Whatever It Takes

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By Trulie Hope

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Rolling right along… only thing that might interest you is the fourth chapter to this series will be out soon. Slight revisions ahead- nothing too drastic… I think…

Chapter Two: Vacation Plans Canceled

"Xiao Lang, what are you doing here?"

The voice startled the young man slightly, causing him to glance behind himself to identify the cause. His amber eyes landed on the approaching girl and he nodded in greeting. "Meiling."

She approached her cousin slowly, smiling sadly at his mental distance. Meiling was without the magical skills that her cousin possessed, yet she could read through his calm exterior and discover what was bothering him. Most of the time. Today a stranger's guess at his problems would be as good as hers.

"How's your arm?" She wondered, walking to his side and pushing back the fabric of his shirt. A deep cut ran from the shoulder to mid arm, interlaced with small stitches that held the flesh together.

Syaoran put up with her ministrations with surprising patience. "It's fine, can't even feel it anymore."

Meiling gave him a look, "That kanta* was charmed and it nearly cut your arm off. How could you not even feel it?!"

He shrugged, turning his gaze back to the plants around him.

"So maybe you can tell me what brings Li Xiao Lang to a flower shop?" His cousin inquired suspiciously.

Caught off guard by the question, Syaoran searched for a reason to be here because he didn't really have one. An excuse cam and he blurted it out, "Just looking at the… flowers…" He hesitated and his face fell when he noticed the plant in front of him was actually a small cherry tree in full bloom.

Meiling noticed as well and smiled sadly, "Thinking about Sakura again?"

When do I not? Syaoran wondered, nodding.

He lost himself in his own thoughts and the pair lapsed into silence Sakura…I miss you so much. Its been a year since I've seen yout… and months since I got your last letter. The Chinese boy watched the delicate plant in front of him with longing. The image of the flower meshed with one engraved in his mind, a beautiful woman with joyous emerald eyes, flowing auburn hair, and a smile that could melt the ice caps. How can I go one like this?

Watching him brought a mournful feeling in the pit of Meiling's stomach. She had a boyfriend now and adored him; were she separated from Sing for any amount of time she wouldn't know what to do. And her cousin loved Sakura with everything he was and she returned his feelings full power. How horrible it must be for them…

"We should go back to Japan, to visit." She decided suddenly. Out of the tiny shop she walked, Syaoran trailing behind her. Although it was only a subtle change, she noticed the way his eyes lighted up at her suggestion and smiled. "We haven't seen everyone in the longest time, and it would be a nice vacation for you. You need a break from training." Meiling touched a hand gently his injured arm.

He fully agreed with her on that. Since his return from Japan, the elders had put him through a vigorous training session in order to ready him for his position. Just days ago, in fact, he had passed his final challenge with minimal injuries and a new-gained respect from his clan and all of Hong Kong. He was now considered a master in Karate, Jujitsu, Eskrima, and three other forms of martial arts, a brilliant strategist, and an admirable mind in business. However, he could not take up the position of leader until his eighteenth birthday, still two months away, and there really was no real use for him to be here. Like Meiling had suggested, it was the perfect opportunity to visit Tomeda…

The walk home was short and pleasant. Syaoran felt happier than he had in a long while and almost light hearted. He would be seeing his beautiful cherry-blossom soon. A smile spread to his usually serious face as he imaged Sakura's reaction when he popped up out of nowhere after a year. Her voice, her smile, her kiss and her touch; all were drugs that he was hopelessly addicted to…

"… so you agree, Xiao Lang?" She demanded, snapping him back into the real world.

"Sure." He replied, not sure what he was agreeing to but then not caring. Thoughts of Sakura were still to heavy on his mind.

A grin spread across Meiling's face. "Great." The dreamy look on Syaoran's face was just too adorable- had she been Tomoyo, the poor boy would have been assaulted with a camera lens and a cry of 'kawaii!!!'. "We'll go talk to Aunt Yelan about it right now. She can't argue with it, neither can the elders. It's perfect!"

They had reached the Li mansion and walked together up the long drive of the house. Meiling pulled open gigantic front doors and was about to step in when she noticed Syaoran was no longer with her.

"Xiao Lang?"

His head jerked up and a slightly bemused look appeared on his face. It was strange, a well-known presence has just assaulted his magical senses. The feeling was so familiar that he felt like an idiot for not being able to place it. What is that? He demanded of himself, raking his brain for answers, It feels so familiar, yet I just can't…?

"Hm?" Syaoran turned his attention back to his cousin, who was fixing him with a concerned look. "Sorry, I spaced out. Mother will be in her office."

He felt something. Meiling thought, but decided not to comment. He always got the same type of look on his face when felt something magical and she trusted him to inform her of anything important.

They neared the room that held his mother's office and Syaoran noted that the presence became stronger as they approached, like it was center around this suite. Strange… why can't I place it?!

His cousin burst through the doors of the office without knocking as she usually did. Just as she threw the door open, Syaoran was surprised to here the hiss of something being moved quickly and the sound of a drawer slamming shut. His mother was hiding something.

"Knock before entering." Yelan scolded crossly, glaring at the pair.

Meiling bowed, watching Syaoran's suspicious look out of the corner of her eye. "I'm sorry, Aunt Yelan. I was just very excited."

His mother raised an eyebrow and allowed a small smirk-like smile to pass over her face. Of all the cousins, Meiling was defiantly the favorite, "And what has gotten you so worked up?" She inquired.

"Xiao Lang and I have come to ask permission to go back to Japan." She proclaimed proudly.

He blinked then smirked, She certainly didn't waste any time in getting to the point.

This expression on Yelan's face was not what Meiling had anticipated. It was stern and cold, "I cannot allow this."

"Why?" She demanded, shocked. "Xiao Lang has passed his test, you don't really need him or me here. So why can't we go and give Xiao Lang a break/?"

"I have no problem allowing you a break, my son." She said, "But you may not go to Japan."

"Why!" The dark haired girl demanded, her voice a near whine.

The woman smiled grimly, "I cannot and will not allow such disrespect. You may not go to Japan." She repeated, "That is my final answer, Li Meiling. Now leave, both of you, before I decide to punish you for your rudeness. I have work to complete."

Stunned and bewildered, they left the room, closing the heavy door behind them.

"Xiao Lang, I'm sorry." Meiling apologized to her cousin. "I know how much you wanted to see Sakura… but I don't understand, why won't she let us go?"

Syaoran was shattered by the rejection of the proposal. Everything had seemed so perfect and, like Meiling had suggested, foolproof. Seeing his love again had grown from a possibility to a reality in a matter of minuets. Every detail of their meeting had already been planned out in his mind from what he was going to say to where he was going to kiss her first. But now, now all possibilities of seeing her were gone and with it went his newfound hope. Glumly, he headed for the stairs that would lead him to his room and stopped where he stood.

His cousin looked back on him, "Xiao Lang?"

He held up a hand and signaled her to be quiet. I felt it again, that presence. It's an aura, and it feels so familiar…

"You felt it again, don't you?" Meiling wondered.

Syaoran nodded, slightly amazed at how well she was able to read him. "It feels very familiar, but I can't place it…"

"It's magic?"

He nodded.

"What do you mean you can't place it?

"It's an aura of some kind, but not a person's. But I don't get it; if it's not a person's what is it?"

Meiling smirked, "Clow Card?" She suggested jokingly, trying to lighten his mood.

Clow Cards! Xiao Lang realized with a jolt, What I'm feeling is a… no many, like the entire book.

"I'm sensing the Clow Book." He said unbelievingly.

"That's impossible." She protested, her eyes going wide "Sakura has them, and she's in Japan."

He shook his head wildly, excitement building inside him and all but pouring out his mouth. "They're here, somewhere close. I know it. I felt it before, coming inside. I thought it was coming from mother's office…"

Meiling bit her lip. Logically, if The Book was here, Sakura was too, which would be wonderful for Syaoran. A sense of foreboding had imbedded itself in her mind and she wasn't able to shake the feeling. However, she sighed and nodded, "Well, let's go see what it is you sense."

He closed his eyes in an attempt to maximize his concentration and 'felt' for anything magical in his view, it had been so long since he'd sensed for cards. There were the faint specks that were his sister, the elders, his mother, and… something that was unmistakably the Clow Book. Stepping in the direction it came from, coincidentally the same direction his mother's aura coming from, and was not at all surprised to find himself face the office doors. "It's in there, I'm certain."

Meiling nodded and walked up to the door. Instead of opening it, she pressed her ear to the thick wood and gestured for Syaoran to do the same. "Listen, I hear a voice that doesn't belong to Aunt Yelan."

****

Yelan watched her son and niece exit the room and sighed in relief when the door closed behind them. What a time to suddenly request a vacation to Japan! Why, if the Card Mistress discovered that Xiao Lang was still alive… it would be disastrous. She felt a ping of guilt as she took the parcel from the drawn and set it onto the desk. Hiding things from her son, the future leader, was not a habit she practiced and the look he had given her suggested he knew something was happen.

Telling Xiao Lang, however, was out of the question. His feelings for the Card Mistress were a definite hindrance in this situation. Love had blinded her son and he was unable to realize what a priceless asset the cards were to the clan…

The current clan matriarch inhaled sharply before take the small pen knife to the box before her. She looked in the package with anticipation that was soon replaced by a slight frown. The Clow Book was in the box, true, but it was covered with a gaming system and various discs. The Card Mistress's purpose for sending all these games was beyond her…

Delicately, Yelan removed the ancient book from the box and fished out the small key. She smiled as she turned the lock and opened the book, content with her prize. At last, the cards are in the hands of their rightful owners, the Li's! She glanced down, expecting to see a neat stack of cards, but was meet with nothing other than the enraged eyes of the guardian beast.

"I heard the gaki's name." The small, yellow animal growled, hovering near her face, "He's not dead."

Yelan examined him, "Kerberos I assume?" She wondered dryly.

"He's not dead, is he?" He growled.

She shook her head, "No, no he is not."

**************

Outside, both teens had their ears pressed against the smooth wood surface of the doors. Little could be heard due to the insulation, but the words Syaoran were able to catch made his eyes widen in shock and disbelief.

"……gaki ……dead."

"Kerberos …."

"He…dead….."

"No…"

Kero is here? But he should be with Sakura, unless… His mind whirled, the worst scenario popping into his mind first. The cards would only be taken from their mistress were she… Syaoran felt himself pale as he reran the conversation he had just heard, adding what he thought to be the missing words.

'It's all that gaki's fault, and now Sakura's dead!'

'Kerberos, calm yourself.'

'He is dead! I will kill that damn gaki!'

'No. Kerberos, that would not bring back your mistress…'

Meiling must have noticed his ashen face, because she mouthed something that he did not catch and tried to grab his sleeve. Her attempts failed, however, and he burst through the door without notice. His cousin lost her balance and feel to the floor behind him, but Syaoran was looking only at the fuzzy lion before him.

"What happened to Sakura?!" He demeaned with unmistakable urgency.

******

*sorry if I'm completely off on the spelling- the master mentioned this during my Tae Kwon Do class- described it as a, six foot razor that was hundreds of years old and could chop you in two. If anyone has a correction please let me know.

Again, no major plot changes. I'm getting there, slowly yet surely!!! Review and gimme support!!