For those of you who are familiar only with the English names ( I was once) Here's a handy guide.

Li  = Syaoran

Tori = Toya

Yukito (Yuki) = Julian


Turncoat
by Yami Yue

Chapter Two: Kero's Illness

Sakura found it difficult to concentrate on anything the teachers were saying. Syaoran noticed her lack of attention , so when the bell rang signaling the end of the school day, he decided to find out exactly what was bothering her. He tapped her on the shoulder. "Can we study at your house?" he asked, deciding to wait until the class had emptied before asking the real question on his mind. "Even with the review today I still don't think I'm ready for the final." Sakura nodded. "Is something wrong Sakura?" he asked, lowering his voice. "You haven't exactly been yourself today." Sakura sighed. "I'll tell you on the way." she said as they left the classroom. As the walked toward Sakura's home she told him about Kero's dream. Syaoran listened intently as she talked. "He's been so quiet since yesterday, I think it's bothering him more than he wants me to know. I've never seen him this withdrawn before." she finished. Syaoran spotted the grocery store and an idea came to mind. "We could try to cheer him up a little." he suggested. "That store does have a bakery inside right?" he added nodding toward the grocery store. Sakura nodded then smiled. "Good idea, but we'd better be careful how much we get." she agreed. "I don't want a sugar high Kero on my hands." Syaoran smiled at the mental image of a overly hyper Kero. "I think I know just what we should get." he said as a girl passed by just out of earshot. Sakura and Syaoran could feel a magical energy coming from her, and looked to see where it was coming from. They spotted the girl nearby. Her dark brown blew in the breeze as she turned to look at them. Her almond shaped eyes were the color of jade. Though she was the same age as Sakura and Syaoran, there was a presence about her that made her seem older. The mysterious young woman stopped and smiled at them, then continued on her way. "Do you know her?" Syaoran asked. "No." Sakura answered. "I've never seen her before." "Me either." Syaoran said.

They arrived at Sakura's home twenty minutes later, each with a small paper bag in their hand, and Syaoran carried a bag of groceries in his arms. "Kero." Sakura called as she and Syaoran entered the house. The guardian beast was down the stairs within moments. "How was your day?" he asked. "Not bad." Sakura replied. Kero then turned his attention to Syaoran. "Hey Syaoran, What's in the bag?" he asked. Syaoran smiled. "Something I think you might be interested in." the amber eyed teen replied as he opened the bag. Kero looked at him curiously. "See for yourself." Syaoran added as he opened the bag wide enough so that Kero could peer in." Kero's expression of confusion quickly became one of delight when he saw it was pudding. "Pudding!" he exclaimed. "Thanks Syaoran." Syaoran's smile widened at the gleeful expression on Kero's face. Whatever he'd been worried about had definitely vanished from his thoughts for the moment. Sakura cleared her throat returning Kero's attention to her. "Syaoran's not the only one thinking of you today." she said as she reached into her bag and produced a second pudding cup. "Thanks Sakura." Kero cried as he tried to take both cups into his little paws. Sakura laughed and took the bag of groceries from Syaoran. "You two go into the living room I'll bring some tea and a spoon." she said. Syaoran took her backpack from her and went into the living room with Kero. Sakura joined them a few minutes later with tea for her and Syaoran and a spoon for Kero. The guardian beast was soon acting like himself again. Sakura gave Syaoran a grateful smile before the two of them began studying for their finals.

The next day when Sakura returned home from school Kero was watching t.v. "Hey champ how'd finals go?" Kero greeted. "Good, I think I even did well on my math test." Sakura responded. "That's great." Kero said as Sakura joined him on the couch. Suddenly, a wave of pain hit Kero like a ton of bricks. He yelped in pain and began rubbing his head with his paws. He could feel the headache spread as it got worse. "What's wrong?" Sakura asked, watching her guardian with uneasy eyes. "my head." he answered. "It hurts." The pain began to subside until it was nothing more than a dull ache. Kero noticed Sakura's worried expression. "I'm alright now." He assured her with a smile. "Are you sure you're alright?" she asked. "Yes. I ah…" his answer was cut off by another wave of pain. In a heartbeat it was gone. Kero looked to his mistress in confusion. Kero's headache came and went, each time coming back more fierce and painful. Despite all her efforts, Sakura was unable to soothe his pain. "Kero, maybe I should put you to bed." Sakura suggested after a particularly nasty headache had faded away. "I think that might be a good idea." Kero replied weakly and closed his eyes. Gently, Sakura picked up her small guardian and took him up to her room. She laid him in his bed and watched him sleep for a few moments before returning downstairs. Sakura sat down on the couch and put her head in her hands. She sighed as she listened for any sounds coming from upstairs. The house was silent. "Some mistress of the cards I turned out to be." she thought. "I can't even cure a simple headache." Her thoughts were broken by the sound of someone approaching the door. Sakura got up and looked out the window. Yukito, her brother's best friend and Yue's borrowed form was coming up the walk. She opened the door, to Yuki's surprise. He saw her face and instantly forgot to ask how she had known he was there. "What are you doing here?" Sakura asked as she moved aside to let him in. "I came to study with Toya for our test." Yuki answered as he entered the house. "He's not here yet." Sakura said as she closed the door. "What's wrong Sakura?" Yukito asked. "You look worried." Before she could answer, her friend's eyes closed and a pair of snow white wings folded around him. With a flash of light the wings returned and in his place was Yue. A low moan came from upstairs. Yue's cat like eyes looked toward the stairs. "That's what's wrong." Sakura said heading for the stairs. "Kero has a headache that just keeps getting worse." Yue silently followed. Something felt wrong here, but he wasn't sure what.

Kero had managed to climb out of the drawer his bed was in and was lying on the floor, his face contorted in pain. His low moans had suddenly become howls of pain. As soon as Sakura entered the room the drawer she kept the star cards in flew open and the cards emerged as violently as they had the day she released them. They swirled around her as if they knew what was going on. Yue entered in the midst of the chaos. His normally calm and cool expression melted the moment he set eyes on his "brother" lying on the floor writhing in pain. "Restrain him." Sakura said to the angelic moon guardian. "I can put him to sleep with the sleep card." She continued. "It might ease his pain." Yue nodded and wordlessly stepped around her. As Sakura said the familiar incantation to transform her star key into a staff, Yue reached to pick Kero up. Suddenly, the tiny wings on his back began to grow longer and larger. They folded around the tiny guardian enveloping him a feathery cocoon. "Oh great." Sakura muttered. "..as if little Kero with a headache wasn't bad enough." The wings unfolded and grew smaller, revealing Kero's true form. The great lion fell to the floor, tears falling from his golden eyes. His vision was blurred, and his mind dulled by the pain. Yue moved into his field of vision. Kerberos couldn't see him clearly. "An angel?" he rasped. Yue slowly moved toward Kerberos, cautious of the sun guardian's weapons. "No." Yue said. "It's me Kerberos. It's Yue." Kero's eyes widened in fear. It wasn't Yue he was seeing now. Kero saw an angel, but not just any angel, the angel of death. "S..sa…Sakura." he stammered. "Sakura!" "I'm right here Kero." Sakura said stepping from behind Yue. "Help me.." Kero pleaded as he backed away from Yue. Sakura swallowed hard. "What has you so frightened?" Yue asked, his normally cool expression now one of worry. Kerberos looked around as though he was trying to figure out where Yue's voice was coming from. Cautiously Sakura stepped toward the sun guardian. "Kero what's scaring you?" she asked gently. His eyes weren't focused on her now, they were focused on the false angel of death. The pain shot through him again and he screamed and collapsed to the floor. His vision became cloudy and red haze covered all he saw. Yue bent low to whisper something to Sakura, but in his pain induced hallucination Kerberos saw the angel of death leaning towards his mistress as if he were going to take her instead. With a surge of energy he didn't know he still had in him, Kero stood to his feet and leapt upon Yue. The moon guardian had no time to react, in a heartbeat the massive lion's body of Kerberos was on him, effectively pinning him to the floor. Sakura didn't hesitate to act. She tossed the sleep card in the air and touched it with her wand. "Sleep!" she called. A flash of light enveloped the room and the tiny spirit of the sleep card worked it's magic. Sakura watched her guardians anxiously. At first she was afraid it hadn't worked, but then she noticed Kero's powerful muscles began to relax and within moments his eyes began to close. Finally Kero fell asleep, collapsing upon Yue. "Can you lay him on my bed?" Sakura asked. "Yes." Yue replied as he gently rolled Kero off of him. "I have never seen him like this." He added as he stood to his feet. "It was as if he were terrified of me." "Are you alright?" Sakura asked as Yue lifted Kero and placed him on her bed. "Yes." Yue replied. Sakura's staff returned to it's former shape and she returned the cards to the book. Sakura sighed as she closed the drawer. She stood for a moment watching Kero sleep. "Do you mind telling me what that was all about?" Yue asked quietly. Sakura turned to look at him. "Come on downstairs." She responded. "I'll tell you everything I know." Yue silently followed Sakura out of the room. As Sakura turned out the lights, she took one last look at her sleeping friend.

Kero opened his eyes and looked around. It only took a moment for him to realize he was in Sakura's room. The pain in his head was gone now and he was relieved. He thought for sure that it would have killed him. Kerberos tensed as he sensed another magical presence. Quickly, he climbed off Sakura's bed and padded out of the room, his large paws making no sound as he walked down the stairs. Though alert, his mind was still fogged with sleep. He had forgotten that Yue was there. At the moment, the moon guardian was in the kitchen with Sakura watching her cook. Kero walked through the living room towards the kitchen. He tensed when he saw the shadow on the wall. The shadow of an angel. Yue turned his head to look into the living room from where he was standing. He could sense Kerberos was closer. Yue went to the entrance of the kitchen. Kero froze when he saw him, at first glance thinking he was the death angel he'd seen before falling asleep, but that thought vanished as he took in the long white hair and those silvery blue cat's eyes. "How are you feeling?" Yue asked, his normally cool tone was now one of concern. Kero smiled at him. "Much better thank you." Kero replied, but couldn't resist teasing his "brother" "Don't tell me the ice king was worried about me?" he added teasingly. A hint of a smile formed on Yue's lips. "You're too soft as always." The moon guardian replied, then turned and went back into the kitchen. Kero chuckled and entered behind him. "And you're as cynical as always." He responded. Sakura looked over her shoulder as both of her guardians entered the kitchen. "How's your head?" Sakura asked. "Fine." Kero answered, as he sniffed the air. "That soup of yours smells good." He hinted. Sakura smiled. "It won't be ready for a few more minutes." She replied. "I think I'll get some fresh air while I wait." Kero said, turning his head to look at Yue, silently asking him to come. Yue took the hint. "I'll go with him just in case." Yue said. "Alright, just don't stay outside too long." Sakura said. The two guardians stood outside. For a few moments neither spoke. "Promise me something." Kero said. "Of course." Yue responded. "Promise me that if something happens to me you'll take care of Sakura?" Kero asked. Yue nodded. "Are you sure you're alright?" Yue asked. "Yes." Kero answered. "For now." "Earlier you were very frightened of something, what was it?" Yue asked. Kerberos cocked his head to the side, trying to figure out what he was talking about. "When Sakura and I found you upstairs you backed away from me as though you were afraid." Yue prompted. "I must have been seeing things." Kero confessed. "…but at the moment I don't remember what it was I saw." Yue nodded. "Perhaps Yukito should stay the night, just in case." He suggested. Kero nodded in agreement, then stepped closer to Yue and laid his large head against one of the moon guardian's legs. "Thank you." Kero said. Puzzled by his 'brother's" show of affection toward him. Yue didn't respond. Kero smiled at Yue's puzzled expression. "I think we should go back inside before Sakura comes after us." Kero said as he turned to go back inside. Yue silently followed wondering what was going through the sun guardian's mind.
Neither of them realized that they were being watched.



To Be Continued . . .