Disclaimer: the only things I own is the storyline and any characters of my invention.
Syaoran's AngelsChapter 18: Angel of Death
Sakura inwardly seethed as she clutched the steering wheel tightly her knuckles turning white as she dug her nails into the soft plastic. Inside a white-hot fury burned in her heart and mind.
How dare she! Sakura raged inwardly How dare she say that!"
She had driven to Tomoyo's house hoping that her friends will help her take down Lara. Never in a million year would she had suspected they would've turned on her...
'Be careful Sakura,' Meiling had warned, 'Next thing you know you may end up like Lara.'
And Tomoyo...
'Sakura,' Tomoyo sighed cutting her off, 'If you don't trust us then I think you have some issues. Until you sort them out, I don't want to talk to you.'
Sakura sighed and let her anger go knowing that she had to keep a cool and level head if she wanted to fight Lara. But then again, she really couldn't blame them.
She had kept the key secret but... how was she supposed to have told them?
"Guess what guys? I stole this key from Ryan Trong that has freaky powers like making people fly with my mind and healing fatal bullet wounds!"
Oh yeah that would've gone down well.
So they were angry because she didn't tell them about something as important as the key and thought she didn't trust them but on the other hand she didn't tell them because she didn't know how to.
Sakura sighed.
"What a mess," she groaned.
Making a mental promise to herself, Sakura decided that as soon as Lara was dealt with she'll talk to her friends.
With that she sped up determined to meet her mother's murderer face-to-face all the time not knowing that she was walking straight into a trap.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
"Damn," Meiling murmured softly, "I didn't mean to say that!"
Tomoyo sighed knowing her friend's occasionally lack of tact and her remarkable habit of putting her foot in her mouth at the worse times.
"We could've done without that comment," Tomoyo noted mildly.
Meiling sighed.
"Oh god, when will I learn to think before I speak!" she groaned.
Tomoyo sneaked a glance at her friend and realised for the first time how distressed she actually was.
"Calm down, Meiling," Tomoyo soothed, "Sakura will realise that you didn't mean to say that. Just try to forget about it... I mean you don't want to ruin your first date."
Meiling glared at Tomoyo.
"When are you going to let up?"
"What do you mean?" Tomoyo asked innocently sending an overly sweet smile at Meiling.
"Stop meddling in my love life!" Meiling exploded.
Tomoyo smirked as Meiling blushed realising what she had just said.
"You. Will. Not. Comment," Meiling growled warningly pronouncing each word slowly and carefully.
"Comment on what?" Tomoyo asked blinking in pretend confusion, "Do you mean about the whole meddling in your lo..."
"Arrgghhh!!" Meiling growled in frustration and stormed off as Tomoyo sighed in relief glad that she was able to distract her friend.
Tomoyo stood at her doorway and looked out in the dark night praying that Sakura would forgive them.
"Sorry Sakura," she murmured before turning around and closed the door on the night.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Sakura sighed in relief as she saw the road sign. 'Welcome to Santa Barbara', it read as Sakura sped past the sign and entered the busy seaside city of Santa Barbara. The bright lights coming from the houses, streetlights and nightclubs lining the narrow streets glittered like sparkling gems set against the velvet darkness of the night sky emphasising its brightness and beauty.
Driving down one of the many streets, Sakura both the noisy tourists dotting the pavement and the loud music blaring out from the many clubs as she concentrated on her new mission. Reviewing her plans inside her head she realised she had two problems: firstly she needed a disguise. There was that slim chance that Lara knew what she looked like and she would not risk it.
Second and more importantly, she had no idea where the Glittering Star nightclub was.
"Oh for crying ou..." Sakura began in exasperation.
With a loud audible sigh, Sakura pulled up along the curb of the street and resolved to ask one of the many tourists for directions.
As she walked briskly down the busy street her mind began drifting again taking her far away from this tourist-filled city. Almost unconsciously her hand drifted up to touch the golden key that now dangled down from a chain around her neck.
Thanks to Nivaline, one more piece of the complex puzzle that were the three Books and the mysterious prophecy had fallen into place.
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FlashbackThe Angels were silent for a while as they tried to digest the revelation Nivaline had just revealed to them.
"Nivaline..." Tomoyo began slowly suddenly realising something that had slipped past her notice before.
Nivaline's hazel-green eyes immediately flicked towards the lavender-eyed Angel.
"Sakura..." the Japanese Angel paused for a few seconds collected herself and plunged on, "When she went out of control and took out all those fighters... afterwards you addressed her as Fei Lao Shi. And then Fei Lao Shi, whatever that is said it couldn't leave the vessel because she is the Flower. You know what the Flower is don't you? You know about the prophecy, don't you?"
Nivaline blinked calmly in the face of Tomoyo's accusations. Serenely she dusted a few specks of dust off her green dress as the Angels stared at her.
"Yes. Yes I do," Nivaline said finally.
"Whoa. Prophecy?" Meiling demanded suddenly, "What prophecy?"
Without even looking at her friend, Tomoyo began reciting the prophecy she had discovered in the archaeological dig. The prophecy that was now burned into her mind, the prophecy that was mysterious but yet was important in their quest for the three books.
"Three Angels descended from the heavens shall come in the new age,
One shall be a fighter,
The other a flower,
The third a fox, cunning and watchful.
They shall possess the three:
One the sun and the key,
Another the earth and the sword,
The third the moon and the mirror..." Tomoyo began.
Sakura and Meiling frowned in confusion as their minds worked furiously trying to figure out what Tomoyo was saying.
Prophecy? Sakura thought a small frown appearing on her face About us?! But tha... that... that's impossible!
Yeah and if a prophecy is impossible then how about that magical key that's hanging around your neck? a small voice in her head muttered sarcastically in reply.
Sakura smiled at that thought.
"Only they can stop the shadow book,
For if it is opened then shadows will engulf the world,
All hope, dreams and love will vanish devoured by darkness,
And evil shall reign for all eternity," Nivaline murmured reciting the last few lines of the prophecy.
"Okay..." Meiling muttered slowly, "Huh?"
Nivaline studied them carefully.
"The three Angels I now believe refer to you three. A fighter," Nivaline gestured at Meiling, "A Flower."
Sakura nodded as Nivaline looked at her.
"And the cunning fox," Nivaline's eyes lingered on Tomoyo.
"The three refers to the three books," Nivaline held up her hands to stop Meiling as she opened her mouth to ask a question, "Each book has a guardian to it. The Book of the Fei Lao Shi's guardian is a winged lion called Kerberos. He is also the guardian of the Sun in some mythologies thus the book is known as the Book of the Sun. The second book..."
Nivaline gestured at the book that was now in Meiling's hands.
"Its guardian is a fairy-like creature known as Ruby Moon. She also presides over the forces of the earth because of this the book is known as the Book of the Earth. The third book is the most mysterious of all. We do not know who is its guardian but we do know he is sometimes called the Archer and is also the ruler of the Moon," Nivaline took a deep breath, "To each book a talisman was created in which the essence of the guardian resides in thus giving each talisman magical powers. The talisman of the Book of Fei Lao Shi is the key."
Sakura's hand flew up to touch her key as she listened to what Nivaline was saying with wide eyes.
"The talisman to the other two books is a sword and a mirror. From legends we realise that somehow these two talismans are critical in finding the third and final book," Nivaline paused and looked at the Angels, "But the talismans are extremely powerful and only those with the will and strength to wield it can possess such things of power. If one of those talismans fell into the wrong hands..."
Each of the Angels gulped.
"The world would be plunged into darkness."
End of FlashbackAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
"Wow," Meiling breathed, "This is so romantic! How on earth did you find it? It's got to be the most hidden restaurant in all of L.A.!"
Marcus chuckled at Meiling's nervous babbling as he scanned the restaurant. Meiling was right it really was romantic with its dim lighting and the faint chords of a playing piano drifting in the still perfume-scented air. Nestled in the many winding streets and alleyways of L.A., this restaurant was a true hidden gem.
"I'm friends with the owner of this restaurant," Marcus explained as he led Meiling through the door, "One of their customers tried to sue them and I defended them. Ever since then we've been close friends."
"Hmm... so being a lawyer does have its advantages..." Meiling mused as Marcus laughed as he stepped up to the maitre d'.
"Reservation for Flaron."
"Table for two?" the woman asked glancing down at a book that rested on a wooden podium in front of her.
Marcus nodded as the woman smiled at him.
"Please excuse me for a minute whilst I check on your table," the woman gave him a mysterious grin as she disappeared into the restaurant.
Meiling stared after her.
"What was that about?" she asked curiously.
Marcus smiled to himself.
"I can bet you a hundred dollars she's gone to talk to Maria," he replied amused.
"Maria?" Meiling asked glancing at him.
"Maria is the wife of Gino who is the main chef and also owns this restaurant," Marcus explained, "All of their sons have grown up and moved away so they kinda adopted me as one of their own. They're very warm, loving people and can be kinda overprotective so in advance I warn you: prepared to be thoroughly interrogated by her."
Meiling groaned.
"Oh great," she grumbled mocking exasperation, "That means I'll get grilled by two people tonight."
"Two?"
"Tomoyo."
Marcus chuckled.
"What about Sakura?"
Meiling froze.
"Umm... I'm not quite sure where she is tonight..."
Her date frowned and opened his mouth to ask more questions but luckily right at that moment Maria appeared thankfully saving Meiling from answering any awkward questions.
"Ah! Marcus!" Maria exclaimed in a slight Italian accented voice to it as she strolled forwards to wrap Marcus up in a warm hug.
Marcus laughed and returned the hug easily as Maria lightly scolded him.
"How long has it been?" she asked taking a step back and studying his face, "Six months? A year?"
"Around a year," Marcus replied.
Maria looked at his face critically.
"You seem happy..." she commented slowly a broad grin appearing on her roundish face, "It seems to me you've finally find a girl, non? You really do need a woman in your life. Someone that will keep you happy. And poor Lily needs a mother... you can't expect that poor girl to grown up without one do you..."
Marcus smiled warmly and placed a hand on Meiling's hip as he cut into Maria's speech as he introduced the two.
"Actually Maria there's someone I'd like you to meet... Meiling, this was who I was talking about. This is Maria. Maria, Meiling."
Maria studied Meiling's face as her grin grew even broader.
"Beautiful," she proclaimed as Meiling blushed furiously, "And not just on the outside, non?"
Marcus nodded as Maria clasped Meiling's hand in her own and looked deeply into her eye as Meiling began fidgeting nervously.
"Perfect!" Maria announced after a long hard look, "She's perfect!"
"She certainly is," Marcus grinned as he tightened his grip on Meiling's hip and kissed the side of her head lovingly.
Meiling wondered if her face could get any redder.
"Come now, you don't want to starve the poor girl do you?" Maria grabbed Marcus and Meiling's hands and led them into the restaurant, "I've got something special just for the two of you!"
Marcus laughed as Meiling hid a small grin.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Sakura carefully hid all traces of her auburn hair beneath her blonde wig as she checked out the rest of her attire. Loose black pants with a white shirt covered by a black sleeveless leather jacket finished off her disguise. Checking one last time in her mirror, Sakura got out of the car and studied the seemingly abandoned building stand in front of her. It had taken her a precious hour to put together her disguise and find the location of the Glittering Star. She had been surprised to find out that the Glittering Star was in fact an underground nightclub meaning it was hidden and not generally known except for a chosen few. With one last deep breath, Sakura strolled confidently towards the building.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
'Ms. Williams?'"Yes?" Lara answered talking into her mobile phone.
'She's here.'
Lara smiled in satisfaction as she watched the many television screens that lined the wall standing in front of her. Each screen was connected to a hidden camera spread out around the club ensuring that she missed nothing that occurred inside.
"Perfect," she murmured as she hung up.
Lara leaned back into her chair and smiled as she waited for her prey to enter the trap.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Sakura tucked the folded a hundred dollar note into the jacket pocket of the bouncer as he nodded and opened a door inside the warehouse. Instantly blaring music and bright lights spilled from the door destroying the dark silence and stillness of the seemingly innocent warehouse.
Sakura nodded her thanks to the bouncer and walked through the door descending down a flight of rickety stairs, her senses were on high alert. Her emerald eyes studied the packed nightclub searching for anything suspicious.
Walking towards the bar, Sakura contemplated her next move. Kiyone had warned her about Lara being here so it stood to reason that she was here somewhere. Sakura nodded making her decision: first she would try to find Kiyone then together they would go after Lara.
As she weaved in and out of the shouting dancing crowds, Sakura was unaware of the fact that a hidden camera nestled in a ceiling corner above her was following her every move.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
"How is it?" Marcus asked as Meiling slipped a bite of her immense plate of ravioli into her mouth.
"Mmmm..." Meiling sighed, "This is delicious."
Marcus smiled as he took a sip of his wine.
"You didn't answer my question," he reminded her as he watched her take another bite.
Meiling blinked at her in confusion as Marcus hid a smile thinking how beautiful she looked, her ruby eyes appearing to glow in the candlelight.
"About the Angel thing," Marcus added helping her.
Meiling blushed and took a sip from her glass as she straightened and tried to collect her thoughts. It wasn't her fault that she couldn't think straight with Marcus sitting across from her, his strong hand stroking the glittering silver of his fork and his other hand resting on the white linen cloth covering the table surface. Meiling wondered briefly how those hands would feel on her and shivered in pleasure.
Whoa! Calm down and get a grip here! her mind yelled at her.
Meiling cleared her throat and tried again.
"Oh, yeah," she took a deep breath as Marcus smiled knowing full well the effect he was having on her, "Me, Sakura and Tomoyo... I'm not really sure about their stories but I grew up in China and was trained in the arts of hand-to-hand combat ever since I was five. When I was eighteen and graduated from high school, my family made me move here to study in Yale..."
"Yale? I'm impressed," Marcus grinned.
Meiling smiled back at him and continued her story.
"I wasn't really interested in studying but knew I couldn't get a decent job without a degree of some sorts so I forced myself then one day I was contacted by phone to go to L.A. It was really cryptic and so, intrigued I came here and went to what is now our headquarters when I arrived there I find two other girls waiting," Meiling smiled at the memory, "The Syaoran contacted us through the speaker box and told us what Angels were. All of us agreed to join but..."
Meiling trailed off as Marcus frowned.
"But what?" he said gently.
Meiling sighed.
"We didn't really get along well those days," Meiling chuckled, "I thought Sakura was an airhead idiot and secretly nicknamed Tomoyo as the 'Ice Queen' because she was really aloof and unemotional back then. Secretly I knew Sakura and Tomoyo thought I was so kind of obsessed trigger-happy freak."
Marcus laughed.
"I wonder where they got that idea?" he teased.
Meiling mock frowned at him and smacked his hand gently as she continued her story.
"Our first mission was an absolute disaster but gradually we learned to work together," Meiling took a deep breath, "How about your life story since I already spilled all my darkest secrets? How did you meet Lily's mother..."
Meiling frowned as she realised she didn't know her name as a sad smile appeared on Marcus's face. Meiling began to panic realising that her question really was personal.
"You don't have to answer if you don't want to..." she began hurriedly.
Marcus stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm.
"It's okay," he said softly, "I want to tell you everything. You have a right to know. It's just painful..."
Meiling nodded understandingly as Marcus closed his eyes and began his story.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Lara picked up her phone and punched in several numbers.
"Send in some of the bouncers," she commanded, "Go after that blonde-haired girl wearing the leather sleeveless jacket."
'Yes, marm.'
Lara hung up and watched intently as the drama on the screen unfolded.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Sakura tensed as she sensed several people were standing right behind her. Reminding herself to stay in character as an airhead party girl, Sakura whirled around and sent them a brilliant grin.
"Yes?" she asked batting her emerald eyes.
The men behind her were all massive. They towered above anybody else inside the club and Sakura guessed in between them they had at least a tonne of solid muscle. Inwardly she gulped as she studied them. Each of them was dressed in the same fashion: black t-shirts and black suits with a white tie. Sakura could see faint outlines of holsters with guns thrust into them through their thin silk black shirts as the men moved.
"Marm, would you like to come with us?" one of them asked.
Sakura pretend to giggle and gave a delicate hiccup.
"Why?" she drawled as she blinked owlishly at them.
"You don't have a choice," another man answered darkly.
Damn Sakura thought as she kept up her drunken act They know about me somehow
She knew if she put up a fight they wouldn't hesitate to shoot her. She had to come up with a plan and fast.
Sakura smiled at them flirtatiously.
"Sure, I'll go anywhere you want to."
The men grabbed her arms and dragged her out of the main room of the club leading her through another door. Sakura quickly studied her new surroundings. They were in some kind strange room, which had only one other exit aside from the one they had just gone through. Through the other open door Sakura could see that it was filled with flimsy barricades made of thin pieces of wood nailed onto frames that were put together to form some kind of bizarre maze that seemed to stretch on for miles. Sakura grinned at the men foolishly.
"What's going on?" she slurred.
"Shoot her," one of the men commanded as they all reached for their guns.
Sakura lunged at them throwing one of the men into the other. There were five of them. Sakura cursed loudly as she kicked another man's legs out from under him causing him to topple over. She finished her off with a swift kick to the head and turned around to deal with the other four. One man had his gun already out and fired blindly at her as she charged at him. Bullets sailed overhead as Sakura lowered her head and head-butted the man in the stomach driving the air out of him.
As she fought, a hidden camera nestled on the ceiling watched intently.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
"Hmmm... she is good," Lara smiled, "So Lilia was right."
Lara watched as Nadeshiko's daughter rammed another bouncer into the wall.
"Guess I have to deal with this personally," Lara commented as she got up and exited the room.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
"Oh god, I'm so sorry," Meiling murmured as Marcus finished his story.
Marcus smiled gratefully at her as Meiling tried to digest what Marcus had told her. If she ever got her hands on Malus Harrason... Marcus took in a deep breath and let it out slowly as he grinned at her.
"Come on, this is a date! We should be having fun!" he exclaimed trying to break the tension.
Meiling looked down at her empty dessert plate and smiled at him.
"Where to now?" she asked.
Marcus laughed.
"It's a surprise," he teased and extended his hand to her helping her up.
"Come on," he murmured as he gently nuzzled her neck, "We'll sneak out before Maria grills you again."
Marcus left a few dollar notes on the table before leaving the restaurant together as a couple.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Sakura kicked the last man away and sighed with relief as she saw they were all knocked out.
"That was easy," she noted as she studied the room she was in slowly, "Hmm... I wonder what thi..."
"Hello dear," a soft voice called to her as the door opened allowing loud music to pour into the room.
Sakura froze as the woman standing in front of her closed the door behind her cutting the music off plunging the room back into silence. Sakura studied the woman who was wearing a white-coloured two-piece suit complete with trousers and a cream-coloured tie. Sakura sucked in her breath as she stared at her face in shock.
Blonde hair...
Innocent blue eyes...
Soft red lips that were now curled up into a small smirk...
"Lara!" Sakura hissed.
"The one and only," Lara laughed, "And the answer to your little question: this is what I call my Kill Room. See that little maze behind you? I let my poor victims in there. Give them a few seconds head start and give them just the tiniest bit of hope they can escape but then of course..."
Lara sniggered.
"They never escape me."
"You..." Sakura narrowed her eyes.
"So Nadeshiko's daughter? The apple does fall far from the tree," Lara smirked, "Oh it was so fun watching Nadeshiko's face as she realised I betrayed her. The shock. The horror. The..."
"You son of a..." Sakura lunged at her as Lara laughed.
Grabbing her outstretched fist Lara pulled Sakura to her before spinning her around and snapping a vicious kick to her back. Sakura was sent stumbling to the ground as Lara laughed.
"Nice try," she smirked as she strolled slowly to Sakura.
Before the American Angel could recover from Lara's kick, the rogue Angel grabbed her wig and yanked it off.
"Nice hair," Lara smirked before grabbing her real hair and yanking it back painfully as Sakura bit down onto her tongue to hold back her yelp of pain.
"Run," she whispered as she heaved Sakura to her feet and hurled her into the wooden labyrinth of the Kill Room, "Run now little mouse."
Lara laughed as Sakura fled into the maze.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Meiling smiled softly as Marcus stopped the car he had borrowed from Tomoyo.
"It's beautiful," she murmured.
"Sure is isn't it?" Marcus agreed as they studied the scene spread out before them.
Set against the darkness of the still night, reflecting the brilliance of the pale moon overhead the ocean glittered like a sheet of beaten silver warped in fantastic shapes as waves threw themselves up against the sandy beach. All was silent except for the faint hiss of the waves being sucked back into ocean, a light breeze danced across the surface of the sea drawing up small spikes of water up into night sky.
"Not as beautiful as you," Marcus murmured as he hugged the Angel to her.
Meiling smiled into his neck as she breathed in the scent of his cologne and the sweet scent that was uniquely his.
"Come on," Marcus urged as he opened the car door.
Meiling giggled and followed suit. As they walked down the narrow path to the beach they stayed close to each other, Marcus's arm wrapped protectively around Meiling's waist.
"It's even more beautiful from here," Meiling whispered softly as Marcus and her stood at the edge of the beach as gentle waves lapped at the soft sand.
"You know I used to bring my wife here all the time," Marcus murmured his voice tinged with sadness and wistfulness, "It was our special place."
Meiling broke away from him and turned around to stared into his emotion-filled eyes. She smiled realising how special this was to him. He was taking her to someplace that he held dear to his heart. A place, which reminded him of his wife and all the wonderful times they had together but he was still willing to share it with her. To show her just how deep his feelings were for her.
"I love you," she said simply.
Marcus smiled at her and wrapped his arms around her.
"I love you too."
And with that they kissed.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Sakura ran down the complex maze of wooden barricades as she tried to come up with a feasible plan.
This was a trap she realized suddenly.
It had been a trap all along.
And she had walked straight into it.
Sakura knew to fight Lara one-on-one was foolish; the other Angel was obviously more powerful and more skilled. She needed to outsmart her. She needed to lure Lara into her own trap but how?
The only reason she had entered this so-called 'Kill Room' was to buy herself some time until she came up with a working plan. Darting into another narrow hallway bordered by two long wooden barricades Sakura's senses were on high alert trying to pick up the faintest sound of footsteps.
So far aside from her own, she heard nothing.
Heading roughly towards what she hoped was the centre of this maze Sakura knew that Lara already had an advantage.
This was her home ground.
The rogue Angel probably knew the outlay of this maze like the back of her hand.
"Damn," Sakura growled as she realized that for now Lara had the advantage.
Time was running out and Sakura still didn't know what do to.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Lara chuckled as she let a whole minute pass.
"Ready or not, here I come!" she called in a singsong voice.
With that she entered her Kill Room eager to bring down the younger Angel. To finish off what she had started when she murdered Nadeshiko in cold blood.
"Let the hunt begin," Lara smirked as she ran down the labyrinth of wooden walls and twisting turns.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Sakura turned another corner and darted into another narrow walkway. She tried to turn as much as possible hoping to throw Lara off her trail.
"Ready or not, here I come!" Sakura could hear Lara's voice echoing through the immense room.
She winced.
Now the real fun was about to begin.
"How big is this place?" Sakura muttered to herself as she ran as fast as she could.
She had the distinct feeling she was running uphill but she couldn't be sure as all her senses of direction and time were being thrown off by the cramped walls and dim lighting.
"Ah! There you are!" Lara's voice yelled coming from straight behind her.
Sakura whirled around in time to see Lara launch a flying kick straight at her. It hit her in the chest causing her to stumble backwards. Sakura landed heavily but jumped nimbly to her feet in time to block Lara's vicious right hook that was aimed straight for her.
Managed to penetrate Lara's defences Sakura landed a powerful kick to her stomach.
"Damn," Lara snarled looking down at her clothes and seeing that Sakura had left a dusty footprint on her shirt, "I just got this!"
With a feral cry, Lara smacked her head against Sakura's and slammed her into one of the wooden barricades. Sakura blinked furiously trying to clear her vision as Lara tightened her grip on her.
"Well, that was quick," Lara smirked, "And I thought you were supposed to be an Angel!"
Sakura spat in Lara's face and returned the favour by smacking head-butting her in the jaw. Lara's head snapped back as Sakura broke free of her grip and with one powerful kick sent Lara flying into the other side of the narrow corridor.
"BANG!" Lara was sent flying through the thin wooden walls as the narrow wood planks shattered under the force of Sakura's kick.
The rogue Angel landed heavily on the other side as Sakura gave herself one precious second to suck in a few grateful breaths of air.
"Round One: I win!" Sakura spat as she whirled around and disappeared back into the maze of the Kill Room.
For a few seconds, Lara lay motionless amongst the debris of the shattered wooden wall. Slowly her fingers began twitching as she slowly recovered.
With a loud groan, she levered herself from the mess of broken wood and splinters and stood up slowly.
"Bitch," Lara snarled her voice filled with rage and venom, "I'll get you for that!"
The rogue Angel let out a bellow of fury and raced down the hallway intent on crushing her enemy her white coat billowing behind her like two massive pairs of white wings.
With her gold hair and smooth milk-white skin, she looked like a celestial Angel descended from the heavens.
An Angel of Death.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
"Brinnnnng!! Brinnnng!!'
Tomoyo jumped as her whole body tensed for a few seconds until she realised that strange sound was only her phone going off.
"I'll get it!" she called to Lily who was sitting the in living room watching a movie.
Tomoyo saved the research she was doing on her computer before reaching over the desk and picking up her phone.
"Hello?" she asked as she pressed the phone against her shoulder with her ear leaving her hands free to type.
'Is this Tomoyo Daidouji?'"Yes," Tomoyo frowned hearing the unfamiliar voice, "Who is this?"
'Umm... this is Eriol... you know? Eriol Moon?'"Eriol!" Tomoyo exclaimed surprised but pleased, "Yeah, I remember you. Why are you calling?"
'I tried calling you these last few days but no-one was home except for some man and his daughter...'
"Yeah, the man was that friend of my we were talking about in that ice-cream shop," she replied answering his unsaid question.
'Oh.'
"Why are you calling?" Tomoyo asked with a frown as she continued typing, "And come to think of it how did you get my number?"
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
'And come to think of it how did you get my number?'Eriol froze.
Damn it! he swore violently inside his head as he suddenly realised Tomoyo had never given him her number.
He couldn't very well tell the truth.
'Hey Tomoyo, I got your number of a bunch of files I have on you and your friends because I'm an assassin hired to kill all of you slowly and painfully.'
Yeah, that'll go down really well.
"Umm... phonebook?" he said almost as a question.
'Oh.'
Eriol breathed a sigh of relief.
"Umm.. yeah... I'm ringing up because I'm just wondering if you've doing anything tomorrow night."
'Tomorrow? No.'
"Great, would you like to do something..." Eriol trailed off before clarifying, "With me."
'I'd love to!' Tomoyo's happy voice came down the line, 'What time?'
"I'll pick you up... seven? Dress nicely," Eriol advised.
'Great! See you then!'With that Tomoyo hung up leaving behind a very confused Eriol.
"Am I falling in love with her?" he asked to no one in particularly.
With a long groan, Eriol went to bed trying to erase the thoughts of a certain Japanese Angel from her mind.
After two long, dragging hours of lying in bed, Eriol still couldn't go to sleep no matter how much he tossed and turned.
"That's it!" he growled in frustration getting up.
He needed a long cold shower.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
"BANG!"
Sakura hissed in pain as Lara landed another painful kick on her driving her back into a wall. After driving Lara through the wall, Sakura had tried to get out of this Kill Room but ten minutes later Lara had found her again and here they were rumbling it out in royal style.
"CRUNCH!"
Lara was sent tumbling as Sakura nailed an uppercut to her chin.
"That hurt!" Lara snarled holding her badly bruised jaw.
"Aww... that's just too bad," Sakura smirked.
Lara let out an angry scream as she lunged at Sakura.
"BAM!"
A powerful kick hit Sakura in her chest as Lara whipped her other leg around punishing her with a painful kick to the side of her head. Sakura's head snapped painfully to the right as she struggled to keep her balance. Her vision went grey as darkness clawed at the edges of her consciousness.
Gotta keep awake here! her mind yelled at her.
Reacting on instinct and reflexes alone, Sakura managed to block an attempted kick to her leg but was too slow to block a rabbit punch to her stomach. Keeling over in pain Sakura let out a strangled gasp as Lara did a perfect flip in the air timing it so both of her feet smacked Sakura in the head. Sakura was sent flying as Lara laughed in glee.
"Ow!" Lara laughed, "That must've hurt!"
Sakura somehow managed to stagger onto her feet.
"I'm not finished yet, you old witch!" she snarled charging Lara.
Lara managed to kick her in the shoulders but Sakura ignored the pain instead she pinned Lara's arms to her side as she ran blindly across the hallway.
"CRACK!"
The wooden barricades literally exploded as Sakura ploughed straight through it using Lara as a shield. The rogue Angel let out a huge scream of pain as splinters dug into her back but managed to kick Sakura in the thigh causing the Angel to let go of her and stumble to the ground.
"Wow!" Lara said with fake-awe, "You're the first one to escape the Kill Room!"
Sakura looked around blinking furiously trying to clear her vision. Somehow they had managed to escape the wooden barricades and maze-like structure of the Kill Room, now they were in another room. This one had dull grey concrete walls and nothing else aside from a window set in the far wall. Through the window Sakura could see the cold silver light of the full moon outside.
"Beautiful isn't it?" Lara asked turning around to see what she was looking at, "Want a closer look?'
With that Lara grabbed Sakura's hair and threw her across the room.
"Oof!"
The air was driven from Sakura's battered body as Lara laughed as she sashayed towards the fallen Angel.
"Don't you want to look at the pretty moon?" Lara cooed as she kicked Sakura in the ribs.
Sakura groaned in pain as Lara placed her left foot on her back and pushed down to the ground pinning her there.
"Come on, answer me," the blonde-haired Angel laughed, "It's disrespectful not to answer.
"Go... go... to.. hell!" Sakura managed to spat between gasping breaths.
"Now, now," Lara tutted, "That's not very nice, is it?"
She knelt down and grabbed Sakura by her neck yanking her up to her level so they were face-to-face.
"Any last words?" Lara asked batting her big blue eyes innocently.
"Screw you!" Sakura snarled.
"Hmm... not very memorable but I'll do," Lara gave her one final venom-laced smile, "I've always wondered... can Angels fly?"
With that she hurled Sakura at the window.
"KWISH!" The window shattered as Sakura sailed through the glass its jagged edges leaving behind long cuts all along her body.
Sakura managed to twist around so she could see where she was going to land. To her immense relief, she was looking straight at the dark churning surface of an massive ocean.
Oh good water, I may survive this her mind managed to say numbly as Sakura tried to spread her throbbing limbs out to slow down her fall.
The wind whipped her hair back as Sakura closed her eyes.
The ocean surface was approaching.
Closer.
And closer.
And closer.
Pain roared through her body as Sakura felt her body start to shut down.
"No..." she managed to murmur only to have salty water rush into her lips and down into her lungs.
Choking her.
Killing her.
Her limbs felt strange; they were going numb whereas before they ached with pains.
She could hear her heart beating inside her chest.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
It was slowing down.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump...
Silence.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Sakura opened her eyes as bright light assaulted her delicate irises.
"Where am I?" she gasped as she stood up.
She was standing in some strange place she had never been in before. Bright light poured out from some unknown source as Sakura looked around. Tendrils of white mist curled itself around her legs and arms as Sakura strained to see through the ethereal fog.
"Where am I?" she repeated.
"Sakura..." a soft voice said behind her.
Sakura whirled around and gasped her jaws hanging open in shock. A woman was standing behind clad in a long flowing white dress.
Long slightly curly strands of grey-brown hair framed her delicate pale face. A pair of serene violet eyes stared back at her. Sakura tried to speak but failed as a lump formed in her throat finally one single word managed to work itself out of her lips.
"Mom?!"
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Dun, dun, dun! Another cliffhanger! And thanks to all you wonderful reviews! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
Next chapter:As Tomoyo prepares for her first official date with Eriol, she and Meiling are unaware of Sakura's clash with Lara and are puzzled at her mysterious disappearance. As for Sakura, she now lies in a coma as she is visited by the spirit of her mom. But Sakura quickly realises that there is more at stake here as she is also visited by Kerberos bearing more news of the mysterious prophecy. Where does Kerberos tell her? Find out in... Dreamer.
A/Note: Thanks for all the wonderful reviewers! And please keep telling me your favourite chapters! The favourites are usually Showdown, No mercy, Mission and masquerades and Talisman of the Sun so please, please include your favourite chapter in your reviews!
And for ms. evil... thanks for reviewing after the long, long period. And thanks, even I didn't know this story would be such a success! And for that I thank all of you!
Thank you all for spending the time to read and review!
