Chapter 1

"Players"

"Squirt! You'll be late for school!" Tori yelled up the stairs to his younger sister Sakura. He was all ready to go out the door, the only thing missing was Sakura.

"I'm coming." Sakura yelled back "And don't call me squirt!" She said as she was heading down the stairs.

"About time." Tori said "Sleepy head"

"I heard that Tori." Answered Sakura while she slipped in to her pink roller blades. "Are we going to meet Julian today?" Sakura asked

"Maybe if you hurry up, Squirt." answered Tori teasingly

"Tori! You'll get it later!" She screamed to him but he was already out the door.

"Wait up!"

"Why should I your almost late as it is."

"Because I said so. Wait for me Tori!"

"Make me!" Tori replied

"Fine then, I will." Sakura said under her breath. After she slowed down a bit she quickly whipped out 'The Loop' card from a pocket of her jacket and touched her star shaped key to it lightly and quickly. She muttered what The Loop was ordered to do and held the card in front of her at arms length. The Card glowed with a yellowish light and then became dull again. She quickly put the card back into her pocket and continued to skate on.

After a couple of minutes Tori felt something was wrong. He stopped and waited for his sister to catch up.

"Ha, Made you stop Tori!" She said playfully.

"Yeah yeah Squirt very funny, Now drop the illusion will ya I have to get to school to ya know." Tori said, pleading.

"Okay but you have to stop calling me 'Squirt' and you have to wait when I want you to, please?" She answered demandingly.

"Fine "squ-Sakura. And sure I'll wait for you when you want me to." He said hurriedly. "Now can you call your card off so we can see Julian?"

"Alright." Sakura sighed. She once again took out The Loop and touched it to her key, The card glowed for one last time and the path before them was normal again. Down the path a figure stood by the road with a bike. Julian.

"Come on Tori! Catch me if you can!" Sakura yelled back at her brother.

"Huh." Tori grunted, and started after his sister.

"Good morning Julian!" Sakura stated cheerfully as the skidded to a halt right in front of him.

"Hey Sakura!" He smiling. "Here, I got some stuff on the way to school today. Hope you like it." He said handing Sakura three candies.

"Wow, all my favorites! Thanks Julian!" Sakura exclaimed.

Julian smiled once again and turned now to Tori. He gave Tori a meaningful look, a look of worry, sadness and pleading all rolled into one. Tori got the hint and turned to Sakura who was still looking at the candy with hunger.

"Sakura, you go on ahead." He said "I'll catch up." Sakura gave him a questioning look but made no comment about the subject, she was finally going to get to school on time and before Tori.

"Okay, I'll see ya at home then. Bye Julian!" She waved over her shoulder. Julian waved back and immediately turned his attention back to Tori who was now the one with worry on his face.

"What's the problem Julian?" Tori paused "Yue?"

He shook his head "No it's not Yue. It's far worse than that. It's the cards." Julian lowered his gaze towards the ground.

"What about the cards?" Tori questioned.

"I don't know, I just have this weird feeling.

"Like what?"

"Like something is watching us, waiting for us to make a move." Julian tried to explain.

"What?" Tori asked astonished at the words that were coming from his most trusted friend.

"We are all players in this game of life," Julian said "we all try to make the best of the cards we are dealt. There are always smaller games being played in the grand scheme of things. There are always a number of players at one table, to many players can result in a disaster. At our table there is one player who I feel is only here to win." Julian paused

"What is this player like?" Tori said after a moment of silence.

"He, or she, is a shady character. This player hides in darkness, uses it like a cloak or a blanket to keep them hidden from the outside world. When they lay down a card the game proceeds like it should, but when they lay down something else it produces a knot, so the game will have to go on longer."

"What does it mean?" Tori asked softly, trying not to startle Julian out of his trance.

"It means that we are not the only ones playing the game, and things are about to get very bad." Julian lifted his gaze to Tori's eyes.

Tori could do nothing but stare back at his friend's eyes. He was frozen, all he saw in those eyes were sadness and worry. Tori could feel it.

He suddenly smiled and placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Don't worry," He said "Everything will work out."

Julian placed his hand on top of Tori's and replied "I hope your right."

"Come on Julian, we'll be late for school." Tori whispered as he started to get onto his bike.

"Yeah," Julian said distantly, "Late for school."

They both pedaled silently all the way to school, past Sakura's school and down the road a couple of blocks. They both parked they're bikes on the school grounds in unison and chained both of them together. Satisfied that nobody was going to take they're only transportation home the boys walked inside. In the shoe rack room they met up with Nakuru who immediately jumped into Tori like she wanted a piggy-back.

"Hi Tori! You cutie!" She exclaimed "Hey Julian" She said in a more calm voice. "We have a test today in Science!" she ruffled Tori's hair as she got off of him, giving him a chance to breathe.

"Yeah I know. And I so going to fail it." Tori replied, getting his books out of his backpack.

"How do you know that?" she asked

"I just do."

"How?"

"Bug off."

"Did you study?"

"Yes."

"Then how do you know your going to fail then?"

"Because."

"Cause why Tori?"

"I just. . .go away Nakuru." Tori answered waving her away.

"No." She said sticking her nose in the air like a brat.

"Why not?" Tori grunted

"Because. . .your my lab partner." she winked.

Julian laughed and started to walk off in the the direction of his first class. "Good luck Tori. See you both later!"

"Julian, don't leave me with, with her!" Tori pointed to Nakuru. All of Tori's hope was shattered as soon as Julian was out of sight. "Now I will fail this test." He whispered to himself.

"What was that Tori?" Nakuru inquired.

"None of your business." Tori replied.

Nakuru was silent after this. All the way to Science class (on the second floor) she was quieter than usual. Tori noticed the change in his annoying half-girlfriend, but made no comment. They arrived well before the class was supposed to start. So they took out they're books and sat at opposite desks and waited for the teacher. Tori noticed that Nakuru was staring out the window in a mindless state. Since she was usually very talkative he decided to say something.

"Something wrong Nakuru?" Tori asked, instantly regretting what he had said.

"Hmm?" she answered finally taking note of him.

"Got something on your mind?" He asked again.

"Something bad will happen soon." she said once again staring out the window, her eyes glazed over. "The cards are in danger."

"What danger?" Tori asked, he didn't get an answer for the teacher had just walked in.

Nakuru's eyes became normal again and she was instantly back to her old cheery self. "Are you ready for the test?" She smiled.

"Yes." Tori sighed "I'm ready for anything."