[For heading, see Ch. 1]


5. In Which Masks are Discovered and All Goes to Hell


They say that a watched pot never boils and I wished that phrase had never been
coined. Day after day passed and I waited by the window, hoping for a glance of
green on the pale ground of the garden.

“I’m sick of waiting!” I yelled suddenly to myself as I got up and began
rummaging through the nearest closet. Finding what I was looking for, I grabbed
it and opened the red book with one hand, letting the cards drop to the floor. I
rifled through it and then threw the book against the wall, a magic bubble
forming around it as the cards inside shielded themself. Tears burst from my
face as I sobbed, clutching the Flower card against my chest, “Clow! Clow... I
miss you!” The words came out garbled as they caught in my face. I was sick of
this- this waiting. Waiting for what? What aim? What goal? What purpose?

I collapsed and forced myself to my feet on shaky legs as I cried, “I loved you!
I loved you! Why didn’t you take me with you? I don’t want to be alone!”

Of course, there was no answer.

“Clow! Why can’t you just tell us what’s to become of us? Why riddles?” I said
softly, the words once again broken by tears. Red trails lined my face as I
angrily made my way outside.

I was once again dressed in the clothes that Clow had fashioned for me and the
tassles fluttered in the wind as I felt the breeze wrap my robes around me. I
didn’t understand. I didn’t understand. I needed a purpose and I needed a
purpose N.O.W.

“Flower! I, Yue, your protector command you! Make the moon amulet seed come to
full bloom!” I yelled at the sky as I lifted my arms to the sky. I felt the Clow
symbol light up the night under my feet. The golden seal turned blue as it
emplowed my power and I watched as the rose colored woman appeared before me in
the air and suddenly a green stem shot up from the earth. The leaves opened and
I watched as the first bud bloomed, aided by my magic. It was a Moonflower
blossom!

I reached out my finger towards it...

“YUE!” Keroberos roared as he appeared from the doorway. His wings opened and he
moved towards me, tackling me and forcing me to the ground. I stared upwards at
the full moon and laughed eerily.

“Don’t try to stop me, Keroberos.”

“Don’t be an idiot! You’ve tampered with Clow’s spell! It could kill you!”
Keroberos yelled as he dug his claws into my chest.
“Precisely!” I yelled as I shielded myself and drew my arm back, a blast of
power echoing from my body as Keroberos went flying and slammed against the
Magical Cherry Tree. My shield flickered and I lost my concentration. It felt
like I was driving a knife into my own heart. Of course, that was what I wanted.

WHAM! Suddenly, I felt something slam into my chest and fell to the ground. I
rose and stared at the angry face of the groundskeeper. He rose his shovel over
his shoulder and prepared to attack me again-

I drew in the air quickly and a diamond appeared in my palm as I hissed, “Stay
out of this.”

“I promised Clow I’d keep you safe and I don’t break promises,” the man replied.


I laughed again and felt my heart ache within my chest. Then, I threw my arm
back and the diamond left my palm. It slammed into the man and he suddenly found
himself halfway across the garden. Ignoring both of them, I made my way to the
moonflower blossom and reached my hand out, gently touching the petals.

For a moment nothing happened and disappointment and grief took turns parading
around in my heart. Then, it happened. A scream left my chest as suddenly my
soul was attacked. It felt as if something was ripping my body apart and I
screamed and screamed, clutching the grass with my fingers and clawing at my
face.

It was as if shards of glass had been thrown into my eyes as I felt my soul
snap. It broke into two pieces and suddenly a place I hadn’t known was cold grow
warm. It whispered softly in my mind: I am snow bunny...

I screamed again as suddenly my heart seemed to break in two. One part growing
softly in the chest of the being that now resided within me and the part that
had been left to me suddenly bloomed like a flower. The flower however... died
within my mind and I felt the cold grip of ice upon my chest. Pain. That was
when my heart seemed to freeze over.

Clow? Why?

The magic seemed to fight for a moment to connect my soul once more, but by
fault of my own- it seemed my soul had snapped into two pieces. Each piece had
become a seperate being. I felt the magic whip around me and suddenly I saw the
voice that had whispered in my mind. It was a human! A small humani with gray
hair and a kind smile. He looked confused as he sleepily awoke within my mind
and I felt a portion of my aura alight with his confusion.

The pain increased and I screamed with realization. My soul had broken into two
pieces like glass... My heart iced over with the pain of the magic and I cursed
my impatience.

Blackness.

-`-

The groundskeeper burst into Clow Reed’s room, carrying the still form of Yue.
Keroberos bounded in behind him worridly and stared at his fellow guardian’s
limp form.

“Is he alive?” Keroberos asked worridly.

“I don’t know. We need to keep him warm,” the man said. He nursed his black eye
and stared worridly at the angel’s form as he tucked blankets carefully around
the angel. “He was in Clow’s bed wasn’t he?”

“What are you talking about?” Keroberos asked, genuinely confused. “Of course
Yue slept in Clow’s bed. It’s the only bed in the house that’s big enough for
him. And, I had already claimed the couch.” Keroberos shoved his nose in the air
with a look that spelled out: I had first dibs. “Do you think he’ll be alright?”

“I don’t know. I just hope he finds his way...”

   -End Ch. 5-