Author's note: Guys, please note the rating. It's there for a reason. There are some scenes in here that might not be real pretty...
Author's note2: Lucky Charms goes great with this chapter. Have fun and don't get the keyboard messy.Cheers!
"General Kazou, what are your orders?"
"Fan out through the streets, condemn all people that you see and bring them in for cross-examination."
"Everyone, Sir? Everyone? Do you have any idea how many people you are talking about? Why, in Sector 101, there is over-"
"Did I stutter?"
"What in Kami's name are we looking for! A shape-shifter?"
"We do not know what the suspects look like, so we will question everyone out on the streets. The swine need to learn curfew anyways."
"May I at least know what this is about, General?"
"So sorry, classified information. Emperor's business."
"I have over 300 special service men under me. Their safety is of a great concern to me. And I don't give a damn whose orders you are working on. If it has something to do with my men, I need to know."
"I could have you tortured for that little speech you just made, trick."
"So even high army officers like yourselves use common slang? Beside the matter, General. What you are asking me to do is near impossible. You expect me to send out three hundred men in order to attempt to capture three undisruptive suspects who are somewhere between Sectors 100 and 238 with no knowledge of what this suspects are even capable of by the 28th hour tonight!"
"Since you have already told your men about this emergency mission exactly,...23.00 minutes ago, the other option is to have all of your men memory-swiped and sent home to their families drooling with the mind of a five month old. Your choice."
"If THAT is what you call a choice, you are even more SICK than the rumors!"
"Wrong, trick. I am much worse than the rumors."
"...Damn you!"
"I am so pleased you will do it. Be prepared to leave within 20 minutes."
"You are a BASTARD!"
"Good, that means I get another raise..."
Jiro was at the front of the desk when they came down the stairs. He face showed suspicion, but Fai's money must have been on his mind, for he said nothing. Once they left the building, they did hear him mutter from the crack in the door, "If someone's following you, don't come back."
Syaoran raised his eyebrows, looking over his shoulder at Fai and Kurogane. Their faces were perfectly normal; Fai was grinning to himself as though he was remembering some jest while Kurogane's face was as stony as ever. Syaoran did not look at Sakura.
They walked around for an hour. Since this was the first time Sakura had walked around in daylight, she was curious enough to stop the silence that had been suffocating everyone's words since they left the apartment.
"There are only pictures. No words." She said when they came to another sign. "This is not right."
"Woo, this place sure is big!" Fai commented, in an attempt to keep conversation up. "Kuro-pong, when you and Lil Doggie went out this morning, did you ever see anything green? Like a plant? There are no plants around here."
Kurogane eyes narrowed as he glanced around him. "No. This place gives me the creeps. The city just seems to go on forever."
"They must have some country side somewhere to make crops and such." Syaoran said.
"Maybe people here use magic to make their food." Fai added.
"Or maybe most just starve." Kurogane added, and the conversation finished on that happy note.
They continued walking around until it became dark, every so often stopping and asking Mokona if it felt anything. Each time the response was the same. "Too much energy here. But there is something in that direction."
Syaoran could tell this saddened Sakura greatly. Her shoulders visibly sagged and her face fell. Yet Syaoran did not do anything, not even a simple word of comfort. He was too wrapped up in his hurt pride to even give her the acceptance of the apology she had been offering. Not even to tell her that he had long ago accepted her apology and was not really mad at her, but at himself. Her words still rang in his head, taunting him by repeating themselves over and over.
"They are my feathers, Syaoran-kun. Not yours."
How could she think of sure a horrible thing! On the outside, Syaoran looked every bit as together and functioning as always. In the inside, he was screaming, how dare she! How can she say that! How could she!
Slapping his feet on the concrete much harder than necessary, Syaoran's mind ran through reasons on why Sakura would ever say such a thing.
Was it that she was still confused as to his importance here in the group? Sakura had heard once or twice Kurogane's and Fai's reasons were traveling between worlds (they did not elaborate much, of course, but enough to figure out the basics), and she knew full well of her own reason, yet Syaoran did not really have any reason, or excuse, that explain why he was traveling with them. From Sakura's point of view, he was just there, getting her feathers for her for no reason. It was only natural that she would question him sooner or later.
At least, that is what Syaoran kept repeating to himself. While he did think of this earlier, to actually have it come into existence was difficult to handle. It hurt him much more than he thought possible.
Even worse so, it might even be true.
Syaoran loved Sakura more than anything, and would gladly give her his life. He never needed to remind himself; it just was, without question, without reason, without anything. He loved her. Period.
However, the passage of months on this journey came up with another, slightly twisted reason as to why he was doing this. In truth, the reason was in his subconscious, praying on his thoughts as they came until it grew in strength to finally be recognized by the conscious part of him. The reason was simple; he wanted more. (Amazing how all of his complex thoughts and emotions originated from one basic human need!)
He wanted to be more than just a commoner in Clow's Kingdom. He wanted more. He saw the princess among the princes' and nobles, knowing they were important. Their presence reeked of importance. For years, he never minded it, never cared about it at all, until on morning he saw Sakura with a handsome son of a noble from a far off land. This was two years prior to her feather's fleeing. In the pit of his stomach, he felt sick. So from that day forward, though he loved his work, he wanted just a little bit more. Just a little bit more.
It was the nasty greed that grew in the stomach of men and boys. The strive to be better. Syaoran never liked to show off in front of anyone, though athletics came easy to him, and never challenged anyone's position unless motivated by some injustice done to someone else. He liked his life, his home, his world. But that did not mean that the greed was any less. It just meant Syaoran had learned how to control such emotions far better than anyone his age.
His control seemed to slip and he wanted to be greedy when it came to someone he loved, like Sakura. He wanted her with him, however limited that would be. After all, didn't his father tell him that he deserved some happiness? If the happiness was a person, isn't he entitled to some? And what, pray tell, would make her sit up and take notice that he was someone worth of her time and love?
Now suddenly, he is doing more than he ever imagined. He is important to this group. His primary goal always will be Sakura, but now his subordinate goal had come alive and fueled a fire in him. Syaoran is more. More than he ever could have been in Clow. His father would have been proud. And maybe Sakura would take notice.
So in a way, she was completely right. He was doing this for himself, and not just for her. He was doing this to make himself feel more. More to Her Highness, more to others, more to his father,and most importantly, more to himself.
Mokona jumped on his shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Mokona, are you alright?"
The white puffball shook. "Something is coming this way. Lots of energy. Not good."
If there was anything to get everyone on high alert, that was it.
Syaoran's muscles tensed and he unconsciously took a step toward Sakura. "Your Highness," he said, "Get behind me."
Sakura was hesitant. She opened her mouth once, thought about it, than closed it. Than she said, " Syaoran-kun, I am so sor-"
"It doesn't matter right now, Your Highness." he interrupted her. Syaoran knew what she was going to say. She will always be Sakura, sweet, kind Sakura.
"What's that noise?" Kurogane asked.
A quiet rumbling alerted them to the distant sounds of ...something. It was coming closer, the ground vibrating underneath their feet. There was a rhythm to it, making their hearts beat louder and louder.
In answer to Kurogane's question, shapes appeared at the end of the street block. They were black andunidenitfiable in the darkness of the shadows, staying close to the walls of the buildings. More swarmed over, blocking the middle of the street. The vibration of the ground intensified ten-fold. And they were heading straight for them.
"GET OUT OF THE STREET!" Kurogane commanded, grabbing the collar of the person closest to him (Fai's) and turning a sharp right into an alleyway.
Syaoran snapped awake from the image he was watching and spun on his heels, grabbing Sakura's arm in the process. Not waiting to see if she was ready or not, he took off running, tugging her arm. "Run, Princess, RUN!"
They bolted into the direction that Kurogane and Fai went. Syaoran's grip tightened on Sakura's wrist. Mokona held onto Sakura, stuffing itself in her coat. Through the pitch-black alleyway they ran.
Syaoran could only see the flapping of Fai's coat since it was white. He heard Kurogane's footsteps, but since he was in front of Fai, Syaoran could not see him.
Adrenaline pushed him harder and he pumped his legs up and down faster, trying keep up with the two adults, all the while holding on to Sakura's wrist. The mouth of the alleyway was visible now, a street light at the end of it. Kurogane and Fai had almost reached it.
Suddenly, Syaoran became aware of Sakura running along side him. Mokona was poking its head out at her collar. He wasn't tugging her anymore. In fact, he doubted he ever was. She had always been the faster runner of them, even as child. She had kept up with him and while his breathing was beginning to labor, hers' was still even.
Syaoran dared a glance back. Sure enough, the shapes were following them, gaining. Syaoran looked forward again. They were closer to the mouth. And Sakura was still running along side him.
"Run ahead." Syaoran gasped, not wanting to waste his breath.
"No!"
What the hell are you thinking? he wanted to ask, but a sharp pain stabbed at his lungs. With a sickening pain in his stomach, Syaoran realized why. She didn't want to leave him. She could easily run ahead of him, he knew that. And yet she wasn't.
Damn her for being so kind! It was going to get her killed!
Syaoran's breath was now coming in short grasps. He was tired from today, from the fight, from not accepting her apology, from everything. Sudden wisdom sprouted in him, he knew he would not make it. He would fall, and soon.
They were finally at the mouth of the alleyway, another street. Kurogane and Fai were on the other side of the street, in front of a broken down building. With swift movement, Syaoran put his hand on Sakura's back, giving her a rough push forward.
"I'll divert them! You go on!" He rasped.
Sakura stopped dead. Her eyes flashed no.
"Go on!" He shouted, than took off down the street, not waiting to see if she listened or not. 'She will go with Fai-san, Kurogane-san, and Mokona. She'll be safe.' he thought, a smile forming at his lips. 'She'll be safe'
Sakura watched him run off in the opposite direction that he ordered her to go in. She could not just leave him! She had to follow! Just when she was about to take off after him, a gruff hand pulled her back. Sakura struggled, thrusting her elbows backwards into the person's ribs. A pleasing grunt was heard but the person's grip only tightened.
"Damn, kid! Stop it!" Kurogane said, pulling the princess backwards and into the broken down building. "Will you stop that!" He said as she continued to try to jab her elbows into him.
"He's going to get himself killed!" Sakura said, her voice cracking as she did so, "We have to go after him!"
Kurogane grabbed on to Sakura's fists to stop her assault on him. "No, he won't."
"How would you know!", panic in her voice was evident.
In response Kurogane pulled her harder into the abandoned building. Fai took Mokona. They crawled under the broken concrete, trying to get away from the street as quickly as possible.
"We can't just leave him!" Sakura was on the edge of tears, her voice quivered.
"Do you think getting yourself killed is going to help anything?" Kurogane snapped back, pulling her harder. "Do you think that will help him? You're a fool if you do!"
The whole building vibrated as the things pushed out onto the street. Sakura could hear their feet pounding the ground, searching, yearning. Hate was in the air, all over, searching, hunting.
Syaoran was out there.
They crawled deeper to a staircase leading down into darkness. Kurogane was distracted for a split second as he tried to see the first step down. It was all Sakura needed. In a flash, she snapped out of Kurogane's grip and speed off to the street.
Sakura ran through the building, not entirely clear what she was doing; all that she knew was that she had to help Syaoran. If that meant using herself to distract them from him, that is what she would do.
As she crawled back under the concrete, she vaguely heard Kurogane, Fai, and Mokona shout after her.
Her last thought before she came out on the street was, 'I'm sorry for leaving you, but I won't let him do this'
By the time he dared another glance over his shoulder, he was an unknown number of blocks away, having no sense of where he was going or what he just passed.
His body was falling apart. He was too weak, from not eating and troubled sleep. So it was inevitable what happened next.
Syaoran fell, his head brushing up on the street, scrapping some skin off his forehead. Using his body's momentum, he rolled, tucking in his arms and legs. He was spinning too fast however, and crashed into the side of a building before he could stop. A rock hit his ribs and he cried out in pain.
'No time to stop. Get up, get up, get up.' a panicked voice repeated in his mind.
He thrust his arms underneath his chest and pushed upwards, bring his knee up at the same time. Once more, he ran, using the little energy he had left into keeping his legs from giving out. Oh, the pain was great. His muscles screamed out in agony at the pace he was keeping, begging him to stop, threatening to collapse. Syaoran bit his tongue and ignored it.
As he ran, he heard voices coming from behind him. "Shit, that kid's fast! Curse him! Curse him!"
Syaoran pumped his legs harder. He could not let them catch him, not now, too soon. Must keep running, must keep running, must keep running. The voices were louder, gaining on him. Syaoran turned sharply into another street, his ankle twisting. In a second, he was spinning again, the ground and sky meshing into one giant twirl of colors.
"Yes! He fell! Curse him!"
Syaoran felt something hot hit his back, propelling him up into the air. The air in his lungs escaped and he could not breath. The trip to the ground was short and much more painful than going up. His whole side slapped the concrete first, pain numbing that whole side. Strangely, his whole body was numb.
Syaoran could do nothing but stare up at the sky, waiting for his captors to come. He did not have to wait long before a pair of black, shiny boots came into his field of vision. A large hand reached down and grabbed the cuff of his collar, lifting him up into the air as though he was a doll.
The face of the person that picked him up was hidden behind a black helmet. "Thought you would get away, did cha?"
The person dropped him and reached into his pocket, pulling out a slick black stick. Syaoran heard a murmur, than the tip of the wand lit up and a red blast shot out of it, hitting him middle in the chest. Syaoran buckled over, rolling to his side, trying to grasp for breath.
The man picked him up again, this time keeping him in the air much longer. Syaoran head pounded with each movement as the man inspected him. At long last, the man seemed to know what he was looking for, for he shouted, "Holy Shit! This kid's a TRICK!"
Syaoran's vision was going, but he saw more men with helmets come.
"A real trick?" asked someone.
"Yeah," said the man, letting Syaoran drop again. This seemed to be a game for him. "No wonder he was not showing up on the visuals. He's a damn trick!"
"A trick! Let me rough him up a little, Jung, I want to beat up a trick!"
"Shut up! I caught him, I get to beat him! Got that!"
"Come on, can we have some fun with it?"
"Later. Not now."
"A trick! I can't believe this. This is so cool! Can we kill it? Can we rough it up a lil'? Can we bust its' head open?"
"No. Stupid Kazou told us to keep everyone associated with the magic alive. This trick included."
"But it's not human! It's a trick! Why should we keep it alive?"
"I don't make the rules!" The man bellowed, finally shutting up the rest of the men around him. He picked Syaoran up again, than dropped him. "Lets beat it, for fun."
As if on cue, Syaoran felt a boot sink deep into his stomach. It rested there only for a moment, before a relentless pounding began, heaving Syaoran's body off the ground a little each time. In the mist of the beating, Syaoran's vision brightened and darkened, leaving him dizzy. There were no thoughts in his mind now, nothing but the pain that echoed in his chest and gut. There was no room from anything but pain. It became almost a rhythm, as more than one foot now kicked him. Syaoran wanted to roll away from it all, he wanted to scream. But large hands of burly men gripped him, keeping him in one place.
He wished to pass out. He wished he would just pass out. However, the ultimate pain was yet to come. As long last, they stopped, whispering. Or was that whispering? Syaoran could not tell. All his mind registered was that the kicking had stopped. Seconds passed. More seconds. Hope seemed to come back slowly, through the cloud of pain. Maybe it had stopped, maybe it was over, maybe he was all right, maybe he could leave-
Syaoran saw the gleam of a black club above him. It was raised in slow anticipation. In one swift movement, the club was brought down onto his right leg, smashing it. Syaoran heard the worst sound of his whole life; a snap and crunch. Than someone was screaming. Someone was screaming loudly, with a raspy voice. The sound filled his ears and Syaoran wanted to turn it off. It took a moment before he realized that the person screaming was himself, he was the one whom's voice filled his own ears, loud and scratchy.
His leg was shattered.
That was the last thing he knew. Then he got his wish.
