Again, thank you for all the reviews: ) I really appreciate them.

The focus here is on the two Syaorans, as I'm working on another fanfic in which the story is told from Sakura's point of view. Plus, I do enjoy writing about the two. By the way, yes, Syao is the TRC clone, although at this point only one person in the group knows.

Notes and thanks at the bottom : )

Chapter 4: An Unexpected Discovery

Dinner was a raucous affair, with Mokona and Keroberos arguing over pieces of steak, Kurogane fending off Tomoyo's unexpected (but not entirely unwelcome) advances, Fay reaching constantly for food that wasn't sushi or sashimi, Syaoran and Syao discussing sword techniques, and the three girls chattering about each other's lives.

Tomoyo was in heaven. Another Sakura and Syaoran to dress up for a school dance, two handsome men, and a cute little bun-shaped thing to design outfits for. She sat at the head of the dinner table, lost in designs and thoughts of fabrics and details, eyes sparkling. An adventure clearly was in the air, and in the six years since Sakura and Syaoran's last adventures, the technology for cameras had progressed so much that she knew how much fun she would have capturing the action.

Princess Saku sat next to Sakura. Tomoyo smiled to see both of them getting along so well. She'd also placed Kurogane and Fay on either side of her, with Mokona in her lap.

It was all just perfect.

"So everyone should be back tomorrow morning to fit their costumes for the school dance. All right?" Tomoyo announced.

"Dance?" Syaoran asked. "What dance?"

"The costume ball! Don't tell me you forgot," Tomoyo chided him. Syaoran looked over at Sakura, who grinned expectantly. He shuddered, fearing what Tomoyo had designed this time.

"We're bringing everyone to the dance?" Syaoran asked curiously.

"Yes. Don't worry; it's part of my theme. And since it's an open dance, and I'm one of the organizers, no sweat getting them in," Tomoyo said, gesturing at Syao, Saku, Fay, and Kurogane.

"Theme? Tomoyo-chan, I adore you but I am not getting into a gla...weird costume again," Syaoran pleaded.

"It won't be weird. I promise," Tomoyo smiled, and her eyes gleamed.

"A costume ball?" Princess Saku asked Sakura curiously.

"Oh it's great. You wear masks to hide your face, and wear costumes, then dance!" Sakura told her eagerly. "You're a princess; I'm sure you've been to many dances! Tell me about them, please?"

The Princess' face clouded over. "I...I don't remember. I've lost my memories."

Sakura stared at her. "How?"

"I'm sorry; I don't remember myself," the Princess said sadly.

"No, I'm sorry for bringing it up," Sakura said, embarrassed. She made a mental note to talk to Syao or Fay later and ask about what had happened to the Princess.

When she noticed the time, Sakura called home to tell her father she was staying over at Tomoyo's "to prepare for the school dance." Fujitaka-san simply told her to take care; Sakura's sleepovers at Tomoyo's were so frequent, she had her own closet there.

That evening, Tomoyo, after making sure the boys were provided with sleepwear, toothbrushes, and towels, sat down in her room with Sakura and Princess Saku. The Princess was telling them of their adventures in various countries, and Sakura noticed that Syao figured prominently in the stories.

"He's really determined to help you, isn't he?"

"Yes," the Princess said, "and I am very grateful to him. He is a great friend."

Sakura wondered how the Princess could miss the deep love that shone in Syao's eyes whenever he saw Princess Saku. But bringing it up might be tactless, she thought, and instead, she asked, "So why isn't he your boyfriend yet? It's not like he doesn't like you, and, face it, he's gorgeous," Sakura said.

Princess Saku looked thoughtful. "I can't just assume he has those kinds of feelings for me," she said slowly. "When I saw you and Syaoran kissing, I couldn't help but..." and her voice trailed off as she blushed.

"It's okay," Tomoyo said gently. "You are a teenaged girl; you should be talking about love things!"

Saku smiled, then asked, "What's it like to be kissed by Syaoran?"

Tomoyo giggled, and Sakura blushed.

"I'm sorry!" the Princess said. "Was that a rude question?"

"Oh, not at all," Sakura said. "It's just hard to answer because there are so many cliches that can be used to describe the sensation. For me, it's like time stops, but I don't really want it to because I want to see tomorrow with him. But I want him to kiss me again. Am I making sense?"

Tomoyo laughed. "Nothing in love makes sense, Sakura-chan." Turning to face the Princess, Tomoyo said, "The thing about being in love is that there are no rules or logic. There's just how you respect and care for the other person."

Princess Saku was processing what they said...and coming up with nothing. But she was determined to do something about her situation with shy Syao.

"Tell me more about this dance, then," she said, with a gleam in her eye.

-0-0-0-

Kurogane watched two chocolate-haired boys and their sheathed swords flash through the air in the courtyard of Tomoyo's home. Not bad, he thought to himself. Not bad at all. Though the boy clad in the black shirt and gray jogging pants seemed to have the upper hand, he could tell that the boy in the blue shirt and green pants was going to win the duel. And losing is the best way for the 'kid' to learn, he thought.

Syao's mouth was set in a determined line as he dueled Syaoran. Syaoran had insisted on blades sheathed for the training session, and it was taking up Syao's concentration simply to avoid the blows from Syaoran's sword.

Then he realized an advantage he had over Syaoran. His legs were stronger, and he could jump higher. Syaoran seemed to be deliberately avoiding his legs...or was he being baited into a mistake again? Syao paid for his hesitation when Syaoran slid his sword under Syao's guard and brought it up to his neck.

"Why did you hesitate?" Syaoran asked, panting, not removing the sheathed sword from Syao's neck. A purple bruise was forming on Syao's arm where Syaoran had dealt him a good blow earlier, but he did not seem to notice it.

"I was trying to see if you were avoiding my kicks or if you were baiting me. Sorry."

"Don't say you're sorry," Kurogane's voice sliced through the morning air, and Syao flinched. "The boy went easy on you, kid. If you hesitate like that in actual combat, you're going to get hurt, and where does that leave you? You won't be able to protect your most precious person if you're hurt."

"Thank you for the lesson, Kurogane-san," Syao said softly.

"Boy," Kurogane addressed Syaoran, who stiffened at the tone. "Are you willing to show him a real lesson?"

"Blades unsheathed?" Syaoran asked.

"Of course."

"If it helps him, yeah," Syaoran said, and he drew his blade out of its sheath.

He was immediately met with a strong blow from above; Kurogane had attacked before he could tell Syao what to watch for. Syaoran quickly composed himself for the battle, allowing his muscles to flow with his mind, and letting his body read his opponent.

The duel lasted for some time and ended as a draw. Though Syaoran was much smaller than Kurogane, he was fast, and he was brilliant at reading Kurogane's moves.

"Kid!" Kurogane said. "Now what did you see?"

"He doesn't watch your face at all," Syao said. "His body moves as though of its own accord, and he quickly assessed your strengths and weaknesses."

"Good, kid. Now learn how to do that as well."

Syao bowed his head, and was surprised to hear Syaoran say, "He will, Kurogane. And when he does, he'll be a match for you."

Kurogane didn't reply, but turned and walked back to the house. Against his will, he thought, I'm beginning to like that boy.

Syao turned to Syaoran and asked, "But what made you say that?"

"You hold yourself back in practice," Syaoran said. "I think your best motivation is when you are protecting the Princess. But you have to realize that you draw your strength from that source. You have to use it. Also, you seem to have an immunity to pain. It's kind of amazing, really."

"Who, me?"

"Look at your arm."

Syao looked down and finally saw the bruise. "Oh," was all he could say.

"It takes serious will power to be able to ignore physical pain," Syaoran said. "You have to stop denying your own strength in order to become stronger. Okay?"

"I...I'll try."

"Syaoran! Syao! Breakfast!" called Tomoyo. "And after breakfast, fittings!"

"Oh God I forgot about that," Syaoran groaned. "You go on ahead. I'll catch up." Syao nodded, then turned to walk back to the house.

Syaoran bent down to begin his cooldown routine when he noticed that Syao had stopped halfway towards the house and was staring at him. His expression had gone blank, and his eyes had faded in color. The look Syao gave him sent a chill down Syaoran's spine. Syaoran was about to shout and ask whether Syao was OK when color came back to Syao's eyes abruptly, and he shook his head, looking confused. Syaoran sprinted across the lawn to reach Syao's side.

"You're not all right. What happened?"

"I...I have no idea," Syao said. He slowly opened his eyes, which had been squeezed shut, and gingerly felt his head. "I thought could see something beside you. But it doesn't make sense. Sorry for making you worry."

Syaoran looked at Syao. That look Syao had given him was worrisome. It had been empty, as if Syao wasn't all there. Could he be breaking down from all the pressure he's put himself under? Syaoran wondered.

He decided against asking Syao about it, not wanting to aggravate the situation. What Syao probably needed now was rest and food.

"You're overtired. Come on, you really have to try the hash browns Tomoyo's cook makes. They rock," Syaoran said.

As they walked back into the house, Syaoran made a mental note to check out the signs of combat stress and fatigue. The stories Syao had told him about their travels and battles had been rather short, as though Syao were a bit hesitant to talk about the role he'd played in them. Syaoran was guessing Syao had gone through more than he was admitting, and was beginning to succumb to shock. I won't let him, Syaoran said. I want to make sure he's fine so that he can be strong enough to find a way around that price he paid.

-0-0-0-

Despite what he was dreading, even Syaoran had to agree that Tomoyo had outdone herself. The royalty costumes for everyone were unique yet clearly themed. Sakura and Syaoran were given white prince and princess costumes with gold trimmings and, in the case of Sakura, a tiny gold tiara, while Princess Saku and Syao received the exact same designs in black with silver trimmings, and the Princess' tiara was silver. Fay and Kurogane's costumes were those of high generals; both were crossed with purple sashes, but Fay's was white and Kurogane's was black. When they all put their costumes on, the effect was startling. Tomoyo was pleased as punch; she took photos of them, and even took some shots in which she had Syaoran and Sakura exchange partners.

As they took the costumes off for adjustments to be made to them, Kurogane drew Fay aside.

"Hey. You've been awfully quiet the past few days. What are you planning?"

"Kuro-wan," Fay said with a weak smile, "is always accusing me of sinister plots."

"It's the children, I can tell. And you've disappeared from the house twice already. Don't play dumb."

"Aww, Kuro-rin. So suspicious!" Fay waved a hand in his direction. "Can't I go out and see pretty girls on my own?"

To his suprise, Kurogane bit back an angry retory. He merely glared at Fay, then released his grip on the magician's shoulder.

"You had better not be hurting anyone," were his last words before he strode back to the main hall.

-0-0-0-

Midnightblue123, yep :) I wanted to write about how the two Syaorans would interact if they weren't as hostile as the Real and Clone in TRC

Hououza, I was partly inspired by that movie, which was the first CCS thing I really paid attention to :)

Keetra, you should go through with your idea. And I decided that Syaoran couldn't hang around Sakura without absorbing her happy personality, especially since he loves her :)

Pipi-chan, chillifritosareyummy, Infiniteternity, Destiny 921, Danielle, Kurai2Hikari, Hikariclowreed, Teruna Hime, tearsfalldownmycheeks, Mysterious Angel Girl, thanks :) Your comments inspire me to continue, and if you have ideas or suggestions, by all means let me know:)

And Lord Archive, thank you again :)