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"Faa!" yelled Shaolin as he ran to where Faa was tied to a tree. Before he could reach her though, his worst nightmare appeared next to her.
Dangyun, a very dangerous sorceror and one of Clow Reed's most persistent enemies, cut Faa from the tree and held a knife to her fragile throat. "Not so much in control are you now?" sneered Dangyun. "I will give you the pleasure to watch your flower die. And you'll be completely powerless to try and stop me! How is that for showing you my superior powers? Not even Clow Reed can stop me!"
"I will stop you!" exclaimed Shaolin. He clenched both of his hands in anger and in fear for Faa. He knew he didn't have the upperhand, no matter how much pride he had--he had to save Faa. He would even sacrifice every last visage of his dignity as long as he could save her. He pleaded with his most hated enemy, "spare her. It's me you want. You know that nothing will make my brother more enraged than if you had me in your grasp. You'll have an even sweeter victory if you had me. Just please spare Faa. Torture me, kill me, just don't hurt her. It's me you want."
He hated that his voice sounded like he was begging. But he was. He would do anything to save her. He would suffer through hell. He would die for her in a second. He saw Faa's eyes well up in tears, and she shook her head in denial of his request. He didn't care. He couldn't live if she died. It would be like a part of him was dying. No, he would rather have himself to die than for her to die. He would not allow her to die.
Dangyun laughed manically. "It's not your request. I will have this delicious victory, and I shall savor it! For this is the ultimate way to win! What better way than to destroy the family of that moronic magician? It will filter into his heart and cause him to sour with bitterness just as my heart has turned… because of him. And when that happens--your brother will no longer be the strongest magician in the land! I will! I will be the strongest sorceror ever!
Because, it's all I have left…
"Now, say good-bye to your precious flower!"
"NOOO!" screamed Shaolin in anguish, unable to believe that Dangyun could do this.
Dangyun was quick in killing her, causing her only momentary pain, for that Shaolin was grateful. If she had to die for no reason, at least she would die painlessly. Dangyun slit her throat easily, and as she was choking on her blood, she mouthed to Shaolin, "I love you."
He watched her beloved eyes glaze over.
Her body slumped over.
Her green eyes dulled--the life taken.
She fell to the ground.
Her spirit going heavenward.
She died.
Shaolin continued to scream his torment. He crumbled to his knees, his face in his hands. He could not live without her. He loved her so much. Why is this happening? Why was my oni-chan not here to help me? Why? It was our fight, not hers. Why should she die from the wages of our war? Why must my Faa die because of this fight? Why? WHY? Tell me WHY!
He felt the tears spill down his face. He was crying as he moved to where Dangyun had dropped her. He held her close to him. His hot tears stained her cooling face. He could remember a time, just a few days ago, when everything seem perfect. They had talked about getting married soon. He touched the jade ring on her finger. He had even given it to her as an engagement ring--a promise of his love. He had wanted to be with her always. When the tears could no longer come, when his eyes were dry, he whispered to her with an aching voice, "I will always--I will always love you."
He rested her body on the ground. He closed her eyes. His love was gone, forever.
A terrible rage built itself next to his incredible sorrow. He gave one long, last look on Faa's fallen form. Then he turned toward Dangyun and said in a voice devoid of any emotion, "you will pay for this!"
Dangyun stared at him with a mocking sense of disbelief, his eyes wild with a frenzied craziness. His whole body shaking from what he had done or the sheer sensation? It was hard for Shaolin to tell which. "Do you think you can challenge me? You don't have a tenth of the magic your brother, Clow Reed has! And Clow Reed has never been able to defeat me! I have the power to destroy EVERYTHING you hold dear. And I have. I've destroyed your beloved Faa right before your very eyes, and you believe you can make me pay for this? You can't even get close enough to harm me!"
"You will always be second best to Clow Reed. You've always tried harder than my oni-chan. You've always wanted to be the best. But to be the best you've to do it effortlessly. You will ALWAYS be less than my oni-chan!" Shaolin declared with furious eyes.
"But who has the power to destroy everything you love? Everything in your future lives?" cried out Dangyun with triumph in his eyes.
Shaolin glared at Dangyun. "What do you mean by that?"
"You stupid little fool! You're even stupider than your moronic magician of a brother! You cannot comprehend what I've discovered in my quest for power. I have the secret to go into the future. And with that I can find Faa's reincarnation and murder her again. I'll even do it in front of your reincarnation! I'm sure that will make you sick to your stomach and vowing vengeance. You stupid little fool! You cannot stop me! I will be the most powerful sorceror that ever stepped on the face of the universe! Even Clow Reed cannot save the future with your precious flower! He couldn't save her now; he cannot save her later. You won't know it when I destroy her, but I'll give you back all your past memories, and you will experience all the past pains! It will eat you up, and Clow Reed will suffer as he sees it. Didn't you know that all time happens simultaneously? It will be even more satisfying to watch the flower of your life die one more time, two more times, even three more times!"
Shaolin watched as Dangyun disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. He panicked as he thought over Dangyun's words. He needed to stop this maniac once and for all!
"Shaolin! Wait! You don't know what you are doing!" cried out Clow
Reed to his younger brother.
"I'm doing what I have to do, onii-chan," Shaolin responded.
"You don't need to worry about Faa anymore. I've seen the future, she has inherited the Clow Cards and eventually changes them into the Sakura Cards. Do you know how much power she has?"
Shaolin shrugged and turned to face Clow. "It doesn't matter. I'll always worry about Faa. Besides, if you were so powerful, why didn't you tell me that Faa would die? Of all the important things in my life I could lose and still live with, Faa was not one of them! Don't you understand, oni-chan? Or are you so caught up in becoming the Master of Magic that you have forgotten about love?"
A flush came upon Clow, which was no easy feat. His eyes were still as sharp as the truth in his words, "you know, you were reincarnated with Faa. You should understand the soulmate principle: that for every human soul, there is another half lurking out there. You should know that better than anyone else, if you truly felt what you felt for Faa! Don't go into the future, Shaolin," he warned his younger brother. "You'll only mess up the balance of nature. You may not even be reincarnated again with Sakura!"
"Sakura?" interrupted Shaolin. "Cherry blossoms, Faa's favorite flower."
Clow nodded with impatience as he continued, "you two are forever connected. You will see her again with no memories of what has happened. Be thankful for that."
"I cannot," replied Shaolin grimly. "Your most hated enemy, Dangyun has vowed to destroy Faa again and again. I cannot allow himself to even come close to her. I love all of her, every single part of her. Do you know how much it hurt to watch her die? It's like a part of me died," his voice dropped to a whisper, and his eyes filled with tears. "I loved her, dammit. I still love her. I will always love her. If I see her again--if I see Sakura… maybe I'll be able to move on--knowing that I will be with her again. Can you at least give me that?"
"It's too risky."
"I know you have the power. If Dangyun has discovered it, I'm sure you have, oni-chan! You always were one step ahead of him, and far beyond my league," cried out Shaolin with bitterness.
"You cannot get Faa. You say that when you see her again, it will be enough for you to move on with your life. But will it truly? Will you be able to leave her again? Sakura is Faa's later form, but she is not Faa! And if you go forward, as you said, the balance of nature will be upsetted. It will twist in agony from the torture of an aberration," answered Clow gravely.
"Send me. If you don't, I"ll find some way to get to her. You know better than anybody else what I'm capable of," Shaolin said tersely.
Stubborn as a mule, thought Clow. He muttered aloud, "I cannot promise you this will work."
"I have faith in you." I just hope I'm not too late. I can't let Dangyun get to her before I can get there. Shaolin closed his eyes as Clow began to chant the incantation.
The air in the room spun around, whirling the pages of books, flying light objects, and virtually messing up the room. A dark, forbidding channel formed out of the wind. Clow blinked as he saw the abnormal portal and after that blink, Shaolin was gone. He whispered to himself, "I should have never let you go to her. You will never give her up because you aren't that kind of person. You hold on to everything so tightly. And you always will. I just hope that you know that the greatest gift you can give to Faa-Sakura is to let go after everything is settled. It is the only way for you two to be together eternally…"
Part 2
Shaolin felt the particles of his body trying to escape from his physical form. What he was was trying to dissipate. This is not normal, he thought. My onii-chan was right. This is not natural. He felt a burning pain as his body/spirit/soul travled forward in time. The only comfort he had during the experience was he could actually see the visage of Clow Reed's spell. The magical light surrounded him, keeping all of him together.
He closed his eyes and lost himself in the aberrant circumstances. The madness.
He was falling.
He fell through all the air in a blur of passing time. Just as he gathered a coherent thought of what he was seeing, he lost it as he saw something else more astonishing, more miraculous. He was seeing what was and what is. He was the only other person besides Dangyun to see ancient China to present day Japan. The sights were swimming in his head. He knew he had arrived at Sakura's time. He could feel her presence. But he was still trapped in the protective time bubble that his onii-chan had created.
And then, the next thing he knew, he hit the ground jarringly. He didn't have time to catch a look at his surroundings because he heard an achingly sweet sound, and he forgot all else. He heard the voice of his beloved Faa.
"Syaoran!" exclaimed Sakura.
He glanced behind him and saw a girl that was the image of Faa. He had never expected seeing Faa's reincarnation as the perfect twin of Faa. He had study various references of the reincarnation principle and nearly all reincarnations had different physical appearances to their first form. But Sakura was Faa, he could see it in the way she moved. She was graceful.
I love her, he thought with an aching heart.
He was right. Onii-chan is always right. He knew. He knew. Why didn't he tell me that Sakura was going to be everything that I loved and love about Faa? Even if Sakura had inherited Faa's soul, I could separate her from Faa, if--if she looked different. But now? I'm not so sure.
"Syaoran?" asked Sakura with concern as she kneeled down next to where he had landed. "Are you okay?"
It's just like the first time I met Faa. I was sitting down, and she knelt down before me. She asked me if I was going to be okay because she was such a caring person. She had the ability to give and give and always feel that that was enough. I see it in Sakura's eyes, she is Faa. She is all that Faa was. I-
"Syaoran, why are you wearing red?!"
"Sakura?" asked Shaolin hesitantly.
When Sakura heard Shaolin's voice, she immediately knew something was different. It wasn't that his voice was different, it was his tone. She stared at him for a long time, soaking up his features. She knew every inch of Syaoran's face. She knew that Syaoran always wore his green robe. This wasn't Syaoran.
I know Syaoran, Sakura thought. And as much as he looks like Syaoran, actually he could be a twin or even closer, he's not exactly Syaoran. I don't know why. It's the way he's acting. He's acting strange. And Syaoran just doesn't act this way. Who is he? Why is he looking at me like he can't wait to pull me to him and never let go? I see-I see something in his eyes. Wait! I see--is it--it can't be… He loves me.
Sakura knew that it wasn't logical. She had never met him in his life, but she just knew. The vibes this stranger was giving off was tender and caring. It was loving. She reached to touch his cheek, and she knew from the glint in his eyes, he had wanted nothing more. She wanted to say she knew he wasn't Syaoran, but she didn't know how to tell him that she knew. Because it would be easier explaining the rush of feeling if he was Syaoran.
Shaolin saw the comprehension sink into her mind. She was studying as if she knew him, but also as if she didn't. He knew the moment she realized he wasn't Syaoran. Just like Faa, he mused, neither of them can keep their emotions to themselves. I can see that she knows I'm not her Syaoran. But she knows me. She's not afraid of me. And, when he saw her eyes widening with surprise, she knows that I love her. But she doesn't know why…
"Sakura?" murmured Shaolin.
His warm voice broke Sakura from his thoughts.
"I'm not Syaoran," he said clearly.
Sakura gulped. She touched his face again. "You're not a ghost."
"No, I'm not a ghost," he responded with a gentle smile.
"Who are you then?" she queried.
"I'm one of the past forms of Syaoran. My name is Shaolin," he answered.
Sakura's eyes widened even more. Shaolin saw the question racing through her eyes as she darted her eyes from him to something back to him. He was about to opened his mouth of explain more when she exclaimed, "how do you know me?!"
His smile turned into a relaxing grin. "Because, my love, you were my fiance."
"Hoe!!!"
He caressed her cheek and looked deepily into her eyes, "you're my Faa's reincarnation, my love."
She was drowning in the intensity of Shaolin's eyes. She had never felt like this. She was floating in the waves of his love. She felt it so clearly. This is what it feels like to be in love, she thought. He loves me. He loves me so much! I think he loves me more than Syaoran… She closed her eyes and let her body and mind flow with the blissful feeling. She had never felt this loved in her life, even with Syaoran and his return. I love this Syaoran, too. How can that be? Why is he here?
"Sakura?" he queried gently.
She opened her beautiful green eyes.
It stopped Shaolin's heart for a second, and he turned away from her. He said raggedly, "you look so much like her, Sakura. When I look at you, I feel myself falling in love with you again." He cupped her face in his warm hands, "I want to say this to you Faa/Sakura: I won't ever stop loving you."
Sakura felt a part of her reaching for him, but not quite getting there. It tried again; it failed. The part of her swirled inside of her, finally settling down. It tried to form what it wanted to say, wanted to tell her in a confusing epiphany. She finally understood what it wanted to tell her. And she asked him, "how did she die?"
"How did you know?"
His brown eyes met hers in a searching and finding gaze.
"I just knew," she murmured.
He nodded and told her, "Dangyun killed her."
"How?"
His hands pulled away from her face. "He slit her throat."
And more of her started pulling at her. She had to find the right words to express herself, she asked, "is he--is he here?"
"Yes," he replied. "He's here."
She said nothing. She felt the part of her that was trying to give her all the information, start wailing in the pain of unspeakable sorrow. It wanted her to seize everything she held dear and hold on tight. She knew despite everything she did, she would never be able to hold on. Sakura had never felt so devastated. She had never felt so defeated.
"Is he that powerful?" she queried in a trembling voice.
Shaolin shrugged.
"Is he?" she asked demandingly as a solitary tear streaked down her face.
Shaolin pulled Sakura to him and held onto her tightly. He held her as tightly as he could. He was scared now. How did she know all this? Was I wrong to come here? Has Clow Reed already warned her? He said he has given her a source of power. She should be okay, but--but what if Dangyun does succeed? I am making her miserable. Why can't I ever learn from my mistakes? All I ever wanted to do was make her feel my love. All I ever wanted to do was make her incredibly happy.
Sakura pulled away from Shaolin. She was about to ask her question once more when he pressed his finger to her lips. "He is Clow Reed's rival."
She gazed at him still, expectantly. He continued, "ever since we were children Clow, me, and Dangyun were friends. I had early ability, but that was all I ever had. I have very little magical abilities. I had the potential, but I could never tap into the source like Clow or Dangyun. They were both stronger than their mentors. They finished learning from their teachers when they were very young, and settled that they would keep themselves up to a high level of magic. The only teachers they had left were themselves. So Dangyun went away to develop his powers and promised to meet Clow Reed a year later to test what they had discover during the time period. But when Dangyun came back, he was different. He was more intense. He had learnt more powerful magic, but even then Clow Reed was unstoppable.
"My onii-chan, Clow Reed knew that this day was coming. He knew, and I won't ever know how much it hurt him that his best friend turned evil. Clow Reed defeated Dangyun, but that only made things worse. Instead of giving up, Dangyun vowed he'd come back even stronger, and that they'd meet again in a year. It happened. Every year since the first, they've fought a magical battle. While Clow Reed did want to combine both Eastern and Western magics with the Clow Cards, he also needed them to aid him in his battle against Dangyun, so he wouldn't use up too much of his strength against a meaningless battle. My onii-chan was always stronger than Dangyun. So Dangyun continued to lose each and every year. But one year was different. Dangyun didn't proclaim that he'd eventually defeat Clow, he said simply, 'you'll see what I do next.' That's when Faa said some strange things were going on around her home.
"I knew that it had to be Dangyun, but Clow Reed would not let me go ahead with my conclusions. He just didn't think that Dangyun, his best friend was that dishonorable, despite the fact that Dangyun had cheated in the battles for the last 5 years! I won't blame him for Faa's death. It wasn't anyone's fault, but my own. I promised to protect her and I failed her. It's my fault, do you understand everything?"
Sakura had tears in her eyes, and the force that was in her had fled. "You are here to protect me, aren't you?"
"Yes."
Sakura started weeping and sobbed, "I know that I'm not really Faa… but I know if she was here she'd say that it's not your fault, Shaolin."
Shaolin had to hold Sakura near him, next to him tightly. He held her close to his heart, and he wanted nothing more than to never move away from her again.
He just wanted to hold her.
He wanted to hold her forever.
He wanted to be with her forever.
He wanted to whisper, 'I love you' over and over into her ear.
He heard footsteps just then. A sharp, familiar voice sharply asked, "who the hell are you? Let go of Sakura!"
It's my voice, Shaolin thought. He's me.
Part 3
"Who are you?" demanded Syaoran in a sharp voice.
Shaolin ignored Syaoran and pressed a sweet kiss onto Sakura's forehead before letting her go. He turned to Syaoran, saying simply, "I'm what you were, and you are what I am. Do you understand what I've just told you? I'm what you have been, and you are what I will be."
Syaoran ignored Shaolin and asked Sakura instead, "who is he? Is the mirror card trying to play a joke on us? I'm sure it's the mirror card. I mean who else could pull this kind of joke? But how does this clone have my personality? I didn't think they could do that. Now that… is a new thing to try."
Sakura turned from Shaolin, but she reached for his hand to hold on to. "It's no joke, Syaoran," she murmured in a voice that was still trembling from what she had heard about Shaolin's sad tale. She had never thought that one so young could have been through so young. He's not much older than I am, Sakura thought. And he's been through so much. I can't imagine how it would be like to lose Syaoran that early when--when we're just discovering our love for each other. How painful it must be to be separated like that forever.
Syaoran now saw the tears that glistened on her beautiful face. He wanted to know what had happen. If that--that imposter has hurt her, I don't care if he was me! I'm going to kill him for hurting my Sakura. No one can hurt my Sakura without getting past me first! And if this isn't a joke, what could it be? Who is this guy who looks exactly like me? Who wears my fighting robes in a red color? Who is he? But I must not show my concerns. Sakura trusts him already, and she has good judgment in people. I must be comforting to Sakura, he decided when he felt her shaking off the last of her sobs.
"Then what?" Syaoran asked gently, holding his arms out for Sakura.
Syaoran saw the hesitation in Sakura before she ran into his arms. He saw the reassuring squeeze she gave to the boy that looked exactly like him. He felt a sharp pang that he couldn't identify go down his spine. She said in a shaky voice, "he's what you were in your other life. He's come to protect me here, like you've protected me when I was capturing the Clow Cards. He wants to help me, Syaoran. Because--because…"
"Because Dangyun killed my Faa, who is now reincarnated in Sakura," his eyes were filled with sadness as he finished saying what Sakura couldn't finish.
"I don't see why you have to be here," Syaoran stated. "I can protect Sakura just fine. I've been there for her since the very beginning, and whether you are me or was me, I can still do just fine without you! Besides, we've been through enemies before and survived. What makes you think that we can't do it this time? Do you doubt Sakura's abilities?"
Shaolin shook his head. "No, no. I don't doubt Sakura's magical abilities. She's probably much stronger than I am. But then again, my real source of power lies in my fighting skills, not the magical ones. I lost Faa to Dangyun; I'm not going to lose her reincarnation to him. No matter what, even if I have to die, I'll make sure that my future will be intact with his destruction." He paused when he heard the sound of footsteps. "Who is it?"
"Tomoyo-chan!" cried out Sakura.
Tomoyo glanced at Sakura with a smile, but when she saw the remainder of the tears she inquired, "what's wrong Sakura? Why have you been crying?"
Sakura was about to respond when Tomoyo caught the startling revelation that Syaoran had somehow doubled himself. "Whose the Syaoran in red?"
"I'm Syaoran's past life," Shaolin answered simply. "My name is Shaolin."
"What's going on?" Tomoyo asked with keen perception.
"Dangyun."
"DANGYUN?!" cried out Kero as he fell from Tomoyo's backpack. "How did Dangyun get here? And what are you doing here little master? What's all this talk about Dangyun? Is he here because you're here? Then where's Clow Reed? Is Clow Reed here? Geez, wait until Yue gets a whiff of this, he'll be over in a flash? Where's Faa? She must be around if you're here! Someone answer me!"
Shaolin smiled sadly. "Faa's gone."
"Faa's gone?" Kero repeated with a question.
"She's dead," Shaolin stated.
Kero felt some tears form in his eyes. He still remembered Faa quite well, even after the many years. She was the one that had introduced him to the delights of human food. He couldn't believe she was gone. But if she was gone, he knew that Shaolin must be in even more pain. He had an idea who might have killed her but he asked for confirmation anyway, "who did it?"
"Dangyun."
"It still doesn't explain why you're here though, little master," Kero said.
Shaolin gazed intently at Sakura. "I'm here to protect Sakura. You did know that she was Faa's reincarnation, didn't you?"
"Err…" Kero muttered. He looked over at Sakura, scratching his head he finally said, "I did think she looked an awfully lot like Faa, but many souls aren't reincarnated, how was I suppose to know that Faa was one of them? But I see your point, Sakura is strikingly like Faa in appearance and personality."
Shaolin nodded. "And Dangyun is here to kill her because she is Faa's reincarnation. I'm here to make sure he doesn't kill Sakura and ruin my future self's life with her. And Clow Reed is not here. He didn't even want me to come here. He told me it was unnatural. And I agree with him. The force driving me into this timeline was incredible and the experience, different. But it isn't normal for humans to go travel through time. I felt my body being pulled into pieces, the world was trying to destroy me because I wasn't suppose to living through the passing time."
Kero nodded. "So many reincarnations of what was is in this period of time. It's not only you that has been reincarnated or Faa. Clow Reed has been too."
"He has?" queried Shaolin incredulously.
"But with lesser powers. Clow Reed had his powers split between two sources. Is Dangyun even more powerful now?"
"Yes," Shaolin said tiredly. "My onii-chan almost lost to him in the last battle, but he held on because of the Clow Cards."
"But Sakura should be alright," Tomoyo interrupted the conversation between Shaolin and Kero, "because she has transferred them to the Sakura Cards, and they are even more powerful than the Clow Cards."
"I really don't know. Clow Reed had more than the Clow Cards helping him. He has been studying magic since he was born. He was the most powerful magician of his time, and if Dangyun is his rival, even now I don't know…" Shaolin's voice trailed off.
Syaoran felt a surge of jealousy in his veins. Normally, he was the one they relied on. But now they were talking to Shaolin like he knew everything about everything. And he was jeaous, he admitted to himself. He tightened his hold on Sakura. He felt her shudder as she got rid of the last of her tears and sadness. She has been through so much, Syaoran thought, the Clow Cards taught her to much about what she has to be. She's probably the most powerful magical force right now. And and my leaving her a few years ago didn't help her. I'm so sorry Sakura, he stroked her lovingly, I love you so much. I'd do everything that I possible could that would make you happy and your life perfect. I'd sacrifice everything… just for you.
Sakura suddenly felt overwhelmingly tired. She didn't know what had happened that she had known instinctively what to ask Shaolin to give her the answers, but whatever it was, it had seemed to drain her energy. She leaned heavily against Syaoran and her eyes began to droop. She was exhausted. I should be strong right now, she thought with a sense of failure. But I feel defeated. Everything is different. I have to rest now. When I wake up, everything will be fine. I'll live through this living nightmare. I'll be strong enough to defeat Dangyuna and let this--this--this restless spirit--Faa… It's Faa inside of me!
That's how I knew everything. That's how I knew what to ask when. It's Faa inside of me. It must be here. Who else can know all that she knows besides Shaolin? Oh, how tired she must be. She must have used whatever strength she had to get in touch with me. She must be here to help me and Syaoran. She doesn't want what happens to Shaolin and her… to happen to Syaoran and me. I don't want that to happen either. I understand that now. Faa! I understand that Syaoran and I are meant to be like Shaolin and you.
I won't be defeated by Dangyun. I'll try my best to see whatever plans he has for me--that they don't come true! I promise both of us that much!
Sakura felt like she was being lifted by a beautiful breeze. It felt wonderful. She wasn't afraid of it, even though it was a strange feeling. She wondered of the people around her felt the magical essense of the wind. It felt peaceful and comforting. Was Faa here? Could it be her?
Sakura… The wind whispered her name delicately. Sakura… it won't be easy, this journey that you need to travel.
Sakura felt a gentle touch of air on her hand, trying to make a connection.
It seemed like it was trying to convey strength to her.
Sakura… love both of them because--because I'm no longer there…
Part 4
"No!" Sakura felt herself, but not herself scream as she saw a tall, dark man with cold, deadly eyes approaching her fallen body.
She knew without a doubt that it was Dangyun. And she was somehow in Faa's body.
He heard him say, "Faa, you know you must die, don't you?"
She felt Faa's incredible strength of will to stand up, to try and escape the inevitable conclusion. Sakura knew this was the ordeal that her past self had gone through before she had been killed by this awful man. She felt the hands that had been her own clawing at the grass, at the dirt, at the rocks… to try and inch herself further and further away from death.
"It's too late," he said grimly. "You fell in love with him; you knew you should have never loved him. Fortune had told you it would be your undoing. You were suppose to love me. I would have never become this--this way… if not for your folly! But you turned me against them. You have no one to blame but yourself for the terrible way you will die. And you know that, don't you my precious flower?"
He grabbed Faa by her beautiful, silky hair and lifted her face up to his. "If you say you don't love him; if you vow that you will love me, I will spare your life," he offered.
"Never…" murmured an already weakened Faa. "I never loved you--I never will. I hate you!"
Dangyun raised his other hand to hit her, but he did not strike her as she thought he would. The look in his eyes were suddenly not so cold, but softening with an emotion of regret. Then the expression hardened the weak emotion he had shown with a chilling degree of iciness. He said slowly, "you have made the biggest mistake of your life, Faa. From now on the face that I see on your face will bring me only me disgust. Any girl with a similar appearance, I will destroy as I will destroy you. Let your lover think I hate his brother and think that I'm doing this only for that. But you know differently, don't you? It is your curse. Do you understand all that I have told you?"
Sakura could barely make out the words that were forming from Faa's mouth. She felt the word "yes" spoken, but the explanation was lost as the spirit of Faa whispered:
Wake up Sakura…
"Sakura?" asked a hoarse male voice gently as he stroked her soft
cheeks. "Come on, Sakura, wake up."
She opened her eyes, recognizing the face at once… Syaoran.
But it wasn't him that she wanted right now. The name she whispered was another's, "Shaolin?"
Shaolin turned around immediately, the tingle going down his spine when he heard her speak his name was a distinct pleasure. He had felt that it was best that he leave her to the one who would be with her in this lifetime… Syaoran. But he was keenly glad that she had said his name first. He should have felt bad because he had already loved and lost his chance, but now he was granted another chance… with another Faa. He knew that Syaoran's eyes were blazing with jealousy. He would be feeling exactly the same way if he were in that boy's position. And he knew the moment he had laid eyes on this reincarnation of him, he saw himself a year or two younger. It stunned him that he would be exactly the same.
Syaoran felt like someone had punched him in the gut when he heard Sakura say Shaolin's name. Why did she say his name? Shouldn't it be me that she would be calling after she woke up? Why did she faint like that? I am worried about her… she doesn't seem wholly Sakura… could it be that her past self is somehow in her? Would that explain why she called Shaolin's name first--and not mine? Or am I deluding myself so there would be some reasonable explanation why she didn't call my name first? Why am I thinking this? Why am I jealous? He said he was me, and I am him now… But he was me, but he shouldn't be here… but he is--so he is not me. If I keep thinking like this… it will drive me crazy.
"Sakura?" Shaolin murmured her name, moving instinctively to his side.
He noticed that Syaoran didn't try to keep his spot next to the side of her bed when he had moved into the spot. He thought perhaps that Syaoran was probably too stunned and wallowing up in jealousy to do much protesting, instead deciding to think over what had just happened and set his course of action. He wanted to reassure the boy that he would not be staying here with Sakura. But he wasn't so sure of the answer himself.
"What happened? What's going on? Why am I in my bed? What happened?" she asked, gazing at Shaolin.
"You fainted a while back. So we decided that you'd better be brought home. Luckily, Tomoyo-chan had a set of the house keys to let us in your house. You'd better get cleaned up, love. Your onii-chan and Yue should be arriving any moment. They were called by Tomoyo." He smiled warmly. "I don't think I've ever seen Yue ask so many questions. And Tomoyo and Kero are both downstairs fixing up some delicious treats for you to stuff yourself silly with."
"Hoe!!!" exclaimed Sakura.
"Shaolin is right, Sakura. You should get cleaned up," agreed Syaoran a little gruffly. "I'll go downstairs to make sure that Kero isn't getting his paws into the food."
Sakura's eyes widen with surprised at the tone of Syaoran's voice as her questioning eyes met Shaolin's understanding eyes.
"I think Syaoran is a little jealous of me," he explained after Syaoran left. He saw the denial in her eyes and simply said, "I'm going to go downstairs to help them, are you sure you're going to be okay? You are paler than you were before."
She noded and replied, "I'll be okay."
Shaolin smiled. He saw the strength of Faa's courage in her reincarnation. He leaned up toward Sakura and planted a sweet kiss on her nose.
"Hurry up or there might not be any food left once Kero gets to it…" he warned her with a laugh.
Sakura knew she should have felt drained, but she wasn't. She hurriedly washed her face and tried to make herself look a little more presentable. Then she rushed down the stairs only to hear the doorbell rang. She saw that the Kero and Syaoran were busy arguing with each other as Tomoyo and Shaolin took turns trying to cool off their hot tempers.
She decided that she would have to be the one to open the door. Since she was expecting her onii-chan, she threw opened the door and said, "come in, we've got snacks being made in the kitchen, onii-chan and Yukito-chan!"
"Sakura…" said a voice that was not her onii-chan's, but the voice did ring a bell.
She whirled around to find herself confronted by a beautiful man with dark, piercing blue eyes behind his usual set of glasses. She saw the instant concern in his knowing eyes. She was surprised to see him, pleasantly surprised.
"Eriol-chan!" she cried out her greeting.
He bowed. "Good afternoon, Sakura. I'm glad you haven't forgotten me."
"How could I forget you? You helped me so much!" said Sakura with infectious friendliness.
His smile was oddly alarming.
I wonder what's wrong with Eriol. He doesn't seem like himself. It could just be that he is fatigued with the plane trip. I wonder why he's here. I mean flying from England to Japan is not what you call a normal 'trip to see a friend'. There must be some purpose for why he is here. Could he know that Dangyun is here? Didn't Shaolin say that Dangyun was Clow Reed's archrival?
"I only helped you do something that would have been done eventually," Eriol replied with much modesty.
"Why are you here, Eriol?" she asked.
"Who are you?" asked Touya sharply, jumping off his motorcycle with Yukito right behind him.
"I'm Eriol," Eriol responded cordially to Touya's question. He was about to reply back to Sakura's question, but he saw that Sakura was no longer paying attention to him.
Sakura was focused on the dramatic scene where Yukito was transforming into Yue as he walked up to her. She always considered it one of the most awe-aspiring things she had ever seen. She considered that it was because Yue had an almost ethereal grace when he was in that form. But Yukito, she blushed as she thought of her long time crush, was the gentlest person she had ever known. But Yue, she thought with a smile on her lips, was an awesome fighter. Both of them have always tried to protect me.
"Clow Reed!" cried out Yue.
Eriol turned to looked at Yue. "You haven't forgotten have you? I am only half of Clow Reed; I am Eriol."
"Eriol! What are you doing here?" asked Syaoran sharply as he came to investigate why so much noise was being generated from the doorway.
Eriol sighed.
"Eriol?" asked Sakura softly.
He stared into Sakura's beautiful eyes. She is so much like Faa…
Then he saw Shaolin coming nearer. So I was right…
"I am here because I felt the presense of a strong magical power--Dangyun. He is nearby, isn't he?"
Shaolin answered, "I know he has traveled to this time, but I don't know if he is near here."
"He is near here," Eriol affirmed. "I sensed a strong contamination from the normal aura. Could you two not feel it?"
Syaoran flushed a bright red. He had been too overcomed by his emotions to try to sense the strong presense of magic. But now that Eriol had pointed it out, he nodded that he felt the sensation of a dark power. It was undoubtedly Dangyun.
Sakura's eyes widened with surprise. She truthfully knew she had not felt anything strange. She closed her eyes briefly to see if she could feel the contamination that Eriol felt, and she did! She was so overcome by the magical presense she swayed a bit and felt herself steadied by the Yue. She smiled her thanks.
"What are you guys doing over there? Tomoyo-chan's done baking her delicious chocolate cake," exclaimed Kero enthusiastically as he flew into the room to tell the group the news.
"Sakura, are you okay?" asked Touya with concern.
She nodded at her onii-chan. "I'm okay."
Eriol saw the grim determination set of her beautiful eyes. She is so much like Faa… hopefully she will succeed where Faa failed.
And he saw the looks Shaolin aimed at Sakura. And so I was right… I
was not to be her greatest challenge.