Card Captors: A New Beginning
By "Grand Master Shoma"
Episode 10: Unexpected Freeze
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the anime, or anything doing with the anime. But I do own this story, so don't steal it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now Ryuko is back, and he was told of the Final Judgment by Fiery.
He must ready himself, and he better start capturing the other cards.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The alarm of my clock got to me. But I simply threw it away in my empty garbage bin.
"Sleep... I need more sleep..."
I muttered groggily to myself. I only wanted to sleep some more. I lazily take a glance at my room. My desk was there still, and I wonder why I would think that someone would take my desk; the Sakura book and cards are still in place; that doll I found was eating pudding; I go back to sleep...
Wait a minute... my stuffed doll is eating pudding?
That's not right!
"HOE!?" I yell.
"WHA!" It proved itself to have some type of southern kawaii accent. "What are you doing in her bed, kid!?"
"What are you talking about, kid?" I retort.
"Don't you lie to me, Syaoran the brat! Just tell me why you're in her house!" The little bear yelled back at me.
"Syaoran? What the hell do you mean? That name, Syaoran, is my otou-san's name!"
"NANI!?" He looked at me oddly, then floated closer to me. "Liar. Then why is your hairstyle just like your 'dad's'?"
"My hair was always like this." I told the little doll. "Except for my hair color, which is like okou-san."
"No way!" It doubtfully spoke back. It then looked at my face. "Face like the brat. Hair like the brat. Hair color like Sakura-sama..." But was soon zonked out of his mind. "NANI!? What's wrong with your eyes!?"
"My eyes were always like this. It's part of my genetic code from otou-san and okou-san."
Soon, he was gazing his beady little eyes onto my green and brown eyes. "Well, kid, you are telling the truth." He then turned his back. "What's your name, kid?"
"Doushite?"
"Just, give me your name."
"... Are you going to devour me because I know you're a living stuffed bear?"
"JUST TELL ME!!"
"My name is Li Kinomoto Ryuko."
"Li? Kinomoto? Ryuko!?"
I glare at it. "What's so bad about the name Ryuko?"
"What ever. My name is Keroberos."
"Keroberos? Interesting..." I then look at him. "So, how do you know my otou-san?"
"Well, um," the little doll was thinking. "I knew that name, because it was a name in the past. That, and also the name Sakura-sama also brought back some, very faint, memories."
I look at him in disbelief and sarcasm. "Yeah, right. The names of my parents, were also in your past as a vague memory. That's so, wonderful." I then flop back into my covers. "Now let me get some sleep."
"RYUKO!! ARE YOU AWAKE?" Okou-san called out to me.
"Okou-san, chotto mattekudasai (please wait a minute) !" I rush to get my school uniform on. "Thanks a lot, Kero-san! Now, I'm gonna be late for school! Well, I'm gonna have to discuss this later! See ya!"
"Whatever, kid." It goes back onto the counter.
-------------------
"Terry, can you keep a secret?"
"Doushite?"
"Just, can you?"
He wasn't sure what was going to happen... "Of course I can keep a secret. Now what is it?"
"Daidouji-san, there is a kaijuu in my room."
"Kaijuu?" He sounded really disbelieved.
"You know that doll I found at the airport? That was a demonic entity!!"
"... You either had too much sugar... or you have gone officially insane. Magical cards are one thing, but actual monsters is probably a long shot."
"You could be right..." I then start to go to thinking again. "But, then what could Keroberos-san be?"
"Kaijuu? What's this I hear, Ryuko?" I look behind me to see Kasumi.
I start to blush just a bit, but then I regain myself. "Hai, I guess I can't hide it... Yes, I have a monster in my room... in the form of that stuffed bear."
"THAT stuffed bear!?" Now Kasumi was laughing her head off. "You're messing with me!" When she saw that I wasn't even smirking, she obviously got back to being serious. "Well, until I see it, then I'll just conclude that you are on a sugar high."
"That's what I said!" Terry managed to belt out happily.
"DAMARE!!"
-------------------
"Okay, just wait here and make yourselves comfortable." I said happily to Daidouji-san and Kasumi. I went up to my room and changed into something comfortable. Then, as life knew it, something was missing in this room: a little stuffed demon.
"Kero-san? Where are you?" I say in a low tone, so as not to make Daidouji-san and Kasumi think that I'm talking to myself. "Kero-san... where are you, you little monster?" I thoroughly scanned the room to see that little Kero-san was nowhere in the vicinity. "Oh shit..."
Then it got to me: Keroberos must be in the kitchen. If I understand little demons that need to satisfy their hunger, then the fridge is the perfect place for them to restore their strength, and who knows what else that little bugger is capable of...
I almost instantly run down the stairs, past the living room where my friends were sitting trying to find something on, and I place myself in the way path to the kitchen. Surprisingly, everything was still intact; no messes and perfect condition.
"Where are you?" I mutter to myself as I search the premises.
"Ryuko-san, is everything alright?" Terry sort of yells out.
"Hoe? Oh! Well, everything's just peachy..." I then hear a scream coming from the living room. So I practically made my way over there. "What's wrong!?"
"That... that doll plopped down out of nowhere." Kasumi said, a little shocked as I saw Keroberos-san pretending to act lifeless.
"How did he get down here?" Terry wondered.
Suddenly, an impish little smirk crawled up my lips. I grabbed the fallen doll, and I start to twirl him around like I would a baton.
"What're you doing?"
"I'm playing a little game called" I was formally addressing Kero-san. " 'How long can you pretend to be a stuffed animal?' " This was pretty much going on for 5 minutes, until...
"ALRIGHT!!! CHAIRUDO (Child), YOU GOT ME!!" Kero finally 'fessed up. "Now I think I'm gonna barf!!"
"... Told ya he's alive." I smirked to Kasumi and Terry. "If you want to know, his name is Keroberos and I don't think he wants to destroy the world." I laugh a bit, then give a little glare at Kero-san.
"Hey! What was that for, kid?" Kero retorted back at me.
"Got anything we could snack on, Ryuko-san?" Terry asked with a hungry look in his eyes. "Because, well, I didn't have anything to eat and I sort of forgotten my lunch."
I feel a sweat drop going down my head. "I think so. But calm down, you pig."
Kasumi was concentrated on looking outside, as little white puffs of snow fell. "It's not that cold. How about the three of us go skating tomorrow?"
I could tell almost instantly that my body was shivering on the thought of going outside in the cold, because it wholly didn't get used to it yet. "Sure. Why not?"
"Well, then it looks like I'll see you guys tomorrow. I still have some work to do." She gets her things then looks back. "Ittekimasu ashita (See you tomorrow)." Then she closed the door.
-------------------
"Tomorrow is going to be a long day, Keroberos-san." I then look around as I was getting ready for bed. But, he was nowhere to be found. So I raise my voice a little louder. "Keroberos-san? Where are you?"
I then see one of the drawers in my desk move slightly. I peer into it to see Keroberos sleeping in a little bed and blanket, with maybe some other things lying around in it. "How did he do that?" I shrug my shoulders, then turned out the lights.
Kero was only mumbling things. "Sakura-sama..."
I only smile at how cute he is. "Oyasumi-masai, Keroberos-san." I go over and pet his head. He is so adorable when he is asleep. So I flop onto my bed and fall instantly asleep...
-------------------
Great...
I'm in my dream again...
But, this seems different...
The radio tower still remains, but... things look changed...
Meilin... the golden-winged lion... Onei-chan... Otou-san... Okou-san...
What is the connection?
"I WANT TO KNOW!!!"
-------------------
It was a cold afternoon, as Terry, Kasumi, Keroberos and I were walking to the park. There, the river was still frozen over. So we could go skating. It was so nipping I feel that my ass was going to chip off.
"Hey Ryuko-san," Terry asked me something. "You don't have skates. How are you going to do this?"
"Well, my blades also have an added conversion." I point to a button on my blades as we go along. "I press this; the wheels withdraw, and skates pop out. Then, I'll glide along the ice."
"Impressive..." Keroberos-san said to himself as I hear. "Things have changed."
"We should come in around over here." Kasumi pointed out. So almost like the childish 'follow the leader' game, we trailed her until we reached the ice.
"The tides... the ebb and flow... are pretty much useless when it concerns
frozen rivers." Daidouji-san wondered.
The both of them got their skates on, and pretty much baby-stepped to the ice until they stood calmly onto the ice. "Alright, it's my turn now." I press the button on my blades as I put them on, and off they go as they transform into skates. Almost hastily, I placed myself onto the ice, but then I slipped and fell. I steadily try to get myself back up. "Damn... that just demeaned me a bit..."
-------------------
An hour passed as we were skating around, even once in a while when someone did a nice spin. We decided to take a break and we sat on a fallen log. Terry-san's mother made all of us a thermos with hot chocolate within. After saying a blessing (Ittadakimasu!), we were pretty much sipping quietly, gazing at the beauty of the ice and the setting sun, we heard a voice calling out for us.
"Children! CHILDREN!!" It was the voice of Kazama-sensei. Almost like an army sergeant, the three of us stood up straight, with Kasumi slipping just as Kazama-sensei came closer. Playing along, he said "At ease, troops!" And we sat down.
"Konbanwa, Kazama-sensei!" We said aloud.
"Well, I just want to know what you kids are doing here."
"Well," I stood. "We we're just skating around. Killing some time."
"I see, and I'm here because I have a skating contest I'm attending," and he tried to flex some muscles on his already built body. "so I have to be at my pinnacle condition."
"You might win first-prize, sensei!" Daidouji-san said triumphantly.
"Hmph... but it is getting colder out here... I suggest you kids should head back home." Then, all of a sudden, I see some ice crystals surrounding Kazama-sensei's feet.
"Not a Sakura Card... not now..." I thought to myself. Then, Kazama-sensei was nearly half-covered in ice. "KAZAMA-SENSEI!!"
"Children, get off the ic--" but before he could finish, he was completely frozen.
"Damn it, it had to be a Sakura Card..." I muttered to myself.
"Chairudo, you sensed it?" Keroberos-san finally popped out of the bag. I nodded. "Then, it must be the Freeze Card to be precise. It lowers the body temperature around it's target and freezes it."
"Is that all?" I pull out my Key. "Well, this should be easy..."
"Oh Key that hides the forces of the stars!
Reveal to me thy true form!
I, Ryuko, command thee under contract!
RELEASE!"
"Firey Card, assist us in the battle against Freeze!
FIREY CARD!!"
The flames of the Firey card we're revealed, and in good timing too. He only looked at Kazama-sensei. "Freeze Card?"
"Hai..." I said. I then saw large jagged pieces of ice moving around on the surface. It stopped, then headed straight for us. "SCATTER!!!"
We all pretty much did that. We were all separated, but the ice shards were heading for Daidouji-san, and launched him up. I could hear him scream as the ice caught him, and surrounded him as it froze him.
"DAIDOUJI-SAN!!" I then turn to Firey. "Firey! We have to start attacking this monstrosity!!"
"Good! I'll start!!!" Kasumi pulled out another type of incantation papers. "MAGIC! HEED MY COMMAND! FIREBALL!!" And many large fireballs were melting the ice, slowly revealing what the Freeze looked like. It fired an ice wave which violently froze Kasumi in her tracks. The Card then leapt out of the ice and into the air.
It was almost like a frozen whale-type creature. And it was plummeting straight towards me. "JUST BRING IT!!" All the while, I realized that I shouldn't have said that to a behemoth that was going to crush me. But, as I thought I was going down, I see Firey create a wall of flame to drive Freeze away. "Arigatou, Firey."
"Baka... you shouldn't really provoke a card, especially one with a powerful tendency like Freeze." But then the Freeze Card surfaced again, and knocked both me and Firey away from each other.
"Firey, daijoubu-desuka?" I ask. I felt a sharp chill against my legs as I try to move. But I find out that my legs are frozen, and I can't even squirm. "My... my legs..." The creature was trying to tackle me again, but once again, Firey pushes it away with flames.
"Don't worry, Ryuko..." He said, placing a hand on my frozen legs. "Everything will be alright." He melted the ice preventing my movement, and I was able to move once again.
The monster surfaced again, and it charged at the both of us. "Firey, I don't think can capture it just standing still. We have to charge at it!" Firey knew what I meant, and then he grabbed me and put me on his back.
"... For a kid, you're strangely light." was all Firey smirked. Then he skimmed along the flow of the ice, almost charging at the opposite Freeze.
"Return to thy form which though should be!
FREEZE CARD!!"
I attacked hastily. Luckily, it broke down into shards, and returned to it's Card form. This threw the both of us off balance, and we ended up crashing to the thick ice.
"So much for the nice landing..." Firey murmured, rubbing his head after the crash. He then looks back at me.
I look back at him. "Firey... -san..." I saw the almost odd look on Firey's face. I smiled. "Arigatou gozaimsu."
-------------------
It was hard to explain to Kazama-sensei about what just happened, and... the... Firey Card. But since he was only a teensy-bit gullible, I told him that Firey was a family member that I haven't seen in a while. He fell for it like a fish on a line.
I was so tired when I got back, and I just wanted to go to sleep...