Disclaimer:

I have no affiliation with Cardcaptor Sakura or any other of CLAMP's works. Also any similarities to real life events or people are unintentional unless explicitly stated.


Someone grasped Tomoyo's hand.

"You shouldn't try to foresee the end of the world. It will make you lose your mind."

She turned her head and saw Cousin Kotori smiling at her. Even though she was currently studying in Lecourt at the Hallow Ares College of Arts and Design, she and Tomoyo were sometimes able to find each other in their dreams.

Immediately, the scenes in the background slowed down, but she knew that if she were to look at them directly instead of the corner of her eye it would appear to be a swirling kaleidoscope of colour.

"Come."

Cousin Kotori lead her to sit on a stool next to a large, tall table covered in swatches of fabric bleeding dye onto the newspaper underneath. There was an enormous sink along one wall beside a couple of stoves. Large pots hung on hooks on the wall, and there were colourful bottles of dye in the open cabinet, their contents still undiscernible.

"This is where we have our practical lessons on. Yesterday, we tested out the dyes on different fabrics," Cousin Kotori said.

"Did you create these? They are lovely."

"Thank you."

"However," said Tomoyo, bringing the topic back to the earlier, "should we not be doing everything within our power to know more about the coming situation so that we may best prepare? Surely all the recent spirit related incidents, natural disasters and the oncoming war between Heaven and the Spirit World and Hell could only mean that the Armageddon is upon us."

"Well… it definitely can't hurt to be cautious. It's been said that it will happen "soon", but time is relative. Not even the angels in heaven know when the day or hour the end of the world is supposed to happen. The Diviners don't seem to think it is." She shrugged. "We can't let the fear of the future stop our daily lives."

"I understand," Tomoyo conceded. There was wisdom in what she said. She changed the topic again. "How are you?"

"I had dinner with Cousin Emi and Leo in the palace. They send their love to you and everyone else. Next week I'm planning on visiting the Central Library with my classmates. But enough about me, how are you? Are you being well fed in the Li household?"

Since the school year ended, Tomoyo, Sakura and Cousin Toya had been staying as guests in the Li household. The Hanato's place was not large enough to hold them and all the bodyguards when they were already crowded with the extra staff there for the upcoming festivals. Additionally, the Li household was more secure than renting accommodation in Heung Gong. In exchange for the accommodation, Tomoyo's mother had provided them new technology which the government would use to aid their investigation of this spirt war.

"They meals they serve are always delicious," replied Tomoyo. "Things are going well. Star has decided to wake up early to attend the training with the Li Clan and my bodyguards."

"I wonder why…" she laughed.

"She said that she wanted to become stronger when Mei questioned her about her early rises."

In fact, Meiling and a number of her cousins found great enjoyment of counting the number of time Sakura and Li casted glances at each other when they weren't looking. It was like something out of a romance novel.

"Sure. Her brother mustn't be very happy about it."

"Cousin Toya is admittedly less enthusiastic about it, but has not said anything about it. She is going to sleep early and getting the required amount of sleep, however I think that part of it is because he feels indebted to Li for saving his life, and the other is because he knows that Li would never hurt Sakura." Tomoyo thought for a moment before adding, "Although, I think that he is secretly hoping that nothing will happen between them before we return to Lecourt next month."

Her elder cousin nodded. "And how are my sisters and parents? I got their letters. I miss them dearly."

"They instructed me to inform you that they miss you very much. They are both busy preparing the shrine for the Double Seventh Festival which keeps being interrupted by the summer storms. Honey said the other that it seems it seemed as if the heavens were mourning your absence with endless rain."

"Oh I miss them," she sighed. "I hope that you're all not too stressed. This period is extremely busy even when the weather is cooperating."

There certainly plenty of tasks that needed to be done. After her morning meditation, and eating breakfast, Tomoyo would head to the shrine with the Kinomoto Siblings to help with the preparations. She was assisting Aunt Saya to manage the deposits for the stalls when she heard a loud thud and crash. That was shortly followed by clattering of wooden sandals on the stone pavement outside.

"Are you all right, Koe?" asked Sakura.

Tomoyo followed Aunt Saya barefoot through the main building and outside.

Kohane was already using a chronophone to call for field healers and Kobato was lying on the ground, a vase of lotus flowers shattered at her feet.


Meiling went to visit Hanato in the intensive care unit of the Children's hospital during her break, her feet somewhat sore from setting up the Double Seventh festival decorations around the hallways. Most of what she did in the hospital was like this. She took phone calls, restocked the shelves and delivered messages. But she did get to interact with the healers and hospital on a regular basis. With enough persistence, maybe they'd let her follow them around their rounds or even let her watch a surgery.

It was a cruel coincidence or twist of fate that that she was volunteering at the hospital where Hanato was admitted to.

She walked down the rooms lined with beds. She passed by the boy hooked up to a dialysis machine, and the there was a girl hooked onto breathing tubes and pipes keeping her alive and breathing before arriving at her friend's bed. Hanato looked healthy in comparison to them, but there was a thin sheen and unearthly sickness about her.

Meiling pushed back the curtains and found Miss Kinomoto and Honey there showing her a video on a small frame.

"Hi Mei, I'm just showing Koe the video of the Yomogi children wishing her well. I'm not as good at making videos as our Lady is…"

"It's really good," she insisted.

The frame showed Fujimoto looking more awkward instead of intimidating for once.

"Umm… get well soon," he said in the video.

Meiling was sure Hanato's cheeks turned a little bit red at the sound of his voice.

"He's really worried about you," said Miss Kinomoto gently. "They all are."

The rest of the video was messages from the children and staff, and ended with a group shot of the all in front of the orphanage shouting, "Get well soon, Koe!"

"Thank you. I, Kobato, will do my very best." She smiled, weakly. "How are the preparations for the Double Seventh Festival coming along?"

"The afternoon storms keep slowing down progress even with our Lady's bodyguards and the Yomogi children helping out. Our Lady is really busy right now, but she hopes that you get better in time for the festival. Speaking of that," said Miss Kinomoto, taking out a tissue paper doll with eyes drown its round head from her bag, "Marina made this so that the skies will be clear up and the heavenly maiden and the cowherd can cross the river of stars to be together."

"On the magpie bridge," added Honey.

"That's right."

"Are you going with someone to the festival, Mei-Li?" ask Hanato.

"Nope."

"Really?"

She flipped her blue grey hair over her shoulder. "I don't have time for boys if I want to be a healer. Besides, a more interesting question would be who Miss Kinomoto is going with."

"We're not here to talk about me," said Miss Kinomoto, dodging the topic. "We're here to cheer Koe up so that she can get better soon."

Meiling wanted her to become better soon too, but it honestly didn't look that good. She wasn't an expert yet, but she got permission to see Hanato's charts and scans. Apparently she was born with valves in her heart didn't close properly. That wasn't good because that reduced the oxygen supply to the body. They've trialling another medication but if it doesn't work then she might have to undergo a valve transplant.

No one has told the eldest sister at the request of Hanato out of fear that upsetting her would trigger things. But Miss Kinomoto, the ever optimist, still held on to the hope that a she would get better.

"Everything will be all right," she insisted. "Miracles happen every day."


Syaoran paused from chopping the yu choy to baste the pork. He then nearly touched the hot metal grill because his sisters surprised him.

"Wan-Wan, have you seen Mei-Mei?" said Second Sister, as if she didn't almost cause an accident. "We need a west wind. First sister is in a meeting."

"No."

"What do we do now?" she asked their elder sisters.

"Wan-Wan, play with us!" said Third Sister.

He nudged his youngest elder sister out of way to grab a medium sized pot. "I'm making dinner."

"What are you making," said Second Sister, watching him fill it with water from the sink. "Do you need help?"

"No, thank you. I can manage. It's just yu choy and char siu."

Third and fourth sister squealed. Syaoran raised an eyebrow at them. Their faces were expressionless when he saw them, but he turned away he heard fourth sister whisper, "That's Star's favourite dish."

It dawned upon Syaoran that it was. But that wasn't why he decided to cook it. He continued on his task.

Third sister clapped a fist. "I know! Why don't we invite Star to play?"

"She's visiting her cousins," he said, as he carried the pot to the stove.

His sisters exchanged looks with each other.

He turned the stove on. "She told me."

At this, the you nger two squealed and second sister snorted, and Syaoran realized his fatal mistake.

He mustered his most powerful glare at them.

"Shh," Second Sister told the younger two. "You can't react otherwise he won't talk to us anymore."

They quickly controlled their expressions.

He went back to chopping up the vegetables. His sisters were crazy.

"Are you going with her to the Double Seventh Festival?!" Fourth Sister blurted out.

Syaoran nicked his finger on the knife. He reflexively sucked on wound and tried to concentrate on the pulse he could stitch the wound together with energy. But that question was so- they're insane-

"Well?"

He forgot to answer. "No. Why would I ask her to go with me? I don't know her."

"That's why you should spend time with her," scoffed Third Sister, rolling her eyes.

"I'm busy."

"Doing what?"

"Training. Studying."

Second Sister held up her hand to stop her sisters from talking. "Is there something wrong with her?"

"No." Where was she going with this?

Third Sister pushed forward. "Do you think she's pretty?"

He looked for the right words to say. "I-I gue- There is more to a woman than her looks."

They looked mildly surprised.

"I think we've raised him well," declared Fourth Sister. The other two nodded.

"So, Syaoran," said Second sister, slowly, "what do you think her?"

"I uhh… have to finish cooking the dinner." He put the vegetables in the boiling pot of water.

"You know, you're always looking at her," said Third Sister, somewhat gently.

"I don't-," He should've known better than to expect his sisters to drop the topic.

"You do. Why?"

"She seems kind of sad recently with her cousin in the hospital and all," he admitted. He the basted the pork one last time.

"And you're making her favourite foods."

He shrugged. "That's not- I just haven't made this dish in a while."

Fourth Sister put her hand up. "But I have and she mentioned that she really liked it."

"That doesn't mean anything," he said, exasperated. "Look, I know what you are trying to say, but you're all wrong."

"But we're not doing anything," said Third Sister. She batted her eyes innocently. "We're just catching up with our favourite baby brother."

"What are you accusing us of doing?" said Second Sister.

They all were looking at him, waiting for him to answer.

"Y-You're trying to get me to say that I like… her."

"Who?" they said in unison.

They were closer now.

He kept his mouth shut. They would twist anything he said out of context later on.

"Say her name," they challenged him. He could see the glint in their eyes.

"Ki-Kinomoto."

"Her first name. It's not rude. She told us that we call use it."

Syaoran reminded himself that he was taller than them now. He gulped.

"Sa-Sakura"

"Do you like Sakura?"

Involuntarily, he immediately pictured her in his mind, and he could hear the beating of his heart. He recalled her smile, her jade green eyes, the way her soft lips felt on his at the Lecourt train station almost a year ago…

His chronophone rang.


Toya took a break under a tree out of the way from where the others were helping set up the shrine for the Double Seventh Festival.

"Lift the right side higher," instructed a little kid.

Fujimoto went to adjust the string of lanterns, and Toya saw his sister and her friend sweep the stone pathway.

The clouds were moving quickly overhead. It was sunny, but the air still felt very humid. With luck, the skies would be clear in the evening in time for the festival.

There was a rustle above him and he narrowly avoided being hit by Nakuru Akizuki who swung upside down in front of him from an overhanging branch.

"Hell-oh!"

His punch missed.

"Toya Kinomoto, stop," she commanded.

His body froze. Geong-si, like many other spiritual beings, are able to read the characters of the spoken word. Revealing his name when they first met was a mistake but he wasn't used to that custom at that point.

He watched as she shifted and hung on the branch with her arms before dropping down to her feet. Fortunately, Tomoyo's bodyguards instantly appeared and surrounded them.

"Don't try anything, you're outnumbered," said one of them.

"But am I outmatched?" She stood up straight and faced them all for a moment, before showing her empty palms. "Don't be afraid. I come in peace."

She released her hold on Toya, but he didn't drop his guard.

"Where's my sister?" he asked the nearest guard.

"A small team are escorting her away from the temple as we speak."

"Good." He didn't have to worry about frightening her then. He cracked his knuckles. "Any last words before I kill you for making my sister your hostage?"

She stood still, her long crimson hair floating in the wind. "My True Name is Akito Tsukishiro written with the characters for Autumn, Rabbit, Moon and Castle. I was born one hundred and thirty five years ago on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month. I am looking for my brother Yukito, the Snow Rabbit born on the same day."


Author's Notes:

Hi, I'm really sorry about not updating the past 3ish weeks especially since you all have been nothing but kind. When I started posting this story, I never thought that I'd get this many views, reviews and people liking and following my work. Thank you! \(^w^)/

I had a massive case of writers block, but hopefully now the remaining chapters won't change too much from what I have planned.

I'd also like to thank my mother, brother and family friends for inspiring the conversation Syaoran had with his sisters, even if it was borderline mortifying and even if it's highly unlikely that they would read this.

There was a comment about how I shouldn't have written that Syaoran sucked on his wound, but I primarily intended that he did that out of reflex and because he was flustered by what his sisters were saying. That being said, I don't think that the bacteria in the mouth would infect a small finger wound when our gums don't inflame every time we brush our teeth or floss. Of course it's better to use clean water or a saline solution, but in a pinch, it should be okay (at least according to Wikipedia). He also used magic.