Hi! I'm back! You're all probably like. Finally! That is. if you liked the
first chapter. I don't know how to up-date now, so you might not be reading
this for a while. Sorry. Well, thirteen reviews for one chapter, I'm
surprised. I do LOVE this idea though. I'm REALLY REALLY glad you like it
too. I better start typing though, or else I might lose my train of
thought. Here we go! Yay!
Disclaimer: I do not.I do not.I re-repeat.I do not own CCS. ^___^
What's gone on before: I looked down at my feet and thought I saw an orange-yellow aura around them. I shook my head, thinking I was seeing things. [AN: Sakura doesn't know she has magic yet. Things will be pretty interesting. ^-^] I stood up straight and tall, my head throbbing. I closed my eyes and concentrated on my feet. With all my force, I pushed at the thing keeping my feet in place. I squinted my eyes in concentration, and with my last remaining energy, I tried to pry my feet from the ground.
I felt a release of energy and my eyes snapped open. I stumbled back a few steps and realized that I freed myself. I smiled, proud of myself. Then a sharp pain at my temple made everything spin around me. There was a roaring in my ears and then I fell to the ground. Everything went black.
Thank you:
lozza-pilgrim
Jared
JessiChi
Someone (barhia@aol.com)
Jedijessie
kewl someone
Lady Akiko
Kawaii-anime-lover
the mysterious ghost
april
Little Blossom
silverfang
windy*wings
Fyerbelle
SpringbloomOpal
Gemini Star
Ch.2 A Wilted Cherry Blossom
*****Sakura*****
I slowly opened my eyes and realization struck. I was a slave. The man in black bought me. Japan and Hong Kong were at war. Both countries were trying to capture their enemies and turn them into slaves. It was horrible. Absolutely horrible.
I looked around and saw a dimly lit room. It was small, and everything in it was dull and lifeless. I was on a dull brown blanket that was spread out on a bed of hay. A thin gray-brown blanket was giving me what little warmth I had. A small wooden stool was in the corner of the room. There was also another little bed of hay on the opposite side of the room.
I sat up and immediately regretted it when I felt a hammering at my temples. I tried to lay back down and moaned. 'Why does my head have to hurt so badly? Where am I?'
I heard a door gently click open and turned my head in that direction. A girl came into the room, carrying a tray full of bread, soup, and water. She watched the tray, careful not to spill anything. She closed the door with her foot and looked in my direction.
"Good, you're up. I was starting to get worried for a second there."
I looked at her, confused. "Wha? Where am I? I know that freaky man bought me, but. what. where. why?"
The girl gave a small smile and came closer. She looked at me with the most amazing lavender eyes I have ever seen. She knelt down on the floor by my little "bed" and placed the tray between us. Her dark wavy hair cascaded over her shoulder because of the gesture, which she tucked behind her ear absentmindedly. By the rags she was wearing I could tell that she was also a. slave.
"First of all," she said, "you need to eat. I'll explain everything that I can while you get some food in your stomach."
"Thank you," I replied hoarsely.
"You're welcome. Now, you are in a mansion that belongs to the Woo's. Master Woo, he's the one that bought you, owns ALL of this. and us."
"You'ar from Japan too, aren't you?" I asked empathetically.
She nodded her head slowly. "Anyway, right now you are in the servants courters. That's what I like to call it anyway."
I nodded in agreement. "I don't like the word 'slave' very much, but I'm not so sure about the 'ant' part in 'servant' either."
She smiled ruefully. "Neither am I."
"Why are there only two beds in here? We aren't his only. servants. are we?"
"No. The males sleep somewhere else. We're the only females, that's why I'm glad you're here. You're even my own age!" She clasped her hands together and smiled. "By the way, my name is Tomoyo."
I smiled back, glad to have a friend. "I'm Sakura. It's nice to meet you."
"You too."
I finished eating and started to wonder what time it was. I didn't see any windows in the room, so I couldn't tell if there was any daylight. I turned to Tomoyo and asked, "What time is it?"
She thought for a little while before giving me her answer. "Well, I'd say it's almost time to be locked in. I've already had my dinner in the kitchens. I cook the meals here. It's probably pretty late. A lot of the servants are most likely sleeping."
"Oh," I said simply. "Are all the slaves always locked in?"
"Yes. He paid a lot for all of us and won't chance any of us escaping. Especially since you're here."
"Huh? Me?" I asked numbly. "Why?"
"I heard you put up a pretty good fight trying to get away from the slave traders. I think.in a way.he respects that."
"Yeah right!" I exclaimed. "He probably thinks too high of himself."
"Well, you'll be able to judge him tomorrow; that's when you start working." She stood up and placed the tray on the floor by the door, then crawled into her own little bed of hay.
I lay there, in my bed, staring at the ceiling. "Tomoyo?" I asked quietly.
"Hm?"
"What do you think of master Woo?"
There was silence, and then she finally spoke. "He's.strange. Different.in a way. It's hard to explain."
I just laid there, more confused than ever. How could he be different? "Tomoyo." I asked once again.
"Uhn?" again came her sleepy reply.
"Good night."
I could tell she was smiling, even through the darkness of the room. "Good night, Sakura. Sweet dreams."
I tried to go back to sleep, but I kept tossing and turning. I was asleep all day and now he expects me to go to sleep again?!? Was he crazy? I sat up in bed and was greatly relieved when my head wasn't throbbing. I glanced over to where Tomoyo was laying and was aware of the even falling and rising of her chest. She was asleep.
I tried to remember what happened earlier that day but I couldn't. Well, I remembered, but I still didn't know how I was able to get my feet unstuck. How was I held there anyway? I couldn't move my feet at all, and it didn't appear that anything solid had been holding them. It was like my feet and the ground were one. Like I somehow grew roots and was planted into the earth.
I sighed and stood up. Looking down at what I was wearing I felt oddly relieved to notice that they were my own. I was wearing pink shorts that were rolled up at the bottom, and a white shirt with little pink wings. I realized that my toes were cold. My shoes weren't on my feet, but then I spotted them at the side of the bed. The only warmth for my feet was a pair of white cotton socks.
I walked over to the door and placed my fingers on the handle. No one should mind if I went for a little midnight stroll. I pressed down on the handle, but it only moved a tiny hair. 'It's locked,' I thought to myself gloomily. 'Why couldn't it be unlocked? I can't stay cooped up in this room all night!' My hand tightened on the doorknob. 'Open you stupid door!'
A pale pink light flared, then slowly diminished. I pulled my hand away in fright. "What's going on?!?'
Then the door opened a tiny crack. I gasped, Dozens of questions running through my mind. I gaped at the door. Every muscle in me screamed to stay put. I didn't listen.
I tiptoed out the door and left it open a sliver so I wouldn't be locked out just in case, and so I would know which room was mine. I grinned when I saw the '81' on the brown door in dull yellow lettering. 'How easy could this get?' I asked no one in specific as I grinned triumphantly.
I quietly walked down the dark hallway and saw a staircase leading downward into pitch black emptiness. I turned to look over my shoulder and saw six doors, one of them having an '81' on it. I didn't see any other staircases. The hall just ended. I turned back to the spooky staircase and took a deep, shaky breath. This was my only option.
I slowly edged down the stairs, jumping every now and then when they creaked. My eyes scanned the area frantically. Nothing went by unnoticed.
When I got to the very bottom of the narrow stairs my heart began to pick up speed. I could feel something. A LOT of something. The musty air around me seemed different.more alive. It felt almost staticy, but not entirely. Something strange was definitely up. What could it be though?
I closed my eyes and concentrated, then followed wherever I thought it was coming from. I didn't know whether to be scared or relaxed.but at the moment I was definitely not relaxed.
My legs seemed to know the way on their own, my mind and body simply followed. I went through corridor after corridor, hallway after hallway, down another staircase, then up a staircase, twisting and turning in no apparent direction. 'I am SOO going to be lost,' I thought to myself with brief realization.
Then, finally I saw a light up ahead. I picked up my speed, looking at the part way open door with curiosity. They were double doors, and open was part way ajar. I stopped at the doorway and squinted, trying to allow my eyes to adjust. I looked through the gap in the door and gasped at the sight before me. It must have been 'Master Woo's' bed chamber.
It was dark and dreary, even with the center light on. Everything was a gray or black, the comforter on his bed, the desk and chair.everything! I took another step at looked in at the other side of the room. Master Woo was standing there. I had a perfect profile of his face, including the little bump at the bridge of his nose. His black robe billowed around him even though none of the windows to the room were open. A topaz aura surrounded him, and in his two hands was a ball of amber power, sparks of magic crackling on the outside of it. My eyes widened in horror as I took a sharp inhale of breath. I stumbled back a few steps and then whipped around, wanting to get away from this place as far as possible. After only two steps I bumped into something VERY hard and nearly fell.
"What are you doing here?" A dangerous voice whispered harshly, demanding an answer.
I froze, a shiver running up and down my spine. Slowly, I turned around, expecting to meet the worse punishment of my life. I was taken aback when I recognized the guy with messy brown hair and deep amber eyes. I blinked. He was a slave too! How'd HE get here? And what was he doing out of bed if everyone was supposedly locked in? "I wasn't tired," was all I could think of for an excuse. "What are YOU doing here?"
His eyes narrowed. "Business. Now leave, before you get involved in something you don't want to be dealing with."
"I'm not leaving! Especially after what I saw!" I stated defiantly, sounding more sure then I felt. "W-what DID I just see?"
He glared. "Why would I tell you? You'd just get in the way! I knew you would the first time I laid eyes on you. Just go back to bed, alright? You can be a happy, carefree, girl again, always giggling non-stop since you never know what's good for you."
I stared, holding my breath. Not THAT stung! What did he have against girls anyway? It's not like they'd throw themselves at his feet or something! I bit my lip, fighting back tears that I felt in the edges of my eyes. "You don't even KNOW me!" I stated, louder than I had intentioned. "You don't even-" I was cut off when a horrified look crossed his face and then a hand covered my mouth, forcing me to keep quiet. His eyes flicked in the direction of the man's room and then he rushed me down the hall, practically dragging me-or carrying me-the whole way. When we finally turned a corner he let go, pushing me away from the room I had been spying in. I caught myself against the wall just barely.
"What did you think you were doing?!?" He bellowed, or would have if it wouldn't have captured Woo's attention. He studied me for a moment, glaring as I tried to dissolve into the stone wall.
"You should know what was going on back there," he continued. "So stay out of it."
I tried to open and close my mouth again, but no words came out that were comprehendible so I closed it and shook my head 'no.'
"You don't?" he asked, crossing his arms and looking into my eyes unbelievably.
"No," I said meekly, yet truthfully.
"He's like you.like me," he stated after a minute. I must have looked as confused as ever because the next time he said something it was, "We better head back to our rooms now. We could both use some sleep anyway."
"Not me, I slept all day." It was out of my mouth before I knew it and I blushed a little from my rudeness, but didn't comment further.
"We still need to go back. He could find us, or sense us, and at the moment I'm not sure which is worse."
"You're not coming back here, are you?" I asked suspiciously.
"No," he assured me, and I could tell there was truth behind it, although it was only semi-truth. "At least not tonight."
I resolved not to argue anymore since we already got off on the wrong foot. I didn't want him to hate me.but that glare of his was nerve-racking! Ugh! We both turned and headed back, not saying a word to each other. I ended up following him, swirly-eyed since I was so lost.
"If this is your first time here," I said, breaking the silence, "Then how do you know your way around so much?"
He shrugged. "I just do. I had to, to come here."
"Come here?" I asked again, still not understanding.
"Business work," he stated simply, as if that answered everything.
"What sort of 'business work?'" I asked, getting fed up with his breezy explinations.
"That," he stated after a short pause, "you don't need to know." Then he entered a room, apparently the one he had come from, and closed it behind him. I fumed. He was almost as bad as my brother!
Then I noticed the letters on the door. '84.' I slowly turned and looked a little to my left. Right across the hall was '81'. I slowly entered, then shut the door behind me. Coincidence? I think not.
Disclaimer: I do not.I do not.I re-repeat.I do not own CCS. ^___^
What's gone on before: I looked down at my feet and thought I saw an orange-yellow aura around them. I shook my head, thinking I was seeing things. [AN: Sakura doesn't know she has magic yet. Things will be pretty interesting. ^-^] I stood up straight and tall, my head throbbing. I closed my eyes and concentrated on my feet. With all my force, I pushed at the thing keeping my feet in place. I squinted my eyes in concentration, and with my last remaining energy, I tried to pry my feet from the ground.
I felt a release of energy and my eyes snapped open. I stumbled back a few steps and realized that I freed myself. I smiled, proud of myself. Then a sharp pain at my temple made everything spin around me. There was a roaring in my ears and then I fell to the ground. Everything went black.
Thank you:
lozza-pilgrim
Jared
JessiChi
Someone (barhia@aol.com)
Jedijessie
kewl someone
Lady Akiko
Kawaii-anime-lover
the mysterious ghost
april
Little Blossom
silverfang
windy*wings
Fyerbelle
SpringbloomOpal
Gemini Star
Ch.2 A Wilted Cherry Blossom
*****Sakura*****
I slowly opened my eyes and realization struck. I was a slave. The man in black bought me. Japan and Hong Kong were at war. Both countries were trying to capture their enemies and turn them into slaves. It was horrible. Absolutely horrible.
I looked around and saw a dimly lit room. It was small, and everything in it was dull and lifeless. I was on a dull brown blanket that was spread out on a bed of hay. A thin gray-brown blanket was giving me what little warmth I had. A small wooden stool was in the corner of the room. There was also another little bed of hay on the opposite side of the room.
I sat up and immediately regretted it when I felt a hammering at my temples. I tried to lay back down and moaned. 'Why does my head have to hurt so badly? Where am I?'
I heard a door gently click open and turned my head in that direction. A girl came into the room, carrying a tray full of bread, soup, and water. She watched the tray, careful not to spill anything. She closed the door with her foot and looked in my direction.
"Good, you're up. I was starting to get worried for a second there."
I looked at her, confused. "Wha? Where am I? I know that freaky man bought me, but. what. where. why?"
The girl gave a small smile and came closer. She looked at me with the most amazing lavender eyes I have ever seen. She knelt down on the floor by my little "bed" and placed the tray between us. Her dark wavy hair cascaded over her shoulder because of the gesture, which she tucked behind her ear absentmindedly. By the rags she was wearing I could tell that she was also a. slave.
"First of all," she said, "you need to eat. I'll explain everything that I can while you get some food in your stomach."
"Thank you," I replied hoarsely.
"You're welcome. Now, you are in a mansion that belongs to the Woo's. Master Woo, he's the one that bought you, owns ALL of this. and us."
"You'ar from Japan too, aren't you?" I asked empathetically.
She nodded her head slowly. "Anyway, right now you are in the servants courters. That's what I like to call it anyway."
I nodded in agreement. "I don't like the word 'slave' very much, but I'm not so sure about the 'ant' part in 'servant' either."
She smiled ruefully. "Neither am I."
"Why are there only two beds in here? We aren't his only. servants. are we?"
"No. The males sleep somewhere else. We're the only females, that's why I'm glad you're here. You're even my own age!" She clasped her hands together and smiled. "By the way, my name is Tomoyo."
I smiled back, glad to have a friend. "I'm Sakura. It's nice to meet you."
"You too."
I finished eating and started to wonder what time it was. I didn't see any windows in the room, so I couldn't tell if there was any daylight. I turned to Tomoyo and asked, "What time is it?"
She thought for a little while before giving me her answer. "Well, I'd say it's almost time to be locked in. I've already had my dinner in the kitchens. I cook the meals here. It's probably pretty late. A lot of the servants are most likely sleeping."
"Oh," I said simply. "Are all the slaves always locked in?"
"Yes. He paid a lot for all of us and won't chance any of us escaping. Especially since you're here."
"Huh? Me?" I asked numbly. "Why?"
"I heard you put up a pretty good fight trying to get away from the slave traders. I think.in a way.he respects that."
"Yeah right!" I exclaimed. "He probably thinks too high of himself."
"Well, you'll be able to judge him tomorrow; that's when you start working." She stood up and placed the tray on the floor by the door, then crawled into her own little bed of hay.
I lay there, in my bed, staring at the ceiling. "Tomoyo?" I asked quietly.
"Hm?"
"What do you think of master Woo?"
There was silence, and then she finally spoke. "He's.strange. Different.in a way. It's hard to explain."
I just laid there, more confused than ever. How could he be different? "Tomoyo." I asked once again.
"Uhn?" again came her sleepy reply.
"Good night."
I could tell she was smiling, even through the darkness of the room. "Good night, Sakura. Sweet dreams."
I tried to go back to sleep, but I kept tossing and turning. I was asleep all day and now he expects me to go to sleep again?!? Was he crazy? I sat up in bed and was greatly relieved when my head wasn't throbbing. I glanced over to where Tomoyo was laying and was aware of the even falling and rising of her chest. She was asleep.
I tried to remember what happened earlier that day but I couldn't. Well, I remembered, but I still didn't know how I was able to get my feet unstuck. How was I held there anyway? I couldn't move my feet at all, and it didn't appear that anything solid had been holding them. It was like my feet and the ground were one. Like I somehow grew roots and was planted into the earth.
I sighed and stood up. Looking down at what I was wearing I felt oddly relieved to notice that they were my own. I was wearing pink shorts that were rolled up at the bottom, and a white shirt with little pink wings. I realized that my toes were cold. My shoes weren't on my feet, but then I spotted them at the side of the bed. The only warmth for my feet was a pair of white cotton socks.
I walked over to the door and placed my fingers on the handle. No one should mind if I went for a little midnight stroll. I pressed down on the handle, but it only moved a tiny hair. 'It's locked,' I thought to myself gloomily. 'Why couldn't it be unlocked? I can't stay cooped up in this room all night!' My hand tightened on the doorknob. 'Open you stupid door!'
A pale pink light flared, then slowly diminished. I pulled my hand away in fright. "What's going on?!?'
Then the door opened a tiny crack. I gasped, Dozens of questions running through my mind. I gaped at the door. Every muscle in me screamed to stay put. I didn't listen.
I tiptoed out the door and left it open a sliver so I wouldn't be locked out just in case, and so I would know which room was mine. I grinned when I saw the '81' on the brown door in dull yellow lettering. 'How easy could this get?' I asked no one in specific as I grinned triumphantly.
I quietly walked down the dark hallway and saw a staircase leading downward into pitch black emptiness. I turned to look over my shoulder and saw six doors, one of them having an '81' on it. I didn't see any other staircases. The hall just ended. I turned back to the spooky staircase and took a deep, shaky breath. This was my only option.
I slowly edged down the stairs, jumping every now and then when they creaked. My eyes scanned the area frantically. Nothing went by unnoticed.
When I got to the very bottom of the narrow stairs my heart began to pick up speed. I could feel something. A LOT of something. The musty air around me seemed different.more alive. It felt almost staticy, but not entirely. Something strange was definitely up. What could it be though?
I closed my eyes and concentrated, then followed wherever I thought it was coming from. I didn't know whether to be scared or relaxed.but at the moment I was definitely not relaxed.
My legs seemed to know the way on their own, my mind and body simply followed. I went through corridor after corridor, hallway after hallway, down another staircase, then up a staircase, twisting and turning in no apparent direction. 'I am SOO going to be lost,' I thought to myself with brief realization.
Then, finally I saw a light up ahead. I picked up my speed, looking at the part way open door with curiosity. They were double doors, and open was part way ajar. I stopped at the doorway and squinted, trying to allow my eyes to adjust. I looked through the gap in the door and gasped at the sight before me. It must have been 'Master Woo's' bed chamber.
It was dark and dreary, even with the center light on. Everything was a gray or black, the comforter on his bed, the desk and chair.everything! I took another step at looked in at the other side of the room. Master Woo was standing there. I had a perfect profile of his face, including the little bump at the bridge of his nose. His black robe billowed around him even though none of the windows to the room were open. A topaz aura surrounded him, and in his two hands was a ball of amber power, sparks of magic crackling on the outside of it. My eyes widened in horror as I took a sharp inhale of breath. I stumbled back a few steps and then whipped around, wanting to get away from this place as far as possible. After only two steps I bumped into something VERY hard and nearly fell.
"What are you doing here?" A dangerous voice whispered harshly, demanding an answer.
I froze, a shiver running up and down my spine. Slowly, I turned around, expecting to meet the worse punishment of my life. I was taken aback when I recognized the guy with messy brown hair and deep amber eyes. I blinked. He was a slave too! How'd HE get here? And what was he doing out of bed if everyone was supposedly locked in? "I wasn't tired," was all I could think of for an excuse. "What are YOU doing here?"
His eyes narrowed. "Business. Now leave, before you get involved in something you don't want to be dealing with."
"I'm not leaving! Especially after what I saw!" I stated defiantly, sounding more sure then I felt. "W-what DID I just see?"
He glared. "Why would I tell you? You'd just get in the way! I knew you would the first time I laid eyes on you. Just go back to bed, alright? You can be a happy, carefree, girl again, always giggling non-stop since you never know what's good for you."
I stared, holding my breath. Not THAT stung! What did he have against girls anyway? It's not like they'd throw themselves at his feet or something! I bit my lip, fighting back tears that I felt in the edges of my eyes. "You don't even KNOW me!" I stated, louder than I had intentioned. "You don't even-" I was cut off when a horrified look crossed his face and then a hand covered my mouth, forcing me to keep quiet. His eyes flicked in the direction of the man's room and then he rushed me down the hall, practically dragging me-or carrying me-the whole way. When we finally turned a corner he let go, pushing me away from the room I had been spying in. I caught myself against the wall just barely.
"What did you think you were doing?!?" He bellowed, or would have if it wouldn't have captured Woo's attention. He studied me for a moment, glaring as I tried to dissolve into the stone wall.
"You should know what was going on back there," he continued. "So stay out of it."
I tried to open and close my mouth again, but no words came out that were comprehendible so I closed it and shook my head 'no.'
"You don't?" he asked, crossing his arms and looking into my eyes unbelievably.
"No," I said meekly, yet truthfully.
"He's like you.like me," he stated after a minute. I must have looked as confused as ever because the next time he said something it was, "We better head back to our rooms now. We could both use some sleep anyway."
"Not me, I slept all day." It was out of my mouth before I knew it and I blushed a little from my rudeness, but didn't comment further.
"We still need to go back. He could find us, or sense us, and at the moment I'm not sure which is worse."
"You're not coming back here, are you?" I asked suspiciously.
"No," he assured me, and I could tell there was truth behind it, although it was only semi-truth. "At least not tonight."
I resolved not to argue anymore since we already got off on the wrong foot. I didn't want him to hate me.but that glare of his was nerve-racking! Ugh! We both turned and headed back, not saying a word to each other. I ended up following him, swirly-eyed since I was so lost.
"If this is your first time here," I said, breaking the silence, "Then how do you know your way around so much?"
He shrugged. "I just do. I had to, to come here."
"Come here?" I asked again, still not understanding.
"Business work," he stated simply, as if that answered everything.
"What sort of 'business work?'" I asked, getting fed up with his breezy explinations.
"That," he stated after a short pause, "you don't need to know." Then he entered a room, apparently the one he had come from, and closed it behind him. I fumed. He was almost as bad as my brother!
Then I noticed the letters on the door. '84.' I slowly turned and looked a little to my left. Right across the hall was '81'. I slowly entered, then shut the door behind me. Coincidence? I think not.