Comments of Meso:

between-the-stars: Thanks for the comments. I also see what you mean for the advice, too. Sorry about that, it gets smoother as the people get through with introductions.

Hopefully there'll be more comments for this chapter. And sorry about this, but the story has a a bit of a slow start, just so that all the mysteries can be introduced. Anyways, read and review! (pweese?)

Chapter 2: A Dream

"Some new kid just attacked you!" Sakura's brother shouted in rage.

"Calm down, Toya. He seemed completely clueless afterwards, but he apologized for it." Sakura explained.

"A lot good 'sorry' is going to do! For once I'm actually glad that brat was around…"

"Li is not a brat!" Sakura said angrily. "How do you know about this whole new student attack, anyway?"

"Please. Your school is right next door to mine. Anyway, I shouldn't let a new kid like that ruffle my feathers." Toya smoothed down his chocolate colored hair for emphasis, but only a little bit so that it would still be spiky. Then he looked at Sakura seriously, his dark eyes matching the color of his hair. "If he gives you trouble again, come to me. I'll teach him a lesson he won't forget." Sakura looked up at Toya admirably, but then he gave her a noogie (rubbed his knuckles into her head) and ran into his room before he could get kicked.

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It was three days after Warren's attack. Even with this news, he had managed to make a couple of guy friends. But now that Warren had become old news, everyone was talking about the couples' picnic coming the next week. During lunchtime, it was all the girls talked about.

"So Sakura, you're going with Syaoran, right?" Rika, Sakura's other friend, asked. Sakura nodded happily and continued to eat her noodles.

"I'm going with Yamazaki, of course," Chiharu said.

"I'm not into that couple stuff," Naoko said. "I'd much rather read about the Loch Ness monster."

No one had asked Tomoyo about whom she could be going to the picnic with. Boys didn't even seem to be a topic with her.

"Hey, what about you, Rika?" Chiharu asked. Rika flushed completely, which was odd since Rika acted so mature most of the time. Sakura knew her reason for embarrassment. She was dating someone older, and she couldn't see him that often. But no one else knew that -- it was their secret.

"I'm going with someone," Rika said while looking down. Her dark brown hair completely covered her face.

"Who?" Naoko asked, obviously getting more interested. Sakura was also curious to know who the mysterious older man was. But before Rika could even think about a false answer, the bell rang, signaling that lunch was over. Rika sighed quietly, but Naoko said, "Don't think you're off of the hook! We'll find out!" Rika just gathered her things and ran off to her class. Sakura felt bad for her.

If only they knew…Sakura thought.

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It was now gym class, and they would be playing basketball again. Everyone was lined up against the brick wall, waiting to be assigned to a team.

Sakura noticed that Warren was talking to Chiharu. Whatever he was saying must have been flattering because she kept turning pink. Finally, Yamazaki came over and tried to tell Warren off as politely as he could.

"I had no idea she was with you! I'm so sorry!" Warren apologized.

"Uh huh," Yamazaki said unconvinced. He shot a look at Chiharu, and she looked at him guiltily before trying to hug him.

"Yamazaki! Blue team! Warren! Red team! Sakura! Blue!" The gym teacher shouted. Everyone got onto their teams and started to play.

The game of basketball was actually quite interesting. It had basically turned into a game of one on one – Yamazaki against Warren. It was odd to see Yamazaki so determined about something (besides acting, which he practically lived for) since he was so funny and laid back.

"Wow! Warren scored again! That makes it seventy to sixty-six!" someone cried out. Yamazaki stared at Warren while huffing and puffing. Warren bounced the ball to Yamazaki to check it. Then Yamazaki took off running down the court. He shot the ball as soon as he got up to the hoop, but the shot was quite off.

Warren got the rebound and took the ball down the other way. Yamazaki just trailed behind, obviously tired. Warren shot the ball, but Yamazaki suddenly popped out of nowhere and blocked the shot. The ball was rolling to the out of bounds. Yamazaki blasted off towards the ball. Warren did as well, except he didn't run as fast.

While they were neck and neck, Warren said, "You shouldn't try so hard. Just relax." It made Yamazaki snap. This gave him just enough energy to grab the ball just before it went out of bounds. He turned it to his side of the court and shot at the three-point line. It swished in.

"Seventy to sixty-nine, Hugh's lead! Two minutes left!" shouted the gym teacher. Warren took the ball out and within thirty seconds, he had made another basket. Sakura could have sworn she heard Yamazaki swear. He must have really been angry.

The game had ended seventy-six to seventy-three. Warren (or I guess the red team) had won.

"Yamazaki was so upset, but Chiharu had told him that it didn't matter and that she didn't like Warren. He was all better after that," Sakura told Tomoyo after school.

"Hmm," she said. Sakura was in such a good mood, she was willing to be bold.

"Tomoyo? Are you, er, going with anyone to the picnic?" Sakura asked.

"There'll probably be some of my bodyguards with me," she said nonchalantly. Tomoyo's mother was rich enough to afford bodyguards for her.

"Um…I mean as a couple…" Sakura said slowly. Tomoyo just kind of stared off.

"I guess not. So I guess I can't go then," Tomoyo said sadly.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'll stay with you. I won't go to the picnic," Sakura offered.

"That's okay, you can go ahead. I should get home. Mother said she was expecting to call me as soon I as I got back from school," Tomoyo said. She stood up and started walking away, leaving Sakura speechless. Something was wrong. Sakura just didn't know what.

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Sakura spent the rest of the day with Syaoran. They went to a little bakery together, then rented movies and watched them until about ten o'clock, when Syaoran had to go home. They ended the night with a kiss on the cheek.

Toya pretty much stalked the both of them the whole night, whether Dad wanted him to 'pick up some bread' or 'rent a movie on archaeology'.

But before Sakura knew it, it was already Monday. The picnic would be on Friday. Sakura was glad that it was lunchtime, since it had been a long day.

"He was being so mean. I wonder why, he's usually so nice…" Sakura said about the math teacher.

"I think all the teachers are acting a little strangely," Naoko pointed out. "They all seem to be much more stressed out. Maybe there's a colony of microscopic mind-controlling aliens! That's why they're acting so out of it!"

"Maybe their pay got cut lower," Chiharu said with her eyes narrowed and large bead of sweat running down her face (also known as swetdropping). Naoko had quite an imagination.

"Maybe," Tomoyo considered. "But it's not just the teachers, have you noticed? Some other people seem to be "catching" this sudden meanness, too." Sakura swallowed hard. If it was spreading, could it possible be something magical?

"I haven't noticed anything," Rika said.

"Me neither," said Chiharu and Naoko.

"I've noticed. You seem to watch everything, Tomoyo," The girls turned around to see Warren behind them.

"Phwee!" Sakura shouted. How was he always right behind them!

"So you've moved on to Tomoyo now?" Chiharu muttered, and Naoko and Rika giggled. Then the bell rang, and Warren went over to his table.

The girls gathered their things and went their separate ways when Naoko remembered that she had forgotten to ask Rika about her date to the picnic.

There's always tomorrow…Naoko thought, and she headed to her class.

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"What a long night!" Sakura said as she plopped onto her soft bed. Sakura had spent the most of the day at Tomoyo's mansion with Syaoran to work on yet another project.

Then out of nowhere, there was a squeak of pain, and Sakura leapt right off of her bed. "Oh, Kero! You gave my a heart attack!" Sakura said while looking at the yellow bear. However, he looked very hot, as if he were sick.

"Are you okay, Kero?" Sakura asked.

"I feel really hot…I think I'm sick!" Kero replied.

"I didn't know you could get sick…" Sakura said.

"Me neither!" said Kero, and then he sneezed.

Sakura definitely knew that strange things were happening…

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…A shadow stood only a few feet away from a girl in some place shrouded in darkness. The girl…it was herself, Sakura. The silhouette of the person in front of her was the only thing she could see, no details whatsoever.

She must have been battling, since her staff was out. She felt drenched in panic for some unknown reason. Sakura looked down. All of her cards were at her feet, lying on ground, scuffed up.

"Your time as a Master is up," said the man in shadow. He screamed wildly while charging at her, arm outstretched. As this man approached her, she could see that his hand was not one of a human but a lion. Sakura screamed…

"AAAAAH!" Sakura bolted forwards. She was in her bed. She glanced around nervously. Kero was still sleeping, dripping with sweat.

That dream…I still feel terrified…Sakura thought. Could it have been a vision? One thing Sakura knew -- she wouldn't tell anyone about it for a while.