[CCS] Out of the ordinary (2)

[taotrooper]

Title: Out of the ordinary
Chapter: 2
Fandom: Card Captor Sakura
Pairing: Eriol/Kaho
Genre: Gen, romance
Canon: pre-manga
Rating: G
Summary: Kaho goes to study abroad in order to get answers. However, she will learn more than that.
Link to all chapters

Notes: Actually, the chapter was supposed to be longer than this and was going to include the whole basic explanation on the Clow cards and the Final Judgement. But before I knew it, the characters had gone out of control with the preliminar dialogues, and a chapter longer than 3K words seemed to me too heavy for the poor readers. Dunno, you'll tell me. I guess it was better this way as my back is killing me today and I should focus on schoolwork already.

So just suppose it's a two-part chapter and there's a shiny "to be continued" right after this installment's ending :)

Also, I think a lot of future chapters will be like this, with the both of them casually talking about random stuff or their own missions or just meta. Consider yourselves warned, and flee while you can if that's not your thing.

I took a couple of liberties deciding how much Kaho knew about the Final Judgement by touching the Moon Bell; in the end I thought it was wiser to have a middle ground and if she knew or intuited some stuff but not the whole deal. It would be kinda Sueish for her to know almost as much as the goddamn Clow.

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Chapter 2

As she still had the lesson from the previous day fresh in her head, she went through the right exit that time. In contrast, the weather didn't look so bright that afternoon; Kaho opened her umbrella as she left the Underground station to guard herself from the usual drizzle. She was getting used to the London skies by then.

He was at the gardens' gates already, below a turquoise umbrella and carrying a bag. He didn't seem tired of waiting; more like the contrary. He turned his head directly to her before she was even close to him.

It was the first time she had seen him standing up. The top of his head, she noticed, was at her shoulders' level. Nonetheless, there was something strong yet nimble about him that compensated his small and apparently frail body. The impression was of anything but a helpless child, ironically.

"Good afternoon," he smiled at her.

"Hi. Am I late...?"

"Of course you aren't. I just arrived too early."

"But you still had to wait."

"I'm used to waiting," he shrugged. "Five minutes aren't a big deal to me." Because of the strange grin he had while he added those words, Kaho wondered if there was a double meaning to it, or he was just making a reference to his real age, whatever that was. Or both.

"So, do we go in?" She vaguely pointed at the park grounds.

"It's wet. Let's go this way," he said as he turned around on his heels.

She had no other choice but follow him.

As she walked behind him, unaware of their destination, she evaluated him further. She couldn't understand, one day ago, why she ran to his presence as soon as she sensed it. Probably it was a reflex caused by the insane intensity of his power, drawing her. But now that she wasn't thinking about anything in particular, she could tell the reason she was so sure the owner of that magic was what she was looking for.

There was something familiar, and for some reason endearing, about Eriol's presence.

First, Kaho knew the ones with power can feel attraction or repulsion to each other, depending on the compatibility of their magic or their karmas. She had felt it herself more than once in the past. But that wasn't why: it was too simple and primitive, and feeling excited towards someone's presence didn't say anything about the person's worth.

Second -and she has just figured this out-, the energy emanating from the Moon Bell was eerily similar from the one coming from the guy called Eriol. Now this was a good theory. He had said he knew about as much as the creator, so there was a huge chance he also had a specific relation to the Bell. It couldn't be a coincidence both powers were so alike, could it?

She accidentally stepped on a tiny puddle, her one month-old boots soaked. Wait, where were they? She didn't know that street.

Politely, Kaho asked him.

"I wonder... I guess you don't know either?"

"Ah. Are we lost, then? It happens to me a lot, you know."

"No, I rarely get lost," Eriol smiled at her above his shoulder. "I just know the way to go, but I never stopped in between to ask myself the name of the roads. I don't get that much information."

"So you only know the directions. Where to turn left and that?"

He nodded.

"And may you tell me where we are going?"

"Well, I don't know the exact place or its name either."

"Eh? And how are you supposed to know when we get there?"

"I'll know. I know I will recognize it for sure."

A part of her wanted to sigh and reply they were going to get lost. However, the less logical part of her reminded her she occasionally was certain about things she had no idea how or where she picked them up, so she was no one to say.

Therefore she said nothing, and hoped the water on her boots wouldn't get in, as they kept marching on unknown sidewalks under the mild rain.

After four blocks, the drizzle stopped. After five blocks, Eriol stopped and made a gesture towards a small café. Its terrace was under a blue and white canopy, so the tables underneath didn't get wet. The boy walked towards the cleanest, driest table, and pulled a chair so Kaho would sit on it. She blinked, not used to that Western display of gentleman courtesy. Actually, she had never seen any of her British male classmates around her age pulling chairs for girls, so she thought that only happened in the movies.

He hesitated before her doubt, and went round to the other chair in the table.

"I'm sorry. Would you rather this other one?"

And so he proceeded to drag it. Embarrassed by her own rudeness, and blushing a bit, she shook her hands to stop him.

"No, no, no, no. The other one was fine, really!"

She hurried to the first chair he picked and sat down.

"Oh. All right. But if you prefer the other chair..."

"No need, really," she said as she raised her chair towards the table. "See, I'm fine!"

"You didn't have to... I was going to do that..."

"Do what?"

"Push your chair in."

"But I'm heavier than you, I reckon."

"I can handle it. I'm short, but not weak," he sat on the other chair and push himself to the table. "But also, I am a gentleman."

"Old-fashioned gentleman, you mean," she laughed. "You're the first person I've met in London who does this kind of things."

"I can't see a problem with that," he shrugged. "Does it bother you?"

"Not really. It's just strange, I guess."

"The human culture evolves fast. What was normal fifty years ago is strange these days, and what's normal today will be obsolete in twenty years from now. I've been out of touch with the world for a while, I guess."

She wondered how much time that ‘for a while' meant.

A waiter came out of the café indoors and asked them for their order. She decided to go with the hour and order ordinary lemon tea, even though she wasn't that fond of English tea. Eriol asked for a stronger tea and two of the house's best dessert. The poor waiter stared at Kaho for some seconds, probably waiting for the ‘adult' to discourage the ‘child' from that amount of caffeine and sugar. But as she wouldn't reply, he rolled his eyes and returned inside.

"Now we can talk in peace, although it would be better if we stick to Japanese in case we're overheard. First of all, what exactly do you know, and what do you wish to understand, Kaho?"

She stretched her arm and grabbed her handbag. She opened the largest compartment and took the Moon Bell from the inside. She handled it to Eriol, who nodded in approval.

"This is it," she pointed out. "The Moon Bell from Tsukimine shrine."

"Yes. I recognize it. So, what do you know about this, exactly? Try to explain it to me as I was a complete stranger."

"You practically are a stranger to me."

"A stranger to this bell."

"Well, I already told you how I heard it was left in the shrine. Should I repeat that?"

"Only if you want to, but it's not necessary. Those are just facts, but I need to hear what you've discovered about its purpose and powers so far, more than how it got to your hands."

"Ah! Well, I first touched the Moon Bell when I was sixteen years old. As soon as I held it, I knew it was something different from everything I had ever seen. It had power, and it had a purpose. And I had a vision right then... There was a girl in the shrine grounds, dressed in red and orange and carrying something that looked like a baton. She looks around nine or ten years old, I think. Then a winged figure whose face I can't see, but his or her silhouette is visible against the full moon, is about to attack her. Then several red things make a circle around her, and while they swirl too fast to know what they are, I know somehow they're important in that fight. I'm aware that, at that moment, it's essential I give the Bell to the girl in red just right at that moment. Like it's my mission, my fate."

"Why?" asked Eriol. "Why is the Moon Bell so relevant to those people? Did they go to your Shrine to get it?"

"I don't think so; it looked as though they were fighting. What I do know is that the girl's power is not strong enough to defend herself from the winged person or creature. And that the Bell had to be created so its energy is passed to the girl. Whoever left the Bell at the Shrine was certain the battle would take place there, so it was handy to let it there."

"Did your vision tell you that as well, or did you figure out by your own?"

"A little bit of both," she smiled. "I've had years to ponder on the matter."

He chuckled, amused. At that moment, the waiter approached them with their tea and two slices of a tasty-looking cake covered with white cream. When he left, Kaho sipped her tea while Eriol was opening a tiny bag of sugar.

"Go on," he said, and stirred up his teacup clockwise. "So, that's what you know about it."

"Yes. As much as I try to remember, I can't find the reason they fight. She looks like she doesn't want to be there, let alone attack the winged person back. She was forced to face it, or there's something she will obtain or retain from the winning. Her feelings and her lack of power are holding her back, though. Personally, I think she holds some good feelings for the opponent, so she has doubts."

"That's a good analysis from an outsider's point of view."

"Thanks!"

"Then the Moon Bell was created for what, do you reckon?"

"The creator just wanted her to win badly, isn't it? Or that the winged person loses to her."

Eriol almost choke on his tea from laughter.

"That—ahahaha, that sums it up brilliantly, actually," he replied when he calmed down.

"It does? Really?"

"Obviously the girl would benefit from the victory more than the Bell creator, and some other ones besides her, but if he wasn't quite interested in her passing through this there wouldn't be a point to make it."

"That explains the feeling of urgency that came from the vision. If it was trying to show it from the creator's biased point of view..."

"That sounds slightly harsh. The cake isn't, though."

Sure enough, he was already on his slice. Kaho picked up the fork and took a bite. He was right: it was so soft and sweet.

"Delicious."

"Isn't it?" He beamed at her; looked like someone had a sweet tooth! She should've known.

"But my problem is," she went on, "whether I should help the girl or not."

"What do you mean? You don't want to help her?"

"I'm supposed to. I mean, she's really cute and all, but I want to know the causes of that battle before I actually want to with all my heart."

In fact, she was lying. How did she know she was doing the right thing? What if helping the girl was a mistake? What would happen if the winged figure was actually the good guy, and the Bell creator –as soothing the powers from the artifact had always been to Kaho- had evil intentions, and giving that girl such power would have terrible consequences? Magic and destiny weren't something you play with, but on the other hand she didn't want to regret anything she had to do.

She wasn't even sure whether to tell Eriol about her doubts or not. He looked like he was on the creator's side, after all.

"So you came to England seeking for that answer? The background?"

"It's some information my abilities can't provide me."

"Still, you knew the answer was here, so far away from home," he cleaned his mouth with a napkin. "It's impressive, I must say."

Kaho was used to getting compliments about her predictions, mostly for the Shrine frequent visitors. However, Eriol's words made her happy. A pro was acknowledging her.

"Then, will you tell me what you know?"

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't going to."

"I have no way to tell that," she argued. "You might be testing me."

"Indeed, I always test people first to some degree. This time it's not the case, though. It was fated. And the person in charge of the Moon Bell has the right to hear the story before living it."

"As long as it's not lies," she said.

"Do I have a liar's face?"

"I don't know you, so I can't tell that either. But if you're deceiving me visually already, your words easily could."

"There's nothing I can do about my looks right now. I'm incapable of lying about Clow Reed's affairs, though. I might hide some parts, and I do that everyday, but nothing further."

Whose affairs?

"I swear I won't lie to you, by the ones I love the most right now, and the ones I'll come to love one day. I'll also respect your decision if you think there's something fishy going on and it's not worth your time. You've crossed oceans in a quest, and it would be an insult to you to give you a false testimony."

She looked at his eyes, so young and old, and he glanced at her back. Shady as he was, he seemed like he was a man (or boy, or whatever he was) of honor. She decided to trust him for the time being.

"Please tell me."

"As you wish," he sank on his chair, making himself comfortable. "But tell me first, have you ever heard the name of Clow Reed?"

"That's the name you mentioned before, right? Sorry, no. Never heard of it. Should I?"

"You are a powerful girl, but since you don't seem to be in any circle it's understandable you didn't. Besides, I'm not even sure if people still talk about the bloke. It's been a long time since he died..."

"So he was a magician?"

"A renowned one, if you will. He did some important advances in a couple of fields, and ironically we'll be dealing with them all in this conversation."

"Was he the one who made the Bell?"

"Why do you think so?"

"If he was involved, and he's evidently not the girl, there are only two possibilities. And since you said he died, he can't be the one with the wings."

"Please remember this: a well-organized magician can meddle in other people's business even decades after his death, if they plan ahead and get help from third parties. And Clow was an expert in that area."

"So you're saying the winged person could be on Clow's side?"

"Funny you say that, because do you suspect which side was Clow's?" he made a pause, in which Kaho shook her head. "The answer is both by the way."

She stared at Eriol, frowning, and pondered the revelation for some seconds.

"Does that mean both of them are fighting over this Clow guy?"

"No. The girl never even met him. Both have their own individualistic reasons to clash, and they happen to exist because of Clow's death, but what you said is not really correct."

More silence.

"Clow provoked the fight on purpose?"

"His last words might've been misinterpreted by someone. I wouldn't say it was on purpose, but he kind of expected something like this to happen when he gave that open-ended permission."

Silence again. This was getting confusing.

"Was the Bell made to make the fight fairer and to both participants to be more balanced?"

"Oh, definitely not. He was rooting for the girl."

"So you admit Clow made the Bell?"

"Didn't I say that?" he looked puzzled.

"Not explicitly."

"Oh," he sipped his tea. "Clow made the Bell."

"Thank you! Can we get more specific now, please?"

"I'll give you the pleasure, as long as it's not too specific."

It looked like Eriol wasn't used to give explanations to anyone, judging by his inability to talk directly and resorting to asking the audience for speculations and opinions. Later on, Kaho would discover that not only that fact was true, but he actually enjoyed the way she had kept it on with him so well in that first long conversation, before he truly opened up with her.

And anxieties aside, she had likewise found it quite enjoyable.