Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Cherry Blossom Destiny ❯ Into the Lair of Darkness ( Chapter 9 )

Cherry Blossom Destiny

Chapter Ten

~Selene Serenity~

Disclaimer: I don't own CCS. It is property of CLAMP. This fanfic on the other hand belongs to me so please don't steal or copy!

Author's notes: Hi all! This chapter is the showdown between Sakura and Shatano! What will be the out come and what will occur? I'm warning you this might be a very long chapter. You'll have to read and see!

~Chapter Ten~

Sakura stood on her balcony and held out her key. She was going to use the fly card to go over to Eriol's house where Tomoyo was visiting so she could see the latest outfit Tomoyo had made for her. "Oh key that gather's powers from the sun, the moon and stars! Release the staff that I may use against the cards that he will choose!" Nothing happened. "Release!" Sakura cried, but nothing happened. "What's going on!?" She shouted. "Why isn't it working? Sakura dashed over to the Clow cards and the shadow cards and stuffed them into her saddle bag, then ran downstairs, outside and over to Eriol's house.

Eriol was sitting in his living room, playing a game of chess with Tomoyo when the doorbell rang. He sat up and walked to the door. He opened it to find Sakura. "Sakura!?" He gasped.

"What's wrong?" Sakura blinked.

"I…I didn't sense you coming. There's no magical aura coming from you." Eriol explained.

"Well maybe that would explain why I couldn't release my key!" Sakura steamed.

"You can't!?"

"No…" Sakura shook her head solemnly.

"Why don't you come in?" Eriol offered.

Sakura nodded an affirmative and followed Eriol inside.

"Hello Sakura!" Tomoyo said cheerfully. "What's wrong? You look upset." Sakura explained what was going on as she sat next to her best friend. "That's awful!" She gasped. "What are you going to do? How did this even happen?"

"Well Sakura must have used a substantial amount of magic to have it completely disappeared." Eriol said matter-of-factly.

"Is it gone forever?" Sakura gasped.

"I highly doubt it. Your magic will regenerate. Let's just say it needs some to recharge." He explained.

"Well that's a good thing Sakura!" Tomoyo said, trying to cheer her best friend up.

"But what if I don't get my magic back by the time Shatano comes?" Sakura cried.

Eriol and Tomoyo didn't know what to do to make Sakura stop crying.

***

Sakura sat up in her bed and read a book. Everyone else was well asleep except Kero who had managed to sneak downstairs to get a midnight pudding. Suddenly Sakura's balcony door flew open and Kyle (`s body) flew in. Sakura screamed and scrambled out of her bed, as far away from Shatano as she could. She tried once again to release her key but…nothing. Sakura held tightly to the Clow book, the shadow box and her key, hoping desperately that someone would save her because she was helpless.

Shatano let out his dark laughter and grabbed Sakura wrist. With his free hand he shot out a dark, magical rope that tied around Sakura's wrists and ankles. Sakura fell to the ground on her side and the book, box and key fell to the ground as well.

"No!" Sakura cried as Shatano picked up the three items and put them in a bag and sling the bag over his shoulder. He gave Sakura an evil grin and then picked her up and carried her to the balcony. Shatano leapt in to the sky and flew off.

As they flew over the town Sakura spotted Yuki on his nightly trek to 711. "YUKI!" Sakura shouted with all her might. "Yuki! I need help! I need Yue! Yue!" She cried.

Yuki looked up when he heard Sakura's desperate cry. Shatano was carrying her. "Sakura!" Yuki yelled.

Shatano looked down at Yuki. `So that is Yue's false form?' He thought. He dove down to the ground and dropped Sakura down next to him. "Yuki!" Sakura choked as tears dribbled down to the dirt.

"Sakura!" Yuki trampled over to Sakura but Shatano blocked him. He shot the same ropes at Yuki and he fell to the ground as well. Shatano made a command and the ropes gave Yuki and Sakura a shock so they were both unconscious.

***

Yue flew over to Sakura's house because for some reason he found he was unable to switch with Yuki, let alone communicate with him. When he got there he heard Kero shouting. "SAKURA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Yue quickly flew in. Something was wrong and he knew it. "Cerobearous! What happened!?" He demanded when he saw Sakura's room trashed and Sakura was nowhere in sight.

"Shatano came and took Sakura!" Kero explained.

Touya and Fujitaka had just run into the room after being wakened by all the shouting.

"What's going on!?" Touya shouted.

"Sakura's been taken by Shatano." A female voice told him. Touya jerked his head in the direction of the voice. Floating next to him was Nadeshiko. "M…m…mother!?" He gasped.

Nadeshiko giggled and nodded. "But how? I gave my powers to Yue and Yuki!"

"What is he talking about?" Kero wondered.

"He's talking to his mother." Fujitaka explained.

"How?"

"He must have gotten his powers back."

`Touya has his powers back?' Yue thought. `I can't change with Yukito. Does that mean that somehow we've been separated?' Yue had a shocked face.

"What's wrong Yue?"

"Nothing. I'm going to find Sakura!" He announced and flew out the balcony.

"I'm going too!" Kero shouted and changed into Cerobearous. He started out but Touya stopped him.

"I'm coming!" He told Kero.

"Then get on!" Kero shouted back. Touya sat on Kero's back and they flew out behind Yue. They caught up with Yue finally and they all followed Shatano's magic since they couldn't feel Sakura's. (Even Touya! Te he he!)

***

Tomoyo and Eriol were walking through the park together when Eriol fell to his knees, gasping for air. "Eriol!" Tomoyo cried and kneeled next to him. "What's wrong?"

"I can feel Shatano nearby!" Eriol spat.

"Sakura!" Tomoyo shrieked.

"We have to find him." Eriol said as he slowly stood up with Tomoyo's help. He sent out a mental message for Nakuru and Spinal Sun to find him.

***

Everybody wound up meeting each other at a spot at the edge of Tomeda. It was complete forest. Within the trees there was cave. Shatano's dark magic was emanating from it.

From inside the cave they all heard Sakura's shrill scream. "Sakura!" They all shouted. Yue charged to the entrance of the cave but a shield blocked him from getting in and threw him backwards. Yue gritted his teeth and ran at it again, and again, and again, but every time it flung him back.

"Yue! It's no use! We can't get in!" Kero told Yue.

"No! I will get in!" Yue shouted and ran at it again, but this time… he didn't return.

"He got in!?" Ruby gasped. "But how?" Her voice faded.

Touya shot foreword but the shield repelled him. No matter how many times he tried He couldn't get in like Yue had.

***

Yue walked through the cave until he heard a female voice moaning. "Sakura?" He called out.

"Muheh!" Sakura shouted trying to call back. She had woken up to found she had been gagged. Yue found her and quickly knelt down to untie her. "Yue! Thank goodness you're here!" Sakura cried and hugged Yue. She backed away. "But what took you so long to change?"

"Um, Sakura…" Yue started.

"Hey, what's that?" Sakura wondered. She saw a shadow in the corner. She slowly crept towards it. It was Yuki. Sakura gasped. She swung around and Yue was still standing there. "But how!?" She said, shocked.

"Sakura, I think when you captured the half card, then touched me it separated Yukito and I." Yue told her. "But you don't seemed weakened. I don't understand. That task should have drained you completely."

"Well, technically it has." Sakura sighed. "I can't use my magic at all. I need to recharge my magic." She explained.

"I see. That's going to be a problem." Yue said quietly.

"You think!?" Sakura shouted. "What am I going to do?" Sakura started tearing again. "This is worst then I imagined!"

"Why don't you try releasing your key? Maybe your magic has already recharged." Yue suggested.

Sakura nodded hesitantly. She reached for her key but it wasn't there. "Oh no! I forgot. Shatano took my key and both sets of cards!" She gasped.

"What?" Yue said.

"When Shatano captured me he took the cards and the key." Sakura explained. A light began to glow behind the two of them. "What's that?" Sakura and Yue turned to face it. The Clow book sat there with Sakura's key wrapped around it. "There it is!" Sakura cried and ran at it. A shield threw her back at Yue who caught her.

"Sakura, we can't get it. There's a shield." Yue told her.

"No! That can't be true! I can get through. Shatano must have put a shield around this cave and somehow you made it inside so I can in here!" She ran at it again and pressed herself against the shield. Her fingers slowly passed through, then her whole hand, her arm, both arms, her head, one foot, her whole body. The shield broke and Sakura grabbed the items and ran back to Yue.

Yue had a shocked face. `How did she do that?' He thought. He shook his head and looked down at Sakura. Her face was glowing and she was smiling up at him. He smiled back at her. (AN: WOW! This must be the record for the most times Yue has ever smiled in a fanfic. Probably not, but oh well.) "Try using the key now." He told her.

Sakura nodded. "Oh key that gathers powers from the sun, the moon and stars, release the staff that I may use against the cards that he will chose!" Nothing. "See! I told you!" Sakura cried.

***

Shatano watched the two of them. "What!?" He shouted and slammed his fist against a wall. "How did she break my shield!? She's stronger than I thought. I must be more careful." He held out his hand and shot something out into the cave.

***

Another light glowed near Sakura and Yue. The faced this one too. A beam of light just sat there until a figured appeared in it. The figure was fuzzy but became clearer. It was Eriol. "Eriol?" Sakura gasped. "How…"

"I'm using a spell to create a hologram so we can communicate but it won't last long. Everyone just wanted to wish you good luck. So, good luck and come back safely. Now you have other people who wish to speak to you." He smiled and ducked away.

Tomoyo suddenly appeared in the light. She had a worried expression. "Sakura, you be careful alright?" Tomoyo ordered. "Both of you have to come back safely!"

"Don't worry Tomoyo, I will." Sakura assured her, sounding more confident than she felt.

"You better!" Tomoyo gave a watery smile and left.

Touya appeared next. "Monster are you okay?" He asked. Sakura nodded. "That's good so keep it that way." He looked over at Yue. "You better take care of her." He glared at Yue.

"I will Touya." Yue replied solemnly.

"Good." Touya coughed. He left as well.

Nakuru was next. "Hey you two!" She said slyly and winked at Sakura, who blushed. Yue didn't seem to notice. "I wish I was there to help!" She squealed.

Spinal Sun flittered over to her shoulder and sat down. "Ya right. You just want to be there so you can be a pest." He muttered.

"Oh shut up!" Nakuru growled. "Well anyways good luck!" She went back to her cheerful self.

"Yes, be careful!" Spinal Sun agreed.

Kero, (Cerobearous) walked in next. "I telling you right now! If either of you don't come back out I kill whoever is around. You have to be strong Sakura. As for Yue, protect her for the both of us now."

"We'll come back Kero, I promise!" Sakura smiled with tears falling down her cheeks at the same time.

"You better kid." Kero scrunched up his nose.

"And I will be there to protect her." Yue told his `brother'. Kero disappeared.

Eriol showed up again. "Well Sakura, the spell is running out so once again, be careful and good luck." The light disappeared.

Sakura was crying again. "Sakura are you all right?" Yue asked her and placed his hands on her shoulders. Sakura sniffed back her tears.

"Yes, I'm fine. I have to be okay so I can beat Shatano because all of my friends are counting on me! It was great to hear them." Sakura got her smile back.

"Well in that case we need to find a way to fight him." Yue pointed out.

"Oh ya…" Sakura sighed and slumped down to the floor. Yue sat down next to her. Out of nowhere a black piece of paper flew at them. It was folded up. Sakura caught it and unfolded it. On the paper was a message in silver ink.

Dear Sakura,

Welcome to my humble abode. I hope you are enjoying your stay. If you aren't scared then go down the tunnel to your left. It will lead you to me.

Shatano

"I can't go Yue! I don't have my powers!" Sakura exclaimed.

"There is a way to do it Sakura." Yue said solemnly. "I could always go into your staff like I did before. That will give you the power you need to defeat him."

Sakura jumped to her feet. "No way Yue! You can't! I almost lost the two of you last time! If I don't defeat Shatano you'll die!"

Yue stood up too. "And if I don't, we'll both die anyways. It's our only chance! Can't you see that Sakura!"

Sakura was taken aback. "Why do you care so much about defeating Shatano?" She asked.

Yue put his hands on Sakura's shoulders and looked deep into her eyes. "It's not that I want to defeat him, it's because I want to protect you!" He assured her.

"What!?" Sakura gasped. Then it all made sense. Yue was the only one that could possibly be her secret admirer. He was more protective of her lately and was acting really weird around her too. `Why didn't I see it before?' She thought. "Yue…you're the one…" She whispered.

"Yes." Yue nodded. "I'm your secret admirer." He paused and waiting for the reaction from Sakura. `She probably despises me now.' He thought.

"Oh Yue!" Sakura cried and wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his robes. "I hoped it was you! I really, REALLY hoped it was you!" She told him.

"Uh…" Yue was shocked. She shared his feelings unlike Clow had. Was that possible? "Sakura, I will help you by going into you staff. Now say your incantation and I will go in." He told her and stepped away.

"But Yue!" Sakura shouted as tears flooded from her eyes.

"Now Sakura…" He demanded.

Sakura gulped and hesitantly held up her key. "Oh key that gather's powers from the sun, the moon and stars, release the staff that I may use against the cards that he will chose!" She called out. Yue closed his eyes and concentrated his energy on the staff. At the end of the incantation he was gone.

Sakura held the staff with both her hands and starred at it. `I must defeat him for Yue." She gulped again and ran down the tunnel.

She finally came to an opening. Sitting across from her was Shatano. `I'll probably only have enough power for two cards so I have to chose wisely.' She thought.

"So, you accepted my offer!" Shatano gave Sakura and evil grin.

"Did I really have a choice?" Sakura spat.

"No…not really." He stood up. "Now…we fight."

`How am I supposed to fight him without hurting Kyle?' Sakura pondered in her brain. `I'd have to split them in…half…' A smile crept along her face. `I'll catch him off guard and use the half card!' "So? Are you up to a little hand-to-hand combat? We'll just call it a warm-up." She suggested.

"I'll humor you little card girl. Then we fight for real!" Shatano and Sakura then went into an all out martial arts fight. They we both even until Sakura landed a roundhouse kick in his stomach. He paused. This was Sakura's opening in. She called out the half card. Her staff changed into a glaive like the one the card held. She swung it at Shatano. "NO!" He shouted as loud as he could. Kyle's body fell back and the black shadow known as Shatano came out. "Blast you girl! I, Shatano, the king of darkness will kill you!" He cried.

"No you won't!" Sakura laughed. If you are the king of darkness, then I know you're one weakness! Light!" Sakura pulled out the light card and aimed it straight at Shatano.

"No! IT CAN'T BE! This little girl can't defeat me!!!!!!!!!!" He cried as his `body' began to disappear until he was gone completely.

"Consider yourself defeated." She huffed as she fell to her knees.

"Good job Sakura." A male voice groaned.

Sakura looked up to see Kyle sitting up.

"Yes Sakura good job." Another voice said behind her. She turned around to see Yuki at the entrance of the opening. "Yuki! Kyle you're both okay!" She smiled. She jumped up. "But…" She looked down at her staff that was on the ground. Yue was still not there. `Is he stuck in there forever?' She wondered.

"Are you looking for me?" She heard Yue's voice. She looked behind her and Yue stood there; his arms wide open.

"YUE!!!!!!!!" Sakura cried and ran to him. He caught her in his arms and swore he would never let her go.

"You were amazing." He whispered into her hair.

"Really Yue?" Sakura asked as she looked up at him.

"Yes really." He smiled. (AGAIN!?) Their faces got closer to each other's by the second until their lips met. It wasn't Sakura's first kiss, but this one blew all of the other's away.

"Um…I missed something didn't I?" Kyle blinked at the couple.

"Ya…" Yuki smiled.

"Who are you anyways?" Kyle asked Yuki.

"I'll explain later." Yuki said as the two of them walked to the exit of the cave.

The two broke their kiss not long after the two left. Now they just stood their starring at each other. "Thank-you for helping me Yue." Sakura told him.

"I'll always be there for you." Yue assured. "Now let's go see the other's." He led Sakura to the end of the cave.

"Wait!" Sakura said and ran back to grab the shadow cards which had been left by Shatano. THEN they walked out.

***

All the other's waited outside of the cave anxiously. Then Yuki and Kyle walked out. "Are you two all right?" Touya asked them. (Aiming the question at Yuki though.)

"Where is Sakura?" Kero asked.

"Oh…they're coming…" Yuki snickered. "Oh and for a warning, Yue and I have been separated. That's why Sakura lost her powers but they'll come back to her." Yuki explained to them.

Tomoyo giggled. "ALL RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!" She shouted in excitement.

"What is it?" Eriol wondered.

"Oh nothing…" She said innocently.

Sakura and Yue then came out, walking hand-in-hand. (Everyone was surprised Tomoyo hadn't exploded from excitement yet.

"A young woman, chained to her destiny and a man with a heart of ice shall go in, but two angels of love shall emerge. This shall bring the end to the Shadow cards, and the Clow cards will reign once more. That is the prophecy of it all." Nakuru said in a serious and quiet tone.

"You know the prophecy?" Kero said, eyes boggling.

Nakuru looked at him with a stupid grin on her face. "Of course I do! My master is kind of the reincarnated Clow Reed you know!" She giggled.

"Sakura must have been the young woman." Tomoyo smiled.

"And Yue is the man." Eriol continued.

Suddenly the box with the shadow cards flew up into the air. It exploded into a ton of silver dust that glittered in the morning light. The glitter swirled around Yue and Sakura and disappeared into the sky.

"Beautiful…" Sakura said in awe.

"Just like someone I know." Yue squeezed Sakura's hand as he said this. "I love you my little cherry blossom."

"And I love you my angel of the moon." Sakura replied.

~THE END~

Author's notes: Well that's it. I finally finished it! Did you like it at all? I hope it was a good enough ending for all of you out there! Please review!