Whatever it Takes
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By Trulie Hope
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This is where the big revisions takes place- you have been warned. The new chapter (next one after this) should hopefully be out this Sunday. May be a stretch but I'll try my hardest!
***DISCLAIMED****
Last Chapter:
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.
Chapter Three:
The Guardian Beast of the Cards glowered at the young man before him, the fury obvious in his eyes. Kero couldn't believe what was happening. Sure, he fought constantly with the brat but he knew the boy loved his mistress dearly and he respected him because of that. Li would never hurt Sakura in any way, or so he had thought. How dare you put her through all this and then still be alive! His eyes narrowed to a point where they were almost closed. Kero wanted to transform to his true form and rip Li to pieces, but was hindered by the fact that it would deny his mistress the love of her life. How dare you look worried, like you actually care about her.
"What happened to Sakura?!" Syaoran demanded again.
"You know." Replied Kero in a deadly silent voice.
The look of horror was growing on his face; no one in the room had ever seen him look as terrified as he did now. She's gone- oh god, she's gone… He felt his heart go cold as he continued to look at Kero's contorted face. It's true, she's left me forever…
A hand was set on his shoulder- Meiling. She was watching Kero as well and said softly, "No, he doesn't know. What happened to her."
Silence filled the room, the deadly kind that grates on the last nerve. Syaoran couldn't take it anymore. Losing his composure, he yelled, "Tell me, stuffed animal!! Is she okay?!"
"Of course she's not okay!!" Kero replied in monotone. His voice, however, rose sharply as he continued. "She thinks your dead and she's convinced herself she's to blame! And because she doesn't want to hurt anyone else, she sent me and all of her cards here! But I suppose this worked just as you planned, right?"
The first emotion he felt was relief. Sakura was alive, not dead or lying injured in some hospital. She'd still be there when he went back… Anger, however, followed soon after. Without meaning to, Kero had talked down the situation drastically. Sakura loved him and Syaoran could only imagine what effect the news of his death would have on her.
He turned on his mother, amber eyes inflamed. "How could you."
" Xiao Lang, it was necessary." Yelan replied. "No where in the letter sent to the Card Mistress did it say she or the cards were to blame."
The look on his face was a mix of anger and concern. As the conversation progressed, his thoughts were on his beloved who was no doubt crying her eyes out or worse… Syaoran banished the thought from him mind. Suicide wasn't something that would occur to someone like Sakura. "But you knew she would blame herself."
The woman smirked slightly, "It may have been assumed. Do not blame us, Xiao Lang. We have told you repeatedly that emotions are nothing save a weakness."
"I'm going back to Japan."
Yelan stood up and slammed her hands down on the desk top. "I forbid it."
"I'm going back to Japan." He repeated stonily as he turned towards the door.
"Li Xiao Lang, if you leave you will be doing so without the support of this clan."
Meiling was at his side. Urgently, she put both hands on his shoulders to stop his exit and whispered, "Xiao Lang, I'll go back. I'll tell Sakura you're alive and make sure she's okay. You can trust me, Xiao Lang."
"Why would you do that? If you're worried about my position, you know there's no one besides me to…"
"I know, but I'm worried about you." She returned. Syaoran noticed the way she was looking at him; different from the possessive look she'd adopted when they were engaged and more like… like that of a sister. "They'll punish you when you get back. You're strong, Xiao Lang, but even you can only take so much."
"I'll be fine, Meiling." He replied. Turning around to face his mother, Syaoran said. "I Understand and am ready to take full responsibility for my actions when I return."
Her eyes were narrowed at her only son, "Then, Xiao Lang, let us hope the Card Mistress is worth the trouble."
He didn't reply to the taunt and merely bowed stiffly to her. A dutiful son loved and respected his mother regardless. Syaoran followed the first dictation always, but felt it right to disregard the second when Yelan was blinded by the misguided intentions of the clan elders. "I will return, mother." He turned again and this time left the room.
Up the staircase to his room the young man walked. How am I going to get to Japan? Syaoran wondered of himself, just realizing that without his Clan's approval he was broke and all but helpless. I can deal with that later. Right now, I just need to concentrate on getting out of here and on my way…
Reaching his room, he went for the closet and grabbed a duffel bag, stuffing random article of clothing into it. A small wooden box was sitting on his closet floor, seeming to have no opening. Syaoran placed a hand on it and said a few words, causing the box to open magically. He removed the contents from the padded interior and spread them on the floor, frowning. As far as money went he had roughly twenty dollars. His odufas were there as well but he doubted magical slips of paper would gain him access onto the airplane.
Never the less, Syaoran stuffed thee papers into his pocket along with the bills. Meiling might be able to loan me some money to buy a ticket…
A soft knock was heard on the door, accompanied by the request of, "Xiao Lang, it's me, can I come in?"
"Come in." He said to his cousin.
Meiling opened the door and walked inside. Glancing to his single article of luggage, she wondered, "You're packed already?"
Syaoran nodded and dug his scant amount of money from his pocket. "Yea, but I don't have enough for a ticket. Could you…"
"The stuffed animal has a proposition for you." She said, smiling. He noticed that the miniaturized guardian beast was sitting in her cupped hands, glaring at the pair.
Kero grumbled something that sounded like 'baka she brat' but flew over so he was eye to eye with Syaoran. "I'm doing this for Sakura-chan, not you." He informed him. "But… you need to get back to Japan, and you obviously can't walk all the way so… I can't believe I'm saying this… I'm going to give you a ride back."
In shock, Syaoran just gapped at him, "What did you say."
"You heard me brat." Kero growled back.
Clearing his throat slightly, he commented, "Um, stuffed animal, I don't think you could carry a letter to Japan much less me in your current… vertically-challenged state."
"I'm going to transform, you baka." And he did, muttering all the time. The large lion stood in the middle of the room, watching Syaoran and clearly annoyed. "Now hurry up, every minute you waste is one more minute Sakura-chan…"
"I know." He said hastily, checking his bag one last time. "I'm ready, let's go."
Before he could climb onto the sun-guardian, his cousin intercepted him.
"Good-luck, Xiao Lang." Meiling exclaimed, clutching in a hug much like those she had given him when she was ten.
"Ack… Meiling… I… can't…. breath."
She let go, blushing slightly. "Sorry. Hurry up and go find Sakura. I'll call Tomoyo-chan and tell her that you're coming. She needs to get her camera ready…"
He laughed nervously at that comment. "Are you sure that's necessary…"
"Come on brat, you're wasting time." Kero muttered impatiently. Syaoran climbed onto his back and got his balance turning to look at Meiling.
"There is one thing I want you to do while I'm gone. Make sure the elders don't convert the cards. If we want to get the cards back in Sakura's hands, they still need to be in her name."
"Okay!" She called, stepping back a few feet as Kero began flapping his wings and slowly lifted off the ground. The pair soared through the open window and out into the sky beyond.
Both boy and guardian were quite for the first few minutes of the flight, Syaoran watching his home disappear behind him and Kero thinking only of his distraught mistress.
"Gee stuffed animal, been working out?" Syaoran commented suddenly.
Kero growled in response. "Watch it brat or I'll drop you right here and then you'd really be dead." He muttered, increasing his speed. "Sakura-chan is going to owe me a whole lota pudding for this one…"
*****
Across the ocean in the small town of Tomoeda a violet hared girl sat on her bed, swinging her legs and looked sadly out the window. Tomoyo was saddened by the untimely departure of a friend, of course, but her thoughts were all with her best friend. Poor Sakura-chan, she's just lost the thing most precious to her. I know she'll never get over Li-kun…
Someone taped gently on the door. "Miss Tomoyo, you have a phone call."
Getting to her feet, the young woman walked to the doorway and took the telephone from the maid after thanking her.
"Hello? Meiling-chan!!" She exclaimed happily, then her tone sobered. "I… heard about Li-kun, Sakura's devastated and…"
Across the line, Meiling laughed. "He's not dead, Tomoyo-chan. Wasn't even injured."
Tomoyo was shocked. "He's not?"
"No! I think the letter Sakura got was sent by our clan in an attempt to get the cards from her…"
"What! That's amazing! Wait till I tell Sakura-chan…"
"Tomoyo, are you listening?" Meiling wondered impatiently. "That stuffed animal is bringing him back as we speak, so I need you…"
"Really!" She squealed, over come with excitement. "Oh, Sakura-chan will be so happy! Wait, I have to get my camera so I can tape their reunion! It'll be so kawaii, I'll call it…"
"Tomoyo…"
"Huh? Oh, yea. Sorry Meiling. I'll call Sakura immediately!! Oh ho ho ho! She won't believe it!"
Sighing, the Chinese girl bid her old friend good-bye and hung up the phone.
Tomoyo was grinning ear from ear as she dialed Sakura-chan's number. Her best friend just hadn't been herself in the weeks since she found out about Li-kun's 'death'. But he was alive, and returning to Sakura… how romantic. Sakura-chan will be so happy to hear that…
The phone began to ring, but no one was answering.
"Come on, pick-up…" She muttered impatiently.
Two more rings and still nothing.
"Come on Sakura-chan, this is important…"
"Moushi Mousi, Kinomoto residence." The male voice said over the phone.
"Hello Touya-san, this is Tomoyo. Is Sakura-chan there?"
"Yea, one minute." There was a sound as the phone was set down on the counter and Touya could be heard yelling, "monster". He returned a few seconds later sounding puzzled. "Sorry, I guess she went somewhere. I'll tell her you called."
"Thanks Touya-san. Bye."
Turning off the phone, she returned to her bed and collapsed. Perplexed, she glanced out the window again and wondered, Where could Sakura-chan be?
***
Sakura sighed heavily, looking towards the blooming flower gardens but not really seeing them. She was empty, dead now that Syaoran had died. Her family and friends had noticed the changed and, although she knew she was worrying them, Sakura just couldn't bring herself to act cheerful. It seemed like her life had no meaning now, like she had lost a part of her she could never get back.
I guess that's true, though. I loved him so much he was my other half. And now he's gone forever… A single tear trickled from the corner of her eye, but she wiped it away. Syaoran would want me to be sad all the time, I know that. He would want me to move on. But it's so hard…
Lately, she'd been spending a lot of time alone but her father and brother had been extremely understanding, for which she was grateful. They were thinking she just needed time to get over her grief, but that was false. Sakura knew his death was a permanent wound, one that would be raw and cause her pain until the day she died and was able to join him.
She checked her watch and noticed she had been gone for a while and knew Touya was probably worrying. I guess it's time to head home…
Sakura got slowly to her feet, her hand lingering on the bench. Something had flirted across her magical field of vision. It was an aura, welcoming and so very familiar. He's dead, get over it. She told herself harshly, preparing to walk away.
Her name was called, however, and she turned slowly, assuming her ears had deceived her. The voice… it had sounded just like Syaoran's… A gasp escaped her mouth and her face went completely pale. The sorceress stumbled back a step then two. Syaoran, her Syaoran, was standing before her. But that was impossible, Syaoran was dead. And that meant… g…ghost….
Even if it was a Syaoran ghost, it was still a ghost. And Sakura was terrified. She started to shake, squeezed her eyes closed.
"No, you're dead." She sobbed, "I'm sorry, Syaoran. I know you died because of the cards and I know I didn't do anything to help you, but please just leave me alone!"
For his part, Syaoran wasn't sure if he should be amused or bewildered. He approached the crying girl before him slowly, still not really believing he was finally back with her. Kneeling before her, he tried futilely to catch her eyes. "Sakura, I'm not dead."
"Yes you are." She whimpered, wrapping her arms around her knees and crying harder.
"Sakura…" He lifted her up, amazed at how light she seemed and sat back down on a nearby bench, his love still cradled in his arms. "I'm not dead, Sakura. Look at me."
She did, tilting her head slowly up. Her eyes meet his and a hand went to his face, touching it gently to assure herself he really was there.
"If I were dead, you wouldn't be able to touch me, right?" He wondered gently.
Nodding, Sakura made a small sound in her throat and wrapped her arms him in an almost strangling embrace. "Syaoran… I can't believe…" She was crying again, but this time for joy.
"I'm sorry… Sakura, I had no idea about the letter…" He let his head rest atop her and gently kissed her hair. "I'm so sorry…"
Her only reply was a muffled sob of joy.
***
It didn't change quite that much… new chapter should be coming soon (I hope) now that I've finished all my revisions. So until next time!