A/N: don't worry, im still alive. Repeat: I'M STILL ALIVE. I know I took forever and ever and ever to write this chapter *checks 'Updated………… 07-20-03???????' WHOA, I took FOREVER! *hangs head in shame* but I really did have a lot of homework, or I was just lazy reading fics instead of writing them. Haha, cuz I got a little tired of my fic. Ok, I'm repeating a little of the last chapter just in case u forgot what happened.

Oh yea, and I'm soo sorry to Cloud911 because I read my reviews and I was going to e-mail u but something happen and I totally forgot. -_- GOMEN NASAI!

Another thing, thank you again for all your suggestions on the story, unfortunately I didn't use many of them...except for that one about Eriol in danger and Tomoyo saves him, which was in the previous chappi, but hehe, she didn't do much…

Ok ok, I keep adding more things, but I just have to say, I was planning to do what Cloud911 said in the review, but I was too tired of setting up kiss scenes for E+T, and since so many of you were asking about the three butterflies, I decided to devote this chappi mostly to explaining them. I felt guilt reading again all those reviews asking about them and me not explaining them out yet……sorry, not too much E+T here…

Alright, now on with the story…I present a not too romantic chappi and its not the longest in the world, but one that explains the three butterflies, which a lot of you have been asking about.

I promise to try to finish this story be4 Christmas!!! I still have some time, right?

Disclaimer: the usual….I don't own Card Captor Sakura or any of the characters……blah blah

Chapter 9: Back Home

On his way to sit down next to Tomoyo, and in his exhaustion, Eriol didn't see a particularly high tree root sticking out of the ground. He tripped on it, and his arms flew in the air. But all that he caught was air, and the Clow key flew from his opened hands, and was on its way to the rushing river.

Tomoyo caught sight of all of this, and she saw a tiny golden gleam that she was sure was the Clow key, fall towards the river. It seemed to go extra slowly, as if giving them a chance to save it before it touched the water. Eriol didn't waste a moment. He was upright instantly, and ran over to the river at what rivaled the speed of light. He made a swipe at the key, but it slipped out of his hand like butter.

Tomoyo shot up from her seat on the tree, not quiet believing what she just witnessed. "Oh my god! Eriol, did I just see the Clow key fall into the water???!?!?! Please tell me I was just hallucinating!!!!!"

"KAMI-SAMA, THAT DID NOT JUST HAPPEN!!!!!"

The key disappeared from sight for a moment, before it floated to the surface and was pulled by the current down the river. The already small gleam was becoming even smaller as it floated away.

Eriol dove into the water to retrieve it, which proved not to be as easy as it looked, because is kept slipping between his fingers. "Tomoyo-chan, some help!"

But just as Tomoyo was about to jump in, something weird happened. Swirls of mauve, cerulean, and amber appeared out of nowhere and started revolving out her. Looking at Eriol, who just got back on the grass, Tomoyo saw that the same was happening to him. Then, everything went black.

What seemed like a second later, color filled Tomoyo's vision again. But everything was different; the kaleidoscope of all the different shades of green trees created by a mass of trees had become organized pink cherry blossoms dotted along down the pavement, which had transformed from green grass, and most noticeable was the atmosphere, which was light and dry instead of the island's heavy and humid one. Tomoyo wasn't on the island anymore…was she…could she…how was she…possibly back at Tomoeda? She looked around again, Eriol was beside her, and two very familiar figures and three strangers came into view. Tomoyo drank in the scene hungrily, she hadn't seen Tomoeda or Sakura and Syaoran in such a long time…

For some reason, Sakura had her staff transformed and out with some Sakura Cards, Kero and Yue were transformed and right beside her, along with Li in his Chinese fighting outfit. Nakuru and Spinel were, strangely, in their borrowed forms, looking pretty much angry. Facing them were three ladies fully clad in purple, green, and red, each looking disappointed in themselves. Along their arms were symbols of butterflies, and even without magic, Tomoyo could feel some sort of powerful aura around them.

"SAKURA! SYAORAN!" "TOMOYO! ERIOL!"

Sakura and Syaoran and Nakuru rushed towards a very dirty Tomoyo and Eriol and practically jumped on them. Well, Sakura and Nakuru did, Syaoran just gave them a hug.

Tomoyo couldn't believe it. Her eyes were beginning to fill with tears, she was BACK! Back in Tomoeda! She was home and away from the island where she almost died and so many other things happened to her. She hugged Sakura as tightly as she could. But everything was happening too fast, she couldn't keep up, what just happened?????

"Kami-sama, I can't believe you guys are back! We were so worried!" Sakura sobbed.

"Wait wait, what happened?"

"I'm sure they know!" Eriol's accusing voice cut through the reunion. He looked like he was on fire, he was smoldering, and he was glaring at the three ladies.

Syaoran looked just as pissed, "You got what you wanted and so did we, now leave this place!" he shouted at them.

The ladies clad in purple looked sadly Eriol, "We're sorry for all the trouble we caused, gomen nasai…"

Then the trio all morphed into butterflies and fly away.

"What was that all about? And why are you two in Tomoeda…what happen to the camping trip…? Kero and Yue…but Nakuru and Spinel…not Ruby Moon…" Tomoyo was still lost, and her words were articulate. Who were those people and what were they sorry for and just WHAT was going on?

"Sakura used the mirror card and made twins of all of us so no one was suspicious…those sorceress practically pulled us out of the field trip and challenged us! They call themselves The Butterflies (A/N: wow, what a big surprise! Heh heh, sorry guys, I'm not very creative right now..), and they're supposed to be some powerful group of sorceress from the East," Syaoran started to explain.

It turned out that the three ladies were the ones that took Eriol and Tomoyo to the island. They were famous and powerful sorceress from the East that had the ability to morph into butterflies, which were their special symbol. The Clow cards are very famous all throughout the world, and they had heard that there was a new mistress of the cards. To them, it was an opportunity to challenge for and gain the Clow cards because the new mistress was not as experienced. Because the reincarnate of Clow Reed was still around and he would obviously aid the new mistress, they had to remove Eriol from the picture. Syaoran wasn't much of a threat because he didn't have any of the cards. Tomoyo…well, Tomoyo would just get in the way because she was so protective of Sakura that she might get hurt and although they DID teleport Eriol and Tomoyo to an island to be stranded, they didn't want innocents to get hurt or in the way.

Eriol was enraged, "Just because of that Tomoyo and I were sent away to survive alone on an island?? That is too much, who did they think they were?? And what happened to my powers?"

They had simply plugged up his powers so he wasn't able to summon his staff, and Ruby Moon and Spinel couldn't transform to save him either. The plug couldn't last too long of course, and the trio had intended to bring Eriol back after they had battled Sakura. The reason why the plum blossom and reincarnate were sent to an island was because then they were in complete isolation, and wouldn't be able to contact anyone.

But now that The Butterflies had challenged Sakura and lost, Eriol and Tomoyo were brought back and The Butterflies had left. Everything was back to normal as if nothing had happened…except for the fact that all four of them had missed their free camping trip.

Sakura sighed. "We could always just go on our own camping trip, ne? What happened to you and Tomoyo on the island Eriol?"

Now it was Eriol's turn to explain about everything……except the kiss, of course.

After he finished, Syaoran spoke up, "I think you two should go home and get some rest, sounds like the two of you have been through a lot…and its ok to go home because the camping trip just ended and Tomoyo's mom won't get suspicious. "

All of a sudden, Tomoyo realized just how tired she really was from all the running, shock, and everything else. Her mind was suddenly slow, and her legs felt like jelly. For the second time that day, Tomoyo's world went black.

A/N: Wat does everyone think, besides the fact that I finally finally updated of course. Since this chappi was devoted to explanations, the next chappi will be devoted to E+T!! Get ready for some FLUFF!!! =) Please review, and I WILL e-mail you if anyone wants me to this time, I WILL REMEMBER TO!!!

*finally updated on: 12/20/03. ß hey look, the last time I updated was 7/20/03, precisely 5 months.