Sakura and the Calm Before the Storm

The sun moved just westward of noon in the dim sky and four souls walk without speech. Out of the school where they were and down the road and around the bends and to the trees they had gone with the sounds of silent day seeming as a calm before the storm. Through the trees they came to a wide entrance; a hole through a thick hedge on either side of which was a stele rising up into the bending tree branches connected to one another by another two steles forming a portal. On the portal at it's middle was a sign that read 'Tsukimine'. Two of the group stopped at this entryway and the two others turned and looked at them. "Aren't you coming?" Dorian said accusingly.

"You know we never step foot in this shrine." Roan said. "and you know why."

"They may do as they please. He, and Rashein are waiting for us." Dieae said and then turned and walked away from the group. Dorian looked at the girl as she walked away for a moment but then looked back at Roan and Traya.

"Now that the watch dog's gone, tell me, why is it that you won't enter this place?" Dorian said amused with himself.

"We're not like you. And you know that." Traya said. "This used to be a place of peace where the souls of the departed could rest but no longer. He changed that."

"He made us what we are as a reward but in the end it seems to rather be our damnation. We won't tread in places touched by him. Not any more. But we have no choice but to bend to his will." Roan said.

"Hmph." Dorian sniffed in contempt. "You say in the end? The end is near but still far. His plans will be carried out by us all. You, me, and the girl. You know your part. Play it well and he may just give you what you long for. Though if it were my choice you and your bitch would already be dead."

Anger swelled in Roan at Dorian's words of hate and malice. In his mind he fought himself, fought to hold back his desire for blood. His teeth bore and lips curled and Traya put herself before his impending wrath. "Roan no! It's what he wants. Don't give into him. Not now. Not when we're so close." Traya's voice came to Roan through his growls of breath; the anger brimming on his surface, but she was heard and her voice like the chiming of bells delivered him from his madness.

"Once again saved by your woman. Pathetic." Dorian said as he turned from them into the shrine.

Traya collapsed into Roan's arms with a heavy sigh of averting yet another near fatal argument between her dear brother and Dorian. "There will come the day when we are free." She said as she close to him with her arm around his waist led him away.

There seemed a warm softness to the world though still dim to Touya. He though he could perceive a light but he was still in-between the worlds of sleep and wakefulness. He felt as he hadn't for some time with an absence of discomfort and a peace in his heart. Stress and pain seemed far and he felt for the first time in a long while relaxed. His eyelids twitched and he became more aware. He found that the warmness he though was just the conscious world returning to him was more tangible and was on his right side. What it was seemed to elude him as he was still half asleep. After a while of debating weather or not it was time to leave the serene place he was in he slowly opened his eyes to find blue sky before him.

He could now think more clearly. He gathered that he was lying in the soft grass looking up at the blue sky. He thought about how long it had been since he had just lie in the grass watching the clouds go by. Then he moved his eyes from the sight to his side to find out what the warmness was coming from. To his surprise his eyes fell on a brown haired girl laying with him on the grass in the crick of his outstretched arm.

"Nakuru?" Touya said groggily still focusing his eyes to make sure of his findings. Nakuru looked up at Touya and gave him a quick smile. Her face was red and she seemed fatigued. He sat up cupping her shoulders in his arm bringing her with him.

"Feeling better?" She said in a low voice letting herself be supported by Touya's arm for a while and leaning her head on his chest below his chin.

Touya felt confused for the moment not knowing why she was acting this way so he just left it alone. "What happened?" He asked.

"What do you think happened?" Nakuru said but not harshly. "You just passed out a little."

"A little? For how long? And how'd I get here?" Touya said as he looked around to find that the two were alone in a field in the park were the spring grass was already growing.

"Only for about a half hour." She said as she picked up her head but still leaned on Touya. "Yukito and I brought you here. Don't worry, I don't think too many people saw."

"Yuki! Where is he?" Touya exclaimed suddenly aware of his absence. He jumped to his feet letting Nakuru fall on her back. Touya looked back at Nakuru who was glaring at him. "Sorry."

"I sent Yuki to get Eriol." Nakuru said as he helped her up.

"Alone!? why? We're supposed to stay together at all times." Touya lamented.

"Aren't you at all curious as to why you passed out? If you're not then I am." Nakuru said sounding concerned but Touya wasn't sure if it was for him or just in general.

"What are you saying?"

"After we put you down and Yukito left I sensed that your power was very low. Almost as if it had been drained. You could have died." Nakuru explained but it seemed to create more questions than it answered.

"Hm." Touya said abruptly in thought. Just then the two heard a call of Touya's name in the distance. They looked up and saw Sakura bounding up with Yukito, Tomoyo and Eriol following behind at a slower pace. When Sakura was upon them she dove into Touya wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Touya!" she cried. "Are you okay?" He put a hand on his sister's shoulder and the other on her head. "I'm fine, Sakura."

"When Yuki told me you were sick I was really scared! I thought something bad had happened! What happened?" Sakura rambled frantically.

Touya looked down at his sister and put a hand on her cheek. "Don't worry about it, okay, monster? You have enough on your mind."

"Well." Sakura said feeling as though there was some thing to worry about.

"Yes, Touya is right. You do have enough on your mind so go ahead and leave this matter to us, Sakura." Eriol said as he and the others walked up.

"How ya feeling?" Yukito asked Touya offering him a leftover rice ball from lunch. Touya took it being a bit hungry.

"Beddr." Touya said with his mouth full. His attention was then drawn toward a commotion in the direction of Sakura and Tomoyo.

"Maybe you should let him out now." Tomoyo said to Sakura.

"Oh my god! I forgot!" Sakura then took her backpack off and opened it and out flew Kero like a bat out of hell.

"STOP DOEN' THAT!" Kero screamed at the top of his lungs. "I almost suffocated in there this time and there wasn't anything to eat!"

There was laughter and a smile came to everyone's faces for once but Touya then caught a glance from Eriol. His expression was somewhat grave even though he was grinning. "We must speak." He said to Touya.

It was then decided that they would all go to Eriol's house. Tomoyo drove them and soon they were all in the study with the high eastern-exposure windows and fireplace. As they went in Kero noticed Spinel sitting on a cushion reading the paper by himself on a couch. He flew up to him. "Awwwww, did somebody get left alone? Poor Sueppy." Kero teased and Spinel became annoyed.

"Unlike you," He said in retort "I have the ability to defend myself if I'm without another. You on the other hand are just an orange loud mouth with wings until your mistress captures Firey."

The rebuttal was quite effective. "Oh yah! Well you look like a goblin! and yur, yur ugly too! yah!" Kero said thinking he came out the better in wit.

While Kero and Spinel argued and the girls and Yukito sat and talked and Eriol and Touya stood away from the others.

Touya had been thinking about the last few weeks. There had been more cards and more captures. The Shot, Flower, Sleep and Dash cards surfaced. Syaoran, by himself faced Shot and defeated it by reflecting its beam back to it with his sword but he hadn't told anyone but Meling. The others only found out through her and it seemed that she had barely gotten it out of him. Sakura easily captured Flower this time simply gathering all the pedals with windy before it got out of hand. Also she captured Sleep by tricking it into putting a double of her to sleep that she made with Mirror and then she sealed it from behind. Syaoran captured Dash with wood trapping it without the fuss of a race to worry about. All along Touya had been watching and helping however he could but he found that there wasn't much for him to do but keep an eye on Yukito and Nakuru. But he had been troubled. Not only by his feelings of helplessness or worthlessness but also by the air in Tomeda.

"You have no doubt felt it also?" Eriol said to Touya in a casual manner. Touya looked at Eriol and he seemed as controlled as ever with not the slightest hint of worry unlike himself. Touya no longer felt at ease as he did in the field with Nakuru.

"I think I have." Touya said. "But I'm not sure what I feel. I'm not like you or the brat, Li. You can sense shifts in power. But I."

"Your talents lie elsewhere?" Eriol said. "Well then what can you tell me of that?"

"The spirits here..." Touya started in a low voice. "are in unrest. I've been feeling it since it all started. They're not just restless but also." Touya was delving deeply into himself and finding out as he spoke just how things were that he had not seen before.

"They were also what?" Eriol said as though he already knew.

"They're scared." Touya said coming to it in his thoughts like an epiphany. The look on his face was grave as he peered at Eriol. "But what would scare a spirit; someone who is already dead?"

"They do not fear for themselves. The departed who have yet to let go of this life fear not for themselves but for those whom still live. They are our departed mothers and fathers, grandfathers and grandmothers and they love us still. That is why they fear. They fear for us." Eriol said.

"But why? What do they fear? What do they know that we don't?" Touya asked.

"The reason is unclear. It is true that the power in this region has been growing. It is caused by the presence of those with power such as a magician, sorcerer or the cards. But as of late the power has swelled not as it has in the precedence of any other event." Eriol said and paused looking now as grave as Touya. "Something is about to happen. Something perhaps not involving the capturing. The evidence is clear."

"What evidence?" Touya asked.

"You." Eriol said frankly. Touya gave him a perplexed look. "What happened to you today. You don't wish to speak about it?" Touya sensed that he had found another besides his father whom could see right through him. Touya gave a defeated look. "Very well." Eriol continued. "What happened to you today I have been fearing. You have been attacked. Someone is drawing on your power as Yukito did. But unlike Yukito whom you willingly supported, this is without your consent and is meant to cause harm. If it weren't for Nakuru we may have lost you."

Touya was startled at his mention of the girl. "What?" He asked.

Eriol smiled. "Oh, yes. If not for her you would be in much worse shape if in any shape at all. She stayed with you and channeled her power into you. That is why you lived. And she wouldn't admit it but it taxed her greatly too."

"Why would she do that?" Touya said.

"I would think that you know the answer to that better then I. Perhaps the same reason you allowed Yukito to draw on you?" Eriol said almost with a grin.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Touya said defensively. "Wait a minute. You said 'someone' is drawing on me?"

"Yes. As I said, it is, as I have feared. There is not only the Phantom here. There must be someone autonomous with power lurking about. And it could very well be someone you know. They would have to be very close to you in order to cast a spell like this. Things are changing and it is time now for another council." Eriol's words were dark. "We are only missing two of our assembly. Contact them and bring them please."

"Right." Touya said as he took out his cell phone to make the call.

Syaoran and Meling were reached and were making their way to Eriol's mansion. For now there was recess and everyone could feel the weight of the coming meeting and it's significance.

Sakura sat with Tomoyo, Yukito and her brother awaiting Syaoran and Meling and thought to herself: 'Everyone has been acting so weird. Even Eriol. Is there something they're not telling me? Touya would do that!' she then gave a mean look to her brother sitting next to her as she would when he called her 'monster'. "What?" He said looking down at her.

"Ah." Sakura said feeling guilty and embarrassed "nothing. What were you and Eriol talking about? Are you okay still?"

"For the last time I'm fine." Touya said reluctant to discuss it with anyone let alone Sakura.

"Well then I'm glad your okay!" Sakura bubbled as she threw her arms around her brother again. "So what do you think Eriol wants to talk about?" Sakura asked and shivered as thoughts of her recent dreams came to her.

"I'm not sure." Touya lied.

Tomoyo then chimed in. "Maybe we should just wait and see, Sakura." Tomoyo then looked at Sakura oddly, she was looking at the necklace around her neck, it was the one her father had given her. Then a grave look came to her fair face and her hand went over her mouth. "O my gosh!" She said.

"What?!" Sakura asked fearfully.

"What about the Dance?" She said as she looked at a grandfather clock. "Its already 2:30! We have to get you into your dress soon unless." an even greater look of terror came to Tomoyo and Touya and Yukito couldn't help but hold their breath. "Unless Eriol doesn't want us to go!"

Touya exhaled with an irritated puff at the girl's priorities while Yukito was genuinely concerned. "Don't worry, Tomoyo! I'm sure it won't come to that." He said as he held her hands.

A moment later Sakura heard the doorbell and then into the room came Eriol with Syaoran and Meling. But Sakura was troubled by its manner; Meling was standing a distance from Syaoran with Eriol between them. She didn't look happy either but she didn't look angry which struck Sakura as odd. Instead she looked sad and she made no eye contact with Syaoran for the rest of the night and Sakura knew something was wrong.

Eriol bayed everyone sit and the council began. "There are matters which need to be addressed." He said in opening. "Times are changing and we now have the proof we have lacked. For those of you who do not know, one member of our group has fallen victim to an attack but fortunately through the fast action of his companions he is no longer in any immediate danger. As I said before we are united in our cause and bound to protect each other. And I am happy to see that this is so." Eriol's voice wasn't as cheerful as the context of his words.

"But" He continued more gravely "This is evidence that the Phantom, Salcon indeed has beings in his service. New or old we still do not know but we now know that there is someone or something out there that we must confront and defeat if we are not to be picked off one by one. For that was His way. He works from the shadows not in plain sight. You must question everything now and look twice because the danger is now more real than ever."

Sakura sank back into the large couch she and the others were sitting on wishing not for the first time that none of this had ever happened. She leaned against her brother closing her eyes and with everyone around her she felt at least safe. Even Eriol's mansion seemed a protected place and for now she felt that no harm could come to her. But once again though carried on Eriol's soft and calming voice the words of the future frightened her and she wished it to all to fade away. As she opened her eyes again almost reluctantly for she knew she would only see a world that was perhaps in her hands she looked to her friends and none in the large room were merry.

Her eyes found their way to Syaoran standing away from the circle of the couch and chairs in which all sat but him. He had a look of apathy on his face and his brown hair covered his eyes from Sakura's sight. She thought he looked as though he wished to be somewhere else and Sakura felt slightly abandoned by him. She felt that it was so recently that she felt that feeling of warm closeness with him that she adored but he now felt distant and cold. She then felt the weight of eyes on her and instinctively looked to Eriol who looked onto her with care. Sakura couldn't help but smile and felt her spirits rise just a little.

"Now to current matters." Eriol said his face lousing the light that Sakura so cheerfully saw in it. His eyes became darker and Sakura felt them seeing into her as if there was nothing she could hide from him. "It has been sensed by me and I am sure others in our party the changes in the Power in this region. They have been fluctuating for some time dipping down when things seemed calm and spiking when for example a card would surface. But the changes felt in the past pale in comparison to the changes very recently. I fear very soon something significant will occur. And all we can do to prepare is wait and ever be on our guard if we are to find this agent of Salcon's will."

With this he paused and everyone was silent. After a time in which all were pondering his words the silence Tomoyo broke in her soft voce: "Eriol?" She said and he looked to the fair girl. "Do you think that. that we shouldn't go to the dance? That it may be too dangerous?"

"You are right my dear, it may be dangerous. If something were to happen there it would be disastrous. But there are none other than those in this room that could possibly avert such a happening. That is why we must go. If not to start this new chapter in our tale then to protect those who are not involved. It is not certain that something will happen but the preceding events are worrisome.

'The attack as said but also Sakura's dreams." Eriol said. Sakura shuddered as the thoughts and feelings of her most recent dream resurfaced in her mind. "Such images as described to me are not encouraging." Eriol looked toward Sakura seeming to search her over. A look of quarry came over his face and he said to Sakura: "That necklace." he was no longer addressing the group but Sakura only which wasn't like him. Sakura couldn't help but put a hand on her necklace feeling almost naked before Eriol's eyes.

"My... my necklace?" She said very confused.

Eriol regained his composure and looked away from Sakura and back at the group as a whole. He cleared his throat before continuing. "It is once again becoming late and I am sure there are preparations to be made. It is now more important than ever to stay together and in more than twos whenever possible. As I said it has served us well, but." Eriol said and Sakura thought he saw him glance at Syaoran off to the side. "Remember to abide by it." Sakura felt a cold chill run over her as the last of Eriol's word were almost malicious and most certainly daunting. Eriol continued. "Until we reconvene at the dance I would like you, Sakura and Tomoyo, to stay with Yukito and Kero." He said.

Sakura blushed slightly and nodded her head. Yukito then took her hand and looked at her kindly.

"Nakuru, you stay with Touya." He continued. He then looked from Syaoran to Meling who was sitting with Sakura, Tomoyo, Yukito and Touya. "You are fine with Syaoran, Meling." He said but not assuredly.

And with nothing more said, Eriol with Spinel at his shoulder left the room into another part of the ancient house. Sakura was curious as to why Eriol seemed to cut the meeting short. She knew he must have had his reasons and it worried her as it was unlike him and he seemed to have stopped short at the mention of her dream but then she thought again and thought it might have been at his sight of her necklace but she decided that her first theory made more sense. She felt the urge to follow after him and ask him what was wrong but she was afraid to as even though on the surface he was a dear person to her she couldn't imagine him angry and aside from acting peculiar for much of the day he also seemed to Sakura as of late just that; peculiar, if only in his way of it she thought perhaps. With what or whom he might have been angry Sakura didn't know. She then felt a hand on her shoulder and the familiar voice of, of all people, Meling. "Are you alright?"

Sakura let out a deep breath and realized she must have been holding for a while. "I think so." Sakura then saw Meling's sad eyes as sad as she had ever seen them. "Are you okay, Meling?"

"Wellll.no." She said plopping down on the couch they had been sitting on. Sakura sat down beside her.

"What is it?" Sakura asked.

"It's Li." Meling said softly without any coaxing from Sakura at all. "He's been really distant lately. And, and even though he agreed weeks ago he said he was." Meling was getting teary, "he.he's going to the dance with someone else."

Meling's words struck Sakura hard. Sakura could bear the thought of Syaoran going with Meling as she had anticipated but the thought of him with someone other than Meling whom she trusted troubled her. She suddenly felt a pressure on her chest and a lump in her throat. "W-with who?" Sakura asked but already knew the answer. Time was beginning to press and the parties departed from one another to meet again at the dance in the evening.

To be continued.