I AM BACK!!!!! I'm sooo sorry it took so long, I have no excuse,
please, please, PLEASE forgive me!!!! I know I've made some people really
made. I'm SORRY!!!!!!!!!!! This chapter was originally supposed to be
much longer, but I figured people would prefer a short chapter to none at
all. So here it is, after a long wait- The NEXT CHAPTER!!!!!!!!!
************* The time had come. Everything that had happened had been a perfect mix of luck, skill, and timing. It was almost too good to believe- almost. And now he was destined to become leader of the Li clan not in a few years or in a few months, but in a handful of days. Yes, all those years of desperate longing and hard work had finally paid off. Li Ping let a small smile cross his face. Outwardly, it didn't seem sinister, but to one who knew the atrocious crimes he had committed. And he didn't repent. He was not sorry in the least. His actions couldn't be pardon because he wasn't aware of the pain he had caused because that would be untrue. Ping knew what effect his actions had had not only on his victim but on numerous other people close to her, namely his cousin, and it amused him to no end. When the task was first assigned to him, he hadn't wanted it. Doing anything of that nature was wrong and unforgivable, he told himself, and he would not be part of it. Then the Li Elders had offered and incentive- a 50/50 chance at becoming leader. Throughout his youth, Ping had grown up along side Xiao Lang and envied him greatly because of his would be position. There was nothing he wanted more than to be in his cousin's shoes and to have people look up to him in that manner. The thought was breath taking but utterly impossible because of his ranking in the family.
Then came a chance, a god-sent opportunity. He could go from having no chance to having as much of a chance as the cousin that had under-shadowed him for years. Ping leapt at the chance, all ethnic placed in a corner of his mind where they would not bother him. The very next morning he was on an airplane to Japan. For days after his arrival he searched for and watched the one. She was easy to find- who else could have such an aura, potent and pure? He recalled the first time he set eyes on her. The card mistress had been walking home from school with a group of friends, laughing and smiling. She truly was beautiful, luxurious auburn hair and sparkling green eyes; the perfect body and the face of an angel. Yes she was young, but her innocence only fanned his desire. Even if she hadn't been his assignment, he would have wanted her with a passion. And then he had. It certainly hadn't been his first time, but it was the best. The girl had been so frightened, fighting fiercely against him, but that only encouraged him farther. After that moment he changed. Ping went from being a mere mortal to a god. The grandeur of what he had accomplished occurred to him as he was walking back to his hotel afterwards. The card mistress was amazingly powerful, more so than Clow Reed had ever been said some, and he had had her in a way no one else had. Not even his cousin, the mighty Xiao Lang, had been with the girl that way, although they had dated. For once in his life he had something his cousin didn't and could never have- the innocence of a certain emerald-eyed girl. She carried a part of him with her now, as she would forever. No matter how hard she fought it, it would always be there. And from her Ping had taken, among many other things, a sense of self-mightiness. Just by looking at the girl he could send her in hysterics. Yes, that truly was power. To be feared was to be obeyed. And to be obeyed was to be respected. And respect was what Ping had wanted all his life. "Flight 566 to Hong Kong is now boarding priority seating. First class passengers please enter at Gate 32. Once again, Flight 566 to Hong Kong is now boarding priority seating. First class passengers please enter at Gate 32." The feminine voice echoed through his head like it did through the crowded airport, shaking Ping from his reserve. Getting up, the young man gathered his carry on and made his way to the specified gate, bumping accidentally into a tall, black haired man. "Gomen nasai." He said, bowing his head politely. The man looked distracted as he fumbled with his ticket, "It's my fault, I need to catch this plane. If I miss it, imoto will." He trailed off, obviously feeling as if he had said to much. Both men handed their tickets to the stewardess and were led inside the plane and seated, the man in a seat by the window and Ping across the isle from him. "You have an imotosan?" He wondered, picking up the conversation where he left off for curiosity's sake. There was something strangely familiar about this man. "Hai." The man replied, "She's in Hong Kong with a. friend." His head suddenly jerked up and his eyes landed on a silver-haired man walking down the isle towards them. "Yuki, over here." The second looked and came and sat next to him. "I had to stack up on snacks for the flight." He explained, taking a seat next to the dark haired man and hoisting a huge knapsack filled bulling with food. "Don't worry Touya, Sakura-san is in good hands. Li-kun will take good care of her." Ping had to look away from the pair so as not to revile his shock. How ironic, he thought to himself, that the brother of his dear little card mistress was sitting only seats away from him, undoubtedly going the same place he was. Of course, it could just a coincidence and this man could be talking about some other Sakura. But Ping didn't believe in coincidence.
*******
Despite the fact that the Li mansion was always heated, Sakura still felt cold. It was the type of cold that could not be made to go away by putting on a sweater or standing in front of a warm fire. No, this was the bone cold that chilled your entire body, both mentally and physically. She never even remembered falling asleep last night. There had just been talking with Syaoran then crying. For a second she closed her eyes and when she opened them she was lying in her bed, still clad in the robe she had donned after her bath last night. It was extremely early, the sun hadn't even risen yet. But try as she might, Sakura couldn't go back to sleep. The cold surrounding her wouldn't allow it. She gave up trying and swung out of bed, her feet hitting the rug without making a sound. Lying over a chair near the bed was an outfit that hadn't been there before, presumably what she was supposed to wear that day. Picking it up and examining the outfit, it was identified as a traditional Japanese furisode*. Sakura slipped into the garment, which was white and embroidered simply with Chinese symbols she didn't recognize. Her obi* was pink as was the obidome* , both which she fastened expertly. It seemed odd to her that, in a family that held so strongly to traditions, she was wearing clothes from her own country. But then again, maybe it was customs. The furisode was tight and uncomfortable, providing little room for movement. This made Sakura nervous. If she had to move quickly during the test, it would be all but impossible in this attire. Rules were rules, though, and she would go along with it. She was just sitting down in front of the mirror when there was knock on the door adjoining her room. "Syaoran?" She wondered hopefully, turning her gaze from the mirror to the door. In the other room, Syaoran heard his name called and took it as an affirmative for him to enter. He opened the door slowly, just in case he wasn't supposed to come in, and glanced around cautiously. Sakura was awake and dressed, which was more than he had expected. But her clothing. the furisode embroidered with symbols that meant. His eyes flew wide and he was thankful she didn't read a work of Chinese. This was obviously an act of intimidation on the part of his clan's elders. Even if the outfit had been free of writing, it wouldn't have been suitable. By Kami-sama, she could hardly move. "Good morning, Sakura." He said calmly. There was no use upsetting her over something she didn't know about. "Ohayo gozaimasu, Syaoran-kun." She replied with a smile. Yet the under tones of her voice proved that she was extremely nervous about the event that was to come. Syaoran walked over to stand by her side and gave her a rare smile, "You're up early." "I couldn't sleep." She relied sheepishly. He chuckled, "Are you really going to wear that?" He wondered, carefully keeping his voice light. Sakura gave him a curious look, "Isn't this what I'm supposed to wear? It was set out on the chair for me, so I assumed that it was what I was supposed to put on." "But you can hardly move in it." He pointed out. "I know." She sighed, "What else would I wear? I don't know how things like this work." Syaoran pondered her question. She was very right- what else would she wear? The challenge had certain amount of tradition, so she couldn't wear just anything. His mind landed on the perfect thing. It was improper, but that fact was over-balanced by the point it would make. "I'll be right back." Sakura watched him walk back through the door. He returned a few minutes later with a folded green garment lying over his arm. Unfolding it, Syaoran laid it out on the bed for her to see and Sakura gasped. It was the same green fighting robes, same but for the size, which he had worn during their card capturing adventures. His gestures shocked her and she was filled with an immense gratification. "Syaoran-kun, are you sure?" She wondered breathlessly. These robes were a symbol of his family and although she didn't know that much about Chinese culture, she knew enough to know that wearing these robes was an extremely high honor. "I mean, are you really sure?" The brown haired warrior was smirking, laughing silently. "Hai Sakura. I would be honored if you would wear my robes for this." He replied, bowing to her. "Arigato, Syaoran-kun!" She exclaimed, jumping up from her seat and hugging him tightly, "Domo arigato gozamimasu." Syaoran was a little shocked by her actions. Why was she so thankful for a useless pair of robes? Then it hit him the it wasn't the robes she was thanking him for, but for the strength they would give her. *I think she feels that having those robes on is like having me there with her.* He observed, hugging her tightly in return. *She really does love me, if something like this means so much to her.* He felt his heart swell at the prospect. "Syaoran?" Sakura wondered curiously, her head rested on his shoulder. "Are you." For a minute, Syaoran panicked, thinking she must have seen his red face. But that was impossible, seeing as how she couldn't see his face. ".doing some type of magic?" She finished. He blinked, not comprehending the relativity of the question. "No." He answered, "Why?" "I felt. it felt like your aura flaring, like it does when you do magic. I know if was yours, but if felt different for some reason." She let go of him and took a step back to look at his face, "Wait, it's gone. Maybe I was just imagining it." Syaoran didn't know what she was talking about. He hadn't done anything, no intentionally, anyway. Sighing he nodded towards the clothes on the bed, "Go get changed. I'll walk down the kitchen and bring up some breakfast." "Okay." The card mistress agreed, still confused by the strange feeling she had just experienced. Around five minutes later, another knock was heard on her door. When she opened it, Syaoran walked in carrying a tray filled with steaming hot dishes. Sakura smiled at him and glanced at the delicacies lining the tray. The smell was heavenly and her stomach gurgled a little in anticipation. Food was the last thing on the mind of the Chinese warrior. Syaoran was looking, not at all discreetly, at the girl before him. Maybe it was just the fact that she was wearing his clothes, which she hadn't done for the longest time, but she looked absolutely adorable. The robes were too big for her but not so baggy that it would hamper her movement; if anything they brought out her delicate figure. And the color. The top made her eyes stand out incredibly, turning them a green deeper that anything he had imagined. "Syaoran-kun, are you okay?" Sakura wondered, breaking him from the trance. She watched as he bowed his head, but not before she saw the slight crimson that lit his face. She decided not to mention the fact that she had felt the flare of his aura again, the one that reminded her of anytime he did magic yet was subtly different. Regaining his composure, Syaoran brought the tray to the bed and gestured to his companion. "Come and eat." The girl obeyed, walking over and pushing an overly long sleeve out of the way before she grabbed a warm pastry and took a large bite. "Wow Swaorwan, whis is wery *swallow* good."
Next chapter very soon, I promise. Within the week as long as I have time. Once again, thank-you everyone for your patience!!! pikogio@yahoo.com
************* The time had come. Everything that had happened had been a perfect mix of luck, skill, and timing. It was almost too good to believe- almost. And now he was destined to become leader of the Li clan not in a few years or in a few months, but in a handful of days. Yes, all those years of desperate longing and hard work had finally paid off. Li Ping let a small smile cross his face. Outwardly, it didn't seem sinister, but to one who knew the atrocious crimes he had committed. And he didn't repent. He was not sorry in the least. His actions couldn't be pardon because he wasn't aware of the pain he had caused because that would be untrue. Ping knew what effect his actions had had not only on his victim but on numerous other people close to her, namely his cousin, and it amused him to no end. When the task was first assigned to him, he hadn't wanted it. Doing anything of that nature was wrong and unforgivable, he told himself, and he would not be part of it. Then the Li Elders had offered and incentive- a 50/50 chance at becoming leader. Throughout his youth, Ping had grown up along side Xiao Lang and envied him greatly because of his would be position. There was nothing he wanted more than to be in his cousin's shoes and to have people look up to him in that manner. The thought was breath taking but utterly impossible because of his ranking in the family.
Then came a chance, a god-sent opportunity. He could go from having no chance to having as much of a chance as the cousin that had under-shadowed him for years. Ping leapt at the chance, all ethnic placed in a corner of his mind where they would not bother him. The very next morning he was on an airplane to Japan. For days after his arrival he searched for and watched the one. She was easy to find- who else could have such an aura, potent and pure? He recalled the first time he set eyes on her. The card mistress had been walking home from school with a group of friends, laughing and smiling. She truly was beautiful, luxurious auburn hair and sparkling green eyes; the perfect body and the face of an angel. Yes she was young, but her innocence only fanned his desire. Even if she hadn't been his assignment, he would have wanted her with a passion. And then he had. It certainly hadn't been his first time, but it was the best. The girl had been so frightened, fighting fiercely against him, but that only encouraged him farther. After that moment he changed. Ping went from being a mere mortal to a god. The grandeur of what he had accomplished occurred to him as he was walking back to his hotel afterwards. The card mistress was amazingly powerful, more so than Clow Reed had ever been said some, and he had had her in a way no one else had. Not even his cousin, the mighty Xiao Lang, had been with the girl that way, although they had dated. For once in his life he had something his cousin didn't and could never have- the innocence of a certain emerald-eyed girl. She carried a part of him with her now, as she would forever. No matter how hard she fought it, it would always be there. And from her Ping had taken, among many other things, a sense of self-mightiness. Just by looking at the girl he could send her in hysterics. Yes, that truly was power. To be feared was to be obeyed. And to be obeyed was to be respected. And respect was what Ping had wanted all his life. "Flight 566 to Hong Kong is now boarding priority seating. First class passengers please enter at Gate 32. Once again, Flight 566 to Hong Kong is now boarding priority seating. First class passengers please enter at Gate 32." The feminine voice echoed through his head like it did through the crowded airport, shaking Ping from his reserve. Getting up, the young man gathered his carry on and made his way to the specified gate, bumping accidentally into a tall, black haired man. "Gomen nasai." He said, bowing his head politely. The man looked distracted as he fumbled with his ticket, "It's my fault, I need to catch this plane. If I miss it, imoto will." He trailed off, obviously feeling as if he had said to much. Both men handed their tickets to the stewardess and were led inside the plane and seated, the man in a seat by the window and Ping across the isle from him. "You have an imotosan?" He wondered, picking up the conversation where he left off for curiosity's sake. There was something strangely familiar about this man. "Hai." The man replied, "She's in Hong Kong with a. friend." His head suddenly jerked up and his eyes landed on a silver-haired man walking down the isle towards them. "Yuki, over here." The second looked and came and sat next to him. "I had to stack up on snacks for the flight." He explained, taking a seat next to the dark haired man and hoisting a huge knapsack filled bulling with food. "Don't worry Touya, Sakura-san is in good hands. Li-kun will take good care of her." Ping had to look away from the pair so as not to revile his shock. How ironic, he thought to himself, that the brother of his dear little card mistress was sitting only seats away from him, undoubtedly going the same place he was. Of course, it could just a coincidence and this man could be talking about some other Sakura. But Ping didn't believe in coincidence.
*******
Despite the fact that the Li mansion was always heated, Sakura still felt cold. It was the type of cold that could not be made to go away by putting on a sweater or standing in front of a warm fire. No, this was the bone cold that chilled your entire body, both mentally and physically. She never even remembered falling asleep last night. There had just been talking with Syaoran then crying. For a second she closed her eyes and when she opened them she was lying in her bed, still clad in the robe she had donned after her bath last night. It was extremely early, the sun hadn't even risen yet. But try as she might, Sakura couldn't go back to sleep. The cold surrounding her wouldn't allow it. She gave up trying and swung out of bed, her feet hitting the rug without making a sound. Lying over a chair near the bed was an outfit that hadn't been there before, presumably what she was supposed to wear that day. Picking it up and examining the outfit, it was identified as a traditional Japanese furisode*. Sakura slipped into the garment, which was white and embroidered simply with Chinese symbols she didn't recognize. Her obi* was pink as was the obidome* , both which she fastened expertly. It seemed odd to her that, in a family that held so strongly to traditions, she was wearing clothes from her own country. But then again, maybe it was customs. The furisode was tight and uncomfortable, providing little room for movement. This made Sakura nervous. If she had to move quickly during the test, it would be all but impossible in this attire. Rules were rules, though, and she would go along with it. She was just sitting down in front of the mirror when there was knock on the door adjoining her room. "Syaoran?" She wondered hopefully, turning her gaze from the mirror to the door. In the other room, Syaoran heard his name called and took it as an affirmative for him to enter. He opened the door slowly, just in case he wasn't supposed to come in, and glanced around cautiously. Sakura was awake and dressed, which was more than he had expected. But her clothing. the furisode embroidered with symbols that meant. His eyes flew wide and he was thankful she didn't read a work of Chinese. This was obviously an act of intimidation on the part of his clan's elders. Even if the outfit had been free of writing, it wouldn't have been suitable. By Kami-sama, she could hardly move. "Good morning, Sakura." He said calmly. There was no use upsetting her over something she didn't know about. "Ohayo gozaimasu, Syaoran-kun." She replied with a smile. Yet the under tones of her voice proved that she was extremely nervous about the event that was to come. Syaoran walked over to stand by her side and gave her a rare smile, "You're up early." "I couldn't sleep." She relied sheepishly. He chuckled, "Are you really going to wear that?" He wondered, carefully keeping his voice light. Sakura gave him a curious look, "Isn't this what I'm supposed to wear? It was set out on the chair for me, so I assumed that it was what I was supposed to put on." "But you can hardly move in it." He pointed out. "I know." She sighed, "What else would I wear? I don't know how things like this work." Syaoran pondered her question. She was very right- what else would she wear? The challenge had certain amount of tradition, so she couldn't wear just anything. His mind landed on the perfect thing. It was improper, but that fact was over-balanced by the point it would make. "I'll be right back." Sakura watched him walk back through the door. He returned a few minutes later with a folded green garment lying over his arm. Unfolding it, Syaoran laid it out on the bed for her to see and Sakura gasped. It was the same green fighting robes, same but for the size, which he had worn during their card capturing adventures. His gestures shocked her and she was filled with an immense gratification. "Syaoran-kun, are you sure?" She wondered breathlessly. These robes were a symbol of his family and although she didn't know that much about Chinese culture, she knew enough to know that wearing these robes was an extremely high honor. "I mean, are you really sure?" The brown haired warrior was smirking, laughing silently. "Hai Sakura. I would be honored if you would wear my robes for this." He replied, bowing to her. "Arigato, Syaoran-kun!" She exclaimed, jumping up from her seat and hugging him tightly, "Domo arigato gozamimasu." Syaoran was a little shocked by her actions. Why was she so thankful for a useless pair of robes? Then it hit him the it wasn't the robes she was thanking him for, but for the strength they would give her. *I think she feels that having those robes on is like having me there with her.* He observed, hugging her tightly in return. *She really does love me, if something like this means so much to her.* He felt his heart swell at the prospect. "Syaoran?" Sakura wondered curiously, her head rested on his shoulder. "Are you." For a minute, Syaoran panicked, thinking she must have seen his red face. But that was impossible, seeing as how she couldn't see his face. ".doing some type of magic?" She finished. He blinked, not comprehending the relativity of the question. "No." He answered, "Why?" "I felt. it felt like your aura flaring, like it does when you do magic. I know if was yours, but if felt different for some reason." She let go of him and took a step back to look at his face, "Wait, it's gone. Maybe I was just imagining it." Syaoran didn't know what she was talking about. He hadn't done anything, no intentionally, anyway. Sighing he nodded towards the clothes on the bed, "Go get changed. I'll walk down the kitchen and bring up some breakfast." "Okay." The card mistress agreed, still confused by the strange feeling she had just experienced. Around five minutes later, another knock was heard on her door. When she opened it, Syaoran walked in carrying a tray filled with steaming hot dishes. Sakura smiled at him and glanced at the delicacies lining the tray. The smell was heavenly and her stomach gurgled a little in anticipation. Food was the last thing on the mind of the Chinese warrior. Syaoran was looking, not at all discreetly, at the girl before him. Maybe it was just the fact that she was wearing his clothes, which she hadn't done for the longest time, but she looked absolutely adorable. The robes were too big for her but not so baggy that it would hamper her movement; if anything they brought out her delicate figure. And the color. The top made her eyes stand out incredibly, turning them a green deeper that anything he had imagined. "Syaoran-kun, are you okay?" Sakura wondered, breaking him from the trance. She watched as he bowed his head, but not before she saw the slight crimson that lit his face. She decided not to mention the fact that she had felt the flare of his aura again, the one that reminded her of anytime he did magic yet was subtly different. Regaining his composure, Syaoran brought the tray to the bed and gestured to his companion. "Come and eat." The girl obeyed, walking over and pushing an overly long sleeve out of the way before she grabbed a warm pastry and took a large bite. "Wow Swaorwan, whis is wery *swallow* good."
Next chapter very soon, I promise. Within the week as long as I have time. Once again, thank-you everyone for your patience!!! pikogio@yahoo.com