VictorianPearl: Isn't it amazing, I'm getting this chapter up so fast.
Sakura: We're all very proud of you.
VictorianPearl: I knew I could do it if I put my mind to it.
Tomoyo: Why is it that I'm so thick in this fiction, I'm a bit OOC don't you think?
VictorianPearl: I guess that you and Sakura have been hanging out so long that you rubbed off on her and she rubbed off on you!
Sakura: I think I take offense to that.
VictorianPearl: Enjoy the fiction!
Living Metonymy
Chapter 3 Reunion
For Syaoran, the next three days were too slow for his liking. He wanted to get to Tomoeda and see Sakura.
Syaoran and Meiling, being so anxious, had everything packed by the first day. Meiling was glad to be going back to her friends; she was a little lonely being the only girl her age around.
For the next two nights, Meiling would sneak out of her house very late at night and sneak into Syaoran's room through his window. They would spend hours just talking about their old life in Tomoeda.
It was nice to talk to someone, open up. She talked a little differently at night than she did in the day. She was less determined, a little more vulnerable. Morning would come all too soon and Meiling would sneak back to her own room.
Meiling's parents, sorry to say, were not very sad about Meiling leaving. They saw it as more of a burden being lifted off of their shoulders. Meiling knew this but clung to the thought that someone would care about her leaving. That person was her aunt Yelan.
Syaoran walked up to his mother. "I'm sorry mother that I have to leave, but-"
"I understand," Yelan said, completely understanding the situation. "You are in love with Sakura, the girl who came here so many years ago. You are going back to her."
"Yes mother," Syaoran said, blushing.
Yelan Li smiled, her son had grown up to be a very noble gentleman, and she wasn't even responsible for most of his acting this way. The girl, Sakura, she was the one that had changed him so. Yelan knew her son was leaving for a good cause. She also knew that he could not and would not feel the evil magic following him until he had reached Tomoeda.
On the second and last night that Meiling visited Syaoran, he could tell that something had gone wrong. Meiling looked shaken. Syaoran had only seen her look shaken once before that time.
Syaoran did not ask her what was wrong. He knew something was amiss. Meiling knew that Syaoran knew and was grateful that he did not ask. She didn't want to talk about what had happened to her.
Although Meiling did not tell Syaoran what was wrong, he could pretty much guess. She had a talk with her parents, a "last night home" talk. If Syaoran knew Meiling's parents, he knew that they had probably done their best to make her feel as horrible as humanly possible. It was a night that would haunt her in the future.
Syaoran and Meiling loaded up their luggage into the cab the next morning. He looked over his shoulder at his family. His mother and sisters were waving him goodbye, all of his sisters were crying. They all told him that he had better come back and visit as soon as he had Sakura. This remark caused him to blush.
Meiling's parents were not there. Yelan Li came and gave Meiling and Syaoran a hug goodbye. Even Wei came by to see them off.
Syaoran and Meiling gave one last wave before getting into the taxi; they didn't look back. The trip to the airport was quick. It seemed a blur, and then suddenly, they were on the plane taking off.
"So Syaoran, where do you have us staying?" Meiling asked her cousin.
"In the apartment I stayed in the last time." Syaoran replied, "You're down the hallway from me, so if anyone tries to pull anything…"
Meiling gave a laugh. "Did I not train with you? Was I not the only one that could beat you?"
"You could not!" Syaoran said, giving her a well-trained cold look. "Besides, I didn't mean just anyone. I'm talking about magical forces that might be there."
"I know Syaoran," Meiling said, rolling her eyes, "I was only joking." Of course Syaoran wouldn't know a joke if it jumped out in front of him naked.
The plane landed and they got their luggage. Syaoran could have called a cab, but he didn't think that he could wait. He went over to a pay phone and collect called Sakura's house.
The phone began to ring. Syaoran prayed that Sakura would pick up and not Touya. The phone was picked up; "Hello?" rang Sakura's soft voice.
Syaoran smiled, "Sakura, it's Syaoran. I've just arrived at the airport, can you pick me up?"
Syaoran held his breath, waiting for her to respond. On the other line, Sakura couldn't believe she wasn't dreaming. He was back! "Of-of course Syaoran, I'll come right now. Do you care if I bring Tomoyo and Eriol with me?"
Like Syaoran could ever bring himself to say no to her, "Of course not, I'll be happy to see them." But happier to see you.
"I'll see you in about fifteen minutes." Sakura said.
She hung up the phone, "We're getting Syaoran." She announced, running up into her room to grab her purse.
"But Sakura," Tomoyo called up the stairs, "It takes at least thirty minutes to get to the airport!"
"Not today!" Sakura said, coming back down the stairs, "Let's go," she was opening the door.
"I'm coming too!" Touya announced, getting off of the couch. "I'm going to make sure that gaki doesn't pull anything."
"Me too!" Kero said, popping out of Sakura's purse.
The ride to the airport was dangerous. Sakura was a safe driver but the way she was driving to the airport made even Eriol frightened. Tomoyo was clutching onto the seat for dear life.
Touya, despite being in the front seat, didn't seem to notice too much. He and Kero were talking of things they would do to "the gaki" if he ever hurt Sakura.
Sakura heard nothing, she hardly saw anything either. All that went through her head was Syaoran. A thought, images, memories of him, all of it was there. No more waiting, he was here now.
When they arrived, Sakura ran into the airport, the others close behind. She looked around; he had to be here somewhere. Her eyes met a dark pair and she knew it was him.
They both stood there, staring at each other. Sakura couldn't believe how much he had changed. He was very tall, he had the same deep eyes and messy hair but he was much more handsome than she remembered.
Syaoran saw her, so much more beautiful in real life than in the picture. She was still Sakura and yet she had become much more, she had gained wisdom in her eyes.
Sakura could stand it no longer; she ran to Syaoran and jumped into his arms just like after she had caught The Void. Syaoran caught her and immediately put his lips to hers in a kiss. It was their first kiss and the most wonderful thing in the world.
Syaoran pulled her close to him, finally being able to hold her, kiss her, it was what he had worked for. He could stay in Tomoeda forever and she would never leave his arms.
They stayed in the middle of the lobby, kissing, they didn't care that many saw or watched them. Even Syaoran's thoughts didn't come across Touya.
Poor Touya did nothing but stand and watch. He knew that the gaki loved his sister and he also knew that he would never ever hurt her. He might as well get used to it.
Touya saw a figure approaching Tomoyo and Eriol; it was the gaki's cousin. He caught her eye and she gave him a message. It was simple and clear; Touya wasn't the only one loosing someone special to him.
Meiling watched her cousin catch one of her best friends and kiss her. Finally, Meiling was happy for him. She was officially over him and she had only friendly feelings for him. But still. Meiling caught Touya's eye. She saw all of his sadness and hurt for having to give up his only sister. She recognized his look as one that she once held in her own. She let him know that he wasn't completely alone.
"Meiling!" Tomoyo called.
Meiling's head snapped back toward the direction she had been going. She saw Eriol and Tomoyo standing together near the exit. Meiling ran and gave Tomoyo a hug. "It's good to see you Tomoyo, Eriol."
"It's good to see you too!" Tomoyo replied. She pulled back from her hug, "You are going to be enrolled at our school aren't you?"
"You bet, Syaoran already enrolled us both." Meiling said, smiling. "We're staying in the same apartment complex that we were in the last time we were here."
"SAKURA, GAKI! Let's GO already!" Touya shouted, couldn't they at least wait until after he was out of their sight to kiss?
Both Syaoran and Sakura returned to reality. They simply smiled and grabbed a piece of luggage before walking out.
"Hello Meiling, good to see you." Sakura dreamily said as she passed Meiling going out the exit.
Syaoran and Meiling's luggage was loaded up into the trunk. Sakura was about to get into the drivers seat when Touya stopped her.
"We hardly made it here alive. I would like to make it back in one piece." Touya said.
Sakura simply nodded, she was grateful. Now she was able to sit next to Syaoran.
Touya was going to make Syaoran sit in the front seat, but he wasn't that cruel. He dragged Eriol up instead.
Unfortunately for Eriol, he was the one who had to explain everything to Kero about what had happened in the airport. Sakura and Syaoran were so absorbed in each other that they didn't hear another word passing through the car.
Tomoyo gave Meiling the fill in of what had happened since she last came to Tomoeda. Meiling was so happy. She was finally going to be able to live the life she had started seven years ago. She would be surrounded with friends and people who loved her. What more could a girl want?
Once back in Tomoeda, Touya drove Syaoran and Meiling to the apartment. Sakura was surprised that he agreed to help them unpack their things.
Touya went to Syaoran's apartment so that he could have a long talk about the rules that applied here. Kero and Eriol had the pleasure of tagging along while Tomoyo and Sakura went to Meiling's apartment to help unpack.
There was already some furniture in the rooms. Syaoran had been on top of things. Sakura and Tomoyo rearranged the furniture while Meiling put away her clothes and such. It didn't take long.
"We have to throw you and Syaoran a 'Welcome' party!" Tomoyo told Meiling. The girls were sitting in a circle on the floor in the den.
"We can invite all of our old school friends, Yukito, and maybe even Touya will come." Tomoyo continued, "I was thinking about having it at my house."
"Let's have it at my house." Sakura said.
"Hu?" Tomoyo asked, "Are you sure?"
"Yes," Sakura said.
"I can guess why." Meiling said, elbowing her, "You want Syaoran to stay as long as possible…maybe even spent the night."
Sakura blushed, "I don't want to do anything bad, I just want to spend more time with him."
"Sure, that's the response everyone says." Meiling said, rolling her eyes.
"So Meiling," Tomoyo said, "are you ready to fight?"
"What do you mean?" Meiling asked.
"A new evil is approaching Tomoeda after our dear Cardcaptor Sakura!" Tomoyo said enthusiastically.
"I'll kick its butt back to wherever it came from." Meiling cried.
"Actually, it came from China." Sakura said softly.
"It what?" But before anyone could answer Meiling, the guys walked into the apartment.
"You know, some people try knocking." Tomoyo said.
"Then again, some don't." Eriol said back.
"Come on girls," Touya directed to Tomoyo and Sakura. "It's late, we have to head home."
Sakura and Tomoyo stood up to leave, but Syaoran came to Sakura. "Will you meet me at the Penguin Park tomorrow at eleven in the morning?"
"Of course," she replied, giving him a kiss before leaving.
Once they were gone, Syaoran fell back onto the couch. "I can't believe it Meiling." He said, "We're finally back." Syaoran felt a weird tickling in the back of his mind, but he couldn't seem to figure out what it was. "Meiling, have you felt kind of different since we've come back?"
Meiling thought about what Tomoyo and Sakura had said before they were interrupted. "Yes, it does seem a little different."
Unfortunately, neither of them would know anything until the next day.
OOO
It was eleven in the morning the next day. Sakura entered the little clearing in the Penguin Park. This was, by far, her favorite place to go when she wanted to be alone. Back when Syaoran's leaving was still fresh in her heart, she would come to the park often to be alone. It was a place that seemed to hold within it its own magic.
"Sakura?"
Sakura turned and saw Syaoran Li standing off to the side of the King Penguin slide. Her eyes filled with tears. "Oh Syaoran," she whispered.
Sakura then did a repeat of the day before. She ran jumped into Syaoran's waiting arms. Syaoran caught her in his arms and showered kisses upon her lips. This was, after all, the first time they had been alone together in seven years.
Syaoran picked Sakura up and spun her around in circles, both of them laughing. When he set her down, Sakura had tears streaming down her face.
"It's been such a long time." She said.
Syaoran whipped away all of her tears. "I have something to do before anything else." He said. Sakura tilted her head to the side in a questioning manner. "Would you like to dance?"
It was a rhetorical question. Syaoran snapped his fingers and invisible instruments started playing. A look of wonder and confusion entered Sakura's face.
"How did you learn this kind of magic?" Sakura asked.
Syaoran smiled, "I got my wish."
This caused Sakura to become even more confused. Before she had a chance to say anything, Syaoran grabbed her hands and began to dance her across the clearing, this left Sakura gaping.
"I didn't know you could dance." She said.
"I didn't know that you could possibly become more beautiful." Syaoran told her.
Sakura blushed and looked away. Syaoran caught her chin in his hand and forced her to look up at him. Sakura didn't take her eyes off of him until he bent down to kiss her again. Suddenly, Syaoran pulled back and the music stopped
"Syaoran?" Sakura asked, looking at him with worried eyes.
"A presence," he said, looking into the trees, "a dark presence is very close." He brought Sakura close to him.
"It followed you from Hong Kong." Sakura said.
"It what?" Syaoran looked down at her, startled. A presence followed him from Hong Kong without his notice?
"Eriol noticed the presence coming first." Sakura continued. This caused Syaoran to growl a bit.
Sakura giggled, "Oh!" She cried.
"What is it?" Syaoran asked as she pulled something out of her shirt. It was a starfish necklace.
"Dad sent me and Touya each one of these." Sakura said as Syaoran held the little starfish. "Clow's presence is in them but we don't know what they are."
"I've seen this somewhere." Syaoran said.
It was Sakura's turn to be surprised. "Where?"
Syaoran looked at it hard, turning it over and around. "I don't remember but it was recently." He put the necklace down to her chest. Sakura clasped her hands over Syaoran's.
Shrouded in shadow, a dark presence watched them. It was bidding its time. It would not attack the little wolf …yet. It would draw the wolf out first. The first target of plan would be Takashi Yamazaki.
OOO
VictorianPearl: Wow, I think that's the longest one yet. Although, it's still not very long.
Kero: Tune in next week for the next chapter of Living Metonymy.