Chapter Three: The Tooth Pick Wars

A
ear splitting ring filled the cold morning air. Sakura sat up with a start clutching her alarm clock. She gripped in angry in till her distorted vision focus in on the time. She let out a groan…

"Late again, Sakura," Said a cheerful voice above her head. Sakura glared up at the teddy bear hovering there,

"Yes. Don't rub it in, Kero."

"I wouldn't have to rub it in if you weren't late everyday," Kero said cheerfully. "Don't forget my breakfast."

"I won't. I won't."

Sakura walked groggily across the room to her chest of drawers. She yanked one opened and pulled out her school outfit. She slowly began taking off her shirt when a voice behind her made her stop…

"Ahem."

"Sorry Li. I forgot you were there," Sakura yawned turning around. Li sat on her desk about a inch tall. He was blushing bright red and glowing with anger.

"Real funny, Avalon. Making me tiny using the little card. Real amusing," Li growled.

"Don't tell me you are still worked up about that," Kero smiled, "Personally, I think it would be good for you to see the world at this height. Maybe you'll think twice about mocking me next time."

"Yeah, I'll think twice. Once for where to throw you and twice how to make it look like I didn't do it," Li snarled.

"Well, I think of it this way. You're a portable size now. You can go anywhere without that crazy guy finding you," Sakura smiled. He eyes wandered to the clock.

"Ah! It's 8:00 and I am still not dressed yet!"

Li looked down at Sakura's pink pajamas and then quickly looked away flushing the same shade as Sakura's pj's. Sakura didn't seem to notice. She rushed to the door of her room so she could change in the bathroom. But before her hand so much grazed the handle, the door swung open almost slamming Sakura behind it.

Kero shoved Li into a desk drawer before he could get a good look at who was at the door. He curled up next the pencils and pens scowling.

"I hate being small."

"Tori!" Sakura said in surprise.

She glanced behind her making sure Li was out of site before letting him. It was a good thing Li was out of sight cause Tori was looking about the room with suspicious eyes.

"I heard screams last night…"

"That was me," Kero said quickly. "I got a high score on Megaton Battle Beasties."

Tori didn't seem that convinced, "They weren't screams of joy."

"Well, I lost a couple of times before that," Kero added hastily.

Tori glared at Sakura with his haunting blue eyes. He always seemed to know something. Even when Sakura was doing her best at hiding things he was always able to see that doggy in the closet, or the bird in the pantry. Tori's eyes fell upon the desk drawer…

"You're gonna be late ya know," Tori said without looking at Sakura.

"You're right!" Sakura cried in dismay. She was just about to run down the hall to the bathroom when she turned back to Tori.

"Can you not tell Dad about Kero?"

Kero hovered a few feet away from Tori giving him the puppy dog eyes. Tori shrugged and glared back at the desk drawer, "Fine. You're secret is safe with me."


Sakura walked back into her room carrying two yogurt bowls. Kero immediately dove into the chocolate one which left the strawberry for Li. Li looked at the pink goo with disgust…

"What is it?"

"Yogurt," Kero smiled emerging from the cup covered in chocolate. Li looked repulsed.

"Don't worry, Li. You don't have to eat it like, Kero."

Li stuck one petite finger into the substance and put it slowly into his mouth. His eyes lit up with delight.

"Hey… This is pretty good."

Sakura smiled a kawaii smile, "Glad you like it."

Li and Kero both dug into their breakfast while Sakura watched.

"Well, I gotta go or I am gonna be late," Sakura sighed. "Kero. I am trusting you to look after Li."

Both Li and Kero looked angered by this.

"I can take care of myself!"

"Do I look like a baby sitter to you?" Kero growled.

Sakura waved her hand as if to swipe the comment back.

"Take care of yourselves then."


Sakura started down the stairs just to be stopped by her father who wanted a hug before she left. Kero hovered down the stairs holding Li up by his arm pits.

"It's amazing how someone your size can be so heavy."

"Shut up."

"Well, remember to eat your whole strawberry strudel I made for you," Kero overheard Sakura's father told Sakura as she strapped on her roller blades.

Kero's eyes glowed with happiness, "A whole strudel! Ooooooh!"

"Hey! We aren't doing this for you, Kero. We are just trying to make sure Sakura doesn't run into any trouble at her school," Li muttered.

"Yeah, yeah. Come on!" Kero hissed.

They hovered down onto Sakura's back pack. Swiftly they unzipped it enough so they both could slip in. Kero dive bombed Sakura's lunch sac while Li looked about at Sakura's books and supplies.

"She is so disorganized," Li found himself saying. "But…that's Sakura for you."

Li quickly covered his mouth. Lately, strange things had been happening with him. Although he was used to strange things he wasn't used to being afraid of Sakura. Slowly everything Li did seemed to prove his uneasy thoughts.


"Hey Madison," Sakura smiled coming up to her locker. Madison was leaning against her locker reading a book. She tucked it away when Sakura approached.

"So was sup, Sakura?"

"Late again," Sakura smiled taking off her pack. She opened it up when a yellow something zoomed past her to Madison's face.

"Hey Maddie!" Kero grinned.

"Kero! Your supposed to be watching Li!" Sakura hissed.

"What?!" Madison asked perplexed.

"Actually, I am right here Sakura." Li called from the center of the bag. He couldn't get out apparently. Sakura was furious.

"I can't take you guys around my school!" Sakura hissed.

"You said I was portable," Li smiled.

Madison was in shock. She looked to Sakura for a explanation.

"I'll explain everything in a minute, Madison." Sakura sighed. "Kero. Li. Just stay in my locker in till I find something to do with you."

Both Kero and Li looked over to the tiny locker ant then to each other.

"Peachy." They growled in unison.


Sakura returned from gym class quite cheerful. The incident of this morning was clearly forgotten. So was Li and Kero in her locker. I wasn't in till she and Madison were halfway to the lunch room that Sakura remember them in there.

"They have been in their all morning! Oh! I should of checked on them after Math!"

Sakura and Madison dashed back to Sakura's locker and yanked it opened to see something that made Sakura's headache worse. he locker was in total ruins. Kero and Li were both hold tooth picks and were about to charge at each other with them.

"You will die at the end of my tooth pick!" Li shouted angrily.

"You're a fool, Syaoran. You are no match to the beast of the seal."

"You mean the stuffed animal!"

"Take that back!"

"Make me!"

They both raced at each other tooth picks aimed at the other's heart. Sakura took Li by the back of his shirt and Madison grabbed Kero by his wings.

"Stop it," Sakura scolded. "You are acting like idiots."

She took the tooth picks away. Both Li and Kero lowered their heads in shame. Both girls dropped Li and Kero onto the locker's shelve once again only for Li to pull out a needle from behind him.

"Ha! Tooth pick, sooth pick! You'll die at the end of my sewing needle!"

Kero looked horrified and took off the other way down the hall with Li in hot pursuit.

"Come back, stuffed animal! Need to sew you back up again!"

Sakura and Madison cast worried looks to each other.

"Do you think we should stop them…"

"Aw. Don't worry, Madison. Li was only joking. He wouldn't hurt Kero…" Sakura laughed painfully.

A scream caught them off guard.

"Uh…" Sakura and Madison sweat dropped.


"I can't believe you stabbed Kero, Li," Sakura hissed bandaging up Kero's hurt arm with a blue bandaid.

They were at the back of the school during lunch period where no one usually went. It was a place for quiet and privacy.

"He was supposed to dodge it," Li said logically.

Sakura rolled her eyes and glared down at the two of them.

"I guess I can't trust that the two of you won't kill each other. I'll just have to spilt you up till we get home."

She thought for a second and handed Madison Kero.

"Here. You should take him the rest of the day," Sakura smiled.

"Sure," Madison nodded.

"Hey! Why does Li stay with you?!" Kero asked bewildered.

Sakura and Li both blushed,"No reason."

Sakura headed back to her next class when she caught something out of the corner of her eye. She turned to see a dark figure draped in a deep abyss colored cloak. It was a exact replica of the Shadow Card. When Sakura blinked again it was gone.

"Did you sense that?" Li's muffled voice sounded from her back pack.

"Yeah. And I saw something too…" Sakura whispered.

Her eyes trailed to the clock.

"Ah! I'm gonna be late!"


The end of the school day couldn't of been more welcome to Sakura. Kero and Li now both back in her pack, Sakura said farewell to Madison. She began to cross the street when before her a cat like creature appeared.

Its front paws landed first and then it's hind legs. Its soft gleaming eyes glistened up at her as the wind stroked its fuzzy white ears.

"Sakura look out!" Madison screamed.

Sakura heard the beeping of the truck and turned to see the huge trunk of the car looming over her. There was no time to scream. Madison dove over Sakura and plowed the both out of the way of the engine. Sakura's backpack flew off her back and in the truck's way. It rolled over the bag splitting it opened, littering the street with papers and books.

When Sakura regained the wind that was knocked out of her she glimpsed at the remains of her bag.

"Li! Kero! Where are you?!" She screamed in anguish as Madison looked just as terrified. Both were too petrified to look in the bag…

To Be Continued…
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Oh. I am so evil! So evil!