Introduction
A year has passed since Li fell prey to the Evil Card, and he's trying to cope with the effects. With his dark side closer to the surface, he can get angry very quickly – a fact that everyone notices.
Since he moved back to Readington, Sakura has been the rock in his life, the only person able to keep him balanced. But when an argument gets out of hand, Li makes a drastic decision…to walk out of her life forever.
Another year passes, and Sakura is once again under threat from evil forces. But without Li to protect her, is this the end for the 16 year old Card Mistress?
The scars of the past come back to haunt them…Chapter Seven; Legacy Of The Evil Card
Li watched as his card materialised in front of him, defeated by his old friend's magic. Showing no sign of being angry, he placed in his pocket. No reason to worry, he had plenty more where that came from.
"So your first card failed. What's the plan now?" Li looked up to see Kuro strolling in, his red eyes gleaming malevolently.
"We wait." He said calmly.
"What!" But she's feeling scared, nervous…if we push forward now…"
"She'll defeat us like Clow Reed defeated you." Li sneered.
Kuro scowled. He hated being reminded of the group's first, and only, defeat.
"So what do you suggest?"
"If we strike now, she'll win. Have patience Kuro. This first card was an attack card – an easy fight to test her new powers. The rest of my cards are more…subtle." Li smiled cruelly, clenching a pale fist.
"Her strength comes from friendship. Without them, she is nothing. Give her time to relax, to let down her guard…and then we'll attack!" Laughing, Li strode to his chambers, leaving a confused Kuro to relay his orders to the others.
Sakura stood with the others in the Elementary School playground. They'd got off pretty lucky, except Yue, who'd been whipped across the cheek while giving Sakura time to summon a card. But even that was a minor injury.
"Well, as that was the first battle with the Dark Monarchs, I think it went rather…" Madison's voice died away, and the others turned to look at her.
"Madison!" Sakura reeled back in shock as she saw her best friend's violet eyes turning green. The girl opened her mouth to speak, but it wasn't her voice that came out.
"Well, Avalon. I see you defeated my little card pretty easily. Good thing it was my weakest."
"Li?" Sakura whispered, eyes widening.
"Yep. Told you you'd see soon enough. And before you freak, the girl's fine. I've simply subdued her for the moment." Hearing Li call Madison 'the girl' reminded Sakura how he wasn't the boy he had been. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward with her arms crossed.
"What do you want Li? As you said, we've defeated your little card. So what's next?" Although Madison herself didn't smile, you could tell Li was when he spoke.
"And also like I said, it was my weakest. What I really wanted to say was this – don't let your guard down, because I'll be waiting for you…" His mocking voice faded away, and Madison snapped bolt upright, blinking.
"Oooohhh!"
"Madison!" Sakura caught her friend as she slumped, released from Li's power.
"What happened?" Her voice a distant murmur, Madison sleepily looked up at Sakura.
"Li spoke through you. But it's alright Madison. I won't let him do it again." Behind her, the two guardians exchanged worried glances. They knew that there was nothing Sakura could do.
"Morning Madison!"
"…Morning…" Everyone exchanged glances as a less than energetic Madison made her way to her seat. Madison was normally one of the few morning people in the class.
"Are you okay, Madison?" Nikki crouched down beside her friend's desk. The raven haired girl sleepily nodded
"You're never like this in the morning though…" As Nikki straightened up, Zachary began to smile.
"It's quite simple really…" he began.
"Oh boy, here comes another story. They're always so silly" Rita groaned.
"Last night, Madison was abducted by aliens." He continued.
"Told you."
"Kept up all night by their experiments, our Madison is now so tir…uh!" Caught up in his storytelling, Zachary failed to notice Chelsea swinging the mallet until it was too late.
As everyone else watched Chelsea drag her cousin away, Sakura sat down in her own seat and leaned across to Madison.
"Are you really okay?"
"Yeah, I'm just tired…I guess Li's spell drained me." She paused, and looked at Sakura.
"Is this how you felt when you were turning the Clow Cards into Star Cards?"
"Well, if you're feeling tired and energyless, then yeah, that's how I felt."
"I never realised it was this bad…"
"Hey guys!" Both girls looked up in shock as Natalie bounded over to them.
"Natalie! How…how long have you been here?" Sakura stammered.
"Oh, not long. I've just got in." She raised an eyebrow as Sakura and Madison sighed in relief.
"Did I miss some good gossip? Come on guys, I'm the gossip queen! You gotta tell me!"
Sakura waved her hands in front of her, sweatdropping.
"Really, it's nothing! We were just…talking about what we're going to do on the weekend! Weren't we Madison?" Madison caught on straight away.
"Yeah. See, no gossip Natalie. Sorry."
Natalie visibly deflated, dropping into her seat.
"Oooohhh…"she sighed. Sakura looked at Madison, trying to hold back a smile. Natalie had to be the weirdest girl they'd ever had in their class.
The room was masked in darkness, the only light coming from a small slit in the curtains. Silhouetted against the morning sun, a shadowy figure stood waiting. The door creaked, and Yuri entered.
"Kuro and Vega grow impatient, Li. They wish to fight." Li turned slightly, but did not respond. He remained where he was. Confused, Yuri went to him, and draped herself over his shoulders.
"Li? Why won't you answer me?" Finally he faced her, allowing his pale face to show a wolfish grin.
"It's time, Yuri. I can feel it."
"Feel what?" she asked, pleased that he had taken notice of her.
"Time to release my next card. Time to finish the Card Mistress off."
"Hey, Madison! How did choir practise go?" Sakura bounced up to her friend, full of enthusiasm. But instead of smiling, or saying hello, Madison carried on walking.
"Huh? Did you hear me Madison?" Sakura asked, a look of hurt puzzlement beginning to creep into her eyes.
"I heard you."
"Oh, right. I was thinking maybe we could have some ice-cream. Or we could go back to mine. Tori made some delicious cake…" her voice trailed away as she realised Madison wasn't showing any interest at all.
"Madison? Are you okay?" Sakura stepped back as Madison whirled round, a furious expression on her usually placid features.
"No, I'm not fine Sakura! I'm sick of playing second fiddle to you! I'm sick of having to act all soppy, ooohing and aaahing over you! But most of all, I'm sick of always doing what you say!"
Trying to stop the hot tears that had welled up from rolling down her cheeks, Sakura stretched out a hand towards Madison.
"I don't get it…what did I do? Did I hurt you in some way, Madison?"
She stifled a sob as Madison knocked her hand away viciously, not understanding what she'd done wrong.
"Everything you do hurts me! You're just so perfect and nice…no-one notices poor old Madison fading away into the background! It's always you, you, YOU!" Madison stood still for a moment, staring angrily at Sakura. Then, with a final scowl, she shoved past, leaving a trembling Sakura behind her.
Sakura sat in her bedroom, silently staring at the card in her hands. The Evil card. Today, when Madison turned on me like that, I couldn't help remembering this card. she thought to herself. And remembering how it took Li away from me. How it ruined his life forever.
In a way, this card was the cause of all their troubles. Without it, Li would have still been an ordinary boy. Well, as ordinary as a boy with magical powers could be. He wouldn't have turned to darkness. And without Li, the Dark Monarchs wouldn't have found her so quickly. They might never have discovered who the new Card Mistress was. They'd all be safe.
"Madison…" Sakura whispered miserably. Just when she needed all her friends to help her through this, Madison had fallen out with her. For the first time in…no, she's never fallen out with me before. We've been best friends since forever. Putting the Evil back into the deck of Star Cards, Sakura lay down on her bed, hugging the doll Madison had made for her so long ago. What can I do without you, Madison? Without you, I'm…empty.
"Sakura?" Kero hovered over his friend, concern written all over his face. He'd never seen her looking so down.
"What's wrong?"
"Everything…" she murmured, eyes open but unseeing. Kero glanced at what she was holding, and suddenly guessed what was up.
"It's something to do with Madison, isn't it?" he said quietly.
Nodding, Sakura sat up.
"She…just froze me out, Kero. Like she hated me. But I don't even know what I did wrong!" She rubbed her eye with a tissue, struggling to hold back the river that was threatening to come.
"What did she say?"
"That she was fed up with me getting all the attention, that I make her fade into the background…"
Kero blinked, not quite believing what he was hearing.
"Madison said that?" Sakura nodded, letting the tears come freely now.
"She's my best…best friend…and I don't know…what…to…do!" With a loud sob, Sakura buried her face in her pillow, leaving Kero to figure out an answer.