"Left Foot (or Paw), Red.
A Cardcaptor Sakura fanfiction by Artemesia
AN: CCS is owned by Clamp and Twister is owned by Milton Bradley. The pudding, however, is owned by me! This fic was written as a challenge on the LJ TsukimineShrine community.
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Four very angry guardians on your hands was not a good thing.
Though one very huffy guardian, one extremely annoyed guardian, one incredibly hungry guardian, and one delightfully amused guardian wasn't exactly a picnic.
It was hard to say how all of it had started. Cerberus and Ruby Moon had probably instigated it, as the two had tendencies to be loyal to their masters to the point of arrogance. Yue's defense of his mistress was much more subtle, and Spinel Sun would much rather be reading a book. In a quiet room, or better yet, in another house in another country where he wouldn't be subject to this indignity. But Kero-chan and Nakuru had to start an argument about which of their masters was better in the middle of Tomoeda Middle School's festival, had to use their magic and frighten half of the students before Sakura could cast Sleep, had to topple a box of sweets onto Suppi, who proceeded to rampage the few remaining stands. Yukito had been trapped beneath one of the stands, and while he wasn't hurt, only a little bruised, no one could ever remember looking so angry or annoyed. So much like his other form. After all the chaos had been sorted out, Tomoyo had proposed, or insisted, rather, that to stop such incidents in the future, the guardians would play a game Ð of her choosing Ð to determine whose master was really the best. And whoever's guardians lostÉ.
The two guardians and master (or mistress) who lost were subject to whatever fate Tomoyo had planned. Knowing Tomoyo, that fate probably included ruffles, lace and videotape.
"Left foot, or paw, red!
"Mou! I can't move my paw with big old Suppi in the way!
"Kero-chan! No changing to your small form! If you do it's cheating and we lose!
"Oh Touya-kun! I can't quite move my legÉwould you lift my skirt for me and Ð owww! Yue-san!
"I'm sorry, Rubi-san, I didn't realize your head was in the way of my wing.
Somehow, the tangle of paws and wings managed to get their collective left feet on a red dot. Eriol and Sakura were watching their guardians nervously Ð Sakura pacing back and forth and Eriol was wringing his hands so tightly his fingers had gone from red to white to an alarming shade of purple. Touya was watching the entire scene with not-so-subtle amusement Ð seeing Yue clip Eriol's rather annoying moon guardian had been quite satisfying. Syaoran looked as if he wanted to laugh, if laughing didn't mean that Sakura would use the Little on him in a heartbeat.
Tomoyo had no such fear, however Ð she sat with the spinner in her hand and a glint in her lavender eyes that would have spent most people running in fear. Even two of the most powerful sorcerers in the world and their guardians. With each gesture carefully pronounced, she lowered her hand and flicked the spinner.
"Oh, it's on a line! I'll have to spin again
Four groans of protest and two very worried sighs couldn't quite hide Tomoyo's chuckle as she spun again.
"Left hand, or paw, red!
"Nani?! We'll never fit!
"Perhaps if you would eat less pudding, you wouldn't take up quite so much room.
"As soon as we finish and I get my pudding, you're in for it!
"Kero-chan, just move or you won't get any pudding! For a week! The fourteen-year-old Card Mistress was not pleased with her sun guardian at all. She felt sorry for Yue, who had nothing to do with this, and she felt sorry for herself and Eriol. Tomoyo had gone without filming for months Ð and if there was one thing that frightened Sakura, it was a best friend who was desperate to put her newest creations on her friends and film them for posterity.
Cerberus grumbled and shifted his paws, just manging to fit both a front and back paw on the same space. Yue and Ruby Moon had a somewhat easier time, but Spinel Sun was wobbling badly. As he moved his paw over, he couldn't keep his balance and toppled over, nearly taking Yue with him.
"Eriol-sama, I'm sorry," Spinel said as he changed into his small form and flitted over to his master. Eriol gently patted him on the head, and while he looked annoyed it was clear his diminutive sun guardian wasn't the focus of that particular emotion.
"It wasn't your fault, Spinel," he said reassuringly. "Go upstairs and read, there's some tea for you. The tiny black cat flew up the stairs as fast as his wings could carry him. Eriol looked with narrowed cerulean eyes at the remaining three guardians. "You got us into this, Ruby Moon, I trust you can get us out. Or else I may have Daidouji-san design you a far more masculine outfitÉ.
Ruby Moon's eyes widened in actual fear. She loved her costume Ð it hugged all her curves and was so much better than Yue's outdated garb. Being made to wear something like that, and not being able to act like a girlÉ"You wouldn't!
"For your sake I hope you don't lose.
Touya and Syaoran could barely hold back their laughter, and even Yue couldn't keep from smirking, even though Yukito was telling him that wouldn't be nice to Nakuru-chan, even if she deserved it.
"Right hand, or paw, green!
As their right hands (or paws) were currently on yellow, stretching to the other side of the board was considerably harder. Ruby Moon and Cerberus tussled over the same spot before she reluctantly put her hand on his huge paw. Yue went for an open spot, but as he set his hand down, his right foot slipped and brought him crashing down.
"You know what they say about older models, Yue-kun," his counterpart teased as he picked himself off, fluffing out his wings and brushing off his robes.
"We were given an actual gender?," Yue retorted without missing a beat, making everyone in the room but Cerberus, who was laughing so hard he could barely keep upright, blush furiously. "If you asked your master nicely enough, I'm sure he'd do the same. You'd make a very cute boy. Before Sakura could reprimand him, he folded his wings and changed into Yukito, who looked around rather embarrassed.
"Sorry about that," he murmured, shaking his head as he walked over to Touya. "He's a little cranky Ð yes, you're being cranky Ð right now.
"He has good reason to be," Syaoran said.
"Will my punishment for the losers be that bad, Li-kun?," Tomoyo asked in that deceptively innocent voice of hers, which made Syaoran shut up promptly, and made Eriol and Sakura look much, much more nervous.
"Anyway, next guardian who falls decides that! Right foot, or paw, yellow!
Cerberus and Ruby Moon managed to move their limbs easily enough, but they were ready to end this game. Ruby tried to trip the lion with the hem of her long skirt, Cerberus tried to knock her over with a brush of his paw. The two sorcerers couldn't tear their eyes away from the game, and even Yukito began to look nervous.
"Left hand, or paw, green!
"Owww! Get your silly butterfly wings out of my way, you-
"Not until you stop hitting me with yours! And that's my spot! Get your own!
"Make me, you big wench!
"Never, you fat, overgrown plush to- no, no, no!
Eriol and Sakura shot out of their seats as the two arguing guardians knocked each other over and toppled to the plastic mat, still arguing. At the tremendous crashing noise, Spinel sun hovered down from the stairs and poked his head into the room.
"Did Ruby Moon disgrace you again?," he said dryly as he looked at his sister, tangled up in a pile of fur and feathers.
"She wasn't the only one,' Sakura replied, crossing her hands over her chest and looking at Cerberus with a look that suggested he wouldn't be getting pudding for the rest of his life. Cerberus changed into his small form, and Ruby Moon stood up and changed into Nakuru. The young woman emerged somewhat hesitantly from her cocoon, clutching possessively at her short skirt.
"This is very, very interesting," Tomoyo said, settling the board down and standing up with a feline grace. Even Sakura took a slight step back. "Demo, Tomoyo-chan, if they both fell at the same time, we both won
"I like to think of it as the both of you losing," Tomoyo replied with a sweet smile. "Which is why I've already made the costumes for all of you! And my video will be even better! I have matching fairy costumes for Eriol and Sakura-
Two shouts of ÔNani!?" briefly interrupted Tomoyo's shining vision. Eriol had visibly paled, and Syaoran was thanking the gods he hadn't been involved in this.
"-And maybe a fairy costume for Yue, he has such beautiful wings
Yuki, who was sipping a soda Touya had given him, promptly choked on the liquid, and desperately tried to catch his breath as his best friend pounded him on the back.
"-And Nakuru would make a good prince, you're right about that, Eriol, and Kero-chan and Suppi-kun will be gnomes, I've even made the hats-
"Release! Sleep!
Before Nakuru could whimper about the impending loss of her Ôfeminimity,' Sakura had cast sleep over Tomoyo, who she lowered gently to the ground.
"We have half an hour before it wears off. I suggest we run or fly out of here as soon as possible," the Card Mistress said, standing up with her wand and Sleep in her hand. "Syaoran?
"Yes," he squeaked, knowing whatever Sakura asked his answer would be yes.
"You were saying your mom wanted us to come out and visit. Would today be a good time?
"I'm sure she wouldn't say no.
Sakura nodded briskly and turned to Clow Reed's reincarnation. "Eriol-kun, can you cover us for-
"I can call and get our tickets on the way to the airport," Eriol said quickly. "It's not a problem at all.
"All right. Let's get going, everyone! We need to be out of Tomoeda before she wakes up, Sakura said, and the small group scurried towards the door. "Kero-chan! Nakuru-chan!" The long-haired 'girl' and the winged cat turned around nervously.
"Have you two learned your lesson? Do you promise to behave from now on?," she asked in a voice they couldn't possibly say no to, mistress are not.
"Yes, Sakura-chan. I'll never do anything like this again. I like being a girl!" The last part she directed at Eriol, who gave no indication of whether she was in his good graces again. Tomoyo's costume choice was still on his mind.
"Yes, Sakura-sama," Cerberus said in his most grovelling voice, which he had well perfected by now. He paused a moment before continuing. "Does this mean I still get pudding?"
Silence met his question and the Beast of the Seal merely whimpered as he turned and headed back to the door.
"What are you planning to do with that?," Eriol asked Sakura, who had picked up the Twister sheet and spinner, as they slipped out the front door. Ahead of them, the guardians, boyfriend and older brother led the way.
"I'll find an appropriate place for it," Sakura replied, a smile finally tugging at her lips, and Eriol knew well enough to leave it at that.
******
When Tomoyo woke up to an empty house half an hour later, she didn't know whether to be amused or annoyed. It would be a logn, long time before Kero-chan or Nakuru would behave so foolishly again, but she had been looking forward to her new video! Didn't they know her videos were her life?
As she stepped outside, trying to see how far they had gone, something caught her attention.
The brightly colored Twister board hung off one of the many statues that adorned the front lawn, the spinner lying on the ground beneath it. As Tomoyo picked up the spinner, she saw Sakura's distinctive handwriting, even if it looked a bit rushed.
"Tomoyo-chan,
Sorry for having to run out on you - and for the Sleep card, but we promise we'll do a video for you when you come back. Except no gnome costumes for Suppi or fairy costumes for Eriol and Yue. Eriol doesn't know about Nakuru yet, he'll let you know. You can dress Kero-chan in whatever you want. We'll be back in a few days, you'll have the costumes by then!
Love,
Sakura
p.s. - Is there anyway you could make a costume for Syaoran? It'll be a surprise!"
As Tomoyo clutched the board to her chest and smiled, she realized in spite of everything, she really had won the game, after all.