Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ The Dragon Cards ❯ Reunited ( Chapter 1 )

Cardcaptor

Sakura

The Dragon Cards

 

CHAPTER ONE

Reunited

 

It was a dark night. The Tokyo Tower glowed red in the distance. Sakura stood on top of a building, The Sakura cards drifting around her. Who was that person… no, persons…? They stood on top of the tower, a girl and a boy. They had black hair and black eyes. Their smiles seemed cruel and cold, crazy even. Who are you? Who……

“Who….. Who…….” Sakura murmured in her sleep. Her clock beeped loudly. “Sakura…Sakura……” Kero nudged her gently. The gentle nudging was quickly replaced by irritated shaking. “SA- KU- RA!” Kero yelled.

“Aaaah!” Sakura screamed, opening her eyes. When she realized it was just Kero, she sat up indignantly. “Kero! Why did you yell at me for?!” she scolded. “Oh, let's see…….Because you were still sleeping although your alarm clock's been ringing for the past half an hour!” he yelled in answer.

“Whaaat!” Sakura flung off the bedcovers and ran to her wardrobe. “I'm going to be late!” ”It's your own fault you woke up late!” Kero replied unsympathetically. “Why do you've to go meet that brat at the airport, anyway?” “Shaoran is not a brat!” Sakura retorted. “He's a very sweet person.”

“There, what do you think?” she asked Kero. She was wearing a yellow dress and a red jacket. A yellow hat was perched on her head. “It's nice,” Kero said, waving a paw in a bored manner. The he jerked around abruptly. “Isn't that the outfit you got last night?” he asked suspiciously.

Sakura giggled nervously. `Of … of course not,” she stammered. “Oh, look at the

time! Gotta go!” she said, grabbing backpack. She slammed the door shut behind her.

“Sakura, you get back here!” Kero yelled.

 

 

Sakura took the stairs two at a time and skipped into the kitchen. “Good morning, Touya!” she said. “Morning, monster,” Touya replied, sipping his hot chocolate. “I am not a monster! Sakura said angrily. “Of course you're not……..Monster!” Touya teased.

Sakura clenched her fist into a ball. “I just said, I.AM.NOT.A.MONSTER!” she yelled.

“Sakura, what's with all this yelling early in the morning?” Fujitaka Kinamoto reprimanded her, entering the kitchen. Sakura quickly hid a balled up fist behind her back. “Oh, good morning, Daddy,” She greeted him. “Morning, Dad,” Touya echoed through a mouthful of food.

“Where are you going, Sakura? A party?” Fujitaka asked, looking her up and down.

`What makes you think that?” Sakura asked him, puzzled. “You are wearing a new dress, the one we had to go to the mall all the way over in Tokyo to buy, am I right?”

Fujitaka said. “How did you know?” Sakura asked. “It doesn't have monster drool all over it,” Touya replied, not looking up from his breakfast.

Then he stopped. “Aren't you meeting that little brat today?” he asked, fixing her with a penetrating glare. “W…What's that got to do with anything?” Sakura defended herself.

She ignored his glare and stared down at her sandwiches.

Fujitaka glanced at the clock. “Shouldn't you be off now, Sakura? It's already seven, you've to catch the bus at a quarter past seven to reach the airport by eight….”

He turned around. “When's your friend arriv…..” She was already gone. “Oh,” he said to no one in particular. Touya continued eating without a hitch.

 

 

Sakura skated as fast as she could, a piece of bread in one hand. “Oh, please still be there, please!” she muttered to herself, taking a big bite out of the sandwich in her hand.

Sakura skated round a bend and………. right into Tomoyo.

Sakura picked herself up, rubbing her head. “Ow……..” she groaned. Then, she noticed Tomoyo. “Oh, I'm so sorry, Tomoyo! Are you all right?” she asked Tomoyo anxiously, helping her up.

“Don't worry, Sakura, I'm just fine,” Tomoyo assured her. Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. She heard the loud honk of a bus. “Look, Tomoyo! The bus is here!” Sakura cried, skating towards the bus. “Oh, Sakura! Wait for me!” Tomoyo called, running after her.

Sakura giggled as she jumped up the bus. “Hurry up, Tomoyo!” she shouted.Tomoyo climbed inside after her fanning herself with a paperback book. “Huh? What's that, Tomoyo?” she asked curiously, trying to get a better look at the title. “Oh, this?” Tomoyo glanced at the book. “It's a book on designs. I'm trying to get some fresh ideas for your costumes,” Tomoyo replied.

Sakura grinned wearily, her smile more like a resigned grimace.

`Oh, you're wearing a new dress, Sakura!” Tomoyo exclaimed. “Is it really that obvious?” Sakura asked even more wearily.

 

Tomoyo watched Sakura through her camera. Sakura was shifting impatiently from foot to foot.

“When is Li coming?” she asked. Sakura took out a carefully folded letter from her dress pocket. It was the letter she had received from Shaoran a week ago. “It says a quarter past eight,” Sakura replied. Tomoyo looked at her watch. “It's already half past! I wonder what's wrong?” Tomoyo said worriedly.

“I'm going top use Fly and see if the plane's late,” Sakura decided, heading towards the washroom. Tomoyo glanced towards the arrival port. She saw a dark figure approaching them. She squinted.

“Sakura! Wait! Li's coming!” she called excitedly. Sakura came running back immediately. She could see him clearly now. Nothing much had changed about him, except that he had grown taller. But, what she noticed was his eyes. They brightened when he saw Sakura come running to meet him, but they still held a profound sadness in them, guilt melded with the sadness, a sadness he seemed to have numbed and pushed far into the depth of his brown eyes, hidden far away from the unobservant, like the auburn-haired girl running towards him.

“Shaoran!” Sakura flung her arms around him. He laughed. `I'm glad to see you too, Sakura,” he said, embracing her with as much happiness as she did him.

He pulled away. “Sorry about the delay. There was some trouble with my luggage,” he apologized.

“That doesn't matter.” Sakura whispered softly into his ear. She pulled him back into her embrace.

Tomoyo felt as happy as they did. After all, she had gotten the whole thing on tape.

 

 

Sakura and Shaoran chatted non-stop. Tomoyo followed them, filming to her heart's content. “Hey, Shaoran, where are you going to stay? Have you found a suitable place yet?” she asked. “I'm not sure. I haven't gotten an apartment or anything. But, I'm sure something will turn up,” he replied.

“Hmm….” Sakura thought. An idea popped into her head. “I know! You can stay at my house!” Sakura exclaimed excitedly. “W….what! I can't do that!” Shaoran sputtered. “Why not?” Sakura asked. “B…b…because it would be rude! A…and if you haven't noticed, your brother likes me about as much as I like him,” Shaoran explained.

“So? Touya doesn't have to get his way all the time! And I don't see why it would be ru…” Sakura noticed that Shaoran was no longer beside her. She turned around. “Shaoran, what's wrong?” she asked him, he was standing as still as stone. “Li?” Tomoyo questioned.

Shaoran's gaze slid backward. “Shaoran, what's wro……..” Sakura repeated, but her question was cut short when Shaoran transformed his sword with lightning speed and spun around. “Wind God!” he yelled.

A ferocious wind blew up. Sakura and Tomoyo cried out, bringing their hands up to their faces, shielding their eyes from the cutting wind.

It died down as soon as it had come. Pebbles showered the ground before them. “What happened?” Sakura cried.

They heard clapping in the distance. Sakura felt a strong, magical presence, like Clow Reed's…….. “Decided to play a few tricks as soon as you got back, didn't you, Hiiragizawa?” Shaoran growled.

“Eriol?” Sakura questioned, although she already knew the answer the minute the dark-haired boy had appeared, his guardians beside him.

“Sakura, Li, Tomoyo,” he greeted the three. `It looks like you haven't wasted any time during the past couple of months, Li,” he said to a scowling Shaoran. `You bet I haven't,” he said

“Eriol, you've come back?” Sakura asked. “Of course he has, or he wouldn't be standing here, would he, Sakura? Shaoran couldn't help saying sarcastically.

Sakura was about to shoot an angry retort back at him when Tomoyo called out “Guys! The bus is here!”

“Come on, I'll tell you guys the rest on the way,” Eriol promised, leading the way to the bus-stop.

 

 

The evening sun glowed orange-red as Sakura dragged Shaoran to her house. She listened to his protests with one ear as she thought about what Eriol had said.

“I'll be staying here for quite a while, so expect me at Tomoeda Elementary School

day after tomorrow,” Eriol had said. “That's wonderful!” she had exclaimed, and it was.

What was bothering her was what he had whispered when he turned down the street to his big house…….. “This doesn't concern you Sakura, at least I hope it doesn't.” Then, he, Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun had disappeared into the shadows of the deserted street.

What did he mean?

“Sakura! I know you want me to come in, but do you have to drag me into the door?!” Shaoran yelled.

“Huh?” Sakura was pulled out of her thoughts. She found that her face was only inches away from the door of her house. She yelped.

The door opened. “Sakura!” Fujitaka Kinamoto greeted her. Then he saw Shaoran. “Oh? So you must be Sakura's friend!' Fujitaka smiled at him.

“Yeah, he is, Daddy,” Sakura confirmed. “He doesn't have a place to stay and I was wondering if he could board here for a while,” she hurried on.

Fujitaka looked taken aback. “Well….” He hesitated. Shaoran said quickly, “Oh, that's all right, sir! I'll be fine on my own. Well' see ya!” He made for the gate.

“Oh no you don't!” Sakura grabbed him by his collar, a vein pulsing on her forehead.

“You're staying right here!”

“Sakura!” Shaoran protested. “I don't see why not! Go get the spare room ready, Sakura,” Fujitaka said.

Sakura shot Shaoran a victorious grin. He just sighed. “Fine, you win,” he grumbled.

 

 

Sakura knocked on the door of the spare room, which was right next to her own. Not waiting for an answer, she went in.

Shaoran looked up, surprised. “Hey, Sakura,” he said. He was holding a big book.

“What are you doing, Shaoran?” she asked. “Reading,” he replied plainly. “What are you reading?” she asked, coming over to have a look.

She frowned, peering over his shoulder. The book was written in some kind of code, filled with weird symbols and pictures. “Is this some kind of language?” she asked, trying to make sense of the strange writing.

“It's the Ancient Language, a language magicians in the olden days used,” Shaoran explained. “All the spells and chants back then were said in this language.” “Huh?” Sakura was confused. “But I use cards!” she said.

“Long ago, there were no such things as cards. People with magical powers used spells and things. The thing was, it takes years to learn the Ancient Language. And even then, the spells were hard to remember and they too long. After a while, the practice was abandoned. In fact, Clow Reed was the first person to create a set of magical cards.” Shaoran told her.

“Wow, which means I'm not the only cardmaster in the world!” Sakura asked excitedly. “You got that right,” Shaoran agreed. “Except you're not a cardmaster,” he said.

Sakura stared at him. “What do you mean?” she asked. “You haven't gotten the certificate yet,” he said. “Certificate?” Sakura repeated.

Shaoran sighed. “Look,” he said, pulling a card out of his pocket. Sakura took it. The card had the words `Magician' printed on it in bold letters. All of Shaoran's details were printed beside a photo of him. If she squinted, she could see the words, `Issued at age four” written below the photo in minuscule printing.

“It's sort of like an I.D, announcing my status in the magical world. My power level changes if I become stronger and my age changes every year. Keroberos is probably keeping yours. You would have been issued a teacher too, but Keroberos was yours,” he explained, “You will get another certificate if you become a cardmaster.”

“But I'm the Sakura cardmaster!” she protested. “Theoretically, yes. But, technically, no. You see, Sakura, you have to have a full set to be a cardmaster, and it looks like you don't,” he told her.

“Oh no!” she exclaimed. “It's not that bad,” he comforted her. She sighed. “Could you tell me more, Shaoran? It would be great if you would,” she pleaded, forgetting all about this sudden self-discovery.

“Sure,” Shaoran complied, taken aback. “Although we don't use that method anymore, we still use things that resemble the old ways. For instance, your staff resembles a wand. Your magic circle is like the ones they drew around a magical creature to help them with their spells, your guardians are like theirs, except in non-animal shapes, and your incantation resembles their spells. We still are using the method, except in a more modern and effective way.” Sakura nodded, entranced.

Shaoran continued, “Only magicians who delve in the dark side go without these things. It's not certain, though. A wizard who used to be good may have them, so it's hard to tell. A Dark magician can become a cardmaster using the power of the dark side, but although it provides them with power, one day they will be caught. It's only a matter of time. When they are, they will be forced to go through Cleansing, a painful art that cleanses the soul. Right now, there are only two that are strong enough to worry about that haven't been caught,” he stopped.

His heart filled with bitterness and regret. But, he kept those feelings locked away, like he always did.

“That's amazing!” Sakura exclaimed. Then, a question popped into her head. “But you don't have a magic circle or guardians or an incantation either, Shaoran!” she said. He laughed. “I thought they were a waste of time, so I got rid of them,” he replied unperturbedly.

Sakura nearly fell. “What?” he asked defensively. “You never stop being strange, do you?” she sighed.

Walking over to the window, she looked up at the glittering night sky. She felt Shaoran join her. “It's beautiful,” she breathed. Shaoran nodded.

For a while, they just looked. Then, Sakura said, “I'm glad you came back, Shaoran.” Shaoran stayed silent. But, Sakura could hear him whisper, “So am I.”

 

 

Meanwhile, Eriol Hiiragizawa sat alone, turning a card over and over in his hands. A hooded man carrying a sand-glass was shown on the card. It was the Clow card Time, and Li Shaoran's name was written clearly on its bottom.