Chapter 7- Ketaru wields his sword!



angelz of cherry-petals: I took a longer time to do this chapter, because I wanted to save the cliffhanger's purpose! I want to torture lilyflower! (Laughs evilly!) lilyflower asked for a bio!!! Thanx lilyflower for designing the costumes. I'll get on with the bio at the end of this chapter.

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Syaoran's eyes fluttered open and he looked straight into Sakura's shocked emerald green pools...

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Sakura stared deep into his chocolate-brown eyes, her eyes giving him a tender look. She was drowning in his eyes.

Syaoran looked into her eyes, searching for the Sakura he once knew.

Water from her hair dripped down from the tip of her hair, splashing onto Syaoran's nose. Sakura blinked, once, twice and pulled away from Syaoran, like a magnet repelling from another magnet. She sat a few inches away from Syaoran blushing a dark crimson colour.

Syaoran coughed, spurting water from his mouth. He gasped and inhaled deeply, feeling fresh cool air rush into his lungs, comforting it.

Everyone that had gathered around both of them started cheering and clapping. Smiles lit up their worried stricken faces. One by one, they drifted back to what they were doing.

Sakura sat by Syaoran, turning redder every second.

"I've, I've, I've gotta go." She muttered standing up and turning to leave.

Syaoran had his mind set. He forced himself to sit up, ignoring the pain that still lingered in his body. One hand on the ground was used to support his weight. He reached out his hand and caught hold of Sakura's wet hand behind him.

Sakura's eyes shot open a little wider. She was too shocked to move.

Syaoran pulled her down towards him.

With a small tug, Sakura was already landing on his wet body, gasping in shock.

Syaoran pulled her face closer to her, securing his lips and hers in a kiss.

Sakura's eyes could only open wider, as she let Syaoran kiss her, but not returning the kiss.

Sakura heard a twig snap in the forest near the garden. She clamped her mouth shut and placed her hands on his chest, pushing herself away from Syaoran, at the same time trying not to aggravate his wounds even more.

She sprung up, looking like a blushing tomato. She stormed off in embarrassment, ten times redder than before, covering her mouth.

Syaoran sighed, hitting his forehead thinking, 'What the hell was I thinking of?!'

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(A few weeks later, in his house when Syaoran had recovered. I'm sure you don't want to know the process and the time in which he recovered.)

Throughout the house, all was quiet. Syaoran slid open the paper door, leading to an empty room. He walked over to a wooden stand with a few swords sticking out of it. He took hold of one of the sword handles, drawing it out of the stand and jumping into battle position. Imagining an opponent in front of him, he started to practice.

'There must be a connection - He is blunt, very, but in other ways sharp- what does that mean?' Day by day, the thought of the note made him a preoccupied, even during practice.

'-When practicing anything, take this in mind- why? Why!?' Syaoran slashed an imaginary opponent in front of him.

* CLANG *

Still deep in his thoughts, he continued practicing.

'And who sent that to me? I don't know anyone by that name..she seemed to know me, somehow..' He hacked the imaginary opponent.

* CLANG *

Syaoran jolted back into reality with a start. Had he already hit the wooden stand upsetting the rest of the swords?

He blinked his eyes a few times, trying to take in the astonishing sight in front of him.

His sword was poised just in front of a certain tall someone defending himself with another sword.

Ketaru stood still towering over Syaoran, dressed in a black suit with the sleeves torn off at the shoulders and a large dark brown leather belt at his waist. In his hand was a one-meter long sword in a position parallel to his face, in an attempt to block off Syaoran's sword.

Ketaru's mouth upturned into a small grin and said, "Tsk, tsk fighting without being on guard? You'll never beat me like that!"

Ketaru swung the sword around in a circular motion. Syaoran's sword slid off Ketaru's sword.

Ketaru thrust his sword at Syaoran's throat. Syaoran gulped and said, "Why are you here? How did you come in?"

Ketaru smirked, pushing the tip of his sword closer to Syaoran's skin. "You don't know how I came in? I was clanging my sword, making a racket outside the corridor. And yet you didn't hear me? Pathetic!"

Syaoran flared at that and he brought his sword up, hitting Ketaru's sword off course. He sprung into fighting stance, his sword held firmly in both his hands.

Ketaru tried not to show the amount of surprise on his face. He smirked, "Perhaps you TOTALLY forgot about Crossfire, didn't you? I'm here to CHALLENGE you to the FIRST fight of Crossfire!"

Ketaru swung his sword at Syaoran's stomach but got blocked off by Syaoran. Syaoran counter attacked and plunged forward, his sword in full length in front of him.

* CLANG! *

Ketaru swung his sword, aiming at Syaoran's wrist. He slashed, sending Syaoran's sword clashing to the ground. A trickle of blood from Syaoran's hand fell to the ground.

Ketaru slid his foot out form beneath him and kicked Syaoran's leg. Losing his balance, Syaoran toppled over backwards.

Ketaru took this chance to finish him off. He pointed the end of his sword to Syaoran's throat saying, "You'll never beat crossfire."

He mustered all the energy he had, thrusting the sword towards Syaoran's throat.

Syaoran rolled away, the tip of the sword grazing his neck. Blood trickled down his wound, staining his clothes.

His other hand clenching the handle of the sword, Ketaru aimed once more at Syaoran. Syaoran rolled to the left as the sword once again grazed his ear.

Using all his strength, he twisted his body and kicked Ketaru's stomach. He took this chance and jumped to the end of the room, grabbing another sword off the rack as he passed.

Jumping over to Ketaru with his fist in front of him, giving Ketaru a firm punch in the stomach. Ketaru stumbled backwards in surprise at Syaoran's quick composure. He charged at Syaoran, piercing his (Syaoran) upper-arm with his sword. Clutching his wounded arm, he staggered against the wall, clutching it for support. The pain was spreading through, numbing his arm. Blood seeped quickly through Syaoran's white shirt.

Ketaru gave Syaoran a triumphant smile as he advanced towards Syaoran, his strides growing bigger and his hold on his sword growing firmer.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a piece of hardened paper flew into the room, landing at Syaoran's foot. One glance at it and he immediately understood. His eyes ran through it quickly once more.

'For now you rest, but soon you will fight...

He is blunt, very, but in other ways sharp...

His pride and powers will get stronger with every time he hurts you...

Beware of the shiny object he wields ever so quickly at you...

Once lost, his defense and attack will wither...

When practicing anything, take this in mind.'

Using his left hand, he took his sword, defending himself.

* CLANG *

'This note is describing him. It's a method, a clue! Ketaru is BLUNT! He is easily knocked off course!'

He ducked as Ketaru's sword came charging at him.

'But his sword is SHARP! He gets STRONGER every time I bleed!'

* CLANG *

'Beware of his SWORD! Once it is LOST, he becomes weak!'

Syaoran grunted in effort to slash Ketaru's arm. A streak of blood soaked Ketaru's black suit.

'I'll just have to get rid of his sword to weaken him!'

Syaoran suddenly energetic was fuelled by this excitement. He tried held the sword up high over his head and brought it down, aiming at Ketaru's hand. Ketaru twisted his arm around and twirled his sword away from Syaoran. Ketaru was just TOO fast.

Jumping around, Syaoran tried to avoid Ketaru's blade, at the same time thinking of perfecting a strategy that was forming in his head. He took a chance when Ketaru seemed to pause for awhile.

He stood at a brightly-lit corner of the room, facing the wall. He closed his eyes and listened, hard. He heard it. Ketaru was falling was his trap.

Ketaru was rushing towards him. He whirled around, taking Ketaru by surprise and hitting his sword from his hand. His sword flew and its blade got stuck in the ground. Syaoran nimbly stepped to one side letting Ketaru fall to the ground, face first.

Syaoran walked over to Ketaru, his sword out in front of him. Ketaru groaned and turned around, facing the blade's tip that Syaoran had positioned in between Ketaru's eyes. Syaoran's arm was trembling. He looked down at Ketaru, making eye contact with him.

Syaoran saw in Ketaru's stern eyes, a streak of disappointment. Ketaru looked away, breaking the eye contact. Syaoran wavered. A voice in his head telling him to 'KILL HIM!' Another voice telling him to "HAVE MERCY!' His hand holding the sword started to tremble uncontrollably.

"No..." whispered Syaoran.

He lowered his gaze and took off the threat that that the sword was giving to Ketaru. Syaoran smiled and stretched out his hand towards Syaoran in a friendly gesture.

Ketaru was confused. "What's wrong? Kill me! You defeated me! Come on!"

Ketaru got up and grabbed Syaoran's sword from his hand. Syaoran yelped in surprise. Ketaru pointed the blade to his heart and plunged raised the sword up in the air. He brought it down to his chest.

Syaoran kicked the sword out of Ketaru's hand saying, "No one dies when they fight with me. No one deserves to die like this. I have given you a chance. Don't you want to live?"

Ketaru looked at his empty hand that once held a sword. He swallowed his gaze downcast. He nodded accepting defeat. With much effort, he got up shakily and walked over to his sword. He picked up his sword and held it in both hands knowing that he had given his best. He hung his head and proceeded out of the house.

Syaoran looked at Ketaru's retreating hulk and picked up the card lying on the floor.

He looked at it smiling.

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^-^: __: Ketaru Keisuke :__:^-^

Name (full): Keisuke Ketaru

Hair (colour): Dark brown hair, almost black

Eye (color): Brownish-blackish

Skin (colour): Tan

Sign Chinese/English: Cow/ Taurus (B-day: 18th of May Age, not revealed )

Height: 6 feet 7 inches (195cm)

Weight: 101Kg

Own power: Strength, endurance and nifty sword moves.

Battle costume: Varies.

Favorite: -

Colour- Black, brown, leathery and dark colors

Foods- Erm, anything he can get his hands on, especially meat!

Thing in the world- His sword

Battle costume: Black one with sleeves torn of at shoulders. (Ketaru: Shows off my muscles!)

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Interviewed Biography

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angelz of cherry-petals ( a.k.a. aocp- for short) (lively): Hello Ketaru! Thanks for coming today to have your biography completed!

Ketaru (glumly, waving hand enthusiastically): Hello. No problem.

Aocp (concerned): So, how did the fight go?

Ketaru (angry, flares up, grabs front of aocp's shirt- uh oh..): Don't you know?! Why on earth did you make me lose?! My pride has been shattered. (He's exaggerating.) You know how winning matters to me?! (Ok, maybe not.)

Aocp (mutters): Erm, shouldn't have asked.

Aocp (changing the subject brightly): So, lets talk about YOU!

Ketaru (suddenly changing moods): Me?! Honored to!

(Ketaru keeps touching his hair and adjusting his clothes.)

Aocp: Erm, we're not doing a photo shoot today. So, what's your ambition?

Ketaru (scratches head): Ambition? What's that?

Aocp (sighs): What other things you plan to do if Crossfire fails!

Ketaru (flares up again, stands up): You cursing us???!!!! Crossfire never failed before!

Ketaru (scratches his chin): Erm, and will never!!!

Aocp: Then, what's your initial ambition, before joining Crossfire?

Ketaru: A bodyguard.

Aocp: So, do you have a boyfriend?

Ketaru (indignantly): Boyfriend? Hey! I'm not a GAY!

Aocp (rather sarcastically): Oh, sorry. Just that the WHOLE of Crossfire are girls, um, maybe except you?! Ok, ok, a girlfriend?

Ketaru (shyly): Erm, um, can't tell you.

Aocp: I created you, I'll make you have one!

Aocp: So, who's your favorite Crossfire member?

Ketaru (puts finger to chin and thinks): Er, I think it's got to be, er, Kimaru. She reads my mind like a book. She really understands me and is always there for me.

Aocp: That's cause she has the power to read minds, stupid!!

Ketaru: Oh, yeah, ok, whatever!

Aocp: So, how do you feel about the rest of Crossfire members?

Ketaru: Let's see, first it's Akito, she's very petty, irritating. She likes to talk about boys. Like a bird constantly chirping in my ear. Next, Kimaru is very down-to-earth and sensible. Rei is very cold! Hard to open up her heart. I hate her attitude, the look she gives us, especially me! Lastly, Sakura's very pretty and likes to take charge, sometimes. Very sexy! Ha ha!

Aocp (standing up to shake Ketaru's hand): Thank you Ketaru for coming today!

Ketaru (crestfallen): That fast, come on, there's more things I need to tell you. Akito's very stubborn and naughty and, and ,and...

Aocp (pointing behind Ketaru): Save that to tell your girlfriend behind you!

Ketaru (looks back and saw a VERY angry Akito glaring at him): Um..

Ketaru (runs after a leaving Aocp. Akito conjuring a fireball behind Ketaru.) : Wait I don't want to be her BOYFRIEND!!!!

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angelz of cherry-petals: The ends of my clothes are frayed- Akito's fireball. Anyway, how was that? If the bio didn't contain enough information, please e-mail me or mention in the reviews what else do you want to know about them.