Hello, everyone! I hope 2020 has started out well for everyone- we're still plugging away at this story, slowly but surely. We appreciate everyone's support and hope you continue to enjoy it. As always, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

15- Sakura and the Labyrinth of the Past

The time between Christmas and New Year's was always one that Sakura enjoyed. Winter vacation from school meant that she could spend time with friends and family, and the preparations for the new year were something she always enjoyed. Not seeing Noboru-sensei every day at school made her forget about the struggle with the cards, and she was content to do so.

That was, until she saw a familiar face in her dreams once again.

By this point, she knew better than to ask the woman any questions. The best thing she could do would be to focus on deciphering what the woman was writing for her. It was clear that the woman was warning her about the Warp Cards in some capacity, and now that she'd studied the cards more closely, she might be able to guess what card the warning was about. The woman moved her calligraphy brush over the page in smooth, practiced strokes, and then held the finished product up for Sakura to see.

This time, Sakura could read it perfectly.

"Maze," Sakura murmured. "Like… the Labyrinth card? Labyrinth?"

The woman's eyes lit up, and Sakura's heart fluttered with that 'floaty' sensation. "Labyrinth!" she repeated with a smile. "Yes!"

The 'yes,' was in English, and that was something Sakura did recognize. "English?" she asked, stepping forward. "You speak English?"

The woman's smile brightened, but the dream landscape began to fade, and she reached her hand out to Sakura.

"My power isn't strong enough!" she called through the darkness. "Don't forget! Please don't forget-!"

Sakura sat up in bed with a gasp, the words echoing through her mind. "Don't forget?" she murmured, recalling the word from one of their recent English classes. "What is it I'm not supposed to forget?"

Kero peeked his head out of the dollhouse, rubbing his eyes sleepily. "It's the middle of the night. What's goin' on?"

"I saw that woman again," Sakura replied. "She speaks English. I didn't realize- I might've used it sooner."

Stephen hopped down from the dollhouse and scrambled over to the bed. "What did she say this time? Was she trying to warn you about another card?"

"I think so. She wrote the character for labyrinth, so I suspect she's trying to warn me about the Labyrinth card."

Stephen frowned. "I… had hoped you would not face that one so soon. Labyrinth is a dangerous card, given that the only way out of the dimension it creates is to defeat the minotaur at the center. We should think of a plan as quickly as possible."

Kero groaned. "I don't get it. Why's the gal showin' up in your dreams now of all times? She couldn't wait until the first dream of the new year? It's only a few days away."

"We might end up facing Labyrinth before then," Sakura answered. "Maybe she couldn't wait. And she said something about her power, but…"

"Her power?" Stephen repeated.

"My power isn't strong enough," Sakura repeated in English. "I think that was it. She said it as the dream was ending. I wonder if that's why these dreams are so short. She only has the power to appear in my dreams for a very short amount of time."

Kero nodded. "Like I said, traveling between people's dreams takes a lot of magical power. You're basically rewiring someone's brain in order to gain access ta their subconscious. I wouldn't be surprised if she could only stay in yer dreams for a minute or two."

"What I do not understand," Stephen added, "is why she does not warn us of every card we will encounter. Clearly, she has some form of foresight into the behavior of the Warp Cards. If she truly wants to help Sakura-sama, why does she not appear more frequently? We could have used her help in preparing for other captures in the past."

"Could be somethin' ta do with her lack of power," Kero replied. "She probably can't project into Sakura's dreams every time a Warp Card comes knockin'."

"But why certain ones? How does she choose?"

Sakura pulled her knees to her chest and hummed as she thought it over. "The last one she warned me about was Pestilence. Before that, Muse… I think. What do those cards have in common?"

Kero and Stephen glanced at one another. "I… can't say right away," Stephen answered. "I'd have to give it further thought."

"Pestilence hurt you and Tomoyo, right?" Kero murmured. "Muse affected ya physically as well, messin' with the kid's memory and Tomoyo's voice. It could be she's tryin' ta warn ya about cards that can actually hurt ya. Thief and Nobody weren't exactly the dangerous types."

Sakura considered it for a moment. "But… Nobody hurt you, Kero-chan. Will 'O Wisp captured our friends and I didn't receive any warning about that one. Feral nearly got Tomoyo-chan's dog killed. Vegetation almost killed us. It doesn't make any sense."

"Perhaps we should sleep on it and regroup in the morning," Stephen suggested, patting Sakura's knee. "I'm sure there is a logical explanation for it all."

"Right. Of course."

Sakura lay back down and listened as Kero's snoring started up again. It was a soft, comforting sound, one that always helped her sleep. But this time she couldn't calm her mind.

Don't forget… what was it she shouldn't forget?

Sakura spoke with Stephen and Kero the next day, making plans on the best way to fight Labyrinth when it appeared. She always kept her cards with her, just in case. But… it never appeared. New Year's came and went, and there was still no sign of it. The woman could have waited for Sakura's first dream of the new year, but she didn't. Why not?

The question slipped from Sakura's mind as the days went by, but she stayed wary of any interference from a Warp Card. They'd put too much planning into their anti-minotaur strategy to forget about it now. Still, the joy of the New Year's celebrations kept her busy and in high spirits. The past few years she and Tomoyo had attended luncheons at their great-grandfather's house a few days after the new year, and this year Sakura assumed they'd do it again. But it turned out that Sonomi had a business conference that day, and she and Tomoyo would be out of town. Great Grandfather insisted that Sakura attend, however, and said she could bring Syaoran if she liked. He had met Syaoran only once, back when they were in middle school, so Sakura was a little nervous. But her father assured her that her great grandfather would have only invited Syaoran if he really considered him family, and that made Sakura feel happy in a way she hadn't expected.

Great Grandfather's house has a large conservatory on one side, full of tropical plants with big flowers that didn't seem to know- or care- that it was the middle of winter. The maids showed Sakura and Syaoran to the table in the middle of the room, where Great Grandfather was already waiting with tea and pastries. He greeted them warmly despite Syaoran's nervousness, and soon all three of them were chatting together like old friends.

"I can't tell you how many times I've watched that video Sonomi sent me of the culture festival performance. You and Tomoyo were just magnificent."

Sakura smiled and blushed. "I have to send you the video that Tomoyo-chan took of the drama club's play. Syaoran was amazing too."

Syaoran shrunk down in his chair. "I-it really wasn't all that…"

"That's not true! Izumi-senpai was a great Hamlet, and your swordfighting scene was so exciting!"

Great Grandfather laughed. "Don't be so bashful, Li-san. I love Shakespeare, so I'm sure I will enjoy it-"

As he said this, a maid approached with a wireless phone in her hand. "Sir, Mister Ambrose is calling from the Singapore office. Apparently, an emergency has come up that requires your attention."

Great Grandfather let out a resigned sigh. "I was afraid of this. My deepest apologies, you two. I promise I won't be long."

"It's fine!" Sakura chimed. "Take your time."

As he disappeared into the dense plants, Syaoran looked over to Sakura with a frown. "Please don't send him the video."

"Why not? You haven't been embarrassed about performing since you joined the drama club-"

"It's not that." Syaoran shook his head. "It's just… your great grandfather is a businessman who works internationally, right? You never know what he might share with colleagues… some of whom might work with my father… and if my mother finds out that my club isn't really about 'public speaking,' then…"

"You've been lying to your mother about your clubs?" Sakura gasped, and Syaoran waved his hands defensively.

"I-It's not really a lie! Being part of the drama club has helped my confidence tremendously. Public speaking just sounds more professional than… drama-"

"Even so, shouldn't your mother be happy that you're pursuing things that make you happy?" Sakura interrupted. "I know she cares about you. If you're honest with her, surely she'll understand."

Syaoran blushed and looked away. "…I want to believe that… but…"

"Forget about all this! Are ya gonna pass me a piece of cake or not?"

The voice from inside Sakura's purse caught them off-guard. Sakura turned around in her chair, tapping Kero on the head. "Be quiet! I told you, you'll get your cake afterward."

"But yer grandpa's gone! I might as well sneak a bite- I'm starvin' over here!"

"You brought Kerberos?" Syaoran asked. "Why?"

"W-well, I had that dream again last week, and the woman warned me that the Labyrinth card might attack. So I've been on guard since then, and Kero-chan didn't want me to go alone."

"Labyrinth?" Syaoran repeated. "Is that a card like Maze?"

"Sorta," Kero answered, hopping up onto the table and approaching the cake. "But apparently it's got some kinda monster hidin' at the center. The minotaur, Stephen called it. We put together a plan ta fight it, but there's a difference between planning and actually fighting. I wanna be here for Sakura when it happens."

Syaoran leaned against the table, watching Kero stuff a piece of cake into his mouth. "Looks more like you just want to eat."

"Hey!" Kero shot back, his mouth still full. "If Sakura's grandpa has a talented pâtissier on staff, who am I to ignore their hard work?"

Sakura giggled and pulled out her phone, aiming it at him. "Tomoyo-chan asked me to take pictures. I'm sure she'll want to see this-"

There was a sudden shift in the tile floor below them, a shaking that almost felt like an earthquake. Sakura yelped, dropping her phone onto the table, and Syaoran grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her under the table. If the conservatory's windows shattered, they could be in a lot of danger from falling glass, and he didn't want to risk it. But the walls around them didn't shatter. Instead, the whole room began to morph in response to the shaking, the glass walls stretching out and the tile floor rearranging itself in strange patterns. The fountain, which had sputtered a few times, burst forward with a torrent of water that began to flood the whole area. Sakura screamed and chanted the incantation for her key as the water swirled around them and pushed them and the table back.

"Sakura!" Syaoran yelled, reaching for her as the wall of water swept them both off their feet. Sakura was struggling to keep her head above the water, flailing one arm and holding the staff out with the other.

Kero flew over top of the scene, trying to keep both Sakura and Syaoran in sight. They kept sinking back beneath the surface of the water and resurfacing somewhere downstream. The open space of the conservatory had morphed into a thin hallway, with glass panels stretching out in various directions. Stephen had warned them that Labyrinth would use its surroundings to construct its own magical space, and that's certainly what it seemed to be doing. But Stephen never said anything about it trying to drown them!

The water eventually began to recede, and Kero flew down to see exactly what was going on. He found Syaoran first, the boy having managed to hold onto a tree trunk to keep from behind pushed farther by the deluge. His clothes were soaked, and they hung loosely around him… too loosely. Kero felt a nervous knot in his stomach, and it wasn't from the cake he'd had earlier.

"...what… what happened? Where am I?"

Syaoran had opened his eyes again and was glancing around at his surroundings. Kero recognized his face, but it wasn't the face he was used to. Syaoran looked up at him with big, childlike eyes, his face round and youthful like it had been when the two of them first met. It took a moment, but Syaoran noticed him and his eyes narrowed.

"Oh, it's the stuffed animal. What are you doing here?"

"What am I-?" Kero stammered. He'd held onto Sakura's phone to keep it from being drenched and set it down on the floor next to him so that he could fly more freely. "What happened ta you? What do you remember?"

Syaoran paused, staring at him and glancing around. "...I'm not sure. The last thing I remember is having New Year's celebrations with Wei and Meiling… I don't know what this place is or how I got here. I sense something around here, but it's not a Clow Card… what is it?"

It took a moment for his statement to process. "Wei and Meiling?" Kero repeated. "Clow Card? Don't tell me… how old are you?"

What do you mean, how old am I?" Syaoran steadied himself against the tree and stood up. His pants were too long, and the ends pooled on the floor around his feet, and he fidgeted with them for a moment before he realized that Kero's question was genuine. "...I'm ten. Is something the matter? Have you lost your memory or something?"

"Lost my memories? N-no, that's not it, it's just-" Kero began, flailing his paws as he tried to explain. "I-I'm not the Kerberos that you know! I'm Kerberos from the future!"

"The future?" Syaoran's eyes narrowed. "How far in the future?"

"I-I can't say! Laws of time travel, and all…" Kero let out a nervous laugh and picked up Sakura's phone. "Let me just use my magic future device to speak with my magic future companion for a moment!"

Syaoran was still not convinced, but his expression softened as he watched Kero working with the smartphone. Kero had left his own phone with Stephen in case they needed to contact him, so his first instinct was to call. But it was no use.

"No service…" Kero murmured, and then straightened up. "I-I mean, it turns out that I can't call the future from the past… I-I mean I can't call my time from your time… so…"

"If you're not going to explain yourself, then I have no business with you. I'm going to find my way out of this magical dimension myself."

"W-Wait! Okay, okay!" Kero flew over next to him. "Look. This dimension was created by one'a Clow Reed's old enemies. Sakura's trapped in here somewhere too. I'm supposed ta help you guys out."

Syaoran groaned and turned back. "How do I know you're not just messing with me?"

Kero turned the phone on again and opened the photos app. "I'll prove to ya that I'm from the future. Look at these pictures. These're ones that Tomoyo took at the Christmas concert the other week. See? Here's you, but from the future."

It was a photo that their group of friends had taken together, posed in front of the park's big Christmas tree display. Sakura and Chiharu were at the front, with Naoko and Rika on one side and Yamazaki and Syaoran on the other. As Syaoran looked it over, his eyes lit up.

"That's… everyone from school. Yamazaki, Mihara, Yanagisawa, Misaki…" His eyes lingered on Sakura, and Kero saw a blush cross Syaoran's face briefly before he shook it off. "What am I still doing in Japan in the future? Shouldn't I have gone home after collecting the Clow Cards-?"

Kero shook his head. "Look at those friends'a yers and tell me that ya really wanna go home ta yer mom and sisters. Just a few minutes ago you were scared ta tell yer mom that you're in the drama club."

"Drama club? That doesn't sound like me." Syaoran frowned and looked closer at the picture, placing his fingers against the screen. It ended up sliding over to the next photo, however- one that showed Sakura with her father, her brother, and Yukito. Syaoran's face flashed red again. "Wh-why is he in the family photo with them?!"

"I, uh, think you've had enough photos fer one day… can't mess up the time-space continuum, yanno-?"

Before Kero could grab the phone, Syaoran flipped to the next photo and let out a gasp. The park had set up a 'mistletoe station' as a fun photo opportunity, and Tomoyo had taken a photo of Yukito kissing Sakura on the cheek. Syaoran's expression was a mix of rage and jealousy, and he clenched the phone tighter in his hand.

"Why is he… why is she…?"

"I told ya ta quit it with the pictures! Give me back the phone!"

Syaoran ignored him and flipped to the next one, relaxing a little at the sight of it. It was the same as before, but Sakura was receiving a kiss on the cheek from her father. It put the photo with Yukito in a new light, and the tension in his shoulders relaxed. But he moved on to the next photo, and his whole body went rigid again.

Kero cursed under his breath. It was a photo of Sakura and Syaoran under the mistletoe sharing a real kiss. Syaoran shoved the phone back into Kero's paws, his face completely red.

"Th-this is a dream! You're just some manifestation of my subconscious, and I refuse to talk to you any longer!"

"W-Wait!" Kero followed after Syaoran as he ran. "Don't go off by yourself! There's a monster around here and it's dangerous- hey! Waaait!"

Sakura woke up, cradling her head in one hand as she tried to shake off the dizziness. She didn't know where she was or what had happened, but she had her staff in her hand, so she assumed she must be fighting a Clow Card.

But… the staff looked different.

"What the…?"

She dug into her pocket for the Clow Cards and found herself with a stack of cards that also looked unfamiliar. They felt similar, and she recognized Windy in front, but the designs were different. As she flipped through them, she noticed that many were unfamiliar, and a few were ones that she knew Li ought to have in his possession.

"I don't get it. Is this a dream, or…?"

As she said this, there was a crash from somewhere behind her, and she stood up to look around.

"K-Kero-chan? Tomoyo-chan? Li-kun?"

The crashing noise behind her turned suddenly into a roar, and she turned around to find herself face to face with a massive creature that looked like something out of one of her mythology textbooks. It had a bull's head with sharp horns and glowing red eyes, but it walked on two legs and its body was almost humanlike. It noticed her and let out another deafening roar. Sakura screamed and broke into a run down the corridor.

"What should I do…? There are too many trees around for Fly or Jump to work well… but this thing is too fast for me…" She panted as she increased her pace, her thoughts flying desperately as she felt the monster gaining on her. "Wait! If I have Li-kun's cards too, that means…"

She flipped through the cards looking for one in particular until she finally recognized it.

"There! DASH!"

She felt Dash's power surround her, and suddenly she was speeding down the corridor at a pace she'd never experienced. The monster began to disappear behind her, and she heaved a sigh of relief. The path was curved, and eventually, she passed a crossroads where she could step off the main path and hide behind a wall. The walls themselves were made of glass, but there was enough dense vegetation that she could easily hide and regain her bearings.

The dress she was wearing was too big for her and hung loosely around her shoulders where it clung to her damp skin. She didn't remember going swimming, and there didn't seem to be any water features around for her to have fallen into. In fact, she didn't remember how she'd gotten into this place at all. Part of her wanted to believe it was a dream, but if that were the case, shouldn't she be able to get out of it somehow once she realized? She shut her eyes, trying to force herself to wake up, but it was no use. She was still sitting in the bushes, listening to the footsteps of the massive creature get closer and closer.

And then suddenly… a scream.

Sakura jumped to her feet. It was a child's scream and had come from the other side of the wall where the monster was. She looked through the glass to see a boy about her age sitting at the base of a tree, cowering in fear from the monster. The thing was terrifying, but she couldn't let it hurt someone else. With a deep breath, she gripped her staff tightly. This was a situation where another one of Li's cards would come in handy- and, sure enough, she had it.

"FREEZE!"

Freeze's physical form appeared, surrounding the monster and trapping it in a block of ice. The boy took a moment to notice, and by the time he lowered his arms, Sakura was able to approach him and extend a hand. The boy stared at her in shock for another moment, but with the sound of the ice beginning to crack, there wasn't time for introductions.

"I'll explain later! Right now we need to get out of here!"

The boy nodded and took her hand.

"O...okay…"

The two of them ran as far as they could through the winding corridors, turning where they could in order to disguise their path. Once they were out of breath, the stopped and found their way between a group of trees to sit down and rest.

"Where are we…?" the boy finally asked. "I don't remember how I got here. All of a sudden I woke up here."

Sakura noticed for the first time that the boy's clothes were wet and loose on him, just like hers were. "I don't know," she admitted, shaking her head. "I'm just as confused as you are. What do you think that creature was, anyway?"

"It looked like a minotaur."

"...minotaur?"

The boy sat up straighter and moved closer. "Yes, a creature from Greek mythology. It was a demonic monster, half man and half bull, that was locked within a labyrinth. Every year, the city of Athens sacrificed children to keep it satisfied, but it was eventually defeated by the hero Perseus. I thought it was just a myth, though- what is a real one doing here?"

Sakura's eyes sparkled. "How do you know all this about mythology?"

"I, uh, like to read, is all. They don't teach enough of it in school, I think." The boy blushed and looked away. "I'm sorry, I don't think my knowledge is going to do us much good. Perseus defeated the minotaur with a sword, and we don't have one."

Sakura did technically have one, but she wasn't about to advertise it. Instead, she offered her hand to shake. "Well, in the meantime, we might as well not be strangers. I'm Kinomoto Sakura. You can call me Sakura if you'd like."

The boy perked up and shook her hand. "Amamiya Masaki. Masaki is fine- you did just save my life, after all."

The last name struck Sakura as familiar, but she didn't think too much about it. It might be a common name, after all, and she had more to worry about. "Thanks, Masaki-kun, but I… I didn't…"

"I know you trapped the monster earlier. Are you a witch?"

Sakura drew back. "Wha-? What would make you…?"

"This is some kind of dream or fantasy world, isn't it? It has to be if there's a minotaur here. In all the books I've read, characters who are sent to a fantasy world like this must defeat the evil before they can return home. I don't have the power to fight the minotaur alone, but maybe I can help you and we can both get home. Please, Sakura-san, I don't want to be trapped here forever."

Sakura's expression softened. "You're awfully casual about this. Fantasy worlds and magic? Doesn't it feel strange to you?"

Masaki looked away, his face flushed slightly. "I, uh, don't have many friends. My father is too strict, so I spend all my time reading books. I may not have any powers, but I know all there is to know about mythology and classic literature."

Sakura smiled again and took Masaki's hands. "Then I'll rely on your help, Masaki-kun."

The boy's eyes sparkled at the sound of his name spoken that way. "I-I'll do my best, Sakura-san!"

Sakura paused and then pulled out her cards to begin flipping through them. Masaki leaned over to get a better look at them as she went through them one by one.

"Are those Tarot cards? I've never seen anything like them."

Sakura shook her head. "These are magic cards that were created by another magician long ago. This is the one I used on the minotaur earlier." She held up The Freeze, and Masaki took it to examine closer.

"The color scheme is beautiful. I like that shade of pink."

"It's… not supposed to look like that. But it works, so…" Sakura sighed and shook her head. "Maybe this is a dream. But if so, it's no ordinary dream. We'll have to work out a plan to defeat the minotaur if we want to wake up."

"May I see the other cards you have?" Masaki asked, holding out a hand, and Sakura handed them over.

"Here's one I used earlier to get away from the minotaur- Dash. But we won't be able to defeat it just by running away. And the thick vegetation makes Fly and Jump bad choices too."

Masaki flipped slowly, one by one. "...this one, Mirror, what does it do?"

"Mirror can make itself look exactly like a person or object. Sometimes I use it-" Sakura began and stopped. "I, uh, use it when I need to be in two places at once."

"I see. And this Nobody?"

Sakura frowned. "I… actually don't know about that one. I've never seen it before."

"It's possible that it has the opposite effect of Mirror, and instead makes an object disappear."

"But I already have a card like that- Erase."

"Then maybe Nobody makes things… seem to disappear?"

Sakura reached over and took the card from him, thinking harder. "Seem to disappear, hm? Like turning things invisible? I could always try it." She stood up and held the card out in front of her. "Hide me from view! NOBODY!"

The card enveloped her in its power, but nothing seemed to happen. Masaki, however, dropped the cards he was holding and rose to his feet as well.

"I-It worked! It really worked! I can't see you at all!"

"Really?" Sakura asked, and waved her staff around. "Even my staff? Can you see tha-"

"Sakura-san? Are you still there? You didn't disappear completely, did you?" Masaki looked nervous, and Sakura tried to reach out for his sleeve to reassure him of her presence. Her hand passed right through his arm, however, and she jumped back with a gasp.

"Nobody! Turn me back, turn me back!"

The power that was surrounding her retreated and Masaki let out a sigh of relief as he noticed her again. "Oh, I was afraid you'd disappeared altogether!"

Sakura shook her head. "No, but it made me invisible, silent, and completely pass through solid objects. I couldn't even grab your arm. There's no way we could fight the minotaur with a card like this."

"...oh." Masaki sighed sadly. "I suppose it was worth a try, though. What else-?"

He sat back down next to the pile of cards, but a voice from around the corner cut off their conversation. Sakura flinched and dove back down behind the plants, putting a finger over her mouth to silence Masaki as they waited for the source of the voices to appear. It wasn't the minotaur, but they couldn't take any chances-

"-I know you're upset, but I told ya not ta look at the pictures! An' the future isn't set in stone anyway, yanno? So just quit sulkin' and help us figure out what to-"

"Kero-chan? And… Li-kun?"

Sakura burst out of the greenery to find Syaoran, followed closely behind by Kero. Syaoran saw her face and scrambled back a few steps, his face burning red.

"No! It's just a dream! It's just a dream-!"

"Li-kun, wait!" Sakura yelled and grabbed his sleeve as he turned to run. "This is no ordinary dream! We won't be able to wake up unless we defeat the minotaur first!"

Syaoran stopped and glanced back at her, still trying to hide his face. "The… the minotaur? You mean like the ancient Greek monster?"

"That's what I've been tryin' ta tell ya!" Kero added, flying down between them. "You won't be able ta get out of the labyrinth until ya beat that thing. That's why you've gotta work together."

Syaoran paused and then let out a sigh. "Do you think it might be the Dream Card? Its dreams are notoriously difficult to get out of."

"Dream card? You mean this one?"

Misaki poked his head out of the bushes, holding up the card. Syaoran jumped back, striking a defensive position. "Wh-where did you come from?"

"Li-kun, this is my friend Misaki-kun," Sakura quickly explained. He doesn't have any magical powers, but he knows a lot about mythology and literature. He can help us defeat the minotaur."

"That's great, but…" Syaoran shook his head and approached Misaki, leaning over the card. "...when did you capture Dream? And why does it look so weird?"

"All the cards look like that. I have all of yours, as well as a bunch I don't remember capturing. You haven't faced the Nobody card, have you?"

Syaoran gave her a weird look. "Nobody?"

"The card that turns people invisible and immaterial. I tried it out earlier-"

"There's no such card."

Masaki shuffled the deck for a moment and held up Nobody. "Actually, it's right here."

"What the-?!" Syaoran snatched it from him and examined it. "It has the same unfamiliar color scheme and magic circle as the others. Whatever this dream is, it's trying to confuse us."

"Or! Or!" Kero flew in between the group, waving his free paw. "It's just trying to equip you with a method of defeating that monster and getting yourself out! I just so happy to have a minotaur-defeating plan that involves that Nobody card, after all."

"Kero-chan? You know about The Nobody?"

Masaki had leaned down and was examining Kero with an intense expression. "Kero-chan, hm? You are Sakura-san's… familiar?"

Kero nearly dropped the phone he was holding. "Wh-wha?! How dare you! I'm no familiar! My name is Kerberos, and I'm Sakura's guardian beast-!"

"Kerberos? As in, the guardian dog of the underworld? No wonder you're familiar with the minotaur!"

Kero shrunk back. "No, I, uh… already had this conversation with Stephanos… I'm not really… my creator just thought it was a cool name." He shook his head and perked up again. "But I do have a plan to defeat the minotaur, so listen up!"

"What is it? More of your 'future' shenanigans?" Syaoran asked, and Kero shushed him.

"Now's not the time for that! Sakura, this plan involves four cards. Loop, then Nobody, then Illusion, then Sword. Ya got all that?"

Sakura considered it. "We use Loop to trap it, then Nobody to hide our presence… oh! Then illusion to distract it so that it won't detect us when we finally attack with Sword."

"There ya go! Now you're gettin' it!"

Syaoran took a step back toward the main corridor, pointing. "We should go ahead and put the plan into place," he insisted. "The sooner we defeat that thing, the sooner we can wake up from this nightmare."

"Maybe so, but there's no need to rush into it," Masaki protested. "We may have a basic strategy, but we need to work out positions and who is responsible for what-"

"You and I support whatever Kinomoto-san is doing," Syaoran interrupted. "Isn't that enough?"

Masaki looked down at his feet. "I'm… not very good at fighting. I thought maybe I could help another way, so I…"

"There's one thing you could do," Sakura suggested. "Using the Illusion card takes a lot of magic. It's hard to balance while using something else, so if you could help Syaoran distract the monster while I sneak around with Nobody to attack."

"Is that safe?" Masaki asked, and Syaoran was quick to break in.

"If I had my sword, I'd defeat the thing myself. But I guess if it has to be Kinomoto-san… I'll do my best to keep the monster occupied."

"That's the spirit!" Kero chimed. "Teamwork makes the dream work!"

"Just do what I tell you," Syaoran broke in, looking at Masaki as he said so. "If you have no experience with combat, you should probably stay back and let me be the one to get close. How big is this monster anyway?"

Masaki had turned pale. "Uh… it's, um, about as tall as that palm tree over there."

"Ugh, I see. That'll give it a large reach. And I suppose that, if it's half-bull, a charge attack isn't off the table either. We'll have to be quick on our feet." Syaoran closed his eyes, thinking it over, and then looked up again. "Do you know about the Spanish art of bull-fighting?"

"Yes! Actually, I attended a match in Toledo while on business with my father in Spain a few years ago-"

"Good. If it makes the monster less scary, just imagine you're a bullfighter. A bullfight may be dangerous, but there's a lot of rituals involved as well. It may help you focus without being so worried about the danger."

Sakura broke into a smile. "Li-kun, that's genius! What do you think, Masaki-kun?"

"I think… I think it may help after all. I'll do my best!"

Syaoran had turned away, unable to hide a blush at the sight of Sakura's genuine smile. He started toward the main path again and motioned the others along.

"Come on. Let's find that minotaur and get out of this stupid dream."

They didn't need long to locate the monster. The sound of its heavy footsteps and labored breathing were clearly audible, even from a distance. Kero flew up to get a better view but had to duck back down beneath the tree branches when the creature almost noticed him.

"It's just up ahead," he instructed. "If the two kids are gonna do the distracting, then Sakura should go ahead and mask her presence with Nobody. It'll make gettin' around to the other side easier." He looked over at the two boys, sizing them up. "It's too bad you guys ain't wearin' anything red. It'd make distracting this thing a lot easier-"

"Actually, bulls are colorblind," Masaki offered. "The red fabric is just traditional."

Kero let out a laugh. "Well, in that case, you're good ta go-!"

It was a loud outburst, and the group could hear the creature take notice, moving through the vegetation towards them. Sakura gasped and quickly called on Sword to change the staff and Nobody to hide her. She felt its magic surround her and took off in a run toward where the creature was approaching, its head lifted to the air as it searched for the scent of its prey. Sakura froze momentarily as it looked around, but it could neither see her nor smell her, so it completely ignored her and moved toward the others instead.

Masaki took a cautious step back as he sized up the creature, seeming to have forgotten how large it really was. Syaoran, however, struck a defensive stance, his glaring daring the creature to approach.

And approach it did.

The minotaur took a few steps forward, examining them closely with its eyes fixed on theirs and its nostrils flaring as it took in their scent.

Then it charged.

Syaoran leaped out of the way, landing on his feet and skidding back along the tile floor. Masaki made it out of the way too, but he had taken a dive into some of the undergrowth, and when he stood up again, he found the buttons of his shirt caught on the brambles.

"Masaki-kun!" Sakura gasped, though she knew he couldn't hear her. The minotaur had circled around and leaned down again, preparing for another charge. Masaki tugged at his shirt, but it was no use. It was stuck fast, and he'd never be able to wriggle out of it in time. If Sakura was going to do something, she had to do it quickly.

Now!

Sakura gripped the hilt of the sword as she felt Nobody's magic fall away. Before the minotaur even had time to register her presence, she leaped and drove the sword into the back of its neck.

There was a deafening roar as the creature cried out in pain, but it didn't fall. Instead, it turned to Sakura, the sword still embedded in its neck, and roared again. The roar this time was so loud that the trees around her shook, and a large branch fell to the floor, barely missing her. Sakura was frozen to the spot, terrified.

It didn't work… it didn't work!

With Sword's ability to slice through anything, she probably should have tried to decapitate it. But that was a moot point now- the thing was stuck and she couldn't get it back without getting too close. It was approaching now, and she felt a chill run down her spine as the glare in its eyes fixed her to where she stood.

"Hey! Pick on someone yer own size, why don'tcha?"

The voice was deep, but with a distinct Osakan accent that Sakura recognized despite the unfamiliar tone. She just barely caught sight of a lion-like creature breathing fire at the minotaur from the other side of the clearing.

"Sakura-san!" Misaki called. "Kerberos cannot hold it off for long! You have to do something! In a bullfight, if the matador doesn't kill the bull with his initial thrust, he must use a second sword to cut the spinal cord and ensure a quick death. Isn't there anything else you can use?"

Sakura didn't have time to wonder what strange dream power-up Kero had gotten hold of. Masaki was right, she needed a second weapon. She had to focus on the cards. There must be one that could get her out of this mess! But which one? Which one-?!

There. One of the cards seemed to jut out of the stack ever so slightly, and Sakura could feel its magic tugging at her consciousness. She pulled it out and flipped it over, her heart sinking as she caught sight of the design. It was one that she didn't recognize, one whose effects she couldn't even begin to guess. Relying on a card she didn't know felt risky, but… the card wanted so desperately to help her, she could feel it.

She had to try.

Placing her hand against the nearby branch to steady herself, she held the card out in front of her and called its name, feeling her magical power connect with its own.

"Give me the tools I need to defeat the minotaur! ARSENAL!"

The card's power exploded forth, swirling around the tree branch that Sakura had gripped in her other hand, and before she realized it, the branch had lifted into the air, leaves flying away as the wood was sharpened into a pointed blade. Sakura gasped, a smile passing over her face.

It was exactly what she needed.

The minotaur had shaken off Kerberos' attacks and turned back to Sakura, but this time she was ready. She leaped forward, swinging the wooden sword with ease and running it through the creature's neck. The creature fell silent mid-roar as it fell to the ground in a heap. Sakura waited for a long moment to make sure it wasn't going to get up again, then walked over and pulled her staff from its neck. Sword returned to its card form and settled back into the deck next to Arsenal.

"Sakura-san, that was amazing! You did it!" Misaki ran up to her with a smile, grabbing her hands. "I was so worried, but you pulled it off! Just like in all my stories!"

Sakura gave a nervous laugh. "Well, you and Li-kun, helped distract it. I couldn't have done it without your help."

"Nonsense! You did all the heavy lifting-"

Syaoran stepped in, looking back and forth between them. "I hate to get in the way of this whole thing, but… if we defeated the creature, shouldn't we be waking up from the dream now?"

Sakura stepped back and looked around. "You're right. Why haven't we woken up yet?"

Kero flew over to the minotaur, settling down next to it and motioning to Sakura's staff. "If you wanna escape the labyrinth, Sakura has ta purify the monster."

"Purify?" Sakura repeated. "How-?"

"I'll teach ya the incantation, don't worry."

Sakura glanced back and forth between Syaoran and Masaki. "Are you two ready?"

"What are you talking about?! Of course we're ready for this nightmare to be over-!" Syaoran was quick to respond, but he paused when he saw the hesitance in Masaki's expression. Masaki forced a smile as he spoke.

"I want to go home. But it was fun to be part of an adventure… to have friends, even for a short time."

Sakura reached for his hands. "Don't worry. We'll see each other again, I'm sure of it."

Masaki's expression fell. "How can you be sure of that?"

"Because-" Sakura offered him a smile. "I have a very special spell, one that's never let me down before. If you repeat it with me, I know it'll work for you too. Would you like to try?"

A slow smile returned to Masaki's face. "...yes. Please teach it to me."

"It's simple. All you have to do is repeat to yourself 'everything will surely be alright,' and mean it. If you do, it'll come true."

"...everything will surely be alright…" Masaki murmured. "Yes… everything will surely be alright! I know it will! I'll see you again someday, Sakura-san!"

Sakura smiled and then turned back to Kero. "Alright, I'm ready. Teach me the incantation to purify the monster."

Kero hovered over the minotaur and pointed down to it. "Strike it with your staff like you're capturing a card, and repeat what I tell you. Got it?"

"R-right." Sakura steadied herself and brought down the staff against the monster's form. As Kero prompted her, she spoke the words with as much emotion as she could for an unfamiliar incantation.

"Card by evil's hand designed… reveal your power and form confined… reject the hold of evil's blight… and draw your power from my light… Sakura Card!"

Sakura awoke to find herself on the floor of the conservatory, and she pulled herself to a sitting position. Syaoran was lying on his side next to her and was beginning to stir as well. Kero, meanwhile, was awake and flew over to Sakura's side.

"Hey, you're awake! Thank goodness!"

"...Kero-chan?" Sakura murmured. "What happened? I thought we were being attacked by the Labyrinth card, but then-" She stopped and glanced down at her hand, where a pair of unfamiliar cards were sitting. She picked them up and looked them over, her eyes lighting up in surprise. "Labyrinth! And… Fountain?"

Syaoran leaned over her shoulder to get a better look at the cards. "The flood that swept us away must have been caused by Fountain. By why don't we remember the capture-?"

"It must be Fountain's doing," Sakura answered. "Stephen told me that Fountain is based on the legendary fountain of youth, but it's made to revert its foes to the mind and body of a child. We must've been turned into children."

"You were," Kero replied, handing the phone over to Sakura. "But at least ya knew about the Clow Cards, so fighting the minotaur with our plan was no problem. Er, only kind of a problem. But ya managed it, and that's what matters!"

"That's an awfully casual attitude to have over something so dangerous!" Syaoran scolded.

"Aw, don't worry so much. You were great. Even if I forgot what a pain ya were at that age…"

"Hey!"

Sakura giggled. "Now that I think about it, you have changed a lot since we first met. You used to be so closed off, scared to admit your feelings even to yourself. You've become so much more confident. That's why I'm sure your mother will understand when you tell her about your work with the drama club."

Syaoran closed his eyes and heaved a sigh. "…you know, you're right. If I told my ten-year-old self that I was part of the school's drama club, I don't think I'd believe it. But I'm so happy, I wouldn't trade it for anything. So even if my mother gets angry-"

"Sakura! Li-san! Are you alright?"

It was Great Grandfather's voice, approaching from the other side of the conservatory. Sakura snapped to attention, quickly putting away her staff and hiding the cards. Kero jumped back into her bag, and Syaoran helped her back to the table.

"Y-Yes, we're fine. What happened? Did you feel an earthquake too?"

Great Grandfather stopped once he reached the table and sighed. "An earthquake… I suppose that's what it must have been. I remember finishing my call with Mr. Ambrose, and then suddenly the floor began to shake. I must've fallen and hit my head because I was unconscious for a moment. But I feel no pain…"

"You should probably get that examined by a doctor," Sakura answered, trying to sound reasonable. She didn't want to tell him that he'd been knocked unconscious by a magic card, after all. "Do you have a doctor here?"

"We have a nurse on staff. I'm sure he could take a look," Great Grandfather replied, and then frowned. "I'm sorry to delay our lunch again-"

"Don't say that! Your health is far more important!" Sakura ran to his side and wrapped her arm around his. "I can help you. If you hit your head, you might start feeling dizzy."

Great Grandfather laughed. "You're the same as your mother, always worried about my health. Li-kun? Do you want to join us?"

Syaoran shook his head. "I'm happy to wait here. Take your time- I brought a book for the train ride."

"If you say so. Should you have any problems, let one of the maids know."

"I will."

Syaoran watched Sakura and her grandfather disappear back down the path to the hallway, and then looked to Kero who'd poked his head out of Sakura's backpack.

"If Sakura and I were affected by Fountain, is it possible that her great grandfather was affected too?"

Kero seemed to think it over. "He does bear a resemblance."

"A resemblance? To who?"

"We met some kind in the labyrinth. Sakura called him Masaki, if I recall. It was probably her great grandpa and she didn't even know it." Kero looked back over at Syaoran and grinned. "He was kinda clingy with Sakura, and you seemed jealous. But you and he ended up workin' together in the end."

Syaoran blushed and glanced away. "D-Don't hold me accountable for anything I did under the influence of that card."

"Yeah, yeah, yer secret's safe with me. But y'know…" Kero looked back over in the direction where Sakura and her great grandfather had disappeared. "...if Masaki really was Great Grandpa, then Sakura's invincible spell worked its magic once again. They were reunited almost immediately. Talk about results!"

Syaoran couldn't help a smile. "I may not always be a fan of her methods, but in the end, she never fails."

"Does that mean you're gonna follow her advice about talkin' ta yer mom?"

"Yes. I am."