Konnichiwa minna-san! Wai! Once again, gomen for the long wait. I've had a TON of other things to do, like Karate tournaments and kyu gradings. Now that that's over, I should be back to my usual wait until April (who know? That's just when the next Tournament is). Anyway, I've been working hard on my website and it should be up in another little while. Quite a lot is done, but it still needs work. For future reference, the URL is:
http://www.angelfire.com/anime3/shotojurei/index.html
Take a look later (probably by the next two chapters it should be pretty much complete) and tell me what you think!
Arigatos: To SakuraJade, Suga-chan & Tiana-chan, Lenna and Nelly, rach, The Clow Creator, mya, ~*Sakura Scout*~, Aya Mikage~*, Saiera, The Flower Child, Kingpin, and tj. YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST! *sniff* Wai!
Dedication: To SakuraJade, for being a great author and so thoughtful in letting me know when she's updated! To Lenna and Nelly for giving such original reviews! To Kingpin for sticking through with this story from the first! To sensei Yaguchi, for making our kyu gradings such an incredible experience! To sensei Bruce, Lewis, Marisol, and all the other karate-ka who make me look pathetic by comparison (hehe, it's true!). Also, to Colin Chin and Thomas Chin for making this last grading so interesting! You guys are great! Wai! And finally, last (but certainly not least!) to the faithful readers, who are the real driving force behind the story!
Disclaimer: I, sigh, DO I REALLY HAVE TO SAY THIS? Fine, hai hai, ok. I do not own Cardcaptor Sakura, Mortal Kombat (Trilogy or otherwise), Dragonball, Dragonball Z, Broken Sky, or anything else with a registered trade mark or logo. Instead, the lucky millionarea are CLAMP, Midway Entertainment, FUNimation, Chis Wooding, etc. Jurei-chan Takano only ownes some aspects of the storyline, and all the original characters (Yin, Xiu, Yao'Xi'Liu, Jun Fan, Shikoku *hai, I did name him after a Japanese island*, Ryushi *name stolen from Broken Sky, I must admit*, Asina, Kensu, Miroku, the Shadow Kami, Raiden *spelled as RAIDEN instead of RAYDEN*, and SYAORAN! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Yes, I snuck into the Kodansha and CLAMP HQ and stole him! I am open to all negotiations, minna! Hehe! Just kidding! I WISH I owned him, but alas, I'm not anywhere NEAR that lucky. Instead, I have to settle with writing ficcies. Oh, well, that's how this came about, ne?
Now FINALLY, after the long, long wait, CHAPTER ELEVEN!
The Tournament (When Worlds Collide)
A CCS Fanfic by Jurei-chan
Miroku stood in front of the mirror, inspecting his face. Along his cheek, running down to his jaw, was a thin, jagged cut. His eyes narrowed as his fingers brushed the open aperture. This would probably turn into a scar. And it was all thanks to that green-haired trouble-maker…
'He did this…his stupid fighter's gloved are edged with metal…'
"You'll pay for this one day, Kensu," he whispered to himself, "the day will come when you're stupid game-playing will get you so deeply into trouble that you won't be able to weasle your way out…"
********
"Kuro-sama…"
A soft hiss was all that was needed. The dark form in the shadows seemed to materialise out of nowhere, directly in front of the coal-black throne. The figure seated there nodded the tiniest of nods in aknowledgement. The dark form bowed deeply, it's deep red eyes, however, remained focused forward.
"What have you discovered?" the figure in the throne asked, it's voice a low mix of sounds that was almost indistinguishable from the silence and hum of machinery. It seemed that the other party could hear it well, however, as it's voice answered, seeming to come from all directions at once.
"They have sent two recruits in search of the dark dragon," it hissed, "Our spy has also uncovered that they know about the disappearances. It seems, however, that they do not know the connection between each."
Yao'Xi'Liu's lips curved in a cold, cruel smile. Noob Saibot was by far his most competent fighter, assassin, spy, and general all rolled into one.
"Alert the Shadow Kami that someone has dared to enter his realm." He said silkily, "As for them discovering the disappearances, that is of no concern. They will never figure out what we plan to do with them all."
Noob Saibot nodded briefly before melting back into the shadows.
Raiden's brother allowed himself a small chuckle.
"My, this will certainly be the most interesting Tournament yet…"
********
The girl sat in the dank cell, her nimble mind thinking up escape plan after escape plan. Each was tossed aside when she found faults that would definitely cost her her life. If only she had one more person with her, the chances would be thrown in her favour…
Her deep indigo eyes glowed briefly as a chill ran down her spine. Though the feeling had beenfleeting, there was no denying it. She knew to trust her instincts above all else. That was the main principle…if you wished to stay alive in the Core.
Something was going to happen.
Though she had no way of knowing what, she was certain that she was right. Sitting there in the darkness, the feeling came again, this time stronger than before.
Yin slipped her cloth mask on in anticipation. Now all that anyone would be able to see of her was her eyes. The rest of her face below them was shrouded in purple cloth, giving her a mysterious appearance. Twisting a strand of her dark purple hair, she crouched in the dark, waiting…
Waiting for whatever it might be that would ensure her freedom…
********
Syaoran's instincts were going haywire. At first, he hadn't noticed it, the gradual feeling of something not being quite right. The longer the feeling persisted, however, the stronger it became, until the Chinese warrior couldn't ignore it any longer. The chill he felt, the feeling of being watched…
"Jun Fan…" he whispered quietly, "we're not alone. Something else's after us…"
"I know…" Jun Fan answered, his eyes remaining forward, "don't give the impression that we're aware of their presence."
Syaoran nodded minutely. He fixed his gaze forward, but the feeling still persisted. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw something fade out of the shadows for an instant, but managed to convince himself not to check.
A bend in the pathway came up, edged in purple shadows given from the orangish glow. Both warriors turned the bend, walking cautiously through the darkness. Though the gloom only lasted about a minute, it seemed to stretch forever. Finally emerging from a particularly black spot, Jun Fan turned around to check on Syaoran, making sure that the younger fighter was untouched.
Much to his utmost shock, Jun Fan saw the green figure for only a second before he heared a short gasp of surprise, and the blackness seemed to swallow him back. Dashing back to help his companion, the red-clad youth's hand met with thin air. It was as if the shadows had consumed him entirely.
Suddenly, four black figures attacked. It was purely fighter's instincts that managed to save him from the first blows, but the shadows were incredibly and inhumanly fast. Jun Fan blocked as many attacks as possible, but their advantage soon began to show. At last, one of them managed to strike the youth on the back of the head, making him slip quickly into inky blackness.
********
The room around was dark, only illuminated by a white stone that glowed with a pale light. Syaoran groaned as he gained consiousness, touching his head briefly before moving his hand away. The pain was dull and throbbing. All he could really remember was seeing Jun Fan up ahead, then being swallowed by blackness...
Wait a minute…room?
Observing his surroundings, the young fighter was puzzled.
'Where in Kami-sama's name am I?' he thought to himself. He noticed that the bed was slightly comfortable, but not extremely so. Besides the door that he could now make out, a small window was the only other exit. Presently, wooden slats covered it, but it was a window nonetheless.
Standing up, Syaoran made his way to the door and tried to turn the handle. As he expected, it was locked. Walking over to the window, he managed to pry one of the slats away and look out. His breath caught in his throat as he observed the long and painful-looking fall to the ground. The sides of the building in which he was housed were coal black.
'I'm in the tower…' he realised, 'but why?'
Searching his person, the youth discovered that he had most everything of what he had in his posession, with exception to his father's sword. Reaching into one of the pockets, he pulled out the protective tube containing the Incomplete Scroll. Taking the talisman out, he chanted the incantation once again.
"Ancient forces of our past and future
Show us the way of Courage and Truth
Let Light and Drakness unite in the Balance
Now! I, the Master, command you!
RELEASE THE SPIRIT WITHIN!"
The scroll glowed with the brilliant golden light once again, which gathered in Syaoran's hand. The energy arrow pointed through the door, becoming brighter.
'Well, the dark Dragon is definitely here,' he thought, stowing the scroll, 'Now the only thing standing in my way is how to get it, and where to find Jun Fan.'
Taking out another tube from his pack, Syaoran unrolled the parchment held inside. It was a picture of a girl, her honey-auburn hair blowing gently in the breeze, a beautiful smile upon her face (remember Tomoyo's picture?) as her emerald eyes seemed to glisten in the darkness with a life that many would have deemed impossible.
The young warrior sighed wistfully. At least he still had some reminder of her…
'Sakura,' he thought, 'I wonder what she's doing now? At least she's safe…'
With this last thought, Syaoran returned to the bed and lay down, falling asleep almost immediately.
********
Yin came alert as the door to her cell creaked open. Taking the opportunity offered, she stood up and was about to burst through, hoping to surprise the guard, when a large, oddly-shaped thing was slung in through the doorway, hitting the girl and landing them both at the back of the cell. The door then closed, leaving her, once again, without opportunity.
Shaking her head dazedly in order to clear it, the purple-clad female turned her attention to the object that had been so unceremoniously thrown into her space. With a gasp, she realized that it was a person. Her curiosity gained her better judgement, and she began to observe the other entity with interest.Presently unconsious, the youth was obviously a fighter. From what the female warrior could tell in the gloomy light, his whole presence gave that impression, from the crimson battle uniform to the strong and muscular limbs. Yin noticed that he also had a strong and determined face, edged by a shock of black spiky hair which was tied back in a cloth headband.
Suddenly, he began to stir. The girl watched as he opened his eyes, revealing them to be a yellow amber colour that sharply contrasted with his other aspects. They focused, meeting her own deep indigo ones as he gained realization of his surroundings. Suddenly becoming fully aware, he jumped to his feet, landing in fighter's stance.
"Who are you?" he asked, his voice dripping mistrust and suspicion.
"A prisoner, like you." She answered, holding his gaze with her own. She had found at an early age that eye contact was the best way to convince others of your words.
He sized her up, observing her every detail. Standing at her full height, she couldn't have reached further than his shoulder. Her slight, muscular figure was clad in a tight purple costume which hugged her curves gracefully. She wore deep brown leather boots which came up to her lower hip, as well as cloth wrist bands around her forearms. The costume looked like a tight tunic, slit at the sides to her waist, fastened at her middle by a brown sash. Her deep purple hair was tied back in such a way that half of it was free, flowing loosely down her back.
Jun Fan relaxed slightly, still not completely trusting the girl he saw in front of him. She was quite pretty, he had to admit, but appearances could be deceiving.
"Where is this place?" he asked at last, shoving aside his thoughts for the moment.
"This is Asai, the Shadow Kami fortress," answered Yin, "we are presently in the dungeons. But not for long."
"What do you mean, 'Not for long'? " asked Jun Fan critically. He had a feeling that this had to do with him somehow.
"We're going to escape. And you're going to help me do it."
The young warrior could barely believe his ears.
"W-Wait a minute, I never said I was going to help you!" he interjected.
"Do you really see another option at the moment?" she asked, "It's the only smart thing to do. -That is, if you don't want to be fed to the Kublaichira."
Jun Fan felt his stomach sink. The barely pronouncable word didn't sound too promising.
"Ok. Fine, I'll help." he replied to her comment, "What do we do?"
********
"Sakura…"
Sakura could hear her name being whispered softly. Someone was calling her…
Rising to her feet, she followed the whispers out the door. The Enkyuuku that usually lit the passages were not there. Instead, the halls were lit by torches. Shadows lengthened around the flickering light, giving the by-now-familiar corridors an unusual feel. Twisting and turning, they led her farther and farther away from her brightly lit room, until she could no longer distinguish her location any more than she could fly a dragon.
She suddenly stopped as the answer came to her. Dragons…
'But, they can communicate with humans?' she questioned herself, testing her thoughts, 'And if so, why me and not Húmi or Ryushi?'
Sakura…
The whisper came louder, with more urgency. The young warrioress increased her speed, following the call at a faster pace. Something told her to hurry…
Without warning, she broke into a run. The walls passed her by, undistinguishable from each other. Her dizzying flight continued until she finally emerged in a cavern which she had never seen. She highly doubted that it was even part of the Lookout. The ceiling was lost in darkness, and the edges of the room were not visible. Ionly her immediate area was lit, seeming as if the light was coming from herself. With uncanny certainty, Sakura walked out into the unknown, making her way in a straight line.
The cavern then burst into light, so bright that everything else was lost in the whiteness. Surprisingly, she could still see, not having to shelter her eyes from the glare. Path uninterrupted, Sakura continued forward.
A figure began to emerge from the light, stark against the brightness. It became larger and larger as she neared it, finally revealing itself to be an enlarged version of the dragon talisman she wore around her neck.
Sakura… it called to her, the soft hiss wrapping her in an incredible feeling of peace. The female fighter reached out, touching the golden scales.
What is it you want from me, Shenryao? She asked in a soft, sleepy voice.Her eyes were partly closed, the soothing emotion affecting them making her feel slightly light-headed. The echoes issued sent her floating off into serene tranquility.
Like liquid gold, the dragon began to uncoil from the golden circle. Finally, it came before Sakura, majestically large and glowing, radiating incredible strength and serenity. Its pure white eyes fixed solidly on her jade green ones as it's voice reverberated through her entire being when it spoke.
Sakura…Shiroi no Tenshi, your time has come…
Sakura looked at the dragon in confusion. What do you mean? She asked softly, fearing the worst.
Though she couldn't be sure, she thought that Shenryao might have laughed softly (she didn't really know if dragons laugh, ne?) The sound made her feel warm.
No, it isn't your time to leave this world, he hissed, the time has come for you to fulfill the role for which you were born, to protect your world from the Side of Evil and the greater force behind it.
The cardmistress pondered the dragon's words for a while. So there is another force behind the Side of Evil? She finally asked.
Yes, Shenryao answered, the evil has deeper roots than any of you realize. Merely defeating them in this tournament will not save your world. You must finish things. For good.
Sakura looked at the dragon, turning the new information over in her mind. Is that the purpose of the Double Dragon? She asked, her eyes riveted on the gleaming creature.
The Double Dragon will merely allow you and the warrior-son of the Fast Tiger to unite the fragmented powers of the Counter. It will also awaken the hidden powers you both hold within you. Was the answer she received.
At the mention of Syaoran, her heart sped slightly, though she couldn't understand why. 'Hoe?' she thought, confusion showing openly on her face, 'Why am I reacting like this? He's only a friend…partial friend…and it isn't like he'd ever like me back…Hoe?'
Once again, she thought Shenryao might have laughed. It seems that you are at an indecision, he said kindly, a surprisingly soft expression crossing his features.
Sakura decided not to continue on the subject. What must we do once we have the powers of the Double Dragon within our posession? She asked instead.
That you will have to discover on your own. I will, however, leave you a clue…
The young fighter listened closely as the voice of the dragon echoed around her. The form before her began to grow hazy, as if a gauze cloth was slowly being layered in front of it. The sound began to grow fainter, finally becoming echos.
As the force has been broken, and must be made whole
So must you become one with that which you hold as both gift and curse
Your fate is what you choose to make it, two paths of indecision
Unite the dark and light within to seal away the realm from the threat which you seek to protect it from
Remember my words when the Changeling reveals his true form…
May you find that which you seek deep inside…
Remember……………
And Sakura was slowly floated through the whiteness, the misty feeling, the light images, only to-
THWUMP!
She sat up, rubbing her head. Looking at her surroundings, she saw that she was on the floor of the girls' quarters, amidst a tangle of sheets.
'So that was the misty feeling…' she thought.
Blinking, she stood up and unwrapped herself from the sheets. Replacing them on the bed, the young Clow Mistress gathered her clothes and headed for the showers, figuring that since she was up so early, she might as well take advantage of the situation. Humming quietly to herself as she went, the Enkyuuku glowed happily in their holders as she passed.
Feeling the water wash over her being, Sakura thought bck to her dream, and found out that she couldn't remember it at all. The few details which she could recall slipped away from her as smoothly as the flowing water of the shower. No matter how much she tried to grasp them, they slipped through her fingers and disappeared until she was left with only a vague sense that she had learned something of importance in the realm of sleep.
********
^^Yup, that's it for this enstallment! Gomen if theis chapter was boring and not really worth the wait. The thing with the most relevance, I guess, was the meeting of Yin (more about her in later chapters). Tough it's not very noticeable, some ground work was laid down, but you'll have to look carefully to find it. In the next chapter, There will be a small for-fun contest in which you guys sift through the lines and tell me which ones I used from Mortal Kombat. Anyway, that's all for now! Ja ne minna! ~Jurei-chan
End-of-Chapter notes:
~Kensu was working on a new weapon for use by the Side of Good in the last chapter, a sort of disappearing smoke bomb, if you will. That is part of his fighters' equipment now, along with his metal-edged gloves (heck, I dono why he wears metal-edged gloves! I guess he just likes to do dangerous stuff ^^) and goggles (for obvious reasons, ne?)
~Kwaihu's sword DOES contain special abilities, though they aren't used that much because they require so much energy to work (Kwaihu could probably afford it, being one of the strongest fighters alive and all). It can use elements (like Syaoran's Ofuda) without having to use the papers. The carrier can also store magical energy inside it.
~Yes, Kensu is insane. Yes, he is Asina's twin brother (though they look NOTHING alike), yes, his hair is naturally spiky (I dono about green, though), and yes, he is one of my favourite characters. He's wacky, zany, and unbelievably carefree. What's not to like?
~A pun joke is a joke that relies on double meanings of a word or similarities in sound in order to be funny; a play on words to be exact. (ex: Q: What did Tennessee? A: The same thing that Arkansas or Q: What did the carpet say to the floor? A: I gotcha covered)
~Sakura got her mother's iron fans in order to replace hers. (read chapter 5) they have special abilitles too, like sending out energy waves, etc. I got the idea rfom MK, as I LOVE KITANA, AND HER WEAPONS ARE COOL!
~Kero went back to sleep in the Clow Book as it's guardian
ULT
Kensu's Corner
Hai hai, it's time for Kensu's Corner again! Arigato to everyone who submitted jokes! I try to use all of them, if possible, except if they're repeats, in which case I will use the one I received first!
Fot this week, MORE BLONDE JOKES! (onegai, blonde readers, don't take offense!)
~*
~Three blondes walk into a building. Beats me, I would've guessed one of them would have seen it.
~*
Q: How do you drive a blonde insane?
A: Put her in a circular room and tell her to go sit in the corner.
~*
Q: How do you drown three blondes in a submarine?
A: Knock on the door.
~*
Q: Why did the blonde get thrown out of the M&M factory?
A: Because she threw away all the W's
~*
A blonde is driving along on a road, swerving like crazy. Finally, a police officer stops her and gert her to pull over. "Ma'am," he says, "Are you aware that you were swerving across the road, not only blocking traffic in your own lane, but cutting off people in the other?"
"Oh, yes!" she answers, "but you see, all these trees keep popping out of the ground, and I'm swerving to avoid them!"
The cop takes a good look in the lady's car before speaking.
"Uh, ma'am, that's your air freshener."
~*
A blonde is speeding along in her red convertible on a country road, when she sees another blonde in the middle of a field, rowing a boat and getting nowhere. The blonde in the car stops her vehicle and jumps out, at the same time yelling at the blonde in the field.
"It's blondes like you that give us other blondes a bad name!" she cries, "If I could swim, I'd come out there and kick your ass!"
~*
Hope you enjoyed the jokes! Wai! Please, send me more! It's great to get help on this section, as I only have so many jokes that are actually funny (that is to say, not pun jokes). Well, Ja till next time! ~Jurei-chan