Cardcaptor of Ancient China!

Huang Beiyue was only ten years old, and she already know so much suffering.

She's weak. So weak and unable to cultivate. A stain in her mother's name. For that, she was bettlited and abandoned by all but handful select few. Her Father ignores her. The Concubine Qin and her half-siblngs torment her. The other maids and servants either turn blind eye to her suffering or joined making her suffers.

When she was eight, she was kicked out from her home in Glistening Lake Pavillion to Flowing Cloud Pavillion... which was a bereft Shack barely decent for any usage! She want to protest but all it yields was glare, condencesing words, and more pain. She don't even allowed to bring her things with her. Only handful of clothes, and not the good ones safe for one or two, and few knick knacks she's allowed to bring. The reason why she was kicked out because her mysterious illness but... doesn't sending sick person to filthy place just made her even more sick?!

Sometimes Beiyue was sure they hoped she will die and no longer become dead weight.

At least she's not alone. She has Dongling with her. Sweet, kind and strong Dongling who suffers much for her. Dongling who endure mocking from other servant and whipping punishment in her stead. Dongling who work hard embroiding clothes just so Beiyue have something to eat and new clothes, even if it was cheap and plain.

Dongling who deserve better than useless, weak, idiot Mistress like Beiyue.

Thinking about that make Beiyue depressed. She buried her face in the pillow, cries softly.

Silently, in her heart, she prays.

If there's a God, please... please help us... I'll do anything but please make this pain and suffering stop...

~X~

It was not until late night when Dongling finally can go "home". She had to wash entire ten large basket worth of delicate fabric, and slightest mistake will be rewarded by ten lash. The Senior Maid were cruel, they like to startled her so she make mistakes and they can find a reason to "punish" her. Her hands hurts. Her back hurts. Her joint hurt so much she want to just lie down and be damn anything else.

But she can't. If she were to take day off, who will help her miss? Her Miss is so kind and sweet, but unluckily born in this treacherous, cruel, heartless house. Had she born to kinder family, her life would be better. Alas! The people at Xiao Mansion is no human but monster wearing human skin! Only Concubine Fang who is nice person, but then she can't do much less she earn irk. Her position was already low due her idiot motormouth of daughter. Dongling want to rages, want to scream and destroy something, but she can't.

She had to endure and be patient. For her Mistress.

She never once think of runing away and abandon her miss. Princess Royal. Sweet, generous, kind person who took a feral child and make a maid out of her. Taught her basic of martial arts to protect her daughter. Had she was not, Dongling sure she would be dead long time ago. For that kindness alone, Dongling will remain loyal.

After all, she's not opportunistic Snake like Xue. That slut give maid everywhere a bad name!

Plus, her Miss is too sweet and too kind! Her miss have to be protected by all cost!

Unlike—

"Ugh! This box is so UGLY! Why Princess Royal have this thing?!"

CRASH!

...unlike certain bratty bitch known as Xiao Yun.

Dongling hide behind a building. Carefully, she peeks out to find Yun, accompanied by her mother and some of maids, throwing out a Pink Box. Dongling frowned. She know that box. Princess Royal come home one day with it. She was oddly delighted with it, despite unable to open it. Saying the box was very special and waiting to be open by special person.

The box is not that ugly. Just... too pink for Xiao Yun's standard it seems, but it looks good. Too bad the brat didn't appreciate it. From what Dongling heard, she want it thrown out, calling it eyesore and useless. The maid complies and took it away.

Well. Dongling can't let that happens. If Princess Royal likes it, it must be precious and have to be guarded. Perhaps Princess Beiyue can use it. She need new place to hold her clothes and shoe. The rotten furniture they have to use as wardrobe was too ugly, molt, and frail it can fell apart anytime. Nevermind dusty!

Dongling carefully followed those maid and had to gritted her teeth in anger when they carelessly thow it at dumpster and leave it just like that. Thankfully the box was closed shut.

After making sure no one was around, Dongling quickly picked it up and ran all way to Cloud Pavillion. Carefully evading patrol route and go painful length as to not be discovered. The Xiao already has many ammunition to made her and her miss' life miserable. Dongling doesn't want to give them even more reasons.

Beiyue was almost asleep, tired from crying, when Dongling kicked the door open. Startled, she almost fall from her bed. "Dongling what—what is that?" Her eyes locked at the box. For some reasons, she felt drawn to it. Like it was mean for her.

"It was Princess Royal's, Miss." Dongling said. "Princess Royal really like it, but that stupid Yun don't and call it ugly and want it thrown out. I can't let that happens, so I pick it up."

Beiyue nodded. Yeah. That made sense. "We don't tell anyone."

"We don't tell or show anyone." Dongling agrees. "Where should I put it?"

"Umm... I want to see it. It looks..." entrancing. Mystique. Magnetic. "Pretty."

"Really?" Well, Dongling suppose she shouldn't be surprised. Beiyue is her mother's daughter, after all. "Ok. Be careful miss. It's heavy."

Dongling doesn't believe she thought of it, but THANK YOU XIAOS for making her do hard, back breaking work! Her arms muscle is strong enough to carry the surprisingly heavy empty box.

"Here." Dongling hauled the box to the bed. The bed make creaking noise, like it about to collapse, but thankfully it doesn't.

Beiyue murmured a thanks and running her finger on the box surface. It was unique one. A pink, like cherry blossom, only bolder, with white and gold decorations and studded with three kind of jewel. Ruby. Sapphire. Emerald. So pretty and precious. She touched the lock and it opens itself and reveal...

"It's empty. I know." Said Dongling. "Princess Royal found it empty, but strangely enough, she never filled it with anything. Maybe miss can use it—"

"Dongling." Beiyue frowned. "Why are you calling it empty? It was not empty."

Now, it was Dongling turn to frowned. "But it's empty miss. There's nothing here."

"No it was not." Insisted Beiyue. She reach out inside, and make motions as if grabbing someing, and pull it out.

Poor Dongling, her eyes almost popped out when Beiyue suddenly hold a pretty dress. A dress made of fine material, it would made the Xiao brats and those harlots green with envy! It was white with floral pattern on sleeve and skirt and tastefully placed. Dongling carefuly run her hand through the fabric and to her astonishment, it wasn't embroidered. It was painted into the fabric*.

How marvelous! She doesn't know you can paint clothes! While it might sold cheaper than embroidery, she can use it to give Beiyue pretty dresses! Her minds already worked what kind of pattern and drawing she can use. Ah! So many choices! Her miss' favorite color is white and light blue! There's so many drawing and color that goes well with that!

...later. right now she have to know. "How did you do that, miss?"

"I... I don't know." Said Beiyue. As astonished as Dongling. "I just... I don't understand. Why you call it empty? It clearly was not empty."

Hmm... that is correct. Beiyue pulled a pretty dress from it, but Dongling didn't saw it until the dress was laid across Beiyue's lap so... "Enchanted? Invisibility spell?"

"But why it doesn't work to me?"

Why indeed.

"Miss. Check it out. What else here."

Nodding, Beiyue set aside the dress and start emptying the box.

It tooks her quite some time. Final count was a half dozen different dresses, all of them are unique and gorgeous with two were bigger and clearly meant for her when she's older, complete with shoes and accessories (much to Dongling's delight now that Beiyue has proper dress instead cheap clothes), four identical odd thing that had symbol of sun and moon on it and has small square-like squishy thing at white center. Each square has number, except for four odd ones. Something like * and #, and two other was coloured. The bottom left was red and bottom right was green. Finally...

"A book?" Beiyue asked to no one in particular.

The book is as pink as the box... or was it a chest? Whatever. The front cover has yellow five pointed star surrounded by white wings and a handosme winged lion with ruby stud on it. Between the lion and the winged star is red ribbon with nine smaller star. Beneath the lion, was a chained sun. At very bottom was red half-sun and a red ribbon with four star. Above the lion, above the winged star, is a ribbon-like stuff with black decoration that neither Beiyue or Dongling understand. The back cover has pink star at center, atop of a circle. The circle has crescent moon at left and sun at right, with winged star on very top of cover. Beneath the circle, peeking just about right, was an "incomplete" circle. Then, "holding" the circle, was a crescent moon shaped in U and has wings. It also has a ribbon-like decorated with black decorations.

"It's pretty." Dongling said. Beiyue agree as she caress the book. When her hand touch the simple wing decoration at side, though...

CLACK!

Both girls startled when the clasp undone by itself. Staring at each other, the nodded and Beiyue open the book.

What greeted them was no page. It was just unintelligent gibberish at inside front cover and a compartment filled with... cards? Yes. Cards.

It was pretty card, too. White with pink trimm. It has similar picture to the circle at the back cover, except there's no layered circle and beneath the yellow-ish golden star is purple star in reverse position.

Beiyue flip the card and she find that, oh this was the front side.

The card has picture of pretty woman, with long hair parted into to side, long slender arm crossed before her chest and reaching her chin, and fairy-like wings. Her eyes is closed. She has this wing-like mark on her forehead. There's word above her and below her. Presumebly same word.

For some reason, Beiyue can understand the word bellow, even if she didn't understand what Language is it.

"Win..." She bit her tongue. Uuuh. Pronounciation! "It's... W-win.. [WINDY]...?"

Suddenly a bright light lit up beneath them, "exploding" and enveloping both in warm and comfortable light for brief minute before dissappears, and strong gust of wind comes out from the card.

"Kyaaaaahhh!" Both girls clung to each other, trying to not blown away by the wind. Beiyue dropped the book and to their horror, they saw the cards slowly fly away. At beginning it was only one by one, before it picked up pace and going out in stream.

Dongling didn't even think. Her free hand snatch a nearby card she can get and hold it close.

When the wind dies out, as do the light beneath Beiyue. The compartment was empty. All of those cards, save for two, was gone.

"Dongling." Beiyue whispered with faint tone. "What have I done?"

"I... I don't know." Dongling is just as shaken as she is.

As if their day (night?) can't get any stranger, the book suddenly floating by itself, inciting fearful squeak from Beiyue, who cling to Dongling hard.

From the front book, come something... a ridiculousy winged baby cat-mouse-lion thing?

The heck?, both thought, because one look and they knew the creature definitely a strong Spiritual Beast. If not right now, then when it was older and fully grown! What was it doing here? Why it come out from the book of all places?!

"Ahh! That was nice one..." The thing yawned and scretched.

Both girls jaw were on floor.

Right. Scratch strong when it's older. IT TALKING AND NO SPIRITUAL BEAST CAN TALK LIKE THAT, EVER! THIS THING IS POWERFUL!

"Y-you can talk?" Dongling, for once, doesn't care if she's hurting Beiyue by gripping her shoulders a tad too hard. Right now she want assurance that this all was not a crazy dream.

"Of course Ah can Talk." The thing said. "What? Never see before?"

" "Yes" " Both girls said in same time.

The thing sweatdropped. IT WAS SO EXPRESSIVE! "Right... Introduction! Name's Keroberos! The Guardian of the Seal! Nice to meet ya!"

"Kero...beros?"

Keroberos smiled, almost nostalgic if their eyes weren't deceiving them. "Well, ya can call me Kero. That's easier, right?"

"Kero." Beiyue tested it. It sounds... foreign, weird, but somehow fitting. "Kero, then. You were saying about something. Guardian of the Seal. Guard what exactly...?"

"What? Of course Guardian of the Powerful Magical Cards! The Sakura Cards themselves!" He waved his... hand? Paw?... at the empty compartment.

Both girls turned pale. Their thought can be summed into two words.

Oh Shit.

Kero, noticing the pale faces and lack of voice, feel dread pooling at his gut. Slowly he turned at the book... and stares.

The silence stretched and it feels like a giant axe touching their neck. No one dare to say anything.

"...you pick the Windy card and read it, didn't you?" The cub turned to Beiyue and Dongling. His voice strangely hollow and empty of emotions. As empty as his stares.

Beiyue nodded fearfully.

Kero stares a little more, before do full body turn at the book as it float closer. He then grab i and start to use it to bash his head.

"Stupid Keroberos! Stupid stupid stupid! IDIOT! You're warned! Don't take nap while guarding without someone to keep an eye on! Yue is soooo going to kill me..."

"A-anooo..." Beiyue said. "Why would I kill you?"

"Huh?" Kero turned to her, not understanding what with the question. It took him few more moment before he made the connection. "Oh! Your name is Yue?"

"It's Beiyue. Huang Beiyue."

"Ahh... Chinese?" Now the girls are confused. What is Chinese? "Right. Sorry for confusion. Ah mean not ya, but mine brother. Yue."

"Your brother?" Ask Dongling.

Kero nodded. "Yup yup. Me an Yue are brothers. Look nothing alike, act nothing alike, but same creator." He sounds so proud... until metaphorical dark cloud hang over his head. "and now he's gonna have my head..."

Now Beiyue feel so bad. "S-sorry..." she apologize. "I-it's my fault... if only I don't open it..."

Why can't she do anything RIGHT?! Now Keroberos is in trouble! She do nothing but always troubling people! She's so useless! She deserve to beaten and—

"Nah... it's alright."

...h-huh?

"I-it's alright?" Beiyue blinked. "Y-you mean... you are not... angry...? even... even when it was my fault...?"

Keroberos internally frowned. Beiyue was so meek and fearful. Like she's expected to be punched, or attacked, or at least lambashed for something so accidental. He then observe her a little closer. How her clothes are cheap, despite her aristocratic noble look, and how it hung from her thin, almost skeleton-like body. How her eyes filled with disbelief and fear and how the other girl hold her, as if to protect her.

Keroberos draw a conclusion and he don't like it. At all.

But... "Of course not! 't was accident! Bounds to happen sooner or later! Ah just upset Ah was sleeping when it happens."

"Really?" Dongling ask suspiciously.

"Really." Keroberos nod firmly. "After all, you must be the choosen one."

"I—what? What was that?"

"The cards is not ordinary cards." Keroberos began his lecture. "They are powerful, magical card created by Great Sorcerer Clow Reed, or Lu Wei** in your language; empowered and expanded by his successor, the Great Sorceress Sakura, or Yinghua. Those cards are Magical in Origin, thus need special requirements to use, much less guard them. If they run amok, uncontrolled, expect mayhem and pandemonium."

"T-they are THAT strong?" Squeaked Beiyue.

"...Four of them have control over elements. Wind, Water, Earth, and Fire. What do you two think?!"

Both girls temporarily lost their ability to speak. Too struck with fear and ohmygodswhathaveIdone freak outs.

"But!" Kero said, "since you open it," he pointed at Sakura, "that means you can capture them back."

"I... but I was klutz! I can't... can't... I'll messed up and—"

"Ah ah ah!" Kero fly closer and stop Beiyue. "You open the chest, right?" Oh, so it's a chest and not fancy box? Beiyue nodded. "Did you see its stuff? When it was inside?" Nod. "Did the book's clasp undone itself when you hold it?" Another nod. "Okay, listen here Beiyue. Not everyone can do that. At most the can do is open the box, only to find its empty. Only rare, precious, people with potential who can see what it contains, and even less can open the Sakura Book. The fact you manage to do it all speaks that you have potential."

Dongling's eyes widened as hope blossom in her chest. Her miss... is actually not useless? YES! Her miss can do it! Oh thank gods finally! Her mistress was so burdened by being a "failure", being told she can do something would do her good! Go Keroberos!

"B-but... but... but I can't cultivate!" Cried Beiyue.

Ah... Dongling deflated. That's right. For some reason, Beiyue can't cultivate. At all. It always dissappears.

"Cultivate?" Ask Kero. "Oooohhh... you mean gathering Magical Energy in your Dantian and hold them here? That kind of cultivation?"

Beiyue nodded miserably. "Y-yes. I...I can't cultivate. Everytime I tried... it was always dissappear... I can't gather energy... I'm so useless! There's no way I can capture those cards!"

"Hey hey hey. Who decide that?" Kero said softly. He wipes away Beiyue's tear. "So what if you can't cultivate? Who said you have to able to cultivate to capture the cards? You don't need that!"

The words struck Beiyue and Dongling.

She... she don't have to...? Like... she don't need to cultivate? Really...?

"B-but those cards are magical... how?"

The hope in her voice made Kero cringed. Beiyue was so hopeful that if he said otherwise she will crash and break and nothing can put her together. Dammit! Who's her legal guardian?! Whoever that bastard or bitch, they have competence of a tiny frail snowflake against hellfire, which was, NONE AT ALL!

If he know who they are, he will make sure they have miserable life.

Good thing Kero know what to do. "Yeah. You don't have to! I swear on it! This is brand different Magic, so throw out those old, stuffy rules! They won't help much! After all while ye can't gather Ki and mix 'em, but ya already has natural born reserve! Righ here." Kero poked at of Beiyue's chest. Right where her heart is. "Just use them and avoid Dantian and ya'll be fine!"

Beiyue's eyes widened. She actually have potential, just no means to use it?

"So, what do you said? Agree?"

She nodded, hard.

"Okay. So here what we should do. We have to made you the Official Cardcaptor."

"How?"

Kero floated a bit father. Away from the bed. Then, in warm, bright, golden glow, a symbol appears on the floor. It was as same as the back cover!

"Key of the seal."

A bright, small light come out from the books clasp. It floated to the circle. And formed a key.

"There's before you is a girl with potential. Huang Beiyue is her name. O Key that hides power of the Star, show me your true form. Release!"

The key glow brighter and brighter as it spun. With each spin, it grow and grow until it no longer resemble a key, but a staff.

"Beiyue, grab the staff, NOW!"

Startled, Beiyue get down from the bed and slowly made her way to the staff.

She has frail and weak body. Simple exercise exhaust her. The wind burst strong, as strong as Windy's stunt. And the light hurt her eyes, it was so bright! By all accounts it should be impossible for her, yet she persisted.

Kero said she can do it. He said she have the potential. He was the first who said she can do something. That she is not a waste. That there's a way to cultivate without really cultivate.

She can't... she won't dissappoint him...! Even if her legs break, even if she was hurt... she will grab the staff!

Her hand outstretched. Touching the cool, smooth surface of the staff. Beiyue gritted her teeth and take anotehr step forward. Skinny hand grasp the staff as strong and as firm as possible.

"With this, I, Keroberos the Guardian of the Sun, named Huang Beiyue as the new Cardcaptor!"

The light glow brighter and brighter, Beiyue momentarily scares that someone might saw it and investigate, before it dies down. Now she hold the staff in her hand. A beautiful, pink staff with yellow-golden star inside winged circle. A cute staff but not overly cute with its pale pink color scheme.

"You did it! Good job Beiyue! Ah know you can do it!" cheered Kero.

That was it.

Dongling rushed forward and engulf Beiyue in big hug. "You did it Miss! You really did it!"

Beiyue blushed. She was not used to praise. She never accomplish anything except being a burden. It was... it was the first time she can do something and do it right. The sense of achievment and pride born from it... the euphoria... it hit her like waves. It feel so strange, so foreign, yet so good. Her chest, her center of Natural-born Magical reserve, feels warm and fluttering. Like they are ready and can't wait to be used.

It feel really nice.

Being Cardcaptor... doesn't sounds like a bad thing.

Yes, it was her fault but... but it shows that she is not complete and total failure. That she's good in something.

It was good. Being Cardcaptor is good.

Beiyue tightened her hold on her staff.

She will be good Cardcaptor. She will pour her tears, sweats, and blood. She will do it even if the risk was her life. She won't dissappoint Kero, who believe she can do it, or Dongling, who always always always on her side no matter what.

She won't fail. She swear on it.

TBC

*That's Japanese Yuzen Dye technique. Used to paint beautiful motif onto Kimono. Just look at them in youtube. The one mentioned above is paint using Kaga Yuzen technique.

**I use google translate.