xxxHolic/Discworld, take 6

[rallamajoop]

So Wai-con was fantastic, but damn it's nice to have the free time to do stuff like this again.

This would be the first of two short epilogues to conclude my xxxHolic/Discworld crossover series - just a few hundred words this time. The last part will be a bit longer, and I'm hoping to have up up within a week at the latest.

Title: The Luggage
Summary: In retrospect, introducing Himawari to the luggage had been a mistake.
Spoilers: This was written with certain revelations from the last xxxHolic arc in here in mind, but the references are vague enough that I don't think they'd count as real spoilers.

Previous parts:
Part 1: Just Another Tuesday
Part 2: Binky
Part 3: A Death in the Family
Cripple Mr Onion (not a chronological part of the series, but part of the same crossover)

---

In retrospect, introducing Himawari to something that took such a dim view of anything that seemed likely to pose some danger to its ‘master’ as the luggage did had been a mistake. The reaction this got out of Watanuki left Doumeki particularly impressed - he’d never seen him invent so many new moves to the Dance Of Panic in one sitting before.

“Aaargh! No! Himawari-chan! What do you think you’re doing you stupid lump of wood, you spit her back out this instant!”

For possibly the first time ever in its life, the luggage obliged. In fact, it looked a little queasy afterwards. Himawari landed back on the pavement, slightly dazed but otherwise unhurt.

“Himawari-chan!” cried Watanuki, tears of relief rolling down his cheeks. “You’re alright, aren’t you? It didn’t hurt you, did it?”

Himawari blinked at him in good natured befuddlement. “I was inside something big and made of wood… and then I wasn’t again. Did something just happen?”

Doumeki prodded the luggage cautiously with his toe. The lid sprang open again.

“That thing,” Watanuki pointed accusingly at the luggage, “tried to eat you. But it’s alright, because it spat you back out again. It’s been doing this to things all morning! But it’s not even mine, I swear!”

“There’s someone’s clean underwear in here.” Doumeki reported.

“It’s not mine either!”

Himawari got back to her feet. The luggage scuttled behind Doumeki. She smiled at it, pleasantly and cluelessly, which only confused it immensely. Smiles from the last thing that had scared it nearly that badly had had a lot more teeth.

Things went a lot smoother after that. Even when Doumeki sat on it later, the luggage remained on its best behaviour for the rest of the day.

---

On a random note, since there's that fannish rule that you can't mention either PTerry or GNeil online without someone bringing up the other one, I seem to recall one or two people mentioning the idea of a Sandman/xxxHolic crossover back when I posted the first part? Well, I'm pleased to say I've discovered that there already is one, and it's much better than anything I would have done with them.

ETA: The final epilogue is now up here. And it really is final this time (or at least, I've gone over a week now without coming up with anymore, and that sounds final enough for me ^^;).

Comments

[rusalkaz.livejournal.com]

Ahahaha Dance Of Panic! loooooooooool *pats Watanuki*
Doumeki The Protector... wahahaha Even Luggage recognizes him as such XD Although protecting someone/something from Himawari-chan has got to be new! XD *imagines Watanuki hiding from Himawari behind Doumeki and dies laughing* Luggage!<3333333333 XD

Sandman/xxxHolic crossover
Brilliant story, eh? I bet Sei-chan and Yuuko were NOT amused LOL
But hey, there's still a lot of characters left in Sandman... enough for many crossovers! *fangirls about Dream* XD

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

Well, mostly the luggage just wanted something to hide behind, and Doumeki was about all that was available. Something about being stuck in the xxxHolic universe must bring out its sheepish side. And while I'm sure we'll never see anything like it, Watanuki hiding behind Doumeki is priceless - especially if he's still trying to do his usual Himawari-squee while hiding at the same time. XD

*joins you in the Dream fangirling*

[rusalkaz.livejournal.com]

Yeah, hiding behind Watanuki is not possible as our dear boy rarely stands still... XD And Doumeki is the closest thing to human wall anyway! lol *pets poor Rincewind-less Luggage*

Watanuki hiding behind Doumeki is priceless - especially if he's still trying to do his usual Himawari-squee while hiding at the same time. XD
Awwwww I so want to see this!!! XD We did see Doumeki moving to hide Watanuki behind him, but not Watanuki trying to hide... *pouts and claws Clamp*

*joins you in the Dream fangirling*
Yaaaaaaay! Sister! XDDD

[shirasakura.livejournal.com]

That fannish rule is because of Good Omens, this utterly awesome book Pterry and Neil wrote together about the end of the world and two other worldly beings doing what they can to stop it because they've decided that they like earth, despite being an angel and a demon respectively. Go read it, now. Aziraphale recommends it. (You'll get that comment when you read it. Now GO.)

[selenityshiroi.livejournal.com]

Ah, so much Pterry fangirling to be done, at the moment (what with The Hogfather on TV in 5 DAYS!!!!!).

The luggage has never been my favourite (mostly because the Rincewind books aren't my favourites) but still, another wonderful job!

is it bad that the only Gneil book I've read is Good Omens?

[lunargeography.livejournal.com]

Wow, even the luggage is not up to facing Himawari chan. *laughs*

...does Watanuki realize it may be more embarassing to have luggage following him around with someone else's underwear in it?

[akinarei.livejournal.com]

That's actually really funny. What possessed them to introduce the Luggage to someone who's bad luck anyhow?

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

Pff, silly you for assuming I haven't read it at least twice already! The only surprising part is that even with the giant mass of fantastic stuff both of the write, Good Omens is still loved well enough that the connection has stuck so firmly. Still, they do write about a lot of similar stuff and appeal to a lot of the same people - it's the utter inevitability of them always both being brought up together that amuses me.

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

You lucky Brits - I don't think the Hogfather is going to be shown over here. Oh well, we'll get to see it somehow.

Whether you like Rincewind or not, you have to admit the Luggage is pretty awesome in its own, terrifying right. Carries an infinite amount of stuff, follows you around, known to drag sharks out of the water and jump on them. How can you go wrong?

not bad at all! I'd recommend you read more, but if you only ever read one, you've picked the right one ^_^

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

Well, if just hanging around with her can cause that much trouble, I'd dread to think what *eating* her would have done to the poor luggage. It's probably going to be in for a day of miserable luck already.

XD Yeah, Watanuki just doesn't think about things like that before he blurts them out, does he?

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

I don't think it was so much deliberate as a case of them running into Himawari and just not clicking to the fact it might see her as a threat until too late. Lucky for her the luggage found her inedible, huh? *grin*

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

We did see Doumeki moving to hide Watanuki behind him, but not Watanuki trying to hide...

We did? When did that happen, can't remember it. Still, I think I can just about imagine Watanuki hiding - if say Yuuko'd given some hint that going anywhere near Himawari today would lead to especially bad news, and poor Watanuki still wanted to see her, but you just *don't* ignore a warning from Yuuko like that, so hiding behind Doumeki all day becomes a sort of spastic compromise. And I bet in the end it'd turn out that Yuuko's warning didn't even have anything to do with Himawari's bad luck - it'd be something utterly random, but it would be vital advice nonetheless. XD Ah, so much fun to be had with this series.

^^; It actually took me ages to get into Sandman, it was a little too gory for my tastes when I first read it. But the way the whole story came together in the last couple of volumes just blew me away. There are so many brilliant characters in that series - and Dream's definitely up there with my favourites.

[m1ch1ru.livejournal.com]

Er, that was me. But, hey, I like this one too. XD;; And I read that one with Delirium. ^_____^

Himawari-chan is so clueless. XD

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

Well, there were actually a couple of people who brought up GNeil, so I'm pretty sure you weren't the only one there. Like I said, fannish rule. ^^;

At times like this, Himawari's probably happier being clueless, though I'm sure Watanuki's explanation didn't help much. XD

[rusalkaz.livejournal.com]

When did that happen, can't remember it.
Ah lol It was drawn like that in anime only - "Monkey Paw" episode ^_~

Ah, so much fun to be had with this series.
Oh yes! Our lovely boys plus their ever inebriated chaperone. And what you posted sounds like a niiiice plot bunny XDDDD

^^; It actually took me ages to get into Sandman, it was a little too gory for my tastes when I first read it.
I certainly can't say that it was an easy read ^^ I don't mind blood and violence, but sometimes it was just too dark... So I took breaks from reading lol

[visenya.livejournal.com]

As usual with your fics, I enjoyed this one :) The only complaint that I could come up with was that it was too short *laughs*

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear it. ^_^ The last bit should be about two or three times longer, at least. ^^;

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

Ah, I'll have to rewatch that episode sometime.

I don't think I get plot bunnies - mine are definitely snakes. Curse you and all these ideas you keep giving me! XD

So I took breaks from reading

Me too actually, took me years to get to the end of the series. ^^; I've really got to go back an reread it all in sequence sometime, I'm sure there's a lot of neat stuff mixed in there which I never picked up on first time through.

[rusalkaz.livejournal.com]

Snakes?! Are they angsty plot snakes? *pets them* XDDDD

Curse you and all these ideas you keep giving me! XD
Lol! I'm so ashamed of myself...NOT! XD

[rallamajoop.livejournal.com]

Well, not so much angsty, since I don't seem to be writing much angst lately, but they've definitely got teeth, and the damn things go wriggling around all over the place. XD So, not bunnies, just snakes over here.

[rusalkaz.livejournal.com]

*pets plot snakes carefully avoiding above mentioned teeth* Now go make her write more, my darlings! *_* XDDD

[akinarei.livejournal.com]

Incredibly. Lucky for the luggage, that is.