*You must go,* said a voice inside her head. *The reality of the future center-master needs you.*
Nodding, though it appeared that she was nodding to herself, Seiki stood from her comfy chair in the den of her house. She knew that whenever Reality spoke, she had to obey.
"Key of Clow,
draw your power from my light,
the power of my star,
burning bright.
Surrender the staff,
release thy might!"
The key she had held in front of her changed and grew, into a staff perfectly suited to her slender hand. The power of the staff was enormous, so large that she could feel it through her gloves.
*When am I needed, Reality?*
*I will show you, Seiki.* replied the Reality, in her head.
*Alright, do your stuff!*
She pulled out a card, and threw it towards the edge of the clow circle now formed around her.
"Star Card of Clow,
the power of Reality,
thy path is set,
the rest is done.
You know my plight,
release your light!
Reality!"
Suddenly, the room around swirled, losing it feels of stability. The colors changed, the firmness that Seiki associated to her home fading. Just as suddenly, the feeling grew stable again, in another reality.
*You are where you must be.* said Reality when the transport was complete.
*Thank-you, Reality.*
**************************************************************
The bell rang at Sakura's school, signaling the end of the day. She stood up, joining the mad rush of students to the doors of her classroom.
"Hey, Sakura! Are you going to the fair tonight?" her best friend Tomoyo said to her when she was at her locker.
"Yeah, I was wondering if you wanted to come with me and my dad, and probably Yukito too." Replied Sakura, grabbing her roller blades.
"Sure! My mom said I could go, but I had to go with a friend, because she's busy tonight."
"That's great! I'll meet you there at about seven, ok?"
"Sure! I'll see you then!"
***************************************************************
Hearing the conversation between the two friends, Seiki decided she would go to this fair as well, to observe the future center-master, and to find out why she was needed. She hoped that whatever it was would not be too big, for if Sakura was to be the next center-master, she would need to be independent as much as possible. She herself knew of the heartache of depending on mere mortals, of the pain and loneliness that came when they passed on, leaving you behind. It was times like those she cursed her long life span, but knew there was nothing she could do about it. Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she went in search of the park the fair was supposed to be at. Seiki ended up wandering around town, until she saw a poster advertising a fall festival at a nearby park. *Finally,* thought Seiki. *It took long enough.* She noticed that she had a couple hours until Sakura was meeting Tomoyo. So, she decided to explore the park area. She could also sense a power, hiding somewhere. Confident that her schoolgirl disguise would keep her invisible from those who wished her harm, went in the direction she was sensing the power, one she could almost positively identify as a Clow card, although it was difficult as she had never encountered any from this dimension in a while, and the few she had had been from a long time ago, under a different master. This card, from what she could sense, was wild, without a master and unsealed. *No wonder Reality called me here. If she's the cardcaptor, I can see why she may need help.*
*You forget that you were not much older when you started capturing us, Seiki.* said another voice, this time The Mist card. The Mist was the first card she had captured, so very long ago, and she felt the closest to it, closely followed by The Reality card, as she worked the most with it.
As she drew nearer to the power source, The Firey whispered to Seiki, *It is my counterpart in this Reality. I can sense it.* That was another thing her cards were useful for, on top of everything else. They recognized themselves in other Realities.
*Thank-you, Firey. It is a great help.* When she finally found the source, she noticed that it had not yet revealed itself, for which she was glad.
*Mine may be there as well. I think I can sense it, but it is trying to hide.* this was The Mist. Noticing the time, Seiki headed back to the entrance of the park, where she would observe Sakura. Deciding the easiest way to watched Sakura would be to join her, Seiki set it up so she would 'accidentally' run into Sakura, Tomoyo, and whoever else was with her. As she neared the park entrance, she heard Sakura talking with Syaoran Li, another child from Sakura's class. Seiki sensed power in this Li as well, but with Sakura there it was difficult to assess it.
"Oh hi! It's Seiki, right?" Sakura said, noticing her standing there.
"Yes. It is a pleasure to meet you, Sakura."
"How do you know me? Your the new exchange student, right?"
"Everyone knows the head cheerleader. And I'm n your class, I've seen you around a few times."
"Sorry. I just didn't expect to see you, that's all. So are you here alone?"
"Yeah. basically."
"Wanna walk around with us? The more the merrier!"
"Sure, why not?"
"What do you think your doing, Sakura?" whispered Li to Sakura. "I can sense something around her, but I don't know what. She could be dangerous." Even whispering, Seiki heard every word perfectly. Almost three hundred years of tracking down cards and cardcaptors alike had honed her senses to a fine point.
Before Sakura had a chance to reply, Seiki said to him, "Don't you know it's not nice to whisper in front of others?"
Looking baffled, Li could say nothing.
"Oh never mind him, let's go!" said Sakura. "I want to go see all the exhibits, and the food fair too!"
"Sure, let's go!" Enjoying the feel of acting young again, Seiki followed the group to the main part of the park where all the exhibits were.
************************
Sometime later, Li pulled Sakura off to the side of one of the booths, saying, "I sense something. I think it might be a Clow card."
"Same here. We need to find it, but what about Yukito and Seiki?"
"Tell them to meet us somewhere. Then we can lose them easily."
"Alright. Let's go!"
"Hey, me and Li want to go look at the exhibit on shrine magic. Why don't we meet you guys back at the food area in about fifteen minutes?" Sakura said when she and Li rejoined the others.
"Can I go with you? That would be so cool." Tomoyo asked, guessing what was going on.
"Sure! But we should go now, before it gets too busy."
"Alright, then, have fun!" Yukito said cheerfully.
When they went off, Seiki said to Yukito, "I'd like o take a look at the shrine itself that is supposed to be here. You don't mind, do you?"
"Oh no, that's fine by me. Besides, I want to go see the bake sale." He replied.
"Sure. We'll meet when we meet with they others, k?"
"Fine by me."
So Seiki followed Sakura, knowing what she was up to. *Reality, is this what I'm needed for?*
*I believe so, Seiki.*
Seeing Li, Sakura and Tomoyo ahead, she followed easily and soundlessly, behind.
"Wait. It's near." Li said suddenly.
"Up there." Tomoyo said, pointing directly above their heads, to one of the streamers hung from the trees and various poles. The streamers had caught on fire, but how they couldn't tell, but they could guess.
"A Clow card!" Sakura exclaimed.
"Yes. And I think it's The Firey card. One of the four elements, the strongest cards." Kero said, popping out of Sakura's bag.
"Ah! Where did you come from, stuffed animal?" Li said.
"Shut-up kid, I came to help Sakura! Anyway, Sakura, this is your chance to capture another element card. Wait. I sense something else. Something entirely alien."
*That's a new one. I've never been called an alien before.* thought Seiki.
"Watch out!" said Tomoyo as a streak of fire came right towards their group.
"Run!" Sakura screamed.
And run they did, dashing away, towards, coincidentally, the food area. They were chased into a general store kind of booth, with all sorts of little souvenirs, and some food stuff too. Just as suddenly, they were enveloped in a sort of fog, that clung to everything and making it impossible to see. It was a large booth, that seemed like a mini store when you were stuck somewhere in the mini-maze of it.
Suddenly, Sakura stumbled into a little bare patch, free of fog or stuff. Resting, Sakura tried calling for her friends, but received no response. She then attempted to feel for the Clow card, but the weird fog was dampening her senses, magical or otherwise.
"Sakura."
She looked up, startled to hear the voice, after getting no response from her friends. "Seiki?" Sakura asked, incredulous. "Do you have anything to do with this weird fog?"
"With the Clow cards? No, not directly. I have come to help you, in this. There is not one, but two cards that you must face, and capture. I'm sure you have identified one of them, The Firey, but there is also The Mist. Use the cards you have to isolate the two, and work form there. I will do what I must to help you. Now. Feel for them."
Throwing out her magical touch, Sakura noticed that now she could feel, where before she could not. *Must be the new girl…* Sakura was startled to realize she could sense the cards now, and willed them to separate, using The Shield card. The fog parted before her, and the fire was cast to one side. Sakura then summoned her wand and easily sealed away The Mist card, but when she tried to seal The Firey card, sometime interfered with her attack.
"Not good." Seiki muttered, recognizing the card of another master, the Illusion card, which she guessed belonged to her chief opposer, Yamashito, a Master of the Clow in another Reality, that always showed up at the worst times.
"What is it? What stopped my attack?" Sakura asked.
"It does not matter to you. Now get out of the way. This is my part of the fight, and what I was sent for."
"Key of Clow,
draw you power form my light,
the power of my star,
burning bright.
Surrender the staff,
release thy might!"
Seiki's staff grew form her key, resembling a moon with a sun on one end of the top, and a star connecting it to the actual staff.
"Card of Clow,
power of Firey,
thy path is set,
the rest is done.
You know my plight,
release your light!
Firey!"
Bright bands of fire laced the Illusion of the beast which appeared to have stopped Sakura's sealing. The beast howled once as it was transformed back to it's true form, and drawn back to it's card. "Yamashito, step forth." Seiki commanded. She did not appreciate the interruption.
"What, Center-Master? How may I serve?" the man who had stepped forward was a tall, slim man who appeared no more then twenty, but was in reality as old as Seiki.
"You may serve me by leaving, and never entering this reality without my express permission again! Your time is coming, so beware. You may cause it prematurely, yet."
Unable to stop the force of her command, which she sent out with Reality, he screamed "I'll get you yet, Seiki!"
"You wish," muttered Seiki. "Now, Sakura, seal the card!"
"Firey card, return to your power confine, Firey!" Sakura yelled out. She breathed a sign of relief when the card settled into her hand.
"Good work, Sakura." Seiki said.
Now that the cards were sealed, all the disruption they had caused was disappearing, revealing Li and Tomoyo standing two yards away, in opposite directions.
"Did you seal the card, Sakura?" Tomoyo asked, excitedly.
"Up! Both of them!." Sakura said proudly.
"What? There was two of them?" Li demanded.
"Yes, the was your Firey and Mist." Seiki spoke up.
"What do you know?" Li asked suspiciously.
"More then you. That's for sure. Come. If we stay much longer, people will wonder." She said.
As they were leaving, Kero popped up, staring at Seiki. Suddenly, he bowed, or tried to, being a stuffed animal made it look kind of comical. "It is an honor to meet you again, Seiki. Why are you here? In this reality, anyway."
"I was needed, so I came. I will explain it all when we are somewhere safe from others prying ears. Follow me, please." Seiki led them towards the shrine, knowing that there were empty rooms.
"Ms. Mitsuki," Seiki said, when they had arrived at the shrine. "May we use an empty room? It will not be for long."
"Go on, Seiki. Use on for as long as you wish." The priestess replied formally, and with respect.
"Do you wish to join us? you presence would be welcome."
"They know nothing of me, so I will pass, this time. My regards, Master." Kaho Mitsuki, Priestess to the shrine and also Sakura's teacher, bowed formally and left.
"What was that all about?" Sayoran Li asked, the exchange between the teacher and student bewildering him.
"You'll see soon enough." Seiki led to the empty fire room.
*********************************
"So you're saying that you're the "Central-Master" of the Clow. Right?"
"Yes I am, Li."
"So, what is it?" Tomoyo asked
"When all the Clow cards in a particular dimension, or Reality as we call them, are captured, a Master of the Clow is chosen. A Center or Central-Master is the master of the Clow cards in the center Reality. A center Reality is the reality at the center of the other Realities, the center of the power, that is. But this center changes with each new master that is chosen."
"How long do center masters live?" Sakura asked, guessing that this would be somehow of interest to her.
"However long they are needed, like all other Masters. However, they tend to live longer then other Cardcaptors, for this very reason. So Center-Masters have an average life span of about 2or 3 hundred years, in your terms. Also, unlike the other Cardcaptors, there must always be a Center-Master controlling the Clow cards."
"So, is there more then one set of Clow cards?"
"There is 52 Clow cards for each dimension, if that is what you are asking. The center-Master possess a 53rd card, and that is how the center-master is chosen, and by the judge of their Reality."
"Who's this judge?"
"You will find out soon enough, Sakura, Syaoran Li." Seiki stated calmly. "Beware of Yamashito, he poses a great danger to you Sakura. He has reasoned out my interest in you, but you have good protection should you need it." Strangely enough, Seiki had been shifting her piercing gaze from Li to Kero, and back, then resting on Li. "I must go, but I will un-doubtably see you again sometime soon, Cardcaptors, Tomoyo. It was a pleasure to meet the two vying for the cards of this reality. Don't look so surprised, Syaoran, the power of the cards is very distinctive. Kerberos, take care of your charge."
"Card of Clow,
power of Reality.
Thy path is set,
the rest is done.
You know my plight,
release your light,
Reality!"
Bright light swirled around Seiki, and the card she had pulled in front of her. The light grew so bright they had to turn away, and when they looked, she was gone without a trace.
"Whew. She's one powerful being," Tomoyo said, impressed.
"And you will, like she said, see more of her. She has an interest in you, Sakura, so be prepared, for her at any moment. She is very strong. There must be a reason, but I do not know what it is."
"Okay, so you're telling me that the most powerful person alive right now has taken an interest in me personnaly, and that there are many more other sets of clow cards in different realities? That's a bit much, Kero."
"You mean, the most powerful being after Clow Reed, right?" Li cut in, his pride in his family showing.
"No, she's right. She is more powerful then Clow Reed was, as her time with her Cards is longer tehn his was. He too was once a center-master, but long ago."
"This is too much. Just let me go home," Sakura muttered weakly.
*--*******************************
Well? Was that weird or what?
Let me know!
Kaze_tenshi@hotmail.com