"So…" Li started out as the two walked down the street, "how's school going for you? Not too hard I hope?"

"Li, cut the crap, just tell me what you want."

They continued walking, Li with his hands clasped lightly behind his back, his head up, Kyo with his hands stuffed in his pocket and slouched over like a prowling panther. In the silence Kyo smiled, realizing that Li had come back into his life seamlessly. It was almost awkward, the realization that Li felt more like family than his blood relatives did. But it was nothing that Kyo didn't welcome.

"We think we've found out what the amulet does." Li said into the quiet. Kyo's head came up and his eyes pierced a glare into his friends.

"What do you mean, does?" Li stopped, just outside the penguin park, and placed a hand on Kyo's shoulder.

"We think its used to imprison curses."


The girls were almost fidgeting waiting for Tomoyo to arrive. She'd told Sakura she might be late, but that she'd have a surprise to make up for it.

"I wonder what kind of surprise she has?" Uo sat on the porch step and, for all the world, looked like she ruled there with a relaxed slump.

"I bet its cake." came a hopeful voice from Sakura's purse. Meilin looked over, having been the only one near enough to hear it, and the hard slap that came from Sakura's startled hand. The others turned to look at Meilin as she burst out laughing and Sakura's face flushed a bright red.

The others turned to look at the couple, Sakura waved her hand, "Its nothing." as Meilin struggled to control her laughter.

About that time a gigantic van pulled to a stop in front of the house.

"Oh no." Meilin stopped laughing immediately.

"I think I know what her surprise is." Sakura grinned, immensely glad to be able to get some of her own back. After all the outfits Tomoyo had made for Sakura over the years, she had never seen one that she didn't like. And now it seemed like Tomoyo had decided they would all be her dolls.

"Hi guys!" Tomoyo waved from the drivers seat. After many fights and "discussions" with her mother Tomoyo had fought off the oppressive waves of body guards as long as she was going somewhere with Sakura, who had other means of defending them. So she was alone in the van, with a devilish gleam in her eyes that only Sakura and Meilin understood. Tohru tilted her head.

"I thought we were going to take the train?"


"Curses?" Kyo had moved to the swings and sat, swaying a little. Li sat next to him.

"Yes. Do you want to know more?" Li would give him a chance, but it was something that Kyo had to want for it to work. Even after being trapped in the cats body himself, Li could see where the boy would have trouble giving up the oppressive spirit. Merely transferring consciousness was so painful the boys almost passed out. Li was talking about removing the spirit completely. Kyo lifted his gaze to Li's.

"Tell me."


"I'm not changing." Uo's voice was so cold she could have frozen the small ornamental pond in Li's front yard.

"You haven't even seen the outfits yet." Tomoyo grinned, "I made them all specially for the individual. Come on, I want to show off for Yuki's cousin. I googled him a few nights ago. He's really got a specialty shop! The outfits I saw on line were amazing!" She clutched a piece of day-glo purple fabric to her breast and twirled around. "Please Uo-san? You don't have to keep it on if you don't like it! Just try it on!"

If anybody had ever been able to say "no" to Tomoyo, it was not Uo. Before she knew what was happening she'd been captured and dragged away to the back of the van.