THE MAGICIAN

A/N: Since I got enough reviews to cover the fee, here's chapter three.

This chapter was fun to write; I'm sick like that, I enjoy perverting characters. And before you start shrieking madly, NO, Sakura and Yue aren't a couple, they're just very affectionate, heh heh. Unless you want them to be a couple? I dunno, you people can be weird. Since it's not a romance, I'm open to suggestions about the pairings. I can't promise I'll end up doing what you ask, but it can't hurt. I will not do any Touya/Tomoyo though, so don't bother asking. That pairing just sends shivers down my spine. I don't know why.

BTW, can you wish me luck? I have this HUGE job interview today and, like, my whole future depends on it?

Rating still PG-13

Disclaimer: Yeah! I own CCS, and I'm rich and I have a gorgeous bishounen for a boyfriend and...hits her head falling from her bed Ow! That hurt...Well, back to reality.

CHAPTER THREE

THE DARK

The living room was practically in darkness. There were a few candles scattered around; just enough so that the warm light caressed the surface of the furniture. Next to the window, his pale skin bathed half in silver moonlight and half in soft golden gleam, a dark figure laid lazily playing with the sash of his black cloak. The once pure white hair that now rivalled in darkness with the night itself was hanging lose around his body. There was a self-satisfied smile on his lips and a playfulness in his gaze some would have found completely out of place; some that hadn't been around for the past three years, that is.

His thoughts were focused on the piece of music playing on the stereo. There weren't many moments when he'd be allowed to enjoy his music of choice, but since his mistress was not around and the other guardian wouldn't dare to cross him, he was free to do as he liked.

Clow never understood Mahler, he thought and had to restrain himself from giggling at the memory.

Oh he was not a happy creature. Happiness eluded his being completely. His smile was bitter and somewhat sadistic. Joy was a stranger, yes, pleasure on the other hand...

He drew pleasure out of everything he could, making it his own personal quest to enjoy himself as much as he could. Feelings were a commodity, a luxury only a few had the strength to endure. He'd paid enough for his naivety in the past. Not anymore. His heart was as black as his garment, and he found it was the way it should have always been.

He heard the lock and reluctantly got up from his resting place, his smile widening. His mistress was home.

The girl walked in the living room after removing her boots. Her Seijou school uniform hung loosely from her body. She was wearing a velvety, black turtle neck under the wrinkled white shirt. Her tie was undone, but the silver inverted pentagram hanging from her neck diverted the attention from it. Her skirt was too short for her own good, but her legs were concealed by the black pantyhose. Her long, deep blue hair was tied tightly on a ponytail with a few strands of hair falling in front of her eyes. Her ears, as well as her fingers, were covered with gothic looking accessories that to the untrained eye would simply look like the eccentricities of a teenager with issues. He knew different though, and the energy flowing around his mistress thanks to them sent pleasant shivers down his spine.

"Sakura." he said in a husky voice, wrapping his arms around the girl's waist. With his best puppy eyes and a pout he looked at her. "You made me wait. I don't like waiting."

Yue rested his head on her shoulder, allowing her to stroke his hair like she always did. She smiled and traced a finger down his jaw line.

"I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?" Yue nodded and she went back to stroking his hair. "Where's Kero? The reason I'm late is that I've found the most interesting bit of information. I'm sure you'll feel better after I tell you both."

The sun guardian was coming down the stairs, responding to his mistress call. In the shadows he didn't look any different; it was only when the gleam of the candles reached him that it was possible to see once golden hair turned into black with crimson trails. He was still the imponent tigger, the beast that guarded the seal, but his eyes had lost their light and a set of deep crimson pools filled with sorrow had taken their place.

He solemnly took his mistress side when she sat down on an oversized black couch; a sort of private joke between them, since the piece of furniture looked remarkably like one they'd seen in another mage's house. His brother knelt at her other side, resting his head on her knees with eyes closed while he indulged himself with another round of shameless petting.

"You'll never believe who's come to Tomoeda." she said with a pleased smile. Sakura felt Yue tensing up just slightly before relaxing again under her ministrations. "It seems Eriol has decided to join the game, and he's brought a few other players along with him. I felt his presence, so I had to find out where he was. Apparently Shaoran-kun and Mitsuki-sensei thought they would join in the fun as well. They're all staying at Tomoyo's. Eriol and his party, Shaoran and Kaho. Now isn't she a nice girl? Letting all those people stay at her home with so little warning? She must be really bored," she said with the tiniest bit of spite in her voice.

"What could they want?" Yue snickered, sarcastically.

"I'm curious none of them has tried to contact me to perform another 'intervention'. I wonder what's up with that. Maybe they just started using their brains?"

Kerberos straightened himself and cleared his throat.

"Sakura, do you think they know anything? Will they try to interfere?"

"I'm sure they will, but they don't know anything, so I wouldn't worry. They really should stay out of this."

"But Sakura..." Kero started to say, showing all the concern he'd been trying in vain to conceal for three years. "Maybe...maybe you should talk to them...I don't know..."

"NO!" she yelled, rising violently from her sit. "When will you get it through your think skull, Kero! This is what I want! And you'll bow your fucking head and like it. I don't need their help!"

Kero winced and watched her storm out of the living room and up the stairs; surely to lock herself in her room to blow up some steam and don't come out until her favourite pet- namely Yue- calmed her down. The creature in question rose from the ground and stared down at him contemptibly.

"Fool." he whispered and begun to walk away.

"I'm the fool?" Kero begun, keeping all the frustration and anger from his tone. He might have hated Yue right at that moment, but only because he was easier to hate than Sakura. Yue was just a victim, he just wished he could make him see. "I know this suits you wonderfully. You believe this is best for you, but...there must be a part of you that sees this is terribly wrong. I know you!" he finished rather desperately.

Yue smirked.

"Then you know that that part of me is sleeping. That party pooper only comes out to go to work anyway. Talk to him during breakfast if it makes you feel better."

Kero looked down and shook his head. He might just do that. If Yukito couldn't talk some sense into her, or his other self, then there was nothing he could do.


Sakura slammed the door to her room as hard as she could. Her room being the one that her father had occupied, since it was bigger and provided her with inspiration, she claimed. The only item that remained from the original setting was the organ. She couldn't find it in her heart to remove it. Besides it went well with the decoration.

She sat down on the four post bed heavily, letting out a sigh. No one really understood her. How pathetically teenager-ish was that? But it wasn't true. Yue knew, he knew what she felt. She'd lost her mind without him. Not out of grief, mind you. She chuckled at the thought of grief affecting her still. No, it was simply how much she'd had to work to get to where she was now what was too much for her. Without Yue's support she wouldn't have made it.

Another chuckle escaped her lips thinking about Eriol.

"Why don't you try your little test on me now, my dear Eriol?" she whispered wistfully.

She was so close; so close to achieving what had kept her awake for so many nights. She couldn't let anyone get in the way. Even when a part of herself still held those people dear, she'd had to do whatever it took to make sure no one ruined her plans.

Not that she was truly worried about them, she thought amusedly. Clow himself would have backed away in fear if he'd been able to see how powerful she'd become.

From one of the top drawers of her nightstand came a dim glow, and the drawer opened to reveal a book. Well, not a book, the book. Sakura usually didn't pay attention to the change in her guardians. It had happened so long ago she was already used to it; but the book was something different. It had once been pink, as soon as her powers were the ones feeding it, because that's how her soul had been. Pink and light and cheerful. Now it was black, like everything around her, and she wondered if it had all changed because she'd wanted it, or because she'd been into deep with the dark side of magic to notice her soul was being bathed in the darkness.

The cards came out and circled her, stating in soft whispers that they were worried about her. Their appearance might have changed, but they still cared deeply about her. That sent a warmth to the spot where her heart was supposed to be; a feeling that had become so alien to her that made her want to cry without knowing why.

"I'm ok." she told them with a smile. "Don't worry about me, everything is working out fine." The Hope leaned forward and Sakura took the card between her fingers. She felt a pang of regret and pressed the cards to her chest. "I'm sorry." she said, wondering where it had come from.

There was a soft knock on the door. Sakura smiled, she didn't need to feel who it was to know it. She sent the cards back to the book and the book to the drawer.

"Come in, Yue."

The black haired guardian timidly poked his head inside.

"Are you alright, Sakura? Don't listen to Kerberos, he's a chicken." Sakura smiled and shook her head no, patting the space next to her on the bed. Yue made his way to her side and as soon as his back was resting on the headboard he took Sakura into his arms. "Don't be too angry with him." Yue continued softly. "He means well; he just doesn't understand."

Sakura snuggled closer to him and sighed contently.

"I'm not angry. I know this is hard on him, and yet he's stayed with me all this time."

"He loves you." Yue whispered.

They were quiet for a long time, Yue gently stroking Sakura's hair while she hummed absentmindedly. An eternity passed before Sakura lifted her gaze to look at Yue.

"What about you? Do you love me?"

Yue looked away; still, with a smile on his face. This scenery wasn't at all strange to him anymore.

"If I could, I'd love you more than anyone."

Sakura shrugged and brushed her lips lightly with his.

"At least you're honest about it."

A thought occurred to Yue, and he tightened his embrace.

"You know, Sakura, I think Kerberos was right about one thing."

"And what's that?" she said amusedly.

"You should talk to them."

"What!" she pulled away beginning to get angry. Yue smiled and put a hand to the air.

"Wait, let me explain." She kept the stern look but motioned him to continue. "I'm sure they know you have means of knowing they are back. I think if you ignore them completely they'll suspect you have something to hide. You should let them know you're aware of their presence, tell them to stay away, and then simply ignore them because you don't care. That would make more sense."

Sakura thought about it for a moment, and nodded.

"That actually sounds logical. You are the best, Yue!" she said cheerfully, leaning back towards the embrace. "And we don't have to tell Kero why we're doing it, so he'll be less worried, right?"

"Right," he answered with a smile.

And then, like so many other nights, the both surrendered to tiredness and fell asleep in each other's arms.

TBC

NIPPONGIRL (a.k.a my li'l sis): Yay! Dark Yue! Isn't he just kawaii!

KONNIE-CHAN:pokes her head from under the table Is he gone?

NIPPONGIRL: Coward.

KONNIE-CHAN: crying I'm not a coward! You're a sick, sick puppy! Though he did look hot with all that dark hair and all...

NIPPONGIRL: Do you think this is too disturbing? Maybe we should put a few teddy-bears around so readers'll be less scared?

KONNIE-CHAN: Were they teddy-bears in your dream?

NIPPONGIRL: Well, not that time, but once there were these huge killer teddy-bears that wanted to conquer the world and...

KONNIE-CHAN: I give up. Now kaijuu, hand me over the 'thank you' list.

NIPPON-GIRL:glares I'm not a kaijuu! And it's not a list really, they're just two.

KONNIE-CHAN: Oh! But two reviews in one chapter is like a LOT! Unless you're one of those people who sell their souls to the devil and get like 15 reviews per chapter! But I already tried to sell my soul and the devil said it was useless to him cries

NIPPONGIRL:patpat Don't cry, don't cry, I'm sure he didn't mean it like that...

KONNIE-CHAN:pouts You really think so? Ok, give me the engraved pinky hearts...rustle er...lemme see...

NIPPONGIRL: First goes to Avelyn lauren.

KONNIE-CHAN: Ah, yes! Though I don't know, was that a good review? It made me nervous...

NIPPONGIRL: Don't be so sensitive. One pinky heart to Avelyn! Next one goes to...Dacia.

KONNIE-CHAN: Yup, yup! Energetic youth, that one. Patience is a virtue, dear. gets an evil gleam in her eyes All in due time, mwahahahaha...

NIPPONGIRL: takes out the prescription drug for her psychotic big sister Now, don't fight me! It's for your own good!

KONNIE-CHAN: Aaaaaaaaaaahhhh! Get away from me! runs away with a mad look in her eyes