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What was this place? She was so cold, and everything was so dark...what had happened? Last thing she remembered was the bright spots, the intense fatigue, and she had fainted. In the darkness she couldn't know whether her friends were anywhere nearby or not.
"Kero? Tomoyo?" she called quietly.
"We're here" came Tomoyo's soft reply "Kero is still unconscious...he's with me"
"Where are we?"
"It's so dark...I don't know. Do you think we were dragged inside the...the..."
"The castle? Probably. I'm sure they did something to us back there...this has been like, so easy for them. Dammit"
"Sakura, let's try to get out of here" Tomoyo asked, her voice trembling.
"Yeah, this place gives me the creeps too" Sakura reached into the collar of her sweater for her key, and her fingers brushed against Syaoran's pendant. She felt tears burn her eyes, but she fought them back. She'd rescue him soon, and then she would tell him what she didn't dare all this time. All he had to do was hang on a bit longer. "Glow Card, release and dispel!"
She could see now Tomoyo's frightened face, Kero sleeping in her arms, and the room they were in. She felt a cold shiver down her spine. Just like in her dream, the walls were made of black crystals. She felt dangerously close to that room she'd been in, in her dreams. Tomoyo wiped the tears that inadvertently ran down her cheeks.
"We'll get to him on time, Sakura" she said reassuringly "Let's just get moving"
She smiled at her friend and started walking towards a door that she'd spotted just ahead of where they were. Kero then woke up.
"Where are we? What is this?"
"Looks like we're about to find out" Sakura said, pointing her finger ahead of them. A light at the end of the corridor. She started walking, followed closely by her two friends.
Only an empty room, lit by dozens of torches. Sakura could feel the anxiety rise on her chest. The miserable bastard was still trying to drive her crazy. He was probably having the time of his life with her. So far, she had fallen into every trap he'd set for her. He always caught her off guard, no matter how hard she tried to always be alert. First it had been that dream, and that shadow that had scared her to death. Then it had been the attack at Penguin Park. The presence that never left her side, the awful dream, Syaoran's disappearance, the attack in Syaoran's apartment...and finally the storm, and her passing out only to wake up in that horrible place where she was currently lost. She should have seen all of those things coming, but somehow she didn't.
"It's hot in here" Tomoyo pointed out.
"Like hell it is!!" Kero shouted. Sakura quickly clasped a hand against his little mouth.
"If you scream like this someone's going to come and they will kill us all" she hissed, surprising both her friends. They've never seen her so tense, so upset before. Alas, she never even used that kind of language!
Sakura had lost count of how many rooms they had walked through, and to all of her nervousness and anxiety a deep anger was adding up. She was being played with yet again, and she felt like such a fool for letting him do it. She had had it, so she stopped walking.
"If you want me, then get me already. Stop this stupid little game of yours! Come out and fight me!" she exploded in exasperation. Tomoyo and Kero could only stare at her, wide eyed. It was like she'd completely grown up in the last few hours, like she wasn't just a teenager anymore.
No answer. Sakura stomped her feet in rage, not knowing what else to do. It was so incredibly frustrating to have to do this. And her time was running out. No, she had to stop thinking that way. She had to believe in herself, in her skill, in order to beat this monster and get her Syaoran back. Or else...
"Sakura!" Tomoyo snapped her out of her meditation with an anguished cry.
She turned her head around to see a door that wasn't there before. He heard me, she thought, grinning determinedly. Party time.
*****
Kinomoto Sakura couldn't believe her eyes. This was the room from her dream. Kero and Tomoyo didn't need her to tell them, for the look in her eyes spoke by itself. She looked at herself. She was wearing her winter clothes, the same she'd left Tomoeda District with. Weird.
"You stay there, Tomoyo. Where's your...camera?" she asked with a grin.
"It got lost during the trip" she clicked her tongue in frustration.
Sakura chuckled, amazed at how that could help her in such a stressful moment. She took a few steps forward, and looked up. The storm had definitely over, since the moon shone through the crystal ceiling. Yes, it was the exact same room. She reached into her pocket...her cards were there. She looked around, starting to feel the unfamiliar kind of cold she remembered so well from her dream. It wasn't so much of a physical cold but...an evil one, one that chilled you all the way to the bone. It felt more like a mild electric shock. She grinned again, taking a few more steps forward. Through the dim light she could spot the base of the throne.
"I'm here, already" she said calmly, even though she was everything but.
"I know" he answered in a deep tone "And might I add, Card Captor Sakura, that you are a lot more beautiful in person" She winced at that, suddenly out of words
"Who are you?" she hissed angrily.
"Well, I'm feeling a little hurt that you don't know yet, but, I suppose it can't harm me to tell you" he said, pouting slightly.
"Please do" she said, venom dripping from her voice.
"My name is Goran, the wizard. But since we're on a first name basis..."
*****
"I must admit you're brave, and skilled. You've managed to come this far! I must admit my little world is...not very friendly to strangers. No wonder the Little Wolf is so much in love with you"
"What have you done with him?"
"He's much more comfortable than you right now. Don't worry about him"
"I want to see him"
"You will...when the right time comes. Patience is not one of your many virtues as I can see, little Cherry Blossom"
She took one more step forward, and gasped at the sight of her opponent. He was breathtakingly beautiful. She could take in everything clearly now, as from her dream she could only remember his dark hair, and his deep blue eyes.
"Afraid of me? You shouldn't" the glass in his hand flashed as the moonlight hit it, catching Sakura's eye. There was that small silver tray by him, the one that was supposed to hold her cards "I can see you also have a prodigious memory, Sakura" he smiled, noticing what she was doing.
"I want to know what you're up to. Why you've been after me all of this time. If I came all the way down here, I deserve to know"
"You're absolutely right, dear Sakura" he answered sweetly "I'll answer your questions...but you need to come a little closer" he grinned evilly, beckoning her with his fingers.
"Sakura, don't!" Kero shouted and tried to fly over to her, but an invisible wall of sorts stopped him and its force whacked him against Tomoyo.
She had heard Kero. She was in control of herself, but she had to know. She needed to find out what this man was up to. She climbed the stairs, just like in her dream, and peeked a look at the tray. There they were!! The Cards!! She clasped a hand against her pocket, only to find out her cards were indeed there. She took several steps away from him, back to the spot she was before.
"What are you?" she asked in shock.
"Oh, Sakura, don't tell me you haven't figured it out yet?" he pouted again, pushing his long bangs away from his face "Well, doesn't matter. I'll tell you a little story first"
Sakura glared at him. He was so irritating. She wanted her questions answered and all he did was beat around the bush, skirt around her. He was playing with her and she hated it, but right now she had to put up with it, for he held the most precious thing in her life in his filthy hands. She sighed impatiently.
"I wonder if you know why I came into your life. Why I sent you those dreams"
"I don't" she answered dryly.
"Oh, Sakura, be nice!" he said, objecting to her tone "Or do I have to pressure you a little?"
He grinned at the sudden terror in her eyes. He could almost savor it. This was going to be a lot more fun than he expected.
"Good girl" he said, understanding the meaning of her silence "I would have thought that stuffed animal of yours would have helped you figure my little plan out. It's really simple, you know"
"I beg to differ" she mumbled.
"Oh, I know that. I'm not underestimating you in any way, Sakura. I still think you're amazing. But you failed to see the simplest details. Why did you have that dream, Sakura?"
"You tell me" she said, blushing at the realization that someone else had seen that dream.
"Oh, don't be embarrassed my little Cherry Blossom" he smiled yet again "That was only a dream. You're both human, and very good looking...it was only natural that you felt attracted towards each other. I just used what was in your minds to create that dream"
Sakura's jaw dropped. That couldn't be true! So that dream they had shared was actually a product of their own desires? She had had those thoughts without even knowing?
"After much observing you two, I discovered something important. You are each other's weakness! If I messed with one of you, the other would be crushed as well"
"That's so...low"
"I knew neither of you would be able to confess the other your feelings, and that only made it easier for me. Whenever you got too close, I would send one of my minions to break you apart. They are very strong, but I knew you would eliminate them. They were only a distraction"
Sakura was shivering in rage. Kero and Tomoyo were still held back by the invisible shield, but were able to hear the whole thing in wonder. This was Sakura's equal?
"But" he continued, with an innocent expression on his face "I was getting impatient. I so wanted to meet you. And it was so disappointing that you didn't know about me! The idea of the reading was a really good one. I thought I would be busted after that one. You did a great job, but failed to identify the meaning of that last card. What was it? The Mirror Card?"
As if you didn't know, Sakura thought. Damn this guy. He was making her feel like an idiot again. Would he ever finish with that story?
"That kid of yours is really ingenious. He suggested a meaning that doesn't even come close to what the truth is, but it's something I wouldn't have thought of. Your equal!"
Sakura froze in the spot she was standing. He then wasn't...her equal? What was he then? Could things get any worse? Was this guy unbeatable?
"What is the truth, you want to know? Oh, Sakura! I could never get enough of that adorable face of yours. Such surprise, such anticipation"
"Please"
"I'll tell you, Sakura" he said, as he snapped his fingers "I am the
Card Captor"
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YOU didn't see that one coming, huh? What's that all about? Is there
another Card Captor besides Sakura? Are there really two sent of cards,
or is it another trick by Goran the wizard? My editor just pointed out
something on this story, about our villain's name. Did you know there's
a tennis player with that name? I've just seen a picture of him, provided
by my ever tennisfreak friend, and I've gotta say, what-a-hunk. Matter
of fact, this character was named after an ex boyfriend of mine, whose
parents were yugoslavian (hence the weirdness of the name) and I have to
say I'm not at all like Sakura...I would like to see HIS head on a silver
platter. I hope you enjoyed this chapter...next will be coming soon!