Ancient Girl

Composed by deko
Translated by Yuki Neco

Chapter 10: Harvesting Festival

In the emergency room (ER) in Tomoeda Hospital, a nurse is watching Iyo on the bed, while the instruments indicated unfavorable state.

“This is not good. Apply a drip uegently,” said a young intern, Kada, “Arrange an intensive nursing for this patient, from today.”
“Yes,” replied the nurse, “but chief called you from the lab, obnoxious, demanding a progress report.”

Snatching the medical record, the intern walked out of the room.

“Humph! All he’s interested in is what’s seen in a test tube. I wonder if that young kid really understand what his patient is suffering from,” the nurse mumbled a complaint against the intern. In fact, Iyo was full of sweat of agony just as the nurse grumbled.

Dr. Kada walks out in the hall where many people were walking in both directions. Touya Kinomoto, who was waiting there, talked to the intern friendly, “Hey, you look sharp, wiz kid.”
“Don’t call me that way, Kinomoto,” warned the intern, “I’m just an intern now and here.”
“Sorry ’bout that, and how’s she?” Touya asked.
“She needs an intensive care. Too weak,” Kada answered, “I thought it was just heatstroke at first.”
Touya turned quiet trying to find something to say, but he couldn’t talk anything about Iyo.

Kada said, “Your sister—I know her since we were in elementary school, and she’s grown up to be that pretty just like I thought. By the way, I’m on my way to the lab to report the progress... so I want you to come with me.”
“Why me?”
“You’re her brother, so you’ve got many we need to know,” Dr. Kada said looking straight at his friend, and whispered, “Don’t let journalists bother you with a gossip of a mysterious heatstroke during the excavation.”


In the sanctuary of Yakoku, a resinous candle illuminated the sacred altar dimly, where Sakura and Syaoran facing each other were trying to talk over something.

“That’s why I can’t leave it. Don’t you agree, Syaoran?” Sakura insisted.

Syaoran heaved a sign, because being friends with her such a long time made him know what she was up to. Beside them was a coffin in which the broad-minded queen Reko was laid, waiting for the funeral supposed to be held in a day.

“You wanna do something in return, don’t you?” Syaoran asked.

“Yes.”

The moon light through the window illuminated the two softly, who both can hear the sound of bugs.


The day broke in Yakoku, when a fresh breeze blew over all the rice field full of golden rice plants bearing a rich crop. The Hope landed on top of the turret, seeing shrine maidens practicing the ceremonial dance.

“That’s it. Hold your arm straight, Lady Iyo!!” one of the maidens instructed Sakura. Sakura is so klutz that she was just a lousy dancer no matter how optimistically she was evaluated. It was impossible to expect her to dance like a ballet dancer; she was totally out of rhythm.

“That’s too tough...” Sakura groaned.
“Keep it up, Lady Iyo. At this rate, we cannot receive the God’s send,” the maiden put a spur to Sakura, “God’s send is what we all need in Yakoku.”

On the opposite side of the courtyard, armored soldiers were training spear battle; Syoran was in the squad.

“Keep it in mind. Enemy is enemy, not a human!” shouted the captain.

“Battle... it’s not cool at all, but painful of all,” Syaoran thought to himself.

The captain opposing him struck his sword off him, pointing the his own sword to Syaoran’s throat—the captain won beautifully.

“OK, that’s all for today,” the captain said, “but remember, Dai, this is not the end in the real battle. You gotta stand up and survive. Don’t let Lady Iyo down in sadness!”

Seeing them from up on top of the turret, the Hope mumbled to herself, “Human is weird. They don’t even understand they don’t understand what’s what.”


On that night, several shrine maidens were dressing Sakura up in a private room in the sanctuary. Syaoran in a battle suit was watching how it was going.

“You’re so pretty. Your hair is the most appealing,” one maiden exclaimed the praise.
“I know what she means, it really looks like rice plants just before harvesting, that almost made me lost in an illusion,” another maiden replied. Sensing a soldier boy looking at them, the two shrine maidens were shrunk to find discontent in his eyes. They awkwardly went out of the room as soon as they finished dressing Sakura.

“What are you mad about, Syaoran,” Sakura asked insensitively.

“I am not mad,” he replied, trying to avert his look but she stood in front to take a glance on his face.

“This is a precious farewell ceremony for Antie,” she stressed. Sakura was in white clothes and red hakama (Japanese formal skirt), wearing a necklace holding an enchanted ball. The outfit she wore made her look more grown-up than she usually does, and furthermore, the light perfume he smelled from her made him blush even more.

“Are you blushing, Syaoran?” the Hope commented. By the unexpected comment, Sayoran dashed out of the room in a reflex.

“Oh, no. How can you be so dumb, Sakura?” the Hope smirked jeeringly.

“What do you mean?”

“He felt distant because you’ve turned that pretty. He felt as if usual Sakura took off to somewhere else,” answered the Hope. Hearing the reply, Sakura took off on the Fly to catch up to Syaoran.

At the funeral place in the tumulus at the corner of the village, Syaoran took a deep breath panting. The gigantic tumulus in front of him had collapsed once before and had been rebuilt afterward. From up his position, the passageway ran down to the burial chamber. On the other hand, familiar terra-cotta dolls were placed along the foot of the tumulus. He flashbacked the battle that he had in the excavation site in the 21st century, mumbling a regret, “I should have protected Sakura. Why couldn’t I...” He took out his sword and began shadaw-swordplay with tears on his cheeks.


Tomoeda Hospital ER is full of tension; a number of nurses were running in and out as beep of instruments and bustle of the medical staffs were heard restlessly.

Dr. Kada demanded status values of the other staffs, “Oxygen saturation 90. How about the fever? The temp’s still high?! Go get a permission of a CT scan!”

“Temperature is 103.6, blood pressure is still dropping,” a nurse announced.

“Apply the vasopressor!” shouted the intern.

Touya was in the hall worrying about the medical treatment applied to Iyo as an old gentleman walked to the door.

“Oh, granddad.”

“Touya, where is the time traveler girl? What in the world happened to her?” old Masaki asked slowly.

“In that room. She faded during the excavation...” In replying, Touya widened his eyes noticing Masaki knew the mystery, “Oh, do you know that she...”

“Yes, I do know about her several days back,” the old man answered word by word. Masaki walked in the room without hesitating, and then Touya gasped and followed him.

In the emergency room were Dr. Kada and the other staffs making as hard efforts as they could to Iyo who was groaning in agony.

“No visiting is allowed! Somebody call the security guards!” shouted a nurse. Defying the nurse, Masaki stepped to Iyo’s bedside.

“No more medical treatment. All she wants is rest in peace at heart,” Masaki patted his rugged hand on Iyo’s forehead. Being shocked, Dr. Kada tried to restrain him as Touya blocked him in between.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Kada shouted.

At this time, “Look! Oxygen saturation 98! Blood pressure rising 80, 82, 84...” a nurse announced the recovery, “It’s quick. The state is being stabilized.”

Dr. Kada who was confused at the paranormal recovery turned off the monitors in a rough way before stepping out in the hall. The nurses looked at the old man with admiration.

“Granddad, what did you do?” Touya asked in a puzzled look.

“She is just tired. In a strange world, is lonely without a friend. There’s no wonder,” Masaki replied gently.

A nurse read out the instrument, “Temperature 99.0, blood pressure 105. Almost back to normal.” Iyo turns better in peace, but tears came out of her eyes. “Thanks, Antie. I see you came up to me. I’m feeling better,” she thought in her dream.


Syaoran was training himself in swordplay moving fiercely around the funeral place—shifting one form to another. When he got exhausted, he lied on his back seeing a flashback of his days in Hong Kong—where he was practicing swordplay under Wei’s instruction—he heard, “Master Syaoran, a true sword expert should control his self-possession no matter what happens.”

“I know, I know... I should’ve known that...” Syaoran uttered.

At this time, he heard Sakura call his name. Opening his eyes, he got frozen at a red hakama flared over all his face. It was that Sakura using the Fly steeply descended above him. Tracing his glance, she found what he was so embarrassed with, then she jumped back with a screech. Both of the two teenagers in blush trying to say something to break the embarrassment.

The Hope and the other Cards were gazing at them from up in the sky.

“Weird. No need to blush like that,” the Hope said with a sigh.

“Cut it off, Hope!” The Light Card warned.

“That’s young couple in love... What a romantic situation,” said the Learn Card.

“Don’t talk. Silence is more valuable than anything,” the Silent Card was annoyed.

“That’s a good idea!” The Dark Card enclosed the rest of the cards inside the darkness, meanwhile, the two teenagers sat down on the platform.

“I want to go home as soon as possible,” Sakura said a complaint.

“What bothers? This world is peaceful.”

“This world is not mine, but Iyo’s. Besides, they repeat battles like an annual event,” Sakura denied, but soon she continued, “But Queen Reko lived in this world and finished what she had to do. I loved her, though.”

“So you want to stay here and protect this land until Iyo comes back, don’t you?” Syaoran ascertained.

“Wanna leave here at once. But I can’t leave them for the sake of ourselves alone to live,” Sakura answered.

“That sounds like Sakura I know. You’re like running straight at your full strength with a determined spirit, leading me and your Cards behind,” Syaoran admited Sakura’s attitude. She chuckled and kissed him on the cheek.

“Not really. This mix-up is all because of Geso Li. Next time, I’m gonna kick his rear and drag him back to the future!”

Sakura’s reply gave Syaoran a creep to see the girl in front has fierceness as well. At this time, she kissed him on the cheek again, “Listen, when we get back to the future I will... Hoeeee! I left my summer homework undone!”

He was stunned at the sudden change in her emotion. But he kissed her on the cheek in return. “You like to leave your homework,” he said smirkingly, “till the last day, like Yukito told me before, as if it was an annual event.”

“Not an annual event! That’s a seasonal phenomenon,” Sakura pouted, “You, meanie!”

After a while, even when the Dark Card relieved the darkness, the two teenagers were still acting like one of those fond couples.


Next morning, in the funeral place, there started the sound of drums, whistle, reed pipes, and all sorts of sound making things. Soldiers were clattering their armors and swords. The funeral procession for Reko led by Sakura started to preceed slowly. With the coffin carried by masculine soldiers, the procession proceeded the way down the flower-decorated path to the tumulus.

When the procession arrived at the burial chamber, the coffin was laid on the predetermined place. Followingly, several shrined maidens left bunches of flowers beside the coffin.

“Lady Iyo, what kind of charm is that?” asked the captain in surprise.

Sakura gently replied, “Antie—I mean, Queen Reko used to love flowers. This should be the most favorable way to send her to the heaven, I suppose.”

“But, it’s not our convention,” the captain was perplexed.

“No sacrifice is necessary. The terra-cotta dolls ourside will be adequate to guard the queen, in place of sacrifices,” Sakura answered in a determined look. The captain bowed and looked at his mistress who was fascinated by herself.


Sakura and Syaoran in a peasant fashion joined the folks who gathered in the courtyard of the sanctuary. Sakura cleared her throat and announced, “Now, everyone, time is ripe like our rice crop. Let’s harvest the crop. The God and spirits governing our land protected our precious rice. Harvest them with a sense of gratitude to them.”

The march of folks proceeded to the rice field; they look happy in their faces.

“Is that really you, Sakura?” Syaoran widened his eyes.

“Don’t say like that. It’s not an easy job, Syaoran.” Sakura replied.

“Excuse me, Lady Iyo. What did you say?” a shrine maiden asked. Sakura and Syaoran tried to avert her attension by laughing nervously.

Anyone except shrine maidens ran into the field. It was a little troublesome for Sakura and Syaoran to harvest the crop with a knife made of stone. All the people enjoy harvesting over a lively talk.


Tomoeda Hospital met the morning; the sunlight came though the window into the ER. Iyo was looking out the window at the morning view. Old Masaki was sleeping at the bedside; in fact, he had been watching her all night.

“Thank you very much, Granddad,” Iyo whispered a gratitude, got up from the bed and covered him with a blanket just like his real granddaughter. Out in the hall, several, not so many, friends were sleeping after spending the night of worry, including Tomoyo, Chiharu, Takashi, Naoko, and Wei and Dai like a real grandafather and grandson.

“It’s time we went back, Dai. Sorry to get you involved in a mix-up like this,” Iyo thought looking at Dai.

At this time, Tomoyo woke up and said, “Good morning, Iyo. You’re up already.”

“I’m sorry to worry you guys,” Iyo replied quietly.

“Good! I’m gonna let them know,” Tomoyo tried to wake everybody up.

“Wait, don’t do it.”

Iyo stepped up to Tomoyo in a puzzled look, and patted her hands on Tomoyo’s shoulders. Even though her action was so tender, Tomoyo was surprised for a reason, “What’s the matter, Iyo?”

At this moment, strong ripples of powers arose, forming a force field.

“Rmember. When did we meet first? When was it?” asked Iyo.

Tomoyo could see someone else overlapping Iyo’s figure. The overlapping was a girl with honey-brown hair and green eyes, who is full of pep—accompanied by two guradians in the form of a golden beast and a gorgeously beautiful human form, respectively. She knew the girl in front of her was not her best friend in fact.

“Sakura... Oh! Who are you?!” Tomoyo returned to the reality.

“I am Iyo from Yakoku. I lived in another world beyond time,” Iyo replied quietly and softly.


At the night, shrine maidens were dancing and preying for worshipping the God and spirits of nature on the stage which was set up in the courtyard in the sanctuary. Sakura managed to dance to the rhythm like other maidens, even though Syaoran worried about her.

“She made it. I was worrying, Hope!” Syaoran said.

The Hope was unpleasantly looking at him eat, when Sakura returned to the table.

“Huh, are you fighting agian?” Sakura said.

“Not that! I just thought Syaoran was glutton,” the Hope replied.

“Oh, that’s because he worked so hard today,” Sakura giggled.

“I mean I want to eat like Kerberos does!”

Meanwhile, the Cards floated above them, especially the new Cards were at the center.

“I can see there’ll be big trouble,” the Vision talked about his finding.

“Geso Li?” asked the Dark Card.

“No, it’ll be another human battle. Too dreadful,” the Life Card said.

“But I guess we can make it somehow,” the Mirror Card tried to relieve their tensions, “just like our mistress said.”

“I sure hope so,” the Light Card mentioned, “but it’s a battle between grown-up humans. That’s so much as to make me worry...”


Preview: End of Summer



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