous like that?" he asked harshly, "I mean, come on! I get most of the cards, okay, but of what POSSIBLE use could turning everything and anything into a wave BE?" Eriol shrugged, "I don't know. Clow's memories are fading steadily but I still have enough of him in me to know the answer to that question." "And what would that be?" Syaoran muttered the half-question from beneath the brim of his rain-jacket's wide, yellow hood. Eriol pulled his lips back from his teeth in a smile of mock sweetness as he met Syaoran's gaze, "For fun." Touya and Syaoran groaned in unison and Eriol returned his placid stare to the gouge in the pavement. He wore no hat nor jacket and was not carrying an umbrella- it seemed as if the rain was reflecting off him, perhaps the stray drop hitting his glasses every half-beat, but for the most part he remained unfazed. It was rather unsettling to watch someone stand in the middle of a raging rainstorm and emerge perfectly dry. Syaoran obserbed this and shuddered. "Hiiragizawa." he snapped sharply, "If we're to believe you're not Clow anymore, then why the hell is your damn magical aura still flaring like crazy?" Eriol shrugged non-consequentially, "Who knows. Correct me if I'm wrong, Li-kun, but it's weaker than before, is it not?" Syaoran nodded quickly and Eriol made a short sighing sound, "Ah, then my hypothesis was correct... it will fade with time. Don't worry, before you know it I'll be just as ordinary and useless as Mr. Kinomoto here." Touya stiffened. If he had been a cat, his back might have arched, but instead he raised his dark eyebrows and grumbled defensively, "I'm not completely useless. I can sense auras too, you know. Almost better than clan boy here, in fact." "I doubt that." Syaoran breathed a reply, not really caring. He was absorbed in the job of wringing the water from his soaked jacket sleeves, wondering how the hell he was ever going to fight wearing the thing. It was all stiffened rubber and about three sizes too small- something he'd brought with him when he first moved to Tomoeda. He'd never really thought to buy himself a new one. "Wanna bet?" Syaoran's retort was cut off before he even had a chance to voice it. A cry from above alerted the small group to Keroberos and Spinel Sun who had opted to scout ahead in the storm. Kero was shouting something, but as he did, the wind picked up and carried his words away. Syaoran squinted stupidly, somehow hoping that by doing so it would help his ears pick up the faint call. As he did so, another sound, dim in the distance, entered his range of hearing. The hum grew louder and momentarily he thought that perhaps it was in his head, but it wasn't long before he noticed Touya shifting his gaze and Eriol craning his neck back. Even the absorbed Tomoyo and umbrealla-holding Ruby looked up after a few moments. Suddenly, Eriol jolted, his eyes wide and alert. "Move!" he shouted, half jumping half gliding about ten feet backwards. Ruby was quick to move, used to following Eriol's snappish orders. She scooped up a surprised Tomoyo and backed away in the other direction, while Touya and Syaoran looked at each other in shock. "Li! Kinomoto!" Eriol shouted again, waving his arms frantically, "Move! Now!" It was only a few moments later that the humming abruptly became an overbearing roar. Syaoran cursed loudly and Touya managed to let out a startle shout before the two of them were swept away by a ridgid wave running down the center of the road. Kero swooped down and Touya managed to half swim himself to the surface and gripped the gaurdian's paw before the current could completely drag him away. Syaoran, however, had lost grip of his sword and was attempting to dive deeper into the moving mass of rainwater towards where it was rapidly sinking towards the pavement. He could almost feel his fingers closing around the hilt of the blade when suddenly, the water around him was gone. There was a gust of wind about him and then he hit the ground hard, losing his breath. He was on his feet fast, though, and he lept for his sword. As he reached it, it flew out of his hands and rose into the air, as if of it's own will. Syaoran jumped back in shock, almost bumbing into the supremely stressed Eriol who seemed to almost have a clue about what was happening. Eriol swore. Quite profusely in fact, as the sword twisted in upon itself and finally expanded, thursting outwards as a thousand swords layered upon each other, each blade catching the streetlights glare menacingly. Eriol shot into the air and the wave rushed forwards in Syaoran's directions. The chinese boy moved fast and sprung into the mass of blades, securing his feet on one as if it were a foothold. He wrapped his arms, safe in their raincoat sleeves, around anoher blade, careful to wind his body around and into the spaces between the swords. He caught his breath and considered: 'Okay, so I'm up here and not dead. What now?' The wave bucked like a angry bull, as if it were something quite sentient, and Syaoran thought he could hear Eriol's far off voice: "Seal the card Xioa Lang! Seal it quickly before you're killed!" Syaoran sucked in thin air deeply and, not one hundred percent certain of what he was doing, began climbing the the wave. It was slow and painful progress. The arms of his rain jacket as well his pant legs were soon torn and when he misstepped, his hands became hopelessly bloody. "Xiao Lang! You great idiot! Stop trying to be a hero and SEAL THE CARD!" He bit down hard on his lip and ignored the slippery stining in his hands where the blades had dug into his skin. He nearly fell off a few times, but he began to imagine that he was nearly to the top and if he could just mount the rise of the wave, he would be able to find his real sword and break the spell. "What in hell are you doing Xiao Lang!? Do you really think you can hold on much longer!? Grab a hilt and seal the bloody card!" 'Right' he thought, 'If I can find my sword, I can seal it...' He began seeing shallow patterns trace their way in his darkened vision and he felt faint. Above him the din was dying and he could hear voices around him. He was pretty sure the rain had stopped, but it was hard to tell. He tettered slightly, and shot out a hand to steady himself, meeting only sharpened metal. A new cut was dug, a deeper and wider one. He yelped and lost his grip again, tumbling backwards. His breath caught in his throat and he closed his eyes, preparing himself for his impact against the pavement when something caught his arm. He opened his eyes to a strange sense of deja vu and saw Eriol hovering above him, one strong hand clasped around his arm and his staff held high against the attacking card, much like what had happened less than a week before. Eriol's voice was strong and clear and the card shrunk back as he spoke, "By the power of the Kinomoto star, I command that you return to your power confined!" Everything froze for a split-second that seemed much longer and Syaoran, in his foggy state of mind, assumed that the card would rebel and impale him and Hiiragizawa both as they hovered there helplessly and rather desperately. He squeezed his eyes shut again and heard nothing. He didn't open them until Eriol set his feet softly on the ground and gripped his shoulders violently. Syaoran's eyes snapped open in shock as the mage spun him around, almost furious, and pulled him closer, speaking in a vicious whisper. "I knew it from the moment I saw you throw yourself against that barrier during the Mistress's trial at Penguin Park all those years ago! You are nothing but an empty-headed fool, Li Xiao Lang, with not a sense or thought in that thick head of yours!" he held the chinese boy there for a moment, his gray eyes clouded over, but still shining brilliantly. His mouth was twisted down and there was something decidedly different in his manner- the anger, the irrationality, the hint of concern in the angle of his eyebrows. Syaoran suddenly felt a flash of something deeper, something almost tender much like what he had felt when Eriol had first kissed him. He unconciously savoured it for a moment, then jerked away, narrowing his eyes. "Never do that again." he growled. Eriol raised an eyebrow, "What?" "Interfere." "Don't you mean, 'save your life'?' " Eriol replied with a chuckle. "No, I meant interfere." Syaoran spun around, crossing his arms, "And you broke your word." with those words, he ambled off to fetch his sword. Tomoyo was gripping the card tightly in on white-knuckled hand, her other hand holding her note book. Syaoran bent to pick up his sword and as he rose, he cast Tomoyo a glance. "What were you writing?" he wondered, taking the card from her and noting that it was trembling slightly. It took her a few seconds to realize that she had been spoken to. She seemed to be snapping out of a daze. She stared at Syaoran before finally answering, "Nothing important."
"You... you're..." Meiling had been seeking solitude and privacy within the decaying walls of the old Shinto temple up in the under developed foothills on the outskirts of Tomoeda. She had spent her time training mostly, and brooding. She had honestly never spent so much time ruminating on a single topic in her entire life, but this was a tricky subject and it would require much thought before she could properally decided on what ought to be done. Everytime her strong fists hit the baseboard, a new crack would appear in the rotted wood. She followed those lines like viens in a human's body and dark thoughts began to form in her mind. Eventually, she pictured those hair-thin veins rupturing every time she struck them and her rage slowly subsided. Though she could no longer see color, the red of blood still clouded her vision. She had sighed and threw herself on the floor, all uneven rocks and muddy dirt. She didin't care, though, for retribution had passed her by and turned the other way. She could bear the discomfort, it was the rage she was having a harm time dealing with. The shoddy roof leaked all around her and the pelting rain muffled the footsteps as they tapped their way up the long stairs. She uncovered her eyes slowly and stared long and hard at the tall man who's shoulders filled the door frame. There was something faintly familiar about him- the way he stood and wore such a contained expression. The way his eyes were arched and his glasses hung off his nose and his arms folded around his body in a way that was just 'so'. There was something classic and defining about this gentleman, something that she should have noticed right away, her honor and pride remaining. Something engrained deeply into her soul and blood and identity that was represented by this man. She breathed in sharply and scrambled out of her probe position, desperate to get to her feet and appear somewhat more presentable. She folded her hands like a young girl might and when she spoke, it was soft and wavering, "You... you're... I know..." her chapped lips could manage one final sylabill. A name with signifigance and prestiege and true meaning suddenly wearing the body of a man. The visagae of one worthy. She bowed her head and whispered in a lofty tone: "Clow..."
NOTE: I don't know much about the 'Wave' card, having not been privy to that episode, but I always thought it was kind of a neat idea. My potrayal of it in this chapter is probably a million years off, but hey, what the heck. I'm getting sick of the elemental cards and I' sure you all are as well.
Izzy Girl XII collect your thoughts and if you are not foolish you will unbind the chains from your feet and not your heart Syaoran wasn't sure how comfortable he was with this. It was morning, Eriol had been properally bandaged and Syaoran had taken it upon himself to call everyone who was worth calling over. Now they all sat crowded in his dusty living room, Ruby and Spinel gazing at their former master with a sort of awe and Touya concentrated on the task of tightening the ropes around the mage's pale wrists. "You know," Syaoran observed from where he was slumped in his old reading chair, dark eyed and wanting for sleep, "I don't think that's really necessary. Touya raised his dark head and shot Syaoran a glare that clearly said: 'I remember what Meiling said that night and if it suits me I'm about ready to believe it. You were hardly deserving of my sister's love in the first place, now keep your mouth shut before I am forced to do some sort of physical damage unto your personage.' Syaoran thinned his lips and shrugged, "It was just a suggestion." From across the room Eriol beamed a maddening grin in the chinese boy's direction and said: "Oh, Xiao Lang, don't worry so much. Kinomoto-san is simply taking such percatiouns for everyone's saftey. Soon he will realize that I am no threat and this entire matter will be cleared up." Syaoran narrowed his eyes and leaned his heavy head into his arms once again. Touya finished securing Eriol firmly to the chair and stepped back to admire his work. There was a long, pointed silence as Kero raised his eyebrow, Syaoran balked, Touya hmm-ed, Tomoyo blinked akwardly, Ruby and Spinel clambered silently for the proper words and Eriol smiled a most genuine smile for one who was tied up and who had nearly died the night before. 'Well, at least he's not muttering incomprehensible sentences anymore.' Syaoran sighed inwardly and raised his gaze just enough to observe the dark haired mage. He was pale and haggard, of course, but that smile shone through as if he were doing it just to spite Syaoran. Finally, the chinese boy let out a low growl and snapped, "Would you quit smiling like that, Hiiragizawa. It's creeping me out." Eriol opened his eyes fully and turned the edges of his lips downwards in an almost-frown, "Why so unfair, Xiao Lang? I am simply happy." he paused, "Are you not happy for me?" "So what, you expect us to believe that all of a sudden you're not Clow." Touya leaned forwards, raising a black eyebrow. Eriol simply grinned at him unnervingly. "I do not see why you all find the concept so difficult to grasp. Seeing that the body was in danger, the spirit of the reincarnation fled. How else would one stay alive? You can hardly expect a soul that lingers in a dying body would flourish?" "You just said it yourself." Syaoran hung his head as he spoke, not even having the energy to keep his head upright, "So Clow's gone. You have no soul." Eriol closed his eyes and aquired a contemplative look, "That, only time will tell." "But wouldn't you be able to feel it?" Tomoyo asked breathessly, "Surely you'd know if your soul was missing!" Eriol opened his large, glassy eyes and graced Tomoyo with a lingering glance. He spoke carefully, "I... I do not know what it feels like to not have a soul. Perhaps I will have to meditate on this, Tomoyo-kun. I do feel... different than I did before, but..." he trailed off, which was not something Eriol usually did in everyday conversation. His dialouge was always sharp, percise and to the point. He'd finish his statement boldly and his words always held conviction, his speech flowing together and connecting points like a well written essay. This alone caused Syaoran to raise his eyebrows in surprise, even though his face was hidden. "This is pointless." Touya cut in, falling back on the couch beside an unusually quiet Ruby, "We're not here to debate the metaphorical existence of the soul. We're here because you know things we don't." "Ah." the grin returned, but this time it held a bitter twist, "Of course. But first don't you think we should wait for everyone?" "Hmm?" Syaoran looked up, though not fully and gave Eriol a questioning look. Met by silence, the British boy continued, "Why, where is fair Yukito? And my dearest friend Yue, it has been a while." "Who are..." Syaoran began, though in his mind there was the faintest flash of luminesence- white feathers and a mop of messy, dirty blonde hair. "Not this again." Touya muttered, shooting Ruby a dirty look, "You talked to him beforehand." Ruby raised her forearms defensively, then brushed a long strand of brown hair over her shoulder as if turning her nose up at the young man, "I did no such thing. What had happened to you, Touya Kinomoto. You used to be such a good natured little boy!" Touya grimaced and made a flippant hand gesture, closing his eyes to convey the depth of his growing impatience, "Yeah, yeah. You've all had your fun. Is there any chance we can get to more serious matters before lunch?" "Someone's cranky today." Kero remarked, drawing attention to himself. Syaoran noticed that it was the first time the sun gaurdian had spoken throughout the entire meeting, which was strange since Kero was almost impossible to shut up with his endless speculations and pointless injections. For him to be quiet meant that something was most definitely wrong. "I think I have a right." Touya muttered, "This past week hasn't exactly been stress free. And spending my entire evening in the Police Station didn't help much either." Tomoyo looked up and nodded, "Things aren't going to be easy with the card issue out in the public now. We have to be careful." "Master Clow," Spinel began slowly, correcting himself a split second too late, "Ah, I mean Mr. Hiiragizawa... Miss. Daidouji had the idea that we may be able to communicate with the cards and explain to them..." Eriol cut Spinel off. He spoke in English, that thick and clumsy language of his homeland, and Spinel drew back slightly. Similar reactions were gathered from Ruby and Kero, but the other three occupants of the room were left in the dark. Syaoran himself spoke only the barest traces of English and was horrible at understanding it. It bothered him when people spoke a language he was unable to understand in tones that sounded important. When he was finished speaking, Eriol heaved a deep sighed and twitched one of his bound arms as if resisting the compulsion to push his dropping glasses further up the bridge of his nose. He blinked longly and met Touya's befuddled gaze. "Ask away, Kinomoto-san." Touya hesitated and Syaoran stole the opportunity to begin, "Hiiragizawa, exactly what the hell is going on here." Everyone looked at the chinese boy as if he had broken some great rule by asking such a blunt question. He felt that it was against proper tradition, but he was very tired and sick of playing mind games. Eriol had told them he would answer whatever questions they had now that Clow was no longer residing in his body. Syaoran wasn't eager to trust him, but what better way to test his words than to come right out and ask what everyone really wanted to know. Eriol immedietly understood the intent and repainted a wry smile back onto his grimacing face, "Straight to the point, eh Xiao Lang? Very well, but it is a long story." "I don't care." "I meant that I do not enjoy telling it, and since I am no longer Clow, in a manner of speaking, there may be gaps I am unable to fill." "Tell what you can. We'll figure it out later." "Very well then." Eriol took a deep breath and shifted uncomfortably beneath the rope, flattening his back against the kitched chair, "From what memories of Clow I have maintained, it all began with our dear friend here Keroberos." "What!?" a loud shriek emenated from where Kero had settled himself atop Syaoran's seat. The gaurdian bounced indignantly, raising himself to his full height (which wasn't very high, considering his current form), "What are you talking about!?" "Don't you remember?" Eriol's fridgid gaze was like a knife as it set on the tiny sun gaurdian and Syaoran swore that Kero shivered, "If I remember, surely you would?" when Kero didn't answer, Eriol took that as incentive to explain, "You see, Keroberos was concerned that the next gaurdian of the cards would be too modern and too occupied with frivilous things to really be a good choice." Kero gasped, interrupted the mage's paragraph, as if he had just remembered something. He muttered something incomprehensible, but something that sounded quite a bit like: 'Of course. How could I have been so dense!' Eriol continued, "Clow, of course, was not exactly pleased with this assault on his competence, but nevertheless to assure his gaurdian he placed, in addition to all the tests you witnessed, a true 'Final Judgement'." "But, Sakura already passed the 'Final Judgement', didn't she?" Tomoyo's voice quivered as she remembered the night Nakuru had revealed herself to be Ruby Moon, second gaudian of the Clow Cards. Eriol nodded, "Yes, Miss. Daidouji, that she did. This 'other test' Clow crafted was something unconcious. It wasn't the sort of test that could be passed with someone knowing about it." "But that doesn't make much sense." Touya furrowed his brow, "That means Sakura could have failed it by accident." "Oh, but it wouldn't be an accident. It was a simple test of morals and priority." "Are you insinuating that Sakura lacked either?" Touya hissed, ever defensive of his sister's pride. "No." Eriol shook his head lightly, "Not at all. I am simply trying to explain that this test may have been imperfect. I do not think that Clow ever took into consideration that Sakura might pass away. It is quite possible that with her sudden dissapearence, the cards were unprepared and panicked. Her death may have triggered some hidden mechanism in them and they began to behave as if Sakura failed that last test." "It would... explain many things." Tomoyo said cryptically. "What do you mean, Tomoyo?" Syaoran wondered. "Well." the girl shifted her folded hands, searching for proper words, "The cards told me that Sakura betrayed them." she raised her dark eyes and looked at Eriol, "If Sakura had failed this test, would the cards feel betrayed?" "Yes, of course." Eriol replied, "After all, it was a test of character. If the cards believe she failed in her duty, they would of course begin to fester a very deep resentment towards her." "Okay, okay, so it's all coming together." Touya rubbed at his temple absently and in a very adult-like manner, "So now that we know what their problem is... how do we fix it?" Eriol paused and a great, expectant hush fell over the room. The british boy chuckled and shrugged his bound shoulders, "Now that, I do not know." "But weren't you the one who created it?" Touya protested, "Shouldn't you be able to counter act it somehow?" "Ah, but if only it was me!" Eriol frowned apologetically, "Remember, I'm not Clow anymore."
The boy walked like a living, waking ghost. Those who saw him make his way, wraith-like, through the streets swore that they thought he was a shadow, sheltered by the faint outline of a gaurdian angel illuminated in the dull gray air. What was truly odd about this was that in a strange way, those who made such claims were closer to the truth than they realized. Yukito felt himself slipping, like the feeling of silk running through soft-calloused fingers- slow, but with little resistence. Yue followed behind him, barely noticed but very real, one hand placed on his other half's shoulder and wings folded about them like a sheild. It had been days since they'd left Tomoeda and Yukito hardly knew where they were anymore. It had been a confusing mess of travel between trains, carriages and cabs on rainy afternoons. All he knew is that wherever they were it was very gray and even when it was a sunny afternoon, the entire place felt like rain and dripping. Finally, he collapsed. He folded himself into a conviniently placed park bench and slumped over, breathlessly. Yue glided gracefully and almost invisiably beside him and crossed his long arms. "Where are we going?" Yukito asked after a brief pause. Yue stared past Yukito with an unfocused gaze, "To find someone who can help." "Hmm." Yue said no more and Yukito turned his head weakly to study the gaurdian's blank features. He coughed purposefully, "And who would that be?" Yue blinked and looked at Yukito in an expression of almost surprise, "Oh. We're going to see Miss. Mizuki of course." Yue smiled subtly and nodded, hanging his head again, "Ah. Of course." he chuckled lightly, "You know, it was much more useful when we were always thinking the same thing. I think you might forget that." "Maybe." Yue stood and wrapped long fingers around Yukito's arm, helping him up, "We'd better go if we want to meet her before she heads off to work." A few more minutes of strenious walking found them at the foot of a tall, gray-brick townhouse finished with black-painted ivy grating. There were dying suggestions of ivy winding through the grating and suddenly it hit Yukito. Something about the old, cliched mental image of that townhouse set something off in his head. "Oh. We're in England." Yue detatched himself from Yukito's arm and approached the tiny, red door of the house and lifted the knocker slowly, letting it fall with a dull, muffled thud. The two waited for a long moment until they were certain there would be no answer. "She must not be home." Yukito observed with a sigh. "No. She's gone." Yukito raised an eyebrow, "How do you know that?" "Her aura. I don't feel it anywhere. There would have at least been traces of it around this building. She's been gone for some time." Yukito ruffled his brow and sunk deeper into his jacket, "That's strange. Where would she have gone." "I have no idea. I didn't know her very well. After all, you were the one who spent more time with her." "That's true." Yukito raised his eyes and watched the skies cloud over. Kaho always talked about returning to England. Where else would she go besides... "Of course!" he breathed in sharply, and flashed Yue a pale grin, "I think I might know where she's gone."
It was rather akward for Syaoran to watch the edges of Eriol's long robes drag along the hardwood floor of his kitchen as the British boy prepared tea for himself while humming cheerfully. 'He should stay with you in the manor, Li. It only makes sense. He is you responsibility, after all.' Tonight Eriol's robes were a dark crimson, very nearly black, with thin rivets of silver lining at the wrists and hems. The heavy stentch of British tea made him curl back his nostrils in disgust, so he sipped his cha quietly and tried to avoid conversation. 'It's not like he's going to try anything, Li. And he's not even at full power anymore. You're forgetting that Eriol was never really a threat in the first place, you're just blowing things out of proportion because you never liked him. Grow up already.' Eriol sat down and regarded Syaoran curiously, sipping his tea with a somber expression on his face. "You seem to be in a rather melanchony mood this evening, Xiao Lang." Syaoran mumbled something incomprehensible in response. It was still raining outside and if he concentrated hard enough, he could almost imagine that the violent strokes of the raindrops hitting the window sill were drowning out Eriol's words completely. "Hmm. Interesting, I never did figure you as the sort who went for one night stands." Syaoran's eyes widened and he sputtered wordlessly, sending half-swallowed cha out across the table. He slammed his hands on the table and said hoarsely, "That never happened! Do you understand me?" he shot Eriol the most ferocious glare he could manage under the circumstances. Eriol shrugged lightly, "Of course." "And don't you dare even think about trying anything else or I swear to whatever the hell God you pray to that you'll be dead before you can even breath another breath." "Would it make you feel better if I made a pledge?" There was a bemused grin working it's way up Eriol's lips, but his eyes also had a wearied look swimming beneath the surface. Syaoran raised an eyebrow, "A pledge?" Eriol closed his eyes and placed one hand over his heart in a mockery of an American criminal swearing on the Holy Bible, "I swear that I shall not behave towards you in a manner that is unbecoming. I shall not even refer to you in terms any more personal that 'Li-kun' or, if you'd like 'Li-san'." Eriol opened one eye and shot Syaoran a half wink, "Unless, of course, you'd like me to." Syaoran made a disgusted expression and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest, "Whatever. I don't care what you do." "Then it's a deal, Li-kun." there was no change in tone as Eriol stated the title, but Syaoran could have swore that he heard one. Eriol's voice lowered a half-note and he sounded bitter. The mage opened his eyes and continued to work on his brimming mug of tea, carelessly tapping his fingers against the kitchen table, "Now that I've got your attention, there are matters we must discuss." Syaoran chewed his lower lip and shook his head slowly, "I have nothing to discuss with you." "Nonsense, Li-kun." Eriol sounded cross and he looked at Syaoran sharply, "This is important. Do you really think that everything that should have been said was said this morning?" "What do you mean?" "I mean simply that there are things that I might be more inclined to speak of now that I'm not bound and gagged in such an ungraceful position. More so, there are things that I wish to inform you of that may be of at least minimal interest." he paused and when Syaoran made no reply except to stare at him somewhat blankly, Eriol cleared his throat and asked, "By the way, Li-kun, do you by any chance remember what happened a few years back when Sakura was still alive... a certain situation with the 'Void' card." Syaoran narrowed his eyes and peered at the mage as if he were tyring to see through him, "Yeah. Of course I remember. What does that..." He was cut off by a particularily loud crack of lightning, followed by the tell tale tingling in his bones that was characteristic of magic-related unsettlements. He perked his head and noticed Eriol do the same thing. His joints were still aching from the previous day's battle and he very nearly groaned, resisting an overwhelming urge to say something along the lines of: 'Again? Ah, screw it. Hiiragizawa, what was that you were trying to say?' Instead he lept to his feet and quicky made his way to the stairwell where his sword was leaning casually against one wall beside the coat rack. He swept on his raincoat and grumbled under his breath in chinese as he threw the door open, followed closely by Eriol. The mage chuckled. "Now, now Li-kun. That was rather rude."
"Shit." Touya cast in Syaoran's direction one of those indesricbable looks of his, made ridiculous by the sight of his black hair plastered against his forehead. His arms were crossed and water dripped from every angle of his features. He was not wearing anything akin to a rain jacket and had, in his haste, completely forgotten to grab his umbrella on the way out the door. In otherwords, Touya Kinomoto had all the brevity and seriousness of a drowned rat about him. "Exactly my sentiments, Li." he muttered, turning away swiftly and eyeing the destruction before him, "What exactly went on here anyways?" "The 'Wave' card." Eriol answered matter-of-factly. "The what?" Touya raised his eyebrows. "The 'Wave' card. It has the ability to transform anything it touches into a wave." Touya shook his head slowly, "I really don't like the sound of that..." "I really don't like what I remember of it." Syaoran scoffed, "Tomoyo?" Tomoyo looked up briefly and shrugged, immedietly returning her attention to her notebook where she was writing something ferociously under the cover of an umbrella held by Ruby Moon. Whatever she was writing was a mystery, but she was unusually absorbed in it so the others assumed it must have been something of importence. Meanwhile, Touya narrowed his eyes in Eriol's general direction, "Why would you ever make something stupidly ridiculous like that?" he asked harshly, "I mean, come on! I get most of the cards, okay, but of what POSSIBLE use could turning everything and anything into a wave BE?" Eriol shrugged, "I don't know. Clow's memories are fading steadily but I still have enough of him in me to know the answer to that question." "And what would that be?" Syaoran muttered the half-question from beneath the brim of his rain-jacket's wide, yellow hood. Eriol pulled his lips back from his teeth in a smile of mock sweetness as he met Syaoran's gaze, "For fun." Touya and Syaoran groaned in unison and Eriol returned his placid stare to the gouge in the pavement. He wore no hat nor jacket and was not carrying an umbrella- it seemed as if the rain was reflecting off him, perhaps the stray drop hitting his glasses every half-beat, but for the most part he remained unfazed. It was rather unsettling to watch someone stand in the middle of a raging rainstorm and emerge perfectly dry. Syaoran obserbed this and shuddered. "Hiiragizawa." he snapped sharply, "If we're to believe you're not Clow anymore, then why the hell is your damn magical aura still flaring like crazy?" Eriol shrugged non-consequentially, "Who knows. Correct me if I'm wrong, Li-kun, but it's weaker than before, is it not?" Syaoran nodded quickly and Eriol made a short sighing sound, "Ah, then my hypothesis was correct... it will fade with time. Don't worry, before you know it I'll be just as ordinary and useless as Mr. Kinomoto here." Touya stiffened. If he had been a cat, his back might have arched, but instead he raised his dark eyebrows and grumbled defensively, "I'm not completely useless. I can sense auras too, you know. Almost better than clan boy here, in fact." "I doubt that." Syaoran breathed a reply, not really caring. He was absorbed in the job of wringing the water from his soaked jacket sleeves, wondering how the hell he was ever going to fight wearing the thing. It was all stiffened rubber and about three sizes too small- something he'd brought with him when he first moved to Tomoeda. He'd never really thought to buy himself a new one. "Wanna bet?" Syaoran's retort was cut off before he even had a chance to voice it. A cry from above alerted the small group to Keroberos and Spinel Sun who had opted to scout ahead in the storm. Kero was shouting something, but as he did, the wind picked up and carried his words away. Syaoran squinted stupidly, somehow hoping that by doing so it would help his ears pick up the faint call. As he did so, another sound, dim in the distance, entered his range of hearing. The hum grew louder and momentarily he thought that perhaps it was in his head, but it wasn't long before he noticed Touya shifting his gaze and Eriol craning his neck back. Even the absorbed Tomoyo and umbrealla-holding Ruby looked up after a few moments. Suddenly, Eriol jolted, his eyes wide and alert. "Move!" he shouted, half jumping half gliding about ten feet backwards. Ruby was quick to move, used to following Eriol's snappish orders. She scooped up a surprised Tomoyo and backed away in the other direction, while Touya and Syaoran looked at each other in shock. "Li! Kinomoto!" Eriol shouted again, waving his arms frantically, "Move! Now!" It was only a few moments later that the humming abruptly became an overbearing roar. Syaoran cursed loudly and Touya managed to let out a startle shout before the two of them were swept away by a ridgid wave running down the center of the road. Kero swooped down and Touya managed to half swim himself to the surface and gripped the gaurdian's paw before the current could completely drag him away. Syaoran, however, had lost grip of his sword and was attempting to dive deeper into the moving mass of rainwater towards where it was rapidly sinking towards the pavement. He could almost feel his fingers closing around the hilt of the blade when suddenly, the water around him was gone. There was a gust of wind about him and then he hit the ground hard, losing his breath. He was on his feet fast, though, and he lept for his sword. As he reached it, it flew out of his hands and rose into the air, as if of it's own will. Syaoran jumped back in shock, almost bumbing into the supremely stressed Eriol who seemed to almost have a clue about what was happening. Eriol swore. Quite profusely in fact, as the sword twisted in upon itself and finally expanded, thursting outwards as a thousand swords layered upon each other, each blade catching the streetlights glare menacingly. Eriol shot into the air and the wave rushed forwards in Syaoran's directions. The chinese boy moved fast and sprung into the mass of blades, securing his feet on one as if it were a foothold. He wrapped his arms, safe in their raincoat sleeves, around anoher blade, careful to wind his body around and into the spaces between the swords. He caught his breath and considered: 'Okay, so I'm up here and not dead. What now?' The wave bucked like a angry bull, as if it were something quite sentient, and Syaoran thought he could hear Eriol's far off voice: "Seal the card Xioa Lang! Seal it quickly before you're killed!" Syaoran sucked in thin air deeply and, not one hundred percent certain of what he was doing, began climbing the the wave. It was slow and painful progress. The arms of his rain jacket as well his pant legs were soon torn and when he misstepped, his hands became hopelessly bloody. "Xiao Lang! You great idiot! Stop trying to be a hero and SEAL THE CARD!" He bit down hard on his lip and ignored the slippery stining in his hands where the blades had dug into his skin. He nearly fell off a few times, but he began to imagine that he was nearly to the top and if he could just mount the rise of the wave, he would be able to find his real sword and break the spell. "What in hell are you doing Xiao Lang!? Do you really think you can hold on much longer!? Grab a hilt and seal the bloody card!" 'Right' he thought, 'If I can find my sword, I can seal it...' He began seeing shallow patterns trace their way in his darkened vision and he felt faint. Above him the din was dying and he could hear voices around him. He was pretty sure the rain had stopped, but it was hard to tell. He tettered slightly, and shot out a hand to steady himself, meeting only sharpened metal. A new cut was dug, a deeper and wider one. He yelped and lost his grip again, tumbling backwards. His breath caught in his throat and he closed his eyes, preparing himself for his impact against the pavement when something caught his arm. He opened his eyes to a strange sense of deja vu and saw Eriol hovering above him, one strong hand clasped around his arm and his staff held high against the attacking card, much like what had happened less than a week before. Eriol's voice was strong and clear and the card shrunk back as he spoke, "By the power of the Kinomoto star, I command that you return to your power confined!" Everything froze for a split-second that seemed much longer and Syaoran, in his foggy state of mind, assumed that the card would rebel and impale him and Hiiragizawa both as they hovered there helplessly and rather desperately. He squeezed his eyes shut again and heard nothing. He didn't open them until Eriol set his feet softly on the ground and gripped his shoulders violently. Syaoran's eyes snapped open in shock as the mage spun him around, almost furious, and pulled him closer, speaking in a vicious whisper. "I knew it from the moment I saw you throw yourself against that barrier during the Mistress's trial at Penguin Park all those years ago! You are nothing but an empty-headed fool, Li Xiao Lang, with not a sense or thought in that thick head of yours!" he held the chinese boy there for a moment, his gray eyes clouded over, but still shining brilliantly. His mouth was twisted down and there was something decidedly different in his manner- the anger, the irrationality, the hint of concern in the angle of his eyebrows. Syaoran suddenly felt a flash of something deeper, something almost tender much like what he had felt when Eriol had first kissed him. He unconciously savoured it for a moment, then jerked away, narrowing his eyes. "Never do that again." he growled. Eriol raised an eyebrow, "What?" "Interfere." "Don't you mean, 'save your life'?' " Eriol replied with a chuckle. "No, I meant interfere." Syaoran spun around, crossing his arms, "And you broke your word." with those words, he ambled off to fetch his sword. Tomoyo was gripping the card tightly in on white-knuckled hand, her other hand holding her note book. Syaoran bent to pick up his sword and as he rose, he cast Tomoyo a glance. "What were you writing?" he wondered, taking the card from her and noting that it was trembling slightly. It took her a few seconds to realize that she had been spoken to. She seemed to be snapping out of a daze. She stared at Syaoran before finally answering, "Nothing important."
"You... you're..." Meiling had been seeking solitude and privacy within the decaying walls of the old Shinto temple up in the under developed foothills on the outskirts of Tomoeda. She had spent her time training mostly, and brooding. She had honestly never spent so much time ruminating on a single topic in her entire life, but this was a tricky subject and it would require much thought before she could properally decided on what ought to be done. Everytime her strong fists hit the baseboard, a new crack would appear in the rotted wood. She followed those lines like viens in a human's body and dark thoughts began to form in her mind. Eventually, she pictured those hair-thin veins rupturing every time she struck them and her rage slowly subsided. Though she could no longer see color, the red of blood still clouded her vision. She had sighed and threw herself on the floor, all uneven rocks and muddy dirt. She didin't care, though, for retribution had passed her by and turned the other way. She could bear the discomfort, it was the rage she was having a harm time dealing with. The shoddy roof leaked all around her and the pelting rain muffled the footsteps as they tapped their way up the long stairs. She uncovered her eyes slowly and stared long and hard at the tall man who's shoulders filled the door frame. There was something faintly familiar about him- the way he stood and wore such a contained expression. The way his eyes were arched and his glasses hung off his nose and his arms folded around his body in a way that was just 'so'. There was something classic and defining about this gentleman, something that she should have noticed right away, her honor and pride remaining. Something engrained deeply into her soul and blood and identity that was represented by this man. She breathed in sharply and scrambled out of her probe position, desperate to get to her feet and appear somewhat more presentable. She folded her hands like a young girl might and when she spoke, it was soft and wavering, "You... you're... I know..." her chapped lips could manage one final sylabill. A name with signifigance and prestiege and true meaning suddenly wearing the body of a man. The visagae of one worthy. She bowed her head and whispered in a lofty tone: "Clow..."
NOTE: I don't know much about the 'Wave' card, having not been privy to that episode, but I always thought it was kind of a neat idea. My potrayal of it in this chapter is probably a million years off, but hey, what the heck. I'm getting sick of the elemental cards and I' sure you all are as well.