storypaint | True Name (Clow/Yuuko)

Comm: 30_cracks
Words: 283
Fandom: xxxHOLiC
Title: True Name
Author: rhap_chan
Theme(s): 29. Fire; Water; Earth; Metal; Wood (~Feel like vomiting)
Pairing/Characters: Clow Reed/Yuuko Ichihara
Rating: G
Disclaimer: xxxHOLiC belongs to CLAMP. All fanfiction archived here is a derivative of canon material that is not my property. I do not profit from these writings. The opinions and actions expressed in these stories are not necessarily the views and beliefs of the original author or me.

Excerpt: For a very long time, he called himself Li Clow and he worked the magic of a thousand million Chinese magicians.

For a very long time, he called himself Li Clow and he worked the magic of a thousand million Chinese magicians. He called the fire, the water, earth, metal, wood; and as he did, the Chinese man daydreamed and denied his father's name.

When he turned 45, he met her.

"Who are you?" he asked one breathless afternoon after watching her tell fortunes, all of which were true. The curious men and women didn't appreciate it most of the time, but Li Clow had learned to see only a little distance into the future (it was glass magic-- fire, water, earth, metal, a wooden frame).

"You can call me Anne, if you'd like. Or you can call me Fuu Mei, or you can call me Yuuko," she replied, smiling.

"But who are you?" he pressed, because her accent wasn't British, Chinese, or Japanese. It was something older.

"Who are you?" she asked in return to his question, taking his hand boldly as if she were going to tell his future, and Clow stammered, "Li Clow."

"You are Clow Reed," she replied, "if you would take ownership of your true name. It would give you more power."

Clow gaped like a fish. He looked into her eyes and saw something more than simple element magic there.

"I would like to become your apprentice," he said, hesitating, and then he added, "Yuuko." She smiled.

"I do not take apprentices," Yuuko replied. "I may have an opening for a minion, however."

Clow shrugged. "Does it pay well?"

"Only in knowledge," she replied, and he shook her hand before she could change her mind. Li Clow cracked and broke away in the light of her garnet eyes.