Sincerity to the Cherry Blossom 5
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.
****
The rumours about Makoto being the Karate Maniac in her current school began to buzz around like a swarm of angry bees among the Tomoeda High students. Everywhere she went from different classrooms and various hallways there were at least three staring faces passing her. Somehow or another, Makoto felt as though she was back in the past, in her first school – before she came to Juuban High.
Maybe it was someone from Juuban High who wanted to purposely ruin her adolescence as much as possible to provoke Makoto and get into trouble like she claimed she was. She wasn't sure who was doing this or who hated her guts like hell but it was really ticking her off inside and out.
Makoto actually thought the peers who went to the same school as her would have more sense while they grew up over these years. She thought they would at least have common sense that bullying someone was something so not worth doing in the first place. There had to be at least one person who was in this training course that spread the nasty gossip about her past. Whoever it was that did this was going to be VERY sorry. Makoto could feel the determination burn in her hands as she listened attentively to the history teacher speak and write on the whiteboard altogether.
She banged her fists on the table to push away the aggression between her fingers. Students who sat in front of her slanted their heads backward to see what was the problem. Even the teacher stopped writing to interestingly look at the new student sitting in the middle row. Something's bothering her Touya thought suspiciously. His desk was two spaces back from Makoto and he could see her back hunch uncomfortably from his seat.
He guessed that she was still a little unsettled here because of the rumours flying around about her and that she needed more time to stay focused. After all it was her first day. Maybe the rumours will go away once everyone sees she wasn't that bad as the gossip said she was. Touya wasn't concerned about how accurately negative the rumours were. What he wanted to know most importantly was what Makoto wanted with his younger sister.
She may want to take advantage of Sakura's magical powers and use them for a bad purpose. Like get revenge on people who upset her. OK so she may have a temper like Touya did at times but there was no need to have to make use of anger for such a personal matter, was there? Surely Makoto wasn't like that in real life. Why couldn't any of his peers ask her about her cooking? Didn't they know she was training at Chez Nori along with the other Juuban High School students? Or did they all hate her because of who she was?
Thank God the end of lesson bell rung in the air to cut off the global staring. Everyone quickly packed their books inside their bags. Touya and Yukito caught up with Makoto who accidentally huffed out an angry 'What' in exclamation. The rude reply made the two best friends jump and she instantly apologised to them.
"Can't stand the gossip," Makoto added, "I wish I knew who did this. And when I do I'll…" She realised she was speaking loudly and was about to explain her plan of action on the culprit who selfishly spread news on her character. "I'll give him a lecture. Yeah one LONG lecture!" Now that sounded less aggressive and more polite, didn't it? It had no connection to punching or kicking till they had a black eye on their cheek or a bleeding nose. A simple confrontation was what she said she would do. Though it sounded unlikely for someone like her. Violence was usually the answer.
"Hey give it time. I'm sure other people in our year won't bother you as much once they get to know you," Yukito insisted. Wow he was being nice again. Why did he always have a gentle smile in bad moments?
"I'll go talk to the other Juuban students. They could have been the ones who spread the gossip in the first place…I'll behave don't worry," Makoto said when she saw Touya frown and assumed she would beat them up behind the teacher's back. "I'll see you around, ok?" She left without hearing Touya and Yukito ask where she was going. They wouldn't know what lesson she had next. Then again she could take care of herself. Hey she was the karate maniac.
****
"Hello?" Sakura called as she closed the front door. No answer came for five minutes. It looked like her father wasn't home yet and neither was Touya. Probably talking to Yukito and that new Makoto girl. Sakura bit her lip when she saw the tall figure of Makoto in her head. Even though she had a lovely smile, the cherry blossom couldn't help feeling a little agitated when she thought about her. And Sakura only met her this morning at break.
How weird did that feel? Also, how could she explain about the sharp pain in her head during the afternoon? Tomoyo told her to go to the medical room straightaway but Sakura lied repeatedly to her best friend, telling her she was fine when in fact she really wasn't. It was a relief to find it was the end of school for today. Sakura could rest for an hour then get ready to make dinner until Touya and Fujitaka come home later on.
She found Kero-chan sitting by the window, NOT playing games this time. Now that was a new thing for Sakura to discover. Kero-chan was either in the kitchen scoffing dessert to playing aggressively on Sakura's console.
"Hi, Kero-chan," She said softly. Kero-chan turned its little furry body from the window and smiled when he saw the new Mistress of the Clow Cards standing by her bedside. Her sweet face appearing in a grim colour as she sat down slowly.
"What's wrong, Sakura? You look tired," Kero-chan asked. Sakura pouted and brought her knees up to her chin. Kero-chan flew next to her left shoulder, patting it comfortingly to hope it would make her feel any better.
"I had a vision this afternoon…and it hurt my head," Sakura said silently. Kero-chan looked at her blankly and replied, "What vision?" The eleven-year old girl shrugged her shoulders uncertainly and rubbed her temples soothingly. "I felt such a powerful force nearby. A-and I'm positive it isn't Clow Reed because…"
"I would have felt it too and so would Yue," Kero-chan finished for her with a good guess. She nodded agreeably, not sure what else to explain. The rest of the vision came back to her and she then found her mouth going on in more detail to the guardian beast. She mentioned about the magical and physical strength from the mysterious figure that was attacking against an invisible opponent. Sakura was sure it was a female who fought against the unknown enemy.
A female who more likely possessed thunder magic and immense strength in hand to hand combat. Meilin was a good fighter but she was nowhere as tall or had magical powers like this fighter had. Sakura wasn't able to see the colours of the female fighter's clothes though she could see the outline appearance. A short skirt with a short sleeved shirt. The outfit was so tight and short, it could show off the girl's figure exquisitely.
"I wonder why this female warrior came into a vision," Sakura said, "Does she know me?"
"There's a possibility," Kero-chan replied, "This afternoon I also felt something strong – just like how you told me."
"Kero-chan what if this is my new enemy? I…I don't know if I would be strong enough to beat it!" The Clow Cards Mistress' hands shook uncontrollably in apprehension and anxiety. She was never this worried in her entire life. When trying to turn the Clow cards into Star cards Sakura had been taking so many risks to face off the strange occurrences that were caused by Eriol, the reincarnation of Clow Reed. All this was merely a test to help Sakura change the Clow cards into Star cards but it sure as hell was dangerous as well as difficult.
Sometimes I wonder if I'm too young to be risking my life Sakura thought sadly Then again…how many times have I risked Tomoyo, Syaoran, Touya and Yukito from being hurt?. The doorbell rang downstairs and that caused Sakura to jump off her bed to wake her up. Kero-chan also gasped in surprise when he heard the interruption. That had to be either Touya or Fujitaka. Sakura had completely forgot to prepare dinner as well while explaining to Kero about her painful vision at school.
"Coming!" Sakura answered, putting on an apron before reaching to the door handle. "Sorry, I forgot to prepare dinner. I was tired and…" Her green eyes grew enormously as she stood by the doorway. She could see it wasn't her brother or her father. It was someone she knew. Someone she thought she would never see in so long. Sakura couldn't control the burning in her cheeks or the slowly forming tears. "S-S-Syaoran?"
"Hi, Sakura," Li Syaoran waved his hand in one gesture, smiling sweetly at her. Sakura hadn't seen his handsome features in so long. Syaoran still had the shaggy brown hair and the dark eyes she loved staring at. He even blushed in the same way as before. He wasn't able to say anything else when he let Sakura into his arms tightly. She suddenly began to cry and it was hard to pick out what she wanted to say to him.
Syaoran held her and didn't say anymore. He saw Kero-chan floating by the door, expecting the guardian beast to flash an insult to him. Instead Kero didn't bother and just nodded to him.
"I came to see you, Sakura-chan," Syaoran said and gently let Sakura out of his embrace, held her right hand and escorted her back inside. After what happened before, Syaoran went back to Hong Kong for he thought Sakura wouldn't need him anymore. Though today it seemed like she had never wanted him to leave at all.
He loved her and she loved him. What more could be explained? Kero-chan could now understand why Sakura wanted him and perhaps Touya to get to know Syaoran a bit more or give him more of a chance. Kero-chan was a little too sceptic to actually be friendly towards the Chinese boy because of his earlier attempts to be a better Card Captor than Sakura. Now that Sakura was the Clow Card Mistress there wasn't anything he could do but respect her. From expanding on that respect Syaoran had grown to care, protect and in fact love Sakura with all his heart.
Sakura was always grateful for Syaoran's aid in capturing the Clow Cards and helping her change them later on. It was no surprise she didn't want to lose contact with him. He was more than her friend and partner. Inside the living room Sakura had wiped her tears away to serve Syaoran some leftover cherry cream cake she bought from Chez Nori, much to Kero-chan's horror at seeing his new dessert being given to the guest.
"I arrived in Tomoeda an hour ago," Syaoran stated, "I felt something very strange going on around here. Almost as powerful as Clow Reed's magic."
"So did we," Sakura replied.
"I…I was worried about you, you know. I had to persuade mother to let me come back to Japan. I was surprised she understood my reason."
The Cherry Blossom blushed slightly, "Really?" He nodded and also blushed deep red. "Oh Syaoran! Thank you." He let out a gasp as she moved to hug him again affectionately. She didn't want to talk anymore. She was just glad to see an old face come back into action like the old days. His reason for coming back to Tomoeda was obvious. Not only to see Sakura but also to help her against this new magical force.
Well it seemed like a good time to use this opportunity to have returned right about now actually. Because outside came an innocent scream. Sakura and Syaoran ran to the doorway to see what was going on. Who or what was outside? A girl about the age as Sakura was on the ground, covering her head from a strange looking demon standing above her vulnerable body. It sure looked ugly. Its bright blue skin, zombie white orbs and black claws made the girl scream louder and louder each minute.
What was that thing? Sakura and Syaoran nodded to each other, knowing they had to help this victim straightaway. Magical or supernatural, it wouldn't matter. They were the only ones who could help this person fight against the strange being.
"It's definitely not Clow Reed," Kero-chan observed the monster," Be careful."
"We will," Sakura and Syaoran ran into the middle of the road, a few inches away from where the monster stood against the unknown girl. This was something neither one of them had ever come across. Syaoran had his sword ready and Sakura held out her Star staff in preparation. Their presence caught the monster's eye and it moved away from its victim.
"What is that?" Sakura asked.
"It has to be a sort of monster," Syaoran guessed, "I've never seen this kind before. I've read books on myths and legends back in Hong Kong but nothing has this description…" He rolled out of the way just in time as the demon charged at them. Syaoran raised his sword to prepare a strike but saw Sakura hadn't moved at all. She was standing there, unsure on how to react.
"Sakura-chan!!" Syaoran screamed. Sakura couldn't move as the demon ran towards her instead. She had to get out of the way!
TBC.