----- Sort of a Fairytale
----- Written by Iris (Rainbow) Dreamer
----- DISCLAIMER: Card Captor Sakura solely belongs to Clamp. However, the plot is mine and I would like to remain it that way. Arigato.
----- AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey! This is my new fic! Bear with me here as I suffer my way through my one last stab at the SATs, through college essays, countless college searching, and college applications of my senior year. Needless to say, I'll be very busy. I'll be trying my best to update this, but I'm going to have one hectic senior year!
Oh, since a reader told me that it was sometimes confusing when I change point of views, here's how I change views:
----- Means third person and the passage of time while ----- name ----- means that person's point of view. Like ----- Syaoran ----- would be in Syaoran's point of view. I hope that clears all confusion. I'll label the first few just in case.
Also, as a forewarning, this chapter contains serious cussing towards the end of the chapter due to some violence. Just as a warning to those who dislike cursing. Funny actually that I approve of cursing, but my works are full of it. Hehe. Anyhow, have fun reading this chapter, but I think my story's going to be full of angst.
Iris dreamer.
----- BACKGROUND: Okay! Some background here. Syaoran and Sakura have not met before. Hm. No magic in here either (as some of you might know, I'm horrible at describing magic.....). What else? Oh, the characters may seem a bit out of character in the beginning (especially Sakura), but you'll see why as the story proceeds. Hm. I think that's about it. The rest you'll have to discover yourself! And if you know me, I love twists and turns, although this chapter should have less than ADOHE if you've read that.
----- SPECIAL THANKS: Da Shy Girl: thank you!
HanaTenshiHimeko: Ironically, your wish for a combat does come true. How evil you and me are. Oh dear, this chapter isn't very happy towards the end. Anyhow, I hope you like it though.
Illusioner 1412: Thank you.
Sakurapetalsandtears: Hehe, I'm glad you like the part where Sakura taped her door. I hope you'll enjoy the comical relief moments in this chapter.
Hououza: Thank you. I know I've taken a huge detour from Sakura and Syaoran's character, but I'm glad you like it all the same.
Dragonstar03: Thanks.
Avelyn Lauren: I love such long reviews! Your prediction (that Ayumi is her child) is quite interesting. Who knows, maybe it will come true! Haha, tennis and badminton. I constantly argue with a friend of mine which is better, badminton or tennis. I hope you like this chapter.
Ayunli/Kharin: Thank you. Hm, making my chapters longer? Hm, I would also like to make them longer, but that would mean longer updates. Besides, most of my chapters are around 20 pages on Word.
Tk: Hehe, ah, so most of us out there are just dying to see how Sakura and Syaoran get together. It seems pretty much impossible, but just watch. With a few magical strokes of the keyboard, who knows what I can conjure?
Time Warp: Thanks; especially for pointing out that changing views are confusing. I hope it makes more sense after my brief explanation.
Red-Emerald: Thanks!
Lildragongurl28: Would it be all right if I just addressed you May next time in the special thanks list? LoL, I'm lazy and May is a much easier name to remember. Did I tell you I have a friend named May? Anyhow, hahah, "I'm lovin it," from MacDonalds. And I'm glad how much you like Syaoran in this story because so am I!
Enchantress Azure: Hey! As for who Mira is, you'll know later. Haha, I always leave you guys hanging in suspense, don't I? Hope you like this chapter.
Cherry Princess Sakura: Thanks for being an ever-there reader and reviewer! You don't know how much that means to me, so thanks!
Yami Eli: Keep reading and thanks for reviewing.
Dancer: I love it how you quote from my story, makes me feel all warm and bubbly inside. Thanks!
Daz: Hey you! Glad you're still reading this and finding it interesting!
Innocence8: Sorry for updating so slow, but it is my senior year and I have applications to finish and send out. Please be ultimately patience with me! Many thanks! Oh, and thanks for reviewing my other fics as well.
Cyan Moon: Oh yay! Another rainbow lover like me! And cool, acroiris means rainbow! Pretty cool! How do you pronounce that word? Like how it looks? And Ayumi, I guess she does seem like the little Sakura we all used to know huh? As for your request for a guy in a giant bear costume (like what Touya wears when he's working in the anime, like passing out balloons or the huge white rabbit costume with a red flower in the Second Movie), I'll be thinking about it. Hehe.
AND TO THOSE WHO I HAVE FORGOTTEN (not really, I'd never really forget you guys, I'm just a little absentminded), THANK YOU and I hope you guys like the chapter.
----- CHAPTER FIVE: Wavering Courage
----- Tomoyo -----
It had been exactly three weeks and two days since Sakura and Syaoran moved out the university campus. It's also three weeks and two days since Eriol's been living with me in the same room. I know I should be more caring about Sakura, but somehow I just can't get him out of my mind. Okay, so maybe he is hot, caring, sweet, and all that, but he's one of my best friends! How much would Eriol freak out if he knew that I had liked him since we first met in fourth grade? It would definitely chaste our friendship and that's something I can't afford. No, he's too good of a friend.
I sigh and open my eyes to look at the white ceiling. Turning on my side, I looked over to where Sakura's stuff used to be and where Eriol's possessions now where. It was a big change from Sakura's. I missed that huge white cloth of hers that she had taped to the wall next to her bed where she had written her thoughts on it that came to her mostly from her dreams and experience. Instead, Eriol had chosen to leave it plain. His bed was neatly made and his side of the room immaculately kept. Seriously, he was the most perfect man. He cooked, cleaned, washed, and did everything else that any woman would love. Added onto that, he was totally empathic and romantic.
"What in the world has gotten into you Tomoyo?" I ask myself out loud. The question echoed in the room and stayed in my head like a broken record that could only remember that single line.
Yet before I could come up with an answer, a slight knocking was heard. I swung my legs off the bed and went to the door while running my fingers I my hair to make myself more presentable.
"Hey, it's your room as well. You don't have to knock." I told Eriol with a slight smile on my face.
"I don't want to barge in on you while you're changing." He responded in a polite manner. "Besides, my hands were full with breakfast and I'm too lazy to find my key."
I laughed lightly before remembering something. "Breakfast?" I echoed.
Eriol grinned and walked past me into our room. I closed it after him and sat down next to him on his bed.
"Well, you see Tomoyo, it was like this. I was sleeping perfectly well and suddenly I had this really good dream of me eating donuts! Every flavor I could imagine and all of it was for me. Just as I was done admiring the glaze on my freshly baked donut and was about to take a bite, I fell out of my bed! Can you believe that?" Eriol said. "So, I decided to get up and drive to the nearest Dunkin Donuts. And I got there right after their first batch, so walah! I present you here with one of each flavor they had ready with hot coffee."
I could barely contain my laughter. "Did you really?"
"If I remember correctly, yes. There are muffins inside because I just couldn't help it. Those blueberry muffins and cranberry ones were just too tempting to resist."
I eyed him skeptically. Eriol was not usually like this. "Are you okay Eriol? You seem a little weird this morning."
"Not at all Tomoyo." He replied, more like to his normal self every moment. "Please, do help yourself. I'll be fine right after I've had my share of donuts and muffins."
I smiled and reached over for my own personal favorite. Our breakfast pretty much covered his whole bed and leaving just enough space for Eriol and I to lean against the wall to chat.
I can't remember a more relaxing morning ever since the whole thing happened, starting even before Sakura's hate mail. I leaned towards him, a smile stuck on my face. Eriol shifted and moved an arm casually around me while mastering to eat his lemon cream donut left-handedly.
After shaking out Eriol's blanket that covered with sugar and placing the remaining delights into zip lock bags, I went to the bathroom to change and freshen up. It was then my phone ran loudly.
"I'll get it Tomoyo." Eriol called. "You take your time." Still, I came out a few minutes later with my hair dripping wet.
"Who is it?" I mouthed.
Eriol grinned and passed me the phone despite the loud shrieking from the other end.
"Moshi moshi. This is Tomoyo speaking." I greeted politely. After all, I was the one who made the person wait.
"What? Where did Eriol go? And I was just on the brink of squeezing some information out of him!" A voice complained loudly. "Girl, choose your timing better next time will you?"
"I'll remember that next time Meiling." I replied dryly.
She laughed, her laughter ringing in my ears. "Oh well, since he's gone I might as well talk to you now. So how are you guys holding up? Sakura told me on her last call that she moved out."
"Yeah." I said saddening.
"Hey, stop dragging all the blame on yourself. Heck, I'm not even there right now so you can stop moping about Tomoyo!" Meiling said sternly. "Anyhow, I didn't call to lecture you, girl. I was just wondering how you were by yourself."
"But I,"
"Wait, let me rephrase that." Her friend cut in. "Rather, how are you doing with Eriol by yourself in one room? Girl, I never knew you to be one who acts that fast!" She chuckled with laughter.
"Meiling!" I denied horribly. I could just picture her with her evil smile. Thank god she wasn't here or else she would have teased me to death, especially with the blush that was starting to gather on my pale cheeks. "Who told you that? Sakura?"
"Who else? So, poor Saku's all alone while you have the hottie that you've had a crush on for years! That hardly seems fair for the poor girl!"
I grinned, an evil thought pooling in my mind. "Didn't our dear Saku tell you anything? She's living right next store to her own guy who's her bodyguard right now."
"No way! I knew she had one, but I never would dream that! Which reminds me, you guys never told me his name."
"I didn't?" I asked, twining the cord around my finger. "He's Syaoran Li. Some friend of Eriol's and some police in training I think."
"Uh, Meiling? Are you still there?" More than a minutes' silence had passed and I was beginning to worry. She usually would have been pumping information about him right now talking a mile by the minute. However, only suspense remained.
Finally she spoke.
"Syaoran Li?" She whispered. "He's taller than Sakura right? Brown hair and brown eyes? Does martial arts and all that? Interning at the Tokyo police department?"
"I'm not sure which department he's working at, but that sounds about right." I replied. "What, you know him Meiling?"
"Know him?" She shrieked, her voice pitched higher than normal. "Hell I know him!"
"What? How? Where?"
Meiling laughed, her booming laughter that signaled that she was back to herself. "Why didn't I see this coming? Hell, Tomoyo, Syaoran Li's my cousin!"
"What?" I repeated, wondering if I had heard wrong.
"My cousin! I can't believe this."
"Don't worry, neither can I." I replied dazedly. It was such a small world out there.
"God, I am so going to kill Syaoran later! How dare he? I mean, he does know who Sakura is from all my letters and over the phone! How could he do this to me?" Meiling had already gotten over the fact that it was a small world and had plunged in directly cursing her cousin for not telling me earlier.
"I never would have thought in a million years that the Syaoran that I know would be actually doing this," The Chinese girl continued. "Really, Tomoyo. He's really quiet by nature, does his study and that's about it. I never saw him even look at another girl, don't even mention about talking!"
"What?"
"I'm not kidding, Tomoyo. Seriously, his family expects a lot from him, so he's always immersed in his schoolwork. He's really caring when it comes to those he knows however."
"You never really mentioned about him often." I commented.
"About Syaoran?" Meiling asked. "Well, he doesn't like me talking about his life." She laughed. "He knows I blabber too much sometimes. Of course he's afraid that all my good blackmailing material I've collected all these years will actually be used."
"Oh?" I was really lost for words. Who would of thought it would be such a coincidence?
"Hm. Now that Sakura's actually living with him, perhaps I should pass along some of that material into some good use." Meiling said thoughtfully, totally ignoring the fact that I had spoken.
I laughed lightly. "Well then Tomoyo now would be a good time to call Sakura. The two of them have been biting their heads off. You don't know how much torture our Sakura has put Li into."
"That's our Saku!" Meiling crowed. Then snickered. "Wait till I get my hands on Syaoran this afternoon."
"What? You're here?"
"Oh, did I forget?" She replied. "Sorry there Tomoyo. My college's having some holiday for who knows what, but we're having a week of break. And hey, don't you guys have one around then?"
"Yeah. It's our school anniversary or something along those lines."
"So, I'll be at Sakura's new apartment around three and scare my dear cousin. What do you think? You and Eriol up to it?"
"Sure. So I'll meet you there." I replied smiling. It had been months since the last time I had seen Meiling and it was good to have her around.
"Good. I'll see you in a few hours so don't do anything kinky with Eriol."
"Meiling!" I shrieked into the phone loudly but I was meet with the dial tone. Eriol chuckled lightly and I whirled around to meet his amused face.
"So what did Meiling do now?" He asked, smiling.
I blushed, immediately recalling what she had told me. "Oh! Meiling said that she'll be here at three and will be staying for around a week."
He nodded, like he had been expecting it all along. "Sure. She'll add some noise."
I smiled in agreement. "Wait, Eriol?" He turned around. "You knew Syaoran was Meiling's cousin, didn't you?"
He fidgeted from foot to foot. "Well, yes. But that was the whole reason. You see, Syaoran knows Sakura from Meiling and he won't betray our trust. Any other guy would be taking some advantage unless they were a real one, which we don't want. Thus, I placed my bets on Syaoran." He gave me one of his gentleman smiles. "Besides, now that Meiling knows and will be visiting, she'll keep our young bodyguard under control."
I grinned despite the fact that I was angry Eriol had kept it from me. He had been considerate, really considerate, for Sakura. I knew he had gone into great depths to get Syaoran to agree to the whole thing. I looked at him from the corner of my eye and blushed again when I saw him smiling at me.
----- (Third POV)
Meiling stepped out of her red sports car and titled her sunglasses coolly at the apartment. This was where the master game was to begin. A cruel smile spread across her fair features at how much fun it would be.
"You'll never change." A voice said amusedly.
Meiling just turned around, a slight smirk on her face. "I know. I'm still the goddess of the world. What are you going to do about it?"
Sakura laughed. "And I'm glad that you still are." She replied as Meiling pulled her into a huge bear hug.
"Gods girl, I've missed you! I'm damn sorry that I couldn't face this whole ordeal with you."
"You've done more than enough Mei. Calling me at least once a day is more than I can stand sometimes!" Sakura joked.
Meiling pushed her away teasingly. "You've passed the line, girl!" She said with a grin. "But I'm glad you're still hanging on. Now, why didn't you tell me that Syaoran was living with you?"
Sakura raised her eyebrow. "What? That immature cocky brat?" She replied. "Really, Meiling. I didn't match your cousin, who sounded perfectly fine, with the guy who annoys the hell out of me."
Meiling boomed with laughter, swinging an arm around her friend. "My dear Sakura, we're going to have fun teasing my poor cousin. You don't know what I have up my sleeve for this week."
"Good. I need to add to my Li blackmail list."
----- An hour later -----
Syaoran grumbled to himself, after a tired day at the university. Not only was he paired with some high-pitched phony ditz for his biology lab, he now smelled like formaldehyde since she had accidentally crashed in it while trying to get away from the poor dead mouse.
Things just couldn't get any worse. Parking his car next to a bright red car, he wandered up the stairs and to his room.
Sakura's room was quite as usual and he decided not to bother her. Besides, he didn't have the energy to think of smart comebacks now. All he wanted was a warm shower and get into bed.
He opened the door and dropped his bag on the floor. His key fell on the wooden floor with a ringing sound.
On his bed was his childhood friend that he didn't dare mention to anyone. He had always taken special care of it and he was sure he didn't leave him in the center of the floor.
"Cuddles, what are you doing on the floor?" Syaoran mumbled to himself as he bent down to pick up his big fluffy brown bear with glassy gold-brown eyes. Sighing, he went to place it back on his bed. As he was about to leave, a freezing cold hand touched his bare ankle.
And he screamed, leaping away from the coldness only to trip and fall on the ground. Sakura came through the open door, looking serious as ever.
"Li, what the hell are you doing on the floor? And was that you screaming?" She mocked. "And I didn't know someone like you would scream like a banshee. What did you do, see a ghost?"
Syaoran glared and at her. "No. I just felt a cold hand wrap about my ankle."
Sakura rolled her eyes. "Okay, so you have some monster under your bed. Seriously, grow up, Syaoran." She walked over and pulled the covers.
There was nothing there.
"Perhaps you drank too much formaldehyde?" She replied coolly. "Go take a shower. Just yell if you see any dead women inside the shower or something."
Syaoran glared at her. Grabbing his clothes, he walked off to his bathroom.
Sakura sat in her room, counting the seconds when the next scream could be heard. True to her prediction, another howl came from the bathroom. Hiding her grin, she walked off to Syaoran's room again.
She knocked on the bathroom door. Silence filled before a familiar laughter rang throughout. Sakura smiled to herself and opened the door. There was Syaoran in a towel around his waste looking at the laughing Meiling who looked like a pretty realistic water witch in his shower.
"So, you've met Meiling." Sakura stated. "She came a while ago but you weren't back from the university yet."
"You knew this?" he demanded angrily. God damn it. If he weren't so tired, he would have caught all the small details and sensed someone there. Who else would own that bold red convertible?
"Perhaps." She replied calmly. She looked over at the grinning friend. "Hey, good job over there Meiling. I'll give you a copy when I wash it."
Meiling ran her fingers through her messy hair. "Thanks Saku. Can I use your shower and warm up? The water here was much colder than I had expected."
"Anytime." Sakura replied calmly. Meiling exited first, shivering in her wet clothing. "Oh, and Syaoran? Tomoyo and Eriol will be here soon, so hurry with your shower."
Syaoran growled and slammed the door behind her. He came out a few minutes later, feeling much better and refreshed. He spotted a letter beside his teddy bear and picked it up.
Sighing, he sat down on his bed to read the note that was written Meiling's messy scrawl.
"Syao, you're the best actor! I didn't think it would work, but Sakura convinced me otherwise when she told me you had biology today. And so I hear you're having fun with some blond ditz in lab. Anyhow, aren't you glad to see me? And if you think you can get rid of me so early, think again. I'll be here for a week. Hm. Looks like we have lots to catch up on, huh? Meiling. Oh, and I'm in Sakura's room. Why not join us?"
I sighed and placed the letter on my desk. Meiling had apparently placed my belongings where I had dropped it on the floor to my desk. I tucked Cuddles back under the covers and made my way to Sakura's room, careful of any other traps.
-----
Lunch was a happy reunion actually with Meiling filling any necessary conversation black holes. Tomoyo is the mist of everything, smiling and laughing more than she usually had; she was also blushing more often from the winks Meiling gave her under the table whenever she talked to Eriol. Sakura was definitely chatting more and giving more of her famous half smiles. Syaoran had talked the least; every time he spoke to Meiling, she talked three times more than he did. It was actually quite funny however and lunch quickly turned towards dinner.
Eriol had an evening class at the university and then had to head over the police department to file some paperwork and stop by some dinner with Yamazaki. The rest of them were, with the courtesy of Meiling, going to some pub downtown that Meiling had heard was really popular when she was driving over.
-----
The deep steady booming could be heard even before Meiling parked her car. As they headed inside the bar, the heavy bass was now intertwined with the electric guitar and a male's voice. Flashes of light bounced off their skin and the four friends looked at each other.
Meiling gave them her brightest smile. "Well, welcome to the hottest club in Tokyo! I present you Bedazzled."
"Sugoi!" Tomoyo looked around. "It seems that without you, clubbing isn't fun, Mei."
Meiling laughed. "Well, we're here, so we might as well have the best time of our lives." She grinned and began to sway to the booming music that coursed through her veins. "Coming Saku?" She called as Tomoyo was already in the mist of all the dancers.
The brunette smiled softly and shook her head. "Maybe later Mei." Sakura replied, heading towards the bar. "A drink, Li?"
Syaoran looked briefly at the mob of dancers before following Sakura. He sat down next to her at the counter. To his surprise, she had ordered a sprite and was drinking out from it with a straw that looked out of place with everyone else's beers beside hers. Her clothing however, did match and it had taken both Tomoyo and Meiling to get in her the outfit. She looked good in the tight black pants and shiny gold spaghetti. Her golden brown hair was in a messy bun instead of her usual tight ponytail. To say that she was stunning was underestimating.
Sakura caught him staring and gave him a wry smile. "Never thought I'd actually come clubbing huh?"
"Neither do I actually," Syaoran admitted. He nodded to the group of people swaying to the music.
She surprised him by laughing lightly. He liked the sound, however brief it was. "Well, then should I order you a beer or would you like to join me drinking out of sliver and green metal cans?"
Syaoran grinned. "A coke perhaps."
She gave him a half smile and slid him the red can after paying the guy behind the counter. Despite the blaring music that caused the two to speak louder than usual, the two were actually getting along quite adequately. Actually, adequately would be using the word wrong here. The two were bickering over coke or sprite and finally came to the decision of ginger ale. Just as they were heading toward the next topic, Meiling and Tomoyo head towards them with huge smiles and sweat. Tomoyo sat down to the right of Sakura and Meiling to the left to Syaoran.
"Syaoran, dance with me later," Meiling said with a grin. "This place totally rocks and people really can dance. We have to show them a thing or two."
Sakura turned to her partner who had just complained to her about clubbing with a raised eyebrow. "You dance?"
Syaoran sighed. "Occasionally when Meiling visits me or I visit her."
"I see."
"So, how about it?" His cousin asked bubbling with excitement. " And after me, you can dance with Tomoyo and Sakura."
"No thanks; I pass." Sakura voiced. "This whole place is making my head throb."
"Do you want to go out for some fresh air?" Syaoran asked her.
"Syaoran, stop making excuses not to dance!" Meiling demanded as Syaoran winced as he was found out. Sakura had her evil grin on her face again.
"Oh, don't let me stop you from dancing," Sakura said innocently. "We would all love to see you dance, right Tomoyo?"
Her friend nodded enthusiastically and Meiling dragged her favorite cousin from the dance floor. Sakura and Tomoyo headed towards the crowd to watch them dance. As a new fast song shook the dance floor, the two were in position. Meiling started to dance first, her hands over her head and she swayed to the music. Then Syaoran, matching her movements but never once touching her. The two flowed with the music, their movements perfectly in sync with each other. Others stopped to watch them dance with vibrantly. Sakura smiled to herself as she observed the light shinning on Syaoran's gelled spiked head with the dreamy glow of Meiling's long ebony hair. The two molded into the music completely. They came to an abrupt end when the music stopped and were met with a wave of great applause and cheer. Meiling had immediately accepted another guy's offer to dance and Syaoran came back to where Sakura was standing.
"So Meiling wasn't lying; you do know how to dance." Sakura said with a slight grin as they sat back down in their seats.
"You were watching?" It was more of a statement than a question.
"Perhaps." She stated, drinking from her sprite she had not yet finished. She was surprised it was still bubbly.
Tomoyo laughed. "Of course she was watching, everyone was." A familiar twinkle appeared in her amethyst colored eyes. "In fact, I would call it admiration and awe."
"Is that so?" Syaoran said with an amused grin.
Sakura glared him down. "Think what you like." She replied. "Meanwhile, while you're still processing whether its true or not, I'll be outside for some fresh air as you earlier advised."
"Then I'll take Daidouji's words." Syaoran replied. "When you're back, I'll treat you to a dance."
Sakura snorted. "I don't dance." She replied, sliding off her stool. "Watch my drink for me, will you? It's still a third full." With that, she sauntered off, making her way through the crowd to get to the door quite easily.
Syaoran sat there with Tomoyo in silence before Tomoyo spoke up. "Saku used to dance and really well." She said softly, looking at her drink in her hands. "It used to be Sakura jumping up at every chance to go dancing. Of course back then, it was just school dances."
"I'm surprised she even came with us today. Usually when Meiling suggests that we go clubbing when she visits us, it's just Meiling and I."
Syaoran just sat there, not knowing what to say. More things he didn't know about Sakura. Now he really wondered what Sakura was like before... Before everything bad started to happen. It was someone he couldn't imagine.
Tomoyo said no more so he didn't ask. Girls came to ask Syaoran to dance, but he rejected them all. Tomoyo later went back to the dance floor with Meiling. And he sat there, deep in thought. Beside him, Sakura's drink fizzled.
He found Tomoyo and told her that he was going out for a while. She nodded and the two girls returned back to their seats to watch them.
And that was when everything started when Syaoran disappeared from sight and out the door. Sakura was nowhere to be seen outside, so he decided to walk around by himself.
Sakura looked at her watch and when she noticed that she had bee gone for twenty minutes, she decided to head back to the pub. Once again, the music was pounding hard. She sighed and set her pace slower. She didn't really want to go back; it was already two in the morning and why couldn't they, like many, head home already?
A pierced scream rang through the night and the music. Sakura's eyes widened and ran for the door, yanking it open, rushing through the thinning crowd. Those who were still there were cowered to the ground in fright. The telephone behind the counter was ruined and the bartender held his bleeding hand. He must have tried to contact the police. Sakura's mind whirled as she looked for her friends.
There was Meiling, trying unsuccessfully to loosen the tight hold of some guy who had her arms behind her back. Sakura's green eyes darkened and searched for Tomoyo.
Tomoyo was crying, pressed against the counter as the cool metal of the knife was pressed against her cheek. Anger inside her flared as she stepped into the empty ground where no other dared to enter.
"Fucking bastards, gaining up on girls." Sakura spat as she got into her fighting stance. "Wimp. Cowards."
The guy who was holding Tomoyo just laughed. "Get rid of the bitch Lance."
A heavy guy cam towards her, muscles rippling through him. Sakura growled at her and attacked at him, moving swiftly. She dodged his heavy strong punches and went behind him, landing him a sharp blow at the neck, making the big man stagger to the ground. He would be out cold for a good hour.
Sakura stepped over him carefully and faced the guy who head Tomoyo with her stormy forest eyes.
"Let her go." She said in a deadly tone.
The guy smirked and threw Tomoyo roughly to another guy. "Well, I didn't suspect you would show up. After all, they refused to tell me your whereabouts. "
"Saku, be careful. They're," Meiling, shouted but only to receive a hard blow to her head and shutting her up.
Sakura slowly turned away from her friend to the head of this all. "Who are you?"
"Oh, just a friend of yours from long ago. He hired to me to come and drop by to say a warm hello to you. Aren't you touched?"
Sakura hissed venomously. "What do you want?"
"I've already told you that." He replied. "Besides, what I want I can't have yet." He smiled sinisterly, licking the sharp blade.
"Horace, Kent, Carl, Mo, Jack, you're up." Sakura studied the men who had come up. Those were everyone else left under the control of that fucking bastard. She could get rid of these men, but with five, it would take her some time. These were well-trained men, nothing compared to the guy he has sent to fight her previously. He had been mocking her then. Yet even if she could single-handedly fight all five men, she doubted if she could still have enough energy to fend off the two who were holding her friends and the leader.
Growling from her throat, Sakura slid into stance, eyeing the five men who surrounded and then decided the one to her right to begin attack. She swiftly moved, launching a powerful pick to her right as she punched and blocked the others who came. Yet she was surprised to find that her balance was off and that the guy she had kicked held her feat easily and flipped her. She landed on the ground heavily.
Sakura shook her head slightly; her view was beginning to waver before her eyes. Rolling to her left as she avoided a kick, she swiped her leg toward another guy, making him trip and she immediately hit him hard and making him fall down unconscious. Struggling she got to her feat, immediately blocking quickly, but she could feel the energy stealing away from her and her vision spinning.
Soon she had her arms tightly pinned behind her back. Sakura struggled angrily. She had managed defeated two more men who now lay in various painful positions on the ground. Only two remained. One had a slight cut, but he was fine. The other was the one who had her arms pinned. She defiantly glared at the leader who laughed.
"Don't like how the AXI-0945 feels don't you, my cherry blossom?"
She spat in his face. "Go to hell, you mother fucking cheater. Putting some damn drug in my drink because you were afraid I'd kick your ass and do some real damage to your screwed up face."
He just laughed cruelly. He held the whip, the power. No matter how she tried, he was still above her. "Such words." He said, dragging the cold metal across her cheek, making a thin line of blood flow.
"Get your fucking hands off me." She defied. Even though her vision was fading rapidly and she had a hard time standing up, she would not give in. She never would. Her only hope lay in Syaoran who was currently missing from sight. She had to stay firm and strong until then. Sakura spat in his face and kicked him hard, missing his crotch by a mere centimeter.
The guy's steel eyes darkened and his knife slid lower down and slid under a golden strap of her shirt, cutting it off easily. He leaned to her face, his breath heavy. "Bitch, you like it rough, don't you? How about I fucking take you on the counter? Give everyone here a little show? I've heard how tight and warm your cunt is. I've heard all about it." He leaned closer. "Every single detail."
"Fuck you!" Sakura screamed, butting him with her head, her green eyes flashing. "Damn you and everyone else. You wimp! You bastard!" She was hysterical, struggling hard against her capture. Her energy was quickly fading away with her anger and she knew that if the guy wanted to, she had no energy left to protect herself or her friends.
Her vision failed her. Yet before she shut her eyes, she thought she heard someone cry her name. She shut them with a small sad smile on her lips.
She had lost again.
----- Sakura -----
I was told that I had been asleep for two days. I had been told that the drug had not done any long lasting effects on my body and that it was a banned drug that made people go unconscious. The doctors were surprised that I actually lasted that long without going unconscious immediately.
I was told Syaoran had come and had prevented everything. I was told that Syaoran was never angrier in his whole life as he beat the guy, who had assaulted me, repeatedly in the stomach. I was told that he wrapped his arms around me, never letting go until the ambulance came. I was told that it was he, not Tomoyo or Meiling that had rode in the same ambulance car. I was told he stayed by my side the whole time. Perhaps he was feeling guilty.
But I don't remember any of it.
All I can remember is the guy's cold hard laughter ringing in my ears and his evil words repeatedly in my mind. All I could remember was how weak I was and that I had failed to protect my friends and even myself once again. And all I could think of was all the bad things that had happened in my life. The cruel laughter as I stood alone on stage during prom night with everyone snickering and pointing at me behind my back. The feeling of a pair of cold lips stealing my innocence, tearing my virginity away, leaving me left with emptiness and blood. Words stabbing my heart as I open each letter. My soulless shell looking back at me in the mirror. The times I tried so hard to give up my life but found that I was too weak to complete it. The images swirled inside my head and I forgot all the good in the world.
I lay in the cold foreign room, the smell of medicine and death lurking behind the walls and crawling in. I opened my arms and welcomed it all.
----- How was it? I know I'm cruel, ending it there, but I couldn't help it. I ended it much crueler than I had planed it to be, however. But in the end, I still liked this version of it better. This story is going to have much more angst. Anyhow, I tried to update it on my birthday (11/15) but I was out having fun, so I couldn't. However, I'm still dead, not even done with a half of my UC applications! Argh! I'm putting this story on hold until November 30th, or until my UC applications are due. So thanks for your immense patience with me!
Iris Dreamer.
----- Written by Iris (Rainbow) Dreamer
----- DISCLAIMER: Card Captor Sakura solely belongs to Clamp. However, the plot is mine and I would like to remain it that way. Arigato.
----- AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey! This is my new fic! Bear with me here as I suffer my way through my one last stab at the SATs, through college essays, countless college searching, and college applications of my senior year. Needless to say, I'll be very busy. I'll be trying my best to update this, but I'm going to have one hectic senior year!
Oh, since a reader told me that it was sometimes confusing when I change point of views, here's how I change views:
----- Means third person and the passage of time while ----- name ----- means that person's point of view. Like ----- Syaoran ----- would be in Syaoran's point of view. I hope that clears all confusion. I'll label the first few just in case.
Also, as a forewarning, this chapter contains serious cussing towards the end of the chapter due to some violence. Just as a warning to those who dislike cursing. Funny actually that I approve of cursing, but my works are full of it. Hehe. Anyhow, have fun reading this chapter, but I think my story's going to be full of angst.
Iris dreamer.
----- BACKGROUND: Okay! Some background here. Syaoran and Sakura have not met before. Hm. No magic in here either (as some of you might know, I'm horrible at describing magic.....). What else? Oh, the characters may seem a bit out of character in the beginning (especially Sakura), but you'll see why as the story proceeds. Hm. I think that's about it. The rest you'll have to discover yourself! And if you know me, I love twists and turns, although this chapter should have less than ADOHE if you've read that.
----- SPECIAL THANKS: Da Shy Girl: thank you!
HanaTenshiHimeko: Ironically, your wish for a combat does come true. How evil you and me are. Oh dear, this chapter isn't very happy towards the end. Anyhow, I hope you like it though.
Illusioner 1412: Thank you.
Sakurapetalsandtears: Hehe, I'm glad you like the part where Sakura taped her door. I hope you'll enjoy the comical relief moments in this chapter.
Hououza: Thank you. I know I've taken a huge detour from Sakura and Syaoran's character, but I'm glad you like it all the same.
Dragonstar03: Thanks.
Avelyn Lauren: I love such long reviews! Your prediction (that Ayumi is her child) is quite interesting. Who knows, maybe it will come true! Haha, tennis and badminton. I constantly argue with a friend of mine which is better, badminton or tennis. I hope you like this chapter.
Ayunli/Kharin: Thank you. Hm, making my chapters longer? Hm, I would also like to make them longer, but that would mean longer updates. Besides, most of my chapters are around 20 pages on Word.
Tk: Hehe, ah, so most of us out there are just dying to see how Sakura and Syaoran get together. It seems pretty much impossible, but just watch. With a few magical strokes of the keyboard, who knows what I can conjure?
Time Warp: Thanks; especially for pointing out that changing views are confusing. I hope it makes more sense after my brief explanation.
Red-Emerald: Thanks!
Lildragongurl28: Would it be all right if I just addressed you May next time in the special thanks list? LoL, I'm lazy and May is a much easier name to remember. Did I tell you I have a friend named May? Anyhow, hahah, "I'm lovin it," from MacDonalds. And I'm glad how much you like Syaoran in this story because so am I!
Enchantress Azure: Hey! As for who Mira is, you'll know later. Haha, I always leave you guys hanging in suspense, don't I? Hope you like this chapter.
Cherry Princess Sakura: Thanks for being an ever-there reader and reviewer! You don't know how much that means to me, so thanks!
Yami Eli: Keep reading and thanks for reviewing.
Dancer: I love it how you quote from my story, makes me feel all warm and bubbly inside. Thanks!
Daz: Hey you! Glad you're still reading this and finding it interesting!
Innocence8: Sorry for updating so slow, but it is my senior year and I have applications to finish and send out. Please be ultimately patience with me! Many thanks! Oh, and thanks for reviewing my other fics as well.
Cyan Moon: Oh yay! Another rainbow lover like me! And cool, acroiris means rainbow! Pretty cool! How do you pronounce that word? Like how it looks? And Ayumi, I guess she does seem like the little Sakura we all used to know huh? As for your request for a guy in a giant bear costume (like what Touya wears when he's working in the anime, like passing out balloons or the huge white rabbit costume with a red flower in the Second Movie), I'll be thinking about it. Hehe.
AND TO THOSE WHO I HAVE FORGOTTEN (not really, I'd never really forget you guys, I'm just a little absentminded), THANK YOU and I hope you guys like the chapter.
----- CHAPTER FIVE: Wavering Courage
----- Tomoyo -----
It had been exactly three weeks and two days since Sakura and Syaoran moved out the university campus. It's also three weeks and two days since Eriol's been living with me in the same room. I know I should be more caring about Sakura, but somehow I just can't get him out of my mind. Okay, so maybe he is hot, caring, sweet, and all that, but he's one of my best friends! How much would Eriol freak out if he knew that I had liked him since we first met in fourth grade? It would definitely chaste our friendship and that's something I can't afford. No, he's too good of a friend.
I sigh and open my eyes to look at the white ceiling. Turning on my side, I looked over to where Sakura's stuff used to be and where Eriol's possessions now where. It was a big change from Sakura's. I missed that huge white cloth of hers that she had taped to the wall next to her bed where she had written her thoughts on it that came to her mostly from her dreams and experience. Instead, Eriol had chosen to leave it plain. His bed was neatly made and his side of the room immaculately kept. Seriously, he was the most perfect man. He cooked, cleaned, washed, and did everything else that any woman would love. Added onto that, he was totally empathic and romantic.
"What in the world has gotten into you Tomoyo?" I ask myself out loud. The question echoed in the room and stayed in my head like a broken record that could only remember that single line.
Yet before I could come up with an answer, a slight knocking was heard. I swung my legs off the bed and went to the door while running my fingers I my hair to make myself more presentable.
"Hey, it's your room as well. You don't have to knock." I told Eriol with a slight smile on my face.
"I don't want to barge in on you while you're changing." He responded in a polite manner. "Besides, my hands were full with breakfast and I'm too lazy to find my key."
I laughed lightly before remembering something. "Breakfast?" I echoed.
Eriol grinned and walked past me into our room. I closed it after him and sat down next to him on his bed.
"Well, you see Tomoyo, it was like this. I was sleeping perfectly well and suddenly I had this really good dream of me eating donuts! Every flavor I could imagine and all of it was for me. Just as I was done admiring the glaze on my freshly baked donut and was about to take a bite, I fell out of my bed! Can you believe that?" Eriol said. "So, I decided to get up and drive to the nearest Dunkin Donuts. And I got there right after their first batch, so walah! I present you here with one of each flavor they had ready with hot coffee."
I could barely contain my laughter. "Did you really?"
"If I remember correctly, yes. There are muffins inside because I just couldn't help it. Those blueberry muffins and cranberry ones were just too tempting to resist."
I eyed him skeptically. Eriol was not usually like this. "Are you okay Eriol? You seem a little weird this morning."
"Not at all Tomoyo." He replied, more like to his normal self every moment. "Please, do help yourself. I'll be fine right after I've had my share of donuts and muffins."
I smiled and reached over for my own personal favorite. Our breakfast pretty much covered his whole bed and leaving just enough space for Eriol and I to lean against the wall to chat.
I can't remember a more relaxing morning ever since the whole thing happened, starting even before Sakura's hate mail. I leaned towards him, a smile stuck on my face. Eriol shifted and moved an arm casually around me while mastering to eat his lemon cream donut left-handedly.
After shaking out Eriol's blanket that covered with sugar and placing the remaining delights into zip lock bags, I went to the bathroom to change and freshen up. It was then my phone ran loudly.
"I'll get it Tomoyo." Eriol called. "You take your time." Still, I came out a few minutes later with my hair dripping wet.
"Who is it?" I mouthed.
Eriol grinned and passed me the phone despite the loud shrieking from the other end.
"Moshi moshi. This is Tomoyo speaking." I greeted politely. After all, I was the one who made the person wait.
"What? Where did Eriol go? And I was just on the brink of squeezing some information out of him!" A voice complained loudly. "Girl, choose your timing better next time will you?"
"I'll remember that next time Meiling." I replied dryly.
She laughed, her laughter ringing in my ears. "Oh well, since he's gone I might as well talk to you now. So how are you guys holding up? Sakura told me on her last call that she moved out."
"Yeah." I said saddening.
"Hey, stop dragging all the blame on yourself. Heck, I'm not even there right now so you can stop moping about Tomoyo!" Meiling said sternly. "Anyhow, I didn't call to lecture you, girl. I was just wondering how you were by yourself."
"But I,"
"Wait, let me rephrase that." Her friend cut in. "Rather, how are you doing with Eriol by yourself in one room? Girl, I never knew you to be one who acts that fast!" She chuckled with laughter.
"Meiling!" I denied horribly. I could just picture her with her evil smile. Thank god she wasn't here or else she would have teased me to death, especially with the blush that was starting to gather on my pale cheeks. "Who told you that? Sakura?"
"Who else? So, poor Saku's all alone while you have the hottie that you've had a crush on for years! That hardly seems fair for the poor girl!"
I grinned, an evil thought pooling in my mind. "Didn't our dear Saku tell you anything? She's living right next store to her own guy who's her bodyguard right now."
"No way! I knew she had one, but I never would dream that! Which reminds me, you guys never told me his name."
"I didn't?" I asked, twining the cord around my finger. "He's Syaoran Li. Some friend of Eriol's and some police in training I think."
"Uh, Meiling? Are you still there?" More than a minutes' silence had passed and I was beginning to worry. She usually would have been pumping information about him right now talking a mile by the minute. However, only suspense remained.
Finally she spoke.
"Syaoran Li?" She whispered. "He's taller than Sakura right? Brown hair and brown eyes? Does martial arts and all that? Interning at the Tokyo police department?"
"I'm not sure which department he's working at, but that sounds about right." I replied. "What, you know him Meiling?"
"Know him?" She shrieked, her voice pitched higher than normal. "Hell I know him!"
"What? How? Where?"
Meiling laughed, her booming laughter that signaled that she was back to herself. "Why didn't I see this coming? Hell, Tomoyo, Syaoran Li's my cousin!"
"What?" I repeated, wondering if I had heard wrong.
"My cousin! I can't believe this."
"Don't worry, neither can I." I replied dazedly. It was such a small world out there.
"God, I am so going to kill Syaoran later! How dare he? I mean, he does know who Sakura is from all my letters and over the phone! How could he do this to me?" Meiling had already gotten over the fact that it was a small world and had plunged in directly cursing her cousin for not telling me earlier.
"I never would have thought in a million years that the Syaoran that I know would be actually doing this," The Chinese girl continued. "Really, Tomoyo. He's really quiet by nature, does his study and that's about it. I never saw him even look at another girl, don't even mention about talking!"
"What?"
"I'm not kidding, Tomoyo. Seriously, his family expects a lot from him, so he's always immersed in his schoolwork. He's really caring when it comes to those he knows however."
"You never really mentioned about him often." I commented.
"About Syaoran?" Meiling asked. "Well, he doesn't like me talking about his life." She laughed. "He knows I blabber too much sometimes. Of course he's afraid that all my good blackmailing material I've collected all these years will actually be used."
"Oh?" I was really lost for words. Who would of thought it would be such a coincidence?
"Hm. Now that Sakura's actually living with him, perhaps I should pass along some of that material into some good use." Meiling said thoughtfully, totally ignoring the fact that I had spoken.
I laughed lightly. "Well then Tomoyo now would be a good time to call Sakura. The two of them have been biting their heads off. You don't know how much torture our Sakura has put Li into."
"That's our Saku!" Meiling crowed. Then snickered. "Wait till I get my hands on Syaoran this afternoon."
"What? You're here?"
"Oh, did I forget?" She replied. "Sorry there Tomoyo. My college's having some holiday for who knows what, but we're having a week of break. And hey, don't you guys have one around then?"
"Yeah. It's our school anniversary or something along those lines."
"So, I'll be at Sakura's new apartment around three and scare my dear cousin. What do you think? You and Eriol up to it?"
"Sure. So I'll meet you there." I replied smiling. It had been months since the last time I had seen Meiling and it was good to have her around.
"Good. I'll see you in a few hours so don't do anything kinky with Eriol."
"Meiling!" I shrieked into the phone loudly but I was meet with the dial tone. Eriol chuckled lightly and I whirled around to meet his amused face.
"So what did Meiling do now?" He asked, smiling.
I blushed, immediately recalling what she had told me. "Oh! Meiling said that she'll be here at three and will be staying for around a week."
He nodded, like he had been expecting it all along. "Sure. She'll add some noise."
I smiled in agreement. "Wait, Eriol?" He turned around. "You knew Syaoran was Meiling's cousin, didn't you?"
He fidgeted from foot to foot. "Well, yes. But that was the whole reason. You see, Syaoran knows Sakura from Meiling and he won't betray our trust. Any other guy would be taking some advantage unless they were a real one, which we don't want. Thus, I placed my bets on Syaoran." He gave me one of his gentleman smiles. "Besides, now that Meiling knows and will be visiting, she'll keep our young bodyguard under control."
I grinned despite the fact that I was angry Eriol had kept it from me. He had been considerate, really considerate, for Sakura. I knew he had gone into great depths to get Syaoran to agree to the whole thing. I looked at him from the corner of my eye and blushed again when I saw him smiling at me.
----- (Third POV)
Meiling stepped out of her red sports car and titled her sunglasses coolly at the apartment. This was where the master game was to begin. A cruel smile spread across her fair features at how much fun it would be.
"You'll never change." A voice said amusedly.
Meiling just turned around, a slight smirk on her face. "I know. I'm still the goddess of the world. What are you going to do about it?"
Sakura laughed. "And I'm glad that you still are." She replied as Meiling pulled her into a huge bear hug.
"Gods girl, I've missed you! I'm damn sorry that I couldn't face this whole ordeal with you."
"You've done more than enough Mei. Calling me at least once a day is more than I can stand sometimes!" Sakura joked.
Meiling pushed her away teasingly. "You've passed the line, girl!" She said with a grin. "But I'm glad you're still hanging on. Now, why didn't you tell me that Syaoran was living with you?"
Sakura raised her eyebrow. "What? That immature cocky brat?" She replied. "Really, Meiling. I didn't match your cousin, who sounded perfectly fine, with the guy who annoys the hell out of me."
Meiling boomed with laughter, swinging an arm around her friend. "My dear Sakura, we're going to have fun teasing my poor cousin. You don't know what I have up my sleeve for this week."
"Good. I need to add to my Li blackmail list."
----- An hour later -----
Syaoran grumbled to himself, after a tired day at the university. Not only was he paired with some high-pitched phony ditz for his biology lab, he now smelled like formaldehyde since she had accidentally crashed in it while trying to get away from the poor dead mouse.
Things just couldn't get any worse. Parking his car next to a bright red car, he wandered up the stairs and to his room.
Sakura's room was quite as usual and he decided not to bother her. Besides, he didn't have the energy to think of smart comebacks now. All he wanted was a warm shower and get into bed.
He opened the door and dropped his bag on the floor. His key fell on the wooden floor with a ringing sound.
On his bed was his childhood friend that he didn't dare mention to anyone. He had always taken special care of it and he was sure he didn't leave him in the center of the floor.
"Cuddles, what are you doing on the floor?" Syaoran mumbled to himself as he bent down to pick up his big fluffy brown bear with glassy gold-brown eyes. Sighing, he went to place it back on his bed. As he was about to leave, a freezing cold hand touched his bare ankle.
And he screamed, leaping away from the coldness only to trip and fall on the ground. Sakura came through the open door, looking serious as ever.
"Li, what the hell are you doing on the floor? And was that you screaming?" She mocked. "And I didn't know someone like you would scream like a banshee. What did you do, see a ghost?"
Syaoran glared and at her. "No. I just felt a cold hand wrap about my ankle."
Sakura rolled her eyes. "Okay, so you have some monster under your bed. Seriously, grow up, Syaoran." She walked over and pulled the covers.
There was nothing there.
"Perhaps you drank too much formaldehyde?" She replied coolly. "Go take a shower. Just yell if you see any dead women inside the shower or something."
Syaoran glared at her. Grabbing his clothes, he walked off to his bathroom.
Sakura sat in her room, counting the seconds when the next scream could be heard. True to her prediction, another howl came from the bathroom. Hiding her grin, she walked off to Syaoran's room again.
She knocked on the bathroom door. Silence filled before a familiar laughter rang throughout. Sakura smiled to herself and opened the door. There was Syaoran in a towel around his waste looking at the laughing Meiling who looked like a pretty realistic water witch in his shower.
"So, you've met Meiling." Sakura stated. "She came a while ago but you weren't back from the university yet."
"You knew this?" he demanded angrily. God damn it. If he weren't so tired, he would have caught all the small details and sensed someone there. Who else would own that bold red convertible?
"Perhaps." She replied calmly. She looked over at the grinning friend. "Hey, good job over there Meiling. I'll give you a copy when I wash it."
Meiling ran her fingers through her messy hair. "Thanks Saku. Can I use your shower and warm up? The water here was much colder than I had expected."
"Anytime." Sakura replied calmly. Meiling exited first, shivering in her wet clothing. "Oh, and Syaoran? Tomoyo and Eriol will be here soon, so hurry with your shower."
Syaoran growled and slammed the door behind her. He came out a few minutes later, feeling much better and refreshed. He spotted a letter beside his teddy bear and picked it up.
Sighing, he sat down on his bed to read the note that was written Meiling's messy scrawl.
"Syao, you're the best actor! I didn't think it would work, but Sakura convinced me otherwise when she told me you had biology today. And so I hear you're having fun with some blond ditz in lab. Anyhow, aren't you glad to see me? And if you think you can get rid of me so early, think again. I'll be here for a week. Hm. Looks like we have lots to catch up on, huh? Meiling. Oh, and I'm in Sakura's room. Why not join us?"
I sighed and placed the letter on my desk. Meiling had apparently placed my belongings where I had dropped it on the floor to my desk. I tucked Cuddles back under the covers and made my way to Sakura's room, careful of any other traps.
-----
Lunch was a happy reunion actually with Meiling filling any necessary conversation black holes. Tomoyo is the mist of everything, smiling and laughing more than she usually had; she was also blushing more often from the winks Meiling gave her under the table whenever she talked to Eriol. Sakura was definitely chatting more and giving more of her famous half smiles. Syaoran had talked the least; every time he spoke to Meiling, she talked three times more than he did. It was actually quite funny however and lunch quickly turned towards dinner.
Eriol had an evening class at the university and then had to head over the police department to file some paperwork and stop by some dinner with Yamazaki. The rest of them were, with the courtesy of Meiling, going to some pub downtown that Meiling had heard was really popular when she was driving over.
-----
The deep steady booming could be heard even before Meiling parked her car. As they headed inside the bar, the heavy bass was now intertwined with the electric guitar and a male's voice. Flashes of light bounced off their skin and the four friends looked at each other.
Meiling gave them her brightest smile. "Well, welcome to the hottest club in Tokyo! I present you Bedazzled."
"Sugoi!" Tomoyo looked around. "It seems that without you, clubbing isn't fun, Mei."
Meiling laughed. "Well, we're here, so we might as well have the best time of our lives." She grinned and began to sway to the booming music that coursed through her veins. "Coming Saku?" She called as Tomoyo was already in the mist of all the dancers.
The brunette smiled softly and shook her head. "Maybe later Mei." Sakura replied, heading towards the bar. "A drink, Li?"
Syaoran looked briefly at the mob of dancers before following Sakura. He sat down next to her at the counter. To his surprise, she had ordered a sprite and was drinking out from it with a straw that looked out of place with everyone else's beers beside hers. Her clothing however, did match and it had taken both Tomoyo and Meiling to get in her the outfit. She looked good in the tight black pants and shiny gold spaghetti. Her golden brown hair was in a messy bun instead of her usual tight ponytail. To say that she was stunning was underestimating.
Sakura caught him staring and gave him a wry smile. "Never thought I'd actually come clubbing huh?"
"Neither do I actually," Syaoran admitted. He nodded to the group of people swaying to the music.
She surprised him by laughing lightly. He liked the sound, however brief it was. "Well, then should I order you a beer or would you like to join me drinking out of sliver and green metal cans?"
Syaoran grinned. "A coke perhaps."
She gave him a half smile and slid him the red can after paying the guy behind the counter. Despite the blaring music that caused the two to speak louder than usual, the two were actually getting along quite adequately. Actually, adequately would be using the word wrong here. The two were bickering over coke or sprite and finally came to the decision of ginger ale. Just as they were heading toward the next topic, Meiling and Tomoyo head towards them with huge smiles and sweat. Tomoyo sat down to the right of Sakura and Meiling to the left to Syaoran.
"Syaoran, dance with me later," Meiling said with a grin. "This place totally rocks and people really can dance. We have to show them a thing or two."
Sakura turned to her partner who had just complained to her about clubbing with a raised eyebrow. "You dance?"
Syaoran sighed. "Occasionally when Meiling visits me or I visit her."
"I see."
"So, how about it?" His cousin asked bubbling with excitement. " And after me, you can dance with Tomoyo and Sakura."
"No thanks; I pass." Sakura voiced. "This whole place is making my head throb."
"Do you want to go out for some fresh air?" Syaoran asked her.
"Syaoran, stop making excuses not to dance!" Meiling demanded as Syaoran winced as he was found out. Sakura had her evil grin on her face again.
"Oh, don't let me stop you from dancing," Sakura said innocently. "We would all love to see you dance, right Tomoyo?"
Her friend nodded enthusiastically and Meiling dragged her favorite cousin from the dance floor. Sakura and Tomoyo headed towards the crowd to watch them dance. As a new fast song shook the dance floor, the two were in position. Meiling started to dance first, her hands over her head and she swayed to the music. Then Syaoran, matching her movements but never once touching her. The two flowed with the music, their movements perfectly in sync with each other. Others stopped to watch them dance with vibrantly. Sakura smiled to herself as she observed the light shinning on Syaoran's gelled spiked head with the dreamy glow of Meiling's long ebony hair. The two molded into the music completely. They came to an abrupt end when the music stopped and were met with a wave of great applause and cheer. Meiling had immediately accepted another guy's offer to dance and Syaoran came back to where Sakura was standing.
"So Meiling wasn't lying; you do know how to dance." Sakura said with a slight grin as they sat back down in their seats.
"You were watching?" It was more of a statement than a question.
"Perhaps." She stated, drinking from her sprite she had not yet finished. She was surprised it was still bubbly.
Tomoyo laughed. "Of course she was watching, everyone was." A familiar twinkle appeared in her amethyst colored eyes. "In fact, I would call it admiration and awe."
"Is that so?" Syaoran said with an amused grin.
Sakura glared him down. "Think what you like." She replied. "Meanwhile, while you're still processing whether its true or not, I'll be outside for some fresh air as you earlier advised."
"Then I'll take Daidouji's words." Syaoran replied. "When you're back, I'll treat you to a dance."
Sakura snorted. "I don't dance." She replied, sliding off her stool. "Watch my drink for me, will you? It's still a third full." With that, she sauntered off, making her way through the crowd to get to the door quite easily.
Syaoran sat there with Tomoyo in silence before Tomoyo spoke up. "Saku used to dance and really well." She said softly, looking at her drink in her hands. "It used to be Sakura jumping up at every chance to go dancing. Of course back then, it was just school dances."
"I'm surprised she even came with us today. Usually when Meiling suggests that we go clubbing when she visits us, it's just Meiling and I."
Syaoran just sat there, not knowing what to say. More things he didn't know about Sakura. Now he really wondered what Sakura was like before... Before everything bad started to happen. It was someone he couldn't imagine.
Tomoyo said no more so he didn't ask. Girls came to ask Syaoran to dance, but he rejected them all. Tomoyo later went back to the dance floor with Meiling. And he sat there, deep in thought. Beside him, Sakura's drink fizzled.
He found Tomoyo and told her that he was going out for a while. She nodded and the two girls returned back to their seats to watch them.
And that was when everything started when Syaoran disappeared from sight and out the door. Sakura was nowhere to be seen outside, so he decided to walk around by himself.
Sakura looked at her watch and when she noticed that she had bee gone for twenty minutes, she decided to head back to the pub. Once again, the music was pounding hard. She sighed and set her pace slower. She didn't really want to go back; it was already two in the morning and why couldn't they, like many, head home already?
A pierced scream rang through the night and the music. Sakura's eyes widened and ran for the door, yanking it open, rushing through the thinning crowd. Those who were still there were cowered to the ground in fright. The telephone behind the counter was ruined and the bartender held his bleeding hand. He must have tried to contact the police. Sakura's mind whirled as she looked for her friends.
There was Meiling, trying unsuccessfully to loosen the tight hold of some guy who had her arms behind her back. Sakura's green eyes darkened and searched for Tomoyo.
Tomoyo was crying, pressed against the counter as the cool metal of the knife was pressed against her cheek. Anger inside her flared as she stepped into the empty ground where no other dared to enter.
"Fucking bastards, gaining up on girls." Sakura spat as she got into her fighting stance. "Wimp. Cowards."
The guy who was holding Tomoyo just laughed. "Get rid of the bitch Lance."
A heavy guy cam towards her, muscles rippling through him. Sakura growled at her and attacked at him, moving swiftly. She dodged his heavy strong punches and went behind him, landing him a sharp blow at the neck, making the big man stagger to the ground. He would be out cold for a good hour.
Sakura stepped over him carefully and faced the guy who head Tomoyo with her stormy forest eyes.
"Let her go." She said in a deadly tone.
The guy smirked and threw Tomoyo roughly to another guy. "Well, I didn't suspect you would show up. After all, they refused to tell me your whereabouts. "
"Saku, be careful. They're," Meiling, shouted but only to receive a hard blow to her head and shutting her up.
Sakura slowly turned away from her friend to the head of this all. "Who are you?"
"Oh, just a friend of yours from long ago. He hired to me to come and drop by to say a warm hello to you. Aren't you touched?"
Sakura hissed venomously. "What do you want?"
"I've already told you that." He replied. "Besides, what I want I can't have yet." He smiled sinisterly, licking the sharp blade.
"Horace, Kent, Carl, Mo, Jack, you're up." Sakura studied the men who had come up. Those were everyone else left under the control of that fucking bastard. She could get rid of these men, but with five, it would take her some time. These were well-trained men, nothing compared to the guy he has sent to fight her previously. He had been mocking her then. Yet even if she could single-handedly fight all five men, she doubted if she could still have enough energy to fend off the two who were holding her friends and the leader.
Growling from her throat, Sakura slid into stance, eyeing the five men who surrounded and then decided the one to her right to begin attack. She swiftly moved, launching a powerful pick to her right as she punched and blocked the others who came. Yet she was surprised to find that her balance was off and that the guy she had kicked held her feat easily and flipped her. She landed on the ground heavily.
Sakura shook her head slightly; her view was beginning to waver before her eyes. Rolling to her left as she avoided a kick, she swiped her leg toward another guy, making him trip and she immediately hit him hard and making him fall down unconscious. Struggling she got to her feat, immediately blocking quickly, but she could feel the energy stealing away from her and her vision spinning.
Soon she had her arms tightly pinned behind her back. Sakura struggled angrily. She had managed defeated two more men who now lay in various painful positions on the ground. Only two remained. One had a slight cut, but he was fine. The other was the one who had her arms pinned. She defiantly glared at the leader who laughed.
"Don't like how the AXI-0945 feels don't you, my cherry blossom?"
She spat in his face. "Go to hell, you mother fucking cheater. Putting some damn drug in my drink because you were afraid I'd kick your ass and do some real damage to your screwed up face."
He just laughed cruelly. He held the whip, the power. No matter how she tried, he was still above her. "Such words." He said, dragging the cold metal across her cheek, making a thin line of blood flow.
"Get your fucking hands off me." She defied. Even though her vision was fading rapidly and she had a hard time standing up, she would not give in. She never would. Her only hope lay in Syaoran who was currently missing from sight. She had to stay firm and strong until then. Sakura spat in his face and kicked him hard, missing his crotch by a mere centimeter.
The guy's steel eyes darkened and his knife slid lower down and slid under a golden strap of her shirt, cutting it off easily. He leaned to her face, his breath heavy. "Bitch, you like it rough, don't you? How about I fucking take you on the counter? Give everyone here a little show? I've heard how tight and warm your cunt is. I've heard all about it." He leaned closer. "Every single detail."
"Fuck you!" Sakura screamed, butting him with her head, her green eyes flashing. "Damn you and everyone else. You wimp! You bastard!" She was hysterical, struggling hard against her capture. Her energy was quickly fading away with her anger and she knew that if the guy wanted to, she had no energy left to protect herself or her friends.
Her vision failed her. Yet before she shut her eyes, she thought she heard someone cry her name. She shut them with a small sad smile on her lips.
She had lost again.
----- Sakura -----
I was told that I had been asleep for two days. I had been told that the drug had not done any long lasting effects on my body and that it was a banned drug that made people go unconscious. The doctors were surprised that I actually lasted that long without going unconscious immediately.
I was told Syaoran had come and had prevented everything. I was told that Syaoran was never angrier in his whole life as he beat the guy, who had assaulted me, repeatedly in the stomach. I was told that he wrapped his arms around me, never letting go until the ambulance came. I was told that it was he, not Tomoyo or Meiling that had rode in the same ambulance car. I was told he stayed by my side the whole time. Perhaps he was feeling guilty.
But I don't remember any of it.
All I can remember is the guy's cold hard laughter ringing in my ears and his evil words repeatedly in my mind. All I could remember was how weak I was and that I had failed to protect my friends and even myself once again. And all I could think of was all the bad things that had happened in my life. The cruel laughter as I stood alone on stage during prom night with everyone snickering and pointing at me behind my back. The feeling of a pair of cold lips stealing my innocence, tearing my virginity away, leaving me left with emptiness and blood. Words stabbing my heart as I open each letter. My soulless shell looking back at me in the mirror. The times I tried so hard to give up my life but found that I was too weak to complete it. The images swirled inside my head and I forgot all the good in the world.
I lay in the cold foreign room, the smell of medicine and death lurking behind the walls and crawling in. I opened my arms and welcomed it all.
----- How was it? I know I'm cruel, ending it there, but I couldn't help it. I ended it much crueler than I had planed it to be, however. But in the end, I still liked this version of it better. This story is going to have much more angst. Anyhow, I tried to update it on my birthday (11/15) but I was out having fun, so I couldn't. However, I'm still dead, not even done with a half of my UC applications! Argh! I'm putting this story on hold until November 30th, or until my UC applications are due. So thanks for your immense patience with me!
Iris Dreamer.