Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Card Captor Sakura - Altered World ❯ Water is a Thing that Must Flow Part 1 of 3 ( Chapter 15 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Card Captor Sakura - Altered World
Card Captor Sakura - Altered World

Notes: This fanfic is S+S, and has mature concepts. Read at your own risk. I'm poor; don't sue. I don't own CCS at all.

A wand, with white feathered wings attached at the end, flew at break-neck speed. A gloved hand rose and a sphere of power gathered into it, forming into an arrow. With the magical arrow nocked on the bowstring, Arrow raised her bow and aimed it at the fleeing figure.
"It's coming, Sakura!" Cerberus called out in warning. Sakura took a moment away from steering the wand to look behind her. A hail of arrows assaulted her, barely missing. Sakura urged her wand faster as she put up an attempt to outrun the arrows. After another batch of arrows, the card carefully aimed another arrow of pure magic and released it, heading straight towards Sakura with no interference.
"King of Thunder descend!" chanted Syaoran, standing on a tree branch, with his sword raised and an ofuda in his free hand. A bolt of lightning descended from the night sky, dissipating the arrow before it made contact with Sakura's back.
"Thank you Li-kun," called Sakura as she dismounted from her wand.
"Pay attention!" he scolded as readied his sword. Arrow floated downwards, with her arrow aimed threatening at Syaoran.
"Now," commanded Cerberus.
"O wind, become a chain of admonition! Windy!" Sakura chanted, calling out her first card.
A strong gust of wind blew against the card, distracting it enough for Sakura to call, "Jump!"
Landing behind Arrow, Sakura raised her wand as Arrow twisted around but it was too late.
"Return to thy true form, Clow Card!" chanted Sakura and Arrow dissolved and formed a new capture.
"Really! Just a little more and Syaoran would have gotten the card!" yelled Meiling as she threw a tantrum.
"You're so cute, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo said to herself as she filmed Sakura from beside Syaoran. Syaoran blinked rapidly. How did she climb up here so suddenly?
"All right! You did well! Just as expected as the one that I entrusted this duty to!" said Cerberus with pride, "Right, Card Captor Sakura?"

Chapter 12: Water is a Thing that Must Flow - Part 1

A drop of water dripped on the mass of it below causing ripples to spread throughout. Broken, and slanted, pillars lay stood in the water. The room would be dark if it were for not the opening in the centre of the room. A young woman stood, surprisingly, on top of the water, not sinking. Opening her eyes, she looked around her with little understanding of her situation.
Sakura spoke to herself in puzzlement, "Here. Where is this?"
Her voiced echoed across the vast expanse of the room. Apparently she was alone. Looking down she noticed the liquid of which she was supported by. She voiced the name of the substance in confusion, "Water?"
Looking into the depths of blue, two pale strands of ribbon appeared out of nowhere. The tendrils climbed the depths of the water like a plant growing out of soil in springtime. Breaking surface, they moved towards the sole occupant of the room. Suddenly they coiled around Sakura and pulled her down into the water. As the ribbons loosened around her, she realised that she was still breathing. The ribbons began to retreat from her despite her attempts to seize them.
"Water is a thing that must flow."
Sakura looked upwards to the surface, expecting to see the owner of the mysterious male voice, to see nothing.
"Water is…" she repeated as she began to descend.
"Something that must flow," she finished as she fell into the depths of the water.
Sunlight shone through the window of Sakura's bedroom, signalling the start of a new day. Sakura awoke and rose on her bed. Rubbing her eyes and clearing them, she focused on her surroundings.
"Oh, a dream…" she said in realisation and remembrance of the dream. Cerberus lay in his bed peacefully and Sakura smiled faintly with affection. The dream was soon placed in the back of her mind, forgotten. But this was Sakura, and her dreams were not meaningless. Dreams foreboded fate. And Fate is not always a good thing.

It was the last day of the school year. The home form teacher, much the dismay of many students, was handing out report cards. Various sighs of despair and relief rang across the room as the teacher mechanically called the students to his desk to pick up their report cards. Sometimes the teacher would grace a few comments, good or bad depending on the student. Sakura hesitantly took a peek inside her card and gave a relieved sigh.
"Is it okay?" asked Tomoyo, out of courtesy's sake, had quietly observing Sakura's facial gestures and already knew the answer.
"It was all right," Sakura replied with a smile, "Though my mark in math dropped a little."
"Daidouji," called the teacher.
"Yes," acknowledged Tomoyo and made her way to the front.
Sakura turned behind her, to see a balled-fisted, trembling Li Syaoran.
"Are you worried?" asked Sakura.
"Not really," lied Syaoran, and putting up a facial mask.
"Don't worry, I'm with you," reassured Meiling with a smile. Syaoran looked at her sceptically.
"Oh, I got it! You don't want to show your mother do you?" realised Meiling.
"No! That's not it," Syaoran said, sounding a bit too desperate to reinforce that fact.
"Ah, how did it go, Tomoyo-chan?" asked Sakura as Tomoyo arrived at her desk.
"Same as last year," replied Tomoyo as she took her seat.
"That mean's it's really good!" said Sakura with a smile.
"Li Syaoran. Li Meiling."
"Yes!" said Meiling cheerfully, rising immediately off her chair. Syaoran rose slowly, as if to delay the inevitable.
"WHY!" yelled Meiling, capturing the whole attention of the class, "Why isn't it a hundred percent!"
"Well, you just came from Hong Kong, and your Japanese needs a little work…"
Syaoran walked slowly to his seat, and sat down. With trembling fingers he opened his report card and quickly scanned all rows. Sakura looked on curiously. With a relieved sigh he said to himself, "I can show her this even...." Noticing Sakura, he pulled back the card and closed it protectively, giving her a glare. With an uneasy laugh, Sakura backed off.

After school, Sakura and Tomoyo were at Maki's store for the purchase of a new notebook.
"Thank you very much," said Maki, handing Sakura a wrapped package, "Oh, right! I almost forgot."
Sakura and Tomoyo looked at each other in puzzlement as Maki bent under the counter.
"Ta-da!" Maki said, placing a box with a hole on the top on the counter, "Draw one."
"Huh?" said Sakura, looking at Maki for an answer.
"Right now, Tomoeda Shopping District is having an end of the year promotion. Grand prize is a trip to Hong Kong!"
"Good luck, Sakura-chan!" cheered Tomoyo as Sakura reached in the box.
When her hand almost touched a ball, it seemed suddenly a ball jumped into her hand, drawn like magnet. Sakura gave a gasp of surprise and pulled out the ball in puzzlement.
Pulling out a golden ball, Maki turned to the poster to find what prize belonged to.
"Gra…" said Maki with surprise.
Looking at the billboard, at the very top, it read, "GRAND PRIZE TRIP TO HONG KONG FOR 4 NIGHTS 5 DAYS."

"GRAND PRIZE!" exclaimed Cerberus.
"Ta-da!" said Sakura, presenting the tickets to Cerberus.
"That's so awesome! Wow, a trip overseas. This is just perfect for winter break!"
"That's right! It's my first time ever going overseas," said Sakura as she changed out of her school uniform.
"Oh! Hong Kong? It's been a while..." said Cerberus, seemingly lost in memories of a distant past.
"Kero-chan, you've been to Hong Kong before?" asked Sakura, as she sat down on her bed.
"Only for a little while. It was when Clow was around."

"Hong Kong? It's not like if I don't trust you, Sakura-san but I'd feel uneasy if you just went alone with Tomoyo. I'd like to accompany you but I have a business trip. Perhaps you can get Touya-kun to come along. It's better for you to travel in bigger numbers."
"Will you be busy? With studying and stuff?" Sakura asked her brother across the dinner table.
"Chores. Five," he replied after swallowing a mouthful. Sakura gave him a glare and after realising the meaning of the words, she asked with joy, "So you mean I can go?"
"Yeah, what else would it mean?"
Sakura gave him a glare again.
"So… Tomoyo-chan, and maybe… instead of me Tsukishiro-san?" said Fujitaka, directing the last part to Touya.
"It's all right. He told me he didn't have any specific plans."
Sakura blushed slightly and smiled.

Sakura ran to the large windows in the airport to watch the airplanes take off.
Behind her, an ever persistant camera followed.
"This is the first time, I've ever been on an airplane!" said Sakura happily. Noticing the camera, Sakura asked, "You brought your camera?"
"Yes! It's called 'Sakura on her Hong Kong vacation'" replied Tomoyo, moving around to get a better angle of Sakura, "There was no way I could let this wonderful filming opportunity pass."
Tomoyo stopped filming for a moment and said with her eyes sparkling, "I've even brought outfits for just the filming! When you get to Hong Kong, you must wear them, okay?"
Sakura sweated and quietly groaned.
"Hey! It's time for departure!" called Touya.

Standing on a conveyor belt, the group was slowly being sent the airplane. Touya whispering to Sakura, said, "Hey, you have to take off your shoes when you get on the plane, okay?"
"Oh, is that so?" asked Sakura cluelessly.
Touya nodded with a very straight face.
Arriving at the entrance to the plane, Sakura slipped out of her shoes and bent down to pick them up but the flight attendant interrupted her, "Miss, you may leave on your shoes as you wish."
Flushing furiously and slipping into her shoes, Sakura stomped into the airplane after Touya.
"Onii-chan!"
"Heh," was his reply and Sakura balled her fist and walked towards Touya. Opening the bag, Cerberus crawled out halfway and with heavy breaths, said, "Can't breathe."
"Oh… Sakura, are we there yet?" whined Cerberus as Sakura jumped up startled. Running to her seat, she placed her bag down and said to Cerberus, "Wait a little longer."
"But…" whispered Cerberus.
"Sakura-chan," said Yukito's voice from behind her as she quickly stuffed Cerberus back into the bag, "Thank you for inviting me. This is my first time overseas. We are going to have a lot of fun, aren't we?"
"Yes!"

"Have a nice stay," said the bellboy as he opened the door to Sakura's and Tomoyo's hotel room.
Sakura gave a gasp of amazement as she entered an finely furnished rose coloured room. Two twin beds with red covers occupied most of the room. To the side there were two chairs put near the window. The windows were currently covered by a red velvet curtain.
Throwing her jacket, hat, and bag onto the chair, Sakura drew aside the curtains.
"Sa-ku-ra," said Cerberus as he halfway freed himself from his prison… err… her bag.
"Sorry," said Sakura as she smiled apologetically.
"You totally forgot about me, didn't you?" said Cerberus angrily.
"|Ehehehee…"
"As if you could laugh it off!" said Cerberus suddenly bursting out of the bag, "Well, since I'm in nostalgic Hong Kong, I'll forgive you."
Turning around to the window, Cerberus asked, "Where?"
Sakura facefaulted and fell to the ground.
"This is Hong Kong," said Tomoyo with a smile.
"This is… HONG KONG!" yelled Cerberus, and promptly fell off his chair. The curtains revealed the harbour front. Skyscrapers and ship filled waters. Not a resemblance to what was embedded in Cerberus's memory.

Sakura rested her arm on the edge of the railing. Her head was out of the boat, feeling the breeze as the ferry made it's way to the island of Hong Kong.
"Don't lean out too much, there's sharks in these waters," said Touya, reading his tourist pamphlet.
"Really?" asked Sakura, peering at the depths of the water.
"You seem really energetic today, Sakura," commented Yukito.
"I... I like boats," said Sakura, flushing.
"So do I," said Yukito with a smile.
From the side, Tomoyo faltered in her filming.
"What's wrong?" asked Cerberus, as he came out of his hiding place in Tomoyo's hair.
"Nothing really," replied Tomoyo.
"Well, film me too, later."
"Of course," said Tomoyo with a smile.

"Hong Kong has really changed," commented Cerberus, with his bottom portion of his body inside Sakura's bag. In the background, the noises of the bustle of crowd and cars made things harder to hear. Within the shopping district, various merchants yelled out, trying to advertise their goods.
"Kero-chan, it's been a really long time since you've been to Hong Kong, right?" asked Sakura, wonderingly.
"But…" said Cerberus, turning serious as a golden glow surrounded him, "… the spiritual essence has remained the same. It has the same evil aura as before. It's a nostalgic feeling that gradually faded away in Japan. And… the food is good!"
Sakura and Tomoyo looked down to see Cerberus with Sakura's food in his mouth.
Sakura scolded, "Kero-chan!"
"Another thing is... Sakura, who is always unlucky in contests, won the grand prize."
"What did you say?!" said Sakura with her fist balled.
"Well, here me out. Clow's theory was that there was no such thing as coincidence in this world. I was thinking there might be a reason why Sakura would end up in Hong Kong. But then again, I'm probably just caught up in the spirit of Hong Kong!"
Above them, a pair of birds watched them from a telephone line.

"Four of that. Four of that also. Hmm... Four of this too. And then, this one. That one too. That's it for now," finished Yukito, awing the cart pushers as he ordered more than enough of every type of dim sim. The table was so full that the cart pushers had to place dish after dish on top of each other.
"Hoe," said Sakura and Tomoyo as their heads were seen just above the piles of food.
"Now, let's eat," said Yukito as he placed down the bill on the table.
"Yes. Tomoyo-chan, do you want to split a dish?" asked Sakura, lifting one of them.
Sakura looked downwards to see Cerberus chomping away on a shrimp roll and said with a surprised gasp, "Kero!"
"Kero?" said Touya and Yukito in confusion.
"I'll try another one instead," said Sakura placing the dish back to cover Cerberus.
"Was there a frog's leg there or something?" asked Touya.
"No, nothing," said Sakura too sweetly and with a hint of desperation, said, "Oh, what to pick?"
"The one you just put back," said Touya suspiciously.
"Isn't there one closer to you?" asked Sakura, too hurriedly, "It doesn't matter which one."
"I want that one."
The dish sweatdropped.
"But…" said Sakura.
"I. Want. That. One," said Touya stubbornly.
Sakura winced and lifted the dish to reveal nothing, to much of Sakura's surpise.
"Hey, hurry up and give it to me," commanded Touya.
Raising the dish, to see a Cerberus desperately wedged under it, Sakura quickly pulled back the barbeque pork buns from Touya's reaching hand and said speedily, "I'll have this one after all! Look! Look! Doesn't it look good?"
"It does!" replied Tomoyo.
"Sorry Onii-chan!"
With a sigh, Touya took out his tourist pamphlet and said, "After we finished this, we are going to Bird Street next."
"Bird Street?" wondered Sakura, with Cerberus firmly gripped in her hands to prevent him from more of his gluttonous habits.
"There's a whole street that sells birds," answered Yukito.

Water. A clear, colourless liquid. Essential for life. Sakura stood on the water, by herself. Yes, she was dreaming.
"Again," stated Sakura, realising her surroundings. Looking upwards, towards the windows, she noticed two lavender birds perched onto of it. Hearing a noise behind her, she turned around. A woman dressed in Chinese styled robes floated several meters above the water. Her hair was long and done in buns. Ribbons flowed in air around her. The ribbons that previously dragged Sakura into the water. The ribbons extended towards Sakura for a second time, and Sakura backed away. They stopped in front of her and Sakura hesitantly reached out with her hand to grab them, only to… wake up in her hotel room.
Sakura looked around to see Cerberus sleeping beside her and Tomoyo asleep in the bed beside hers.
Getting up from her bed, she wondered, "That dream again… Who could it be?"

Sakura looked around her in amazement. The varied chirping of birds filled the atmosphere.
"Wow, there's so many," she commented, turning in every direction to look.
"The people of Hong Kong really like birds. They take strolls with the bird they are most proud of," Yukito said informatively.
"Is that right?" commented Sakura.
From behind, Tomoyo filmed the Sakura. Cerberus came out of his hiding place in Tomoyo's hair and reminisced, "Bird Street, huh?"
"You know about it?" asked Tomoyo, turning towards her passenger.
"It hasn't changed one bit," commented Cerberus as he looked around.
"How cute," said Sakura, bending down to observe a pair of green birds. Suddenly, she straightened as she sensed something from above her. She looked around her warily, eyes flickering back and forth.
"What's wrong?" asked Tomoyo, running towards her.
"Something, it's as if someone is watching me…" replied Sakura as she continued to peer around her to see nothing but feathered animals. Cerberus came out of his hiding place and said, "There is definitely a strange presence here."
"Could it be a Clow Card?" asked Sakura, as she turned around, focusing on Cerberus.
"No, it's a different spiritual essence," said Cerberus unnervingly serious, "It's more like… evil."
"Huh? Over there…" said Yukito in surprise.
"Maybe they ran away," speculated Touya.
Looking in the direction of where her brother and Yukito were focused on, Sakura found two lavender birds perched on a telephone line above her. Around their neck were red bells. Their eyes appeared to have an unearthly glow. Their presence being found, they took off and fluttered away. Sakura ran to follow them. Tomoyo called out, "Sakura-chan!"
"Let's follow her," said Cerberus. Tomoyo hesitated.
"What's wrong with Sakura?" asked Touya from a small distance behind her.
"Hurry!" commanded Cerberus.
"We'll be right back so…" said Tomoyo politely to the two men behind her, and then began to run.

Sakura ran through Bird Street, keeping her eyes above, to the pair of birds. Running through an alleyway, she took out her key and chanted, "Release!" Light illuminated alleyway through her power. "Jump!"
Jumping, she made her way up on the rooftop where she jumped high enough to survey around the area. Spotting the birds as she descended, she jump rooftop to rooftop to follow them. She landed within an area that was surrounded by tall walls. It was apparently an abandoned area, with several remains of a wall lying about. An ornamental well stood in the middle of the greenery.
"This feeling…" said Sakura, wondering what she was sensing. Taking careful steps, she gradually walked near the well until she felt something distinct. Uneasily, she walked closer to the well and stared into the water; the bottom was not deep due to the masses of rocks that filled the well. Sakura dismissed the well and turned around, trying to find the true source of the power she was sensing. The inside of the well clouded and ribbons appeared in the water. Ribbons flew out of the well and extended towards Sakura. At the right moment, Sakura turned around, with great surprise to see the tendrils. The well glowed and Sakura lost her consciousness. Controlled like a puppet, Sakura climbed onto the rim of the well. Ominously, a figure of a woman in robes appeared in the water. Sakura swayed on the rim, threatening to fall over. At this moment, a man ran towards her.
"Wake up!" commanded Syaoran, with his sword out and an ofuda kept ready in his free hand. Sakura snapped to consciousness and the birds flew again.
"Li-kun? Why are you here?" asked Sakura in surprise and then lost her balance.
Syaoran winced as she made a splash.

"I wonder how far did Sakura-chan go?" said Tomoyo as she walked aimlessly down the street. Tomoyo felt someone bump into her and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't watch where I was going. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine… Japanese?!" said Meiling in surprise and raised her head to see Tomoyo.
"Good afternoon," greeted Tomoyo, looking down at her.
"Daidouji-san! Why are you here?" asked Meiling, taking Tomoyo's offered hand.
"Sakura-chan won a grand prize so…" explained Tomoyo as she pulled Meiling up.
"Yo! Girl-brat!" greeted Cerberus as he popped out of Tomoyo's purse.
"Oh it's the stuffed animal," said Meiling without pleasure.
"What?!" exclaimed Cerberus with extreme annoyance.
"Did you get fatter?" criticized Meiling.
"Wanna say that again!" yelled Cerberus, raising his fist. Meiling stuffed the guardian back into the purse and zippered it shut. The purse bounced around wildly before it finally settled.
"Anyway, did you see Syaoran?" Meiling inquired Tomoyo, "He said he felt a strange aura and ran off somewhere."
"I'm looking for Sakura-chan too," replied Tomoyo, with concern in her voice.
Hearing footsteps from behind them, they turned around. Spotting the newcomers, Tomoyo and Meiling ran to greet them.
"Sakura-chan!" "Syaoran!"
"Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" asked Tomoyo when she approached Sakura.
"I'm fine," replied Sakura.
"Thank goodness," said Tomoyo with relief.
Much to Syaoran's dismay, he found himself promptly glomped by his cousin, "Syaoran! Where have you been?"
"Sakura! Where have you been?" asked Touya as he ran to her with Yukito trailing behind.
"I'm sorry," said Sakura quietly with downcast eyes, "Umm… I fell in a puddle."
"Really?" asked Touya sceptically.
"What are you doing? You don't have to get all embarrassed!" said Meiling, as a red-faced Syaoran attempted to get free from her iron grip.
"Hello," greeted Yukito, making Syaoran straighten suddenly.
"Hello," replied Syaoran, finally getting free of the grip as Meiling greeted the student teacher as well.
"Oh, you better change somewhere," said Tomoyo, looking at Sakura's damp clothing.
Sakura nodded and sneezed in reply.

Taking a rail train, the group arrived at the Li mansion. Extremely well landscaped, with white walls and pillars, the mansion, had surprised Sakura greatly.
Inside the mansion, Tomoyo was filming Sakura in Meiling's spare clothing, a long, pink Chinese styled shirt with pants underneath. A floral pattern adorned the neck clasp, under the high neck of the shirt.
"Super lucky!" said Tomoyo as she filmed Sakura in her borrowed outfit.
"Tomoyo-chan! It looks good on you too," said Sakura in response, looking over a Tomoyo's similar blue dress.
What they were not ready for was a sudden burst through the door with shouts of, "Kawaii! Kawaii! Kawaii!"
Sakura and Tomoyo backed together.
"So cute." "You'd think age would make them less." "But those dresses look really good." "I'm jealous!"
Sakura and Tomoyo were promptly assaulted by 'You're so cute' treatment, various petting and cheek pinching from the four women.
Touya and Yukito came to their rescue, sacrificing themselves unintentionally.
"Those are cute too." "Yeah cute."
The four women straightened fluidly and eyed the men carefully. Without warning, they assaulted them.
"What is this?" asked Yukito, as he was being caressed by two women.
"Don't know," replied Touya, recipient of the two others.
Syaoran came in with a tray of tea and set it on the table. Looking at Sakura and her attire, he flushed a bit and then looked away. That gaki… thought Touya, with careful observation.
"Li-kun are those your…" trailed Sakura.
"Sisters," said Meiling as she reached down to set the tea.
"All four of them?" asked Tomoyo.
"Yeah," said Syaoran, as he sat down on the couch, looking rather resigned.
The door to the living room opened, and Syaoran quickly raised himself off the couch.
A tall woman, with her hair swept in a long ponytail entered the room. Her Chinese styled dress swished across the floor as she when to greet Sakura's brother and Yukito. She was the type of person to emanate presence. The four women greeted the woman, "Mother."
"Mother?" said Sakura with wonder.
"She looks so young," commented Tomoyo.
"Seems like the monster boss," said Cerberus.
"Kero-chan," scolded Sakura, and Cerberus went quickly back into the bag.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kinomoto Sakura," said Sakura with a bow.
Li Yelan raised Sakura's bowed head to get a clear look at her.
"I sense a strong a strong power," Yelan stated, "You collect Clow Cards correct." Yelan looked at Sakura's bag after that statement. Sakura nodded.
"Having strong powers also tends to invite troubles... Especially in this Hong Kong. Stay here tonight," said Yelan.
Syaoran gave a gasp of surprise. His sisters, instead, rejoiced.
"Siu Lohng," said Yelan, turning her gaze towards the distracted Syaoran, "Take out your report card."

"My neck and shoulders are all sore today," complained Cerberus as he stretched out from being cramped in the bag.
"Li-kun's mother is very pretty, isn't she?" asked Tomoyo.
"Yeah," said Sakura snapping out her daze, "She's very tall and graceful. Somehow, she seems so powerful even though she was so gentle during our meeting."
"His mother has great powers in her. She truly is a blood-relative of Clow Reed. Clow's mother's family is a well-known sorcerers clan in China," said Cerberus seriously.
"And Clow was a well-known sorcerer, right?" asked Tomoyo.
"He might be the most powerful one of his time. But he was sorta crooked at heart, and had lots of enemies…" replied Cerberus thoughtfully.
"Oh my! Is he really?" wondered Tomoyo and with some afterthought to Sakura, "Because of today, you are not getting a change of the clothes I made. When we return to the hotel tomorrow, please be sure to change into them for me. And then, a Sakura dancing in the streets of Hong Kong... Well it's late and we have lots of sightseeing to do tomorrow. I'm going to go back into my room. Goodnight."
"Goodnight," replied Sakura as the door closed behind Tomoyo.

Where am I? I'm alone. It's dark. I'm alone. Oh, I am here again, aren't I? I'm young again, too. I don't want to be here. I hate this. Why did everyone leave me alone? I'm part of the family aren't I? So why am I here without anyone? Why did they let me go like this?
Here I am, huddled under a tree. It's raining and all my clothes are damp. It's not a thunderstorm, so it's all right to take shelter under a tree. The muddy water is soaking into my pants as I sit down here. There is no use changing, my pack is completely soaked as well. I'm completely exhausted. I should have known that despite my training, it's impossible for an adolescent boy of thirteen years to walk twenty kilometres in half a day.
Why am I here? On one eventful day, Mother came up to me to watch over my training. I'm elated of course. She rarely did come as an audience to my training sessions. She trusted Wei and left everything to him. After a few rounds of sword practice, she called me over. I could barely stop myself from throwing my sword onto the ground and running over. But the strange thing is that I'm also very intimidated by her. She seems so overwhelming at times that I wonder if she really is my mother. Carefully, I used my magic to make the blade disappear and tucked my jade talisman away. I straightened my back and walked to her, not slowly, not in a hurried manner either, but in careful calculated steps.

"Good morning, Mother," I greeted her, looking upwards slightly to look straight into her face. I was growing but I was not taller than her or my sisters for that matter.
"Siu Lohng," she acknowledged, looking down at me. Back then; I felt if I was half my height and just a pitiful child again.
"Yes, Mother."
There was no need to question her, I never did. She did the questioning, not me.
"Siu Lohng, you've read about the records of the Clow book. Clow Reed, though many refuse to acknowledge him as a Li, was a man of great power. Using our spiritual magic and combining it with the foreigner's style, powerful but extremely dangerous. The book may be as dangerous as he was. The Li have not seen the book for a hundred years. I have a request of you? Will you, Li Siu Lohng, take the task of returning what is ours?" she asked, pausing between information to observe if I had absorbed everything she mentioned.
"I will, with the pride and honour as a Li," I replied without hesitation.
This was not a request. She knew I could not refuse. I have no will. I live to serve. How could I refuse her when I pushed myself so hard to earn her respect? Not only the need of respect, but I had the burden of a whole family on my shoulders. I knew for so long my fate was different from the other children in the household. I had to be strong. I had to be perfect. I had to be what I made myself to be. I could not enjoy living, not when living and knowing that if I was not the perfect man, I could lead the fate of the whole diminishing clan to destruction.
I needed to know everything, to be able to use everything as weapons for the lives of my blood. Not just magic and combat tools. I needed intelligence, to be informed of the on goings of the world, to be able to play politics and manipulate people. I was, and am, the Li's vile and dirty snake. With extremely sharp fangs and deadly poison. I wrap around my enemies and break their neck or suffocate them if they refuse to submit to me and then swallow them whole. I am what I made myself to be.
Mother never said to become this, but I knew this was to happen. There was no other way. Mother had a strong rule over the clan, but it was obvious that the clan was falling apart. I knew many from the generation before mine had deserted before I was given life. Modernization of the world had changed people, especially people who did not want to be part of the traditional bound clan. I had to change things. I had to be a symbol of power to keep the clan together, to be able to break apart the traditions and withstand the elders. Perhaps if Mother had not burdened me with all these responsibilities, I would have been a normal child. I despise her for leaving me with this mess to deal with. Perhaps I would have been like Kinomoto Sakura.

Here I am, wandering aimlessly for lost tools, with another tool, ironically made by the same man, giving me direction but no real destination on where I am to go. Even though I was lonely at my life at home, there were people. But I was lost in a land of strangers, relying purely on myself. I walk away from my pack into the rain; there is no need to take it when this is a dream. The sky is crying. Cry for me, because my eyes cannot do this for this is my fate and to cry means to deny my fate. The droplets of rain slide down my face and drop onto the ground but a few trickles into my mouth. They taste salty like tears. But in reality rain is not tears, it is only an act of nature, only intense feelings can form tears. I can wake now because I know it is a dream. It is my decision. It is now time to wake into reality.

Syaoran woke from his slumber. He tossed his blankets aside and lifted his legs over the side of his bed. He stood up and slipped his feet into his slippers. Quietly opening the door and shutting it, he walked into the empty hallway, lit by dim lights. As he walked down it, there was nothing but the clatter of the soles of his slippers on hardwood. He took a right and arrived at the guest quarters, past section four of the house. Passing by several rooms and carefully observing the plaques containing numbers, he stopped at the number three, the girl's room. He grabbed the doorknob and hesitated. Shaking his head rapidly, he let go of the knob and walked away.
Rain, wet and cold, soaking to the bones. Warmth was offered beyond that door. Waking up in the middle of the night to know that you are completely alone except for the dirt you are lying on. A snake slithers in the dirt anyway. Syaoran was not a snake, he was human. He turned and opened the door. People always needed each other to depend on; no one can truly live alone.
Pale light illuminated the room, giving it an unearthly glow. The room was decorated with fine fabrics and the wooden floor polished to a gleam. Syaoran paid no heed to such things. He walked over the bed, his sole objective, and flushed slightly. The girl slept serenely on the bed, but a few buttons of her top was undone. Shaking his head, Syaoran reached over and redid the buttons with an almost sad smile.
"You know, you are way too careless," he said softly in Cantonese as he knelt down beside the bed, "You hardly notice the things around you."
He picked up one of her hands and placed it on his free hand, not letting go of the hand completely but covering it instead.
"You are so lucky to have so many people care about you. You never have to worry about being lonely. Maybe you don't know how it is to be lonely. You have no pressure on you. You can do whatever you want without making a deadly impact on those around you. Freedom?"
He chuckled bitterly and then squeezed his eyes shut but kept his grip on her hand gentle, "I don't know what it is. When the cards are all captured, it'll just be me and this goddamn house. It's a cage that I shut the door on myself, bound it shut by chains, locked it, and threw away the bloody key. You don't know how much I envy you. To laugh so freely, to smile so freely. I don't know a reason to laugh for. I don't understand why people would smile."
Opening his eyes and with a tender smile that was truly full of sorrow, he pleaded, "Could you teach me? Could you let me see what it is to live? So that there was a Syaoran who was truly happy? Because there is nothing more than I want than to live."
Waiting for a response and then sighing, he let go of her hand and placed it back on the bed. He pulled the covers over her and sat down on the floor, leaning his back against the bed. He lifted his head upwards and stared at the ceiling.
"But I'm being selfish again, aren't I? They need me. I should concentrate on them. If I give in to these desires now, I won't be able to go back, will I? But I am so tempted to say 'Fuck this, I'm getting out of here'."
"Perhaps one of the reasons I wanted you so badly was not lust but because of what you embodied. To be always surrounded by people who love you. To find joy in the simplest things. To be protected against this tainted world. Pure innocence, something I lost so long ago. Maybe by taking you, I thought I could share what you had. But I'm so stupid and selfish," he said shaking his head and then turned around. Taking her hand again, he used it to slap himself and whispered, "Because you won't do it."
"Thanks for listening to me though. You know, you aren't that bad once I got to know you better. I still will be jealous if you get that guy though, even though I practically have no chance anyway. If anyone asks you if Li Siu Lohng existed, please tell them he did, even though it was a few moments before, in a dream. Even though this Li Siu Lohng is nothing more than a pitiful man controlled by fate. Good night," he finished in Japanese to her still sleeping form as he returned her hand under the blankets but was unwilling to let go. He still needed some comfort. It was all right for now.

Siu Lohng: Cantonese romanization (based on phonetics) of Syaoran.
3 and 4 is a play on Cantonese syllables. It sounds like "live", "die." Think carefully which number is on Sakura's room and Syaoran's words. Hope you get it. I love doing symbolism and foreboding! Much fun!


Author's notes:
Ack, People, fill out the poll 2 to help me decide my next fanfic. I'm so indecisive on which fanfic to start.
Wow, I didn't expect anyone to pick "lookin' in a mirror"… Gave me a good laugh. So did "You're weird". But that is true, and I'm proud of it. chuckle
I cut out much parts of the movie, too boring. The bit about Hong Kong people liking birds… I'm not sure about the authenticity of that. But I'm sure that people don't go around walking with them except old men. ^^;;; And also with that long scene with Syaoran to fit in…
Why do I torture Syaoran? Come on, this story wouldn't be half as good, as well as half my ideas down the drain, if Syaoran wasn't traumatized.
What is wrong with three weeks? I've already temporarily disappeared for a month already. Many writers don't post as regular as I did anyways. I need some time for myself.
And yes, Eriol shall be in the fic. I'm afraid I won't catch his personality perfectly though. He somehow seems less real than the other characters in CCS.
Another thing, why didn't anyone answer why people like this story? I'd really like to know.
Want to know what is up with me? Go to here
Sigh by popular demand, I wrote this for you before I shall kill myself studying or from fainting spells. You know I'm being really nice staying up to 1 AM when I have to wake at seven tomorrow…
May 28, 2001, Christine Chan aka Kinomoto Sakura of Ffnet