Lchan: Damn!! Sorry for that unfathomable jumble of letters and numeros and
symbols in the end. I mean, I really didn't know...
Anyway...
Waiiiii!!! Thanks a lot, you lovable people, you!! Oh, and I forgot to say thanks to Jared for telling me about the anonymus-reviews-problem. You're right. I didn't know! T.Y.!! As for their ages, Kita-chan...I think I'm sticking to their 10-year-old selves.
Thanks a lot again! Please don't stop reviewing!! And kindly PLEASE remember...I hate flames. BTW, people, it's going to be Watery Card at times, Water at others. But more on Watery. I'm still not sure about that name-dilemma-thing...oh well. Uhm...okay, read on!! Again, I'm sorry if this isn't too good. Don't flame!!
III-Feeling the Water's Splash
Tomoyo let out a rare little yell when the pool's water rose like a fountain before them, spraying her and both fighters with droplets of chlorinated liquid.
"It's Water all right," Syaoran murmured, his hold on the sword tightening as he took his stance.
"Syaoran...Syaoran-kun...onegai..." Sakura said, biting her lip. "Don't fight just yet, please."
Syaoran's amber eyes flicked towards her with that irritated air again, and then softened slightly. He closed them. "I already said I'll be careful," he said, quietly, firmly.
Sakura bit her lip. "But, I---hoeeeee!!!!" she screamed. Watery, impatient from watching their unattentiveness and mushy exchange of words, had decided to tease its mistress with a late shower.
"Oh, darn!!" Syaoran reprimanded himself, snapping back to attention.
"I'm okay," Sakura piped up quickly, regaining her composure. Already, her overly fancy cheongsam that still looks good despite the fanciness was soaked with water.
The fountain that had risen into the air had taken the shape of a beautiful woman, the water doing a perfectly magical job in every graceful curve of her features.
She was formed right in the middle of the oval-shaped pool, her still pose, her expressionless face, the silvery glimmer of the water she was made of giving her an air of sweet serenity.
The three children could feel the breeze and the spray coming from her...or rather...it. The aura that flowed around it erased all other positive first impressions.
It was stronger than Sakura or Syaoran had ever remembered it to be.
Sakura, having regained her composure, raised her wand.
"Watery! Return to your powers confined--Syaoraaaaaannn!!!!!" she shrieked, cutting off the spell. Water, knowing well it was about to be "confined" again, had attacked its mistress with a wave of its powerful magic, inwardly laughing at the stupidity of her move.
"Sakura!!" Syaoran shouted.
"Sakura-chan!!!" Tomoyo squealed.
The Watery Card splashed back down into the pool, hiding beneath the ripples.
Sakura crashed into the wall that surrounded the pool with a loud-- "Ooooowww!!!" She slid to the ground, gasping for breath.
"Sakura!! You okay!?!? You have to fight it before sealing it!!!" Syaoran shouted.
Sakura raised her eyes to his. "I know, I--hoeeeee!!!" Watery was aiming to hit her again. She shut her emerald eyes in fright and screamed, her hand tightening on her wand as she curled against the wall.
"SAKURA-CHAN, WATCH OUT!!!!!!!!!" Tomoyo screamed. "Syaoran!! Do something, please!!!!"
Syaoran cursed under his breath at his stupidity (again) and rushed to Sakura's aid. He stopped before her, shielding her from Watery's attack, and, his grip strong on his sword's handle, sliced through the current.
"Arigato, Syaoran-kun," Sakura said, softly, but Syaoran was already rushing off to do his own fighting and didn't get to hear her thanks.
She stood up and steadied herself, watching him as he ran to the suddenly- still water's edge. The silence was deafening. Water had retreated back below the surface, and she didn't know when it was coming to attack again.
Syaoran could almost feel his fever, his temperature rising, but he shook off the feeling. He knew perfectly well that he was going to feel its furious revenge on him later on what with his ignoring it and everything, but now was not the time to back out of fighting.
He closed his eyes and tried to feel the Card's next attack. Was it going to attack him or Sakura? From which side of the pool? What kind of attack?
Suddenly, a swirling water fountain rose from the pool. Syaoran's eyes snapped open. Was it going for Sakura!?
Sure enough, Sakura again screamed as the swirling attack went straight for her.
"Sakura, use the Shield Card!!!" Syaoran yelled, his heart pounding, watching her as she stayed paralyzed, not knowing what to do or how to react.
"Hai! Shield Card!!!!" Sakura immediately shouted, her voice still ringing with terror but with a touch of readiness brought by Syaoran's call, and the card obediently formed around her.
Still, Watery's attack went straight for her, and she prayed that Shield would hold. Syaoran watched with rising anxiety, auburn eyes wide, radiating mixed emotions. But suddenly, just before the attack touched the barrier, it changed its course.
"HOE!?" Sakura said, and then realized what, or rather, who the card was going for. "Syaoran-kun!!!!"
Syaoran's heart pounded against his ribcage at the approaching danger, eyes wide with shock. "What the--?"
"Shield Card!! Protect Syaoran! Now!" he heard Sakura's desperate yell in the background, but it was too late.
He felt his body being carried by the strong current straight for the nearest wall. There was no wall, however, lucky for him. But there WAS a wooden picnic table with poles on the corners to hold up the roof there to break his bones.
'Hey, at least she's okay...'
He felt his back hit the table, the impact bringing with it a searing pain that wasn't alien to him. He had passed his training with worse injuries, but that didn't mean he was actually immune to pain.
The picnic table with its little roof collapsed on him, cutting him in places. But what REALLY hurt most was the impact as his back slammed into it and the shock it provided for his weak system.
Watery watched all this not without disappointment. It noted Syaoran's weakened aura from all the times they'd crossed during battle or the times when it saw the boy's full spunk when fighting.
"SYAORAN-KUN!!!!" Sakura screamed.
Syaoran fell to the ground. He murmured something incoherent and raised the hand that held his sword, using it to steady himself as he stood up.
"Are you okay?" Sakura asked, worriedly.
"Ah."
He felt her cool hand brush his forehead again, but he just looked away and let her.
"Syaoran..."
Tomoyo cut that moment off when she suddenly screamed, "Look out, you two!!!"
Syaoran raised his amber eyes to look past Sakura's shoulder, and saw another swirling mass of water heading for them.
'This move is getting old,' he thought, vaguely, grabbing Sakura and pulling her out of the attack's way.
Water, furious at the boy's quick thinking, followed their direction in a swift change of tactics.
"What the--? Why's it following us!?" Syaoran said, when the mass of chlorine and water also swerved when they did. "What's happening? Sakura, hurry up!!" he shouted, pulling at her hand. He led them through a crazy route around the tables, past the showers, around the pool, and back to the tables again, but he couldn't lose the Card.
Every limb complained about the strain, but he ran on anyway, adrenaline being his only source of strength to keep him from blacking out.
"K'so!" he muttered, stopping and turning around after another crazy lap around the whole area.
He raised his sword and held it in front of him to break the water's endless stream, straining his aching muscles to protect the card mistress and himself. He bit his lip to keep conscious, damp, slipping hands tightening on his sword's handle. His blurry vision didn't help things, and the feeling of utter coldness made him want to shiver.
At one time, he became too conscious of the overwhelming feeling of exhaustion that beckoned him to relax that he let his guard down for just a moment. A wave of water washed over him, and he fought to stay back on track and concentrate.
Sakura yelped when she saw this. "Uhm...FLY CARD!!!" she screamed.
There was a magical glow behind Syaoran as Sakura's wand sprouted wings. Still, he kept his grip strong, hardly conscious of Sakura's released magic.
"Sakura!?" he called. "Hey, what the--?"
Sakura roughly grabbed his arm and urged Fly to carry them away. Syaoran clambered to get a good seat behind her and tried to avoid Watery's raging blasts that continued to follow them in the air.
"Hoe!! Hoe, hoe!! HOEEEE!!!" Sakura exclaimed, with every water splash that tried to reach them.
They zigzagged through the air, carefully avoiding all the water blasts.
"Oh, dammit!!!" Syaoran yelped, as a strong current slammed into his body.
"Waiii! Gomen, Syaoran-KUUUUUN!!!!!" Sakura screamed, as a big wave swelled in front of her. She swerved to the side, almost knocking them off the air.
At some point, Sakura had to go low to avoid the rising attacks, and just when they did, Watery closed over them, carrying both Sakura and Syaoran below the pool, the chlorinated liquid closing over their heads.
Sakura screamed underwater. Syaoran almost choked. They pulled their heads above surface and gasped for air.
"Sakura-chan!! Syaoran-kun!!!" Tomoyo shrieked.
"I'll use the Freeze Card!" Sakura said, with a sudden flash of inspiration from her earlier battles.
"Are you kidding!?" Syaoran yelped. "We'll freeze!! We're in Watery- territory, remember!?" Of course, he didn't need the Freeze Card to freeze. The water was more than enough to make his teeth chatter.
"Um...THUNDER!?" Sakura suggested, clearly panicking.
"We'll get electrocuted!!" Syaoran exclaimed.
"Firey!?!?"
"It won't work!"
"Maybe it'll boil!"
"And we're in the kettle!!" Syaoran responded. He gasped for more air, his lungs never satisfied. Suddenly, a realizition struck him. "What the--? Where's my sword!?" he asked Sakura, eyes wide.
"I don't know! My wand's here--hoe!!!!" Sakura shrieked, sighting the sword by the edge of the pool where Syaoran had dropped it as they plummeted down into the water. "There!!"
Tomoyo rushed towards the sword to hand it to Syaoran. She gingerly picked it up and stretched over the water.
"Dammit!" Syaoran cursed, swimming towards her, his body numb with the cold.
Suddenly, just before his hand could touch the blade, the water in front of him rose, enveloping him in a suffocating hold. It rose like a vertical whirlpool high up, making his struggles for air futile.
"Syaoran-kun!!!!" Sakura screamed. "SYAORAN!!!! SYAOOOORAAAANNNN!!!!" Totally panicked, she thrashed around in the water, not knowing what to do. "Doshiyo, Tomoyo-chan!? DOSHIYO!?!??! Syaoran-kun!!!!"
"Sakura-chan..." Tomoyo whispered, aggravated by her uselessness.
Both she and Sakura watched Syaoran get paler and paler, his gasps for air only suffocating him more. His wide amber eyes sighted Sakura and, with a flash of his heroic instinct, he again tried to make it to the side of the swirling water pillar.
"Sa...Sakura..." he gasped out, as he managed to break out for a second and he was sucked to the center again.
"SYAORAN-KUN!!!" Sakura replied, emerald eyes wide with panic. "What is it!?!? WHAT IS IT!?!?"
Syaoran screamed while still in the water. "Use the Freeze Card, use the Freeze Card!!" he yelled, big bubbles framing his face, his amber eyes wide with panic and desperation.
"WHAT!?" Sakura screamed, unable to comprehend his words. Tears started to well up in her eyes. "Syaoran-kun!! Doshiyo!?" she wailed.
Syaoran, with another successful attempt to stick his head out, shouted, "Freeze!! Freeze it!!!" before he was sucked in again.
"But, you'll freeze along with it!! Syaoran-kun, IIE!!! You'll freeze!!! I won't do it!! I WON"T!! I know you still have that fever! I can't do it!!" Sakura cried, tears starting to stream down her cheeks at the thought of his sacrifice.
"DO IT!!!!!!!!" Syaoran shouted, the last of his breath and the remains of his strength leaving him. He choked on the water as it filled his lungs and suffocated him. His vision blurred. He was seeing double. The swirling water started to blot out from his view.
Sakura swam for the side of the pool, hoisting her tired, wet body from the water as quickly as she could.
"Use it, Sakura-chan, it's the only way!!" Tomoyo screamed.
A tear slid down her best friend's face as she pulled out the miraculously dry Clow Card from her pocket. "Freeze Card...freeze Watery...NOW!!" she commanded, tears blurring her vision as they trickled down her face.
Just as Syaoran was about to fall unconscious, he saw Sakura reluctantly slam her wand down on the Freeze Card. He gave a small smile at her bravery.
'Aishiteru...'
And that was when he finally collapsed.
* * * tbc
Lchan: Did it suck!? I'm sorry if it did...really. Don't flame me!!!!!! Onegai!!! Oh, and thanks VERY much to sakurakawaiicherry for telling me about that symbols-numbers-letters problemo. It's my fault. I didn't click preview to check if the download/upload was okay...
Anyway...
Waiiiii!!! Thanks a lot, you lovable people, you!! Oh, and I forgot to say thanks to Jared for telling me about the anonymus-reviews-problem. You're right. I didn't know! T.Y.!! As for their ages, Kita-chan...I think I'm sticking to their 10-year-old selves.
Thanks a lot again! Please don't stop reviewing!! And kindly PLEASE remember...I hate flames. BTW, people, it's going to be Watery Card at times, Water at others. But more on Watery. I'm still not sure about that name-dilemma-thing...oh well. Uhm...okay, read on!! Again, I'm sorry if this isn't too good. Don't flame!!
III-Feeling the Water's Splash
Tomoyo let out a rare little yell when the pool's water rose like a fountain before them, spraying her and both fighters with droplets of chlorinated liquid.
"It's Water all right," Syaoran murmured, his hold on the sword tightening as he took his stance.
"Syaoran...Syaoran-kun...onegai..." Sakura said, biting her lip. "Don't fight just yet, please."
Syaoran's amber eyes flicked towards her with that irritated air again, and then softened slightly. He closed them. "I already said I'll be careful," he said, quietly, firmly.
Sakura bit her lip. "But, I---hoeeeee!!!!" she screamed. Watery, impatient from watching their unattentiveness and mushy exchange of words, had decided to tease its mistress with a late shower.
"Oh, darn!!" Syaoran reprimanded himself, snapping back to attention.
"I'm okay," Sakura piped up quickly, regaining her composure. Already, her overly fancy cheongsam that still looks good despite the fanciness was soaked with water.
The fountain that had risen into the air had taken the shape of a beautiful woman, the water doing a perfectly magical job in every graceful curve of her features.
She was formed right in the middle of the oval-shaped pool, her still pose, her expressionless face, the silvery glimmer of the water she was made of giving her an air of sweet serenity.
The three children could feel the breeze and the spray coming from her...or rather...it. The aura that flowed around it erased all other positive first impressions.
It was stronger than Sakura or Syaoran had ever remembered it to be.
Sakura, having regained her composure, raised her wand.
"Watery! Return to your powers confined--Syaoraaaaaannn!!!!!" she shrieked, cutting off the spell. Water, knowing well it was about to be "confined" again, had attacked its mistress with a wave of its powerful magic, inwardly laughing at the stupidity of her move.
"Sakura!!" Syaoran shouted.
"Sakura-chan!!!" Tomoyo squealed.
The Watery Card splashed back down into the pool, hiding beneath the ripples.
Sakura crashed into the wall that surrounded the pool with a loud-- "Ooooowww!!!" She slid to the ground, gasping for breath.
"Sakura!! You okay!?!? You have to fight it before sealing it!!!" Syaoran shouted.
Sakura raised her eyes to his. "I know, I--hoeeeee!!!" Watery was aiming to hit her again. She shut her emerald eyes in fright and screamed, her hand tightening on her wand as she curled against the wall.
"SAKURA-CHAN, WATCH OUT!!!!!!!!!" Tomoyo screamed. "Syaoran!! Do something, please!!!!"
Syaoran cursed under his breath at his stupidity (again) and rushed to Sakura's aid. He stopped before her, shielding her from Watery's attack, and, his grip strong on his sword's handle, sliced through the current.
"Arigato, Syaoran-kun," Sakura said, softly, but Syaoran was already rushing off to do his own fighting and didn't get to hear her thanks.
She stood up and steadied herself, watching him as he ran to the suddenly- still water's edge. The silence was deafening. Water had retreated back below the surface, and she didn't know when it was coming to attack again.
Syaoran could almost feel his fever, his temperature rising, but he shook off the feeling. He knew perfectly well that he was going to feel its furious revenge on him later on what with his ignoring it and everything, but now was not the time to back out of fighting.
He closed his eyes and tried to feel the Card's next attack. Was it going to attack him or Sakura? From which side of the pool? What kind of attack?
Suddenly, a swirling water fountain rose from the pool. Syaoran's eyes snapped open. Was it going for Sakura!?
Sure enough, Sakura again screamed as the swirling attack went straight for her.
"Sakura, use the Shield Card!!!" Syaoran yelled, his heart pounding, watching her as she stayed paralyzed, not knowing what to do or how to react.
"Hai! Shield Card!!!!" Sakura immediately shouted, her voice still ringing with terror but with a touch of readiness brought by Syaoran's call, and the card obediently formed around her.
Still, Watery's attack went straight for her, and she prayed that Shield would hold. Syaoran watched with rising anxiety, auburn eyes wide, radiating mixed emotions. But suddenly, just before the attack touched the barrier, it changed its course.
"HOE!?" Sakura said, and then realized what, or rather, who the card was going for. "Syaoran-kun!!!!"
Syaoran's heart pounded against his ribcage at the approaching danger, eyes wide with shock. "What the--?"
"Shield Card!! Protect Syaoran! Now!" he heard Sakura's desperate yell in the background, but it was too late.
He felt his body being carried by the strong current straight for the nearest wall. There was no wall, however, lucky for him. But there WAS a wooden picnic table with poles on the corners to hold up the roof there to break his bones.
'Hey, at least she's okay...'
He felt his back hit the table, the impact bringing with it a searing pain that wasn't alien to him. He had passed his training with worse injuries, but that didn't mean he was actually immune to pain.
The picnic table with its little roof collapsed on him, cutting him in places. But what REALLY hurt most was the impact as his back slammed into it and the shock it provided for his weak system.
Watery watched all this not without disappointment. It noted Syaoran's weakened aura from all the times they'd crossed during battle or the times when it saw the boy's full spunk when fighting.
"SYAORAN-KUN!!!!" Sakura screamed.
Syaoran fell to the ground. He murmured something incoherent and raised the hand that held his sword, using it to steady himself as he stood up.
"Are you okay?" Sakura asked, worriedly.
"Ah."
He felt her cool hand brush his forehead again, but he just looked away and let her.
"Syaoran..."
Tomoyo cut that moment off when she suddenly screamed, "Look out, you two!!!"
Syaoran raised his amber eyes to look past Sakura's shoulder, and saw another swirling mass of water heading for them.
'This move is getting old,' he thought, vaguely, grabbing Sakura and pulling her out of the attack's way.
Water, furious at the boy's quick thinking, followed their direction in a swift change of tactics.
"What the--? Why's it following us!?" Syaoran said, when the mass of chlorine and water also swerved when they did. "What's happening? Sakura, hurry up!!" he shouted, pulling at her hand. He led them through a crazy route around the tables, past the showers, around the pool, and back to the tables again, but he couldn't lose the Card.
Every limb complained about the strain, but he ran on anyway, adrenaline being his only source of strength to keep him from blacking out.
"K'so!" he muttered, stopping and turning around after another crazy lap around the whole area.
He raised his sword and held it in front of him to break the water's endless stream, straining his aching muscles to protect the card mistress and himself. He bit his lip to keep conscious, damp, slipping hands tightening on his sword's handle. His blurry vision didn't help things, and the feeling of utter coldness made him want to shiver.
At one time, he became too conscious of the overwhelming feeling of exhaustion that beckoned him to relax that he let his guard down for just a moment. A wave of water washed over him, and he fought to stay back on track and concentrate.
Sakura yelped when she saw this. "Uhm...FLY CARD!!!" she screamed.
There was a magical glow behind Syaoran as Sakura's wand sprouted wings. Still, he kept his grip strong, hardly conscious of Sakura's released magic.
"Sakura!?" he called. "Hey, what the--?"
Sakura roughly grabbed his arm and urged Fly to carry them away. Syaoran clambered to get a good seat behind her and tried to avoid Watery's raging blasts that continued to follow them in the air.
"Hoe!! Hoe, hoe!! HOEEEE!!!" Sakura exclaimed, with every water splash that tried to reach them.
They zigzagged through the air, carefully avoiding all the water blasts.
"Oh, dammit!!!" Syaoran yelped, as a strong current slammed into his body.
"Waiii! Gomen, Syaoran-KUUUUUN!!!!!" Sakura screamed, as a big wave swelled in front of her. She swerved to the side, almost knocking them off the air.
At some point, Sakura had to go low to avoid the rising attacks, and just when they did, Watery closed over them, carrying both Sakura and Syaoran below the pool, the chlorinated liquid closing over their heads.
Sakura screamed underwater. Syaoran almost choked. They pulled their heads above surface and gasped for air.
"Sakura-chan!! Syaoran-kun!!!" Tomoyo shrieked.
"I'll use the Freeze Card!" Sakura said, with a sudden flash of inspiration from her earlier battles.
"Are you kidding!?" Syaoran yelped. "We'll freeze!! We're in Watery- territory, remember!?" Of course, he didn't need the Freeze Card to freeze. The water was more than enough to make his teeth chatter.
"Um...THUNDER!?" Sakura suggested, clearly panicking.
"We'll get electrocuted!!" Syaoran exclaimed.
"Firey!?!?"
"It won't work!"
"Maybe it'll boil!"
"And we're in the kettle!!" Syaoran responded. He gasped for more air, his lungs never satisfied. Suddenly, a realizition struck him. "What the--? Where's my sword!?" he asked Sakura, eyes wide.
"I don't know! My wand's here--hoe!!!!" Sakura shrieked, sighting the sword by the edge of the pool where Syaoran had dropped it as they plummeted down into the water. "There!!"
Tomoyo rushed towards the sword to hand it to Syaoran. She gingerly picked it up and stretched over the water.
"Dammit!" Syaoran cursed, swimming towards her, his body numb with the cold.
Suddenly, just before his hand could touch the blade, the water in front of him rose, enveloping him in a suffocating hold. It rose like a vertical whirlpool high up, making his struggles for air futile.
"Syaoran-kun!!!!" Sakura screamed. "SYAORAN!!!! SYAOOOORAAAANNNN!!!!" Totally panicked, she thrashed around in the water, not knowing what to do. "Doshiyo, Tomoyo-chan!? DOSHIYO!?!??! Syaoran-kun!!!!"
"Sakura-chan..." Tomoyo whispered, aggravated by her uselessness.
Both she and Sakura watched Syaoran get paler and paler, his gasps for air only suffocating him more. His wide amber eyes sighted Sakura and, with a flash of his heroic instinct, he again tried to make it to the side of the swirling water pillar.
"Sa...Sakura..." he gasped out, as he managed to break out for a second and he was sucked to the center again.
"SYAORAN-KUN!!!" Sakura replied, emerald eyes wide with panic. "What is it!?!? WHAT IS IT!?!?"
Syaoran screamed while still in the water. "Use the Freeze Card, use the Freeze Card!!" he yelled, big bubbles framing his face, his amber eyes wide with panic and desperation.
"WHAT!?" Sakura screamed, unable to comprehend his words. Tears started to well up in her eyes. "Syaoran-kun!! Doshiyo!?" she wailed.
Syaoran, with another successful attempt to stick his head out, shouted, "Freeze!! Freeze it!!!" before he was sucked in again.
"But, you'll freeze along with it!! Syaoran-kun, IIE!!! You'll freeze!!! I won't do it!! I WON"T!! I know you still have that fever! I can't do it!!" Sakura cried, tears starting to stream down her cheeks at the thought of his sacrifice.
"DO IT!!!!!!!!" Syaoran shouted, the last of his breath and the remains of his strength leaving him. He choked on the water as it filled his lungs and suffocated him. His vision blurred. He was seeing double. The swirling water started to blot out from his view.
Sakura swam for the side of the pool, hoisting her tired, wet body from the water as quickly as she could.
"Use it, Sakura-chan, it's the only way!!" Tomoyo screamed.
A tear slid down her best friend's face as she pulled out the miraculously dry Clow Card from her pocket. "Freeze Card...freeze Watery...NOW!!" she commanded, tears blurring her vision as they trickled down her face.
Just as Syaoran was about to fall unconscious, he saw Sakura reluctantly slam her wand down on the Freeze Card. He gave a small smile at her bravery.
'Aishiteru...'
And that was when he finally collapsed.
* * * tbc
Lchan: Did it suck!? I'm sorry if it did...really. Don't flame me!!!!!! Onegai!!! Oh, and thanks VERY much to sakurakawaiicherry for telling me about that symbols-numbers-letters problemo. It's my fault. I didn't click preview to check if the download/upload was okay...