Well, hello! And Welcome to My Little World of Weirdness!
I state for the record that, despite the fact I really, really wish I did, I don't own any of the characters that will grace this story; it's all CLAMP's! Always has been, always will be!
Also I don't pretend to have any Mastery over the language of Japanese or any clue as to correct grammatical structure. I put it in and hope it gets across the point I'm trying to make!
"Speaking"
*Stress/emphasis*
//Thinking//
Guardian Beast of the Seal, Wimpy, Scaredy Cat.
By Dr Megalomania.
Part Nine: Okay, well, putting that thought aside. . .
Yue refused to visit Keroberos for the rest of the day; he also refused to return to his false form. So Touya and Syaoran were stuck with a grumpy guardian in the kitchen, as they were cooking. Yue watched Touya carry the washing back into the wash room, he turned his attention on Syaoran, "You do realise you're making that all wrong don't you?"
"Oh really?" Said Syaoran as he slid the latest batch of chopped vegetables into the pan, "And how would you know?"
"I'm older that the recipe, I know how to make it!" Yue closed his eyes and folded his arms.
Syaoran leaned over the counter, "Oh, really? And how old's that?"
"What's my age got to do with you making that soup all wrong?" Yue cocked his head to the side as he leaned towards the Clow descendant.
"Why is it every time I ask how old Clow is, or Yue or Keroberos or anyone; everyone changes the subject?"
"What has your inability to realise how old we are got to do with the fact you're making that soup all wrong?"
"Brat-features gaki boy . . ." Touya sailed back into the kitchen, he glared at the two, "Whimpy moon guardian blokey . . .This soup is being made wrong, and as far as I figure Yue is 1000 years old . . ."
"OI!" Yue and Syaoran both yelled.
"This recipe has been in my family for generations . . ." Syaoran slammed his hands on to the counter, as Yue pushed his face into Touya's.
"Does this face look like it's a thousand years old?!" The moon guardian spoke slowly as he narrowed his eyes threateningly.
". . . and I'm making it perfectly!" Syaoran concluded.
As Touya was attempting to dig himself out of the hole he had dug himself into with Syaoran and Yue, Ruby and Meilin traded fighting tips in the garden. They too had been on a couple of shifts together and had found quite a lot of common ground. While Ruby and Meilin bitched about Baka Syaoran, and Baka Touya, Tomoyo washed her hair. . . this was no mean feat! I mean. . . the girl had a couple *feet* worth of hair to wash. . .
Sakura sat with Keroberos until he fell into a light slumber again. The lion had eaten quite a lot, considering he hadn't eaten anything substantial since Yue found him unconscious in the kitchen on that first night. Spinel, her shift partner, joined Keroberos in his light nap. Sakura went to look for Eriol, he'd disappeared clutching an old book, and she was curious. Spinel and Ruby had exchanged a knowing look as he had pulled the large book from his backpack.
She slipped on a winter coat and made her way on to the roof. She found Hiirawagizawa sitting there his large robe's over coat wrapped around him, his hat lay beside him and he seemed unaware of everything as he turned the page and smiled. //A good memory,// Sakura thought, //I might be intruding . . .//
Eriol blinked, and closed the book. He returned to the present as he looked over at Sakura, "Join me . . . please . . ."
She slowly made her way over, "Gomen . . ." she murmured, "If you'd rather be alone . . ."
"No . . ." He smiled at the book again, "You are their new master, and it would be nice to share some memories with you . . ."
"Them?"
"Yue and Keroberos." He murmured as he reopened the book. "This is the oldest book I have in my possession. It was Clow's diary."
"Clow kept a diary?"
"We . . . were a little forgetful . . . perhaps you've noticed it in our cards . . ."
"I haven't" Sakura admitted.
Eriol chuckled; "You've never wondered why I created a rain card, a storm card, and a cloud card? They all do the same thing . . ."
"I thought it was because they did it in varying degrees of strength."
"If that were true why didn't I create, in addition to the Sword card, a . . . pair of scissors card, or a knife card, or a shaving razor card, the pen-knife card or even the letter opening card . . ." Sakura laughed as he listed various types of blades Clow could have made into cards. He smiled at her, and turned his attention to the sunset. It was still cold, but the sunset had a certain charm to it. It reminded him of home.
"So. . ." Sakura looked with interest at the book, "What did you write in there?"
He opened the book to reveal orderly, neat inscriptions. Clow's spidery handwriting was kept in tidy lines, in the various entries. "At first," he stroked the page, "I was always very methodical, and I listed everything I had achieved that day, what I planned to do the next day. Which cards worked, which didn't. The ones I wanted to create and what I thought it would take to create it." He turned a small section of the yellowing pages, and Sakura realised that the diary was not just a year's worth of entries but several years. Eriol smiled as she gasped. "Like I said the oldest book in my possession." The pages he had revealed were covered with serious diagrams of imposing looking men and explanations. "Then I started to think about creating a set of guardians for my cards."
Sakura pointed to a doodle of a lion in the corner of one page, "What's this?"
"That would be Keroberos . . ." he chuckled, "I had gone to the zoo for some inspiration, and I had seen this lion, he was large and he was very scary, but then the zoo keeper appeared and fed him . . . the fearsome lion rolled onto his back like a kitten and purred."
Sakura laughed, "That sounds like Keroberos." She pointed to a picture of a longhaired girl, "This is Yue?"
"She was this adorable little girl, she had the longest blonde hair I've ever seen, and the bluest eyes, she lived next to me . . . I had . . ." Eriol trailed off and blushed, "I had the hugest crush on her . . ." he confessed.
"So you based Yue on this girl?"
"Mmm-hmm." Eriol nodded, "But don't tell him that . . . I told him he had been inspired when I was looking up at the moon one night."
"Is that true at all?"
"A little . . . I did glance up at the moon when I was on a date with this girl, and I made up my mind that he was going to be based on her . . ." he chuckled and turned another section of pages. As the pages turned, years seemed to pass; Clow's entries became a little less tidy. Eriol smiled, "While Yue and Keroberos grew up, I kinda stopped being so serious about everything . . ." the entries became scribbled, some were one lines that seem to stretch across the page, winding around small passages, some were just one worded reminders. "After a while, I would only write down the funniest things that had happened that day, I'd list what Keroberos and Yue had found out, what they had learned. What I wanted to teach them the next day . . ." He stopped when he came to a series of clips. The clips held some slips of paper to the book, and it was obvious that they had been handled several times.
"What are they?" Asked Sakura, as Eriol unclipped them carefully, and handed them to her one by one. They were pictures . . . sort of. Evidently done with great relish. Paint was splattered all over the page, and the painter hadn't stayed with in the wobbly lines he had drawn himself. Eriol chuckled as he pointed at the picture, "This is our home . . ." he pointed to a wobbly bright green smudge, "This is Keroberos' favourite tree . . ." he chuckled as he pointed to a white blur in the sky, "This is Yue. . ." his finger slipped down to a black and blue and pink blotch, "This would be me. . . and this. . ." his finger slide over to an orange blob with a big wide grin, "This would be Keroberos."
He turned the page over in her hands. In large backwards letters, was written . . . 'Fuor Pa-Py. Kehrobearoes beter drawerer!!' and was finished with a tiny paw print that Sakura recognised as Kero's smaller form's.
"What does that say?" She asked.
"It says 'For Pappy, Keroberos, better drawer.' Keroberos and Yue had a sort of thing about painting for me . . . that's why I never created the painting card."
Sakura chuckled lightly, as Eriol pulled another picture out and handed it to her. It was much more restrained, and wasn't as sloppy as Keroberos' artistry, but still possessed a child's point of view of the world. The paper held various pencil sketches and each person was more recognizable. "This is Clow . . ." she pointed to one pencil sketch; it was very good. Clow was sitting at a window and was gazing thoughtfully out of it.
"He insisted I sat very still for that one . . ." Eriol chuckled at the memory. "So I put the time card under his sign, he froze time for about three hours to draw it."
"When Yue does something, he does it thoroughly." Sakura marvelled at the carefully drawn picture.
"Indeed, Keroberos would have none of it though . . . he refused to stay in one place for very long." Eriol chortled again. He pulled out another picture. It was a sketch of Keroberos in his larger form and was again very good. The only problem was that it had been drawn over with another picture in orange paint, with large red English letters reading, 'Baka!! This is the really me! Baka, Baka, Baka!' Sakura laughed, "He did that to me as well!" As she ran her fingers over the bright orange paint, Eriol shuffled closer, he pulled out another picture, this one was absolutely perfect. She gasped as she took the perfectly watercolour picture of Clow, Yue and Keroberos. "This is one I created." Eriol said; he brushed the sheet lightly, running his fingers lovingly of the faces of his creations.
"Clow painted this?"
"No," Eriol laughed, "I could never paint very well; I always got impatient when it took so long. I created it with magic . . . a sort of painted photograph."
This picture had the three sitting together under a tree; Clow had a hand on Yue's shoulder and a hand on the small of Keroberos' back. Kero was stretched in front of them, and Yue was leaning on Keroberos, his arms wrapped around Kero's neck. "They look so happy," Sakura remarked. Eriol stared at the picture, he smiled and nodded. "Of course, this isn't an absolutely honest picture . . ."
"What do you mean?"
"Clow could never get the two to sit like that, so it was concocted out of his own imagination."
Sakura laughed, "That's cheating!"
As the evening drew into night, Sakura agreed to have another shift, this time with Meilin. The two settled down close to Keroberos. He was still wide-awake by eleven, and still asking for food. He was just guzzling his fourth helping of jelly and ice cream [he claimed it soothed his sore throat] down when Sakura remarked, "You must be getting very well . . . the ability to eat a lot is always a good sign that you are healthy."
Keroberos looked up at her suddenly, groaned loudly and pushed the plate away, "Ooooh! I feel terrible, I can't eat anymore!!"
"I never thought I'd hear that out of you, sponge toy!" Meilin crossed her arms sceptically.
Keroberos rolled over and clutched his head, "I have a headache! Sakura make her talk quieter! She's making my head hurt worse!"
"I am not!"
"OOOWWWW!!!" Keroberos howled. "Ow! Ow! Her voice is really bad!!"
"I have a beautiful voice!!" Meilin cried indignantly.
"Okay," Kero rolled and sat up and stared at her, "Well . . . putting *that* thought aside . . ."
Meilin's head jerked back in surprised, she jumped to her feet and grabbed the rejected bowl and stormed down the stairs to wash it up.
As Meilin stormed into the kitchen, fourteen Sakura cards sat on the living room's windowsill, and thanks to the Little card, went unnoticed. They were gathered there because the older cards wanted to get some sleep, and they were a little restless. So they decided a slumber party on the 'sill was needed. They were all in their favourite pyjamas, hair set in rollers, and wings tips tied in bows, finger- and toe-nails getting the ritualistic painting. Popcorn and several bottles of wine were provided thanks to the Create card, with the strict understanding that the cards go *somewhere else* and drink it. They were in a line on the hard surface, some lying on their stomachs, some floating on some bubbles from the Bubble card, others on soft clouds provided by the Cloud.
"No, *trust* me, that's him." Said the Sleep, as she blew the wet paint on her fingers.
The Fight card, who was getting her hair plaited by the Shot, frowned, "No way . . ."
"Yes way!" Cried the bubbles, as she popped some more popcorn into her mouth. She pointed at Touya, "That's him all right!"
"No way!" The Arrow, pouring the fifth round of wine, squinted at him, "What does Mirror see in him . . .?"
"Could be the eyes . . ." speculated the Glow, as she fluffed her pom-pom hair ties, "They do look like the master Clow reed's . . ."
"I dunno why you don't get it," the Mist sighed, and rolled the last roller into her long hair, "The guy's *more* than kinda yummy looking . . ." she giggled as Touya stretch back and folded his arms behind his head, "He can return me to any form he likes."
"Oh I get it!" Cried the Cloud as she passed the bowl of popcorn to the Sweet, "Only cards that have tried to *kill* him find him good looking!" She turned to the sweet, "Sweetie-darling, can you . . .?"
"Oh sure," The Sweet waved her wand over the bowl, "What about Yue's other form? He's really tasty!"
The Firey rolled her eyes, and gestured with her arms, "Okay, well, putting *that* thought aside . . ."
"You only say that 'cause you have a thing for Keroberos . . ." the Flower folded her arms, and then accepted a glass of wine from arrow. Her long curly hair was down from its usual ponytails; she was lying on her back on one of bubbles' bubbles.
"That's *so* untrue!" Protested the Firey, as the Song took her card form's pose and pretended to gag behind her.
"Eww . . . Keroberos?!" The Song sniggered, then squealed as she sang, "Goodness gracious great *hair* balls of fire!!"
The cards burst into laughter as Firey folded her arms in embarrassment. The Little thought about that for a few moments and then screwed up her face, "Ewwww!" she took of her bi-pronged hat and pretended to hurl in it, "Now that's an image I didn't want to carry around with me . . . FOR THE REST OF *EXISTENCE*!!"
"Okay, well, putting *that* thought aside." Mimicked the Voice card, her hair was piled on top of her head. It wobbled slightly as she talked and she had to keep a hand on it to stop it from toppling down. "What about the master's reincarnation?"
"You can NOT be serious!" The Fight card called to her, "That would be like *incest* or something!"
"Ewww!! Stop it!" The Little card clutched her head, "This is soooo gross!"
"Okay, not the master's reincarnation . . ." said the Shot, she had finished plaiting Fight's hair and now Fight had turned to paint Shot's nails, as always she was speaking in her double time way ". . . But what about that Little Wolf guy from Hong Kong? Let's just say, he moves fast and I've chased him, let me just tell ya . . . I've seen his Little Wolfy tush in action," she looked appreciatively at Syaoran, "Mmmm mmm mmmm! And it looks gooooood!"
"That Gaki?!" Firey spoke up then threw her hand up as if to stop the thought right there, "Ewww! Not even option!"
"But that's okay . . ." said the Song card, ". . .Because you're into bestiality!"
"EWWWW!!" The cards screamed again, then laughed their heads off.
"Okay, can we stop with the icky images?" The Little cried out, "Or I'll call Big and we're aaaallll going home."
"Party pooper . . ." murmured the Arrow card, as she downed her sixth glass of wine.
The cards quietened down, as Tomoyo entered the room. "Oh! OH! I like her," the Song card jumped up, "She's really good!"
"Oh, yeah she has a really nice voice!" Said the Voice card.
"I'm right, aren't I?" The Cloud sat up, "When we've tried to harm a person, we really like them . . . I mean, Mist and Mirror have the hots for Yo-yo-man, Shot can't get *enough* of Syaoran's ass, Song and Voice got it bad for that purple haired girl . . . and Firey's . . ." the Cloud broke off and swung her head towards Firey, ". . . Firey's just strange!"
Firey's mouth fell open, as she glared at the Cloud. "C'mere puffball," she beckoned with a flaming finger, "Let me evaporate you!"
Later that night, Yukito creped up the stairs, Yue had finally gotten tired and had gone to sleep. It was about four in the morning, and Yuki had woken up alone in the kitchen, with a scrunched up piece of paper in his hand. It was a note from Touya telling Yuki that when Yue stopped being stubborn, to come up stairs and get into bed. Yue had evidently snubbed Touya's offer and obstinately remained downstairs. He carefully stepped past Sakura's room; a light from under the door showed that whoever was on watch tonight was still awake. He paused, and slowly opened the door. Nakuru looked up from her magazine. She nodded to him silently, and smiled. Yukito stepped in, "How's it going?"
"Oh, it's fine thanks," said Nakuru quietly. She nodded her head towards her partner; "She fell asleep about twenty minutes after Keroberos."
Mirror murmured and shifted in her sleep, Yukito laughed softly and sat beside Nakuru, "Would you like some company then?"
Nakuru reached over a big bowl of popcorn for a glass of water and offered some to Yukito, who held up his hand. "No thanks."
She smiled and poured for herself, she sipped the drink and looked at him contemplatively, "You look tired."
"Yue's form is a little hard to maintain." He murmured quietly.
She nodded, "I get that way too." She looked at Keroberos briefly and made her decision, "Touya's waiting for you . . ." at his surprised look, she smiled again, "I'll be fine, go get some sleep."
He got up and drifted toward the door, he paused and looked back at her, she pulled the bowl of popcorn into her lap, and picked up her magazine. "Thank you" he murmured softly.
She looked up at him, "Go . . . before I change my mind, make you stay here by tying you up, gagging you and jump into bed with Touya myself."
He smiled and disappeared from the doorway. Nakuru shook her head; Keroberos' sickness must have made her sick too, "Sick in the head." She muttered before throwing a sugary piece of popcorn in to her mouth. She was passing up an opportunity to sleep with Touya . . .
-----------------------
And Now It's Time For LEAVE IT TO DOCTOR MEGALOMANIA!!!
DrM: Konnichiwa!! I'd like to introduce my new co-host . . .
Nakuru: [reads last line] NO WAY!! RE-WRITE THAT LAST PARAGRAPH!! RIGHT NOW!!
Touya: LEAVE IT!! DON'T LISTEN DRM!! [Wraps arms around DrM] I'll love you forever and ever and ever and ever . . .
Yuki: I thought you said you'd love me forever and ever and ever and ever!!
Touya: [Wraps one arm around DrM and Yuki] Yuki, love, I said I'd love *you* forever and ever and ever and ever AND EVER!
Nakuru: Hey! What about me?
Touya: [Wraps an arm around Nakuru as well] I won't love you for as long as everyone else but I still love you.
DrM: Touya? Since when did you have three arms? [Touya fritzes and turns into the Illusion card] Okay . . . that was the freakiest thing I've ever seen . . . anyway, sorry for the delay, my college hols have finished so . . . [sniffs] So fanfics will be updated over longer periods . . . but on the bright side, the title of this chapter comes from the Song card Episode (which I've just seen for the first time), where Kero keeps dismissing Meilin, [laughs] He's SOOOO cute!! It's turning into one of my favourite episodes!! As for all the requests in the latest reviews, I'm going to try and start including a little more S+S, can't say it'll take over the whole fic but there will be more, as for Mirror and Touya . . . hmmm . . .
Mirror: Oh, Please! Oh, Please! Oh, Please! Oh, Please!
DrM: I'll think of it . . . anyway, Please Do R&R!! And thank you if you already have, and feel free to do it again!! Hon Na NA!!
I state for the record that, despite the fact I really, really wish I did, I don't own any of the characters that will grace this story; it's all CLAMP's! Always has been, always will be!
Also I don't pretend to have any Mastery over the language of Japanese or any clue as to correct grammatical structure. I put it in and hope it gets across the point I'm trying to make!
"Speaking"
*Stress/emphasis*
//Thinking//
Guardian Beast of the Seal, Wimpy, Scaredy Cat.
By Dr Megalomania.
Part Nine: Okay, well, putting that thought aside. . .
Yue refused to visit Keroberos for the rest of the day; he also refused to return to his false form. So Touya and Syaoran were stuck with a grumpy guardian in the kitchen, as they were cooking. Yue watched Touya carry the washing back into the wash room, he turned his attention on Syaoran, "You do realise you're making that all wrong don't you?"
"Oh really?" Said Syaoran as he slid the latest batch of chopped vegetables into the pan, "And how would you know?"
"I'm older that the recipe, I know how to make it!" Yue closed his eyes and folded his arms.
Syaoran leaned over the counter, "Oh, really? And how old's that?"
"What's my age got to do with you making that soup all wrong?" Yue cocked his head to the side as he leaned towards the Clow descendant.
"Why is it every time I ask how old Clow is, or Yue or Keroberos or anyone; everyone changes the subject?"
"What has your inability to realise how old we are got to do with the fact you're making that soup all wrong?"
"Brat-features gaki boy . . ." Touya sailed back into the kitchen, he glared at the two, "Whimpy moon guardian blokey . . .This soup is being made wrong, and as far as I figure Yue is 1000 years old . . ."
"OI!" Yue and Syaoran both yelled.
"This recipe has been in my family for generations . . ." Syaoran slammed his hands on to the counter, as Yue pushed his face into Touya's.
"Does this face look like it's a thousand years old?!" The moon guardian spoke slowly as he narrowed his eyes threateningly.
". . . and I'm making it perfectly!" Syaoran concluded.
As Touya was attempting to dig himself out of the hole he had dug himself into with Syaoran and Yue, Ruby and Meilin traded fighting tips in the garden. They too had been on a couple of shifts together and had found quite a lot of common ground. While Ruby and Meilin bitched about Baka Syaoran, and Baka Touya, Tomoyo washed her hair. . . this was no mean feat! I mean. . . the girl had a couple *feet* worth of hair to wash. . .
Sakura sat with Keroberos until he fell into a light slumber again. The lion had eaten quite a lot, considering he hadn't eaten anything substantial since Yue found him unconscious in the kitchen on that first night. Spinel, her shift partner, joined Keroberos in his light nap. Sakura went to look for Eriol, he'd disappeared clutching an old book, and she was curious. Spinel and Ruby had exchanged a knowing look as he had pulled the large book from his backpack.
She slipped on a winter coat and made her way on to the roof. She found Hiirawagizawa sitting there his large robe's over coat wrapped around him, his hat lay beside him and he seemed unaware of everything as he turned the page and smiled. //A good memory,// Sakura thought, //I might be intruding . . .//
Eriol blinked, and closed the book. He returned to the present as he looked over at Sakura, "Join me . . . please . . ."
She slowly made her way over, "Gomen . . ." she murmured, "If you'd rather be alone . . ."
"No . . ." He smiled at the book again, "You are their new master, and it would be nice to share some memories with you . . ."
"Them?"
"Yue and Keroberos." He murmured as he reopened the book. "This is the oldest book I have in my possession. It was Clow's diary."
"Clow kept a diary?"
"We . . . were a little forgetful . . . perhaps you've noticed it in our cards . . ."
"I haven't" Sakura admitted.
Eriol chuckled; "You've never wondered why I created a rain card, a storm card, and a cloud card? They all do the same thing . . ."
"I thought it was because they did it in varying degrees of strength."
"If that were true why didn't I create, in addition to the Sword card, a . . . pair of scissors card, or a knife card, or a shaving razor card, the pen-knife card or even the letter opening card . . ." Sakura laughed as he listed various types of blades Clow could have made into cards. He smiled at her, and turned his attention to the sunset. It was still cold, but the sunset had a certain charm to it. It reminded him of home.
"So. . ." Sakura looked with interest at the book, "What did you write in there?"
He opened the book to reveal orderly, neat inscriptions. Clow's spidery handwriting was kept in tidy lines, in the various entries. "At first," he stroked the page, "I was always very methodical, and I listed everything I had achieved that day, what I planned to do the next day. Which cards worked, which didn't. The ones I wanted to create and what I thought it would take to create it." He turned a small section of the yellowing pages, and Sakura realised that the diary was not just a year's worth of entries but several years. Eriol smiled as she gasped. "Like I said the oldest book in my possession." The pages he had revealed were covered with serious diagrams of imposing looking men and explanations. "Then I started to think about creating a set of guardians for my cards."
Sakura pointed to a doodle of a lion in the corner of one page, "What's this?"
"That would be Keroberos . . ." he chuckled, "I had gone to the zoo for some inspiration, and I had seen this lion, he was large and he was very scary, but then the zoo keeper appeared and fed him . . . the fearsome lion rolled onto his back like a kitten and purred."
Sakura laughed, "That sounds like Keroberos." She pointed to a picture of a longhaired girl, "This is Yue?"
"She was this adorable little girl, she had the longest blonde hair I've ever seen, and the bluest eyes, she lived next to me . . . I had . . ." Eriol trailed off and blushed, "I had the hugest crush on her . . ." he confessed.
"So you based Yue on this girl?"
"Mmm-hmm." Eriol nodded, "But don't tell him that . . . I told him he had been inspired when I was looking up at the moon one night."
"Is that true at all?"
"A little . . . I did glance up at the moon when I was on a date with this girl, and I made up my mind that he was going to be based on her . . ." he chuckled and turned another section of pages. As the pages turned, years seemed to pass; Clow's entries became a little less tidy. Eriol smiled, "While Yue and Keroberos grew up, I kinda stopped being so serious about everything . . ." the entries became scribbled, some were one lines that seem to stretch across the page, winding around small passages, some were just one worded reminders. "After a while, I would only write down the funniest things that had happened that day, I'd list what Keroberos and Yue had found out, what they had learned. What I wanted to teach them the next day . . ." He stopped when he came to a series of clips. The clips held some slips of paper to the book, and it was obvious that they had been handled several times.
"What are they?" Asked Sakura, as Eriol unclipped them carefully, and handed them to her one by one. They were pictures . . . sort of. Evidently done with great relish. Paint was splattered all over the page, and the painter hadn't stayed with in the wobbly lines he had drawn himself. Eriol chuckled as he pointed at the picture, "This is our home . . ." he pointed to a wobbly bright green smudge, "This is Keroberos' favourite tree . . ." he chuckled as he pointed to a white blur in the sky, "This is Yue. . ." his finger slipped down to a black and blue and pink blotch, "This would be me. . . and this. . ." his finger slide over to an orange blob with a big wide grin, "This would be Keroberos."
He turned the page over in her hands. In large backwards letters, was written . . . 'Fuor Pa-Py. Kehrobearoes beter drawerer!!' and was finished with a tiny paw print that Sakura recognised as Kero's smaller form's.
"What does that say?" She asked.
"It says 'For Pappy, Keroberos, better drawer.' Keroberos and Yue had a sort of thing about painting for me . . . that's why I never created the painting card."
Sakura chuckled lightly, as Eriol pulled another picture out and handed it to her. It was much more restrained, and wasn't as sloppy as Keroberos' artistry, but still possessed a child's point of view of the world. The paper held various pencil sketches and each person was more recognizable. "This is Clow . . ." she pointed to one pencil sketch; it was very good. Clow was sitting at a window and was gazing thoughtfully out of it.
"He insisted I sat very still for that one . . ." Eriol chuckled at the memory. "So I put the time card under his sign, he froze time for about three hours to draw it."
"When Yue does something, he does it thoroughly." Sakura marvelled at the carefully drawn picture.
"Indeed, Keroberos would have none of it though . . . he refused to stay in one place for very long." Eriol chortled again. He pulled out another picture. It was a sketch of Keroberos in his larger form and was again very good. The only problem was that it had been drawn over with another picture in orange paint, with large red English letters reading, 'Baka!! This is the really me! Baka, Baka, Baka!' Sakura laughed, "He did that to me as well!" As she ran her fingers over the bright orange paint, Eriol shuffled closer, he pulled out another picture, this one was absolutely perfect. She gasped as she took the perfectly watercolour picture of Clow, Yue and Keroberos. "This is one I created." Eriol said; he brushed the sheet lightly, running his fingers lovingly of the faces of his creations.
"Clow painted this?"
"No," Eriol laughed, "I could never paint very well; I always got impatient when it took so long. I created it with magic . . . a sort of painted photograph."
This picture had the three sitting together under a tree; Clow had a hand on Yue's shoulder and a hand on the small of Keroberos' back. Kero was stretched in front of them, and Yue was leaning on Keroberos, his arms wrapped around Kero's neck. "They look so happy," Sakura remarked. Eriol stared at the picture, he smiled and nodded. "Of course, this isn't an absolutely honest picture . . ."
"What do you mean?"
"Clow could never get the two to sit like that, so it was concocted out of his own imagination."
Sakura laughed, "That's cheating!"
As the evening drew into night, Sakura agreed to have another shift, this time with Meilin. The two settled down close to Keroberos. He was still wide-awake by eleven, and still asking for food. He was just guzzling his fourth helping of jelly and ice cream [he claimed it soothed his sore throat] down when Sakura remarked, "You must be getting very well . . . the ability to eat a lot is always a good sign that you are healthy."
Keroberos looked up at her suddenly, groaned loudly and pushed the plate away, "Ooooh! I feel terrible, I can't eat anymore!!"
"I never thought I'd hear that out of you, sponge toy!" Meilin crossed her arms sceptically.
Keroberos rolled over and clutched his head, "I have a headache! Sakura make her talk quieter! She's making my head hurt worse!"
"I am not!"
"OOOWWWW!!!" Keroberos howled. "Ow! Ow! Her voice is really bad!!"
"I have a beautiful voice!!" Meilin cried indignantly.
"Okay," Kero rolled and sat up and stared at her, "Well . . . putting *that* thought aside . . ."
Meilin's head jerked back in surprised, she jumped to her feet and grabbed the rejected bowl and stormed down the stairs to wash it up.
As Meilin stormed into the kitchen, fourteen Sakura cards sat on the living room's windowsill, and thanks to the Little card, went unnoticed. They were gathered there because the older cards wanted to get some sleep, and they were a little restless. So they decided a slumber party on the 'sill was needed. They were all in their favourite pyjamas, hair set in rollers, and wings tips tied in bows, finger- and toe-nails getting the ritualistic painting. Popcorn and several bottles of wine were provided thanks to the Create card, with the strict understanding that the cards go *somewhere else* and drink it. They were in a line on the hard surface, some lying on their stomachs, some floating on some bubbles from the Bubble card, others on soft clouds provided by the Cloud.
"No, *trust* me, that's him." Said the Sleep, as she blew the wet paint on her fingers.
The Fight card, who was getting her hair plaited by the Shot, frowned, "No way . . ."
"Yes way!" Cried the bubbles, as she popped some more popcorn into her mouth. She pointed at Touya, "That's him all right!"
"No way!" The Arrow, pouring the fifth round of wine, squinted at him, "What does Mirror see in him . . .?"
"Could be the eyes . . ." speculated the Glow, as she fluffed her pom-pom hair ties, "They do look like the master Clow reed's . . ."
"I dunno why you don't get it," the Mist sighed, and rolled the last roller into her long hair, "The guy's *more* than kinda yummy looking . . ." she giggled as Touya stretch back and folded his arms behind his head, "He can return me to any form he likes."
"Oh I get it!" Cried the Cloud as she passed the bowl of popcorn to the Sweet, "Only cards that have tried to *kill* him find him good looking!" She turned to the sweet, "Sweetie-darling, can you . . .?"
"Oh sure," The Sweet waved her wand over the bowl, "What about Yue's other form? He's really tasty!"
The Firey rolled her eyes, and gestured with her arms, "Okay, well, putting *that* thought aside . . ."
"You only say that 'cause you have a thing for Keroberos . . ." the Flower folded her arms, and then accepted a glass of wine from arrow. Her long curly hair was down from its usual ponytails; she was lying on her back on one of bubbles' bubbles.
"That's *so* untrue!" Protested the Firey, as the Song took her card form's pose and pretended to gag behind her.
"Eww . . . Keroberos?!" The Song sniggered, then squealed as she sang, "Goodness gracious great *hair* balls of fire!!"
The cards burst into laughter as Firey folded her arms in embarrassment. The Little thought about that for a few moments and then screwed up her face, "Ewwww!" she took of her bi-pronged hat and pretended to hurl in it, "Now that's an image I didn't want to carry around with me . . . FOR THE REST OF *EXISTENCE*!!"
"Okay, well, putting *that* thought aside." Mimicked the Voice card, her hair was piled on top of her head. It wobbled slightly as she talked and she had to keep a hand on it to stop it from toppling down. "What about the master's reincarnation?"
"You can NOT be serious!" The Fight card called to her, "That would be like *incest* or something!"
"Ewww!! Stop it!" The Little card clutched her head, "This is soooo gross!"
"Okay, not the master's reincarnation . . ." said the Shot, she had finished plaiting Fight's hair and now Fight had turned to paint Shot's nails, as always she was speaking in her double time way ". . . But what about that Little Wolf guy from Hong Kong? Let's just say, he moves fast and I've chased him, let me just tell ya . . . I've seen his Little Wolfy tush in action," she looked appreciatively at Syaoran, "Mmmm mmm mmmm! And it looks gooooood!"
"That Gaki?!" Firey spoke up then threw her hand up as if to stop the thought right there, "Ewww! Not even option!"
"But that's okay . . ." said the Song card, ". . .Because you're into bestiality!"
"EWWWW!!" The cards screamed again, then laughed their heads off.
"Okay, can we stop with the icky images?" The Little cried out, "Or I'll call Big and we're aaaallll going home."
"Party pooper . . ." murmured the Arrow card, as she downed her sixth glass of wine.
The cards quietened down, as Tomoyo entered the room. "Oh! OH! I like her," the Song card jumped up, "She's really good!"
"Oh, yeah she has a really nice voice!" Said the Voice card.
"I'm right, aren't I?" The Cloud sat up, "When we've tried to harm a person, we really like them . . . I mean, Mist and Mirror have the hots for Yo-yo-man, Shot can't get *enough* of Syaoran's ass, Song and Voice got it bad for that purple haired girl . . . and Firey's . . ." the Cloud broke off and swung her head towards Firey, ". . . Firey's just strange!"
Firey's mouth fell open, as she glared at the Cloud. "C'mere puffball," she beckoned with a flaming finger, "Let me evaporate you!"
Later that night, Yukito creped up the stairs, Yue had finally gotten tired and had gone to sleep. It was about four in the morning, and Yuki had woken up alone in the kitchen, with a scrunched up piece of paper in his hand. It was a note from Touya telling Yuki that when Yue stopped being stubborn, to come up stairs and get into bed. Yue had evidently snubbed Touya's offer and obstinately remained downstairs. He carefully stepped past Sakura's room; a light from under the door showed that whoever was on watch tonight was still awake. He paused, and slowly opened the door. Nakuru looked up from her magazine. She nodded to him silently, and smiled. Yukito stepped in, "How's it going?"
"Oh, it's fine thanks," said Nakuru quietly. She nodded her head towards her partner; "She fell asleep about twenty minutes after Keroberos."
Mirror murmured and shifted in her sleep, Yukito laughed softly and sat beside Nakuru, "Would you like some company then?"
Nakuru reached over a big bowl of popcorn for a glass of water and offered some to Yukito, who held up his hand. "No thanks."
She smiled and poured for herself, she sipped the drink and looked at him contemplatively, "You look tired."
"Yue's form is a little hard to maintain." He murmured quietly.
She nodded, "I get that way too." She looked at Keroberos briefly and made her decision, "Touya's waiting for you . . ." at his surprised look, she smiled again, "I'll be fine, go get some sleep."
He got up and drifted toward the door, he paused and looked back at her, she pulled the bowl of popcorn into her lap, and picked up her magazine. "Thank you" he murmured softly.
She looked up at him, "Go . . . before I change my mind, make you stay here by tying you up, gagging you and jump into bed with Touya myself."
He smiled and disappeared from the doorway. Nakuru shook her head; Keroberos' sickness must have made her sick too, "Sick in the head." She muttered before throwing a sugary piece of popcorn in to her mouth. She was passing up an opportunity to sleep with Touya . . .
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And Now It's Time For LEAVE IT TO DOCTOR MEGALOMANIA!!!
DrM: Konnichiwa!! I'd like to introduce my new co-host . . .
Nakuru: [reads last line] NO WAY!! RE-WRITE THAT LAST PARAGRAPH!! RIGHT NOW!!
Touya: LEAVE IT!! DON'T LISTEN DRM!! [Wraps arms around DrM] I'll love you forever and ever and ever and ever . . .
Yuki: I thought you said you'd love me forever and ever and ever and ever!!
Touya: [Wraps one arm around DrM and Yuki] Yuki, love, I said I'd love *you* forever and ever and ever and ever AND EVER!
Nakuru: Hey! What about me?
Touya: [Wraps an arm around Nakuru as well] I won't love you for as long as everyone else but I still love you.
DrM: Touya? Since when did you have three arms? [Touya fritzes and turns into the Illusion card] Okay . . . that was the freakiest thing I've ever seen . . . anyway, sorry for the delay, my college hols have finished so . . . [sniffs] So fanfics will be updated over longer periods . . . but on the bright side, the title of this chapter comes from the Song card Episode (which I've just seen for the first time), where Kero keeps dismissing Meilin, [laughs] He's SOOOO cute!! It's turning into one of my favourite episodes!! As for all the requests in the latest reviews, I'm going to try and start including a little more S+S, can't say it'll take over the whole fic but there will be more, as for Mirror and Touya . . . hmmm . . .
Mirror: Oh, Please! Oh, Please! Oh, Please! Oh, Please!
DrM: I'll think of it . . . anyway, Please Do R&R!! And thank you if you already have, and feel free to do it again!! Hon Na NA!!