Story: Platinum

Summary: Li thought giving his powers to Sakura, to the girl he loved, would be the end of his life as Clow Reed's heir. But it seems a certain blue-haired reincarnation of the mage has different plans for him. Perhaps there is more to Li's attraction to Eriol than just magic.

Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura and make no money from the writing if this fic.

Chapter 1- Stormy Weather

"It would be so great if everyone got what they wanted!"

-Kinomoto Sakura

Syaoran Li stared out the window of his home, watching the rain pattering on the glass pane.

Tonight, it was exactly a year since the fateful night when he'd lost his powers- given them up without a second's thought .

He reached a hand out, tracing a star on the steamy window.

It had felt strange; knowing his purpose in life was over. Everything he'd trained for since his birth…all gone to a naïve little girl in Japan who hadn't even wanted all this in the first place.

Sakura.

Even a year later, the name didn't fail to cause a small twinge in his heart. It was not really Japan that he missed, but that bright, innocent girl who he had fallen unexpectedly for…the girl for whom he'd broken Meilin's heart. Kinomoto Sakura had come into his life and turned everything upside down.

He raised his head up to look at the clouds, wistfully remembering the time when he had controlled the elements.

"God of Thunder!"

That was all over now, though. All his power, passed down through generations, all sacrificed in a moment for the happiness of a sweet faced girl who he lost his heart to. He had promised Sakura he would return once he had sorted his affairs out; he was sure that she was waiting for him. But honestly, he didn't feel like returning …to that strange life of being a normal kid, of thinking about a crush, trying to beat a rival. It would somehow be humiliating.

He scowled, fist clenching at his side as he remembered the darkhaired magician with blue eyes. That boy had been the bane of his existence since he had transferred to Japan.

Hiiragizawa Eriol, Li thought, teeth clenched. All this…everything that happened…it was your fault!

And it was. If he hadn't set Sakura that near impossible test, he and Touya would never have lost their powers.

"There cannot be two Cardcaptors."

That was all very well to say but Eriol didn't think about the impact all that would have on him. He had given up a normal childhood to train incessantly for becoming a Cardcaptor. Although he knew it wasn't Sakura's fault, he couldn't help but think Clow Reed was a heartless man; a heartless man who chose the Master of the Clow Cards for their heart, not for their skill or power.

Li looked down and let his bangs cover his eyes and the colour on his cheeks. Eriol Hiiragizawa was much the same as well. He had toyed with him, enjoyed seeing him squirm because of the false attraction to his power that he knew Syaoran couldn't fight.

"I've just come to Japan too, maybe you could teach me things? Syaoran Li-kun…"

Li's blood boiled when he remembered how he'd caught him in his arms when he'd fallen out of the tree. Li Syaoran didn't just fall out of a tree! He was sure Eriol had done something to him. And to put on that concerned mask all the while he was laughing at him…

It is people like Hiiragizawa Eriol that I hate most in the world!

Syaoran took a deep breath and turned away, glancing at his sword wrapped securely in cloth, lying propped up against a wall.

But that was all done now; it had been all done, for a year. Sakura and Japan and everything that he had left behind were now far away.

Syaoran Li had always considered himself a very practical man. This was his life now – school, studies, girls – a normal life. No more rigorous training, no more sacrificing his leisure time, no more bone aching tiredness after relentless training sessions.

A normal life.

Then why did he still feel that strange hollowness in his heart when he thought of his life before that fateful day, one year ago?

Syaoran closed his eyes and growled.

I wish…I wish I could have it all back, he thought fiercely, allowing himself to think that one thought that he'd denied all through the year. I wish…I could have magic in my life again…

The rain continued to fall outside and Syaoran sighed and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Everything was quiet, except for the rain falling and the sound of the wind.

Then, in the dark, the sheathed sword glowed brightly for a second.

Because vacations were still on and the new year had not yet begun at school, that left Syaoran with a lot of time on his hands with nothing much to do. His sisters were away on a break and his mother usually kept to her room. As a result, the house was quiet, the incessant rains making it rather dull.

Earlier, he would have grabbed this opportunity to train harder, to perfect his moves in the rain but now…it seemed pretty pointless. What was the use, anyway? So he hadn't allowed himself back on this training ground for a year, not even looking at it lest he be tempted.

It was pathetic if he still clung to his routine even though there was no longer any purpose to it. And in the end, it hadn't helped him any. Kinomoto Sakura had won the title of Master of the Cards without training at all.

After staring at the training ground for an eternity, Li decided he would train anyway. If he didn't do it at least once, it would keep niggling him at the back of his mind. If he just went out there and trained, he would not feel so attracted to the ground anymore. Besides, it wasn't like anyone had forbidden him from doing it.

He walked out into the rain and stood at his usual place for a second soaking in the feel of being where he'd wanted to be for so long. Then he took a deep breath and began his series of exercises.

The familiar movements began to calm his turbulent mind. When he was here, like this, it didn't feel like he'd been gone at all. It felt like no time had elapsed, as though it were the very next day after he'd trained here for the last time before leaving; nothing had changed…

…except he was training in a T-shirt and shorts instead of his normal traditional outfit…except that he had lost the right to wear that outfit…except that what he was doing now, was a pathetic attempt to regain what was already gone.

Lightning flashed across the sky, almost immediately followed by thunder. It had been a while since they'd had such a storm in this area. It was unusual. He turned his face up to the rain and smiled bitterly. All his life, he'd spent learning to evoke these very elements; they'd been his friends. He could always rely on them, and now, lightning could strike him dead at this moment and there would be nothing he could do about it. He was at their mercy, just like millions of humans on earth.

It felt weird to be estranged from something that had been a part of him all his life, like a part of him had been torn away and now everything was off balance.

Li felt naked.

Unknown to him, a figure standing on the top of one of the trees close by smiled down at him, dark robes billowing in the wind. Even though the rain had, by now, soaked everything, the boy remained dry, as if he were standing in a bubble.

"You underestimate magic, Li-kun," he whispered. "If that is all you learnt about magic in all your years of training…then you haven't learnt anything at all."

Lightning flashed and reflected a sharp, golden edge of the sun at the head of the staff in his hand.

When school began, Li entered the class right on time as usual, silently heading for his seat at the back, not bothering to glance at his stone faced class mates. No one here attempted to smile at him or welcome him back. This wasn't like Tomoeda Academy, after all. People here were normal, not all smiley and happy.

Syaoran sat down and sighed, looking towards the window that was shut. Was it just his imagination or was this classroom more drab and dull than he remembered?

Oh well. He better get used to it.

The day progressed normally till the school bell rang signalling the break. Li was about to leave with the rest of the class when-

"Syaoran Li,"

Li looked up when his name was called out by the teacher.

"Please meet the principal in his office right now."

"Sir?" he asked pushing the door of his office open.

"Li Syaoran," the stern-faced principal looked up. "I called to tell you that you that there is a friend of yours who has come searching for you and has asked to meet you."

Li frowned. "Who is it?"

"It has been a long time…ne, Syaoran-kun?"

Syaoran stared at Eriol Hiiragizawa's smiling face and thought, You have got to be shitting me!

"Bastard!" Syaoran cursed when Eriol finally caught up to him. As soon as they'd stepped out of the principal's office, Li had raced off without a word to the other boy.

"Ma, ma, Syaoran-kun," Eriol smiled, "Is that any way to greet an old friend?"

Syaoran's eyebrows shot up in his hair. "Old friend?" he managed out through gritted teeth. "You slimey little- you dare call yourself a friend? What the hell are you even doing here? How dare you even show your face after-"

Syaoran stopped abruptly as the magician laughed softly. "Calm down, Li-kun," he advised.

Syaoran was apoplectic with rage. "C-Calm down-? You just wait-"

Without a thought, he launched himself at Eriol, fists flying. The students around gathered to watch. Li Syaoran fighting anyone was always entertaining. Everyone knew he came from a long line of warriors and no one had better reflexes or skills than Li…

…except for the new kid, it seemed.

Still smiling, Eriol had caught Li's fist in one hand and was now calmly twisting his arm back, completely unperturbed by the look of pain on his face.

"Teme," Syaoran gritted out, trying every trick he knew to get out of the arm lock but only managing to hurt himself more.

Eriol tutted ruefully. "This is not the reunion I had envisioned at all, Syaoran-kun."

Li glared at him over his shoulder, still attempting to get free.

"Let…go…" he mumbled, and to his surprise, he was immediately released.

"But all you had to do was ask, Li-kun," Eriol told him cheerfully. Syaoran rubbed his wrist with his uninjured hand and turned away, scowling.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the students staring at Eriol in amazement and admiration. It would be the same…it would be the same as Tomoeda. Eriol would best Li at everything, his hard earned reputation would go down the drain and he would just be a laughing stock.

"Don't you miss Japan?"

Syaoran's scowl darkened as the voice came from right next to his ear. That meant Eriol had fallen in step with him. He hated being next to the imperturbable magician; he always made him feel awkward and incompetent.

"I'm happy here in Hong Kong."

"That's not a no," Eriol smiled knowingly. Syaoran cursed his perceptiveness.

"Did you not promise Sakura-chan that you would go back?"

Syaoran shoved his hands in his pockets and stared broodily at the ground, slowing his pace. "It doesn't matter," he said. "I can't go back."

He had to stop as Eriol was suddenly in front of him, midnight blue eyes piercing his own. "And why not?" Eriol asked softly. "Did you not wish yesterday night to have your magic back?"

Syaoran's face turned bright red. "WHAT? How the hell do you know about that? Have you been spying on me, you bastard?"

Eriol smiled enigmatically. "Would you not be happy if you got what you wished for?"

Syaoran was startled. "It doesn't matter anyway," he said at last. "I can never get it back. I gave all of my magic…to Sakura."

Eriol held out his closed fist in front of Syaoran. "Magic…isn't as simple as that."

Syaoran stared as Eriol slowly opened his fingers. In the palm of his hand was a yellow leaf. Before Li's eyes, the leaf glowed, then slowly levitated, hovering a few inches above his hand.

Li turned away. "Rub it in, will you?"

"Syaoran."

Inspite of himself, Li turned back at the serious tone of his voice. Eriol had dropped both his hands back at his side but the leaf still hovered.

"I'm not the one doing that," he told Li gently.

Syaoran stared uncomprehendingly for a few moments, from the leaf to him.

"What?" he whispered. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not doing it," Eriol repeated. "This…isn't my power. It's yours."

"But that's not possible!" Li shouted, shaking his head vigorously, taking a step back. "I – I didn't even… I didn't even mean to…I didn't-"

"Li," Eriol interrupted. "You may not have noticed but your power has been causing such small disturbances around you for the past few days. I just channelled your power onto the leaf. If you let it go unchecked, sooner or later, someone is bound to notice."

"But-But I gave all my power to Sakura," Li protested, finally looking up from the leaf. The leaf fell towards the ground, then floated away with other dried leaves when a breeze picked up. "You said it yourself; there can't be two Cardcaptors!"

"There are other kinds of magic in the world except for Cards," Eriol told him.

Syaoran took a few steps back. "But- but how come I got them back…after a year? How can I get my powers back after I gave them to Sakura?"

"What you gave to Sakura were the powers you had learned to control after years of training. That is why you could not use the elemental cards. The power that is manifesting itself now comes from the deepest reserves within yourself. It cannot be given away."

Syaoran's eyes widened.

"But that means…I will never be able to control magic again?"

Eriol shook his head gently. "It means you will have to begin training all over again…with me."

Li couldn't help the blush that rose to his cheeks. "Wi-with you?" he stuttered "You'll train me? What about Sakura?"

He couldn't help the note of resentment that crept into his voice but Eriol just smiled. "Sakura-chan has found her destiny. I will help you find yours."

"S-so that means you'll stay with me here?" Syaoran asked in a small voice, not at all happy with how that sounded. "Or do I have to come with you to England?"

"Neither," Eriol said, suddenly reaching for his hand. Syaoran turned red again, glaring at him. What the hell did he think he was doing, grabbing his hand like that? He tried to snatch it back but Eriol held it firmly in both of his.

"We are going back to Japan," he told Li. "But this time, you will be staying at my castle."

Li could hear his heart pounding, could feel the elation running through his veins. Japan…he was going back to japan!

"It is time you kept your promise to Sakura-chan," Eriol told him, withdrawing his hands and walking away.

Syaoran stared after him for a long moment, frozen in place. He was startled out of his reverie when the end of recess bell rang. He glanced down at his hand and opened his fingers.

There the same yellow leaf resting in the palm of his hand.

A/N: Review please! ^.^