Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Veils of Destiny ❯ Failures & Triumphs ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon, Cardcaptor Sakura, or Visions of Escaflowne. Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, Dic & Cloverway. Cardcaptor Sakura belongs to CLAMP/Kondansha. Visions of Escaflowne belongs to Bandai. I am doing this for reader enjoyment only and am not making a profit.

Dedication: Raye-Rei, SakoshitaSakura, kangsta's beauty, Issy W., Myst_Lady

(You too can be in the dedication if you leave a review)

Cheap incentive: You too can have your name grace the dedication if you review.

Summary: Sakura- Lady Gemad's stronghold

Usagi- Enemy hands

Li, Hitomi, Merle, Millerna, Celena- Asturian safe house

Yue/Yukito, Mamoru, Ami, Makoto, Michiru, Haruka, Hotaru, and Minako- Lost (together) in Gaia

Falcon- Land of the dead

Touya and Tomoyo- On Earth guarding the Sakura Cards

Setsuna and Kero- At the Junction of Time searching for anomalies (were just leaving to report back to the shrine)

Rei, Yukari, Amano, and Van- At the temple (Earth)

Allen- Fighting on Gaia

Okay not really a summary but a who is where.

Chapter Six: Failures & Triumphs

"I think we should split up." Minako said glaring directly at Yue.

"Yes. I agree," Makoto said. "We can cover more ground to find Usagi."

"Besides it would be better since Usagi and Sakura are obviously in different places." Minako said pointly her eyes never leaving Yue.

"I agree." Yue said his purple eyes staring impassively at Minako.

"WHILE I DON'T!" Saturn screamed glaring at Venus. "We're going to stay together because that's what the princess would want. It doesn't matter if we find Sakura or Usagi first as long as they're both safe in the end."

Mamoru, Michiru, and Haruka all nodded in silent agreement. Minako nodded. "So which way do you suggest we go now?"

* * * * * * * * *

"Are we nearing the forest yet?" Hitomi asked.

Li stopped his horse and unfolded Millerna's map for the thousandth time that day. "It should be just over that next ridge."

"Will we reach the forest before nightfall?" Hitomi asked.

"Yes. We'll have to make camp on the edge though. It will be dark when we reach it."

"And Lady Gemad's stronghold is three days travel from there according to Millerna."

"If it's there." Li muttered softly, "We don't really know if it will still be there. It's a BLOODY floating fortress. It's always on the move. Damn it we'll never find Sakura if it's never in the same place twice."

Hitomi urged her horse towards Li's and placed her hand on the young boy's shoulder. "You have to have faith." she whispered.

Li laughed. "Yeah faith." hi dug his feet into the horses flanks and started off at a fast trot but Hitomi saw the moist droplets on his cheeks.

* * * * * * * * *

Usagi's feet and arms were numb. She had been sitting on her knees for hours on the cool metal floor. Her fingers were tingling adding to her discomfort. The ropes that held her cut into her wrists and Usagi bend her index finger and tried to scrape off the caked on blood. All she was rewarded with was a fresh bout of fire that ran up her arm. Usagi whimpered. "Be strong." she whispered to herself finding no comfort in her own words.

The room jerked and Usagi fell from her kneeling position and unto her chin. The impact made her bite her tongue and the bitter taste of blood filled her mouth.

She heard the creak of the door and turned to face the sound. She could fell the warmth of the exterior enter her prison. She heard slow footsteps coming towards her. She thought they circled her slowly but she wasn't sure. She felt vulnerable. "Damn," she thought. "If only I could get this blindfold off I wouldn't feel so exposed ."

The footsteps stopped and she felt a hot breath in her ear. "We're here." a low masculine voice whispered. The man cut the bonds from her ankles and jerked her to her feet. Her legs felt like jelly and she was unable to keep herself from pitching forward and falling unto her already bruised chin. Usagi heard the mysterious man's laughter. He pulled on her hair and yanked her to her feet again. "Not so smart now are we princess? There's no escape now that we've reached Lady Gemad's floating fortress."

He pushed her forward again and Usagi lunged but didn't fall over. She placed one foot in front of the other and slowly walked forward the merciless grip of her capture never leaving her shoulder.

The pressure on her shoulder increased and Usagi was brought to a halt. Fingers loosened the blindfold and the cloth floated to the floor. The ropes were cut on her wrists and her arms fell limply to her sides. She squinted but the room was dark and her eyes quickly adjusted to the dim light. She stood in front of a steel door. Her captor, a blond man of about thirty, keyed an access code into the security pad beside the door. The door slid upwards and Usagi closed her eyes to the sudden brightness.

The blue-eyed man turned back to her. He smiled demonically. "Welcome to Lady Gemad's stronghold." he said pushing her through the door.

* * * * * * * * *

Touya felt the cool drops of rain on his face and slowly opened his eyes. His vision was hazy and he blinked a few times waiting for the dots to disappear. He found he was lying on asphalt and carefully brought himself up to a sitting position. He groaned in pain trying to remember what had happened. Touya's eyes widened in fear and quickly swept the area. Tomoyo was lying unmoving on the ground next to him, her long hair was strewn in all directions and her arms were wrapped protectively around her camcorder. Touya crawled over her. "Tomoyo." he called while gently shaking her.

Tomoyo opened here eyes. "Touya? What happened?" She asked groggily.

"I..don...." he was cut short from a painful gasp next to him.

Sailor Mars was looking at him pain in her eyes. Her suit was soaked crimson and she had a long gash across her side.

"Rei are you all right?" Touya asked in a shaky voice.

"Yes help me up. I'll be all right."

Touya slid his arms around Rei's waist and gently helped her up. "We should get you to a hospital."

"No," Rei said. "Slipping her other arm onto Tomoyo's shoulder. "I'll be all right. Did he......did he get them?"

Touya reached inside his jacket for the Sakura Book but only to met empty space. Touya cried out and sank to his knees. He didn't notice Tomoyo desperately reach out and grab Rei before she fell forward so wrapped up was he in his failure. Touya's body racked with sobs and his tears fell towards the already damp sidewalk. "I have failed you sister.' he whispered into the night.

* * * * * * * * *

Sakura felt her heart grow cold and the cup of tea slipped from her grasp shattering on the floor. Green tea splashed up and burned Sakura's hand but she didn't feel the pain. Her mind was numb processing Lady Gemad's last words. "You did what?" she asked unbelieving.

"I sent my general to retrieve the Sakura Cards." There was a loud knock at the door. "Ah here he is now."

The general walked into the room and lowered to one knee bowing to the Lady Gemad. He extended his right arm to Lady Gemad and presented to her the red and gold book.

"Touya." Sakura whispered and the general just smirked.

"Now Sakura," Lady Gemad said fingering the silver chain around her neck. "You'll show me how to release the key." She pulled on the silver chain revealing the Silver Imperium Crystal and Hitomi's pendant. Lady Gemad looked at the chain in horror. "Where is it. WHERE IS IT." she screamed.

Sakura lunged at the chain while Lady Gemad was distracted by the missing key. Sakura's hand wrapped around the Silver Imperium Crystal. Lady Gemad realized Sakura's true intentions and grabbed the pink gem and pulled. The chain snapped and both Sakura and Lady Gemad fell backwards. Sakura scrambled up and ran towards the floor. She dodged the Zaibach soldiers on the main concourse the general at her heels. She weaved in and out of the people, body checking anyone in the way. She passed a flash of golden hair and momentarily paused. "Was that- no couldn't be." she resumed her mad dash. A floor length window stood presenting a dead end before her and she could see the cloudy sky. She started to stop and turn back but she could hear the steady gait of the general behind her. She doubled her speed. "Stop!" her rational mind told her. "It's solid it won't break. You'll hit it and nothing will happen. You'll never make........." she ignored her mind and jumped towards the window. Her feet made contact and the glass shattered. The wind whipped around Sakura as her body plummeted towards the ground.

To Be Continued

A/N: I must apologize. I confess I had such grand plans for this chapter and well it turned to be just filler. Oh well now that events have been sent in motion I promise more substance and length to the next chapters. As stated in my other fic feel free to email me at ladyequinox@hotmail.com. If you want to see this story come out faster you could email me daily urging me on, or, even better you could add me to your MSN and everytime I log on you could say "YOU SHOULDN'T BE HERE YOU SHOULD BE WORKING ON VEIL'S OF DESTINY!" or something to that extent. If you see any mistakes please email me and I'll fix those as fast as I can. Please be kind and leave a review.