Parting.

"For the umpteenth time, I don't need any help, I've got everything I'm going to wear." Syaoran snatched the suitcase from his sister's hands just as she was about to put teddy bear pyjamas inside of it. She looked at him and made a pout.

"But I bought it especially for your trip. It's too cold in Japan; you'll need to keep yourself warm at night. And it looks just adorable on you!" She told him as she placed the item over him to try the effect.

Syaoran rolled his eyes in exasperation and made an effort not to shout at her. Ever since his mother had informed him he had to travel to Japan to capture the Clow Cards that had been scattered, everything had been swallowed in a whirl of preparations. Intensive Japanese classes to manage in the country; intensive magical and physical training; extra lessons in family history to know what he was going against. This last one was because before this happened, nobody would talk about the mage in his family, it was a forbidden subject in all social gatherings. And after reading the mage's history he no longer wondered about the reason; the man had made too many enemies with his power and his attitude. But in the same way he couldn't help admiring someone so powerful he had won even the respect of his enemies. Or that of his own family, which was even rarer. In his own experience, family respect is about the hardest thing to acquire. No matter how much you do, you will always seem inadequate in the eyes of those who gave birth to you.

But the worst of these months had been without a doubt his sisters. If they were normally annoying, the fact that their baby brother was travelling to a different country completely alone turned them into mother hens. There wasn't a day in which they didn't think out something new for him to carry along, whether as protection, clothing, home made food (which was a mystery how it would survive the months until the journey took place), tools, house appliances, toys, even furniture, because the toddler wouldn't know how to do without all those things they deemed necessary for him. Even his mother's warnings had proven ineffective to chill the women's eagerness. He'd definitely feel a huge sense of relief once he was on the plane and away from them.

"Fuei Mei, I'm going to be fine. Mother has already got me everything I need and she knows what she's doing." He put the pyjamas in her hands and pushed her to the door. "I need to arrange the last things now so get out."

Before he could get his sister out of the door his eldest sister was there in the threshold.

"Mom calls for you, Little Wolf."

"I'm coming." He answered very formally and began to leave the place when he realised it. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop giving me names?"

"I can't very well call you Cub anymore, you're about to fly off the nest." Tsue Fua smirked at him.

Syaoran made no comment because he was in a hurry and left in a fume. When he was gone, Fuei Mei took advantage of his absence to stuff the pyjamas at the bottom of the suitcase. "He'll thank me when he's freezing in that forsaken place."

Mrs. Li was in the garden, watching intently at the pond. Her son approached her silently but still she felt his presence and turned the moment he was close enough to receive him.

"Did you call for me, mother?" Syaoran always had to be and talk formally in front of her. It was the appropriate behaviour and what was expected of him.

"That's right. Come with me, Syaoran." The woman headed to the family shrine, walking through the garden with Syaoran following her. Once she was inside, she headed straight to the place with her husband's name on it, Syaoran's father, and kneeled in front of it asking for permission. She then raised and took the sword that was hanging over the named plaque. She turned, facing her son and handed him the sword.

"This sword belonged to your father and to his father before him. Right now, I am giving it to you as your legacy. This symbolizes the position as head of family you must become from now on."

Syaoran received the sword with a ceremonial bow. "I am honoured beyond measure to be worthy of such a responsibility. I will fulfil my obligation for the honour of the Li family."

His mother should be happy, or at least show pride in the seriousness with which her son is taking his part. However, when Syaoran lifted his eyes, his mother's eyes reflected a great sadness. It was weird to see any expression in her always inscrutable face, and even if he sometimes wished she would show any emotion, this one in particular was one he didn't want to see. Syaoran was thinking of a way to excuse himself to go back to his preparations when his mother walked out of the shrine again. Not knowing what else to do, he followed her until they were out in the garden again. There, Mrs. Li turned to her son again with her same inexpressive face.

"Tomorrow you will leave for a different country, away from your home and your family. Don't feel so relieved about it." Syaoran blushed at his thoughts being discovered. "This also means you will be far from any help I can give you and you must face worst dangers than any you have ever faced until now and all on your own. You must capture the Clow cards before the disaster falls upon this world. No matter what happens, you can not let anything get in your way. Your mission is of great importance, not only for the honour of the Li family, but also for the sake of the world. The dangers you must come across on your path I can not predict, that is why I have prepared you so harshly for any eventuality."

"And I am truly grateful for everything, mother."

"Besides capturing the cards, you must face new experiences that will shape your character. The people you meet and the relationship you make are very important. Especially in everything related to the cards. When the one chosen by the guardian Kerberos shows up, you must give that person all the help you can." Syaoran was about to interrupt her but she proceeded. "If Kerberos hasn't chosen anyone worthy yet, you must find him and make him choose you as the new master of the Clow cards at all costs. Even if he was a renegade, Clow is still our family's responsibility and as such we must keep his legacy. One way or another, the Clow cards must return to the Li family. You will take this to help you find the cards." His mother handed him the magic board. "It belonged to Clow and therefore its energy will be drawn to the cards. You can use it to locate them. Do whatever it takes to fulfil your mission."

"Don't worry mother, I'll do everything in my power to fulfil my mission and bring the cards back. I'll stop the disaster and become worthy of being the new master of the cards."

His mother nodded. "One last thing. No matter what situation you might find yourself into, to get at the solution you must always trust your instincts. Trust in your heart and in your feelings, they will give you the answer you need to find. Very well then, you may go." This was the sign that the interview was over so Syaoran bowed and retired with an object in each hand.

Yelan watched her son as he walked away and the sad expression was again on her face. 'Will he really manage to stop that disaster? No, unless he finds what he needs in his own heart and that boy opens to no one. If what is written is true, then there's nothing I can do. She's the only one who can stop the approaching evil. And if the divination is correct, the she's also the only one who can reach to him. We'll have to rely on these children. At least I was able to finally find out her name.' She gazed at the pond again where a single Sakura flower was floating.

When Syaoran was walking into the house, he saw two of his sisters turning down the hall carrying what looked suspiciously like a carrier food box. He quickly came out of the house again and rounded it to enter from a back door and climb the stairs to his room unseen. He locked the door after entering and went over to unpack his luggage again. What his mother told him was still bugging him. What did she mean by trust his heart? She never spoke like that.

He was still in this meditations when he pulled the pyjamas out of the bottom of his suitcase and threw it in a corner of his wardrobe reserved for storing all the things his sisters gave him and went over all the packing process again, resigned. He'd definitely feel a huge sense of relief once he was flying to Japan, away from them.

N/A:

This is a small fic written for the Piffle Fanfic semi-anual contest following Vicky Yun Kamiya's prompt, "Syaoran: studying abroad." It wasn't perhaps exactly the same but the idea just popped up in my head and I had to write it at the time. Since the idea is very simple, a funny view of Syaoran's family life before travelling, with a very meaningful last talk with his mother, the story is also very simple. To make up the mother's talk, I used the gaps left in the manga and anime to make her stand as someone more knowledgeable than we saw, therefore giving her a more meaningful role in Syaoran's decisions. And of course, the sisters just had to be like that.

Comment, please! I really need your support and your critiques to improve my writing.