by Kokushoku Karasu (Black Raven) Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 belongs to Takahashi Rumiko. No infringement intended. Card Captor Sakura belongs to CLAMP (among others). No infringement intended. Chaptor Two: Sakura's Wonderful Friend "..." : Japanese <...> : Thought [...] : Written Text Created: 10/24/2002 Updated: 09/29/2003 ---------- Ranko, being Ranko, was up before her alarm clock went off, staring out her window... while she did a kata that would tie most ninth dan ranking Martial Artists in knots. And to top it off, she did said kata without making a sound. Or at least not making any that traveled through her walls. "Sakura!" A voice, Kerberos', exclaimed in another room. "Sakura!" Aforementioned voice repeated. "Oh, I can't eat anymore!" Sakura exclaimed, as if in her sleep. "Who set the alarm to 7:00? Wern'cha gonna wake up early today?" Kerberos asked Sakura. Ranko smirked, and tuned out the rest of what was being said, as she resumed her kata. A few minutes later, Ranko heard the call for breakfast, and started to get dressed. ----- "I called only once and you're here?" Touya asked Sakura, shocked. Ranko smirked. This was going to be interesting.... "Is it going to rain?" Touya asked himself. "Someone woke me this morning!" Sakura exclaimed in anger, hitting the table at the same time. "Hmm?" Touya asked. Ranko mentally chided Sakura. But as they're not telepathic, or even empathic siblings, Sakura didn't hear Ranko's thought. "I mean, the alarm." Sakura replied, then she started to laugh. Ranko commented to herself. "Ohayo, Okaasan." Sakura said to the picture of their mother. Ranko ignored the rest of the conversation, but said 'Ohayo' to her father as he entered the room. "Well, better than the monster's." Touya said. Sakura stomped Touya's foot. It should be mentioned here that Touya is carrying a hot pot of food. He manages not to spill it, despite having been stomped upon, although his face took on quite an expression of pain. "Well, daddy, let's eat!" Sakura exclaimed. Ranko, Sakura, Fujitaka, and Touya eat breakfast. "Gochisousama." Sakura said, after having finished. "You're really quick this morning!" Fujitaka exclaimed. "I'm the cleaning monitor today." Sakura replied, after having placed her dishes in the sink. Sakura checked to see if anyone was looking, and grabbed a snack on her way back to her room. "Kaijuu." Touya muttered as Sakura passed. "Gochisousama." Ranko said, having finished her own breakfast. ----- "Ittekimasu!" Ranko heard Sakura exclaim. ----- After Ranko left for school, she sensed a minor youma, so she went to take care of it. Ranko said to herself, as she took to the rooftops. ----- Five minutes later, Ranko arrived to find a youma up to the normal stupid activities that youma are typically up to. This one was a killer, she could tell immediately. A quick ki blast later and said youma turned into a pile of dust. Ranko took to the rooftops again, and five minutes later, she arrived at Tomoeda Elementary. "I taped something interesting last night." Ranko heard Tomoyo say. Ranko stoped, and extended her ki senses. Ranko noted to herself. Ranko demanded of herself. Somehow she managed not to facefault. "What... was that..." Sakura asked from within the classroom. "This is the close-up...." Tomoyo replied. "HOOEEEEE!!!!" Sakura exclaimed. "What's wrong, Sakura?!" Kerberos exclaimed/asked. "Is it a Clow Card?" Kerberos asked. "Where is it?" Kerberos asked. "I'll fight ya, come and get me!" Kerberos exclaimed. "oops...." Kerberos said. Ranko commented to herself. "Hmmm...." Tomoyo started. "It's just like it!" Tomoyo exclaimed. It took Sakura a few minutes to become non-catatonic, but Ranko couldn't 'see' this. Ranko headed off to the girls bathroom, after all, she doesn't want to giggle here, she does have an image to maintain. That image being the emotionless wonder. ----- Sakura introduced Kerberos and Tomoyo, Ranko decided to leave them alone, and investigate the source of magical energy she had been feeling since class started. Ranko noticed that one of the students shadows seemed to stay where it was for a few seconds, before it returned to it's owner. She extended her senses, aside from the oddity of the student's shadows, she didn't sense anything wrong. She extended her not much used magic senses, and felt some pretty powerful magic. Something about said magic seemed... familar to Ranko. She would have to investigate later. ----- Ranko leaves school for the day, intending to investigate later. ----- The next day: Ranko had had to take care of a youma, rather than investigate the magical energy she felt at school. Now, Ranko was a little late arriving at school, so when she entered the classroom, she saw several of the students repositioning the desks, and she heard Tomoyo asking Sakura if she thought it was a Clow Card. Ranko said to herself. ----- After school: Ranko arrived home first, she was in her room doing her homework when she heard Sakura arrive. ----- A few minutes later: "It IS the work of a Clow Card." Kerberos said to Sakura. Ranko thought to herself. She added to herself. "I thought so!" Tomoyo exclaimed. "It was a lot of work to fix everything up!" Sakura complained. "But class was shorter." Tomoyo said. "I was happy about that, but..." Sakura trailed off, leaving the sentance unfinished. "But which Clow Card would mess up the school like that?" Sakura asked. "Hmm...I don't know..." Kerberos replied. "Anyways, it's a job for you, Sakura the Card Captor!" Kerberos exclaimed. "Why?" Sakura asked. "If it's a Clow Card, then it's your job to capture it, isn't it?" Kerberos asked. "It's too hard." Sakura retorted. "And who was it that lost all the cards?" Kerberos asked. "Then, tonight we're going to school." he pronounced. "What?!" Sakura exclaimed. "Tonight?" She said in an almost fearful tone. "Night. Bad!" Sakura exclaimed. "Why not?" Kerberos asked. "Because! School at night..." Sakura trailed off. "NO! NO! NO! Deninitely NO!" She exclaimed. Ranko sarcasticly asked herself. "But some cards only work at night." Kerberos replied. "You're right. Nights at school may be dangerous..." Tomoyo started. "Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura exclaimed, happily. "...so I'll go with you, too! I have to tape your heroic efforts, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo exclaimed. Ranko facefaulted. So did Sakura. "Why?" Sakura asked. "Because it's my hobby, that's why." Tomoyo replied. "Good! Then tonight the three of us will attack." Kerberos said. Ranko mentally added. While still in facefault. "Now that we've decided, we have to find a magical girl pose!" Tomoyo exclaimed. "OK! We'll start practicing now!" Kerberos exclaimed. "HOEEE!!" Sakura exclaimed. ----- That night: Ranko arrived at Tomoeda Elementary first. She could feel the magical aura around the school. She adjusted the bandage on her leg, as the wound she got the other day still hadn't completely healed. Then Sakura and Kerberos arrived. Ranko asked herself. "I'm scared," Sakura said. Sakura was standing in front of the school's front gate. "It's okay. It's okay. I'm here." Kerberos said, then started to laugh. "I don't think it's okay." Sakura retorted. "Hoe?" Sakura asked, as she spotted a car driving up. "Did you wait long?" Tomoyo asked. "No, we just got here." Sakura replied. Ranko mentally added. Four women, trained fighters, as far as Ranko can tell, got out of the car and van. Three from the car, one from the van. Ranko asked herself. She added. "Let me introduce you." Tomoyo said, indicating the four women. "These are my bodyguards." She said. "Miss, then..." The one with long light brown hair said, with a frown. Ranko said to herself. "Okay, please pick me up when I contact you." Tomoyo instructed. Then the four bodyguards got into the black car, and drove off. Ranko facefaulted. Quietly. "Hoee...." Sakura said. "Sugoi! Sugoi! There aren't many elementary school kids with bodyguards!" Sakura exclaimed. "I would think elementary school kids who use magic are less common." Tomoyo replied. "Maybe." Sakura said. "Come here!" Tomoyo exclaimed, as she dragged Sakura by her arm to the van, and opened the back door. "Hooee??" Sakura said. Ranko silantly moved so she could see what was in the van. "Na--nani?" Sakura stuttered. "Let's change now!" Tomoyo exclaimed, as she grabbed ahold of Sakura's shoulders. Ranko, some distance away, sweatdroped. "Why?" Sakura asked, with a slightly frightened expression on her face. "Aren't you going to capture Clow Cards now, Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked. "Un." Sakura replied. "When you do special things, you should wear special clothes!" Tomoyo exclaimed. "What?!" Sakura asked. "She's right!" Kerberos exclaimed, as he flew out of Sakura's backpack. "If you don't dress like a Card Captor, you might lose face to the cards." He said. Ranko facefaulted, again. Granted, she often wore a special outfit, just for fights. But then again, that's to keep blood off of her school uniform. Her own, and what passes for blood in the youma. That, and to keep her uniform in one piece, as being thrown into walls does tend to be detremental to the clothes one is wearing. "I'm so happy you understand!" Tomoyo exclaimed, after having grabbed hold of Kerberos' hands, paws, whatever. "Then, change Sakura." Kerberos instructed. "I even have hats." Tomoyo added. "Now, let's go inside..." Tomoyo said, as she gently pushed Sakura into the van, then Kerberos and Tomoyo enter, after having entered, Tomoyo closed the door. A few minutes later, Sakura came out in an outfit that Ranko thought looked a bit silly. "You look lovely, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo exclaimed. "Hoe!" Sakura exclaimed. "I'm so embarrassed!" Sakura exclaimed. Ranko added to herself. "There's nothing for you to be embarrassed about." Kerberos replied. Tomoyo lowered the camera. "Oh yeah, I even have something for you, Kero-chan!" Tomoyo exclaimed. Ranko snickered to herself. She added. "Huh? For me too?" Kerberos asked. Soon, Kero-chan, err, Kerberos, was wearing a red ribbon, almost as wide as his head. "You and Sakura-chan match now. How kawaii!" Tomoyo exclaimed. "You think so?" Kerberos asked. "He's not even nervous." Sakura said. Skaura heard a sound, and turned toward the direction it came from. "W--what was that sound?" "What's wrong?" Sakura backed up, toward Kerberos and Tomoyo. Ranko commented to herself. "I sense a Clow Card." From her perch on the roof, Ranko saw a statue start to fly toward the trio on the ground. Well, duo, and one flying. "Stay calm!" "But! But!" Sakura exclaimed, before the statue floated up into the air, seemingly under it's own power. "It's floating! It's floating!" "Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo exclaimed, seeming to have noticed something. "There!" She exclaimed, as she pointed at the ground. There were two shadows, one of them belonging to the statue, the other being someone elses. "There's no one there, but there's a shadow!" She exclaimed. "Kage?" Kerberos asked. Then the shadow threw the statue, causing Sakura, Tomoyo, and Kero-chan to scatter. ----- Ranko watched as Sakura tried to capture the massed shadows using Windy. The word 'tried' being the key word, as the shadows broke free, and pressed their attack. Sakura took to the air to get away from the shadows, only to find that the shadows were throwing chairs out the window. Ranko commented to herself. She then saw the mass of shadows grab ahold of the sealing wand. Ranko prepares to throw a percission ki blast, to disrupt the hold the shadow card had on the wand. She heard something click, as lights started to come on, one after another. Soon most, if not all of, the outdoor floodlights came on, and the shadows started to fade, Ranko relaxed, and drew the ki back into herself. ----- Ranko commented to herself, after Sakura had sealed Shadow. She added, as she watched Sakura leave the school, with Tomoyo and Kero-chan. And, so, Ranko went to work, putting the desks back, and repairing the windows. ----- Ranko slipped into her window. She said to herself as she entered. ---------- End Chapter Two: Author's Notes: This chapter only took a couple eons to get done. Other than that, not much else to say. (Other than grumbles about aviplay....) E-mail: awk@tentacle.net Website: www.tentacle.net/~awk 10/24/2002 262 lines 10/30/2002 405 lines 06/03/2003 460 lines 08/23/2003 473 lines 09/29/2003 468 lines