Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Card Captor Sakura - Altered World ❯ Sakura and the Last Card ( Chapter 24 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Card Captor Sakura - Altered World

Notes: This fanfic is S+S, and has mature concepts. Read at your own risk. I'm poor; don't sue. I don't own CCS at all.

Chapter 21: Sakura and the Final Clow Card
The ground rumbled and leaves began to fall off the trees. Tomoyo gasped and fell onto the ground during the earthquake.

A large crevice appeared in the ground and sped towards the fallen Tomoyo. Sakura cried out. She ran to Tomoyo and lifted her away from the cracking ground. Syaoran ran beside them and warned, "It's coming!"

A large mound of dirt rose out of the ground and Cerberus cried out, "This is..."

Sakura stared in front of her, behind the mountain of dirt, Tokyo Tower stood tall.

The ground split apart, rumbling and creating a huge crevice. Around them large mounds of dirt rose out of the ground, almost randomly if it didn't surround them.

"This is the card, Earthy," finished Cerberus, and Syaoran bent closer towards the guardian beast.

Yukito ran towards them and asked concernedly, "Are you okay?"

Another mound of dirt rose beneath the trio, knocking them off their feet and making them cry out.

Catching Tomoyo, Yukito cried out, "Both of you all right?"

Sakura replied as Syaoran was shaking his head to focus, "We're all right!"

They cried out as the ground began to rumble and more protrusions of dirt emerged from surface.

Sakura stared at the mountain of dirt for a moment and then called in concern, "Mizuki-sensei!"

Sakura turned around and Kaho stood on the ground in a complete state of calm.

The cracks of the ground simply diminished around her until there was smooth ground from where she stood.

There is no danger from where she is standing, thought Sakura in shock.

Sakura stood up and wondered, "Why?"

Syaoran repeated her movement and answered, "Use magic."

"But in such a place-" Sakura was cut off by a scream as a man fell down from the rumbling of the ground. Around Tokyo, mountains of dirt had extended out from the ground, and roads, making it almost impossible to drive.

Sakura and Syaoran cried out again, as the ground began to tremble underneath their feet. Another mountain of dirt rose in between Yukito and Sakura.

"Sakura-chan!" called out Yukito, as Sakura no longer was visible to him and Tomoyo. Tomoyo called out again, "Sakura-chan!"

Cerberus commanded, "Use the key!"

"But Yukito-san," protested Sakura.

"Use the Sleep card!" advised Syaoran.

Sakura nodded and chanted, "O Key which hides the forces of darkness, reveal thy true form before me. I, Sakura, command thee under contract. Release!"

With her now transformed wand, she chanted, "Sleep!"

The sprite flew over Yukito, spreading its magical dust so that Yukito fell into a deep sleep. Tomoyo caught the sleeping man, so he would not collapse onto the ground. The sprite then glided above Kaho, and she stood still, the dust sprinkled on her but had no effect. The sprite finished flying around the shrine, making the many bystanders fall unconscious.

Sakura and Syaoran stared the standing teacher wonderingly until another tremor occurred creating another dirt mound as they tried to steady their balance.

"How do I stop the earthquake?" asked Sakura as the tremor began to fade.

"You've got to seal Earthy!" cried Cerberus.

"I have to do something! I've decided to capture all the cards," said Sakura determinedly. Syaoran stared at her. When have you become so strong? Or maybe you were strong and I never noticed.

Sakura turned to him. "I'll get into the air and I'll see what I can do. Li-kun, please take care of the others."

Syaoran nodded and said, "I've got that."

"Thanks." Sakura smiled mounted the wand. "Fly!" Two wings formed on the wand. "Here I go."

"Be." Syaoran strained. "Be careful."

Sakura nodded and launched into the air with Syaoran watching her diminishing form. Tomoyo said softly with her head raised to the sky, "Sakura-chan."

Mizuki Kaho approached Tomoyo. "She'll be okay because she is Kinomoto-san. No, because she is Sakura-chan."

Sakura flew above the shrine to survey the damage caused by Earthy. Many mountains of dirt now decorated the roads of Tokyo. "Is this all Earthy's work?"

Instead of answering, Cerberus called, "Sakura."

Sakura turned her head towards him and he continued, "Of all the scattered Clow Cards, Earthy is the last one."

Sakura said excitedly, "So if I get this one, all the Clow cards will be captured!"

Cerberus nodded grimly. "That's as far as the cards go."

Sakura turned towards him, and said questioningly, "Kero-chan?"

Before Cerberus could answer, a rumbling came from the ground below them. A mountain of dirt shot upwards. Sakura flew forward, dodging the dirt. Large crevices appeared in the road below them, and more mountains of dirt burst out of the ground.

"Ah! At this rate, all the roads and buildings will be destroyed!" cried Sakura, "Is this the disaster caused by unsealing the cards?"

"No! The disaster isn't something this ordinary!" answered Cerberus. "I told you at the beginning, it isn't something as simple as the earth exploding!"

"Then this is?"

"This is all the work of one card, Earthy." explained Cerberus.

"What should I do?"

"First look for its true form!"

Sakura landed on the rooftop of a nearby building and the wings on her staff disappeared. Behind her a roar was heard, as a serpent of earth burst out of one of the mountains of dirt.

"That's the true form of Earthy!" Cerberus yelled.

The magnificent beast stood still in front of her, and Sakura chanted, "Watery!"

The water dryad snared and flew menacingly towards the earth beast. It decapitated the beast, only for another head to grow.

"It went back to it old form!" Sakura cried out. The serpent lowered its head and charged. Sakura shielded her face and braced herself. Cerberus flew in front of his mistress protectively and exhaled fire. The beast roared in the mist of flames.

"You hit it!" cried Sakura happily. But balls of magma began to spurt out of the burning beast.

"HOOEEE!" cried Sakura, and Cerberus bit her wand and dragged her away from harm. "Thank you."

*****
Cerberus heaved on another rooftop.

"Kero-chan? Are you okay?" asked Sakura worriedly.

"Yeah, but Earthy can't be defeated by attack magic," stated Cerberus.

"What should I do?"

"You have to find a way to seal the last card by yourself."

"I... by myself..."

The earth serpent broke out of another mountain of dirt and began to slither forward.

"It's coming!" warned Sakura.

"Jump!" cried Sakura, springing of the rooftop to the ground. She bounced off the road, the last card trailing after her with little distance in between. Sakura's foot landed again and she sprang forth. What can I do to turn Earthy back to it's original form? Sakura leaped over a tree, back towards the shrine. Tomoyo waved her hand, and Syaoran and Kaho stood by. Yukito lay unconscious on a bench. There is no danger around Mizuki sensei after all. Kaho stared expressionlessly at her. Sakura leaped again and surveyed the area. "Eh!"

Cerberus asked hurriedly, "What is it?"

The trees did not fall.

Sakura landed on the ground and the serpent dove down at her. She quickly sprang away, leaving the serpent to burrow into the ground. Nothing is happening where the trees are. Sakura raised her wand. Could it be. Sakura landed and twisted back into the direction she was running away from.

Cerberus called out in surprise. "Sakura! What are you doing?"

"I'll try to catch this card," said Sakura in midair, with a card held in her hand.

"But if you use the wrong card-" protested Cerberus.

"Let me do it!" interrupted Sakura, "I've decided to capture all the cards and this is the last one!"

"Sakura." said Cerberus softly. He raised his hand upwards and shouted, "All right! I'm with you!"

Sakura landed in front of the surfacing beast. "Let's go Kero-chan!"

"Got it!" he answered as Sakura leap and he flew to follow her.

"O Tree. Become dense and come to my aid!" chanted Sakura, "Wood!"

The tree sprite emerged from the card and wrapped its branches around the beast, leaves springing from the captured card's magic. The beast roared as wood continued to coil around it.

Sakura landed and Cerberus wondered, "Did it work?"

Part of the beast cracked but it's wooden bonds refused to allow it movement.

"Now!" commanded Cerberus.

"Return to thy true form which thou should be! Clow Card!"

Brown tendrils gathered into the forming card. Behind the tendrils, there was a faint form of a figure. The figure disappeared and the card was fully formed.

"Earthy." said Sakura, holding the card in her between her fingers, "I did it!"

Sakura laughed happily and turned around her, seeing a glow. A translucent sphere encased Cerberus and Clow's magic circle formed underneath him.

"Kero-chan?" said Sakura confusedly.

Cerberus lay unconscious and an ethereal glow began to surround him. Two large white wings emerged from his back and encased him. Then there was a glow so bright that Sakura had to look away. The wings opened and a golden canine emerged from the light. He wore a gemmed headdress and collar. The beast on the Clow book.

"Wh. Who are you?" asked Sakura nervously, bringing her wand in front of her.

The beast facefaulted.

"It-it's me. Cerberus!" said Cerberus's true form in an Osaka accent and a deeper voice.

"Eh? Kero-chan? You mean this is your tru-true form?" stuttered Sakura.

"That's right," replied Cerberus, "Because you captured all the Clow Cards. Thanks Sakura."

Sakura smiled and crouched, gently placing her hands on his fur. "But this doesn't feel like Kero-chan. You look so much cooler."

"I wasn't in time," said Cerberus to Sakura's confusion, "If the last card had not been Earthy, I would have transformed sooner. I wasn't of help at all."

"Don't say that!" said Sakura hurriedly, "If Kero-chan wasn't with me, I wouldn't be able to capture Earthy! Because Kero-chan is always nearby, I was able to capture all the cards."

Sakura's expression fell and she said softly, "Besides, I was the one who scattered all the cards at the beginning..."

"Sakura..."

"Thanks Kero-chan," said Sakura with a smile.

Cerberus looked downwards, as if he was in shame, and said, "After this, there is one person left..."

Sakura blinked. "Hoe?"

Cerberus raised his head to the Tokyo Tower. The sky was dark and the moon was full.

"Yue..."

*****
"Tomoyo-chan!"

Tomoyo turned and laughed in relief. "Sakura-chan!"

Tomoyo and Syaoran ran towards the approaching Sakura.

"Are you okay?" asked Tomoyo. Sakura nodded.

Sakura raised her hand and spoke, "Look! The last card! All the cards have been captured!"

Tomoyo raised her camera and cried, "This is wonderful!"

Syaoran smiled slightly. So you have finally done it... but now, who will have all the cards? I have some but to whom should they really belong? He looked at her and sighed. I can't take them away from you. What should I do? I need the cards... but my true purpose was to prevent the disaster. I-I think I have forgotten it during my years of travel and with the need to prove myself. Has the disaster been prevented by this single girl? Then after all, the cards should belong to her. I have lost. I-I don't know what to do anymore. Maybe I should give her the cards like Dream told me. And then... He looked at Sakura and exhaled hard, trying to calm the rapid beating of his chest.

Sakura giggled uncertainly under the gaze of Tomoyo's camera. Tomoyo saw a wing, and then lowered her camera. "Oh? Who might that be?"

Syaoran and Tomoyo stared at the magical beast.

Cerberus facefaulted. "Not again..."
*****

The back door of a van was opened. Inside was like a closet?

"Hoe?" cried Sakura, dressed in a pink cap. A pink cape was wrapped around her shoulders, fastened by a yellow ribbon. Underneath the cap she wore a white long sleeved one piece. Underneath her waist, the cloth formed bell-shaped shorts.

"Why do I have to get changed?" complained Sakura, thought she was genuinely smiling at the gaze of the video camera lens.

"Today is the special day of the completion of the capture of the Clow Cards!" exclaimed Tomoyo, "When you do something special, you have to dress in something special for it."

Tomoyo continued without taking a breath, moving around to get angles, "This is a must for filming on a special day like this!"

Sakura sweatdropped. "And so you called the van over?"

"Of course!" cried Tomoyo.

Syaoran stepped out of the van, dressed in his ceremonial robes with a wondering expression on his face.

"On the way here, we stopped by Li-kun's house and used his spare key to bring his costume as well. Doormats aren't a very good place for hiding keys."

Tomoyo ran towards Syaoran and pushed him towards Sakura. "Now. Now. This a filming of the two who have all the Clow Cards."

Syaoran stared at the camera strangely as Sakura sighed. Sakura turned towards him and smiled. "But I'm glad that all the cards have been gathered."

Syaoran flushed and turned his head. "I guess so. And by the way, good job."

"Thanks," said Sakura, her smile growing wider.

"Sakura-chan's smile is so wonderful!" exclaimed Tomoyo.

"But..." Syaoran turned his head away. "Cerberus doesn't seem happy at all."

"Yeah," agreed Sakura, staring at Cerberus wonderingly, "Li-kun, do you know about Yue?"

Syaoran turned his head to her. "The other guardian of the Clow Cards."

Syaoran began to recite one of his texts, "The one who rules the Sun, Cerberus, the beast of the Seal, and the one who rules the Moon, Yue, the Judge. They are the ones Clow Read created to guard the Clow Cards. "

"What kind of things does the Judge determine?" wondered Sakura.

"I don't know," answered Syaoran. "As far as Yue goes, none of Clow's books have described the Judge in great detail." Sakura raised her hand to her chin in thought. "You have the book that stores the Clow Cards, right?"

Sakura nodded.

"The golden beast on the front cover is Cerberus. And the moon on the back cover is Yue."

Sakura blinked. "There is no moon on the back of the book."

Syaoran gasped in surprise. He rose his hand to his chin and thought. "Then, like Cerberus, Yue is probably obtained in a physical body too..."

There was a footstep and they turned to Mizuki Kaho.

"Oh right!" said Tomoyo, breaking Sakura out of her trance, "Have you written your name on the card?"

Sakura shook her head. "No, not yet."

"Then, please do this right away!" requested Tomoyo as she raised her camera.
Sakura raised the card and Cerberus stepped forward. "Sakura. After you write you name all the cards are sealed."

Sakura smiled and brought the point of her pencil down to the card.

Cerberus eyes' narrowed and said, "Sakura, I believe that you can accomplish anything."

"Kero-chan?"

Sakura's gaze swept past Cerberus, onto her home form teacher. Kaho looked strangely upset.

Syaoran asked, "What's wrong?"

Sakura gave a reassuring smile and replied, "Nothing. I'll write now."

Tomoyo continued filming and stopped at a simple realisation. "By the way, Sakura has some of the cards, while Li-kun has the rest."

Syaoran stared at Sakura's hand grimly.

"In this case, who is the real owner of the Clow Cards?" wondered Tomoyo.
Cerberus answered, "We'll know very soon, when he makes an appearance."

Tomoyo turned to Cerberus. "Eh?"

Sakura withdrew the pencil from the card and a gust of wind blew in the shrine, upsetting the fallen leaves.

Kaho spoke, "This is the Final Judgment."

Sakura raised her head in surprise.

The wind began to intensify and leaves began to be blown off their branches by the wind.

Behind Tokyo Tower, the moon illuminated the sky. Sakura stared at the scene in shock. Tomoyo and Cerberus stood still as the wind blew past them. Syaoran stood in front of Sakura protectively, in a stance for battle. Kaho stared expressionlessly at the sky. There was a blue glow from behind her a Yukito floated a feet above the bench he was lying upon. Syaoran gasped. The person that I... no we... both like...

"Yukito-san!" cried out Sakura.

Yukito's body floated away from the bench and Clow's magic circle appeared underneath him. Two grand white wings emerged from his body and encased him. Sakura could only stare confusedly at his body. The wings emerged and there now stood a being with silver hair and blue ice-like eyes. Syaoran stared fiercely at the now transformed Yukito.

"Who is it?" asked Sakura, finally able to speak.

The glow faded, and the being in the fine silver coat was completely visible. His hair was long and reached to the grounded, tied at the very end. A white cloth hung over his shoulder. He stared calmly, without expression. His arms were crossed, giving a feeling of detachedness.

"Yue," answered Cerberus.

Sakura trembled. "Yue?"

"We would love to have you as our mistress. But Yue will be the Final Judgement. Good luck to you."

"Yue!?"

"That is..."

"Umm... Yue is?"

"Yue is someone close to you."

Sakura stared at the expressionless man. "This is... Yue... Then where is Yukito?"

"Tsukishiro-kun was Yue," answered Kaho.

"Eh?"

Finally, Yue moved. His eyes flickered downwards and he spoke, "It has been a while, hasn't it, Cerberus?"

"I was careless," said Cerberus, "The guardians of the Clow Cards have to be near the owner of the cards. You've been close to Sakura for a long time, being the friend of her brother."

Cerberus continued, "Before you returned into your original form, you hid all the essence of your power. As Sakura and the brat gathered the cards one by one, I've regained my magic bit by bit. I surely sensed the aura of the moon. But..."

Cerberus turned to Kaho. "This onee-chan had such strong powers of the moon within her, so strong that I was deluded by it. Even if you hadn't hid your aura, I might not have been able to sense it."

Looking at Yue, he said, "Created alongside by Clow Read, as a pair, the other guardian of the Clow Cards... Yue, which means moon in Chinese..."

He turned back to the teacher and said, "Onee-chan, you knew about it too?"

"The few times I saw him at school were too brief for me to notice. But I was drawn to him during the archery competition. Yes, I knew," answered Kaho.

Sakura ran forward. "Wait a second. I don't get this at all. What is all this?"

Yue glided forward. "The same as Cerberus. Without enough magic, I cannot regain my original shape."

Tomoyo said, "Then Tsukishiro-san..."

"Is the false form of the other guardian?" finished Syaoran.

Yue leaned his face towards Sakura, bringing a hand under her chin. Staring into her eyes, he said, "This is the first time I've seen you in this form. The candidate chose by Cerberus the Appointer, as Mistress of the Clow Cards."

"Yukito-san..." Sakura cried out softly. His eyes are so cold comparing to the warmth of Yukito-san's...

Yue raised his head. "But there is another who has obtained Clow Cards." He released Sakura.

Syaoran frowned and gritted his teeth, readying into a stance.

"Unable to gather all the Clow Cards by one person, the Final Judgement is pointless," stated Yue icily.

Syaoran withdrew from his stance.

Cerberus argued calmly, "That is not true. I believe Sakura can accomplish anything."

Yue's eyes flickered towards Cerberus. "You are overly optimistic as ever."

"You too, as bad-tempered as ever," countered Cerberus emotionlessly.

Yue stared at the trembling Sakura, "Then we shall begin..." His eyes narrowed. "The Final Judgement."

Yue flew upwards, floating in front of the moon.

"What is going on?" cried Sakura, "The cards are all captured, right? Doesn't that stop the disaster from happening already? What's this Final Judgement all about?"

"That is..." said Cerberus, looking at Yue.

Yue interrupted, "First..."

Syaoran stiffened and his eyes became dilated. He began to float upwards.

Sakura spun around. "Li- Ah!"

Syaoran floated closer towards Yue.

"Watch out! Li-kun!"

Syaoran landed on a rooftop and Yue flew in front to face him. Syaoran's eyes focused. He looked around him in bewilderment and then stared at the being in front of him.

"I, Yue the Judge, shall conduct the Final Judgement," announced Yukito's true form.

Syaoran quickly twisted his body and readied himself, one hand ready in a stance, another on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw . Yue raised his hand and a blue glow appeared. "With all the cards you have, defeat me." The glow solidified into crystals and Syaoran's eyes widened.

A multitude of shards appeared and Syaoran braced himself. A shard hit him and he lost balance, sliding off the roof.

"LI-KUN!" cried out Sakura and ran forward, striking an invisible barrier. She struck it with her fists and asked angrily, "What is this?!"

Cerberus approached her from behind and spoke, "No one can interfere with the Final Judgement."

Sakura's eyes widened. "It can't be."
*****
"God of Fire, descend!" chanted Syaoran, making a large burst of flame emit from the ofuda.

"Did it work?" wondered Syaoran, as Yue was swallowed by the flames. Syaoran gasped as Yue emerged with not even a single hair scorched.

With a hand at his waist, Yue stated, "Things such as that cannot defeat me."

"Damn it." Syaoran lowered his sword and raised another ofuda. "Wind."

Yue closed his eyes and uttered, "Useless!"

Yue brought up his arm, upper cutting Syaoran. Yue landed another blow. Syaoran cried out in pain as Yue glided gracefully past him.

Yue rose a hand and more shards flew towards Syaoran, striking him. Syaoran cried out and collapsed on the rooftop of the shrine. He pushed up on his sword and stood upwards.

Yue spoke again, "It surprises me that you can gather some of the cards with such a level of power."

Syaoran threw a card and pressed the point of his sword against it, yelling, "Time!"

Everything turned to the colour of gold as time froze. Syaoran looked upwards, not finding Yue. "Where?" Syaoran looked side to side in confusion.

"Time is a card that serves under me," said Yue from behind him. Syaoran's eyes widened. Soon a shade of gold passed over him.

"This is the end," state Yue. Syaoran screamed.

*****
Syaoran's body appeared in front of Sakura, and then it collapsed.

"Li-kun!" cried Sakura. Cerberus called, "Kozou!"

"Li-kun! Li-kun!" cried Sakura, continuing to shake him as Tomoyo ran over.
Syaoran struggled upwards and spoke, "All my cards were taken."

He wavered slightly. "Li-kun."

Syaoran struggled with his words, "Be careful. He is really... powerful."

"Next is the proper candidate," Yue coldly proclaimed.

Sakura gasped and her pupils dilated. Tomoyo cried out, "Sakura-chan!"

She floated upwards to a familiar building. The wind blew. Sakura eye's widened at the nostalgic sight. Tokyo Tower. The Moon. And now the winged figure, Yue.

Cherry blossoms flew around Tokyo Tower. A coated figure stood near Tokyo tower. Sakura stared at the Tokyo Tower in front of her. Cerberus was at her side. A large wing, its feathers swaying gently in the wind. An lidded eye opened, revealing amber eyes.

It's the same. The same as the dream. Sakura stared at the ominous moon.

Yue incanted with his eyes closed, "O Cards created by Clow, there is one who desires to be worthy of becoming your mistress."

Yue opened his eyes, as Sakura stared. "A girl chosen by Cerberus the Appointer, named Sakura."

The gem on Sakura's sealing wand glowed, emitting rays of light. Her entire wand radiated a faint pink.

"To find if this girl truly qualifies to become out Mistress, I, Yue the Judge, shall conduct the Final Judgement."

"The Final Judgement...?" wondered Sakura, her face highlighted by the glowing of her wand.

Rays of light emitted from the wand, as Sakura stood in front of Tokyo Tower.

The moon continued to give its ethereal light.
*****
Author's Notes: Page: sleepdeprived.cjb.net
I'd like to point out that a commonly made mistake in fanfiction that Syaoran's true purpose was to prevent the disaster.
Cheesepuff! You're so cute! Not signing in and writing (Signed Review) beside your name. ^_^
Ashley-chan, I knew I couldn't really do anything last chapter. I want honest opinions so don't apologize for you review, and I'm glad you wrote how you felt yet were concerned about my feelings. But the problem with writing Altered is that, many episodes are pivotal episodes in CCS, and it would break the continuity of the story if I did not include it. And no S&S? 0.0, I added Syaoran's feeling of wanting to kiss Sakura and getting scared. No jealousy? The reason why Syaoran doesn't really get jealous of Yukito, because I think he accepts that Sakura does love Yukito. Besides, he also trusts that Yukito would be good for her, unlike Eriol, who is just a newcomer he knows nothing about. Just my views seen through the Sakura Arc. Besides, I think no jealousy is a display of Syaoran maturing in understanding between the relationship of Yukito and Sakura. Syaoran is much more mature in his love for Sakura than his confused admiration for Yukito. Boy that was long, *cough* I must be reading too much psychological manga, and watching too much psychological anime.
Little talk about S&S. I know I already went through it but the point of why I don't like to include so much romance like other fics because I don't want a cheesy rushed romance. I like to sit down and develop and develop. Another thing is that I really can't write romance based on my own relationships, previous and current, because I had none due to my ice queen image. ^_^' I would be confused on how to write if I didn't read so much shoujo manga and fanfics. Besides, the romance is nowhere near completely developed yet. So for you romance addicts, please wait till I get to the Sakura Arc.
Hmm. no one noticed the forum I added to the page. ^_^, It's for discussing Altered with me and general questions. I may ask for opinions once in a while. But do ask spoiler related questions there or email me since I don't want to ruin it for other readers. Find the forum on the page. And remember, you are always free to ask me any kind of question relating to Altered, because it is my duty as your author to answer. ^_^
And people, thank you very much for reviewing. It tells me at least how much people are reading. I'm not sure if I should trust the amount on my author alert so I base the amount of readers I have by the 6/7 of you who review. ^_^
Ah sorry, I didn't noticed the format I saved the last chapter in killed my parentheses. All my triple periods singled to one. =( Stupid autoformat of Word.
Whew, look at all those notes; what am I trying to do, write an essay?