Azkaban 7

Azkaban Episode 7

(NOTE - Sorry, I am still working on the second Trial of Fire and Darkness preview. I’ll try to get it out next Sunday. But for now…)
(NOTE Number 2 - Check previous Azkaban chapters for disclaimer at start of fanfic)

Walking Target

The Galerian Assassin Guilder was dropping fast right at her, arms wide open to land a killing blow. Alicia was in no condition to counterattack, her body wracked with pain as she rolled over to see -- a robed female blocking her with arms outstretched… but who… the form was transparent so it was clearly a spell of some kind, but who… it felt so familiar, but she was trying to hard to…

A spell snipes the Galerian out of the air, bringing it crashing right into Hagrid’s waiting arms. He grabs it by the neck as it falls, and with one hard swing he delivers a killing blow that shatters the creatures spinal column killing it instantly.
As Hagrid tosses the corpse aside Alicia tries to pull herself up, bloodsoaking now half of her body from neck to torso, the world fading about her as she felt her senses abandon her due to her blood loss. She tried to scream, but nothing would come out… she had to warn…

Another spell hit the beast, knocking it further into the woods where it exploded, it’s internal core ruptured by it’s death going critical mass and blowing up. However Hagrid was more concerned with Alicia than himself as he scooped her up into his huge arms and carted her quickly towards the castle, muttering “Yer not dyin’ on me! Yer not dyin’ on me! Yer not dyin’…”

Optimistic to the end. That’s Hagrid for you. She was soaked halfway through with her own blood, and even her own healing factor seemed to have failed her, but he wasn’t going to give up on her yet. Those were the last thoughts she had before slipping into unconsciousness.

There was something painfully familiar about the female that saved her… something…

* * * * * *

She was surrounded by water.

She was lugging someone towards the surface, the light above that shimmered as she kicked furiously towards it… feeling as if she was almost out of time…

“…please don’t be angry…”

The light grew closer and closer as her breath trapped in her chest grew fainter.

It was so close now. She just had to power through and break into the sunlight.

“…I didn’t know it would be like this…”

Where he was waiting. She felt there was someone she had to get to.

Break free of the water, get to him fast, and kill --

“…he has feelings too… please don‘t hurt him…”

The darkness seemed comforting to her, even as she drew close to the light above.
She felt that she wasn’t going to die after all, but yet there was lots that needed answering.
How did it get so close that it could do this without…

“…but I made up my mind, and my heart… I chose…”

Then realization set in. The answer that was at the edge of her mind as the surface of the lake was at the edge of her reach.
The whole school, and for miles about, was covered in a sense of darkness.
This was a side effect of the Dementors, and there was nothing she could about it.
This veil, this darkness, was something that occurred naturally because of their “nature”.
It was like a shroud of night which obscured all mystical “sight“, and made singling out a specific source of darkness within this dark field impossible. In other words she would be operating “blind” this time out.

Sure, as she had been close to them before she had gotten used to the feel of the Dementors, and since she knew she had to “interact” with them she was prepared to shove aside their ill feeling to the point of ignoring it. She was so quickly used to blocking out the sense of darkness from them that she didn’t even think twice about the “energy” they gave off. Bad mistake.

They were there to protect the school, but instead they were creating an artificial “black out” which made it now entirely possible for anything to slip in without being detected.
In the end their help, as well meaning as it might have been, was only hurting the cause.
And, come to think of it, it was hurting right now… badly. But that was her injuries talking.

The second thing on her mind was her two “saviors”.
The female who shielded her, but who she couldn’t see clearly.
Whose voice she was certain was talking in her mind as she swam to the surface, but too faint for her to recognize to “speaker”.
Then there was the one who shot down the Galerian as it attacked, and gave Hagrid the chance to kill it. His or her identity was also shrouded in mystery.

Confusion. Riddles. It seemed that if there were answers to these two questions that they weren’t present as of yet. That’s when the darkness began to lift, and the splash of water added to the welcome taste of fresh air as she hit the surface, she woke.

“ALICIA!!”

The first sight she came to was Gryffindors around her, looking at heranxiously.
The second sight confused her, because there was a group of Slytherin also standing around her, also watching her as she came out of it.
“…I take it this isn’t the morbid curiosity of watching someone die…” she muttered.

“You going to be alright?” someone asked, and to her shock that someone was… Malfoy?
He was standing near her looking dead serious, but she couldn’t help but feel how… wrong it was. She dismissed everyone, after much hugging and gifts and words of encouragement, leaving her alone with Malfoy. She looked at him, glanced at him up and down and asked the obvious…

“He’s not here, isn’t he?”

Malfoy shrugged, shuffled his feet, and then said “A little bit of him is, but he’s in the backseat being silent after a threat of a lobotomy. Such a pain he is, but after the second time in one day he seems used to being the passenger, he even realizes he has you to thank for the fact he isn‘t dead right about now.”

A tired sigh escapes her lips as she pulls herself into a sitting position. “The last thing I need is you making things “better” by interfering, you know that.”

“C’mon,” Jack Lazarus pried, nudging Alicia from Malfoy’s body, “You can’t tell me that you weren’t the slightest bit shocked to see Malfoy over your bed being concerned!”

“Dammit I thought I was going to die and he came to gloat!” she grumbled, face scrunching up, “The least you can do is jump a cute girl’s body if you want to pay your “respects” to me.” (eyes narrow) “And speaking of that, why didn’t I feel that creature until it was practically on top of me trying to land a killing blow!”

Malfoy leans back, and looks around as if watching for prying eyes before speaking, “I felt into your mind, I know you know this answer already, but since you obviously want me to say it out loud… yes, Alicia, you’re right, there’s too many Dementors. As you have already guessed their essence is shrouding the school in a layer of darkness. Darkness so thick and so much that it’s impossible to detect any other dark entities in this “cloaking device” of shadow. That includes the would be assassin drone unit that tried to off you. One of many no doubt to come in the days left in the school year.”

“I felt that…” she noted, nodding her head, “I was hoping it was my nerves, but it seems that the Dementors are more of a menace than a help, their own presence blocking any sign of real darkness approaching until it’s too late. That’s not good. Then again it‘s not like endless hordes of evil are approaching the school so --” (blinks) “-- eh, just so I know, it WAS you who bailed me out, right? Knocked the creature into Hagrid?”

“…uh… no.” Jack/Malfoy answered truthfully. “I also noted a protective spell was cast near you, but that also wasn’t me. Somebody was doing it from the forest, or nearby somewhere… maybe from the school grounds where most of the students fled…”

“Hermione.” Alicia muttered, “Did she do that? But how…”

“Did you say something?” Jack asked with genuine curiosity.

Alicia shakes her head, blushing abit at the thought of Hermione… “Nothing, nothing. Forget it…” (silence comes between them for a minute) “…Hagrid’s in trouble, isn’t he.”

Jack/Malfoy smiled a rather awkward looking grin (since she was not at all prepared to see a genuine heartwarming grin on Malfoy‘s face) “Well, at least you can’t complain that your first day with magical creatures wasn’t interesting.” He remarked slyly, causing Alicia to pale at the remark. “Yeah. I always find near death experiences to be amongst the most interesting things I ever did on any given day. Joy. I can’t wait for it to happen again.”

“Well…” Jack motions towards the window, which was now dark, “…it’s night now and Hagrid is home. And since you already healed all the way we can do a little “swap” and you visit him while I play you for awhile. Deal?”

Alicia nods, feeling herself all healed up as she pulled the blankets away only to cover herself again. “DAMN!” she hissed, “Must they always dump me in bed naked!!”

“Maybe they get off on looking on that fine bod’ of you… and I can’t believe I just said that.” (Jack/Malfoy coughs in aggrivation before continuing) “They did have to do a lot to get you back on your feet again, so you can kinda understand about them having to disrobe you in order to save you… don’t worry, nothing of yours is missing or in the wrong hands.” (silence) “There. I shoved Malfoy into a sleep mode so I can tell you this. There’s a small amount of good in him, I can feel it, buried deep. Something, or someone, has been fostering this good in him yet I can’t seem to find out who. His or her identity he’s locked away tight…” (smirks) “…guess even a guy like Malfoy can have a little good in him.”

“Guess so.” Alicia mutters, thoughts racing. “Now are you going to get the hell out of here or are you hoping for another peek.”

Jack didn’t wait to be asked twice.

* * * * * *

As she reached the hut, she found that she was not alone.
Harry, Hermione and Ron looked as if they saw a ghost. She pointed at her wound and shrugged, “It’s nothing, forget it.” (her eyes falls onto the front door of the hut) “I’m going to take it that you’re here for the exact same reason I am, right?”

“Cheer Hagrid up?”

Alicia nods, “Then we’re on the same page, Ron. Shall we?”
When they reached the door, Ron knocked and a weary “C’min.” greeted them.
As both Hermione and Alicia reached for the door their hands met, touched briefly, and was quickly pulled away. Hermione, red faced and blushing abit, opened the door.
Hagrid, drunk out of his mind with his boarhound Fang nearby, regarded the group with a dazed stupefied look. Obviously he had found his limits in the drinking dept. that night.

“’Spect it’s a record,” he lamented, finally coming to his senses and recognizing them.
“Don’ reckon they’ve ever had a teacher who lasted on’y a day before.”

“You haven’t been fired yet, Hagrid!” Hermione gasped in indignation, the redness fading from her cheeks as she focused on Hagrid, “They can’t fire you! It wasn’t your fault!”

“Not yet, but they’re considerin’ it.” he remarked glumly, taking a slam of the strong substance in his tankard before him. “It’s only a matter o’ time, I s’pp’se, after what happened to yah’…”

“The Galerian Guilder caused more damage than Buckbeak!” Alicia complained, “And I don’t plan on causing a ruckus over this, either! Consider me silent on this point.”
Hagrid’s eyes focused dimly on her, the obvious question forming on his lips.
“I’m fine.” she assured him. “Madam Pomfrey patched me up just fine, and I’m young yet so I have quite abit of get-up and go in the healing dept. so I’m doing swell.” (‘just as long as nobody asks me to go into a gymnastics routine because I still feel rather sore in places.’ she added in her own thoughts) “Don’t worry about it. Shake it off, ‘kay?”

But it was as if Hagrid just wasn’t listening as he spoke, “School gov’nors have bin told, o’ course. They reckon I started too big. Shoulda left hippogriffs fer later… done flobberworms or summat… Jus’ thought it’d make a good firs’ lesson…. ‘S all my fault…”

“It’s all Malfoy’s fault, Hagrid!” Hermione said earnestly, “And his playacting earlier at Alicia’s bedside is an insult! What a jerk!”

‘Too bad that wasn’t Malfoy at my bedside.’ Alicia thought to herself, ‘At least not in the sense of his spirit…’ (sighs) “She’s right. You warned him they get awfully cranky when people disrespect them and he went off and disrespected them. I…” (stops) “…waitaminute…”

* * * * * *

Flashback…

Malfoy shrugged, shuffled his feet, and then said “A little bit of him is, but he’s in the backseat being silent after a threat of a lobotomy. Such a pain he is, but after the second time in one day he seems used to being the passenger, he even realizes he has you to thank for the fact he isn‘t dead right about now.”

* * * * * *

“…he wasn’t in control at that moment…” Alicia muttered, drawing curious gazes from everyone. “Nothing, nothing, don’t mind me…” she quickly replied, drifting back abit as everyone started talking again.

Alicia‘s mind buzzed furiously on the topic, ‘So he was under control of… something. Might explain his retarded arrogant act that almost got him bloodied up. But why…’

“I think you had enough to drink, Hagrid,” Hermione said sternly, pulling at Alicia’s sleeve to get her assistance in emptying the tankard. Outside she looked at Alicia with a firm expression as she asked “Are you really alright?”

“I’m a little sore here, and there, but I’ll live.” she answered truthfully. “I didn’t know you cared so much about my wellbeing.”

Hermione’s face blushes bright red once again as she nearly drops the tankard, her mouth ajar. “I care! I mean of course I care! I…” (stops) “…never mind.”

As she walks quickly back into the hut Alicia grins abit, “Guess maybe I have a chance after all with you.”

Hagrid immediately came outside as Hermione went in, and waddled over to a barrel of water where he dunked his head in to sober up. Alicia, watching him gurgle and splash his head in the water, walked up and stood nearby. As he surfaced she asked him “Think she likes me?”
Hagrid, now a little more clear headed but not by much, looked at her as if she proclaimed herself to be the re-incarnation of Cleopatra. “…never mind…” she muttered, pushing him back into the hut with a heavy sigh.

Inside he wiped his face of the excess water, muttering “Tha’s better,” shaking his head drenching them all.
“Listen, it was good of yeh ter come an’ see me, I really --”
Silence. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Hagrid stopped dead in mid-sentence.
Alicia’s eyes glanced nervously around the room, waiting for someone to break the tension.
The wait wasn’t long.

“WHAT D’YEH THINK YOU’RE DOIN’, EH?” he roared, so suddenly he made everyone jump, “YEH’RE NOT TO GO WANDERIN’ AROUND AFTER DARK, HARRY! AN’ YOU THREE! LETTIN’ HIM!”

Hagrid quickly strode to Harry, pulling him right away to the door. “C’mon! I’m takin’ yer all back up ter school, an’ don’ let me catch yeh walkin’ down ter see me after dark again. I’m not worth that!”
The walk up was going to be rather quiet, Alicia gathered from the mood rather quickly.
Turned out to be anything but.
As they exited the hut Alicia’s senses suddenly jump to attention.

“RUN!!” she cried out, spinning about to shield as a bio-bolt came down upon them, knocking her off her feet as it impacted. The sound of leaping, and claws scraping wood, echoed as she realized she was under attack once again… another Drone unit was on the offensive.
The last one had to be a Drone unit, since she was now obviously under attack by another drone unit right now. This time, however, she was ready.

As Hagrid hustled Harry, Hermione and Ron to safety she pulled her wand out of her robes and tested it in her hand. The Galerian was fast, moving from tree to tree vying for a new shooting position. She hefts the wand into the air, and cries out the spell for light. As the wand bursts into life, lighting the area, the Galerian turned and fired another shot… it’s
mistake. As the shot fired Alicia got it’s “location” and acted quickly, throwing herself to one side as she raised one arm up (hand out as if aiming a gun), shooting off one hard energy shot into the trees.

For the longest time she thought she missed. But seconds later she heard the solid thump, and the explosion of a detonating bio-core. She had blown it’s head off in one shot as it landed in another tree, the few seconds it needed to orient itself being enough time for the shot to carve it’s head apart as it tried to find the next tree to leap to.

However the Galerian wasn’t the only one who made a bad mistake. She had thrown herself without even thinking of how she’d land as she fell, because as she hit the ground a hard surge of pain ripped into her. She had dislocated her shoulder jumping aside, falling on the same side that was ripped into earlier that day by Buckbeak, and it was hurting like all
hell as she landed on it awkwardly. She rolled on the ground, clutching her dislocated limb, deciding to wait for Hagrid to come back for her which wouldn’t be long in coming.

While she waited it gave her enough time to reconsider her “lifestyle”, and if it was worth having all this unwanted “attention” aimed at her. She didn’t have long to wait, though, as Hagrid came back quickly enough to set her right… after much yelling and cursing on her part to get him “motivated” into yanking her arm back into it’s socket. As Hagrid put her
arm back into it’s socket (at her loud and nearly threatening request) she figured it was this or she’d die of boredom.

She opted for her “status quo” life over death by boredom.

* * * * * *

Going back to class was a simple enough task once she convinced Madam Pomfrey that she wasn‘t going to break into tiny pieces if she left her care (or commit physical suicide upon herself by breakage through being alive).
The arm was set nicely back into place, and as long as she didn’t stress it out she could expect it to mend in a short matter of time. Of course convincing Madam Pomfrey of her wellness was one thing, getting people to not treat her like an invalid was another thing altogether.

True, it seemingly took forever to get Madam Pomfrey to release her from the hospital ward, especially after her “escapades” the night before, but she got out eventually… with a sling for her now mending arm. That only made it all the worse for her as she’d soon find out.
Indignant as all hell she walked into class looking rather bitter as she took her seat and started working on a potion she had “studied” in bed just for this class.

Still, the way everyone looked at her you would have thought she was a plague victim. It seemed that even her raven Chii gave her a dirty look as she worked. “I’m not going to turn you into a mole or anything, so stop glaring at me!” she grumbled, working hard on her ingredients with her good arm. Overall, at this point she was glad she was good with both
hands since working one armed would have been a pain if she blew out her good arm.

The potion was simple enough, even for Alicia who hated potions. The potion in question was a simple Shrinking Solution. ‘If worse comes to worse I can always cheat by using my power to shrink Chii.’ Alicia thought to herself, her good hand working on the potion even as ripples
of irritation from her injured arm continued to dance across her inflamed pain senses.

“Weasley, don’t just sit there looking like an inept excuse for a statue, cut up Spinnet’s roots for her before she mangles them into the magical equivelant of salad toppings.”

“I’m fine.” she spat out, “Mind your own roots.”

Ron went pale, “I can help if you…” (stops as he catches her near murderous look) “…or not.”
Snape, glancing over at her work, sighed, “You’re mutilating your roots.”

“No I am not.” she hissed back. “Get off my back.”

“That won’t do. Change roots with Mr. Weas--”
Alicia’s knife slams blade down right into the table bringing the class to a halt for a second.
Snape, now moving away, decided to harass someone else.
Retrieving her knife she went back to work, even more deadset on doing it herself.
Somehow it seemed as if he was being more helpful and nice to her that usual.
Most likely his way of getting on her bad side she thought to herself.

Malfoy, who seemed to have something to say, suddenly kept quiet… but his thoughts betrayed him. They were, after all, too loud. Even Alicia could hear them in this room full of noisy “thoughts”.

“No I am not going to get Hagrid fired.” Alicia grumbled, glancing back at Malfoy with murderous intent, “And if you try that I will make your life miserable.”

“It’s not his fault!”

Suddenly the all too familiar complaining voice of her elfin “keeper” snapped Alicia out of her stupor, and towards Snape‘s latest victim. May had once again found something to complain about, as she tried to shield Longbottom from Snape’s wrath. “It can be fixed.”

“It’s orange, miss, ORANGE!” said Snape in a testy voice, ladling some up to show everyone within eyesight of the concoction. “Orange. Tell me then, boy, does anything I try to teach you penetrate that thick skull of yours?”

His eyes narrowed, and nostrils flared, as he paced the two. “Didn’t you hear me say, quite clearly, that only one rat spleen was needed? Didn’t I state plainly that a dash of leech juice would suffice? What do I have to do to make you understand my lessons, Longbottom?”

Alicia, from her spot, shook her head. He was arrogant, and rude, but he was also right.
She got the gist of the spell just from her book, and wasn’t even here for half of the verbal instructions, yet he had both to go with and still screwed it up. Clearly if May and the rest of Gryffindor wasn’t so hot on babying Neville they would realize that they were not helping him by always bailing him out of troubles he caused himself.

Neville was pink, trembling behind May as she growled at Snape. He was two seconds short of having a full on crying fit and that only irked May all the more.
“Please, sir,” Hermione said quickly, “please, I could help Neville put it…”

“NO YOU DON’T!”

The class fell silent again, but this time because of the source of the protest -- Alicia.

“Alicia!” Harry rasped, only to be glared at by her, “She’s NOT HELPING HIM if she has to constantly coddle him everytime he makes a screw up! He’s not going to learn if he’s bailed everytime he makes a mistake!”
The Slytherins started to snicker, but a harsh glance at them brought that to an end.
“Neville can be a great wizard if only he believes in himself, and his own abilities! Mark my words, there’s greatness in him if he’d only gets off his rear, stop whining and screwing up, and believes in his own ability to be great!”

The class did not protest, or mock anymore, and silence reigned in class.

It was a pity that Snape, finally, had to break the silence. He straightened himself up and said in a low tone drawling close to sarcasm “At the end of the lesson we’ll test Mr. Longbottom’s potion on his toad, and see what happens.”
And, with that, he leaves to walk the class, saying no more.
Unfortunately it seemed as if Alicia’s words went right over Neville’s head like a Concorde because he was already begging for help. With clenched teeth Alicia went back to work, trying her best to not yell at Longbottom anymore. Snape, passing nearby, whispered to her.

“It’s a shame that wisdom is wasted on the hopeless.”

“Shut up, Yoda, or I’ll cram Neville’s potion down your throat.” she snarled in response.

“Time out.”

Alicia looked up, now less angry and more confused at Snape‘s last words. “Say--”

“Time out.” he repeated without sparing a glance.

“Hey, Harry,” Seamus Finnigan started from nearby, “have you heard? Daily Prophet this morning - they reckon Sirius Black has been sight--”
Time stops for everyone except Alicia and Snape.
“You got my attention.” she grumbled, now realizing where he was heading with his request.

* * * * * *

The paper was not moving, as it should in “time out”, but the words were enough.

“Someone spotted Black less than 50 miles from here, but by the time it was called in he was gone… no doubt blazing a trail right to Hogsmeade.” Alicia noted. “To hold out until he can infiltrate the school.” Snape concluded, “Which shouldn’t be a problem for him since he never had a problem sneaking out of school.”
Alicia raised an eyebrow, “A revelation?”
“Of sorts.” Snape said off hand. “Infiltrating Hogwarts won’t be hard for a former student.”

Alicia - “And how would you know of…”

“There’s a good reason why everyone is concerned about Potter.” he remarked coldly, his dark eyes narrowing. “A very good reason.”

“And I suppose you’re not going to tell me.” Alicia countered.

For a long time the two stared at each other, until finally Snape walked back to where he was before Time Out and motioned for Alicia to go back. “Figures.”
It was time anyway. She couldn’t hold time back forever, only small intervals, and he knew she was nearing her limit and had to stop now.
Still, all in all, she wished Snape wasn’t so vague all the time. Must be from his “hatred” for her, she surmised. Still, it would have helped if she had more answers than questions.
“Why bother having a time out if you’re just going to riddle me with more questions.” she complained silently, returning time to normal.

* * * * * *

The class finally came to it’s conclusion. Even Double Potions must end eventually.
Snape quickly walked over to Neville, who was cowering behind May as he did.
“Everyone gather ‘round,” said Snape with energy in his voice, his black eyes almost glittering in his enthusiasm. “and watch what happens to Longbottom’s toad. If he has managed to produce a Shrinking Solution, it will shrink to a tadpole. If, as I don’t doubt, he has done it…”

“Gimme!” Alicia grumbled, grabbing the potion and downing it in one gulp in front of a now very shellshocked class. Nothing. Then she nodded her head and gave a thumbs up. “You have about 10 seconds to give me the antidote before my clothes falls off and I give everyone a little flash…” (Snape couldn’t pour the antidote fast enough) “…ok… so no little nudity for the boys today… pun intended.”

The Gryffindors burst into applause, but Alicia wasn’t smiling. She simply glared at Snape who finally relented to letting them have their moment. As they left class he quickly grabbed Alicia and moved her to the back of the class, “You must have a deathwish doing that! It could have…”

“…been poison.” she remarked, shaking free of his grasp, “I thought you would have been tickled pink to have the one with your dirtiest secret dead.”

“Don’t tempt me.” he shot back, eyes narrowing as he watched her leave. “If I didn’t know better I’d say you wanted to be dead.”

“Don’t tempt me.” she remarked as she left the room.

* * * * * *

Considering she was beginning to make progress with Hermione you would have thought that she had no desire to die now… and yet there was still that urge… and remembrances of…
As she stepped out of the class she ran headlong into Hermione who was panting heavily.
“Wh-what?” she gasped, looking at the distressed Hermione. “What’s with you? I thought…”

“What?” she said with some confusion, looking about, “Oh, sorry, I forgot something.” she rasped, hurrying up the stairs. Alicia, looking up to watch her run into Ron/Harry, only to lose all the books from her bag as it ripped, was confused. “But I didn’t see her come back to class…”
As she reached the top of the stairs she grabbed Hermione by the robes, “Riddle me this, Miss Granger, why are you carrying enough books to knock a troll into a deep coma?”

“You know how many subject I’m taking,” Hermione rasped, breath nearly gone, “Couldn’t hold these for me, cou--”

Alicia pulls one of her tesseract gems, tapping it against the books to seal the whole bundle into it, passing it off to Hermione as she did. “Done. Now what--”
Hermione, however, couldn’t wait as she pushed forward heading towards the Great Hall.
“Wait!” Alicia cried out, “10 books and all we have today is Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts?!? What--”

“Lunch! Can’t wait! Starving!” she cried, hurrying her pace.
Ron shrugged in sympathy. “Nice try, but I already went that route with her-- same results.”
Alicia stood there, dumbstruck, as she watched Hermione’s retreating head bob out of sight amidst the lunchhour crowd. “…guess lunch must be good today…”

* * * * * *

If the illogic of Hermione’s schedule baffled her, let alone how she was flustered at Alicia one moment and then ignoring her the next, the case of the missing Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher further befuddled Alicia’s already troubled mind.

Professor Lupin, it seems, was a no show. They were there, first class of the year, but their teacher was clearly not there. Not a good thing for a first class.
They all sat down, took out books and quills and parchments, and waited.
“First time I ever been to a class where the teacher decided to ditch on the students.” Alicia grumbled, her wand waving mindlessly in her good hand as she waited for something to happen. “If I knew he was going to ditch I would have done the same.“ she remarked glumly.

So, left with little choice, she sat there and waited… and waited… and talked to whoever was nearby… and waited… for sometime it seems she sat and waited until finally the doors swung open and in strode Professor Lupin.
He smiled vaguely, placing his old tatty briefcase on his desk as he regarded the class.
He didn’t seem too bad, despite the fact he was still as scruffy as ever, just abit more nourished from being fed three square meals.
“Good afternoon,” he said, glancing about the class, “Would you please put all your books back in your bags. Today’s will be a practical lesson. You will need only your wands.”

Curious glances were exchanged as books went bye-bye, and wands here held tightly by now anxious students.

“Right then,” Lupin proudly exclaimed, once everyone was ready, “If you’d follow me.”
Curious and puzzled by all this, the class got to it’s feet and followed Lupin out of the class.
He lead them along the now deserted corridor and around a corner, where the first thing they saw was a most curious sight. Peeves the Poltergeist was up to his old tricks.

But that didn’t concern Alicia. She saw something else that was far more interesting.
As the class became entranced by the exchange between Lupin and Peeves, Alicia moved back to a dark corner where she saw a familiar “face”.
There, hiding in the shadows, was a very uptight Moaning Myrtle.
That in itself was odd since she never left the bathroom she haunted.
Alicia tried to grab Myrtle as she shrunk back into the darkness, “What’s wrong?”
Myrtle first vanished without stopping, only to reappear after a few seconds and say in a direct manner “It’s too dark. Everything is too dark. The mood. The “light”. Everything.” she glared at Alicia, “And it’s your fault bringing them here. The hooded things that reek of living death. The loud clammoring lizard monsters that walk like ape people. The disorderly one. I liked it better when it was quiet, and brighter.”
And, with that, she vanished.

Thankfully Lupin got the class moving again before anyone noticed she was missing.
Whatever she missed seemed to have changed the mood with the class.
They now looked on at Lupin with a greater sense of respect, yet she didn’t know why.
Maybe the first lesson will shed light on that, Alicia thought, as they entered a new room.

This was the staffroom, where teachers hung out between classes. It was a long paneled room full of old, rather mismatched chairs. The room was empty except for one teacher, which was the one Alicia actually wanted to see : Snape. He was sitting in a low armchair, and looked around as the class filled in. Before he could speak Alicia “mind-jammed” him and
simply said “Stay.” But as Lupin came in, Snape stood up and said “Leave it open, Lupin. I’d rather not witness this.”

He got to his feet and strode past the class, his eyes locked on Alicia as he did.
‘You saw Myrtle, haven’t you.’ he thought in his mind. ‘You already know what she means without having to ask me about it.’
‘I know who the hooded one bearing living death is, and I know about the lizard monsters, but who is the “disorderly one”.’ Alicia demanded in her thoughts.

At the doorway he turned on his heel and said, “Possibly no one’s warned you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Miss Granger is hissing instructions in his ear, being disorderly in the process.”
Alicia’s jaw nearly dropped open at the implication, but Snape ignored her as he left.

Professor Lupin, however, raised his eyebrows at the remark.
“I was hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation, and I am sure he will perform it most admirably.”
Neville paled, but not as much as Alicia who did everything she could to keep from screaming.
Snape shrugged, “As you wish, Lupin, after all it’s your TIME.” he said with a flourish in the last word as he left.

Time? What does time have to do with anything? Is he just pulling her chain to see if she’d jump? No, no, Snape was really being on the level about the “disorderly one” so… what the hell does that mean about Hermione?

“Now, then,” Professor Lupin beckoned, at the same time a pulling in her mind told her that the Dementors were also beckoning. Great, just great, another curtain call.
They had a report so she allowed them to drift her mentally to their “location” for them to speak to her, as she stood in “class” watching and “listening”.
The Dementors, rounded in a circle about her, reported.

Their suspicions were dead on right, on more than one count.
Black was indeed very close now, the Dementors could feel it.
However that is all they could do. They couldn’t localize the “feeling”, nor could they find the “source” of the feeling. Black was near, just they didn’t know how near.

And the Dementors had at last realized that they had let something else slip in. That thing, of course, being the Assassin Guilder and his drone units… fat lot of good that revelation did however. As far as the Dementors were concerned only Black meant anything to them. It seemed that Black was the one and only fixation on their “mind”, so to speak.

No amount of “derailment” tactics from Alicia could get them to focus resources to hunt her “assassin”, since they were only interested in Black. Just as well, she surmised, since it was her fight in the first place. Best to be left to her.

As she focused back on class she realized everyone had moved to near the end of the room, near an old wardrobe filled with spare robes. However, as the class neared, something inside the wardrobe hissed and shook the huge piece of furniture as if to frighten them.

“Nothing to worry about,” Professor Lupin announced quite casually, as he motioned for those who jumped back to step forward again, “There’s a boggart in there.”

Alicia, eyebrow raised in her usual skeptical manner, could only stare at the now fidgety cabinet as it clacked and rattled in disbelief. A “boggart”, eh? What’s that?
Neville seemed to cling onto May just that much tighter as he stared, while Finnigan gave the whole scene a rather apprehensive look. Lupin continued. “Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces. Wardrobes, the gap beneath beds, the cupboards under sinks -- I’ve even met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock.”

“Try the living the next time you look for new friends.” Alicia quipped, staring at the rattling piece of cabinetry with abit of disdain. “At least dead things that are friendlier.”

Lupin shrugged, “And it just arrived yesterday to be our “friend” too.”

The class chuckled at his counter-quip, bringing a bit of a frown to Alicia’s lips as he went on about the Boggart. “It moved in yesterday afternoon, and I asked the headmaster if the staff would leave it to give my third years some practice. So, first question we must ask ourselves is this - What is a boggart?”

Hermione, like clockwork, had her hand up quickly.

“It’s a shape-shifter,” she said in a matter of fact tone, “It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most.”

Lupin, smiling from ear to ear, slaps a hand down on his thigh and quickly points right at Hermione in a triumphant manner, “EXCELLENT! Couldn’t have put it better myself!” Lupin praised, bringing a bright glow to Hermione’s cheeks.
This clearly didn’t impress Alicia at all, who sulked in her spot and thought nasty things about the new teacher. ‘Bet he likes ‘em young.’ she thought spitefully, ‘Kiss up.’

“So the boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. It does not yet know what will frighten the person on the opposite side of the door. Nobody knows what a boggart looks like when it is alone, but when I let it out…’

* * * * * *

The sky was eternal night, even in the middle of the day.
The city was destroyed. Hulking wrecks of buildings reached into the dead sky above as she walked along the huge open courtyard towards her destination.
She was one of a dozen Ravens performing recovery duties for the living in this ruined city, but finding the living wasn’t easy since the living was “frozen” in cryotubes for “later useage”. As she walked towards the door, her hand already motioning to pull the door open via the use of her power, she heard a faint shriek from within. Before she could stop herself she had begun to pull the door open only to release a half crazed Dark Lunaris creature, the half frost bitten monster falling to it’s side on the cold dead earth shrieking madly as it flailed about in madness.

The corridor beyond was cold, as cold as the world about her and the sight before her.
Cold… and dead.

* * * * * *

“Er -- because there are so many of us, it won’t know what shape it should be?”
As she snapped out of it she realized Harry, not Hermione, was talking.
“Precisely.” Lupin said in praise, as Hermione dropped her hand looking a tad disappointed.
“It’s always best to have company when you’re dealing with a boggart. It becomes confused when confronted by two different fears. Which should it become, a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug. I once saw--”

‘Oh for goddess’ sake, not another “I once saw” story.’ Alicia sighed, eyes straying about as she waited for the real lesson to begin. ‘Cut to the chase and tell me how to beat it.’
As if reading her mind, Lupin did exactly that.
“The charm that repels a boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a boggart is a simple emotion -- laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find most amusing.”

“And that’s it?”

“That’s it, Miss Spinnet.” Lupin answered, “We will practice the charm without wands first, to get the wrist motions down. Now, repeat after me please -- riddikulus!”

“Riddikulus!” the class pronounced together, wrists in motion to mimic the spell motions.

‘That’s what this class is -- “riddikulus”.’ Alicia thought to herself.

“Good, very very good.” Lupin praised. “But that was the easy part, I’m afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. And that, Neville, is where you come into the lesson.”

Neville looked as if he was about to have a seizure as Lupin led him forward towards the closet, the shaking increasing as he drew closer and closer.
May wasn’t far off from having her own seizure at Lupin’s boldness with Neville, fidgeting as she watched as if she was worried Neville was seconds away from losing a limb or three.

With a dissatisfied sigh she pulled a few candy bars from a hidden tesseract pouch, and began eating mindlessly as she watched with little interest.
“Not going anywhere for awhile? Hell yeah…” she muttered.
To Be Continued

CardCaptor Sakura Remastered II Episode 3 (10)

CardCaptor Sakura Remastered II Episode 3 (10)

In the span of a few seconds everything fell apart.

Eliza, possessed by Sword, attacked and injured Nina.

It was now attacking Sakura (as she tried to defend herself).

And Tomoyo was filming the whole thing (grabbed her camera when she heard the commotion).

Eliza slowly backs Sakura into a corner, holding her at bay with Sword.
Suddenly something darts out of the side of Sakura’s vision and knocks Eliza over, both Eliza and the attacker hitting the floor. As Eliza regains her footing, but her attacker (Nina) isn’t so fortunate as she withers on the floor in agony. Sakura makes good her escape and
gets clear of the corner she was trapped in (barely avoiding another swipe from Sword).

“Eliza? Don’t worry! Everything’s going to be OK! Don’t worry!” Sakura calls out, backing away from Eliza as she does, “Have to get her to drop Sword somehow---”

Sakura hiolds out the key, and powers up. “Key of the Star, with powers burning bright, reveal the staff and shine your light! RELEASE!” (As the power releases, the staff grows longer. Quickly Sakura grabs a card and uses it fast.) “Illusion! Form the image in my
mind’s eye and hold yourself in check.”

As the card forms on the floor (glowing pattern) Eliza looks at it oddly, then sidesteps it. “N-no good!” Nina rasps from her place on the floor, “She knows that trick! And what she knows Sword knows!”

“Alright then--- FLOWER! Distract Sword with a storm of flowers!”

As Flower comes up and dazes Eliza with a flower whirlwind, Sakura grabs Nina and tries to move her, “Forget me! Get out of here!”

“B-but!”

“GO!!” (Kero, flying down from upstairs, darts past Sakura as he
screams at her).

“Right---” (pulls new card) “--Jump!” Quickly Sakura spins about and ducks out the door, dodging Sword’s swipes as Eliza follows behind her out into the huge yard of the Daidouji Estates. Each slash clearing the path between Eliza and Sakura, going through anything to get to the Cardcaptor. Finally, on top of the roof of the mansion, Sakura tries to catch her breath. “I can’t attack Eliza! We have to get her to drop Sword somehow!”

“Show her an illusion of her beloved--- oh, wait, the real thing is bleeding in the hallway. Never mind, that won’t work---” Kero ponders, “---maybe you should run until you wear her out?”

Sakura - “I can’t leave her like this! And I have to get back to save Nina!”

The next thing she knows Eliza is standing next to her, Sword at the ready.

“Guess we forgot she’s got her own powers---” Kero laments.

As Eliza swings at Sakura a blur of metal obscures Sakura’s vision for a second, followed by the clang of metal on metal and the glint of light off as Sword is caught between the hard glint of two Glocks.

Sakura - “Rebecca?!?”

Rebecca - “Trinity insisted I come over and apologize to you, but I couldn’t build up the courage to do it… until now.“ (Rebecca kicks Eliza away, coming face to face with Sakura) “I’m sorry I hurt Tomoyo, and I’m sorry I threatened you…“ (frowns) “…but I’ll never forgive Fly for what it did to Trinity. Never.“
Rebecca suddenly thrusts herself off the roof right at Eliza, catching Eliza off guard and knocking her to the ground. As she lands on the ground stunned, Rebecca straddles her and points both guns at her head. “Let’s finish this up quick-like.”

Sakura - “REBECCA NO!!”

Quickly Sakura jumps down off the roof, grabbing Rebecca off of Eliza before she can shoot, “Sakura?!? What the hell are---”
With one bound she takes into the air, the Jump boots still on, carting Rebecca with her for the ride. “AIGH!! SAKURA STOP!!”
Both women hit the roof, Rebecca not too happy about the flight. “What are you doing?! You could have gotten us killed!”

Sakura - “You can’t hurt Eliza! I won’t let you!”

Rebecca - “I wasn’t planning on hurting anyone! I know what I’m doing! She can survive grazing shots but it‘d screw up her body to the point that Sword would be immobilized!”

Sakura - “All we need to do is to get her to drop Sword for one--- Nina?”

Everyone turns to watch Nina, bloodied, stumble out of the side and grab Eliza from behind, holding tight against her bucking and straining. “No--- you--- don’t!!” (Nina grabs hold of Eliza’s sword hand, prying the fingers open as she does), “LEAVE--- HER--- ALONE!!”

Sakura, jumping on her chance, quickly jumps down from the roof and rushes towards the two, batting Sword aside as she does. “Clow card return to your power confined! Sword card!”

With one strike the staff releases tendrils of energy, capturing Sword in it’s grip and yanking it in to be sealed, changing it back into card form. As the card flies free it lands in Sakura’s hand. Eliza, shaken, quickly grabs Nina as tears flow down her face. “Nina? NINA!!
Oh goddess I’m sorry! I’m sorry!!”

Rebecca helps Eliza get Nina inside as Tomoyo (watching from the sidelines the whole time) steps forward. “You OK?”

Sakura - “Yeah. Tomoyo? Why didn’t you use Gaia to catch---”

Tomoyo shook her head, “I tried. While you were arguing with Rebecca. Sword cut through Gaia’s restraints like a knife through butter. It only slowed Sword for a second, but I guess a second was enough in the end.”

“And thus my point is proven.”
Everyone looks around, until their gazes falls upon Rebecca (standing off to one side, also an active “audience” in the capture but not as active as Tomoyo) “These cards are far too dangerous! If it isn’t Fly it’s this Sword card! Nina’s going to make it but the next time somebody could die because of these damnable cards…“ (sneers) “…still think they’re innocent things?“

Tomoyo steps between Sakura & Rebecca, angry, “That’s a lie! Sword is only confused from being seperated forcefully from Sakura! And Sakura did her best to stop Sword! You have no right to say that the cards are monsters!“

“Say what you will.” Rebecca remarks nonchalantly, “Love tends to blind, and the kind of love you share is quite blinding. You can’t see for yourself that it took everyone to make an opening in Sword’s defensese where it should have been stopped back in the house when it first showed up! And there’s still more cards to capture, more chances for innocent people to suffer because of someone else’s magic.“

Kero takes over, “What would you know about it! She’s the most powerful mage on Earth!”

“On HER Earth.” Rebecca quickly countered, “Here, she’s just another girl with a bag of tricks and a job that’s too big for her to handle alone. She’s not impressive here, she’s just another liability that might get innocent people killed. Period.”

“Nobody’s dead yet.” (Kero)

“Do you want to wait until it’s too late?” And, with that, she turns and walks off without another word. Almost--- her cellphone goes off and she answers it. “What? Trinny I… did I invite them to dinner? Trinny!! I--” (sighs) “---hold on.” (walks back to everyone) “Oh, and
Trinny wants to invite you to dinner next week. It’s potluck so bring something with you that doesn’t stab people in the gut. Bye.”

Trinity (phone) - “And apologize for scolding them and being nasty!”

“Sigh-- I’m sorry--- there.” (Rebecca walks off) “I still say we’re going to be stuck catering the whole thing! They’ll probably bring nothing but jell-o being slackers and all!”

Trinity - “Then we’ll order out from Olive Garden! Won’t that be fun?”

“Actually--- yes. Get on your slinkiest thing that shows off the most cleavage because I’m cranky and your hot. Let’s go, I’m starving’.”

* * * * * *

“Hi. You busy?”

“Busy for a girl lying around and reading all day, Eliza.” Nina remarks as she looks up from her book, “If that’s busy them I’m just wading hip deep in work. Oh, yeah.” (sighs) “It’s only the second time I ended up on the disabled list, Sakura, and your not in the doghouse this time either so come in already. I know your hiding behind Eliza” (motions for Sakura to sit next to her) “What’s up?”

Sakura - “You OK? That stab you took.”

Nina - “Wasn’t as serious as it looks. Really, the only one really damaged in all this was Eliza. She hasn’t stopped wanting to serve me since the incident.” (rubs Eliza’s head as she sits next to her) “I keep trying to tell her it’s OK and she didn’t do anything wrong, but she’s been feeling kinda crappy ever since she tried to skewer me so I’m just letting her work off her guilty conscious until she’s ready to be forgiven and move on.”

Sakura - “How long will that be?”

“Not long. Nina?” (Eliza), “Your bath’s ready, and I got my french lingere maid outfit on underneath for you.”

Nina - “I don‘t know, I could live with this just for a little while longer. Go on, dear, you know I like you all frilly and ready when I get there.”

Eliza smiles and nods her head meekly, stepping out bowing as she does.

Nina - “It’s not so bad except she insists on wearing the outfit all the time, and wants to do EVERYTHING for me! I know she’s kinda guilty conscious and all but there’s somethings a girl’s gotta do on her own--- like my hygiene.”

Sakura - “She washes you?”

Nina - “Well--- not that it’s your business but it’s a--- well it IS none of your business. When I’m talking hygiene I mean she brushes my teeth. Litterly makes me open wide and brushes for me. Now I love her and all but I prefer to handle my own dental hygiene if it’s all the same to her.”

Sakura - “Oh.”

Nina - “Well, no use putting it off.” (Nina crawls out of bed in her nightgown and walks off) “Might as well face the bath. I’m feeling rather frisky right now anyway. See ya’ around.”

Sakura - “Sure. And Nina? I’m sorry.”

Nina - “For what?”

Sakura - “Nothing. I’m just--- sorry--- that’s all.”

“Shake it off.” Nina remarks, saluting Sakura as she walks out the door, “It’s better that way for all of us if you‘d just shake it off.”

“Easy for you to say.“ Sakura remarks glumly, waiting a few seconds before leaving Nina’s room.

“May our love give us strength to carry on even at our darkest moments.”

* * * * * *

Keiko leans back in her chair positioned in front of the door leading out with a strange expression on her face. “She’ll never believe it, she’ll never believe it…”

The door opens and in walks Mirra-chan, groceries in hand.

Mirra - “I’m home! Everything for dinner was easy to get and…”

“Hey, Mirra-chan.”

“Keiko? What are you doing---?” Mirra gasps silently to herself, noticing for the first time how mature and worldly Keiko appeared. Everything about her from her orderly hairdo to her strong legs caught Mirra’s attention. ‘She’s--- beautiful---’ Mirra thought to herself
excitedly, ‘Not as beautiful as Hikaru-chan but she’s---’

“Nice hat by the way.” Mirra snaps to attention as Keiko’s voice brings her back to reality. “Tomoyo made that for you, right? Rabbit? Sorta like one Sakura had?”

“The cap is a different color and there’s a stripe of fur down the center---” (blushes slightly) “What are you doing? Where’s Sakura-Papa?”

Keiko - “She’s in the garden”

Mirra - “She doesn’t like gardening.”

Keiko - “I know.”

Mirra-chan dashes past Keiko without waiting for a longer explanation.

“Told them that wasn’t going to cut it. (Heh, “cut it“, now I‘m talking in cliché---)”

In the huge living room (with gigantic glass doors leading into a sunny place with a table/chairs set up to enjoy a good day out in the yard) Mirra-chan found Tomoyo/Sakura. They had set up a huge blanket on the ground and a chair, Tomoyo was busy cutting Sakura’s hair a little shorter while (to one side) Nina runs her hand through her own recently cut hair. “Is there something wrong?” Tomoyo asked.

“No, no, Tomoyo. I’m just admiring it. Have to keep it a certain style for shooting my scenes in Pink Panties dontcha’ know… if we ever get back to filming it.”

“HI!” Mirra-chan gasped, looking on in awe at how comfortable and relaxed Sakura looked under Tomoyo’s gentle hands. “What--- uh--- hi Tomoyo-mama, Sakura-papa, uh--- hi?”

“I was cutting Nina’s hair as a favor to her and Sakura-papa wanted a trim.” (leans close and rubs her cheek to Sakura’s cheek) “Right?”

“---uh-huh---” (Sakura blushes under the attention)

“---wow---” (Mirra looked excited watching Sakura getting her hair cut, as her thoughts raced---)

‘Is that how they show affection? Maybe--- oh goddess, I wish Hikaru-chan would cut my hair!!’ she thought with a gleeful breathless giggle.

Tomoyo looked over Mirra and motioned for her to come closer, “Want me to cut your hair next? (You could use a little trim)”

Mirra - “CAN YOU???”

Tomoyo - “Uh-huh.”

“OK!” (Mirra silently curses herself for blurting out the answer so frantically)

Tomoyo - “I’m almost done so have a seat and your next.”

As Mirra sits next to Nina, her hands begin to tremble. “Never had a haircut before?”

“Uh…” (touches her hair) “Actually I never needed one before. My hair never grew before.”

Nina - “Oh, really? Well it’s not that scary (though you better keep a check on your pubic hair just in case that starts growing awkwardly). Just relax and follow Tomoyo’s
instructions and you’ll do fine.”

Mirra, already not looking all that comfortable after Nina‘s comments, said only “Right.”

Minutes later Sakura steps down (with a loving kiss from Tomoyo) and it’s Mirra’s turn.

“It’s your first trim so I’m going to just even up the ends and not do too much first time out. Is that OK with you?”

“--o---o---okay---” Mirra stammers.
As Mirra relaxes, and lets Tomoyo work, her cheeks redden.
‘If only it was Hikaru-chan, I’d be in HEAVEN!! Sigh---’

Eliza walks in with sodas for everyone. “Command sent a new batch of things to watch on the cinema mode of the holochamber. Why don’t we take a break tonight , pick some movies, and watch them?”

Nina - “Sounds like a plan to me, eh?”

“There isn’t another thing about me in there---” Sakura lament.

Tomoyo - “But Sakura-chan, you’re my favorite movie star!”

“---tomo-chan---”(Sakura blushes from the compliment)

* * * * * *

Outside, watching from the backyard lawn, she watches them talking as Tomoyo continues to cut Mirra’s hair for her.

“Voyeurism isn’t something the school board approves of.”

Kaho Mitsuki sighs as she already knows who’s behind her, but only by voice recognition.

“Of all the people in the world, you’re the only one who still manages to surprise even me.”

“What can I say? I don’t like people knowing what I’m going to do before I do it.” Keiko hisses, stepping out from her hiding place as she does. “Shocked?”

“I saw you inside waiting for Mirra-chan.”

Keiko - “Oh, that…”

* * * * * *

Eve gingerly pulls the illusion ring off, Keiko’s form sliding away as her own returns.

“I can never get used to Keiko’s short buzzcut hair---” (runs a hand through her long flowing hair) “Though it is dreadfully cute on her.”

* * * * * *

Keiko - “I thought we agreed you would NOT make a repeat performance?”

Kaho frowned, “At no point did I ever promise I wouldn’t return.”

Keiko - “At no point did you ever NOT promise to stay out of the way either! Or don’t you remember the long chain of chaos you strung in your path that I had to clean up to even come near to the peace we’re in now.”

Kaho - “Your still angry over the---”

Keiko - “Yes I’m still angry over the 53rd Card incident. Why shouldn’t I be?” (watches Ms. Mitsuki walk past her) “You know as well as I do that there should NEVER have been a 53rd card! And where do you think you’re going? I could just as well call for Tomoyo’s body---” (Ms. Mitsuki draws a door handle from her pocket, clicks it into the wall leading to the street, and turns the handle opening a door inside the wall. With wide eyes, Keiko watches Kaho step through the door, and close it behind her, handle disappearing.)

“---Dimensional Door Handle. Sheesh---” (silence is all that remains as Keiko looks about at the now empty garden) “---she’s been shopping at all the right places lately.”

* * * * * *

The next day (Northwest High)

Nina runs her hand through her hair again as she looks about herself, hand poised to open the door to the janitorial room, “Slick.” she silently whispers (mostly to admire her hair again) as she opens the door, however not unseen as someone rounds the corner as she enters.

“Hey! That’s restricted! You can’t go in there!” (opens door) “You have to…” (Nothing inside) “…come out of---?”

Below the school, the hidden elevator stops at the Command level letting Nina out.

Eliza - “So did you…?”

“Of course.” (pulls fast food breakfast out of pouch she had slung over her shoulder) “Breakfast.”

As the two sit down in the monitoring room, Eliza pokes her food abit. “Considering our occupation maybe we should eat a healthier (or at least homemade) breakfast more often.”

Nina - “Blame Sakura, not me. She changed the time on my alarm clock (mostly out of spite for all the times I called her Snoozer) so it’s her fault we’re late.”

“Nina, didn’t you change the time yourself so you could sleep later on weekend and forgot…”

Nina - “Do you want to eat breakfast, or accuse me of making us late?”

“Sorry.” Eliza apologizes as Nina reaches over and taps a button. “Let’s see how the evolving soap opera of two young Elementary school kids in love is going.”

Eliza facefaults, “Your not going to spy on Sakura again are you?”

Mirra - “Good morning!”

Hikaru - “Good morning, Mirra!”

Nina - “What! What’s wrong with “As Mirra-chan Turns”?”

Eliza - “You’re a dreadfully finicky “soap opera” watcher. Last week it was “All My Clow Cards”, and now this… no shame, huh?”

Nina - “And the week before that it was “General Mirra-chan”. Yeah. Do you mind? I’m watching--- stop being such a dreadful stick in the mud.”

Hikaru - “Uh---Mirra? Did you go to Neko Toys at the mall yesterday?”

“Phwee?” (Mirra was getting good at ‘mirroring’ some of the quirky traits of her “father” Sakura) “No. I went grocery shopping then watched movies with my family at home. Why?”

Hikaru - “That’s good to know. It wasn’t you after all.”

Mirra, Nina & Eliza all blank out. “?”

Mirra - “What do you mean?”

“Somebody who looked a lot like you pushed over a display in front of the store.”

Nina was already on it. “Accessing mall security cameras. It’s going to take a minute so we might as well listen to abit more before I put my report together and call Sakura about it.”

Mirra - “…Tomoyo-mama… cut my hair for me.”

At that Hikaru blushes abit, and is lead to the side by Mirra where the two talk in low whispers and seem to draw closer and closer with each word.

Nina - “Eh? Computer! Focus on Mirra and increase volume!”

“Increasing volume and focusing.”

“Aren’t you going to check the security footage instead of try to pry into Mirra‘s lovelive?”
Eliza surmises.

Nina - “Yeah, yeah, but right now I wanna see if they’re going to make out yet!”

Eliza face faults, “---nina---”

“Security Camera Footage Obtained. Standing By.“

“Damn.” (switches to computer link) “So much for that. Scan for anyone resembling Mirra in the footage and alert me when you have a match.”

“Affirmative. Search will take 5.7 minutes to compare footage via
search parameters.“

“Take your time, take your time---” Nina leans back into her chair, her eyes focused on the huge screen before her, “I have all the time in the world---” (goes back to eating)

Eliza - “Is it---”

Nina - “We’ll see soon enough, we’ll see soon enough.”

To Be Continued

CardCaptor Sakura Remastered II Episode 2 (10)

Beneath Northwest High
Within the newly renamed Project-Sakura (formerly an old Judgment monitoring station)
Within the heavily fortified holochamber training room within the complex.

Eliza removes her uniform jacket, tossing it onto the chair to the side of the room. The only things “Active” in the holo sim being a pop-up target array set to the far wall, a chair, and a back-barrier (with Crystal Tritanium windows) set across the doorway out just in case somebody entered while she was training. Garbed in the durable cloth of her Alliance uniform, she shakes off her tension and relaxes her muscles as she prepares to move.

One hand carefully slides the headpiece into place, one finger pushing one of the buttons as it clicks into her wetware jacks behind her ears. As she waits for it to start, she slowly build starts up power. When she talked about her powers earlier (at the Taste of Tokyo event)
she didn’t say everything about it. She is a specific type of spell caster. A SpellThrasher.

Unlike other magical disciplines, SpellThrashers use music in concert with their spell casting for stronger and more potent effects. The music ranges for each SpellThrasher, by taste and by the situation. For Eliza, nothing else quite works for her when she’s in attack mode (or training mode) like hard and loud instrumental heavy/acid metal. No words, just music,
because she doesn’t like words. They throw her spell casting off.

For long seconds nothing, but it slowly begins to build and grow as the music starts. For warm-ups she always uses a slow to start song, something quiet and builds (as she builds power) to get her warmed up.
As she powers up she begins casting simple defense spells to prepare for training.

Spellcasting for Spell Thrasher & Guardian types come in two varieties. Mental casting which require slight vocalization of spell names and incantations requiring mental imagery of spell effects, and hasty spells which require the quick short hand writing (with an air-writing
ring) combined with sharp verbal chants and vocalizations to trigger the rune spell‘s effects.
Each had their own advantage and disadvantage in equal amounts. While hasty spells are faster, they also tend to telegraph a caster’s intent from a mile away (and the caster needs to be highly literate as written components of the spells often needed to be complex to trigger complex spells). This meant the spell took several seconds to “scratch” out, giving the intended target a chance to dodge or counter the spell (if they were familiar with the runes that were being cast). The harder mental casting takes a few more seconds, and more concentration, but keeps spells hidden and “under the table” so they are less likely to be countered by a rival SpellThrasher with a sharp attention span.

Eliza focuses the image of a small sphere inside of herself, and takes a deep breath as she whispers “Novashields.” As she exhales, she imagines the bubble expanding about her to form an unbreakable barrier between herself and her targets, which goes up instantly and flawlessly.

As the music jacks into high gear, she slams her powers into overdrive creating an “aura burn” (a powerful blast of energy with it’s own deflective properties) similar to what one might see in DBZ, for instance. Quickly she scans the target “range” and waits for a target.
As one pops up she quickly snaps an arm out and fires off a quick spell shot. Nothing fancy, just a quick shot of energy to snap the target in half.

The second, third, fourth and fifth targets also fall just as easily, with very little effort.

As the music fills her head and continues to jam and roar about her she becomes more serious, flexing her right hand as she waits for several targets to pop up at once. Quickly raising her hand into the air she focuses her energy into it, forming a disc in the palm of her
hand, expanding it as she focuses.

“Eviscerator Disc.”

As she spins about she whirls the disc at one end of the targets, keeping it’s trajectory locked into her mind. As it spins to one side she quickly yanks it across the room with her mind (and the guiding focus of her right hand out, at all times aimed at the disc as it
moves) slashing the targets apart, shattering as the disc hit’s the hard spell-proof wall on the opposite end of the room.

As she waits for songs to change and a new song to begin she mildly shoots off a few more shots, getting her timing right and the kinks out.
Nina was right. Taking some time every few days to come down here to give her powers a workout was doing wonders for her. Ever since she started doing it she’s felt more energetic, and felt more active. She had been sitting on her powers for too long since she got there, and let them simmer as she watched Sakura do all the work, but this (now
that she was giving her powers a working) felt great! She didn’t plan to change her policy and try to outdo Sakura in Cardcaptoring, but she liked the idea of giving her powers a bi-weekly workout. It felt liberating in a sense.

As the music started again, loud and in her face, she thrust both arms back abit (hands clenched) and began to power up, focusing all her energy into her hands charging them. She clenched her teeth as she focused, aiming dead center of the targets. “GATTICA GUN!!” With that she exhaled, jamming her arms forward to unleash a bright roar of energy. The energy shot forward, slashing through the middle target, obliterating the other targets with the energy backlash as it hit the far wall. Suddenly the energy bounced back, not dispersed like the Eviscerator disc as it hit the anti-magic shell wall. Eliza smiled as
it came at her. “REFLECT!” She catches the energy on her shields, adding energy to the shields to bounce the energy back. As it reflects, the shields ripple where the blast hit (like water on a still pond when a rock hit’s the surface). The energy bounces off the
ceiling, into the far wall and back again. “Better blast it before---”

“Eliza!!! Are you blaring that music through your skull ag---” (Nina was walking through the blast doors)

“NINA?!?”
The shot was powerful. Powerful enough to shatter the back barrier and kill her. Quickly Eliza jumped forward bracing herself as she shot out her energy in one shot to catch the “gunshot” in mid-flight. The two colliding energies detonate and throw Eliza backwards, over the barrier, and into Nina knocking both women out into the hallway.

Eliza, weary, sits up shaking her head as she shuts the music off (removing the headset as she does). “Nina? Sorry, I forgot to lock the door again. I know you told me not to do that, and I could have gotten you---” (she stops, face faulting) “---Nina?”

“---” (Nina was in no condition to speak, her eyes were spinning and she was sweat dropping while in a half conscious state, the world spinning as she reeled from being bowled over by Eliza.) “Uh boy. Nina? I’m sorry! I--- wanna go to the Medico Bay?”

“---”

“I’ll take that as a yes.” (Eliza quickly lugs Nina up on her shoulders, crying as she rushes Nina to the Medico Bay) “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’ll put that Do Not Disturb sign like you asked! I’ll lock the door (I always forget to do that) next time!” (blushes) “I’ll even load that Lesbian Cruise program you always wanted and we’ll spend more time playing! Alright?”

“Mphtpmaptham.”

“I’ll take that as you being happy--- I hope.” (sweat drops). “---hope it‘s a friendly cruise---”

* * * * * *

Meanwhile, back topside (in Sakura’s class)

“I heard Mr. Terada got married during Summer break.”

“Your kidding!” Sakura couldn’t believe her ears (obviously) “To who, Chiharu! Who?”

Chiharu shook her head, “I don’t know. Everyone’s hush-hush about it. But he came back a few days ago so he could be here for the first day back so I guess we’ll find out soon.”

Sakura walks over to Tomoyo as they talk about the latest gossip, “Mr. Terada did seem rather occupied during the past semester.” Tomoyo noted, “I guess the pending wedding was distracting him. But I’d like to know who he got married to.”

“I know, Tomoyo, I know! It must be one of the teachers! Maybe the new math teacher?”

Tomoyo - “I don’t think so. She’s already married.”

Sakura - “Oh. Then who?”

Tomoyo - “Guess we’ll find out--- oh, hi Rika.”

“Hi.” (Rika, smiling from ear to ear, enters the class) “How was summer break for you two?”

“Nice. We saw movies and did shopping and stuff.” Sakura beamed, looking over at Rika’s smiling face. “You seem happy. Did you have fun during break?”

“Is it that obvious? It was heaven. Very beautiful, and it’ll only get better each and every day. I know it will.”

“Phwee? What---” (pointing at ring) “You got a new ring? It’s beautiful! Where’d you get it?”

“This?” (Rika suddenly blushes as she fingers her new ring) “It’s a commitment.”

“?” (Sakura looks confused) “Commitment?” (blinks then facefaults) “Oh by the way, did you hear about Mr. Terada? He got…”

“Morning, everyone! Take your seats please!” (Mr. Terada)

As everyone moves to their seats Sakura catches Mr. Terada & Rika exchanging glances, and smiles at each other. ‘Rika must have been the flower girl at Mr. Terada’s wedding.’ Sakura thinks to herself, turning her attention back to Mr. Terada. ‘Have to ask her who Mr. Terada got married to since she knows all the details.’

“Good morning everyone. Hope you had a good break. I have an announcement to make. Today we have a new Student Teacher, she’ll be teaching you history while Mr. Tetsuo is on leave.”

“Strange timing for a leave of absence.” Tomoyo remarks as everyone’s eyes turns towards the door, and Mr. Terada continues, “So let’s all give her a warm welcome as she joins us for the first time today. You can come in now---”

As the door opens in walks a tall young woman. She has shoulder length black hair, and a strong yet light build denoting both speed and strength. Her eyes slowly pan the room examining everything, eventually falling on Sakura and focusing on her exclusively, gaze locking in on her.

“This is Rebecca Summers. She’s a local Tokyo-ite, she’ll be teaching history.”

“Sakura.” (Tomoyo) “Is it me or is the new history teacher staring at you?”

Sakura - “Y-yeah--- I noticed.”

Mr. Terada - “Be nice to her, OK? We’ll see you later then.”

“Of course.” Rebecca remarks warmly, turning to leave, but not before giving Sakura one last gaze. “I’ll treat them all like family.”

Sakura - “???”

Tomoyo only smiled at the attention, “I think the new teacher has a fixation on you, Sakura.”

If this was meant to comfort Sakura it didn‘t work. “Oh, man.”

* * * * * *

And, as it turns out, Rebecca’s class is the last one of the day.

Sakura didn’t know what was worst, the long lectures or the piercing gazes she got from the teacher at times just because she was who she was (Sakura).

“In 1946 the Goddess of Judgments first assembled what we know today as the Kamikaze Corps. The Corps, made entirely of redemption seeking Japanese soldiers and officers when they were alive in the Waking World, became a policing force against Darklings and rogue dreamers. Over time they eventually found peace with themselves and their new world, and began to make lives for themselves here. Mostly single men, they started pairing off and eventually became fathers themselves.

This of course eventually lead to the 1975 Kamikaze Run incident in which a former Corps. Lieutenant organized an strike team of old Corps members after his daughter was kidnapped by darklings who sought to reestablish the forbidden “Comfort Women” program. The “program” (as it were) which ran during World War II in the waking world, was banned
in the Heavens’ Judgment Decrees of 1947 which forged the rules of conduct that later became part of the basis of the Galactic Assassin Guild‘s “Code“ of conduct wherein---” (bell) “---and that’s it for today.” (closes book) “Tomorrow we’ll touch on the Comfort Women “program“ and it‘s existence in several realities before, during and past WWII, it’s significance to the later Guardian Corps. We’ll also talk about it’s eventual banning, and the subsequent ‘75 Kamikaze Run incident sparked by it’s attempted revival for tomorrow’s class. That’s that so everyone grab their gear and dismissed.” (turns to Sakura) “Can I see you outside? I’d like to chat with you.”

Sakura face faults.

* * * * * *

“Uuhh--- I was paying attention in class. Really--- ask me any---”

Rebecca reaches into her top, pulling it open slightly to reveal a jet black uniform top, “If I didn’t have to wear this annoying skirt I’d have my full uniform on…” (as she brushes her hand across a jewel set into her uniform a spark of energy leaps out, and forms into a
Glock in her hand. As she draws the gun forward she clicks the hammer into place and points it right at Sakura, “Alright let’s make this short and done with.“

With that the gun flashed and cracked twice, the charges stopping midair as Sakura’s water ring sprung to life without warning, blocking the shots with an impenetrable water globe that stopped the slugs short. Just as quickly as it came, the shield dispersed… just leaving enough hints to show that it could just as well reform again if need be.

Suddenly, with a slight hiss, she jumps back gun still at the ready. “SO IT’S TRUE!
YOU ARE THE ONE! THAT RING… That’d be the Water Ring I suppose, from the reports.”

Sakura, shellshocked, could only mutter “W-what?!?” as she stood there shaking.

Rebecca snarled at her as she glared hatefully, “What did you think!? That you were above the law?? That you could run willy nilly and everything would be forgiven because you’re the savior who will protect the world from the cards?!?” (Rebecca’s face darkened as she stares as Sakura viciously, hand thrusted out) “Fly card! Give it to me! NOW!!”

Sakura - “Buw h-how?”

Rebecca - “I know all about you already, you and your cards… including the monster that imprisoned my lover! Tortured her! Molested her when she was suffering the most, and nearly destroyed her!” (Rebecca paced, but not enough to waiver her gun’s lock on Sakura) “They all thought they knew better than me! BETTER THAN ME! I just didn’t have the last bits of info I needed until now. They can’t hide you from me anymore, the 5TH JUDGMENT!! You and your perverted monsters are going to PAY for what you did to her! PAY! Now, once again, give me Fly! Now!”

Sakura shook her head as she tried to back away from Rebecca, “No. I can’t. It’s my responsibility to return them to Star cards.”
PAKT! Rebecca shot again, to insure Sakura didn’t try to run. The bullet went wide, but made her point abundantly clear. “And what makes you think someone else can’t do that?” Rena
challenges, “Your so full of yourself you can’t possibly imagine someone else is capable of doing your job, let alone doing it better! But it‘s not like I care, I want that monster your hiding and I want it NOW!!”

“Fly is NOT a monster!“ Sakura protested, “It was hurt! It didn’t understand! It didn’t mean to hurt her! If you’d only…“
PAKT! (This shot was closer)
“STOP TELLING ME WHAT I SHOULD OR SHOULDN’T DO!!“ she shrieked in rage, “Such self importance! You really believe all that spiel that’s been fed into your head! What arrogance! That thing is a MONSTER and it should be DESTROYED!!“ Rebecca quickly moves, grabbing Sakura’s wrist hard. “You don’t know what your DEALING WITH! I’m the 5th DAMN JUDGEMENT and I want THAT CARD RIGHT NOW!!!”

“NO!!” Sakura cried, struggling as she knew Rebecca had just raised the gun over her head, coming close to aiming it point blank at her, “STOP!! DON’T!! PLEASE LET GO!!”

Suddenly a blur rushes between them, grabbing by the uniform. “STOP!! LET HER GO!!”

Rebecca lashes out, screaming as she knocks her attacker away with her gunhand. As Sakura turns to look, her eyes go wide with shock as she watches Tomoyo hit the ground near her, “TOMO-CHAN!!”

“GIVE ME THAT--”
Rebecca suddenly stops, her muscles seizing up as someone grabs her neck from behind. With little effort, Keiko pulls Rebecca backwards, freeing Sakura from her grasp. As she falls free, Sakura quickly rushes to Tomoyo’s side, crying. “Tomo-chan! Are you hurt? Are
you OK? Tomo-chan!”

Tomoyo, pulling herself to a sitting position, smiles as she gently gathers Sakura into her strong arms hugging the distraught girl, “I’m alright, Sakura-chan, don’t cry…” (pulls the teary-eyed Sakura into her arms) “Just as long as your safe… that’s all that matters… please don’t cry…”

Keiko, however, was angry beyond words as she spun Rebecca around and stared at her only to get the gun shoved into her face in turn.
Keiko - “Never EVER touch Sakura or Tomoyo again! NEVER!!”

Rebecca - “Bitch!”

Rebecca suddenly grabs Keiko’s arm, using Keiko’s strong grip and steady arm to give herself enough leverage to swing her knee up and into Keiko‘s body, who barely manages to deflect the blow knocking both Judgments apart. As they gather their wits Keiko draw her blade as Rebecca aims again with her gun. “Somebody should have told you not to take a butter knife to a gunfight!“ she yelled.

Keiko wasn‘t backing down so easily, “I don’t know what the hell you think your doing, whore, but I’m going to make you regret crossing me!”

Rebecca - “I don’t have time for you. Get out of my way, or do you now coddle and support monsters and woman rapers now?!?“

Keiko frowned, “What the hell are you ramblin--”

“LUNCH!! HEY YOU TWO WE GOT LUNCH!!” (Eve & a strangely familiar elf girl jumps over the fence to meet the two)

Keiko - “---Eve?!?”

Rebecca facefaults, “Trinny?!?”

As both girls step between them the two stare at them oddly.

Rebecca - “Trinny I thought you were spending the day with your cousin!”

She didn‘t stop for a second, quickly the elf advanced right on Rebecca and slapped her hard, her hand then quickly yanks the gun from her hand and pulls Rebecca in close. Shocked, Rebecca could only stare teary eyed into her lover‘s face.
“Don‘t do this.”

Rebecca‘s body trembled, “S-sh-she hurt you… that…“

Trinity shook her head, “I hurt myself. I broke our wedding vows of my own free will.“ (Rebecca shook her head and cried “no” over and over softly as Trinity spoke, “I went out and slutted around with men like a twobit whore because I was weak. I prostituted myself and shamed myself and…“ (shakes Rebecca) “Stop it! Stop making excuses for me! I did that and I can’t let you do this because of my weakness!“

Rebecca - “It’s HER! IT’S HER! SHE DID IT!!” (struggles to break free of Trinity but slowly weakens in her grip) “Stop forgiving her! She did it… she did it…”

“No.” she said again, “I did it. I did it…” (Rebecca & Trinity both hug each other crying) “Why won‘t you stop holding me on such high regards!! I don‘t deserve it!”

For all watching, nothing could be said as they watched silently.

* * * * * *

Back at the Daidouji estates Tomoyo made herself and Sakura dinner up in Sakura’s “lab”.
It took awhile for them to recover from the incident after school, now they were really hungry after all the lying in bed and hugging and comforting.

Sakura - “Did you talk to Nina about the new teacher?” (gulps) “She isn’t going to threaten to kill me everyday is she?”

Tomoyo - “Keiko promises she’ll not do that again, she and her lover had a long talk and they eventually came to an understanding. As for Nina? She didn’t pick up. She must be working late and fell asleep.”

Sakura sighs, “And she has the nerve to call me Snoozer all the time.” (picks up a pocky stick and chews on it) “She’ll probably remember to call when we’re all sleeping.“

Suddenly Nina, stuffing her face with snacks, walks into the kitchen. “Hey.”

Sakura - “Hello, sleepy head. Have a good nap?”

Nina - “I was working so get off my back Snoozer.”

“Your Snoozer, Snoozer. And some work too---” Sakura snipped back, relishing in this one chance she got to get on Nina’s back and have a good reason for doing so. But that quickly faded as she realized what she wanted to talk about. “DO YOU KNOW A WOMAN NAMED REBECCA SUMMERS?!?”

That just about puts Nina on her butt and shaves a few months off her life (from the shock). Nina frowns, dusts herself off, and sits down in a chair (still eating) “What she look like? Describe her.”

* * * * * *

“According to the records she is the 5th Judgement, as stated.” Nina remarks as she chews on dinner, “Elfgirl lover who you met, because she was the one imprisoned in Fly when we caught it. Short fuse temper, has been written up several times by the Judgement Corps for excessive force. Instead of using a blade she employs a pair of custom spell-scribed Glocks (the infamous “plastic guns”) which have the same invincibility runes scrolled into the metal like Keiko’s katana (which makes it unbreakable) while the gun seems to fire an unlimited amount of either normal ArmorBreakers or “SpellAirius” spellbreaker ammo that can harm magical entities (like Fly).” (Nina sighs) “Having her on your enemies list is not a good thing.”

“Why?” (Tomoyo, speaking up for the first time this conversation as she & Sakura ate)

“She’s a horribly disfunctional personality according to records. Once she is hellbent on something she doesn’t let up. She…“ (sighs) “…didn’t try anything crazy with you, did she?“

Tomoyo - “She tried to put a bullet through Sakura’s head. But Keiko said she gotten over that and is going to leave Sakura alone.“

Nina - “Good luck. She might not be trying to kill Sakura anymore but that won’t mean she’ll let the topic of Fly go, not by a long shot. She‘s going to find a way to get Fly even if it kills her, you‘ll see.”

Sakura - “BUT DOES THAT MEAN SHE’S GOING TO DESTROY FLY?!? WHAT DO I DO?? WHAT IF SHE TRIES TO HURT TOMOYO TO GET TO FLY??”

Nina blinks, “Your full of punch today, guess I can‘t blame you since somebody tried to blow your non-existant brains out of your empty head.” (sighs at the lack of reaction from Sakura) “Tomoyo is safe. Her elfgirl lover will not forgive Rebecca if she murdered in her name so she’s going to keep her violence to Fly alone. Tomoyo won’t be harmed.“

Sakura - “R-r-really?”

Nina - “Sure. She’ll probably just pick your pocket and shove Fly into a paper shredder, or burn it in an incinerator or…“ (sighs) “…and from the sad sad face on you I bet I shouldn’t have said all that.“ Nina opens the fridge (having stood up to pace while Tomoyo calmed Sakura down again) “I guess the only thing you can do is appeal to this elfgirl lover of her’s, and convince her that Fly is harmless. Once you do that she’ll convince Rebecca and problem solved. Rebecca has no desire to alienate her lover, and if her lover is convinced Fly is harmless then Rebecca will be convinced.” (waves hand) “Anyway I heard Keiko mention something about Rebecca ranting that you weren’t the one for the cardcaptoring thing. Don’t listen to her, it’s your destiny to reseal those cards. Only you, the one who originally did the deed in the past, can do this job. Nobody else is up to it, and not even the most powerful amongst the Guardian classes can do this job. This is specifically your task, and the cards already have your name on them (twice) so they know you.” (points at Crème Brulle in her hands) “Just like this piece of food product is a job only I can undertake. Nobody else is up to the task of eating this…” (smiles) “…under penalty of death.”

Sakura - “I put Tomoyo’s name on them too.”

“What?” Nina’s face frowns, “Not on my Crème Bru--“ (looks) “…oh, wait, you mean the cards don’t you…“ (sighs) “Do they listen to her too now?”

Sakura - “Yes.”

Nina thinks for a second, “That’s not surprising. You two are deeply in love. The cards pick up on that depth of affection and simply “adopted” Tomoyo as their surrogate “mistress” along with yourself, and are willing to obey her as well as you because you two are so close.”

Tomoyo looks at Sakura in a bit of confusion, “So your saying I can use the Clow cards?”

Nina - “Once they’re sealed? Yeah. You already helped Sakura use the sealing staff once with Shadow / Fear so it makes sense that you can use the cards. They love Sakura, and she loves you, so it’s natural the cards would transfer that chain into their expressing love to you as Sakura (who they love) loves you in turn. You understand?”

“----” (Sakura looks perplexed by the ramblings of Nina)

“You’re the one who said she could use the cards yet look so “deer in headlights”-ish when I try to explain the specifics of it. Never mind.” (Nina sits down, Crème Brulle in hand) “So how did Rebecca find you anyway?”

Sakura - “?!?“ (blanks out) “She never said.“

“Ogh. That’s bad.” (Nina leans back taking a sip) “It’s bad enough when they brag and show their magical wears, but to completely keep her methods silent like that is troublesome. It’s not like we filed a ton of reports with your physical address or anything making it easy to hunt you down… she must have used her clout as the 5th Judgement to get into Government records to find your whereabouts (and the fact you were connected to the cards).“

Sakura - “But--- the first time the Clow cards were released there was this whole thing about a great disaster. I didn’t like how things almost ended the first time because of the cards---” (looks sad) “---it won’t happen again, will it? Will--- I DON’T WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT!!”

Tomoyo - “Sakura-chan---”

Sakura - “I DON’T WANT TO FALL IN LOVE WITH TOMOYO ONLY TO LOSE HER!!”

Tomoyo slides up next to Sakura, gently taking the distraught girl into her arms as she rocks her beloved’s fears away. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m right here--- I won’t leave you.”

“It’s probably nothing like that.” Nina remarks, “Events like that only happen once. They’re tied directly into situations that happened the first time around, so there won’t be a repeat of those things again. Anyway you found your love with Tomoyo at your darkest hour, right? You won’t lose it no matter what happens.”

“Thank god!” (Sakura hugs Tomoyo as both girls pat each other on the backs)

“Now---” (intercom goes off) “---what’s that?”

“Doorbell. Somebody’s here.” (Tomoyo)

“I’ll go check it out.” Nina stands up and heads out the door. As she walks downstairs to the door Nina’s features turn graven, “On the other hand--- if THEY get involved things could be more complicated than any of us could even imagine---” (sighs) “Alright! Alright! I’m here!!” (clicks on security monitor) “Don’t get your panties in a bunch! Now let’s see---” (looks at image) “Eliza? Sheesh.” (opens door) “Eliza! You have the key, why didn’t you let yourself in? Come here silly---” Nina gives Eliza a hug. “You had me worried! I thought it was a door-to-door salesman or something! I---”

SHRRICCKK!

Nina’s eyes go wide, her limbs stiffen abit. She leans against Eliza as she looks down, and notices the blade sticking through her side. “----”

With a thrust of one hand Eliza throws Nina back, watching the girl slam into the floor, breath escaping as she is knocked senseless.

“Nina? Whose down there? Ni---”
Sakura stops at the foot of the stairs as Eliza turns on her, sword in hand, Nina lying before her holding onto her side as she slowly bleeds on the floor.

To Be Continued

Preview of Trial of Fire and Darkness (Part 1)

Trial of Fire and Darkness Preview
Chapter 9

Mr. Weasley woke up after only a few hours sleep. Wearily he looked about the tent, making sure eveyrone was there and in their place. One quick look however turned up one fact, two of their number were gone. Quickly he stumbled outside only to see the missing two in the distance sitting on top of a small pile of materials stacked into a seating arrangement. From one side an older wizard named Finnigian gently grasped Arthur’s arm, “Leave her be, Arthur, she’s worn out.”

True to word Alicia did look just that. Sitting there staring vacantly at the surroundings, she was being comforted by Hermione (who had wrapped one of the blankets from the tent around them as she cuddled close from behind, keeping them warm). “She’s been at it all night,” Finnigian continued, “Hasn’t slept a wink she has. I don’t know how we could have gotten through sorting together the remains of those bastards she off’d as quickly as we did, and with such an orderly manner!” (Arthur turned back to wake the others) “Who’d have thought the Muggles had that kind of skills. What with them and that there “Forceptics”…”

“Forensics.” Arthur whispered as he entered the tent, “It’s called Forensics.”

* * * * * * *

“Thank you…” Alicia muttered numbly, her gaze barely lifting from it’s straight path.

“For what.” Hermione asked, eyes fluttering open abit realizing she had fallen asleep holding onto Alicia. “You looked as if you needed a hug.”

“Yeah…” (smiles as she turns towards Hermione) “…I guess I did… maybe a bit more…”
Slowly she leans towards her, hesistant, only to feel Hermione respond by pressing herself into her arms, kissing her fully on the lips rousing her into full awakeness.

As she held Hermione close, kissing her, briefly memory of what happened brushed her thoughts.

* * * * * *

Driven out of the tent Alicia quickly looked for the source of the commotion, eyes scanning the area quickly. By the lights of the few fires that were still burning, she could see people fleeing from something by heading into the woods, something that was moving through the field towards them. This threat flashed oddly, weird lights that flickered like the navigational beacons of a starship set for Christmas observance along with the krakt of gunfire that could not possibly be gunfire. Loud jeering, roars of laughter, and drunken yells were drifting towards them. Then came a burst of strong green light, which illuminated the scene and a deathly ill that overcame her almost immediately. Somebody had just died.

A large gathering of dark robed wizards, tightly packed and moving together like a moving target (wands pointed upwards as if surrendering or saluting some monsterous evil) was marching towards them, slowly across the field. Alicia summoned her armor, her riotarmor helmet sliding into place tempoarily blocking her view as her visor clicked on and gave her access to it’s binoculars mode.
Click. 2x magnification. Click. 4x magnification.
Their heads were masked in dark hood and skull masks, befitting their twisted nature. High above them, floating along in midair, four struggling figures were being contorted into grotesque shapes. It was as though the masked wizards on the ground was bending them like clay to their twisted wills. Two of the figures were obviously halflings from the Southern Nations who still had cities in the vast protected forests of South America (in which part of their trade with the other races consisted of the trade of natural resources they had no use for in exchange for protection of their Nations from human expansion), but the other two made Alicia gulp hard.

More wizards were joining the marching band of evil, laughing and pointing up at the floating bodies. Tents crumpled and fell as the marching crowd swelled in size. The screaming grew louder.
It was the sight of the floating couple, however, that caught her attention the most. The Alliance Officer supervising the Quidditch World Cup on behalf of Lazarus, Mr. Anderson, was one of them. The other was his elvin wife who held her voice silent, somehow remaining the calmest of them all despite the things they did to her. She had only eyes for her husband, and did not flinch once from gazing towards him no matter what they did to her. One of the marchers below flipped her upside down with his wand, her nightie falling free of her body revealing her beautiful nude form. She did not flinch, nor did she attempt to cover herself, she simply stared onwards at her mate and whispered “I love you.” even as the crowd screeched and hooted with glee at her nudity.

“That’s bloody sick of them.” Ron muttered, unable to tear his gaze away from her nudity as much as the other males who tormented her. As one of the other wizards began to spin one of the two female halfings about like a top, her head flopping limply from side to side, Ron said “That is really sick…”

One of the other wizards motioned his wand towards Mrs. Anderson and saying out loud, “I want the bitch. Bring her down here so I can take her like the whore she is.”
That, as they say, was that. Before Hermione could grab her she was already in motion, vanishing before her hand could grasp her.

The one who spoke was already pulling her robes apart, reaching for him undergarments. “Come on! I want to see just how well the little slut can suck my…”
And that is all he said.
His body seized, muscles locked, as his head snapped back in a silent agonizing scream. Seconds later his mask fell free and blood flowed out of his mouth, face frozen in shock. As Alicia kicked him forward, hand still clutching his heart that she had jammed her tritanium laced armor gauntlet through his torso to wretch free, she regarded them all with loathing.
Shocked, the others all stared at her confused. That didn’t last long as one of them took a large step back, as if familiar with her, as another stepped forward and screamed. “Who the he--”

With one motion Alicia tossed the slowing heart away as she tossed the dead wizard’s confiscated wand from one hand to the other, snapped her arm forward quickly to throw it through the mask of the approaching wizard bringing a fresh shriek as it sank through his eye. In a quick movement she was upon him, slamming her two hand energy blade (freshly charged) into his body arms crossing as she did, twisting slightly as she pulled her arms outwards to her sides quickly snapping him in a lopsided two parts.

Two more grabbed her, only to be shredded by her familyar cloak (hidden in her armor until needed), their bloodied corpses falling to the wayside as her large energy wings spread fully before the shocked Death Eaters. Her eyes then fell on the one who looked at her and seemingly recognized her, even as the others began to fall away and run for it. Quickly she was upon him fast, holding him in place by twisting one arm, her free hand reaching up to grasp his mask. As it fell away she noticed him right off, a smile crossing her lips as she stared at him. “Lucius… isn’t it?”

Lucius Malfoy glared at her, wincing under the pain of her grip as he struggled, “You don’t know what you’re doing…”

She pulled him towards her and kisses him hard, silencing his words as the kiss lingers for the longest time… as his blood pours into her mouth with the last dying rasps of his body’s life draining away from the energy blade jammed into his chest. Pushing him away she spits out the blood, wiping her mouth clean as she looked about the field as it rapidly emptied of all Death Eaters as they fled. She clenched her fists, worked out the kinks in her neck, and picked the farthest target to kill first.

“AVADA KEDAVRA!!”

From behind her she was struck down by a powerful bolt of green energy, knocking her face first into the ground. Stunned she stumbled trying to regain her feet, her senses suddenly going all to pot as everything in her head seemed to become muddled under the attack. The green flash, however, sparked something dim in her mind… it was the same as the killing blow that killed the person earlier that she felt. Which meant for all intents and purposes she should have been dead right now.
Her familiyar screamed in her mind, furthering her disorientation and confusing her, apparently it was also thrown for a loop by the blast and was reeling from it as she was. Everything spun and spun but as she stumbled about she felt someone draw close to her… right before she felt him kick her in the stomach, landing her into the soft ground as her consciousness fled her.

Part 2 Next Sunday