Tsubasa Chronicle Fan Fiction ❯ A Thousand Memories' Farewell ❯ A Thousand Memories' Farewell ( One-Shot )

[ A - All Readers ]

-*-Disclaimer-*- I own and claim no rights of Tsubasa Chronicle, of which all belong rightfully and legally to its creators, CLAMP. My only intent; as a writer, is to use the story's characters and plotline in a short story all my own. Though I fear it may not be something you may like, please accept it, for it is the best work I could do. It is my eager hope that you enjoy it.

A thousand smiles,
silverfeather


--------------------------------------------------------------A Thousand Memories' Farewell------------------------------------------------------------ -----


Syaoran, quietly sitting on a soft wooden park bench, whole-heartedly and contently watched as his beloved princess whooshed back and forth happily on the silver-chained swing. The affable, carefree wizard Fai sat next to Syaoran, grinning as always; the impatient warrior Kurogane was napping against the sturdy but soft bark of a tall oak tree, shrouded by its shadow, though numerous shreds of scattered sunlight shone on his sleeping form.

The park was empty except for the group. Swings, slides, climbing bars, and a playhouse rested in a large but thin box on the evergreen grass. Near the playground was a large silver pole with a flag lightly flapping through the calm wind at half mast. It had green, pink, red and blue stripes outline a small white diamond in the very middle with a tiny red dot at the center.

The small egg of fur, Mokona, watched Sakura play on the swing, jumping up and down without end, fueled by its giddy attitude.

"Back and forth, back and forth," it sang, "Swinging high, through the sky! Jump and soar and flap and fly, like a pretty butterfly!" It hopped in circles, eagerly flapping its rabbit-like ears. It then landed on the side of the seat, swinging, singing, and giggling with the young girl next to it.

Syaoran sighed fondly as he watched Sakura laugh with the happy creature, continuing to glide through the air, untouched by fatigue.

Her golden brown tresses danced in the warm, late spring air. They gracefully swept across her majestic green eyes, which were sparkling like emerald gemstones from her boundless fun. The early afternoon sunlight showered her beautiful pale skin and light pink cheeks, coating her angelic face in a heavenly bask of light. Her gentle smile became all the more to it, shining brighter and warmer than the summer dawn. Her laugh; the sweetest and purest sound in the world.

The young boy inhaled the enticing scent of the delicate midday afternoon, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his blue jeans, falling into a deep state of peace. Though that tranquility was shattered like thin glass as he felt what was inside his pocket; a feather, which he had found when the group arrived in this world known as the country of Natocarr. A white feather that had a strange mark on it. A white feather that glowed with a bright light and surrounded by an aura of immense magical power.

A special white feather, which was the very last and final missing piece of the lovely Princess Sakura.

The group had arrived to the small town in the country of Natocarr. After the lovely young Princess Sakura played a few games of "harmless poker" at the local bar, the travelers had enough money to buy clothes that blended in with the town. Little Mokona was able to sense one of Sakura's memories, which took the shape of glowing white feathers with abnormal heart-shaped marks on them.

No corrupt figures, events, or even stories existed within the town, and no one was aware of a strange feather. Syaoran went with Mokona to search for it, and found it hanging from a rosary at a small shrine. The second they had found it, Mokona grimly told Syaoran that the feather they had just discovered was the very last one for Sakura to find; Mokona could not detect any others within any other dimension. The final fragment to put back in the once-shattered heart of the most precious person in his life was now in Syaoran's possesion.

The young boy only stared at the lone memory in his hands. He had done it. He had collected all of the memories of his dear princess. Their journey had spanned more than a thousand different worlds and universes. Yet no one had seemed to change. Fai was still his cheery though unclueless self, continuing to give Kurogane, who was still careless but ruthless, different nicknames that annoyed him to great intensity. Especially when Mokona joined him. Sakura's kind innocence was unchanged, and Syaoran's ambition and sturdy determination to save the life of the one he loved had not wavered.

And it had paid off; his mission was nearly complete.

However, a strange feeling led to him asking Mokona to keep him finding Sakura's last memory a secret from the rest of the group. He wanted to at least talk to Sakura, to tell her that he was happy that he was finally able to finish what he had worked, risked, and sacrificed so much for. He wanted to tell her that he was proud to be able to protect her from the unaccountable perils they had felled. Not only that; he wanted some time to think about what he should do when the last feather was delivered to her.

He found it extremely selfish on his part, but he was unsure of whatever he was left to do. He wondered if he would even have to say goodbye to his lovely princess. Even so, he was confused. Until he thought of something, he decided to keep the feather close to him until he found the time right.

"What's the matter, Syaoran?" Fai asked, looking down upon him with that cheerful grin he always wore. Syaoran shuddered a bit, grasping the magic feather tighly in his hands for a split second, then slowly loosening his hold.

"Nothing." he answered, his preoccupied eyes turning to the soft brown soil underneath his feet. "You sure?" Fai asked again. "You seem a little distracted by something." The boy said nothing. A disturbed but not uncomfortable silence draped over the two, until the carefree wizard's head lay back against the soft bench, releasing a relaxed sigh.

"Amazing, isn't it?" he unexpectedly asked. Syaoran's eyes kept their gaze. "It's been at least two and a half years since we began our journey. Yet somehow, it feels as though it is right back at the beginning, doesn't it, Syaoran?"

"I guess." he quietly responded, somewhat surprised that the man had almost guessed his very thoughts.

"Sakura-chan seems to have gathered almost all of her feathers; from my view, anyway." Fai said, looking towards the jubilant princess and odd creature. Syaoran's eyes slowly shifted from the ground to the two. Sakura was pushing Mokona on a swing built for younger children. The small cottonball squealed with such glee that he was unable to contain it. He usually was. Fai then looked back to the slightly confused young man sitting next to him. "Am I right?" was all he asked.

Syaoran had wondered if Fai had discovered that he secretly had Sakura's last feather. It seemed possible to him, since he had a sharp intuition. Though the man sometimes preferred to not really talk about the subject. Fai was still mysterious like that. Though the boy had known him for quite a while now, a mist of mystery still shrouded him well enough for anyone who tried to better understand him. Even so, Syaoran fell into silence again, not really wanting to answer Fai's question. The blonde man seemed to anticipate this, his calm cerulean eyes looking at the boy with an unusual understanding. Syaoran now wondered, almost feared, if Fai knew what the boy was supposedly hiding.

"You have it, don't you? Sakura-chan's feather?" he asked in his normal calm tone.

One of Kurogane's eyes fluttered open suddenly and landed upon the two at the sorcerer's words.

Syaoran didn't seem surprised that he found out. "How did you know?" was all the boy asked, his tone sounding somewhat that he expected it. Fai displayed his normal goofy smile.

"I still have my magical intuition, and since Sakura-chan's feathers are so powerful, I can sense them somewhat, like Mokona can." Syaoran knew it, so he wasn't too surprised. "But why are you keeping it concealed? Since it is so close by, Mokona should be going 'boink' like it usually does when it's close to one of Sakura-chan's memories. Unless he knows about it...?"

"..." Syaoran felt somewhat guilty for not telling the wizard, whom he believed, besides Kurogane, was a trustworthy man. "Yes..." he finally said after a long and uncomfortable silence. "Mokona knows. I asked him to keep it a secret from you guys and the Princess."

"I see." Fai said, unsurprised. Kurogane didn't say anything, only watching and listening without any interruption.

"I am going to give it to her, that I promise," Syaoran said. "But Mokona told me that this was the very last feather for her to obtain. And that got me thinking of things: What am I to do once she obtains her last feather? I wish to stay near her longer, but..." he trailed off for a moment as he slightly gripped his fingers into a fist, eyes lightly sprinkled with pain.

"For every feather she has recovered where I was supposed to be, she can't see. Every one of those feathers has cut me so deep; once she obtains this last one, my existence will still be a haze that will never clear. I know that it sounds self-absorbed on my part, but..." his voice escaped him as he watched Sakura play with Mokona. How he wished that the warm and tender smile she always had on her adorable face would be directed at him like it used to be.

Sakura giggled excitedly as she led the confused Syaoran to the palace gardens, trying to avoid her brother as much as possible. Yukito too, for she didn't want him telling her big brother where she and her friend were going. The two children walked along the stone path of the gardens, both looking at the flowers as they walked on. Syaoran gazed at them attentively, while Sakura did the same, but looked over her shoulder to watch the little boy's expressions.

Flowers of different colors and sizes greatly inhabited the garden. Marigolds, roses, daisies, carnations, chrysanthemums, sunflowers, dandelions, all kinds. Syaoran kneeled on the path towards them, eyes refusing to leave their mixed beauty. "Nice, isn't it?" the sweet little princess asked. The boy nodded as the little girl kneeled next to him.

"But why would you mix them like this?" Syaoran asked. Sakura smiled.

"I thought that it would be kind of sad if all of these kinds of flowers were separated only by their kind. So I suggested that they be mixed, so that way, they could all be a family! After all, flowers are the same as people; there are different kinds. And this way, they can all enjoy the company of a new friend!"

Syaoran looked at her with confused eyes.

"Just like how I came to have you as a new friend, Syaoran-kun!" She kept smiling at him, the warmest smile in the world. It became contagious to Syaoran; one tugged at his lips as he nodded his head.

"You're right, Princess." They both laughed.

He cursed himself after, astounded at the selfishness he claimed he was expressing. Though the reoccuring visions of their close friendship together in childhood kept him satisfied somewhat, since he was happy that he at least could remember their times together, he was beginning to wonder if he should have just remained as close to her as the rest of his kingdom was. Just that of an ordinary subject, not a close friend of royalty.

He began to believe that if he had not stepped into this kind princess's life, she would not have lost her entire soul, leave her kingdom behind on such a perilous quest, and be forced to travel with naught but a group of strangers, Syaoran himself one of them. Though he did not regret it; for he chose the path he had walked; the path to save the life of the one he loved dearly: Princess Sakura. He felt a light hand rest on his shoulder. Fai looked down at him, smiling.

"I understand, Syaoran." he said. Then his head turned to the black-haired warrior resting against the tree. "And I bet Kuro-tata does, too!" he said happily. An angry vein popped on Kurogane's forehead as a fist formed. "It's been over two years and those name-calling jokes haven't gotten old!? Dang, what a pain!" he complained, grunting annoyingly. Fai chuckled. Syaoran shown a small smile, though faded after a few moments as his hands gripped the feather in his pocket once more.

Sakura's eyes suddenly fluttered open, realizing that since she could half-see through the inky darkness that it was still the middle of the night. However, the phosphorescent silver moonlight dimly lit the room as it filtered gently through the thin glass window. The princess looked around to see everyone was still asleep. Fai was lying peacefully in his cot, with little Mokona cuddled right next to him. Kurogane was sleeping against the wall, as always. But Sakura gasped to discover that the other cot next to Fai's was empty. Dressing herself quickly in a purple lace dress that went down to her knees, she decided to go out and look for the missing person. She grabbed her light pink jacket from the rack next to the front door, since the late spring nights were somewhat chilly.

She desperately searched through the park where they were spending the day, until she saw a young man sitting solemnly on a bench, gazing almost emptily at the haunting moon, half full. "Syaoran-kun?" Her soft, worryful voice awoke him from his trance of jumbled thoughts. "Hime? What's the matter? Why are you out here so late at night?" he asked sincerely.

"I could ask you the same thing, Syaoran-kun." she replied, smiling. The boy looked at her, surprised, then his head lowered with a look in his eyes that appeared someone had grabbed hold of his heart and squeezed it. "Hime...may I talk to you for a minute, please?" he asked. She didn't seem startled. She nodded her head as she walked over to the bench and sat down next to Syaoran.

"Is everything alright, Syaoran-kun? You seemed kind of distracted today." she commented, her concerned jade orbs locking with his amber ones. To his own surprise, a warm hand rested over his own in his lap as she looked at him. This action caused all apprehensive tension of what he was about to tell her to fade distantly into the nightly wind. "Hai, I was distracted by something, Hime. Thank you for worrying. Though it is of now that I must tell you..." The girl listened carefully. "...that our journey across dimensions is coming to an end." Her eyes slightly widened, showing her shock, but more importantly her undiscovered expectation of the subject.

"But before I go into that, I just want to say that...I am very happy to have finally completed my mission. And also that..." he paused as he took his other hand and placed it over her own. "I am very proud to have been able to protect you from the hundreds of dangers we have faced thus far. I am glad that I have been able to keep you safe, and that we have retrieved almost all of your memories."

Sakura didn't really look pleased. In fact, she appeared frightened. "What's going on, Syaoran-kun? All my memories aren't back yet."

He half-smiled at her. "Maybe..." he began to dig into his pocket, until he revealed a glowing feather with a magical aura. "But they will be soon." Sakura's eyes recoiled in shock, looking upon the lone feather. "That's...my..."

"Mokona told me that this is your very last memory to be recovered, Hime. Because it couldn't feel any more of them beyond any other worlds. Once this feather reenters you, your wings will be complete again. Also, since you have the power to cross dimensions, you can find your way back home to Clow. You can see your family and people again." Syaoran lifted the feather to the girl's chest, but then she stopped him. He looked at her, confused.

"Syaoran-kun...before I take back the feather...I just want to say thank you." His lips began to part forming a question, but she raised a hand, silencing him.

"Thank you so much for everything. When I first awoke, everything felt so alien to me; I didn't understand anything that was going on, even after you explained it to me. I felt no different than one passed on and brought back among the living. And I felt confused and scared when I had found I was traveling with a group of strangers that I never met. And I knew from the moment my eyes opened that something was wrong with me; that something was missing. Like my heart had shattered and the pieces far escaped my grasp. I didn't even know myself. But because of you, Fai-san, Kurogane-san, and Moko-chan, I can truly be myself again."

"And even though many memories were stolen from me, this entire experience gave me the great opportunity to make new memories; memories of which I can always look back upon with a smile."

Syaoran was dumbfounded by her words, never realizing that was how she really felt the entire time they and the rest of the group. He also cursed himself for this, never fully trying to understand his princess's feelings of their quest. Sakura kept smiling, almost eagerly waiting for Syaoran's response. Though the boy was lost for words.

"Well? Aren't you going to answer her, Syaoran?"

The two's heads suddenly twisted around, seeing the not-so-surprised faces of their friends. They both raised a hand of question. "Relax. We just got here." Kurogane interrupted, scratching his scalp, bored. "We just wanted to be here when Sakura-chan received her last feather." Fai said. "That's right!" Mokona added, raising a tiny white paw.

The two nodded after they began to understand. Turning their attention back to the feather, Syaoran let it melt into her body, completing her wings. Her eyes turned a dark green as they fluttered shut, spellbound by sleep. The young man caught her before she could fall.

But something happened.

She gasped as she felt her soul seem to change in a way. It felt as if it were morphing into something new, something...better. It was then that luminescent, gorgeous golden wings sprouted from her back, shining brighter than the summer midday sun. "Sakura-hime, are you alright?" Syaoran desperately asked as Sakura tried to regain herself. "...Syaoran-kun?" she said weakly as she seemed to return to normal. The group grew relieved as she marveled at her own wings. "....Wow..."

"You can go home now, Hime." The young traveler told the girl. She suddenly looked back at him, shock once again entrancing her expression. "Home...?" That very word traced her mind for a minute. Her brother, her priest, her kingdom and people...her recollected memories cried for them. At that moment, she had never felt so happy. She was going to see her country again, her home! The one desire she had been seeking other than collecting her scattered memory fragments. Another thought then came to mind; if she could cross dimensions with her wings, then maybe she could bring her companions with her. But then she took another minute to try and think about that. Kurogane was out of the question; he is still trying to get back home. Fai would probably go, but then again, he doesn't like staying in one place for so long since he is still a fugitive from his own land. Mokona was also out of the question; it was the key that had allowed them to cross dimensions the entire time. Her thoughts then drifted to Syaoran.

"Syaoran-kun! Will you come home with me?" she frantically asked, reaching for his hands.

The boy was easily startled by her words. Though he then thought about them for a few seconds. If there was one thing that he wanted to do more than anything, it was to go back to the land he came from and continue to see Princess Sakura, along with finishing the work his father had left behind. That was another ambition he was hoping for after retrieving all of Sakura's feathers. Though, for some odd reason, another thought came to mind as he looked over to Fai, Kurogane and Mokona.

Fai was still smiling, though it was a sad smile, a depressed smile that grew more sorrowful by each second at the thought of the young boy leaving them. Mokona groaned and whimpered, saying "Mokona doesn't want Syaoran to go. Or Sakura either." Kurogane, surprisingly, didn't seem very much alright with the thought of the child leaving with the girl he loved.

He was looking at those who had assisted him greatly in reaching his goal. Fai, the one who taught him so much of what there is to know about the world and all the different kinds they have entered. Kurogane, who had given him the honor of becoming his teacher in swordsmanship. And of course, Mokona, who always made sure to see if Sakura's feathers were ever found in a new world (despite Kurogane's efforts to keep going). He realized that they had done more for him that even they couldn't see. And as much as he wanted to be near the royal princess he fell deeply in love with so long ago, he felt he owed the rest of the group something. Syaoran realized that his journey was still far from over.

"Thank you, Hime-sama. But I am afraid that I cannot go with you." he said, grasping her hands tightly. Everyone froze, wondering why he spoke such words. "But why?" Sakura asked, saddened greatly. Syaoran gripped her hands tighter, smiling at her wholeheartedly.

"Sakura-hime, all this time I have been striving to retrieve your memories for you. And now that mission is accomplished. But now, I have another mission that I must complete." She looked at him with unfamiliar confusion.

"These three have helped me immensely in the countless tight situations we've encountered. Yet I could never find an equal solution to repay them for their help. So I've decided to stay with them so that I can help them with the rest of their journey. I feel I owe a large debt to them, you see." he said. He turned around to look at them. "If that's alright with you guys, that is."

"Yay! Yay!! Syaoran's staying!!" Mokona was cheering spontaneously.

"Hey, there's no way I'm gonna kick you out of the group!" Fai said, grinning. "And I don't think Kurowawa wants to, either!"

"That's Kurogane~!" the ninja exclaimed annoyingly, and drooping his head, he said "I don't care."

Syaoran smiled at this, then turned back to the astonished princess, now more serious than ever. "Sakura-hime, I'm afraid this is goodbye. Please, live the rest of your life happily among your brother and people. I wish you the best. He gently brought her hand to his lips and kissed it softly.

Fai grinned happily at the two. Mokona jumped up and down on Fai's shoulder, saying "Lovey dovey, lovey dovey!" Kurogane made a disgusted snort, but it was somewhat fake.

Tears began to prick the corners of the princess's eyes and soon flooded. She suddenly withdrew her hands from his own as she smashed into his chest, wrapping her arms tightly around him, sobbing into his shirt. He immediately wrapped one arm around her back while the other stroked the back of her neck.

"I'll miss you, Syaoran-kun." she said, choking back a sob. She then lifted her head to look at the others. "I'll miss all of you. Fai-san, Kurogane-san, Moko-chan."

"We'll miss you as well, Sakura-chan." Fai said, smiling as he gave her a swift hug. Mokona jumped into her arms and nuzzled her chest. "Mokona will miss Sakura too much!" Kurogane stepped forward and lightly rested his hand on her head, smiling a bit. "Take care of yourself. You got that?" She nodded understandingly. The group then backed away as she turned around and summoned a gateway, forming her way back home. The others waved at her, bidding their farewells. She watched them all with tear-painted eyes.

"Sayounara, Fai-san, Kurogane-san, Moko-chan..." Her eyes stuck to the last one, her tears falling in branches down her pale pink cheeks.

"Aishiteru...Syaoran." she whispered as she flapped her wings and disappeared within the portal, which immediately vanished with a swirl of blinding white light. She was finally going home.




Syaoran's eyes shimmered with the mixed emotions he was experiencing: happiness, sadness, and pride. Though Syaoran was saddened by the loss of his great love, he realized that her life was saved, and would never be put to peril again. And where that quest had ended, a new one began to take shape. Since he felt he earned a lifetime of debt to the people who helped achieve his goal, he felt no regret as to start anew. He has gained much knowledge, love, and trust through his first journey; he could hardly wait to see what else lay ahead of him. With a newborn ambition and will, Syaoran stepped up to the group, smiling proudly for what his next journey awaited him. "Alright, let's go!"




Undying heroes and legends lay unhidden in the footprints of paths where great journeys were once traversed. Only those sturdy of ambition and noble of heart can find the eyes and strength to find these paths and walk, fight, and endure them without regret. And it is because of these great questers that all who would take great risks, chances, and sacrifices help the world grow to learn the true meaning of "adventure."