Cardcaptor Sakura: The New Trials (Wish-luv)

Chapter 18: Stalked in New York

New York City, the next morning...

******

"How can we find the artist Shing? I'm pretty sure he knows something about mother and father." Sakura paced up and down in the hotel room. With the exception of Tomoyo and Syaoran, everyone had left for shopping in the City.

"I can't believe Miho is Mizuki-sensei's cousin!" Tomoyo exclaimed.

"No wonder she knew about everything and had some strange powers." Sakura sighed, tugging at her golden brown ponytail. "Did you find it yet?"

"Wait." Syaoran was busily searching for a file in his laptop. "I'm pretty sure Shing's address will be inputted in here, somewhere. He definitely lives in New York."

"Hurry. I need to find out today!" Sakura clenched her fist. That disturbing painting. Her confusion was suffocating her. As she gazed at Syaoran, she felt a twang of sadness. Unfortunately, she had happened to see his eyes when he gazed at the painting of Li Ryuuren. Yet, she wasn't ready for what she saw in his eyes. She saw the sadness, and forlorn yearning of a lost boy who lost his father. At least Sakura could remember and sense the warmth of her mother. Syaoran had nothing, no memories, no connections. He was not the self-assured, confident person he seemed to be on the outside; inside, he was vulnerable like any one else. But he deserved better! If he wasn't a Li... If his father didn't die... If he had no magic... If he had no connection to Clow Reed... Would he have been a completely different person now?

Yet... though it was selfish of her, she didn't want him to be different. If he did not have all the magic and the name to burden him, that would end the one tiny connection he had with her. It would mean no Syaoran in her life at all... That would mean a very empty life.

"Found it!" Syaoran copied down the artist Shing's address and slammed his laptop shut. "Who knew that Uncle's data system had so much use?"

******

Stepping off the taxi, Tomoyo, Syaoran, and Sakura gazed at the immense building in awe. The only word they had for it was...

"Very artistic."

When they tried to enter the vast gateway, the housekeeper harshly replied, "Sorry, no visitors allowed."

"But wait! It's really important. It's about the people in his paintings!" Sakura said.

"Do you know how many times I hear that in a day?" The housekeeper tried to shut the door.

"Wait!" Bam. The immense gate slammed at their face.

"Great. We'll have to find another way in." Sakura gazed up at an open window in the second floor, then at a tall, stable tree beside it. "A ha!" Nimbly, she ran to the foot of the tree. Reaching for a branch, she heaved herself up, gaining balance and footing on the trunk. Syaoran immediately followed her. By the time she was half way up the tree, Sakura was panting. Who knew that climbing that tree would be so difficult? She rested for a moment. Her sea green eyes flickered around, then upwards. For a second, she thought a black shadow was cast over her. Maybe it was just a trick of the light.

"Hey, move it, will you?" Syaoran called from the branch below.

"Wait." Sakura began to hoist herself up again. "And whatever you do, don't look up, okay?"

"Why?" Syaoran asked, pulling himself up to the next branch with ease.

"I'm wearing a dress, stupid!"

"Li-kun is a hentai (pervert)!" Tomoyo called from below, with her V8.

"I'M NOT!!!!!!!" Syaoran called panicking, his voice echoing throughout the mansion garden, and his face flushing not only because of the cold.