More Than You Think You Are
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or Card Captor Sakura.
I've decided to replace the previous chapters of this story with the re-write mostly because I hate that I've got all these chapters just gathering (metaphorical) dust on my computer. Hope you enjoy.
Because that the Pokemon fandom tends to be (for lack of a better word) less Japanese oriented than most anime fandoms, I've got a massive set of notes at the end of the chapter for cross referencing peoples names, Japanese words, and naming conventions. Apparently I was very thorough when I wrote this.
Summary: CCS AU. Satoshi is a young mage entrusted with the task of collecting the mystical clow cards, who for some reason, and despite Kasumi's best efforts, would much rather be Shigeru's rival. As the three battle to collect the cards (aided by Takeshi and Natsume), they begin to wonder if maybe this is not the place they are supposed to be and find that they must each give upsomething important in order to return to their own world and where they belong. Pokeshipping, Mangashipping & Rocketshipping.
More Than You Think You Are - Knock on Wood
"Oh my gosh," Ayumi gaped as Satoshi recalled what had happened at lunch to his two best friends. He had obviously – for Ayumi's sake – left out some key details. "What a BITCH!"
"Ayumi-chan," Takeshi cautioned, but she continued unabated.
"I mean, who does that bitch think she is trying to take the cards like that? I can't believe that slut would try something," she exclaimed loudly.
"Ayumi-chan," came another caution, this one from Satoshi. "She's not-"
"Oh my gosh," she gaped, cutting him off. "You're not seriously defending her after what she did? That bitch attacked you on school grounds, and you're freakin' defending her."
"I'm not defending her," Satoshi insisted, "I'm just-"
"Standing up for her?" Aymui suggested sardonically. "Putting in a good word? Any other euphemisms or synonyms you want to try?"
"I guess I can kinda see where she's coming from," he tried despondently. "She said it was her destiny and she had been training for it her whole life, and I took that away from her."
"And the fact that she's all blue-eyed and long-legged has nothing to do with it," she muttered spitefully under her breath. It was a good thing Satoshi hadn't heard her, as he probably only would have made matters worse by correcting her appraisal of Kasumi's eye colour.
She almost growled aloud at the thought of Seijou High's latest student. It just wasn't fair at all. She was Satoshi's best friend, and she had always hoped that the hormones finally kicked in that Satoshi would start to see her as more than a friend, but suddenly this girl shows up out of the blue, and he immediately stats fawning over her.
'What does a girl have to go to get some attention from the boy?' Ayumi asked herself angrily. 'Dye my hair red?'
"What did she say exactly?" Pika cut in, curious for more details of their new opponent.
"She said she was Clow Reed's descendant," Satoshi explained. "She had this . . . thing – she called it a 'laizen board' – and she said it was made by Clow to help collect the cards."
"What was her name?" Pika asked.
"Kasumi," Satoshi answered, almost savouring her name as it rolled off his tongue.
"Yawa," Ayumi added moodily, replying before Pika could admonish Satoshi for his unhelpful response.
"So I take it she is a member of the Yawa clan? They are descendents of Clow Reed's mother," Pika guessed thoughtfully. Satoshi nodded, remembering the use of the word 'clan' at some point. "If she's here, then she's probably the heir. She will be a very powerful magician. I think you should stay clear of her."
"I agree," Ayumi said quickly.
"I don't know," Satoshi replied. "Maybe she could help us. If she's as powerful as you say, wouldn't she make a better ally than an enemy?"
"And if she's as determined to have the cards as you say, do you really think she'd be willing to help you?" Ayumi replied pointedly.
"I just think we should give her a chance," Satoshi protested. "I don't want her as my enemy," he sulked.
"Well, I don't want her as a friend," Ayumi replied, raising her voice.
"Ayumi-chan," Takeshi cautioned once again, trying to calm her down before she said something she regretted.
"No, Satoshi needs to hear this," she replied, glaring at the two boys. "That girl is not the kind of person you want to be friends with, and you should just give up on trying to be anything to her. She's-"
The loud crash of thunder silenced her, and Ayumi jumped away from the window in fright.
Satoshi and Pika turned to one another with a look of understanding. "Clow card," they said at the same time.
"You guys go ahead," he told Takeshi and Ayumi, "Pika and I will meet you at the school."
"Alright," Takeshi nodded.
"Wait," Ayumi called, digging into her bag. "You have to wear this," she told him as she pulled out her latest creating. "No arguments. You've got to start looking like a card captor, especially if that slut's going to show her face."
"Ok, Ayumi-chan," he sighed, accepting the garments. He walked his two friends down the front door and said his goodbyes before heading back up to his room to change.
He attired himself quickly, pulling on a pair of comfy fighting cream trousers that were lose around the legs but cinched at the ankles. This was matched with a deep red, sleeveless v-neck tunic that came to mid-thing, and a black sash wrapped around his waist seemingly aesthetic rather than practical purposes. She even had a pair of soft-soled black slippers to match. All this made for easy manoeuvrability and nothing loose to catch himself on (Ayumi had learnt that lesson early on).
He closed his eyes and pulled the key from around his neck in order to summon his staff.
"Key that holds the power of darkness," he chanted in a low voice, "reveal your true to form to me. I, Satoshi, under contract command you, RELEASE!"
The key glowed in his palms, and grew to full size. He pulled out one of his cards, and tapped it with the staff. "FLY!" he called as the card and staff began to glow. Two large wings grew upon the staff, and within moments Satoshi and Pika took to the air in search of the latest card to be captured.
Everything was silent when they arrived at the school, but both Satoshi and Pika could still sense the card's presence nearby. It seemed to be biding its time, though what for was beyond them.
"Satoshi-kun, you look so kawaii!" Ayumi cheered upon seeing him, holding her handy cam up to her eye.
"Thanks," he replied awkwardly, looking helplessly at Takeshi.
The older boy just laughed. "Aw, c'mon, Sato," Takeshi encouraged. "You never know. Maybe Yawa-san will be here, and I know you want to dress to impress."
"That's what I was afraid of," Ash muttered to himself, blushing at the thought. He reminded himself that it was at least an improvement on Ayumi's last battle costume – he would have hated for Kasumi to catch him dressed in the layers upon layers of frills Ayumi had him in for his last capture.
Ayumi scoffed even though she had used the threat of the Hong Kong native to get Ash into the costume to begin with. "I doubt it," she replied haughtily, turning her back on the two boys. "Didn't she say she was going to leave us all to save ourselves?"
"She did say that, didn't she?" an unseen voice commented, mimicking Ayumi's haughty tone. "But I guess she wasn't as heartless as all that.
"You know it's bad manners to go about repeating conversations you weren't privy to," the voice added. "I really would have thought better of the one and only daughter of Gensou Hiro."
Ayumi reddened with anger, not liking at all what was being insinuated. She narrowed her eyes, trying to spot the speaker so that she could direct her glare appropriately.
"Oh just look what the cat dragged in," Ayumi muttered as she spotted the speaker atop the school hall, dressed in a long sleeved dark blue tangzhuang style robe split in four from the waist over black breeches and knee-high boots. She silently cursed her own taste when she noted that Satoshi and Kasumi's battle attire seemed to compliment one another.
"Where is the guardian beast of the seal?" Kasumi questioned. "I'd like to propose a challenge for the appointee."
She dived gracefully down from the roof, landing before the group with practiced ease. She raised an eyebrow in their direction as though waiting for applause, and Satoshi had to stop himself before he did just that.
"I am him," Pika said proudly, moving beside his chosen candidate.
"You?" she asked, scoffing in disbelief. "You are Pikachu? You are the guardian beast of the seal?"
He nodded proudly in assent.
Kasumi turned to the rest of the group. "You're all telling me that this stuffed animal is the Pikachu, the beast with the golden eye? The fierce creature that protects the seal of the Clow cards?"
They all nodded.
"We're all doomed," she concluded simply, flinging her hands dramatically into the air. "The fate of the world rests on you three bumbling fools and a stuffed animal. Great tragedy, here we come."
"Oh why you little . . ." Pika growled darkly.
Kasumi looked unimpressed. "What are you going to do to me stuffed animal? Cuddle me to death? I'd like to see that happen."
"You just wait," Pika muttered. "As soon as I'm out of my borrowed form, you'll really see what I'm made of. I'll beat you so bad even your family wouldn't recognise you."
"Like that's going to happen. Keep waiting, Pika-chan," she said airily. "That moron of yours couldn't even catch a cold."
With that Pika had just about had enough, he lunged at Kasumi and did the only thing he could. He bit her, hard.
"What the . . ." Kasumi exclaimed screaming obscurities in Cantonese at anyone who would listen to her.
Satoshi frowned. They were definitely looking more like enemies than allies in spite of Satoshi's wishes. He didn't really see what hope could be had when the girl of his dreams had already antagonised his guardian and one of his best friends. Takeshi, on the other hand, seemed to be thoroughly amused by the goings on.
Kasumi shook her hand wildly until Pika fell off. Before he could latch on again, Satoshi pulled Pika back and looked to Kasumi imploringly.
"You said something about a challenge," he said, watching her carefully.
She nodded. "If you are worthy of the role you have been given," she commented blandly, "you would be able to capture this card with very little trouble. As that is highly unlikely, I propose a challenge. Whoever captures this card will be the card captor."
"And what do I get?" Satoshi asked.
"To be the card captor."
"I'm already the card captor," he replied. "What do I get of out agreeing to your challenge? The way it stands there isn't anything in it for me. I could refuse your challenge and be in the exact same position as if I won. I reckon you'd be in a better mood that way."
Kasumi growled in response. She knew he was right. The smirk that settled on his face told her she wasn't the only one who knew it. "What do you want?" she acquiesced tightly.
'A kiss?' his mind suggested immediately, and he tried to block out that first thought. It was certainly an appealing one, but he doubted Kasumi would agree with him on that one. He certainly wouldn't be getting a kiss form her, at least not tonight.
"I don't want you to be my enemy," he said finally, thinking back to his previous conversation with Takeshi, Pika, and Ayumi. "We don't have to be friends, at least not unless you want to, but I don't want us enemies. We can both collect the cards without being enemies, right?"
"Whatever," she muttered in response. "I don't see what difference it makes. I doubt you'll win."
"Of course he'll win," Pika interrupted. "Satoshi is the card captor, and you're just some whiny little girl."
"Guys," Takeshi spoke, trying to get their attention.
"We'll see," Kasumi muttered. "You can hardly trust a stuffed animal to make such a momentous decision."
"Guys," he tried again, slightly louder this time.
"Don't say that about Pika," Ayumi cried.
"Guys!"
"I can say what I like about this sorry excuse for a digimon."
"GUYS!" Takeshi yelled, even louder than before.
"What?" Kasumi answered snarkily, answering for the group as a whole.
"I'm sorry to interrupt," Takeshi began, his tone unusually harsh, "but in case you guys haven't noticed, it's suddenly started pouring down with rain and there's some evil little piece of paper gone postal on the loose which has something to do with all this. Now this may just serve as a reality check for those of you who are way past the limits of the imagination already, but there's a bolt of lightning heading straight for us and guess what, water conducts electricity!"
They diverted their attention from their fight to the sky, only to discover that Takeshi was right. The sudden rain added a component of danger to an already volatile situation. Lightning flashed across the sky, and bolt of lightning directed itself towards them.
"Raitei shourai!" Kasumi called as she quickly summoned her own staff, and hitting it lengthways against the ofuda. She sent a powerful bolt of lightning up into the sky, the force striking back at the bolt aimed at the four companions and diverting it from its target.
Pika couldn't help but be worried by this. Lightning was a difficult element to master, but the girl seemed to have no problems controlling it. She used magic like a pro and controlled her staff as though it were another appendage.
"She's pretty powerful for a little girl," he admitted quietly.
"What did you say, you little rodent?" Kasumi growled, turning her attention away from her task so she could glare at the guardian.
"Who you calling a rodent, gaki!"
"Gaki! Why you-"
As Kasumi and Pika were absorbed in their battle of wits, whatever was controlling the changing weather seized upon the opportunity they presented. Another bolt of lightning bolt flashed through the sky, this time aiming straight at Kasumi who was now unarmed and unawares.
Satoshi was sparked into action immediately, his body moving almost on its own accord. He rushed to her side, and using his momentum, pushed both of them out of range of the attack, which hit harmlessly where she had previously stood. Laying on top of her now with one arm around her back, and other on the ground supporting his weight, he looked imploringly into her eyes, silently questioning if she was ok.
"We've got to stop meeting like this," he joked sheepishly, realizing they had been in an almost identical position earlier that day.
"Why did you save me?" she asked, her face full of confusion and what almost looked like admiration. "We're supposed to be rivals," she reminded him. "You're not supposed to save me."
He gave her a sweet crooked smile that made her heart stop momentarily. "Maybe I don't want to be your rival, Myst," he whispered quietly, lowering his head towards hers.
She almost didn't know what to think. "Ash, I-"
(A/N: No these are NOT typos!)
"Satoshi-kun!" Ayumi screamed angrily, breaking up the intimate scene that was forming. Their lips had been seconds away form meeting, but after Ayumi's cry the two jumped apart as quickly as possible.
Satoshi glanced up at the sky waiting for an attack. "How can we defeat something we can't even see?" he asked aloud, glaring up at the sky. It was the only thing he could do to stop himself from glaring at Ayumi. All he wanted to do was kiss his rival, and Ayumi had stood in the way of that. He had never wanted anything so much in his life – Kasumi had to be his even if she killed him for thinking so.
He noted the warning flash lit up the sky and quickly called a card to aid them. "Shield!" he called, tapping the card with his sealing ward as he called forth the protective dome that encased all five of them. On instinct he moved closer to Kasumi, and used his body to partly shelter hers as lightning struck the barrier.
"Are you ok?" he asked, glancing down at her.
"Why wouldn't I be?" she growled, backing away quickly. "I am perfectly capable of looking after myself you know, Ketchum. One time is more than enough."
"I know, but . . ." he began, but trailed off as his desperate gaze was met with a look of disdain. "Never mind. I guess next attack is yours."
She rolled her eyes at his suggestion. "It won't attack us now, at least, not while the shield is protecting us. All the times it has attacked have been when we were distracted. It knows we're prepared, so it will look for someone who isn't wai-"
"Otouto-chan?" a voice questioned, cutting her off before she could finish. "Satoshi-kun, what the hell are you doing here?"
"Onee-chan?" Satoshi asked questioningly as he turned towards the source of the voice.
Kasumi also turned to the voice, suddenly aware of thunders target. There sat a girl of seventeen or eighteen with long pink hair and bright blue eyes on a gold coloured mountain bike. She was the perfect target in the eyes of thunder, completely unaware of any attack that might strike, she held a magical aura similar to the card captor's and better still she was seated upon an object sure to conduct the full attack.
"It's her," Kasumi said softly. "It's after her now."
"Huh?" Ash said wondering what she was on about.
"Tell her to get off the bike," Kasumi said suddenly her tone commanding and direct.
"Why?" he asked.
"We're in the middle of a magical thunderstorm," Kasumi used as a quick explanation. "Just tell her to get off the bike. It's not safe."
"Musashi-chan, get off the bike," Satoshi yelled at his sister trusting Kasumi's judgment.
"You twerp, what the hell are you on about now?" Jesse screamed at her little brother moving herself off the bike slightly.
"Please, onee-chan, just trust me," he begged.
Jesse sighed and slowly got off her bike and began to walk away.
"When I say so, lower the shield," she whispered quietly to Satoshi. He nodded slowly, trusting her completely. She closed her eyes, concentrating on building up her power as thunder was. The beast was about to strike and she needed all the magic she held within her to be able to fight back.
"Now," she cried as a bright bolt began to descend from the sky.
"Shield, return!"
"Raitei shourai!" Kasumi commanded, forcing all of her power into a single blast to counter thunder.
Musashi was thrown aside in the blast of the two forces meeting in the middle and knocked unconscious. It was better this way that she didn't know what games her brother had been caught up in.
Riachu, the thunder beast, now in his true form pounced to the ground glaring at the sorcerers through coal black eyes. His hair coursed with electricity standing on end as each waited for the other to make its move.
"You need to hold it down before you can capture it," Pika told him seriously.
Satoshi nodded, fanning the deck in his hands. He began to reach for windy, but saw Takeshi give a brief, almost imperceptible shake of his head. The older boy glanced up at the sky, and Satoshi immediately understood his intent. It had to be a moon card, and windy wouldn't do.
"Shadow!" he called, separating the card from the deck, and activating it as he had the others. "Confine thunder in yourself."
The dark shadows quickly spread towards the beast. They shot up from the ground, taking the creature unawares as they wrapped tightly around the beast, just as the master had instructed.
Satoshi held up his sealing wand once it was clear that thunder would not be free. "Return to the form you were meant to be! Clow card!"
The two cards dispelled, their spirits absorbed into the cards, both of which drifted towards Satoshi who held out his hands to receive them.
"I guess you win," Kasumi said, her voice empty of emotion. "I will accept your appointment," she added, turning her eyes towards Pika-chan.
Satoshi frowned, not liking her dark response. "It's not so bad," he joked, trying to lighten the sombre mood that had fallen upon them. "It's not like you have to be my friend or anything."
"Aren't I the lucky one," she commented sardonically.
"Kasumi-chan," he said gently, ignoring his own manners for the time being, "thank you."
"For what?" she asked, a slight blush staining her cheeks.
"For saving my sister," he replied. "I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't."
"Just repaying the favour," she said quietly as she slinked away.
"What happened?" Musashi asked as she finally woke up in a dazed state. Her eyes immediately found their way to her broken bike, which had been thrown to the side like she had in the blast.
"You almost got hit by the lightning," Satoshi lied to her as he helped his sister to her feet. "Let's go home," he suggested to which she agreed.
"Let's," she agreed. As she closed her eyes shut for a second a prophesy of the future flashed behind her closed lids.
'They don't even know what they're fighting for yet,' she thought to herself as she and her brother pushed the battered up bike home. 'And for now it's better that way.'
~ to be continued ~
Next chapter: Kasumi reports back to Hong Kong on her process.
Notes:
Knock on Wood: From the song of the same name. Chorus: Like thunder. Lightning. The way you love me is frightening . . .
Takeshi Nibi: Brock Slate
Satoshi Ketchum: Ash Ketchum.
Yamato Syoku: Cassidy (Team Rocket)
Kasumi Yawa: Misty Waterflower
Tangzhuang: A type of Chinese clothing worn by men and women. Usually has a mandarine collar and fastens at the front. I have a drawing, but it is very difficult to describe what it actually looks like. A bit like what Ranma wears, but this one falls down to the knee.
Raitei shourai: Chant to call lightning.
Ofuda: Magical parchment.
Gaki: brat. Very impolite.
Otouto-chan: Little Brother.
Onee-chan: Older sister. Informal = 'Nee-chan.
Musashi Ketchum: Jesse (Team Rocket).
