[Heading in Ch. 1]

15. In Which Time Passes


Keroberos was rifling through the garbage because Clow-sama threw away way too
much food than was healthy. Reaching his muzzle into the can he fell into it
head first and collapsed onto the kitchen floor. Garbage flew across the room
and Keroberos hollared as he found his head stuck in the can.

“Get me out-ta here!” the loud voice hollared, sounding slightly muffled. I
stood up and walked leisurely towards the kitchen, leaning against the door
frame as I covered my mouth to hide a laugh.

“Get me out of MMPH!” the voice yelled again as it bounced around the room.
“Hey, that tastes like lemon.”

“We had Lemon Meringue a w.e.e.k ago Keroberos,” I said as I folded my arms
across my chest. Then, I looked down and jumped into the air, hovering there as
I watched the strange, wet, brown thing on the floor. I pulled my hair out of
the wet, stinking mess and fought to ring it out. Keroberos took that
opportunity to continue bouncing around the room and right into me.

Bang.

Clang.

Crash.

“That hurt!”

“Who turned the lights out?”

“I just stuck my tail in the lantern!”

“Are you on fire?”

“No.”

“Too bad. Then at least I’d be able to see something!”

Crash.

Bang.

Thud.

“Did you just throw flour at me?”

“It almost does justice to your complexion.”

Wham.

Crash.

Thud.

“Oof!”

“Hey! I got the garbage can off of my head!”

“What do you want, a medal?”

I heard a small chuckle from the other side of the room and winced as Clow lit a
candle. The candlelight flickered across his form as he waded through the
garbage and set the candle on a stool. He pulled a card from his pocket,
familiar words rising to greet my eyes, and tossed the card into the air.

“Erase,” the soft voice chanted and I felt the magic surround me, pull at me as
it weaved in the air. The invisible threads disappeared as the woman waved her
cloak in the air and I closed my eyes, opening them a moment later as Clow
pocketed the card.

“I can’t leave you two alone for a moment,” he laughed softly and all the
previous conversations were thankfully forgotten.

-`-

Endlessly, each year I watched the cherry tree rose to full blossom (with or
without Clow’s help) as spring came to full flurry. I would sleep in the garden,
the flowers twisting up through my feathers as my head rested against the soft
velvet pillows of glass. Years passed and as time tends to do, it healed all
wounds that may have seperated my Master and I.

He grew. I watched as he grew older. I always marvelled at how much he had
changed from his younger days. Clow’s chest was broader now, his voice had the
soft touch of wisdom to it, and he was most definitely taller than me.

It was about that time that I lay in the garden, blissfully intending to sleep
away the summer when my Master approached Keroberos and I with a soft whisper
of, “Walk with me? Both of you?” I followed him and began walking towards his
study. The fire roared in the hearth and sent shadows dancing across our faces.
There, on the table was a stange book. It stood, small and seemingly
insignificant in its red and gold binding.

“I have created a place to store the cards,” Clow whispered. “A place for you as
well as the cards. For when you don’t have me anylonger.”

I stared at the little book in shock and crossed my arms in front of my chest,
“What makes you think that I want to be stored?” My eyes narrowed challengingly,
but truly I was hurt.

Clow sensed this and paused, looking at me deeply for a second before he picked
the book up and placed it in my hands. I stared at it and knew that he had
already tied the cards and Keroberos and I to it.

“Can I do anything right, Yue?” the man said and I realized how time truly was
faring upon him. “Is there anything that I can do right for you?”

Now I was very hurt and I hugged the book to my chest, turning it over. There
was merely a moon with wings on the back and I traced it with my fingers
hesitatingly.

“You do everything right,” I whispered. “I just... perhaps I fear change.” It
was true. Most definitely true. I didn’t like all this talk of death. I didn’t
like all this talk of what would happen when Master was no longer there. It made
my skin crawl. “But, I don’t think you’ll ever die Master.”

“I am human Yue,” he whispered and my breath caught. “I wish I had a different
answer to give you, but everything human passes on in this world- even I.”

      -End Ch. 15-