Konnichi-wa, minna-san!!! Ok, I'm a week or two late with the update, but I had some serious writer's block!

Kero: Excuses, excuses...

LY: Shhhh.... I made this chapter fairly long. This is the chapter where my dream comes in. (if you remember in the first chapter I said this was inspired by a dream I had) I don't think ch.9 will be as long as this one.

Kero: On with the story please!

LY: Wait I have a couple shout outs!

To cherryblossom: ok this is three or four weeks... thanks for the review!

To Cindy: Thanks a lot! Hope you like this chapter!

Thanks everyone! Your reviews keep me motivated!

Kero: Ahem....

LY: Okay! Okay!! Here's chapter 8!! Enjoy!

Kero: And don't forget to review!!

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"talking"

=thoughts=

~*~*~*flashback*~*~*~

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One More Day

by Lady Yunaleska

Chapter 8- Unexpected Arrival

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"Morning, Sakura," Tomoyo ran to her friend. "Oh, you look so tired! You need to tell Syaoran soon, Sakura. You can't keep losing sleep."

Sakura tried to smile, "I know. I will do it today. Just remember our plan, okay?"

"Right," Tomoyo thought back to yesterday when Sakura came to her for advice.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*Ding dong*

Tomoyo heard the maid answer the door and the call her, "Miss Tomoyo! Miss Sakura is here to see you."

"Thank you, Mina." Tomoyo greeted Sakura and led her to the living room.

Sakura sat in a chair and looked at her friend sleepily, "I need your help, Tomoyo."

"What is it?" Tomoyo was beginning to worry about Sakura. She hadn't seen her so tired since she had to transform the clow cards.

"Well, you know my feelings for Syaoran, and I want to tell him, but every time I try, something interrupts me. I need you to help me get us alone where nothing will disturb us. I just don't think I can go much longer... I can't sleep at night because I can't stop thinking about him. Oh, Tomoyo you've got to help me!"

Tomoyo perked up. Matchmaking was one of her favorite things to do, especially between Sakura and Syaoran. "No problem! Hmmm... okay! Just go to Penguin Park tomorrow after school, and I'll take care of the rest!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sakura and Tomoyo went to their class and met up with Syaoran and Eriol.

"Morning, girls." Syaoran smiled at them.

"Eriol, you seem worried about something." Tomoyo put her hand on his, "Are you okay?"

She actually make Eriol blush a little. "Um, I'm fine. It's just that this is the third day Kaori hasn't been here. I'm really getting worried about what she might do"

"Maybe she gave up," Sakura leaned on her desk and yawned.

Syaoran shrugged, "It's possible, but we should still be prepared in case she does attack again."

The bell rang and Mr. Terada stood up from his desk. "Good morning, class. I see Miss Otaka isn't back yet. Let's see... Sakura, could you bring Kaori her homework please? She seems to know you well. I'll give you her address at the end of class."

"I...uh.. sure, sensei! I'd be happy to." Sakura had no idea why she said yes, and she mentally kicked herself when she remembered that she and Tomoyo had a plan to carry out.

When lunch time came, Tomoyo took Syaoran away to talk, and Sakura stayed with Eriol.

"Hey, Eriol... Do you think you could do me a favor?" Sakura unfolded a slip of paper and handed it ot him, along with some books. "Tomoyo and I kinda have important plans, and I don't think I'll have time for this... plus... Kaori is my enemy, now"

Eriol happily accepted the books. "No problem! Tomoyo told me about your plan. Besides, maybe I can find out if Kaori has been planning anything for you."

"Oh, thank you, Eriol!" she gave him a friendly hug. "You have no idea how much this means to me!"

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"Why do you want me to go to the park after school?" Syaoran took a bite of sushi while waiting for her answer.

"Well, Eriol wanted to talk to you. He said something about making up for all the trouble he gave you; you know, his teasing and such." Tomoyo silently prayed that Syaoran would buy her excuse.

"Really? Why couldn't he just ask me himself?"

"He...had to go to a piano rehearsal... and wanted me to ask you, just in case he didn't see you later."

"Oh... well, okay, I guess I'll go. It still seems kind of weird, though." Syaoran and Tomoyo packed up their things and went back to class early.

~~~~~~

=5..4...3...2...1..yes!= the final bell rang, and Tomoyo and Sakura ran out of the classroom and to the park as fast as they could.

Syaoran found it odd that they left so fast, but he shrugged it off and began to walk to Penguin Park. Along the way he enjoyed all the sights that fall had to offer; red, yellow and brown leaves softly floated around Syaoran and gently hit the ground. The air was crisp, not too cool, but not too warm; the weather was perfect! When Syaoran finally arrived, he sat on the swing and waited for Eriol.

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=Hmmm.... 349-02... this must be it!= Eriol slowly walked up the steps and knocked on the door. He could sense a dark aura coming from the house.

"Yes? May I help you?" a plump woman with red hair and who wore a flowery dress smiled kindly at Eriol.

"Hello Mrs.Otaka. I brought Kaori her homework. Is she all right?"

"Oh, that's so kind of you! Please come in. Kaori has a bit of the flu. I'll tell her that....."

"Eriol, ma'am."

"Right, that her friend Eriol is here." she scooted upstairs and disappeared into a room. A few minutes later she came back with Kaori following behind. Eriol noticed she looked very tired and her dark aura was weak.

"You?!" Kaori jumped with shock, "Er, I mean, hi. Thank you for bringing my stuff... you can go now."

"Kaori!" her mother frowned at her rude daughter. "Eriol, you may stay for some tea if you like. You'll have to excuse my daughter. The flu must be getting to her."

Eriol politely refused. "Thank you, but I must be going. I have some other errands to run. Good evening."

As Eriol was leaving, Kaori sulked back up to her room. Eriol stuck around outside for a while to spy on her. He cast a float spell and hovered to her window. What he saw shocked him and caused him to lose his concentration and fall to the ground. When Eriol got back to the window, he watched as Kaori put the finishing touches on her project.

"Finally! Now Sakura will never be able to stop me! Oh, Syaoran.... we can be together at last." she fell back on her bed happily, but then leaped up just as quick as she fell when she glanced at the clock. "Oh no! I don't have much time left! I have to find Sakura!"

Eriol didn't wait any longer. He ran off to warn Sakura. =I hope I can get there in time!=

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"Arg!! How long is he going to take!?" Syaoran had only been waiting for an hour, and he grew more frustrated each minute.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

"What?" he turned around, "Sakura? What are you doing here? Where's Eriol?"

Sakura sat on the swing next to him. "Eriol isn't coming... that was just a story Tomoyo made up so I could surprise you."

"What do you mean?"

Sakura started to lightly swing. "I just... need to talk to you."

"I... need to tell you something, too." Syaoran turned away. "You see.... mother called me last night and said that if the one I love won't love me back... I have to return to China... for an arranged marriage."

"...." Sakura didn't know what to say to that.

"Even when I told her about Kaori, she said that you and Eriol could handle it. So, Sakura.... I don't mean to pressure you, but you know my feelings for you, I just need to know how you feel about me."

"I-I don't know," she stopped swinging. "You've done so much for me, and it's not that I don't want to be with you... it's just that.. I'm... scared."

"Scared? Of what?"

"Of... rejection, I guess. When Yukito said we couldn't be together.... I was really hurt. I don't want to have to go through that again if.... something happened between us."

"Sakura," Syaoran took her hand, "I would never do anything to hurt you. Please remember that, and you won't be rejected because I'm telling you right now that I want to be with you."

"I believe you...."

"So... what are you saying?"

Sakura stood up and tried to face the one she loved. "I'm saying that I lo-"

"SAKURA!!!!" Eriol ran down the brick path to where they stood.

Tomoyo angrily turned off her camera. =Not again!!!=

"Kaori is coming right now, and she's got a big attack planned!"

"What?!"

"Oh, Sakura dearie," a familiar voice caught their attention, and they turned around to see Kaori standing there without her dark cloak on.

"Are you ready to die? This time you won't get away." she help up her finger and a tiny fireball appeared above it.

"We'll see about that! Key which holds the power of the stars..."

=That's it...= Kaori smiled evilly. Her scheme was beginning to take shape.

"...I, Sakura, command you! Release!"

Kaori took out her secret weapon with her free hand.

"Eriol, what is that?" Tomoyo pointed to the card Kaori held in her pale hand.

"A clow card? No, it can't be... but it seems to be more powerful that Sakura's cards." Eriol was still puzzled by this new creation.

Kaori shot the fireball at Sakura, and they all watched in shock as Kaori activated her card while Sakura called on Watery. Kaori closed her eyes, and holding the card close to her she silently began to chant. A dark wind came from the card and completely covered Kaori's tiny body, then disappeared inside her. The group gasped when they saw what the dark force had done to her: it had transformed Kaori into a young girl, looking 4 or 5 years old, with silver hair who was dressed all in black.

Watery put out the flame, but was then drawn to the spirit when it called the card.

"Hey! Come back!" Sakura tried ot get her card but the creature put up a force field around herself.

Syaoran got a hold of himself and summoned his sword. "Who are you? What did you do with Kaori?"

The spirit talked in a very heavenly voice, "Kaori is gone for now. I am a creation of all her sad feelings... she has named me 'Void'."

"Sakura, let's get rid of her before she attacks us." Syaoran knew this creature couldn't be trusted.

"Okay!" Sakura pulled out a card. "Wind- Hey! Where are you going?!" Once again the card was called to Void, and this time several more cards came from Sakura's bag and followed Windy.

"What's going on?! How am I supposed to attack her if she keeps stealing my cards?!" Sakura yelled as four more cards flew away.

"Maybe I can do something... Lightning! Come forth!" Syaoran's attack bounced off the force field and back to him, knocking him into a tree.

"Syaoran!" Sakura rushed to his side to help him up. Syaoran leaned back on the tree. "Ugh... it's hopeless."

"I've got to keep trying." Sakura searched her remaining deck for any strong cards.

"Here we go.. Firey!"

Void drew Firey and some more cards to herself. "Why do you persist? It is no use, you will not win."

Sakura continued trying to use her cards, and Void just kept taking them away. When Sakura had no cards left, she dropped to the ground and tears rimmed her emerald eyes.

=Now what?= she thought.

"Phase one is complete. Now my master has ordered me to destroy you, Sakura..." Void raised her arms and all the cards rose up around her.

"Goodbye."

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LY: Oooh a cliffhanger!! Next chapter is a cliffhanger too. Hehe I'm so mean!

Kero: Yah where's my cake??

LY: You're just greedy... but here you go. *shoves it in his face*

Kero: Fangkoo...*munch munch*

LY: Ok, now I need your opinions... you'll have a couple of chapters to decide, but what do you think:

---Should Kaori be condemned to eternity with the devil?

----------Or should her soul be saved?

It would be easier to just have her go with the devil, but if you want her saved I'll save her. ^-^

LY: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, it's probably the longest one. I'll get the next chapter up ASAP, but I can't guarantee anything. I don't think I'll finish by July, that's just not a reality for me. I promise to you all,though, that it will be done by end of summer!

Kero: *gulp*... and please don't forget to review! *munch munch*

LY: Have a great summer everyone! Until next time, ja ne!