Post-apocalyptic (scene 2)

(Several months later)

When Doumeki got back an aura of gloom had descended over the camp. Syaoran was the one who pulled him aside to explain why. Watanuki had lead them on two supply missions while Doumeki had been away – both of them busts. In the months since Watanuki had first joined their camp he'd lead them on eleven missions for which Doumeki had been present, and only one had ever failed to reward them with something they could use. This new trend had everyone uncomfortable. It could have been no more than co-incidence, but talents like Watanuki's made everyone that little bit superstitious. Whether this meant Watanuki's lucky streak was over, or whether this was all just some immature form of protest over Doumeki's extended absence, or whatever other reason, it wasn't looking good.

At least no-one here would ever have hit him for it, which was more relieving to both him and Watanuki than even the room full of bodies where the boy had been found could entirely explain.

Watanuki looked relieved to see him back, but only for a moment.

"It's easier when you're around," he said angrily. Angry at having to justify himself all the time, angry at having to explain all this to someone he knew only halfway believed him, probably angrier still at having to give Doumeki credit for something he was blatantly unaware he was doing at all. "All the angriest ghosts – the big ugly ones and the ones that only want to make trouble – they won't go near you. Don't ask me why, I've never seen that happen around anyone before," he added, with a certain amount of grudging awe. "And as soon as you left they came back again."

Doumeki didn't know what to begin to make of this and didn't try. "The others think you were sulking about me being away." Well, Kurogane and Syoaran did, or suspected it at least. Sakura didn't think things like that about anyone, and he never knew what Fye was thinking about anything.

"You still don't believe me, do you?" said Watanuki, hotly.

"I don't know what to believe," said Doumeki. All he knew for sure was that Watanuki was far too good at finding them what they needed for it to matter how he did it.

Watanuki glared at him, then gave up. "I had a dream while you were away," he said, looking back towards the camp. "About this guy who looked just like you."

"I'm not dead," said Doumeki firmly.

"Of course not," Watanuki snorted, "He couldn't have been you. He smiled far too much. All the time." Behind him, Doumeki went very still. Watanuki went on oblivious. "He said his name was Haruka."

"Stop there," said Doumeki.

Watanuki gave him one of his flickering glances. "He was your grandfather, wasn't he?"

Doumeki had Watanuki by the collar of his shirt before he knew what he was doing. "I told you to shut. Up," he said, voice low and dangerous.

Watanuki's eyes widened with shock, then settled quickly back into their usual angry defiance. It didn't matter now what Doumeki might or might not admit, Watanuki knew he'd scored a point. Fortunately, he was still wise enough to stay silent on the subject after that.

Doumeki spent the rest of the day trying to remember whether he'd ever mentioned Doumeki Haruka to anyone in the camp – anyone Watanuki might have spoken to. It wouldn't be like him to have said anything, would have been even less like him to forget it if he had, but it wasn't impossible and it was still easier to believe than the alternative.

So, here ends everything I had planned for this little challenge. The missing world to bring the total tally to the eight I mentioned in the intro morphed into a purely Tsubasa AU when I was writing it, and can be found posted under the title The Movieverse in that category - check my profile if you want the link.

However I'm not quite done with it all yet, because this last post-apocalyptic world has taken off and started growing with a life of its own (and is just about liable to hit novel length if it keeps going at this rate much longer). It's likely to be a while before I get to posting any of the full story here yet, because I want to have a completed draft before I go back to edit the early chapters into shape, but suffice to say it's coming along nicely so far - at the time of writing this, currently sitting somewhere north of 35,000 words and decently past the halfway mark (I hope).

To everyone who sent me reviews with new ideas: I did actually mean it back on the very first chapter when I said 'no more requests now please' - all the worlds I've written for were chosen well before the first I posted. Further suggestions as to Watanuki's superhero-name, however, are different matter - there's at least an outside chance that world might get some kind of continuation somewhere as well.

To everyone else who reviewed: Thanks for all your enthusiasm along the way.