"Quick, back to the school!" Kero said, and Yori ran as fast as he could, breathing heavily by the time they reached the playground. It started getting dark, though the sun certainly had not set yet, casting shadows everywhere. "Something doesn't feel right," the little lion added.
"I-I'm scared, Kero," Yori said, clutching the Star Wand tightly.
"Listen to me, nothing can hurt you so long as I'm around! And with two cards at your disposal, you can put up a fight against whatever happens!" As Kero floated there, giving Yori his pep talk, he failed to notice the shadow he was casting on the ground, or the one behind Yori. Suddenly, Kero's shadow raised up and grabbed him, muffling him.
"Kero!" Yori shouted, but he backed away from the Shadow, scared. He bumped right into his own Shadow behind him, which moved to grab him. Yori screamed, and the Shadow wrenched the Star Wand from his hand, letting it fall to the ground with a thud.
The two struggled, and heard the Nothing speak, "You see, Keroberos, the Cards are tired of Masters coming and going, only to come and go again. They don't care so much anymore about having fun and messing with people. Some Cards, well, they have a certain target. And that target is the person who Keroberos named Card Captor."
Kero bit down hard on the physical form of the Shadow, forcing it to release him. Then he flew towards Yori. "Yori, hang in there!"
The Nothing laughed, "I'm having fun! Are you?"
Kero bit and scratched at Yori's shadow until it let go and retreated to the light post nearby. Yori dropped to his knees, breathing heavily. His heart was racing.
"Yori!" came the shout and Kero looked up to see Ren running towards them, Sword materialized. "Jump!" he shouted, and the wings appeared on his shoes as he leapt towards them the rest of the way. The Shadow rose up to meet him, but he sliced it back. "Yori, are you alright?" Ren asked, sounding more concerned than he meant. He knew his brother's health had never been that great. He rounded on Kero. "This is why I wanted the responsibility! Yori is too young, he's too sick! You can't expect him to be able to fight, especially not Cards like that!"
Kero said nothing, and Ren turned around. The Nothing appeared before him. "Brothers shouldn't fight each other. Though, it does make the game more interesting!" Suddenly the Shadow materialized behind her, and she skipped out of the way as the Shadow moved to attack Ren, who sliced back again.
"Jump!" he shouted, ignoring the Nothing and only looking at the Shadow. "Element, Wind!" From out of nowhere, a wind picked up, surrounding the Shadow in a miniature hurricane. Ren landed and advanced towards the Shadow. "Shadow, return to your power confined!" he said forcefully, taking his sword and stabbing it downward, summoning the card form. Within moments, it was over. Ren looked back towards Yori, who was still on his knees, frozen. The older brother glared at the sight, and with a look at Kero, he stalked off as the Sword returned to its pouch.
"Yori…" Kero said, looking at the kid. The Nothing, which had not disappeared, suddenly fell to the ground, unconscious. Kero gasped. "Ichiru-chan?" he said, flying over to her. Her eyes fluttered open.
"Hello," she said softly, "you must be…a friend of Yori-kun's…" before collapsing again.
High in a tree in the distance, stood a tall figure, his eyes narrowed. "What a weak child," he said before disappearing.
Ren walked home, brooding the entire time. He was supposed to protect Yori, that was his job. So why was Yori chosen and not him, by Keroberos, to capture the Cards? Obviously the Cards could answer to him as well! He had three! Ren's eyes glazed over as he stopped walking.
"Ruby Moon," he said, "Spinel Sun." At his command, the two appeared.
"My, my," Ruby Moon said, "He knows who we are now. Perhaps he's found some of those pesky memories Eriol and Sakura left lying around."
Ren glared at them. "I don't know what you're talking about, all I know is that I heard your names spoken and I repeated them. So you're that strange cat I was speaking with. You've gotten quite large."
Spinel lifted his head. "This is my true form. Unlike Keroberos my power doesn't rely on the Cards in the book to change at will. I can't keep this form for very long at a time, however."
"So where does your power come from?" Ren asked. Ruby grinned.
"You," Spinel said, drawing a look of surprise from Ren. "We don't know why, or how. But we were created well after Sakura became a Card Captor. Our power is not directly linked to the Cards or to the Master of the Cards. Eriol is no longer with us but you are, and for whatever reason, you are the source of our power. Until you grow stronger, Ruby Moon and I cannot keep our true forms indefinately."
Ren smirked. "I see." With them, I can show Keroberos who the rightful Master is! And…I can protect Yori, too.
The next morning, Yori stayed in bed. Ren, however, was up and out quite early. Kero sat in the window, watching Yori, quite worried. "I haven't made a mistake," he said to himself. "Yori must be the one to master the cards!"
"Yori!" came his mother's voice. "Get up, I know it's Saturday but you shouldn't sleep in so late!" Kero panicked, hearing her come up the steps, and quickly hid under the bed. Moments later, the door opened, and a tall, beautiful woman peered in. Her black hair was pulled up in a smart bun and her thin, rectangular glasses lay neatly on her nose. She looked too modern for the traditional Chinese clothing she wore. Kero watched in awe as she walked with an air of complete confidence and power. I haven't seen someone this amazing since Syaoran's mother…but…no, she can't be. SHE'S their mother?
She sighed. Yori was sound asleep, exhausted. Bending over, she pulled the covers up over Yori and felt his forehead, then turned and left, closing the door softly. Kero immediately came out of his hiding spot and flew to the door, opening it slowly, and slipping out.
"Ah, Ju Lan, it's good to see you again," Kero said, sitting on the table in front of Yori's mother. "I didn't know that you were their mother."
The woman looked up, and her eyes widened behind her small glasses. "K-Kero-chan?"
"I'm back JuLan! Can you believe it?"
Li JuLan looked almost like a child again as she flung her arms around the tiny animal. "Kero-chan I've missed you so much! But…you're here now? Why? Is it really… are they really…?" Down to business; the nicecities and nostalgia could wait. Usual JuLan.
"I'm afraid so JuLan, the Star Cards have awakened. Hopefully for the last time."
"Will Sakura's spell come true then?"
"We won't know until after the Final Judgement, after the Cards have been transformed… maybe not even until after this Master's lifetime."
"Then you've found your Candidate?" JuLan paused, her eyes then narrowed. She sighed and looked sadly at Kero. "Please don't tell me. Not my boys, please tell me you haven't chosen one of them."
Kero hung his head. "I'm sorry JuLan. I know you've always been a very down-to-earth person, so I can't pretend like either of them won't be in danger."
"Which one is it?"
"Well, that's the part that's difficult to explain-" suddenly the living room door burst open, and the two could hear JuLan's husband enter the home.
"Sweetie! You'll never guess! You'll just never guess! Ah, Ju? Where are you?"
JuLan and Kero were already scrambling. "Ah, I'm- in the kitchen dear!" Kero was frantically flying around, finally JuLan opened a cabinet door, and before Kero had a chance to react, she grabbed him by the tail and tossed him inside, slamming the door just as Katsuke walked in. "Welcome home," she said.
Katsuke looked at her, eyebrow raised. JuLan's hair was out of place and her glasses were askew, something odd for the prim and proper Li Clan daughter. Katsuke shrugged. He was used to strange things, though he thought perhaps they would have stopped once they left the Li Mansion.
A/N: Alright, apologies for the short chapter! And unfortunately only one this week. I'm starting to catch up to what I have written already!
I introduced a new OC; JuLan, who was Sakura and Syaoran's youngest granddaughter. I wanted her to remind everyone of Syaoran's mother, as far as how regal and strict she is, but very much more "modern." I imagine her alwayswearing sharp business suits and skirts, unless it's Saturday or she's not working, when she is decked out in regal, traditional clothing. No casual for her, ever!
This is probably the only time you'll see Katsuke. He's really not important, but I want to tell you a little about him. He is the exact opposite of JuLan, a prankster of sorts, always casual or disheveled looking. He is an architect and tends to designs fun houses and amusement parks for a living. JuLan does not appear to have a sense of humor, but Katsuke is always able to make her laugh, and when she does crack a joke, it's funnier just because she's the one who said it. Where JuLan does not believe in rest, Katsuke is almost always sleeping, unless he's designing something new.
Not sure why this is important... I like well-rounded characters.. And I wanted you to have this in mind any time either JuLan or Katsuke is mentioned. JuLan is also a pun on "Julian," the English version's name for Yukito :3
Hope you enjoy!
