Why, Hello and welcome to my little world of weirdness!

I state for the record that, while I really, really wish I did, I don't own any of the wonderful characters that will grace this story . . . they are all CLAMP's, always have been, always will be! However I do lay claim to a few of the original characters, for example . . . I own Hei-ying, and his false form, Tomodachi Yukito, I own Mystrasa Kyree, and Carolyn and Amanda Reed, I don't own The Dragon, Saurian because he is on loan from my very good friend, the ever intangible Blue Goo.

In This Tainted Soul . . . There Lies Hope . . .

By Dr Megalomania

Part Ten: While I Lie Dying

Yukito rubbed his eyes tiredly, three days had past since the attack. He looked up at the sky, the winter had become very harsh all a sudden. He frowned, normally at the sight of so much snow on the ground he would have felt very happy, and knew that Yue was very happy as well. It was one of the few things they apparently shared, a love of the snow. He sighed, Yue had been brooding over the last few days, as had Keroberos.

The lion was still recovering from the attack himself, as were Nakuru's true form and Spinel Sun. Yukito could feel Yue was very sore as well, and that translated into a desire to eat and sleep even more in Yukito's case. He also felt some of the soreness, he noted as he winced pulling himself up the cherry tree.

"Lovely day, isn't it?"

Yukito gasped as he pulled himself on to the branch, Tomodachi smiled at him, unfolded his arms. Tomodachi was sat ramrod straight, his pose speaking of years of training. He smiled as Yukito noted this, "I was taught many martial arts when I was younger . . . it's very hard to get out of the habit now . . ."

Yukito smiled, "Gomen ni . . . if you'd rather be alone . . ."

Tomodachi stared at him, and blinked once very slowly, his jade eyes even more obvious by the white snow all around them. "Iie . . . this is your tree . . ."

Yukito sat beside him, "Would you mind if I sat beside you then . . .?"

Tomodachi smiled slightly, and shuffled up, "Onegai . . ." he turned his attention to the school yard once more, Touya and Nakuru were playing football again. "They are very good . . ."

"To-ya-kun has been playing for years and Nakuru-chan jus---"

"I meant in terms of magic . . ." Yuki's other self snapped awake, as Tomodachi looked back at him, he smiled slightly, "I don't have enough magic to know how powerful everyone is . . . I can just tell who is . . . and who is without . . ."

Yukito looked at him, "What about me?"

The smile grew slightly, "You have the power of the Moon . . . as do I . . . aside from that . . ." Tomodachi looked at Touya once again, "I know nothing more . . ."

Yukito turned and watched the match, Touya's and Nakuru's team were getting beaten, a rare occurrence . . . so rare in fact . . . Yukito looked past the match, as more and more of the school gathered to watch them. Yukito frowned, Touya and Nakuru were still very tired, it was usually they who won the match together, he sighed. "They're losing . . ."

He tensed as he felt Tomodachi raise his hand, a slight green glow emanating from it. The ball sudden started to duck out of the way of the opposite players, and slowed enough for Touya's teammates to kick easily. To the average person, it simply seemed like a turn of luck but to Yukito . . .

"Why are you doing that?"

Tomodachi commanded the ball to land squarely in the back of the net. He smiled, as the crowd went ballistic, and glanced at Yukito. The dark haired boy smiled, and slid off the branch. He landed easily on the ground and looked up.

Yukito's mouth fell open as he heard Tomodachi speak back to him through his mind, //Because . . .// Tomodachi smiled, and turned away, he walked off slowly, //Because you wished it . . .//

"Did he say anything about Yue?"

Yukito sighed, "No, he didn't."

"About me?"

"No . . ." Yukito tried very hard not to let Yue snap his answer, he breathed in calmly, "He just said simply he could feel magic from us . . ."

Nakuru folded her arms, "I don't trust him!"

"A great pity . . ." Touya spun, as did Yuki and Nakuru, and they found Tomodachi standing just behind them, his black overcoat fluttering gently with the winter wind, he smiled at them. "Gomen ni . . . I did not mean to eavesdrop . . ." He stepped forward, and flashed a warm smile at Yukito, "Demo . . . I appear to have gotten myself lost . . . I thought that, by following you, I might be able to gather my bearings again . . ."

Yukito blushed slightly, "Iie, we should apologise, we didn't mean to offend you . . ."

Tomodachi raised his hand to Yukito's cheek, "It's all right . . . I guess you have all been subject to many strange occurrences . . ." He leant forward, ". . . I heard about the Reeds too . . ."

Yukito blinked as Nakuru pushed herself forward, "What did you hear?"

"Didn't you know?" The brown haired boy glanced at her, "The Reeds, one of the most powerful families in the magic world . . . they are all dead!"

Yukito glanced at Touya, "Ano . . . we had a few distant links with the Reeds . . . Ano . . ."

"Gomen Ni . . ." Tomodachi had the good grace to blush, "I didn't know it was a sensitive subject . . ."

Touya sighed and started to walk again, "It's not."

The foursome walked quietly along the road, talking about the day, Nakuru walked side by side with Touya behind Yukito and Tomodachi as Yukito pointed out various helpful landmarks and all his favourite places to eat, //Are you okay?// Touya blinked and looked at Nakuru, she smiled slightly, // Eyes forwards. . . There's a reason people use this method of talking, it called making-it-look-like-we're-not-talking . . .//

Touya laughed in his mind, //I'm fine//

Nakuru winced, //You're still a little too loud . . . Trust yourself to speak as normal// She smiled slightly, //I generally use something Eriol taught me . . . if you are loud enough to hear yourself, then those who listen will hear you . . .//

Touya laughed gently again, //Any better? //

//Much . . . Now, what's wrong? //

//Who says there is anything wrong? //

//Tomodachi is holding Yukito's hand . . . or haven't you noticed? // She threw a sidelong glance at him, as his eyes narrowed slightly, //You have . . . And you're not going to do anything about it? //

//I trust Yuki . . .//

// As do I . . . it's that Tomodachi who is creeping me out . . . He seems to act like a brother and a lover to Yuki at the same time//

//Says she who has slept with her own brother . . .//

Nakuru snorted out aloud at this, causing Tomodachi to turn, she waved her hand, "Nothing, nothing . . ." He nodded and returned his attention back to Yukito, Nakuru slapped Touya's arm, //That was low! //

Touya smiled, //Gomen ni . . . demo . . .// He stared at Yukito's hair as the snow rabbit talked excitedly about the fried octopus from the park, //I trust Yukito . . . and even if Tomodachi tried anything . . .//

//Tomodachi gives off a *lot* of magic when he gets close to Yukito . . . Magic attracts magic . . .//

//I am assured that Yuki and Yue have enough self-control to restrain any effects . . .//

Nakuru linked her arm with Touya's and patted him gently on the hand, //I hope so too . . .//

Tomodachi smirked slightly, as he listened to the mental conversation, so Touya wasn't worried about Yukito leaving him . . . //Perhaps he should be . . .// When he had first come to Japan, Hei-ying had been seeking Touya, he wanted Clow back . . . but then he had come in contact with Yukito . . .

Yukito continued to babble about the various types of fried octopus, unaware of Tomodachi's keen gaze. Hei-ying smiled gently at his younger brother, Yue and Yukito had both grown into such handsome young men. Yue was dozing slightly, unaware his false form was babbling. Inwardly, Hei-ying frowned at this, he wondered why Yukito and Yue were separate entities now, when Hei-ying had been sealed, Yue was . . . //One person . . . You were *whole* when I left you.//

Yue woke up slightly, and gazed at Tomodachi. Hei-ying smiled to himself, confident that Yue was still unaware of Tomodachi's true nature. Tomodachi squeezed Yukito's hand slightly, directing a little warm magic, //Sleep, little Moonbeam . . . Sleep . . .// Hei-ying whispered, even through Yue couldn't possibly hear him. Yue fell asleep and Yukito squeezed his hand back.

Hei-ying sighed; he had been sealed because he had failed to kill Yue. Not because of the attempt, but because he had failed. Hei-ying loved Clow, loved him with all his heart, and both he and Clow knew, Hei-ying's appeal to Clow would have worn him down. Hei-ying smiled, if he had killed Yue in the first place, Yukito would not be here, and Hei-ying and Tomodachi would be Touya's lover. He turned slightly to look at Touya; the dark haired boy was still gazing at Yukito. Hei-ying knew, as did his dark Mistress, that in order to succeed in their mission, to kill Sakura, reclaim the card and still defeat both the child reincarnation and Touya, the Cardcaptor's little cache of friends had to be broken.

"Divide and conquer . . ." She had explained this during their journey back to Japan, in order to correct Clow Reed's foolish mistake, they had to divide the guardians, divide the friendships, isolate each and crush them . . .

Hei-ying agreed, since he had to reclaim the true Clow Reed back, Mystrasa Kyree was his Master and his lover . . . he smirked, //Correction, I am her fucktoy . . .// That was not what he wanted, he wanted Clow Reed. Mystrasa's aim was to reunite her soul, the child reincarnation's and now, Touya's and bring Clow Reed back to life.  Mystrasa was Clow Reed's third reincarnation . . . or to be more precise, she was the first. She was born before Fujitaka, and Eriol because she hadn't been planned . . . Clow had intend to create two reincarnations, she told him as they lay together one night, but as always the bumbling fool had made a mistake. Blinded once again by his ridiculous notions of life, he had assumed that he had divided everything in his soul by two. She had chortled at this point, and kissed him harshly, "Except for everything in my soul," She murmured, "He forgot about his lust for you, and for Yue . . . his hatred, his anger, his pride . . ." She smirked as she straddled him again, "Not that I mind, but he did forget to give me all of his power . . . we are going to readdress this, my precious uke . . ."

Mystrasa was a cold-hearted bitch, and that would be complimenting her. Hei-ying smiled as he thought about her, she was well over seventy years old but her magic had sustained her, she had the appearance of a beautiful woman, late twenties, early thirties. She looked just like Clow. The only differences, aside from their genders, were their hair and their eyes. Where Clow had had perfectly straight hair, she had long corkscrews, most of which was pulled back into Clow's normal pony tail. Their eyes could be mistaken for the same colour, but as he had become intimately aware of, while Clow had had deep, deep blue eyes, she had black, pure black eyes. She normally hid them, casting a spell over herself to change her appearance. She did this because she didn't want to be identified. Clow Reed had had a simple look, and he was very recognisable, this appearance had been past down, not only to his creations . . . but to his reincarnations as well.

She had given Hei-ying the task of dividing the older members of the Cardcaptor's group, Touya and Yukito, and Nakuru if he could.

Hei-ying looked at Yukito as he paused, "Ano . . ."

"Hai?"

Yukito paused at the street corner and looked at Touya and Nakuru, and then back at Tomodachi, "Will you be able to find your way home from here?"

Tomodachi looked around, "I believe so . . ." He smiled broadly at the snow rabbit, "Arigato . . ." He stepped forward and hugged him gently, "Thank you so much . . ."

Yukito blushed and squeezed Tomodachi back, "It's really no big deal . . . just as long as you are sure you will not get lost . . ."

Touya pursed his lips together slightly, "Yukito." The snow rabbit looked at him with slight surprise, Clow's accent was taking over again, "Please stop fussing over him as if he were a child . . . We should be heading home, Sakura will no doubt be worried as to where---"

"Please!" Tomodachi held up his hand, "Don't let me keep you . . ."

Nakuru beamed, and grabbed Yukito's arm, "Well then, hope you get home safely then!" The red haired girl pulled Yukito closer, and announced loudly, "You promised me some of your cookies tonight! I intend to get 'em!"

As she started to drag Yukito away from Tomodachi, Tomodachi bobbed a quick bow to Touya. Touya nodded and turned to leave.

"Kinomoto-san?"

Touya turned; Tomodachi's voice had changed slightly, taking on a cooler, harsher whisper, "Nani?"

Tomodachi stared at him, green eyes unblinking, "Kinomoto-kun . . . Beware of the ice."

"Ice?"

Tomodachi looked down, as did Touya, he was standing on a frozen puddle. Touya blinked, Clow Reed stared back for an instant and was gone. His eyes travelled to Tomodachi's reflection and saw very briefly . . . someone or something that wasn't Tomodachi, he blinked again and the image was gone, both his and Tomodachi's reflections returned. He looked up at Tomodachi to see if he had caught it.

The brown haired boy smiled and readjusted his monocle quickly, "I just thought I'd mention it . . . so you don't slip and fall . . ."

Yukito waved at Tomodachi until the dark haired boy turned and walked home, "To-ya . . . there was no need to be so harsh . . . he was lost."

"And we helped him find his way . . ." Touya sighed and wrapped his arms around Yukito, "Gomen ni, Yuki, but I don't want him getting so . . ."

"Friendly? Fresh?" Nakuru frowned, "He's trying to initiate something with you Yuki . . . You and Yue should not allow him."

"He knows about Touya and I . . ." Yukito hugged Touya, and whispered, "Besides we *love* you . . . no one else . . ."

Eriol smiled as he pulled the door open, "Welcome to my humble abode . . ."

"Humble?" Syaoran snorted, as he stepped in, "You never do *anything* in humble!"

Spinel fluttered nearby, "The Master has excellent taste . . ."

Nakuru ran up the path quickly and bounced past, "He created me, didn't he?"

Spinel muttered quietly as he took Syaoran's coat, "Let me revise that . . ."

They shared a quiet laugh as the older students filtered in. Tomoyo looked up from her sewing once again, and smiled as Eriol entered the room, since the attack everyone had been very on edge, but still tried to maintain their spirits, Eriol especially took great pains to ensure that Sakura did not lose hope for her cards. Every night they searched, but every night they had come home empty handed, but it was Eriol and Touya who assured her that they could still feel them. Yue and Keroberos had been incensed that someone had had the gall to steal a selection of their cards from right under their noses, but were very thankful that Sakura had been left with her stronger cards.

Syaoran looked around, "Where is Sakura?"

Tomoyo smiled, as she picked up Sakura's cloak, "She's changing . . ." she stood and brushed down Sakura's cloak, "Since Touya-kun has received his robes, I have made Sakura her own set of robes . . ."

Nakuru grabbed Yuki's arm and dragged him into the kitchen as Tomoyo described the new dress, "I want to talk to Yue . . ."

Yue fluttered his wings once, sorting the feathers before dispersing with his wings, "What is it?"

Ruby Moon shook her butterfly wings in slight irritation before they too disappeared in a bright magic glow, "I don't like that Tomodachi man . . . he's . . ."

"He tries to be nice to Yukito." Yue muttered, he stepped over to the table and sat on it, the kitchen looked exactly like the one he remember. "Why did Eriol insist that this house look like our home?"

"I don't know . . ." Ruby shrugged, "Look, don't change the subject . . . I'm easily confused." Yue smiled slightly as Ruby mocked herself lightly, "The point is, Tomodachi is creepy . . . I mean, look at his name."

"Yukito means 'snow rabbit' . . . Tomodachi means 'friend' . . ." Yue looked around the table distractedly, "The snow rabbit's friend . . . so what?"

"Do you think that's a little creepy the way he's called 'Yukito's friend', and he's trying his darned hardest to take Touya's place?"

Yue snorted slightly and levitated an apple out of the bowl, "No . . ."

Ruby shook her head and started to prepare dinner, "He's got the magic of the Moon, and Yukito says that he can feel magic from us . . ." She started to cut the meat a little violently, "I think he's lying as to what amount of power he has . . ."

Yue jumped off the table and started to pull out pots and pans to help her, "Don't you think you are over reacting?"

She sighed, and turned on the hobs, frying the meat quickly, "Okay, so . . . first Tomodachi and that horrid teacher arrives for Hiirawagizawa-sama's class, right? Then twelve cards disappear, and you and Keroberos go loco . . . then Tomodachi acts all nice to us, and follows us? Hello? See any connection here?"

Yue raised his eyebrow and started to chew slowly on the green apple, "Perhaps you think that some old foe has come back from the past to take on Clow once more?" He shook his head, "No one could match Clow's power, *no-one* except Clow Reed or his reincarnations could control us and still hide their aura . . . there's something else going on . . ."

"Whatever it is . . ." Ruby said quietly and pulled his hand in front of him, "It's powerful enough to make you eat, Moony . . ."

Yue stared blankly at the apple, "I don't remember . . ."

Ruby stepped forward, her pink eyes deadly serious, "There's something happening . . . something big . . . and on some upper level, Yue, you are aware of it . . ."

Mystrasa smirked, as Hei-ying joined her on Eriol's roof. "It's nice to know that the child reincarnation has some taste at least . . ."

"Indeed."

"Hei-ying . . ." Kyree purred as she leant towards him, "You are giving the game away . . ."

"Mistress?"

Kyree smiled at him, and stepped forward. "Think I don't know about all these little hints you keep dropping to him?" She pointed down, "Yue's starting to sense you, and Yukito is starting to feel his brother's bond . . . Their distraction is starting to bring out old habits . . ." She turned to him, and delivered a stinging slap. Growingly, she grabbed him tightly, "I want you to stop it . . . You are to place a *wedge* between Yue and Touya, I want you to lure Yue *away*, to make Touya *hate* him . . . but for crying out loud, *stop* trying to be the nice older brother!" She pushed him away violently, "That's bloody Keroberos' *weakness*!"

"I'm not being nice to him . . ." Hei-ying glared at her, "I'm *trying* to lure him away!"

Kyree smirked again, before whispering, "Because you wished it?" She barked a harsh laugh, "sound familiar?" Hei-ying looked down, she raised her staff again, "Saurian!"

The black and gold staff sparked and the dragon uncoiled from it. Saurian hissed as he wrapped his thin body around her, slithering up in his false form, "Yes, my dark Mistress?"

"Take us home . . ." She glanced at Hei-ying as the dragon turned into his ultimate form, "Hei-ying . . . "

The black haired angel raised his head, and nodded, "Yes, my dark Mistress?"

"Tonight . . . lure Yukito away . . . tell him of your 'feelings' and ensure you plant the seed of doubt in his mind . . ." She smiled, "Tell him of his deepest fear . . ." Kyree turned her black eyes on the darkening sky, "It's time to begin the next phase . . ."

"We should crush them now!" Saurian growled, "Forgive me Mistress . . . but I grow impatient!"

She stroked his back, "No . . . It's true, we should, but I'd rather see them suffer . . . how dare they live this life . . ." Kyree raised her hand and stared at it, and for a moment her true appearance shone through her containment spell. Mystrasa Kyree was fading, rotting away, her desperate attempts to maintain her form starting to wither as she attempted to resurrect her true self. " . . . While I lie dying . . ."

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And Now It's Time To Leave It To Doctor Megalomania!!

DrM: Aaaaaahhhhh . . . I know, it's not very long, and not much happens, but I thought I'd give people a bit of a rest to take in what's happened, not to mention to let characters deal with it . . . so, it looks like Ruby's the only one smart enough to grasp that Tomodachi's not all he seems to be . . .

[Silence . . . somewhere in the distance a bell tolls gravely . . .]

DrM: yeah, I know . . . scary thought, innit? [Looks around] HEY! Where is everyone?! Why am I hosting today's show alone?!

[Clow appears in a poof of smoke, in his bathrobe, with a shower cap]

Clow: I thought you said you were giving us a rest to take in what's happened . . .

DrM: [rolls eyes and slaps Clow upside the head] please R&R . . . oh, and Saurian, what do you have to say on the matter . . .?

[Saurian steps up, wearing big ol' headless barney the dinosaur costume]

Saurian: look at me. I'm *Barney* in my daytime job! Why don't you *love* me?! [Slips on barney head, sways from side to side, holding arms out to readers and sings] I love you, You love me, we're a happy family . . . with a great big hug, and a kiss from me to yo—[DrM pushes him away] WHOA!!

DrM: well, after that sick and, frankly, disturbing display of affectionate emotion . . . [shudders] I leave you now to R&R, I'm so glad to have hit the Magic 100 mark, I honestly never expected anything like this at all! And I thank everyone who helped me get there, if you have the time, have a look at the reviewer, go to their profiles and have a read of what they've got to offer, because I guarantee you'll find something of a brilliantly high standard. I really advise you to check out my fave authors and stories, and then R&R them . . . [grins] Yes, I *do* have an ulterior motive for asking you to review . . .

Clow: [distractedly, plays with his rubber ducky] Why?

DrM: [quietly] Because I'm impatient and I want them to update already . . . [wails] BUT!! BUT! But their stories are so much better than mine, it's just must be done!!! Please R&R!