oOoOo
A brisk wind blew down the street as a silent figure studied a tall apartment building in downtown Tokyo. The female's long, straight black hair fluttered as the wind played with it. Dark glasses shielded her eyes as she continued to look. Pink lips were lifted in a smile as if amused. The dark dress she wore was blowing gently around her long legs, and she softly said, in English, "So here you are, my descendant. I wonder how long it will be before we play?"
Her voice was musical, and if anyone heard it, they might have turned their heads to stare at her beauty. However, the street was surprisingly empty, so no one did, "It won't be long until that power that was stolen from me is returned you silly girl." A melodic laugh escaped her perfectly shaped lips, and she fluidly turned and walked down the street, "I will have what was mine."
oOoOo
Xiao Lang saw red through his closed eyelids as he slowly became aware. Something had disturbed him from his deep slumber, and his brows furrowed in frustration. He was warm and comfortable on the soft surface he slept in. However, that annoying vibration that had awoken him came again. Realizing it came from his pocket, Xiao Lang sat up.
"Damnit." He reached his hand into his pocket and pulled out the device, and flipped it open, "What?"
"Sir, preparations have been made for you to go to Tomoeda, whenever you are ready we can get you."
Xiao Lang began to remember what had been going on during his long day and he was suddenly wide awake, "Be here in thirty minutes."
He hung up the phone, and took in his surroundings. He was in Sakura's bedroom. Glancing down, he saw the sleeping girl still barely covered by her towel, 'She looks delicious.' He thought. Shaking his head, he took note of what had caused her to be in such a scandalous predicament. Deciding to play it safe, he stood up and managed to cover her up decently. The towel had slipped enough that the swell of her breasts had been barely covered. Her smooth legs were still there for him to gaze at after he fixed the towel, but shook his head again. Heat had begun to pool in his groin, and this was not the time for him to get distracted by a beautiful girl.
Shaking her, he said, "Hey, Kinomoto, you need to wake up." The girl stirred but did not wake up. Sighing, he shook her harder until he saw her eyes fluttering, "Hey, wake up, and get dressed." Without another word, Xiao Lang left the room, and shut the door behind him.
oOoOo
Slowly coming to her sense, Sakura noticed a dim ache in her head. Sitting up, she rubbed her temples, her eyes still closed, 'What happened?' Opening her green eyes, Sakura glanced down and noticed her naked body, "What!?" She had no clue how she had come to be in her bed, but Sakura knew Xiao Lang must have been responsible, 'He saw me naked!' Her cheeks flushed bright red at the thought, and she quickly covered herself despite the fact she was alone. Getting herself together, she went to her closet and pulled out clothes.
As she was dressing, she began to think. She remembered she was in the bath, and was about to get out when she had been taken over by intense pain. The world had gone black soon after. The girl vaguely noted that Xiao Lang had come in and attempted to bring her out of her state, but Sakura had been too far gone to do anything.
Thinking harder, Sakura realized that the man no longer seemed like such a stranger. His amber eyes were familiar to her. And when she tried to remember why, the pain that usually came with such thoughts did not come. She remembered a boy with the same hair and eyes as him. He was being introduced in her elementary classroom. Sakura could not remember who he was, but all she knew was that he was there. And then the dream from earlier in the day came back to her, and she realized the boy was Li.
A knock came at the door, "Hey make sure you have all of your things. We're going to be in Tomoeda for a few days."
The rest of the day came back in full force, and Sakura rushed around gathering stuff, "I'll be ready in a minute." She threw enough clothing in her bag, and grabbed a pair of shoes. Zipping the bag shut, the girl finally looked in the mirror, and saw her hair was sticking up in several places, "That's what I get for falling passing out with a wet head."
Managing to tame the unruly hair, she straightened her blouse and skirt, and left the bedroom for the bathroom. Getting her makeup bag, she put her toothbrush and hairbrush in, and then put it in her duffel bag.
Walking into the living room of her apartment, Sakura saw Xiao Lang staring out the window, hands in his pockets, "I'm ready."
Turning around the man looked her up and down and it caused Sakura to blush, "How's your head? That was a pretty intense meltdown you had."
"Sorry, I don't understand what happened. We can go now…"
She grabbed her jacket as Xiao Lang did the same and they went to the front door. Sakura pulled on a pair of simple flat shoes, and had her keys ready to lock the door behind them. Xiao Lang opened the door, and ushered her out, as Sakura locked it behind them. Little did she know she would not be coming home to her apartment anytime soon.
oOoOo
Kero flew through the air ducts of the building he was in, trying to find a way out. As he continued his search, he felt a strange pull of power. It was very familiar, 'Yue.'
Deciding his charge Sakura would be alright a little bit longer without him, Kero headed in the direction of the pull he felt. Stopping at an air vent, he glanced through the metal frame and saw a bald man sitting on a bed, pulling on a black shirt. The man seemed to sense his presence, and glanced up. Kero was met with a brown and silver gaze.
Kero managed to get through the vent, and flew in front of the man, "Yue?"
"Hello Kero." He said. His voice was strange to Kero's ears; a mixture of two familiar voices.
"What happened to your hair Yue?"
One eye changed to silver, so the eyes matched, "Well, apparently I've been asleep on the verge of death for over ten years. They kept my hair shaved so they could do some tests on my brain every day. It should grow back soon." Kero noted that there was already a light fuzz of hair a few millimeters long growing, "What are you doing in this building?"
"I was in the book. It was kept in a desk, and here I am. It has been ten years?"
Nodding, Yue continued, "I haven't been completely informed of what's been going on, but apparently, the Li clan suppressed all the magic, which is why we were asleep. When my power left Yukito's body, he was left in the coma. I don't know why the power is here again, or why it was even suppressed, but something bad is about to happen. You can feel it can't you? The ominous feeling?"
Kero focused a moment, and nodded, "We need to find Sakura and Xiao Lang."
"You will find the two, and bring them here. My body still isn't strong enough to go on adventures. Should I get recovered soon enough, I will join you… but I think the other way will be faster."
Nodding, Kero said, "Why are you eyes changing?"
"Yukito and I now are able to share the body at the same time. It must be a result of Sakura's power; it must have grown immensely these past years. We should not waste time… however, Kero, be warned, those two have no memories of the past twelve years. I think that they will get them back… but at this point, it is too early to tell."
"I understand. I will find them and hopefully their memories can be returned." Kero made to turn back to the air vent, when he was stopped by the voice of Yukito.
"Kero-chan, please keep Sakura safe. I don't want anything to happen to her. Let her know I'm alive."
"I will."
oOoOo
"Tomoyo…" Eriol whispered as he ran a hand over a photo. The girl's smile was frozen in time in the picture he had of her. The girl had done her job well, while she was alive. She had kept the secret of everything that had gone on when they were ten years old. For some reason, when Xiao Lang's mother had worked with him to seal away all of Clow's magic, and Sakura's, the girl's memories had remained intact.
Before the work they had done could be undone by careless words, Eriol had returned to Japan and spoke with her. They had agreed not to destroy the video tapes or the magical staff, but simply to hide them and keep them hidden. Since the magic technically did not exist, the staff would be untraceable by unwelcome beings. Tomoyo had been wise beyond her years, and not told a word to anyone, ever. Eriol had made sure they cut off ties, hoping that it would keep her from being tempted to tell.
Her death had been a devastating blow to him, and since then, he did not try to talk to any women. The man hoped that her death had a role in all of this; because she was the only one that Sakura remembered who was connected to everything.
Summoning a small amount of magic, he thought her name repeatedly, 'Tomoyo… Tomoyo…' Having his magic returned did have some advantages.
Opening his blue eyes, he stared at a ghostly image of her standing in his office, "Hello Eriol-kun." She said softly.
"Tomoyo-chan…"
"You are being risky here, calling me."
"I'm afraid that things are going to get dangerous here. I need to know that…"
Tomoyo cut him off, "Eriol-kun, you know better. To mess with fate is wrong. Look at the price that was paid by trying to control it the first time. Many memories were forgotten, happiness, anger, love. And all the same, the threat has resurfaced. I cannot tell you what I know. I can only interfere as much as fate allows me."
Her transparent figure glided closer to him, and she stared at him, "Sakura and Xiao Lang are safe… for the moment. They are together. Your little bullet was unnecessary."
"I was only trying to reverse what was done."
Sighing, she shook her head, "Eriol-kun, her memories are meant to come back in their own time. Now she suffered unnecessary pain, and that serum only did a little good. Don't try to interfere unnecessarily. You have done well to keep Yukito-kun alive. That is something you were meant to do. Regardless of interference, things will happen the way they should. The only good thing that came out of this is that Sakura's power is stronger. I must go now…" She looked at him a moment, and added, "It was good to see you again. But don't go calling me when you don't need to. See you later."
In the blink of an eye, her spirit disappeared, and Eriol was in his office alone again. Sitting back in his chair, he pulled out the Clow book. Opening the cover, he saw the empty place that the Sakura Cards should have been in. They had disappeared years ago, and he had no idea where they were now. He had a feeling, that the cards were no longer needed, and that the power they held was simply transferred into Sakura's blood.
oOoOo
The car ride to Tomoeda was much the same as the one from the airport, silent. This time however, the silence was awkward on both sides. Sakura could not get the thought of Xiao Lang seeing her naked out of her head. Xiao Lang, on the other hand, kept replaying the image of her helpless body sprawled against the bathtub frame.
As they were driving down the streets of Tomoeda, Sakura saw the familiar Penguin Park, where she and her friends had played many times. However, as they drove by, she remembered a day where she and her friends had walked by the little pond.
"It's changing there."
Tomoyo pointed at the water as it began to ripple. All the girls seemed to be amazed and then Sakura gasped in shock.
"It was a woman!"
"I saw a big thing with one eye!"
"A squishy thing with some ears!"
"I saw a king penguin floating there."
The memory flashed forward.
"My mother would not hurt me!" Sakura was in the water, fighting against an illusion of her mother. As soon as she said that, the illusion faded and turned into a decorative sign.
An orange creature shouted out, "It's a Clow Card!"
"Return to your original form! Clow Card!" Sakura yelled, while holding a staff of sorts. Tomoyo was off to the side video recording the whole thing.
"That's the Illusion Card."
Sakura blinked her eyes rapidly, shaking the image out of her head, 'That's strange… that's the first time I remember something like that…' And while the memory was new, it felt like it belonged in her head, something precious that she should hold dear to herself.
By the time she was brought out of the memory, they had already driven past the park, and were continuing down the familiar streets. Xiao Lang had been in a similar predicament, feeling like the town was familiar, and not knowing why. He seemed to know where they would turn next, before they even turned, as they headed towards their destination.
His people had already notified him that Sakura's home was empty at the moment; her father was busy on a dig in Egypt, while her brother was in a different part of the country. Her house was where they were going.
Finally, the car pulled to a stop, and Sakura saw her childhood home. It was the first time she had been there in four years. The empty driveway reminded her that she would most likely not see her father, as he was abroad. The last time she had seen him, she had hugged him good-bye at the Narita Airport as he headed for Egypt. Her brother, however, could stop by at any time, since he was only in Kyoto.
Stepping out of the car, she was followed immediately by Xiao Lang. The trunk was popped, and he grabbed her bag, as he had done in Tokyo. By now, the sun had already set, and the dark sky had stars twinkling above. Sakura thought, 'It has been one long day.'
She walked up to the front door of her vacant house, and looked about the door frame. Finding what she was looking for, she reached her hand to a notch on the side of the door, and pulled out a key. Placing it in the lock, it turned without resistance, and she smiled as she placed the key where she had found it. Some things never changed. Opening her door, she entered the building, and removed her shoes.
Strangely enough, her house slippers were exactly where she had left them when she was eighteen. Her father had kept things as if she were to return at any time. He understood why she did not want to come home, but he still hoped. Removing her shoes, she shook out the slippers of any dust, which they lacked, and placed the pink shoes on her feet. Gesturing to the guest slippers, Sakura said, "You can use those while we're here."
Without another word, she grabbed her back from him, blushing when her fingers brushed his, and then headed upstairs towards her room.
When she disappeared up the wooden stairs, Xiao Lang took off his shoes as well and finally stepped foot inside the house. He noted the simple, but cozy layout and began to look around. When the gang leader decided to head up the stairs, he got an ominous feeling, that something bad was about to happen.
oOoOo
"Go ahead and send Kotaro. I want that power back."
"Yes, Lady Evelyn."
The woman with long black hair was sitting on a floor cushion, now dressed in an elegant, black kimono. Her piercing black eyes met the gaze of her servant. Her facial features resembled a mixture of European and Asian, their conversation was in English.
The servant was dismissed with the wave of a hand, and the lady leaned against the low table on one elbow, as she took a drag from her cigarette.
"I'll be damned if that traitor Clow's descendants get to keep everything that that man took from me." Her eyes had a strange, crazed look in them as she took another puff, "I will regain my power to control the elements of the earth, and the power to change fate."
She crushed the end of her halfway smoked cigarette in the ashtray, 'At least the man did not take away everything. I've worked for years to try and remove that damn seal the Li's created, and now I have been successful. I will get my revenge.'
oOoOo
Sakura stared in her little bedroom, everything the way she left it. Her father seemed to have kept things clean and free from dust, as the room did not smell from lack of use. As she sat down on her bed, she began to feel worried. Something was not setting right with her.
She heard a floorboard creak, and turned her head towards the door, "You can come in if you want." Sakura had decided that since the man had not hurt her, or tried to take advantage of her, he was okay. Even though he was yakuza, she gave up trying to stay distant from him. The memories that she had seen made her believe she was someone she once knew.
He stepped into the room with a sheepish grin, "Sorry, just trying to familiarize myself with the house. I need to know all the possible ways out." He saw a dismayed look on her face, "Just in case."
Suddenly, the worried feeling she had became ten times worse, and just as she was about to say something, Xiao Lang said, "Hide. Someone's here."
'Oh, by the way, when you get scared, just hide under the bed, and you'll find that your fear goes away.'
Tomoyo's words flashed through her mind. Rather than doubting her best friend's words, Sakura took the advice and scrambled under the bed as Xiao Lang exited the room. When she glanced under her bed, Sakura spotted multiple video tapes stacked up, and an interesting staff with a star on the top laying there, "What?"
oOoOo
Xiao Lang was blocked from the stairs by a person dressed in a black suit. The light blonde hair on the male figure blew around his feminine face, he grey eyes staring intensely into Xiao Lang's, "If you would be so kind as to move to the side, I am here to retrieve something."
"I don't think so."
"That, Li Xiao Lang, is a mistake. You may be a descendant of that rat Clow, but you cannot be more powerful than me. I am Kotaro, and you can't even meet me in power."
oOoOo
Sakura reached a hand out to the staff, and hesitated before making the final inches to touching it. As soon as her hand grasped the stick, a flutter of images entered her mind. It was as if something important that was missing was suddenly returned. The fear that Sakura had felt moments ago disappeared, as she felt things were right again. She closed her green eyes momentarily, trying to process all the information she was being returned, and clenched the staff even tighter, making her knuckles turn white.
oOoOo
Xiao Lang ducked when the one who called himself Kotaro blew a white orb at him, barely missing it. The powerful gust forced the ball through the wall, creating not only a loud bang, but a hole the size of a baseball in the wall.
He cursed, and attempted to throw a punch. Xiao Lang was not quite sure what to do. He knew about magic, his family had taken a whole year of memories away from him, sealed off his own magic, and now he felt powerless. He never expected a magical battle.
"Stop what you're doing!" He heard Sakura's voice cry out. Turning both of their heads, they were greeted with the figure of Sakura in her door. She had a pink staff in her hands, and her green eyes glinted with a hidden power, "You came here for this right?" She asked.
"Are you willing to give me something so easily girl?"
"I think not. You are evil, and I will not allow you to hurt him." She stared down at the staff, "You want my power? You cannot have it." She focused a moment, and suddenly, the staff crumbled away in a powdery substance.
Kotaro's face twisted in horror, "YOU BITCH!" He forced an orb at her, and Sakura attempted to move out of the way. However, she did not have the martial arts training Xiao Lang did, and the ball hit her in the shoulder.
Sakura gasped in pain, her hand clenching her bloody shoulder, "You cannot win." She whispered, "I call upon the power of the Fire, please aid me in this battle." The girl felt terrible that she was about to tear up her childhood home, but she would rather do that than give up her powers to the wrong person.
"No! How dare you try to defeat me." Sakura's eyes glowed brightly as fire began to blaze around her hands. Forcing the flames out towards Kotaro, she tried to hit him dead on. Her aim was off, but she still managed a good hit in the stomach. The enemy huddled over in pain, before aiming another power at her, sending Sakura to her feet.
Xiao Lang looked on as the two began to attack each other, Sakura periodically changing the power she was using to another card. One blast forced Kotaro to tumble down the stairs, and Sakura followed him, "You are causing me to ruin my home!" She called upon the power to erase, and aimed a finger at him, "Good-bye, evil creature. Erase!"
Before the power could hit Kotaro, he sent one final attack, causing Sakura to fly back, unconscious. Xiao Lang watched as Kotaro faded from existence, then ran to the girl, "Kinomoto! Wake up, come on."
oOoOo
So…… what'd you guys think? Things are starting to get interesting? Who's this Evelyn chick? Why, she's the antagonist! She is an OC, HOWEVER, I have created her with her own ties to Clow. You will learn what they are later on. So, I suck at action scenes, so sorry if they weren't interesting.
Thank you SOOO MUCH for all the wonderful reviews I have received. Over 20 reviews for only three chapters in my first CCS fic? I'm so happy. And I have over 1,000 hits. I tried to respond to all of the reviews. If I didn't, it's cause I was sick. I have been SOOO SICK these past two weeks or so. The first time was stupid allergies, the second time I got a bad nasty infection. But I'm all better now. ^_^ Anyway, I hope to get more reviews this time, because I like to know what people think.
I'll try to update soon but it's almost finals time so we'll see.
Thanks again guys!
-Hotaru