Kiri ☂ (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
taotrooper) wrote2009-06-30 12:05 am
taotrooper) wrote2009-06-30 12:05 am
Entry tags:
[CCS] Out of the ordinary (3)
Title: Out of the ordinary
Chapter: 3
Fandom: Card Captor Sakura
Pairing: Eriol/Kaho, hints of Touya/Kaho if you squint
Genre: Gen, romance
Canon: pre-manga
Rating: PG for rude words
Summary: Kaho goes to study abroad in order to get answers. However, she will learn more than that.
Link to all chapters
Notes: I needed to finish this conversation before it ate me alive.
Obviously there's a sense of irony to it, because last chapter I was cutting the story up because it almost hit 3K words, and this chapter surpassed 4K. Oh dear God. This probably could've been done differently and shorter, but Eriol wouldn't shut up. This chapter's stretched characterization assumption was that Kaho was a decent girl and wouldn't exactly be comfortable at first with some of Clow/Eriol's methods. This is why it was hard to make them both work together in this chapter.
Ofuda are those parchment rectangles with spells written on them (think Syaoran's magic). Shikigami are a Japanese concept similar to familiars. I based the comparison on Tokyo Babylon, so it might be wrong.
"Okay, then," Kaho encouraged Eriol to start with the explanations. "What does Clow have to do with this?"
He cleared his throat and pushed his glasses upward.
"Before I cut to the chase, you should have an idea of how Clow Reed used to be."
"Is that so relevant?" she raised an eyebrow, dubious.
"It is, really. I can't start on the people involved before you know who he was."
"He's a famous magician. You told me that already."
"Do you want me to tell you the story?"
Kaho crossed her arms, hoping the Moon Bell wouldn't fall from her lap, where she had put it after he had examined it closer.
"Fine, fine. Tell me about Clow's life if it matters to you so much."
"He wasn't your average sorcerer. He was born in China, but his father was an Englishman."
"There's nothing strange about being of mixed race, though," she argued.
"Not these days. But when he was born it was certainly an oddity. Most people around that century didn't even know what an ‘England' was or if it was edible."
"...Ah. I see now, I guess."
"Since he was half-breed, knowing one school of sorcery wasn't enough for him. He had to go and learn both Eastern and Western. If he believed in something, it was balance. He tried to incorporate that concept in his magic, even though it was harder to get it done in his personal life.
"Therefore, he'd find himself mixing both schools in practice. And he even went beyond that and attempted to create his own kind of magic with elements from both branches."
"Is that even possible?" said Kaho.
"He accomplished it, so it was. However, it's not something anyone could do. I never mentioned that Clow Reed was one of the most powerful wizards of his time, if not the best. Between his eccentricities, his race background, and his raw power, he was usually considered a sort of monster."
"Was he?"
"The most powerful magician?"
"No, a monster."
"Hahaha, it's a matter of speaking. He could be a charming bloke most of the times. What I meant is that he was intimidating for the reasons I mentioned, but especially because of the powers he held."
"Was he more powerful than you are?"
Kaho's question made Eriol blink in surprise.
"I hope I never get to be more powerful than he was, truth to be told," he shook his head as though he was trying to take that thought out of his head. "Why do you ask me that kind of questions?"
"Well, I think you're the person with the most power I've met, but I ignore how strong you are or how terrible Clow was supposed to be. I don't know a lot of people with the gift."
"Oh... I don't want to brag, but I am powerful. I hope you don't mind if I continue the story."
"Please do."
"Knowing two schools of magic can be confusing. Say, if you want to cast fire, would you conjure it with ofuda or with complicated spells? What Clow did to simplify his life was to create a new spell for fire that included both philosophies. And that's what he did with several magical concepts. Not all of them, since there were things better done with Western or Eastern magic.
"So he created a deck of cards.
"Each card had the characteristics of a particular magic. So, continuing with the example, if he needed to turn on the hearth, he'd just activate the card for fire instead of looking for an unused ofuda or remembering the exact words to call it. Just that easy.
"Well, easy to cast. They weren't easy to make, mind you. Creating new magic takes a lot of energy and intelligence. But you get my point."
"Is that like those trendy strategy games," said Kaho, "in which you buy packs of cards and fight with them in tournaments? Magic the Gathering and the sort?"
"Sorry, I have no idea what you're talking about. Is this a mundane thing...?"
Of course, she told herself, he couldn't know what those games were about, if he was supposed to be old. It was fashionable in the university she was currently studying at, and before that she had seen a group of kids in Touya's school playing that on the hallways. She had asked them what they were because the illustrations were so pretty.
But those were young mundane persons, around the ages of fourteen and twenty-five. Eriol barely seemed to know what style of clothes to wear in that decade without calling people's attention on the streets, so it was just remarkable he knew boys his apparent age played pretend to something called ‘Power Rangers'. He might not even know what the show was about, or if it was even a TV show. Did he even own a television set?
"It doesn't matter," she shook her head and smiled. "Please continue."
"But I want to know what that gathering is," he said, eyes wide open. "It sounds rather interesting!"
She didn't expect that.
"Uh... I'm not sure either; I've never played it myself. Uh. Well, I can try to investigate about it and tell you later!"
"That's kind of you," he grinned happily. "But don't forget it, okay? I have nobody else to ask about it.
"So, where were we? Ah, yes, he created a deck of cards, each one representing a conjury. The Clow cards made him from a nobody with potential to a revolutionary madman. And it was just the beginning.
"He's also famous from being one of the pioneer magicians in the branch of Artificial Creatures. He was able to make a big part of his creations, complex or not, with a level of sentience and life. The cards, for instance, had their own personality."
"...What?"
"What you heard." He seemed to enjoy Kaho's surprised face. "His spells had soul and feelings; some of them not as complex as humans, animals, and natural creatures, but it was still remarkable. For instance, The Firey is considerably violent, The Windy is quite gentle, The Mirror is shy, and The Flower loves to dance and have fun."
"That's... wow."
"You told me you saw something surrounding the girl but didn't know what it was, right? They were the Clow cards. They made the decision to protect a human being without being ordered. That should give you an idea."
"Oh dear. But I don't understand why they were there..."
"That's it. You're wondering about the cause of the battle. Now I'm able to tell you what it will be:
"It's about inheritance and succession.
"The girl is Clow's heiress. She was chosen to be the new mistress of Clow's creations. However, the conditions she has to fit are not exactly a piece of cake. She'll have to work hard on them. And that fight will decide the fate of Clow's former properties."
Eriol took a break to drink tea. Kaho wasn't sure what to think. She was expecting something slightly more interesting than that. Then again, maybe there was more to it, and she still had questions.
"So, the winged person is a rival? Does he or she want to get the cards instead of the girl? And Clow wants to stop it because they're not for that person?"
Eriol laughed again.
"Heh, no. I'm sure the Lis, who are Clow's clan from mother's side, will have something to say about someone they don't know about as the new mistress of The Clow. But who you saw doesn't want to own the cards. He isn't even a human being."
"Uh..."
"See, Clow's creations are not only a bunch of cards. I told you he was an expert on artificial creatures. He had created, with his own magic, living beings that are more advanced than the Clow cards; to a whole new level, even. Between them, two guardians. Have you ever heard about guardians?"
"Are they like shikigami?"
"No, shikigami are not that sentient and can only exist in this plane of existence when summoned. Guardians, however, live always in this space-time. Other than that, both shikigami and guardians are creatures who were born to obey their master. The difference is, besides the level of intelligence, guardians are created to fulfill something concrete, and that is –like the word implies- protecting something or someone."
"Oh. Woah, that Clow guy keeps improving his résumé as you speak."
"He was also good at clairvoyance," Eriol teased. "Too good to be true, maybe."
"So, these guardians were made to protect Clow?"
"No, not Clow: the Clow cards."
"Then... the winged person is one of the guardians."
"Yes. He controls the moon-based cards."
"So the fight is because he's opposed to the girl's right to be the cards' owner?"
"It's more complicated than that, but basically that's the issue."
"How is it more complicated?"
"Well, the girl, whose name is Sakura, isn't only inheriting the Clow cards, but the whole set. Guardians included, batteries not."
"Oh. Then he's opposed to..."
"To her becoming his master. He doesn't care if the cards and the other guardian are all for it, which they will. He'll only accept someone as powerful as Clow to take his place. Therefore, he decided to test her. The fight you'll be involved in will be known as the Final Judgment. The moon guardian tends to be a bit overdramatic."
"But he has a point, right? The girl can't be as powerful as the guy you described me. She can't support all the cards and guardians, or even win him at all."
"You're right: she'll be unable to do any of that when the Final Judgment takes place. But Sakura-san has an incredible potential! She'll learn fast, she'll get to manage with the nineteen cards and two guardians, and she'll exceed Clow's powers one fine day. She's the perfect candidate, but the judge is so biased he can't see it yet. He'll get to love her, really. It's all for the best."
"But Eriol, isn't that too much responsibility for such a young girl? What if she's tempted to do bad things with those beings under her orders? How destructive are the Clow cards?"
"Well," Eriol pulled a face, "some of them aren't exactly harmless..."
"With more reason!"
"Look, Kaho. Some parts of Clow's family and descendants are –how to say it- truly insane." His voice went sweeter as he spoke. "But the branch Sakura comes from is decent, smart, and kind. Clow choose his heir carefully: it had to be someone who was lovable and fair, who can't develop ill ambitions, and who could be compatible with each of his creations. It wasn't picking the most powerful one from the lot and that's it. He didn't even select the eldest sibling. I admit I don't know Sakura yet, but I'm familiar with all the visions Clow had about her. I'm sure she'll be responsible enough, as she's bound to have an honest upbringing. Clow wouldn't let any twit to get their hands on his beloved creations. Trust me on this, please."
Kaho glanced at Eriol. His eyes gleamed with an emotion she was unable to decipher. For the first time in the conversation, he looked more sincere and serious than she had ever seen him in those two days. He truly believed his own words, with all his heart.
Something inside her was moved; probably finding Eriol's humanity, although she didn't know why on Earth that was important to her. But she still couldn't know whether it was the right thing to do.
"There's something I don't understand, though. Why are you so interested in the cards and guardians to be settled with this girl called Sakura? Why do you want me to trust in you and help them so much? It's not your problem, is it?"
"I have a mission as well," he smirked. "Just as Clow confided on the Tsukimine Shrine to carry out the Moon Bell, and you were born with that fate, I also have a destiny to fulfill before I can have a more normal life. My mission takes off right after yours does, so I depend on your success, and of course in Sakura-san's determination."
"What will happen if I don't help? Or if you don't help? Just because we're fated to do something it doesn't mean we actually have to do it."
"Well, in my case all the cards would die..."
"Pardon me?"
"...But there are more consequences if you decide not to help the cards –and guardians- to get their new mistress. There's a curse linked to the Final Judgment."
"A curse...?"
"'Clow cards: when the seal is broken, a disaster will fall on this Earth.'"
"A what?!"
"The cards scattered when Clow died. Right now they're hidden, waiting for a captor to seal them again. Sakura-san will do that job, thanks to the other guardian. However, the seal she'll place on them would break again if she fails on her Final Judgment. And with that, the curse will take place."
Kaho's jaw opened. Why in the world this bastard didn't tell her about this before?
"But that's terrible! What's going to happen, exactly?"
"They'll forget about the most important person in their lives. And not only the cards and guardians, but it will also extend to a big part of your hometown. But it can be helped. If Sakura wins, nothing bad will happen."
"This was Clow's idea?"
"You could say that."
"I feel sick. That man is a bastard. And you! You're also a bastard for not telling me before I asked you!"
"I knew you were going to ask me anyway," he murmured. "I'm a pretty good clairvoyant. And I wasn't going to tell you the bad news at the beginning, or else you would've panicked and never listened to me. Modifying somebody else's memories is not nice at all," he agreed with a sad expression, "but I think Clow wanted to protect his creations' feelings, because he knew they'd grow attached to the girl. Sakura herself, and several of the ones involved, would meet someone to love because of The Clow's existence. It's horrible to do this to innocent people, it's true, but if you think about it..."
"If I think about it what?!"
"He probably didn't feel guilty for adding this mechanism. Because first, he wanted his creations to be happy, and parting ways with her would break their heart."
"But..."
"And second, Clow knew this mechanism would never be activated. If I'm a good clairvoyant, imagine him. And he's usually right."
Kaho, while still disgusted, had to process this excuse.
"So hold on a second. He knows the curse isn't necessary because she'll win, but he places it anyway?"
"That's right."
"Then why bother? That's twisted."
"Because Sakura-san will be afraid to hurt the Judge, and she's going to need a motivation to go on with the Judgment. The guardians are not good at lying, so Clow had to actually set it up and make the guardians be aware the possibility, low as it is, is there."
Silence.
"You shouldn't have told me this. You talked too much."
"Why is that?"
"This motivation through a disaster... it wasn't only set for the girl. It was for all the people involved so they'd, well, get involved. And that included me. Now you made me realize he's counting on me to give her the Bell to avoid the disaster, but he was probably hoping I'd agree so I could stop his scheme. You messed it up, because I now know it's all fake and he was trying to use me."
"Nonetheless," Eriol retorted, "if you decide not to follow his plans, the curse will still be activated, everything will go to waste, and the disaster will still fall. There isn't much of a difference, as the odds you could refuse were equal with you knowing or not everything. It's still up to you."
"You're also manipulating me, aren't you? Both Clow and you. You're expecting me to feel guilty."
He sighed.
"I won't deny it's plausible there's a chance we're likely manipulating you, and the rest of the implicated ones, and even Sakura-san. Do you want to know why? Do you really want to know why?"
"I do!"
"Because we care too much. That's why."
Again, that sad expression.
"Clow wished his creations and his heiress to have a happy life. But he ended up pushing their buttons in order to get the best outcome. He overprotected them too much, and his ideas are tactless sometimes as you pointed out. But his intentions were good. They say the road to hell is paved with them, so it's probably foolish to focus so much in this. But he loved them all. Even Sakura-san, who'd be born centuries after he knew she'd exist." He sipped what remained of his tea, hiding his face with the teacup. "And probably, in some level, he even loved you, Kaho, and wanted you to be happy when your mission was over. And me too."
His words made her heart beat faster. Why? What was so significant in them? Why did she want to believe that dead man who annoyed her five minutes ago wished for her happiness?
The promise she made to Touya lingered in the back of her mind for some reason, but she ignored it. Eriol's eyes peeked over the teacup and she didn't look at them.
"Yes," she said, "and what about you?"
He placed the cup over the plate, slowly. His eyes reflected that strange indescribable emotion again.
"I'm as foolish as Clow was. I want to believe that in this world that dream shouldn't end, and almost everyone will get their happy ending. But mainly, the creations... I feel a great respect for beings with a conscience and a heart. And just because they aren't like the magical creatures born by nature, and they were creations of a human mind, they're no less alive. They're alone right now, as we speak, some still mourning their master. They deserve someone that won't treat them as tools or slaves. Don't you think?" he smiled shyly, as he had just said something wrong.
And she did believe Eriol respected those creatures, perhaps even more than Clow himself with those disturbing plans. Once again she remembered Touya, in his middle high school uniform, hanging around the shrine grounds and the forest on the other side of town, understanding the ones living there were as normal as he was.
Her intuition was telling her to trust him and take the mission already. Her brain didn't like the idea of possibly being used by a prepubescent old creep sponsoring a dead man who was even more of a creep. But then again, taking in consideration the amount of preparations Clow had taken, morally incorrect as some were, Eriol had a point saying that guy truly cared too much, right?
"But this sounds too misanthropic of yours," she said, "just being in to help the cards and guardians. Either you have a superhero complex, or there's a part of the plan you're not telling me and it'll benefit you."
Eriol's eyes opened wide.
"Well, I do have a sort of magical health condition, and I'm counting on Sakura-san to do me a favor in a long-term future. But helping me is up to her, and I won't be asking it in return of my aid during my own mission; besides, that favor would also benefit another person. However, in the end, I'll survive if she says no, and the cards have more priority than me. It's more of wistful thinking and less of selfishness."
"You're sick but you'll survive anyway?"
"It's not really a sickness, but a bothersome aspect of my powers. Only she can fix it, if she wants to. I won't be forcing her to do it. And I'm not forcing you to help them, even though you don't believe me."
"Why do you explain everything to me? You don't seem like the kind of person who spills it all if asked. You're trying to convince me, right?"
"Everything? I haven't even told you half of it... But you're somehow right. I don't explain myself even to the people I live with. But it's true what you said about having to know what you'll be dealing with, so you have to hear the basics of the story."
"That explains the Clow things, but not telling me about your respect for creatures or the problems with your magic. I can tell you're telling me the truth, and I really don't get why you just don't lie..."
"I promised not to lie."
"About Clow. We never said anything about you. You could've told me I was prying too much by asking you personal questions, or that's not relevant to Clow's plans."
"And why did you even want to know about myself? You were the one asking, Kaho."
He was right. Why did she ask him what was with him? Why was she intrigued by him? Was it because of his presence? Was it because he was the weirdest person she had ever met in her life? Was it because he said he also had a mission?
"I haven't," he continued, "trusted in another human being for years. I trust that some persons I've never met in this life will do certain things in a certain moment, and that includes you giving out the Moon Bell, but I haven't trusted someone I actually know from somewhere else. I think I just need to talk to someone. It's too much information and not sharing it could drive me insane."
"And you're choosing me for trust? I'm not even sure if I'm going to give them the Bell, and it's partly because of Clow's scheme and your way to talk about it."
"You're not looking at it from the right angle," he smirked. "You already know the answer. What I told you or not, or even whether you knew about the disaster or not... nothing is relevant. You know the answer. I know your answer. You just assumed I was trying to buy you in because I didn't stop talking and justifying it all. And maybe you believed you had a choice. But your choice was already made by no other than you, before you even met me.
"Probably, deep down, you were expecting me to tell you either something dreadful about the girl or a darn good reason to help her, so you could choose your fate and make a difference. You were overreacting over the disaster because I was giving you more reasons to be involved, and not the contrary.
"You wanted to control it, to some extend. But you had made your choice before you came to England, didn't you? If the girl was evil you wouldn't help, but in all the other case-scenarios you were going to. Do you know why?"
She nodded, defeated, and picked the Bell up from her lap.
"Because having this Bell gives my life a sense and a meaning; it makes me different and useful. I like the idea of getting a special fate. I've always wanted to give out the Bell, but I just wanted confirmation on whether I was doing the right thing.
"You're right, Eriol. Trying to convince me was a waste of time. I always knew I was going to do it, even if a part of me just wants an easy life with no odd responsibilities and wanted this to be a mistake." She snorted. "You might not be able to read minds, but you're pretty sharp."
"Thank you," he bowed his head. "But it wasn't a waste of time because, like I said, I wasn't buying you in. I was just sharing information. I told you... I wanted to talk to someone. I trusted your judgment from the beginning."
She blushed a bit. It felt good to be trusted, even if she didn't trust entirely in him.
"You know," she told him, "I think we're talking in circles again. You kept saying you knew I was going to do it, but I tried to deny it. Maybe I wanted to argue."
"Argue is fine," he smiled. "I miss arguing with people as well."
He was so strange.
"There's still information about the Final Judgment I'd like to pass to you, but it's getting late."
"Yeah. It's dark already."
"Are you afraid of the Dark?"
"My magic is from the moon, so I don't mind it."
"We should go now... let me go get the waiter and pay it, it's my treat."
"Fine, I should be going. Do you know any Tube station around here?"
"You mean the Underground? No idea," he shrugged.
"Uh, then... Can you walk with me back to Kensington Gardens, please?"
"Sure. Wait here."
He went inside and paid the check. When he was back, Kaho had put her coat on and the Bell was back in her handbag.
"I thought you weren't afraid of the Dark," he teased her and passed her his bag while they started walking.
"It's not the dark. It's getting lost in a street I've never heard of, on a Sunday evening, what I don't want to. By the way, what's this bag?"
"Yours. I told you I was going to bring you some of yesterday's strawberry tartlet."
Chapter: 3
Fandom: Card Captor Sakura
Pairing: Eriol/Kaho, hints of Touya/Kaho if you squint
Genre: Gen, romance
Canon: pre-manga
Rating: PG for rude words
Summary: Kaho goes to study abroad in order to get answers. However, she will learn more than that.
Link to all chapters
Notes: I needed to finish this conversation before it ate me alive.
Obviously there's a sense of irony to it, because last chapter I was cutting the story up because it almost hit 3K words, and this chapter surpassed 4K. Oh dear God. This probably could've been done differently and shorter, but Eriol wouldn't shut up. This chapter's stretched characterization assumption was that Kaho was a decent girl and wouldn't exactly be comfortable at first with some of Clow/Eriol's methods. This is why it was hard to make them both work together in this chapter.
Ofuda are those parchment rectangles with spells written on them (think Syaoran's magic). Shikigami are a Japanese concept similar to familiars. I based the comparison on Tokyo Babylon, so it might be wrong.
Chapter 3
"Okay, then," Kaho encouraged Eriol to start with the explanations. "What does Clow have to do with this?"
He cleared his throat and pushed his glasses upward.
"Before I cut to the chase, you should have an idea of how Clow Reed used to be."
"Is that so relevant?" she raised an eyebrow, dubious.
"It is, really. I can't start on the people involved before you know who he was."
"He's a famous magician. You told me that already."
"Do you want me to tell you the story?"
Kaho crossed her arms, hoping the Moon Bell wouldn't fall from her lap, where she had put it after he had examined it closer.
"Fine, fine. Tell me about Clow's life if it matters to you so much."
"He wasn't your average sorcerer. He was born in China, but his father was an Englishman."
"There's nothing strange about being of mixed race, though," she argued.
"Not these days. But when he was born it was certainly an oddity. Most people around that century didn't even know what an ‘England' was or if it was edible."
"...Ah. I see now, I guess."
"Since he was half-breed, knowing one school of sorcery wasn't enough for him. He had to go and learn both Eastern and Western. If he believed in something, it was balance. He tried to incorporate that concept in his magic, even though it was harder to get it done in his personal life.
"Therefore, he'd find himself mixing both schools in practice. And he even went beyond that and attempted to create his own kind of magic with elements from both branches."
"Is that even possible?" said Kaho.
"He accomplished it, so it was. However, it's not something anyone could do. I never mentioned that Clow Reed was one of the most powerful wizards of his time, if not the best. Between his eccentricities, his race background, and his raw power, he was usually considered a sort of monster."
"Was he?"
"The most powerful magician?"
"No, a monster."
"Hahaha, it's a matter of speaking. He could be a charming bloke most of the times. What I meant is that he was intimidating for the reasons I mentioned, but especially because of the powers he held."
"Was he more powerful than you are?"
Kaho's question made Eriol blink in surprise.
"I hope I never get to be more powerful than he was, truth to be told," he shook his head as though he was trying to take that thought out of his head. "Why do you ask me that kind of questions?"
"Well, I think you're the person with the most power I've met, but I ignore how strong you are or how terrible Clow was supposed to be. I don't know a lot of people with the gift."
"Oh... I don't want to brag, but I am powerful. I hope you don't mind if I continue the story."
"Please do."
"Knowing two schools of magic can be confusing. Say, if you want to cast fire, would you conjure it with ofuda or with complicated spells? What Clow did to simplify his life was to create a new spell for fire that included both philosophies. And that's what he did with several magical concepts. Not all of them, since there were things better done with Western or Eastern magic.
"So he created a deck of cards.
"Each card had the characteristics of a particular magic. So, continuing with the example, if he needed to turn on the hearth, he'd just activate the card for fire instead of looking for an unused ofuda or remembering the exact words to call it. Just that easy.
"Well, easy to cast. They weren't easy to make, mind you. Creating new magic takes a lot of energy and intelligence. But you get my point."
"Is that like those trendy strategy games," said Kaho, "in which you buy packs of cards and fight with them in tournaments? Magic the Gathering and the sort?"
"Sorry, I have no idea what you're talking about. Is this a mundane thing...?"
Of course, she told herself, he couldn't know what those games were about, if he was supposed to be old. It was fashionable in the university she was currently studying at, and before that she had seen a group of kids in Touya's school playing that on the hallways. She had asked them what they were because the illustrations were so pretty.
But those were young mundane persons, around the ages of fourteen and twenty-five. Eriol barely seemed to know what style of clothes to wear in that decade without calling people's attention on the streets, so it was just remarkable he knew boys his apparent age played pretend to something called ‘Power Rangers'. He might not even know what the show was about, or if it was even a TV show. Did he even own a television set?
"It doesn't matter," she shook her head and smiled. "Please continue."
"But I want to know what that gathering is," he said, eyes wide open. "It sounds rather interesting!"
She didn't expect that.
"Uh... I'm not sure either; I've never played it myself. Uh. Well, I can try to investigate about it and tell you later!"
"That's kind of you," he grinned happily. "But don't forget it, okay? I have nobody else to ask about it.
"So, where were we? Ah, yes, he created a deck of cards, each one representing a conjury. The Clow cards made him from a nobody with potential to a revolutionary madman. And it was just the beginning.
"He's also famous from being one of the pioneer magicians in the branch of Artificial Creatures. He was able to make a big part of his creations, complex or not, with a level of sentience and life. The cards, for instance, had their own personality."
"...What?"
"What you heard." He seemed to enjoy Kaho's surprised face. "His spells had soul and feelings; some of them not as complex as humans, animals, and natural creatures, but it was still remarkable. For instance, The Firey is considerably violent, The Windy is quite gentle, The Mirror is shy, and The Flower loves to dance and have fun."
"That's... wow."
"You told me you saw something surrounding the girl but didn't know what it was, right? They were the Clow cards. They made the decision to protect a human being without being ordered. That should give you an idea."
"Oh dear. But I don't understand why they were there..."
"That's it. You're wondering about the cause of the battle. Now I'm able to tell you what it will be:
"It's about inheritance and succession.
"The girl is Clow's heiress. She was chosen to be the new mistress of Clow's creations. However, the conditions she has to fit are not exactly a piece of cake. She'll have to work hard on them. And that fight will decide the fate of Clow's former properties."
Eriol took a break to drink tea. Kaho wasn't sure what to think. She was expecting something slightly more interesting than that. Then again, maybe there was more to it, and she still had questions.
"So, the winged person is a rival? Does he or she want to get the cards instead of the girl? And Clow wants to stop it because they're not for that person?"
Eriol laughed again.
"Heh, no. I'm sure the Lis, who are Clow's clan from mother's side, will have something to say about someone they don't know about as the new mistress of The Clow. But who you saw doesn't want to own the cards. He isn't even a human being."
"Uh..."
"See, Clow's creations are not only a bunch of cards. I told you he was an expert on artificial creatures. He had created, with his own magic, living beings that are more advanced than the Clow cards; to a whole new level, even. Between them, two guardians. Have you ever heard about guardians?"
"Are they like shikigami?"
"No, shikigami are not that sentient and can only exist in this plane of existence when summoned. Guardians, however, live always in this space-time. Other than that, both shikigami and guardians are creatures who were born to obey their master. The difference is, besides the level of intelligence, guardians are created to fulfill something concrete, and that is –like the word implies- protecting something or someone."
"Oh. Woah, that Clow guy keeps improving his résumé as you speak."
"He was also good at clairvoyance," Eriol teased. "Too good to be true, maybe."
"So, these guardians were made to protect Clow?"
"No, not Clow: the Clow cards."
"Then... the winged person is one of the guardians."
"Yes. He controls the moon-based cards."
"So the fight is because he's opposed to the girl's right to be the cards' owner?"
"It's more complicated than that, but basically that's the issue."
"How is it more complicated?"
"Well, the girl, whose name is Sakura, isn't only inheriting the Clow cards, but the whole set. Guardians included, batteries not."
"Oh. Then he's opposed to..."
"To her becoming his master. He doesn't care if the cards and the other guardian are all for it, which they will. He'll only accept someone as powerful as Clow to take his place. Therefore, he decided to test her. The fight you'll be involved in will be known as the Final Judgment. The moon guardian tends to be a bit overdramatic."
"But he has a point, right? The girl can't be as powerful as the guy you described me. She can't support all the cards and guardians, or even win him at all."
"You're right: she'll be unable to do any of that when the Final Judgment takes place. But Sakura-san has an incredible potential! She'll learn fast, she'll get to manage with the nineteen cards and two guardians, and she'll exceed Clow's powers one fine day. She's the perfect candidate, but the judge is so biased he can't see it yet. He'll get to love her, really. It's all for the best."
"But Eriol, isn't that too much responsibility for such a young girl? What if she's tempted to do bad things with those beings under her orders? How destructive are the Clow cards?"
"Well," Eriol pulled a face, "some of them aren't exactly harmless..."
"With more reason!"
"Look, Kaho. Some parts of Clow's family and descendants are –how to say it- truly insane." His voice went sweeter as he spoke. "But the branch Sakura comes from is decent, smart, and kind. Clow choose his heir carefully: it had to be someone who was lovable and fair, who can't develop ill ambitions, and who could be compatible with each of his creations. It wasn't picking the most powerful one from the lot and that's it. He didn't even select the eldest sibling. I admit I don't know Sakura yet, but I'm familiar with all the visions Clow had about her. I'm sure she'll be responsible enough, as she's bound to have an honest upbringing. Clow wouldn't let any twit to get their hands on his beloved creations. Trust me on this, please."
Kaho glanced at Eriol. His eyes gleamed with an emotion she was unable to decipher. For the first time in the conversation, he looked more sincere and serious than she had ever seen him in those two days. He truly believed his own words, with all his heart.
Something inside her was moved; probably finding Eriol's humanity, although she didn't know why on Earth that was important to her. But she still couldn't know whether it was the right thing to do.
"There's something I don't understand, though. Why are you so interested in the cards and guardians to be settled with this girl called Sakura? Why do you want me to trust in you and help them so much? It's not your problem, is it?"
"I have a mission as well," he smirked. "Just as Clow confided on the Tsukimine Shrine to carry out the Moon Bell, and you were born with that fate, I also have a destiny to fulfill before I can have a more normal life. My mission takes off right after yours does, so I depend on your success, and of course in Sakura-san's determination."
"What will happen if I don't help? Or if you don't help? Just because we're fated to do something it doesn't mean we actually have to do it."
"Well, in my case all the cards would die..."
"Pardon me?"
"...But there are more consequences if you decide not to help the cards –and guardians- to get their new mistress. There's a curse linked to the Final Judgment."
"A curse...?"
"'Clow cards: when the seal is broken, a disaster will fall on this Earth.'"
"A what?!"
"The cards scattered when Clow died. Right now they're hidden, waiting for a captor to seal them again. Sakura-san will do that job, thanks to the other guardian. However, the seal she'll place on them would break again if she fails on her Final Judgment. And with that, the curse will take place."
Kaho's jaw opened. Why in the world this bastard didn't tell her about this before?
"But that's terrible! What's going to happen, exactly?"
"They'll forget about the most important person in their lives. And not only the cards and guardians, but it will also extend to a big part of your hometown. But it can be helped. If Sakura wins, nothing bad will happen."
"This was Clow's idea?"
"You could say that."
"I feel sick. That man is a bastard. And you! You're also a bastard for not telling me before I asked you!"
"I knew you were going to ask me anyway," he murmured. "I'm a pretty good clairvoyant. And I wasn't going to tell you the bad news at the beginning, or else you would've panicked and never listened to me. Modifying somebody else's memories is not nice at all," he agreed with a sad expression, "but I think Clow wanted to protect his creations' feelings, because he knew they'd grow attached to the girl. Sakura herself, and several of the ones involved, would meet someone to love because of The Clow's existence. It's horrible to do this to innocent people, it's true, but if you think about it..."
"If I think about it what?!"
"He probably didn't feel guilty for adding this mechanism. Because first, he wanted his creations to be happy, and parting ways with her would break their heart."
"But..."
"And second, Clow knew this mechanism would never be activated. If I'm a good clairvoyant, imagine him. And he's usually right."
Kaho, while still disgusted, had to process this excuse.
"So hold on a second. He knows the curse isn't necessary because she'll win, but he places it anyway?"
"That's right."
"Then why bother? That's twisted."
"Because Sakura-san will be afraid to hurt the Judge, and she's going to need a motivation to go on with the Judgment. The guardians are not good at lying, so Clow had to actually set it up and make the guardians be aware the possibility, low as it is, is there."
Silence.
"You shouldn't have told me this. You talked too much."
"Why is that?"
"This motivation through a disaster... it wasn't only set for the girl. It was for all the people involved so they'd, well, get involved. And that included me. Now you made me realize he's counting on me to give her the Bell to avoid the disaster, but he was probably hoping I'd agree so I could stop his scheme. You messed it up, because I now know it's all fake and he was trying to use me."
"Nonetheless," Eriol retorted, "if you decide not to follow his plans, the curse will still be activated, everything will go to waste, and the disaster will still fall. There isn't much of a difference, as the odds you could refuse were equal with you knowing or not everything. It's still up to you."
"You're also manipulating me, aren't you? Both Clow and you. You're expecting me to feel guilty."
He sighed.
"I won't deny it's plausible there's a chance we're likely manipulating you, and the rest of the implicated ones, and even Sakura-san. Do you want to know why? Do you really want to know why?"
"I do!"
"Because we care too much. That's why."
Again, that sad expression.
"Clow wished his creations and his heiress to have a happy life. But he ended up pushing their buttons in order to get the best outcome. He overprotected them too much, and his ideas are tactless sometimes as you pointed out. But his intentions were good. They say the road to hell is paved with them, so it's probably foolish to focus so much in this. But he loved them all. Even Sakura-san, who'd be born centuries after he knew she'd exist." He sipped what remained of his tea, hiding his face with the teacup. "And probably, in some level, he even loved you, Kaho, and wanted you to be happy when your mission was over. And me too."
His words made her heart beat faster. Why? What was so significant in them? Why did she want to believe that dead man who annoyed her five minutes ago wished for her happiness?
The promise she made to Touya lingered in the back of her mind for some reason, but she ignored it. Eriol's eyes peeked over the teacup and she didn't look at them.
"Yes," she said, "and what about you?"
He placed the cup over the plate, slowly. His eyes reflected that strange indescribable emotion again.
"I'm as foolish as Clow was. I want to believe that in this world that dream shouldn't end, and almost everyone will get their happy ending. But mainly, the creations... I feel a great respect for beings with a conscience and a heart. And just because they aren't like the magical creatures born by nature, and they were creations of a human mind, they're no less alive. They're alone right now, as we speak, some still mourning their master. They deserve someone that won't treat them as tools or slaves. Don't you think?" he smiled shyly, as he had just said something wrong.
And she did believe Eriol respected those creatures, perhaps even more than Clow himself with those disturbing plans. Once again she remembered Touya, in his middle high school uniform, hanging around the shrine grounds and the forest on the other side of town, understanding the ones living there were as normal as he was.
Her intuition was telling her to trust him and take the mission already. Her brain didn't like the idea of possibly being used by a prepubescent old creep sponsoring a dead man who was even more of a creep. But then again, taking in consideration the amount of preparations Clow had taken, morally incorrect as some were, Eriol had a point saying that guy truly cared too much, right?
"But this sounds too misanthropic of yours," she said, "just being in to help the cards and guardians. Either you have a superhero complex, or there's a part of the plan you're not telling me and it'll benefit you."
Eriol's eyes opened wide.
"Well, I do have a sort of magical health condition, and I'm counting on Sakura-san to do me a favor in a long-term future. But helping me is up to her, and I won't be asking it in return of my aid during my own mission; besides, that favor would also benefit another person. However, in the end, I'll survive if she says no, and the cards have more priority than me. It's more of wistful thinking and less of selfishness."
"You're sick but you'll survive anyway?"
"It's not really a sickness, but a bothersome aspect of my powers. Only she can fix it, if she wants to. I won't be forcing her to do it. And I'm not forcing you to help them, even though you don't believe me."
"Why do you explain everything to me? You don't seem like the kind of person who spills it all if asked. You're trying to convince me, right?"
"Everything? I haven't even told you half of it... But you're somehow right. I don't explain myself even to the people I live with. But it's true what you said about having to know what you'll be dealing with, so you have to hear the basics of the story."
"That explains the Clow things, but not telling me about your respect for creatures or the problems with your magic. I can tell you're telling me the truth, and I really don't get why you just don't lie..."
"I promised not to lie."
"About Clow. We never said anything about you. You could've told me I was prying too much by asking you personal questions, or that's not relevant to Clow's plans."
"And why did you even want to know about myself? You were the one asking, Kaho."
He was right. Why did she ask him what was with him? Why was she intrigued by him? Was it because of his presence? Was it because he was the weirdest person she had ever met in her life? Was it because he said he also had a mission?
"I haven't," he continued, "trusted in another human being for years. I trust that some persons I've never met in this life will do certain things in a certain moment, and that includes you giving out the Moon Bell, but I haven't trusted someone I actually know from somewhere else. I think I just need to talk to someone. It's too much information and not sharing it could drive me insane."
"And you're choosing me for trust? I'm not even sure if I'm going to give them the Bell, and it's partly because of Clow's scheme and your way to talk about it."
"You're not looking at it from the right angle," he smirked. "You already know the answer. What I told you or not, or even whether you knew about the disaster or not... nothing is relevant. You know the answer. I know your answer. You just assumed I was trying to buy you in because I didn't stop talking and justifying it all. And maybe you believed you had a choice. But your choice was already made by no other than you, before you even met me.
"Probably, deep down, you were expecting me to tell you either something dreadful about the girl or a darn good reason to help her, so you could choose your fate and make a difference. You were overreacting over the disaster because I was giving you more reasons to be involved, and not the contrary.
"You wanted to control it, to some extend. But you had made your choice before you came to England, didn't you? If the girl was evil you wouldn't help, but in all the other case-scenarios you were going to. Do you know why?"
She nodded, defeated, and picked the Bell up from her lap.
"Because having this Bell gives my life a sense and a meaning; it makes me different and useful. I like the idea of getting a special fate. I've always wanted to give out the Bell, but I just wanted confirmation on whether I was doing the right thing.
"You're right, Eriol. Trying to convince me was a waste of time. I always knew I was going to do it, even if a part of me just wants an easy life with no odd responsibilities and wanted this to be a mistake." She snorted. "You might not be able to read minds, but you're pretty sharp."
"Thank you," he bowed his head. "But it wasn't a waste of time because, like I said, I wasn't buying you in. I was just sharing information. I told you... I wanted to talk to someone. I trusted your judgment from the beginning."
She blushed a bit. It felt good to be trusted, even if she didn't trust entirely in him.
"You know," she told him, "I think we're talking in circles again. You kept saying you knew I was going to do it, but I tried to deny it. Maybe I wanted to argue."
"Argue is fine," he smiled. "I miss arguing with people as well."
He was so strange.
"There's still information about the Final Judgment I'd like to pass to you, but it's getting late."
"Yeah. It's dark already."
"Are you afraid of the Dark?"
"My magic is from the moon, so I don't mind it."
"We should go now... let me go get the waiter and pay it, it's my treat."
"Fine, I should be going. Do you know any Tube station around here?"
"You mean the Underground? No idea," he shrugged.
"Uh, then... Can you walk with me back to Kensington Gardens, please?"
"Sure. Wait here."
He went inside and paid the check. When he was back, Kaho had put her coat on and the Bell was back in her handbag.
"I thought you weren't afraid of the Dark," he teased her and passed her his bag while they started walking.
"It's not the dark. It's getting lost in a street I've never heard of, on a Sunday evening, what I don't want to. By the way, what's this bag?"
"Yours. I told you I was going to bring you some of yesterday's strawberry tartlet."