Chapter Five - Poor Li

Yue heard a thump in the entrance hallway and floated in to investigate. Touya dropped a second suitcase next to the first while trying to hold the front door open.

"Arigatou, Touya-kun," someone said as he stepped through the door.

"Eriol-san!" Yue actually bumped to the ground, momentarily stunned from the air.

"Oh, hi, Yue-chan!" Eriol beamed, "You've been stirring up trouble again, haven't you?"

"Eriol-kun?!" Sakura squealed as she dashed into the entrance hall. She knocked Touya backwards over a suitcase. He crashed to the floor.

"It is you! Eriol-kun! I thought I heard your voice! How long can you stay? Why are you here? It's been so long...!" Sakura latched onto Eriol's arm and dragged him into the house, "Dad will want to talk with you I'm sure..."

"Welcome home!" Yue said sardonically as he offered a hand down.

"Home, sweet home!" Touya replied accepting the help, "Now, what are you up to?"

"Later, To-ya...when Eriol can listen too. I suspect that's why he's here..." Yue whispered in Touya's ear, "I'm glad you're home. Things are a little...strange right now..."

"Things are always strange in this house. What is it this time?" Touya sighed.

"It's best if you see for yourself..." Yue took his hand and led him into the main living room.

Except for Eriol's presence, Touya didn't see anything too unusual. Touya reflected that even though he had just shared a long plane ride with the young man, he still wasn't used to how much Eriol had grown up. Eriol's calm, self-possessed manner didn't help, as he reminded Touya very much of Fujitaka. His father, smiling as usual, welcomed his newest guest. Sakura and Li stood in welcome too. Eriol had already found Kerberos evidently, as he held the Guardian Beast balanced across his opened palms.

"So, 'cute relative', you've gotten yourself into quite a fix this time!" Eriol remarked, looking down fondly on the small magical creature.

"What?!" Touya shook his head and narrowed his eyes at Kerberos in Eriol's hands. He then turned that narrowed gaze on Li standing next to his sister.

"What is going on here?!" he demanded.

"Li-kun and Kero-chan have been switched. We think it was the Change Card," Yue told him.

"Well, Change them back!" Touya snapped, "This is a silly prank, Sakura!" he said severely.

"I didn't do it, Onii-chan!" Sakura yelled, "The Change Card is blank!"

"Blank?" Eriol asked, tossing Li lightly over his shoulder. Yue jumped forward to catch the stuffed animal before Li fell to the ground.

Eriol turned to look at the sudden movement.

"Oh, sorry! It's just that's what I used to do..."

"...Way back when, when we were Clow," Fujitaka finished, "I know. I almost did the same thing! Li-kun can't use Kerberos' wings though."

"There's no reason he can't learn. Perhaps this is why I felt I should come here..." Eriol mused.

"You knew about this on the plane and didn't say anything?! Thanks, Eriol!" Touya said sourly, "I'm beat. I'm going to bed. When you decide to let me in on what's actually going on, let me know!" Touya stomped from the room.

"Touya-kun was never really let in on all that Sakura-san was doing when she was capturing the Cards. Sometimes I think he feels a little hurt that no one trusted him," Fujitaka reflected.

"Perhaps I should have told him what I knew on the way here," Eriol agreed.

"Oh, don't worry about him. Onii-chan will be all right!" Sakura declared. Eriol smiled, hearing the talisman phrase that would make it so, "I'm more concerned about Syaoran-kun and Kero-chan! What if...what if we never find Change and they stay like this...forever?!"

A sound suspiciously like a sob came from Yue's hands.

"Oh!" Li's distress that he hadn't suppressed his outburst was painful to watch as he leaped to the floor and dashed from the room on all fours. Yue immediately floated after him.

"Syaoran!" Sakura called, starting after him herself. Eriol held her back.

"He needs a moment. Yue-chan will take care of him. I suspect he would not want you to see him...over-wrought like this," he explained.

"Oh, Syaoran-kun!" Sakura's eyes welled with tears. Kerberos walked over and took her into his arms to comfort her.

"Poor kid!" he said gazing over Sakura's head toward the door Li had gone through. Concern shone in his eyes. Unnoticed behind him, Fujitaka and Eriol smiled identical smiles that he was openly worried about Li.

"Now," Eriol began, sobering suddenly, "What is this about the Change Card being blank?"

********

"I can't take this, Yue! I'm so useless. It's like I'm ten again...being told that a girl with no magic heritage is more suitable to capture the Clow Cards than me, Clow Reed's descendant! And then to be switched with Kerberos again...when he hates me so much..." Li cried out.

"Kerberos doesn't have any hate in him. Though, I admit there is some friction between you two..." Yue noted.

"Whatever! The fact is I can't work his wings or magic, I can't use my own magic and I'm stuck in a useless, helpless body. We don't know how this happened, the one way we have to undo it is mysteriously gone...and I might be this way forever!" Li glared up at the Moon Guardian before slumping pitifully to the ground again.

"I can't even hug Sakura this way, much less hold her or protect her..." he mumbled.

"Have you thought that the people who you want to hold and protect the most might sometimes want to be the ones taking care of you? Yukito is very weak magically, but Touya likes protecting him, as much as I like protecting Touya..." Yue struggled to explain the interdependence of his odd relationship with Touya.

"But I can't protect Sakura now! Haven't you realized that something or someone must be after her?! Why else is her Card gone?" Li anguished.

"I asked Touya to come home early to help with watching over Sakura, since both you and Kerberos are...unable to Guard her," Yue began delicately. Li blushed and ducked his head.

"You...actually think my watching out for her is a type of...Guarding?" he asked quietly.

Yue knelt gracefully, picked Li up and looked very intently into his eyes.

"You aren't a Clow Creature, Li Syaoran, well most of the time anyway, but yes, you watch over Sakura much as a Guardian would. Your magic is potent in its own right and I am grateful for all the help you have given Kerberos and me in our duty to Guard Sakura," Yue told him formally.

"I always felt kind of useless...I mean it seems I wound up getting knocked out, injured or forced asleep before Sakura could complete a Capture," Li admitted.

"I know that is because you usually made yourself a target and drew the attack. You used yourself as the shield to give Sakura the time needed to effect the Capture. And do not forget how often Yukito was rendered unconscious before you in a battle!" Yue reminded him.

"But for now, until you learn how to be a Guardian Beast, you must not try any of those heroics. You can't be choked to death as a stuffed animal, but other things can kill you!" Yue warned, "Now is the time for you to let others protect and take care of you!"

"So I should just...let Sakura protect me? Because I can't protect her right now?" Li asked.

"Yes," Yue replied, "Sometimes, the best thing you can do for the people you love is to let them take care of you. Speaking of which..."

Li's mouth dropped open as the Clow circle flared and Yue folded his wings allowing Yukito to manifest. He'd never seen the transformation this close at hand before.

"Li-kun," Yukito cradled him gently as he stood up up, "At least for now, even I can take care of watching out for you!"

"Th, thanks Yuki...but, I didn't want to ask Yue-san...you might be able to help...how can I let Sakura know..." Li blushed.

"That you still love her even though you are only a 'stuffed animal'? Are you getting a feeling for what poor Kerberos must go through?" Yukito asked curiously.

"Yeah...I guess I am..." Li realized.

"Good! What does Kerberos do?"

"Oh, he rides on her shoulder or in her hair, flies in her face all the time, begs her for sweet stuff to eat..." Li told him with slight disdain.

"That's the only way Kero-chan has found to let her know...he lets her take care of him, wouldn't you say?" Yukito asked.

"Yeah...I guess he does... Although, once, after a battle, when he was in his full Guardian Beast form, I saw him wrap his wings around Sakura as she hugged him..." Li told him.

"So, you need to fully learn Kerberos' magic so you can become the full Guardian Beast!" Yukito decided, "Then, you can hug Sakura with your wings and support her with your massive chest while looking regal in your armor..."

"Yeah...that would be cool!" Li agreed, "To hold her that way...just once...would make this whole mess worthwhile!"

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