Legacy of the Master
By: Yakusoku (yakusoku_kun@yahoo.com, hailowedmoon@aol.com,
yakusoku@hallowedmoon.cjb.net)
Summary: Everything had a beginning. Everything.
Rating: NC-17.
Genre: Yaoi. Romance.
Spoilers: Unmarked as well.
Autbor’s Note: I took a lot of liberty, as usual, with this one. Bear with me! I
don’t know which Guardians protect which cards... so I took a guess. -_- If
anyone sees something I messed up, come yell at me! I used some names from
Nelvanna, some from translated manga, and some names from the real anime. I just
can’t make up my mind. ^_~
Disclaimer: Sorry CLAMP, I can’t resist to play in your sandbox.


1. In Which a Master Dies

The snow fell softly like a velvet coating opon the world. It blanketed all
sounds and I watched as each individual wooly flake fell and nestled against the
cherry tree. Of course, it was void of all blossoms. Only Clow could make the
cherry tree blossom when winter’s grip held the ancient spirit.

“What do we do now?” Keroberos asked softly and for once I had no answer. Since
when was I the one who had the answers? I glanced down at him. He had his face
nestled in Clow’s robes.

“I don’t know...” I answered softly and felt my face constrict in tears as I
gripped the Clow Book between my fingers.

“Check again,” Keroberos demanded. “Maybe he isn’t really dead.”

Wearily, I stood up for the third time. My hair snaked between my feet and
rustled softly as I allowed my feet to touch the wooden floor of the old house.
A fire burnt slowly to nothing in the hearth. I should have placed another log
upon it... but Clow would have simply laughed and asked Wood and Firey to take
care of it. How does one tend a fire?

I placed my fingers in front of Clow’s mouth and frowned softly at Keroberos.
The tears fell from my eyes, like a torrent of unfrozen snow. They trailed down
my pale face leaving red trails and disappeared into my tunic. I collapsed then,
and grabbed the empty vessel that had once been my Master and sobbed against
him.

“Come back! Please come back!” I cried. “You said you loved me!”

Keroberos had his answer. He looked away and picked up the Clow Book from where
I’d dropped it. He used his nose to nudge the cards back into their held
position in the book and closed it softly, leaving the seal undone. Once the
seal was closed... I wouldn’t think about that now. I couldn’t think about that
now. I would think about that tomorrow.

“We need to...” I couldn’t get the words out. Keroberos nodded softly and I
realized I had never seen him cry. Could my brother cry? That would have been
cruel of Clow... to allow me to cry and not Keroberos. I’ll think about that
tomorrow, too.

I gently picked up my Master’s body and was shocked at how light it was. During
the countless times he had made love to me... he had never seemed weak or
fragile. Clow had always seemed stong and powerful; loving and wise; caring and
forgiving. I dismissed the trail of thought and my wings at once as I started up
the stairway and entered the washroom. I set him down and, this time without
Keroberos asked, placed my hand in front of his mouth and nose.

“Is this a dream?” I asked Keroberos silently as he emerged, caring the ebony
outfit that Clow-sama had asked to be buried in. It wasn’t his usual work
outfit... it was the outfit that Clow used when he met the other magicians. It
was an outfit that made him seem both mysterious and powerful at the same time.
No matter how much jealously the other wizards carried- no one would challenge
Clow.

I silently removed the azure, black and yellow colored robes I had grown so used
to over the passing of time and folded them nicely in the sink. Gently easing
the shell of my Master into the tub, I softly closed his eyes with both my
thumbs and stepped away, sinking once more down into the tile and hugging
Keroberos with all my might. His eyes remained closed.

“We’re never going to see his eyes smile again, are we?” I asked and Keroberos
shook his head. A tear blossomed in his eyes but never fell.

My eyes flared slightly and I felt my mouth open gently, “I, Yue, call upon
Bubbles- card under my protection.”

Bubbles appeared and gently knelt next to Clow’s body and then straightened up,
fighting to compose herself. She failed and burst into soapy tears before slowly
covering her Creator in a soft massage of bubbles. She finished quickly and
kissed his hand for a moment, “We’re going to miss you... I’m sorry...” and then
vanished, her card falling to the ground. Keroberos picked it up out of the suds
and returned it to the box on the counter.

I picked Clow up and leaned him against Keroberos and dressed him carefully in
the outfit, smoothing out every crease gently. I added the cloak and then tied
the sash carefully.

“Does it look alright?” I asked.

“It looks just like it did,” Keroberos nodded.

“It is a little silly, isn’t it?” I replied, placing the shoes on his feet.

“Ridiculously silly. Almost as silly as your outfit. I don’t know why you
tolerate that,” Keroberos said, shaking his head- amusement caught in his eyes.

“Clow liked it. Clow made it,” I shrugged and stood up, spinning around and
placed a finger against my chin.

“It matches your personality,” Keroberos nodded.

I rolled my eyes, “If Clow had been going by personality, you’d be dressed in
pudding.”

Keroberos started to respond to my comment when I almost tripped under Clow’s
weight. He didn’t seem so light anymore...

“Help me?” I asked, feeling suddenly weak as the overall reality of the
situation washed over me. Keroberos nodded and helped me carry the cloak as I
picked up Clow and headed outside.

-`-

The snow was cold, but I didn’t notice as I used my wings to shield Clow’s body
from the tingling snowflakes. Keroberos carried Clow’s cloak and the Book in his
mouth and gently set it down on a bench after brushing the snow from it.

“Firey!” the puma-looking guardian called. “I, Keroberos, your protector call
upon you! Melt the snow by the great cherry tree!” Firey appeared a moment later
and carefully cleared the snow with a tenderness that was surprising from the
fiesty card. She disappeared a moment later and Keroberos replaced the card in
the box with care.

 I, Yue, call upon you!” I whispered as I set Clow-sama on the ground that
Firey had cleared. “Card under my protection- wrap up...” I found the words hard
to say and for a moment was unsure of whether or not it was snow or tears on my
cheeks. “...the Master.” Wood appeared and her good natured gentleness did
nothing to hide the grief that struck her face as she gently wrapped her Master
in her tangling boughs and stepped aside, only to vanish and fall to the earth
as a card a moment later.

“Earth! I, Keroberos, your protector call upon you! Raise a mound... over the