Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Cardcaptors: Clow Reed's Mistake ❯ Cardcaptors: A Visit to the Past-Ch.17 ( Chapter 17 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

By Maurynna
Author's Note: Oi! Things really started moving fast last chapter, didn't they? I figure...some of you might be confused, hell, some of you said you were straight out in your reviews! I'm sorry about that...everything should sort itself out...eventually. ;)
Oh, and I know that people in this time period don't talk English(or whatever other language you speak!) like we do know, and that no one would understand a word Sakura said!...so...I opted make everyone speak modern day English! Hey?! You didn't actually think I'd go all Shakespeare on you just because it would be more realistic, did you! Hell no! You probably wouldn't get half of what I wrote! Hell!! I wouldn't get half of what I wrote if I did that! Believe me...this saves me a LOT of work! Read on! ^_^ Is it just me? Or are these chapters getting longer? o.oa
Disclaimer: I do not own Cardcaptors nor do I claim to. I am not getting paid for this so please do not sue me.
Cardcaptors: A Visit to the Past-Ch.17
"What the hell is going on here?"
Madison winced as Tory yelled that statement out. Everyone else ignored him, however, so intent were they on what had just happened. Kero exploded out of the tree, and went careening towards Rage. Grabbing little fistfuls of Rage's shirt, Kero began shaking him, ineffectually, venting his panic , worry, and frustration out on the available target.
"Where did she go? What did you do to her?! Bring her back!!"
Rage just stared down at Kero bleakly for a moment, just as clue less as the Guardian Beast of the Seal was. In the next instant, though, his eyes were radiating blue fire. Madison thought he was going to flick Kero off of him. She was surprised when he started speaking and let Kero beat his little paws on his chest,
"I sent her nowhere. Believe me, wizard, I am just as confused as you are."
"Liar." Li snarled, walking forward. Looking just about as scary as Madison had ever seen him, Li unsheathed his sword. "You did this! This is your fault! Admit it!"
Rage's gaze faltered. Madison thought that he might be blaming himself for what happened, which was odd, because, he didn't care one wit for Sakura.
"I did nothing." he said again, although, this time, his voice didn't sound nearly as strong as it had.
Growling, Li made to swing his sword at the weaponless Rage. He was intercepted, however, "This will solve nothing," a reasonably calm Love whispered furiously. He trapped Li's sword underneath his own. "Killing will not solve anything. We need to act rational, or we'll never find out how to get the lovely Lady back."
Li continued to struggle in Love's grasp. Love just continued to stare at him. Slowly, the fight seemed to drain out of Li, and Love let him go. Yue stepped forward and gently pried Kero loose from Rage with a sad look. Gazing down at Kero, he said, "If Rage says he did not do anything, then he did not do anything."
Kero, who let loose something sounding suspiciously like a sniffle, said, "How would you know?"
"Rage does not lie." Yue said simply.
Kero glared at him, cursing him silently for not telling him what he knew about Rage.
Tory choose this time to speak up again, "What...happened to my sister?!" he ground out furiously.
Five pairs of eyes abruptly turned towards him. Tory took the piercing stares in stride, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at them all.
There was silence for a few tense-filled seconds, and then Rage's eyes abruptly went wide. "YOU are a descendant of Clow Reed as well?!"
Tory continued to glare at him. "Who? I don't know any Clow whatever...where's my sister?"
"Sakura is your sister?!" Rage and Love asked in unison, incredulously.
Tory nodded.
Rage glared at Kero. "Another Cardcaptor you neglected to mention?" he asked sarcastically.
Kero glared right back. "He's no Cardcaptor, he wasn't the one chosen. He doesn't have any Magic to speak of, not that I know of, and he doesn't know anything about the Clow cards, me, or YOU."
Rage seemed slightly taken aback.
Tory just stared at Kero, looking like any minute he expected to see a string to come out of his back announcing that he really was a toy, and not real, couldn't speak. No string appeared. "What the...?" Tory whispered. He looked up and into Yue's face. Then he took in the wings. "What...what are you?"
"Ah, not human, obviously." Love said, grinning, seeing a potential human with whom's mind he could mess with. Strolling forward casually, he stopped a foot away from Tory and looked him up and down. He smirked, "You know, you're kinda cute, in a rough sort of way. I've never had the opportunity to make it with a descendant of Clow Reed." he lowered his voice to a purr. "Wanna play?"
"Love." Rage said sharply.
Love turned away from the dumbfounded Tory and pouted back at Rage. "Oh, come on. You're all so serious. You guys need some comic relief. YIPE!!"
Tory had reached forward and grabbed a fistful of Love's shirt. Pulling the startled card towards him, he glowered. "Cut the crap. What have you done to my sister? What's going on here?" Tory blinked as a thin piece of...metal?...inserted itself in his line of vision. Following the blade up to it's hilt, Tory found Rage giving him HIS version of a glare.
Chilling Tory to the bone with his eyes, Rage snarled, "Let. Go."
Madison watched with a sort of suspended sense of shock. Things were rapidly spinning out of control. Tory was going to rip into someone soon if he didn't get answers, Rage was going to kill Tory if he didn't let go of Love, and then Li would be killed trying to kill Rage for killing Sakura's brother. Why didn't she stay home today?!?...
Madison stepped forward uncertainly, not knowing what to do. She didn't think she could stop Rage if he decided to kill Tory, she knew she couldn't. Sakura seemed to be the only one who could get Rage to do anything at all! But she knew she had to try.
Laying her fingertips ever so lightly on Rage's sword, she looked him in the face as much as she dared. "Rage, this won't help you know."
"Maybe not, but it'll make me feel better." he growled. "I have yet to take my revenge on Clow Reed."
"Umm..." Madison said slowly, with a lot more calmness then she felt. If Rage killed Tory, Sakura would never forgive her, and she'd never forgive herself. Sakura had accused her of having a crush on her brother, well...she was right. The thought of Tory dead sent a particularly nasty feeling inside of her...and not just the simple grief over a friend's brother either. Thinking fast, Madison said, "If you kill him, Sakura would never forgive you." she didn't know why she said that, but she had.
Rage's eyes flickered briefly, and he lowered his sword, much to Madison's surprise. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Love giving her a wink. What the hell was that supposed to mean?
"Okay..." Madison said, taking a deep breath. "Let's just take a second here..."
Tory interrupted her, "Madison! What are you doing here? And what's going on? Where's Sakura?"
Madison sighed. Tory looked like a very lost lamb who didn't know where he was or what to do. Grabbing his arm, Madison hauled him off to the side a bit. Smiling slightly at the rest, she said, "We'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."
Madison sat down a little ways away from everyone else. She noticed that they were all eying each other warily. Except Love of course. He was, as usual, grinning his merry life away. Madison tugged on Tory's arm, urging him to sit. He collapsed, more than sat, across from her. Sighing out loud, Madison began, "Look Tory, let me explain..."
"Explain what?" Tory whispered furiously. "That you and my sister are here with a bunch of psychos? One who goes around playing with swords! for Christ's Sake!! Another who's dressed in an angel ensemble, that Li kid who nearly beat my sister up! and a skitzo?!"
"I'm not a skitzo! You can be sure of that!" Love yelled, apparently able to hear Tory's whispered words. Love grinned at Tory's poor excuse for a glare.
Madison sighed again. "Look...I don't know how to explain this to you...but...Sakura is a Cardcaptor." Madison didn't see any way out of this, so she figured telling him the truth might well be that best way. Besides,...it was about damn time he knew anyways. She looked at Tory expectantly.
Tory just stared at her, comprehension NOT dawning on his face.
Madison looked heavenward as she realized he was probably coming to the conclusion that she was crazy as well. "Umm... it's a little hard to explain. Listen...five years ago...when Sakura and me were thirteen...Sakura accidentally opened something called The Book of Clow. From that day on..." Madison proceeded to tell Tory everything.
When Madison had finished her story, she sat back and regarded Tory hopefully. He hadn't said one word throughout the entire tale. He opened his mouth now, and Madison waited.
"I don't believe you." he said simply.
Madison sighed. Looking over her shoulder, Madison called, "Kero? Come here."
"What?" Kero asked, flying over. He eyed Tory. "Guess you told him, huh?"
Madison looked at Tory. "Do stuffed animals normally fly and talk all by themselves? This is Kero Beros, Sakura's protector, and Guardian Beast of the Seal." she pointed to Yue. "That's Yue, also Sakura's protector and the other Guardian of the Book of Clow." she grimaced. "You already know Li. And that's Rage, and Love." Madison scratched her head. "Umm...they're Clow cards...sort of."
Tory eyed her skeptically. "Fine. Let's say I believe you for a second. Where's Sakura?" Kero's face abruptly crumpled at that.
Madison winced. "We don't know." she whispered.
"What do you mean...'we don't know?' " Tory asked, his voice rising again.
Madison tried to shush him. "Here, come back over to the rest of the group again. We've all got to figure this out, and losing our tempers isn't going to help." Madison stood up and Tory followed her lead. They walked back the short distance to the others, side by side. Madison eyed Rage warily. "Are we okay?"
Rage looked coolly upon her. "For now." he said curtly, looking back at Tory who looked dazed.
"Okay. We have to figure out what happened to Sakura." Madison began. She silently found it a bit odd that she was the one who seemed to be taking the lead. "Rage. Do you have any idea what happened to Sakura?" she asked, thinking that he might have the best idea since he had been the one instructing Sakura.
Rage shook his head slightly. "I'm not sure." he trailed off, thinking. "All she was supposed to do was simple Magic, not even Magic! with the Clow cards. I don't understand what went wrong."
"Of course you don't." Kero sneered. Rage glared at him. "I told you not to mess with Magic unless you were absolutely sure you knew what you were doing. There was an unforeseen development in Sakura's abilities and you should have left her alone until Yue and I had had proper time to try and find out how she could have sensed you if you were shielded."
"None of that mattered, wizard." Rage snarled back. "That wasn't the reason why she disappeared. It was something else." Rage murmured. "It had to be something else."
"Like what?" Li asked. For once, he wasn't glaring. He looked worried, and his demeanor was no longer threatening in any way. He realized that fighting like he had been was not going to bring Sakura back. And he desperately wanted her back.
Rage eyed the distraught boy warily. Finally, he spoke slowly, "While you," he meant Madison, "and the brother were having your little chat over there, I was thinking. I think...I think, that her Clow cards must be partly responsible."
Kero looked at him in astonishment. "That's impossible!" he spluttered.
"It is the only explanation." Rage replied indignantly.
"Oh, really? Care to elaborate?" Kero asked scathingly. Yue shook his head at the irate Guardian disapprovingly.
Rage sighed. "I'll admit, the fact that Sakura is stronger than I thought does have something to do with it, but her powers were not the catalyst, something else was." he turned to Li. "When she picked up the Time card, you were caught off guard, extremely surprised. Why?"
"She wasn't supposed to have the Time card. She had given it to me a long time ago. I had it with me when she laid out her Clow cards." Li supplied helpfully. Anything for Sakura.
Rage nodded thoughtfully. "Do you have the Time card back with you now?" he asked.
Li checked his pack. "No. Sakura must still have it."
Rage nodded again, as if things were coming together. "That is very interesting. The fact that the Time card went to that much trouble to get itself back into Sakura's hands is very interesting. And then, of course, there's the card itself. The fact that it was that card is very interesting."
Yue suddenly snapped to attention. "No. It is impossible. Clow Reed could not even succeed in doing that."
Kero glanced up at Yue in surprise. "What's going on? Do you know where Sakura is?" he asked hopefully.
Rage watched Yue thoughtfully. "All signs point to it. You cannot deny it, Yue."
"What!? What's going on!?" Kero asked, frustrated.
Rage gazed steadily at Kero. "Your Mistress, wizard, had gone back in time. The only question is...when."
~
Sakura watched the dust begin to settle around the medieval town. The area where the ball of energy had hit was nothing more than scattered pieces of dirt and pieces of broken wood and straw. Thankfully, the dust hadn't settled completely, because, if it had, Sakura knew she would have seen twisted, broken bodies...even from this distance.
Sakura turned her head and watched as the men kept running, riding, towards the four men. Fools...didn't they know they would all be killed? Apparently not...how could they? But Sakura knew...yes, she knew. And how did she know? Well, Sakura could only come to one conclusion, and one conclusion only.
She had gone back in time...somehow.
As ridiculous as that sounded to Sakura, it was the only possibility that made sense. This definitely wasn't a vision, it didn't feel like one. And, unless she was seriously doped up and hallucinating...this was real.
The men were getting closer to what she now knew were four of the Forgotten. The Four Horsemen. Kero had told her about them, and now she was glad that he had, she might be better prepared now, if you could call getting transported centuries into the past unwillingly, prepared. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse...she wondered what everyone would say if they found out the Four Horsemen were Clow cards.
Closer, closer they got. She knew the Forgotten would fire on them soon...and then they would die. Sakura took a couple steps forward. No,...what was she doing. She couldn't go down there, they'd kill her Who?... she wasn't sure. The four would know her to be an enemy as soon as she fought against them, and then SHE was dead, and if she used her magic, the men would think she was a witch, or, whatever they thought of Magic wielding creatures in this time...and, again, she was dead. It was a no win situation. But she couldn't let them be slaughtered. So what now? She'd have to attack from a distance...protect them from a distance.
Raising the Key of Clow in her fist, Sakura breathed, "Oh, Key of Clow! Power of Magic, Power of Light! Surrender the Wand, the Force, ignite! Release!" the Clow wand appeared. "Okay Sakura...time to make some Magic." she whispered to herself. She took out a card, "Shield card! Protect the town! Shield card!" a pink bubble surrounded the town.
There was a slight pause in the beginnings of the battle as everyone stared at the bubble. The men were confused, surprised. The Four Brothers, or Horsemen, eyed the bubble warily. They all turned in unison to look up at the little hill where Sakura had a bird's eye view of the battle.
Not giving them time to retaliate, Sakura cried, "Firey! Release and dispel! Firey!" Firey exploded out of the card and headed straight for the horsemen. The humans, seeing that whatever this unseen force was, was fighting on their side, began charging forward again. "Fools! Fools!! Get back! Stay out of my way!" lifting the Clow wand with both hands, Sakura cried, "Firey! Attack from a distance! Do not let the Four Horsemen get too close to you!"
Firey stopped in mid flight and sent a barrage of fireballs at the horsemen. The one in the black as night robes lifted his hand and a black shield appeared in front of him. It wasn't very large, and by no means could it have protected all four from the flames, but, Firey's fire veered off from it's course and was sucked into the black void. The blackness seemed to absorb the flames like a cold hand of death.
Death, death...Sakura's eyes widened. The one in black, he must be Death. Sakura couldn't see him clearly for he always seemed to be blurry, a black haze protecting him from view. His head was covered in a black hood from his robes.
"Fine." Sakura gritted out. "We'll try something else. Firey! Return!" Firey returned to Sakura's hand. Pointing her Clow wand in the vicinity of the men. "Big card." she whispered. But she didn't grow. That's all right...that hadn't been her intent. Sakura opened her mouth and her voice projected across the battlefield like a blast of thunder. "Leave, now, mortals!" she told the men. "Earth card." she whispered. The ground began to rumble under the men's feet and they began to yell and whisper frantically amongst themselves, fear pervading their thoughts. "Flee the battle ground! Run for your lives! If you think the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are frightening, you have not yet faced a God!! Run! Evacuate the town, take your women and children with you while you still can! Move!" the ground rumbled under their feet again. The men abruptly turned on their heel and left, running.
Sakura lowered the Clow wand. Good...one less thing to worry about. She couldn't fight with them there, she couldn't fight the Four Brothers and worry about hitting the men at the same time...she surely would have been defeated that way. "Big card, return to your power, confined!" she whispered again.
The Four Brothers reined their horses about, preparing to follow the villagers. The third horseman raised his arm and Sakura knew that was the one who sprouted the red energy. "Oh, no you don't! Thunder!" Sakura pointed her Clow wand and Thunder came crashing down amongst the Forgotten, almost hitting them. The Thunder card succeeded in spooking the horses sufficiently enough and they began to buck. All four of them were thrown from their saddles and crashed to the ground.
The first three sprang to their feet and by the looks of them, they weren't happy. Death more glided, than stood, to his feet. The third figure raised his hand and that red energy ball came crashing towards her. "Jump card!" Sakura cried. She jumped just in time and the energy ball went right past her under her feet. Landing, Sakura recalled the Jump card. Seeing that the man was about to release another ball of energy, Sakura quickly called, "Wood card!"
Roots came up out of the ground and encircled the man's arms. He struggled but the roots eventually brought his arms down to his side. The roots came around and tangled around his legs. The first man quickly released a barrage of daggers and sliced through the roots on the third man's right.
Sakura blinked, surprised. Even though she knew she was in the past, and everything she had done in the future hadn't occurred yet,...it was still a bit of a shock to see the Disease card unsealed.
Death glided towards the fallen man and hovered over him. Then, reaching out slowly but surely, he lightly touched the roots on the man's left side.
The roots shriveled and died.
"Wood card! Return!" Sakura glanced back towards the village, hoping to see them leaving. She groaned in despair. Not even half of the villagers had left yet. Looking back at the Four Horsemen, Sakura knew she couldn't hold out much longer. The only reason she was still alive was because she had taken them by surprise. As soon as that effect wore off, however, she was in trouble. They were probably wondering who she was and wanted to find out before they killed her.
Sakura glanced down at the Four Brothers, and frowned in confusion. They were just standing there, staring up at her. She knew they couldn't see her clearly, she wasn't close enough, so what were they doing?
Death raised his arm suddenly, and Sakura watched in curiosity. A long, dark gray pole appeared out of nowhere and settled in his hand. Bringing it vertical and implanting the bottom of the pole into the ground, he appeared to wait for something. The other three cards stepped back slightly. Suddenly, two yellow burst of energy, one right below the other, appeared at the top end of the pole...and it became a Deathscythe.
"Oh shit..." Sakura whispered.
Death lifted the Deathscythe and brought it back, then, bringing it forward at an angle, he swung it like a baseball bat. Yellow energy burst from the sizzling energy attached to the pole and came right for her. Giving a cry of surprise, Sakura hit the dirt, gripping her Clow wand over her head. And just in time, too. The sizzling yellow energy passed right overhead, and with it, came a bone chilling cold, worse then even Rage's ice, for this cold held death in it's grip. Sakura knew that if it had touched her, she'd be dead right now.
Getting back on her feet shakily, Sakura watched as Death raised the scythe again. Just then, an orange streak came dashing across the field towards the Four Brothers.
Kero.
Just like in her vision, Kero barreled straight into the man who had released the red energy balls. The other men reared back in surprise. But the surprise didn't last long. Sakura could hear the fallen man yelling and then the other three were advancing upon Kero. That was all Sakura needed to see...
Sakura began racing down the hill as fast as her legs could carry her. "Jump card!" she yelled. the little wings appeared on her feet and Sakura bounded down the hill at a faster rate. The three were almost on him now. Disease raised his arm, a gleaming dagger reflecting the sun, and Sakura knew he meant to plunge that dagger straight into Kero's heart.
Almost there, almost there. "No!" Sakura screamed as she came down on them from above. She startled them enough that Disease's aim was thrown off and the dagger flew harmlessly through the air. She fell upon Disease and the other without mercy, using her feet to stun them. Instead of doing the same with Death, Sakura used her Clow wand to knock the Deathscythe out of his hands. Then she used it to knock him upside the head. Not knowing how she knew, Sakura knew that it was imperative that she not touch Death at all, or she was in serious trouble.
"Kero! Get off him and lets go!" she yelled urgently. They had to leave while the four were still stunned.
Kero lifted his face from the man underneath him and Sakura saw blood staining his otherwise perfectly long, white, sharp, teeth, "Who the devil are you?" he roared.
Sakura flinched. Oh great...
Of course...Kero wouldn't know who she was...she hasn't even been born yet. Disease and Death began to pick themselves up off the ground along with the other man. Sakura was rapidly running out of ideas. She wasn't going to leave without Kero! but if she stayed she was dead. Before Sakura could completely panic, a man abruptly appeared out of thin air.
Eyes bugging out of her head, Sakura exclaimed, "Clow Reed!?!"
Clow Reed smiled gently. Then, grabbing Kero's fur, he pulled the blustering Guardian off of the card and then grabbed Sakura's arm. "Teleport!" he whispered.
And then, before Sakura knew what happened, the Four Brothers disappeared and she was surrounded by a white light and a pressing feeling. Then, blissfully, Sakura fainted.
~
Kero couldn't help it...he just stared like an idiot at the calm expression Rage wore. Gone back in time? Gone back in time!? There was no way possible! Even his former Master, Clow Reed, had been unable to travel through time. Sure, he had created the Time card, but the Time card was not all powerful, it had limits. It certainly couldn't transport a person through time, even if it had wanted to. And if this was the case...why had it done it? And how?
Kero glanced at Yue for help, his fellow Guardian. He was surprised when he saw the look on Yue's face. Yue wholeheartedly believed what Rage had just said! Spluttering silently, Kero couldn't seem to get the words he wanted to say out.
Tory had no such problem. "Time travel? Everyone knows that's impossible!" he scoffed, but he didn't look as calm as he seemed. He looked like his world was slowly falling apart...because it was.
Rage gave Tory what very much looked like a sneer. "Just because you have never seen it doesn't mean it is not real!" thrusting his sword straight out, Rage unleashed an icicle from it's tip and sent it spiraling into a nearby tree where it thudded into the trunk solidly, without breaking. Looking back at Tory's pale expression, Rage went on, "You do not live in the cozy world you think you do. There are things out there that you cannot even conceive of. Do you think what I just did fits anywhere into the realm of your so called science?! Magic does exist! Your sister is very much a part of it! I am a product of it! And Kero Beros and Yue possess it! Open your eyes!"
There was an awkward silence. Tory looked like he'd just been slapped and Madison put her hand on his arm, silently comforting him. Kero and Li eyed Rage warily. Yue looked upon Rage with a slightly surprised air about him. Kero wasn't surprised, even though he didn't know as much about Rage as Yue did, it was obvious that Rage wasn't prone to such outbursts. Not unless he was very angry...and he had no reason to be angry, at least, not that Kero could see.
Gripping Rage's arm, Love smiled benignly at Kero and the rest. "Excuse us for a moment, won't you?" and then he was dragging Rage away from the group.
Kero watched circumspectly as Love and Rage stopped and Love began speaking quietly with Rage. Love seemed to be trying to calm Rage and he was gesturing with his hands slightly to some invisible force. Rage shook his head slightly. Then he began whispering furiously and he lifted his sword once more, using it as a natural extension of his arm to point haphazardly at the air. Love lifted his hand and gently lowered the sword. He said something to Rage and Rage shook his head again. Love placed his hands on his hips and whispered more furiously. Again, Rage shook his head and that sword came up again. With an air of finality, Love raised his hands above his head as if to say, "Fine! You asked for it!" and then, to Kero's utter amazement, Love brought his hand across and backhanded Rage across the mouth.
Kero heard Madison gasp and he felt Yue tense beside him. Kero could well understand the cause for alarm. What would Rage do to Love? He would much prefer if Rage killed the annoying card, then it would be one less card to worry about. But they didn't have time for that now. If they wanted to fight, they could do it on their own time. Kero watched to see what would happen.
Rage stared at Love with the most shocked expression Kero had ever seen from him. Then, slowly, he lifted a hand and brought his palm to his cheek, as if he couldn't believe what had just happened. Love's body language suggested he'd much rather be somewhere else right now, and he looked as if he was going to bolt if Rage made any sudden moves. However, Kero observed that Love was trying to hide his nervousness from Rage and wore a stubborn expression on his face. Then he was whispering again. Rage just stood there in silence, listening to whatever it was Love was saying. When Love was finished, he continued to stand, suspended, and Kero held his breath. Then, Rage nodded his head slightly, almost imperceptibly, and the tension drained out of Love.
Kero exhaled a huge breath. Apparently, that slap to the face had sufficiently jarred Rage out of whatever it was that was bothering him and now he was very nearly his old self again. The two walked back to the group and neither ventured any information to that odd show that just took place. However, when no one else said anything and continued to stare at the two Forgotten, Love looked around owlishly, and then with an innocent look an angel would envy, asked plaintively, "What!? Do I have smut on my face?" and proceeded to scrub at his cheek with his sleeve, not quite hiding a grin.
Rage cleared his throat. "Time travel." he said again, getting everyone back on track. "I am convinced that is what happened to Sakura, and no wizard..." he said, glaring, "I do not know how or why, but that is what I think happened. It does fit."
For the first time, Kero didn't feel any desire to glare or make a smart remark at the card. He just wanted this over with. He felt suddenly weary, as if the weight of the world rested on his little shoulders. Sighing, he said, "Fine, let's assume that's what happened. How then? Let's try and take this from the top." Kero felt like smirking at the faint look of surprise in Rage's eyes. He didn't let it show on his face, though, but Kero knew that his brief bout of non hostility had confounded the card.
"She could not have done it by herself." Yue said quietly.
"But who could help her?" Li asked doubtfully. "There's no one. Only another of the Forgotten could have done it. They're the only one's with any Magic left. Obviously it wasn't one of us." Kero expected Li to glance at Rage but he didn't.
Kero shook his head. "No, the Time card would never help one of them. It would have sensed the card's evil purpose and the danger to it's Mistress. Besides, the only other besides Li the card would acknowledge, let alone obey, would either be me, Yue, or Clow Reed himself. You can rule out Clow Reed, he's quite dead."
"Someone...or thing? we haven't come across yet?" Li asked.
Rage shook his head. "Doubtful."
"Then who?" Kero asked, becoming frustrated. He started pacing on air. Suddenly, Kero was assaulted by a memory, long buried, one he planned on keeping buried. He tried to suppress it, but it played itself out in his head. Kero shook his head violently but it would not be dispelled. It was the memory of so long ago, of that day when he had gotten word from Clow Reed that the Four Brothers were on their way to attack an innocent village. He remembered getting there, seeing all the dead men the cards had murdered, and the stench hanging in the air. The ground had been littered with bodies and the village was in shambles.
Kero blinked as the memory...changed. It was the same day, the same battle, but when he arrived, there had been no dead men. The village looked like it had taken a hit, but no severe damage had been done. He saw the Four Brothers standing close by each other, looking furious. Death had his infamous Deathscyhe in his hands. Kero didn't wait for the details. He streaked across the field, using every bit of speed he could, using the power of his mighty wings and a small spell to aid him. He bull rushed War and sent them both toppling to the ground. He began tearing into the shocked card, giving him no leeway. He knew the other three were right behind him, but he ignored them. If he could take one, just one of them, he could reduce their strength and his Master would have a better fighting chance. However, he heard scuffling behind him.
Kero frowned. This wasn't how it happened. There were subtle differences to what he originally remembered. The Four Brothers had been mounted when he attacked them, they had been facing towards the town, not away from it, and Death hadn't had his Deathscythe out. Kero had a moment to wonder about this when someone called to him from behind, distracting him.
"Kero! Get off him and lets go!"
Kero watched himself raise his head, remembered it, actually, and look towards the voice...only to come face to face with... Sakura!? "Who the devil are you?" he heard himself roar right before the memory retreated.
Flinging his arms in the air, Kero eeped and went diving towards the ground. "Oof!!" he grunted when he connected. He had been so surprised by what he saw, he lost his balance. Staring up into the sky above his head, Kero tried to regain his wits and figure out just what had happened.
Madison bent over and picked Kero up gently. "Kero! Are you all right?!" she asked worriedly. Everyone was leaning in close to get a glimpse of Kero and determine what was up.
Suddenly, surprising everyone into jerking their heads back, Kero bounded out of Madison's hands and began flapping his wings and waving his arms for all he was worth. "I know where she is! I know where she is!!" he exclaimed.
They all waited, astonished.
Kero looked at Rage. "You were right. She did go back in time." he tapped his head. "I remember it."
"You remember...?" Rage trailed off. Then his eyes got intense as he realized what Kero meant. "When is she? Is she safe?"
Kero snorted. "Safe? Hardly." he said, feeling his good humour returning now that he knew where Sakura was, knew that she was still alive. Kero continued hastily when Li took a step forward and looked like he was going to strangle him if he didn't start talking. "She's gone back hundreds of years. Back to the time when you were first made." Kero said, looking at Rage.
Madison smiled. "Well...that's good, right? I mean, now that you know when she is, all you have to do is figure out how to get her back." her smile faltered slightly at the look on Rage and Yue's faces.
Kero shook his head. "Not so simple. Besides, think about where she is. This is when the Forgotten first began their reign on terror. She's not in the safest of places right now. Besides," Kero coughed. "The last time I remember seeing her, she was in the middle of a battle between the Four Brothers."
Love's eyebrows headed clear to his hairline. "That girl has a knack for getting herself into trouble, doesn't she?" he said, just about the same time Rage croaked out, "What!?"
"How was she doing? Is she all right?" Li asked anxiously.
Kero scratched his head. "Weeelll...she seemed to be doing all right at the moment. However, if she survives the cards, she might not survive me."
Madison stared at him, google eyed.
"What...is that supposed to mean?" Rage asked quietly.
Kero sighed. "Oh...don't worry about it. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't hurt her...pretty sure." everyone stared at him. "What? Look, Sakura interrupted a battle between me and the Four Brothers. Back then, I wouldn't know who she was, just that I didn't know her, and she had Magic. I think me being wary and suspicious is perfectly logical." he pointed out reasonably.
"Yes...as long as you don't eat her." Rage quipped.
Kero scowled at him. "I think...I would have remembered that." he said slowly.
"Now that we know when she is, we must come up with a spell to bring her back." Yue said calmly.
"If we can bring her back." Love muttered.
Madison glared at him. "Of course we can bring her back! How dare you think like that!! We've got to bring her back."
"Let's think about this." Li said. "I'm not the best with Magic, I admit, not when it comes to you four, although," he muttered, "That might be because you're a few hundred years older then I am. So I hope you've got something we can go on. In all of the texts I've read, I don't recall there being mention of time traveling in any of them. I'm going to go home and check, though. I'm also going to phone my clan in Hong Kong and have them research the topic for me." he glanced about uncertainly. "That's the best I can do I'm afraid."
Kero patted his shoulder gently. "Don't worry about it, Kid. Who knows? It might help." Kero's expression changed and he barked out, "Now get moving!!"
Li nodded, and with a last look at everyone, turned and ran as fast as he could back to his apartment.
Madison spoke up quickly. "What about Sakura's Dad?"
"Right." Kero said, he'd forgotten. He thought for a minute. "Okay, he can't know that she's gone or what's going on. Tory?" he addressed Sakura's brother for the first time. "Can you go back to the house and make up some excuse to Mr. Avalon about Sakura? Anything, say she's at a sleep over or something. Just don't let him know what's going on."
Tory crossed his arms over his chest. "Why should I? Dad should know about all this, even though I still don't believe in all of this myself." Love rolled his eyes.
"Think!" Kero hissed at him. "There's a reason why none of you were ever told about Sakura and her special gift! You could be in danger! Do you really want your father to be put in danger, Tory?" Tory lowered his eyes and Kero played this for all it was worth. "And what about the worry, the grief over the disappearance of his little girl? He'd nearly have a heart attack, wondering if she was ever coming back! Do you really want to put him through that?"
Tory didn't say anything for a while, suspended in indecision. Finally, he raised his eyes again and some of the determined light returned to them. "Fine." he gritted out. "I'll do it. But only because I don't want Dad to worry! I give you one day, by this time tomorrow, if you haven't found a way to bring her back, I'm going to tell him." and then he began to walk away.
Kero looked at Madison next. "Go with him." he said quietly. Madison opened her mouth to protest, wanting to be here in case anything happened. Kero silenced her. "He needs you right now. This is all new to him, help him adjust."
Madison glanced back at Tory's retreating form then back at Kero. Smiling gently, she quickly scampered after Tory.
That left Yue, Kero, Rage, and Love, alone, to find a way to bring Sakura back into the present.
~
Sakura woke up with a start. It only took her a moment to remember what had happened just recently...and just where she wasn't. Sakura opened her eyes and tried to take in her surroundings, however, it was pitch black wherever she was, not a light to be seen. The only thing Sakura was sure of was that she was lying on a mattress. She shifted slightly, trying to get more comfortable. Apparently, someone must have been in the room and heard her, because at least a dozen candles suddenly burst into flame around Sakura, casting the room in a soft glow.
Sakura sat up slowly and quickly took in the room around her. It wasn't large, but the room wasn't small either. The bed she was sleeping on was rather like a single army bunk she'd seen somewhere in a movie, small and lumpy. There was a very small fireplace in the corner with a brick ledge above it which supported three medium sized candles. There was a slightly ajar door that looked like it's wood was far past it's retirement. Besides her old mattress, there was no other furniture in the room, except a weathered rocking chair...which happened to be occupied at the moment.
"Clow Reed!" Sakura exclaimed softly. This was the first time she had met her sorcerous ancester outside of her vision, or whatever it had been, after the Final Judgement. Sakura was absolutely thrilled to see him, a solid anchor in her world turned upside down. And if anyone could help her, she knew he could. Oh! She had so many things to ask him! "I'm so happy to see you! What...how...why am I here? How did I get here? Can I get back? What's going on?" she fired each question at him without pause. She had even more things she wanted to ask him, but as Sakura got a closer look at Clow Reed's face, Sakura couldn't help but gasp in sympathy. "Clow Reed...what's wrong?"
Clow smiled gently. His face was an unhealthy shade of white. There were dark, black smudges underneath his eyes and there didn't seem to be much flesh left on his face, merely skin serving as a shell. He looked...exhausted. "Do not fear, Sakura, all of your questions will be answered in due time." he said wearily. "As to why I look like I'm dead," he mused. "A time spell followed almost immediately by a teleport spell will do that to you."
Sakura blinked. "Time spell...?" she questioned faintly. She gaped. "It was YOU who brought me here?!" she asked incredulously.
Clow's looked thoughtful. "Yes, in a way. I was not the only element that brought you here."
"Excuse me, but,...huh?" Sakura asked, clueless.
Clow smiled again. "I was the one who set things in motion for you to be brought to me, but without help from Time and yourself, I could not have done it. Even I cannot change time on my own."
"Me?" Sakura squeaked out. "I think you're mistaken...I didn't do anything, trust me, I know nothing about Magic."
Clow shook his head lightly. "Not true. But, we'll leave that for another time..." he clasped his hands in front of him and set his elbows on the chair's arms. "You didn't really have to perform Magic, I only needed to tap into your energy and take what I needed in order to make the spell work. Then, using almost all of my strength, I created a doorway in time. Unable to come and get you myself, even if I had been at my full strength I would not have been able to travel through time's corridors, I had the Time card bring you to me." Clow's smile took on a bit of a sheepish edge. "With the amount of energy I had taken from you, I expected to find you nearly unconscious. You did not know my surprise when I teleported to find you protecting Kero from the Four Brothers."
"Not as surprised as I was." Sakura muttered. Propping her chin in her hand, Sakura asked, "But how did you do it? How did you communicate through time to tell the Time card to transport me to the past?" another thought occurred to her, "And how did you know I even existed?! There's no way..."
Clow chuckled softly. "I have...what you might call...a looking glass. I may not be able to travel or alter time, but with a few minor spells, I can see through time. I have been watching you Sakura." he said suddenly and Sakura's eyes bugged out of her head. "I waited years, watching my descendants, waiting for YOU to be born. I thought, that when Li Syaoran had been born and I watched him grow, that he was the one I was looking for. Then I found you..." he shook his head slightly and smiled again, leaving that cryptic remark hanging in the air between them. "But that is no matter. It is over and done with now. As to how I was able to instruct the Time card as to my plans...that was a little more difficult." he paused, and Sakura thought he might be trying to think of a way to explain this to her. "In a way, I am still connected to my cards...even the ones in the future. Even though I die...oh, yes," Clow said, amused, seeing the look on Sakura's face. "I know I will die, and I know when, but I will not do anything to stop it. Trying to change the events that have already taken place could be disasterous...bringing you here was a risk in itself. But, I digress. Where was I? Oh, yes...as I was saying, my cards are still connected to me, even through the centuries. I have my own bond with the cards, as you do, but mine is stronger...but that is merely because I made them and I know these things. It took effort, but I was able to contact Time and inform him of my need to have you here. Of course, he immediately agreed."
"So...you've been watching me? all through my life?" she asked uncertainly. "Through this...'looking glass' of yours?"
"Oh yes." Clow smiled, a touch of pride showing through. "I was very proud of the way you handled the cards, Sakura."
Sakura smiled for the first time in this time. "Thanks." she hesitated. "But...why did you bring me here?"
Any playfulness that had been present in Clow's face abruptly vanished, and he became utterly serious. To Sakura, he looked older to her in this moment then in any other moment she had seen him. "I brought you here because I need your help." he said simply. Sakura stared at him in disbelief. Before she could start voicing her protests, Clow spoke again, "I cannot take care of my...no...I should not refer to them as mine, for they are not and never were." he cleared his throat. "I cannot take care of... the new cards on my own. They are too cunning. However, that does not concern me at the moment. Something of greater importance that I have seen in the future demands my immediate attention." he leaned forward in his chair. "I brought you here, to seal the War card." he said solemnly.
"What!?" Sakura shrieked shrilly. She could not believe this. "What on Earth would ever convince you that I could seal one of the Four Brothers...on my OWN!? I barely managed to seal Disease in MY time! and then, it wasn't even really ME that managed it! I had help!! Help I'd NEVER get here! But then, I suppose you saw that!" Sakura retorted.
Clow simply regarded Sakura patiently. When she was through, he simply asked, "Are you done?"
Sakura wilted like a flower in the Sahara. The look on Clow's face made her feel like she was thirteen again. "Yes." she said quietly.
"If you will hear me out for one moment, I will tell you what I have seen...and, verily, why you are here."
"As I was looking forward in time, observing you, I was struck my a prophetic vision. I saw War, in your time, forming his alliance with Famine and Death once more. His sole intention, of course, to regain his strangle hold on the world, to create fear and chaos among all living things. However, there was someone standing in his way. You."
Sakura gasped. She couldn't help it.
"Naturally," Clow went on, "The simple solution would be to get rid of you. At first, the rumours of a descendant of mine did not trouble him. But when you resealed Hate...and then Disease, he became slightly agitated. If you could seal two of his fellow cards? What kind of power must you possess? Thinking along these lines, he sought out his two former remaining allies once more. They banded together again, not because of friendship I assure you, but because of a threat to their existence. Putting together such vile spells and planes for you, they waited and built up their strength."
"One day, they made their move. You fought. I saw the end of the battle, Sakura, and I am sorry to say, you died. I will not go into the details as they are extremely horrid."
Sakura could only stare in mounting trepidation. Softly, she whispered, "How can you be sure? What you saw might not happen."
Clow Reed shook his head sadly. "Prophetic visions very rarely ever mislead...and they never lie." he said with a finality Sakura found she didn't like.
"So, again, how do you think I could seal the War card? I faced him, or will face him, already...and I died." she said hopelessly.
"Yes...but there are differences in this time that put us at an advantage." he leaned further forward in his chair. "I do not ask you to tackle all four, that would be beyond foolishness. You need not worry about the Disease card as you have already sealed him. The only one you must concentrate on is War. In the future, HE was the one who formed the alliance again, HE was the one who perceive you as a threat that must be annihilated. He is the one we must focus on...and it is not all that hopeless. In the future, he knew you were a danger, here, he does not even know you exist. If you seal him now, he will not be there to cause trouble in the future...and he will not be there to cause your death."
"I thought you said messing with events that have already taken place in the future, and trying to change your own future, was something you're never supposed to do." Sakura said weakly.
Clow Reed nodded slightly. "Yes...and, normally, I would agree with you. But this is far more important. He cannot be allowed to kill you or all is lost in your time. The cards will take over, and the world shall forever be thrust into an eternal night. You were, are, will be..."Clow Reed grimaced. "I hate that...the world's only hope."
"But what about you!?" Sakura cried desperately, grasping at any lifeline thrown her way. "You risk changing the future because of me? but you won't change it to save yourself? What's with that? You are so much more capable of handling them than I am. You're a sorcerer for crying out loud!!"
Clow Reed smiled sadly. "I am that...aren't I? And look where it has gotten me. But no, changing my fate will do nothing. And, aside from what you think, you are the one who is destined to reseal those cards. Not I. I do not have what it takes."
"But I do?" Sakura asked incredulously.
Clow nodded. "You may not believe it now...but you wait and see. You have a strength inside of you that I never had, can never hope to have. If I had half your strength, I would have had no trouble keeping those mischievous cards under control."
Sakura sighed, giving up. Obviously...Clow Reed was dillusional. However, he seemed dead set on this course, so what could she do? Although, one last bit of defiance entered Sakura, and caused her to ask, "And if I refuse? If I don't help you and demand to be sent back into the future? What would you do then?" she asked daringly.
Clow Reed gazed upon her with infinite sadness. "Then I would send you back." he whispered. He heaved himself out of the rocking chair and prepared to leave.
"Wait!" Sakura cried out. He turned around. Sakura bit her lip, knowing this was by no means a good idea but possibly the only option left to her. Well...not the only option...she could always go back to the future and be killed. Oh yeah...what a plan. Resigning herself to whatever nasty game Fate was playing on her life, Sakura sighed, "What do I have to do?"
Clow Reed opened his mouth to respond, but suddenly, his face went even paler then it was now and his lips pinched together tightly. He wavered on his feet, and, worried that he might fall, Sakura bounded out of her bed.
With an impatient wave of his hand, Clow Reed brushed off Sakura's attempted offer of help. "I am fine." he said, voice strained. Straightening, the attack apparently over, Clow Reed smiled as much as he could. "I am merely tired. As soon as I get some rest, I will be fine. As to your last question, we will discuss it on the morrow."
Sakura nodded quickly. She was such an idiot. Keeping him here when it clearly took a large amount of effort on his part to remain standing. "Of course." she frowned. "Is it evening already?"
Clow Reed nodded. "Yes, the darkness in just approaching. I bid you goodnight, Sakura. You would do well to sleep this night, for there is much to do tomorrow. If you need anything, just step into the hallway, Kero Beros will be prowling the halls tonight." and then he left.
Sakura blinked. Kero? She wondered how he was doing, and she wondered if Clow Reed had told Kero about her. Well...all she could do was hope that her next meeting with the Guardian Beast of the Seal went better them last time.
Climbing back into her uncomfortable bed, Sakura lay down. Clow Reed's last words replayed themselves in her head. She grimaced, thinking dryly, how was she supposed to sleep with so many things to think about? However, as soon as her head hit the pillow, Sakura found herself drifting back to sleep against her will within moments. In no more than a minute, she was asleep.
To be continued...
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HEY!! I brought in Clow Reed! How about that? Well? I hope this wasn't too much of a cliffhanger this time. :) I tried to make sure I didn't leave it where Sakura was about to be killed again. I figured...why not give myself a challenge and lay off the dramatic endings for a while? Besides...Sakura1301 was getting annoyed, so, in fear of my life, I had to attempt a non cliffhanger ending. However...I must warn you...I AM addicted to cliffhangers, and I don't know how long I can keep from writing them. *gets weird...maniacal gleam in eyes* So review...and tell me what you thought.
Just so you know, the next chapter is probably going to be one of my 'information' chapters. :) It's the way it's gotta be. But don't let that fool you...a lot of stuff's gonna happen in the next chapter, stuff you need to know about. So read it! ;p Just so you know, the chapter probably won't be out until next weekend...at the LEAST! So...you might have a bit of a wait. *hears growling over computer* o.Oa Sorry!! Until then! *sneaks out back door*