Title: New Enemy
Date: May 31, 2004
Chapter Title: The Unexplainable.
Author's Note: The only characters I own in this fic are Aiko Starfire, and Katrina. No other characters belong to me. Oh well I'm just borrowing them for a short while so I can write this fic. Please review if you like it. I'm already working on chapter two for those of you who will find this chapter at least a bit intriguing.
It had been five years since the star cards had been sealed away and under Sakura's protection. During that time when Li had moved away, a young woman around five years older than him by the name of Aiko Starfire was a neighbor to the Showron family. She had grown up those years with the Showron youngster and had taught him many things about magic. One day Aiko was with Li in the park, the two were having a picnic in the grass underneath the Sakura trees. Li looked somewhat unpleasant in that area of the park. Aiko had noticed this but decided not say a work so she wouldn't make her young friend uncomfortable; she simply leaned back against one of the trees. She stared at him through concerned Indigo eyes. Every so often he'd glance at her and sigh "I know you sense something Ai... and I'll explain it to you later" Aiko lowered her gaze onto her lavender tinted book in her lap and nodded. Li had always called her Ai for short, even though it meant he was calling her love. He did love her but not in a lover's type of way. He loved her as if she was a big sister to him and she loved him the same way. She sighed and shook her head "Alright Li I won't pester you" she arose to her feet and passed by him down the side walk as she passed by him a trail of leaves followed her, Li just sat there with tears in his eyes. The Sakura leaves reminded him of his true love that he had left back in Reedington. Aiko knew this for she had searched his mind one night when he was asleep and under her protection, Aiko knew he had a task that would lead him back to his love but she knew while he was reunited with her it wouldn't be a joyful experience. For the reason he was returning to Reedington was to help the girl Sakura retrieve her untamed star cards that had mysteriously gone blank and spread throughout Reedington hiding their powers within objects and what not.
As Aiko walked along the sidewalk she noticed the sky had become oddly darkened. She knew it wasn't safe for her or Li she turned and took off running back but she noticed he was nowhere to be found "Li?!" she looked around "Li where are you?!" she looked down to her book and glared at noticing it was glowing "Get out of there Katrina! Hurry up Li is missing!" finally after several minutes a small feline creature with fire wings emerged from the books cover and yawned. The creature then opened its large innocent almond shaped eyes "so where's the kid?" she asked sweetly. Aiko glared "You know you were supposed to be watching him!" Aiko summoned the book to her hand and took off running down through the entire park with the creature Katrina inches behind her. They found a black portal a few feet away and stopped dead in their tracks "... Its begun Kat ..." the creature hid behind Aiko's body and gasped. Aiko stepped into the portal as she did her body became surrounded by flames but they didn't seem to burn her skin. Instead they were absorbed into her body; she became light headed and lost consciousness.
It seemed as if it were ours later that she awoke to an ear piercing screech, she immediately opened her eyes and sat up she looked around with a blurred vision she shook her head and rubbed her eyes to let her vision clear up. When she did she noticed she was in a school yard, she sat up and rubbed her head she looked down and was shocked to see she had on a khaki shirt and brown uniform top. She gasped and hearing a chuckle she looked up and noticed it was Li, she glared lightly "What are you laughing at?" she asked as he helped her to her feet. "You in a school uniform its pretty funny..." she glared "Look Li I maybe twenty one and in a school uniform but at least I'm not wearing a hat as hideous as yours" Li blinked and handed Aiko her lavender book. "Twenty one yeah right ... now you're lying about your age come on Aiko both you and I know that you're seventeen just like I am" Aiko blinked and took the book from him she studied the cover and noticed that Katrina was on the cover resting. "You dropped your book when you fell out of the tree ... geez Aiko I've lost count at how many times I have told you not to climb trees in those shoes." Aiko didn't understand, she thought maybe Li was joking around "come on Li don't be silly you know I don't climb trees" Li looked at her blankly "um ... Aiko I believe you clunked your head a bit too hard, because climbing trees is what you do when you have nothing else to do" Aiko didn't know what to do she simply nodded and headed off into the school building. Once she reached the school restroom she called out at the book and the feline creature opened her eyes she arose from the book and stared at Aiko "What is it? I'm trying to sleep" Aiko grabbed the creature by its firey wings "I'm not seventeen am I?" the creature blinked "Well I guess when we went through that portal you went back a few years" Aiko set down the book and Katrina on the paper towel dispenser and looked at herself in the mirror "Oh my gosh ... Kat you're right ... I am seventeen again" the creature nodded "I told you didn't I? And there is a purpose for this as well ... we just have to figure out why ..." Aiko sighed and lowered her head "I hate this trip of ours already" Katrina nodded "Amen to that, the kid doesn't know who I am anymore so I have to stay stuck the freaking book the whole time" Aiko sighed and shook her head "Get back in your book Kat its almost time to go home and I'm going to let Li lead the way since I have no clue of where I live" Katrina nodded and slid back into the book and went back to sleep. Aiko picked up the book and walked out of the girls' restroom and down the hallway; she met up with Li and smiled. He returned the smile and extended his arm to her she hook her arm with his and went walking with him off the school campus and down the side walk.
As they walked there was footsteps heard behind them Aiko quickly turned around and noticed a girl about their age with light brown hair and emerald eyes. The girl stopped in her tracks and gasped "I'm sorry Aiko was I bothering you?" the girl asked while bringing one hand up to her lips frightened. Aiko shook her head "No ..." Li looked at the two and shook his head "Now girls come on we have to get to Julian's place in time to eat, come on Sakura, Aiko lets go" the girls nodded and took of walking both girls on either side of Li. As they reached Julian's home Tory answered the door he smiled at them all and made his way over to Aiko and planted a gentle kiss on her cheek. Aiko blinked and simply stared at him stunned. Tory blinked in confusion "Are you alright?" She nodded hesitantly and walked inside with the others. When Aiko walked into the house she felt a strange presence she along the hallway following the other and into a huge living room. Dead in the center stood a tall handsome young man about Tory's age with thing framed glasses and dirty brown hair that was very clean cut. She studied him for a few moments and noticed an unexplainable aura surrounding him. His eyes flashed instantly as he smirked toward her. She jumped lightly being startled; he made his way over to her and extended a hand "Come let me show you the new furniture in the guest room" she arched an eyebrow of confusion "what guest room?" she asked being clueless, the guy chuckled "come on Aiko you already forgot? You've been staying there for the passed three years now remember?" Aiko slowly nodded "Oh ... right ... I don't know where my head is today ..." Li walked behind them "Hey Julian can we get some drinks?" he nodded "Sure thing go raid the kitchen"
Julian guided Aiko into the guest room, she walked in and looked around she noticed the room darken once the door closed she quickly turned around and noticed a tall handsome man standing before her with long ankle length silver hair and ice blue eyes. She stared at him shocked she tried to say something but her voice was caught in her throat. "It's been so long ... Star ..." Aiko arched an eyebrow "Star...?" she was confused who was this star he was talking about and who was he and what had he done to Julian. She stared at him in silence there was something familiar about him she couldn't put her finger on it but she felt as if she knew him. He stood there before her with his arms crossed "you're hiding from me Star ... why can't you come forth?" Aiko stared at him confused out of her mind. She felt a jolt of pain in her stomach and grabbed it tightly and groaned as she dropped to her knees, her lips began to move but her eyes widened as she noticed it wasn't her voice. The voice coming from within her was that of an woman in her twenties "I can't show myself yet Yue ... it is not time ... you know when that time is and you must guide this child to the right time" Yue stared at her and nodded. Aiko felt light headed once more and passed out on the ground.
I know it is short please forgive me. This is just the beginning... The other chapters will be much longer.