The Stones of Claire

By like a falling star



Chapter 4: Solving the mystery

If the servants had not been on a two-week leave, a very strange sight would have met their eyes. A very strange and odd sight, indeed. In the large Daidouji living room sat a group of… various… creatures. While some looked normal, others were a sight to stare at.

To someone who didn't know them (aka. The CCS gang), this was what it would look like.

A moody-looking guy sat on the couch, glaring at the table, looking as if he would break the neck of the next person who tried to talk to him. A genki, emerald-eyed, auburn-haired beauty sat next to him, trying to reason with a yellow stuffed-bear-with-wings, who, for some reason, was programmed to shout "PUDDING!!!" every three seconds. A tall, slim man, who had long, silvery hair, was dressed totally in white and silver garments and had a pair of wings stuck to his back. Probably going to a costume party or something. His eyes were cat-like and had a cool, unfeeling look in them. A dark blue, cat-like thing (also with wings) was flitting around the room, trying desperately to run away from a slim brunette who kept shouting "SUPPI!!! Time for your sugar high!!" Now she stopped for a moment to wrap someone in a tight, literally breath-taking hug, squealing "Kawaii!"

A soft thudding sound on the staircase told them, amongst the din, that someone was coming. It was Eriol.

Li stood up and glared at him. "What, exactly, are we doing here at 8AM IN THE MORNING!?!"

For once, Eriol did not smirk at him or make a sarcastic remark. On the contrary, he thanked them. "Thank you for coming. To be honest, I didn't know what to do." He shook his head, looking concerned.

Sakura noticed something amiss. "Where is Tomoyo-chan?"

Nakuru sniggered loudly.

Eriol gave her a Look and cleared his throat. "Tomoyo… she… I think we might have a problem here."

Sakura nodded. "I know. When Nakuru said to bring Kero, I thought that it must be some magic thing going on, so I invited Yue. So… where is Tomoyo?"

Eriol gazed at his friends for awhile before continuing. "She… she is asleep upstairs. When I came yesterday I found her fainted."

"What!?!"

"Is she okay?"

"How…?"

Li stared at him incredulously. "You came here yesterday for…??"

Eriol frowned. "I thought you would have known by now.. Didn't you feel that strong magic yesterday evening? It was coming from Tomoyo's house, so I came to check it out."

Sakura gasped. "Tomoyo-chan is in trouble?"

Eriol looked troubled. "No, but there is one thing I find disturbing…"

"Yeah? Yeah?" Kero pressed.

"… Tomoyo has magic." Eriol finished.

Blank stares met his gaze. Eriol repeated. "Did you hear what I said? I said--"

"Impossible."

"How can it be?"

"If Tomoyo has magic howcome none of us can feel it?"

A voice from the staircase piped up, "If I have magic, why don't I know it?"

"Tomoyo! What are you doing here!?"

Tomoyo gave Eriol a Look. "This is my house."

"I mean, you should be resting in bed. I mean, after what happened yesterday…"

"I think I have a right to know what is going on." She said, taking a seat on one of the couches.

Eriol sat down on an armchair, thinking.

Everyone stared at him, waiting for an answer.

"What!?!" he looked defensive.

"Will you please tell us what is going on?" Sakura asked.

Eriol had a faraway look in his eyes, and he told them THE STORY [please refer to the prologue for the story].

"Wow…" Tomoyo said.

"How romantic…" Sakura commented.

Yue snorted.

"… but what does that have to do with me?" Tomoyo questioned.

"Well… to put it simply…" Eriol paused. "You are the keeper of the stones. Or, the finder, in this case. After you find them you can keep them."

"Huh?"

"Wait." Kero interrupted. "If Tomoyo has magic why don't we feel anything coming from her?"

"That's because hers is a different kind of magic. Her magic is from her heart." Eriol explained. And from Claire, of course. That's why I'm able to feel it. Because of Clow…"

"We were made by Clow." Kero argued.

"Yes, but you are now sustained on Sakura's star power, no longer on Clow's sun power."

"Oh…"

"The goblet." Tomoyo bit her lip. "It's in my room."

Eriol stood up. "I didn't notice it while I was in there yesterday." He thought for awhile. "Oh, right. It only holds power for its keeper, that's why I didn't notice it then. I'll go and get it."

Tomoyo nodded, her face pale and drawn.

Eriol came down a moment later, a shiny gold goblet held in his hand. He placed it on the table.

Everyone stared at it for awhile, waiting for something to happen.

Li cleared his throat. "Uh, I think you're supposed to touch it or something." He said 'you', obviously meaning Tomoyo.

"Oh, right." Tomoyo laughed nervously. She set her gaze on the goblet, and reached out to touch it. But before her hands actually touched the goblet, it began glowing, and the goblet lifted itself and rose to Tomoyo's hands.

"How did you do that?!"

"You have telekinetic powers?! How cool is that!?" Sakura exclaimed.

Tomoyo merely shook her head, not daring to speak. Her face was now a healthy flush, her eyes bright with vibrance. She held the goblet as a thick silver liquid appeared. It swirled around inside the goblet, as if something - something magical - was stirring it with a wand. And then it disappeared, a wispy golden gas trailing behind it. And then a blinding white light appeared, stunning them for an instant.

Then the words, made up of the strands of golden gas, appeared.

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