Elemental Aeon
Kesshou Uryou
Act II
Chapter VII
Chance
"Don't get too cocky," was the warning heard one too many times.
"I know." Syaoran could only endure so much.
"Make sure you're always listening to what's being said."
"I know."
"Don't talk to stray Elementalists."
"I know."
"Don't forget-"
"I know." Sakura's face fell.
"I didn't even finish what I was saying!" Sakura was in the middle of listing all the cautions she could think of, speaking passionately and indignantly at the same time. Something he found only she could do so well. Still, Syaoran was left with nothing to do but frown.
"Just because you've been on one route, you think you know so much more than me? I'm not stupid. I won't make the same mistake twice."
Sakura leaned in close, staring intensely, blinking determinedly. Her bangs fell slightly into her line of vision at the motion, but not bothering to move them, she held the gaze steadfast. That is, until Syaoran took somewhat of an offense and couldn't take it anymore.
"W-what are you doing?" Sakura screwed up the left corner of her mouth, apparently thinking hard. Finally she sighed, hands at her hips after she had stood to full height and destroyed the close proximity. Still studying him, however, she tilted her head to the side.
"Checking for lies." She gave a satisfying nod and then a warm and small smile. "You're all clear."
"Like I would lie." Sakura shot him a momentary look that clearly dictated a sarcastic 'yeah right.' And sarcasm, as it must be noted, was something that could be termed a rarity with her. Before he could get a chance to comment back though, she was suddenly not where she had been a moment before.
Instead she had a tight hold on him, enveloping in a hug he hadn't been expecting. She gave a small whisper, not necessary out of the center of things as they were. "Good luck."
Then Syaoran came back to reality and pushed her away just as she was letting go. He took a quick look around and sighed in relief. No one was looking. "Don't do that. Someone might actually see!"
She saw how red his face was and mistook it as typically she would. She laughed. "You don't have to be so embarrassed. Or angry." Syaoran was glad for her obliviousness, but it didn't stop him from commenting.
"You're so stupid." She knew he was teasing, waving the bait right in front of her face and yet she still took it blindly.
"Hey! Just because I'm not afraid of affection," Syaoran nearly choked before recovering, "Doesn't mean I'm stupid. I'm even doing fine in math studies on my own now."
Twelve years of age was a standard and normal one to reach Trainee level. Regardless of it had been obtained or not, class lessons were dropped. Self-teaching was established as the norm with optional help if needed. Trainee level brought group lessons with the respective and actual Elemental-sensei for the first time in group sessions. Thus things were still balanced time wise for Sakura although she had to make sure to keep passing the marker tests to allow her to continue advancing in her elemental training.
"We'll see how long that lasts." Sakura knew Syaoran well enough to know that what he was saying was not to be taken to heart. He could just get like this. Irritating as it was, she had to put up with it. Of course, that said nothing about countering back. She knew how to get him annoyed. Sometimes he was too predictable for his own good, and he didn't even know it. Well, he'd refused to admit it if she mentioned it anyway. So really, there was no purpose in pointing it out in the first place.
"Syaoran-chan, don't get so riled up. I think it's time for you to leave so you have to be on your best behavior. Okay?" Her innocent grin really was innocent in a sense, making it blatantly unfair to poor Syaoran. Still, there was dignity to be saved.
"Don't call me that!" And Sakura caved and couldn't continue tormenting him. Well, she might have tried just a bit harder if people weren't thinning out on the grounds and nearing the last bits of prepping for the trip.
She opted instead to wave her hands in front of her as if to calm him down. "Okay, okay. You win for now. You just better get going. When you get back we'll settle it for good. Because saying Li-kun is getting very boring." She threw him a pout that Syaoran was beyond responding to at this point. He turned to leave and her wave became more heartfelt this time around.
When all the commotion had died down and there were only signs left behind by the departed party, Sakura threw her hands up in mock frustration, dreading what was awaiting her. She felt a little off put by the fact that it couldn't have been another route. It had to be a day of training. The only redeeming quality of the prospect was that she'd get to work with Trainees under different elements. That, so far, had never happened before. It was all she was looking forward to. Something told her it wouldn't be very enjoyable.
--e--a--
Tomoyo didn't really care anymore if anyone happened to see her as she was. Therefore it was no surprise she was allowing her feet to drag across the floor as she made her way to her shared room. Inside would possible be her roommate, but that was too much information for her brain at the moment so she opened it, secretly hoping no one was inside. That would make falling asleep easier and reduce conversation to a nonexistent level.
She opened the door and slid in tiredly, letting a yawn escape as she realized that the older girl was indeed there and looking startled. Meilin immediately took to raising her voice a little more than necessary. Tomoyo found her headache didn't appreciate it.
"What are you doing here?" Tomoyo saw this as an outright sign she was up to nothing good. It wasn't surprising seeing how the girl had been happier lately. Something must be causing the influx of good emotions. If she wasn't so damn tired she would have sent a suspicious glance at her right away and interrogated her for all she was worth. But she was and that was the end of that fantasy. She promptly took the moment instead to flop on her bed, the clothes from that day and all.
"Sleepin'." The response was muffled by the pillow as she blindly kicked off her loose shoes. They landed with a clatter as they toppled onto the floor.
"You could have at least knocked, you know." Tomoyo was not in the mood for an irritated Meilin especially when the cause of said annoyance was something so unjust.
"I live here too. Now let me sleep." Tomoyo felt that she at least should have a chance to rest after what she had been through today. She was regretting ever requesting to be switched under rehabilitation.
It took much more effort to get into it than she would have thought. It took additional testing and paper work and running back and forth between people who didn't seem overtly concerned with her situation. Added to that were her regular medical duties along with her researching her first set of elemental data. It was too much to even think about at this point. Thankfully, she knew it would calm down soon enough. Until then she'd have to deal with being exhausted.
Meilin simply was lounged out on the floor, her back leaning against the side of her bed. She had had two books propped open at once, one on her lap, the other off to her right, for the better of the day. Late in the evening was when she had some errand or another to run for Clow so now was when she'd have to make good use of her time.
Now that she had found the book to her right, however, she was beginning to loose more and more of her free time to it. Because she had found in it something that sounded promising, something that led to topics she had never heard of before. And if she managed to find just the right leading branch off, it sounded like it actually had a high chance of working. Now she just had to find it and follow through up on it. If she was right however, it would take some notable money investment.
On top of that, Meilin was almost certain it would be a long process. Nothing seemed in her favor, but she knew it was lucky in itself to have had found the particular book and the subsequent heading submerged in its pages in the first place. She'd have to thank Tomoyo one of these days.
The girl had just so happened to have been told to read up on a case that dwindled on into information that was useful in following and related pages. Meilin thanked her curiosity again for having taken a peak at what the girl had been reading and decided to let the girl have her silence for ideal sleeping conditions. She had work to be done anyway.
--e--a--
Sakura had been right. It was not pleasant. Sakura did not usually have sneaking suspicions, but now she did, and she thought it was purposefully unpleasant, in fact. Of course that was to be expected, but she still didn't have much of a desire to be doing this. She'd rather be out there on loops across providences she'd never seen before. Even though she'd failed in saving lives out there, it was better to go and try than wait here and do nothing of real importance that she didn't want to do anyway.
Still, a little common sense told her if she did get better, next time she might not have to make the same difficult decision. She could save everyone and not have to feel so helpless. That was what she had to keep telling herself as she stood after the short briefing, words of instruction a bit lost as she stood there almost fidgeting. However, it wasn't the prospect of training that left in such a state. Actually, it was something very different. And her words of motivation died out as she became completely and utterly distracted. Not in a good way, either.
"Uh… Naoko? Did something bad happen after that?"
Apparently the regard for rules and work ethics didn't apply very well to adolescents on the verge of becoming teenagers. Sakura had unconsciously fisted her hands, leaning in with pure dread and curiosity.
The goal here was to use teamwork. Sakura had been divided up into the group already, a representation of each element made known in each separate set. Sakura liked the people and already knew them on a first name basis. Still, it might not have been the most efficient one she could have landed in.
"Oh, you know. They had to die after that, but now they're tormented souls that have never been put to rest. All they do is cause havoc here on the training grounds. Because ghosts always get lonely."
Sakura tried her best, but in her defense, even Naoko's glasses were flashing menacingly. Her high and shaky laugh resonated shortly in the air as she scratched her head, trying to shake off the sudden oppressing feeling. More well-known as a case of fear.
She should have gotten over this little phobia over ghosts years ago, but some things supposedly never changed no matter how much, or little, you matured. Now all she could do was attempt to convince herself that she was not as scared as she used to be. There was no need to loose her nerve in something like training from what the air Elementalist had conveyed.
"I wonder where exactly it happened. So we can avoid it," the teasing and amused voice made Sakura turn her head, rather tentatively because the speaker was reminding her again of what she was trying to forget. Not that it was working in the first place.
"Well, if you really want to know something spooky, you should all know that the very first Elementalists were cannibals, and-" Sakura once again was turning, this time eyes wide and startled. The information was digested rather quickly and she was left gulping, hanging onto every next word, until the short tale was cut off.
"Yamazaki, stop lying already!"
When it came right down to it, it was probably a little more than just sad that Sakura could so easily be ensnared by the Elementalist of earth's tales. Still, she had a saving grace in the form of Chiharu.
"But you didn't mind Naoko's story!"
"That's because hers wasn't stupid. Or a lie! It was just a fun story. But whoever heard of a cannibalistic Elementalist?"
Naoko and Sakura were reduced to blinking onlookers. The glasses bearing girl turned Sakura's way after watching the scene escalate wherein Chiharu was taking "due measures". It was common procedure. Sadly, it looked as though all traces of priority had been obscured.
"This is when they start ignoring everyone, and Rika and I usually hang out," Naoko laughed. Here was where Sakura took her liking to the girl of the same age. She was like Rika in a way, always ready with a smile, but refreshing and completely natural too. If she hadn't a knack for telling certain stories, she'd probably find that herself to be in the company of the girl more often.
"Speaking of Rika, I can't say I'm not jealous." Sakura took to pressing her fingers together, a wistful look upon her visage. Naoko's smile instantly grew larger at the occurrence she was reminded of.
"Because she's out on another route, and you're not?" Sakura frowned and nodded. "Don't you think that's it just a little understandable though? She's older and, well…" Naoko gestured with her arms as if the rest of the thought could be heard out loud in that way. It was.
"Hey! That was an accident! Who would have known faster currents would overflow the dam and make a mini-flood?" Chiharu stepped in suddenly here, a wincing Yamazaki semi-concealed by her figure.
"You still have a lot to learn then if you don't know that, Sakura. I even know that, and it's not even my element. I've learned all about each of them, especially my own: fire." Sakura secretly wondered how she say could all that and still not sound and look like she was bragging. The marvels of Chiharu at work, she supposed.
"Hey, you guys, don't forget-" Yamazaki was interrupted momentarily, nursing the side of his head all the while. Chiharu turned, fist raised threateningly, ready to do more damage it seemed.
"What did I just tell you?"
"-that we're supposed to be training." Chiharu paused for a moment, seemingly not knowing what to do for a second before only being left with the option of blinking. It turned out to be a very similar happening to Naoko's and Sakura's earlier state.
Naoko adjusted her glasses, straightening out her clothes thoughtfully. "You're right Yamazaki, we should get going. I hope we're not being timed. I don't really remember what was said," Naoko sheepishly admitted.
"We're not being timed," Sakura informed after a moment of contemplation. "We just need to clear the course." She was at least slightly happy knowing that she could retain information well even if a story got to her a little more than it rightly should. Oh right, she wasn't supposed to remind herself about that.
"Ok then, this should be easy enough. I take lead," Chiharu chimed in, arms clutched behind her back. No one seemed to want to question her claim.
"I'll take the rear," Sakura resigned herself to her fate. She didn't know why but she had the tendency to think that if she was in the back she'd be the last to be affected and have the capabilities of her own personal best reaction time. She did know that wouldn't always be the case, but she couldn't help thinking as such. Besides, this way they'd be the first to awaken and encounter the ghosts, if there were any. Not that she believed in them.
"Then Yamazaki and I will have to be the flanks." Naoko tapped the tip of her boot into the dirt, arms at her sides and ready.
Yamazaki looked like he had something to say, but with Chiharu there and shooting him a rather strong warning look, he seemed to decide against saying it. Sakura could only sigh as Chiharu turned back around smiling, already setting a rather fast pace. This time Yamazaki did speak.
"Don't you think we should go slower?" He sounded unsure of even himself so it was understandable when the stubborn Chiharu didn't heed.
"Why's th-?" The forming question turned into one of a startled yelp as Chiharu lost her footing. That was, until she realized it was because she was attempting to do the impossible. Namely, walk on air.
The ground had seemingly shifted like it had a mind of its own, leaving Chiharu several feet below the normal ground level. She leaned forward with a wince, trying to do something to soothe her lower back where she had taken the most abuse in her short lived fall.
"I suppose I had that coming," Chiharu sighed, standing on the uneven ground slowly. "Can you help me back up Yamazaki?"
Up above, Naoko was fortunate enough that Chiharu could not see her as she hid her smile with a polite cough. It was not a very convincing venture for anyone that was looking, and she would have been found out in an instant. Sakura, on the other hand, was already tense, setting about tapping the ground with her feet in the near proximity with extreme caution. Yamazaki was already making foot holdings in the ragged edge of earth.
Chiharu was climbing back up in no time despite the forming bruises and looked like she had learned her lesson. "I'll take this more seriously now." Turning to Yamazaki she dipped her head a little in embarrassment.
"Thanks. It looks like I owe you one now." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Alright you can say what you want to for today, but just today. Tomorrow it's no more lies again."
Yamazaki looked pleased then a bit crestfallen. "But they're not lies."
Chiharu waved it off with a grin, turning to the other two Elementalists. Naoko stepped forward at this indication of acknowledgment, nodding to herself. "I guess this whole place is bobby trapped or something. Elementalists must have made everything completely rigged."
Sakura looked up from her self-proclaimed task, absorbing Naoko's words with a feeling of unease. How many could there really be? If she took just one other step forward then maybe she'd be blown back ten feet. It didn't sound very pleasurable.
"Okay then. We'll all just have to be more careful then," Chiharu spoke, pumping her fist into the air in resolve and excitement. "This might actually be fun."
--e--a--
It was not that Syaoran was being insensitive; it was just that he had been misunderstood. Evidently orders had gone against the grain of logic. For here was where he would just say let's move on and do something of a greater cause. Instead his stubborn mind had to be caged within the limits of duties. Primarily because that's what his life was comprised of when it came right down to it.
Still momentary releases were welcomed and sought after without respite. So when the time came to voice opinions, it had came out a bit like he was snuffing the idea completely, which he was in a way, but it wasn't because he didn't care. He had just thought that there were better uses of their talent and time. It came about that his viewpoint was not of the majority, and he was left feeling particularly grumpy.
And the fact that he was freezing wasn't helping.
He didn't know when he had lost the feeling in his fingers to the cold, but it had been long before he had started making footprints in the stagnant snow. Apparently there were details that contradicted what he had thought had transpired too. He would have reasonably predicted that the small village had gotten buried by a massive snowstorm. That was all; the end of the story. The element of water was responsible.
No, it was actually an avalanche which he knew really did make sense since there were domineering mountains right behind him, but he really didn't care that the earth element had acted chaotically in the form of a small tremor.
He had tried to get a little word in edgewise. If he had to be here in the first place, he'd like to be able to choose what he was assigned to, but that had been a fantasy that was far from reality. Now he felt like a parading animal like he was. He couldn't move quickly, and he had to take small steps through the layers upon layers of snow. If it weren't for the fire manipulation on his part, his fingers still would be numb. Still, the warmth of the fire didn't manifest itself enough to keep him from shivering.
It was a cloudless night, one where you could see all the stars. And didn't they look content while he was suffering. He should have been beyond being jealous of something that was inanimate in the first place. Instead he should have learned already that in this line of work there wasn't exactly precedence to comfort. Here it was normal, even expected, for him to be standing up in the middle of the night, slowly trudging through the snow to see if anyone might be a dead icicle beneath.
That was where his main grievance with the situation arose. What was the use of this? The snow would eventually melt. The villagers would have back the bodies of their dead ones. None would be beyond recognition, namely a skeleton, by that time, especially since they were conserved as they were in the freezing temperature and environment.
So what exactly was the point of all this? He was trying to figure that out, and he was still failing. Then he was confronted with a small realization. That maybe his mild animosity for the situation was because of his own past experience that had mirrored certain points with this current one.
Only they hadn't had the luxury of a fast response. They had hoped there might be a quicker one, but it hadn't arrived. Banding together, his hometown, a larger one on the verge of a minor city, had been left to retrieve the dead. And when help had come, they did seem very much like outsiders. Not like here where they were welcomed as one of their own.
There were differences, and there were similarities. That's what kept it as the past in his mind. Something that could be related to but never to be opened up completely. Because if he was going to move forward, there wasn't time to reminisce. Still, the tinge of the sea was something he was starting to miss even after he had promised himself that he'd never enjoy it again.
"Boy! Take over for me for a minute. I'll be right back."
Syaoran watched the older teenager leave and suddenly felt more tired than he had a moment before. This would just add up to more work for him. Why wasn't this going like he had thought it would?
They had expected him to amend himself to their standards, but he was not so easily swayed. He had scraped by in allowing himself to be partially contained in other's thoughts and actions in order to get here. And all over again he wanted to ignore commands and go off on his own, doing whatever he wanted. It looked like the orders would never stop coming just like he'd never stop disagreeing.
There was something that needed to be done here. He had gotten out on his first route with countless more ensured, but it felt like he had still done nothing. How long was he going to continue like this? The feeling of accomplishing nothing was a heavy emotion to bear. He was trying his best, but he still seemed like he was being kept back. Something had to change.
And he always did have a stubborn character. He wouldn't stand by and let it be him.
--e--a--
Once again, Sakura had lost her footing. The act of trying to shield herself from the gust of air was probably futile as her arms couldn't very well block all the air sent in her direction but she still did.
Her eyes had already been irritated enough by the particles that had flown into her startled eyes. So with them now narrowed to the smallest squint she could manage, she had to shift her weight to the side where she wouldn't be in the direct line of the element.
Up ahead, Chiharu was still leading, surprisingly not the most harassed at this point. No, it seemed all of them had been equally targeted, whether from the front, back, or sides. The course took no favorites. All four of them were now endangered of being knocked off their feet. Sakura just was lucky enough to be the one nearest the strongest part and source of the air current.
But now it was Naoko who was the prioritized and unlucky victim. Unbeknownst to her, the ground beneath her feet was no longer earth itself. Rounding the top of a rugged rock, she hadn't expected the next bit of ground to suddenly be ice. She was already sliding down the steep hill, tumbling off the winding path and into the woods.
Sakura still couldn't see too well; the wind had not stopped and Naoko hadn't had the chance to do anything about it. So hoping her aim would be fine without full sight, she tried melting the crystallized element. She instantly heard a brutal collision that didn't stop altogether very quickly.
Where credit was due, Naoko did return fast considering the circumstances. However, she didn't look all that well. Sakura instantly felt like what she had done hadn't been the best idea. Naoko's soaked attire, scraps and cuts, and that ugly splash of blood on Naoko's forehead told volumes. It came back and hit Sakura hard. That was right; the landscape was dotted with rocks. To make the situation brighter, one of Naoko's lenses of her glasses was broken.
"I was just going to slow myself down to a stop with a little wind," Naoko informed, sounding every bit as beat up as she looked.
Sakura, being usually hesitant in the field, saw that when she had acted fast, it was not with positive results. And suddenly when Naoko, with some recognized effort, canceled out the wind that had been keeping her unsteady on her own feet, Sakura was falling over herself to apologize.
"Ah, Naoko, I'm so sorry! I swear I'll buy you new glasses. I don't have much right now, but I've saved a little, and I promise that I'll get them as-"
"It's alright. Just keeping moving." Naoko was actually very depressed at losing her favorite pair, but she did have a back-up and here wasn't the best of places to be having this conversation.
"I mean it though! I'm so sorry. It won't-" Sakura had become incapable of finishing a sentence, this time courtesy of Chiharu.
"She said it was okay. You can talk about this later." She had turned, Yamazaki slowing down to a very slow walk until he was right next to her.
"I don't think we should just be standing here. It's probably not a good idea…" he sounded slightly worried, but then perked up. "We're easier prey for the ghosts if we stand still. They go for the slow and sluggish ones first because they're the easiest to grab." Chiharu's eye almost twitched.
Sakura took a step back, telling herself it was from Chiharu's angry face and not the prospect of ghosts. She almost wished that Chiharu hadn't allowed Yamazaki to go off on all tangents on today of all days. Other days she could at least avoid him when he got like this…
"Just wait until tomorrow." Chiharu looked like she was regretting it too.
The sudden appearance of a line of fire cutting right between Naoko and Sakura, however, was the distraction needed to get the fire Elementalist into action. With a small cry she backtracked closer to the impediment, dispersing the fast moving obstacle out of everyone's vicinity.
Naoko breathed a very audible sigh of relief. Sakura was just cursing her luck. Earth, air, water, fire. Would it ever end? Then it clicked. And she couldn't believe how none of them had noticed something so obvious. Maybe because their attention was focused on simply making it through rather than closely observing what exactly was befalling them. That and they all overlapped one another.
Chiharu was already on her way, Yamazaki and Naoko trailing behind, leaving her at the end of their imperfect straight line. Naoko was looking back at her through the one good lens in wonder at was taking Sakura so long.
"It's a pattern." Everyone turned around curiously at the sudden statement. Chiharu was the first to react.
"What are you talking about?" A sudden smile broke out on Sakura's face.
"It always goes earth, air, water, fire. It never changes."
Naoko seemed to consider it for a moment before realizing that it was indeed true. The remaining two reached the conclusion a little slower, thinking through their words out loud.
"So then next it would have to be…" Chiharu spoke, finger to her temples, trying to remember what came next after fire.
"Earth. Good job Sakura. I see the ghosts haven't possessed you yet." Sakura nodded, beamed, and then looked very worried. All in that order.
"They can do that too?" Chiharu sighed. Naoko laughed lightly.
"No, no, Sakura. Don't listen to him." Chiharu instantly turned sternly to the boy who had almost perpetually closed eyes, which was a marvel even to her. "And you. You just get ready."
He didn't need to be told twice. Even Chiharu had to admit that he looked more serious, that is, if that was even possible. "You can lead then," Chiharu resigned her proclaimed position with a small frown, indicating with her arm in front of them all.
So it was no surprise that they were ready when a section of the path completely became unstable. Nor when Yamazaki was capable of stabilizing a small piece of it. Naoko was prepared when the strong winds returned, shortly joined by a swirling mass of mist that greatly reduced their vision. Sakura took pride in clearing it, letting Chiharu see her own target: raining embers about to burst into something much more dangerous.
Sakura couldn't stop her smile, noticing their pace was faster now. And now, after a couple hours of the wearisome training, the end of the course could be seen. Chiharu spotted it first, taking the lead again, everyone more than happy to be getting out. A few more obstacles were cleared, and they were home free.
She instantly dove for the ground, lying peacefully in the grass and up at the clouds and at the other three, wrapped up in their own respective methods of rejoicing. And she felt that maybe she had been wrong. They did make a good team.
The result of a lacking chapter summary with no unwritten ideas floating around in my head. Still, it got its job done. Those three that were supposed to pop up in chapter five were just the added bonus. Funny how things never work out just right no matter how much you plan.
For next time, however, the chapter is titled Encounter. And also it's the end of Act II. It may seem like it's kind of sudden, but I think you'll see why it ends there. At which point I'll be gleefully celebrating. As I should. Act III is the longest act chapter wise although admittedly not that long. I'm already working on the first troublesome chapter of it, so you can see I've made good on my promise of getting ahead before the school year begins. This way, I really think I can guarantee at least once a month updates.
Anyway, please tell me your thoughts again or even for the first time. I'm looking forward to reading them (and replying) if you'd do the honors first.
