Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Locked Wings ❯ Take Flight ( Chapter 1 )

Locked Wings

It's been a while since I've last written. Enjoy.

Disclaimer - I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura (CCS).

Chapter one: Take Flight

“I'm leaving! I'm leaving Hong Kong and I'm leaving the Li Clan!”

“As your Elders, we command you to stay. You are the future leader of the Li Clan. If you leave now, the entire future of the clan will be jeopardized.”

“Do I look like I care?! Look, all my life I've been imprisoned by the duties as the future clan leader… but no more. I quit.”

“No. If you leave now, do not expect a single cent to be given to you by the clan. You will have no money and you'll live out in the streets. You are not to leave Hong Kong, Syaoran Li, no.

“I don't care! Here, I'm being watched everywhere I go, whatever I do, hell, even if I try to talk to a girl! What kind of life is this? What kind of so-called leader am I? I'm only twelve!”

“SYAORAN LI! Remember your place in front of us. We are the Elders. You are not. You are to obey our orders until you reach the age of 18, when you'll be eligible to ascend and inherit the throne from your mother, Yelan Li.”

“Yea, well I still don't care and guess what? You can kiss my butt good-bye.” With that said, Syaoran turned away briskly from the old men controlling his life and walked away with determination in his eyes. He didn't hesitate before slamming the door behind his shut and he wouldn't hesitate getting onto a first class plane away from his prison. He had already known that the moment of his rebellion would arrive sooner or later, and had already saved up money for the ticket.

That was five years ago when 12-year old Syaoran Li finally called the quits on his duties and left on a plane to Japan. There was no way the Elders could track him down for he left no evidence of where he was going after that argument. From the moment he was born, he was trained to depend on no one but himself. Ironically, the Elders had prepared him for his escape from the prison-like home. If not for them, little 12-year old Syaoran Li wouldn't have the guts or bravery to leave his cage once and for all to seek the freedom he had desired so much.

In his heart, he didn't feel a trace of regret for giving up his title as Clan Leader but rather felt excited to finally be able to taste the freedom that he had desired his entire life. He took nothing from the Clan with him so that he didn't owe them anything. No suitcase. No baggage. No, he didn't need any of those things because… he had already prepared someone to help him on his rebellion.

--

“Hey Eriol! Wake up,” said Syaoran as he nudged his friend and very distant cousin, Eriol, with a raised foot. Break was finally over for the students of the prestigious Toki High. The five years that Syaoran had spent away from the Clan had been the first real pleasure he had experienced since he was born. Although he didn't have any servants to command or a mansion to live in as he had before, he was enjoying his life much more than before.

“Dude! It's 7:45 and school starts in 15 minutes! Hurry up!” scowled Syaoran as he continued nudging Eriol's sleeping back, but with much more force. “You wouldn't want Daidouji-san to be disappointed in you right? Who'd want a tardy boyfr-“

Before Syaoran could finish his sentence, Eriol had already shoved Syaoran's foot away and had become wide awake. Daidouji-san was the alarm clock. His blue hair whooshed past Syaoran's eyes as he made a mad dash to the restroom to wash up for the day. Chuckling, Syaoran rolled his eyes at his friend's obsession over Tomoyo Daidouji, one of the school's prettiest girls. Eriol himself wasn't bad looking and neither was Syaoran. Both tall and had eyes that were worth drowning in… although neither realized this. They were both oblivious to the many girls swooning over them the minute they step out of their car every day.

A casual flick of Syaoran's hair was, to the girls, a majestic toss of his beautifully shaped head. The uncombed mess that highly resembled a stack of hay was considered a messy, but unique, hair style. The clothes that he just randomly pulls out of his closet, was always “in”.

Equally, Eriol Hiiragizawa's round rimmed glasses were viewed as “a sign of inner intelligence” and his blue dyed hair was to utterly die for. Of course, as many fans as they get, they get about the same amount of people who hate them for their attention. Still, they had a few who didn't mind.

“Kyaaa! Is that a new shirt?!”

“Oh. My. Gosh. He looked at me!! I… I think he likes me!”

Simultaneously, both boys strode into Toki High completely clueless over their fangirls. While Syaoran and Eriol were enjoying themselves at school, they had absolutely no idea that they were being tracked all this time by none other than the Elders.

Back in Hong Kong…

“Kinomoto Sakura, we are now charging you with the duty bringing back Syaoran Li from Toki High, a high school located in Japan,” said the Elders in a calm manner. “We will provide all the things you need for the trip.”

“Why? Why are you telling me to do this?” asked Sakura, glaring at the old men with suspicion clear in her eyes. She had been walking down the streets when suddenly, a black limousine drives up to her. Men in suits stepped out and demanded her to ride with them. It was a forced meeting.

“We know about your father's… difficulties the past few months,” smiled one of the Elders, “If you agree to this, you will receive the clan's total support.”

“How do you know this?! It's none of your business. What my father did is his doing. It has nothing to do with me.” Sakura stood up from the chair she had been offered from the beginning of the conversation. She crossed her arms, defiant, and turned her head around, refusing to meet the taunting and teasing gaze of the old men. Her hatred towards her father for marrying another woman after her mother died won't be put out easily. It was only two years after her mother's death and suddenly, another woman was in the house wearing her mother's apron and standing in the kitchen holding her mother's spatula. She was twelve when her mother had passed away from a car accident and she was clueless back then until her mother's absence became clear. Her mother didn't go on a long trip! She died.Four years, a mere four years. Did he really expect her to forgive him for marrying another?

The Elders chuckled, “You can't fool us, Kinomoto-san. We know you care for him even though you purposely ignore him and reject his many offers for you to go back home to-“

“My home is not where that whore is. Get that right!” Sakura whipped her head back furiously to meet the Elders' eyes.

“No need for such… attitude and language… but yes. We will pay for his hospital bills and we will guarantee his survival from the car crash. Don't expect us to be fools to not know that you've been secretly paying for his hospital bills where he lies in a coma. Do not expect us to not know that you're borrowing money from lone sharks. Do not expect us to not know what you've been doing during the night, all for money,” the Elders said with their voices rising louder and louder

“Enough!” cried Sakura as she collapsed onto the floor, finally giving in to the old men's jeers. She sobbed, “It's not as if I'm not trying! Do you know how much it hurts to lose a mother in a car crash and now a father?! I'm trying!”

“Yes… which gives you all the more reason to accept this task. Your father will be revived and your debts will be paid. You will no longer have to use your body as a tool for money. Accept, Kinomoto, accept,” the Elders droned on.

Obtaining control over her voice again, Sakura raised her head and asked, “Why me?” once more.

“Little girl! Have you not noticed how Syaoran looked at you?” laughed the Elders, “You are the object of affection to him. Use that Kinomoto. Use that to bring him back and we will provide you with as much money as you need.”

Sakura hesitated, weighing out the pros and cons in her head silently. She knew the decision she made could affect her entire life, but with her father's life on the line, she had no choice. No other option but…

“I accept.”

“Good,” said the Elders without a trace of emotion on their faces. Experience had taught them to not reveal any signs of triumph. “Expect someone to pick you up tomorrow morning at seven promptly. Be ready.”

Sakura rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips, “Yea whatever.” She turned around, walking briskly but in her mind she wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing. She felt like a criminal as she closed the door behind her, leaving the Li mansion. She and Syaoran were friends before he left even though she hadn't been aware that she was the “object of affection” to him. Still… compared to her father and his threatening end… one less friend paled in comparison. Sakura quickly pushed the thought away from her head and started thinking about what to pack and how she'll get close to Syaoran as she made her way home in the night.

Of course, she'll have to find some way to enroll into the school and somehow become friends with Syaoran. The problem is… where will she live? She can't just go to school straight off the streets. And what if Syaoran wanted to go over to her “house”? That'll be a problem. Sakura sighed as she walked into her rented apartment and flicked on the lights. It was small and cramped but it was the only thing she could afford. The dining room, living room and kitchen were all basically one room altogether. Only her room and the bathroom were separate and they too had very little space. Roomy was just a word that doesn't exist when it comes to her apartment.

Sakura walked past the little table she picked up off the streets and dropped her bag and keys down. After taking about ten steps, she was already in her room. Sighing, Sakura plopped herself down on her bed and buried her face in her hands. She was still a high schooler and yet she had to work as a part time to support herself. “Gimme a break. I'm just some stupid sixteen year old! You expect me to go to Japan, find some heir, and support father from the shadows?! You've got to be kidding,” complained Sakura as she ran her fingers through her auburn hair. Suddenly, she sat up straight and gave a loud gasp. “Shoot! It's almost 9 o' clock and I haven't even packed a single thing!” Hurriedly, Sakura ran over to her closet to get a suit case but stopped her hands before they started digging. “Oh… right… I sold my suitcase… crap.” Her closet barely contained anything except for a few articles of clothing. To survive and pay for her father's hospital bills, she had to sell many of her previous belongings, even those of her mother's. She had planned to track them down and buy them back once she has enough money but really. What are the chances of that ever happening?

That thing that her father married couldn't do a single thing. From what Sakura heard from her distant cousin's mother, all that thing did was break down in tears and stare dumbly at a wall everyday. How it even had the instincts to get up and get food was a complete puzzle. It was no different than a person with mental issues. Of course, Sakura can't just rely on her very distant cousin to pay her bills and so everything was left up to Sakura. Oh joy.

Realizing she actually had nothing to pack, Sakura sighed dejectedly and gave in to a cramped but tempting shower.

--

“You know, Eriol,” Syaoran said as he turned his head to his friend, “I really should thank you for letting me live at your house. If it weren't for you, I'd still be back in… you know… there.” The day was over and the two friends had just finished eating dinner. Apparently, Syaoran could cook really well and his arrival had thus ended Eriol's days of microwavable food.

“Aaw c'mon. Don't get sappy here with me.” Eriol teased as he pushed back his chair to start collecting the dirty dishes. He understood Syaoran well enough to know what “there” was. It was such a bad place that Syaoran didn't even want to mention it anymore. Eriol doubted there was anything Syaoran even missed from “there”, meaning Hong Kong.

Syaoran pushed Eriol's hands away and took the dishes himself, “No, I'm serious. I really need to thank you. You took me in unconditionally and gave me a place to stay. If it weren't for you, I'd be out on the streets right now. That plate of steak I just ate? Yeah. It wouldn't have even existed.”

“Syaoran. How many times do we have to have this conversation?” Eriol said, rolling his eyes and finally giving in to Syaoran and allowed him to do the dishes, “I know already! Shut up about this or I'm really going to kick you out.”

Silence.

Eriol gave a loud groan and leaned back in his chair, “Can't you just talk about something else? Please?” Syaoran laughed and shook his head deciding not to reply. As he was wiping off the dishes, he just couldn't help but think of her…

Apparently, “her” was already on her way to his life. At exactly seven, a limo had appeared in front of her door and she was sent quickly to the airport without delay. The driver didn't seem to have a care for the road's maximum speed limit but just whizzed by everything. Her trip to the HK Airport all seemed pretty much a blur. It was still early, and Sakura wasn't a morning person. For the Elders' money, she had to transfer schools by a ridiculous thirty seconds long voice mail, give up her apartment and everything else in it, though there wasn't much to begin with, her part-time. There was no turning back for her at all.

In a matter of minutes, Sakura already boarded the airplane the Elders had booked for her. Surprisingly, it was first-class. Sakura stared dazed in her chair/sofa. Everything had happened so fast and all within 24 hours. Before she had left in the morning, she called the hospital to check up on her dad. To her surprise, Sakura's father had been moved into a different room with better service and care. All the fees that Sakura had held back were all paid for, even the fees that were to come a month later! It all happened overnight like… magic. But of course, it was all because the Elders had opened their mouths and ordered for the debts to be paid. Part of Sakura felt annoyed and part of her felt grateful, but both were about the same, neither outweighing the other.

As she waited for the short ride from Hong Kong to Japan to terminate, she couldn't help but wonder what Syaoran looked like. It's not like she was the one who took him as an object of affection. He did! She just thought he was some friend, and a distant one at that. Just the fact that Sakura remembered his name was shocking.

When she was little, a lot of boys looked in her direction because she was the prettiest girl in the entire grade. She had always carried a bright smile on her face and anyone who looked at her just couldn't help but smile. The way she wanted to help everyone and try her best at everything was cute to anyone, including Syaoran of course. But, what makes her unique out of all the other girls were her eyes. The pair of emerald orbs always carried with them a glimmer of excitement that seemed to last forever. The green that stared back when you met eye contact with them weres enough to make hearts melt. Unknown to Syaoran, however, was that the Sakura he knew back then is gone. In her replacement is a Sakura filled with sorrow and those emerald eyes? They turned dull and ordinary, all because of her mother's death. It was after Syaoran's departure and so, he wouldn't know about the abrupt change in the girl he cared for the most.

She was everything he would never be, at least that was what he thought. To him, there seemed to be a pair of white wings sprouting from behind her back, as if she can go any where she wanted, whenever she wanted. No imprisonment or control whatsoever. For once, even once, he wanted to have those wings too. In the end, he took flight. He flew away on a pair of mechanical wings off to Japan there ridded his life of the Elders.

He thought it was over. He thought he finally broke free, but no. He will always be tracked, by the Elders, and now by his beloved. In fact, her flight has almost met its mark: Tokyo.

--

Thanks for making it this far. Hope you liked reading it. R&R please.