Castles in the Sky
By Amer
Note: This is my first Card Captor Sakura fanfiction. The idea came to me after listening to some Emo music. It's a tad angsty, but I tried to keep any OOC to a minimum. It takes place eight years later, and for the stories sake Syaoran never came back to Tomoeda after he left. Also I will be using Syaoran's name in both Chinese and Japanese, the Chinese being used mainly by people talking to him. *huggles Shannako + Aileen* Thanks for being the best Betareaders a girl could have. Translations are at the bottom ^_~ Please R&R
Do not archive without permission.
Disclaimer: CCS belongs to CLAMP and Kodansha.
-Chapter 1: Joy and Despair
"Do you ever question your life? Do you ever wonder why? Do you ever see in your dreams, all the castles in the sky?" Ian van Dahl/ Castles in the sky
It was a beautiful July morning as the sound of birds filled the air. A soft, sweet smelling wind blew a strand of long brown hair into the eyes of a girl who was sitting on a porch. She absently pushed it away as she clutched a long beige envelope.
"Oh my God." Kinomoto Sakura stared at the paper in her hand, her green eyes not quite taking in the words. "Otou-san!"
~*~*~
Li Syaoran pushed his hand through his hair for what seemed the millionth time that horrible July day. He was only 19 yet he felt as if he had aged a few hundred years. Oblivious to his pain, the people of Hong Kong went on with their lives around him.
"Excuse me, Li xian sheng," a young nurse hesitated but with a deep breath continued. "Sir, I'm sorry but Meiling was unable to pull through."
"I don't understand." It had to be a trick of his ears. A cruel joke. Meiling couldn't be de...After he had left Japan and returned to Hong Kong to take care of his family right, Meiling had been his companion. He hadn't wanted to marry her, but his mother wouldn't listen to him explain his love for Her. As time went on he had lost contact with his friends from Japan and Her. He grew into his role as Head of the Li Clan and while there was no love in his marriage there had been friendship.
"Your wife, Li xian sheng, is dead. We tried everything but she was just too weak. It was too early; we were also unable to save the child. We're sorry, Li xian sheng." The nurse bowed and left, eager to be away from the look in the young man's eyes.
Syaoran dropped into a chair and buried his head in his hands. Even that was taken from him. For the first time in eight years he wept, for what he lost and what could have been.
~*~*~
"New York, Sakura-san?" Her father, Fujitaka, looked at the sheet of paper in his hand. A worried frown creased his forehead. "I didn't even know you had applied to Columbia University."
Sunlight filtered in through an open window and drenched the room with summer light. Sakura sat across from her father and older brother, who was home visiting. "Honto ni gomen nasai, Otou-san. I would have told you...but I wanted to see if I could get in. You know it's been a dream of mine to study in America. My English is quite good. Please let me go."
"No way!" Touya shouted. " 'tou-san, we can't look after her in America. What if something happens to her?"
Fujitaka looked over his daughter. At 18 she was beautiful, a daughter any father would be proud of. She looked more like Nadeshiko every day with her long wavy hair and green eyes, but her hair color and agility was his, he thought proudly. He sighed, it was never easy for a father to let go of his precious little girl, he reasoned. Yet he knew his daughter was very good at English and it was a once in a life time opportunity.
" 'tou-san! You can't let her go. New York is dangerous first of all. And big!" Touya shook his head. "Yuki won't like it either. Nor will Tomoyo-chan or her other friends."
"Onii-chan, I'm 18 years old! This is what I want. Please let me go and be happy. Besides Kero-chan will come to protect me" tears pooled in her eyes.
"Oh right, like I'm going to rely on the stuffed animal to protect you. Not to mention my boyfriend will do his little transform thing and have a very pissed off Yue in his place."
"Onegai..."
"Touya-san. Sakura-san." Both turned their attention to Fujitaka. "Sakura-san, I'm going to let you go to Columbia. I wish you would go to school here in Japan, but I can see this is what you want. Touya-san, Sakura is nearly an adult, but I realize that to you she will always be your little sister. You can't always protect her. Sakura-san, call Daidouji-san and plan a shopping trip. You're going to need new clothes for your freshman year at Columbia University."
Sakura's mouth opened and closed a few times. "Hoe!? URESHIIIIII!!!" Sakura beamed and jumped up, throwing her arms around her father, then her brother. "Oh, domo arigato gozaimasu Otou-san to Onii-chan." And with a skip, she ran off to call Tomoyo.
Touya frowned and watched his sister. He might not be able to protect her but he could think of someone who could.
~*~*~
"I'm sorry Li-sama is unable to come to the phone" the maid spoke onto the phone with subdued tones.
Syaoran passed at the exact moment an angry voice shouted in Japanese. "It's important!" An angry, male voice that sounded familiar.
"Ming, it's alright I'll take it." he spoke in the same sad, exhausted voice he'd spoken in for the last three weeks, ever since Meiling's and his unnamed daughter's funeral. He took the receiver out of the maid's hand, and spoke, his Japanese a little rusty after so many years. "Moshi moshi? Li Syaoran desu. Dare desu ka?"
"Gaki? Kinomoto Touya desu." a pause and without much formality the irate man jumped into the point of his phone call to a person he was more than happy to see leave his sister's life long ago. "It's about Sakura-chan."
"Sakura-san?" Syaoran's chest constricted. He hadn't spoken her name in seven years, ever since he stopped calling her.
"Yes, Sakura-chan. She's moving to New York for school. I need someone to look after her, and I can't. I know once you cared for her, and as much as I hate you and dislike the idea of having to do this I need you to go after her."
Syaoran blinked back tears. What was with him lately, he was known for his lack of emotion in China's leading families and business corporation. And suddenly he turned into a watering pot. Why now? After so long...why did they call him now? "Touya-kun...she's going to America? I'm sorry... I can't, I'm in mourning."
"NANI!!" Syaoran pulled the phone away from his ear. "Mourning? Your mother? I'm so sorry."
"No, my wife."
"Wife?" the voice on the other end was like ice.
"Meiling. She...she died three weeks ago along with my child. It would not be appropriate to run after a child hood fancy."
"I'm sorry about that, we never knew...Sakura-chan never told us."
"Yes, well I never told her, that's why. Look, I live another life now...I can't just pack up and move over to NY to follow a girl."
"I always knew you were a cold bastard. I'm very sorry about what happened, but I know you never stopped caring for Sakura-chan." Syaoran could just picture Touya tearing something apart as he said this and he could feel the wave of hate radiating even over the phone. "Meiling-san is gone, but Sakura-chan isn't. If you can protect her, she leaves in September. I had a dream...something might happen to her. And I can't leave my business or Yukito, plus both 'tou-san and Yukito would never let me."
Syaoran closed his eyes, the faint clicking informing him that Touya had hung up. The irony of it was outstanding. That Kinomoto Touya of all people was asking him to look after his more precious than life baby sister. But he couldn't. Meiling's memory was fresh in his mind and heart, even if it had been a marriage of convenience she had been his wife and he couldn't disrespect her memory like that. But Touya was right, he never did stop loving Sakura and the day he married Meiling a part of him died. But New York City, Sakura would be alone in a dangerous city. What am I thinking, he thought. I can't it's wrong. Yet which means more to me? Her or duty?
"Lao ye?" Hovering at the edge of his vision was a concerned maid.
"It's alright Ming. Thank you." Syaoran replied automatically. He was also, he realized, jealous of Sakura. College. Something he wouldn't be able to do. No, he had to run the Clan, the company, and attend the meetings of Elders. His four sisters were worried about him, as was his mother, they said since Meiling was gone he was too serious about his position. What a joke. Of course he was serious, what did they want him to do, jump up and down and sing a little song? Unintentionally he killed his wife, by taking care of the sacred 'duty' to produce a male heir. Just once he would like to go to school like any other kid his age. For God's sake he was only 19 but he had the responsibilities of a man twice his age. No, he couldn't go to her, not even to protect her...he might be tempted to never return.
~*~*~
Sakura stepped off the plane at JFK airport. The flight had been long, but at last she was in New York! Pushing her hair out of her eyes she walked to the baggage claim and then outside to hail a cab. She was living her dream, with just Kero-chan and her cards. She had promised to call Tomoyo every night and Touya had made her promise to not do anything stupid and to call also. She was already homesick, but that would fade and with the phone and E-mail she would still be connected to them. What could go wrong?
---
So how was it? Should I continue? Don't worry in a few chapters it won't be so bleak, mainly focusing on Sakura....
---
Japanese and Chinese vocabulary used:
Otou-san: Father.
Onii-chan: Big Brother
Honto ni gomen nasai: I'm really sorry
Onegai: please
Hoe: a Sakura word. Used for any emotion ^^
Ureshi: Extreme happiness
Domo Arigato Gozaimasu Otou-san to Onii-chan: Thank you very much Father and Big Brother.
Moshi moshi: hello
Dare desu ka: Who is it.
Gaki: brat
Nani: what
Li xian sheng: Mr. Li
Lao ye: Sir
