"Weather Dilemmas"

Natasha's feet skidded across the ground and she crashed into the penguin slide.  The force of bubbles released by the Storm Card was a furious assault.  She also was racing Kevin to capture the attacking cards.  Natasha moaned in pain, sitting on the ground.

Kevin took a colorless cube from the pocket of the blue robe and placed it in the trident.  He chose a defense spell, "Wind barrier magic!"  The winds released by the trident deflected both the bubbles and the winds of the attacking Sakura Cards, creating a shield before him.  Kero struggled to stay with Natasha, at risk of being blown away.

"You've got to get up!"  Kero ordered, holding onto the penguin slide, his body blowing upwards.  "We cannot let him catch both of these cards!"  Natasha tried walking but continued to be blown off of her feet back up against the slide.  The painful bubbles pounding against her didn't make it any easier.  There was a pleasant aroma of soapiness, Natasha thought.  "You should probably think of a way to separate these two cards!"  Kero suggested, yelling over the winds.  Standing against the penguin slide for support, Natasha released the Windy Card.  Soaring past Kevin, the Windy Card melded with the Storm's tornado of bubbles.  It pushed the Bubbles' spirit away from The Storm.  Gentle Bubbles was no longer in an attacking position.

"Return to your power confined!  Bubbles Card!"  Natasha yelled over the gusts of wind, the star on the staff spun and the wings extended.  Into its card form, the Bubbles went to Natasha.  Kevin reached the Storm Card, which was twirling rapidly trying to throw Kevin back.  Behind his wind shield, it seemed like the calm of the storm.  His short black hair was messed up, but he didn't blink his brown eyes when he saw branches flying at him, knowing they would be deflected.  Slamming the trident into the Storm, the tornado toppled, but didn't completely fall over and continued swirling.  The winds calmed though and now Natasha could now approach The Storm as well. 

Kevin took a red cube and inserted it into the trident and made his next attack, "Lightning summon!"  A bolt of lightning dived from the sky, striking The Storm, turning it into its visible form.  Falling over, it just lay on the ground, drained of energy.

"Return to your power confined!  Storm!"  Natasha ordered.  The Storm card was sealed, but floated to Kevin.  Not the result wanted by Kero.

"I dislike cards that can blow me away."  Kero muttered to himself.  "Now!  Just who are you!"  Kero yelled, speaking to Kevin.

Kevin took a breath.  "I am a practicer of magic, best in my class.  But all of the magical equipment was locked away after the resolution of the Clow Cards and all but a few families disbanded from the practice.  I was one that remained, in case something came up.  When the Clow Cards were transformed, it wasn't a surprise, but it didn't change anything, until now."  Natasha looked at Kero.  "I've been elected to take over this mission.  The Sakura Cards, Book, and the sealing wand are to be relinquished to me immediately."

"That's impossible!"  Kero argued.  "Only I elect the candidates!"

"Well, after hearing that you made the wrong decision," Kevin explained, "You've been relieved of that privilege."  Kero was appalled.

"No one can decide that!"  Kero yelled back.  "I am only to be relieved by Clow Reed, the one who chose me!"

"Not anymore."  Kevin snapped back.  "This girl was not meant to capture cards."  He said, pointing at Natasha.  Natasha watched the two go back and forth.  Hearing that she wasn't meant to capture the cards was a confidence let down.  Her head dropped in guilt; she still held the staff in her hands as she starred at the bricked ground.  Kevin looked at Natasha, "Hand the cards over."

"No!"  Kero interrupted.  "You are not to do as he says."  Kevin glared at Kero.  "Come on, we'd better find out what Sarah's up to."  Kero flue off, Natasha followed.  Kevin watched the two go off.  He had heard Kero would be uncooperative.

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

After brushing her brown hair, Natasha walked into the hotel room; Kero hid in her hair.

"Thank goodness you've returned."  Madison told her.  "Your mom has had an accident.  We're going to return to home."

"Ouch!"  Natasha unexpectedly cried.  Kero had tugged on her hair.

"Are you alright?" Madison asked.

"Just fine."  Natasha responded.  "I just got this headache.  I'll be right back."  Natasha ran into the adjoining room and closed the door.  Kero flue out of Natasha's hair, "Last time I let you do that."  Natasha told Kero as she rubbed the back of her head.

"This is bad."  Kero pondered.  "Readington is the focus point of the Sakura cards.  We have to stay here."

"There's no way, Kero."  Natasha told him.  "To say I need to stay, but for no reason would just be inconsiderate and….. Very odd as a request."  Kero pouted, landing on the table, he paced back and forth.  Sarah walked into the room.

"What are we to do?"  Sarah asked Natasha.

"Pack to leave."  Natasha said, sounding disappointed with the decision.

The next morning, the color of dirty air was in the sky and the golden sun raised the temperature.  Natasha groaned and her eyelids refused to open more than slightly.  Her eyes were red and her nose sore.  Madison sat on the side of her bed, feeling her head.  "Yup, she's definitely sick."  Madison told Sarah.  Sarah played with a pink portable radio, adjusting it to hear a channel.

"But how?"  Sarah asked.  A reception was picked by the radio.  It was the day's weather report.

"And last night's wind storm brought heavy dust clouds to our area.  Though unusual, a high pollen count is expected for the day."  The weatherwoman announced.

"Hay fever." Madison told Sarah.  "And a really bad case Natasha has.  I remember this happened to her mom once."  Natasha reached for a tissue on the nightstand and then blew her nose.

"She obviously cannot travel in this condition."  Sarah told Madison.  Under the bed, Kero had a relieved look on his face.  He was quietly celebrating.

"But I cannot leave you two here alone."  Madison thought.

"What about Tori?"  Sarah suggested.  "I'm sure he could stay with us."  Madison shook her head slowly.  "He's our only option."  Sarah negotiated.

"You're right, I'll call him."  Madison said, getting up and exiting the room.  "We'll also have to find Natasha a lot more tissues."  She told Sarah.  Madison picked up the phone and looked through her list of phone numbers.  Pointing to one, she dialed the digits on the key pad. 

"Hi, Tori?  Could you stay with Natasha, I'm going to go back to see Sakura……Thank you so much……..I'll tell her you'll call her…..Bye"  Madison hung up the phone and went back into the doorway.   "Alright" Madison yelled.  "He says he'll be around to check on you when his shift finishes.  I'll see you two later."  Madison looked at Sarah, "Take good care of Natasha."  Madison directed.

"I always do" Sarah responded, smiling innocently.  Natasha rolled her eyes hearing this.

"Oh, and don't eat that hotel food in the refrigerator, you don't know how long it's been in there."  Madison told them.  Sarah quivered hearing that.  Madison then left their room.  From the window, Sarah watched Madison drive off.

"This is great!"  Kero shouted, flying out from under the bed.

"What did you say?"  Natasha said grumpily.  She pulled herself into an upright position to stare at Kero.

"Not that you're sick, that's just unfortunate."  Kero responded with a smile.  "That we now get to stay here!"  Natasha fell back onto the bed.  Sitting up was causing her to feel pressure in her nose.

"I'll go prepare some honey tea."  Sarah told them both, going out into the other room.  There was a knock on the front door.  Sarah moved to answer it.

"You know," Kero said to Natasha.  "I remember when this happened before.  A Clow Card was to blame for it, The Cloud."

"A Clow Card?"  Natasha asked tiredly.  This was the second time she heard this term.

"Yeah, what the cards were when they first were created.  I'll tell you about that later."  Kero informed.  "But I'll bet that this is no coincidence…." 

Sarah walked to the doorway.  "Um, Natasha, there's this boy here who claims it knows you…"  Sarah announced unsurely.  Kevin walked into view of Kero.

"Oh no!  Not you child!"  Kero yelled at Kevin, flying up to his face.

"I'm no kid!"  Kevin yelled back.

"Oh, I'm sorry, baby."  Kero insulted.  Kevin glared at Kero.

"Ok, I'll go get that tea….."  Sarah told them, going back to the mini kitchen.

"Some nerve you have coming here to take the cards…"  Kero began.

"Actually I've come here to find out why Natasha isn't battling the card herself."  Kevin corrected Kero.  "I weakened it to its visible form, but I lost track of it and had no way of sensing it.  I thought you would be able to find it."  Natasha rustled with the covers on the bed.  "What's the matter with her?"

"Hay fever."  Sarah answered, walking back into the room.

"Really sorry to hear that."  Kevin said, walking up to the bed.

"That's better than the response I got from Kero."  Natasha said, sticking her tongue out at Kero.  Kero just glanced away.

"I can help you."  Kevin offered.  Natasha nodded.  With her headache, she'd try almost any cure.

"No funny stuff."  Kero warned.  Kevin took his left hand and guided Natasha into a sitting position on the bed.  He concentrated and a glowing yellow circle in a square appeared on the floor, creating a magic wind that wrapped around the two.  "So, his magic circle's a circle in a square.  It's a mix of old and new."  Kero told himself.  The winds dissipated and the magic squire disappeared.

Natasha stretched her arms and legs, exclaiming, "I feel great!"

"Well that won't last if this card isn't caught."  Kevin told them.

"Alright Natasha, it's time we capture another card!"  Kero said excitingly.

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

Outside, the four were on the hunt for the Cloud Card.  Through the dusty dry air, Natasha, Sarah, and Kevin all managed to sit on the staff, flying along side Kero, the only member of the group who could sense it.  The wings of the staff extended fully, taking full flaps to support the three.  "So child, why can't you sense this card?"  Kero asked.

"It's because my magic needs to adapt to sensing Sakura Cards.  While my magic is similar to it, they it is still different.  When Clow Reed created the Clow Cards, he created a totally new type of magic.  Now that the cards are transformed, they follow another type of new magic."  Kevin told Kero.   "And stop calling me a child!"  Kevin added.  Kero smirked.  Kevin looked forward to Natasha.  "What's your excuse for not sensing this card?"

"I just can't." Natasha said innocently.  Kevin just shrugged, as if to forgive her.  Approaching Readington Elementary School, Kero led them to the lap field and pointed to the clouds.

"Up there is where the magic is strongest."  Kero said, pointed at a dense patch of cloud and dust.  Natasha landed on the blacktop and the three got off of the staff.  The wings retracted as Natasha brought The Fly back to its card form.

"Shadow!" Natasha ordered.  "Round up the Cloud Card!"  Shadow expanded and engulfed the clouds in the dense patch.  Kevin watched, knowing that only someone with magic could use the staff.

"But it still doesn't mean she's the one meant to hold it."  He told himself.

Before the Shadow could seal completely though, the Cloud Card escaped its attacker.  "Why didn't it work?"

"Because air has no shape and is hard to contain, especially when being pushed into one concealed area, like putting air in a balloon."  Kevin answered.

"I was going to tell her that." Kero told him angrily.  "Don't say what I'm going to, child!"  Kevin just ignored Kero, turning to the Sakura Card in the sky.

"Why do you insist on calling him a child, Kero?"  Sarah asked.  She wished she had a camcorder to videotape the battle.

"It is because there is always one immature brat who comes along to disturb my travels claiming their better than me."  Kero answered.  "This time, it's him."

Kevin aimed the trident for the moving cloud patch, already loaded with a red cube.  "Flame Blast!"  He called, releasing a fireball among the clouds.  With the outer exterior of the clouds burnt away, the fire extinguished itself and the Cloud Card came into its visible form.

"Seal it now!" Kero told Natasha.

"Return to your power confined!  Cloud Card!"  The Cloud Card spirit struggled but was sucked into the card.  It floated to Kevin and hovered by him until he took it.

"Alright!  Give us the cards you've stolen."  Kero ordered of Kevin.

"Kero, it's alright."  Natasha came forward, telling him.  Kevin was stunned.

"That was unexpected."  Sarah said aloud.

"Why Natasha?  I don't think you understand….." Kero was interrupted.

"Because Kero," Natasha said, "he proved that he could really be a big help to us."  Kero fell out of the air.  Sarah caught him in her hands, giggling at him.  "He was nice enough to make sure I was completely up to this task, so I want him to help us."

"Fine."  Kero pouted.  "But I still get to call him a child."

"Kero come on, be nice."  Sarah suggested.

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

Li was in the hospital in Sakura's room.  He had set up a television and VCR to watch the security tape of the museum the night it was robbed.  He played with the slow motion, infrared vision, night vision, and a whole lot of other ways of viewing the tape.  He would have tried upside down, if he believed it would show him anything.  The door sensor read a disturbance at four in the morning, but nothing appeared on the camera.  The tape cut off before Kim entered the building, followed by Mark, which happened at six in the morning.   He watched the pathway, eying the area near the tree to see if any footprints appeared.  He watched the door to see the figure that went in the building, not seeing anything.  The door didn't even open.

Hearing a sound from Sakura, he turned to look at her.  She appeared to be dreaming.  Looking back at the television, he pushed the stop button, ready to quit when he saw a bright light out of the corner of his eye that was coming from the window.  Watching the window, Li drew his old sword.  It seemed smaller than those many years ago he used it to assist Sakura in the capture of the Clow Cards.  But it was easy to sneak past security either way.  The green latch lock on the window undid itself and the two clear pains of glass glided open, stopping when they met the wall.  From the outside, a white dressed figure with blue patterns on their clothes along with white wings and silver hair.  They had the same distant, reserved eyes what judged Li without thought of feelings so long ago on that night that decided the master of the Clow.  It was  Yue.  He came through the window portal, finding Li with his sword ready, and Sakura lying in the hospital bed.

"How is she?"  Yue asked Li as he walked over to the bed.  His usual unemotional voice came as no surprise.

"No permanent harm."  Li told Yue, putting down his sword.  "Is what the doctors told me." 

Yue touched Sakura's hand, hoping to be able to deliver the words he wanted to say.  Li stood on the opposite side of the bed.  Feeling Yue's presence, Sakura's eyes blinked but didn't open far.

"Yue, you are here."  Sakura struggled to say.

"Yes, you have two cards and are now a possible participant in the judgment."  Yue told her.  Sakura drew a deep breath and exhaled.  The Dream Card had told her this was not to be done.

"I'm sorry."  Yue continued.

"For what?"

"For not protecting you."  Yue answered.  "I promised to protect you a long time ago."

"I forgive you Yue……."

"It's not alright."  Yue told her.  "I'm here to correct my error."

"You can heal her?"  Li asked.

"I'm going to."  Yue told him.  Yue lifted Sakura off the bed in his arms.  Sakura tried to move, but was very stiff.  Folding his wings around them both, the magical circle of Sakura's power appeared on the floor.  The process complete and the circle gone, Yue unfolded his wings and let Sakura on her feet gently.  Standing on her own, Sakura opened her eyes and looked at Yue.

"Thank you."

"I should be going now."  Yue told them, heading back to the window.

"There is one other thing you can do."  Sakura spoke.  Yue looked back at her.  Sakura held The Light and Dark cards out to him.  "Take these to Natasha, please."

"That I cannot do."  Yue said regretfully.  "As the judge, it is against the ideals for me to honor that request.  You'll have to find another way."  Yue left through the window, the way he entered.  Closing the windows and soaring into the sky.  Finding Li, Sakura hugged whom she thought of in her dream, remembering the Tsukimine Shrine Festival when Li helped her defeat an enchanted horse and when she transformed the Glow Card.

Author's notes:   I read a review that worried me.  I do agree that this story is a confusing one about the Clow Cards.  Alright, if anyone thinks this is about the Clow Cards, you need to reread this.  I hope I didn't screw up somewhere and say "Clow Card" when it should read "Sakura Card".  That's one of the biggest worries I have in this story.  One more thing, it is impossible for Madison to be the master of the cards.  Only one with magic can do this, Madison has none.  While Sakura and Madison are related, it is through their mother's side.  Sakura's father is the one with the magical trace.

On this chapter, I know I said that I'd tell you more about Kim, but it didn't fit with the storyline.  The next chapter is when her and Mark will be talked about, so that's where I'll have some of their personalities summed up.