Disclaimer. I don't own anything except this story a few characters I am inventing and the evil spellchecker that will most likely miss a ton of typos. This is my first ccs fic... gulp. It may be a bit confusing with some of the magic stuff. I was trying to show how they can see into the spirit world and feel auras etc. fun to write, hopefully tolerable to read. This fic takes place years after the second ccs movie. Just so you know I like blending the Japanese and English names at times. So Tomoyo is Madison and Sakura's last name is Avalon. (Just cause I like these names more then the Japanese ones.) Hmm.... well I think that is all that I need to warn you about. I've done a few ccs pics, but fics are definitely the more challenging of the two... I really hope you like this story, it's my first card captor Sakura, so please review. Thanks ^_^

let me know what you think of my writing at [email protected]

Legacy

By Logan

Shadows and solitude

The walk home was pleasant for Sakura. She took a slow stride which allowed her the chance to enjoy the warm weather that was due. The colder months had passed, as they always did, snowdrifts gave way to grassy hills while skeletal black trees, glazed with ice, would turn to the tiny pinkish white cherry blossoms for which japan was known, and Sakura named. These warmer months brought Sakura more pleasure then those held under winter's mantle of overcast skies and frigid days. The summer sun warmed her in both body and spirit.

Her hair glistened with a honey sheen under the light of the clear sky, augmenting the ethereal light which pooled around her. she was dressed in light colors; pale pink top with blue jean shorts. She blended perfectly to this warm season which painted the horizon in a hundred shades of beauty. The panorama which surrounded her was as utopian as any place dreamed in the hearts of the most altruistic romantic. It bent and heaved with each warm breeze as though it were a sea of grass and trees.

The winds lifted the white and pink petals from the rows of cherry blossoms and cast them off upon the road and surrounding landscape with spectacular motion tailored to incredible beauty. These petals danced on the swirling breeze around Sakura as she walked through the storm of falling flora. The world had a magic to it, one seen in all aspects, but not grasped fully in any one.

She was walking home from the store where she had procured a few small lacking items for tonight's meal. There was no great rush to go home, and so she opted to walk as opposed to dawning her roller blades and skating to and from. It would be months before school wound back into motion, she looked forward to it with a nervous excitement at being a senior. Soon college would be at hand, and then the world would no longer be a distant silhouette upon a far-off shore, but here and now. That too had its own excitement. College... the place where she would become the woman she would be for the rest of her life. She was weighing various options, but currently the one she kept most hushed was the one she was leaning farthest tword.

Madison would be studying abroad. France, England, and America all seemed to wait for her, the world lay itself down for her as a classroom. Sakura yearned for that kind of experience, though not quite as grandiose as Madison's destination seemed to be. Sakura's sights were set to Hong Kong, a land of opportunities without doubt, but also a home to a boy who haunted her heart in its most primal core. Her brother would kill her when he made the connection between her attending college in the hometown of his "arch-nemesis" as Julian affectionately referred to Syaoran. Sakura wondered if the draw of the city was made so enticing by the culture, or the boy; but the pull was there.

Pausing at a tree to rest, though untired, she allowed herself a slight indulgence in this happy time of the seasons. Unlike many other girls, Sakura had a gift, a gift shared by many, but realized by few. The magic of this one girl was not confined to the mystic cards, which she kept close to her person, the magic which came from within her was an awareness, it was that awareness which she called to now. She closed her emerald eyes and listened to the sound of birds cooing in the tree above her, of the children playing in a nearby park, of waves lapping at a distant shore. The sounds blurred together for her and became a color that had no name, and could be only seen within the mind's eye. Her awareness stretched out at her bidding, gliding down the street like an invisible presence that felt everything.

She felt the people in a home at the side of the street two blocks down, hesitating only with a feeling of passing voyeurism that was unfounded in that she couldn't "see" them, only sense the general aura of them, she entered the dwelling. Walls were no more a barrier to her will then the front door which had already been passed. She glided in all directions through the house, feeling lingering sensations from various objects. A mirror gave her the impression of a woman checking her makeup, a picture brought her the impression of a loved grandmother with grandchildren. She felt that there were people in this house, and she enjoyed feeling people more then mere objects. She stretched her will up the stairs and down the hall to a room which had an aura of life about it. She felt two people inside, their auras gave the impression of youth, teenagers most likely. Her essence unfurled and wrapped around them, feeling their two auras which rippled with emotions that Sakura sensed.

The most dominant of what she felt was love. One of her favorite things to feel, love was a warmth that traveled through homes and around people like a mist of tender radiance. Love was ethereal, pristine, and by far, the most rewarding aspect of this developed spiritual awareness. She could feel their two auras as they glided across each other in caressing motions.

She had felt two auras like this before, it was a shared experience between those who held love for one another. Unaware of auras and spirits, their essences mingled entirely on instinct. The mingling of two auras was a poetic thing to the young sorceress, upon parting, they left a tiny piece of themselves behind. Sakura herself felt the fragments of other auras within her own; her father and brother, long dead mother, even Madison's too, but there was one special piece that seemed to thrive deepest within her own essence. A tiny shimmer which was special to her in the way these two auras were special to one another. She turned her thoughts away from her own essence, and back to theirs.

The flavor was changing somewhat, it had been sweet before, but now they felt different. There was more heat to the radiance, a more sultry quality to the two aura's caresses. Their gliding motions growing more passionate and with more need. Sakura was mystified to this change at first, but when it dawned on her, she broke the contact and retreated back to herself quickly.

She felt a heat to her cheeks and released a breath that had been held a little too long. She didn't mean to stumble onto that, and having been sensing a very private moment, felt more then a little guilty. Alongside that guilt she felt the pain of an old wound that resonated out from that one special splinter of an aura within her own. she wanted to touch as the two teens had been, wanted to feel that kind of warmth for herself, not just as an bystander. She felt the all too familiar ache of longing within herself, the loneliness which throbbed in her like a stitch in the side of the heart.

They say that time lessens pain, that it dulls the edge. Sakura still hurt for him. They had left on a good note, a warm hug and a far too chaste kiss to the cheek, but he still haunted her. She continued to exercise her ability to sense auras, in the hope that one day, her range would increase to the point she could feel him even across such a distance. She talked to Syaoran, wrote to him, but she missed feeling him.

She feared the day would never come when she could reach out and embrace him with her own spirit. The Clow cards were fine, her control over them absolute... but she felt the need to keep growing. Magic had become too much a part of her life, to much a part of her. and now she feared that it would atrophy within her like any muscle unused. Her destiny was shrouded in mystery to her, but the will to keep growing mystically was as clear as crystal. She wanted more then cards and clairvoyance, she wanted to push herself far enough to know her limits, then surpass them.

That sounded like Syaoran's influence. He had came to her as an enemy, but that changed. He had metamorphosed into her strongest ally and most ample source of confidence. He was not a boy raised in the suburbs of some city, but a sorcerer raised in the ancient ways of a clan of sorcerers. He was both a warrior and a wizard, both of which demanded a discipline and strength that would crack most under their pressure. He thrived within them. the fact that he demanded so much of himself carried over to her; he demanded of her as though she were not just a girl born in an ordinary world, but an equal in his world. She respected li Syaoran, and the fact that he thought of her as a equal gave her the strength of will to battle mages and seal cards. He would demand her to keep growing as a sorceress, thus she demanded it of herself, and thus, the fear of stagnation grew each day that she was not challenged.

She was broken from her thoughts by a flash of familiarity which rippled through her mind as though it were a still pool of halcyon water. She didn't open her eyes as she spoke.

"Hi Madison." the raven-haired girl paused and cocked her head at Sakura from several feet away. Her violet eyes and ebony hair, which fell around her creamy skin like a shrouded hood, lent an aspect of mystery to her, a dark beauty that shines like a black pearl in moonlight. As a child she had been beautiful, but the passage of time had matured her features and shaped her beauty. She was the kind of girl that directors loved, mysterious and dazzling. The same beauty you would find hypnotic if you happened into the plot of one of the recent vampire movies; not the old garish ones, but the newer trend that immortalized the undead with a seductive undertone. Her china skin, raven hair, and piercingly spectral eyes all accumulated into a beauty that would be difficult to bridal with words.

The look of perplexity shifted to a warm smile that came to her without the faintest friction.

"Did I make any noise?"

"Not a sound" Sakura replied with a faint smirk of mysticism as she opened her eyes with a flash of emerald that was dazzling in the sharp contrast of white sunlight and inky shadow.

"You're getting kinda spooky Sakura" the girl chirped with a sweetness that could easily be construed as the ties of sisterhood without the patriarchal rivalry.

"It's easy, just paying attention to your feelings and instincts." she smiled.

"Still spooky."

"I promise I won't turn you into anything too slimy."

"Hopefully you won't turn me into anything at all." Madison grinned.

"You take all the fun out of this sorceress thing." Sakura quipped.

"Where are you heading?"

" I was just getting some footage for a backdrop to my latest" she patted the camcorder which was tethered by leather strap to her shoulder. The camera was impressive despite its compact nature. Knowing Madison's near fascist attitude to completely flawless video and utterly perfect audio, this camera would be top of the line. Some people with money buy items because they want them to be superior to everyone else's not for better results, but for the all-consuming ego which drives them, however Madison scoured the electronics department entirely on the desire for a superior product. A perfectionist by nature, she had honed her craft under the mantle of flawlessness. Perfectionists can be difficult to interact with, but Madison demanded it only of herself, never forcing others to march to her own ardent drummer.

"Which one is this now?"

"Sakura! You're my best friend and you don't even know what my latest cinematic masterpiece is!?" she slumped over and yelped in mock anguish that was so thick with theatrics that Sakura almost was tempted to slap her in the great soap-opera-overacting-tradition, that is of corse due to there being no glass of whine to throw in her face.

"Thank god you don't cast actors like you. The histrionics would get you laughed out of Sundance for sure." she ribbed.

"I'll have you know that a healthy flare for the dramatic is a good thing."

"You're the film genius, I'm just the sorceress, I'll take your word on that."

"Good."

"So what is this new one?"

"a coping with life's hardships kinda film, I think I e-mailed you the transcripts."

"You send me a lot of transcripts. I would have to spend four hours a day on the computer just to keep up." Madison scowled.

"Sounds like a cheery one... what were you shooting?"

"Kids in the park. The closing scene I had was a little dismal so I decided I would close on a representation of hope for the future." she smirked with artistic prowess as her hair fell over her shoulders in cascades of silken ebony.

"Um Sakura..." she probed gently

"Yes?"

" I had an idea for a new film... I was wondering if you would give me your consent to make it..." Sakura cocked her head quizzically at the oddness of the statement and the apprehensive of her tone.

"Why would you need my consent?"

"Well, it's about you...."

"But Madison, you've made a dozen movies about me. You have a shelf of cassette at least!"

"That was just private stuff. Everything I made with the cards is just for posterity. I am talking about an actual film. The kind I would send off to film festivals." Sakura felt a faint blush creep to her cheeks at the idea of such an audience.

"I-I told you before that I can't act in one of your films. No way I could handle that kind of publicity!" she stuttered in shock.

"Not you, I would cast an actress to play you. I am asking if I can film your story."

"What story? The cards?" Sakura questioned.

"Well yes, but that's not the main part of the plot. I wanted the fantasy to be a secondary genre to a love story."

"A love story....?" she spoke slowly as the realization hit her slowly.

"Its about you and li." she winced as Sakura's gaze softened.

"You are making a movie about us?" her voice was soft and whispery as if ripples on a pond, but with a depth that could extend into fathoms of murky shades of sorrow.

"If it doesn't bother you too much, I know he is kinda personal." Sakura smiled a little.

"Madison, Syaoran and I had a thing when we were kids. We're just friends now, it's not like you say his name and I explode." Madison smiled at her and touched her cheek.

"We're best friends Sakura, don't lie to me. I know how you feel about him." Sakura smiled sadly as she looked to her feet, then the smile faded away to one of anguish.

"It was so long ago Madison, a healthy person would have put it out of mind by now. I can't keep feeling that way. It's like a sickness, being so hopeless even though it was years ago that we last touched." Madison would have been tempted to crack a small joke if Sakura wasn't in this mood. A batting of the eyes and a sultry "oh sayooooorrrrraaaaaannnn", but this was most definitely a time for comforting, not teasing.

"You can't help feeling the way you feel. Li is really special, and it's hard to find people to replace someone like that. There's nothing wrong with you for still feeling that way about him." Sakura looked up and smiled a little.

"I'm sorry about that, I didn't mean to get weird. It's just that a lot of things are hitting me all at once."

"Like what?"

"Oh a lot of things, school, after school, wishing that the e-mails and calls from Syaoran could come a little more often, and I feel like I am not getting any stronger magically. It's all just accumulating."

"I can sympathize, with some of that. What's wonder-boy been doing lately?"

"Syaoran, well you know he's being groomed to lead his clan. That's a big ordeal to train for; his mom is heading it up. Diplomacy, etiquette, and some things that can't be talked about. Also he's been training a lot more."

"Is that even possible? He practically sleeps with that sword of his."

"Practically?" Sakura smirked.

"You remember how serious he was when he first came here? Well he's way past that now." Madison shook her head in disbelief.

"He's been studying serious magics, not just calling elements. The new stuff he's been learning is really powerful. And he is breezing through it."

"He said that? Breezing through it?"

"Well, no, but I speak Syaoran. He's basically being fanatical about all this training, martial arts and magics. Nothing as trivial as a social life."

"Bet Meilin just loves that." they giggled.

"You said he's into strong magics? Like how strong." Madison questioned.

"The kind of magic that can give the cards a run for their money. Even though he thinks of us as equals, his ego won't let him be the weaker of the two. He'll keep growing stronger until he is the more powerful, and then train harder. Typical Syaoran right?"

"Oh yeah, sounds just like him." she smiled. Sakura paused as she looked down the street which shimmered with ethereal light.

"Wana know something? He passed me along time ago. He never says it, but after hearing what he's been doing, the force he is controlling.... he's probably past Eriol's level by now." Madison's eyes widened.

"You're serious? He's that strong?" Sakura nodded.

"His mom is still the strongest sorceress out there though. I can occasionally sense wisps of her even from here, and my ability to sense auras isn't that powerful. But there's no doubt that Syaoran will be everything the Li clan hoped he would be."

"Scary stuff, knowing that all this is real. That it's not just fantasy.."

"Life always is complicated, just different for each person I guess" Madison replied as she looked over to a young boy who was walking beside his mother on the opposite side of the street. His world seemed so small. He would never know how broad the world truly is, a place where the volumes of fiction mingled with those of reference.

She wondered how they would all react if their eyes were suddenly forced open, and they were confronted with a horizon populated not just by the ages of man, but the magics from ages forgotten. Sakura had opened her eyes to this world, and now they would never be able to look away from it. Madison knew that her world was wider then the world of others, and that looking into it had changed her forever.

"you're a really good friend Madison... I don't know how I would have stayed sane if I didn't have you with me through all this." she smiled.

"It's nothing Sakura, your life has given me a lot of inspiration for my films. Way more exciting then mine." she looked almost longingly to Sakura, who's life was most definitely the stuff movies and books hailed.

"Thanks for trying to take my mind off things Madison, I appreciate the effort." Sakura smiled as she raised herself from where she was leaning against the tree and stood under the shadowy veil it cast. Even under the smokey haze of the shade Sakura seemed to glow with ethereal radiance.

"Where are you going?" Madison questioned.

"Home, Kero's probably ravenous by now."

"Maybe I should do a documentary on him sometime." Madison laughed whimsically as she and Sakura began walking off to their different homes. They were no farther then a few feet when Sakura turned back and called to her.

"Madison, make the movie. I'm sure it will be great." Madison's eyes shimmered with stars as she did a little jump of joy while squealing happily. Sakura laughed at the trace of the old Madison which periodically took control and shed all composure in favor of girlish antics. They parted ways and even as the raven haired girl was lost behind a bend of the road, she was still with Sakura. Her kindness and friendship had in fact lessened the heaviness which weighed Sakura down.

She would miss her friend when the year had come to a close and they would be off in far more different directions instead of mearly the two they had just taken. Homes would grow far more distant in the not too distant future, and Sakura wondered how well she would handle her mounting fears when she would not be there to help.

The walk home was brisk as the sun slid lower and lower on the horizon. The phantasmic streams shifted around her in endless motion as she felt the rivers of benevolence travel through the air nearby as if she walked across a spring from which it all originated. In any city or place where people congregate these invisible rivers flowed. Brought forth by the spirits of man, the goodness and love formed some, while the wickedness and hatred create others. They were beautiful in ways she could never fully explain, always changing and different, powerful, yet tranquil. Kero tried to explain them to her, but as with much of magic, it was hard to describe.

They sometimes seemed to have cognizance as they moved both away from and to her. Those formed by the evils of men's souls tended to wind away from her, while the benevolent ones shifted closer to her. they had no tangibility, and thus she never could make actual contact with them, but she felt their warm flow through her and replenish her in ways she wasn't completely able to define when in their presence. Though difficult to put to words it's beauty was utterly beyond them. Sakura watched as the shimmering tides began at the distant horizon and sloped downward and then upward as if it were a serpent of silvery water that periodically glistened with crimsons, violets, and jades. It looked to be water without gravity's tether, but instead of mere transparency, it seemed to be liquid light. She gazed at the ethereal beauty of the spirit world superimposed with the different beauty of the world she was born into. Massive branches of phantasmic energy rippled through the sky like the great swaying brows of spectral trees far above the bustling metropolis of mankind. It took her breath as her gaze glided up from the cherry blossoms to those magical arches which bridged earth and heaven. She had to find a way to keep going farther into the world of magic, being close enough to see into its very soul, she knew that nothing short of being one with it would ever be enough for her. Sakura walked home the same way she had lived since many years ago, between two worlds.

*********************

The home was already scented with the scrumptious aromas of sizzling stir-fry as the great professor tended to the low flame and monitored the temperature of the oils. Professor Avalon was a great man in the eyes of all that saw him. There were people who questioned how genuine his smile was on the basis of how fast and often he shared it. But there are people in this world who cannot help but question such things since they themselves are too jaded to see the possibility of honest kindness in others without asking a favor later on. Even such people could not deny that the professor was seemingly with limitless virtue and no truly distinguishing faults. He raised two children alone for the most part, and despite two different trials for any parent, he raised them well.

Touya had saddened him to an extent when he revealed the extent of his relationship to his longtime friend Julian. But Fujitaka's love for his son, and his surrogate son, had led him to acceptance and even genuine happiness for them where so many of his generation could never go when tested in similar means.

Sakura's test for him came in the form of a revelation which shook his grasp on reality itself. She had forced him to re-evaluate all he ever thought of legends and myths by an accidental discovery on his part in which he had stumbled in on her engrossed in a conversation with her familiar, or "guardian of the seal" as he called himself. the tiny effigy of a winged mouse had never struck him as anything more then a simple toy, but he was stunned to learn that he was in fact a magical life form known as Kero. His daughter came clean and filled the family in on a shocking story that had been going on under their very noses.

As any parent would be, he was worried in a hundred different capacities, but in a talk that spanned till morning and cost him a package of cookies and his grasp of reality, Kero answered every one of his questions. He could not forbid Sakura from practicing this talent which appealed to a sense of boy-like wonder within himself. and so he recognized that all the stories of wizards and dragons and all that he had thought to be fantasy were true. He remembered looking out the window on that morning when Kero told him of Clow Reed, Yue, the cards, and his daughter's place amongst them... he could recall many sunrises in his life, but never had one made him feel so small and full of awe at a world where science alone couldn't answer all the questions, and everything truly was a possibility.

Fujitaka stirred the oils again as Kero flew in circles around him with little success controlling his salivation.

"Can't I have just a little!?" he whined as he collapsed atop the professor's shoulder and comically pleaded for some of the rice which Touya was separating into individual bowls. The young man scowled as he did all he could to ignore the banter.

"You shouldn't be so impatient. Sakura will be home any second with the peppers, then we can put the meat back in to saute' with the rest." Kero slumped on his shoulder and went limp.

"Come on! I'm a growing beast! I'll starve!"

"Why don't you try conserving energy by shutting up?" Touya growled as Kero turned and shot him daggers.

They were broken from the death glares by the sound of the front door which soon was replaced with the sound of Sakura's footsteps.

"I'm home!" she called as her trotting footfalls reverberated through the home.

"We're in the kitchen!" her father called out to her.

"I'm getting ready to impale Kero and roast him over a spit!" her brother chimed in and was soon followed by growling.

Sakura smiled in spite of herself as she returned to the door and closed it, having put the bag on the nearest table to free up her arms. She latched the door and paused to enjoy the air conditioning and aroma of her father's cooking mingling with the familiar smells of her house. It's the small things that mean the most in the subconscious of your mind. Somehow the smell of her father's books and the lemon oil which was lavishly applied to her mother's furniture acted as a perfume that expunged some of the accumulated spiritual grime which had accumulated during a long day. Today however it wasn't enough to shake Sakura from her mounting concerns over her magic and worse yet, her mounting loneliness.

She padded into the kitchen and placed the bag of spices by her father on the counter. Kero flew over to her and perched on his mistress's shoulder while her brother offered the familiar greeting of "hello monster" normally she would reply with death threats of varying degrees, but today she didn't have the strength for it.

"Sorry I took so long dad."

"It's ok sweetie, we cooked the meat and rice. Now that we have the spices we can toss in the vegetables and then mix it all together." he smiled. "Hope you're hungry, it'll be ready in no time."

"I'm actually not really hungry... why don't you give it to Kero." her father turned from the sizzling wok and looked at her with concern.

"Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, just not hungry...." she replied with a small smile.

"I think I am going to take a little nap." she didn't wait for any more deliberation as she turned and headed off for her room. She disappeared down the hall leaving Fujitaka and Touya to exchange a perplexed and worried look. A moment latter the tiny winged rodent fluttered around the corner and landed on the professor's shoulder.

"She wanted to be alone. What's up with her lately? She's been moody." the tiny creature whined in a gloomy tone.

"Teenagers..."Touya offered.

"Something has been bothering her for a while now. I had hoped it would rectify itself, but this is enough.. She hardly eats anymore, doesn't have friends over as much, and she spends way too much time in her room. I don't like my little girl being depressed." Fujitaka's voice carried with it an almost supernatural quality that caused Kero's ears to prick.

"Kero, do you know what might be bothering her? Has she said anything?"

"No..."

"Protecting a secret that is hurting her is not good for her Kero..."

"I know that! It's just that she doesn't tell me things like she used to when she was just a kid. I supposed it was normal for you humans... I've never had a master as young as Sakura before." the tiny figure pouted. Fujitaka reached behind himself and undid the tiny knot at his apron's back, then slipped it over his head and tossed it to his son who caught it stiffly.

"Finish dinner Touya, I need to talk to her."

"But Sakura said she wanted to be alone!" Kero cried out, loath to disobey his mistress's orders, even though they were not given in such formality.

"Kero, I am her father... there are times we let our children handle their own problems, then times we step in. This is one of those times." The voice rippled with something that almost made Kero think the professor possessed a latent mystical power, a tone which carried straight from the lips to the soul and whispered of devotion and almost supernatural love. Instead he took it as the power of paternal love, which though common, is magical in its own. As Fujitaka walked down the hall after his daughter, Kero flew over to the counter and landed with a grunt, as though his tiny body were actually heavy as lead. He hoped that Sakura would be alright, and that her father could find out what was bothering her.

He had sensed Sakura's unhappiness long before it became obvious to everyone else, and the fact that he could not assuage it made him feel far smaller then he was, and cast question over him being her guardian when it seemed he was incapable of sparing her so many pains. Kero had watched centuries pass with ageless eyes, he had seen despair before. Now that same bleakness invaded the emerald stones which shined in Sakura's eyes... and with that terrifying truth, the immortal guardian of the Clow felt as weak as his toy-like form suggested.

*********************

Sakura lay on her soft bed motionlessly. It was draped with pink and white sheets that had been freshly washed and felt clean under her. The lights were off and so the draped window offered the only illumination which was filtered to a dreary grey light that washed over the room and made it seem as still as a tomb dressed to be cheery, but still reeking of the same dead stillness. Within the veils of shadow Sakura's eyes fluttered open. She knew he was there before he knocked.

He slowly opened the door and hesitated at the threshold as Sakura pushed herself upright and into a sitting position. The open door permitted light from the hall to enter and form a spear of luminescence to cut through the artificial night Sakura had cultivated. He smiled at her and spoke in a soft tone, though the audible tremble to his words was clearly definable. Sakura was a child of the light, she didn't seem herself under the smokey haze which filled the room... to see her like this gave a terrifying impression of sickness and death which sent needles of ice up the vertebras of Fujitaka's spine.

"Sakura, can I come in?" his words were soft and cushioned as though a hard tone could shatter the girl like porcelain.

"Yeah, come on in dad." she smiled at him as she reached over and pulled the lamp's drawstring which caused an explosion of light to wash over the room and forced the gloom to retreat to inky shadow which seemed to skulk in corners and crevices. Her smile was forced, and it did little to comfort him... it was a mask she had come to wear far too often.

"What's been bothering you Sakura?"

"I'm ok dad... I just wasn't hungry" he pulled the chair from her desk and places it at the foot of her bed. He shook his head as he sat.

"It's not just today... something has been bothering you for a while now. I'm worried Sakura."

"It's nothing big dad... just some small things." she reached over and took hold of his hand. Fujitaka remembered that hand when it had gripped one of his fingers from her crib. It had grown so much, though it was still just as soft and still just as magical as it had been when she first took hold of him. Her fingers were long and slender the color of peach cream, much like her mother's hands...

"I'd like to talk about it if you'd let me...." she looked down, milling over what to confide and what to keep to herself. Fujitaka knew that he couldn't force her to let him in on what has been bothering her, but he desperately hoped that she would share freely with him. His hopes were rewarded as her soft voice broke the silence.

"Well it's a few things... you can't fix them daddy, but I'll tell you if you really want." he squeezed her hand in assurance as she started to talk.

"Well... you remember Li right?"

"Yeah, he was a friend of yours right? he was from Hong Kong, and went back home right?"

"He was a bit more then that...." he looked at her with puzzlement as to the soft blush which had washed over her cheeks, then when her meaning hit him he blinked in shock.

"Oh..... I see."

"Yeah... but he was a really good friend too. And he was the only other person with magic who I could talk with. We were both card captors... we were partners." her eyes glistened with tears that she bit back. Fujitaka was caught unaware of just how grown up his daughter had become, he had known she dated, but not that she had been in love.

"It's that and... well... I've decided what I want to do with my life." Fujitaka's looked at her as she met her eyes.

"Magic... I want it to involve magic." She hadn't told anyone this, she had hid it from them all... this alone must have been a major part of what was bothering her.

"I don't know how... but I feel like it's calling me. I want to become a real sorceress."

"But I thought you were the Clow mistress?"

"Yeah... it's powerful magic, but the cards do all the work. They just tap into me to do what I want. I'm not actually using real magic, it's more like I am just telling the cards what to do. I want to be able to do what Syaoran's family does. They use magic themselves, and it's more like they are a part of magic..." her voice was wistful as it carried off to a seemingly far off place. Fujitaka had been prepared for the normal problems that a teenage girl could face, even the abnormal ones. He had steeled himself for the possibility that she was sexually active, using drugs, suffering from clinical depression, or any other of a hundred problems faced by the young. He had never expected this kind of problem.. He wasn't versed in magic, and thus could help very little.

"Only problem is that I have no way of doing that on my own. I don't know where or how to start." she had a faint whimper of frustration in her sweet voice.

"Can't Kero or Yue help?"

"No. They were created to fill specific functions for the Clow cards. Kero governs half the cards and Yue the other half, they don't know any other kind of magic, just what relates to the Clow."

"This is really what you want to do Sakura?" he replied softly.

"If you could see what I see dad you'd understand..." She replied with annoyance in her voice over how words failed her when trying to share such a vision.

he looked at his daughter closely for the first time in too long. Where once there had stood an adorable child who had relied on him and her brother to protect and support her, now there was a woman who could think for herself and had the courage to do so when so many her age did not. She had grown from pretty to beautiful in the years that flew by for the middle aged professor as the cute cherub face grew lean and shapely as she matured. Yet she had not become immersed in narcissism. Her once shapeless body had grown to that of a woman with all the allure of feminine curves and a collection of enticing valleys and licentious slopes that no doubt cultivated a heat in the blood of many boys her age. She had never learned to use that beauty for toying with another's heart. There are few people in this world who develop such beauty both outside and in. Sakura was strong in her convictions, and her father's teachings of tolerance and love had found their way to her core. She didn't hate as so many in this world did... that alone validated her place as card mistress. Such power would not be safe in the hands of one who nurtures hatred within their heart... Thus Fujitaka took great pride in the fact that Sakura was who she was, the best in himself and the image of her mother.

Thinking over the woman she had grown into and hearing her now as she spoke of the spirit world and magic... he knew that she had thought carefully on the subject and that if any one person could make good use of magic, it would be Sakura.

"I don't know how to help... it wasn't too long ago I learned that all this magic stuff was real... but if that's what you want to do.... we'll think of a way to make it happen." he smiled at her and kissed her forehead.

"I love you dad, but I know it's probably not going to happen." she smiled.

"We'll see.... you really don't want to eat?"

"Maybe I'll grab something a bit later. I was hoping to finish this novel Madison lent me" she reached over to her end table and tossed it to her father. He fumbled with it for a moment before finally seizing it firmly. He turned it over in his hand and raised an eyebrow at the cover.

"The sorceress's knight?" Sakura giggled.

"She got into the fantasy thing after I fought that dragon that one time.."

"You fought a dragon?"

"Oh yeah, had to grow thirty stories tall to do it though.... I'll show you the video some time." she smirked.

"A normal daughter.... is that so much to ask?"

"Least I'm not dating a guy with a big van with a mattress in the back... in case he gets sleepy." she laughed evilly.

"And if you don't want to be killed and chopped into bite sized Kero food, you won't."

"I'm his master... he won't eat me"

"Have you even met Kero? He's capable of eating the drier sheets!" Sakura laughed as her father looked down at the paperback novel once more, then raised his eyes to her.

"Sakura... I have one condition to you pursuing this sorceress idea..."

"What's that?"

"You see the way this sorceress is dressed?" he tossed the book to her and she looked down at the metal brazier and fur loin cloth, both of which barely covered anything.

"Yes..."

"Never ever dress like that while I am alive."

*********************

The ocean smelled of salt as it sent specters of brackish mist up around him like a dervish of aquatic phantasms. He stood up to the calves of his baggy grey pants which faded to a more blackish grey where the water had made contact with them. he was shirtless and his skin seemed like chiseled alabaster stone under the setting sun which bathed the water and the beach in a golden hue. The young man was handsome with a lean body and refined musculature which ran across his arms and torso as a testament to years of training and refinement.

He was motionless as the waves lapped around him with frothy surges that pushed and then tugged at him. His eyes were closed and his lean face with high cheekbones and a well perportuned nose all seemed carved of stone rather then of flesh. The only movement was that of his chestnut bangs which fluttered wildly in the oceanic winds.

Beyond the breakers lay the beach of smooth sand which rose and fell as shifting dunes under the wind. The sand was still warm from a day of sun and even now as the glowing heavenly ember sank lower tword the west, it's light played on the water and the figure who stood therein.

The vast island was a refuge for a time forgot and in many respects magic itself. Boulders of eroded smooth stone lay across the beach in sporadic placement between stretches of soft sand. Some of these boulders were carved with incantations which cloaked much of the island to those who would view it from beyond. There were stone dragons and phoenixes which guarded the shoreline even when shrouded in flowering vines or partially buried by the sand. They too bore the incantations which served to protect this enchanted isle by maintaining it's anonymity.

One of the Li clan's greater spells was the shroud of illusion which surrounded their sanctuary and painted the image of a small private island which was not an uncommon home to many of the world's super rich. The world saw a small tropical island with a few traditional dwellings that almost could pass for the cabanas of an upscale tropical resort. Beyond that smokey veil of fabrication a great secret was kept.

This island was the home of a great sorcerer named Clow reed once, and even before him it was a sacred place of mystical convergence. The ancestors of the clan took note of this, and spent hundreds of years and countless generations cultivating and guarding it. Magic was in the sands of the beaches and the leaves from the trees, just as it was in the li clan themselves.

The island was far bigger then one would think, far more beautiful also. Tropical and pristine this land had never known the desecrations of the majority of a world where population increase and resource demands had violated nature and thrown an ancient balance off.

Meilin sat on one of the large smooth boulders near a great stone dragon with sweeping vines that encompassed and shrouded much of his form with lush sprigs of greenery and tiny white flowers. The girl was beautiful as she looked out over her cousin as he stood amongst the sea. Her long hair was pulled to a tight braid that served her in sparring matches. Her face was bronze in the rapidly encroaching darkness, yet her terra cotta eyes shone with keen clarity and a halcyon quality that was not the result of the sunset or the phantasmic shadows which defined the lines and angles of her form. she dressed in a red silk kimono with small black embroidering of dragons. Her pants were also black silk, though they lacked the ornate needlework of her top. Her feet were clad in simple sandals that were simply comfort oriented. She wore no jewelry or no makeup, but still a smoky allure hung over her as though she were viewed through a dream.

She watched in silence as he slowly moved his arms and hands in a kata she had never before performed due to her lack of mystical ability. As other katas were for training of the body, this one was an exercise in magic. Magic, she believed, was just like any muscle. If exercised it grew, and as the force grew it could be used in new ways. Just as an arm muscle could be developed for brute strength, it took a mind to give it purpose and enable that muscle to perform katas and wield weapons with skill beyond sheer force. She was strong, but it was more then muscle that enabled her to perform such complex martial arts, it was her training that guided each muscle to move as it should. As Syaoran's magic grew, he would become strong enough to perform new spells and wield new powers.

He drew both arms to his side, palms up. As he did the water around him grew still and flat... the small foamy waves crumbled in on themselves as if forced down under a invisible weight. As he pushed out with his palms, the water revered around him and began to part before him. He held the pose as his mystic force sliced the water and drove it apart around him. Meilin held her breath as she watched the sea bend to his will. She had watched him do this before, but never had it stopped amazing her. he now stood within a perfectly dry circle as the water parted around him while continuing to make its eternal lapping at the shore. He then turned his hands palm down and willed the water around him down also. Reluctantly but compliantly, it did as he bid it until it had arched downward to a thickness no wider then a coin's edge. He carefully stepped onto its edge and then gradually raised his palms back upward. As he did so the water rose with him still atop it.

Meilin smiled as she watched the water mend itself, though now with Syaoran's bare feet standing atop it. He stood there for a moment before hesitantly taking a step outward. The water gave slightly under his foot, but then grew more stable. He turned to Meilin with a smirk of accomplishment on his lips.

He was handsome, just as he was as a boy. He smiled so rarely then, more now, but still not enough. As the Chinese girl looked at him she felt the familiar butterflies in her stomach. She had been hopelessly in love with him for a long while, but things changed gradually when she realized how much he cared for Sakura. It hurt to lose, but some things seemed pre-ordained, and the romance between the two of them had. She could curse fate for hurting them as it had. He had too many responsibilities, and she lived too far away... they left on good terms... but there seems to never be truly good terms when you are leaving the one you love.

Meilin watched him deal with that ache. He had devoted himself entirely to the preparation for the day he would step up and assume his place as leader of the clan. He never went back to being the cold boy he had once been though. Meilin saw that as the lasting influence of Sakura. Meilin had once hated the card mistress for her magic and her magic over Syaoran, now she hated the forces which kept them apart. She missed Sakura, and the happier version of Syaoran that she brought out.

"Looking good out there!" she called to him with a laugh. He didn't laugh too, but he grinned a little, and that was all she had wanted.

"Is it getting any easier?"

"No.. It's a lot to control." he replied as he placed his legs farther apart and into a more stable position. She knew he was lying, he wasn't the most forthcoming with his own successes since he only competed with himself now. She reached over on the bolder and plucked three small stones. With a mischievous smirk she tossed them at him. The distance was considerable, but she was a girl with a few considerable talents.

Syaoran yelped in shock as he leapt out of their path with a small flip that came very easy to anyone who trained as much as he did. He landed in a crouch, but stable on top of the water. His eyes narrowed as he turned to her with a glower.

She smiled cutely at him and hopped down from the stone and walked down to the shore where she laughed softly.

"I think you may be getting the hang of it Syaoran"

"Like to see you try it..." he glared, though she could see the laughter in his eyes.

"Sorry, no magic.... but I bet I could concentrate a bit better." he raised an eyebrow.

"How do you figure that?" he had that "in your dreams" tone to his voice that Meilin enjoyed challenging so much.

"Well since you asked.... if I started thinking about Sakura I wouldn't fall in." he blinked and teetered a little with shock.

"Don't do that!" he snarled with a fierce blush as he regained balance.

"Very impressive... but lets see just how much you can focus when I really offer some distraction."

"I swear if you flash me I will cut your head off!" he growled.

" you're not that lucky. Now... make sure you don't start picturing Sakura wearing one of those really skimpy outfits Madison makes.. You know the ones.... they were really revealing. All lace and see-through material? Or how about that one with cat ears and the leather..." she stopped as she heard the tell tale splash and looked over to see Syaoran grumbling with everything below his shoulders submerged and his hair slicked against his face.

"I really hate you Meilin..." he growled.

"It's not my fault you can't keep your mind focused...."

"Like hell." he stood up and walked back to the beach, dripping as he went. When he was a good distance from the surf he turned to the sand and muttered an incantation. With a whoosh of light a medium fire burned without any form of kindling or tender besides the white sand.

He plopped down in front of it with a grunt, then was joined by Meilin. They sat there for a moment with silence, both looking into the swirling plumes of the mystical fire as it danced with pyrotechnic exuberance and tiny frolicking embers. The night had finally come, now as they looked out over the rapidly darkening landscape and heavenly constellations Meilin felt a sympathetic pain for her cousin who remained fixed to the fire.

"You miss her a lot?"

"It comes and goes... but yeah." he trusted her more then he once had. When the obsession with him had faded, the romantic love which she felt turned to a strong sisterly bond. He thought of her as a sister, but unlike his actual sisters, he could stand spending time with the Chinese martial artist. He had grown to enjoy her comradery and her counsel enough to share some of his feelings with her, though she knew that there was a lot he would never share.

"Why don't we go back? For a visit?" she offered.

"I wish we could... but the counsel doesn't believe I should be taking vacations with my coming of age so close. Only legitimate clan business. But maybe you could go visit if you want." he half-smiled..

"No... it wouldn't be the same without you. I don't see why they are so hard on you... you are way ahead of their training schedule, and you'll be the leader of the whole clan soon! They will have to obey you."

"That day isn't here yet..." he replied glumly.

His face was bathed in the orange light of the fire. It's flickering motions cast jagged ghosts of shadow and phantoms of light into a erratic dance across his form. Meilin watched him with a sad understanding of his destiny. He wasn't free, but a slave to the clan. He would never abandon it and denounce his place as its leader, it was too much a part of him. But the life of responsibilities that awaited him offered abundant duties and very few amenities... the one Meilin knew he would morn most was choice.

His actions all had to be considered for what was best for the clan. Even if things weren't so complicated with Sakura, it ultimately would not be entirely his choice. as future leader of the clan, he could bypass the council in certain areas... but if Sakura were unable or unwilling to bear children. Or if those children would be incapable of passing the capacity for magic onward... he would not be able to marry her.

Syaoran's lineage was strong, in fact, the strongest for the passage of magic. Some learn magic, others are born with a natural capacity for it. The latter tended to be the stronger since they possess a natural aptitude which only increases with training. He could never choose a woman who would delude the line and thus be incapable of providing a true heir.

Meilin was grateful that he fell in love with the sorceress instead of herself. It had hurt when the council deemed her unworthy and canceled their arranged marriage since she was the fluke of the family, born without mystical ability. She could only imagine how hard it would have been if Syaoran had returned her feelings and then been forced apart by the council.

In a way she wished she had the magic of her family, but in another she was grateful that she had been denied something with such a high price. She was truly free to choose the corse of her own life where Syaoran was not. If Meilin chose to marry someone who would not be able to give her children that was her decision, not her family's. As she looked over to the young sorcerer who was lost in thoughts of his own she understood some of the pain he must feel. Knowing that he couldn't be with Sakura now because of his place as future leader, and knowing that if by some twist of fate she were deemed unworthy, he would have no recourse but to respect the laws of his people.

"It's not fair... that the clan forces you to sacrifice so much, forces us all to sacrifice so much." she said softly. he turned to her with a look of fierceness in his eyes that would cast no doubt on his possession of the strength needed to lead the li clan.

"It will change Meilin... the council is old, centuries behind the rest of humanity. Arranged marriages... preservation of the clan's magical lineage at the cost of its integrity... they have too much faith in these spells which hide them from the world, it's like they think the clan will never be a real part of the world. They just do enough to insure the li clan has enough wealth and power to keep functioning as a world power. We control stocks and companies, we have multinational firms and subsidiaries. We have so much influence in the world, but we are not a part of it.

Before japan, I never had really left this island. I went on a few trips with mother for clan business, but never was able to explore the world outside. I love this island, but there is so much that it doesn't have. Sakura's world has problems we don't, but at least it's not so old and decrepit that it has been dying out for generations." Meilin watched him as he spoke, his eyes were staring off beyond her and farther still, behind the lapping breakers of the beach, off in the direction of japan. She had no doubt about the future of her clan as long as Syaoran was to be its leader.

"Their world has many wondrous things... but most import, they have freedom to make their own destinies, not conform to what a group of old sorcerers choose for them. I couldn't believe what her world is like.... she has the choice of what her future will be... and who it will be with.." he whispered the last part with a sad voice that lingered in the air amidst the crackling of the fire. A moment of silence passed between them before he spoke again with a conviction that came from his core.

"Once I am leader of the clan I will force them to embrace reality. It'll take my whole life, but I will make this clan strong again. Magic is in danger of being lost to the world... We can't hide and let it go extinct. There will be a time when the rest of mankind is going to have to embrace magic again... and to do that we will have to embrace the rest of mankind ourselves. magic and science must be used together if we are going to survive... both the li clan, and the world around it. As long as the clan hides like this we risk dying out... and if we do, magic may very well die with us.

I will make this clan great again... and when I have children, they won't be forced to go through what I am now..." his voice was a whisper of breath through clenched teeth. He smiled at her sadly as he waved his hand over the fire and extinguished it with a whoosh of smoke. They rose and walked back up the slope of sand to the edge of the lush tree-line which sloped upward in a hill. The path was paved with ancient steps smoothed by the passage of time. They were familiar enough to be walked in the blackest of night, and now they shined like ivory under the silver moon.

Beyond the stairs which lead from the beach to the main grouping of the clan's buildings there stood a large structure where Syaoran's immediate family dwelled. It was among the largest and most regal; almost a castle in itself. Its exterior was decorated with stone dragon sentinels and a sweeping tile roof that towered above the other nearby buildings such as the library, servant houses, dojo, and the shrine.

Near the roof, on the upper most level there stood a large circular terrace which was connected to the house by stone walkway. It went straight down the side of the great house in a tower of smooth stone, terminating at a garden from which flowering vines grew. There was a massive and intricate mystical symbol upon the terrace floor which was invisible to the naked eye, but resonated with light when called upon. This was a sacred spot amongst the clan, it dated back to the last years of Clow reed's life when he created it as a place to channel magic for various purposes. Li Lerae had taken Sakura here when she visited Hong Kong, and used this great monolith to view the girl's destiny.

She stood there now, and the symbol glowed brightly even though she was not channeling a spell, but watching her son and niece as they talked on the beach by a fire. Her hair was held in place by a gold and silver headdress which was studded with tiny pieces of jade and pearl. She was as elegant as a china doll with her porcelain-white skin and blood red lips. Her lashes were dark ebony, and her eyes shone like the finest polished black onyx. She wore a crushed satin rose hued undershirt with a white kimono and matching skirt. There was a unearthly quality to her also that defied words and set her apart from all others.

Her magic was so incredibly intune with her that no longer did she consciously use it, but had let it become reflex. She sensed things with her magic as simply as one sees when their eyes are open, automatic. She had felt a heaviness in her son for a time now and had begun to worry for him.

She had no intent of eavesdropping, but he was so focused and concentrated on what he was discussing with Meilin that she had instantly registered every word and emotion he spoke or felt while his mind was so localized on the subject. It made her proud to sense such fierce determination in him. He had what his father had, and what was needed to govern the clan. She also agreed on much of what he felt.. The counsel was afraid... And what her son had planned would be for the greater good of the clan. A thin smirk appeared on her ruby lips as she imagined how they would react when her little wolf showed them his teeth.

But she felt a disturbing sadness from him also... a loneliness that pierced him. She could sense the cause, but magic wasn't necessary for that... as a mother she had seen the difference in him upon returning from japan. A coldness had been thawed within him, and now an ember of love burned.

When she had read Sakura's destiny she had noted that it intertwined with her son's in many aspects. There was no clear picture to be viewed there, but the impression it gave confirmed that they would share a love. And also great pain for that love. Touching the heart of the card mistress was a dangerous thing. The power of the Clow draws adversity, and the pain left in its wake aches eternally. That is the sad legacy of the Clow... and that of the card mistress.

She was drawn back to her son and the sadness which hurt him. She felt it as she touched his aura and thought back over the words he had spoken to Meilin...

I will make this clan great again... and when I have children, they won't be forced to go through what I am now...

Lerae knew that his son would never have to be afraid of losing the woman he loved because of the rules of the clan. It would be the both the gift and the legacy of his father.

"such a beautiful thought." she spoke to the night around her. but there was a touch of sadness in her voice as a dark thought crept up from the shadow and bit her. she shivered from a nonexistent gust of cold wind.

How sad it would be if he were taken from them before he could make that dream into a reality.

The stars shined in the heavens and the waves lapped at the shore under a silver moon, but the beauty of this night was gone.

*********************

Specters of demonic hatred glided through the lightless world Sakura stood amidst. She could not see them, only feel them as they brushed between her legs and against the gooseflesh which covered her exposed legs and arms. She wore a white gown which flapped in the winds like a great white bird in the throws of an agonizing death. The air smelled of brimstone and the stale scent of old death.

There were things in the sky, fluttering like crows or bats. They were only distinguishable by the rustling of their wings which was far too loud to be either such animal. They could very well be hobgoblins riding the putrid winds which tugged at her like ghosts and corpses.

She was beyond afraid as she turned around and around spinning like a dervish seeking any light, though fearing what light might illuminate in this smothering blackness. She could sense things in this lightless hell... all evil. emotions flashed through her senses like flaring bolts of twisted lighting. Hatred, loathing, a hunger for murder and death that gnawed at the mind, but most troubling was the sensation of a need from the presence which lurked in the distance. It wanted her... Smelled her... sensed her... needed her...

She could barely locate the direction from which the demonic thoughts were coming, but when she did, she ran. Her footfalls echoed as though she were in a tunnel, and hear heartbeat hammered in tune with her ragged breath.

She yelped as she fell, her leg seized by a metalic claw which clanked as it grabbed hold of her. she rolled on the floor screaming, but the thing had released her before she was able to kick it away. Compelled by some unknown force, she reached out and began sweeping her hand over the ground in search of it. Her hand brushed against something cold and metalic, but thankfully it did not react to her. she seized it, and as she did, realized it was a sword.

Her eyes adjusted to the dark, but only the dark around the object. She saw the weapon which was startlingly familiar to her. The sword of the li clan. Only the future leader of the clan carried such a weapon, and to find it here, alone, rose a new terror in her that took presidence over the fear of the thing which lurked in this blackness. She gripped the sword tightly as tears came to her eyes.

"Syaoran! Syaoran! Are you there!? Syaoran!?" she called out into the night as she looked frantically about, trying to see through the darkness and find him. Somehow she knew he was there, and possibly unconscious. If that thing found him first.... that thing couldn't find him first!

"Yes Sakura?" she spun around and gasped with joy as she saw Syaoran standing a few feet away. His skin shined like ivory in a heavenly radiance that set him apart from the evil of this place. He wore his traditional battle garbs of his clan, though the hat was missing, leaving his tousled hair in plain sight. He smiled at her and all fear was gone.

She wanted to run to him and let him hold her, but the thing in the darkness seemed closer... she could hear it now... it was breathing loudly, and in each wheezing breath she could almost make out a word. Over and over again the ragged breathing grew louder, and the word clearer. She found her fist shaking while gripping the sword's hilt so hard her hand began to ache.

Over and over again, louder and louder the demonic word became more clear. She was begging it to stop, but as it grew louder it's clarity became unmistakable. Not a word, but a name. The voice hissed it over and over again as she forced her eyes shut, her whole body trembling.

"Sakura...." it repeated malevolently as the world spun around her. she felt like she was about to explode.

"Sakura?" the voice was a foot away from her and she lashed out with the sword at it. She recognized the voice a second too late, just after the sacred blade had been driven through Syaoran's chest. Her emerald eyes shot open and she stared into the placid amber eyes of the boy she loved. He stared at her with that same sweet smile even as she released the sword and backed away in horror.

The weapon was held in place within his body as he cocked his head quizicly at her, as if asking why she looked so panicked. Then he smiled again.

"I love you Sakura." with a sudden flash of darkness he was gone and Sakura cried out in a groan that had been crushing within her throat as she held her breath. It turned to a sob that made her knees quake. She turned to run, though she knew that there was no escape from either the demon or the agonizing knowledge that she had just murdered Syaoran.

She had gotten half a step when she cried out at the new image that waited for her.

An angel with long flowing white wings was held aloft before her. he dangled limply, suspended by chains which bound him and hung him there. His arms were out at his side, suspended by tethered forearms while his legs were chained tightly together. he looked out at Sakura, but she couldn't meet his gaze. He was shirtless, and in the center of his chest there was a large hole. Within that cavern of flesh a fire burned with crimson plumes of flame. She stared into the gaping cavity and the fiery core which burned within him... his heart. She couldn't quite see it, but she felt that it was what burned within, and yet was not destroyed by the ruby fire. She suddenly became aware of the tone of his alabaster skin, and the placement of his wound. She was terrified at what she might find, but she looked to his face.

Her fear was confirmed as she found herself staring into Syaoran's eyes. He stared out upon her, between alive and dead as if it were the twilight between awake and asleep. He was watching her through his mystically glowing eyes as if waiting for something she would say or do.

A sudden keening cry pierced the blackness and drew her attention to the demon that now stood before her. she stared up at it, though it was completely obscured in shadow. It stood out from the night around it because it somehow was darker then the pure black which was the substance of this world. The thing was beyond massive, as tall and monolithic as a building of huge concrete slabs and steel. It looked down on her as she looked up at it.

The communion was broken as the fluttering sound she had heard earlier became more clear and close. She opened her hand to it, and one of the fluttering things landed in her palm. She had no clue why she did that, but upon doing so discovered that it was a Clow card. She didn't have time to identify which one before it flew off on a sudden spectral gust. She watched it as it flew upward into the sky. Suddenly she could see all the cards as they flew on swirling vortices of phantasmic wind around the demonic creature which stared down at her through its pure black eyes.

"Sakurrrrrrraaaaaaaa..." the demon snarled through lips that were not made for speech, at least not human speech. Once again she felt the emotion behind it: hate, rage, and need.

It lowered itself down to her level as she stared up at it, paralyzed by fear and curiosity. It's massive cranium was a foot away from her face. she could feel the hot blasts of dead air from it's nostrils, but still it was too dark to see. The beast seemed almost to be made of darkness, as though shadow formed its skin, gloom its bone, shade its blood, and blackness its soul.

It opened its gaping muzzle to rows and rows of wickedly sharp teeth that were too dark to be seen, but too real to be doubted. It could have snapped her up whole, but instead spoke to her in the much smoother and infinitely more terrifying native language of its kind.

It's words were screams. Not the screams of demons or devils, not the wail of banshees or the mournful howl of werewolves, but the cries of humans. A variety of cries all merged together into that voice. There were cries of stark terror that could only precede a violent death, the low moaning wails of the stricken as they bled to death, there were gurgling shrieks of pain that were sung in the chorus of the maimed and torn, the pleading cries that periodically jumped with pain as though sobbed out while being raped and tortured. And lastly the almost childlike bawling of sheer grief and despair.

If there were words in that language Sakura could not comprehend them.... but their meaning was as clear as any truth she had ever known. They were a promise from this black thing that crawled from the very soul of hell, and upward to the world of mankind.

Sakura woke from her vision without a jump or a gasp, but with an urgency. She reached to her side and clicked on the lamp. The room was cast into light, she was tempted to turn on the other light on the dresser, then the one on the desk... she didn't want any dark around her after seeing what she just saw. Madison's novel was at her side, she almost knocked it off her bed as she hastily moved to her desk and pulled the red notebook from where it was always kept.

She had gotten in the habit of immediately recording her visions the second she returned from them, while they were still fresh. She felt that the rush wasn't necessary since she would not loose one detail from a vision that terrible as a blessing and a curse. She wrote fast...

The cards....

Me killing Syaoran...

Him as a bound angel...

The demon...

Evil...

Hate...

Rage...

Need....

She was just scribbling down the basic impressions first, then she would go on with a more detailed narrative of the vision. She paused to look down at her own writing. Her pen had engraved the words onto the paper with great pressure, also her writing was sloppy. She looked to her clammy hand and was shocked to see just how much it was shaking.

*********************

Dinner had been eaten in relative silence after Fujitaka had told both brother and beast what was bothering her. he neglected to mention the romantic problems with Li Syaoran since he was aware that both of them were not big fans of the Chinese sorcerer. The three of them all loved Sakura so much that her sorrow had become theirs at startling speed. They had wrapped a plate of stir-fry up in cellophane and placed it in the refrigerator for her, then retreated. and now they all were lost in thought over possible answers to this dilemma.

The study was added onto the house shortly after he and his wife had moved from their small apartment. The house was perfect for a family, but for the professor and his wife one small adaptation must be made.

Natasha was American, but raised by a Japanese woman who had adopted her as a child after her parents were killed in a car accident. The woman was as loving a mother as any could be and the girl grew into a woman with a love of both books and the culture from which her mother had come. After college she moved to japan and fell in love with a professor of archeology who taught part time at its college and was among the museum's most celebrated scholars.

They shared a love of books and a love for each other that soon resulted in marriage and children. Fujitaka could still remember Natasha as she held her two year old son in her arms and negotiated with contractors for the construction of the study. Already they had converted the basement into a library, but their collection of books was far too vast to be confined there for long, and soon the favorites migrated into the newly built study.

After Natasha's death bringing their daughter into the world, Fujitaka had carefully placed all of his wife's favorite books on the foremost shelves. He had read each of them a dozen times, but still he would occasionally be drawn to them in times of hardship or of loneliness. He held one now in his lap as he sat in the large black leather recliner which sat near a small couch where his son sat and Kero perched.

"Well we have to find a way to make it happen...." the professor said matter-of-factly.

"I agree, Sakura should branch out into other forms of magic..." Kero chimed in as Touya rolled his eyes and leaned forward.

"Come on dad... sure, we all want Sakura to be happy. But this is more then we can handle! How are we supposed to help Sakura learn real magic? It's not like there is a sorcery for dummies book at the store."

"He's got a point..." Kero commented as he rose to his hind legs and walked down the arm of the sofa with a thoughtful look on his face which contradicted the comical walk of a stuffed toy.

"Your world isn't one where real magic exists as much. The closest you have is David Copperfield, and all that is illusion.... and not even magical illusion, just tricks of light and a lot of mirrors. I saw it all on a TV special." the toy commented with a serious frown on his comical face.

"Sakura is meant to be a true sorceress.... but I don't know how to help with that..." Kero said as Touya got up and paced across the room. He growled low and punched a wall with the loud slap of skin on drywall and cursed a low hiss of frustration over his inability to help Sakura be truly happy again. Kero raised an eyebrow as he looked at the boy with interest. He was hardest on Sakura, first to ridicule and tease.... but his love for her was countless fathoms deep.

"calm down son... we'll find a way."

"It's not like she needs help with an academic subject dad!" he snapped.

"You know... when you were fifteen you had trouble in mathematics... you were almost failing. I tried showing you flash cards and helping you with your homework, but it didn't work. In the end the only thing that helped was me hiring a tutor for you.... maybe that's what we need here, a tutor."

"A master.... it is not unheard of in mystical circles... but in this age there are very few. To find a practitioner of magic who is accomplished enough to act as a master for Sakura will be a challenge. Those who possess great magic are very guarding of it, even with the Clow cards Sakura would not be readily accepted. They train apprentices under very strict criteria... usually from infancy."

"Why are they so cautious? Wouldn't they want magic to spread more?" Fujitaka questioned. Kero looked at him for a moment and then glowed with a hot golden radiance which enveloped the room in a flash. His tiny wings grew to engulf him, and then with a golden burst of mystic energy opened again to reveal his true form.

The golden beast had the form of a lion, but with massive wings which held aloft on his back. As the golden light gradually dimmed, he stood before them with all the majesty of what he was. Like any big cat, his body was a vast rippling sea of muscle and sheen. He looked into Fujitaka's eyes through his own burning flaxen cat eyes which glowed faintly in the soft light of the room. He stretched his wings outward and swished his long flowing tail.

They looked at the guardian beast of the sun with a reverence that didn't lesson each time he cast off his borrowed form in favor of this one. Red gems and a great breastplate and headdress shimmered with ethereal light as the mighty beast spoke through his true voice.

"Why are they cautious? Mankind has used his technology to lethal ends... imagine what magic could unlock for you... the ancient sorcerers had spells that could wipe this earth clean of all life... summon demons... Bring forth evils that defy your imagination...

The last sorcerers now guard all that knowledge for the day it will be returned to humanity... but only when humanity is ready for it. It's almost funny how ironic that is...

The last of them guard magic fanatically and will protect it... even though it means letting a talent like Sakura's fade away in atrophy... she was raised by normal humans, not wizards... thus she cannot be trusted in their eyes. If she let the secret of magic out... it could bring about the end of all things..."

"That's crap!" Touya snapped. "Sakura would never..."

"I trusted Sakura enough to make her card captor... to sponsor her for the final judgement... I know how worthy she is of all this, but they will not. Clow reed went outside tradition in the making of the cards... creating icons that simplify magic so much... it makes the secrets that much easier to come out. The other sorcerers have a stigma about the cards, and because of it a tutor will be nearly impossible to find..." the mighty beast hung his head.

"It seems so hopeless...." Touya sighed.

There was a moment of silence between the three. In that desolate silence a soft aroma arose. It smelled of jasmine, lotus, and orchid, none of which grew near the Avalon residence. Kero raised his head and then rose to his feet in alert. The other looked at him in perplexity as the fragrance grew more heavenly as soft wisps of incense joined the mingling perfumes.

"There is a spirit here..." the great lion answered.

"What?" Touya remarked.

"Spirits are not always balls of light or misty figures... more often they are perceived in less flamboyant senses... smell and hearing." Touya cursed his lack of mystical awareness now that it had been traded for Julian's continued presence in his life. He did not regret the bargain with Yue, but he was now helpless in matters of the supernatural.

The room grew warmer as the fragrances lingered and were joined by a soft chanting that was not frightening, but strangely comforting, even though the words were in a mystic language that not even Kero could understand.

"What's going on here Kero?" Fujitaka questioned.

"You have company..." as he spoke a tiny jade firefly erupted from still air and flew tword the professor.

"It's not an evil, I sense that..." Kero replied quickly, though he omitted the mention of the power he also sensed within this tiny glowing ember.

The professor smiled hesitantly to the entity as it's color shifted to a pale blue. The tiny spark flew to a distance and then swirled off into a glowing turquoise mist which began to take human shape. They all watched in awe as the spectral aura took the form of a beautiful Chinese woman clad in flowing white robes which glided on perpetual, but ghostly wind.

"Li Lerae..." Kero whispered in disbelief as the Chinese sorceress manifested fully to a translucent version of herself. She was real, yet had all the solidity of smoke as her long flowing gown rippled in the phantasmic wind. Her elegance was augmented by this misty representation of herself.

She smiled softly and bowed politely to Fujitaka, who stared in awe of her.

"Hello mr Fujitaka... I am Li Lerae, and I apologize for such flamboyance, and entering your home uninvited. I however believe I can be of assistance in this current dilemma you face."

"Umm... nice to meet you..." he replied shakily as Touya tore himself from her ghostly visage to Kero's. He turned to the boy.

"You remember li Syaoran's mother? You met her in Hong Kong a few years ago..." she turned to the two of them with the grace of wind, causing both to jump under her gaze.

"It is nice to see you again Touya Avalon... and you as well Kero. Though we were never properly introduced since you were hiding in Sakura's bag at the time." she smiled warmly to him.

"What brings you here?" Fujitaka questioned with as much aplomb as he could muster.

"Our clan has a series of oracles who make predictions for us... they foresaw this problem you would face. and so I came to pay you a call, in a manner of speaking, and offer my assistance."

"Why like this?" Kero asked, much less stunned then the other two.

"Matters of such importance should be conducted face to face." she replied as she turned to address them all.

"I am aware of the current dilemma faced by your daughter, mistress Sakura... she is a gifted child, and would benefit greatly from the aid of the Li clan."

"Excuse me? What are you purposing?" Fujitaka questioned.

"Forgive me. I have known for a time now that Sakura wants to take a place amongst the sorcerers and sorceresses of our time. I know how much potential she has, and how vital it is that she receive the training in these arts so that her potential is not squandered. I have come to you now as emissary from the li clan to offer our assistance. Our family has many accomplished sorcerers, and we would like to offer the services of one as a teacher to your daughter." Fujitaka blinked in shock as he stammered in reply.

"That is very gracious of you..."

"Of corse this would be free of all charge..." he blinked.

"I cannot accept such generosity, you offer so much for nothing. At least let us pay..." he stood now and faced the spectral representation of the sorceress. She looked into him through her deep eyes and her expression softened.

"You are aware I take it that my son was involved with the capture of the cards along with your daughter?" Fujitaka nodded.

"He is the future leader of our clan. Upon returning from japan he told us of the new card mistress... He told us of her kindness, determination, and her worthiness. it was under his word that she be deemed deserving in our eyes of this honor, and also that she be granted fellowship with our clan." her smile was warm despite the aura of power which she radiated.

"My son does not give out praise readily... he has been trained since childhood to be reserved with blind adulation, and only give respect to those who truly deserve it... he has decreed that Sakura Avalon be considered a member of our family. Never has such an honor been bestowed on an outsider before without being married into the clan. The fact that he would do so shows how deeply he cares for her. and how special she is...

This is not an act of charity, but an act of family... Sakura's happiness is important to us. So I ask you now if you will permit us to give her this gift..." in the corse of her dialog the astral projection of the matriarch of the li clan had grown more calm. Now she was defined as a spirit only by the azure tones of her coloration and her hazy transparency. She was statuesquely timeless as they stood in her presence, marveling at what she had just revealed, and the majesty which she portrayed.

She had told them that their little Sakura was considered family in the clan's eyes, and though Touya and Kero resented such implications, the fact that this last great dynasty of magic so opened its arms to embrace her reaffirmed just how special she was. This all seemed so surreal, getting the answer to such an impossible problem all at once, being confronted by the mystical emanation of Li Lerae, and having the bomb dropped that Li Syaoran had gone before his people and pleaded for Sakura's place amongst his family. All this converged into a mind numbing chain of events which left them stunned.

"I remember your son, he impressed me greatly with his maturity and composure. I see that is due to his mother's influence. It's a shock to hear that Sakura is so well regarded amongst your family, especially given the feelings many sorcerers have against those who are new to magic, as opposed to born into it. I still feel guilty for abusing your kindness so much, but my daughter's happiness is most important to me, and since I cannot help her myself..." he trailed off, realizing that he had been rambling. He had been overcome by happiness, shock, and the exalted nature of the empress-like effigy of smoke which hovered before him.

"Sakura's happiness is our happiness miss Lerae... her sadness has been ours. I feel guilty for accepting such an offer from you, but I thank you with all my heart for offering this opportunity to our Sakura." he bowed his head as his eyes went misty. The ethereal matriarch looked at him with a small nod and a knowing smile.

"I have met your daughter once before; I did not need mysticism to see how great her heart is. I have come to see that the real magic she carries is the greatness of her character, a magic which enchants all whom she touches. Her instructor will arrive in two days..." she turned to address them all.

"I assure you that Sakura will be in the best of hands..." she bowed again and bid them goodbye. Her form grew more hazy as her gown turned to swirling plumes of turquoise smoke.

"Wait." Fujitaka said.

"Yes?" she quarried.

"Umm.... next time you want to get in touch with us... could you possibly use the phone?" he smiled warmly with a chuckle. The matriarch brought her hands to her lips and laughed softly.

"Yes I suppose this was a little excessive..." she smirked with a Mona Lisa grin as she bowed to them and dematerialized to wispy vapors which hung on the still air for a moment before fading off in a swirl of air. The aroma of the flowers faded just as her image did, leaving them with no proof that the sorceress had ever appeared to them at all. They were silent for a moment before Kero shook his massive head as if to clear his mind.

"The sad thing is, that isn't that out of the ordinary for this family..." he smirked through his large lion muzzle.

"I don't trust that family...." Touya shook his head as he looked to his feet.

"I know how you feel about the li's, but I think you don't trust Syaoran is more fitting."

"That kid was trouble... getting involved in his family feels like a mistake." he growled in a way that Kero would be hard pressed to imitate.

"Touya, this is what's best for Sakura... it's our only option."

"I know that dad it's just that kid was..." his father cut him off.

"I've talked to Sakura about Syaoran... I know they weren't friends at first, but tword the end they were. The boy almost died protecting her when some of the card battles were going on. Am I right Kero?" he turned his attention on the sitting lion which raised a paw to his chin thoughtfully. He was hesitant to answer, but he begrudgingly was honest.

"Battling the cards was a dangerous situation for all of us. The brat did take a few step in to protect her a few times, but I still wouldn't give him a medal for it though, it was probably just dumb luck.." he replied begrudgingly.

" more importantly, she cares about him. You can't be so bitter Touya, the li clan is Sakura's best chance at becoming a sorceress... and they are bending over backwards for us." his tone was soft, but had a authoritative tone to it. Kero sighed as he padded over to them, his large paws ticking on the wooden floor as he left the throw rug and drew closer to the door.

"I don't like the kid either, and that family doesn't smell right to me... but they are our best and only shot at giving this to Sakura. Their family is the largest organization of sorcerers wizards and warlocks, probably in the world. Even if we had offers flooding in they would still be the best of the group. Plus, it's not like they would send the brat to be her teacher..." he huffed as he turned and padded away tword the kitchen. Such an odd family Fujitaka had, but he treasured every moment with them. He was looking forward to telling Sakura about her new tutor.

*********************

The morning sun cast silver over the low mists of the grounds. The grass was beaded with jewels of dew as the oceanic breeze gently swept the tropical flora into slow rousing motions. The sun was not out in full force yet, but the day promised to be warm. Li Lerae walked down the stone path from the housing branch of the estate and off tword the Dojo. She was restrained with her smile, but it was there as she was looking forward to giving her son just the break he was looking for.

She tried not to think of the negative aspects of this action, knowing that if he went, he may never return to them. she had to remind herself that he was more then just her son, he was the leader of their clan. She could not hide and coddle him, fate would decide. As matriarch, the affairs of the clan took precedence over her reservations as a mother. Syaoran was the most well suited to teach Sakura, he was among the strongest sorcerers in the clan, and also his past with her would be invaluable in establishing teacher student relations. There were a dozen reasons he must go to her, but only one to not tell him about this...

The dojo was beautiful in its intricacies, alabaster stone steps which lead up to the main floor several feet above ground level. Sweeping pillars raised from the stone foundation to hold the ornate oriental tiled roof aloft. Incantations swirled up each pillar as a blessing and a plea for divine protection of all who train here. Massive dragons of pure jade lounged and wrapped around the building with timeless poses of tranquil power and eternal wisdom. Their detail was without precedent as each scale glittered gold around the edges as the sun swept higher from the east. Their flowing manes were locked in eternal morion as some of the great five clawed beasts appeared to be frozen in a moment of motion.

Li Lerae made her way up the steps silently as she listened to the grunts and slaps of bodies mingled to the crack of wooden training instruments meeting like thunder.

The stone floor turned to mat in the area where the sparring was taking place. There was a mystical seal across the massive tan mat which was the symbol of their clan. In the distance, beyond the large matted area many candles burned with mystical flame that did not consume their wicks, mearly perched upon them. there were more dragons inside the dojo. Lerae glanced over at one such beast which stared intently at the combatants through his stone gaze. From his nostrils tiny wisping plumes of incense rose up and flavored the air with sandalwood.

"Hello aunt." Meilin chirped from where she sat on one of the benches nearest to the weapon racks. Swords, spears, sai, tonfas, quarterstaffs, and many more weapons gleamed in the faint light of the morning sun. each weapon was polished and oiled with infinite care and attention to detail. These weapons were for training, but not the kind that was going on now. For sparring, less lethal weaponry was employed as now they clashed with wooden Kendo sticks, and all but one of them wore traditional padded armor.

"He's at it again?" the matriarch questioned as she walked over to Meilin and sat.

"Yep, he's giving them a hard time today..." the girl was dressed very casually today, obviously since she was planning to spend a good deal of the day training and sparring as Syaoran now was.

There were four people in the training arena at the moment, three against the one. Normally this would not be permitted, but Syaoran was known to stack the deck against him. He wore no armor, but didn't particularly need it. His training had put him at a different level from those who now attacked him.

That fact was obvious as the two women watched the young master side-step jab after jab and duck back from powerful slashes. His body moved with the grace of water as he reacted instantly and smoothly, almost gliding around them as the other youths pursued him with irritation.

"We are going to need to add a few other opponents to his training regiment if we are going to keep him from being bored."

"Bastard!" one of the boys growled as Syaoran kicked his leg out from under him. Syaoran spun around and met swords with the next of the boys. The third slashed downward at him, but was out maneuvered by the young master as he leapt back, avoiding the blow. The Kendo stick rang out with a loud crack on the hard ground as the boy cursed loudly while clutching his hand.

Syaoran leapt between them with a double kick that caught the first near the collar bone and second lower on the stomach. The two were thrown back with thuds as he landed in a crouch on the warm mat.

The first of his opponents had recovered, and now charged him with sword raised. Syaoran leapt back as the sword cracked against the ground like the snapping of a whip. The aggressor was pursuing him with all his might as the sword struck the ground again and again in pursuit of Syaoran that had left the attacker's adrenaline pumping to such an extent that it no longer seemed a training session, but mortal combat... the young sorcerer spun around and blocked a potentially lethal blow with his weapon. With a grunt of effort Syaoran pushed the youth off balance and drove the ball of his bare foot into his side.

"He is enjoying this..." Lerae said in a detached tone. Meilin turned to look at her and nodded slightly in agreement..

"His style is very aggressive..." she remarked as he sent one youth to his knees with a strong slash to the stomach that caused the boy to drop his weapon and crumble to the ground gasping. He turned to the next with a graceful spin kick that didn't connect as hard as he wanted, but did throw the attacker off his balance.

The fight continued with dazzling speed as the remaining two chopped at him with almost deadly intent as the young sorcerer pivoted his body with limitless proficiency and a dexterity result of years of martial arts. The two who now attacked him were gifted martial artists who had trained with Syaoran for years, though never were they in the same class.

Meilin noted that Jin Adoraim Li, who was the same age as Syaoran, was originally a pupil of a more combative martial art that favored speed and power over refign of agility. He then developed his own style from the basis of that, and a more ancient style that originated in the deserts. The basis is focusing more on overwhelming the adversary with a bombardment of power strikes that force the opponent into a defensive posture.

"The majority of its influences comes from Egyptian and Polynesian fighting styles. It's impressive, very aerobic, but it's no match for the more refined techniques. Syaoran has been teaching Jin that over the last few weeks, taking him apart until he will decide to reevaluate his style and integrate a few other techniques that will balance it out more. You'd never know it, but they like each other, in a 'I'm going to kill you' kinda way. Rivals. They are both really gifted martial artists, but I don't think Jin is going to adapt his style until Syaoran sends him to the healers for a month. He's too set in his ways"

Meilin was one of the more respected martial artists in the clan. Syaoran's skills were tempered in the fact that he was to be leader, and that he trained primarily alone. Those two factors tended to keep him isolated from the others where Meilin was always willing to spar or offer coaching to a fellow fighter. Even though many of the pupils were irritated in the beginning to be bested by a girl, she was respected by all and soon grew to be liked by many. She was as strong and hard as many of the li clan were, but she also had a kindness that made her advice feel free of all belittlement and constructive. There was even talk that she would take the place of head instructor once the current master retired.

The second opponent made a lunge for Syaoran, but over committed himself, and thus Syaoran spun around and brought the weapon hard against his back. The youth cried out and rolled to the floor where he remained.

The two remaining warriors paused for a moment to regard each other, but then shot to action in a dazzling series of strikes, blocks, and kicks that rang out through the stone walls like the clank of armor in a silent cathedral. Their weapons struck with immense force as Syaoran met Jin blow for blow. Jin was putting up a good front, but Syaoran was growing board with the excersize. He leapt forward, just under a downward strike. Jin was too stunned to respond quick enough as Syaoran knocked the sword from his hands and seized it in his spare hand. Jin kicked, but the veteran fighter dropped low and swept the boy's feet from under him.

Jin was already getting up when he came face to face with Syaoran. The sorcerer's eyes gleamed like molten flame as he stared down into Jin with a coldness that turned his skin to gooseflesh.

"It's over... you lost." Jin noticed a pinching sensation at his neck, and even more so when he realized that it was caused by the two swords held across one another like massive scissors by the future leader of his clan. Syaoran's eyes cast off animal eyeshine in the dark contrasts between dark shadows and slashes of bright light. They hung there for a moment as the sound of their breathing rasped out across the tomb-like dojo.

Syaoran dropped the two swords and moved off the stunned fighter. He didn't look back to meet Jin's gaze. It was clear to them both just how far apart they were, Syaoran had been playing, and now the game was clearly over. He walked over to a bench and withdrew the white towel which had been left for him by one of the attendants. He blotted his brow and then hung it over his shoulders.

The other two sparring partners had backed away from him as though he had grown horns and claws during the corse of the fight. Fear shone in their eyes, an irrational fear, but a fear that came from their cores. They were silent as they went to opposite benches to sit and recover their equilibriums.

Meilin hopped from her seat and walked over to Jin who was now sitting upright on the mat, fumbling with the cumbersome faceplate and shoulder guards. She knelt beside him and helped the youth undo the knots which held them in place. He slipped the shoulder-guards off as she delicately lifted away the face mask.

Jin's blond hair cascaded downward to his brow as the mask was removed. He was a handsome young man; sapphire eyed with bronze skin, he looked as though he were raised on a surfboard. His hair was shaggy and a mix of platinum blond hair with dark blond undertones, his face was well shaped with good definition and a natural winsomely quality that only was betrayed by a series of four pale scars running from his jaw to cheek on the left side of his face.

Jin was only half Asian, his mother was born in Korea while his father was born and raised in the sunny land of California. His two loves in life were the sea and the martial arts; as a descendent of the li clan on his father's side, at the age of fourteen Jin decided he would like to accept the offer to train in the ancestral home of his family. He had lived amongst them ever since, spending most of his time in this dojo and on the nearby shore.

Meilin liked Jin, he had many qualities that reminded her of the unattainable Syaoran. She knelt beside him as he looked over at the young sorcerer. He had made his way to one of the training dummies and was now performing kick after kick. He wasn't the least bit peaked by the combat.

"How does he do it?" Jin asked Meilin as Syaoran performed a graceful double kick, then landed as though he were a as light and as graceful as a heron. Jin's gaze met Meilin's with a soft expression. She reached over and lay a cool hand on his hot cheek. She smiled at the soft blush on the young martial artist's face.

"He's been training like this since he was walking Jin. You haven't been training out at his level."

"It doesn't matter, he'd have taken me apart just as easily if I had a few years on him. I sense it in him... like he's...." He paused in perplexity as a fitting word escaped him. Jin possessed a little telepathy, it wasn't the same as being a mind reader, more like a supernatural empathy. It gave him considerable insights into people, and also made him one on a short list that liked the cold boy-prince, Syaoran even though it was not visibly reciprocated.

"I don't mind being beaten, but I would at least like him to have to take me seriously.."

"Then Train harder!" Syaoran called from were he was still practicing jump kicks. Meilin scowled as she turned away from him and back to Jin.

"How about you and I do a little work on your style? I've been training with him since the beginning. I know the areas where your technique needs refign, and also some little tricks that would make you a lot more formidable to him." he smiled a little as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Well if teacher insists..."

"It's a date." he blushed at the comment as she rose to her feet and made her way to the weapon wrack. Seizing a throwing knife in her hand she turned. Some of the other pupils groaned at what was coming, they had all seen that heat in the terra cotta eyed martial artist before. Lerae seemed amused as she watched.

With a flick of her wrist Meilin let the blade fly tword Syaoran who remained unaware till the last moment and barely was able to sidestep the knife. It buried itself into the wooden training dummy's groin area with a cringe-worthy thunk! Syaoran turned to look at where the knife had been planted and then back to the raven haired warrior who smirked dangerously with a raised eyebrow.

"You have problems cousin..." he replied as he reached over and worked the blade from the wooden dummy's crotch.

"You're very talented Syaoran, but you'd do well to remember that there is always someone better..."

"And are you that someone?" he grinned.

"No... but it's a good lesson to keep close to heart.... or close to other things." she motioned to the dummy. Syaoran paused for a moment then laughed. Oddly enough his laughter made the other pupils more nervous then before.

"Thank you for the lesson, master" he bowed with a slight laugh.

"Syaoran, I have an issue to discuss with you." Lerae said as she rose up from the bench, her pale dress ruffling as she moved. He turned to her and nodded slightly. She left the dojo hesitantly and followed close behind, as if fearful of what was to be discussed.

*********************

The day had begun as many had before it, the clan was busy as various cells did their specific tasks. Gardeners dressed green knelt by a small embracement of flowers and other foliage, some with trowels and others pruning sheers while other still carried no tool save that of their unique gifts. A woman with coppery hair knelt beside a seedling, her touch had an instant effect on the small sprout, with magical speed the tiny green shoot rose upward tword the sun, leaves bursting from the stalk while buds formed and then exploded into bloom. The woman took her hands from the newly born thicket of white flowers with a smile. Her voice was soft and birdlike as she spoke to the new life.

"You did very well.."

Syaoran could smell the spices and aromas wafting from the kitchen, where lunch was being prepared. The aromas of home, flowers in the gardens, scrumptious spices from the kitchen, and the gentle fragrance of the neighboring ocean. It was so familiar to him, but none the less magical. His mother now walked beside him in her usual regalness.

"You love this place do you not?"

"Of corse, it's my home" he replied with a touch of bewilderment to her odd question.

"I know that my son, but I sense an sorrow within... a longing for another place." Syaoran hung his head, he knew how deep his mother's powers went, and thus lying was futile.

"I feel alone here, stifled too. I train every day and get stronger, but there's no goal anymore... my magic grows, but it seems hollow now. I love this island mother, the clan, but a part of me feels caged here."

"I appreciate your honesty my son. I have sensed these things in you for a time now, an emptiness coupled with a desolation. You are no good to the clan in such a state." he looked up frantically.

"No! I will never let any of these feelings interfere with my destiny as leader!" he paused in his stride and looked at her with shock and apallment that she could think he would. He would bear any burden for his clan, and the chance to shape the clan.

" I do not cast question upon your place as our leader, but you are alone here. No king, emperor, or leader can truly be effective if they suffer as you do. You find no joy in this existence for the most part." she was too entune, Syaoran felt almost violated as she plucked the very thoughts from his mind. In her gaze, he was utterly transparent.

"I know you would not have come to address this with me unless you had some corse of action in mind. Lets hear it mother..." he replied as he continued walking with her down the great winding steps which lead to the beach. Already he could feel the cool sea air as it tousled his hair. Lerae didn't walk as much as she glided down the stairs with her mystical grace.

"The seers have made a prediction, which I followed up last night."

"Oh? About me?"

"No, a girl. She possesses considerable potential in the mystical arts. But as is the case with many, there are no ways to develop that potential. I deemed that a teacher be sent from the clan to teach her to control her mystical powers. And I have come to see if you would be willing to act as her instructor." Syaoran stared at her in perplexity as she smirked with whimsical amusement.

"But mother, I am the future leader of our clan. Not to appear conceited, but surely she doesn't warrant my attention. The council would never permit me to leave like that."

"This girl warrants all our attention. So many destinies tie to hers it is as though she is the axis from which the clan will someday turn. That is of corse, if she comes to develop that power.

I would prefer you not undertake this mission, but I cannot deny that it warrants our best. And you would fit that role perfectly I feel. As a mother I would refuse to even consider you for this, knowing what it will cost, but you are soon to be leader of our people and I cannot mother and coddle you. Our leader must stand on his own two feet and make his decisions for himself." for the first time in his life she seemed old rather then ageless. It was as if the weight of this was crushing her, leaving her only her great strength as matriarch to stand.

"What makes this girl so vital? If it is as you say, why does our fate revolve around her? What makes her so special?"

"There are many reasons why she is so important, but among those there is one fact which I think you will find compelling enough on its own." she looked at him sadly, knowing what this would mean for him.

"She is the mistress of the Clow cards..."

*********************

Jin sat with Meilin on a stone bridge that crossed a small creek which babbled in the ageless words of cascading water. Their bare feet dangled from the bridge as they stared out at where it vanished amidst a bend in the tree-line.

Jin was dressed in a flamboyant shirt of blues and soft yellows with long shorts that made him seem even more the surfer. He defied that stereotype only by the tone of his voice which was as rich and sweet as molasses. He had a captivating voice and a captivating heart, in that his mystical empathy opened himself to caring for others deeply. He was as hard as ice in the training arena, but that ice melted to warm water out of it. He was very easygoing and seemed to enjoy the time he spent here with her lounging in the sun or near the sea.

"You know I should be embarrassed having a girl stand up to Li like that in my place." she laughed at his words.

"He's a hard person to get to know, I do know him. It's not competitory with us, it wouldn't be taken like that if you tried to put him in his place."

"He'd have taken it as an insult?"

"It's possible... Syaoran is in a situation that none of us could understand. All he has is his pride in many ways."

"How so?"

"Don't talk about what I tell you."

"If it's a secret between you two I won't ask Meilin...."

"If it was a secret between him and I, I wouldn't have even thought of telling. It's just something sensitive."

"I understand.." he replied hesitantly as he stared into her beautiful gaze.

"You know how strict the clan is on their future leaders. Well Syaoran has lost a lot of things because of it. The one that hurts the most is that he had a girl he was in love with. She lives in japan and he lives here... he can't be with her because of his obligation to lead this clan." Jin's gaze softened.

"That... must be terrible."

"He is the way he is because since all he can have is the clan, he wants to be the best. He's given up so much to become its leader, he's alone inside. I know he seems cold and mean Jin, but he does like you, but he's also jealous of you. You can have what he can never have." her words were soft and gentle.

"I wasn't sure if coming here was right for a while. My dad told me about the clan, it seemed so strange and unreal. I almost went back to California a few times after coming here and seeing so many incredible and scary things, but now it feels like home to me. I think that's due to you in a lot of ways." Meilin blinked as he smiled at her.

"What I mean is... I wonder if this feels like home to Li, or if it feels Like japan is his home." Meilin smiled gently at Jin. She reached out and took his hand in her own. he blushed and she smiled more because of it.

"You're sure you're not embarrassed to be with me? I'm still one of the guys you know. I'm not a flower of a girl with a pretty dress and an ornate hairstyle like Syaoran's sisters. I could never be that way, and a lot of people would think that makes me less. They look like princesses with jasmine scented balm, not fighters soaked in sweat." she had a soft tone to her voice that didn't tremble, but did portray a kind of fragility as though she could crumble to sand. Jin looked at her, her hair was mussed and tousled. She had small scars on her arms and legs from training. Her face was adorned with no makeup just as her neck lay barren of all jewelry. Her eyes were not the eyes of a doe in a meadow, but the eyes of a falcon which shone with a fierceness and clarity of any great bird of prey. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"You're not a flower Meilin, you're a sword. You aren't made to be beautiful, but you are in the same way a sword has a kind of dangerous beauty. You aren't a princess, just like I'm not a prince, we're fighters... we live in sweat and sore muscle. Fighters' skin is scarred, and that doesn't make it any less. I'm not Li Syaoran, I'm no great sorcerer and I'm not a warrior in the same way he is... but I am like you. I could care less if anyone sees you as unfeminine, I see you as you are... And I find that more enticing then any china doll."

He leaned over and kissed her. he was hesitant at first in this, simply touching his lips to hers, but then the two began deepening the kiss as a passion sparked like flint between them. Jin's hand pulled her head to his as the two hungrily kissed. Jin was suddenly shocked to feel Meilin push him onto his back. He caught only a faint flash of a mischievous grin as he submitted to her completely. She threw a leg over him so that she now straddled him and resumed the kiss. Jin's mind swam with euphoric tremors as he was reaffirmed in his preference of the two types of girls, the delicate opposed to the tomboyish. His mind swam as he felt Meilin's tongue probing his mouth with libidinous movements. He submitted happily to the carnality of the girl's warrior nature and loved every second of it.

*********************

"Sakura!?" Syaoran gaped in shock. His eyes wide and almost aglow with supernatural light.

"Yes, the card mistress has chosen her path to walk. She has decided to become a true sorceress and give her life to the magic which we all serve. Her potential is without limit, and more importantly, her nature will make for a wise and level-headed sorceress.

In the past, those with the degree of power the two of you posses have been corrupted by it. I raised you to respect and honor the power you possess, and to use that power in the service of those who need its protection. Sakura on the other hand has had no such teaching, but instead is blessed with a heart of purity without measure. She will not be corrupted by the magic, but will purify it within herself." Lerae's skin shined in the radiant sunlight which glowed silver around her as her aura mingled with the magics native to this isle.

"My son, Sakura will make for a worthy sorceress, and when united with our clan's magic... The two of you will soon surpass me. I am confident in you, Sakura would do well if guided by your knowledge, and your discipline."

"I'll do it! I will leave immediately for japan!" his eyes shined as he turned to run back and begin preparation. Lerae scowled softly as she made a small gesture with her hand in his direction. The boy was seized by the force of her will and turned to face her. his eyes were wide with shock and hurt as he gaped at her mystically glowing eyes.

"What is it mother? You said you wanted me to go. I didn't mean any disrespect, I was just enthusiastic."

"Never did I say I wanted you to go. Though the choice will be yours, we are not done yet my son..." her voice was harsh and stung him even as she released him from her grip.

"What else must be discussed right now?" he said with a touch of hurt in his voice.

"I must know your heart. Are you in love with the card mistress?" he blinked, then his gaze darkened at the tone she had used in relation to his feelings for Sakura. She nearly spat the words card mistress.

"You're a mind reader, why bother asking." he scowled as his aura flared to flames. This would not come to blows, but neither was backing down.

"I know what I know Syaoran, but I want to hear the truth from your own lips. Do you love this girl?" his dark eyes flashed with a fierceness that was becoming of any leader of the li clan.

"I love Sakura Avalon with all that I am." he growled out as she looked down. He was more angry then he could ever recall being, but that all shifted to shock and remorse as he watched her crumple to her knees on the sandy beach and softly cry. He had never seen her cry before, he never even thought her capable of it. She had always been a pillar of strength from which he could depend, never had he witnessed her like this. He tried to speak but only managed the word "why?" She looked up to him with tears streaming down her ivory cheeks. Her voice was wracked with sorrow as she uttered one word that made Syaoran's blood turn to ice and his eyes pool with fear.

"Legacy..."

"No... it's too early!" he was pale as he looked at her with disbelief.

"She became their mistress far earlier then any of their previous owners. The oracles have foreseen the coming of the legacy. The fact that you love her.... oh Syaoran, I would beg you to stay far away from the girl. But I know that you will not." she looked up to him and cringed at what she saw within his heart.

"I was cursed with magic... no mother should be able to know what I know. You will go to her now, even if I forbid it. You are too much your father. You will go to her and be with her in the end."

"I can't leave her to face this alone... the legacy would destroy her." Lerae closed her eyes and willed the tears to stop. She summoned the strength she had cultivated since her husband died. The last time she cried was when he left her, and now she had cried again when she realized beyond all doubt that her son faced the same curse.

"Will you try and stop me mother?"

"I told you this because I owed it to you as the leader of our clan. I could no sooner stop you as I could stop the legacy from coming to pass. If going to japan and teaching Sakura is your will, so be it. If standing with her to face legacy is also your will... it will kill me, but I will submit to your decision." he knelt beside her and hugged her fiercely. Normally such contact would be seen as too emotional, and unbecoming of the future leader, but this time both mother and son disregarded all protocol.

"You know what I must do..." he replied softly.

" I shall make the preparations and the announcement to the great counsel."

*********************

Time flew for him as he was prepared for his place as Sakura's teacher. He was given books and suggestions from his old teacher on the lessons he should give her. the more Syaoran listened, the more certain he became that he would be able to guide her through this. For at the core of all teaching there is a love, surely by that rule he would make for a good teacher.

Syaoran stood at the window in his room overlooking the clan so far below. He could see most of the buildings from his window, the sun gleamed off of them as if each wall were bronze. Knowing what was coming, he probably wouldn't see this place again, and so he recorded every angle into his memory. A helicopter had been dispatched to collect the young lord, it now waited on the large stone mesa which bordered the jungle on a steep drop off. He could hear its whirring engines in the distance. The servants had already collected his baggage and taken it to the chopper. The pilot, a member of the clan, would be waiting to take him to the clan's jet which waited at the Hong Kong airport, from there, japan.

His mother had told the council, and they had accepted her perposal. The first son of the Li clan would go forth to japan once again, this time to make the card mistress into a true sorceress. He would leave his people behind, probably forever, now that the legacy grows near. He looked forward to seeing Sakura again, but had some sorrow at saying goodbye to Meilin and the others. He didn't love many of those in the clan, but he would miss the familiarity of it all. He walked over to his bed, where a black silk shirt waited. He slipped it on and buttoned it to the collar, it felt cool on his warm skin.

His room was warm with topical heat. The decorum as simple as the room of a monk who put all thought to the heavens, and little to his own tiny niche of earth. There were dressers, a desk, a chair for that desk, a few lamps, several candles, and an incense burning dragon carved from a honey colored wood. The room was not for luxury, but mearly the place Syaoran slept and dressed. To the right of the bed there was a small hall which lead off to a large bathroom that was standard with all the rooms in this wing of the great house. There was a large tub that also acted as a Jacuzzi, one of the few amenities Syaoran made use of. The hot churning water helped him relax and ease his sore muscles just as the incense burner did. He would not miss this room, for he never actually lived within it; just slept.

There was a soft knock at the door, then Meilin stepped forward without waiting for his permission. She had done this since she was a child, barging in after a soft rapping that offered no chance at being told to wait before opening. Once, Syaoran had thought she did this in the hopes of the perverse thrill of walking in on him getting out of the tub, or changing. But after her obsession for him had cooled and she still continued to do it, he decided it was just another idiosyncracy that made Meilin, Meilin. He never chastised her for it anymore, not just because it would be pointless, but because it is these quirks that made the young fighter one of the few people in the clan he loved as family.

She was dressed up... snowy white kimono with pearl colored trimmings, and a black sash. She looked beautiful in such garbs, but she was not at home in them, and thus he preferred her in the clothes she sparred in, that was Meilin, not the silk she wore now. Her hair was pulled back in a headdress that sparkled of silver and dark stones. Tiny teardrops of silver and pearl clinched softly as she moved.

"You're ready to leave Syaoran?" she had a sadness in her voice.

"Yeah, all packed, just making sure I didn't miss anything."

"You're going to get to see Sakura again, send her all my love." she smiled at him.

"Of corse I will... have you heard?"

"The legacy? Yeah... it's going to be hard, on both of you..."

"How are you handling it?" he probed softly.

"I am part of the li clan, we have known about the legacy for so long... It makes me sad knowing, but it's destiny." her voice was small. She turned to him with a sad little grin on her face. "you know what?"

"What?"

"Destiny sucks." she laughed, and then he joined her. it was not belly laughs, but the small laughter of a sad joke. She walked over to him and opened her arms for him.

There was once a time that Li Syaoran could not comprehend what could be gained by such contact. He couldn't fathom doing it under any circumstance with Meilin. And now as he grabbed hold of his cousin in such an embrace he could not fathom not doing it. She tucked her head under his chin and whimpered sadly. He held her for a few moments until she pulled away and smiled at him.

"It's good that Sakura will have you to help her through this..." she smiled and looked out to his window.

"You know Jin? I'm seeing him." he blinked at her.

"You and Jin are together? Wow..."

"What do you think of that?"

"He makes you happy?"

"Yeah."

"Then I am really happy for you cousin. How did it happen? He sure as hell didn't impress you with his martial arts skill." he joked.

"He's sweet... also, he reminds me of you." Syaoran blinked.

"A different you. He acts like you would if you were never groomed for leadership. He's as sweet and kind, but not as hard as you are. He never had to go through what you did. So I see him as a more idealistic you." He paused to think of what he could say.

"Then that would make him the better of the two." Syaoran smiled slightly.

"No, just different." she squeezed his shoulder.

"It's time you know... the helicopter is waiting. Are you ready?" he looked over at her and then back out the window.

"I don't know... but I'm going."

*********************

The path to where the helicopter waited was strewn with Syaoran's clansmen. Every man woman and child who worked or lived in the li clan stood now on either side of the stone path. They were dressed in the same attire as Meilin, all bowing to him as he passed. He could feel their auras radiating together as he walked amongst them. looking ahead, he saw the great councilmen. Each of them dressed in the regal white and black robes that signified their place just as much as the ashen features and greyish white beards they wore. They looked at him as he passed, they disapproved of this no doubt, but against the will of the matriarch even they had to bow. Meilin stood beside Lerae who stood next to the platform where the black helicopter waited with rotors spinning.

"Good luck to you my son, I have faith that your actions shall bring honor to the clan." as she spoke her aura reached out and engulfed him in a embrace. He could sense her sorrow and fear that this would be the last time she would see him. He smiled, turned to her and bowed.

"I will mother..."

His attention turned to Meilin and Jin who stood side by side in the row of clansmen. With a smirk he stepped tword them. he could sense the apprehension in Jin's mind as he reached out with his will and took hold of the boy. His eyes went wide as Syaoran reached out and touched his forehead, sending him the image of a fist formed around his throat in a tight crushing grip. He spoke into the boy's mind with all the ease of speaking to his ears.

"I know about you and Meilin... treat her well or I will make you regret not doing so." just for fun he had the mental image of the choked throat deteriorate into steaming goo. The image turned Jin's skin pale.

"Make sure you obey teacher." he smirked out loud as he reached out and patted the boy's shoulders. Meilin giggled.

"You can bet he will!"

Syaoran continued tword the helicopter, his hair violently whipping in the hot winds it kicked off. He slipped into the seat and without deliberation was lifted off and away from the grounds of the clan, possibly never to return. It shone like a jewel surrounded by the mantle of blue water. The whole ordeal was carried out with no deliberation, so much of his life was made to be that way. Don't linger, accept destiny where it comes, if you are meant to do this no sense arguing the point by taking your time.

He tried not to think of all he would miss, the possibility that he would never return. Instead he focused on Sakura. He wondered if her eyes still shined the same way they had as a child, or if they had a different light now. He knew that time, not even in the measure of years, could dull the shine in those eyes, they were as eternal as the magic which brought them into this world. He felt butterflies in his stomach as he imagined seeing her again, feeling her aura touch his. Fate had separated them for too long, and as a fool he accepted fate as immutable. Now as he flew back to her he had the epiphany that fate is not inflexible. He was up against impossible odds knowing what was looming in the distance for them, but he would not so easily give up. He would not give up at all. He had been ordained by fate to go to japan and meet Sakura, fall in love with her, then leave. Never again would he accept destiny when it tried to rip her from him.

He would never leave her again. He had known it was wrong all those years ago, and only now, as he returned to her, did he start to feel right again, this would be his second chance at doing it right. This time he would not leave her, even if it meant staying at her side as a spirit.

He looked back tword the clan only to find it was almost out of site, lost in the haze of both mind and eye.

*********************

Sakura sat on the sofa with Kero resting in her lap. The tiny winged rodent was practically purring as Sakura gently rubbed him with her finger. The soft little guardian beast was happily snoozing under his mistress's touch, Sakura envied his easygoing nature while she herself was a bundle of nerves. She was dressed up in one of her more showy dresses. Whites and pink pastel colors with a skirt that terminated just above her knees. This was the dress she wore when she had to go to one of her father's fund raisers, or another event where she needed to look fancy, yet not alluring.

Madison had stocked her up with enough dresses that could advertise features she wasn't even sure she had. They were fun to wear, casting an aura of mystery, sexiness, or making her seem older then she was. But today she didn't want any of that, just to look credible.

Her father had surprised her with the news over breakfast, causing her to nearly choke on a bite of egg. She didn't know what to say, but was thrilled by the prospect of a member of Syaoran's family coming to teach her real magic. Maybe the teacher she would get would be the very one who first taught Syaoran. He was scheduled to be coming any time now, and so she waited on the family room sofa just feet from the door.

She wondered what he would be like... perhaps a handsome young man, more likely the stereotypical view of a wizard, wrinkles and a beard. Maybe they would send a sorceress to be her mentor, that had its own appeal to her. she was smiling despite all efforts of controlling herself, she could hardly wait to start learning the magics Syaoran had possessed.

She had tried sensing her teacher, but was disappointed to find nothing in the way of great magic. In fact she felt no aura. Kero explained that there was a new magic close by, but that it was being masked for whatever purpose. At a more in depth search of the spiritual energies around them she felt what must be her new teacher. It was hidden, she could sense nothing of the person, only the mass of his mystical energy that caused a pressure on all the other forces around him. It was like looking into a pond and seeing a massive fish swim underneath the stillness. She could detect nothing other then the sheer force which he commanded. He would be a great teacher, unlocking secrets she had been struggling with for years. Perhaps she was putting too much faith in this tutor, but somehow she knew that this would be a very good thing.

As a means of distracting herself from the bombshell her father had dropped, and the eternity it would take before he would get here, she told Kero about the vision. The tiny beast had pondered over it for a few minutes before suggesting that maybe it was just a nightmare and not a vision.. But to keep her eyes out just in case. Normally Sakura trusted everything the tiny beast told her as if it came from the mouth of god, but Kero seemed hesitant on this subject. He had seemed nervous when she recanted the part where she came in contact with the black thing. She never had reason to doubt Kero before, but she did suspect he may know more about the black creature then he was letting on. That alone scared her, it signified something that they were trying to protect her from. Something bad...

"Nervous?" Fujitaka questioned as he sat in the reclining leather chair. He smiled at her warmly before cracking open the book in his lap.

"A little... I wish he'd get here." she replied as Touya sat on the other end of the sofa and rolled his eyes at her. she tried to ignore him and returned her attention to Kero as his tiny leg drummed with almost canine pleasure when she scratched him in a good spot.

"He's probably just delayed by the rain." Fujitaka remarked with a gesture tword the window which was distorted by the water which ran down it as the tiny beads of rain pinged against the glass in suicidal collisions. The storm had come up unexpectedly, it was a heavy downpour but there was little in the way of lightning or strong winds.

"Can't the guy just make it stop raining?" Touya smirked while Sakura turned to glare at him.

"I really hope he teaches me a spell to improve your personality"

"I quake with terror.." he replied sarcastically. She growled at him and woke Kero. The tiny beast cocked his head and looked at them.

"Good morning. He here yet?" Kero hopped from Sakura's lap and with a flash of golden light, transformed into his true form. he yawned loudly, displaying his massive pearly incisors.

"No."

"All you do is sleep and eat." Touya quipped as he reached out and poked the lion's pudgy stomach. Kero snapped at his retreating digit, more for show then for vengeance.

"I am not fat, I am a growing beast! As for the napping, this weather always does it to me. My power does come from the sun, so it's only natural I get a little sleepy on cloudy days like this." He leaned over and lay his massive head in Sakura's open hand. She smiled sweetly to him as she reached over and rubbed him behind his ears. He purred softly as his beautiful golden eyes closed and he started to drift.

"Touya, be nice. Kero is a very sensitive lion."

"Guardian beast. Lions don't breath fire" he grunted without opening his eyes.

"They also aren't attached to pigeon wings" Touya smirked as Kero opened an eye in annoyance.

"Remind me to bite him when the sun comes out, ok Sakura?"

"No problem."

The soft melodious chime of the doorbell rang through the house. They all froze and turned to the door. Sakura's heart was pounding with fear and excitement. Her father looked to her.

"Do you want to get it?"

"Umm... no, you get it." she chuckled nervously. He smiled at her and reached over to squeeze her shoulder. She grinned appreciatively as he walked over to the door and opened it.

At first Sakura couldn't see who was at the door. She listened as he and her father talked. He identified himself as her instructor and shook Fujitaka's hand. As he stepped through the threshold Sakura blinked. He was dressed in a wet black trench coat with the collar up. He also wore a dark hat that obscured his face further. Immediately he turned to Sakura and cocked his head. She stood and bowed under his inspection.

She had grown so beautiful that he could barely keep the game going. He had hoped to surprise her by masking his aura and hiding his face until the right moment, remembering how she loved surprises, but looking at her almost shook him from his concentration. She had let her hair grow, it now hung at her shoulders like a shroud with golden ginger hue. her skin was smooth and the color of cream. He had dreamed of her for so long, but to see her now... to actually look upon her pink lips and delicate form, no longer that of a child, but the form of a woman. He didn't dare meet her gaze, though he saw that the shine of childhood had only brightened with maturity in the gemstones of her eyes.

"Hello, I am Sakura. Your student." she fidgeted nervously under the strange feeling she was getting from him. He couldn't find the breath to speak to her, just stare.

Kero had been looking at the two quizzically, there almost seemed to be flirtation between Sakura and the young man. He was tall and lean, but didn't radiate age. He seemed far too spry to be a traditional master which usually would mean great age. Kero decided this youth must be a prodigy amongst the li clan. He took a whiff of the strangers scent and froze. One sniff was enough to alarm him, the second was enough to confirm his private nightmare. He collapsed onto the ground with a loud thud that drew the attention of everyone in the room.

"Oh no... not him!" he groaned as the stranger chuckled.

"Kero!" Sakura turned with mortification at the lion's rudeness.

"It would seem his nose is able to detect other things then mere sweets." the youth chuckled. Sakura turned with perplexity to the young teacher.

"Do I know you?"

"So I don't seem familiar?" he smirked through his somewhat-disguised voice.

"You d..." he cut her off as he laughed a very familiar laugh that caused her eyes to widen at a sudden similarity.

"Would this help Sakura?" with a flash, he dropped all shrouding of her aura and she nearly fell over in the tidal wave of mystical essence which flooded the room and her senses. She had noticed a similarity before, but now as she felt his true aura she was barely breathing. With a laugh of sheer jubilance the boy pulled off his hat and coat.

"Syaoran?" she gasped as she stared at him in seeming disbelief. The world seemed to blur around them as though all else were just a dream on the verge of waking. She looked at him as he stared back at her with a small smile on his lips. They had been apart so long that seeing each other seemed unreal. Sakura took a step tword him and reached out with her hand. He closed it within his own in a wordless gesture that dispelled any fear this was just a cruel dream.

"Syaoran!" she suddenly squeaked as she shot forward and was closed in his arms. He held her to him and smiled warmly into her sweet smelling hair. The two auras mingled together once again.

Once upon a time man looked to magic to answer his questions and explain his world.

As time passed, man stopped looking to magic for his answers.

The world was explained, but an emptiness was born in such knowledge.

To fill the emptiness man looked to faith, and once again, found magic.

Magic is with us always, the only change is how we perceive it.

Not the end...