Mirror Image
"Hello, Sakura." Tomoyo sang as she opened the door, "Come in.
Mom bought some desserts at a new French store."
Sakura smiled, and raised her eyebrows, "Sounds very delicious."
She walked in the brightly lit entry way. Tomoyo closed the door
smiling. There was more to this visit than desserts. The two
walked into the sunny family room. Today was a day to plan ahead,
a day to look through their future which lay in college. The two
sat down in the chairs and looked over all the brochures, contemplating
colleges, comparing and contrasting, but basically having a good time being
two young girls. But hidden in the shadows lay a question.
........
Yue decided that he would consult Cerberus about this darkness.
Yue was beginning to ponder if a new threat could be upon them, but more
importantly him. Who was that figure that stood out against the moon?
In a strange way it reminded him of himself during the final judgment,
but there was something dark about him. It was strange that he did
not feel cool, as he usually did, but instead he felt as if a fire was
burning inside him. This was most unusual.
In the day time his fears did not seem so frightening as they had appeared
the night before, and as he walked up to Sakura's room (where the sounds
of the video game could be heard) he felt quite pleasant actually.
As he walked up the stairs he thought, This is where Sakura sleeps.
This is her room. Her sanctuary. But even as he realized these
things, he knew he would have to suppress the thoughts which floated up
to him like bubbles in water. Suddenly, he felt weak, as if it was
a night of no moon. But worse. He stumbled a bit on the stairs.
It took him a moment to calm himself down, and to find his strength again.
The fears were no longer hidden, but where as plain as day. He opened
the door to where Kero was playing a racing game. The yellow figure
turned around, and then said cheerfully, "Yo, Yue!" As Yue shuffled
by he pressed the button, and the TV went black.
"What are you doing?? I didn't save that game!" he shrieked hysterically.
"This is no time for games." Yue whispered in a most serious voice.
His voice echoed through the room, making the effect much graver.
Kero understood and sat down. Something in Yue's eyes was not right.
They did not reflect, but instead were flat. The room was quiet.
"Kero." Yue said quietly. "I don't know what is happening.
I feel as if darkness is closing in on me."
Kero sat on the bed, looking up at him quietly. As he did so
he realized that this situation might be more serious then he believed,
and so he transformed quietly. His wings wrapped around his frame,
and he emerged as the guardian beast, as he should be, in his true form.
He spoke, softly, but not seriously.
"Yue, I think that all this could be is your powers returning to you.
After all, a new phase of the moon has started." Cerberus explained.
"No!" shouted Yue, however he calmed himself. Why was he
so nervous? Why was he so afraid? "No. This is unlike anything I have ever
felt. I should be returning to my regular powers...but, I feel it
is being sucked up by something dark growing inside me."
Cerberus remained quiet, his gaze focusing for a moment at the moon
which was high in the morning sky. Its white edges blended in with
the fresh blue. This news did not come as a surprise, no. It
was something that would happen to Yue, if his feelings got a hold of him
like this. But, so far there was nothing to be worried about, but
deep in the back of his mind he felt unnerved.
The two remained quiet, listening to the sounds of the world.
The sounds of the birds outside the window, the sound of the refrigerator
downstairs in the kitchen, the sounds of the car that drove by.
........
"The tea is delicious." Sakura smiled as she sipped it.
"It's English Breakfast tea, I decided to get something new." Tomoyo
explained as she popped a strawberry into her mouth. She studied
Sakura from across the table. She was hiding something. For
the first time in five years she was hiding something that she could not
even tell her. Tomoyo felt hurt, but she thought she had a guess as to
what was troubling Sakura. The two remained quiet, sipping tea, and
eating strawberry short cake.
It was unlike Sakura to be so quiet, very unlike her. She seemed
disoriented, and questioning. Her eyes held a mystery, or a fear
perhaps. Tomoyo knew that Sakura would ask the question, the question
of course was why Sakura had come over, but the two pretended it was for
colleges. It could not have been Li, for long ago she realized Li
was gone forever, like the summer wind on an autumn day. She studied
Sakura. Indeed, she had become a women. She had grown, and
was now tall and could now go up to about the height of Touya's shoulder.
It perhaps was not as tall as Sakura would have wished it, but for now
it seemed fine. Her hair was now a tad longer from what it had been
five years ago, it now splashed over her shoulders a bit, its deep rich
color complementing the color of her skin beautifully. But it was
her eyes that were her most beautiful and treasured feature. The
green emerald eyes which seemed deep and never ending. They sparkled
as if flecks of jade or silver continually swam in the depths.
Those eyes now met with Tomoyo's. The time had come at last.
"Tomoyo." Sakura began slowly, carefully choosing her words.
"Have you noticed a difference in Yukito or Yue?"
Tomoyo thought for a moment, "What do you mean?" It was true
that she had not, but now that she thought back on it the two did look
different, as if they were rather sickly.
"Well...Yue looks as if he weak, and as if he is suffering from a flu
or something- and Yukito, he looks almost transparent, like he did before
Touya gave Yue has power." The world was quiet as the two contemplated
the facts. Sakura spoke again, this time fear in her voice, "Do you
think he is loosing his power, do you think I am not strong enough?"
Her eyes were now was turbulent as a storm. Tomoyo smiled softly,
as she rested her hand onto Sakura's. "Don't worry."
Sakura smiled, a quiet sad sort of smile, but never the less, a true
smile. "I won't. I trust Kero and Yue. If something is going
on, I am sure they would tell me."
Tomoyo nodded, slowly, "I am sure they would. They have your
trust, and you have theirs."
The mid day sun filtered in through the windows as the two shared a
cup of tea, quietly talking about life.
.....
Cerberus finally spoke, a quiet sort of tone, but firm in resolution,
"Yue. I cannot yet even begin to guess what is happening. If
this continues after the moon has become full, then we will look into the
matter more closely."
Yue sighed, a deep, long sigh, full of apprehension.
He his eyes flicked from one object to one, the open window, her bed
which never seemed to change, the pictures resting against book shelves,
all seemed the same and yet different. The image of Sakura flashed
in front of his eyes, her smile, her eyes, her body, her soft cool hands,
and then his eyes became less harsh. Sakura always had that effect
on him. She could melt even the thickest ice. That was why
he had now come to love her. To love her? Did he love her? To love
was something he should not do. He had opened his heart to Clow,
and look where that had left him. Alone. Alone for so long.
And now, he had fallen again. Was he really that weak? He did
not want to open his heart to her. It was better to have the two
classes clearly defined. She was his mistress, he was the servant.
He had, and must bury emotions. He could never tell Sakura he loved
her. He could never be so open as that. And so, he buried his
feelings, his longings, his desires. He was meant to be cold, and
impersonal, and he would stick to that. He buried this, deep, down,
into the dark.
He blinked, the world seemed hazy, and as if everything had turned
from black to white. The dark and the light did not mingle but were
as separate as night and day. The dark color washed over him, and once
again the vision was at his feet. The eyes opened, starring at him,
glaring, full of darkness and lust. The eyes were the color of the
fog on the English moors. Black diamonds glinted in the eyes glinted
viciously at him. And then once again the darkness washed over him,
and he felt a hot hand on the back of his neck. He heard a whisper
in his ear, the whisper of a thick, low, voice. "Sakura..."
He could feel the body pressed against his back, suffocating him with the
heat. He knew it was not there, and it was only the vision, but it
felt so real. So very real that it was frightening. The vision
stopped. He looked around, but that was only for a brief while.
Cerberus was now standing, his mouth was moving, and yet no words came
out, he could hear nothing. Suddenly, the feeling of cool wind blew
over him. He knew this feeling very well, for when he transformed
back to Yukito, this was how it always felt. He did not want to turn
into Yukito, but he was changing against his will. This had never
happened. A second before the wings wrapped around his body, his
lips moved and the words, "Don't tell Sakura." flooded out of his mouth.
It was too soon. Telling Sakura would have to wait, for now at least.
Yukito's eyes opened. The first words out of his mouth were, "Something
bad is happening, I can tell." Kero, who was now back in his smaller
form, silently nodded. He knew what was going to happen, a
fortnight from the full moon, when the dark sky was upon them. Yukito,
his eyes full of worry, gently scratched Kero on the head, and let himself
out of the house. The morning sun was no longer so comforting.
Sakura returned home to find Kero playing video games. Nothing really seemed to have changed much, everything seemed fine, but she could not help but wonder. She scooped up Kero, who instantly complained that 'he had not even saved the game!' But she paid him no mind as she spun him round and round, and when the two were extremely dizzy, she laughed aloud, "Why don't we invite Touya and Yukito over tonight?" Kero's face, for a moment faltered when the word Yukito was said, but he quickly smiled, crying out, "Wai Wai! And dessert? What about dessert? Can we have cake? No! Pudding! No! Pudding and cake!" Sakura laughed as she quickly said, "How about....gyoza and salmon, and then for dessert, how about..mmm, how would cake and pudding sound?" Kero then when into suggesting the different kind of pudding they could make, and the flavors, and the kind of frosting for the cake.
The two spent a cheerful afternoon cooking, and around four o'clock
she called Touya, "Would you like to come over for dinner tonight?
I made gyoza, one of your favorite."
Touya, leaned against the wall of apartment, and he spoke kindly in
the phone, "Sure, I'll be over around six with Yuki." Touya's eyes
glanced over to Yukito who was pouring himself a glass of milk from the
refrigerator. His eyes lingered on Yukito's hands. They seemed
a little whiter, and his face had no color in it at all. It had been
like this for some time now. He would have to have a talk with Yue
and soon.
"Well then, I guess we will see you then." Sakura chirped into the
phone as she stirred the pudding over the burner.
"Wait- Sakura." His voice was now serious.
"Mm hmm?" She questioned as she scooped the pudding into a bowl
and placed it in the refrigerator.
"Has anything happened that I should know about? Is there a new enemy?"
he inquired.
Sakura blinked, and answered slowly, "No, nothing new. Why..."
Touya continued quickly, "Something seems wrong with Yukito.
He isn't sick, but he looks really weak."
Sakura cut in, "Yes, I noticed that too. If he does not tell
me soon, then I will have to ask Yue. I trust him."
Touya sighed a bit, "I wish I had your faith in Yue. Anyways-
we will see you tonight. Is dad going to be there?" His eyes
still lay on Yukito as he took a piece of bread out of the bread box.
Something was wrong, you could tell in his eyes. Even he knew.
"Un. Dad is going to be here. I hope the gyoza turns out
good." Sakura pondered as she put the cake batter into the oven.
"I am sure it will, monster." Touya laughed, "Well I'll see you
then."
"Okay." Sakura sighed.
When Touya hung up the phone, he thought about Sakura. She really
must be out of sorts if she did not yell at him for calling her a monster.
..........
AN: Okay, sorry this chapter is so short. I was going to make it longer, but I realize, that it would be better left for chapter three. Anyways, next chapter: Sakura questions Yue, and the darkness is revealed. Sorry this story is so dark. Anyways, hope you like it so far. ^_^;; Be sure to e-mail me at furinkoto_neko@yahoo.com, and read and review. tankyuu!
Kaye, how is it going? I hope not too bad. Atsu!
GOMEN NASAI: for any spelling!!! *bows sorrowfully
