Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Cardcaptors: Clow Reed's Mistake ❯ Cardcaptors: Back to Normal?-Ch.8 ( Chapter 8 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Maurynna 
Anime/Manga: Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Fantasy | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 08.31.2001 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.4K | Visits: 266 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Fantasy | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 08.31.2001 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.4K | Visits: 266 | Status: Work In Progress
By Maurynna
Author's Note: Ok,.....let's see how this goes, ^_^. I have an idea of how I'm going to start this chapter, but not much else. I guess you could say I've got a touch of writer's block. In other words,....I'm going to write this on a complete blank!! So I would appreciate it if you reviewed and told me how it was. This is going to be interesting.....;)
Disclaimer(did I put one in the last chapter?): I do not own Cardcaptors or anything in relation to it, so please do not sue me!!
Cardcaptors: Back to Normal?-Ch.8
Madison sat in her living room, calmly sipping her tea. If anyone had looked at her, they would have said she hadn't a care in the world. Not so....
Kero was slowly pacing on air. His wings fluttering nervously. Everytime he passed the closed door Sakura and Li were behind, he'd glance at it, wondering what was taking so long, and why it was so quiet in there. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth,
Madison's eyebrow began twitching. Kero didn't notice.
Back and forth, back and forth,.......
"KERO!!!" Madison yelled, slamming her teacup down on the table.
Kero shot up like a bullet, hitting his head on the ceiling. "OW!!" he whined, rubbing the top of his head. He floated back down to eye level, glaring at Madison. "What was that about!?" he demanded.
Madison glared right back. "You're driving me insane!! Knock it off!"
Kero stared at her, his head still cradled in his hands. "You could have asked." he whined.
Madison sighed. "Sorry Kero," she apologized. "But, you were getting on my nerves, and I was thinking about Sakura in there and,.....Kero, do you think everything's all right?"
Kero glanced back at the door. "I hope so Madison. I'd hate to think something happened to Sakura when I was right here and could have prevented it."
Madison stared at nothing in particular, thinking. "Do you think Sakura will be able to help Li?" she asked, wanting, and not wanting, to know the answer.
Kero said nothing for a few moments. Then, quietly, "If Sakura can't do it, no one can."
~
Sakura relinquished her hold on Li, looking sheepish. "Sorry," she said, as Li wheezed breath in through his tortured lungs. Sakura sat back up. She gazed down at Li happily for all of two seconds before she started chattering,
"Oh, Li, there's so much I want to tell you! You missed way too much! Did you know Meilin got married!? To Zachary!? And Madison got a job in the photography business. Did you know she takes pictures for major magazines? And she's got this really nice apartment, well, you're in it, and......."
"Sakura,"
Sakura blinked twice and looked at Li questioningly. "Yes Li?"
Li had a pained expression on his face. He pulled at his wrists, annoyed, and slightly embarrassed. Sakura still didn't seem to realize she was sitting on him. "Sakura, could you untie me?"
Sakura blinked again, as if she didn't quite understand him. Then she broke into a smile. "Of course, Li." she bent forward and began untying his left wrist.
Li gulped as his eyes grew wide. When he realized he was staring, he quickly squeezed his eyes shut, his eyelids scrunched tightly together. Sakura had forgotten she was sitting on him again, and when she leaned over, Li was presented with a bird's eye view of her chest. He squeezed his eyes shut even tighter as he realized he liked what he saw. His cheeks burned.
And when she had kissed him. Li fought the urge to smile. When her lips had touched his, it had felt like.......like.......Oh, he couldn't describe it. It had felt like passing through the gates of heaven, like running through a field of wildflowers, like his soul had left his body and was flying among the clouds, looking down on earth and seeing the cherry blossoms, with her.
Li did smile. O.K., maybe he could describe it, to a certain extent.
Li remembered the first time he had he'd realized he felt something for Sakura. It was right when she had told him she was going to Canada to finish her education. When he had heard that, something inside him had felt like it was breaking. At first, he hadn't known what the feeling had been, or when he had felt so empty when he thought of Sakura leaving.
Li could have laughed. Oh, he had been so young then. When he had understood these new feelings, realized that the breaking he had felt inside him was heartbreak, he had been surprised.
Well, maybe surprised wasn't a strong enough word......try aghast, skeptical, disbelieving, speechless.
Pick one.
After the shock had worn off, he had time to reflect and start to get a better understanding of this new emotion. He realized that he had begun to feel for Sakura earlier, when they were still catching Clow cards, but he hadn't known it. He soon realized that this awkward feeling was not going to go away, no matter how uncomfortable it made him feel. And with that thought had come another.......
He couldn't live without her.
But he could never have told her that. No, not Li Syaoran, calm, cool, and collected warrior that he was. Li wanted to sigh. He was such an idiot! And he still couldn't tell her how he felt. Not before he knew for sure she felt the same way. But that kiss had given him hope. Maybe, just maybe, she felt something more than friendship for him? But he still wasn't sure.
Love could be a bitch.
"All done Li." Sakura said suddenly.
Li blinked, getting his head up and out of the clouds. He hadn't even noticed when his wrists had been set free, nor had he noticed when Sakura had reached back and untied his feet. Li brought his arms down by his sides and looked up at Sakura, "Umm....Sakura? Could you get off me now?" he really didn't want Sakura to move, he kind of liked her where she was. She wasn't very heavy at all, so she wasn't crushing him. Her weight was very pleasurable, actually. He wanted to place his hands on her waist and keep her there for all eternity, just gazing into her sea green eyes,
Sakura blushed a deep red and mumbled, "Sorry Li." and proceeded to get up off of him, one leg after the other.
Li stared after her in regret, missing her presence, no matter that she was only a few feet away. He sat up slowly, bringing his feet over the side of the bed. He glanced at Sakura who was sitting in a chair, a faint blush still tingeing her cheeks.
She had changed. He had a vague recollection of events when he wasn't himself, and he remembered, vaguely, rescuing her from a Clow card. He hadn't even realized who she was until she had told him. She had let her hair grow, it now hung just above her tailbone and was left unbound. She had grown in height as well, taking on the height of her family, and Clow Reed. Li knew he was pretty tall himself, and Sakura nearly reached his own height. She had grown into a beautiful young woman, and realized sourly, she could have very easily found herself a boyfriend in Canada. He didn't want to think about that, and he wouldn't ask.
Li cleared his throat. "Where am I ?" he asked, glancing at his surroundings uncertainly. This wasn't his apartment, and it wasn't Sakura's house, so where......?
"You're at Madison's," Sakura said.
"Madison's?" he echoed blankly. "When did Madison get an apartment?"
Sakura smiled. "Two years ago when her photography career took off."
Li blinked. "Madison's in the photography business?"
Sakura laughed. It was so good to hear her laugh,
"You've got a lot of catching up to do, Li. Why don't I tell you all about it." Sakura then proceeded to tell Li all that had happened while she was in Canada and he was under Insanity's influence.
Li listened avidly to Sakura all the while, especially interested in what Sakura herself had been doing. Not once had he heard her mention any special somebody she had left behind, and he was relieved. The fact that Meilin had gotten married to Zachary had thrown him for a loop to be sure, he was still getting over that little shock.
As much as Li liked sitting there, alone with Sakura, just talking with her, listening to her talk, Li knew there were bigger things to worry about. Li had known he was under the spell of a Clow card, he just didn't know how. He knew all of the Clow cards had been sealed, so how could one have possibly taken hold of him? He briefly considered one of Sakura's cards being responsible, but quickly dismissed that idea. Sakura had been in Canada when this happened and she would have never done anything like this to him. If her cards had been acting on their own, then Sakura would have known, and if she hadn't, Kero most surely would have. So what was going on?
~
Sakura finished relating everything that had happened over the past five years. She had pointedly left out any mention whatsoever of the new Clow cards. Sakura figured Li must know something about them since he was fighting them, or trying, to, but she didn't want to bring up anything that might be potentially painful for him to hear. Besides, she really didn't want to ruin this by mentioning the new danger. However, Li must have had other thoughts.....
"Sakura," Li started, thinking about what he had to say. "I sensed a Clow card, that was what was controlling me. But that doesn't make any sense. All of the Clow cards have been sealed."
Sakura sighed, she had really hoped not to talk about this so soon. She should have known Li would want to get straight down to business, this was Li after all. "Li, come with me." she said, standing up.
Li stood up as well. "Where are we going?" he asked, following Sakura to the door.
Sakura placed her hand on the doorknob. She turned around to face him. "Madison and Kero are in the next room, waiting for us. If you want the answer to the question you just asked, Kero would be the one to talk to."
Sakura turned the knob and as soon as the lock was completely reinserted, the door came crashing open. Sakura eeped and leapt back, bumping into Li who had been right behind her. His left arm came up around her waist instinctively, supporting her, while his right hand twitched towards his sword. What they saw made their eyes widen.
Madison and Kero lay in a heap on the floor, sweatdrops down the sides of their heads. They quickly scrambled into a standing position, one hand behind their heads, laughing nervously. Both their faces were red.
Sakura crossed her arms over her chest and arched her eyebrows at them. "And what, exactly, were you two doing?"
"Nothing." they both said in unison.
That eyebrow kept going up. "Uh-huh?"
"I don't think she's buying it, Kero." Madison whispered out of the side of her mouth.
"Well she was, but your guilty expression gave you away." Kero whispered back.
Sakura stared at them in amazement. "Am I not supposed to be hearing this?" she asked hypothetically.
Madison looked up at the ceiling. "Well, you see, it was Kero's idea......"
"What!? It was as much your idea as it was mine!! I didn't hear you objecting." Kero said hotly.
"Excuse me?" Sakura interrupted. "What's going on?"
Madison and Kero just looked at each other for a few moments, silently, before Kero finally sighed. He looked extremely sheepish. "Well, Sakura, you see, we were getting nervous out there. You had been in here for an awfully long time, and we couldn't hear anything, and we started to get worried, and......." Kero babbled.
"You decided to press your ears to the door to see if you could make out what was going on?" Sakura asked dryly.
Kero frowned and crossed his arms. "It's not like we could hear anything anyway," he muttered.
"Well, obviously, everything's all right. Otherwise," Madison said, "Li wouldn't be up and walking around. Nor would he have his hand around your waist." Madison glanced pointedly at Li, then lowered her gaze to his still circling arm.
Li blushed and removed his arm. A second later, though, Li said something that had all three laughing. "And who are you?" he asked Madison.
Sakura, Kero, and Madison stared at him for a few seconds before bursting out laughing. Li looked at them like they were insane, and asked, "What?"
It took a few moments before Sakura could get out, "It-it's Madison, Li." her laughter had died down to chuckles but now went back to full blown guffaws when she saw the look on his face after she'd said that,
"She's Madison!?" he asked, completely taken aback. She looked so different. There was no way this woman could have been that gangly, long haired, annoying camera carrying, chatterbox that was Madison. No way.
Madison, having gotten herself under control, posed for him. Grinning, she asked, "Like what you see?" and winked at him.
Li blinked, taking a step back. "I, uh, that is, you, umm......" Li really couldn't think of a safe way to truthfully answer that.
Madison gave Sakura a knowing look. "Yep, back to normal. What did you have to do to accomplish that?"
Sakura blushed, making Madison even more curious. "Ahh,....I'm not exactly sure." she said, scratching her head and looking innocent. Before Madison could pursue her questions, Sakura quickly said, "Li has something he needs answered, and I think Kero might be the best one to go to."
Kero mouthed "Clow cards?"
Sakura nodded.
They all filed out the door. Sakura and Madison took seats in chairs on either side of the couch. Kero took a perch on Sakura's armchair. Li sat down slowly on the couch, not at all comfortable in Madison's apartment. Kero was the first to break the silence,
"So, Kid, what do you want to know?" he asked, already knowing, yet playing dumb so as to forestall the telling of bad news.
Li cleared his throat and leaned forward in his seat, his hands clasped in front of him. "Kero, a Clow card was controlling me." he stated.
Kero nodded.
"But all the Clow cards have been captured." he stated this as well, but when Kero didn't nod reassuringly, Li became nervous. "There are more Clow cards?" he asked faintly.
Kero nodded.
Li raked a hand through his hair. "How? Why?"
This was the part Kero didn't relish, "Well, you see Kid, Clow Reed didn't just create the cards we have now, he also created more powerful cards, that could not be controlled." Kero proceeded to retell the story of the cards' creation, not leaving anything out. When he was finished, Li looked decidedly pale.
"So, we have thirteen new Clow cards to capture?"
Kero shook his head no. "Twelve. We have twelve to capture."
Li just looked at him. He wasn't making any sense.
Sakura held up a card in her hand and showed it to Li. He leaned in closer and squinted his eyes at it. It looked like a Clow card, but it seemed more elaborate, more detailed, more colourful. A power seemed to emanate from it, and he didn't recognize which card it was. The Hate card?
Li looked at Kero. "One of the new cards?" he noticed how ironic that sounded, considering how old they were.
Kero nodded again, "Sakura succeeded in capturing the Hate card. It wasn't an easy battle."
Li studied the card again. "Have you come across any other cards?" he asked, almost absently.
Kero was about to tell him about the Rage card, when Sakura spoke first, "We know the Insanity card has been controlling you, but we haven't come into contact with it yet."
"Well, that makes sense, the Insanity card, I mean." he looked at her and narrowed his eyes. It felt like she was hiding something from him. "Anything else?" he asked.
Sakura was silent for a moment, for some reason unknown to even her, she couldn't tell Li about Rage yet. "You'll find out in two days." was all she would say.
Li looked at her, a little hurt that she wouldn't tell him whatever it was she wasn't telling him. He didn't press though, he figured Sakura would tell him, eventually. So, he'd wait two days, he could do that.
All of a sudden, the room swam in Li's vision and a nasty headache formed behind his eyes. He squeezed them shut and brought his hands up to hold his head. Sakura, Kero, and Madison looked at him in worry. Was the Insanity card trying to force it's way in again? Sakura's hand covered her Clow wand, just in case.
When the nausea had faded, Li looked up at the three with teary eyes. "I'm O.K.," he assured them. "I don't think I've been getting much sleep lately, but I can't remember. Is it all right if I go home now and get some shut eye?"
Sakura looked at him uncertainly, worried. "I don't think you should be walking that far to your apartment, Li. If you're that tired that you're getting headaches, maybe you should sleep here?" Sakura looked to Madison for her approval.
Madison nodded. "Sure. No problem. You could sleep on the couch if you're comfortable there Li, or you could sleep in the guest room, the one you were just in."
Li nodded, appreciating this, he really didn't feel like walking home. "Thanks Madison." he got up slowly and made his way to the bedroom. He closed the door softly behind him.
Madison watched Sakura. "Do you think he's all right?" she asked.
Sakura smiled slightly, "You heard him, he just isn't getting enough sleep." then, under her breath, "I hope he's all right."
~
A man in worn, tattered clothes, paced around a small live-in cave. He was muttering to himself and occasionally snarling at nothing in particular. His raven black hair hung about his face and shoulders in greasy locks. The ends were ragged where he had torn his hair with shears, to make it shorter. His long, white nails, had grown into sharp deadly points, and he was clicking them together as he paced.
click click click
Suddenly, he turned and viscously picked up and threw an oddly shaped object across the small space. It hit against the wall and smashed into pieces. He flung his arms out from his long, torn sleeves and a round orb floated to him.
"Damn that woman," he snarled quietly. "Damn her and her pure soul. It has invaded my subjects mind and I cannot make my way back in. She is blocking my power!!" he yelled. He quieted, though, as if the anger had never been there. "No matter. She will be the first to go when I come out of hiding. Yes, but, I need time to prepare, for it is foretold, she will not be alone. She will have four very powerful allies with her. Not as powerful as I am alone, but together? It is uncertain. I cannot see the outcome."
He began chanting an odd, floating, rhythmic rune, his words floating like honey about the cave walls. The orb in his hands began to glow. His words soon turned bitter and sliced the edges of the rock walls. He began laughing. Yes! they would fear him! They would know what it is like to face Insanity!!
To be continued.....
________________________________________________________ __________________________________________
Phew! Glad that's over. As I said, I wrote this whole thing on writer's block. I don't know, I think it turned out O.K. for all that. What do you think? So, our friend Insanity isn't happy, that was obvious. I hope I made him seem a little....eccentric? ^_^ We'll call it that. So, you'll just have to wait and see what happens next! Don't forget to review!! See you later!
Author's Note: Ok,.....let's see how this goes, ^_^. I have an idea of how I'm going to start this chapter, but not much else. I guess you could say I've got a touch of writer's block. In other words,....I'm going to write this on a complete blank!! So I would appreciate it if you reviewed and told me how it was. This is going to be interesting.....;)
Disclaimer(did I put one in the last chapter?): I do not own Cardcaptors or anything in relation to it, so please do not sue me!!
Cardcaptors: Back to Normal?-Ch.8
Madison sat in her living room, calmly sipping her tea. If anyone had looked at her, they would have said she hadn't a care in the world. Not so....
Kero was slowly pacing on air. His wings fluttering nervously. Everytime he passed the closed door Sakura and Li were behind, he'd glance at it, wondering what was taking so long, and why it was so quiet in there. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth,
Madison's eyebrow began twitching. Kero didn't notice.
Back and forth, back and forth,.......
"KERO!!!" Madison yelled, slamming her teacup down on the table.
Kero shot up like a bullet, hitting his head on the ceiling. "OW!!" he whined, rubbing the top of his head. He floated back down to eye level, glaring at Madison. "What was that about!?" he demanded.
Madison glared right back. "You're driving me insane!! Knock it off!"
Kero stared at her, his head still cradled in his hands. "You could have asked." he whined.
Madison sighed. "Sorry Kero," she apologized. "But, you were getting on my nerves, and I was thinking about Sakura in there and,.....Kero, do you think everything's all right?"
Kero glanced back at the door. "I hope so Madison. I'd hate to think something happened to Sakura when I was right here and could have prevented it."
Madison stared at nothing in particular, thinking. "Do you think Sakura will be able to help Li?" she asked, wanting, and not wanting, to know the answer.
Kero said nothing for a few moments. Then, quietly, "If Sakura can't do it, no one can."
~
Sakura relinquished her hold on Li, looking sheepish. "Sorry," she said, as Li wheezed breath in through his tortured lungs. Sakura sat back up. She gazed down at Li happily for all of two seconds before she started chattering,
"Oh, Li, there's so much I want to tell you! You missed way too much! Did you know Meilin got married!? To Zachary!? And Madison got a job in the photography business. Did you know she takes pictures for major magazines? And she's got this really nice apartment, well, you're in it, and......."
"Sakura,"
Sakura blinked twice and looked at Li questioningly. "Yes Li?"
Li had a pained expression on his face. He pulled at his wrists, annoyed, and slightly embarrassed. Sakura still didn't seem to realize she was sitting on him. "Sakura, could you untie me?"
Sakura blinked again, as if she didn't quite understand him. Then she broke into a smile. "Of course, Li." she bent forward and began untying his left wrist.
Li gulped as his eyes grew wide. When he realized he was staring, he quickly squeezed his eyes shut, his eyelids scrunched tightly together. Sakura had forgotten she was sitting on him again, and when she leaned over, Li was presented with a bird's eye view of her chest. He squeezed his eyes shut even tighter as he realized he liked what he saw. His cheeks burned.
And when she had kissed him. Li fought the urge to smile. When her lips had touched his, it had felt like.......like.......Oh, he couldn't describe it. It had felt like passing through the gates of heaven, like running through a field of wildflowers, like his soul had left his body and was flying among the clouds, looking down on earth and seeing the cherry blossoms, with her.
Li did smile. O.K., maybe he could describe it, to a certain extent.
Li remembered the first time he had he'd realized he felt something for Sakura. It was right when she had told him she was going to Canada to finish her education. When he had heard that, something inside him had felt like it was breaking. At first, he hadn't known what the feeling had been, or when he had felt so empty when he thought of Sakura leaving.
Li could have laughed. Oh, he had been so young then. When he had understood these new feelings, realized that the breaking he had felt inside him was heartbreak, he had been surprised.
Well, maybe surprised wasn't a strong enough word......try aghast, skeptical, disbelieving, speechless.
Pick one.
After the shock had worn off, he had time to reflect and start to get a better understanding of this new emotion. He realized that he had begun to feel for Sakura earlier, when they were still catching Clow cards, but he hadn't known it. He soon realized that this awkward feeling was not going to go away, no matter how uncomfortable it made him feel. And with that thought had come another.......
He couldn't live without her.
But he could never have told her that. No, not Li Syaoran, calm, cool, and collected warrior that he was. Li wanted to sigh. He was such an idiot! And he still couldn't tell her how he felt. Not before he knew for sure she felt the same way. But that kiss had given him hope. Maybe, just maybe, she felt something more than friendship for him? But he still wasn't sure.
Love could be a bitch.
"All done Li." Sakura said suddenly.
Li blinked, getting his head up and out of the clouds. He hadn't even noticed when his wrists had been set free, nor had he noticed when Sakura had reached back and untied his feet. Li brought his arms down by his sides and looked up at Sakura, "Umm....Sakura? Could you get off me now?" he really didn't want Sakura to move, he kind of liked her where she was. She wasn't very heavy at all, so she wasn't crushing him. Her weight was very pleasurable, actually. He wanted to place his hands on her waist and keep her there for all eternity, just gazing into her sea green eyes,
Sakura blushed a deep red and mumbled, "Sorry Li." and proceeded to get up off of him, one leg after the other.
Li stared after her in regret, missing her presence, no matter that she was only a few feet away. He sat up slowly, bringing his feet over the side of the bed. He glanced at Sakura who was sitting in a chair, a faint blush still tingeing her cheeks.
She had changed. He had a vague recollection of events when he wasn't himself, and he remembered, vaguely, rescuing her from a Clow card. He hadn't even realized who she was until she had told him. She had let her hair grow, it now hung just above her tailbone and was left unbound. She had grown in height as well, taking on the height of her family, and Clow Reed. Li knew he was pretty tall himself, and Sakura nearly reached his own height. She had grown into a beautiful young woman, and realized sourly, she could have very easily found herself a boyfriend in Canada. He didn't want to think about that, and he wouldn't ask.
Li cleared his throat. "Where am I ?" he asked, glancing at his surroundings uncertainly. This wasn't his apartment, and it wasn't Sakura's house, so where......?
"You're at Madison's," Sakura said.
"Madison's?" he echoed blankly. "When did Madison get an apartment?"
Sakura smiled. "Two years ago when her photography career took off."
Li blinked. "Madison's in the photography business?"
Sakura laughed. It was so good to hear her laugh,
"You've got a lot of catching up to do, Li. Why don't I tell you all about it." Sakura then proceeded to tell Li all that had happened while she was in Canada and he was under Insanity's influence.
Li listened avidly to Sakura all the while, especially interested in what Sakura herself had been doing. Not once had he heard her mention any special somebody she had left behind, and he was relieved. The fact that Meilin had gotten married to Zachary had thrown him for a loop to be sure, he was still getting over that little shock.
As much as Li liked sitting there, alone with Sakura, just talking with her, listening to her talk, Li knew there were bigger things to worry about. Li had known he was under the spell of a Clow card, he just didn't know how. He knew all of the Clow cards had been sealed, so how could one have possibly taken hold of him? He briefly considered one of Sakura's cards being responsible, but quickly dismissed that idea. Sakura had been in Canada when this happened and she would have never done anything like this to him. If her cards had been acting on their own, then Sakura would have known, and if she hadn't, Kero most surely would have. So what was going on?
~
Sakura finished relating everything that had happened over the past five years. She had pointedly left out any mention whatsoever of the new Clow cards. Sakura figured Li must know something about them since he was fighting them, or trying, to, but she didn't want to bring up anything that might be potentially painful for him to hear. Besides, she really didn't want to ruin this by mentioning the new danger. However, Li must have had other thoughts.....
"Sakura," Li started, thinking about what he had to say. "I sensed a Clow card, that was what was controlling me. But that doesn't make any sense. All of the Clow cards have been sealed."
Sakura sighed, she had really hoped not to talk about this so soon. She should have known Li would want to get straight down to business, this was Li after all. "Li, come with me." she said, standing up.
Li stood up as well. "Where are we going?" he asked, following Sakura to the door.
Sakura placed her hand on the doorknob. She turned around to face him. "Madison and Kero are in the next room, waiting for us. If you want the answer to the question you just asked, Kero would be the one to talk to."
Sakura turned the knob and as soon as the lock was completely reinserted, the door came crashing open. Sakura eeped and leapt back, bumping into Li who had been right behind her. His left arm came up around her waist instinctively, supporting her, while his right hand twitched towards his sword. What they saw made their eyes widen.
Madison and Kero lay in a heap on the floor, sweatdrops down the sides of their heads. They quickly scrambled into a standing position, one hand behind their heads, laughing nervously. Both their faces were red.
Sakura crossed her arms over her chest and arched her eyebrows at them. "And what, exactly, were you two doing?"
"Nothing." they both said in unison.
That eyebrow kept going up. "Uh-huh?"
"I don't think she's buying it, Kero." Madison whispered out of the side of her mouth.
"Well she was, but your guilty expression gave you away." Kero whispered back.
Sakura stared at them in amazement. "Am I not supposed to be hearing this?" she asked hypothetically.
Madison looked up at the ceiling. "Well, you see, it was Kero's idea......"
"What!? It was as much your idea as it was mine!! I didn't hear you objecting." Kero said hotly.
"Excuse me?" Sakura interrupted. "What's going on?"
Madison and Kero just looked at each other for a few moments, silently, before Kero finally sighed. He looked extremely sheepish. "Well, Sakura, you see, we were getting nervous out there. You had been in here for an awfully long time, and we couldn't hear anything, and we started to get worried, and......." Kero babbled.
"You decided to press your ears to the door to see if you could make out what was going on?" Sakura asked dryly.
Kero frowned and crossed his arms. "It's not like we could hear anything anyway," he muttered.
"Well, obviously, everything's all right. Otherwise," Madison said, "Li wouldn't be up and walking around. Nor would he have his hand around your waist." Madison glanced pointedly at Li, then lowered her gaze to his still circling arm.
Li blushed and removed his arm. A second later, though, Li said something that had all three laughing. "And who are you?" he asked Madison.
Sakura, Kero, and Madison stared at him for a few seconds before bursting out laughing. Li looked at them like they were insane, and asked, "What?"
It took a few moments before Sakura could get out, "It-it's Madison, Li." her laughter had died down to chuckles but now went back to full blown guffaws when she saw the look on his face after she'd said that,
"She's Madison!?" he asked, completely taken aback. She looked so different. There was no way this woman could have been that gangly, long haired, annoying camera carrying, chatterbox that was Madison. No way.
Madison, having gotten herself under control, posed for him. Grinning, she asked, "Like what you see?" and winked at him.
Li blinked, taking a step back. "I, uh, that is, you, umm......" Li really couldn't think of a safe way to truthfully answer that.
Madison gave Sakura a knowing look. "Yep, back to normal. What did you have to do to accomplish that?"
Sakura blushed, making Madison even more curious. "Ahh,....I'm not exactly sure." she said, scratching her head and looking innocent. Before Madison could pursue her questions, Sakura quickly said, "Li has something he needs answered, and I think Kero might be the best one to go to."
Kero mouthed "Clow cards?"
Sakura nodded.
They all filed out the door. Sakura and Madison took seats in chairs on either side of the couch. Kero took a perch on Sakura's armchair. Li sat down slowly on the couch, not at all comfortable in Madison's apartment. Kero was the first to break the silence,
"So, Kid, what do you want to know?" he asked, already knowing, yet playing dumb so as to forestall the telling of bad news.
Li cleared his throat and leaned forward in his seat, his hands clasped in front of him. "Kero, a Clow card was controlling me." he stated.
Kero nodded.
"But all the Clow cards have been captured." he stated this as well, but when Kero didn't nod reassuringly, Li became nervous. "There are more Clow cards?" he asked faintly.
Kero nodded.
Li raked a hand through his hair. "How? Why?"
This was the part Kero didn't relish, "Well, you see Kid, Clow Reed didn't just create the cards we have now, he also created more powerful cards, that could not be controlled." Kero proceeded to retell the story of the cards' creation, not leaving anything out. When he was finished, Li looked decidedly pale.
"So, we have thirteen new Clow cards to capture?"
Kero shook his head no. "Twelve. We have twelve to capture."
Li just looked at him. He wasn't making any sense.
Sakura held up a card in her hand and showed it to Li. He leaned in closer and squinted his eyes at it. It looked like a Clow card, but it seemed more elaborate, more detailed, more colourful. A power seemed to emanate from it, and he didn't recognize which card it was. The Hate card?
Li looked at Kero. "One of the new cards?" he noticed how ironic that sounded, considering how old they were.
Kero nodded again, "Sakura succeeded in capturing the Hate card. It wasn't an easy battle."
Li studied the card again. "Have you come across any other cards?" he asked, almost absently.
Kero was about to tell him about the Rage card, when Sakura spoke first, "We know the Insanity card has been controlling you, but we haven't come into contact with it yet."
"Well, that makes sense, the Insanity card, I mean." he looked at her and narrowed his eyes. It felt like she was hiding something from him. "Anything else?" he asked.
Sakura was silent for a moment, for some reason unknown to even her, she couldn't tell Li about Rage yet. "You'll find out in two days." was all she would say.
Li looked at her, a little hurt that she wouldn't tell him whatever it was she wasn't telling him. He didn't press though, he figured Sakura would tell him, eventually. So, he'd wait two days, he could do that.
All of a sudden, the room swam in Li's vision and a nasty headache formed behind his eyes. He squeezed them shut and brought his hands up to hold his head. Sakura, Kero, and Madison looked at him in worry. Was the Insanity card trying to force it's way in again? Sakura's hand covered her Clow wand, just in case.
When the nausea had faded, Li looked up at the three with teary eyes. "I'm O.K.," he assured them. "I don't think I've been getting much sleep lately, but I can't remember. Is it all right if I go home now and get some shut eye?"
Sakura looked at him uncertainly, worried. "I don't think you should be walking that far to your apartment, Li. If you're that tired that you're getting headaches, maybe you should sleep here?" Sakura looked to Madison for her approval.
Madison nodded. "Sure. No problem. You could sleep on the couch if you're comfortable there Li, or you could sleep in the guest room, the one you were just in."
Li nodded, appreciating this, he really didn't feel like walking home. "Thanks Madison." he got up slowly and made his way to the bedroom. He closed the door softly behind him.
Madison watched Sakura. "Do you think he's all right?" she asked.
Sakura smiled slightly, "You heard him, he just isn't getting enough sleep." then, under her breath, "I hope he's all right."
~
A man in worn, tattered clothes, paced around a small live-in cave. He was muttering to himself and occasionally snarling at nothing in particular. His raven black hair hung about his face and shoulders in greasy locks. The ends were ragged where he had torn his hair with shears, to make it shorter. His long, white nails, had grown into sharp deadly points, and he was clicking them together as he paced.
click click click
Suddenly, he turned and viscously picked up and threw an oddly shaped object across the small space. It hit against the wall and smashed into pieces. He flung his arms out from his long, torn sleeves and a round orb floated to him.
"Damn that woman," he snarled quietly. "Damn her and her pure soul. It has invaded my subjects mind and I cannot make my way back in. She is blocking my power!!" he yelled. He quieted, though, as if the anger had never been there. "No matter. She will be the first to go when I come out of hiding. Yes, but, I need time to prepare, for it is foretold, she will not be alone. She will have four very powerful allies with her. Not as powerful as I am alone, but together? It is uncertain. I cannot see the outcome."
He began chanting an odd, floating, rhythmic rune, his words floating like honey about the cave walls. The orb in his hands began to glow. His words soon turned bitter and sliced the edges of the rock walls. He began laughing. Yes! they would fear him! They would know what it is like to face Insanity!!
To be continued.....
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Phew! Glad that's over. As I said, I wrote this whole thing on writer's block. I don't know, I think it turned out O.K. for all that. What do you think? So, our friend Insanity isn't happy, that was obvious. I hope I made him seem a little....eccentric? ^_^ We'll call it that. So, you'll just have to wait and see what happens next! Don't forget to review!! See you later!