Far away from the known
Where I am is unknown
I’m in a lost world
Where friends are rarer than a green pearl
Others are happy
It’s a vacation for freedom
But I’ve been separated
And long for the old
Chapter 1- False Identity
‘Damn heart… why’s it beating so fast?’ Syaoran thought to himself knowing full well that his nervousness in facing the elders was what caused him to be a wreck.
With timid steps, Syaoran hesitantly walked down the aisle of sanctuary in which his elders sat. In front of him sat seven looming men in intricate chairs. Each wore a black cape with flowing hoods that shadowed their faces and dark expressions. Their presence was intimidating and Syaoran felt himself weaken slightly at the sight of them.
The man sitting in the middle removed his hood and looked directly at Syaoran. “Don’t be shy, it was never in your character to be so uncertain,” he said mockingly. Raising his arm that held a wooden staff in a forceful manner, the elder beckoned for Syaoran to stand before him.
Upon reaching the area that he was supposed to stand, Syaoran lowered his head and said, “I’m sorry for my behavior the other day. It was uncalled for.”
The man in front of him nodded thoughtfully. His glistening black hair and deep dark eyes danced with ferocious merriment as he looked at his relative. Heaving a sigh his voice rang with an intense clarity and rare kindness. “After you left, we called in your mother.”
Syaoran’s eyes widened as he waited for more of the story to unfold.
“I think that you’ve gotten your independence from that magnificent woman, for she fought for your ideas. She told us that you had strong feelings for a girl in Japan?”
A blush rose to Syaoran’s face as an image of Sakura flowed through his brain. With confidence in his voice he replied, “That’s correct.”
“Why is she worthy for you? Why is she worthy to be a Li?”
Syaoran coughed. A grin appearing on his face he said, “She’s wonderful. At first I admit that I found her to be my ultimate rival. But her smile made me feel happier inside like I’ve never felt before. Sakura’s character is incredible. She cares for others and makes me feel like I’m worthy for her. Her strength and belief in herself make her outshine all other girls whenever I look into her pools of emerald eyes.”
The elder smirked. “You make yourself sound like a lovesick idiot. So she makes you happy, what can she do for us? How do you know she won’t take advantage of our influence in China, or she will never betray you? Your mom told us she was the mistress of the cards that we sent you to retrieve. What if she poisoned your mind so she could receive the cards herself?”
“She’s not like that! It’s because of her courage and personal strength that she got the cards herself. Sakura is meant to hold those cards, not me. I don’t see how you could make such judgments without having met her! If you knew her, you’d know she’s not the type to betray people or that she’d be power hungry,” Syaoran insisted.
One by one, each of the elders faces shown in the light with apprehensive stares or contemplative glinting eyes. Syaoran shivered as a chill ran up his spine seeing such sinister looks. In a final attempt to gain the elders approval Syaoran said, “If nothing else, I love her. And to me, that’s all that counts. I don’t need you to tell me she’s no good or hear that she’s ruined my clear mind because it doesn’t matter. With or without your approval, I can’t help but love her.”
“You must understand Syaoran, that the clan is what matters in our mind. It’s not about the happiness of each individual, but that as a group we must be powerful and united. As much as we want you to be happy with your life, we are uncertain about your interests in Japan. You may think that everything in your heart lies with that girl, but what do we know about her true intentions? Your mind is biased; your thoughts trivial...”
Syaoran gulped and yelled, “But that’s not fair!”
“Let me finish!” the elder scorned. “The younger generation is so rude! What I was going to say is that we want solid proof. If you could give us proof that she doesn’t just love your name, but your character and your true self, we will be pleased.”
Syaoran nodded slowly. “How do you expect me to obtain some evidence if you have forbidden me from talking to anyone from Japan?”
“I was just getting to that. Learn some patience, it would do you some good,” the elder said extra slowly so that Syaoran wouldn’t jump to conclusions on what he was saying. “We have decided that if we did not let you give a substantial fight for what you want, you will never be a successful member of this family. If I remember clearly, last time we met you said, ‘It will be your fault when I bring the Li’s to ruin.’ It struck something within us and we are willing to attempt giving you a test. Do you assent?”
“A test?” Syaoran questioned, his eyebrows knitting together in concern.
The elder’s face flashed for a second with a sly grin that made Syaoran feel perturbed. “It’s not impossible, so don’t look so worried. I can’t believe that we strike such unkempt fear into you!”
Syaoran huffed, “It’s not fear, it’s the fact that I know that as harsh elders you never let people off easy.”
“Of course it isn’t easy, we want to give you a challenge! Are you ready to hear it? Or are you going to give up already?” the blacked haired man questioned, raising his eyebrows in a daring manner.
Syaoran lifted his head and with a bold voice he proclaimed, “I’d never give up.”
“There’s the confidence of a Li!” the man yelled triumphantly. “It’s simply this: You will go to Japan and get Sakura to proclaim her love to you.”
Syaoran smiled and said, “I’ll do it!”
“Wait! That’s not it. Before you go, we are going to change your identity. Your voice, your eyes, every physical feature will be changed with our dominant magic. When you reach Japan, everything will be different about you. We will also change your name and stature. If she fully loves you, she will see through the façade.”
Syaoran’s eyes began to fill with an uneasy sorrowful expression. His whole countenance shrank and with a despairing tone he said, “If my voice, my name, my whole appearance, and everything that makes me myself is gone, how will she know it’s me? You’re giving me something impossible!”
“Impossible? Hardly! Improbable maybe, but definitely not impossible. You have your words and your personality. The second that you tell her that you’re Syaoran Li, you will have accepted failure. You must have her figure it out in other ways. We are giving you three months. If you can’t complete this task, you must submit to us and forget Japan. Is it a deal?”
Syaoran lowered his eyes to the floor, feeling as if he’d already lost even though the test hadn’t even begun. Closing his eyes and reopening them with a renewed vigor he replied, “It’s a deal.”
Stepping up somberly in front of Syaoran, the black haired elder raised his wooden staff towards the ceiling. Pausing briefly he said, “Don’t worry… we won’t make you too ugly.”
Syaoran’s eyes widened. Then a forced smile came to his lips as he realized it was the elder’s way of lightening up the mood in the room. He nodded as he felt an enormous power flow throughout the room.
The air became misty as the man in front of Syaoran began to chant in an uncommon tongue. Several seconds passed by before Syaoran began to feel changes occur within his body. In amazement, the 15-year old boy felt his body tingle in ways he’d never felt before.
Within a few minutes, the process was complete. The elder released the last fragment of magic and moved backward gracefully so he could sit down and rest. He said wearily, “I hope you are satisfied with it. You may go back to your room. The plane for Japan leaves tomorrow. Your new name will be Kasutarou Dai. Remember, you have three months and if you tell her your true identity before she figures it out you will be forced to forfeit. Any questions?”
“No,” Syaoran said. He gasped as he realized that his voice had lowered slightly in pitch and he sounded more menacing than he had before. “Thank you for this opportunity,” he replied, testing his voice.
The elder nodded favorably and motioned for Syaoran to leave. Syaoran bowed and left, mixed emotions running through his constant mind. ‘As long as I believe in Sakura… I’m sure this will go okay. She will pass this test and gain the elders approval!’ Syaoran thought triumphantly.
He walked with his head held high out of the chamber doors; hope coursing through his differently maneuvered veins. The hallway was empty except for the heavy steps of Syaoran. Looking ahead of him, he noticed a circular mirror hanging as a decoration on a wall towards the side of him. In frantic haste, he ran excitedly to the mirror, greatly anticipating his new physical appearance.
He approached the mirror and flipped himself in the direction of it so he could see himself clearly. Nearly losing his balance, he gasped at the sight of himself in horrid dismay.
A/N- Chapter one! **cheers**. Um… I kinda left it cliffy… but not too much. What do you think Syaoran, I mean… Dai… looks like? LoL, I couldn’t think up a better name. **sweatdrops**. I realize that 'the elders' are kind of a fandom thing, but it makes this story what it is so I had to put them in. Seven sounded like a good number, eh?^_~ Thanks for the reviews! Hopefully I’m bringing in some potential to this story. The song at the top is something I wrote and it’s something I’ll start off all chapters with to add some spice to it. I’m hosting a few contests, one of them being to write chapter 9 for “Destruction of Time”! I hope your vacation is going well… **dances to some hip Korean stuff as she leaves the room**.