Chapter 1: The Plain Truth
The hard rain poured down onto the streets of Tomoeda, the wind beating against the Kinomoto residence, where a pretty girl with long, auburn hair and bright emerald-green eyes sat at her window sill, starring out into the storm with her chin in her hands.
"The rain… It hasn't stopped for days," Sakura said softly, her eyes scanning the clouded sky. It had rained for almost two weeks straight now. Not one moment of the day or night had it stopped. Sakura was beginning to forget what it felt like to have the sun beating down on her, it had been so long since she had seen it.
"It is strange," Kero replied absentmindedly, as he was absorbed in his pudding. He got another spoonful and stuffed into his mouth, his tail whishing happily.
"Strange?" Sakura said throatily. "'Strange' is an understatement, Kero. I can see the rain going for a few days, but this…" She lifted her chin from her hands and placed them in her lap, her frown growing deeper. "This.. This is just.. Out of the ordinary.. Something doesn't feel right."
Kero put his spoon down and flew over to Sakura, landing on her shoulder. "Don't worry kiddo, I'm sure it will stop soon," he said. Sakura nodded slowly.
"And if it doesn't…?" she inclined.
"Well, then, I'll think that there's magic behind it," Kero replied. Sakura looked at him with wide eyes.
"You don't think…?"
Kero laughed. "Oh Sakura, just because you've captured the Clow Cards, turned them into your own Sakura Cards, and earned your right to them, you think that you're Cardcaptor days are over?"
Sakura shook her head slowly. "No, Kero, it's just that.. Well.. Nothing has been happening for over a year now, and I thought maybe.." She trailed off.
Kero laughed again. "Nope, you thought wrong, Sakura. You have magical powers, some powers even Clow Reed never even dreamed of… And because of that, you have a destined fate."
"And what's that?" Sakura asked.
Kero shook his head, sighing. "Not even I know that, Sakura. Fate is something you can't predict, I thought you would know that by now."
"I do, Kero," Sakura protested, "But sometimes I just can't help but wish that I had more precognitive dreams again, like back when I was capturing the Clow Cards. Then I could at least know of some notion of what is happening in my near future."
"Why all of a sudden do you think something is going to happen, Sakura?" Kero asked cautiously.
Sakura looked at Kero with worried eyes. "I don't know, Kero, I just have one of those.. Feelings. Like… Like back in the old days. A feeling like I know something is there, but I don't know what it is, you know what I mean?"
"Like… The sensing of a Clow Card?"
Sakura shook her head. "No.." She stopped and started to nod her head. "Well, yes…" She stopped again and shook the thoughts out of her head. "Actually, Kero, I don't really know.. It sort of feels like the sensing of a Clow Card, but more distant, more… remote. But it also feels more powerful than any of the Clow Cards ever were."
Kero shook his head in wonder. "Well, you've stumped me, kiddo. I haven't felt anything, and that's odd, because usually whenever something magical is in close presence, we both feel it. And what's even more peculiar, is that if all of the magical presence in the world were gone for a year, why has it suddenly come back now?"
Sakura opened her mouth to answer, but closed it again as she realised she didn't know the answer. The room went quiet as both Sakura and Kero stared out the window, watching the heavy rain pour down onto the near-flooded streets. The silence was broken when very suddenly Sakura's phone rang. Both her and Kero nearly jumped out of their skins at the sudden noise, and Kero sighed in utter relief, flopping down onto the pillow on the window sill. Sakura ran over to her bed, collapsed on it as well and grabbed the phone.
"Hello, Sakura speaking."
"Sakura? It's Syaoran."
"Syaoran?!" Sakura sprang from her bed, clutching the phone tightly to her ear, her eyes wide. Kero looked up from the pillow.
"Yes," Syaoran replied. "I'm sorry, it's been a while since we've last talked."
Sakura settled herself back down onto the bed carefully. "It has," Sakura agreed. "Almost a year now. How are you doing? Is Meilin well?"
"I'm doing well," Syaoran replied. "And Meilin is doing well, too." His voice paused for a moment, and he said something quietly, but Sakura didn't catch it. She was just going to ask what he said, when he spoke. "Sakura, the reason I called you…"
Sakura knew what he was going to say. "You sense it too??" she said softly.
Syaoran's voice paused for another moment. "How.. Did you know I was going to ask that?" he said slowly.
"I just.. I had a.. hunch.. That you were going to," she replied. When Syaoran didn't answer, she said quickly, "Just a lucky guess!"
"Oh…Well…" Syaoran sighed into the phone before continuing. "Sakura, it's a feeling like I've felt before, but it also feels like something I haven't felt at the same time. Sort of like the feel of a Clow Card, except more…"
"…Distant?" Sakura finished off for him.
"Yes," Syaoran replied. "It's… strange."
"I know what you mean," Sakura answered, sighing heavily as she lied down on her back on her bed. She twisted a piece of her hair around her finger as she went on. "Kero and I were just talking about it. But the weird thing is… Kero doesn't feel anything at all."
"Nothing at all?" Syaoran said hoarsely.
"Yeah, he doesn't sense anything. I'm sort of worried, to tell you the truth.." She looked out the window at the never-ending downpour of rain. "And.. It's been pouring rain non-stop for almost two weeks straight."
"Alright, I'm convinced, there's something that's not right here," Syaoran said defiantly. "I'm coming down to Tomoeda."
"Really??" Sakura implied, smiling deeply.
"Yes, there's something coming, I just know it. And.." he paused. "And.. I.. I want to be with you.."
"You want to be with me…?" Sakura inclined slowly.
"Uh, that is, I want to be with you when then this thing happens!" Syaoran said quickly. Sakura was confused.
"But how are you getting down here?" she asked, dismissing what he had just said.
"Plane," Syaoran replied. "Mother will understand when I tell her."
"Alright. Will Meilin be coming with you?"
"Most likely," Syaoran said, and then laughed a bit. "She really misses you."
Sakura smiled again. "And I miss her as well," she replied. She then asked, "When will you be coming down?"
"Next week, I suppose. Maybe even in three or four days if Mother can get the plane tickets sooner."
"Well, that's great, Syaoran!" Sakura said happily. "I'm looking forward to seeing you and Meilin, it's been awhile."
"I'm looking forward to seeing you and the gang as well. Oh, and how is Tomoyo doing?"
"She's doing good! Cheerful and happy as always."
"And your family?"
"They're doing well, too. Dad got a raise a few weeks ago, and he's been extra busy lately with his presentations. And as for Toya, he just moved out a few days ago." Sakura frowned a bit at that.
"Oh? And how do you feel about that, Sakura? Are you alright?"
"Yes… It's just different without him in the house. Almost.. Like the house lost a part of itself. It doesn't feel right anymore."
"Don't worry, Sakura," Syaoran said soothingly. "You'll get used to it."
"Yes, I suppose I will," Sakura replied quietly. "I still miss him a bunch though."
"I understand." Syaoran then laughed. "Well, my sisters aren't moving out anytime soon, I would say never if I didn't know any better, and they are more annoying then ever. I WISH they would move out."
Sakura giggled, remembering how happy-go-lucky Syaoran's four sisters were. "I wished the same thing too, but when they actually go, you would miss them."
"Yes, you're probably right, as usual," Syaoran replied. Sakura smiled.
"Syaoran, supper is ready!" another voice called from the other end of the phone.
"Oh, Sakura, I have to go," Syaoran said.
"Okay, Syaoran. It was nice talking to you!"
"You too. I'll call you back when I find out for sure when Meilin and I are coming down."
"I can't wait."
"Me neither. Bye Sakura."
"Bye Syaoran."
Just as Sakura took the phone away from her ear and stood up, going to push the off button, Syaoran's voice came from the phone again. "Oh, and Sakura?"
Sakura put it back to her ear again. "Yes, Syaoran?"
"I.. Be careful."
"Careful…?" she said slowly.
"Yes," Syaoran said softly. "I don't know from what, but just… just be careful. I don't what I'd do if something happened to you."
"Syaoran…" Sakura whispered.
"I have to go now, Sakura, I'll talk to you later. Have a good night." Click. Sakura turned the phone off and walked over to her dresser slowly, setting it down.
"He senses it too?" Kero said, flying over to her. Sakura turned around slowly to face him, nodding. She kept silent, thinking about what Syaoran had said.
"Odd…" Kero exclaimed, fingering his chin with a paw. "Very odd indeed… How can Syaoran sense something that's here - all the way from Hong Kong! - and I can't??"
"I wish I had the answer, Kero," Sakura said gently, "But I don't."
"Me too, Sakura, me too." Kero flew back onto Sakura's shoulder and watched her with worried eyes. "Hey kiddo, something's up. Wanna talk about it?"
"It's Syaoran," Sakura responded. "He… He said he wants to be with me, and that he wouldn't know what he would do if anything happened to me.. It was strange hearing it from him.. He's treating me differently, as if.. As if.."
"..As if he's in love with you?" Kero finished.
Sakura started to laugh. "Syaoran, in love with me? Kero, I think that was the funniest thing you've ever said!" But in her heart she knew that that was a very likely possibility, she just didn't want to tell herself that that may very well be it. Even her laughs were forced.
"Well, he did look like he wanted to tell you something before he left back to Hong Kong those few years ago, don't you remember?" Kero said, grinning to himself. He tried to conceal it, but he did a very bad job of it.
"Oh, quit smirking like that, Kero," Sakura said, glaring at him. "And you DO remember when Syaoran and I were rivalled against each other?"
"Sakura, that was years ago!" Kero said impatiently. "You then became friends and he looked out for you all the time, even getting upset when you were sick or hurt! He INSISTED whenever something happened, you were to call him right away so you wouldn't get hurt. He came to see you when you were sick! Sakura, he loves you as plain as the sky is blue, and I'll be damned if he doesn't!"
Sakura's eyes widened as she finally realized it. How could she have been so blind? She was so gullible and stupid as a kid, never noticing a thing, even when it was waving right under her nose. And now she realized the truth that she could have found out years ago, if she hadn't of been so stupid.
"I.. I'm going for a walk," she said quietly, hanging her head as she tugged off her slippers and opened her bedroom door.
"Sakura, did I say something wrong?" Kero asked, as Sakura went to close the door.
"No… It's just.. I need to be alone." She shut the door behind her softly, almost running down the stairs as she quickly shuved her shoes on and pulled her coat on. She ran out the door and into the pouring rain, Syaoran filling her head near to bursting and her eyes full of tears.
The hard rain poured down onto the streets of Tomoeda, the wind beating against the Kinomoto residence, where a pretty girl with long, auburn hair and bright emerald-green eyes sat at her window sill, starring out into the storm with her chin in her hands.
"The rain… It hasn't stopped for days," Sakura said softly, her eyes scanning the clouded sky. It had rained for almost two weeks straight now. Not one moment of the day or night had it stopped. Sakura was beginning to forget what it felt like to have the sun beating down on her, it had been so long since she had seen it.
"It is strange," Kero replied absentmindedly, as he was absorbed in his pudding. He got another spoonful and stuffed into his mouth, his tail whishing happily.
"Strange?" Sakura said throatily. "'Strange' is an understatement, Kero. I can see the rain going for a few days, but this…" She lifted her chin from her hands and placed them in her lap, her frown growing deeper. "This.. This is just.. Out of the ordinary.. Something doesn't feel right."
Kero put his spoon down and flew over to Sakura, landing on her shoulder. "Don't worry kiddo, I'm sure it will stop soon," he said. Sakura nodded slowly.
"And if it doesn't…?" she inclined.
"Well, then, I'll think that there's magic behind it," Kero replied. Sakura looked at him with wide eyes.
"You don't think…?"
Kero laughed. "Oh Sakura, just because you've captured the Clow Cards, turned them into your own Sakura Cards, and earned your right to them, you think that you're Cardcaptor days are over?"
Sakura shook her head slowly. "No, Kero, it's just that.. Well.. Nothing has been happening for over a year now, and I thought maybe.." She trailed off.
Kero laughed again. "Nope, you thought wrong, Sakura. You have magical powers, some powers even Clow Reed never even dreamed of… And because of that, you have a destined fate."
"And what's that?" Sakura asked.
Kero shook his head, sighing. "Not even I know that, Sakura. Fate is something you can't predict, I thought you would know that by now."
"I do, Kero," Sakura protested, "But sometimes I just can't help but wish that I had more precognitive dreams again, like back when I was capturing the Clow Cards. Then I could at least know of some notion of what is happening in my near future."
"Why all of a sudden do you think something is going to happen, Sakura?" Kero asked cautiously.
Sakura looked at Kero with worried eyes. "I don't know, Kero, I just have one of those.. Feelings. Like… Like back in the old days. A feeling like I know something is there, but I don't know what it is, you know what I mean?"
"Like… The sensing of a Clow Card?"
Sakura shook her head. "No.." She stopped and started to nod her head. "Well, yes…" She stopped again and shook the thoughts out of her head. "Actually, Kero, I don't really know.. It sort of feels like the sensing of a Clow Card, but more distant, more… remote. But it also feels more powerful than any of the Clow Cards ever were."
Kero shook his head in wonder. "Well, you've stumped me, kiddo. I haven't felt anything, and that's odd, because usually whenever something magical is in close presence, we both feel it. And what's even more peculiar, is that if all of the magical presence in the world were gone for a year, why has it suddenly come back now?"
Sakura opened her mouth to answer, but closed it again as she realised she didn't know the answer. The room went quiet as both Sakura and Kero stared out the window, watching the heavy rain pour down onto the near-flooded streets. The silence was broken when very suddenly Sakura's phone rang. Both her and Kero nearly jumped out of their skins at the sudden noise, and Kero sighed in utter relief, flopping down onto the pillow on the window sill. Sakura ran over to her bed, collapsed on it as well and grabbed the phone.
"Hello, Sakura speaking."
"Sakura? It's Syaoran."
"Syaoran?!" Sakura sprang from her bed, clutching the phone tightly to her ear, her eyes wide. Kero looked up from the pillow.
"Yes," Syaoran replied. "I'm sorry, it's been a while since we've last talked."
Sakura settled herself back down onto the bed carefully. "It has," Sakura agreed. "Almost a year now. How are you doing? Is Meilin well?"
"I'm doing well," Syaoran replied. "And Meilin is doing well, too." His voice paused for a moment, and he said something quietly, but Sakura didn't catch it. She was just going to ask what he said, when he spoke. "Sakura, the reason I called you…"
Sakura knew what he was going to say. "You sense it too??" she said softly.
Syaoran's voice paused for another moment. "How.. Did you know I was going to ask that?" he said slowly.
"I just.. I had a.. hunch.. That you were going to," she replied. When Syaoran didn't answer, she said quickly, "Just a lucky guess!"
"Oh…Well…" Syaoran sighed into the phone before continuing. "Sakura, it's a feeling like I've felt before, but it also feels like something I haven't felt at the same time. Sort of like the feel of a Clow Card, except more…"
"…Distant?" Sakura finished off for him.
"Yes," Syaoran replied. "It's… strange."
"I know what you mean," Sakura answered, sighing heavily as she lied down on her back on her bed. She twisted a piece of her hair around her finger as she went on. "Kero and I were just talking about it. But the weird thing is… Kero doesn't feel anything at all."
"Nothing at all?" Syaoran said hoarsely.
"Yeah, he doesn't sense anything. I'm sort of worried, to tell you the truth.." She looked out the window at the never-ending downpour of rain. "And.. It's been pouring rain non-stop for almost two weeks straight."
"Alright, I'm convinced, there's something that's not right here," Syaoran said defiantly. "I'm coming down to Tomoeda."
"Really??" Sakura implied, smiling deeply.
"Yes, there's something coming, I just know it. And.." he paused. "And.. I.. I want to be with you.."
"You want to be with me…?" Sakura inclined slowly.
"Uh, that is, I want to be with you when then this thing happens!" Syaoran said quickly. Sakura was confused.
"But how are you getting down here?" she asked, dismissing what he had just said.
"Plane," Syaoran replied. "Mother will understand when I tell her."
"Alright. Will Meilin be coming with you?"
"Most likely," Syaoran said, and then laughed a bit. "She really misses you."
Sakura smiled again. "And I miss her as well," she replied. She then asked, "When will you be coming down?"
"Next week, I suppose. Maybe even in three or four days if Mother can get the plane tickets sooner."
"Well, that's great, Syaoran!" Sakura said happily. "I'm looking forward to seeing you and Meilin, it's been awhile."
"I'm looking forward to seeing you and the gang as well. Oh, and how is Tomoyo doing?"
"She's doing good! Cheerful and happy as always."
"And your family?"
"They're doing well, too. Dad got a raise a few weeks ago, and he's been extra busy lately with his presentations. And as for Toya, he just moved out a few days ago." Sakura frowned a bit at that.
"Oh? And how do you feel about that, Sakura? Are you alright?"
"Yes… It's just different without him in the house. Almost.. Like the house lost a part of itself. It doesn't feel right anymore."
"Don't worry, Sakura," Syaoran said soothingly. "You'll get used to it."
"Yes, I suppose I will," Sakura replied quietly. "I still miss him a bunch though."
"I understand." Syaoran then laughed. "Well, my sisters aren't moving out anytime soon, I would say never if I didn't know any better, and they are more annoying then ever. I WISH they would move out."
Sakura giggled, remembering how happy-go-lucky Syaoran's four sisters were. "I wished the same thing too, but when they actually go, you would miss them."
"Yes, you're probably right, as usual," Syaoran replied. Sakura smiled.
"Syaoran, supper is ready!" another voice called from the other end of the phone.
"Oh, Sakura, I have to go," Syaoran said.
"Okay, Syaoran. It was nice talking to you!"
"You too. I'll call you back when I find out for sure when Meilin and I are coming down."
"I can't wait."
"Me neither. Bye Sakura."
"Bye Syaoran."
Just as Sakura took the phone away from her ear and stood up, going to push the off button, Syaoran's voice came from the phone again. "Oh, and Sakura?"
Sakura put it back to her ear again. "Yes, Syaoran?"
"I.. Be careful."
"Careful…?" she said slowly.
"Yes," Syaoran said softly. "I don't know from what, but just… just be careful. I don't what I'd do if something happened to you."
"Syaoran…" Sakura whispered.
"I have to go now, Sakura, I'll talk to you later. Have a good night." Click. Sakura turned the phone off and walked over to her dresser slowly, setting it down.
"He senses it too?" Kero said, flying over to her. Sakura turned around slowly to face him, nodding. She kept silent, thinking about what Syaoran had said.
"Odd…" Kero exclaimed, fingering his chin with a paw. "Very odd indeed… How can Syaoran sense something that's here - all the way from Hong Kong! - and I can't??"
"I wish I had the answer, Kero," Sakura said gently, "But I don't."
"Me too, Sakura, me too." Kero flew back onto Sakura's shoulder and watched her with worried eyes. "Hey kiddo, something's up. Wanna talk about it?"
"It's Syaoran," Sakura responded. "He… He said he wants to be with me, and that he wouldn't know what he would do if anything happened to me.. It was strange hearing it from him.. He's treating me differently, as if.. As if.."
"..As if he's in love with you?" Kero finished.
Sakura started to laugh. "Syaoran, in love with me? Kero, I think that was the funniest thing you've ever said!" But in her heart she knew that that was a very likely possibility, she just didn't want to tell herself that that may very well be it. Even her laughs were forced.
"Well, he did look like he wanted to tell you something before he left back to Hong Kong those few years ago, don't you remember?" Kero said, grinning to himself. He tried to conceal it, but he did a very bad job of it.
"Oh, quit smirking like that, Kero," Sakura said, glaring at him. "And you DO remember when Syaoran and I were rivalled against each other?"
"Sakura, that was years ago!" Kero said impatiently. "You then became friends and he looked out for you all the time, even getting upset when you were sick or hurt! He INSISTED whenever something happened, you were to call him right away so you wouldn't get hurt. He came to see you when you were sick! Sakura, he loves you as plain as the sky is blue, and I'll be damned if he doesn't!"
Sakura's eyes widened as she finally realized it. How could she have been so blind? She was so gullible and stupid as a kid, never noticing a thing, even when it was waving right under her nose. And now she realized the truth that she could have found out years ago, if she hadn't of been so stupid.
"I.. I'm going for a walk," she said quietly, hanging her head as she tugged off her slippers and opened her bedroom door.
"Sakura, did I say something wrong?" Kero asked, as Sakura went to close the door.
"No… It's just.. I need to be alone." She shut the door behind her softly, almost running down the stairs as she quickly shuved her shoes on and pulled her coat on. She ran out the door and into the pouring rain, Syaoran filling her head near to bursting and her eyes full of tears.