Mistress of the Darkness - Prologue: Sakura, Shaoran, and the Dark Mistress
Written by Akari Kamigishi and inspired by Rianne Li
After overanalysing one of Rianne's fics, I came up with a neat idea for a Card Captor Sakura fic. No, this isn't a cute S+S fic. I'm sorry, but there are too many out there for me to write one more for the net. However, this is a serious S+S fic. See for yourself.
I have seen all 70 TV episodes and both movies. I will use references from all of these. If you don't like spoilers then I HIGHLY suggest you turn back now. Go read some CardCaptors based stuff or something....
I don't own Card Captor Sakura's characters and references. Those rights belong to CLAMP and various other companies involved in the publishing of the manga and the airing of the series. This is simply a fanfic. I use these characters and references without permission, but do not intend to infringe on the rights of others.
The large bell at Tomoeda Elementary rang, signalling that school had been dismissed for the day. The sky was clear and the sun was shining. Summer vacation was here, and of course, that meant more time to spend with friends. However, Sakura was not feeling much like hanging out with friends. In fact, she wanted to be alone to think about the events of the past few weeks.
After she had converted The Hope, the equalizer of the Clow Cards, into a Sakura Card, Shaoran had no other reason to stay in Japan and was suddenly called back to Hong Kong by his mother. He left very reluctantly, and he did not leave without giving Sakura something to remember him by. He had left her a straw hand basket that he had designed and woven himself. It was red with a white wing on it, like most of the stuff that Sakura wore and received from friends; however, she loved the thought none-the-less.
Sakura wanted to know when they would see each other again. The Hope, although it had caused a lot of trouble, had done Sakura a favour by giving her the chance to express her love for Shaoran. In fact, she was surprised that she was able to jump so far just to give him a hug. The gap between them after the fight with The Hope was particularly large, and if she had fallen into the gap, she would have fallen a long way. Shaoran insisted that Sakura wait until her magic had recovered and used the fly card to fly to him, but he appreciated her gesture.
Like usual, Tomoyo was following Sakura. Sakura was not really angry with her for doing so. Even with Tomoyo beside her, Sakura could still be alone to her thoughts but Tomoyo was persistent in asking her how she was feeling, and she really couldn't sort out how she felt on her own, let alone tell it to Tomoyo. Sakura simply sat on a bench near Penguin Park and let her thoughts and emotions surface. Tomoyo sat beside her hoping to give Sakura some needed support. Shaoran would come back to her one day, Sakura thought.
"Zettai.... Daijoubu da yo," Sakura whimpered, almost not able to believe the words she had uttered.
Kero stood firmly at Sakura's window, partly waiting for Sakura to come home and partly sensing a ki around the area. It was a dark ki, but it was a faint one, and Kero could barely feel it without being entirely concentrated on it. Even if it was a weak ki, it could still present problems for him and Sakura, so Kero kept his mind on it and tried to follow it as well as he could.
Sakura did not return home from school early as her family expected. Kero was the only one in the house that wasn't surprised. Although he resented Shaoran, who he usually called a brat, Kero still knew that Sakura loved him and that his second departure to Hong Kong felt even worse to her than his first. "I really hope that Sakura can find someone else to love," Kero said to himself, "because the brat may not be coming back this time." Then he thought over things a bit more. If that ki he felt was close, then Shaoran might be coming back to Japan after all.
Sakura had finally come back home at about six in the afternoon. Touya was extremely angry with her and stood in front of her with his arms crossed giving her a glare. Sakura knew she was being scolded, and she really didn't want to hear it. However, Touya made himself heard, and quite clearly.
"Hey monster, where were you?" Touya asked harshly.
"None of your business," Sakura replied.
"You can't keep anything from me Sakura" Touya answered back. "It's about the brat isn't it?"
Touya always knew about how Sakura was feelinng because when Sakura wasn't home, The Mirror would release itself and come to talk to him. The Mirror did not disguise itself as Sakura, because it knew that Touya had given all of his magical powers to Yue and that he could not see through its illusions anymore. The Mirror loved to talk to him, and sometimes, the conversation extended into talk about Sakura and how great of a mistress of the cards she was. Sometimes, when Sakura was sad, The Mirror would tell Touya about it, because it was genuinely concerned for its mistress. Touya was thankful that The Mirror talked to him about these things.
"His name's Shaoran! I don't want to go through this again! Just leave me alone!" Sakura yelled while stomping out the door. She wanted to be at home, but somehow, she couldn't stand being there anymore. Despite the fact that Touya wanted to do the responsible thing and bring her home, he decided to let her go. He hoped that his father wouldn't be angry with him for letting Sakura sort out her feelings away from home. After all, once she became her cheerful self again, she wouldn't run away from home anymore.
Sakura came home just in time to go to bed, but didn't talk to anyone. Touya noted that her expression was almost completely blank. He wondered if it was a sign that his plans and observations were effective. Kero was suspicious of her expression. Even if Sakura was emotionally hurt, a blank expression was unusual, and Kero would know. He had been with her for at least two years, in her room, being an audience to her personal life. He had listened to phone calls that she made to Yukito, helped her capture the Clow Cards, and even talked to her on a personal level about life. He had never seen such a blank expression on his mistress' face before. It scared him.
Shaoran was summoned to his mother's room. His sisters had brought him and Meilin the message. Meilin would be with him shortly, and they would go to his mother's room together. Shaoran knew that this would mean that his mother had sensed another evil in Japan. He was looking forward to going back to Tomoeda, and seeing Sakura again. However, he wished that he could stay there. He hadn't forgotten about her, even after being home for a few weeks. Meilin often noticed that Shaoran was distant on certain days, especially when it rained. Rain tends to make a person depressed, but Meilin knew exactly what was bothering Shaoran. She knew him too well for him to be able to hide his feelings for Sakura.
Meilin finally arrived, and she and Shaoran started towards his mother's room. When Shaoran opened the door to his mother's room, his mother turned around to greet him. She didn't seem entirely happy, and the two children expected this.
"I sense a great evil in Japan again," Shaoran's mother started. "It seems even greater than the aura I felt when Sakura was here on vacation. Actually, I think it may even exceed the power of Clow Reed."
"The aura exceeds Clow Reed's power? That's impossible!" Shaoran exclaimed. Meilin kept silent because she didn't truly understand Clow Reed, or even magic in general. She simply knew that she would be sent with Shaoran to take care of him while he was in Japan. She remembered when she and Shaoran teamed up against The Twin. She noted that she was useful for situations like that, and that Shaoran's mother knew that.
"I am sending you two to Japan again. I feel that the mistress of the cards is in danger, and that someone else will have to help her battle this evil. Pack your stuff quickly. You leave tomorrow morning."
Shaoran didn't mind at all. Even if he and Sakura would be fighting against an evil with even more power than Clow Reed, he would be happy to see her again. Meilin felt the same way. Sakura and Tomoyo, especially Tomoyo, had been great friends to her and she couldn't thank them enough for being her friends. Shaoran and Meilin started packing their luggage. They couldn't wait to board the plane.
"Do you really think you can defeat the mistress of the cards?"
Shaoran couldn't believe what he was seeing. Sakura was floating in front of him, glaring at him with red eyes and looking like she was possessed. To his right, Shaoran could see himself, in his ceremonial clothing. The other Shaoran had a look in his eyes that seemed unsure, although he tried to look determined.
"He doesn't want to defeat her does he?" Shaoran yelled. He wasn't speaking to anyone in particular but he almost wished that the Sakura he was seeing could hear him. The other people were deaf to him.
"You're not the mistress of the cards. The cards are mine," the other Shaoran said with confidence. Sakura cackled evilly.
"You fool. The cards and the wand are only expressions of my true magic. I did not become mistress of the cards by pure luck. I will crush you, and the Shaoran Cards, traitors that they are. Prepare to die."
Shaoran watched as Sakura clenched her hand into a fist. At the same time as she was doing so, the other Shaoran was literally being crushed. His ribcage looked like it was about to shatter into pieces, and his breathing was starting to become muffled. He was about to die.
Shaoran and Meilin arrived in Japan safely, full of energy and ready to say hello to their old friends. The carried their luggage, once they had received it, through the airport and underwent the usual customs. The two children had become quite accustomed to Japanese airports and the procedures associated with them by now.
After they had left the airport, they decided to start by going to Penguin Park. They thought that their old friends might be there, enjoying their summer vacation. However, on their way there, Meilin felt a few raindrops on her hand. She turned to Shaoran and tugged on his sleeve.
"Ummm... Shaoran, we'd better find some shelter," Meilin said. Shaoran nodded, and the two started to run towards the house where they usually stay when they are in Japan. Wei would be happy to greet them and would take care of them if they became sick due to the rain. As they ran towards their house, the rain intensified almost tenfold.
Shaoran and Meilin arrived home safely, and couldn't wait to get into a warm bath. Wei gave them new clothes and prepared a bath for each of them. Shaoran's was prepared first, and then Meilin's. After each had taken a warm bath, they both explained what Shaoran's mother had told them to Wei and then went to their rooms. When Shaoran walked into his room, a small yellow creature was standing outside his window, rapidly banging on it. Shaoran opened the window and let Kero in.
"Keroberos! What are you doing here?"
"Not paying a friendly visit to you, brat. But it looks like I've got a few things to talk to you about," Kero answered solemnly.
"Well then what do you want?" Shaoran asked.
"Have you seen Sakura since you arrived here?" Kero asked, to start his long explanation by finding out what Shaoran knew.
"I was about to go to Penguin Park and see if she was there, because she loves penguins, but I got caught in the rain."
"Heavy rainfall isn't it?" Kero answered extremely quickly, making Shaoran just a bit suspicious.
"Get to the point!" Shaoran yelled.
"Well, you see," Kero started, "Sakura hasn't... been herself lately. She's been coming home late from school, and giving everyone around her this blank expression. But today..."
"It's just like my mother said. There's a new evil in Japan," Shaoran interrupted. Kero nodded.
"Well, I'd hate to break it to ya, but I think Sakura is who your mother was talkin' about, because just today, I saw her eyes glow red. When I asked her what was happening, she just ran away. I couldn't keep up with her, and I couldn't feel her power. Ever since she left, it hasn't stopped raining," Kero explained.
"I understand. The Rain is causing this. She's using the card to cause the rain," Shaoran said. Kero nodded again.
"Give the kid a prize."
Meilin took an umbrella from her house and opened it when she stepped outside. She had overheard Shaoran's conversation with Kero, and she needed to see someone to seek advice from. She was probably the only person who detected the shakiness in Shaoran's tone as he explained that Sakura was causing the rain. She had to hear the story from someone who wasn't involved with magic. So, she ran towards Tomoyo's house full-speed, hoping that she wasn't to late to come and talk with her.
Tomoyo's mother greeted her at the door personally. It seems that she was expecting someone, but Meilin was a pleasant surprise. The Daidouji's servants escorted Meilin to Tomoyo's room. Meilin opened the door slowly, and she couldn't believe what she saw. Tomoyo was crying into her pillow.
"Tomoyo! What's wrong? Tell me what happened," Meilin yelled.
"Meilin! I... I'm so happy to see you," Tomoyo said, sniffling and wiping her eyes with the sleeves of her nightgown. Tomoyo and Meilin embraced each other and sat at the edge of Tomoyo's bed.
"Li is here isn't he?" Tomoyo asked expectantly. Meilin nodded. Tomoyo shed another few tears.
"He's too late. She's... her actions... not her own," Tomoyo cried between sniffles. Meilin held her comfortably, hoping to ease her pain.
"I understand. We'll... We'll get her back," Meilin said. "Please, don't cry anymore. I want to hear you sing. I haven't heard you sing in so long and your voice is so beautiful," Meilin continued. Tomoyo wiped her tears and decided to sing, in the hope of easing her pain. She sang the Song of Night, which she had been practicing again for a school recital. Meilin smiled and let the song flow through her heart. Tomoyo's voice was truly beautiful, and it was the object of envy for singers everywhere.
As Tomoyo was about to start the second verse, a blue aura extended itself through her bedroom window, and Tomoyo started to hear a second part singing the song with her. Meilin was just as amazed as Tomoyo was. The Song was here singing with her, but Sakura was causing evil using The Rain. Once the third verse had been finished, Tomoyo and The Song looked at each other, and then smiled.
"It looks like she wants to stay with us because she loves your voice," Meilin said. Tomoyo smiled, probably about the most she had smiled in days. She loved it when people complimented her singing and she loved the art of singing. It made her remember the time when Eriol played the accompaniment for a song she was practicing for a recital when she was a fifth year student. The Song turned back into its Sakura Card form and flew into Tomoyo's hand.
Meilin and Tomoyo ran into the rain together with their umbrellas. They had to find Sakura. They believed that The Song could convince Sakura not to do these evil things anymore. Meanwhile, Shaoran and Kero were searching for Sakura, hoping to battle her magic and win, so that the evil would stop, even if only for now.
Shaoran and Kero arrived at Penguin Park. Although Kero could not actually sense Sakura's magic, the two were able to find her by instinct. Above the large penguin slide, they could make out a small figure with a red aura around it. The figure was away from the light, making it was hard to tell exactly who was floating there, but Kero knew that it was Sakura, calling forth the rain with her magic.
"Sakura, stop this right now," Kero yelled. The figure turned around to face him, and the light shone over it, revealing that it was indeed Sakura.
"Do you dare to command me, Keroberos?" Sakura asked. "You are a simple beast, created by magic that I have far surpassed. I can erase you as easily as Clow Reed created you."
"Then we have no choice," Kero answered. "Shaoran, do it!"
Shaoran unsheathed his sword. He glared at Sakura, and tried to prepare his attack. He was too distracted to attack. If Sakura had still been in the shadows, and he didn't know that it was she, he would have attacked with no hesitation. Shaoran did not want to hurt her, no matter what it took. However, he felt he had to do what he had to do. He prepared to call on the God of Thunder. Suddenly, he heard footsteps to his right.
"Shaoran, stop!" Meilin yelled. Shaoran stopped his attack so immediately that his sword actually fell out of his hand. Tomoyo ran to Meilin and Shaoran's side, holding The Song. Suddenly, the song flew out of Tomoyo's hand, and hovered around Shaoran. He caught the card and looked closely at it. It started to glow in front of him, and the card changed its colour from pink to green. The name "Sakura" was changed to "Shaoran" and the back of the card had a different magic circle on it. This magic circle had a large moon, encircled by a small sun and a small star.
"TRAITOR!" Sakura yelled. Tomoyo tugged on Shaoran's sword, trying to tell him to use the card before it became too late.
"Don't just stare at it, Shaoran!" Meilin yelled. Shaoran nodded, and threw the card into the air. He struck the card with a downward stab, and the card changed to its true form. The Song started to sing the Song of Night. Shaoran listened as each note reminded him of the times that he and Sakura spent together. Tomoyo sang on top of The Song during the second verse, making the song into a two-voice harmony. The red aura around Sakura began to sink.
"What a jo- help me..." Sakura said. It was clear that the song was affecting Sakura. The Rain stopped its attack on Tomoeda and flew into Shaoran's hand, also changing into a green card.
"Please... save me..." Sakura said as the Song of Night ended. The red aura began to reshape itself around Sakura again, and its grip on her seemed to tighten. Kero looked at The Song and The Rain as they changed back into Shaoran cards, and was completely amazed.
Sakura looked at the two cards, and glared at Shaoran.
"It seems that you've won for today, but your days are numbered. You and the cards that betrayed me will perish," Sakura screamed as she ran away from the park. Shaoran tried to run after her, but Kero got in his way and Tomoyo held him back.
"That won't work now," Kero said solemnly, "but she'll come back to us soon. The cards that you're holding have chosen you because they know that Sakura is abusing their power. With the help of the Shaoran cards, you should be able to defeat her magic."
"Yours is the power of the moon," Eriol said. His arrival was quite a surprise to everyone. He had quietly snuck into the scene while The Song was singing its duet with Tomoyo.
"But the moon does not command all the cards!" Kero yelled.
"However, the stars do not command all the cards either. They choose their master, regardless of where their master draws his or her power. It is just like the time when Sakura first became the mistress of the cards. You nominated her to be the mistress, and Yue gave her the final judgement, a test of her magical ability. The cards trusted your choice, and became Sakura Cards."
"Then, our new master is the brat," Kero said sarcastically. Eriol nodded and Shaoran glared at the little yellow beast.
"Well don't sound too thrilled about it," Shaoran snapped back at Kero sarcastically. Kero bit into Shaoran's index finger.
"The more things change, the more they stay the same," Tomoyo said.
"But a new battle is now beginning," Eriol replied, attaching his words to Tomoyo's. Eriol walked away from Penguin Park and thought about the battle that he had just seen. He couldn't remember anything that would help his friends. Hopefully, he would remember soon. The whole world may very well be in danger.
Well, that's the story for now. This is just the beginning of a new adventure for Shaoran. The next chapters are coming up soon, so keep reading and I'll keep writing. Bye for now!
Akari Kamigishi
Written by Akari Kamigishi and inspired by Rianne Li
After overanalysing one of Rianne's fics, I came up with a neat idea for a Card Captor Sakura fic. No, this isn't a cute S+S fic. I'm sorry, but there are too many out there for me to write one more for the net. However, this is a serious S+S fic. See for yourself.
I have seen all 70 TV episodes and both movies. I will use references from all of these. If you don't like spoilers then I HIGHLY suggest you turn back now. Go read some CardCaptors based stuff or something....
I don't own Card Captor Sakura's characters and references. Those rights belong to CLAMP and various other companies involved in the publishing of the manga and the airing of the series. This is simply a fanfic. I use these characters and references without permission, but do not intend to infringe on the rights of others.
The large bell at Tomoeda Elementary rang, signalling that school had been dismissed for the day. The sky was clear and the sun was shining. Summer vacation was here, and of course, that meant more time to spend with friends. However, Sakura was not feeling much like hanging out with friends. In fact, she wanted to be alone to think about the events of the past few weeks.
After she had converted The Hope, the equalizer of the Clow Cards, into a Sakura Card, Shaoran had no other reason to stay in Japan and was suddenly called back to Hong Kong by his mother. He left very reluctantly, and he did not leave without giving Sakura something to remember him by. He had left her a straw hand basket that he had designed and woven himself. It was red with a white wing on it, like most of the stuff that Sakura wore and received from friends; however, she loved the thought none-the-less.
Sakura wanted to know when they would see each other again. The Hope, although it had caused a lot of trouble, had done Sakura a favour by giving her the chance to express her love for Shaoran. In fact, she was surprised that she was able to jump so far just to give him a hug. The gap between them after the fight with The Hope was particularly large, and if she had fallen into the gap, she would have fallen a long way. Shaoran insisted that Sakura wait until her magic had recovered and used the fly card to fly to him, but he appreciated her gesture.
Like usual, Tomoyo was following Sakura. Sakura was not really angry with her for doing so. Even with Tomoyo beside her, Sakura could still be alone to her thoughts but Tomoyo was persistent in asking her how she was feeling, and she really couldn't sort out how she felt on her own, let alone tell it to Tomoyo. Sakura simply sat on a bench near Penguin Park and let her thoughts and emotions surface. Tomoyo sat beside her hoping to give Sakura some needed support. Shaoran would come back to her one day, Sakura thought.
"Zettai.... Daijoubu da yo," Sakura whimpered, almost not able to believe the words she had uttered.
Kero stood firmly at Sakura's window, partly waiting for Sakura to come home and partly sensing a ki around the area. It was a dark ki, but it was a faint one, and Kero could barely feel it without being entirely concentrated on it. Even if it was a weak ki, it could still present problems for him and Sakura, so Kero kept his mind on it and tried to follow it as well as he could.
Sakura did not return home from school early as her family expected. Kero was the only one in the house that wasn't surprised. Although he resented Shaoran, who he usually called a brat, Kero still knew that Sakura loved him and that his second departure to Hong Kong felt even worse to her than his first. "I really hope that Sakura can find someone else to love," Kero said to himself, "because the brat may not be coming back this time." Then he thought over things a bit more. If that ki he felt was close, then Shaoran might be coming back to Japan after all.
Sakura had finally come back home at about six in the afternoon. Touya was extremely angry with her and stood in front of her with his arms crossed giving her a glare. Sakura knew she was being scolded, and she really didn't want to hear it. However, Touya made himself heard, and quite clearly.
"Hey monster, where were you?" Touya asked harshly.
"None of your business," Sakura replied.
"You can't keep anything from me Sakura" Touya answered back. "It's about the brat isn't it?"
Touya always knew about how Sakura was feelinng because when Sakura wasn't home, The Mirror would release itself and come to talk to him. The Mirror did not disguise itself as Sakura, because it knew that Touya had given all of his magical powers to Yue and that he could not see through its illusions anymore. The Mirror loved to talk to him, and sometimes, the conversation extended into talk about Sakura and how great of a mistress of the cards she was. Sometimes, when Sakura was sad, The Mirror would tell Touya about it, because it was genuinely concerned for its mistress. Touya was thankful that The Mirror talked to him about these things.
"His name's Shaoran! I don't want to go through this again! Just leave me alone!" Sakura yelled while stomping out the door. She wanted to be at home, but somehow, she couldn't stand being there anymore. Despite the fact that Touya wanted to do the responsible thing and bring her home, he decided to let her go. He hoped that his father wouldn't be angry with him for letting Sakura sort out her feelings away from home. After all, once she became her cheerful self again, she wouldn't run away from home anymore.
Sakura came home just in time to go to bed, but didn't talk to anyone. Touya noted that her expression was almost completely blank. He wondered if it was a sign that his plans and observations were effective. Kero was suspicious of her expression. Even if Sakura was emotionally hurt, a blank expression was unusual, and Kero would know. He had been with her for at least two years, in her room, being an audience to her personal life. He had listened to phone calls that she made to Yukito, helped her capture the Clow Cards, and even talked to her on a personal level about life. He had never seen such a blank expression on his mistress' face before. It scared him.
Shaoran was summoned to his mother's room. His sisters had brought him and Meilin the message. Meilin would be with him shortly, and they would go to his mother's room together. Shaoran knew that this would mean that his mother had sensed another evil in Japan. He was looking forward to going back to Tomoeda, and seeing Sakura again. However, he wished that he could stay there. He hadn't forgotten about her, even after being home for a few weeks. Meilin often noticed that Shaoran was distant on certain days, especially when it rained. Rain tends to make a person depressed, but Meilin knew exactly what was bothering Shaoran. She knew him too well for him to be able to hide his feelings for Sakura.
Meilin finally arrived, and she and Shaoran started towards his mother's room. When Shaoran opened the door to his mother's room, his mother turned around to greet him. She didn't seem entirely happy, and the two children expected this.
"I sense a great evil in Japan again," Shaoran's mother started. "It seems even greater than the aura I felt when Sakura was here on vacation. Actually, I think it may even exceed the power of Clow Reed."
"The aura exceeds Clow Reed's power? That's impossible!" Shaoran exclaimed. Meilin kept silent because she didn't truly understand Clow Reed, or even magic in general. She simply knew that she would be sent with Shaoran to take care of him while he was in Japan. She remembered when she and Shaoran teamed up against The Twin. She noted that she was useful for situations like that, and that Shaoran's mother knew that.
"I am sending you two to Japan again. I feel that the mistress of the cards is in danger, and that someone else will have to help her battle this evil. Pack your stuff quickly. You leave tomorrow morning."
Shaoran didn't mind at all. Even if he and Sakura would be fighting against an evil with even more power than Clow Reed, he would be happy to see her again. Meilin felt the same way. Sakura and Tomoyo, especially Tomoyo, had been great friends to her and she couldn't thank them enough for being her friends. Shaoran and Meilin started packing their luggage. They couldn't wait to board the plane.
"Do you really think you can defeat the mistress of the cards?"
Shaoran couldn't believe what he was seeing. Sakura was floating in front of him, glaring at him with red eyes and looking like she was possessed. To his right, Shaoran could see himself, in his ceremonial clothing. The other Shaoran had a look in his eyes that seemed unsure, although he tried to look determined.
"He doesn't want to defeat her does he?" Shaoran yelled. He wasn't speaking to anyone in particular but he almost wished that the Sakura he was seeing could hear him. The other people were deaf to him.
"You're not the mistress of the cards. The cards are mine," the other Shaoran said with confidence. Sakura cackled evilly.
"You fool. The cards and the wand are only expressions of my true magic. I did not become mistress of the cards by pure luck. I will crush you, and the Shaoran Cards, traitors that they are. Prepare to die."
Shaoran watched as Sakura clenched her hand into a fist. At the same time as she was doing so, the other Shaoran was literally being crushed. His ribcage looked like it was about to shatter into pieces, and his breathing was starting to become muffled. He was about to die.
Shaoran and Meilin arrived in Japan safely, full of energy and ready to say hello to their old friends. The carried their luggage, once they had received it, through the airport and underwent the usual customs. The two children had become quite accustomed to Japanese airports and the procedures associated with them by now.
After they had left the airport, they decided to start by going to Penguin Park. They thought that their old friends might be there, enjoying their summer vacation. However, on their way there, Meilin felt a few raindrops on her hand. She turned to Shaoran and tugged on his sleeve.
"Ummm... Shaoran, we'd better find some shelter," Meilin said. Shaoran nodded, and the two started to run towards the house where they usually stay when they are in Japan. Wei would be happy to greet them and would take care of them if they became sick due to the rain. As they ran towards their house, the rain intensified almost tenfold.
Shaoran and Meilin arrived home safely, and couldn't wait to get into a warm bath. Wei gave them new clothes and prepared a bath for each of them. Shaoran's was prepared first, and then Meilin's. After each had taken a warm bath, they both explained what Shaoran's mother had told them to Wei and then went to their rooms. When Shaoran walked into his room, a small yellow creature was standing outside his window, rapidly banging on it. Shaoran opened the window and let Kero in.
"Keroberos! What are you doing here?"
"Not paying a friendly visit to you, brat. But it looks like I've got a few things to talk to you about," Kero answered solemnly.
"Well then what do you want?" Shaoran asked.
"Have you seen Sakura since you arrived here?" Kero asked, to start his long explanation by finding out what Shaoran knew.
"I was about to go to Penguin Park and see if she was there, because she loves penguins, but I got caught in the rain."
"Heavy rainfall isn't it?" Kero answered extremely quickly, making Shaoran just a bit suspicious.
"Get to the point!" Shaoran yelled.
"Well, you see," Kero started, "Sakura hasn't... been herself lately. She's been coming home late from school, and giving everyone around her this blank expression. But today..."
"It's just like my mother said. There's a new evil in Japan," Shaoran interrupted. Kero nodded.
"Well, I'd hate to break it to ya, but I think Sakura is who your mother was talkin' about, because just today, I saw her eyes glow red. When I asked her what was happening, she just ran away. I couldn't keep up with her, and I couldn't feel her power. Ever since she left, it hasn't stopped raining," Kero explained.
"I understand. The Rain is causing this. She's using the card to cause the rain," Shaoran said. Kero nodded again.
"Give the kid a prize."
Meilin took an umbrella from her house and opened it when she stepped outside. She had overheard Shaoran's conversation with Kero, and she needed to see someone to seek advice from. She was probably the only person who detected the shakiness in Shaoran's tone as he explained that Sakura was causing the rain. She had to hear the story from someone who wasn't involved with magic. So, she ran towards Tomoyo's house full-speed, hoping that she wasn't to late to come and talk with her.
Tomoyo's mother greeted her at the door personally. It seems that she was expecting someone, but Meilin was a pleasant surprise. The Daidouji's servants escorted Meilin to Tomoyo's room. Meilin opened the door slowly, and she couldn't believe what she saw. Tomoyo was crying into her pillow.
"Tomoyo! What's wrong? Tell me what happened," Meilin yelled.
"Meilin! I... I'm so happy to see you," Tomoyo said, sniffling and wiping her eyes with the sleeves of her nightgown. Tomoyo and Meilin embraced each other and sat at the edge of Tomoyo's bed.
"Li is here isn't he?" Tomoyo asked expectantly. Meilin nodded. Tomoyo shed another few tears.
"He's too late. She's... her actions... not her own," Tomoyo cried between sniffles. Meilin held her comfortably, hoping to ease her pain.
"I understand. We'll... We'll get her back," Meilin said. "Please, don't cry anymore. I want to hear you sing. I haven't heard you sing in so long and your voice is so beautiful," Meilin continued. Tomoyo wiped her tears and decided to sing, in the hope of easing her pain. She sang the Song of Night, which she had been practicing again for a school recital. Meilin smiled and let the song flow through her heart. Tomoyo's voice was truly beautiful, and it was the object of envy for singers everywhere.
As Tomoyo was about to start the second verse, a blue aura extended itself through her bedroom window, and Tomoyo started to hear a second part singing the song with her. Meilin was just as amazed as Tomoyo was. The Song was here singing with her, but Sakura was causing evil using The Rain. Once the third verse had been finished, Tomoyo and The Song looked at each other, and then smiled.
"It looks like she wants to stay with us because she loves your voice," Meilin said. Tomoyo smiled, probably about the most she had smiled in days. She loved it when people complimented her singing and she loved the art of singing. It made her remember the time when Eriol played the accompaniment for a song she was practicing for a recital when she was a fifth year student. The Song turned back into its Sakura Card form and flew into Tomoyo's hand.
Meilin and Tomoyo ran into the rain together with their umbrellas. They had to find Sakura. They believed that The Song could convince Sakura not to do these evil things anymore. Meanwhile, Shaoran and Kero were searching for Sakura, hoping to battle her magic and win, so that the evil would stop, even if only for now.
Shaoran and Kero arrived at Penguin Park. Although Kero could not actually sense Sakura's magic, the two were able to find her by instinct. Above the large penguin slide, they could make out a small figure with a red aura around it. The figure was away from the light, making it was hard to tell exactly who was floating there, but Kero knew that it was Sakura, calling forth the rain with her magic.
"Sakura, stop this right now," Kero yelled. The figure turned around to face him, and the light shone over it, revealing that it was indeed Sakura.
"Do you dare to command me, Keroberos?" Sakura asked. "You are a simple beast, created by magic that I have far surpassed. I can erase you as easily as Clow Reed created you."
"Then we have no choice," Kero answered. "Shaoran, do it!"
Shaoran unsheathed his sword. He glared at Sakura, and tried to prepare his attack. He was too distracted to attack. If Sakura had still been in the shadows, and he didn't know that it was she, he would have attacked with no hesitation. Shaoran did not want to hurt her, no matter what it took. However, he felt he had to do what he had to do. He prepared to call on the God of Thunder. Suddenly, he heard footsteps to his right.
"Shaoran, stop!" Meilin yelled. Shaoran stopped his attack so immediately that his sword actually fell out of his hand. Tomoyo ran to Meilin and Shaoran's side, holding The Song. Suddenly, the song flew out of Tomoyo's hand, and hovered around Shaoran. He caught the card and looked closely at it. It started to glow in front of him, and the card changed its colour from pink to green. The name "Sakura" was changed to "Shaoran" and the back of the card had a different magic circle on it. This magic circle had a large moon, encircled by a small sun and a small star.
"TRAITOR!" Sakura yelled. Tomoyo tugged on Shaoran's sword, trying to tell him to use the card before it became too late.
"Don't just stare at it, Shaoran!" Meilin yelled. Shaoran nodded, and threw the card into the air. He struck the card with a downward stab, and the card changed to its true form. The Song started to sing the Song of Night. Shaoran listened as each note reminded him of the times that he and Sakura spent together. Tomoyo sang on top of The Song during the second verse, making the song into a two-voice harmony. The red aura around Sakura began to sink.
"What a jo- help me..." Sakura said. It was clear that the song was affecting Sakura. The Rain stopped its attack on Tomoeda and flew into Shaoran's hand, also changing into a green card.
"Please... save me..." Sakura said as the Song of Night ended. The red aura began to reshape itself around Sakura again, and its grip on her seemed to tighten. Kero looked at The Song and The Rain as they changed back into Shaoran cards, and was completely amazed.
Sakura looked at the two cards, and glared at Shaoran.
"It seems that you've won for today, but your days are numbered. You and the cards that betrayed me will perish," Sakura screamed as she ran away from the park. Shaoran tried to run after her, but Kero got in his way and Tomoyo held him back.
"That won't work now," Kero said solemnly, "but she'll come back to us soon. The cards that you're holding have chosen you because they know that Sakura is abusing their power. With the help of the Shaoran cards, you should be able to defeat her magic."
"Yours is the power of the moon," Eriol said. His arrival was quite a surprise to everyone. He had quietly snuck into the scene while The Song was singing its duet with Tomoyo.
"But the moon does not command all the cards!" Kero yelled.
"However, the stars do not command all the cards either. They choose their master, regardless of where their master draws his or her power. It is just like the time when Sakura first became the mistress of the cards. You nominated her to be the mistress, and Yue gave her the final judgement, a test of her magical ability. The cards trusted your choice, and became Sakura Cards."
"Then, our new master is the brat," Kero said sarcastically. Eriol nodded and Shaoran glared at the little yellow beast.
"Well don't sound too thrilled about it," Shaoran snapped back at Kero sarcastically. Kero bit into Shaoran's index finger.
"The more things change, the more they stay the same," Tomoyo said.
"But a new battle is now beginning," Eriol replied, attaching his words to Tomoyo's. Eriol walked away from Penguin Park and thought about the battle that he had just seen. He couldn't remember anything that would help his friends. Hopefully, he would remember soon. The whole world may very well be in danger.
Well, that's the story for now. This is just the beginning of a new adventure for Shaoran. The next chapters are coming up soon, so keep reading and I'll keep writing. Bye for now!
Akari Kamigishi