Card Captor Sakura
Rating -PG13/Teen
Genre- Romance/Action&Adventure
Pairings-SakuraxSyaoran EriolxTomoyo
I'm More Than My Role: Princess Kinomoto Sakura is a girl with dreams of freedom and peace. But lives in the opposite; A cage and war. But when she escapes her cage of security, she finds out more of her destiny from a mysterious man named Clow, and learns to fight her fears with the company of a boy with no memories of his past. Will she also learn to love?
Arigotou for the reviews I received from last chapters! I really appreciate it! Keep 'em comin' guys! (Big smiles and huggles) Anyways, arigotou to...
BlueMeteorGirl
Meow-Mix23
Darkmoonfang
Chapter 3
It was a warm day on the forest dirt road for the Card Mistress, her maid and her plush toy. It had been days since their escape and they hadn't stopped to rest yet. Sakura was now fighting to stay awake while Kero and Tomoyo could only watch in worry and concern as she pushed herself to her limits– which she would probably reach in the near future.
"Sakura-hime," Tomoyo murmured, looking to Sakura's injured leg, then to her dropped emerald eyes. Sakura was a mess; Her braid was lose and small bits of hair were falling onto her face. The rest matted to her sweaty body. Bags adorned her usual bright eyes, she was covered in mud and dirt, having a thin line for lips. "You need to rest."
She stopped her labored strides waiting in anticipation for her to answer. Maybe she had gotten through to the stubborn princess.
Sakura shook her head weakly, "iie Tomoyo." She murmured from her position of leaning on her friend's shoulder, her arm slung around Tomoyo's neck, transferring her weight off her gashed and injured leg.
"Demo--"
Sakura cut her off with a halfhearted glare, "iie, we're not stopping."
Tomoyo looked back at her leg, and frowned deeply. "Sakura-hime, it's getting infected. It was a dirty blade and you won't let me take care of it."
Sakura remained silent, it was getting infected, but she wasn't going to say that. Nor was she going to say that it felt like thousands of needles were stabbed into it every time she put the slightest bit of weight on it.
'Damn bandits,' she cursed mentally for the thousandth time that day. 'Damn their lustful souls to hell.' she looked to Tomoyo out of the corner of her eye, 'nobody lays a finger on Tomoyo-chan...'
Kero opened his eyes looking at the worn Card Mistress and said, as if he were reading her mind, "you won't be able to protect yourself or Tomoyo-chan if you keep this up: You'll be too tired."
She hesitated, knowing his words were true, but didn't want to. "...Just a little longer..." she sighed with great reluctance. "Then we'll see..." 'I'm not taking any chances of being found by otou-san's soldiers nor Kuragami's. So we'll have to hide completely.'
-
"Sakura-hime," Tomoyo said, "let me clean out your leg wound."
Sakura looked down at a concerned Tomoyo who was halfway in the deep river she was previously bathing in. Sakura was lying on her back on the large bolder overlooking the crook. "Iie, I'm keeping watch." she said, smiling inwardly at the concerned and worried face Tomoyo wore. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."
Kero flew up behind her and sat next to her, looking her up and down. His stomach growled loudly, causing Sakura to laugh.
"Kero-chan," she started, smiling slightly, "there's some food in my pouch." Kero laughed, grinning sheepishly as he made his way over to Sakura's leather pouch. He picked out a piece of bread and sighed tiredly. He gulped it down quickly, "Arigoto Sakura-chan. Go to sleep, you need it. Onegai."
She looked to her sun guardian and nodded, "Will you keep watch?" He nodded, grinning because he had finally got through to her. "Wake me up if anything happens."
"Alright kid, I'll wake ya up," he said, watching her lean back against the rock, closing her bagged eyes. She allowed herself to be lulled to sleep by the rays of sunshine that bathed her in warmth.
She wasn't sure how long she'd slept, but knew it was a while by the first glance she took at eht descending sun. She probably would have slept longer if it weren't for the burst of energy she sensed. Her eyes flew open as she flew up to her feet in urgency. "Kero-chan! Did you—?" She stopped, noticing the golden yellow fur-ball laying by her side. Asleep.
She growled, 'some watch guardian he is,' she thought, glaring hard at him hoping it would wake him up. 'What if someone found–?' She was cut off by an ear-piercing screech and a gust of wind blew her hair from her face.
Kero, who was as of now wide awake, flew up next to her. "Sakura-chan, it's–"
"Hai, the Fly Card," she murmured as Tomoyo came up behind her groggily. "Kero-chan, I'm going up ahead, you and Maya-chan can catch up."
"Oi! Matte Sakura-chan!" He yelled after her, but she was already gone.
Tomoyo looked to him, all sleepiness leaving her when he called for Sakura. "Kero-chan, is it a Clow Card?"
He nodded, then turned and flew into the woods, "Come on Tomoyo-chan, we've got to catch up to her."
"She's not even close to her full strength," he thought, panicking as he saw a large bird land in a clearing ahead. He was worried about his Mistress, that wasn't a secret, but he wasn't sure a Clow Card was the only presence they were sensing.
"Kero-chan," Tomoyo's light voice broke him out of his thoughts. "Is Sakura-hime going to be alright?"
Kero looked down to her, "I hope so."
"Kamitama, this is ridiculous!" Sakura exclaimed while jumping off the tree branch she was currently on, just as the bird snapped at it.
She jumped to the ground, landing like a cat. "Since when did it start attacking people!"
She was already tired as it was and was losing energy with The Dash. She was slow from the lack of training and she swore she was stuck in quicksand, she was so slow. "This is bad," she thought, "I can't get close to it and if that thing gets ahold of me..." She let the consequence hang in her mind for later explaining.
She leaped away from the snapping beak and took out a pink Sakura Card. "Sword!" she yelled, watching her staff change to a bejeweled sword.
"We'll just have to do this the hard way, ne?" She said, smirking, taking a stance.
The bird silenced as they both froze, staring at each other for moments. Sakura cocked a brow, 'fear?' she thought, detecting some in its sharp, forest green eyes.
Suddenly, she saw the giant bird lift its wing and slice downward in a powerful strike. She gasped as she was thrown backward by the powerful wind. She was thrown back into the tree, she grunted in pain with her eyes tightly shut. "Itai..." When she looked up, she growled at the large bird that was trying to take the fight. "Oh no you're not." She pushed herself up using the tree for support. She picked her sword up from the ground, transforming it back to her star staff. She pulled out a pink Sakura Card. "Woody!" she yelled, watching the bird get off the ground a moment too late. "Bind the fly to the ground!"
Vines burst from the glowing card and flew toward the squawking bird. A loud screech escaped before it came tumbling to the ground with a loud thud. Thorns appeared on the vines as the fly struggled, and she frowned as the thorns cut deep into the bird's glistening faded green wings.
She cautiously walked up to the binded card, "Stop struggling, Onegai." It didn't seem to hear her, so she repeated herself in a more stern and warning voice. "Stop moving and let me change you." It didn't stop so she waited while she subconsciously clenched her teeth.
After moments, it finally calmed down, and put its large head on the grass in defeat. Sakura moved to the large head. Slowly and hesitantly she reached out with her trembling hand, touching the bloody feathers. "Gomen" she murmured, looking at the green eyes that slowly relaxed under her touch. "I didn't mean to hurt you, but I'll heal you and make you a Sakura Card."
The fly lifted its head, cooing softly as it nuzzled her gently with its large beak. "Hai, I'll take good care of you. I promise."
She wrapped her arms around its large beak and rested her cheek against its forehead. She stayed till its breathing regulated, the slowly stepped away, smiling brightly. She picked up her star staff and closed her eyes, letting magic swerve around her.
'Card once made by Clow,
abandon your old form
and reincarnate!
Under the new name:
Sakura!'
She kept her eyes closed, feeling the aura of the card being changed into a collective area of the card form. She felt it die down and disappear, then she opened her eyes and held out her hand to the battered card. She grinned and took her bag off her shoulder. Opening it, she grabbed the pink book and lifted thte lid, placing the injured card inside. She closed it and placed her palm on the front side and began transferring magic into the book, renewing the wrecked card.
She finished and put the Sakura Card back in her pack. She stood still for a moment, finally feeling the exhaustion of transforming the card. She finally fell to her knees, leaning over, panting breathlessly. "Kero-chan, Tomoyo-chan..." she thought, holding her head, her vision going blurry, "Where are you?"
Her senses were beginning to dull as she felt unconsciousness keep tugging on her awareness. She suddenly snapped back to reality as she heard footsteps behind her. She slowly looked behind her, with blurred eyes, trying desperately to stay awake.
There were six large figures, she realized, her eyes widened as she smelled rum and alcohol.
"Bandits..." she cursed, struggling to her feet. She wobbled to the side slightly, but kept her footing. She glared menacingly at the large men. "What the hell do you want?" she demanded.
She could practically feel the biggest one smirk. The man in the middle took a step toward her as she, in response, took one back.
"What's a pretty little girl like you doin' 'round here?" he asked in a voice smooth with whiskey. She shivered involuntarily, trying not to show her fear. Her slightly trembling bottom lip probably gave her away.
She couldn't fight right now either, especially after healing the card. She kept glaring as she realized she couldn't do anything to give a proper fight. She thought of flying with her newest Sakura Card, but scratched the thought. She couldn't use the Fly Card, she didn't have enough energy or magic. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't realize how close he had gotten to her. She gasped when he roughly grabbed her arm.
She growled, "Let me go, you bastard." She tried to rip her arm away, but he, at the moment, was stronger than she. "No way, girl," another said, coming up to her from behind. "We're gonna have some fun with you first."
Her eyes widened as her vision cleared, 'They're going to...' she began thrashing violently and desperately. "No! Let me go!" she yelled as she was grabbed from behind by the other as the rest joined the first two.
She was truly afraid at first, but that immediately changed to fury. She hissed as she yanked her arm away, this time successfully. She punched the first one in the face and he tumbled backward, immensely startled. The other bandit didn't have a good hold on her either and she broke free easily and dashed to her fallen wand. "Sword!" she called, tossing a pink card into the sky. Her staff changed into a wicked-looking sword as she took a stance.
She could feel her magic leaving her and she mentally cursed herself and her luck. 'Maybe I can scare them away with intimidation.' She looked at all of the m detecting all signs of fear in their eyes.
Then she noticed something, 'nani?' she looked to each one, only five? There was a sixth...
She noticed it not a second too soon, as a dagger was hurled at her from behind. She tried to block it, to no avail, and the dagger was implanted in her shoulder from behind.
She caught herself before she groaned in pain. Keeping an emotionless expression, she smirked, "Next time, make sure you kill your opponent." She lifted her hand to the dagger and squeezed one of her eyes shut as she pulled it out. "'Cause all you're gonna do is aggravate them even more."
All the men stood in shock, eyeing the dark blood dripping from the dagger and down to the ground.
She couldn't take it, she needed rest. She dropped to her knees, surprising the six bandits. Her hands on her sword as she fought to maintain its form. The agonizing pain was too much and she began to pant and sweat, immediately feeling the loss of blood.
She could only listen to them getting closer to her surrounding her. She could smell them again. The horrible smell of alcohol and sweat. She closed her eyes as the leader, and the one who grabbed her arm, was an arm's length away. She could sense cockiness, as if he had been the one to bring her down. She suddenly felt something cold and metallic touching her throat. She knew it was the man's sword and eventually looked up, showing no expression on her blood-stained face.
"Bitch" he spat, applying more pressure to the sword, which made a small cut, but enough to scar. "You're now going to die for your impudence." His comrades sneered at her blank face. He turned to the man who had held her from behind, commanding, "Hold her head and arms still."
'Tomoyo-chan, Kero-chan,' she thought frantically, 'Where are you guys!' She closed her eyes as she was held down. 'So this is it?' She silently waited for the sword to slit her throat. But it never came. She felt something trickle onto her face and opened one eye to see the bandit leader dropping his sword, shock written on his face. She saw blood coming from the corner of his mouth. Her eyes went weak as she saw a thick blade sticking through his stomach. He fell, lifeless, to the ground as the sword was pulled out, half-heartedly.
She stared at the corpse for a long moment, then lifted her eyes to her savior. Her eyes widened considerably as she saw a man there, no older than maybe nineteen years old, with chestnut hair and intense amber eyes, that for a moment, locked with her emerald ones. She just stared until she noticed the other bandits had let her go, she picked up her sword, keeping an eye on the amber-eyed boy. She didn't like trusting men; they were all pigs.
He wasn't looking at her and that was fine by her. He walked with slow strides over to the terrified bandits.
She looked away, not listening or paying attention to the actions and words her 'savior' was giving. She pulled herself up and used her sword for support, she limped over to where she had originally come from, or so she had hoped. She could feel the auras of the bandits leaving frantically. She stopped, catching her breath for a moment. "I can't move anymore." she cursed, barely feeling a presence beside her. But when she became aware of who it was, she lost all tiredness and drowsiness. She leapt back, surprising them both, and pointed her sword at him, momentarily seeing two. She blinked and her delusion was gone. "Who the hell are you?" she growled, looking him up and down, "and why did you save me!"
He remained silent and she felt embarrassed to see him taking her in. Then, suddenly he spoke, "Put the sword down, you can barely hold it up, much less use it."
She hissed, despising the jackass, "I'll show you what can and cannot do."
He just smirked, not caring that her emerald eyes were set ablaze. "Yeah, I suppose that's why you let those guys nearly rape and kill you."
Sakura felt heat rise to her cheeks in unparalleled rage. "Shut the hell up, and don't give me this bullshit." She spoke through gritted teeth, "And if you think I can't take you down this very moment, you've got another thing coming!" she declared growling.
"Okay then, show me what you're made of."
She smirked as her grip tightened on the handle to the point where her knuckles turned white. "Fine," she responded as she lunged at him without a moment of hesitation.
Sakura felt her body shut down the moment she came within two feet in from of him. 'Not now!' she mentally screamed as her eyes unwillingly closed.
The last thing she felt before consciousness slipped from her were two strong, built arms catching her as she fell into them.
Other last thoughts drifted into the darkness she was now surrounded by.
'Just like my dreams back at the castle... Those strong arms that give me intimate warmth...'
And amazing amber orbs...
To be continued in chapter 4. Reviews, constructive criticism, and flames accepted. R&R please!
