Friend or Foe (con't)

Keetra:: Hi minna! I don't know if I ever gonna end this story. I having so much fun with it and you guys just keep me going with your reviews and ideas.

Syaoran:: hey Keetra, how about starting the chapter already.

Keetra:: boy, aren't you a grouch.

Syaoran:: you would be too if 3 people threatened to kill you. So now I have to leave Japan to come here so that they can't get at me.

Keetra:: yea it must be really had not being able to stare at Sakura all day.

Syaoran:: ::blushes really deep:: I didn't say that!

Keetra:: hehe. Whatever. Special arigatou to all who reviewed last chapter!

Night*shade:: YAY u finally back! I no, it was very sad chapter. I had some friends cry when they read it. I wanted to put a little more S+S sad stuff. I guess I went a little over board. ^_^;; R+R!

Azure Rosas:: what do you mean how could I end it there? it seemed a good place to end it. Gosh, now I got to guardians on sweets trying to get me and a knife being pointed at an unconscious Syaoran. Man, life is rough. You're a tough customer aren't you?

Angel Blossom:: don't worry, you're not the first and probably not the last who cried at that part. I still drive Alexandra-chan nuts wit the beep, beep beeeeeeeeep thing. She was there when I wrote that and she begged me not to put it. So, of course, I did. Thanks for telling me Tomoyo's full name. I dunno if Tomoyo gonna make another appearance though.

ChubbyBunny:: who you calling a fickie writing fool? I prefer a fickie writing baka, thank you very much! It's more accurate. ^_^

Suchi:: tell that to all the peeps out there who wanna kill Syaoran. If they do, they're gonna be the ones breaking up S+S. not me.

Alexandra-chan:: if you kill Li, then I gonna have Kate follow you around all day going beep, beep, beeeeeeeeep. U no she'd do it to. Hehe. So what u gonna do now. Huh?

Mitski:: I didn't? gomen nasi. I didn't no. I thought I had. I such a baka. Anywho. Stang and Stimp make their grand entrance, along with 3 other characters. Right now, I just trying to fit in all these characters that my friend is coming up with. So, not a lot is gonna happen any time soon. Hmmm. Make in suffering the mines? U right that do sound stupid, but I think I like the cleaning idea. Sakura can't really go with him to a mine, but cleaning the dorms could work. Thanx for the idea!

Sakura Kinomoto:: hey, I can kill ya if I wanna! That's what I love about writing fanfic! I can do what I want and you can't stop me! (yea, I'm a little hyper myself. I been hanging around Kero for too log.)

Japfan:: I couldn't think of any other card to stuff in a mail drop so I chose Dash. I like Dash a lot too. When Sakura goes back (if I don't kill her first) the cards will probably stay with Syaoran. I haven't really thought about it.

Pochacco:: nope. I aint gonna bring Sakura that I just killed back to life. Then the only thing of an ending that I actually have planed will be ruined. The Sakura of that dimension aint through yet. You think she just gonna sit back and let Syaoran and the other Sakura have all the fun? I DON'T THINK SO! Oh darn, I just spoiled part of the ending. And what kinda question is "is this dimension's Syaoran gonna help Sakura?"? no, he just gonna sit on the side with a bag of popcorn and some pom-poms! As far as the normal dimension Syaoran goes, well, I dunno. I do know that there is NOT gonna be two Syaoran's. that would be WAY too confusing for my small little brain to handle. Keetra (me!) kinda makes an entrance in this chapter again. Kinda. But not really. Am I confusing u yet? Just read and u'll understand when you get to it.

Keetra:: now to write! By the way, my ever so famous now friend has given me even more things to do with this fic. A) I may have a web site made totally for this fic! It will have pictures and the story on it, along with background information so that you can know even more about the new characters that I have added. They each have their own unique history but I can't put it all in the fic. B) at the beginning there's gonna be a little comical relief. Starting with the next chapter, a little mini-series concerning a chief chef in Stang's palace who always seems to walk in at the worst moments. ^_^;; R+R!!

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Chapter 7:: She's here!

Vinzer Stang takes another sip of wine from the gold, jewel-studded goblet held in hides claws. To most half-witted fools, he appears drunk. His glassy eyes and lopsided grin give the simple-minded this false impression. However, it is only an illusion. One that Stang prides himself for mastering and using to his advantage. It is dangerous to underestimate him, many a times, it is deadly. Many slaves have learned that lesson, only some lived to tell others. Stang smiles at the thought of all the simple minded fools who had dared to try and double-cross him. No one is better at that game than Vinzer Stang!

A rapping on the door interrupts his evil thoughts. He rearranges his position on his bed and pulls some of his short, dark hair away form his eyes.

"Enter, Stimp. (::ok. Just for the sake of my computer (and my sanity!) the long s thing only happens in thought speak. K? ::)

the door opens and a boy enters. He's not very old, probably, 14 or 15. His short, dirty-blonde hair looks like it just went through a noogie treatment. (::ever gotten one of those. I give them to my little bro all the time. Just put my fist on his head and rub my knuckles really hard on his scalp. His hair is always a mess afterwards.::) his eyes are a light, baby-blue color. His clothes are simple; a no-sleeve shirt, which is a light tannish color, and dark brown pants that are rolled up some at the ankles. On his feet are sandals a lot like the ones worn in ancient Greece. To finish the ensemble, he wears long, tan gloves which cut off right above his elbows and don't cover his fingers or thumb. Stimp walks over, kneels on both knees and bows until his forehead touches the carpet. Then he rises to one knee and looks up at his master.

"You sent for me, master?"

"Yes, I did Stimp. Is everything normal in my kingdom?"

"Mostly, master. To worker slaves were killed today."

Stang takes another sip of wine before responding.

"This does not please me."

Stimp bows his head in submission.

"Forgive me, my master."

"It is not your job to control death, Stimp. Only to inform me of it." ::pause:: "You are dismissed Stimp."

Stimp bows his head again in acknowledgement but makes no move to get up or leave. Stang looks at him in surprise and with slight annoyance.

"Is there more?"

"Yes, my master, there is. A slave was caught wandering through the graveyard after dorm hours by a patrol guard."

"Was the slave punished?"

"Yes, my master. He was whipped, then sent back to his dorm."

Stang takes another sip of wine.

"Do you have the slave's name?"

"According to the patrol guard, the slave's name is Li Syaoran.

~*~*~*~ (::speaking of which…::)

Sakura opens the door to Syaoran's dorm and steps inside. It's designed like a motel room, with two beds, a nightstand with a small lamp, two dressers and a closet. In the back is the kitchen/bathroom sink, with a door on the right leading to the toilet and a small shower. There is also a back door for slaves to put their trash, which is later taken away by the trash collecting slaves (::at least I didn't put Syaoran as that!::) to be disposed of.

Syaoran enters the dorm and shuts the door behind him, which automatically locks. Sakura sits at the end of one of the beds. Dash jumps off Sakura's shoulder and curls up into a ball at the top of the bed. Sakura notices this and smiles. Then she remembers Syaoran and acts like a worried mother. (::guys just hate it when we do that, don't they?::)

"Syaoran-kun, you should wash those cuts."

"I'll be fine. First, you need to get out of your school uniform before someone notices. Here." He walks over to the closet and hands her a set of clothes. "You can use these."

"Arigatou Syaoran-kun." Sakura goes into the bathroom to change. She comes out wearing an outfit identical to Syaoran's. It's a lot like Stimp's outfit except they don't have gloves. Sakura sits back on the bed and Syaoran helps her roll up the pants and strap on the sandals

"Now will you wash those cuts?" Sakura asks, glaring him straight in the eyes.

"All right, all right." Only for you Sakura-chan.

Syaoran walks into the bathroom and shuts the door. The sound of a running shower can be heard through the door.

Sakura looks around the dorm. There's not a lot to see. A couple pictures, deodorant, a hair brush, (::yes he does own a hairbrush. Whether he uses it or not, I don't wanna know! ^_^;; ::), and other things. Sakura notices a picture which has fallen over. Going over to the nightstand, she picks it up and looks at it. It's a tiny picture of her, like a doodle you'd make in a notebook or something. She's sitting at a desk, staring out the window at completely nothing. Sakura looks at the picture in shock.

Syaoran-kun drew a picture of me?

The sound of the shower stops. Startled, Sakura lays the picture back down where she found it and lays down on the bed.

(scratch, scratch)

Huh? Sakura sits up and listens, but the sound doesn't come again. I must've imagined it.

(scratch, scratch)

Sakura looks around. It sounded like it came from the back door! She gets out of bed and slowly walks to the back.

(scratch, scratch)

Sakura is now at the door, hesitating to open it. Her hand shakily unlocks the door, then turns the knob, making a small opening which she peeks through. She screams!

Outside is a creature that looks like a dog. Two angel-like wings are on its back and it has a furry, long mane, which is like a lion's mane but doesn't go all the way around the head, just on the back.

When Sakura screams, it turns around and runs a few paces then disappears into thin air. Syaoran rushes out of the bathroom and bangs into her. Sakura has stopped screaming but won't look at the back door, Syaoran grabs her shoulders and looks at her, very worried.

"Sakura-chan, what is it? What's wrong?" he asks her urgently.

"The-there's something out there." She points at the back door. Syaoran flings it open wide and walks through it, looking around.

"I don't see anything Sakura-chan.

Sakura walks out to look for herself. Sure enough, there is no trace of the creature she had seen earlier. Hard knocking is heard from the front door.

"What's going on in there? Open up!"

Syaoran goes back inside and unlocks the front door. It is pushed roughly open from the outside, knocking Syaoran back against the wall. Three guards barge into the room, two of them holding small handguns and the other carrying a whip. (:: don't worry, it not the same guy as bfore.::)

"What is going on in here?" the one with the whip demands, he seems to be in charge.

"Nothing sir. Everything is OK now."

"We heard screams" he says looking at Sakura then glancing suspiciously at Syaoran.

"Uh…my…sister had a…nightmare, sir."

The guards relax, slightly relieved that it was nothing more serious. The leader looks at Sakura.

"You alright now, miss?"

"Hai, sir."

The guards turn and walk out the door, which Syaoran starts to close after them.

"By the way…"

Syaoran opens the door again. One of the other guards had turned around.

"What's your sister's name?"

"Ano…Sa- Salena, sir. Li Salena." Man, I hope they don't check that!

The guard just nods and walks off. Syaoran closes the door which, again, locks. Both of them let out a huge sigh. Sakura sits down on the bed, completely relieved.

"Genki desuka, Sakura-chan?"

"Daijobou. Gomen ne, Syaoran-kun."

"For what?" Syaoran asks surprised.

"For causing you so much trouble."

"Don't worry about it."

Syaoran lies down on his back on his bed, and Sakura crawls under the covers in hers. (:: you know, maybe I should have only had one bed? Hmm. Must think of how to get rid of that second bed. ::) Syaoran reaches over and (::gives Sakura a goodnight kiss? (Syaoran:: in your dreams Keetra- chan!) but mostly in yours! Hehehe::) shuts off the light. Sakura begins to fall asleep.;

(scratch, scratch)

Oh no! Please just be a nightmare!

Sakura hears movement as Syaoran gets up and opens the back door. It is the same creature that Sakura had seen earlier. Syaoran does not seem surprised to see it.

"What took you so long?" Syaoran asks, annoyed.

"*Gomen Li Syaoran. Sakura screamed when I first arrived. I thought it best to wait until she had calmed down.*"

That voice! "Keetra-chan!" Sakura gets out of bed and heads for the back door but stops when she sees the creature. "Y-yo're not Keetra-chan, are you?"

The creatures eyes seem to glint mischieviously.

"*In a way I am, yet in a way I am not. *" she replies.

"I don't understand."

"* I am two beings in one. In my human form, I am known as Keetra. In this form, well, his name is Arcanemon. He has a hard time with saying things so I must speak for him. *"

Sakura is very confused.

"Can I just call you Keetra-chan?"

"* Sure. ::giggles:: I think that Arcanemon has come to the point where he responds to either name. *"

now that Sakura looks at Arcanemon, she doesn't seem so scared of him. His body fur is a pure white color, with a blood red mane and dark purple around the eyes, which are a light purple. His wings are an off-white color and remind her of Kero's wings.

Arcanemon turns and and looks at Syaoran. Though Keetra is speaking to him, she broadens the thought-speech so that Sakura can hear as well.

"* The Vinzer has been acting very nervous lately. He may have sensed Sakura coming here. Lay low for a while, try not to attract attention. If the Vinzer thinks that nothing is wrong, then his guard will be down. the only thing we have going for us is the element of surprise. I only hope that it can be enough. I must take my leave now. I shall return the next nightfall. Ja ne. *" Arcanemon bows slightly, then turns and runs a couple of paces before disappearing yet again.

~*~*~*~

Keetra:: and that's the end of the story. Minna! ::surrounded by reveiwers holding knives at Syaoran's throat.:: fine, fine. But I do have to warn you. The rating of this fic is going to drastically go up. Like to pg13 or around there. I don't exactly know how you'd rate a sex slave scene. Yet another one of the many characters I still have to add.

Syaoran:: can I go back to japan now?

Keetra:: whatever. ::snaps her fingers sending Syaoran to a timeline where dinosaurs still exist:: oops. Well, he didn't say which japan I shouldsend him to. Hehehe. Anybody wanna go after him? Anybody?

The next chapter will be up as soon as I can write it. Which I hope is soon. Things begin to get a little more interesting from here on. Especially with a little chef who keeps popping up. I gonna have a lot of fun with him. He's my little comic relief, cuz I seriously need one.

Thanx a lot to Alice who give me all these characters and drawing and just keeping me sane enough to write something halfway decent. ^_^ Ja ne!