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rallamajoopUm, surprise? XD;
As the situation stands right now, it still looks like CLAMP will be dragging the current holic plotline out for another couple of chapters at least, whenever those might surface, but (between this week's chapters and the spoilers for next week's) I think we've seen enough to get at least a decent feeling for the elements they're going to have in play. Meanwhile, it's been over two months since I've posted anything from this WIP, and during that time I've stockpiled 20,000+ words of unposted new material and am facing the fact that I'm going to stay stalled on writing the last few chapters of the story until I get what I've already written neatened up a good deal. A decent chunk of what I'm likely to get to posting while the current manga plotline drags on is backstory for other characters anyway, which should be safe enough. And if chapters to come still do make me change my mind about what I'm doing with AU!Kohane all over again, at least this version is still draft-y enough that I can get away with it.
Anyway, based on my own mental notes on how the story breaks down, this would be the first chapter of part four, of five parts total. The end of this monster isalmost in sight!
Other parts: The original ficlets, Plot notes, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Side Story 1
Kurogane and the others were waiting for them when Doumeki got back to camp, the bike and Watanuki having been left a short walk further away so as to allow Doumeki the chance to give his campmates some warning about what they were bringing home. Not since he’d returned from their trading mission had Doumeki seen such a sense of gloom hanging over the place.
“Back from the Complex?” asked Kurogane.
“You already heard?” asked Doumeki. It hadn’t occurred to him the news might find a way beat them home.
“Chi got a message right after you left,” Kurogane reported. “There was one short distress signal, then silence. The other Complexes have done nothing but argue about it on the channel ever since, but they don’t have any idea what happened.”
“It could just be a bad communications instrument failure, couldn’t it?” said Sakura, terribly worried.
“But it wasn’t, was it?” said Kurogane, looking at Doumeki.
“No,” said Doumeki. “When we got there, the whole structure had caved in. There were fires still burning. We didn’t see much else.”
Sakura’s hands flew over her mouth, both eyes wide, even as Syaoran hurried to her side. There was a weak, sobbing laugh sound from Fye, sitting curled up against the wall of a nearby building. Chi was with him, a rare sight to see outside the lab building, her head resting on his shoulder and both her arms gently wrapped around his neck, and Fye was hanging on to her loosely with one hand.
“Any clues about what happened there?” asked Kurogane.
“Nothing useful,” Doumeki replied.
Kurogane’s eyes drifted back to the bike, where Watanuki was still waiting. “So what was it you went so far to bring us back?”
***
The young girl had woken up part way through the long return journey, but neither of them noticed right away. It wasn’t until Watanuki looked down to where she’d been awkwardly wedged between them on the bike and found her staring blankly out into the deadlands that he realised she must have woken silently some time ago.
“We’re… outside,” she said softly.
“Ah,” said Watanuki, awkwardly, “it’s alright though – you don’t need to be scared.”
The girl looked like she couldn’t, for the moment, remember what it was she was supposed to be scared of.
Doumeki stopped the bike so he could turn around properly. Their young charge looked at Watanuki, then back the way they came, her movements slow and sleepy. “The Complex… was…?”
“You remember what happened?” said Doumeki. The girl lowered her eyes.
“When we got there, it was already too late. There wasn’t much left,” said Watanuki. “I’m sorry.”
The girl looked up at him again. “There was no-one else…?”
“You were the only one we found,” Doumeki told her.
“You are…?” the girl asked.
“I’m Watanuki Kimihiro,” said Watanuki. “The grumpy one at the front is Doumeki Shizuka. And you’re?”
“Kohane,” was the answer.
“It’s our pleasure to meet you, Kohane-chan,” said Watanuki, then added, “even if the circumstances are a bit awkward.”
Kohane nodded slightly.
“Do you want anything to eat or drink?” Watanuki asked. “We don’t have much, but…”
Kohane shook her head.
“We should get moving again,” said Doumeki, “There’s still a long way left to go.”
***
Kohane was well enough to stand when they got her off the bike at last back home, though she kept one hand gripping tightly on to Watanuki’s sleeve, whether more for physical support or reassurance was something of a moot point. She looked at the campsite and its gathered members curiously, though with no outward surprise.
“She’s from a Complex?” said Syaoran, perhaps unnecessarily.
“Any other survivors?” asked Kurogane.
“None we saw, said Doumeki, and looked to Watanuki.
“I don’t know, do I?” said Watanuki miserably. “What could we have done if there were?”
“Other Complexes won’t have the room to take them in,” said Kurogane, as if thinking aloud, “and not many would be prepared to survive out here.”
“There’s nothing we can do, either way,” said Doumeki.
Kurogane studied the girl hanging on Watanuki’s arm, obviously wondering just what they were supposed to do with her. She was certainly unlike any treasure Watanuki had ever brought them before. “We’ll have to find room for one more.”
“She’s staying? Is that a good idea?” Syaoran blurted out, with characteristic lack of tact. “We’re not that big a camp, wouldn’t the Diet Building or the Tower be…”
“They don’t take in outsiders. Let alone outsiders from a Complex,” Kurogane reminded him. “And leaving children out to fend for themselves in the deadlands isn’t our style. As long as she’s prepared to learn enough to pull her weight.”
The last was directed right at Kohane herself. “Um,” she said uncertainly, “am I staying here?”
“If you want to stay,” said Watanuki quickly. “It may not look like much, but it’s really not so bad here. There isn’t much choice,” he admitted awkwardly, “but I’ve never been anywhere better, and…”
“It’s alright,” said Kohane. “I’ll stay. I’d like to.”
“Oh look at this, where are our manners?” said Fye, coming abruptly out of his daze. “She hasn’t even been properly introduced to anyone here yet.” The smile he turned to Kohane was weaker than usual, but he looked glad to have the distraction.
“She already knows me,” said Doumeki. “I’m going to bed.”
***
Watanuki himself was just as overdue for some sleep, and by now running on nerves strung as thin as piano wire. The whole trip had taken a day and a half, and it had been a hell of an emotional ordeal for him – and now, just to cap the stress off, Kurogane wanted a word with him.
Watanuki couldn’t entirely blame him. If their positions had been reversed, he would have wanted a word with himself too. There was nothing to be done but get it over with.
Leaving Kohane with Sakura and Fye, he followed Kurogane inside. The way her eyes had trailed after him as he left made him feel guilty about leaving her alone – even for a short while in what he knew was good company.
Kurogane took just long enough to start talking to make Watanuki start feeling uncomfortable.
“Not your usual loot,” he commented. At least he didn’t sound like he was blaming Watanuki for anything.
“It wasn’t exactly a usual situation,” said Watanuki, helplessly. “How often does something like that happen – to a whole Complex…”
“Not in living memory,” Kurogane agreed. “But it was a long way for your spirits to take you for one little girl.”
“What were we supposed to do?” Watanuki protested. “Just leave her there?”
“No-one would ask you to do that,” said Kurogane, showing that unnatural level of insight which Watanuki found faintly terrifying, “but do you think she’s the only lost child who’s ever passed within a few days travel of this camp? Or the only once since you joined us?”
“I know, I know,” said Watanuki, wringing his hands. “We can’t save everyone like her – and she probably doesn’t deserve to live any more or less than anyone else, only…”
“Only this one was likely the only survivor of something that wiped out everyone else in a whole Complex,” said Kurogane. “That has to raise awkward questions. Do you really have no idea at all what happened – why you’d be lead so far for such a reason?”
Watanuki hung his head. What on earth could he possibly say?
When his silence had extended long enough to make it clear no answer was forthcoming, he heard a sharp exhalation of breath from Kurogane – some abbreviated cousin of a sigh, presumably – and the sound of the man getting to his feet.
“When you first came here, we had the same concerns. I told Doumeki you’d be his responsibility until we knew more about you. I’m going to give you the same instruction with regards to the girl. Are you willing to take that on?”
In the circumstances, it seemed like the most reasonable request that could have been made of him. Watanuki nodded. “I’m willing.”
Satisfied, Kurogane said, “Then we’ll leave the other details until you and she have gotten some rest.” Watanuki had just turned gratefully toward the door, when Kurogane added, “You can pass on a message for me too.”
***
Watanuki went straight back to check on Kohane after that, but when he got to the spare building where Sakura and Fye had been getting her settled in, he found they’d suggested she rest, and as soon as she’d been introduced to a (relatively) proper bed, she’d fallen into a deep sleep. There was nothing remaining to do but inform Fye that Kurogane seemed to want to see him for some reason and make sure he’d be better rested himself when he came back in the morning.
Watanuki had thought he’d be too strung out to sleep – until he woke early the next morning feeling groggy as all hell, with only the vaguest memory of letting his head fall on to the pillow left from the night before. Doumeki was up and gone already, which was unusual since it usually would have woken him too. He must have really needed all that sleep. Memories of the previous day’s events were still far too fresh in his mind for him to feel like he’d had any proper rest at all.
He’d been up only a minute when he heard a soft voice calling, “Kimihiro?” from the doorway. Kohane’s voice, he realised after only a moment of unfamiliarity.
“Ah… I’ll be out in just a moment,” he called back, stepping up his pace a notch. Some job he was doing taking responsibility for her if he overslept on his first day.
Kohane was waiting for him on the doorstep when Watanuki made good on his word shortly after. “’Morning. Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Kohane shook her head. “You were so tired last night no-one wanted to wake you, and I haven’t been up very long.” She hesitated for a moment. “Is it alright – to call you like that?”
“By first name, you mean?” asked Watanuki. “It’s alright – most of the others do, and none of them ever bothered to ask permission. You slept alright then?” he added, feeling nervous for some reason he couldn’t quite put his finger on. “It can be awkward, settling into new places.”
“Not badly.”
“Well then, feel up to some breakfast? We don’t have much right now – just meat, and it’s not very fresh because we always have to wait until the poison breaks down, but it’s not too bad once it’s cooked properly. It’s not going to be like what you’re used to from the Complex, though I…”
“It’s alright,” Kohane interrupted. “I’ve eaten food like that before. I was born outside.”
“You… really?” Watanuki stuttered. “But… then how did you ever…?”
“My mother got us admitted,” Kohane explained, “She told people from that Complex about what I could do.”
“Oh,” said Watanuki, a new wave of the disorientation washing over him. Of course Kohane would have had some kind of family, but if she had, and that family had been left in the Complex when… it didn’t bear thinking about. He’d never heard of any outsider successfully broaching access to a Complex before – there were a dozen different things he wanted to ask, but this was territory he didn’t dare venture into when the memories would still be so fresh for her.
“You felt it too, didn’t you?” asked Kohane. “When we met. I’d never met anyone else like that until then.”
“It might’ve been even before,” Watanuki admitted. “On the way there, there was this feeling – I’d never felt that kind of summons or connection either – not even when I did meet another person like… you and I. But… I guess I’ve never seen anything like what happened there either.”
Kohane turned to look into the distance, out beyond the camp border, as though the remains of the Complex might even have been visible somewhere just over the horizon. “It wasn’t a dream, was it? Those years in that place, the dome broken, everything gone silent again from outside… I was born out here in a camp like this one, this is where I should have always lived, but still…”
“It was real,” said Watanuki sadly. “We saw when we went there – it was no mistake.”
“Then… all those people…?”
Something needed to be said; he wanted so badly to reassure her, but what good could it do to lie? “Well, it wasn’t entirely gone, just – damaged badly. Maybe some part of it’s repairable. Or maybe some other people got out alive and… I don’t really know. Everything that happens in those places is so strange to everyone else out here.”
“Maybe,” agreed Kohane. “I don’t know either.”
It was likely, Watanuki thought, they were both better off not knowing or even asking any more.
As the situation stands right now, it still looks like CLAMP will be dragging the current holic plotline out for another couple of chapters at least, whenever those might surface, but (between this week's chapters and the spoilers for next week's) I think we've seen enough to get at least a decent feeling for the elements they're going to have in play. Meanwhile, it's been over two months since I've posted anything from this WIP, and during that time I've stockpiled 20,000+ words of unposted new material and am facing the fact that I'm going to stay stalled on writing the last few chapters of the story until I get what I've already written neatened up a good deal. A decent chunk of what I'm likely to get to posting while the current manga plotline drags on is backstory for other characters anyway, which should be safe enough. And if chapters to come still do make me change my mind about what I'm doing with AU!Kohane all over again, at least this version is still draft-y enough that I can get away with it.
Anyway, based on my own mental notes on how the story breaks down, this would be the first chapter of part four, of five parts total. The end of this monster is
Other parts: The original ficlets, Plot notes, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Side Story 1
Kurogane and the others were waiting for them when Doumeki got back to camp, the bike and Watanuki having been left a short walk further away so as to allow Doumeki the chance to give his campmates some warning about what they were bringing home. Not since he’d returned from their trading mission had Doumeki seen such a sense of gloom hanging over the place.
“Back from the Complex?” asked Kurogane.
“You already heard?” asked Doumeki. It hadn’t occurred to him the news might find a way beat them home.
“Chi got a message right after you left,” Kurogane reported. “There was one short distress signal, then silence. The other Complexes have done nothing but argue about it on the channel ever since, but they don’t have any idea what happened.”
“It could just be a bad communications instrument failure, couldn’t it?” said Sakura, terribly worried.
“But it wasn’t, was it?” said Kurogane, looking at Doumeki.
“No,” said Doumeki. “When we got there, the whole structure had caved in. There were fires still burning. We didn’t see much else.”
Sakura’s hands flew over her mouth, both eyes wide, even as Syaoran hurried to her side. There was a weak, sobbing laugh sound from Fye, sitting curled up against the wall of a nearby building. Chi was with him, a rare sight to see outside the lab building, her head resting on his shoulder and both her arms gently wrapped around his neck, and Fye was hanging on to her loosely with one hand.
“Any clues about what happened there?” asked Kurogane.
“Nothing useful,” Doumeki replied.
Kurogane’s eyes drifted back to the bike, where Watanuki was still waiting. “So what was it you went so far to bring us back?”
***
The young girl had woken up part way through the long return journey, but neither of them noticed right away. It wasn’t until Watanuki looked down to where she’d been awkwardly wedged between them on the bike and found her staring blankly out into the deadlands that he realised she must have woken silently some time ago.
“We’re… outside,” she said softly.
“Ah,” said Watanuki, awkwardly, “it’s alright though – you don’t need to be scared.”
The girl looked like she couldn’t, for the moment, remember what it was she was supposed to be scared of.
Doumeki stopped the bike so he could turn around properly. Their young charge looked at Watanuki, then back the way they came, her movements slow and sleepy. “The Complex… was…?”
“You remember what happened?” said Doumeki. The girl lowered her eyes.
“When we got there, it was already too late. There wasn’t much left,” said Watanuki. “I’m sorry.”
The girl looked up at him again. “There was no-one else…?”
“You were the only one we found,” Doumeki told her.
“You are…?” the girl asked.
“I’m Watanuki Kimihiro,” said Watanuki. “The grumpy one at the front is Doumeki Shizuka. And you’re?”
“Kohane,” was the answer.
“It’s our pleasure to meet you, Kohane-chan,” said Watanuki, then added, “even if the circumstances are a bit awkward.”
Kohane nodded slightly.
“Do you want anything to eat or drink?” Watanuki asked. “We don’t have much, but…”
Kohane shook her head.
“We should get moving again,” said Doumeki, “There’s still a long way left to go.”
***
Kohane was well enough to stand when they got her off the bike at last back home, though she kept one hand gripping tightly on to Watanuki’s sleeve, whether more for physical support or reassurance was something of a moot point. She looked at the campsite and its gathered members curiously, though with no outward surprise.
“She’s from a Complex?” said Syaoran, perhaps unnecessarily.
“Any other survivors?” asked Kurogane.
“None we saw, said Doumeki, and looked to Watanuki.
“I don’t know, do I?” said Watanuki miserably. “What could we have done if there were?”
“Other Complexes won’t have the room to take them in,” said Kurogane, as if thinking aloud, “and not many would be prepared to survive out here.”
“There’s nothing we can do, either way,” said Doumeki.
Kurogane studied the girl hanging on Watanuki’s arm, obviously wondering just what they were supposed to do with her. She was certainly unlike any treasure Watanuki had ever brought them before. “We’ll have to find room for one more.”
“She’s staying? Is that a good idea?” Syaoran blurted out, with characteristic lack of tact. “We’re not that big a camp, wouldn’t the Diet Building or the Tower be…”
“They don’t take in outsiders. Let alone outsiders from a Complex,” Kurogane reminded him. “And leaving children out to fend for themselves in the deadlands isn’t our style. As long as she’s prepared to learn enough to pull her weight.”
The last was directed right at Kohane herself. “Um,” she said uncertainly, “am I staying here?”
“If you want to stay,” said Watanuki quickly. “It may not look like much, but it’s really not so bad here. There isn’t much choice,” he admitted awkwardly, “but I’ve never been anywhere better, and…”
“It’s alright,” said Kohane. “I’ll stay. I’d like to.”
“Oh look at this, where are our manners?” said Fye, coming abruptly out of his daze. “She hasn’t even been properly introduced to anyone here yet.” The smile he turned to Kohane was weaker than usual, but he looked glad to have the distraction.
“She already knows me,” said Doumeki. “I’m going to bed.”
***
Watanuki himself was just as overdue for some sleep, and by now running on nerves strung as thin as piano wire. The whole trip had taken a day and a half, and it had been a hell of an emotional ordeal for him – and now, just to cap the stress off, Kurogane wanted a word with him.
Watanuki couldn’t entirely blame him. If their positions had been reversed, he would have wanted a word with himself too. There was nothing to be done but get it over with.
Leaving Kohane with Sakura and Fye, he followed Kurogane inside. The way her eyes had trailed after him as he left made him feel guilty about leaving her alone – even for a short while in what he knew was good company.
Kurogane took just long enough to start talking to make Watanuki start feeling uncomfortable.
“Not your usual loot,” he commented. At least he didn’t sound like he was blaming Watanuki for anything.
“It wasn’t exactly a usual situation,” said Watanuki, helplessly. “How often does something like that happen – to a whole Complex…”
“Not in living memory,” Kurogane agreed. “But it was a long way for your spirits to take you for one little girl.”
“What were we supposed to do?” Watanuki protested. “Just leave her there?”
“No-one would ask you to do that,” said Kurogane, showing that unnatural level of insight which Watanuki found faintly terrifying, “but do you think she’s the only lost child who’s ever passed within a few days travel of this camp? Or the only once since you joined us?”
“I know, I know,” said Watanuki, wringing his hands. “We can’t save everyone like her – and she probably doesn’t deserve to live any more or less than anyone else, only…”
“Only this one was likely the only survivor of something that wiped out everyone else in a whole Complex,” said Kurogane. “That has to raise awkward questions. Do you really have no idea at all what happened – why you’d be lead so far for such a reason?”
Watanuki hung his head. What on earth could he possibly say?
When his silence had extended long enough to make it clear no answer was forthcoming, he heard a sharp exhalation of breath from Kurogane – some abbreviated cousin of a sigh, presumably – and the sound of the man getting to his feet.
“When you first came here, we had the same concerns. I told Doumeki you’d be his responsibility until we knew more about you. I’m going to give you the same instruction with regards to the girl. Are you willing to take that on?”
In the circumstances, it seemed like the most reasonable request that could have been made of him. Watanuki nodded. “I’m willing.”
Satisfied, Kurogane said, “Then we’ll leave the other details until you and she have gotten some rest.” Watanuki had just turned gratefully toward the door, when Kurogane added, “You can pass on a message for me too.”
***
Watanuki went straight back to check on Kohane after that, but when he got to the spare building where Sakura and Fye had been getting her settled in, he found they’d suggested she rest, and as soon as she’d been introduced to a (relatively) proper bed, she’d fallen into a deep sleep. There was nothing remaining to do but inform Fye that Kurogane seemed to want to see him for some reason and make sure he’d be better rested himself when he came back in the morning.
Watanuki had thought he’d be too strung out to sleep – until he woke early the next morning feeling groggy as all hell, with only the vaguest memory of letting his head fall on to the pillow left from the night before. Doumeki was up and gone already, which was unusual since it usually would have woken him too. He must have really needed all that sleep. Memories of the previous day’s events were still far too fresh in his mind for him to feel like he’d had any proper rest at all.
He’d been up only a minute when he heard a soft voice calling, “Kimihiro?” from the doorway. Kohane’s voice, he realised after only a moment of unfamiliarity.
“Ah… I’ll be out in just a moment,” he called back, stepping up his pace a notch. Some job he was doing taking responsibility for her if he overslept on his first day.
Kohane was waiting for him on the doorstep when Watanuki made good on his word shortly after. “’Morning. Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Kohane shook her head. “You were so tired last night no-one wanted to wake you, and I haven’t been up very long.” She hesitated for a moment. “Is it alright – to call you like that?”
“By first name, you mean?” asked Watanuki. “It’s alright – most of the others do, and none of them ever bothered to ask permission. You slept alright then?” he added, feeling nervous for some reason he couldn’t quite put his finger on. “It can be awkward, settling into new places.”
“Not badly.”
“Well then, feel up to some breakfast? We don’t have much right now – just meat, and it’s not very fresh because we always have to wait until the poison breaks down, but it’s not too bad once it’s cooked properly. It’s not going to be like what you’re used to from the Complex, though I…”
“It’s alright,” Kohane interrupted. “I’ve eaten food like that before. I was born outside.”
“You… really?” Watanuki stuttered. “But… then how did you ever…?”
“My mother got us admitted,” Kohane explained, “She told people from that Complex about what I could do.”
“Oh,” said Watanuki, a new wave of the disorientation washing over him. Of course Kohane would have had some kind of family, but if she had, and that family had been left in the Complex when… it didn’t bear thinking about. He’d never heard of any outsider successfully broaching access to a Complex before – there were a dozen different things he wanted to ask, but this was territory he didn’t dare venture into when the memories would still be so fresh for her.
“You felt it too, didn’t you?” asked Kohane. “When we met. I’d never met anyone else like that until then.”
“It might’ve been even before,” Watanuki admitted. “On the way there, there was this feeling – I’d never felt that kind of summons or connection either – not even when I did meet another person like… you and I. But… I guess I’ve never seen anything like what happened there either.”
Kohane turned to look into the distance, out beyond the camp border, as though the remains of the Complex might even have been visible somewhere just over the horizon. “It wasn’t a dream, was it? Those years in that place, the dome broken, everything gone silent again from outside… I was born out here in a camp like this one, this is where I should have always lived, but still…”
“It was real,” said Watanuki sadly. “We saw when we went there – it was no mistake.”
“Then… all those people…?”
Something needed to be said; he wanted so badly to reassure her, but what good could it do to lie? “Well, it wasn’t entirely gone, just – damaged badly. Maybe some part of it’s repairable. Or maybe some other people got out alive and… I don’t really know. Everything that happens in those places is so strange to everyone else out here.”
“Maybe,” agreed Kohane. “I don’t know either.”
It was likely, Watanuki thought, they were both better off not knowing or even asking any more.