Here's a new story for all of you to read. This is a little different. It has adventure, suspense and romance. (Although a rather twisted romance) Please, I beg of you, review and let me know what you think. Yukito is the same age as Sakura and co. in this story, just coz he is. (I couldn't think of anyone else for her boyfriend. You'll see why soon, so don't flip coz I didn't put S&S together)
-Cinnamon-Sweet-Heart
Disclaimer: I don't own CCS, it belongs to Clamp, and the book The Forbidden Game (which is what this story is based on) belongs to L. J. Smith.
The Forbidden Game
Part 1: The Hunter
Chapter 1
Prologue
It was Friday. The night of the big party and she had nothing ready. 'I am such an idiot' Sakura Kinomoto thought to herself as she walked down the deserted downtown street. Well, the almost deserted, formerly downtown street.
Sakura Kinomoto was known for her parties. And today was her boyfriend Yukito's 17th birthday. She found herself in the bad area of town looking for something for them all to do, but she was now being followed by two people that she would bet her life on were muggers.
As she walked down the street, she was constantly aware of them behind her. She turned down another street, hoping to find a store, any store, to escape from them.
She caught a glimpse of herself in a darkened mirror: A slender girl with hair that Tomoyo had once said was like honey in sunlight. Her eyebrows were straight, like two decisive brush strokes, and her forest green eyes were dark as pine needles and even more serious than usual. She looked worried.
Were those footsteps behind her or just the sick thudding of her own heart? She wished that Meiling was here, anyone was here, but they weren't. That was the whole point. She didn't want any of her friends to see her rushing at the last minuet for something to do.
She noticed that up ahead there was a mural painted on the wall, with a door. The handle on the door looked very real, almost 3-dimensional. She was completely shocked when she felt it, cold and real in her had. No time to think about it. She turned the knob, and walked into the store.
The flickering sign read: More Games. What a coincidence. She was out shopping for a game, and she runs into the nearest store and what does it turn out to be? A game store. Coincidence indeed. Oh well, she could do her shopping as she waited for those guys to go away.
She got a chance now to look around her surroundings. There were shelves of games. Ones that looked like everything from a mahogany Mah-jongg table and a triangular chessboard, to a red box embossed with a gold Star of David.
There were old fashioned lamps with stained glass shades to light the room. There also some ultra modern things like a cork bulletin board with cyber punk terms. There was a boom box on the counter playing 120-beat-a-minuet acid rock music.
She was examining some of the papers on the bulletin board, when a voice startled her out of what she was doing.
"Can I help you?"
She whirled around. Eyes. Amber eyes. They weren't just the ordinary brown, but amber. The colour of the sun just before it sets.
No person should have eyes that colour. Almost tawny in a sense. It was the most beautiful colour. He had thick dark eyelashes, and Hair a dark chestnut brown. It looked silky soft. The kind of hair you wanted to bury your fingers in. He was... well, beautiful. Sakura was so taken, that she completely forgot Yukito.
'He's gorgeous. I've never seen anyone quite like him. God, I've got to stop staring.' Sakura couldn't help herself. his eyes...
"Can I help you?" he repeated
Sakura blushed, and then saw him for what he was. Just a guy about her age: lean, elegant, with an unmistakable air of danger about him. He was dressed in black pants and a green sleeveless top accenting well muscled arms and Torso.
Then she remembered why she was here, blushing with humiliation.
"I need a game, for my boyfriends birthday party." she said boldly emphasizing the word boyfriend.
"I see" He said walking over to the shelf. "What kind of game? We have all kinds like the ancient Tibetan game of goats and tigers, for two people."
She shook her head "No I need something for more then two people, like Pictionary, something for a party"
"Oh, I see, that kind of game."
Sakura was beginning to get nervous. She decided indefinitely that it was time to leave. She turned, and headed towards the door.
"Mystery" he said stopping her halfway across the room. "Danger, seduction, fear. Secrets revealed, desires unveiled, temptation" he said quietly.
She turned to look at him. How did he know exactly what she was thinking? Probably just because it was the kind of game anyone wanted at a party. Yes. That was probably it.
"You're in luck. I believe we have something of that sort in stock." He turned, rummaging in a pile of games, pulling out a box, about the size of a monopoly box, except a bright glossy white.
She stared at it a moment before working up the courage to say anything.
"I'll take it" she said
She knew it was stupid after she had said it, but she didn't care. She just wanted that box in her hands. Even though she knew absolutely nothing about the contents of the box.
She bought it, and walked out of the store. Suddenly glad to be away from the boy with the impossible eyes. She saw with a sinking feeling that the two guys were still there. Thinking to throw the box at them, she lifted it over her head. The minuet they saw the box, they took off. She sighed. Time to get home and put out some Doritos's or something.
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20 minuets later, she walked in the front door. She saw lights on in the kitchen, and the sounds of someone cooking. Who was it? Her father and brother were going out on a dig, and they wouldn't be back until Sunday at the earliest.
Walking into the kitchen after depositing the box on the coffee table, Sakura saw her two best friends, Tomoyo and Meiling, both cooking on the stove. Meiling, who was cooking what looked like steamed pork rolls and a dish with broccoli and beef looked up as Tomoyo spoke.
"So where were you anyway?"
She smiled ruefully. Her best friends knew her too well. They must have seen how worried she had been, and come to her rescue.
"Well, I was picking up our entertainment for tonight. What are you doing here?"
"Saving your butt" stated Meiling as she turned back to the food she was preparing. Whatever else she was making, it certainly smelled good.
Sakura wandered over to the counter where Tomoyo was working, and peered over her friends shoulder.
"Whatcha making?"
"Strawberry Shortcake" was the reply. Tomoyo flipped her long wavy hair, that was such a dark violet, it looked black until the light hit it. Tomoyo was best a baking, while Meiling, who was hopeless at baking, was very good at cooking. "Go make yourself beautiful," She told her "I left your outfit on your bed"
Sakura sighed as she went upstairs. Her friend had this weird thing for making her costumes, than filming her wearing them with her digital video recorder.
She reached her room, and walked in. She put on the outfit. It was just perfect for the occasion. A tight pink tank top and loose pink drawstring pants. The shirt fit her body perfectly, and had cream beaded embroidery across her midsection.
"You look so Kawaii" Came her friends voice from the doorway. "Don't forget your hair now"
Sakura shook her head grinning, and put her shoulder length hair up in two half ponytails, leaving out her bangs, and letting some of her hair float free around her face. The way Yukito liked it.
She walked downstairs again and back into the kitchen. She stared at all of the food being prepared by 'master chef Meiling Li' as she had one time called herself. She had red eyes, and long black hair worn in two buns letting the rest of her hair cascade about her shoulders in two long satiny black pigtails.
"Think you've got enough food there?" Sakura asked.
"Well, Yukito loves to eat doesn't he? Just want to make sure there's enough..." Meiling began,
"If Yuki goes into lunch mode" Sakura coursed along with her. They grinned at each other.
Just then, the doorbell rang. Sakura ran to get it. She opened the door, and there was Chiharu and Yamazaki. The cute couple (Although Chiharu was forever hitting Yamazaki over the head with her lie mallet.)
"Hey Sakura!" Said Chiharu cheerfully. "This is going to be so great tonight!" Sakura nodded, closing the door after them.
"Did you know, that the first party was held in a cave with a big bonfire?" Yamazaki asked suddenly popping up in front of Sakura.
"Really?" Sakura asked fascinated as Tomoyo and Meiling shook their heads in exasperation, and Chiharu's vein began puling angrily in her forehead.
"Yamazaki," She began in a warning tone "Don't make me hurt you" At this Meiling and Tomoyo chortled, and Yamazaki paid no attention to his girlfriends threats.
"Umm hmm" He said nodding to Sakura very seriously, "Yup, they were worshiping the first rock that was destined to become their first house"
Sakura sweat dropped as Chiharu leaped on him.
"Enough" She said.
"He made the whole thing up? Wow" Sakura said stupidly. She was saved from embarrassment when the doorbell rang again. This time it was the twins Rika and Naoko and her cousin Eriol.
"Hey Sakura! What are we doing tonight?" Asked Rika as they all piled in the door way.
"Oh, you'll see" She said secretively. Actually, she wasn't really sure now. The game seemed to be a little stupid now that she thought about it. But when she went back into the living room, and saw the box, she changed her mind.
She sat there holding the box in her hands, marvelling over the smoothness of it and the colour of the glossy white cardboard. She was forced to put it down as the doorbell rang once again.
This time she wanted to get it. She opened the door to see Yukito looking fine in a pair of jeans and a white button up top.
"Why Sakura, you look wonderful!" He said waltzing her into the living room. She laughed, and rested against his shoulder.
She had been in love with Yukito for a long time. She could remember him in grade two, kissing in the bushes, grade 4 fighting off a bully for her, grade 6 winning her a stuffed animal by beating all five of the high school basketball stars, and then last year at the junior prom. Now 16, she was in love with him just as much as ever.
Just then her father and older brother Touya came downstairs. Touya's eyes bugged right out of his head as he saw her and Yukito (AN maybe he was jealous? he he he he he) sitting there on the couch together. Sakura glared at her older brother.
"Alright Sakura, we'll be back Sunday evening. Have a good time, and try to at least keep the roof on."
Sakura nodded giving her father a hug. She glared up at Touya as he began to mock her. Again.
"Kaijuu, you're probably going to need it, so the crazy glue is in my top drawer.. I really don't think we ought to trust you and your friends here alone"
Sakura was beginning to get annoyed. Only a teensy bit though, she only had a vein pulsing in her forehead, her fist raised, and steam coming out of her ears. She stomped on Touya's foot. Hard. He yelped, hopping around on one foot as she glared at him, arms crossed across her chest.
"Only the girls are spending the night right?" Her father asked her. Sakura nodded and waved as they left, sticking her tongue out at her annoying oniichan.
Meiling and Tomoyo called them out to the kitchen, saying that the food was ready. They all filed out. Yukito sniffed the air delicately.
"Hey, pork rolls!" He said helping himself, and going promptly into 'lunch mode' eating as much food as he could stuff into his stomach. Everyone sweat dropped. It was actually amazing that Yukito was as thin as he was.
Once they had eaten, they all went into the living room, falling about the carpet, chairs and couch any old way.
"Sakura, what's this about a game?" Asked Yukito.
"Oh well, I bought this game and I..." She was cut off as they all opened the box. It was a doll house. Nothing scary, just a doll house. The normalness of it all actually freaked her out a little.
Eriol turned to her. "Got a pair of scissors?" It was actually the first thing he had said all night except saying a quick hello to them all and happy birthday.
"You mean you actually want to put it together?" Sakura asked amazed.
"Yeah, this will be so fun!" Meiling said lending a helping hand to Eriol and everyone else who was diving into it.
Sakura knew she should be pleased. Her game was a success! But she still felt uneasy. Her friends were cutting out the tag board walls, putting the house together, and putting furniture in the various rooms.
when the house was finished, Naoko and Rika took the instructions.
"There are directions here. Scary ones!" Naoko said her glasses flashing in the dim light of the living room. "I like them"
Sakura groaned, pulling her knees closer to her body. She felt suddenly cold, and scared.
Tomoyo was the one who began to read the instructions. "There are dolls, and they're us. It says we each get a playing piece, and we draw our own face on it, and try to get to the turret on the top. That's the objective!"
Sakura sighed feeling a little better. "Well, that's not that scary"
"Let me finish" Tomoyo said with a sly grin. "It's a haunted house. You run into a different nightmare in every room while you're trying to get to the top. And you have to watch out for the Shadow man. Kinda like the sandman, except he brings nightmares. It says here that if he catches you, he'll bring to life your darkest fears!"
"Sounds great!" Chiharu said smiling as she held Yamazaki by his ear.
"You know, that there are nine worlds, and earth is right in the middle? Well there is Alfheim, which is like heaven and hel is well, like hell. But there's also a shadow world! and it's....."
"LIES! THEY'RE ALL LIES!" cried Chiharu as she swooped on her boyfriend with her lie mallet. All the others just sweat dropped.
"I actually heard something like that," Eriol began but was interrupted by Yukito.
"Hey guys, lets finish reading the instructions." He picked the card up. "Draw your worst nightmare on the card provided. Place all of the nightmares facedown in different rooms. All of the players start in the parlour. Take the oath, and then begin to draw cards from a shuffled pile."
"Well, lets make our dolls!" Rika said. Everyone nodded in agreement. They began rummaging about for crayons.
They all drew their dolls, and their nightmares. They did as the instructions said. Then, Meiling picked up the three figures that were left in the box. One of them was a wolf, one a snake, and the other? It was the boy from the More Games store.
Sakura couldn't help but stare as Yukito pulled out the oath.
"It says here that we each have to swear that we're playing this game of our own free will, and that the game is real. There is a shadow world, like our own but different, existing alongside ours, but never touching. Some people call it the world of dreams, but it is as real as anything else. Entering the shadow world can be dangerous. This game can be hazardous to your life. You must swear that you understand that."
Everyone was busy swearing. 'Am I the only one who isn't sure?' Sakura thought to herself.
She finally found herself swearing, after an uncomfortable moment with everyone looking at her with pleading eyes.
"Now we must pick a card off the deck" Tomoyo said taking one herself. "You have gathered with your friends in this room to begin the game"
Rika and Naoko took the next one. "Each of you has a secret you'd rather die than reveal"
Chiharu and Yamazaki took the next one. "You hear footsteps in one of the rooms above you". Suddenly there was a sound of footsteps above them. Now Sakura was getting freaked out. The others didn't seem to care.
Meiling took the next card. "You go to the door to get some air, but the door won't open." Meiling got up, and tried to open the door. It wouldn't budge. She went ashen.
Yukito picked up another card. "None of the windows or doors in this house will open now" he read carefully.
"Before Sakura could stop him, Eriol took the last card. "You hear a clock strike nine." Before they could do anything, they heard the bell tolling.
one
two
Sakura was beginning to freak now, as were some of the other kids. They all knew that she didn't have a clock that chimed.
three
four
The only person who appeared to be calm was Eriol.
five
six
seven
Sakura clutched at Yukito's shirt in fear.
eight
"Yuki" Sakura cried.
nine
Then the wind came.
When she woke up, Sakura didn't know where she was. She looked around, seeing the oriental rug, the warm wooden panelled walls, the furniture, that candlestick... She had a sick sinking feeling in her stomach.
They were in the game.
TBC So how did you enjoy that chapter? Pretty good? Pretty bad? I need feedback people! Please review, and please watch for the next chapter (If enough people like it) THANKS!!