Red Eyes

Yukito and Chaery walked in silence, Yukito ready to catch her if she fell. She wobbled along, but kept her balance well, managing to cast him a weak smile. He could barely remember why he was embarrassed whenever he had been around her for those three weeks prior, a reminder of her bare back not entering his mind.

They had only walked a couple of blocks when she tripped over a bit of uneven pavement, and he caught her again. For some reason, he could feel Yue wanting to come out, but he fought the sudden urge to collapse into darkness and let the moon guardian take over. He probably only thought it was Sakura hurt or something. He could wait.

"Are you alright?" Yukito asked, steadying her. She looked up at him weakly, and for the first time he realised that her eyes were red. "Were you crying?" She didn't answer, just pushed away from him, and continued to stumble along.

"We're almost there..." she murmured. "I don't need anymore help..."

"It's all right," Yukito said gently, smiling at her; she didn't look at him. "I'll walk you to your door. I know what it's like to collapse in the middle of no where... I used to do it all the time a couple of years ago." A hint of a smile graced her lips, making her look much more pleasant then before. Silently, Yukito studied her from the corner of his eye.

On first glance she could be mistaken for stunning or even breath-taking, but upon closer look, she was more plain. She didn't seek as much glamour as other girls, settling for just a little bit of make up (of what kind Yukito couldn't tell you) and clothes that made her seem just a little bit overdressed for the weather. Her eyes on the other hand, were pure green at one of it's darkest hues, that would drown unaware peoples in their depths. More often than not they looked sad, with age and wisdom behind sparkles, like a mask... but that could of just been part of the beauty behind them.

If you wanted to get really picky, her brown hair was kind of dry, and had split ends.

"What are you staring at?" She grinned at him cheekily, her attempts at teasing him ruined by another large yawn.

"Nothing," he shook his head. "So... where do you live again?"

Dong... Dong... Dong...

Yukito and Touya lingered behind as long as possible the next day, waiting for Chaery. It was an unspoken rule that the four of them (Yukito, Touya, Ruby and Chaery) meet before school; it was also a fact that Ruby, though tolerated Chaery and respected her, didn't like the girl one bit. Nope, not at all.

But even Ruby was starting to get worried when Chaery didn't show up on time. The girl shared first period with her, and they chatted together to pass the time in the class.

In second period, Touya was thinking about just skipping class and dragging Yukito with him, as Yukito knew where she lived, so they could check up on their friend.

By lunch, the trio felt little better. They tried not to pretend that nothing was wrong; Ruby plastering herself to Touya like usual, Touya trying to pry her away like usual, and Yukito just laughing at the two, as usual.

But they all breathed a sign of relief when Chaery showed up halfway through lunch, sitting down beside Yukito.

"And where have you been?" Touya asked, shoving Ruby out of his lap for a third time.

"I overslept, Dad," Chaery said teasingly. Yukito was looking at her closely, and when she smiled at him, he noticed that, once again, her eyes were a little red... "What's up with you? Have my captivating looks been dazzling you all night?"

"No offence," Touya said with a grin. "But your not that attractive." Chaery glared at him, and Ruby giggled behind her hand.

Oit, oit. Oit, oit.

That afternoon, Sakura met with Tomoyo and Eriol in the park. The three of them stood on the bridge, discussing what had happened the night before. The steady drip of water into the lake was eerie, but they ignored it the best they could.

"I can't think of anything like this," Eriol admitted. "Besides when you were a Cardcaptor, of course..."

"Was letting the cards go such a good idea?" Sakura asked desperately, frowning.

"Cerberus was all right with it," Eriol said reassuringly, smiling at her. "I'm sure it's perfectly fi-" Before he could finish speaking, the water all around them soared sky high.

"Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo said shakily. Sakura followed her line of vision to see the strangest thing -- herself. Sakura watched herself as she raised a sword into the air, and cut through the water. The water slip perfectly, before a mermaid rose out of it, looking mad.

"Yes, Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura said weakly.

"What's happening?"

"I... I don't know..." Sakura answered. Eriol was silent, watching as the Sakura-look-alike tried to cut the mermaid.

"Sakura," a familiar voice said, causing Sakura to jump. Turning around, she saw Cerberus, wings folded around him delicately. "Are you trying to say you can't figure out what's happening?"

"Kero-chan!" Sakura said happily, rushing over to him and enveloping him in a hug. "I miss you already... wait, are you trying to tell me that this is the game?"

"The game passes by very quickly, Sakura," Cerberus nodded. "Observe... what cards do you see?" Sakura back at the scene; Eriol smiled at her encouragingly, as did Tomoyo, before she examined the fight.

"Mirror," she whispered, "and Sword... they're fighting Watery..." As she spoke, Mirror tapped Watery with Sword, and obediently Watery and the others turned back into cards and slipped off into shadows. "She... she has three cards?"

"Four, actually," Cerberus corrected. "Soon enough, you'll have your Star Cards back... Until then, sit tight, and train your mind, alright?" Sakura nodded numbly as Cerberus backed away. For a moment, she thought she saw bright red eyes in the shadows, but no -- it must have been a trick of the light. "Good-bye, Sakura."

"Bye, Kero-chan..."