PREPERATIONS (A Cardcaptor Sakura fic) By Mish-Chaos

Haha! I am back from the dead and I have written a second chapter. Please, I beg of you, read and review! I would like to get a total of 5 before I send the next chapter out. It will be a doozy, trust me. ^_^ Well, here's the feature presentation!
"Whaaa?" yelled Sakura across the table after she finished read the papers. They were neatly written, and didn't seem like anything worthy to worry about. However, what was contained made Sakura groan audibly. She was in her room, sitting at a large, round table filled with a small group of people. To her left sat Tomoyo, recent bearer of the powers known to the Norse All-father, Odin. She glanced at the papers and her eyes widened slightly. To her right was Syaoran, who didn't react much, he was used to the thing. Kero-Chan buzzed about, checking the papers as well. At the opposite was the writer of the papers; an eleven-year-old battle-mage from Scandinavia named Nicolai, who looked at Sakura, eyes rolling. "Look, it's only for nine days. Just a few simple training courses." he began, in hope of calming Sakura down. "SIMPLE!" She screamed in reply, her finger jabbing violently at the papers. "STEALTH? STAVES COMBAT? MEDITATION? DISCIPLINE TRAINING? THIS IS SERIOUS STUFF, HALF OF WHICH I DON'T UNDERSTAND!!!" Nicolai sighed, feeling a migraine coming on. "Let me put it this way, Sakura-Chan. Loki strikes Midgard in nine days. If you would rather sit on your hands and watch as the Ragnorok happens and the entire world sink to the sea during an apocalyptic bloodbath, you may stay here. But I however, shall be fighting, and I'm sure your friends shall too." Sakura was once again facing a group of people gazing at her a wondering the same thing as before; "Why doesn't she trust Nicolai?" Sakura snatched the papers and grabbed a dictionary from the bed. "Just let me figure out what the heck stealth is and I'll get started."

PART I: SYAORAN'S TRAINING.

Dawn broke on the first day of the countdown. Syaoran was already at the deserted fighters gym, dressed in tight fitting green clothes, twirling his sword. He was ready for whatever Vanaheim could give to him. Nicolai walked in, wearing tight, black clothing, carrying a large pack. "Sorry you got the first morning shift, but it had to be one of you three." Said Nicolai to his friend, while digging into the pack, pulling out a few things. "No sweat" said Syaoran carelessly. After all, he was used to this sort of thing. "Straight to it Li," started Nicolai, who was tying his silver hair up, which looked slightly strange. "Let's see your Ancestral Sword." Li slapped the weapon into Nicolai's hand. It was of marvellous craftsmanship, with a forged steel blade that was certainly commendable. The handle was rather ornate, which was green and rune chased, the Chinese symbols being black. This blade was certainly no showpiece though. It was the weapon of a true battle-mage, humming with powers beyond comprehension of a normal being. "And your sword has no name?" Nicolai asked quietly. "Why should it? It's a tool, not a person!" retorted Syaoran, who held his hand out for the blade. Nicolai slapped the sword into his hand, and took a mighty backwards leap to gain ten metres distance from him, drawing his own sword in mid-air. "Training starts now!" he called out to Syaoran, and began a charge towards him.

It was awesome. Steel clashing on steel, horizontal sweeps, downward chops, thrusts, parries, aerial strikes, slices, attack on attack on attack. The two locked swords in the middle of the floor, using the time to taunt each other. "Had enough?" growled Syaoran, his brown eyes flashing. Nicolai smiled, and vanished into thin air. Syaoran had little time to wonder where the heck his teacher went, until the flat side of a katana was felt hard on his back. Nicolai bent over to help Syaoran up, hair waving like silver corn. Syaoran finally got his breath back, and his temper. "Aaak! What the heck was that?" Nicolai dusted his friend down before answering; "An illusion. This is one of Loki's favourite tricks, along with shape shifting, summoning and using Clow's powers. Loki doesn't follow rules, and is highly unpredictable. I'm sorry I did that to you, but I think I got my point across." Li-Kun nodded, and went for another speedy attack, aiming for Nicolai's face. But Nicolai countered the blade and pushed Syaoran to the floor while he was off balance. "Hmmm.." Nicolai continued as he picked his student up off the ground, "Again?"

Eventually Syaoran was taught more things about the sword: new techniques, illusion projection, and combination attacks.

"Now let's cover summoning the elements" Nicolai said to his student some time later. Syaoran was slightly confused. "But can't I do that already?" he questioned his teacher. Nicolai's red irises glinted slightly. "Yes, but let's see you channel that through your sword!" Nicolai drew his sword and focused all his energy, all his spirit and all his knowledge, into the sword. He felt the power of water running through his veins. Li-kun watched cautiously, and noticed Nicolai's sword blade had turned blue. Nicolai leapt into the air in another one of his amazing moon jumps and yelled "WATER!" and launched himself towards a striking bag. His blade hit the bag, which began to split, but that was not all. A torrent of water gushed from the sword, swirling in a violent spiral of destruction. The durable bag was slashed to ribbons. Nicolai twirled the sword a little, and sheathed it. "Of course the attack energies can be summoned up to about, hmmm. twenty times faster?" Syaoran struggled to keep his jaw from dropping.

Eventually Syaoran learnt how to channel water energies through his sword, as well as the other elements. He could do it even better then Nicolai.

It was the evening of the eighth night, and Syaoran's training was finished. His sword skills were great, and his spell powers were excellent. Nicolai had dressed in his battle robe, and had decked his face out in black and blue stripes of dye. Along with his hair and eyes, Li-kun briefly wondered if Nicolai were a demon himself. "Let's see your Ancestral Blade again." Syaoran handed the sword to Nicolai. He examined the fine sword again, feeling it energies, unlike anything ever felt. He suddenly knew why. He grabbed his own sword and started scratching something into Li's sword blade. Nicolai handed the sword back to Syaoran. He looked at the neat inscription, written in Scandinavian. "What does it say? What is the name of my sword?" Nicolai gazed at his friend with his red eyes and chose one word to answer with: "Clow." Li-kun was overcome. Clow? Why this name? Am I worthy of it? Does Nicolai have a name for his sword? When Syaoran put this question toward Nicolai, his eyes misted over with memories. "My sword has a name, yes. Its name? Its name is Heimdall.

Heimdall. Old friend, old master. Long have I known you. Long have I admired your powers, your lawfulness, your iron will. Long have I desired to be you and be what you are. My sword Heimdall, is your sword.

PART TWO: TOMOYO'S TRAINING.

School had ended for the day, and Tomoyo was told to walk to the old fighting gym for the first day of her training. She opened the creaking door and slipped inside. Equipment was set up, and on a bench and small table, she found Nicolai, with an afternoon tea for two set up. He was wearing his black training gear, with his hair in a weird ponytail. "Greetings Young Lavender!" he called to Tomoyo, and beckoned to her to come and sit with him. "Tea is here if you wish to eat," said Nicolai, who was looking at the floor. Tomoyo smiled gently at him, but instead stood behind him. "Here, let me fix your hair for you," she said to the battle mage, who took the ponytail out, and ran her soft fingers through Nicolai's flowing hair. "There, you look much nicer now!" she continued, and then sat down. Nicolai looked up, with a hand concealing his face; he was blushing like mad. "Errm. first of all.ahem.you are clearly chosen by Allfather to bear his near infinite powers. As a matter of fact, you could say the gods are hidden within us all. Syaoran clearly has the spirit of Thor, (God of Thunder) a strong attitude, but firm, loyal and strong. Sakura seems to be like Sif, the goddess of novice warriors. She is beautiful and kind, loyal and strong. Ironically enough, Sif is the wife of Thor." Tomoyo lowered her head and stared at the floor sorrowfully. Nicolai could have kicked himself for what he just said. You foolish twit! You know what she wishes, and the tragedy that is her mind! Nicolai put a comforting arm around Tomoyo's shoulder, and gave a gentle smile. "Well, you may change in the locker rooms. Don't worry, I won't peek."

"Now Tomoyo, let's go over spear tactics. Spears are the ultimate in versatile weaponry, for they can thrust, slash, parry and be thrown. When Odin enters your soul, your skills are multiplied. So if we train now, you'll be even more powerful when you unleash Odin. And by the way, if you want to use Gunginir, just say it's name, don't complete the incantation." Tomoyo took it in, looking at him with those dark eyes of hers. Nicolai pulled a homemade spear from his bag and started duelling with Tomoyo. The two spears collided with each other in their own separate, swift movements, and suddenly. Crack! Nicolai fell hard to the ground, clutching a pulsing head. Tomoyo had brought Gunginir around and rang it on the boy's head. Nicolai stared up at the sweet girl who had skilfully decked him, who helped her up. "By Thor, who's teaching who?" questioned Nicolai to his student, who was examining his head in a motherly fashion. Tomoyo smiled apologetically, picking up the makeshift spear and handing it to her odd 'Sensei.' "Your potential is certainly there, I'll have to take you through the motions and basic skills." He threw his silvery sheet of hair back and prepared for another migraine.

Nicolai did manage to teach Tomoyo decent spear skills, and for some reason beyond both their understanding, didn't suffer internal haemorrhaging in his brain. Tomoyo thinks it's thanks to the hair.

"Next, we shall tie back our links to our Great Gods, and draw from their power and strength through intense meditation," Nicolai told Tomoyo during the next part of the lesson. Nicolai stepped away to reveal a clean pink mattress and pillow on the floor. "At this level of training, you're going to need something soft to lie on," continued Nicolai as he lay Tomoyo down on the mattress. "I'll admit this not of my culture, but Allfather has advised it," he finished, lying down on the wooden floor, looking much like a sea star.

Close your eyes, Tomoyo, and you shall see me. Embrace me. Embrace the Allfather. Odin? Yes. You've achieved a state of absolute harmony with yourself and I. It is as if I were with you in the realm of Midgard. What do you ask of me, Allfather? I come to ask you to bring forth all that you have, all that you are. I ask you to never lose what you are to what I am, for when the lamb and the wolf meet, there shall be tragedy. What do you mean? Odin's visage evaporated and in its place appeared a ghastly image from within her memory. A flying spear hurtling through clouds black as midnight, the godly thunder rumbling its tenor song of destruction. The spear strikes a silhouetted target, which was once a dark grey, dead in its twisted centre. A red substance seemed to creep from the thing, spreading like a vile plague. Blood. She'd had killed something. Slain something and didn't even break a sweat.

"AAAAAAHHH!!!!! Oh my god oh my god oh my god what have I done I've killed something I'm an inhuman monster oh my god!!! AHHHHH!!!! I'm a beast a creature Kami-sama what am I what am I what am I!!!!!" Nicolai had snapped from an extremely deep meditation to Tomoyo's screams. He shook his head, his scarlet eyes filled with pity and worry. "What are you?" he whispered to himself, "You are Odin."

PART THREE: SAKURA'S TRAINING.

Sakura entered the gym, wearing a battle costume created by Tomoyo. With the Key of Clow dangling from her neck, she looked quite formidable. From behind her came a cold chill, as if something had sped fast. Sakura's head wheeled around, eyes narrowed, curious of what caused the odd sensation. Sure enough, in front of her was her foster-brother Nicolai, smiling. Sakura put a fist on her hip, tilting her head inquisitively. "Was there a purpose behind that, Nicolai?" she asked grinning at the slim boy in tight, black clothing.

"Yes, it was totally necessary," came the reply as he fumbled about in his bag of gear. "It demonstrated the effectiveness of speed, stealth and putting an opponents fears to work against them," he continued, pulling from the large bag several black pieces of linen. "Step one of your training Sakura-Chan," explained the boy, beckoning for his pretty foster sister to blindfold him with all the pieces. "This is how it shall work. On the gym floor I've drawn a chalk path for you to follow. You must follow the whole track and hit me with your staff as I stand at the end. And remember," concluded Nicolai pointing to the bandaged eyes, "If I can't hear you, I can't see you." As Sakura walked to the end of the track, she briefly wondered why Nicolai had a whip in his left hand.

Sakura started to run the track, unsure of what Nicolai meant, but willing to reach the end. Halfway down the track, Sakura was wondering what was so hard about this course when. CRACK! Sakura had to stop very suddenly to avoid being smacked with a whip that had snapped its way over from the end of the track to right in front of her. Nicolai sighed from underneath the blindfolds, calling to his student: "I'll say it again: If I can't hear you, I can't see you. Although you can move very fast, you made about as much noise as a white elephant. You can also wipe that frown off your face, it was a figure of speech."

Sakura was a little worried how he knew she frowned at the comment, despite having several linen cloths on his eyes. "You'll have to try again. You will also have to sacrifice speed for silence. Soon you'll be able to move swiftly and with the silence of a ghost." Sakura sighed and jogged back to the beginning of the track, a frown creasing her brow. I can do this. I can move with the silence of a ghost. I have total control.

Sakura started again, tiptoeing through the track not making a sound. She made no sound, and seemed to be able walk past undetected. She crept up on Nicolai and, slowly raised her staff and brought it down on Nicolai's head, accidentally a little harder than necessary. She raised a hand to her mouth in surprise, as the young child was sent to the floor. Once again, it seems that the silver sheet of hair saved him from further pain. "Well done Sakura, that task was accomplished quite well. We shall elaborate on what you have learnt." Sakura beamed with pride at the compliment. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, she thought to herself. Nevertheless, I must view him with suspicion.

She is suspicious of me. She should be. After all, she is playing a new game. This is a game for the Gods, and when it comes down to it, It shall be the mortals that will shed the most blood.

SPECIAL NOTES: This chapter has taken a long time to write, not because of its length or its difficulty to write, but out of my own laziness. For this I apologise deeply. I would put a disclaimer here, stating that I don't own CCS and that CLAMP, Kodansha and Nelvana do, I don't think I should have to do it again. Do'h! Next up in this little saga: ENTER LOKI!