Les Yeux Bleus
Autumn's Smile
Disclaimer: Read the other ones.
Note 1: Readers, I am so sorry about the lack of updates. The plug broke (again!) because some idiot sat on it -.-' and it's been a year. Next chapter is very very soon!
Happy Reading!
It took all of Syaoran's willpower not to lunge at the masked figures. How could this have happened?
"Don't you have questions for us boy?" asked Fox. He spoke loftily and his tone was light, further irking Syaoran.
"Well," Syaoran snapped testily, "For one thing, what the hell is going on? It's you isn't it?" he pointed at Cat. "It's your fault! You brought them to our town! We were fine until you lot showed up!"
"Hey," replied Bird angrily, "don't talk to her like that. And what's with the irrelevant not-questions? All you're doing is being an asshole and shouting."
"Enough!" interrupted Cat sharply, "Bird has a point. This is getting us no where. Let me sum up what happened." At this point, her voice softened. "Sakura-chan, your friend Keroberos has been kidnapped by the incarnation of an evil being named Naraku." She bowed her head and continued somberly, "I am truly sorry I did not arrive in time to stop him. Naraku is a being from the legend of the Shikon no Tama."
"The Shikon no Tama was lost five hundred years ago," Yue said incredulously, "And I know that Naraku was defeated. I was there for the aftermath. Clow Reed himself was helping to restore peace to Japan before he left for the continent."
"There is a wizard's ritual that incorporates the use of the blood of an enemy- my friend Kagura, as you saw, is now bound to Naraku yet again because she was captured and blood was taken from her to revive that foul creature. They took a bone from a lesser demon and I'm guessing Naraku's human father... Onigumo's father. And flesh would have come from those who plotted to revive Naraku in the first place." Cat explained, "All of this amounts to one thing. Naraku wants the power of the clow cards so that he may use them against me."
"What the hell makes you so important?" Syaoran retorted. "You're paranoid if you think this is all about you. Paranoid and conceited."
"This is about me," Cat replied icily, "because I am the guardian of the Shikon no Tama."
"But it was lost!" interjected Yue, "unless the original miko secretly passed it down. But that miko disappeared a month after the final battle."
"No..." Cat said "she did disappear and it was never handed down. That is another tale for another time. Focus on what is at hand."
"I am sorry," replied Yue, bowing his head. "Continue please."
"Naraku is attempting to lure you to his home in the Makai- the demon world- it is the site of the original battle. I am one of the few who can lead you and I assume he attempts to kill two birds with one stone; get the master of the clow- your magic is immense, he would be glad to enslave you or take your powers as well. He might even... I dare not think about it... but he is very perverse and will stoop to use you," she grimaced here, "sexually- and get the guardian of the Shikon together and eliminate them in one fell swoop. I will give you a choice now to think upon. In three weeks time, I shall be here at midnight with a portal to the demon realm open. Should you chose to meet me here or not, that is up to you. Goodbye young Sakura, and to you Yue and Syaoran." Cat, Fox and Bird turned away from three and mounted their firecat. They watched silently as the masked people departed. When they were out of sight, Sakura turned to Yue and Syaoran.
"Syaoran," Sakura began, "Are you going to come?" She looked at him with her green eyes, hard as ice and soft as the powdery snow. She looked absolutely torn, but Syaoran decided to make his points known.
"I will stand by your decision," he replied decidedly, "but Sakura, this could be a trap. For all we know, those damned freaks could be working with the flying baby. That means that they have you from the back and front. All they have to do is lure you into this creepy world they keep talking about before tearing you apart."
"And if they do," Yue continued, his silvery eyes held steel resolve within them. "We will fight to defend Sakura and with our very lives, we will assure her life remains safe."
"No," Sakura decided immediately, "I have a better idea. What we really need is a back up plan if we so much as hear a whisper of deceit."
"I see," Sesshoumaru said quietly after Kagome relayed what had happened last night. "So then we must act fast. I will have a scout trail you, for emergency purposes. Should anything go wrong, I will be there. When you are almost there, you will give me a report, as well as exact location." He flicked a small device in her direction, "this is Makai coordinator. It will give you the coordinates of any place you reside, unless that area is heavily laid with a very strong magic."
"Thank you Sesshoumaru," Kagome murmured thankfully, "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"You've managed it for quite a while, don't lose your touch," he replied with a hint of grim humour. He nodded to Shippou and Souta before he turning and leaving.
"Well," Shippou spoke, breaking the silence, "Let's get some sleep, shall we?"
"We'll be going before lunch," Kagome informed Sesshoumaru the next day.
"Very well," Sesshoumaru inclined his head, "I will have transportation made available."
"You're too good," Kagome smiled amusedly, "where did the cold heartless bastard lord go?" She linked arms with his, her hand gliding unconsciously over the very soft silk of his white long sleeved shirt.
"He's on a much needed vacation," her companion grumbled exaggeratedly, "leaving me to deal with you lot." He allowed Kagome to steer him to the dining room, where Shippou and Souta were having breakfast.
"Hello all," Kagome breezed brightly, startling the two males who were currently eating as much as they possibly could with as little dignity as possible.
"You seem chipper," Shippou noticed, "what's up? I thought you'd be gloomy... you seemed to really like the stuffed bear thing." Her countenance shifted to one of more somber appearance as remembrance came back rather unwillingly.
"You dolt," Souta chided, "she was trying to be cheerful! And she was probably thinking about Tsukishiro-sempai. She does get to see him again soon you know." Shippou's lip drooped as he glared reproachfully at Souta.
"It's okay guys," Kagome told them, sighing lightly. "I am glad I'll see Yukito-kun, but I will miss everyone here. And we will save Kero-kun," she added, a hardness coming into her voice. "I haven't a doubt." She needed to be strong.
A nervous Sakura stood in front of the Higurashi residence, shifting from foot to foot. She had rung the doorbell and was waiting. It was late afternoon and, missing Kero's presence terribly, she had decided the best way to get it off her mind (before she quite died of worry!) was to find a distraction. And Souta Higurashi was a pretty good one. She tensed as the door opened.
"Hi," she said meekly, staring up into the beautiful face of Kagome Higurashi, Souta's sister. Quite oblivious to her own exotic colouring, Sakura couldn't help admiring the exotic-ness of Higurashi-sempai. She had very large, bright blue eyes and a neat nose. Her hair was the japanese black, but it had a different sort of luster- more blue than anything else.
"Hey there kiddo," Higurashi-sempai addressed her, smiling benignly, "are you looking for Souta? He's in the backyard with Shippou. He's in the middle of something but you are welcome to watch, if you want."
"Hoe? Watch?" she cocked her head to the side, not fully comprehending. She let Kagome lead her to the slide door that lead to the modestly sized backyard.
Shippou and Souta, she found out, were engaged in an all out paint war. It was an odd thing to be in, but apparently, Souta had made light of Shippou's painting ability, leading to goading and childish arguements and finally, to a challenge. The painting was of 1 person, and had to be done without the model present.
Sakura couldn't help but laugh with merriment. Both had concentrated looks on their faces, and wore white smocks. Both stopped occasionally to fling paint or insults at each other, and Shippou's vivid hair held traces of bright green paint and there was a splotch of red around Souta's eye.
"It's really funny," Kagome informed her, "they've been at this for almost five hours already. Since around noon, I think."
"Are they both good?" Sakura inquired.
"I think so," Kagome replied, not taking her eyes off of the competition, "Shippou's been very good, ever since he was a child. And when we were younger, my mother put Souta into art classes. She said he showed great promise." She finger quoted the word promise.
"Can you paint?" Sakura asked, quite eager to know more about these siblings. They were really interesting and full of pleasing surprises.
"Heavens no," Kagome answered her cheerfully, "I was never into arts- media art anyway. I'm more into drama and music. I used to be a choirist and I starred in school plays. But my drawings are like stick figures-"
"AND DONE!" Shippou said with a flourish, bowing and shaking his fists as if he were in a crowd filled with paparazzi and adoring fans. "and you, pipsqueak?"
"I'm not a pipsqueak," Souta retorted, "but I'm done too. You're slow, grandpa."
"Why you little monkey," Shippou tried to pounce on Souta and narrowly missed knocking over his canvas. This went on for another second before Kagome rolled her eyes and stood up.
"BOYS!" she shouted authoratively with her hands on her hips. "Stop that. Behave yourselves." She sounded mockingly like a kindergarten teacher, and a half smile played on her lips.
Both Shippou and Souta stopped, looking as if she had taken away their toys. "Fine!" Shippou pouted, "let's judge now so I can beat the kid figuratively."
"I think Sakura-chan and I will judge," Kagome decided, and Souta's eyes widened a fraction of an inch.
"I don't think Sakura-chan wants to see mine," he said quickly, standing in front of his canvas. "It's not that great. It doesn't even half live up to the real thing."
"Nonsense," Sakura said crisply, feeling slightly hurt that Souta didn't want to share his art with her. "If you really want me to go, then I will."
"Mou," Souta bit his lip, "I don't want you to go, I just don't think my art is that worthy of your sight."
"Kay," Shippou added loudly, "Can we judge now." He was acting like a whiny kid in a candy store. He knew what, or rather, whom Souta had painted, and he was gleeful to see Sakura's expression. A push in the right direction never hurt.
"This is mine," Shippou said, lifting the canvas from the easel. It was a picture of a boy with thick silver hair and dog ears. He was walking away, but his head and upper body was turned around to smirk cockily at the viewer. He had fangs and exquisite amber eyes and an enormous sword was held on his shoulder.
"It's gorgeous!" Sakura breathed. "The picture looks like real life! It's like a photo. And the colours are very bright and appealing."
"I agree," Kagome concurred, "It's beautiful Shippou. I think it looks incredible." She smiled. "Okay Souta, let's see yours." He held up his picture and Sakura gasped.
"I like the clarity," Kagome decided, "It isn't as real looking as Shippou's but it has a very fae quality to it. The eyes are really hard to capture and you did a decent job. I think Shippou won this one, but your picture is friggin' amazing." She waited, letting Sakura say her piece.
"It's," she began, sounding mesmerised, "It's absolutely splendid. But," she added almost sadly, "I think the picture is better than real life." She hung her head down. A relieved look passed over Souta's face, and he moved closer.
"No," he said softly, to her alone. "the real life is perfection. And this painting can't hold a candle to it." It was a picture of Sakura. Her short, hazel hair was bouncing with enthusiastic volume, and her exquisitely lush green eyes were opened wide and framed by delicate, long dark lashes. She wore the outfit she had worn when they'd first met, and was on her rollerblades. Her slim, pale hand was waved at the viewer and she had an air of poise and grace.
"I want you to have it," Souta continued in that same soft tone, pressing the canvas into her hands. Sakura smiled, unable to speak. Unbeknownst to them, Kagome and Shippou had snuck back into the house, wanting to leave the young ones alone. And in that private, rapturous moment betwixt the two of them, they kissed.
It started with Sakura, in her awed state, pressing her lips against Souta's. With a natural, if startled, movement, Souta kissed back. His arms twined around hers and held her close, marvelling in her warmth. Eyes fluttered close and they revelled in their moment.
END OF CHAPTER