Disclaimer: I do NOT own Cardcaptor Sakura, its characters, locations or anything of that nature. CLAMP (Satsuki Igarashi, Nanase Ohkawa, Mick Nekoi, and Mokona Apapa) own CCS. Although, I DO own this story, its extra characters and it's plotline. Any theft or borrowing without MY permission is punishable by law. (Whoa there! Lemme just say that I don't wanna go that far, so don't tempt me!)

Note: Yeah, I know that I haven't updated in forever. I apologize. I just have been ULTRA busy with all my work in school and what not. I'm sorry. Let me just say that, for the record, I HATE SCHOOL! I DESPISE IT SO MUCH! I would rather much write all day if I could, but, sadly, I can't. Darn it all, right? Hehehehe.

On ANOTHER NOTE: I was looking back at scenes with Touya and Kaho... and I noticed I put down Calculus 2... which, in retrospect, was not a good idea, for it doesn't exist. Sorry for that, those who've had Calculus or Trig. I wasn't thinking. Sorry for being such a moron! Hehehe.

Etiquette Lessons

Chapter 13: The Armies & Their War

Dedicated to the late Peter Leiato, my Aunt Susan, and the reviewers who made this chapter possible!

A Cherri and Crystal Production!

Porky Pig goes Duh, duh, duh, duh, duh, duh, duh, duh, duh, duh, duh, duh, duh, duh, duh, duh... Duh Let's do jazz hands! XD

Act 1: Uninvited Guests and an Uninvited Surprise

"Oh, yeah. I just love my family." Syaoran said incandescently. "I just adore the attention, the gifts, and the air of happiness that my line has given to me. Oh, yes! THEY DON'T HAVE THAT!" Sakura stared at Syaoran blankly, thinking that he was talking to himself. Before she had a change to utter a single word, a voice rang into the room. "It's okay. We enough happiness for the world over! It's been a while, Xiao Lang."

Four silken women fluttered into the room, filling the entire room with the smell of over priced fragrances. Their reddish brown hair flowed, not bringing a feel of winter behind it, but a summer breeze. "How is my little brother? Are you well?" one of them chimed. "Why did you come here?" Syaoran asked, irritated. "Are we not allowed to see how your little engagement is going? I mean, we WILL be your wife's in laws."

"SHE'S NOT MY WIFE!" Syaoran bellowed. Forgetting himself, he whipped around and bowed to the ground at Sakura. "Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry! I didn't mean it!" Sakura puffed her cheeks. "No! I didn't mean I didn't mean it! I meant I didn't mean what I JUST said. I did mean the engagement, but I didn't mean what I said just now... or before what I am saying now... or... ARGH!" "So... did you mean the engagement OR NOT?" Tomoyo wondered pointedly. The group stared a Syaoran with daggers, waiting for a reply. "I did mean it. Anyway, why did you come? You always have some kind of ulterior motive planned."

"Alas, we are not doing so. It is the rest that may be planning something." Feimei claimed. Shiefa, Fanran, and Fuutie studied the group intensively. "Who are 'the re..." Sadly, Fuutie's scream of astonishment cut off Syaoran. "It's true!" "Found something, sister?" Shiefa asked. "Ooh! Yes. This engagement is true. Xiao Lang gave her the family ring! Ooh, he IS serious." The quartet stared at Sakura's hand, watching the ring shimmer in the dim winter sunlight. Their cheeks flourished into a scarlet red and their eyes twinkled with delight.

"AH! Damn it all! Just tell me! Who are the rest?" What'd ya do, get more irritating siblings?" Syaoran demanded, hoping for a straight answer. "Oh, so close. Well, mother told us to keep it a surprise. Just wait until tonight. Trust me, you'll have a great time."

"They scare me." Sakura said meekly. Group nods

Act 1.2: Prepare for Basil! Erm... I mean Battle!

Gleams of winter light sparked through the winter crisp air.

"DO YOU WISH TO DEFY ME, WOMAN?" An axe was brought to shoulder. The screaming of a boy and a girl were coming through. "STOP!" it muffled. "No. I do not, master. I just wish for you to stop your beating on my child. You have put her through enou..."

Click

"Bah! What a lame show!" a sugary voice ranted. "HEY! Turn it back on! I LIKE my soaps!" "Sometimes, Hana, I truly think you're weird." "Well, bi..." "Cut the crap! Higa, Hana, shut up. We need to wait for Madame Yelan's orders. She is going to give us the signal." A quick silence tracked the scolding. Then, slowly, quiet footsteps headed louder and louder. "I see that you have handled your crew well, Odachi." Said a cold whisper. A cloaked woman came down the rusted bronze steps of the dingy boiler room. "Mistress Yelan. My other men, Pen and Kyou, they are not able to be here, but I assure you that— " "That is enough, Zhu. You're men will be enough. The Scarlet Army needs only one factor."

"I hope you are ready, Kinomoto Sakura."

Act 1.3: Winter's Ballad

(ARGH! Be not one to judge me! Tell me in the reviews what you want the resulting couplings to be. Touya x Kaho Mizuki, Touya x OOC (Chirashi Midako), or Touya x Nakuru Akizuki)

A crisp whisper of winter wind froze the already tear struck cheeks of a maiden. "An array of events I wished not of you, Touya-kun." Buttery caramel hair flowed like a shimmering cascade. She crouched onto the snow and cried her tears. She was not hurt, but one of her oldest friends was.

(Midako's Point of View)

Touya Kinomoto's dreams were slashed that day.

It was a simple thing that he had to learn: Love cannot last too long if it isn't real. It was never fair for anyone. People say they can find love. But they day it as if it is a yen you could find on the ground. But love is much more complicated than being found off the street. Sadly, love can only go two ways: love-love or platonic love. Though, Kinomoto Touya's luck struck down on none. It went onto the all time low. It went to "lost love". Lost love is still love. It is just hard to handle. In the end, Mr. Kinomoto's heart was shattered after this. Listen to my story... for I saw it all behind the crossed Parisian doors.

(Flashback: Erm... what, just a few minutes? GAH!)

My usual rounds of the day were almost coming to a close. I folded the ivory white linen towels and put them into my pushcart. Let's see. I just finished my room duty, dish duty, cooking duty, and loads of other duties. And yet, my day was not over yet. I guess that's the day that any kind of maid would go through. I still had to put down the towels and return Touya-kun's book, Angels and Demons (by Dan Brown. A brilliant book that one was.). My black silk outfit was full of stains from soup and several burns, but I knew they didn't matter. I would be able to let go of the whole thing once I finished towel duty. My hands were aching with burns and blisters, after hauling a heater into Li-san's bedroom. 'Evil witch, she is.' I cursed, for she turned it on halfway up the stair well. 'Moron.' I thought, but seeing as Mrs. Li had psychic abilities, I can see why she hit me with one of her suitcases. And onto Touya's room I went.

I headed down the marble stairs and saw a woman with cherry brown hair. Miss Kaho? Yes. It was. Anyways, I saw Touya-kun. He was holding a cloak in his hand, with a fairly puzzled expression on his face. "What do you need this for? You aren't going out, are you? You would be seen. I'm sure of it." He whispered, handing her the cloak.

"I have a something to explain to you. Wear this." She motioned her hand to a black blindfold, which she bore on him. "I don't see where this is going, but, then again, I am the one with the blindfold, ne?" he said. I watched her, her vaguely expressionless face and the rose in her hand. She placed it in his pocket. Now, I was an expert on modern romance movies. I had it all planned out. Kaho's lips met Touya-kun's and her tears caressed both their cheeks. They crouched onto the floor and continued and they let go, heading into the kitchen for a piece of cheesecake to share.

But that's not what happened.

She tightened her grip on her cloak. She flung it over her shoulders and buttoned it down. 'What is she planning?' I thought. Then, as if she had heard my inquiry, she had rushed over to the doubled Parisian doors and slammed my head into the wall. She obviously thought I was a coat rack. My vision went blurry for the longest time. I believe I passed out, but I recovered in time. I shook my disheveled hair out of my eyes and peaked through the doubled doors. Touya-kun still stood there, as if waiting for Kaho. I couldn't stand it. I rushed to him and pulled the blindfold off. His expressions killed me. He wasn't crushed. He wasn't sad. He wasn't... anything, damn it! He wasn't staring at me. He didn't want to. He wanted to see Kaho. He walked away slowly, but stopped abruptly. He looked at me, I think. I don't know what he saw, but out of impulse, I jumped out the window. Six stories, damn it! ... I landed on my legs. And YES, moron! It DID hurt.

CRACK they were broken. I knew it. But to me, that didn't matter. I was shaking violently. I fell onto the wall, struggling with all my strength to stand. I was so cold. The snow SURELY didn't help my leg!

And that's my story... for now.

Act 1.4: Impressionists

An air of competition was brewing, and it wasn't only coming from one room. Many of the other palace tenants tried to make it as if they were the best ones showing at the banquet that night. Some brought in exported dresses, made of the finest flowing silk. Others brought in doves and other assortments of animals to show off or use for a flashy opening. And if you looked into the room of the reigning queen of a palace in Hokkaido, you'd see their bangles other jewelry were made of, not precious diamond, but pure ice.

And it wasn't only a heated competition on who would look best with presentation. Princes and princesses ran rapid throughout the palace, asking for a date, assuming that their appearance with a date would stir many a conversation.

"Yes."

"No way, jerk. (Two minutes...) I SAID NO!"

SLAP "Hahahahaha! Are you crazy? Hahahahaha!"

The royal party of the Kinomoto Kingdom was pretty much stirring things up on their own. The maids cleaned, swept, and even cleaned the rooftops, making sure that their masters and mistresses would be pleased. The chef prepared an eight-course meal, which are probably three or four full courses than she should have. Even if they looked quite tacky, Nadeshiko had purchased 30 silver statues of armor. Fujitaka had a plan of his own. He asked Sasami to run through the house, setting a number of video cameras in the halls. He had not creative ideas, so he just thought of "borrowing" someone else's.

It was the party of Sakura, Syaoran, Tomoyo and Eriol that had bigger plans. They tailed the Li sisters through most of their daily activities, but it came for their time to stop. "I'm getting tired of this. I even forgot why we were tailing this group of idiots." Eriol said dismally, crouched on his knees. "We need to know what we're up against!" Tomoyo said, pulling Eriol up. "You say that as if they are going to kill us!" he whispered hastily. "Well, they might as well be! Sakura, go to your room with Syaoran so his sisters won't get suspicious." Tomoyo said, waving a speedy hand in the air.

"And what do you intend on doing when they come out? Attacking them, are you?" Syaoran said sardonically, walking with Sakura towards the fine oak doors. "Yeah! And maybe after we get arrested, we can rob a bank! NO! Of course we aren't going to attack them, stupid. We just want to check out what your family has prepared for tonight." Sakura and Syaoran walked out silently, not speaking until they were a good three yards from the Li family rooms. Syaoran had brought Sakura into her room, but he stopped abruptly, thinking about what to do.

"You know, if you don't want to get involved, you don't have to. You shouldn't be. This is my psychotic family's problem, not yours." He said blankly. She looked at his expression, soft, shining eyes. "Why are you telling me this now? You made a promise, or did you forget?" He lifted his head, telling her that she had. Sigh "Fine. You did. Let me remind you. You said to me that you would stay with me. You said it on the lawn. Remember now, Syaoran-kun or is this some dumb game?"

"No, it's not. I just..." "Let me take a good guess. Don't want me to get hurt? Well, let me just say that, for the record, I don't care if I get hurt. I do, however, care if YOU get hurt FOR me. It just makes you feel worthless and guilty." Syaoran understood, and felt a tad guilty too. He made her feel bad.

"Fine then. Promise me this."

"What?"

"If you are EVER reduced to fighting my sisters, my mom, or anyone else, you'll give them hell for me."

Act 2.1: Meeting In the Forest

Bright lights shone over her light brown hair. She sat down on a purple pouf and stared up, her stained apron and burnt hands paid no mind to other passersby in the café. A chiming sound came from a rustic-looking door as a limp woman put her coat on a chair near the disheveled maiden. "Doing alright?" A sigh came from the limp woman. "Ugh. Sniff Do you REALLY have to ask? You want a cup of hot chocolate, Nakuru?" "Hehehehe. Isn't that my job? Anyway, I guess we are both servants to ungrateful people, ne, so I guess so."

"Alas, I am not servant to anyone ungrateful. The Kinomoto family is quite tolerable." "If you say so, Midako. It's still hard to believe that we all used to be friends." Midako's own stained apron was removed and was ripped apart. She wrapped them around her legs to bind as a cast. "Ooh. Lost a fight?" Midako set the creamy chocolate solution onto the table and sat down, gingerly situating her legs onto the floor. Sigh "I believe you can put it that way."

"Oh, I don't care anymore. Anyway, aren't we still friends?" Midako asked, tying her light dark hair into a tight bonbon bun, letting her violently violet eyes glitter. "Oh, no. You have it all wrong, m'dear. Things changed. First, it was the foursome. It was you, me, Touya and Kaho."

"Not so, man. It was you and I. Then, Touya came."

Flashback:

Winter 1991; Penguin Park

(Chirashi's POV)

It was quite amazing. We were in the deeper innards of the park until a little boy came crying up to us. "You okay?" I asked. "Yeah, I just fell." He said. "Akizuki threw a ball at me and it rebounded on him. "Cut it out." "Sorry, sir. You got hurt?" He looked up at Akizuki with shiny eyes. He looked quite cute at the time. "No." He surveyed Aki with great intent, until he looked up at me. "Who are you?" I thought this was a very stupid question, but still it wasn't, because we were all probably six years old. I didn't know him well and vice versa. He looked at me and back to Aki. "I'm Akizuki Nakuru. I live in the Kouyo district." I looked down at my feet and didn't reply.

I knew who he was. He was Touya Kinomoto, heir to the Kinomoto crown and palace. And here I was. I was Midako Chirashi. Evidently, I really didn't have a home. I usually stayed on what seemed like my parent's house. My uncle stayed there, but he didn't really LIVE there, for he usually slept, drunk. Most would think that I would love him all the same, but I really didn't. To be perfectly honest, I hated him. Anyways, I just answered in a curt whisper. "I am Chirashi Midako. You are Touya Kinomoto. I can tell by your family crest on your toy airplane."

"I know I am."

"Well, you should. You got the richest family in the entire Kingdom!" Aki blurted excitedly. "Of course he does! This Kingdom is the Kinomoto Kingdom, Aki! Open your eyes! I think..." Two deep opaque silhouettes approached us. His parents had been coming to take him.

End of Flashback Numero Uno

"Ugh. He's parents were such lightweights. They kept yelling at us, saying stuff about making him cry!" Nakuru said abruptly. "Yeah. That was pretty mean. I think he was blushing when he saw you." Midako teased. "Shut up. You're the one who works for them!" "In any case, that's how it went, ne? We kept seeing him in the park and he kept talking to us." Nakuru put salt in her hot chocolate as Midako cringed in disgust. "Ugh. What the hell it that for?" She stared at Nakuru as she sipped the bitter drink. She pulled a face and stared up at Midako. "Did you see that face? That's the face I get when I see that tramp." "What tramp? You mean me?!"

"No you moron! I'm talking about Kaho!" "You don't like her?" Midako asked, trying to keep a bitter sound in her voice unnoticeable. "Heck no! She stole Touya-kun from us and you know it."

Flashback:

Winter 1999; Matthew Perry Academy

(No people, not the guy from Friends who played Chandler! XD)

(Nakuru's POV)

(Okay, if they were six in 1991, they must be around Sakura and Syaoran's current age in 1999)

I sat in my chair and saw Midako sitting at her desk. She was reading a book. Ha. The girl is such a perfectionist. It was a tad annoying to be the second all the time, but I guess she deserved it. Two Christmases ago, she saw her uncle dead in his couch. Died of intoxication of some sort. I didn't really care and neither did she. Well, she started living in some place around my house, and then I think she got a job in Touya's house. One thing I love about Midako. She got a job there, allowing me to get in a few perks.

Then Touya came... again.

"Hiya, Touya-kun." I said happily. He smiled at me and put his bag down. He looked so bishounen at the time. I know I sound stupid because he had a girlfriend. Her name was Mizuki Kaho I believe. She was a complete airhead, but Midako, as my own voice of reason, called her a "worthy rival". To me, that was a load of crap. She only said that because she wants him to be happy, even if she wants him just as much as I did. She was Midako's academic rival, but never got to Midako. She was too good.

I think Kaho hated me. I think she hated Midako too. Anyway, that was a crushing day for me. As for Midako... the idiot, I have not idea if she didn't care or if she didn't want to care. In any case...

"Touya-kun!" said a cheery voice. Touya turned and caught, in his arms, a burst of cherry oak hair. I turned and waved to her and she obviously didn't care. I turned to Midako who was on the last page of her book. She shut the enormous book and stared at my face. I contorted my face and pretended to gag. "What's with your face?" she asked. "Like you don't know! You know she stole our friend! You live with him! Get him back!" I yelled, causing everyone EXCEPT the happy pair to turn. "Nothing to see. Go back to your seats." I said, waving an impatient hand. "You make it sound like I sleep with him. And she I think she got him fair & square, ne?" "Ugh. You are so clouded, 'Dako. We were best friends since we met in the forest and then that friend stealing harpy came along last year and took him away!"

"But if he's happy, shouldn't we be happy?" Midako asked reasonably. She was a moron anyway.

"NO! He never sees us anymore! When I tripped over a branch in Gym class, he just tightened his grip on Kaho's hand."

End of Flashback Numero Dos

"You see!"

"Yeah, I guess." Midako said, looking down, "Well, how is the friend stealer?" Midako sucked the fresh air of mixed winter and fireplace wood. "To tell you the truth, not so good. She dumped him." Nakuru's face contorted into a face full of fury, turning a violently puce color. "I'll kill her! I'll KILL HER!" She stood up, making violent gestures into the air. Midako flailed her hands frantically saying "Shh! You'll make a scene."

"Dako, I'll make a scene if I wanna! That ingrate Touya might be crushed, so I'll crush her!"

Act 2.2: Bitter Cold War

Twelve bells rang merrily to the marking of noon. Sakura Kinomoto's emerald eyes shone brightly at the small table on the deck. She had asked Aria and Amia to get her an ice cream, but they emerged with a strawberry cream parfait. "Ooh. That looks pretty, but I didn't need it that fancy." Sakura said, looking quite bashful that Odachii (the desert chef) wanted to go through so much trouble. "Where's Syaoran-kun?" Aria asked, setting the brass tray on the white marble table.

"I think he went out. I saw his trying to shove Araia into the closet after she said his sisters were cool." Amia said, giggling happily. "We'd better get back to work. Nadeshiko-sama will want the 12 silver swans polished before two thirty. See ya, Sakura-chan!" Sakura waved a dismal goodbye and stared out at the snowy wonderland that was her massive lanai. She practically leapt out of her chair when she laid her eyes on a lower garden terrace.

In the stormy flurry of power, Syaoran leaned on the marble terrace. His face was not as tense as it had been hours ago. It had an air of sadness to it. His face was a sickeningly whitish blue color as he blew on his hands. He seemed to be holding something. Out of force of habit, Sakura rushed downstairs and went through the white doubled doors, dismissing her perfect parfait. "Syaoran!" she yelled frantically. She spun around, feeling a hybrid of fluster and confusion. 'This garden IS huge.' She thought 'Great work, Sakura. You got lost in your own house! Idiot!'

Her knees fell weak under the bitter cold. Her vision went blurry. Her hands felt...

She felt herself warm again. A dark blue jacket was cast over her. Even as she tried to find herself, she was still consumed in darkness. "Ano... hoe. Syaoran-kun? Tomoyo-chan? Eriol-kun? Anyone?" "Yes. I'm here." Said a voice. "Am I... dead?" She felt a breeze of hot air caress her eyelids, allowing her eyes to open once again. "No. You are not." Li Syaoran sat at her bedside. She was in his room, furnished with an oak armoire. His face had regained some color, but he definitely looked inexplicably ill. His cheeks retained a scarlet color, either from blushing or a head cold.

"I wanted to find you. You looked sad." Sakura said, sitting upright. "I suggest that you do not say anymore. Yeah, I just wanted to clear my mind..." "Outside in a snow storm?" Sakura asked pointedly, eyeing Syaoran's expression. "Okay. Caught. I wanted to get away. I'm sick of..." Sakura just remembered. She edged over to the right and placed a hand to his cheek. It was like sticking a hand on a frying pan that just flambéed a red wine steak. "You are sick. You should..."

"No. I am not going to do anything." He said stubbornly. "Why?" Sakura inquired angrily. "There was a reason I went out there. I wanted to fall ill and I wanted to miss the ball! I just found out that that girl... umm... what's her name. That girl. I can't say her name." He was cut off, staring with a fleeting look of fear. She couldn't help feeling pity for him, because his face did look genuine. "Who? Could you write it down? Or you could just give me a hint." Syaoran knew that she meant well and decided to do as told. "It's erm... do you remember the girl I told you about? You know the one... who pretended to 'dump' me?" Sakura remembered once before that he'd mentioned a girl. "I do. But, this has nothing to do with..."

"It does."

Act 2.3: Load the Guns, Salt Shaker! Oops. I mean soldier!

Sparkling ice crystals shone in the dim light of a diminutive wine cellar. Higa, Hana, Pen, Kyou, and Zhu all sat in a cramp chair. (Yes chair, not chairs.) As Higa maneuvered his arm to scratch his back, he accidentally grazed the full breast of Miss Hana. "You perv! What are you doing?" Higa removed his hand and laid it on Kyou's arm. "Don't touch me." He said coldly. "Well, at least I was here when Mistress came. And she said she had a guest. And I hear it's a girl." Kyou scoffed and leapt off the supposedly one seated chair, leaving the group as a jumble on the floor. Zhu huffed as they all sat back into the cramp chair. "Crap. All of you shut up. Ms. Kasshin will be arriving shortly." Pen gasped and stared up at him. "Ah, the illustrious Ms. Kasshin... erm... who is she?"

Zhu sighed exasperatedly and ruffled his brown hair out of his brown eyes. "You guys are so stupid." "Ahem!" coughed Hana, clearly pointing out that she was NOT a guy. "What Hana? I said the guys were stupid! If you want to be included as a girl, you can be stupid too if you want." Higa said angrily. "And why the hell are we sitting in one chair in the first place. I'd rather go with Kyou into the living room." "No. We are in this room because we have to stay together. We are in this chair to greet Miss Kasshin as she arrives TOGETHER." Pen ranted vehemently

"Then... shouldn't we be UPSTAIRS?" Hana asked.

That statement was like a slap in the face to Zhu. "Erm..."

They group maneuvered to get up... but couldn't. "ARGH! Kyou! Mistress Yelan! Anyone! I'm stuck in a chair of fools!" Zhu yelled. "Shut your mouth, Zhu. You were the one who said we were in this to be TOGETHER." Higa said angrily as he kicked Zhu, Hana, and Pen to the dusty floor. In retrospect, that was a BAD idea. Zhu had tripped over Pen's new satin shirt and fell into position on the floor. At least he didn't hurt himself... because he landed... by kissing Hana. "AHHH!!!" was all he said as Hana backed away, muttering things like "brute" and "creep" and the last one... "Why?" But alas, this was said in a soft voice. Why? Why... why?

"I was saving that kiss for Miss Kasshin. Hana, I don't care what that meant to you, but please forget it. I am eternally sorry." Zhu said, leading the group up the stairs.

(Flash forward: 3 Minutes later)

"It's nice to see you all. Pen... I think you got thinner." Said a sugary, yet dissonantly annoying voice. "It's nice to see you, Ms. Kasshin." Zhu said, bowing low, dropping his red, horn-rimmed glasses to the floor. "Erm... you are... Zhu, right?" He looked up and nodded. "Well then, Zhu, don't call me Miss Kasshin. It makes me sound old." He pushed his lens into the frame and nodded fervently. "Yes, Ayu." She whipped back to him and said "Higa, get my bags. Kyou, get my horses and clean their manes. Hana, come with me. We can have tea!"

"I'm not going to do any crap for you. I'm just in this to please Mistress Yelan." Kyou barked at her. "Will she be PLEASED if you don't listen to me?" she retorted?

"Fine then, Miss Kasshin."

Act 2.4: We Are One

3:54pm: Things were set.

The chairs were cleaned. The tables were polished, along with the statues of Armor. But nobody truly cared about that. Everyone was worried about how they were to enter. Kings and queens kept telling their children: "A good entrance can get you into ANY man's heart." Or "Don't embarrass me there or you can say goodbye to college in Hawaii." Or the best one: "You have a little dirt there... let me get It."

Sakura had successfully persuaded, after countless hours, Syaoran to come as her escort. It was no surprise. Deep down, he was a true pushover. Tomoyo was going to Eriol as her escort, as did most of the maids and butlers and their own escorts and dates. One case led to another and Syaoran's cousin, Meiling, and childhood friend, Mikayo, were set with two Chinese, one of which were the infamous boy on the phone, whom was delighted to bring himself to Japan just for Meiling... even if just for the night.

Sakura's flowing twilight periwinkle dress flew at all sides as Midako, who looked slightly irritated with having no date, fiddled with the material. "Put it this way. Since you have no escort, you can accept some of the people who ask you." Syaoran teased. "You shut it. I am SO not going to go with one of these perverted princes. I'd rather jump off the North Tower balcony." She said as she aimed a tumbler to his head. The thought went through her head that she HAD jumped. "Ha! It was the East Tower." She whispered, smirking slightly. Too bad she didn't say it low enough, for Sakura caught it. "Huh?" she asked, looking down at her. "Nothing important." She said, waving a dismissive hand.

"What happened?" Sakura asked, trying to change the subject. She pointed at Midako's bandaged legs, but she continued to raise her dismissive hand. "I erm... fell." Syaoran scoffed and laughed hollowly. "Klutz."

(Flash forward: About half an hour later)

A knock came at the door and Akizuki Nakuru came rushing in. "Yo, Midako. I heard that Kaho's going to the ball!" "Impossible." She said, staring up at Nakuru's pinkish face. "Well, it's true. She's going with some stiff she found in the Shinjuku district. "We have to do anything necessary to keep Touya-kun from her. He'll be crushed." Midako said sadly. "Who the heck cares? Don't tell me you feel sorry for him!" Midako simply smiled at her, saying: "Fine. I won't tell you." And she continued to dust a cobweb-infested statue of a paper crane.

"Fine then. I'll help. But if you aren't there to restrain me, I'll slap him for being a jerk." "Ha. I knew you'd cave. You always do. Just like old times." Nakuru smiled benignly and left with one last thought.

"Yeah. We've always been a team."

(Flash forward: Two hours and thirty-seven minutes later)

Sakura, Syaoran, Eriol, Tomoyo, Aria, Araia, Amia, Amaia, Sasami, Odachii, Midako, Meiling, and Mikayo all assembled in a velvet-covered room. Mikayo whistled and muttered something that sounded something like "Swanky place." Sakura sat on the floor, as did everyone else, considering there weren't enough chairs to go around. "We all know why we are here, right?" Tomoyo asked. The group nodded. "Good. We are here to protect Sakura and Syaoran from anything that comes their way. We want to fight the good fight."

"And we shall." Sasami said happily. "Ooh! A fight! I'm in!" chimed the A quadruplets. "A fight! Rock on, dude. I'm in. We're fighting in the name of love!" Midako said in a half sarcastic tone. Mikayo and Meiling smiled at each other and said harmoniously, "Not only that. It's a fight against future in-laws!" Eriol smiled wryly and nodded. Odachii raised his head and stared at the group. "I'm in. Despite my detestation of violence... it seems that it's worth it, ya'll."

Sakura's instincts came into play and placed her hand in the middle of the circle. As out of impulse, everyone slowly placed his or her hands together. "We are..." she started.

"ONE!"

End of Chapter Thirteen

Status:

Completed at 4:57pm (My time and some other time for Crys. I don't care about Californian time. I hate time zones. P) on 9/22/04 with about 5,200 words (excluding disclaimer, top notes, and end notes.). Listening to NFG's Failure's Not Flattering and is dismally sulking in the corner of my room. TTTT I'm fairly depressed

Bah! That was pretty long. Well... not really. Anyway, if you were thinking about it, yes... I DID make things more detailed than dialogue. I know some people are lazy, but I needed more detail. Also, let me just say that the Acts with the Scarlet Army were titled so stupidly, because they ARE as stupid as their titled acts! Just look at them! Well, I decided to put some excerpt ideas form things I am dealing with right now. I put in Odachii, because I was then reading One Piece by Eiichiro Oda (nicknamed Odachii). I put in the title "We Are One", because I was visiting the One Piece fanlisting called "We Are", so I was kind of hooked on OP at the time. ; I put the romance within a romance thing with the Scarlet Army (when Hana seemed to wonder about the truth to the kiss.) because I was thinking about Naruto and how there was romance within a team there too.

Yo! Sorry for making the Li sisters so evil. I mean, Yelan isn't evil in the series, but I really wanted some family conflict. I also thought of the creation of Midako's relationship with Touya, because I was reading Artemis Fowl fanfictions and started getting weird ideas and twisted them around to fit with a "maid to master" situation. (I ship Arty & Holly, okay?) I also made Nakuru less perky because I think we put WAY too much perk into the maids. Oh yes, I know I've said it billions of times, but I am serious this time. After the banquet, this will all come to an end. But... if I have any ideas for one, I'll make a sequel.

Yo, people! Give me your ideas for a sequel if you have one. Also, vote on the reviews on how you want the couples or the story to come out. Thanks for reading, peeps!

God bless ya!

Cherri & Crystal out