As I said before, I was disappointed by the second chapter and I have
decided to make it up to you all by writing the third chapter while things
are still fresh in my mind. I don't wanna develop a bad tendency to write
based on responses, so instead, I will write first, then revise based on
responses. As promised, Sakura will snap out of her deep sleep and some
action will ensue. Here goes...
*Disclaimer- Oh, key of Yusef, I order you under the contract, release! (wand forms in Yusef's hands) 'Disclaimer Card' Write this damned disclaimer for me! Release! nothing happens (obviously) Wh-what? Oh, hell! At least I got the wand trick down. Anyways, CCS is owned, copyrighted, and protected by CLAMP. I have no authority to publish my stuff for more than mere entertainment and any characters not of CLAMP's series are my own. If need be, I will defend myself against CLAMP's lawsuits better than any member of the Li clan could do against 'The Fight' and 'The Twin' cards combined (Yeah, Syaoran, that goes for you too).
Sorry I took so long. School's been killin' me. Fasting's also been a major drain. (I AM MUSLIM!)
CHAPTER THREE- GOING AWAY?
It was definitely late afternoon when Yukito woke up. Touya was not in bed and the sound of bustling activity gave way from downstairs. [Touya-chan must be with the others...] Yukito had slept the entire night in his clothes. After all, he had been too tired to take them off. He looked around the room and sighed contently. He was feeling his best and decided to tidy up Touya's room a little. [Touya-chan could never keep things clean.] Yukito smiled as he made up the bed, delicately folding the sheets with utmost care. Yukito always had that personality not to look back in retrospect. Just like Tomoyo, he rarely ever showed signs of sadness. Upon finishing with the bed, he set about neatly putting away the dirty and clean clothes scattered about Touya's room. His stomach growled. [Uh-oh! Better get something to eat.] He walked out the room and was getting ready to approach the stairs as a voiced called out to him.
"Yuki-san!" Kero-chan flew out of Sakura's room, apparently looking quite well-rested as well.
"Oh, hey, Kero-chan. Did you have something important to say?" Kero-chan sweatdropped. [Did he forget about last night?] Kero really was not concerned with the answer and simply wanted one thing.
"Let me come into Touya's room. I need to discuss something with Yue-san," Kero said in his kindest voice. [I hate that he gets pushed around like a rag doll for us...] Kero, just like Syaoran, disliked that Yukito had no say in whenever they wanted to see Yue, nor that he had to feel what his other half felt, but these were important times, and Sakura had not yet awakened from her deep sleep.
The cards continued to stand with great vigil, guarding Sakura and never losing hope that their mistress would pull through. 'The Mirror' had even tried to imitate Sakura in order to make everyone feel better, but to no avail. Touya saw the hurt in her eyes and complimented her on her effort. Coming from Touya, the card shaped like the Card Captor beamed, although she was still a little disappointed.
Upstairs, Yukito, selfless as always, closed his eyes and let magic take over. In a brilliant flash of light Yue arose, standing calmly before his partner. Kero did not need to transform to hold this conversation, so he could conserve more strength.
"Yue-san, you do realize the state of our mistress, ne?" Kero inquired. He knew the answer, but he wanted to get things started and it seemed appropriate to say.
"Of course... Cerberus-san, surely you're not trying to stall from the inevitable..." Yue responded. He knew exactly what Kero hesitated to say. It was something hard to do.
"You know me well, Yue-san. I am aware that our presence only endangers Sakura-chan's life more, but it's such a hard thing to do, and I know it must be killing you on the inside." Kero also knew Yue well. Yue's body flinched beyond visibility, so Kero didn't notice that Yue was also openly nervous.
"Yes, our power is drawn from Sakura, which is why we are weak, but magic, being a double-edged sword, gives us power taken away from Sakura. What she gives us to maintain our forms is as much, if not more, a burden than when she had to transform the cards. Our essence is not helping the situation and, she has become better skilled to the point that she barely needs little more than advice from us, just like Cl--" Yue choked on the last syllable. He couldn't bring himself to reflect on the past his old master had given him, full of pain, unfulfillment, sadness.
"You don't have to say it, Yue-san..." Kero was well aware of the past history of his partner. "So, you don't think that it's a good idea if we stay around?"
"Only temporarily. We will be able to return and help her once she regains full power. Until then, we aren't just a heavy burden. We are absolutely useless."
"I see your point. I guess we'll have to go downstairs and let the others know. I just feel bad that we won't be able to tell Sakura-chan about this." The two guardians descended the staircase, where all eyes were cast upon them.
______________
Completely oblivious to the citizens of Tomoeda was the shadowy figure perched on top of the radio tower. He wore a plain hooded robe and all that was revealed was the bottom of his face. From here, he got a full view of the entire city. [I can hit anything at any time.] His face twisted into a smirk, and in a dazzling array of light, he was in an extravagant robe, brilliantly colored in blue and green. His hair was jet black, and he had the coldest blue eyes. He was quite tall, perhaps around the height of Clow Read. He wore a black cape, and around his neck, a crystal orb. [Now to begin phase one...] Extending the palm of his hand, a card materialized and revealed 'The Windy'. Holding the card to his face, he released it, letting it flutter through the air.
It traveled about a half a mile and finally began to descend. Nearby, a couple of little girls were playing jump rope. They counted out the number of jumps in glee, giggling and cheering. They had no idea what was about to happen. One of them noticed the card floating down to the ground, about ten feet from them.
"Hey look at that!" The little girl ran over to the card, ignoring the protests of her friends who felt that what they were doing was certainly more important than observing what fell from the sky. The girl waited patiently for the card to land.
"It's only a matter of time before The Star comes to me..." the figure mused and watched as the card landed.
The girl came close to the card, admiring its magical look. The other girls were soon curious as to what their friend was doing and decided to look at the card as well.
"Let's start a little commotion..." the shadowy figure began, clasping his hands around the orb on his pendant. From the spaces in his hands, a bright light began to glow...
The girls were tempted to pick up the card but, as they looked closer, the card began to release a violent wind before vanishing completely. The girls ran away screaming, ignoring the familiar shape of Windy that had dispersed.
"...and wreak a great deal of havoc!" The figure was thrilled at the now increasing size of Windy, watching the houses in the surrounding area falling. [The mistress of these captured cards will have to come running... and this message will let her know the severity of my intent...] He let out a grim, maniacal laughter that filled the air, and the sky began to darken.
_________________
"It's getting dark early today," said Touya. He had been looking out the window accompanied by the Mirror Sakura. They had been like that for the past two hours. "I don't think it's the weather either." He looked around to see Tomoyo, with camcorder in hand, questioning a blushing Syaoran about why he had been the one at Sakura's side that previous night.
"C'mon Li-kun, spill it. You don't just like her, you love Sakura-chan don't you? How kawaii!" Tomoyo beamed, infuriating Syaoran who was in no position to do anything about it. He had been enduring this since he woke up and would have surrendered long ago if he had not possessed his family's stubborn will. [Why me? I found Sakura and sat at her side... I really don't deserve this torture.] Syaoran sighed and turned to Tomoyo to deny all aspects of the truth he had carelessly displayed that night. He had hoped that she would have given up by now, but she had nothing better to do and was really good at making people crack to her will. [How else could she get Sakura to wear those ridiculous costumes?] Fujitaka was nowhere in sight. He had decided to take a drive to ease his mind.
"For the last time, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!" screamed Syaoran. Touya and Mirror Sakura sweat-dropped. [Well, at least that'll keep him occupied for a while...] Truth be told, everyone needed something to lift their spirits. They didn't want to look so solemn when Sakura came around. Just then, Yue and Kero descended the staircase.
"Guys, Yue and I have something to telly you," Kero began. The hurt in his face shone brightly. Yue stood, quiet and indecipherable as always. What they were about to tell their audience was probably the most serious thing that had occurred yet.
"What is it Kero-chan?" Tomoyo inquired. She hated long periods of silence, especially when the topic was Sakura. [The last thing we need is more bad news about my Sakura-chan.]
"...I, uh, I mean we, have decided to forfeit our powers..."
"What do you mean 'forfeit'? You can't leave Sakura alone. She needs your support and-- and, your protection! You can't turn your back on Sakura!" Syaoran exploded. [This is an outrage! They're cowards, that's what they are!] Kero stifled a sob of pain and Yue flinched, completely visible this time. This was the reaction they had expected, but it still hurt just the same.
"Now, now, Li-kun. They must have a good enough reason for this. They obviously put a lot of thought into what they want to do, and it must be for some sort of benefit," Tomoyo defended. She always looked to the bright side of things and listened to reason. [What they want to do must be something that helps Sakura-chan more than their staying. I'm sure of it.]
"Sure, it benefits them all right. They don't have to live with it, the traitors. Sakura needs their advice and protection! They can't--"
"You're wrong!" Kero interrupted, deeply hurt by Syaoran's vicious accusations. "We are nothing but mere cheerleaders in this chapter! Think about it. Nothing until now was life-threatening because, because everything else was a test for Sakura. Our powers were a help then because Clow Read needed insurance that her powers would one day develop, and that day has come. She sits up there because something has weakened her, and do you know what that is? US! Do you know how it feels for us to know that she no longer needs our protection to a large degree and--" Kero stopped. What he was about to say probably hurt most out of all the reasons.
"-- and that our existence is a drain on her? That's right. When she was collecting the Clow cards, our powers stayed at one-hundred percent at all times... but when she gained her own power, our powers were meant to decrease for the duration of her transformation on their own, so as not to hurt her as the second test continued, but now, our powers are directly connected to her own, and if she's weak, we act as a double-edged sword, weakening her further. She is unconscious, maybe even on the verge of death in that bed because we need her power. We must surrender our strength for a while, at least until she can support us further." [They just don't know how it feels... they could never understand.]
Touya looked at them from the window, not saying anything with his mouth. His eyes spoke differently, expressing anger, disappointment, and protest. [They might weaken her, but how would she feel to know her personal guardians abandoned her? That may be more damaging. For once, I agree with the gaki...] Mirror just stood there, continuing to look out the window. Being a card, she could understand the reasoning of the guardians of the book of Sakura. She knew what it was like to feel like a burden on someone for whom she deeply cared.
"You know, think about it this way. I would not agree if I didn't feel this was the best course of action. As for Sakura-chan, if you may permit me to call her so, she will not be alone and without protection." Yue decided to try a different approach. Speaking in a more sincere tone, and being more persuasive than his stuffed-animal counterpart, he could perhaps get the brother and the boy to listen to reason. "You see, you and Syaoran-san are stronger than us at this time. The only reason we are strong enough to tell you this is that we slept. This is not from Sakura. But when she recovers, we will draw from her power yet again, and she will not be at full strength at that time. So you, Syaoran-san, have the ability to cast powerful spells and are an apt fighter. You Touya-sama," Yue made it a point to address Sakura's brother highly because he was related to her. "are a good fighter as well and are able to gain aid from the spirit world. Finally, Tomoyo- san, you are perhaps better moral support for our mistress than Kero and I combined."
"But wait a second, surely you forgot one thing," Touya objected. He listened and accepted all points except one. "You forgot about the one person besides your mistress who has no say in what you are about to do. Surely my Yuki-chan will disappear along with Yue-san if this happens." This was true , and ever since Sakura's power affected the guardians, everyone had acknowledged the fact that Yukito was a victim in this, perhaps feeling pains that they would never be able to understand.
"We covered that a while ago," Kero calmly stated. "You see, I am one vessel with two versions of myself. Yue-san and Yuki-san are vessels, sharing one strong magical bond. Yukito-san's part in all this was to obscure Yue-san's identity until the Final Judgment was eminent. If that magical bond is broken, their bodies will separate, so once Yue and I depart to our previous master's spiritual domain, Yukito will be free and able to move about. When Yue and I return, there will no longer be a need to keep them together, so finally, our dear friend will be able to escape the pains we endure." Kero looked at Tomoyo. It was apparent that their decision was final and that the period of discussion had ended. Yue stood at the part of the stairs where his face would be omitted. What no one saw was the sole tear running down his cheek, despite every other stable feature to his stone stance.
"Tomoyo-chan, please bring the camcorder with you up to Sakura-sama's room. We wish to leave her a final message of support. As for the rest of you, good luck. Arigato." As the guardians and Tomoyo climbed the staircase, Touya spoke up.
"What are you thanking us for?"
"For understanding..." They continued their ascension and about ten minutes later, there was a flash of light before returning to the usual tone of the house. Tomoyo came down the stairs, tears running down her cheek. The guardians were gone. [Sayonara, Sakura-sama... Sakura-chan.]
Fujitaka burst into the house, out of breath and rather distressed. "Everybody! You won't believe what's happening! The winds are picking up in Southwest Tomoeda! I almost got toppled!"
______________
Several briefcases were on the couch in the living room. Three blazes frantically rushed to and fro, packing whatever they saw in sight, whatever they needed. [We need to hurry.] Kaho stood in the doorway, amazed at how fast they moved. [If I mentioned the possibility of them moving faster, they might kill themselves to get out of here.] Nakuru and Spinel had already completed their errands, and were frankly looking forward to engaging in magical affairs once again.
"Suppi, are you as excited as I am?" Nakuru beamed. She wouldn't admit it, but she was actually relieved to know she could aid her Japanese friends. She was even glad to see Touya again. [I'm sorry I angered you so, To- ya...] They had parted on nasty terms, when he had told her what he really thought of her, and she took those words painfully to heart. This would be her chance to make amends. [I'll help your sister, just watch me!] The two were still capable of transforming. Just as Eriol was given a gift by Clow, so were they. They would be able to rely on themselves as magical forces, so they only had to rest to regain strength.
"I am NOT Suppi!" the black cat-like creature exclaimed, protesting in his usual loud outburst.
"You know, Suppi, you're beginning to sound like a broken record," Nakuru said, pleased with her counterpart's reaction. "Why don't you chew on a couple sweets? That should help my Suppi-chan relax!"
"You know, you sound like such an airhead. No wonder Touya didn't like you." Spinel hadn't meant to go that far, but it was things like this that really pushed him. [Didn't mean that...] "Gomen, Nakuru-san." Nakuru saw he meant his apology and decided not to make him feel any worse.
"I'm sorry, too. Spinel-chan. I guess that 'sweets' statement was a little under-handed too. I'll tell you what. I won't call you Suppi until we get to Tomoeda. How's that sound?"
"Wow, what a bargain," Spinel sarcastically murmered. [You wouldn't be able to call me that anyway. We're going to be among people, so I can't say anything.] "That's part of the package. I get nothing out of it."
"That's not true. You forget that I could get away with it because you're not allowed to talk in public. But I see your point. How about the next two days, I don't call you Suppi?"
"Works for me, you got yourself a deal."
"Enough, you two! Let's get going!" Eriol was standing in the doorway. He somehow managed to carry every briefcase, holding two in his hand, two between his arms, and one wedged beneath his chin. [Wow! It's amazing what my Eriol-chan can do when he's determined...] Kaho admired his strength. He was always quite exceptionally strong, but displayed more passive traits. He looked at his lover, who was standing beside him, and also somehow managed to kiss her cheek. [I would give you an all out kiss, but my hands are full...] He leaned forward, whispering in her ear. "Arigato, Kaho-chan. Thank you for believing in me. Sayonara." He walked off.
"Anything for my kawaii Superman," Kaho exclaimed, smacking him on his rear and adoring his surprise from the action. Spinel and Nakuru sweat-dropped. [I wish those two wouldn't showcase their public displays of affection. Honestly...] Spinel acknowledged that this had not been the first time the red and blue-haired couple had engaged in such things. [Ewww... how gross. How... not kawaii!] Nakuru thought they made a cute couple, but shuddered to picture these sort of practices, let alone witness them. It was the mere thought that her master did these things, had these urges. It was nothing personal. Getting over their embarrassments, the two guardians left out the house, all of the would-be travelers expressing their good-byes back to the waving Kaho they had left in the doorway. [Finally, it's time. Sorry I took so long, Sakura-sama.] Eriol smiled and raised his hand to release a light that completely covered the car. When it cleared, his youthful form had returned to him. [Nothing like old times...]
_________________
Sakura stirred, quickly regaining full consciousness. Her eyes blinked, still wondering what had happened to her. [That voice. It really terrified me.] She was still quite out of it, slowly regaining logic as each moment passed. She walked over to the window looking out. The cards worriedly chased after her, concerned that she should still be moving at all right now. She hadn't really taken notice to them yet. Being that her mind was now safe, 'The Shield' re-materialized behind her, joining its frantic group. [Still dark. Was it only a dream?] Then, a dark realization set on her thoughts. [Since the book opened, all my dreams had some meaning.] She turned around, only to find her cards. She smiled, as though she were saying 'I'm fine, really!'. Sakura's smile could bring anything relief, and the cards slightly dispersed, still not fully convinced, and waiting for her to notice. [HOEEEE! Where is Fiery? Windy? Watery? Earthy? What happened to Mirror?] Sakura searched frantically around the room, forgetting that the cards could have easily explained everything. To comfort her, 'The Light' and 'The Dark' took form, holding her in a warm and loving embrace.
"Sakura-sama. Mistress..." Light cooed. The soothing words worked their way into Sakura's racing mind, whose eyes were already filled with tears.
"I told you all that you didn't have to call me that," Sakura sobbed, her voice breaking as she rested her head on Light's bosom.
"Sakura-chan..." Dark corrected. "The dream was real. The four elements have been stolen from you. You need not worry about Mirror. She is downstairs comforting your family and friends."
"Friends?" Sakura sounded surprised to hear that her friends were worried about her. [Of course Tomoyo-chan would naturally be downstairs, but... friends?] She was surprised but a joy spread through her to know that Syaoran might be down there as well, even though the two had broken up during the times when Eriol was her enemy. [Li-kun... Syaoran-kun... NO! Syaoran-chan...] It had taken her a while to make the transition between names, and she now viewed Syaoran as one of her closest friends, no matter what. She did not wish to return to old habits. Almost instantly, another realization hit her. "Your auras. You feel different, Light and Dark." Something was missing from the two cards, something Sakura could not yet identify but knew she held closely to her heart.
"Yes... I suppose you would notice the change. Because we represent Yue and Cerberus, it's only natural that you could feel a change in our connection with them." Light made this observation and Dark simply nodded in agreement.
"Why? Has something happened to Yue and Kero-chan?" Sakura asked, unaware of the painful answer she was about to receive.
_________________
The figure remained perched on the tower, watching in great satisfaction. He had earlier signaled for Windy to advance, tearing apart a section of the town with a violent whirlwind. He was quite pleased with the power of Windy. [And to think, she's the weakest of the elements. The Star has grown well, and along with that, my desire for her star.] Just then, a feeling flashed across his mind. [The Star stirs? This is unexpected. Oh well, time to increase the severity of my declaration.] He signaled for Windy to up the ante, forming her into a full-blown tornado.
_________________
Mirror stood stone still, gazing out the window. She could feel that something was in the air. The others stayed fixed in front of the television, watching the news forecast and paying close attention to the warning that appeared no earlier than two minutes before.
"News Warning. Unexpected high winds have sprouted all across a section of southwest Tomoeda. A whirlwind is destroying everything within its wake, and there is a high possibility that a tornado will appear at any given moment..."
Mirror sensed something else in the air. This was something foreboding, however. It gave her a sense of relief. She jumped in glee. "My mistress is awake!" she screamed, running up the stairs before she could explain things in detail to her confused human associates. Before she could fully get up the stairs, however, she heard a loud cry...
"HOEEEEE!" Everybody got up and followed Mirror to the sound of Sakura's cry. Syaoran remained downstairs, observing the forecast for important details. [This is NOT good...]
__________________
"HOEEEEE!" Sakura screamed. She rushed out the room and didn't hear the two cards trying to tell her to stop. [Kero-chan, Yue-san...] She gasped at the realization of another thought. [Yuki-san! HOEEE!] She searched frantically through every room, until she reached Touya's. Opening the door, a sense of relief spread over her mind to see an overexhausted Yukito in Touya's bed. [Maybe they were wrong.] Light, Dark, Mirror, Touya, and the others crowded behind her into the room.
"Sakura-chan..." Tomoyo softly spoke, putting a hand on her best friend's shoulder.
"Yuki-san's okay, so they're still here. Where's Kero-chan? I want to let him know I'm all right." Sakura still had not figured out what happened. Mirror felt obligated to explain everything to her mistress...
"...and so you see, Yukito may still be here, but Yue-san and Kero-chan left. That is why you don't feel so weak." Mirror watched in great pain as Sakura sank to her knees, sobbing again as she had in her dream. She wanted desperately to comfort her, but she knew Sakura would just have to calm herself.
"Y-yo-you mean, they're gone?" Sakura stuttered. She still could not believe what it meant.
"No, not gone. They have just returned with Clow-sama until you can fully regain your strength," Yukito responded, awakening from his sleep. The separation between Yue and himself had tired him out, but he was fine now and capable of explaining the two guardians' final thoughts.
"Sakura-chan, we were worried about you, but we knew you could do it." Tomoyo said, embracing her best friend. Sakura smiled, a slight blush on her face. [Some things never change...] Touya stepped forward, smiling a his little sister.
"Hey kaijuu, you had us scared to death!" he teased.
"I am NOT a monster!" Sakura glared. She began to feel light-headed, and had it not been for Tomoyo's warm embrace, would have staggered to the floor.
"You are still very weak, Sakura-chan," Mirror said, approaching her mistress with the other two cards closely behind. "You must rest now, and try not to get too excited."
"Gomen," Sakura sadly replied. Just then, Syaoran ran up the stairs, panic in his voice.
"Guys, you'd better get down here, and fast!" Everyone headed for the door, everyone except Sakura. She was still a little winded. Fujitaka turned to raise her onto his shoulders, something he had not done since Sakura was little. [My child has grown so... Nadeshiko-chan would be, no, is proud.] They hurried down the stairs, and their eyes gazed in horror.
"Greetings, Mistress of her own Star," the voiced etched through Sakura's mind.
"That voice..." she weakly strained. It was the same voice from her dream.
"I felt it would be better to do the forecast myself, with a little colorful commentary, might I add. You are witnessing the awesome power of Windy. I must say, she is quite powerful for the weakest of the elements. I commend you on the powers you have developed, Star Captor. Hmmm, I made a funny. Watch as I show you some real fireworks... maybe even literally!" He signaled for Windy to advance on her destruction. Windy no longer circled around the area of southwest Tomoeda that she had began in; she headed southwest in a straight line, until she reached the outskirts of town. Destruction, screams, and the vicious sound of howling wind were all that could be heard. [All those poor people, dead. Because he's after me...] Sakura choked on her last sentence. [Because he's after me...] The dizziness returned, causing Sakura to lose her balance. She fell from her father's refuge, but Syaoran caught her as she landed, blushing the entire time.
"Syaoran-chan..." she weakly replied, almost fainting. Touya barely twitched at the response, but Syaoran blushed furiously. [Wait a sec, I blush, but blushing furiously, that's Sakura's department.] Tomoyo had long since pulled out her camcorder, recording the entire thing. [Despite the timing, if those two ever came around, this would be a great collective gift for them. How romantic, how... kawaiiiii!] The voice on the television continued.
"As I was saying, you have just witnessed a small yet significantly large portion of southern Tomoeda destroyed... and this is just a warning. Of course, I hate to leave messes. Time for clean up duty..."The entire area in the path of Windy's tornado lay dilapidated in ruin. There were hardly any signs of surviving life. He called forth Fiery, who burned the destroyed path, leaving nothing but ashes. Now, there was no chance that anything survived. Finally, Watery was called to help Windy wash and blow all of the ash out of Tomoeda. All that remained was a bare space, which seemed to scream graveyard in all directions. "I have not revealed my name yet, but I will once we meet in battle. You shall face me, or I'll pluck Tomoeda bare and dry as a Thanksgiving Turkey. We now return you to the more boring version of my forecast. The screen reshowed the horror from the views and voices of the newscast. Sakura raised her head, a look of rage and injustice on her face.
"Whoever you are, you shall pay..." Sakura fainted, and Syaoran, still blushing at the auburn-haired girl, held with extreme care, within his arms, carried her back up to bed. The others watched, then returned to their seats to discuss the crisis at hand.
_______________________________________________________________________
I poured my heart and soul into this, so respond, Respond, RESPOND! I hope you like how I emphasized on the cards' thoughts as well. With Yue and Cerberus gone, who will protect Sakura? Next time, Clow Read revisits Sakura's mind! Tomoyo blackmails Syaoran! Fujitaka gets a visit from Nadeshiko! The bad, bad man, who nobody knows the name of yet greatly despises, plots a very nasty, nasty plan! I don't know what it is yet, but it's so evil, you'll think of this one as a mere needle poking your skin! Next time! Chapter 4- "The Star Captor's Dreams"
-Yusef "The B.A.T." Pittman
*Disclaimer- Oh, key of Yusef, I order you under the contract, release! (wand forms in Yusef's hands) 'Disclaimer Card' Write this damned disclaimer for me! Release! nothing happens (obviously) Wh-what? Oh, hell! At least I got the wand trick down. Anyways, CCS is owned, copyrighted, and protected by CLAMP. I have no authority to publish my stuff for more than mere entertainment and any characters not of CLAMP's series are my own. If need be, I will defend myself against CLAMP's lawsuits better than any member of the Li clan could do against 'The Fight' and 'The Twin' cards combined (Yeah, Syaoran, that goes for you too).
Sorry I took so long. School's been killin' me. Fasting's also been a major drain. (I AM MUSLIM!)
CHAPTER THREE- GOING AWAY?
It was definitely late afternoon when Yukito woke up. Touya was not in bed and the sound of bustling activity gave way from downstairs. [Touya-chan must be with the others...] Yukito had slept the entire night in his clothes. After all, he had been too tired to take them off. He looked around the room and sighed contently. He was feeling his best and decided to tidy up Touya's room a little. [Touya-chan could never keep things clean.] Yukito smiled as he made up the bed, delicately folding the sheets with utmost care. Yukito always had that personality not to look back in retrospect. Just like Tomoyo, he rarely ever showed signs of sadness. Upon finishing with the bed, he set about neatly putting away the dirty and clean clothes scattered about Touya's room. His stomach growled. [Uh-oh! Better get something to eat.] He walked out the room and was getting ready to approach the stairs as a voiced called out to him.
"Yuki-san!" Kero-chan flew out of Sakura's room, apparently looking quite well-rested as well.
"Oh, hey, Kero-chan. Did you have something important to say?" Kero-chan sweatdropped. [Did he forget about last night?] Kero really was not concerned with the answer and simply wanted one thing.
"Let me come into Touya's room. I need to discuss something with Yue-san," Kero said in his kindest voice. [I hate that he gets pushed around like a rag doll for us...] Kero, just like Syaoran, disliked that Yukito had no say in whenever they wanted to see Yue, nor that he had to feel what his other half felt, but these were important times, and Sakura had not yet awakened from her deep sleep.
The cards continued to stand with great vigil, guarding Sakura and never losing hope that their mistress would pull through. 'The Mirror' had even tried to imitate Sakura in order to make everyone feel better, but to no avail. Touya saw the hurt in her eyes and complimented her on her effort. Coming from Touya, the card shaped like the Card Captor beamed, although she was still a little disappointed.
Upstairs, Yukito, selfless as always, closed his eyes and let magic take over. In a brilliant flash of light Yue arose, standing calmly before his partner. Kero did not need to transform to hold this conversation, so he could conserve more strength.
"Yue-san, you do realize the state of our mistress, ne?" Kero inquired. He knew the answer, but he wanted to get things started and it seemed appropriate to say.
"Of course... Cerberus-san, surely you're not trying to stall from the inevitable..." Yue responded. He knew exactly what Kero hesitated to say. It was something hard to do.
"You know me well, Yue-san. I am aware that our presence only endangers Sakura-chan's life more, but it's such a hard thing to do, and I know it must be killing you on the inside." Kero also knew Yue well. Yue's body flinched beyond visibility, so Kero didn't notice that Yue was also openly nervous.
"Yes, our power is drawn from Sakura, which is why we are weak, but magic, being a double-edged sword, gives us power taken away from Sakura. What she gives us to maintain our forms is as much, if not more, a burden than when she had to transform the cards. Our essence is not helping the situation and, she has become better skilled to the point that she barely needs little more than advice from us, just like Cl--" Yue choked on the last syllable. He couldn't bring himself to reflect on the past his old master had given him, full of pain, unfulfillment, sadness.
"You don't have to say it, Yue-san..." Kero was well aware of the past history of his partner. "So, you don't think that it's a good idea if we stay around?"
"Only temporarily. We will be able to return and help her once she regains full power. Until then, we aren't just a heavy burden. We are absolutely useless."
"I see your point. I guess we'll have to go downstairs and let the others know. I just feel bad that we won't be able to tell Sakura-chan about this." The two guardians descended the staircase, where all eyes were cast upon them.
______________
Completely oblivious to the citizens of Tomoeda was the shadowy figure perched on top of the radio tower. He wore a plain hooded robe and all that was revealed was the bottom of his face. From here, he got a full view of the entire city. [I can hit anything at any time.] His face twisted into a smirk, and in a dazzling array of light, he was in an extravagant robe, brilliantly colored in blue and green. His hair was jet black, and he had the coldest blue eyes. He was quite tall, perhaps around the height of Clow Read. He wore a black cape, and around his neck, a crystal orb. [Now to begin phase one...] Extending the palm of his hand, a card materialized and revealed 'The Windy'. Holding the card to his face, he released it, letting it flutter through the air.
It traveled about a half a mile and finally began to descend. Nearby, a couple of little girls were playing jump rope. They counted out the number of jumps in glee, giggling and cheering. They had no idea what was about to happen. One of them noticed the card floating down to the ground, about ten feet from them.
"Hey look at that!" The little girl ran over to the card, ignoring the protests of her friends who felt that what they were doing was certainly more important than observing what fell from the sky. The girl waited patiently for the card to land.
"It's only a matter of time before The Star comes to me..." the figure mused and watched as the card landed.
The girl came close to the card, admiring its magical look. The other girls were soon curious as to what their friend was doing and decided to look at the card as well.
"Let's start a little commotion..." the shadowy figure began, clasping his hands around the orb on his pendant. From the spaces in his hands, a bright light began to glow...
The girls were tempted to pick up the card but, as they looked closer, the card began to release a violent wind before vanishing completely. The girls ran away screaming, ignoring the familiar shape of Windy that had dispersed.
"...and wreak a great deal of havoc!" The figure was thrilled at the now increasing size of Windy, watching the houses in the surrounding area falling. [The mistress of these captured cards will have to come running... and this message will let her know the severity of my intent...] He let out a grim, maniacal laughter that filled the air, and the sky began to darken.
_________________
"It's getting dark early today," said Touya. He had been looking out the window accompanied by the Mirror Sakura. They had been like that for the past two hours. "I don't think it's the weather either." He looked around to see Tomoyo, with camcorder in hand, questioning a blushing Syaoran about why he had been the one at Sakura's side that previous night.
"C'mon Li-kun, spill it. You don't just like her, you love Sakura-chan don't you? How kawaii!" Tomoyo beamed, infuriating Syaoran who was in no position to do anything about it. He had been enduring this since he woke up and would have surrendered long ago if he had not possessed his family's stubborn will. [Why me? I found Sakura and sat at her side... I really don't deserve this torture.] Syaoran sighed and turned to Tomoyo to deny all aspects of the truth he had carelessly displayed that night. He had hoped that she would have given up by now, but she had nothing better to do and was really good at making people crack to her will. [How else could she get Sakura to wear those ridiculous costumes?] Fujitaka was nowhere in sight. He had decided to take a drive to ease his mind.
"For the last time, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!" screamed Syaoran. Touya and Mirror Sakura sweat-dropped. [Well, at least that'll keep him occupied for a while...] Truth be told, everyone needed something to lift their spirits. They didn't want to look so solemn when Sakura came around. Just then, Yue and Kero descended the staircase.
"Guys, Yue and I have something to telly you," Kero began. The hurt in his face shone brightly. Yue stood, quiet and indecipherable as always. What they were about to tell their audience was probably the most serious thing that had occurred yet.
"What is it Kero-chan?" Tomoyo inquired. She hated long periods of silence, especially when the topic was Sakura. [The last thing we need is more bad news about my Sakura-chan.]
"...I, uh, I mean we, have decided to forfeit our powers..."
"What do you mean 'forfeit'? You can't leave Sakura alone. She needs your support and-- and, your protection! You can't turn your back on Sakura!" Syaoran exploded. [This is an outrage! They're cowards, that's what they are!] Kero stifled a sob of pain and Yue flinched, completely visible this time. This was the reaction they had expected, but it still hurt just the same.
"Now, now, Li-kun. They must have a good enough reason for this. They obviously put a lot of thought into what they want to do, and it must be for some sort of benefit," Tomoyo defended. She always looked to the bright side of things and listened to reason. [What they want to do must be something that helps Sakura-chan more than their staying. I'm sure of it.]
"Sure, it benefits them all right. They don't have to live with it, the traitors. Sakura needs their advice and protection! They can't--"
"You're wrong!" Kero interrupted, deeply hurt by Syaoran's vicious accusations. "We are nothing but mere cheerleaders in this chapter! Think about it. Nothing until now was life-threatening because, because everything else was a test for Sakura. Our powers were a help then because Clow Read needed insurance that her powers would one day develop, and that day has come. She sits up there because something has weakened her, and do you know what that is? US! Do you know how it feels for us to know that she no longer needs our protection to a large degree and--" Kero stopped. What he was about to say probably hurt most out of all the reasons.
"-- and that our existence is a drain on her? That's right. When she was collecting the Clow cards, our powers stayed at one-hundred percent at all times... but when she gained her own power, our powers were meant to decrease for the duration of her transformation on their own, so as not to hurt her as the second test continued, but now, our powers are directly connected to her own, and if she's weak, we act as a double-edged sword, weakening her further. She is unconscious, maybe even on the verge of death in that bed because we need her power. We must surrender our strength for a while, at least until she can support us further." [They just don't know how it feels... they could never understand.]
Touya looked at them from the window, not saying anything with his mouth. His eyes spoke differently, expressing anger, disappointment, and protest. [They might weaken her, but how would she feel to know her personal guardians abandoned her? That may be more damaging. For once, I agree with the gaki...] Mirror just stood there, continuing to look out the window. Being a card, she could understand the reasoning of the guardians of the book of Sakura. She knew what it was like to feel like a burden on someone for whom she deeply cared.
"You know, think about it this way. I would not agree if I didn't feel this was the best course of action. As for Sakura-chan, if you may permit me to call her so, she will not be alone and without protection." Yue decided to try a different approach. Speaking in a more sincere tone, and being more persuasive than his stuffed-animal counterpart, he could perhaps get the brother and the boy to listen to reason. "You see, you and Syaoran-san are stronger than us at this time. The only reason we are strong enough to tell you this is that we slept. This is not from Sakura. But when she recovers, we will draw from her power yet again, and she will not be at full strength at that time. So you, Syaoran-san, have the ability to cast powerful spells and are an apt fighter. You Touya-sama," Yue made it a point to address Sakura's brother highly because he was related to her. "are a good fighter as well and are able to gain aid from the spirit world. Finally, Tomoyo- san, you are perhaps better moral support for our mistress than Kero and I combined."
"But wait a second, surely you forgot one thing," Touya objected. He listened and accepted all points except one. "You forgot about the one person besides your mistress who has no say in what you are about to do. Surely my Yuki-chan will disappear along with Yue-san if this happens." This was true , and ever since Sakura's power affected the guardians, everyone had acknowledged the fact that Yukito was a victim in this, perhaps feeling pains that they would never be able to understand.
"We covered that a while ago," Kero calmly stated. "You see, I am one vessel with two versions of myself. Yue-san and Yuki-san are vessels, sharing one strong magical bond. Yukito-san's part in all this was to obscure Yue-san's identity until the Final Judgment was eminent. If that magical bond is broken, their bodies will separate, so once Yue and I depart to our previous master's spiritual domain, Yukito will be free and able to move about. When Yue and I return, there will no longer be a need to keep them together, so finally, our dear friend will be able to escape the pains we endure." Kero looked at Tomoyo. It was apparent that their decision was final and that the period of discussion had ended. Yue stood at the part of the stairs where his face would be omitted. What no one saw was the sole tear running down his cheek, despite every other stable feature to his stone stance.
"Tomoyo-chan, please bring the camcorder with you up to Sakura-sama's room. We wish to leave her a final message of support. As for the rest of you, good luck. Arigato." As the guardians and Tomoyo climbed the staircase, Touya spoke up.
"What are you thanking us for?"
"For understanding..." They continued their ascension and about ten minutes later, there was a flash of light before returning to the usual tone of the house. Tomoyo came down the stairs, tears running down her cheek. The guardians were gone. [Sayonara, Sakura-sama... Sakura-chan.]
Fujitaka burst into the house, out of breath and rather distressed. "Everybody! You won't believe what's happening! The winds are picking up in Southwest Tomoeda! I almost got toppled!"
______________
Several briefcases were on the couch in the living room. Three blazes frantically rushed to and fro, packing whatever they saw in sight, whatever they needed. [We need to hurry.] Kaho stood in the doorway, amazed at how fast they moved. [If I mentioned the possibility of them moving faster, they might kill themselves to get out of here.] Nakuru and Spinel had already completed their errands, and were frankly looking forward to engaging in magical affairs once again.
"Suppi, are you as excited as I am?" Nakuru beamed. She wouldn't admit it, but she was actually relieved to know she could aid her Japanese friends. She was even glad to see Touya again. [I'm sorry I angered you so, To- ya...] They had parted on nasty terms, when he had told her what he really thought of her, and she took those words painfully to heart. This would be her chance to make amends. [I'll help your sister, just watch me!] The two were still capable of transforming. Just as Eriol was given a gift by Clow, so were they. They would be able to rely on themselves as magical forces, so they only had to rest to regain strength.
"I am NOT Suppi!" the black cat-like creature exclaimed, protesting in his usual loud outburst.
"You know, Suppi, you're beginning to sound like a broken record," Nakuru said, pleased with her counterpart's reaction. "Why don't you chew on a couple sweets? That should help my Suppi-chan relax!"
"You know, you sound like such an airhead. No wonder Touya didn't like you." Spinel hadn't meant to go that far, but it was things like this that really pushed him. [Didn't mean that...] "Gomen, Nakuru-san." Nakuru saw he meant his apology and decided not to make him feel any worse.
"I'm sorry, too. Spinel-chan. I guess that 'sweets' statement was a little under-handed too. I'll tell you what. I won't call you Suppi until we get to Tomoeda. How's that sound?"
"Wow, what a bargain," Spinel sarcastically murmered. [You wouldn't be able to call me that anyway. We're going to be among people, so I can't say anything.] "That's part of the package. I get nothing out of it."
"That's not true. You forget that I could get away with it because you're not allowed to talk in public. But I see your point. How about the next two days, I don't call you Suppi?"
"Works for me, you got yourself a deal."
"Enough, you two! Let's get going!" Eriol was standing in the doorway. He somehow managed to carry every briefcase, holding two in his hand, two between his arms, and one wedged beneath his chin. [Wow! It's amazing what my Eriol-chan can do when he's determined...] Kaho admired his strength. He was always quite exceptionally strong, but displayed more passive traits. He looked at his lover, who was standing beside him, and also somehow managed to kiss her cheek. [I would give you an all out kiss, but my hands are full...] He leaned forward, whispering in her ear. "Arigato, Kaho-chan. Thank you for believing in me. Sayonara." He walked off.
"Anything for my kawaii Superman," Kaho exclaimed, smacking him on his rear and adoring his surprise from the action. Spinel and Nakuru sweat-dropped. [I wish those two wouldn't showcase their public displays of affection. Honestly...] Spinel acknowledged that this had not been the first time the red and blue-haired couple had engaged in such things. [Ewww... how gross. How... not kawaii!] Nakuru thought they made a cute couple, but shuddered to picture these sort of practices, let alone witness them. It was the mere thought that her master did these things, had these urges. It was nothing personal. Getting over their embarrassments, the two guardians left out the house, all of the would-be travelers expressing their good-byes back to the waving Kaho they had left in the doorway. [Finally, it's time. Sorry I took so long, Sakura-sama.] Eriol smiled and raised his hand to release a light that completely covered the car. When it cleared, his youthful form had returned to him. [Nothing like old times...]
_________________
Sakura stirred, quickly regaining full consciousness. Her eyes blinked, still wondering what had happened to her. [That voice. It really terrified me.] She was still quite out of it, slowly regaining logic as each moment passed. She walked over to the window looking out. The cards worriedly chased after her, concerned that she should still be moving at all right now. She hadn't really taken notice to them yet. Being that her mind was now safe, 'The Shield' re-materialized behind her, joining its frantic group. [Still dark. Was it only a dream?] Then, a dark realization set on her thoughts. [Since the book opened, all my dreams had some meaning.] She turned around, only to find her cards. She smiled, as though she were saying 'I'm fine, really!'. Sakura's smile could bring anything relief, and the cards slightly dispersed, still not fully convinced, and waiting for her to notice. [HOEEEE! Where is Fiery? Windy? Watery? Earthy? What happened to Mirror?] Sakura searched frantically around the room, forgetting that the cards could have easily explained everything. To comfort her, 'The Light' and 'The Dark' took form, holding her in a warm and loving embrace.
"Sakura-sama. Mistress..." Light cooed. The soothing words worked their way into Sakura's racing mind, whose eyes were already filled with tears.
"I told you all that you didn't have to call me that," Sakura sobbed, her voice breaking as she rested her head on Light's bosom.
"Sakura-chan..." Dark corrected. "The dream was real. The four elements have been stolen from you. You need not worry about Mirror. She is downstairs comforting your family and friends."
"Friends?" Sakura sounded surprised to hear that her friends were worried about her. [Of course Tomoyo-chan would naturally be downstairs, but... friends?] She was surprised but a joy spread through her to know that Syaoran might be down there as well, even though the two had broken up during the times when Eriol was her enemy. [Li-kun... Syaoran-kun... NO! Syaoran-chan...] It had taken her a while to make the transition between names, and she now viewed Syaoran as one of her closest friends, no matter what. She did not wish to return to old habits. Almost instantly, another realization hit her. "Your auras. You feel different, Light and Dark." Something was missing from the two cards, something Sakura could not yet identify but knew she held closely to her heart.
"Yes... I suppose you would notice the change. Because we represent Yue and Cerberus, it's only natural that you could feel a change in our connection with them." Light made this observation and Dark simply nodded in agreement.
"Why? Has something happened to Yue and Kero-chan?" Sakura asked, unaware of the painful answer she was about to receive.
_________________
The figure remained perched on the tower, watching in great satisfaction. He had earlier signaled for Windy to advance, tearing apart a section of the town with a violent whirlwind. He was quite pleased with the power of Windy. [And to think, she's the weakest of the elements. The Star has grown well, and along with that, my desire for her star.] Just then, a feeling flashed across his mind. [The Star stirs? This is unexpected. Oh well, time to increase the severity of my declaration.] He signaled for Windy to up the ante, forming her into a full-blown tornado.
_________________
Mirror stood stone still, gazing out the window. She could feel that something was in the air. The others stayed fixed in front of the television, watching the news forecast and paying close attention to the warning that appeared no earlier than two minutes before.
"News Warning. Unexpected high winds have sprouted all across a section of southwest Tomoeda. A whirlwind is destroying everything within its wake, and there is a high possibility that a tornado will appear at any given moment..."
Mirror sensed something else in the air. This was something foreboding, however. It gave her a sense of relief. She jumped in glee. "My mistress is awake!" she screamed, running up the stairs before she could explain things in detail to her confused human associates. Before she could fully get up the stairs, however, she heard a loud cry...
"HOEEEEE!" Everybody got up and followed Mirror to the sound of Sakura's cry. Syaoran remained downstairs, observing the forecast for important details. [This is NOT good...]
__________________
"HOEEEEE!" Sakura screamed. She rushed out the room and didn't hear the two cards trying to tell her to stop. [Kero-chan, Yue-san...] She gasped at the realization of another thought. [Yuki-san! HOEEE!] She searched frantically through every room, until she reached Touya's. Opening the door, a sense of relief spread over her mind to see an overexhausted Yukito in Touya's bed. [Maybe they were wrong.] Light, Dark, Mirror, Touya, and the others crowded behind her into the room.
"Sakura-chan..." Tomoyo softly spoke, putting a hand on her best friend's shoulder.
"Yuki-san's okay, so they're still here. Where's Kero-chan? I want to let him know I'm all right." Sakura still had not figured out what happened. Mirror felt obligated to explain everything to her mistress...
"...and so you see, Yukito may still be here, but Yue-san and Kero-chan left. That is why you don't feel so weak." Mirror watched in great pain as Sakura sank to her knees, sobbing again as she had in her dream. She wanted desperately to comfort her, but she knew Sakura would just have to calm herself.
"Y-yo-you mean, they're gone?" Sakura stuttered. She still could not believe what it meant.
"No, not gone. They have just returned with Clow-sama until you can fully regain your strength," Yukito responded, awakening from his sleep. The separation between Yue and himself had tired him out, but he was fine now and capable of explaining the two guardians' final thoughts.
"Sakura-chan, we were worried about you, but we knew you could do it." Tomoyo said, embracing her best friend. Sakura smiled, a slight blush on her face. [Some things never change...] Touya stepped forward, smiling a his little sister.
"Hey kaijuu, you had us scared to death!" he teased.
"I am NOT a monster!" Sakura glared. She began to feel light-headed, and had it not been for Tomoyo's warm embrace, would have staggered to the floor.
"You are still very weak, Sakura-chan," Mirror said, approaching her mistress with the other two cards closely behind. "You must rest now, and try not to get too excited."
"Gomen," Sakura sadly replied. Just then, Syaoran ran up the stairs, panic in his voice.
"Guys, you'd better get down here, and fast!" Everyone headed for the door, everyone except Sakura. She was still a little winded. Fujitaka turned to raise her onto his shoulders, something he had not done since Sakura was little. [My child has grown so... Nadeshiko-chan would be, no, is proud.] They hurried down the stairs, and their eyes gazed in horror.
"Greetings, Mistress of her own Star," the voiced etched through Sakura's mind.
"That voice..." she weakly strained. It was the same voice from her dream.
"I felt it would be better to do the forecast myself, with a little colorful commentary, might I add. You are witnessing the awesome power of Windy. I must say, she is quite powerful for the weakest of the elements. I commend you on the powers you have developed, Star Captor. Hmmm, I made a funny. Watch as I show you some real fireworks... maybe even literally!" He signaled for Windy to advance on her destruction. Windy no longer circled around the area of southwest Tomoeda that she had began in; she headed southwest in a straight line, until she reached the outskirts of town. Destruction, screams, and the vicious sound of howling wind were all that could be heard. [All those poor people, dead. Because he's after me...] Sakura choked on her last sentence. [Because he's after me...] The dizziness returned, causing Sakura to lose her balance. She fell from her father's refuge, but Syaoran caught her as she landed, blushing the entire time.
"Syaoran-chan..." she weakly replied, almost fainting. Touya barely twitched at the response, but Syaoran blushed furiously. [Wait a sec, I blush, but blushing furiously, that's Sakura's department.] Tomoyo had long since pulled out her camcorder, recording the entire thing. [Despite the timing, if those two ever came around, this would be a great collective gift for them. How romantic, how... kawaiiiii!] The voice on the television continued.
"As I was saying, you have just witnessed a small yet significantly large portion of southern Tomoeda destroyed... and this is just a warning. Of course, I hate to leave messes. Time for clean up duty..."The entire area in the path of Windy's tornado lay dilapidated in ruin. There were hardly any signs of surviving life. He called forth Fiery, who burned the destroyed path, leaving nothing but ashes. Now, there was no chance that anything survived. Finally, Watery was called to help Windy wash and blow all of the ash out of Tomoeda. All that remained was a bare space, which seemed to scream graveyard in all directions. "I have not revealed my name yet, but I will once we meet in battle. You shall face me, or I'll pluck Tomoeda bare and dry as a Thanksgiving Turkey. We now return you to the more boring version of my forecast. The screen reshowed the horror from the views and voices of the newscast. Sakura raised her head, a look of rage and injustice on her face.
"Whoever you are, you shall pay..." Sakura fainted, and Syaoran, still blushing at the auburn-haired girl, held with extreme care, within his arms, carried her back up to bed. The others watched, then returned to their seats to discuss the crisis at hand.
_______________________________________________________________________
I poured my heart and soul into this, so respond, Respond, RESPOND! I hope you like how I emphasized on the cards' thoughts as well. With Yue and Cerberus gone, who will protect Sakura? Next time, Clow Read revisits Sakura's mind! Tomoyo blackmails Syaoran! Fujitaka gets a visit from Nadeshiko! The bad, bad man, who nobody knows the name of yet greatly despises, plots a very nasty, nasty plan! I don't know what it is yet, but it's so evil, you'll think of this one as a mere needle poking your skin! Next time! Chapter 4- "The Star Captor's Dreams"
-Yusef "The B.A.T." Pittman
