Sakura, Syaoran, Tomoyo, etc. are about 14 years old right now. They go to Seijou Junior High… Touya and Yukito are in college, and they’re about 20-21.

Key:

(******)     =     scene change
(~~~~~~) =    flashback, or the “past” (you’ll get it when you read on)
 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“Kero-chan? Did we get drawn into the past again?” Sakura asked.

“It seems like we did,” Kero replied.

“This is kind of annoying. I wonder how this works,” a third voice said.

“HOE-E! A ghost!” Sakura exclaimed.

“Geez, it’s only me. I wonder how I got drawn in, when I’m not even at your house,” Syaoran said. He was holding a plate in one hand, and a towel in the other. Obviously, he was in the middle of washing dishes.

“Probably, there is some sort of connection, or something. Look!” Kero exclaimed.
 

A young man with a midnight blue cloak kneeled before an old man with a staff. The wizened man spoke, “Li Ryuuren, you were chosen to go to Japan, being the most powerful mage of your generation in our clan, and the only one to pass the Ordeal of Sorcery, successfully. Take your mission wisely and thoughtfully. You are to find the Five Force Scroll, which is most probable to be found in Clow Reed’s old house, in Tomoeda district, where he died. The Five Force Scroll will be the key to find where the Clow Cards are hidden. Once you have found the Clow, bring it back to Hong Kong, for our clan to guard, to prevent destruction.”

The old man then drew out a long, shimmering sword and placed the flat of it onto the younger man’s shoulder. “Take the Sword of the Li clan. It has been handed down for many generations, through your great ancestors. Use it well, to fight off any foes that may prevent your mission. Remember, accomplish your mission faithfully and hold honor to your name. You are a ‘chosen one.’ Take that liberty to excel your powers.”

“I’ll obey, Great-Uncle, head of the Elders.” Then, the young man stood up and received the glistening blade with two hands, and slid it into its sheath. He walked out of the room, passing quite close to where they were standing. Since the room was so dark, it was hard to see what his face looked like, yet he seemed only 2 to 4 years older than them, and his eyes were a startling midnight blue. For a moment, he seemed to stare at where Sakura, Syaoran, and Kero were, but then he brushed past them, with his tied back hair swishing past them.
 

“This is Hong Kong?” Sakura asked. “Wait. Isn’t that person the one that bumped into my mother?”

Syaoran murmured, “Well, this place looks awfully familiar. Actually, it looks like the House of the Elders of my clan, back in Hong Kong. And those words that the old man said… they sound awfully familiar.” Syaoran remembered the voice. “Li Syaoran, you were the chosen one… hold your family honor… follow your mission faithfully…” He clenched his eyes. I left all that behind…

Sakura rounded her eyes and asked, “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing.”
 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Syaoran groaned, “Where are we, now?”

“Well, we’re certainly not home,” Kero said.

They were standing in front of a great house. Stepping back, Sakura exclaimed, “Wait! Isn’t this Eriol’s house?”

“It is! Also, it is Clow Reed’s old house. Huh? I hear some noises,” Kero said.
 
 

“Is this it, Nade-chan?” Sonomi asked.

“I think it is. Here, you can go home now. I’ll just find the scroll, and go immediately back,” young Nadeshiko said. She was dressed entirely in black, and had her hair tightly braided back. “Hmm, I feel like a thief.”

“Are you sure that no one lives in there? Is it the right place? It’s so dark and creepy.”

“Shh. Of course it is here. I can feel Clow-san’s power, even though it is years since he has been here. Here, I’m going to go in.”

“How?”

“Watch.” Deftly, Nadeshiko climbed up the gate, then jumped over on the other side. “I don’t think it would be hard.” Then she waved from the other side of the gate.
 

“Come on. Let’s follow,” Sakura said, walking right through the gate. Somehow, this is very convenient. Hmm, I never knew that my own mother… wait, she’s just Nadeshiko… I never knew that Nadeshiko was such a good burglar.
 

Quickly, Nadeshiko climbed up a tall tree beside the house. When she was in level with the second floor, she jumped from the branch to the windowsill, which was at least several feet away. Sakura clenched her eyes at this, but marvelously, Nadeshiko landed with perfect balance. From there, she waved at Sonomi, failing to notice a shadow moving towards the house. Examining the locks on the window, Nadeshiko murmured, “So, it’s sealed with magic.” Closing her eyes, she forced her chi into the locks. The locks opened. Swinging open the windows, Nadeshiko jumped in. They didn’t notice that she fell head over heels when she got inside…
 

“Wow, she’s a world class thief,” Syaoran said.

“Thanks a lot. That’s my mother,” Sakura replied.
 

Nadeshiko ran down the dark corridors, never faltering a moment. The aura of the Five Force Scroll was clear, and she headed to the room where it was hidden. Sakura, Syaoran, and Kero followed as well as they could. Had they been in their real forms, they would have knocked over half the things in the house. Finally, Nadeshiko stopped, as she came to a door. Hesitantly, she opened it, and stepped. It was Clow Reed’s great sitting room. The Five Force Scroll was laid on the table, ready for anyone to take. Smooth as a cat, she walked to where it was.

At the same time, another black figure moved from the window. Nadeshiko grabbed the scroll, in unison with the mysterious person. She gasped, but didn’t let go of the scroll. For a moment, they both tugged at the scroll.

Finally, the other person spoke. His voice was smooth and menacing, and also icy. “Let go of the scroll and give it to me.”

Nadeshiko replied, “No. You give it to me.”

“It’s mine. Who are you anyway, thief?”

“Who are you calling thief? You sneaked in, same as me. Give it!”

“Do you even know what this is? It’s rightfully my families’. Hand it over before I take it by force.”

“I can’t give it to you. I was summoned by Clow Reed to find the Five Force Scroll and use it to search for the hidden Clow.”

There was a moment of surprise in the young man’s face. “Clow Reed?” His grip on the scroll loosened, and Nadeshiko took the brief moment to take it away.

“Hey, give it! How come you know about all this? Who are you, anyway?” The mysterious person tried to take it back, but Nadeshiko dodged.

“Clow Reed chose me to be the mortal guardian of the Five Force Scroll. I don’t ignore what such people tell me to do. So let me be.”

“You? You’re only a kid, a little girl. What powers can you have? You’re weak.”

“Well, I don’t think you’re much older than me, anyway. Probably two, or three years older at the most. And I’m stronger than you think I am. I have the greatest second sight in this neighborhood, probably, in all of Japan. With my sixth sense, I bet I can even find out who you are.”

“I don’t care. I need the Five Force scroll, because I need to find the Clow Card Book and take it back to my family, in Hong Kong.”

“You live in Hong Kong?”

“That’s none of your business. Now give it.” He lunged forward at Nadeshiko, who dodged back, but he managed to grab hold of her long braided hair. Pulling her hair back till her head was tilted back, he said with clenched teeth, “Now, give it, before you regret it.”

She squirmed, but he was the taller, stronger one, and she couldn’t move. “Ow, let go! You’re hurting me!” Desperately, she kicked his shin, and then turned several flips, and landed outside of the room.

“You!” In anger the boy ran after her. Nadeshiko ran quickly through the corridors, without bumping into anything, since her second sight let her sense where everything was. He chased her with equal agility. Finally, Nadeshiko came upon a dead end, with no where to turn. She looked around, finding no escape. Grabbing her, he doubled her arms behind her back. Nadeshiko buckled over, wincing in pain, but refused to give up the scroll. Cowering back to the wall, she waited for him to strike. They froze in that position.

After a moment, she opened her clenched eyes and stared back into his eyes. To her surprise, she found that they were a startling blue, though it was hard to see his other features in the dark. His trembling arm was raised above her head and he was ready to hit her. They were both gasping for breath, while there was a silence.

With frightened, yet cool emerald eyes, Nadeshiko asked, “You don’t plan on striking a girl, do you? That will be the act of a coward.”

“I’ll do anything to get that scroll, and since you are an obstacle, I’ll be violent, if I can get it.”

“Why are you so desperate for it? I need it, too.”

“Too bad. I will have it my way. Even if you get hurt, it’s not my fault. You’ve been warned. Making a move for it, he clenched both of her arms with one hand and made a rough grab. With both of them pulling, the scroll made a RIP sound, and ripped into two.

They both gazed in horror at what had happened.

“Now look what you’ve done!” he exclaimed fiercely.
 
“Who was the one that twisted my arms and grabbed for it?” Nadeshiko retorted.

In anger, he raised his arms in the air. She gazed back defiantly, and he swung down his palm, slapping her face. For a moment, Nadeshiko looked shocked and fingered the stinging palm mark on the side of her face. Long wisps of hair escaped from her braid dangled down. Then, she stood up obstinately and slapped him right back, shouting, “Do you think you’ll get away with hitting me, when no one has ever struck me in my life? Do you think that I’m that weak and that I will burst out crying, like any girl would? Well you’re mistaken. I’m different. I won’t give up, now or ever. You won’t beat me that easily!”

He fingered his cheek with an almost amused look then muttered, “Idiot.”

They both glared at each other, sparkling sapphire eyes against emerald, with half the scroll in each of their hands. For what seemed like hours, they breathed heavily, facing each other in the dark, hardly able to see each other except for the sparkling anger in their eyes.
 
 

A glowing light formed in the middle. A white spherical form appeared, then suddenly, out popped a little animal. It looked something like a mixture between Kero-chan and Mokona. It was like a white form of Kero-chan and Suppi, with large rabbit ears. Yawning it gazed around. Everyone sweat dropped.

“W-what is that?” Nadeshiko stammered.

“I’m Moonstone, immortal guardian of the Five Force Scroll. I was supposed to be the advisor for the chosen mortal guardian…” the white bunny thing faded off.

Nadeshiko and the young man had resumed their animus glares. He made a grab for the other half of the scroll, while she ducked under his legs. In a Chinese martial arts stance, he was ready to attack. Nadeshiko eyed him warily. They both went for each other, and in a clamor, he managed to get hold of her leg, while she was pulling his long tied back hair.

“STOP!” Moonstone gave a flare of light. “You two have ripped the Five Force Scroll, is that correct?”

The two guilty ones hung their head in shame, sweat dropping.

“I, Moonstone, was created by Clow Reed, in his death bed. Though I am not as powerful as Cerberus or Yue (at this, Kero-chan looked smug) I still have a certain extent of power, and will assist you to find the Clow.”

“So?” The young man asked. “Who is going to own the scroll?”

“Put the halves of the scroll together and read the first line.”

Grudgingly, Nadeshiko and the young man unrolled the scroll and put the ripped piece together. They both gawked. “There’s nothing written on it!”

“Well, that’s to be expected. It’s written in the ancient mage’s language, and will appear only when the time comes. Anyway, you wouldn’t be able to read it, anyway. So, I will give to some special power. Now looks again. The first line should have appeared.” At this, Moonstone blew some glistening powder on the two.

Together, they read the first line. “The Five Force Scroll. This scroll is the key in finding the long lost Clow Card Book, so that mortal guardians may keep it safe till the new Card Mistress arises. Two chosen people must join and fight together against the dark forces who will hinder their way. TWO?"

 Moonstone said, “Get it? Two. And since you two are fighting over the scroll, and seemed to have so carelessly ripped it, you can each keep on half and work together.”

They both had a horrified expression. The mysterious young man shouted, “Her? No way! Just give it to me. I’ll manage it. I wouldn’t believe she is a chosen one, for my life. I want the scroll, and I will get it, no matter what. Now give it!”

“What?!” Nadeshiko exclaimed. She was about to hit him, but he seized her right arm and twisted it again. Nadeshiko held back a scream. “Aaa… Let go, you… you moron. Baka!” He twisted it harder, till she thought her arm was going to break.

“You, girl, you better give the scroll to me now, before you regret it. I’m dead serious. I will break your arm and hurt you, if I have my mind made up. Give it.”

“No! I won’t. I will follow my instructions, not what some mean stranger commands me to do. Go ahead and break my arm! See if I care or if it will stop me.” Nadeshiko clenched her eyes as his steel like fingers tightened around her narrow wrist and twisted till her bones starting to get strained.” She dropped the scroll. “Why are you so desperate for it? Why do you have to do this…” Her voice faded off as his iron grip had wrenched her arms till they would go no further.

“STOP IT! NOW!” Moonstone screamed. Though, it was like another stuffed doll, his words were powerful. “Take half the scroll each and be content with it. That’s enough for today. Just go back home and resolve this next time; await for the next instruction on the scroll. There will be an indication, when that will happen. For now, I will say bye till the next time. And you…” He turned to Nadeshiko, who was shaking, yet not saying a word. Moonstone continued, “You are brave… Shame on that Li kid,” he glared at the unidentified boy, “For hurting a girl. You have things hard for you Nadeshiko-san.”

“HEY!” He shouted back in response. Yet, the stuffed bunny like creature had materialized and disappeared. Then he clenched his half of the scroll and started to open the window. Before he jumped out, he turned back to Nadeshiko and said coldly, “You, Thief Girl. You will regret the day you met me. You will regret ever so much that you didn’t give the scroll to me. I’ll have things my way.” He jumped out of the window, his tied hair trailing behind him.

Nadeshiko leaned against the window pane, staring at the disappeared young man and then shouted, “Why?” Not expecting an answer. “Who are you and why is all this happening to me? Why did Clow Reed choose me to undertake this role, when that person, that person is so determined to take over? I just want to give it up… yet I don’t have my powers for no reason. There are times when I know that I must obey.” She supported her sprained arm with one hand and crouched over. A bruise was starting to form on the side of her face, where the mysterious boy had struck her. Yet, she did not cry, while she stared at the other half of the Five Force Scroll. What is going to happen from now on?
 

* * * * * *

“Wow! That’s a very… dramatic story…” Tomoyo said. “Wish I was there.”

It was the next day, at school, during lunch break. Sakura had just finished explaining to her what had happened the previous day, and all the things that she learned about her mother.

“You should have seen the flashing in their eyes. It was positively fiery. I wonder how the Five Force Scroll made us see the vision of the past,” Sakura said.

“It’s probably a spell woven into the scroll. Maybe there are significant information from the past,” Syaoran said as he came from behind them.

“But, I wonder how come I never heard about it before,“ Kero pondered.

“Kero-chan! I told you to stay in my bag!”

“Hmm, I wonder who that mysterious man is. Was he handsome?” Tomoyo asked.

“Well, it was kind of hard to see anything except for his blue eyes. Anyway, he was very mean, I think. But my mother also surprised me. I guess I’ve never seen her as a girl that’s why. Wow… her and that mysterious boy... ”

Kero said, “Well, at least the Chinese brat didn’t break your arms, Sakura, when he first met you and tried to take the Clow Cards away from you.”

Tomoyo added, “But he probably would have if Sakura-chan’s brother didn’t come along.”

“I--- I…” Syaoran stammered as he recalled the scene where he was trying to take away the Clow Cards by force.

“Anyway, you certainly never slapped Sakura-chan. I wouldn’t have ever forgiven you if you slapped my friend,” Tomoyo added.

“Nor would I,” Kero said. “But all I can say is that Nadeshiko and that strange boy was like spitfire from the beginning. I think that the mysterious young man is the one that we every time, while we were drawn to the past.”

“So, the person that she bumped into, and the person that received the orders  from an Elder, and the one who fought with my mother… no Nadeshiko, were all the same person? Yeah. That must be so. They both had the prettiest blue eyes. But then, the eyes were very cold and forbidding,” Sakura commented. “I wonder what “Five Force” is. There is the Five Force Scroll, the language of the Five Force Magicians… It’s all confusing,” Sakura’s head went round and round.

Syaoran stared at the grass. “Well, I’m not very sure, but I have heard in my lessons about it. There were five great magicians in the generation before Clow Reed, who was the greatest in the world. Each of them had mastered in one of the five principles of magic. Back then, magic was divided into 5 basic categories.

“First was the ‘power of the heavenly bodies.’ This was borrowing power from the sun, moon, stars, and celestial events. Second was the ‘elemental power,’ the force drawn from earthly aura. Power was drawn from wood, fire, earth, metal, and water, the Five Elements Theory. Third was the 'sixth sense,' or sometimes called the second sight. This was the gift of seeing the unearthly spirits, telecommunication, fortune telling with dreams, and the magic with one’s will and mind power control.”

“That’s like my mother!”

“Yes. And next was 'contract magic.' This was the power drawn from complex spells, like magic circles, scrolls, incantations, ward papers, etc. And last was…”

Sakura interrupted, “I guess then the last one was the 'power of darkness'.”

“Yes. It was the 'power of the dark and light.' By itself, it was fine… but with this power, if a corrupt, greedy person used the black arts, it often lead to disaster.”

“The generation before Clow Reed, there were five great magicians, the greatest of the world. Each of them represented each of the Five Powers,” Kero added. “Then, Clow Reed came along, son of Li-sama and Reed-sama, two of the five magicians; he then became the greatest magician of the world, by blending the powers of East and West, and all of the Five Powers. He uses power of the sun, darkness, as well as the 5 elements. He also uses magic circles, staffs, incantations, as well as being able to see the future.”

“Hoe-e!” Sakura looked aghast at all the history and turning spiral eyed. “It’s very confusing.”

“I second that,” Syaoran said.

“Things will clear up and get less confusing,” Kero said.

* * * * * *

“It sure will, won’t it Erika?” Eron fingered a bracelet on his left wrist, identical to the one Erika wore.

“Someday, when it’s too late for them. We won’t lost this time,” she replied.

“Yes. There was a time when we were most powerful.”

“And we will be most powerful, once more.”
 
 

Wish-chan: Ahhhhhh!!! Confusing, right. Sorry. Here, I’ll sum it up. The Five Force Scroll: made by Clow Reed; had hints to help Nadeshiko and the mystery boy (if you haven’t figured out who he is yet… you’ll find out next chapter) to find the Clow. What? Well, this explains why the Clow Cards were waiting there in the house to be found by Sakura. (If Nadeshiko finally found the Clow.) Okay. Next, somehow, S+S were able to go back to the past and see when Nadeshiko and Mystery Boy first bumped into each other, when Mystery Boy got the summons from the Li clan elders to go find the Clow, and the actual scene where they bump into each other while they are stealing the Five Force Scroll (and get into a fight O_o worse than when Syao-chan tried to steal the Clow Cards from poor Sakura.)
Syaoran: HEY!!!
Okay. Now, what’s with the Five Powers and Magicians? Sorry, confusing, rite? That’s cuz I made it all up. Point: there were 5 great magicians in the generation before Clow Reed. Each had a different power out of 5 categories. 1) Power of the Heavenly Bodies 2) Elemental Power 3) Sixth Sense 4) Contract Magic 5) Power of Dark and light. Yup yup. Confusing and weird. But makes sense since Clow-san mixes all of these up and he is THE MOST POWERFUL. Oh yeah. What the *%&@) is Moonstone. Just imagine him as a mixture between Kero-chan and Mokona (from Magic Knight Rayearth.) That is, a white Kero-chan with long rabbit ears, that are used as wings. Yup. A weird combo. NOTE: Had this and the next chapter finished for a long time. But it was juss too weird so…
Comments at hopeluvpeace@hotmail.com