A/N- **drum roll** Now for the last chapter! The moment you've all been waiting for! Er… maybe the moment… -_______-;;.
Disclaimer: I haven't put one of these up for a while cause I keep forgetting… but here it is! I don't own CCS or it's characters! **owns Shing** He's enough for me to own… ^_^
Flowers for My Girl- Chapter 14
Syaoran wanted to yell, 'Stop! I can't bear the pain! I give up!' Instead he closed his eyes and forced memories of when he was in grade school. His whole mind was consumed with Sakura's beaming face. That image was enough to prevent him from failing the test. 'I'm doing this for Sakura. Even though I die, she'll eventually be happy again.'
A white light flashed through his mind. There was no longer any pain or feeling. He looked around to see a white field of nothingness around him. "Am I dead… wait, Who am I?"
A voice told him, "You aren't dead. Almost dead… but not quite."
Syaoran snapped his head to find where the voice came from. In front of him he saw a mysterious white-cloaked figure. His features where unidentifiable and Syaoran squinted his eyes to see who it was, but failed to figure it out.
"Who are you?"
"Your inner conscience. I've never been so impressed with the way you handled yourself. You have proven to be a strong person at heart and in mind."
"My inner conscience? Since when do I have one of those? What's going on?" Syaoran asked, totally unaware of what had happened.
"I've always been there, you just don't realize it. I'm basically just a figment in your heart that makes you feel certain ways."
"Feel certain ways?"
"Maybe you can't remember those feelings at the moment. Do you know why you are here?"
Syaoran raised his eyebrows and said, "I don't even know what here is."
The man in the white cloak emitted a sigh. "I've got a story for you. Care to hear?"
Syaoran gave him a blank look.
"Fine then. I'll begin without you saying anything.
There was once an angry young boy from China. On a quest to retrieve magic he went to Japan. In Japan he met a young girl about his age who was searching for cards of magic, the same thing the boy was looking for. The boy was angered that this young girl would get in his way. At first the boy acted was very mean towards the girl, but over months this girl gave him support in hard times and he couldn't help but aid her to catch the magic cards. He fell in love with her. The young girl had fallen in love with him too but the boy didn't know. They never said anything to each other about their feelings. After the girl was done catching the cards the boy went back to China, feeling a shadow of sadness in his heart for never telling the girl how he felt.
A few years later the girl died. In great sorrow the boy returned to Japan for her funeral. Not being able to accept her death he found a spell to bring her back to life by going through a series of tests. Each test tested his different abilities and played on his emotions. Through one of his tests he found out a shocking truth that the girl he loved hated him for leaving. He kept going through the tests though he was shaken with guilt and sadness. He was determined to bring her back. In the final test he accepted taking the girls spot in death so she return to life. In the last moments the girl realized her love for the boy and her hatred was shattered, but being as he would die in her place, there was nothing that she could do but watch and cry…"
Syaoran blinked and suddenly felt a pang in his heart. "What was that? That… thing… that went through me?"
"That was an emotion. Think hard Syaoran, try to feel it again."
Syaoran closed his eyes. Suddenly, the face of a girl flashed into his mind. He breathed in heavily as he felt something stab his heart. It wasn't something that hurt him, but a dull pain of longing that he couldn't control.
"Huh!" Syaoran gasped. "What's going on? Suddenly… there's just something in me that I can't express in words. This… this…"
The hooded figure laughed. "Feeling of love? Return to Sakura. You don't want to see the girl you love crying because of these silly tests."
Syaoran looked at the cloaked man. Syaoran looked really hard again to see who was talking to him and found a teenager hidden within the cloak, with the same chestnut hair and brown eyes that he had. The boy disappeared as Syaoran felt every wave of emotion he had ever experienced enter his body.
Without realizing what was happening he started hearing sounds. He closed his eyes and tried to become more acute to the sounds around him.
First he heard a quiet sob coming from Sakura. Then he heard a quiet voice say, "Hm, that boy is incredibly strong. He passed the test…"
Syaoran slowly opened his eyes to find Shing and Sakura before him. As his senses began to fully come back to his body he asked groggily, "What's going on?"
Sakura looked at Syaoran, her tears sparkling at the corners of her eyes. She smiled and cried out, "You didn't die!"
Shing smiled fully for the first time that Syaoran had ever seen and said, "The test worked. You passed it…"
Syaoran snapped awake. He felt the ropes slip off his hands as he fell to the ground. In confusion Syaoran asked, "What? I thought I had to die to pass the test to take Sakura's spot. You said so yourself!"
"I lied," Shing said, smirking.
Sakura blinked away her tears and asked Shing, "Why did you lie? I thought you were helping us…"
Shing slyly smiled as Syaoran glared at him. He proceeded to explain to them what had happened. "This test was never about Syaoran dying. It was about him accepting that he would die for Sakura. By saying he would willingly die and dealing with the momentarily pain he proved that he would do ANYTHING for the one he loved. If you are complaining that Syaoran is alive…"
Raising her arm, Sakura replied, "No! Of course I have no complaint! I was just heartbroken that Syaoran was about to die."
Syaoran stood up and said dryly, "Shing, sometimes I don't know whether I should kill you or whether to thank you."
Shing replied, "For some reason, I thought you'd be more happy to know that you've fully passed all tests. You can go back to Tomoeda, but I'm sure you'll have one heck of time explaining why Sakura isn't dead."
Syaoran's eyes widened. The information didn't fully hit him until this moment. In his mind he heard the words 'You… passed… Sakura isn't dead.'
Syaoran looked at Sakura, who had dancing stars in her eyes. She ran to Syaoran who opened his arms to her for a hug.
"It's all over then?" Syaoran asked, holding Sakura close to him.
"Yeah, I just said that. I don't suppose you noticed, but all your injuries are gone. That gash from your first test that you forgot about because you were so into your tests? Completely gone. It's too bad that you weren't cured of your slowness, I guess the brain damage was too much to heal." Shing replied in a mocking tone.
Syaoran glared at Syaoran before he realized that someone was missing. "Where's Kero?"
"After the test where you had to go to the past to watch Sakura die, he returned to the past to live out that life. He's probably in the book, mourning Sakura's death. It would be as if you never woke him up to give you the Light and the Dark card."
Sakura gave a quizzical look. "That made… no sense…"
Syaoran nodded. "I think I get it. Everyone still considers you to be dead. I had to wake up Kero before I came, but when we get back Kero will not know what had happened cause it will be like I was never there."
Sakura sighed and replied slowly, "I guess I have a lot to catch up on because that still didn't make much sense."
"When do we go back?"
Shing shrugged. "You are free to leave whenever you want to. It sounded like you still had some questions for me though. Just tell me when you're ready."
Syaoran brought his hand to his chin and wondered if he had any more questions. Then he realized there was one thing that he still didn't understand. Full of curiosity he asked, "How do you know so much? You are so mysterious; who do you serve?"
Shing laughed his raspy laugh. "I know these things because it is my job to know…"
Syaoran interrupted, "But what is your j-"
"There are some things that you shouldn't know until you truly die."
Sakura looked at the exasperated Syaoran and tried to explain. "Even when you die, I doubt you will understand. I'm still trying to figure out half of what this conversation is."
Syaoran muttered to himself, "That's because even through death, you're pretty dense…"
Shing smiled and said, "I'm so glad to have met people as strong as you too. It's time to go. Goodbye."
Syaoran held onto Sakura's hand as the room disappeared in a swirl to be replaced by the graveyard in Tomoeda.
Sakura left go of Syaoran's hand and grabbed her head. "That was awful. I don't think I've ever felt so dizzy."
Syaoran smiled and wistfully moved the hair out of her face that had been caused by the change of dimensions. "You get used to it after a while," he replied, even though he felt a bit sick himself.
After a few moments of somber silence the same question popped into both of their heads.
"Where's Shing?" they said simultaneously.
Syaoran and Sakura both turned their heads and made an attempt to find their host. After a brief search, they gave up.
Syaoran sighed and said, "I suppose it's all for the best. I've passed the tests and have brought you back to life. If he's gone, then we don't need him for anything else."
Sakura smiled and grabbed Syaoran's hand. "Then let's get out of this eerie place."
Syaoran smiled, something he had rarely done his whole life. He let Sakura pull him out of the cemetery, but not before noticing two cards propped up against a blank gravestone and beside three dead flowers.
He pulled Sakura back to the gravestone and pointed with his free hand at the blank piece of slab.
"What are my cards doing there?" Sakura asked.
"This is your gravestone. It had your name on it but it's disappeared. Makes sense I guess, you are no longer dead. As for the cards, I had to get them to begin my tests. They helped cause your death."
Sakura paused before saying, "I'm sorry, Syao-"
Syaoran shushed her. "Don't be. I'm the one who is sorry. I should have never left. I never knew that you'd feel so depressed. Even though you aren't mentioning it, I know you still feel some of that bitterness. Hopefully you will fully forgive me someday."
Sakura picked up her cards and placed them in her pocket. Then she gave Syaoran a hug and said with tears in her eyes, "I've already forgiven you, don't you know that? I love you Syaoran!"
"I love you too, Sakura. I'm so relieved I finally get to tell you."
After their second reuniting embrace, they turned around and proceeded to the exit.
"It's so strange," Syaoran said randomly. "When I was going through the last test, I met my subconscious. Even though I wasn't supposed to feel anything or know anything, I was retold the story of you and me and all my feelings burst through me. I've never experienced something so amazing. I suppose the nothingness I was in was nothing like you experienced though."
Sakura replied, "I don't remember it. It's probably something that I'm not supposed to remember; everything is fuzzy. I remember waking up and seeing you over me. I felt such anger that those emotions of hate consumed me though…"
Syaoran sighed and remained silent.
As they walked more Sakura broke the silence and asked, "Didn't Shing say that everyone would still remember I was dead?"
"He said that, but I don't know. He's one crazy person. Either way, we'll figure it out. You'll be with me…"
Sakura smiled as they walked hand in hand towards their new future together. Syaoran smiled triumphantly and thought of all the things that they'd be able to catch up on and how happy things were ending.
As he thought that he heard a voice enter his mind.
"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. Also remember to be patient. This isn't the end as you think, far from it. Enjoy your life with the one you love…"
Out of the corner of his eye, Syaoran saw a man dressed in a refined black tuxedo with his back turned. The man had his hands in his pocket and his head tilted as the wind passed through his wispy black hair. His footsteps carried him away in a distant abyss as he slowly disappeared before Syaoran's eyes.
Syaoran looked at the area that Shing had disappeared through and thought, 'Thank you Shing.'
Letting go of Sakura's hand and putting his arm around her petite shoulder they walked in silence as the departed through the gate of the cemetery, the gate that separated life and death.
~Fin~
A/N- Wheeeeeeew… I hope that was to everyone's satisfaction! I don't really like the last sentence, but I couldn't think of anything to add onto it without getting really complex. ^_^ Congrats to Sakura Li 2389 who guessed what was gonna happen **sweatdrops** I had planned it before I had started the fic… and yet someone guessed it so easily (I'm sure many people prolly figured it out hehe…)
**hugs everyone** I'm so happy that you stuck with my story till the end! I'm kinda surprised… I've had this story for such a long time! Other than the thanks, I don't have much else to say! Look out for the next chapters of 'No More Sorrow' along with a new fanfiction! For all those authors out there, check out my site at www.geocities.com/sakurafans24 for a fanfiction contest that I'm holding! Thanks to everyone once again… I hope everyone liked it! Bye for now!
Disclaimer: I haven't put one of these up for a while cause I keep forgetting… but here it is! I don't own CCS or it's characters! **owns Shing** He's enough for me to own… ^_^
Flowers for My Girl- Chapter 14
Syaoran wanted to yell, 'Stop! I can't bear the pain! I give up!' Instead he closed his eyes and forced memories of when he was in grade school. His whole mind was consumed with Sakura's beaming face. That image was enough to prevent him from failing the test. 'I'm doing this for Sakura. Even though I die, she'll eventually be happy again.'
A white light flashed through his mind. There was no longer any pain or feeling. He looked around to see a white field of nothingness around him. "Am I dead… wait, Who am I?"
A voice told him, "You aren't dead. Almost dead… but not quite."
Syaoran snapped his head to find where the voice came from. In front of him he saw a mysterious white-cloaked figure. His features where unidentifiable and Syaoran squinted his eyes to see who it was, but failed to figure it out.
"Who are you?"
"Your inner conscience. I've never been so impressed with the way you handled yourself. You have proven to be a strong person at heart and in mind."
"My inner conscience? Since when do I have one of those? What's going on?" Syaoran asked, totally unaware of what had happened.
"I've always been there, you just don't realize it. I'm basically just a figment in your heart that makes you feel certain ways."
"Feel certain ways?"
"Maybe you can't remember those feelings at the moment. Do you know why you are here?"
Syaoran raised his eyebrows and said, "I don't even know what here is."
The man in the white cloak emitted a sigh. "I've got a story for you. Care to hear?"
Syaoran gave him a blank look.
"Fine then. I'll begin without you saying anything.
There was once an angry young boy from China. On a quest to retrieve magic he went to Japan. In Japan he met a young girl about his age who was searching for cards of magic, the same thing the boy was looking for. The boy was angered that this young girl would get in his way. At first the boy acted was very mean towards the girl, but over months this girl gave him support in hard times and he couldn't help but aid her to catch the magic cards. He fell in love with her. The young girl had fallen in love with him too but the boy didn't know. They never said anything to each other about their feelings. After the girl was done catching the cards the boy went back to China, feeling a shadow of sadness in his heart for never telling the girl how he felt.
A few years later the girl died. In great sorrow the boy returned to Japan for her funeral. Not being able to accept her death he found a spell to bring her back to life by going through a series of tests. Each test tested his different abilities and played on his emotions. Through one of his tests he found out a shocking truth that the girl he loved hated him for leaving. He kept going through the tests though he was shaken with guilt and sadness. He was determined to bring her back. In the final test he accepted taking the girls spot in death so she return to life. In the last moments the girl realized her love for the boy and her hatred was shattered, but being as he would die in her place, there was nothing that she could do but watch and cry…"
Syaoran blinked and suddenly felt a pang in his heart. "What was that? That… thing… that went through me?"
"That was an emotion. Think hard Syaoran, try to feel it again."
Syaoran closed his eyes. Suddenly, the face of a girl flashed into his mind. He breathed in heavily as he felt something stab his heart. It wasn't something that hurt him, but a dull pain of longing that he couldn't control.
"Huh!" Syaoran gasped. "What's going on? Suddenly… there's just something in me that I can't express in words. This… this…"
The hooded figure laughed. "Feeling of love? Return to Sakura. You don't want to see the girl you love crying because of these silly tests."
Syaoran looked at the cloaked man. Syaoran looked really hard again to see who was talking to him and found a teenager hidden within the cloak, with the same chestnut hair and brown eyes that he had. The boy disappeared as Syaoran felt every wave of emotion he had ever experienced enter his body.
Without realizing what was happening he started hearing sounds. He closed his eyes and tried to become more acute to the sounds around him.
First he heard a quiet sob coming from Sakura. Then he heard a quiet voice say, "Hm, that boy is incredibly strong. He passed the test…"
Syaoran slowly opened his eyes to find Shing and Sakura before him. As his senses began to fully come back to his body he asked groggily, "What's going on?"
Sakura looked at Syaoran, her tears sparkling at the corners of her eyes. She smiled and cried out, "You didn't die!"
Shing smiled fully for the first time that Syaoran had ever seen and said, "The test worked. You passed it…"
Syaoran snapped awake. He felt the ropes slip off his hands as he fell to the ground. In confusion Syaoran asked, "What? I thought I had to die to pass the test to take Sakura's spot. You said so yourself!"
"I lied," Shing said, smirking.
Sakura blinked away her tears and asked Shing, "Why did you lie? I thought you were helping us…"
Shing slyly smiled as Syaoran glared at him. He proceeded to explain to them what had happened. "This test was never about Syaoran dying. It was about him accepting that he would die for Sakura. By saying he would willingly die and dealing with the momentarily pain he proved that he would do ANYTHING for the one he loved. If you are complaining that Syaoran is alive…"
Raising her arm, Sakura replied, "No! Of course I have no complaint! I was just heartbroken that Syaoran was about to die."
Syaoran stood up and said dryly, "Shing, sometimes I don't know whether I should kill you or whether to thank you."
Shing replied, "For some reason, I thought you'd be more happy to know that you've fully passed all tests. You can go back to Tomoeda, but I'm sure you'll have one heck of time explaining why Sakura isn't dead."
Syaoran's eyes widened. The information didn't fully hit him until this moment. In his mind he heard the words 'You… passed… Sakura isn't dead.'
Syaoran looked at Sakura, who had dancing stars in her eyes. She ran to Syaoran who opened his arms to her for a hug.
"It's all over then?" Syaoran asked, holding Sakura close to him.
"Yeah, I just said that. I don't suppose you noticed, but all your injuries are gone. That gash from your first test that you forgot about because you were so into your tests? Completely gone. It's too bad that you weren't cured of your slowness, I guess the brain damage was too much to heal." Shing replied in a mocking tone.
Syaoran glared at Syaoran before he realized that someone was missing. "Where's Kero?"
"After the test where you had to go to the past to watch Sakura die, he returned to the past to live out that life. He's probably in the book, mourning Sakura's death. It would be as if you never woke him up to give you the Light and the Dark card."
Sakura gave a quizzical look. "That made… no sense…"
Syaoran nodded. "I think I get it. Everyone still considers you to be dead. I had to wake up Kero before I came, but when we get back Kero will not know what had happened cause it will be like I was never there."
Sakura sighed and replied slowly, "I guess I have a lot to catch up on because that still didn't make much sense."
"When do we go back?"
Shing shrugged. "You are free to leave whenever you want to. It sounded like you still had some questions for me though. Just tell me when you're ready."
Syaoran brought his hand to his chin and wondered if he had any more questions. Then he realized there was one thing that he still didn't understand. Full of curiosity he asked, "How do you know so much? You are so mysterious; who do you serve?"
Shing laughed his raspy laugh. "I know these things because it is my job to know…"
Syaoran interrupted, "But what is your j-"
"There are some things that you shouldn't know until you truly die."
Sakura looked at the exasperated Syaoran and tried to explain. "Even when you die, I doubt you will understand. I'm still trying to figure out half of what this conversation is."
Syaoran muttered to himself, "That's because even through death, you're pretty dense…"
Shing smiled and said, "I'm so glad to have met people as strong as you too. It's time to go. Goodbye."
Syaoran held onto Sakura's hand as the room disappeared in a swirl to be replaced by the graveyard in Tomoeda.
Sakura left go of Syaoran's hand and grabbed her head. "That was awful. I don't think I've ever felt so dizzy."
Syaoran smiled and wistfully moved the hair out of her face that had been caused by the change of dimensions. "You get used to it after a while," he replied, even though he felt a bit sick himself.
After a few moments of somber silence the same question popped into both of their heads.
"Where's Shing?" they said simultaneously.
Syaoran and Sakura both turned their heads and made an attempt to find their host. After a brief search, they gave up.
Syaoran sighed and said, "I suppose it's all for the best. I've passed the tests and have brought you back to life. If he's gone, then we don't need him for anything else."
Sakura smiled and grabbed Syaoran's hand. "Then let's get out of this eerie place."
Syaoran smiled, something he had rarely done his whole life. He let Sakura pull him out of the cemetery, but not before noticing two cards propped up against a blank gravestone and beside three dead flowers.
He pulled Sakura back to the gravestone and pointed with his free hand at the blank piece of slab.
"What are my cards doing there?" Sakura asked.
"This is your gravestone. It had your name on it but it's disappeared. Makes sense I guess, you are no longer dead. As for the cards, I had to get them to begin my tests. They helped cause your death."
Sakura paused before saying, "I'm sorry, Syao-"
Syaoran shushed her. "Don't be. I'm the one who is sorry. I should have never left. I never knew that you'd feel so depressed. Even though you aren't mentioning it, I know you still feel some of that bitterness. Hopefully you will fully forgive me someday."
Sakura picked up her cards and placed them in her pocket. Then she gave Syaoran a hug and said with tears in her eyes, "I've already forgiven you, don't you know that? I love you Syaoran!"
"I love you too, Sakura. I'm so relieved I finally get to tell you."
After their second reuniting embrace, they turned around and proceeded to the exit.
"It's so strange," Syaoran said randomly. "When I was going through the last test, I met my subconscious. Even though I wasn't supposed to feel anything or know anything, I was retold the story of you and me and all my feelings burst through me. I've never experienced something so amazing. I suppose the nothingness I was in was nothing like you experienced though."
Sakura replied, "I don't remember it. It's probably something that I'm not supposed to remember; everything is fuzzy. I remember waking up and seeing you over me. I felt such anger that those emotions of hate consumed me though…"
Syaoran sighed and remained silent.
As they walked more Sakura broke the silence and asked, "Didn't Shing say that everyone would still remember I was dead?"
"He said that, but I don't know. He's one crazy person. Either way, we'll figure it out. You'll be with me…"
Sakura smiled as they walked hand in hand towards their new future together. Syaoran smiled triumphantly and thought of all the things that they'd be able to catch up on and how happy things were ending.
As he thought that he heard a voice enter his mind.
"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. Also remember to be patient. This isn't the end as you think, far from it. Enjoy your life with the one you love…"
Out of the corner of his eye, Syaoran saw a man dressed in a refined black tuxedo with his back turned. The man had his hands in his pocket and his head tilted as the wind passed through his wispy black hair. His footsteps carried him away in a distant abyss as he slowly disappeared before Syaoran's eyes.
Syaoran looked at the area that Shing had disappeared through and thought, 'Thank you Shing.'
Letting go of Sakura's hand and putting his arm around her petite shoulder they walked in silence as the departed through the gate of the cemetery, the gate that separated life and death.
~Fin~
A/N- Wheeeeeeew… I hope that was to everyone's satisfaction! I don't really like the last sentence, but I couldn't think of anything to add onto it without getting really complex. ^_^ Congrats to Sakura Li 2389 who guessed what was gonna happen **sweatdrops** I had planned it before I had started the fic… and yet someone guessed it so easily (I'm sure many people prolly figured it out hehe…)
**hugs everyone** I'm so happy that you stuck with my story till the end! I'm kinda surprised… I've had this story for such a long time! Other than the thanks, I don't have much else to say! Look out for the next chapters of 'No More Sorrow' along with a new fanfiction! For all those authors out there, check out my site at www.geocities.com/sakurafans24 for a fanfiction contest that I'm holding! Thanks to everyone once again… I hope everyone liked it! Bye for now!