Starts On Ice:
Part Three
Sakura rummaged through her things, getting ready for yet another lesson of ice-skating. She stopped when she heard a knock at the door. Sakura stretched out her senses and smiled. "Come in."
Li Showrun entered opened the door. "No bad greeting?"
Sakura blushed. "I made sure who is was before I said anything."
Li nodded. "Almost ready?"
Sakura grabbed her skates and put them in her bag. "Ready. Let's go!"
On the way to the lesson, Sakura started thinking. "It's sad that we can't have the lessons at the Ice Pond Palace anymore."
Li frowned. "Yeah, Brian's little earthquake took out the whole place. Have you had any luck finding out who Brian is?"
Sakura shook her head. "Nothing yet. He's still remains a mystery."
"That's not good. Knowledge is the first line of defense and so far, he knows more about us than we know about him." LI replied.
Sakura nodded. "Where are the skating lessons anyway?"
Li smiled. "The frozen lake on the west side of town. I heard it's really nice." And romantic.
Sakura smiled. "Then let's get going!" She grabbed Li's hand and they ran off laughing.
Mrs. McKenzie once again taught the class more tricks. Some more advanced students went and skated on their own. Sakura and Li were two of them. They did tricks and practiced some of the things they learned. After a while, Mrs. McKenzie called back everyone over and made ready for an announcement.
"Class, I first want to say I think you all are wonderful. And now that we know how to skate, I want to have a recital. To share your talents in public!"
Everyone cheered, while Sakura and Li exchanged worried glances. Mrs. McKenzie continued. "I've made ready for us to have a recital where everyone does a little part, but I am giving the two main parts to the two best in the class. Everyone turned to look and Sakura and Li. "Sakura. Li. Will you be the stars of the show?" Mrs. McKenzie asked.
Li looked at Sakura who was giving him a hopeful look. Li sighed. "All right." Everyone cheered again and patted the two on the back.
Mrs. McKenzie spent some time telling everyone their parts. The show was to be called: "Stars On Ice" and Sakura and Li would be the stars dancing to "Tooi Kono Machi de" (Sakura movie opener-Great song!). Mrs. McKenzie told Sakura and Li their moves, and it was basically simple moves, except the ending.
The ending of the song has a small climax, and Sakura and Li do a figure eight, come at each other, and meet in the middle. Easy right? Wrong. When they meet, Li is supposed to throw Sakura up into the air, stop, and catch her. Then they wrap their arms around each other and twirl around each other till the end of the song.
Sakura and Li practiced the easy parts of their routine during class. After class they practiced the last part. Since no one was around Sakura got an idea. She called out her wand from her key, and brought out a card. "Float card! Make sure I don't fall! Float card! Release and dispel!" Float came out and wrapped itself around Sakura.
Sakura turned to Li. "Now when I go up and you don't catch me, I won't get hurt." Li nodded and they started to practice. They did the figure eight and came at each other. Li tucked his hands under Sakura's arms and threw her up into the air. But because of his momentum, Li kept going! He finally stopped, but was too far away to catch Sakura coming down. Float card stopped her one foot above the ground.
"Li? What happened?" Sakura asked getting back on the ground.
Li held out his hands. "I can't stop in time!"
Sakura sighed. "Let's keep trying."
From an old warehouse, Brain watched in a crystal ball as the two card captors practice their routine. He sneered at Li. That should be me! He stood up and went to the window. He held up his hands into the air and cast his spell. "Find my love, she can not flee! Force her here, bring Sakura-chan to me!"
A black ball of energy appeared in front of him and flew out the window. Brian smiled. Soon Sakura. We will be together.
Sakura and Li practiced more and more, but every time Li would over skate. They decided they'd practice one last time before going home. Sakura came at Li went into the air and Li stopped right under her. But Sakura didn't come down. Li looked up. "Sakura?"
Sakura pulled out her wand. "Float card! Return to your power confined!" But nothing happened. Li started to get worried. "Li! I can't get down!" Sakura yelled. Suddenly Sakura started to go up.
"Sakura!" Li yelled.
"Li! Help me!" Sakura went higher and higher till she started to disappear.
"Sakura!!" Li yelled. He fell to his knees. I failed her. Now she's gone. Li got mad and brought his head up. He narrowed his eyes. No I'm not going to give up. I'm going to get you back Sakura.
Sakura woke up in a dark room. How'd I get here? She tried to move, but found she couldn't move anything but her head. She looked down. She saw she wasn't wearing what she had when she went to the lesson. Now she was dressed in a beautiful red kimono with pink sakura blossoms embroidered on it. The cuffs had gold lining. She gasped.
"You like it?" A voice said.
Sakura's blood froze. She looked towards the door of the room and saw Brian standing there. "Why have you brought me here!? Let me go!" She demanded.
"Tisk, tisk, tisk. Aren't we rude? When one receives a gift they usually say thank you." He replied as he walked in. He wore a similar Kimono, but it was a dark blue, with black symbols on it. None that she could read, but some she noticed were Chinese.
Sakura narrowed her eyes. "I don't want it! And why can't I move?"
Brian quietly chuckled. "My dear Sakura-chan. Don't worry. I just don't want you to run away." He came up and sat besides her. She wanted to move away from him away but couldn't.
She glared at him. "Don't you dare call me Sakura-chan. You have no right."
Brian smiled and ran a hand against her arm. "Oh but I do. For we are meant to be together."
His touch made Sakura shiver, as if the devil himself were there. She turned her head away. "I don't want to be with you. I don't love you."
Brian turned her head towards him again. "You will in time."
For some reason, Sakura was now very scared.
Li stood up off the ice and brought out his trusty lasenboard. He was able to find Sakura before with it. Why not now? "Source of light with ancient spin. Send forth the magic power within. Oracles of gold, wood, water, fire, earth, clouds, wind, rain and electricity. Force, know my plight, release the light!" His lasenboard glowed a light blue and shot off towards the west.
Li smiled and ran off, following the light. He ran non-stop until the light pointed to an old warehouse. It looked pretty banged up and abandoned. He stretched out his senses and soon found Sakura on the top floor. Don't worry Sakura. I'm coming. Li ran towards the apartment and started full speed up the stairs.
Brian leaned forward and breathed in the scent of sakura blossoms from Sakura's hair. "You smell as sweet as the flower you were named after." He commented.
Sakura pulled her head away. "Get away from me." She said through clenched teeth.
Brian sighed and waved his hand. Suddenly, Sakura felt the magic force field around her move up her neck and around her head. Now she was frozen still. A statue glowing with a dark blue glowing around her.
"You simply don't understand. We are kindred spirits. Two parts of a whole. You cannot run away from destiny." Sakura closed her eyes as Brian leaned in and placed two cold lips upon Sakura's.
"Hey! Get your ugly lips off her!" Someone said.
Sakura opened her eyes, and saw Li standing on the catwalk above them. "Li!"
Li smiled. Brian turned and glared at Li. 'So the little wolf wants to become road kill? That can be arranged!" Brain's body wavered and he appeared besides Li.
Li immediately back flipped off and landed in front of Sakura. He pulled out his sword. "You can leave now and live or stay and die." He threatened as he narrowed his eyes and Brian, daring him to stay.
Brian snorted. "I'm I supposed to be intimidated? Think again!" Brian flipped forward and landed in front of Li. He pulled out a sword of his own and sliced at Li. Li immediately blocked the blow and followed up with a kick to Brian's sternum.
Brian caught the blow and lifted. Li did a back flip and landed. Li chased Li to the wall. Without turning around, Brian walked up the wall and flipped behind Li, slashing him on the back.
Li cried out in pain and turned to face Brian. Brian licked the blood off his sword. "I enjoy the taste of my enemies blood. Though weak in flavor." Brian smiled sinisterly.
Li growled low in his throat. "Enjoy it while it lasts, because soon you won't be able to taste anything. Because you'll be dead!" Li slashed his sword at Brian, who simply dodged the blow.
"Is this all the famous Li clan has to offer? Pathetic!" Brian said.
Li got mad and attacked Brian relentlessly. Brian blocked every attack until Li caught him off guard. Though Brian parried the blow from Li's sword, he didn't anticipate it when Li came up with and elbowed him in the face.
A distinctive crack was heard and Brian stumbled back. Brian held his nose, to stop the blood from coming. "You'll pay for that!" Brian threw his sword to the side. "Oracles of gold, wood, water, fire, earth, clouds, wind, rain and electricity. Converge and combine, attack this enemy of mine!" Brian said. Suddenly, black orbs appeared above Brian's head and started towards Li.
"Shield!" Brian's attacks hit the shield card and blasted to the side, blowing a large hole in the wall.
"What!" Brian looked to the side to see Sakura up and free, staff in hand.
"Sakura!" Li said running to her side. "But how?"
Sakura smiled. "You're attacks ruined his concentration, so he was unable to hold me and attack you at the same time." She explained.
Li smiled and turn to face Brian. "You picked the hard way and lost. Now you will suffer the consequences!" Li pulled his sword back and let it fly right at Brian. Brian moved out of the way, but part of the robe he was wearing got cut off.
Brian smiled. "Until we meet again. Sakura will be mine!" Brian flipped over Li and Sakura's heads, out the opened wall.
Li and Sakura ran out to find him, but he was gone again.
Back inside the warehouse, Li picked up the piece of robe, Brian had left behind. It had on it some familiar symbols. Where have I seen those before?
After the battle, Sakura and Li went to Li's apartment, where Sakura tended to Li's wound on his back. "Take off your outer robe." She instructed.
Li did so, and Sakura blushed madly at the sight of his chest muscles. Li frowned at her stare. "What?"
Sakura shook her head and smiled. "Nothing."
Li looked down and started to blush. "Oh." He smiled and turned around.
He sat on his bed and Sakura kneeled behind him. She placed a washcloth in some cool water and began whipping the blood away. Li's body tingled as the cool water hit his skin. Sakura finished cleaning it and began putting on some ointments. She gently massaged them onto and around the wound.
The warmth of her hands, sent shivers down Li's spine. She has such a gentle touch. So warm and soothing. Li thought.
When Sakura was finished, she wrapped some bandages around his chest and back. "There. How do you feel?" She asked.
Li turned around and smiled. "Fine thanks to you."
Sakura blushed and smiled back. "It was nothing."
They went to the living room and took out the piece of cloth. Li pointed to one of the symbols. "I think I've seen this before, but I can't remember where."
Sakura looked at it. "Aren't those the symbols on your lasenboard?" She asked.
Li took out his lasenboard and sure enough, it matched some of them exactly.
"We'd better call Kero." Sakura said pulling out her cell phone. "Kero?"
"Yeah? What is it Sakura?" He asked.
"Kero. We have here a piece of Brian's robes. Some of them match the symbols on Li's lasenboard." She told Kero.
"Did he use an attack similar to Li's?"
Li heard this and grabbed the phone. "Yeah he did. He called upon the oracles and used them to attack me!"
"Then I know who he is." Sakura and Li both listened in. "Clow Reed had a brother. He helped Clow Reed make the Clow Cards. He also did some traveling and went to America for a time. He learned western magic and brought it back to Clow Reed and together they made the lasenboard. You noticed how there are western symbols and eastern symbols?"
"Yeah." Sakura and Li replied.
"Well, That's why. While staying in America, Clow's brother met a woman there."
"What does that have to do anything?" Li asked.
"Brian is a descendant of the mother from America." Kero stated.
"What!" Both Sakura and Li exclaimed.
"Are you saying this kid is my cousin!?" Li said.
"Yep, but be careful. Though western magic is different, it's just as powerful as Eastern magic."
"Right. Thanks Kero." Sakura said and hung up.
Kero hung up the phone and put on a worried face. "Be very careful Sakura. If this kid really is Shaulin's descendant, he won't give up easily." Kero flew to the window and looked out across Japan. "You have a strong battle before you Sakura and Li. I hope you're ready."
Author's notes: Hope you liked my little twist at the end! If you've read Hidden Truths or Hidden Within, also by me, you know who Shaulin is. Tell me how you liked it! The final battle is at hand! Keep an eye out for the next part!
Also, I know this is a little early, but I have my senior project coming up and I've decided to make a web page! I'm going to call it: Digidynasty's Anime Shrine. I don't know when it'll be done, but I plan to put up all my fanfics and fanart on CCS, Digimon, and Escaflowne! I'll tell you more when I finish it!