SourPop1004: See you guys at the bottom. Enjoy!
P.S. This one's gonna be a doozy.
P.P.S. Sorry so stinking late…
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The Salsa Dancer
By: MeehMeeh!
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Her black dress fluttered behind each step she took. Handing the tall bodyguard an ivory colored invitation, she graced a small smile on her pink glossy lips. Handsome, beautiful, and elegant party guests strolled across the marble floors. Small cloth covered tables were placed around the room with four beautifully covered chairs stationed at each table. Flickering candles on crystal holders decorated the tables along with Sakura blossoms and white lilies. Soft music drifted through the room to compliment the silent night outside enveloping the tall building.
Sakura absorbed in the magnificent room. She mused at the sight of the Sakura blossoms. Yes, it was like Fang all too much. The man did have a sense of respectable humor in irony and morbid situations. She turned her sights away from the flower arrangements and to a certain man standing at the edge of the room. His dark hair, which surprisingly had no traces of the red highlights anywhere, was messily gelled, and he was sporting his usual shades. The dark glasses went well with his tuxedo. She watched him try in vain to loosen his tie, an uncomfortable frown barely there, expressing how out of place he felt in that ballroom.
Letting out a sigh of defeat, Josh turned back to scanning over the idle party scene. It was then when his eyes locked with green ones. Sakura could tell right away the surprise in his gaze…and perhaps something more.
Before she knew it, he was headed her way. Ladies twirled around the dance floor with the lightest of ease. He nimbly swept through the tangle of dancers. When he stopped in front of her slender figure, a violin ended the song with a lasting peaceful ring. Fairytales and whatnots may have been the perfect setting for the current situation. The world would have faded away and the two lovers would have helplessly embraced. Instead the two only stood staring at one another, hoping the other would say something.
"Been a while…" Sakura pulled out the words slowly.
What she did next even surprised her. She normally would have stayed to taunt and stab his heart with cruel careless words, but she felt a need to let it go just this once. Sakura left Josh one last piercing gaze before disappearing into the crowd.
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The small orchestra began another song and the party guests began to move and swirl with the music. Caught by surprise, Sakura stopped in the middle of ballroom floor. The dancing floor of guests sent her tingling senses back to her skin. That brief moment she lost herself in the pain she felt towards Josh was rudely awoken.
Focus… focus… I'm too deep in this to mess up now…
Hoping she didn't linger too long on the floor like a sitting duck in a pong, she began to move with the flow of the dancers. Luck had it that just then the music changed along with all the dancing partners. As the guests smoothly glided to rotate partners, Sakura expertly cut in and found herself in the arms of a man in a very expensive suit. A gangly tall blonde in her 40s pouted and threw her nose in the air when she found herself without a partner. She gave a glare at Sakura, who didn't really give a damn, and walked away to find herself a martini.
Sakura didn't bother looking at who she was dancing with. She floated along with the party guests and tried to quickly scan the room for guards and such without being too obvious. It was then she heard it.
"Cereza…"
Sakura's head snapped to face the man she was dancing with. His face threw her heart against her ribcage with such force she skipped a breath. The all too familiar face carried a light smile, not a smile of greeting but rather a smile of malice and pride. She couldn't tear her eyes from his face. The old face had formed new lines around the eyes and mouth. His piercing eyes twinkled and flickered under the glow of the chandeliers.
"I'd be surprised as well…" His lips formed to say.
Sakura's silence made him chuckle. Sakura's shaken heart began to tremble with rage.
"I know why you came tonight. To kill me… but are you sure you want to do that?" His voice drew out the words.
Sakura's eyes were turning dangerously dark.
"I've made the mistake of doubting you but you've proven to me you are worthy to be not only an accomplice… but a partner."
Sakura's speechless mind found its voice.
"Partner?" The words hissed out with venom from between her clenched teeth in such a way that it felt as if she was drawing that invisible poison from her own heart. "You honestly think… that I'd want to ever see your shamefully repulsive face ever again… let alone be your partner in a business that I mistakenly took part in? Where I wasted my life doing your pathetic and destructive biddings? Where I lived believing nothing but lies? That you could possibly be my 'father' when you are the sole damned reason why my REAL father is dead? You, honest to God's Truth, believe that I would even THINK about working with a low life scum like you? Think again, you dirty old bastard. I'd die before I'd ever let you take another step on this earth. And oh be sure of it. I'll make sure not a single hair on your head escapes from the hell I'm sending you to. I'll make sure of it… you murderous son of a bitch…"
(A note to all readers: There's a tiny bit of parallelism here with I believe chapter… 6 or 7 when Sakura fakes her speech with Josh… just wanted to note. PS. My apologies for the swearing… you'd be cussing too if you were Sakura right now…hehe… moving on…)
Fang's face turned pale and cold. His smile changed instantly with a placid look.
"With that attitude, you'll never save Agent Li's precious Jessie Parker. Now will you?"
Sakura and Fang, all the while, were continuing to dance around with the mellow music. The guests were all oblivious to this conversation the two were having. Sakura only silently listened.
"And might I remind you that it was those 'biddings' that made you strong? Powerful? Invincible? You wouldn't have lived this long if it weren't for your blood instincts? The instincts I taught you? You understand that? Ooh… yes, I know you do… because it kills you inside that a 'dirty old bastard' like me taught you to survive in this world. (a/n: next, most famous over used lines…) Kinomoto, understand… there is no good and evil, only POWER. And that power… is what I gave to you… willingly… don't ever forget that..." Fang finished with an angry huff. His patients were being tried endlessly tonight. And perhaps for the last time.
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Sakura's stomach was overpowered with sickness. Her head felt light and airy. What the man in front of her had just said struck a nerve. Hard. The sickness wasn't the physical sign of distress, rather a sign of her existence crumbling inside her hard hollow shell. If self-doubt was a rarity within her, now was definitely a rarity. She couldn't understand why those words had such an effect on her, but she willed all she had to overcome it. Silence was all she could say.
"Silence… that's a good sign?" Fang offered.
His angry huff of a face changed into its usual malicious one. A sharp-edged smirk curved at the corner of his lips. He knew very well he was far from victory, but he couldn't help but smile at the notion that he effectively threw a hard punch this early in the game.
Sakura hoped and wished the song would end. She couldn't stand this man's arms around her much longer. She had imagined this encounter for a while now, but she never expected to be 'this'. 'This'… one thing that she never was… weak. She was weak. She was weak and helpless. From all the times she had a chance to be weak, it had to be this very moment. The one moment that it was not ok to be weak. Weakness. What a thought?
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"Syaoran, what's happening? Let me listen! Who's she talking to?" Touya persisted for the past fifteen minutes, but Syaoran wouldn't budge. He was holding the headphones to his ears and intently listening.
Sakura… say something… why are you so quiet?… something's wrong, isn't it?
A worried look streaked his face. Why was he sitting there listening to this when he knew he should be there with her?
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The orchestra ended its song and the guests erupted in applause. Chatter and smiles floated across the dance floor in simple pleasantries.
Sakura stepped away from the arms that were holding her.
Find strength… even if it's the last time…
Fang was taken back by the sudden transformation in Sakura's eyes. The weak, translucent eyes were darkened with rage in a matter of moments. He took a step back to fully observe the slender figure that had once been a small little girl with tear-stained cheeks and bloodied hands.
"You always did have a weird effect on me Papito…" Sakura stated amused. Unnoticeably, she felt the small gun on her left thigh. Syaoran's commands echoed in her mind. She couldn't kill this loathsome dog… but he never said anything about pain. A smile crept over her lips. Death and pain were two very different things. Very different… but the two made a lovely pair.
"You smile as if nothing is wrong Cereza." Fang reminded.
Before Sakura could answer, Fang completely stepped away from where she was standing. The party guests had moved away form the center of the room to form a circle around her and Fang.
Fang turned towards his guests as they fell silent.
"Thank you all for coming tonight. I hope you all have been enjoying yourselves." The audience politely clapped. "As for now, I'd like to introduce someone to you." The people's eyes fell all on Sakura who stood standing, her smile vanished, not being amused at all. Fang began to steadily stroll around Sakura as he spoke to the crowd. "She, ladies and gentlemen, is my daughter." He noticed the look of slight confusion. He gave a soft chuckle. "Obviously not by blood but I think Sakura and I have a stronger bond than blood. You all may think there is no such thing, however she and I have found it."
The color in Sakura's rosy cheeks started to drain. Her eyes followed Fang's form around her with such concentration she could have killed him solely with her precision.
"She was only ten when her father and brother were visiting Colombia on some business. And I'm sure all you understand the brutal warring times in Colombia at the time with terrorist groups and all."
Sakura's eyes narrowed dangerously, anticipating the next words that would escape Fang's lips.
"Unfortunately, they were caught in a cross-fire and were killed. Their blood… running to sides of the dirt road… mingling with the mud… their dead bodies soaked with red…"
Sakura's pale hands began to tremble and formed into fists. Her knuckles turned white with anger.
The polite smiles that once were upon the guests' lips vanished and were replaced with either thin lines of slight frowns.
"Fortunately, the heavens had it set that I would come across the poor girl. I took her home and made her as my own." Fang glanced around the room at his guests. "But now… at an age where independence is certain and an obligation… she comes back to me…" He turned around to face Sakura. Silence. He turned back to the guests. "… not to greet me with gratitude… nor love… instead…" He turned back around once more from where he was standing and in a low voice declares. "… she comes to kill me."
The crowd wasn't expecting an answer such as this. They all looked from Fang to Sakura, not quite comprehending what their party host had just said.
"So…" Fang walked towards Sakura without fear. "…what are you going to do? Are you going to carry out your plans and murder me like how I murdered you father?"
The guests gasped and broke out in whispers and disbelief. Sakura couldn't believe the arrogant boldness of the man she had at one point respected. What was he playing at? Was he trying to get her to put a bullet through his head on purpose?
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Syaoran took off his headphones and got up from the chair he was sitting in. He looked around and found Eriol talking to an agent.
"Eriol, what ever happened to that copy of the hard-drive of the laptop? Did you ever get around to cracking it with the Scrambler?"
"Ages ago. I forgot to mention, but I've got it done already. It's on my laptop. Syaoran, you know I wouldn't have let Sakura go tonight by herself if I hadn't had some sort of back up. And with the Vault pretty much safe in our hands, it's only up to Sakura now not to get killed." Eriol answered with a small assured grin.
"Good…" Syaoran was deeply in thought, contemplating on what to do next.
"What are you thinking?" Touya got up from where he was and walked over to Syaoran and tried to search in his eyes what he was going to do.
"When I was listening… things have turned a sharp turn. I don't know what Fang's playing at but whatever it is, I think Sakura's going to need help." Syaoran looked at Touya and Eriol with a worried face. "I shouldn't have let her go…"
"We'll go with you." Eriol and Touya both volunteered.
"No." Syaoran turned to look at Touya. "I want you to locate any CIA agents in New York right now, call for back up from the NYPD, and when that's been assembled, send a small team to D.C. to secure the vault. Make sure none of our calls or plans are intercepted. We can't be found out now." Syaoran turned to Eriol. "I want you to find out if Nade is still in Moscow. I know she already came through with her contact there, but find out why she's so delayed in coming back. And then call Tomoyo. I know she wasn't exactly helpful but it's all or nothing now. Contact her, and find out what's going on at base. Try to assemble a team from LA to fly in as quickly as possible. Got it?"
The two silently nodded and quickly got to work. Syaoran went to one of the suitcases and began loading himself with guns. His mind was racing and his heart was pumping wildly. He was about to burst out of the hotel room when Eriol stopped him.
"Hey, you're gonna need a suit. They're gonna figure something's wrong when you show up in jeans."
Syaroan's mind was so ahead of himself he didn't even realize until Eriol pointed out his mistake.
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The elegant ballroom was deathly silent. Sakura's body was boiling and her cheeks were pushing color again to the surface. Her face turned a slight shade of pink as Fang began walking around her again, like how a predator stalked its prey.
Fang gave a long look into her emerald eyes before turning to a guard near the doors.
"You, bring Parker in here now." He ordered.
Two guards left their posts and disappeared into another set of double doors. For a while, it felt like an eternity in silence. So much tension and fear was in the room it felt like electricity tingling up everyone's spines.
"Now, my dear party guests, I suggest you all find your seats around the tables and we'll soon have a show for you." Fang's face flashed with sick humor. His lips were curled up into an even more delighted smirk.
Everyone, despite the confusing order of events, found empty seats. At this point, they didn't care if they were sitting with their own friends or not. They all just stared speechless at how the evening's events were swerving out of control.
The room cleared even further out and the center of the dance floor was completely deserted with only Sakura standing in the center. Fang paced around on the edge of the circle like a ringmaster, ready to put on the greatest show of the century.
It was deathly silent until beautiful double-doors opened at the far edge of the room. The guards emerged with a young handsome woman. The guests all admired the woman's clean features. Long dirty-blonde hair, wavy in just the write places.
Sakura's eyes darted to Jessie. The woman looked tired, but surprisingly clean.
Jessie's once clear ocean blue eyes were now dark and hard with pain. (I don't think I ever gave Jessie an eye color… oh well, blue it is.) She was dressed in a simple black silk dress. How like Fang to at least keep his hostages presentable during a party. Sakura broke from her evaluation when Fang spoke up.
"This is what you came for, isn't it?" He asked almost laughingly.
Sakura would have swelled with pride if someone referred to her as if she were an object, but when she looked over at Jessie, Jessie just hung there with shaded eyes. Her body was weak and limp, barely standing with the support of the two guards. Her skin was ghostly white from malnutrition and her arms and legs hung loosely. Sakura turned her attention back to Fang.
"Let her go you sick bastard." Sakura calmly spoke with venom.
"Now, I can't just let her go. My guests expect entertainment." The corners of his lips stretched even more into a malicious smile, if that was possible.
Sakura stood expectantly, running out of patience.
"So, what I thought was… a little game perhaps…" Fang spoke slowly.
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Syaoran had taken any car he could find and raced to the party. He had discarded his car somewhere in a back alley of a street and was now frantically trying to find an elevator as he tried to tie his tie. His hair was tussled with fury, his suit was a bit wrinkled but still presentable, and his eyes focused on the decreasing red numbers as the elevator slowly descended.
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"…a game with a wager. A bet. To make things a little more exciting." He continued, drawing on every ounce of patience Sakura had. "Hmm… now we need a volunteer…" Fang scanned the room thoughtfully, looking for a face that stood out.
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When Syaoran reached the floor the party was on, he expected to fight his way through the bouncers but was surprised when there were none. He quietly slipped in and sat down in a nearest empty seat, seeing that everyone was quiet and sitting. His amber eyes quickly found Sakura when they also found a man's malicious pair.
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Fang stared for a second before realizing whom it was. His expression wasn't merely a smug grin anymore, but rather a look of childish delight a small toddler had as if Christmas had come early.
"Ah… perfect."
Sakura followed Fang's gaze to a man sitting in the back of the room. Her eyes widened.
No… no… why did you come? WHY?! YOU FOOLISH JERK! No… leave now… before anything bad happens…
Sakura's heart struck with pain. But she wasn't prepared for the pain that would follow next.
"Mr. Syaoran Li, thank you for volunteering for the game! Come up…" Fang announced with a warming welcome.
Syaoran was thrown into chaos as soon as he had stepped into the party. Things were already looking pretty bad. He slowly got up and walked towards where Sakura was.
Everyone watched him pass by. The women would have instantly erupted into whispers of the handsome stranger but no such thing happened, given the current situation.
Fang looked at Sakura then to Syaoran, who had stopped at the edge of the circle. Syaoran's soulful eyes looked worriedly towards Sakura.
"Tonight, we will try to assimilate the olden times of the coliseums in ancient civilizations. That was where they punished the unlawful, the dirty, the sinners... Using lions and deadly beasts and such. However, we are not so barbaric in our pleasures."
The guests listened intently.
"Instead, we will simply do as the gladiators did. A fight to the death. Now, to all whom are wondering how such a slender woman such as Miss Kinomoto could possibly defend herself against Mr. Li, no worries. They are both highly trained agents quite capable of killing." Fang simply replied. "Now, the wager." He turned to Jessie. "Miss Parker right over there. Who ever wins will release her. However, the game will only end when one falls… permanently." Fang's eyes flashed with animosity.
The crowd gasped. Fang chuckled. Everyone's faces filled with confusion.
"You see… there's a much more interesting side to this story. Well, how shall I put this short, since I wish to commence with the game?" Fang chuckled a little more. "Hmmm… oh yes. Well, we'll start here."
Jessie tried her best to look up with all her strength.
"You all may not know, but Miss Parker here is conveniently engaged to Mr. Li. But after meeting Miss Kinomoto, I believe he has fallen in love with her. A tad cliché, no? So, the story goes, kill the one you love to save the one you did love, or kill yourself to save both loves? Oh what tangled webs we all weave…"
By this time, some of the guests were so horrified and disgusted they bolted up. They were ready to leave when dozens of bodyguards appeared from nowhere and blocked all entrances. Guards and guards with guns lined the entire room.
"No one is going anywhere." Fang stated coldly.
"What if I choose not to fight?" Syaoran asked boldly.
"Then they all die." He gestured towards the many guests who looked terrified.
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Eriol and Touya were both on separate phones frantically trying to gather a team from the nearest sources. The other agents were rapidly looking through bags to organize all the weapons they had and some were also on cell phones and computers trying to reach every contact they possibly knew.
At that exact sudden moment, for a split second, Touya felt something streak through his heart. Maybe it was a brotherly intuition, but he felt his sister's doubts, worries, hatred, and pain. He gasped and looked dazed for a little while. Everyone in the room turned to him with concerned eyes, but Touya only waved them off saying he was quite fine. Deep inside, he prayed that Sakura would be all right.
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The last couple of months had been intense yet manageable. From bombs and guns to betrayal and unexpected love, Sakura had seen it all. Felt it all. Lived through it all. But the situation before her was beginning to feel impossibly overwhelming. Her mouth ran dry ages ago, she felt a new sensation of nausea overtake her body, her boldness had vanished as quickly as it had appeared, and her mind didn't know what to think anymore. Her heart was either pounding so furiously that it was numb or it wasn't beating at all. And most of all, she looked into Syaoran's soulful eyes with such pain that she felt like she could bleed despite the fact that she had no mortal wounds. But she knew that these kinds of wounds ran so much deeper than the slicing of flesh. It ran all the way to her soul.
Fang waved his hand and instantly the two guards dragged Jessie to an empty seat and sat her tired body down. He made sure that between Syaoran and Sakura, there would be the most amount of space possible offered to the two for the games that would soon proceed.
"Now, let's get this game started shall we?" Fang snapped and two different guards each brought to him a large wooden box. Fang opened one of them to reveal various weapons: swords, daggers, sais, and etc. "Choose your weapons…"
Sakura frowned with anger. "Not needed…" She briskly replied. Syaoran simply nodded.
"Alright… whatever you say…" Fang shut the box and had the guards put them away. He smiled and sat down in an empty seat. A few seconds passed with everyone in awkward silence. Then came the most deadly word. "…Begin…"
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"Are we set with assembling teams?" Touya asked everyone in the room. They all nodded.
"We're leaving as soon as back up arrives." Eriol stated. He checked his watch. "I'd say within the next 3 hours."
Touya cringed.
"I know… that's not a lot of time but that's the best we can do…" Eriol's eyes showed sympathy. (I understand that y'all thinkin' I'm crazy saying 3 hours to fly across the country… well, FYI, I've recently read Angels & Demons by Dan Brown [AWESOME BOOK by the way!] and I guess they have these planes that can like go from NY to Switzerland in like 20 – 30 minutes or something… not quite sure on numbers but that's pretty friggin' fast… so don't question me! you're in SourPop Land. ALL is possible here…)
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Jessie moved away stray strands of golden hair from her dark watery eyes with tired hands. She looked up, leaning hazardously on the finely covered table for support. Tears began to run from her eyes as she watched the two figures stand in silence, staring, trembling… aching with sorrow. She had always thought Sakura as an adversary to be despised and hated. She argued that Sakura stole her fiancé. But at that moment, such thoughts were futile. Despite all grudges that gripped her heart prior to this 'game', Jessie had gradually at one point of this experience let Syaoran go. Her heart pained and cried for him… and for Sakura as well.
He shouldn't have to go through this with someone he loves… even if that 'someone' is not me.
Sakura's body had dropped temperature considerably. She couldn't believe what was happening. Confusion and a screaming heart shook her soul. And yet ironically… If this were happening a couple months before, she would have been standing there with a proud malicious smile. A smile to rival Fang's. She would have finished the man in front of her with such amusement, but it was different now. Completely different. She was changed forever after she met Li Syaoran.
She looked into Syaoran's flickering amber eyes. Looking for some sort of answer, she expectantly stood motionless.
"…Begin… or else some bodies start dropping…" Fang's deep voice rang through the large ballroom. The guests cowered further into their seats.
Syaoran and Sakura looked at each other with understanding.
…for the cause greater than our own…
Sakura got into her defensive position as well as Syaoran. The seconds passed slowly. Sakura took the first move. Fang smiled as the fight began.
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"I have an uneasy feeling about this… something's wrong… really wrong…" Touya muttered to himself. He paced the room with his brows firmly stitched together.
A hand came and rested on Touya's back. He looked up to find Eriol.
"I know… but we have to wait… that's all we can do for now…" Eriol's eyes were concerned as well.
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Sakura threw a fierce punch. Syaoran blocked with ease. She threw up a hard kick to his side. He blocked and stepped back. She stopped to take a breath. They'd been at it for nearly an hour now, not really doing too much damage. They just exchanged blows that could be easily blocked.
"I know that's not your full potential… don't make me threaten you again…" Fang lazily replied, satisfied his threats were working.
The guests watched, mesmerized, at the graceful yet powerful motions of the two fighters. The fact that it was their lives that was fueling this hostility never fully reached their heads. They were caught deeply within the physical battle in front of them to realize.
Anger surged within Sakura. She wanted to hit, rip, and tear Fang to pieces. But instead, she was fighting the one man that she had learned to trust.
…Syaoran…
Sakura blocked a punch Syaoran threw. A purple bruise would soon form.
…I'm sorry…
She ducted another succession of punches.
…I'm so sorry… for everything…
She moved her body with agility as she dodged each assault.
…I was too foolish to realize… but it doesn't matter… I'll make sure you live… all you did was try to save the lives of innocents… even my own bitter one…
Finding a split second of breath, the role reversed. It was now Sakura driving with force. She threw a round house kick, a punch, and sidekick in rapid sequence.
… Syaoran… I'll make sure you and Jessie leave tonight… no matter what…
Syaoran blocked with concentration. The rhythm and flow of their bodies moving were more of a reflex rather than a thought of process.
… do you remember…on the plane…
"When this all ends, what…do you think will happen…to me?" She asked timidly.
"I don't know. Even though you're helping us, I'm pretty sure that they'll still come up with millions of offenses. But I guarantee you that your sentence will be lighter." He looked at her sadly for the first time. She always seemed so strong and unshaken by the law, but now here she was asking of what was to come of her.
Right…I'll be stuck behind bars for the rest of my life if I don't get the death penalty. Damn… life sucks… I've got only two ways to go. Die or disappear… death sounds far easier than the latter…
Sakura got up and excused herself to the bathroom. She walked down the tight aisles and waited for the occupied sign to turn green.
… and death… would be the only option tonight…
Gathering her courage, Sakura's eyes were now burning with determination. She broke out of the child's play she and Syaoran had been playing for the last hour or so. Time had slowly inched, nevertheless they had inched on. Sakura realized they'd been at this for two hours now. She had had enough. It was time for closure. One of them would die tonight and no matter who it was, the greater torment and aggravation on their mental states would end as well.
Syaoran being off guard by the sudden change of pace, took a full blow of a punch. The impact reverberated through his jaws and down his whole body. He stumbled back a few steps. Not understanding the change in tactics, he looked at Sakura's face. They were different. They had somehow regressed back to when he had first met her. Her eyes were alive with fire and anger. Her lips were curved into a menacing smirk. Whatever she was thinking, he couldn't grasp it.
Sakura looked to one of the guards. "You! I want a weapon. Bring me the box." She demanded with authority. The guard looked at Fang for a few seconds before Fang nodded and the guard returned with Sakura had asked for.
From the array of weapons, Sakura pulled out a dagger. The silvery metal was cold and heavy in her right hand. The gentle glow of the chandeliers up above reflected light off the blade with such malice that the innocent shimmer of light seemed to be transformed into a vicious monster dancing on the dagger. She gripped with tight knuckles.
Turning quickly towards Syaoran, she gracefully strode across that gap between her and him. The scene was almost morbidly elegant. Her dress fluttering behind her as she glided across the floor.
Syaoran would have hesitated to move but he understood that he would be the sacrifice that night. His energy had been drained to the last drop from the continuous fight in the last two hours. He knew it was time to give up himself for them both… especially her.
Sakura stood inches away from Syaoran, staring into his eyes. Moments later, he slowly began to kneel in front of her, but her eyes didn't move, didn't change, didn't care. They were cold and hard.
Silence fell over the room. Fang leaned towards the two over his table like the rest of the room. Jessie's silent tears ran down her pale cheeks. And from the far corner in the shadows, Josh watched with his dark shades hiding his eyes.
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SourPop1004: Hello!!! As always… I AM SO STINKIN LATE! I AM SOOOOOOO SORRY!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH………gomen…gomen…I am extremely sorry for the lateness… --; I thought once summer started, I'd have loads of free time to write and such… but I was SO WRONG!!! Never been so wrong… sigh… I'm so occupied with everything that's going on… I barely find time to write… sadly to say, I will warn you… Ch.20's gonna take a whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiile… School's a month away… but I'm basically literally packed this entire August day-to-day, so I won't get much writing done. Major apologies for that… but Anyway, I'd like to discuss a little about this chapter.
All I can say is… I SERIOUSLY did NOT intend the situation to veer this way. It was so completely randomly thought of. It actually went through lots and lots of edits before it arrived here… but I love it… hope you guys liked it too. Apologies (again) for the cliffy. I had to break it off somewhere. Also, I hope you guys noticed this chapter was longer than the usual ones I write… if you didn't… well ok… haha…
Anyway, as always, I want to THANK EVERYONE who stuck by with TSD as it slowly draws to an end. You guys have no idea how happy it makes me that there are still fans that are willing to wait for this story despite the loooooooooooooooong wait. You guys are truly patient and kind. Thank you so much. TSD would have NEVER come this far without ya'll loving support. (I won't get too mushy cause this isn't the last chapter… hehe…)
Emails are always welcome at
Suggestions/comments/questions/predictions… say the word and I'll reply. THANK YOU ALL SOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!! See you guys next chapter!
…and remember to review!!!
Ja ne.
PS. sorry for the ugly format. stupid screwed up my format so i had to do these O's....