Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ The Funhouse ❯ End of the Line ( Chapter 9 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

The Funhouse
Chapter 9: End of the Line

Kerberos and the others were still grounded by Controller's Vertigo Wave. They groaned under the overstimulation of light and sound. "Well, I'm sure destroying you will earn me a promotion from my Master," Controller bragged. "I like the sound of 'Supervisor Controller under Master Psycho.'"

"Good for you," Kerberos grumbled, closing his eyes. The visual distortions plagued him no more.

Controller kept bragging. "Maybe when I assist in bringing the Sakura Cards and Star Key to the User, I'll be made a Commander. Perhaps even upgraded all the way to Mega Class and made a Master. That'll be quite an upgrade, don't you think?"

*Yeah, yeah, yeah.* Kerberos lifted his head and kept his eyes closed. He steadied himself and did his best to ignore the disruptive sounds.

"Oh well, time to die." Controller got ready to launch the energy ball.

"Got that right," Kerberos said. Following the sound of Controller's voice, he let loose with a powerful fire blast. Before Controller could react, he was hit. The blast was so powerful it knocked him into the entrance and he broke through the face's teeth. Kerberos heard a small explosion inside.

"That'll shut him up," Kerberos said, opening his eyes.

Touya opened his eyes. "Got him?"

Kerberos looked at the gaping hole in the face's teeth. "It's a good bet."

Tomoyo held her head and steadied herself. "Ohhhhhhh..."

"Are you all right, Tomoyo?" Kerberos asked as they got up.

"I'm fine." Tomoyo showed her video camera. "Good thing it's shatterproof. Otherwise, I would've lost all that great footage and I wouldn't be able to film Sakura-chan in her new battle costume."

Both Kerberos and Touya sweatdropped. Their mouths dropped open. They tittered a bit but kept their balance.

"Let's get going," Kerberos said, looking at the now-opened entrance. "Hop on. We're flying in." Once his passengers were on board, he flew into the Funhouse.

* * * * *

After knocking down Ghosts and Shades in the Mirror Maze, Sakura made it to another clown face entrance. The mouth opened and she ran in. She found herself in a large chamber. She spotted someone chained to the wall.

"Yue-san!" Sakura shouted, recognizing her Moon Guardian and friend.

Yue lifted his head. "Mistress?"

Sakura ran towards Yue. Despite the Moon Guardian's paler-than-usual skin, she was happy her friend was still alive. "Yue-san!"

"Mistress, no! Keep away!"

Sakura failed to heed Yue's warning. Within a few centimeters, the Worm leaped off Yue for Sakura, its fangs out and ready to strike. Sakura came to a screeching halt once she saw the robot cobra.

Sakura heard laughter from her right. "Gotta watch it, kiddo. My Worm has a nasty temper. You really don't want to get bitten."

Sakura turned to her right and Psycho and Commander Shade appeared. A mechanical bird was perched on the clown's shoulder.

"I must confess, I'm surprised you made it here," Psycho said. "I expected the Time Bombs or my Nightmare Illusion and Servers to finish you off."

"Let Yue-san go!" Sakura demanded.

Psycho wagged his finger. "Cards and Key first, Cardmistress." He held out his hand. "If you please."

Sakura clutched the Star Wand to her chest. She gave the clown a "You'll have to take them from me" glare.

"You want to fight?" Psycho asked. "Fine, but if we do, you'll waste time your friend doesn't have," he mentioned, pointing to the weak Yue.

Sakura looked at Yue. After a moment of hesitation, she turned the Star Wand into the Star Key and reached into her pocket. She pulled out the deck of Sakura Cards.

"Don't do it, mistress!" Yue shouted before another seizure overtook his body.

Sakura watched in horror as her friend suffered through the seizure. "Yue-san!"

"The Cards and Key, Cardmistress!" Psycho ordered. "Otherwise, the Avenging Angel expires right here. Worm venom is very poisonous. Believe me, your winged friend here's been having seizures all night long. You want me to give him the cure, hand over the merchandise."

Yue's seizure went away. "Don't give him..." he said weakly before bowing his head.

"Yue-san!" Sakura wanted to run to her friend, but the Worm blocked her path. It hissed at her, daring her to come closer and receive a poisonous bite.

"Give me the Cards and Key, little girl!" Psycho said. "Time's running out on your friend there. Do you want him to die so horribly?"

"N-no," Sakura said hesitantly, shaking her head.

Psycho stepped closer to Sakura and held out his hand. "What is more important to you, a deck of cards and a tiny key or your friend's life?"

*They're all important to me,* Sakura thought. She looked at the person who was not just her Moon Guardian, but a good friend as well. *I can't give the Sakura Cards and Star Key to this evil clown, but Yue-san...*

"Well?" Psycho asked impatiently.

Sakura closed her eyes. "Forgive me, Clow-san, Eriol-kun." She stretched out her hand with the Sakura Cards and Star Key. Grinning evilly, Psycho snatched them out of her hand.

Yue looked up. "Mistress, no..."

Psycho broke out into insane laughter. "Yes! The legendary creations of Clow Read are mine!" he gloated, looking through the Cards. "Hey, I got the complete set!"

Sakura bowed her head, unwilling to face anyone. "You have what you wanted. Now release Yue-san."

Psycho smiled. "A deal's a deal." He waved his hand, and Yue disappeared from his bonds. He appeared in front of Sakura, lying on the floor.

"Yue-san!" Sakura cried, kneeling next to her friend. She gave him a big hug. "Daijobu?"

Yue attempted a smile. "Mistress, you shouldn't have given him the Cards and the Key."

"I had to, Yue-san," Sakura said. "I couldn't let you die."

Hearing that, Psycho broke out into another fit of laughter.

Sakura glared at the clown. "What's so funny?"

Psycho gave her an evil grin. "Oh, just the fact he'll be dead soon."

Sakura's eyes widened in shock. "Hoe?"

The evil clown giggled. "You see, while you were getting through the Funhouse, the Worm venom made his condition worse. Plus, I lied. There is no cure."

"Hoe?!!" Sakura did not want to believe it. She felt a knife stab into her heart. "No, Yue-san can't die! All I went through..." Tears welled in her eyes. "All I went through..."

"Was for diddlysquat, Cardmistress," Psycho finished, digging the knife into Sakura's heart even deeper. She saw the tears fall down her face. "Look on the bright side, kiddo. At least you get to spend some time together before he expires."

Sakura said nothing. All she did was cry and hold Yue's head up.

"Aw well, time to make sure these Cards and Key serve our purpose." Psycho handed them to the bird, who opened its beak to receive them. "Scanner, do your thing."

The bird flew off to a nearby platform. Placing the items before it, it shot out a light beam on the Star Key. After a moment, it aimed the beam at the deck of Sakura Cards.

"This will take a while," Psycho commented, turning his attention to Scanner. "After all, Clow Read was one of the world's most powerful magicians."

Sakura watched Scanner and the Cards. "What are you doing to them?"

Psycho turned to Sakura. "Oh, something that's none of your business." He grinned evilly. "In fact, now that I have what I wanted, I don't need you anymore." His finger started to crackle with electricity. "I believe 'Sayonara' is the appropriate word for this occasion. Or is it 'Sarabada'?" He pointed at Sakura. "Oh, whatever. Joy Buzzer!"

A bolt of electricity shot out of the clown's finger and flew at Sakura. Despite his weaken state, Yue shoved his mistress out of the way. Sakura rolled back and watched as Yue took the full brunt of the Joy Buzzer.

"Yue-san!" Sakura shouted.

Yue screamed as electricity coursed through his system. He fell back, smoke coming from his body.

"Oooo, fried chicken." Psycho grinned. "Bad move, Birdboy. You just accelerated the venom's progress. Now you'll die in a few minutes, maybe even seconds."

"Yue-san!" Sakura ran to her friend. "Why, Yue-san?" she asked with tears streaming down her face. She wiped her face. "Why?"

Yue looked at her. "Because...you're my mistress...and...my friend..." Then he felt another seizure coming. His body convulsed at a faster rate than before, then started to fade in and fade out.

"Yue-san!" Sakura shouted, hugging him.

"Looks like I don't get to stuff him after all," Psycho remarked, watching everything with evil glee. "Aw, how noble, how honorable..." He pointed his finger at Sakura. "How futile!" His finger started to charge up. "Time to join your mother, Cardmistress." He smiled as the spark of electricity grew larger.

A blast of fire blew open the door, and Kerberos flew in with Tomoyo and Touya. He landed next to Sakura. "Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo cried out as she got off. "Daijobu?"

Sakura was surprised, but pleased. "Kerberos! Tomoyo-chan! I'm fine, but Yue-san..." She was really surprised when she saw Touya. "Oniichan? What are you doing here?"

"Someone had to make sure you were okay, kaiiju," Touya answered with a little grin.

Sakura smiled, then gave her brother a big hug. Touya patted her head. "Oniichan, Yue's dying, and I can't do anything about it."

Kerberos looked at his fellow Guardian. "He doesn't look very good."

"What happened to him?" Tomoyo asked.

"Psycho poisoned him, and there's no cure," Sakura revealed.

Touya bristled when he heard this. "Yuki," he whispered.

"The Sun Guardian? Alive?" Psycho powered down, then glared at Commander Shade. "Commander..."

Commander Shade gulped. "They must have defeated Controller, Master."

"No duh, Sherlock!" Psycho slapped the Commander, then snarled at Sakura and her friends. "Correct this little mistake now!" he ordered his spinning underling.

"Yes, Master!" Commander Shade stopped spinning, then charged the reunited group with the Worm slithering behind him.

Commander Shade pointed both arms at Sakura. "Shadow Spike!" he shouted, firing two dark spikes.

Kerberos leapt forward and used his wings as a shield. The spikes hit them, releasing a large dark cloud.

"I can't get a good shot!" Tomoyo cried out.

Sakura heard a hiss somewhere in the cloud.

"The...the Worm..." Yue managed to say.

The hissing grew louder, and the Worm lunged at Sakura. Before it could bite her, Touya grabbed it by the throat and lunged at it. Both of them tumbled out of the dark cloud, struggling for supremacy. "Oniichan!" Sakura cried out.

The dark cloud faded away. Commander Shade glared at Kerberos. "You destroyed my Servers! You will die for that! Darksaber!" A beam blade shot out of his arm. He swung it at Kerberos, who avoided it in time. Kerberos let out a fireball, but the Commander dodged it.

Now standing, Touya continued to fight the Worm, which was trying to wrap itself around him. It seemed happy for a new victim. Touya tightened his grip on the snake's throat. It gasped, and that moment of weakness enabled him to grab it and whip it on the floor. The Worm went limp. Angry for the dying Yue, he brought his foot down hard on the robot's head. It shattered immediately, and Touya watched as its body disintegrated.

This did not escape Psycho. "Uh oh."

To Sakura's surprise, Yue stopped fading in and out. His seizures stopped. His skin started returning to normal. "Hoe?"

"It seems I'm getting better," Yue remarked, getting stronger.

"But how...?" Sakura wondered.

"Touya-san smashed the snake," Tomoyo pointed out. "I guess that's where the poison came from."

"You are correct," Yue said, rising. "Destroying the Worm must have eliminated the poison in my body."

"Yue-san!" Sakura shouted happily. "You're all right."

Yue saw Kerberos and Commander Shade fighting. The Commander dodged another fireball. "Shadow Spike!" he shouted, firing one from his free arm. It hit Kerberos in the face, blinding him. "Die, Guardian!" the Commander shouted, readying for the killing blow.

Before he could bring down his blade on Kerberos's head, Yue fired a small wind at him. It hit, causing the Commander to spin in place uncontrollably. "Now, Kerberos!" Yue shouted.

Recovering his sight, Kerberos unleashed a powerful fire blast at his helpless enemy. Commander Shade was engulfed in fire and was vaporized immediately.

"Sugoi, Kerberos!" Tomoyo cried out, taping everything. Kerberos posed for the camera.

"Good to have you back, Yue. I think," Kerberos said with a grin.

Yue did not crack a smile. He gave Psycho a cold look. "Looks like you're alone, clown."

Psycho grinned. "My, my. Someone gets better so suddenly and he thinks he can take on the whole world." His finger crackled with electricity, then fired a Joy Buzzer at Yue.

The Moon Guardian held up his hand and blocked the blast. "My turn." He reacted with his crystal shot, hitting Psycho in the chest. The clown was sent flying into the wall. The impact was so hard it caused a cave-in in the area. Soon, Psycho was buried under a large pile of rubble.

"Looks like I'm back after all," Yue remarked. He aimed at Scanner and blasted the bird. With a shriek, it vaporized.

Sakura looked at where Psycho was buried. "Yue-san, how could you?"

"He was evil and he tried to harm you, mistress," Yue said.

"Gotta agree with him there, Sakura," Kerberos said.

"But he could've told us why he needed the Cards and Key," Sakura said.

"Well, we'll never know now," Touya said.

Yue looked at the rubble. "I didn't know that would happen," he admitted.

Tomoyo went to her best friend and gave her a hug. "I'm so happy you're safe, Sakura-chan."

"Me too, Tomoyo-chan," Sakura said. "How did you know I would be here?"

Letting go, Tomoyo smiled. "I'll tell you later." She dug into her camera bag. "I brought you something special, but I don't think we'll need it." She pulled out a battle costume. "I made it a while ago. I was so excited you'd be back in action."

Sakura sweatdropped. "I don't think I'll be going back into action any time soon, Tomoyo-chan."

"Better get your Cards and Key back, Sakura," Kerberos recommended.

Sakura nodded and was about to do so when the rubble exploded.

"Nani?" Touya exclaimed.

"Hoe?" Sakura said, shocked.

A shape appeared above the rubble. The fool's cap was easily made out. The laugh was unmistakable. The eyes were different. Instead of blue, they shone an evil-looking red. "Here's Psycho!" he said, raising his arms.

Tomoyo replaced a tape and resumed filming. "But how...?"

"That's impossible," Kerberos said. "No one could've survived that."

"No one human, that is," Yue said grimly.

The clown made himself visible, earning astonished stares from all present. "Okay, now I'm ticked off!"