Binding Ties
Title: Binding Ties
Pairing: Ame Warashi/Zashiki Warashi
Fandom: xxxHolic
Words: ~900
Warning: Spoilers for volume 8~!
For murder_of_raven
Binding Ties
“I thought I’d find you here.” The Ame Warashi said gently, startling the Zashiki Warashi into dropping her flute. Anticipating this, the rain sprite caught it the instrument and sat beside her friend, eyes narrowed. “I can’t believe you went to help him without telling me first! You knew that the Jorougumo’s evil aura was poisonous, and you went by yourself anyway! I thought humans were the only ones foolish enough to do that!”
“The tengu were with me…” She protested weakly, the pure air was slowly drawing out the taint to her spirit, but she had been the spider demon’s captive for what seemed like forever before Watanuki had shown up with the Kuda-Kitsune. “I had to try… He…”
“Is an idiot for not valuing himself!” The Ame Warashi fumed, drawing the other girl close. Settling the blushing sprite on her lap, she held on tightly, willing some of her own energy to wash of the evil taint that was still draining the sprite’s innocence and soul. “Making you go after his eye because he was foolish enough to incur a spider’s grudge, you have to be careful of humans! They can live in the most contaminated areas for a long time, but you’re too pure for that! What if you had died?”
“Thank you for worrying about me…” The Zashiki Warashi said softly, kissing the rain sprite on the cheek. She smiled, relaxing against her friend. The Ame Warashi’s love washed over her essence, cleansing and renewing her like the rain. “I’m okay. I really am.”
“Well, I’m going to go give him a peace of my mind!” The Ame Warashi declared, slightly mollified.
“Right now?”
“… Well, I guess I can wait a little while.” Those innocent eyes got her every time.
~+~+~
When she did arrive at the witch’s house, it was getting dark and the witch was waiting for her at the gate.
“Watanuki cannot see you right now.” Yuuko told her, her usual smile in place. The black creature called Mokona was perched on her shoulder, it’s large eyes staring at the Ame Warashi knowingly. It was quite disturbing to see that such a creature existed. “But there is something I think you would be interested in.”
“What?”
“Come with me.”
And then the witch had the audacity to actually use the Tengu fan in her presence!
When they wind died set them down again, they were in a park near a swings set. The Ame Warashi was relieved to see that there were no stinky humans milling about, contaminating the small pool of spring water to their right. It took most of her will power to not harass the witch about taking too damn long to get to the point.
Yuuko seemed to get the hint though. She motioned for the Ame Warashi to sit down on the bench beside the pool. “You know that there is a person who is trying to upset the balance?”
“Of course. Only the humans are stupid enough not to feel the stretching of reality’s fabric. Why?”
“There is a world that has already fallen.” Yuuko said, her voice becoming almost hypnotic as she stared at the moon above them. “It rains continuously, but it isn’t like this world’s rain. It corrodes human buildings and burns the skin upon contact, and there’s only a couple reservoirs of pure water left in the desert land.”
“… That’s horrible!” The Ame Warashi stood up and dipped her fingers into the pool, reassuring herself that it hadn’t become contaminated by the mere idea. “What happened?”
“The balance was tipped.” Yuuko looked at the Ame Warashi, eyes half-lidded as she finished her story. “One of the outcomes involves this happening in most worlds, including this one. By stealing human souls, and scattering what should have stayed together, he created two outcomes.”
“What’s the other outcome?”
“I cannot say.” Yuuko stood beside the Ame Warashi, keeping a hand on the sprite’s shoulder. “That would be interfering.”
“Then what do you want?”
“The creatures in that world will need water soon. Do you know what type of water would help that world?”
“And what will you pay me for the information?” The Ame Warashi glared at the witch. She may be upset but she was not stupid. “You need the information more than I need to help you.”
“I will tell you why exactly why a human child like Watanuki has captured the attention of your dear Zashiki Warashi.” Yuuko purred.
The rain sprite’s eyes widened in shock. “You value the information that much?”
“I wish to hamper that man’s plans as much as the balance will allow.” Yuuko answered neutrally. “It will be an idea confirmed for an idea confirmed.”
“Very well. You need water that has not been contaminated by tap water taken from a place humans inhabited. The fools have power, even if they don’t use it wisely.”
Yuuko nodded, her expression suddenly fierce as magic swelled around them. “Then this is why…”
When the Ame Warashi left with a troubled expression, Yuuko turned to Mokona. “What do you think of her?”
“I think she’s going to help Watanuki, when the time comes.” Mokona jumped onto the bench. “She loves the Zashiki Warashi too much to let her cry when Watanuki gets hurt.”
“Ah, you’re so perceptive Mokona!” Yuuko beamed, patting the creature on the head.
“Well of course, this is one of Mokona’s 108 secret techniques! And there’s another...”
“Oh?” The witch inquired indulgently.
“Knowing what alcohol is good tonight!”
“What a good technique~! ♥ Let’s go check on Watanuki before we start then!”
Pairing: Ame Warashi/Zashiki Warashi
Fandom: xxxHolic
Words: ~900
Warning: Spoilers for volume 8~!
For murder_of_raven
Binding Ties
“I thought I’d find you here.” The Ame Warashi said gently, startling the Zashiki Warashi into dropping her flute. Anticipating this, the rain sprite caught it the instrument and sat beside her friend, eyes narrowed. “I can’t believe you went to help him without telling me first! You knew that the Jorougumo’s evil aura was poisonous, and you went by yourself anyway! I thought humans were the only ones foolish enough to do that!”
“The tengu were with me…” She protested weakly, the pure air was slowly drawing out the taint to her spirit, but she had been the spider demon’s captive for what seemed like forever before Watanuki had shown up with the Kuda-Kitsune. “I had to try… He…”
“Is an idiot for not valuing himself!” The Ame Warashi fumed, drawing the other girl close. Settling the blushing sprite on her lap, she held on tightly, willing some of her own energy to wash of the evil taint that was still draining the sprite’s innocence and soul. “Making you go after his eye because he was foolish enough to incur a spider’s grudge, you have to be careful of humans! They can live in the most contaminated areas for a long time, but you’re too pure for that! What if you had died?”
“Thank you for worrying about me…” The Zashiki Warashi said softly, kissing the rain sprite on the cheek. She smiled, relaxing against her friend. The Ame Warashi’s love washed over her essence, cleansing and renewing her like the rain. “I’m okay. I really am.”
“Well, I’m going to go give him a peace of my mind!” The Ame Warashi declared, slightly mollified.
“Right now?”
“… Well, I guess I can wait a little while.” Those innocent eyes got her every time.
~+~+~
When she did arrive at the witch’s house, it was getting dark and the witch was waiting for her at the gate.
“Watanuki cannot see you right now.” Yuuko told her, her usual smile in place. The black creature called Mokona was perched on her shoulder, it’s large eyes staring at the Ame Warashi knowingly. It was quite disturbing to see that such a creature existed. “But there is something I think you would be interested in.”
“What?”
“Come with me.”
And then the witch had the audacity to actually use the Tengu fan in her presence!
When they wind died set them down again, they were in a park near a swings set. The Ame Warashi was relieved to see that there were no stinky humans milling about, contaminating the small pool of spring water to their right. It took most of her will power to not harass the witch about taking too damn long to get to the point.
Yuuko seemed to get the hint though. She motioned for the Ame Warashi to sit down on the bench beside the pool. “You know that there is a person who is trying to upset the balance?”
“Of course. Only the humans are stupid enough not to feel the stretching of reality’s fabric. Why?”
“There is a world that has already fallen.” Yuuko said, her voice becoming almost hypnotic as she stared at the moon above them. “It rains continuously, but it isn’t like this world’s rain. It corrodes human buildings and burns the skin upon contact, and there’s only a couple reservoirs of pure water left in the desert land.”
“… That’s horrible!” The Ame Warashi stood up and dipped her fingers into the pool, reassuring herself that it hadn’t become contaminated by the mere idea. “What happened?”
“The balance was tipped.” Yuuko looked at the Ame Warashi, eyes half-lidded as she finished her story. “One of the outcomes involves this happening in most worlds, including this one. By stealing human souls, and scattering what should have stayed together, he created two outcomes.”
“What’s the other outcome?”
“I cannot say.” Yuuko stood beside the Ame Warashi, keeping a hand on the sprite’s shoulder. “That would be interfering.”
“Then what do you want?”
“The creatures in that world will need water soon. Do you know what type of water would help that world?”
“And what will you pay me for the information?” The Ame Warashi glared at the witch. She may be upset but she was not stupid. “You need the information more than I need to help you.”
“I will tell you why exactly why a human child like Watanuki has captured the attention of your dear Zashiki Warashi.” Yuuko purred.
The rain sprite’s eyes widened in shock. “You value the information that much?”
“I wish to hamper that man’s plans as much as the balance will allow.” Yuuko answered neutrally. “It will be an idea confirmed for an idea confirmed.”
“Very well. You need water that has not been contaminated by tap water taken from a place humans inhabited. The fools have power, even if they don’t use it wisely.”
Yuuko nodded, her expression suddenly fierce as magic swelled around them. “Then this is why…”
When the Ame Warashi left with a troubled expression, Yuuko turned to Mokona. “What do you think of her?”
“I think she’s going to help Watanuki, when the time comes.” Mokona jumped onto the bench. “She loves the Zashiki Warashi too much to let her cry when Watanuki gets hurt.”
“Ah, you’re so perceptive Mokona!” Yuuko beamed, patting the creature on the head.
“Well of course, this is one of Mokona’s 108 secret techniques! And there’s another...”
“Oh?” The witch inquired indulgently.
“Knowing what alcohol is good tonight!”
“What a good technique~! ♥ Let’s go check on Watanuki before we start then!”