Follow Me

By: Completely Unaware

Kinomoto Sakura sighed heavily, and leaned against her balcony, looking out at the night sky. She was bored, bored with her life in general. She wasn't happy here – she never really had been. By the age of 17, Sakura was ready to move on with her life, and get the hell out of here.

Alas, she was restricted to her own home until she was at least 18…and as she had just turned 17 – she had yet another year to go. She sighed again, as she heard heavy footsteps behind her.

"Daughter, you should be inside." Without turning around, Sakura rolled her eyes, and after this was done, she turned around and bowed to her father.

"Father." Was her way of greeting him, as he walked closer to her.

"Every night for as long as I can remember, you stand out here and think." Her father paused, and looked directly at her. "Believe me, Sakura, you honestly don't want to leave."

Sakura looked at him angrily. "You don't understand, and you can't tell me what I do and don't want to do."

He shook his head slightly, a small smile on his face. "Sakura-chan, you are still a child. You don't know what you want."

"Touya left when he was only 16! Why can't I?" She said without thinking, and realized it when she saw her father's angry face.

"How many times have we been over this? Touya was being stupid, he wasn't thinking about the consequences of his actions…and neither are you. Besides, it isn't legal." Kinomoto Fujitaka paced the balcony.

Kinomoto Touya had left home at the tender age of 16, defying his father's rules. He said he wanted to get away and travel, but Sakura never really believed him. Touya was so secretive, that Sakura suspected he left for another reason. But the reason doesn't really matter – Touya was gone, and had been for a long time. They hadn't heard from him for as long as he had been gone; they weren't even sure that he was alive.

"Touya was being smart! He knew that he didn't want to live for the rest of his life in this hell hole!" Sakura argued back. Fujitaka shook his head again and left her room, apparently very angry with his daughter. Sakura turned back to the night sky, wishing that she was beyond the estate's walls.

She had never left the mansion without a bodyguard of some sort – she was forever protected from the world. Her father was one of Japan's greatest politicians, which made her rather important for the future of Japan.

Oh well, she thought to herself, at least that argument wasn't as bad as some of the others.

She left the balcony, with yet another heavy sigh, and pulled a specific pink book off of one of her bookshelves. She set herself down on her generously sized bed, and opened the book. Dozens of glowing cards escaped the book, surrounding their Captor.

"But still, it must be nice…" She mumbled to herself, indicating to the real world, that lay just beneath her balcony.

~*~

Sakura walked along the garden path, in a very simplistic dress. She wasn't big on frills, puffy sleeves and lace. She was meeting her friend, Tomoyo, in the gardens in a couple of minutes, for she had a favor to ask her dark haired friend.

"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo called, and Sakura smiled in response.

"Tomoyo, I have a large favor to ask of you, and I'll understand if you don't want any part of it." Her friend nodded at her with wide eyes, so Sakura continued, "I want you to make me, sew me, a cloak – with a hood."

"Why would you need a cloak? Oh, Sakura!" Tomoyo said, confused at first, "You've talked about this before, and tried before, but you're really going through with it?"

Sakura nodded. "I know I'll be leaving my father all alone, but I can't stay here any longer; it is complete torture."

Her friend nodded. "You've said that before. I can't say that I'm surprised, you've been wanting to leave for a long time. Do you have any idea when you're going? When you're coming back?"

"I'm leaving the day after tomorrow, but I don't know when I'll be back. Can you have the cloak ready for then?" Sakura asked.

"Of course. That doesn't give you a whole lot of time to pack and everything. Where do you think you'll go?" Tomoyo asked, confused

Sakura shook her head. "I have no idea. Tomoyo-chan, you can't tell anyone about this, okay?"

"Of course. Is Kero-chan going with you?"

Sakura shrugged. "I assume so, but then again, if there isn't any pudding, I'm not sure if he'll want to go with me. You're welcome to come, you know."

Tomoyo laughed. "I'll miss you, and I'd come with you, but I can't leave. My family is here – and they need me more than you do."

"I understand."

The two of them were silent for awhile, until Tomoyo said, "I'll have the cloak by tomorrow."

Sakura looked up at her, smiling lightly. "Thanks."

"So, you're just leaving? Without saying good-bye?" A familiar voice rang out. Sakura jumped, she didn't think anyone was listening.

"Kero!" Tomoyo exclaimed, hugging the little guardian. "Do you think you'll go with Sakura?"

Kero pumped the air with his arm. "Of course! What do you think I'm here for?"

Sakura smiled at her little friend. "Thanks guys, you don't know what this means to me. Just think – two days from now, I'll be free from all of this."

"Then I wish you both the best of luck." Tomoyo said, then added to herself, This is a big step, Sakura-chan…you've never even been out of the mansion's walls. I hope you can handle all of it.

~*~

"She is stronger than I thought." Li Yelan said, impressed to say the least. Seeing the annoyed look on her son's face, she added, "Don't worry Syaoran, you're much stronger."

The amber-eyed youth smirked, but his smirk faltered when his mother continued, "I want you to look out for her. You don't even have to reveal yourself to her, I just want you to look out for her."

"What? Mother, you couldn't possibly…" Li Syaoran mumbled, "I mean, where is she going?"

His mother smiled at him. "I think this will be an adventure for you as well, Little Wolf."

"Mother! I'm already 17 years old! Don't you think that Little Wolf is a little…immature?" Syaoran said, clearly displeased.

Yelan brushed it off. "Please Syaoran, if the elders caught you talking like that…"

"Fine. What am I supposed to do with her, when the journey is over?" Syaoran crossed his arms over his chest.

"Bring her back here. You both will be needed." Yelan said.

"So, I will have to reveal myself to her." He said, frustrated with his mother. "I can't believe you're doing this to me. I have responsibilities – I am to be the Li Clan leader, and I'm off stalking some girl!"

Feimei giggled in the background. "It is only a girl, Syaoran-kun. I wouldn't get too worked up."

"Shut up, Feimei." Syaoran grumbled.

~*~

The dark night seemed to swallow the city up, as Sakura gazed at the landscape before her. Dawn would be coming in a couple of hours, so she had to be quick. She slipped into the emerald green cloak that Tomoyo had so kindly sewed for her, and began gathering things she thought she would need.

"Clow book, Clow key," here she paused and tied the key around her neck and then continued, "Money…"

She looked up in despair, she had little of her own money. She hastily grabbed what little money she had, and stuffed in small bag, and went on with her checklist.

"Kero-chan…" She went over to her bed and plucked the sleeping Guardian from a pillow, and dropped him in her bag.

She took a deep breath and softly said, "Please, Father, forgive me, but you know that I couldn't have stayed here much longer. Touya left when he pleased, as shall I."

She took a deep breath, to prepare herself for what she was about to do.

"Now to get past those infernal guards…"

~*~

Syaoran grumbled to himself, for he was clearly not happy to have traveled to Japan – just to look out for a stranger.

As far as I can tell, he thought to himself, there is only one thing that is good about this "adventure" and that is the fact that Meiling is no where in sight.

A couple of more hours until dawn, and Syaoran could feel that this female stranger was already up and attempting to leave. He was perched on the roof of a store, watching the sunrise, and watching the city come to life.

~*~

Sakura crept along the wall of the house, closest to the gardens, in what little shadows there were left. Daylight was coming, and it didn't give her a lot of time to escape. After jumping off of her balcony, courtesy of the Jump Card of course, she was feeling quite confident with herself – she was sure she would escape this time.

A diversion would definitely be necessary in order to get past the Guards.

The key that hides the magic of the star,

Show your true powers in front of me,

Sakura, who had a promise with you, commands you,

Release and dispel!

"Shot Card!" Sakura whispered, calling on the card, "Create a diversion to catch the Guard's attention!"

Sure enough, the Shot went off, producing several shooting sounds into the air. The guards yelled in surprise and were off, leaving their posts unattended.

Seizing the opportunity, Sakura ran through the front gates, past the yelling guards. She stopped only to call back the card, and catch her breath for a slight moment. During this brief moment, the protectors realized that the young girl had escaped beyond the Mansion's gates, and were in complete chaos. Sakura grinned to herself.

"Firey!" Sakura yelled. "Try to melt the front gates of their hinges!"

~*~

Sakura had been walking around for a couple of hours now, and the city was coming to life – people buying things at the markets, on their way to work, children playing – so she planned on returning to the ground, to have a look at the city.

She had lived in the city for 17 years, yet she had never been beyond the mansion. With her hood up, Sakura looked around the marketplace with wide eyes. There were different stalls set up along the alley, she noticed, varying from produce to jewelry.

"Apples over here!" She heard a man shout, indicating to a barrel full of the shiny red fruit.

"Fresh bread over here!" She heard another yell, anxious for business.

But what really caught Sakura's eye was a stall set up with jewelry. There was a glass hair clip that looked exactly like her Key of Clow, and she was instantly drawn to it. It was beautiful, and it had a magical aura to it – very comforting.

Walking over to the stall, with shining eyes, Sakura gingerly picked up the clip, unaware of the stall owner calling at her.

"Hey!" The man shouted harshly, "What do you think you are doing?"

Surprised by the call of the man, Sakura dropped the delicate hair clip, and it shattered into tiny pieces. She looked at the man, frightened, as he advanced on her.

"You broke it, you stupid girl, so now you will have to pay." The stall owner said, glancing at the broken jewelry. He held up long knife. "You broke it, so you pay extra…much extra."

"Exactly…how much extra would that be?"

Up on the rooftop, sensing potential havoc, Syaoran rolled his eyes. "It hasn't even been three hours; and she already needs my help. If she doesn't get out of there, she is going to get herself killed!"

Leaping down from his perch on the rooftop, he stood behind the frightened girl, who was, at the moment, being cursed at by the owner. He grabbed her arm, and hauled her behind him, surprising the storeowner, and angering him at the same time.

"Get back here…you thief!" The outraged owner yelled, prepared to go after them. "Guards!"

"What the hell?" Sakura yelled, still being dragged behind the brown haired youth. "If they only knew who I was…"

"Shut up!" The boy yelled back at her. "We'll have to jump the fence!"

"Jump Card!" Sakura called out. In a flash, both of them were over the fence, and Sakura called it back.

Syaoran thought fast. "Time Card!"

Time stopped for only the two of them, and the guards were caught in mid air.

"Come on!" Syaoran yelled at the baffled girl. "We don't have a lot of time to escape!"

Sakura nodded. They ran through the town, and came to a beautifully designed Inn. The two of them ran up the steps. Syaoran exclaimed, "We can stay here for awhile."

Once inside, Syaoran called back the card. Time was once again flowing smoothly. Sakura turned to him, looking at him accusingly. "I could've handled it myself."

Syaoran smirked at her, "No you couldn't have."

She glared. "Who are you?"

"Li Syaoran. Li is fine though." She looked at him suspiciously, as he continued. "So, you're a Card Captor, heh?"

She nodded. "So are you. How did you know where to find me, I mean, how did you know that I even existed?"

Syaoran looked out of the room's window. "Actually, I was out practicing my techniques one day, and I used the Time Card. Of course, it stopped for everyone without magic. I could feel all of the Li family – they all have magic – but I could also feel your aura still moving, and it confused me."

"Oh." She said intelligently. She also looked out the window. "For some reason, I have a large desire to travel to England."

Syaoran looked at her. "England, eh? Then we had better get moving."

She looked over at him, completely floored at how easily he accepted her proposal.

"Now?" She said, in disbelief. He shrugged.

"I don't see why not."

"Why have you taken an interest in me?" She asked, advancing on him. "What do you want with me."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm getting paid to look after you. I've got to bring you back home to Hong Kong when we get back from England."

"Who is paying you?"

"My mother. What is this, twenty questions?" He glared at her. "You know, after saving your life, you'd think that you could at least be grateful."

She sat down on the bed. "It is going to look suspicious – you know, us travelling together."

"You trust me easily."

"Well, it is either you or my father…" Sakura said, once again looking out the window.

"How come me?" Syaoran said, sitting down beside her.

"You're cute." She replied simply. He sweatdropped, and fell back onto his bed.

"Sakura?" Kero yelled from inside her bag.

"I trust that to be the Guardian Beast." Syaoran said, as if he was expecting something great.

"Sakura!" Kero yelled again, "GET ME OUT OF HERE!"

She undid her pack, and Kero shot out of it. Syaoran's jaw dropped. "A STUFFED ANIMAL?"

Kero crossed his arms, and floated down to Syaoran's level. "If you ever saw me in my true form, you'd find yourself cowering at my presence."

"Now, now, boys…don't fight." Sakura intervened, laughing. "We had better get going, no?" She asked Syaoran.

He nodded. "Yes. While we are travelling, you are my fiancée."

Her jaw dropped. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Fine – my girlfriend, at least." He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

"How come we can't be relatives?"

"Because…uh…well, we would have to change your last name, and besides – you don't look anything like me." He stuttered, nervously.

"Fine." Sakura said easily.

Syaoran continued, "We'll stay here for today, but tomorrow we'll be on our way early in the morning. Tonight I'll sleep on the floor, and you can have the bed, okay?"

She nodded.

~*~

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

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