The Negative Image
by Joshua Falken

Thanks to BenRG for the beta-reading!

Author's note: This is based solely on the Brazilian translation of the manga by CLAMP (and not on the anime)

Chapter 1 - From the Mirror

Reporters of all the world were in an auditorium at the Daidouji Corporation's head office, expecting a presentation regarding the final result of the Positron Consortium, that included several of Japan's top robotics companies. What surprised the gathered members of the Fourth Estate was not the presence of eminent scientists and engineers or of famous celebrities and government members. What surprised them was the presence in the first line of two 14 year-old girls, one with short clear brown-haired and brilliant green eyes and the other with long black haired and kind, violet eyes. Their names were Sakura Kinomoto and Tomoyo Daidouji.

"I'm happy that your mother invited me, Tomoyo."

"I'm also happy for that."

On that moment, a woman with short brown hair dressed in a white business suit stepped out onto the stage. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Daidouji Corporation. We, of the Positron Consortium, want to show the result of more than five years of researches in the field of the cybernetics. And now..." Sonomi Daidouji turned to one of the corners of the stage and she waved. "Come here!"

A white robot, the height of 16 year-old youth, walked onto the stage. Everybody was impressed with the naturalness with which it walked. But the surprises had not ended. As it approached the center of the stage, the robot suddenly broke into a run and executed a somersault that would have impressed any gymnast. The robot halted and offered the audience a bow. "Greetings, the robot said. "Welcome to the Daidouji Corporation. My name is Megumi." Flashbulbs burst all around and the reporters yelled questions.

Sakura recognised the voice immediately. "Tomoyo, that is my voice!" she said to her friend in an embarrassed tone.

Tomoyo smiled at her best friend. "I suggested it, Sakura. I let my mother's scientists copy all the audio tracks from my videos of you. I hope that you don't mind."

"No. Of course not." Sakura blushed shyly.

At that moment, Sonomi lifted her hand to silence the shouting reporters. "Megumi is the first robot in the world to make use of the quantum brain, a computer based on the principles of Quantum Mechanics," she announced. "Beside that, she is an Artificial Intelligence, guided by the Three Laws of the Robotics, as created by the science fiction writer Isaac Asimov. Could you tell us which they are, Megumi?"

"With pleasure, Mrs. Daidouji," the android answered, crossing her arms behind it's back, and reciting something that was fundamental to its own existence: "First Law: A robot cannot harm a human, or by inaction allow a human to come to harm. Second Law: A robot must obey any order given to it by a human except where such orders violate the First Law. Third Law: A robot must not harm itself, or by inaction allow itself to come to harm except where doing so would violate one or both of the first two laws."

The presentation continued until the end, when Megumi gave a basket of flowers to Sakura and Tomoyo. The photos of Sakura blushing at the robot's gesture would be printed in the pages of the newspapers for all the world the next day.

Later, at a party held in the Daidouji Corporation's offices to celebrate the unveiling of this new wonder of science, the two friends talked about the night. "It seems that she came from a movie!" Sakura could not stop being surprised.

"Yeah, I agree." Tomoyo turn back to her friend with a curious expression. "And how are you going with your dating with Shoran? Wasn't he able to come too?"

"Shoran had to return to Hong Kong suddenly. Something to do with one of his sisters." Tomoyo and Sakura started giggling. The daughters of the Li Clan of Hong Kong were their willing allies in setting Sakura up with the often cold-tempered Shoran Li (Sometimes, Tomoyo wondered if Shoran's mother, Yelen, was in on it too).

"I see... I will get a glass of soda. Would you like one as well?" Tomoyo asked.

"Yes, thank you very much."

Thus, Sakura Kinomoto was alone, looking at the bustle in the party room. Immediately her attention was attracted to a big mirror, on the wall behind her. It was an oval mirror, of whole body, with a simple gold frame. For some reason that she could not explain, Sakura began to pull faces to the girl in the mirror (after making sure that nobody was looking at her).

She was about to turn back... when it happened. The Sakura in the Mirror blinked her eyes three times in a row. This was most unusual as the real Sakura had not blinked her eyes.

Before she could understand that, she felt weak and everything went dark...

======

On that same moment, two beings created by one of the most powerful magicians that the world ever seen, Lead Clow, felt that their new master, Sakura Kinomoto, was in danger.

In his apartment close to University of Tokyo, Touya Kinomoto saw the window open and some white feathers dropping to the floor.

"Yuki... Yue." He murmured.

In his house, Fujitaka Kinomoto, Archaeology teacher and the new Director of the University of Tokyo, woke up in his work table, from a nightmare, at the same time that in his daughter's room, a form similar to a winged puma leapt from the window.

======

Later, Sakura was at a hospital room. Tomoyo was at her side. Suddenly, the brown haired girl just opened her eyes just a little. "Tomoyo...?" Her voice was just a murmur.

"Sakura!" Her friend exclaimed, radiant at seeing her awake. "Don't worry, it wasn't anything serious!"

"What happened!?"

"You fainted in the middle of the party and my mother brought you here personally," Tomoyo said proudly.

In that every moment, Fujitaka talked with Sonomi regarding what had happened. "Kero and Yue are here." Tomoyo explained, indicating the Guardian of the Sun and of the Moon behind her.

Sakura didn't hear her friend. She murmured for herself. "Something... Somebody.. is outside..."

In alert, Yue looked at for the window of the hospital room. Kero watched the door. "Sakura.. there is not anybody outside," Tomoyo said in a concerned tone of voice.

Sakura murmured before fainting again: " Somebody... Something... bad..."

======

In the party room of the Daidouji Corporation building, a light began to emanate from the mirror. A black light that seemed to swallow the bright artificial light in the room with the darkness. A purple lightning flashed out of the vortex of black light into the center of the room. There was an explosion of blood-red light and a woman appeared, kneeling in the middle of the living room. She was tall and anorexically thin. She was dressed completely in black: long-knee boots, pants, a top, and a cape with a hood that hid her face.

"Finally... Existence!" Her voice was seductive, dangerous and cold.

The woman stood up and she caught the black object hanging around her long neck with her black-gloved hands. "Key that controls the powers of the Darkness, obey the Master that enslaved you. Obey my Dark Star!" At the same time that she said those words, the object in her hands grew into a metallic staff with a head shaped like a metallic star held in a bear's paws. The edges of the star were razor-edged.

From the mirror, two spheres of black light appeared and they swept out to hover in front of the woman in black. One changed into a strong woman with cold blue eyes, long black hair and great bat wings. The other resembled a tiger with orange skin with black stripes. She also had great bat wings. Both war a black metallic armour that seemed to flow around them like liquid night.

"Sandra, Master of the Darkness!" they exclaimed, knelt down before their mistress. The black-haired woman gave her mistress a white mask that covered all but the user's eyes.

Sandra smiled coldly before placing the mask on her face. Her cold green eyes shone out dangerously.

"Go, Morgana. Go, Nemesis." The two Guardian stood. "First we have to find a place to be, and then... we will attack."

"Yes, mistress!" Nemesis and Morgana disappeared.

Before disappearing in the darkness like a shadow given form, Sandra pulled a photo from within her cape. An old photo of a brown haired girl with green eyes.

"Dear Sakura... Soon we will meet." The woman said, before the photo caught alight and was consumed by the flames.

So? What did you think?

Next chapter coming soon!