To Fight Fate

Brian was only a minute behind everyone else, but it was enough that he despaired arriving in time. He glanced around the street, making sure he was alone and no one would see, and he began a quick chant. An instant later he was on top of Rayne's roof, feet making light contact with the roof tiles, and he saw Will and Yue running quickly up the walk, side by side, followed by two strangers. He figured those must be the visitors that had woken the household.

He easily leapt down to join them, landing lightly on his feet beside the door. Will shook his head, glaring slightly. "You still have to teach me that trick," he said as he raised his hand to press the doorbell.

The sound of Rayne screaming stopped him cold.

It was a simple trick of magic to null the lock and throw the door open. Which one of them actually did it? Or had they all done it simultaneously? They all moved forward at the same time, barely avoiding crushing each other in the doorway.

Brian found himself at the fore, racing from memory up the stairs and to the right, three doors down, throwing it open--

Rayne's room was empty.

He almost dove backwards to head to the library, but he was absolutely certain that she had been in her bedroom when she screamed. He heard Will and Yue talking behind him, talking about searching the house, but Brian shook his head. "She was in here."

Still, how did he know?

Well, there was the obvious reason, magic. It was just one of those things that came to him. But, without evidence his hunch could be wildly wrong.

The curtains.

They were thrown wide open and fluttering in the night breeze.

The air conditioning was running full blast, and Brian had had the impression that the window was closed even when he'd appeared. Rayne was also a pretty girl, but very modest. She never slept with the curtains open. Or, maybe it was the intrusion of the sun she always protected against--her bedroom window faced east.

There was the physical evidence.

"While we ran up here, she was abducted through the window."

The strangers were still standing outside, though now they were pointing down the street. "That way," the girl cried out excitedly. "Hurry, we can't let them get away!"

The boy began running, and Brian jumped out of the window without a moment of hesitation. He landed beside the girl and they both began to run in perfect synch. Will was right behind them, and Yue--

Yue took flight, soaring above, outpacing them all. It was in the middle of the street, and he tackled the strange man to the ground even as another figure raced forward and grabbed Rayne, bringing her to safety.

That's when the scene froze.

Julia's arms were still wrapped protectively around Rayne, but her face went slack, expressionless. That's when Brian realized...this was the false form of Ruby Moon, looking at Yue's true form for the first time. He couldn't begin to imagine what inner conflict that had started for the hidden guardian.

Will pulled up beside Brian, stopping as he also saw the expression on the girls' faces. Even the strangers, who could not have understood all the implications (could they? Brian wondered) were frozen, staring in shock.

The girl took a step forward. "Sean?"

"I had to do it," the man in Yue's custody said. "If they didn't have the cards, they'd be safer. They're just children! Why couldn't you wait a few more years?"

"Sakura was even younger," the girl said, and a thrill of recognition ran through Brian. He knew who this girl was--or at least who she had once been.

"Yes, and if it hadn't been for Clow, and the bell he created, the world might have suffered for that mistake!"

It was Yue's time to stiffen in shock. How did this stranger know so much? Who was he? The question was written on every face except the three strangers.

"Sean, you know as well as we do that this is different," the boy said, also stepping forward. "Now, it is too late. You've forced it all, and you will either nullify Sakura and Eriol's sacrifice or you will start the chain of events you were trying to prevent."

"What?" It was an almost soundless whisper; painted full of more shock than should be possible. Hadn't the world's quota of surprise already been taken tonight? Somehow all that and more was expressed in Sean's voiceless question and the pallor of his face under the wan light of the streetlamp.

"What you see of the future is as through a fog. You catch bits and pieces, but I could not prevent that much, even in the last lifetime. I thought one of us could lead a normal life, and that would be good enough for us both. As Eriol, I asked you if this is what you wanted. As Fujitaka, you told me yes."

"Sean," the girl continued, "all you had to do was once, in the last lifetime or this one, let me know that you wanted a full share in what was to come. The spell would have been different, and the magic would have been divided evenly. You were my father then, and you're my big brother now, and I would have done anything you wanted me to. I thought I was doing what you wanted now!"

"I was trying to help," he said, voice quavering slightly. "Michelle, Michael, you always knew so much more than me, and I thought I could never...I just wanted to do...something..."

"You almost killed the cards," Michelle said, tears springing to the corners of her eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said, and Yue finally released the man.

"It's too late to simply say sorry and walk away," a voice growled from behind them.

The air went completely still around them, as if the world itself held its breath. A golden glow lined every object within eyesight, and everything seemed supercharged with energy. The very stars themselves began to intensify in the dark sky, and the large, full moon appeared to be on fire.

Yue frowned. This wasn't going anything like the last time. The chosen captor only had half the cards, and already Keroberus was here, challenging the one he'd appointed. His hand had been forced, and he was not prepared for these things. He'd barely been given a chance to tell Will about what he would be facing.

"Hello, Keroberus."

"Yue," the guardian beast said, bowing in his direction. "I trust you think you did a better job than you thought I did last time."

"Of course," Yue replied.

Further banter was halted when the girl now called Michelle began wavering on her feet. Michael was immediately at her side, as was Sean, and together they guided her to a grassy lawn. "It's the Judgment! Already! That's not right, is it?" Sean looked back and forth between his brother and the two revealed guardians.

"Don't worry, I'll make this quick," Keroberus growled.

"I believe that Will can defeat you," Yue said calmly, crossing his arms before him.

"How can he? I've kept all the useful cards under your power except for the elements. Will can't defeat me, and I get to go back to sleep. Ha! In your face, Moony-boy! I outsmarted you for once!"

Yue's hands came up to his face, hiding his expression from everyone. He shook his head for a time, struggling between an inappropriate laugh and a snarl of frustration. Unfortunately, the laugh was winning. After all this time, after all they'd been through...Moony-boy? He finally wiped a hand across his face and managed to maintain his sense of decorum. "Kero..."

"Don't even think you can worm out of this by saying it's not fair that he doesn't have all the cards. Sakura didn't fight you with the full deck, and she still beat you. The only difference is, this time I'll prove that I'm better than you. I will win."

Yue sighed wearily, still struggling on some level to not laugh at his brother's antics. "Just start the Judgment, Keroberus."

"Gladly."

Will fished a hand into his pocket and pulled out the cards. The four element cards were at the top, since he'd been looking at them just before. The rest he'd tried to keep divided at first--moon or sun, Yue or Keroberus--but as he used them they fell out of order, and it was hard to remember right now all the things Brian had said about the cards. Even as he looked, they began to dance before him, floating on their own power.

"With the cards you have, defeat me if you can," Keroberus taunted.

I'll have to work with him from now on, if I defeat him, Will thought as he transformed the key into the staff. I don't want to harm him or get him angry, I just have to--to what? Pin him? Make him helpless? What card do I have that can do this?

"Too slow, human!" The armored beast began to charge, flames spouting from his mouth.

"Shield!"

Keroberus chuckled as he dodged the reflected blast. "Good! I was afraid this would be boring."

Will was frozen to the spot though. Calling on Shield had been automatic, not based on any strategy or anything. He still couldn't think, though he was trying as hard as he could. He could no longer see the individual cards...they all had changed to spirit form as part of the Judgment to be ready immediately should he call. He supposed it was also done that way to keep him from "cheating". After all, in a real emergency he wouldn't have time to shuffle through the deck to pick the right card. Wait, "real emergency"? This was a real emergency, and all Will could do was cower behind the Shield.

"Hide behind that card all you want, but the best you'll get is a stalemate. You'll never defeat me if you can't attack." Keroberus was now pacing before him, grinning in triumph. "I can wait here a very long time. I don't need to eat, I don't need to sleep, and my energy won't run out if I just wait for you to weaken. Just make it easy on yourself and surrender." He heaved another fiery blast and then raked the invisible barrier with his claws.

It was a twofold attack. Not only was Will distracted by it, but he could also feel his energy being drained in the attack. He supposed that the girl off to the side caught the brunt of the energy drain, but it affected him as well. He couldn't just sit here. He'd have to do something. He wouldn't win like if he just hid behind a defensive card like this, and he'd bring harm to that innocent girl.

But...what could he do?

Kero paced impatiently. In truth, he kept attacking despite Shield being used because he was itching to get this over with quickly. He was starting to feel antsy about having been cooped up so long, and he wanted to stretch his muscles and do something. He was irritated with himself too for mentioning that he didn't need to eat or sleep. They were still two of his favorite things to do, despite not being necessary.

His stomach growled and he flicked his tail viciously.

He almost opened his mouth to offer another taunt and maybe attack, but at that moment it seemed the Cardcaptor had finally decided to do something other than twiddle his thumbs.

"Illusion!"

Suddenly five versions of Will appeared and started running in different directions. They had scattered to various hiding places before Kero could try to sense which one was the real one. It was an effective distraction, but only a momentary one. Will was without a doubt the figure running--at his right? There were two of them, they looked startled to see each other, and took off running in different directions. Neither was illusion...but they didn't feel the same. Kero shook his head in confusion. Twin? It didn't matter. He only had to defeat one of them to win.

He picked the one of them to follow, and started bounding down the street. They made it quite a distance before Kero got close enough to notice that this one felt familiar somehow. It couldn't be the real Will. "Mirror!" Kero called out in outrage. "You tricked me!"

"I like this one, Kero. Please don't--"

Kero roared and started stalking the other way, refusing to listen. Even if everyone else liked this card captor, it was still his job and sworn duty to keep the cards from anyone unworthy. He glanced at Yue for just a moment, seeing clear emotion drawn on that face--wishful anticipation and hope. Kero hesitated in that moment, considering--but no. Yue hadn't taken Kero's emotions into consideration when he had judged Sakura.

With renewed resolve, Kero went hunting again.

There was another surge of magic as another card was activated, and Kero suddenly noticed the most perfect smell in the world. Sugary, sweet, chocolaty...a giant cake was in the middle of someone's front yard. It was the most tantalizing sight in the world.

He was torn. It was obviously a trap. There was no way it could not be a trap. "But it calls to me," he whined to himself, drifting closer. "I haven't had cake in so long..."

He heard something behind him, but when he looked there was no one there. And, the cake still looked so enticing. It was calling to him, calling his name through the language of scent, speaking directly to his empty and lonely stomach. For a moment he considered, wondering if the boy had somehow used the Invisible card, one that Sakura had created on her own, to get closer.

But, it was such a huge and perfect cake. And, if this card captor knew him well enough to bait him with cake, he would be a good enough master of the cards. Mirror approved, and Yue obviously did as well. The boy hesitated when he should be acting, but Sakura had done that at first too.

And it was such a delicious looking cake.

Really, what choice did a simple sun guardian have?

Rayne all but missed everything. She was staring at Julia, first with admiration and then with concern. "Julia? Are you okay?"

The other girl did not answer.

"Julia?"

"I don't know," came the hesitant reply.

"Julia, what's wrong?"

"I don't know," she said again, staring off into space.

Everyone else was busy watching Will fighting off Keroberus. Rayne wanted to watch. She wanted to care. But her best friend was seeing something obviously outside her previous scope of experience. "It's just magic," Rayne began soothingly.

Julia's eyes flashed. "Oh, believe me, I know what it is." Her voice was cold and distant.

"You know about magic? Does it run in your family as well?"

"I--" she broke off, brow furrowing. "Rayne, I can't be here. I can't do this. It's all wrong." The girl immediately jumped up and started running.

"What? Why?"

There was no answer. Julia just ran, faster than Rayne could, though she did try. It was as if the night had swallowed up the other girl, and Rayne was left behind in a world from which she could never follow.