The First Storm

Episode XXXI

Escape to… Where are we?

Sakura sighed as she woke up tired… in fact the two or so hours she napped on the Tokyo rooftop seemed like a waste as she rubbed sleep from her eyes.

"Are you feeling a bit better now Sakura?" Julian asked but he knew she had slept restlessly and had another nightmare.

She just shrugged her shoulders with a tired sigh. "I guess, even if my mind doesn't feel like it did much it will help my body heal and my magic recharge."

Julian sighed with a tired nod. "Yes, and for now this is all we can hope for," he agreed with a strained smile on his wary face.

Sakura and both companions startled moments later as they felt some spikes of energy. "Sakura…!" Kero said as he had quickly transformed along with Julian. "You felt that too?" he asked as they all looked in the same direction.

"Yes," she agreed looking worried. "B-but that didn't feel like any magic I've ever felt. It had a kind of demon feel to it." However, she was startled even more by a larger spike of power next, but this one was different. "T-this doesn't feel anything like… Kero, Yue, what's going on?" she asked in confusion.

"There is only one way to find out!" Kero said while Yue nodded in agreement. "Its better to know where potential enemies are and what they are capable of doing than to sit back and hide."

Sakura sighed as she nodded her head in agreement and released her staff without a word or much thought before the Jump card attached little wings to her feet and the new Sword card transformed her wand.

"Let's go!" she called out as she jumped across to the next building and didn't even wait.

Kero and Yue gave each other a look. "I grow amazed with her growing power and skill," Yue admitted.

Kero nodded his head. "It is amazing that she does not call on her cards or her staff when she is in that zone. They come to the call of her heart."

Yue nodded as he and Kero launched them selves into the air after her. They slowed to land as she stopped on a ledge looking down into a small street.

Serena was fighting desperately to protect the rest of her friends and the girl she has come to realise might really be her daughter from the future.

It seemed only Raye has a power that could dust the vampires, but that didn't mean that the others couldn't use their powers to hurt them for either Raye or Serena to kill.

However, it had been four or five minutes into the fight that some large and ugly monsters with sharp claws had entered the battlefield followed by Tuxedo Mask, a guy in tuxedo with top hat and white mask. He normally throws around these red roses like they're darts or something, but he turned up with a rapier duelling sword, but wasn't fairing as well as he could since he was fighting superior physical strength, and more monsters seemed to keep turning up.

Sakura was wide eyed as she came across the battle. Though, she growled as the fire witch of the little group was cornered by four filthy vampires and she was weakening and likely needed space to use her power properly.

The Cardcaptor pulled out a card as she leapt off the roof. "Fiery!" she called and the fire spirit was only to eager to blast forwards and took the vampires into nothing before circling round, the other vampires started panicking and running.

"Shit it's that fucking bitch with the cards!" one vampire yelled out before he was turned to dust.

Sakura landed just as Fiery returned to her card and the card holder. She looked around and noted in satisfaction that a few demons were burnt husks from her attack and some were crying out in pain.

Serena sliced her surprised demon in two as she dodged and jumped back to where Rini was curled up holding Artimus the white cat tightly. Her quad-decker sword swished out into a giant shuriken and she threw. This time when it glowed gold it copied itself into three, slicing through a few demons before they returned and fused back into one as she caught it.

She was cut up to high heavens, bleeding and bruised, and she's positive she had some broken or fractured bones, but she will not forsake Rini or any of her friends so she will not fall. She transformed to protect those who are special to her.

Tuxedo Mask jumped back to join her after he barely avoided death and took the monsters arm, then head. He had since lost his top hat and he was worse off in the injury department than her.

"D-Daren?" she suddenly asked in surprise looking at him. He looked over at her in surprise. "Y-you jerk… you're Tuxedo Mask!"

"S-S-Serena?" he asked but awaited no reply. "Y-you're Sailor Moon… and… did you buy a new outfit?" he asked hoping she'll drop it.

She just glared before dodging some claws and stabbing it through the chest with one of her shuriken blades before pulling back to let it fall dead to the ground.

Raye sighed in relief as she looked at the strange girl wearing a weird blue outfit. She would have went wide eyed in horror as two demons went to attack the new girl from behind if the ice blade hadn't pierced one through the chest killing it and the other hadn't been engulfed by a fireball as a odd man in purple with angle wings landed behind the girl with a lion with angel wings.

The Cardcaptor smiled reassuringly at the dark haired girl. "Hi I'm Sakura, and these are my guardians Kero, and Yue. I think we should run or we're dead."

"The names Raye, and we've tried," she said breathing heavily, she was highly damaged herself, but looking over at Sakura she knew… she just knew this girl has been fighting nearly alone for a while now, and by the look of how filthy she looks hasn't bathed in weeks. "They keep swarming us… it's like there's no end to these monsters."

Sakura looked at Kero and Yue. "W-what about if I… if I transform the Time card, could I freeze time long enough for us to get away?"

"It's doubtful," Yue said shaking his head. "The Time card could if you weren't so drained magically, but you might not even be able to use it after its transformation let alone freezing this whole neighbourhood but keeping everyone omitted from the time freeze."

"Damn… and they can smell through the Mist card," she hissed out as she dodged a sneaky demon and took his head with her sword. "They can see through illusions to…!"

Sailor Venus (Minako) screamed as claws swiped through the right side of her face cutting a gorge of pain through her right eye knocking her to the ground as she whimpered and cried. Sailor Mercury (Ami) went to her aid blasting the demon away in her rage the water turned to ice and crushed the demon into a bloody mess.

Ami dropped to her knees in a panic as there was so much blood coming from her friend, she didn't know what to do. She tried to comfort her friend but she was in so much pain, screaming and crying.

BOOM!

The building and ground shook. Ami looked up in shock, her mouth wide open to see a blonde woman had shown up and crushed a demons head into the building wall, splatting it and saving her and Minako.

However, that being messed up the woman had shattered the wall and pieces of it crumbled down as she lowered her foot to let the bug of a demon drop.

She only looked down at them briefly and everything seemed to have stopped, startled by her entrance. Her blue eyes were fierce and spoke of experience. The only sound was Minako's cries as the young woman moved into a fighting stance aiming to destroy more demons.

"Here," she was startled as a red haired young woman knelt down next to them, and Ami grimaced and felt sick as she pried the crying girls hand from her bleeding wound. Ami just knew her friend would lose her eye and felt terrible.

The red head then placed a caring hand over the wound muttering some words in a different language. Then there was a blue glow and the bleeding stopped and the injured girl drifted to sleep.

"Buffy!" the red head called the blonde. "This girl needs medical attention now, preferably the magical kind."

Buffy nodded. "OK Willow, send her," she agreed nodding as the red head pulled out a black leather pouch and out of the pouch a golden coin with a phoenix one side and dragon the other.

Willow smiled at Ami. "This here will take her someplace safe where she'll get medical treatment right away."

"I-I can't leave her," Ami stuttered out in worry.

However, Willow had placed the coin in her hand. "Hold on to her tight and concentrate…" she had barely finished when they disappeared in a swish of power.

"Where h-have you taken them?" Serena demanded as the demons got hold of themselves and restarted the attack.

Buffy pulled a large sword from her back and started chopping up demons. "Somewhere safe… I'm not sure where but I know its protected," she said as she knelt down by the pink haired child and placed what she could tell was a dead wrapped up familiar into her arms with the other and a coin before Serena even realised it they too were gone. "A battlefield is no place for a little girl," she said staring into the other blondes scared eyes before she nodded and they returned to the fight.

Sakura laughed ironically. "I could have done with this help three weeks ago," she said wobbling to stand up as she watched the red heads eyes turn black as she just flung demons about in an invisible grip and breaking them before stopping by them.

"You five should go," she said offering some coins as four beat up looking Slayers helped a brown haired girl over from where she had been chased around a corner. She then turned as three demons tried sneaking up on her and glared as they burst into flames. "Can't you see I'm busy!" she hissed in rage before calming as her eyes returned to green.

"N-note to everyone, don't mess with her," Raye said nervously as she took a coin almost falling down as she reached Sailor Jupiter (Makoto) and helped her stand. It looked like her leg was busted, and not just in one place. It was only a moment before they disappeared too.

Willow next offered to Sakura. However, she shook her head. "I-I can't just let you fight alone."

"Sakura…!" Yue reprimanded. "Right now we are of barely any use. It would be prudent for us to leave right away. We do not wish to become a burden and you need to sleep!"

She sighed as she took a coin and took hold of Kero and Yue before they disappeared too, leaving Willow with the newly awoken Slayers.

0oo00oo0

Faith smirked as she, Kennedy and the old lady dropped their weapon full bags next to the police cars, though even Kennedy was surprised with how much Faith could carry.

It was seconds later that the surprised cops watched as the two young women pulled out two identical military-green rocket launchers, and hopped up onto the hood of a police cruiser each grinning at each other as they set their weapons and looked through scopes.

"This is going to be fun!" Kennedy said laughingly.

"Girls," the Grandma reprimanded. "Just make sure you don't hit the Guardians."

"We got it," said Faith as they both fired. The rockets exploding from the launcher would have made a normal girl fly backwards but with them only the cars suspension was affected.

Will pulled Hay Lin back as two rockets exploded on the giant monsters face. It roared out in pain and stumbled back crashing into a building and falling down with it.

Irma grits her teeth as she was hit by the shockwave and barely stopped herself from hitting a police car. Unfortunately it had been the one her father had been by staring at the odd girls with the rocket launchers with his mouth hanging open.

However, as she hovered there his attention was drawn to her, and she was sure before he didn't know who they are, plus they look older. "Umm… hey dad," she said sheepishly rubbing the sore bruise forming over her right check and hoping he doesn't notice all of her cuts, and burns. "Umm… yeah, well I have to go… got to save the town and all that," she said before shooting off and blasting water at the horse men bird things.

Faith and Kennedy might have laughed at the poor man if they weren't unloading more weapons. "Arm up boy, and lets give that monster the smackdown!" Faith yelled out passing automatic weapons to police officers such as machine guns and assault riffles.

However, as she got ready with the guns and cops as the monster tried to brush off the pain and get back to its feet Kennedy had grabbed the explosives and ran out towards where she was happy to see the fire throwing girl near the ground after having killed a demon.

"Hey you," Kennedy called as she came to a stop.

The black girl looked scared and cautious but stayed put as the old lady made it over with a second bag full of explosions. "M-Mrs. Lin," Taranee stuttered out in surprise, sweat gleaming her brow. "W-what's going on… is Meridian invading Heatherfield?"

"No, Taranee," she quickly disagreed. "This is Kennedy. I want you to listen to her as we have little time, please trust me, you will be fine," she said gesturing to where the police and Faith were trying to keep the giant demon busy with automatic fire.

"OK, here's the deal," Kennedy was quick to say holding up her two heavy bags. "Explosives that should be kept well clear of fire," she said, then pointing to her. "Girl who shoots fire," she then pointed to the monster. "Giant demon that needs to go boom!" she said it very simplistically before pointing back at the girl. "You're to make that monster a puddle of blood and monster guts by making it go boom."

"I-I can't," she stuttered out in fear.

"Yes you can," Cordelia said as she floated down and didn't hesitate to take the two bags and gestured to the other. "Taranee… we can barely take those horse things. I don't have much more strength to give. Those horse things… we've almost gotten rid of them, but that thing…" she looked over. "Its head has almost been torn off but it's still going."

Taranee nodded, still looking frightened she took the final bag and they both flew off together heading for the monster. They would swear after this day never to use explosives again, but given such circumstances probably would.

During the explosion both Taranee and Cordelia had accepted they were too exhausted to escape. However, their eyes widened impossibly as they were protected by a bubble of water and Yan Lin, Hay Lin's grandmother was in the flames smiling at them.

"Protect the world!" was the voice that echoed in their heads before they both passed out.

0oo00oo0

Sakura woke with a huge yawn as she sat up in the big fluffy comfortable bed when she startled as she looked around in shock. She was in some kind of… hospital ward and she had a machine hooked up to her right arm.

Her head was bandaged and she felt groggy and still very tired, but she remembered she had a bad dream. She looked over to her side surprised to see a small pink haired girl in the bed next to hers with a little white cat sleeping restlessly at her feet.

Looking from the girl thankful she is doing fine she saw that the Ami girl was in another bed next to Raye and the brown haired friend of theirs. However, she couldn't see Kero or Yue, but could sense them nearby.

She was about to get up to find them when she was shocked as some doctors (or wired creatures in doctor outfits) charged passed the entrance with two beds, one holding a blonde girl and the other a black girl, both of which seemed seriously burnt.

However, it was moments later that a red head girl was wheeled into the room on a bed seemingly drifting in and out of conscious as a small 'man' 'elf' was using different coloured lights from his hands to fix her.

Then in charged a bruised and bleeding girl with purple hair; tears streaming from her eyes. She was seriously having an episode of some kind with a just as damaged brown haired girl trying her hardest to comfort her, but tears also streamed down her eyes as she seemed lost.

"G-Grandma and-and… Taranee and Cornelia are, it was bad, and-and god… Will," she cried as she pulled out of the brown haired girls embrace and went over to the red heads bed. "Is she OK, will she… she won't will she… I can't lose her too!"

"She will be fine," said a tiny white pixy, which even startled Sakura as she didn't see her their in a nurses uniform, partially because of her size but also because of the hysterical girl. "You should get some sleep."

"I-I can't sleep!" she cried out whimpering as the brown haired girl pulled her over to a spare bed and sat her on it, taking off her shoes and then hers. "Irma, I can't… Grandma just died, Grandma she's… she's… gone!"

"I know sweetie," Irma replied with a lump in her throat. "And Taranee and Cordelia are in bad shape," she said looking around the room her eyes connected with Sakura's to see tears too before looking away. "Look around you sweetie… we're not the only one's to suffer," she whimpered out.

Hay Lin looked around at the nearly full ward in shame. Her eyes connected with Sakura's as the Cardcaptor sat up. "I… I haven't lost anything but… who I was. I've been fighting just to survive for three weeks all alone. And I've had to leave my friends and family for their safety."

"I-I'm sorry, I woke you up," Hay Lin said as she calmed a little.

Sakura just shook her head. "No… I've been having nightmares."

"I see," the doctor startled her as he placed a potion in a cup in her hands. "This isn't a permanent solution, but it will do for a good nights rest," he said smiling. "It will help you sleep without dreams."

"OK, thank you," Sakura said quietly as she drained it dry. The doctor took the cup as she slid back onto her pillow and was asleep in seconds.

"Can… can Hay Lin have some too?" Irma quickly asked in hope. "It will be better to deal after a good rest," she reprimanded her friend as she went to protest.

Hay Lin accepted anyway and drained the cup dry before feeling tiredness overcome her. Irma placed the cup on the side table and helped her friend under the covers where she fell into a silent and comfortable sleep.

Irma sighed as she stroked her friend's hair affectionately before going over to where Will now slept peacefully as the doctor and nurse left after making her promise to take the last bed soon.

0oo00oo0

"Augh…!" Harry groaned as he slumped down in the Office of the President of the United States of America after having collected Dumbledore. The President had been surprised by their sudden appearance, and hadn't been sitting at his desk but walking back and forth in thought.

Therefore, Harry stole his place behind his desk while Dumbledore just took a guest seat. "OK dudes I'm only going say this once. Demons just attacked a large town called Heatherfield and I need it covered up and the protection of these families made top priority," he said handing a file to each man.

"So you're Harry Potter, Earths only hope?" the President asked, getting a nod. "Couldn't we just break this Veil down and nuke Terra with everything?"

"If you wish to fail and bring about Nuclear Winter," Harry agreed. "These aren't like your common variety demons. These ones have powers… incredible powers. Just see Heatherfield to see the proof. And that could be considered minor."

"So Harry, what have you been doing since you left?" Dumbledore asked as the President was on his phone getting together his new department suspiciously called Cover Up, or the CU just to play the double bluff card. He got it together just to cover up these demon attacks.

"Blah," he said which annoyed the hell out of the old man. "This and that, the other, and stuff," he said laughingly, which at least the President thought was funny.

0oo00oo0

"I'm bored!" Rini whined as she sat with Irma on her bed as she tried to teach her the fine art of cards… well snap, but after the fiftieth time the cards blew up and smacked her in the face it got boring for everyone but Irma. It had been a day since their battles and Hay Lin had even ran out of tears and was sitting up on Will's bed with her helping with the word search Will was doing just to pass the time.

"B-but… it's so funny when they jump up and smack you in the face," Irma disagreed.

"Its only fun when they hit you," Rini whined with a cute little pout. "When it hits me it's not funny at all. I-I want my… Serena," she complained again.

"She's not here yet Rini sweetie," Ami said as she sat on the bed next to her. "I'm sure Serena will be here as soon as she can. And I'm sure Daren will help keep her safe."

They were then drawn to look over to Sakura's bed as she groggily woke and sat up with her hair a mess she rubbed sleep from her eyes yawning.

"Good morning Kero…" she trailed off with a blush. "Oops… wishful thinking that I'm still at home I guess," she said sheepishly climbing out of bed she felt really good and wondered at the little birds and dragons on hers and everyone else's PJ's. "Umm… where's the showers, I stink and haven't washed in weeks."

"We didn't try looking," Raye said with a sheepish shrug. "The doctor just told us all we need rest, and these weird little people called House Elves brought us our breakfast and some stuff to do," she added gesturing the magazines and card decks.

"O-Oh, well I really need to wash, I just feel grubby and yuk," she said but stumbling a little she winced.

"I'll help you," they were all surprised as Hay Lin smiled and jumped from her spot. "Please," she said as she saw that Sakura was about to say no. "It will help you, and it will help me with keeping my mind busy. I'm… I'm not ready to face this yet."

Sakura smiled kindly as she offered her arm and Hay Lin quickly helped her stand better before crinkling her nose. "You really do need that shower and quick girl," she said, which caused them all to laugh.

"Here, this will help," said a girl smiling as she entered the ward with a wheelchair. "I couldn't help but overhear while I was passing by. I'm Rosette, but you can call me Rose if you like," she said smilingly. "I'm not a nurse or anything but I can help too. This way one of us can help you stand while the other can use a sponge and start scrubbing.

"Later, I can take all of you girls to the Hot Springs; the water is awesome and has healing properties."

"Wow, that would be nice," Sakura said smilingly as she was helped into the wheelchair.

"Excuse me… Miss. Rose," Raye was quick to call her attention. "Is there a Shinto Shrine near here where I can go sometime during my stay?"

Rose just looked at her in thought for a moment. "I… I don't know, couldn't you make one?"

"Well, not really," she replied sadly.

Rose shrugged. "Well, there is that huge temple… what was it call, oh right those weird girls said it is a Shinto Temple. I guess they'll probably know where to find a shrine if there is one on the island," she suggested smilingly. "Just call for a House Elf to take you, but don't forget to clean up first, the House Elves will get you anything you need."

She then led Hay Lin out of the ward following while pushing Sakura in her chair. "Wait… we're on an island?" asked Rini looking confused.

"Wow, an actual Shinto Temple," Raye said in happiness.

Makoto sighed as she stood up and stretched before peering over Will's shoulder. "There, there, there, and there," she said pointing out all the words she hadn't found yet with a sheepish grin. "It's a gift… a useless gift but still, it wows the senses and amazes the mind."

Will couldn't help but laugh as she marked down the last few words and put her book and pencil down. "Well I was getting a little bored of that anyway," she said smiling as Makoto took Hay Lin's spot. "Does anyone know where they've taken Cornelia and Taranee? They were pretty badly hurt."

"Minako was badly hurt too," Ami said in worry.

"Hey I'm fine." They started as the blonde was wheeled in on a bed with her right eye completely covered with bandages, and a soft smile on her face as her bed was slid in next to Will's by the two House Elves before they left. "I-if the other girls are the ones that got burnt they're still getting treatment for spiritual exhaustion. The doctor said they'll be sleeping for a while so no visitors until tomorrow."

"Well at least they're going to do well," said Will with a sigh and a small smile. "H-how are you… Ami said that you'll have lost…" she trailed off as the blonde grimaced. "S-sorry…"

"It's OK… I…" she sighed. "My eye was completely destroyed… they offered to remake me a new one, so I have to see this guy tomorrow about it."

"Well, that's something I guess," Makoto said in relief. "Pirate Venus does have a nice ring to it though, maybe you should wear the eye patch anyway," she playfully teased.

Minako couldn't help but burst out laughing. "I like it you scallywags," she said in her best pirate voice causing them all to laugh.

0oo00oo0

"No magic!" Rose reprimanded the naked and embarrassed Sakura as she and an equally naked Hay Lin helped her sit down. Rose of course was also clothing-less and all three were dripping wet from the shower. Rose had even gotten Hay Lin to wash up to while she was there.

However, Sakura having brought her pocket belt and cards with her wanted to use the Shrink card to un-shrink her clothes to put something on, but she is still magically drained and Rose won't let her hurt herself just for some clothes she doesn't need right now.

Therefore, clicking her fingers air blast all three dry in seconds before another click and they were all dressed in matching red skirts and tee shirts with underwear underneath, socks and trainers.

"Whoa," Hay Lin said in awe as she looked over her red skirt and top. "And I thought you were cool before just because you look so amazing naked, but wow, how strong are you?" she asked in amazement, which caused Sakura's cheeks to flame up more and Rose to giggle.

"Stronger than you two, babes," was her non-answer causing Hay Lin to pout. She smiled and gave the girl a quick hug. "You have a lot of strength Hay Lin, and I know you'll make your Grandmother as proud of her as you should be of her for giving her life for your two friends."

Hay Lin smiled as she thought of those words and nodded. "Thank you Rose… I am. I'm so grateful that none of my friends died. I feel so sorry for Rini and Artemis though as they lost a dear friend."

"And dear friends will forever live on in our hearts," Rose replied with a kind smile as she effortlessly picked up Sakura and placed her in her wheelchair. "I lost a lot when I was too young to understand, but I feel it is better to lose later in life so you can cherish the memories of what you always had."

Hay Lin smiled feeling better as Rose pushed Sakura she held her knew friends arm hoping to someday be as cool and wise as her, and her Grandma.

"Sakura!" came the squeaky full voice as they walked into a different ward where Julian lay sitting up in a bed, and the little plushy was stuffing his face with cake. "We were told someone would bring you by to visit when you're feeling better."

"Wow, is that toy talking?" asked Hay Lin and Rose together giggling as he looked indignant.

"I am not a toy," he said puffin out his little chest proudly as he floated with the rest of his cake in his paws. "I am Keroberos, Guardian Beast of Sakura and the Star Cards!" he said proudly. However, nobody was listening as Sakura had gone to check on Julian with Rose and Hay Lin pushing her over.

"How are you Julian?" she asked as Kero stuffed the rest of his cake down his throat and sulked.

"I am fine thank you Sakura," he replied with his gentle smile before looking down at his PJ top and blushing as Hey Lin burst out into giggles Sakura blushed too. "I wish I knew who Sirius is and why someone made these."

"Some little elf tried to stuff a miniature one on me," Kero complained. "He said he had orders from some lord or king or something."

Rose giggled and pointed a finger at him and Hay Lin's laughter became painful as he was now in the PJ's. "An orders an order. If the 'king' finds out that poor elf might get fired," she said in mock scandal, which even caused Julian and Sakura to laugh as he glared angrily and transformed breaking the outfit.

"I do not wear such childish things," he spoke commandingly.

Rose just laughed while the others went serious. "Says the guy who turns into a plushy," she said laughingly as she bent over face to face with him. "Don't be such a humourless child in such dark times. Someone could have taken your angry transformation the wrong way, and believe me Keroberos. I am way out of your league," she finished but she was not once hostile but he took a step back as he realised he had pushed his luck with an incredible force. He could just see the power in her eyes.

"Kero… chan, you should watch your manners," Sakura reprimanded. "Rose has been nothing but kind and helpful… we were only playing. It wasn't hurting you or anyone else, just a silly joke, now apologise."

Kero sighed before looking at the red head. "I'm sorry I lost my cool, it wasn't very nice of me."

"Well, that's OK," she said smiling as she stood up straight. "Well, Hay Lin, I'll leave you to take Sakura back to your ward. I have some stuff I need to get to, bye," she said smilingly as she disappeared in a swish of white light.

"That girl," Julian said once she was gone. "She… she is the most powerful being I have ever sensed, and a lot of the ones I have sensed seem to be in this place."

Kero grimaced but nodded too. "Now my head is straight you might be right. Then should she be trusted?"

"Of course," Hay Lin and Sakura replied together giggling. "She may be a little odd, but she has a good heart," Hay Lin said smiling. "I can just feel that much from her."

To Be Continued…