Alright!Chapter 3!

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Chapter 3

~~~~~

It was getting dark when Sakura and Syaoran arrived at the next town, and if they don't find a hotel soon, they're camping out.(Hint: they have no gear)

They came to the door of the first hotel they saw, Syaoran jumped off Chocy, and knocked on the door. Moments later, an old woman came out and answer them."May I help you?"The woman said in an old and cranky voice.

Syaoran swallowed, then said" Yes, we want a room...?" The old lady shook her head, and replied"We have no more room, it's a long weekend you see, and this happens to be one of the hottest tourist spots." She continued"Why don't you try some of the other hotels in the town." Then she closed the door. Sakura came up to him and asked "Well...?"Syaoran turned around, and told her "Let's try the next one."

They got the same shot of answer from all the other inns they had tried, full, no rooms, try the next one...They almost gave up, until they finally ran in to a hotel that happened to have one room left. "You're in luck, we had one room left for the two of you." The owner of the hotel said. Syaoran turned back and told Sakura the good news "We've done it, we got ourselves a room, come on Sakura, come on Chocy!!"

The hotel owner's ear wiggled when he heard the word "Chocy", "Wait a minute," he leaned forward and looked Syaoran right into the eyes "who or what is Chocy??"

*I sense trouble*Syaoran thought."He...I mean...it is...our chocobo."Syaoran tried to avoid eye contacts.

"No way."The owner said "No chocobos allowed."

"What!?"Syaoran recalled"Why not?"

The owner answered "We don't have a chocobo stable, it can't stay."

"But, Mister , it doesn't need a stable, it's going to be perfectly fine sleeping on the street." Syaoran claimed nervously, he obviously didn't want to camp out.

"Well," the owner soften,"it could sleep in the garage..."

"Great!"Syaoran agreed a little too fast, when he went back and told what Sakura what happened, Sakura was not happy. She shook her head wildly,"NO WAY!!!NO WAY!!!NOOOOOO WAAAAYYYY!!!!!Chocy's a chocobo, not a car!!"

"But Sakura..."Syaoran was having a hard time trying to calm her."This could be the only room in the town, if we don't stay, we'll have to sleep on a tree!"

"I-don't-care!!Chocy has been rode by us for the whole day, is that how you treat him??"

"Well..."

"You can't...you just can't treat it like this..." Tears are coming out of her eyes,it slightly brighten her eyes, creating a perfect puppy dog face.

*Oh no...the ultimate puppy dogface...*Syaoran thought,*there's no way I can get away with this...*It was hard enough to try and ignore Sakura's puppy dog face, to make the process even harder, Chocy was imitating Sakura's puppy dog face!!

*No...double puppy dog faces attack...I'll die out of guilt.* "Alright!"Syaoran finally gave up."One more!We'll try one-more hotel, satisfied!?"

"Weee~"Sakura and Chocy cheered.

~~~~~

They were standing in front of the door of the next hotel they saw on the way, this one was different, Syaoran couldn't tell what the difference was, something wasn't right, but what...?

"Well,"Syaoran jumped off Chocy,"looks like this is the end of the line." He knocked on the door, then he heard footsteps, running to the door, a young man opened the door, he had long hair, and was about 14~16, he answered the door with a huge smile on his face."Welcome, welcome! How may I help you in anyway at all?"

The smile really scared Syaoran.*What the heck is with this guy anyway?*he thought"Ahh...we want a room." Sakura popped out of no where and added "With chocobo stables!"

"With chocobo stables."Syaoran repeated.

"Oh, we got plenty of rooms for you and your chocobos."

"Len!"An elder boy came out, and pressed the younger boy's head.

"Sorry that he was rude,"the guy turned toward the younger one."Did you tell them?"He asked.

"But Leo!! If I tell'em they'll..."

The older guy gave him a no-excuses-look. The younger guy turned toward Syaoran and Sakura and said in a unsatisfied way,"Our hotel has...you know, creepy stuffs."

Sakura's face turned pale,"You mean...like, ghost?"

"Whatever..."the younger man answered.

"Syaoran~!!"Sakura hid behind him."It's just too scary~"

"Or,"Syaoran said,"we can always stay at the no-chocobos-allowed hotel..." He turned toward Sakura.

"Ooooohhhhh nooooooo....this has got to be the hardest decision of my life...."Sakura wined as she chose the haunted place.

~~~~~

Sakura can't stop looking around their room to make sure that there was absolutely, positively, no ghost in their room. She turned around, and found Syaoran opening the door to get out."Hold it!!" She yelled, "Where do you think you're going?"

Syaoran answered her in a no-big-deal tone."Just going for a bath, they have hot spring here, you know that?"

"No..." Sakura replied,"and I don't want to know either. How long will you be gone?"

"Look, if you're scare, you can always go to the stable to play with Chocy." After that, he left. Leaving Sakura alone in the room.

~~~~~

After the bath in the hot spring, Syaoran saw the younger man that opened the door, drinking a cup of tea and staring at the window.

"If you drink tea now, you can't go to sleep later in the night." Syaoran said. The guy glanced at him, then drew his attention back to the window. Syaoran sat beside him, and asked him,"You and your brother runs this hotel?"

"It's all we've got" the guy said,"Leo and I put our souls into this place, and look at it, it's long weekend and we only have you, your girlfriend and your chocobo. We're not gonna pay the bills if it continues like this."

"Because of the ghost thing, huh?"

"Yeah....ever since the rumor spread, we've got no customers. It's all that witch's fault, she started the rumor!"

"Witch??"

"Well, magician to be exact, but I still think she's a witch!!"

"Yeah...sure..."

"She came outta no where, not long after her arrival she started to say that she feels ghosts in this hotel, and told everyone to stay away from here. What did we do to her, how come she has to do that?"

"Well, do you think there're ghost in this hotel?"

"Heck NO!"

"Does Leo?"

"No way!"

"Good, then all you've got to do is keep believing in it, it sounds stupid but believe me, things will eventually turn out to be alright. I mean, look at me, I'm staying aren't I?"

Len soften his tone. "Thanks."

"No problem." Syaoran got up, and walked back to his room.

Inside his room was Sakura, sleeping like a baby. "It must be tired to be afraid of ghosts." Syaoran teased as he put a sheet of blanket on her.

~~~~~

"Are you here again~!?"

Someone was arguing downstairs, that woke Syaoran, he got up, seeing Sakura was still asleep at the other bed next to his, he got up quietly, and went downstairs to check things out. He saw Len arguing with a woman that has curly long hair that came down to the floor. She turned around and saw Syaoran peeking at the back.Syaoran jerked as she caught his eye, he walked towards them, trying to act casual,"Hey, what's up with the big fight?"

The woman turned and bowed, Syaoran was surprised that she did and had to reply with a bow himself. "The name is Cuzza, and I suggest you stay out of this hotel."

*She jumped right to the point.*Syaoran thought. "Now wait!!" Len shouted, "do you have to scary away our every customer, they have choices too, they wanted to stay!! So let them stay in peace!!"

"I am saying this for their sake, you too," She turned and faced Len."you should get out of here. It will do you no good staying."

"In your dreams, slime face!" Len returned with an insult. Cuzza ignored that and began to walk off. "She's...the magician?" Syaoran asked after she left the hallway. "You got it,bud. She's the darn witch that's been spreading rumors about us having ghosts in the hotel." Len replied.

~~~~~

Cuzza stood in front of the hot spring, she stared at it for a while. She pulled out her ring, and dropped it into the water. She turned and left the spring, she smiled as she left.

~~~~~

"I'll fight till the end for the sake of your safety..."

The image of the person who said that was getting blurry, Sakura can't see his, or her face because of the fog. The voice sounds awfully familiar.

"You're...is that you?!" Sakura shouted. But there was no reply. "Answer me!! Is that you!? Are you okay!?"

Still no responds. Sakura's getting worry.

Then the image of the person fainted away, Sakura had a feeling that she would never see him/her ever again.

"No...no..." Sakura repeated.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

Sakura woke up from her nightmare. Still breathing hard, Syaoran held her,"Calm down, it was just a dream!" she was sweating hard too. She turned to Syaoran, "Oh...thank god it was just a dream..."

"What? What did you dream about?"

"Well, I can't remember, but it was horrible."

"Then just forget about it, it'll do you no good keeping it in your mind." He brushes her hair, "You're sweating." "Yeah..."

Syaoran smiled, "Take a bath at the hot spring, you'll feel better."

"Nooo..." Sakura wined, "It's got ghost..."

"Sakura, it's morning, the ghost wouldn't come out even if they try, now let's go."

"I can't...even if I try!!....Unless!!" She looked straight into Syaoran's eyes. Syaoran blinked, then when he got what she was thinking he practically turned into a tomato, "No...if you're thinking what I'm thinking of...no way!!"

"Come on, Syaoran!!!!!"

~~~~~

"This is relaxing." Sakura recalled when she was in the hot spring.

"Well,I'm glad you enjoyed it." Syaoran said.

"Sorry, Syaoran, but I really can't do this myself."

"......" Syaoran was sitting at the boy side of the hot spring, leaning on the wall, with clothes on. Sakura was staying close to the wall as she bathed in the hot spring in the girl's side of the hot spring. The boy and the girl side share a wall, so this way, at least Sakura would feel like Syaoran was by her side so that she wouldn't be that scared.

"Thanks...." Sakura said softly to Syaoran. Syaoran blushed, just thinking that Sakura is only 2 inches away from him with nothing on would turn him into a tomato. He tried to avoid the thought. Sakura sank into the hot spring, the hot spring water made her forget everything about that horrible dream; she closed her eyes, and enjoyed it.

Neither of them said a thing for a short while, too embarrassed maybe, both of them kept quite for a while. Then a body of water rose from the hot spring water, "What the..." before Syaoran finished his sentence, it attacked him, with its pressure, it pushed him against the wall, making a big bang. Sakura knew something wasn't right at the other side, she yelled, "Syaoran?! Syaoran, are you alright?" There were no reponses for a short while, then Syaoran managed to answer, "Arrr...stay where you are Sakura, whatever you do, don't come over here!"

*Why would I want to go to a man's side of the bathroom?* Sakura thought. She snapped back to the matter, "What's going on?"

At the other side, Syaoran tried to get his sword hanging on his waist, but the moment he got it out, the body of water hit his hand, making him dropped the sword, when Syaoran tried to reached for it, the water gave him another hard bang. Syaoran yelled in pain.

*I've got to help him!* Sakura got up, briefly put her clothes on, and headed over to the other side.

Syaoran was forced to the corner, he was trapped, the water rose higher, to finish him. He closed his eyes, prepared for the attack. "Shield!" Sakura used the card shield to protect Syaoran just as the water attacked. The body of water splashed into a million directions, Sakura canceled the shield, and ran towards him. "Are you okay?" She knelt beside him. The water gathered, and rose again. There's no way to stop it now....

Suddenly, the body of water stopped, it backed away. "Return to where you came from!" a voice shouted from behind. The body of water disappeared in to the pool of hot spring. Sakura and Syaoran turned around with curiosity, then they saw her, it was Cuzza.

"I warned you," she walked closer, "I warned you to stay out of here, but you wouldn't listen. Now you have angered the souls that live here." Not long after, Len and Leo walked in."What happened, we heard a lot of noises!"

"You are one step too late," Cuzza said, facing them, "I've calmed the ghosts...for now." Her voice turned cold. "Now will you believe me and get out of here?"

*Something's not right...* Syaoran thought. Leo turned his attention to Syaoran and Sakura, "Are you hurt?" he asked. "Wouldn't kill me." Syaoran answered casually."I'm glad. But maybe you should take the magician's advice, and leave this place at once."

Syaoran looked at Len, who would usually whine or try to talk Leo into changing his words, but this time he just stood there, disappointed. He believed that there was no ghost in this hotel, he believed that this hotel was safe. No, he was wrong, and he let this happen to his customers, he doubted himself.

Then Syaoran looked at Sakura, she was frightened, scared, shaking as she hold his hand tight. This might be a mistake, and everyone ------ maybe even Sakura, would not like this idea, but he had to do it. He took a deep breath, and said "I'm staying."

Everyone was shocked when they heard those words, they talked at once, some include "Are you crazy?", or "What the #*&%$@ are you talking about!?". But Syaoran ignored them, Sakura was the only one who didn't make any comments on his decision, she knew that Syaoran had a reason, and she believed in him.

~~~~~

About an hour later, when everyone else left, Syaoran and Sakura were back at the hot spring again. He turned to Sakura "Are you scared? You don't have to go by my way you know, you can always object me."

"But I believe in you, I know you did this for a reason." That was all Syaoran needed to hear to carry on his plans. Sakura asked,"Mind to share it?"

"It wasn't normal," Syaoran began to explain. "it wasn't like this when I was here last night. It all began when Cuzza came by this morning, and how could she managed to save us just in time?"

"You mean..."

"Yes...she could be one of them..." Syaoran continued. "The missioners."

"What...?"

Syaoran walked into the pool of hot spring,"Syaoran! Be careful!" Once again the body of water emerged from the pool, this time Syaoran's already to battle, he jumped towards it with the sword in his hand, they fought for a short while, then both of them sank into the water. Air bubbles were bursting out of the water, Sakura waited nervously, and she walked closer. The air bubbles stopped, and then there was silence. "Sy...Syaoran..?" Sakura's heart beated faster and faster, a short while later, Syaoran rose to the surface of the water, breathing hard. He walked towards Sakura. "Syaoran!!You alright?"

"I'm fine, but look what I found." He held up a silver ring with a blue crystal on it. "This, is where the power of the thing came from. We won't be seeing that anymore." He said, as he crushed the crystal.

~~~~~

Cuzza was back at her resident, enjoying her tea, but she sensed something, and stood up. "The ring..." she said, "How could it be...? Someone defeated it?" She put on her cape, and walked towards the hotel."

~~~~~

"How did that get in there?" Sakura asked.

"Cuzza probably dumped it here this morning."

"She was here this morning?"

"Yeah, while you were sleeping like a baby." Syaoran teased.

"Syaoran..." Sakura was not very happy with the comment. She continued, "So there is no ghosts here all along? It was all Cuzza?"

"I don't know...it's still too early to state that."

Cuzza walked into the their sights. "So you are the legendary heroes huh? I must say I am disappointed, is that the best that the legendary heroes could do?"

Sakura and Syaoran drew their attention to her *Then again...* Syaoran thought, *It could've been her all along.*

"We knew what you've been up to, so give it up!" Sakura said with a shake voice.

"I suggest you don't, because you see, I'm one missioner you can't beat, for I-am-immortal!!!" She lifted her hands up in air, energy balls gathered, then she moved her hands forward, commanding them to attack, the fire balls flew towards Sakura and Syaoran. "DUCK!!"Syaoran yelled, ducking. Sakura pulled out a card, then point her staff to it,"JUMP!!" she commanded the card, and she jumped into the air.

"Or that." Syaoran recalled from the bottom. He turned to Cuzza, "You're not immortal, you've got to have a tattoo somewhere."

"Ahh...that's the lovely part ----- I removed the tattoo." Cuzza replied in an evil voice.

"What??"

"You heard me, the tatoo its not on any part of my body, I've removed it since the day I heard of the legendary heroes...but I have over estimate you little brats, you can't beat me even when the tattoo is not removed."

"Syaoran, what do we do?" Sakura couldn't think, her mind was all mixed up, it this the end...?

*Think...* Syaoran thought. *think...Syaoran!! The tattoo may be removed, but it would still be effective if I destroyed it, but...where is it?? Where could it possible be...* Then it hit him. "...I GOT IT!!!"

He grabbed Sakura's hand and ran towards the hot spring pool. Cuzza knew what was he trying to do, and shot some more energy balls at them, but they all missed. "No...how did he..."

They jumped into the pool, Sakura couldn't breath, she managed to open her eyes and she saw a cave!! Underwater!!

Syaoran went in to the cave, Sakura followed. It led to another cave, and this one has air. They reached the surface, Sakura coughed and choked, Syaoran smooth her back, "Sorry...it was kind of harsh wasn't it?"

"(cough, cough)it's alright, I'm okay" They both got on shore, and looked around the cave, it was rocky, at the end of the cave was a piece of paper, glowing, and floating in the air. "That's it, the tattoo!" Syaoran got up and slowly walked towards it. "How did you know it is here?" Sakura asked.

"Because she was trying to protect this place, she spread rummors to make peaple stay out of this place, and when she found out that someone actually crazy enough to stay at this hotel, she tried to scare us, warned us. And when that didn't work, she left the ring here to act as a guardian to stay and make sure no one gets into this cave."

Sakura stared at him, to her Syaoran is always reliable, she knows she'll be safe around him. She'll be alright as long as he's here.

At that moment, Cuzza entered the cave, "You can never beat me!!! I-AM-IMMORTAL!!!!!!" She gathers all her power into one big giant ball, and shot it. Syaoran jumped out of the way, and the ball hit the top of the cave, it weaken the support, rocks collapsed. "The cave!!" Sakura yelled. "It's going to collapse, we have to get out of here!!"

"Yes," Syaoran replied, "But after this!" The falling cave caught Cuzza's attention, Syaoran chopped the tattoo in half with his sword. "NOOOOOO!!!" Cuzza's body evaporated into a soul, Sakura took out her crystal, and the soul was sucked into it.

Time was running out, Syaoran and Sakura dived in to the entrance where they came from, and made it out just in time. *Glad that was over...* Syaoran thought.

~~~~~

The next day, Len and Leo's hotel was all full, since everyone knows that Cuzza was a liar after all. Sakura, Syaoran and Chocy stood there watching Len come and go, then Len made a sudden stop, and looked at them. "Hi, how may I help you?"

"Just to say good-bye..." Syaoran said with a big sweat on the head. "Oh, well, yeah, bye." A customer called, and he rushed over to the counter.

*Maybe I should've let Cuzza live after all.* Syaoran thought. They were about to leave when Len yelled, "Hey!" They turned around, "Thanks" he said. Then went back to work.

"You welcome." Syaoran said, then they walked out of the hotel, and continued their journey.

to be continued....

Alright, feedback, I want to know how you think!

I think I'm writing too much about Syaoran, and not enough on Sakura, I think I'll try to change it.

Next chapter!! Sakura and Syaoran went to the lost wood...

And encase you have a short term mermory --- feedback!!

Piggy Ho Ho
Nov. 14, 1999