Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Cardcaptors: Clow Reed's Mistake ❯ Cardcaptors: Taming the Dragon-Ch.7 ( Chapter 7 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Maurynna 
Anime/Manga: Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Fantasy | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 08.31.2001 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.2K | Visits: 312 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Fantasy | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 08.31.2001 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.2K | Visits: 312 | Status: Work In Progress
By Maurynna
Author's Note: Hey! Wow, I'm glad I got this out so soon after the other chapter. I'm so proud of myself!! ^_^
Disclaimer: I do not own Cardcaptors nor am I getting paid to do this, so do not sue me.
Cardcaptors: Taming the Dragon-Ch.7
Sakura looked at Rage.
It took him a moment to understand that Sakura wanted him to help carry the man to this Madison's place. "I am not carrying him anywhere." he stated firmly.
Sakura just looked at him with pleading eyes.
As Rage gazed into her luminous green eyes, he couldn't help but feel lost. It got to the point where he felt like he'd do anything for her. There he went again! What the hell was getting into him? He scowled, anger coming to life in his eyes. He hated not being able to understand what brought about such feelings.
Sakura stared at him, confused over his sudden mood swing.
He glared at her. "I am not helping you with this. I agreed to help you stop him only because of the trade, and the duel."
Sakura's eyes widened. "But I thought you said you weren't going to accept the duel." she said, baffled.
Rage nodded. "So I did. But this will be too much fun to pass up." he smiled.
Sakura's eyes fairly popped out of her head. "FUN!?"
Rage laughed before turning around and walking away.
Sakura watched him go. FUN!? Sakura shook her head. There went her lucky break. She looked back down at Li. She knelt down beside him and her brow knit in concern. She reached out a hand and brushed back a lock of his brown hair from his forehead. "Oh, Li," she whispered. "What have you been through while I was away?" she stood back up and put her hands on her hips, thinking. "So how am I going to get him to Madison's Kero?"
Kero shrugged. "I don't know. It's your plan, you figure it out."
Sakura glanced at him and frowned. "Kero, don't be like that. I know I should have told you what I was going to do and I know it was dangerous, but it worked didn't it?"
Kero crossed his arms. "That's not the point. You could have been hurt." he said gruffly.
Sakura looked at him with shining eyes. "But I wasn't Kero. Thank-you for worrying but I'm fine." she smiled. "And if I come up with any hair brained ideas again I'll tell you before I go and do them."
Kero snorted.
"Now," she said, getting back to Li. "What am I going to do about you? I can't carry you to Madison's. Face it Li, you've grown." she said wryly. "Well, I can't make myself bigger, well, I could, but someone would notice. It's just too bad you aren't a bit smaller......" Sakura trailed off as an idea hit her. She transformed her Key into her wand and pulled out a Clow card. "Little card! Make Li small so I can carry him to Madison's! Little card!" Little went over to Li and came into contact with him. Immediately, light surrounded Li and when the light faded he was small enough to fit in the palm of Sakura's hand.
Kero smirked. "You'd better hope he doesn't wake up Sakura," he advised. "We'd have a devil of a time finding him when he's that small."
Sakura gave him a look. "He won't wake up." she looked down at Li in her fist with concern. "Rage hit him pretty hard, don't you think?"
"He'll live," Kero said, not terribly worried about it.
"Well," Sakura said, Li safely encased in her fist, "Let's go."
Kero started flying away. Sakura cleared her throat. Kero looked back at her questioningly. She gave him a look that said he was out of his mind and then she pointed to her jean shorts pocket. Kero groaned. "Oh, no! Not this again!!"
~
Sakura knocked on Madison's door. She heard a muffled "Coming!" from the other end of the door and then heard someone running. Madison pulled the door open with a pair of scissors in her hands. She smiled when she saw who it was. "Hi Sakura!" she said happily. When Sakura didn't reply and just kept looking down at something, Madison frowned and looked down herself, trying to see what was making Sakura so nervous. She saw the scissors in her hand and grinned wickedly, snapping them open and shut. "Think I'll do something to you with these?"
Sakura gulped and sweat dropped. "Maybe, you could put those down?" she advised nervously.
Madison grinned and opened the door wider. "Sure. I was just teasing. I was working on your outfits some more. That's why it took me a bit to open the door, and why I have these." as she walked by the kitchen she set the scissors on the table. "So," she began, "What brings you here?"
"Well....."
"Oh, no!!! You are getting me out of this pocket first!" Kero demanded hotly.
Sakura looked down at him, amused. "Why don't you just get out yourself?"
"Because!" Kero practically wailed. "I'm stuck!!!"
Madison covered her mouth so she wouldn't burst out laughing. Sakura gritted her teeth until her jaw hurt. "Sorry Kero," she said her voice strained. As gently as she could she pried Kero out of her pocket.
He flew around the room stretching out his wings and exhaling deeply. "That is so much better!" he said enthusiastically.
Madison made a strange gagging sound, and that set Sakura off. They both burst out laughing.
Kero put his hands on his hips and glared at them. "What's so funny? You try being stuck in someone's pocket, wedged up between a piece of cloth and,...well.....nevermind."
The two girls laughter eventually died down to giggles. Madison sat down in her favourite chair and returned to the original subject. "So why are you here?"
Sakura looked around and answered, "What? I couldn't come simply because I wanted to?"
Madison grinned. "Oh, you could have, but if that was the case you would have called first. But you didn't, which suggests you were in a hurry. Which means," Madison concluded. "There's an actual reason why you're here."
Sakura looked at her in mock amazement. "Are you sure you're not a secret investigator?" she asked innocently.
Madison shrugged. "I know you." she said simply. "Well?"
Sakura glanced sheepishly at her. "I have a REALLY big favour to ask you." she began.
"Ask away." Madison assured. "You know I'd do anything for you Sakura."
Sakura laughed. "This isn't your typical favour." she opened her hand and showed it's contents to Madison.
Madison's eyes bugged out of her head. "Is that LI!?" she asked leaning forward out of her chair.
Sakura nodded. "I need to keep him here while I try to break Insanity's spell. I can't keep him at my house because Tory and Dad would have a fit. Do you have any place where I could set him?" she asked hopefully.
Madison quickly got over her shock. She stood up. "Yeah, sure." she started walking towards a closed door. "I have an extra room I don't use, a guest room if you will. It's actually pretty clean, aside from a few boxes stacked in the corner." she opened the door, revealing a dresser and a table set by a bed. "There isn't much furniture, but there is a bed. You could drag a chair in here from the kitchen."
Sakura gave her a grateful smile. "Thank-you Madison." she said gratefully. "You're taking this very well." she commented.
Madison shrugged, grinning. "Well, with all that time spent catching Clow cards in the past, nothing much surprises me anymore." she watched Sakura walk in and gently place the chibi Li in the middle of the bedspread. "There is something I want in return for this." she said.
Sakura stiffened minimally. That didn't sound like Madison. "What do you want?" she asked warily.
Madison broke into another grin. "The whoooole story. Everything, on how Li came to be here and in this condition." she glanced at him on the bed. "I noticed he didn't say anything when you came in, nor is he moving." Madison looked back at Sakura, ready to drag information out of her. "What did you do to him?"
Sakura pulled a face. "I didn't do anything to him, Madison." she looked down. "Rage hit him over the head."
Madison's eyes filled with the light only a true gossip addict can get when their on to something interesting. "Really?" she asked, a wealth of meaning behind that word.
Sakura gave her an amused glance. "Well, you see, I kind of went to Rage for help."
Madison's eyes filled with amazement. "Really?"
Sakura put her hands on her hips. "Stop doing that! It's not like this is such a big deal." Madison just looked at her. Sakura sighed "O.K., maybe it is, but you don't have to act like that. It's giving me the creeps."
Madison giggled.
Sakura sighed again and rolled her eyes, knowing that there was no hope for this certain trouble maker. "Anyways,.....I asked him for help. He agreed only when I promised to tell him my name." she could see Madison opening her mouth to ask the obvious question. Sakura held up a hand. "Don't ask, because, honestly, I don't know why he wanted to know that. But he did. Oh, and I'm going to have to battle him later. That was part of the deal, too."
Madison looked worried. "A duel? Are you sure that's such a good idea, Sakura?" she asked, concerned.
Sakura frowned. "Not you, too!! Kero had the exact same view on that. But was I supposed to, Madison? I had to save Li."
Madison held up both hands. "O.K., O.K.," she said quickly. "You're right. You did, and do, still have to save Li." she crossed her arms and leaned against the doorway. "So what next?"
"Well, Li appeared and I tried talking to him first, I didn't want to resort to violence," she explained. "But he wasn't listening, so then I tried using Sleep on him, but it didn't work." Madison's eyes widened in surprise. Sakura nodded, noting the movement. "Apparently, Insanity had placed some sort of shield around Li that protected him from things like that. I'm not exactly sure how that worked," she confessed, embarrassed. "Rage was the one who told me about it. So, then I took out the Shield card, but Li decided to come at me directly, so I changed to the Sword card. Only for defense though. But Li was too out of control and he knocked the Clow wand right out of my hands. That's when Rage stepped in and knocked Li over the head." Sakura finished. "That's about it."
Madison looked at her, her eyes gleaming. "Ooh! That sounds so sweet! Like he rescued you or something."
Sakura just stared at her while that comment sunk in. When it did she immediately began protesting at the exact same time as Kero did,
"That's ridiculous! He was just getting tired of the fight and wanted it done!" Sakura.
"Not in a million years! He was just never one for patience for a battle if he wasn't in it!!" Kero.
Madison stared at the two, not sure whether she should retreat. "Hey, I was just saying," she started defensively.
Sakura shook her head and smiled. "Nevermind, it doesn't matter." she walked over to the bed and pulled out the Key of Clow, "Oh, Key of Clow! Power of Magic! Power of Light! Surrender the wand, the force ignite! Release!" the Clow wand appeared. "Little card! Reverse your power and make Li normal again! Little card!" Little card appeared and touched Li again. In a matter of moments, Li was back to his regular size. Sakura looked over at Madison. "Do you have any rope?"
Madison looked at her as if she'd lost her mind. "Rope?" she asked faintly.
"Yes, rope, or something I can use to bind Li's hands to the bedpost and his feet to the foot of the bed. Hurry, I don't have much time. I don't know when he'll wake up." Madison just stood there. Sakura looked at the ceiling in exasperation. "In case you've forgotten, Madison, Li isn't exactly hospitable at the moment. If he wakes up and he's not contained, we're just going to have another fight again, and without Rage's help he'd probably end up hurting me, or killing me." she added under her breath.
Madison smiled and laughed weakly. "Of course, I knew that. I'll be right back." she said, quickly disappearing from the room. She reappeared a few minutes later holding some blue material. "It's not rope, but it's strong." she said. She handed the blue strips to Sakura.
Sakura approached Li. She took his right hand and wrapped the material around it. She then held his wrist to the first post and tied his hand securely to it. She leaned over him and did the same thing to his other wrist. In the process, she looked down and gazed at his face. She sweat dropped as she thought, Oh, I really hope he doesn't wake up right now.
When she finished her business, she turned back to Kero and Madison with a triumphant grin on her face. "All done!"
Kero and Madison both exhaled, relieved.
"Kero," Sakura said quietly. He's really kill her for this one. "Would you two leave me alone with him, please?"
Kero looked at her, aghast. "Are you kidding me? That kid is dangerous. What if he breaks free and I'm not here?"
"It's O.K. Kero. He won't."
"Sakura,......." he began protesting.
Sakura crossed her arms, a sure signal that she was going to get her way no matter what. "Look, Kero. You said I'll need to break the hold Insanity has on his mind. I think I could accomplish this much better if I was alone. That way I'll have his full attention, no one will distract him." she explained.
Kero huffed silently, knowing she had a point but not liking it any better.
Madison nodded silently, she knew this was for the best. She always knew Sakura had always had the best luck in getting through to Li. She had her suspicions as to why that was, but, Madison grinned mentally, she wasn't sure yet. "Come on Kero," she said, grabbing him by the tail. Kero yelped, beginning to protest, yet again. "Let's go." Madison said mercilessly.
The door closed behind the two and Sakura was left alone with Li.
~
Sakura sat in an armchair that Madison had brought in from the kitchen, by Li's bed, staring at him. She had been in here, alone, for fourty-five minutes now, waiting for Li to wake up. She kept tensing up, then, when she realized that she was tense, she immediately relaxed, feeling foolish. This had gone on for the entire time she was in here, but, for crying out loud! she really thought Li would have been awake by now. Maybe Rage had hit him a little too hard. Sakura frowned. She kept worrying about that. But then, she kept thinking that when Li did wake up, she'd have to face him, and she wasn't looking forward to that.
Sakura bit her lip. She kept thinking about how she was going to save Li from Insanity. Every time she had tried talking to him, she had failed in getting through. So how was she going to do it? Use something stronger, Kero had said, use something stronger than Insanity had used. What could she use that was stronger than her death?
At that moment, Li's eyebrow twitched. It was such a slight movement, and if Sakura hadn't been watching him so closely, she would have missed it. She leaned forward in her chair anxiously, nervously, and waited.
Li's eyes opened slowly. He blinked a couple of times, trying to get things into focus. When he did, the first thing he saw was the brilliant green of Sakura's eyes. His brow knit in confusion. No, not Sakura,.....
Li abruptly reared off of the bed, his torso rising clean off it. Sakura, taken off guard, fell back in her chair with a thump, her eyes wide. Li relaxed back onto the bed. He looked up at the bindings around his wrists with wide, confused, eyes. He pulled at the cloth experimentally, but it didn't budge. He looked back at Sakura with hate in his eyes. Sakura sunk into her chair, not liking that look one bit.
"So," he said evenly, his voice chilly. "You have caught me." he pulled on his bindings. "Now comes the torture."
Sakura looked at him aghast. "I'm not going to torture you!" she fairly yelled.
"Then you're just going to kill me." he stated matter-of-factly.
Sakura leaned forward, fairly confident that Li was securely tied down, in exasperation, "I'm not going to kill you either."
Li looked at her askance. "Then what are you going to do?" he leaned his head back on the pillow, a smile forming on his lips, "You know, for one of the new Clow cards, you're pretty dense."
Sakura put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "First of all Li Syaoran! I'm not dense, and second! I'm not a Clow card. I'm Sakura Avalon!! The real one! And don't you forget it!" her tone and expression softened. "I'm alive Li. I'm the real Sakura."
Li cracked his eyes open. "That argument again, is it? It's getting a bit old by now. Don't you have anything better to say? Oh, I see," he opened his eyes fully as an idea hit him. "You plan on gaining my trust, making me think you are her, and then you'll betray me, making the torment even worse." he sneered at her. "Well guess what, card, I'm not going to let that happen."
Sakura was getting angry. She knew Li thought she really wasn't real, but, he was getting on her nerves. This was not working. Talking wasn't getting through to him, would violence, maybe? She shuddered at that thought. She really didn't want to hurt Li, she couldn't.
She stood up and leaned over Li, trying to be intimidating. "Look, Li, why can't you just believe what I say?"
Li glared at her. "Why would I do that? How could I do that?" his voice became desperate. "All those years you've been sending me those visions of Sakura's death. I have seen her die a countless number of times, and each time a small portion of my sanity has gone, too. I don't know how I've remained sane these past years, but I have." his eyes narrowed and his voice took on new strength. "But whatever has kept me sane, I'm grateful. And I'm going to keep my sanity. No matter what you do, no matter what you say, you'll never make me forget the real Sakura or what's right." he glared at her with new hatred. "I hope you die, and I hope you die soon. And I hope it will be a painful death, just like hers! You don't deserve to live! And you don't deserve to take on her form, and you will never deserve anything but my derision!!"
*SLAP*
Li turned his head back to look at a fuming Sakura, his cheek red. "You think you know so much," she hissed. "Well if you were half as strong as the Li I used to know, you'd never have let a Clow card influence your decisions. The Li I know would have recognized me no matter what!! But obviously, you're not the Li I used to know. You're just an empty shell. I don't know why I even bother trying to help you. You obviously don't want any help." she leaned in close. "You are weak." she whispered. "I cannot believe I thought I was doing you a favour. Know this Li, no matter what happens between us now, know that I will always be your friend, no matter what."
Li stared into Sakura's eyes, that were just inches from his own. Could she really be the real Sakura? He was so confused! A collage of visions assaulted his mind, all of them of Sakura dead, and a Clow card gloating over the kill. Li closed his eyes in torment. WHEN WAS THIS GOING TO STOP!!!
He opened his eyes again, to find that 'Sakura' was still gazing at him, her eyes still blazing. He let the now familiar hate edge his vision and mockery to enter his tone. "You're good." he said condescendingly.
Sakura's nostrils flared. She was really angry now. Not thinking about what she did, she hopped on the bed and sat down with a plop on Li's stomach, one leg on either side of him. Li grunted but said nothing. She leaned in close to his face again. "You're a coward." she said quietly. "It's not that you can't believe, it's that you won't." her eyes began to tear up. "I want my Li back again, not this Li. I hate to think what you see when you get those horrible visions. I know he's hurt you, Li, but try to believe, believe in me." she pleaded, a tear slipping down her cheek, unheeded.
Li stared at her, something stirring inside him. He had always hated to see Sakura cry. He hated it.
Sakura continued, another tear slipping down her cheek. "I know it's hard Li, but, try to fight it. Do it for me, Li. Because every time you get hurt, so do I." Li started shaking. "I care for you Li, you're my friend, I can't bare to think you're suffering. Come back to me, Li. Come back."
Something in Li began to break, he was trembling violently. He stared up into Sakura's wet, luminous eyes. "S-Sakura?" he asked plaintively, tugging on his wrists, trying to touch her face.
Sakura leaned in, mere millimetres from his face. She looked into his eyes, her breath coming out in a whoosh, "Come to me Li, come to me." and she kissed him.
Li's eyes flared open as he felt something leave him, his very soul. He heard an enraged voice in the back of his head, "Noooo!!!" it screamed as it was forcefully removed from his mind, driven out by a pink glow that was filling the darkness, consuming every crevasse of his mind. He embraced it, opened up to it's warmth completely. There was deep sorrow there, and worry, but a calm peace surrounded it all. A peace for his benefit. It reminded him of cherry blossoms in spring......he knew that soul........
Sakura ended the kiss and leaned up slightly. She looked down at him with hooded eyes for a moment, before the full impact of what she had done hit her. She blushed as red as a beet. Why had she done that? Her very first kiss.....Sakura almost groaned in frustration(not that kind *_^). She had been really angry at Li, she remembered that, she had been angry at him for not trying. And maybe a little scared that she wouldn't be able to draw Li back and banish the spell. Then she had been extremely sad, sure that she had failed, and she had just leaned down and...... she didn't know.
"Sakura."
Sakura's eyes darted to Li's face. Had he just called her by name? As she looked down at him, she noticed that none of the resentment, or anger touched his expression anymore. There was no tormented soul peeking out from behind his eyes. And he had said her name with such...tenderness. Hope flared in her anew. Had she done it?
"Li?" she questioned, holding her breath.
Li smiled up at her nervously, his lips wobbly. "Hi." he said simply.
Sakura stared down at him, happiness beginning to shine in her eyes. "You're all right?"
Li nodded, never taking his eyes from her. "I'm back." he whispered. Then he lowered his eyes in shame. "I'm sorry Sakura. I really am a coward, I never should have stopped believing in you, stopped trying. Will you ever forgive me?"
Before he knew what was happening, Sakura glomped him. She put her hands around his neck and literally squeezed the life out of him. With a big grin on her face, Sakura cried happily, "Oh Li!! Of course I forgive you!! I'm so glad you're back!!"
To be continued......
_______________________________________________________ ___________________________________________
Aww......*sniff*(watery grin) that was so sweet! *sigh* I had fun with that part. I hope you liked it, I did! ^_^ So, Li's back to normal, and Sakura certainly is happy. But what's going to happen next? Stay tuned, so to speak, and find out, because, I don't even know!! I'll have to take some time off and think about this ;) Don't forget to review!! I REALLY want to know what you thought about this one.
Author's Note: Hey! Wow, I'm glad I got this out so soon after the other chapter. I'm so proud of myself!! ^_^
Disclaimer: I do not own Cardcaptors nor am I getting paid to do this, so do not sue me.
Cardcaptors: Taming the Dragon-Ch.7
Sakura looked at Rage.
It took him a moment to understand that Sakura wanted him to help carry the man to this Madison's place. "I am not carrying him anywhere." he stated firmly.
Sakura just looked at him with pleading eyes.
As Rage gazed into her luminous green eyes, he couldn't help but feel lost. It got to the point where he felt like he'd do anything for her. There he went again! What the hell was getting into him? He scowled, anger coming to life in his eyes. He hated not being able to understand what brought about such feelings.
Sakura stared at him, confused over his sudden mood swing.
He glared at her. "I am not helping you with this. I agreed to help you stop him only because of the trade, and the duel."
Sakura's eyes widened. "But I thought you said you weren't going to accept the duel." she said, baffled.
Rage nodded. "So I did. But this will be too much fun to pass up." he smiled.
Sakura's eyes fairly popped out of her head. "FUN!?"
Rage laughed before turning around and walking away.
Sakura watched him go. FUN!? Sakura shook her head. There went her lucky break. She looked back down at Li. She knelt down beside him and her brow knit in concern. She reached out a hand and brushed back a lock of his brown hair from his forehead. "Oh, Li," she whispered. "What have you been through while I was away?" she stood back up and put her hands on her hips, thinking. "So how am I going to get him to Madison's Kero?"
Kero shrugged. "I don't know. It's your plan, you figure it out."
Sakura glanced at him and frowned. "Kero, don't be like that. I know I should have told you what I was going to do and I know it was dangerous, but it worked didn't it?"
Kero crossed his arms. "That's not the point. You could have been hurt." he said gruffly.
Sakura looked at him with shining eyes. "But I wasn't Kero. Thank-you for worrying but I'm fine." she smiled. "And if I come up with any hair brained ideas again I'll tell you before I go and do them."
Kero snorted.
"Now," she said, getting back to Li. "What am I going to do about you? I can't carry you to Madison's. Face it Li, you've grown." she said wryly. "Well, I can't make myself bigger, well, I could, but someone would notice. It's just too bad you aren't a bit smaller......" Sakura trailed off as an idea hit her. She transformed her Key into her wand and pulled out a Clow card. "Little card! Make Li small so I can carry him to Madison's! Little card!" Little went over to Li and came into contact with him. Immediately, light surrounded Li and when the light faded he was small enough to fit in the palm of Sakura's hand.
Kero smirked. "You'd better hope he doesn't wake up Sakura," he advised. "We'd have a devil of a time finding him when he's that small."
Sakura gave him a look. "He won't wake up." she looked down at Li in her fist with concern. "Rage hit him pretty hard, don't you think?"
"He'll live," Kero said, not terribly worried about it.
"Well," Sakura said, Li safely encased in her fist, "Let's go."
Kero started flying away. Sakura cleared her throat. Kero looked back at her questioningly. She gave him a look that said he was out of his mind and then she pointed to her jean shorts pocket. Kero groaned. "Oh, no! Not this again!!"
~
Sakura knocked on Madison's door. She heard a muffled "Coming!" from the other end of the door and then heard someone running. Madison pulled the door open with a pair of scissors in her hands. She smiled when she saw who it was. "Hi Sakura!" she said happily. When Sakura didn't reply and just kept looking down at something, Madison frowned and looked down herself, trying to see what was making Sakura so nervous. She saw the scissors in her hand and grinned wickedly, snapping them open and shut. "Think I'll do something to you with these?"
Sakura gulped and sweat dropped. "Maybe, you could put those down?" she advised nervously.
Madison grinned and opened the door wider. "Sure. I was just teasing. I was working on your outfits some more. That's why it took me a bit to open the door, and why I have these." as she walked by the kitchen she set the scissors on the table. "So," she began, "What brings you here?"
"Well....."
"Oh, no!!! You are getting me out of this pocket first!" Kero demanded hotly.
Sakura looked down at him, amused. "Why don't you just get out yourself?"
"Because!" Kero practically wailed. "I'm stuck!!!"
Madison covered her mouth so she wouldn't burst out laughing. Sakura gritted her teeth until her jaw hurt. "Sorry Kero," she said her voice strained. As gently as she could she pried Kero out of her pocket.
He flew around the room stretching out his wings and exhaling deeply. "That is so much better!" he said enthusiastically.
Madison made a strange gagging sound, and that set Sakura off. They both burst out laughing.
Kero put his hands on his hips and glared at them. "What's so funny? You try being stuck in someone's pocket, wedged up between a piece of cloth and,...well.....nevermind."
The two girls laughter eventually died down to giggles. Madison sat down in her favourite chair and returned to the original subject. "So why are you here?"
Sakura looked around and answered, "What? I couldn't come simply because I wanted to?"
Madison grinned. "Oh, you could have, but if that was the case you would have called first. But you didn't, which suggests you were in a hurry. Which means," Madison concluded. "There's an actual reason why you're here."
Sakura looked at her in mock amazement. "Are you sure you're not a secret investigator?" she asked innocently.
Madison shrugged. "I know you." she said simply. "Well?"
Sakura glanced sheepishly at her. "I have a REALLY big favour to ask you." she began.
"Ask away." Madison assured. "You know I'd do anything for you Sakura."
Sakura laughed. "This isn't your typical favour." she opened her hand and showed it's contents to Madison.
Madison's eyes bugged out of her head. "Is that LI!?" she asked leaning forward out of her chair.
Sakura nodded. "I need to keep him here while I try to break Insanity's spell. I can't keep him at my house because Tory and Dad would have a fit. Do you have any place where I could set him?" she asked hopefully.
Madison quickly got over her shock. She stood up. "Yeah, sure." she started walking towards a closed door. "I have an extra room I don't use, a guest room if you will. It's actually pretty clean, aside from a few boxes stacked in the corner." she opened the door, revealing a dresser and a table set by a bed. "There isn't much furniture, but there is a bed. You could drag a chair in here from the kitchen."
Sakura gave her a grateful smile. "Thank-you Madison." she said gratefully. "You're taking this very well." she commented.
Madison shrugged, grinning. "Well, with all that time spent catching Clow cards in the past, nothing much surprises me anymore." she watched Sakura walk in and gently place the chibi Li in the middle of the bedspread. "There is something I want in return for this." she said.
Sakura stiffened minimally. That didn't sound like Madison. "What do you want?" she asked warily.
Madison broke into another grin. "The whoooole story. Everything, on how Li came to be here and in this condition." she glanced at him on the bed. "I noticed he didn't say anything when you came in, nor is he moving." Madison looked back at Sakura, ready to drag information out of her. "What did you do to him?"
Sakura pulled a face. "I didn't do anything to him, Madison." she looked down. "Rage hit him over the head."
Madison's eyes filled with the light only a true gossip addict can get when their on to something interesting. "Really?" she asked, a wealth of meaning behind that word.
Sakura gave her an amused glance. "Well, you see, I kind of went to Rage for help."
Madison's eyes filled with amazement. "Really?"
Sakura put her hands on her hips. "Stop doing that! It's not like this is such a big deal." Madison just looked at her. Sakura sighed "O.K., maybe it is, but you don't have to act like that. It's giving me the creeps."
Madison giggled.
Sakura sighed again and rolled her eyes, knowing that there was no hope for this certain trouble maker. "Anyways,.....I asked him for help. He agreed only when I promised to tell him my name." she could see Madison opening her mouth to ask the obvious question. Sakura held up a hand. "Don't ask, because, honestly, I don't know why he wanted to know that. But he did. Oh, and I'm going to have to battle him later. That was part of the deal, too."
Madison looked worried. "A duel? Are you sure that's such a good idea, Sakura?" she asked, concerned.
Sakura frowned. "Not you, too!! Kero had the exact same view on that. But was I supposed to, Madison? I had to save Li."
Madison held up both hands. "O.K., O.K.," she said quickly. "You're right. You did, and do, still have to save Li." she crossed her arms and leaned against the doorway. "So what next?"
"Well, Li appeared and I tried talking to him first, I didn't want to resort to violence," she explained. "But he wasn't listening, so then I tried using Sleep on him, but it didn't work." Madison's eyes widened in surprise. Sakura nodded, noting the movement. "Apparently, Insanity had placed some sort of shield around Li that protected him from things like that. I'm not exactly sure how that worked," she confessed, embarrassed. "Rage was the one who told me about it. So, then I took out the Shield card, but Li decided to come at me directly, so I changed to the Sword card. Only for defense though. But Li was too out of control and he knocked the Clow wand right out of my hands. That's when Rage stepped in and knocked Li over the head." Sakura finished. "That's about it."
Madison looked at her, her eyes gleaming. "Ooh! That sounds so sweet! Like he rescued you or something."
Sakura just stared at her while that comment sunk in. When it did she immediately began protesting at the exact same time as Kero did,
"That's ridiculous! He was just getting tired of the fight and wanted it done!" Sakura.
"Not in a million years! He was just never one for patience for a battle if he wasn't in it!!" Kero.
Madison stared at the two, not sure whether she should retreat. "Hey, I was just saying," she started defensively.
Sakura shook her head and smiled. "Nevermind, it doesn't matter." she walked over to the bed and pulled out the Key of Clow, "Oh, Key of Clow! Power of Magic! Power of Light! Surrender the wand, the force ignite! Release!" the Clow wand appeared. "Little card! Reverse your power and make Li normal again! Little card!" Little card appeared and touched Li again. In a matter of moments, Li was back to his regular size. Sakura looked over at Madison. "Do you have any rope?"
Madison looked at her as if she'd lost her mind. "Rope?" she asked faintly.
"Yes, rope, or something I can use to bind Li's hands to the bedpost and his feet to the foot of the bed. Hurry, I don't have much time. I don't know when he'll wake up." Madison just stood there. Sakura looked at the ceiling in exasperation. "In case you've forgotten, Madison, Li isn't exactly hospitable at the moment. If he wakes up and he's not contained, we're just going to have another fight again, and without Rage's help he'd probably end up hurting me, or killing me." she added under her breath.
Madison smiled and laughed weakly. "Of course, I knew that. I'll be right back." she said, quickly disappearing from the room. She reappeared a few minutes later holding some blue material. "It's not rope, but it's strong." she said. She handed the blue strips to Sakura.
Sakura approached Li. She took his right hand and wrapped the material around it. She then held his wrist to the first post and tied his hand securely to it. She leaned over him and did the same thing to his other wrist. In the process, she looked down and gazed at his face. She sweat dropped as she thought, Oh, I really hope he doesn't wake up right now.
When she finished her business, she turned back to Kero and Madison with a triumphant grin on her face. "All done!"
Kero and Madison both exhaled, relieved.
"Kero," Sakura said quietly. He's really kill her for this one. "Would you two leave me alone with him, please?"
Kero looked at her, aghast. "Are you kidding me? That kid is dangerous. What if he breaks free and I'm not here?"
"It's O.K. Kero. He won't."
"Sakura,......." he began protesting.
Sakura crossed her arms, a sure signal that she was going to get her way no matter what. "Look, Kero. You said I'll need to break the hold Insanity has on his mind. I think I could accomplish this much better if I was alone. That way I'll have his full attention, no one will distract him." she explained.
Kero huffed silently, knowing she had a point but not liking it any better.
Madison nodded silently, she knew this was for the best. She always knew Sakura had always had the best luck in getting through to Li. She had her suspicions as to why that was, but, Madison grinned mentally, she wasn't sure yet. "Come on Kero," she said, grabbing him by the tail. Kero yelped, beginning to protest, yet again. "Let's go." Madison said mercilessly.
The door closed behind the two and Sakura was left alone with Li.
~
Sakura sat in an armchair that Madison had brought in from the kitchen, by Li's bed, staring at him. She had been in here, alone, for fourty-five minutes now, waiting for Li to wake up. She kept tensing up, then, when she realized that she was tense, she immediately relaxed, feeling foolish. This had gone on for the entire time she was in here, but, for crying out loud! she really thought Li would have been awake by now. Maybe Rage had hit him a little too hard. Sakura frowned. She kept worrying about that. But then, she kept thinking that when Li did wake up, she'd have to face him, and she wasn't looking forward to that.
Sakura bit her lip. She kept thinking about how she was going to save Li from Insanity. Every time she had tried talking to him, she had failed in getting through. So how was she going to do it? Use something stronger, Kero had said, use something stronger than Insanity had used. What could she use that was stronger than her death?
At that moment, Li's eyebrow twitched. It was such a slight movement, and if Sakura hadn't been watching him so closely, she would have missed it. She leaned forward in her chair anxiously, nervously, and waited.
Li's eyes opened slowly. He blinked a couple of times, trying to get things into focus. When he did, the first thing he saw was the brilliant green of Sakura's eyes. His brow knit in confusion. No, not Sakura,.....
Li abruptly reared off of the bed, his torso rising clean off it. Sakura, taken off guard, fell back in her chair with a thump, her eyes wide. Li relaxed back onto the bed. He looked up at the bindings around his wrists with wide, confused, eyes. He pulled at the cloth experimentally, but it didn't budge. He looked back at Sakura with hate in his eyes. Sakura sunk into her chair, not liking that look one bit.
"So," he said evenly, his voice chilly. "You have caught me." he pulled on his bindings. "Now comes the torture."
Sakura looked at him aghast. "I'm not going to torture you!" she fairly yelled.
"Then you're just going to kill me." he stated matter-of-factly.
Sakura leaned forward, fairly confident that Li was securely tied down, in exasperation, "I'm not going to kill you either."
Li looked at her askance. "Then what are you going to do?" he leaned his head back on the pillow, a smile forming on his lips, "You know, for one of the new Clow cards, you're pretty dense."
Sakura put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "First of all Li Syaoran! I'm not dense, and second! I'm not a Clow card. I'm Sakura Avalon!! The real one! And don't you forget it!" her tone and expression softened. "I'm alive Li. I'm the real Sakura."
Li cracked his eyes open. "That argument again, is it? It's getting a bit old by now. Don't you have anything better to say? Oh, I see," he opened his eyes fully as an idea hit him. "You plan on gaining my trust, making me think you are her, and then you'll betray me, making the torment even worse." he sneered at her. "Well guess what, card, I'm not going to let that happen."
Sakura was getting angry. She knew Li thought she really wasn't real, but, he was getting on her nerves. This was not working. Talking wasn't getting through to him, would violence, maybe? She shuddered at that thought. She really didn't want to hurt Li, she couldn't.
She stood up and leaned over Li, trying to be intimidating. "Look, Li, why can't you just believe what I say?"
Li glared at her. "Why would I do that? How could I do that?" his voice became desperate. "All those years you've been sending me those visions of Sakura's death. I have seen her die a countless number of times, and each time a small portion of my sanity has gone, too. I don't know how I've remained sane these past years, but I have." his eyes narrowed and his voice took on new strength. "But whatever has kept me sane, I'm grateful. And I'm going to keep my sanity. No matter what you do, no matter what you say, you'll never make me forget the real Sakura or what's right." he glared at her with new hatred. "I hope you die, and I hope you die soon. And I hope it will be a painful death, just like hers! You don't deserve to live! And you don't deserve to take on her form, and you will never deserve anything but my derision!!"
*SLAP*
Li turned his head back to look at a fuming Sakura, his cheek red. "You think you know so much," she hissed. "Well if you were half as strong as the Li I used to know, you'd never have let a Clow card influence your decisions. The Li I know would have recognized me no matter what!! But obviously, you're not the Li I used to know. You're just an empty shell. I don't know why I even bother trying to help you. You obviously don't want any help." she leaned in close. "You are weak." she whispered. "I cannot believe I thought I was doing you a favour. Know this Li, no matter what happens between us now, know that I will always be your friend, no matter what."
Li stared into Sakura's eyes, that were just inches from his own. Could she really be the real Sakura? He was so confused! A collage of visions assaulted his mind, all of them of Sakura dead, and a Clow card gloating over the kill. Li closed his eyes in torment. WHEN WAS THIS GOING TO STOP!!!
He opened his eyes again, to find that 'Sakura' was still gazing at him, her eyes still blazing. He let the now familiar hate edge his vision and mockery to enter his tone. "You're good." he said condescendingly.
Sakura's nostrils flared. She was really angry now. Not thinking about what she did, she hopped on the bed and sat down with a plop on Li's stomach, one leg on either side of him. Li grunted but said nothing. She leaned in close to his face again. "You're a coward." she said quietly. "It's not that you can't believe, it's that you won't." her eyes began to tear up. "I want my Li back again, not this Li. I hate to think what you see when you get those horrible visions. I know he's hurt you, Li, but try to believe, believe in me." she pleaded, a tear slipping down her cheek, unheeded.
Li stared at her, something stirring inside him. He had always hated to see Sakura cry. He hated it.
Sakura continued, another tear slipping down her cheek. "I know it's hard Li, but, try to fight it. Do it for me, Li. Because every time you get hurt, so do I." Li started shaking. "I care for you Li, you're my friend, I can't bare to think you're suffering. Come back to me, Li. Come back."
Something in Li began to break, he was trembling violently. He stared up into Sakura's wet, luminous eyes. "S-Sakura?" he asked plaintively, tugging on his wrists, trying to touch her face.
Sakura leaned in, mere millimetres from his face. She looked into his eyes, her breath coming out in a whoosh, "Come to me Li, come to me." and she kissed him.
Li's eyes flared open as he felt something leave him, his very soul. He heard an enraged voice in the back of his head, "Noooo!!!" it screamed as it was forcefully removed from his mind, driven out by a pink glow that was filling the darkness, consuming every crevasse of his mind. He embraced it, opened up to it's warmth completely. There was deep sorrow there, and worry, but a calm peace surrounded it all. A peace for his benefit. It reminded him of cherry blossoms in spring......he knew that soul........
Sakura ended the kiss and leaned up slightly. She looked down at him with hooded eyes for a moment, before the full impact of what she had done hit her. She blushed as red as a beet. Why had she done that? Her very first kiss.....Sakura almost groaned in frustration(not that kind *_^). She had been really angry at Li, she remembered that, she had been angry at him for not trying. And maybe a little scared that she wouldn't be able to draw Li back and banish the spell. Then she had been extremely sad, sure that she had failed, and she had just leaned down and...... she didn't know.
"Sakura."
Sakura's eyes darted to Li's face. Had he just called her by name? As she looked down at him, she noticed that none of the resentment, or anger touched his expression anymore. There was no tormented soul peeking out from behind his eyes. And he had said her name with such...tenderness. Hope flared in her anew. Had she done it?
"Li?" she questioned, holding her breath.
Li smiled up at her nervously, his lips wobbly. "Hi." he said simply.
Sakura stared down at him, happiness beginning to shine in her eyes. "You're all right?"
Li nodded, never taking his eyes from her. "I'm back." he whispered. Then he lowered his eyes in shame. "I'm sorry Sakura. I really am a coward, I never should have stopped believing in you, stopped trying. Will you ever forgive me?"
Before he knew what was happening, Sakura glomped him. She put her hands around his neck and literally squeezed the life out of him. With a big grin on her face, Sakura cried happily, "Oh Li!! Of course I forgive you!! I'm so glad you're back!!"
To be continued......
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Aww......*sniff*(watery grin) that was so sweet! *sigh* I had fun with that part. I hope you liked it, I did! ^_^ So, Li's back to normal, and Sakura certainly is happy. But what's going to happen next? Stay tuned, so to speak, and find out, because, I don't even know!! I'll have to take some time off and think about this ;) Don't forget to review!! I REALLY want to know what you thought about this one.