Dancing with the Dead

Chapter Two

A/N: I normally don't update this fast, so please don't get used to it. Hope you enjoy!

My mother passed away in the middle of the night. I was the first to discover her since I was in the room with her when it happened. During the days she had little energy, we would curl up in bed and watch movies together. That night, it was My Neighbor Totoro, our shared favorite. The cat bus hadn't even appeared when she closed her eyes. I was used to this. She nearly always slept through the movies and only woke up to kiss me goodnight when we were done. I had finished the whole movie and turned to say goodnight, but she never woke up. I made tea first, since that normally prompted her to wake up. She loved milk tea, especially during the fall season. I brought it up, but she didn't open her eyes. I made my noises, singing my kindergarten songs, and using her nightstand as my drum. I expected her to wake up, smile, and join me. She never did.

That's when I resorted to crying. Deep down, I must have sensed it, but I still hoped that she would wake up to my sobs and kiss the tears away, like she had before. Unfortunately, my crying only attracted my father and older brother up. Instantly, they knew. Without speaking to each other, Touya-nii grabbed me and rushed me out of the room while my father began making phone calls. I was practically shrieking when my brother took me to my room, and silently wiped my tears.

"Mama won't wake up." I had finally stopped, but the tears were still falling.

"No," my brother replied solemnly. His blue handkerchief was still carefully dabbing my cheeks to pick up the falling tears.

"She's not gonna wake up, is she?"

"No, she won't." Touya-nii was always good, and incredibly honest. "But don't worry, Sakura. I will protect you."

My brother was the first person I thought of as I lay dying. I felt so incredibly upset over the guilt he would feel. I didn't want to die, more for his sake.

When I did close my eyes, I had a burning desire to find a way to wake up.

I woke up to darkness. It seemed like it was pure night, with stars above and below me.

There were people everywhere, waking up as suddenly as I did. Everyone had a person accompanying them, but they all looked alike. All were very pink, and bright, and each newly woken person seemed to be taken aback by her liveliness.

"Name?" a voice called out to me. The noise was so startling, I nearly fell. That's when I realized I was standing up. My school uniform seemed cleaned and pressed under my coat.

"Pardon?" I asked, finally finding the source of the voice. She was the same woman assisting the others. I wondered if she was a clone or a twin. But was it possible to have over a hundred twin sisters? She was pretty, and much taller than me, with dark violet eyes and hair that was a cross between dark rose and purple.

"Your name?" she asked again politely, holding up a tablet and stylus. I was not sure what was happening, but I didn't want to impose.

"Kinomoto Sakura," I answered, my voice growing smaller. Somehow, I was intimidated.

She seemed to have looked up my name with some form of confusion to her face. She stared at me hard before returning to her tablet.

"Kinomoto Sakura, age fifteen, from Tomoeda, Japan?"

"Yes, that's me," I replied shakily. "Um, what's your name?"

She seemed surprised at my question, but amused by it. The corners of her mouth twitched up. "No one has ever asked me that before."

"Oh, I am sorry! Am I not supposed to?"

She was openly smiling now. "No, it's fine. I'm Ruby Moon."

"Oh, nice to meet you." I looked around, seeing the rest of her doubles. "Are they all your sisters?"

Ruby Moon laughed, possibly at me, but I chose not to take offense. "They are all Ruby Moon. We are one and the same."

I gave a noncommittal response to that, unclear of what she meant. Ruby Moon kept looking at her tablet, frowning.

"I'm going to take you to the line for the white boat. But there's a symbol by your name that I've never seen before. I may have to ask the boss about it, but he is in one of his moods, so I am not exactly looking forward to it."

I still didn't understand what she was going on about, but before I could even ask, she grabbed my hand, and we weren't in the land of night, but near a river. The sky was open, but cloudy and surprisingly windy. Ruby Moon still had my hand and was pulling me towards a line full of people, most of them as old as my grandfather, but some just as young as me, or even younger. There was another line, further to our left. The only difference I could tell was that there weren't any children in that line.

"Okay, stay in this line, but don't board the boat until I come back." Ruby Moon instructed with a serious face before disappearing again.

While I was not alone, I still felt the bit of loneliness in my situation. Was I dreaming? And what did she mean about a boat? Luckily, a kind looking woman, maybe close to my mother's age when she passed, was in line behind me. She smiled at me with gentle eyes, which made me feel at ease. She was shivering, wearing what looked to be a nightgown.

"Here," I told her, shrugging off my coat. She took it gracefully. Luckily, I was wearing my winter uniform, which included a sweater and over the knee socks, so while I was not as warm as normally in my coat, I at least had enough clothing to tolerate the chill better.

"Oh, thank you. You look lost," she commented. I felt myself blush.

"I feel lost. Don't you?"

"Oh no, little lady. I have been expecting this for some time," she replied, looking towards the river expectantly.

"Um, what exactly are we all in line for?" I asked, hoping I didn't sound foolish.

"Oh, the woman told me we are here for the boat."

"Oh, but what boat exactly?"

"The one to take us there."

This was not helpful.

"Where is there?"

She seemed to think about her answer, but I didn't find any comfort from it. "To our rewards, I suppose."

Despite the unhelpfulness of her answers, I still smiled and thanked her. I tried to see the river, hoping to find some sense in the destination. It was not helpful. The river broke away into two separate ones, each heading in different directions, the distance looking foggy. I kept scanning my surroundings, hoping to see something familiar in this strange world. This dream seemed far to advance than normal, and I needed to recognize something before going mad.

I didn't think I would.

The first thing I thought of was that he had not changed. He was still incredibly tall, and handsome, with those striking amber eyes and windswept chestnut hair. His face seemed harder, though, less kind than I remembered. He kept walking in between our lines, occasionally looking at a tablet similar to the one Ruby Moon used. I couldn't tear my gaze away from him. He seemed very much in his element in this muted riverbed.

It was a good thing I had eyes for him, because that was how I managed to see the man breaking away from the other line, angry with a face contorted in hatred. He was trying to attack him while his back was turned. I broke from my line, running as quickly as my legs could carry me, and pushed him to the ground before the other man could get to him.

He cursed, and got up quickly, rolling me off him as easy as if I were a rag doll.

"I'll kill you! I'll kill you! I cannot wait to see you dead!" the one man cried out, now being held back by another man with long white hair.

"I would like to see you try," Li responded, venom thick in his voice. The white haired man pushed the attacker back in line, and Li pulled out a sword. With a simple move, he created an invisible barrier to prevent anyone else from breaking away from the line. Finally, he looked down at me, kindness still absent from his eyes.

"Are you alright?" I asked meekly. I was still on the ground, and from my angle, he looked even bigger and scarier.

"You're asking if I am alright?" He raised a brow before pulling me up effortlessly by my collar.

"Well yes? I didn't want to hurt you."

He wanted to smile, but fought the urge. "Trust me, there's no way you could. Did you break away from your line?"

"Yes," I answered. I was so sure it was him, but he didn't seem to recognize me.

"And why?" He pulled out his tablet again, but still looked at me.

"Because I saw that man try to attack you."

"You broke away from your line to try to protect me?" He raised his eyebrows up high in surprise, and for some reason, I felt the tears well up in my eyes.

I felt like a fool. I had hoped he would recognize me, or at least thank me for making sure he didn't get hurt from the man in the line. Instead, he made me feel like it was stupid of me to break from my line, and for holding on to the memory of the day of my mother's funeral. My hand went to my locket instinctively, like I always did when I felt upset.

"I don't tolerate rule breakers, but it seems your intentions were good, despite how foolhardy they were…are you crying?" The coldness in his voice was replaced by panic.

"No…yes," I sniffed, using one hand to wipe away my tears. I felt even more childish now. "It's just…you don't remember me?"

He stepped back, putting his tablet away and freeing up his hands. "Remember you?"

I nodded. "We've met."

He didn't say anything, but one of his hands touched my cheek and caressed it down my neck and rested on my collarbone. I noticed my muffler was gone, leaving my neck exposed for him to see. It was then I realized that he was no longer a magic man, but a very real male with a touch that excited every cell of my skin. My face burned from the attention he was giving me. I held on to my locket tighter.

"Sakura?" he asked breathily. A wave of relief washed over me when he said my name.

"Yes!" I exclaimed. "You remember?"

"Kinomoto Sakura," he said in a different voice, heavy with something I couldn't discern.

"And you're Li," I told him, smiling. I finally let go of my locket, and he noticed it, shining around my neck.

"Oh, there you are!" a female voice cried. "I've been looking for you! Why did you break from your line? Oh, hi boss!"

Ruby Moon had returned, and Li had a colder look on his face, one that I assumed he used regularly. I was about to apologize to Ruby Moon for making her worry, but Li was faster than me.

"What do you need with her, Ruby?" he asked. His voice was not loud, but still feeling as if it were thunder.

"I've been looking for you, boss. We have an anomaly." She pulled out her tablet.

"What's the anomaly?" He sounded even more professional. I caught on to the fact that he seemed to be in charge of...whatever this place was, and I didn't even realize that he was possibly more important than I thought.

"She is," Ruby nodded to me. "She is listed for the white boat, but there's a symbol to her name, and I've never see it before, and you know I've been doing this a long time so-"

"I got it," Li cut her off. He put his tablet away and looked at me again, his eyes shining brightly.

"But the symbol—"

"Don't worry, I placed the symbol," he told her.

"You did?"

"Yes." I was feeling awkward, since he didn't move his gaze away. I shivered, partially from the cold and for another reason I couldn't pinpoint.

"Oh…oh." Ruby seemed to understand his curt responses, and looked at me with a wide grin. "Well, then, I'll leave you two then. Got more people to sort. It was nice meeting you, Sakura."

"It was nice meeting you too!" I bowed to her, and she winked back. Without any other word, she disappeared. I shivered again.

"Are you cold?" Li asked me suddenly. Without waiting for a response, he took off his black trench coat and put in on me. I sighed in content from the warmth.

"Thank you, um…"I shifted awkwardly. He still had his hands on his coat, which was now on me. The closeness was getting to be a bit much. "Are the others getting coats?"

"What do you mean?" he frowned.

"Well, I was not the only one cold. I had a coat, but I gave it to this woman who only had a nightgown on, so she really needed it, and I am sure that there were others who needed one because it is really cold here by the river, and the place that looks like night isn't very warm either. Also it is really dry in here, so is there something we could drink while waiting? Or maybe someone can help answer questions, we are all very confused."

It seemed as though my impulsive honesty was back. I looked down, mortified at criticizing his job. When I dared to look up, Li was smiling.

"It is so like you, to give your coat to a complete stranger just because she was cold." He caressed my cheek again, and I bit my tongue before I could make a fool out of myself some more. The awareness that he was a man was even stronger.

"What symbol was Ruby Moon-san talking about?" I asked, but I might as well have stayed silent, since he did not listen. His hand had found its way to my locket.

"You still wear this," he noted, smiling to himself. I was not sure why he was so pleased.

"Yes, I always do."

"Since that day?"

"Yes, since that day."

There was no other way to describe it, but his face seemed to glow at my answer. Without warning, he grabbed my hand, and grinned at me, looking like a child with that innocence. "Do you want to come with me?"

"Where?"

"Away from here."

"With you?"

"With me."

I didn't even stop to think about it, when I should have. But I couldn't prevent the word from leaving me.

"Yes."

We were in a large room that had a fireplace with a crackling fire springing to life. I was still in my uniform, but his coat was gone, and he was still holding on to my hand.

"Where are we?" I asked him.

"My room," he answered with a casual shrug.

It was a nice room. For dressing so darkly, Li's room was surprisingly open and light. There was sun peering in from the large windows, draped by dark green curtains. His room seemed to fall under the color scheme of green and silver. His bedding was silver trimmed with white sheets, and green throw pillows sitting neatly on top of the bed. There was a desk and a long sofa that looked just as comfortable as the bed. Finally, there was wall that was from top to a bottom a bookshelf, nearly filled completely with an assortment of books, some in languages I didn't even understand.

"It's…big." I smiled weakly.

He grinned at me back, his hand squeezing mine further. "Come follow me, I want to show you someone."

I followed, mostly because he didn't give me much of a choice. He had me sit at the corner of the bed while he opened up what seemed to be a closet. He was calling for someone, but I was too busy feeling embarrassed to care. I wondered if he knew that I was no longer five and having a man ask you to be in his room and on his bed had implications.

As I was thinking about these implications, something warm and fuzzy touched my hand. When I looked, it was a familiar golden paw.

"Kero!" I shouted, but it didn't seem to scare Kero away. Instead, he warmed up to me more, hitting his head against my arm, asking me to pet him. I obliged happily.

"He likes you," Li commented, sitting beside me. He radiated so much body heat. I flushed and focused only on Kero.

"I know, but all animals like me," I told him simply. "He looks bigger! I haven't seen him in so…"

I trailed off. I was going to mention how long it was since I'd seen him, but I saw him recently. Very recently. He was there when I tried to help the other cat. He was there when the truck struck me down. He was there as I lay down cold on the ground, bleeding and heavy with sleep.

He was there when I died.

"…I died."

Li didn't say anything, but his brows furrowed, and his eyes grew dark.

"Li, I died. I died today…I just remembered…I died." I kept saying it, hoping that I would be able to process it faster. It still didn't help.

"Sakura…didn't you know?" he finally asked. There was some hesitance to his voice, but I didn't worry about that.

"I thought…this was a dream. It had to be a dream. I dream about you so much, so I thought it had to be a dream…"

He still said nothing. The silence was overwhelming and inside, something snapped. The tears came back with a vengeance, and I was openly sobbing. Li panicked and quickly knelt in front me of, using his long sleeve to wipe my tears.

"No, Sakura, please, don't cry. I can't do anything when you cry," he pleaded, but it was in vain.

"I can't die! I am only fifteen! I need to go to school! My brother is going to be so worried! And I need to meet Tomoyo-chan, and the school's garden needs to be taken care of, and I…I just….I can't die!

"Shh, Sakura, it will be okay, you'll be happy here," he tried to soothe me, but I was far beyond the point for comfort.

"Make me wake up! Wake me up like you did Kero! Please!" I was shamelessly begging. Li winced as if the words were bringing him pain.

"Sakura, I am sorry, I can't. You know I can't. But it will be okay. I'll make sure you are happy here."

That was when I realized something. If I was dead, so were the others in the lines. Yet, I was the only one that was here with Li, in his room.

"Where did the others go?" I asked, my sobs controlled for now.

"They went to the boats. That's where the dead go." His answer was very simple, and he seemed relieved that I was no longer wailing. But he still narrowed his eyes suspiciously, as though he were waiting for another storm to hit.

"I am dead. Why didn't I go to the boats?"

Li didn't stand up, but he took both of my hands into his and held on tightly. He kissed them both before looking up at me with those dangerous eyes.

"The day I met you, I listed you as my chosen Proserpina."

"I'm sorry; I don't understand what that means." I bit my lip, feeling anxious about the conversation.

"Sakura, I am this world's Pluto, and I chose you to be my Proserpina."

"But what is that, Pluto and Proserpina? Are they people? How am I someone else? "

"Pluto was god of the Underworld, where the dead go. Proserpina was the woman he chose. I am this world's Pluto, and I chose you back when I met you at your mother's funeral."

"I'm sorry, but I still don't understand why I am here."

"That means I chose you as my wife. You must stay here with me. Forever."

Ultra Special Blah Blah Blah: So, I decided to post up the new chapter sooner than normal (I am shooting for updates as least once a month) to show readers the main conflict of this story. It's a love story, obviously, but with an upcoming love triangle and some mythology thrown into it. I am going by the Roman god names, and Syao and Saku won't be the only ones caught in the mythology wackiness. So I hope you enjoy. Also, this story has no beta, so I am sorry if there were any mistakes I missed.

Please review if you like. I do like the encouragement! PM me if you have questions or something you only want me to see!

Thanks for reading!