Chapter 10: Halloween Havoc
K-channy: I didn't know that some of you guys didn't know that Yukito and Touya were gay!
Kasualyte-*CoughyaoifluffisK-channy'sbestcough*
K-channy: Shut up. N E wayz, I seriously didn't know that some of you guys didn't know. In the Japanese version, they make that o so clear. Pyro, when I read your review(s), I felt so bad.
K-chan: Suck it up, soldier.
K-channy: Shut up. I'm sorry, but in the begining, I wrote E+S, S+S, and Y+T. Check the first chapter. 'I think all you Y+T (Yukito and Touya, hey, there's nothing wrong with fluffy, Cardcaptor yaoi!) S+S, E+T (ET, baby! hee hee) lovers will... love it!'
I'm sorry, but that's exactly what I wrote. You guys could even check it.
Let us begin. (I gotsa 35 reviews last time I checked. I love you guys!(Like Yukito and Touya, I seully like guys)
Start POV Sequence
Syaoran: It's been one week since you looked at me
(K-channy is in a corner, laughing her head off.)
Sakura: Let me see your script.
(Shows Sakura his script)
Sakura: Stupid... K-channy switched the scripts. Your suppose to say: It's been one months since she told me.
Syaoran: K-channy!
(Chases K-channy around)
Sakura: Anyway! It's been one month and Syaoran's been taking it by stride. Better that I thought, actually. We've been talking a lot more, but I'm not sure how to take it. I can still remember his musky, sweet scent of him as I wrapped my arms around his waist to go home. We hopped on his bike and rode into the sunrise the next morning. I loved it so much....
Tomoyo: Eriol is the CUTEST THING IN THE WORLD...
Eriol: Really?
Tomoyo: Um... I wasn't s'pose to say it that loud... or think it that loud for that matter. Damn you, Clow Reed!
Singing
Yukito: Bunnies hophophop, Flowers growgrowgrow,
Touya: We are to-ge-ther, fo-or-ev-er!
STOP THE MADNESS!
Shall we continue?
End POV Sequence.
Usually, everyone would be delighted the day that Halloween came around. Perferably, everyone was in good spirits, except for Sakura and Syaoran. Other than April Fools Day, this was his day to play jokes on EVERYONE and not get in trouble. Last year, Sakura's senior year of high school, he put vanilla pudding in all of the girls gym shorts. When the girls entered the locker room, no one noticed because it was all foggy from the showers. Someone (Eriol) turned them on.
Sakura shivered. She hated the squishy feel of the pudding in her underwear.
Syaoran had quite a similar experience. It was during the fourth grade, Eriol took all of Syaoran's clothing and gave them to Mei-Lin He had nothing to wear that morning to school and had to beg his cousin for his clothing to no avail. It was only when the butler threatened her by saying now allowance from her parents this week did she present him with his clothing. Later on, he saw Eriol get paid big bucks by his cousin for his trick.
Syaoran shuddered to think what he would do this year. (Only God... and I know)
Sakura, Tomoyo and Eriol were all walking to their next class. (English) She was a bit weary of what Eriol was going to do. Tomoyo was rumaging through her bookbag. She jumped back and let a little scream come out when fake snakes popped out.
"ERIOL!" Tomoyo flamed. "I thought you said you would simmer down for a while."
"It wasn't me." Eriol shook his head. "Honest."
"Honest? You talk about being honest when you are the only person who could have?"
"I'm telling you, 'moyo, it wasn't me."
Sakura frowned. "Oh yeah, then who was it?"
"How do you expect me to know. Besides, I always 'fess up when ever I do a prank. I'm the first one laughing and the last one to stop."
Tomoyo shuddered. She didn't like not knowing who pranked her. But a little snag at the back of her head made her think 'Oh come on, think about all the times he did prank you. Do you really, truely, think he stoppped?'
She and her friends walked into the classroom, wondering who was pranking them.
Eriol sat down at his desk, and watched his friends sit down as well. Someone was posing as the king prankster, trying to take his title away from him.
"Class." Miaki-sensei said. "Please take out your textbooks from your desks and we will begin reading the story on page two twenty-eight.
Eriol opened his desk and screamed.
A bloody knife on top of his textbook on the page where they were suppose to read. Everyone came over to see.
"Is... is someone trying to kill us?" Sakura whispered in Eriol's ear.
He put a finger to his lips. "Wait..." Eriol sniffed. "This isn't blood. It's cherry syrup mixed with cherry soda." He picked up the knife. "The knife is fake too."
"Someone just freaked out the major prankster." Tomoyo whispered. She giggled for a moment before kissing his cheek.
"Well, if I get scared more, will I get more kisses?"
Tomoyo made a face. "Don't push you luck." she said in a dead pan voice.
Eriol shrugged, it was worth asking. She might have actually said yes.
They looked to Sakura, who had a frown on her face.
She wasn't interested in mindless jokes between the two love birds unless they had something to say about the pranker. She looked seriously distraught. What if the prankster was giving them clues about how they would kill them all? She shuddered and told her self mentally to calm down. Who would want to kill them now?
"Well," the teacher said, cutting through her thoughts. "Since Eriol won't be able to read with us, I think that I should read a poem by a student and see if we can decipher it, shall we?" She hurried the children into their desks and shuffled the pile of poetry around until she found one that she liked.
Sakura inwardly groaned. She hoped that it wasn't hers. She looked to Tomoyo who was looking at Eriol. It was obvious on who she wrote about and vice versa.
"This one," Miaki-sensei began, "suits the occassion." she sat down, got comfortable and pulled out a blown up, green balloon. "This one is called Trick or Treat and was written by a student not in this class. They're in my older classes and said that this piece was only to be written on Halloween, for unforseen sources can jump out and..." She took a tac and popped the balloon.
They all jumped.
"Grab you...." she threw the broken balloon bits into the trash and ruffled the paper a bit as she began to read.
'Halloween Night, All Hallows Eve...
Is a time when people run out to retrieve
A treat that all can try to percieve
But is a trick to the ones who don't give it...'
'It began as a game, but now it is not
For the game is now one on you
You give me my treat, no trick shall I do
If not, you will find yourself in a empty spot.'
'A can of snakes, a bloody knife...
Embaressment, a ghost in the place expected least
A chance to take what was once mine
A chance for you to die.'
The teacher looked up from the paper and smiled. "How did you like it?"
The students were totally entranced. Sakura shivered.
'Ghosts?'
*~(*~*~*)~*
Syaoran ran around with the others on the soccer field, watching the person with the soccer ball. Her black hair was tied into two balls on the top of her head and two flowing black ribbons which lifted as she ran. He began to think of a way to steal the ball without getting blamed by his cousin of purposely tripping her.
Syaoran ran into her line of vision. Mei-Lin looked to the corner of her eye and growled. Usually, she liked having Syaoran chase her. This was not one of those times.
"Your not going to steal from me, Syaoran." she mumbled, though he was gaining ground between them. He caught up to her and ran backwards in front of her. He weaved his foot in between her feet, not trying to trip her, but trying to gain possession of the ball. He would have actually completed the mission of getting the ball, but he looked up.
Sakura was watching the gym game from the stands with Eriol and Tomoyo. She was standing on the end of the metal fence, smiling. She waved at him. His feet caught up with his speed and tripped over themselves.
Sakura winced. Maybe she shouldn't have done that.
Syaoran shook it off, but it was too late. Mei-Lin made the goal.
"YEAH! OOOH, OOOH.... GO MEI-LIN, GO MEI-LIN..." She did her own dance to the beat in her head. The coach looked at his watch and blew the whistle. Girls won against boys, 10-9. Syaoran cursed at himself for not making the last goal. He looked up to Sakura, who was still in her wincing process.
She smiled ruefully. "Good game, Syaoran!" she called. He nodded to her and went to the locker rooms and pushed open the boys' locker room door.
"Syaoran!" Mei-Lin called. He turned and pressed his back on the door, letting anyothers come in without the hassle of holding the door.
"Hm?"
"Sakura said that she was sorry that you messed up." Mei-Lin grinned. "But we all know that you did it because you wanted to keep me happy, right?"
He made a face. "Huh?"
"Aw, come on! You know that you are in love with me and you just wanted to make me feel superior."
"Nani?"
"You don't have to play games with me, Syaoran. I know... don't worry." She pressed her fingers on his lips and smiled. Then walked away.
Syaoran shook his head. He would never understand her. He shut the door and went to his locker in the back as he took off his clothes, then headed to the showers. That was what he needed. A good shower to take him away from the craziness of women.
A charactor dressed in all black grabbed the items and stuffed them into a bag. Grinning happily, they snuck out of the room. The door swung the otherway, which read: Boys Locker Room....
Syaoran came out of the shower and searched his locker for his towel.
Not there.
He looked down for his clothes.
No where to be seen....
Syaroran gulped. How was he going to be able to get out of here with no clothing? He looked around to see others searching for their things and not succeeding.
"Syaoran?" yelled Yamazaki. (sorry, I have to put him in!) "Did you know that when a guy can't find his clothing, it means that a girl took it so that she could put it on a mannequin of the guy and place it in her shrine of the guy."
"Oh where is it hidden?" asked one of the other guys. "In the back of their closet?" (oh my god... I think I got that from a Hey Arnold! episode... I don't own that!)
"No, under their beds, but you are close!" Yamazaki said, happily.
Syaoran pondered for a bit. Did Sakura take his clothes? Or Mei-Lin? Or them both?
'Think about what you are thinking, baka!' Syaoran said. 'Your taking Yamazaki seriously.' The sheer thought of him saying that with no clothes on was just scary. Syaoran shook his head and turned. Yamazaki really needed to cover u-
"We need to think of a way to get out of here without being noticed." said one kid. Others joined him and soon they were on their merry way to go outside and demand their clothes.
Then they realized that to do that, they needed their clothes.
"I know, let's fold the shower curtains and tie them around our waists so that we could sneak out and go to our rooms for more clothes or something."
Syaoran wasn't sure... this didn't seem like such a good id-
"Come on!" the boys tied the things around their waists and ran outside.
Flashes of light and snaps of pictures were taken. Girls giggled and laughed as the boys struggled to keep their curtains up. Sakura passed by, seeing Syaoran and turned away.
Syaoran slamed his head on the wall. 'Why me, Clow Reed, why me?'
And then... his curtain fell...
*~(*~*~*)~*
Sakura shivered as she as she went in the Dance Hall alone. Ghosts were being hung from the ceiling and walls to give that certain 'effect' of Halloween. Plus witchs, bats, and black cats.
She looked at the note she had been given and re-read it.
Dearest Sakura,
I need you to meet me in the Dance Hall, today at 3:30pm sharp. I will make sure that it will be something to remember.
Love always,
...?
It was the not knowing of who sent it to her that made her shudder. Maybe she should get out of here, it could be the prankster. She turned on her heel and headed for the door, but heard a creak from the corner of the room.
"Sakura!" Tomoyo was at the door, eyes wide with shock. "Behind you!"
Sakura turned and screamed. One of the ghosts had apparently come alive, but it wasn't one of the real ghosts. It was the grim reaper.
Sakura bolted for the exit, but at the last step, it grabbed her by the waist and flew toward the ceiling.
"SAKURA!" Tomoyo reached up to grab her hand, but slipped through her fingers. It was too late. Tomoyo couldn't see Sakura any longer. She was too shocked to cry, but she took of her high heels and ran for the dorms. She reached Syaoran and Mei-Lin's and pounded on the door. "Open up, PLEASE, open the door!" her voice became hoarse with a cry in her throat.
No one answered.
Tomoyo slid down the door, tears forming in her eyes. She broke down and sobbed.
'I... I can't save her... I don't even know who's doing this!'
"Tomoyo?" Eriol and Syaoran hovered over her. She breathed a sigh of relief. Then remembered Sakura and broke down again.
"I... it's Sakura. She's in danger."
Eriol helped Tomoyo up and Syaoran opened the door. He heard the shower running and groaned. Apparently, Mei-Lin hadn't heard the door.
"Is that you, SyaoranLove?" Mei-Lin called from the bathroom. The water turned off and the door opened. She came out into the living room in nothing but a towel. "Ohh Syaoran! AHHH!" she shrieked and ran behind the wall. She poked her head out. "Why didn't you tell me that we had company?!?"
Syaoran thought for a moment, before answering. "I thought it would have been funny." he shrugged. "Get dressed and help us... something happened to Sakura."
Mei-Lin lowered her eyelids. One year ago, or even three months ago, Mei-Lin would have been happy about this. First, this would get Sakura out of the way for a while and she could work side-by-side next to Syaoran to find out what happened to her and how to get her back. Of course, he would only be thinking about Sakura throughout this, but she would still have liked the company.
Now she felt bad about it. She nodded and got dressed into a red tube top and blue jeans. She was still combing out her wet hair when she sat down next to Syaoran, who was listening intently to Tomoyo's story.
"I was passing by the Dance Hall to see if there was anything the Dance Committee needed help with. When I got to the door, I saw Sakura walking toward me, but a grim reaper/ ghostlike thing came out from the shadows. I warned her, but it grabbed her by the waist and began to fly her too the ceiling. I reached for her hand but..." Tomoyo hiccuped a sob. Eriol took her by the hand. "It.... slipped through my fingers like water."
Syaoran was thinking hard. "This is unlikely, but do you know who could have done it?"
Tomoyo shook her head. They were all lost in thought for a moment, then Eriol brightened.
"Tomoyo, do you remember that poem that was read in English class by Miaki-sensei?" Eriol asked.
Tomoyo thought for a moment. "Yes, but what are you getting at?"
"Well... okay." he leaned forward. "Think about it this way. What was the first prank that was in the poem?"
"A can of snakes." Tomoyo whispered.
"But who opened a can of snakes?" Syaoran asked.
Tomoyo raised her hand. "They were fake and in my bookbag. I opened it this morning and thought it was Eriol."
"The second thing was a bloody knife." Eriol said, grimly. "That was found in my desk approximately two minutes before we read the poem."
"Yeah, but once again, it was fake, with a fake concoction of blood."
"Precisely. It was even homemade. Now, who has time for homemade blood?" Eriol asked.
Mei-Lin slapped her forehead. "I don't think that's the point, Eriol."
"Anyway, then it said an 'Embaressment.'" Tomoyo went on. "Which one of us was embaressed today?"
Syaoran blushed. He knew what was coming.
"Syaoran! Because I kicked his butt in soccer." Mei-Lin stated, proudly. Syaoran exhaled a breath he didn't know he had been holding. They could believe that... for now.
Eriol made a face. "How was that embaressing?"
Tomoyo grinned. "Because it was in front of Sa-ku-ra!"
"Shut up, Tomoyo." He said, fiercely. But didn't seem to be able to take the blush off of his face.
"Back to the point." Eriol said. "Now if I'm correct, and we all know that I am, the whole day is following this poem that had to have been submitted way before first period." they all nodded. "Let's finish off the poem. Now, what's Sakura's biggest fear?"
"Ghosts." Syaoran smiled a little on how she clinged to him in the cave in fear of ghosts, when it was really the Erase card."
"Syaoran?... Syaoran?" Mei-Lin waved a hand in front of his face.
"It's no use." Tomoyo said, with a smile. "He's thinking about SA-KU-RA!"
That snapped him out. "Where?... I mean..."
"Okay... so, Sakura's afraid of ghosts, which is in the poem and she's chased by the grand daddy of ghosts... the grim reaper." Eriol frowned for a moment. "The last lines of the poem are a bit fuzzy. I can't remember them."
"Let's go ask Miaki-sensei for the poem." they began to leave, but stopped as they heard a voice.
"You aren't leaving with out me, were you?" Kero asked. They all groaned.
K-channy: Sorry, but ya can't leave the cutie named Kero behind, can you?
K-chan: Well, apparently, they can.
*~(*~*~*)~*
"Here you go, kids." Miaki-sensei handed them the paper. "Though I don't know why you would want it...."
"Arigatou." they chorused and left the room. They began to go back to the dorm as they looked it over.
"Well." Mei-Linsaid. "The poem is..." she cleared her voice.
'Halloween Night, All Hallows Eve...
Is a time when people run out to retrieve
A treat that all can try to percieve
But is a trick to the ones who don't give it...'
'It began as a game, but now it is not
For the game is now one on you
You give me my treat, no trick shall I do
If not, you will find yourself in a empty spot.'
'A can of snakes, a bloody knife...
Embaressment, a ghost in the place expected least
A chance to take what was once mine
A chance for you to die.'
"Whoa... was this kid deranged or something?" Mei-Lin asked. "A chance to take what was once mine... a chance for you to die." she repeated. "So he wants Sakura?" she turned to Syaoran, who was looking at the paper.
"The last lines wasn't what I was looking at..." Mei-Lin followed his gaze to the authors of the poem....
Jusenori and Kawaii.
Kero and Syaoran exchanged faces.
*~(*~*~*)~*
"No, I am NOT going to the dance as Tuxedo Mask to your Sailor Moon!" Syaoran yelled as he hopped over the couch.
Mei-Lin sprang up behind him. "Please!!! PLEASE!!"
"I will not be seen in PUBLIC with that thing."
"Aw, come on! Tomoyo and Eriol are going as Vampire Princess Miyu and Larva!" she whined. "It's better than going as Fuuma (Kamui 2) and Kanoe like I had originally planned!!"
"No!"
"Fine... What about Subaru and Seishirou?"
Syaoran stopped and gave her a look.
"Yyyyy-no!"
"PLEASE!!! I WANT TO STILL BE A CLAMP CHARACTOR, YA KNOW!! Besides, I don't think Sailor Moon fits my atittude... I'm more of a Sailor Venus or Saturn." she said.
'Or a Sailor Mars...' Syaoran thought. Then he made a face. 'How do I know that?'
She began to beg. "What about Suu and Kazuhiko from Clover?"
Syaoran raised an eyebrow. "Do you really want to die your hair white?"
"No... how about Kazuhiko and Oruha?"
"She's blond, ya know? What about Kamui and Kotori?" Syaoran reasoned.
"I don't want to have to die my head blond then CHOP IT OFF!!" she screeched.
"You know, we could go as the CLAMP charactors Sakura and Syaoran from that show Cardcaptor Sakura, it was really cute, because they were small and chibi and adorable, but they had to stupidly dub it to Cardcaptors.... wait, what am I saying?" Syaoran slapped his forhead.
"Fine... how about one of the Rayearth girls and you can be a CLAMP Detectives boy!" Mei-Lin asked grandly.
Syaoran blinked, then shook his head. "No... I'll take my limit as going as Subaru and Hokuto, but that's it!"
Mei-Lin sighed. "I'm not cutting my hair."
"Don't... we'll just say that you decided to come back to life and in the after life, you grew out your hair."
Mei-Lin smiled. "We could still go as a cute couple from CCS like Touya and Yuki-oh my god." she shook her head fiercely. "Where are we going to get the costumes? It's 6 'o' clock now and the party starts at 8."
"COSTUMES?" Tomoyo and Eriol fell through the door. Well, it was more like Tomoyo barged and Eriol fell through the door. Stars appeared in Tomoyo's eyes. "You have to have COSTUMES?"
Syaoran gulped. "Yeah... of Hokuto and Subaru..."
"Oh, that's easy. I'm Hokuto's reincarnation... only sweeter."
Everyone stared at Tomoyo.
Tomoyo shrugged. "What? You think he was the only one that was reincarnated?" she pointed to Eriol, who banged his head on the floor.
*~(*~*~*)~*
Usually, Syaoran wouldn't be caught dead in such an outfit, but Tomoyo-chan insisted. He was wearing Subaru's casual: Black, shiny spandex, a red half jacket and a small sombrero-looking hat. Altogether, he looked like Michael Jackson on crack.
Mei-Lin looked better, wearing the outfit that reminded him of Faye in Cowboy Be-bop. It was scary in a freaky sort of way. Her hair had been pinned up and spiked a bit to look like Hokuto. It worked, sorta, but it was good enough for the party.
Usually, he would have skipped the party, but tonight he was on a mission. They had all devised a plan that MIGHT save Sakura. Might being the key word. The thing was, Jusenori had to show up at the party. But why would he show if he had his prize?
Because the one who had the prize's heart had to be killed, like in the last lines of the poem: A chance to take what was once mine
A chance for you to die.'
He had already taken his prize... now the only way he could come is if he had bait.
Syaoran.
Syaoran, Mei-Lin, Tomoyo and Eriol reached the ticket booth. Kero poked his head out of Tomoyo's bag, looking like a stuffed animal.
"Hey!" Kawaii was at the door, selling tickets. "I thought you guys would come." She looked around at the group. "Where's Sakura?"
The friends looked at each other. Eriol cleared his throat. "Um... she had to go away for a while. She'll be back by the end of the night, though."
"Really." Kawaii said, softly. "Interesting."
They paid for their tickets and went inside, but before Syaoran walked in, Kawaii grabbed his arm.
"Listen... words from the wise."
'Be careful, fighter
For every step is harder
Then you make your move.'
"Heed my haiku, Syaoran, and you will go far. Just listen to the words from the wise." He looked into her eyes, which glowed an almost holy gold. Then she shook her head, let go of his arm and smiled.
"Have a... Happy Halloween." she said, slowly. Syaoran nodded and walked into the doorway. Little did he know of the smile on Kawaii's face.
***
Start POV Sequence
Syaoran: I have to find her... she has to be safe and in my arms again.
I need her to be alive... or else, I don't think I will be.
Mei-Lin: Syaoran is always thinking about Sakura, but what about me? He never thinks about me, and... that's begining to tick me off....
Tomoyo: I... Oh my god.... What if Sakura's d-de-dea-dead? What would I do, then?
Eriol: Why does this suddenly remind me of Final Destination?
K-clan: The next update won't be millions and millions of days, I promise. In fact, I'm working on the second part right now, as you read. Oh, and trust me, you guys will like the ending.
K-channy: I didn't know that some of you guys didn't know that Yukito and Touya were gay!
Kasualyte-*CoughyaoifluffisK-channy'sbestcough*
K-channy: Shut up. N E wayz, I seriously didn't know that some of you guys didn't know. In the Japanese version, they make that o so clear. Pyro, when I read your review(s), I felt so bad.
K-chan: Suck it up, soldier.
K-channy: Shut up. I'm sorry, but in the begining, I wrote E+S, S+S, and Y+T. Check the first chapter. 'I think all you Y+T (Yukito and Touya, hey, there's nothing wrong with fluffy, Cardcaptor yaoi!) S+S, E+T (ET, baby! hee hee) lovers will... love it!'
I'm sorry, but that's exactly what I wrote. You guys could even check it.
Let us begin. (I gotsa 35 reviews last time I checked. I love you guys!(Like Yukito and Touya, I seully like guys)
Start POV Sequence
Syaoran: It's been one week since you looked at me
(K-channy is in a corner, laughing her head off.)
Sakura: Let me see your script.
(Shows Sakura his script)
Sakura: Stupid... K-channy switched the scripts. Your suppose to say: It's been one months since she told me.
Syaoran: K-channy!
(Chases K-channy around)
Sakura: Anyway! It's been one month and Syaoran's been taking it by stride. Better that I thought, actually. We've been talking a lot more, but I'm not sure how to take it. I can still remember his musky, sweet scent of him as I wrapped my arms around his waist to go home. We hopped on his bike and rode into the sunrise the next morning. I loved it so much....
Tomoyo: Eriol is the CUTEST THING IN THE WORLD...
Eriol: Really?
Tomoyo: Um... I wasn't s'pose to say it that loud... or think it that loud for that matter. Damn you, Clow Reed!
Singing
Yukito: Bunnies hophophop, Flowers growgrowgrow,
Touya: We are to-ge-ther, fo-or-ev-er!
STOP THE MADNESS!
Shall we continue?
End POV Sequence.
Usually, everyone would be delighted the day that Halloween came around. Perferably, everyone was in good spirits, except for Sakura and Syaoran. Other than April Fools Day, this was his day to play jokes on EVERYONE and not get in trouble. Last year, Sakura's senior year of high school, he put vanilla pudding in all of the girls gym shorts. When the girls entered the locker room, no one noticed because it was all foggy from the showers. Someone (Eriol) turned them on.
Sakura shivered. She hated the squishy feel of the pudding in her underwear.
Syaoran had quite a similar experience. It was during the fourth grade, Eriol took all of Syaoran's clothing and gave them to Mei-Lin He had nothing to wear that morning to school and had to beg his cousin for his clothing to no avail. It was only when the butler threatened her by saying now allowance from her parents this week did she present him with his clothing. Later on, he saw Eriol get paid big bucks by his cousin for his trick.
Syaoran shuddered to think what he would do this year. (Only God... and I know)
Sakura, Tomoyo and Eriol were all walking to their next class. (English) She was a bit weary of what Eriol was going to do. Tomoyo was rumaging through her bookbag. She jumped back and let a little scream come out when fake snakes popped out.
"ERIOL!" Tomoyo flamed. "I thought you said you would simmer down for a while."
"It wasn't me." Eriol shook his head. "Honest."
"Honest? You talk about being honest when you are the only person who could have?"
"I'm telling you, 'moyo, it wasn't me."
Sakura frowned. "Oh yeah, then who was it?"
"How do you expect me to know. Besides, I always 'fess up when ever I do a prank. I'm the first one laughing and the last one to stop."
Tomoyo shuddered. She didn't like not knowing who pranked her. But a little snag at the back of her head made her think 'Oh come on, think about all the times he did prank you. Do you really, truely, think he stoppped?'
She and her friends walked into the classroom, wondering who was pranking them.
Eriol sat down at his desk, and watched his friends sit down as well. Someone was posing as the king prankster, trying to take his title away from him.
"Class." Miaki-sensei said. "Please take out your textbooks from your desks and we will begin reading the story on page two twenty-eight.
Eriol opened his desk and screamed.
A bloody knife on top of his textbook on the page where they were suppose to read. Everyone came over to see.
"Is... is someone trying to kill us?" Sakura whispered in Eriol's ear.
He put a finger to his lips. "Wait..." Eriol sniffed. "This isn't blood. It's cherry syrup mixed with cherry soda." He picked up the knife. "The knife is fake too."
"Someone just freaked out the major prankster." Tomoyo whispered. She giggled for a moment before kissing his cheek.
"Well, if I get scared more, will I get more kisses?"
Tomoyo made a face. "Don't push you luck." she said in a dead pan voice.
Eriol shrugged, it was worth asking. She might have actually said yes.
They looked to Sakura, who had a frown on her face.
She wasn't interested in mindless jokes between the two love birds unless they had something to say about the pranker. She looked seriously distraught. What if the prankster was giving them clues about how they would kill them all? She shuddered and told her self mentally to calm down. Who would want to kill them now?
"Well," the teacher said, cutting through her thoughts. "Since Eriol won't be able to read with us, I think that I should read a poem by a student and see if we can decipher it, shall we?" She hurried the children into their desks and shuffled the pile of poetry around until she found one that she liked.
Sakura inwardly groaned. She hoped that it wasn't hers. She looked to Tomoyo who was looking at Eriol. It was obvious on who she wrote about and vice versa.
"This one," Miaki-sensei began, "suits the occassion." she sat down, got comfortable and pulled out a blown up, green balloon. "This one is called Trick or Treat and was written by a student not in this class. They're in my older classes and said that this piece was only to be written on Halloween, for unforseen sources can jump out and..." She took a tac and popped the balloon.
They all jumped.
"Grab you...." she threw the broken balloon bits into the trash and ruffled the paper a bit as she began to read.
'Halloween Night, All Hallows Eve...
Is a time when people run out to retrieve
A treat that all can try to percieve
But is a trick to the ones who don't give it...'
'It began as a game, but now it is not
For the game is now one on you
You give me my treat, no trick shall I do
If not, you will find yourself in a empty spot.'
'A can of snakes, a bloody knife...
Embaressment, a ghost in the place expected least
A chance to take what was once mine
A chance for you to die.'
The teacher looked up from the paper and smiled. "How did you like it?"
The students were totally entranced. Sakura shivered.
'Ghosts?'
*~(*~*~*)~*
Syaoran ran around with the others on the soccer field, watching the person with the soccer ball. Her black hair was tied into two balls on the top of her head and two flowing black ribbons which lifted as she ran. He began to think of a way to steal the ball without getting blamed by his cousin of purposely tripping her.
Syaoran ran into her line of vision. Mei-Lin looked to the corner of her eye and growled. Usually, she liked having Syaoran chase her. This was not one of those times.
"Your not going to steal from me, Syaoran." she mumbled, though he was gaining ground between them. He caught up to her and ran backwards in front of her. He weaved his foot in between her feet, not trying to trip her, but trying to gain possession of the ball. He would have actually completed the mission of getting the ball, but he looked up.
Sakura was watching the gym game from the stands with Eriol and Tomoyo. She was standing on the end of the metal fence, smiling. She waved at him. His feet caught up with his speed and tripped over themselves.
Sakura winced. Maybe she shouldn't have done that.
Syaoran shook it off, but it was too late. Mei-Lin made the goal.
"YEAH! OOOH, OOOH.... GO MEI-LIN, GO MEI-LIN..." She did her own dance to the beat in her head. The coach looked at his watch and blew the whistle. Girls won against boys, 10-9. Syaoran cursed at himself for not making the last goal. He looked up to Sakura, who was still in her wincing process.
She smiled ruefully. "Good game, Syaoran!" she called. He nodded to her and went to the locker rooms and pushed open the boys' locker room door.
"Syaoran!" Mei-Lin called. He turned and pressed his back on the door, letting anyothers come in without the hassle of holding the door.
"Hm?"
"Sakura said that she was sorry that you messed up." Mei-Lin grinned. "But we all know that you did it because you wanted to keep me happy, right?"
He made a face. "Huh?"
"Aw, come on! You know that you are in love with me and you just wanted to make me feel superior."
"Nani?"
"You don't have to play games with me, Syaoran. I know... don't worry." She pressed her fingers on his lips and smiled. Then walked away.
Syaoran shook his head. He would never understand her. He shut the door and went to his locker in the back as he took off his clothes, then headed to the showers. That was what he needed. A good shower to take him away from the craziness of women.
A charactor dressed in all black grabbed the items and stuffed them into a bag. Grinning happily, they snuck out of the room. The door swung the otherway, which read: Boys Locker Room....
Syaoran came out of the shower and searched his locker for his towel.
Not there.
He looked down for his clothes.
No where to be seen....
Syaroran gulped. How was he going to be able to get out of here with no clothing? He looked around to see others searching for their things and not succeeding.
"Syaoran?" yelled Yamazaki. (sorry, I have to put him in!) "Did you know that when a guy can't find his clothing, it means that a girl took it so that she could put it on a mannequin of the guy and place it in her shrine of the guy."
"Oh where is it hidden?" asked one of the other guys. "In the back of their closet?" (oh my god... I think I got that from a Hey Arnold! episode... I don't own that!)
"No, under their beds, but you are close!" Yamazaki said, happily.
Syaoran pondered for a bit. Did Sakura take his clothes? Or Mei-Lin? Or them both?
'Think about what you are thinking, baka!' Syaoran said. 'Your taking Yamazaki seriously.' The sheer thought of him saying that with no clothes on was just scary. Syaoran shook his head and turned. Yamazaki really needed to cover u-
"We need to think of a way to get out of here without being noticed." said one kid. Others joined him and soon they were on their merry way to go outside and demand their clothes.
Then they realized that to do that, they needed their clothes.
"I know, let's fold the shower curtains and tie them around our waists so that we could sneak out and go to our rooms for more clothes or something."
Syaoran wasn't sure... this didn't seem like such a good id-
"Come on!" the boys tied the things around their waists and ran outside.
Flashes of light and snaps of pictures were taken. Girls giggled and laughed as the boys struggled to keep their curtains up. Sakura passed by, seeing Syaoran and turned away.
Syaoran slamed his head on the wall. 'Why me, Clow Reed, why me?'
And then... his curtain fell...
*~(*~*~*)~*
Sakura shivered as she as she went in the Dance Hall alone. Ghosts were being hung from the ceiling and walls to give that certain 'effect' of Halloween. Plus witchs, bats, and black cats.
She looked at the note she had been given and re-read it.
Dearest Sakura,
I need you to meet me in the Dance Hall, today at 3:30pm sharp. I will make sure that it will be something to remember.
Love always,
...?
It was the not knowing of who sent it to her that made her shudder. Maybe she should get out of here, it could be the prankster. She turned on her heel and headed for the door, but heard a creak from the corner of the room.
"Sakura!" Tomoyo was at the door, eyes wide with shock. "Behind you!"
Sakura turned and screamed. One of the ghosts had apparently come alive, but it wasn't one of the real ghosts. It was the grim reaper.
Sakura bolted for the exit, but at the last step, it grabbed her by the waist and flew toward the ceiling.
"SAKURA!" Tomoyo reached up to grab her hand, but slipped through her fingers. It was too late. Tomoyo couldn't see Sakura any longer. She was too shocked to cry, but she took of her high heels and ran for the dorms. She reached Syaoran and Mei-Lin's and pounded on the door. "Open up, PLEASE, open the door!" her voice became hoarse with a cry in her throat.
No one answered.
Tomoyo slid down the door, tears forming in her eyes. She broke down and sobbed.
'I... I can't save her... I don't even know who's doing this!'
"Tomoyo?" Eriol and Syaoran hovered over her. She breathed a sigh of relief. Then remembered Sakura and broke down again.
"I... it's Sakura. She's in danger."
Eriol helped Tomoyo up and Syaoran opened the door. He heard the shower running and groaned. Apparently, Mei-Lin hadn't heard the door.
"Is that you, SyaoranLove?" Mei-Lin called from the bathroom. The water turned off and the door opened. She came out into the living room in nothing but a towel. "Ohh Syaoran! AHHH!" she shrieked and ran behind the wall. She poked her head out. "Why didn't you tell me that we had company?!?"
Syaoran thought for a moment, before answering. "I thought it would have been funny." he shrugged. "Get dressed and help us... something happened to Sakura."
Mei-Lin lowered her eyelids. One year ago, or even three months ago, Mei-Lin would have been happy about this. First, this would get Sakura out of the way for a while and she could work side-by-side next to Syaoran to find out what happened to her and how to get her back. Of course, he would only be thinking about Sakura throughout this, but she would still have liked the company.
Now she felt bad about it. She nodded and got dressed into a red tube top and blue jeans. She was still combing out her wet hair when she sat down next to Syaoran, who was listening intently to Tomoyo's story.
"I was passing by the Dance Hall to see if there was anything the Dance Committee needed help with. When I got to the door, I saw Sakura walking toward me, but a grim reaper/ ghostlike thing came out from the shadows. I warned her, but it grabbed her by the waist and began to fly her too the ceiling. I reached for her hand but..." Tomoyo hiccuped a sob. Eriol took her by the hand. "It.... slipped through my fingers like water."
Syaoran was thinking hard. "This is unlikely, but do you know who could have done it?"
Tomoyo shook her head. They were all lost in thought for a moment, then Eriol brightened.
"Tomoyo, do you remember that poem that was read in English class by Miaki-sensei?" Eriol asked.
Tomoyo thought for a moment. "Yes, but what are you getting at?"
"Well... okay." he leaned forward. "Think about it this way. What was the first prank that was in the poem?"
"A can of snakes." Tomoyo whispered.
"But who opened a can of snakes?" Syaoran asked.
Tomoyo raised her hand. "They were fake and in my bookbag. I opened it this morning and thought it was Eriol."
"The second thing was a bloody knife." Eriol said, grimly. "That was found in my desk approximately two minutes before we read the poem."
"Yeah, but once again, it was fake, with a fake concoction of blood."
"Precisely. It was even homemade. Now, who has time for homemade blood?" Eriol asked.
Mei-Lin slapped her forehead. "I don't think that's the point, Eriol."
"Anyway, then it said an 'Embaressment.'" Tomoyo went on. "Which one of us was embaressed today?"
Syaoran blushed. He knew what was coming.
"Syaoran! Because I kicked his butt in soccer." Mei-Lin stated, proudly. Syaoran exhaled a breath he didn't know he had been holding. They could believe that... for now.
Eriol made a face. "How was that embaressing?"
Tomoyo grinned. "Because it was in front of Sa-ku-ra!"
"Shut up, Tomoyo." He said, fiercely. But didn't seem to be able to take the blush off of his face.
"Back to the point." Eriol said. "Now if I'm correct, and we all know that I am, the whole day is following this poem that had to have been submitted way before first period." they all nodded. "Let's finish off the poem. Now, what's Sakura's biggest fear?"
"Ghosts." Syaoran smiled a little on how she clinged to him in the cave in fear of ghosts, when it was really the Erase card."
"Syaoran?... Syaoran?" Mei-Lin waved a hand in front of his face.
"It's no use." Tomoyo said, with a smile. "He's thinking about SA-KU-RA!"
That snapped him out. "Where?... I mean..."
"Okay... so, Sakura's afraid of ghosts, which is in the poem and she's chased by the grand daddy of ghosts... the grim reaper." Eriol frowned for a moment. "The last lines of the poem are a bit fuzzy. I can't remember them."
"Let's go ask Miaki-sensei for the poem." they began to leave, but stopped as they heard a voice.
"You aren't leaving with out me, were you?" Kero asked. They all groaned.
K-channy: Sorry, but ya can't leave the cutie named Kero behind, can you?
K-chan: Well, apparently, they can.
*~(*~*~*)~*
"Here you go, kids." Miaki-sensei handed them the paper. "Though I don't know why you would want it...."
"Arigatou." they chorused and left the room. They began to go back to the dorm as they looked it over.
"Well." Mei-Linsaid. "The poem is..." she cleared her voice.
'Halloween Night, All Hallows Eve...
Is a time when people run out to retrieve
A treat that all can try to percieve
But is a trick to the ones who don't give it...'
'It began as a game, but now it is not
For the game is now one on you
You give me my treat, no trick shall I do
If not, you will find yourself in a empty spot.'
'A can of snakes, a bloody knife...
Embaressment, a ghost in the place expected least
A chance to take what was once mine
A chance for you to die.'
"Whoa... was this kid deranged or something?" Mei-Lin asked. "A chance to take what was once mine... a chance for you to die." she repeated. "So he wants Sakura?" she turned to Syaoran, who was looking at the paper.
"The last lines wasn't what I was looking at..." Mei-Lin followed his gaze to the authors of the poem....
Jusenori and Kawaii.
Kero and Syaoran exchanged faces.
*~(*~*~*)~*
"No, I am NOT going to the dance as Tuxedo Mask to your Sailor Moon!" Syaoran yelled as he hopped over the couch.
Mei-Lin sprang up behind him. "Please!!! PLEASE!!"
"I will not be seen in PUBLIC with that thing."
"Aw, come on! Tomoyo and Eriol are going as Vampire Princess Miyu and Larva!" she whined. "It's better than going as Fuuma (Kamui 2) and Kanoe like I had originally planned!!"
"No!"
"Fine... What about Subaru and Seishirou?"
Syaoran stopped and gave her a look.
"Yyyyy-no!"
"PLEASE!!! I WANT TO STILL BE A CLAMP CHARACTOR, YA KNOW!! Besides, I don't think Sailor Moon fits my atittude... I'm more of a Sailor Venus or Saturn." she said.
'Or a Sailor Mars...' Syaoran thought. Then he made a face. 'How do I know that?'
She began to beg. "What about Suu and Kazuhiko from Clover?"
Syaoran raised an eyebrow. "Do you really want to die your hair white?"
"No... how about Kazuhiko and Oruha?"
"She's blond, ya know? What about Kamui and Kotori?" Syaoran reasoned.
"I don't want to have to die my head blond then CHOP IT OFF!!" she screeched.
"You know, we could go as the CLAMP charactors Sakura and Syaoran from that show Cardcaptor Sakura, it was really cute, because they were small and chibi and adorable, but they had to stupidly dub it to Cardcaptors.... wait, what am I saying?" Syaoran slapped his forhead.
"Fine... how about one of the Rayearth girls and you can be a CLAMP Detectives boy!" Mei-Lin asked grandly.
Syaoran blinked, then shook his head. "No... I'll take my limit as going as Subaru and Hokuto, but that's it!"
Mei-Lin sighed. "I'm not cutting my hair."
"Don't... we'll just say that you decided to come back to life and in the after life, you grew out your hair."
Mei-Lin smiled. "We could still go as a cute couple from CCS like Touya and Yuki-oh my god." she shook her head fiercely. "Where are we going to get the costumes? It's 6 'o' clock now and the party starts at 8."
"COSTUMES?" Tomoyo and Eriol fell through the door. Well, it was more like Tomoyo barged and Eriol fell through the door. Stars appeared in Tomoyo's eyes. "You have to have COSTUMES?"
Syaoran gulped. "Yeah... of Hokuto and Subaru..."
"Oh, that's easy. I'm Hokuto's reincarnation... only sweeter."
Everyone stared at Tomoyo.
Tomoyo shrugged. "What? You think he was the only one that was reincarnated?" she pointed to Eriol, who banged his head on the floor.
*~(*~*~*)~*
Usually, Syaoran wouldn't be caught dead in such an outfit, but Tomoyo-chan insisted. He was wearing Subaru's casual: Black, shiny spandex, a red half jacket and a small sombrero-looking hat. Altogether, he looked like Michael Jackson on crack.
Mei-Lin looked better, wearing the outfit that reminded him of Faye in Cowboy Be-bop. It was scary in a freaky sort of way. Her hair had been pinned up and spiked a bit to look like Hokuto. It worked, sorta, but it was good enough for the party.
Usually, he would have skipped the party, but tonight he was on a mission. They had all devised a plan that MIGHT save Sakura. Might being the key word. The thing was, Jusenori had to show up at the party. But why would he show if he had his prize?
Because the one who had the prize's heart had to be killed, like in the last lines of the poem: A chance to take what was once mine
A chance for you to die.'
He had already taken his prize... now the only way he could come is if he had bait.
Syaoran.
Syaoran, Mei-Lin, Tomoyo and Eriol reached the ticket booth. Kero poked his head out of Tomoyo's bag, looking like a stuffed animal.
"Hey!" Kawaii was at the door, selling tickets. "I thought you guys would come." She looked around at the group. "Where's Sakura?"
The friends looked at each other. Eriol cleared his throat. "Um... she had to go away for a while. She'll be back by the end of the night, though."
"Really." Kawaii said, softly. "Interesting."
They paid for their tickets and went inside, but before Syaoran walked in, Kawaii grabbed his arm.
"Listen... words from the wise."
'Be careful, fighter
For every step is harder
Then you make your move.'
"Heed my haiku, Syaoran, and you will go far. Just listen to the words from the wise." He looked into her eyes, which glowed an almost holy gold. Then she shook her head, let go of his arm and smiled.
"Have a... Happy Halloween." she said, slowly. Syaoran nodded and walked into the doorway. Little did he know of the smile on Kawaii's face.
***
Start POV Sequence
Syaoran: I have to find her... she has to be safe and in my arms again.
I need her to be alive... or else, I don't think I will be.
Mei-Lin: Syaoran is always thinking about Sakura, but what about me? He never thinks about me, and... that's begining to tick me off....
Tomoyo: I... Oh my god.... What if Sakura's d-de-dea-dead? What would I do, then?
Eriol: Why does this suddenly remind me of Final Destination?
K-clan: The next update won't be millions and millions of days, I promise. In fact, I'm working on the second part right now, as you read. Oh, and trust me, you guys will like the ending.