finished until...um...until... *trails off, sweatdropping*
Winged Guardian: As you all already know, CCS does not belong to me and I doubt it
ever will.
Note:
"..." stands for speech
[...] stands for thoughts
{...} stands for author's comments
'...' stands for the chapter's title
Battle of the Two Arch-Rivals
By Winged Guardian
Chapter Fourteen: 'Bring It On'
Fluffy white clouds in a thousand delicious shapes drifted across a sky of azure, tinted
in hues of orange, red and pink. A gentle zephyr blew strands of honeyed brown hair
across a fair and innocent face as blades of grass as green as the brightest green on a
painter's palette waved, and puffs of seeds from dandelions flew and danced in the air,
freed from their perches, searching for a place to land and plant their roots into where
new life will spring, and the cycle continues.
A little girl of five sat on the luxurious grass, her arms wrapped loosely
around her
knees as she solemnly watched the many clouds of a never-ending variety of shapes
float
by, pushed and nudged by the patient winds. Her emerald eyes that reflected
the sky were
filled with a light of wisdom past one of her age and she sat there
silently, watching the
world as time passed by.
A certain quiet settled over her, and an alluring sense of peace flooded
the place, and
suddenly, the little girl spoke up, "You've come."
It was a simple statement and it told all it needed to.
She knew of her presence.
And somehow, that did not surprise her.
The little girl stood up and turned to face her.
Sakura gasped as a wave of familiarity washed over her, shock reflected
in her features
that were almost identical to the girl in front of her.
Fear stood beside her, reaching out shadowed hands towards her, nearly
touching her
heart.
Sakura knew what it was.
Fear of the unknown.
The little girl smiled, her beryl-colored eyes sparkling as the weight
of the world was
lifted off her shoulders, and it seemed for a moment that she was what she was:
a little
girl.
"You've come," she repeated simply, smiling warmly.
Brushing aside the fear that had almost reached her, Sakura smiled uncertainly,
and she
voiced her question, although a feeling told her that she already knew the answer,
if only
she searched within herself. "Who are you?"
"I am you."
Those three words froze time just as a loud shrill note was sounded in
the air, seeming
to have come from an unknown bird with magnificent feathers of crimson and gold.
The world spun and the lone piercing note lingered in the air before gradually dying off.
*^*^*^*^*
Morning had arrived.
He had no idea how he knew: Perhaps it was an inborn instinct that automatically
told
him when dawn approached, or simply because he had gotten used to the daily
ritual of
waking up sharp at dawn, and often even earlier.
Syaoran inhaled dreamily, breathing in a light fragrance of cherry blossoms
mingled
with the scent of other flowers and he buried his head deeper into his soft
warm pillow,
tightening his grip around his life-sized teddy bear, made with the softest
fabric of a light
fawn color, stitched in almost invisible seams with the finest golden thread
money could
buy.
His teddy bear sighed in contentment, shifting itself slightly into a more
comfortable
position.
A frown appeared on Syaoran's handsome features. Something didn't seem to fit.
Teddy bear...teddy bear...wait a minute,
didn't he abandon his teddy bear nine years
ago, thinking that it was too childish?
Something clicked in his mind and Syaoran froze.
[Oh my gods.........]
Syaoran cracked an eyelid open tentatively, before both eyelids flew open,
amber eyes
widening at the sight that greeted him.
Somehow untangling his limbs in seconds miraculously, Syaoran bolted like
a gazelle
that had just spotted a leopard hiding amidst the tall grass that reached a
grown human's
neck, his face flushed a thousand shades of red as his tawny eyes were glued
to Sakura's
chest where his face was buried into mere moments ago.
[Oh my gods.........] he repeated his thoughts, dazed.
He had died and gone to heaven only to be slammed back to earth again where
he
realized he much preferred to be as it was where Sakura was, although it was
highly
plausible that he would be blasted into hell just as quickly by a certain emerald-eyed
girl
if she ever found out where his eyes strayed to, let alone stared at for several
minutes.
He was still staring as his brain struggled to accept that his face was right
there for lord
knows how long...
Syaoran made a gentlemanly effort to avert his eyes, but he didn't try
too hard as he
continued blushing many shades of red at the naughty thoughts assaulting his
mind.
A groan of protest once again woke him up from his pleasant reverie and his
eyes finally
obeyed his brain's frantic commands to look at anywhere but there and
moved to
Sakura's face, a much safer place, or so it seemed.
A frown had appeared on Sakura's face, looking out of place on her fair
and
unblemished skin and Syaoran found his eyes trailing downwards to her light
pink
luxurious lips that looked so soft and inviting...
Syaoran groaned inwardly as he realized where this was leading. Blaming his
accursed
hormones that gave him thoughts such as these, Syaoran fought to cool his heated
cheeks.
[Safer indeed...]
"Sakura...?" asked Syaoran hesitantly.
In response to his voice, a slim hand shot out and pulled Syaoran to her with
surprising
strength, before wrapping her arms around Syaoran's back, nestling her
head into his
shirt, as a blissful smile replaced the frown on her face moments ago.
All his blood rushed to his face, making him seem redder than humanly possible,
as his
heart increased its speed, beating erratically. Syaoran could have died there
and then
happily, very much aware of Sakura's warm body pressed against his.
Syaoran made a few weak attempts to dislodge Sakura's arms before giving
up
altogether too readily, only to enfold his arms around her slender waist, bringing
her
closer to him.
Sakura's only response was to snuggle closer to him and Syaoran's
ocher eyes softened
at the brave and independent girl whom he wanted, beyond all reason, to protect
and call
his own.
Smiling down at Sakura's peaceful expression, Syaoran raised a hand
from its
comfortable position on Sakura's waist, tucking a lock of silky mahogany
hair behind her
ear.
He knew that this was probably his only chance to hold Sakura in his arms
and that had
she been awake, this would never be.
He would enjoy and treasure this precious moment as long as it lasted and thereafter.
*^*^*^*^
"Wha-what do you mean?" Sakura whispered.
"Sakura Kinomoto, keeper of the Star key and possessor of the Cards.
Must everything
have an answer? Why is there creation? Why are you who you are? What is destiny?"
asked the child dreamily, the rays of the fading sun reflected in her eyes that
were green
a while ago.
"I am you, and yet in another sense, I am not. We are the same but
different. Can you
not simply take it as it is?"
"I-" Sakura looked down, before she raised her head again,
green eyes honest, "It is
true that humans complicate matters beyond what they are, but I like to know
the answers.
I want to know where I stand."
"Yes, I know that some questions cannot be answered; I do not wish
to unravel life's
mysteries, and nor can I."
"Seeing everything at once will be a pain, a burden I do not wish
to carry. People are
blind but neither do I want to be like them. I am contented to simply see a
little beyond
me, to have the knowledge to fulfill my roles in my life and to satisfy. I do
not ask for
more."
"You are wise in that." The little girl stated, her eyes glimmering
in the seven colors of
the rainbow, green being the most prominent of them all.
"However, you seek knowledge also for security. You think too much.
Just release your
senses and simply feel."
Feel...
Feel...
Feel...
Closing her eyes, Sakura breathed in deeply, the warm summer breeze swirling
around
her. Phantom hands caressed her cheeks, sending her auburn hair flying backwards.
Warmth enveloped her, enclosing her into a comfortable cocoon and Sakura leaned
forward, closer to the source of heat, the wall of moving air wonderfully solid.
Sakura let out a murmur of satisfaction and her eyelids flickered open to see...
... a hot guy with the most gorgeous eyes of dark sienna gazing at her with
a strange but
affectionate expression that gave her a pleasant tingly feeling.
Smiling drowsily, Sakura murmured, "Syaoran..." before burrowing
her head into his
chest to continue her sweet slumber.
Syaoran's amber eyes widened and a mischievous smile began to spread on his face.
He waited patiently.
Three.
Sakura furrowed her eyebrows cutely.
Two.
A frown appeared on her face.
One.
Her eyelids flew open, revealing dilated green orbs and a shriek could be heard
for miles
around.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY BED?!?!?!?!?!"
Wincing at the volume, Syaoran stated calmly, "This is not your bed."
Sakura stiffened, all color draining from her cheeks.
"This...I did not sleep in your bed, did I...?"
Syaoran forced back his laughter, "No, but you're welcome to any time."
Winking suggestively, Syaoran added, "I'll be more than glad for your company."
Blushing to the roots of her hair, Sakura gave him a dirty look, and tried
to get up, only
to find that her arms were wrapped around him and vice versa.
She was horrified. "We-" Sakura swallowed a lump down her throat,
"did not do
anything last night, did we?"
"Aside for sleeping together and sharing a bed, you mean?" Syaoran
asked innocently,
but his laughing amber eyes gave him away.
Sakura cringed at his choice of words.
"Yes, aside for that," she said, glaring at him while trying to
cool her flushed cheeks at
their compromising position, but with no avail.
There was a pregnant pause as dread filled every vein of her body.
"Unfortunately, no,"
Sakura sighed in relief.
"-but we could do more than that tonight." Syaoran completed his sentence, smirking.
"You PERVERT!" Sakura shouted, whacking him on his head.
"Ouch! You almost gave me amnesia with that blow!"
"Almost?! If you repeat that again, I'll change the law about banning
castration and make
sure you'll never produce any heirs!"
"But Sakura, don't you want any children?"
"What has your children got to do with me?!"
"You'll be their mother, of course."
"Fat hope! Now, take your hands off me, you hentai!"
"What if I like them where they are?"
"I don't!"
"On second thought, maybe I should move them lower?"
"Hell no! Unless you wish to be maimed for life!"
"All right then, shall I move them higher?"
"Just take your bloody hands off me!"
And so, their bickering went on for several minutes.
*^*^*^*^*
Twenty minutes later
"Idiot..." Sakura muttered under her breath, a slight blush still
tinting her cheeks. Her
pink backpack, as heavy as it was, was carried effortlessly as if it weighed
as light as a
feather.
"I heard that," said Syaoran good-naturedly.
"Do I care?" Sakura shot back, walking towards the general direction of the Boundaries.
"Wait." A gentle but restraining hand landed on her shoulder.
Ignoring the electricity that jolted her body when Syaoran put his hand on
her shoulder,
Sakura turned impatiently to see serious dark brown eyes gazing at her.
"Since we need to cross the Boundaries to get to the Li Kingdom, we
need to be all the
more vigilant, as you already know what kind of people live there." said
Syaoran,
ignoring her protests of 'I'd never wanted to go to your kingdom
in the first place!', "We
cannot afford to be careless, and we definitely can't forget to train."
With his equally heavy backpack, Syaoran walked a short distance away from
Sakura,
then shifted his feet into the standard battle stance, feet apart to keep balance
and ready to
receive and deliver blows.
"Attack me." Syaoran commanded coolly, his tawny eyes meeting
Sakura's sea green
ones steadily as a shadow of a osprey flying overhead, marking the presence
of water
nearby, was cast over Syaoran's face for a spilt-second.
When Sakura did nothing but to stare at him speechlessly, Syaoran sighed and
repeated
himself, "Sakura, attack me, I mean it."
A mocking smirk appeared on his face, "Or can't you bear to hit me?"
A shadow of annoyance crossed her face and she glared at him, her head held
high, "Hit
you? Don't forget that I punched you in your face the first time we crossed
fists."
{Winged Guardian: Is there such a term?}
Pride was a powerful emotion.
"True, but that was the only blow that actually landed."
Scowling, Sakura crossed her arms and simply stood there, a streak of rebelliousness
surfacing. She saw no reason to obey him.
Syaoran sighed again.
"Don't make me do this the hard way," he warned her.
When silence greeted his statement, Syaoran said, "Fine, you asked for it."
Smirking cruelly, he said sweetly, "Hey Sakura, I folded up your old
clothes and placed
them in your backpack."
Confusion flickered in her cat-like green eyes for a moment before her eyes
went round
and her mouth formed an 'o' as she realized the meaning of his words.
Syaoran watched with interest. [Any time now...]
Holding her breath, Sakura slowly lowered her head only to have her worst
suspicions
confirmed.
"Syaoran Li. You have just signed your death contract. It's a
pity you have to die so
young." Sakura said with a deliberate calm.
"Bring it on." he said, smirking.
It was as if those three words were the trigger to a nuclear bomb, and they
set off a
flurry of activity and motion too fast for the eye to follow.
The world centered on the main two characters and Sakura launched herself
at Syaoran,
raising a fist and bringing it crashing down onto where there was flesh and
cloth
moments ago.
Instead, Sakura's fist flew through thin air and broke through the first
few layers of the
bark of an oak tree, sending showers of snow falling from it leaves.
"Not fast enough." Syaoran commented from somewhere behind her
as he viewed the
results of her blow critically, "The strength's good, but you need
to work on your
accuracy."
Hearing his voice, Sakura pivoted around with a kick that would have crushed
his
neck, had it connected to its target.
However, Syaoran ducked under her leg, as Sakura toppled forward, losing her balance.
Tucking her body into a ball instinctively to lessen damage, Sakura rolled
forward
before surging to her feet only to be tackled down again, and before she realized
what
was happening, her body was pinned down firmly by Syaoran.
"Relax," said Syaoran, his breath tickling her left cheek. For
some strange unknown
reason, her pulse began to speed up and she stared at Syaoran, seemingly unable
to move
her eyes away.
"I used my magic to help to change your clothes. I didn't see a thing."
"You could have said so earlier," Sakura grumbled, before pulling
her hands from his
grip and shoving him off, a blush so light that it was almost invisible adorning
her cheeks.
Syaoran allowed her to get up, his perceptive eyes never once leaving her
delicate
features.
"Would you have attacked me otherwise?"
"Perhaps." Sakura replied, still not meeting his eyes.
"Come on." Syaoran said, taking her hand casually for the second
time and pulling her to
her feet.
Syaoran brought her to stand in front of an momentarily undamaged tree. Releasing
her
hand, Syaoran swung his backpack off his shoulders before fumbling in it.
Irrationally, the hand that Syaoran had held minutes ago felt cold and alone
and
somehow, Sakura was more conscious of the cool air surrounding her hand.
Finding what he was looking for, Syaoran painted a tiny white dot on the trunk
of the
tree.
Sakura looked at him with considerable bewilderment and Syaoran chuckled,
a light and
pleasant sound in the early morning.
"When you aimed that kick at me, you left your sides defenseless if someone
were to
dodge it like I did."
"And like I've said earlier, you need to work on your accuracy. Hit the dot."
Throwing a defiant scowl at Syaoran, Sakura narrowed her eyes before striking
the tree
trunk with so much force that the great oak shook for a minute.
Sakura winced inwardly at the pain that coursed through her hand when her
fist
connected with solid wood, her knuckles burning, but refused to let any of it
to be seen,
least of all by Syaoran.
He wasn't the only one with the stubborn pride.
Not remarking on Sakura's violence, Syaoran took Sakura's red
hand with excessive
gentleness and inspected it. Shaking his head, he said, "Look at the white
paint on your
knuckles? It should be spaced evenly on your first two knuckles where the impact
should
be at the most."
Painting a new dot on another part of the tree bark, Syaoran gestured for
Sakura to try
again.
Gritting her teeth, Sakura focused her attention on the target, taking her
time before
landing her punch.
This time round, she inspected her knuckles with a sense of triumph, "There,
I did it
properly this time."
"True, but an enemy wouldn't give you all the time in the world
to aim," Syaoran stated,
"You need all three elements – speed, power and accuracy."
Sakura scowled darkly as Syaoran painted a third dot, emerald eyes ablaze
in
determination. When she stepped forward to deliver the blow to the unfortunate
tree, a
quiet voice stopped her in her tracks.
"Sakura? You don't have to hit the tree so hard."
A small smile tugged at her lips at his concern and the sun suddenly seemed
brighter,
and the atmosphere of her surroundings lighter.
And so, the training session continued.
However, a small but important part of her mind, the abstract part that gave
her dreams
and hopes, was not concentrating.
Today, she had just seen another side of Syaoran.
Syaoran in himself, was a mystery of his own. She had thought he was just
another
irritating suitor asking for her hand, but how wrong that had proved to be.
His personality
went so much deeper.
She had seen his flirtatious and playful side, like this morning when she
had woken up
and he had teased her ceaselessly, his comments and outrageous offers making
her blush
crimson.
And last night, she had glimpsed a mysterious and vulnerable side to him...when
he had
asked her not to leave...
There were also times when he would be downright annoying, like that time
when she'd
thrown him at the window.
And now, she had seen his serious side. She would have scoffed at the every
idea two
days ago, but she had just witnessed his somber behavior minutes ago.
Mere moments ago, she had also seen his caring side when he told her not to
strike the
tree with such force.
Would he continue to surprise her? Things were so much easier if he was simply
an
annoying flirt. He was confusing her with all his changes.
Syaoran was so much more than what she had initially thought him to be.
She didn't know which side of him she preferred.
The problem was.................................................she seemed
to like all his moods equally
well.
[Or rather...] the nasty part of her mind that loved to question
her very beliefs
whispered [You like him no matter what frame of mind he is in...]
What bothered her the most was the way those words had rung with truthfulness.
Damn it.
=====================================================================================
Winged Guardian:
I'm no martial-arts expert – I'm simply an author amidst so
many
others, so bear with me if I get some things wrong and leave a review to correct
me if you
could. *sheepishly*
Winged Guardian:
*holds index finger up in the air and closes eyes, starting to talk
Yamazaki-style*
And the moral of the story is that never ever abandon your teddy bears
or you'll
see what happens to you.
Winged Guardian:
Itai!!! *rubs head, wincing* I'm not lying, I swear!
Anyway
Review!!! *grins*
Thanks for all the reviews and hope you enjoyed reading my fanfic!
*^*^*^*^*
To
Cherry Blossom 14:
*nudge, nudge* Don't you owe me something? *grins*
Angel-Wings:
There you go, I updated. Forgive me for continuing to smile so cheerfully: You
see, I've
been told that I'm evil so many times that it simply slides right off.
=P
Sally:
Sure. ^-^
Shinigami Clara:
Compromising position, huh? *smirks* So how's this chapter then?
Yuki-Rabbit:
Ah well, what did you expect from Syaoran's raging hormones? He is
a male after all...
*snickers*
Beanysnake:
Ha! There you go, I've "finally updated!" and now I owe you...
*counts fingers* two
updates...? *sweatdrops*
ScarleT RoSe5:
How do you like this chapter? ^-^
UrbanCinderella:
Aren't you happy that I gave one final update before disappearing for
months to do my
exams? ^-^ And put that mustard away! I'll sign up once the links for
your forum's up, I
swear! And I'll even join you in covering those who don't with the
time-honored tomato
ketchup! Oh, and if you scroll down, you'll find that there's another
reply to your other
review. ^-^"""
KuTiExAzNxAnGeL:
Thanks, glad ya like it. ^-^
Inkblots:
I feel for you, my dear friend. *winces* I'd almost lost all my chappies
when I had to
reboot my computer because of that accursed Blaster Worm, although I can't
help but
feel sorry for that guy who'll probably get a very long jail term. I mean,
sure, it brought
many people a great deal of inconvenience but getting stuck in jail for years
just because
of brilliance used wrongly is a little too extreme, in my opinion. It's
sad people don't
appreciate his intelligence, though maybe he isn't so smart after all
because he landed
himself in prison.
SaKuRa LoVa:
Hmm... sure, Eriol can be annoying, but it's part of his charms, although
some people
feel otherwise. *laughs*
Crystal Jade2:
That wasn't much of a cliffhanger. *protests* If you think that was bad,
I wonder what
you'll do to me if I leave things off at a real cliffhanger.
Kella4:
I know this isn't soon, but you have my sincerest apology. My computer
had some
technical difficulties. *scowls at keyboard*
Bloodlust Knight:
I'm still going at a snail's pace. At this rate, the story will
end up 30 or more chapters.
X_X I gotta hurry, and thanks for the compliment. Glad you like it. ^-^
F@l@pino H@ter Sl@yer:
Thanks. ^-^
Fallen Angel45:
Whoa... my fic actually affects you to that extent? *goes starry-eyed*
SweetBabyGurl:
No problem. ^-^ However, I can't seem to find your email address when I looked
at your profile, and I kinda had to gather all the emails again as I rebooted my
computer and lost my files.
Sakura-chan:
Trapping them in the cave forever will bring about only a romantic tragedy as
our main
characters die in each others' arms. Surely you don't want that?
@_@ And I already
updated Cold-blooded Assassin! ^-^
Raureru:
Before you ask me to update...update soon!!! =P
Kura-chan:
Are all readers obsessed with only one thing on their minds: updates? Wait a
minute,
what am I asking? It's the same way with me as long as it isn't
me the one updating.
Oops, I didn't say that, aheheheheheh.................. *backs away, laughing
nervously*
Swtgrl:
Thanks, I'm glad you like it. ^-^
*****:
Actually, that's pretty true, but they won't come together that
easily, not to worry. You'll
see the next time they make an appearance. ^-^ And thanks.
Onigiri Momoko:
Here's the next chapter then. =P
RaCHeL100:
I'll continue writing, alright! ^-^
Linda18:
Stop this story? I repeat myself: I wouldn't! ^-^
Midnight Crystal:
Wow, cool stereo. =P And please put your sharp objects away... *backs away nervously*
...unless you wish me to give the ultimate threat, which I'm sure you
know very well.
Syaoyue:
Alright, I'll try to make the chapters longer next time. =)
Silverymare:
Eh? *hides tail*
Sakura Blossom 161:
Is it really that short? @_@
Meimei2:
I'm not giving anything away. *cheerily*
Rubii Kimu-chan:
Thanks. Glad ya like it. ^-^
Fire Phoenix1:
Sorry for not emailing you that often. I've been busy as you can see.
*points upwards*
But still, gomen nasai!
MystyAura:
Hmm... great idea! I'll definitely consider it and it seems that Syaoran'll
only be sweet
and blushing when Sakura's not aware of it. 'Tis a
pity, ain't it?
Lexy Ann:
Why don't good things ever last? *sighs*
Midnight Star24:
Like I've said before, I'm not giving anything away. *exclaims cheerfully*
Drunken Little Monkey:
True, but Syaoran will have his turn to be very, very miserable when Touya finds
out that
he'd changed Sakura's clothes in the ever so beautiful future.
BabyWolfGurl:
Thanks, I know this isn't exactly soon, but I hope it was worth the wait.
Semmerie:
You do not ask an author the future of the characters in his/her fic. *solemnly*
*laughs* In other words, not tellin' ya! =P
Sword Heart:
Aww... almost? Darn! I'll have to try harder! *devastated*
Nikumu Chan:
Bonding time, huh? *sinister laughter* Thanks for all your reviews by the way,
they
almost sent me falling off my chair from laughing too hard. *grins*
MzSyaoranLi:
Thanks, glad ya like it! *cheerfully*
Musical-Sakura:
I hope the rest met your expectations! ^-^
Aejavu:
*curiously* What did I say? I can't remember. *sweatdrops sheepishly*
Minirrie:
There was some fluff in this chapter, right? ^-^"""
UrbanCinderella:
No, I'm not replying to all your other reviews. This is already the second
time, and I
daresay you hear enough from me in my emails, do you not? *sweatdrops* Ah well,
next
time, I'll make sure you've already reviewed before voicing a................business
proposal.
*winks* [nasty stuff concoction, hmm? *smirks*]
Califpinay3001:
The hand? Is it of relation to the finger, I wonder. Wait, what am I saying?
*sweatdrops*
Pink Sakura:
Hmm... Sakura would probably be very horrified and start hitting Syaoran, causing
him
to cease using his magic in alarm, then seeing Sakura not fully clothed... and
it all goes
on.
Digitude:
Thanks. ^-^ And no, I repeat myself for the umpteenth time: This fic isn't
over. Do I
really take so long to update that people think I've abandoned my fics?
*sweatdrops*
Dark-Wolfling:
Thanks, and I'm glad you like it. ^-^
Important Notice:
I'm very sorry to say this, but I'll be disappearing for a month
or longer, for those who do
not already know. You see, my exams start the beginning of October, but I promise
I'll
give plenty of updates after that!! Wait, did I just say that?
Sorry if I missed out anyone! ^-^
~ Winged Guardian
~
Heart_given_Wings@hotmail.com