Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ The True Enchantment ❯ Barriers ( Chapter 7 )

The True Enchantment

A CCS fic

By: nikki hiiragizawa <nikki_hiiragizawa@rurouni.com>

Genre: angst/romance/supernatural

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Guess what? I received CCS for Christmas! Nah……it's still not mine….no need to rub it, okay.

Nikki: Another E/T fic, heheh. This is not a Christmas fic, although, it has a Christmas setting in it. Although there's too many CCS fics around, I hope you had time to read mine. Arigatou gozaimasu. Please read and review.

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Chapter 7: Barriers

Touya woke up and glanced around the room, dazed. He sat up when he realized that the room was unfamiliar. "Where am I?"

"At my house." Mihari Keiko came to sit beside him.

Touya moved a bit away from Keiko. "What am I doing here?"

Keiko gave a sigh. "I suppose you really don't remember."

"What don't I remember?" Touya frantically looked around when he found out he is wearing different clothes. "What happened?"

The black-haired girl laughed. "You don't remember, Touya? You slept here."

Sakura's older brother was shocked. "What do you mean? What am I doing here?"

Keiko moved on her knees and locked her eyes with Touya's "Surely, you don't want to think about it now, don't you?" Her amber eyes glinted a dangerous gold.

"I - don't want to…" Touya stammered. Something in Keiko's eyes made him dizzy.

"Right." Keiko said as he fell asleep again. "That hypnotism book was a great help," she murmured. "Poor Yukito."

~*~

"Sakura-chan!" Sakura looked back and saw Yukito hurrying towards her. "Oh Yukito-san, is something the matter?"

Yukito caught his breath and straightened. "I was worried about your brother. He called me last night and told me he can't come to school because he is not feeling well. How is he?"

"Onii-chan?" Sakura's eyebrows met. "But, Onii-chan did not come home yesterday." Yukito was caught in surprise. "He called us and said he'll be sleeping at your house."

"He did not sleep in our house," Yukito softly denied. Sakura's eyes began to water.

"Where is he? Don't tell me after Tomoyo he is……"

Yukito reached out to embrace Sakura. "No, Sakura-chan. I'm sure he can take care of himself." I hope, without his power, he can take care of himself, Yue whispered from inside Yukito.

~*~

Eriol spent the rest of the day hunting for Nikki. He needed to know more about Tomoyo. At last, he found her on the school deck, reading a novel. She closed her book as he approached her.

"Hi," she greeted, shielding her eyes from the noon sun as she looked up at him.

"We need to talk, Nikki-san." Eriol said as he ran his hands through his dark hair.

"About?"

"About Tomoyo-san." For a second, he thought he saw Nikki frown, but it was replaced by a blank stare.

"I told you, Hiiragizawa-kun, forget her."

"I just can't forget her."

"Why not?" Nikki dropped her book and stood up, the pages of her book carelessly ruffled by the wind. A sudden light snowstorm came pelting at them.

"Because - because I have to find her in time for Christmas. Her mom is really worried." Eriol looked away from Nikki's eyes.

"Oh, is that so?" the auburn-haired girl placed her hands on her hips. "You are just guilty of your crime that's why you want to find her."

"Well - that's part - of it," Eriol quickly admitted.

"Well, I got news for you buddy, I do not know anything so quit asking," Nikki snapped. Eriol was surprised at Nikki's sudden change of temperament. A few days ago, she was very genial and thoughtful.

Eriol stared at the girl. Nikki's hair became loose and was flowing violently with the wind. The Clow wizard approached her. "Nikki-san……"

"I'm sorry, I was just a bit upset." The girl sat down. "I mean, I'm worried about Tomoyo's loss, too. And I want to find her." She broke down to sobs.

"I'm sorry I brought it up," Eriol sat on the floor with her and hugged her tightly. "I just want to find her badly, too."

All of a sudden, Nikki looked up, accidentally pushed her mouth squarely against Eriol's. Both of them, wide-eyed, were unable to move, until Nikki closed her eyes.

"Master Eriol!" Nakuru came bouncing through the door. He saw Nikki and Eriol locked in a tight embrace, lips meeting.

"E -ri - ol," he repeated. Eriol quickly came out of his trance.

"Nakuru."

Nakuru's eyes were filled with warm tears. "I can't believe it! Daikirai!" he turned and slammed the door shut as he went out again.

"Nakuru - "

"Gomen nasai," Nikki said. "I didn't really intend to be carried away."

Eriol grasped her arm. "It's not your fault. Please forget about it." He went out the door and ran up to Nakuru.

"Gomen nasai, Eriol," Nikki whispered as she glanced at the closed door. "But it really is my fault."

~*~

"Really, Syaoran-kun, your girlfriend is a crackpot." Sayaka smirked as she followed Syaoran through his soccer routine.

"Don't ever describe Sakura as that!" Syaoran said, eyes glaring.

"Okay, okay." Sayaka held up her hands in defense. She flipped a lock of hair over her shoulder. "But really, maybe you don't show her how much you love her always, that's why she is always suspicious."

Syaoran stopped kicking soccer balls and turned to face her. "What do you mean?"

Sayaka let a laugh escape her. "What I mean is, you don't always hold her hand. Like this." She held Syaoran's hand and gave it a playful squeeze. "You understand?"

Syaoran nodded. "What else do I have to do?"

"Next, you have to always treat her like a lady, like opening doors, moving chairs."

Syaoran seemed to digest what she said. Sayaka stopped from her antics and turned to Syaoran, face serious.

"Nani?" Syaoran asked.

"You also - have to….." Sayaka moved closer, face blushing.

"What is it?"

"You also have to kiss her always, like this." Sayaka jumped and gave him a hug and a kiss at the same time.

Syaoran was petrified. He pulled her away, and saw Sakura standing by the soccer field. When Sakura saw him look at her, she turned and ran.

"Sakura…." He gritted his teeth and faced Sayaka, but somehow, she disappeared.

~*~

"Sakura-chan!" Sakura saw Eriol hurrying towards her. "Where are you going."

"Somewhere quiet," Sakura replied, avoiding Eriol's eyes so that he wouldn't see that she is crying.

"Why are you crying?" Sakura gasped as Eriol asked her. "Is it because of my descendant?"

Sakura slowly nodded. Eriol patted her shoulder.

"Forgive him, for whatever he did. The only thing we need to concentrate on is finding Tomoyo-san. If you fight now, it will make the enemy stronger."

"Arigatou, Eriol-kun." Sakura wiped her tears. As Eriol walked away, Sakura ran up to him.

"Anou, Eriol-kun,"

"Nani?"

Sakura raised a hand to catch the falling snowflakes. "If Tomoyo-chan comes back, will you tell her that - that you love her?"

Eriol smiled sadly. "I'll willingly die just to see her safe, Sakura - san."

"You really love her, don't you?"

"I love her more that my life. I hope I didn't realize it too late. It is my fault she is gone, and I have to find her no matter what." Eriol clenched his fist, and Sakura looked up and smiled at him.

"Let's go home."

Perched on the trees behind them, a red-haired female was watching them.

"No matter what I do, I'm still defeated," Kayama Nikki whispered. She wept silently.

"Damn you, Tomoyo," she murmured.

~*~

"Men are born stupid," Keiko quoted as she sat down beside Sayaka.

"Oh really? Who said that? If you tell me, I would worship him," Sayaka commented. "Oh, I heard Kinomoto Touya did not go to class today. Where did you take him?"

Keiko gave her friend an impish glance. "I locked him up in my room."

"You didn't," Sayaka said in disbelief.

"Yup. I did." Both of them giggled. Suddenly, they noticed Nikki was being quiet.

"Hey, Nikki-chan, why didn't you bring Madison with us tonight?" Keiko asked, murmuring Tomoyo's new name as if it's disease.

"I let her move around town," Nikki said. Both girls looked at each other, mystified at their friend's silence.

"What's wrong?" Sayaka asked, lying a hand on Nikki's shoulder.

"Nothing. I'm just nervous of what we're doing."

"You? Nervous? The one who started it? You must be joking." Keiko huffed.

Nikki kept silent. Why am I feeling this way? I'm supposed to enjoy because of our victory and I end up thinking we were wrong. Her mind was thinking ways of torturing the Pillar of Wind for depriving her of Eriol's love, but she does not have the heart to kill the girl Eriol had always loved. Instead of thinking about Tomoyo's death, she silently chanted a protection spell for Tomoyo.

~*~

Eriol, for the first time in weeks, decided to go downtown and visit bars. Evening lights shone invitingly to his eyes. He entered one noisy bar and sat on one inconspicuous sofa. He eyed the couples entering the bar, and thought of the fateful day he and Kaho separated.

Some of the girls looked at him and giggled, giving him coquettish glances. Eriol was used to this kind of flirting, and he just smiled at them, making them giggle like crazy.

However, at the corner of the bar, stood one woman who never even gave him a glance. She turned to his direction but did not meet his eye, and sat down on one of the sofas near him.

Having shoulder-length gray hair and black eyes, Eriol could not think of anyone he knew who looked like her but it feels like he had known her for a long time. He stood up and approached the girl.

"Anou, miss……"

The girl did not look up, even with his shy but forward greeting. "If you're thinking you could get me like those other girls, think twice." The young girl barely batted an eyelash as she warned him.

"I am not thinking of getting you laid, if that's what you mean," Eriol replied. The young girl looked up at him. "May I know your name?" he gallantly asked.

"Why do you want to know? I don't want to get laid anyway," she rolled her eyes and looked away.

Eriol smiled inwardly. This is one difficult girl. The other girls who were checking out Eriol a while ago were glaring at the girl's direction. If they were the girl, they'd practically jump on that handsome guy.

"I have met you somewhere before, and I did not catch your name," Eriol said, crossing his fingers behind him.

The girl glanced up at him and smiled. She decided to play with him. "It's Madison," she airily replied.

"Madison? Have you lived here for a long time?"

Madison paused as she sipped through her wineglass. "That's all I'm allowed to tell you."

Though Eriol smiled, inside, his mind was spinning. That voice, that scent, that look, he met it before. It is so familiar. He sat beside Madison. "I was just thinking, if we met before." He held out his hand. "I am Hiiragizawa Eriol."

For some reason, a faint blush appeared on Madison's cheeks, but it turned pale as suddenly as it appeared. "Nice meeting you," she flatly said.

"Do you come to this bar often?" Eriol asked, not taking his eyes off the girl.

"Not really. I usually stay at home," the girl absently replied. All of a sudden, she blinked and then closed her eyes firmly. It looks like she was struggling to say something, but could not say it. She opened her mouth, but no sound came.

"Are you all right?" Eriol asked, placing his hand over hers.

Their hands knew each other and both of them jerked at the sensation. Madison looked up at him with a look Eriol could only describe as terrified.

"You……" Madison tried to pull away, but Eriol held her firmly in his grasp.

"I know I know you from somewhere and for some reason I cannot remember." He scrutinized Madison's face. "Tell me, have we met before?"

"No," answered Madison with force. "I do not know you. So let me go."

"Madison," a boy with dark brown hair said. He approached Eriol and Madison. Eyeing Eriol suspiciously (Eriol was still gripping Madison's hand), he smiled at the girl.

"I'll meet you tomorrow at ten for the lessons. Promise me you'll come?"

Madison, in spite of being gripped tightly at the hand, smiled. She held up a pinky. "Yubikiri," she said. "I promise. Ten it is."

Eriol gripped her hand tightly. He heard that Yubikiri before. He heard it from…… Thinking quickly, he pressed Madison's waist with a finger.

"Ow!" Madison squealed. "It tickles you know!" She squirmed to let go, but Eriol doesn't want to let go. "What's wrong with you?"

"Just one more question, Madison," Eriol crooned. "What will happen to you if somebody did not keep his promise to you?"

"What kind of question is that? If you always treat women like this, you better stay at home, sir!" Madison cried. Wrenching her hand away from his grip, she stormed out of the bar.

Still, Eriol ran after her and he could swear that as she left the bar she said, "I'll sink down to the unending waters of life."

Tomoyo! his mind screamed. He ran to catch up to her but she seems to have disappeared. He lost sight of her because of the crowd and he cursed himself severely, For he, Eriol Hiiragizawa, had missed the chance to see Daidouji Tomoyo again.