Tempest
"Toya, you're so mean!" Sakura pouted.
"Little monster, you know I love you." Toya said, ruffling her hair. She sputtered.
"Not when you mess up my hair, I don't!" she protested, trying to get it to settle down. He scoffed.
"Oh, you look better that way anyway." he said. He looked up, and stopped his bike. He pointed one finger to the road in front of them. Sakura looked. Standing in the road was a girl dressed in Sakura's school uniform. She had long curly hair that was braided into a long braid. Her bangs obscured her right eye. Sakura smiled. She ran up to the lonely- looking girl.
"Hi!" she shouted. The girl looked up. She smiled vaguely.
"Hello." she said. Sakura smiled.
"Hi, are you a new student at my school? I'm Sakura Kinomoto." The girl blinked.
"S-sakura Kinomoto?" she said incredulously. Sakura nodded.
"And you are-" she said. The girl opened her eyes wide.
"I-I've got to go!" she said. She took off at a run, going the opposite direction that Sakura was. Sakura stared after her.
"The schools over that way!" she shouted, pointing. The girl's head whipped back to look in Sakura's direction, and she hit, and nearly tripped over, Toya.
"Whoa, whoa, slow down." he said mildly. She glanced up at him, one visible eye wild. He set a hand on her shoulder, and then pulled back as if shocked. His eyes widened at the frightened girl. She took off, blowing past Sakura on the path, and up. She glanced back to see if Sakura was still there, and ran straight into Tomoyo, sprawling her books. She blinked, and glanced nervously back, but stopped, and picked up the books, handing them to the stunned Tomoyo. Tomoyo muttered a dazed,
"Arigatou.." and then the girl took off again. Tomoyo blinked, "Wait!" she said. Sakura caught up, panting. Tomoyo turned.
"She can run fast, can't she?" Sakura said. Tomoyo nodded.
"Who is that?" she said. Sakura shrugged.
Meanwhile, the girl was still running, having almost reached the school. However, as she was running with her head backwards to make sure that Sakura wasn't chasing her, she neglected to notice the figure standing right before her. He had barely gotten out a strangled,
"Hey-" When she had run straight into him. He leaned down and caught her by the arm, preventing her a nasty fall, but instead of being gracious, she blinked at his face, and stepped back in surprise.
"You-you are.." she said. She stepped back in horror and surprise.
"Yuki?" Toya said, from behind the girl. She jumped.
"Hey, Toya." Yuki said brightly.
"You found her." he remarked, glancing at the girl with intense eyes.
"Oh, you've met?" he asked.
"Sort of." Sakura said. Tomoyo blinked.
"She kind of bumped into all of us." she said. Yuki nodded.
"Me, too." he said. Sakura smiled at the girl.
"I think we've gotten off on the wrong foot." she said, smiling, and offering a hand to shake, "I'm Sakura Kinomoto." The girl blinked, and hesitantly reached out. She shook Sakura's hand, and smiled weakly.
"I am.." she paused, "Ameku." she said, "Ameku Mokaze."
"I'm Tomoyo Daidoiji." Tomoyo said.
"My name is Yukito Tsukishiro." Yuki said, smiling warmly. Ameku fixed him with an impenetrable gaze.
"Oh." she said. Sakura blinked. Ameku turned to the rest, "I really must be going." she said. And then she was gone, over the fence, leaving the fleeting scent of rain in the air.
"Where'd she go?" Yuki asked. Sakura gave Tomoyo a glance, and Toya just stood there stolidly.
Later.
"I would like you all to welcome our new student, Ameku Mokaze." The teacher said, smiling. Ameku blinked at them, and sat down at the indicated desk, directly in front of Tomoyo. Sakura found herself staring at Ameku's back, focusing on the braid that ran down her back. She looked back at Li, who was also looking at the girl. She gestured at the girl. Li nodded. Meanwhile, however, Ameku was having her own doubts.
*Why did I even come here? What possessed me to come here?* she thought to herself. She blinked, *Perhaps.. I wanted it to end. It is hard..* She thought, looking out the window at the sky. *It is lonely.* she blinked, just as a hand settled on her shoulder. She jumped, and turned.
"Ohayo!" Sakura said brightly, "Welcome to our classroom Ameku!" Tomoyo waved, smiling. Behind her stood Li, staring at Ameku with his intense eyes. She blanched.
"O-ohayo.." she said. Sakura turned.
"Oh, this is Li, he's our other new student. I'm sure you'll love it here." She said. Li blinked.
"Hello." he said in measured tones. Ameku smiled weakly. Li's eyes widened, "Who are you?" he asked suddenly. Sakura frowned.
"Li, that's very rude!" she said. She turned to Ameku to apologize.. But she was gone. "Where, where did she go?" She asked, bewildered.
"I don't know." Tomoyo asked.
"She ran out the door." Li said. Sakura sweatdropped.
"Well, of course.." she said.
Meanwhile, on the playground.
"I wonder what that girl's problem was?" Tomoyo asked. Sakura shrugged.
"Probably just shy. Perhaps she needs to join a sport!" she said, smiling.
"She was a fast runner.." Tomoyo conceded. Sakura nodded.. Then turned, to see Ameku seated on the stairs, arms wrapped tightly around her knees. Sakura saw Li creeping along the top of the stairs, walking diagonally to meet her. Sakura bit her lip.
"This won't be pretty.." she said. Tomoyo turned to look. Sakura got up, and ran over, just as Li said,
"You, Ameku!" Ameku stood up, eyes wide. Li brought out his magic detecting instrument, and made a few passes. The arrow pointed directly at Ameku. Sakura gasped.
"Ameku!" she shouted. Li smiled.
"You have Clow Cards.. hand them over!" he said, holding out an hand. Ameku blinked, wide eyed, and looked as if she was about to run. She stepped up the stairs, looked back, then ran the rest of the way up. Sakura glared at Li.
"Li! That was rude as well. I can't believe you would be so mean to a new student like that!" she shouted. Li blinked.
"She has Clow Cards, don't you understand what that means?" he asked.
"Not really, Li! She's the same age as us! She probably doesn't understand anything, she didn't have Kero or family lineage to explain everything to her!" Li blinked.
"Well, so? Then she should be all the more likely to hand them over and stop!" he said. Sakura sighed, and turned to walk away.
Later that day.
"Ameku has Clow Cards?" Tomoyo asked, surprised. Sakura nodded resolutely.
"It looks like that's why she's been running away from us like that.. She probably heard about us, somehow." She said, shrugging.. Tomoyo thought about that. She turned.
"But how?" she demanded.
"I don't know.. There are too many questions. I'll have to ask her later." Sakura said. Tomoyo nodded.
"That's for sure.. If there are more Card Captors around.. You'll have a harder time finding more cards." she warned. Sakura smiled in a carefree manner..
"That doesn't matter to me!" she said genkily, "Just as long as they don't do too much damage to the city!" she said. Tomoyo smiled.
"You're so gracious, Sakura." she said.
At Sakura's house.
"ANOTHER Card Captor?" Kero shouted.
"Yes, we think so." Sakura said, nodding, "Her name's Ameku Mokaze." Kero hovered speculatively in the air.
"What does she look like?" he asked. Sakura blinked.
"I don't know.. A little short.. Long curly bangs.. A braid down her back with a ribbon weaved through it.. She was sort of cute, actually.." Kero shook his head.
"Doesn't remind me of anyone." he said, shaking his head cutely. Sakura. sighed.
"Kero-chan, you've been locked in that book for years.." Kero sweatdropped.
"Oh, yeah." he said, "Well, I want you to be careful.." he said. Sakura grabbed him, and gave him a hug..
"You're so cool, Kero!" she shouted.
"Talking to your dolls again?" Toya asked. Sakura facefaulted.
"Toya-onii-sama!" she shouted, surprised. He raised an eyebrow, and took the Orange juice out of the fridge. He opened the carton, and drank straight from it. Sakura gagged, "That's so gross.." she said. He ruffled her hair.
"You don't have to watch me." he said, "What happened at school today that was such a big deal?"
"What??" Sakura asked. She blinked, "Oh, nothing." She blinked again, "That girl that we met on the way to school.." she said. Toya frowned slightly.
"Oh, THAT girl.. What about her?" he asked.
Sakura smiled, "She's in my class.. New student.. She's very shy it seems." Toya raised an eyebrow.
"I don't doubt it." he said sedately. Sakura smiled.
"Goin up to my room!" she shouted, running up the stairs.. When she got up there, Kero sighed.
"Finally, I thought I'd never get to be alive again." Sakura waved a hand at him.
"Oh, feh, you should be used to it by now." she said.
"Be nice!" he shouted. Then he blinked, "But you should really keep an eye on that Ame girl." he cautioned. She nodded.
"Of course.. Why wouldn't I?" She said, smiling. Kero frowned.
"I know you too well Sakura, you're too nice.." he said, smiling. She smiled kawaiily.
"Looks like you do, Kero-chan! Time for bed!" she said. She got her pajamas on, and brushed her teeth quickly. Then she switched off the light. Kero was asleep in moments.. Sakura, however.. all she could think of was the look of fear in Ameku's eyes. What did she have to fear so much? Was it her? It was in the midst of these troubling thoughts that Sakura fell asleep.. And the next morning she woke with hints of dreams.. of endless storms, and fear.
The next morning.
"AHH! I'm late!" Sakura shouted.
"Your always late.." Toya said good-naturedly, "You'd think you'd be used to it by now." Sakura growled.
"You can't say anything, you have a bike.." she pouted. Toya looked at her.
"Maybe if you woke up earlier, you wouldn't have to rush so much.." he said. Sakura growled again.
"That's beside the point!" she said.. I'll severely injure you. Her dad walked in.. He smiled.
"I just can't get over how loving you two are.." he said. They both turned to him. Toya smiled.
"Gotta go!" he said through the spoon in his mouth. He put it down, and ran out the door. Sakura jumped up.
"Hey! Don't leave me behind!" she shouted, running out the door. Mr. Kinomoto waved at both of them. Sakura smiled and waved back, finishing strapping on her rollerblades, and gliding off. Toya smiled.
"Hopefully we won't run into anyone.." he said. Sakura nodded.
"Not as such, no." she said good-naturedly. Just as she said that, a shower of leaves were torn from the tree above her, and they and some sticks rained into her path. Toya rode over them, but Sakura stopped, she looked up into the tree, to see a shadow. Toya looked back at her.. She blinked, and waved at him.
"Go on, I'll catch up." she said. He shrugged, and went on. Sakura called up the tree, "Hey! Hi there!!" The figure looked down. Sakura quickly unclipped her rollerblades, and climbed the tree. She stopped a few branches below the figure, who was at the very top of the tree.
"Hello, Sakura." Ameku said. Sakura smiled.
"Ohayo!" she said brightly. Then she sobered, "I've been meaning to ask you.. Are you a Card Captor?" Ameku sobered.
"Perhaps." She intoned. Sakura blinked.
"What's the matter?" she asked, concerned. Ameku shook her head wistfully.
"Nothing.. It's just that.. now I feel chained down. The sky.. Is so far away.. it seems like I am so alone down here. And perhaps I'd be better off just being what I am. No matter how much it hurts me. Tomorrow, early in the morning.. It's Saturday tomorrow, eh? Tomorrow, I'll give up whatever I have. At King Penguin." Sakura noticed the look in her eye.
"All right, Ameku. Tomorrow, then. Do you mind if Li is there, too?" she asked, "I know he came off as a sort of a pushy guy, but he's really OK." She said. Ameku smiled.
"Doesn't matter to me." she said, "Just so long as you don't blame me for what happens." She said. Sakura blinked in confusion. She shrugged.
"A-all right.." she said warily. Ameku smiled.
"We ought to get to school." She said. Sakura blinked.
"Oh, yeah!!" She said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"She told you she'd meet you here?" Kero said. Sakura nodded, holding the hat she was wearing, in an effort to keep it from whipping off in the wind. It was early Saturday morning.. and it looked to be a stormy day. The cold wind whipped against Tomoyo and Sakura's features, and threw Kero's aeronautics off.
"Yeah, she said here especially.." The wind whipped across her dress. Tomoyo held down her hair.
"I should have worn a ponytail.." she murmured, "It's getting really windy.." she said. Sakura nodded.
"Almost as windy as when I use my Windy card." Sakura muttered. Kero nodded.
"Yeah. it feels wrong." He said.
"That's because it is wrong." Sayolan said.
"LI!" Sakura shouted, "When did you get here?" she asked, "I thought you might not come."
"A while ago.." he said, "I wouldn't miss this. Besides, I think I've got this Ame girl figured out." The brewing storm cluds cracked loudly with lightning. Tomoyo jumped. Sakura's eyes snapped to the side of the road, where a figure was illuminated by cracks of lightning. The figure held out one hand.
"Sakura.." the figure said, "I'm here." Sakura shielded her eyes from the strikes of lightning..
"Who- who are you??" she asked.
"I am so very lonely." The figure said, smiling, "And I wish I could go back to the way I was.. So I'm going to." She said.. It then started to pour rain. Sakura shielded her eyes.
"Ameku? Is that you?" she asked. Tomoyo shook her head.
"No! It can't be her!" She said. Kero fought against the wind to get to Sakura. Li nodded.
"I knew it! It is her!" he said. Sakura turned back to the figure, who was smiling.
"It is.. But you may call me Tempest." She said, just as Kero shouted,
"SAKURA! SHE'S A CLOW CARD!" Sakura gasped.
"A Clow Card!" she said. Ameku nodded. The lightning flashed, illuminating her face, and the wind blew up her bangs, revealing her right eye, which was covered by a cloud symbol. Sakura grabbed her key. She steeled. Ameku pulled the bow out of te ribbon in her braid, and it unraveled. The storm intensified. Sakura shook her head.
"Ameku! You don't have to do this! It can be easy!" she shouted. Ameku shook her head, and her hair flew around her face, and she smiled.
"No, Sakura, it can't.. That is not the honorable way." She flew up, her school uniform changing into a long dress. The wind whipped about Sakura's face. She tore off her necklace, shouting,
"KEY THAT HIDES FORCES OF DARKNESS! SHOW YOUR TRUE SHAPE! I, SAKURA, COMMAND YOU UNDER THE COVENANT! RELEASE! NOW!" and her staff grew. She wiped her eyes, and brought a card out of her lapel, "WATER!" she shouted, and the water card formed a bubble around her, keeping the rain away, however the wind still bore into the bubble. Sakura shivered, and the flashing eyes of the storm smiled.
"I won't let you win, Sakura.. But, I'm voting for you.." Said Ameku's voice in her head. Sakura blinked.
"You won't be lonely anymore!" she shouted into the sky. Kero was flat to the ground.
"Sakura! Use the windy and the wood!" he said. Sakura nodded.
"WIND! CHANGE TO PAIN OF PUNISHMENT!" She shouted. The windy card battled the winds of the tempest, and the winds returned to almost normal. Sakura smiled, flipping another card out of her lapel, "WOODS! REVEAL YOUR LUSH FOREST AND BE MY ATTENDANT!!" she shouted, releasing the card. The wood card came out, choking branches going into the clouds. Lightning struck them, but they were unaffected. Sakura blinked, "RETURN TO THE SHAPE YOU WERE MEANT TO BE! CLOW CARD!!!" she shouted, bringing her staff down. A giggle sounded, and a card materialized.. The storm flew into the card, swirling onto it. Sakura caught it with one hand. Tomoyo clapped.
"Wonderful, Sakura!" she said, now that she was able to be heard. Sakura smiled at the card. She turned her face to the horizon, where the sun was just about to rise. Li looked at her.
"Why didn't you try to capture the card, Li?" she asked. Li shrugged.
"It wouldn't have felt right.. She was your friend. She wanted you to capture her." He said. Sakura nodded.
"Well, thank you." She said, smiling. She brought a pen out from her pocket and wrote her name on the card, "I hope she's happy now.." Sakura said. Tomoyo grinned.
"I don't doubt it!" she said happily. The bright sky shone down on them, seeming pleased for its unimpeded progress. Sakura slipped the card into her pocket, and she smiled up at the sky.
"Let's go." She said, "I feel like some rest." She said, smiling, "The sky's too big for me." she said, and they all walked home.
THE END
"Toya, you're so mean!" Sakura pouted.
"Little monster, you know I love you." Toya said, ruffling her hair. She sputtered.
"Not when you mess up my hair, I don't!" she protested, trying to get it to settle down. He scoffed.
"Oh, you look better that way anyway." he said. He looked up, and stopped his bike. He pointed one finger to the road in front of them. Sakura looked. Standing in the road was a girl dressed in Sakura's school uniform. She had long curly hair that was braided into a long braid. Her bangs obscured her right eye. Sakura smiled. She ran up to the lonely- looking girl.
"Hi!" she shouted. The girl looked up. She smiled vaguely.
"Hello." she said. Sakura smiled.
"Hi, are you a new student at my school? I'm Sakura Kinomoto." The girl blinked.
"S-sakura Kinomoto?" she said incredulously. Sakura nodded.
"And you are-" she said. The girl opened her eyes wide.
"I-I've got to go!" she said. She took off at a run, going the opposite direction that Sakura was. Sakura stared after her.
"The schools over that way!" she shouted, pointing. The girl's head whipped back to look in Sakura's direction, and she hit, and nearly tripped over, Toya.
"Whoa, whoa, slow down." he said mildly. She glanced up at him, one visible eye wild. He set a hand on her shoulder, and then pulled back as if shocked. His eyes widened at the frightened girl. She took off, blowing past Sakura on the path, and up. She glanced back to see if Sakura was still there, and ran straight into Tomoyo, sprawling her books. She blinked, and glanced nervously back, but stopped, and picked up the books, handing them to the stunned Tomoyo. Tomoyo muttered a dazed,
"Arigatou.." and then the girl took off again. Tomoyo blinked, "Wait!" she said. Sakura caught up, panting. Tomoyo turned.
"She can run fast, can't she?" Sakura said. Tomoyo nodded.
"Who is that?" she said. Sakura shrugged.
Meanwhile, the girl was still running, having almost reached the school. However, as she was running with her head backwards to make sure that Sakura wasn't chasing her, she neglected to notice the figure standing right before her. He had barely gotten out a strangled,
"Hey-" When she had run straight into him. He leaned down and caught her by the arm, preventing her a nasty fall, but instead of being gracious, she blinked at his face, and stepped back in surprise.
"You-you are.." she said. She stepped back in horror and surprise.
"Yuki?" Toya said, from behind the girl. She jumped.
"Hey, Toya." Yuki said brightly.
"You found her." he remarked, glancing at the girl with intense eyes.
"Oh, you've met?" he asked.
"Sort of." Sakura said. Tomoyo blinked.
"She kind of bumped into all of us." she said. Yuki nodded.
"Me, too." he said. Sakura smiled at the girl.
"I think we've gotten off on the wrong foot." she said, smiling, and offering a hand to shake, "I'm Sakura Kinomoto." The girl blinked, and hesitantly reached out. She shook Sakura's hand, and smiled weakly.
"I am.." she paused, "Ameku." she said, "Ameku Mokaze."
"I'm Tomoyo Daidoiji." Tomoyo said.
"My name is Yukito Tsukishiro." Yuki said, smiling warmly. Ameku fixed him with an impenetrable gaze.
"Oh." she said. Sakura blinked. Ameku turned to the rest, "I really must be going." she said. And then she was gone, over the fence, leaving the fleeting scent of rain in the air.
"Where'd she go?" Yuki asked. Sakura gave Tomoyo a glance, and Toya just stood there stolidly.
Later.
"I would like you all to welcome our new student, Ameku Mokaze." The teacher said, smiling. Ameku blinked at them, and sat down at the indicated desk, directly in front of Tomoyo. Sakura found herself staring at Ameku's back, focusing on the braid that ran down her back. She looked back at Li, who was also looking at the girl. She gestured at the girl. Li nodded. Meanwhile, however, Ameku was having her own doubts.
*Why did I even come here? What possessed me to come here?* she thought to herself. She blinked, *Perhaps.. I wanted it to end. It is hard..* She thought, looking out the window at the sky. *It is lonely.* she blinked, just as a hand settled on her shoulder. She jumped, and turned.
"Ohayo!" Sakura said brightly, "Welcome to our classroom Ameku!" Tomoyo waved, smiling. Behind her stood Li, staring at Ameku with his intense eyes. She blanched.
"O-ohayo.." she said. Sakura turned.
"Oh, this is Li, he's our other new student. I'm sure you'll love it here." She said. Li blinked.
"Hello." he said in measured tones. Ameku smiled weakly. Li's eyes widened, "Who are you?" he asked suddenly. Sakura frowned.
"Li, that's very rude!" she said. She turned to Ameku to apologize.. But she was gone. "Where, where did she go?" She asked, bewildered.
"I don't know." Tomoyo asked.
"She ran out the door." Li said. Sakura sweatdropped.
"Well, of course.." she said.
Meanwhile, on the playground.
"I wonder what that girl's problem was?" Tomoyo asked. Sakura shrugged.
"Probably just shy. Perhaps she needs to join a sport!" she said, smiling.
"She was a fast runner.." Tomoyo conceded. Sakura nodded.. Then turned, to see Ameku seated on the stairs, arms wrapped tightly around her knees. Sakura saw Li creeping along the top of the stairs, walking diagonally to meet her. Sakura bit her lip.
"This won't be pretty.." she said. Tomoyo turned to look. Sakura got up, and ran over, just as Li said,
"You, Ameku!" Ameku stood up, eyes wide. Li brought out his magic detecting instrument, and made a few passes. The arrow pointed directly at Ameku. Sakura gasped.
"Ameku!" she shouted. Li smiled.
"You have Clow Cards.. hand them over!" he said, holding out an hand. Ameku blinked, wide eyed, and looked as if she was about to run. She stepped up the stairs, looked back, then ran the rest of the way up. Sakura glared at Li.
"Li! That was rude as well. I can't believe you would be so mean to a new student like that!" she shouted. Li blinked.
"She has Clow Cards, don't you understand what that means?" he asked.
"Not really, Li! She's the same age as us! She probably doesn't understand anything, she didn't have Kero or family lineage to explain everything to her!" Li blinked.
"Well, so? Then she should be all the more likely to hand them over and stop!" he said. Sakura sighed, and turned to walk away.
Later that day.
"Ameku has Clow Cards?" Tomoyo asked, surprised. Sakura nodded resolutely.
"It looks like that's why she's been running away from us like that.. She probably heard about us, somehow." She said, shrugging.. Tomoyo thought about that. She turned.
"But how?" she demanded.
"I don't know.. There are too many questions. I'll have to ask her later." Sakura said. Tomoyo nodded.
"That's for sure.. If there are more Card Captors around.. You'll have a harder time finding more cards." she warned. Sakura smiled in a carefree manner..
"That doesn't matter to me!" she said genkily, "Just as long as they don't do too much damage to the city!" she said. Tomoyo smiled.
"You're so gracious, Sakura." she said.
At Sakura's house.
"ANOTHER Card Captor?" Kero shouted.
"Yes, we think so." Sakura said, nodding, "Her name's Ameku Mokaze." Kero hovered speculatively in the air.
"What does she look like?" he asked. Sakura blinked.
"I don't know.. A little short.. Long curly bangs.. A braid down her back with a ribbon weaved through it.. She was sort of cute, actually.." Kero shook his head.
"Doesn't remind me of anyone." he said, shaking his head cutely. Sakura. sighed.
"Kero-chan, you've been locked in that book for years.." Kero sweatdropped.
"Oh, yeah." he said, "Well, I want you to be careful.." he said. Sakura grabbed him, and gave him a hug..
"You're so cool, Kero!" she shouted.
"Talking to your dolls again?" Toya asked. Sakura facefaulted.
"Toya-onii-sama!" she shouted, surprised. He raised an eyebrow, and took the Orange juice out of the fridge. He opened the carton, and drank straight from it. Sakura gagged, "That's so gross.." she said. He ruffled her hair.
"You don't have to watch me." he said, "What happened at school today that was such a big deal?"
"What??" Sakura asked. She blinked, "Oh, nothing." She blinked again, "That girl that we met on the way to school.." she said. Toya frowned slightly.
"Oh, THAT girl.. What about her?" he asked.
Sakura smiled, "She's in my class.. New student.. She's very shy it seems." Toya raised an eyebrow.
"I don't doubt it." he said sedately. Sakura smiled.
"Goin up to my room!" she shouted, running up the stairs.. When she got up there, Kero sighed.
"Finally, I thought I'd never get to be alive again." Sakura waved a hand at him.
"Oh, feh, you should be used to it by now." she said.
"Be nice!" he shouted. Then he blinked, "But you should really keep an eye on that Ame girl." he cautioned. She nodded.
"Of course.. Why wouldn't I?" She said, smiling. Kero frowned.
"I know you too well Sakura, you're too nice.." he said, smiling. She smiled kawaiily.
"Looks like you do, Kero-chan! Time for bed!" she said. She got her pajamas on, and brushed her teeth quickly. Then she switched off the light. Kero was asleep in moments.. Sakura, however.. all she could think of was the look of fear in Ameku's eyes. What did she have to fear so much? Was it her? It was in the midst of these troubling thoughts that Sakura fell asleep.. And the next morning she woke with hints of dreams.. of endless storms, and fear.
The next morning.
"AHH! I'm late!" Sakura shouted.
"Your always late.." Toya said good-naturedly, "You'd think you'd be used to it by now." Sakura growled.
"You can't say anything, you have a bike.." she pouted. Toya looked at her.
"Maybe if you woke up earlier, you wouldn't have to rush so much.." he said. Sakura growled again.
"That's beside the point!" she said.. I'll severely injure you. Her dad walked in.. He smiled.
"I just can't get over how loving you two are.." he said. They both turned to him. Toya smiled.
"Gotta go!" he said through the spoon in his mouth. He put it down, and ran out the door. Sakura jumped up.
"Hey! Don't leave me behind!" she shouted, running out the door. Mr. Kinomoto waved at both of them. Sakura smiled and waved back, finishing strapping on her rollerblades, and gliding off. Toya smiled.
"Hopefully we won't run into anyone.." he said. Sakura nodded.
"Not as such, no." she said good-naturedly. Just as she said that, a shower of leaves were torn from the tree above her, and they and some sticks rained into her path. Toya rode over them, but Sakura stopped, she looked up into the tree, to see a shadow. Toya looked back at her.. She blinked, and waved at him.
"Go on, I'll catch up." she said. He shrugged, and went on. Sakura called up the tree, "Hey! Hi there!!" The figure looked down. Sakura quickly unclipped her rollerblades, and climbed the tree. She stopped a few branches below the figure, who was at the very top of the tree.
"Hello, Sakura." Ameku said. Sakura smiled.
"Ohayo!" she said brightly. Then she sobered, "I've been meaning to ask you.. Are you a Card Captor?" Ameku sobered.
"Perhaps." She intoned. Sakura blinked.
"What's the matter?" she asked, concerned. Ameku shook her head wistfully.
"Nothing.. It's just that.. now I feel chained down. The sky.. Is so far away.. it seems like I am so alone down here. And perhaps I'd be better off just being what I am. No matter how much it hurts me. Tomorrow, early in the morning.. It's Saturday tomorrow, eh? Tomorrow, I'll give up whatever I have. At King Penguin." Sakura noticed the look in her eye.
"All right, Ameku. Tomorrow, then. Do you mind if Li is there, too?" she asked, "I know he came off as a sort of a pushy guy, but he's really OK." She said. Ameku smiled.
"Doesn't matter to me." she said, "Just so long as you don't blame me for what happens." She said. Sakura blinked in confusion. She shrugged.
"A-all right.." she said warily. Ameku smiled.
"We ought to get to school." She said. Sakura blinked.
"Oh, yeah!!" She said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"She told you she'd meet you here?" Kero said. Sakura nodded, holding the hat she was wearing, in an effort to keep it from whipping off in the wind. It was early Saturday morning.. and it looked to be a stormy day. The cold wind whipped against Tomoyo and Sakura's features, and threw Kero's aeronautics off.
"Yeah, she said here especially.." The wind whipped across her dress. Tomoyo held down her hair.
"I should have worn a ponytail.." she murmured, "It's getting really windy.." she said. Sakura nodded.
"Almost as windy as when I use my Windy card." Sakura muttered. Kero nodded.
"Yeah. it feels wrong." He said.
"That's because it is wrong." Sayolan said.
"LI!" Sakura shouted, "When did you get here?" she asked, "I thought you might not come."
"A while ago.." he said, "I wouldn't miss this. Besides, I think I've got this Ame girl figured out." The brewing storm cluds cracked loudly with lightning. Tomoyo jumped. Sakura's eyes snapped to the side of the road, where a figure was illuminated by cracks of lightning. The figure held out one hand.
"Sakura.." the figure said, "I'm here." Sakura shielded her eyes from the strikes of lightning..
"Who- who are you??" she asked.
"I am so very lonely." The figure said, smiling, "And I wish I could go back to the way I was.. So I'm going to." She said.. It then started to pour rain. Sakura shielded her eyes.
"Ameku? Is that you?" she asked. Tomoyo shook her head.
"No! It can't be her!" She said. Kero fought against the wind to get to Sakura. Li nodded.
"I knew it! It is her!" he said. Sakura turned back to the figure, who was smiling.
"It is.. But you may call me Tempest." She said, just as Kero shouted,
"SAKURA! SHE'S A CLOW CARD!" Sakura gasped.
"A Clow Card!" she said. Ameku nodded. The lightning flashed, illuminating her face, and the wind blew up her bangs, revealing her right eye, which was covered by a cloud symbol. Sakura grabbed her key. She steeled. Ameku pulled the bow out of te ribbon in her braid, and it unraveled. The storm intensified. Sakura shook her head.
"Ameku! You don't have to do this! It can be easy!" she shouted. Ameku shook her head, and her hair flew around her face, and she smiled.
"No, Sakura, it can't.. That is not the honorable way." She flew up, her school uniform changing into a long dress. The wind whipped about Sakura's face. She tore off her necklace, shouting,
"KEY THAT HIDES FORCES OF DARKNESS! SHOW YOUR TRUE SHAPE! I, SAKURA, COMMAND YOU UNDER THE COVENANT! RELEASE! NOW!" and her staff grew. She wiped her eyes, and brought a card out of her lapel, "WATER!" she shouted, and the water card formed a bubble around her, keeping the rain away, however the wind still bore into the bubble. Sakura shivered, and the flashing eyes of the storm smiled.
"I won't let you win, Sakura.. But, I'm voting for you.." Said Ameku's voice in her head. Sakura blinked.
"You won't be lonely anymore!" she shouted into the sky. Kero was flat to the ground.
"Sakura! Use the windy and the wood!" he said. Sakura nodded.
"WIND! CHANGE TO PAIN OF PUNISHMENT!" She shouted. The windy card battled the winds of the tempest, and the winds returned to almost normal. Sakura smiled, flipping another card out of her lapel, "WOODS! REVEAL YOUR LUSH FOREST AND BE MY ATTENDANT!!" she shouted, releasing the card. The wood card came out, choking branches going into the clouds. Lightning struck them, but they were unaffected. Sakura blinked, "RETURN TO THE SHAPE YOU WERE MEANT TO BE! CLOW CARD!!!" she shouted, bringing her staff down. A giggle sounded, and a card materialized.. The storm flew into the card, swirling onto it. Sakura caught it with one hand. Tomoyo clapped.
"Wonderful, Sakura!" she said, now that she was able to be heard. Sakura smiled at the card. She turned her face to the horizon, where the sun was just about to rise. Li looked at her.
"Why didn't you try to capture the card, Li?" she asked. Li shrugged.
"It wouldn't have felt right.. She was your friend. She wanted you to capture her." He said. Sakura nodded.
"Well, thank you." She said, smiling. She brought a pen out from her pocket and wrote her name on the card, "I hope she's happy now.." Sakura said. Tomoyo grinned.
"I don't doubt it!" she said happily. The bright sky shone down on them, seeming pleased for its unimpeded progress. Sakura slipped the card into her pocket, and she smiled up at the sky.
"Let's go." She said, "I feel like some rest." She said, smiling, "The sky's too big for me." she said, and they all walked home.
THE END