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Fandom: xxxHolic, Tsubasa, and Possibly X, Wish, RG Veda and others.
Pairing: Watanuki x Doumeki
Rating: PG-13
Notes: Characters belong to CLAMP, not me... and all that jazz... This takes place in an AU.... So yeah.. No spoilers to mention...

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Many many years ago in the land of Nihon, the Nihon of another world, there was a great war upon the land. Feudal lords controled different territories and fought amongst themselves for control of the land. Samurai and ninja alike served under different lords seeking to gain their favor by capturing more land.

Two princesses, Sakura and Tomoyo, fought to put an end to this war, but Yuuko-hime, the only princess who could help them has gone missing, just after the Emporer Clow was also declared to be missing. This caused an uprising, and the feudal lord Fei Wong Reed has taken over her land, and pushing back Sakura and Tomoyo's forces.

And now a demonic uprising has taken place. Many have decided that while the people were at war, they could take over. Bandit raids happen every other day, and there is not order in this chaotic world. What will happen?

Will Fei Wong Reed take over all of Nihon, or will Yuuko-hime's followers join with Sakura-hime and Tomoyo-hime to push him back?

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"It's a demon!" yelled scared townspeople as the franticly ran through the streets. It was like a stampede, a rush of human bodies away from the demonic prescense. The sound of crying children could be heard, while mothers were paniced trying to find them. And just then smoke began to appear in the sky. A house was on fire.

"A demon raid!" someone else yelled.

Haruka stepped forward, walking down the dusty path of the dirt road, followed closely by his grandson, Shizuka, and the miko, Himawari. They were here to fight the demons.

"It's Haruka-dono! We are saved!" someone said as another rushed up and told them exactly what was going on.

"Shizuka, you know what to do," his grandfather said. Shizuka nodded, gesturing for the miko to follow him. They were reaching the edge of the town where demons were flooding in, bows raised, and arrows knocked. They fused their arrows with chi, and allowed the arrows to fly, their maksmanship perfect.

Haruka was seeing to injured townspeople, while trying to cut down the panic and and fight the tongues of flame threatening some of the homes.

Demons dropped at the arrows of Shizuka and the miko, Himawari. One after another, each destoryed by their overwhelming amounts of spiritual power. These demons were weak, Shizuka thought as he approached his grandfather after the final demon had dropped and they had put out all the fires.

People were getting rid of the dead bodies of the demons, praying that more would not come.

"It would seem that Fei Wong Reed is on the move. He has heard that Yuuko-hime is missing."

"What does this mean, grandfather?" Shizuka asked, worried about the people.

"We must go to Sakura-hime and Tomoyo-hime for help. He has already taken the castle."

"What, but... Kimihiro is there!"

He shot off down the road as Haruka called for him to wait, but he didn't listen. The demon raid had only been a distraction to lead them away from the castle, he thought as he ran. He knew their forces would be weaker now and that was why Fei Wong had chosen to strike now. He just hoped Kimihiro was safe.

"Shizuka! It's too dangerous!"

He was running as fast as he could down the path, and through the trees and rows of planks, and the brightly lit paper lanters on the sides of the roads. He ran past the shrine he resided and up the road to the huge stone steps. He was past the gate and on the palace grounds.

There was smoke and flames everywhere. He pulled a white, flowing sleeve over his nose and mouth to keep himself from choking. There was blood and bodies everywhere. Bodies of their own, demons, and Fei Wong's troops as well. How was he able to get demons to fight on his side?

He ran past the bodies and into the burning castle. Shouji doors ruined, and singed paper scattered everywhere. Some fluttered about about and dust and soot fell on him.

A beam fell behind him, just barely missing him. The battle had been long over by now, and he was searching for Kimihiro. Where was Kimihiro? His heart beat was racing, panic, worry and dread filling his mind, but still the statue-like features of his face never changed to display his emotion.

"Kimihiro!" he called out, not seeing anyone else, as he made his way to the throne room.

"Kimihiro!" he called out again. His eyes darted left and right, as he continued searching the castle.

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All he knew was that his head hurt, and he didn't remember much of anything. He vaguely remembered being lifted and carried somewhere, and he had heard a voice, and saw fire. Fire everywhere. He was dizzy, his conciousness swirling about him. He was broght far away to somewhere he had never been before, seeing faces he had never seen, and the worried face of someone... familiar.

He sat up. In an unfamiliar room, looking around. He was on a futon in a rather large room, and out of the corner over his eye he could see someone sitting up against a wall nearby.

It was Shizuka, the grandson of the head priest. He seemed to be asleep, and looked as if he had been fighting sleep.

Memories were rushing back to him now. There had been a battle. His men slain left and right as more demons poured into the castle. He stood up.

"Where is my sword!"

Shizuka was up faster than he had seen the priest move.

"Lay back down, Kimihiro, you are injured."

"Shizuka... But.. There is a battle going on! I must protect the people!"

"The battle is over, lay down."

"Over? Where are we."

"Sakura-hime's Palace."

"But.. I should be home! Yuuko-hime's palace! The people need me!"

"The castle has fallen."

"WHAT!"

"Fei Wong Reed has taken the castle. Many of the villagers escaped. But you are the last samurai left from Yuuko-hime's officers."

Kimihiro looked sick, "No.. I can't... believe it."

He sat down, tears flowing down his cheeks.

"I couldn't save.. anyone!"

"It's not your fault."

"Shizuka!"

"Shh. You need to rest. Stop, you're going to re-open your wounds."

Kimihiro's hand was already bleedging again, the blood showing through the bandage. Shizuka sat down beside him, and Kimihiro burried his head in the larger man's chest.

"What am I going to do?"

"Stop crying, it's not over yet."

"Who brought me here?"

Shizuka narrowed his eyes, looking only a little annoyed, "Who do you think?"

"I can't even take care of myself, and you go and save be from a burning building. I should have died there."

"Don't say things like that."

"I only burden you. You are always doing things like this, why?"

"I think you already know the answer to that," Shizuka said, just as there was a knock at the door. He looked up, telling them to come in.

"Himawari-chaaaan!" came Kimihiro's pleased voice, he was jumping up to greet the girl walking in and the head priest behind her.

"I see you are feeling better," Haruka said, behind the smiling girl. Kimihiro nodded, and Shizuka looked away, irritated at the boy's sudden change in mood as Himawari had walked in. Idiot, he thought. His eyes closed slightly and he stood up.

"I'll be back later," Shizuka said, leaving the room.

"What's his problem?" he could hear Kimihiro saying as he walked down the hall. He gritted his teeth a bit. He had nothing against Himawari, but how could Kimihiro be so damn dense. It was rather insulting.

He went out to practice his shot. Standing in the feild and shooting at a target. Archery seemed to be the only thing that kept him in control, to take his mind off of things. He was knocking the bow and pulling sting and feathered arrow back. A strong wind picked up as he held the bow steady.

When the wind had died down he shot, string slapping against his left arm. Bull's eye. bull's eye, bull's eye. Over and over again he shot, never once missing dead center on the target.

What felt like hours later he heard his name called. An arrow split, and he turned around to see his grandfather.

"Something wrong?"

"No," Shizuka answered calmly, knocking another arrow.

"I know something is wrong." Haruka replied, glancing at the split arrow.

"Hn."

Another shot, another arrow split, straight down the center.

"It's about Kimihiro isn't it?"

"Hn."

He shot again. His aim perfect.

"He'll figure things out eventually."

"Hn."

And another bull's eye as Haruka walked away.