Li Syaoran

Chapter 4

" Li Yelan, Li Fuutie, Li Feimei, Li Shiefa, fourth sister dead. So there should have been fourteen living idols. Then you have Takota Rao, X-Xiang Kei, Hino Miaka, ano...ugh! These things are hard to read." Eriol squinted.

Sakura sat still and silent, watching her friend with Tomoyo beside her.
" Li Yelan was undoubtedly the mother of Jinyu." Eriol said after a moment.
" How to contact her?" Sakura asked.

For a long time Eriol didn't answer, staring thoughtfully at the ancient inscriptions.



Syaoran looked about him. There were so many flowers! So much grass! The air smelled fresh and fragrant. He tilted his head. The sun was shining. Look, there is a doe and her fawns! Kawaii!

Syaoran laughed happily. The doe looked up at him, not at all disturbed. He reached over and petted a fawn. The fawn arched its neck and encouraged him. Syaoran laughed. This place is so cool!

" Why is the kid laughing?" Asked a student.
" Don't know. Been running around the place laughing. What do you think? He's in one of those little worlds again. Doesn't know that he's in the hospital, no doubt. Weird. That laughter sounds so happy. What could he possibly be seeing?"
" Maybe thousands of lollipops?"
" Lollipops? The kid likes chocolate. Wait a minute, why would he be petting a piece of chocolate? He's petting the table, you see there?"
" Probably some kind of dog."
" The kid wants a dog?"
" Or a cat. I'm not sure. How odd." The student untied her hair to rebraid it. " At least he's a lot quieter now. Doesn't get into fights. Maybe soon enough we can move him to the B room."
" Oh dear! He's going into the lab again." The student hurried over.
" Now now kid, don't go in there, otherwise you'll get into trouble."

Syaoran looked up. A black shadow covered the sun, grabbing his shoulders tightly. It began to hurt. The sun moved slightly, shedding its rays on the man's face-

" Ah!" Syaoran cried, retreating. The student blinked.
" Kuso..."

Syaoran began running. His father didn't pursue, but he couldn't be sure. He bumped into someone and fell backwards on his side. Syaoran looked up. The image of the forest cleared. He was at the hospital. It was a nurse.

" You poor thing!" Said the woman gently, helping him up. " Got into one of those illusions again, hm? Come now, let's get you to your room."

Syaoran stared at the nurse for a minute, then reluctantly let her lead him back to the room. Where was Yue? He couldn't locate him. He was so confused.

Suddenly, he began to panic. Where was Yue? Why isn't he here? Syaoran released a soft sob, followed by a whimper.
" Aw, don't cry little one, it's alright-Jatoushi! He's starting to panic!"

Syaoran let out a shriek and started to run away from the nurse. He wanted Yukito, wanted the angel to protect him. Where were they? Where is Yukito?
He began sobbing uncontrollably, whirling around trying to find his guardian.



Professor Wakatoshi looked up worriedly as the boy knocked over a sharp blade and it cut right on his stomach. She sprang to her feet as the child fell backwards, blade red with his blood. He began screaming in pain and fear. The students quickly rushed to his aid, but he began kicking and hitting with his fists and legs.

" Someone call Tsukishiro!" She ordered. A student hurriedly pulled out his cellphone and began to search.



" Touya! I need to borrow your car." Yukito rushed back.
" Why?"
" Syaoran!"

That was all it took. Touya tossed Yukito the keys and Yukito ran out the door. As soon as he reached the hospital Yukito parked the car and rushed in. Syaoran was in the room, weeping like mad. His stomach was red and bleeding. There was a piece of metal in it.

" What happened?" Yukito asked.
" Kid went crazy. Ran all over the place. Some baka left a surgery knife out on the counter and the kid knocked it on himself."
" How could a metal break?"
" Kid has muscles of iron? I don't know." The student answered. " Now we're trying to inject him with tranquillizers, but you know how he is. We can't do anything until we injected him, but he wouldn't cooperate. We need your help here."

The child was restrained at his wrists and ankles and was sobbing continuously. Yukito sighed, then waved the nurses back. He held the child's face gently.
" Jinyu, it's me. Remember me?" He tried to smile. The boy quieted immediately, staring at him. Blood trickled out of his mouth but his stare was unwavering.
" Syaoran, do you trust me? Just nod."

Syaoran nodded, accompanied by a gurgle.
" You know I won't do anything to hurt you."

A gurgle of blood.

Yukito winced. He took the needle and pressed it to Syaoran's arm. He looked into Syaoran's eyes for a minute.

The young child paled, stiffening. His wild eyes flicked at him pleadingly. Yukito smiled reassuringly.
" Just relax." He told the boy. " This will not hurt a lot."

Reluctantly, Syaoran relaxed. Yukito would not hurt him. He promised him that. Yukito would not do anything bad. Yukito is a nice person. Yukito is nice. Yukito is good. Yukito is-



Yukito injected the tranquillizer quickly and pulled the needle away. Syaoran resisted the drug for a moment, then his eyes dulled. His eyelids drooped and fell, and the child sighed before he fell asleep.



" What kind of baka would leave a surgery knife hanging around in this part of the hospital?" Yukito seethed. " Especially since all the patients are too delirious or insane to care for danger!"
" Calm down Yukito." Touya sighed. " The kid's alright now. Sure, he's going to be restrained until he stops hallucinating, but he's going to survive this. The professor suggested you take him home."
" Wait a minute. I'm a student. Since when did I become a doctor?"
" Since you trained the wolf."

Yukito blinked. " ?????"



" You idiot!" Cried the tall man, his face black with fury. Syaoran huddled near the corner, terrified. " You are going to pay for that!"

Fwap! Syaoran screamed, as the belt cut into his stomach. A rough hand seized his shirt and threw him on the bed. Syaoran wailed in despair. This can't be happening again!

A bitter mouth covered his own and Syaoran felt himself gagging and suffocating. Suddenly there was a freezing cold, all over his body. Then pain, red hot pain, like the burning of lava. It lasted all eternity. His screams rang out, high pitched and agonized.

Suddenly he was thrown into water. A hand held his head down and he began to struggle, trying to get out. The water was cold. He opened his eyes and saw the whites of the bathtub. Bubbles escaped from his mouth and slowly the world began to darken...

" You are not meant to be anything, you little brat." This time, they were in the living room. Syaoran was bleeding, his head was bleeding, his side was bleeding. He was crying. " You were not anything. Just a little monkey. You are despised. You are a lowly peasant. You're worse than one of those Indian Untouchables. You ain't meant to even be! And now you'll be punished for having dared come to this world!"

Something was injected into his arm. Syaoran's eyes widened in fear. It was the paralyzing drug! The effects were immediate. Syaoran couldn't move as the man pounded into him. Magical spells wove across him, drawing blood and flesh. Syaoran screamed-

" Jinyu!"

Syaoran blinked, opening his eyes. It was white. Everything was white.
" Jinyu, are you alright?" Something wiped at his cheeks. There were tears there.
" It's just a dream little one."

Syaoran took a shaky breath. His throat felt sore and dry. He was having the hiccups. He moved his arm.

It wouldn't budge.

Panic filled him. He lifted his eyes and saw Yukito, dressed in his lab coat. His eyes begged for a reassuring explanation.
" We had to restrain you so you won't get hurt." Yukito answered. " In one of your fits. Do you want me to loosen it a little?"

Without waiting for him to answer, Yukito loosened the cloth. Syaoran relaxed as Yukito tucked in the covers more firmly.
" There you go." He said gently. " It was only a nightmare. Your father will not hurt you again."

Syaoran blinked as his stomach grumbled. Yukito chuckled.
" I'll be done in twenty minutes. I have to get back to class. Wait for me here, alright? I'll be right back. You won't have to eat the hospital food; we'll go out. I'll buy you Chinese food. Get some meat into your bones. Or maybe I can cook something for you-my house is only fifteen minutes away. So wait here, alright?"

Syaoran nodded, and Yukito stood up, closed the door. Syaoran looked at the clock. Twenty more minutes...

Twenty is so long...



" Kuso."
" What's wrong?" Tomoyo asked.
" What's wrong?" Eriol looked at Sakura, then at Tomoyo. " I couldn't contact the Living Idols. And what's worse, the Dead Idols are here!"



Yue flinched. Syaoran blinked, puzzled at why the guardian transformed so suddenly.
" Syaoran, come here." The moon angel ordered. Syaoran, always obedient, got up from his chair and ran over. Yue lifted Syaoran, much to the child's surprise, and went upstairs into the attic.

Cliaghk!

Syaoran whimpered softly. Yue quieted him down. An explosion.

" Kid ain't here."
" You baka. Kid's aura's here alright. Where is that little gaki?"
" Right above us, you baka."

Yue held the boy close and quietly opened a window. There were footsteps on the stairs. They were going to find them, if they remained where they were.

Syaoran gasped as they were free. Yue spread his wings and flapped them hard, and soon they were high above everything else. Syaoran looked down, amazed, then started laughing, happy and excited, with all fear forgotten. Yue turned the boy around so his back was pressed to his chest. Syaoran spread his arms wide, pretending he was flying, and Yue had to smile. It looked like Syaoran forgot everything now.

A tinge of worry gnawed at him. Are idols able to fly?

At this thought, Yue flew faster, in one direction. Syaoran suddenly felt cold, and the guardian wrapped his arms around the child to keep him warm. He had to get to Touya, fast.

A ray shot from behind. Yue was unbalanced, and suddenly they were falling down straight for the ground, to their deaths.