Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ The Enemy Revealed ❯ Running the Gauntlet ( Chapter 6 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

The Enemy Revealed
Chapter 6: Running the Gauntlet

"Joy Buzzer!" Psycho blasted an abandoned car with a electric bolt and watched the resulting
explosion with fiendish glee.

"Rocket Hammer!" From his hammer, Techno launched a barrage of missiles which exploded on
the side of a nearby building, adding to its already devastated facade.

"Graviton Blaster!" Cracker brought down another nearby building with a gravity-increasing shot.
He broke into laughter as the structure collapsed, sending chunks of concrete and shards of glass raining
down on the street below. "Boy, is this fun or what?"

"Got that right!" Psycho declared as he blew up part of the sidewalk.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourselves," someone said dryly.

The three Masters saw Hacker appear before them. Techno giggled. "Finally decided to join us?"

"We've picked up Star Magic in the city along with Sun and Moon Magic," Hacker told Psycho,
deliberately ignoring Techno.

Psycho clapped his clawed hands. "Goody! Little Sakura's come to play, and she's brought her
Guardians, too."

"Well, then, why don't we give them a good old fashioned Cyber welcome?" Cracker suggested,
readying his gun arm again.

"Now, now, Cracker," Psycho said, grinning as he wagged his finger. "If she gets past all the
Servers, we'll take care of her ourselves."

"And if she fails to get past the Servers?" Hacker asked.

"Then we'll take the Cards and Key off her little corpse," Psycho answered. "Back to the tower,
boys! Let's see if the cherry blossom will survive long enough for us to kill her. After all, I have a promise
to keep."

"Since when did you keep promises?" Hacker asked with a sideways glance at the clown.

"Hey, I always keep my promises to kill people," Psycho answered, placing his hand over where a
human heart would have been. "Now let's go!"

All the Masters except Hacker vanished. The swordsman studied the damage around him and
wondered how many dead innocents were buried in the rubble. "All unnecessary," he remarked, shaking his
head with regret. With a sigh, he disappeared and joined his fellow Masters at Tokyo Tower.

* * * * *

Brandon eyed the blade being leveled at him. "Huh? What the heck's wrong with you?" he
demanded of Syaoran.

"Don't move!" Syaoran kept his sword pointed at the young Shadowwalker. "How dare you come
here! Especially what your kind did to my clan!"

"Now hold on..." Brandon began to say as Ready and the others wondered what was going on. He
waved his hands down slowly. "Now put away the sword..."

"I told you not to move, assassin!" Syaoran swung for Brandon, who leapt into the air. The young
Shadowwalker landed a few meters away from his fellow magician. Frustrated, Syaoran clenched his hand
into a fist and shook it at Brandon.

"Okay, I guess I'll have to knock some sense into you," Brandon said, staring down Syaoran. He
reached for his medallion. "Shadowwalker Rod!" he cried, summoning his weapon.

"Brandon, don't!" Ready pleaded.

"Too late," Maya observed.

Brandon activated his energy blade. "Okay, Greenbean, I'm going to seriously get medieval on
your plant-colored butt!"

Syaoran took out an ofuda and struck it with his sword. "Raitei shourai! Raigeki!" he shouted,
sending a thunderbolt at Brandon.

"Whoa!" Brandon exclaimed before diving out of the way. Getting up quickly, he fired a dark
energy ball at Syaoran, who struck it with his sword.

"Brandon, don't hurt him!" Ready shouted to her friend.

"Me hurt him?" Brandon commented before leaping over another thunderbolt. "Tell him not to
hurt me!"

Meiling confronted Ready and the others. "Just try something funny," she said haughtily, showing
them her fists.

"We're not what you think," Ready told the pigtailed martial artist.

"Really?" Meiling glared at Ready. "Well, why do you have a Shadowwalker and a Darkling with
you, huh? Better answer me now or else!"

Meanwhile, Syaoran charged Brandon and took a swing at him. Brandon knocked the blow aside
with his own weapon, then counterattacked and exchanged blows. After making another swing, Brandon
leaned towards Syaoran as he pushed his blade towards him. "I'm not here to kill you! We're here about
Sakura..."

Syaoran's eyes widened at the mention of his beloved's name. "Sakura? So you're after her?" He
started pushing back. "I won't let you get to her, assassin!" Syaoran shoved Brandon to the ground and
thrust his blade at him.

"Shadow Phase!" Quickly remembering his Shadowwalker training, Brandon transformed into a
shadow, and Syaoran's sword stabbed him without consequence. *Me and my big mouth,* he thought as he
transformed back and got up. "We're not going to kill Sakura! We're here to help her!"

"Spare me your lies!" Syaoran whipped out another ofuda and struck it. "Fuuka shourai!" A
powerful gust of wind knocked Brandon to the ground before he could react. The Shadowwalker rose
slowly and winced from the pain coming from his back.

"Brandon!" Ready shouted.

"Boss!" O.G. cried. He ran towards his master. "I'm coming, boss!"

Syaoran blinked at the sight of the little bear. "Huh?"

Brandon spotted his Guardian. "O.G., stay back!"

"Raaaaaaaaagh!" O.G. roared as he started to glow.

"What's going on?" Meiling demanded.

Everyone watched as O.G. grew quickly and changed into his true form. Once the glow faded, a
giant bear with metal limbs and a spiky shell stood before Syaoran. A pair of sunglasses hid the creature's
eyes, a pair of spiked bracelets encircled his wrists, and a metal link chain served as a belt. The new O.G.
stared down at Syaoran. "Okay, little boy! I'm gonna cram that little knife down your throat!" he bellowed
in a deep voice.

Syaoran moved in time to avoid O.G.'s large fist. Growling, O.G. was about to do another attack
when Brandon, recognizing his Guardian's next move, shouted, "Don't! We don't want to kill him!"

Taking advantage of O.G.'s brief pause, Syaoran threw ofuda at the Shadowwalker's Guardian,
causing him to swat at the annoying fires. Syaoran took the time to blast him with a thunderbolt, sending
him crashing to the ground. Brandon managed to get up and sneak behind Syaoran as he prepared to attack
O.G. again. The young Shadowwalker grabbed the Li magician from behind, causing him to drop his sword.
"Let go, assassin!" Syaoran growled as he struggled to break free. "I won't die at the hands of you or
anyone else of your kind!"

Brandon tightened his grip. "For the umpteenth time, I'm not here to kill you!"

"I'll stop your evil no matter what you throw at me!" Syaoran declared. "Even that creature won't
save you from my wrath!"

"Getting a little melodramatic, aren't you? Been watching too many Chinese soap operas,
Syaoran?" Brandon taunted, trying to keep his grip and resisting the urge to use his deadlier Shadowwalker
talents. "Now if you promise to calm down and talk, I'll explain everything."

Syaoran responded by breaking his arm away from Brandon's grip and elbowing him hard in the
chest. As Brandon fell to the ground, Syaoran recovered his sword. O.G. got up slowly and rushed the
Chinese boy. Syaoran counterattacked with a gust of wind, sending O.G. into some nearby trees.

"Oh, dear," Pegasus Uni said as O.G. groaned and tried to get up.

"Typical O.G. Always rushing into things," Lupe remarked, shaking her head.

Wincing, Brandon muttered "Shadow Phase" and turned back into a shadow. "No, you don't,"
Syaoran said, throwing ofuda at the young Shadowwalker. The ward papers burst into flames, and the
shadow convulsed. "I know that in your shadow form, you can't stand fire or extreme heat." He tossed
another ofuda in front of his sword. "Raitei shourai!" he cried, blasting Brandon to the ground with
lightning. Crying out in pain, Brandon transformed back and fell.

"Not good," Lupe said.

"Oh, my." Pegasus Uni looked at Ready. "Ready, should we...?"

As Syaoran advanced on Brandon, Meiling looked around for the speakers, then found the tiny
Guardians on the ground. "Huh? What are those?" she asked, her eyes bugging out at the sight.

Maya rubbed her chin. "I thought you would be familiar with Guardians by now, especially with
your contact with Kerberos."

Meiling glared at Maya. "How would you know about that stuffed animal?"

"We know about the Sun Guardian of the Cardmistress from our studies with Eriol Hiiragizawa,"
Maya stated matter-of-factly.

"Hmph!" Meiling sounded with disbelief. "You could've learned about that from anywhere.
Shadowwalkers have knowledge about everything magical. It makes their line of work easier."

"We're not killers!" Ready argued.

"Yeah, right." Meiling put her hands on her hips and glared at Ready and the others. "Prove it."

Ready saw Syaoran standing over Brandon, who felt too weak to transform into a shadow. He
pointed the tip of his sword at the Shadowwalker's neck. "It ends now, assassin," he said as he readied
himself for the killing blow.

"No..." Ready was about to run towards Syaoran and stop him when Meiling dashed into her path.

"Not so fast!" Meiling said, showing her fists.

Umbriel bent down to Ready's ear. "Show her your medallion, Mistress."

Ready blinked. "Oh yeah!" She reached around her neck, causing Meiling to eye her suspiciously.

"What are you up to?" Meiling asked warily.

"This." Ready showed her medallion to Meiling. "Are you familiar with this symbol?"

Getting in closer for a better view, Meiling's eyes widened at the sight of the eight-pointed star.
"You're a..." she began to say with awe.

Ready nodded. "Can you please tell Syaoran to stop?"

"I'll try." Meiling watched as her cousin was about to bring down his sword on Brandon.
"Syaoran, stop!"

"Huh?" Syaoran froze, and Brandon let out a sigh of relief. "Why should I, Meiling? He's a
Shadowwalker! Don't you know what they did to our clan?"

Meiling and Ready approached him. "I know, but this girl is telling us the truth," Meiling told her
cousin, motioning to Ready.

"How would you know that?" Syaoran eyed Ready suspiciously as she reached for her medallion.
He glanced at it, but his attitude changed once he saw its symbol closely.

"You know what I am?" Ready asked firmly.

Syaoran looked at Ready with amazement. "You're a Starlighter," he said in a barely audible voice.

Ready nodded and motioned to Umbriel, Maya, and the Guardians. "This is Umbriel, my Guardian;
Maya Torres, my best friend and Ecomancer-in-training; and our other Guardians, Pegasus Uni and Lupe."
She saw Brandon try to get up. Crying out his name, she ran up to him. "Are you all right?" she asked with
concern, noticing a burn mark on his arm.

Brandon managed a faint smile. "It's going to take more than an overgrown string bean to stop me,
Ready."

Ready smiled and helped him to his feet. "Do you need me to...?"

"I'll be fine, Ready," Brandon reassured his friend with a smile as they walked towards the others.
"Healing ability, remember?"

O.G. groaned as he picked himself up. "Oooooogh, kid packs a wallop," he said as he tried to
regain his senses. Seeing that the fighting had stopped, he returned to his false form and walked towards the
others.

Pegasus Uni spotted O.G. and flew towards him. "Need a lift?"

"Thanks." O.G. hung on to Pegasus Uni's hind legs as she flew back to the others.

"O.G., cut down on the snacks," Pegasus Uni recommended as she struggled to stay in flight.

"A Starlighter and a Shadowwalker being friends?" Syaoran looked at Ready, then at Brandon in
disbelief.

Ready nodded. "That's right. He's my friend."

"And as I recall, Starlighters never lie," Meiling commented. "No matter how weird it seems, she's
telling the truth, Syaoran."

"How is this possible?" Syaoran wondered as he tried to comprehend the sight before him.

"Ever since the two orders came to a truce, there has been an effort to cooperate and even
integrate."

Syaoran recognized the voice of his mother and turned towards her. She stood next to Wei and
looked at her son, her niece, and the newcomers. "You would have known that if you paid more attention
to your magic studies rather than to the one who captured your heart," she continued as she joined the kids,
sounding a little stern.

Syaoran bowed his head to hide his flushed face. "Mother..." he said, a little embarrassed.

Yelan bowed to Ready. "I apologize for my son. He hasn't been himself lately."

"I think I know the reason," Ready said, causing Syaoran to blush more.

"And I probably know yours for coming here." The Li matriarch turned to her son and continued
to admonish him. "If you had continued to pay attention to your magic studies, you would have known that
this young lady is Regina Brighton, the daughter of the Grand Illuminator, the leader of the Starlighters."

Syaoran bowed solemnly at Ready. "I apologize for my actions, Miss Brighton."

"No problem," Ready said with a smile. "By the way, you can call me Ready."

"Hey, what about my apology?" Brandon asked. "I'm the one you tried to slice and dice when you
weren't trying to barbecue me." Syaoran gave him an icy stare.

Yelan looked at Maya, then at the ring on her finger. "Ah, an Ecomancer. I thought they were all
gone."

"They are," Maya said. "Ready gave the ring to me as a gift, and now I'm training to be an
Ecomancer."

"An Ecomancer?" Meiling said, almost gasping. "Does that mean you can control the basic
elements?"

"That and more thanks to Eriol," Maya answered.

Syaoran glared at Brandon. "If I recall, the Shadowwalkers killed all of the Ecomancers."

"Hey, I wasn't born yet," Brandon said, his eyes shooting daggers at Syaoran's. As much as he
hated to, the young Shadowwalker let go of Ready and stood on his own two feet.

Pegasus Uni dropped O.G. on Brandon's shoulder and landed on Ready's. "Are you all right?"
Brandon asked his Guardian.

"Hey, I'm Oso Grande, boss," O.G. said energetically with a big thumbs up. "Nothing can keep me
down."

"I believe a little talk inside will resolve some issues," Yelan suggested. "Will you join us for some
refreshments in our humble home, Miss Brighton? I would be honored to have a Starlighter in my house,
and I have something you might want to see."

"Thank you, Mrs. Li," Ready replied politely, recalling her parents' etiquette lessons.

"Wei," Yelan said, turning to the family manservant.

"Follow me, please," Wei said, leading the way to the house.

As everyone walked towards the house, Syaoran glared at Brandon. "I don't care if you're a friend
of a Starlighter. I trust you as far as I can throw you, assassin."

Brandon and O.G. glared back. "Well, the next time you attack me for no apparent reason, I'm
gonna kick your sorry butt all the way to the Moon, Greenbean."

"That's right!" O.G. added, showing his teeth and shaking his clenched paw.

"Assassin," Syaoran said, narrowing his eyes at Brandon.

"Greenbean," Brandon shot back, meeting Syaoran's gaze.

"Assassin."

"Greenbean."

"Assassin."
< br> "Greenbean."

"Assassin."

"Greenbean."

"Assas sin!" Syaoran shouted, getting into Brandon's face.

"Greenbean!" Brandon shouted, getting into Syaoran's face.

"Brandon, come on!"

"Syaoran, hurry up! You must show our guests the tape you've been watching for the past few
days!"

"We'll be right there!" Syaoran and Brandon responded. Both boys heeded the voices of Ready and
Yelan and hurried into the house. They continued to glare at each other, growling occasionally through their
clenched teeth.

* * * * *

"Hoooooooeeeeeeee!" Sakura cried as Kerberos flew past lasers and missile explosions. They and
their friends flew through the city as fast as they could as the Cybers fired at them.

"They've got us outnumbered!" Ruby Moon shouted as she took out some Altrons on the ground,
only to be fired upon by Backspaces and Nums.

Spinel Sun took out a pair of Homes and some Altrons only to get shot at by an End. "No matter
how many we take out, more take their place."

"Somebody take out the guys above us!" Kerberos shouted as he dodged Arrow fire. "They're
driving us towards the ground!" Right below him, a Deleter leaped at him with its claws outstretched.
Luckily, it could not reach him.

Ruby Moon looked up at the Arrows. "I've got it." She flung a powerful gust of wind their way,
sending them flying through the air. Some flew into buildings and into each other, resulting in small
explosions. However, others managed to regain control and resume their pursuit. To make matters worse,
more Arrows took the place of their destroyed comrades and joined in on the attack.

"There's too many of them, Kerberos-san!" Sakura cried as she watched Ruby Moon take out more
Arrows only to face more, then saw Spinel Sun destroy the ground troops only to get shot at by more.

"Don't worry, Sakura," Kerberos said, pausing to toast a bunch of gun-toting Altrons, "we'll get
you to the source of all this trouble in one piece."

"Just where are we going?" Ruby Moon asked as she continued firing on the Arrows and dodging
their shots.

Kerberos rose slightly to avoid a missile launched by a Home Cyber. "Yeah. Just where are we
going?" he asked as the missile exploded harmlessly on a nearby skyscraper.

"Apparently these Cybers are keeping us from someplace, so we should keep going in this
direction," Spinel Sun suggested as he destroyed more ground-based Cybers.

"I agree with Spinel-san," Sakura said, pointing her Star Wand forward. "We have to keep going
this way."

"How can you be so sure?" Kerberos asked his mistress.

"I just have a feeling, Kerberos-san," Sakura answered as she shifted sideways to avoid a laser shot
from above. *A bad feeling.*

Sakura and the others continued on their way. Fortunately for them, the ground troops they passed
made no effort to pursue them. Unfortunately for them, the Arrows kept following them, trying to blast
them out of the sky or at least force them closer to the waiting Cybers on the ground, who made their best
effort to bring down their targets.

As Ruby Moon concentrated on keeping the Arrows away from Sakura, Kerberos, and Spinel Sun,
she noticed a few jet away from the others. She fired at them, but as a result, her back was turned to the
main group of Arrows. One of them activated a beam blade on its arms and charged. The Moon Guardian's
head bent back as she was impaled from behind. The Arrow withdrew its weapon and let gravity take its
victim to the ground.

"Ruby-san!" Sakura shouted as Ruby Moon crashed. "We have to help Ruby-san!"

Kerberos turned around and flew to where Ruby Moon landed. More Arrows flew in to intercept
the winged lion. "I think we have our own problems to deal with, Sakura," her observed as the Arrows
activated their beam blades and charged.

Some Cybers marched towards the fallen Moon Guardian ready to strike. Clenching her teeth and
clutching her chest, she struggled to her feet and faced her enemies. Thankful she was a magical being,
Ruby Moon took out a Num with an energy blast. Another Num swung its rocket launcher at her from
behind, sending her into the arms of an Enter. Ruby Moon recovered and punched the Enter in its abdomen.
She blasted the Num who blindsided her and sidestepped a charging Deleter. More Cybers formed a circle
around her. Still not strong enough to fly, Ruby Moon fought on.

Spinel Sun growled and readied himself to assist his fellow Guardian. His shots took out most of
Ruby Moon's aggressors. Suddenly, an Altron shot out its arms at him and wrapped them around his torso.
Feeling the Altron's grip getting stronger, Spinel fought to escape. While he did, another Altron wrapped its
arms around the dark Sun Guardian and in unison with its comrade, started to pull him towards the ground.
"I won't be that easy to take down!" Spinel Sun declared, entering a tug-of-war with the coneheaded Cybers
and firing wildly at enemies on the ground. He managed to fry a few Deleters, Enters, and Backspaces.

A Home marched up, bent down, and aimed its arm cannons at Spinel Sun. Two Nums raised their
rocket launchers at the winged panther. A Controller eyed the target, then signaled with a wave of its hand.
The Home and Nums fired and hit Spinel Sun. While he winced, the Altrons threw him to the ground.
Sensing weakness, the Deleters rushed in to carve some kitty flesh. He stood up slowly and fired,
destroying some but missing the majority.

Sakura watched the action below helplessly as Kerberos dodged the Arrows' blades. Every shot he
took missed. Soon he and Sakura were surrounded by Arrows. "Great," he growled.

An Arrow charged and aimed its blade at Sakura. The Cardmistress swung the Star Wand and
struck it in the face, sending it to the ground. Another Arrow charged from behind, and Sakura ducked in
time to avoid being impaled by a beam blade. She clutched to Kerberos' fur as he dodged charging Arrow
after charging Arrow. "Damn it!" the golden-eyed Sun Guardian cursed as he fired fireball after fireball at
the swift enemy.

The Arrows stopped charging and formed a sphere around Sakura and Kerberos. They pointed
their beam blades at their targets, then flew at them.

"We're gonna die!" Sakura cried, almost in tears.

A powerful gust of wind from above countered that negative statement. The Arrows were sent
flying to the ground and into the nearby buildings.

Kerberos looked for the source and found it. A long-robed figure with angelic wings and long
silvery hair hovered above them with his arms crossed. "'Bout time," Kerberos said with an annoyed look.

"My false form was at work with his favorite person," the newcomer said simply.

"Yue-san!" Sakura cried with relief.

Yue bowed, then flew down to help Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun. A few crystal blasts eliminated
some of Ruby Moon's opponents, allowing her to take out the rest with ease. Yue blasted the Deleters
attacking Spinel Sun, who exacted his revenge on the Cybers who brought him down.

"Ah, Yue. Good to see you decided to join us," Ruby Moon said to her fellow Moon Guardian as
her strength came back to her. "Still hanging around Touya-kun?"

"That is my false form's significant other, not mine," Yue said sternly as his mistress and fellow
Guardian flew to the ground.

"Arigato, Yue-san!" Sakura thanked her Moon Guardian.

"Do not be thankful yet, Mistress." Yue pointed towards a spot in the distance. More Cybers were
coming, and the lighter ones were coming in fast.

"We'd better take to the air," Spinel Sun suggested.

Soon everyone was airborne and on their way. "Where is Eriol?" Yue asked.

"These things took him," Ruby Moon answered as she destroyed two Homes.

"And we have no idea where they took him," Spinel Sun added as he blasted an Enter and a Num.

"Maybe he's at the place these Cybers are guarding," Sakura guessed.

"He'd better be." Kerberos toasted a few Altrons and Shifters. "All I wanted to do today was play
video games, but no! I have to fly through Tokyo and fight a bunch of moving scrap heaps!"

"Well, you are playing a video game in a way, Kerberos-san," Sakura commented as she avoided a
Cap's razor-sharp hat.

Kerberos destroyed the offending Cap. "Yeah! This is even more fun!" he said with a grin. Next
to him, Yue shook his head and grumbled a little.

After flying through ground fire and taking out more Cybers, Sakura and the Guardians found
themselves at Tokyo Tower. "Hoe?" she wondered.

"Gee, what a big surprise," Kerberos said dryly.

"It is, in a way." Yue looked around. "Notice what is missing."

"Cybers," Spinel Sun answered, nodding in agreement. "There aren't any outside."

"But there are people," Ruby Moon noticed, pointing to the observation deck. She flew in for a
closer look and came back. "They're being guarded by those coneheaded Cybers."

"We need to rescue those people before they get killed," Sakura said with the TV image of the
bodies playing in her mind.

"They're not the ones you should be worrying about, Cardmistress!" a malevolently lively voice
declared out of nowhere.

Everyone looked around, but the speaker was not in plain sight. "I know that voice," Kerberos said
with a growl.

Sakura clutched her Star Wand tightly. "Psycho."

The clown's bizarre laughter echoed around them. "Gold star for little Sakura! Not bad for a
cheerleader! By the way, nice outfit. Going for the Super Sakura look?"

"Show yourself!" Yue shouted angrily, clenching his fists.

"Show yourself, robot!" Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun joined in.

"Okay, but only because you people asked so nicely." The clown appeared above them in his main
form. He grinned at the sight of the Cardmistress and the four Guardians. "My, my, picking up the
unemployed Guardians, kiddo? Hey, Bird Boy!" he said, spotting Yue. "You look good. Those feathers
really look healthy. That Worm venom was probably a good thing after all."

Kerberos and Spinel Sun growled. Yue and Ruby Moon glared at the Master Cyber. "Where's
Eriol?" Ruby Moon demanded.

"What have you done with Eriol-kun?" Sakura asked hotly.

Psycho's grin got wider. "Oh, last time I checked, the User allowed him to live a little longer.
Right now, as far as I'm concerned, Mr. I-Was-Clow-Read-In-A-Previous-Life is probably pushing up
daisies."

"No!" Sakura cried. "Not Eriol-kun!"

"What are you doing in Tokyo?" Yue said, fighting the urge to fly up and attack.

"Oh, the usual stuff vacationing Cybers do. Looking around, seeing the sights, blowing them up,"
Psycho answered. "Oh, you know what I'm after. Just give me the Cards and Key and I might let you and
the other humans live."

"Never!" Sakura shouted defiantly. "I won't let you use my Cards and Key for evil!"

"Playing hard to get, huh?" Psycho brought up a Window and got Formatter Altron on it. "Delete
the hostages now!"

"No!" Sakura cried.

Formatter Altron gulped. "Um, I don't think that's a good idea, sir."

"What?" Psycho exclaimed. "Tell me why we can't waste the little fleshbags!"

"Because...because..." Formatter Altron fished for an answer. "Because if we kill the hostages
now, the Cardmistress and the Guardians will attack the tower and disable our command center. I feel the
humans are better suited for our purposes if they're still functioning."

Everyone watched as Psycho roared in frustration and smashed the Window. "Apparently, there
are a few bugs in the Cyber chain of command," Spinel Sun remarked as the falling shards disintegrated.

"Get out of our way!" Kerberos snarled at the clown. "After we rescue those people, I'm gonna rip
you apart, Laughing Boy."

"Oooooo, I'm so scared," Psycho said mockingly, wiggling his fingers in the air. "If you want to
get these people, you'll have to get past me and my friends."

"I think we can handle those guards," Ruby Moon said confidently.

"We'll defeat you and free those people," Sakura said with determination.

Psycho giggled, then broke out into a fit of laughter. "What's so funny, clown?" Yue demanded.

With a large grin, the evil clown looked at his enemies. "I wasn't referring to the Servers."

"Hoe?" Sakura said, puzzled.

Someone giggled next to Psycho. Everyone watched as Techno appeared next to the clown.
"You!" Spinel Sun exclaimed.

"Ah, good to see you again," Techno said, spotting Eriol's Guardians. His eyes laid on Sakura.
"So, you're the Cardmistress. I can't believe you defeated Psycho."

"Don't remind me," Psycho groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Ha!" Kerberos scoffed. "We still outnumber you!"

"Hmmmmmmmm...we should not underestimate them, Kerberos," Spinel Sun warned. "Techno
was able to overpower both Ruby Moon and myself, and the same happened when you and Yue battled
Psycho."

"We have learned from our mistakes," Yue said, keeping his gaze fixed on the two Masters. "We
can defeat these two."

"Better make that three!" Cracker appeared behind Psycho and waved his fist at Sakura and the
Guardians.

"A-a-another one?" Sakura gasped.

Cracker looked at Sakura. "You know, Psycho, I gotta agree with Techno. I can't believe this
shrimp was able to damage you badly."

"Humans are a fascinating species, Cracker." Hacker appeared next to Psycho with his arms
crossed and his cape flapping in the breeze. "Despite their weak flesh, they are capable of amazing things.
Do not underestimate them."

"That's a joke, Hacker," Cracker countered. "Humans are weak. The User said so, and you know
the User is supreme."

Sakura's mouth hung out at the sight of the Masters. "F-f-four?"

"Oooooo, the cherry blossom can count!" Psycho said, clapping his hands. "That's right, girlie.
Four Masters, four Megas, and we know how you people performed last time."

"We beat you once, and we can do it again!" Kerberos roared.

Techno giggled. "You got lucky last time. This time, the Masters of the Cyber World will wipe
you out!"

*Masters of the Cyber World?* Sakura thought, keeping her eye on the four powerful Cybers
hovering above.

"Get ready," Spinel Sun told the other Guardians.

"Sakura, stay behind us," Ruby Moon told the Cardmistress.

"Leave these monstrosities to us, Mistress," Yue said, keeping his gaze on Psycho. The Guardians
shielded Sakura with their bodies and readied themselves for a fight.

Psycho smiled wickedly. "Let's get ready to rumble!"