I'm so sorry to everyone who's been reading this story, but I've been
having technical problems- my laptop crashed, literally. That was the
noise it made when it fell off my bed and onto the floor. It's lying
broken in the corner as we speak *tear*. However, I did manage to get my
hands on a computer just this morning, so I promise to work diligently on
this chapter until I get it out, which will be tonight! Screw homework and
Golden State exams! Well, here goes
nothing…
***DISCLAIMER*** I don't own CCS, and if you sue me, you can't even have my laptop! It's broke!! I'm willing to forfit text books though…
Oh, P.S. to all you- check out my other story, Skys Fall Down if you're in the mood for a realistic drama. I mean realistic as in it could actually happen… just read the summary and you'll see…
*******
"Syaoran!!" Sakura never knew her voice could go that high. In fact, she was almost sure everyone in the Li household and heard her outburst, but there wasn't time to worry about that. "What happened to you?" She demanded, coming to a skidding stop at the side of his bed.
He opened his eyes slowly and turned so his they meet hers, moaning softly when he had to rotate his body. "It's nothing, Sakura, don't worry." Syaoran replied with a surprising calm. His eyes even disguised the pain he had to be feeling.
"How can you call this nothing?" She demanded angrily, gesturing at his bloody back. "Please tell me, Syaoran-kun."
Sighing, he gave in. "It was my punishment for not completing my task."
Sakura took a seat on the bed next to him, "What, exactly, was your punishment?" She wondered softly.
Syaoran could tell from the tone of her voice that she was blaming herself for getting him in trouble because she was the task. "It's not your fault, Sakura." He told her, "And my punishment was… well, twenty lashes with no treatment for twenty-four hours and… I have to continue my training."
Training… the exact thing that had started this whole mess in the first place. Sakura bit her lip and stood up, "I'll be right back, don't move." She instructed, walking out of his room and into her own, returning quickly with the Sakura Cards and her wand, fully extended.
"What are you doing?" He demanded as she opened it and shuffled through the book.
"I'm going to heal your back, if I can find the right card." She replied absently, half distracted by her search.
Syaoran managed to push the book closed with much effort. Sakura looked at him curiously. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, but this is part of my punishment." He told her quietly, "This time tomorrow I can go to the elders and they will heal it, but not before then. If I do, they'll just repeat my punishment, probably increasing the sentence."
She sat back down beside him, looking like she was at a loss, torn between wanting to help him and not wanting him to be hurt again. "No magic?"
"No magic." He replied sadly. Syaoran would have gladly let her use the cards on him, just so that look would leave her face.
A determined look suddenly crossed her face and she nodded, "No magic." Sakura repeated again, getting to her feet once again and leaving the room, coming back with an armful of medical supplies. Back at his side, she opened a brown bottle and warned, "This might hurt…" as she began removing the dried blood from his back. It did sting, but the pain was off-set by her hand resting gently on his shoulder.
Minutes passed in silence as Sakura worked diligently on cleaning his wound. Suddenly, she stopped and asked cautiously, "You're going to have to start training again?"
"I won't let the same thing happened that happened before." Syaoran assured her, "I promise, nothing will change."
Nodding, she continued her nursings. "I can't help thinking, maybe it would be better if I went back to Japan. You'd be in a lot less trouble… The elders don't seem to like me…"
"No." He turned so he was facing her, despite the pain, and sat up.
"Syaoran! You're going to hurt yourself!!" She scolded.
"Not until you listen to me." He replied seriously, "You can't let the elders intimidate you. And you can't go back to Japan and pretend like nothing ever happened, I won't let you. The only way to solve this is to prove to the elders that there are consciousness for messing with the Card Mistress. I realize it won't make everything that has happened go away, but it needs to be done. You're strong, Sakura, I know you are. You can do this."
She smiled weakly and gently pushed him back onto the bed, rubbing off the last spot of dried blood before applying an ointment and clean, white bandage. I'm not worried about me though. She thought to herself sadly, It's you, Syaoran, that I'm worried about.
"Here, I'm done." She replied as she tied the last strip of gauze into place. Sakura helped him sit up then took a seat next to him on the bed. , "Do you feel any better?"
"You're too nice, I don't deserve you as a friend." Syaoran replied seriously.
Sakura just smiled at the comment, "Let's not get started on gratitude, because… well, let's just not." She laughed again. "You should rest some, Syaoran-kun."
"And what are you going to do while I rest?"
Her face sobered, "I was going to talk with the elders."
"Your crazy." He exclaimed, "I'm not going to let you talk to them by yourself." They'll rip her to shreds…
"How else will I gain their respect?" Sakura wondered seriously.
He was stumped as far as an answer to that, but he still wasn't about to let her go by herself. "I'm going with you."
"I was afraid you'd see it that way." She replied, looking torn again. Sighing, she removed something from her pocket. "I'm sorry, Syaoran-kun. Sleep well."
From her hand appeared a card, the sleep. Softly she whispered to it and before Syaoran could react, his eyes felt heavy and they began to drop. Seconds later her was sound asleep.
********
To say that Sakura was nervous was an understatement. She was literally shaking as she walked down the corridors. The console hall was steps away, and she stopped outside the door to gain her composure. It's no big deal she told herself just think of it as facing a room full of angry Syaorans. Sakura shuddered at that thought, On the other hand, just think of it as facing the Li-clan elders.
She raised a hand to knock on the door, but before her hand even touched the wood, a voice called out, inviting her inside. "Enter, Card Mistress."
Sakura did just that, stepping carefully into the room and examining the men around her. The crowd was slightly bigger than the time earlier that day when she had been in that room, but it didn't really make any difference. Like Syaoran had said, she had to make sure they knew who they were messing with.
"We are glad to see you, Card Mistress." One man spoke, "We have a proposal for you."
That shocked her, she hadn't even said a word yet. That was probably a good thing, since she hadn't been altogether sure what she was going to tell them. "What might that be?"
"You're worried about the well-being of young Xiao-Lang, true?" He inquired and Sakura felt her blood run cold. Could they read minds…
"You are." A second assured her, "And as it happens, he isn't needed here as much as he was in the past. To date, he still is our best candidate for clan leader, but not by much."
"If you complete our task." A third spoke, "Then he shall be freed from all his deities to this clan and be allowed to do what he pleases."
Was that really a good idea? What if Syaoran wanted all his responsibility? "What if that's not what he wants?"
"Then he can decide for himself when the time comes." The first elder replied.
Sakura meet his eyes, "I'm doing anything that will hurt anyone else."
"You don't have to." He replied, "No innocent will be hurt. Do you accept?"
"I don't know what you're asking." She said, slightly frustrated.
"That is part of the task. Do you agree or not?"
I know I'm going to regret this… "I agree."
He nodded in satisfaction. "Very good." He barked out an order in rapid Chinese and a side door opened. Fuutie walked solemnly into the room, followed by her sisters. They bowed, all at the same time, then waited for orders.
"Take the Card Mistress, prepare her for her task."
Fuutie nodded, walking towards Sakura and putting an arm around her shoulder. "Come, Cherry-blossom." She whispered, ushering her out of the room.
Once the girls had left, the elders exchanged glances. "Shall we commence preparations?" Wondered an elder.
The head elder nodded, "Indeed. "
Sorry, that was bit short, but I got it out, ne? I need reviewers to tell me, do you want a happy or sad ending, cause I'll tell ya, I have an awesome ending in mind, but it's not exactly 'happily ever after'. If I get ne reviews, well, you'll be stuck with that. But seriously, R+R!!
nothing…
***DISCLAIMER*** I don't own CCS, and if you sue me, you can't even have my laptop! It's broke!! I'm willing to forfit text books though…
Oh, P.S. to all you- check out my other story, Skys Fall Down if you're in the mood for a realistic drama. I mean realistic as in it could actually happen… just read the summary and you'll see…
*******
"Syaoran!!" Sakura never knew her voice could go that high. In fact, she was almost sure everyone in the Li household and heard her outburst, but there wasn't time to worry about that. "What happened to you?" She demanded, coming to a skidding stop at the side of his bed.
He opened his eyes slowly and turned so his they meet hers, moaning softly when he had to rotate his body. "It's nothing, Sakura, don't worry." Syaoran replied with a surprising calm. His eyes even disguised the pain he had to be feeling.
"How can you call this nothing?" She demanded angrily, gesturing at his bloody back. "Please tell me, Syaoran-kun."
Sighing, he gave in. "It was my punishment for not completing my task."
Sakura took a seat on the bed next to him, "What, exactly, was your punishment?" She wondered softly.
Syaoran could tell from the tone of her voice that she was blaming herself for getting him in trouble because she was the task. "It's not your fault, Sakura." He told her, "And my punishment was… well, twenty lashes with no treatment for twenty-four hours and… I have to continue my training."
Training… the exact thing that had started this whole mess in the first place. Sakura bit her lip and stood up, "I'll be right back, don't move." She instructed, walking out of his room and into her own, returning quickly with the Sakura Cards and her wand, fully extended.
"What are you doing?" He demanded as she opened it and shuffled through the book.
"I'm going to heal your back, if I can find the right card." She replied absently, half distracted by her search.
Syaoran managed to push the book closed with much effort. Sakura looked at him curiously. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, but this is part of my punishment." He told her quietly, "This time tomorrow I can go to the elders and they will heal it, but not before then. If I do, they'll just repeat my punishment, probably increasing the sentence."
She sat back down beside him, looking like she was at a loss, torn between wanting to help him and not wanting him to be hurt again. "No magic?"
"No magic." He replied sadly. Syaoran would have gladly let her use the cards on him, just so that look would leave her face.
A determined look suddenly crossed her face and she nodded, "No magic." Sakura repeated again, getting to her feet once again and leaving the room, coming back with an armful of medical supplies. Back at his side, she opened a brown bottle and warned, "This might hurt…" as she began removing the dried blood from his back. It did sting, but the pain was off-set by her hand resting gently on his shoulder.
Minutes passed in silence as Sakura worked diligently on cleaning his wound. Suddenly, she stopped and asked cautiously, "You're going to have to start training again?"
"I won't let the same thing happened that happened before." Syaoran assured her, "I promise, nothing will change."
Nodding, she continued her nursings. "I can't help thinking, maybe it would be better if I went back to Japan. You'd be in a lot less trouble… The elders don't seem to like me…"
"No." He turned so he was facing her, despite the pain, and sat up.
"Syaoran! You're going to hurt yourself!!" She scolded.
"Not until you listen to me." He replied seriously, "You can't let the elders intimidate you. And you can't go back to Japan and pretend like nothing ever happened, I won't let you. The only way to solve this is to prove to the elders that there are consciousness for messing with the Card Mistress. I realize it won't make everything that has happened go away, but it needs to be done. You're strong, Sakura, I know you are. You can do this."
She smiled weakly and gently pushed him back onto the bed, rubbing off the last spot of dried blood before applying an ointment and clean, white bandage. I'm not worried about me though. She thought to herself sadly, It's you, Syaoran, that I'm worried about.
"Here, I'm done." She replied as she tied the last strip of gauze into place. Sakura helped him sit up then took a seat next to him on the bed. , "Do you feel any better?"
"You're too nice, I don't deserve you as a friend." Syaoran replied seriously.
Sakura just smiled at the comment, "Let's not get started on gratitude, because… well, let's just not." She laughed again. "You should rest some, Syaoran-kun."
"And what are you going to do while I rest?"
Her face sobered, "I was going to talk with the elders."
"Your crazy." He exclaimed, "I'm not going to let you talk to them by yourself." They'll rip her to shreds…
"How else will I gain their respect?" Sakura wondered seriously.
He was stumped as far as an answer to that, but he still wasn't about to let her go by herself. "I'm going with you."
"I was afraid you'd see it that way." She replied, looking torn again. Sighing, she removed something from her pocket. "I'm sorry, Syaoran-kun. Sleep well."
From her hand appeared a card, the sleep. Softly she whispered to it and before Syaoran could react, his eyes felt heavy and they began to drop. Seconds later her was sound asleep.
********
To say that Sakura was nervous was an understatement. She was literally shaking as she walked down the corridors. The console hall was steps away, and she stopped outside the door to gain her composure. It's no big deal she told herself just think of it as facing a room full of angry Syaorans. Sakura shuddered at that thought, On the other hand, just think of it as facing the Li-clan elders.
She raised a hand to knock on the door, but before her hand even touched the wood, a voice called out, inviting her inside. "Enter, Card Mistress."
Sakura did just that, stepping carefully into the room and examining the men around her. The crowd was slightly bigger than the time earlier that day when she had been in that room, but it didn't really make any difference. Like Syaoran had said, she had to make sure they knew who they were messing with.
"We are glad to see you, Card Mistress." One man spoke, "We have a proposal for you."
That shocked her, she hadn't even said a word yet. That was probably a good thing, since she hadn't been altogether sure what she was going to tell them. "What might that be?"
"You're worried about the well-being of young Xiao-Lang, true?" He inquired and Sakura felt her blood run cold. Could they read minds…
"You are." A second assured her, "And as it happens, he isn't needed here as much as he was in the past. To date, he still is our best candidate for clan leader, but not by much."
"If you complete our task." A third spoke, "Then he shall be freed from all his deities to this clan and be allowed to do what he pleases."
Was that really a good idea? What if Syaoran wanted all his responsibility? "What if that's not what he wants?"
"Then he can decide for himself when the time comes." The first elder replied.
Sakura meet his eyes, "I'm doing anything that will hurt anyone else."
"You don't have to." He replied, "No innocent will be hurt. Do you accept?"
"I don't know what you're asking." She said, slightly frustrated.
"That is part of the task. Do you agree or not?"
I know I'm going to regret this… "I agree."
He nodded in satisfaction. "Very good." He barked out an order in rapid Chinese and a side door opened. Fuutie walked solemnly into the room, followed by her sisters. They bowed, all at the same time, then waited for orders.
"Take the Card Mistress, prepare her for her task."
Fuutie nodded, walking towards Sakura and putting an arm around her shoulder. "Come, Cherry-blossom." She whispered, ushering her out of the room.
Once the girls had left, the elders exchanged glances. "Shall we commence preparations?" Wondered an elder.
The head elder nodded, "Indeed. "
Sorry, that was bit short, but I got it out, ne? I need reviewers to tell me, do you want a happy or sad ending, cause I'll tell ya, I have an awesome ending in mind, but it's not exactly 'happily ever after'. If I get ne reviews, well, you'll be stuck with that. But seriously, R+R!!