*I don't own Card Captor Sakura
*AU
Beauty of the Heart
Chapter 1 - The Boy With Two Faces
Amora
*****Hong Kong*****
"Li Xiaolang! Show yourself immediately!"
Syaoran grimaced at his hiding place. The elder's lackeys were combing the mansion for him. Peeking from behind the statue, he saw someone run past him to the left. Gritting his teeth, he made a break for it.
'Come on! Run faster you idiot!' Syaoran chastised himself. Within seconds, the back door was in sight. His joy was immediately cut short as he was quickly surrounded by guards who swarmed from outside and behind him. 'Damnit...'
"Halt! In the name of the Li Clan elders, you are to be brought before them. Preferably alive but that can easily be changed." As the head guard proclaimed this, twenty men drew their guns and leveled them at Syaoran. Taking a look around, he knew the odds were almost nil that he would survive if he resisted. Sighing, he got down on one knee. Instantly, he felt a blunt object on the back of his head before falling on the floor letting darkness take him.
*****
"Get up Li Xiaolang!" A stern voice broke Syaoran out of his unconsciousness. Looking up, he saw the face of Li Qing, the head elder. When Syaoran didn't comply, he was roughly kicked in the side by a guard. Grimacing, Syaoran looked at the person who had just kicked him. There was a smirk of his face as if he were enjoying this.
"I said get up!" Li Qing commanded again. As Syaoran got up from his prone position, he stumbled and fell. Somehow, his center of gravity had changed drastically. He tried again but realized that he was out of breath.
'What the hell is going on?' Syaoran mentally yelled. After another few failed attempts, he was dragged up. Looking at the elders, he saw them grinning evilly. 'Something is going on. But what?'
Li Qing slowly made his way back to chair reserved for him and motioned for Syaoran. "Sit Xiaolang." Looking apprehensive, Syaoran slowly made his way over to the table where the elders were sitting. After his first few steps, Syaoran realized that he somehow weighed much more than he usually did. Looking down, he was startled to realize that his stomach protruded over his belt and blocked his vision of his feet. With his mouth open and a shocked expression on his face, Syaoran turned to the elders who were now withholding their chuckles.
"Since you choose not to sit, we will discuss things as you stand there." Li Qing started. Then all traces of mirth and humor disappeared from the faces of the elders. They were once again stoic and expressionless. "As the future leader of the Li Clan-"
"I do not want to be leader!" Syaoran interrupted. His face was showing his emotions openly. He willingly disobeyed what his training had taught him. He would do anything to be disqualified for a leader.
"I see. Then as punishment for your attempted avocation of the position of leader of the Li Clan, you will be punished. You will still be assigned the normal task of sealing the Clow Cards that are in Tomoeda Japan. In addition to that, however, your appearance will be altered to what it currently is. You will be shunned by most and be found disgusting by others. Your appearance will only return to normal when you are in the vicinity of a Clow Card."
Getting over his shock of the news, Syaoran glared at each elder. "And what makes you think I will participate in this conspiracy of yours?"
Li Qing smiled. "If you do not follow our orders, your transformation will be permanent. You have forty days to seal all of the cards. If you don't then you will forever be trapped in that hideous body of yours."
Syaoran glared once more before wobbling out of the room.
"Will Xiaolang be able to break the curse we put on him?" One of the other elders asked Qing.
"I don't think so." Qing said with confidence. "There are fifty-two cards and it is highly unlikely that they will even appear once every day. Even if they do, he would still fall twelve days short of his goal."
"So that is the only way to break the curse?"
"No..." Qing bit his lip but then remembered how Syaoran looks and relaxed. "There is another way but we don't even have to bother with that. The possibility of that happening is infinitely close to nil."
"What are you talking about?" The others demanded.
"The only other way to break the curse is through the heart. No girl in her right mind would fall in love with Xiaolang. We have absolute nothing to worry about."
*****
Syaoran quickly slipped out of his house as fast as his new body would take him. He had glanced at the mirror in his bathroom and was horrified. Normally, he had no idea how he looked, but as he stared into the mirror he came to a devastating discovery. He had lost an entire foot in height and now stood at a mere 5'1. His normal glowing amber gaze was replaced by a dull lifeless brown. His eyes were set way too far apart and his nose pointed up in the most unattractive way. When he tried to smile, dimples appeared across his face but did nothing to cover the pimple outburst. His was missing three front teeth and the rest were out of alignment and black with plaque and tarter buildup.
As Syaoran grimaced at his own reflection, he was lost at a word to describe what he saw. At first it had been 'Ugly' but he soon discovered how shallow the word was. Other words like repulsive, gruesome, and hideous came to mind. They came close but there is no word that truly describes what he thought of himself.
Shaking off the thought, Syaoran quickly hailed for a cab to the airport. He couldn't face his family like this. He would have to succeed in his mission. As another cab passed him on heedlessly, he realized that he was scaring away the drivers. In desperation, he donned a hood that covered most of his face. Finally a cab stopped for him to hail.
"I'd like to go to the airport please." Syaoran said with a voice not yet familiar to him. It was an octave higher than his normal voice and sounded squeaky and annoying. The cab driver raised an eyebrow.
"Alright kid. Get in. I hope you fit in the back seat." The driver said. As they took off, Syaoran took one last look at his home.
'I can't come back here until I succeed. I can't face anyone looking like this. I would be an embarrassment to the entire clan!' Syaoran thought sadly as he rode silently to the airport. The cab driver looked in the mirror from time to time and sighed. He knew what kind of life the kid in the back was going to lead. He had seen him under the hood but hadn't said anything.
"Alright we're here. What terminal do you want to go in?"
"International please." After arriving, Syaoran took out a wad of bills and handed them to the driver and left. As he walked through security, guards ordered him to remove his hood. As he did, the others did a double take.
"Alright! Put that shit back on!" The guard yelled and backed away. "Freak..." he muttered under his breath but loud enough for Syaoran to hear him. Sighing, he continued to the ticket counter.
'I guess this is the treatment I should expect from everyone.' Syaoran thought sadly. His attempt to buy a ticket was no different. The salesperson immediately switched to another booth and practically ordered the next customer in line to immediately come forth. When Syaoran realized that nobody would sell him a ticket, he walked to the e-ticket machine and purchased one himself.
Along the way to his terminal, Syaoran groaned as people stared at him or pointed and laughed. The comments ranged from "Oh my god! He's so ugly!" to "What is that thing?". As he finally sat down at the waiting terminal, the people in the vicinity of five seats immediately got up and moved elsewhere.
After another fifteen minutes, the boarding began. As Syaoran attempted to board with the first class passengers, he was roughly shoved aside by security personnel. The only thing that saved him was the first class ticket that he was holding.
"What's a punk like you doing with a first class ticket?" The boarding attendant demanded. She was nervous and stood partially behind security.
"I bought it just a few minutes ago. I have the receipt right here." Syaoran tried to explain. The attendant bit her lips and reluctantly let him on the plane. Taking this opportunity, Syaoran rushed on the plane to avoid other unnecessary attention. As he boarded the plane, flight attendants gave him dirty looks. The other first class passengers stared in shock as Syaoran entered their cabin, but he sat down wordlessly.
"Can I see your ticket please?" An attendant demanded. It was painfully obvious to Syaoran that he was the only one being asked for his ticket but he took it out and presented it. As the plane was in mid- flight, Syaoran attempted to sleep but every time he dozed off, someone bumped into him on purpose or spat on him. Soon, he gave up all attempts of sleep. Soon they landed and Syaoran attempted to get a first look at Japan.
Unfortunately, Syaoran received the same treatment a he did in Hong Kong. Even in the insanely crowded airport, people avoided him like the plague. Most walked the other way to avoid coming too close to him.
'On the bright side,' Syaoran thought. "I have plenty of room to move as I please.' On the way out, he was again scrutinized by security. Once outside, hailing a cab proved difficult. Only by holding cash in front of greedy cab drivers was he able to get a ride. The ride to Tomoeda was completely silent except for the occasional grumble from the driver about being reimbursed for his kindness.
Finding himself dropped in the middle of a residential neighborhood, Syaoran proceeded to look for a place to live. Landlord after landlord took one look at Syaoran and threw him out of their complexes. After nearly twenty tries, Syaoran wondered into an old and worn building that looked condemned. Taking a chance and entering it, he was surprised that it still held occupants. An old lady came to the counter and offered him a toothless smile.
"You've come to the right place! I have just the apartment for you!" the landlady exclaimed.
"What do you mean right place?"
"Well have you taken a look in the mirror recently? Most other places are too snobby for the likes of us. Everyone who lives here can be considered a social outcast."
"I see." Syaoran replied. "I'll take it." After finding his room and opening the door, Syaoran looked around at his new home. It needed severe maintenance and repairs. It was furnished but the decorations were plain and unattractive. The twin-sized bed beckoned Syaoran after a long trip and he instantly laid down.
'Tomorrow.' Syaoran vowed. 'I will get those cards. I can't let the elders win. They will pay for what they did...' He closed his eyes and slept.
End of Chapter 1
Scenes from chapter 2:
"Our normal price for this is $199 but since it's you I'll give it to you for $799. Take it or leave it."
"What! You want to enroll in my school? Hahaha! Name one reason why I should!"
"I really feel sorry for him..."
"I am Li Xiaolang, and you Card of Clow, are mine!"
*AU
Beauty of the Heart
Chapter 1 - The Boy With Two Faces
Amora
*****Hong Kong*****
"Li Xiaolang! Show yourself immediately!"
Syaoran grimaced at his hiding place. The elder's lackeys were combing the mansion for him. Peeking from behind the statue, he saw someone run past him to the left. Gritting his teeth, he made a break for it.
'Come on! Run faster you idiot!' Syaoran chastised himself. Within seconds, the back door was in sight. His joy was immediately cut short as he was quickly surrounded by guards who swarmed from outside and behind him. 'Damnit...'
"Halt! In the name of the Li Clan elders, you are to be brought before them. Preferably alive but that can easily be changed." As the head guard proclaimed this, twenty men drew their guns and leveled them at Syaoran. Taking a look around, he knew the odds were almost nil that he would survive if he resisted. Sighing, he got down on one knee. Instantly, he felt a blunt object on the back of his head before falling on the floor letting darkness take him.
*****
"Get up Li Xiaolang!" A stern voice broke Syaoran out of his unconsciousness. Looking up, he saw the face of Li Qing, the head elder. When Syaoran didn't comply, he was roughly kicked in the side by a guard. Grimacing, Syaoran looked at the person who had just kicked him. There was a smirk of his face as if he were enjoying this.
"I said get up!" Li Qing commanded again. As Syaoran got up from his prone position, he stumbled and fell. Somehow, his center of gravity had changed drastically. He tried again but realized that he was out of breath.
'What the hell is going on?' Syaoran mentally yelled. After another few failed attempts, he was dragged up. Looking at the elders, he saw them grinning evilly. 'Something is going on. But what?'
Li Qing slowly made his way back to chair reserved for him and motioned for Syaoran. "Sit Xiaolang." Looking apprehensive, Syaoran slowly made his way over to the table where the elders were sitting. After his first few steps, Syaoran realized that he somehow weighed much more than he usually did. Looking down, he was startled to realize that his stomach protruded over his belt and blocked his vision of his feet. With his mouth open and a shocked expression on his face, Syaoran turned to the elders who were now withholding their chuckles.
"Since you choose not to sit, we will discuss things as you stand there." Li Qing started. Then all traces of mirth and humor disappeared from the faces of the elders. They were once again stoic and expressionless. "As the future leader of the Li Clan-"
"I do not want to be leader!" Syaoran interrupted. His face was showing his emotions openly. He willingly disobeyed what his training had taught him. He would do anything to be disqualified for a leader.
"I see. Then as punishment for your attempted avocation of the position of leader of the Li Clan, you will be punished. You will still be assigned the normal task of sealing the Clow Cards that are in Tomoeda Japan. In addition to that, however, your appearance will be altered to what it currently is. You will be shunned by most and be found disgusting by others. Your appearance will only return to normal when you are in the vicinity of a Clow Card."
Getting over his shock of the news, Syaoran glared at each elder. "And what makes you think I will participate in this conspiracy of yours?"
Li Qing smiled. "If you do not follow our orders, your transformation will be permanent. You have forty days to seal all of the cards. If you don't then you will forever be trapped in that hideous body of yours."
Syaoran glared once more before wobbling out of the room.
"Will Xiaolang be able to break the curse we put on him?" One of the other elders asked Qing.
"I don't think so." Qing said with confidence. "There are fifty-two cards and it is highly unlikely that they will even appear once every day. Even if they do, he would still fall twelve days short of his goal."
"So that is the only way to break the curse?"
"No..." Qing bit his lip but then remembered how Syaoran looks and relaxed. "There is another way but we don't even have to bother with that. The possibility of that happening is infinitely close to nil."
"What are you talking about?" The others demanded.
"The only other way to break the curse is through the heart. No girl in her right mind would fall in love with Xiaolang. We have absolute nothing to worry about."
*****
Syaoran quickly slipped out of his house as fast as his new body would take him. He had glanced at the mirror in his bathroom and was horrified. Normally, he had no idea how he looked, but as he stared into the mirror he came to a devastating discovery. He had lost an entire foot in height and now stood at a mere 5'1. His normal glowing amber gaze was replaced by a dull lifeless brown. His eyes were set way too far apart and his nose pointed up in the most unattractive way. When he tried to smile, dimples appeared across his face but did nothing to cover the pimple outburst. His was missing three front teeth and the rest were out of alignment and black with plaque and tarter buildup.
As Syaoran grimaced at his own reflection, he was lost at a word to describe what he saw. At first it had been 'Ugly' but he soon discovered how shallow the word was. Other words like repulsive, gruesome, and hideous came to mind. They came close but there is no word that truly describes what he thought of himself.
Shaking off the thought, Syaoran quickly hailed for a cab to the airport. He couldn't face his family like this. He would have to succeed in his mission. As another cab passed him on heedlessly, he realized that he was scaring away the drivers. In desperation, he donned a hood that covered most of his face. Finally a cab stopped for him to hail.
"I'd like to go to the airport please." Syaoran said with a voice not yet familiar to him. It was an octave higher than his normal voice and sounded squeaky and annoying. The cab driver raised an eyebrow.
"Alright kid. Get in. I hope you fit in the back seat." The driver said. As they took off, Syaoran took one last look at his home.
'I can't come back here until I succeed. I can't face anyone looking like this. I would be an embarrassment to the entire clan!' Syaoran thought sadly as he rode silently to the airport. The cab driver looked in the mirror from time to time and sighed. He knew what kind of life the kid in the back was going to lead. He had seen him under the hood but hadn't said anything.
"Alright we're here. What terminal do you want to go in?"
"International please." After arriving, Syaoran took out a wad of bills and handed them to the driver and left. As he walked through security, guards ordered him to remove his hood. As he did, the others did a double take.
"Alright! Put that shit back on!" The guard yelled and backed away. "Freak..." he muttered under his breath but loud enough for Syaoran to hear him. Sighing, he continued to the ticket counter.
'I guess this is the treatment I should expect from everyone.' Syaoran thought sadly. His attempt to buy a ticket was no different. The salesperson immediately switched to another booth and practically ordered the next customer in line to immediately come forth. When Syaoran realized that nobody would sell him a ticket, he walked to the e-ticket machine and purchased one himself.
Along the way to his terminal, Syaoran groaned as people stared at him or pointed and laughed. The comments ranged from "Oh my god! He's so ugly!" to "What is that thing?". As he finally sat down at the waiting terminal, the people in the vicinity of five seats immediately got up and moved elsewhere.
After another fifteen minutes, the boarding began. As Syaoran attempted to board with the first class passengers, he was roughly shoved aside by security personnel. The only thing that saved him was the first class ticket that he was holding.
"What's a punk like you doing with a first class ticket?" The boarding attendant demanded. She was nervous and stood partially behind security.
"I bought it just a few minutes ago. I have the receipt right here." Syaoran tried to explain. The attendant bit her lips and reluctantly let him on the plane. Taking this opportunity, Syaoran rushed on the plane to avoid other unnecessary attention. As he boarded the plane, flight attendants gave him dirty looks. The other first class passengers stared in shock as Syaoran entered their cabin, but he sat down wordlessly.
"Can I see your ticket please?" An attendant demanded. It was painfully obvious to Syaoran that he was the only one being asked for his ticket but he took it out and presented it. As the plane was in mid- flight, Syaoran attempted to sleep but every time he dozed off, someone bumped into him on purpose or spat on him. Soon, he gave up all attempts of sleep. Soon they landed and Syaoran attempted to get a first look at Japan.
Unfortunately, Syaoran received the same treatment a he did in Hong Kong. Even in the insanely crowded airport, people avoided him like the plague. Most walked the other way to avoid coming too close to him.
'On the bright side,' Syaoran thought. "I have plenty of room to move as I please.' On the way out, he was again scrutinized by security. Once outside, hailing a cab proved difficult. Only by holding cash in front of greedy cab drivers was he able to get a ride. The ride to Tomoeda was completely silent except for the occasional grumble from the driver about being reimbursed for his kindness.
Finding himself dropped in the middle of a residential neighborhood, Syaoran proceeded to look for a place to live. Landlord after landlord took one look at Syaoran and threw him out of their complexes. After nearly twenty tries, Syaoran wondered into an old and worn building that looked condemned. Taking a chance and entering it, he was surprised that it still held occupants. An old lady came to the counter and offered him a toothless smile.
"You've come to the right place! I have just the apartment for you!" the landlady exclaimed.
"What do you mean right place?"
"Well have you taken a look in the mirror recently? Most other places are too snobby for the likes of us. Everyone who lives here can be considered a social outcast."
"I see." Syaoran replied. "I'll take it." After finding his room and opening the door, Syaoran looked around at his new home. It needed severe maintenance and repairs. It was furnished but the decorations were plain and unattractive. The twin-sized bed beckoned Syaoran after a long trip and he instantly laid down.
'Tomorrow.' Syaoran vowed. 'I will get those cards. I can't let the elders win. They will pay for what they did...' He closed his eyes and slept.
End of Chapter 1
Scenes from chapter 2:
"Our normal price for this is $199 but since it's you I'll give it to you for $799. Take it or leave it."
"What! You want to enroll in my school? Hahaha! Name one reason why I should!"
"I really feel sorry for him..."
"I am Li Xiaolang, and you Card of Clow, are mine!"