Disclaimer: CLAMP and only CLAMP have the rights to claim CCS their own.


Quintessential Cage

Chap. 02 'Dreams'

By nilfheim

Kinomoto Sakura suddenly woke up, sitting on her bed. She had the weirdest dream ever since the one that involved Hiiragizawa Eriol being an evil sorcerer intent on sucking away her magical powers when she was in fifth grade. However, her dream was like being on another place, it was like being in a virtual reality game. It somehow involved her best friend Tomoyo trapped as a bird in some far away palace until her a 'lover so bold' (or something like that) for her will gladly come down and rescue her.

'Doesn't makes any sense,' Sakura thought, shaking her head.


The translucent bird dropped down its head, pearly tears streaming down from its eyes. Memories rushed to her, how and why she ended up inside a golden cage with glass walls that would imprison her forever unless…

"Morning and evening, twilight and dawn

Locked in glass and gold

One strand of hope left for freedom to be gone

Till a lover with heart so bold

Comes down from yonder to rescue back what you lack"

That was what the mysterious enchantress said before Tomoyo lost real freedom and was transformed into a bird. But Tomoyo cried more, pearly tears wetting her colorful feathers. If her best friend didn't even believe her current and yet might be forever predicament, how much so for the one destined to free her.


Sakura sat down with her friends in the cafeteria for lunch. Tomoyo was absent today. Sakura wondered why and what happened. When she called the Daidouji residence earlier at recess, Daidouji Sonomi was hysterical. It seemed that Tomoyo just decided to sleep last night and never come back to reality, although doctors assure that Tomoyo was still alive, it was just she was in a coma right now.

Sakura's instant feelings of happiness suddenly burst like a balloon being pricked with a pin. She had a bad feeling and she didn't feel too good about it. Somehow, it was all related to her dream. The dream.

'Don't tell me it's all true,' Sakura thought, staring at the food in front of her.

"Hey Sakura," Chiharu called out, snapping Sakura out of her reverie.

Chiharu pointed out Eriol sitting all by himself in a far corner of the cafeteria. To the surprise of everyone, Eriol just decided to come back to Japan. Even Sakura was surprised. Usually, Eriol would call or write a letter announcing his arrival. But this time he didn't. Sakura wondered if he just decided to pop back to Japan all of a sudden, out of impulse. Or plan this as a surprise. But then again, Eriol didn't seem like the type to just randomly do things out of impulse. The latter seemed like a more logical reason.

Without meaning to, Sakura suddenly stood up and carried her tray to Eriol's table, leaving confused expressions written over the faces of Chiharu, Rika and Naoko.

"Where are you going?" Naoko asked but she didn't get any reply.


"You've got to eat something Li or you might even get sicker," Takashi Yamazaki coaxed Li Syaoran.

Li shook his head, "Thanks Yamazaki but I have a funny feeling I'm going to throw up the moment I see the sight of food."

"Well see you then."

Li walked around the surroundings, trying to avoid as many students. He settled instead in going to the library, where at least he could think and muse over the weird dream he had last night. About Tomoyo, which was weirder. Li knew that dreams were something that concerned things that you thought a lot over the day. He never even thought of Tomoyo for a second, all his thoughts were focused to Sakura the moment he arrived in Japan from Hong Kong.

And yeah, also the feeling he got last week in Hong Kong. The feeling or more like the urge to transfer back to Japan because of well, something. Something that Li didn't know, and Li feared something that he didn't know.


"Well, I don't mean to pry into other people's business but you know, what exactly brings you back to Japan?" Sakura asked.

"I don't know, I just started having the need to go back to Japan because, well, it's hard to explain but I can tell you I sense something's going on in here," Eriol replied.

"I see. But I don't know about you, I just had the weirdest dream involving Tomoyo," Sakura said, drinking her juice.

Eriol suddenly stopped eating and looked at her straight in the eye. Sakura was surprised at this sudden reaction so she did the same.

"Something wrong?" Sakura asked, feeling uneasy.

"Did you just said a dream involving Daidouji?" Eriol asked.

"Um… yeah, why?"

Sakura was greeted with silence and the sounds of eating.

"Hold on, don't tell me that-" Sakura was cut off.

"Yeah I do. I have a dream involving Daidouji too," Eriol interrupted.


When Eriol was finished, Sakura's jaw was reaching down to the ground already.

"I've got an idea. Let's visit Tomoyo after dismissal," Sakura said.

"Good," Eriol agreed.

The two were joined quickly with Li, who was standing near them and was actually listening to their conversation.

"What's with the shocked expression Syaoran?" Sakura asked.

"I have the same dream," Li stated.

Sakura and Eriol looked at him in the eyes.


AN: Why do all of my poems have to suck? Anyway, thanks to all my reviewers and sorry for the confusion. Next chapter features the trio SSE (Sakura, Syaoran and Eriol) being sucked to the dream world Tomoyo's in. Now, just click that Go! button to submit a review and make my day. Constructive criticisms are most welcome.