I'm sorry I couldn't get this chapter out sooner or have it longer, but I'm
leaving for yet another week long and computerless vacation. My grammar and
plot checker is also gone on vacation, so I couldn't have it checked over.
I'm sorry. But I wanted to have another chapter out before I left. Once
again, I'm sorry.
Chapter 13- Remembrances of Nadeshiko
Syaoran came crashing don from the open portal and landed on his face. "OW! I'll never get used to all of this time traveling." He stood up and brushed the dirt off his shirt. When he looked up, though, he was shocked. "What the hell? I didn't go anywhere! I'm still in the present and in front of the Shinto Shrine!"
The boy was right. He stood in the exact same spot he had before he left. "What could this mean? Maybe I can't get back to the time Sakura and Tomoyo are in. Maybe there is some kind of barrier." He held his head low in disappointment. "No sense in worrying about it. I might as well just go home. This was all a waste of time."
Syaoran was incredibly disappointed. He looked around. Everything was in its place. until he got to his home.
"What the hell is going on here? Where is my home?" The boy was shocked to find in the place of his home, the wooden frames of a house were there instead. "Mia?! Kero-chan?! Where are you? What happened?"
He couldn't believe it. It was as if someone had come along and in less than 5 minutes stripped his house of everything but the supports. What had happened?
An idea hit Syaoran. He rushed down the street until he found a newspaper stand. He grabbed a paper.
"I. I don't believe it.No wonder it all looks the same! It's 1991! It worked!" He couldn't hold in his excitement as he leapt up and down. The few people still walking the street that night stared at him very peculiarly. However, the ecstatic little boy didn't even notice as he made a fool of himself.
When he finally managed to calm down, he sat down on a nearby bench and tried to think of what to do next. First of all, while he could go until the next night without anymore sleep, he needed to find a place to stay. But first, he needed to find Sakura.
"Well, I suppose a temporary home can wait. or, maybe I can find a place near Sakura to stay. It seems my house was completed shortly before I moved here, so it's not finished yet. I guess I have to just look around and see if anything is different from our time."
He got off the bench and wandered around the neighborhood. It seemed like the same small town in the present. Not much was different. He saw certain businesses that had closed in his time or had not opened yet. But he didn't recognize most of the few people walking the streets.
Eventually, he reached Sakura's home. He peered into the house via the living room window. There was no sign that anyone was awake. "Hmmm. I wonder if they're even home."
The sound of a car approached. Syaoran turned around to see who it was, but he wasn't fast enough. The headlights blinded him. He had been spotted. The boy ran behind the house as fast as possible. The car pulled up and Syaoran heard a door open and slam, followed by the sound of running.
"Do you see anyone, son?" A little boy, probably around 10 years old, with messy dark brown hair and eyes of the same color ran behind the house. "Grrr. I KNOW I saw someone, dad. But I don't see anyone." "Then come back in. but be quieter. your baby sister is asleep. It's. been a rough day for us all."
The three silhouetted figures slowly walked to the front of their home, or rather two, as one was just a little girl on her father's back, sound asleep. But the figure of the young boy stopped before leaving the backyard. He gazed around, still expecting to see someone. "I know I saw someone." He opened the front door and stepped inside.
Stomp!
Syaoran landed perfectly on his feet, leaping from the branches of the tree. "That was close. but those voices. This is Sakura's house. Those had to be Mr. Kinomoto and Touya!"
Now came a hard part for him: What to do next. "Okay, I've found them, but I don't sense Koji. Maybe he isn't in this time yet. Maybe that kid sent me back to before Koji arrived." He put his bags of supplies down on the ground. "But it's time to find a place to stay. but I doubt Mr. Kinomoto, as kind as he is, would let me stay here tonight. There are probably no motels or hotels, either, this late. I guess I'll just camp out, then."
Syaoran picked up his luggage and dropped it over the fence that led to the woods. He then leapt over himself, grabbed his luggage, and hurried off.
Within fifteen minutes, he already had his tent up. The boy could have stayed awake had he wanted to, but he thought it was best to be well rested if Koji showed up.
When morning came, Syaoran got up quickly and got to work. He had a week's worth of provisions and some extra money in case he ran out. There was a nearby stream where he bathed and washed anything he needed to.
Once he had finished everything he needed to, he had to find a way to get to Sakura. "There must be some way to get inside," he said aloud. "Sayonara! I'm heading off to school!"
The voice of a young boy cried from the front door. Syaoran slowly walked to the side of the house and peeked out just enough to see someone leaving. "Wait! You forgot this text book," Fujitaka cried out. His chance had come. While Fujitaka chased after Touya, Syaoran raced to the front door and entered. He made sure not to leave any sign he had been there as he walked up to where Sakura's room was. at least in the present. He opened the door and quickly shut it, though he made sure to close it quietly. The last thing that was needed was Fujitaka spotting him.
Syaoran leaned on the door in relief. He had finally made it to Sakura's room. "Hoe? Syaowan? Syaowan, is that you?"
The boy looked around. "What? Sakura. Where are you?" "Down here!" Syaoran looked down, and there, standing at his feet, was Sakura.
Or rather, it was much smaller, younger version of her. "Syaowan? Is that really you? It is!" The pint-sized toddler hugged his knee. "S-S-Sakura?! Is that you?! But. but. you're so small!" She looked up, still hugging his knees. Yes, I know. I'm only three years old. I have no idea why Koji took us back to this time. All I know is when I woke up, I wasn't half cat anymore, and I was being rocked in my dad's arms." Syaoran scratched his head puzzlingly. "Let's see. maybe he thought killing you in this time, as a small child, would be easier."
That's when an idea hit Sakura. Her eyes began to fill with tears. Syaoran noticed this and asked, "What's the matter?" Sakura turned her head away. "I. I think I may know why he chose now." "Huh? Why?" Sakura began to cry more. She tried to hold it in as best as she could. "We've been going somewhere. everyday. You see. I arrived in this time about two weeks ago. Nothing has happened in that time, yet. I haven't seen Koji. But. two weeks ago." She sniffled. "Two weeks ago today. was. was. my mother, Nadeshiko's, funeral." "." Syaoran didn't know what to say.
Sakura began to sob. She couldn't hold it in. "I always have missed my mother! But I've always had father, and big brother, and Tomoyo, and all of my friends, so I was never lonely. but finally. I can just be there. to see my mother's coffin. to sit and listen to people who knew her, speaking of how her life was ended so soon. I. I. Dad tries to be calm and collected. But he's in deep emotional pain. I can' stand to see it! Koji is probably trying to take advantage of all of this! It's not fair!" She suddenly burst into tears, making a large racket. "Sakura, I. I." "SAKURA-SAN!" Fujitaka's voice echoed from downstairs. "What's wrong?!"
Rapid footsteps were heard just before the door to Sakura's bedroom was flung open. "What's wrong?! Oh, don't cry. Don't cry. I know. we're all hurting." He lifted her into his arms and slowly rocked her. "I know how confusing this must be. You're so little, so new to the world, so innocent." He started to cry himself. "But relax. it'll be okay. Come on. let's go down to the kitchen. Maybe some food will calm you down. Maybe then we can take a walk to the park. Does that sound fun? Touya won't be back from school for a while."
Fujitaka rocked his baby girl in his arms gently, trying to soothe her, as he left her room. As soon as the door was shut, Syaoran pulled himself back up by his fingers and went through the window. When he heard Fujitaka coming, he had immediately leapt out the window.
"Dammit, this is not good. How can I talk with Sakura if she is so young Fujitaka is always looking after her? And I still don't know where Tomoyo is. I don't know where Koji is, either. There's so much left to do, and I don't know how to do it!" He stared out the window. "But maybe." Syaoran climbed out of Sakura's room and onto the roof. In a squatting position, he could easily see anyone who approached or left the house. That's how the youthful bodyguard of Sakura sat for 10 minutes. After that time, he heard the front door open and close. Syaoran sat there, watching Fujitaka carry a now-calmer Sakura in his arms.
"Come on. A little time in the park will do you some good." As soon as those two were out of sight, Syaoran ran back to Sakura's window, grabbed a rain gutter, and slid down to the ground. He leapt over the fence, grabbed one bag of supplies, and ran towards the park as fast as he could.
He arrived a few minutes before Fujitaka and Sakura did. Syaoran sat down on a bench and waited. When Fujitaka did arrive, the boy shuffled through his supplies to make it seem like he was busy.
"There you go, Sakura." Fujitaka took Sakura out of his lap and she wandered into the sandbox that was a mere 5 meters from Fujitaka's bench. Fujitaka took out a brief case and began to fill out paperwork. He glanced up every few seconds to check on Sakura.
"Dammit," Syaoran mumbled under his breath, "how can I talk to Sakura is he's watching?"
Suddenly, he heard a soft whimpering behind him. He turned around to hear that it came from the woods. Syaoran decided to try and find who it was that was crying. He spotted a little girl, sitting on the cold Earth.
"Sniff. I'll never see her again. My precious Sakura." The young girl had long black hair, but she was turned away from Syaoran. "Excuse me, little girl, is something wrong?"
"Huh? That voice?" The little one turned around. Syaoran gasped. "TOMOYO?!" "Syaoran? SYAORAN! It is you!" The younger Tomoyo ran up and hugged him as he bent over. "How did you get here? Is Sakura here? Tell me! TELL ME! PLEASE!" "Calm down, calm down! First, you tell me what happened."
Tomoyo began to tell her story. "I first awoke in my room of our old home. Sakura was nowhere to be found. I started to cry. That's when I overheard my mother. She said Nadeshiko had died. She was in tears for weeks. She was cursing Sakura's father. My mother said she never ever wanted to speak to him or even see him again. She still blames him for her dying. Also, if mother doesn't even talk to Fujitaka, there's no way I can see Sakura." Syaoran smiled. "Oh, there's a way you can see Sakura!" Tomoyo's eyes brightened and she smiled the cutest smile. "Really?! How?! HOW?!" A sweat drop rolled down Syaoran's head. "Settle down. Sakura is in this park, over in the sandbox!"
Tomoyo's eyes sparkled like stars. "Oh, my dear Sakura-chan. She's here! I have to see her!" Wait, before you do, I can't talk to her. Mr. Kinomoto would get suspicious. Can you give her this message?" Syaoran asked. "Sure!" Syaoran whispered into Tomoyo's ear. "That's a good plan! I'll go tell her! Bye, bye!" Syaoran smiled. "Maybe we can finally get Koji after all."
*****
Deep in the forest.
"Dammit! I can't believe that kid is here! I worked so hard just to keep him away."Koji drew a sword of energy. It was as black as can be. It was so dark, it dimmed the land around him. "But with this new weapon." He slashed the air, cutting a path of trees straight ahead. "I don't think I'll have too many problems with him.
To be continued.
Chapter 13- Remembrances of Nadeshiko
Syaoran came crashing don from the open portal and landed on his face. "OW! I'll never get used to all of this time traveling." He stood up and brushed the dirt off his shirt. When he looked up, though, he was shocked. "What the hell? I didn't go anywhere! I'm still in the present and in front of the Shinto Shrine!"
The boy was right. He stood in the exact same spot he had before he left. "What could this mean? Maybe I can't get back to the time Sakura and Tomoyo are in. Maybe there is some kind of barrier." He held his head low in disappointment. "No sense in worrying about it. I might as well just go home. This was all a waste of time."
Syaoran was incredibly disappointed. He looked around. Everything was in its place. until he got to his home.
"What the hell is going on here? Where is my home?" The boy was shocked to find in the place of his home, the wooden frames of a house were there instead. "Mia?! Kero-chan?! Where are you? What happened?"
He couldn't believe it. It was as if someone had come along and in less than 5 minutes stripped his house of everything but the supports. What had happened?
An idea hit Syaoran. He rushed down the street until he found a newspaper stand. He grabbed a paper.
"I. I don't believe it.No wonder it all looks the same! It's 1991! It worked!" He couldn't hold in his excitement as he leapt up and down. The few people still walking the street that night stared at him very peculiarly. However, the ecstatic little boy didn't even notice as he made a fool of himself.
When he finally managed to calm down, he sat down on a nearby bench and tried to think of what to do next. First of all, while he could go until the next night without anymore sleep, he needed to find a place to stay. But first, he needed to find Sakura.
"Well, I suppose a temporary home can wait. or, maybe I can find a place near Sakura to stay. It seems my house was completed shortly before I moved here, so it's not finished yet. I guess I have to just look around and see if anything is different from our time."
He got off the bench and wandered around the neighborhood. It seemed like the same small town in the present. Not much was different. He saw certain businesses that had closed in his time or had not opened yet. But he didn't recognize most of the few people walking the streets.
Eventually, he reached Sakura's home. He peered into the house via the living room window. There was no sign that anyone was awake. "Hmmm. I wonder if they're even home."
The sound of a car approached. Syaoran turned around to see who it was, but he wasn't fast enough. The headlights blinded him. He had been spotted. The boy ran behind the house as fast as possible. The car pulled up and Syaoran heard a door open and slam, followed by the sound of running.
"Do you see anyone, son?" A little boy, probably around 10 years old, with messy dark brown hair and eyes of the same color ran behind the house. "Grrr. I KNOW I saw someone, dad. But I don't see anyone." "Then come back in. but be quieter. your baby sister is asleep. It's. been a rough day for us all."
The three silhouetted figures slowly walked to the front of their home, or rather two, as one was just a little girl on her father's back, sound asleep. But the figure of the young boy stopped before leaving the backyard. He gazed around, still expecting to see someone. "I know I saw someone." He opened the front door and stepped inside.
Stomp!
Syaoran landed perfectly on his feet, leaping from the branches of the tree. "That was close. but those voices. This is Sakura's house. Those had to be Mr. Kinomoto and Touya!"
Now came a hard part for him: What to do next. "Okay, I've found them, but I don't sense Koji. Maybe he isn't in this time yet. Maybe that kid sent me back to before Koji arrived." He put his bags of supplies down on the ground. "But it's time to find a place to stay. but I doubt Mr. Kinomoto, as kind as he is, would let me stay here tonight. There are probably no motels or hotels, either, this late. I guess I'll just camp out, then."
Syaoran picked up his luggage and dropped it over the fence that led to the woods. He then leapt over himself, grabbed his luggage, and hurried off.
Within fifteen minutes, he already had his tent up. The boy could have stayed awake had he wanted to, but he thought it was best to be well rested if Koji showed up.
When morning came, Syaoran got up quickly and got to work. He had a week's worth of provisions and some extra money in case he ran out. There was a nearby stream where he bathed and washed anything he needed to.
Once he had finished everything he needed to, he had to find a way to get to Sakura. "There must be some way to get inside," he said aloud. "Sayonara! I'm heading off to school!"
The voice of a young boy cried from the front door. Syaoran slowly walked to the side of the house and peeked out just enough to see someone leaving. "Wait! You forgot this text book," Fujitaka cried out. His chance had come. While Fujitaka chased after Touya, Syaoran raced to the front door and entered. He made sure not to leave any sign he had been there as he walked up to where Sakura's room was. at least in the present. He opened the door and quickly shut it, though he made sure to close it quietly. The last thing that was needed was Fujitaka spotting him.
Syaoran leaned on the door in relief. He had finally made it to Sakura's room. "Hoe? Syaowan? Syaowan, is that you?"
The boy looked around. "What? Sakura. Where are you?" "Down here!" Syaoran looked down, and there, standing at his feet, was Sakura.
Or rather, it was much smaller, younger version of her. "Syaowan? Is that really you? It is!" The pint-sized toddler hugged his knee. "S-S-Sakura?! Is that you?! But. but. you're so small!" She looked up, still hugging his knees. Yes, I know. I'm only three years old. I have no idea why Koji took us back to this time. All I know is when I woke up, I wasn't half cat anymore, and I was being rocked in my dad's arms." Syaoran scratched his head puzzlingly. "Let's see. maybe he thought killing you in this time, as a small child, would be easier."
That's when an idea hit Sakura. Her eyes began to fill with tears. Syaoran noticed this and asked, "What's the matter?" Sakura turned her head away. "I. I think I may know why he chose now." "Huh? Why?" Sakura began to cry more. She tried to hold it in as best as she could. "We've been going somewhere. everyday. You see. I arrived in this time about two weeks ago. Nothing has happened in that time, yet. I haven't seen Koji. But. two weeks ago." She sniffled. "Two weeks ago today. was. was. my mother, Nadeshiko's, funeral." "." Syaoran didn't know what to say.
Sakura began to sob. She couldn't hold it in. "I always have missed my mother! But I've always had father, and big brother, and Tomoyo, and all of my friends, so I was never lonely. but finally. I can just be there. to see my mother's coffin. to sit and listen to people who knew her, speaking of how her life was ended so soon. I. I. Dad tries to be calm and collected. But he's in deep emotional pain. I can' stand to see it! Koji is probably trying to take advantage of all of this! It's not fair!" She suddenly burst into tears, making a large racket. "Sakura, I. I." "SAKURA-SAN!" Fujitaka's voice echoed from downstairs. "What's wrong?!"
Rapid footsteps were heard just before the door to Sakura's bedroom was flung open. "What's wrong?! Oh, don't cry. Don't cry. I know. we're all hurting." He lifted her into his arms and slowly rocked her. "I know how confusing this must be. You're so little, so new to the world, so innocent." He started to cry himself. "But relax. it'll be okay. Come on. let's go down to the kitchen. Maybe some food will calm you down. Maybe then we can take a walk to the park. Does that sound fun? Touya won't be back from school for a while."
Fujitaka rocked his baby girl in his arms gently, trying to soothe her, as he left her room. As soon as the door was shut, Syaoran pulled himself back up by his fingers and went through the window. When he heard Fujitaka coming, he had immediately leapt out the window.
"Dammit, this is not good. How can I talk with Sakura if she is so young Fujitaka is always looking after her? And I still don't know where Tomoyo is. I don't know where Koji is, either. There's so much left to do, and I don't know how to do it!" He stared out the window. "But maybe." Syaoran climbed out of Sakura's room and onto the roof. In a squatting position, he could easily see anyone who approached or left the house. That's how the youthful bodyguard of Sakura sat for 10 minutes. After that time, he heard the front door open and close. Syaoran sat there, watching Fujitaka carry a now-calmer Sakura in his arms.
"Come on. A little time in the park will do you some good." As soon as those two were out of sight, Syaoran ran back to Sakura's window, grabbed a rain gutter, and slid down to the ground. He leapt over the fence, grabbed one bag of supplies, and ran towards the park as fast as he could.
He arrived a few minutes before Fujitaka and Sakura did. Syaoran sat down on a bench and waited. When Fujitaka did arrive, the boy shuffled through his supplies to make it seem like he was busy.
"There you go, Sakura." Fujitaka took Sakura out of his lap and she wandered into the sandbox that was a mere 5 meters from Fujitaka's bench. Fujitaka took out a brief case and began to fill out paperwork. He glanced up every few seconds to check on Sakura.
"Dammit," Syaoran mumbled under his breath, "how can I talk to Sakura is he's watching?"
Suddenly, he heard a soft whimpering behind him. He turned around to hear that it came from the woods. Syaoran decided to try and find who it was that was crying. He spotted a little girl, sitting on the cold Earth.
"Sniff. I'll never see her again. My precious Sakura." The young girl had long black hair, but she was turned away from Syaoran. "Excuse me, little girl, is something wrong?"
"Huh? That voice?" The little one turned around. Syaoran gasped. "TOMOYO?!" "Syaoran? SYAORAN! It is you!" The younger Tomoyo ran up and hugged him as he bent over. "How did you get here? Is Sakura here? Tell me! TELL ME! PLEASE!" "Calm down, calm down! First, you tell me what happened."
Tomoyo began to tell her story. "I first awoke in my room of our old home. Sakura was nowhere to be found. I started to cry. That's when I overheard my mother. She said Nadeshiko had died. She was in tears for weeks. She was cursing Sakura's father. My mother said she never ever wanted to speak to him or even see him again. She still blames him for her dying. Also, if mother doesn't even talk to Fujitaka, there's no way I can see Sakura." Syaoran smiled. "Oh, there's a way you can see Sakura!" Tomoyo's eyes brightened and she smiled the cutest smile. "Really?! How?! HOW?!" A sweat drop rolled down Syaoran's head. "Settle down. Sakura is in this park, over in the sandbox!"
Tomoyo's eyes sparkled like stars. "Oh, my dear Sakura-chan. She's here! I have to see her!" Wait, before you do, I can't talk to her. Mr. Kinomoto would get suspicious. Can you give her this message?" Syaoran asked. "Sure!" Syaoran whispered into Tomoyo's ear. "That's a good plan! I'll go tell her! Bye, bye!" Syaoran smiled. "Maybe we can finally get Koji after all."
*****
Deep in the forest.
"Dammit! I can't believe that kid is here! I worked so hard just to keep him away."Koji drew a sword of energy. It was as black as can be. It was so dark, it dimmed the land around him. "But with this new weapon." He slashed the air, cutting a path of trees straight ahead. "I don't think I'll have too many problems with him.
To be continued.