Low of Solipsism

Author’s note:
My roommate and I are getting more into the swing of RPing these two. Things should get more interesting from here on out. School is starting soon (next week) so updates will probably slow down. Or not. I have a twelve hour day two days a week. Hmm…perhaps RP will not slow down. Well, if things do slow down it’s because I’m lazy and/or have more important things to do than write fanfiction. If I get enough shouting I should pop back in to finish.

Points of interest:
thoughts

"speaking"

Disclaimer: This document is intended for public viewing and is solely for personal enjoyment. It should neither be considered an authoritative source nor an official publication of the creators and their affiliates.

Chapter 2 - Labyrinth

"How much longer am I going to be wandering around here...I'm so sick of this game!!” Syaoran continued to vent as he ventured further into the giant maze, wishing for freedom that he knew he wasn't going to gain so long as Eriol was in control. Meandering in one place for too long was not wise in his opinion so he made sure not to stop for anything he found suspicious. "What the hell do you have up your sleeve old man. Tell me!" he shouted in frustration.

Eriol watched Syaoran in amusement, taking sips of Earl Grey every so often. "He has so much to learn." Another flick of his wrist and soon smoke was billowing throughout the hallways, forming shapes of many things, some out of place and others not. "The halls are about to become more dangerous, with many more traps than before." One particular ball of smoke wisped next to the young warrior and formed what looked like the mage's head. "Syaoran-kun, how do you expect to escape if you keep running around in circles without trying to understand your foe? Is that all we're going to do tonight?" He disappeared only to have his face reappear several feet in front of the boy, while keeping pace with his sprint. "Perhaps, if you don't mind never escaping, that is okay." With that, his face evaporated, leaving only his glasses, floating in a strange manner before they too disappeared in a wisp of smoke.

The brunette gritted his teeth, wanting to swat away the form before it disappeared. "Shut up. I didn't ask for this. I didn't want to be here...I didn't want to come to England. This is all something you and my mother planned. I wanted no part in it, but you nobody gave me a choice in the matter. It's only what you fucking want. You're so selfish..." He mumbled, though is statement was more out of spite than truth. He finally slowed to a halt and looked around, amber orbs scanning the area carefully. "...I guess my only option is to start trying those doors." Turning to one of those said doors, he approached it cautiously, tilting his head as his free hand reached for the knob, turning it slowly. It creaked as it opened, he peeking inside only to find another hall and heaved. "Great...."

"Finally, it would seem the subject has decided to start exploring. But, he's going awfully slow." Eriol, took yet another sip of the tea, savoring the taste.

"I'm quite surprised, master." Spinel sat on the arm of the cushioned chair, watching the scene unfold. "I didn't think you were actually going to train him like you promised."

"You don't trust me, Suppi?"

Spinel, felt his ears twitch at the sound of his pet name. "It's not...that. So, what now?" he was once again interested by the scene in front of him.

"Perhaps I am being a bit vague in my instruction for the time being, seeing as he's so new to this. I suppose I could give him a push in the right direction."

"What are you going to do?" Spinel wagged his tail back and forth slowly, his cat eyes never leaving the portal in the floor.

"Anytime he has a slight change in mood, the room he's in will change accordingly, until he figures out the trap."

Spinel sighed. "How long are we going to be here?"

The mage put a hand to his chin. "It could be days or even weeks. Who knows? Fortunately, my magic will keep everything suspended so food and sleep are not needed."

"What the..." he blinked a few times, seeing the walls start to turn, the wallpaper slowly peeling with each step he took. "What's going on? Gaaah!!” Another shout echoed down the passageway, rusting the walls and slowly turning everything in to metal gates or fences. He grabbed at his hair, resisting all urges to pull it out in frustration. As time passed, Syaoran felt slightly disturbed by the sudden change of scenery. It got to the point where he started to run, stumbling from time to time as the floor had grown unstable. Eventually he slowed to a stop, panting hard. "...Okay, okay. I give!" was his whine in defeat as he slumped trying to catch his breath. As he regained is stamina the walls started to turn back to normal, making him stare when he opened his eyes. "I'm....so confused." A heavy sigh passed his lips and with a shake of his head started to walk, muttering things under his breath. The more he would go, however, the more he felt defeated. All he wanted was to find something relatively normal in the mansion, but to no avail. "Can't I catch a break? I don't fucking get it..." he called again, knowing he wouldn't receive answer and heaved. The more depressed he felt the more the rooms would change again, this time carrying a more bizarre and twisted look to it. The floor would move, as if something were crawling under the carpet while the walls pulsed and growled, making him even more uncomfortable. It was even more so when he looked up to see something hanging from the ceiling. It was a deep blue and yet not and when he touched it, it felt like "Hair?..." With a shudder he ducked, hoping not to touch it again, albeit it was rather impossible as the hair would grow longer every time he tried not to make contact with it. He gave in after a few minutes and just ignored it, taking no notice to the fact it would disappear behind him the less attention he paid to it.

"Well...How long do you suppose it will take him to catch on to your little scheme? He's not as air-headed as the new Mistress and he's a quick learner. And when he does figure it out, what will you do?" Spinel asked, glancing up to his master before his gaze returned to the portal.

"Which scheme? This is a game, dear Spinel, and I want him to catch on quickly. As for the overall scheme, he won't know about that until he can deal with it in a mature manner." Eriol chuckled as the halls changed rapidly. "He's confused, but I have a feeling he's going to catch on in a little bit. What I wonder is how he'll react when he realizes how long we've been gone from the real world."

Spinel look up from the picture in the floor. "It doesn't feel that long though, no more than thirty minutes."

"That's the beauty of it, Spinel." Eriol felt another smile grow. I wonder how much longer it will take him. He is a fast learner, but his emotions get in the way of his judgment, making things like this take longer than they should. "Then again, he's taking the amount of time I figured he would, so I'm not too disappointed."

The cat guardian sighed. "He's going to be mad..."

"This won't go away until he is calm. So until he calms himself completely, he will not be free to be angry with me. In that sense, he will have already taken one step in gaining control."

"And that is?"

"Having a clear mind in even the most heady of situations."

Syaoran stood in the hallway, clearing his thoughts so he could concentrate. "Okay...He's not going to let me out of here until I figure out his little trick. So...The question is: What's the trick? What is the whole point behind the place changing." The boy had been talking to himself for a few minutes now, trying to discern fact from fantasy, though he still harbored angered and depressed feelings towards his captor. "Hnnn...I'm losing my mind! I want out!" He started ranting, but stopped, raising his fists as a sudden thought struck him. He glanced from side to side, watching the surroundings with a scrutinizing expression. When he began to lose control of his feelings he began to see that the house changed. Whenever he got angry it rotted away and turned decrepit, when he started to feel depressed or sad everything would become twisted and out of the ordinary. After standing there for a little while longer, his feet moved once more, this time at a more even and steady pace, his expression being void of emotion as he cleared his thoughts, eyes closing so his focus would remain undivided.

"My, my...He's finally catching on." Eriol scratched his chin whilst leaning forward in toward the picture in the floor.

"He's actually collecting his thoughts? Remaining calm?"

"Surprising to you, eh, Spinel?" The mage chuckled. "He has had some training. He at least knows how to focus enough to discern right from wrong. The question is if he can do so under pressure."

"So you're testing his breaking point? And what of when he snaps? What then, master." There seemed to be a small amount of distrust in the guardian's voice.

"I will build him up again. What doesn't kill you; makes you stronger. The more he is torn down, the stronger he'll become when he's built up again."

"He's going to hate you for it."

"Only until he realizes I am right. Then he will have to face the truth." Eriol circled a finger in the fabric of the chair. "Now, Syaoran-kun, can you finish what you've started? Can you solve the puzzle?"

The descendant of Clow had caught on to the purpose of the house, now he just needed to figure out where the exit was. "Please let me be finished with this..." he sighed heavily only to gasp and duck as something came flying at him before hitting the wall behind him with a loud sound. "Mmm. That was too close." He clenched his fists, ready to scream and curse his ancestor for trying to take off his head; however, he steeled his nerves and took a deep breath. "Alright, if that's how you want to be..." With much reluctance and even more self-control he willed himself not to get upset or angry over what was happening to him. Instead he used that to his advantage and successfully blocked his emotions from everything.

"Hmm...He's quicker than I thought...It won't be long now..." Spinel murmured mostly to himself as he continued to watch their source of entertainment.

"Hmmm..." The honey-eyed teenager looked around, seeing that the place had returned to normal, or as normal as it could be for a mansion that belonged to Eriol. That's when he started to notice that the lights were only coming on in certain areas. That caused a slight smirk to form. "I see..." with that he sprinted down the halls with determination, but remembered to keep his emotions in check.

"Hnnn..." Eriol laced his fingers together and smiled. "You may have figured out one puzzle but you've stumbled into another. As long as you have a desire to leave, you'll be stuck here."

"Why don't you tell him that." Spinel yawned and stretched before going back to lounging on the arm of the chair.

The mage chuckled. "He needs to figure it out on his own, no matter how long it takes."

The guardian growled. "So you're going to have him wander aimlessly until he figures out that he can't get out?"

"Perhaps."

"Ugh." Spinel got up from his spot and floated to a bookcase. "In that case, I'll be reading."

Eriol leaned forward. "Let's see, Syaoran-kun. Perhaps a little clue might help." Once again, the smoke appeared, billowing in clouds and wisps. Soon Eriol's form appeared near the ceiling of the long hall. "If you can't escape, then there is no exit, Syaoran-kun. Don't waste time looking for what is not there. In my world, everything is different. Rather than you finding things, things find you." The visage faded away, leaving behind only the distinctive smile and glasses.

Syaoran looked up when he heard the magician's voice, eyes narrowing. "Hn...Don't waste my time looking for something that isn't there?" He thought about that as he stopped at a four-way hall, examining each of his options from a distance. "In his world, everything is different. If that's the case he'd never intended to let me out." His eyes fixated on the only lit hallway, tilting his head as he took the time to really think about his choices. Something about the hallway that doesn't seem...I get it now... A smile formed as he slowly stepped away from the lit hallway that tempted him and took the darkest on instead. "If there's no way out, then the only thing to do is find the source of the spell!"

Eriol smiled knowingly, letting a chuckle escape. "Looks like the game is going to continue a little while longer. It would seem he's taking the trial-and-error method." Spinel scoffed, no longer desiring to be apart of the game and instead had his nose buried in an ancient text. "Now all we have to do is wait for is for him to solve the rest of the puzzle."

"We're going to be here forever."

"That's fine by me. He's close to solving it though. He's already realized that things are never as they seem in the world of sorcery. Poor, Syaoran-kun. If he's not careful someone will pull the rug out from under him."

"Like you?"

"Yes, but I'm using lies to show him the truth. Deception does have its uses." The mage glanced to his creation. "Have more faith, Spinel."

The Chinese warrior had all but given up hope after what felt like another hour of searching. No matter where he looked there was no sign of an exit or the center of the labyrinth. Amber hues peered around, shaking his head before folding his arms after stopping in the middle of another hall. "....There's no way out of here. Hmn." With that said Syaoran sat down against a wall and closed his eyes, choosing not to move. "It's pointless. What I wouldn't give for a nice warm bath now." Another heave came as he shifted, trying to rest though he didn't feel tired. "Well, that's that. I'm not leaving, so there's no point in trying to find a way out. All I want now is a meal and a bed. Seeing as I'm stuck here, though, I guess I'll have to wait." The short-haired brunette murmured to himself idly.

"Hmm...interesting. Has he given up?" The reincarnation of Clow rested his face in his palm. "Well, you've been good so far with my tests. I suppose if I don't give you some kind of reward...you just might not trust me."

"What makes you think he'll ever trust you?" Spinel did not lift his head from the pages, although he kept actively listening.

"Trust comes with time." Eriol waved his hand and the Labyrinth disappeared, soon replaced by the room Syaoran had been sleeping in. This time though, there was a trey of warm breakfast and lunch foods waiting to be consumed. "Perhaps this will teach him to search with a clear mind."

"Or perhaps it will teach him nothing." Spinel sighed, turned one of the withered pages.

When Syaoran opened his eyes next he was met with the strange site left behind by Eriol’s magic. At first he wasn't sure he wanted to move as it may be another trap, however, after waiting a few moments and taking the time to actually sense his surroundings he stood up and walked over to the bed. The meal pulled over to him as he took a seat, staring at the fork on the table and the interesting food on the tray. It was apparently English food and he'd seen how people eat in other countries. "Hm...Doesn't look too bad." he murmured to himself as he picked up the utensil and started eating, finding that foreign food wasn't as disgusting as his sister's used to tell him as they'd tried many different foods before. Once the meal was finished with he sighed heavily and laid back on the bed, an arm covering his closed eyes, the other laying across his chest. "I wonder how much longer this will last before he finally decides to teach me face-to-face. At least then it won't be so lonely..." the youth uttered softly with a sigh.

The last statement uttered by the boy perked Eriol's interest, more than it should have. "Interesting..." He couldn't help but feel a smile creep onto his face. "He's...lonely..."

Spinel jolted, a little started at his masters sudden change. "You just admitted that he didn't trust you, and you're going to attack him in that manner?"

"Hah hah hah, no. I'm going to give him what he asked for." Eriol got up from the chair, straightening his robes. "He said he wanted hands on training." The trip to the boy’s room wasn't too long, as the house had now returned to normal. He placed a hand on the door before pushing it in. "Syaoran-kun, that was quite a lesson, wasn't it?

The teen was content to just fall asleep right then and there, but the sound of Eriol's voice startled him out of said sleep. "Hiiragizawa...?"

“So, tell me, will you be having hands on lessons from now on? I would prefer it if that were so." He placed his hands together, his trademark smile still on his face.

Syaoran blinked and sat up, staring at the blue-haired mage incredulously. He gave a frown, then snorted, looking away. "I suppose so...So now what?" he wondered with a heave, laying back down, both arms now covering his eyes. "How much more training is there? It doesn't quite feel like I've done much...I haven't been here that long."

"Actually, you've been here about a week...but no matter." The mage waved his hand as though to brush off the importance of the detail.

"A-A....week!?" he lifted his head and stared in surprise, grumbling as he grabbed a spare pillow from next to his head and flung at Eriol, prior to rolling over on his side facing away from him with a huff

Eriol stood still, smiling as the pillow bounced off his head. "For now, you should go back to sleep. However, this lesson was premature due to your own impatience. As long as you patiently await my lessons there should be no more big surprises." He pulled a desk chair over and sat down, situating himself more comfortably. "You seemed to have figured out how my house works, at least partially, and I assure you, I want to teach you as you mother instructed."

"I hate you, I really do. I'm going to bed." he exclaimed and shifted to get comfortable. "Wake me up early in the morning, I don't know if my mother told you, but I practice my sword techniques when I first get up." Was his last murmur before he fell silent.

"Of course, Syaoran-kun. I'll send for you around 4AM or so." He stood up, picking up the pillow and placing it on the bed. The boy was tired and was soon asleep, allowing Eriol to keep watching. "Ah, Syaoran, I know you're angry with me, but you'll soon realize my purpose." He placed a hand on the warrior's sleeping form, brushing some bangs from his face, but taking care not to wake him. "And I know you don't hate me...You just don't know how to act around me." He let his hand rest on the boy's cheek, lightly brushing against the skin. Eriol sighed before finally taking his leave, lingering in the doorway. "This will take a while, but...patience is a virtue, I suppose."

Ending Note: The plot thickens (not really) and the games continue (sorta). Will Syaoran figure it out? For our sakes, I sure hope so, and fast.

Feel free to leave a critique or point out any spelling, name or other stupid errors I might have made. I make quite a few.

Final notes: We all know Eriol is getting a kick out of ‘watching’ Syaoran. Who knew the old perv was into voyeurism?

Also, Earl Grey is a form of English breakfast tea.

R&R my little hentai bunnies!

-Sniffits & Toy