To Protect You
By: Hane no Miko (link no miko + Koorino Megumi)
This fic directly follows the events of Chapter 66 in the manga. We took the darker elements of the series and went with those, so this probably won't be as bright as the original, but we hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 1: The Dark-eyed Planet
They landed gracelessly, Sakura held tightly in Syaoran's arms as Mokona clung to his hair. The warp that stole them from Ashura-ou's world swirled around them violently before dispersing, taking what little light there had been. Alone in the dark, Syaoran blinked and tried to get his bearings as Sakura pulled away from him, a shocked look on her face.
"Syaoran-kun, are you ok? I'm so sorry, did I crush you?"
He shook his head and smiled for her. "No, princess, I'm fine."
"I'm so glad."
Syaoran nodded, keeping his smile and hoping she knew it was there despite the lack of light. "I wonder where we are now..." he thought aloud, squinting in the dark. He stood, reaching to take Sakura's hand in his, lest they get separated.
"Maybe there's a town nearby?" the princess offered, looking around as well.
Syaoran frowned, hoping she was right. "Stay close," he instructed, and, choosing a direction, began to walk.
Sakura nodded and followed, still holding tightly to his hand. His cheeks felt a little warmer for the contact, but he wouldn't let himself be distracted. He didn't know where they were or what kinds of dangers awaited them.
"Mokona, do you sense a feather?"
The small creature shook his head sadly from his perch on Sakura's shoulder. "No, Mokona feels nothing."
Syaoran sighed, but nodded. "Alright. For now, finding shelter is more important." He turned to Sakura, hoping she could see him in the darkness. "Are you tired, princess?"
"No, I said I'm fine," she answered, just the slightest hint of a pout on her lips, and Syaoran nodded back hesitantly. "But thank you for worrying," she added quietly.
Syaoran smiled faintly at that comment and continued ahead, unconsciously rubbing her fingers a bit with his. But he stopped in his tracks a moment later, putting a hand to his lips and hoping she would see it. There had been a noise somewhere nearby... Syaoran closed his eyes and listened carefully. Beside him, Sakura didn't make a sound, though Mokona scrabbled on her shoulder, likely surprised by their sudden stop.
The noise repeated itself, and Syaoran turned to the side, opening his eyes and squinting again into the darkness. A faint light was now visible--and not at too great of a distance, it seemed, rapidly growing closer. "Someone's coming," he whispered, letting go of Sakura's hand and taking a step forward so that she was behind him. "Hello?" he called uncertainly, "Is someone there?"
His call was met with gasps of surprise and several noises as at least one of the approaching people fell to the ground.
"A spirit!" one of the boys who still stood yelled, taking a quick step back. Around him, the word passed on among hushed and scared whispers while the person on the ground moaned.
Syaoran shook his head, hands held placatingly before him. "No, we're not spirits, we're travelers. Please, we're lost-"
"Don't let it near, it'll hurt you," the same boy who had first spoken said, standing before the others in the same way Syaoran was protecting Sakura. The torch he held wasn't enough light to show his features, but Syaoran was sure he could see hints of a scowl on the other's face.
"No, we don't want to hurt you," Sakura said from behind him, but Syaoran only moved to block her more fully. If anything happened to her...
A vision of Ashura-ou holding onto his lover's clothes flashed through Syaoran's mind, but he quickly shook the thought away. That will not happen.
But the boys apparently had no intention of fighting them. "Let's get out of here," the smallest one pleaded, tugging the sleeve of the boy who had spoken before. The leader continued to eye the pair for a moment, torch held high, but then he nodded his assent, and the group immediately turned as one, all pretense of bravery dissolving as they yelled and ran as fast as they could, one of the larger boys grabbing the one who had fallen and dragging him after them.
Syaoran's eyes widened. "Wait!" he cried, and, clasping his princess's hand, took off at the fastest run he could manage. "We're not spirits!" he called after them, but they didn't slow, and he grimaced, speeding up. He was now holding Sakura's weight as he ran faster than she could manage, sweeping her right off her feet. At this, he couldn't help but be reminded of the last day they'd spent together back home, and it distracted him enough that he stumbled, just managing to keep his balance but preventing him from catching up.
They should at least lead us back to their town, he assured himself, though the idea of entering a town chasing a group of young boys didn't sit well with him. But they couldn't exactly stay out here. He would just have to explain the situation once they got there.
"Syaoran-kun...!"
Sakura's voice pulled him back from his thoughts, and he stopped completely, turning to look at her. Her hair was blown about and messy, and she had a strained look on her face. Guilt assaulted him, and he released her hand.
"I'm sorry, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, but..."
"Spirits spirits!" Mokona sung happily, doing a tiny dance on Sakura's shoulder. "Boo!"
"I need to find out where they're going. Perhaps they'll lead us to a place to stay tonight," Syaoran tried to assure her, ignoring the tiny white creature.
"They don't seem to want us around..."
He smiled, the moonlight shining just enough for her to see his expression. "It'll be okay, I promise. I won't leave you." Never that.
Sakura beamed at him. "I know." Then she pursed her lips, looking after the bobbing torch that marked the retreating boys. "Should we keep running?"
Syaoran frowned. "Are you ready?" She nodded, and he started off again, but he kept his pace more moderate, going slowly at first so that she had time to get used to running before he sped up. He hoped the torch would stay visible for long enough that they wouldn't lose the boys, but he didn't want to hurt his princess by running too fast.
It's probably better to be far behind them. We don't want the townspeople to think that we're trying to scare their children.
Reminded of the events in Spirit, he gave the princess's hand a squeeze, glancing at her. This time, he wouldn't let them get separated, whatever happened. He would keep his promise. His heart thudded when she squeezed his hand right back, a small, slightly scared smile on her face.
Turning to Mokona to regain his composure, Syaoran tried to keep his voice neutral. "Mokona, if you sense anything, please let us know."
"Mokona will!"
Nodding to the magical creature, Syaoran followed the fading light of the lantern until more lights shown faintly in the distance, the outline of a town shining dully in the moonlight. Feeling a surge of triumph that he'd been correct in where the children were going, he sped up.
"Syaoran-kun?"
"I see lights! There's a town ahead, princess. If we can get lodgings for the night..." He trailed off, suddenly wary. Hopefully the town wouldn't react badly to them, like in Spirit. From the actions of the children, he couldn't quite tell, but they needed a place to stay, and this was the only town they'd found.
And until we find Fye-san and Kurogane-san...
Would they have switched worlds with them? Had they even been in Ashura-ou's world? Syaoran had never wanted to involve others in his quest for the feathers, but they were friends now and losing them was difficult.
No, they're alright. They have to be.
Nearing the town, Syaoran pulled himself from his thoughts and slowed his pace, glancing back at Sakura and, seeing her panting, he stopped completely.
"We'll go in in a minute," he said softly to her, before she could waste her breath questioning his sudden stop. He looked at the town, trying to survey it in the dim light.
Each new world was so different that it was hard to tell much about it at sight, but as well as Syaoran could gauge, this one didn't seem very advanced--perhaps along the same lines as Spirit had been. The houses were tidy cottages of stone with thatched roofs, and the town was full of neat dirt paths around the edges and cobbled streets in its heart. Soft sounds of horses could be heard, and stables were visible in various places. Otherwise it was quiet, most of the residents likely sleeping. A dog barked somewhere in the distance. The only real sound was that of the boys, scampering through town--together.
Syaoran narrowed his eyes. Shouldn't they be headed to their homes? Where are they all going?
"Wait!" he called again, probably too softly for them to hear, but the last thing he wanted to do was cause a ruckus and wake the other residents. "Wait here, princess," he directed, gently untangling his fingers from hers. He gave her a reassuring smile as she clasped her hands before her in worry. "I'll be back in a minute," he promised.
"Be careful," Sakura replied, lips pursed, and even Mokona gave him a stern pout.
Syaoran kept his smile. "I will." And without giving them time to protest, he left her and Mokona at the short wooden fence on the edge of the town, running after the boys again.
They were fast, and on the dark and unfamiliar streets, he nearly lost sight of them several times. He had no idea where it was they could be going, but he was sure he should reach them before they got to wherever they were headed.
Something crashed in the distance, and he skidded to a halt along with the lantern light. One of the boys must have tripped.
"Please wait! We're just looking for some help!"
Whispered voices carried back to him on the wind, and then the boys were off again. Syaoran spared a second to sigh, and then he too was running.
The children finally stopped in a large open area with a fountain that most likely acted as the town center. Syaoran slowed to a stop with them, keeping his hands before him to show he meant no harm.
"Please, we aren't here to hurt you--"
"The spirit! It's here!"
A bright light sparked near the fountain, illuminating the area, and Syaoran covered his eyes quickly. When he pulled his arms down, he took in a sharp breath.
The children weren't alone anymore.
"Please," Syaoran started, looking at the small crowd of men who now stood before him, the children clutching at their sleeves. He tried to sound as reasonable as he could, hoping they would be more receptive to his request than the boys had been. "We're travelers, and we're just looking for-"
"Spirits!" one child cried, and the others seemed to take it as a cue, breaking out in a chorus of, "Spirits, spirits!"
One of the men held up a hand, and they immediately grew silent. This one stepped out of the crowd, standing just a few feet before Syaoran. His torch was held so that it cast a shadow over his face rather than lighting it up, but his posture was very formal--cold, it seemed, in this situation--and Syaoran could tell from his neat, well-groomed appearance and rich robes that he was someone of importance.
"What is your purpose here, spirit?" he asked, his tone clipped and his mouth twisting in what seemed to be a sneer. Syaoran hoped that was simply a trick of the light.
"I told you, I'm not a spirit!" the young man repeated, though he was fairly certain by now that it was useless to say, "Please, we're just travelers, and we're looking for a place-"
"He came out of the sky, Your Worship!" interrupted one of the boys, doing his best to hide behind the man's robe, "In a ball of darkness!"
"He's an evil spirit!" piped up another, shaking a tiny fist at Syaoran, "He's here to kill us, like you said!"
"We won't hurt you!" Syaoran protested, holding out his hands in a placating gesture, looking to the man for reason, at the very least.
But it seemed the situation was not going to improve. "Fiend!" The man shook his torch at Syaoran, which caused it to illuminate both his sneer and his hard, dark eyes. "It is exactly as I have said," he announced to the crowd, "The heretics who left our village have brought the spirits upon us. We are being punished for their actions!"
Syaoran's eyes narrowed at the man's words, and, eyeing his expression, the young man took a step back, his mind screaming that danger was coming.
But the princess is still at the gates. I have to keep them away from her!
Syaoran was sure that he hadn't so much as glanced in the direction of his princess. Even so, as if on cue, one of the children--a larger boy with round cheeks in a plain shirt and baggy pants--stepped up from behind the men and announced, "He's not the only one! There was another spirit with him!"
Syaoran's eyes widened, his stomach bottoming out. No! He wouldn't let any of them near his princess. Without another thought, the young man struck, targetting the men rather than the children, his foot connecting with the face of the leader holding the torch.
Caught off-guard, the man was sent sprawling, his torch flying out of his hand to land on the cobbled street. The light was snuffed out by its journey. Though there were other torches amongst the members of the crowd, this plunged the front of the group into near-absolute darkness, but Syaoran would not be deterred, immediately sending kicks flying at those nearest to him before they could even register what was happening.
Unfortunately, it seemed that some of the men, having seen the boys' fear, had come to the crowd bearing weapons with which to defend themselves. Syaoran suddenly found himself assaulted, not only by the kicks and punches of some of the more burly members of the crowd, but by torches, slabs of wood, fireplace pokers, pitchforks, and various other items.
Under normal circumstances, Syaoran would not have been so quick to engage such a sizable group of armed foes, but with his princess in danger, he would never hesitate, whatever the odds.
But there were too many of them, and some had little interest in the fight and more interest in finding the other "spirit" before it got away. As much as Syaoran struggled, he could not keep all the men back, especially not when he was busy fighting off those who were after him. And with the children helping the enemies, eager to point in the direction from which the "spirits" had come, soon several of the men were on their way back toward the village's front gates.
I can't let this happen. I won't!
"Sakura!" Syaoran cried, struggling to disengage from the battle so that he could run to his princess and protect her. But they were ahead of him, and the men near him were too close for him to simply bolt. "Sakura! Sakura!"
Please hear me. You have to run!
So intent was the young man on getting a warning to his princess that he didn't sense the man coming up behind him--on his right side. It was a small man, wearing dirty overalls over a torn white shirt. A piece of hay was held between his teeth, and, despite the hour, he looked every bit as if he had just come out of a field--right down to the pitchfork in his hand. But Syaoran never saw a bit of it. The heavy object hit him full in the back of his head, connecting with a resounding crack that sent the young man sprawling to the ground, his world fading to black.
Meanwhile, the princess had heard Syaoran's cries, but she would not run despite her fear--not when he was still out there in the dark where she could not see him.
"Syaoran-kun!" she cried, taking a step toward the village, squinting her eyes and trying hard to spot him amongst the shadowed bodies in front of her. She began to run forward, looking every way as she did so, frightened of the dark, uninviting place. But she had to find him! They would only leave together.
Mokona whimpered on her shoulder, but he did not complain, and the girl patted him to comfort him as she moved deeper into the village, finally drawing near to the place where the battle was raging.
Sakura let out a gasp, her hands flying to her mouth, as she heard Syaoran let out a cry of pain. She froze in place, shaking, watching one of the shaodwed figures collapse. No! Her eyes welled up immediately with tears, and she could not hold back her scream. "Syaoran!"
But she could do no more than that as suddenly a hand was on her arm, gripping her tightly and pulling her back.
"Don't even," came a harsh female voice as she fought to pull away.
Sakura tried to turn her head to see who it was, but another hand came out of the darkness then, clutching her other arm. This person plucked Mokona off her shoulder, holding the creature against his or her body, as evidenced by the being's muffled protests. "Come on," directed this other attacker--a male.
Sakura continued to struggle, fighting as desperately as she could, gaze focused on the shadow lying prone on the ground, being surrounded by the men who had attacked him. "Syaoran-kun! Syaoran-kun!" she cried, wishing that her voice could wake him--make him get up and come this way. He would free her, and they would leave this place together...
But Syaoran didn't move, and one of Sakura's captors clamped a hand over her mouth. "Quiet!" Eyes widening and fighting every bit of the way, the princess was dragged from the scene.
