The Consequences

The Consequences

He rose from his bed slowly, skin tingling. There was the faint presence of magic hovering in his home, touching his skin. It was weak magic but magic nonetheless. He glanced to his side, taking in the sight of Hikaru's naked form sleeping soundly. And he felt suddenly disgusted with himself. Disgusted with her. His skin felt dirty. Tossing aside his blankets he stood to his feet, a cool breeze passing over his nude form. Sometimes it was just better to be naked. One felt free, uninhibited by any type of restraints. The way he felt now with his magic. It had taken him far too many years to reach the level he was at now. And aside from the fact that a short period of time had been erased from his memories, he felt in control of everything.

On the dresser to the side of his bed lay the pack of Clow Cards. The Li Cards now. He had never taken to calling them the Syaoran Cards. It sounded childish.

He wasn't a child. He hadn't been a child for a long time now.

The door opened of its own accord and he glanced up, not ashamed at being caught naked. If nothing else, he was irritated that someone should come calling at that hour of the night, and without announcing themselves first.

A pale angel entered, long white hair floating around his eternally youthful face. He arched an eyebrow at his Master's nude form but didn't grace him with a comment.

"Yue," he said to his angel, tilting his head. He turned away from the angel and moved toward his wardrobe, throwing open the doors. "Did you find him?"

The angel bowed his head. "I did." He replied. And he closed the door behind himself, eyes straying toward Hikaru's sleeping form. He glanced at his Master again but his suspicion was dismissed with a wave of the hand.

"She's asleep. And even if she hears she wouldn't betray me." His Master said in a bored tone. "What did you find out?"

Yue took another step forward, arms meeting behind his back as he said thoughtfully, "He's not from around here…"

His Master slowed, glancing over his shoulder at him wordlessly.

Yue blinked at the floor, face blank. "He was trying to get home." He said quietly. "And home isn't here."

His Master exhaled impatiently. "Make some sense, Yue." He ordered curtly.

The angel shook his head. "I don't understand it myself. But Clow did bring him here."

"Of course…"

"However." The angel cut him off, turning his head to glare at his Master, "It is not the Clow you know. In fact, the more I think about it, the less he felt like Clow. As if he were only a piece of Clow. A fraction of him."

His Master was looking at him in confusion.

Yue shook his head faintly. "I don't know." He said quietly at the unasked question. "But wherever he was going, it was a different place altogether. He was a different you. And the youth who brought him here is stronger than Clow."

"Stronger…" his Master murmured.

Yue nodded slowly. "A force to be reckoned with." He stated firmly. And he turned, heading for the door once more. "Whatever the case, we have your double in custody. He's waiting downstairs."

His Master smiled faintly, turning back toward his wardrobe. A green costume hung inside, buried to the edge of all his clothes. He slowed, reaching out to touch the costume and recognizing it. It returned him to the days when he had been a mere apprentice. When he had studied under a kindly old man alongside a young black-haired girl. His cousin. What had ever happened to her?

But then it brought him to a wall of blackness, one that extended for a period of two years in which he couldn't remember a damn thing. He stared at the costume for another moment before shoving it away. And he settled on comfortable clothing, dark pants with a dark, billowy shirt to match.

It was time to find out the truth about his double.

Syaoran lifted his head wearily from the corner of the stone room, back aching. His shirt was stained through with his blood. He had noticed it earlier, after he had been dumped in this cold room. Yue had gotten him with one of those blue shards of his, square in the back. Seeing as how it was a magical attack, the shard had vanished upon penetration but the gash left behind had been more than enough to cripple him. He exhaled painfully, leaning back against the wall.

How the hell was he going to get home? And what the hell was going on in this world that his double had so much power over people?

The wooden door to his prison slowly opened and in wandered his double, a small smile on his face. At his back were two guards and Yue, the angel hanging back cautiously.

Syaoran stared at each one in turn, gaze coming back to rest on his double. "Long time no see." He joked humorlessly.

"Indeed." His double responded smugly. He floated forth, pausing before him and then merely looked at him intently. Those amber eyes studied his every feature, pausing on one or the other thoughtfully. Syaoran stared back, face gaunt. His double's smile became a little wider as he leaned down and grasped him by the chin, examining him closely.

"An exact duplicate." He murmured. And he paused. "Except for this scar right…here." He said, thumb running over Syaoran's cheekbone. "How did you get that?"

Syaoran leveled an icy glare at him, silent.

Oh, it was the funniest thing. I was showing Sakura how to avoid guys like you and she landed a punch right there. Pretty strong girl I had…

"I forget." He replied instead.

His double sighed. "Hm. I see." He said softly. And he leaned away, straightening. "I spoke to that girl you were with. The red head." He said in a total change of subject.

Syaoran's eyes widened, lips parting. "Sakura…"

His double smiled cruelly. "Yes. Her." He nodded. "She refused to say how she knew you. Refused to admit she even did know you. But I know the truth now. Is she your lover?" he asked innocently, as if asking for the time of day.

Syaoran blinked at him. "No. No, she isn't." he answered softly. "I actually don't know her. And she doesn't know me. But I came here, looking for her."

"For her?" his double asked curiously.

Syaoran nodded slowly. "Only for her. I wasn't expecting to get caught up in this little mess."

At the door the angel shifted a bit, gray eyes hooded.

Syaoran cocked his head, looking passed his double. "Yue-san." He said, greeting him. And he looked at his double again. "Is he under your control?"

His double chuckled at the question, as if he found Syaoran to be almost cute. "And how would you know that?" he asked teasingly.

Syaoran arched an eyebrow. "Where I come from, Yue is Judge of the Cards. Keroberos is the Guardian Beast of the Seal. And Eriol had control of the Clow Cards."

"Ah, yes. Eriol. Clow's reincarnated soul." His double nodded, turning away from him to slowly pace the room thoughtfully. "It was around this point that I stopped believing you, correct?"

"Clow's …reincarnated soul?" Yue questioned faintly. "But Clow isn't dead-"

"From where I come from, he is." Syaoran said quickly, before his double could retort. "Where I come from Clow lived a long time ago. He died and his soul was split, reincarnated into two different people. Eriol and the father of my…friend." Syaoran broke off, looking from Yue to his double. "It's the truth."

"That doorway…" Yue asked, coming forward a bit, "It led somewhere else. To your home?"

"Yes." Syaoran nodded. "It's a different world from this one. Which is why you also exist in that world. And you." He said, motioning toward his double. "And Eriol, and Keroberos. Tomoyo. Meilin. Yukito-san-"

"Meilin?" His double whirled, a glare crossing his face.

At the door, Yue's face was pale. "Yukito…"

Syaoran looked from him to his double warily. Perhaps it had been a bad idea to try to convince them.

"Enough of this." His double spat. "The girl stays with me. And you, my twin, will be executed." And without another word he fled the room, brushing by Yue on the way out.

The angel remained however, gray eyes cautious.

Syaoran looked at him, wondering momentarily if he should ask at all. And Yue didn't seem to be budging, regarding him in much the same way Syaoran was regarding him in turn. "How did he get control of the Cards?" he asked quietly.

Yue didn't seem the least bit surprised that he asked. "I judged him to be worthy of the Cards." He replied simply.

Just like that. Syaoran nodded in understanding, leaning once more against the wall. "Was he the only candidate for the Cards?"

"Candidate?" Yue asked, surprise registering on his youthful face. "There were no candidates. Syaoran-sama challenged Clow to a battle and he was the victor. The Cards became his by right and along with the Cards were my services."

Syaoran lips parted to ask a question but the angel was still speaking.

"It was a long battle. But my young Master was stronger than Clow Reed in the end. How strange," he murmured, "that a child his age would be strong enough to defeat a wizard with Clow Reed's abilities."

"Was there no one else that day? No one else who wanted the Cards?" Syaoran asked, ignoring his rhetorical question.

Yue leveled a cool gaze at him. "You and I both know there was." He replied.

At that Syaoran straightened, eyes widening. "Sakura?"

Yue didn't bother to reassure him that it was. "Clow Reed's daughter. He wanted to pass the Cards to her. And by right, they should have been hers. She was powerful in her own respect. But the Clan Elders wanted Syaoran-sama to own the Cards. And so he went that day to win the battle and he came back Master of the Cards."

"And Sakura?" Syaoran questioned.

Yue inhaled, looking off to some point far, far away. "Syaoran…loved her." He said softly, in a musing tone. "He loved her the way you love her." And his piercing blue eyes shifted toward him for a quick moment. "But during the battle, she fell. He believed her to be dead. Everyone realized, when he returned with the Cards, that in the condition he was in he would be of no use to anyone. A grieving Master is incapable of controlling the Cards. And so the Elders had him wiped clean. Every memory of her was erased, forgotten. And with the Cards under his control, Syaoran was every bit the Master they sought. Even now his magic amazes even me at times."

Syaoran stared at him, stiff.

He was strong. Powerful. He could probably wipe him off the face of the earth with but a thought. What had he gotten himself into?

"And Sakura? She's here now. I saw her. Does she remember?"

Yue shrugged. "I'm sure she does. She also was fond of him, when they were but children. It really doesn't matter anymore, though. Syaoran's rule is coming to an end. I feel it, especially with your presence here. Syaoran-sama must feel it as well. Perhaps the Cards are draining him. I feel a pull at times, a weakness. As if he can't support me for much longer."

Syaoran studied him closely.

You don't have Touya-kun's strength, he realized abruptly.

"Yue-sama!"

Both Syaoran and Yue looked towards the doorway where a guard appeared. He straightened into a salute of sorts. "Syaoran-sama wishes to see you." He said.

Yue bowed his head, arms crossing over his chest. "Yes, I'm sure he does." He murmured. And he glanced at Syaoran as he turned to leave the room. "Prepare yourself. Before the execution comes the torture."

Syaoran froze. "Torture?"

As Yue left more guards filled the room, two of them yanking him to his feet. "Matte-" he whispered as they began to drag him. "Where are we going?"

"To prepare you to meet your master." One of the guards answered, grinning coldly.

He leaned against the wall, waiting impatiently. He wanted to begin it, already. Where had Yue gone? Damn that creature for wandering at the worst times. Keroberos was even worse. He had the tendency to go off in the middle of a damn battle. In fact, when was the last time he had even seen him?

There were scuffling sounds outside the room and he looked up eagerly. About damn time. The door opened and his double was dragged in, struggling to free himself. His eyes came to rest on him and he froze, glaring at him angrily.

"I told you the truth!" his double shouted.

He merely smiled at him. "I'm sure you did. And to tell you the truth, I believe you. But even though I do, it just makes your death all the more necessary." The humor melted from his expression, amber eyes boiling. "With you gone I don't have to worry about having the Cards taken from me. Even though I sense your magic level and it leaves much to be desired." He shrugged.

Syaoran growled under his breath as he was chained to the opposite wall, back facing his double. He had been stripped of his shirt and his back was stained with dried blood, a wicked gash streaking across his shoulder. His blood clashed with the paleness of his skin. Beside him waited a guard, a bamboo switch in hand.

"Don't hate me, brother." His double said in a purr, striding to the door and pausing in the doorway. "But I think, had you been in my place, you would have had me killed a long time ago."

He turned to walk out.

"I wouldn't have had you killed." Syaoran murmured faintly, but loud enough to stop his double in his tracks. "You would have done the task all by yourself."

His double smirked wordlessly before leaving.

And he had the pleasure of hearing the slash of a whip against the tender skin of his twin as he walked down the hallway.

Hikaru shifted in bed, suddenly coming awake. It was dark in the room and beside her the bed was empty. And that was odd because she had the strangest sensation, as if she were not alone in the room.

"Syaoran-sama?" she called sleepily.

When he didn't respond she sat up slowly, glancing around. Now where had he gone? Couldn't he stay in one place for at least a second? She stretched luxuriously, glancing over at his side of the bed again with a cat-like smile. He had left the sheets rumpled as usual. But seeing as she was the one left she should make the bed.

With a yawn she rose, looking about for her cloak. Where had she left it? She couldn't very well wander the halls naked. She crouched down and searched under the bed, peering into solid darkness. With a frown she rose.

And gasped at the dark figure that reared up before her. Her eyes focused on the face, on the red-brown hair and dark eyes set in what could have been a very attractive, very sweet face.

"Clow!"

But before she could say anything else he swung at her, catching her across her temple. A groan escaped her as she fell limply into unconsciousness.

Syaoran hung from his restraints, wearily. His legs had long since given up on him and he had lost feeling in his arms. He couldn't focus very well but it was hard not to notice the blood that dripped from his back onto the stone floor. His back had also long since gone numb and he supposed he should have been thankful for that. After the tenth slash he had stopped trying to suppress any sound. Now no sound came even if he had wished to voice it.

He hardly noticed the door open but the shrill cry of the guard whipping him did make its way through his muddled thoughts. He looked over slowly, wishing he could focus on something. All he could make out were blurred figures, guards rushing at one form clothed in black. He strained to clear his vision and for a moment one face came into crystal clear clarity.

"Kinomoto-san…" he uttered.

"Clow!" came the shout of a guard and more blurred figures blocked his view of the figure in black. He closed his eyes, hanging his head once more. He didn't want to question it. He didn't really care. All he knew was that the whipping had come to a stop for the moment.

The dark figure came into view beside him and he looked up painfully, grimacing as two hands began to undo the chains cuffed to him. His right hand came loose first and then the figure circled about, working on the left.

"Kinomoto-san…" Syaoran whispered faintly, focusing in on the still young, unlined face of Sakura's father. Kinomoto Fujitaka. Not Clow Reed. He wasn't Clow Reed.

"I know all about what is going on." Fujitaka murmured as he undid the left hand.

Syaoran fell limply into his arms, like a dead weight. But Fujitaka lifted him, winding Syaoran's arm around his neck and dragging him passed the unconscious forms of guards.

"Where are you taking me?" he asked sluggishly.

Fujitaka looked both ways upon crossing the doorway. "To someone who can help you." He replied and he began to make his way down the hallway in the opposite direction his double had taken.

Sakura opened the door to her room at the frantic knock. Her green eyes widened, from one figure to another as she recognized them both. "Otou-san!" And then she stared in disbelief as Fujitaka unwound Syaoran's arm from his neck.

"Take him, Sakura-chan! I need to keep going." Was all he said and he thrust Syaoran into her arms, turning to float down the hallway silently.

Sakura looked down at the young man, realizing a moment later he was still awake. She quickly shut the door and dragged him across her room.

"Sakura…" he whispered almost inaudibly.

She slowed, one hand brushing across bloody gashes on his back and she stared, horrified, as the thick fluid stained her fingertips. Grimacing, she dragged his form over to her bed, not caring if he left blood all across her blankets. He groaned painfully, wincing as she laid him down, lifting his legs onto the bed as well. Once he was stretched out she quickly went towards a side door, returning moments later with a bowl of water and a washcloth.

The boy gazed at her, amber eyes shining in the moonlight sweeping in through the window beside her bed.

"Sakura." He said again. And this time he lost consciousness, head settling limply.