I don't own CCS, or Higurashi or any products mentioned.

Chapter Rating; M; for Language, and Heavy Violence

My writing style in Fanfiction.

"Talking"

'Thoughts'

Something one of the characters is writing or reading

Introduction/Truth

*Sound*

/ / Flashback / /

Scene Change

トりのなく頃に; こしょうかけら

Tori no Naku Koro ni; koshou kakera

When the birds cry; shattered fragments

到来し編 Touraishi-hen

Arrival Arc

神隠し

Disappearance

I slowly opened my eyes. I got up from my bed and peered out the window. The sky was still dark outside, but it was starting to lighten. Glancing over at my clock I saw that it was only 6AM.

I went back into my bed and tried to go back to sleep but I soon found out that I was no longer tried. Going over to my closet, I took out the outfit I was planning on wearing today and got dressed. After I got dressed I decided to go for a walk around town.

It was starting to get light out so I felt safe. Yukihana was a nice town very peaceful, not much crime in town. I enjoyed the feel of the morning breeze as I walked down the street. Even though it was summer in the morning it was nice and cool.

I didn't know where I was going, nor did I really plan on going anywhere at all. It was just a morning walk. Because it was nice out and I couldn't sleep. I somehow wound up on the left side of town where the park was.

It was a nice spot filled with trees, grass, and flowers. The park wasn't very big, but it was large enough that standing on one side you couldn't quite see across to the other side. I sat down on a bench and just enjoyed the breeze.

After a few minutes I grew bored and decided to walk around the park instead. I followed the gray tar path and wound its way through the park. It passed a small bathroom, before reaching the other side of the park. I spotted the general store, where Touya works, just on the other side. It didn't look like it was open yet.

I decided to wander down the street next to the general store. It was a street filled with stores, on after the other. Books, Bakery, Café, Coffee, Toys, all these stores and more lined to street. There was even a strange store with a strange name. It wasn't open yet, but looking through the show-window I could see strange trinkets and other weird objects. Everything in the store didn't look Japanese, it looked foreign, but no super foreign, it had a touch of familiarity to it.

I walked away from the store and headed further down the street. I turned down another street after a few more minutes. This street was all houses instead of stores. I glanced at each house I passed, they all looked nice, but they didn't look very big. My house had to be almost twice their size.

I walked for a little while before I saw a nice sized house. It was painted blue and had a fenced yard. The house looked about two stories. It still didn't look as big as my house, though. It had a nice wooden porch in front of it. And on that porch was a girl my age sweeping. She didn't look Japanese though, she looked foreign. She reminded me of Syaoran she had the same foreign look as him.

She had two long ponytails one on each side of her hair. Her hair was dark black and her eyes were brown. Her hairstyle looked very foreign. I decided to be polite and introduce myself to her. It is strange that I haven't seen her before.

"Hello there," I called out to her.

The girl stopped her sweeping and glanced at me. "Hello," she called back, but in a soft voice. She motioned for me to come closer.

I walked onto the porch, "I'm I Sakura Kinomoto," I told her as I held out my hand for a friendly handshake.

"I know who you are," she told me in a kind of cold tone. She went back to her sweeping and seemed to ignore me. "My cousin has told me all about you," she seemed to whine. "He won't shut up about you. It drives me up the wall."

"Um, you're name is," I asked getting confused.

"Oh sorry," she laughed. "I'm Meiling Li," she introduced. "It isn't that I don't like you; it is just you annoy me." A puzzled expression appeared on my face. "You probably don't understand how I would find you annoying when we just met now. Well it is because my cousin talks about you all the time. I have to avoid my cousin just to stop hearing about you. And because I was sick for the last two weeks, I haven't gotten any relief. He finds me hiding in the room and starts to blabber on and on. 'Sakura is so pretty, Sakura is so kind, Sakura is so nice, Sakura is this, Sakura is that.' Someone needs to shut up before he finds he can't talk period!"

"Syaoran-kun talks about me a lot, but why?" I questioned.

Meiling gave me a blank look, "I don't know many he wants to become your twin and he is studying you," Meiling replied sarcastically while rolling her eyes.

"No really; why does he talk about me?"

"Wow, girl just wow," Meiling told me while shaking her head.

"So Meiling-chan, why haven't you been at school?" I asked.

"Been sick since a week before you moved in," Meiling answered. "But all of a sudden yesterday I started feeling a lot better. I can actually leave the house now. It doesn't make any sense; I was so sick two days I couldn't even leave my room, but all of a sudden since yesterday morning I have felt almost normal. I'm hoping I can get auntie and uncle to let me go to school today."

"So you're Syaoran-kun's cousin. I didn't even know he had a cousin, well besides Eriol," I told her.

"That doesn't surprise me, has Syaoran told you anything about his family at all?" Meiling asked. I shook my head. "Well for one thing he has four older sisters, they are identical quadruples. They are all studying back in China. His family runs this store in town that sells Chinese trinkets and other junk."

"I saw that place," I told her. "It is near where my older brother works. If you don't mind my asking Meiling why are you staying with your aunt and uncle?" I asked.

"Cause my parents hate me," Meiling answered nonchalantly.

"I'm sorry," I apologized.

Meiling shrugged. "Hey it's not your problem," she told me.

"Meiling-chan what are you doing sweeping the porch shouldn't you be resting?" I asked.

"Couldn't sleep, and uncle told me to sweep the porch shortly before I got sick so, I figured what the hell, I'm do it now," she told me. "Oh and lose the suffix, it annoys me."

"Ok, sorry," I apologized.

The door to the Li house open and Mrs. Li stepped out onto the porch. "Meiling you shouldn't be out of the house," she scolded.

"I'm feeling fine now, if fact I feel so well I want to go to school today," Meiling told her aunt.

"I'm don't know about that," her aunt replied. "Who is this?" she asked changing the subject.

"This is Sakura Kinomoto," Meiling introduced me.

"Oh Sakura, I've heard so much about you from my son," Mrs. Li told me. "He talks about you all the time."

"Told ya," Meiling muttered. "All the time it is Sakura this, Sakura that. About 50% of dinner conversation is about you."

I let out a nervous chuckle. "How would you like to have breakfast with us?" Mrs. Li asked.

"I wouldn't want to impose," I told her.

"Nonsense, I'm sure my son would be happy that you had breakfast with us," Mrs. Li insisted. She opened the door to the inside of the house and beckoned Meiling and I inside.

I followed the two of them to the dinning room where four plates were set up. "Meiling go and get a plate for Sakura-chan," Mrs. Li ordered.

Meiling did as she was told while I went and sat down in one of the town empty seats at the table. Meiling returned with a plate and some silverware, while Mrs. Li went off to get the food.

Syaoran entered into the room while yawning. He wore an undershirt and some shorts. When he saw me he turned bright red and bolted out of the room.

"Meiling!" he yelled from the other room.

"Hold on, I will be right back," Meiling told me before walking out of the room.

"Why didn't you tell me Sakura was here!?" he shouted.

"I wanted to surprise you. Surprise!" Meiling shouted before returning back into the dinning room.

Syaoran entered the dinning room a few minutes later and sat down in the open seat across from me. "Your dad will be upset when he finds out you skipped training again," Meiling told him.

"How do you I didn't do it," he replied slyly.

"Because of the way you were dressed just minutes before and you look like you just woke up," Meiling answered.

Syaoran's dad and mom walked into the room and set the food down before sitting in their seats. "You match my son's description," Mr. Li told me.

"Dad," Syaoran whined softly.

"Is it true that you have a little sister that looks a lot like you?" Mrs. Li asked.

"Mom," Syaoran whined.

"Syaoran told me he thinks you look cute when you space out when the teacher is talking," Meiling announced.

"Meiling!" Syaoran yelled.

"Xiao-lang," his mother scolded. "No yelling at the table."

"Yes mother," Syaoran replied.

"Sakura tell us some things about yourself. But not things you have told my cousin, we want to hear some stuff we haven't heard before. And anything you told him has been told to us," Meiling told me.

I enjoyed breakfast with the Li family. After breakfast the three of us headed to school. It took a while of begging and pleading from Meiling before she was allowed to come with Syaoran and me. The three of us walked to school while talking. School was even further away from the Li's house than it was from my house. It took roughly twenty minutes before we reached the school.

"Onee-chan!" Umi cried as she ran full speed toward me. She dove at me and tackled my leg. "I was so scared. I woke up and you weren't there. I was worried I thought Death killed you. I was so scared."

"Umi, it is just a legend," I told her trying to stop her crying. "It is a story that someone made up it isn't real. In fact it is really stupid, Death doesn't exist."

It was then that I remembered Meiling was still with us. Syaoran had ran on ahead, but Meiling stayed with me. I let out a nervous chuckled as I turned around to face Meiling.

"Don't worry about me, I think the story is dumb too," Meiling told me. "Syao and I don't believe in that dumb legend either. But don't say that out loud. Tomoyo, Yukari and Eriol really believe in it so much that is creepy and a little scary. Tomoyo really believes she can talk to Death. She has claimed she has talked to him a lot. Apparently he even told her that you were going to move in four months ago. Yukari is the same, only different. She told me she can't really talk to Death, but he talks to her, and she can see him. But she told me because she isn't that gifted Death can't hear her unless under certain conditions. Eriol is just as creepy. He has claimed that he has scene Death multiple times. He told Syaoran on occasion he feels Death's aura moving around the town at night."

"What about Haru, Hana, and Himeko?" I asked.

"I'm not sure if Haru and Hana believe in Death, but I know for a fact they believe in Cerberus. They have told me that they play with him sometimes very deep in the woods. 'Even though he looks scary he is really nice,' Haru told me once. I'm not sure if Himeko believes or not, she hasn't said she has talked to Death, or he has talked to her, or she has seen him, or she has felt him. And she hasn't ever said she has seen Cerberus. I know it may sound like they are playing around or trying to scare you, but there not. They really believe in it, it is kind of creepy."

"Yeah it is," I whispered as we headed toward the school building.

Class was boring as it always was, and I was happy when it ended. I headed out the door with Tomoyo and the others. We went to our usual spot when hung out in, one of the classrooms. We talked for the full hour while I waited for Umi's class to end. I walked out with Tomoyo, Yukari, and Meiling.

"Where are Haru and Hana?" I asked noticed for I noticed that they did not show up. "Are they sick?"

Tomoyo stiffened. "They aren't here," she replied in an emotionless tone.

"I can see that," I told her.

Tomoyo slowly shook her head. "No they are no longer here," she clarified.

"What do you mean? Where are they?" I questioned.

"They are gone," Tomoyo answered

"What does that mean?" I yelled.

"Death has taken them," Yukari answered in a plain tone.

*kikkikikikiki*

I turned around and saw Mari standing a few steps away. "Yes and Death had told me who he is going to kill next! You non believers better beware! Death hates your kind!" she shouted while pointing at Meiling first and then me.

Tomoyo stepped up to Mari. "Your are the one who should fear Death," she firmly told her.

*kikikiki* "Fool Death has told me-"

"Death doesn't talk to you!" Tomoyo yelled forcefully. Tomoyo turned around and started to walk away.

Mari collapsed to the floor crying. "Death will kill you! I will tell him to kill you! You will die! Death will kill you, he will kill you!" She screamed at Tomoyo. "He will kill all of you! He told me that! He is going to kill you Meiling-chan, and you Sakura-chan and also you Tomoyo-chan!" *Kikikikikikikikikikikikikikikiki*

Mari said our names in a really creepy tone that freaked me out slightly, but Tomoyo and Yukari had scared me even more just before Mari appeared.

"I'm going to go find Syaoran, he is probably upset," Meiling told me before running off.

I decided to pick up Umi and head home. I woke up the next morning and eat breakfast with my family before heading off to school with Umi.

"I want to walk to school with Yukari-chan!" Umi cried out cheerfully.

We walked over to Yukari's house and knocked on her door. Yukari opened the door rubbing her eyes. "Did you just get up?" I asked.

She nodded her head, "Couldn't sleep, come in and wait in the living room while I get ready."

Umi and I followed Yukari into her living room and waited while Yukari got ready. "Yukari-chan has a lot of interesting stuff," Umi told me as she looked at the antiques around the room.

"A lot of junk if you ask me," I muttered.

"The room looks weird," Umi told me.

I looked at how the room was set up and I agreed with her. Couches on one side and a table on the opposite side, there was nothing in the center of the room. A cuckoo clock was on the far side of the wall.

I let out a grown as it started to go off. "It is past 7 you down clock!" I yelled at the bird popping out over and over again.

"Sorry about that, it is broken, so it goes off at odd times," Yukari apologized.

"Why don't you get it fixed then?" I asked.

"It is an antique, so my parents don't want anyone to touch it," Yukari explained. "Well lets go," Yukari yelled urging us to leave.

"What is the rush?" I asked.

"I want to get to school on time," Yukari answered as she ran out of her house.

Umi and I shrugged before running after the excited Yukari. We ran all the way through the forest. Once we got out we could see the school building in the distance. As we drew closer to the building we saw that a large crowd was gathered around the entrance.

It is weird. Why would people be standing in front of the entrance? That is very strange.

Yukari, Umi and I pushed our way through the crowd so we could see what they were looking at. The second I caught a glance at what everyone was looking at I quickly covered my hand over Umi's eyes. I ignored her protest as I gasped at the horrible scene in front of me.

Blood coated the grass just a few feet in front of me. Resting with her back against the building was Mari, or what was left of her lifeless corpse. Two large slashes were cut right across her stomach. Some of her fingers were severed and lying on the crimson grass below. The killer had taken a knife and etched DEATH on her forehead. A large thin medieval looking sword was stabbed through her chest. The sword was forced all the way through her body, even sticking far out on the other side; it was stabbed all the way in to the hilt.

"Horrible," I whispered. Poor Mari-chan.

I quickly pulled Umi away from the scene and took her to her classroom. She kept asking what I saw, but I didn't answer her. After dropping Umi off I headed to my class through the back entrance so I wouldn't see it again.

I was still in shock as I sat down in my seat. Right before the bell rang Syaoran rushed into the room. "Yes made it on time," he cried out.

"You're late Syaoran," Meiling told him.

"Dad, had me training all morning, because I didn't train yesterday," he groaned as he slumped down in his seat. Mizuki-sensei walked into the room. Syaoran raised his hand about three minutes after she has started to talk. "May I please be excused to use the restroom?" he asked.

"Yes, but hurry back," She hissed. She seemed to be in a bad mood today.

Syaoran ran out of the room and Mizuki-sensei starred to teacher again. It was only a few minutes later when the front door to the classroom opened, the door that was in the front of the room by the teacher's desk. Syaoran walked in with a sort of horrified expression on his face, he looked completely pale.

He walked up to Mizuki-sensei and whispered almost silently to her. Mizuki-sensei's eyes widened in shock and her month fell open. She threw in the textbook that was in her hands and rushed out of the room with Syaoran.

Everyone in the classroom got up from their seats and ran after the two of them. We down the hallway till we reached the guy's bathroom.

Mizuki-sensei was just standing there starring into the bathroom in shock. "Li-kun go get the principal!" she ordered.

Syaoran quickly pushed past us heading toward the principal's office. I walked towards the bathroom and peeked inside along with the rest of our class. Yukari was the first to come to her senses as we started at the horrific scene, and she let out a loud scream as she fell to her knees.

Yukari's scream awoke me from my shock. The scene still seemed to burn my eyes. One word could describe it; horrifying. Blood was everywhere, on the mirror, on the sink, on the stall and it just coated the tile. And lying face-down in the center of the room with his back facing the door was Kira. All the blood in the room was completely dry stating that Kira had been killed over forty minutes ago.

For some reason Kira wasn't wearing a shirt. His shirt was sitting on the counter next to the sinks. It was completely clear of blood. Etched deeply into Kira's back was the word DEATH. Also on the walls, and the mirror was DEATH. There was also a large mark on the back of Kira's neck. The mark was like a large line that curved around the back of Kira's neck, but there was no sign of anything on the front side of his neck.

Kira's face expressed pure pain, suggesting the killer killed him very painfully. Syaoran and I principal arrived, they walked into the bathroom and picked up Kira's body and turned it over. Syaoran's and the principal's eyes widened in shock. Also slashed into Kira's chest was the word DEATH.

The principal announced to everyone that school would be suspended for the day. But those who wish to stay are welcome to, but anyone who wants to go home could.

Umi's class wasn't cancelled though, so I was forced to stay at school till it ended. I went back into my classroom and decided to take my mind away from the bloody incidents by studying. I grew bored of studying by myself and decided to go to the school library.

I noticed Tomoyo sitting at one of the tables studying. "What are you still doing at school?"

Tomoyo looked up from her book, she gave me a puzzled expression. "Why would I be anywhere else?" she asked.

"Everyone else has left," I told her.

"That is weird," she answered.

"Two people were murdered!" I yelled at her.

"So, it is not that big of a deal," she answered plainly.

"What do you mean it isn't a big deal!?" I yelled. "Kira-san and Mari-chan were murdered!"

Tomoyo shook her head. "No, they were sacrificed by Death." "It wasn't a murder; Death sacrificed them, it isn't a big deal. So this is just the first sacrifice that we have found the lifeless shells too. The sacrifices happen all the time, it isn't a big deal."

"Tomoyo wake up! Death isn't real, someone is trying to make it seem like Death killed Kira-san and Mari-chan, but a real person killed them. Death doesn't exist!"

Tomoyo stood up from her chair. Her eyes darkened and took on an unreal glow reddish glow. "Death exists!" Tomoyo roared. "He lives, and he punishes those who don't believe, like Kira-san. And he hates those who falsify his name, like Mari-chan. Those who disrespect him, like Yori-kun. Sakura you're not one of those people; are you?! If you just apologize Death will forget about your remarks, if not he will punish you!"

"Tomoyo Death isn't real, it is time for you to grow up," I told her before walking away.

I picked up Umi and we headed home. We ate supper, and I volunteered to wash the dishes. As I washed the dishes I caught a glance out the window. Yukari was standing off in the distance mouthing something to me.

I shook my head trying to tell her I didn't know what she was saying. I ran to my bedroom and grabbed a large sketchpad and a marker. I ran back into the kitchen and wrote on the paper. I don't understand.

Yukari nodded her head before running into her house. She returned a few minutes later with a large pad of paper and a marker as well. She wrote on the paper in bright red ink.

Death is at your house!

I picked up my bed and wrote on another piece of paper. I picked it up and showed it to Yukari. Death doesn't exist! Was what I wrote on it. I shut the blinds and finished washing the dishes.

I headed up to my room and began reading my book again. After a few hours I heard soft knocking on my door. I opened my door and Umi walked into the room.

"Umi, what's wrong?" I asked noticing something was bothering her.

"I don't want you to disappear Onee-chan," Umi cried.

"Nothing is going to happen to me," I told her.

"I'm scared," Umi cried. She ran up and hugged me. "I want you to have this Onee-chan," she told me. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the holy charm Yukari had given her.

"Are you sure?" I questioned.

Umi nodded. "I want Onee-chan to have it," she told me.

This is silly this little charm can't do anything, but it is the thought that counts. "Thank you, Umi," I replied. I took the charm and hugged her.

"Night Onee-chan," Umi said cheerfully before she ran out of the room.

I put the charm in my pocket before continuing reading my book. I woke up the next morning and headed out of my room.

I checked my watch and realized it was a little early for Umi to be up. So I knocked on her door. "Umi," I called out as I knocked. I waited and waited, but I heard nothing. I knocked and called out more, but still didn't receive any answer. I tried the door, but it was locked.

I ran up to my mom and dad's room and took out the master key from the drawer. I ran back to Umi's room and put the key in the lock. I turned the knob and opened to door. I scanned the room, but Umi wasn't in the room, no one was.

(CHAPTER END)

Bernkastel appeared in the dark room. She was alone no one else was in the room. "Where is he? He calls me here, and he isn't here," she spoke. She noticed a note sitting on the table. "Gone out, tell the following, " she read aloud. "That creep. . . . . well I will do what he wants, cause it will make things interesting. Regarding Kira and Mari's deaths. At the start of the day only one of them was supposed to die. One of them was killed before the other. Regarding Umi's disappearance. Both Umi's door and window were locked from the inside. The door can be lock from the inside, but when locked to get inside the room from the outside the door needs to be opened with the key. Leaving the room, or from the outside of the room, the key is the only way to lock the door. The door can not be locked while the door is partly open. The only key is the one that was in the Kinomoto's dresser."

The lights in the dimly lit room suddenly went out for a few seconds. When the lights came back on standing the room was a black cloaked figure.

Death; the reaper who controls death and takes people's souls. Because of a curse he is forced to take the souls to revive the sorcerer. Being a reaper he is not bound by rules of the world, he can appear where ever he likes, at any time he likes, and he can move through any object.

"Oh what an honor to have Death in this room," Bernkastel laughed.

"Only people stated in bold have anything to do with the murders. Thus no one such as Mr. Kinomoto or Mrs. Li can have a connection to the killings. This rules out the possibility that any of the students could have killed Kira. Only those with their name stated in bold can be doing the killings. Yori, Hana, and Haru are dead. They died the day before they were proclaimed missing."

"I didn't think you would actually show up," Bernkastel laughed. "Oh well, it makes this game a lot more interesting."

I know it was you.

We didn't do anything.

Where is my sister!? What have you done with her!?

We didn't; Death did.

I know your home alone; Death told me.

If you are waiting for Touya-san to come back, you're going to be waiting a long time.

Sakura, Sakura, Sakura, come out and play.

Arrival Arc Finale: Suspicion

(EXTRA END)

Author's Note

YEAH I've almost finished the first arc. Can you predict how this arc will end? Have you figured out the answer?

See ya next time *Nipa!*