Comments of Meso:

Damned Angel of the Dying Light: It's nice to know I have a reader! Update is coming soon...In like a few scrolls. And I don't think Eriol will be in this in person, but more of through letters. I'm not sure though.

bladebreakers: Think it's Warren, huh? Maybe, maybe not... ;) That's just the point that odd things are happening because Kero is sick. And no, he's not a Clow Card, he's a living breathing guardian bear/lion thing. ;

braska's-redemption: Well, I take "wierd" as a compliment, seeing as I'm weird, and weird tends to be original (or at least I hope so in this case).

In this chapter, things start coming together, and I also put in a little drama at end. ;) (been watching too much Desperate Housewives...>>)

So without further ado, here's chapter 3! Read and review, pweese! It would make a certain sick lion/bear thingy happy...

Chapter 3: Exposed

It was Wednesday. That meant the couples' picnic would be in two days. Sakura was excited about going, but she felt bad about leaving a sick Kero behind. Naoko was still bugging Rika about telling who she was going with to the picnic to the point where Rika just ignored her. Sakura found that a little odd. Tomoyo seemed to be acting normally, but she was more quiet than usual. Sakura was now starting to see what Tomoyo had meant when she said that some people were starting to act a little differently.

But to Sakura's intense relief, she saw that Syaoran wasn't changing at all. Neither was her father. Toya seemed to be a little more stressed and snappy. Yuki, who was also Sakura's guardian, Yue, in secret, was getting quiet as well. Sakura was starting to see a pattern that she wished wasn't happening. Anyone who had magic was acting the same but people without it were being a little different…

On Thursday, a fight broke out between two girls who were best friends. The agitated teachers stopped it before anything bad really happened. In fact, there were more fights than usual. Sakura was getting worried, so she called a meeting with Syaoran and Tomoyo that night.

"All these fights…I can't sense any magic, but I know this isn't normal." Sakura started. "Everyone's been acting differently -- except for the people with magic."

"And you didn't sense anything?" Syaoran asked sadly. Sakura shook her head.

"How can you tell that it's not normal then?" Tomoyo asked.

"Well, Kero's been sick. I didn't even know he could get sick." Sakura explained.

"So what are we going to do about this?" Syaoran asked. "I mean, you're the strongest magician, Sakura. If we really think this is magic… Who could be this powerful that's been hiding in the shadows this whole time?" Sakura hesitated. The back of her mind was thinking about the dream when Syaoran had said 'hiding in the shadows', but Sakura ignored it.

"I'm not sure," she began, "but you remember when Warren, well, you know…"

"Yes, I remember that." Sakura had been referring to when Warren attacked her. "What about it?" Syoran asked.

"You see Warren now. He's nice to everyone-"

"Especially Tomoyo over here," Syaoran pointed out, and Tomoyo rolled her eyes.

"He's nice to everyone now. I don't think that was him who did it." Syaoran was starting understand.

"So you think he was possessed by someone stronger than you?"

"There's a small chance…But if someone did possess him, it would probably be the same person who is possessing everyone to be acting differently."

"I could see why they would call out Warren to attack you…But I don't see why they would make everyone act differently."

"Do you believe me?" Sakura asked quietly.

"Of course I do. We just need to find out who's doing this and stop it. If this person is stronger than you, there's no telling what they could do," said Syaoran.

After having that dream, Sakura had a feeling that the shadow who attacked her might have been the person who was possessing everyone. But it seemed so farfetched that a man with a lion's paw would be walking around possessing people right under their noses.

Before Sakura could even bring up here dream, Syaoran said, "What do you think, Tomoyo?"

"I think we need more proof," Tomoyo said. Sakura looked a little hurt. "Sakura, don't think I don't believe you. After all that's happened, it seems pretty likely. I just don't think we have enough answers or clues right now." Sakura looked a little frustrated now, yet thoughtful.

"And Sakura…" Tomoyo continued, "I thought you kind of wanted to stay away from magic. Shouldn't magic be a last resort for you?" Sakura tried not to show that she was taken a little aback from the question.

"Yeah…I did. Just take a break from magic for a while. But this seems so right…Well, not right, more like the answer." Sakura said.

"I think we'll have to be very aware from now on, sweetie. Look out more for any strange things or magical auras," Syaoran told Sakura. Sakura nodded but then she saw Tomoyo look off to side, blushing slightly.

"What's wrong, Tomoyo?" Sakura asked.

"I-I'm sorry…I can't help you two…I never could. All I did was follow you around with a camera…" Tomoyo said sadly.

"Don't say that. You help a lot. Because you're there, cheering me on. You're my best friend, Tomoyo," Sakura said with a smile. The two friends hugged and Syaoran smiled. This was one of the reasons why he loved Sakura the most.

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While roller-blading home, Sakura thought about the meeting with Tomoyo and Syaoran. She wondered what had happened to Tomoyo back there. She never heard Tomoyo talk about herself so dejectedly. Could it be possible that Tomoyo was being possessed, too? After thinking, Sakura soon came up to her house.

Sakura tiredly walked through the door and took off her pink roller blades. She walked throughout the house slowly and quietly, seeing as her dad would probably be asleep and she didn't want to wake him.

As soon as Sakura got to her room, she screamed at the sight in front of her. Kero was lying right in the doorway, unconscious. His face looked screwed up in pain, and he was still sweating bullets. Sakura scooped him up in her arms.

Neglecting the fact that he was unconscious, Sakura yelled, "Kero, are you okay?" He opened his eyes slowly.

"Sakura…please…water…" he choked.

"Oh no, Kero. You're going to the doctor's, or something…I can't stand to see you sick like this…"

"Sakura! I heard you scream? Is everything alright?" Fujitaka, who seemed to come out of nowhere, asked. Sakura swallowed hard.

"Dad, I know he may look like a plushie (stuffed animal)," Sakura started while turning to face Fujitaka, "but Kero is real. He's alive. And he's really sick,"

"I knew there was something about that doll…C'mon, I think I know a veterinarian that's open this late. Leave Toya a note, and I'll go get the car." Fujitaka said.

While in the car, Fujitaka asked if Kero was the big lion with wings he had seen before when he gotten some magic. Sakura told him yes, and all about how Kero had a true form. Kero only grunted in his sleep.

I don't know why you're sick, Kero, but I'll find a way to help you, Sakura thought determinedly.

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"Great to hear that Kero's all better," Tomoyo said. It was finally the day of the picnic, and Sakura and Tomoyo were chatting off to the side of everyone. There was still some time before school started, so everyone was talking in the classroom.

"Yeah. It was really late at night, but fortunately, we found someone. They just gave Kero some kind of medicine, and he felt better within the hour," Sakura explained. "He wouldn't stop complaining about how bad it tasted, though," Tomoyo, who normally laughed at Kero's behavior just sat there.

"THAT'S IT, NAOKO!" Sakura heard someone shout nearby. Surprisingly, it was Rika.

"I just want to know who you're going to the picnic with! Go ahead and kill me over it!" Naoko yelled.

"You really want to know who! You want to know the reason why I've been keeping it a secret!" Rika shouted, close to tears.

"YEAH!" Naoko shouted right back. By now, a pretty large crowd had been attracted, but they kept their distance from the two girls. Teachers who passed by the door made nothing of it, as they were tired of all the fights.

"It's because he's older than me! And he'll get in trouble if anyone finds out it's him! He'll go to jail, Naoko! He'll go to jail!" Rika shrieked hysterically. Then she collapsed onto her knees and started sobbing while everyone around her gasped. Naoko looked down at Rika looking utterly guilty, shocked, and terrified.

"I-I…Sor…I…" Naoko stuttered. But nothing came out of her mouth, and she ran out of the room.

Tomoyo watched Naoko angrily then looked down at Rika. She still looked angered, but now there was compassion there.

But there was no way to describe Sakura's feelings. She felt horrible for Rika because her secret was out. She felt angry because Naoko had pushed Rika so far. She felt disgusted when some people all started murmuring things about Rika.

And as Rika sat in the middle of the floor crying, Sakura walked up to her and hugged her. And then she found a word for everything that she was feeling. Such a simple word that could have summarized it all: awful.