Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Shadow of the Dragon ❯ Sakura's Mournful Days ( Chapter 9 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Lord Archive 
The funerals of the departed does not bring closure to Sakura as she faces the loss and guilt by herself.
Anime/Manga: Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Supernatural / Romance / Drama | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 07.27.2007 | Pages: 6 | Words: 6.5K | Visits: 602 | Status: Completed
The funerals of the departed does not bring closure to Sakura as she faces the loss and guilt by herself.
Anime/Manga: Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Supernatural / Romance / Drama | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 07.27.2007 | Pages: 6 | Words: 6.5K | Visits: 602 | Status: Completed
Sakura blearily woke up to Syaoran shaking her. "Huh?" she questioned tiredly wondering why he was waking her and where she was.
"Sorry for waking you up," Syaoran apologized. "I just wanted to say good-bye to you before I left for the airport."
Sakura shot up in her bed as recent events caught up to her. She then bowed her head as tears formed in her eyes. Last night she had made the decision to let Reiko remain dead, and Syaoran had held her as she had cried herself to sleep. She couldn't look at him as fear began to take her. "So you're leaving now?"
"I'll be back in a week, I promise." Syaoran placed his hand under her chin and made her look at him. "I don't want to leave you now, but I have to go to Fanren's funeral." He then leaned forward and kissed her lips briefly. "I love you, Sakura. Nothing will ever change that."
"But I'm a murderer. I killed Reiko-chan. I could've saved her," Sakura sobbed.
"You are not a murderer. It was the drunk's fault. You only changed who died." Syaoran sighed. "I know your decision is hurting you and that you have the right to feel guilty, but you did what you felt was right. Ichimai is dead and nothing can change that now, but because of you Daidouji and her mother haven't been lost to this tragedy. You saved two lives at the expense of one."
"That not a fair trade!" Sakura shouted. "People aren't something that can be traded!"
"Sakura, I know it doesn't sound fair, but sometimes taking one life will save more people. It a sad part of life." Syaoran pulled away from the girl. "I've got to be going now. Good-bye."
Sakura leapt from her bed. "I'm going with you to the airport!"
"There's no time to wait..." Syaoran stared as the girl began to take off her pajama top.
"That's enough of that!" Kero-chan cried out, announcing his presence in the room. "Out! Out!"
"Ack! Sorry!" Syaoran rushed out of the room.
Sakura froze, realizing what she had been doing in front of Syaoran. She didn't move again until her door had shut. She wasn't sure what to feel. She thought she should be relieved that he wasn't going to see her undressed, yet she also felt a little disappointed and even rejected for some reason. She shook her head and quickly moved to get ready to accompany Syaoran to the airport.
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Card Captors Sakura: Shadow of the Dragon
Chapter 9: Sakura's Mournful Days
By: Lord Archive
Author's Warnings:
In accordance to movie rating system this series would be rated PG-13, and as for television would rate TV M for mature audience, but would be viewable with no edits save for some incidents of vulgar language. Due to subjective nature of the ratings, for FFnet this series has been labeled with a mature rating for those who have poor views of some of the subject matter contained within.
This series contains:
Adult situations.
Sexual situations withOUT detailed description of sex nor the naked human body.
Brief moments of violence, some cases involving people getting severely injured and possibly death.
Occasional use of vulgar language.
Japanese humor: which include bathroom jokes, panty fetish and shocking situations.
Depictions of criminal activity committed by fictional characters.
References of homosexuality.
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Sakura flew through the night's sky, trying to run from her thoughts that had plagued her throughout her day, especially after Syaoran had left her early in the morning. She knew Kero-chan was following behind her, but had largely paid his presence no heed. She wanted to forget that Chiharu's father had passed away. She wished she could ignore that Syaoran was now in Hong Kong for his sister's funeral. She prayed that Reiko's blood would wash off her hands. Yet as much as she wanted these things to be just a bad dream, they were her harsh reality.
The meandering flight came to an end as Sakura landed on top of Tomoeda Elementary, right above her old fifth grade classroom.
"Kero-chan?" Sakura called out suddenly.
"Yes, Sakura-chan?" Kero-chan timidly replied.
"If when people die is predetermined, does that mean that people are meant to be murdered?" Sakura wondered in a strange hollow voice that sounded so unlike her.
Kero-chan shook his head. "Murder is not part of the natural order. It's an act that upsets the balance. However, because there are murders, many girls find themselves pregnant when they didn't want to be."
"Huh?" Sakura blinked.
"Look, because someone's life was taken before their time, a life will get born before they were supposed to. It balances out death and life," Kero-chan explained.
"Why do children die then? They haven't had a chance to live, yet they die," Sakura retorted.
Kero-chan shrugged. "Who can say? People have searched for thousands of years for answers to that question, and I don't think we're any closer today than those people were back then."
"Because of what I've done, does that mean some girl out there will find herself pregnant?" Sakura moped.
"Absolutely not! You didn't murder anyone!" Kero-chan yelled at her. "If anything happens of that sort, it would be Daidouji-san having a baby that the girl was intended to have."
"Reiko-chan is dead because of me! My actions killed her!" Sakura sobbed.
Kero-chan sighed. "Sakura-chan, what did you say to Yue and me before you reset the day?"
After a moment Sakura answered, "I don't remember."
"Oh, yes you do." Kero-chan pointed at the girl. "You told us to make sure that everyone didn't live for your memory, but for themselves. You didn't want anyone to shut themselves off to the world like Tomoyo-chan had when her mother died."
Sakura nodded shallowly, but said nothing.
"Now here you are, shutting yourself down because of the death of your classmate." Kero-chan patted the girl's cheek. "I know asking you to smile would be a bit much, but please remember your own words. You don't honestly think the girl would want you to dwell on her, do you? You need to live for yourself, your family, and even that brat."
"Syaoran is not a brat," Sakura retorted out of forced habit, with no heat behind her words. She then bowed her head. "What if he doesn't come back?"
Kero-chan checked himself to keep himself from saying only death would keep the kid away. "He'll be back. There's nothing in this world that will keep him away from you. He loves you, kiddo, don't forget that."
"Does he still love me after what I've done?" Sakura pressed.
"If he didn't, would he really have stayed with you all night long, holding you while you slept?" Kero-chan shook his head. "Look, I don't think that kid is good enough for you, but the fact is no one is good enough for you."
Sakura wanted to laugh at her guardian's joke, but she had no heart to do it with.
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Tomoyo sat in her classroom, staring at the white flower on Reiko's desk and wishing it would just go away. Never before had she felt a flower to be so ugly as that one. It was a visible scar on the classroom of a classmate lost to death before her time. Worse, that flower had originally been meant for her mother.
Kero-chan had told Tomoyo about how she reacted to her mother's death. Instead of mourning and clinging to Sakura as she thought she would, instead she tried to sever all ties to her childhood and take over her mother's position in the business world. That in a very real sense, the Tomoyo that Sakura had known all her life had died that day too.
Tomoyo tried to smile as Sakura entered the classroom, but it was a supreme effort not to frown. That her best friend's face was locked in a mournful look didn't help her attempt.
Two boys immediately walked up to Sakura, with one of them asking, "Did you really see Ichimai die?"
Sakura took a step back from them and nodded. The boys, however, didn't recognize the girl's personal space as they took away the distance she had gain. The other boy then asked, "She was really hit by a truck?"
Sakura nodded again as her face grew paler, trying to keep her distance from the boys but they kept advancing on her, wanting all the horrid details.
"Was there blood and guts everywhere?" the first boy pressed.
Tomoyo had started to move to rescue the girl. If Syaoran had been here, they wouldn't have even tried asking her anything. However, Tomoyo didn't have to do anything, as the boys' questions were 'rewarded' with Sakura's final answer in the form of her suddenly throwing up on their legs and feet. Tomoyo couldn't help but take
a small bit of delight at the two idiots backing away in disgust while the rest of the class laughed at the sight.
The homeroom teacher, Fukino, cleared his throat, announcing his presence. "Daidouji, take Kinomoto to the bathroom to get cleaned up, and if necessary, the nurse's office." He then glared at the boys. "You two will clean up the mess you just made, and you'll both get to mop the entire school tonight."
While the boys looked ready to protest, they knew doing so would only increase their punishment.
Tomoyo smiled for the first time since learning of the accident, and that was in thanks towards her homeroom teacher. With such a harsh punishment over pestering Sakura about Reiko's death, it would help keep others away from questioning her.
Tomoyo wrapped her arm around her best friend's back and began to guide her. "Come on, Sakura-chan, let's get you cleaned up."
Sakura nodded shyly, still not having said a single word.
As they left the room, they heard Fukino howling at the class that he wouldn't tolerate anyone pestering individuals about the recent deaths or Chiharu's marriage.
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Rika sat in her private spot in the woods near the park. Her thoughts were on how small her classroom felt with Reiko gone and numerous absences due to the other deaths.
"Hello, Rika-chan," Terada greeted as he entered the secluded grove. "How was your day?"
Rika smiled sadly at him. "Hello, Yoshiyuki. Today was... quiet. Sakura-chan returned to class, but she's still rather upset. She barely said a word all day."
Terada nodded. "It would be upsetting to see someone die like that."
"It's more than that. Reiko-chan wasn't supposed to have died two days ago, but Tomoyo-chan's mother instead. Sakura-chan used her magic to change the outcome, and now she thinks she's a murderer." Rika sighed sadly. "I can't imagine what she's feeling, having chosen who lived and who died."
Terada stared blankly. "Kinomoto can do that?"
"Yes, but it used up a lot of her power to reset the day and change the outcome of it." Rika gazed at the ground. "And with Li-kun and Meiling-chan in Hong Kong now, we all fear she's functionally defenseless if there's another attack."
"We'll just have to keep our eyes out for her. Give her as much help as we can," Terada told her firmly.
"But I don't know how much help I can be beyond calling for the police," Rika replied weakly.
Terada touched her cheek lightly. "Being there for her may give her more help than the police can. Remind her that she isn't alone in facing her enemy or herself."
Rika nodded shallowly. "There is something else, Yoshiyuki. All these deaths happening made me realize how fragile we are."
Terada shook his head. "We are tougher than we look. Mihara-san was dying from cancer since you were one of my students. The doctors thought he would die almost two years ago. He beat their best prediction by almost a year."
"I know that, but a simple accident could take you away from me, or I could be killed in one of the attacks on Sakura-chan," Rika asserted.
Terada kissed her forehead. "Rika-chan, I promise you I won't be going anywhere. There is no need to rush into anything. When you turn sixteen, you'll make me the happiest man in the world."
Rika pouted. "That's still over a year away."
"I know. But it will be best for us to wait until then. And we won't have to hide our relationship anymore," Terada returned.
"I wish we didn't have to hide it at all," Rika whined.
Terada caressed her hair. "Rika-chan, for every honest relationship between a teacher and a student, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of teachers using their position to abuse children. As much as I want to abandon myself to you, I do not want our relationship to be seen like that. I want to keep our love honest and pure."
A knowing and somewhat naughty grin crossed Rika's face. "Until I'm sixteen and your wife, then you want to ravish my body with your devilish desires," she joked, causing her beloved to laugh.
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Syaoran woke up in his own bed in his mother's home, but that held no joy for him. The entire reason he was at this house was because his sister had died saving the lives of others. And because of her death, he could not be with Sakura when his girlfriend needed him so desperately.
The boy rushed getting ready for the day, making sure he looked presentable to his extended family. He was thankful at least that because his sister died a hero, that they could hold her veiwing and funeral at their mother's home rather than some strange funeral palor. Fanren belonged here, and it saved him from making a long trip to some place he never wanted to go to.
Syaoran went to the back porch and saw that many of his relatives were present, some of whom had been there since the day before. He paid little heed to them as he walked to gazebo where a closed, but not sealed, coffin with three humps had been placed holding his sister's charred remains.
After offering up his prayers to his sister, Syaoran took the time to see his family. Feimei was putting on a show of mourning loudly, while Fuutie and Shiefa were fighting their tears. His frowned deepened seeing that his mother seemed to be caught in a one-sided argument.
"When did she know?!" demanded the irate man, yelling at Yelan.
"Fengwu, please calm down," pleaded the woman with the irate man. "She couldn't have known about this accident."
"I won't calm down, Shanhui. You don't know this family," Fengwu retorted.
"Your grief is appreciated," Yelan told him stiffly. "I am not the one who will answer your questions."
"Don't try to deny anything! I saw her 'pile' of clothes. There were what, ten outfits in them? And just where is the red dress I bought her before she broke up with me?" Fengwu pressed.
"That should be obvious," Yelan returned evenly, showing no hint of emotion.
"She's WEARING it?! Are you trying to make her a ghost? Red is for happy occasions, not for something like this!" Fengwu yelled.
Yelan had a shadow of a smirk. "Why are you asking me things you've already figured out?"
Fengwu screamed incoherently and stomped off with Shanhui following him in confusion.
Syaoran approached his mother and looked in the direction Fengwu had gone. "He deserves to know the full story, Mother."
"It was neither the place nor my duty to inform him," Yelan replied cryptically.
Now Syaoran wanted to scream.
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Sakura held Chiharu tightly after the funeral for Mr. Mihara ended. "I'm sorry I couldn't do anything more for you."
Chiharu shook her head. "You've done more than enough. You've helped me more than you can imagine."
Sakura sighed as she pulled away from her friend. "I'm sorry I can't make the wake."
"I understand." Chiharu grasped her friend's hands. "Just remember it's not your fault someone died. That was meant to be, even if it was a stupid accident."
"I can't help but feel responsible. I could've saved her," Sakura insisted.
"Sakura if you kept everyone alive, something really bad could've happened. Just be thankful this wasn't the worst possible outcome," Chiharu tried to encourage her.
Tears leaked from the corners of Sakura eyes. "I know that... That's why I didn't change it. I didn't want to lose Tomoyo-chan to grief so I chose Reiko-chan instead."
Chiharu nodded sadly. "Just so you know, if I had to make that choice, I would've done the same thing."
"I'll see you later, Chiharu-chan," Sakura promised.
"Be happy, Sakura-chan. Even though I know it's not easy, be happy," Chiharu suggested strongly before leaving her friend to meet with her family.
Sakura moved and sat down on a pew at the church, far away from Tomoyo and her mother who also remained at the church waiting for the next funeral. She could only vaguely remember being here for her mother's funeral. With her father being Shinto, she hadn't gone to mass nor followed the Christian faith she had been baptized into. With the larger than normal Christian community in Tomoeda, she knew a few things about that faith-- but she was really much more a Shinto girl. In fact, with her magical cards, Sakura could be seen as being a Shinto Priestess-- though she didn't know anything about filling such a role.
The girl's thoughts were interrupted when she heard Reiko's mother greeting of, "Hello, Sakura-chan."
"Hello, Ichimai-san." Sakura couldn't look the woman in the eye. "I'm sorry."
"There's no need for you to feel sorry." Mrs. Ichimai scowled. "It's that drunk that will be sorry if I ever get my hands on him." After a moment, the woman knelt down next to the girl. "That was a joke."
"Sorry. I haven't laughed in days," Sakura apologized. "And I'm really sorry I didn't save Reiko-chan. I saw the truck coming. I could've pushed her out of the way."
Mrs. Ichimai caressed the girl's cheek. "If you had, then this would've been your funeral, wouldn't it?"
Sakura didn't offer any reply beyond moving away from the woman's touch.
"I don't blame you for Reiko's death. I'm glad that you came to see her funeral. Reiko never had many friends, and it's nice to see she made at least one before she died," Mrs. Ichimai praised the girl.
Sakura began to sob hard, wanting to tell the woman of her horrible sin. That it hadn't been Reiko's time, but someone else's. Yet her selfishness prevailed in not wanting her magic to become public knowledge in fear of what others would do to her and her family. The hug she was now receiving from the dead girl's mother made her guilt all the more unbearable.
After Sakura's tears had run dry, Mrs. Ichimai asked, "Would you like to see Reiko?"
Sakura's eyes widened. "It's an open casket?"
Mrs. Ichimai nodded slowly. "Partially at least."
Sakura got up and walked to the antechamber where the last viewing of Mr. Mihara had also taken place. Approaching the small casket, the girl saw what Mrs. Ichimai had meant. From the chest up, Reiko's body was unmarred from the accident, however she knew the red cloth going from the bottom of the chest to the top of the closed half of the coffin was to cover up that Reiko didn't have a body below her chest. At least nothing that was intact.
Sakura blinked in surprise when one of her school's athletes walked up to Reiko's body and caressed the dead girl's cheek.
"I'm going to miss you," the skinny second baseman and star homerun hitter said sadly. "You were a true cheerleader, and I'll never forget the attention you gave me after I hit my first grand slam and won that game last year. I never thought any cheerleader really rewarded star players like you did, but you had taken it upon yourself to reward us. You motivated me to be the best I could be more than anyone else. I wish I knew you better. Knew what music you liked and crap like that. Not just what you looked like naked."
Sakura took a step away from the boy. That a half-dozen other athletes were behind him, nodding to his words had not escaped her. What had Reiko done with her short life?
"Just what do you think you're saying here?" hissed out an angry voice.
The baseball player turned around as the other athletes moved out of the way revealing an elderly man scowling at the boy. "Principal, you might not approve about how I cared for her, but I DID like Reiko-chan. She cared for our school's sports teams more than most of the players. And she gave us her support and attention far beyond what any of us expected. Don't go spitting on the love she had for our teams by the way SHE showed it. I'm here to honor what she did for us. I don't care if you think what she did for us was immoral or dirty, she did it for our school."
Principal gritted his teeth. "You will speak no more of this here or at her wake. If I hear one more comment about Ichimai's... devotion to sports, the person who says it will be off the sports teams."
The athletes clenched their fists, but nodded to the principal's words.
Sakura just stared at them. She couldn't understand what she had just heard. Seeing Reiko's mother crying off to the side made her want to slap each of the boys present.
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"You know, Syaoran, you're not playing your part," Meiling jokingly groused, moving to stand next to her cousin as he looked over the distance.
Syaoran cast an annoyed look at the girl. "I'm not going to pretend to wail and moan for the loss of my sister. I see no use in such... acting. I'll mourn for her in my own way."
"Have you seen your nieces yet? They're very cute," Meiling asked.
Syaoran smiled a little. "I still find it funny that Feimei beat Sheifa and Fuutie to motherhood."
Meiling nodded. "Got her married before Sheifa as well."
"Mother did warn her about that," Syaoran recalled.
"Like that warning would've stopped her." Meiling giggled briefly before letting out a sigh and looked over Syaoran's sisters, each holding their own daughter. "It's good to see new life on such occasions as this."
"Life will go on, even without us," Syaoran mused. He then looked at the babies his sisters were holding as well. "I just hope I don't have all daughters."
"Better hope you just didn't jinx yourself." Meiling let out a loud laugh, causing a few of those present to scowl at her.
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Sakura knew she wasn't the only person dismayed at the turnout for Reiko's funeral. Not counting herself, only three other girls from her school were here, Tomoyo and two members of the cheerleader squad. However, the low turnout for those who might have been her friends wasn't the cause of certain people being upset. It was the fact that there were two dozen boys, each a member of at least one sport's team, was present. It was spoken in hushed words, but many wondered how many of those boys had personally received Reiko's 'attention.'
The more Sakura learned about Reiko's life, the sadder she became. She couldn't imagine going through life without a close friend to talk with, to be so intimate with a guy she cared nothing for, to be on her own without any help. If she had been alone facing her challenges, she would've failed them.
"Sakura-chan, we're going to Reiko-chan's wake now. Did you want to come with us?" Tomoyo asked.
"I can't face them, knowing what I took from them." Sakura shook her head slowly. "I need time alone."
Tomoyo hugged her friend. "You'll never be alone. If you need me for anything, just call. I can't thank you enough for all you've done for me. I love you, Sakura-chan."
Sakura tried to smile weakly for her friend. "You'll always be my best friend, Tomoyo-chan. I'd give up anything for you."
"Even your innocence," Tomoyo whispered so lightly, her friend barely heard her.
"I'll see you later," Sakura promised.
Tomoyo nodded. "I'll call you tonight." She reluctantly let go of her friend and drifted off towards her mother.
Sakura's thoughts returned to Reiko, and trying to find meaning in the senseless accident that would take someone's life no matter what she did to stop it. The others didn't know it, but she had used The Dream on herself to find a way to save everyone. No matter what she did, this funeral would happen. Even if she kept the drunk from killing someone, then a different accident would have claimed Naoko's life. She didn't understand why someone had to die, it didn't seem fair.
"You've been here all morning," noted the young priest with scruff black hair and thin physique who had conducted both funerals.
"I knew both of them. Mihara-san was the father of one of my friends, and Reiko-chan was captain of my cheerleader squad... and I saw her die," Sakura explain tearfully.
"Ah, that can't be easy for you, knowing two people to pass away at once," the priest said sympathetically.
"Three," Sakura corrected. "My boyfriend's sister also died. Now he's in Hong Kong attending her funeral."
"I can guess you've got some questions. Go ahead and ask Father Morisato, and I'll answer you the best I can," the priest promised.
"Why do people have to die? Why couldn't any of them be saved?" Sakura pleaded.
Father Morisato frowned. "The Lord works in mysterious ways. He has a special plan for each of us, we just need to find the paths He set for us."
"But why did I have to choose?" Sakura demanded. "It didn't have to be Reiko-chan, but the other choices... I couldn't accept!"
Father Morisato looked very confused. "What do you mean you choose who died?"
"Somehow I knew the accident was going to happen ahead of time. I saved the life of my best friend's mother, but Reiko-chan died in her place. If I had saved her as well, then one of my friends would've been killed in a different accident," Sakura admitted.
"Dear, life is full of hard choices, though many aren't as obviously life affecting when you make them. Even if you made such a decision, the meaning and purpose of it may take years for you to truly understand why." Father Morisato smiled at the girl. "Remember that life is short and to make the most of it you can. Remember your past, but don't let yourself be enslaved by it. Also, don't go rushing into things before you're ready."
"You were almost sounding like my Dad, but that last comment sounded like my brother," Sakura observed with a sad smile, wanting to laugh at her comment, but couldn't.
Father Morisato chuckled lightly. "Good advice is universal." He then gazed intently at the girl. "Now I haven't seen you on Sundays, are you part of the Church?"
Sakura pouted. "Well, I was baptized, but honestly I'm more Shinto than Christian."
"Many of those who come here are both. Why don't you come here for Sunday mass and hear the good words of our Lord? It may help you find your answers," Father Morisato advised.
"I'll think about it," Sakura replied.
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"I'm going to talk to our ancestors," Syaoran announced loudly to his mother.
Yelan briefly shook her head. "Do as you wish."
Syaoran nodded, and proceeded to go to the hidden path behind the gazebo. After walking on the winding mountain path, he came to a clearing which housed the family shrine where Fanren's ashes would soon be stored with countless generations of the Li family.
The young teenager turned around and called out, "I believe you have some questions, Fengwu."
The young Chinese man who had been Fanren's love entered the clearing. "You knew I was following you?"
"It wasn't hard to figure out you would follow me after you tried to question Feimei and Sheifa," Syaoran pointed out. "Here, at least, we'd have more privacy."
Fengwu blinked. "Will you answer me?"
Syaoran nodded, but didn't say anything more.
"When did Fanren know about the accident?" Fengwu desperately asked.
Syaoran turned and studied the family shrine. "Since she was four years old."
"WHAT?! FOUR?!" Fengwu cried out in surprise.
Syaoran scowled at the man. "Do keep it down. We aren't that far from the main house."
"Why didn't she tell me?" Fengwu demanded.
"Because if she had, you would not have left her side. At which point one of you would be crippled with burns and the other would still die." Syaoran clenched his fist. "You and Fanren were never meant to have a family together. Even if she had let herself be the mother of your child when you both were finishing high school, the baby would not have lived to see today."
"She had an abortion?!" Fengwu questioned in horror.
Syaoran shook his head. "She faked a fight with you at the time she would've conceived your child. She didn't want to hurt you or bind you closer to herself."
Fengwu collapsed to the ground, tears flowing from his eyes. "Why did she do all of this? Why did she break up with me and then set me up with Shanhui?"
"Because Shanhui is the one who will bare your children and be your wife. Had Fanren not interfered, you would be alone now and not meet her until after you've mourned my sister's death for months. More than anything in the world, Fanren wanted you to be happy, regardless of the priced she had to pay," Syaoran admitted sadly.
Fengwu slammed his fists into the ground. "She didn't have to do this! She didn't have to bear this all alone! Was my love for her so meaningless that I couldn't be a part of her pain?!"
Syaoran placed a hand on the young man's shoulder. "It was because you honestly loved her that Fanren got to live her life to the fullest with no regrets. You made her happier than anyone else. For that you have the eternal thanks from my entire family. Fanren may have chosen to keep herself from marrying you, but I still consider you my brother." He then entered the family shrine to give the man time to mourn in private.
The young man was still there when Syaoran exited the shrine minutes later.
Fengwu bowed his head. "Thank you for telling me. I feel unworthy of her love for all the sacrifices she made to protect me."
"Love is about the sacrifices one makes for the people they care about most," Syaoran replied, almost sounding older than his years.
"Will you get in trouble for telling me?" Fengwu wondered.
Syaoran shook his head. "Mother knew I was going to tell you, even though they wished to follow Fanren's request and not let you know."
Fengwu blinked. "If Fanren didn't want me to know, why did you tell me?"
"Because I might be in the same situation as you were." Syaoran looked away from the man. "My girlfriend also has the sight. She's been having horrible nightmares that she is either not letting herself remember or won't tell anyone what happened in them. She has already shown her willingness to die to save a friend, and I fear her dream may show her death. Something I would stop, no matter the cost to me." He clenched his fists. "Even if it meant missing Fanren's funeral and my own death to keep her alive."
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The sun had set in Tomoeda and Sakura walked aimlessly on the concrete path along side Penguin Park. Two sets of eyes filled with mallicious intent were locked on the girl.
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Author's Notes:
Coming Soon: Chapter 10 - Sakura Fights Alone
With Syaoran still in Hong Kong, Sakura has to face her next challenge all by herself.
Listening to a Japanese song I got an idea for a Shadow of the Dragon opening using it. While I don't know the name of the song nor the full translation and meaning of it, this omake is the incomplete opening sequence I imagined for it.
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Starts with a photo album being flipped through, showing Sakura and the others as they were at during the original Cardcaptor series, but with a few additional images, such as Sakura being a bridesmaid at Fuutie's wedding.
Camera pans away from the book to show Tomoyo at fifteen looking towards the door as a similarly aged Sakura appears. Image spins to show the classroom, which is different for each episode. Typically, Syaoran and Meiling are sitting near Tomoyo, Rika is gazing out the window, Naoko is holding her book with the role-playing club behind her with Asaba the nearest one to her, Chiharu is sitting on Takashi's desk, and Reiko stands alone off to the side. For this chapter Syaoran, Meiling, Chiharu, Takashi and Reiko would be missing with a flower on Reiko's desk. When the episode with Chiharu and Takashi were switched, Takashi would be the one sitting on the desk.
Brief images then cycle through. Sakura tripping and crashing into Syaoran, both are blushing but neither looks embarrassed. Meiling and Tomoyo sitting together, looking over at Sakura and Syaoran in the distance. Naoko pointing at the role-playing game with Asaba looking ashamed and the other boys laughing. Rika is sitting against a chain link fence with Terada sitting at the opposite side, and they are holding hands through the chain mesh. Takashi and Chiharu stand in front of a cross that is casting a shadow onto the grass covered ground.
A large shadow then descends over Tomoeda and Sakura leaps into the air with white wings. Yue and Cerberus joins her. A dark dragon like shape looms before them, as beams of dark energy spring from the ground. The trio splits off and using various attacks at the dragon. Syaoran and Meiling are shown fighting shadowy images on the ground. Working together, they send a single blast at the shadowy dragon, which makes it retreat, but does not destroy it.
Sakura then runs to her home with Syaoran, past Yukito's home with Touya scowling as the pair passes and Yukito seemingly holding Sakura's brother in check. Arriving at home, Fujitaka smiles at the couple.
"Sorry for waking you up," Syaoran apologized. "I just wanted to say good-bye to you before I left for the airport."
Sakura shot up in her bed as recent events caught up to her. She then bowed her head as tears formed in her eyes. Last night she had made the decision to let Reiko remain dead, and Syaoran had held her as she had cried herself to sleep. She couldn't look at him as fear began to take her. "So you're leaving now?"
"I'll be back in a week, I promise." Syaoran placed his hand under her chin and made her look at him. "I don't want to leave you now, but I have to go to Fanren's funeral." He then leaned forward and kissed her lips briefly. "I love you, Sakura. Nothing will ever change that."
"But I'm a murderer. I killed Reiko-chan. I could've saved her," Sakura sobbed.
"You are not a murderer. It was the drunk's fault. You only changed who died." Syaoran sighed. "I know your decision is hurting you and that you have the right to feel guilty, but you did what you felt was right. Ichimai is dead and nothing can change that now, but because of you Daidouji and her mother haven't been lost to this tragedy. You saved two lives at the expense of one."
"That not a fair trade!" Sakura shouted. "People aren't something that can be traded!"
"Sakura, I know it doesn't sound fair, but sometimes taking one life will save more people. It a sad part of life." Syaoran pulled away from the girl. "I've got to be going now. Good-bye."
Sakura leapt from her bed. "I'm going with you to the airport!"
"There's no time to wait..." Syaoran stared as the girl began to take off her pajama top.
"That's enough of that!" Kero-chan cried out, announcing his presence in the room. "Out! Out!"
"Ack! Sorry!" Syaoran rushed out of the room.
Sakura froze, realizing what she had been doing in front of Syaoran. She didn't move again until her door had shut. She wasn't sure what to feel. She thought she should be relieved that he wasn't going to see her undressed, yet she also felt a little disappointed and even rejected for some reason. She shook her head and quickly moved to get ready to accompany Syaoran to the airport.
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Card Captors Sakura: Shadow of the Dragon
Chapter 9: Sakura's Mournful Days
By: Lord Archive
Author's Warnings:
In accordance to movie rating system this series would be rated PG-13, and as for television would rate TV M for mature audience, but would be viewable with no edits save for some incidents of vulgar language. Due to subjective nature of the ratings, for FFnet this series has been labeled with a mature rating for those who have poor views of some of the subject matter contained within.
This series contains:
Adult situations.
Sexual situations withOUT detailed description of sex nor the naked human body.
Brief moments of violence, some cases involving people getting severely injured and possibly death.
Occasional use of vulgar language.
Japanese humor: which include bathroom jokes, panty fetish and shocking situations.
Depictions of criminal activity committed by fictional characters.
References of homosexuality.
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Sakura flew through the night's sky, trying to run from her thoughts that had plagued her throughout her day, especially after Syaoran had left her early in the morning. She knew Kero-chan was following behind her, but had largely paid his presence no heed. She wanted to forget that Chiharu's father had passed away. She wished she could ignore that Syaoran was now in Hong Kong for his sister's funeral. She prayed that Reiko's blood would wash off her hands. Yet as much as she wanted these things to be just a bad dream, they were her harsh reality.
The meandering flight came to an end as Sakura landed on top of Tomoeda Elementary, right above her old fifth grade classroom.
"Kero-chan?" Sakura called out suddenly.
"Yes, Sakura-chan?" Kero-chan timidly replied.
"If when people die is predetermined, does that mean that people are meant to be murdered?" Sakura wondered in a strange hollow voice that sounded so unlike her.
Kero-chan shook his head. "Murder is not part of the natural order. It's an act that upsets the balance. However, because there are murders, many girls find themselves pregnant when they didn't want to be."
"Huh?" Sakura blinked.
"Look, because someone's life was taken before their time, a life will get born before they were supposed to. It balances out death and life," Kero-chan explained.
"Why do children die then? They haven't had a chance to live, yet they die," Sakura retorted.
Kero-chan shrugged. "Who can say? People have searched for thousands of years for answers to that question, and I don't think we're any closer today than those people were back then."
"Because of what I've done, does that mean some girl out there will find herself pregnant?" Sakura moped.
"Absolutely not! You didn't murder anyone!" Kero-chan yelled at her. "If anything happens of that sort, it would be Daidouji-san having a baby that the girl was intended to have."
"Reiko-chan is dead because of me! My actions killed her!" Sakura sobbed.
Kero-chan sighed. "Sakura-chan, what did you say to Yue and me before you reset the day?"
After a moment Sakura answered, "I don't remember."
"Oh, yes you do." Kero-chan pointed at the girl. "You told us to make sure that everyone didn't live for your memory, but for themselves. You didn't want anyone to shut themselves off to the world like Tomoyo-chan had when her mother died."
Sakura nodded shallowly, but said nothing.
"Now here you are, shutting yourself down because of the death of your classmate." Kero-chan patted the girl's cheek. "I know asking you to smile would be a bit much, but please remember your own words. You don't honestly think the girl would want you to dwell on her, do you? You need to live for yourself, your family, and even that brat."
"Syaoran is not a brat," Sakura retorted out of forced habit, with no heat behind her words. She then bowed her head. "What if he doesn't come back?"
Kero-chan checked himself to keep himself from saying only death would keep the kid away. "He'll be back. There's nothing in this world that will keep him away from you. He loves you, kiddo, don't forget that."
"Does he still love me after what I've done?" Sakura pressed.
"If he didn't, would he really have stayed with you all night long, holding you while you slept?" Kero-chan shook his head. "Look, I don't think that kid is good enough for you, but the fact is no one is good enough for you."
Sakura wanted to laugh at her guardian's joke, but she had no heart to do it with.
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Tomoyo sat in her classroom, staring at the white flower on Reiko's desk and wishing it would just go away. Never before had she felt a flower to be so ugly as that one. It was a visible scar on the classroom of a classmate lost to death before her time. Worse, that flower had originally been meant for her mother.
Kero-chan had told Tomoyo about how she reacted to her mother's death. Instead of mourning and clinging to Sakura as she thought she would, instead she tried to sever all ties to her childhood and take over her mother's position in the business world. That in a very real sense, the Tomoyo that Sakura had known all her life had died that day too.
Tomoyo tried to smile as Sakura entered the classroom, but it was a supreme effort not to frown. That her best friend's face was locked in a mournful look didn't help her attempt.
Two boys immediately walked up to Sakura, with one of them asking, "Did you really see Ichimai die?"
Sakura took a step back from them and nodded. The boys, however, didn't recognize the girl's personal space as they took away the distance she had gain. The other boy then asked, "She was really hit by a truck?"
Sakura nodded again as her face grew paler, trying to keep her distance from the boys but they kept advancing on her, wanting all the horrid details.
"Was there blood and guts everywhere?" the first boy pressed.
Tomoyo had started to move to rescue the girl. If Syaoran had been here, they wouldn't have even tried asking her anything. However, Tomoyo didn't have to do anything, as the boys' questions were 'rewarded' with Sakura's final answer in the form of her suddenly throwing up on their legs and feet. Tomoyo couldn't help but take
a small bit of delight at the two idiots backing away in disgust while the rest of the class laughed at the sight.
The homeroom teacher, Fukino, cleared his throat, announcing his presence. "Daidouji, take Kinomoto to the bathroom to get cleaned up, and if necessary, the nurse's office." He then glared at the boys. "You two will clean up the mess you just made, and you'll both get to mop the entire school tonight."
While the boys looked ready to protest, they knew doing so would only increase their punishment.
Tomoyo smiled for the first time since learning of the accident, and that was in thanks towards her homeroom teacher. With such a harsh punishment over pestering Sakura about Reiko's death, it would help keep others away from questioning her.
Tomoyo wrapped her arm around her best friend's back and began to guide her. "Come on, Sakura-chan, let's get you cleaned up."
Sakura nodded shyly, still not having said a single word.
As they left the room, they heard Fukino howling at the class that he wouldn't tolerate anyone pestering individuals about the recent deaths or Chiharu's marriage.
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Rika sat in her private spot in the woods near the park. Her thoughts were on how small her classroom felt with Reiko gone and numerous absences due to the other deaths.
"Hello, Rika-chan," Terada greeted as he entered the secluded grove. "How was your day?"
Rika smiled sadly at him. "Hello, Yoshiyuki. Today was... quiet. Sakura-chan returned to class, but she's still rather upset. She barely said a word all day."
Terada nodded. "It would be upsetting to see someone die like that."
"It's more than that. Reiko-chan wasn't supposed to have died two days ago, but Tomoyo-chan's mother instead. Sakura-chan used her magic to change the outcome, and now she thinks she's a murderer." Rika sighed sadly. "I can't imagine what she's feeling, having chosen who lived and who died."
Terada stared blankly. "Kinomoto can do that?"
"Yes, but it used up a lot of her power to reset the day and change the outcome of it." Rika gazed at the ground. "And with Li-kun and Meiling-chan in Hong Kong now, we all fear she's functionally defenseless if there's another attack."
"We'll just have to keep our eyes out for her. Give her as much help as we can," Terada told her firmly.
"But I don't know how much help I can be beyond calling for the police," Rika replied weakly.
Terada touched her cheek lightly. "Being there for her may give her more help than the police can. Remind her that she isn't alone in facing her enemy or herself."
Rika nodded shallowly. "There is something else, Yoshiyuki. All these deaths happening made me realize how fragile we are."
Terada shook his head. "We are tougher than we look. Mihara-san was dying from cancer since you were one of my students. The doctors thought he would die almost two years ago. He beat their best prediction by almost a year."
"I know that, but a simple accident could take you away from me, or I could be killed in one of the attacks on Sakura-chan," Rika asserted.
Terada kissed her forehead. "Rika-chan, I promise you I won't be going anywhere. There is no need to rush into anything. When you turn sixteen, you'll make me the happiest man in the world."
Rika pouted. "That's still over a year away."
"I know. But it will be best for us to wait until then. And we won't have to hide our relationship anymore," Terada returned.
"I wish we didn't have to hide it at all," Rika whined.
Terada caressed her hair. "Rika-chan, for every honest relationship between a teacher and a student, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of teachers using their position to abuse children. As much as I want to abandon myself to you, I do not want our relationship to be seen like that. I want to keep our love honest and pure."
A knowing and somewhat naughty grin crossed Rika's face. "Until I'm sixteen and your wife, then you want to ravish my body with your devilish desires," she joked, causing her beloved to laugh.
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Syaoran woke up in his own bed in his mother's home, but that held no joy for him. The entire reason he was at this house was because his sister had died saving the lives of others. And because of her death, he could not be with Sakura when his girlfriend needed him so desperately.
The boy rushed getting ready for the day, making sure he looked presentable to his extended family. He was thankful at least that because his sister died a hero, that they could hold her veiwing and funeral at their mother's home rather than some strange funeral palor. Fanren belonged here, and it saved him from making a long trip to some place he never wanted to go to.
Syaoran went to the back porch and saw that many of his relatives were present, some of whom had been there since the day before. He paid little heed to them as he walked to gazebo where a closed, but not sealed, coffin with three humps had been placed holding his sister's charred remains.
After offering up his prayers to his sister, Syaoran took the time to see his family. Feimei was putting on a show of mourning loudly, while Fuutie and Shiefa were fighting their tears. His frowned deepened seeing that his mother seemed to be caught in a one-sided argument.
"When did she know?!" demanded the irate man, yelling at Yelan.
"Fengwu, please calm down," pleaded the woman with the irate man. "She couldn't have known about this accident."
"I won't calm down, Shanhui. You don't know this family," Fengwu retorted.
"Your grief is appreciated," Yelan told him stiffly. "I am not the one who will answer your questions."
"Don't try to deny anything! I saw her 'pile' of clothes. There were what, ten outfits in them? And just where is the red dress I bought her before she broke up with me?" Fengwu pressed.
"That should be obvious," Yelan returned evenly, showing no hint of emotion.
"She's WEARING it?! Are you trying to make her a ghost? Red is for happy occasions, not for something like this!" Fengwu yelled.
Yelan had a shadow of a smirk. "Why are you asking me things you've already figured out?"
Fengwu screamed incoherently and stomped off with Shanhui following him in confusion.
Syaoran approached his mother and looked in the direction Fengwu had gone. "He deserves to know the full story, Mother."
"It was neither the place nor my duty to inform him," Yelan replied cryptically.
Now Syaoran wanted to scream.
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Sakura held Chiharu tightly after the funeral for Mr. Mihara ended. "I'm sorry I couldn't do anything more for you."
Chiharu shook her head. "You've done more than enough. You've helped me more than you can imagine."
Sakura sighed as she pulled away from her friend. "I'm sorry I can't make the wake."
"I understand." Chiharu grasped her friend's hands. "Just remember it's not your fault someone died. That was meant to be, even if it was a stupid accident."
"I can't help but feel responsible. I could've saved her," Sakura insisted.
"Sakura if you kept everyone alive, something really bad could've happened. Just be thankful this wasn't the worst possible outcome," Chiharu tried to encourage her.
Tears leaked from the corners of Sakura eyes. "I know that... That's why I didn't change it. I didn't want to lose Tomoyo-chan to grief so I chose Reiko-chan instead."
Chiharu nodded sadly. "Just so you know, if I had to make that choice, I would've done the same thing."
"I'll see you later, Chiharu-chan," Sakura promised.
"Be happy, Sakura-chan. Even though I know it's not easy, be happy," Chiharu suggested strongly before leaving her friend to meet with her family.
Sakura moved and sat down on a pew at the church, far away from Tomoyo and her mother who also remained at the church waiting for the next funeral. She could only vaguely remember being here for her mother's funeral. With her father being Shinto, she hadn't gone to mass nor followed the Christian faith she had been baptized into. With the larger than normal Christian community in Tomoeda, she knew a few things about that faith-- but she was really much more a Shinto girl. In fact, with her magical cards, Sakura could be seen as being a Shinto Priestess-- though she didn't know anything about filling such a role.
The girl's thoughts were interrupted when she heard Reiko's mother greeting of, "Hello, Sakura-chan."
"Hello, Ichimai-san." Sakura couldn't look the woman in the eye. "I'm sorry."
"There's no need for you to feel sorry." Mrs. Ichimai scowled. "It's that drunk that will be sorry if I ever get my hands on him." After a moment, the woman knelt down next to the girl. "That was a joke."
"Sorry. I haven't laughed in days," Sakura apologized. "And I'm really sorry I didn't save Reiko-chan. I saw the truck coming. I could've pushed her out of the way."
Mrs. Ichimai caressed the girl's cheek. "If you had, then this would've been your funeral, wouldn't it?"
Sakura didn't offer any reply beyond moving away from the woman's touch.
"I don't blame you for Reiko's death. I'm glad that you came to see her funeral. Reiko never had many friends, and it's nice to see she made at least one before she died," Mrs. Ichimai praised the girl.
Sakura began to sob hard, wanting to tell the woman of her horrible sin. That it hadn't been Reiko's time, but someone else's. Yet her selfishness prevailed in not wanting her magic to become public knowledge in fear of what others would do to her and her family. The hug she was now receiving from the dead girl's mother made her guilt all the more unbearable.
After Sakura's tears had run dry, Mrs. Ichimai asked, "Would you like to see Reiko?"
Sakura's eyes widened. "It's an open casket?"
Mrs. Ichimai nodded slowly. "Partially at least."
Sakura got up and walked to the antechamber where the last viewing of Mr. Mihara had also taken place. Approaching the small casket, the girl saw what Mrs. Ichimai had meant. From the chest up, Reiko's body was unmarred from the accident, however she knew the red cloth going from the bottom of the chest to the top of the closed half of the coffin was to cover up that Reiko didn't have a body below her chest. At least nothing that was intact.
Sakura blinked in surprise when one of her school's athletes walked up to Reiko's body and caressed the dead girl's cheek.
"I'm going to miss you," the skinny second baseman and star homerun hitter said sadly. "You were a true cheerleader, and I'll never forget the attention you gave me after I hit my first grand slam and won that game last year. I never thought any cheerleader really rewarded star players like you did, but you had taken it upon yourself to reward us. You motivated me to be the best I could be more than anyone else. I wish I knew you better. Knew what music you liked and crap like that. Not just what you looked like naked."
Sakura took a step away from the boy. That a half-dozen other athletes were behind him, nodding to his words had not escaped her. What had Reiko done with her short life?
"Just what do you think you're saying here?" hissed out an angry voice.
The baseball player turned around as the other athletes moved out of the way revealing an elderly man scowling at the boy. "Principal, you might not approve about how I cared for her, but I DID like Reiko-chan. She cared for our school's sports teams more than most of the players. And she gave us her support and attention far beyond what any of us expected. Don't go spitting on the love she had for our teams by the way SHE showed it. I'm here to honor what she did for us. I don't care if you think what she did for us was immoral or dirty, she did it for our school."
Principal gritted his teeth. "You will speak no more of this here or at her wake. If I hear one more comment about Ichimai's... devotion to sports, the person who says it will be off the sports teams."
The athletes clenched their fists, but nodded to the principal's words.
Sakura just stared at them. She couldn't understand what she had just heard. Seeing Reiko's mother crying off to the side made her want to slap each of the boys present.
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"You know, Syaoran, you're not playing your part," Meiling jokingly groused, moving to stand next to her cousin as he looked over the distance.
Syaoran cast an annoyed look at the girl. "I'm not going to pretend to wail and moan for the loss of my sister. I see no use in such... acting. I'll mourn for her in my own way."
"Have you seen your nieces yet? They're very cute," Meiling asked.
Syaoran smiled a little. "I still find it funny that Feimei beat Sheifa and Fuutie to motherhood."
Meiling nodded. "Got her married before Sheifa as well."
"Mother did warn her about that," Syaoran recalled.
"Like that warning would've stopped her." Meiling giggled briefly before letting out a sigh and looked over Syaoran's sisters, each holding their own daughter. "It's good to see new life on such occasions as this."
"Life will go on, even without us," Syaoran mused. He then looked at the babies his sisters were holding as well. "I just hope I don't have all daughters."
"Better hope you just didn't jinx yourself." Meiling let out a loud laugh, causing a few of those present to scowl at her.
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Sakura knew she wasn't the only person dismayed at the turnout for Reiko's funeral. Not counting herself, only three other girls from her school were here, Tomoyo and two members of the cheerleader squad. However, the low turnout for those who might have been her friends wasn't the cause of certain people being upset. It was the fact that there were two dozen boys, each a member of at least one sport's team, was present. It was spoken in hushed words, but many wondered how many of those boys had personally received Reiko's 'attention.'
The more Sakura learned about Reiko's life, the sadder she became. She couldn't imagine going through life without a close friend to talk with, to be so intimate with a guy she cared nothing for, to be on her own without any help. If she had been alone facing her challenges, she would've failed them.
"Sakura-chan, we're going to Reiko-chan's wake now. Did you want to come with us?" Tomoyo asked.
"I can't face them, knowing what I took from them." Sakura shook her head slowly. "I need time alone."
Tomoyo hugged her friend. "You'll never be alone. If you need me for anything, just call. I can't thank you enough for all you've done for me. I love you, Sakura-chan."
Sakura tried to smile weakly for her friend. "You'll always be my best friend, Tomoyo-chan. I'd give up anything for you."
"Even your innocence," Tomoyo whispered so lightly, her friend barely heard her.
"I'll see you later," Sakura promised.
Tomoyo nodded. "I'll call you tonight." She reluctantly let go of her friend and drifted off towards her mother.
Sakura's thoughts returned to Reiko, and trying to find meaning in the senseless accident that would take someone's life no matter what she did to stop it. The others didn't know it, but she had used The Dream on herself to find a way to save everyone. No matter what she did, this funeral would happen. Even if she kept the drunk from killing someone, then a different accident would have claimed Naoko's life. She didn't understand why someone had to die, it didn't seem fair.
"You've been here all morning," noted the young priest with scruff black hair and thin physique who had conducted both funerals.
"I knew both of them. Mihara-san was the father of one of my friends, and Reiko-chan was captain of my cheerleader squad... and I saw her die," Sakura explain tearfully.
"Ah, that can't be easy for you, knowing two people to pass away at once," the priest said sympathetically.
"Three," Sakura corrected. "My boyfriend's sister also died. Now he's in Hong Kong attending her funeral."
"I can guess you've got some questions. Go ahead and ask Father Morisato, and I'll answer you the best I can," the priest promised.
"Why do people have to die? Why couldn't any of them be saved?" Sakura pleaded.
Father Morisato frowned. "The Lord works in mysterious ways. He has a special plan for each of us, we just need to find the paths He set for us."
"But why did I have to choose?" Sakura demanded. "It didn't have to be Reiko-chan, but the other choices... I couldn't accept!"
Father Morisato looked very confused. "What do you mean you choose who died?"
"Somehow I knew the accident was going to happen ahead of time. I saved the life of my best friend's mother, but Reiko-chan died in her place. If I had saved her as well, then one of my friends would've been killed in a different accident," Sakura admitted.
"Dear, life is full of hard choices, though many aren't as obviously life affecting when you make them. Even if you made such a decision, the meaning and purpose of it may take years for you to truly understand why." Father Morisato smiled at the girl. "Remember that life is short and to make the most of it you can. Remember your past, but don't let yourself be enslaved by it. Also, don't go rushing into things before you're ready."
"You were almost sounding like my Dad, but that last comment sounded like my brother," Sakura observed with a sad smile, wanting to laugh at her comment, but couldn't.
Father Morisato chuckled lightly. "Good advice is universal." He then gazed intently at the girl. "Now I haven't seen you on Sundays, are you part of the Church?"
Sakura pouted. "Well, I was baptized, but honestly I'm more Shinto than Christian."
"Many of those who come here are both. Why don't you come here for Sunday mass and hear the good words of our Lord? It may help you find your answers," Father Morisato advised.
"I'll think about it," Sakura replied.
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"I'm going to talk to our ancestors," Syaoran announced loudly to his mother.
Yelan briefly shook her head. "Do as you wish."
Syaoran nodded, and proceeded to go to the hidden path behind the gazebo. After walking on the winding mountain path, he came to a clearing which housed the family shrine where Fanren's ashes would soon be stored with countless generations of the Li family.
The young teenager turned around and called out, "I believe you have some questions, Fengwu."
The young Chinese man who had been Fanren's love entered the clearing. "You knew I was following you?"
"It wasn't hard to figure out you would follow me after you tried to question Feimei and Sheifa," Syaoran pointed out. "Here, at least, we'd have more privacy."
Fengwu blinked. "Will you answer me?"
Syaoran nodded, but didn't say anything more.
"When did Fanren know about the accident?" Fengwu desperately asked.
Syaoran turned and studied the family shrine. "Since she was four years old."
"WHAT?! FOUR?!" Fengwu cried out in surprise.
Syaoran scowled at the man. "Do keep it down. We aren't that far from the main house."
"Why didn't she tell me?" Fengwu demanded.
"Because if she had, you would not have left her side. At which point one of you would be crippled with burns and the other would still die." Syaoran clenched his fist. "You and Fanren were never meant to have a family together. Even if she had let herself be the mother of your child when you both were finishing high school, the baby would not have lived to see today."
"She had an abortion?!" Fengwu questioned in horror.
Syaoran shook his head. "She faked a fight with you at the time she would've conceived your child. She didn't want to hurt you or bind you closer to herself."
Fengwu collapsed to the ground, tears flowing from his eyes. "Why did she do all of this? Why did she break up with me and then set me up with Shanhui?"
"Because Shanhui is the one who will bare your children and be your wife. Had Fanren not interfered, you would be alone now and not meet her until after you've mourned my sister's death for months. More than anything in the world, Fanren wanted you to be happy, regardless of the priced she had to pay," Syaoran admitted sadly.
Fengwu slammed his fists into the ground. "She didn't have to do this! She didn't have to bear this all alone! Was my love for her so meaningless that I couldn't be a part of her pain?!"
Syaoran placed a hand on the young man's shoulder. "It was because you honestly loved her that Fanren got to live her life to the fullest with no regrets. You made her happier than anyone else. For that you have the eternal thanks from my entire family. Fanren may have chosen to keep herself from marrying you, but I still consider you my brother." He then entered the family shrine to give the man time to mourn in private.
The young man was still there when Syaoran exited the shrine minutes later.
Fengwu bowed his head. "Thank you for telling me. I feel unworthy of her love for all the sacrifices she made to protect me."
"Love is about the sacrifices one makes for the people they care about most," Syaoran replied, almost sounding older than his years.
"Will you get in trouble for telling me?" Fengwu wondered.
Syaoran shook his head. "Mother knew I was going to tell you, even though they wished to follow Fanren's request and not let you know."
Fengwu blinked. "If Fanren didn't want me to know, why did you tell me?"
"Because I might be in the same situation as you were." Syaoran looked away from the man. "My girlfriend also has the sight. She's been having horrible nightmares that she is either not letting herself remember or won't tell anyone what happened in them. She has already shown her willingness to die to save a friend, and I fear her dream may show her death. Something I would stop, no matter the cost to me." He clenched his fists. "Even if it meant missing Fanren's funeral and my own death to keep her alive."
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The sun had set in Tomoeda and Sakura walked aimlessly on the concrete path along side Penguin Park. Two sets of eyes filled with mallicious intent were locked on the girl.
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Author's Notes:
Coming Soon: Chapter 10 - Sakura Fights Alone
With Syaoran still in Hong Kong, Sakura has to face her next challenge all by herself.
Listening to a Japanese song I got an idea for a Shadow of the Dragon opening using it. While I don't know the name of the song nor the full translation and meaning of it, this omake is the incomplete opening sequence I imagined for it.
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Starts with a photo album being flipped through, showing Sakura and the others as they were at during the original Cardcaptor series, but with a few additional images, such as Sakura being a bridesmaid at Fuutie's wedding.
Camera pans away from the book to show Tomoyo at fifteen looking towards the door as a similarly aged Sakura appears. Image spins to show the classroom, which is different for each episode. Typically, Syaoran and Meiling are sitting near Tomoyo, Rika is gazing out the window, Naoko is holding her book with the role-playing club behind her with Asaba the nearest one to her, Chiharu is sitting on Takashi's desk, and Reiko stands alone off to the side. For this chapter Syaoran, Meiling, Chiharu, Takashi and Reiko would be missing with a flower on Reiko's desk. When the episode with Chiharu and Takashi were switched, Takashi would be the one sitting on the desk.
Brief images then cycle through. Sakura tripping and crashing into Syaoran, both are blushing but neither looks embarrassed. Meiling and Tomoyo sitting together, looking over at Sakura and Syaoran in the distance. Naoko pointing at the role-playing game with Asaba looking ashamed and the other boys laughing. Rika is sitting against a chain link fence with Terada sitting at the opposite side, and they are holding hands through the chain mesh. Takashi and Chiharu stand in front of a cross that is casting a shadow onto the grass covered ground.
A large shadow then descends over Tomoeda and Sakura leaps into the air with white wings. Yue and Cerberus joins her. A dark dragon like shape looms before them, as beams of dark energy spring from the ground. The trio splits off and using various attacks at the dragon. Syaoran and Meiling are shown fighting shadowy images on the ground. Working together, they send a single blast at the shadowy dragon, which makes it retreat, but does not destroy it.
Sakura then runs to her home with Syaoran, past Yukito's home with Touya scowling as the pair passes and Yukito seemingly holding Sakura's brother in check. Arriving at home, Fujitaka smiles at the couple.