Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Cardcaptors: Clow Reed's Mistake ❯ Cardcaptors: And so it Begins-Ch.19 ( Chapter 19 )
[ 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: 3 | Words: 6.8K | Visits: 257 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Fantasy | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 08.31.2001 | Pages: 3 | Words: 6.8K | Visits: 257 | Status: Work In Progress
By Maurynna
Author's Note: ^_^ I'm glad you liked Yue last chapter. I shamelessly abuse him this chapter, too. But, I promise this is the last time! I swear! Okay...um...read and review. Oh, and there is a little violence latter on. You have been warned.
Disclaimer: I do not own Cardcaptors nor do I claim to. I am not getting paid for this so please do not sue me.
Cardcaptors: And so it Begins-Ch.19
"Sakura...come out. I'm sure you're over exaggerating." Clow Reed sighed impatiently.
"I am NOT!! over exaggerating!" Sakura yelled from behind her closed, and barred, door.
Clow Reed rubbed his temple with a pained expression on his face. Glancing behind him at Yue, he asked dryly. "Surely it cannot be that hideous?"
Yue shrugged. "I thought it looked fine." his wings twitched nervously behind him as cursing suddenly sounded from behind Sakura's door.
Leaning against the side of the frame, Clow Reed tried again. "We have to prepare for the War card, Sakura. I need to explain things to you."
"You can explain things from the other side of that door! I am not coming out!"
Clow Reed abruptly lost his patience. Slapping his hand against the door, he threatened, "Sakura! Do not make me break this door down! And I don't mean physically!"
The door opened suddenly and slammed against the wall. Clow Reed took a surprised step back, as did Yue. Sakura came gliding out of the room, a scowl planted firmly on her face. "If you laugh, I'll kill you." she said quietly.
Laughing was the farthest thing from either men's minds. Yue had brought back four gowns for Sakura to try on. The first dress had been a pale green, the second sky blue, the third light pink, and the fourth canary yellow. Sakura had been all for it before the gowns had graced her figure. As the two men had waited on the other side of the door for results on the first dress, what they got was a violent reaction. Sakura had started cursing and abruptly proclaimed that there was no way in hell she was going to wear any of THOSE! For the life of them, Clow Reed and Yue couldn't figure out why.
Now, Sakura had apparently made her choice, and was none the happier for it. She had picked the canary yellow, and Clow Reed thought she looked rather fetching in it. The yellow in the dress set off the golden streaks in her sienna hair. The wide sleeves of the gown went down all the way to her wrists, and then tapered off underneath her hands into a triangle pattern. The neck of the gown sloped down and and bared her shoulders but stopped at a modest level above her breasts in a square design. The fabric clung tightly to her waist as it was supposed to and showed off all of Sakura's best assets. The lower half of the gown flared off into an elegant umbrella type design, getting slightly larger and further away from her body as it went down, but it didn't overdo it. The yellow material in the front divided to reveal snowy white fabric beneath. The tip of one golden slipper peaked out from beneath her gown, and Clow Reed noticed it was tapping the floor impatiently. To top it all off, dark green lined the sleeves, skirt, and collar of the dress, accentuating the green in her eyes. She had been given a coarse hairbrush earlier and she had obviously made use of it. Her long hair hung about her face and shoulders in waves.
Clow Reed thought she looked absolutely precious, and judging from the look on Yue's face, he didn't think she looked too bad either.
So what was the problem?
Clow Reed returned his eyes from the appraisal to Sakura's face. He noticed the expression on her face was strained. "What's wrong, Sakura?" he asked gently.
"I can't breathe!" she exclaimed furiously.
Clow Reed couldn't help it, he laughed. He abruptly choked the sound off as Sakura's eyes narrowed to slits. Trying to regain the authority in his voice, he said mildly, "Women's gowns are designed that way. The corset is to tighten your waist so that a...um...man...can easily span it." Clow Reed coughed. "And, well, the other reason is to raise your..." Clow Reed waved his hand.
Sakura crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't WANT my waist to be small enough so a man can can span it! I don't want a man's hands anywhere NEAR my waist! And as for my breasts!" Yue choked. "Do you know how uncomfortable this is!?"
Clow Reed fought off a smile. "But, Sakura, this is how all women dress in this time. I cannot do anything about that."
"Yeah, well, all you men are lucky us women haven't killed you yet! If all women here are in as foul as a mood as I am..." Sakura trailed off into grumbling.
"If it is any consolation to you, Mistress, I think you look radiant." Yue said quietly.
"Yeah, well," Sakura huffed, but the fight seemed to drain out of her.
Clow Reed nodded almost imperceptibly to Yue, thanking him. Yue smiled slightly. Addressing Sakura once more, Clow Reed said, "Are you ready to listen to the rest of what I have to tell you?"
Sakura nodded once. She went to follow Clow Reed and Yue as they started off down the hallway, when she remembered something, "Oh! I forgot something! Wait a minute!" then she picked up her skirts, so she wouldn't fall flat on her face of course, and ran back into her room.
Glancing at each other, Clow Reed and Yue turned back and poked their heads into the doorway just as Sakura bent over, in a rather compromising position, to pick up something from her bed. Yue abruptly whirled back around and took a few steps away from the doorway. Clow Reed raised an amused eyebrow at him. Yue raised his hand and ran it through his hair, agitated.
Sakura turned back around, a book clutched in front of her. Walking back out the doorway, she looked between the two and said, "So, are we going?"
Clow Reed glanced at the book. "I see you have taken an interest in my book?" he said wryly.
Sakura glanced around. "Well...there's some interesting stuff in here." she admitted reluctantly.
Clow Reed smiled. "I was hoping you would enjoy the contents in there." he turned and headed for his chambers. "It is merely a novice's book, but I thought it would be an appropriate place to start. Have you gotten to the bit about pulling heat out of the air to create a ball of fire?"
Sakura's eyes widened. "No." she whispered.
Clow Reed chuckled. "Good. I don't want you to try that on your own." he pulled a face. "A few apprentices tried it and ended up burning their hands...to say the least. Oh, and there is something in there I think you should note."
Sakura glanced down at the book and back up into his face. "Like what?"
"Since that is MY text, it has my notes in it." he looked over his shoulder at her. "You may not understand them, but in the back, after the very last page, there is an incantation I wrote down. I want you to read it and repeat it over and over again in your head, Sakura, until it comes to you without thought. But ONLY in your head. Do not say it out loud until you are ready and the time is right." he warned.
Sakura frowned. "Why not? What does it do? And how will I know when to say it?" she asked, confused.
Clow Reed faced forward again, so Sakura didn't see his face when he replied, "You'll know."
Sakura's frown deepened. She was beginning to think Clow Reed was very complicated. She had said that Clow Reed was straight forward and didn't beat around the bush, and that was true...sort of. It seemed that when Clow Reed was ready to tell you something he came right out with it, but when he wasn't ready...he could be as cryptic as hell.
They entered Clow Reed's room and Sakura noticed that the million candles that had been scattered about the room had been moved. No longer did they litter the chairs, table, and even the floor, but were confined to shelves. Sakura's lips quirked, "Did some cleaning?" she asked mildly.
Clow Reed shrugged and took a place behind one of the chairs. "I thought it was time I cleaned up anyways."
"Right." Sakura drawled. When neither Yue nor Clow Reed made any move to seat, or air seat, themselves, Sakura glanced at them curiously. "Are we waiting for something?"
"Yes," Clow Reed smiled. "Before we can seat ourselves you must sit first."
Sakura blinked. Then she wrinkled her nose, "I forgot about all that stuff. Guess I'll have to brush up on my history." she moved to one of the chairs and went to sit down. She froze, in the middle of folding herself to sit. Then she abruptly collapsed in the chair with an explosive sigh. Clow Reed and Yue eyed her with puzzlement. Sakura gave them a half smile, "I'll have to get used to sitting." she brought her hand up to her ribs and said ruefully, "It pinches."
"It pin...?" Clow Reed stopped. "Oh." he said simply.
Sakura glanced about. "Where's Kero?" she asked curiously.
"He has not yet returned." Clow Reed informed her, apparently not the least bit worried. He, along with Yue, sat down. "Now, the last bit of information you need to know before we can begin," he reached into his robes and extracted a vial from somewhere. Placing it on the table, he pushed it towards Sakura, motioning that she should take it. "That is what you will need to hide your aura from War."
Sakura picked it up and observed the rose liquid inside. She looked at Clow Reed, "What am I supposed to do? Drink it?"
"Heavens no!" Clow Reed exclaimed, startling Sakura. "You would be sick for a week if you did that!"
Sakura frowned, was there no end to his little surprises? "Then what am I supposed to do with it?" she asked.
Clow Reed's eyebrows shot up. "Why, put it on, of course." he said, as she should have known. Sakura rolled her eyes. "It's like perfume." he explained. "You put a drop here," he pointed to one side of his neck, "and here," the other side. Then his eyes twinkled merrily and Sakura wondered what sort of surprise was coming her way next. "I added some extra ingredients." he said, as if in an afterthought.
Sakura narrowed her eyes. "What sort of...extra ingredients?" she asked warily.
Clow Reed extracted his hands from his robes and steepled his fingers in front of his face, trying to hide his smile. "Open the vial." he said, not answering the question.
Sakura looked at him suspiciously before doing what she was told. She lifted the bottle slowly and sniffed cautiously. Raising her eyebrows in surprise, Sakura exclaimed, "It smells like roses."
"Well, what did you expect it would smell like?" Clow Reed asked. "Put it on...not too much!..I want to see if I got it right." that twinkle was still in his eyes.
Sakura placed her index finger over the top of the bottle and upended it, then righted it again. Taking her finger, she gently dabbed the right side of her neck, just above her shoulder, and then did the same to the other. Placing the cap back on the bottle, Sakura set it back down on the table. Looking at Clow Reed, she asked, "Well?"
He smiled. "Well, it conceals your aura perfectly. I got that part just right." he said triumphantly. "Now...to test the other part. Yue."
Yue placed his feet back on the ground. "Yes, Master?" he asked curiously.
"I want you to go over to Sakura and tell me what you think of the scent on her." he said mildly.
Yue and Sakura stared at him. "What?" Yue asked uncertainly.
Clow Reed waved his hand impatiently, "Oh, stop overreacting. Just go over there and smell the poor girl."
Sakura blushed at his blunt phrasing. She watched as Yue, still confused as hell, walked over to her slowly. He bent towards her slightly and Sakura tilted her head to the side, not wanting to have him get any closer than he wanted to be. The blush remained as his head descended towards her neck. Sakura kept her gaze glued to the ceiling and vowed to get Clow Reed back for this.
Suddenly, Yue jumped back, literally. His wings flapped once and blew a gust of wind across the room, disturbing Sakura and Clow Reed's hair and making the candles flicker. Sakura stood worriedly and glanced at Clow Reed. He remained seated, a slight smile on his face. Flicking a look of extreme disapproval in his direction, she stepped forward and extended a hand towards Yue.
"No!" Yue exclaimed, backing up, acting like a skittish horse. "Don't come close."
Sakura turned back to Clow Reed. "What's going on?! Stop this." she hissed at him.
Clow Reed waved his hand in front of his face. "Ovum Noctu." he said. Yue blinked abruptly, and the tenseness in his shoulders vanished. Clow Reed looked apologetically at them both. "I'm sorry. I had to make sure I did the spell correctly."
Sakura glared at him. "You're sorry! Whatever your reasons, they weren't..."
Clow Reed raised his hand, halting her tirade. "Yue's reaction was not what I thought it was going to be, Sakura. He was merely surprised. His actions lead you to believe a lot worse than is necessary."
"He is right," Yue said suddenly. Sakura looked at him. "It was unexpected, I was...unprepared." he said sheepishly.
Sakura turned to Clow Reed. "What...else did you put into the spell?" she asked ominously.
Clow Reed shrugged. "I simply added a little something to catch War's interest." Sakura placed her hands on her hips. "I simply added a very mild, very mild, essence of love."
Sakura sank back into her chair. "What?!" she whispered.
"I wanted to make absolutely certain that the first time you came across War, you would make an impression. What is it you like to say in the future?...it was...insurance."
Sakura sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "You know...I wish you would tell me these things before you do them." she muttered. She sighed. "Well...that's just fine. But what about every other male that gets close enough to pick up the scent? I do NOT want a situation like that."
Clow Reed quickly reassured her. "Oh no! I refined the spell so that the only males able to detect it would be the ones directly associated with Magic."
Sakura stared at him. "Do you do this sort of thing regularly?"
Clow Reed didn't bother to answer that. "One smell of that and War will be...entranced."
Sakura placed her arms on the table. "Won't War be a little suspicious? Won't he sense...something unusual?"
Clow Reed shook his head. "If a lesser sorcerer, or a wizard, had done the spell, that would be so. But I have made sure he will be able to detect nothing. Now, to keep the spell at it's strongest, you must reapply the perfume every twelve hours. And keep in mind what I said! Do not apply too much! Even though I tried to incorporate the least amount of the essence, it can still be pretty potent if used in large amounts."
Things just kept getting better and better. "And what would happen if I...say, accidentally spilled the whole bottle on me?"
Clow Reed smiled, showing teeth. "Barricade yourself somewhere for a couple days."
Sakura groaned. "Wonderful!" lowering her head in her hands, Sakura mumbled, "Is there anything else I should know?"
Clow Reed pretended to consider. "Not on that subject."
"Good." she raised her head. "What else did you want to tell me?"
"I thought it best if you knew about the other three cards as well, just incase."
"You mean Death, Disease, and Famine?"
Clow Reed nodded. "I do not know how often you might encounter them. Even though they all live together, they try to stay as far away from each other as possible. But if you do happen to meet them, there are some things I think you might find useful."
"You already know a bit about Disease, as you've fought him before. Disease is nothing more than a coward. He prefers to attack when he knows he can win. When he knows he can't, or that he might be injured, he prefers to go about the thing without ever having to encounter the enemy. He'll use his power over germs and bacteria to accomplish this. He is like a bully, he will pick on the weak but avoid the strong. If you have any trouble with him, Sakura, just be firm and to the point. When he sees he cannot push you around, he should leave you alone. But do not be too firm with him. As with all bullies, he has quite a temper when he thinks he has been slighted or made to look a fool."
"He likes expensive things, so much so, that he spends ridiculous amounts of money on them. That is...if he bothers to pay for what he wants at all. Do not mistake that for War's interest in beauty. War may spend a sizable amount, but he is not a glutton. Disease likes to look good, contrary to his association with germs. He also does not like to be told he is wrong."
"One you may not know much about is Famine. He, obviously, can cause long droughts. He was the second horsemen of the four that you saw the first day you came here."
"The one with the flaming red hair?" Sakura asked, trying to remember.
Clow Reed nodded. "Yes. Famine prefers to fight with a bow and arrow, as unlikely as that sounds. He isn't bad with a sword, but his attitude is definitely suited to the bow. Famine is a very patient man. In the evening before the sun sets, he likes to sit and meditate until the sun completely disappears into the horizon." Clow Reed smiled. "Famine got hold of a book on the history of the Middle East. Ever since then he has these rather amusing notions about Gods and such, even though I know he doesn't believe in God." Clow Reed shook his head. "But that was before. Famine prefers to be alone, more often than not. When I instructed the cards in the ways of Magic, he often asked that I teach him privately."
Sakura tilted her head to the side. "He didn't care for the other cards at all? He couldn't tolerate them?"
Clow Reed said slowly, "I do not think it was that he couldn't tolerate the presence of others, just that he cherished his solitude. Famine's power is not something as simple as Fire or Water or Earth, his power consists of stealth. I was rather pleased with how quickly he learned all of the invisibility spells." Clow Reed looked her in the eye. "If you encounter Famine, simply leave him to his own devices, and he will not voluntarily bother you."
Sakura considered. "He doesn't sound so bad." she commented.
Clow Reed's face hardened. "Yes, well, he has done enough to prove he is with the others."
"What about Death?" Sakura whispered. "I noticed that you left him for last. Is there a reason for that?"
Clow Reed grimaced. "Death..." he paused. "Death is...an enigma. Even I am wary of Death. You do know not to come into contact with him, do you not Sakura?"
Sakura nodded.
"I think that when I created Death, I came too close to the real thing. There is much mystery around Death, and no matter how many times I asked, I could never get him to lower that hood of his. The black energy that always seems to surround him is no device of mine. I never taught him to create it, I do not even know what it is for, except to distort his figure. His Deathscythe is one of the most complexing things I have ever seen," Clow Reed leaned his chin on his hands, lost in the past. "I will never know how he managed to create such a weapon. This is another thing I never taught him how to do. And the energy..." Clow Reed shook his head. "I do not know how he can incorporate so much death into it. He is beyond Necromancy."
"Death...never speaks. Since the day he was created, he has never said one word. I do not know if the ability is beyond him, or if he just chooses not to speak. He is often hard to sense. I think this is because his power focuses so much on death. I think, perhaps, he is not entirely in the realm of the living. With him, I may have created a being that can actually see between the realms of the living and the dead." Clow Reed shook his head slightly. "I guess what they say is true...you fear what you do not understand."
"You're afraid of Death?" Sakura whispered disbelievingly.
Clow Reed smiled cynically, "Who is not afraid of death?" he sat back in his chair. "Sakura, you must be careful with Death. I honestly cannot tell you what to do or how you should act around him. Just try to stay out of his way."
"I think I'll do that." Sakura whispered.
"Well!" Clow Reed said suddenly, clapping his hands together and smiling. "I think that concludes what you need to know, for now." he glanced at the book that Sakura had placed in her lap during the conversation. "Why don't you start reciting that litany to yourself? We, well, YOU, have some time to spare while I wait for Kero Beros' return. And one last thing!"
"Yes?" Sakura wondered, picking up the book.
"Try not to use such...futuristic words while you are speaking with War. That might seem a bit odd." he said, smiling.
Sakura grinned. "I'll try to remember that."
Sakura opened Clow Reed's book and flipped to the last page. In long, flowing script, a short line of words were written in the middle of the page. Sakura read them and repeated them in her mind, Verata Noctus Feramus. To Sakura, they made no sense, but Clow Reed deemed them important. So she set her mind to reading, and re-reading them until she memorized them.
Sakura guessed it must have been another half hour until Kero decided to show himself again. He appeared, again without warning, in the middle of the room. Clow Reed, who had been thumbing through one of his texts, looked over to him and asked, "Well?"
"War is indeed in the same location as last time, Master, at Linth Manor. Unfortunately, all four of them are taking up residence at the moment. I'm surprised they haven't killed each other yet." he said, more to himself than Clow Reed. "War has planned to go to the market this afternoon, whether for pain or pleasure, I have not yet determined."
"Good. Good, thank you Kero Beros, you have done well. Well! It begins!" Clow Reed put his book away and stood quickly.
Sakura stood as well. "Umm? Where am I supposed to put the vial?"
Clow Reed gazed blankly at her for a moment before comprehension dawned. "Can you not...fit it somewhere under something there?"
Sakura crossed her arms and snorted. "Not bloody likely. And besides, I want to take my, your, book with me as well. And I'll need that hairbrush." she admitted.
"You want to take...?" Clow Reed just looked at her. Sighing, he said, "All right. Is there anything else you need?"
Sakura grinned. "I'm taking the Key of Clow with me." she said unexpectedly. Sakura reached down and pulled up her skirts, revealing the lower half of her leg. Yue coughed and she grinned at him. On her ankle, the Key of Clow was firmly tied in place.
Clow Reed raised his eyebrows. "Clever. But it is not a good idea to take it along with you."
Sakura lowered her skirts and sighed. "Look. You won't let me take the Clow cards with me, at least let me take this. I'd feel..
safer...if I had it with me."
Clow Reed conceded reluctantly, "I suppose it's all right. If War or any of the others saw it I doubt they would be able to recognize it as my staff in that form anyhow. Now, you'll also need the rest of those gowns. You tried them all on?"
Sakura grimaced in distaste. "Yes."
"And they all fit?"
"Yes."
"Good." he held out his hand and the gowns appeared out of thin air. Sakura's eyes widened and Clow Reed laughed. Placing them on his bed, he sought around for something, frowning. "Now, I know I brought a carry-on bag here at one time. Where did I put it?" he mumbled to himself.
Yue stepped forward. "Master, allow me. There are plenty others at the castle. I doubt the one you brought would be suited for a Lady." he pointed out.
"Hmm...quite right, quite right. Hurry up then."
Yue bowed slightly and then vanished.
While waiting for his return, Clow Reed remarked, "Now, you will of course need more gowns, but I'm sure that shouldn't be a problem..."
"More gowns!?" Sakura cried. "I don't NEED anymore gowns! Four is enough!"
That eyebrow went up again and Sakura was beginning to wonder if it was some sort of quirk. "Sakura, any Lady would have more than four gowns. A moderately sized wardrobe would have thirty gowns to say the least."
"Thirty!? Are you mad!? Who would want to have thirty of these things!"
"As I was saying..." Clow Reed continued. "This shouldn't be a problem. If War himself does not take you shopping, I will send more gowns along...compliments of your dear Aunt." Clow Reed grinned wickedly.
Sakura rolled her eyes. "So, I have an Aunt now, huh?"
"But of course."
Sakura sighed. "Fine, anything to keep up appearances."
"Oh! And Yue will be first to keep watch over you and report back to me. If things go as planned, he will show himself to you right after sunset and you can inform him of anything you might need. If you feel, however, that it is necessary to see me yourself, he can bring you back with him for a short time. Kero Beros will follow you tomorrow."
Sakura nodded. Having both Guardian's of the Seal looking out for her made her feel a little better. "I take it they'll be invisible?" she asked wryly. Clow Reed nodded. "But won't the cards sense Kero and Yue's presence?"
"They are quite advanced enough to shield themselves without problems. Do not worry."
Yue reappeared then, a small bag decorated with pink and white flowers gripped in his hand. He placed it on the table and asked, "I hope this is suitable."
Clow Reed quickly began filling it with the supplies Sakura was going to take with her. "Yes, yes. This is perfect."
Sakura smiled dryly. "I couldn't help but notice that all of the feminine things I have now have come from you. Is there something I need to know?" she quipped.
Clow Reed looked confused for a moment. "You did not think that I lived alone in that huge mass of stone, did you? There are many women who inhabit the castle as well as men, many of them acolytes. If I needed something from them, all I need do is ask."
Sakura rolled her eyes. "You're no fun to tease." Clow Reed stared at her, waiting for an explanation. Sakura smiled. "So when do we leave?"
"Why, now of course." Clow Reed handed Sakura the bag.
"I still think this is a bad idea." she protested, the bag clutched in both hands. "I know the moment I see him and he sees me that the expression on my face will give everything away."
Clow Reed waved her protests away. "Nonsense. Now, try to get as close to him at first as possible. You must make sure he inhales the perfume."
"How am I supposed to do that?"
Clow Reed shrugged. "I'm sure you'll think of something."
Sakura glared at him. "Well...I guess we should go then. How do you find your way out of this place?" she asked.
"Yue will teleport you straight to the village War is currently at."
Sakura's eyes widened. "Teleport? You mean, like the thing you did with me? Oh no! I'll faint again." she confessed.
Clow Reed smiled. "Do not worry, the experience will be less trying. I had to teleport across a much greater distance, and I had to increase the Magic needed to make sure none of the cards could trace where I had gone. Yue will not need to use as much Magic, so you will not feel so dizzy. Trust me, Sakura."
"What choice do I have?" Sakura sighed. "Okay, it's now or never." she stood up. "So what do I have to do?"
Yue stepped up to her. "Just hold onto me, Mistress. I promise I shall deliver you without harm."
Sakura grinned. "You don't have to sound so...earnest, Yue." she switched the bag to her left hand and placed her right around Yue's arm. "Beam me up, Scotty!"
Yue glanced at her funny before teleporting away.
Clow Reed turned to Kero, smiling. "Do you know that watching Yue fall head over heels for his future Mistress is quite amusing? Especially knowing that he'll be beating himself up about it in the future?" Kero smiled. "Well, I guess you'd better get back and inform everyone that I'll be another day late in coming home."
Kero stood. "Of course. But may I suggest you eat something, Master?" before Clow Reed could reply, Kero teleported out.
Clow Reed shook his head, amused. Sobering quickly, he walked over to the podium and opened the text still sitting there. He flipped through a few pages before abruptly slamming his fist into the book. "How long must I pay for my mistakes?" he whispered raggedly. Pulling himself together, he said evenly, "Now that Sakura is here, I can finally hope."
~
"Whoa," Sakura blinked owlishly and wavered on her feet a bit before pulling herself together. Clow Reed had been right, teleporting this time had been easier than last time, but, she was still dizzy.
Yue held out his hand and placed it on the small of her back. "Are you all right, Mistress?" he asked, concerned.
"Oh, yeah, I'm fine." Sakura assured him. "The world's finally stopped spinning." looking around bemusedly, Sakura remarked, "I thought we were going to a market or something?" on both sides of Sakura were wooden walls. It looked as if she was in some sort of alley. It smelled like it, too. Sakura covered her mouth with her hand. "Geez, my first smell of a real life village in this time and it smells like a sewage system."
"Pardon me, Mistress?" Yue asked, trying to understand.
"Nevermind."
Yue watched Sakura for a few more moments before saying, "We are in the village, Mistress. I had to make sure we came out of the teleport spell somewhere where no one would see us."
"Oh. Well, that makes sense. I thought this was an alleyway." Sakura smiled up at him. "So...where do we go now?"
Yue gently took her hand, which was still on his arm, away and stepped back. "You are going around the corner, alone. Remember, when you see War, you must get close enough so that he inhales the potion. You remember what War looks like, do you not?"
Sakura was still on the first thing he said. "Alone?! What do you mean, alone?"
Yue pulled a face. "I cannot exactly stroll down the streets with you, Mistress. If any of the cards saw me there would be chaos. And what about the villagers? As soon as they spot my wings..." Yue shook his head. "People here are very wary of Magical beings, Mistress." Yue smiled softly at her. "It is time for you to do this on your own."
Sakura sighed, trying to hide her nervousness. "I understand."
Yue cast a look of sympathy her way. "Do not worry, Mistress, I WILL be nearby, you just won't be able to see me." with a last smile, Yue disappeared.
Sakura stood, clutching her bag in front of her, for a few minutes without moving. Well, this was it. It had seemed a whole lot less...overwhelming, when she had discussed it with Clow Reed. Now that she was actually standing here, probably not even a few yards from War, she didn't feel quite so good.
A voice sounded quite near her ear and Sakura almost screamed. "Do not worry, Mistress, everything will be fine."
"Yue," Sakura breathed, relieved. Looking around, she frowned when she couldn't see him. "I thought you'd gone."
"I told you I will be watching over you. War is approaching, you should get going."
"Right." Sakura concentrated, trying to get a sense on how close War was. Sakura almost gasped in surprise when she sensed him, he was so close. So what now? She had to get him to smell that perfume...but how? War was getting closer and Sakura thought he might even be heading right down the dirt road towards the alley she was currently ensconced in. Sakura grinned as an idea occurred to her.
Waiting for the right moment, Sakura stood poised on her toes. When she thought War was just around the corner, Sakura hiked up her skirts and abruptly ran out of the alley...straight into War.
Sakura dropped her bag on the ground and looked up as arms came around her reflexively. Trying to make sure her face was in a properly distressed expression, and her voice was wavery, Sakura said urgently, "Oh! Please help me, sir! There are scoundrels after me! And I think they want to do horrible, awful things to my person!"
War looked down at the beauty in his arms and tried to regain his wits. His first inclination had been to shove whatever had come barreling into his chest away...and then kick it in the ribs. Then he had looked down and straight into the most piercing green eyes he'd ever seen. His gaze then swept across the girl's face and he noted, pleased, that she was as beautiful as the fairies he'd seen portrayed in tapestries. And she smelled like roses...
"Oh! Please help me, sir! There are scoundrels after me! And I think they want to do horrible, awful things to my person!"
It took a moment for her words to actually register in his brain. Then he was scowling. To think! Some idiot mortals thought to rid the earth of their most precious and beauteous possession! It was utterly absurd.
Sakura suddenly didn't think this was such a good idea as she saw his face form into the most frightening expression she had ever seen. "Stay behind me, madam, I assure you, they shall not get by ME." Sakura almost exhaled in relief when he said that, but caught herself in time.
Putting on an elated smile, Sakura breathed, "You are truly too kind! I thought I was lost before you came!" Sakura had to stop from laughing at how big of a lie she had just told. As War pushed her behind him, Sakura lost the urge to laugh. What was she going to say when no one came out of that alley?
To Sakura's utter surprise, two strangers did come out of the alley, and they both had daggers in their fists. Sakura blinked. While she had hesitated in the alley, had two men actually spotted her and planned to rob her? Sakura didn't know whether to be relieved, or feel sorry for them for what War might do to them.
The two spotted Sakura and headed straight for her, proving what she had just thought. They ignored War entirely, whether or not because they thought he was no threat, or because they didn't think he would intervene. Either way, it was a mistake.
As the two went to pass him, War punched the first in the face without warning. The man fell to the ground, clutching his bleeding, and probably broken, nose. The other man turned around furiously and went to stab War through the heart. War intercepted the dagger meant for his breast, and then, faster than Sakura could see, abruptly turned the dagger around and plunged it into the second man's throat. Sakura's hands went up to cover her mouth in horror as the blood sprouted from the man's throat, gurgling noises accompanied the red geyser.
War whirled around and placed his booted foot on the other man's throat. "Now, it is your turn." and pressed.
Sakura moved. Finding herself clutching onto War's arm, Sakura pleaded, "Please! You do not need to kill him."
War paused and looked into her face. Then, smiling like he hadn't just murdered a man, he said soothingly, "Forgive my manners, madam. I should have known that a Lady would not be able handle such violence."
Sakura released his arm reluctantly. War released the man from his hold and the guy took off running. Walking nonchalantly over to Sakura's dropped bag, War picked it up for her. Then, with no warning, War turned and released the second man's dagger from his hand and sent it into the man's back. He dropped, dead.
Sakura stared at him. "Why did you do that?" she whispered, unable to stop herself.
War smiled. "Because I felt like it, my dear. And, of course, because he had created a great sin in wanting to hurt you. But mostly because I felt like it." he extended a hand towards her. "Shall I escort you through town, my Lady?" he asked mildly.
"What?" Sakura asked, still staring at the dead man.
"Shall I escort you through town?" he repeated, sounding pleasant.
Sakura looked at him. Trying to gather her thoughts, Sakura realized that now was the time to spin a story. Clow Reed said he wanted her in War's house, or, he hinted at it at least. Okay,
Sakura smiled as sweetly as possible. "How chivalrous of you. But, I really must be going. You see, I know nothing about this area. My Aunt and my sister and I were traveling and we all wanted to see the sights. But, we were separated, and we were supposed to leave to go back home today." stopping her rants, Sakura smiled apologetically and tried to look sad. "I think they left without me." she confessed. "So, now I'm stuck. I'll have to find someone who will lend me a horse so I can travel all the way..."
War cut her off. Sounding appalled, he exclaimed, "You mean, you are here all alone? How tragic. And you say your family left without you? That is a pity. But I simply cannot let you go anywhere on your own." he paused, as if thinking about something. "I will write your Aunt, and inform her of your whereabouts."
Sakura frowned, sounding puzzled, she asked, "My whereabouts? But, I do not have anyplace to go? Where shall I stay?"
War smiled. "Why! You can stay at my manor."
Bingo! Sakura bestowed a gratifying smile in War's direction. "You truly are kind," aside, of course, for the fact that you're a murderer. "But, I don't know if I should," Sakura said, sounding uncertain. "It would be terribly improper."
War waved his hand. "Nonsense. There are plenty of servants that can act as your chaperones." he smiled wolfishly. "You need not fear any ungentlemanly actions from me."
Yeah right. "Again, I thank you, sir. But where are my manners? My name is Sakura Avalon." Sakura didn't think there would be any trouble revealing her real name, as long as she managed to seal him. "What's yours?"
"My name is War."
To be continued...
__________________________________________________________ ________________________________________
Well...that kinda sucked. It didn't turn out how I wanted it to. Oh well, I think I'll focus on things more next chapter. Sorry about that. Until then!
Author's Note: ^_^ I'm glad you liked Yue last chapter. I shamelessly abuse him this chapter, too. But, I promise this is the last time! I swear! Okay...um...read and review. Oh, and there is a little violence latter on. You have been warned.
Disclaimer: I do not own Cardcaptors nor do I claim to. I am not getting paid for this so please do not sue me.
Cardcaptors: And so it Begins-Ch.19
"Sakura...come out. I'm sure you're over exaggerating." Clow Reed sighed impatiently.
"I am NOT!! over exaggerating!" Sakura yelled from behind her closed, and barred, door.
Clow Reed rubbed his temple with a pained expression on his face. Glancing behind him at Yue, he asked dryly. "Surely it cannot be that hideous?"
Yue shrugged. "I thought it looked fine." his wings twitched nervously behind him as cursing suddenly sounded from behind Sakura's door.
Leaning against the side of the frame, Clow Reed tried again. "We have to prepare for the War card, Sakura. I need to explain things to you."
"You can explain things from the other side of that door! I am not coming out!"
Clow Reed abruptly lost his patience. Slapping his hand against the door, he threatened, "Sakura! Do not make me break this door down! And I don't mean physically!"
The door opened suddenly and slammed against the wall. Clow Reed took a surprised step back, as did Yue. Sakura came gliding out of the room, a scowl planted firmly on her face. "If you laugh, I'll kill you." she said quietly.
Laughing was the farthest thing from either men's minds. Yue had brought back four gowns for Sakura to try on. The first dress had been a pale green, the second sky blue, the third light pink, and the fourth canary yellow. Sakura had been all for it before the gowns had graced her figure. As the two men had waited on the other side of the door for results on the first dress, what they got was a violent reaction. Sakura had started cursing and abruptly proclaimed that there was no way in hell she was going to wear any of THOSE! For the life of them, Clow Reed and Yue couldn't figure out why.
Now, Sakura had apparently made her choice, and was none the happier for it. She had picked the canary yellow, and Clow Reed thought she looked rather fetching in it. The yellow in the dress set off the golden streaks in her sienna hair. The wide sleeves of the gown went down all the way to her wrists, and then tapered off underneath her hands into a triangle pattern. The neck of the gown sloped down and and bared her shoulders but stopped at a modest level above her breasts in a square design. The fabric clung tightly to her waist as it was supposed to and showed off all of Sakura's best assets. The lower half of the gown flared off into an elegant umbrella type design, getting slightly larger and further away from her body as it went down, but it didn't overdo it. The yellow material in the front divided to reveal snowy white fabric beneath. The tip of one golden slipper peaked out from beneath her gown, and Clow Reed noticed it was tapping the floor impatiently. To top it all off, dark green lined the sleeves, skirt, and collar of the dress, accentuating the green in her eyes. She had been given a coarse hairbrush earlier and she had obviously made use of it. Her long hair hung about her face and shoulders in waves.
Clow Reed thought she looked absolutely precious, and judging from the look on Yue's face, he didn't think she looked too bad either.
So what was the problem?
Clow Reed returned his eyes from the appraisal to Sakura's face. He noticed the expression on her face was strained. "What's wrong, Sakura?" he asked gently.
"I can't breathe!" she exclaimed furiously.
Clow Reed couldn't help it, he laughed. He abruptly choked the sound off as Sakura's eyes narrowed to slits. Trying to regain the authority in his voice, he said mildly, "Women's gowns are designed that way. The corset is to tighten your waist so that a...um...man...can easily span it." Clow Reed coughed. "And, well, the other reason is to raise your..." Clow Reed waved his hand.
Sakura crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't WANT my waist to be small enough so a man can can span it! I don't want a man's hands anywhere NEAR my waist! And as for my breasts!" Yue choked. "Do you know how uncomfortable this is!?"
Clow Reed fought off a smile. "But, Sakura, this is how all women dress in this time. I cannot do anything about that."
"Yeah, well, all you men are lucky us women haven't killed you yet! If all women here are in as foul as a mood as I am..." Sakura trailed off into grumbling.
"If it is any consolation to you, Mistress, I think you look radiant." Yue said quietly.
"Yeah, well," Sakura huffed, but the fight seemed to drain out of her.
Clow Reed nodded almost imperceptibly to Yue, thanking him. Yue smiled slightly. Addressing Sakura once more, Clow Reed said, "Are you ready to listen to the rest of what I have to tell you?"
Sakura nodded once. She went to follow Clow Reed and Yue as they started off down the hallway, when she remembered something, "Oh! I forgot something! Wait a minute!" then she picked up her skirts, so she wouldn't fall flat on her face of course, and ran back into her room.
Glancing at each other, Clow Reed and Yue turned back and poked their heads into the doorway just as Sakura bent over, in a rather compromising position, to pick up something from her bed. Yue abruptly whirled back around and took a few steps away from the doorway. Clow Reed raised an amused eyebrow at him. Yue raised his hand and ran it through his hair, agitated.
Sakura turned back around, a book clutched in front of her. Walking back out the doorway, she looked between the two and said, "So, are we going?"
Clow Reed glanced at the book. "I see you have taken an interest in my book?" he said wryly.
Sakura glanced around. "Well...there's some interesting stuff in here." she admitted reluctantly.
Clow Reed smiled. "I was hoping you would enjoy the contents in there." he turned and headed for his chambers. "It is merely a novice's book, but I thought it would be an appropriate place to start. Have you gotten to the bit about pulling heat out of the air to create a ball of fire?"
Sakura's eyes widened. "No." she whispered.
Clow Reed chuckled. "Good. I don't want you to try that on your own." he pulled a face. "A few apprentices tried it and ended up burning their hands...to say the least. Oh, and there is something in there I think you should note."
Sakura glanced down at the book and back up into his face. "Like what?"
"Since that is MY text, it has my notes in it." he looked over his shoulder at her. "You may not understand them, but in the back, after the very last page, there is an incantation I wrote down. I want you to read it and repeat it over and over again in your head, Sakura, until it comes to you without thought. But ONLY in your head. Do not say it out loud until you are ready and the time is right." he warned.
Sakura frowned. "Why not? What does it do? And how will I know when to say it?" she asked, confused.
Clow Reed faced forward again, so Sakura didn't see his face when he replied, "You'll know."
Sakura's frown deepened. She was beginning to think Clow Reed was very complicated. She had said that Clow Reed was straight forward and didn't beat around the bush, and that was true...sort of. It seemed that when Clow Reed was ready to tell you something he came right out with it, but when he wasn't ready...he could be as cryptic as hell.
They entered Clow Reed's room and Sakura noticed that the million candles that had been scattered about the room had been moved. No longer did they litter the chairs, table, and even the floor, but were confined to shelves. Sakura's lips quirked, "Did some cleaning?" she asked mildly.
Clow Reed shrugged and took a place behind one of the chairs. "I thought it was time I cleaned up anyways."
"Right." Sakura drawled. When neither Yue nor Clow Reed made any move to seat, or air seat, themselves, Sakura glanced at them curiously. "Are we waiting for something?"
"Yes," Clow Reed smiled. "Before we can seat ourselves you must sit first."
Sakura blinked. Then she wrinkled her nose, "I forgot about all that stuff. Guess I'll have to brush up on my history." she moved to one of the chairs and went to sit down. She froze, in the middle of folding herself to sit. Then she abruptly collapsed in the chair with an explosive sigh. Clow Reed and Yue eyed her with puzzlement. Sakura gave them a half smile, "I'll have to get used to sitting." she brought her hand up to her ribs and said ruefully, "It pinches."
"It pin...?" Clow Reed stopped. "Oh." he said simply.
Sakura glanced about. "Where's Kero?" she asked curiously.
"He has not yet returned." Clow Reed informed her, apparently not the least bit worried. He, along with Yue, sat down. "Now, the last bit of information you need to know before we can begin," he reached into his robes and extracted a vial from somewhere. Placing it on the table, he pushed it towards Sakura, motioning that she should take it. "That is what you will need to hide your aura from War."
Sakura picked it up and observed the rose liquid inside. She looked at Clow Reed, "What am I supposed to do? Drink it?"
"Heavens no!" Clow Reed exclaimed, startling Sakura. "You would be sick for a week if you did that!"
Sakura frowned, was there no end to his little surprises? "Then what am I supposed to do with it?" she asked.
Clow Reed's eyebrows shot up. "Why, put it on, of course." he said, as she should have known. Sakura rolled her eyes. "It's like perfume." he explained. "You put a drop here," he pointed to one side of his neck, "and here," the other side. Then his eyes twinkled merrily and Sakura wondered what sort of surprise was coming her way next. "I added some extra ingredients." he said, as if in an afterthought.
Sakura narrowed her eyes. "What sort of...extra ingredients?" she asked warily.
Clow Reed extracted his hands from his robes and steepled his fingers in front of his face, trying to hide his smile. "Open the vial." he said, not answering the question.
Sakura looked at him suspiciously before doing what she was told. She lifted the bottle slowly and sniffed cautiously. Raising her eyebrows in surprise, Sakura exclaimed, "It smells like roses."
"Well, what did you expect it would smell like?" Clow Reed asked. "Put it on...not too much!..I want to see if I got it right." that twinkle was still in his eyes.
Sakura placed her index finger over the top of the bottle and upended it, then righted it again. Taking her finger, she gently dabbed the right side of her neck, just above her shoulder, and then did the same to the other. Placing the cap back on the bottle, Sakura set it back down on the table. Looking at Clow Reed, she asked, "Well?"
He smiled. "Well, it conceals your aura perfectly. I got that part just right." he said triumphantly. "Now...to test the other part. Yue."
Yue placed his feet back on the ground. "Yes, Master?" he asked curiously.
"I want you to go over to Sakura and tell me what you think of the scent on her." he said mildly.
Yue and Sakura stared at him. "What?" Yue asked uncertainly.
Clow Reed waved his hand impatiently, "Oh, stop overreacting. Just go over there and smell the poor girl."
Sakura blushed at his blunt phrasing. She watched as Yue, still confused as hell, walked over to her slowly. He bent towards her slightly and Sakura tilted her head to the side, not wanting to have him get any closer than he wanted to be. The blush remained as his head descended towards her neck. Sakura kept her gaze glued to the ceiling and vowed to get Clow Reed back for this.
Suddenly, Yue jumped back, literally. His wings flapped once and blew a gust of wind across the room, disturbing Sakura and Clow Reed's hair and making the candles flicker. Sakura stood worriedly and glanced at Clow Reed. He remained seated, a slight smile on his face. Flicking a look of extreme disapproval in his direction, she stepped forward and extended a hand towards Yue.
"No!" Yue exclaimed, backing up, acting like a skittish horse. "Don't come close."
Sakura turned back to Clow Reed. "What's going on?! Stop this." she hissed at him.
Clow Reed waved his hand in front of his face. "Ovum Noctu." he said. Yue blinked abruptly, and the tenseness in his shoulders vanished. Clow Reed looked apologetically at them both. "I'm sorry. I had to make sure I did the spell correctly."
Sakura glared at him. "You're sorry! Whatever your reasons, they weren't..."
Clow Reed raised his hand, halting her tirade. "Yue's reaction was not what I thought it was going to be, Sakura. He was merely surprised. His actions lead you to believe a lot worse than is necessary."
"He is right," Yue said suddenly. Sakura looked at him. "It was unexpected, I was...unprepared." he said sheepishly.
Sakura turned to Clow Reed. "What...else did you put into the spell?" she asked ominously.
Clow Reed shrugged. "I simply added a little something to catch War's interest." Sakura placed her hands on her hips. "I simply added a very mild, very mild, essence of love."
Sakura sank back into her chair. "What?!" she whispered.
"I wanted to make absolutely certain that the first time you came across War, you would make an impression. What is it you like to say in the future?...it was...insurance."
Sakura sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "You know...I wish you would tell me these things before you do them." she muttered. She sighed. "Well...that's just fine. But what about every other male that gets close enough to pick up the scent? I do NOT want a situation like that."
Clow Reed quickly reassured her. "Oh no! I refined the spell so that the only males able to detect it would be the ones directly associated with Magic."
Sakura stared at him. "Do you do this sort of thing regularly?"
Clow Reed didn't bother to answer that. "One smell of that and War will be...entranced."
Sakura placed her arms on the table. "Won't War be a little suspicious? Won't he sense...something unusual?"
Clow Reed shook his head. "If a lesser sorcerer, or a wizard, had done the spell, that would be so. But I have made sure he will be able to detect nothing. Now, to keep the spell at it's strongest, you must reapply the perfume every twelve hours. And keep in mind what I said! Do not apply too much! Even though I tried to incorporate the least amount of the essence, it can still be pretty potent if used in large amounts."
Things just kept getting better and better. "And what would happen if I...say, accidentally spilled the whole bottle on me?"
Clow Reed smiled, showing teeth. "Barricade yourself somewhere for a couple days."
Sakura groaned. "Wonderful!" lowering her head in her hands, Sakura mumbled, "Is there anything else I should know?"
Clow Reed pretended to consider. "Not on that subject."
"Good." she raised her head. "What else did you want to tell me?"
"I thought it best if you knew about the other three cards as well, just incase."
"You mean Death, Disease, and Famine?"
Clow Reed nodded. "I do not know how often you might encounter them. Even though they all live together, they try to stay as far away from each other as possible. But if you do happen to meet them, there are some things I think you might find useful."
"You already know a bit about Disease, as you've fought him before. Disease is nothing more than a coward. He prefers to attack when he knows he can win. When he knows he can't, or that he might be injured, he prefers to go about the thing without ever having to encounter the enemy. He'll use his power over germs and bacteria to accomplish this. He is like a bully, he will pick on the weak but avoid the strong. If you have any trouble with him, Sakura, just be firm and to the point. When he sees he cannot push you around, he should leave you alone. But do not be too firm with him. As with all bullies, he has quite a temper when he thinks he has been slighted or made to look a fool."
"He likes expensive things, so much so, that he spends ridiculous amounts of money on them. That is...if he bothers to pay for what he wants at all. Do not mistake that for War's interest in beauty. War may spend a sizable amount, but he is not a glutton. Disease likes to look good, contrary to his association with germs. He also does not like to be told he is wrong."
"One you may not know much about is Famine. He, obviously, can cause long droughts. He was the second horsemen of the four that you saw the first day you came here."
"The one with the flaming red hair?" Sakura asked, trying to remember.
Clow Reed nodded. "Yes. Famine prefers to fight with a bow and arrow, as unlikely as that sounds. He isn't bad with a sword, but his attitude is definitely suited to the bow. Famine is a very patient man. In the evening before the sun sets, he likes to sit and meditate until the sun completely disappears into the horizon." Clow Reed smiled. "Famine got hold of a book on the history of the Middle East. Ever since then he has these rather amusing notions about Gods and such, even though I know he doesn't believe in God." Clow Reed shook his head. "But that was before. Famine prefers to be alone, more often than not. When I instructed the cards in the ways of Magic, he often asked that I teach him privately."
Sakura tilted her head to the side. "He didn't care for the other cards at all? He couldn't tolerate them?"
Clow Reed said slowly, "I do not think it was that he couldn't tolerate the presence of others, just that he cherished his solitude. Famine's power is not something as simple as Fire or Water or Earth, his power consists of stealth. I was rather pleased with how quickly he learned all of the invisibility spells." Clow Reed looked her in the eye. "If you encounter Famine, simply leave him to his own devices, and he will not voluntarily bother you."
Sakura considered. "He doesn't sound so bad." she commented.
Clow Reed's face hardened. "Yes, well, he has done enough to prove he is with the others."
"What about Death?" Sakura whispered. "I noticed that you left him for last. Is there a reason for that?"
Clow Reed grimaced. "Death..." he paused. "Death is...an enigma. Even I am wary of Death. You do know not to come into contact with him, do you not Sakura?"
Sakura nodded.
"I think that when I created Death, I came too close to the real thing. There is much mystery around Death, and no matter how many times I asked, I could never get him to lower that hood of his. The black energy that always seems to surround him is no device of mine. I never taught him to create it, I do not even know what it is for, except to distort his figure. His Deathscythe is one of the most complexing things I have ever seen," Clow Reed leaned his chin on his hands, lost in the past. "I will never know how he managed to create such a weapon. This is another thing I never taught him how to do. And the energy..." Clow Reed shook his head. "I do not know how he can incorporate so much death into it. He is beyond Necromancy."
"Death...never speaks. Since the day he was created, he has never said one word. I do not know if the ability is beyond him, or if he just chooses not to speak. He is often hard to sense. I think this is because his power focuses so much on death. I think, perhaps, he is not entirely in the realm of the living. With him, I may have created a being that can actually see between the realms of the living and the dead." Clow Reed shook his head slightly. "I guess what they say is true...you fear what you do not understand."
"You're afraid of Death?" Sakura whispered disbelievingly.
Clow Reed smiled cynically, "Who is not afraid of death?" he sat back in his chair. "Sakura, you must be careful with Death. I honestly cannot tell you what to do or how you should act around him. Just try to stay out of his way."
"I think I'll do that." Sakura whispered.
"Well!" Clow Reed said suddenly, clapping his hands together and smiling. "I think that concludes what you need to know, for now." he glanced at the book that Sakura had placed in her lap during the conversation. "Why don't you start reciting that litany to yourself? We, well, YOU, have some time to spare while I wait for Kero Beros' return. And one last thing!"
"Yes?" Sakura wondered, picking up the book.
"Try not to use such...futuristic words while you are speaking with War. That might seem a bit odd." he said, smiling.
Sakura grinned. "I'll try to remember that."
Sakura opened Clow Reed's book and flipped to the last page. In long, flowing script, a short line of words were written in the middle of the page. Sakura read them and repeated them in her mind, Verata Noctus Feramus. To Sakura, they made no sense, but Clow Reed deemed them important. So she set her mind to reading, and re-reading them until she memorized them.
Sakura guessed it must have been another half hour until Kero decided to show himself again. He appeared, again without warning, in the middle of the room. Clow Reed, who had been thumbing through one of his texts, looked over to him and asked, "Well?"
"War is indeed in the same location as last time, Master, at Linth Manor. Unfortunately, all four of them are taking up residence at the moment. I'm surprised they haven't killed each other yet." he said, more to himself than Clow Reed. "War has planned to go to the market this afternoon, whether for pain or pleasure, I have not yet determined."
"Good. Good, thank you Kero Beros, you have done well. Well! It begins!" Clow Reed put his book away and stood quickly.
Sakura stood as well. "Umm? Where am I supposed to put the vial?"
Clow Reed gazed blankly at her for a moment before comprehension dawned. "Can you not...fit it somewhere under something there?"
Sakura crossed her arms and snorted. "Not bloody likely. And besides, I want to take my, your, book with me as well. And I'll need that hairbrush." she admitted.
"You want to take...?" Clow Reed just looked at her. Sighing, he said, "All right. Is there anything else you need?"
Sakura grinned. "I'm taking the Key of Clow with me." she said unexpectedly. Sakura reached down and pulled up her skirts, revealing the lower half of her leg. Yue coughed and she grinned at him. On her ankle, the Key of Clow was firmly tied in place.
Clow Reed raised his eyebrows. "Clever. But it is not a good idea to take it along with you."
Sakura lowered her skirts and sighed. "Look. You won't let me take the Clow cards with me, at least let me take this. I'd feel..
safer...if I had it with me."
Clow Reed conceded reluctantly, "I suppose it's all right. If War or any of the others saw it I doubt they would be able to recognize it as my staff in that form anyhow. Now, you'll also need the rest of those gowns. You tried them all on?"
Sakura grimaced in distaste. "Yes."
"And they all fit?"
"Yes."
"Good." he held out his hand and the gowns appeared out of thin air. Sakura's eyes widened and Clow Reed laughed. Placing them on his bed, he sought around for something, frowning. "Now, I know I brought a carry-on bag here at one time. Where did I put it?" he mumbled to himself.
Yue stepped forward. "Master, allow me. There are plenty others at the castle. I doubt the one you brought would be suited for a Lady." he pointed out.
"Hmm...quite right, quite right. Hurry up then."
Yue bowed slightly and then vanished.
While waiting for his return, Clow Reed remarked, "Now, you will of course need more gowns, but I'm sure that shouldn't be a problem..."
"More gowns!?" Sakura cried. "I don't NEED anymore gowns! Four is enough!"
That eyebrow went up again and Sakura was beginning to wonder if it was some sort of quirk. "Sakura, any Lady would have more than four gowns. A moderately sized wardrobe would have thirty gowns to say the least."
"Thirty!? Are you mad!? Who would want to have thirty of these things!"
"As I was saying..." Clow Reed continued. "This shouldn't be a problem. If War himself does not take you shopping, I will send more gowns along...compliments of your dear Aunt." Clow Reed grinned wickedly.
Sakura rolled her eyes. "So, I have an Aunt now, huh?"
"But of course."
Sakura sighed. "Fine, anything to keep up appearances."
"Oh! And Yue will be first to keep watch over you and report back to me. If things go as planned, he will show himself to you right after sunset and you can inform him of anything you might need. If you feel, however, that it is necessary to see me yourself, he can bring you back with him for a short time. Kero Beros will follow you tomorrow."
Sakura nodded. Having both Guardian's of the Seal looking out for her made her feel a little better. "I take it they'll be invisible?" she asked wryly. Clow Reed nodded. "But won't the cards sense Kero and Yue's presence?"
"They are quite advanced enough to shield themselves without problems. Do not worry."
Yue reappeared then, a small bag decorated with pink and white flowers gripped in his hand. He placed it on the table and asked, "I hope this is suitable."
Clow Reed quickly began filling it with the supplies Sakura was going to take with her. "Yes, yes. This is perfect."
Sakura smiled dryly. "I couldn't help but notice that all of the feminine things I have now have come from you. Is there something I need to know?" she quipped.
Clow Reed looked confused for a moment. "You did not think that I lived alone in that huge mass of stone, did you? There are many women who inhabit the castle as well as men, many of them acolytes. If I needed something from them, all I need do is ask."
Sakura rolled her eyes. "You're no fun to tease." Clow Reed stared at her, waiting for an explanation. Sakura smiled. "So when do we leave?"
"Why, now of course." Clow Reed handed Sakura the bag.
"I still think this is a bad idea." she protested, the bag clutched in both hands. "I know the moment I see him and he sees me that the expression on my face will give everything away."
Clow Reed waved her protests away. "Nonsense. Now, try to get as close to him at first as possible. You must make sure he inhales the perfume."
"How am I supposed to do that?"
Clow Reed shrugged. "I'm sure you'll think of something."
Sakura glared at him. "Well...I guess we should go then. How do you find your way out of this place?" she asked.
"Yue will teleport you straight to the village War is currently at."
Sakura's eyes widened. "Teleport? You mean, like the thing you did with me? Oh no! I'll faint again." she confessed.
Clow Reed smiled. "Do not worry, the experience will be less trying. I had to teleport across a much greater distance, and I had to increase the Magic needed to make sure none of the cards could trace where I had gone. Yue will not need to use as much Magic, so you will not feel so dizzy. Trust me, Sakura."
"What choice do I have?" Sakura sighed. "Okay, it's now or never." she stood up. "So what do I have to do?"
Yue stepped up to her. "Just hold onto me, Mistress. I promise I shall deliver you without harm."
Sakura grinned. "You don't have to sound so...earnest, Yue." she switched the bag to her left hand and placed her right around Yue's arm. "Beam me up, Scotty!"
Yue glanced at her funny before teleporting away.
Clow Reed turned to Kero, smiling. "Do you know that watching Yue fall head over heels for his future Mistress is quite amusing? Especially knowing that he'll be beating himself up about it in the future?" Kero smiled. "Well, I guess you'd better get back and inform everyone that I'll be another day late in coming home."
Kero stood. "Of course. But may I suggest you eat something, Master?" before Clow Reed could reply, Kero teleported out.
Clow Reed shook his head, amused. Sobering quickly, he walked over to the podium and opened the text still sitting there. He flipped through a few pages before abruptly slamming his fist into the book. "How long must I pay for my mistakes?" he whispered raggedly. Pulling himself together, he said evenly, "Now that Sakura is here, I can finally hope."
~
"Whoa," Sakura blinked owlishly and wavered on her feet a bit before pulling herself together. Clow Reed had been right, teleporting this time had been easier than last time, but, she was still dizzy.
Yue held out his hand and placed it on the small of her back. "Are you all right, Mistress?" he asked, concerned.
"Oh, yeah, I'm fine." Sakura assured him. "The world's finally stopped spinning." looking around bemusedly, Sakura remarked, "I thought we were going to a market or something?" on both sides of Sakura were wooden walls. It looked as if she was in some sort of alley. It smelled like it, too. Sakura covered her mouth with her hand. "Geez, my first smell of a real life village in this time and it smells like a sewage system."
"Pardon me, Mistress?" Yue asked, trying to understand.
"Nevermind."
Yue watched Sakura for a few more moments before saying, "We are in the village, Mistress. I had to make sure we came out of the teleport spell somewhere where no one would see us."
"Oh. Well, that makes sense. I thought this was an alleyway." Sakura smiled up at him. "So...where do we go now?"
Yue gently took her hand, which was still on his arm, away and stepped back. "You are going around the corner, alone. Remember, when you see War, you must get close enough so that he inhales the potion. You remember what War looks like, do you not?"
Sakura was still on the first thing he said. "Alone?! What do you mean, alone?"
Yue pulled a face. "I cannot exactly stroll down the streets with you, Mistress. If any of the cards saw me there would be chaos. And what about the villagers? As soon as they spot my wings..." Yue shook his head. "People here are very wary of Magical beings, Mistress." Yue smiled softly at her. "It is time for you to do this on your own."
Sakura sighed, trying to hide her nervousness. "I understand."
Yue cast a look of sympathy her way. "Do not worry, Mistress, I WILL be nearby, you just won't be able to see me." with a last smile, Yue disappeared.
Sakura stood, clutching her bag in front of her, for a few minutes without moving. Well, this was it. It had seemed a whole lot less...overwhelming, when she had discussed it with Clow Reed. Now that she was actually standing here, probably not even a few yards from War, she didn't feel quite so good.
A voice sounded quite near her ear and Sakura almost screamed. "Do not worry, Mistress, everything will be fine."
"Yue," Sakura breathed, relieved. Looking around, she frowned when she couldn't see him. "I thought you'd gone."
"I told you I will be watching over you. War is approaching, you should get going."
"Right." Sakura concentrated, trying to get a sense on how close War was. Sakura almost gasped in surprise when she sensed him, he was so close. So what now? She had to get him to smell that perfume...but how? War was getting closer and Sakura thought he might even be heading right down the dirt road towards the alley she was currently ensconced in. Sakura grinned as an idea occurred to her.
Waiting for the right moment, Sakura stood poised on her toes. When she thought War was just around the corner, Sakura hiked up her skirts and abruptly ran out of the alley...straight into War.
Sakura dropped her bag on the ground and looked up as arms came around her reflexively. Trying to make sure her face was in a properly distressed expression, and her voice was wavery, Sakura said urgently, "Oh! Please help me, sir! There are scoundrels after me! And I think they want to do horrible, awful things to my person!"
War looked down at the beauty in his arms and tried to regain his wits. His first inclination had been to shove whatever had come barreling into his chest away...and then kick it in the ribs. Then he had looked down and straight into the most piercing green eyes he'd ever seen. His gaze then swept across the girl's face and he noted, pleased, that she was as beautiful as the fairies he'd seen portrayed in tapestries. And she smelled like roses...
"Oh! Please help me, sir! There are scoundrels after me! And I think they want to do horrible, awful things to my person!"
It took a moment for her words to actually register in his brain. Then he was scowling. To think! Some idiot mortals thought to rid the earth of their most precious and beauteous possession! It was utterly absurd.
Sakura suddenly didn't think this was such a good idea as she saw his face form into the most frightening expression she had ever seen. "Stay behind me, madam, I assure you, they shall not get by ME." Sakura almost exhaled in relief when he said that, but caught herself in time.
Putting on an elated smile, Sakura breathed, "You are truly too kind! I thought I was lost before you came!" Sakura had to stop from laughing at how big of a lie she had just told. As War pushed her behind him, Sakura lost the urge to laugh. What was she going to say when no one came out of that alley?
To Sakura's utter surprise, two strangers did come out of the alley, and they both had daggers in their fists. Sakura blinked. While she had hesitated in the alley, had two men actually spotted her and planned to rob her? Sakura didn't know whether to be relieved, or feel sorry for them for what War might do to them.
The two spotted Sakura and headed straight for her, proving what she had just thought. They ignored War entirely, whether or not because they thought he was no threat, or because they didn't think he would intervene. Either way, it was a mistake.
As the two went to pass him, War punched the first in the face without warning. The man fell to the ground, clutching his bleeding, and probably broken, nose. The other man turned around furiously and went to stab War through the heart. War intercepted the dagger meant for his breast, and then, faster than Sakura could see, abruptly turned the dagger around and plunged it into the second man's throat. Sakura's hands went up to cover her mouth in horror as the blood sprouted from the man's throat, gurgling noises accompanied the red geyser.
War whirled around and placed his booted foot on the other man's throat. "Now, it is your turn." and pressed.
Sakura moved. Finding herself clutching onto War's arm, Sakura pleaded, "Please! You do not need to kill him."
War paused and looked into her face. Then, smiling like he hadn't just murdered a man, he said soothingly, "Forgive my manners, madam. I should have known that a Lady would not be able handle such violence."
Sakura released his arm reluctantly. War released the man from his hold and the guy took off running. Walking nonchalantly over to Sakura's dropped bag, War picked it up for her. Then, with no warning, War turned and released the second man's dagger from his hand and sent it into the man's back. He dropped, dead.
Sakura stared at him. "Why did you do that?" she whispered, unable to stop herself.
War smiled. "Because I felt like it, my dear. And, of course, because he had created a great sin in wanting to hurt you. But mostly because I felt like it." he extended a hand towards her. "Shall I escort you through town, my Lady?" he asked mildly.
"What?" Sakura asked, still staring at the dead man.
"Shall I escort you through town?" he repeated, sounding pleasant.
Sakura looked at him. Trying to gather her thoughts, Sakura realized that now was the time to spin a story. Clow Reed said he wanted her in War's house, or, he hinted at it at least. Okay,
Sakura smiled as sweetly as possible. "How chivalrous of you. But, I really must be going. You see, I know nothing about this area. My Aunt and my sister and I were traveling and we all wanted to see the sights. But, we were separated, and we were supposed to leave to go back home today." stopping her rants, Sakura smiled apologetically and tried to look sad. "I think they left without me." she confessed. "So, now I'm stuck. I'll have to find someone who will lend me a horse so I can travel all the way..."
War cut her off. Sounding appalled, he exclaimed, "You mean, you are here all alone? How tragic. And you say your family left without you? That is a pity. But I simply cannot let you go anywhere on your own." he paused, as if thinking about something. "I will write your Aunt, and inform her of your whereabouts."
Sakura frowned, sounding puzzled, she asked, "My whereabouts? But, I do not have anyplace to go? Where shall I stay?"
War smiled. "Why! You can stay at my manor."
Bingo! Sakura bestowed a gratifying smile in War's direction. "You truly are kind," aside, of course, for the fact that you're a murderer. "But, I don't know if I should," Sakura said, sounding uncertain. "It would be terribly improper."
War waved his hand. "Nonsense. There are plenty of servants that can act as your chaperones." he smiled wolfishly. "You need not fear any ungentlemanly actions from me."
Yeah right. "Again, I thank you, sir. But where are my manners? My name is Sakura Avalon." Sakura didn't think there would be any trouble revealing her real name, as long as she managed to seal him. "What's yours?"
"My name is War."
To be continued...
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Well...that kinda sucked. It didn't turn out how I wanted it to. Oh well, I think I'll focus on things more next chapter. Sorry about that. Until then!