Kero: How many times have you listened to 'Princes of the Universe' today?
Me: Not enough I say. Y'know. . .It's given me an idea for another fic. . .
Kero: Hoo boy. . .
Me: Let's get on with this one first shall we?
Kero: And you don't own the characters right?
Me: Exactly, save for the ones I created. Oh, and I've been getting Li's name wrong throughout this fic. I apologise.
Kero: We get any reviews?
Me: Yes. And to answer one question that was asked, we are yet to know why Li's clan became dishonoured (which will prove crucial later)
Kero: Hey! You have some advanced planning for once!
Me: Also, in school people have a habit of being mean for no particular reason. I speak from experience.
Kero: Really?
Me: Yeah. Not much anymore, and not as bad as what happens here, but why do you think Li wears what I wear to school?
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Chapter 4 – At home.
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Sakura was dumbstruck when as she entered the house. She was feeling really guilty now, Li had known that her home was no where near hers and still walked her here. She felt worse that when she found out, she hadn't invited him in, said he could wait 'till her brother got back and he could give him a lift in his car. She slumped her head down and was met with the smell of oak.
"DAMN! I didn't even give him back his fleece!" She yelled, kicking the couch, causing Kero to launch from it. "Now he'll probably think I'm some mega heartless bitch or something. . ."
Slumping down on the couch, Sakura started to sulk a bit.
"How could I be such a pain to such a nice guy. He's probably freezing cold and cursing my name right now. . ."
Sakura was half right. Li was freezing; it wasn't until he was about half an hour away from Sakura's house that he realised that he had forgotten to get his fleece back from her. 'Y'know. . .She probably kept it to keep you cold.' Li ignored the voice. His senses were still charged with the feel of her touch and the scent of cherry blossom. It took him an hour to reach the school and another half hour to get back to his apartment. As he entered through the door, his black cat Wei came up to greet him. The old cat rubbed against Li's legs as he was putting his bag away. Li picked the old cat up, scratching behind his ears. He took him through to the kitchen and filled his bowl then made himself some soup. The annoying voice in his head seemed to give in and shut up. After he had washed up, he went up to his room. He turned on the computer and read the latest e-mail form Mei Lin, not much today. He began to write his reply. . .
Dear Mei Lin.
I am glad to here your well. And once again I answer no. I have not found myself a girlfriend yet. But I want your advice Mei Lin. I met this new girl today. I won't tell you her name (because I know what your like) but I haven't been able to get her out of my head. Her emerald eyes and Cherry Blossom scent haunt my mind. I've only met her this morning and yet I feel closer to her than anyone in the whole f***ing school. She talks to me like I'm her equal. . .Like I'm not worth nothing. . .God I feel so screwed up right now. I walked her home today (she had missed her bus and didn't know the way home) it was a really stupid thing to do because it was in the opposite direction of my place, and I even lent her my fleece, and I forgot to get it back. Tell me Mei Lin. . .How do I get her out of my head?
Li
Li sent the e-mail and then went to his desk, pulling out a fresh, sharp pencil and a clean sheet of paper. Normally a vast array of fantastic ideas flooded his mind. You only had to look at his room to see that. Each of the walls was covered in his art work. Dragons and chimeras, knights and maidens. There was a large portrait he had done of his sister as well. Yet now, as he sat before his sheet of paper, only one image entered his mind. It invaded every crevice, in thousands of poses and designs. He could not get the emerald eyes from his mind. No matter how hard he tried. 'She is above me, like everything else. I shouldn't be allowed to think of her. . .Why? Why does she invade my mind. . .I can't get her out of my head!' Li turned to look at the photograph on his bedside table. It showed a young girl with ebony hair in two long pony tails smiling with her arms wrapped around the tall dark haired man next to her. The girl was Mei Lin and the guy was her boyfriend Colin. Both were in China.
"What would you be saying to me right now Mei Lin? Guess I'll find out when you reply to my e-mail."
He turned his attention back to the sheet of paper before him. He re- started his efforts to expel the image of Sakura from his mind, putting the pencil down on his desk he lay back on his bed, trying to force the girl from his mind. He could see her in her uniform, in a dress, in sports clothes, in armour in many things, in nothing at all. Why wouldn't she leave his thoughts alone. Eventually he submitted. Letting the images wash over his mind, lulling him into a peaceful sleep, the images in his mind became dreams and for the first time in all too long, Li smiled as he slept.
"HEY SQUIRT! ! ! I'M BACK! ! !"
Sakura hopped down the stairs and hugged her older brother, then ruffled his neatly set hair as punishment for calling her squirt. Sakura had changed into a light pink tank top and dark green shorts. She had wrapped Li's fleece around her waist. She didn't know why, but she wanted to keep it near her. Tori began to pick up on the alien scent, then noticing the alien garment.
"Hey. What's this?" He asked, holding up one of the fleece's sleeves.
Sakura's face began to turn red.
"Tell me squirt." Tori's tone grew serious and his eyes began to bore into her head.
"Ummm. . . I borrowed it and forgot to give it back." Sakura knew how overly protective her brother could be, and felt that mentioning Li would be a bad idea.
"From who?" Tori fixed Sakura with a hard and incredibly piercing stare.
'God. . .How does he do that look? One of those stares and you'd be willing to confess to being on the grassy knoll. . .'
"He's just a friend, I guess. . .Okay?"
"He?"
Sakura cursed in her mind. She had really blown it now. She knew that Tori would bombard her with questions and lectures now.
"What's his name?"
"Li. And that's all you're gonna get from me."
"And why did he give you his fleece?"
"Because I was cold when we were walking here."
"And why were you walking?"
Sakura knew this would go on for a long time now. She eventually escaped her brother and went up to her room, flopping down on her bed. She pulled the fleece from around her waist and then lay her head on it, absorbing the soft oak scent. It seemed her brother had already decided that he didn't like Li. She could almost hate him for it. Li seemed to get it hard enough without someone who hadn't even met him not liking him. She shifted into the foetal position, holding the navy blue fleece to her chest and gazed out of her window.
Julie limply hung her black trench coat on the coat rack and slumped into the apartment. It was now 10 o'clock and Julie was exhausted. She didn't know how she was able to keep up with these hours, but she, nay, they needed the money. Dumping her handbag on the couch she wandered into the kitchen where she was greeted by a warm hug from her younger brother.
"Welcome home sis. I've got your dinner ready." Li smiled breaking the embrace.
Julie ruffled her younger sibling's hair. Her brother was her world now. Since their parents had died she had been running herself ragged to get enough money to keep them afloat. She knew her brother wanted to help, but she insisted that he focus on his school work. A large smile grew on her face as she detected the aroma of well made spaghetti bolognaise.
"Ah Syaoran. You must be the best chef in the world."
Li shrugged, blushing a little. His sister was the only one who called him by his first name, and he liked to keep it like that. They sat down and talked for about half an hour, Wei would wander by now and again. The old cat was a drain on their money, but both loved Li and Julie loved him to much to get rid of him. Eventually Julie glanced at the wall clock and noticed the time.
"Okay Syaoran. You best get to bed. You still have school tomorrow."
"But. . ." Li began to protest.
"No buts. A wolf you may be, but you are still a little one."
Li bowed, admitting his defeat.
"Night sis."
"Night Syaoran."
As Li crawled into bed, he glanced at the picture he had finished before Julie had arrived home. The picture was of a young girl, wearing a white sun dress. The colour on the scenery was blurred, making the figure in the centre stand out more. The emerald eyes of the girl shone amongst the running colours of the filed, and her auburn hair reflected the sun's light. Li smiled and reached a hand out to stroke the picture once.
"Maybe. . .I can hold on to her for a little longer. . ."
"SAKURA! LIGHTS OUT!"
Sighing, Sakura obeyed the call from her father down stairs. She lay her book down on her bedside table and proceeded to flick the switch on the lamp to off. She pulled Li's fleece close to her chest and inhaled deeply and began to drift off into a deep sleep.
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Me: I am immortal! I have inside me blood of kings!
Kero: Stop singing 'Princes of the Universe' (which is by Queen not Keyo)
Me: Fine.
Kero: Stay tuned for the 5th instalment of 'Bottom Rung'
Me: Same fanfic time, same fanfic channel.
Me: Not enough I say. Y'know. . .It's given me an idea for another fic. . .
Kero: Hoo boy. . .
Me: Let's get on with this one first shall we?
Kero: And you don't own the characters right?
Me: Exactly, save for the ones I created. Oh, and I've been getting Li's name wrong throughout this fic. I apologise.
Kero: We get any reviews?
Me: Yes. And to answer one question that was asked, we are yet to know why Li's clan became dishonoured (which will prove crucial later)
Kero: Hey! You have some advanced planning for once!
Me: Also, in school people have a habit of being mean for no particular reason. I speak from experience.
Kero: Really?
Me: Yeah. Not much anymore, and not as bad as what happens here, but why do you think Li wears what I wear to school?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------
Chapter 4 – At home.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------
Sakura was dumbstruck when as she entered the house. She was feeling really guilty now, Li had known that her home was no where near hers and still walked her here. She felt worse that when she found out, she hadn't invited him in, said he could wait 'till her brother got back and he could give him a lift in his car. She slumped her head down and was met with the smell of oak.
"DAMN! I didn't even give him back his fleece!" She yelled, kicking the couch, causing Kero to launch from it. "Now he'll probably think I'm some mega heartless bitch or something. . ."
Slumping down on the couch, Sakura started to sulk a bit.
"How could I be such a pain to such a nice guy. He's probably freezing cold and cursing my name right now. . ."
Sakura was half right. Li was freezing; it wasn't until he was about half an hour away from Sakura's house that he realised that he had forgotten to get his fleece back from her. 'Y'know. . .She probably kept it to keep you cold.' Li ignored the voice. His senses were still charged with the feel of her touch and the scent of cherry blossom. It took him an hour to reach the school and another half hour to get back to his apartment. As he entered through the door, his black cat Wei came up to greet him. The old cat rubbed against Li's legs as he was putting his bag away. Li picked the old cat up, scratching behind his ears. He took him through to the kitchen and filled his bowl then made himself some soup. The annoying voice in his head seemed to give in and shut up. After he had washed up, he went up to his room. He turned on the computer and read the latest e-mail form Mei Lin, not much today. He began to write his reply. . .
Dear Mei Lin.
I am glad to here your well. And once again I answer no. I have not found myself a girlfriend yet. But I want your advice Mei Lin. I met this new girl today. I won't tell you her name (because I know what your like) but I haven't been able to get her out of my head. Her emerald eyes and Cherry Blossom scent haunt my mind. I've only met her this morning and yet I feel closer to her than anyone in the whole f***ing school. She talks to me like I'm her equal. . .Like I'm not worth nothing. . .God I feel so screwed up right now. I walked her home today (she had missed her bus and didn't know the way home) it was a really stupid thing to do because it was in the opposite direction of my place, and I even lent her my fleece, and I forgot to get it back. Tell me Mei Lin. . .How do I get her out of my head?
Li
Li sent the e-mail and then went to his desk, pulling out a fresh, sharp pencil and a clean sheet of paper. Normally a vast array of fantastic ideas flooded his mind. You only had to look at his room to see that. Each of the walls was covered in his art work. Dragons and chimeras, knights and maidens. There was a large portrait he had done of his sister as well. Yet now, as he sat before his sheet of paper, only one image entered his mind. It invaded every crevice, in thousands of poses and designs. He could not get the emerald eyes from his mind. No matter how hard he tried. 'She is above me, like everything else. I shouldn't be allowed to think of her. . .Why? Why does she invade my mind. . .I can't get her out of my head!' Li turned to look at the photograph on his bedside table. It showed a young girl with ebony hair in two long pony tails smiling with her arms wrapped around the tall dark haired man next to her. The girl was Mei Lin and the guy was her boyfriend Colin. Both were in China.
"What would you be saying to me right now Mei Lin? Guess I'll find out when you reply to my e-mail."
He turned his attention back to the sheet of paper before him. He re- started his efforts to expel the image of Sakura from his mind, putting the pencil down on his desk he lay back on his bed, trying to force the girl from his mind. He could see her in her uniform, in a dress, in sports clothes, in armour in many things, in nothing at all. Why wouldn't she leave his thoughts alone. Eventually he submitted. Letting the images wash over his mind, lulling him into a peaceful sleep, the images in his mind became dreams and for the first time in all too long, Li smiled as he slept.
"HEY SQUIRT! ! ! I'M BACK! ! !"
Sakura hopped down the stairs and hugged her older brother, then ruffled his neatly set hair as punishment for calling her squirt. Sakura had changed into a light pink tank top and dark green shorts. She had wrapped Li's fleece around her waist. She didn't know why, but she wanted to keep it near her. Tori began to pick up on the alien scent, then noticing the alien garment.
"Hey. What's this?" He asked, holding up one of the fleece's sleeves.
Sakura's face began to turn red.
"Tell me squirt." Tori's tone grew serious and his eyes began to bore into her head.
"Ummm. . . I borrowed it and forgot to give it back." Sakura knew how overly protective her brother could be, and felt that mentioning Li would be a bad idea.
"From who?" Tori fixed Sakura with a hard and incredibly piercing stare.
'God. . .How does he do that look? One of those stares and you'd be willing to confess to being on the grassy knoll. . .'
"He's just a friend, I guess. . .Okay?"
"He?"
Sakura cursed in her mind. She had really blown it now. She knew that Tori would bombard her with questions and lectures now.
"What's his name?"
"Li. And that's all you're gonna get from me."
"And why did he give you his fleece?"
"Because I was cold when we were walking here."
"And why were you walking?"
Sakura knew this would go on for a long time now. She eventually escaped her brother and went up to her room, flopping down on her bed. She pulled the fleece from around her waist and then lay her head on it, absorbing the soft oak scent. It seemed her brother had already decided that he didn't like Li. She could almost hate him for it. Li seemed to get it hard enough without someone who hadn't even met him not liking him. She shifted into the foetal position, holding the navy blue fleece to her chest and gazed out of her window.
Julie limply hung her black trench coat on the coat rack and slumped into the apartment. It was now 10 o'clock and Julie was exhausted. She didn't know how she was able to keep up with these hours, but she, nay, they needed the money. Dumping her handbag on the couch she wandered into the kitchen where she was greeted by a warm hug from her younger brother.
"Welcome home sis. I've got your dinner ready." Li smiled breaking the embrace.
Julie ruffled her younger sibling's hair. Her brother was her world now. Since their parents had died she had been running herself ragged to get enough money to keep them afloat. She knew her brother wanted to help, but she insisted that he focus on his school work. A large smile grew on her face as she detected the aroma of well made spaghetti bolognaise.
"Ah Syaoran. You must be the best chef in the world."
Li shrugged, blushing a little. His sister was the only one who called him by his first name, and he liked to keep it like that. They sat down and talked for about half an hour, Wei would wander by now and again. The old cat was a drain on their money, but both loved Li and Julie loved him to much to get rid of him. Eventually Julie glanced at the wall clock and noticed the time.
"Okay Syaoran. You best get to bed. You still have school tomorrow."
"But. . ." Li began to protest.
"No buts. A wolf you may be, but you are still a little one."
Li bowed, admitting his defeat.
"Night sis."
"Night Syaoran."
As Li crawled into bed, he glanced at the picture he had finished before Julie had arrived home. The picture was of a young girl, wearing a white sun dress. The colour on the scenery was blurred, making the figure in the centre stand out more. The emerald eyes of the girl shone amongst the running colours of the filed, and her auburn hair reflected the sun's light. Li smiled and reached a hand out to stroke the picture once.
"Maybe. . .I can hold on to her for a little longer. . ."
"SAKURA! LIGHTS OUT!"
Sighing, Sakura obeyed the call from her father down stairs. She lay her book down on her bedside table and proceeded to flick the switch on the lamp to off. She pulled Li's fleece close to her chest and inhaled deeply and began to drift off into a deep sleep.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------
Me: I am immortal! I have inside me blood of kings!
Kero: Stop singing 'Princes of the Universe' (which is by Queen not Keyo)
Me: Fine.
Kero: Stay tuned for the 5th instalment of 'Bottom Rung'
Me: Same fanfic time, same fanfic channel.