Good news, I finally have cable Internet! Woot! Now I can update, but it still has to be every other week. I congratulate those who can update every week. I still like to update between Fridays-Mondays. Enjoy the newest chapter BlueNovaBunny
BNB: Welcome fans to chapter 12. Today we have a guest star and rusted nails in boards for Li fans.
Ken: starts star-eyed at Syaoran o
Syaoran: Is he going to stare at me all day
BNB: ponders probably. He did the same thing to Yueh.
Syaoran: blushes I can understand.
Li Fans: Boo! You know you want Sakura…or us!
Ken: drools
Syaoran: S-Sakura…blushes
BNB: Awww, that's so kawaii!!! XD Anyways, how did you feel about this chapter's opening scene?
Syaoran: glares How do I feel? You threatened to expose those pictures of Sakura and me in the shower—
Li Fans: WE WANT PICTURES!!! WE WANT PICTURES!!
BNB: sniff actually it was those pictures that convinced me you could do the scene. Your fault you looked HOT in those photos. Even Ken thought so.
Ken: drools
Syaoran: stares nervously at fans can you do something about them?
BNB:I guess…the only reason I let them on because they threatened to sue. O Phoenix!
Phoenix: Destroy crazy girl fans?
BNB: nods
Phoenix: grabs baseball bat Ahahahaha
BNB: Someone is going to sleep good tonight. Before the story continues, I'd like to thank Vi3t BabBiI, Hikari Mizu, Jaid Skywalker, Rosie, gian, AnimeLover, Tinaton aka Blat, pleader, Gabzilla, lil-cherry-wolf, and Auroratwin for reviewing.
Disclaimer: Cardcaptor Sakura is owned by Clamp until she can take over Japan and make the company bow down to her
Chapter 12: Gather The Itsubun
Left thrust, side kick, back thrust, underhand jab. His breaths drew in painful puffs of air as his body screamed from over exertion. He felt the hum of energy and heard the blood pulse throughout his body. He wiped the sweat from his eyes and chanced to see his manservant a few feet away.
"Yes?"
"Lady Li requests your presence, Master Li."
Xiao-Lang picked up the bucket and tossed the water over his head. The glimmering liquid streamed down past his mane of brown sun-tipped hair and fell to his broad shoulders. The hypnotizing water slivered down his muscled abs and flowed in thin rivulets into the waste of his loose fight gi pants.
Xiao-Lang grabbed the towel offered to him by Wei. The towel brushed daintily over a bare chest and lean muscled arms. The setting sun gave his body a golden sun-tanned kiss, which caught the still glistening sweat that the lucky towel didn't catch. Perhaps this is why most women admired him. He gave Wei a silent thank you and handed him the towel.
He wondered what his mother might want from him now. It wasn't that he was afraid of Lady Li…ok maybe a bit. But she had been silent throughout his childhood and that prompted him to always be the best. The same silence also kind of creeped him out. It was like she was waiting for him to mess up or she was disapproving him. 'Well, here I go.' Xiao-Lang pushed open the embossed door.
"You asked for my presence?" Lady Li gave a slight nod, barely noticeable to her own son.
"Yes." She drew nearer and Xiao-Lang felt like she towered over him even though she was three inches shorter than him. "Do you recognize this bowl?"
Xiao-Lang stared at the very ornament broken bowl. "It'd the one that has been in our family for centuries and belonged to Clow Reed's mother. It helps interpret dreams and visions of the future." Xiao-Lang hesitated. He didn't want to sound like a know-it-all. "…It also can be used for scrying."
Silence hovered as Lady Li just stared at her son. With an agonizing second, she assessed him with her eyes. "Yes. I was scrying and this vision of a young girl showed, possibly someone looking for the power made by Clow Reed. A powerful aura even broke the bowl while I was scrying. Maybe the legends weren't true about our line."
Weren't true about our line…
Xiao-Lang's eyes widened. 'No, that can't be true. It's my right! The elders were sure the legends were talking about me. The power of CLow Reed was meant for me!'
"It can't be. The legend says one of his lines would inherit his power." Lady Li's gaze wavered.
"I want you to find this girl. Find out what she wants. Many have tried to find the power of Clow Reed…and have failed, thus proving that we're meant for it. It would be dangerous in the hands of others." She turned her back on him and faced the alter.
"Clow Reed's power is returning and it would be dangerous in normal hands, but more dangerous in someone trained in magic. In Japan, find the gems, and if you run into the girl, you must destroy her. There's also something else, but I'll tell you about before you leave."
Xiao-Lang bowed and exited quietly.
Lady Li sighed. It was times like these she wished her husband were still alive. He was always the rock on her shoulders, but like a rock washed away by water, he was taken from her. Her shoulder shook as remembered how he was taken from her. She didn't know what to believe anymore. She just hoped she could be strong for her son like her husband.
Tomoyo glared at her new model. She didn't care her new model was fidgeting, growing nervous under her stare. Her model's figure wasn't right, her complexion was horrible. The model shrank back a little at her Lady's demonic glint in her eyes. Tomoyo finally gave an angry high pitch growl, quite causing the model to run out of the room. Lady Miharu stepped into the room.
"Hmm, I see you're not pleased with her either," Chiharu commented dryly.
"Damn Lord Hiragizawa! Sakura was the perfect model and he sent her out into public. Do you know how dangerous it is for women, especially with Sakura's looks?"
"Well, she grew eighteen years outside of courtly walls. I assume she can survive now." Tomoyo just exhaled gravely. Chiharu backed away slowly as she saw something in Tomoyo's eyes. Something she didn't want to be around.
"I told Yamazaki I would meet him about now. Bye!" Her friend quickly fled the room. Tomoyo glanced around the room. Nothing here would occupy her or get rid of her anger. A devious grin graced her ruby-kissed lips. She knew exactly how to get rid of her anger.
"So you're going after them?" Eriol just gave Ruby Moon an annoyed look.
"Of course not, I'm going to gather the Itsubun. It would be a disappointing show if the new mistress was prepared. It wouldn't show her true character about handling powerful magic." Ruby Moon just gave a bored yawn.
"Well, if I'm not going to be needed, can I play around?"
Eriol chuckled, "Why not? I have a feeling you wanted to settle things with the young Lord Kinomoto and it would cause a great distraction. I have a feeling he would be annoying…"
"Yes, Lord Kinomoto…" Ruby Moon gave a mischievous wink, and then faded out.
He chuckled, but stopped as he heard a vicious knock in his door. And the sound kept on pounding. He slowly opened the door, but he stepped back as it was forced open.
"Lady Daidouji, isn't this a little unorthodox?" If looks could kill, Eriol would have been knifed, gutted, and thrown to the dogs.
"What I found unorthodox…Lord Hiragizwa, is that my maid, which turns out to be Lord Kinomoto's long lost sister, which in fact you knew was a lady, who you sent out into the world after you knew the fact, was lost to me! In that short time period we knew each other, she was my friend." Eriol just gave her a blank look and tried to decipher the words flying out of Lady Daudouji's well-shaped lips.
"Your point is?"
Tomoyo rolled her eyes in annoyance. "If you're going after Sakura, I'm coming along!"
Eriol grinned at Tomoyo. "I'm not going—
"Yes you are going to let me come with you. This is all your fault! And nothing you say is going to stop me" Eriol sighed, it looked like there was no stopping Miss Daidouji when she had her mind made up. He gave the huffing Lady a side glanced. She was beautiful in her glory, fire blaring behind her blue eyes. Maybe this might be fortunate for him…
Sakura shivered as the fire pyres crackled and popped. She felt sadness and memories of Mimi filled her. Kaisamaru's mother had requested Sakura be a guest in her house as a token of her appreciation for delivering his body. Never mind that he wouldn't be dead if he didn't try to help her.
She wondered questionably if the smoke or her own guilt was making her eyes fill up with tears. By now, Sakura thought, she would be used to death. All that has happened, even before she was old enough to remember anything, death has evaded her life.
Her auburn bangs covered her teary eyes, but could not stop the tell-tale streaks of water flowing from it. She would miss Kaisamaru, but like all people, would move on.
Masago sang the last pray to her son's departing spirit. Candles would be lit on the village's stream to guide his spirit to the heaven. She stared at the young outsider's face. The girl looked beyond depressed; she looked so empty. The elder woman moved to Sakura's side.
"Don't feel guilty." Sakura gasped.
"I don't feel--," she looked into the older woman's sad eyes, "I do feel guilty. I-if he didn't try to help me, we wouldn't be in this situation." Masago gave her a ghost of a smile.
"Kaisamaru has a good heart. I'm sure if he was helping you, it was a good reason. Don't feel guilty about it because I knew my son would rather have you smile then cry. He was always happy and would want you happy too." Sakura nodded. Somehow the woman's wiser words cheered her up.
"I hear you're going to the nearby port city tomorrow."
"Yes. I need to travel onto a boat that will take me to China."
"Well please stay a while in the village or at least till after lunch." Sakura agreed.
She gave a tired sigh as she heard the drip-drip of the water falling out of the bucket. Even though she felt less guilty, she still felt troubled, troubled enough to help gather water for Masago's lunch. It was just that the well had a line winding around the corner of the path. She thought gathering water from the nearby stream in the woods would be easier.
The sun glared down on her shoulders, making her very warm and proving she shouldn't have waited in line.. A feeling of apprehension shot through her. 'Am I just too weary from the sun or is this feeling familiar?' Sakura drew a sigh and threw back her shoulder. The bucket was becoming heavier by the minute and Masago would want her water soon. She shook the strange premonition off and walked back to the village.
Sakura smiled as she saw Masao waiting by the door way. "I fetched plenty of water for the stew…" She frowned as she saw Masago's troubled look. "What's wrong?"
"The Tsumino's children where playing in the forest near the stream and suddenly one of the boys starting leaping in bounds and was knocked into a tree. They say he is hurt badly. I'm going to fetch my herbal bag and go help his injuries. Please stay here and wait. I'll have the food finished after I return." Sakura gave a silent nod as Masago passed her.
Sakura dumped the bucket a foot awhile from the stewing pot. She bet her necklace that the force she came upon was the same thing that caused the boy's injuries and that is was a Clow gem. Her footsteps crunched across the forest floor s she ran over dead leaves. Her breathe came in puffs until she stopped to the spot where she fetched water. Her heart pounded as her body stilled to the rhythm of nature.
The forest was silent, too silent for her taste. Something was definitely here and she would find out what. A warmth like energy throbbed from her chest. She grabbed her neck and felt it shift to its natural staff-like state.
Twings snapped around her. 'Yes, it's definitely was a Clow gem.'
"Whoa!" Sakura's feet leaped across the stream to the edge. She almost landed on her behind in the water. Another white flash appeared on the sides of her sight. She could barely see this thing and it seemed to be on the offensive now. Sakura threw her Windy gem up in the air.
"In the form of gem made
by Clow's binding spell
come to my needed aid
before great trouble tells…
Windy!"
The beak of the staff smashed into the simmering crystal. The gem cracked and finally broke, unleashing the power within. The form of a white lady protected Sakura in an air pressured shield. More snapping could be heard around Sakura, but none could touch her.
"Windy, form a sphere around that Clow power!" The white maiden formed at cage around the mysterious power, trapping an animal like figure in its depths.
Sakura stared at it. It actually looked very cute if it was jumping around violently. "Hmm, what could you be? Speed?" The light dimmed on her staff's beak. "Ok, maybe not. She continued to stare, hoping Windy's cage would hold. If only it would keep still and stop jumping…
"From the power of Clow Reed you stem
I command you to return to your form of gem…
Jump!"
The animal seemed to bow before crumbling together to form a pale blue gem. She held out he hand and it floated down to her palm. She gaped at the two gems she already had. She couldn't believe she captured two in two days. Maybe she would be home to meet her brother before the month's end.
Sakura hummed and picked up the water buckets she was carrying. The day seemed to get brighter and brighter. After lunch she would be traveling to catch her ferry ride to China. Her plans seemed perfect. If only Sakura realized best laid plans usually don't go as planned by now.
"Wei, where is Xiao-Lang?"
"Ah, Miss Meilin, Master Li has just left for Japan by his mother's orders." Her amber eyes narrowed. Xiao-Lang was gone again! So far he has only spoken with her two times. Not much even though they have been declared to wed.
'Well, I just might have to bring him back!'
"Wei, get me some mode of transportation fore I need to go to Hong Kong's docks."
"Mi'Lady, why would you need that for?"
"Wei, don't question my orders. I just want to take a stroll. It doesn't matter where I intend to stroll, understand?" Wei bushy eyebrows crossed, but he nodded. She would bring him back and make sure he does his duty to marry her and to make her father happy also.
Meilin made herself forget about the mysterious dark-haired man in her dreams. For now on all that mattered was Xiao-Lang and their upcoming wedding.
itsubun (n) unknown or lost writing
BNB: Yay! A finished chapter and I promised our fav two characters will meet in the next chapter. I was thinking of combining the this chapter and the next one, but I decided to be evil :) Next chapter is chapter 13: Funjou Of Traveling
Ken: drools
BNB: ah yeah…sorry fans. Syaoran left, Ken freaked him out too much. And I think I'm facing another lawsuit with the crazy fans. So until next time…
Phoenix: ReviEW!!!