Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Veils of Destiny ❯ An Unexpected Meeting ( Chapter 5 )

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.

Author's Notes: In fear of sounding redundant I shall keep my fingers from the keyboard. Oh but I must thank Kim for pointing out the Hotaru thing. In my book I had her in the center o the circle but somehow I missed it in the actual story. Thanks for pointing it out.

Dedication: To all my reviewers especially those who have emailed me.

Part 5: An Unexpected Meeting

Hitomi slanted her eyes as she brought her hand up to shield herself from the sun harsh rays 'Is that a farmhouse,' she questioned herself. 'Naa probably just a mirage like the farmhouse before that and the one before that and....' her thoughts trailed off. Hitomi was starting to get the sneaky suspicion that the heat was getting to her. It was hotter than the Sahara and Hitomi was craving hot Green Tea. She rolled her eyes silently muttering to herself "Get it together Kanzaki."

Hitomi was exhausted by the time she reached the farmhouse. She stood perfectly still with one foot poised above the first step. "Oh come on Kanzaki you can do it," she told herself "It's not a mirage it wouldn't disappear beneath you......." She stopped talking when half a dozen swords were thrust in her direction. She swung wildly around only to have the tip of a blade graze her neck as dark crimson fell to the ground. 'Where the hell did you come from?' Hitomi cursed silently.

* * * * * *

Li had given up cursing a forest, two hills, a mountain, and half a desert back. He had been walking for hours and was totally and completely lost and to top it all off his lazen board hadn't worked since he had let Earth. Sighing he took out his lazen board and tracing the ancient symbols with his finger he whispered softly "Please Imperial King of Gods lead me to my love Sakura." Li raised his voice screaming into the dead air "Force know my plight release the light."

Li was mildly surprised when he felt the magic hot like fire course through him and the board. 'Why is it working now?' he wondered. Then deciding not to tempt fate he put aside his misgivings and started off at a dead run in the direction of the light.

"Please let it be Sakura." He silently prayed. Li stopped running as the light from his lazen board came to rest on six guards huddled around their captured prize.

"Sakura." Li screamed as he rushed the guards while pulling out his necklace and calling upon his sword. The guards turned at the sound and ran to meet him. Li thrust and parried knocking down the first solider and moving to the next. He fought in a blind fury ignoring the nagging voice at the back of his head telling him to be calm, to be still, to never fight in anger. His only concern was reaching Sakura and nothing was going to stand between him and his beloved.

The final solider fell from a blow to the stomach. "Sakura," Li's joyful voice rang as he turned towards his angel. "Are you......" his voice trailed off when he saw her face, "Hitomi? What are you doing here?"

"Li? Oh Li I'm so glad you're here," Hitomi ran and hugged Li, "I got lost and I saw the farmhouse and came seeking shelter but instead found myself surrounded by these brutes. I don't even want to think what would have happened if you hadn't come. How did you find me."

"I don't know. I asked the lazen board to lead me to Sakura and instead it lead me straight to you."

Hitomi gazed into Li's disappointed face. 'He's wishing I was Sakura' Deep in thought thinking what would happen if Van was in harm she almost missed the sound of footsteps behind her. She watched as Li went tense pulling his sword into attack position.

Hitomi slowly turned and found herself face to face with a pale, frail looking blond girl. Without taking her eyes off the girl she motioned to Li "Put the sword down. She's a friend. Celena what are you doing here?"

Celena turned and beckoned to someone inside the house. Out of the shadows appeared two figures.

"Merle, Millerna you're hear too?"

Millerna smiled at Hitomi. "Allen sent us to this safe house away from the fighting. Millerna glanced back at the fallen men "Oh dear you've really done a number on the bodyguards."

Hitomi glanced down a the nearest solider. On closure exception she could see he was in the tradition Austurian colours. "Opps, well at least they're all still breathing."

* * * * * *

The small room was pitch black except for a ghostly yellow light. 'It's 3:46a.m.' thought Sakura, 'I wonder if everyone is sleeping at home?" She put on her indigo watch again comforted bye the light. '3:47a.m.. It's the same time on Earth as it is in Gaia. I wonder if Li is lost and alone on this night.' Sakura tried to make herself into a tight ball to prevent the shivers that sent her body into spasms. Tears spilt down her cheeks and Sakura leaned against the cool brick wall. She wretched her head back in horror as cool slim fell into her hair and down the back of her shirt.

It was 4:01a.m. according to her watch when Sakura heard the sound of metal scraping against metal. Sakura cringed at the sound of the key in the lock. The door swung open with a bang and Sakura was blinded by the sudden brightness. She squinted her eyes against the brilliance and found herself being roughly lead out into the light.

When Sakura opened her eyes she found herself in a dimly lit room with rows of doors presumably other cells. Sakura felt a sharp tug at her arms and she struggled to regain her footing as she pitched forward. Pain burned through her shoulder and down her back. She glared at Lady Gemad's first general and he stared back with icy eyes. He lead her past a table of guards laughing and playing poker. At the sight of the general each solider leap straight in the air. The chairs felt with a loud clank as four guards snapped up their hands in a salute. The general never stopping his pace gave a brief nod and with another yank of Sakura's arm dragged her up the stairs.

Sakura found herself in a large open room with marble floor and tall ceilings. Hundreds of men in gray Zaibach uniforms bustled about some pausing to salute at the general. The general ignored each solider but continued pulling Sakura behind him.

The general suddenly came to a halt and he pulled Sakura in front of him. Once again Sakura had to side step to prevent herself from doing a face plant into the floor. Sakura stared at the ornately painted doors in front of her. The general opened the door to reveal a small room that included a toilet, bath, a kimono, and a screen to change behind.

The general turned towards Sakura "You have one hour to wash and change to prepare for you presence with Lady Gemad. At that time I will return to fetch you. You will be ready."

Sakura stared defiantly at the general. "No I will not."

The general raised and eye brow and gave Sakura an amused look "Oh?" His eyes turned a deep black and he grabbed her arm causing Sakura to grimace. "If you don't go of your own free will I will come in and dress you for you. You're choice of course."

Sakura wretched her arm away and started to rub it gently. The pain was almost more than she could bear. Gulping and trying not to let her voice shake she stepped into the room "I'm be out in an hour."

The general grinned "I knew you'd see it my way. Oh and by the way we're one thousand feet in the air. If you jump out of the window you'd die instantaneously so be a good little girl and don't try anything foolish. I'll be back in an hour and you will be ready." With that he pivoted on his heel closing the door and locking it behind him.

Sakura walked into the small room. The bath was stemming hot and she took one quick glance around before taking her clothes off and stepping into the almost scalding water. The heat didn't bother her as she let out a sigh sinking deeper into the water keeping a careful eye on the timer on her watch. After fifteen minutes she let out another sigh and left the sanctuary of the relaxing warm water.

She made her way over to the kimono. It was a light blue with pale pink cherry blossoms. 'How appropriate,' Sakura thought. 'I might even like it if it wasn't for whom I have to wear it.'

First Sakura put on the tabi socks that had carefully been laid beside her kimono. Next she put on the juban which was a cotton slip consisting of a top and skirt. Silently she cursed struggling with the juban wishing all she had to put up with was a eri-sugata. Sakura then carefully put on the kimono putting the right side closest to her body and overlapping it with the left side. Then Sakura turned and glanced in horror at the koshi-himo belt, the date-jime belt, and the obi. 'Why couldn't it be a butterfly obi belt? That I could have handled but this. I can't tie it myself how will I ever tie it. It'll look horrible and then the general will...Breath Kinomoto just breath' Sakura breathed deeply trying to calm her self down. 'Just one step at a time.'

Sakura gathered the light blue material making sure it fell at the ankle. Then crossing the bright pink koshi-himo belt in the back and tying it in front she secured the excess material above her waist. Then she carefully arranged the material so both front and back material was smooth bring down the excess material to cover the belt. Next she took the dark blue date-jime belt she wrapped it around her waist covering the silk koshi-himo belt and tied it in front leaving the overlapping kimono fabric visible below. Next Sakura grabbed the yellow obi which was ornately decorated with random flowers. It was so finely crafted that for once Sakura was actually scared. This was a formal obi one that would be worn at a wedding not for tea. Lady Gemad must be powerful indeed to demand such attire.

Sakura struggled with the obi for awhile glancing at her watch ever few minutes. With a frustrated yell she flung it over the screen and sat down and cried. 'Li where are you? I need you know more than ever and you've disappeared, what am I going to do, the general will hurt me f I'm not ready. Why can't I be strong like Usagi and Hitomi I'm so useless and now I'm captured and...' her thoughts trailed of as she heard a soft knock at the door. 'Oh gods he's early' Sakura's heart stopped in her chest as she fearfully looked towards the door. It opened and a young lady entered with the door closing and locking behind her. Bowing slightly to Sakura she went over to where the obi had fallen, picked it up, and then walked towards Sakura. In another couple of minutes the obi was tied and the lady circled Sakura once giving a couple of tugs and pulls here and there.

"Thank-you." Sakura said. The girl gave Sakura a slight smile and then knocked on the door.

The door instantly opened and the general strolled in, his cape faintly rustling behind him. He circled Sakura once uttered what seemed to be a growl of approval and nodded to the servant girl who disappeared before Sakura could blink. He made a move to grab Sakura's wrist but she quickly yanked it out of the way. "I can follow." He glared at her or a few minutes then giving another curt nod he started off again. All Sakura could do was follow him wondering what was to come.

To be continued...........

A/N Well that's where I'm leaving it. Well if you feel like reading anything else you can go check out my new fic Dragon's Bait (Escaflowne Alternate Universe). Don't worry though I'm working first on foremost on Veils of Destiny.