Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ All That She Is ❯ Return of The Firey ( Chapter 4 )

All That She Is

Chapter Four - Return of The Firey

By Crow Skywalker

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Disclaimer - Don't own CCS, nor will I ever.

Author's Notes - Lol, sorry...forgot to upload chapters day by day ^^;

Pairings - Sakura/Syaoran (eventually), Tomoyo/Eriol

Summary - After getting lost looking for the store, both Sakura and Kero find themselves up against The Firey Card - once again.

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After finishing eating supper, and happily doing the dishes while her Father went upstairs for a nap, and Touya unpacked, Sakura was now headed to the closet to get her jacket. She had promised Kero that the would go out and get him some snacks, in which she was about to do. But before she could even haul on her coat, the small yellow animal with wings was floating in front of her, mouth open in a grin.

"Sakura-chan! Are you going out to get me more snacks now?" He asked eagerly, helping her get her arm through the other sleeve of her jacket, "Because I want to go and help pick out what I want!"

Sighing, Sakura ended up stuffing him into her coat pocket, and after telling her Father where she was going, she grabbed the keys and headed out the door.

It was only until they had walked around the block several times that she realized that she had no clue where she was going.

"Sakura-chan...we're lost, aren't we?" Came a muffled voice from within her pocket, and Kero's head soon poked out.

"Kero-chan!" She hissed, stuffing him back in, "People might see you!"

Breaking free of her grasp, Kero fly out of her pocket and hovered in the air in front of her. "Sakura-chan..it's dark out! Who's going to see me?"

After looking around, Sakura finally noticed that the streets seemed to be empty, and the only light came from a few dim street lights.

"Okay, Kero-chan..you can stay out as long as you keep quiet."

"How am I supposed to keep quiet when we're lost?" He asked, raising a tiny eyebrow and crossing his arms. "We'll never get my snacks at this rate."

"Don't worry, Kero-chan," Whispered Sakura as they continued down the street and past a rather large park, "The store has to be around here somewhere...I mean, I went past it this morning on my way to school!" Although at the time, I was much more interested in something else...or should I say, someone else..she thought, blushing slightly at the picture of Yukito in her head. Out of all the boys she had met that day, Yukito was the only one she seemed to hold a fascination for.

"Sakurrraaa-chan? Sakkuurrraaa-chan? Are you even looking for the store??" Yelled a voice, and Sakura snapped out of it to find Kero glaring at her, his small hands on his hips.

Blushing even more, Sakura stopped. "Sorry Kero-chan..I guess I got caught up in my thoughts."

With small tears in his eyes, Kero grabbed hold of her. "What can be more important than my snacks??"

Sighing, Sakura looked around. Wherever she was, it was very unfamiliar.

"Hey Kero-chan...you know, maybe we took a wrong turn," She started, turning towards the park, "Lets cut across this park and see if I can find out where we are."

Silently floating in the air, Kero eyed the park. "I don't know Sakura-chan...should we really be cutting across a large park at night? Who knows what kind of weirdoes could jump out at you!"

"Oh come on Kero-chan...you can protect me! Plus I've got the cards here in my pouch." She smiled.

Grinning with self confidence, Kero held out his arms and tried to show off his small muscles. "You know what Sakura-chan? Maybe you're right!"

Giggling, she grabbed Kero by the wing before he could become even more full of himself, and started to drag him through the air and into the park, their path getting less and less light as they continued their way. However, Sakura was indeed happy to see that the park was completely empty, and she would not being Kero's help after all, what little he could give.

They made it safety to the other side of the park, and Sakura was relieved that she could see light through the think foliage around them. She was even more relived when she looked across the deserted street and spotted a store.

"Well, it's not the same one I passed this morning, but it'll have to do."

"A store is a store..either way, they carry snacks, treats and other sweets." Agreed Kero happily, taking his place back in her pocket.

Entering the store, it didn't take long for the woman behind the counter to think that Sakura was totally nuts, and Sakura couldn't blame her. Every time Kero found something he wanted, he would cry out and point, once both he and Sakura were out of sight. They may have been out of sight, but Kero's voice could sure be heard. Even as Sakura went up to the counter, she could see the weird looks the woman was giving her. Cashing her things in, Sakura quickly grabbed her things and left.

"Kero-chan! I thought I told you to be quiet once we entered the store!"

But Kero had already grabbed a tart and had it stuck in his mouth. In between chews he managed to get out "Couldn't...help it...too..many..tastey..things..to..try."

Sweatdropping, Sakura managed to poke the rather large bag into a bigger section of her pouch. "No more treats until we get home." She looked around. "If we can find our way home."

"Maybe we should," He stopped to lick his mouth, "Go back the way we came. We're bound to find our way home sooner or later."

Nodding, and with Kero by her side, she made her way back towards the darkness of the forest path. She hadn't even stepped on the stone path before Kero stopped, looking around nervously.

"Sakura-chan...something isn't right. I sense something here that wasn't here before.."

Sakura, too, found herself looking around. "Is it a Clow Card?"

Kero floated foreword silently, and Sakura followed close behind. It wasn't until they seemed to be in a wide open space did something finally happen.

A whooshing noise came from above, and Sakura just enough time to jump out of the way as a ball of fire flew past her, and hit the ground, bursting into an even bigger flame as it caught on the grass.

"Sakura-chan...I believe The Fiery has returned." Came Kero's small voice from beside her.

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"Kero-Chan...What was that?"

The hardwood floor burst into flames in no time.

"Sakura...It's The Fiery!" Called a voice, somewhere behind the wall of flame.

Sakura quickly called forth her Sealing Wand, and stood ready for whatever the card had in plan for her. She winced, looking at the floor as it burned - after cheerleading practice she had wanted to stay behind to practice the routine some more, and this was what it had led to? She was surely going to get in trouble for this one..

Looking up, Sakura watched as Kero flew over the flames to join her. "The Firey is one of the four elements, Sakura-chan," He gasped, trying to get his breath, "So this capture is going to be a hard one."

"I'm sure I can handle it." Stated Sakura confidently.

But she had been a little too confident in her abilities. Everything she threw at it seemed to suck up - even The Watery seemed to have no effect on it. Sakura soon found that she was trying to win a losing battle. There seemed to be nothing she could do, and finally Kero and her had to forfeit, and run for their lives as the rest of the gym turning into a smoldering hot hell.

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The gym had burned down that night, Sakura remembered, and that had been the reason she was expelled from her old school, and her family found out about her new career as a Card Captor. They had been forced to move - and now The Firey had caught up with them.

Frowning, Sakura took out her magical key, which she had received, from Kero the night she had first opened the Book of Clow.

Closing her eyes, she held it up, and began to chat of that in which would turn it into the Sealing Wand. "Oh Key of Clow, Power of magic, Power of light...Surrender the wand, The force ignite!...Release!"

A glow of light surrounded her, and the key expanded into the wand. Opening her eyes, she faced the glowing ball of fire. It seemed to be waiting for her to make the first move, and so it sat there, burning into the ground below it.

"Sakura-can...Be careful!" Kero advised, glaring at the ball of fire, "You know how tough this card is already."

Nodding, she glared too, but the fire seemed to have decided that it already had waited too long, and Sakura soon found fire balls blasting at her from all directions. She skillfully dodged and jumped them, trying to figure out a strategy in her head, although none came to her. How was she to beat a card that from her point of view, couldn't be beaten?

"Sakura-chan! Do something!" Cried Kero, nearly dodging a fire ball himself.

"I...I can't!" She gasped, trying to catch her breath.

Finally making his way to safety away from the ground, Kero stopped to watch the battle below - which his Mistress was once again losing. Sakura-chan...I can't help you with this one. Not even I know what to do...just please figure it out soon, and stop The Firey before to burns everything in sight. He watched as Sakura continued to dodge the attacks, and then it finally dawned on him. "Sakura! It's trying to tire you out! Be careful!"

But Sakura couldn't hear over the roar of the fire, and she soon collapsed in exhaustion, breathing heavily. She watched in terror as the fire closed in around her, closing off all escapes so that she was trapped, beaten and tired. Closing her eyes, she tried to ignore the fact that fresh air was getting less and less, and her surroundings were getting hotter and hotter. I'm sorry Kero-chan...I think this is it for me...I'm sorry I couldn't be a better Clow Mistress...

All of a sudden she felt strong arms wrap around her, and fresh air flooded her lungs as she felt herself being lifted. Coughing, she felt herself being lowered back down onto the ground, although in a different place. She was saved...well, at least for now. Saved by...she managed to open her eyes, and found herself staring into the amber eyes of...Syaoran?

She wondered if she was seeing things right...was that really Syaoran dressed in those long green robes with the golden outlines and the Chinese symbols? Or was she imagining her savior to be him...or..? This was fairly confusing.

"Sakura...what do you think you're doing out here? You could have died in that fire!"

Standing, Syaoran turned and faced the object of discussion, which had once again grown still, waiting for them to make the first move. And taking advantage of this, Syaoran took his chance. Reaching for some hidden object around his neck, Sakura watched as a sword appeared in Syaoran's hands.

The fire all of a sudden attacked, and in an attempt to damage it, Syaoran leapt over it skillfully, slicing the sword through the middle of it. However, the fame felt nothing as he did so, and reached up with a fiery-like hand, grasping Syaoran by the ankle, who soon found himself thrown into a tree.

"Syaoran!" Sakura was now sitting eyes wide and staring at the boy. What does he think he's doing?

A flicker out of the corner of her eye made her look up in time to see the fire take a step towards her.

"Sakura! Run!" He cried.

No more running, she thought, I have to do this... standing on shaky legs, Sakura glared at the thing approaching her. No more running...this is going to be finished once and for all... She felt the Sealing Wand in her hand, its smooth coolness somewhat soothing. Holding it in front of her, she waited for the Card's first move.

As she expected, it attacked, and she quickly pulled one of her most faithful cards from her pouch. Throwing it into the air, a circle of light glowed around her.

"Fly Card!" She called, an unseen wind blowing through her hair, "Release and dispell!"

Before her eyes her Sealing Wand grew large wings, and she was swept off her feet as the fire ball crashed into the ground she was just standing on. She flew up high before she finally stopped, and circled the area.

Below her, Syaoran stared up at her in disbelief. She can't be....No! It can't be true! He suddenly glared at the girl above him, and then looked away. The Clow Cards have been part of my family for years, and have been handed down generation by generation. How can this girl control them? I...I was sent here to find them after they disappeared...and now that I have... He looked up, watching the girl once again, What am I supposed to do?

He hadn't much thought on that after, because he soon realized that the Card was approaching him.

Up above, Sakura was once again going through strategies in her head. None of them seemed to be any good. Frowning, she looked down at the scene below once again. Syaoran was fighting to stand...while the Card...

"Oh no.."

But before she could start to fly back down, a shouting of "...Release the light! Lightning!" and a loud crackling sound filled the air. She blinked staring at Syaoran, whom seemed to be the one who had caused the burst of sparks that had merely stopped the Card for a moment. He soon fell back down, unable to do anything more but watch as the monster neared him.

Making a fast dive, Sakura soon had both feet back on the ground, standing in between the Card and the fallen Syaoran, and holding her wand in front of her protectively.

"Kero-chan!" She called, eyes wandering the park ground. Where was he?

"Yes Sakura-chan?" He asked, finally appearing from his hiding place - since he couldn't be much help in the state of form he was in.

"I...I can't stop it," She admitted, "It's too strong."

"It's strong Sakura-chan...so you have to be stronger!" Advised Kero. "Expect the unexpected!"

"Expect the unexpected.." She whispered to herself..."I have to be stronger...but how can I be? Unless.."

"Fly Card! Return to your powers combined!"

Her wand glowed, the large wings disappearing, and formed a Card, which neatly flew back into the pouch of it's owner.

"Sakura-chan! What are you doing?" Kero exclaimed, eyes wide, "You'll have less chance of escape that way!"

She ignored his comment, and quickly asked, "Is it possible to combine two Cards?"

Kero stared at her as if she had grown two heads.

"Kero-chan! Answer me!"

"I..I don't think so Sakura-chan." He finally answered.

"Of course it isn't," Scoffed a voice from behind them, and Sakura looked behind her to see Syaoran staring at her, "Not unless you're Clow Reed."

"You know about Clow Reed?" Asked Kero, bewildered, but then remembered what was going on, "Never mind, we'll ask question later."

"I'm going to do it Kero-chan." Sakura stated, her eyes on the Card in front of them, "I have to try."

"Why bother? You'll never be able to do it."

Sakura glared at the boy behind her, secretly hurt that Syaoran was so cold all of a sudden. Determined to show him that he was wrong, Sakura took her stance.

"Don't do it Sakura-chan! You don't know what might happen!"

Ignoring Kero's pleas, she slowly closed her eyes and pictured the Cards that she was about to call. Below her, the glowing circle once again appeared, and she could feel the power radiating from it, blowing her hair in the process.

Lifting her wand, she brought it down. "Show thy true form to me...Firey Card!"

She felt the rush of wind around her, and knew that the Card's true form had been revealed. Keeping her eyes shut, she quickly went on with the rest of what she knew she had to do. Reaching into her pouch, she felt the Cards that she would be using, as if they knew they were going to be used, were on top of the deck. Pulling them out, she threw them into the air, and brought the wand down on both of them at the same time.

Behind her, she heard a gasp, and smiled slightly.

"Windy Card! Watery Card!..Release and dispell!"

Her eyes opened as the forms of the two Cards took shape, twirling and twisting through the air as they were released, and silently awaited her instructions.

"Bind it!"

That was all it took, and both Cards lunged towards Firey, which had taken a more human like shape. Twirling around it, both Cards were powerful enough to keep it inn one place, and unmoving. This was Sakura's chance. Stepping foreword, she once again lifted her wand and brought it down upon the Cards.

"Windy Card! Watery Card! Firey Card! Returned to your powers confined!"

Glowing, all three Cards took their normal shapes, and flew back towards Sakura, who waited with open hands. Grasping all three, she turned and smiled at her fellow companions. "Expect the unexpected, Syaoran." She stated, just before she passed out.

"Sakura-chan!" Cried Kero, rushing to his fallen Mistress' side, only to find her out cold, "She must have used all her energy controlling those Cards.."

Syaoran sat silently, staring at the girl before him. How did she do that?...I've never even heard of Clow Reed doing that! I must admit...she does handle those Cards pretty well...it's a shame I'll have to take them from her. Quietly standing, he made his way over to the girl, and bent down to study her. He'd seen her put the Cards in a pouch of some sort..but where?

"What do you think you're doing, gaki??" Fumed a voice, and he looked up at the..stuffed animal?

"I was sent by the Li Clan to find the Clow Cards, and now that I have, I'm willing to get them no matter what. So just stay out of my way, stuffed animal."

"Stuffed animal?!?!?" Kero was furious! He quickly bit the boy's finger, "I'll show you stuffed animal!!"

"Ow!" Syaoran tried to pull the little beat off, but that made it hurt even more. "Get off!"

"How dare you call Kerberos, might Guardian of the Clow Book, a stuffed animal!!"

Blinking, Syaoran stopped yelling and stared at the small animal for a moment, before bursting into a fit of laughter. "Kerberos? Somehow I expected you to be a lot bigger!"

Finally letting go of the boy's finger, the guardian continued to glare. "This is only my temperate form! My other form is a lot bigger and cooler!"

"Sure, whatever you say stuffed animal."

Kero continued to fume at this, but soon turned his attention back to his mistress. "She needs to be taken home." He stated.

Frowning, Syaoran looked down at the girl - the slight bit of moonlight that made it down through the trees played across her face as the leaves moved with the slight breeze. Even at night she looks like an angel... He blushed furiously at this, and turned his gaze away. It's time to stop thinking about things like that..she's my enemy now, and either way, I'm getting those Cards.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Syaoran found himself picking up the girl and holding her tightly as he left the clearing, leaving her guardian behind in confusion.

"I'm taking her home, what do you think?"

Flying after him, Kero made sure to stay close to his mistress. "You better not try anything!"

From the darkness that they left behind, three figures watched this display in amusement.

"Well, well, well, my plan is beginning to take place."

"Although this Syaoran boy doesn't look too thrilled with the turn of events."

"Of course not, Ruby Moon...especially since he's learn that the Clow Cards are now in Sakura's hands."

"This will be quite amusing."

"Of course it will be, Suppi-chan. Watching the girl collect the remaining Cards is only half the fun."

"Didn't I tell you not to call me that?"

"Ruby Moon...Spinal Sun...let us return home for the time being. This has been quiet a long night."

"Of course, Eriol-san."

With that, the three figures faded into the darkness.

To Be Continued....