You Set Me Free, You Give My Heart Wings Part Two (Contin.): The Middle
I know you probably all hate me now-
Everyone: We do! We do!
But this was the way it had to be.
Ms. Sinic (hysterically): No it isn't! No it isn't! Everyone's supposed to be happily ever after in the end!
THIS IS MY STORY, NOT YOURS! I'LL WRITE WHATEVER I DAMN WELL PLEASE!!
Sorry, Heaven.
Ms. Sinic: I hate you!
Well, let's get started now, shall we? Before I make any more of my friends hate me.
Ameoba Boy: Too late.
{Disclaimer}
Things I can claim ownership to:
My fic ~ideas~, and the characters that never appeared in any animes. My own stories. My dogs Jessie and Gidget. My personal slave, my brother Alex. My (for now) boyfriend Ameoba Boy. My extensive anime and fantasy collection.
And my immense attack-spider K.C., which weighs 176 lbs, 24 oz. in counting....
But, I sadly cannot claim ownership to Sakura, Li, Madison, Kero, Yue, Tori, Julian or Sakura's Dad and Madison's Mom.
Chapter Ten: Demon Trucks From Hell, and Li's One Condition....
Patience sat silently by Sage's bedside, watching him with worried, concerned eyes. Madison came to the door and paused, watching the girl and the unconscious boy that lay motionless on the bed before her.
Patience looked up as Madison entered quietly. "Hello, Madison. How's Sakura?"
Madison sighed as she paused at the foot of Sage's bed. "Not very good. She's too depressed, Patience. I've never seen happy-go-lucky Sakura this upset before."
"It's not everyday that you lose someone you truly love." Patience murmured softly.
Madison nodded with a heavy sigh. "What I just don't get is why Li would do such a thing. Both Shawn and I know he's madly in love with Sakura. He's so protective of her, he'd never hurt her the way he did last week.
Patience shrugged helplessly. "He had his reasons. And you know as well as I that he didn't leave because he lost his love for Sakura. Something happened to Li the night the construct and witch-bitch attacked."
Madison nodded in agreement, pausing for a moment more in thought before leaving the room. "I need to speak with Shawn."
Patience looked back over at Sage's pale face. He was slightly better; it was easier for him to breathe now, but he'd been in a coma-like state for a week. They had finally been forced to obtain an iv to keep him alive. And the prospects of Sage ever waking, even with his magic and Celos battling against the magic poisoning to keep him alive, was becoming slimmer and slimmer each day.
In turn, Patience was becoming thinner and paler as a result. Nearly every night, she kept a steady vigil at Sage's bedside. This had been surprising to everyone; it wasn't as if Patience or Sage knew each other very well, or were that close.
But Hope could somewhat understand why her sister kept her ever-present vigil. Patience was genuinely concerned for Sage, and it was clear knowledge that Sage seemed to have wished for a closer relationship with her. Maybe his admiring, covert glances had been noticed, and Patience wished to become closer as well.
It was a ready enough explanation.
Sakura sat listlessly on the windowseat of her temporary bedroom. She rested her flushed cheek against the cold glass, watching the glittering gold of life flash and pass her by uninterestedly.
Tears welled in her eyes as her mind drifted, as it always had these past long days, to thoughts of Li. The day they had met, so many years ago, had been a day like today - sunny, peaceful, ordinary. But her meeting Li had been far from ordinary. In fact, Sakura had thought it was fate and destiny. It had seemed so right to be with Li; that couldn't have been wrong. Li couldn't possibly really mean what he had said a week ago; the kisses they'd shared said so much more, and when they talked Li had always been so candid, honest, geniuine.
How could it be that she now felt so alone and unwanted? How could she cry herself to sleep each night? When she did find enough solace to sleep, that is. At nights a depressing song would run through her head, entertwined with her sorrowful thoughts.
~I tried so hard,
And got so far,
But in the end,
It doesn't even matter.
I had to fall,
To lose it all,
And in the end,
It doesn't even matter.~
How could Li have broken his promise? Li had never broken a promise, no matter how small or trivial. And the promise he gave to Sakura had been far from trivial.
Tears dripped down hot to dot the comfortable chamille windowseat cover. The glass Sakura leaned against fogged as she stifled her sobs.
Madison gently rested her head against Shawn's arm, sighing deeply.
"What's bothering you?" Shawn reacted unconsciously to the sigh.
Madison sighed again as she sat, worry clouding her gray-blue eyes. "It's Sakura, Shawn. And Li. I so wonder why he would have ever put her through this hell. All she does all day is sit on that windowseat and sigh." Madison's eyes met Shawn's concerned hazel. "I'm worried about her, Shawn. Very worried. She's more depressed than I've ever seen. Dangerously so."
"Well, the only reason Li would do this to either of them is if he felt he was putting her in danger by being near her. Maybe he thinks if he can somehow make her think he no longer wants her, that she won't follow after him and get hurt in the process," Shawn said reasonably. "You're right, Madison. It's dangerous to let Sakura stay so depressed. We're going to go and find Li, and bring him back no matter how stubborn a jackass he is!"
Madison stared in surprised as this firm Shawn. "You're completely right, love!"
Hope sighed as she hurried out of the grocery store, clutching her bags tightly.
Hope was so preoccupied with her melancholy thoughts, she wasn't watching where she was going. The thought-immersed girl began crossing the street, eyes down at the ground she walked. She didn't even hear the truck as it sped towards her.
"Watch out!!" Someone screamed. Hope looked up in surprise, her eyes widening in terror as she saw the oncoming truck.
With a screech, the truck skidded to a stop as someone tackled Hope, knocking her from the truck's path.
Hope pushed herself up on a shaking, unsteady arm as she shook her unruly auburn curls from her relieved eyes. The boy that had pushed her from danger sat a few feet away, staring with wide brown eyes at the car that had nearly ran the both of them over. A long black skidmark stretched off behind the blue truck.
Hope sat and sighed. "Thank you so much."
The boy ran a shaky hand through his blonde hair. "You're welcome."
"My name's Hope," Hope said as she stood and offered a hand to help her rescuer up. He took it gratefully.
"My name's Leo. Now, Hope, you watch where you're going from now on. I don't plan on doing that any time soon, okay?"
Hope smiled her sunniest, dazzling Leo. "Sure thing! Thanks, Leo!"
"You kids watch where you're going next time!!" The truck driver yelled angrily before stepping on the gas and speeding off to wreak even more havok on hapless daydreamers crossing streets.
As Hope knelt to recover her spilled groceries, Leo bent to help her. While he reached for a runaway can of minestrone soup, Hope took the time to study him discreetly.
He looked to be about her age, eighteen or nineteen. His hair was short and spiked, and a dusky blonde in color. His eyes were a warm, golden brown, and to Hope's observant eyes, they seemed to hold an inner humor. He looked slightly shaken, disheveled and scraped from his tackling save of Hope from the demon truck, but was overall good looking. He was certainly brave enough to risk his own life to save hers, and didn't seem greedy. He could have easily asked for a reward for saving her, and yet he hadn't even made the slightest hint.
Hope stretched to grab a just-out-of-reach apple. Leo watched her covertly as she did so, surprising himself. He was quite a loner, but nature and desire. He barely ever wished to make friends, and his duty was very ensconced at home. And here he was staring curiously at this girl he had saved.
She had dark auburn-red, extremely curly hair, and ice-blue eyes that sparkled. Her rose-red lips seemed permanently quirked into a smile, even now, after such a close call. She was rather short in height, but well-balanced in weight and size. She outwardly gave the impression of an energetic, usually carefree person. In fact, she somewhat reminded Leo of a mix of a spry, mischevious elf, and Leo's younger sister. This Hope and Nadissa looked nothing alike, of course; Nadissa had very long, perfectly straight brown hair and gray-green eyes, was much taller and a bit on the plump side. But they both seemed to radiate the same feeling of internal happiness. In fact, the feeling was so strong, Leo could almost feel and taste it.
"Here you go," Leo said briskly as he handed Hope her slightly tattered paper bag filled with the groceries he'd collected. "You watch where you're going from now on, okay?"
Hope smiled winningly. "Y'know, Leo, I'd like to reward you for your help."
Leo shook his head with a smile. "I didn't throw myself in front of a truck to get rewarded. You were in trouble, I helped you, that's final."
Hope shook her head determinedly. "Well, at least come and meet my parents. I'm sure they'll want to thank you in person."
Leo sighed. Hope seemed to really want him to come, and he'd made it a rule in the past to never refuse a pretty girl. "Well, let me stop by my house first, to tell my mom where I'll be. She gets worried if I'm late coming home." Leo had to fight to keep from revealing more. He didn't want any pity from this pretty girl. And if he told her about his mother's cancer, that would certainly be all he'd get.
"Do you mind if I come with you? I think I'd like to meet your mother," Hope said eagerly. "As long as you don't live too far from here."
Leo smiled and shook his head. "Nah, it's only a few blocks away. You can come if you really want to."
As Hope followed this boy down the street, her hands full of her groceries, her mind was in a turmoil. Was she doing a smart thing by inviting this boy to the house, or in following him to his? What if he really had an alterior motive for saving her life? Could he be the Dark magicker, or in league with him?
But inwardly Hope knew that wasn't true. Sakura and Li had both made it clear that she would sense any nearby magickers, their allies or creations. She had certainly sensed that mage-construct in the woods; she'd never forget that creepy, being-watched feeling. And she didn't sense anything magical from Leo.
And Hope was also slow to be suspicious of anyone. It was a horrible fault, but Hope more oftener than not took everyone at face value, never worrying about a darker, deeper past or personality.
And this boy didn't seem at all bad; the complete opposite in fact. Hope was almost glad she was following him instead of walking home alone.
And maybe, with that crazed Dark magicker on the loose, it was best to be with a truly friendly stranger rather than being alone.
"Nadissa!" Cecile called from her windowside wheelchair. "Leo's home, and he's brought someone with him!"
Nadissa hurried in, her face wearily lined, to peek out the window. Her sixteenth birthday was less than a month away, and she already looked twice her age. The weight and reponsibility of taking care of a usually bedridden, dying mother was hard for the girl to shoulder. Nadissa sighed and left the room. "I've got to do the laundry, Mom."
Leo took the steps leading to the front door two at a time, pausing momentarily for Hope to catch up. Leo had longer legs than she did, after all.
"This is your house?" Hope breathed in awe, her face shining in delight. This little brick cottage-like house was closer to Hope's own home than she had thought, and was backed by the woods that encircled the entire town of Rocky Wood.
The house was a tiny, red-bricked affair, which probably only held a few small rooms, a tiny attic and a modest basement. The door and shutters on the two front windows were a dark black, and two twin flower-boxes hung beneath each opened window. Violets and snapdragons bent towards Hope on the wind, bright and inviting. Two little bushes grew beneath each window, and a small garden plot was set beside the front porch, filled with daises, poppies and snapdragons.
"It's not much," Leo began in an apologetic tone. "Mom inherited it from Pops when he died a while back. We haven't really changed it that much since then."
"Oh, I think it's absolutely perfect!" Hope said cheerfully, jostling a bag so she could lean over the railing of the tiny black front porch till she got a closer look at a flower-box's occupants. "It looks like such a friendly, open place! I can almost imagine little kids dashing in and out the door laughing."
Leo smiled at the raptured look on Hope's face as he tried the door. It wasn't locked, so he opened it and gestured for Hope to follow him inside.
"Leo!! Where've you been?!?" Cecile demanded, wheeling herself into the main room with a worried look on her face. "You're nearly an hour late!"
Hope smiled at Cecile warmly. "Hello, ma'am! Are you Leo's mother?"
Leo stared at Hope in surprise.
This hadn't escaped Cecile either, and she was grateful that this friendly young lady didn't seem prejudiced towards handicaps. "Why, yes I am! My name's Cecile Davisk. And what's your name, young lady?"
Hope grinned. "My name's Hope Dalie, Mrs. Davisk."
"And where did you become unlucky enough to run into my son?" Cecile joked amiably.
"Well, your son saved my life a couple hours ago." Hope said bluntly and nonchalantly.
"What?!?" Cecile exclaimed.
Leo sighed. "Hope wasn't watching where she was going, and was nearly run over by some idiot truck driver."
"Thank goodness you were there, Leo!!!" Cecile exclaimed, throwing her hands up for emphasis. "Well, young lady, would you like to stay for dinner? It's getting awfully late."
Despite the fact it was barely afternoon, Hope sighed regretfully. "I'd love to, but I really must be getting home. I just came by with Leo to see if he could come over to my house and meet my parents."
Cecile smiled warmly. "Well, of course he can, Ms. Hope. And you're welcome here any time you wish, okay? Now, you two just hurry off, and Leo, please be home before ten, dear." Cecile said hastily as she wheeled quickly from the room.
Hope looked over at Leo worriedly. "Did I say something wrong?"
"No," Leo said simply, shaking his head. "Mom just needs to take her medication and treatment now. She gets sick if she doesn't take them in time."
"Oh," Hope said sympathetically. "What's wrong with your mother? If you don't mind me asking."
Leo sighed. "I don't mind. Everyone asks anyway. Mom's got lung cancer. My sister and I have to stay at home most of the time, to keep an eye on her. She doesn't want to stay in a hospital, so we have to stay at home a lot to make sure she's okay and that she's got all her medicines."
"I wondered why I've never seen you before in school," Hope reflected.
Leo nodded slightly. "My sister and I are homeschooled. Mom needs us too often for us to be able to leave for school every weekday."
Nadissa was passing by the living room doorway with a hamper of clothes in her hands, but stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Hope out of the corner of her eye.
Hope gasped as Nadissa's gray-green eyes met hers. The cold feeling ran down her spine, the one she'd had in the midst of the woods with the construct.
Leo's sister had magic.
Nadissa couldn't believe what she was seeing.
It was almost frightening how powerful this older girl was. And she truly didn't look at all able to handle her magic; or able to hold so much of it, for that matter.
Nadissa was inwardly jealous. She had been barely older than seven when she had discovered her magic, and she had grown and trained intensively since then, and she still didn't have half the magic strength this strange girl had.
But it wasn't in Nadissa's gentle nature to be jealous of anybody for long, and the green-eyed monster soon died back into submissiveness.
Nadissa mind-sent.
The light mind-chuckle replied softly.
Nadissa exclaimed to her Guardian.
Saby agreed.
This short mind-conversation had gone by in the blink of an eye, but Nadissa remembered every word of it. Deciding to act on her Guardian's advice, Nadissa set the clothes hamper down on the carpet and walked purposefully into the living room, an open smile ready enough on her face.
Hope shrinked back slightly from this seemingly nice girl. She was now apt to being suspicious of anyone who had magic that she did not knew, given the past circumstances and events.
"Hello, there," Nadissa said friendly enough. "My name's Nadissa, Leo's sister. Or, as some people like to say, Leo's keeper."
Hope smiled weakly and shook hands with the calm girl. "My name's Hope."
Nadissa smiled.
It was only be supreme will that Hope did not scream or jump in surprise and panic. Nadissa easily saw the panicked look in Hope's eyes, and did her best to dispell her fears.
Hope carefully took a deep breath, then concentrated to send the sorceress a reply.
Nadissa's outward smile widened.
Nadissa replied. A quick flash of an image blinked across Hope's mind's-eye. A small, cheetah-like cat, with large, honey-brown expressive eyes and black dragonfly wings smiled at Hope briefly.
The gold presence of Nadissa's magic abruptly left Hope's consciousness. As she blinked to reorient herself, Hope realized in disbelief that the past conversation had only taken a brief heartbeat at the most.
Leo smiled over at Hope. "Well, do you want to get started? It's not safe to be outside after dark."
Hope nodded wordlessly, glad Leo had suggested it. She didn't think her voice would work long enough for her to croak out the suggestion.
Nadissa watched wistfully as Hope and Leo left.
Saby mind-sent gently. The Guardian Creature had been discreetly listening-in on her determined thoughts.
Nadissa mind-sent bitterly as she lifted up the discarded clothes basket.
Saby sighed sadly. I know, dearling. But we must fight to help her to live as long as she can comfortably. That's all we can do right now.
Nadissa blinked a slight tear from her eye as she descended the stairs to the basement laundry-room.
Katalia sighed in relief as her magic finally cleansed away the last mark bestowed upon her from the battle. The green scabs flaked off as the ice-eyed woman brushed her arms furiously, eager to be rid of the unsightly scabs.
She'd been severely injured, both physically and magically, during the unpredictable battle. Her only consolation during her healing and recovering was the fact that she had probably managed to destroy the little idiot of a third Power. If she hadn't destroyed him completely, he would at least have severe magic poisoning, and one out of ten as a survival rate wasn't the best odds for the foolish youth.
Slipping from the black and red silk sheets of her bed and into her silk blue and white robes, Katalia paused for a look in the mirror. Her eyes were shadowed more so than usual, but that couldn't be helped. She was very depleted in both body and magic content. She'd be feeling the affects of that battle for a few more days at the least.
"Katalia, I see you are looking much better," a soft, dangerously cold voice whispered as Katalia's creator and Master slipped behind her, laying a soft hand on her shoulder. Katalia smiled at the reflection they cast in the shadowed mirror.
Katalia was an icy creature, with no heart or pity, and little else emotion besides obsession and jealousy. Her white-blonde hair and pale white eyes added to her unique beauty, and her pale cream skin further enhanced the impression of an ice maiden. Her perfectly sculpted pink lips curled into a wicked smile befitting her personality.
The man who stood behind her, with one hand on her shoulder and the other resting on her waist, was a dark contrast to the woman. He looked young, nineteen or twenty at the latest. His hair was a dark black luster, and just long enough to cover his ears. Which was good, for Aku Darkness's ears were pointed strangely, in a way no other human's ears were. His eyes were a brown black that oddly looked the color of dried blood in certain lights. He had a tan, golden complexion, and was slightly taller than the tall, lithe Katalia.
"Well, my little construct," Aku whispered into her ear, further widening her wicked smile. "Are you feeling as well as you look?"
"Absolutely, Master," Katalia whispered back. "I hope you are not angered at me for the unaccomplishment of my sent task. And for the destroyal of Morgog."
Aku waved it off. "You were out numbered and out-magicked to begin with; I think you did much better than can be expected in those circumstances. And as for Morgog... He was a fool and an idiot to leave himself so vulnerable for attack."
Katalia laughed without humor. "I don't believe that thick-headed construct had one subtle bone in his massive body!"
Aku chuckled in agreement. "Yes, you may be correct. Sadly, I made Morgog to merely possess brute strength; I had no wish to incorporate a quick-thinking wit as well at the time of his creation. Well, he served his purpose well enough. What's done is done."
Katalia nodded slightly.
"And you are a much better made construct than Morgog, or any of the others, ever were," Aku said, pulling the unresistant Katalia closer, turning her till she faced him. "I would rather have your pretty face and dangerous mind than twenty Morgogs any day."
Katalia giggled, kissing Aku teasingly. "My most extreme thanks, Master. And I could wish for no stronger or wiser a Master to serve."
Aku grinned an almost feral, predator smile. "You are an even wiser construct than I thought."
Katalia's laughter rang out in the cold darkness of the enveloping night.
Sage was lost.
Swirling colors surrounded him, pressing in uncomfortably at all sides. Snatches of music and words twirled around him, confusing him further.
All Sage wanted to do was sleep, deep and peaceful. But the colors and sounds wouldn't let him. Surrounding him painfully was a dark, oily black, a black that tried to send him into the realms of dream he wished to fall into. But the black was hampered by a dark fire-red, a red that pricked Sage awake when he began to drift asleep. Faint, weak pink was woven into an equally faint green, and the two colors danced around Sage dizzyingly. A dark, calm bluish-purple seemed to plead with him to stay awake, and a burnished copper watched from afar with a sad aura. Bright gold and pale white hovered anxiously above the pink and green, as if coaxing them to come closer together. A soft sky-blue, which was intertwined with a pale red, hovered among the bright gold and pale white. And, even paler than the pink and green, a nearly transparent jade green and midnight blue swirled among the bluish-purple.
"Sage.... don't give up..... me....."
Sage looked about slowly.
"Sage! Don't.... me....."
"Patience?" Sage whispered as, with a sudden flash of brightness, the many colors destroyed out the oily black. He could feel his eyes open, but all he saw was black. "Patience?!?"
"Sage!!" Patience cried, leaning forward and catching an outstretched, reaching hand in hers, "I'm right here!"
"Can't.... see...." Sage whispered out fearfully, his eyes wide and staring up at the ceiling blankly.
"Celos!!" Patience called frantically. Obediently, the fire-red and orange Guardian darted in quickly.
"Master!!" Celos cried.
"Celos?" Sage asked weakly. "I can't see anything. Everything's all black."
Celos' eyes closed for a moment, and the small fox-creature's body began to glow a fiery red. "It's a side-effect of the magic poisoning. But it should wear off in a few days."
"You're sure?" Sage and Patience asked worriedly.
Celos nodded firmly. "Your magic's finally starting to repell the Dark magic."
"I saw so many colors..." Sage mumbled as he fell into a welcome sleep.
Patience smiled with relief, hugging Celos. "He'll be alright?"
Celos nodded with a face splitting smile. "He's gonna be alright!!"
Li still hadn't found the strength or courage to leave Rocky Wood.
Li thought drearily to himself.
He hadn't been getting much sleep lately. The image of a crying, sorrowfilled Sakura chased sleep away when the lights were turned off.
And when Li did finally fall asleep, dreams of kissing and holding Sakura haunted him. The memories of her smile, her laugh, her eyes plagued him mercilessly. He found himself reminescing of the days when they had captured the Clow Cards together more and more often as the time passed. It was as if his heart was punishing him for the pain he knew he was putting Sakura through. By now, the memories had almost taken a movie-like quality to them, replaying themselves over and over at the most inopportune times. Even when Li turned on the radio in an attempt to chase the blues away, the songs reflected his heart all too well.
Li thought bitterly.
Just then there was a knock at the door. Li stood and trudged towards it on unwilling feet. The last thing he wanted right now was visitors.
Li froze in the doorway as he saw who was standing there. "What are you two doing here?!?!"
"We knew you hadn't left yet!!" Madison cried, hugging the surprised Li. "Li, you have to come back with us!"
Li pulled away angrily. "I don't have to do anything I don't want to!"
"But you want to come back with us, don't you, Li?" Shawn accused quietly.
Li fell silent, turning away as if in anger so Shawn couldn't see the tears of pain in his eyes. "This is the way it has to be!"
"No it isn't, Li!" Madison protested passionately. "Why are you doing this?!? Why are you putting yourself and Sakura through this hell?!?"
Li looked down. "I can't be near any of you. If I am, you'll all be hurt, or killed."
"Just how did this idea get into your thick head?" Shawn demanded angrily.
"I had a dream fortelling what would happen if I stayed at the mansion." Li said softly.
"Fortelling, my ass!" Shawn said furiously. "Sakura's so sad and vulnerable without you, Li! That damned Dark magicker could have given you that dream to make you leave and make her so!"
Li looked up in surprise. That idea had never occured to him... But Li still wasn't willing to take any chances. And he would be taking a large one if he went back with Madison and Shawn.
"You ~have~ to come back, Li!" Madison said urgently. "Sakura's withering away without you! She's too depressed, Li. She really believes you don't love her anymore."
Li refused to answer, so Madison decided to take extreme measures and voice her chiefest worry.
"Li, I'm afraid Sakura will commit suicide."
Li's head snapped up at that, fear filling his eyes at the bleak possibility. "But, what if the dream ~was~ a fortelling-"
"Sakura needs you, Li!!! Desperately!!" Madison said angrily, leaving no room for arguments. "Would you rather stay here and let her commit suicide, or come back with us and at least protect her with your magic?"
Li was torn. He wanted nothing more than to go back to Sakura, but what if the dream proved true?
After a long moment of thought and consideration, Li sighed in semi-defeat. "I'll come back with you-"
"YES!!!!!" Madison cried happily.
"Under one condition." Li continued without pause.
"What?" Shawn asked suspiciously.
"You can't tell Sakura that I still love her," Li said bitterly. "It's better if she keeps thinking I don't love her."
Madison really did ~not~ want to agree to Li's harsh condition, but it wasn't like she could refuse it. If Li did come back with them, even if Sakura did not know his true feelings, he could make sure she didn't stay depressed long enough to consider suicide.
"Fine," Madison said reluctantly. "But at least treat her like a good friend."
"Absolutely no problem," Li said sadly.
Was that better than the last chapter? I sure hope so.
Quickie poll: Does anyone out there like Leo, his family, or Saby? I know they don't have a big part in this story yet, but they will. My God, will they ever!!
Next chapter's rough outline:
Sakura's and Li's identical pain of being-close-yet-separated, Kero's ultimatum, more Leo and Nadissa and you'll learn of Aku Darkness's new, evil plan....
And NO! I AM NOT revealing any plot spoliers! You'll just have to wait and read, you lazy interlopers!
*SIGH* I don't wanna go to school tomorrow!!! Please don't make me!!
O-well. We all have our burdens and despairs.
P.S.- For all those out there with normal friends, NEVER EVER get Psycho and Max in a room together without parental supervision! I tried to deal with it yesterday, and it was not a pretty sight!! We were watching The Mummy {One of the best movies ~EVER~ made!!!} and they managed to degrade everything in it!! They made jokes that made it seem like ~EVERYONE~ in the movie was gay or bi! And this is one of our fave movies of all time!!
I can't wait to get my teaching degree and move to Canada. *(^-^)*
P.S.- The song mentioned was by Linkin' Park, from Hybrid Theory, and the song's called In The End.
I know you probably all hate me now-
Everyone: We do! We do!
But this was the way it had to be.
Ms. Sinic (hysterically): No it isn't! No it isn't! Everyone's supposed to be happily ever after in the end!
THIS IS MY STORY, NOT YOURS! I'LL WRITE WHATEVER I DAMN WELL PLEASE!!
Sorry, Heaven.
Ms. Sinic: I hate you!
Well, let's get started now, shall we? Before I make any more of my friends hate me.
Ameoba Boy: Too late.
{Disclaimer}
Things I can claim ownership to:
My fic ~ideas~, and the characters that never appeared in any animes. My own stories. My dogs Jessie and Gidget. My personal slave, my brother Alex. My (for now) boyfriend Ameoba Boy. My extensive anime and fantasy collection.
And my immense attack-spider K.C., which weighs 176 lbs, 24 oz. in counting....
But, I sadly cannot claim ownership to Sakura, Li, Madison, Kero, Yue, Tori, Julian or Sakura's Dad and Madison's Mom.
Chapter Ten: Demon Trucks From Hell, and Li's One Condition....
Patience sat silently by Sage's bedside, watching him with worried, concerned eyes. Madison came to the door and paused, watching the girl and the unconscious boy that lay motionless on the bed before her.
Patience looked up as Madison entered quietly. "Hello, Madison. How's Sakura?"
Madison sighed as she paused at the foot of Sage's bed. "Not very good. She's too depressed, Patience. I've never seen happy-go-lucky Sakura this upset before."
"It's not everyday that you lose someone you truly love." Patience murmured softly.
Madison nodded with a heavy sigh. "What I just don't get is why Li would do such a thing. Both Shawn and I know he's madly in love with Sakura. He's so protective of her, he'd never hurt her the way he did last week.
Patience shrugged helplessly. "He had his reasons. And you know as well as I that he didn't leave because he lost his love for Sakura. Something happened to Li the night the construct and witch-bitch attacked."
Madison nodded in agreement, pausing for a moment more in thought before leaving the room. "I need to speak with Shawn."
Patience looked back over at Sage's pale face. He was slightly better; it was easier for him to breathe now, but he'd been in a coma-like state for a week. They had finally been forced to obtain an iv to keep him alive. And the prospects of Sage ever waking, even with his magic and Celos battling against the magic poisoning to keep him alive, was becoming slimmer and slimmer each day.
In turn, Patience was becoming thinner and paler as a result. Nearly every night, she kept a steady vigil at Sage's bedside. This had been surprising to everyone; it wasn't as if Patience or Sage knew each other very well, or were that close.
But Hope could somewhat understand why her sister kept her ever-present vigil. Patience was genuinely concerned for Sage, and it was clear knowledge that Sage seemed to have wished for a closer relationship with her. Maybe his admiring, covert glances had been noticed, and Patience wished to become closer as well.
It was a ready enough explanation.
Sakura sat listlessly on the windowseat of her temporary bedroom. She rested her flushed cheek against the cold glass, watching the glittering gold of life flash and pass her by uninterestedly.
Tears welled in her eyes as her mind drifted, as it always had these past long days, to thoughts of Li. The day they had met, so many years ago, had been a day like today - sunny, peaceful, ordinary. But her meeting Li had been far from ordinary. In fact, Sakura had thought it was fate and destiny. It had seemed so right to be with Li; that couldn't have been wrong. Li couldn't possibly really mean what he had said a week ago; the kisses they'd shared said so much more, and when they talked Li had always been so candid, honest, geniuine.
How could it be that she now felt so alone and unwanted? How could she cry herself to sleep each night? When she did find enough solace to sleep, that is. At nights a depressing song would run through her head, entertwined with her sorrowful thoughts.
~I tried so hard,
And got so far,
But in the end,
It doesn't even matter.
I had to fall,
To lose it all,
And in the end,
It doesn't even matter.~
How could Li have broken his promise? Li had never broken a promise, no matter how small or trivial. And the promise he gave to Sakura had been far from trivial.
Tears dripped down hot to dot the comfortable chamille windowseat cover. The glass Sakura leaned against fogged as she stifled her sobs.
Madison gently rested her head against Shawn's arm, sighing deeply.
"What's bothering you?" Shawn reacted unconsciously to the sigh.
Madison sighed again as she sat, worry clouding her gray-blue eyes. "It's Sakura, Shawn. And Li. I so wonder why he would have ever put her through this hell. All she does all day is sit on that windowseat and sigh." Madison's eyes met Shawn's concerned hazel. "I'm worried about her, Shawn. Very worried. She's more depressed than I've ever seen. Dangerously so."
"Well, the only reason Li would do this to either of them is if he felt he was putting her in danger by being near her. Maybe he thinks if he can somehow make her think he no longer wants her, that she won't follow after him and get hurt in the process," Shawn said reasonably. "You're right, Madison. It's dangerous to let Sakura stay so depressed. We're going to go and find Li, and bring him back no matter how stubborn a jackass he is!"
Madison stared in surprised as this firm Shawn. "You're completely right, love!"
Hope sighed as she hurried out of the grocery store, clutching her bags tightly.
Hope was so preoccupied with her melancholy thoughts, she wasn't watching where she was going. The thought-immersed girl began crossing the street, eyes down at the ground she walked. She didn't even hear the truck as it sped towards her.
"Watch out!!" Someone screamed. Hope looked up in surprise, her eyes widening in terror as she saw the oncoming truck.
With a screech, the truck skidded to a stop as someone tackled Hope, knocking her from the truck's path.
Hope pushed herself up on a shaking, unsteady arm as she shook her unruly auburn curls from her relieved eyes. The boy that had pushed her from danger sat a few feet away, staring with wide brown eyes at the car that had nearly ran the both of them over. A long black skidmark stretched off behind the blue truck.
Hope sat and sighed. "Thank you so much."
The boy ran a shaky hand through his blonde hair. "You're welcome."
"My name's Hope," Hope said as she stood and offered a hand to help her rescuer up. He took it gratefully.
"My name's Leo. Now, Hope, you watch where you're going from now on. I don't plan on doing that any time soon, okay?"
Hope smiled her sunniest, dazzling Leo. "Sure thing! Thanks, Leo!"
"You kids watch where you're going next time!!" The truck driver yelled angrily before stepping on the gas and speeding off to wreak even more havok on hapless daydreamers crossing streets.
As Hope knelt to recover her spilled groceries, Leo bent to help her. While he reached for a runaway can of minestrone soup, Hope took the time to study him discreetly.
He looked to be about her age, eighteen or nineteen. His hair was short and spiked, and a dusky blonde in color. His eyes were a warm, golden brown, and to Hope's observant eyes, they seemed to hold an inner humor. He looked slightly shaken, disheveled and scraped from his tackling save of Hope from the demon truck, but was overall good looking. He was certainly brave enough to risk his own life to save hers, and didn't seem greedy. He could have easily asked for a reward for saving her, and yet he hadn't even made the slightest hint.
Hope stretched to grab a just-out-of-reach apple. Leo watched her covertly as she did so, surprising himself. He was quite a loner, but nature and desire. He barely ever wished to make friends, and his duty was very ensconced at home. And here he was staring curiously at this girl he had saved.
She had dark auburn-red, extremely curly hair, and ice-blue eyes that sparkled. Her rose-red lips seemed permanently quirked into a smile, even now, after such a close call. She was rather short in height, but well-balanced in weight and size. She outwardly gave the impression of an energetic, usually carefree person. In fact, she somewhat reminded Leo of a mix of a spry, mischevious elf, and Leo's younger sister. This Hope and Nadissa looked nothing alike, of course; Nadissa had very long, perfectly straight brown hair and gray-green eyes, was much taller and a bit on the plump side. But they both seemed to radiate the same feeling of internal happiness. In fact, the feeling was so strong, Leo could almost feel and taste it.
"Here you go," Leo said briskly as he handed Hope her slightly tattered paper bag filled with the groceries he'd collected. "You watch where you're going from now on, okay?"
Hope smiled winningly. "Y'know, Leo, I'd like to reward you for your help."
Leo shook his head with a smile. "I didn't throw myself in front of a truck to get rewarded. You were in trouble, I helped you, that's final."
Hope shook her head determinedly. "Well, at least come and meet my parents. I'm sure they'll want to thank you in person."
Leo sighed. Hope seemed to really want him to come, and he'd made it a rule in the past to never refuse a pretty girl. "Well, let me stop by my house first, to tell my mom where I'll be. She gets worried if I'm late coming home." Leo had to fight to keep from revealing more. He didn't want any pity from this pretty girl. And if he told her about his mother's cancer, that would certainly be all he'd get.
"Do you mind if I come with you? I think I'd like to meet your mother," Hope said eagerly. "As long as you don't live too far from here."
Leo smiled and shook his head. "Nah, it's only a few blocks away. You can come if you really want to."
As Hope followed this boy down the street, her hands full of her groceries, her mind was in a turmoil. Was she doing a smart thing by inviting this boy to the house, or in following him to his? What if he really had an alterior motive for saving her life? Could he be the Dark magicker, or in league with him?
But inwardly Hope knew that wasn't true. Sakura and Li had both made it clear that she would sense any nearby magickers, their allies or creations. She had certainly sensed that mage-construct in the woods; she'd never forget that creepy, being-watched feeling. And she didn't sense anything magical from Leo.
And Hope was also slow to be suspicious of anyone. It was a horrible fault, but Hope more oftener than not took everyone at face value, never worrying about a darker, deeper past or personality.
And this boy didn't seem at all bad; the complete opposite in fact. Hope was almost glad she was following him instead of walking home alone.
And maybe, with that crazed Dark magicker on the loose, it was best to be with a truly friendly stranger rather than being alone.
"Nadissa!" Cecile called from her windowside wheelchair. "Leo's home, and he's brought someone with him!"
Nadissa hurried in, her face wearily lined, to peek out the window. Her sixteenth birthday was less than a month away, and she already looked twice her age. The weight and reponsibility of taking care of a usually bedridden, dying mother was hard for the girl to shoulder. Nadissa sighed and left the room. "I've got to do the laundry, Mom."
Leo took the steps leading to the front door two at a time, pausing momentarily for Hope to catch up. Leo had longer legs than she did, after all.
"This is your house?" Hope breathed in awe, her face shining in delight. This little brick cottage-like house was closer to Hope's own home than she had thought, and was backed by the woods that encircled the entire town of Rocky Wood.
The house was a tiny, red-bricked affair, which probably only held a few small rooms, a tiny attic and a modest basement. The door and shutters on the two front windows were a dark black, and two twin flower-boxes hung beneath each opened window. Violets and snapdragons bent towards Hope on the wind, bright and inviting. Two little bushes grew beneath each window, and a small garden plot was set beside the front porch, filled with daises, poppies and snapdragons.
"It's not much," Leo began in an apologetic tone. "Mom inherited it from Pops when he died a while back. We haven't really changed it that much since then."
"Oh, I think it's absolutely perfect!" Hope said cheerfully, jostling a bag so she could lean over the railing of the tiny black front porch till she got a closer look at a flower-box's occupants. "It looks like such a friendly, open place! I can almost imagine little kids dashing in and out the door laughing."
Leo smiled at the raptured look on Hope's face as he tried the door. It wasn't locked, so he opened it and gestured for Hope to follow him inside.
"Leo!! Where've you been?!?" Cecile demanded, wheeling herself into the main room with a worried look on her face. "You're nearly an hour late!"
Hope smiled at Cecile warmly. "Hello, ma'am! Are you Leo's mother?"
Leo stared at Hope in surprise.
This hadn't escaped Cecile either, and she was grateful that this friendly young lady didn't seem prejudiced towards handicaps. "Why, yes I am! My name's Cecile Davisk. And what's your name, young lady?"
Hope grinned. "My name's Hope Dalie, Mrs. Davisk."
"And where did you become unlucky enough to run into my son?" Cecile joked amiably.
"Well, your son saved my life a couple hours ago." Hope said bluntly and nonchalantly.
"What?!?" Cecile exclaimed.
Leo sighed. "Hope wasn't watching where she was going, and was nearly run over by some idiot truck driver."
"Thank goodness you were there, Leo!!!" Cecile exclaimed, throwing her hands up for emphasis. "Well, young lady, would you like to stay for dinner? It's getting awfully late."
Despite the fact it was barely afternoon, Hope sighed regretfully. "I'd love to, but I really must be getting home. I just came by with Leo to see if he could come over to my house and meet my parents."
Cecile smiled warmly. "Well, of course he can, Ms. Hope. And you're welcome here any time you wish, okay? Now, you two just hurry off, and Leo, please be home before ten, dear." Cecile said hastily as she wheeled quickly from the room.
Hope looked over at Leo worriedly. "Did I say something wrong?"
"No," Leo said simply, shaking his head. "Mom just needs to take her medication and treatment now. She gets sick if she doesn't take them in time."
"Oh," Hope said sympathetically. "What's wrong with your mother? If you don't mind me asking."
Leo sighed. "I don't mind. Everyone asks anyway. Mom's got lung cancer. My sister and I have to stay at home most of the time, to keep an eye on her. She doesn't want to stay in a hospital, so we have to stay at home a lot to make sure she's okay and that she's got all her medicines."
"I wondered why I've never seen you before in school," Hope reflected.
Leo nodded slightly. "My sister and I are homeschooled. Mom needs us too often for us to be able to leave for school every weekday."
Nadissa was passing by the living room doorway with a hamper of clothes in her hands, but stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Hope out of the corner of her eye.
Hope gasped as Nadissa's gray-green eyes met hers. The cold feeling ran down her spine, the one she'd had in the midst of the woods with the construct.
Leo's sister had magic.
Nadissa couldn't believe what she was seeing.
It was almost frightening how powerful this older girl was. And she truly didn't look at all able to handle her magic; or able to hold so much of it, for that matter.
Nadissa was inwardly jealous. She had been barely older than seven when she had discovered her magic, and she had grown and trained intensively since then, and she still didn't have half the magic strength this strange girl had.
But it wasn't in Nadissa's gentle nature to be jealous of anybody for long, and the green-eyed monster soon died back into submissiveness.
Nadissa mind-sent.
The light mind-chuckle replied softly.
Nadissa exclaimed to her Guardian.
Saby agreed.
This short mind-conversation had gone by in the blink of an eye, but Nadissa remembered every word of it. Deciding to act on her Guardian's advice, Nadissa set the clothes hamper down on the carpet and walked purposefully into the living room, an open smile ready enough on her face.
Hope shrinked back slightly from this seemingly nice girl. She was now apt to being suspicious of anyone who had magic that she did not knew, given the past circumstances and events.
"Hello, there," Nadissa said friendly enough. "My name's Nadissa, Leo's sister. Or, as some people like to say, Leo's keeper."
Hope smiled weakly and shook hands with the calm girl. "My name's Hope."
Nadissa smiled.
It was only be supreme will that Hope did not scream or jump in surprise and panic. Nadissa easily saw the panicked look in Hope's eyes, and did her best to dispell her fears.
Hope carefully took a deep breath, then concentrated to send the sorceress a reply.
Nadissa's outward smile widened.
Nadissa replied. A quick flash of an image blinked across Hope's mind's-eye. A small, cheetah-like cat, with large, honey-brown expressive eyes and black dragonfly wings smiled at Hope briefly.
The gold presence of Nadissa's magic abruptly left Hope's consciousness. As she blinked to reorient herself, Hope realized in disbelief that the past conversation had only taken a brief heartbeat at the most.
Leo smiled over at Hope. "Well, do you want to get started? It's not safe to be outside after dark."
Hope nodded wordlessly, glad Leo had suggested it. She didn't think her voice would work long enough for her to croak out the suggestion.
Nadissa watched wistfully as Hope and Leo left.
Saby mind-sent gently. The Guardian Creature had been discreetly listening-in on her determined thoughts.
Nadissa mind-sent bitterly as she lifted up the discarded clothes basket.
Saby sighed sadly. I know, dearling. But we must fight to help her to live as long as she can comfortably. That's all we can do right now.
Nadissa blinked a slight tear from her eye as she descended the stairs to the basement laundry-room.
Katalia sighed in relief as her magic finally cleansed away the last mark bestowed upon her from the battle. The green scabs flaked off as the ice-eyed woman brushed her arms furiously, eager to be rid of the unsightly scabs.
She'd been severely injured, both physically and magically, during the unpredictable battle. Her only consolation during her healing and recovering was the fact that she had probably managed to destroy the little idiot of a third Power. If she hadn't destroyed him completely, he would at least have severe magic poisoning, and one out of ten as a survival rate wasn't the best odds for the foolish youth.
Slipping from the black and red silk sheets of her bed and into her silk blue and white robes, Katalia paused for a look in the mirror. Her eyes were shadowed more so than usual, but that couldn't be helped. She was very depleted in both body and magic content. She'd be feeling the affects of that battle for a few more days at the least.
"Katalia, I see you are looking much better," a soft, dangerously cold voice whispered as Katalia's creator and Master slipped behind her, laying a soft hand on her shoulder. Katalia smiled at the reflection they cast in the shadowed mirror.
Katalia was an icy creature, with no heart or pity, and little else emotion besides obsession and jealousy. Her white-blonde hair and pale white eyes added to her unique beauty, and her pale cream skin further enhanced the impression of an ice maiden. Her perfectly sculpted pink lips curled into a wicked smile befitting her personality.
The man who stood behind her, with one hand on her shoulder and the other resting on her waist, was a dark contrast to the woman. He looked young, nineteen or twenty at the latest. His hair was a dark black luster, and just long enough to cover his ears. Which was good, for Aku Darkness's ears were pointed strangely, in a way no other human's ears were. His eyes were a brown black that oddly looked the color of dried blood in certain lights. He had a tan, golden complexion, and was slightly taller than the tall, lithe Katalia.
"Well, my little construct," Aku whispered into her ear, further widening her wicked smile. "Are you feeling as well as you look?"
"Absolutely, Master," Katalia whispered back. "I hope you are not angered at me for the unaccomplishment of my sent task. And for the destroyal of Morgog."
Aku waved it off. "You were out numbered and out-magicked to begin with; I think you did much better than can be expected in those circumstances. And as for Morgog... He was a fool and an idiot to leave himself so vulnerable for attack."
Katalia laughed without humor. "I don't believe that thick-headed construct had one subtle bone in his massive body!"
Aku chuckled in agreement. "Yes, you may be correct. Sadly, I made Morgog to merely possess brute strength; I had no wish to incorporate a quick-thinking wit as well at the time of his creation. Well, he served his purpose well enough. What's done is done."
Katalia nodded slightly.
"And you are a much better made construct than Morgog, or any of the others, ever were," Aku said, pulling the unresistant Katalia closer, turning her till she faced him. "I would rather have your pretty face and dangerous mind than twenty Morgogs any day."
Katalia giggled, kissing Aku teasingly. "My most extreme thanks, Master. And I could wish for no stronger or wiser a Master to serve."
Aku grinned an almost feral, predator smile. "You are an even wiser construct than I thought."
Katalia's laughter rang out in the cold darkness of the enveloping night.
Sage was lost.
Swirling colors surrounded him, pressing in uncomfortably at all sides. Snatches of music and words twirled around him, confusing him further.
All Sage wanted to do was sleep, deep and peaceful. But the colors and sounds wouldn't let him. Surrounding him painfully was a dark, oily black, a black that tried to send him into the realms of dream he wished to fall into. But the black was hampered by a dark fire-red, a red that pricked Sage awake when he began to drift asleep. Faint, weak pink was woven into an equally faint green, and the two colors danced around Sage dizzyingly. A dark, calm bluish-purple seemed to plead with him to stay awake, and a burnished copper watched from afar with a sad aura. Bright gold and pale white hovered anxiously above the pink and green, as if coaxing them to come closer together. A soft sky-blue, which was intertwined with a pale red, hovered among the bright gold and pale white. And, even paler than the pink and green, a nearly transparent jade green and midnight blue swirled among the bluish-purple.
"Sage.... don't give up..... me....."
Sage looked about slowly.
"Sage! Don't.... me....."
"Patience?" Sage whispered as, with a sudden flash of brightness, the many colors destroyed out the oily black. He could feel his eyes open, but all he saw was black. "Patience?!?"
"Sage!!" Patience cried, leaning forward and catching an outstretched, reaching hand in hers, "I'm right here!"
"Can't.... see...." Sage whispered out fearfully, his eyes wide and staring up at the ceiling blankly.
"Celos!!" Patience called frantically. Obediently, the fire-red and orange Guardian darted in quickly.
"Master!!" Celos cried.
"Celos?" Sage asked weakly. "I can't see anything. Everything's all black."
Celos' eyes closed for a moment, and the small fox-creature's body began to glow a fiery red. "It's a side-effect of the magic poisoning. But it should wear off in a few days."
"You're sure?" Sage and Patience asked worriedly.
Celos nodded firmly. "Your magic's finally starting to repell the Dark magic."
"I saw so many colors..." Sage mumbled as he fell into a welcome sleep.
Patience smiled with relief, hugging Celos. "He'll be alright?"
Celos nodded with a face splitting smile. "He's gonna be alright!!"
Li still hadn't found the strength or courage to leave Rocky Wood.
Li thought drearily to himself.
He hadn't been getting much sleep lately. The image of a crying, sorrowfilled Sakura chased sleep away when the lights were turned off.
And when Li did finally fall asleep, dreams of kissing and holding Sakura haunted him. The memories of her smile, her laugh, her eyes plagued him mercilessly. He found himself reminescing of the days when they had captured the Clow Cards together more and more often as the time passed. It was as if his heart was punishing him for the pain he knew he was putting Sakura through. By now, the memories had almost taken a movie-like quality to them, replaying themselves over and over at the most inopportune times. Even when Li turned on the radio in an attempt to chase the blues away, the songs reflected his heart all too well.
Li thought bitterly.
Just then there was a knock at the door. Li stood and trudged towards it on unwilling feet. The last thing he wanted right now was visitors.
Li froze in the doorway as he saw who was standing there. "What are you two doing here?!?!"
"We knew you hadn't left yet!!" Madison cried, hugging the surprised Li. "Li, you have to come back with us!"
Li pulled away angrily. "I don't have to do anything I don't want to!"
"But you want to come back with us, don't you, Li?" Shawn accused quietly.
Li fell silent, turning away as if in anger so Shawn couldn't see the tears of pain in his eyes. "This is the way it has to be!"
"No it isn't, Li!" Madison protested passionately. "Why are you doing this?!? Why are you putting yourself and Sakura through this hell?!?"
Li looked down. "I can't be near any of you. If I am, you'll all be hurt, or killed."
"Just how did this idea get into your thick head?" Shawn demanded angrily.
"I had a dream fortelling what would happen if I stayed at the mansion." Li said softly.
"Fortelling, my ass!" Shawn said furiously. "Sakura's so sad and vulnerable without you, Li! That damned Dark magicker could have given you that dream to make you leave and make her so!"
Li looked up in surprise. That idea had never occured to him... But Li still wasn't willing to take any chances. And he would be taking a large one if he went back with Madison and Shawn.
"You ~have~ to come back, Li!" Madison said urgently. "Sakura's withering away without you! She's too depressed, Li. She really believes you don't love her anymore."
Li refused to answer, so Madison decided to take extreme measures and voice her chiefest worry.
"Li, I'm afraid Sakura will commit suicide."
Li's head snapped up at that, fear filling his eyes at the bleak possibility. "But, what if the dream ~was~ a fortelling-"
"Sakura needs you, Li!!! Desperately!!" Madison said angrily, leaving no room for arguments. "Would you rather stay here and let her commit suicide, or come back with us and at least protect her with your magic?"
Li was torn. He wanted nothing more than to go back to Sakura, but what if the dream proved true?
After a long moment of thought and consideration, Li sighed in semi-defeat. "I'll come back with you-"
"YES!!!!!" Madison cried happily.
"Under one condition." Li continued without pause.
"What?" Shawn asked suspiciously.
"You can't tell Sakura that I still love her," Li said bitterly. "It's better if she keeps thinking I don't love her."
Madison really did ~not~ want to agree to Li's harsh condition, but it wasn't like she could refuse it. If Li did come back with them, even if Sakura did not know his true feelings, he could make sure she didn't stay depressed long enough to consider suicide.
"Fine," Madison said reluctantly. "But at least treat her like a good friend."
"Absolutely no problem," Li said sadly.
Was that better than the last chapter? I sure hope so.
Quickie poll: Does anyone out there like Leo, his family, or Saby? I know they don't have a big part in this story yet, but they will. My God, will they ever!!
Next chapter's rough outline:
Sakura's and Li's identical pain of being-close-yet-separated, Kero's ultimatum, more Leo and Nadissa and you'll learn of Aku Darkness's new, evil plan....
And NO! I AM NOT revealing any plot spoliers! You'll just have to wait and read, you lazy interlopers!
*SIGH* I don't wanna go to school tomorrow!!! Please don't make me!!
O-well. We all have our burdens and despairs.
P.S.- For all those out there with normal friends, NEVER EVER get Psycho and Max in a room together without parental supervision! I tried to deal with it yesterday, and it was not a pretty sight!! We were watching The Mummy {One of the best movies ~EVER~ made!!!} and they managed to degrade everything in it!! They made jokes that made it seem like ~EVERYONE~ in the movie was gay or bi! And this is one of our fave movies of all time!!
I can't wait to get my teaching degree and move to Canada. *(^-^)*
P.S.- The song mentioned was by Linkin' Park, from Hybrid Theory, and the song's called In The End.