Hunting Emerald's Secret                     

Chapter 11: Am I drowning?

---Author's Comment:----

Sorry for the spelling errors at the end. I didn't check it until a day later. ^^; Anyway, the story will get even more mysterious, since there will be a lot of details added: There will be confusion ahead. Just expect the unexpected.

Thank you sooooo much for your reviews!!!! I love hearing your opinions about the chapters. I edited some grammar and spelling errors in the first chapter.

Here is the status of the story:

(I don't know why, but this feels like a video game...)

Vespers gained: 3

Vespers remaining: 4

--- Kazue's Residence ---

BOOM!

The kitchen raged as it exploded with all its might. The gas had been left turned on. The chain reaction started following room by room...

" What was that? " Sakura asked frightened. She and Syaoran were lying on the floor, holding into each other for support.

" I dunno, we better get out of here " he replied, helping her stand up. He looked around and his eyes landed on the window. Sakura read his mind.

" OH NO! We are not going to jump from that window! " She crossed her arms in front of her chest. " You are still hurt badly from your arm, which means you cannot carry me. I'm still hurt from jumping from the window, which means that the pain will worsen. It's pretty high, and I don't want to... " 

Syaoran ignored to what he referred as "fuss" and grabbed a chair, breaking the window.

" See, that's what I hate about you! You never listen to me! You are such an ignorant and cruel guy! I've never actually met in MY WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE someone as YOU! " She sputtered.

Syaoran did not respond. Sakura watched curiously at what he was doing and sweat dropped. He had been thinking on how to escape, that he'd barely heard her.

" See what I mean?! " She fumed. ' Honestly, can't he be more polite?! Kazue was certainly right! '

This time Syaoran sneered at her, as though he had heard her thoughts. She suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. ' Did he really hear me? ' In answer, Syaoran got closer to her. She started to walk backwards and slammed against the wall. ' Oh no, dead-end!! ' Syaoran did it again. He placed both of his hands on the wall with his arms stretched, Sakura between them.

" Ignorant, you say? "

" I-I... " Sakura tried to speak, but failed to do so. Syaoran had heard her all right. Now she was in trouble.

" Oh... so, now you are quiet... " He teased, not moving from his position, getting even closer. His body was at least one inch away from Sakura's. She fumbled her way out, ducking down, but got blocked by his strong arm.

She breathed in what she thought was air. Her eyes widened in almost what looked like fear. She knew that Syaoran wasn't bad, but this wasn't only teasing...

Her heart started pounding as she looked into his intense amber eyes. They didn't show any kind of expression, which actually scared her.

" There is no escape... " He started saying, but before he got a chance to continue, a loud blast made him hesitate and change his view. Sakura sighed, able to rest for a while.

As I said, a chain reaction was occurring, taking down room by room. Well let's just say that this explosion was the neighbor of the room below them. Realizing this, Syaoran started to pull Sakura to the window. She took an awfully long time to clearly understand what was going on, since seconds ago she had been on bliss... Well, it was too late to argue or even scream...

When she finally took notice of what was happening, she felt something hot touch her skin, trying to burn it. She turned around, and for a mere second she saw the horrible color of orange, red, and yellow mixed together. To her horror, black smoke was starting to come from the unbelievably huge ball that was trying to reach them.

Yet all of the sudden she was floating in the air, and the window was getting far away from them, already devoured by the intoxicating mass of ball.

In a matter of seconds, the whole house shattered away with a final blow.

She was relieved to be away from it. But what must come up... must come down. Physics is part of reality; she began falling. What surprised her was that she was standing up, with Syaoran beside her. ' Isn't he going to carry me or something? '

She panicked when he made no attempt to make a move; only his hand held hers. Sakura wanted to scream, but nothing came out from her mouth: the scream had died away in the air.

SPLASH!  

Frigid cold water touched her body, tickling her. She went deep under. There was no more oxygen. Bubbles started coming from everywhere, blocking her view. After a while though, she saw blueness. She held her breath and started to move her body, trying to go up, but the problem was that she was tired: her mind only seemed to be working. She turned her view to the east; to the west only to find the place like a void: No Syaoran.

Her face started turning pink, from the effort of holding her breath. Soon it would be purple, if she stayed long enough. This was leading her to nowhere. She tried to move her hands again in despair, but she didn't succeed: this only made her sink lower in the depth. Now she couldn't feel her body: it was numb.

Suddenly, she felt a small tug, trying to pull her up. Sakura looked up to see Syaoran's face; he still hadn't stopped holding her hand. His hair was madly loose in the water and his eyes showed determination. He grabbed her other hand, to get a better grip since he wanted to bring her out... alive.

So Syaoran began his way back up, swimming as fast as he could to the surface, which seemed far away for both of them. She felt herself going up. Which was good. She wanted to help him, but she couldn't. Her body wouldn't let her. As seconds passed, her grip on Syaoran's hands started to loosen. She was feeling weaker. He swam even faster, knowing that she wouldn't last long from the lack of air...

Darkness finally overwhelmed Sakura's entire body, mind and soul...

---- Outside ---

" That sure was a wild ride... " Meilin said touching her sweaty forehead from all the heat.

" I do agree... " Eriol spoke, "... and if it wasn't for Miss Kazue, we would have been dead... "

You must be wondering how the hell they got out of there, you should recall though, that the gang had used a trapdoor to escape from the exploding mansion. And yes they were all alive, well all except...

" Something was weird, though... I mean, who could have left turned on the gas? " Tomoyo asked in wonder. She was rather confused.

" Probably a maid who was cooking... " Kazue answered, dragging a now shredded and black dress.

" But still... "

" Not another word, young lady. I believe you have two other friends... "

The gang's eyes widened.

" You mean Li and Sakura? " Tomoyo asked in disbelief. Kazue nodded.

" They insisted me on giving them a certain jewel, though I didn't see them after a while. "

" Oh no. What if they... "

" I'm sure Syaoran got out with her," Meilin said with full confidence. She wouldn't believe any of the nonsense that they were talking about.

Soon they realized that someone else was missing.

" Guys, were is Daisuke?! " Meilin asked looking around.

" Huh? You mean he is not here? " Tomoyo asked.

" Where could he be?! "

They started calling out for him, Sakura, and Syaoran, but there was no answer. They thought of all the possibilities that could have happened to them, but there was none. Either they did not make it, or they were playing a prank on them. But this was serious. Meilin, however, would not believe them. 

They started walking through the dry grass until they reached a pool and Meilin went to wash her dirty face. She still wouldn't consider any of the other's comments.

" Nonsense. They are still alive, I know it..."

She began mumbling to herself as she neared the pool and kneeled, dipping both of her hands into the cold water and splashing her face with it. Feeling refreshed and clean, she took in a deep breath and stared at her own reflection.

' What have I gotten myself into? As far as I know, I would be now asleep, back in Honk Kong with Syaoran... Everything would be okay, ' She saw her face.

 Yet something blurred her reflection. She stared deeply as something black grew and her eyes widened when it grew even larger still. Before she knew it, bubbles started coming out and something emerged from the water.

" Syaoran? " She gasped.

Syaoran breathed in air and pulled himself up to her. Meilin noticed that he was holding on to something: Sakura. She helped him get Sakura up and they both laid her down on the wet floor. Syaoran panted and grasped in the air that he needed, then he went instantly to Sakura.

Sakura was lying on the floor unconscious, with her eyes closed. He shook her a little. No answer. A little more...

To his shock, he realized that she wasn't breathing at all. He placed her again on the floor and went to her side. Meilin freaked out, but reacted... and started to pump Sakura's chest. Still no answer.

A minute passed by... Soon the others crowded around Syaoran and Sakura. Meilin stood up with her hand covering her mouth from horror.

" NO! SHE IS NOT DEAD! " Syaoran yelled angrily at her, knowing what she was thinking.

' She isn't. She just can't be! I won't let it! Hold on Sakura! I'm here with you! Always... " He looked at her again. So lifeless... 

" NO! You are NOT going to die! Not while I'm here! Did you hear me?! "

He started talking to her, shaking her again...

" Not while I'm here... "      

---- ? ----

Two persons walked into an office. A tall lean man, and a young lad. The man sat in the chair, chuckling at first. He wasn't very old, though. He was in his 20's. The lad sat in the chair in front of him. Apparently, they had had a discussion...

" Are you sure? " The young man asked.

" What do you mean?! Of course, I'm sure! " The tall man replied, annoyed.

" I can't just do that to her... "

" You must! "

" Why? "

" Because she has it, along with them... The legend is coming true... "

The young man sighed, and stared deeply into the other's eyes. He had to do this. There was no other way...

---- Dream ---

A young Sakura and Touya, with their father, Fujitaka looked at the gray stone in front of them. The day was dullish and rain poured down on them. They were all dressed in black. Tears were on their sad eyes as they stared at the letters imprinted.

NADESHIKO

Sakura sobbed into tears as she felt his older brother hold her shoulders protectively. She was young, and she didn't know why people had to die. She was happy with her mom, and now... she was gone. She couldn't bear the thought of not having her around anymore.

Suddenly, Sakura began feeling nothing. Before she even knew it, she was suffocating. Something had made her stop breathing. She grabbed her neck and looked around. His brother and father were gone, and instantly she saw those piercing silver eyes that haunted her. She winced in pain, and dropped to the ground in her knees.

' What's happening to me?! Daddy! Touya! Where are you?! ' 

She started crying even more. Her tears mixed with the sour rain. She suddenly found out that she couldn't scream in pain or agony. She was all alone. ' Please! ANYONE! H..E...L...P! ' Her thoughts started vanishing away, as though they never existed before.

The image of the cemetery faded away into a complete void, enclosing her in whispers...

---- Back to Reality ----

Sakura's eyes opened, feeling warmth again; the cold had vanished away. She noticed that someone was lightly touching her nose, lightly touching her lips, lightly breathing into her. Her eyes opened wide now, when she saw another face near her. His eyes were closed, yet they also opened at that same instant. They were pleading amber eyes.

She blinked a several few times, and finally coughed water out. She lifted her body until she was sitting and looked to the left, toward the boy who was standing next to her.

Sakura looked at him in confusion and astonishment. The boy he was seeing was different, and that didn't mean the not-anymore messy soaked brownish hair that dripped at the ends, or the way his shirt was unbuttoned and stuck to his body. No, there was something terribly different about him. Something about the way his eyes expressed fear. His face though, had no expression. But Sakura knew that she wasn't mistaken.

' A little scared boy ' Sakura thought.

They both stared at each other in silence.

" Hey " Sakura finally decided to speak, smiling.

" Hey "

After a while, Syaoran couldn't contain himself anymore. 3 minutes had gone away since she hadn't breathed. And now here she was alive, sitting right next to her... So close to her beauty... He just had to do it... and he did.

He wrapped her in his arms, holding her ever so tightly. He didn't care what the others were thinking. Not now. He just had to hold her, again. Besides, the others hadn't taken notice of Sakura's awakening, since they were all overwhelmed in their sadness. ' Pathetic, ' he thought. 

Sakura blushed deeply at his reaction. Who could have thought that the coldest boy that she knew, would care maybe just a little for her? The only thing that she didn't know, was that he cared for her a lot.

" I thought I was going to die, " Sakura admitted in a whisper.

They still wouldn't break away from their embrace. Not  yet.

" Shh... " Syaoran hushed her, "... don't say that. You are not going to die, not while I'm around, " he whispered into her ear.

" My, my, aren't you stubborn? " she teased, now looking at him straight in the eye, her hands wrapped around his neck.

He laughed.

" Did you just do, what I think you did? " she asked stunned.

" What do you mean? "

" You never laugh... at least since I met you. You see, you are always so... grumpy. "

Sakura was back to herself again, and Syaoran was relieved. He couldn't help but laugh again.

" Ok, now you are freaking me out... This isn't you! "

" Who ever said you knew me? "

" Who ever said I didn't? "

" Me "

" Oh... right... NOT "

Sakura started giggling at the look on Syaoran's face. He hated being bugged, but with Sakura everything changed. She leaned her head to him, so their foreheads touched each other. His cheeks started reddening.

" Thank you " she whispered. He tried smiling back, but didn't when he felt that everybody was staring. Sakura felt the same, and they both broke apart.

" Sakura! You are okay! " Tomoyo shouted going to her friend to give her a hug. Meilin and  Eriol did the same. And they started chatting about today's adventure, and how everything had turned out.

Syaoran stood up and away from the crowd, going to Kazue, who had been watching the scene since the beginning.

" I'm happy to see her alive, " she stated, looking at the floor: Syaoran's eyes scared her.

" Yeah... " he said, his voice not so cold.

" You know, I was wrong about you... You are a brave young man, I shouldn't have been so rude before... "

Syaoran shrugged.

"... and the way you did that mouth-to-mouth respiration... You sure do know how to act quick and in the right way... "

Silence followed between Kazue and Syaoran, if you didn't count the chatter behind them.

" I-I guess that I was tense, with all the killing of course. And... since your friends helped me escape, I guess that I owe you something... "

Syaoran looked at her in bewilderment as she took out the necklace that held the vesper. She stretched her hand to him, and he took it.

" You know, this was a present from one of my grandsons. I recognize that your intentions are the good ones, and that this diamond is the one that you seek. Take care of it... and her. " She pointed to a cheerful Sakura who was laughing.

" You never know what will happen next... "

Syaoran nodded. Kazue smiled sweetly and disappeared into the bushes.

He placed the vesper in his hand and examined it. ' Three more to go... ' He sighed as he threw it in his pocket and went to the others.

" I'm so happy that you are ok! " squealed Meilin. Sakura smiled, but then frowned when she noticed that someone was missing.

" Hey, where is Daisuke? "

There was an unpleasant silence between them and Eriol finally spoke.

" He disappeared after the explosion. "

" Look! He is not dead! I know it! " Meilin shouted angrily. " He is still alive and we are going to find him!"

" Not now... The police will be coming soon... " Syaoran stated.

" I don't care! "

Meilin started walking toward the house, but got blocked by Syaoran.

" Sorry Meilin... " he whispered to her.

Her eyes grew wide when he forcedly grabbed her and carried her like a sac. (Her body on one shoulder) He started walking in the opposite direction.

" What do you think you are doing?! Let me go! I know he is around here! " She started tugging and moving, trying to get free, but Syaoran was way stronger. She continued screaming, until she got on Syaoran's nerves.

" SHUT UP! YOU ARE SUCH AN IDIOT! DO YOU KNOW THAT IF WE SEARCH FOR HIM, THE OTHERS' LIFE WILL BE JEOPARDIZED? THEY CANT END UP IN JAIL. CAN THEY? WE HAVE TO CONTINUE ON THIS STUPID HUNT UNTIL ITS OVER! "

Everyone stared in shock and stillness, even Meilin. Syaoran had returned to being his cold self again. This meant only one thing: to be afraid.

" What would you do if Sakura was the one who disappeared?! " she mumbled. However, Syaoran heard her.

" That's another complete different thing! Look, Daisuke is a genius. He is out there all right, and he knows that we can't search for him now, because the police are coming! We will search him, or he will come to us tomorrow... OK? "

Meilin sighed in defeat, " Whatever... " A trickle of tear ran down her cheek.

Tomoyo, Eriol and Sakura followed behind Syaoran and Tomoyo in utter silence.

--- Tomoyo's house ---

Sakura went into her bedroom. It looked as clean as ever. She went to change into her pajamas and tucked herself in bed. Thoughts started polluting her head, and wouldn't let her sleep. She sighed as she thought about the different ways that Syaoran had acted that day. From warm to cold. It scared her, since she knew that Syaoran hadn't released his full anger, and she didn't want to.

' At least its for a good cause... I mean, Daisuke must be okay... '  She played with her hair as she looked at the ceiling. ' Why does everything have to be complicated? ' She moved to the left, and saw the bunny that Syaoran had given her. It made contrast with the darkness.

She grabbed it from the table and hugged it tightly. ' I know that he did the right thing, I just hope that he IS right... '

Sleep overwhelmed her as she closed her eyes and fell into a wondrous dream, being able to rest in peace.

---- ? ----

A piercing voice echoed through the halls of a factory.

" The legend is clear. The one who holds it in the end must die! And I'll make sure of it... "

---- Author's Comment: ----

I know that I must be confusing you with all the unknown scenes. A hint is that they're not the same. Different people are talking in it, and they will get more descriptive as the story advances. There are a lot of questions, and the answers will come soon. Don't worry. ^^ Ill see you later!