The Testing of Li Peony
A CCS Fanfic
by SyaoranSword
Summary: Peony is growing up. Bad things happen to everyone involved… (I am an equal opportunity torturer! ^_^)
Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything related to Card Captor Sakura. CLAMP and other companies I may not know of own it all. This is a fanfic and not part of the "official" storyline. The story is only meant for the enjoyment of the author and any would-be readers.
Notes: This chapter is a series of scenes leading up to the main story. Peony-chan will single-handedly humiliate many characters as she lives a definitely-not-normal childhood. S+S, E+T scenes included for the romance addicts!
~~~ (place) ~~~ = scene change
" " = dialogue
[ ] = thoughts
( ) = commentary
Chapter 2: Peony's Upbringing
Bleary amber eyes watched the microwave timer tick away. They traveled downward to the little figure curled up in the arms of her pajama-clad dad. Her bright emerald eyes looked straight into his happily. He mused that she had inherited at least two of her mother's traits: her eyes, and the effect they had on him. He just couldn't say no to that shade of green, his favorite color. Syaoran traced Peony's little cheek with the back of his finger. His heart swelled hearing his daughter giggle at his touch.
BEEEEEEP!!
The signal interrupted the tender moment as the tired father took the baby bottle out of the microwave. After he tested the temperature, Syaoran let his daughter begin her pre-dawn feeding. "Drink up Peony-chan, so you'll grow to be as beautiful as your mother." Her large eyes met her father's soft gaze as she sucked at her bottle. "You have your mother's looks… I wonder what you got from me…"
"Peony-chan probably got your strength and attitude."
He casually turned his head to see Sakura wearing a pink, lacy nightgown. "Miss me, Sakura?"
"The microwave woke me up, silly," she sweetly replied as she planted a kiss on his cheek. Sakura fondly looked at her husband holding Peony and her bottle. "She looks like me, so she'll be acting like you."
Syaoran raised an eyebrow. "Is that a good thing?"
Sakura hugged him from behind, placed her head on his shoulder, and whispered, "From what I've seen, it's a very good thing."
"You're biased though," he pointed out.
She nuzzled his neck. "Mmm, but I know you best, so I'm the best person to answer that question, my little wolf." At this point, Peony finished her bottle and craned her head back cutely to look for her mom. Sakura saw this and lifted her out of Syaoran's arms. She put Peony over her shoulder and lightly patted her back. The sleepy parents walked back to their bedroom, waited for their little girl to burp, and set her back in her crib. "Good night, Peony-chan." Her mother covered her with a blanket and kissed the top of her head.
"Sweet dreams, hime-chan." (hime-chan means princess)
Sakura and Syaoran watched Peony yawn before their daughter drifted to sleep. "You know… everyone is right, she is very kawaii," Sakura said softly.
Syaoran reached up and ran a hand through his wife's shoulder-length auburn hair. "I think it runs in the family."
Sakura couldn't help but smile at her husband. "So do I."
He grinned as he pulled her close for a short and sweet kiss. "Come on, we should go to sleep."
The couple climbed into their king-size bed. Once they had pulled the silk sheets over themselves, Sakura snuggled close to her soul mate. "Syaoran…"
"Hai, koishii?"
She shifted up against him, knowing he liked that. "Aishiteru, Syaoran. I love you so much."
He gently pulled her even closer. "I love so much too, Ying Fa."
Sakura blushed as she hesitantly asked, "Do… Do you want another baby?"
Syaoran's eyes went wide, but returned to his loving gaze. "You'd know I love to have another child, but let's wait until Peony-chan grows a little. Ok Sakura?"
She let her eyes close as she said, "Ok."
~~~~~~
"Peony-chan, this is Kero-chan."
The girl curiously looked at the creature floating in front of her. "I'm Cerberus, guardian of the Sakura Cards. Since you're Sakura's daughter, you can call me Kero-chan."
The baby girl reached her little hands out. "Aw, she wants to hold you."
"Well, I am soft, furry, and much better looking than any stuffed animal." He flew toward her. "You can hug me." Peony grabbed and held him in front of her. Kero did not like the look in her eyes. [Uh oh…] She opened her mouth and closed it over Kero's little head.
"Peony-chan!" her mother shrieked, "You're not supposed to eat Kero-chan! Spit him out!!" Peony obeyed her mother, and Kero came out swirly-eyed, his head covered in drool. "Kero-chan! Are you alright?"
He stumbled around on the floor while saying, "Babies are deceptive." He promptly fainted.
"It's a shame Peony-chan doesn't have teeth yet," her father smirked.
"Syaoran-kun!!!"
~~~~~~
"Now Peony-chan, be good for Uncle Eriol-kun and Auntie Tomoyo-chan while we're away." (Anyone know the Japanese or Chinese words for uncle and aunt?)
"She'll be no problem for us Sakura-san. You and Li-kun should go if you're going to make it to the movie."
"Bye, Peony-chan! We'll be back soon."
No sooner had the door closed did Peony-chan pull Eriol's glasses off his face and threw them. "Peony-chan, that wasn't a nice thing to do."
"Eriol-kun, what hap-" They all heard a sickening crunch as Tomoyo did not watch where she stepped. "Oh no! Gomen Eriol-kun! I didn't know your glasses were on the floor!"
The sorcerer sighed as he let Tomoyo take the mischievous little girl away from him. "It's ok. I can get another pair."
"I have an idea Peony-chan. Would you like to play with Jin-kun?" She walked toward their living room. "Jin-kun, Peony-chan has come over to play!" Jin had pale skin, black hair, and the blue eyes of his father. He clapped happily at the arrival of his playmate. Peony squealed in delight at seeing her friend again. Tomoyo set her next to her son and let them play with the toys strewn about the floor. She rushed off to get her camera, seeing how kawaii they looked together.
"Tomoyo-chan, a little help please?"
"Oh gomen! I forgot you couldn't see without your glasses. Let's get you to your chair."
She led her husband to his personal chair that he still kept. He chuckled, "I am blind without your love, my dear Tomoyo-chan."
Tomoyo giggled. "You're always the charmer, Eriol-kun." They made it to his chair, where he sat down. She looked at the kids having fun. "They really do make a kawaii pair."
"I would agree if I could see them."
"Wait right here." Tomoyo left him and came back holding her camcorder and his second pair of glasses. "Here you go Eriol-kun."
"Arigato." He put them on and smiled at the sight he beheld. Eriol glanced at his wife with her lens fixed onto Peony and Jin. He smirked evilly thinking, [My cute little descendant is not going to like what might happen in the future.]
~~~ Training with the Cards ~~~
"Okaa-chan, what does 'Watery' do?" A few seconds later, Peony's parents were both soaked.
"I think that's enough for today," Sakura said while closing the book.
~~~ At a Christmas Party~~~
"Suppi-chan take a drink!"
"No! No! No!" The guardian cried before Peony dunked him into the punch bowl. One sip and… "MUST HAVE MORE PUNCH!!!" He dove back down and became a punch vacuum.
"That's the way to excite Suppi-chan! Good girl!" Nakuru congratulated her.
"NAKURU-SAN!! YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO TEACH HER THAT!!" came the angry shout of her master.
"COOKIES! CHOCOLATE!! CAKE!!! I MUST HAVE MORE!!!"
~~~~~~
"You're serious."
"I'm afraid so, Xiao Lang."
"But how is that possible?" Sakura stood by her husband facing the Elders.
"It is written in the stars. Peony shall be tested before her twelfth birthday to see if she is worthy to be the future leader of the Li clan."
~~~~~~
"Peony, wake up!!" The girl shifted in her sleep. "Peony! I need breakfast!! You have to wake up so you can cook me pancakes!!"
Her emerald eyes fluttered open to see the golden beast hovering in front of her. She groaned and rolled to her side. "Go away Kero-chan. It's too early."
"But I'm hungry!"
"Go ask okaa-san."
"She's busy with your dad."
Peony understood what Kero meant by that, and she got up in disgust. [I love my okaa-san and my otou-san, but I think I see them kiss too much.] It had taken a little while for Peony to see that her parents still looked to be in their mid-twenties… and acted like it too. She was glad though that her parents still loved each other very much. "Alright, alright. I'll make your stupid pancakes."
It was a week before her twelfth birthday, and Peony had grown up to look almost like Sakura did when she was 12. The only real difference is that Peony preferred her hair long. The auburn tresses had reached to the small of her back. She had her mother's looks, but she also evidenced traits of her father. Peony thought Kero was annoying, Eriol was creepy and evil, and Touya was mean for calling her a little kaijuu. She grew to like sparring with her dad and learning to control her mom's cards. What Peony wanted most though was the chance to have true friends. She did like Jin, but she didn't really get to see him often since his parents ran a fashion business in England. [Why did I have to be an only child? I wish I had a little brother, so that I wouldn't have to take my dad's place someday.]
"Can't those pancakes cook any faster??"
"Kero-chan! Haven't you heard that 'Good things come to those who wait?'"
"But I've been waiting forever now!"
"Hopeless." Peony flipped the last pancake onto the stack and put the plate on the dining room table. "Hope you appreciate it, you pig."
"I am not a pig!" he squeaked before greedily digging in.
She shook her head and was going to change when the doorbell rang. [Who could that be? All of my aunts moved away when they got married.] Peony opened the door and there stood the Hiiragizawa family. "Uncle Eriol-san! Aunt Tomoyo-san! Nakuru-chan! Suppi-chan!" Her eyes traveled down to meet two soft-blue ones. "Jin-kun!" She blushed as she realized she still wore her pajamas. "Ohayo! Please come in!"
"Ohayo Peony-san." Jin had blushed also when he saw Peony in her pajamas. He looked very much like Eriol except that he wore contact lenses.
Eriol and Tomoyo looked like they hadn't aged at all. "Where are your parents, Peony-chan?" asked Tomoyo.
"They're… um…" Peony didn't have to finish her sentence as Sakura and Syaoran emerged from the training room.
"Tomoyo-chan! Eriol-kun! You made it!"
"You look as vibrant as ever Sakura-san," Eriol smiled as Syaoran pointed his sword menacingly at him. "And I see you are well my cute descendant."
"Would you stop calling me that?!"
"Are we interrupting something?" All of them turned to see Fujitaka, Touya, and Yukito standing in the doorway.
"Don't forget about me!" Meiling arrived as well.
"Okaa-san, Otou-san, what's going on? My birthday isn't for another week." Peony felt uneasy about everyone coming a week in advance.
"This year is going to be different Peony-chan," assured her mother.
"You're going to go through a process that will result in you officially being named the future Mistress of the Cards and the Li Clan."
To be continued…
What's going to happen? What kind of tests will Peony have to go through? You'll find out in the next chapter! Now I just need to know which sounds better: J+P or P+J? What do you think? Read and review!