BW2 Hi fans!Sorry about this chapter taking so long to be updated, but the book I was getting my idea's from - well my mum kinda forgot that I asked her not to throw it out, and well, she did, and so now it's gone and I'm stumped. So I have to think REALLY hard as to how it goes. I think I remember, but I guess I'll just have to battle forth on my own ne?
Hope you like it.

Chapter 11

Sakura starred at the plexishield without seeing her beloved pet inside, graciously returned to her by no other than Eriol Hirragizawa. Li's angry amber eyes bored into her memory, reminding her of her failure. She had failed because she hadn't gotten to Sonoma like she had promised.
She could almost see the look on her father's face when they learnt she had failed . . .
She could see her father turning away from her in disgust . . Her brother looking down disappointed and embarressed that he had gone out on limb to help her, give her a chance, and to see her throw it back at him.

A deep sadness settled inside her heart and she hung he head low in shame. " No matter what I do; I always screw up. " she whispered. " I try to help my family; our people, and I get tangled up with Li and when I try to leave him to help my family, he comes back and tangles me up even more! " she looked up at Kero in the plexishield and sighed sadly. " Maybe I am cursed. Maybe I'm just meant for failure. Maybe I meant to die after all . . "
As if sensing her sadness, Kero twittered sadly, standing up in the plexishield and placing his paws on the glass.
Sakura's heart melted and she smiled lovingly at her only friend.
" Oh Kero, we're a pair aren't we? " she whispered. " No matter what we do; we always stand out, and always find ourselves in messes we can't control or get out of. " Kero twittered away and she sighed.
" But at least we have each other again, and that's all that matters. . . "

She looked at her back pack on the end of her bed and she swollowed the fear in her. She was Li's slave. The realisation of the fact made her her knees weak. And he was angry on top of it. Not a good combination, at least not for her.
What would he make her do?
Sakura shruddered.
She didn't want to know.
But judging by her intuition, it was getting late.
She knew she wouldn't have to wait too much longer to find out. . .

How could she?
The thought swirled around in his head like the half-empty bottle of Elysian liquor he held tightly in his hands. He replayed the afternoon's events through his head and scowled at the innocent she had played. Oh yes, she could act when she was afraid.
Of him.
He snarled and tipped the bottle, drinking deeply, ignoring the bitter aftertaste. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his ankles as he rested his feet up on his desk thinking. Well, he thought bitterly, you have her now. You have her body and soul! what more could he want?
He remembered what she had felt like when he had made love to her, and groaned tormented. He tipped the bottle again and drunk deeply, leaving a mouthful left. No matter what he did, he couldn't get rid of her from his mind. She was always there, tormenting him with those sorrowful, emerald eyes. Emerald eyes that deeped and blazed like jewled fire when he made her sigh when he took her -
Stop it!
He scowled and shook his head mentally.
He needed to get her out of his system once and for all. Then he could move on and forget this business of longing and sheer temptation. But first he'd have what was due him. After all - she did owe him.
He smirked evilly and emptied the bottle and got up.

It was time to make her pay. . .

Sakura started violently when the panel slid back and Li was standing there glarring hatedly at her.
" Get up. You have work to do. " he commanded coldly and Sakura gulped as she got up off her bunk and walked slowly towards the door.

He waited until she was out in the corridor and then ushered her down the hallway.
" First you will clean all this ship until you can see your face in it as clear as day got it? "
Sakura's eyes widened, but nodded save further rebuke.
" And then when you're finished with that you'll - "

2 hours later . .

Sakura straightened and stretched her back and cringed when it cracked. She sighed as she looked over the last bit of work she had done. The hallway sparkled and shined with all the effort she had put in. If that didn't please the taskmaster - She gave a little laugh at her own joke.
Li was a taskmaster all right.
He was also ruthless, cruel, cold and unrelenting.
She flinched.
She had finally pushed him too far, she realised when she had pulled her latest escape, and now she knew the punishment. " At least it's not the brig.. . . " she whispered aloud.
Yes, anything was better than the brig.

Li appeared shortly after she had put the cleaning devices back in their homes, inspecting her handiwork.
" Nicely done. " he appraised looking over everything.
" Arigato. " she mumbled tiredly, not meeting his eyes.
" Though, I don't think it's clean enough for my liking. Do it all again. "
" Wha -?! " Sakura's jaw dropped. " But - but - I just finished it! " she met his gaze in disbelief.
He was smirking. The arrogant bastard had the gall to stand there and smirk at her.
" So? You're my slave and your work isn't satisafcatory. Do it again. "
Sakura's eyes narrowed and flashed dangerously. It had taken her half the night to do it as it was!

She threw the rag down and glarred at him.
" No! "
Li raised his eyebrow.
" No? " he inquired.
Her eyes flashed and she blushed at his intense, cold gaze.
" No! I won't do it again. It doesn't need to be done again! You're just being callous and cruel in any means possible! "
In a flash, so fast she didn't have time to cry out, he had her pinned against the wall; glarring coldly at her.
" Allow me to remind you our current positions on this ship Miss Avalon. I am the captain of this ship and therefore in total command. My command and authority is not to be question under any circumstances. I thought we had that established? "
Sakura swallowed unable to tear her eyes away from his.
" Do you need reminding of the circumstances which changed your current postion on my ship? " he asked smoothly.
Sakura trembled in fear, eyes wide.
He smirked and backed away from her. " Good, now we understand each other. Get to work. "

And with that, he walked away.

Sakura blinked and sunk down on weak knees to the floor. He was using his authority to over-rule her. " Oh Spirit. " she breathed blinking back tears. " What have I gotten myself in too? " she whispered.

Next Day

Sakura slept late into the next cycle. It was no wonder with all the work she had done to please Him. If it hadn't been the sheer fact that she was about to drop where she had been standing, she wouldn't have doubted that he would have made her do it again. And so she had been greatful for her weakness.
But she wasn't about to be spared.
The intercom turned on and Li's voice came over.
" Time to get up Sakura. You have a busy day ahead of you. I don't like lay abouts so late in the cycle. I'll be waiting for you in the cockpit. "
Sakura groaned.
" Well you can just go on waiting. " she muttered and rolled over still tired.
" I heard that. And I'm very impatient this morning Sakura. You have exactly five minutes and counting. "
Sakura clenched her fist and sat up angrilly.

" You called? " she asked as she strode into the cockpit.
She saw him grimice.
" Not so loud slave. " he muttered. " I have a headache. Keep it down. "
Sakura cocked her eyebrow.
" A headache master? " she asked sweetly. " What has caused you such pain? "
Li shot her a unimpressed glare.
" Saccharin doesn't become you slave. " he spat.
Sakura looked away from him to the destination screen. She paled. She was even further away from Sonoma than she dared believe! How could he!
Li watched her pale and looked back at the screen and then back at her wearing a satisfied smirk.
" Just a little de-tour. I got some more information about Nakaru. I hope you don't object? "
Sakura opened her mouth with an angry retort, but Li cut her off.
" Careful what you might say Sakura. " he cautioned. " It'll determine how well you get treated. "
She clamped her mouth shut and glowered at him. Instead she said: " What do you wish me to do? "
" You forgot to add 'master'. " Li stated. " I'm starting to get used to it. "
" Shall I emblazen it upon your jacket? " she asked sweetly. " It'll match your ego. " she muttered quietly looking down.
" No need. You saying it will be enough. " She bridled angrily.
" Now here are the chores for you today. . . "

Many Hours Later . .

Thankfully she hadn't seen him a lot except when he came to check on her. He must have been resting with the headache he claimed to have she thought.
" Well, I hope it causes him so much pain, he can't order me around anymore! " she spat angrily.
She stopped still reaching for the cloth in the water. Since when had she been this bitchy? She'd never known herself to be so out of character. She was usually subdued and content with whatever the world had handed her. Never once had she questioned or argued, stepped out of place. But here she was condemming Li with all her heart.

What do you expect? her mind cut in. You did try to steal his money and run away.
' But I had too! ' she fought back mentally. ' If I don't hurry and get to Sonoma soon, I'll die! I will have let them all down! I haver to do what I have to for their sake, not my own! '
But he doesn't know this.
' I can't tell him. He'll hand me over to the Controllers if he knew. I'd rather die. '
You will be if you keep hanging around here any longer.
' I know that! ' she snapped mentally, wringing out the cloth tightly. ' But it's not like he's exactly helping me is it? '
It's up to you to take care of your destiny, not Li. He can't tell you what to do in your finale hours.
Sakura paused.
" That's right. " she said alloud. " He can't! "
But he doesn't know about you being a Shielder or infected. Tread carefully. her mind cautioned.
Sakura nodded to herself.
" I'll bid my time. He won't stop me. I won't face my father as a failure he thinks me to be. "
" If you fail you'll be dead. Your father won't be there. "
Sakura paused and starred heaven bound.
" He will be in my judgement. . . "

Many hours later Sakura emerged from her lav dressed in the silk that Madison had given to her as a present. She had starred at the image she had presented in the mirror and had starred in shock for several minutes before she relised that the person starring back at her was her. With her hair up like she had seen the women back home do, she had looked a lot older, a lot more - did she dare believe - pretty?

Her resolve hardened, she spotted Kero in the plexishield case and spung around for his inspection.
" Well Kero, do I fit? " she asked as she knelt down and slipped the lid off and slid him some bread from dinner in which Li hadn't been present for. A first.
Kero twittered eagerly and snatched the bread. Sakura giggled. " Typical. " she sighed. " It'll take a miricle for you to look at the female before food. " she shook her head.
Speaking of which, she looked behind her at the lav and saw Li's lanrax. Although it hated her with a passion, Sakura felt sorry for it. Li had not come and seen it once.
She reached for her discarded tunic and walked towards the female lanrax and gripped her before she could fight and dropped her in with Kero. Kero stopped munching and starred at the other lanrax which had suddenly dropped in.
" This is only till I get back. " she warned pointing at Kero. " Behave. "
And with that she walked out the door.

Li sighed as he lay against his sheets. He rested his forearm against his forehead and closed his eyes. He couldn't keep this up much longer. He had seen the look of hatred in her emerald eyes that morning and it had nearly unresolved him. He was being a cur, he knew it, but he couldn't help himself. He didn't want her to leave.
He had come to realise it after his headache had aborted sometime around lunch thankfully. After that he hadn't dared showed his face, so he just layed here in peace. The tone sounded and he sat up looking at the panel as it slid back and he saw her silouette standing there. It was dark in his room, and he couldn't see her properly against the backdrop of the lights in the hallway.
" Are you awake Captain Showron? " she asked softly.
" Sakura? " he asked.
She walked in and the panel slid closed sealing them in darkness. Sakura gasped and Li reached for the button beside him and soft light emitted inside like candlelight. Sakura blinked and got her barrings.
" I braught you something to eat since you didn't attend dinner. " she said indicating the tray she carried and walked across the suite to place it on the beside table.
It was then that he saw what she wore and he choked.

She didn't met his gaze. Instead she leant down and picked up his discarded clothes and in turn allowed him a flash of cleverage.
" I'm sorry to have disturbed you. " she spoke sofly as if not to agrivate his headache. " I'll just take these and I'll leave you to your dinner if you feel like it. " she turned and Li was graced by the sight of her long legs from the splits in the dress.
" W-Where d-d-id you get t-that ?" he managed to choke out.
She paused and looked up at him.
" Pardon ?"
" That dress. " he said, not caring if his eyes were bulging out of their sockets.
She looked down at herself.
" This thing? " she asked feining innoscence. " It was a gift from Madison. Isn't it pretty? " she spun around and Li choked again.

But then she humbled again.
" But I shouldn't be disturbing you. " she muttered and hurried towards the door. " I'll leave you. "
She was nearly at the door when someone grabbed her arm and spung her around. She gasped as she faced Li.
" Li! W-W-what are - "
" If you think you can come in here wearing that and expect to just walk out, think again Sakura. " he scowled.
Her eyes widened.
" I don't know what your talking about Captain. " she said. " I was just trying it on to see if it fit. "
Li smirked and back her up against the wall.
" I think maybe there was a little more to it than that. " he said and moved closer to her.
Sakura gasped.
" No! It's not like that! I just wanted to see if it - " she stopped, choking on her words.
" If what? " he asked running hands down her arms.
She gulped looking away.
" If it made me just a little bit pretty. " she mumbled, deeply embarressed.
Li looked her over and Sakura's blush deepened.
" Well I can definetely say that you've achieved that and much more. "
" And what does that mean? " she asked confused.
" It means that you've certainly got my attention. " he breathed as he leaned in towards her mouth.

To Be Continued . . .

BW2 I just love being cruel! Nah, just kidding. The next chapter is up for y'all. Please review!