[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

19 February, 2001

Card Captors

"Dimensions II - Test of Evil"

By : The MOUSE……………………&helli p;.

Friday, 8:45 PM.

Kinomoto Sakura landed hard in the dense snow bank, momentarily knocking the wind from her lungs. Mentally she wondered why Clow Reed had made the seemingly innocent looking Clow Cards not as helpless or harmless as they appeared. Such was the case with the card she was presently struggling to capture on her own. The Thorn Card. From kilometers away, at the airport no doubt, her soul mate had felt her begin to fight this card and had offered his assistance. She told him to stay where he was. She would have this card captured soon and it was better to have someone of status to hold up the plane until she arrived. Li Syaoran had reluctantly agreed with this logic, warning her to be careful. She understood his caution and worry now. In nature, thorns just sit on a stem or branch as a defense, waiting for someone to prick a finger on their needle sharp tip. In magic, it was a whole different ballgame. This thorn attacked. Dazed from the impact with the ground, the Card Mistress raised her head and gasped desperately to refill her lungs.

"Sakura! Look out!" Kero, Guardian Beast of the Seal, called from off to her side.

She rolled over quickly, the card's thorny branch diving into the snow where she had been only a heartbeat before. Sakura saw her chance and raised her sealing wand.

"Thorn Card! Return to your power confined! Thorn!" she called out as her wand struck an invisible point in mid-air.

Ripples of magical energy eddied through the air and reached out towards the attacking card. Smoke-like tendrils formed and wrapped around the Thorn Card, dragging it towards a shimmering rectangle that had formed beneath the point of impact of the sealing wand. The Thorn Card dissolved in a mass of smoke and was absorbed into the glowing shape. The rectangle glowed for a moment more, then settled into the appearance of a Tarot-like card. Thorn was written below the image of a prickly briar patch. It floated into Sakura's waiting hand mere instants before she took off at a run for the car parked and waiting for her with its engine running. Her Otou-san and Onii-chan were sitting in the front seats.

"Let's go!" she urged as she and Kero leapt into the backseat.

Fujitaka released the break and the family car shot forward in the direction of the airport. Touya turned in his seat to watch his little Imoto carefully. She took a deep, relaxing breath and exhaled very slowly. Teddy bear-like Kero sat on her shoulder with a proud grin plastered on his tiny face. Touya still found it hard to believe such a creature could even exist, let alone having had resided with them for the past five years. He remembered a few days back when Sakura had explained everything about this Card Capting business she was involved in. She had explained the captures, the encounters, the feelings, and she even explained this creature. Keroberus, the Guardian Beast of the Seal of Clow. For close to three hundred years this magical creature had slept magically within the Book of Clow, guarding the cards from anyone unworthy to have them. He had chosen Touya's little Imoto as the next Mistress of the Cards, the one person who stood between Earth's safety and total annihilation. The only ones who stood with her were Kero, the captured cards, and the gaki, Li Syaoran. No one else could help.

"Kero, how is it the cards always know to attack the day I have intensive cheerleader practice?" Sakura sighed tiredly.

He gently patted her head. "They know everything about the Card Mistress through the Windy Card. Remember, she ties them all together. Just relax now. You've had a hard day."

She nodded slowly, then looked down at the card in her hand. She smiled in satisfaction and took out a pen from her handbag.

"What're you doing?" Touya asked her.

"Writing my name on it." she replied casually, carefully scripting her name across the bottom of the card.

"I can see that, but why are you doing that?"

"This way no one else can use the cards without my permission. We wouldn't want them to accidentally escape again now, would we?" She then placed the newly captured card within the special compartment within the Book of Clow and sat back in her seat with her eyes closed.

Fujitaka glanced at his Daughter through the rear view mirror. "I still find it hard to believe you've been doing this sort of thing for the last five years without us knowing about it."

"It was better this way, Otou-san." she sighed. "Had I told you at the beginning there was one of three things you might have done."

"Three?"

She ticked off the points on her fingers. "You would've taken the book away and forbidden me to even try again. You would've tried to help me and would've only gotten hurt in the process. Or you would've accepted the whole deal. Seeing as there were more negative points than positive I agreed with Kero that it was best if you didn't know."

There followed a long, awkward pause. Then, "So, do all… um… captures go this… um… easily?"

"Some are easier than others." Kero answered for his resting Mistress. "We've had our fair share of problem cards. The latest was the most powerful of the Clow Cards, the Death Card."

Touya blinked. "The Death Card? Sounds dangerous."

"It was."

"What happened?"

"Long, messy story." Sakura sighed, then grinned. "I may tell you someday. Needless to say that card has been caught. Which leaves about twenty two more cards to go."

"Isn't five years kind of long to catch them?"

She shrugged. "They're good at hiding. And it's not easy when you're still learning your own limits in magic and stuff. But, I've been charged with catching them. Even if it takes five more years, I will catch them all. I won't give up."

They reached the airport promptly at nine, spending a good half-hour in line at the check-in counter to register her and her luggage. Kero kept himself hidden within Sakura's handbag in order to stay with his Mistress and not be accidentally placed in the plane's luggage compartment. The whole time Sakura stood in line she fidgeted. She could easily feel her beloved soul mate's presence, felt it calling to her just at the edge of her mind. She was vaguely aware of her Otou-san stating which boarding gate they had to go to as they left the registration counter.

Before either Fujitaka or Touya could say or do a thing Sakura took off at a run through the thick crowd. She knew exactly where she was going. His aura was telling her where to go. Racing around another large gathering of people the Card Mistress finally spotted the one she was looking for.

Li Syaoran was wearing his school uniform, same as her, his deep tawny eyes scanning the crowd as he tried to find her, feeling her aura drawing nearer with each passing second. Behind him stood his Okaa-san, Li Lerae, dressed in the elegant traveling dress she had worn to arrive in Tomeda. His Cousin, Li Meilin Rae, sat idly on her carry-on bag, looking bored, while Daidouji Tomoyo video taped the entire group as a log of this once in a lifetime trip. Lerae watched her Son carefully, noting his every searching gaze he cast into the airport crowd, knowing exactly whom it was he was searching for. Syaoran's wolf-like eyes suddenly found Sakura's bright green eyes and locked. The teen Card Mistress caught the look of sheer relief on his face as he rushed forward and enfolded her in his arms. She responded by wrapping her arms tight around his neck to keep him close.

I didn't think I would make it here on time, she thought to him.

I was so worried about you going up against that card alone. What card was it?

The Thorn Card.

Are you alright?

She snuggled against him. Cold, soaked from the snow, and tired, but otherwise completely fine.

A low growl off to their side forced them apart to face a very irate Kinomoto Touya. They could clearly see a vein throbbing on his forehead. Tomoyo and Meilin both laughed at their friend's older sibling.

"Give it a rest already." Meilin chided as she laughed.

"Face it, Touya, you are never going to pry these two apart." Tomoyo stated to add weight to the argument.

Touya's frown merely deepened. "He's bad news and, so help me, one of these days I'll prove it to her."

Kinomoto Fujitaka shook his head in patient disbelief at his Son and approached Syaoran. "Now you take care of my little girl." he warned.

The young warrior straightened. "Absolutely, Kinomoto-san." he assured with a respectful bow. "I swear it on my honor."

"What honor?" Touya scoffed under his breath. He looked at his Imoto and his expression softened slightly. "You be careful, Kaijou."

"I will, and stop calling me Kaijou!"

He smirked in satisfaction. "Not on your life, Squirt."

She punched his gut, but not with enough force to actually hurt him. "Baka!"

"Attention, passengers! Tokyo Air, flight two eighty-three for Hong Kong is now boarding at Gate Thirty-Eight! Repeat: Tokyo Air…" a pleasant voice abruptly announced over the airport's public announcement system.

Meilin shot to her feet with a broad grin, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "That's our cue."

Sakura gave a quick hug and kiss to her Otou-san in goodbye, knuckled her Onii-chan's ribs one last time, then turned to take her boyfriend's offered hand. Her carry-on bag was already slung over his shoulder, along with his. With worry in his eyes Touya watched his little Imoto walk away with the gaki's family and her best friend Tomoyo to board the plane. She was comfortably tucked against the gaki's side and didn't seem to have a concern in the world. Touya sighed.

"I guess she's not my little Imoto anymore."

Fujitaka gripped his Son's shoulder in a comforting gesture. "She stopped being so little a long time ago. There comes a time when you can't hold them back anymore no matter how much you want to, to protect them. That's when you learn you have to let them go. She'll be safe, Touya. I'm sure Li would never let anything bad happen to her if he could help it."

* * *

A pair of pale grey eyes scowled from under a baseball cap at the pair walking onto the plane, carefully watching the lithe green-eyes beauty. The near hidden eyes followed her all the way to the First Class section where she sat with the Chinese boy, letting him have the window seat. The steel grey orbs burned with an inner fire at the sight of the girl leaning against the boy to rest and the fact that her companion did nothing to discourage this move. The scowl deepened.

Soon, Kinomoto, you'll be mine!

* * *

Li Syaoran stared out of the plane's small window at the vast expanse of moon lit water below. Already he could see the long coastline that was China lit by the lights of hundreds of coastal cities and towns. The whole scenario was carved into his mind from countless sleepless nights brought on by the very thought of someday going home. He had dreaded this moment. The scenario was simple enough. The plane would land at Hong Kong's Kai Tak International Airport where a number of attendants and security personnel would be waiting anxiously for his arrival. His luggage would be loaded into a car while he would be ushered into a waiting limousine. From there it would be a brief, escorted drive to the harbor followed by an hour-long ferry trip to Bing Di Lian, his first and birth home. But now that everything was actually taking place he didn't feel the original dread or the loathing to return he usually felt when the thought arose. Instead, he was nervous.

Very nervous.

And for a good reason. Something in the scenario had changed.

The lithe and delicate form leaning against him shifted slightly, unintentionally calling Syaoran's attention away from his inner contemplation. He smiled as he watched Sakura sleep, her cheek pillowed comfortably on his chest, his arm draped protectively around her waist. This was what was different. Sakura was coming back with him, willingly. Supposedly a person was revealed for who they truly were when asleep since all the facades and barriers were gone. But for Sakura, she was no different awake or asleep since she had none of these barriers to hide her true nature. Who you saw was who she was. An Earth Angel. Guilt abruptly invaded the young warrior/sorcerer's heart at not having told her more about his Clan. He felt he should have prepared her for such a meeting. As it was she only knew about how deeply seeped in tradition his Clan was. No one in Tomeda knew exactly how much wealth and power his family wielded in the world.

How would she react to seeing it all and to having been kept in the dark about it?

With his free hand he ever so carefully tucked a stray lock of her dark honey-colored hair away from her closed eyes, letting his fingers lightly trace the edge of her face. She sighed softly in her sleep, but didn't wake. Syaoran smiled softly, feeling blessed to be in the presence of such innocence. He knew she was exhausted. She had written her last and hardest two exams that day, had spent close to three hours in cheerleading practice, and then had battled and captured a Clow Card. A very tiring day for anyone to have. But sometimes she made it look so easy. After five years of practice she had gotten amazingly adept at hiding the exhaustion and, oftentimes, the pain of her day to day life. He hoped she wouldn't have these experiences to have to hide in Hong Kong. He tucked the blankets around her shoulder to keep her warm and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. A smile appeared on her lips in response.

"Hey, gaki!" a hushed voice called up from the carry-on bag at Syaoran's feet.

"Hush, cotton ball, someone might hear you!" the warrior hissed, keeping his voice low. "What do you want?"

"To know how much longer until we get there. My wings are getting cramped."

"About another half hour."

"Oh… How's Sakura?"

The sorcerer looked down at his beloved partner and smiled. "Sleeping like the angel she is."

Kero chuckled softly. "That's Sakura alright." Then, after a slight pause, "We're going to hunt for Mummaro's Gate while at your place, right, kid?"

Syaoran nodded. "We have to. It has to be big for Sakura to have had a vision about it. Something in the Gate woke up and it wants her, wants her powers. I refuse to let anything or anyone hurt her."

"But you do know you'll end up hurting her when she has to go back to Tomeda and you won't be going with her?"

The future leader of the Li Clan looked out of the window with an air of determination. "I'm working on fixing that."

Kero blinked and stared at him in awe. "You're really serious about this, aren't you?"

"Have you ever known me to not be serious about something that involves Sakura?"

The diminutive Guardian paused in thought. "You know, you're right. Besides, this is all part of Clow-sama's prophecy. All past grievances aside I really hope you two kids stay together." He suddenly chuckled. "I'm just wondering how Touya will take it when he hears the news."

Syaoran had to chuckle. "Hear it, nothing. He'll end up seeing it all on tape courtesy of one Daidouji Tomoyo."

* * *

Metal colored eyes watched from a few rows behind the chuckling teen. The girl resting against his chest deserved so much better that that boy. He seemed to be talking to himself. This was just another factor that added weight to the argument that he wasn't worthy of the girl. The almost silver eyes glowered.

I deserve her so much more than you do. You will be mine, Kinomoto. Wait and see.

* * *

The remaining half-hour of flight passed in relative silence aboard the seven forty-seven jumbo jet. Camera crazy Daidouji Tomoyo busied herself with both asking questions of Meilin and Lerae about Hong Kong and filming her Card Captor friends in the seats next to her. In Sakura's carry-on bag, Kero occupied his time by trying to figure out how to open the little packets of honey glazed peanuts, the flight attendants had passed out earlier, without having the peanuts go flying in every which direction.

For his part Syaoran spent the remaining thirty or so minutes just holding his precious partner against his heart. Silently he prayed to Kami-sama, Buddha, Tin Hau, and any other deity he could think of to be able to stay with or keep Sakura at his side for the rest of time. He looked down at the sleeping sorceress and smiled at how peaceful she seemed. He was so engrossed in his study of her face that he didn't hear the voice over the intercom announce their impending arrival and landing procedures. Within moments he felt the gentle lurch of the plane touching down, snapping him out of his reverie as the dulled roar of the engines filtered through the cabin walls.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the captain and crew wish to welcome you to Hong Kong's Kai Tak International Airport. Hong Kong time is twelve oh five AM. Current temperature is presently a balmy twenty-two degrees Celsius. We hope you have enjoyed your flight. Domo arigatou for flying Tokyo Air and have a nice day." a gentle voice intoned through the intercom.

Syaoran blinked, then shook his head with a slight chuckle when he realized that he had been staring at Sakura for the last half-hour. You've become quite a dreamer, he self chided in amusement.

As the passengers began to disentangle themselves from blankets and seatbelts, a stewardess made her way to the row where Li Lerae still sat as if patiently waiting for something more to be offered from this flight. The flight attendant bowed in deep respect to the matriarch, causing Tomoyo to blink in surprise at the sight.

"The captain had instructed me to allow you, your family, and your guests to disembark first, honorable Li-san." the near trembling stewardess informed ever so humbly.

Lerae merely nodded in acknowledgement and gratitude, then stood with graceful ease. The flight attendant turned to where Syaoran and Sakura were and made a move to wake the sleeping sorceress as the young sorcerer slung a couple carry-on bags over his shoulder. Syaoran stopped the stewardess with a menacing near growl before this one could touch his soul mate. She backed away in slight fear of his warning glare and stood back as he carefully lifted the sleeping girl in his arms to cradle her tenderly. Tomoyo stifled a delighted squeal at the sight and made sure her camera was focused to capture every tiny moment. Meilin and Lerae had to chuckle at the sorcerer's annoyed groan from his friend's persistence.

"Smile, Li." Tomoyo urged. "I'm showing this tape to Sakura when she wakes up to show her just how much of an old softy you are."

"You're sure you're not related to an imp or something annoying like that?" he challenged.

"Might be." she merely replied with a grin, winning a suffering stare from the impending Clan leader.

Being cautious not to bump her anywhere, the warrior/sorcerer of the Li Clan carried his sorceress out of the plane and down the covered boarding ramp. The violet-eyed videographer walked backwards in front of him to video tape every single moment, the brightest of grins plastered on her face making her look near maniacal. The terra cotta-eyed warrior's Cousin walked at her side to make sure her friend wouldn't accidentally bump into anything on the way.

Lerae brought up the rear of the small group. A small smile adorned her lips, doing an excellent job of hiding the sudden unease she felt. Something was wrong, she could feel it. There were intense negative and possessive feelings along with feelings of animosity nearby. It was very powerful. For the moment her Son seemed oblivious to the sensations of impending danger looming. Or, if he did, he was hiding the knowledge masterfully. Her smile became genuine as she watched him being so tender and careful with his girlfriend. Lerae suppressed an innocent giggle. She never thought the day would come when her stoic and steadfast Son would actually accept a girl into his life as he had Kinomoto Sakura. It was heartwarming.

The noise from Kai Tak's busy main building reached their ears from the end of the boarding tunnel. A crisp looking steward opened the doors to the small group, revealing a throng of curious on-lookers and photographers all jockeying for position behind a police barrier to take the best pictures of the returning members of the Li Clan. Tomoyo blinked rapidly in surprise at the multitude of flashing flash bulbs in every which direction and quickly dashed behind Syaoran for refuge. Her newfound protector merely gazed dispassionately at the restrained crowd, holding Sakura's sleeping form a little more securely against his chest, hoping she would stay asleep just a bit longer even with this noise.

"You never told us your family was this important!" the amethyst-eyed teen accused of her friend.

"The topic never came up!" he answered simply as he led the way down a path security had carved through the crowd. "And it's not that we're important! More like keep to ourselves a lot!"

"I'll go help the attendants find our luggage!" Meilin announced and then ran off with an escort of security guards.

"So, is this another reason why you liked Tomeda, Li?" Tomoyo questioned.

"Hai! No one of the press knew I was there!"

Photographers of every sort shouted questions at the newly arrived, hoping for at least one answer. Question like: what was the reason for Li Xiao Lang's return to Hong Kong after five years abroad? Did this mean he was of age to assume his Clan's leadership? Why did he leave for destination unknown in the first place? Where was he all this time? Who were these two girls they were treating with such respect? And why was Xiao Lang insisting on carrying one girl in particular?

The Daidouji teen took her cue from Lerae and Syaoran, ignoring all the photographers, keeping her eyes fixed on the door ahead of them. She risked a glance at her best friend still sleeping peacefully in Syaoran's arms and smiled softly. Sakura's day had been so exhausting for her that not even the noise of so many shouting people could wake her from her deep slumber. Tomoyo resumed filming, refusing to be deprived of a single pixel of the most perfect couple ever, and ignoring the calls of great sums of money if she sold this tape to one of the photographers. She growled to herself.

Bloodthirsty paparazzi!

A long, black limousine was parked just outside the airport's main entrance, surrounded by four black sedans. Meilin was already there helping a number of men load their luggage into the trunk of two of the sedans. Scant moments later the travelers were ushered into the limousine, the attendants and guards settling themselves in the sedans, and they were on their way away from the vicinity of the busy airport.

Kero took the opportunity, that they were now out of sight within the secure limousine, to pop out of the carry-on bag and stretch his little wings. He flew around for a moment, inspecting his surroundings. Then he landed on Lerae's knee and looked across to where his Mistress was leaning against her boyfriend, still sound asleep. Kero chuckled lightly at the adorable sight.

"Tire her out just enough and she can sleep through just about anything."

"What I want to know," began Meilin, "… is why she insisted on attending her cheerleader practice when she didn't have to? I mean, she was coming here for who knows how long."

Hopefully, for life, Syaoran thought to himself.

"Sakura's always been a team player." the Card Mistress's long time friend explained, still filming her favorite subjects. "She never wants to let any of her teammates down, no matter whatever the team happens to be."

A small grin touched the Little Wolf's lips as he cuddled his Cherry Blossom warmly, tenderly stroking her silky hair. "It's her nature." he murmured. "She never wants to let anyone down, no matter the personal cost to her." His grin faded as his arm tightened around her waist. It's also what scares me the most about you, my Ying Fa.

While still keeping her camera focused on the couple sitting across from her, Tomoyo looked out of one of the tinted windows at the scenery beyond. The bright city lights were gone now, replaced by the occasional building and intermittent streetlights. She raised a curious eyebrow and looked back to the three members of the Li Clan sitting with her.

"Where exactly are we going?"

"Presently we are on our way to the harbor." Lerae replied. "There, a ferry will take us the remaining distance to the estate."

She blinked and looked to Syaoran, noting just how many surprises he had pulled in so short an expanse of time. "You live on an island?"

He shrugged slightly. "It's the only way the leaders of my Clan can ensure their privacy. It's been in the family since the time of Clow Reed. We have another residence within Hong Kong itself, but it proved to be too much of a security nightmare to stay there. So we relocated to the Isle of Bing Di Lian. It proved to have its advantages." he ended with a slight grin.

She smirked knowingly. "Like keeping those paparazzi away?"

"Mm, that's part of it." he smirked in return. "I'll show you and Sakura the rest of it in the morning. For now, when we get there, it's straight to bed."

She mock saluted with an impish grin. "Hai, sir!"

* * *

A lone figure stood on the harbor front, watching the vehicle-laden ferry disappear into the late night fog. Blond brows knit together above stormy grey eyes. He had hoped for the opportunity to sneak aboard the ferry before it left, but security had been too tight to allow for an attempt. Silently he cursed the Li name, deciding to bide his time for now. His moment was coming.

By tomorrow night, my little Cherry Blossom, you will be mine. This I swear.

* * *

With her night scope in place to be able to capture every beautiful detail of this Eden-like island, Tomoyo stood through the open sunroof recording everything in awe. Pandan trees with their huge over-hanging leaves, thick bamboo groves, tamrin flowers whose blossoms were closed for the night, papaya and banana trees heavy with their fruit, as well as coconut palms grew everywhere in thick masses on either side of the beaten path. Tomoyo was staring at both a gourmet chef's and a pharmacist's dream. The path the row of vehicles was following carved a lush and narrow valley between two high island peaks. The entire island seemed to be just that: a number of tall, flora covered peaks reaching for the sky. A thin mist hung in the air making the place look even more surreal.

The valley suddenly opened up before them to reveal an ancient, yet well kept, building of white stone and red clay tiles. The architecture was Classic Chinese, like something out of Shogun or Seven Samurai. Luck Dragons carved in stone decorated every corner of every roof as if warding off evil spirits. All the rooms were illuminated, every exterior lamp lit in expectation of their arrival. Large black iron doors were shut behind the cortege of cars after they passed through the gatehouse. Interlocked terra cotta colored stones replaced the dirt path and led up to the elaborate and very near palatial main estate building. No matter how far back Tomoyo zoomed her camera she still couldn't fit the entire building into her shot so she contented herself to pan her camera from one extreme to the other. The main entrance of this immense structure soon loomed into view at the top of numerous stone steps. More Luck Dragons guarded either side of these steps. Standing at the base of these steps were four elegantly dressed women in the head of what looked like attendants and guards. Tomoyo dropped back down into her seat as the limousine drew nearer to these people. A look of elated awe was on the teen's face.

"This whole place is just incredible, like out of a Fairy Tale." she praised.

Meilin shrugged almost casually. "It's home."

"But it's so… so… kawaii!"

Lerae smiled gently at the ecstatic girl. "I am most pleased you approve of our humble home. A guest who appreciates the home honors the host."

"Then consider yourself very honored. Oh, it's too bad Sakura is missing all this."

"But she will see it all eventually. You are recording everything."

Tomoyo nodded, then looked to Sakura still sleeping against Syaoran's side, wrapped protectively in his arms. The amethyst-eyed girl smiled at the couple, then smirked.

"Aren't you tired of holding her?" she queried.

The warrior looked up from his contemplation of the sorceress's features and looked to his friend with a raised eyebrow. "I could never get tired of that."

"Sakura sure is lucky to have you, Li." she sighed, smiling.

He shook his head in a negative. "I'm the lucky one. With all the mean and nasty things I ever said to her, why she still chose to be with me… It's beyond anything I ever dared to hope for."

Syaoran then cast a quick glance to his Okaa-san who nodded silently in understanding of the silent question his eyes sent her. The two alert teen girls with them noticed this silent exchange and grinned at each other knowingly. Something was going to happen here during their stay.

Something big.

Something wonderful.

Kero peered out of the sunroof at the building. He perked up and smiled. "Hey, I remember this place!" he stated.

"You have been here before. Kero-san?" Lerae queried.

He landed gently on her knee. "Hai, some three hundred years ago. This is where Clow Reed created the Clow Cards. I was created here too." He suddenly grinned. "I wonder if the kitchens are still as huge as I remember them."

Meilin stifled a laugh. "Big enough to fill ten of you, cotton fluff."

"Yeah!" the Guardian exclaimed, pleased.

The cortege of cars drew to a slow stop in front of the main building, servants and other personal attendants beginning to scramble to unload the luggage. The four women Tomoyo had spotted earlier stood prim and proper at the bottom of the stone steps, patiently waiting for the occupants of the limousine to disembark. Meilin was the first to exit, closely followed by Tomoyo and then Lerae while Syaoran carefully gathered Sakura's sleeping form up in his arms. The four women bowed to the three already standing outside the vehicle.

"Welcome home, Ma-Ma." one woman greeted in Cantonese. "Tell us, how is Japan at this time of year?"

"Very cold and covered in snow, my dear Feimei." Lerae answered her Daughter in Cantonese as well.

"Where is our little Brother?" another of the women asked.

"He is coming, Shiefa. He is merely being careful of the delicate flower he has brought with him."

Another looked confused. "Delicate flower, Ma-Ma?"

"Hai. This delicate flower, Fanren." she indicated just as Syaoran stepped into sight with the sleeping sorceress cradled tenderly in his arms. "My Daughters, this is the chosen Mistress of the Cards, Kinomoto Sakura, and her friend, Daidouji Tomoyo." Kero then flew up into view, landing on Syaoran's shoulder. "And this is Keroberus, the Guardian Beast of the Seal."

The four women were stunned into silence for a moment at these revelations. Then, after recovering from their initial shock, they quickly gathered around the Card Capting duo and cooed over the sleeping Mistress of the Clow Cards. Kero retreated from their advance and flew off to the safety of Tomoyo's shoulder. This one began to chuckle as she videotaped the entire scene. Syaoran growled low in annoyance, holding Sakura a little closer to his chest. Shiefa reached to gently pinch the sleeping sorceress's cheek only to have her Brother take a quick step back to prevent her.

"Touch her and you're not getting your fingers back!" he growled low in menace in Cantonese.

Feimei ignored the tone of his voice and very near squealed in wonder. "But she is simply so adorable!"

"Her name suits her so well. A lovely Cherry Blossom." Fanren cooed.

"Hush, or you'll wake her!" he snapped in a half whisper.

"Hey, Li?" Tomoyo suddenly questioned, trying not to laugh at his obvious discomfort.

"Nani?" he came close to snapping.

"Just wanted to let you know that if you guys are all going to talk in Cantonese then Sakura and I won't be able to understand a thing you're saying."

He blinked. "Oh, right… um…" He looked flustered and encumbered all of a sudden. "Ma-Ma, could you…?"

The matriarch immediately understood what it was he wanted her to do. Without saying a word she approached the teen videographer and pressed her palm to this one's forehead. After a moment she turned and repeated the motion to the slumbering Card Mistress. Tomoyo blinked a few times in confusion.

"Was… was that supposed to do something?" she asked.

"Can you understand what I'm saying?" Syaoran posed.

"Hai."

"Then it did something." and he began climbing the many steps with Kero hovering just over his head to avoid the warrior's Sisters.

"Magic?" Tomoyo breathed.

Lerae gently patter the teen's shoulder to help appease the sudden shock she knew she had to be feeling. "Here in our home, Daidouji-san, magic is a daily and natural occurrence."

The teen paused. Then, "This'll be so kawaii!" she exclaimed with a broad smile, holding up her camera in anticipation.

Syaoran was nearing the top of the stone steps, surrounded by his Sisters. They fawned over him in Sisterly appreciation to how much he had changed over the years. Comments such as: How much taller he was now; How much more built his physique had become; and how gentle and tender he had become to be so careful and so protective of the sleeping Mistress of the Cards. At every word they spoke Syaoran desperately tried to silence them with a menacing glare or a hiss of silence.

Nothing worked.

His Sisters were far too excited about their little Brother's return and the sight of the new Card Captor to pay any attention what so ever to his death glares. Their attention then became cooing taunts when Sakura stirred slightly in her sleep, turning in Syaoran's arms just enough to have her cheek rest against his shoulder, a small smile adorning her lips. It didn't help the situation any that the warrior's unconscious response to this move was to smile softly at his soul mate, his arms tightening just slightly.

"Sisters, I do believe we are witnessing a first for our dear Xiao Lang." the eldest of the four grinned. "Our little Brother is in love."

He glared at his siblings. "So I am, Fuutie. What of it?" and he walked away from his four stunned Sisters.

At the top of the stone steps stood four more young girls of the same age as the Card Captors. All of them were lovely in their own right and knew it. They bowed low in some semblance of humility and respect to the approaching warrior. He brushed past them without so much as a glance, eliciting a soft and shocked gasp from all of them. A humble servant met the young sorcerer at the door to the grand house.

"Li-sama, welcome home. Your honorable Okaa-san has instructed that the Clow Mistress shall be lodged in the Peony Room of the Clan wing. Her bags have already been taken there."

He nodded silently in acknowledgement, inwardly surprised at his Okaa-san's decision to give Sakura a room in the Clan's private wing of the estate. And to place her in the Peony Room, the room right next to his own. A small part of his mind screamed that the Clan matriarch was planning something, but for now he ignored this tiny voice. Little yellow Kero flew ahead of him, muttering to himself about rooms and corridors they passed that he remembered. Even after three hundred years, nothing much had changed about this place. They climbed several flights of grand stairs to a part of the edifice that over looked the sea, a part near the rear of this main building. Syaoran led the way down a wide corridor until they were before two sets of doors. Kero looked from one to the other in slight confusion.

"It's been a while. Which one is the Peony Room again?" he queried as he stared at the closed doors.

"The one on the right. The other one's mine. Open the door, will you?"

The magical Guardian obeyed without question, preceding the warrior into the immense and exquisite room. Everything was decorated in pale and light colors, in the understated beauty of pale bamboo and delicate peonies. Freshly cut cherry blossoms were in simple bone china vase of traditional white and blue next to the gigantic bed. Thick and plush carpets covered the floor, their pale powder blue color matched by the gauzy curtains, upholstery and bed sheets. The soft glow of a lit oil lamp cast just enough light to see by. Moonlight filtered through the closed balcony doors, a gentle and tropical breeze wafting through an open window. Flying over to the bed Kero turned down the satin and silk sheets, then plopped himself down on a pillow.

"You know, I don't get something." he suddenly voiced as Syaoran approached the bed with his precious sorceress. "Mummaro's Gate is a magnet for dark magic, ne?"

"Hai."

"One spark of Sakura's light magic would be enough to destroy the place."

"So…?"

"So, gaki, what I want to know is why that dark thingamajig from her vision wants her to die in the Gate? After centuries of collecting dark magic we're talking an explosion that could destroy half the planet. What's the reason?"

Syaoran carefully set his beloved sorceress down in the middle of the bed, being ever so cautious to make sure she was perfectly comfortable. He rolled Kero's question over in his mind as he removed Sakura's shoes from her feet, setting them at her bedside on the floor. Then he covered her sleeping form with the light blankets, sitting on the edge of the bed to watch her sleep for a moment.

"Maybe that's that thing's reason." the warrior voiced.

"What is?"

"Blowing up half the planet. What are dark magic users usually Hell bent on?"

"Destruction and revenge."

"Exactly. So there's no bigger destruction than blowing up the planet and whatever it is get's its revenge on whoever."

"Then you know what we have to do." Kero stated with fierce conviction.

Still gazing down at Sakura's angelic sleeping features, Syaoran frowned a nod. "We can't let her go anywhere near the Gate. She warned us of this, but it's not her fight." It's now mine.

"Right." Kero suddenly yawned and curled himself into a tight ball. He sighed blissfully. "Wake me when breakfast is ready."

The Li Clan's soon to be leader chuckled silently and returned his gaze to the auburn haired beauty sleeping before him. A tiny, peaceful smile adorned her lips, confident in the thought that her soul mate would let nothing happen to her while she slept. He tenderly brushed a few stray strands of her hair away from her face and she giggled in her sleep in response to his touch. A low, soft sigh of bliss escaped her lips.

"… Syaoran…" she whispered with much affection.

The object of her dream smiled down at her in awed love. Bolstering his courage up a notch he leaned down towards her and let his lips brush hers.

Just a brush.

His courage to kiss her as he had done so many months before just couldn't be found yet. So he was content to simply capture her breath and savor its sweetness upon his tongue. Then he pulled back to smile down on his reason for being. Fighting his every instinct telling him to stay, he rose to his feet and quietly made his way to the door. Only there did he pause to cast a lingering look on his mortal goddess. He smiled tenderly.

"Sleep well, My Love." he whispered to the night, then left.

"… aishiteru…" the sorceress replied in her sleep.

To Be Continued…