162 visions of the future // Icarus (open action/video - backdated to earlier in the afternoon)

[i_themagician]

[ If you were to look up in the sky at around two o'clock this afternoon you would see a black blur about a hundred feet over the lake, flying erratically. It's hard to judge size and distance against the sky sometimes, but it's a bit bigger than a bicycle - or, rather, it is exactly the size of a bicycle with some unusual modifications. Namely,

Comments

[li_xiao_lang]

[The scene certainly caught the eye of this schoolboy enjoying his Saturday off. That, coupled with the fact that it was his cousin over there shouting at the pilot, made Syaoran curious enough to go see. He adjusted his hat and made his way carefully through the gathered crowd.]

[i_themagician]

[ Clow takes a deeeeeeeep breath.

And then exhales.

By the time Syaoran gets to him, he's getting the rowboat ready and pushing it out into the water. It's not fast enough, but what can you do? He notices the boy while he's at it, though, but can't think of what to say. What do you say, really?]

Oh, Xiaolang. Er, how are you?

[li_xiao_lang]

["Glad I was busy the last time you asked," comes to Syaoran's mind, but luckily he doesn't say it. He just nods.]

Do you need some help? Who is that out there?

[i_themagician]

Help would certainly be appreciated, thank you. Although I'm not sure how much you can do.

[ Probably something he hasn't thought of yet! So he gets into the boat and extends his hand to help Syao in nonetheless. ]

That's Clef out there.

[li_xiao_lang]

[Syaoran takes his hand and steps into the boat carefully. He isn't quite sure what he can do either. He hasn't really had first aid class or anything. But it seemed wrong to just not do anything.]

[Hearing Clef's name-- well, that is a bit of a surprise. Syaoran had thought him as unadventurous as he was quiet. But then again, considering the company he kept...]

Mademoiselle Ichihara's boy?

[i_themagician]

[ Clow nods and starts rowing, his face set with worry. Not only does he care about the boy, but Yuuko is probably going to kill him when she finds out. ]

[li_xiao_lang]

[He mumbles:] She's going to be upset.

[He doesn't know Yuuko well at all, but he knows her enough for that. He takes the other oar and starts to help with the rowing.]

[i_themagician]

That's an understatement, Xiaolang.

[ It seems like an eternity before they get to the middle of the lake, where the bicycle-... thing is still sort-of floating just under the surface of the water. Still no sign of Clef, though. Clow leans out over the water, cursing himself under his breath in Chinese. ]

[li_xiao_lang]

[Syaoran does not actually know what all of those words mean, but like any young boy would he notes them down mentally for future use and stares down into the water like Clow is. He doesn't see Clef and that makes him worry as well. He looks up at his relative, hoping Clow will know what to do.]

[i_themagician]

[ One couldn't say that Clow knew what to do because that would imply that he had perhaps been in a situation like this before, or that he had maybe even read a book where something like this happened and the characters' solution to the problem was applicable to his own circumstances. Neither of these were true, so Clow definitely did not know what to do.

He did, however, do something anyway. He removed his coat and, tossing it to Syaoran, proceeded to jump into the lake. ]

[li_xiao_lang]

[Syaoran rocked in the boat as the sudden wave splashed over him (managing to dampen Clow's coat quite well). He supposed it would be best to keep his hands on the oar. When the pair of them surfaced, he'd row over and get them. That was a good plan.

But the waiting-- the waiting was going to be difficult.]

[conductyourself]

[ Clef surfaced well before Clow did, and the fact that he did so had nothing whatsoever to do with Clow's act of bravery. He came up gasping for air and splashing about helplessly, already tired and... well, sinking again. ]

[li_xiao_lang]

Ichihara!

[They aren't really on a first-name basis okay. Syaoran reaches out for the boy, leaning as far as he can, hoping to be able to grab his hand or something. He was glad that Clef had surfaced again, but this-- this was just as bad. He had to help him!]

[conductyourself]

[ Hardly anyone ever calls him that, but that's not important right now. Clef is concentrating too much on grabbing Syaoran's hand and getting up into the boat. Once he's done that-- well, he might have said thank you or something except that he was coughing too much. ]

Mer-- ci... Li.

[li_xiao_lang]

[He can talk! This is a good sign, Syaoran thinks. Even with his limited knowledge of first aid, he knows that talking is a good sign of life. He isn't quite sure what else is necessary so he sits there awkwardly and watches Clef cough, hoping that Clow will surface soon. It's kinda chilly out here on this lake and they all need to go home and dry off. He looks at the flying machine for a moment, but hey. they could always come back later. If it hadn't sunk by then.]

You okay? [He feels like he should ask something, even if it is a bit inane.]

[conductyourself]

[ Clef is pretty sure that he's not actively in the process of dying, and that is his criteria for 'okay.' So he nods.

When he has caught his breath (and feels like lying down) he finally says something for real. ]

... Where is Monsieur Reed?