Song of Light

Chapter 4

Marcus woke, and, because Syaoran was very irritated with him, came to Sakura the the rest of the gang instead of waiting for them to come to him. He was not as much of an inebriate as his impression would hint. Apparently what got him was not the champagne, but liquor truffles, and the combination was too much for him.

" It's to my fortune, I suppose, that Syaoran is so mild-tempered." Marcus mused. " With him, especially when it comes to magic, it's sort of an all or nothing deal." Which meant, for games like water volleyball, Syaoran was stuck with not doing magic at all."

Sakura found herself feeling incredibly uncomfortable. She had kept in contact with Syaoran, but it seemed that was not enough, because it almost felt like Syaoran was a complete stranger to her. He had tried to explain things to her before, but it was too inconvenient so they both decided to wait until she visits one day. She never imagined that she would not even understand Syaoran's way of life anymore. It was very disheartening.

" He's very popular here." She was forced to remark in order to fill the impending silence.

" Yeah." Marcus agreed. " You should have seen him at his first, though. Shyest thing ever. Kids warmed up to him quickly though, and him back. They can feel from his aura that he's a good kid."

The comment made Sakura start. It was an interesting notion, the fact that the children here had judged Syaoran based on his actual spirit and not how he behaved. From her recollections of their first meeting, she could not imagine Syaoran would have made friends that easily in the start, even if, gauging from past years, Syaoran's manner had lightened up considerably.

As she joined the other children, now able to converse with them in Japanese instead of stilted English, they said to her, " Missing Syaoran already?"

" Yeah." Sakura admitted. Tomoyo and Yamazaki just grinned. She wished they understood just how she missed Syaoran.

" Haha." The kids exclaimed, " He never stops talking about you."

" Yeah, we feel like we know you already."

" Said you rollerbladed to school."

" Crazy!"

" Can you show us your staff?"

" Is it pink like he said?"

" Your mom was a model right?"

Unwittingly, the other children managed to calm Sakura's worries. Obviously, in his time here, Syaoran had not forgotten about her. And why would he? You talk with him often enough. He's always got something to tell. And you always told him things. There was, apparently, no love lost in the long distance. Despite having so many good friends now, there was still a place in his heart for Sakura.

She summoned a genuine smile.

" Ah, isn't that the loveliest girl in town!" One of the girls laughed and pulled Sakura to join them.

Sakura was not sure how she knew, but she had a feeling everyone had taken an instant liking to her. It may be what Marcus mentioned, about sensing auras instead of sensing attitudes. Marcus had gone to join the adults, who, now that the sun is setting, were beginning to head out, signalling that attendance, announcements, and apparently introductions, were now over. She suddenly remembered the five troublemaking shadowmasters that had done so much to help them find Syaoran years ago, and wondered where they went. Scanning the groups of children, she spotted what looked like shadowmasters, and after some inquiry, excused herself from the present group to join them.

" Konnichiwa!" Sakura greeted the children. They looked like they were about ten years old. " I am Sakura. I was hoping you guys know what happened to several friends of mine?"

" Who?" A shadowboy asked.

" Well, there were five of them. I don't know their last names, but they use to hang out together a lot. Dan, Teresa, Lea, Erledine...Akil...this isn't ringing any bells is it."

" Yeah it is actually." A girl replied. " Well there are a lot of Dans and Teresas and Akils. Erledine and Lea are both inside with the adults. They might come out soon."

" Oh. Daijoubu. Arigatou!"

The children bid her goodbye good-naturedly, and Sakura felt rather pleased with herself. She rejoined her old group.

" Funny, them." An aquatic beastmaster commented to her. She was very sweet-looking, with blue eyes and blue hair. Sakura was not sure if the hair was dyed or if it was naturally blue; it seemed to fit her. " First year Syaoran was the one that helped them mingle. They're a strange lot though."

Sakura imagined they would be. " Well, the magic they use is different."

" True."

" Everyone quiet down!" Someone suddenly shouted. The children quieted. It was not Syaoran who was demanding attention; it was someone Sakura had not quite met yet. She looked like one of the pagan witches; she was very tall and very thin and fair, with long brown hair that was plaited and a gleaming white circlet on her brow. She was dressed in green and brown and looked very regal.

" This year marks the last year Lord Syaoran will be joining our group, amongst others," She told everyone, " But next year our Lord Syaoran will be attending the council as the new Chair."

There was an awed silence. Sakura felt bewildered.

" He's over there with the adults already," The witch continued, " And doubtless, has important things to do now, but we really ought to have some kind of coming-of-age ceremony for him."

" Give him a Bar Mitzvah!"

" A what?"

" Ew! I don't want to listen to people reading lists of responsibilities in a language I don't even understand!"

" He's not Jewish!"

" Hey! Settle down! Not that kind of ceremony!" The witch looked annoyed. " I was thinking more like a birthday party of sorts. Or something. Something fun. It's his last fun year at the Magic Festival. It ought to be special."

" It's special already." Someone from the other side of the field called out. " His girlfriend's here."

Sakura blushed.

" Yeah, he only threatened us with a slow painful death if we hurt his Japanese friends. Weren't you there?"

" You think that's enough?" The witch asked skeptically."

" Course not!"

" He's going to be King of the World!"

" When's the banquet starting?"

" They're going to have a coronation anyway at the end of this. We probably should just pretend everything's normal."

Sakura stared at the beastmaster, Antonio. " What are they talking about?" She asked.

Antonio did not understand. " Ha? What do you mean?"

" What coronation? And a chair?"

" He's taking over Lord Chul Park." Antonio still did not understand, but he did manage to answer Sakura's question. " What are you confused about?"

Sakura suddenly remembered seeing Chul earlier that day, dressed in the ornate robes and carrying the scepter. Syaoran wanted Tomoyo to make him clothes...suddenly her heart dropped to her shoes.

" She doesn't know." An air beastspeaker noted. " She doesn't know Syaoran's import."

" Lord Syaoran?" Sakura was dismayed yet again. " He's a lord?"

" Well he's the son of Lord Chul."

" I suppose...but he...he's only fourteen!" Sakura shuddered, thinking about herself, and her other fourteen-year-old friends. When they had been ten, fourteen years seemed to be a long time, but now that she herself is fifteen, she knew how young she felt. And it did not quite matter that Syaoran was soon to turn fifteen either.

" Hey, you ought to see him manage affairs." Antonio told her.

" Yeah, he shocks them all. Literally."

" That's not true," The aquatic beastspeaker laughed. " He's a good diplomat. Must run in the Li family. People actually like him better than his father, because, well, Lord Chul didn't have the cleanest history. Syaoran is both more powerful and more trustworthy than Lord Chul, not that Lord Chul isn't doing a good job."

" He shall bring order and peace to the galaxy!" And the boy made a respirator sound.

" But he's going to have to sit in the Council and listen to boring speeches now." Antonio nodded. " A whole bunch of us won't be coming to Council after this year, because if we do it would only be to listen to speeches. He has to come, because he's leading everything. I wouldn't want to be in his position."

" Haha!" The others laughed. " After this year every time Syaoran appears to us on official business he's going to be all dressed up like a Chinese Emperor."

" Think he'll get that gold outfit?"

" Doubt it. His chou's white."

" He's not just thunder, not to mention thunder's not actually yellow to begin with."

However, as Sakura was beginning to develop inferiority issues, as the conversation went on she discovered that her title of Card Mistress held some repute despite Syaoran's accounts of her to the other children. Especially the younger sorcerers wished to see her cards, which she freely released, warning the cards not to hurt anyone. They went on to discuss what special event to hold for Syaoran's last "free summer". It was abruptly cut off when Syaoran soon joined them, baffled by the card spirits running around with the children. He cast the Sakura Cards a dubious look, but apparently figured Sakura could control her cards well enough that there was little risk, and asked what was going on otherwise.

" Nothing much." The group replied. Syaoran sat down on the picnic blanket and made himself comfortable. " How's your dad?"

" Hasn't come out yet." Syaoran smiled at Sakura. " How are they treating you?"

" Very well." Sakura stammered. It felt strange to look at Syaoran and see him so normal, when prior to this he had been described to be almost an Emperor, or some equivalent. He gave her a strange look, as if sensing her uneasiness, but brushed it off quickly.

" Aw Syaoran, you're not going to sleep are you?" The kids complained when he began to stretch himself out.

" Hey, who said I was sleeping? I'm just tired and wanted to relax." Syaoran scowled.

" Thunderspeaker? Tired? What nonsense!"

" Syaoran-san," Tomoyo turned to him, " Is the coronation what you want me to make robes for?"

Syaoran groaned a little. " Hai. Though mind you, they're not to be pink and frilly. In fact—"

" Ach," A new voice interrupted, " She's grown out of it, don't worry Xiaolang."

" Nezha!" Syaoran rose to a sitting position before anyone else could react.

" Your Highness." Antonio greeted, bowing his head a little. Nezha was dressed in a t-shirt and jeans, though, and was actually a half-head shorter than Syaoran now. The last time Sakura had seen him, he was a head taller than she was. Now he was even shorter than her. It was very strange.

" Well," Syaoran folded his arms. " You sure pick your times. I never see you at Councils."

" You do now." Nezha folded his arms in a similar fashion. " And I used to come before, every four years or so. Just to fool around, really. I see I missed the opening ceremony."

" He read like a true reader!"

" Pronounced all of our names right!"

" Shut up!" Syaoran scowled at their melodramatic actions. He was still grinning though, so no one cared. " Well what's going on? I haven't seen you for a while."

" Been busy." Nezha replied, scooting over to face Syaoran. " Say, Sakura's sure changed."

" You're shorter than her now."

" Rub it in, brat."

Syaoran laughed. " I should take a picture of you two."

Ignoring the last comment, Nezha instead remarked, " Syaoran, I actually need you to come up with me."

" Come up? Where?"

Nezha did not reply. People began to get nervous. The Trickster God wore a very serious expression on his youthful face.

" Is it…is it Niang?"

" Yes."

Syaoran paused. " When do you want me to go?"

" Now, if you like. Just to get it over with."

Syaoran glanced gingerly at everyone. " Well, can't refuse a god. Or goddess. I'll be…right back?"

" Yup." Nezha nodded. " Come along."

It was so quiet as Syaoran got up, that Nezha glanced around almost uncomfortably.

" What?" He demanded. " It's no big deal! She just wants to talk to him!"

" About what?" A wizard asked, a little concerned.

" Just in general." Nezha glared. " What, you think he's in trouble or something?"

The ensuing silence confirmed that.

Nezha rolled his eyes. " You have over-protective friends, Xiaolang. Come on, let's go."

Nezha disappeared in a flash of flames and Syaoran disappeared in a flash of light. For several minutes an uneasy silence settled over the field, so much so that the adults noticed and asked what was wrong. Soon Chul came, and when he heard what transpired, merely laughed.

" She's giving him an early birthday present." Chul explained. " She does this every year, because she knows how annoyed I'd get if she takes him away on the actual day."

" How come Syaoran never told us that?!"

" When is his birthday anyway?"

Sakura was momentarily surprised by their ignorance, but upon reflection she realized it was not so unreasonable that his friends, many of whom he probably only met once a year for the Magic Festival, should not know exactly when his birthday was. In fact, looking at Chul, who, while having opened up considerably, was still a very reserved man, she would not be surprised if the two of them celebrated Syaoran's birthday quietly. After all, for Syaoran, who had lost his family that gave birth to him and learned that his sire had no love for him, it was possible Syaoran's birthday was as much of a gloomy day as it was felicitous.

oO

" I do not understand."

Yue was afraid.

" By the time Clow created you," Eriol told him soothingly, " He no longer attended the Council meetings. And, I imagine, he did not anticipate his successor to have much of a choice, after his own absence. The first period of a new Chair of the Council has always been to mingle with its members, each given their due time."

" What do you mean?"

"Well," Ritsuko told him gently, " When Chul was first coronated as Chair, he spent ten years, as required, with each magical group represented in the Council. This included other elementals."

Yue's eyes widened, and became more cutting. " What?"

" Wait a minute, he has to? What kind of bogus rule is this? And what if the Chair's not immortal?" Kero demanded.

" The Chair," Eriol explained, " Was always an elemental. Only elementals qualify. They are the ones that center our magic, even ones that have no direct influence from the elements. As living beings on this earth, we have at the very least one of the elements supporting our existence, and thus they are the only ones that can claim the position of Leader of Council without dispute."

Yue turned away. Nakuru reproached Eriol. " How come this was never mentioned earlier? We all knew them long enough. And you knew the rules yourself. You don't seem surprised by this at all."

" Ten years?" Spinel was exclaiming. " What is he, babysitting them?"

" And what's the problem with having to live with each for ten years? Sakura can just visit them!" Kero protested.

" One: that would be improper to do even among some of your relatives to suddenly pop by and see your boyfriend without much notice, and along your schedule, two: some of the places are not accessible to sorcerers. You see everyone is agreeable with each other now; intruding their home is another story."

" And what happens if Sakura chooses to stay with him? He still has to go around visiting them!"

" He is allowed to take companions." Eriol folded his arms. " I am really wasting a lot of time explaining this to you right now. I have to explain all of this all over again to Sakura once this is done."

" So if Sakura chooses to go to Syaoran, she gets to follow him everywhere?"

" Essentially. Until she dies."

" Meaning she would be giving up any hope of a normal life." Ritsuko said quietly.

" What kind of rule is this?" Yue asked desperately, though he seemed collected. Only his stormy eyes betrayed his emotions. " He has friends enough. Why so long? Why not; why not several weeks, instead? He is just getting to know them, isn't he? He can just turn into light. He understands everything when he is in that form."

" It's not just him getting to know them. It's them getting to know him." Ritsuko said sympathetically. " Ten years is not so long for an elemental."

" What's the point? It's not like there will be much of a difference if they don't like him! He's getting coronated, not elected!"

" And why is he getting coronated now?" Yue snapped. Though outwardly he was not showing it, they could all feel his distress. " He can very well allow Chul to remain regent, until Sakura passes."

" He has asked the same thing." Ritsuko smiled grimly. " And such a thing was not allowed…because the Council would be in uproar. He cannot shirk his duties for a girl he is not even engaged to, even if she is the Card Mistress."

" Engaged?" Kero looked at Yue.

" You see what the decision is." Ritsuko sighed. " It is impossibly young, but this is the choice."

Yue was having a hard time believing that Syaoran would force Sakura into such a position.

" He's not." Ritsuko defended him a little adamantly. " He'd wait. He has all the time in the world. But the rest of the world doesn't, and neither does Sakura."

Yue was silent. Sakura could either never see Syaoran again, or she would never see the rest of her family and friends. She could lose the one thing she treasured most, or everything else. The life she always knew, the life she was expecting, the lives she could have been part of. And whatever her choice, Yue was faced with the same dilemma. Wherever she goes, he would have to follow, regardless of what he leaves behind. He had not thought Destiny would be so unfair.

oO

As it turns out, it was not quite as bad as Yue understood it, though it was very nearly as despondent a situation.

" The sojourn's for me, not Sakura." Syaoran explained, after glaring in Chul's direction for not being the one to explain. Yue was unconsciously holding his arm, and the grip was starting to get a little too tight for his liking. " I scare them enough that if I spark my hair they'd get nervous and do pretty much whatever I want."

" Meaning?"

" Uh…" Syaoran hesitated, considering how to word it. " It really depends on where we are, but I'm definitely stuck in one place and Sakura's not? She's not exactly free to go back and forth as she chooses. It would take a lot of energy. But while I'm settling matters locally, unless Sakura could be of service (which she would, but that's beside the point) she could potentially have…vacations."

" How often?" Eriol inquired.

" Ano…I don't know." Syaoran shrugged uneasily. The conversation was paining him as well.

Yue covered his face with his hand. Awkwardly, Syaoran patted the hand that was holding his arm. It had gone lax.

" Look," Syaoran was beginning to get a little annoyed at how pessimistic everyone was being, " It's not perfection itself, huge sacrifices will be made, but you don't have to act like I'm making Sakura choose between life and death. It's not so inflexible. Granted, if she chose to stay in Tomoeda, it doesn't guarantee she'll be seeing her friends all ten years, and there's this thing called internet?"

Everyone was looking at him, making him even more uncomfortable, so he kept talking. " It's not as good as being physically present, and granted, she's not going to have that much access, but Japanese internet sucks anyway and people were able to live with these decisions before." He was starting to sound defensive. " And it's not like I didn't get the short end of the stick—no matter what happens I have to go solve local problems and I'm leaving friends too!"

" No one is blaming you." Eriol assured Syaoran. " They are just dismayed, that is all. This was not welcome news."

" Well I know that." Syaoran muttered unhappily, showing how unwelcome this news was to him as well. " But you're acting like I came up with this idea. I'm not a retard, you know!"

But despite knowing that the subject hurt Syaoran as much as any of them, Yue could not hide his true feelings on the matter.