(A/N) Hello again! Thank you for those of you who reviewed so far. I was pleased and inspired to write! I'm a little surprised that the scene for my first chapter came so quickly and I already have it down without any outlining. I just got it after reading your reviews. Thank you everyone!!!
Silver Wolf Girl, your idea sounded good. So that's what I'll do! So none of you get confused, this chapter is dedicated to a piece of Syaoran's past. And, honestly, I got the title for this chapter from a song that aired on the 123rd episode of Inuyasha. I can't remember the name; only that it translated into: Graduation; Goodbye for the Sake of Tomorrow. It's a really nice song. Check it out if you wanna hear it. It's sung by Tacky and Tsubasa.
Ahem!!! There is one thing that I want to make clear so that there is no confusion. By next Monday, my name will be changed from Fei Li to Sang. Fei Li was a temporary name. Remember! By next Monday! Well, enough of my blabber. Here's the first chapter!
Once Upon a Time in China
By Sang H.
Disclaimer - I do not own Cardcaptor Sakura. If I did, I wouldn't be here in Fanfiction.Net!
Chapter 1 - Goodbye, for the Sake of Tomorrow
The day was cloudy and wet. Outside, it was raining softly, as if to indicate a loss. Yelan Li stood in front of the window of the grand library, staring at heaven's tears, troubled by the sudden turn of weather. Deep inside, she could feel there was something wrong, out of place.
"Mother,"
Yelan didn't turn to face her only son. She couldn't face him for she was afraid of what he had come to say. For a moment, Xiao Lang felt a little apprehensive, standing behind her.
"I'm leaving home..."
The blood drained from Yelan's face. Leaving...? Her son? Xiao Lang placed his hand on his mother's shoulder to offer comfort. Yelan traced the cold windowpane, and finally faced her son. Under the light of gray clouds, Xiao Lang's face was stiff and grave, but his amber eyes held a tinge of sorrow.
"I can't stay here... I don't know for how long I'll be gone. Perhaps a long time; But I must seek the answers to my questions. I know I had just returned..." Xiao Lang trailed off. Yelan sighed.
"I might not return..."
"My son..." Yelan spoke brokenheartedly. Without him, the Clan would be without a leader. She was at loss for words.
"When will you depart?"
Xiao Lang turned from his mother's gaze to the carpet, his face now concealed by shadows. "Today." He said quietly.
Fuutie, Feimei, Xiafa and Fanran watched quietly as their little brother packed food, an extra shirt, and his journal into a rucksack. He equipped his sword to his back and grabbed his rucksack, ready to leave, but stopped in his tracks when he saw his sisters. Feimei blinked back tears and stepped to hug her brother very tightly. His other sisters followed, sobbing. Meiling watched from the door of Xiao Lang's room. She bit her lip and clenched the door.
"Your brother is leaving on a journey today... For how long, I do not know." Yelan paused, searching for the right words to say. Her four daughters sat around her silently, staring at the floor, wondering why their little brother was leaving. Yelan stood, as did her daughters and held her son's face gently. She kissed his right cheek and embraced him momentarily.
"Xiao Lang, come back soon. We will take care of the house and land. Find the answers to your questions. We will be waiting. My son..." a single tear escaped from Yelan's eye and rolled down her cheek. She released him from her hug and placed something cold in his hand. Confused, Xiao Lang looked down to see the crest of the Li Clan.
"We will always hold you in our hearts. Carry us in yours..."
Xiao Lang brought the chain over his head and wore the crest. Now he would have something to remind him of home.
"Don't forget us!" Feimei cried and handed a blue ribbon to her brother. Xiao Lang remained silent, staring confused at the azure fabric in his hands.
"It's my favorite one." Feimei explained. "Please be careful. And come back soon!" With that said, she stepped back and Fuutie stepped up. She gave him a pressed peony. Xiao Lang almost smiled. Almost...
"I know it's your favorite flower. May it bring you joyful memories of home while you're gone." She ruffled Xiao Lang's messy hair one last time. Xiafa and Fanfan hugged their brother tightly once more, then handed him a jar and strips of cloth.
"This is medicine for if you get hurt, and cloth to wrap any serious cuts. You better come back in one piece or you're gonna get it!" Xiafa lectured Xiao Lang sternly, then her face softened and she pinched his cheeks.
"Ahh! That hurts Xiafa!!!" Xiao Lang managed to escape from his sister's hands and rubbed his cheeks unhappily. His sisters merely giggled and for a moment forgot their sorrows. However, the air was once again filled with silence as a servant opened the door of the mansion.
"Master Li, your horse is ready."
Xiao Lang put on his straw hat and mounted a light brown horse. His mother and sisters stood at the door, and there were no tears in their eyes.
"Take care of the land and house. I'll return as soon as I can." Xiao Lang turned and was about to leave but a shout from within the house stopped him.
"Xiao Lang!"
Meiling ran into the rain, not caring that she was getting wet and handed her cousin a polished wooden comb.
"Take care, Xiao Lang," she whispered. "I haven't known you for very long, and I do not know the reason of your departure... why are you leaving when we had just returned?"
Xiao Lang took the comb and put it safely in his sack along with his other possessions. He stared at Meiling's ruby eyes and turned to the library window, where a young man his age glared fiercely at him.
"I can't explain." Xiao Lang replied. I can't explain that even though I've been stabbed three times, I've managed to live; that when I've acquired a deep gash, the wound disappears the next morning without a scar. No... I can't explain...
"Don't worry about me. I'll be alright." Xiao Lang assured her quietly. Water trickled down her face and she stepped back, allowing her cousin to rear his horse and gallop off into the rain.
So ends my first chapter. How did you like it? I hope it wasn't too fast or boring. The next chapter will be more interesting. But it's gonna take a little while to get done, seeing as how I've got school tomorrow and the rest of the week. Once again, this was just a peek into Syaoran's past. Now is the time for you to review! Hopefully, I'll have some of chapter two typed up soon. 'Till next time!
-Sang
Silver Wolf Girl, your idea sounded good. So that's what I'll do! So none of you get confused, this chapter is dedicated to a piece of Syaoran's past. And, honestly, I got the title for this chapter from a song that aired on the 123rd episode of Inuyasha. I can't remember the name; only that it translated into: Graduation; Goodbye for the Sake of Tomorrow. It's a really nice song. Check it out if you wanna hear it. It's sung by Tacky and Tsubasa.
Ahem!!! There is one thing that I want to make clear so that there is no confusion. By next Monday, my name will be changed from Fei Li to Sang. Fei Li was a temporary name. Remember! By next Monday! Well, enough of my blabber. Here's the first chapter!
Once Upon a Time in China
By Sang H.
Disclaimer - I do not own Cardcaptor Sakura. If I did, I wouldn't be here in Fanfiction.Net!
Chapter 1 - Goodbye, for the Sake of Tomorrow
The day was cloudy and wet. Outside, it was raining softly, as if to indicate a loss. Yelan Li stood in front of the window of the grand library, staring at heaven's tears, troubled by the sudden turn of weather. Deep inside, she could feel there was something wrong, out of place.
"Mother,"
Yelan didn't turn to face her only son. She couldn't face him for she was afraid of what he had come to say. For a moment, Xiao Lang felt a little apprehensive, standing behind her.
"I'm leaving home..."
The blood drained from Yelan's face. Leaving...? Her son? Xiao Lang placed his hand on his mother's shoulder to offer comfort. Yelan traced the cold windowpane, and finally faced her son. Under the light of gray clouds, Xiao Lang's face was stiff and grave, but his amber eyes held a tinge of sorrow.
"I can't stay here... I don't know for how long I'll be gone. Perhaps a long time; But I must seek the answers to my questions. I know I had just returned..." Xiao Lang trailed off. Yelan sighed.
"I might not return..."
"My son..." Yelan spoke brokenheartedly. Without him, the Clan would be without a leader. She was at loss for words.
"When will you depart?"
Xiao Lang turned from his mother's gaze to the carpet, his face now concealed by shadows. "Today." He said quietly.
Fuutie, Feimei, Xiafa and Fanran watched quietly as their little brother packed food, an extra shirt, and his journal into a rucksack. He equipped his sword to his back and grabbed his rucksack, ready to leave, but stopped in his tracks when he saw his sisters. Feimei blinked back tears and stepped to hug her brother very tightly. His other sisters followed, sobbing. Meiling watched from the door of Xiao Lang's room. She bit her lip and clenched the door.
"Your brother is leaving on a journey today... For how long, I do not know." Yelan paused, searching for the right words to say. Her four daughters sat around her silently, staring at the floor, wondering why their little brother was leaving. Yelan stood, as did her daughters and held her son's face gently. She kissed his right cheek and embraced him momentarily.
"Xiao Lang, come back soon. We will take care of the house and land. Find the answers to your questions. We will be waiting. My son..." a single tear escaped from Yelan's eye and rolled down her cheek. She released him from her hug and placed something cold in his hand. Confused, Xiao Lang looked down to see the crest of the Li Clan.
"We will always hold you in our hearts. Carry us in yours..."
Xiao Lang brought the chain over his head and wore the crest. Now he would have something to remind him of home.
"Don't forget us!" Feimei cried and handed a blue ribbon to her brother. Xiao Lang remained silent, staring confused at the azure fabric in his hands.
"It's my favorite one." Feimei explained. "Please be careful. And come back soon!" With that said, she stepped back and Fuutie stepped up. She gave him a pressed peony. Xiao Lang almost smiled. Almost...
"I know it's your favorite flower. May it bring you joyful memories of home while you're gone." She ruffled Xiao Lang's messy hair one last time. Xiafa and Fanfan hugged their brother tightly once more, then handed him a jar and strips of cloth.
"This is medicine for if you get hurt, and cloth to wrap any serious cuts. You better come back in one piece or you're gonna get it!" Xiafa lectured Xiao Lang sternly, then her face softened and she pinched his cheeks.
"Ahh! That hurts Xiafa!!!" Xiao Lang managed to escape from his sister's hands and rubbed his cheeks unhappily. His sisters merely giggled and for a moment forgot their sorrows. However, the air was once again filled with silence as a servant opened the door of the mansion.
"Master Li, your horse is ready."
Xiao Lang put on his straw hat and mounted a light brown horse. His mother and sisters stood at the door, and there were no tears in their eyes.
"Take care of the land and house. I'll return as soon as I can." Xiao Lang turned and was about to leave but a shout from within the house stopped him.
"Xiao Lang!"
Meiling ran into the rain, not caring that she was getting wet and handed her cousin a polished wooden comb.
"Take care, Xiao Lang," she whispered. "I haven't known you for very long, and I do not know the reason of your departure... why are you leaving when we had just returned?"
Xiao Lang took the comb and put it safely in his sack along with his other possessions. He stared at Meiling's ruby eyes and turned to the library window, where a young man his age glared fiercely at him.
"I can't explain." Xiao Lang replied. I can't explain that even though I've been stabbed three times, I've managed to live; that when I've acquired a deep gash, the wound disappears the next morning without a scar. No... I can't explain...
"Don't worry about me. I'll be alright." Xiao Lang assured her quietly. Water trickled down her face and she stepped back, allowing her cousin to rear his horse and gallop off into the rain.
So ends my first chapter. How did you like it? I hope it wasn't too fast or boring. The next chapter will be more interesting. But it's gonna take a little while to get done, seeing as how I've got school tomorrow and the rest of the week. Once again, this was just a peek into Syaoran's past. Now is the time for you to review! Hopefully, I'll have some of chapter two typed up soon. 'Till next time!
-Sang