Chapter 4
Author's Note: I know you'd all thought I was dead and gone, or at least given up ff. Well, in truth, it was the evil homework that did me in. ^-^ So I decided to ignore the mountain of hw waiting for me and update at least one of my stories. Enjoy! ****
Their match was one that could gather a crowd from miles away. Though it was only the second bracket, this fight held the most talent most of the crowd had ever set eyes on.
The first to enter the ring was a woman-one of the oddities of this year's match. The announcer called out her name: Meiling Li. The crowd knew her; they applauded her loudly, giving their support easily. She let out a small, flirtatious smile, and returned her eyes forward.
Few could see how nervous she was.
Soon enough, her opponent emerged. His face caused many faints among the female section of watchers. He seemed oblivious to the attention, however, and continued on his trek to the ring. A meaningful look passed between the two opponents that couldn't be written down for simple competition. Before the crowd could even begin to wonder at this strange act, the opponent's name was announced: Syaoran Li.
The crowd had seen him fight before, but that was not why they knew him. Syaoran Li was the leader of the Li Clan, a very noteworthy Clan. Each person in the stands moved forward in their seats, wanting to feast their eyes upon this young gentleman whose life had been hidden from the public for many years.
Whispers started when they saw the female he was about to fight. "Is that his wife?"
"She can't be," came the response.
"Didn't you hear the name?"
"Li-she could be his wife!"
Growing rapidly tired of this argument, I spoke up. "He has no wife-Meiling is his cousin."
The whisperers looked up at me, caught a glance of my giant wings, and quickly raced away. Not wishing to waste any more time with these idiotic mortals, I took advantage of the now free seats.
The two were caught in some sort of staring match. The announcer looked perturbed, not understanding the connection these two shared. I coughed, catching both of their attentions, and they quickly bowed to each other.
The announcer smiled weakly and dove off the ring. I heard the bell being struck, and the match began.
She dove forward, as I knew she would. Apparently, so had he. After taking a quick step back, he used her loss of balance to his advantage. Grabbing her arm, he made to fling her over his knee. Meiling, realizing his intent in plenty of time, used her feet to increase her momentum. Instead of going over his knee, she managed to flip in the air, landing gracefully beside him.
She then let herself drop to the floor of the ring, pivoting around so her leg would catch Syaoran's. He pushed up from the ground, went into a smooth backflip, and landed about five feet from where Meiling stood.
I paused to look around at the crowd. Many jaws had dropped open. I couldn't help but shake my head. The crowd was bearing an uncanny resemblance to a herd of cows with their mouths dropped open as such.
I heard movement and quickly refocused on the match.
Syaoran had vaulted backwards again, giving himself more room. Meiling was eyeing him wearily, conscious of the edge right behind him.
Syaoran's eye darted at Meiling's right knee. She glanced down to inspect herself. Before she could correct her mistake, she was flying backwards toward the edge of the ring.
Cursing her for her stupidity, I made a mental note to make her sorry for this mistake in practice tonight.
She landed heavily two feet from the edge. The audience grew silent as she rocked, fighting to regain her balance. My eyes focused on her cousin. He was watching her intently, but made no move to push her. I saw guilt flash through his eyes, as well as uncertainty.
Meiling, having righted herself, flung her body violently toward him, ignoring the desperateness of this attack. Syaoran, his eyes wide, was knocked to the ground. His cousin quickly pinned him down. I leaned forward, looking at Syaoran's face. His body was relaxed, but he was straining to discern the look on his cousin's face.
Her body shaking in anger, she raised her fist and quickly brought it back down, hitting him roughly on the jaw. I heard the crowd gasp, but I kept my eyes firmly planted on Syaoran. His eyes were watching Meiling, now wide with fear. He was finally seeing the fire in Meiling's eyes-the hurt she had been hiding from him.
He allowed her to hit him twice more, and she had her arm raised when a cry rang out in the courtyard, halting her immediately.
Having no need to identify the speaker, my eyes did not move from Syaoran. His head had popped up and searched the crowd. His eyes locked on a spot to my left. Finally, I turned, glimpsing my lady captor. The expression on her face held more emotions than any normal face has the capacity for. Hurt, guilt, love, and fear all fought for control over each individual feature. While one hand was clutching her chest, the other was reaching out, as though she was trying to grasp Syaoran. A breathy sentence escaped her lips. "Don't hurt him."
My gaze shifted back to Syaoran. Once again, his eyes were wide and incomprehensive. He started to free hand from beneath Meiling when something snapped in Sakura's face. Turning on her heel, she fled from his sight. I watched as his face fell.
Remembering where he was, he attempted to free himself from the now limp Meiling. She moved slightly, her eyes intent on the ground, just to let him up. He stared at her wordlessly, not sure whether she would attack him or burst into tears.
Deciding quickly, Meiling's face shot up, a bold expression greeting her cousin. Though she fought to keep her words quiet, I caught them.
"I do not need this, Syaoran. Sakura does," she said simply. Turning sharply and fighting to ignore her limp, she stepped off of the stage and started back toward the room.
As her thin figure disappeared, the crowd stood, uncomprehending. Their looks again reminded me of cows, yet they were scandalized. What had appeared to be such a great match had ended so disappointingly. No one was bleeding, crying, or even unconscious. A total waste of time to many. I, however, knew this would set the course for the rest of this tournament.
Not wishing to hear Syaoran proclaimed victor, I turned and headed back toward the camp, intent on practicing before it became late.
****
Sakura forced her walk to be slow, letting none of her emotions show on her face. Inside, she was cursing her stupidity. She had interrupted the match for no apparent reason. She wished fervently that she hadn't let Tomoyo leave. She should've demanded that Tomoyo forget her sudden hunger for cotton candy. And yet. . . the very fact that she had interrupted it set the fact right in front of her. She was still in love with him.
Sighing, she continued toward the tent, already knowing who had won the match. Her interruption would keep Meiling from her victory.
As her eyes found the tent, she noticed two people deep in conversation. One was familiar.
'Jessin,' she realized. As she approached, he caught sight of her and quickly excused himself from his conversation, joining her as she walked by.
"Hello," she said, suddenly not sure of what she should be saying.
He smiled charmingly and nodded toward the ring. "What a strange match that was," he said simply. Then, "Were you able to watch?"
She caught his intense gaze and found herself nodding.
He took this in silence, causing Sakura to wonder if she had said something wrong. She was opening her mouth to ask when Jessin spoke up again.
"A couple of my companions are planning a bit of a party to celebrate the end of this first day of fighting."
Noticing her confused expression, he let out a laugh. "What I mean to ask is would you like to join me?"
Realizing her stupidity, she blushed a pretty pink color. About to kindly refuse, she caught a fleeting sight of Syaoran. During her pause, Jessin spoke again.
"It won't be anything fancy, but my friends know how to throw a party. I can promise it will be worth your time."
Just then, Syaoran looked up and straight into her eyes. She watched as he took in Jessin and something akin to jealousy went through his eyes. Making up her mind quickly, Sakura nodded.
"I'd love to."
Jessin smiled, obviously pleased with her answer. His eyes swept over a point behind her. "I must go now, but I will pick you up around 7:30 in front of your tent?"
Sakura nodded and watched as he left. Her warrior instinct assessed his balance as he walked away, and she was once again blown away by the grace in which he carried himself.
'Almost as graceful as Syaoran,' she noted absently. Then, realizing she was staring, she blushed again and turned back towards the tent. Syaoran was waiting by the door. She passed by him without a word and headed straight for Meiling, suddenly nervous.
"I'm sorry," she said as soon as she was close enough. "I never should've said anything."
Meiling looked up, and smiled reassuringly.
"Oh hush. I got in a couple punches-that's all I wanted," she said lightly.
Sakura, not wanting to press the matter, moved forward and hugged her friend tightly.
Meiling was the first to pull away. "Where's Tomoyo?" she asked.
Frowning, Sakura realized she hadn't seen Tomoyo since before the match began. She told Meiling so, and the girls quickly resolved to find their missing companion.
They walked, talking about the coming matches, toward the tent's door. They were only feet from the flap when it opened and a couple stepped through.
Sakura gasped when she recognized the pair, who were now smiling lovingly at each other. At her gasp, the two looked up, obviously unaware they had an audience. Tomoyo stepped forward, separating herself gently from Eriol.
"Sakura, don't be mad," she said quietly.
But all Sakura could think of was betrayal. Suddenly, her friend's absence was thrown into a new light. Her mind put together the soft looks she had seen between Tomoyo and Eriol that day. So instead of being happy for her friend, she suddenly found herself very, very angry.
Meiling, on the other hand, stepped forward and caught Tomoyo in a hug. "Congratulations, Tomoyo. I knew you two would work it out."
Sakura's rage increased. She had been betrayed by her two closest friends.
"You mean. . . you're behind her, Meiling?" she asked faintly.
Meiling cocked an eyebrow at Sakura, her voice alight with laughter. "Why wouldn't I? Don't you see the joy in her eyes, Sakura?"
Sakura growled. "I see the same joy they held the day he left," she turned to Tomoyo. "You aren't telling me you're giving him another chance to hurt you again?"
When Tomoyo hesitated, Sakura's hate hardened. Turning quickly, she found herself fleeing from yet another situation. Instead of coming into contact with the flap, however, she found herself running into something decidedly soild. She stumbled backwards, and hands reached out to steady her. Recognizing Syaoran, she shook his hands off, overflowing with her anger.
His arms caught her tightly, pulling her closer.
"Why can you not congratulate your friend on her joy? Why must you drag her back into pain simply so you won't be lonely?" he asked, whispering desperately.
She struggled desperately out of his grasp, flinging his arms away in a single, wild motion. "Because it is the falling into pain that hurts the most," she whispered back, her voice heavy with emotion. "But you wouldn't understand that, Syaoran, because you weren't the one holding her while she cried last time."
Leaving him stricken, she raced past, once again enjoying the feeling of running.
****
Kero watched, sighing to himself.
"When will she forgive him, Yue? Isn't it time she ran out of hate?"
Yue smiled faintly at his fellow guardian as he watched his lady captor racing away. "Soon, Keroberos. A human can hold onto hate for only so long."
****
Sakura woke from her nap when Yue entered her tent. Glancing up at the guardian, she frowned. He raised an eyebrow at her bad mood, and moved aside so that Kero might enter.
Sakura's eyes narrowed at the lion. "Both of you at once? Am I getting a lecture?"
Kero snorted, looking as though he had half a mind to give her one. Yue's expression remained carefully blank. "Do not take out your anger on us, Sakura," he said finally.
Before she could respond, Yue continued. "I thought you had a date tonight."
Sakura eyed him carefully. "I do. . . why?"
Kero snorted again. "Because it's 7:15 now."
Sakura's scream reached miles. "HOE?!"
****
Jessin approached the large tent, smoothing down his hair as he neared. Inside, he was nervous. This cherry blossom was very beautiful, and very dangerous. He sensed something special about her-a strength to rival his own. This was partly what had attracted him so. Whether it was more than a simple curiosity, he had yet to decide.
What he did know was he wanted to know more.
He was mere feet away from the tent when a figure stepped from the shadows. He stepped back into his fighting stance when recognition set in. Instantly dropping the defense, he smiled at the moon guardian.
"Good evening. I'm here to pick up Sakura," he said, keeping his voice friendly. Unlike most people, he held no superstitious fear of the guardian.
Yue's eyes swept over him. What he was looking for, Jessin could not be sure.
"She will be out soon," he said simply, and started toward the tent. He stopped for a moment, and added, "You should know. . . she is always late."
Sakura's voice came from behind him. "I am not always late, Yue," she said, her voice teasing.
Jessin focused on the figure emerging from the tent. His eyes widened as he took in her green outfit. The flowing pants allowed her free movement while accenting her curves. The top was a simple tank top, the color matching the pants. Pulled over this was a light brown jacket. His gaze was immediately drawn to her bright emerald eyes, and he smiled a smile that was immediately returned from Sakura.
'Yes, there is definitely something interesting about her,' he thought slowly.
Nodding to Yue, he offered his arm to Sakura. After a moment of obvious surprise, she took his arm.
"I will be back soon, Yue," she said, and the two set off, Jessin leading.
Neither was aware of the two deep amber eyes watching from nearby.
****
Author's Note2: Not long, I know, but not exactly short either. Enjoy!
Author's Note: I know you'd all thought I was dead and gone, or at least given up ff. Well, in truth, it was the evil homework that did me in. ^-^ So I decided to ignore the mountain of hw waiting for me and update at least one of my stories. Enjoy! ****
Their match was one that could gather a crowd from miles away. Though it was only the second bracket, this fight held the most talent most of the crowd had ever set eyes on.
The first to enter the ring was a woman-one of the oddities of this year's match. The announcer called out her name: Meiling Li. The crowd knew her; they applauded her loudly, giving their support easily. She let out a small, flirtatious smile, and returned her eyes forward.
Few could see how nervous she was.
Soon enough, her opponent emerged. His face caused many faints among the female section of watchers. He seemed oblivious to the attention, however, and continued on his trek to the ring. A meaningful look passed between the two opponents that couldn't be written down for simple competition. Before the crowd could even begin to wonder at this strange act, the opponent's name was announced: Syaoran Li.
The crowd had seen him fight before, but that was not why they knew him. Syaoran Li was the leader of the Li Clan, a very noteworthy Clan. Each person in the stands moved forward in their seats, wanting to feast their eyes upon this young gentleman whose life had been hidden from the public for many years.
Whispers started when they saw the female he was about to fight. "Is that his wife?"
"She can't be," came the response.
"Didn't you hear the name?"
"Li-she could be his wife!"
Growing rapidly tired of this argument, I spoke up. "He has no wife-Meiling is his cousin."
The whisperers looked up at me, caught a glance of my giant wings, and quickly raced away. Not wishing to waste any more time with these idiotic mortals, I took advantage of the now free seats.
The two were caught in some sort of staring match. The announcer looked perturbed, not understanding the connection these two shared. I coughed, catching both of their attentions, and they quickly bowed to each other.
The announcer smiled weakly and dove off the ring. I heard the bell being struck, and the match began.
She dove forward, as I knew she would. Apparently, so had he. After taking a quick step back, he used her loss of balance to his advantage. Grabbing her arm, he made to fling her over his knee. Meiling, realizing his intent in plenty of time, used her feet to increase her momentum. Instead of going over his knee, she managed to flip in the air, landing gracefully beside him.
She then let herself drop to the floor of the ring, pivoting around so her leg would catch Syaoran's. He pushed up from the ground, went into a smooth backflip, and landed about five feet from where Meiling stood.
I paused to look around at the crowd. Many jaws had dropped open. I couldn't help but shake my head. The crowd was bearing an uncanny resemblance to a herd of cows with their mouths dropped open as such.
I heard movement and quickly refocused on the match.
Syaoran had vaulted backwards again, giving himself more room. Meiling was eyeing him wearily, conscious of the edge right behind him.
Syaoran's eye darted at Meiling's right knee. She glanced down to inspect herself. Before she could correct her mistake, she was flying backwards toward the edge of the ring.
Cursing her for her stupidity, I made a mental note to make her sorry for this mistake in practice tonight.
She landed heavily two feet from the edge. The audience grew silent as she rocked, fighting to regain her balance. My eyes focused on her cousin. He was watching her intently, but made no move to push her. I saw guilt flash through his eyes, as well as uncertainty.
Meiling, having righted herself, flung her body violently toward him, ignoring the desperateness of this attack. Syaoran, his eyes wide, was knocked to the ground. His cousin quickly pinned him down. I leaned forward, looking at Syaoran's face. His body was relaxed, but he was straining to discern the look on his cousin's face.
Her body shaking in anger, she raised her fist and quickly brought it back down, hitting him roughly on the jaw. I heard the crowd gasp, but I kept my eyes firmly planted on Syaoran. His eyes were watching Meiling, now wide with fear. He was finally seeing the fire in Meiling's eyes-the hurt she had been hiding from him.
He allowed her to hit him twice more, and she had her arm raised when a cry rang out in the courtyard, halting her immediately.
Having no need to identify the speaker, my eyes did not move from Syaoran. His head had popped up and searched the crowd. His eyes locked on a spot to my left. Finally, I turned, glimpsing my lady captor. The expression on her face held more emotions than any normal face has the capacity for. Hurt, guilt, love, and fear all fought for control over each individual feature. While one hand was clutching her chest, the other was reaching out, as though she was trying to grasp Syaoran. A breathy sentence escaped her lips. "Don't hurt him."
My gaze shifted back to Syaoran. Once again, his eyes were wide and incomprehensive. He started to free hand from beneath Meiling when something snapped in Sakura's face. Turning on her heel, she fled from his sight. I watched as his face fell.
Remembering where he was, he attempted to free himself from the now limp Meiling. She moved slightly, her eyes intent on the ground, just to let him up. He stared at her wordlessly, not sure whether she would attack him or burst into tears.
Deciding quickly, Meiling's face shot up, a bold expression greeting her cousin. Though she fought to keep her words quiet, I caught them.
"I do not need this, Syaoran. Sakura does," she said simply. Turning sharply and fighting to ignore her limp, she stepped off of the stage and started back toward the room.
As her thin figure disappeared, the crowd stood, uncomprehending. Their looks again reminded me of cows, yet they were scandalized. What had appeared to be such a great match had ended so disappointingly. No one was bleeding, crying, or even unconscious. A total waste of time to many. I, however, knew this would set the course for the rest of this tournament.
Not wishing to hear Syaoran proclaimed victor, I turned and headed back toward the camp, intent on practicing before it became late.
****
Sakura forced her walk to be slow, letting none of her emotions show on her face. Inside, she was cursing her stupidity. She had interrupted the match for no apparent reason. She wished fervently that she hadn't let Tomoyo leave. She should've demanded that Tomoyo forget her sudden hunger for cotton candy. And yet. . . the very fact that she had interrupted it set the fact right in front of her. She was still in love with him.
Sighing, she continued toward the tent, already knowing who had won the match. Her interruption would keep Meiling from her victory.
As her eyes found the tent, she noticed two people deep in conversation. One was familiar.
'Jessin,' she realized. As she approached, he caught sight of her and quickly excused himself from his conversation, joining her as she walked by.
"Hello," she said, suddenly not sure of what she should be saying.
He smiled charmingly and nodded toward the ring. "What a strange match that was," he said simply. Then, "Were you able to watch?"
She caught his intense gaze and found herself nodding.
He took this in silence, causing Sakura to wonder if she had said something wrong. She was opening her mouth to ask when Jessin spoke up again.
"A couple of my companions are planning a bit of a party to celebrate the end of this first day of fighting."
Noticing her confused expression, he let out a laugh. "What I mean to ask is would you like to join me?"
Realizing her stupidity, she blushed a pretty pink color. About to kindly refuse, she caught a fleeting sight of Syaoran. During her pause, Jessin spoke again.
"It won't be anything fancy, but my friends know how to throw a party. I can promise it will be worth your time."
Just then, Syaoran looked up and straight into her eyes. She watched as he took in Jessin and something akin to jealousy went through his eyes. Making up her mind quickly, Sakura nodded.
"I'd love to."
Jessin smiled, obviously pleased with her answer. His eyes swept over a point behind her. "I must go now, but I will pick you up around 7:30 in front of your tent?"
Sakura nodded and watched as he left. Her warrior instinct assessed his balance as he walked away, and she was once again blown away by the grace in which he carried himself.
'Almost as graceful as Syaoran,' she noted absently. Then, realizing she was staring, she blushed again and turned back towards the tent. Syaoran was waiting by the door. She passed by him without a word and headed straight for Meiling, suddenly nervous.
"I'm sorry," she said as soon as she was close enough. "I never should've said anything."
Meiling looked up, and smiled reassuringly.
"Oh hush. I got in a couple punches-that's all I wanted," she said lightly.
Sakura, not wanting to press the matter, moved forward and hugged her friend tightly.
Meiling was the first to pull away. "Where's Tomoyo?" she asked.
Frowning, Sakura realized she hadn't seen Tomoyo since before the match began. She told Meiling so, and the girls quickly resolved to find their missing companion.
They walked, talking about the coming matches, toward the tent's door. They were only feet from the flap when it opened and a couple stepped through.
Sakura gasped when she recognized the pair, who were now smiling lovingly at each other. At her gasp, the two looked up, obviously unaware they had an audience. Tomoyo stepped forward, separating herself gently from Eriol.
"Sakura, don't be mad," she said quietly.
But all Sakura could think of was betrayal. Suddenly, her friend's absence was thrown into a new light. Her mind put together the soft looks she had seen between Tomoyo and Eriol that day. So instead of being happy for her friend, she suddenly found herself very, very angry.
Meiling, on the other hand, stepped forward and caught Tomoyo in a hug. "Congratulations, Tomoyo. I knew you two would work it out."
Sakura's rage increased. She had been betrayed by her two closest friends.
"You mean. . . you're behind her, Meiling?" she asked faintly.
Meiling cocked an eyebrow at Sakura, her voice alight with laughter. "Why wouldn't I? Don't you see the joy in her eyes, Sakura?"
Sakura growled. "I see the same joy they held the day he left," she turned to Tomoyo. "You aren't telling me you're giving him another chance to hurt you again?"
When Tomoyo hesitated, Sakura's hate hardened. Turning quickly, she found herself fleeing from yet another situation. Instead of coming into contact with the flap, however, she found herself running into something decidedly soild. She stumbled backwards, and hands reached out to steady her. Recognizing Syaoran, she shook his hands off, overflowing with her anger.
His arms caught her tightly, pulling her closer.
"Why can you not congratulate your friend on her joy? Why must you drag her back into pain simply so you won't be lonely?" he asked, whispering desperately.
She struggled desperately out of his grasp, flinging his arms away in a single, wild motion. "Because it is the falling into pain that hurts the most," she whispered back, her voice heavy with emotion. "But you wouldn't understand that, Syaoran, because you weren't the one holding her while she cried last time."
Leaving him stricken, she raced past, once again enjoying the feeling of running.
****
Kero watched, sighing to himself.
"When will she forgive him, Yue? Isn't it time she ran out of hate?"
Yue smiled faintly at his fellow guardian as he watched his lady captor racing away. "Soon, Keroberos. A human can hold onto hate for only so long."
****
Sakura woke from her nap when Yue entered her tent. Glancing up at the guardian, she frowned. He raised an eyebrow at her bad mood, and moved aside so that Kero might enter.
Sakura's eyes narrowed at the lion. "Both of you at once? Am I getting a lecture?"
Kero snorted, looking as though he had half a mind to give her one. Yue's expression remained carefully blank. "Do not take out your anger on us, Sakura," he said finally.
Before she could respond, Yue continued. "I thought you had a date tonight."
Sakura eyed him carefully. "I do. . . why?"
Kero snorted again. "Because it's 7:15 now."
Sakura's scream reached miles. "HOE?!"
****
Jessin approached the large tent, smoothing down his hair as he neared. Inside, he was nervous. This cherry blossom was very beautiful, and very dangerous. He sensed something special about her-a strength to rival his own. This was partly what had attracted him so. Whether it was more than a simple curiosity, he had yet to decide.
What he did know was he wanted to know more.
He was mere feet away from the tent when a figure stepped from the shadows. He stepped back into his fighting stance when recognition set in. Instantly dropping the defense, he smiled at the moon guardian.
"Good evening. I'm here to pick up Sakura," he said, keeping his voice friendly. Unlike most people, he held no superstitious fear of the guardian.
Yue's eyes swept over him. What he was looking for, Jessin could not be sure.
"She will be out soon," he said simply, and started toward the tent. He stopped for a moment, and added, "You should know. . . she is always late."
Sakura's voice came from behind him. "I am not always late, Yue," she said, her voice teasing.
Jessin focused on the figure emerging from the tent. His eyes widened as he took in her green outfit. The flowing pants allowed her free movement while accenting her curves. The top was a simple tank top, the color matching the pants. Pulled over this was a light brown jacket. His gaze was immediately drawn to her bright emerald eyes, and he smiled a smile that was immediately returned from Sakura.
'Yes, there is definitely something interesting about her,' he thought slowly.
Nodding to Yue, he offered his arm to Sakura. After a moment of obvious surprise, she took his arm.
"I will be back soon, Yue," she said, and the two set off, Jessin leading.
Neither was aware of the two deep amber eyes watching from nearby.
****
Author's Note2: Not long, I know, but not exactly short either. Enjoy!