"STOP IT!"

The energy suddenly seized, and Shaoran's head limped forward.

Mahoutsukai turned to her, malice written all over his body.

Shaoran suddenly lifted his head, sending her a look to keep out of it, and said "What is it to you that I might be it?"

Mahoutsukai turned back to Shaoran suddenly, his attention back on Shaoran, away from Sakura.

"What does it mean to me?" Mahoutsukai began laughing hideously. "Well, if you are indeed it, then you two are exactly what I need to make Aldrenta a reality."


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Cherry Blossoms and Magic

Chapter 9
Band of Rebels, and the Valley of Sakura.

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Eriol was slowly moving up against the wall towards the open door, with Tomoyo right behind him. As they approached, they could hear a slight murmur of two vices in conversation, which he assumed to be the guards. He came up to the doorway, and suddenly shot out into the light of the hallway, taking up a defensive fighting position. (A/N: Eriol knows Kung Fu!) However, he met upon a sight that surprised him.

There in the hallway, above two unconscious guards, stood two men in full black ninja garb. They looked just as startled to see Eriol as he did them.

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Sakura stood in dead silence, against her will. She couldn't move her arms which where painfully pinned to the wall by a spell cast by Mahoutsukai. Candlelight, as well as sinister eyes flickered across her face.

The future looked depressing as their captor continued to pace back and forth between her and Shaoran, grinning so much that it further unnerved her. He began to chuckle as he picked off the two cards that lay on the floor. "So it seems that there are 2 card owners. How disappointing. However, with one of you being Clow's descendent, and the other chosen by the guardian beast, the prophecy Aldrenta is most defiantly on it's way." As he said this, he began to playfully twiddle the cards through his fingers.

"I must say though, I would of never predicted that one of the owners would be female." He came right up to Sakura's face. Her nose couldn't help but bunch in disgust under the rancid smell of his breath. "Females are known for their lack of understanding in magical knowledge. However, your sex does make it seem more understandable. A male is more likely to... get along with his co-owner if she's female. Human nature. Clever of Clow..."

He began to walk back to Shaoran, who was also imprisoned against a wall.

"You have head of the Aldrenta prophecy, haven't you?"

Shaoran only responded with a bone chilling look, however it didn't seem to shake Mahoutsukai any.

"Of course you have. The Li clan is the envy of all of the magical groups. The knowledge of Clow along is enough to have anyone after you. That and the vast libraries, treasures, and techniques. But anyway, getting back on topic while I renew your memory, and tell it for the first time to you enchantingly lovely partner."

He walked to the center of the room, and cleared his throat. "Now let me think..." His eyes fell to the spot where the limp guardian lay. "Oh yes, I remember now;

When the Cards are separated by Clow between two,

Then two official Card Masters there are.

However, the sudden imbalance of their new power will trigger the eruption of Aldrenta,

Deep within the land where reside the children of the sun,

leaving them 14 nights to decide.

The card masters will have up until that time to decide,

and together when joined, stronger than ever in soul and power,

they will determine the Aldrenta."

Still confused by what he just said, Sakura suddenly froze dead still feeling his ice cold hands as they began to caress her face.

"You are the two. And you, my dear, will give me that power." Sakura couldn't help but feel the mix of horror and disgust of him touching her...

"How do you know we are the ones in that prophecy?" Sakura heard Shaoran suddenly ask from somewhere that seemed far away. She instantly felt relief when Mahoutsukai swirled around to meet the question, taking his hands off of her.

"Hints left by Clow in a log of his I managed to acquire. He made obvious clues that one was to be a descendant of his, the other powerful in magic, appointed by the guardian, and of a noble family." He smiled back at Sakura, who frowned at him, and then he turned back to Shaoran, who sent him one 10 times worst. Mahoutsukai's demeanor obviously changed from psychotically cheerful, to serious, and deadly. It was evident in his face.

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Eriol approached the room as silently as possibly, the two ninja with him as well as Tomoyo. Every once in a while he could hear what was being said, and he didn't like it.

One of the men rolled over to the other side of the door way, took a glimpse in, then motioned Eriol to approach.

When he was on the opposite end, inside he could see was lit up by candles. He saw Sakura pinned agianst a wall, but she took no notice of him. She was looking at something that was just out of his sight. Then something not far from him caught his eye. Just feet away lay his wand.

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"Now," Mahoutsukai moved back to where his globe sat on the low table. "I have yet to solve the riddle of the prophecy's key elements. I suggest that you both cooperate as best as you can. But we have the whole journey to the si-"

There was a sudden flash of blue light, and Mahoutsukai's dark cloaked figure was suddenly thrown to the wall with a sickening thud. At the same moment, Sakura could feel the force that held her against the wall release. Stood on the floor feeling week at the knees, and turned her head to see Eriol in the doorway with his wand out, pointing at Mahoutsukai. She spotted Tomoyo peeking out from behind him, and in seeing her, the raven haired girl instantly ran to her side.

"Are you alright Sakura?" Tomoyo was already begging to help her stand up by propping her up. Suddenly, Sakura remembered,

"Kero..."

Sakura felt a new bit of strength as she shot to where her guardian lay on the floor. Ever so gently, she lifted the limp figure into her arms. "Kero, are you alright?" Tomoyo was looking down at him next to her head, her eyes also beginning to water. "Please answer me."

There was silence, and then "Food..."

Sakura's grip on him tightened, and a grin found itself on Tomoyo's face.

"Sorry to interrupt ladies, but my paralysis spell is only temporary." Sakura realized only then that Eriol stood next to her, offering her her wand.

"Tomoyo, can you..." She began.

"Of course I can!" Tomoyo instantly took Kero from Sakura as she began to stand. At that point, Sakura became aware of the two ninja in the room. One of them was staring right at her. She then sensed Shaoran next to her, taking them in as well. Shaoran's eyes slanted at sensing a slight magical aura come from one.

Eriol supplied an answer. "It's alright, we can trust them." The color was suddenly drained from his face, and his jaw went tense as he saw the glowing orb on the table. He took 3 steps, swung his wand and sent the globe smashing to the floor. All that was left was cracked glass, an odd dust, and a tingling in the air. "Lets get out of here."

"What about him." Shaoran drew their attention to Mahoutsukai by pointing at him with his sword." It seemed obvious to most of them that they couldn't keep him alive.

One of the ninja cleared his thought. Eriol wouldn't be Shaoran's eyes. "We can't kill him yet. I'll explain latter."

"What do you mean latter. If we let him live, I'll be an opportunity for him to get at us. You don't think he's just going to forget about us after this?" Shaoran looked clearly disgruntled.

"Trust me on this. I'll explain, but right now we need to get out of here."

'You better have a good reason.' Shaoran thought angrily. The look Eriol gave him told him that he sensed it. Shaoran really didn't like this, and Eriol was hiding things from him. However his cousin had yet to give a reason for his distrust.

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No one said much of anything as they walked through the forest that surrounded Mahoutsukai's fortress. They had gone about 3 miles so far, and Shaoran was growing impatient. He was waiting for Eriol to make the first move in explaining himself, and one of the ninja kept looking at Sakura. And to make things worse, the guy seemed to be smiling when he sent him a warning look.

'Eriol better be right about this.' He looked to his cousin, who was next to the other man who was leading them through the trees. Shaoran still didn't know who these men where, and he didn't like the idea of them being led into some kind of trap. His trust in Eriol where on it's last nerve.

The man with an interest in Sakura had begun walking right next to her, leaving no more than 2 feet between them. Shaoran made it his duty to come up on her other side. His will to not trust them where becoming stronger by the second.

Sakura looked up to the masked man and blushed when he looked back at her. She instantly turned her attention down to her feet, cheeks burning. She didn't know why, but she was getting an odd feeling from him, something that felt like dejavu. (A/N: Ohhhh, who could this masked man be? I wonder...)

As they come to where the man was, Sakura began to hear voices and noises, and began to crank her neck to get a better view. Once there, she was rather surprised. THere ground suddenly ended into a small ravine with a gradual slope. However, inside it where little huts and tents, filled with people going about even though it was night. Once in a while people looked up to them, but continued on. Sakura was in awe. It was like a small village.

"We're a band of rebels against Mahoutsukai. Each of us have a personal debut to settle with him, and we make it our duty to annoy the heck out of him." The man beside her spoke for the first time. "You can sort of call us the 'Mahoutsukai resistance' if you want."

The man then began to walk down to the small village, and motioned for them to follow. Shaoran at least had one answer, but that barely made him feel better.

The man continued to talk, and Sakura became ever so curious as to what he looked like under the mask. "You being an enemy of Mahoutsukai automatically make you a friend of ours. Your welcome to stay the night, and then tomorrow we'll give you supplies to continue on with you journey."

"Journey?" Sakura and Shaoran asked in unison, turning to Eriol.

He gave them a smile. "I'll explain it, but first why don't we get some food and sit down? My feet are killing me."

Sakura couldn't agree more with this idea.

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They where gathered around a bon fire, and where each presented with a bowl of steaming soup. It gave off an enticing aroma, and Kero of course insisted he be given a bowl, signaling that he was getting better.

"So where are we going?" Sakura asked Eriol as she began to blow over her soup.

"Mount Fuji."

"MOUNT FUJI!?" Sakura almost dropped her bowl. Eriol just nodded.

"Why there?" Shaoran interrogated.

"That's the site of Aldrenta." Kero said as he continued eating.

Eriol looked down at him. "That's right, Kero. It seemed I did a better job on your memory than I thought."

Kero beamed at this. "Yes, well, Clow was a genius. Just look, I can eat all the food I want!" He began to demonstrate by eating some more soup.

"We have to go there? All the way to mount Fuji."

Eriol gave a little nod to this question by Sakura, and of course smiled. "We have about 13 days to get there until Aldrenta is released. If you aren't there, Japan may be blown off the world."

Everyone within hearing distance froze and looked to him at this. Eriol looked about to say more, but the man who had an interest in Sakura returned, taking off his mask. Now Sakura saw that he was young, most likely in his early twenties, with dark black hair, and an old scar across his cheek, most likely made by a sword. Now a feeling of recognition was strong within Sakura, but she could pinpoint it.

Shaoran saw her watching the man now unmasked, and diverted his attention to his soup, to which he began to gulp down at a rate which rivaled Kero's.

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(A/N: Okidoki. I'm too lazy to write more about the dinner. Nothing much interesting happened after that...)

Eriol had lay on his supplied sleeping mat awake long enough, and had decided to take a walk. Besides, he needed to talk to someone.

He came up to a tree, and looked up to the dark haired man who was watching the full moon on a branch, in deep thought. Eriol chose not to call out. Instead he gave a little wave of his wand, mumbled a few words, and floated up to a branch next to the man.

The man looked startled at first, but clamed down quickly, and turned his attention back to the moon.

Eriol sat their for a while, and didn't say a word. He continued to study the man, and now was sure of it more than ever. There was no mistaking the familiarity of the aura, and the look in his eyes when he saw Sakura. "You should tell her."

"Tell who what?" Came a scruffy reply almost like Shaoran's.

"That your her brother."

A look of surprise came from him, and then turned into one of aceptance. "Your good, magician. Really good. All though I should kick your ass right now for getting her involved in all this."

"You should understand its her destiny."

The was given an annoyed sigh by Touya. "Destiny is a thing hard to escape. You better take care of her."

"You don't have to worry about that department. She has all the protection she needs."

"I can tell. At points he almost looked ready to pounce on me when I got to close to her."

Eriol's infamous smile came. "He can be a bit temperamental, yes, but he's part of destiny also.

"Screw destiny."

They both went back to silence for a while.

"Ever since that night we where separated, I've watched over her. There where times she almost caught me, but she never did. However no matter how much I wanted her to know about me, she was having a good life with Tomoyo. Knowing about me could of ruined it." There was another pause. "I'll tell her, someday."

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It was hot riding on the horse, and the signs of summer coming was evident. But Sakura was happy looking at the landscape as they passed. Every once in a while the passed gorgeous cherry trees.

They had been traveling on the horses supplied by the rebels all day. They had decided to follow a map Eriol was given so they could stay off the main road to avoid any run ins with certain people, and now it was approaching sunset.

However, after riding all day sidesaddled on a horse, Sakura was becoming a bit tired.

"Eriol-chan."

"Hmmm." Came the reply from him on the horse up ahead.

"You where just joking about Japan being 'Blown off the world.' Right?" She asked hopefully.

"Sorry, but no. The fate of Japan rest in the hand of you and my little descendant/cousin."

"Hoeeee. Why did you have to go do something like that?"

"Aldrenta is pretty much the energy of Japan itself." Tomoyo and Shaoran where now listening in interested. Kero was sleeping in Sakura's obi. "However, at some point that energy would have to be released. So since I, as Clow Reed, had a great fondness for Japan, and didn't want it blow away, I arranged that when enough power was capable from the cards, that the power would be released. You two will have enough power between you to control it, and Aldrenta will be no more than an essence in the air."

"Mou! Why me?!" Sakura yelled to no one in particular after a minute. She got odd looks from everyone, and began to blush at her sudden outburst.

"Bad karma?" Eriol suggested, as he made it to the top of the hill and stopped.

Sakura sour mood instantly changed to one of awe. "Its so beautiful."

Before them, stretched out for about 4 miles was a valley full of cherry trees, with a river through the center. The sun setting gave the whole atmosphere a look of pink to compliment to pinkness of the cherry trees.

"Well since its getting dark, I vote we stay the night in this valley." Eriol suggested.

"Can we?!" Sakura and Tomoyo asked at once, almost throwing themselves at Eriol, causing him to back his horse up a few feet.

He grinned, and replied. "I don't see why not."

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Shaoran sat against a cherry tree, polishing his sword while Eriol sat opposite in the clearing, meditating. Shaoran continued to look around. For some reason he felt jumpy. Something about this valley bugged him, and he began feeling it since they entered it.

He decided to not stay on the upsetting feeling and try to relax. To relax he'd need a bath, which the girls where currently taking in the river. He's hope they would finish soon so he could get one too. He suspected he was beginning to smell.

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(A/N: I the author, would like to make a note here. The following scene is NOT a lesbian scene. In Japan, even now, its common to take baths together. This is NOT a lesbian scene, all though I have nothing against them. I just am not making them ones in this story. Maybe in a future story but... get on with reading this.)

"Tomoyo! Watch out! I'm going to jump in!"

"All right, wait for me to clear the area!" Tomoyo yelled as she began to swim away from the miniature waterfall, and within seconds a flesh tone blur came from the top of it, and landed with a splash.

A few seconds later, Sakura's head broke the surface, and she took in a deep breath. "This feels so good. I needed a bath."

"Your telling me. All today I was wishing for one. Someone up there favors me." Tomoyo sighed happily. "Can you believe it was only about five days ago when you left for the palace."

Sakura's expression turned thoughtful. "That seems almost like a life time ago." She began to swim on her back so she could look at the stars. It was a beautiful night, and the black sky was covered in glistening diamonds. "Sugoi." She whispered.

"Sakura?" Tomoyo asked after a while.

"Hmmm?" She answered, not really paying attention. It was a shame. She missed the mischievous grin that appeared on her friend's face.

Tomoyo swam up right next to Sakura and began trending water. "Is there a man who's caught my Sakura's eye?"

"Nani?" Sakura responded, not quite sure what to think, but she didn't like where it was heading.

"You know you can tell me anything." The mischievous smile was now turning sinister. "You know you can tell me anything. I just want to know about a certain Chinese prince."

"NANI?!" She yelled, choking in water, taking a few seconds to stop coughing. "How did you know her was a prince?" She asked weakly.

"Eriol told me. Now don't try to change the subject. That's not going to save you. I want answers, and I want them now."

Sakura was now slowly attempting to swim away from her now dangerous friend.

"Don't try getting away from me!" Tomoyo suddenly jumped at her, dunking Sakura under the water.

Sakura came back up gasping.

"I'm goanna dunk you until you spill." Tomoyo stated. Sakura knew she was serious.

"Spill what?"

"Your feelings on Li-san of course!"

"NANI?"

Tomoyo got an annoyed look at this. "Come on Sakura. Your my cousin. I've known you since we where babies. You have a liking to-"

Sakura watched as Tomoyo's face became pale, and then back away as Tomoyo jumped about 3 feet into the air, clutching her foot. She came back down with a big splash

"Hoeeee... you can jump high, Tomoyo."

"Something... grabbed my foot." She practically shrieked, still holding her foot.

"Nani?" Sakura asked quizzeled, her head tilted to the side. "ITAIIIIIII!" Sakura suddenly yelled holding her bottom while jumping a height in the air equal to Tomoyo's.

"Nani?" Tomoyo mustered with a worried face.

"Did you just.... pinchmybutt." The last part was whispered.

Tomoyo solemnly shook her head. From behind them however, there was an odd little chuckle. Slowly the two turned around only to see a wrinkly, blue head begin to emerge from beneath the water.

That was all they needed.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!" Both girls ran towards the bank, and behind a bush jutting out into the water. The laughing became louder.

"Ecchi!" Sakura yelled at it. It now looked like a wrinkly old man, and was clutching it's belly, laughing. At her comment, the laughing got harder.

They heard running coming from the land, and instantly they both crouched into the water.

"Now this can't be good." Eriol commented when seeing the wrinkled thing, and the girls crouching in the water. Both he and Shaoran where blushing to some point. Eriol saw that Shaoran was becoming faint, and immediately grabbed him by the shoulders. "This is not the time to faint."

THe laughing got harder.

Tomoyo was getting angry at it. "What are you other then a stinking pervert?!"

The creature stopped laughing after a few seconds, and looked to where she was. "I'm the kami of this river."

At this Tomoyo felt Sakura begin to shake beside her. Sakura was scared of anything that fell under the category of ghost, monsters, and that included kami.

"I just thought I'd come by and receive a tax for your use of my river." It chuckled.

"And what's that? Pinching a girl's butt is rude!" The moment the words left her mouth, Sakura regretted saying them.

It grinned evily. "As I was saying, I came by to collect the fee. Its been a while since I've encountered a woman, and imagine my surprise when I find 2 bathing in my river. Now you two boys can go along now. I'll get done with them in about 2 hours." He called in their direction.

Sakura, just realizing what he meant, yelled "No was in hell!"

It frowned at this, and it began to move towards the two girls. There was a blur of green as Shaoran jumped in front of them with a splash, placing himself between it and them, sword flashing against the light of the moon. It took a step back, receiving this new threat. Then a giant whirl of water appeared, and it suck up the kami who was yelling continually. Its form was visible as it bobbed up and down within the water cyclone, and before long, the cyclone was traveling up trough the air. Sakura turned her head to see that Eriol was the one controlling it. Then with a loud yell, the cyclone shot out into the distance, kami with it.

"Well, that should teach it not to mess with us." Eriol reported happily.

Shaoran had began to trudge back to the shore, his robes completely soaked. It was totally avoiding looking in their direction.

"Are you two all right?" Eriol questioned.

They both remained ducked in the water. "Oh, yes. We are fine. Thanks to you two of course. I don't know what we'd do with out you." All the time while she was saying this, Sakura saw she was battering her eyelashes.

Eriol smiled in return and bowed. "Glad to have been of service, all though it was nothing." After this he turned to return back to the camp site. "Yell again if you need us."

"Oh, we will."

"Tomoyo's gaze returned to Shaoran, who was now out of the water, and beginning to follow Eriol. Sakura looked on in fear seeing the wheels in Tomoyo's head at work.

"Li-san!" Tomoyo yelled, taking a quick, confidant glance at Sakura. Shaoran stood rigid. "Could you please bring us our kimonos? There over there on that tree!"

"Get them yourself!" He replied sharply, and walked off.

Once the guys where out of sight...

"Tomoyo, you are pure evil. Do you know that?"

"I do." She answered. "I do. Now. Back to our original subject. Li-san!"

"Mou, Tomoyo-chan, give it up."

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There you go. Sorry it took so long. Here the reasons why: First week before reportcards came up, fanfiction.net had problems, and my computer broke! But I have a new one! Hope you liked this chapter, I did. In the next chapter they will still be in the valley. I'm getting annoyed with Eriol and Tomoyo though. With them around, Sakura and Shaoran are more reluctant to... well, even talk to each other. The wheels in my head are turning. Already some of the next chapter is finished.

Anyway, you know what would make me really happy. PLEASE REVIEW! That is if it works.