A / N : I am so sorry for all those false alarms! One was an accident - all I wanted to do was change the title of the chapter and I ended up deleting it by mistake! The other time I had to change a character name to suit my fancy. But - this is no alarm, this is an actual update. Thank you for your patience and reviews, I do love you all the more for it.
Note to fans of the original Undercover...this is where things begin to get different. Do not be alarmed. XD
u n d e r c o v e r
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r e c a p
She scrambled to her feet, only to see something fall into the water with a splash.
Takiyama had made his escape.
Sakura rushed to the side of the boat, but even as she did so, she realized the situation was hopeless. Takiyama was already too far away for her to catch. The fuel tank was on fire, and it was only a matter of time before the boat exploded. And she could not jump overboard. Not while Kai and Meiling were still there.
She was trapped.
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c h a p t e r. iii : a n g e r e d
Forcing herself to think, Sakura rushed over to Meiling, fingers gently brushing a fist-sized lump on the back of the girl's skull. Other than the blow to the head, Meiling seemed none worse for the wear. The roar of the engine loud enough to drown out all thought, Sakura set to work, trying to bring her partner around.
"Come on," she muttered, pinching here and slapping there. "Up you get now, up – you -"
There was a crack and Meiling's red eyes snapped open.
"What the-?" she let out with a yell before recoiling, her hands cradling her head. "My head!"
"Be glad that wasn't your life," Sakura said shortly, pushing a few buttons on her wristwatch. She turned her back to Meiling and waited for her watch to connect with Headquarters.
The equalizer appeared on the watch face again.
"Patience, Kinomoto -" it began, almost inaudible over the drone of the engine, but Sakura cut it off.
"Spare me your formalities!" she roared. "Red alert!"
"We have sent Retrieval your coordinates," the voice replied, if not somewhat unevenly.
"Two minutes," Sakura informed them. "You have exactly two minutes to get to us before our boat explodes. And we're moving at about two hundred miles an hour, so if I were you, I'd keep updating!"
"We will be in contact with Retrieval shortly," the voice answered.
"Shortly had better mean shortly!" Sakura snapped. "Otherwise we'll all be dead, you hear me? Dead!"
She closed the equalizer on her watch and faced Meiling, who had composed herself steadily.
"We've got to get the charge," she said, jerking her head to where the prone Kai lay sprawled on the ground. "And make sure there's no trauma to the brain. You pick him up, I'll watch the head."
It was a tricky task to do in a roaring speedboat racing two hundred miles an hour on the choppy waves, but they easily managed to hoist the unconscious boy onto Meiling's shoulders. Sakura's eyes were half on the boy's head, and half on the flames, licking away at the fireproof gasoline container slowly but surely. She estimated that they had less than a minute before the flames ate through the plastic and ignited the fuel. Less than a minute. Could Retrieval make it in time?
"We may have to jump," Sakura said in a low voice. "If Retrieval doesn't show up in another thirty seconds, we'll have to jump. There'll be no chance for the charge, but at least we'll be safe."
Meiling nodded curtly.
Sakura resumed staring into the distance, squinting for any sign of movement or help...hearing over the roaring engine was useless, and the scent of burning plastic lingered in her nostrils sickeningly. It would be too late, she thought darkly, and then they would have to jump. She and Meiling could survive the impact – a few broken bones never hurt anyone before – but the boy wouldn't be able to survive the trauma. But it was a sacrifice she had to make – it was the cardinal rule for Agents like her. On the field, self-preservation came before all else, including scruples. Agents were absolutely forbidden to become emotionally attached to their charges, in case the event arose that the charge would have to be sacrificed. Yes, it was a cold, heartless life, but better than no life at all...
"I see it," Sakura told Meiling, heart thumping as she pointed to a black speck in the sky, approaching them.
It was a helicopter, painted black and big enough to seat ten people. The hovercraft positioned itself directly over the speeding boat, and slowed down its speed to remain hovering directly over top of the speedboat. It was a mastery of mathematical precision.
Sakura calculated that they had around thirty seconds before the flames burned through the plastic gas container. She looked up, squinting at the helicopter hovering directly above their heads, about five hundred feet in the air.
The next thing she knew, someone clad in a black wetsuit had landed on the boat, clinging to a long rope harness.
"One at a time," he shouted, his face masked by the skintight suit and large goggles.
Sakura motioned for Meiling to hand the unconscious boy over to the Retrieval agent. Within the blink of an eye, they disappeared from the boat, their harness being pulled into the aircraft. Within ten seconds, the Retrieval agent had deposited Kai inside the helicopter and had descended onto the boat again.
Meiling went next, clinging to the agent as they swiftly rose into the air, up, up, up...until they disappeared from Sakura's line of vision.
She turned her eyes to the flaming gas tank. The plastic was looking dangerously translucent. If she remained on this boat for another ten seconds -
But then she felt the boat shake as the Retrieval agent was lowered none too gently on the boat behind her. Strong arms grabbed her around the waist and Sakura clutched at the harness behind her head, eyes riveted on the surface of the boat as it grew smaller and smaller...they were rising higher and higher...
The prescribed ten seconds Sakura had allotted for the plastic container to hold ran out.
Boom!
The flames had ignited the fuel and a backdraft of colossal proportions ensued. Sakura gripped the harness tighter, knuckles turning white, as a wave of intense heat and pressure crashed over her and the Retrieval agent holding her. Mercifully, the wave of pressure did not reach the helicopter, and after blinking the dancing stars out of her eyes, Sakura felt a final tug on the harness as she and the agent were pulled into the cabin of the aircraft.
The hatch door slid shut, and Sakura deposited herself into one of the cabin seats, fanning herself. There were four large seats in this cabin, she noted. She was sitting in one, and Meiling graciously occupied another. The Retrieval agent in the wetsuit sat in a third, unpeeling his uncomfortable attire away from his body. The fourth seat remained empty.
"Where's the charge?" Sakura asked hoarsely, trying to find her voice.
The man removed his wetsuit and flung it into a corner of the cabin. He wiped the sweat out of his face and grimaced.
"Think that heat wave popped a few blisters," he said, making a face. "Oh, the charge – the medics must have him in the medical wing – just at the back of the craft."
"I think I'll go there," Meiling said, getting up unsteadily. "They must have a remedy for this extra head I'm growing here."
Clamping a hand on the swelling on the back of her head, she tottered through a small door into the medical wing.
"So, it's Kinomoto, eh?" the man grinned, pulling on a comfortable white polo shirt. "Heard a lot about you. That was a risky situation you got yourself into."
Sakura didn't even blink as she stared him down.
"It wouldn't have been half as risky if you'd shown up sooner," she told him coldly. "What took you so long?"
The man looked somewhat abashed, not expecting such a bitter comeback from a girl as timid-looking and young as she.
"We had to pick up a body," he told her, his voice substantially less flippant. "One of your – er – the charges."
"Oh, don't even bother sugarcoating," Sakura sighed, leaning back in her seat. "I failed the mission, so my pride and reputation are already going to be getting a beating, aren't they?"
The man's eyes regarded her gravely over his spectacles.
"You don't like losing, do you?" he asked her, regarding her as though she was the most interesting individual he'd ever met before.
"Of course not!" Sakura snapped. "Who does?"
"You shouldn't lose your temper like that," the man told her. "It's just asking to be set up for another failure."
Sakura opened her mouth to retort, but then realized the man was right. She nodded curtly, swallowing her frustration that arose every time she thought of Takiyama's effortless manipulation of the situation. She had played right into his hands. Fallen for his scheme – hook, line and sinker. But that wasn't what angered her.
What made her angry was that he had known her name. Which meant he'd known everything about her before he had set sail on that blasted boat of his.
Which meant that no matter what she could have done, she still would have failed the mission anyway.
And that made her mad.
Not a word was spoken for the rest of the afternoon, as the helicopter journeyed steadily inland, away from the bright sunlight, sparkling waters and glowing white sands of the coastline. Instead, from what Sakura's peripheral vision could decipher from the tiny cabin window, the sky looked as gray and uninviting as the city that lay beneath it. Turbulent winds buffeted the craft up and down, making her feel like she wanted to be sick. All in all, it was one of the worst landings she'd ever suffered, and that included the time she'd landed a twelve-hundred foot free fall on her belly.
Just the mere thought of the colossal shock waves pounding through her body made Sakura wince, to this day. So, with a stoically indifferent demeanour and a slight clench of the jaw, she jumped off of the helicopter onto the helipad located on the summit of the highest building in the city. The blades of the chopper still rotated slowly, the generated wind possessing enough power to knock her off of her feet. Meiling disembarked soon after, and slowly, the crew of the helicopter followed.
There was the copilot, followed by the Retrieval agent and two medics. The medics were carrying a stretcher, on which a deathly pale Kai lay, barely clinging to life. They rushed him into the building. Another two medics exited the chopper, this time wheeling what looked like a large wheeled refrigerator. Sakura knew what it was: it was a portable cryogenics unit, used to freeze any dead bodies the CLA needed to investigate. Mimi Miyamoto-Ishida was in there, her entire form covered with freezing gel, her cells permeated with glucose administrations and her blood replaced with a preservative solution to withstand tissue damage.
They wheeled her by quickly, so that Sakura did not have to focus on her failure with as much intensity as usual.
Sakura and Meiling were to led to an elevator by the copilot, who pressed the 'Down' button for them. They waited in silence until the doors slid open and the two Agents stepped in.
The copilot looked at them seriously.
"You're to go to the penthouse," he instructed them. "There's only one apartment on that floor, so you can't miss it.'
He pressed the 'Penthouse' button for them and stepped away as the gold-plated doors slid smoothly shut.
Sakura felt only the slightest twinge of apprehension as she took stock of the rich oaken walls, shining marble floor, burnished mirrors and intricately carved gold-leaf adorning the interior of the elevator. She was feeling light-headed and cold: light-headed because she hadn't eaten since breakfast that day, and cold because she was dressed in her beach attire, which included a two-piece swimsuit (which counted more as 'underwear' rather than clothes, anyway) and a thin gauzy robe they had given her on the hovercraft, which acted more as a cover-up than it did as an actual article of clothing... She glanced at her feet and wiggled her toes experimentally. They were still bare, and nearly frozen against the cold marble.
A bell chimed as the elevator doors slid open.
"Penthouse," a voice announced over the elaborate silver-filigree speakers. Sakura stepped out of the elevator, followed by a somewhat hesitant Meiling. The elevator doors closed behind them, leaving the atmosphere as dark and gloomy as ever.
They were standing in a hallway, with rich mahogany walls, several dimly lit chandeliers hanging off an elegantly tiered ceiling and deep red carpeted floors that reminded Sakura of a concert hall. The door that stood in front of them was large, also wooden, polished to a gleam. The place was scented with wealth, she thought, wrinkling her nose.
"Do you know why we're here?" Meiling whispered, her tan face oddly bleached.
Sakura didn't bother to reply, but approached the apartment door and knocked firmly. Twice.
Of course she knew why she was here. She'd been here once before, after her first mission. That first mission that had almost cost her Agent status. After that day, she'd sworn never to fail another mission again.
But she had.
And now she was back at Headquarters, for a consultation with her Field Commanders...
One might have expected the interior of the apartment to match its elegant, classical exterior. But this wasn't the base of the world's largest undercover policing society for nothing. The moment they walked into the foyer, they were jarred into the present century with the high-end modern décor and intricate technology present in the apartment.
It was gigantic. There was a sitting area near the back of the apartment, where three people already sat. Sakura recognized Field Commander Meiden Aralier sitting in the large armchair with his back to the large bay window that overlooked a stunning view of the city. Standing by this window was his brother, Field Commander Elden, who had his hands clasped behind his back and a small frown on his face. And seated on one of the many leather sofas was Field Commander Nakuru – the one who had assigned Sakura her task that morning. It was she who stood and approached Sakura and Meiling, albeit none too cordially.
"We're still waiting for the rest of the Commanders to show," she said to them as greetings. "You can go to the kitchen and fix yourself something warm if you want."
And with that, she turned on her heel and stalked back to the sofa she had been sitting on previously.
"Good day to you too," Sakura muttered under her breath, feeling indignation run wild through her veins, threatening to bring her into a frenzy.
"Want anything?" Meiling asked her under her breath.
Sakura shook her head and Meiling vanished from her side. Sakura didn't want anything right now...she didn't need anything besides the fulfilment of her dire urge to scream and shout. She wanted to be disrespectful. She wanted to convey to her Commanders just exactly what she thought of them. She wanted this mission stricken from her record because it was so unfair for this to hold weight because she hadn't been prepared...
Indignation from the Commanders' disdainful treatment coupled with the clear unfairness of her situation and the sheer frustration of being outwitted was driving Sakura mad. She could feel a giant headache coming on, she was cold and hungry and yet strangely numb all over... She wanted release, forgiveness, another chance, that promotion...
A voice spoke behind her, startling her out of her angst-ridden reverie.
"So we meet again, Ying Fa."
That voice. Sakura ground her teeth together as the words registered in her ears. She knew that voice! And the person to whom it belonged...it could only be him. Who else would have the audacity to address her so informally in CLA Headquarters? She spun around to face him, eyes blazing.
"That's Kinomoto to you, Li," she said sharply, thinking that this was the one thing that could have possibly made her day worse. Meeting him again.
"Commander Li," Syaoran said smoothly, examining Sakura's face closely for a reaction. "I got – promoted – since I saw you last."
His lips twisted into a self-satisfied smirk as he saw fire spark in Sakura's eyes. Oh, there would be fireworks, he thought to himself amusedly. Then again, he doubted whether anyone else in this world could have as much of an effect on her temper other than himself. And he used this power to his advantage. Driving her over the edge had been a hobby of his before, and now...when after such a long time, they finally met again – to be told that she had been bested (and that too by him) would simply drive her insane.
Sakura calmed herself, trying to play it cool, knowing that the one thing that would make Syaoran's day complete would be driving his old rival into a frenzy of revenge and then demoted to some inferior rank, probably made to cater to his every dark whim.
"Congratulations," she said lightly, though her heart pounded with indignation and disappointment and rage and -
"Although I'm quite curious to know," she continued, drawing her mind away from that particular sensation tingling in her limbs, "just exactly how many people did you have to threaten or seduce before you got there?"
Standing over six feet in height and dressed in slacks and a white polo shirt undone at the top, Syaoran could be quite intimidating when he wanted to be. And as he stood there, towering over Sakura's small form, he could see right through her bluff. His chestnut hair was rumpled by the wind, just the way she liked it. Long hours outdoors had tanned him to a brilliant golden hue. His amber eyes, which she had once called dazzling, fixed a smouldering gaze on hers.
"Well..." he said, crossing his arms over his chest (while watching her eyes follow them with satisfaction) and raking her up and down with his penetrating gaze, "I can think of at least one at the moment."
His smirk widened as he saw her blush. So what if she hadn't seen him in almost two years? She still couldn't resist him. He chuckled, knowing the sound was sending tingles down Sakura's spine. He was a god...and he knew it.
Sakura regained control, her face beginning to mottle alarmingly. Most people would step away from her when she flew into one of her rages. But then again, Syaoran Li was blessed to not be among the ranks of most people.
"You -" Sakura started angrily, stepping forward abruptly so that they were inches apart. Aggression and hostility were clear in her body language. Sparks were dancing in her eyes.
Syaoran held his hands out in front of him disarmingly. His grin was replaced by his customary smirk.
"Temper, Kinomoto," he said seriously. "Otherwise I may have to put you on probation."
He could see the steam venting out from Sakura's ears as he said this and inwardly laughed. Who had the upper hand now? He winked at her and turned away just in time as Sakura let out a frustrated shriek.
Syaoran made his way to the couches, and seated himself beside Nakuru in high good homour. Who said power didn't have its perks?
Sakura wanted to scream as she stood there, fuming. How could she let herself be so weak? How could she -?
She was absolutely disgusted with herself. For allowing herself to give into Li and his cheap charms so easily. Now that she knew better.
Especially now that she knew better.
Fool me once, shame on you, she thought to herself bitterly, wrapping her arms around herself protectively. Fool me twice, shame on me.
And she was ashamed. Oh God, was she ever...
"You failed your mission," Meiden said by way of starting the meeting.
Sakura held his pointed blue gaze. Okay, she thought to herself resentfully. Forget Meiling was even there. Blame it all on me, why don't you?
"You let your target escape," Meiden continued, his pale eyes boring into Sakura's.
"I believe it was just a bit more complicated than that, Commander," Sakura replied dryly.
"Don't you pull any of your cheek, Kinomoto!" Meiden bellowed, flaring up at once. "There is a time and place for your immature antics and now is not one of them!"
Sakura sighed.
"Commander, let me get one thing straight here," she said flatly. "I am going to speak frankly. And if that's tantamount to immature antics, then so be it."
"So did you or did you not let your target go?" Meiden repeated, his voice and tone accusing.
"I certainly did not let him go!" Sakura bristled indignantly. "He escaped."
"A likely story," Meiden scoffed, crossing his arms about his chest. "I heard he came to you after killing your charges. What of that?"
"I heard it was my day off today," Sakura challenged, looking at him squarely in the eyes. "What of that?"
"No excuses here!" Meiden roared. "You were given sufficient information as well as a partner. What more did you need?"
Sakura snorted.
"A partner?" she repeated sceptically. "Commander, maybe you should go reacquaint yourself with the details before you interrogate me further. Meiling was out cold during any time of real action. I had to handle the entire situation myself. Besides, Takiyama, he was already informed about us. He knew everything -"
"Enough."
Nakuru had stepped into the fray. She sat demurely next to Meiden (his little pet, Sakura thought disgustedly) and steepled her fingers together.
"You said Takiyama was already informed about you," she said quietly. "How?"
"He knew my name," Sakura said bitterly. "My real one," she added, after the ensuing blank silence.
"And do you not believe that this should be attributed to your own sheer carelessness, Kinomoto?" Meiden cut in sharply.
"No, Commander," Sakura replied simply. "I do not believe that I have been careless in any way."
"But you let your target escape -" Meiden accused again, but Sakura had had enough.
"Had the situation been under my control, I would not have let him escape, as you so easily put it," she snapped. "Sadly, I was alone with my charges and both were in no condition to be moved. If I had not seen Meiling unconcious on board, I might have been able to get him down, but the sight distracted me sufficiently. Enough for the target to escape."
"And you simply let him go?" Meiden's voice was a sneer now.
"As I said, the situation was beyond my control, else I would have followed him," Sakura stated through gritted teeth. "He was armed with a gun, and he was aiming at my head. Would you rather that I had attempted to seize control of the situation and effectively had my brains blown out?"
"Well..." Meiden seemed to be looking for an excuse, any excuse. "That's far from the point. And besides, how could you let matters escalate that far?"
"It seems to me that you're determined to see me in one light only with regard to this mission," Sakura said with a sigh. "That's unfortunate. You're supposed to be overseeing the distribution of justice throughout the entire world. How can you do that and allow such an unfair follow-up to my actions?"
Her words were greeted with silence.
"Perhaps you're right," Commander Kaho spoke up. "Meiden, I don't mean to be impertinent, but I think Kinomoto presents a fair case. After all, we can hardly blame her for all that happened. If indeed the target had been previously informed of her identity and intentions, then there was in fact very little she could have done to prevent the outcome that arose. As a matter of fact, I believe this to be a very alarming breach of confidentiality – that information on one of our Agents has leaked to outside sources. And to the Aconite mafia, no less!"
"I agree with Kaho," Commander Yukito said, offering a small smile to Sakura, who merely glowered in return. "And I propose that we dismiss this case, omit it from her record and begin investigating into the state of our security as soon as possible."
Meiden looked around at the Commanders with raised eyebrows. He turned to his brother, Elden and shrugged.
"Kinomoto bears no responsibility for this failure," Elden declared finally. "She should be patched up and reassigned."
"Very well, very well!" Meiden snapped. "Kinomoto, nothing will be held against you – or Rae," he added, looking at Meiling who sat silently beside Sakura. "You will remain at Headquarters tonight and tomorrow, you will be relocated to a new field area."
"Yes, Commander," Sakura and Meiling chorused.
Meiden nodded curtly.
"Good," he said shortly. "That will be all...unless any of you had something else to add -"
"I do, Meiden," Syaoran said, nodding at Sakura in an officious sort of way. Sakura threw an icy look his way, which he ignored. "I wanted to know whether Kinomoto had any regrets about this mission -"
"Regrets?" Sakura demanded sharply, her temper inflating once more. "What do you mean by regrets?"
"I mean...do you wish you could have done anything better, Kinomoto?" Syaoran asked sternly. But Sakura could see the amusement dancing in his eyes. He was enjoying his act as Commander, wasn't he?
"What for?" Sakura shot back. "I did the best I could, and I was expected to do no less, either. So what possible regrets –"
"You were assigned this mission because Headquarters could trust you with it," Syaoran replied delicately. "To fail it, and then to behave so arrogantly, is not wise, Kinomoto."
Sakura glared at him. Oh, you bastard, she thought vehemently. I hope you burn in hell. Twice.
"First of all," she said angrily, "it's not up to me if Headquarters trusts me or not, that's their problem. I never asked for their trust, for all the good it does me. But if you think you're going to shove a case in my face and expect me to pull it off with flying colors, then I'm afraid you're –"
"Am I to understand that if we were to shove a case in your face, as you so accurately put it, you would not invest your full effort into it?" Syaoran interrupted, his amber eyes daring her to reply.
Sakura took the bait and fired up at once. She was not going to let this cocky, pompous, self-strutting asshole get the better of her. Not in front of the Commanders.
"For your information, Li, that was my full effort," she spat. "I was promised by some trustworthy person –" she shot Nakuru a glance before continuing, "-that I would not have to do anything today. I thought that I'd have the day off, and I answered the call anyway –"
"To answer your call is no obligation to us," Syaoran replied, baiting her even further, curious to see how far she would go. "As a CLA member, it is your duty to remember your duties to us."
"Pardon my arrogant behavior," Sakura returned, eyes blazing with cold fury, "but where were you when Nakuru sent the call? Unless I'm sorely mistaken, you were right here when Nakuru assigned me the task. If such an accomplished man like yourself was present, why hand the task out to a minor?"
There was a horrified silence. Sakura was sure that even Li was surprised at her nerve.
"Sakura!" Nakuru breathed, horrified. "Apologize to Commander Li for your impertinence immediately!"
"Oh, just shut up!" Sakura burst out, jumping to her feet. "You're all a bunch of hypocrites! You hear that? Hypocrites, liars, the whole lot of you! Everything you say, you twist it around the next day, and you don't even care about how many peoples' lives you make hell just to convenience yourselves, you don't even care if I took your words and gave them to you on a silver platter, you'd eat them without a second thought, but you wouldn't ever keep one of your promises –"
"That's enough!" Meiden yelled.
There was silence for one moment. Maybe two. Then Sakura exhaled slowly, her eyes flashing.
"You're right," she said quietly. "That is enough for me."
And without a further thought, she turned on her heel and headed for the door.
"And just where do you think you're going?" Nakuru asked sharply.
Sakura turned to face her. "Well, you're firing me, aren't you?"
"I have a good mind to," Meiden said coldly. "However, you will not be dismissed today."
"Well, that's just too bad, Commander," Sakura said, throwing her head haughtily. "Because I quit."
There was yet another silence, which the seniors took to register Sakura's words. Syaoran recovered first.
"You can't be serious-" he began, but Sakura cut him off.
"But I am," Sakura said defiantly. "I'm leaving. Right now. And good riddance, too."
She turned and walked across the apartment to the door, before pausing and turning to face the room's occupants.
"And one more thing," she added as an afterthought. Her face darkened, her eyes forbidding. "Don't you even think of following me."
D i s c l a i m e r : I own nothing familiar. As always.
A / N : This chapter is where things begin to differ majorly from the original Undercover. For one thing, Sakura's character does change a little. I made her a little more heartless and at the same time, more vulnerable and emotional. She has her flaws and weaknesses. And I hope you all caught onto what her MAJOR weakness is...or more specifically...WHO...which brings me to my next difference. Syaoran.
Yes, his character has done a complete 180, but I had to do that. There was no way the old Syaoran and Sakura could have gotten together in a manner short of quasi-realistic. He's obviously more full of himself here, immediately less likable and a jerk, I suppose...but give it time and I promise, the SxS action will resume with a bang much sooner than in the original, I promise.
Just to clarify, because I don't plan on going any further with this in the actual story:
Sakura and Syaoran didn't meet for the first time in this chapter like in the original. They were originally partners in Sakura's first mission, which she failed. The reason she almost lost Agent status was because of her irresponsibility which stemmed from the fact that she and Syaoran were secretly in a relationship. Since she had to shoulder the blame while Syaoran got off scot-free, they parted as rivals and...the rest is history.
You don't need to know much more than that, but if I get enough of a response with this story and if I still remain interested after I complete this, I may go back and write a prequel. Unlikely, though. Depends on how many would be interested.
On a slightly different tack, I generally post snippets of forthcoming pieces, chapters, stories, etc. on my profile. So if you're ever bored waiting between updates, you should go check it out. I update the profile a little more often than I do my stories. ;)
And finally (yes, there is an end to this rant, I promise), thank you so much, reviewers! Your comments make me glow, and it's for this reason that I've updated (even though my finals start the day after tomorrow...)
So if you did like this chapter, please review. Honestly, I'm not asking for paragraphs. Just a word or two, really. And I'm really hoping to break 200 at least with this chapter. Think you guys can do that for me?
R.S.V.P! (Review, S'Il Vous Plait!)
-Celestiana