Card Captor Legacy - Chapter 1
Series: CardCaptor Sakura
Main Characters: Touya, Syaoran
Summary: In the future, the card mistress made sure her legacy would not fall into the wrong hands, but not even she could predict who would be the one to open the seal. Her family has guarded the book, but the time for a new card master has come. Are they ready?
Card Captor Legacy
Volume 1: Himitsu
Chapter 1: The Remaining Legacy
It was a rainy day on the city of Tokyo. Odd for a spring day, said some, others thought it a bad omen. Especially when there hadn't been any reports of rains announced. In a school somewhere in the city, life went about normal; students arrived with umbrellas while others were left at the main entrance by expensive cars. At the main building, in the principal's office, a tall chestnut brown-haired man looked at the arriving students with a worried frown.
"It's time for the seal to be broken" a dark-haired woman stood at the door.
"I disagree; it's too soon" he said, not looking back, "do you know who will open it?" he asked hesitantly.
"No, that's hard to see in this school; anyone could open it. Everyone is a potential candidate." She said approaching the man, and hugging him from behind.
"Makes me wonder why she left them here" he said, lying back to the embrace.
"You know that better than me. I am just telling you what I have foreseen."
"Then there's only one thing left to do. I have to prepare for the inevitable" he said as he left her gazing outside the window.
"And I have to call someone in China." She said, as he left her. She took the phone on the desk and called.
"Hello, this is the Li household. Who is it calling?" a female voice answered on the other end.
"I am calling from the Tsukimine High School in Japan. I need to speak with the head clan" the woman said on fluent chinese.
"The Lady isn't here right now; but you can speak freely with me, I am her daughter and the heir of the clan"
"Li Sun Rei, if I am not mistaken."
"Yes; but leaving all formalities aside, I assume you have more important things to say."
"You are right, I am in a hurry. Would you tell the Lady that the time for the heir of the Li clan to assist the school of magical arts has come? Everything will be ready for you, and she will know what I mean."
"Excuse me? Is this some kind of joke?"
"Don't worry, everything will be explained in due time; until you come to Japan, then."
And the line went dead. In the Cherry Tower, as it was called by many students, the man approached the altar that stood beside the ceremonial fireplace, and taking out an old key he recited:
“Key that hides the power of the sun, reveal your true form to me, I command thee under our contract! Release!”
A gush of magic came forth from the key as it transformed into a golden staff, tall as the owner who commanded it. The top had a sun with wave-like rays with a small ten-pointed silver star at the base of it on one side and a silver crescent moon the other side.
“Seal that binds the magic of ages, open to the one that has guarded you, reveal your true nature before me” he said, as a green magic circle appeared at his feet with the same sun at the center, with a star on the east and a crescent moon on the west. The altar then parted in half, revealing a smaller altar that held a pink leather book that read 'The Sakura'. Grabbing it, he felt with the tip of his fingers the texture of the book, tracing the outline of the golden lion on the top.
“Hello, Cerberus, it has been such a long time; I hope this time around you aren’t asleep on the watch”. Turning the book around he stared at the familiar magic circle and the winged crescent moon that harbored a five-pointed star in its center and sighed. “Yue-sama, everything will be very different this time around. I don’t think neither you nor I are ready for it. But it will come to happen, and I hope you won’t hate me for it.”
He placed the book back on the small altar, raising his staff up in the air, he recited the final spell.
Break the Seal
That holds the judge inside the book
Guardian of the cards
Born of the Moon and supported by the stars
Come forth and prepare for your duty
The time has come to pass
Release!
The green magic that came forth the staff merged with the pink magic that was coming out of the book, and became a pale white color as it united in a white circle above the altar. The swirling magic started forming the being that was inside and the book lowered itself back to the altar. Lowering the staff to the altar, the man commanded it to close again. Returning the staff to key, he waited for the guardian that was sealed to finish its formation. After a few minutes, the magic cocoon descended until it hit the ground. The wings opened up and the moon guardian fell completely to the ground, unconscious.
“I wonder if it was better for you to be unconscious than to see me,” He said as he kneeled upon the guardian. He was just as he remembered him.
“I shall leave you, Yue-sama, it’s in your best interests that I am not here when you wake up, and that way I won’t know what your false form will look like this time around. I am not supposed to intervene. You know you what to do.” He said softly and kissed the guardian’s forehead. Standing up he headed back to his office, not before closing the entrance to the tower behind him.
The warning bell sounded; only five minutes for the start of the new school year. A young dark-brown haired boy entered the school running as fast as he could. He had bright hazel eyes that contrasted with his dark unruly hair.
“Dammit I am late!” he yelled to the man that guarded the outside gates, as he was closing them. Letting him enter before he closed, the man turned to the running boy that was close to the main entrance.
“Kinomoto-san mind your language!” he yelled at the boy.
“Sorry, but it’s true!” was the only reply the man got from the boy as he rushed inside.
“That boy is lucky he is the principal’s son” the man muttered as the gates were closed.
Once inside, the boy entered to the Mirror building. He rushed to the second floor, looking for the right classroom. Of course, it wouldn’t have been a problem if the school didn’t have that obnoxious tradition of changing the homeroom classes each year. He finally reached the room 10-1 at the end of the hall.
He quickly got in, a sighing in relief as the teacher had not yet arrived. He leaned over the closed door to catch his breath. He didn’t realize, however, when the teacher opened the door behind him, and he fell to the ground. Everyone in the class turned around and laughed at the boy. He quickly stood up, apologized to the sensei, and headed to his chair, muttering curse words to some of the obnoxious class mates that laughed at him. As always his best friend had saved him a seat.
“Ohayou, Touya” the friendly girl greeted him as he sat down heavily.
“Ohayou, Mina” he replied, glad that she was assigned to the same class as he was. Tanaka Minako had been his best friend since the second grade. She was a tall girl, almost as tall as him, with long wavy red hair and navy blue eyes. They were inseparable and people often mistook them as a couple. But Touya couldn’t think of his best friend in the whole world in that way, and he was sure she didn’t think of him in that way either.
“Well, good morning students, it’s good to see you all again” the sensei greeted, as all the students who were still standing sat.
“Introductions are in order for those of you who are new this year. This is the Tsukimine High School, one of the most highly respectable schools in the country. Also, known to most of you and your relatives, the school is referred as the Tsukimine School of Magical Arts and Seers, the only school for the magical arts in this side of the world. The school is owned by the Kinomoto Clan of Japan, and has stood in these grounds ever since it was created, merely 233 years ago. You have all been accepted because of your rising magical abilities. Besides the normal courses from high school, you will also be taking divination, evocations, among other mystical arts. Each of you has a different ability and those abilities will all determine the classes you take. I’ll be handing the schedules to you in this hour. You will be divided by in two groups: Seers and Conjurers. If you don’t know to which group you belong, don’t worry, the schedule will state it. After this hour you are expected to show up to the next assigned magical class", she finished the speech and started calling out the students.
“Are there any new students in the class that she gave the long speech?” Touya asked his friend while taking out the latest book he had started reading.
“Some guys from normal schools, whose parents paid a lot to get them in here, and who probably don’t have any magical relations to base their status. My guess, spoiled brats who have decided that magic is their calling.” Minako replied coolly.
“Still they must have some skill if they are here…” the boy said, looking for the bookmark he had left in the book.
“Even so, they will probably start with basic courses, meaning they won’t really learn much of actual magic…Wannabes.” She said annoyed and Touya grinned as she did. When it came to magic, she was probably the most serious student on campus. Most people thought it was vanity, but Touya knew better. It was pressure; the pressure to be the best, that her family taught her being the only daughter of the Tanaka lineage. Something Touya knew a thing or two about.
“Tanaka Minako” the sensei called forth. Minako went to get her schedule and Touya kept on reading the ancient book. He was enthralled by it; he would have to show it later to Mina. After a while, though, Touya noticed his best friend hadn’t come back to sit, which only meant one thing: trouble.
“Kinomoto Touya” the sensei called and he headed to the teacher’s desk. Mina was still standing arguing with the teacher as Touya approached.
“This is utterly wrong! I got the grades last year to take the advanced courses this year. This is unacceptable!” Mina almost yelled at the sensei in her frustration. The sensei just listened as she handed Touya his schedule, and called forth the next student.
“How did you do?” Mina asked eying Touya’s schedule.
“The same as you, I am taking normal classes this year too,” Touya said, actually relieved he wouldn’t have to take those classes until next year.
“The school board has decided that instead of rushing the students into advanced classes, they would extend the current syllabus and make the courses more specific. It also helps as reinforcement to those who aren’t doing very well.” The sensei explained as a boy took his schedule from her. “But don’t worry Tanaka-san, many teachers will be doing special lectures throughout the year for more in-depth knowledge for those interested.”
“Hai, thanks sensei” she said as they both walked back to their chairs.
“We have Prescience IV together at 2:00 pm, and Divination II at 3:00pm” Mina said sitting down.
“Hai, but I have Incantations III at 10 AM, and Conjurations II at 11 AM.” He said while considering his schedule, “Anyways, it’s not like we have ever taken those classes together.”
She grinned at his observation. He made it every first day of school since they started high school. “I was hoping they would let us take Incantations’ and Divinations’ third course this year, but noooo they had to go and change the policies. I can’t believe I am stuck with their second courses.”
The bell rang, and the teacher left. All of the classes were received at homeroom, with the exception of those who had to be taken in the big halls, namely the magical ones. Before the math teacher arrived, however, a man entered the class room and everybody sat down immediately. He was a tall man, with chestnut-brown hair, and emerald colored eyes that hid behind glasses. His hair was short, but unruly and he wore a black suit complimented by a golden tie.
“Ohayou” he saluted the students, who immediately replied, “Ohayou, Kinomoto-sensei”
“Took your dad long enough” Mina whispered to Touya, who quickly hid the book he had been reading in his backpack. The man stared at his son and his friend and smiled.
“Hello everyone, I am the principal, Kinomoto Ren for those of you who don’t know me. I am glad to see most of you back in our school and to see new faces this year. This year, we have a new library wing open, and we have added archery to the sport choices for your extra-curricular activities. We also have a new student housing building in campus; you may want to check that out.” He said pausing, while the students commented to each other on the new features. “The Ceremonial Tower will be closed until the Nadeshiko Festival; no one is allowed entrance. Those who disobey will be expelled” he said, adding emphasis on the word will.
Of course, everyone went dead silent at the exclamation of the last command. A chill went down Touya’s back and he looked outside towards the Cherry Tower; Mina seemed to notice it. At that moment the math teacher entered the homeroom, and broke the silence.
“Ohayou, Kinomoto-sensei” he said saluting the principal, “I assume you are finishing with the New Year speech, just by looking at their faces”
“A good speech must cut to the heart of the matter and sound heartfully, while inspiring fear at the same time, Midori-san,” the principal said as the teacher laid his books on the desk and grinned at the students. “No need to scare them before going into algebraics, that’s just mean Ren-san”
“But that’s our job, isn’t it?” the principal said with an evil grin as Midori laughed at the man’s antics. “Well everyone, I hope this will be a great year for all of you, I know it will be very interesting.” Ren said before leaving the classroom.
“That was …weird.” Mina whispered to Touya who kept staring at the tower.
“I have to go there” he said to her, with resolution. “I know there’s something there I have to see”
“You shouldn’t,” she said, and he turned back instantly, “I have a bad feeling about that; besides, he was deadly serious, he could expel you.”
“I have to trust my instincts Mina, and they are telling me I have to go”
“And what about my instincts? If you go there, I have a feeling something will happen to you.”
“Then come with me after school.” He offered, but she refused, “Unlike you, I cannot argue my way out of expulsion”
“Coward” he muttered as the teacher glared at them to keep quiet.
At the same time, a certain guardian regained consciousness in the top of a tower. He rubbed his head as he looked at his surroundings: the altar he knew very well and the big fireplace used for prayers he had helped to build. He remembered then why he was out, and he couldn’t help but feel melancholic. Another master, another lifetime to suffer, another love to forget; but at least this time around he knew better. After all, the devil knows more because he's old rather than the devil.
He knew very well he had to change into a false form before somebody noticed his strange aura, or worse, somebody saw an angel in the ceremonial tower. Calling forth his magic, he was about to change when a woman called to him.
“Hello Yue”