Chapter 2: Discoveries

Sakura looked out. The whole city stretched out below, and all around her.

She looked over at Syaoran. He was standing rigid, trying not to fall off the tower, or getting blown over by the wind. He resembled her current state.

Both were trying to concentrate on the strange shield, find where it's source was from. Their logic was that because the Tokyo tower was the tallest building around, they would be able to get close to the shield. But so far, the only thing they were close to was falling off, and the only thing they had found was how cold it was at the top of a tower.

'Syaoran, how much longer should we stay up here? It's past midnight, and this isn't helping us much.'

Syaoran opened his eyes, and looked at her.

'I guess your right. This isn't doing us much good- the shield still seems so far away. If only we could fly...'

Suddenly, his head snapped around to face Sakura.

'Sakura, you can fly! Remember? The FLY card?'

She shook her head.

'I normally would be able to, but the wind is too strong- I'd get blown over, and the wings would snap in half. Anyways, I'm not sure if the air is thick enough too hold me- its hard to breath this high up.'

He nodded, understanding what she meant.

'Well, maybe you can come over tomorrow. I have all my dad's old books- he must have written something in there about strange, abnormally big shields that just pop out of nowhere. There's a big stack of them, so we might need a bit of help. Maybe you can bring Kero over. That would probably help, even if he just helps us decipher some words that you or I can't read.'

'Syaoran, that would be great! I mean... sure... after school? It's Touya's day to cook and clean, so I should be free, and my cheerleading practice is cancelled. So, sure!'

'Alright. See you tomorrow, then. And Sakura?'

'Yeah?'

'Can you help me down? My feet don't want to move.'

She summoned FLOAT, and silently let FLOAT take him down to the roof tops, while she followed using FLY.

'Ok, well, see you tomorrow, Sakura?'

'Ok. Goodnight!'

'Goodnight!'

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She sat in her seat, not sure what to think. After last night, she knew that there was someone else out there, other than herself and Syaoran. He had saved her, and thankfully, he hadn't asked any questions as to what she was doing, or anything of the sort.

But those eyes...

'Kinomoto-chan! I expect you have a good reason today as to why you're staring out the window?'

'Well, I-'

'Well you what? And where is you're math homework? Lets see it!'

Sakura grudgingly took out her math homework, glad that the teacher hadn't persisted on what she was thinking about.

'Sakura-chan, I am very disappointed in you! Not only is most of your homework not done, those questions that you have done are as wrong as you can get! I'm sorry but you must redo it. And also the homework that you'll get tonight! If they are not done right, I'll make you do them over and over and over again until you get them right! Now, today, please try to pay attention!'

Sakura glared at her teacher's back this time. Then she sighed. At least she didn't have to-

'Oh, and Sakura? I also expect from you a two page essay on what you're always thinking about.'

Sakura clenched her fists under her desk. It would be nice, just once, if her teacher didn't interrupt her right when she was getting a brain-storm on how to solve her most recent problems.

Syaoran looked at the back of Sakura's head. He always managed to sit right behind her in every class. He had memorized the back of her head. But it had changed so much in five years, that nothing was the same as it used to be.

'Oh well' he mumbled to himself, 'I guess I just get to memorize it again...'

The teacher turned around to glare at Sakura, who was obviously not paying attention, and then to sweep around the room.

'Alright, class,' she began, 'we should start work on integers when we get back from the weekend, on Monday. You should all have the proper books with you- or else'

The class groaned at her 'or else' for one main reason: it usually turned out to be something really bad, whether it was detention for the rest of the year, month, or life, or cleaning up every room in the school by using a toothbrush, the punishment was pretty horrible.

Syaoran sighed, and looked over at the window- and noticed, immediately, that Sakura was staring at his reflection. Leaning back, trying to get a picture of Sakura's face from his head, he remembered that final fight with Eriol five years ago.

When he lent her all his power to transform the LIGHT and DARK, he had also had his hands on her staff, had been holding it so tight, almost like his own... he wished that he had become the master of the cards instead of Sakura.

But then another image flashed into his mind.

He saw Sakura right in front of him, concentrating on a pair of shining rectangles at the end of a long stick with Sun and moon emblems with wings on the end... this was the same scene, but something was different. He could feel Sakura's body so close to his own, could smell the faint aroma that came from her hair, could feel the immense power inside of her, that needed just that extra little boost... and then he realized what he truly thought about Sakura, although he tried to deny it.

He looked back at her head, and then at the reflection in the window. He no longer felt like a shy little boy around her. Now he felt like he wanted to be around her, wanted to see her face, wanted her to have the power, be the Mistress of the Clow. Even if it meant that he had disgraced his family, it did not matter to him.

Since Sakura had been named Mistress, Syaoran had always felt this weird tension, and now he knew what it was- he had been brought up to become Master of the Clow, and because Sakura had taken his title. But now he only felt a strong sense of gratitude. If Sakura had never been named mistress, everyone would have forgotten everything. If Sakura hadn't been chosen, and he had become Master, then she would probably have had her staff taken away, memory erased- and he would have had to take on Eriol's attacks by himself.

Even though he barely grinned on the outside, he had the biggest smile on inside. He felt a deep respect for Sakura now that went beyond words. He thought about the 'conditions' that had been set up to break off his engagement to Meirin, back in Hong-Kong. She already had her fiancé...

He looked at the back of Sakura's head one more time.

Perhaps, after they sorted out what was going on here, a little visit was in order...

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The rest of the day went on with nothing eventful happening. At break Sakura, Syaoran and Tomoyo ate together out by the fountain; Home ED, was, well, boring to say the least, and Grammar soon became Syaoran's least favorite subject.

After School, Sakura was about to leave when her Math teacher came up behind her.

'And where do you think you're going?'

Sakura looked around at her, then remembered her punishment.

'But Ms....'

'But Ms. Nothing, Kinomoto-chan. You have a detention, and the math room got a little... messy to say the least. And Tomoyo? Please, there's no need to stay behind tonight to help her. And that goes for you, too, Li-kun. Now SCAT!'

Sakura turned around to look at her friends.

'Ok, guys. Li-kun? I'll see you later...'

She turned around and walked up the stairs, getting into her cleaning mood. She needed to be done as fast as possible, so she could help Syaoran as much as she could.

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Tomoyo looked at Syaoran as they walked away from the school.

'Why would Sakura-chan be seeing you later? Unless you're on a date...'

Syaoran stopped and turned around quickly to face Tomoyo. His cheeks were as red as they could get, and it was obvious that he did not appreciate Tomoyo bringing up the subject of him and Sakura together, as a couple.

'WE'RE NOT GOING OUT, ALRIGHT?!' He burst out, taking Tomoyo by surprise. He quickly calmed down when he saw the look that Tomoyo gave him. 'I'm sorry, but something strange has been going on... remember... oh, wait, you were asleep the whole time under Eriol's spell, but when Sakura transformed the light and dark cards and broke his spell? Well, something happened, and the magic circles appeared again-right where we were standing, and they're so obvious! The old man in charge of the shrine found them, and he called some investigators to see what they are! And on top of me an Sakura now trying to keep a low profile, there's an invisible shield, not THE SHIELD, but defiantly something not evil. We're trying to find out what it's trying to keep out. So Sakura's coming over, to look through all my father's old books. Ok?'

Tomoyo was amazed that he could explain to her in one breath so bluntly what had been happening, but his first reaction to her comment....

Suddenly, Tomoyo smiled.

Syaoran looked amazed.

'If you know that there's something bad out there, how can you smile?'

'Because I know something that you might, but won't admit to yourself!'

Now he looked confused. 'What?'

She sang merrily, 'You're in love with Sakura-chan! She is going to be so amazed! Do you want me to tell her, or will you?'

Syaoran stared at Tomoyo, outraged. A few times he tried to stutter out something, but failed.

Finally: 'Tomoyo! I am not in love with Sakura-chan!'

'Yes you are! You can see it in your eyes, you're body movements, whenever you're around her! It's so obvious! In fact, I'm going to tell her right now!' Yelled Tomoyo, and ran back toward the school.

Syaoran stood there, stunned. He finally got his mouth working again. 'But Tomoyo...'