The Perfect, the Perky, and the Game

Its amazing how fast things can happen. One week, Sakura was worrying about a new girl is Yukito's life, the next week about her homework, and the next, about the bet with Tomoyo. Eriol had been friendly, though he didn't mention anything about the 'real' reason why he came back; she could usually find him looking around, trying to see or sense something.

Right now, she was roller blading through the park. It was late in the afternoon, so she travelled more slowly then usual, so that she wouldn't trip over fallen branches. That's when she heard it... a soft hum. Sakura paused, straining to make out the foriegn noise.

There it was again; broken notes of a strange song, coming from the playground. She skated towards the noise. The closer she came, the closer the humming came to completion, fitting together into a lovely song.

It didn't take her long to reach the park, and when she got there, she paused again. There, sitting on one of the swings, was Chaery... or was it? It looked like Chaery, but maybe the darkness was affecting her eyesight. The girl's hair seemed longer, darker, and her perfect poise radiated power and elegance. At the same time though, she looked very sad, very frail...

Sakura also couldn't seem to muster up all the hatred she felt for Chaery.

"Hello," she said cautiously. The girl jumped, looking up from the ground. No, it definitely wasn't Chaery... this girl had dark, crimson eyes, and lips red as blood.

"Hello Mistress," the girl nodded shyly.

"M-my name is Sakura," Sakura said nervously. "Who are you?"

"It's unimportant right now," the girl said, standing up. She wore a beautiful gown of dark blues and blacks that accented her entire body. "What is important is that you train your mind... and try to eliminate as many weaknesses that you have as possible."

"What?" Sakura blinked. This wasn't something you would expect to hear from a perfect stranger. "What do you mean?" The girl smiled at her warmly, showing two, sharp fangs. Sakura backed away.

"Do not fear me," she said calmly. "For you must trust me." Sakura nodded warily, hoping that she wasn't getting herself into anything dangerous. The girl sat back down, looking to the sky. "People can't be perfect... they can eliminate any, if not all, of their weaknesses, but they shall never be perfect. With every weakness you eliminate, you create a new one. However, this is just one more weakness in the entire sum of things... Nevertheless, the more weaknesses you eliminate, the bigger the additional grows. You can be the most powerful, most fearless, and most loved person in the world... but that would just mean that you would have a weakness equal to all the power, to all the fearlessness, and to all the love... and that can be great. What of you, Mistress Sakura? What is it that frightens you?"

"M-me?" Sakura forced a laugh; she was confused. "Well... I... I fear what I don't know..."

"That explains why you still fear me," the girl chuckled. She stayed silent for a moment, her gaze returning to the ground, then began to sing. Her words were incoherent, but her voice was beautiful. She could give Tomoyo a run for her money, except... the girl's voice lacked a certain passion and confidence that Tomoyo had when she sung.

"What... what are you doing?" Sakura asked. The girl jumped again, and looked up.

"Do you like games?" she asked unexpectedly. Sakura stared at her. "I love them... especially games when you play someone who isn't yourself. You can be perfect, fearless, loved, without weakness. Like those perfect cheerleaders who everyone loves, who get perfect grades. They have perfect families, perfect boyfriends... perfect everything."

"Where are you going with this?" Sakura asked, confused now more then ever; the girl laughed.

"It doesn't matter Mistress," she shook her head. "Just... watch out for the people who are playing the game, and the people who live in real life, okay? It is actually very easy to spot the players when you figure it out..." Once again, the girl stood up. This time, something other than her dress caught Sakura's eye; the pendant she wore around her neck. It was a black hourglass. "We will meet again, Mistress Sakura... until then, can you tell Cerberus that the game is being played again?" Sakura nodded.

Turning soundlessly, she walked away, her dress cloaking her in the falling darkness.
And Sakura watched her, a small feeling of dread entering her heart.

Bang!

Twenty minutes later Sakura crashed into her room, almost flattening Kero to her bed.

"Whoa!" Kero said, narrowly dodging her. "What's wrong Kiddo?"

"I... Saw..." Sakura panted. Kero looked at her with concern.

"Are you alright Sakura-san?" he asked, sitting down on her bed beside her.

"I'm fine, arigato," Sakura puffed. She laid down for a moment, catching her breath, then sat up and looked at Kero. "I saw something strange."

"What was it?" Kero said with a grin. "A monster? Oooouu... maybe the penguin king came to life!"

"Kero-chan!" Sakura whined. "I'm serious! When I was going through the park, I saw a girl, and she told me a bunch of stuff about weaknesses and what-not, and then she told me to tell you that 'the game is being played again'... what does that mean Kero-chan?"

"The game...?" Kero faltered, and flew over to the window. He stared at the moon with a frown, thoughts tumbling through his mind.

'Now that I think of it...' he thought to himself. 'This is the same time of year that she left... but, why would she want to play the game?'

"Sakura!" Touya said, poking his head into the room, it's your turn to make dinner! And be sure to make extra; Yukito is over."

"Not now Oniichan," Sakura snapped at him. "Kero and I are talking!"

"Nothing that can't be discussed later," Touya said, inviting himself into the room. Yukito followed with caution.

"Oh, where's your girlfriend?" Sakura said, in vain attempt to make him leave.

"Chaery isn't my girlfriend, and she isn't here," Touya answered calmly, though Yukito blushed lightly. "I dunno where she is... probably at home."

"Yue," Kero interrupted.

"What?" all three of them said, looking at him. Kero looked directly at Yukito.

"I need to tell Yue something," he repeated, perfectly serious. Yukito closed his eyes, and wings grew from his back. They blocked him from view for a few moments, and when they disappeared, revealed the Moon Guardian, Yue.

"What is it Cerberus?" Yue said calmly, a hint if irritation in his voice.

"She's back," Kero answered, crossing his arms. Yue looked at him long and hard.

"This is no time for jokes, Cerberus," Yue remarked, almost glaring. Touya sat down on Sakura's bed with his sister, just as confused as she was.

"This isn't a joke, Yue," Kero said sharply. "She's back, and she's going for another game."

"I would have sensed her, Cerberus," Yue hissed. "Do not play me for a fool. Maybe you were just having a dream."

"I didn't see her," Kero countered. "Sakura did. Have you forgotten how powerful she is? I haven't sensed her, but it's perfectly logical. Clow Reed barely blinked an eye when he told us that she had gone, and while you were off doing whatever he told me that we would meet her again. After all, she had promised to teach Sakura."

"She's a traitor," Yue said, once again perfectly calm with only a hint of irritation. He looked back to the ground. "She doesn't deserve to-"

"Don't give me that, Yue," Cerberus glared at him, but seemed determined not to yell. "I was only telling you that she was back, so that you could be aware that your part in the game WILL come, whether you like it or not."

"I refuse to fight her," Yue said, his wings reappearing.

"Then you lose, simple as that," Kero shrugged. "But you have no choice in the matter; you were created to play your part in the game, and you will play it." Yue didn't answer him, only transformed back into Yukito. Yukito stood there, eyes glazed over, looking at them all.

"Well?" he asked, just as confused as Sakura and Touya. "What happened?"

"Kero-chan," Sakura asked. "What is this... game that you're going to play?"

"You remember when you were a Cardcaptor?" Kero said; Sakura nodded. "That's the game. Collecting the cards, and fighting Yue. It's slightly different when played just for fun, but that's the basic jist of it."

"So..." Sakura frowned. "I have to recollect all the cards?"

"No," Kero shook his head. "No, you do basically nothing. You do have to watch over all the Star Cards, and make sure they don't cause too much havoc... but other then that, nothing at all."

"Who was that girl you kept on mentioning?" Touya asked.

"An ol' friend of ours," Kero said, sitting yoga-style in mid air. "Sakura saw her in the park... be watching out for her, okay?"

"Right," Sakura nodded; then something sprang to mind. "Is this what Eriol-kun was talking about?"

"No," Kero shook his head. "Eriol would have no clue what was happening; Clow Reed erased any and all memories of her before he died. Said that he wouldn't need them in his next life... and without her, memories of the game are pretty worthless, more like sketchy plans then anything else."

"Okay... so, the game has begun?" Sakura asked.

"No," Kero shook his head. "It doesn't begin until you start it." Abruptly, the doorbell rang, and Kero glared at Sakura's open door. "We have to do it now... but we can't be interrupted."

"Touya and I will answer the door," Yukito offered. Touya nodded, and stood up.

Ding! Dong!

Touya opened the door as soon as he got to it, and was surprised when someone fell on top of him. As soon as he regained his balance, he looked at what was in his arms... Or, to be correct, who.

"Chaery?" he said, bewildered. She moaned slightly, and pushed out of his embrace. Wobbling, she leaned onto the wall. Touya closed the door.

"Are you okay?" Yukito asked, worry etched on his face.

"I'm just... really tired," Chaery yawned. She rubbed at her eyes, and almost fell to the ground, Yukito catching her in time. "I... I didn't think I would make it home... and your house was the closest, Touya..." she yawned again, "sorry if I'm being an inconvenience... I can try to go home..."

"You're not being an inconvenience," Touya lied with a forced smile. He tried to think of a way to be polite, shove her out the door, and not end up worried that he sent his friend out to collapse on the street all in a few sentences. Thankfully, Yukito came to his rescue.

"Touya is busy here," he said, smiling at Chaery as she tried to stand up on her own. "But I was just heading home... why don't I walk with you?"

"That would be nice..." Chaery smiled at both of them. "Thank you..." Yukito smiled at Touya as well, and led her out of the door.

"We'll see you tomorrow Touya," he called over his shoulder. Touya gave a small wave, then closed the door. Leaning on it, he sighed.

"That was close..."

Thunk.

Sakura stared at the magical book lying on the floor. Her staff was in her hand, and her mirror had a new, strange glow in it, but what she just did seemed too... weird to think about.

"Don't worry about it kiddo," Kero reassured her. He was sitting by the open window. "Everything will be fine... just look into your mirror whenever you want to check up on them."

"Right," Sakura nodded. She knelt down and picked up the book. Hugging it to her chest, she tried to make sense of what she had just done.

She had released the cards.

"Sakura," Kero said softly. He flew over and patted her back. "There, there... they are still yours, don't worry, okay? And I'll make sure that nothing bad happens to them... okay?

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked, looking up at him.

"I have to go too, Sakura," Kero said sadly. Sakura looked back down to the ground.

"This is all happening too fast..." she muttered. "Can't you wait a week, and explain everything to me?"

"No," Kero shook his head. "I have to leave straight away... but you'll see me in the last little bit. You have to be present when the last battle happens."

Sakura nodded, though her mind was numb. She wanted to sleep now... think about all this chaos in the morning.

"You'll be fine kiddo... you'll be just fine..."

Before he left, Kero guided her to bed, and tucked her in. She still had her staff and book in her arms, but he left them there. With one final look around the room he had called his home for so long now, he left through the open window.