It takes time to build castles

TRC Fic: For Those Who Wait [post-series]

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:45:36 GMT

Title: For Those Who Wait
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Characters: Sakura, Touya; mention of Syaoran, Fai, Kurogane
Theme: 31_days 20 Oct 2009 "And within every dewdrop a world of struggle"
Genre: Slight angst
Word Count: 474
Rating: G
Warning: Set post-series, hence spoilers for final chapter 233.
Summary: Sakura has a dream and wakes up in the middle of the night.
Author's Note: Whee! I'm writing again! But just for a little while. Soon I'll be swamped with exams and who knows what's going to happen then. Anyway, hope you'll enjoy this one!
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belong to CLAMP.

Sometimes Sakura would wake up in the middle of the night, her brows damp with sweat and her eyes wide and glittering like emeralds in the dark. There was no noise except her slightly hurried breathing and the sound of the desert wind filtering through the curtains.

Sometimes she simply rolled into a new position in bed and tried to fall asleep again. It did not always work. She could try for hours and still remain wide awake when dawn broke. Then, some time during the day, her brother would catch her nearly dozing off to sleep during lunch or, worse, a meeting with distinguished court guests.

Sometimes she would just sit up quietly in bed, careful not to make any unnecessary noise in case she woke her brother in the next room. He had an extremely sharp ear, occasionally catching her awake in the wee hours of the morning. Usually, he just pretended to be irritated by the "racket" she was creating, but she knew as well as he did that he was actually really, really worried and concerned for her.

Tonight, however, Sakura had chosen to stay still and unmoving like a statue. She stared mutely at the ceiling, vividly recalling the dream that had forced her awake. Syaoran, Fai and Kurogane were facing another adversity in another dimension. They were fighting and got hurt; it was inevitable. The image of Syaoran grimacing as he vainly suppressed the pain was imprinted in her mind. She felt her heart clench. Why did Syaoran always try so hard to shoulder the pain alone?

Suddenly, out of the dimness, a glimmer of candlelight appeared in a corner of the room. Sakura sat up, surprised. Touya was standing at the doorway, holding a small lamp. He was leaning against the wall with a dully annoyed expression on his face, as though he had been rudely woken up.

"You're awake again, monster," he stated in a very bored tone. He approached her bedside. "What is it this time?"

"I'm not a monster," snapped Sakura with sudden energy; then tiredness seemed to envelope her again. "I just... had a dream...." she trailed off.

Touya frowned. He knew that she had been waking up at odd hours for many nights. Even in candlelight, he could see the beads of sweat that lined her forehead, tiny droplets like dew that appeared night after night, reminding her of the struggles her friends faced in various worlds. He was unable to help her; he knew it and it frustrated him.

They sat in silence for what seemed like hours. Then sunlight began to filter through the curtains and Touya suddenly spoke up:

"The brat will live," he said. "If I wasn't sure of he'd make it through a few problems, I'd have beaten him up a long time ago."

Sakura just smiled.

TRC Fic: When a Man Sheds Tears (Kurogane, Tomoyo)

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 09:26:47 GMT

Title: When a Man Sheds Tears
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Kurogane, Princess Tsukuyomi (Tomoyo), Amaterasu, Souma, people of Suwa
Theme: Grave
Genre: Angst
Word Count: 641
Rating: G
Warning: Kurogane's past
Summary: A funeral is held for the late lord and priestess of Suwa.
Author's Note: The title refers to the Chinese saying "男儿有泪不轻弹", meaning "men do not cry easily".
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belong to CLAMP.

The funeral was a quiet one.

The entire village of Suwa had turned up to pay their last respects to the leader and priestess they loved so dearly. There were no loud outbursts of emotion. Everyone quietly took their turn to place a white flower on the grave and offer a softly uttered prayer, before turning away and shedding a silent tear. As they passed the young lord of Suwa, soon to be a part of Shirasaki's elite ninja force, they offered condolences in the manner of a gentle pat on the shoulder and a respectful bow of the head. Kurogane would, of course, politely return the gestures with a nod of his own, but his face remained stony and void of most expression except that of solemn sadness. No one could find any words to comfort him.

Empress Amaterasu and Princess Tsukuyomi were present as well, accompanied by a small band of ninjas led by a skilled young lady called Souma. They too paid their final respects to the late couple and did what they could for the villagers, promising them of peaceful times ahead and that these deaths had not been in vain. When the villagers finally pulled themselves away to go home, Kurogane remained standing in front of the pile of freshly dug earth that indicated his parents' burial site. After telling her sister that she would return to Shirasaki Castle with Souma later, the princess took the opportunity to speak to Kurogane alone.

Kurogane was dressed in white, a colour that signified his direct relation to the deceased. His hands were clenched on either sides, as though he would break if he dared to relax his hold. His eyes were red and swollen, but as dry as a desert. Despite being a boy, he possessed a pride as stubborn as any man's. Tears were a sign of weakness and must never be shed in anybody's presence. Hence he held everything in; the sadness, the brokenness, the emptiness inside: he held it all in. He wanted to fall on his knees in front of his parents, but his stubborn pride refused to let his knees bend. All he needed was a trigger, a spark, to force the barrier open.

The princess drew close to his side. She respectfully kept her silence as she gazed upon the grave and then turned to look at Kurogane. He was such a strong boy. She could see it in his eyes as he stared fixedly at his parents' graves. She knew that she was looking at a person who would one day become the strongest ninja in Nihon. She knew that he would eventually pick himself up after a period of mourning even if nobody cared about him. However, she wanted to make sure that he was okay.

"You miss them, don't you?" she asked softly.

With a small involuntary choke, he nodded.

The princess smiled, relieved that he was responding. "You are not weak, Kurogane. The fact that you slained the demons which killed your father proves it. Your parents made a great sacrifice, for your sake as well as for that of the people. If anybody deserves your tears, they do."

Finally, Kurogane sank to his knees, his back bending over as though he had reached his breaking point. The princess knelt down beside him and put her arms around his shoulders.

"Just cry, Kurogane. No one is here to laugh at you. Your parents will be glad to know that you care."

Then, like a toddler who had lost his parents in a crowd, he bawled as though he wanted his parents far away to hear his cries. Through it all, the princess kept her arms wrapped tightly around his shaking shoulders, refusing to let go.

Watching from a distance behind them, Souma brushed a tear from her eye.

TRC Fic: A Thousand Paper Cranes (Nihon!Tomoyo, Kurogane, Souma, Amaterasu)

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:19:17 GMT

Title: A Thousand Paper Cranes
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Princess Tomoyo, Kurogane, Souma, Amaterasu
Prompt: 18coda leitmotif, 31_days August 26 "folded, and unfolded, and unfolding"
Genre: Slight angst
Word Count: 1416
Rating: PG for a slight verbal outburst on Kurogane's part
Summary: Tomoyo folds a thousand paper cranes.
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and and its characters belong to CLAMP.

"Did you get the paper?" asked Tomoyo as Kurogane trudged into the chamber, looking rather annoyed.

"Yeah, I did," he said somewhat grudgingly.

He dumped a package wrapped in cloth unceremoniously on the table in front of Tomoyo. It landed with heavy impact. The princess raised her delicate eyebrows as she looked up from the calligraphy she had been practising as though it had only been a minor disturbance. They were alone in Tomoyo's chamber; Souma was standing guard outside the door, but she did not interfere as she had been given specific orders not to intrude. Tomoyo carefully studied Kurogane's flushed features. Kurogane had been her personal guard for a while and she knew exactly how to decipher his moods.

"What's the matter?" she asked, smiling almost slyly. "Are a few pieces of paper too difficult for you to bring back?"

"It's just a few pieces of paper!" Kurogane almost bellowed in his frustration. "You make me go all the way to the village just to bring back a few pieces of paper?" He fumed.

"Now, now, Kurogane," said the princess, giggling girlishly and waving her hand in a mock attempt to calm him. "There should be at least a thousand pieces of origami paper in here. A thousand pieces of origami paper: does it mean anything to you?"

"Absolutely not," said Kurogane without thinking, still fuming.

"Of course. I wouldn't expect you to know anything besides the art of fighting," said Tomoyo, laughing as Kurogane glared. "There is a legend," she continued, "that promises to grant any person who folds a thousand paper cranes any one wish that he or she desires. Do you believe it?" she asked seriously.

"Hmph!"

Kurogane turned his head away rebelliously. He had certainly heard of that legend. It was a famous one, even in Suwa, far from the capital of Nihon. However, he had long forsaken the belief in old myths and legends. They were old wives' tales, superstition, something that the weak cling on to to hide their weakness. He, of course, was stronger and more intelligent than that.

Tomoyo knew exactly what he was thinking. "It's stupid, isn't it? To fold a thousand paper cranes and hope that your wish will come true?" She smiled sadly.

"It is stupid." Kurogane readily agreed. If he wished to become strong, waiting to become strong instead of training hard to become strong was a pretty stupid idea, after all.

"But," added Tomoyo, "when all hope is lost and there is nothing you can do to grant your wish yourself, wouldn't you try all the means you can to fulfill it, even if it's old superstition?"

Kurogane raised a curious eyebrow at Tomoyo. She was smiling as she looked at him, but there was a strange light in her eyes.

"What?" he asked, his voice a bit sharper than he had intended it to be.

Tomoyo shook her head. "Never mind. I was rambling. You may be dismissed now. Go, resume your training." She turned her focus on her calligraphy without another word.

For a moment, Kurogane remained still, pondering Tomoyo's strange words; but he soon dismissed the thought, classifying it as another of the princess's queer ways, and left the chamber without another look back, easily putting the exchange they had at the back of his mind.

As Kurogane left the chamber and slid the door behind him, Tomoyo looked up again. Quietly, she put away her brushes, ink and calligraphy aside and unwrapped the package. She chose a square sheet of solid yellow paper and began to fold its edges.

No one noticed how her fingers trembled.

Princess Tomoyo was still folding paper cranes.

Souma was growing worried. Day after day, night after night, whenever the princess could find the spare time away from her duties, she would collect a dozen pieces of paper and continue her arduous task of folding all one thousand paper cranes. Tomoyo was so committed to this task that it was beginning to take a toll on her physical health. She began falling sick easily and was quickly tired out. Souma wondered if she dared to question the princess's reason behind this task, but decided against it. It would be disrespectful.

Kurogane could care less about being respectful. He was not completely oblivious to Tomoyo's increasingly frequent bouts of illness. He decided that she had finally gone overboard with a little piece of superstition. He would talk to her and hopefully instill some sense into her and he was going to barge into her chamber without permission if he had to.

True to his word, Kurogane stormed into Princess Tomoyo's chamber to find her diligently folding her paper cranes. Hearing the intrusion, Tomoyo looked up, her eyes swollen from flu, blinking to clear her unusually blurry vision.

"What are you doing here, Kurogane?" she asked. "Shouldn't you be training now?"

"It's okay to be a few minutes late," he said, dismissing her accussing tone. "Tomoyo, what are you doing to yourself?" he demanded.

Tomoyo straightened in her seat. "It is of no matter of yours," she said, tilting her chin slightly as if in defiance.

"You idiot! Of course it is!"

Kurogane slapped his hands onto her desk with a deafening impact. He was glaring at her with a frightening light in his eyes, but Tomoyo simply stared back at him, her eyes shining with a similar defiance, seemingly unshakened. She knew him too well; she knew that he would not dare to hurt her.

"You spend every single day of your miserable life folding paper cranes!" he yelled. "You want to fold a thousand cranes, you say? But for what? Is that so important that you're willing to die folding them?" He pulled back and breathed deeply, catching himself in the heat of the moment. "Everyone is worried for you, Tomoyo - your sister, Souma and even those snotty subjects of yours who don't usually care for anything but themselves. I have no idea why they don't care enough to talk you out of this nonsense... So I'm here to do it. Give it up, okay?"

Tomoyo blinked and stared at him for a moment. Then she smiled. The creases on her forehead seemed to relax at last.

"Thank you for your concern, Kurogane," she said softly. "Send my thanks to the others as well. But I won't give up. If there is something I can do, I will do it, no matter how silly it may seem to many."

Kurogane was taken aback. What was he supposed to do then? He had barged in with no plan of any sort...

"Go back to your training, Kurogane. You wouldn't want me to tell you to give it up, would you?" Tomoyo smiled.

Kurogane's throat tightened. He nodded stiffly. He uttered a quick word under his breath and left the chamber as briskly as he could.

Tomoyo smiled to herself. She had caught exactly what he wanted to say.

"Sorry."

Three, two, one... At last, the thousandth paper crane was completed. Tomoyo held her breath as she dropped it into the jar containing the other nine hundred and ninety-nine cranes. She sealed it breathlessly and placed it in the middle of her desk, admiring for a moment her handiwork. All one thousand cranes had not been easy to complete. She was glad she had accomplished her mission at last.

"Is it over?" asked Empress Amaterasu, who was across her sister on the other side of the table.

Tomoyo looked up with shining eyes. "I have paid the price," she said, showing the many paper cuts on her fingers, "and my wish will be granted... in time."

"In time?" Amaterasu picked it up instantly. "What do you mean? Why can't your wish be granted now?" she asked almost impatiently. "You have paid the price, haven't you?"

"I have," answered Tomoyo, "but my wish is for the future. Until the future becomes the present, there is no way of fulfilling it now."

The empress was silent.

Tomoyo turned to face an opened window. The sky was azure with wisps of white cloud. It was a beautiful day.

"For Kurogane and the people he will journey with, and for the future that they will create together..." Tomoyo smiled at her sister. "I wish them all the best."

"All the best." The empress agreed, bowing her head.

They looked out of the opened window to just in time see a dove flutter across the clear blue sky.

TRC: Being Neighbourly (Syaoran, Sakura)

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 07:43:36 GMT

Finally! Another fanfic! I haven't written anything for so long; I apologise if it isn't as good as before... but I like it way better than something else I've written *stabstab* so I think it's at least worthy of posting.

I still have a couple(?) more oneshots on the way (they're actually stuff I've written on paper ages ago, but forgot to type out), but I'm supposed to be prioritise studies right now so I can't be sure exactly when they'll be up; but they will be eventually!

As for my KuroTomo multi-chapter... please hang on! I'll... update eventually. I promise.

Meanwhile, hope you'll enjoy this little fic!

Title: Being Neighbourly
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE (very slight crossover with CCS)
Character(s): Sakura, Syaoran
Prompt: Legato
Genre: Gen
Word Count: 809
Rating: G
Summary: Sakura remembers the "archaeologist boy" and tries being neighbourly.
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and and its characters belong to CLAMP.

The archaeologist boy still won't talk.

Little Princess Sakura lay back in her small royal bed, feeling strangely confined in her small royal bedroom. Bright green eyes stared at the high ceiling. Her arms were splayed out on her bed and her feet stretched apart so that her small body formed the shape of a star. Her brother would most certainly called her "unladylike", but she did not care. As long as she was within the confines of her private room, she could do whatever she liked.

With a sigh, she rolled over and grabbed her most trusted "friend", a small yellow bear-like toy with large ears, a whip-like tail and small white wings. "Kero," she said seriously, earnestly looking into its small beady eyes and holding its tiny hands tightly, "Do you think Syaoran wants to be more than just a neighbour?"

The toy did not respond, but continued to smile its plastered smile. In childish frustration, Sakura threw the toy aside and flopped back on her back, closing her eyes. Talking to herself like this was not going to work.

Then her eyes flew open. Of course, she could just go visit the little archaeologist and ask him herself, couldn't she? With new determination, she pulled herself up, grabbed her cloak and ran out into the desert.

It did not take ong for the young princess to find the little archaeologist sitting quietly in a small sand pit, working with a couple of old tools in his hands. In one hand, he held an old wooden hammer and in the other, a rusty but sturdy-looking nail. With these small tools, he was trying to break apart a piece of rock roughly the size of his fist, slowly, chip by chip.

Piqued by curiosity, Sakura forgot to be shy and eagerly went forward to examine the work more closely. "What are you doing?" she asked eagerly.

The boy's actions halted momentarily. He turned to look at Sakura, turned back to stare at his rock for a moment and continued his work without another word.

Sakura felt slightly put off. How rude of him! For a moment, she considered childishly stomping away to find better things to do, but she quickly pushed the thought out of her mind. There was nothing better to do anyway. So she sat down in the sand next to the boy, oblivious that her skirt was getting dirtied, and watched silently as he worked, chipping away at the block.

But the regular tapping of the hammer against the nail made Sakura feel strangely unsettled. Finally, she broke the silence. "Syaoran, what are you doing?" she asked again, hoping that maybe he would answer if she called him by name.

Again, the boy stopped his work to look at Sakura. However, this time, when he turned back to look at his rock again, he pointed at it. Sakura's eyes widened as she leaned forward for a closer look. Ah! There seemed to something buried inside the rock!

Delighted, she turned to look at Syaoran. "There's something in there!" she cried excitedly.

Contrary to Sakura's enthusiastic reaction, he simply nodded and went back to his work.

But Sakura would not be silenced this time. "Oh, I know! You're doing this so that you won't damage the thing inside, right?" she said, thrilled by the sudden realisation. "This is going to take so long... Hey, hey, do you think you could show me what is it the next time I come visit? I can come and visit, right? You know, the palace is really close here. I can see the ruins from my bedroom over there." She pointed, not bothering to see if Syaoran was listening to her or not. Then she turned to look at two particularly outstanding pillars in the excavation site nearby. "And at twilight, just before the sun goes down, this part of the ruins look really pretty, like it's glowing..."

Just then, a dull bell chimed, reverberating through Sakura's entire frame. She jumped up in shock and horror soon dawned upon her.

"Oh no!" she cried. "I have to go back or Father will be angry! Goodbye, Syaoran. It was fun being neighbourly!" She laughed at herself, looked over her shoulder and waved as she ran in the direction of the palace.

Alone in the sand pit, Syaoran watched as she ran off, his work forgotten. Then he turned to look at the ruins. Skylight was dimming. Dusk was falling. The sun was beginning to set over the distant hills. For the first time, he noticed that the way the soft sunlight fell upon the tall pillars that bent slightly towards each other made them seem to glow with a soft light of its own, just as Sakura had described it.

"Neighbours...?" he asked himself, watching the two pillars side by side.

TRC/CCS fic

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 06:58:54 GMT

The dialogue between Sakura and Syaoran sounds a bit awkward; I'm sorry about that. Yet, thanks to that, I'm inspired to start a prequel to this fic, building on TRC chapter 217. Unfortunately I have studies to take care of, so I have no idea if the fic will actually be uploaded. Anyway, hope you'll enjoy this one, at least? Yet the more I read this, the more I dislike the ending...

Title: Everything Will Be All Right
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE/Cardcaptor Sakura
Character(s): Sakura, Syaoran, Fujitaka, Touya
Prompt: Rubato
Genre: Gen
Word Count: 743
Rating: G
Warning: SPOILER for TRC chapter 217.
Summary: Sakura wakes up after having a dream.
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and Cardcaptor Sakura and their characters belong to CLAMP.

When Sakura woke up, she found her father at her side, holding her hand in both of his and leaning his forehead against it. Her delicate fingers sensed the creases worry had formed on her father's forehead; she smiled sadly. Even though she was glad that her father cared for her so much, he really did not deserve to suffer so much pain on her behalf.

Sakura let her fingers move slightly. As she had expected, the slight movement was enough to wake her father. Fujitaka lifted his weary head and was promptly woken upon the sight of his daughter's emerald eyes, unmistakably open. His hold on her fragile hand tightened gently as he smiled at her in weak relief.

"How are you feeling, Sakura?" he asked softly.

She smiled back weakly. "Much better now, Father."

"You're awake," suddenly stated the familiar voice of her brother.

Touya had walked towards them, unnoticed, and was standing behind his father. The smile that played on his face reminded Sakura of the times he enjoyed teasing her; however, this time, it seemed slightly forced. It was enough to betray his concern for his little sister. Sakura smiled.

"Elder brother," she acknowledged. "How's work?"

Touya displayed a yawn. "Not bad. But of all the things to ask people, right after you wake up! Do you have any idea how worried everybody was?"

"I'm sorry." Sakura grinned apologetically." Please don't worry anymore. I'm fine, really."

She attempted to smile her brightest to emphasize the truth of her point, but her brother placed a hand on her head and suddenly looked very serious.

"Don't force it, kid," he warned. "If you try too hard, it'll end up breaking you."

That subdued Sakura for a while. After a pause, she asked, "Where's Syaoran?"

Almost instantly, the door opened to admit Syaoran. He looked flustered, his hair more untidy than usual, as though he had not combed it for days. Touya looked unmistakably displeased at the sight, but kept his silence for the sake of his sister. However, he continued to glare threateningly at the brown-haired boy drawing nearer to the bed.

"Are you all right?" asked Syaoran with concern, carefully approaching her.

Behind him, Fujitaka was quietly ushering Touya and himself out of the room. He had politely moved himself out of the way and allowed Syaoran enough space to approach Sakura. His kind smile, tinted with worry, was the last thing Sakura saw behind the door shut softly, leaving the couple alone in the room.

"I'm fine," replied Sakura. "I had a dream," she confided. "I met the person who is like me, the person from the other world."

Syaoran drew closer to her and held her hand. "What happened?"

Sakura smiled at the memory. "She was beautiful. She was a very beautiful woman. She was intelligent too. I gave her my staff, and she knew straightaway that it was very important to me."

"You gave up your staff?" asked Syaoran, his hold tightening slightly. "What about the cards?"

Under the covers, Sakura lightly touched the pocket in which she kept her cards. "I still have them," she told him. "They are still warm."

Syaoran was silent, watching her intently.

"Syaoran, there is still hope. Those people in the other world, they are not giving up. We can't give up either."

Syaoran remained silent, waiting.

Sakura stared at the ceiling. "That person I met in the dream, her name was Sakura too. She told me many things. She said she could read a bit of the future, and she wanted to change what she saw." Sakura smiled at Syaoran. "That was exactly what I told you long ago, right, Syaoran?"

Syaoran was still silent, but he smiled slightly, prompting Sakura to continue.

"I remembered what the Dimensional Witch told me and gave her my staff. I told her that even without the staff, I still have the cards, so I'll surely be all right." Sakura smiled subconsciously. "Sakura looked happy for the first time. She said, 'Yes, Everything will be all right,' and that made me very happy."

She smiled at Syaoran, who smiled back. Then they looked out of the window. The sky was turning dark already. From a distance, they saw a star fall from the sky, creating a trail of fire that burned brightly for a moment and then faded into nothingness.

Although the past could never be changed, there was always hope for the future.

[TRC] Syaoran/Sakura (AU) | Star-Crossed

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 12:22:29 GMT

Title: Star-Crossed
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Syaoran/Sakura, Touya
Theme: Dolce
Genre: General/Slight fluff/Humour (at the end)
Word Count: 792
Rating: G
Summary: "They were two people brought together by fate, but destined for many things that they would never quite expect."
Author's Notes: Inspired by Taylor Swift's "Love Story" lyrics. This still doesn't do the lyrics justice.
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belong to CLAMP.

The first time he saw her, she was a beautiful princess decked in her finest array, a soft rose-pink dress with lace and tulle and grain-sized jewels. A circlet of silver crowned her head. Her honey brown hair was neatly combed back, perfectly in place except for two wavy locks framing the sides of her face. Her emerald eyes shone with happiness. She was smiling. Indeed, standing upon the balcony under the light of the gentle morning sun, she did look so beautiful.

The first time she saw him, he was a dashing young man who gatecrashed her father's party. He had put on a formal attire similar to the other gentlemen at the party - a collared white shirt, a black tailcoat, a smart bow - but still he did not quite blend in with the crowd. His hair was dark brown and wild, though there were visible attempts to have it neatly combed back. Though he smiled, his glowing amber eyes were serious, almost fierce. No one wanted to approach him.

Except for this one brave young lady, that was.

The emerald-eyed princess cautiously tapped him on the shoulder from behind. He spun around with unusual speed, alarmed. Startled by this reaction, the princess had been slightly taken back. His amber eyes were wide with a hint of fear and looked somewhat dangerous. She lowered her gaze nervously, thinking that perhaps she had offended him.

"I'm sorry..."

The young man had been quite alarmed by the unexpected approach, but then he saw who it was - the princess! He hastily caught himself before he could launch some form of attack on her. The princess was well-loved by all the citizens of the country, ranging from the youngest children to the most elderly. If he had hurt her in any way, he would face more than just trouble from the royal family. He hastily bowed in apology.

"Forgive me, Your Highness. I did not mean to startle you."

Hearing this, the princess looked up. She smiled.

"Oh, don't worry. I must have startled you too." She inclined her head slightly as he began to look up. She noticed his mildly surprised and puzzled expression. "It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Sakura."

"Syaoran," he responded obligingly. "The pleasure is all mine, Your Highness."

Sakura smiled. "You don't have to be so formal. Call me Sakura. I'll call you Syaoran; is that okay?"

"Of course." Of course it was all right. She was the princess, wasn't she? Why did she have to bother to ask permission from a commoner like himself?

"So, Syaoran," - her smile was unusually bright - "why did you come here tonight? You don't seem used to having company like this. This kind of social gathering must be uncomfortable for you."

Syaoran shook his head. "It's not uncomfortable, Your- um, Sakura." He swallowed, not used to addressing the princess by name. "I'm happy to get your father's invitation. It's not normal for commoners like us to attend such events."

"Oh. Father invited you?" Sakura's eyes were wide with curiosity. "How come?"

"I am an archaeologist. I found some interesting ruins here and His Majesty has graciously allowed me to do further investigations."

"Oh, oh! I think I know what you're talking about! Father was telling me about a brave young person who single-handedly started investigations on the ancient Twin Pillars. Is that you?"

"I think so. But I did not work alone. I have many hardworking colleagues; they really do most of the work."

"But you started everything!" protested Sakura. "I think that's impressive!"

"Thank you very much, Your Highness."

Sakura pouted. "Hey. My name isn't 'Your Highness', you know."

Syaoran smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry. Sakura."

Sakura beamed. "I think you're a really great person, Syaoran," she said. "I hope we'll be really good friends even in future!"

Syaoran only smiled in reply. He did not think it likely, but he dared not speak against the princess. However, he did secretly wish that what she said was true. Sakura would be a great friend. But she was the princess and he a commoner. For a friendship to blossom between them was quite impossible.

Just then, his thoughts were rudely interrupted by a very familiar voice.

"Hey, brat, what do you think you're doing to my little sister?"

The couple turned simultaneously to face the sharp-eyed murderous-looking crown prince, who towered dangerously over Syaoran. Sparks flew between raven and amber eyes. Sakura glared at her brother for disturbing a conversation she had been enjoying very much until his interruption.

"Brother, we were just talking! Now leave us alone!"

They were two people brought together by fate, but destined for many things that they would never quite expect.

LAST NOTICE

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 10:54:23 GMT

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Personal journal: virtuoscent
Fandom journal: autumnflight

This time I'm removing all journals from my f-list (except writing journals/comms, etc.). A small note will remain on my bio. I'll assume that whoever removes this journal off their f-list and doesn't add virtuoscent doesn't want to be added back.

In short, I won't add you if you don't add me first (if you were on my f-list).

Rec List

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 15:55:47 GMT

CLAMP fandoms

Cardcaptor Sakura

Syaoran/Sakura
"Withered Petals: Childhood" (chapter 1 of 6) by Aisaki Sumi
"Black Wings" (chapter 1 of 23) by Aisaki Sumi

Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE

"Of Seeing/Not Seeing Somebody Else" by narrow_my_bed - Fai+Sakura, Kurogane/Fai
"Learn to Fly" by stardropdream - Kurogane, Tomoyo, Souma
"A Final Lesson" by lunar_mongoose - C!Syaoran, Fujitaka, Sakura
"Honourable Families" by zeeofgreeneyes - Kurogane's parents
"Tsubasa Crossover Chronicle" (Harry Potter) by The Violent Tomboy - humorous crossovers

Syaoran/Sakura
"Teaching" by april_kisses01
"A Cloned Protector" by april_kisses01
"Monarchs" by vicious_lullaby
"Made to be" by narrow_my_bed - Syaoran/Sakura, Fai
"Chronicles de l'ailes" by zeeofgreeneyes - Syaoran/Sakura, Kurogane/Fai

Kurogane/Tomoyo
"The End Of This Chapter" by edenecho
"Duty" by falkeness

Syaoran/Syaoran
"Through the Looking Glass" by robotlove

Other Anime/Manga

Hetalia: Axis Powers

America/England
"How Heroes Fly" by sakuratsukikage
"International Response" by sakuratsukikage - 9/11
"Science Fiction" by elapsedspiral
"Forgiveness" by silverskies0117

"A Pearl in Shell" by whitesin - Cuba/Vietnam

"Cast a Dark Shadow" by technoranma - Canada, General Winter

"Reflections of the Past" by halcyon_queen - Lithuania, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine

"Pontianak" by tokene - England, Singapore

Darker Than BLACK

"Of Bottles and Forgetting" by smakn - Hei/Yin

D.Gray-Man

"The Opposite of Friend" by libekory @ bits_and_pieces - Kanda-centric, slight Kanda/Rinari

Kanda/Rinari
"Catharsis" by selecetiales

Kanda/girl!Allen
"Real Smile" (chapter 1 - ongoing) by Lady Indecisive

Death Note

L/Raito
"Inner Glow" (chapter 20 of 20 + list of chapters) by calicedesang - L/girl!Raito

Fullmetal Alchemist

"Travelling Incognito" by roseveare - Ed-centric

Rurouni Kenshin

Kenshin/Kaoru
"Crimson Stain" (chapter 1 of 3) by Ravyn

Tantei Gakuen Q

"The Nine Circles of Hell" (chapter 1 of 16) by Rhapsodizing Riyoko

Naruto

Naruto/Hinata
"Two Halves" (chapter 1 of 35) by damewren

Others

Harry Potter

Draco/Luna
"Be a Friend" by amorphous - Draco/Luna, slight Harry/Ginny

"tell my why I can't seem to face the truth"

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 14:50:08 GMT

My f-list might know I cried over Tsubasa RC chapter 210. While writing this, I... kinda... cried again. I can't help it. I love the clones so much, it hurts. And I love the originals too. I really do. GAH, all this cruel fate and tragedy and stuff is breaking my heart, if it isn't broken already.

But this fic ends with a somewhat brighter outlook, so my poor heart is somewhat mended. The plot is absolutely crazy, though. I think you'll either love it or hate it, and I'm inclined to think it's the latter. So, if you have any ideas to help me improve this, let me know, okay? Thank you!

Oh yeah. Read the author's note and everything, please? If you will bear with me.

Title: Angels
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Syaoran/Sakura, Syaoron/"Sakura"
Theme: Mosso
Genre: Angst
Word Count: 1363
Rating: PG for very slight mention of violence
Warning: AU. Possible spoilers for chapter 210.
Summary: A rather twisted AU version of chapter 210. "Sakura" is hospitalised, Syaoron is feeling slightly overwhelmed by the turn of events, and Syaoran makes a sacrifice for their happiness. But this tale does not really end in tragedy. A mysterious girl who only speaks to Syaoran intervenes, probably having a part to play in correcting this cruel fate...
Author's Notes: I'm not familiar with Horitsuba-verse, but if I remember correctly, Syaoran (literally "little wolf") is C!Syaoran and Syaoron ("little dragon") is R!Syaoran, and I'm using those names here. As for Sakura and "Sakura"... well, I think you're quite familiar with that. This ~~crazy~~ fic of mine may not make much sense, especially if you haven't read the chapter yet, so if you don't mind getting a bit more confused, I hope someone can suggest something to help me improve this. Thank you!
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belong to CLAMP.

The school bell rang. It was time for dismissal. The students happily packed their things and conversed loudly as they left the school building. The last day of the school year was finally over and their end-of-year vacation had only just begun.

But there was a certain student who looked strangely downcast amidst the crowd of his overexcited classmates. He had quietly picked up his bag, swung it over his shoulder and walked away slowly, seemingly unaware that a pair of hard brown eyes was staring at his retreating back.

Minutes ticked past.

~ * * * ~

"Syaoran!" called a clear, cheery voice.

A brown-haired boy who had been sitting motionlessly in his seat looked up. He saw, waving at him from the door way, was a familiar smiling green-eyed girl. Like an uncontrollable bundle of energy, she bounced into the classroom, skidding to a halt beside Syaoran's desk. He stared blankly at her, but she seemed undaunted by his lack of expression and continued smiling.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. "Almost everybody's gone already. Don't you want to go home?"

Syaoran blinked and continued staring at her for a few seconds. Then he turned his gaze towards the window next to him. The point of view allowed him to see a lone boy with identical brown hair, carrying his backpack, aimlessly kicking a soccer ball around in the otherwise empty field. Occasional kicking of the ball with unusual force betrayed his frustration. It was obvious that he was trying to deal with some kind of pain on his own.

The girl frowned, remembering. "Poor Syaoron. He is still upset, isn't he? But you know, as long as they are both alive, there is hope for the end."

Syaoran made no comment. He simply continued to watch as Syaoron banged his fists against the wall of the school building and began to slowly sag down against it. He was getting tired. They both were.

~ * * * ~

Syaoron refused to let his tears flow. A man should not cry. Besides, tears were useless now. He should be strong and hold his head high, but he felt weak. The person he cherished most was dying and there was nothing he could offer but support. It sounded like such a noble thing to do, but how was it possible to support someone when you could not even support yourself?

He threw his foot against the wall. This pain was nothing compared to the knowledge that there was nothing he could do to ease the pain of his most precious person. It felt ridiculous. He should not feel so tormented when she was suffering so much more.

The sound of footsteps reached his ear. His eyes widened with shock and a hint of fear. Was someone still in the school? He spun around with lightning speed, the result of years of training. When he saw that it was only Syaoran, his heart seemed to stop beating temporarily. Syaoran looked expressionless as usual, but him being there showed that he cared. Syaoron looked away. "What do you want?"

The soccer ball bounced off the wall with a loud sound and landed softly in the grass. It rolled towards Syaoran, who stared at it for a moment before looking straight at Syaoron.

"You know 'Sakura' doesn't want to see you like this, Brother."

At the mention of that name, Syaoron became noticeably agitated. "I know," he said, a slight treble in his voice betraying his frustration, "I know that. But she isn't here. She is in hospital, and there is nothing I can do but pretend everything is all right..."

Syaoran seemed to hesitate a moment before responding. "Doctor Ichihara said that if you are willing to pay the price, she will be saved."

"And I have paid it," said Syaoron, "a long time ago. But have I saved 'Sakura' yet?"

Syaoran knew how his brother had silently answered his own question. "No." As Syaoron continued to vent his frustration by kicking the ball around and keeping his eyes focused on it, Syaoran simply watched in silence. Seconds passed. Then, finally, Syaoran broke the silence.

"You should visit 'Sakura'. She will be happy to see you."

Syaoron stopped in his tracks. Looking up at his brother, he forced a smile. "I certainly hope so."

~ * * * ~

It happened too quickly.

They were less than a kilometre away from the hospital, crossing the road at the pedestrain crossing at the permitted time. However, fate had allowed a single speeding car to crash into their lives. Syaoron had been too caught up in his thoughts to notice it, but Syaoran had. Swiftly, silently, roughly, he pushed his brother out of the way. By the time Syaoron realised what was happening, his brother was lying motionlessly and the car was driving away at full speed, as though nothing had gone wrong.

But something had definitely happened. Syaoran had been hurt badly, having somehow been pushed over the car due to the force of impact and then crashed hard onto the road and coughed up blood. Shakily, Syaoron approached his brother. "Syaoran?" he whispered, unsure what to expect. "Syaoran, why did you do it?"

Syaoran mechanically opened his eyes. "Because..." he began, "I want to know what her words meant. I want to know... what happens in the end." A tear fell on his bruised cheek. He reached up to hold his brother's trembling hand. "You cannot give up, Brother. As long as both of you are alive, there is a chance that you will survive."

Then Syaoran drew his last breath and let his eyes shut. As he lay lifelessly on the bloodstained road, Syaoron embraced him as though he never wanted to let him go.

~ * * * ~

"She is finally getting better, isn't she?"

The smiling green-eyed girl was standing on the rooftop of a nearby building, looking through the open window of a certain hospital ward, watching Syaoron and "Sakura" conversing happily in their own little world. Beside her, Syaoron did not shift his gaze as he nodded mechanically in response.

Noticing a strange expression in his eye, the green-eyed girl looked sadly at Syaoran. "You can't bear to leave him?" she guessed, as usual, correctly.

Syaoran made no response. He watched as the couple in the ward came too close in contact and hurriedly pulled away, both blushing with embarrassment. It reminded him of some long-forgotten memory and, for some reason, he felt his heart throbbing painfully at this sight.

"Our work here is done," he said at last. "It is time for us to leave."

Casting a final glance at the couple, Sakura smiled. "Now the future depends on them."

With those words, they turned away and disappeared into nothingness, leaving behind only a trace of cherry blossoms and broken glass. But then, even that eventually crumbled to dust and blown away in the wind.

~ * * * ~

Inside the ward, "Sakura" sensed the sudden change in the air and looked out of the window. She peered more carefully through the window, staring at a spot on the rooftop of a neighbouring building. She blinked. She was almost certain that somebody had been watching them from there.

"Did you sense it too?" asked Syaoron, looking at her carefully.

She nodded, still staring out of the window. "And I'm pretty sure... I'm sure I know who it was, but... for some reason, I can't seem to remember now."

But Syaoron did and he smiled. "Whoever it was," he said, "I'm sure they were trying to protect us from wherever they were."

His companion smiled back. "I believe so too." She closed her eyes, clasped her hands together and whispered, "To the kind guardians who watch over me and Syaoron: wherever you are, if you can hear me, I really wish you know how grateful we are for this..."

Although neither could quite understand it, as soon as Sakura finished her speech, they were quite certain that they could hear a familiar ringing of light laughter in the wind.

They would never really be far away.

Nocturne, Op. 11

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 16:42:01 GMT

Just. Don't ask how this crazy fic came about. ~~I still have one more crazy plotbunny, but I can't possibly start writing that now...~~ (Edit: this plotbunny has just been dealt with; check the 2nd fic.) I'll have to think again before linking this one.

Title: Apprehension
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Sakura, Touya, Fujitaka, Syaoran
Theme: Nocturne
Genre: General
Word Count: 817
Rating: G
Summary: As Touya grows suspicious of the mysterious ruins, an accident takes place at the excavation site.
Author's Notes: Draw connections and maybe this will make a little sense.
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belong to CLAMP.

Princess Sakura lingered at her balcony. Glowing emerald eyes were fixed upon a familiar excavation site. To her, the two pillars of ancient rock that rose high above everything else in Clow Country looked like a pair of wings, one an exact mirror of the other, reflecting the duality and balance in nature. The wing-like structures curved toward each other, forming a near-perfect outline of a dome. They looked like gigantic towers over the tiny structures the archaeologists had built for themselves to aid them in excavating the site.

"I wonder what Syaoran is doing..." she sighed to herself subconsciously.

"That brat? He's excavating that stupid site, of course," came an unexpected reply from a rather rude, annoyed voice. Immediately snapped out of her thoughts, Sakura spun around in alarm to hit herself head first into the chest of a tall black-haired boy with sharp eyes and a rather evil-looking expression on his face. Sakura glared at her elder brother, Prince Touya.

"Syaoran is not a brat, Elder Brother!" she declared, as though no one else was allowed to deny her. "He can work hard and he helps his father in any way he can! He is an extraordinary person!"

Touya glanced away in defiance. "Extraordinary or not, whoever takes my baby sister away is still a brat," he grumbled under his breath, but still loudly enough for Sakura to hear. She flushed.

"I am not your stupid baby sister!" she yelled. Her volume would have shocked the daylights out of any neighbour, but she and her brother were the only ones on the high balcony in a tower of the palace, far too high for anybody below to hear. Touya had apparently expected this reaction, for he had swiftly plugged his ears with his fingers and looked away with a very bored expression.

Sakura had never beaten her elder brother in anything before. She realised that she had been defeated yet again. She knew that it would be useless to continue arguing, but her pride would not allow her to give in completely. Instead, she simply tossed her head and determinedly refused to look at Touya as she walked past him and away from the balcony. Just before she was completely out of sight, she turned around and stuck a tongue out at him. There was no way she was going to let her elder brother insult her friend like that. She could not allow that.

Touya watched, leaning against the balcony railing, with his arms crossed over his chest as his sister angrily stomped away. That little monster was never going to grow up and he secretly wished that it would stay that way, even though in front of others he would deny it with all his being.

"That stupid little monster..." he muttered.

Then he turned around to look at the excavation site. Under the faint moonlight, the ruins seemed to emit a mysterious glow. His eyes narrowed in suspicion. He could care less about the stupid brat, but he was not going to allow his sister near that site. He had a very bad feeling about it and his intuition was hardly ever wrong.

Meanwhile, in the excavation site, the head archaeologist Fujitaka was heading deeper into the ruins by a flight of spiraling stairs, carrying a dusty oil lantern in one hand while holding a thick open book in the other. He examined the ancient walls, thoroughly fascinated, and then he felt his feet stop. He looked up. The flight of stairs had ended. He was standing on a circular floor with a strange emblem etched upon it. He stared. He had never seen any emblem like that before, yet it seemed strangely familiar. Then something clicked in his mind. Fascinated by the sudden revelation, he turned back and began to run up the stairs, taking two or three steps at a time.

But not for long. Just when he was approaching the surface, a sharp pain clutched his chest and he was forced to collapse. The lantern clattered and the book fell with a dull thud. With his remaining energy, he pulled himself upward. He had to warn Syaoran. He had to tell him...

When Fujitaka saw his adopted son run toward him, he smiled. He knew he did not have much time left. As his son drew close, Fujitaka used the last of his strength to whisper in his ear:

"That room... below..."

Syaoran made no response. Young as he was, he knew that his father's time was up. When the hand that held his finally lost its strength, he knew that his father was gone. For a while, he remained there, motionless, as his expressionless eyes continued to stare at the face that would never smile at him again. He stared at the towering pillars of rock that overshadowed everything else.

They had never looked so tall and foreboding.

I've always wondered how Tomoyo came to know about Kurogane, and this is my theory. So my story isn't as properly fleshed out as I hope it might, but I have a feeling it's going to get worse if I edit any more for now. I'm terrible at describing stuff, and it's one of the basic things about writing!

Title: Change of Fate
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Nihon!Tomoyo, Yuuko, vague mention of Kurogane
Theme: Incidental music
Genre: General
Word Count: 773
Rating: G
Warning: Only for Tomoyo's title, mentioned in chapter 97.
Summary: Young Tomoyo and Yuuko meet in a dream.
Author's Notes: Not the best oneshot I've done in a while. It seems a little... strained. But I like the idea, and I hope you might too.
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belong to CLAMP.

"Ah, Princess Tsukuyomi."

The young raven-haired princess was startled. Amethyst eyes blinked and grew wide as they glanced around. The princess suddenly realised that she had somehow stepped past the threshold of an open gate and was heading towards a strange small traditional hut directly in front of her. It was a place she had never seen before...

She blinked. She had just realised that her bodyguards were nowhere in sight. That was strange. Her overprotective guardian Souma would never allow her to move anywhere on her own, especially if it was outside the palace. This means that this was not her country. She turned sideways and saw a very tall, very beautiful woman watching her on the other end of the gate.

The woman had very long, very straight black hair that reminded the princess of her sister's. Her eyes were crimson and seemed to hide years of untold wisdom and knowledge. She wore an elaborate kimono with a thick black sash tied into a large bow at the back, which looked very much like a butterfly. Blood-red lips curled into a smile that hinted this was no ordinary person. The princess looked at her carefully. While the woman seemed rather intimidating, the princess felt that she was not an evil person.

"You have a wish, Princess Tsukuyomi."

What the woman had said was not a question, but a statement. The princess blinked again and inclined her head slightly, studying the woman with more interest. This woman was definitely no ordinary person. The princess remembered the stories that the priestesses had told her. There were many worlds, many dimensions, and among them lived a powerful sorceress. The sorceress was known by many names - the Dimensional Witch, the Time-Space Witch, the Far East Witch - while her real name remained a mystery.

The princess looked at the woman with curious eyes. Her instinct told her this was the famous sorceress and her instincts were hardly wrong. She pondered.

"Can you grant any wish of mine, Miss?" asked the princess.

The woman's smile widened. "Any wish, Princess, but for a price. You must understand there is no such thing as free trade, even in this world."

The princess bowed her head. "Yes, I understand. I am willing to pay the price. I believe you know my wish better than I do, Miss. At what price will you grant it for me?"

The woman pursed her lips. "You are lonely. Your sister is always busy and your guardian, however friendly both of you are to each other, is still a subject. What you wish for is a companion, an equal, and you do not mind even if your friendship will only last for a very short time. Do not worry, Princess. You will meet this companion soon. Your price is to rescue him from his fated tragedy, send him on another treacherous journey and risk losing not his life but his companionship. In time you will do so knowingly and willingly, but I must ask this of you now: will you be willing to make this sacrifice, Princess Tsukuyomi?"

The princess lowered her gaze. She could not understand how she would save a person and then force him on a dangerous journey. However, she had to make a decision. She answered slowly and surely, "Yes."

The woman smiled. "Your have made your decision. The wish is granted," she said with finality in her tone. She turned towards the horizon. The first rays of the sun were faint, but they somehow brightened the vast landscape. "Now, the day is beginning," murmured the woman. The princess could not sure if she was speaking to her or if she was simply wondering aloud.

Then the princess turned as well, but she did not see the sunrise. Instead, she found herself staring at a familiar space - a very clean, very white wall next to an open window she knew very well. Startled, she sat up. She had been sleeping undisturbed in her chamber throughout the night. Outside her window, the morning sun had already risen. The birds were chirping in its wake.

Suddenly, there was a light tap on the door. "Princess Tomoyo, the Empress would like you to join her for breakfast," said a familiar voice outside the chamber.

"I shall be ready soon, Souma," responded the princess, getting up. She put on her robe and headed towards the door. Just before she opened the door, she glanced over her shoulder to look at the morning sun outside her window. It seemed to smile at her and she gladly smiled back.

A new day was beginning.

Happy Post #6 of 8

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 07:42:05 GMT

How long has it been since I last updated this multi-chapter? Nearly 2 months? Hee, I'm sorry, I got caught up in NaNoWriMo and a bunch of other stuff, so... yeah, you get the point.

Title: We're Family (Chapter 6: Friend or Foe)
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Kurogane/Tomoyo, Syaoran/Sakura, Eriol
Genre: General
Word Count: 1769
Rating: PG-13
Warning: AU.
Story Summary: He was a rebellious teenager, recently orphaned and sent to live with a family he had barely met. She was a very gifted musician, shaped to fit a highly refined and noble world. With such contrasting personalities, how could they get along?
Chapter Summary: Kurogane meets Tomoyo's friends for the first time. They are generally friendly, but something doesn't seem quite right...
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belong to CLAMP.

The former peasant boy stared down at his fine new suit. His nose wrinkled in disgust for a split second before his eye caught a warning glance, then he nervously avoided the stern gaze. With rough fingers he picked at his stiff black coat, his lips twitching as he itched to complain. He looked ridiculous! He should never have listened to that high-class girl.

"Aww, Kurogane! You look so handsome! I'm sure any girl who sees you now are going to swoon at your feet," gushed his companion, her eyes glittering with pride. Kurogane glared at her, but she was too caught up in her bliss to care. She circled her model, sighing with happiness. "I never imagined my father's old clothes would be of much use. They fit you perfectly! Oh, where is my camera? I just have to keep a photograph for memory's sake!"

"Tomoyo!" Kurogane was flushing with embarrassment as she tore her gaze off him to search for her prized possession. "Are you sure about this?" He stared again at his formal attire. He was wearing a black coat, a formal white shirt and black nylon pants. It would have been very simple, really, but Tomoyo had also adorned him with a bright red bowtie and a heavy silver watch with a cartoon character on its face. He felt like a kid having been dolled up by his mother. Enviously, he eyed Tomoyo's outfit, a simple yet stylish red dress with frilly sleeves and an asymmeterical skirt, which fit her slender figure beautifully.

"Aha! There it is!" cried Tomoyo as she pulled her camera out of a drawer. It looked like a very expensive professional instrument with a frighteningly large glass eye. Tomoyo slipped the band around her hand to keep the camera in place and immediately began her intensive photo-taking session.

Kurogane, of course, felt extremely uncomfortable, but he could only turn his face away and tug at his tight collar, refusing to admit that Tomoyo was taking control of him. He was too proud for that. All he could do now was take everything at his own time, stay calm and not produce any sudden, embarrassing outbursts. At least, he could ensure that it was Tomoyo being embarrassing and not he embarrassing himself.

At that moment, the doorbell rang. The flashes from Tomoyo's camera vanished. She hastily put down her camera and hurried towards the main door, leaving Kurogane by himself in the living space. He watched as she gracefully pulled the door open to admit her guests.

"Tomoyo!" cried a bright, energetic girl with short honey brown hair and emerald eyes as she burst through the doorway, flinging her arms around her friend. She wore a pale pink frock and a small bundle of cherry blossoms in her hair. She had also put on a pretty summer hat with a yellow ribbon, which fell backward as the girl flung herself into Tomoyo's arms.

"My beautiful Sakura! I'm so happy to see you," said Tomoyo, smiling as she returned her friend's embrace. Behind Sakura, a boy with darker brown hair and amber eyes picked up the summer hat and smiled and nodded at Tomoyo in greeting. He was wearing a formal white shirt, a dull green coat he left unbuttoned, khaki pants and dark brown boots.

The last to enter was a rather mysterious-looking boy with dark blue hair and dark blue eyes, half-hidden behind thick frameless glasses. His attire was similar to Kurogane's, except the colour of his coat and pants was the darkest shade of blue. He inclined his head and smiled at Tomoyo, who bowed her head slightly in return.

When the girls finally broke their embrace, the hostess clasped her hands. She tiptoed slightly, expecting to see another person present, but nobody else was there. She turned to her friends. "Did Fai not come with you?" she asked.

The brown-haired boy shook his head. "Chii is sick and he wants to take care of her," he explained.

"But he might come over later, though," said the blue-haired boy, smiling mysteriously. "Hideki would probably rush over there soon enough, so Fai would be relieved of his brother duties."

Tomoyo smiled knowingly. "Of course. It's all right. We can wait." She pulled Sakura gently by the wrist and lead the group towards Kurogane, who blinked. "Let me introduce you: this is our audience for today - my friend, Kurogane Suwa; his mother is an acquaintance of my sister's. Kurogane, this is my best friend, Sakura Kinomoto," - she nodded at the emerald-eyed girl, who beamed cheerfully - "her boyfriend, Syaoran Li," - the brown-haired boy blushed when he was mentioned - "and his cousin, Eriol Hiragizawa," - the bespectacled boy smiled in a mysterious manner that eerily reminded Kurogane of Tomoyo's.

"Kurogane, correct?" asked Sakura, eagerly jumping forward. It was easy to tell that she was a social butterfly and that she enjoyed making new friends. "You can just call me Sakura, like everybody does. I'm seventeen years old this year and I play the violin, like Tomoyo. We're best friends!" she said gleefully, exchanging a fond look with Tomoyo.

"My name is Syaoran. I'm seventeen and I play the violin as well. Pleased to meet you," said the brown-haired boy, bowing slightly. Kurogane noted that he spoke with a slight accent.

"I'm called Eriol. I'm as old as the universe, but I only picked up the cello seventeen years ago," said the bespectacled boy, smiling as confusion spread across Kurogane's face. Eriol was a weird kid, he realised. When Kurogane noticed Eriol and Tomoyo exchanging mysterious smiles, he realised they were just about as strange as each other.

"So, Kurogane! How old are you? What instrument do you play?" asked Sakura eagerly.

"I'm nineteen," he replied, "and..."

"He doesn't play anything," finished Tomoyo. Syaoran and Sakura stared in shock, as though someone who doesn't play music was unheard of. Only Eriol calmly pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. Light reflected off his glasses as he smiled, making his expression quite unreadable.

"Syaoran, Sakura, surely you can't expect every person in the world to be able to play an instrument," reasoned Eriol.

"I know that, but..." began Sakura, still staring at Kurogane, "...Tomoyo was never really comfortable around anyone who cannot play an instrument before."

It was Kurogane's turn to stare. "You only have musician friends?" he questioned, his tiny crimson eyes as wide as they could go. It seemed unbelievable that a girl like Tomoyo - who was brilliant, smart and gifted - had difficulty being sociable.

Tomoyo lowered her head and turned her face away, decidedly ashamed. "Before you, I met all my friends through our ensembles," she admitted timidly.

Kurogane stared, stunned. That was a side of Tomoyo that he had not seen before. When he recollected himself and the full impact of her statement hit him, he pressed a thumb and two finger against his temple. "You're incredible," he said, heaving a sigh.

Eriol smiled. "Tomoyo is a very quiet person. I believe I was the first friend she had - we frequently sat next to each other in the orchestra. Then Sakura joined us and befriended Tomoyo immediately, as well as most of the ensemble. Since then, Tomoyo has had a little more company." He looked kindly at Tomoyo who blushed lightly, slightly embarrassed to have someone else explain things for her.

"That's why it's amazing that you and Tomoyo are fast friends!" explained Sakura, nodding passionately. Her cheeks were flushed and she unconsciously spoke like a bullet train, an obvious sign that she was very excited about this.

Kurogane stared at her, wide-eyed. "Are you crazy?" he asked in shock and disbelief. "We're enemies!" he declared, remembering how Tomoyo enjoyed taunting him to no end. He glared at Eriol and Syaoran as they exchanged looks that seemed to be suppressing a smile. The girls giggled.

Eriol recollected himself first. He clapped his hands twice to gain everybody's attention. Everyone immediately fell silent and turned to look at him. "Shall we begin practising, then?" he asked politely. "It is the reason we have gathered here, after all."

Tomoyo clasped her hands enthusiastically. "Eriol is right," she said. "We should begin soon. I trust you all know where the studio is... By the way, Kurogane? You are very welcome to join us," she added, turning to face him and smiling sweetly.

Kurogane felt a shiver creep up his spine. It was the eerie smile he disliked so much, yet somehow always managed to force him to do anything she bid him to do. "Okay, I'll go," he responded, scratching the back of his head nervously and earning a wide grin from Tomoyo.

"I appreciate it, Kurogane. Shall we go, then?" asked Tomoyo, turning to her other friends. Sakura nodded vigorously, Syaoran bowed his head slightly and Eriol inclined his head, smiling. Tomoyo smiled back. She put her hand on Kurogane's shoulder and gently led him towards the room in which he had heard her playing the violin.

Behind her, Syaoran and Sakura conversed under their breath. "Don't you think this is a little suspicious?" Syaoran whispered, holding a hand across his mouth so as only to project his voice to Sakura who was standing right next to him.

Confused, Sakura blinked. "There's nothing suspicious about anything, Syaoran! I'm just happy Tomoyo finally managed to find a friend on her own. I was worried she was feeling lonely without her sister most of the time at home, but now that Kurogane is here..."

"But Kurogane doesn't seem like one of us," Syaoran pointed out. "I have never seen anyone like him around the place before. He doesn't actually seem used to us and he acts strangely. Something has to be going on here."

Sakura glanced at Kurogane. He seemed perfectly normal to her. "I don't know," she said. "Let's just wait and see for a while. If nothing obviously strange happens, then you should just leave him alone, okay?"

Keeping his gaze pinned on Kurogane's back, Syaoran nodded slowly. "If you say so, Sakura," he responded. He was not going to give up just yet.

Out of a corner of his eye, Kurogane noticed Syaoran looking at him strangely. That boy seemed rather suspicious. Should he tell Tomoyo about it? Mentally, he shook his head. If Syaoran was Tomoyo's friend, then he should be trustworthy. Yet, somehow, Kurogane could not shake off the uneasy feeling that they were not quite going to get along.

Unnoticed by everyone who walked ahead of him, Eriol smiled.

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter (pending)

Happy Post #3 of 8

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 03:46:18 GMT

Just watched L: Change The World. Is it just me, or is L out of character at some point?

Anyway, I was inspired to write this. I've never written Clow/Yuuko before, though I rather like this pairing. Clow and Yuuko are such complex characters (maybe as complicating as L, lol)! I'll be very grateful if you could point out any mistakes and correct me.

Title: Parting
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE/xxxHOLiC
Character(s): Yuuko, Clow (slight Clow/Yuuko)
Theme: Cadence
Genre: General/Angst
Word Count: 470
Rating: PG
Warning: Rated for very slight language?
Summary: Just before Clow leaves Yuuko's shop, they have a short silent conversation.
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belong to CLAMP.

You are leaving already?

The long-haired woman laid across the room in a long armchair, sprawled upon it like a lazy but watchful cat, her head lifted and inclined slightly to eye the bespectacled man at the door. The man turned around to smile at her, his expression as calm and collected as ever, but the woman could simply blew a puff a smoke in his direction, not believing it for a second.

Clow, you know better than to lie to me.

Although his pleasant facade remained, his smile faded for just a moment when looked down at his long black cloak. As he looked up again, smiling as he did before, his dark blue eyes betrayed a tremendous sadness within him. He finally spoke to the woman.

I wish to speak with Keroberos and Yue before I leave, Yuuko.

Yuuko blew another puff of smoke. She leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes and breathing deeply. She knew Clow Reed. He was the most intelligent and most powerful man she had ever come across. He was also very mysterious and secretive - he would not let anyone, especially those supposedly close to him, know exactly what he was thinking. He spoke in the worst riddles and annoyed her to no end.

Yuuko, I'm sorry you have to bear this burden.

Yuuko almost snorted with laughter. Clow Reed felt sorry? Whatever for? Many times before he had somehow coaxed her into doing many things she had not agreed to in the beginning, teasing and mocking her with all too familiar smile of his as she went about it scorning him with all her being. Now, for something that she had taken up voluntarily, he was actually feeling guilty about it?

Don't you dare pity me, Clow Reed.

Unexpectedly, Clow laughed. Yuuko looked at him. Long as they had been together, Clow rarely laughed. It was a strange sound. It did not sound as easy and warm and light-hearted as the kind of laughter Yuuko usually heard. Clow's laugh was very short and a little dry. He was not used to laughing, she could tell.

I do not pity you, Yuuko. You do not deserve it.

Yuuko felt like glaring at him, but thought the better of it. She breathed from her pipe again. The annoying bastard was never going to learn. She decided that it would be better off not caring. He was not worth all that trouble. Clow looked at her, still smiling in that annoying way.

Goodbye.

Clow turned and slid the door open. Yuuko watched through half-open eyes as his figure disappeared in the bright light outside. That man was insane, thinking he could change the world. Still, perhaps, if it was him, he might actually succeed. Who knew? Yuuko sighed lazily.

You are an idiot, Clow; you know that?

Kuro/Tomo Fanfic: Under One Umbrella

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 14:03:53 GMT

Title: Under One Umbrella
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Kurogane/Tomoyo, Souma, a messenger, mention of Amaterasu
Theme: Ostinato
Genre: General
Word Count: 906
Rating: G
Summary: It's raining, and Kurogane has not returned from training. Tomoyo goes out to look for him.
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belong to CLAMP.

Rain was pouring, and Kurogane had yet to return from his training.

From a window near the top of the palace, Princess Tomoyo looked out at the imperial grounds. Although she had the advantage of a bird's eye view, she could barely see through the heavy mist of rain. Minutes ticked slowly by. It felt like hours. Why was Kurogane not back yet?

"Princess Tsukuyomi," said Souma, who had not stirred from her mistress's side, "Kurogane has not returned; will you give us the order to...?"

"No, don't search," answered Tomoyo quickly. She turned to look at her loyal subject, who was clearly surprised. Tomoyo smiled. "Kurogane is strong. He will not be daunted by a little rain." Yet, as she said this, she turned back to look out into the rain, still quite unable to stop worrying.

Souma watched the princess with concern. It was usually difficult to understand the princess's intentions. Tomoyo was clearly worried for Kurogane and she had the power to send someone to search for him, yet she refused. If it was within Souma's capability, she wanted to help to ease this burden; but she would not disobey her mistress's instructions, so she could only wait by her side.

There was a light tap on the door. "Miss Souma, Empress Amaterasu has summoned you," reported the messenger. Souma glanced at Tomoyo, who simply smiled and nodded. Souma restrained herself from biting her lip. She bowed and, after casting a final glance at the princess, left the room.

As soon as Tomoyo heard the door slide shut, she turned around and briefly scanned the room. She was definitely alone now. Anxiously, she leaned towards a drawer and pulled out an umbrella. Kurogane would surely decline her offer of sheltering him - she was certain of that - so a second umbrella would not be of any use. Her fingers gripped the umbrella tightly as she walked across the room. She stepped over the threshold and shut the door softly behind her.

No one noticed as the princess slipped out of the palace and into the rain.

It was even harder to see in the rain. Tomoyo felt as though she was inside a fog. All she could see through the translucent whiteness was the blur of a few trees barely a metre in front of her. However, she had often wandered these areas as a child. She knew exactly where she was.

When Tomoyo heard the sound of a blade slicing through the air, she knew that she could not be far from the training grounds. She picked up her pace. Sure enough, she found a familiar clearing... and a familiar character. She stopped in her tracks, watching with interest.

A young man stood in the middle of the clearing. His clothes were drenched, and his movements were probably not as swift as before, but the determination in his eyes was still strong. Tomoyo smiled. He probably had not mastered a technique yet and he was unwilling to give up until he did. He was such a stubborn boy.

Suddenly, the boy slipped, skidding forward over the mud. His knee bent forcefully and hit the ground hard. The rest of his body followed, crashing forward. His weapon was knocked out of his hand and it hit the ground with a dull clattering sound. He groaned in frustration as he tried to pick himself up. Without a second thought, Tomoyo hurried towards him.

Kurogane stared at her. "Where did you come from?" he exclaimed.

Tomoyo bent over him, smiling. "What do you think, Kurogane?"

"I have no idea," he muttered under his breath as he pulled himself into sitting position. Others may think Tomoyo was an angel - she was beautiful; she was kind; she was gifted in many ways. However, over time, Kurogane learnt that she could be the devil if she wanted to be. How many times had he been a victim of her merciless taunts?

Tomoyo knelt beside him. "I think you should rest," she said.

Kurogane grunted. "You're too kind, princess."

"I'm serious," said Tomoyo. She was not smiling, but she was not looking at him unkindly. "You are too hard on yourself. You need a rest to recover your energy so that you can perform to the best of your ability."

Kurogane's eyes narrowed. "Heh. I could do a lot worse."

Tomoyo frowned for a moment. Kurogane was not going to be convinced so easily, of course. However, that was not the most important thing now. Somehow, she had to persuade him to get inside the palace first, warm and dry; then they could properly talk things over.

So Tomoyo smiled in the sweetest manner she could manage. She knew that Kurogane would feel extremely uncomfortable about it. She watched happily as his eyebrows twitched. "Would you like me to give you orders, Kurogane?" she asked, still smiling.

Kurogane glared, but it would take a lot more than one look to daunt Princess Tsukuyomi. He knew better than to argue, so he stood up and removed the heaviest chunks of dirt that clung to his clothes. "Hmph. Fine. Just get that umbrella away from me."

But Tomoyo simply smiled and continued to share the shelter of her umbrella with Kurogane. As he stared at her, realisation dawned and shock flooded his face.

"You're unbelievable," was all he could say.

Tomoyo smiled knowingly. "So are you, my diligent friend."

Edit: mistake corrected, thanks to mindy_mousie for pointing it out.

We're Family, Chapter 5

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 13:50:18 GMT

Uh oh. I haven't updated in such a long time. I'm so sorry! But I had tons of school commitments (I really think they're planning to eat me alive) so please understand that those are my top priorities.

Title: We're Family (Chapter 5: Picking Up a New Tune)
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Kurogane/Tomoyo, Souma
Genre: General
Word Count: 1,232
Rating: PG-13
Warning: AU.
Story Summary: He was a rebellious teenager, recently orphaned and sent to live with a family he had barely met. She was a very gifted musician, shaped to fit a highly refined and noble world. With such contrasting personalities, how could they get along?
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belong to CLAMP.

When Tomoyo heard the knock on the door, she smiled. Souma had realised what she hoped she would do. Tomoyo knew that she could always depend on her capable housekeeper to understand her intentions when they were not spoken outright.

She walked across the room and peered through a tiny hole in the door. Kurogane seemed a little anxious as well as impatient. His gaze darted at his surroundings, clearly showing his agitation. Souma remained very calm, very cool-headed, very prim and proper. Well, that was Souma as usual. However, she was also watching Kurogane from a corner of her eye. The hint of a smile on her face suggested suppressed amusement.

Tomoyo pulled the door open. The sound of the lock had quickly gained their attention. Kurogane looked at Tomoyo for a moment before glancing away as quickly as he had turned to look at her. Souma greeted her mistress with the usual polite bow. "Master Kurogane wanted to see you, miss."

"Thank you very much, Souma." Tomoyo smiled kindly in return. "Please tell the servants to have their breakfast. Then you may proceed with your duties. I shall call for you when I need you again."

"Yes, miss."

Souma bowed again before turning to walk away. Kurogane watched her retreating figure. In turn, Tomoyo observed Kurogane quietly. The crimson-eyed young man appeared to be lost in his own thoughts - what an unusual sight! There was no longer any sign of anger or resentment; he seemed simply observant, a trait that Tomoyo recognised to be her own.

When Souma finally disappeared behind the bend, Tomoyo was the first to speak. "You wanted to see me, Kurogane?"

Kurogane turned and looked at her steadily. He wore a rather uncomfortable expression, which Tomoyo recognised as she had done in many other faces she had come across. "Just now," he began with difficulty, "I didn't mean... to do what I did. I'm sorry." He looked up, as though expecting some unusual reaction.

But Tomoyo simply smiled. She had deduced from his obvious discomfort that Kurogane was a very proud young man. He did not apologise on a frequent basis; his rare apologies, then, would be sincere. "Thank you for telling me personally, Kurogane; I truly appreciate it," she said. "I am sorry as well. I have spoken out of turn. I did not intend to force you to conform, Kurogane. However, I do hope that you will attempt to make some changes to adapt into this new environment."

"I get it," mumbled Kurogane. He was clearly unwilling, but he understood why he should change. In any community, one had to fit in one way or another. How then were the members of a community connected?

Tomoyo watched his increasingly downcast expression. "Please do not misunderstand, Kurogane. All I ask of you is to adapt - but not to conform - to this society. There is a large difference, a very large difference between adapting and conformity, as I'm sure you will soon find during your time here."

Kurogane looked up. He did not seem to be expecting this. Tomoyo smiled.

"I have invited a few friends over this afternoon," she added cheerfully. "Oh, no, I don't socialise much. I simply met them through connections of my mother and sister. I'll introduce them to you. They are very amiable people, though some may not seem so at first. I'm sure you will learn more from them than you ever can from me alone."

Kurogane grunted in response. Tomoyo's smile did not fade.

"Well then, until they arrive, would you like to hear me play?" Tomoyo looked invitingly at her violin lying nearby. Kurogane remained silent, a response Tomoyo recognised to mean consent. Smiling, she picked up her violin, inhaled deeply and confidently drew her bow across the strings.

The first note rang like a bell. For a moment, Kurogane was stunned - perhaps he had never heard a violin so clearly before, or perhaps he had just never really paid much attention, because it had never occured to him that such a clear, beautiful sound could be produced. With a little more interest, he listened to the rest of the piece.

Somehow, music had never felt so calm and peaceful.

Tomoyo played again and again, starting a new piece soon after ending the previous one. It was obvious that she enjoyed playing the violin - she was absorbed in her music; there was always a smile on her face and her fingers danced across the fingerboard as though they could continue doing so for ever. It was amazing how much music was stored in her memory.

However, Kurogane gradually grew immune to the music. It would still take time for someone like him, who had never really liked classical music, to truly appreciate it. Instead, he found himself watching the violinist. In a strange way, she reminded him of his mother. He began to match the pieces.

Both women had long black hair, tied up in an casual yet elegant ponytail at the back. Their eyes were kind and radiated warmth, unless angered; then they projected a cold and hard expression that would cause a lesser man to quaver. They were gentle, soft-spoken, very intelligent and very observant. They seemed to be able to read minds - this thought sent a chill down Kurogane's spine - and were adept at understanding most people.

How very unlike him and his father! Kurogane snorted as he thought to himself.

Finally, the music stopped. Kurogane looked up at the silence. Tomoyo was watching him with a strange smile on her face. Kurogane grew uneasy. He recognised it to be the smile Tomoyo would wear whenever she was thinking of something that he was unlikely to be joyous about. "What?" he snapped.

Tomoyo grinned. "Nothing in particular," she said lightly, bending over to place her violin in its case, "but... well, my friends will be arriving soon, and I'm quite certain you won't want to be caught still in pajamas."

Kurogane glanced downwards. Crap. He probably looked embarrassing already, but he was not going to let himself be embarrassed in front of a bunch of other nobles as well if he could help it. Then he remembered: he did not have much of a wardrobe when he arrived, much less anything that was suitable for an upper-class citizen.

Tomoyo must have read his mind. She laughed as she picked up her violin case. "Don't worry, Kurogane. My sister had everything prepared for you before you joined us. She has a brilliant mind; she has everything all planned out. Hey, why don't I pick something out for you? All you'll need to do then is to put them on. It shouldn't be too difficult for you, I think."

Kurogane eyed her suspiciously. What did she mean when she said that it would not be "too difficult"?

Tomoyo's mysterious smile looked strangely plastered on her face as she headed towards the door. "I think we know well enough that there is a lot about the world that we still don't know about," she said, "but trust me: you'll look fine, Kurogane."

Perhaps that would be easy enough for any other person to accomplish, but for Kurogane - who had yet to get used to "that smile" of Tomoyo's, as he learnt to call it - it would certainly an uphill task.

"Come now," urged Tomoyo gently, beckoning him with a nod as she turned the door knob and stepped out of the room. Kurogane was still quite unwilling to move, but he grudgingly headed towards her. Tomoyo found herself grinning mischieviously. "You know, you don't have to be afraid of my friends. They won't bite."

"Who said I was scared, huh!?" he almost yelled. Tomoyo continued grinning.

"Nobody said anything about you, Kurogane, but to a certain extent, you can decide how you want people to see you."

Edit: mistake corrected, thanks to mindy_mousie for pointing it out.

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

2 TRC Fanfics

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:22:36 GMT

Sorry for spamming your f-pages, f-list! And there may be a few more (fanfics) to be posted here, so bear with me for a little while, please?

Okay. Actually, I uploaded these on my FF.Net account already, because I'm not cool and wrote these during my exam preparation. (I restrained from logging on LJ because this is even more tempting.)

ANYWAY. I just read TRC chapter 201. The second fic here may not entirely accurate, but I think it's still okay? Let me know what you think!

Title: Just Human
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Syaoran, Sakura, Yukito, mention of Fujitaka, Touya
Theme: Elegy
Genre: General/Angst
Word Count: 552
Rating: G
Warning: None
Summary: Syaoran may not recognise his feelings, but they are there.
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belong to CLAMP.

When Fujitaka passed away, Syaoran did not cry.

All the workers at the excavation site had arranged a private funeral for the late archaeologist. Those who came to pay their last respects included all the workers at the excavation site and several villagers who recognised the kind archaeologist who occasionally paid a visit to their stalls. Even the royal family graced the solemn occasion. Yukito, the newly ordained priest, led the procession. When the coffin was finally buried in the ground the archaeologist loved so dearly, almost everybody was in tears.

Only Syaoran, who was closest to Fujitaka and should be most affected by the loss, remained quiet and expressionless, receiving all the condolences with a mechanical nod before turning away to stare again at the newly filled grave.

It took a lot of effort for Princess Sakura to walk up to his side and catch a glimpse of his face. Seeing the lack of expression, she grew worried and instinctively gave his hand a gentle squeeze. When he turned to look at her, she could only whisper, "I'm sorry."

Syaoran turned away to stare at the ground again. "Why?" he asked. His voice was a monotone as usual, but for some reason, it pulled painfully at Sakura's heartstrings.

"Mr Fujitaka was like a father to you, wasn't he? And he was the only family you had. I can't imagine losing... my father and the rest of my family... I can't imagine... how difficult it must be for you..."

Sakura rubbed her eyes furiously. She could not let herself cry again. It must be painful enough for Syaoran without her crying and making him feel worse.

But Syaoran only inclined his head slightly. He was surprised to see that the princess was crying. She was usually smiling and cheerful. He checked his pockets for a handkerchief; then he remembered that he had forgotten to take it from his father's drawer at home. He could not think of any other substitute for a handkerchief, so he used the end of his long sleeve to dry the princess's tears.

Sakura looked up in surprise. Syaoran looked at her. "You look nicer when you're happy," he stated simply.

It took a while for Sakura to recover from the initial surprise. She was not expecting such a response. Then she broke into the biggest smile she could manage. "I'm glad you think so!" she said somewhat cheerfully.

"Princess Sakura! It's time to go! Your father will be worried!" called Yukito, waiting beside a rather impatient-looking prince.

"Okay!" said Sakura, waving. She glanced sideways at Syaoran worriedly. He had resumed staring at his adoptive father's grave. Struck by some impulse, Sakura grabbed both his hands and swung him around to face her. Syaoran stared at her, surprised. "If you need anything, anything at all," she said, "please, please look for me, okay, Syaoran? You always know where to find me."

Syaoran watched as the princess skipped away towards a very annoyed brother and his smiling friend. The royal siblings bickered as usual while the young priest tried to keep the peace. When they finally disappeared over the hill, Syaoran turned to look at the small foreign yet familiar lump in the ground.

For the first time in his life, he felt a tear fall onto his cheek.

Title: Mirror in a Dream
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE (minor crossover with xxxHOLiC)
Character(s): C!Sakura, R!Sakura, mention of Watanuki
Theme: Canon
Genre: General/Slight angst
Word Count: 505
Rating: G
Warning: SPOILER for TRC chapter 196. This takes place before TRC chapter 174 and xxxHOLiC chapter 140.
Summary: C!Sakura and R!Sakura meet in a dream.
Author's Notes: This fic replaces the previous one I wrote for this theme. This fits the theme so much better and the previous fic is really short (and shallow?) anyway. The previous fic is still up (on FF.Net) if you're interested, though.
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, xxxHOLiC and their characters belong to CLAMP.

"Sakura?"

She started at the voice. It sounded exactly like her own! But then, nothing about her could really be considered hers since the beginning, so that meant...

"It's a pleasure meeting you for the first time, Sakura, even if this is just a dream," said the real Princess of Clow, smiling cheerfully at the copy of herself.

The clone could not bear to look directly at her. She felt ashamed. Every person should be unique, yet she was exactly like the person in front of her. Both of them had the same green eyes, the same honey brown hair, the same face, the same features...

"Sakura? What's wrong?" enquired the princess, frowning in worry at her acquaintance's silence.

The clone forced herself to face her. The concern was clear, real and sincere in the princess's eyes. It tore at her heart. "I'm not supposed to be here," she whispered.

"That's not true, Sakura! How could you say that?" cried the princess, grabbing her hands.

"You're real," stated the clone sadly, "but I'm just a copy."

"No, you're not!" insisted the princess. "Don't you see how different we are now? Tell me, Sakura: who do you care for most in the world?"

The clone bit her lip. "I don't know..."

"You don't have to answer me, Sakura," said the princess gently. "Just think about my question carefully. Who do you care for most in the world?"

Her eyes widened in realisation. "Could it be...?"

"Don't answer!" interrupted the princess, placing a finger on her lips. The clone stared, surprised. The princess smiled happily. "Don't answer," she repeated more softly, but with emphasis. "Keep your answer to yourself. Now, who do you think will be able to decide whether or not you tell that person your feelings when you meet him?"

It was not really a question. The clone found herself smiling back. She finally understood what the princess was trying to tell her.

The princess grinned. "I have to be going soon. When you see Syaoran again, please let him know that I'm still waiting for him, okay?"

"Wait," called the clone as the princess turned to leave. "How do you know I'll see him again? Why do you call me Sakura? You know that's not really..."

"Your name is really Sakura," insisted the princess, smiling. "Trust me: you will see Syaoran again. You will meet both of them, and at that time, only you can decide what happens."

"But your name..."

"Isn't really Sakura," said the princess, her face momentarily darkened. Then she smiled brightly again and disappeared into the darkness before the clone could say another word.

The clone stared at the space where the princess had disappeared. Then she turned around and saw another person approach her. It was a boy with mismatched eyes - one blue and one yellow; just like Fai's! - and a strangely downcast expression.

When their eyes met, she knew that this boy and the princess, were bound by a similar - if not the same - fate.

TRC Fanfic (Syaoran/Sakura)

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:39:30 GMT

Erm, muse? I'm supposed to be studying now. Can't you pick a better time to bother me? Like, after my exams?
No way. Your study periods are my best friends!
Oh, fine. Be like that. I'm doomed...

Title: For a Smile
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Syaoran/Sakura
Theme: A cappella
Genre: General/Possibly a little fluff?
Word Count: 639
Rating: G
Warning: None.
Summary: Sakura is determined to make Syaoran smile.
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belong to CLAMP.

"Hey, Syaoran, why don't you ever smile?"

The brown-haired boy mechanically looked up at the mention of his name. His increasingly frequent companion, the emerald-eyed Princess of the Clow, was looking down at him, concerned and perhaps a little worried. Syaoran turned to stare at the small fire he had made for himself out of a spark and a few twigs. The flame flickered in his expressionless eyes. Was there a need to smile?

Sakura noted the silence and frowned. She sat on the ground next to him. It was a cold evening and the older archaeologist still had not returned from his work at the excavation site. Until his father came home, Syaoran would wait. He had found himself a comfortable spot near his home and sat there, almost motionless. It was where Sakura found him for several nights after learning that he had been sent home while Fujitaka and his team of archaeologists were still working.

"Why do you come here, Princess?"

Sakura snapped out of her thoughts. Syaoran was looking at her questioningly, yet he still retained the appearance of a somewhat inanimate being. Sakura sighed. "I wanted to see you! I thought you don't smile because you're lonely, but even when I'm around, you don't smile at all!" She pouted. "I thought we were really good friends."

"Friends." It was not a question. Syaoran was trying to convince himself about something. They were friends. Friends smile when they are with each other. He was not lonely, so he should smile. No, something was still not adding up. What were friends anyway?

"Yes, friends," repeated Sakura with emphasis. Syaoran turned to look at her. She was clearly filled with determination. "Friends are not strangers. They know each other." Then she realised something. "Or, at least, they really want to try and know each other? I really, really want to know you, but you're not telling me anything," she added, hopeful.

Syaoran stared at his feet. Okay, that made some sense. He did not know what he had to tell, though. He hardly knew where he came from or even who he was. His memories began slightly before Fujitaka had kindly taken him in. As far as he could remember, he was nobody without his father.

He was being a statue again. Sakura studied his features carefully. He was a human being, right? Was it as easy as he made it seem, being a statue? She tried to imitate him, but she could not stay motionless for long. She sighed in defeat.

But she was not going to give up on trying to make him smile. There was a person somewhere in there, she was sure, that was simply waiting to be found. There was no way she was going to stop trying!

"Hey, Syaoran, have you ever been on the highest building in this country?"

The boy stared at her for a moment. Then he shook his head. Sakura clapped her hands with glee.

"Okay, then I'll show you something! Not now; it's late and my brother is going to scold me anyway. Tomorrow morning? I'll come and meet you here. Don't run away, okay? You can join your father afterwards; I won't take too much of your time."

She stood up, grinning like a child who had just received the candy she wanted. After bidding him goodbye and good night, she left him, skipping away fairy-like. She could not wait to show him the flock of birds that flew over the palace every morning. The sight always made her smile and she was certain it would make him smile too.

Meanwhile, Syaoran watched her retreating shadow, still unable to fanthom why she unlike the others tried so hard to be nice to him. He was sure that he knew one thing, though.

"I'm... not alone..."

Kuro/Tomo Fanfic

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:46:17 GMT

Life is being less than great. I'm really sorry for not being active, if anybody noticed.

Okay, I think I'm crazy. I have no idea what Souma's history (in canon) is and I just made it up for her! But this is AU, so that shouldn't be too much of a problem...? I'm just hoping it doesn't seem OOC...

Title: We're Family (Chapter 4: Tale of an Orphan)
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Kurogane/Tomoyo, Souma
Genre: General
Word Count: 1,193
Rating: PG-13
Warning: AU.
Story Summary: He was a rebellious teenager, recently orphaned and sent to live with a family he had barely met. She was a very gifted musician, shaped to fit a highly refined and noble world. With such contrasting personalities, how could they get along?
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belong to CLAMP.

Helplessly, Souma watched Tomoyo pick up her violin case and leave the room. Souma wished that there was something she could do to help, but as a simple housekeeper, she should respect her mistress's wishes and obey them. Tomoyo had wished to be alone for a little while. All Souma could do was to ensure that her wishes were not defied.

Souma looked at the maids still gathered in the room. They were still confused by the earlier interaction between their mistress and the newcomer and Tomoyo's unexpected response. They glanced at the empty table and the door through which Tomoyo had left and turned to Souma for directions.

After a moment's deliberation, Souma instructed, "Clear the table. Then you may make your own breakfast." She was about to leave when she remembered Tomoyo's words. Then she added, "If Master Kurogane approaches you, direct him to me."

Respectfully, the maids bowed. Then they dispersed, whispering among themselves like high school girls in their little cliques. Souma could imagine what they must be thinking. Even in Souma's eyes, Miss Tomoyo had always been a very strange person. For certain, she was an extremely talented young lady. She was also a perfect example of the high class - softspoken, elegant, demure... everything that the daughter of a noble was expected to be.

Indeed, Tomoyo Daidouji seemed perfect in every sense of the word; but Souma knew one thing that most people did not realise: Tomoyo was lonely. Her parents were hardly at home. Kendappa tried to make time for her little sister, but as a highly successful businesswoman, she had to keep on top of her game and her career made it nearly impossible to find time for anything else. For a very long time, the violin had been Tomoyo's only companion.

Even now, Tomoyo still loved the violin, but something was different. This morning, Tomoyo had really smiled. It was not just the simple smile she usually wore. There was no hint of melancholy or loneliness. It was a real smile, filled with just pure happiness. Souma had not seen that smile for such a long time that she had almost forgotten her mistress could smile like that.

How did Kurogane manage it? Or rather, why Kurogane? Why not anybody else?

Whatever it was, Souma decided that it was not important. The most important thing at the moment was to make sure that Kurogane regained his senses. Anything that he could do to her would be harmless. He was quite simply being rebellious and Souma knew better than to admit defeat. Had she not passed this stage once before, after all? She smiled at the memory.

Realisation hit at last. Of course! Tomoyo must have realised that only Souma could accomplish this task. If anybody could speak to Kurogane now, it was her. Filled with a sudden confidence, she set out to find him.

Moments later, she found Kurogane in the garden, sitting cross-legged on the floor next to an empty bench. His eyes were firmly shut and his arms folded stubbornly across his chest. The sides of his mouth appeared to twitch occasionally, as though he was recalling a rather unpleasant thought. Souma stared, bewildered; then a fit of giggles burst from her before she could properly catch herself.

Kurogane's eyes shot open at that very instant. The dangerous look he gave her quickly subdued her, but it was not enough to prevent her from finding him amusing. Cautiously suppressing her laughter, she approached him. "Good morning, Master Kurogane."

The boy looked at her from the corner of his eye. "What are you being so polite for?" he asked in an almost accusing tone.

He could not yet trust people so easily: Souma realised. "You are a member of the Daidouji family now. I am just a servant of the household. Naturally, your position is above mine. Therefore I should respect..."

"That's it," interrupted Kurogane. "My position is above yours; that's why you should respect me? That stupid reason is good enough for you?"

Souma looked at him carefully. Maybe he was not as thick-headed as he appeared to be. "I respect the Daidouji family," she answered. "From the beginning, I had respected Miss Kendappa because it was she who had offered this job when I needed it most. After spending some time with Miss Tomoyo, I learnt to respect her as well; Miss Tomoyo is highly intelligent and observant and she has a good character. I don't know much about Mr and Mrs Daidouji because I haven't really met them in person, but I trust Miss Kendappa and Miss Tomoyo."

Souma paused. Kurogane had turned away, eyes firmly shut. He was clearly uninterested. She sighed.

"I choose to respect you because I respect Miss Kendappa's decision to bring you into the family. She and Miss Tomoyo have faith in you, so I shall put my faith in you as well." Kurogane was subconsciouly peering out of a corner of his eye now; Souma smiled slightly. "They want you to give you a second chance, just as they had done for me."

Kurogane was definitely paying her some attention now. He was staring at her in surprise and disbelief. "You?"

"I was an orphan for as long as I could remember," said Souma, sitting on the bench beside him. "I grew up in an orphanage where I was constantly bullied. Soon I was adopted, but due to a series of problems, I was shifted from family to family. Finally, Miss Kendappa agreed to take me in, but as a servant. She said she wanted me to try being independent, so if I could not stay in this family, at least I knew how to depend on myself.

"But she and Miss Tomoyo treated me kindly. They were like more sisters than masters to me. I never felt more like a part of a family. Even now, I still do." Souma smiled at Kurogane. "They are some of the nicest people you are ever going to meet, Kurogane. You have my word for it."

"Why are you telling me this?" asked Kurogane, serious. He was not expecting Souma to tell her life story to a complete stranger.

"Because I need you to believe me," replied Souma. "I can understand a little of what you are going through. I know Miss Tomoyo understands more than what you might think she does. I can assure you: she is a very intelligent young lady."

Kurogane was shifting uncomfortably. He still was not ready to conform to anything, but he was starting to feel really guilty about the scene he had caused earlier.

Souma knew this. "Go and apologise to her," she urged. "She will understand."

"I know she will," said Kurogane. This response startled Souma; he knew? He stood up. "Where is Tomoyo?" he asked.

"Probably in her studio, practising," answered Souma, standing up and dusting her dress. "Come; I'll show you the way." She began heading towards the mansion.

"Hey." Souma looked curiously. Kurogane was pointedly looking away. "Thanks... for coming over."

For a moment, Souma stared, startled. Then she smiled.

"You're very welcome, Master Kurogane."

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Fanfic: Memory (TRC, Sakura's POV)

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 10:12:50 GMT

Well. This is still rather hard for me to believe. Am I really on a writing spree again?

As usual, I had a hard time deciding on a topic (it's the LJ-cut text) and then went off track as I wrote. The foreshadowing is quite... err, subtle?

Sakura doesn't sound like Sakura. But then, it's C!Sakura. Hopefully Fai seems IC enough. This guy is a hard nut to crack, if you get what I mean.

Title: Memory
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Sakura, Syaoran, Fai, Kurogane (hints of Syaoran/Sakura, Kurogane/Fai)
Theme: sempre
Genre: General
Word Count: 513
Rating: G
Warning: None
Summary: Fai and Sakura watch Kurogane and Syaoran training. Sakura thinks about the missing person in her memories and what her relationship with Syaoran really is.
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belong to CLAMP.

Kurogane and Syaoran were training again. The pair worked very well together. Somehow, they shared some form of telepathy - they knew exactly how to co-ordinate their attacks with nothing by a quick exchange of a glance and a small knowing smile.

Fai and Sakura had steered clear of their training area, but were watching quietly from a safe corner where they had a fairly good view. With a happy sigh, Fai remarked, "Well now, look at those two! Both father and son are getting along well, aren't they?"

To which Sakura could only smile in response. "Yes."

Sakura knew that Syaoran meant more than just a companion to her. How he looked after her, cared for her, protected her day after day suggested that their relationship was not as simple as that between a princess and a nomad. There were so many things that she thought she knew, but she could never be sure.

Because no matter how many feathers were retrieved, the memories she recovered were never truly complete.

She recalled how her annoying older brother used to tease her, yet looked out for her in times of need. She recalled that her wise father had always encouraged her to play outside the palace often, interact with the people of the village and bring smiles to their faces as much as possible. She recalled a very good friend whom she loved very much, whom her brother detested, whom she spent most of her free time with nevertheless... but she could not remember who he was.

...could that possibly be Syaoran?

"Sakura? Are you okay?" asked Fai, looking at her with concern.

She hastily shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I'm just thinking."

Fai nodded. "If you say so. But if Syaoran sees you frowning like that, he's going to get worried," he said, glancing at the boy.

"Ah!" exclaimed Sakura, finally catching herself. She smiled as brightly as she could.

Fai smiled in response. "My daughter looks so pretty when she smiles like that!" he teased, successfully making Sakura blush. Then he resumed watching Kurogane. "Now, if only Kuro-daddy can learn to do the same..."

Watching Syaoran pick himself up after being knocked down, Sakura lapsed back into thought. No, the missing person in her memories could not possibly be Syaoran. The companion she knew was cold and lonely. Syaoran was warm and friendly. The two personalities simply did not match.

But she certainly cared for Syaoran as much as, or perhaps more, than she had for her childhood friend. Why was that so? Did it matter? Her friend might have disappeared from her memories, but Syaoran - she smiled subconsciously - would remain in her thoughts.

When Syaoran turned to look at her, Sakura would raise her hand and smile more brightly for him; and Syaoran would resume training, refreshed. It did not matter that she did not remember him as well as she probably should. As long as Syaoran was with her, she would keep him in her memory.

They were family. That was all she needed to know.

ETA (2337hrs): 2nd fic for today! This one is more drabblish, and depressing. My sleep cycle is screwed, but who cares? Hee, mood swings are fun~

Title: Losing Heart
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Syaoran, Kamui, Sakura
Theme: senza
Genre: Angst
Word Count: 295
Rating: G
Warning: None
Summary: The seal is broken and Syaoran no longer feels pain.
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belong to CLAMP.

The pressure of the water was heavy upon Syaoran. He could not move. He could not breathe. Then Kamui struck him repeatedly. Blood oozed out of the wounds on his arms, shoulder chest... every place on his body that the vampire had attacked. A blow to the neck was the final straw. Syaoran was motionless.

He had no idea how it happened. For a moment, he was overcome with pain. Then his hand twitched and suddenly he realised that he was numb to the feeling of pain. He found himself in an upright position again. Steadily, he faced Kamui who then had his back towards him.

Only one thought was present in his mind: he must retrieve the feathers at any cost.

In the split second that Kamui turned, Syaoran had closed the distance between them and aimed a lethal kick at his side. Kamui dodged this attack. However, the next attack came more quickly than anticipated. Syaoran managed to leave a slight cut on the vampire's flawless face. He stood between Kamui and the sleeping princess.

"Don't touch her," said Syaoran, his voice an unusual monotone. "I will not hand any of the feathers to you. I will retrieve every single one of them... no matter what."

Flexing his lethal claws, the vampire examined the boy with hawk-like eyes. "You... aren't the same person, are you?"

Without another word, Syaoran lunged towards his opponent. They engaged in a battle of greater intensity, but Syaoran no longer felt pain. The seal upon his heart was broken. He was free of feeling and emotion and perfectly capable of fighting without relenting. After all, the reason for his existence was simply to retrieve the feathers and destroy all obstacles.

All the memories he ever made were meaningless.

TRC Fanfic: We're Family (Chapter 3)

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:14:04 GMT

Not a very good chapter, but I've been holding this back way too long. My excuse: I've been awfully busy; it's likely I'm going to be busier still. I'll try to write the next chapter better, but I'm sorry I can't make any promises.

Title: We're Family (Chapter 3: Fitting in)
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Kurogane/Tomoyo, Souma
Genre: General
Word Count: 940
Rating: PG-13
Warning: AU.
Summary: He was a rebellious teenager, recently orphaned and sent to live with a family he had barely met. She was a very gifted musician, shaped to fit a highly refined and noble world. With such contrasting personalities, how could they get along?
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belong to CLAMP.

Breakfast was usually a quiet affair at the Daidouji mansion. Actually, the same could be said for all meals and most other activities as well. There had only been one master of the household present most of the time, after all, and the servants were obliged to remain silent unless spoken to.

However, a new member had recently entered the household and that was enough to disrupt their usual lifestyle.

Sitting across the newcomer at other end of the long table, Tomoyo could not help smiling at the way he gnawed on his food and gulped down his glass of milk. Kurogane had not touched any of his utensils; he had used his hands to hold and tear apart bits of his food instead.

This scene earned some startled and somewhat bemused looks from the maids waiting in their various positions in the room. They were whispering among themselves, careful not to raise their voices above the level of noise that their new young master was making. No one had ever seen such conduct from a member of their noble society. It was somewhat disturbing.

"What?" said Kurogane suddenly, with a mouthful of food. Tiny crumbs were flying out of his mouth as he spoke. Some of the maids gasped. It only took a sharp glare to have them silenced and hanging their heads in shame.

Tomoyo smiled sweetly, appearing completely undisturbed. "You don't seem to have any good table manners, Kurogane," she said. "It's going to take some effort to clean up this time. Right, Souma?" She grinned at the maid-in-waiting beside her.

"I am afraid so, Miss Tomoyo," answered the young woman, bowing slightly. She had short dark hair, very neatly and plainly arranged, without a single strand out of place. Her small dark eyes looked deep, observant and intelligent; she kept them to herself as much as possible. She wore a very plain grey dress and a clean white apron, the typical attire of a maid in the household.

"Oh, I have yet to introduce you," said Tomoyo, remembering suddenly. "Souma, this is Kurogane. I suppose my sister has already told you about our new family member? Kurogane," she said, turning to him, "this is Souma, a highly capable housekeeper. She looks very young, doesn't she?" She grinned at the blushing housekeeper. "But she has been with the family for many years already."

"Miss Tomoyo! You... flatter me," said Souma, stuttering slightly in her embarrassment and bowing more deeply to hide the darkening shade of red that was on her face.

Tomoyo simply grinned. "Oh, but you deserve it, Souma!" She smiled at Kurogane, who was staring blankly at them across the table. "You will be of a lot of help to Kurogane. I think both of you will get along quite well. Don't you think so?"

Both pairs of eyes stared for a moment; then Souma's widened with realisation. She began uncertainly, "Miss Tomoyo, you don't mean...?"

"Ah! As usual, Souma knows exactly what I'm talking about." Tomoyo grinned. Souma's face immediately turned downcast.

Kurogane continued to stare blankly. "What exactly are you talking about?"

Souma remained in a somewhat gloomy state as Tomoyo continued to grin in a manner that made Kurogane feel strangely uncomfortable. "You see, Souma has been with the family for so long that she is accustomed to our manners and habits which are suited for our society. She may as well pass as a noble lady herself." Tomoyo smiled at her, but she was unable to look up. "Well, she knows enough about us, so she can teach you how to behave appropriately."

"What!?" yelled Kurogane, slamming his palms on the table and standing up abruptly. "I'm going to have some stupid lessons on how to behave? This is just..."

"Perfectly necessary," interrupted Tomoyo before Kurogane could spit out any inappropriate word he was probably thinking of. "Kurogane, please understand. You're one of us now. There are expectations that we as upper class citizens are supposed to meet."

"I won't conform!" declared Kurogane. "I am who I am! I'm not going to change because I've been forced into this goddamn awful society..."

"Kurogane..." began Tomoyo sternly, but he would not listen.

"You can do whatever you want!" he continued angrily, "I don't care! I won't care! But if you're going to try to change me, you better just fucking give up!" He stood up, ignoring the sharp sound his chair made against the floor as it was pushed out of his way.

"Kurogane!" called Tomoyo, but she was too late; he had turned sharply and walked away.

Souma looked helplessly from Kurogane to Tomoyo. "Miss, what should we do?"

"Let him be," answered Tomoyo. All traces of her previous anger had vanished. Now she looked sad and almost regretful. "Let him calm down," she said. "He will regain his senses... eventually."

"Of course, miss."

Tomoyo nodded back. "Now I shall retreat to my private room. You know where it is. Show Kurogane in when he wants to see me."

Souma looked at her, puzzled. "How do you know that he will look for you, miss?"

Tomoyo smiled mysteriously. "It's just a feeling. He will ask to speak to me soon. You know what to do then, Souma."

"Yes, miss."

Then, as though nothing had happened, Tomoyo resumed having breakfast. However, the clinking of her utensils did little to lighten the still tense atmosphere. After a while, she stopped and looked across the table where Kurogane had been sitting a few moments before. She heaved a little sigh.

"You will learn to adapt, Kurogane, just as I did a long time ago."

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

TRC Fanfic: Li(f)e

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:18:06 GMT

Another TRC fanfic. I got bored, okay? (Even though I'm supposed to be doing school work... Well, I'll get to that in a while.) Reading poetry got me into writing again, so here I am.

There is a lot of foreshadowing in this fic. It's extremely obvious in the title and the last line, which probably won't make any sense to you if you haven't read past the Tokyo arc. If you know TRC well enough, you can guess where this story fits in.

Title: Li(f)e
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Syaoran/Sakura, Fujitaka
Theme: Vivace
Genre: General
Word Count: 452
Rating: G
Warning: None
Summary: Sakura runs out to the excavation site to ask Syaoran to play with her.
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belong to CLAMP.

Prompted by some instinct, the bespectacled archaeologist looked up from his dusty work. From a distance, he spotted his most frequent visitor - a pretty emerald-eyed girl in fine robes meant only for the nobility. She was calling and waving her arms as widely as she could. The archaeologist smiled knowingly and nodded in acknowledgement. He turned to his diligent little assistant, who had not yet noticed their visitor.

"Syaoran," he said gently. The little assistant stopped working at last and looked up with expressionless brown eyes. The archaeologist smiled at him. "Well, Syaoran, I think you have a visitor." He nodded towards the little girl.

Mechanically, the young boy turned in that direction. The little girl had skipped over mounds of freshly dug earth, getting her fine robes dirty, and was running as quickly as she could manage towards them. When the time she finally closed the distance, she skidded to a halt, panting heavily.

"Greetings, Princess. What brings you here today?" asked the archaeologist, bending towards the little girl and smiling his usual kind smile.

"Good day, Mr Fujitaka," she greeted promptly. "I wanted to see Syaoran!" she answered, beaming.

"Of course; but does your father know?" inquired Fujitaka.

"Yes. Father wanted to send someone to find out if everything here is okay. I asked him if I could go and he said I could," said Sakura. She looked at Syaoran, who had not moved from his place and was quietly watching the transaction. "So, Syaoran, can you play now?" she asked hopefully.

Syaoran stared at his feet. This made Fujitaka frown slightly. Unlike most other boys, Syaoran did not quite know how to get along with people.

Getting worried, Sakura hastily added, "It's okay if you don't want to play, Syaoran. I'll understand. I just thought, maybe... maybe..."

Fujitaka put a hand on his assistant's shoulder. "It's all right, Syaoran," he said gently, "Take a break. Go and play with Princess Sakura for a while." He smiled when Syaoran looked up at him. "I won't be working on my own - there are some very diligent men here who can help me. So don't worry and just have fun, okay?"

Syaoran continued to stare at Fujitaka for a moment before nodding in silence.

Sakura cheered. "Yay! Come on, Syaoran!" Playfully, she grabbed his hand and pulled him along. "Faster, faster, Syaoran! There is something I want to show you today..."

Syaoran followed obligingly, stumbling at first before matching his pace with Sakura's. She was clearly excited. Fujitaka watched, smiling, as the two children walked away from the ruins, hand in hand. He turned to gaze at the horizon.

Maybe there really was hope in the boy's future after all.

ETA: Thank you, solar_panda, for pointing out the mistake! It's been corrected.

TRC Fic: For What's Worth

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 12:39:41 GMT

Finally inspired by clampanonmeme to write something. But I haven't written anything for so long, so I apologise if this seems out of character or anything. Otherwise, I hope you'll enjoy this little ficlet! Feedback is much welcomed.

Title: For What's Worth
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Kurogane, Nihon!Tomoyo
Theme: 18coda #17 "Ritenuto"
Genre: Hurt/Comfort
Word Count: 378
Rating: G
Warning: Spoilers for Kurogane's past
Summary: Kurogane trains. Tomoyo watches.
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belongs to CLAMP.

He was always training.

Tomoyo saw Kurogane at the training grounds every day. She watched him as he cut through the air with his wooden sword. She had seen him put aside Ginryuu; she suspected that he deemed himself unworthy of wielding his father's sword.

If he knew that the sword he had received was only a replica...

"I know you're there, Princess," said Kurogane suddenly. He had stopped and inclined his head slightly towards Tomoyo's direction. She smiled as she stepped forward. Kurogane turned around to face her. "What is it?"

"You are always training," said Tomoyo. "You hardly stop to rest."

"Why should I?" asked Kurogane, staring at the wooden sword at his side. Only the hard expression in his eyes revealed the pain and sadness that he refused to speak of.

Tomoyo looked at him sadly. "Please do not strain yourself, Kurogane. Resting is just as important as training is. You need the rest to regain your energy and train properly."

"I don't want to rest," said Kurogane. In a lower voice, as though speaking to himself, he added, "I don't want to remember." There was a hint of weariness. He was tired of trying to forget. He was tired of remembering the memorable times he knew would never come back. He was simply very, very tired.

Tomoyo held his hands gently in her own. "Please do not forget them," she said softly. "Your father and mother loved you. They only wanted to protect you."

"But I should've been the one to protect them! If I'd been stronger, if I'd trained harder, if I'd..."

"What has been done is done. You did everything you could."

"It's still not enough. It's still my fault they're gone."

"No," said Tomoyo with a serious undertone. "It is not your fault that they died. Do not blame yourself. This is not what your mother and father would want you to do." She paused. "They gave up their lives for you. Do not let their sacrifice go to waste."

"..."

"Rest, Kurogane. Then you can train better and keep the promise you made with your father."

Kurogane's eyes widened at her last words. Tomoyo smiled.

"Your father and mother believed in you, Kurogane. Please believe in yourself as well."

TRC Fic: We're Family (Chapter 2)

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 13:49:02 GMT

It's been such a difficult time; honestly, it has. I almost felt like I actually was Kurogane in the fic, though I was more desperate for a sense of hope whereas our character here doesn't quite care. Finding that comfort through Tomoyo through Kurogane has been... quite an interesting experience, actually.

Title: We're Family (Chapter 2: Puppets of Society)
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Kurogane/Tomoyo
Genre: General
Word Count: 1,746
Rating: PG-13
Warning: AU.
Summary: He was a rebellious teenager, recently orphaned and sent to live with a family he had barely met. She was a very gifted musician, shaped to fit a highly refined and noble world. With such contrasting personalities, how could they get along?
Author's Notes: Thank you for your kind comments on my first chapter! Now here's the second installment of the story. Hopefully I won't be disappointing anyone...? Feedback is welcomed and very much appreciated.
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE belongs to CLAMP.

An unusual sound reached Kurogane's ears. Crimson eyes flew open and immediately he was awake. To his astonishment, he found himself staring at a very wide, very clean wall. There were no stains, no dents and absolutely no obvious flaws. Where was the wall that he had seen almost every morning for the past many years of his life?

Then memories of recent events flooded into his mind and he remembered: this was one of the chambers of Daidouji's Mansion. It was very large and spacious, unlike the compact little room he was used to. His new pajamas were very fine; he usually wore clothes that were old and worn. The bed he had been given was too soft - he had given it up and slept with his back against the door instead.

But of course; how could he possibly be suited for the life of the upper-class?

With his sharp sense of hearing trained over many years, he could still pick up the faint sound that was the first thing he heard that morning. It was not the loud screeching of birds outside the window and it definitely was not the scratching of insects in the walls; this place was far too clean for that. Kurogane decided that since he was awake, he might as well find out. Quickly, he stood up and left the room.

Sunlight was streaming through the tinted windows in the hallways, creating a beautiful rosy hue, but Kurogane did not have an eye for such beauties; he passed them all without a second thought. Although he could quite easily find his way around the Daidouji mansion, he felt strangely as though he was moving through a maze. What was it about the house that felt so strange and mysterious?

However, he soon found himself walking out of the mansion. Stepping out into the open forced his eyes to quickly adjust to the bright morning sunlight. He saw a wide front porch with pockets of smooth round pebbles and grass very neatly arranged upon clean white cement floors. He saw polished ebony frames for a fence surrounding the porch, connected to a majestic black gate that cast a long shadow like a carpet. He saw a simple low brown fence, the entrance to a homely eden-like garden where there were sounds of birds singing and water flowing.

Where there was the source of the sound that he had been hearing since he awoke that morning.

Carefully, he proceeded to enter the garden. He was nearing the source of the sound. Perhaps it was the short walk; perhaps it was the sunlight. His mind was beginning to clear. Now he could tell that the sound was produced by a violin. Then he reached a fountain, where a familiar figure clad in white stood playing the violin.

"Tomoyo...?"

He had whispered so softly that he could barely hear his own voice, but Tomoyo seemed to have somehow heard him or sensed his presence. Almost immediately, she stopped playing and turned to look at him. For a moment, she seemed mildly surprised to see him there; then she broke into a smile. "Ah, good morning, Kurogane! How was your rest?"

Kurogane blinked. How should he answer this? He knew that it was a very simple question, but he was not sure exactly what kind of answer a member of the upper-class society might be expecting. "Uh... it was fine," he replied, looking away and scratching the back of his head in an awkward manner.

Tomoyo watched him intently. Her amethyst eyes looked wise and knowledgeable. She seemed to have guessed that he was hiding something. "Are you sure?" she asked with a strange tone in her voice.

Kurogane noticed Tomoyo studying his expression and felt somewhat uncomfortable. "Yeah..."

"Really?" Tomoyo's question was probing at his conscience. Could he tell her the truth?

When Kurogane realised that Tomoyo was not about to move her gaze from his features too soon, he felt even more uneasy. What exactly did she want from him?

"Are you..." She seemed to hesitate on purpose. A strange glint had suddenly appeared in Tomoyo's eyes, but it seemed so unlike her that Kurogane wondered if he was imagining it. "You're not... afraid of the dark, are you?"

"WHAT?!" shouted Kurogane, shocked that anybody could get such an idea. How could anybody get such an idea of him anyway? He was not a child! He knew his character was stronger than most; his recent experiences had especially made sure of that. He was anything but weak and frightened, much less afraid of something like the dark!

But Tomoyo was giggling so hard; she had put her violin down for fear of mishandling it. Kurogane could only stare, bewildered. Nearly succeeding in subduing her giggling, Tomoyo asked, "Has anyone mentioned... that you look very funny when taken by surprise?"

Kurogane's eyes widened in shock, causing Tomoyo to burst into another fit of giggles.

"Oh, don't be so serious!" she said, laughing lightly. "I was just pulling your leg. We both know you're braver than that."

But Kurogane continued to look at her suspiciously. He knew he had his paranoia as well as his pride. After all, it never hurt to be too careful. Other people had been fairly easy to decipher, but this person was abnormal. He could not be certain if she was still pulling his leg.

Tomoyo noticed this reaction and smiled in a warm manner. "I really mean it, Kurogane," she said softly, "don't be so serious. If you're serious all the time, you're going to lose out on all the fun. Look there; those creases on your forehead show that you're getting old already!" She grinned like a child who had just received the candy she wanted.

"Hmph." Kurogane could hardly care about how old he looked. As far as he was concerned, he was old enough to take care of himself and not rely on anybody else. However, he was obliged to obey his mother's last wish...

"Oh, no," whispered Tomoyo suddenly. She had glanced at her violin and turned to look at Kurogane with eyes with realisation. "Oh no, I'm so sorry. I must have woken you up!"

"Hey, hey! Look, it's okay! It's okay!" said Kurogane quickly, flustered over the fact that she was seriously overrating the importance of his sleep. "It's... it's just me; I shouldn't have interrupted your practice..."

"But I should not have disturbed your sleep!" Tomoyo was really upset. "Oh no, I'm really so sorry! Everybody should be getting the sleep they deserve. You need it especially after the ordeal you've been through..."

"Hey..." Kurogane felt extremely uneasy. He had been disturbed in his sleep many times before, but no one had ever been so upset about it. "You're... you're the master of the place, aren't you? So... you can do whatever you want, whenever you like." Although he had never particularly liked the upper-class society - they always seemed to have the advantage, privileges that those of lower classes could never enjoy, and the power to wrap everybody else around their little finger - the Daidoujis had been very kind towards him thus far and he was truly appreciative of that.

"Kurogane." Tomoyo's voice was calm, but her eyes seemed strangely fierce. Kurogane was somewhat taken aback. "Kurogane," she repeated. "You must know that we're not gods. We cannot control people, although many seem to have the mistaken impression that we do." The expression in her eyes softened into something more melancholic. "Actually, if you'd care to look a little closer, you might notice that it is we who are being 'controlled' by society. You're one of us now; sooner or later, you'll have to realise that."

"Yeah, sure." Kurogane looked away, feeling uncomfortable. He was not quite convinced that the upper class society could have many problems, but he knew that, as Tomoyo had said, he would definitely find out the truth soon enough.

"All right, then," said Tomoyo, suddenly cheerful again. She returned her violin to its case and closed it. "I don't suppose you've had breakfast already, have you?"

"Uh..." Kurogane could only stare. Was it not just a moment ago that she was delivering a stern lecture? Why was she in such a good mood all of a sudden?

"I'll take that as a 'no'. Now let's find something to eat." She picked up her case and nodded at Kurogane. "Shall we go, then?" She proceeded to walk back to the mansion.

Perhaps his feet had found a mind of their own; Kurogane soon found himself walking after her. For a while, he stared blankly at the back of her head. Then realisation hit him with full force.

He had never really listened anyone before; his parents had been the only exceptions so far. Yet, just a few moments ago, he had so readily obliged this person he had barely met. He shook his head in disbelief.

"Is something wrong, Kurogane?" inquired Tomoyo innocently, pausing to turn back slightly to look at him.

For some reason, Kurogane felt his face heating up. Why was his face heating up? He quickly shoved that thought to the back of his mind. "Nothing," he answered as nonchalantly as he could manage.

"Oh. Okay." Tomoyo nodded; but before she started again on the path to the mansion, she hesitated and turned around again. She asked, "Hey... you don't happen to have any plans for this afternoon, do you?"

Kurogane stared. What could she possibly want now? "No," he replied truthfully.

Tomoyo grinned happily. "Then you won't mind if I show you around the place? It won't do if someone gets lost in his own house."

"His own house?" The words slipped out of Kurogane before he could catch them back. What did Tomoyo mean...?

"Of course." Tomoyo was smiling. "We may not bear the same surname, but you're one of us now, aren't you?" She held out her free hand in invitation. "If you'd like to be," she added softly.

They had already accepted him. Kurogane blinked, unsure of how to respond; but he really did not have to worry. Tomoyo had already taken his hand and was pulling him ahead, laughing at his awkwardness as he stumbled along.

"Hurry! After breakfast, I'll personally give you a tour of the Daidouji mansion! How does that sound?"

Quite to his astonishment, Kurogane found that he could not put down the offer.

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

TRC Fic: We're Family

Mon, 12 May 2008 09:42:35 GMT

I'd have made a Mother's Day post, but aside from me finally picking up the courage to greet my mother in that cliche manner and then giving her a very stupid little gift, there's really nothing else worthy of mentioning. (My answer to this writer's block doesn't reflect very well either.)

But anyway, I enjoyed what I could of the aftermath of my exams and wrote this fanfic. I thought it was going to be just another ficlet, but somehow it ballooned into... err, this. My first multi-chapter was a disaster I never cleared up, but then, there's always a first time. So... I'd really like to hear from you if this fic is worth continuing.

Title: We're Family
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Kurogane/Tomoyo, Kendappa (a.k.a. Amaterasu)
Genre: General
Word Count: 1,386
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: AU. Some references to OU Kurogane's past, though they shouldn't be obvious.
Summary: He was a rebellious teenager, recently orphaned and sent to live with a family he had barely met. She was a very gifted musician, shaped to fit a highly refined and noble world. With such contrasting personalities, how could they get along?
Author's Notes: The first chapter of my first multi-chapter. This is a little experiment, so I may or may not complete it. But more importantly... is this worth continuing? Please let me know! I'll appreciate any feedback.
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE belongs to CLAMP.

Standing by his sickly mother's bedside, the boy could only forcefully bite back the tears that were threatening to overflow. His father had gone not too long ago, having proudly taken his last breath on the battlefield. It was a matter of moments that the loyal soldier would be reunited with his beloved wife.

"My son..." said the dying woman in a weak voice as her trembling hand reached for him. The boy held as still as possible, as though the slightest movement might cause him to break down, a sign of weakness he was especially unwilling to reveal to his mother in her last moments. "My son..." she said again, touching his face, "my only regret is that you'll have to fend for yourself... alone..."

"It's all right!" said the boy more loudly than he had intended. "It's all right, Mother..." he said in a lower voice that nearly broke in his desperation to suppress his grief. "I'm... strong, right? So... don't worry about me..." He broke off, uncertain if he could carry on without breaking down.

His mother smiled weakly. "You truly are... strong, Kurogane..."

The stage was brightly lit. The rest of the hall was dim, but it was just bright enough to see that only the front row of seats was filled. Among the small audience was a young woman with a highly refined poise and an air that seemed almost regal. Her gaze, steady and unmoving, was fixed on the stage before her.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen," announced a deep voice that seemed to vibrate through the speaker, "let us welcome Miss Tomoyo Daidouji, playing Paganini's Caprice for Solo Violin, Number 6 in G minor, 'The Trill'!"

A young lady in a glittering violet dress stepped onto the middle of the stage. Her long black hair had been tied into a flowing ponytail that cascaded gracefully to her waist. Her eyes glowed like amethysts, clear and bright, reflecting the strong lights that shone upon the stage. In one hand, she held a beautiful honey brown violin, finely polished and shining in all its glory. She carefully lifted it to her chin and, after a pause, drew her bow across the strings. Her fingers immediately flew across the fingerboard.

The performance had begun.

When the piece neared its end and the last note hovered in the air, the small audience immediately burst into rounds of applause. It was not an easy piece to play, but that was a fantastic performance! Surely, this violinist was a prodigy! With utmost grace and modesty, the performer smiled and bowed before leaving the stage. Quietly, she returned her instrument to its case backstage and proceeded to take her seat in a corner of the hall to watch the rest of the concert.

"That was a lovely performance, Tomoyo," someone whispered from behind her.

The violinist turned with a start. Then she saw who stood behind her and broke into a smile. "Thank you, Elder Sister! Do you think I'm ready for the official concert?"

Her sister smiled warmly and nodded. "Play as you did during this rehearsal and you'll be fine. Trust me! I may not be as great a musician as you are, but I know good talent when I see it."

Tomoyo blushed slightly. She was getting used to receiving such compliments, but she always appreciated them. "Of course, Elder Sister! Anybody would be a fool not to believe in your incredible insight."

Her sister beamed. "Well now, don't you know to get into your sister's good books!" She laughed lightly and then stretched out her hand. "All right, then. Hand me your violin, case and all. I'll take them to the car for you. Then we'll have less to carry when you're done, okay?

Tomoyo readily obliged. Her sister patted her twice on the shoulder, took the violin case and disappeared into the shadows. Tomoyo remained on her seat, her hands placed neatly on her lap and her gaze fixed on the performers who went on stage one by one, but her eyes were not really seeing. Her thoughts lingered on the upcoming concert and the repetitive comments that she had caught in various conversations.

"Certainly, that girl is a prodigy!"

"But of course! She is the daughter of the famed pianist Daidouji!"

"Well, they say the talent runs in the family..."

"No wonder she's so gifted then..."

"Tomoyo!" Her sister's sharp voice snapped her out of her thoughts. The lights on the stage had dimmed and the hall was bright. The small audience that had been watching the rehearsal were dispersing already.

"I'm sorry, Elder Sister! I must have been daydreaming again," said Tomoyo apologetically. She rose from her seat, adjusting her dress. "Shall we go then?"

Her sister had a strange look in her eyes. "There's something I want to talk to you about... but never mind for now; we'll do that on the way back. Let's go."

"...all right."

In the limosine, Tomoyo waited patiently as her sister continued to stare out of the window. The chauffeur had kindly put up the divider separating the front and back seats to give them some privacy. All that was left to do was begin the conversation and there was nothing that Tomoyo could do except to wait.

"Someone's coming to live with us," said her sister suddenly, still staring out of the window.

Amethyst eyes widened in surprise. That was certainly out of the blue. "Who?" she asked innocently.

"It's highly unlikely that you'll know him. He's the son of a friend of mine from Suwa, who has recently passed away."

"...I'm sorry."

"The child is an orphan now," she explained. "His mother on her sickbed had asked me to take care of him. I couldn't refuse. All the necessary arrangements have been made. The documents, proceedures... Everything has been settled. All that's left to do is to help the boy move in with us."

"I'll certainly help him, Elder Sister," said Tomoyo softly. "What is it that you're worried about?"

Her sister looked at her. "He's slightly older than you are, Tomoyo," she said slowly. "I know his father and have met the boy occasionally. They are just like each other. The child is very... strong-willed. I'm hoping this won't be too difficult for you."

Tomoyo smiled. "I'll do my best, Elder Sister."

"Miss Kendappa, we have arrived," announced the chauffeur. The older girl nodded and turned to her sibling.

"Come," she said, smiling, "I'll introduce both of you tonight." Together, they headed towards their mansion.

Their home was a magnificent place. There was a large front porch and a beautiful garden with fountains. A mansion stood proudly in the middle of it all, seeming to glow under the soft moonlight. Waiting outside its door was a boy with spiky black hair and broad shoulders, just standing there almost motionlessly. He wore an old brown jacket and black jeans and carried a small haversack and very little luggage. He struck a contrast with the pale walls of the mansion, standing out like a dark spot against the white background.

"Kurogane!" called Kendappa as the pair of sisters drew closer.

The boy turned. He had small, sharp crimson eyes, a stout and determined-looking chin, overall firm features and a rather indifferent, yet somewhat hard expression.

"Kurogane," said Kendappa, "this is my sister, Tomoyo. Tomoyo, this is Kurogane, the son of my deceased friend. You'll be living with each other from now on; I hope you two will get along."

Tomoyo bowed politely. "Pleased to meet you, Kurogane."

"Um... yeah, pleased to meet you." Kurogane seemed unsure about how to act. He scratched his head and turned to stare again at the door. Tomoyo and Kendappa exchanged glances.

"Okay, then," said Kendappa. "Let's go inside. Kurogane, you must be tired; I'll get someone to take you to your room. Tomoyo, you should get some rest too. We'll talk again tomorrow, all right?"

Tomoyo nodded simply. As Kendappa had her back turned towards them, she glanced sideways at Kurogane. He caught her gaze and stared back, bewildered. Tomoyo giggled behind her hand. She had not expected that he could look so amusing! Kurogane could only stare, still baffled, and it made Tomoyo giggle even harder.

It was a beginning of a rather... unexpected friendship.

~~So... um, is this worth continuing? Or should I scratch that idea altogether? Please, please, tell me what you think!~~

Thank you for your kind comments! The next chapter has been uploaded here.

[4] TRC drabbles~

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 08:48:07 GMT

For some reason, I'm tired. So, I've gotten more sleep than usual. There's still no reason for my weariness!

...let me be pathetic and blame the weather again, please?

Now I'm going to post a few drabbles I should've posted a long time ago. I was busy when I wrote these (remember de-stressing?) so it's quite excusable that I kinda forgot to post them here. Nobody's actually waiting to read these anyway, right? Right??

So let's get on with it.

Title: Rebuilding a Dream
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Fei Wong Reed, unidentified character
Prompt: "There's but one down." - Third Murderer
Genre: Angst
Word Count: 185
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Possible spoilers for foreshadowing in chapter 173.
Summary: After all his dreams are destroyed, he builds another one.
Author's Note: Many assumptions on my part. I've inserted a bit of my imagination into the life of Fei Wong Reed.
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE belongs to CLAMP.

Gone. She was gone before his very eyes. He could not believe it. He did not want to believe it. Porcelain slipped between his fingers, shattering on the floor with a crash that rang like a muted bell in his ear. Liquid spilled, flowing slowly away from the broken fragments.

Like how her life had slipped away, tearing all his dreams apart.

Then he built a new dream. A dream of bringing her back to his side. A dream of reviving a past that should been left as beautiful as it was in the shape of memories. A dream that could destroy countless other dreams, futures and worlds.

A dream that a certain few people would definitely put to an end before everything else was gone.

But until that happened, he would not stop trying to realise his dream. Because everybody should be treated equally, and there was no reason for him to suffer his fate while the rest of the world enjoyed.

She would return to his side. No matter what happened, they would surely be together again. He would make sure of it.

Title: Company
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Ichihara Yuuko
Prompt: "I have thee not, yet I see thee still." - Macbeth
Genre: General
Word Count: 181
Rating: G
Summary: Remember the time you had company.
Author's Note: This is supposed to sound contradictory. Hopefully the meaning is clear enough to be deciphered, though?
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE belongs to CLAMP.

You could not remember the last time you had company.

Customers came and went - they were nothing more than mere acquaintances, chains that were thin and fragile. Maru and Moro were wonderful, but no matter how much they loved you, they would still prefer each other's company to yours. While you enjoyed visits to certain spiritual beings, they had their own lives to take care of too.

But you knew that all this would change. You knew that several customers of greater significance would ask of you to grant their wishes. You knewn that the day will come when the world as you knew it would change forever. It was inevitable. It was hitsuzen.

A story began to unfold. These special customers clung onto hope for support through difficult times. By granting their wishes, you fueled that hope. In time, you learned to lean upon it as well. Soon, these people were no longer just customers - you became their comrad, hoping to stop a dream that could destroy many worlds.

Do you remember the time you had no company?

Title: In the Future
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Clow Reed, Sakura
Prompt: "That will be ere the set of sun." - Third Witch
Genre: General/Angst
Word Count: 282
Rating: G
Summary: A king makes a prediction.
Author's Note: It's not that difficult to understand why there aren't many Clow-centric fics around...
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE belongs to CLAMP.

Gazing upon the ruins from the window in his palace, a king predicted what would happen.

One with the power to transcend dimensions would cause the unfolding of a story. A princess would be sent on a journey with companions that she would not recognise at first, but soon learn to appreciate and love them as the dearest of friends. A ninja, so close to falling into the hands of the enemy, would break a little of that barrier built around the heart of a wizard of ice. Then the one who was closest to the princess would sacrifice his all: for her sake as well as the purpose that he was made to fulfill.

The king prayed that they would have the strength to bear the truth when it finally revealed itself. Hopefully, that would last through the more difficult times ahead. All that he knew then, all of this past, would soon fade away...

"What are you thinking about, Father?" asked a little girl with chestnut-brown hair and wide emerald eyes, gently tugging his robes. There was something very reassuring about her look of concern and mild curiosity. Immediately, the king felt the weight on his shoulders lighten considerably.

Smiling, he bent down to tap his daughter lightly on the head. "I was thinking about you, Sakura. And, of course, other things."

A cheerful expression lit her features. "I love you too, Father," she said happily. Then she turned and skipped away, laughing in her simple innocent way that never ceased to charm those around her.

Watching, the king smiled with a hint of melancholy. "Even if all happiness becomes a dream... let us continue to believe in the future."

Title: Brat
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Character(s): Touya, Yukito, mentions of Syaoran and Sakura
Prompt: "Here may you see the tyrant" - MacDuff
Genre: General
Word Count: 136
Rating: G.
Summary: A conversation. "I just don't like that brat."
Author's Notes: This concludes my 10_shakespeare claim. The first claim that I've actually completed. Woot!
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE belongs to CLAMP.

"That brat. Even the sight of him makes me annoyed."

"He arrived not too long ago. You should not be jumping to conclusions already..."

"I know that. I'm not stupid. I just don't like that brat."

"Princess Sakura does, though, doesn't she?"

"Yeah. And I don't get it. There is obviously something wrong with that brat. He definitely isn't normal; it just does not feel right..."

"But Princess Sakura is happy with him around. She has been lonely, and so has he. Maybe they'll have some good for each other."

"Well, he'd better not make Sakura cry. Because then I'll beat him into a pulp!"

"You love your sister a lot, don't you?"

"No, of course not. But I'm the only one who can bully that monster; everyone else should just find another victim."

"...of course."

Comments keep me going! :D

Yet for some crazy reason I'm still too nervous about linking it to the main comm i.e. tsubasarc. Um, any reasons for linking it, besides the obvious one (about getting comments and boosting my ego? xD).
Thank you, fireflypenance, for your response! :D

Icon Post 004: [36] 2 movies

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:16:52 GMT

Ok, guys! The long-awaited icon post! ~~Well, maybe not long-awaited for all of you, but it has been for me, kind of.~~

So. Not the greatest work ever produced, of course... but here they are anyway!

~~...I think it's quite obvious who my favourite character in PotC is.~~

[36] 2 movies
+ [18] Lord of the Rings - Fellowship of the Ring
+ [18] Pirates of the Caribbean - Curse of the Black Pearl

Preview:

Lord of the Rings

1	2	3

4	5	6

7	8	9

10	11	12

13	14	15

16	17	18

Pirates of the Caribbean

1	2	3

4	5	6

7	8	9

10	11	12

13	14	15

16	17	18

+ Credit when using.
+ Please comment if taking.
+ No hotlinking!

Resources can be found here.