Reactions and Revelations
The next morning, the peaceful quiet of the estate shattered when Clow Reed found an unfamiliar presence lingering within its wards. His sharp eyes flickered toward the garden, his magical senses already deciphering the identity of the intruder.
"It seems we have a visitor," Clow murmured, sipping his tea as he glanced at Yue.
Yue, who had been standing by the window, immediately tensed. "A powerful one at that. His aura feels like—" His silver eyes narrowed. "Sun magic."
Before they could react further, Syaoran stormed into the room, looking both annoyed and alarmed. "Reiko brought someone back last night. And you're not going to believe who it is."
A few minutes later, Tranquility found himself standing in the grand hall of the estate, facing the stern gazes of Clow Reed, Yue, and a wary-looking Syaoran. Reiko stood beside him, arms crossed, clearly ready to defend her friend.
Clow adjusted his glasses, his voice calm yet firm. "Prince Tranquility, I presume."
Tranquility nodded, offering a charming yet slightly sheepish smile. "I suppose my presence is rather unexpected."
"Unexpected is an understatement," Yue said coldly. "Breaking through Clow's wards without detection is no small feat."
Syaoran scoffed. "And here I thought only reckless idiots did things like that."
Tranquility raised an eyebrow, catching the challenge in Syaoran’s tone. "I take it you must be Syaoran?"
"And you must be the one who couldn't even best Reiko in a swordfight years ago," Syaoran shot back.
Reiko groaned. "Oh great, two competitive warriors in the same room. This will end well."
Clow sighed but smiled knowingly. "You came a long way, Prince Tranquility. But tell me—what do you intend to do now that you're here?"
Tranquility's expression turned serious. "I want to stay for a while. I want to see how Reiko has grown, and I want to train, if you'll allow me."
There was a long pause. Then, to everyone's surprise, Clow chuckled. "Very well. But on one condition. If you are to stay, you must abide by the same training as Reiko and Syaoran. No exceptions."
Tranquility smirked. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
Syaoran scoffed. "We'll see if you can keep up."
Reiko just shook her head, already dreading the inevitable sparring matches between the two. But deep down, she was happy. Tranquility was here. And for the first time in a long while, it felt like things were finally falling into place.