So here I sit, brushing my hair and languidly wondering whether I should just let Syaoran off the entire camp with an Uzi… Nah, maybe not. It just wouldn't be kind. And then the Cards would escape and destroy the world…that would just be so messy. Too much maintenance in that option. Well, Jared has helped to inspire me…and encourage me so I don't go through with the messy selection. Sooo…I really hope you guys like this. It's the second-to-the-last chapter. Oh! And read my latest ficcy, People Like Me. It's going to be very cool. Wanna know why? 'Cause there are going to be people like us in there! Oh, never mind. Read, please!
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Somewhere Over the Rainbow
by Zenin
Chapter Eleven: Backlash
Nope. That didn't happen. The optometrist must have been wrong. My eyes do not have 20/20 vision.
Syaoran sank, stunned, to sit beside the building. He had not jogged for four miles only to be met with the scene he had just witnessed. It went against everything he had ever thought…every hope he had ever dared dream.
"Nope, nope, nope. Didn't happen."
"Ah, but it did happen."
Syaoran's head jerked up. The voice was strangely familiar…ah ha! Of course! The voice that had inwardly plagued him from the very beginning of this warped vacation. Himself.
Or was it?
His eyes swept the length of Azul's mainstreet. No one was there. At least, no one of significance. There was a cat stretching on the doorstep of the store across the street, the Condiment Woman sitting a couple yards away with a jumbo-sized bottle of ketchup, and a rather harmless-looking squirrel gazing prospectively at Syaoran's pockets.
Stupid voice, he thought wearily.
"The voice isn't the stupid one, you know."
He angrily stood, whirling around to find the owner of the voice. Once again, nothing.
Keep out of my head! he mentally yelled, sending streaks of forest green magic to zap whoever it was. His magic was swept away contemptuously by an invisible hand as a squirt of ketchup splattered his face.
"No can do, boy."
Syaoran turned slowly and met the eyes of his assailant…
The Condiment Woman. She inspected her gnarled fingers with a professional flair and returned his shocked stare coolly. "What'd ya expect? The Easter Bunny? Or perhaps Santa Claus? Maybe Jiminy Cricket…'always let your conscience be your guide'…"
Syaoran shook his head slowly, running a hand over his eyes. "Now I'm delusional…" he muttered to himself.
"Darn right you are," she replied, her raspy voice grating on his nerves. She seated herself comfortably next to him and nudged him with a not-too-clean, bony elbow. "Got problems, don't ya, kid?"
"My name is not 'kid'," he said, annoyed.
"And my name isn't 'The Condiment Woman'," she retorted. "It's Aviah, or I guess you cardcaptors would say, 'The Thought Card'." A note of bitterness had crept into her voice. Syaoran found himself looking at her from a new perspective.
She's upset that she is a card, he thought incredulously.
The Condiment Woman shot him a look that equaled that of his own trademark glare, growling, "Wouldn't you be?"
The door to the café opened just then. Syaoran leaped to his and frantically looked for a hiding place, but it was too late. The Condiment Woman disappeared with a flash as Sakura and Yukio emerged from the shop, coming face to face with a red, obviously upset Syaoran. The color drained from Sakura as she reached forward to touch him.
He jerked away, lowering his eyes. "No. I saw everything. No need to…to rub it in or anything."
Yukio blue eyes widened. He stepped forward and grabbed Syaoran by a shoulder. "You're wrong. She just--"
Stars exploded on his vision as Syaoran whirled and dealt a heavy blow to Yukio's cheekbone. Syaoran stood over him, towering in rage. "Don't touch me."
Sakura strode between them and faced Syaoran, hands on hips. "Syaoran Li, just what is your problem?"
Syaoran's mouth dropped open. Was Sakura…yelling? At him?
Facing those beautiful emerald eyes, now so full of anger, there was only one clear option left.
He turned…and ran.
+==+==+==+
Sakura stared off into the distance. The world swirled away into a blank nothingness. No feelings. No pain. No sound.
Nothing.
Sakura looked around her, not that there was much to look at. She might have begun to feel bored, if it were possible. The nothingness stretched on into eternity. She mildly wished she could feel something—anything—but all reality was gone. She looked back at the pain in Syaoran's eyes, the accusatory glance he had thrown her that was somehow tainted with something else. A very strong emotion.
Love.
He loved her.
Sakura wondered at herself. Where was the clueless girl of yesterday? Nowhere to be seen. She now lived in a world of nothing. Nothing World. That is what she would call it.
A bright shaft of light suddenly blinded her. She raised her hands against the light and squinted. There, somewhere behind…or in…the light, resided nine figures. She could barely see their faces, only the black holes as multiple mouths opened, preparing to say something.
"Excuse me," she interrupted calmly. "Could someone turn off the light? It's really bothering me."
The figures closed their mouths and turned to each other, raising eyebrows. One finally spoke. "You know, she's right. Urania's really gotta learn how to control that beam."
The light snapped off, returning Nothing World to its original soft glow. Now Sakura could see them clearly. A silver haired beauty with starry gray eyes glared heatedly at another lithe, blonde maiden. "Shut up, Thalia!"
Thalia blew a kiss towards Urania, blue eyes shining mischievously.
"Come now, children." A raven-haired woman with dismal features waved her hand at the two bickering girls limply. "Lord knows you'll give the girl a heart attack…if we haven't already."
A young, brown-haired man laughed shortly. "You wish, Melpomene." He turned to Sakura, bowing slightly as he kissed her hand romantically. "Greetings, fair damsel. I am Erato, the Muse of song and romance." His eyes lingered on hers for a bit too long. "Your visit is very welcome."
Sakura managed to wrench her hand away and turned to the other eight people. "And you all are--?"
One by one they stepped forward.
The silver-haired girl curtsied graciously. "Urania, the Muse of astrology and light."
The blonde grinned impishly. "Thalia, the Muse of laughter and comedy."
The dismal black-haired woman sniffed. "Melpomene, the muse of tragedy and mourning. Are you always that pale, dear?"
Sakura ignored the question as a man with spectacles balanced precariously on his nose gave a courtly bow. "Clio, Muse of history."
A red-haired girl bounced up cheerfully and did a bunch of sign language. Sakura raised her eyebrows and waited for the translation, which came from a woman with softly curling chestnut hair. "Sorry. I'm Euterpe, Muse of lyrics and poetry," she said, brown eyes laughing. "She's Polyhymnia, Muse of mime and acting."
A man with wine-colored hair, obviously the partner of Euterpe, stepped beside her and clasped hands. "I am Terpsichore, Muse of dance and instruments."
Finally, the last Muse stepped forward, a young man with black hair and dark green eyes. He bowed. "I am Calliope, Chief of the Muses and the Muse of heroes."
If she could have had the ability, Sakura would have been impressed. She nodded simply to each and gave a curtsy to the Chief Muse. "Now," she began frankly. "Why am I here?"
"Well," Euterpe, the muse of poetry, began. "Actually, we had a pretty nice riddle to give you, but you kinda…erm…"
"You interrupted us!" Thalia said with a grin. "No one's ever done that before…it was great!"
Polyhymnia placed a hand over Thalia's mouth, muffling further chatter. Sakura smiled mirthlessly and turned to Calliope. "Well, what is the message?"
Everyone stilled. Polyhymnia withdrew her hand from Thalia's mouth as the nine muses straitened. Their eyes closed and they spoke with one voice, a voice that seemed to be released from deep within them.
"Where nothing breathes, yet they're alive;
Where all men fail, though they strive;
Lies the secret of their past.
Only those without malice or strife
Will survive and keep their life.
Beyond the gates of stony keep
Lies the secret, hidden deep.
"Token of Unity,
Amulet of Wrong,
Created by evil leprechauns.
Destroy the One, and they are free.
Yet choice remains,
'To give, or to keep?'"
Sakura nodded slightly. "That's great," she said tonelessly. "What does it mean?"
Everyone groaned. Calliope, the Chief Muse, was the only one who remained silent. He bent forward and kissed Sakura on her forehead, whispering, "Knowledge of mine and wisdom free I willingly present to thee."
She was about to ask what he had done, when she suddenly felt a rush of emotion thrum through her veins, along with a strange knowledge. She waved goodbye as the Nothing World faded into…erm…nothingness.
A peaceful smile spread across her lips, then faded as a tear suddenly slid down her cheek.
Syaoran...
+==+==+==+
Syaoran cursed at the sound of knocking on his door. Morons.
Why wouldn't they just leave him be? He had just been turned down by a girl he happened to be in love with. Nothing big. It was only tearing his heart to shreds. Really. He could live.
What a lie…
He began quietly bash his head against the wall. It made such an interesting sound.
Thud…
Thud…
Thud…
Thud…thud…thud..thud..thud..thud..thud..thud..thud..thud..thudthudthudthudthudTHWACK!
"OW! DAMMIT!"
"Syaoran, you idiot, open this door!" Akashi's voice floated through the window. Syaoran clutched his head and blindly found the doorknob, yanking the door almost off its hinges. He expected to be punched or something the way Akashi glared at him, but instead found himself being yanked to his feet and propelled out the door.
"Sakura's up to something." Akashi stated, gray eyes worried.
"Sakura?" Syaoran muttered. "Like I care anymore…" He winced as he gingerly touched the gigantic lump on his forehead.
They reached the Rainbow Pond in the center of camp just as the Card Mistress swam to the surface, something clutched firmly in a fist. The entire camp, with the exceptions of Cabin Four and Cabin Eight, were gone on a hike. Everyone else was gathered around the pool, staring curiously as Sakura dragged herself out of the multi-colored pool. She was wearing an elaborate cardcaptoring outfit, obviously designed by Tomoyo. It was an aquatic gown of sky blue, drying the moment Sakura surfaced. She stood, hair hanging in damp ringlets, and Syaoran couldn't help but know that she had never looked more beautiful. Then his eyes were drawn to the item in her other hand.
A sword.
His sword, to be precise.
She opened her other fist, voice low and gentle as she looked into the eyes of the Rainbow cards. "Recognize this?"
In her hand was a small amulet. Black silver had been molded into a coin with strange symbols carved all over. In the center was a clear colorless gem. The amulet hung from a chain that shone with all the colors imaginable. Sakura set it on the ground between her and the Rainbow cards, watching their reaction. They paled, Hoshi gasped, and the Condiment Woman began sobbing.
Sakura's eyes fell. The Cards were weeping. Only humans had feelings, right? There was but one thing to do.
Destroy the Amulet and free the Cards.
Sakura raised the sword slowly, eyes flickering against her will to look at Syaoran.
Some will never know what he read there, but in that moment he realized what she was about to do. He ran forward, her name tearing from his throat in a ragged cry. "Sakura! NO!"
The sword slammed down upon the amulet.
A wave of white magic blasted forth. People from even two miles away were knocked to their knees, while those closer were completely leveled to the ground. The tidal wave of magic rolled over the countryside. When all cleared, Cabin Four and Eight opened their eyes. Syaoran leveled himself up and managed to crawl to Sakura's limp, crumpled form. He touched her gently, briefly, checking for a pulse. He finally looked up, his eyes burning.
"Get an ambulance. Now."
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Okay. I know. You hate me. Have faith. Don't despair.
"Zippety-doo-da…zippety-ay…my-oh-my what a wonderful day…"
^_^;
© 2002 Zenin Industries