Author's Note: Hmm…logically, I should be heading to the Earth Card and the Final Judgment, but we all know what I do in the face of logic. Ok…I've covered every card…except there are four captures that aren't shown in the series. So what should I do? Duh! Make it up! Time for something original! ^_^
Summary: After everything that's gone down, Sakura finds one lone solitary place to think about her dream. She goes to her roof. So what could possibly happen that gets her thinking about the past?
Episode 49- Recalling the Through Card and…Crashing
The sun was beginning to set as the horizon began to glow a dark orange. This was the only refuge Sakura had left. There was no other place she could go to think about her dream. She had tried everything else. And she still didn't know what to make of it.
She did know what she could NOT do. No matter what, she couldn't tell Tori her secret until circumstances were absolutely perfect. No matter what the dream told her, the time for keeping secrets from her brother was over. And no matter what happened, Sakura couldn't tell Li anything about her dream.
So Sakura began to lay back, letting the rays of a setting sun shine down upon her as she lay back on the roof of her house.
**CREAK**
Sakura sat up as soon as she heard something. There was an instinct that told her to move away. But it was too late.
**CRACK**
Sakura fell through her roof. And while this could have meant serious injury, Sakura was fortunate. She only landed on her bed, but amidst the rubble of a broken roof.
Kero the guardian beast calmly stuck his head out of Sakura's drawer. "Playing on the roof, Sakura? You haven't done that in ages."
Sakura didn't respond. She just tried to get to her feet, trying not to scrape herself on any of the excess pieces of wood that once made up her roof. "I don't get it. How did that happen?"
"What were you doing on the roof to begin with?" Kero asked.
"I was thinking about that dream again," Sakura answered. "I wanted to think about its meaning…but then the roof gave way."
Kero grinned. "Reminds me of what happened seven years ago."
Sakura frowned. "How could THIS remind you of ANYTHING from seven years ago?"
"Don't you remember that night we tackled one of the Clow Cards in this house?" Kero clarified. "In this very house? And you fell through this very roof."
It all hit Sakura hard now. "Oh, Kero! Why'd you have to remind me of that?"
"You see? You remember. It was just another one of those nights. It was just the three of us..."
~--------------------~
Flashback: Sakura's Room
P.O.V.: Kero
The night wasn't exactly young. In fact, it was actually 11 PM. But Sakura's dad and brother were both out of the house and that left Kero alone with Sakura and Madison, who was spending the night. Kero didn't mind. Of course, he knew when it was time to fly into his drawer: during girl talk.
Madison was in her nightgown and looked ready to turn in at a moment's notice. But she was looking over her camera. "I'm a little disappointed in myself. I didn't capture your best side, Sakura."
"Let me see," the curious Sakura requested. She was ready for bed, too. Of course, she had on pajamas rather than a nightgown. Kero remembered those same pajamas as the ones Sakura wore when this whole adventure started. Sakura took the camera and sweatdropped. "How could you possibly get my best side? I was having arrows shot at me!"
"I didn't capture you the way I wanted to," Madison explained. "I wanted to capture your best…and cutest side."
"It's all about perfection with you, isn't it, Madison?" Sakura groaned.
"When it comes to you…yes," Madison sighed before smiling that ever-present warm smile of hers.
Kero was starting to feel tired. Something about the last few nights was bringing him down. Maybe it was the exhaustion of dealing with both the Arrow and Twin Cards in the span of a few days. But Kero knew it wasn't over. There were still five Clow Cards remaining. He just hoped that Sakura would seal Earth soon so he could return to his true form.
Madison put her camera down and got to her feet. "I'm feeling thirsty. Can I get you anything to drink while I'm out there, Sakura?"
"I'll be fine," Sakura yawned, laying back on her bed.
Madison turned and walked towards the door. That's when Kero raised his head.
~* Great…I know that sense. Something's wrong. There's a Clow Card! But…how could a Clow Card get in the house? And where could it…? *~
"AAH!"
**THUD**
Kero got his answer. Madison let out a sudden scream before falling through the door…literally THROUGH the door.
Sakura sat up. "Kero…did I see what I think I saw? Or am I dreaming?"
"You weren't dreaming. She fell through the…SAKURA, WAIT!"
Sakura started rushing towards the door. "Madison? Are you all…WHOA!!"
And just as Kero suspected, Sakura fell through the door, just like her best friend. In fact…
"OW! Sakura! You landed right on top of me!"
"Sorry, Madison. But how did that happen?"
Kero had a sneaking suspicion. So he went to go inform the girls. But as Kero headed towards the door…
**CRASH**
The door was suddenly solid again and the guardian beast crashed hard. Sakura opened the door and saw Kero lying on the floor. "What happened, Kero?"
"I think we've got a Clow Card," Kero slurred.
"At this hour?" Sakura whined.
Kero nodded. "That's right. Remember to expect the unexpected."
Madison's face brightened. "Great! And I actually remembered my camera this time! This is wonderful!"
"But which one could it be, Kero?" Sakura asked, ignoring her ecstatic friend. "This sounds to me like it's…Illusion. But didn't we seal that one?"
"I see where you might be fooled," Kero explained. "The door was no illusion; it's very real. What happened is that you and Madison went through it. And that leads me to believe that this is the Through Card."
"Through Card?"
"The Through Card can make anyone go through walls, doors, and pretty much anything else that's solid. It's one of the trickier cards, because you don't know what's solid and what's not. So you'll have to be very careful."
Sakura calmly walked over to her drawer and looked for her Clow Key. "Well, then I guess we'd better not waste time."
"Wait, Sakura!" Madison piped up. "I came prepared this time!"
Sakura sweatdropped. "Does that mean…?"
"That's right. I've got the perfect costume!"
~----------~
[Sakura: I'll keep my opinions to myself.]
[Kero: Well, the costume didn't look so bad…until she gave me MINE. Anyway, everything wasn't so bad…until we actually tried to find the card…]
~--------------------~
Flashback: Sakura's Living Room
P.O.V.: Kero
Sakura was ready to go. Wearing a fairy's costume that almost made her look like Peter Pan (the difference being a short skirt), Sakura was ready for another night of Cardcaptoring. Of course, she was trying to put her skirt down.
"Madison, these skirts are always too short! It DOES get cold, you know."
Madison, still in her nightgown, smiled. "But I think you look cute."
Kero snickered. "You'd never catch me wearing something like that. …HEY!"
Madison grabbed Kero and pulled him aside. "I've got something for you, too, Kero." Not giving the guardian beast a chance to protest, Madison dressed him up in HIS costume. "There! You look great!"
Madison pulled out a mirror and Kero almost turned white. He looked just like…a Tinkerbell.
"AAH! I'm a guardian beast, not a fairy!" Kero suddenly heard some giggling. "It's not THAT funny, Madison!"
Madison looked at Kero innocently. "It wasn't me."
Kero turned around. "Sakura?"
"I don't laugh like that," Sakura said. "HEY!"
Sakura pointed out towards the basement door. Kero and Madison then saw what it was. It was a female spirit in robes.
"That's the Through Card!" Kero exclaimed.
Sakura wasted no time. "Key of Clow! Power of magic! Power of light! Surrender the wand! The force, ignite! Release!"
As soon as Sakura had her wand ready, the Through Card tried to make a getaway by going through the basement door. Sakura tried to give chase, but Kero immediately saw what was coming.
"Sakura! It's a trap!"
Sakura didn't listen, though. And sure enough, when she reached the basement door…
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!"
…she went through it…and fell down the stairs. Feeling concerned for her best friend's safety, Madison headed straight for the basement door…but stopped. She held her arm out…and it went through the door.
"She's got to be more careful," Kero said. "She can't just rush in or she's gonna get hurt."
Having said that, Sakura came back up the stairs and tried to come through the basement door. Unfortunately, the door had become solid again and Sakura smashed her head against it with a sickening thud. After a quick cry of pain, Sakura opened the basement door and came back out.
"This is going to be one of those nights," Sakura whined. "I just know it!"
~----------~
[Sakura: And wasn't I right, Kero?]
[Kero: Well…you went about it all wrong. Your head was in the right place, but the plans didn't work out like you'd hoped.]
~--------------------~
Flashback: Sakura's Kitchen
P.O.V.: Kero
Sakura led the way. "I sense something in the kitchen. I think it's in here."
Kero could hardly make out anything Sakura was saying. Every Superman has his kryptonite and Kero's biggest weakness…was food. He couldn't be around so much food and be expected to maintain his focus. And that's when he got an idea.
~* If Through can make anyone go through solids…that means…hmm… *~
Kero immediately flew towards…the refrigerator. He tried to fly through the door, but…
**CRASH**
…the door was solid. Kero shook off the cobwebs and flew back towards the girls.
"Kero, you just ate!" Sakura growled.
"Sorry. Clow Cards can build up a guardian's appetite. But I'm ok now. I think I feel the Through Card's presence…somewhere close. Somewhere like………behind us."
Sakura, Madison, and Kero turned around and saw the grinning Through Card. The mischievous Clow Card turned around and started running away and Sakura was all too quick to give chase.
~* She doesn't learn, does she? *~
Sakura chased the Through Card towards the basement door. The Through Card went through the basement door, but when Sakura tried to do the same…
**CRASH**
…she found the door had become solid again.
Sakura looked up with swirled eyes. "HOE!!" But though she was in a dazed state, Sakura still saw a flash go off. "MADISON!! DON'T take a picture of that!!"
"Sorry…"
Sakura picked herself up and decided to regroup. The Through Card was now in the basement. Now all Sakura needed was a new plan.
~----------~
[Kero: I don't think things got better at this point.]
[Sakura: It was a good idea in theory.]
[Kero: Yeah, but in practice…?]
~--------------------~
Flashback: Outside Sakura's Basement Door
P.O.V.: Kero
"So what's the plan, Sakura?"
Sakura went for one of her cards. "I'll flush it out! Rain Card! Release and dispel!" Sakura released Rain and just like before, Rain went over to shower lightly on Sakura's head. Sakura groaned and stepped aside. "Stop raining on me!! Go down and find the Through Card. Flood my whole basement if you have to, but get it out here!"
Kero wasn't so sure about that. "Sakura…are you sure that's such a good…?"
"I know what I'm doing," Sakura persisted. "Now get down there, Rain, and flush out that Through Card!"
Rain did what Sakura asked and went into the basement. A downpour of showers could be heard and Rain began to go to work. Meanwhile, Sakura was poised to strike with her wand and Madison had her camera set to capture the whole think on tape. Kero wasn't so optimistic, though.
Sure enough, the minutes passed and nothing was happening. The downpour continued and nothing came out. Sakura was starting to get impatient.
"What's taking so long?"
Sakura opened the basement door…and saw her basement getting flooded completely under the stairs…but there was no sign of the Through Card.
"There's nothing here. Madison, come take a look at this."
Madison put her camera down and stood beside Sakura. Both girls looked down unaware of what was coming. And Kero didn't even see it coming either. The Through Card had sneaked up behind the girls and…pushed them forward…
"HEY! AAAAHHH!!"
…sending them down the stairs…
**SPLASH**
…and into the flooded basement. Kero went to see if they were all right while the smug Through Card maintained her position.
"Are you two all right?" Kero asked.
Sakura raised her head out of the water. "We are NOT all right!"
Madison got out of the water and desperately tried to dry herself off. "I have to sleep in this tonight! Kero, what happened?"
"The Through Card escaped," Kero said frankly. "It must have gone outside through one of the walls and come back inside another way."
Sakura was losing her composure. She got out of the water and went up the stairs just in time to see the giggling Through Card. "This is NOT funny. You can't just sneak up on people like that!"
~* If she was smart, she'd seal the card, THEN give it a stern lecture. *~
Kero's advice went unheeded as the Through Card made another escape. This time it went out an open window. Kero flew up just in time to see Sakura exiting the open window…then coming back in.
"It's on the roof! Now I've got it!"
~----------~
[Sakura: Oh, great! NOW I know why you remembered this.]
[Kero: That's right, kiddo. Another exercise in frustration…]
~--------------------~
Flashback: Sakura's Rooftop
P.O.V.: Kero
Kero didn't have a good feeling about this. It almost felt like the Through Card was luring them to the roof. But Sakura didn't want to wait. She made that climb up her ladder and up to her roof, while Kero just flew at her side.
There was the Through Card again, just calmly standing atop the roof. Sakura wasn't so calm, though. She was tired and she wanted to get this night over with.
"You're NOT getting away from me this time!" Sakura shouted. "Windy! Release and dispel!"
Sakura released Windy and the Through Card was thoroughly wrapped up. Sakura knew this was her chance, but she forgot one thing.
~* This feels like a trap. *~
And it was. Sakura ran straight for the Through Card…and…
"AAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!"
…fell through her roof. Kero and Windy both exchanged glances and decided to see what happened to Sakura. They went through the open window at the side of Sakura's house and looked everywhere for her. Of course, Sakura was in her room. Luckily, she fell through the roof…and landed safely on her bed.
Kero gave Windy a smug look. "Can you believe she didn't see that coming?"
Windy just shook her head, almost as if she expected Sakura to know better. Kero could see in Sakura's eyes that she had reached her boiling point. Sakura didn't get angry very often, but when she DID, then it was time to head for the hills.
Suddenly, Madison walked into Sakura's room with a bathrobe, having just gotten out of the shower. She saw Sakura, Kero, and Windy together and blinked. "Did…I miss something?"
Before Sakura could say anything, Kero landed on her shoulder. "Now I really should be letting you get this on your own. But are you sure you don't want a few pointers?"
Sakura shook her head. "No…I can do this."
Kero sighed and flew towards Windy. "Have a seat, Windy. This might take a while, so don't just float up there. Pull up a chair."
Sakura's face brightened. It was an expression filled with hope and Kero could practically SEE the light bulb on her head. "Kero…I think you just gave me the answer!"
~----------~
[Kero: I said I wasn't supposed to help you, yet there I went opening my big mouth.]
[Sakura: You didn't actually GIVE me the answer. I just had to read between the lines, but I DID get it.]
[Kero: You sure did. You handled the situation like a true Card Mistress…]
~--------------------~
Flashback: Sakura's Rooftop (Take 2)
P.O.V.: Kero
So far, this new plan of Sakura's was going just like the old plan. She was climbing up the ladder just like before. And just like before, Sakura stood atop her roof facing the Through Card, who didn't seem too worried at all. And just like before, Sakura took out Windy.
"Windy! Release and dispel!"
Windy came out, just like before, and tied up the Through Card, just like before. At this point, Kero was more than curious.
"Sakura…just what IS this new plan of yours?"
Sakura reached for another card. "Float Card! Keep me from falling through the roof! Float Card! Release and dispel!"
Kero smiled. Sakura had figured out what she needed to do. And with Windy tying up the Through Card, there was nothing that could possibly go wrong. Sakura casually walked towards the Through Card and grinned. She had won this battle.
"Through Card! Return to your power confined! Through Card!"
Once the Through Card was finally sealed, Kero flew towards Sakura again. "You did it, Sakura! Just like a true Cardcaptor, you figured out what you had to do."
"Great capture, Sakura!"
Sakura and Kero looked out towards the ladder. Madison was atop the ladder, holding her camera out and getting the whole thing on tape. Somehow, Kero knew she wouldn't miss this capture for anything.
"I'm just glad this night is over," Sakura yawned. "I really should get some sleep."
"Yeah," Kero grinned. "Nice to see you're…through for the night."
Kero looked around. Sakura, Madison, and Windy were all shaking their heads.
~* What? Was it something I said? *~
~--------------------~
"I remember that night now like it was yesterday," Kero sighed. "And I definitely remember you trying to explain to your dad that the basement was flooded because a pipe burst. Good thing you fell through your roof, Sakura, or I might have forgotten all about it."
"Anytime, Kero," Sakura grinned. Then the grin instantly turned into a frown. "Still…I need to find a place to be alone with my thoughts. I still have to think about that dream."
"Sakura…what are the odds of that dream coming true, anyway? I think you shouldn't worry about it."
"I can't help it," Sakura replied. "I didn't think the other dreams would come true…and they did. I can't take any chances."
"So I take you won't be telling the brat?"
"He's the last person I want to tell!" Sakura gasped. "I can't say anything about that dream to him. His life might depend on it!"
Kero sighed again. "Ok, ok…go…think…do something."
Sakura picked herself up and walked out, leaving only shambles of her roof on her bed. Kero couldn't understand, though. He knew all about Sakura's dream. But why would she dream something like that? Why would she dream about her and her brother?
More importantly, though, there was an important detail Kero was missing. What did Sakura see…
…that would have her so worried about Li?
Author's Note: Hope you liked this little original piece. Next time we look at another original piece as we move towards the recalling of the Final Judgment and, of course, my next story. Be back for that one.
Any comments? Then mail me at AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com and don't forget to review below.