The Second Generation 8
Makoto here! Last time, I left Shinji with Meeko to talk about…"things". I'm not stupid, (Meeko: *cough* Are you sure?) Shut up! I'm not stupid! I know Meeko likes Shinji! (Meeko: That's none of your business!) Wanna bet?! Anyway, I leave Shinji alone with my sister, and she gets trapped in the Shield Card! (Meeko: It wasn't his fault!) Don't push me! I'll get him yet! Anyway, if Meeko will let me finish, Shinji and I along Syaoran and Yukito-san, are all on a search to find the Sword Card. Mom is out shopping for the coming Christmas season, so we couldn't use her Sakura Card. I hope we get to Meeko in time, or I'll have to rearrange Shinji's face! (Meeko: Makoto!)
Shinji ran through town, Makoto right behind him, trying to find any place that would have broaches. So far they hadn't had any luck. They went into another store, and ransacked the shelves, looking for any broach that looked like a sword.
When they were searching for it, Shinji sensed it. Apparently, so did Makoto, because he jumped for joy at pointed to a particular broach. The salesman was in back, so Makoto snatched it up. "I got it!"
Shinji tied to warn him. "Don't touch it!" But it was too late. The sword had already transformed and Makoto's eyes glazed over. He swiped at Shinji, now possessed by the Sword Card.
Shinji dodged it, and blocked the next blow with his sword. I have to get us out of here. He jumped over a display and ran out of the store. "Come on, Sword Card! Come and get me!" He taunted.
Makoto jumped over the same display, and out of the store. The salesman came back and looked around. "I thought I heard a customer." He shrugged and went back to cleaning the store.
Shinji ran to the first alley he saw, and turned into it. At least here, less people would see the two fight. But Shinji didn't want to fight Makoto. He had to get the sword out of Makoto's hand, but how?
Akiko watched helplessly as her best friend, slowly slumped to the floor, sweating, and breathing heavily. Akiko wanted to help, but didn't have any magical powers (Remember, Eriol and Tomoyo haven't told her about her powers yet).
Behind her, Akiko heard a laugh. She spun around and saw the same woman that had spread all the cards. "What are you doing here?!" Akiko demanded. She moved in front of Meeko. She may not have powers, but God himself couldn't stop her from trying.
The woman stepped forward, and attacked Akiko with a powerful blast of magic. Akiko couldn't move away in time, and was thrown back into the shield. She moaned, and slowly got up.
Something in her snapped. "No one is gonna hurt my friends! Not if I can help it!" She took a fighting stance, and made ready for battle. Just them, her body started to glow with an inner yellow light. She looked at herself in wonder.
The woman took a step back. She wasn't expecting much of a resistance. Now the tables have turned.
Akiko narrowed her eyes. She wasn't sure of what was going on inside her, but she didn't care. If she could protect her friend, then she would. She threw her hand back, and fired a lightning blast at the woman.
The woman dodged to the side and the blast hit a tree, causing bark to spray everywhere. Some cut into Akiko, but she simply jumped towards the woman, and kicked her in the stomach. The blow caught her off guard and she doubled over.
Akiko followed up with a knee to the woman's face. Something cracked and the woman fell to her knees. Akiko smirked. "Now leave before you get hurt…" She then added as an afterthought. "…More."
The woman took Akiko's mistake of overconfidence and tripped Akiko.
Akiko went down hard. The woman jumped up and tried to bring her foot down on Akiko. Akiko though, somehow sensed the move, and without looking, rolled to the side, getting into a crouch.
The woman smiled evilly. "You may have discovered your powers, but I will not allow you to stop me from destroying those pesky cardcaptors!"
Akiko stood up and got back into a fighting stance. "You're gonna have to get through me first!" The woman smiled and attacked Akiko again.
All Meeko could do, was watch helplessly, as her friend now battle for Meeko's life…and her own.
Shinji dodged to the side, as Makoto tried to bisect him hip to hip. "Makoto fight it! Snap out of it!" Shinji pleaded with his friend, but was not heard.
Makoto stacked again, this time making contact with Shinji's arm, making a gash which bleed heavily. Shinji held his arm, trying to stop the blood. "Okay that does it!" He said.
He held onto his staff in both hands, ignoring the pain he felt in his arm. "This is for Meeko. Please forgive me." He attacked Makoto, using his staff to deliver blows to Makoto's stomach and back.
Finally, Makoto was thrown to the ground, where Shinji was able to knock the sword from his hand. It floated up, where Shinji hit it with his staff, also a sealing staff. "Sword Card! To thy true form! Sword!!!"
Sword Card flew into the staff, and a card formed at the end. The sword was changed down, now trapped in card formed.
Makoto awoke and shook his head. "Wha…what happened?"
Shinji knelt by his side. "Don't worry. You were taken over by the Sword Card." He explained.
Makoto nodded and got up with some help from Shinji. "So…you got it?"
Shinji nodded and proudly held up and card. Makoto smiled. "Well, let's go!" He and Shinji ran back to the park.
Akiko was thrown into the tree…again. This time, making a wound in the back of her head. She slumped to the floor, and tried to open her eyes, but only saw the world around her spin, so she quickly closed them again.
Meeko was now fighting to stay conscious, leaning heavily on the side of the shield.
The woman smiled and aimed another attack at Akiko.
"THUNDER!!!" A large lightning blast hit the woman, sending her flying back.
Akiko opened her eyes, fighting her dizziness, and turned to see Nakuru and Sakura running up. Sakura had her staff out and Nakuru was transformed into Ruby Moon.
Sakura knelt besides Akiko, while Ruby Moon fended off the woman with her red crystal attack. (Similar to Yue's crystal attack, where crystals come out of their hands and attack the enemy, very sharp, but with red crystals) The woman jumped moved to side, dodging as many as she could, but some hit her and they sent her to the ground.
Akiko was helped to her feet, and looked at Meeko. "We're running out of time!!"
Sakura nodded. "I told Syaoran we'd be here. He'll come as soon as he can." Sakura stood in front of Akiko. "Stand back."
Akiko would have nothing of the sort. "No!" She said. "I can help to!" She fired up and fired a lightning attack of her own, though weak, sent the weekend foe to her knees once again.
Sakura's mouth dropped and Ruby Moon shrugged. "Looks like she knows now…" The woman sneered and growled before disappearing.
Akiko frowned, but was unable to ask anything about it, because them, Shinji and Makoto came to them. "We got it!!" Makoto shouted.
Shinji's smile faded as he saw Meeko collapsed in the shield. "Iie! Meeko!" He immediately brought out the card. "Sword Card!" Sword wrapped around Shinji's staff and it turned into a sword.
Shinji put on a determined face, and raised the sword. He brought it hard down on shield, splitting it in two. It turned into the normal form of the Shield Card, and floated towards Shinji in aggression. Shinji wasn't going to give him the chance. "Shield Card! To thy true form! Shield!!!"
Shield returned to card form and floated to Shinji. Shinji immediately knelt by Meeko's side, lifting up her head, and cradling it in his arms. "Please wake up. Onegai, don't leave me…" He said softly.
Meeko stirred and slowly opened her eyes. "Doko? Where am I?"
Shinji smiled. "You're safe now."
Sakura smiled at how kawaii they looked. "Shinji, please take her home."
He nodded and brought out his wings, then took to the air.
Makoto walked over to Akiko. "I'll take you home." She nodded and they started off.
Ruby Moon turned back into Nakuru and walked over besides Sakura. "This is only the beginning."
Sakura nodded, then turned as she sensed Syaoran and Yukito coming. They looked around. "Guess you ladies took care of everything."
Sakura smirked. "You got that right."
Then Nakuru walked over to her husband. "Akiko knows…"
Yukito nodded. "Secrets can not be kept for long…"
Meeko closed her eyes as the wind washed over her. She felt so bad, being mad at Shinji for keeping his secret. She should have understood him, instead of being upset. And here he was taking her home, first class, with her in his arms. She loved the feeling, his body's warmth, shielding her from the chilly outdoors.
He showed no expression as he flew over the city, above everyone's heads. Meeko looked down sadly. She wanted to say it…but…
"It's okay." Shinji said.
Meeko looked up shocked. "Nani?"
"I know what you want to say…don't. You have a right to be mad. I was wrong." He explained, not looking down once.
Meeko sighed. "No, I was wrong. I should've tried to see it from your point of view. Gomannasai. Onegai (please), forgive me?" She asked, finally getting the courage to look up.
He looked down and smiled. "Only if you forgive me."
She smiled. "Hai."
He smirked. "Not only for that."
She frowned. "Nani?"
"For this!" He let go of her and let her dropped a few yards, before flying down under her and catching her again.
"Shinji-kun!" She hit him in playfully in the arm.
He laughed. "I asked you to forgive me ahead of time." Then he smiled. "Want me to do it again?" He teased.
Her eyes went wide, before she grabbed his shirt tightly and closed her eyes. "Iie, onegai!"
He blushed furiously as she held onto him to him so closely and tightly. "Okay, okay…I won't."
She sighed in relief and looked down. "It really is beautiful."
"Now as beautiful as you…" Shinji said, but then caught his mistake.
Meeko looked up in surprise. "N…Nani?"
Shinji blushed. "N…nothing. Here's your house." He flew down and gently put her down on the ground.
"Shinji?"
He turned to her. "Hai?"
She quickly kissed him on the cheek, and ran into the house. Shinji stood there frozen, and touched his cheek. I think…koishiteru (Not a typo, it means…) I'm in love…
Makoto walked Akiko home, who for some reason, was unusually quiet. "What's the matter?" Makoto asked.
Akiko looked up shocked, then averted Makoto's amber gaze, and looked down at the ground again. "I…have powers too." Was all she said.
Makoto gasped. "When…when did you find out?"
Akiko sighed. "I saw the woman, from my house that night the card were scattered…"
"She was there?!" Makoto asked in shock.
Akiko nodded. "I tried to protect Meeko, and something happened. I discovered my powers…"
Makoto nodded, but didn't pry any longer. He knew Akiko would have a long chat with her parents when they got to her house… which was now.
Eriol and Tomoyo were at the doorsteps…waiting for her. She sighed and drudged up to them. Makoto wanted to help, but this was something Akiko was going to have to work out with her parents on her own. Just like he and Meeko did. How did being a normal kid like himself, get mixed up into all of this…
Makoto walked away from the house when Eriol and Tomoyo took Akiko inside. He had things of his own to talk over with Meeko, when he got home…they still had a lot of work ahead of them.
Work…school…he still had homework!! Makoto started running home. How did his parents keep their grades up, with the Clow Cards trying to fail them at every chance!!