"Very well…" Shing said. "You don't want to move onto the last test."
Syaoran grabbed rocks on the floor and tightened them with his fists. "I just don't know what to do…" he said sadly.
Flowers for My Girl- Chapter 12
Shing paused to let a little time pass by. After a few minutes of silence he looked at the heartless Syaoran and said, "Well? It's good you're taking this all in, but you don't have forever to decide if you want to go on."
Syaoran set his hands on the ground below him and slowly lifted himself to his feet. Though no tears were in his eyes, his body was like a limp puppet for it seemed that he had no life left in him. "I… I… didn't mean for things to be like this…" Syaoran said, stammering his words.
"Of course you didn't. You couldn't really predict the way that these tests would go," Shing commented wistfully.
"That's not what I meant," Syaoran replied.
"I know."
"I thought of her everyday. If I had known that she would end up like this I would have… I would have…"
Shing sighed impatiently. "You would have what? Gone back to her? No one is perfect, you made a mistake and from what I can tell, she wasn't that perfect either."
Syaoran yelled, "She was perfect to me!"
"So you'll continue to try and bring her back to life?"
"Does she want to be saved?" Syaoran asked quietly.
"Saved? Do you really consider yourself to be saving her? I don't know what she wants, but from what I saw it looks like she wants to be left alone. I'll leave you alone for a bit to decide what you want to do," Shing replied coldly.
"Wait!" Syaoran called.
"What is it?" Shing asked.
"I have one more question. The cards… did they influence the way she thought?"
Shing sighed. "That's up what you think. I can't fully tell you right now. The Light and the Dark card, eh? It would seem to be that they would act pretty impartial about matters considering that light and dark cancel each other out. Other than that, all I can say is that they care for their mistress, right?"
Syaoran nodded to take it all in.
"Like I said, I'll leave you to your thoughts." Shing said. "Just remember the main rule to the test: You forfeit the right to the tests if you leave the graveyard. Also remember what I told you before your very first test… Call me when you have fully decided."
And then he was gone. Syaoran looked up. Where Sakura's death had taken place in front of his very eyes had turned into part of the cemetery. Syaoran took a deep breath and realized where he was standing. Syaoran read the words carefully on the stone in front of him.
"Sakura Kinomoto
beloved daughter, sister, and friend
1985-2001"
He repeated the words in his mind as he knelt on the packed dirt beneath him. He saw the four roses he had left on the day of the funeral, which now looked as dead as he felt.
'I don't see how things could change so rapidly,' Syaoran thought. Memories flooded his thoughts. He saw in his mind when Sakura caught the various cards, starting from an untrained weakling and growing into a strong sorceress.
He also felt the different emotions overcoming his heart from the past. First there was the anger mixed with annoyance, onto cooperation and friendship, and finally love. Syaoran dwelled on the 'love'.
Every glance, every look, every smile made his heart jump. And now it was over. There would be no more smiles, no more sweet glimpses.
Syaoran sighed for what felt like the millionth time during the day. Then he remembered what Shing had said before he left. He had told him to remember what he had said before the very first test. Syaoran thought of what Shing could have possibly meant before the words struck him like a punch to the heart.
"Always remember who you're fighting for. The life of you're loved one. Also remember that if you lose, then that person is lost forever in the between. You will be lost too. Life is beautiful, if there is something that you should treasure, it is life. Never give up and believe in the powers in you. Use your mind because without it you will get nowhere."
Syaoran smiled and shook his head. 'Honestly, I don't know if he's a bad guy or a good guy. Sometimes he helps me, and yet sometimes he's discourages me.'
But remembering that, he remembered what he had to do. He had to remember who he was fighting for: Sakura, his beloved. Sure, Sakura was lost in a realm of nothingness, she wouldn't be feeling pain where she was, but what was life or death with nothing? Shing had said it with his own mouth; life is beautiful.
Syaoran smiled for the first time in hours and said out loud, "Shing! Come back! I have decided to continue with the last test! I WILL bring Sakura back, I told myself that before I started my journey, and I will hold myself to that promise!"
"Very well," Shing replied. It was as if he had never left. "What made you decide?"
Syaoran said confidently, "A few things actually. The main one was your advice. In the midst of finding out Sakura's feelings, I forgot what my goal was. I forgot that I was fighting for HER, that my purpose was to bring her back."
Shing eerily smiled and said, "Good, anything else?"
"She may hate me, but I still love her. I can not forget her no matter what happens. I want Sakura to return to this world, even if she is full of bitterness. People love her, and as long as she is loved I will make sure that she is here to accept that love."
Shing nodded. "You're not as stupid as I thought you were. You seem to have grown intellectually since these tests began."
Syaoran nodded and smiled triumphantly, before realizing that he had just been called stupid. He glared at Shing before saying, "I would be mad, but even if you try to make me doubt myself, you seem to be helping me more than anything else."
Shing smiled mysteriously and changed the topic. "I take it that you decided that the cards aren't evil, Sakura hates you?"
Syaoran sighed, "I don't know what to think about it. But like I said, even if Sakura hates me, I will bring her back. I have yet to truly apologize and tell her how I feel."
With a slight nod Shing replied, "You really have grown through these tests. It doesn't matter what Sakura thinks, she is one lucky girl if you go through with this last test."
A/N- Ok, so there's less action. Syaoran's gonna finish! Yay! (of course, how could you doubt him?!) *winks* This last test is really cool though, I've had it in my mind before I even had the story planned. I'm so excited! Thanks for everyone who has read this story so far and being so supportive!^_^ **hugs**
Syaoran grabbed rocks on the floor and tightened them with his fists. "I just don't know what to do…" he said sadly.
Flowers for My Girl- Chapter 12
Shing paused to let a little time pass by. After a few minutes of silence he looked at the heartless Syaoran and said, "Well? It's good you're taking this all in, but you don't have forever to decide if you want to go on."
Syaoran set his hands on the ground below him and slowly lifted himself to his feet. Though no tears were in his eyes, his body was like a limp puppet for it seemed that he had no life left in him. "I… I… didn't mean for things to be like this…" Syaoran said, stammering his words.
"Of course you didn't. You couldn't really predict the way that these tests would go," Shing commented wistfully.
"That's not what I meant," Syaoran replied.
"I know."
"I thought of her everyday. If I had known that she would end up like this I would have… I would have…"
Shing sighed impatiently. "You would have what? Gone back to her? No one is perfect, you made a mistake and from what I can tell, she wasn't that perfect either."
Syaoran yelled, "She was perfect to me!"
"So you'll continue to try and bring her back to life?"
"Does she want to be saved?" Syaoran asked quietly.
"Saved? Do you really consider yourself to be saving her? I don't know what she wants, but from what I saw it looks like she wants to be left alone. I'll leave you alone for a bit to decide what you want to do," Shing replied coldly.
"Wait!" Syaoran called.
"What is it?" Shing asked.
"I have one more question. The cards… did they influence the way she thought?"
Shing sighed. "That's up what you think. I can't fully tell you right now. The Light and the Dark card, eh? It would seem to be that they would act pretty impartial about matters considering that light and dark cancel each other out. Other than that, all I can say is that they care for their mistress, right?"
Syaoran nodded to take it all in.
"Like I said, I'll leave you to your thoughts." Shing said. "Just remember the main rule to the test: You forfeit the right to the tests if you leave the graveyard. Also remember what I told you before your very first test… Call me when you have fully decided."
And then he was gone. Syaoran looked up. Where Sakura's death had taken place in front of his very eyes had turned into part of the cemetery. Syaoran took a deep breath and realized where he was standing. Syaoran read the words carefully on the stone in front of him.
"Sakura Kinomoto
beloved daughter, sister, and friend
1985-2001"
He repeated the words in his mind as he knelt on the packed dirt beneath him. He saw the four roses he had left on the day of the funeral, which now looked as dead as he felt.
'I don't see how things could change so rapidly,' Syaoran thought. Memories flooded his thoughts. He saw in his mind when Sakura caught the various cards, starting from an untrained weakling and growing into a strong sorceress.
He also felt the different emotions overcoming his heart from the past. First there was the anger mixed with annoyance, onto cooperation and friendship, and finally love. Syaoran dwelled on the 'love'.
Every glance, every look, every smile made his heart jump. And now it was over. There would be no more smiles, no more sweet glimpses.
Syaoran sighed for what felt like the millionth time during the day. Then he remembered what Shing had said before he left. He had told him to remember what he had said before the very first test. Syaoran thought of what Shing could have possibly meant before the words struck him like a punch to the heart.
"Always remember who you're fighting for. The life of you're loved one. Also remember that if you lose, then that person is lost forever in the between. You will be lost too. Life is beautiful, if there is something that you should treasure, it is life. Never give up and believe in the powers in you. Use your mind because without it you will get nowhere."
Syaoran smiled and shook his head. 'Honestly, I don't know if he's a bad guy or a good guy. Sometimes he helps me, and yet sometimes he's discourages me.'
But remembering that, he remembered what he had to do. He had to remember who he was fighting for: Sakura, his beloved. Sure, Sakura was lost in a realm of nothingness, she wouldn't be feeling pain where she was, but what was life or death with nothing? Shing had said it with his own mouth; life is beautiful.
Syaoran smiled for the first time in hours and said out loud, "Shing! Come back! I have decided to continue with the last test! I WILL bring Sakura back, I told myself that before I started my journey, and I will hold myself to that promise!"
"Very well," Shing replied. It was as if he had never left. "What made you decide?"
Syaoran said confidently, "A few things actually. The main one was your advice. In the midst of finding out Sakura's feelings, I forgot what my goal was. I forgot that I was fighting for HER, that my purpose was to bring her back."
Shing eerily smiled and said, "Good, anything else?"
"She may hate me, but I still love her. I can not forget her no matter what happens. I want Sakura to return to this world, even if she is full of bitterness. People love her, and as long as she is loved I will make sure that she is here to accept that love."
Shing nodded. "You're not as stupid as I thought you were. You seem to have grown intellectually since these tests began."
Syaoran nodded and smiled triumphantly, before realizing that he had just been called stupid. He glared at Shing before saying, "I would be mad, but even if you try to make me doubt myself, you seem to be helping me more than anything else."
Shing smiled mysteriously and changed the topic. "I take it that you decided that the cards aren't evil, Sakura hates you?"
Syaoran sighed, "I don't know what to think about it. But like I said, even if Sakura hates me, I will bring her back. I have yet to truly apologize and tell her how I feel."
With a slight nod Shing replied, "You really have grown through these tests. It doesn't matter what Sakura thinks, she is one lucky girl if you go through with this last test."
A/N- Ok, so there's less action. Syaoran's gonna finish! Yay! (of course, how could you doubt him?!) *winks* This last test is really cool though, I've had it in my mind before I even had the story planned. I'm so excited! Thanks for everyone who has read this story so far and being so supportive!^_^ **hugs**