AN: A big thank you to all who reviewed the previous chapter. I'm not very good at writing fighting scenes so forgive me for that. Hope you all enjoy the story.



Turncoat
by Yami Yue

Chapter Seven : The final Battle

Sakura opened her eyes and found that she was in a large cage. Beside her Syaoran moaned and rubbed his head. To the right of their cage was another one twice the size they were in, but it was empty. Lena was standing next to it looking as though she were about to kill someone. She then turned to face Syaoran and Sakura. "Well, it seems Kerberos is more resourceful than I thought." She said. "Otherwise he would have been here to greet you." Sakura's heart soared. Kero had escaped, but the happy feeling didn't last when she realized that he would be back to rescue her and Syaoran. "I'm sure he'll be here soon. The angel must have caught up with him by now." "I'd love to stay and chat but I must prepare for your friends' arrival." She said then left the room. Sakura turned to Syaoran. "Are you alright?" she asked. "Other than this headache I'm fine." He answered. "What happened?"  "She started chanting and you were under her control." Sakura answered. "That explains the headache." Syaoran said. "Where's Yue?" "Back at the house." Sakura responded. "I hope he's alright." Lena returned a few minutes later wearing a short black tunic, carrying a large book under her arm. Around her neck was the necklace Jade had told them about. She walked over to a massive stone table in the center of the room. She looked up at the window and smiled. "It won't be long now." she thought. With a motion of her hand, the candles on the table were lit. Sakura and Syaoran watched Lena with interest as she opened the book and began flipping though the pages. A chilling smile slowly spread across her lips as she found the page she was looking for. She then left the room. Both teens looked up at the window. The full moon was high in the sky now. They'd been gone for most of the night.

Sakura frowned. "Dad and Toya must be worried sick about me." She thought. A few moments later Syaoran and Sakura felt a familiar magical energy. Yue and Kero had arrived. The guardians were no where to be seen however. "Where are they?" Sakura whispered. Syaoran closed his eyes, concentrating. "They're under the window." Syaoran answered after what seemed an eternity of silence. Sakura closed her eyes and concentrated her magic on honing in on her guardians. They were indeed waiting under the window. Lena's footsteps echoed in the hallway as she headed back toward the room. Sakura's eyes flew open. "She's probably felt their presence by now." she moaned. Lena entered the room a moment later, her arms full of jars and bottles. Tucked under one arm was a large stone bowl. She set the bottles and jars on the table, then the bowl. "The moon won't be at its peak for a while yet." She said. "I trust you'll stay quiet and not disturb me." Syaoran and Sakura didn't reply. Lena smiled at them. "Good." She said then turned and left the room. The teens listened as the sorceress' footsteps faded away. "Strange, she didn't act like she sensed them." Sakura mused. "Maybe she doesn't care." Syaoran responded. Sakura shook her head. "I doubt that. You saw how angry she was when Kero escaped." The sound of footsteps ended their conversation. At the same moment Kero's face appeared in the window. He smiled at the two teens, then looked toward the entrance of the room. The footsteps grew louder.

Sakura and Syaoran frantically tried to get Kero to duck out of sight, but his attention was focused on the entrance of the room. Jade entered the room at full speed, her long hair fell in an unruly tumble over her chest and back as she stopped and stood still. She raised her hand toward the window and it opened. Jade sank to the floor burying her face in her hands. Kero entered first. He looked to his newfound friend and then to his old friends. "Are you alright?" he asked to all three. Sakura and Syaoran nodded, Jade wept. Sakura looked to Jade, then nodded to Kero as if to tell him to comfort her. Kero sighed inwardly. If he were human he would have wrapped his arms around the crying teen and rocked her gently. Since he wasn't human he did the next best thing. Gently he rubbed his head against her shoulder. Jade turned and rapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his fur. Kero closed his eyes and leaned his head toward her. A deep, rumbling purr came from deep within him, filling the room with its sound. "I'm so sorry." Jade whispered. "This is all my fault. I should have never touched this cursed thing." "It's alright Jade." Kero said softly. "Perhaps it was your fate to rid the world of her evil." Yue said. Kero opened his eyes and saw that the moon guardian had silently climbed in through the window. Sakura smiled. "Yue has come a long way since we met." She thought. Jade stopped crying and released Kero from her embrace. "Maybe." She said softly. Jade wiped the tears from her eyes and looked over at Sakura and Syaoran.

"I can't believe I was so careless." She said as she stood. "What do you mean?" Sakura asked. "I shouldn't have fallen asleep at your house." Jade answered. "I didn't realize that I was asleep until sunset, and by then it was too late, the demon had already taken over." Kero looked at Jade in surprise. "Yes, I must share the same body with that monster." She informed him. "It's part of the curse." "I know I should have told you all before but I was afraid that you wouldn't want to help me if you knew." "It's alright Jade." Kero said. "For now we must figure out what to do next." The two guardians stepped away from the dark haired teen toward their mistress. Sakura was already at the front of the cage, her arms sticking out from in between the bars. Kero timidly approached her. Sakura didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around her friend's neck as best she could. "I was so worried about you." She said softly. "Are you alright?" Kero closed his eyes and enjoyed the feel of his mistresses' arms around him. Sakura never ceased to amaze him. He had betrayed her and yet she acted as though it had never happened. "I'll be alright Sakura." He said softly. Slowly she released him from her embrace, only then did Kero open his eyes.

Yue meanwhile was studying the cage. "There's no way to open these things from the outside." He said, then turned to Kero. "How did you get out?" "Someone opened it." Kero answered. "I don't know who she was, but she said she was a friend." "What did she look like?" Jade asked. "She had long dark hair, sapphire blue eyes, and was as tall as Yue." Kero answered. Jade's mouth opened as if to say something, but then paused as though listening. A smile spread across her face. "My sister was the one who released you Kerberos." Jade said. "She was only strong enough to help that once. Now we are both relying on all of you to help us." Jade's smile suddenly faded. "She's returning." Jade said. Kero looked at Yue who nodded. Kero looked at Sakura winked at her, then walked away from the cage. Yue followed. When Kero stopped, Yue laid down at his feet and closed his eyes. Sakura wondered what her guardians were up to. Jade stood quietly and let the transformation happen. It wasn't like the transformation at Sakura's house. This time a column of darkness surrounded her feet and rose to her head. When it vanished, Lena stood in Jade's place.

 Lena looked around at the scene before her and smiled. "Well look what the cat dragged in." She said as she walked up to Kero. "I trust this pleases you mistress." Kero said. "Yes very much." Lena responded, eyeing him cautiously. She turned her head slightly to look at the position of the moon. "Not much longer now." she turned to her captives. With a swift motion of her hand the cage holding Sakura and Syaoran vanished and they were chained to the wall along with Yue. Kero was secured to the floor by a thick metal collar and chain. "I'm sorry about the chains my pet, but I simply can't have any interruptions while I prepare for this spell." Lena said to him. Kero silently laid down. He looked down at the chains that bound his friends. With Yue at his full strength tonight he could easily break them with one of his crystals. Yue opened his eyes and looked over at Kero. The sun guardian glanced at the chains then at Yue's hands. The moon guardian got the idea. Yue closed his eyes again and waited. Lena paid no attention to her prisoners she was busy mixing ingredients for the spell.

It was an nearly an hour later when everything was done. The sorceress again looked up at the brilliant full moon from the window. The full moon was minutes away from its peak. Lena looked over at Kero. "I think I'll take care of you first." she said and began chanting words that were in a language unknown to him. Kero's eyes began to glow red as the spell took effect. "It's only temporary I assure you." Lena said as the chains that bound the sun guardian vanished. "...but it should keep you in line until I'm ready for a more permanent spell." tears ran down Sakura's cheeks. If they didn't stop her now her magic and three, no four of her friends would be lost forever. Sakura looked at Yue. Her deep green eyes locked onto his silvery blue ones. "Now who shall I take first?" Lena asked herself as she looked over her three prisoners.

 "Now!" Sakura called to Yue. At her command the moon guardian shot his crystals towards Sakura's chains. In a heartbeat she was free. Immediately her pendant became a staff and the windy card came to her hand "Windy form a barrier between us and our enemy!" she commanded. The sprit of the windy card created a fierce wind, forcing Lena to back up a few steps. Yue made short work of Syaoran's chains and then his own. Sakura called back the windy card and pulled the light card from her pocket. Before she could call it however she was pinned to the ground by Kero. "Element lightning!" Syaoran called out as he touched his sword to his own card. "Come to my aid!" bolts of lightning fell around Kero and Sakura. Kero turned to look at Syaoran and roared. A ball of fire then flew from the sun guardian's mouth aimed at Syaoran. while distracted Yue rammed into Kero knocking him off Sakura. Syaoran dodged Kero's attack and aimed one at Lena. Lena managed to dodge the lightning bolts and hurled a dark orb of energy at the amber eyed teen. "Light card blind Lena with a flash of light!" Sakura commanded. The sprit of the light card did exactly as she commanded. "Shot card destroy the pendant." as the shot card went to do it's work Kero was battling Yue. Kero hurled a fireball at Yue but it missed and hit Lena's spellbook. The shot card bounced off the shield protecting the necklace as Lena regained her sight. She screamed in horror at seeing her book in flames.

 Syaoran dodged Lena's attack and attacked Kero this time so that the moon guardian could have a chance at hitting the necklace. The guardian beast turned and faced Syaoran. His glowing red eyes were focused solely on him. "Forget him." Lena yelled as she moved to dodge Yue's attack. "Get the girl." As swift as lightning Kero ran toward Sakura. Syaoran ran to help her. "I'll handle him." Sakura called. "You help Yue." reluctantly the amber eyed teen obeyed. He didn't agree with Sakura on this one but in times past she had proven him wrong. He hoped this would be another. Kero's loud roar rang in Sakura's ears as he leapt upon her. She fell to the ground with a thud, holding her staff out in front of her to help keep him at bay. Using her legs she flipped the massive lion off of her, then scrambled to her feet. Kero turned and slashed at her with his razor sharp claws, catching Sakura by surprise. She knew it would be no use trying to talk to him. The spell seemed to have blocked out his more reasonable side. Carefully she fought him off for what seemed eternity, avoiding his sharp claws and fire powers as best she could. Sakura knew she couldn't keep it up forever and sooner or later he would get her.

Frustrated and angry, Kero leapt into the air. Sakura ducked but couldn't move fast enough when he turned and leapt at her again. She fell to the floor with Kero's weight effectively pinning her down. Her staff flew from her hand sliding across the room. A menacing lion's roar filled her ears and her eyes filled with horror to see one of Kero's massive paws raised to strike, his razor sharp claws extended. His glowing red eyes were locked directly on her wide, green ones as he brought his paw downward. Sakura watched in horror as those sharp claws came ever closer to her. To the mistress of the star cards it seemed as though the moment would last an eternity. Then suddenly the paw stopped in its movement. Sakura's eyes strayed to her attacker's she was pleasantly surprised to see Kero's familiar golden eyes looking back at her. He sprang back as though he had been burned. Without a word he turned and ran to where Syaoran and Yue were fighting Lena. Syaoran and Yue attacked at the same time as they struggled to move out of the path of her attack. Kero made his way behind her and let loose one of his fiery attacks. "Firey, give Kero a hand." Sakura commanded. Lena screamed as she was hit by Kero's attack. She whirled to face him, which proved to be a mistake. In a heartbeat he was upon her, pinning her underneath him as they fell to the floor. Kero roared in anger as he stared down at her, looking more like a beast then the gentle creature his friends knew.

With a swipe of his paw he severed the cord holding the necklace around her neck and sent it flying. Sakura recalled fiery. The shot card saw its target and headed strait for it. Yue carefully aimed his crystals at the eye pendant. Syaoran called forth his lightning magic to help as well. Kero growled at Lena then quickly turned his head and let loose a fiery blast to help the others. The full moon reached its peak, as the eye of darkness was bombarded with the attacks. Its shield gave way and the eye of darkness was shattered. Lena let out a shriek as a black cloud rose from the center of the pendant. As it faded, two figures could be seen. "You did it!" Jade cried happily as the cloud disappeared to reveal her standing by a taller version of herself. "It isn't over yet little sister." the taller one said as she stepped toward Kero. "Thank you guardian." she said. "I can take it from here." Kero released Lena and stepped back a few paces. With a wave of her hand the woman bound the sorceress in chains. Softly she began to speak. A blinding light surrounded Lena. The sorceress screamed and when the light faded she was gone. "What did you do to her?" Syaoran asked. "I have imprisoned her in her own talisman." the woman said. "It is very late. You should all go now and get some rest." "What about you?" Sakura asked. "Where will you go?" Jade smiled. "We'll be fine now." she said as the woman began to fade. "We must now share one body since it was Natsumi's sprit trapped in bondage." she explained. "We're like you Yue. Two different people but one body." "How'd you know about that?" Yue asked. In the blink of an eye Jade had become Natsumi. "I know many things moon angel." she said with a smile. "For now I think you should follow my sister's advice. Sunrise isn't far away." Sakura's eyes grew wide. "Sunrise? Oh man Dad and Toya are gonna kill me." Sakura moaned. "Don't worry. We've taken care of it." Natsumi said. Sakura started to ask what she meant but decided to forget it. All she wanted at the moment was a nice soft bed. "Let's get out of here." Sakura said. "Follow me I'll show you the way." Natsumi said. Sakura and Syaoran were right behind her, followed by Yue, Kero lagged behind.

In no time the group had made it out onto the street. "Goodbye my friends. I cannot thank you enough for what you have done for us." Sakura just smiled. Natsumi then became Jade once more. Jade thanked them as well and each member of the group received a gentle hug. "Will we see you again?" Sakura asked. "Of course you will." Jade replied with a smile. "Now go and get some rest." With that the girl walked away vanishing into the night. Syaoran then bid Sakura and her guardians good night and headed home. "Yue would you mind carrying me home. I don't think I can fly on my own tonight." "I don't mind at all." Yue answered. As she walked toward Yue, Sakura noticed that Kero hadn't moved from his spot. His wings were not present either. "Are you alright Kero?" Sakura asked. "You're not hurt are you?" Kero barely lifted his eyes to meet hers. "What's wrong?" Sakura asked him. "I should be the one asking you if you're hurt." Kero said softly, speaking for the first time since they had left Lena's home. "Nothing that a few Band-Aids won't cure." Sakura assured him. "I don't think they make one big enough for that one." he said nodding to the scratch across her midsection. "It will heal." Sakura said. "Don't worry about it." "Come on let's get home so we can get some rest." "I'm not going." Kero said. "What!" Sakura exclaimed. "What do you mean you're not going?" "I've caused you enough trouble already." Kero said. " Twice I turned against you. What's to stop me from doing it again?" "So you would abandon your mistress altogether?" Yue asked. Kero shook his head. "No. I'll still watch over her but from a distance." Kero answered. He then brought his head up and looked Sakura in the eye. "Sakura you're more than just my mistress, you're my best friend." he said. "You also know that I love you and I would never want to hurt you." He then bowed his head again and looked away. "I don't want this to happen again."

He then turned and slowly began to walk away. Sakura couldn't believe what she was hearing. Kero didn't want to stay with her anymore. She figured he'd be ashamed of his actions while under Lena's spell but never expected him to react like this. There was no way she was letting him go out on his own. He needed her as much as she needed him. "Kerberos, turn around this instant and look at me!" Sakura commanded. Kero stopped in his tracks, surprised to hear his friend speak so sharply to him. He turned around to face her. Sakura got down on her knees and held out her arms wide as if to welcome him with a great hug. Timidly Kero approached her. Once again he closed his eyes as he felt her arms around him. "Come home." she whispered in his ear. Kero opened his eyes. "You're not angry with me?" he asked. "Of course not." Sakura answered. "I know you would never hurt me willingly." she said. "You're my friend and much too dear to me for me to let you go wandering off on your own." Kero leaned into her embrace.

 "Let's go home. You need your rest as much as I do." Yue then kneeled beside them both. "Listen to her Kerberos." Kero's gaze shifted to the moon guardian. He actually looked concerned. Kero then looked into Sakura's eyes. The sun guardian sighed and laid his head against his mistress' shoulder. "Alright, you win." he said softly. Let's go home. "Sakura hugged him again and deep rumbling purr echoed from his chest. "What you did doesn't matter now. You helped when it was needed most. That's what counts." She said. "I'm just glad to heave you back." Kero opened his eyes as Sakura released him from her embrace. Yue scooped Sakura up in his arms. Kero willed his wings to appear and followed them up into the sky.

Upon arriving at Sakura's home, Yue laid their sleeping mistress on her bed and Kero laid down on the floor and closed his eyes. "You know, she's not the only one glad to see you home." Yue said. Kero sleepily opened one of his eyes. "Are you saying you're glad to have me back too?" he asked. Yue nodded. "Of course. Who else would I argue with all the time?" he teased. Kero opened both eyes, at the moon guardian's reply. Yue smiled at him, a genuine one that reached his eyes. "Besides neither one of us can protect Sakura alone." With that Yue climbed out the window and flew off into the night.


The End

Well that's it for Turncoat dear readers I hope you enjoyed it.  Thank you for reading my fic.

- Yami Yue