'guardian beast'
It was a harsh but beautiful scene. The early evening sky was ruddy with color, the setting sun throwing its light on the rugged landscape. There were few trees, perched precariously on the caps of streaked and rosy mesas, their leaves motionless in the hot and still atmosphere.
The only sound was the steady beat of footsteps, and a pleading voice.
"Hey, come on guys, I'm telling you you've got the wrong guy! Look at this face."
Kero pressed his fuzzy nose between the bars and looked hopefully at his captors. Their faces were invisible behind their shaded black helmets, but he was fairly sure that they didn't even give him a second glance.
"Could a criminal have a cute face like this?" he asked anyway. "You know I'm not the one you want. Why don't you just forget about me and go home for dinner, hmm?"
Again no response. They had reached the bed of a steeply-walled dry gully and were marching faster. Frustrated, Kero fluttered around in the tiny birdcage. It was no use. The bars were too narrow to squeeze through and the gate solidly locked. There was no escape, and he tried not to panic.
"Halt."
All four soldiers came to a stop at the direction of their commander. For a moment, everything was utterly quiet. Then he raised a black-gloved hand and indicated a stone formation off to their right. Even in the deepening dusk, they could see the crouching figure.
He made a motion and two of them drew their blasters and started forward. The girl realized she had been seen and hastily scuttled back further under cover. It was too late. Both of them raised their weapons and broke into a light jog. The first soldier had just barely reached the outcrop of rock when she came flying through the air, her foot connecting with his chest and knocking him onto his back. His partner never had a chance to react before she kicked his blaster from his hand and shot him neatly in the chest.
"Rebel!" shouted the one who held Kero's cage. "Kill her!"
The lithe teenage girl wasted no time, but hit the ground – just as the first soldier jumped to his feet. She rolled out from under his axe kick just in time and flipped upright to strike at his neck. It wasn't fatal, not yet. She needed this man upright to keep between herself and the third soldier approaching with blaster in hand. Two more blocks, another strike to his chest, and she was out of time. Delivering one last kick to his dusky visor, she heard a dull thwack against his head and he dropped to the ground. The third soldier was closer than she'd realized, and though she darted to the side evasively, he tracked her and managed to scorch a glancing blow on her right arm. Kero winced in sympathy, but she wasn't ready to be slowed down by such a trivial injury. Skipping off one foot, the girl in black landed a bruising kick on his groin that made him double over, then kneed him solidly in the chest. He was barely able to breathe by the time she flipped him over her back and placed her hand over his on his blaster. The commander of the small squad had hardly realized his danger before his own man's blaster hit him right in the chest – barely clearing Kero's cage. It fell to the ground with a clatter, drawing a yelp of surprise from within.
Shocked, he watched the girl break the neck of the third soldier, then stand and look in his direction.
"Help, help! I got nothin' of value, I got nothin' you want I swear, I - "
"Shh, it's okay, little friend." The girl brushed her wispy brown hair back from her face and smiled with relief. It had been really close that time. Four against one…she'd never gone against such odds without backup at least a little ways away. But she'd managed all right.
With the fading adrenaline, her arm began to throb and she gritted her teeth as she walked stiffly to the little cage on the ground. Mostly all right, anyway. But it was only a scratch. That odd little creature was still fluttering around in a panic. She'd never seen such a species before.
"It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm a friend." She knelt and righted the cage. "Are you all right? Did they hurt you?"
Kero hesitated.
"You're not going to attack me?"
"Not unless you attack me," she replied cheerfully. "I don't know what you are, but you seem to be my enemy's enemy. And you know what they say about that."
She began to explore the gate of the cage, but this was an advanced lock, and with the use of only one arm she wasn't sure she could pick it. Kero watched her curiously as she fiddled with his prison. She had such unusually vivid green eyes.
"What's your name?"
"Sakura. What's yours?" Kero crossed his little arms and lifted his chin proudly.
"I am Keroberos, Guardian Beast of the Seal."
"Kerowhatus? Beast of the what?" She was scowling with concentration now and not really listening. This was an extremely advanced lock to put on such a little cage. What on earth had they expected to catch that was so tiny yet presented such a threat?
"I said," he repeated impatiently, "Keroberos, Guardian Beast of the - "
"Shh." She held up a finger and tensed, but he could hear nothing.
"What?"
"I said, shh." She stretched out on the ground and laid her cheek against the gritty surface. "Uh-oh. There are more coming. Meeting your captors, most likely. Whatever you are, they want you pretty bad."
Kero gulped and tried not to look worried as she stood and withdrew her blaster again.
"Sit still for a moment."
"Hey, wait! Don't - "
She shot the door off with a well-aimed blast, leaving Kero clutching at the bars with what would have been white knuckles if not for his golden fur.
"Relax, Kero," she said calmly. "I almost never miss. Now come on. We've got to move."
- - - - - -
"Did you just hear something?"
The lieutenant glanced over at his captain. "Sir?"
"I could swear I heard blaster shots." The captain fidgeted and drew his own blaster, then cast an impatient look toward his squad. Maybe a slow and steady march created the desired effect of power, but his men weren't getting anywhere fast. Had he really heard shots? "I'll just go on ahead to scout," he informed the lieutenant. "Continue at this pace."
He did not wait for a reply but ran on ahead. He could not see the expression of his underling behind that black visor, but he could imagine it. A commanding officer never left his men, least of all to do the dangerous work of reconnaissance. But that didn't matter to him. He always hated trusting anyone else to do the job right.
- - - - - -
"Ah, free at last." Kero floated up to the level of Sakura's face and stretched gratefully. Sakura couldn't help but smile. She'd never seen such a creature, but she thought he was awfully cute. Like a child's plaything. What in the name of the Resistance had the soldiers wanted him for?
"Come on, Kero, we've got to - " Her words were cut short by a blaster shot that just barely missed her head and left a scorch mark on the rocks behind her. "Go!"
They'd gotten there sooner than she expected. Breaking to the right, she bolted down the narrow canyon, her boots scrabbling on the dusty gravel. For such a little thing, Kero could move astonishingly fast, and he streaked ahead of her. Another shot sizzled past her, so close she could smell the burning ozone. Where was he?
Sakura threw herself into a dive roll and came to a stop behind the bump of rock she'd originally hidden herself with.
"Keep going!" she shouted. "I'll give him some cover fire!" She had no idea where their attacker was, but she was reasonably sure of the direction and laid out a few shots.
The captain ducked back behind a pillar of stone and waited for her to finish firing. He hadn't been able to get a really good look, and he wasn't sure if the rebel was alone, or if she had backup. All he did know was that the prisoner was getting away, and there would be hell to pay if he let that happen. She was no longer firing, and he risked a cautious peek around his cover. He was just in time to see her disappearing around a bend, and took off in hot pursuit.
"Come on, Kero," she panted as she leapt atop her glider. Responding to the pressure of weight, the metallic disc activated automatically and rose into the air. "Time to leave this party."
"Where are we going?" The glider was picking up speed now and she twisted until she was flying backwards. It was difficult and dangerous to do in a setting like this, but she couldn't turn her back on the sniper.
"To safety!" she shouted, and raised her blaster for a few parting shots. The enemy was sprinting around the corner but as soon as he realized his danger he hit the ground and rolled. Again and again she fired, but he was too quick. Already behind the safety of a boulder, the captain peeked over to try and nail her with one last shot. He would have to hurry; she was almost out of range. Then he hesitated.
She was holding out her blaster but unable to see him too well behind his cover. Finally she chose escape instead of confrontation and spun around to speed away.
Go on! Pull the trigger! Do it!
Still the captain could not shoot, and remained still, trembling, long after she was out of sight. A rebel responsible for the deaths of four of his men was escaping, and the prisoner along with her. But he could not fire on that girl, not with that face.
Helplessly the officer sank to the ground and watched his blaster fall from his shaking hands. His heart was beating fast and hard, far beyond the normal adrenaline rush of a firefight. His breath was coming in shallow gasps.
This…no…those eyes…I can't…no! I know that face.
- - - - - - -
Kero wasn't sure how far they actually flew. Sakura kept stopping, then starting, then doubling back and starting again.
"Standard procedure," she explained. "Have to make sure no one's following me. If they ever found it, I don't know what would happen."
"Found what?"
"This." Sakura bent her knees slightly and guided the glider under a stone arch, then turned abruptly and disappeared into what Kero had originally thought was a deep shadow. The sun was completely out of sight now, and it was difficult to see where she'd gone.
"Come on," he heard her voice call out, and he shrugged and dove into the shadows. Wherever she was leading him, it had to be better than his original hideout. If he had been better hidden, perhaps the soldiers wouldn't have heard his snoring so easily!
Much to his surprise, the shadows concealed a crevasse that was completely hidden from view, thanks to the rocky arrangement outside. Narrow at first, the tunnel quickly widened out into a spacious corridor.
"Who goes there?" called out an unseen voice.
"Me, Sakura," she replied in a bored voice. "Let me pass."
"What is that?"
"A friend. I vouch for him."
There was a hesitant pause, while Sakura tried not to think about her arm. It was really starting to burn, and she needed to see a healer quickly.
"What sort of species is he?"
"I am not a species," Kero replied indignantly. "I am the Gua - "
"Oh, never mind," Sakura said impatiently. "I need to find Tomoyo, now. I'm going in, and Kero's coming with me. It'll be fine."
Her glider started forward again and she was gone before the guard even had a chance to complain. Kero had to hurry to catch up.
"Stupid rules," she muttered, more to herself than to him. "As if something like you could really be a threat."
The little animal bristled and was about to reply when the dark tunnel ended, and they were floating through a huge cavern. It was bigger than any space underground he'd ever seen, and everywhere there were people. Walking about, training, sleeping, talking… it was the most varied lot of humanity and mixed species that he'd ever seen in one place. Metal landings had been erected that reached almost up to the ceiling, and there were all kinds of machinery and weapons scattered everywhere. Sakura came to a graceful stop near the edge of the cave and left her glider amongst the rest. It was a hodgepodge of technology; Kero recognized transportation devices that must have at least ten cycles old. Varied as the lot was, it was obvious that everything was clean and well-cared for.
"Welcome to the Honeycomb," she said proudly. "My home and the headquarters of the Resistance."
"So you are a rebel." Kero let his gaze drift around some more as Sakura limped toward a small adjunct cave nearby. Now that he looked, he could see many more caves in the walls, some with doors installed over the natural openings. People were coming and going via the elevated walkways. "I never knew there were so many."
"There are plenty of us, all right. Not everybody fights, though. And we only go out in small groups – hit and fade operations. Less risky that way."
"Sakura!" The explanation was cut short as another girl rushed toward them, her long black hair swishing slightly as she came to a stop. "Oh, what happened? Is it bad?"
"I'll live. But I think I could use some of your magic touch." The second girl nodded, her violet eyes clearly apprehensive.
"Come on, let's get you inside right away. Who is this?"
"Says his name is Kero."
"It's Kerober - "
"How many of them were there, did you get hurt anywhere else?" Tomoyo sat her friend down on one of the healing ward beds and took a closer look at the wound. It was just a graze, really, the skin had been scorched and burned in a straight line near her shoulder. It should be an easy heal, but she was worried nonetheless. Sakura was her best friend and she didn't want anything to happen to her.
"Nowhere else," Sakura assured her. "And I wish you wouldn't fuss so. It's no big deal, really." Her green eyes sought Kero once more as Tomoyo dipped a rag in a bowl of water and began to pat the burn.
"Why were the soldiers after you, Kero? Do you know?"
Kero gave up trying to explain that his full name was Keroberos. It was obvious that nobody was going to listen, and he had other things to worry about.
"Well, it's a long story that dates back many generations ago." He crossed his arms and his legs and floated in mid-air beside her. It was obvious that he enjoyed telling this story, whatever it was about. "A long time ago, I was created by a powerful sorcerer, king of Tomoeda. He was a wise ruler and his magic helped the land thrive." Kero's tone took on a decidedly wistful note. "He was called Clow."
"Never heard of him," Sakura interjected, though she was fascinated. She'd never thought about the rulers of the past, and what Tomoeda must have been like before. Tomoyo was patting the wound dry now.
"Of course you wouldn't have," Kero snorted. "He's older than anyone in this cave can even imagine. Now nobody knows of him. But he was the one who created the castle of Starcrest, and the Seal within."
Sakura and Tomoyo didn't know what the seal was, but they were awed anyway.
"He built the castle? The Starcrest Castle?"
"With his magic," Kero affirmed proudly. "And the Seal within. It helped him to focus and amplify his power. He realized how dangerous it could be, though, and made sure no one else could ever use it before he finally died. And he left me," here he puffed out his chest a little, "to be its Guardian Beast. I was locked into a deep sleep, never to awaken unless the Seal was reactivated."
"Which I suppose it was," Sakura guessed, gritting her teeth a little. Now was the painful part.
"Ready?" asked Tomoyo, and she nodded. Kero paused in his story to watch Tomoyo place her hand over Sakura's burn and close her eyes in concentration. She always hummed a little under her breath when working her healing magic, and began to do so then. It was obviously not comfortable for Sakura, who was clenching her fists and going a little pale, but it seemed to be working. Right before their eyes, the wound was beginning to close.
"You have magic?"
"Just a little," Tomoyo answered. "Not as much as my mother. But I can heal some."
"She's the best," Sakura affirmed. "I don't know where I'd be without her. So what happened when you woke up? Who activated the Seal?"
"Who else?" Kero asked darkly. "Our Lord Lothar, of course. Where do you think he got so much power so quickly? Somehow, he figured out how to use the Seal to bolster his own magic, though he cannot access its full range of power like Clow could. Thank the sun and moon for that. I don't like to think of what he could do with so much magic."
Sakura forgot about the pain as she looked at the suddenly serious expression on Kero's face. Lothar had been ruler for as long as she could remember, for as long as anyone could remember. His cruelty was law, and had been for dozens of cycles, at least. Many had tried to overthrow him, but none had succeeded. The Resistance itself had never even come close. His magic was insurmountable. It had never occurred to her to wonder where that magic came from.
"What happened to you?" she whispered.
"He tried to make me his prisoner, but I escaped. I've been hiding from him ever since he activated the Seal, trying to find the One who has enough power to receive its magic directly. That person could squash Lothar like an insect." He threw up his little arms in frustration. "As you can see, it hasn't been easy."
He regarded Tomoyo thoughtfully and floated toward her before gingerly tapping her on the nose.
"Hey!" She wrinkled her nose and pulled back. "That tickles!"
Kero shook his head. "Nope. It's not you. I was hopeful when I saw the magic, but…"
Sakura raised her eyebrows. "You test magic by touching the tip of the nose?"
"Why not?" Kero asked cheerfully. "Hold still." He was reaching out with his little paw for her nose now, and she shook her head.
"Oh, don't bother. I don't have any magic. Just an ordinary girl."
"We'll see about that."
He gave a light pat on the tip of her little nose, then heaved a sigh and sat back.
"I told you."
"Well, I had
to try. If only I had my full powers – but that won't
happen unless the Seal is completely woken. If only I knew
where my partner was!"
Sakura was feeling much better and she stood, stretching carefully.
"You have a partner? Someone like you?"
"Not exactly. Yue had a man form, to balance my animal form. He is the Moon Guardian, I am the Sun. Our powers were meant to complement and strengthen each other's." A wry grin crossed his fuzzy face. "Though most of the time we just argued. He was put to sleep with me too, but he was gone when I awoke. Clow did hint that Yue would be hidden away in an extra-safe place, just in case something happened. I'm glad now that he was, but it's awfully frustrating not knowing where he is. I could really use his help to find the One."
He looked so forlorn that Sakura had to smile and pat his head sympathetically. She had never really borne responsibility on her shoulders, but she knew someone that did, and he occasionally looked like Kero did just then.
"Cheer up, Kero. You'll find him, and the One, I'm sure. You were lucky I was there today. Now come on, there's someone I want you to meet."
"So you're pretty old then," Tomoyo ventured as they climbed the metal stairways up through the cavern.
"Older than you can imagine." Kero rubbed the back of his head shamefacedly. "Even if I did sleep through most of it. But still, I've seen more things that you could ever see in your lifetime."
"Wow. What were things like when you were born?" Kero flapped his wings and executed a lazy circle before them on the walkway.
"It was a whole different world. Clow was a good ruler; he never used his magic to persecute those who disagreed with him. He only used his magic to help and to heal. The power that flowed from the Seal through him could have rained terrible destruction on the land, but he chose not to."
Sakura cocked her head and looked at him curiously.
"Tell me about this S - "
"Sakura!"
Kero couldn't see who had called out her name, but Sakura stiffened instantly.
"Uh-oh." She picked up her pace, ignoring her bruised muscles from the fight and covering the walkway with long strides. Tomoyo and Kero had to hurry to catch up.
"What?"
"Don't ask."
"Sakura!" The voice sounded much closer this time, and clearly irritated. Sakura just stared determinedly in front of her.
"Don't look back," she muttered, "just keep walking."
"Hey, don't walk away from me. Damn it, Sakura, stop!" Her pursuer finished climbing the stairs and covered the distance between them in two long steps. Sakura gave up at last and turned around with a resigned expression on her face.
"You bellowed, Li?"
"What's this I hear about you engaging the enemy today? Is it true? You actually took on four of them with no backup?"
She crossed her arms and lifted her chin. "So what if I did?"
Li looked as though he might have been the same age as Sakura, though it was difficult to tell. His brown eyes were so much more serious than her green ones, and Kero could see they were almost flashing with fury.
"Are you insane?" he queried. "Four of them? Think of what could have happened! You could have been captured!"
"Concerned about me, Li?" she asked sarcastically. "I'm touched."
"I don't give two shakes of a talyp tree about you," he said coldly. "I just don't appreciate it when someone recklessly endangers her comrades and the location of their secret base."
Sakura bristled.
"I wasn't endangering anything or anyone. I knew what I was doing. I had the fight completely under control."
"Really? Then what's that on your arm?" He indicated the fading scar and Sakura blushed a little.
"It's nothing. Just a flesh wound. I'd like to see you do as well against four soldiers."
Li snorted. "They wouldn't stand a chance. And anyway I wouldn't take on four soldiers without good reason. Don't you understand what's at stake here?"
Sakura hated that didactic tone.
"I did have a good reason," she snapped. "They made a prisoner of Kero here, and I had to rescue him."
For the first time Li noticed the little floating creature and gave him a look that was somewhere between disdain and annoyance.
"What the hell is that?"
"My name," Kero said indignantly, "is Kerob - "
"And don't you start sniping at me about what's at stake, either," Sakura continued. "I'm a fighter of the Resistance every bit as much as you are and I will not sit here and listen to you lecture. You do not outrank me."
Sakura glared at the young man as he pushed his unruly bangs out of his eyes and gave her an irritated look. Li was one of those rebels that had come from a distant land to aid in the struggle, where they spoke with a different dialect and had some unusual words in their vocabulary. Every now and then, when he was frustrated, he would snap at her in a language comprehensible only to him. There was one particular set of syllables that he always uttered with a scornful tone and the rolling of his eyes. She didn't know what the word meant, but she could guess.
He said it then.
"Baka."
Sakura opened her mouth and looked as though she was about to retaliate, but she was cut short.
"Sakura? Li? Do you mind? I really can't concentrate." Both whipped around to face the little cave opening that Sakura had almost reached before Li's interception. A tall, thin young man was walking toward them, his hair so pale that it was almost silver.
"Yukito, he won't - "
"Tsukishiro, she won't - "
"I know, I know," he said calmly. "I heard. Everyone did. Sakura, you really shouldn't have attacked the soldiers like that." He glanced worriedly at the burn on her arm. "You could have been badly hurt."
She flushed and looked at her feet.
"But you weren't, and you were able to free their prisoner. Good job. There's no point in fussing at her for what's already been done, Li." Sakura shot a smug look in Li's direction, then redirected her smile to Yukito.
"Thank you for understanding, Yukito. I promise to be more careful in the future."
"I know you will." Fondly he patted her shoulder and she glowed. Li scowled.
"Oh, and there's someone I want you to meet. Yukito, this is Kero. Recent prisoner of Lothar's men. Kero, this is Yukito Tsukishiro. The de facto leader of the Resistance."
The two regarded each other curiously.
"You're the head of this group?" Kero repeated in disbelief. "How old are you, kid?"
"Old enough," Yukito replied, amused. Sakura smiled to herself. It was always the same, whenever anyone met Yukito for the first time. All they could see was a young man who'd lived maybe twenty-three cycles at most. It wasn't until later when they saw Yukito pull off a brilliant raid or a flawless hit-and-run that they realized just what a good strategist he was. Yukito was looking quizzically at Kero, as well.
"What?"
"I – I'm not sure…" Yukito smiled and shook his head. "I don't suppose we've ever met?"
"Can't think when," Kero replied cheerfully, then reached forward and patted Yukito on the nose.
"Hey!"
"Nope. Not the One. Oh well."
"Not the what?"
"The One," Sakura supplied. "Kero's actually got a fascinating story, Yukito, and I know you'll want to hear it. He can stay, right?"
"Um, I don't see why not."
"What?" Li yelped. "You're just going to let him stay? You don't even know what he is!"
"My name," Kero said testily, "is - "
"I really don't think it will be problem, Li," Yukito said calmly. "After all, Sakura did rescue him from the soldiers. Clearly he's not on Lothar's side."
"It could just be a set-up. The whole thing could have been an act to send a spy right into our midst."
"Don't you ever get tired of the Land of Paranoia?" Sakura asked dryly. "I promise you, Kero is not working for Lothar."
"You don't know that. Nobody knows that."
"Indeed, Li," Yukito said pointedly. "Just as nobody knew your loyalties when you came to us a cycle ago. Isn't that so?"
Li opened his mouth, but no sound came out, and he shut it again with a resigned snap. What Yukito said was perfectly true, and Yukito was one of the few people in this whole movement that Li actually respected. He gave up and sent one last dark look in Sakura's direction and spun on his heels to march away.
"Don't worry about Li, Kero," Yukito offered. "He's actually a very dedicated fighter for the Resistance. He worries about its security."
Kero watched the young man storm down the stairs, his boots clunking heavily on the metal steps.
"Who is he?"
"Well, to tell you the truth, we're not really sure. He simply came to us a few seasons ago, offering his assistance in the struggle. Asked for no rank and received none. He says he just wants to fight, which he does pretty well. I'm grateful for his help; his skill and his magical powers have helped us win more than a few skirmishes."
Kero perked up. "He has magic?"
"Quite a bit of it," Tomoyo answered. "Short-term control over the elements and he's super fast to boot. He's got a lot of power."
"And the ego to match it," Sakura muttered. Her shoulders had slumped during Yukito's praise for Li, and Kero's obvious interest. And why shouldn't he be interested? He was searching for the One, after all, searching for someone with magical power, someone of importance. Li was those things. She was not.
Neither Yukito nor Kero noticed her expression, but Tomoyo did and squeezed her hand comfortingly.
"Are you hungry, Sakura? Why don't we go find something to eat, and then you can wash up and get to bed. It's been a hard day for you."
"Not really that hard," Sakura said quickly, determined not to look soft in front of Yukito. Not that it mattered; he was already listening to Kero's story of his search for the One. "But I think I could eat something, yes. Come on." The two of them made for the stairwell, but Sakura jerked to a stop at the sound of Yukito's voice.
"Oh, Sakura?"
"Yes?" She turned hopefully.
"If you're going to get into the rations, would you mind bringing something up? It's been a few parsecs since I last ate."
"Hey, me too," Kero amended. Sakura swallowed.
"Of course. I'll be right back."
She turned again to leave, and as she and Tomoyo left the walkway she could hear Kero resume the thread of his story.
"…and so the One could access the full powers of the Seal and use its magic to end Lothar's rule forever…"
"Don't let it get to you, Sakura," Tomoyo offered in a low voice. "You know what an appetite Yukito has. He asks practically everybody that comes by to bring something up to his cave."
Sakura didn't see the sympathetic smile, staring miserably at her boots.
"I doubt he ever asked Li to. Never mind that I just took on four soldiers successfully, and rescued a prisoner of Lothar's. He's always just going to see me as a little girl."
"That's not true."
"You're right. What am I saying? He doesn't see me at all. The leader of the Resistance has got better things to worry about than an orphan girl who doesn't even have any magic of her own. I'll never be important enough to merit his attention."
"That's not true and you know it. Wasn't he worried just now that you might have gotten hurt?"
Sakura shrugged her shoulders in a non-committal way.
"That's the pattern. Looks right through me until there's a chance that I might be hurt, then he becomes a completely different person entirely, all concern and anxiety. Then it's right back to the way it was. I'm sixteen at least, I'm sure. When is he ever going to notice me, Tomoyo?"
They reached the floor of the cavern and Tomoyo stopped walking to give her friend a serious look.
"If it's meant to happen, it will happen, Sakura. Be patient. I promise it will work out."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Patience, thought Sakura, as she watched the sun set. Patience is all I've got. Waiting and watching to see what happens next. I'm not one of the movers and shakers, like Yukito or Kero. I don't affect the world in any great, dramatic way. I don't even know who I am, really. I don't even know how old I am.
The setting sun blurred a little through her tears, then she shook her head resolutely and took a deep breath. It was a ridiculous waste of time to feel sorry for herself just because she was an orphan – plenty of rebels were, thanks to Lothar's cruelty amongst his subjects. At least she had a home here with the Resistance. She had no parents, but she did have Tomoyo and her mother, and Yukito. Even if he didn't know she existed.
The sun dipped below the horizon and she watched a few of the first stars come out. It wasn't very safe to be out here, exposed, but little in her life was. She didn't mind the danger of living as a rebel. She only wished she mattered.
Sakura stretched and stood, then began the hazardous task of free-climbing down the rocky face of the mesa that housed their secret base. Her world was a harsh one, a world where sorcery and technology existed side by side in a complex relationship. It was a world where power and magic was everything that mattered, and everyone struggled to carve out a life for themselves as best they could under the watchful eye of their Lord and Master, Lothar.
When Sakura returned to the main cavern of the Honeycomb, her mood was not improved by the sound of Li's voice.
"Get away from me, damn it! Stop that!"
She turned and began to walk in his direction, near the quartermaster's caves. Li was batting angrily at Kero who kept fluttering around Li's face as the young man tried to get through the entrance.
"Come on," Kero wheedled. "Just a touch. It's not like it'd kill you or anything. I just need to feel."
Once more he reached with a paw, and Li muttered something under his breath. A small fireball exploded just under Kero and he yelped and rocketed upwards.
"Keep away from me," Li threatened, "or next time it'll be a bigger one. I'm sure you'd hate to have those pretty wings burned to a crisp."
Kero crossed his arms and they glared at each other before Sakura broke the silence.
"What is your problem, Li? Why can't you just let him tap you on the nose? It's not going to hurt you."
"I make it a practice," Li informed her icily, "to not allow strange beings – especially ones of ambiguous origin – to touch or indeed come anywhere near me. It's common sense. Not that you'd know anything about that." He retreated into the smaller cave as Sakura sucked her breath in. Didn't he ever get tired of it? Why did he have to pick on her so?
"There's no need to bring me into it," she griped, hot on his heels. "You're the one acting as though he's got some strange disease. He's tested everyone else and nothing has happened. Aren't you convinced by now that he's not some enemy agent?"
Li was selecting a tangesteen from a pile of fruit, doing his best to ignore her.
But that was impossible.
"He's only been here two days. Hardly what I would call the acid test for his loyalties. And of course I have to bring you into it. It's your fault that he's here in the first place."
He produced a wicked looking knife from somewhere and began to carve a chunk of fruit out.
"My fault," she repeated bitterly. "Thanks. What was I thinking, trying to rescue a prisoner from the clutches of Lothar? I should have remembered to consider your feelings. I should have known you'd throw a fit that I actually went out and did something!"
"Did something stupid. If you'd been captured - "
"I know, I know. They would have interrogated me for the location of the base. Is that all you ever think about? I'm in the Resistance to help people, Li. You have to expect a little danger in that."
Li swallowed and glared at her.
"It was an unnecessary risk. One little flying creature is not worth putting everyone at stake."
"Hey!" Kero interjected.
"Why can't you admit that I might have actually done something important for the Resistance? I saved Kero and now he can continue his mission of finding the One. He can find the one who bring down Lothar!"
"Aren't you a little old to believe in fairy tales?" Li scoffed. His condescension was too much for Sakura, and she gritted her teeth.
"It's never enough, is it? I'm never going to be able to measure up to your standards, because you're the great and wonderful Li, whom everyone around here treats as though you can walk on water."
Li could walk on water, with the right spell, but he chose not to say anything. Instead he just eyed the angry girl in front of him as he carved another bite to eat, and the buzzing uitsifly circling near her shoulder. Both were beginning to get on his nerves.
"If you were the one who rescued Kero, there would be nothing but praise and glory. But I get yelled at for taking 'unnecessary risks'. Frankly, I don't think you're so terrific. I think you're arrogant, overly critical, and obnoxious."
The uitsifly landed on a table, rubbed its legs together thoughtfully, then took off again with a merry buzz.
"What kind of attitude do you have to just walk up and demand a part in the rebellion without offering any kind of explanation of who you are or where you're from? And then you scream at me for bringing Kero here. Honestly. You won't offer up the tiniest grain of information about yourself except the name Li. Do you think I even believe that's your real name?"
Li paused in his eating and gave her an unreadable look. "Doesn't concern me what you believe."
"That's right. Because I'm not important, and you are. The same rules don't apply to you like they do me. I'd like to know, Li. I'd like to know what makes you think that you are so damn special and can walk around in this cave like you own the whole damn operation."
She planted her hands on her hips and glowered at him. The fly had settled again, on the wall just over her shoulder, and Li swallowed the last bite of the tangesteen. Then he took the knife by its blade and hurled it right at her head. It was so quick, with no warning, she never had a chance to scream or even flinch before the knife was quivering in the soft clay wall beside her. Her green eyes marbled in shock, she watched the anterior of the pinned insect fall away to the ground.
There was a breath of air on her face and she looked up to see Li directly in front of her, his dark brown eyes boring into hers. She'd never been this close to him before, and she realized for the first time that there were little golden flecks in them.
"Because I can," he said in a low voice, and closed his hand over the hilt. "Now make sure your little pest doesn't come near me again, or - " He yanked the knife out and twirled it expertly in one hand. Sakura couldn't tear her eyes away from his, in spite of the whirling metal right in front of her face. Then, somehow, the knife disappeared into his shirt and he turned away. The spell was broken, and she watched him stalk out of the little cave and disappear in the dim light.
Kero had been shocked into silence every bit as much as she was, and he settled himself on the pile of food for a restorative snack.
"Wow," he appraised between mouthfuls. "Sure wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of that one."
Still shaky, Sakura nodded in agreement. She couldn't ever remember being so scared, even in battle, and she had to wait for her heartbeat to slow and her breathing return to normal before taking a step.
I hate him. I really, truly hate that man.
She saw that her hands were shaking, and for no reason at all that she could think of, desperately wanted to bathe. She very much needed to feel clean.
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"Really?" The word was drawn out lovingly, rich with disbelief. Silence hung in the air for a moment before Nietzsche touched his forehead to the cold stone floor again.
"Yes, my lord, I beg you."
"You wish to try again?"
"Truly, my lord. I know that this time I am ready. Let me prove my worthiness to you, let me show my ability. I know I can do this."
"Do not presume to 'know', Nietzsche. There is astonishingly little in life that anyone 'knows'. I assume I need not remind you of the risk?"
"No, my lord. I am aware."
Indeed. Nietzsche trembled as he glanced involuntarily at his blue-skinned hands, splayed out on the floor beneath him. His fingers were long and bony, tipped off with raking nails, but there were only nine of them.
"The risk of pain is nothing," he purred, "compared to the glory of aiding my master. I wish only to serve you."
"Your blind faith incapacitates you," Lothar grunted as he paced a slow circle around his servant. "Yet you wallow happily in it. What a curious creature mankind is. How anxious so many are to relinquish free thought and responsibility for the bliss of slavery."
He chuckled, but the laughter was short-lived as he came to a pause by a large window. The landscape was dark and silent; no lights were allowed after sunset. For what reason did his subjects need light after the day's end? Only for planning and scheming. Thus the only light visible was the half moon riding in its nest of stars.
"Yet there are those who do resist. A hardy few who swear they will live and die by their own decisions and not rely on my wisdom."
He stretched a thin arm out toward the silent night sky, and opened his palm. It was no good. He could invoke every bit of power he had, but the rebels had enough magic to hide their presence from him. Safely cloaked out in the badlands, they continued to harass and pester his army. They were the only ones, the last bit of resistance before his control was complete. That bitter thought rankled him, drove him to fury at times. All that he could sense was a vague personality: a cool and calculating mind that was heavy with the responsibility of leadership.
"He is out there, Nietzsche. A new star is rising to challenge my authority. Every day and night that passes is another day and night where he grows stronger and calls more to his side. This cannot be allowed. I wish to find him, and I wish to crush him. When he is broken and kneeling before me, his followers will be easy prey."
He turned sharply away from the view to face his underling.
"To catch him, I must possess the Seal. Only then will I have complete control over the land. This is my need. You say you can fulfill that need. We will see."
Lothar beckoned with one hand, and a jeweled box slid out from under his throne. It came to a stop a few paces away from the quivering mage on the floor, then the lid opened. Two perfect spheres were nestled inside.
Hesitantly, Nietzsche reached forward, but before he could touch, they shot up into the air and floated before his withered old face. Lothar motioned again and they made a slow rotation around his head.
"The power to access the Seal lies in which sphere?" he intoned dreamily. "Will it be gold or silver? Day or night? Sun or moon?"
They were both so beautiful, spinning in the air before him and softly reflecting the magical lights of the throne room. One was a rich deep gold, the other an almost perfect replica of the silver moon outside. Nietzsche closed his eyes, concentrating. He yearned to do this, longed to feel the sureness that he knew he should have. Aside from his master, he was the most powerful magician in the land. If he just looked deep inside, focusing on the training he had put himself through…
A knobby blue hand extended itself, and then finally, selected a sphere.
The scream of agony echoed throughout the entire castle, soon followed by the odor of charred, rotten flesh.
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Disclaimer: I do not own these characters