CCSxSt Tail. Two rival gangs at Tomoeda High; Sakura's and Syaoran's. Both hate each other equally, but what happens when they have to stand side by side against another school? DM ET but especially SS
Did everyone have a good Christmas and new year?
Disclaimer: ccs is not mine.
The Ice-cream Parlour: Trouble
School
"What's up your ass…" Eriol remarked, seeing Syaoran saunter up with a dark look.
Syaoran practically slammed his face down onto the cafeteria table. "She's coming," they heard him moan.
"What? Who?"
"Her." His gloomy voice was still stifled as he spoke to the table.
Asuka and Eriol looked at each other with raised eyebrows. Just as they were about to prod Syaoran for more answers three bright auras swept past; their female equivalents had coldly walked near their table and the boys felt the air around them drop a few degrees lower.
Sakura had also turned back for a second to glower in their direction.
"Man…" Asuka said bemused, "what the hell did you do to her?"
Eriol grinned, "I thought you two were on good terms now…"
"I didn't do anything," Syaoran ruffled his hair with both hands in an irritated manner, "she's coming."
Asuka patted him on the shoulder. "She walked past already buddy…there's nothing to worry about."
"No…let me clarify," Syaoran cleared his throat looking up at his two friends; "she's coming. As in, coming over to stay at my house FOR GOD KNOWS HOW LONG!"
Asuka sat astonished while Eriol burst into laughter, causing a few nosy students around them to stare. Asuka bared his teeth and they all hurriedly returned to their lunches.
"You serious!" Eriol said after calming himself, "when?"
"Today, is my guess…" he gave Eriol a sideways glance, "you seem to be enjoying my pain."
"Ahh…" Eriol smirked his Cheshire cat smirk, "it will be a lotof fun, won't it?"
"Fun my ass," he banged his head on the table, "we were just on nice speaking terms, and now she hates me again. Every morning I will have to face a tigress who has the ability to set my hair on fire."
"Need some help?" Asuka took a gulp from his Coke. 'Poor guy,' he thought, 'imagine Haneoka living at my house…' he shuddered just thinking about it.
"No it's alright," Syaoran replied grimly, "my mother had warned me to play nice."
Asuka choked on the Coke. "Your mother doesn't know her very well, does she?"
"Nope. I don't think my mother knows Sakura is just waiting for the opportunity to KILL HER SON," Syaoran rubbed his forehead wearily.
"So no ice-water-bucket over her bed?"
"Nope."
"No live spiders in her risotto?"
"Nope."
"Syaoran," this time Eriol and Asuka both slapped him on the back.
"We feel for you."
Students filed out of the school chattering excitedly, happy that classes had finished early today because the teachers were having a meeting.
Under the huge oak outside the school gates a pretty brunette girl accidentally knocked the shoulder of Sakura Kinomoto. She was met with a frosty fierce glare that made her squeak and speed away.
Sakura made a 'heh' noise and without further delay resumed her begging. Sakura Kinomoto, begging?
"Pleeease," Sakura pleaded, big eyes used to their fullest potential as she hung onto Tomoyo's sleeve, "don't leave me…"
Tomoyo tried to swat her hand away, "I'm sorry, but something came up! I'm so sorry I can't go with you…"
"Tomoyooo…you promised!" whined Sakura.
Tomoyo bit her lip guiltily, "I know, but I'm sure you can go with someone else-"
"I CAN'T! Meimi has to stay back for gymnastics practice!" Sakura wailed even more mournfully, "and I don't want to find the Li house alone!" she let go her Tomoyo's sleeve to adjust the bag strap on her shoulder.
Tomoyo desperately tried to think up a way out. She couldn't believe Sakura could tackle fighting men three times her size but was too scared to follow a simple address!
'I really have to go…what to do, what to do…' Tomoyo thought. Her solution came in form of a distinct aura; she felt it draw closer and immediately recognized it. Over the years of being in Blood Phoenix, she had developed a keen alertness for these things. She looked at Sakura to see if she realized it but Sakura was too lost in her nonstop muttering.
Seeing Syaoran finally approach the school gate Tomoyo inched away from Sakura. "Listen, I have to go, but LOOK! There's Syaoran so you can walk home with him okay? Problem solved! Yeah? Everything fine? Okay! Byee!"
Sakura looked up just in time to see Tomoyo about to take off. "What!" She grabbed Tomoyo's hand on impulse, and Tomoyo groaned inwardly. 'Damn,' she thought, 'too slow…'
Sakura felt Syaoran nearing and she held on to Tomoyo's wrist tighter. Tomoyo waved her free hand to get Syaoran's attention and beckoned him over. He looked amused at the scene before him.
"Hi Syaoran!" Tomoyo greeted cheerfully. Sakura glared at her so-called best friend. 'Don't. You. Dare.'
Tomoyo ignored her. "Sakura was just about to leave…she's staying at your place, right? She doesn't know where you live so I thought you two-"
"Let's go," was all he said gruffly and he started walking away.
Sakura was so stunned he agreed so quickly she released Tomoyo from her captivity. Tomoyo took this opportunity to escape.
"B-but…" Sakura cried, "TOMOYO!"
Her friend was already at a considerable, unreachable distance. Tomoyo waved merrily, winked and darted off.
Sakura growled and re-adjusted the bag strap. By now, Syaoran had reached the crossing. 'Damn this,' she thought, running after him.
Syaoran felt her jog up next to him as he waited for the pedestrian light to turn green. "Took you long enough," he said with a slight sneer. If she was going to be cold towards him, he was going to return the favour.
She didn't answer and walked past him stubbornly; only to realize that she must be the one following him. 'Hmph,' thought Sakura, 'can it get any worse?' They walked in silence, both shunning each other but beginning to get tired of the act.
Shortly Syaoran turned a corner where his motorbike was parked. Sakura looked at the metallic green vehicle and willed herself to ask, "Is your house far?"
"No."
"Then why…"
"It's quicker to get to school everyday this way," for the first time he looked at her while speaking, gazing briefly at her face.
"Oh," she said, making a mental note to start doing that since she was always late (and then wondering why she had never thought of it before).
He handed her a spare helmet and she put it on her head, a snug fit. "Ready?" he called, waiting for her to get on.
She stood unmoving next to the bike and he rolled his eyes. "Back," he gestured behind him.
"I like to drive," she pouted, crossing her arms.
"This is my bike so I'm driving, and that's that," he heard her grumble as she climbed on and the helmet blocked his small smile.
The engine roared into life and soon they were stopped at the same zebra stripes they crossed before.
"I've never sat at the back before," her voice barely audible behind the helmet.
"There's a first for everything-" he froze when he felt a light pressure on his back as she scooted closer. He wondered if she did that to shut him up. She was wearing her P.E. uniform which consisted of a thin white polo and very short shorts. And at once he had the flashback of her pressing up against him when he carried her at the beach.
"Hey Syaoran, the light is green," she nudged his back. Cars behind them honked and Syaoran felt his face color. Luckily she was sitting behind him. They zoomed off and Sakura's breath caught. "Hey you're going too fast!" she shrieked.
"No I'm not," was his bored reply.
"I'm not used to sitting at the back and not holding something!"
"Hold on to my waist, then," unknown to him, this time it was Sakura who blushed slightly. They shot even faster forward into a quieter road through the open fields, and Syaoran felt her grab his waist for safety.
She watched the scenery stream past, actually enjoying it. The trees that lined the road on both sides whizzed past as green blurs; the sun was shining and as she looked to the sky the clouds flew swiftly overhead, and she laughed. A light wave of bliss washed over her as they sped through the less developed part of town, where farms, livestock and white picket fencing still existed. Nature sure was beautiful when viewed at a hundred kilometres an hour. The droning of the engine made her deaf to everything around them but somehow, it just seemed perfect.
-
BOOM.
Syaoran narrowly swerved to the left to miss the exploding tree and Sakura screamed in her helmet, hugging onto Syaoran tighter.
"What the-"
BOOM.
The tree closest to them blew up into nothing but a shower of bark and leaves. Syaoran swore, the falling remains obstructing his view.
BOOM.
The force of the explosion made the bike sway dangerously. Sakura heard the drone of motorbikes add to theirs, and she turned to see three shiny black motorbikes tailing them. She could feel a dark presence lingering faintly behind.
"Syaoran!" she yelled, "It's the Sharks!"
"Fuck!" he shouted, "They're low enough to try kill us before Chinatown!"
BOOM.
A tree branch hurtled past their heads like a spear missing by a few centimetres. "Hurry! Do something!" Sakura looked fearfully over her shoulder again and found the black riders gaining on them. Normally she wouldn't have been this terrified; but at the moment, she wasn't in control, and she wasn't used to relying on someone else. "THEY'RE CATCHING UP!" she screeched in his ear.
"Shut up for a sec, woman!" Syaoran pulled a right, shortcutting through the field into the woods. He changed gears and urged his bike faster; the whine of the engine rumbling on a higher pitch.
The black riders followed them, the three perfectly synchronized, their black helmets glinting threateningly in the side mirror.
"Why did you cut into here? There's MORE TREES HERE!"
"It'll be harder to aim for us in here! Or do you want to get fried!"
BOOM.
They both ducked the sparks.
"YOU SHOULD HAVE LET ME DRIVE!" Sakura pounded his back angrily.
"QUIT YOUR BITCHING!"
BOOM.
A huge pine crashed down right in front of their path.
"SYAORAN!"
Syaoran slammed on the brakes and skidded sideways.
The smell of burnt rubber filled the air.
With a sickening crunch metal met solid wood.
Sakura was thrown off the bike…
And everything went black.
Sakura opened her eyes and the unfamiliar place was the first thing she noticed. "Where…" She tried sitting up but winced at the stinging pain, and fell back into the pillow. Pillow. Bed. Someone's room.
Syaoran's face swam into view. 'He always seems to be the one reviving me,' she thought, glancing around at the surroundings, 'this must be his room.'
"Good, you're awake," he said, "thank god you woke up before Mother came home…she would personally hammer me to death if she found out you died on the first day in my responsibility…"
"How…"
Syaoran's expression changed into a grim smile. "I had to carry you back. You weigh like a sack of potatoes…what do you eat!"
"I would have slapped you if my arms don't feel so heavy," Sakura stuck her tongue out at him, "Tell me what happened."
"Well, the bike smashed into the fallen tree-"
"Your bike got smashed?"
"Yeah, but that doesn't matter, I can buy another one-"
"Oh yeah, I forgot you were one of those rich snobs-"
"Just shut it, will you? Anyway, bike got smashed to pieces, we both got thrown off, you landed on a massive bush which explains your scratches and why you didn't break any bones, and I landed perfectly on my feet due to my superb martial arts skills-"
"Bull," Sakura muttered.
"Stop interrupting. So, you were out unconscious, and the three black riders stopped and were about to get off, but I used Windy to sweep one of them into the air and he landed on the ground. The other two looked at me scared stiff, picked up their buddy and sped off."
Sakura looked puzzled. "What? That's it!"
"Yeah…I think they were underlings or something…maybe they only had one kind of magic," he said thoughtfully. "But wait, you still have to listen to the most agonizing part. I had to drag you away off the bush and freaking carry you back into the house-"
"Was it far?" she was beginning to feel a little guilty for being troublesome.
"No, not really; the woods are just behind my house (all Sakura's guilt evaporated), but still…I should have left you there and send the servants to get you…just my luck that they have the day off today. Seriously, what do you eat!" he asked again with a devious smirk.
Sakura stopped mid-frown, finding needle-sharp pain prick her forehead.
"Yeah, you need to get that cleaned up," he eyed the cut above her eyebrow, "I'll get some stuff…"
"You know, I can just get Tomoyo to heal this…"
"I know, but I didn't have her number. I phoned Eriol though; but he had his stupid phone turned off, which completely defeats the purpose of having a phone."
She closed her eyes and heard him leave the room, then heard the sound of a tap running somewhere down the hallway. Bathroom. She might as well start learning where everything was if she was going to live here.
He returned with a small tub of water and a washcloth, and then rummaged in his drawers for antiseptic and cotton wool. "I can't find them," he announced after a while, "just wait I'll ask Wei where they are."
She watched him walk out again and listened to repeated creaking and fading footsteps. Stairs.
Still lying there, she felt uncomfortable having him care for her like this. He was usually the one who caused the pain. She turned her head. He didn't need to be so kind. She could take care of herself just fine.
She fingered the bedspread as she studied his room. It was a deep, rich forest green, complementing the mahogany furniture scattered around the room. The heavy curtains were pulled back to let in sunshine. 'It's pretty neat, for a boy's room,' she thought. Clothes were draped on the chair and books cluttered the desk, but everything somehow looked orderly. Her eyes widened at the sight of swords – real swords that were gleaming in the sunlight, with beautiful gold carvings at the hilt.
"Here," Syaoran dropped the bundle of items at the bedside table. He dipped the washcloth into the water but Sakura stopped him.
"I can do this myself. Can you get me a mirror?"
"Mirror, check." Syaoran watched her in amusement. "You have to get up first, even if you want to help yourself."
Watching her struggling to get up he supported the bottom of her back, but Sakura gasped feeling her back burn where he touched it. "Syaoran," she hissed, "What are you trying to pull?"
He looked offended and retorted, "Nothing! I was helping you, are you blind!"
She peeled away the bottom of her shirt and Syaoran whistled at the sore sight. "You've skinned yourself pretty bad there," he told her.
"Thanks for telling me, it hurts like hell," she said, pulling the shirt back down, "You can go now, I'll do this myself," she tugged the tub of water from his hands.
"Don't tell me you can clean your back by yourself, you idiot," Syaoran said with an eyebrow raised, pulling the tub back, "here, I'll help you-"
"I said I can do this myself!" she snapped, yanking the tub of water. It slipped from both their hands and spilled onto carpet. Sakura stared hard at the bedspread.
Syaoran picked tub up and refilled it. "Lift your shirt up," he ordered coldly.
"No."
"Why are you being so bloody difficult!" he spat.
'Why am I being so difficult?' she thought. She was treating him even colder than before.
"I told you, the servants are away; Wei is busy so I'm the only one in this house who can help you," he dropped the mirror in front of her. "This can work both ways. You clean the cut on your stupid head and I'll wash your back. Goddamn your pride…lift that damned shirt up."
To Syaoran's surprise she picked up the mirror and reached for the antiseptic and cotton wool. She obediently uncovered her back, still refusing to look at him.
He was fine with that. Syaoran sat on the bed and washed the cloth again and words did not pass either of them as they worked.
-
Sakura was the first to break the silence.
"I'll stop being a bitch…if you promise not to pull anything during my stay here," she said softly, dotting the antiseptic on her forehead with the cotton wool.
Syaoran pressed the cool washcloth to her back.
"Deal."
Sunlight infiltrated in thin beams through the single broken window, catching the dust in the air. The massive cracks on the wall and ceiling suggested the cement shed was going to collapse soon, but that didn't seem to deter its inhabitants.
Haka sat on a throne carved out of pure ivory and studied his bruised and battered comrade.
"Windy, you say?" he leaned back and brought a hand up to his chin.
The two black riders who were supporting their companion nodded eagerly.
Haida saw her brother stand up and start pacing backwards and forwards with a frown.
"It seems…we have underestimated…"