Disclaimer: I don't own CCS. I never have and I never will.

Summary: It is believed that a coin cast into a wishing well grants wishes. With a small splash, the coin lands in the water, slowly sinking to the bottom. Syaoran tossed his coin in and asked a wish... and he got an answer. Thing is, was it the right one?

Notes: I am so so sorry. There are no excuses for the length of time that I have withheld this chapter from all of you. True, I have had it written, and I am not going to go through all the feeble excuses that are common. I should have asked for your patience, and I ask for your forgiveness. Don't yell at me. I'm not in the mood for it. But if you feel that you must, rant at me all you want. Just know, it might withhold me from updating. I write this for myself, and at my own pace. If you can't get used to that, I'm sorry. My real life takes priority over my writing. Thank you, and good day.

E-mail/contact address: trulyafreespirit@hotmail.com

Wishing Well ~ Traipsing Through Terror

Clow finished telling the story with some reluctance. There were some vague details that had been left out, but should he have said any more, he might have scared Kado off, and he couldn't afford that happening. Not now, not when they were so close.

"You see," he began, "it was essential that I told you this, as it effects the majority of you and not just Kado and the rest of the wolves. Sakura and Li should be here as well." Clow turned to the moon guardian that stood in the corner.

A harsh shadow cast across the room from the moonlight and barely there starlight. Lunar magic radiated throughout the night, and it took dominance over what lingered from the sun's light that day.

The lights had long since gone out in Touya's room; power had been cut temporarily due to exacerbated use of magical energy interfering with the electrical signals of the waves that made electricity.

Takara welled up the magic within her once again and opened her hands, embracing what little she felt that she had left. Fusing with Kado for even that short amount of time had left her drained. She sparked the magic into life, creating a small pool of flames in her hands, which dimly lit up the room. Wordlessly, she sat down, keeping a watchful gaze on the fire in her hands.

Yue watched from the corner as Takara made some light and then his eyes went to Clow again. "You say all of this, Clow, but how do we know that it's true? You planted power in these wolves of yours, unrivalled power that only yourself, Keroberos and I could barely hold off. I ask a simple question though, Clow. Why? Why force this upon us now when you know that Sakura's powers are still increasing. She is a powerful sorceress, now at her age, but she is not up to your level yet. It takes years to build up the wells of magical energy that you have. Sakura has not been actively using her magic for long. It has laid dormant for most of her life. I just want to know why you put her in danger when you know full well when she is not ready."

Takara was still looking at the dancing flames but a faint smile came over her face. That was probably one of the only times that Yue had ever questioned Clow and it pleased Takara that he had at least taken on her words when she had talked to him earlier.

It proved that he really did listen.

Sometimes.

Kado eyed Takara, she seemed to be smug about something, and he shook off his worries. Frankly, he didn't care about what was going on with these people here in this world, he wanted to see what else was out there, including going to that place that Clow had been talking about. He wanted to meet this Taiaha person, if he was as powerful as he seemed, then he would prove a worthy adversary.

He also wanted to find out about these supposed "celestial angels". They seemed to be dedicated to doing good, which made Kado sick to his stomach, but still, if they were strong enough, maybe he could stand them long enough and absorb their spirits, like he had done to the Kinomoto girl's brother, Kinomoto Touya.

He eyed Clow, wondering if the spirit knew a way to get to this world. How he had found out about all of this, he didn't know, but he was willing to find out, even if it meant absorbing the spirit. But then it might corrupt him, no; it wasn't worth the risk.

"It's not that I wanted Sakura to be in danger, but the fact is, she has enough help. I didn't let the wolves free, they had some help indirectly from Li Meiling without her knowing. Takara knows the details, and I'm sure that she'd be happy to explain them to you at some time, but now, unfortunately, this is not a good time. We need to get around to doing something for Mayare, Salyra and the rest of them. Mayare is a good friend of mine and I don't want to see her hurt. She has already been through enough and I fear for her safety, as you would Sakura's," Clow directed at Yue.

He carefully watched the lunar guardian for any signs, any traces, any hint of emotion; he found none. Yue was ever the emotionless guardian, but that did not mean that he did not feel a fierce sense of loyalty to his current master or mistress. Though all of the guardians had a few faults, Keroberos' being that he had a bottomless pit for a stomach and a sweet tooth the size of Jupiter; they all remained loyal and had never betrayed their master or mistress. They had extreme dedication.

"You're right, I do fear for Sakura's safety, but I still think that she can get through it."

"Of course you do, you wouldn't be a guardian if you didn't. In the beginning, Yue, I know that you had doubts about Sakura's power, but now you would think nothing of it. She is a strong magic user. She would do nothing to hurt you, and she would make sure that nothing would cause either you or Keroberos harm. You know that as well as I do."

Yue had no answer to that, and he fixed his gaze on the reaction of Kaede.

"That's rubbish," Kaede hissed under her breath. "That would never have happened."

Takara's head snapped up, and she glowered at the wolf mother. Magic rose within her like a storm, and she felt like unleashing it in one torrid wave, but she forced it down. Now was not the time for petty magic use. She would need it later. There was a strange sense of fore-boding about her that made her feel uneasy.

Instead she started yelling.

"But don't you get it?!" Takara shouted at the wolf. Tears were streaming out of her eyes. For some strange reason, she had been affected the most emotionally by the story. She remembered what it felt like to be out of control. It had been like that when she had been sealing away the wolves. Something had just taken over the commanding of her body; her magic had overwhelmed her.

It had been scary for the most part, but she had ended up accomplishing what she had set out to do.

Kado, for the most part, was remaining unemotional. But inside him, his head was spinning. How could this affect him? Was he the one who was the key to this world's survival? But what could he do? There were things that were even beyond his thinking capability. As much as he hated to admit it, even he got confused, and there was no mistaking it this time.

"Don't listen to them, Kado. They're just trying to trick you," Kaede muttered to her son. "They're trying to get you on their side so that you won't be able to go against them. They want to control you, to bind you so that you can't ever escape again. Are you sure that's what you want? Are you sure that you don't want to be free anymore, my son? Your siblings have been with me and they've been safe. You've been foolhardy, my son. If you come with me, I can help you. I want to help you. Please, let me."

Kado's head was still spinning. All these outrageous thoughts were clouding his mind. That story that his creator had told him seemed true, but he didn't know who to listen to. That Takara had helped him once, but she had also been the one that had sealed him inside that statue all those years ago. He could still remember the day like yesterday.

= = = = = Memory = = = = =

"Mother!" Kado called, the howling of his voice overthrowing whatever sound that his siblings tried to make. He watched as his mother valiantly tried to fight against the people who were trying to seal her. Her dark fur was ruffled and standing on end in the brisk wind. It was all that Kado could do to stop from shivering. He was afraid of what was going to happen.

It looked like there were things that not even his mother could stand against, and it looked like her creator was one of them. They were just so strong. It wasn't just the girl that Kado could see standing off to the side, but it was the man as well. His staff was raised in the air and he was using the spirits of the cards that he had created to keep his mother at bay.

It wasn't working very well. As soon as Kaede growled, the spirits retreated. Clow had made a grave mistake when he had created Kado's kind. He had given them power beyond reasoning, and that was the reason why they were able to even stand against the cards and their own creator. They were the most powerful, save his own guardians, creations that Clow had made.

Kado couldn't bear to see his mother take this kind of grief. He felt like he had to help her somehow, if he could. He moved to run toward her, but Kaede caught his eye and the look on her face made him stay back. She wanted him to stay safe, and stay away from the battle.

He couldn't do that. It was against his very nature, and what he thought that he was born to do. He had to help her. It was the only way.

= = = = = Memory finish = = = = =

Kado began inching back, shaking his head. "No, no, this can't be happening. Not to me," he mumbled. "I don't want anything to do with it. I just don't. I can't go through with this. I don't want any part in this. I'm not just some pawn that you can use at free will. I don't want to be that. I want to be on my own, to make my own decisions, and to stop having all these influences on my life that don't make sense. I wish all of you would just leave me be, but it doesn't seem like you'll let me be, isn't that right?"

Clow and the others were taken aback, though Yue just stayed looking around at everyone's reactions, his gaze quietly assessing. Thoughts played around in his head, but he was determined not to let himself get side-tracked.

"But Kado..." Takara stepped over to the young wolf and crouched down beside him, stroking his rough fur with what she tried to make a reassuring stroke. She could try to make the young one calm, but it was unlikely because she herself was feeling the same way. Nervous. Anxious.

She knew that she would continuously be on edge until this was all sorted out and done. The story that had just been told to her had made her more nervous than before. She didn't want what had happened to Salyra to happen to the rest of her friends. Sakura, Li, Kero, even Yue, she didn't want any of them to be turned into statues, even if they weren't a threat to Taiaha.

Syaoran suddenly spoke up. "Clow, why did you tell them this?"

"You needed to know. This was something that would affect you all. And I know it will," he looked at them all, especially Kado.

"I just wish this hadn't all been so sudden," Takara said. "Otherwise it might've been easier."

"Takara, you know that this had to be done," Clow replied. "There was no other way."

Sakura's mind was reeling. Somehow she was meant to help everyone else save these worlds, and she couldn't even control her own cards anymore. She needed them back with her, although they only channelled her energy at this point. She had learnt not to rely on the cards, but it was still reassuring having them nearby, knowing that she could call on them and depend on them to help her get out of a tight spot.

If only they could respond to her now, but if they were still being held by the wolves... wait. The wolves were here. Sakura knew that there was more than two, but they seldom came out unless their mother was with them, and she was here...

Sakura's eyes went to Kaede. She had left the rest of the wolves out there by themselves, defenceless. They inhabited the cards' spirits at random intervals, but aside from that, they could do nothing. They didn't have the confidence.

"Syaoran...?" Sakura murmured.

He turned to catch her gaze, seeing a million questions that she had. They were to go unanswered, but Takara voiced one of many.

"So what are we meant to do about it?"

"To be honest, Takara, I don't know. I really don't know." Clow looked out of the window, and then disappeared.

* * *

"Well, that was a fat load of help, wasn't it."

"Kero!" Sakura admonished the guardian, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Sorry, Sakura, I'm just feeling a bit frustrated. I mean, we don't know what's out there, yeah, Clow Reed told us some things, but what we have on our hands now is a complete riddle. We don't know where it starts and we don't know where it ends," Kero stumbled on with the usual mambo-jumbo.

"Oh?"

"He's right, Sakura," Yue suddenly said. "Keroberos is telling only what he thinks. There are things that Clow didn't tell us. We were as surprised as you when we were told that...story."

"Cut the crap, Yue. We didn't know a thing," Kero stated. "And you know that as well as I do." The floating stuffed animal narrowed his beady eyes at the lunar guardian. "Clow left us completely in the dark."

"...You mean he told you nothing?" Takara asked, suddenly coming into the room.

"HEY! WHERE'D YOU COME FROM?!?!" Kero yelled.

Takara raised an eyebrow. "From the hallway, stuffy. You know the place that connects the rooms in the house."

"I know what a hallway is," Kero mumbled.

"Funny. I didn't think that you did, yelling at me and all," Takara remarked dryly.

Syaoran had his head buried in his hands, and he looked up at the quarrelling duo with exasperation. "Look, can you two do this another time?"

"Actually..." Kero started.

Syaoran gave the solar guardian a 'look'.

Kero promptly shut up.

"Now that that's all cleared up, I guess it makes things a little easier for us to talk about these matters." Takara quickly glared at Kero for a minute, then she directed her gaze around the room. "First things first, we need to seal this house, so that those wolves don't escape. We can't afford to have Kado loose on the streets of Tomoeda. Yue, if you would be so kind...?"

Yue looked to Sakura for clearance, and she nodded. "Very well," he said, waving a hand. The house glowed dimly blue for a matter of seconds, and Takara heard a crash.

Smiling satisfactorily, she glanced downstairs briefly. "It was only Kado trying to crash through the door," she informed everyone. "He won't be able to go anywhere now. Nice work, Yue."

Yue didn't acknowledge anything, but Kero couldn't help feeling a slight hint of jealousy.

Being empathic, Takara caught the fleeting feeling of jealousy. "Oh, go bang your head on a wall, Keroberos. The world doesn't revolve around you."

Kero scowled at Takara, cursing her ability of having empathy. Either it was that, or she was very intuitive. Most likely the former than the latter.

"Go," Takara said, pointing out the door. "I'm sure there's a nice patch that Kado hasn't broken yet."

Kero gave Takara a dry look, made a big scene of rolling his eyes and the melodramatics and then, finally, he floated out of the room.

"You know, Takara, I'm amazed at how you can control that thing," Syaoran said. "He never listened to me."

"You didn't live with him for five years."

"He listens to me," Sakura chimed in.

"He's your guardian," Takara pointed out. "He's meant to listen to you."

"Oh."

Takara rolled her eyes. 'What did I do to be stuck with this...?' she thought, and then went back to talking to the others.

* * *

Nyoko raised an eyebrow, having spotted the solar guardian of the cards floating around Tomoeda. She turned to her siblings. "Feel like some fun?" she asked, with an evil grin on her face.

"Anytime, sister," Akeno said. "I need to get payback on that guardian anyway. He made me look like a fool in front of Dash."

"I thought you gave up being friends with Dash," Hoshi remarked.

Akeno looked abashed. "Well...sorta...nah...not...really..." he mumbled in one breath.

Nyoko raised an eyebrow. "Whatever," she said dismissively. "Now, you guys feel like taking over this guardian? It'll have to be the three of us at once, because we can't handle him alone if only one of us tries to take him over, but three..."

"He won't see it coming," Hoshi completed.

Akeno looked at both of his sisters and blew out a sigh. "No matter what I say, you're both going to force me into this somehow, so we may as well get it over and done with now before I change my mind."

"Good choice, brother," Hoshi said, grinning and walking to beside her brother. She crept up slowly behind a building wall and peered out to see what was going on.

* * *

Kero was feeling sorry for himself. Wallowing in self-pity, some would say. He was floating along, his senses on 'drag' mode, which literally meant that he was completely unaware of his surroundings and oblivious to all that was going on.

Takara had kicked him out. Not a good way to start the morning, even when it was way too early in the morning to even be conscious.

Then he felt himself being pulled down. He flapped his wings a little more to lever himself higher in the air. Then a paw enclosed around his foot. He was smacked onto the ground then, and snapped right back to his senses.

"Okay, nobody messes with Keroberos." Kero wrenched his tiny body out of the tight grip of the wolf's paw and then transformed into his greater form, that of Keroberos.

The wolves began growling lowly, and minuscule drops of water formed within the atmosphere before the wind picked up and the atmosphere began dumping its load on the town of Tomoeda.

"This is how you expect to beat me?!" Keroberos yelled, but the howling winds drowned out his voice. He braced himself and his wings, and stayed steady, for the moment. He welled up magic within him; magic that he had been storing until he felt it was necessary to use it. This was what had made him so energised while the others had been so lethargic. Keroberos knew that Sakura had been reaching into her reserves to keep her magic topped up, and although she knew the risks, she had felt that it was needed.

It was kind of like Salyra with that companion of hers, that eagle, Wing.

Keroberos shook his head and released a roar. The ground quaked and folded underneath him, and Keroberos stayed protected by his own field of magic. The cubs, who had been jumping all this time to avoid any collisions with falling bits of buildings or rock, were shaken off their feet, and keeled over for mere seconds, time enough which, had it been a little longer, would have given Keroberos some delaying tactics.

He was cursing under his breath a little and looked for any way to escape, but found none.

Then a low rumbling caught his ears. Right in front of him was one of the wolf cubs, and they weren't looking too friendly.

With a menacing growl, it leapt forward.

Keroberos' roar of plain blasted through the silence of the night.

Then everything went silent, so eerily silent.

Believe.

To be continued...

Well, that was interesting... wasn't it? If not, then yell at me all over again.

I know I took a long updating and that it's nearly been two months, so sorry about that, but things have been hectic since school has started and assessments have been dragged in like dogs...

Anywya, thank you to all the reviewers who waited so patiently. I really appreciate it. Thank you.

--Kari