BROKEN MARVELS
There is a time in a persons life, where you have to take action. A Time when you have to decide that you can't take anymore shit, you can't take anymore lies, and you have to know everything right then and there. The Incident with the Dream card (Which I did catch, though It went over to Katrina…Plus I gave the Sand Card back…Okay…she twisted my arm until I gave it back…) Had me thinking that the old strategy of Waiting for a card to Surface wasn't going to cut it anymore. No I need to go on the offensive, but I'd need more than Josh, Kero, and myself to do it.
If seven of the top powerful cards were going to go against me as a group, I'd need some magic of my own… And some more allies.
It was time to get serious.
I was lying in my room, watching Kero play Smackdown! 2, as I carefully thought how I was going to ask this. The Rain poured and pattered against my window, and This was as good a time as any to Ask Kero about, and The Light and Dark cards had said The Most powerful cards, so I decided to ask the expert on the Clow.
"Kero…"
"Yeah?"
"What are the top Ten most powerful cards?" He ruminated on this one a moment before pausing the game to look at me.
"Well…In terms of Power The Element cards, Like Earth, Fire, And Water, are basically the toughest there is. The Light and Dark cards are probably second…but you caught them…HOW Is what I want to know…"
"…….Just keep going…"
"…Well…You got Earth, Fire, Water….Windy Card might be below them…I suppose the Time card 'cause it can stop time and such……the Wood Card's not too shabby either…The Mirror Card's preeetttyy good….The RETURN cards pretty dangerous too…The Shadow cards got a good dose of power…..The Thunder Cards a bit more powerful than Windy..I s'pose that'd be it." He said, shrugging.
"Wood, Earth, Fire, Water, Windy, Time, Mirror, Return, Thunder, and Shadow…..I'm screwed…" I muttered…a little too loudly Since Kero narrowed his eyes at me.
"Thomas…what exactly happened while you were out cold." I couldn't tell him, not just yet.
"I'll tell you later…Right now I have to ask you a few things…Very important things…I need you to answer them truthfully." I said, looking at him darkly.
"…Depending on what they are…I suppose…"
"Who's Yui?"
"I can't tell you that."
"You can't tell me that…Heh…My life's on the line and you can't tell me…" He Looked at me strangely and floated over to me.
"Thomas…What's going on? What aren't you telling me?"
"Let me give you the abridged version Kero…" I sat up slowly, looking at Kero in the eyes.
"The old rules are gone. SEVEN Cards are teaming up to kick my ass."
"WHAT?!?! How do you know that?!" He demanded, looking at me with a fierce look.
"I have my sources. It's my fault the Old Rules are dead Kero…Now I need to know who YUI is…"
"I can't tell you Thomas.." I grabbed Kero, holding him tightly in my hand.
"Kero I don't have time for this Secrecy Bullshit. I'll make you a deal. You tell me about Yui I'll tell you the REAL reason why The Cards are Teamin' up and What happened With the Dream Card, Deal?"
"…Thomas…"
"Kero…You have to tell me.." I looked at him with a stare while he fidgeted nervously.
I'll give that Rat his due, he's got some pretty big balls in terms of sticking to his guns.
"..I can't tell you Thomas…I'm sorry…" I knew that the tone in his voice meant finality. He wouldn't talk….
So if I couldn't learn about Yui from the Clow Guardian beast I had two alternatives…
I let go of Kero and got off my bed, slipping on my coat.
"..Thomas..Where are ya going?" Kero asked, floating back up.
"Out." I slipped the hood over my head and stuffed the Key of Clow in my pocket.
"Where?"
"Out." And I stormed out the door.
I held the Wet Phone book in front of me, then stared at the address to make sure it was the right one.
The Good thing about The name Showron is that it is so unique in America, that there was only one Listing for it. If I couldn't get answers from the Guardian RAT…Why not the Original guy's Descendant?
I walked up the stairs to the Green and white houses door, then grasped the knocker and swung it hard. I heard the exchange of voices for a moment, then I saw an eye peek through the peephole.
"YOU!!!" I recognized the Bitch's voice anywhere…but now wasn't the time to insult her.
"Katrina!! I need some information!" I Yelled over the pounding Rain, it dripping down in front of me off my hood.
"Go to hell!" She then started to retreat from the door, I could hear her feet.
"I need to know about YUI!!" She stopped in her tracks, I could hear that….she seemed to pause for a few seconds before she walked back to the door and opened it up. She was wearing a blue robe, and looked like she had been getting ready to go to bed. Thank god I hadn't brought Josh along, he'd be in complete Drool mode.
"…Yui?"
"Yes…Yui.." She leaned against the door frame, a strange look in her eyes.
"Why don't you ask your Pet Rat?: She said…but in a slightly less sarcastic tone that I had come to expect…almost like she KNEW Kero hadn't said shit…
"He wouldn't tell me…Katrina…I really need to know about him…" I said, in a pleading manner…
Uhg…I hated doing this to someone I loathed…
She sighed, then ran a hand through her hair.
"He's a Guardian beast I think…My Grandfather, Lei Showron, told me about him. He said something about…Final judgment…It was a long time ago you know?" She said, giving me a kind of 'I don't know' look.
"Final Judgment?"
"Yeah…It had something to do with..like…The last Card…or Test….I'm not really sure. He was very hazy on the details, something about how a True Cardcaptor will find out about him when the time is right." Well…I knew more than I had known before…but I needed more.
"Do you know anything else about him?"
"…Well…He was extremely powerful…that's all I really remember…that and something about Final Judgment.." She said, shrugging. I nodded my head in understanding, but knew I needed more even If I couldn't get anything else from her.
"Thanks….." I turned around and started walking…
"Thomas…." I turned my head back to her, raising an eyebrow questioningly.
"… I don't know what this is about….But I get a feeling You're in some shit." She said slowly…
"..You have no idea…"
"Thomas…You and I don't get along. We crash heads way too much…But I'd feel bad…yes Don't give me that look I'd feel Bad. I'd feel bad If I didn't warn you. Grandfather told me about him in a manner that was more akin to Danger than friendship…so if you're going to keep digging into this Yui stuff….Good luck."
"…Thanks…I'm going to need all I can." And I turned back around and started walking. I had just one more source to ask about, and I was pretty sure I knew how to get into contact with the bastard…
I mean The Monster.
I looked up at the rain, watching the Light card work its magic as it spun through the sky, lighting it up like bolts of thunder and Lightning in a particular manner, parting the clouds like the Red Sea. I held up the wand, signaling for it to stop, so it flew back down in front of me.
"Thanks….Return to your power now please…" And it swirled back into it's card, which I stuffed into my pocket and sat down on the park bench in the rain, folding my arms together.
I didn't have to wait long.
"Thomas Marvel! I knew we'd meet again! I must admit, using the Light Card to write my name in the clouds, In Dazzling lights no less, was Genius!" I heard. I looked up and Saw him sitting next to me, wearing that same business suit, except he had an Umbrella over his head to keep himself dry.
"You know why I'm here?"
"I've got a good guess."
"The Cards are teaming up against me, because I broke the rules…"
"Yes, I am aware of that now.."
"I broke the rules by making a deal with YOU…"
"As I said, I am now aware of that.." He sighed, closing his umbrella up and tucking it under his arm.
"You know what they're gonna do.." He sighed, leaning against the Bench.
"Yes…The Seven Cards are already planning a strike as we speak…"
"I don't think either of us could rule the world if I'm dead. If I die, the Cards will go wild on the Earth, then Cause it's destruction within two years with nothing standing in their way."
"This I realized. They have been looking into recruiting Some of the NEW ones as well.."
"Have they got any of them?"
"It's rumored they Got the Chaos Card on their side…but Other that
No. The New ones, with the exception of myself, are too egotistical to ally themselves with the Seven Cards." I nodded my head, then looked him in the eye.
"You realize, even with myself, you, Katrina, and Kero We still don't have enough power, in terms of magic, to really Defeat Seven or Eight cards that are that powerful?" I asked, giving him a look. He nodded silently.
"From what I've heard, We need a Big gun."
"I'm not sure I follow."
"Cut the bullshit. You know EXACTLY what I mean. We need Yui."
"….."
"Yeah that's what I thought. What do you know about Yui Mr. Monster?" It rubbed it's hands together, then he ran them through his white hair.
"I think It's against the rules to tell you…"
"Fuck the Rules. The Rules are gone, you and I shattered them when we, Literally, played Devils Advocate and made this deal." He looked down for a moment, then looked back at me nodding.
"He's an extremely powerful Beast…"
"I heard that from Katrina…"
"He's the last opponent you face after you catch all the cards, he is the second Guardian beast of the Clow. On the front? That's your friend Kero. On the back? Yui. He fights with you as Final Judgment to decide if you are worthy enough to wield the cards from then on, and if you succeed…you are bestowed the Power of Clow Rei…" This was what I needed to know..
"What's that?"
"You can make your own cards." Whoa….cool.
"….That sounds cool…But I need to know how to get into Contact with Yui." He laughed for a moment at my comment.
"You don't come into contact with him until the very end! Don't you know that? It's the.."
"It's the rules Huh? Didn't I tell you already? THERE ARE NO MORE RULES. This is not a legitimate boxing match anymore this is a streetfight. The Cards are playing Dirty because WE played dirty and broke the rules, so now they aren't BOUND by them anymore." I stood up, turning my back to him as he looked on.
"Since we broke the rules, the only good thing is that we aren't BOUND by them either, So we get to play dirty as well.."
"Wisdom beyond your years, if a bit crooked.." I heard this new voice, and turned back to the bench to see..
HIM.
The guy with the large white wings, the white hair…and some pretty funky clothing at that. He looked at The Monster, and then myself almost as if he was evaluating us…..Sizing us up maybe?
"Yui, right?"
"Correct…Thomas Marvel yes?"
"Yeah…"
"Pleasure to meet you….and I must say this is the hardest any Card Captor has tried to contact me BEFORE Final Judgment.."
"Well I'm not like the OTHER Card Captors." He narrowed his eyes shrewdly at me, then tilted his Head towards The Monster.
"Yes, obviously. You know, I shouldn't even be here right now? But your mistake, well, I think you know.." I nodded my head slowly.
"MY magic is supposed to be restricted until you capture all the cards, but as soon as you agreed to The Monster's request, I materialized. Now, your incompetence has left me at a THIRD of my normal power. I must say, I seriously question Kerobero's choice of card Captor this time.." He said curtly.
God DAMN. I had to deal with another Snob! Another... Condescending ..son of a bitch. MAN, I know all this. I know I wasn't really the top choice of a Card Captor, but I had been trying my best damn it. I had been chased around by a giant bird, I had my ass kicked by The Fight card, I fell fifty feet into steel chairs, I had been SLAPPED by the Dream card, And cornered by The Twin and Company. I'd be damned if I'd let him say this shit to me…
He stood up, still looking at me with a look that you'd give an annoying ant.
"I'm tempted to repossess the Clow, Take away the Wand, and find someone more suitable, someone NOT chosen by Keroberos who would do such a stupid…" And I slapped him.
HARD.
He looked at me as if I had just slapped royalty, which in a Way I guess I had. MAN he had one pissed off look in his eyes, looked like he was about to squash me. Hell, even The Monster seemed to be surprised.
"Look Yui, I don't give a rats ass if you think I'm unworthy or not. We got bigger concerns here than what you THINK. I broke the rules, YES, This I know, and I'm reaping what I sowed. Right now, the bigger question is will you help me Defeat these seven Cards that are planning to whack me?" He narrowed his eyes even more, looking down at me.
"Why would I help you? You have erred much since you started, what makes you worthy?"
"MIGHT I interject one moment Master Yui?" The Monster said, getting out of his seat. This was going to be interesting, a Clow card sticking up for me instead of Sticking me in the back! Wooo!
"This Thomas Marvel is a Marvel unto himself…" He passed Yui and knelt down to my level, putting an arm around me.
"How so?" Yui sighed, folding his arms together.
"Well, DESPITE the fact Thomas and I did what we did, I must say his resourcefulness in the face of superior magic has been QUITE astounding. I am connected to the Clow, and I can speak for the cards he has caught when I say they are impressed by how he did it. You see, he has a distinct lack of power in terms of Cards, and yet he has caught some of them without use of other Cards. Take his Capture of The Power, Twin, and Illusion Cards! He sacrificed his own body to take them down!" Yui blinked, apparently ruminating on this information.
"True, but while I admire the fact you are supporting him, I think the REAL reason you're doing it is because your plan for Global Conquest is dependent solely on his shoulders." Damn, I knew there was a catch to why he was sticking up for me. He kind of slumped a bit, like a kid who was caught with his hand in the proverbial Cookie jar, but he perked up a bit.
"Well, partially yes…" The Monster admitted.
"I have a much better alternative that would right the balance, and Also solve our current Dilemma." Yui said, smiling a slightly evil grin as he pointed at me.
"I could use what magic I have and Wipe the slate clean. I could erase your mind and everyone else who has known about your Skills. I could, in a sense, Restart the entire process and find someone more SUITABLE for Card Captoring." The Monsters eyes widened to the size of Dinner plates…Then again so did mine.
"OUT of the question!" Monster cried indignantly.
"You say that because you would lose your connection to the Clow, and all it's power. I may not be at full strength, but I could do it, and it would mean no group of cards would target Thomas Marvel ever again." Yui pointed out, staring into The Monsters Black, soulless eyes.
"He has worked very hard, and If you do that the Time it takes you to find a suitable candidate could mean the end of the World! Thomas has the Job started, why not let him continue?" Geez, These guys were talking about me as if I wasn't even there!!
"His job thus far has been LESS than Perfect."
"This Job hasn't been perfect from the beginning with Clow Rei, Yui!"
"You just lobby against this idea because you would lose your seat of power!"
"Not only that, but I'm thinking of the World Here!"
"The world would be better off with a Different Captor, Marvel has slipped up and gotten lucky. His luck won't hold out against Seven Cards with that much power." My anger was starting to get the better of me here….I felt like I was going to blow my top like Vesuvius…..
"His Resourcefulness, not his luck, is what has carried him this far!"
"He is a poor Captor, he will NOT survive the coming battle."
That did it. I could literally feel the anger travel from the bottom of my brain to my mouth.
"SHUT THE FUCK UP BOTH OF YOU!" I snapped, rain pouring around us as I shoved The Monster away and Stepped backwards.
When I get pissed, It's not fun.
"Fuck You Yui. You're not a Card Captor, how would you know how to do the job right if you've never done it your Frickin' self huh? Why don't you tell me that Jack ass?"
"How dare you Speak to me like this!" his face was curled back in a snarl now, anger painted on his face.
"No, How dare you question my abilities! I have done this job to the best of my abilities, and Tried not go insane at the same damn time! You have no idea what it's like! You're not the one running around town left and right trying to capture cards that could potentially kick your ass!"
"It is my duty to stay hidden, It is the.."
"Rules? Fuck the rules. You know as well as I do that the Rules are broken. WE AREN'T playing by Clow Rei's Rulebook anymore. No, We're playing by the Book of MARVEL now, and Rule number one, There are no Rules." I said, narrowing my eyes as I stepped closer towards Yui.
"You've got no right to erase my memory. I may not like this job very much, but I'm damn proud that I've got it. It's shown me that I've got more guts, more Determination, than I thought I ever had. How many Captors had the guts to go Car jumping to avoid a Giant Bird? How many Captors have the guts to drop fifty feet and have to spend a fucking week with icepacks all over you because every time you move it's like rubbing a damn bruise, just to catch a card? HOW MANY?? " I poked Yui in the chest hard, looking up into those Blue cat eyes that he had.
"The point is You've got no right to erase my sense of Pride. I've done Marvelous things because of these cards, and I'll be damned if I let you make me forget them." I turned to the Monster who was smirking at me in some sort of sense, I was too pissed to tell.
"You have a severe temper Mr. Marvel, and a sense of determination that not many Card Captors have had before you, isn't that Right Yui?" He said, raising an eyebrow towards him.
"…Not many have had this aspect…true.."
"That's another thing, Stop comparing me to other Card Captors. I'm the new one, and I'm not here to live up to your shitheaded expectations, or even to the past deeds of them. I'm going to cut my own niche into the Captor job, because I'm Unique and The Only Thomas Marvel. I'm not SAKURA…or any of the other past ones. Capice?"
"Alright." The Monster said.
"Interesting Speech Thomas Marvel, but it has done little to Sway me into helping you in your quest To Defeat the Seven cards." I sighed angrily, reaching into my pocket with a wet hand.
"Fine, you know what they say…ACTIONS speak louder than words." I snarled, pulling out the Key of Clow. The Monster lost his smirk as he saw this, especially when I turned the Key into the wand.
"You and me Yui, one on one Shitkicker. I win, your pansy ass is gonna help me against the Seven cards…" Yui Raised an Eyebrow, looking down at me in interest.
"…And If I win?"
"You can work your mojo and make everyone forget this happened."
"Marvel…I think you're letting your temper dictate your actions.." The Monster said shakily.
"You're damn right they are."
"I think you should think this through…Yui is difficult to beat when you have ALL the cards, but you've only got Seven!"
"Maybe so…But I'll be damned if I go down without a fight."
"I admire your courage..but.."
"Silence Monster, He has challenged me and I will accept!" Yui cried, looking directly at me with a look of anger.
"Alright Bitch, let's go!" I cried, assuming my normal Boxing stance. Yui narrowed his eyes at me, then held up his hand, an orb of blue energy swirling into it. I flipped the wand behind my back, holding it like that as I kept my eyes on the orb…and he flung it like I thought. I swung the staff in an arc upward swiftly, knocking the blue orb up into the sky where it exploded harmlessly as he charged another one, charging at me. I ducked lowly, diving between his legs and springing upwards immediately, swinging the wand into his back hard as I turned. He stumbled slightly, but turned back around with his blue orb ready for the throwing. Luckily I took off as he flung it, ducking low as it exploded against a tree in a swirl of Bark and rain.
"You run now! Is this what you mean by one on one?" Yui called as I ran in the opposite direction. I swung my staff down as I ran, callin' on the Fly card. Uhg, Broomstick mode for the wand, I hate it cause it Chafes my…ehem, Anyway. I hopped on it and veered around, goin' Full Tilt back at Yui, who had another Blue Orb all up and ready. As He flung it, I easily ducked under it and then veered up, swinging my boot up into his forehead hard, causing him to stumble once more.
"You are Crafty Marvel! I'll give you that!" He cried as he flapped his wings, taking flight after me. Man, I was cold And Wet, my hair was plastered against my face already…DAMMIT This was gonna be tougher than some of my mothers home made steak. So, I peeked behind me and saw him flying after me, holding his hand out with some sort of crystal in it.
"Great, Quartz, whatta ya gonna do? Fling it at me?" I Yelled at him….then a whole bunch of Blue crystals flew out of THAT one directly at me, cutting me across my turned forehead. I veered right violently from the blow, going down as I tried to regain my wits. Unfortunately, I didn't regain them in time, as I got knocked down into a tree and got whacked repeatedly with several branches as I hit the ground. I laid there for about twenty seconds before I had to grab the wand and roll over, Yui having flung another Blue Orb at me as he descended. I Felt my forehead as I stood up…and Could feel the blood mixing with the rain as it ran between my fingers down over my face. Man I was going to have a hard time explaining this to my Mom and Dad…oyyyyy…..
"Had enough Marvel?" Yui yelled, floating a few feet off the ground with two more Blue Orbs ready.
"Go fuck a Condor." I yelled back, Raising my wand up as I quickly cycled through my card options.
Okay, I thought, What can match this fucker? Light and Dark cards…I'll save those as a last Resort…Okay, How about I confuse him?
"TWIN CARD….Help me!" I ordered, and as it materialized it wrapped around me and engulfed me in something that reminded me of an intense light, then vanished as quickly with another me Standing next to me, holding a wand of its own.
"Interesting Thomas Marvel…but ultimately futile." And He flung the Orbs at us in lightning fashion, but we each jumped to our respective rights and let the orbs explode into the ground, kicking up mud. I scrambled back to my feet, covered in mud now, and looked toward the Card Replica of me, who pointed up at Yui. I nodded, then maybe an attack motion. We each ran forward towards Yui, who held up his hand as we went. Instantly, a crystal appeared in his hand, and started spitting out more crystals at the Card and I, shredding my duplicate and splitting it back into the Twin Card as I dropped to the ground. The Twin Then swirled into it's card form, returning to my pocket as I got back up. God Damn, he was good…
"You have no idea how to use the power that you hold! This will be the first time I take TRUE pleasure in defeating an opponent…" Yui said, holding up yet another blue orb as he looked down at me. He flung it down hard, to which I rolled to the side as the thing impacted the ground, covering me in mud again. I barely heard the Monster run up, yelling at me as I started running, Yui flinging Orbs at me in machine gun Fashion.
"MARVEL!! You can Defeat him!!" The Monster cried. I gotta note that his voice kind of lacked the quality that inspires a guy, it had a quality more equivalent to that of someone shouting encouragement to a man already IMPALED on a stick. I ducked behind a tree, only to start running again when an orb blew out a large chunk out of the right side of it, sending bark everywhere. I was breathing moderately heavy, luckily My workign out for years had me in pretty damn good Shape Cardio wise as I made a U turn, heading back at Yui who was still flinging his Snow globes of DOOOOM!!!
"That's it. Face your Destiny Thomas Marvel!" The Monster cried, strangely he wasn't Wet despite the fact it was still raining. So, As I ran I raised the wand, summoning a card that I KNOW would help against the White haired Devil that is YUI!
"Power Card! HEEEELLPPPP MMMEEEE…" I cried, slurring my speech since Yui was still flinging boom boom's left and right. It swirled out of it's card form, and engulfed me in a blue glow as I approached Yui.
"You have very few Cards, what makes you think you can BEAT ME?" He cried, raising his hand once more as I got closer. I was way too close to him now to block an Orb of blue, so I had to nail him before he managed to fling it. It was a race against mere seconds…
…..And I nailed him right in the jaw with a right cross that actually knocked him off his feet with an audible "WUUHHHHHG!"
I stood there as he recollected his wits, trying to catch a moment to regain a bit of my wind, and to wipe the blood coming from my forehead out of my eyes. He rubbed his jaw, pushing himself up out of the mud and looking at me.
"You are much more physical than the others." He admitted, getting back up and shaking mud from his wings.
"I told you to stop comparing me to Other Card Captors." I said slowly, then rushed him again with a jab that knocked him backwards. I swung my fist up into his gut as he was stunned, causing him to bend over in pain. MAN! This Power card was Cool!! First time using it and I was whomping an all powerful Guardian MANBEAST!!
"When I beat you, I swear I'm gonna do a victory dance on your SKULL!" I swung an elbow into Yui's back, causing him to fall over. I looked over at The Monster, who seemed to be stunned that I was actually taking it to Yui. I raised my wand up, going for that knockout blow into the back of his head….
When he suddenly reached up and knocked me backwards with an uppercut of his own. It actually knocked the Power card off me, which returned to it's form as I got back up, rubbing my jaw in pain. Yui was hunched over, still favoring his gut it seemed as he had what LOOKED like Silver blood runnin' down his chin.
Least it wasn't green.
"You Fight well, but I have had hundreds of years of practice and discipline. I know the ancient arts.." and with that, I think he assumed some sort of karate stance, I'm not well versed in karate. I stepped forward, assuming my boxing stance I learned in the Gym as I looked him in the eye.
"I don't know Kung Fu, But I can say this in all honesty when I say Kung FUCK YOU!!" I growled, surging forward with a jab at his chin of which he dodged and retaliated with a blow to my chest. I stumbled back a bit, but swung for a left hook of which he blocked AGAIN, and planted another blow to my chest, which had me reeling.
Damn, I hate kung Fu.
I swung again, this time he blocked and planted a punch to my jaw that actually stunned me, and followed up with another blow that actually made me leave my feet up into the air. All I remember from there is that I got hit up even higher, felt a few blows up there, then a hit that knocked me back down into the mud, getting it all in my hair….
Not that I wasn't still muddy to begin with, It was still raining, but it had lightened up a bit.
"Thomas! You can't beat him in hand to hand! Use a Clow card!" The Monster Cried. Well no duh! I had a visible bruise starting to swell up on my face from that ONE punch and it felt like I had more forming. I slowly got back to my feet, eyeing Yui as he landed back on the ground. Damnit, he still had that smug look on his face.
"I may have but a third of my power, but that Third is more powerful than all your current cards put together…" He said cockily, staring me in the eye. I spit out some reddish stuff, I'm assuming blood, and raised my wand up to use my trump card.
"DARK CARD! Confine Yui!" And I swung it down just as the Monster yelled…
"NOOOOO!!!" So as the Dark card Swirled at Yui, he simply raised his hand…
and It stopped and swung back around at me, swarming around me like rope as it froze my arms to the sides and seemed to tie me against a tree. I pulled against it, but it felt like an iron weight pressing against where it was tied.
"Some of the Cards are under MY protection, and since Kero could be said to represent the Sun…I represent the moon…and Darkness…If you were TRULY worthy you would have known that." Yui said, floating towards me.
"Thomas!" The Monster cried, looking to be very frustrated as he was pulling at his hair.
"You have lost Thomas Marvel, and so the Balance shall be Restored, Your memory and those around you erased, and the Wand shall be given to ANOTHER more WORTHY captor…." He said, with slightly MORE than a hint of smugness. He raised his hand once more, and the Dark card started encompassing me totally, wrapping tiny vines of darkness around me as I struggled.
Oh man, I remember what I was thinking when It started to encompass me….
'How can it end like this? I was winning! I had him on the ropes! He can't erase my memory! I need to remember! This has been one of my best experiences of my life, and I can't give it up to a SON OF A BITCH like Yui! It can't end like this! No, No, NO NO NO NO NO!'
You ever want something so bad you could taste it? Or ever had a thought so strong that it actually makes you sweat? Or maybe twitch or even shake?
Well, Somehow I managed to get my foot unstuck, and Kicked with all my might. Strangely, god decided to cut me a break, since my foot sent up a nice splotch of mud that went directly into Yui's face, causing him to lose control of the Dark card. It swirled off of me, returning to it's card form as I collapsed to the ground, catching my breath.
"GOOD JOB THOMAS!"
"Shut up Monster." I gasped, shaking my head a bit as I looked at Yui. He was wiping mud out of his face angrily, then trying to get it out of his eyes just as frantically. This was my chance, the mud had gotten into his eyes and blinded him, leaving him open for a one hit Knockout from yours truly. Dark card was out of the question, but The Dark's Lesbianic/ Sisterly counterpart The LIGHT card….
"Light Card! Knock this Shit kicker out and HOLD'EM DOWN!!" I cried, swinging the wand up and down. The Light card swirled around in a bright light before blasting off towards Yui at seemingly light speed. I could just see him removing his hands form his eyes JUST as the Light Card hit, barreling into him and then continuing its little flight, Yui getting dragged along for the ride. Wooo! MAN The Light card RULES!! It kept going, out of my sight until I heard a loud Crash. I got back to my feet and trotted towards the sound until I saw Yui, the Light card had knocked him straight through the bench We had been sitting on and had him in a bubble of some sort, pinning him to the ground Though it really wasn't necessary.
Yui's eyelids were fluttering on the border of unconsciousness. The Light card had knocked the crap out of him! Alright!!
I looked over at the Monster who had followed. Man, he was sporting a grin that would've given the Cheshire cat a run for its money, but then again I suppose I had a pretty big smile myself, despite the fact blood was STILL trickling down my face from the cut, and the sense of lightheadedness was startin' to kick in. I looked down at Yui, whose eyes were JUST starting to come back into focus, and said one thing.
"I win." I then stood on his head and did the only thing my light head would allow me to do, the thing I promised to do.
I did a little jig then fell over as the Blood loss knocked me out cold. Damn Delirious state…Yeah Delirious-ness….That's what it caused me to dance…REALLY!!
"HE DID WHAT?!!"
I woke up with a pounding in my head that would rival the pain of watching a Pauly Shore movie. In fact, I couldn't even open my eyes or feel much of anything around me, but I could hear things….Like Kero and Yui talking…
"He made a Deal with The Monster Card over there…" Yui there….
"He did WHAT?!?!"
"…Didn't I just.."
"Yeah you told me…I'm in total shock…How could he do that?" Kero…
"I offered him a chance of a luxurious Life or a Dismal Death Dear Keroberos." The Monster…
"I'm not talking to YOU, I'm talking to Yui!"
"YOU, Clow Card, Will remain SILENT!"
"Dear Guardian beasts, I am involved in this just as much as Thomas Marvel, so you WILL respect what I say!"
"Forget the Monster Keroberos, We have pressing concerns.."
Okay, now I was starting to feel something….Yeah…I was laying on my bed, I could feel my Grandma's hand knitted blanket over me. I felt very cold, but that Quilt is very warm so that was starting to clear up. C'mon eyes, open…
"Keroberos, The Balance is gone because of This Captor. How could you let HIM Wield the cards to begin with? He is OBVIOUSLY unfit."
"He's not the best, but He was pretty smart about it…up till NOW…."
"I beg to differ on the Unfit aspect…"
"Shut Up Monster." They both said that unanimously. Man, Guardian Beasts are mean when pissed…..I know this from experience!
"Yui I didn't have any doubts……Alright I did have SOME doubts, This is THOMAS after all, but I thought he could pull it off! I didn't realize he'd screw up like this…"
"You're error Has caused Now Irreparable damage to The Clow, you can sense it can't you?"
"…I sense it now Yes…And I'd been having it for a while…I just wasn't sure what it was…" At this point, I opened my eyes slowly. Yep, I was in my room all right, and judging from the light pouring in It was morning……and I was looking at A blurry Yui and Kero arguing, The Monster leaning against the door watching them.
"He was unfit Kero! He is temperamental, Arrogant, Unsure of himself, has NO real clue how to wield his power, and his mistakes might have sealed this worlds fate!"
"….Except for the Fate, Wielding power, and Unsure part…The Same could be said of you Master Yui…" Ahhhh it was in focus now!
"Shut Up Monster!" At this point I decided to try my voice out..
"….Hey….hello?"
"You know if You two keep telling me to shut up, I'll just leave!"
"You're staying RIGHT where you are! You've caused enough trouble!"
"The last thing we need is YOU out of our sight!" Yui snarled.
"Yeah, Who knows what mayhem you'll cause!"
"….Hey….."
"I resent that! You two may be Guardian beasts, but I am a CLOW CARD! I demand a Modicum of respect!"
"You barely deserve to be a CARD, let alone to have our RESPECT."
"…Will you three SHUT UP?" I cried in a bit of slurred voice. They all Turned to me, looking.
"Thomas! How are you?" Kero asked, floating over to me.
"I got a jackhammer pounding my skull, and I got three Boneheads Yelling. You guys really wanna attract my Mom and Dad in here? In fact, How'd I get in here and How'd you explain the Gulley in my forehead?"
"Do not worry about Your Parents Mr. Marvel, They went to work! After Yui and I Brought you here, I concocted a story about how you had went skating, but fell over into the mud and knocked your head on a rock! Well! I said I had come along and, after checking your wallet, Brought you home for proper treatment." The Monster Said with a flair of dramatics.
"And it really wasn't much of a Gulley, more like a crack." Kero added, shrugging.
"…Yeah okay…." I bought that….Then Kero got an angry look on his face.
"Why didn't you tell me about What you and The Monster Card Did?" Kero asked furiously.
"…Must you keep referring to me as The Monster Card? I am not just a mere object anymore!" He cried angrily.
"Shut up." Yui Snarled, which silenced him almost immediately.
"I didn't tell you Kero…Because then you would've been all pissed and would've read me the Riot Act. This was a deal between MYSELF and the Monster, Not YOU, Him, and I."
"You IDIOT. Do you even realize what you've DONE?"
"YES now shut up about it!"
"Marvel, I swear when you get out of that Bed…."
"Master Kero, Let the boy Rest, we have much bigger things to talk of." The Monster interjected. Kero glowered at me, but nodded Slowly. …Talk about BIGGER THINGS?
"Wait a minute…WHAT bigger things?"
"…We will tell you later Thomas Marvel, for now…Sleep." Yui waved his hands over my eyes….and suddenly I could feel my eyes drooping….then I feel into a deep sleep.
"Do you think they've Combined?" Kero asked, watching Marvel Fall asleep.
"Yes." Yui said simply.
"Master Yui, You know what this means…"
"Yes."
"Enter Disasters." Kero sighed. The Monster rubbed his chin, then snapped his fingers.
"We've missed one big Thing, Guardian Beasts.."
"What is that Clow Card?" Yui asked, snarling slightly.
"That Clow Rei's magic has been disrupted. The Magic that Sustains the Cards itself! Understandably, the One's That are not captured are still drawing off Clow Rei's Magic…But…The Captured cards Have been slightly….Knocked off their game for lack of a better metaphor." Kero sighed, staring at the Monster Card
"Can you explain this better Clow Card?" Yui growled, folding his arms together.
"Quite Simply, I believe that the Captured cards are losing their power because the Magic's Been disrupted."
"This is bad." Kero muttered, folding his tiny arms together.
"This means…The captured cards are going to have to start drawing off a DIFFERENT magic…." The Monster Said, then looked Down at Marvel.
There is a time in a persons life, where you have to take action. A Time when you have to decide that you can't take anymore shit, you can't take anymore lies, and you have to know everything right then and there. The Incident with the Dream card (Which I did catch, though It went over to Katrina…Plus I gave the Sand Card back…Okay…she twisted my arm until I gave it back…) Had me thinking that the old strategy of Waiting for a card to Surface wasn't going to cut it anymore. No I need to go on the offensive, but I'd need more than Josh, Kero, and myself to do it.
If seven of the top powerful cards were going to go against me as a group, I'd need some magic of my own… And some more allies.
It was time to get serious.
I was lying in my room, watching Kero play Smackdown! 2, as I carefully thought how I was going to ask this. The Rain poured and pattered against my window, and This was as good a time as any to Ask Kero about, and The Light and Dark cards had said The Most powerful cards, so I decided to ask the expert on the Clow.
"Kero…"
"Yeah?"
"What are the top Ten most powerful cards?" He ruminated on this one a moment before pausing the game to look at me.
"Well…In terms of Power The Element cards, Like Earth, Fire, And Water, are basically the toughest there is. The Light and Dark cards are probably second…but you caught them…HOW Is what I want to know…"
"…….Just keep going…"
"…Well…You got Earth, Fire, Water….Windy Card might be below them…I suppose the Time card 'cause it can stop time and such……the Wood Card's not too shabby either…The Mirror Card's preeetttyy good….The RETURN cards pretty dangerous too…The Shadow cards got a good dose of power…..The Thunder Cards a bit more powerful than Windy..I s'pose that'd be it." He said, shrugging.
"Wood, Earth, Fire, Water, Windy, Time, Mirror, Return, Thunder, and Shadow…..I'm screwed…" I muttered…a little too loudly Since Kero narrowed his eyes at me.
"Thomas…what exactly happened while you were out cold." I couldn't tell him, not just yet.
"I'll tell you later…Right now I have to ask you a few things…Very important things…I need you to answer them truthfully." I said, looking at him darkly.
"…Depending on what they are…I suppose…"
"Who's Yui?"
"I can't tell you that."
"You can't tell me that…Heh…My life's on the line and you can't tell me…" He Looked at me strangely and floated over to me.
"Thomas…What's going on? What aren't you telling me?"
"Let me give you the abridged version Kero…" I sat up slowly, looking at Kero in the eyes.
"The old rules are gone. SEVEN Cards are teaming up to kick my ass."
"WHAT?!?! How do you know that?!" He demanded, looking at me with a fierce look.
"I have my sources. It's my fault the Old Rules are dead Kero…Now I need to know who YUI is…"
"I can't tell you Thomas.." I grabbed Kero, holding him tightly in my hand.
"Kero I don't have time for this Secrecy Bullshit. I'll make you a deal. You tell me about Yui I'll tell you the REAL reason why The Cards are Teamin' up and What happened With the Dream Card, Deal?"
"…Thomas…"
"Kero…You have to tell me.." I looked at him with a stare while he fidgeted nervously.
I'll give that Rat his due, he's got some pretty big balls in terms of sticking to his guns.
"..I can't tell you Thomas…I'm sorry…" I knew that the tone in his voice meant finality. He wouldn't talk….
So if I couldn't learn about Yui from the Clow Guardian beast I had two alternatives…
I let go of Kero and got off my bed, slipping on my coat.
"..Thomas..Where are ya going?" Kero asked, floating back up.
"Out." I slipped the hood over my head and stuffed the Key of Clow in my pocket.
"Where?"
"Out." And I stormed out the door.
I held the Wet Phone book in front of me, then stared at the address to make sure it was the right one.
The Good thing about The name Showron is that it is so unique in America, that there was only one Listing for it. If I couldn't get answers from the Guardian RAT…Why not the Original guy's Descendant?
I walked up the stairs to the Green and white houses door, then grasped the knocker and swung it hard. I heard the exchange of voices for a moment, then I saw an eye peek through the peephole.
"YOU!!!" I recognized the Bitch's voice anywhere…but now wasn't the time to insult her.
"Katrina!! I need some information!" I Yelled over the pounding Rain, it dripping down in front of me off my hood.
"Go to hell!" She then started to retreat from the door, I could hear her feet.
"I need to know about YUI!!" She stopped in her tracks, I could hear that….she seemed to pause for a few seconds before she walked back to the door and opened it up. She was wearing a blue robe, and looked like she had been getting ready to go to bed. Thank god I hadn't brought Josh along, he'd be in complete Drool mode.
"…Yui?"
"Yes…Yui.." She leaned against the door frame, a strange look in her eyes.
"Why don't you ask your Pet Rat?: She said…but in a slightly less sarcastic tone that I had come to expect…almost like she KNEW Kero hadn't said shit…
"He wouldn't tell me…Katrina…I really need to know about him…" I said, in a pleading manner…
Uhg…I hated doing this to someone I loathed…
She sighed, then ran a hand through her hair.
"He's a Guardian beast I think…My Grandfather, Lei Showron, told me about him. He said something about…Final judgment…It was a long time ago you know?" She said, giving me a kind of 'I don't know' look.
"Final Judgment?"
"Yeah…It had something to do with..like…The last Card…or Test….I'm not really sure. He was very hazy on the details, something about how a True Cardcaptor will find out about him when the time is right." Well…I knew more than I had known before…but I needed more.
"Do you know anything else about him?"
"…Well…He was extremely powerful…that's all I really remember…that and something about Final Judgment.." She said, shrugging. I nodded my head in understanding, but knew I needed more even If I couldn't get anything else from her.
"Thanks….." I turned around and started walking…
"Thomas…." I turned my head back to her, raising an eyebrow questioningly.
"… I don't know what this is about….But I get a feeling You're in some shit." She said slowly…
"..You have no idea…"
"Thomas…You and I don't get along. We crash heads way too much…But I'd feel bad…yes Don't give me that look I'd feel Bad. I'd feel bad If I didn't warn you. Grandfather told me about him in a manner that was more akin to Danger than friendship…so if you're going to keep digging into this Yui stuff….Good luck."
"…Thanks…I'm going to need all I can." And I turned back around and started walking. I had just one more source to ask about, and I was pretty sure I knew how to get into contact with the bastard…
I mean The Monster.
I looked up at the rain, watching the Light card work its magic as it spun through the sky, lighting it up like bolts of thunder and Lightning in a particular manner, parting the clouds like the Red Sea. I held up the wand, signaling for it to stop, so it flew back down in front of me.
"Thanks….Return to your power now please…" And it swirled back into it's card, which I stuffed into my pocket and sat down on the park bench in the rain, folding my arms together.
I didn't have to wait long.
"Thomas Marvel! I knew we'd meet again! I must admit, using the Light Card to write my name in the clouds, In Dazzling lights no less, was Genius!" I heard. I looked up and Saw him sitting next to me, wearing that same business suit, except he had an Umbrella over his head to keep himself dry.
"You know why I'm here?"
"I've got a good guess."
"The Cards are teaming up against me, because I broke the rules…"
"Yes, I am aware of that now.."
"I broke the rules by making a deal with YOU…"
"As I said, I am now aware of that.." He sighed, closing his umbrella up and tucking it under his arm.
"You know what they're gonna do.." He sighed, leaning against the Bench.
"Yes…The Seven Cards are already planning a strike as we speak…"
"I don't think either of us could rule the world if I'm dead. If I die, the Cards will go wild on the Earth, then Cause it's destruction within two years with nothing standing in their way."
"This I realized. They have been looking into recruiting Some of the NEW ones as well.."
"Have they got any of them?"
"It's rumored they Got the Chaos Card on their side…but Other that
No. The New ones, with the exception of myself, are too egotistical to ally themselves with the Seven Cards." I nodded my head, then looked him in the eye.
"You realize, even with myself, you, Katrina, and Kero We still don't have enough power, in terms of magic, to really Defeat Seven or Eight cards that are that powerful?" I asked, giving him a look. He nodded silently.
"From what I've heard, We need a Big gun."
"I'm not sure I follow."
"Cut the bullshit. You know EXACTLY what I mean. We need Yui."
"….."
"Yeah that's what I thought. What do you know about Yui Mr. Monster?" It rubbed it's hands together, then he ran them through his white hair.
"I think It's against the rules to tell you…"
"Fuck the Rules. The Rules are gone, you and I shattered them when we, Literally, played Devils Advocate and made this deal." He looked down for a moment, then looked back at me nodding.
"He's an extremely powerful Beast…"
"I heard that from Katrina…"
"He's the last opponent you face after you catch all the cards, he is the second Guardian beast of the Clow. On the front? That's your friend Kero. On the back? Yui. He fights with you as Final Judgment to decide if you are worthy enough to wield the cards from then on, and if you succeed…you are bestowed the Power of Clow Rei…" This was what I needed to know..
"What's that?"
"You can make your own cards." Whoa….cool.
"….That sounds cool…But I need to know how to get into Contact with Yui." He laughed for a moment at my comment.
"You don't come into contact with him until the very end! Don't you know that? It's the.."
"It's the rules Huh? Didn't I tell you already? THERE ARE NO MORE RULES. This is not a legitimate boxing match anymore this is a streetfight. The Cards are playing Dirty because WE played dirty and broke the rules, so now they aren't BOUND by them anymore." I stood up, turning my back to him as he looked on.
"Since we broke the rules, the only good thing is that we aren't BOUND by them either, So we get to play dirty as well.."
"Wisdom beyond your years, if a bit crooked.." I heard this new voice, and turned back to the bench to see..
HIM.
The guy with the large white wings, the white hair…and some pretty funky clothing at that. He looked at The Monster, and then myself almost as if he was evaluating us…..Sizing us up maybe?
"Yui, right?"
"Correct…Thomas Marvel yes?"
"Yeah…"
"Pleasure to meet you….and I must say this is the hardest any Card Captor has tried to contact me BEFORE Final Judgment.."
"Well I'm not like the OTHER Card Captors." He narrowed his eyes shrewdly at me, then tilted his Head towards The Monster.
"Yes, obviously. You know, I shouldn't even be here right now? But your mistake, well, I think you know.." I nodded my head slowly.
"MY magic is supposed to be restricted until you capture all the cards, but as soon as you agreed to The Monster's request, I materialized. Now, your incompetence has left me at a THIRD of my normal power. I must say, I seriously question Kerobero's choice of card Captor this time.." He said curtly.
God DAMN. I had to deal with another Snob! Another... Condescending ..son of a bitch. MAN, I know all this. I know I wasn't really the top choice of a Card Captor, but I had been trying my best damn it. I had been chased around by a giant bird, I had my ass kicked by The Fight card, I fell fifty feet into steel chairs, I had been SLAPPED by the Dream card, And cornered by The Twin and Company. I'd be damned if I'd let him say this shit to me…
He stood up, still looking at me with a look that you'd give an annoying ant.
"I'm tempted to repossess the Clow, Take away the Wand, and find someone more suitable, someone NOT chosen by Keroberos who would do such a stupid…" And I slapped him.
HARD.
He looked at me as if I had just slapped royalty, which in a Way I guess I had. MAN he had one pissed off look in his eyes, looked like he was about to squash me. Hell, even The Monster seemed to be surprised.
"Look Yui, I don't give a rats ass if you think I'm unworthy or not. We got bigger concerns here than what you THINK. I broke the rules, YES, This I know, and I'm reaping what I sowed. Right now, the bigger question is will you help me Defeat these seven Cards that are planning to whack me?" He narrowed his eyes even more, looking down at me.
"Why would I help you? You have erred much since you started, what makes you worthy?"
"MIGHT I interject one moment Master Yui?" The Monster said, getting out of his seat. This was going to be interesting, a Clow card sticking up for me instead of Sticking me in the back! Wooo!
"This Thomas Marvel is a Marvel unto himself…" He passed Yui and knelt down to my level, putting an arm around me.
"How so?" Yui sighed, folding his arms together.
"Well, DESPITE the fact Thomas and I did what we did, I must say his resourcefulness in the face of superior magic has been QUITE astounding. I am connected to the Clow, and I can speak for the cards he has caught when I say they are impressed by how he did it. You see, he has a distinct lack of power in terms of Cards, and yet he has caught some of them without use of other Cards. Take his Capture of The Power, Twin, and Illusion Cards! He sacrificed his own body to take them down!" Yui blinked, apparently ruminating on this information.
"True, but while I admire the fact you are supporting him, I think the REAL reason you're doing it is because your plan for Global Conquest is dependent solely on his shoulders." Damn, I knew there was a catch to why he was sticking up for me. He kind of slumped a bit, like a kid who was caught with his hand in the proverbial Cookie jar, but he perked up a bit.
"Well, partially yes…" The Monster admitted.
"I have a much better alternative that would right the balance, and Also solve our current Dilemma." Yui said, smiling a slightly evil grin as he pointed at me.
"I could use what magic I have and Wipe the slate clean. I could erase your mind and everyone else who has known about your Skills. I could, in a sense, Restart the entire process and find someone more SUITABLE for Card Captoring." The Monsters eyes widened to the size of Dinner plates…Then again so did mine.
"OUT of the question!" Monster cried indignantly.
"You say that because you would lose your connection to the Clow, and all it's power. I may not be at full strength, but I could do it, and it would mean no group of cards would target Thomas Marvel ever again." Yui pointed out, staring into The Monsters Black, soulless eyes.
"He has worked very hard, and If you do that the Time it takes you to find a suitable candidate could mean the end of the World! Thomas has the Job started, why not let him continue?" Geez, These guys were talking about me as if I wasn't even there!!
"His job thus far has been LESS than Perfect."
"This Job hasn't been perfect from the beginning with Clow Rei, Yui!"
"You just lobby against this idea because you would lose your seat of power!"
"Not only that, but I'm thinking of the World Here!"
"The world would be better off with a Different Captor, Marvel has slipped up and gotten lucky. His luck won't hold out against Seven Cards with that much power." My anger was starting to get the better of me here….I felt like I was going to blow my top like Vesuvius…..
"His Resourcefulness, not his luck, is what has carried him this far!"
"He is a poor Captor, he will NOT survive the coming battle."
That did it. I could literally feel the anger travel from the bottom of my brain to my mouth.
"SHUT THE FUCK UP BOTH OF YOU!" I snapped, rain pouring around us as I shoved The Monster away and Stepped backwards.
When I get pissed, It's not fun.
"Fuck You Yui. You're not a Card Captor, how would you know how to do the job right if you've never done it your Frickin' self huh? Why don't you tell me that Jack ass?"
"How dare you Speak to me like this!" his face was curled back in a snarl now, anger painted on his face.
"No, How dare you question my abilities! I have done this job to the best of my abilities, and Tried not go insane at the same damn time! You have no idea what it's like! You're not the one running around town left and right trying to capture cards that could potentially kick your ass!"
"It is my duty to stay hidden, It is the.."
"Rules? Fuck the rules. You know as well as I do that the Rules are broken. WE AREN'T playing by Clow Rei's Rulebook anymore. No, We're playing by the Book of MARVEL now, and Rule number one, There are no Rules." I said, narrowing my eyes as I stepped closer towards Yui.
"You've got no right to erase my memory. I may not like this job very much, but I'm damn proud that I've got it. It's shown me that I've got more guts, more Determination, than I thought I ever had. How many Captors had the guts to go Car jumping to avoid a Giant Bird? How many Captors have the guts to drop fifty feet and have to spend a fucking week with icepacks all over you because every time you move it's like rubbing a damn bruise, just to catch a card? HOW MANY?? " I poked Yui in the chest hard, looking up into those Blue cat eyes that he had.
"The point is You've got no right to erase my sense of Pride. I've done Marvelous things because of these cards, and I'll be damned if I let you make me forget them." I turned to the Monster who was smirking at me in some sort of sense, I was too pissed to tell.
"You have a severe temper Mr. Marvel, and a sense of determination that not many Card Captors have had before you, isn't that Right Yui?" He said, raising an eyebrow towards him.
"…Not many have had this aspect…true.."
"That's another thing, Stop comparing me to other Card Captors. I'm the new one, and I'm not here to live up to your shitheaded expectations, or even to the past deeds of them. I'm going to cut my own niche into the Captor job, because I'm Unique and The Only Thomas Marvel. I'm not SAKURA…or any of the other past ones. Capice?"
"Alright." The Monster said.
"Interesting Speech Thomas Marvel, but it has done little to Sway me into helping you in your quest To Defeat the Seven cards." I sighed angrily, reaching into my pocket with a wet hand.
"Fine, you know what they say…ACTIONS speak louder than words." I snarled, pulling out the Key of Clow. The Monster lost his smirk as he saw this, especially when I turned the Key into the wand.
"You and me Yui, one on one Shitkicker. I win, your pansy ass is gonna help me against the Seven cards…" Yui Raised an Eyebrow, looking down at me in interest.
"…And If I win?"
"You can work your mojo and make everyone forget this happened."
"Marvel…I think you're letting your temper dictate your actions.." The Monster said shakily.
"You're damn right they are."
"I think you should think this through…Yui is difficult to beat when you have ALL the cards, but you've only got Seven!"
"Maybe so…But I'll be damned if I go down without a fight."
"I admire your courage..but.."
"Silence Monster, He has challenged me and I will accept!" Yui cried, looking directly at me with a look of anger.
"Alright Bitch, let's go!" I cried, assuming my normal Boxing stance. Yui narrowed his eyes at me, then held up his hand, an orb of blue energy swirling into it. I flipped the wand behind my back, holding it like that as I kept my eyes on the orb…and he flung it like I thought. I swung the staff in an arc upward swiftly, knocking the blue orb up into the sky where it exploded harmlessly as he charged another one, charging at me. I ducked lowly, diving between his legs and springing upwards immediately, swinging the wand into his back hard as I turned. He stumbled slightly, but turned back around with his blue orb ready for the throwing. Luckily I took off as he flung it, ducking low as it exploded against a tree in a swirl of Bark and rain.
"You run now! Is this what you mean by one on one?" Yui called as I ran in the opposite direction. I swung my staff down as I ran, callin' on the Fly card. Uhg, Broomstick mode for the wand, I hate it cause it Chafes my…ehem, Anyway. I hopped on it and veered around, goin' Full Tilt back at Yui, who had another Blue Orb all up and ready. As He flung it, I easily ducked under it and then veered up, swinging my boot up into his forehead hard, causing him to stumble once more.
"You are Crafty Marvel! I'll give you that!" He cried as he flapped his wings, taking flight after me. Man, I was cold And Wet, my hair was plastered against my face already…DAMMIT This was gonna be tougher than some of my mothers home made steak. So, I peeked behind me and saw him flying after me, holding his hand out with some sort of crystal in it.
"Great, Quartz, whatta ya gonna do? Fling it at me?" I Yelled at him….then a whole bunch of Blue crystals flew out of THAT one directly at me, cutting me across my turned forehead. I veered right violently from the blow, going down as I tried to regain my wits. Unfortunately, I didn't regain them in time, as I got knocked down into a tree and got whacked repeatedly with several branches as I hit the ground. I laid there for about twenty seconds before I had to grab the wand and roll over, Yui having flung another Blue Orb at me as he descended. I Felt my forehead as I stood up…and Could feel the blood mixing with the rain as it ran between my fingers down over my face. Man I was going to have a hard time explaining this to my Mom and Dad…oyyyyy…..
"Had enough Marvel?" Yui yelled, floating a few feet off the ground with two more Blue Orbs ready.
"Go fuck a Condor." I yelled back, Raising my wand up as I quickly cycled through my card options.
Okay, I thought, What can match this fucker? Light and Dark cards…I'll save those as a last Resort…Okay, How about I confuse him?
"TWIN CARD….Help me!" I ordered, and as it materialized it wrapped around me and engulfed me in something that reminded me of an intense light, then vanished as quickly with another me Standing next to me, holding a wand of its own.
"Interesting Thomas Marvel…but ultimately futile." And He flung the Orbs at us in lightning fashion, but we each jumped to our respective rights and let the orbs explode into the ground, kicking up mud. I scrambled back to my feet, covered in mud now, and looked toward the Card Replica of me, who pointed up at Yui. I nodded, then maybe an attack motion. We each ran forward towards Yui, who held up his hand as we went. Instantly, a crystal appeared in his hand, and started spitting out more crystals at the Card and I, shredding my duplicate and splitting it back into the Twin Card as I dropped to the ground. The Twin Then swirled into it's card form, returning to my pocket as I got back up. God Damn, he was good…
"You have no idea how to use the power that you hold! This will be the first time I take TRUE pleasure in defeating an opponent…" Yui said, holding up yet another blue orb as he looked down at me. He flung it down hard, to which I rolled to the side as the thing impacted the ground, covering me in mud again. I barely heard the Monster run up, yelling at me as I started running, Yui flinging Orbs at me in machine gun Fashion.
"MARVEL!! You can Defeat him!!" The Monster cried. I gotta note that his voice kind of lacked the quality that inspires a guy, it had a quality more equivalent to that of someone shouting encouragement to a man already IMPALED on a stick. I ducked behind a tree, only to start running again when an orb blew out a large chunk out of the right side of it, sending bark everywhere. I was breathing moderately heavy, luckily My workign out for years had me in pretty damn good Shape Cardio wise as I made a U turn, heading back at Yui who was still flinging his Snow globes of DOOOOM!!!
"That's it. Face your Destiny Thomas Marvel!" The Monster cried, strangely he wasn't Wet despite the fact it was still raining. So, As I ran I raised the wand, summoning a card that I KNOW would help against the White haired Devil that is YUI!
"Power Card! HEEEELLPPPP MMMEEEE…" I cried, slurring my speech since Yui was still flinging boom boom's left and right. It swirled out of it's card form, and engulfed me in a blue glow as I approached Yui.
"You have very few Cards, what makes you think you can BEAT ME?" He cried, raising his hand once more as I got closer. I was way too close to him now to block an Orb of blue, so I had to nail him before he managed to fling it. It was a race against mere seconds…
…..And I nailed him right in the jaw with a right cross that actually knocked him off his feet with an audible "WUUHHHHHG!"
I stood there as he recollected his wits, trying to catch a moment to regain a bit of my wind, and to wipe the blood coming from my forehead out of my eyes. He rubbed his jaw, pushing himself up out of the mud and looking at me.
"You are much more physical than the others." He admitted, getting back up and shaking mud from his wings.
"I told you to stop comparing me to Other Card Captors." I said slowly, then rushed him again with a jab that knocked him backwards. I swung my fist up into his gut as he was stunned, causing him to bend over in pain. MAN! This Power card was Cool!! First time using it and I was whomping an all powerful Guardian MANBEAST!!
"When I beat you, I swear I'm gonna do a victory dance on your SKULL!" I swung an elbow into Yui's back, causing him to fall over. I looked over at The Monster, who seemed to be stunned that I was actually taking it to Yui. I raised my wand up, going for that knockout blow into the back of his head….
When he suddenly reached up and knocked me backwards with an uppercut of his own. It actually knocked the Power card off me, which returned to it's form as I got back up, rubbing my jaw in pain. Yui was hunched over, still favoring his gut it seemed as he had what LOOKED like Silver blood runnin' down his chin.
Least it wasn't green.
"You Fight well, but I have had hundreds of years of practice and discipline. I know the ancient arts.." and with that, I think he assumed some sort of karate stance, I'm not well versed in karate. I stepped forward, assuming my boxing stance I learned in the Gym as I looked him in the eye.
"I don't know Kung Fu, But I can say this in all honesty when I say Kung FUCK YOU!!" I growled, surging forward with a jab at his chin of which he dodged and retaliated with a blow to my chest. I stumbled back a bit, but swung for a left hook of which he blocked AGAIN, and planted another blow to my chest, which had me reeling.
Damn, I hate kung Fu.
I swung again, this time he blocked and planted a punch to my jaw that actually stunned me, and followed up with another blow that actually made me leave my feet up into the air. All I remember from there is that I got hit up even higher, felt a few blows up there, then a hit that knocked me back down into the mud, getting it all in my hair….
Not that I wasn't still muddy to begin with, It was still raining, but it had lightened up a bit.
"Thomas! You can't beat him in hand to hand! Use a Clow card!" The Monster Cried. Well no duh! I had a visible bruise starting to swell up on my face from that ONE punch and it felt like I had more forming. I slowly got back to my feet, eyeing Yui as he landed back on the ground. Damnit, he still had that smug look on his face.
"I may have but a third of my power, but that Third is more powerful than all your current cards put together…" He said cockily, staring me in the eye. I spit out some reddish stuff, I'm assuming blood, and raised my wand up to use my trump card.
"DARK CARD! Confine Yui!" And I swung it down just as the Monster yelled…
"NOOOOO!!!" So as the Dark card Swirled at Yui, he simply raised his hand…
and It stopped and swung back around at me, swarming around me like rope as it froze my arms to the sides and seemed to tie me against a tree. I pulled against it, but it felt like an iron weight pressing against where it was tied.
"Some of the Cards are under MY protection, and since Kero could be said to represent the Sun…I represent the moon…and Darkness…If you were TRULY worthy you would have known that." Yui said, floating towards me.
"Thomas!" The Monster cried, looking to be very frustrated as he was pulling at his hair.
"You have lost Thomas Marvel, and so the Balance shall be Restored, Your memory and those around you erased, and the Wand shall be given to ANOTHER more WORTHY captor…." He said, with slightly MORE than a hint of smugness. He raised his hand once more, and the Dark card started encompassing me totally, wrapping tiny vines of darkness around me as I struggled.
Oh man, I remember what I was thinking when It started to encompass me….
'How can it end like this? I was winning! I had him on the ropes! He can't erase my memory! I need to remember! This has been one of my best experiences of my life, and I can't give it up to a SON OF A BITCH like Yui! It can't end like this! No, No, NO NO NO NO NO!'
You ever want something so bad you could taste it? Or ever had a thought so strong that it actually makes you sweat? Or maybe twitch or even shake?
Well, Somehow I managed to get my foot unstuck, and Kicked with all my might. Strangely, god decided to cut me a break, since my foot sent up a nice splotch of mud that went directly into Yui's face, causing him to lose control of the Dark card. It swirled off of me, returning to it's card form as I collapsed to the ground, catching my breath.
"GOOD JOB THOMAS!"
"Shut up Monster." I gasped, shaking my head a bit as I looked at Yui. He was wiping mud out of his face angrily, then trying to get it out of his eyes just as frantically. This was my chance, the mud had gotten into his eyes and blinded him, leaving him open for a one hit Knockout from yours truly. Dark card was out of the question, but The Dark's Lesbianic/ Sisterly counterpart The LIGHT card….
"Light Card! Knock this Shit kicker out and HOLD'EM DOWN!!" I cried, swinging the wand up and down. The Light card swirled around in a bright light before blasting off towards Yui at seemingly light speed. I could just see him removing his hands form his eyes JUST as the Light Card hit, barreling into him and then continuing its little flight, Yui getting dragged along for the ride. Wooo! MAN The Light card RULES!! It kept going, out of my sight until I heard a loud Crash. I got back to my feet and trotted towards the sound until I saw Yui, the Light card had knocked him straight through the bench We had been sitting on and had him in a bubble of some sort, pinning him to the ground Though it really wasn't necessary.
Yui's eyelids were fluttering on the border of unconsciousness. The Light card had knocked the crap out of him! Alright!!
I looked over at the Monster who had followed. Man, he was sporting a grin that would've given the Cheshire cat a run for its money, but then again I suppose I had a pretty big smile myself, despite the fact blood was STILL trickling down my face from the cut, and the sense of lightheadedness was startin' to kick in. I looked down at Yui, whose eyes were JUST starting to come back into focus, and said one thing.
"I win." I then stood on his head and did the only thing my light head would allow me to do, the thing I promised to do.
I did a little jig then fell over as the Blood loss knocked me out cold. Damn Delirious state…Yeah Delirious-ness….That's what it caused me to dance…REALLY!!
"HE DID WHAT?!!"
I woke up with a pounding in my head that would rival the pain of watching a Pauly Shore movie. In fact, I couldn't even open my eyes or feel much of anything around me, but I could hear things….Like Kero and Yui talking…
"He made a Deal with The Monster Card over there…" Yui there….
"He did WHAT?!?!"
"…Didn't I just.."
"Yeah you told me…I'm in total shock…How could he do that?" Kero…
"I offered him a chance of a luxurious Life or a Dismal Death Dear Keroberos." The Monster…
"I'm not talking to YOU, I'm talking to Yui!"
"YOU, Clow Card, Will remain SILENT!"
"Dear Guardian beasts, I am involved in this just as much as Thomas Marvel, so you WILL respect what I say!"
"Forget the Monster Keroberos, We have pressing concerns.."
Okay, now I was starting to feel something….Yeah…I was laying on my bed, I could feel my Grandma's hand knitted blanket over me. I felt very cold, but that Quilt is very warm so that was starting to clear up. C'mon eyes, open…
"Keroberos, The Balance is gone because of This Captor. How could you let HIM Wield the cards to begin with? He is OBVIOUSLY unfit."
"He's not the best, but He was pretty smart about it…up till NOW…."
"I beg to differ on the Unfit aspect…"
"Shut Up Monster." They both said that unanimously. Man, Guardian Beasts are mean when pissed…..I know this from experience!
"Yui I didn't have any doubts……Alright I did have SOME doubts, This is THOMAS after all, but I thought he could pull it off! I didn't realize he'd screw up like this…"
"You're error Has caused Now Irreparable damage to The Clow, you can sense it can't you?"
"…I sense it now Yes…And I'd been having it for a while…I just wasn't sure what it was…" At this point, I opened my eyes slowly. Yep, I was in my room all right, and judging from the light pouring in It was morning……and I was looking at A blurry Yui and Kero arguing, The Monster leaning against the door watching them.
"He was unfit Kero! He is temperamental, Arrogant, Unsure of himself, has NO real clue how to wield his power, and his mistakes might have sealed this worlds fate!"
"….Except for the Fate, Wielding power, and Unsure part…The Same could be said of you Master Yui…" Ahhhh it was in focus now!
"Shut Up Monster!" At this point I decided to try my voice out..
"….Hey….hello?"
"You know if You two keep telling me to shut up, I'll just leave!"
"You're staying RIGHT where you are! You've caused enough trouble!"
"The last thing we need is YOU out of our sight!" Yui snarled.
"Yeah, Who knows what mayhem you'll cause!"
"….Hey….."
"I resent that! You two may be Guardian beasts, but I am a CLOW CARD! I demand a Modicum of respect!"
"You barely deserve to be a CARD, let alone to have our RESPECT."
"…Will you three SHUT UP?" I cried in a bit of slurred voice. They all Turned to me, looking.
"Thomas! How are you?" Kero asked, floating over to me.
"I got a jackhammer pounding my skull, and I got three Boneheads Yelling. You guys really wanna attract my Mom and Dad in here? In fact, How'd I get in here and How'd you explain the Gulley in my forehead?"
"Do not worry about Your Parents Mr. Marvel, They went to work! After Yui and I Brought you here, I concocted a story about how you had went skating, but fell over into the mud and knocked your head on a rock! Well! I said I had come along and, after checking your wallet, Brought you home for proper treatment." The Monster Said with a flair of dramatics.
"And it really wasn't much of a Gulley, more like a crack." Kero added, shrugging.
"…Yeah okay…." I bought that….Then Kero got an angry look on his face.
"Why didn't you tell me about What you and The Monster Card Did?" Kero asked furiously.
"…Must you keep referring to me as The Monster Card? I am not just a mere object anymore!" He cried angrily.
"Shut up." Yui Snarled, which silenced him almost immediately.
"I didn't tell you Kero…Because then you would've been all pissed and would've read me the Riot Act. This was a deal between MYSELF and the Monster, Not YOU, Him, and I."
"You IDIOT. Do you even realize what you've DONE?"
"YES now shut up about it!"
"Marvel, I swear when you get out of that Bed…."
"Master Kero, Let the boy Rest, we have much bigger things to talk of." The Monster interjected. Kero glowered at me, but nodded Slowly. …Talk about BIGGER THINGS?
"Wait a minute…WHAT bigger things?"
"…We will tell you later Thomas Marvel, for now…Sleep." Yui waved his hands over my eyes….and suddenly I could feel my eyes drooping….then I feel into a deep sleep.
"Do you think they've Combined?" Kero asked, watching Marvel Fall asleep.
"Yes." Yui said simply.
"Master Yui, You know what this means…"
"Yes."
"Enter Disasters." Kero sighed. The Monster rubbed his chin, then snapped his fingers.
"We've missed one big Thing, Guardian Beasts.."
"What is that Clow Card?" Yui asked, snarling slightly.
"That Clow Rei's magic has been disrupted. The Magic that Sustains the Cards itself! Understandably, the One's That are not captured are still drawing off Clow Rei's Magic…But…The Captured cards Have been slightly….Knocked off their game for lack of a better metaphor." Kero sighed, staring at the Monster Card
"Can you explain this better Clow Card?" Yui growled, folding his arms together.
"Quite Simply, I believe that the Captured cards are losing their power because the Magic's Been disrupted."
"This is bad." Kero muttered, folding his tiny arms together.
"This means…The captured cards are going to have to start drawing off a DIFFERENT magic…." The Monster Said, then looked Down at Marvel.