Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ The Funhouse ❯ Send in the Clown ( Chapter 2 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

HA: Before I resume the story, I'd like to thank Sakura Akane Saotome for pointing out grammatical errors while she proofread my story. I forgot to mention it in the first section. My bad.

The Funhouse
Chapter Two: Send in the Clown

The next day, Yukito's disappearance was discovered and a police investigation was launched. They studied the crime scene, but did not have any leads and ignored the various reports about seeing ghosts and angels fighting in the area, which they attributed to overactive imaginations and too much beer or sake. They were still trying to figure out the hole in the ceiling, but all they could conclude was that a fight occurred.

At the Kinomoto household, the news left a depressing feeling with everyone. Touya banged his fist on the dining table. "I should've gone with him. If I did, he'd still be safe."

Despite running late, Sakura ate her food slowly. She was amazed she could eat. Her friend and Moon Guardian had been kidnapped. She was sure Yukito changed into Yue and fought back, but it was to no avail. She looked at Touya, knowing how Yukito's disappearance affected him. She felt her brother's frustration and anger. *Please be okay, Yukito-san. Not for only my sake, but for oniichan's too.*

Fujitaka tried to reassure his children. "Don't worry. The police will find him."

Touya bowed his head, not convinced. Sakura got up from the table. "I'm not hungry anymore," she said, leaving to fetch her rollerblades.

* * * * *

After school, Sakura tried her best at cheerleading club, but her heart was not into it. Everyone else noticed her lack of energy and asked what was wrong. They knew, though.

*How could someone defeat Yue-san?* Sakura thought as she tried to keep up with the other cheerleaders as they waved their pompoms and cheered. She knew Yue was powerful from experience. Before becoming her Guardian, Yue was the Judge who determined whether or not the possessor of the Clow Cards was worthy to be their master. She had trouble defeating him on her own, but with the help of Mizuki Kaho and her Moon Bell, her wand was transformed into the Star Wand and her power was increased. With this and the love of the Cards, she defeated Yue and he agreed to serve her. It probably did not hurt for her to say she wanted to be his friend too.

Still worried about her friend, Sakura tossed one of her pom-poms out of her hand. It flew towards the thick group of trees next to the school.

"I'll get it!" Sakura cried out, running towards the trees. She started searching for the pompom, but could not see it on the ground or in one of the trees.

"Do you believe in angels, Cardmistress?" a voice asked from above.

Sakura looked up, startled. "Hoe?"

A gaunt man crouched on a branch above her. He held her pompom. Sakura stared at him. He was dressed in a clown's costume, with a fool's cap and long shoes with curved, pointy toes. Before Sakura could say anything, he leapt out of his branch and landed before her. As he got up, Sakura gasped. His face seemed normal for a clown: whiteface with eye makeup, red lips, and nose. Large, white gloves covered his hands. He was not dressed as an ordinary clown. Skulls hung from the tips of the fool's cap. Instead of cheerful colors, he wore white and gray with skulls.

"Well, do you believe in angels?" he asked again, gazing at Sakura with ice-blue eyes.

Sakura regained her composure. "W-w-what do you mean?"

The clown grinned, showing his large, white teeth. "Oh, you know, angels. Winged creatures, man-like, long white hair, very bad attitude..." He grinned. "Maybe a visual aid will help." He made an image of Yue appear in the palm of his hand.

Sakura gasped at the sight. "You! You took Yukito-san!"

"Oh, that's his false name?" the clown asked with mock wonderment, making the image of Yue disappear. "Funny, he didn't mention that."

"What have you done with him?" Sakura demanded. "What have you done with Yue-san?"

"You mean besides the poison in his system that's slowly killing him?" the clown mentioned. "Nothing yet."

"Poison?" Sakura's eyes flew wide open. *Yue-san's too powerful to succumb to poison! But if he managed to capture him...* She reached instinctively for something around her neck, but she realized it was not there.

The clown let out what sounded to Sakura the strangest laugh she ever heard. "Oh, the Star Key, right?" he said with a grin. "You left it at home, didn't you?"

Sakura gulped and tried to stay calm.

"And you left your little deck of Clow Cards with it, too." The clown looked thoughtful. "Correction: Sakura Cards."

Sakura stepped back. "How do you know about the Cards?"

The clown let out another bizarre laugh. "I know everything. Clow Read, the Key, the Cards, your two Guardians," he said, smirking. "I know who you are, Sakura Kinomoto."

Sakura looked at him nervously. "Who are you?"

"Just call me...Psycho," he answered, bowing a little.

"Psycho?" Sakura repeated.

"That's my name. Don't wear it out, kiddo," Psycho said with a grin before unleashing another fit of laughter.

"What do you want?"

Psycho chuckled. "Why, your Key and Cards, little girl."

"But I don't have them with me."

Psycho laughed. "Then you'll have to bring them to Tomoeda Yuuen."

"Tomoeda Yuuen?" Sakura wondered.

"That's right," Psycho answered. "If you don't bring them there, your Moon Guardian dies."

*No!* Sakura thought. Her mind came up with evil things the clown could do with the Sakura Cards. She thought only she could control them, but something about him bothered her. *He could find a way to control them. I'm sure he'll use them for evil, but I can't risk Yue-san's life.*

"Well?" Psycho asked impatiently.

Sakura swallowed. "I'll do it. I'll bring you the Sakura Cards and the Star Key. For Yue-san and Yukito-san."

Psycho smiled evilly. "Well, that wasn't so hard, was it?" He leaned forward so Sakura could see his ice-blue eyes. "Bring them to Tomoeda Yuuen around, oh say, midnight."

Sakura met his gaze. "I'll be there," she said in a resigned tone.

Psycho stood back up. "Oh, and come alone. Don't bring that other guardian of yours. If I see someone with you, Angel Boy dies. Got it?"

Sakura nodded silently. *What choice do I have? I have to save Yue-san.*

"Good girl." Psycho tossed Sakura's pompom back at her, who caught it with ease. "Now run along and be a happy little bimbo-in-training. You gotta practice jumping around and shouting stupid cheers." He left Sakura while laughing loudly.

As Sakura returned to cheerleading club with her pompom, she failed to notice a dark-haired girl hiding behind another tree. Tomoyo watched her friend with concern. She had followed her, worried over her sadness over Yukito's disappearance. She stepped out and followed the path the clown had taken. Rounding a corner, she found no one. Puzzled, she went back to watch Sakura practice. *Sakura-chan, what have you gotten yourself into?* she thought as she watched her best friend try her best to look lively.

* * * * *

In a dark chamber, Yue was chained to the wall. The Worm was still wrapped around him tightly. Despite it being asleep, Yue could not get it off him. The Worm's venom affected the Moon Guardian greatly. He suffered from frequent seizures and was paler than usual. He was surprised at these reactions. *I am a creation of Clow Read's magic. Poison can't affect me.*

"Awwwwwwww, enjoying your stay?"

Psycho appeared before Yue, much to his anger. He glared at his captor. "Come to gloat some more?"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Psycho said, grinning. "Aren't we in a bad mood? What's wrong? Hanging around too much for you?"

Yue snarled. "If I were free..." His speech was interrupted by a seizure.

"Gotta love that Worm venom. Guaranteed to affect even the most powerful magical beings." Psycho laughed. "News flash, Bird Boy. You aren't free. Anyway, I'm not here to gloat. I'm here to deliver some news."

Yue's seizure wore off. "What news?"

Psycho flashed his evil grin. "Your mistress agreed to surrender her Cards and Key in exchange for you."

Yue's eyes widened with surprise. "What? She can't!"

"But she is. She's coming around midnight." Psycho approached the captured Moon Guardian. "Alone, I might add. Can't have the other guy spoil my fun."

Yue tried to struggle out of his bonds, but the Worm, still asleep, tightened its grip. It almost woke up, but it submitted to sleep.

"Naughty, naughty," Psycho said, wagging his finger. "One more bite and it's bye bye birdie. We wouldn't want little Sakura to find her friend dead, now would we?"

"You told me yourself this venom will kill me eventually," Yue reminded the clown. "I could be dead when she comes."

Psycho giggled. "True, but she doesn't have to know that. You're lucky you were bitten in your true form. If you were in your false shape, you'd be another body for the coroner to cut up for an autopsy."

"She wouldn't agree to your demands," Yue said defiantly.

Psycho laughed a little. "But she did. After all, you're her friend. She'll do anything for you." He paused, then grinned. "Of course, she's probably more worried about that other form of yours."

"My mistress cares deeply for both of us," Yue observed.

"Lovely. Then she won't know what'll hit her." An evil gleam appeared in Psycho's eyes.

Psycho got ready to leave. "What do you mean by that?" Yue demanded. "Who are you? Why do you want the Key and Cards?"

Psycho turned around. "Can you keep a secret?"

Yue stared at the clown coldly. He did not respond.

"Hmph, you're no fun," Psycho said, upset Yue did not fall into that old joke. "Well, sleep tight. Don't let the Worm bite."

Yue watched as Psycho broke out into another fit of maniacal laughter before disappearing. His seizures broke out again. The Worm stirred a little, but it thankfully returned to its slumber. Yue felt the seizures fading. Knowing he could do nothing to help Sakura, Yue gave in to sleep, hoping his mistress would be able to handle what Psycho had planned for her.