Disclaimer: The series Card Captor Sakura does not belong to me.
Rei Eien: Hee! Twists are always fun to do.
Sakura: Umm... this story was planned out far ahead of the pace where everybody is reading. I already made the couple Syaoran/Tomoyo. I know it's kinda hard to read about, but when I pair Eriol/Sakura together, I tend to not know who Syaoran should go w/. ^^U Maybe next time I'll ask first. Gomen...
Gigicerisier: Oh, man, you serious??? Right after comments, I think that flames are some of the best things I'll ever wanna receive! My friends and I love laughing at them. ^^\/ And about riddles in my story, I suppose it's hard to understand b/c I post up one chapter at a time... I, for one, understand it all. *laughs* I'm weird...
DianeFallahan: I knooowww! Eriol/Sakura seem to be getting more popular, though. Well, just SLIGHTLY. ^^ I'm glad you like my stuff!!
Kimmy: Well, here's the next chapter! Thank you for waitinnggg!!
Aore: Hehe. Irian is just sorta a small character I made to get between Sakura and Eriol a bit. Just a SMALLLL bit. Wheee!! I know. Eriol's back. Hehe.
Starlight Princess: Umm... it's out. O.O Is my story really that good? *feels so special*
Musicstarlover: I continued! ^^ Thanks for the comment.
liteblossomyugiluver: Awww... *blushes* Not a gift. Writing is something I like to do. ^^ I will SOOOOOOOO have fluff in the end! (I hope... dunno how to write it...) But I REALLY wanna! *jumps up and down*
Mebe: Okay... *embarrassed* When I wrote this entire story, and got through about half of it, I realized that I left Touya and everybody else on Earth out! I feel soooooooooo bad. *sweatdrops* Let's just say he's on vacation on another continent or something... *nods head nods head*
Evil Enchantress: ^^ Hehe. I kinda haf fun doing this, though. I'm glad you think this is a good story!! \^o^/
Elle-poohbear: You know?! Wheee!! Tellll me. *laughs*
cherryblossompeace: Wheee!! I just wanted some sort of way for the couples to recognize each other, which is how I came up w/ the Name idea. ^^\/ POCKYYY!!!
M. V.: I wrote more! Hee! Here's the next chapter. *nods head*
Chapter Fourteen: Unwanted Knowledge
Day 30 - Shadow World
Eriol sat on top of a sandy hill, looking down upon a small opening of a cave. His staff had been fully transformed, hanging lightly off of his shoulder. Irian stood next to him as she held a hand to her forehead, looking past the many fields of fiery sand as she tried to block the sun. Wincing, she sighed. "I suppose that you leave now," she said after an eternity of silence. "And I must return to my home. Shall I enter after you finish, or am I safe?"
"I'm not here to slaughter," he told her, never looking up; just straight ahead. "Just to let out a bit of anger in me."
"You have marked her as your own so quickly?" Irian raised an eyebrow. "So expressive, are you not?" When he did not answer, Irian turned to look forward once more. "How did you get her Name in the first place? It is not as if she knew enough to speak to you and utter it out so easily and casually."
Instead of answering, Eriol just sat there and shut his eyes. "Is it that painful to think upon?" she asked.
"It is when it happened during the time I was almost slaughtered to death," he said, subconsciously holding his hand to his abdomen, feeling his stomach churn at this current conversation. "I remember the arrow striking me, causing a thousand different kind of pains to shoot through my entire body. But before I entirely blacked out, I heard a word in my head. It was such a beautiful word, dancing in my mind, as if it wanted to ease the pain I felt. All that happened just right before I collapsed. Yet still, before I did pass out, I remembered feeling myself return a word back to the person."
Smiling sadly, Eriol continued. "I had no clue what the word meant, or even if it was important to me at all. But when I saw her again, when I saw her and felt the anger ignite inside of me... It was then when I realized everything. It was then when I discovered what a Name truly meant."
"Yet you can do nothing about it," Irian concluded. "You can do nothing to cease this passion."
"Yes. Sakura has another lover already. I... I have said her Name to her, but I doubt that she will remember. Hopefully, she will not, because that was a loss of control on my part. I can never love her because it can never be."
Irian, to Eriol's surprise, chuckled and shook her head. "You, Sir Eriol, are trying too hard to be something that you are not. And what you are not is an elderly wise man. You are less than twenty years old, and one cannot expect so much from you. You think as if no one is capable of loving you. What if the lady does desire you more than this other man that I have never met? If she does, then you should do what your heart tells you to do so, not what your mind believes to be moral."
"I don't think that reassured me any more than it was supposed to," Eriol said uncertainly.
"Discovering the Name of one another is something sacred and legendary. I still believe you to be preposterous, but I am not quite so sure any longer. You should know what it means already, dear Eriol. It is finding one's other half, one's destined partner for each and every lifetime. It is dangerous for any other person to discover one's Name, for they can use it, or cherish it. And usually, the discoverer dares to use a Name instead, and taint it. Now that you have her Name, you can force her to love you, or give it back to her, therefore cherishing it. And one such as you should know what to do."
Accumulating this, Eriol tightened his grip on his staff, his knuckles turning white. "I don't know," he whispered, lowering his eyes to stare at the ground. "I truly do not know..."
Another eternity passed before Irian said in a tired voice, "Let us get this over with, shall we not? I wish to do this before I change my mind and try to kill you, instead, to protect my lord."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Day 29 - Shadow World
The first few days, Syaoran experienced a harsh fever. He hardly slept, tortured by an enormous amount of heat and irritation within himself. When he was able to listen in, he could hear blurred sounds and muffled voices. Syaoran tried to open his eyes, but they did not obey his weak commands. His head felt burdensome and heavy as he cried out many times at night, shouting for help, or at least to extinguish this pain.
He felt hot and clammy, the blanket sometimes scratching against his skin and against his wounds. The second and third day were no better, but no worse as well. Sometimes, he felt comforted, and slept long. Other times, hell could have been more relaxing. They fed him a bitter drink, which he flung off of his lap after tasting it. After that, everything else was of a blur.
Today, Syaoran cried out in fierce pain as he clutched a blanket tightly in his hands. Tgaeh was unsympathetically peeling the bandages from his wounds as he quickly reapplied the remedy and medication. "Hush, Syaoran," he murmured, concentrating on the injuries as to ignore his tortured screams. "The sooner I get this done, the sooner it will be over and you can go back to rest. Or you can make it easier on yourself by just fainting, dear friend."
After that, for some reason, Syaoran felt much better, and could stay conscious for a little while longer. He took in staggering breaths as Tgaeh finished up his work and patted Syaoran's hair, the only place without much of any wounds. "You are quite an idiot, Syaoran," Tgaeh then laughed.
Looking up at him for an explanation, Tgaeh explained, "you did not drink the medicine last night, did you know that? One taste and you threw it away as if it were poison. Had to clean it up as well, so you have much to repent for later on. In fact, the only way you got some down your throat was when the girl came in, and gently tilted just a slight into your mouth. The winged man waited outside. But you drank it from her, you did. After that, you refused it all once again. If you had only taken a bit more, you'd be even better. And if you drank it all, you would be completely fine, you insolent dolt."
"Ah, shut your mouth up," Syaoran murmured distortedly as he closed his eyes and went back to his deep slumber.
Hours later, he woke up, the hot sun playing on his face as it came through a window. Raising an arm to place on his forehead, Syaoran then winced, realizing that there was a cloth wrapped around that part. He took in a deep breath, ended up coughing a storm as he held his second hand to his chest, clasping it on his shirt tightly. Suddenly, somebody rushed in, hearing his distress. "Syaoran!" Turning to look sideways, his eyes widened at seeing Tomoyo.
"Tomo-ah!!" He had gotten up too quickly and his body reacted in its natural way because of it. He bent down in pain as he held onto himself in hurt. Sitting down next to him, she patted his back lightly as he continued to cough. Finally, minutes later, it died down until Syaoran felt fine once more. Groaning, he leaned back, shutting his eyes for a moment. "Tomoyo..."
"Yes?" she asked softly, a grimacing look upon her face.
"What happened to your arm?" he asked. Yet, she appeared surprise at his observation "Anybody would notice the big bandage, silly. Well?"
Turning her head away, Tomoyo tried her best to repress the memory of that day. Does he remember anything that happened after what he did to me? Or does he even remember what he did? She shook her head.
Tearing herself away from him, Tomoyo then lifted him up. "C-come on, Syaoran. Snap out of it, because I am not Sakura! Please get up... Please-" Suddenly, she was pushed down forcefully, causing her hold on Syaoran to loosen. "AH!" she shouted as something sharp sliced through her right arm's sleeve.
She shrieked in pain as another shadow ran over to her. "Tomoyo! Get up!" Opening her eyes, she saw Yue fighting above her. "Hold onto that knife and watch over the boy!" He threw his magic at the soldiers once more and was able to cause most of them to fly back, some even passing out.
Eyes wide and alert, Tomoyo suddenly felt Syaoran move. Quickly turning around, she saw somebody trying to grab him away from her. "H-hey!" Tomoyo protested, about to strike.
In an instant, the man held his hand up. "Wait! Halt! I am not a bahrrn, can you not see?! This man, Syaoran, he is also my friend. Hurry and come. I am sure that your companion is well on his own, so let us go!" He then scooped the injured boy up into his arms, and turned around to run.
Not knowing what to do, Tomoyo sat there, the commotion taking place just a few feet away from her. Unexpectedly, another person grabbed onto her arm and heaved her up. Looking at her, Tomoyo saw that she was a young adult female. "Come," she whispered to Tomoyo. "Syaoran will be fine, and so will that angel. But you we must tend to as well."
After that, they had bandaged her arm first, and then tended to the disoriented and frenzied Syaoran. It took Yue a while to find them, but after he did, he flew to the roof, acting as a vigilant lookout, in case any guards come along this way.
"Tomoyo?" Syaoran asked softly, staring at her. She had turned away from him, looking somewhere else, her head bowed. Frowning as he furrowed his eyebrows, he leaned forward and grabbed her shoulder. "Tomoyo... I remember what I did," he told her in a serious tone. "I... I remember the kiss."
Feeling her tense beneath his touch, he quickly let go. "I... I think--Um, actually, never mind. I'm just a bit confused, Tomoyo, as to why I did that. I... I felt relieved to see you, and maybe that's because I haven't seen nor heard from you, Yue, Sakura, any of them for a while. Especially, Eriol, I suppose."
Tomoyo's eyes lowered as she understood what he was trying to say. I have to agree with those words, and pretend that nothing happened to us. He did it on the account of how much he missed us. And I'm supposed to leave it at that, am I? Slowly, she nodded, her back still facing him. "Yes," she whispered. "I was extremely relieved to see you, too, Syaoran. I guess that we just couldn't control ourselves. But that's because we're such good friends, yes."
"That's right," Syaoran said in a relieved voice, smiling. "Now, I guess that we should-"
"Eriol returned to Japan," she told him, spinning around to look at him. "He's coming to get you, along with Sakura. It was because of him that Sakura was even able to get to Shadow World, though the rest of us could not follow the two of them. Yue and I left later, but we were able to get to a closer location than where they probably started out from. In fact, we got here in record time, I do believe." She then beamed at him, as if she were extremely happy.
"Eriol... and Sakura?" Syaoran asked, narrowing his eyes. The old hatred he felt for this reincarnation of Clow Reed was gradually returning. It did not matter if the teen had opened a portal to Shadow World, rescued Syaoran with his own hands, and had done it while waltzing across this entire world; Syaoran could not help but feel uncomfortable when it came to Eriol and Sakura together. And for them to be together alone--alone--for such a long time, it infuriated him even more. He clenched his hands into fists. "How long have they been traveling by themselves by now?"
"Uh..." Tomoyo said in a nervous voice, obviously being able to feel his radiating anger. "Maybe just a slight bit more than three... weeks. Eriol coincidentally returned just the day after you were gone, you know."
Syaoran snorted. "When it comes to him, there are no such things as coincidences, Yunashiri."
Sucking in a breath, Tomoyo's eyes widened as she backed away from him, getting off the bed as soon as she could, acting as if he were a plague. "W-w-what did you call me?!" she hissed.
Clapping a hand over his mouth, Syaoran had an incredulous expression on his face. What had possessed him to call her that?! What did that name mean, anyway?! Name... Wait a minute. Name... Name... Could that be... no! That can't! Tomoyo, he thought as he looked at her. She doesn't know about this, so I shouldn't say anything about it at all. "I..." he then forced out a laugh. "Oh, it's just a name I heard around here, Tomoyo," he said, quickly changing his expression to a joking one. "Guess that it just slipped into my mouth, that's all. Nothing special about it."
Staring at him, Tomoyo said in a stoic voice, "Y-yes. Yes, of course. After all, I'm Tomoyo, huh? I'm not Sakura." Suddenly, her face brightened as she stood up. "Oh! I just forgot something at first. Give me a second, Syaoran." She ran out of the room, shouting for Eurena. Mushi's wife is here? Syaoran wondered afterwards. When Tomoyo shortly entered once more, she held many objects in her hand as she walked quickly back to him. Dumping the contents down, she held a large smile upon her face.
Syaoran stared in puzzlement for a moment until the objects started to look familiar to him. "My stuff!" he gasped, gathering them all into his grasp. Taking a scroll into one hand, and his sword--transformed quickly--in his other, he used a spell, and his eyes widened when the wind picked up and died down gradually. "I have my magic back!!" he exclaimed loudly.
"Eurena had everything with her ever since you were brought here," Tomoyo explained softly, staring at the edge of the bed from where she sat. "She-"
"We're going to go against her," Syaoran suddenly interrupted.
Tomoyo blinked as she looked up. "What? What did you say, Syaoran?"
"We are going to fight against Dtarna," he stated once more. "I have had enough of this place, and all the hurt that I have seen. There has been so much loss, and so much agony. It's time to stop that bitch and her power trip; she's been leader of this place for long enough. Besides, with so many people here with us, how can we be defeated? Yue is here as well, right?"
"H-hai..." Tomoyo murmured, shifting her eyes to stare up at the roof. "He is up there, watching for anything that might be of danger. We'll be fine; for a while, that is. But... are you sure that you want to so quickly-"
"He will not be able to," Tgaeh retorted, having walked in once more, holding onto a tray with a bowl placed on top. "His injuries are not the most easily healed ones. But you knew that already, Syaoran, did you not? Why push yourself when you are just starting to get better?"
"But-"
Suddenly, Tgaeh walked over to the bed to clasp a hand onto Syaoran shoulder, smiling happily. "Do not worry; we will all go with you when you are feeling much better. Natir, Eurena, and I will be there to help. There is also an entire group ready for action just in case such a situation will ever rise once more; we are all ready."
"Once more?" Tomoyo questioned.
But Syaoran was not listening as he stared at Tgaeh, the question in his eyes. Another group ready... and Tgaeh is part of it? But he asked it aloud anyway. "Why?"
"Heredity, I suppose," his friend shrugged his shoulders, a smile still playing on his lips. "If my parents could accumulate such courage, then I do not see why I cannot as well. There is," he continued, watching Syaoran's reactions, "much more to life than just working in the ruins and coming back home exhausted, just dreaming of freedom. For when one realizes one's dream, it is no longer a dream. It is a plan, a plan ready to be carried out."
"Your smile is contagious," Syaoran said, also growing a grin upon his face. "Okay, then!! Once I get back into good shape, let's do this!"
*~*~*~*~*~*
Day 30 - Shadow World
"Iri...an... betrayer..." Haeli choked out before she fell to the ground, unconscious. Sucking in a deep and stuttering breath, the woman backed up from the fallen body, tucking her dagger back into the pocket of her skirt. She turned away, though she knew that it was just a minor wound, and it was the strike upon her head that made her fall.
"Forgive me, Haeli," Irian murmured. "But one does realize when another has crossed a line, and Lord Vequal has definitely crossed that intolerable line."
Eriol closed his eyes, taking in an image of this entire location's tunnels, where each pathway ran, and where they led. His running steps reverberated in the walls, but he continued on the path he mentally sketched out for himself. Eriol held onto his staff tightly, feeling ready to take down anything he needed to in order to get to where he had to go. After many twists and turns, and knocking down soldiers who interrupted his goal, he came upon a large opening. Entering it, he found the target he had searched for.
"You!" Eriol hissed, narrowing his eyes, stalking closer.
Getting up from where he sat, Lord Vequal raised an eyebrow, surprised that someone was interrupting his solitude. He was wearing casual clothing of his own style, no armor or any such defensive material on his body at all. Eriol took this information in, and though to himself, this is not going to be hard at all. "And who might you be? Judging from your attire, you are not exactly of my clan, are you?"
"I would never want to be!" the boy hissed, raising his staff into the air to point it at the much older man. "And after what you did to my-"
"What I did?" Vequal questioned. "I don't even know you, young one, so how can I possibly... Oh." A mocking expression started to dawn on this warrior's face when he realized exactly what Eriol was speaking about. He crossed his arms over his chest, and lounged with his back to a wall. "You mean that girl, don't you? Then you must be the one I had supposedly gotten rid of. Now how are you able to be walking at this current time?"
"I'm not here to talk to you of foolish words. Nobody's going to be here to help you," he whispered calmly, watching Vequal's laughing face started to morph into shock and realization of the situation he was in. "They're all either sleeping, dead, or just something else. This time," he murmured, taking a few steps forward, "I'm going to really make you pay... And Dtarna, she ain't gonna be here to help you."
"You... You... HOW?!"
Eriol clenched his hand into a fist. "That is nothing of your concern! You tried to kill me! And then you tried to hurt my friend!! Now, I'm going to give you the punishment that you deserve!!" The teenager then raised his staff up above, ignoring the shot of pain that ran through his abdomen, ready to give back his revenge upon this man.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Day 30 - Shadow World
The rain was pouring down, having unexpectedly appear. It crashed onto the sand and the clouds covered up the sun, running across the lands a view of gray sky and depressing thoughts. Eriol looked up above after he left the caves through an entrance/exit. Irian decided to stay, welcoming her punishment when her people would awake, other than Vequal.
"I deserve it," she whispered, tears streaming down her face as she would not turn to look at him. "I betrayed my people for an outsider, for a love I thought I felt. I was foolish and it is unforgivable for my actions. Leave, outsider. Leave, and do me this favor: never allow me to set my eyes upon you again."
"Irian, I am under you debt. That is why... I offer you a solution for what I did."
"It can not help. You have destroyed him, and there is nothing to take it back. Go, love, and never return."
Eriol took her into his arms after she resisted for a while, and held her. "You will see," he murmured. "You will see what it is that I have to offer you..."
Taking in the rain, he remembered that time when he and Sakura were attacked, causing them to depart. Sakura... the name spoken in his mind. His heart slightly clenched at the thought of her. What was he going to do? What would he do? She should still be sleeping, so I will just tell her that Irian returned to her home, and we should just continue our journey. Nothing wrong is going to happen, I'm sure.
Eriol felt his clothes soak through, the wind blowing harshly against him as he slowly took his time to get back. It felt like hours, days, an eternity as he felt the impact of what he did causing regret to start to form. But... I did it for HER. I did it for Sakura, for the pain she had to go through. It's just as what Irian did for me. I can't go back on what I did. There is nothing that I should regret when it comes to... Sakura...
He entered the inn, seeing that hardly anybody was still up, the key of the staff in his wet hand. Was it really that late? In a daze, he walked up the stairs, and stopped in front of Sakura's room, staring at the door. That took up another eternity. Eriol sighed, and tapped the knob once, seeing the light that entered there before flicker and returned to him. He placed his hand on it, then twisted the handle to hear a click.
Before anything else could happen, the door swung open all the way. Eriol's tired eyes met angry ones, when his head jerked with a loud slap. "Eriol-kun..." a fierce whisper was heard. Eyes widening, Eriol slowly turned his head back around, and found himself facing a wide-awake Sakura. "What..." she continued in that whisper, which was filled with ire, "did you do?"
*~*~*~*~*~*
Eww... cliffhanger. =P Hehe. Is everything starting to become a bit clearer w/ the Name thing? Eh, I hope so... Please review now. ^^ Tell me what you think of this story, or what might happen, or flame me!! I'll just laugh at the last one and show them to my friends, but still! ^^\/