AUTHOR'S NOTE: You have no idea how pleased I was to learn that my 1st fic in over 2 years was such a success. Your reviews really helped me pull through to the end so I just wanna say thanks! :D Now enough of that human emotional blah blah and let's get back on track! We're going to pick up after The Next Crusade (So if you haven't read it yet, now might be a good time to do so) and the whole Eriol/Tomoyo thing will be resolved. But worry not! Sakura & Syaoran will still be the center of attention as I concoct some even more cutesy moments for them to endure! Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: Disclaim? I have something to disclaim. Yo' mama's a ho bag! Ooh! Burn! Wait, wait. I'm sorry. You corporate types really chap my buttocks so forgive me for being a little "German". Wait! I'm sorry. I have nothing against German people. Just corporate types. Oh, screw it. I DO NOT OWN CCS or any related character. CLAMP does. In fact, they should think about reviving the series and---

GET ON WITH THE MOTHER--KING STORY, ALREADY!!!

CARD CAPTOR SAKURA: TOKYO KNIGHTS

CHAPTER ONE

It had been three months since the battle with Faust and his army of darkness and still, Sakura and her friends had another problem to deal with. The media. Ever since the live television coverage of their heroic efforts, Sakura, Li and Tomoyo were constantly being followed around by more cameras, tabloid reporters and sleazy movie agents. And what's worse, the whole ordeal was starting to put a crimp on Sakura and Li's relationship just when it was getting good. Oh, those bastards! It makes me mad!

Our story begins one night while Sakura was on the phone talking to Li, who was currently in Hong Kong visiting his family for the weekend. As always, poor little Kero was stuck in the room, listening in on their lovey-dovey conversation.

"I miss you." Li said over the phone, causing Sakura to blush intensely.

"I miss you too." She responded. "When are you coming back?"

"Tomorrow."

"I'll be waiting. Just don't make me wait too long." She joked.

Kero was in his cubbyhole, rolling around and smothering his face with a pillow. "Why do they do this to me!?" He growled. "God, I liked 'em better when they used to bicker!"

"I love you, too" Sakura said as she hung up the phone. She then noticed Kero slamming his head against the wall. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing..." Kero said in a daze. "Just go back to your..." He then groaned. "Oh, is the room spinning or is it just me?" The doll then fell back unconscious as Sakura giggled.

"Oh, Kero..." She said as she turned off the light and got into bed. Just then, several flashes of light illuminated the room, much to Sakura's disgust.

"Oh, not again." She said as she got up and opened her window, revealing a photographer hiding out in the tree.

"Sakura! Sakura!" The photographer called out to the girl. "Can you look this way, please?"

"No, I don't think so." She said as she took out a card. "Fire!" She called out as her body became engulfed in flames.

The photographer panicked from Sakura's fiery form and fell out of the tree, breaking his camera in the process. The man ran away into the street as a car almost hit him.

"Watch where you're going, jackass!" The driver called out to him.

As Sakura returned back to normal, she noticed several other photographers climbing down the tree and running away from the house, scared of what the girl might do to them.

"That kid's crazy, man!" One of the men shouted.

"Holy damn, did you see that!?" Said another.

She looked down and sighed. "Sometimes I wonder why those idiots like ruining people's lives."

The next morning, Sakura and Touya were sitting in the living room, disgusted by what they were watching on the television. Sakura shook her head as Touya's jaw dropped from total shock.

A Saturday morning cartoon had been made in Sakura's likeness and all her friends were depicted in the show as well. "And now! We return to Silly Sakura & Friends!" The television announcer said.

"Remind me why I let them do this?" Sakura asked her brother.

"They... I didn't..." Touya was still at a loss for words. "It's so creepy."

The TV screen displayed chibi versions of Sakura, Li and Tomoyo in a park building some kind of clubhouse. Sakura was hammering a nail on a wooden board while Tomoyo and Li were sawing a piece of lumber in half. When the saw got stuck on Tomoyo's end, the young girl started to pull it out but managed to whack Sakura in the face with it in the process.

"Hey, what's the big idea!?" The cartoon Sakura said in a gruff voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry Sakura!" The chibi Tomoyo said in a high-pitched whine. "It was an accident!"

"Oh yeah?" The animated Sakura grabbed Tomoyo by the hair and slapped her in the face. "So was that!"

The animated Li then approached the two girls and in a nasally drone said, "Hey, I need some help over here!"

"Oh so you want some help, eh?" Sakura asked as she grabbed the hammer. "Help yourself!" She then whacked the boy over the head as a funny dinging sound was made.

"Now listen up, you morons!" The chibi Sakura commanded as her counterparts obeyed. "The kids will be here in a few hours and it's up to us to build 'em their clubhouse! Understand?"

"Yes, Sakura sir!" The two saluted and accidentally whacked her in the head.

"You numbskulls!" Chibi Sakura the grabbed the two by the hair and led them along the way then kicked them in the rear. "Get to work!"

The real Sakura turned the TV off and sighed. "What ever happened to the qualities of decent, moral family television?"

Just then, the doorbell rang. Tomoyo walked in with a nervous smile on her face and sat down next to her friend. "I don't suppose you--"

"I saw it." Sakura interrupted.

"Oh. It's not so bad, really."

"Not so bad? They made us look like the 3--"

"Don't even say it, Sakura."

"Sorry." Tomoyo then thought for a second. "I have to admit, though. They really captured your eyes!"

¬¬¬¬¬ TOWA UNIVERSITY ¬¬¬¬¬

Professor Kinomoto was facing hundreds of college students in a large room as he stood at a podium, demonstrating a slideshow. He was explaining the origins of different artifacts found around the world and how they were used in several cultures. As the students either took notes or closely listened, a man in a black suit and tie stood at the back of the room and gazed at his watch.

"The Mayans used thick logs as clubs to literally crush their enemies. Not stab them." Fujitaka said in the middle of his lecture. "Weapons were needed in warfare unless you were using your bare fists."

He then moved to a slide of ancient Chinese artifacts and continued with his presentation. "Recently, highly refined stone age tools discovered in China disproved an old theory that ancient people in East Asia were less accomplished at making stone cutting tools than early humans in Africa and the Middle East. The tools were found to be around 803,000 years old, give or take a few 3,000."

The bell suddenly rang, ending the lecture short. As the students left, their teacher called out to them. "Your evaluations are due next week! Don't forget!"

The man in the black suit waited for the students to leave then slowly approached the professor. "I see you're still playing around in the dirt, looking for old toys." He said.

"Christopher Lorca." Fujitaka recognized the man's short black hair and neatly trimmed beard. "What are you doing back here? I thought you and the boys at Tokyo Tech were getting along just great."

The 34 year old chuckled. "Oh, we are. I just thought I'd stop by and say hello to an old friend."

"After 15 years?"

"Has it been that long?"

After an awkward silence, the two gave in to laughter and hugged each other like old friends normally do after a long absence.

"How are you, you old gravedigger?" Lorca jokingly asked.

"Oh, I'm fine. How's your wife?"

The Spaniard gave off a wincing look. "Ooh, we're divorced. Three years now to be exact."

Fujitaka shook his head. "Sorry to hear that."

"Yes. Well not as sorry as I was to hear about Nadeshiko." The man placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. "She was a good woman."

"Thank you." Fujitaka then decided to change the subject. "So what brings you back to Tomoeda?"

The man in black tossed a newspaper on the table, featuring a picture of Sakura on the front page. "She looks a lot like her father, don't you think?" He said.

"Sakura?" The girl's father was puzzled. "What about her?"

"Hiroshi Kanaye is holding an annual festival next weekend and he'd like Sakura to be the guest of honor."

"Hiroshi Kanaye? Head of Kanaye Industries?" The professor asked.

"The same. Your daughter's actions on Alcatraz inspired many. Sakura has given not only Tomoeda a glimpse of hope and prosperity for the future, but the entire world as well. Sakura represents everything that the Kibou Festival stands for."

"Okay but why did they send you?"

"I'm a close friend of Kanaye's. I took it upon myself as a personal favor to him and try to convince Sakura to make an appearance. Do you think she'll come?"

Fujitaka shrugged. "I... I don't know."

¬¬¬¬¬ TWIN BELLS GIFT SHOP ¬¬¬¬¬

Three men armed with guns were busy ransacking the place, stealing seemingly valuable merchandise and cash from the register. Maki stood behind her counter and was held at gunpoint by one of the men. The woman, however, seemed rather bored than afraid as she slowly turned the pages on a magazine she was reading.

"Oh no. Please. Take everything." She said in a very slow, unconcerned voice.

"Believe me, lady. That's we're planning on doing!" One of the men said.

"I got the cash." Said another.

The ringleader nodded at his cohorts. "All right, let's get the hell out of here." He then pointed the gun back at Maki and cocked it. "Sorry, lady. Can't have any witnesses lying around."

"You don't have the balls." Maki dared the man. "C'mon. Bust a cap in my ass!"

"What?" The man was confused.

"C'mon, Cletus! C'mon! You bad! Shoot me!" She started teasing.

"Cletus? Who the fu--"

"C'mon, Cletus! Shoot me! You want my blood!? Take my blood!"

"All right, that's it!" As the man pulled the trigger, the bullet shot straight towards Maki but immediately bounced away in midair with a bright spark. The three men then turned their heads to see Sakura emitting a powerful glow from her hands. The Shot card was fused with its master as she grinned at the criminals.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I interrupt something?" Sakura teased.

Knowing that Sakura could easily take them out, the three men dropped their weapons and raised up their arms in defeat. "Don't shoot." One of the criminals said.

"Okay. I won't shoot. But only if you kiss him."

"What!?" The man screamed.

"Go on." Sakura started to giggle. "Give him a smooch right on the lips! Either one of them, I don't care. You're all going to take turns anyway. A big wet one, though. Not one of those wimpy little chicken pecks."

"I'm not gonna kiss him!"

A warning blast shot past the man's ear, almost burning it. "How 'bout now?"

Moments later, after the police arrived and took the humiliated men away, Sakura turned to Maki with a concerned look. "Are you all right?" She asked.

"Me? I'm fine. I knew you'd show up sooner or later." She smiled.

"Really?"

"No! I thought I was dead!" Maki then hugged the young girl. "Thank you! Thank you!"

¬¬¬¬¬ ELSEWHERE... ¬¬¬¬¬

At an excavation site somewhere in Tomoeda, archaeologists were digging around Faust's old tomb when one of the scientists noticed a shining object hidden in the dirt. He dropped his pickaxe and reached for the shiny blue gem when he noticed it was slipped around a bony finger.

"Over here! I found something!" The man gasped as he called out to his crew.

In an instant, the scientists gathered around and slowly dug out the remains of what appeared to be a fallen warrior. His large bony structure and tattered bits of clothing were still well in place and the blue gem on his finger was part of a ring as old as him.

"Amazing..." The head scientist said as they continued digging around the body.

Moments later, another archaeologist dusted off what appeared to be a sword with a Latin scripture running along the blade. The sword was held firmly in the dead man's hand and seemed impossible to pry loose.

"Careful with that. We don't want to ruin anything." The scientist said.

"What does the scripture say on the blade?" Asked one of the workers.

The head archaeologist adjusted his glasses and carefully gazed at the scripture. "It's in Latin."

"Yeah but what does it say?"

"It says... Filhos de obscurum desperte . Cubo quicumque foi captus. Nisi vestri rabies. Nisi vestri vires. Exsisto existo quondam iterum. Everto Miles militis." The man paused for a moment, a bit disturbed.

"What does it mean?"

"It means--"

The man was interrupted by a low, raspy voice that suddenly filled the air. "Sons of darkness reawaken. Reclaim all that has been taken. Unleash your fury. Unleash your might. Arise once again. Demon Knight."

"Hey! That was pretty good, boss!" One of the scientists chuckled.

"That wasn't me, you idiot!" The man snapped.

The air crew cold as the blue gem started to glow. The scientists backed away and watched as the skeleton arose from the ground and became engulfed in blue flames. Suddenly, a layer of ancient Oriental clothing magically surrounded the creature as he slowly raised his sword and pointed it at the humans.

"Die..." He said in a slow, raspy voice.

The skeletal being lashed its sword against the scared scientists and killed them off one by one, leaving behind a trail of blood near the old tomb. He placed his sword back into the holster and looked up into the sky as a bolt of lightning flashed. In a matter of seconds, a skeletal horse descended from above and snorted out a blue flame from its gaping nostrils.

"To find the others..." He rasped again as he climbed aboard the dead horse with ease. After a few whips, the two beings shot straight into the sky and began their search for their missing comrades. Oh, shit. Here they go again...