A/N: Okay! So the night before last I was yet again attacked by a plot bunny that refused to leave me alone until I wrote it down. My bunnies seem to love the Infinity Arc (angst makes them flourish apparently '-_- )

This little baby is just a product of that. To clear up any confusion that may arise as you read, keep in mind that this is an AU (my favorite ^_^). There was never a clone Sakura. The one that's been traveling with the group is the Real Sakura. The rest will most probably explain itself as you read it. If not. Feel free to ask.

Oh! I almost forgot. A warning in advance. This story will contain scenes depicting drug abuse but that does not mean that I encourage that habit in any way or form. I have never used drugs myself nor would I ever recommend anyone to destroy their lives by doing the same. Whatever you read here has been based on what I learnt watching youtube videos so it might not be all that accurate. I may return and rewrite it someday but for now, I hope you guys can go ahead and enjoy this.

Chapter 1:

Pain

"I'll be fine."

He could only helplessly watch as the one he loved walked to another for the support he himself had offered her countless times. Painful, clawed hands wrenched at his heart every single time she turned away. As the magician led the hobbling princess to their small carriage that would take them all to the small apartment that they had been occupying for the past couple of months, the claws tugged even harder at his heart, the pain eating him up from the inside, spreading and rending and tearing on his insides so badly he felt like he would burst. Unable to stand the hate in their eyes, the accusation in their stares, the plain disappointment in their gazes when they looked his way, he turned and ran.

"Kid." He thought he heard the ninja call after him as he burst through the door opposite to the one the princess and the magician had taken, but it was just his wishful thinking. The red-eyed man had followed after his real companions only moments after, knowing that he would follow too, like an obedient little puppy he was supposed to be. But he wasn't their 'little puppy', was he?

No.

He was the replacement.

The one that had made them lose their precious Syaoran-kun.

So what if he shared his name. He would never truly be him.

He would forever be the reason why the princess no longer smiled, why the magician wore a patch to hide the empty socket, why the ninja slit his wrist every evening to make it bleed. He was the reason they were all hurting and they were making sure through their cold, cold, cold stares and their accusing voices and their frostyandfrigidandfreezing looks that he knew that as well.

Every second and every moment that he spent in their presence, they made sure to remind him that he was the reason and the cause for their misery.

"This is all your fault." They all seemed to be saying, even without looking his way.

As the darkness of the night swallowed his retreating form, he did not bother to fool himself for even a second that one of them might follow after him to call him back. No, after his countless late night ventures, he was no longer naïve enough to fool himself into believing that he even mattered to them. He was just the replacement after all. The pretender.

"I'll be fine."

He was brought out of his thoughts by the sounds of someone crying out in pain.

"Help. No, stop." The voice was definitely male, but the person seemed to be in quite a lot of pain. At first, Syaoran thought about just ignoring whoever it was and walking away like he had seen other people in this world do countless times.

"Someone." The raw helplessness of the man's voice however halted him in his steps. Could he really just walk away like that?

Knowing that he might regret his actions later, since interfering in the deals that took place in the alley ways of Infinity after dark was never a good idea, the teen followed the sound of the pained cries. He was feeling reckless. After all, it wasn't like he mattered to those other three.

He could see the victim curled up on the ground, his assailants attacking him with not only their feet but with sticks as well.

"Leave him alone!" he yelled, running headlong into one of the men, feeling the rush of adrenaline through his veins as he took up a stance.

"Get out of here, kid." Another man said dismissively. "We don't want anything from you so leave. Grab this pathetic heap – oof!"

Not giving the man another chance to get his bearings, Syaoran attacked him with all he had, catching the metal pole with his left arm as the fallen man's accomplice tried to sneak up on him from behind. Ducking down low to the ground, he swept his leg around to knock him to the ground, a feral grin making its way to his lips.