In This Tainted Soul

by Dr Megalomania

Someone's come back from Clow's past and he wants Keroberos and Yue dead, but why? What possible mistake could Clow have made? Go back before Yue, before Keroberos . . . before the cards . . . find out what new evil threatens Sakura and her friends . . .

14. Innocence

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 official characters that will grace this story; it's all CLAMP's! Always has been, always will be! I *DO*, however, own Marcibay Hilligans and Hei-ying Reed!! I also own Mystrasa Kyree, and the dragon isn't mine, it's on loan from my good friend, the Blue Goo! And what the heck . . . I own the mansion as well! [Laughs] 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! And I don't pretend to be able to write any sort of accents so please don't hate me! Nor do I own the lyrics to 'Dreaming' CCS's second opening song, I just love it so much and it makes me feel so happy!

"Speaking"

*Stress/emphasis*

//Thinking//

In This Tainted Soul . . .

By Dr Megalomania.

Part Thirteen: Innocence

Keroberos was the last up. He knew because he could feel Hei-ying and Clow downstairs, he rolled over and snuggled back down. Clow was probably training Hei-ying in his study, and any minute now, Hei-ying would get annoyed enough to rush upstairs and demand that he get up immediately and stop making the Master wait for his lazy—

Keroberos' eyes snapped open, there was something else in the house, some new presence he had never felt before. He rolled out of bed and bounded out of the room, whatever it was it was . . . Keroberos wrinkled his nose as he reached out to touch the aura of this presence again; it was cool, but warm with Clow's magic. It had been created recently, Keroberos noticed then skidded as he turned. He leapt into the air and unfurled his wings to carry him down the stairs quickly, //What is it?// he thought excitedly, //What? What? What?!//

//Come into my study and you will find out!// Clow laughed in his mind. Keroberos blushed slightly as he realised his excited thoughts might have been picked up by Clow and Hei-ying. He made his wings disappear as he landed at the third floor corridor. He ran down the corridor to Clow's study. Hei-ying opened the door, and glared at him, "You will slow down and compose yourself before you enter this room!" He spat.

Keroberos barrelled past him, and ignore the angry star guardian. "What is it?! What have you made?!" Keroberos cried excitedly, he felt like a kitten again, like when he had gone outside and saw that the leaves were turning a different colour. "What?! What?! What?!" He virtually pranced up and down as Clow climbed out of his window seat; he had a small bundle of blankets in his arms.

"Keroberos, Hei-ying's a little right, you'll have to calm down first . . ." Clow said as he tickled whatever was in the bundle. Keroberos stopped prancing, and looked at Hei-ying over his shoulder, normally he would have gotten a look of superiority but this time was different, Hei-ying was angry at something, but he was hiding it from Clow. His eyes narrowed briefly at Keroberos before he looked up at Clow, "May I return to my room to study please. . .?" He glared at the bundle again; "I require more preparation at sealing the Firey."

Clow looked up, Hei-ying was uncomfortable with the new addition to their family. He sighed, "All right."

Hei-ying nodded once, and silently left the room. Once the door had snapped shut, Keroberos turned to look at the small bundle in Clow's arms, whatever it was, it had the power to banish Hei-ying from a room . . .

Clow sighed, Hei-ying wasn't as happy with his new brother as he had hoped; he wondered what Keroberos' reaction would be. Clow knew that in the future Keroberos and Yue would be very close, but would they go through a time of sibling rivalry as Keroberos and Hei-ying were?

He turned and sat back down in the window seat, Clow looked up at Keroberos who was staring at the small white bundle. "What is it?" Keroberos asked in an awed voice.

"What would you say. . .?" Clow started, then change his mind, "How would you like. . .?"

"What is it?" Keroberos repeated as he hopped onto the seat.

"You remember last night how I couldn't stop saying Yue?"

"Mmm-hmm. . ." Keroberos still stared at the bundle; maybe it was that blue cat thing Clow had been drawing, maybe that was why Hei-ying was so angry because the cat thing would probably turn out just like Keroberos. He grinned, "Is it another guardian?"

Clow looked slightly relieved, and nodded, "Yes."

"Can I . . ." Keroberos suddenly felt very happy, "Can I see it?"

Clow nodded, "Of course you can. . ."

Within a day, Yue's wings had ceased being a protective cocoon, within a week, much to Clow's relief; Yue had begun to make noises as if he was going to wake. They had discovered that Yue's development was for some reason much slower than that of Hei-ying and Keroberos. Clow thought it might have been because Yue was a little more complicated than the other two, as he had done with Keroberos, Clow had created Yue with a lot more emotions than Hei-ying, but he had also given Yue Hei-ying's emotional restraint. He hadn't give Yue the obedience he had cast over Hei-ying, knowing that that was the problem with Hei-ying. Clow wanted him to be able to speak against Clow, but he didn't want another version of Keroberos to irk Hei-ying. Yue was adorable, Clow stopped both Hei-ying and Keroberos' training sessions so the pair could get used to their new brother. Keroberos had already started to show traits Clow had seen in the older version of his sun guardian.

However one afternoon, while Keroberos and Hei-ying were out practising their flying, and Yue was fast asleep still, lying on the window seat, Clow sat at his desk making some notes on Yue. The thought occurred to him so suddenly; he didn't even know what had sparked it in the first place.

//Where was the other angel?//

Clow looked up from his writing, it had taken him nearly eleven years, but he had just realised that there was only one angel when he had had his vision about telling Keroberos and the weeping angel about his imminent death. Clow stood and silently walked over to the window seat, Hei-ying and Keroberos were just outside, arguing loudly again, and Yue was squirming in his sleep. //Hei-ying. . . or Yue. . .// one of them wasn't going to be in the mansion when he died, one of them would leave or just not be there when he announced his death. Clow suddenly felt a little bewildered, what did this mean? Would Hei-ying or Yue be leaving him? Why? What would make them want to leave his side?

This troubled him so much that he forgot completely about the book he was making for the future generations of the Li family, telling them about the final judgement maker, Yue. Clow sat down by Yue, and picked the baby up, he cradled the tiny moonchild to his chest, the child looked so content here in his arms, why would he want to leave?

A shout from out side drew his attention, Hei-ying was telling Keroberos off for his sloppy loops. Why would Hei-ying want to leave either?

Clow pondered this very deeply as the night drew closer.

The early winter turned into a snowy one, Clow could tell that the winter's snow would last a lot longer this year. "How do you know?" Keroberos paused long enough from his lunch to look up at Clow.

He pulled his sleeves up again and scooped some more food onto the tiny spoon, "I just can tell," Clow answered simply, Yue gurgled as he held his small fists in the air. Three weeks had past, and still Yue looked like a toddler. But Clow didn't mind, in fact he welcomed the change in lifestyle, Keroberos too enjoyed it, as he sat up for hours with the baby singing songs he had purposely learnt from the song card.

Clow had been passing one night, a few days before Yue woke, when he heard, "Alright little moonbeam . . . I shall sing you one more song with my awesome voice and then I will have to leave . . . but I make this one more song with your solemn promise that tomorrow you wake up and you let your brand new, and bestest, Oniichan see what colour your eyes are . . . ni? Okay . . ." Clow smiled as he imagined the scene, Keroberos was probably standing on his back legs, propping his forepaws on the railing of Yue's crib, the window would be closed at night because Clow didn't want the chance that Yue would wake up one night and, being drawn by the sight of his own symbol, the moon, fly out of the window. Keroberos' deep voice rumbled slightly as he began the song Clow had instructed the song card to teach him. Clow had figured out what the song Keroberos had been singing in his vision and wanted the lion to learn it quickly. "It's all right! Daijobu, daijobu, daijobu! Kiseki datte okoseru! Here we go! " Keroberos cheerfully belted out, and Yue was probably smiling in his deep sleep, "Ikou yo, ikou yo, Ikou yo tsubasa hiroge!!"  

Clow smiled and placed his hand on the wooden door of his new moon guardian; he sighed happily and moved on, still listening to Keroberos' voice.

"Yeah but how?" Keroberos asked, snapping Clow out of his little mental regression to that night.

"The Master has given you his answer," Hei-ying snapped, it used to be rare Hei-ying showed his temper in front of Clow, but since Yue's creation Hei-ying didn't seem to want to control his outburst anymore. Clow never chastened Hei-ying for it . . . in fact he secretly encouraged Hei-ying's bouts of emotion, it meant that Hei-ying could be getting over his restricting obedience spell.

Yue gurgled again as he swallowed, he had a healthy appetite and a big smile. It was one of the best things about Yue. Keroberos would storm into Clow's room early every morning to ask if he could wake Yue up. Yue had had a positive effect on Keroberos, instead of being the last up; Keroberos was always the first, determined that the first smile of the day was his. Every so often though, Clow would wake even earlier than the lion and carry the sleeping Yue down to his study, just cradling his new creation in his study's window seat. Wishing for one more vision from Eriol, the Cardcaptor and their friends, just so he could show them this wonderful new life.

Clow smiled as Yue waved his fists at him, "Would you like some more, little moonbeam?"

Yue blinked at him, his waving stopped, his twinkling amethyst eyes focused on Clow and the child was silent for a few seconds. Keroberos stopped eating, and Hei-ying paused in his drinking to look up at Yue. They were all expecting Yue to start talking soon, Christmas was coming.

 It would be Keroberos and Yue's first Christmas, and the first since Marcibay's death that Clow actually planned on celebrating. The excitement Clow displayed made Hei-ying suspicious of the whole event, Keroberos couldn't wait, he like the idea of giving something to Clow and Yue, he wasn't sure about Hei-ying but reasoned that, as Clow had hinted, this may be an excellent time to put old differences aside. Keroberos smiled slightly, well; at least Hei-ying had stopped trying to kill him.

He knew exactly what he was going to give Yue, he'd asked Clow to make them for him because Keroberos couldn't sew, but he was sure it would make Yue very pleased to have them. Clow had been making some special robes for Yue, his judgement robes; they were just like Hei-ying's only in white and blue. Keroberos was very pleased about this since it meant Yue wouldn't look like he was Hei-ying.

Yue blinked again and burst into a loud giggle. Keroberos smiled, Hei-ying sighed sharply, and Clow chuckled, "Not yet then . . .?"

As the month neared Christmas, Yue grew a little; he went from looking like a one or two year old to a three year old. He could run and fly around the place, and he could ape sounds, but he still couldn't speak. Yue, like Keroberos had done, would follow Clow everywhere. Clow enjoyed this immensely as it also meant Keroberos would spend a lot of time with them. Hei-ying would also always be there, but stayed away in the corner mostly. Clow looked up from his baking one afternoon and saw Hei-ying staring at Yue again; he seemed saddened and angry at the same time. Keroberos was talking Yue though the joy of pudding and how to eat cookies, when Clow suddenly took off his apron. "Hey?! You're not going to stop baking are you?"

Clow smiled down at Yue and Keroberos, "Do me a favour Keroberos?"

"Hai?"  

"Take care of our little moonbeam; Hei-ying and I are going to go for a walk."

Hei-ying looked at him in amazement, "We are?"

"You are?"

"Ohh ahh? Ohh ahh!" Yue started to clap happily. "Ooh ahh!!"

Clow smiled at his moon guardian, and petted his sun guardian on the head, "Yes, we are. . . please make sure our little moonbeam stays here in the house okay?"

"Uh. . . hai."

The snow crunch quietly under their feet.

"Are you all right?" Clow tighten his long purple scarf against the elements.

"Master?" Hei-ying was walking beside him, having recently losing the desire to be utterly respectful to Clow, in reality, Hei-ying wanted to be close enough to make Clow remember that he was there, when they went walking with Yue.

Clow stopped and grabbed Hei-ying's arm, "Call me Clow."

"Pardon me?"

"I would like you to stop calling me Master, and I would prefer it if you call me Clow."

"Cl-clo-cl . . .I . . . can't." Hei-ying admitted, "It would be wrong of me . . ."

Clow sighed and resumed the walk; "I have done you a great evil, Hei-ying . . ."

"You are the Master Clow Reed . . . you can do no evil on me, I am your koi—I mean your creation."

Clow paused; "You were going to call yourself my lover, weren't you?"

"According to the dictionary, the strict definition of a lover is—"

"I know Hei-ying. . ." Clow held up a hand, "But you shouldn't think that--I mean . . . I shouldn't have done the things I have done to you. . ."

"But I enjoyed it. . ." Hei-ying didn't understand, he didn't know what Clow was saying.

"As did I, but they were very wrong of me. . ." Clow turned away and walked over to the snowmen that he and his creations had created a few days ago, Yue had been spell bound by the snow, and by the strange people (and lion) shaped snow creations, he placed his hand on the sculpture that Hei-ying had made, it was almost a perfect replica of Clow, he sighed and faced Hei-ying ". . .and I should have been able to control myself."

"But I . . ." Hei-ying stepped forward, wanting to end what Clow was saying. It was beginning to hurt.

Clow pressed a finger against Hei-ying's pale lips, "I want to apologise to you . . . please, forgive me?"

Hei-ying blinked, Master Clow Reed was asking for his forgiveness. He felt the broken thing in his soul twist sharply; Clow regretted their relationship and was now asking for forgiveness from his own creation. Hei-ying looked like he had been stabbed, Clow thought as he watched the internal debate in his creation.

"Perhaps . . ." Clow put an easing hand on Hei-ying's shoulder, "I did not make myself clear . . . I have not regretted your creation and I love you dearly. You, Yue and Keroberos are the closest family I have ever had. What I regret is using your body in such a horrendous manner." Clow looked sincerely into Hei-ying's jade eyes, "I want you to forgive me in the knowledge that I love you, but that I will never take you in such an terrible manner ever again."

Hei-ying pushed Clow away and stumbled backwards, his Master was asking a mere creation for forgiveness, it was more than Hei-ying could take. He clutched his head and fell to the ground. It hurt, the broken thing in his soul, it burned pain all over. He couldn't understand anything; just that Clow was promising never to touch Hei-ying like that any more. Hei-ying tried to imagine how he was going to survive without Clow.

Clow fell to his knees and frantically tried to help Hei-ying, the black haired angel was twisting in sheer agony, clutching his head. Clow didn't understand what was so wrong. "Hei-ying? Can you hear me?! Calm down, calm down!" He shook Hei-ying's shoulders, his jade eyes were rolling back in his head, and he was jerking slightly. Clow thought he was going to fall into a coma or something equally terrible. "Hei-ying!!"

"Maa-ou, maa-ou, Maa-ee, maa-ee! Maat-taaay!" Yue sang happily as he and Keroberos walked towards the downstairs study, Clow had officially designated it the playroom, if he wasn't around to carry Yue up the stairs. Clow was incredibly protective of this small child, Keroberos reflected as he watch Yue skipped to the large door. The tiny white haired child put his pale white hands and started to try and push the door open, Keroberos let him growl and watched his little slippered feet move along the ground until Keroberos stood back on his hind legs and push the door open.

Yue fell and rolled into the room, he still had short hair in comparison to Hei-ying's, Yue's reached the middle of his back, where as Hei-ying's could be coiled around his feet. Yue sat up and threw his plait back over his shoulder, and he looked around.

The mansion was still new to him, and his memory wasn't very sharp yet, Keroberos laughed slightly as he picked Yue up with his teeth. The lion walked over to the fireplace, which immediately burst into light. Keroberos set Yue down on a warm rug by it and went to fetch the toy box Clow had left down here. He listened to Yue squeal, as he slipped his sharp teeth around the rope rung on the bow, //This sure is heavy// he thought as he pulled it towards the fireplace.

"Aiiiie!!" Yue screamed in pain, Keroberos turned around. Yue was curled on the floor, and was crying.

"What? What is it?" Keroberos bounded over. But before Yue could show him what was wrong, the window suddenly opened, and Clow flew through on his staff carrying Hei-ying, "Keroberos!" He ordered, "Fetch me some warm blankets."

"But Master--!" Keroberos looked at Yue who was still twisting on the floor. Clow didn't look up as he lay Hei-ying on a nearby couch, Keroberos could see that Hei-ying looked even paler than before, and that he was twisting unnaturally.

"Go! Quickly," Clow shouted over his shoulder, he was scared; Hei-ying had never done this before. He tried to hold Hei-ying still as he passed a healing hand over his face. When he didn't respond to that, and when Keroberos had returned with a thick blanket, Clow resorted to the only option he had left. He held his hand in front of Hei-ying and his hand glowed slightly as he raised it in a 'stop' gesture to his creation. Hei-ying's face instantly blanked and his twitching ceased immediately. Clow sighed, once Hei-ying regained consciousness he should be able to wake up properly.

A small cry from behind him caught his attention. Clow turned to see Keroberos pulled Yue up and nudge his head up, Yue was holding one of his hands against his stomach, refusing to allow Keroberos to see it.

"Keroberos?" Clow stood, "What is wrong with little moonbeam?"

"I don't know; I turned away for a few moments to get the toys and then Yue cried out." He nudged Yue again, "Why don't you let your 'niichan see, huh?"

Clow crouched down by Yue, "What's wrong? Hmmm?" He held his hand out, "Let me see, please?"

Yue looked up at him, his tiny eyes brimming with tears, "Let me see, Onegai?" Yue looked at Keroberos, who nodded, and smiled.

"He can make it all better . . . Will you let him?"

Yue thought about it, but scrambled backwards as Clow put his hand on the healthy one. "Yue please," Clow said, he didn't understand what was wrong with Yue. "Little moonbeam . . ."

"Come on moonbeam! Clow here will make all the hurt go away!"

As Keroberos went over to try and convince Yue, Clow looked over at Hei-ying, he was still asleep. A thought occurred to Clow and he reached into his pocket. "Glow; create a little diversion for Yue. Release." He murmured.

A tiny speck of light floated past Yue's tiny nose, despite the pain he was in, he stared at it. It was like the snow in the Outside. He raised his healthy hand to try and touch it but it burst and thousand of tiny snow lights surrounded him.

Keroberos padded over to Clow, "He's burnt his hand," he whispered.

Clow nodded, and crawled up behind Yue. The tiny boy had his back to him and was watching the glowing display. "Little moonbeam . . ." Yue swivelled slightly to look at Clow, who could see Yue quickly move his good hand over the burnt one. Yue wasn't going to let Clow care for him. Clow sighed, and raised his hand as he had done towards Hei-ying. "I'm sorry moonbeam but I do need to treat that." And with that he raised his hand in the same gesture. Yue's tear-filled eyes crossed slightly as he fell back unconscious.

"What have you done?!" Keroberos cried out in concern.

"He won't let me treat him if he's awake." Clow murmured as he picked Yue's frail body up, the burn was quite awful, "What happened?"

"I went to get the toys and then he just cried out . . . I'm so sorry, Master . . ." Clow turned, Keroberos had never referred to him as 'Master', the lion was staring at the floor. Disappointment marring his features, he glanced at the fireplace, "I'm not a very good Oniichan . . . I didn't pay enough attention."

Clow smiled, "It's all right, now he knows that if he puts his hand near fire, it will hurt and he won't do it again . . . but still, you will try to protect him a bit more, won't you Keroberos?"

Keroberos stood, "Of course!" He said immediately.

"Good," Clow smiled and sat on the floor next to Hei-ying, he hummed slightly as he ran his hand over Yue's, the burnt crust disappearing in favour of Yue's usual pale skin.

"What happened to him?" Keroberos nodded towards Hei-ying.

Clow looked up and at his star guardian, "I don't know. . ."

"What did you say to him?"

"How do you know if it was something I said?"

"Hei-ying does this a lot. . . only after he's left your presence, he sorta clutches his head and lies there until he's figured out what you mean. . ." Keroberos said simply, and then snorted in half amusement, "You must have said something phenomenally confusing to make him do it in front of you . . ."

Clow's eyes widened, "He does? This is the first I have ever heard about it. . ."

Keroberos eyed him strangely again; "There are so many things that I assume you know . . . and yet . . . you truly don't do you?"

"What do you mean?" Clow asked but Keroberos gave no answer as a groan from behind them made them look up. Hei-ying was sitting up; Clow's words still didn't make much sense to him. He really didn't understand what Clow had said, he had enjoyed their activities and yet . . . he regretted them . . . Hei-ying wondered what could have caused this sudden shift in Clow's ways. //Shift . . .?// Hei-ying thought as his bewildered mind latched on to the only thought that made any sense to him at that precise moment. //There was a shift when Keroberos was created . . . Clow became less orderly . . . when Yue was created . . . Clow came to me and said . . .// Hei-ying's jade eyes narrowed, //Yue. Yue is the cause of the shift . . . and in the change . . . if I remove Yue . . . then Clow will revert to his old ways . . .// it made sense, Hei-ying knew this, it made complete and utter sense. Yue had made Clow . . . no, was distracting Clow from his love for Hei-ying.

Clow watched Hei-ying quietly, his jade eyes were darting from left to right rapidly, and Clow knew this was Hei-ying's mind at work. He smiled, Hei-ying was processing their conversation and soon he would understand what he meant. //Good.// Clow thought and turned his attention back to Yue.

Keroberos, on the other hand, was a little less pleased to see that Hei-ying was awake. The star guardian was thinking, processing, planning. His whole mind was focused on whatever idea his brain had fixated onto. Keroberos was wary of this, it was true that Hei-ying would often make himself pass out just so his entire being could completely focus on what he was thinking, and Keroberos hated it. The first time he had seen it was when he was a lot younger, they had just left a lesson with Clow, and they were mounting the stairs. At first he thought Hei-ying had been capable of seeing the visions that Clow saw. But once Hei-ying would reawaken, he would nod and say; "Now it makes sense . . ."

Hei-ying glanced up, and stared at Keroberos. Their eyes locked, Hei-ying's face looked deathly pale and his jade eyes were unblinking. Keroberos curled his lip in a way that showed Hei-ying he didn't approve of what he was thinking, but Hei-ying smirked. The lion wasn't the problem anymore . . . the little moonbeam was.  He looked at Clow, who was cradling Yue to his chest. The tiny boy was fast asleep, his small thumb firmly set in his mouth. His innocence didn't fool Hei-ying, and very soon it wouldn't fool Clow anymore either.

Christmas eve arrived, and the small family prepare the downstairs study ready for Christmas. Clow asked the woody to provide them with a beautiful Christmas tree, and his creations decorated the room. Hei-ying had been a lot more vocal, seeming to take every chance he could, to be close to Yue. Clow was happy Hei-ying wanted to spend more time with his new brother, Keroberos wasn't. He didn't like the way Hei-ying would pick Yue up and spin around the room with the little boy, sometimes Hei-ying would swing the tiny boy's head a little to close to the wall for Keroberos' liking. He didn't like the way Hei-ying would get to Yue first at night and would sing to the tiny moonchild. His lullaby was a centuries old one, and Keroberos hated it, who would ever think about singing their child to sleep with a song that implied that they were going to fall out of a tree and once they hit the ground, their crib would break.

Hei-ying had also taken to cutting Yue's hair, while this was perfectly fine with Yue, as he appeared to love Clow's hair and would often want his hair in the same way, Keroberos didn't like it. Hei-ying would sit Yue down and methodically cut Yue's hair with a large pair of scissors. They were pure silver, and were very sharp. Clow had created them for Hei-ying when he complained that the scissors he was using weren't sharp enough to cut through Yue's silky thick locks. Keroberos would never leave the room when Hei-ying was cutting Yue's hair, he'd sit nearby and watch every snip Hei-ying made.

Hei-ying didn't mind this, because he was going to wait until he could think of a way to kill Yue quickly and cleanly, he was cutting Yue's hair to keep him from looking anything like Hei-ying. By doing this, Hei-ying thought he was delaying Clow from realising that Yue was just like Hei-ying in every respect except for his hair, and his eyes. Hei-ying hated Yue's eyes, they were just like Hei-ying's except where there was jade there was amethyst. This was repeated through the clothes they wore as well, Yue's ceremonial robes (which he refused to wear, another disgusting trait in Hei-ying's opinion) were just like Hei-ying's but again where there was black there was white, jade there was blues and purples, only the gold and the black buttons remained the same.

Keroberos pulled a large red length of clothe out of the box, "What's this for?"

Clow paused to see what Keroberos meant, "Oh, that's to hang on the doorways, please put that over there." Keroberos nodded, as Hei-ying entered the room, with Yue. The tiny boy had grown a little bit more, but still not a single word had issued from his mouth. Clow longed to hear what his little moonbeam really sounded like, instead of the sounds he aped. It would have been so nice, to tell him all about his family, about his life and what his name was. Clow sighed slightly and turned back to the tree, it was almost finished. A small tug at his robes made him turn, Yue stared up at him, and smiled, "Did you just have your hair done?"

Yue smiled even more and nodded, Clow petted him on the head, "It looks beautiful."

Hei-ying's head snapped up, and Keroberos sniggered slightly, "It's not working . . ."

Hei-ying glared at him, "What do you mean?"

"You're trying to make Yue not look like you, that's what all this hair cutting business is about isn't it?"

"I don't know what you mean . . ." Hei-ying pulled another box open, Keroberos' golden eyes narrowed, as he stepped closer.

"Clow might not see it . . . but I do . . ."

"Oh really?" Hei-ying hissed quietly.

"Yes. . ." Keroberos growled softly, neither wanted Clow to hear the conversation. "I know what you are like . . . and I think you should know something."

"Oh?"

"I love Yue . . . he is the best thing that has ever come into this house in a long time . . . and I can see it in Clow's eyes, he loves Yue as well . . . "

"What's your point, Keroberos?"

Keroberos glanced at Yue as Clow picked the tiny boy up, so he could put a decoration on the tree, it was a large glass snowflake. "You've tried to kill me before . . . but if you harm Yue . . ." Hei-ying's eyes narrowed, as Keroberos leaned closer, "I'll--"

"You'll what?" Hei-ying smirked, "Hm? Join me little sunbeam? Don't you think it would be nicer if we started to get some of that affection?"

Keroberos glanced briefly at Yue, he was showing Clow something, and Clow was completely focused on his ting moonchild. Clow had been like this since the day Yue had been created, his attention was mostly based on Yue. Keroberos frowned, then glared at Hei-ying. He was not going to do anything to harm Yue; he adored the child, and had given Clow his solemn promise that he would protect him. "I'd rather die first than hurt Yue!"

Hei-ying snorted, "Then . . .What make you think that Master Clow doesn't know . . .?"

"Not this time Hei-ying . . ." Keroberos growled, "you almost fooled me last time . . . but not with Yue . . ." Keroberos stood, and padded away, "Yue loves us, Clow loves Yue, and I love Yue . . . it appears the only one in this equation that doesn't love . . . is you."

Hei-ying's jade eyes narrowed further, and the two brothers growled softly at each other. So Keroberos was on to him, Hei-ying reflected as the lion moved over to the tree and allowed Yue to sit on his broad back, //No matter. . .// he chuckled inanely to himself, //I'll just wait until Yue is alone. . .//

It was snowing lightly, Clow shivered as he closer his curtain, the day had been brilliant, and he'd never seen his guardians get along so well before. //Wonderful.// he thought, the clock chimed softly. "Eh-? Midnight already?" He muttered, as he removed his dressing gown, and climbed into his bed. He picked up his book, the Clow book, and placed his hand over the cover. He had it prepared now for when he would ask his guardians to be sealed in the book, Keroberos would go on the front, Hei-ying on the spine, and Yue was now going to go on the back. Yue's symbol would be a half moon with wings, and would be positioned just under Clow's magic circle. Clow liked to think that by doing this Yue would always think that he was under Clow's protection. He smiled as he stroked the empty space, he loved his guardians so much, it was almost indescribable.

A knock at his door, made him look up from his book. "Come." He said a little puzzled, he couldn't think why anyone would be awake right now. The door creaked open slowly as a small figure stepped in, "little moonbeam?" Clow asked, "What's wrong?"

Yue blinked, and stared silently at Clow, before stepping purposely forward. He looked utterly focused as he climbed on to the end of the bed and clambered over to Clow. Clow realised Yue wasn't staring at him, he was staring at the book. He raised the book and moved it slightly, Yue followed it's every movement.

"You can feel them, can't you?"

Yue nodded, and pulled the book out of Clow's hands. He sat and held the mystic book in his hands. He stared at it, trying to open it. Clow was about to help him when Yue began to speak, "O, book of Clow . . . I, Yue the judge, ask for entry . . ."

The lock snapped opened. Yue jumped slightly as the lock sparked slightly, he slid off the bed and opened the book. He cocked his head as he looked at the face down cards. He hesitantly picked on up and squinted at it, he began to pace away as he read the card's name.

"Win. . ."

Clow blinked as he saw the Cardcaptor standing next to Yue, she was dressed in some sort of uniform, and was holding the book and a card in the same way as Yue was, her lips moving silently a few seconds after Yue spoke.

"Win. . . ddd. . .whin—wind. . ." Yue frowned slightly, he wasn't quite sure of the pronunciation of the strange word.

Clow was amazed as an ice blue magic circle began to draw it's self under Yue's feet, and was overlapped by the gold one that the Cardcaptor was walking on. A slight breeze began to form around the two.

"Win . . .dy. . ." Yue nodded, "Windy!"

The Cardcaptor faded as the wind spirit ascended from the card, she pick Yue up and floated him gently back to the bed. Clow blinked, as he shook off the feeling he had just seen how the Cardcaptor would release his cards. He made a mental note, //Ensure that the Windy is the top card when I seal the book//

He smiled at the windy, "Thank you!"

She smiled and nodded, "Windy!" Yue repeated, awed by the woman, he hadn't seen many of the cards full forms and amazed by this beautiful pale yellow woman. She nodded and placed a small kiss on his pale forehead, before she returned to her card form. Instead of floating back into the book, she floated in front of Yue. The small boy plucked the card out of the air and looked at it closely.

"You spoke . . ." Clow murmured

Yue smiled, "Mmm-hmm" he nodded.

"Since when?"

Yue shrugged, "I don't know . . ." he giggled slightly, "My name's little moonbeam isn't it?"

Clow laughed, "No. . . It's actually Yue . . . which is the Chinese word for . . ."

"That round thing outside," Yue pointed at the window.

"What round thing?"

Yue slid off the bed, "Come look."

Clow followed Yue as the small child opened the curtain; he pressed a small finger against the glass, "That round thing."

Clow crouched down and followed Yue's gaze, he was pointing at the moon, which was in it's full crowning glory. "Yes Yue. . . it's called the moon. . . you are the moon guardian of the Clow."

"Of you?"

Clow laughed again "No. . . of the Clow magic that is in that book. I created that magic and I made you because I'd like you to help your brothers to protect it."

Yue stared at the moon, and then at the snow falling softly outside, "Did you make the outside?"

Clow smiled "No, just you and the magic, and your brothers."

Yue smiled gently, "I know . . ." he glanced at Clow, and smiled, "Thank you."

-------------------

And now it's Time for LEAVE IT TO DR MEGALOMANIA!!

Yue: I think I might puck! I was nothing like that when I was a kid!

DrM: Oh, yes you were! You just don't want to admit it!!

Hei-ying: He can talk now?! Crap . . . I have to take him out and take him out soon!

Clow: Oh, that's a lovely idea; take him out to the park, won't you?

Hei-ying: Eh heh, heh, heh . . . of course Clow . . . I'll take him out to the park.

Clow: Brilliant!

Kero: @__@; DrM, why is Clow so stupid?

DrM: Look! I can make funny faces out of the signs I never use on my keyboard! ^__^ And look, when I press this button on my computer, I have a donut holder!!

Yue: Kero . . .?

Kero: . . .Yue.

Yue: Kero . . . you have your answer. [Turns to readers] please R&R. . . just please do it. . . maybe it will ease the insanity. . .