AN: This is a pretty long chapter. Not nearly as long as the last chapter of this is, but long enough. So more interaction between our favorite characters here as Sakura tries her best to combat Life.
Read, enjoy, and review!
Chapter Twenty-five
Life's Manipulation
Sakura could barely fly at all in the mess of the storm that was being caused by Life, and it was only when an arm reached around her waist to steady her that she was able to get her bearings straight. For a moment, her brain registered it as Yue, for it was similar to the way he would grab her around the waist to steady her when she was flying in the air or just being clumsy on her own two feet. It was only similar though.
She looked over to see Death hovering next to her.
"You looked like you could use the extra support," she said.
Sakura blinked and then asked, "Why are you helping me? Why aren't you helping your sister make my life miserable?"
Death smiled. "Because I don't have the same nature as my sister. And I pity the mortal souls whose existence she disturbs with all her so-called chances and mood swings."
Sakura didn't know whether to take comfort in that statement or be more worried.
"Relax… In order for someone to die as a direct cause of this mess my sister has caused, I have to be willing to take them. But if you can defeat her, there will be no need to. Everything she causes to happen will be undone."
"And if I don't…"
Death didn't answer, but Sakura would never know if it was because the spirit chose not to or because they both were too shocked at the inferno that Life had caused in her rage.
"What is she thinking?" Sakura asked flying higher to avoid the heat of the blaze. At the rate Life's fire was burning, she's take out the entire town.
"She's not thinking. My sister's insane with rage at the moment. The only way to stop this is to defeat her. Don't try to-"
But Sakura wasn't paying attention to Death. In a quick instant she had summoned FIREY to fight the blaze, fire with fire.
The flames only rose back, fighting against FIREY.
"Call it back!" Death yelled.
Sakura did so, seeing that it certainly wasn't helping the situation. In fact, if anything, she had trapped her and Death in a rising wall of flames.
Death sighed. "I just can't believe you captured all those darn Clow cards by being reckless. Think like you did back then."
"But Life isn't-"
"It's the same principle though. You'll never be able to defeat her if you don't force her out of wherever she's hiding. Either that or find out where she's hiding."
"That could be anywhere!" Sakura yelled.
"Well how did you capture the cards?"
Sakura stared at Death for a moment. It had been so long since she captured the cards, she had all but forgotten how it used to work. First weird things would happen and if the darkening, cloudy sky with thunder and lightning and no rain wasn't weird, she didn't know what was. Then sometime before or after realizing weird things were going on she would sense the card and follow it to wherever the presence was strongest, which in this case was…
"That way!" Sakura yelled flying in the direction Life's presence was strongest. It was hard to focus on it though, for the spirit had cast her presence all over the city.
Death tilted her head as they arrived at a tall homey looked brick building downtown.
"That's odd. What would my sister be doing here…?" she asked.
"What is this place?" Sakura asked as the sign had been burnt down.
"Have you volunteered here recently or something? It's an orphanage…"
"Orphanage… Oh no!" Sakura said flying inside.
"Wait a minute!" Death yelled. "My sister's trying to trap-"
Sakura was already inside before Death had even begun her warning.
"Is anyone in here?" she asked.
"Someone came to get us!" a girl's voice yelled. "I told you!"
"Up here!" a second voice shouted very similar to the first.
Sakura remembered those voices. She flew up the burning stairs and to a room, the walls alit with fire.
"Look! It's Onee-chan!" the more bubbly of the twin girls, Hana, said and then turned to the other children she was guarding. "Onee-chan is a witch!"
"A witch!" one of the younger children said.
"A good witch," Ayame added looking around and then saying to Sakura. "Something stopped us from leaving. Someone's here…"
"Someone?" Sakura asked and then shook her head. "Forget it. Let's get out of-"
"I knew you'd come here."
"That's her!" Ayame said. "That's the woman who trapped us in here."
"She trapped you?" Sakura asked and then turned to back to Life. "They're just children, How can you be so-?"
"Cruel?" Life finished and then shrugged. "I make no discriminations. Everyone is just a pawn in my game, and I'll do whatever I want to whoever I please."
Sakura could find nothing to say to the woman. She couldn't even comprehend her logic.
Seeing this, Life said, "You're in way over your head. If you had any sense, you wouldn't challenge me. Alas people like you are what make this game so fun."
"I have no time for this," Sakura muttered turning back to the children. "Let's get out of-"
"Watch out!" Hana yelled.
Sakura moved (rather fell back) out the way just in time to miss the piece of flaming ceiling
"I don't like to be ignored," Life said, black eyes glowing with her magic. "But at least you showed up. I'll have to deal with that Marie later."
"What do you want from me?"
"I should be asking that question actually," Life said as the blazing inferno grew stronger.
"Ayame!" Hana yelled as her sister collapsed.
Sakura caught Ayame before she hit the ground, trying to shake the girl awake.
"Onegai. Ayame, wake up!" Sakura said.
Life tilted her head at the scene, the only indication that she might have been moved by it. "Oh… How sad?"
"WINDY. SHADOW!"
The children yelped at the appearance of the two spirits.
"It's okay," Sakura said not taking her eyes off Life. "They'll get you out of here. Death, can you help?"
The other spirit, who had been mainly inactive, simply shook her head.
"I can guide you Sakura, but I can't directly interfere. You aren't my master. There are rules I have to obey," Death said solemnly and then disappeared entirely.
Sakura groaned.
"Need some help?"
"Kero!" Sakura said in delight and then asked, "Where's Tomoyo?"
"She's with Dominik and Kaho outside," Eriol replied standing next to her to face Life as Cerberus helped WINDY and SHADOW get the remaining children out.
Life looked at Eriol and plainly stated, "You aren't my opponent," before her eyes glowed again and an invisible force attacked him.
Eriol calmly brought up a shield to protect himself, but seeming irritated that he had even tried to fight against her, Life tilted her head, breaking through the shield and tossing him back into an already compromised wall. Not only did the wall collapse, but so did a beam that was supporting the main frame of the building, causing the entire building to shudder dangerously.
"And you aren't my only opponent," Life said looking at Sakura manipulating the flames into the shape of a large serpent to fight her.
"WATERY!"
WATERY attacked the creature head on, causing it to disperse and then made her way to try to put out the flames. It appeared to be working, but Life only glanced to where she had tossed Eriol aside.
As she followed Life's gaze, it suddenly occurred to Sakura that the spirit might have allowed her to put out the fire because the damage was already done. The shuddering of the building only confirmed her suspicions as she ran to Eriol's side and using the power that the new staff allowed her called, "SHEILD!" just as the building collapsed around them.
It had taken them all by surprise. Life appearing before them, eyes glowing briefly before she disappeared and then the building coming down before them. There hadn't been enough time to get out the way, so all they could have done was duck down, cover their heads and hope for the best.
"Is everyone alright?" Syaoran said as he got up first to make sure everything was clear.
"I think so," Dominik said helping Tomoyo, who he had unceremoniously forced to the ground during the collapse, up off the ground.
Kaho, who had worked with Cerberus, SHADOW, and WINDY to cover the children, checked over the children and then looked down at the collapsed child in her arms and said, "She needs help. It looks like she's having trouble breathing."
"There's nothing to be done so long as my sister is wreaking havoc."
Everyone looked at Death who was floating calmly next to them, looking at the wreckage of the building left by her sister.
"Where's Sakura and Eriol?" Tomoyo asked the spirit.
Death tilted her head to the wreckage, and Tomoyo gasped.
"Relax. She's fine. Probably trying to decide which card to use to get from under all that rubble," said Death.
"What?" Meiling, Syaoran, and Tomoyo exclaimed immediately making their way to the rubble to help.
Syaoran stopped before her got there though, and rounded on Death.
"Whose side are you on anyway? One moment you're giving advice and the next you're just letting your sister mess us over. What's your problem?" he snapped.
Death sighed and opened her mouth to explain when they heard, "ERASE!"
The wreckage in a particular spot disappeared, and Sakura climbed out a small space with Eriol.
"Sakura!" Syaoran said running over with Meiling and Tomoyo to help them out.
Sakura coughed as she sat on a pile of wood and brick. She looked at Death and then at Syaoran before saying, "It's not her fault. There are certain rules she has to abide by. So she can't help directly. If you're going to yell at anyone, yell at me. It's my fault."
Syaoran sighed, "Believe me. I'm sorely tempted to…"
Tomoyo hit Syaoran on the arm, and he muttered a quick sorry as he helped Sakura stand.
"I think it would be better if you all found somewhere safe to stay until I can beat Life, if I can beat her," Sakura added
"Why?" Tomoyo asked.
"Because she wants me, and she's willing to use anyone close to get to me if they don't stay out the way. I don't want any of you hurt. She didn't like when Eriol tried to interfere."
Everyone looked at Eriol who waved a hand dismissively. "I'm fine. Sakura's just making a big deal out of nothing."
"This isn't nothing!" Sakura exclaimed loudly catching everyone's attention. "Look at all this. It's a lot more than nothing!"
Sakura looked to be on the verge of tears, and it was likely she would have started crying then and there if it weren't for Dominik asking, "Where'd Life go?"
Sakura gasped, tears forgotten. "I don't know. She just left."
"Did she give you any clues before she left?" Syaoran asked.
Sakura shrugged. "I don't know. She got upset because I ignored her for a moment and then talked about how she doesn't like to be ignored and that-" It suddenly dawned on her where Life had gone. "She went to find Marie. Marie's been ignoring her."
"Where are you going?" Dominik asked as wings appeared on Sakura's back.
"After Life," Sakura said.
"I don't know," Death said in a whimsical tone. "I say let my sister have her way with that witch. She's been cheating me and my sister for the last fifty years."
"We can't do that," said Sakura.
Dominik snorted. "I'm going to have to agree with Death on this one."
"She's your grandmother!"
"Enough said," Dominik replied. "Marie deserves this. I'm not risking my life to save her."
Sakura sighed. "Fine. You all stay here and make sure those kids get somewhere safe."
"Where are you going?" Dominik asked.
"To save Marie? Life's sick game is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy and to date, Marie is certainly the worst," Sakura said taking to the skies.
Death looked after her for a moment before shrugging and disappearing, no doubt intending to follow her. It was only a second later before Tomoyo groaned and hit Dominik on the arm.
"What in the world?" he asked.
"You're not going to help?" Tomoyo snapped.
"For what? Marie has had this coming. She deserves it if you ask me," Dominik said sternly.
"I'm pretty sure that's how we all feel regarding Marie, but it's not her. It's Sakura. We can't just let her go like this," Tomoyo said.
"I wish you were wrong," Syaoran said. "But you're right. I'll go with Dominik."
"I meant that I was going too," Tomoyo said.
"You're kidding," Dominik said.
Tomoyo shook her head.
"It's one thing for you to follow us here and stay outside, but this is bound to get ugly if my grandmother is involved," Dominik warned. "There's no way-"
"It's no use arguing with her. She's been tagging along on this stuff since we were ten. Just let her go," Syaoran said to him looking at the still darkening sky. He could hardly see right in front of him. "Looks like we don't have the time to argue."
Sakura landed in Marie's suite, surprised that Life wasn't there already. In any case, Marie was sitting in the same spot she was before she had left her, seeming unconcerned about the darkening sky, the wind that was picking up, and the red haze that had fallen over the city because of Life's havoc.
"You're back so soon?" Marie asked.
"I see you haven't moved," Sakura said and then setting her hostility towards the woman aside said, "We have to get out of here. Life is after you, if she's not already here somewhere."
Marie looked at her and then calmly stood up, going over to her desk to look over some papers.
"You're a curious child. You know that?" Marie asked.
"Not the first time I've heard it," Sakura said, her senses telling her something wasn't right. It was too calm around here.
"I'm sure," Marie replied. "Help me to understand child. Shouldn't you just let me die if what you say is true? I certainly wouldn't hurry to your rescue. One less powerful sorceress for me to compete with."
Sakura looked at Marie for a moment. The woman's twisted philosophy never ceased to amaze her. She stared for a long time in silent contemplation and disbelief before saying, "It's not my call to make."
"What?" Marie asked.
"You may have been a real pain in my neck these last few weeks, and you might deserve to die to everyone else, and I may even think you deserve to die," Sakura added, the brief scowl and slight roll of her eyes telling Marie that part of the young card mistress did think she deserved it. "But who am I to make the call of whether you die or not."
Marie now gave Sakura the same penetrating stare that Sakura had given Marie earlier. Then Marie laughed.
"Have I taught you nothing at all?" she asked. "Still the same naïve girl I met a month ago?"
Sakura sighed. She didn't have to explain herself to people like Marie or Midha anymore. They weren't going to listen to her anyway. They were stuck in their own way, unwilling to bend or compromise. So she'd return the favor in kind.
"Just the same," Sakura agreed. "Now are you coming or-"
"How touching. Arch rivals having a moment."
Sakura froze, looking around for the spirit, but unable to find her. That was odd. She hadn't even sensed her.
"You even came to save her. I never understood that about humans. This woman has done nothing but give you trouble for the last month, and you run to her aid. Alas, it will be in vain."
Suddenly the whole backside of the suite, where the window was, collapsed. Sakura screamed as the harsh winds blew into the suite. The wind stirred around Marie, forcing her forward towards the window.
"Marie!" Sakura yelled and then said. "WINDY! Pull Marie away from the window!"
WINDY grabbed hold of Marie who looked she didn't appreciate neither Sakura nor Life's insistence. Instead, electricity cackled in the air, and Marie managed to break out the grips of both forces. Then, deciding that Life was the bigger enemy, her sword appeared in her hand, incased by a dark purple aura as she sliced through the wind gales that came at her.
Sakura called SHIELD forward so that she could walk against the wind and stand next to Marie, but with difficulty. How in the world was she supposed to fight the wind? It made her glad WINDY was the one card she hadn't had to capture when she was younger.
Life tilted her head a little in Sakura's direction, but kept her eyes on Marie and then said, "You almost perplex me card mistress; that you would work so hard to protect your enemy… It's baffling."
Sakura shivered a little. The way Life's eyes were looking at Marie but head was turned to her was creepy.
"If I weren't so curious, I'd show you what happened to little girls who interfere in other people's affairs," Life said to her. The spirit's eyes glowed and a wind gale hit Sakura from behind, throwing out the side of the suite.
"FLOAT!" she yelled, not sure she would be able to fly in wind, now accompanied by rain, this harsh.
"Ugh… That hurt," Sakura said to herself, fighting to stay upright on FLOAT as she made her way back toward the suite, only to find that Life had summoned some kind of shield to keep her out of the way.
"Marie!" Sakura yelled.
"Now that we have a little more privacy," Life said, eyes not moving from Marie as the suite began to come done on top of Marie, but Marie took it in stride, disappearing as the suite collapsed. She reappeared on top of the debris.
Frustrated at her inability to do anything, Sakura floated above the shield to get a better view.
"I don't like to be ignored," Life said and though her tone never changed, Sakura sensed the anger coming off of her in waves.
"Then let me make it up to you," Marie said launching herself at Life with her sword.
Life only disappeared and then reappeared behind her.
"You only face me because now you're forced to," Life said. "How cowardly of you?"
Marie whirled around to face Life, only to find the spirit wasn't there. Sakura hadn't taken her eyes off Life and even she couldn't find her. Rather than risk waiting for the woman to reappear, Marie decided that a retreat would be more tactful and Sakura saw the woman disappear from sight, only to reappear just inside the shield Life had erected, effectively trapping Marie. Life didn't intend to let the woman go anywhere.
"You've been running a long time Marie. Not today," Life's voice said and this time when Marie turned around, Life was still there behind her. "You can't be master over me, if you aren't willing to prove that you can beat me."
With that, Marie's eyes glowed black and the ground beneath the woman and the spirit turned black.
"Sakura!"
Sakura turned to look to where Syaoran, Tomoyo, Cerberus, and Dominik were, right outside the perimeter of Life's shield.
"What is this?" Dominik asked, not really concerned about his grandmother as cold as the thought was, but more concerned about why Sakura wasn't helping like she had been adamant on doing before.
"I can't get past. Life won't let me," Sakura yelled. She turned back to look at the scene to see that Marie had summoned an army of spirits from the underworld using her necromancy, Sakura decided to call it. While many remained outside of her, to form a protective blockade between her and Life, a few of them were absorbed into her sword, the pulsing purple aura turning so dark that it was almost black.
Life didn't seem the least bit fazed and instead said, "Just as you've summoned me, you've summoned my sister and let me tell you. Death is not on your side today."
Marie didn't say a word as her eyes continued to glow as she tried to control her undead army to no avail.
"What?" she said obviously surprised, and that was when everyone saw Death standing a few yards away from her sister and Marie, looking as indifferent as her sister.
"What's going on?" Tomoyo asked confused as horror seemed to flash across Marie's face as she came to some realization.
"Marie can't use her powers over to undead to fight, not when she's essentially just challenged Death herself," Dominik replied. "She can't use Death's own magic against her unless she's more powerful than Death."
"But I thought Death was on our side," Tomoyo said.
"No," Syaoran said. "Death is on Sakura's side, but you heard her before. She's been after Marie for years."
By this time, Death had turned Marie's army against her.
"I think this time I'll let my sister have her way," Life said going to float behind her sister. "Drag her to hell Death."
Marie would not go down without a fight though and so raised her sword, still imbued with some of the dead spirits she had summoned and begin to cut them down. But it was no use. The more Marie cut them down, the faster the monsters came.
"Death!" Sakura called.
"It's no use."
Sakura looked up to see Life sitting on top of her shield next to her. She looked back down. How did the spirit move so quickly?
"Marie bought this on herself. My sister may seem to like you, but that doesn't mean she's even remotely fond of Marie. This has been a long time coming."
"No!" Sakura shouted and summoned her staff.
Life looked at her with her expressionless gaze. "It's no use."
"SWORD!"
Sakura struck down hard with sword. It only rebounded, throwing her back while on FLOAT.
"Foolish child," Life said as she continued to watch her sister who wasn't doing much. Marie was fighting a losing battle as the undead spirits dragged her down.
Sakura huffed and grasped the staff turned sword with both her hands. She lifted it up over her head and once more brought it crashing down on the shield. Life looked like she wanted to laugh if the look in her eyes was any indication, and she might have if she hadn't noticed the small crack that had appeared in her shield.
"Oh?" the spirit said, voice void of all emotion or any hint that she might have been amused before.
Sakura raised her sword once more and to everyone's shock, including the spirit next to her, on the next strike, the shield shattered; not just cracked and fell apart, but completely shattered. She missed the furrow of Life's eyebrows, the only indication of shock as she rushed to help Marie. But it was too late. She crashed into the spot Marie had been in just as the undead spirits disappeared, with Marie nowhere in sight.
"Where did she-?"
"Finally," Death said.
Sakura looked up at the spirit. "Finally!"
"Why so angry?" Death asked. "She was your enemy, wasn't she?"
"But you said you wouldn't… You said…" Sakura trailed off.
Death shrugged. "I've been trying to get Marie for years, not for her mercy or sake either. She was one of the few that could combat and get around my sister. Taking her was for the sake of everyone else. Trust me star child. You'll be better off."
"And you talk about me," Life said appearing next to her sister again. "I didn't know you had it in you, sister, although I suppose it's not so shocking. We do come from the same essence, just opposites."
Death scowled at her sister's unmoving expression.
"Don't get it wrong," she said. "I didn't do that to Marie for my own sick pleasure. Why don't you stop this mess right now?"
Life rose in the air, her answer simple. "No."
Death turned to Sakura who was still staring at her. "I was hoping she'd calm down a little, with Marie gone. But I guess not. You'll have to-"
Sakura didn't stick around to listen to what Death thought she had to do. Instead she called fly and took to the skies, helped by the fact that Life's storm had died down a little.
"I hope she doesn't think she can run away," Life said and then turned to Death. "But I have to thank you. I don't think I could have worn her down so much on my own."
Death blinked and then it occurred to her that Life had cornered Marie on purpose, forced her sister to play her part in her game, to scare Sakura.
"You… You…" Death couldn't find a word that might be vulgar enough to call her sister.
"You have no sway in what I do when I'm playing my game. I did nothing wrong."
Death wished she could use her magic upon her sister to kill her sometimes, but there was a reason neither could use their power against each other to destroy the other completely.
"I won't let you win this time," Death said and disappeared.
AN: I was supposed to update this earlier, but I got caught up in another CCS story that's not part of this universe. That little plot bunny just wouldn't let me sleep! And I'm supposed to be proofreading my novel too! Anyway, more about that plot bunny later, like at the end of this story.
In any case, I didn't know how well put together this chapter was until I reread it, because this was one of the chapters I struggled through writing. So I was really expecting to have to do a massive rewrite. Surprisingly, there was no need. And yay! Marie's dead! In any case, not much to say about this chapter. I liked this one more so because of all the interaction between Life, Death, Sakura, and Marie. But you're all free to come to your own conclusions.
Hope you enjoyed! Review Please!