Angie-Chan: So, here we are. Another wanna-be card captor fic, huh? Heh. Anyway, read on and review, yes?

Hai!

Chapter One

I have to find the cards.

The thought reverberated through his mind over and over, as if the end of the notes would never come. But why? What bloody cards were his thoughts sending through his brain?

I must find them.

Quit! These damned thoughts were going to drive him to insanity! How long would they persist in colliding with his every day life? How long?

Rai raked his lean, tan fingers through the shaggy strands of his high-lighted black hair, brushing them up and away from his smoky grey eyes. Those said hues were locked in a tired gaze upon the teacher, who drawled on about something or another. Not that it mattered anyway; his lack of sleep had finally kicked in and was taking its toll upon his body. Bags were forming under his eyes, his vision was blurred around the edges, and it took so much effort to stay the hell awake in his classes.

Find them…must find them.

No excuses…

'…Rai'.

His eyes (which had been sliding shut) snapped open. That was not his voice! The youth's head shot from side to side as he searched for the bearer of the voice. However, he found nothing. No one was talking but the drone of a teacher. Cautiously, he tried to send back his own low and deep voice.

Who?...Are you?...

'You know…'

I do? But, I…how would I? Your voice does sound familiar, but I do not know you.

Slowly, a darkness crawled over him in response to his words; the room disappeared and everything just seemed to no longer exist within the realm of his vision. Hues stayed locked on to where the teacher had been, his mind frantically searching for something here, anything. Before he could really comprehend why, his eyes slid shut and his body fully relaxed.

'Rai, do you wish to know your fate?'

Tell me…whoever you are, why are you here?

'My wish is for my children to not be lonely. They are all alone is their dark place…my wish is for you to save them. They will die without my magic; will you rescue them? Free, they shall wreck havoc among the living, seeking a source of magic to live off of. They do not understand right between wrong… help them, please.'

Why?... Why me?

'Save my children. You must find the cards, before it is too late.'

The voice seemed to fade as the last urgent note died off. Rai's eyes slowly opened and what he saw seemed to have shocked him – everything was back to normal, as if nothing had ever happened. And not only that, the teacher and his fellow classmates were looking at him as if he were, well, crazy.

Well, all but one. Off to the left side of the class room, another young man watched Rai with a curious, yet longing look. He was about the same build and height as his crush, but had light blue hair, bright blue eyes, glasses and extremely pale skin – as if he had never seen the light of day, perhaps.. His hair was longer, tied into a braided tail at the back of his neck to fall a little over one shoulder.

'He doesn't even know I exist.'

He knew that. How could he not? He watched him every day, longed for a smile sent his way. But he knew he would not even get that.

'I am depraved. Longing and obsessing over something I cannot and will not have.'

But how was it fair?

Suki sighed gently and watched with an odd and amused smile as Rai jumped up from his seat, a little more than embarrassed. He watched the young man run from the room after a hurriedly delivered excuse of not feeling well and needing to use the bathroom. The teen was gone from sight quickly, the door sliding shut almost on its own.

With a soft sigh, Suki stood from his seat, bowed, and left without a single muttered excuse to the teacher. His eyes downcast, he followed the other's path by leaving the room through the door and sliding it almost closed behind him. He left it open a crack as to not draw much of the teacher's attention when they returned, or he – it all depended on whether or not he could convince Rai to come back to class.

'Go away.'

Suki stopped in complete shock, eyes widening beneath the lenses of his glasses. That was Rai's voice…but it was…in his head? How the hell was that even possible? Carefully, he tried to direct his thoughts to the other boy.

R…Ra…Rai?

This telepathic speech thing was a lot more difficult than what other people made it seem; it took every ounce of his concentration, and sweat beaded on his brow just from that little message. However, he knew he had been successful, because Rai's voice came back to him, firm and strong, as though he had had practice in speaking this way.

'Leave me be. I don't want to be bothered.'

O-oh…yes, I would be t-that, wouldn't I? I'm s-sorry…I was just, well, w-worried. You didn't l-look too good when y-you left the classroom-m.

Oh boy. He could definitely tell he had never done this mind communication before. Listen to that stutter!

A soft sigh was heard. 'That is not what I meant. You would not be a bother, Suki, I just… need to think.'

The blue-haired boy's eyes widened. He knew his name! He knew he existed! And he actually… said he wouldn't be a bother to him…was it possible that he could get this beautiful creature to be his friend, after all?

Yes…o-of course, Rai.

Suki pondered for a moment, a hand cupping his own chin as he did. With a soft, resigned sigh, he turned to head back into the classroom. Before he could, however, Rai spoke to him again.

'You…really wouldn't mind…keeping me company?'

He sounded…hesitant. As if, he were afraid to let anyone get close enough to him to become friends. Almost against his will, Suki found a soft smile curving his lips. He just might have a chance, after all.

If you do not mind, then I do not.

There was a laugh from Rai and he could almost see him shaking his head in amusement, the way he'd seen him do it so many times before.

'Then come and see me. I'm at the back gate, underneath the peach tree.'

Alright. Be there shortly.

The line was abruptly disconnected and Suki only blinked in confusion, still not really understanding how they'd done that in the first place. Shrugging his shoulders, he turned and headed down the empty hallway, his school issued shoes scuffing along on the floor. He thrust his hands into his uniform's pockets and let out a grateful sigh, it seems he'd been given a chance after all. Thank god!

He knew he was messed up… after all, anybody could call him gay; he was in love with a guy, wasn't he? And yet, despite these thoughts, he could not keep the smile off of his lips. He skipped partly in his next step and blinked, laughing softly at himself. Suki turned and followed the stairs down to the first floor of their high school. Following the halls, he came to the back exit and left through it, smiling to himself.

He walked along outside, the nice weather seeping into his pores and relaxing him as it always did. Upon nearing the school's courtyard, Suki began to feel nervous. After all, this would be the first time he ever talked to Rai face to face. It was almost as if he were dreaming. This was just way too good to be true.

Shaking his head in disgust aimed at himself, he laughed and brushed this ridiculous feeling off. Slowly, a crouched figure came into his vision. Rai.

'Look at him…so pretty.'

'Perfect, in all ways.'

'Just perfect.'

He stopped just a few feet from Rai, smiled, and lifted a hand in greeting to the other. His voice came out soft and hesitant-almost, "Hey, Rai."

The other boy's brow arched as he chuckled, saying, "hey there."

Before he could say more, everything went black in Suki's vision. And yet, he could still see Rai there, just out of his reach. He tried to run to him, but could not move, and so he ran in place, desperate to get to his love.

'No…No! Don't take him away from me! Not yet; he's what I need!'

He's perfect.

'Yes, he is!'

And that…is why I need him as well…and why, you cannot have him.

'No!!'

Rai watched in shock with wide eyes as Suki fell back on the ground and began to convulse. "Suki!" He dashed to the young man's side and desperately grabbed his shoulders, shaking him. "Snap out of it! Suki! Suki!"

You will not have him…Sukitashi Oyaki; guardian of the creator, I will not allow it. He's mine and he's walking directly into my trap.

"Suki! Heeeeeey, snap out of it, please?!"

Rai watched in horror as his comforter began to scream in pain, white energy seeming to surround him. His teeth were clenched, hands as well, and he seemed to be fighting against someone who seemed to desperately need him dead.

Rai's eyes closed. He calmed himself. Everything disappeared. The screams. The energy. The courtyard. Everything except him and Suki's presence. Blue hot energy began to glow along the rim of Rai's form. He placed a hand upon the blue-haired man's chest, and chanted these words:

"O guardian of the creator,

Grow in your power and come forth.

I know ye reside there,

In this soul, but now I call you forth,

To receive your magic and become one

With the form you have now!"

The words, he had no idea what they were or where they came from – all he knew was that that was what he had needed to say. Suki's body stopped convulsing and he fell back limp into Rai's arms.

Slowly, it started to rise, floating just a few feet above the air. Wings of pure white burst from Suki's back, then slowly wrapped around his floating form. The cocoon-like form floated there, a magic circle of some sort beginning to form and glow brightly beneath it and Rai. A burst of light shot from inside and blinded the young boy, causing him to cover his eyes with an arm, missing the part when the wings opened and a form landed swiftly before him.

When the light faded, Rai's eyes opened and his arm lowered, allowing him to see who stood before him. Everything faded back in; the school, the courtyard. And the magic circle disappeared.

"Ah, I see that the next master has finally been found."

Angie-Chan: So, what did you think? Did you like it? Should I continue? Well, tell me all of your thoughts in a review, yes?

Hai!!

Ja mata, mina-san!