Generations of Card Captors

Birth of a Card Master

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A/N: (Feb. 26, '03) Welcome back to my first CCS fanfic, one that has taken me the longest to write. Or, welcome to it if this is your first time here. Know that you're more than welcome on board to check out my most ambitious story. A side note on how this fic is constructed: There are currently 9 chapters of Clow, Cerberus, and Yue. There are also 9 chapters of Sakura and everyone in the series. Then there will be 9 more chapters. (Yes, that means original characters...or does it?)

Relationships: C+Y, Y/Y+T, S+S, a little K+E but ending with T+E, plus others that don't stand to abbreviation and I *don't* want to spoil anything. If any of those relationships scare/squick you, RUN AWAY NOW. Do not press review, do not collect $200. lol

Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction, I am making no money off of this, and am doing this purely for the love of the series and the entertainment of those who enjoy the same world and people I have fallen in love with. I would appreciate it very much if no one sues me over this.

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He was young, in his mid twenties, and obviously in good physical condition. His stance was strong and noble, his long hair whipped around him as a gust of wind touched him, then died. A sudden eerie calm descended upon the man and let his hair and robes fall around him, touched only by gravity. He pulled out a long staff, topped with his symbol of the sun, and smiled gently. It was time.

His mother and father had taught him so much; it was part of who he was to do magic, to create magic, and to bridge the two "worlds" of magic. He never thought about why he would do it. It was his destiny. Clow Reed stared out at the moon rising across the ocean and willed the silver stream of light that formed upon the water to take a physical shape before him. He didn't even think that failure was possible; it was something he both wanted to do and had to do.

The light gathered into a center and from the sphere it formed came wings. Clow etched the symbol of his will upon the ethereal plane beneath the liquid silver sphere, then poured energy into the intricate lines as a human form began to shape itself behind the enormous feathery wings. He let the energy take whatever form it would, but used his symbol of power to make that form permanent as it formed.

Clow gasped as the wings pulled back to reveal a tall, thin man with silvery-white hair down past his toes and pale lavender cat's eyes. He was dressed in white and spun sliver. The eyes were staring, dazed, with no hint of personality yet. Clow allowed himself a small smile as he looked upon this creation, then he looked to the west across the land, ignoring the pale figure.

The sun had also been falling, dripping its light across the field behind him. Where the light of the sun hit the grass a golden shimmer formed. Clow again gathered his will and called the sun's golden rays upon the earth to take form before him. The golden ball that began to form also grew feathery white wings, but it was a lion that took shape behind their screen. It was harder for Clow Reed to concentrate this time, but he still managed the feat relatively easily. Failure did not cross his mind.

Now other forms of energy swirled around him, some curious, some furious. The waves on the beach below him began crashing harder and harder, the wind rose again and tossed his hair and robes around, and a tremor was felt deep beneath him. He pulled out the four cards he had worked on over the past year, drawing every image just so and using the finest and most expensive of inks. These four cards would give him final mastery of the power coursing through his veins, or they would kill him. He plucked the thought of death out of the tree of his mind like the chattering monkey it was. He had no room for failure or the thought of it.

One by one the four basic elements of western magic were drawn into the cards. The Windy card was first, gently blowing its energy into the card and giving the blessing of the spirits of the air. The silvery man-form began to breathe and the card glowed. Then the heat of the sun intensified and the golden rays touched the Fiery card. The heat intensified for a moment, then drew into the card. The lion also began to breathe, but neither creature did anything else. The other two cards would take more effort on Clow's part to capture their essence. He drew out a vial of water first and poured it upon the Watery card. Every drop was converted to energy as it touched the surface. The energy was drawn into the card and it too glowed. The silvery man blinked, looking around at the world he found himself in. Clow could not turn to look just yet though, so missed the man's first moments. He pulled a golden flower from the ground, making sure that the roots came up with plenty of soil also. He placed the flower and dirt upon the last card and with a last push of his internal energy the card glowed and accepted this last gift. The lion shook himself and looked around, aware for the first time.

Clow fought to stay upright, but the only outward sign of his struggle was a slight tremor in his hand as he took his huge staff and began the incantation to seal the energy into the cards. "Cards of nature, cards of power, I command that your energy be sealed into these cards!" The world went dark around him as he spoke, but he refused to allow himself to be distracted. He was not safe yet. "Your power is now confined, Clow Cards!" He touched each card with his staff as quickly as he could, imbuing the cards with the last of his energy. The staff shrank in his hand and as he moved to put it away his knees buckled and he fell to the ground.

He was caught on the way down. Strong hands slid against his sides as his knees hit the ground, and then warm and golden fur was pressed against his front. The hands lifted him and draped him across the lion's back. Clow wanted to protest, wanted to stand up and tell them that he would be fine in a moment, but darkness finally pushed in on his vision and hid the world from him. His body went limp across the lion's back.

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Clow was only out for a moment, but he knew he would be weak for a long time. In fact, that is why he created the guardians. He didn't realize that he would be drained to the point of passing out, but he knew that he would be unable to defend himself against a gnat for about an hour, more or less.

Breathing heavily, he struggled to stand. The ground swayed slightly beneath him, but gentle hands steadied him and helped him stay upright. "Thank you," he said softly, turning to see who was there. It was the angel-man he had created to guard him and the magic cards.

The cards! They were still on the ground where he had left them!

"Please, hand me the cards." Clow sat down on the ground, afraid to remain standing too long without support. The cards flew on their own to his hand, surprising them all. "Ah, so that is how they will be. That is a good thing." He pulled out a quill and uncorked a bottle of ink, then wrote his name in small letters on the bottom of the face of each card. "This is very important. I must put my name on the cards in order to be their master."

The lion looked at him strangely. "Creating them didn't make you their master?"

Clow smiled. "Yes and no. The final step for me is to put my name on them. Once my name is on the cards no one else can put their name on them and take their power away from me. They are mine until the day I die." This seemed to the three of them like a sufficient amount of time to seem like eternity, so it did not cause any alarm. "The weakening of my powers seems to have effected my manners. I am sorry. Introductions are overdue." He considered standing, but realized that in his condition it would be a bit premature. "I am Clow Reed, creator of the Clow Cards. I am working to bridge the magic of the Asian world with that of the Western world. It would seem that I am succeeding." He smiled at each of his creations, seeing the "beast" that came from the setting energy of the west and the "angel" that came from the rising energy of the east.

The lion, showing himself to be the more gregarious of the two, spoke up first. "I am Cerberus, Master." Cerberus bowed low with his forelegs, dipping his head, then stood proudly and moved to Clow Reed's side. "I will stand by you and serve and protect you in whatever way I can."

There was a slight pause in the conversation as everyone wondered who would speak next. Clow had just made up his mind to accept Cerberus's service and then turn to the other, when the angel-man spoke. "I am Yue, Master. I will also stand by you and serve and protect you in whatever way I can." Yue's bow was more formal, but when he stood he was every bit as proud when he moved to Clow's side.

"I humbly accept you both, and I hope our relationship will be long and fruitful." Clow stood on his wobbly legs and executed a perfect bow, but when he stood back up from the bow the world began to spin a bit too fast for his taste. He held out his arms for balance, but began to topple anyway. Yue was as swift as lightening, ready to help his Master in any way. Clow leaned against his new guardian, surprised at how weak he still was. With Yue on one side and Cerberus on the other he steadied himself down onto the ground. He noticed that Yue and Cerberus exchanged a worried glance, so decided to explain.

"Come, you two should sit with me for a time while I gather more strength. I will be fine in a few more moments." He just smiled up at them until first Cerberus and then Yue sat before him, looking expectantly for him to go on. He noticed that they no longer had their snowy white wings, but knew also without knowing how he knew that they would both have wings whenever they willed it. "I have just created and captured more magical energy than I think has ever been done in such a short time. The elements are strong forces to attempt to harness even one at a time, but I have captured their essences all at one time as well as created or called upon the only two guardians that could protect me afterward."

Yue frowned. "Why did you do it all at once? You would not be in this shape if you had done one thing at a time, Master. Why take such a risk?"

"You have no idea what risk I took." Clow frowned and shook his head. "If I hadn't succeeded I would have died. I did not do this on a foolish whim. I did it because my life was at risk either way the moment I tried any magic at all." He closed his eyes and concentrated slightly, "looking" around with his inner eye. When his hunch was confirmed he nodded and opened his eyes. "Isn't that right, cousin?" He called out to the unseen figure standing behind him, taunting Li Chang to show himself.