Disclaimers: Me no own Card Captor Sakura, Clamp own CCS. Me no money, you no sue. Original character [OC] is mine. That means Mei Hua is mine.
Author's Note: Yay! Chapter 2. I'm not sure about this piece but that's the only thing I've got to keep the story going and, well, present the conflict.
Hazkit, thanks for the treat and for making a sketch of Mei Hua [the OC in this chapter]. I'd have to scan that and post it somewhere. Kitty, as my second birthday gift for you, this chapter's for you! I hope you have better luck with "Yahiko-kun" than I do with Karl.
Thank you for the reviews! Demi-Kaijuu, sprout, Cecilia, Hazkit and Silverymare. The wonderful reviews sure helped me in writing this chapter. To Demi-kaijuu, I'm sorry to tell you that this story's not going to have a happy ending. See, The story�ummm� explains a part of Silverymare's fic [Sung From The Heart] where Sakura takes her own life because of grief. So I can't change the ending and make my own story. However, I will try to squeeze in happy event into the story, too much depression isn't good for one's health.
Please don't be confused who Ying Hua is. Ying Hua is Sakura in Chinese. I hope that straigthens up things.
Everyone, I present to you�Chapter 2.
My Soul Can Rest
Chapter 2: Twisted Fate
Meanwhile in China...
A sword sliced through air in one swift motion, its deadly blade flashed in the light. It was driven with such force that the air slightly shifted and swooshed. Withdrawn, it was thrusted, beautifully finishing the kata. The hand that held the sword steady quivered with exhaustion and the sword dropped to the floor with a clank.
Li Syaoran looked at the fallen sword with tired eyes. He took in deep breaths, his chest rhythmically rising and falling with his breathing. His naked chest glistened with sweat and huge drops of it dripped freely along his face and body. "So...tired..." he whispered.
He tried to blow away his bangs but found it futile, and brushed them away instead. His hair was drenched with sweat, making it seem like he just stepped out of the shower. His heart was racing from his exhaustive exercise making his face rosy.
He exhaled loudly and closed his eyes. He was so tired. He tried to remain standing but his knees were shaking. They gave way and he collapsed on to the marble floor. He knew he needed rest so he stretched on the floor and just lay there and drifted off to sleep.
-==+==-
'Poor baby brother...' Mei Hua thought as she wiped Syaoran's face. 'You have finally learned to love. You have found her yet you had to leave her. Your Ying Hua.' She let out a sigh.
"Xiao Lang, wake up." Mei Hua continued to wipe the boy's face with a damp towel. She pushed aside his messy bangs and gazed at her brother's sleeping face. Her face showed sadness, pity and concern. She had seen Syaoran change since he came back from Japan.
She had seen her brother exhaust himself practicing his katas. He would practice all day long--without food and rest--occasionally stopping for water and change of weapon. When he was too tired to go on, he would just collapse on the floor of his practice room and he would only wake up when Mei Hua would go and prod him to get a proper rest.
It was the same routine everyday--wake up, bathe, eat, practice, collapse, get prodded by Mei Hua, bathe, eat, sleep. This was his way of self-torture and Mei Hua was glad of this in a way that her baby brother didn't try and kill himself.
"Xiao Lang, wake up now!" and she shook the boy awake.
"Ying Hua..." Syaoran said dreamily. He reached up and pulled Mei Hua towards him and locked her in a loving embrace. "I love you, Ying Hua, I always will. I really miss you, Sakura, too much that it hurting me. Do you know that?"
Mei Hua quite embarrassed at her situation, pitied her brother. She was willing to do anything for him. She would, if she could, bring that Ying Hua girl to China for Syaoran. But she knew she cannot defy the Elders. She could not risk being disowned when she was sure the Japanese girl would not be allowed to go with her back to China. But in her simple way she could do something for her baby brother now.
She struggled from the embrace and painfully slapped Syaoran's face with the damp towel. "Wake up dreamer, its Mei Hua."
He was instantly awake. "Mei Hua... A-tsi[1]! I didn't mean..." he blushed furiously.
"You are troubled, dear brother. This Ying Hua girl of yours, I know you care deeply for her. But I am worried, Xiao Lang. You are exhausting yourself in the martial arts and you have no time for anything else anymore."
"It is better this way, Mei Hua," Syaoran answered in a mono-toned voice.
"You think so? I beg to differ, Xiao Lang. There are talks among the Elders that they are having doubts of letting you inherit the position as the clan's leader. It is rumored that they are considering our dear cousin, Li Chun Fong, as the next clan leader."
"So be it. I do not wish to be the clan leader, anyway," Syaoran said with passion, a slight hint of anger evident in his voice. "Didn't the Elders make me come back, against my will and leaving Ying Hua, to learn how to lead the clan? I am displeased of their decision and I will gladly let Chun Fong be the next leader. I have known that he wants to be the future leader."
"Yes, I too have known of his intention to lead the clan but brother...such foolish words. You know that the Elders only want what's best for the clan..." Mei Hua tried to reason.
"Yes, but not what's best for me," an angry reply.
"I wish you'd stop your foolishness for once, Xiao Lang. Your spirit is badly damaged, emotionally and spiritually and I think that is the reason why you talk illogically. I think you should see the spirit doctors. Surely they can help you with your injuries."
"I don't need help, Mei Hua, I need Sakura," Syaoran growled. "I'm perfectly fine."
"Xiao Lang, listen to me. If Ying Hua were here, she would want you to be healed wholly. So please, pay the doctors a visit." Mei Hua helped Syaoran up his feet and gently nudged him out the practice room. "Go on, fix yourself before you go. You know the spirit doctors are very picky." Before Syaoran could protest, he found himself being led to the bathroom.
"I said I'm perfectly fine. I don't need any spirit doctor!"
Mei Hua let out a pout and said, "I know Ying Hua wishes you to do as I say."
Syaoran let out a growl. He knew he was defeated, Mei Hua knew his weakness. 'No, I'm no coward. Besides, it wouldn't hurt to pay the spirit doctors a visit. I've heard they do wonderful healing massages. I should give that a try,' he argued with himself. He was let with no choice but to succumb to his sister's request. "OK, Mei Hua, you'll have your way this time... but just this once."
"That's the spirit, baby brother!" Mei Hua, beaming, let out a giggle. Syaoran turned his gaze away. He knew his sister was wearing herfs I-knew-I'd-win look and he hated it.
'This is hopeless.'
-==+==-
'This must be the place.'
Syaoran was standing in front of an ancient-looking, temple-like building. He checked the paper he was holding and looked at the building again. 'Yes, this should be the place.' He remembered how he got into this situation and tried his darnest to hurl it into oblivion.
Before he could change his mind, he hurried up the stone pathway and approached the main building, like what Mei Hua instructed. He paused for a while before the massive wooden door and rested his palm on the intricately carved wood. He mustered his courage and pushed open the doors which were unbelievable light.
Stepping inside, he closed the door without banging it.
The room was spacious and airy and it lightly smelt of incense and fragrant oils. The room's huge windows, covered with oiled paper, were left open to let light and the cool breezy of spring enter the room.
Syaoran was about to take a step forward but what met his gaze made him stop in his tracks.
A girl standing behind the counter with her back to him, probably an apprentice, was humming while she organized the bottle of fragrant oil on a shelf. Her brown shoulder-length hair was left flowing. She was wearing a light blue Chinese dress with flowery designs, just right for spring. When she heard the door close lightly, she stopped her task and faced the new arrival.
"Oh, hello sir! Welcome to the Rejuvenation Spring! How may I be of service to you?" the girl chirped merrily.
'This can't be�Sakura!'
To be continued...
Author's Notes: [1] A-tsi is 'big sister' in Chinese.
I know, I know� Rejuvenation Spring is�well a gross name but I can't think of anything else. I need suggestions please. Yes, reviews too, thank you!
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