Of Lions and Dragons
Chapter 3
Disclaimer:
Well, I might as well tell you, I joined CLAMP and I now own CCS! Muhahahaha! *Little Sakura gets whacked over the head* Ow! Mou, a girl can dream can't she? Anyway, I got a visit from Syaoran the other day and--*Little Sakura falls to the ground as a mallet comes into contact with head* WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM? Ok, ok, I better stop lying before I end up with a concussion so onto the story!
Author's Notes:
Wow! Arigatou gozaimasu to all of you that have reviewed my story, it actually makes me think for a moment that I actually have a tiny bit of talent. (I'm a MAJOR perfectionist, ne?) I would go through the whole list and thank each and every one of you but I am very lazy so I am just going to dedicate this next chapter to everyone that has reviewed my story. Moving right along, I made a little character list to help you out on role-play in this story. MATTE! I totally forgot to mention that this story takes place in China, on account of Syaoran's family playing a role here.
Kinomoto Sakura- Sakura is very cheerful and uh…a bit dense. She is however very sweet, and caring, always willing to help out someone in need. She is a 17 yr. old girl in charge of completing her destiny to retrieve the Clow Cards before they cause wreak chaos and destruction. Her destiny is inexplicably entwined with that of a certain boy, is it fate?
Li Syaoran- (I love Syaoran if you couldn't already tell, he is one of my favorite characters!) Syaoran is rather serious and it takes a while for him to trust people. He is the future leader of the powerful Li Clan and has therefore been trained in martial arts and magic since he was very young. Under his cold (and may I say totally kawaii) exterior he is very compassionate and gentle. Soon, the meeting of a certain girl may just open his heart.
Daidouji Tomoyo- She is Sakura's best friend and Eriol's girlfriend. She knows about Sakura's card capturing quest and continues to make kawaii costumes for her to wear, to which Sakura agrees reluctantly. She will later play the role of cupid.
Hiragiizawa Eriol- (I spelled his name wrong didn't I?) He is half of Clow Reeds reincarnation and knows about the cards. He often gives Sakura advice and teases her, as does Tomoyo. He has some unknown connection to Syaoran.
Li Meiling- She is Syaoran's fiancée, (which Syaoran isn't too happy about) and hangs all over him. She doesn't like Sakura and does everything in her power to keep the two apart.
Kinomoto Fujitaka- He doesn't really play a big role; he's just there for support. He is Sakura's father and knows about the cards as well, and finally agrees to something vital in her quest.
Kinomoto Touya- He is Sakura's ni-chan and is VERY protective. He doesn't like Syaoran and he has his reasons, which you can all probably guess. He possesses faint magic but it's not really important.
Li Yelan- She is Syaoran's mother and is the current leader of the Li Clan. She has magic and summons her son to bring someone to her.
Kero-chan/Kerberos- Sakura's guardian who has the power to transform from his kawaii stuffed bear form to a giant lion, with of course magical abilities.
Rhyu- Syaoran's guardian who can transform from a tiny dragon to a massive dragon with magical abilities.
Whew that was long, anyway on to the story.
MATTE! I forgot the cards they already have!
Sakura- Sand, Create, Watery, Fly, Windy, Lock, Shield, Arrow, Sword, Freeze, Flower, Float, Erase, Glow, Sleep, Song, Little, Dash, Maze, Shot, and Sweet.
Syaoran- Change, Cloud, Voice, Bubbles, Through, Shadow, Jump, Illusion, Silent, Thunder, Time, Storm, Mist, Move, Fight, Loop, Mirror, Big, Twin, Return, Wave, and Libra.
There are eight cards left so Sakura and Syaoran will soon have them all! Gomen, but I didn't want to describe every capture so I shortened it this way.
Chapter 3
"Sakura."
"Sakura!"
"SAKURA!!!" Kero screamed into the face of his sleeping mistress.
"HOEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Sakura screamed as she fell out of bed onto the cold wood floor.
Kero fluttered over and rested on her stomach. "Mou Sakura, it's about time you woke up. You didn't even wake up when I smacked you on the head, now that's something."
Sakura rubbed her head where it had come into contact with the floor. "Kero-chan…I had a dream."
"Nani? A dream? Tell me, tell me!"
Sakura sat up and related her dream to the yellow guardian. "I was in a clearing, surrounded by high stone walls, with…strange writing. You were there Kero-chan and…"
Kero looked nervous. "And?"
"And there were three other powers nearby, two of which I recognize from yesterday. There was an aura much like your own Kero-chan, except it felt blue. Another, very powerful silver aura felt…I don't know intimidating. And then there was, another green aura, so warm and reassuring." Sakura shook her head and stood up. Kero remained on the floor. "Kero-chan?"
"I'll be down later, go on ahead Sakura."
Sakura nodded and skipped happily downstairs. Once he heard the sound of voices downstairs, Kero fluttered over to the window and rested on the sill. "Yue…"
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"Syaoran…" A girl, hidden in shadow took his hand, leading him to a valley of flowers. Syaoran smiled as her warm pink aura surrounded him, enlightening his senses. The girl came closer and closer until he could see her face. Green eyes, framed in the face of an angel, soft honey locks tickling his shoulder. The hair began to darken, into deep ebony and the eyes changed to terracotta red. The soft melodic voice turned to that of an unwelcome one. "Xiao Lang…"
Syaoran stirred in his sleep and pulled the blankets up over his head. 'No a nightmare, she can't be here.'
The blankets were pulled off, and Syaoran found himself staring into familiar terracotta eyes. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Syaoran screamed landing on the floor.
Li Meiling peered over the edge of the hammock, black ponytails tickling his face. "Rise and shine Syaoran!"
Syaoran glared daggers at the girl and stood up. "Meiling what the hell are you doing here?"
Meiling giggled and sat down on the hammock. "Aunt Yelan sent me to give you a message."
"Yeah, so give me the message and go."
Meiling stopped and looked to the boy in front of her. "Is that any way to treat your fiancée?"
Syaoran cringed. He had never, ever wanted to get engaged to her. If he ever married, he wanted it to be with someone he loved, not Meiling. "What does mother want anyway?"
Meiling shifted as she tried to remember the message. "Oh yeah. She wants you to find the Clow Mistress or something and then come back home."
"The Clow Mistress?" Syaoran's thoughts turned to the girl who had captured The Watery. Could she be the one?
"Syaoran?"
"Meiling go home, tell mother I'll be back shortly."
"Iie! I'm staying with you! If you are finding the Clow Mistress, I don't want her to get too close to you."
Syaoran groaned and rolled his eyes. 'Kami-sama just maker her go away.' He cringed as Meiling bribed Rhyu into giving her a ride and pulled him to his guardian.
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Sakura groaned and looked down at herself. She was fully clad in one of Tomoyo's latest creations and she felt a bit embarrassed. A tan miniskirt with shorts underneath rested above ankle high boots and a pink sleeveless midriff top and tan vest completed the outfit. "I look like a freak."
Kero shook his head and gave Sakura the thumbs up sign. "Iie, Sakura, totally kawaii!"
"Arigatou Kero-chan."
Movement caught the corner of Sakura's eye and she glanced up at the trees to see a branch moving at abnormal speed. "Ah, I see," she whispered.
Sakura took the key of Clow into her hands. "Release!"
"Fly." Instantly, wings sprouted from Sakura's back and she hovered in front of the branch.
Return to the form you were destined to be, Clow Card!
Kero's tiny mouth dropped open and he had to physically close it himself. "Sakura…how?"
Sakura landed softly to the ground and held the card out to her miniature guardian. "The Wood."
Kero gave Sakura a high-five and nodded. "How did you know it was there? I didn't even sense it!"
Sakura beamed proudly. "The Wood's presence was very faint, but I could just barely feel it."
Kero hugged Sakura. "Yokatta! Your power grows stronger everyday Sakura pretty soon you'll…Iie never mind, you'll find out soon enough."
Sakura cocked her head to the side unaware of three pairs of eyes watching her.
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Meiling looked down to the green-eyed girl with scorn. "That's her? She's nothing special, ne Syaoran? Hello?"
Syaoran's amber eyes focused intently on the girl beneath him, drinking in her body with his eyes, imagining…
"SYAORAN!" Meiling squeaked, bopping him on the head. Syaoran almost lost his balance and toppled from the tree that concealed them.
Rubbing his head, Syaoran glared at Meiling. "Mou, Meiling what was that for?"
Meiling didn't want to admit that she had seen him looking at some other girl so she just turned her nose into the air. Once Syaoran was sure that he girl and her guardian had left, he leapt from the tree and looked around. Meiling squealed unhappily. "Matte Syaoran!"
Syaoran turned back to look into the tree. "Iie."
"Nani?"
"Stay there Meiling."
"Demo…"
"Iie! I said STAY there!"
Meiling looked hurt and crossed her arms. "Fine."
Syaoran rolled his eyes and walked into the forest.
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After a while, the air around Syaoran began to grow warmer, and he came upon a small hot spring. The branches of a weeping willow dipped into the water, creating soft ripples. The spring was surrounded by trees on three sides, from the fourth side; a warm waterfall cascaded over a stone precipice into the pool below. Syaoran sighed and took off his boots, dipping his feet into the water. The warm water massaged his weary and exhausted feet and he lay down on the bank.
Kinomoto Sakura heard the splashing of water and peered out from behind the leaves of the willow, clutching her key to her bare chest. (AN: Okay, the hot spring is kind of like a bath, so that's what this is)
She cautiously moved behind a rock and peeped around the corner. What she saw made her heart stop. A youth, about seventeen sat on the edge of the spring feet dangling in the water. He was tall and built, fiery amber eyes set underneath a mess of chestnut hair, which he subconsciously ran a hand through periodically. Seeing no one around, he took the tan sleeveless vest off his shoulders and laid it on the bank beside him. Sakura knew she should turn away but she couldn't. Syaoran reached down and pulled the sleeveless shirt up and over his head tossing it to the ground beside him. Sakura sighed, he was so handsome, and his muscular build and overall looks were enough to heat the spring alone. As he reached for the button on his pants, Sakura turned around and swam back to her hiding spot.
Syaoran slid himself into the water and sighed as the bubbles of the spring massaged his battle weary body. Rustling could be heard from the other side of the spring and he thought he discerned a sneeze. Syaoran, being the curious youth that he was swam over to the willow silently. Quietly as he could, Syaoran parted the branches of the willow to see a girl leaning on her stomach against the bank of the spring. He could only see her back, but he knew who it was. Short honey colored tresses fell across the girl's back and her skin shone with the light piercing through the branches. Suddenly, a waft of pollen blew by and ignited Syaoran's allergic senses. He sneezed and before he could move the girl turned. (AN: Ok; only Sakura's shoulders and head are showing, and the bubbles cover anything else. These two don't get that close…yet) Soft emerald met fiery amber and locked, frozen in time. In a split second, both teens screamed, blushing furiously.
"Who are you?" They yelled simultaneously.
Sakura turned a deep red and so did Syaoran.
Sakura glared at the handsome youth. "You…you hentai!"
Syaoran shook his head. "Iie, I'm not a hentai! I didn't know anyone else was here."
Sakura looked at him curiously. "Well, fine I believe you. So who goes first?"
"Nani?"
"Who gets out first?"
Syaoran
blushed, he hadn't thought of that. "I---I guess we just go at the same time."
Sakura nodded and turned around. "Okay on the count of three, ne?"
Syaoran nodded and turned, too. "Hai."
They both began to count. "One, two, three…Go!"
Sakura ducked back under the willow and hurriedly donned her clothes. Syaoran swam back to the bank, slipping on his pants and vest; it was just too hot to wear the shirt today. Then it hit him. This was the girl, the girl with the light pink aura from his dream. "Alright I know you're there." Sakura stopped short. What was he talking about? Syaoran stood in a battle ready stance, sword drawn. Sakura climbed up onto the rock leading out of the willow glade and sat curiously watching the amber-eyed teen below. A white light materialized out of thin air and turned into the form of a young woman, long hair blowing in the magical breeze. Syaoran pushed the tip of his blade to the woman.
Return to the guise you were meant to be in, Clow Card!
(AN: I am perfectly aware that Syaoran can't really capture cards, but this is my fanfic so deal.)
The woman was drawn into the rectangle that began forming at the point of Syaoran's blade. The card materialized and came to rest in the hands of the warrior. "The Dream, so that's why I dreamt of her."
Sakura's eyes widened, a Clow Card? Sakura leapt from her perch on the rock and ran over to Syaoran, out of breath. "How…do…you…know about the cards?"
Syaoran smirked and showed the card to her. "I could ask you the same question."
"Well…"
"Card Mistress."
Sakura looked up to him confused. "How did you know?"
"I---well…" Syaoran was cut off as three figures came toward them.
"Sakura!"
"Master!"
"Xiao Lang!"
Sakura caught Kero as he flew into her arms and stared dumbfounded as a girl and a tiny dragon floored Syaoran. The dragon glared back at Sakura and flew into her face. "What did you do to my master?"
Sakura stared back in shock. "A-a dragon and it talks!"
"Hai, you bet I can talk and I can breathe fire, too."
Sakura backed up and Kero flew in front of his mistress. "Don't you dare threaten Sakura!"
Syaoran threw Meiling off of him and ran over to Rhyu, clamping his hand over the minute guardians mouth. "Oi, no burning the Card Mistress, she has a mission." Then Syaoran looked to Kero. "What the hell is that thing?!"
Sakura let Kero rest on her shoulder and smiled. "This is Kero-chan, my guardian."
Syaoran snickered. "Ha, your guardian is a stupid little negumi." (that means plush toy in case you didn't know.)
"Oi! I am all powerful Kerberos, created by Clow Reed himself!"
Syaoran stopped laughing and glared. "I still say you're more of a plush toy but whatever."
Sakura looked to Syaoran. "You still haven't explained how you know about me, or the cards."
Syaoran nodded to Rhyu and then looked back to Sakura. "It's a long story."
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"So that's it?" Sakura asked looking at Syaoran.
Syaoran nodded and looked to Sakura. Meeting her soft green eyes accidentally a hot blush began to creep into his cheeks and he quickly looked away, unaware of Sakura's own slight blush.
Meiling looked up to the tree where her fiancée and the card mistress sat, her face twisted in a scowl.
"Jealous are we?"
Meiling looked to Rhyu. "Iie."
"Liar, liar, I'll set your skirt on fire."
"Nani?"
Rhyu opened his eyes and stretched, clearing his throat, he began to sing in a tiny voice.
Master and Card Mistress sitting in a tree,
K-I-S-S-I-N-G
First comes love,
Then comes marriage,
Then comes the Card Mistress with a baby carriage!
Meiling began to strangle Rhyu and Kero began rolling on the ground with laughter.
Sakura looked down to the group below, as did Syaoran. Sakura began laughing, too. A sweet melodic laugh, music to Syaoran's ears. He could almost feel a smile tugging up the corners of his mouth as the sound of her laughter brightened his damp mood.
Sakura stopped and turned to Syaoran. "Well…I still don't know your name, can you tell me?"
Syaoran looked to her smiling face and let his guard down. "Li Syaoran." Then he immediately clamped his hand over his mouth. It was forbidden to reveal the Li Clan identity to anyone.
Sakura looked stunned. "Li? Li Syaoran of the…the Li Clan?" The Li Clan was the most powerful family of all China.
"Hai."
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone who you are. I'm Kinomoto Sakura."
Meiling heard this and stomped over the base of the tree. "That would be Li to you Kinomoto-san."
Sakura looked down to Meiling confused. "Hoe?"
Syaoran rolled his eyes. "Just ignore her."
Meiling glared at Sakura and watched as Syaoran turned to her. "So do you accept?"
"Nani? Accept what?" Meiling screamed, livid with anger.
Syaoran turned to Meiling. "Accept to coming back with us to the Li Estate, to meet mother and confirm her abilities."
"Oh."
Sakura turned to Syaoran and smiled. "Hai I accept, but first we have to get otou-san's and onii-chan's approval."
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Sakura opened the door to her house and motioned for the group behind her to follow her inside. "Tomoyo-chan! Eriol-kun!"
Tomoyo and Eriol ran into the entrance hall and looked at the group behind Sakura. "Sakura-chan who are these people?"
Sakura gestured for everyone to follow her into the living area.
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Tomoyo twirled a lock of hair around her finger. "So they all know about the cards?"
Sakura nodded. "Hai, and Li-kun can capture them as well. Rhyu-chan is his friend and Meiling-chan is…"
"His fiancée." Meiling finished for her.
Sakura looked back and forth to Syaoran and Meiling. "Fiancée? Then you two are engaged?"
Syaoran rolled his eyes and slumped down on the couch. "Iie…"
"It's true!"
Tomoyo looked to Sakura's slightly hurt face and cleared her throat. "Sakura-chan, can you help me in the kitchen for a moment?"
"Nani? Help with what?"
"Sakura-chan, kitchen now."
"Oh…oh." Sakura followed her best friend into the kitchen.
"Well?" Tomoyo inquired.
"Well what?"
"Who is he?"
"Who is who?"
"Mou, Sakura-chan! The guy you brought home!"
"Oh, he's Li Syaoran." Sakura smacked herself on the head. She promised she wouldn't tell anyone. "Oops."
"Li? Li Clan Li?"
"Hai, demo don't tell anyone, this was supposed to be a secret," Sakura whispered.
"Hai, hai I know." Tomoyo peered around the kitchen wall. "My, my."
Sakura stopped gazing at Syaoran for a moment. "Nani?"
Tomoyo smiled and watched her friend's expression. "He is hot."
Sakura blushed. "H-Hai."
"Ha! I knew it!"
"Matte! Iie, it's not like I like Li-kun or anything I just met him, and besides he's engaged."
Tomoyo smirked. "That's kind of funny, he doesn't seem to happy about it."
"Hoe?"
"For someone who's engaged, he sure enjoys looking at you."
Eriol who was sitting closest to the kitchen caught pieces of his girlfriend's conversation and smirked. "Li Meiling-san could you please open the front door, I think I hear something."
Meiling looked to Syaoran and he nodded. As Meiling opened the door, a cart of flowers rolled down the street, Meiling chasing after it.
Syaoran looked amused and smirked. "That was clever I didn't know you possessed magic, too."
Eriol grinned. "I would have to. I am half of Clow Reed's reincarnation my little descendant."
Syaoran's jaw dropped to the floor in disbelief. "Y-You?"
"Hai, now onto more pressing matters. You think Sakura-chan is cute, ne?"
Syaoran blushed. "H-Hai—I mean iie! I don't!"
"Yeah okay, that's why your eyes were glued to her the whole time, ne?"
"Shut up Hiragiizawa."
Eriol grinned and leaned back on the couch. "I suppose you will be taking Sakura with you alone?"
"Unfortunately with Meiling tagging along."
Sakura and Tomoyo emerged from the kitchen and Sakura smiled to Syaoran. "I just have to get packed and then we'll be on our way, ne?"
"Hai."
Sakura turned around and ran up the stairs to her room, Syaoran's eyes following her the whole way. When she was out of sight, Syaoran turned back around meeting Tomoyo and Eriol's curious gazes.
"Nani?"
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Well what did you think? Review please!
~*Little Sakura*~
