CHAPTER 3|| IDENTIFIED


"And just what do you mean by that?" Sakura asked with interest, swaying her hips side to side.

A shrug and a smile was all she got from the man before her. Her eyes narrowed. Not that he could see them behind her mask.

"Do I get a hint at least?"

"Today."

"That is so vague!"

"In the morning."

It would appear that he enjoyed games so she decided to humor him for a while longer, "I met a handful of males this morning."

He busted out laughing, "Did you really? Now that just sounds wrong."

His laughter so contagious that she could not contain hers and soon found herself joining him.

"No, I didn't. But seriously…" she said once the laughter died down.

"I am being serious."

"Mister, I can tell you're anything but serious. Can't you give me something I can work with?" Sakura gave him a pout, hoping he would fall for the cheap trick.

"Well then Miss, you can grace me with your company over a drink after this."

She bit her lower lip. Damn him, he was more clever than he let on. She needed to be careful around him.


Syaoran watched in amusement as she struggled to figure out his identity. He knew he shouldn't mess around with her like that, but he had a kick out of it. But despite the lively atmosphere, he could not shake the eerie feeling that clawed at his skin. Someone was watching them. His eyes scanned in the sea of spectators, hoping to seek out the culprit. Nothing out of the norm as far as he could see and that frustrated him especially when there was something wrong. It just meant that he should keep his guard up.

"On one condition." Her voice brought back his attention to her.

"Oh? And that would be?" he asked, twirling her.

When she faced him again, gone were the air of playfulness which were replaced with utter seriousness, "You take your mask off."

Males bowed and females curtsied, signalling that the song ended. However, they remained facing each other.

"Well? Do we have a deal?" She wasn't exactly patient, was she?

"Alright, but we should do this somewhere else," he accepted her terms, taking a hold of her small hand in his larger one and together they disappeared into the crowd.

Whomever watched them earlier might be tailing them now. Not wanting to take any chances, Syaoran took sudden turns were made as well as mingling into packed areas in hopes of losing the third party. He heard her ask several times where they were going, but was too focused on navigating their way out of a possible dangerous situation to answer.

"No more. I've had enough of this," she said out of breath, pulling free from his grasp as they were now far from the festivities, "Tell me what's going on."

"Don't tell me you didn't notice," he turned to face her, panting. A blank look on her face caused him to sigh and ran a hand through his unruly hair. They really didn't have time for this, "We're being watched and followed."

Her eyes widen in shock, "Come again?"

But before Syaoran could say anything, they were completely surrounded.


Four. No. Make that a total of five. Their objective unclear and they did not look like they were in the mood to talk. So the best options for the current situation at hand would either be to escape or subdue their pursuers. Sakura glanced at the stranger beside her. Obviously, she had some unfinished business with this man, but the questions would have to wait until later. E

verything in her body screamed to ditch him, but the odds were stacked against her if she dared. The only choice she had left was to work with him. He couldn't be too bad since he did try to save her. Right?

The masked stalkers attacked all at once. On impulse, Sakura's hand flew under the dress to her upper thigh where the dagger was secretly stashed and found nothing. She tsked in annoyance, remembering that Tomoyo had confiscated the "deadly" weapon while in the dressing room, telling her she wouldn't need it. Well, now she needed it. It was one problem after another. Today just wasn't her day.

There was no time to look for a weapon as a man lunged himself at her. Sakura sidestepped from harm as he tripped on her train and crashed head first into a crate. A light bulb went off. Quickly tightening the fabric over her hands, she faced the other offender who was twice her size. He sneered at her pathetic efforts to fight him then charged at her with his fists. She ducked and dodged the blows. At close range, she took the opportunity to wrap the silk around the attacker's bulky arm to temporarily immobilize him to knee him hard in the balls. He doubled over and howled in pain, clutching his precious jewels.

Meanwhile, the man in black held up on his own rather well. He managed to knock one out cold and was currently dealing with the other two who had their swords drawn. One rushed at him and he easily grabbed the arm with the weapon, punching the guy in the face as he kicked the other behind him square in the gut. He then swung the guy he held on to the other, sending them both crashing into crates.

Just then, from her peripheral vision, Sakura caught a glimpse of shining silver. She barely dodged the swing last minute, but not unharmed. Her makeshift fabric weapon had been sliced in half, rendering it useless and she was grazed across the chest. Blood began to soak the white dress. Man, Tomoyo was going to kill her if this guy didn't beat her to it. She noticed the first pursuer recovered from his pitiful fall, pushing the debris off.

"Capturing you was easy they said. But they failed to mention, you knew how to fight," the man spat and came at her again, "Hell. As long as you're alive, it doesn't matter what state you're in."

What the - Someone was after her? Sakura panicked and slipped on the still long fabric when she took a step backward. She trembled in fear as the sword came down fast and shut her eyes tight, bracing for the impact.


In that moment, everything seemed to go by slow for Syaoran. He dashed towards her, praying he would get there in time. Fear instantly plagued his thoughts and bodily movements. What if he didn't make it? No. There was no what ifs. He absolutely had to make it in time.

As soon as she was within reach, he scooped her up away from harm's way then his foot connected with the offender's face. A sickening crunch was heard. The man laid motionless several hundred feet from them. Sensing no other death threats, he felt the need to check to see if she was alright. He looked down at her and saw that she was shaking.

"God. Do you have a death wish or something?" He yelled, angry with her for not trying to avoid the blade.

Her eyes fluttered open, revealing misty emerald eyes. She made no eye contact, but it seemed like she was on the verge of crying. Syaoran groaned inwardly. He could not deal with tears. Throw him in a pit of snakes or over a cliff, but do not give him the tears of a woman.

"Please don't - "

"Who said I was crying?!" She blinked away the tears and shoved at his chest, trying to get out of his arms.

"Good to know you're more or less okay," he replied dryly, not letting her down.

"Can you put me down?" She was still struggling.

"Not a chance."

"Why in the hell - " That was when she finally looked at him. Her words becoming a whisper, "not…"

Judging from the way her mouth hung open and eyes that widen with shock made him realize that he lost his mask. Not the way he would have preferred it, but nothing ever goes the way one expects it to. Oh wells. Just go with the flow.

"The pervert from the river," she recalled, pointing a finger to his face.

He sighed, "I am not a pervert."

"You are too."

"Is that all you remember?" If she wanted to play that game, so could he.

Her face became flushed, "Let me down now or I'll scream."

Syaoran could not help himself from grinning at her threat. She wasn't going to get rid of him that easily after all that trouble he through to find her. He moved his face extremely close to hers to prove his point, "Then I'll just have to shut you up."


[AUTHOR'S NOTE] Someone is out to get Sakura *gasps*! Any guesses as to who it might be?

Kindly drop a comment in the box below as to whether you guys like the new length or to keep it short as I have done previously. Til next time ^^


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A Maiden Warrior © 2013 by KANZEN NI

Card Captor Sakura © 1996 - 2000 by CLAMP, Kodansha & TokyoPop

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