Hehe.  So you are all confused bout the girl.  Good.  That's the idea.  She will appear constantly now.  She's important.  Once you figure out the puzzle you can say you figured it out but you can't say who.  Cause not everyone will.

Well here we go.

***

A man ran across the park.  His movements seemed clumsy and uneven.  Almost ape like. 

Sakura watched from the swings curiously.  She was meeting everyone here for a picnic and she had been early for once.

"What's going on?"  She asked herself watching the man go up to a woman and display what seemed like a primitive mating dance.

She saw a little poodle scavenging for food.  Following a pack of bigger dogs down the street.  Something was terribly wrong.  Everyone was acting strange. 

She saw Eriol run up to her almost out of breath.  As if he'd been running from something.

"Eriol what's wrong?"  She asked getting up from her swing.

"Tomoyo.  Chasing.  Acting strange.  Acting very primal."  He gasped out.

"Yeah.  Everyone around us is."

"No you don't understand.  She's got this outfit in her arm and she's dressed in oh man."

At that moment Tomoyo came dressed in what looked like a bikini top and a very short wrap.  Eriol began to blush and sure enough Tomoyo had something in her arm that looked like a guy's outfit.

In her other hand she held a camera.  Her very favorite and Sakura's most dreaded.

"Oh no.  Sakura.  Run."  They both started to run from her as she ran after them.  She kept screaming about kawaii moments and getting it all on tape.

"Do you have any idea what's going on?"  Sakura asked as they ran down the street.

They looked around.  Everyone was doing what seemed most natural to them.  Some people were acting very primal.  Others seemed focused on one particular thing.  It was as if they were doing what came instinctively to them.

"I don't know Sakura.  Maybe we should go to your place."

They raced to Sakura's house and were shocked to see Touya guarding the door.

"Sakura.  Get away from that boy.  You're coming inside."  He said in a gruff voice. 

"Touya its Eriol.  What's wrong with you?"  Sakura asked her brother.  He just grabbed her arm and led her inside.  Eriol saw Tomoyo coming in the distance and he raced to the side of the house and started climbing up to Sakura's window.

"This isn't exactly how I'd planned my day."  Eriol grumbled.

"Touya let me out.  I demand you to let me out right now."  Sakura screamed form her room.  Touya had locked her in taking the key.

Tap tap tap.  Sakura looked over to the window and saw Eriol handing on her ledge.

She opened it and he scurried in just in time.  Tomoyo had just come into plane sight and she didn't look pleased.

"What are we doing to do?"

"Hey Sakura.  What's going on?"  Kero said from his drawer.

"Oh Kero Something strange is happening.  Everyone is acting so weird."

"Hmm.  Like your brother stalking the whole house convinced someone is out to grab you and was calling your name for about an hour?"

"He what?"

"Yeah.  He was acting all body guard like."

"This is not good."  Eriol said pacing the room calmly.  "Everyone seems to be acting purely on instincts."

"It's got to be a card."  Sakura blurted.  "I can feel it.  Can't you?"

"Barely.  Sakura these cards are only for you to capture.  Only you and my descendent can feel them."

"Why?"  Sakura asked.

"I don't know.  It's like they were drawn to only your aura.  No one else's."

"So you can't help me?"

"I'm sorry Sakura.  There is only so much I can do.  If they had been open magically then yes I could but they are only drawn to you."

Sakura stood there for a moment letting it sink in.  She was alone in this.  Just like her dream said.  Only herself and Syaoran could defeat this.

A fear grew inside her stomach.  She'd always had some form of help from her friends.  Syaoran had always been near when she'd been in trouble and now she was all alone. 

A warm green aura consumed her for a moment as if someone was hugging her.  Syaoran.

No she wasn't really alone.  She never was.  He was always by her side.  They would beat this together.  They'd both been training and they would defeat this just like they did the other card.

***

"She seems confident."  Bahul said looking at the mirror in his mistress's room.  They had spent most of their time there attending to the wounded Anuradha.  He looked over at his mistress and watching her re-bandage one of the wounds.  "Have you found anything in the books?"

"Nothing.  I haven't found a single thing on this Ilo.  Only information about what we already are."

After stealing the books he wondered if they'd find anything but maybe no one really knew except for Elsu.

"Have you asked the master?"

"I wouldn't even dare.  He won't tell even if he knew.  Which I am absolutely sure he does I doubt he'd tell us."

There was a long silence between them.  Anuradha struggled in her sleep a little and Bahul looked up at his mistress. 

"What do you remember?"

She looked back into his eyes.  She didn't have to ask him what he meant.  She sighed and sat at the end of the bed looking up at her bed's canopy.

"I remember my mother more than my father.  She was part human.  I remember that.  I remember her eyes.  When I was a baby.  Before my wings grew.  My father used to say something.  I don't know what it was.  It was in a language lost to anyone."

"What is that?"  Bahul was younger than his mistress and he had never known his family.  Nisha had been the only one who had any contact with hers.

"The language of angels."  She said with a half grin.  "They have legends.  About how fallen angels taught demons how to speak their old language.  I think my father was one of them."

"What was he?"  They had never spoken of this.  In the eons they had existed they had always agreed never to bring them up.  Things seemed so complicated though.  Even for them.  It felt right.

"I don't know.  Never found out.  He died and Elsu took me in.  My mother left after.  Well actually she was tortured and murdered.  They say she was a traitor.  She tried to help humans.  They were probably right.  The bitch always took to her human side better."

"At least you knew your." 

"You got the better deal."  Nisha stood up and walked out of the room and walked down the hall.  Her human side ached.  Her demon side roared and something deep within her cried out to be released!  She suppressed it deeper inside her.

She had bigger things to do.

"I think it's time to make things more interesting for the card captors."  'It will keep my busy.'

Vanishing into the darkness of the gates she watched as the guardian demons kept guard.  Two immense beasts that looked like creatures from Greek myth stood guard as she walked through into the mortal realm.

Focusing her aura on China she found herself in the middle of a food market.  Hong Kong.  She dressed in a Chinese dress with small symbols on the side.  Her hair tied back into a very long ponytail and next to her a bicycle. 

'No need to make more of a scene that I just did."  She said with a child like giggle watching the children stare at her in awe.

She gave them a little wave and a smile and rode off to the Li mansion.

It took a while to get there because it was so busy but she wasn't interested in that.  She enjoyed a few things of the mortal realm and this was one of them.  Riding.  Didn't matter if it was horses bicycles or motorbikes she liked riding.

She got to the corner of the mansion and saw very big park with a cliff.  She raced up there on the bicycle and reached the cliff's peak.  She called out her staff

"Ancient powers hear my call.

Bring forth the darkness of this world.

Wind, water, fire and earth.

Hear your mistress's call.

I order you.  Release."

Her staff appeared and she bought out the remaining cards.  One had been captured and one was on the loose.  That meant there were eight left. 

I know exactly which one to choose."  She whispered and called forth the card.  "TRANSFORM."

The card appeared in her hand.  The others hid themselves back in the pouch.  She looked it over.  It was a man with a mask covering him.  The transform card was used to bring out the inner self.  The side that watched you from inside.

The card had white and black eyes and its mask was different shades representing sadness, happiness, anger and joy.

"I command you to release yourself.  Do your bidding in this city.  Show them the truth about themselves."  The card bowed and it disappeared.  Nisha smiled and started to ride towards the ocean.

Japan was now surrounded by instinct and Transform was now ruling Hong Kong.  They couldn't rely on each other now.  They had their own battle to face.

***

Syaoran sat in his room looking at the mirror.  He snapped his head open when he felt a strong force from outside.  He raced towards the window but saw nothing.  If he'd stayed a second longer at his mirror he might have seen the card float through it.

"Weird."  He muttered and went back to his chair.  He had a strong feeling something was happening in Japan.  Hell.  Sakura had even told him through their bond. 

Another card.  This one making everyone acts instinctive.  That could mean a lot of trouble.  Most people had weird instincts that were pretty harmless.  There were people who had very dangerous instincts.  Like the urge to kill.

He tried to convince his mom to let him go but she insisted that she had a feeling sakura would have to do this one on her own.  Especially since she was getting a very strong feeling that something was going to happen here.  That he would be needed.

His amber eyes closed for a moment as he tried to concentrate on Japan but there was something very strong coming from the mansion.  He opened his eyes slowly and looked around his room.  It wasn't coming from there.

He frowned.  This aura it wasn't human.  A CARD!

He raced out of the room and saw his sister.  She looked very happy and giddy but for a split second a mask arose from her face and Syaoran saw sadness and doubt.  The image left and he saw his normal hyper sister.

"Xie Fa?  What's wrong?" He asked her.  She looked at him puzzled and her eyes held slight panic.

"Why would anything be wrong little brother?"  She said happily. 

"Don't lie to me sister."  He said formally.  "Something is wrong."

"I have no idea what you're talking about.  I have to go though." 

Before he could say anything else to her she ran off.  There was something definitely wrong.  He could see it in her.  He decided to go ask his sisters.

"Little brother don't you know?"  Fan Ran said sitting in one of the smaller dinning rooms.  "Xie Fa was seeing this guy but he dumped her only a few days ago.  Now she's trying to act like nothing is wrong."

"How do you know?"  He asked

His three sisters grinned and together said.  "Woman's intuition."

Suddenly feeling very tired he walked back to his own room.  He lay down on his bed and sighed.  What was going on?  What kind of card was this?  Why did he still feel so tired?

He closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

***

"Been waiting for you."  A deep masculine voice said from a large rock.  Syaoran looked around and found himself in a desert.  He'd been there before.  Many times when he and Sakura didn't meet but he'd never seen anyone else.

"Who are you?"  Syaoran asked defensively.  "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here looking for you."  He said jumping off the rock. 

"You didn't answer my first question.  Who are you?"

"Who I am is of no importance.  Not right now.  I could give you a thousand names to who I was and still you would be at the same place."

"What are you talking about?"  Syaoran had already drawn his sword.  The stranger looked amused.  His blond shoulder length hair swayed in the wind.

"Take a drive with me.  I can explain on the way."  Syaoran was about to point out that there were no cars when a black station wagon appeared in front of them.

"Impressive."

"You get practice."  He said with a smile.  "When you've been around here long enough.  Come on."

They got into the station wagon and the blond man started to drive towards a road Syaoran had never seen.

"Where are you taking me?"

"To the town."  He looked at the Chinese boy for a moment and grinned.  "You're stronger than I thought you'd be."

"What?"

"You're stronger than what I would have thought."

"Glad I could please you."  Syaoran said sarcastically, crossing his arms.

"No.  Don't take it that way.  I meant it as a compliment.  You're a powerful guy.  You're going to need to be powerful for everything you're going to go through."

"Like what?"

"Like that card you're sensing.  It's around your house isn't it?"

"How did you know?"  He said suspiciously.  "How do I know you're not the card?"

"You wouldn't have gotten in the car if I was.  How I know? Lets just say I've been around."

"So you here to talk about he cards with me?"

"Nope.  I'm more here for moral support.  I know about your dreams Xiao Lang.  When she's taken by the darkness.  I know you've had them constantly and you've been able to hide them from her."

"Yeah so?"  Syaoran looked away.  "They're just dreams."

"They're not just dreams.  Listen kid.  You're going to have to be very strong.  It won't be easy to prevent that dream from coming true.  You've got the gift.  You and the cherry blossom were blessed and cursed with that gift."

"What are you talking about?"

"Lets get some pie."  He said.  Syaoran looked around and saw they were in a gas station.  "I love apple pie."

They walked into the diner next to the gas station and sat down.  The blond made the orders as if he'd known what Syaoran had wanted and the pretty waitress smiled at them and walked away.

"How is all this possible?"

"Lots of people are so fixed on reality that they dream it.  You're a logical kind of guy.  You like the desert where it's private.  Arizona desert seemed the best pace to find you.

"What do you want form me?"

"Look kid.  I'm not going to bullshit with you.  I'm here for moral support.  You're probably asking why.  You're up against something a lot stronger than what you believe.  It's after something.  Can't tell you what.  I can only tell you that you have the fight of your entire existence ahead of you.

"That's why you're here?  To tell me of my appending doom?"

"No Xiao Lang.  I'm here to tell you that you've got to be ready.  There is more at stake here than just you and your lover.  Existence itself is on the line.  This whole war thing isn't about good and evil.  It's not about winning of loosing.  It's about power Xiao Lang.  Immense power you don't even realize is real but everyday people have their hand at controlling fate.  Some succeed and some don't."

"So why did you come to me?"

"Because I saw you when you were born Xiao Lang.  I was there you were placed into this world and I swore to myself I'd protect you." 

"So what are you my guardian angel or something?"

"No.  That's someone else.  Maybe you'll meet him someday.  Listen Xiao Lang everyone has an essence.  It's split in two.  Masculine energy and feminine energy.  You and your cherry blossom are soul mates.  I suppose you already know that though.  I saw the day your soul was born."

"So.  What does that make you my father?"

His eyes were clear for a moment and Syaoran saw purity in this guy that made him cower.

"I'm not your dad kid.  God's know I wish I had the chance.  In your first life your mother was someone I cared for very deeply.  No one knows about her except some people.  You were born and I raised you as if you were my own.  Till I had to leave."

"So who are you?"  Syaoran was so confused now.  The girl came back with their pie and the blond smiled.

"Like I said it don't' matter now."  The blond smiled sadly.  "If you need to call me by anything I go by Luke."

"Luke?"

"Yeah.  Eat your pie kid.  That card is gonna get drift that your onto it soon.  Might as well have something good to eat."

"Pie isn't good for you." 

"Yeah but you don't have to believe that here."

***

Sakura stood in the park facing what looked like a primitive warrior from cave man-days.  It was a woman.  She was black and white and had bone weapons. 

Sakura stood facing her.  She'd been looking for the card for hours now.  These cards worked quickly and she could sense another card through her bond with her soul mate.  Two cards at once.  Syaoran would have to deal with that one.  So she was all alone.

Eriol was busy keeping bystanders at bay with shield magic.  Even Tomoyo was one of them.  The closer they got to the card the stronger their instincts became. 

Eriol's powers were strong but the card was aiming a vast amount of energy his way and as strong as he was he was slowly slipping.  Sakura didn't have much time. 

"These cards don't care if I die or not.  They will do anything to stay unsealed."  Sakura whispered to herself as she stood against the card.  They hadn't moved for about fifteen minutes.  Just sizing each other up. 

Sakura had some more fighting techniques than she did years ago but she couldn't fight this force alone.  It was strong.  It ran on pure instincts and nothing else.  It had centuries of practice.

"No seal."  Sakura's eyes snapped open.  The card had spoken. 

"What?"  Sakura said shocked.

"You no seal."  The card said advancing.  "You die."

"NO."  Sakura said firmly. 

"I destroy."

"No."  Sakura said softly and prepared to fight.

***

Syaoran had woken up a few hours after his nap.  The card's power had increased a lot in that time.  No one in the house noticed though.  He would be on his own. 

Most everyone he saw had two faces.  A mask and the real emotion.  Even his mother.  It was starting to annoy him.  The card was taunting him.  Some masks were ugly and distorted and under them thee was pure emotion.  Others were the opposite.

What annoyed him the most was the realization that so many people did it.  So many people wore their masks.

His searches lead him to the large gardens his mother kept.  The flowers were in full bloom and the trees were a vibrate green.

He ran towards the clearings.  There were no people there but he could feel the card's presence a lot stronger.

He slowed his pace and started walking into the open space.  There was no chance of anyone coming.  They couldn't feel the danger.

The card knew he was there and didn't try to hide.  It was not afraid of the card captor and was quite confident that he could defeat this one.  Like all the dark cards they believed themselves superior to its brothers and sisters. 

Out of all ten cards nine believed this.  Transform beloved it because he dealt with feelings and truth. 

Syaoran stopped at stared at the card.  It's eyes were a mix of blues.  It looked almost elegant. 

"Sakura give me strength."  He whispered and prepared to face the card.

"You believe you can defeat me?"  The card said with a smirk.  A moment of shock passed Syaoran's face but he concluded that whoever made the cards gave them the ability to speak.  To torment their victims.

"I believe I can."  He responded.

"You are a fool for trying."

"I'd be a fool not to try."

***

Why does it feel like night today?

Something in here's not right today

Why am I so uptight today?

Paranoia's all I got left

I don't know what stressed me first

Or how the pressure was fed

But I know just what it feels like

To have a voice in the back of my head

***

Sakura landed on the floor.  The card gave a warrior call and went for another attack.  Sakura managed to move out of the way just in time.  She rolled onto her feet and started running towards the other side of the park. She needed more time.  With her wand in her hand and the cards in her pocket she ran.  She ran all the way to the penguin slide. 

"Jump."  She called and leapt onto the top of the slide. 

The card was quick and was at he bottom of the slide seconds after sakura. 

'I need a card that will fight her.  No.  I need more than one card.'

The card didn't bother jumping up the slide.  She started climbing it.  Sakura didn't have a lot of time.

"I need something to fight her with.  I'll use the fight card but I need something that's stronger than her.  The power card.  I nee to be faster than her.  Dash."

Holding out her wand she called out the three cards.  It would be hard to use all of them at once but she'd been through worse.

All three cards engulfed her and she felt their energy surround her body.  The instinct card stopped and watched.  It hadn't intended this to happen.

With a loud hiss it got up to Sakura who was waiting.  Using the power of the dash card she moved swiftly away from the cards sudden attack.

Sakura moved her body like a cat and in a second both were on the ground.  It was now a hand-to-hand combat.

The card was incredibly strong but sakura now had three cards helping her.  They both attacked at the same time.  Lunging at the card sakura used power to overcome the cards strength. 

Neither would give up.  They fought for what seemed like hours.  They fought till they were almost exhausted.  The card was confused.  It had never met someone who could beat it.

It went for a final attack, grabbing its dagger and aiming I for Sakura's heart.

"No beat me."  It whispered.

***

Like a face that I hold inside

A face that awakes when I close my eyes

A face that watches every time I lie

A face that laughs every time I fall

(And watches everything)

So I know that when it's time to sink or swim

That the face inside is hearing me

Right underneath my skin

***

"You will not seal me."  The card screamed at Syaoran.

""Get used to it.  I am going to seal you card."  He responded coldly.

"You want to be sealed boy?"  The card taunted bringing out a blank card.  "You want to know what it's like?"

"No thanks.  I'll leave that to you."  He took out his sword.  "Element fire."

Fire went past the card and managed to burn a piece of its mask.  It winced but did not show it's true pain.  It mimicked the attack and Syaoran managed to dodge it.  Still he now had a burn mark on his arm.

I can't beat it."  He whispered.  He'd been fighting it for a long time now and still nothing worked.  It was so powerful.

The card smiled and made another attack.  Syaoran landed on his back against a tree with the gust of wind he was given.

Getting up the card sent Syaoran another gust of wind that landed the warrior in a thorn bush.  His clothes were now all ripped and the card was very amused.

"Like I said to you before.  I will not allow you to capture me."

"Like I told you.  I will."  Syaoran got up. Bloody and bruised he prepared to fight.

"Will you give up?"

"No.  I won't."

"Then you will die now."

***

It's like I'm paranoid lookin' over my back

It's like a whirlwind inside of my head

It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within

It's like a face inside is right beneath my skin

***

"They're determined."  Nisha said looking at her mirror.  "The cards are strong though'

She watched both fight.  Neither gave up.  The cards didn't want to be sealed and the card captors wouldn't loose.

"They fight very well though."  Bahul muttered next to her. 

"Yes they do."

"Did you expect this?"

"No."

"Then why did you send them?"

"To find out."

"Find out what?"

"Find out how strong and smart they really are."

"There is more to the cards than you've let me know."  It wasn't a question.  It was a statement.

"You'll know soon enough."

***

I know I've got a face in me

Points out all my mistakes to me

You've got a face on the inside too and

Your paranoia's probably worse

I don't know what set me off first but I know what I can stand

Everybody acts like the fact of the matter is

I can't add up to what you can

But everybody has a face that they hold inside

A face that awakes when they close their eyes

A face watches every time they lie

A face that laughs every time they fall

(And watches everything)

So you know that when it's time to sink or swim

That the face inside is watching you too/right inside your skin

***

Sakura saw the attack and dodged it at the last second low kicking the card.  It screamed in pain and fell to the floor. 

"I command you to return to your power confined."  Sakura screamed the second she got the chance.

The card screamed again this tie in defeat and it was sealed.  Sakura landed on her knees shaking.  The dash, power and fight returned to their card forms.  All floated back into Sakura's hand.

"I did it."  She whispered before collapsing to the ground.

***
It's like I'm paranoid lookin' over my back

It's like a whirlwind inside of my head

It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within

It's like a face inside is right beneath my skin

***

"AHHHH."  Syaoran screamed as he hit a large rock.  It was cold and rigid.  Pressing against some of the scars he had.

The card looked a little worried.  It only took Syaoran a second to figure it out.  He only hoped he had enough strength to do it.

The card's weak spot.  It's mask.  It was slowly crumbling.  If he could get it off him the card would return to it's card form and be sealed.

With the last of his strength he lunged forward.  Reaching up for the card's face.  The card was too slow to react and it felt the card captor rip the mask from its face. 

With an agonizing shout the card started to crumble. 

"Return to your power confined."  Syaoran yelled before falling to the floor.  The cards magic started to bind into a new card and Syaoran fell on his stomach.  In his hand he held a new card.

"Truth."

***

The sun goes down

I feel the light betray me

The sun goes down

I feel the light betray me

[Repeat Chorus 4x]

(The sun goes down

I feel the light betray me

The sun goes down

I feel the light betray me) said with chorus.

***

Uh.  It's done.  Hehe.  Well I'm hungry.  Going to get some food.  I hope you all like this chapter.  I will update soon.  HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE.

Kang