The skies above Tokyo Below--- Northwest High "<WARNING! SPEED EXCEEDING LOWERED TOLERANCE LEVELS!>" "<ENGINE COLLAPSE IMMINENT! REPEAT! ENGINE COLLAPSE->" "Where's your vocalization circuit?" "JUST BEHIND YOUR HEAD TO THE LEFT OF THE PILOT'S CHAIR. WH--" Jack shoots out the circuit with his handgun. "Never liked that channel anyway---" As he increases speed, he aims for an intercept course with Fly as it barrels down towards the school. "If I'm lucky the engines won't conk out and I won't go boom all over a few hundred innocents--" The cockpit darkens a little as Fly's form draws closer, itself between the fighter and the sun as both dive towards the school, and unbeknownst to Fly, each other. ------------------------------------------------------------ As everyone scatters on the ground, Sakura looks up at Fly and holds her arms out. "Don't be afraid---" "Sakura!!" Tomoyo grabs her, trying to drag her off the field, "Come on! Take cover!!" "Fly's coming for me!" Sakura struggles, "It wants to come back! It's scared all alone out there!" "Sakura-chan, please! Don't do this!!" Tomoyo begins to sweat as Fly drops closer, "What if your wrong?! What if Fly's dangerous now??" "I don't care! I have to stop it! At any cost!!" "What about Mirra-chan!!" Tomoyo screams, "Do you want to leave our daughter alone without a father figure?!? Leave me alone without you?! I couldn't live without you!! Sakura!!!" Briefly, without warning, Sakura thinks about the loss of her own mother, and her missing father. "I-- I--" Sakura quickly spins about, grabbing Tomoyo's arm and pulling her to safety. "I have to get you to safety, Tomo-chan!" Tears well up in Sakura's eyes as she runs. 'I almost put Tomo-chan in danger! Mirra-chan! What was I thinking?!?' ------------------------------------------------------------ As Fly dropped right down on the school, the lone Omegatech cuts it off, slamming into it and throwing it clear of the school buildings. As both Fly and the Omegatech spin apart, Fly quickly rethinks it's plans and takes off again skyward, this time at normal speed. The Omegatech is quickly brought under control, however--- "Damn--" Red lights flash throughout the cockpit as strange cracking noises fill the small void. "I'm going to take it that last shot is breaking the hull apart--" (Jack aims the Omegatech towards the harbor, yanking down hard on the eject controls as he does) "--lose more Omegatechs this way." As the ejection system throws him clear, the fighter spirals into the harbor and explodes. "Oh, well--" Jack sighs as he floats down to terra firma, his anti-grav emergency pack working optimally, "--the AI on that thing was bugging me anyway--" ------------------------------------------------------------ Back at the Daidouji Residence "Fly isn't supposed to be visible like that, right?" Nina asks. "No. The first time it showed it was invisible to everyone but Sakura." Tomoyo sighs, for the first time she was genuinely worried. "What's happening with Fly?" "I don't know. It's growing more powerful, and it's angry-- angrier than when it was hurt." "Sakura, do you think you can control Fly now? Let alone capture it?" "Nina--" Sakura whispers, looking confused. "OK then!" Kero begins fluttering about getting everyone's attention. "We know Fly is angry about something, but it's also drawn to Sakura because it tried to get at her. Whether it's angry at her or just wants to be comforted by her, we won't find out until we catch up to Fly. HOWEVER we can't take the risk of Sakura being hurt, with her being a family woman and all--" (Sakura/Tomoyo exchange awkward glances until Tomoyo reaches a hand out and takes Sakura's hand, comforting her as she does). "So--" (grabs Nina's visor to her frustration, putting it on) "--let's roll!" "That's my line!" "We should head out to the scene of the crime!" Kero announces proudly. "Citadel City? That's where Fly committed it's only crime." Eliza remarks in a casual, nonchalant manner. "Your scary sometimes, you know that don't you--" Nina whispers to Eliza. "I know." "Uh--" (Sakura raises her free hand) "Where's the 'scene of the crime' again?" "YOUR SCHOOL! It went there the first time, it returned there again, it's drawn to that school! And like many classic criminals, Fly always returns to the "scene of the crime"!! (it's elementary my dear, Sakura, elementary!)" "I know that! Fourth grade as a matter of fact. Don't you remember?" "-----" "Isn't the scene of the crime near the Command Center in Citadel City, Nina?" "it's on a roll here, Eliza, don't burst it's bubble." "SAKURA!! ONCE AGAIN IT'S CARD CAPTORING TIME!!! LET'S ROLL!!" "THAT'S STILL MY LINE!!" "Then we should wear our NEW costumes today! (the heroic visage of a period piece samurai movie intermixed with the beauty of the Spring with you as the heroine!)" "----Tomoyo---" There's a knock at the door, as a nervous and giddy Sonomi enters the room. "Hi! Just brought some fresh pie I baked! Want some?" "Thank you!" (everyone thanks Sonomi as she comes in) "Huh? I thought I heard someone else--" Sonomi looks about the room. "Some loud mouthed guy with a bad Osaka accent--" 'BAD ACCENT?!?' Kero fumes only to be grabbed by Sakura. "Oh I'm just doing my little ventriloquist act for Tomoyo-chan! She likes it when I do my act! See?" (Kero voice) "What the heck? What the heck?" "WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?! THAT ACT IS FRIGGIN' OLD!! CUT IT-- MPPHH!!" "See? I'm on a roll here!!" (holds Kero's mouth shut) "Though my toy's a little vingery today." "---I see---" Sonomi sweat drops as she leaves, "Well, you have fun now. Bye." Kero refuses to talk to Sakura even after dinner is served, and she makes his favorite to apologize. ------------------------------------------------------------ "I'm a stud and a half, not some plaything---" "I said I'm sorry, are you still mad?" "OF COURSE I'M STILL MAD!! SHEESH!!" (Sakura's voice) "Oh I'm sooooo cute! I can do no wrong! I wouldn't do that on purpose! I--" "Are you mocking me?" Sakura asks. "Me? NO!!!" (slaps himself a few times) "My bad! My bad! Naughty me!" "---are you OK? You look like you enjoy doing that to yourself." "Don't get me started again--" ------------------------------------------------------------ Tomoyo meets Sakura/Kero at the school. Nina/Eliza are already there. "How's Mirra-chan?" Sakura asks as she arrives. "I dropped her off at her friend's house for a sleepover, she's fine." (Sakura notices three of the bodyguards are there) "What's your wish, miss?" "You may go. Make sure to pass by and check up on Mirra-chan before heading home." "Yes, miss." As the car leaves Sakura & Tomoyo talk. "Check up on Mirra-chan? Is she in danger?" "No, but I'd feel better if I knew she was safe--" (chuckles slightly) "--now I know why mom was always so concerned about my safety when I was her age." Sakura smiles, placing a light kiss on Tomoyo's forehead as she leads the dark haired girl to the school building (so she could hang up her skates). ------------------------------------------------------------ Outside-- Nina listens to her commlink intensely, monitoring surveillance channels for any sign of Fly. With Eliza standing near Tomoyo, the two watch over Sakura, who is acting as bait. "You look great! A big improvement over the original I made." "I don't know---" Sakura sighs as she kicks her feet idly looking down as she does. "I don't feel very special." "Strictly speaking as the designer I'm very happy with the results." "Sigh-- this time I better remember my skates. Last time I left them here I forgot them--" (looks over at Nina) "Well?" "Observation post four picked up a low level energy reading coasting over it, and that's a mile from here-- if it was Fly it'll be here--" (the wind picks up and begins to howl) "--about now." The wind, now gusting at 30 mph, whips the field as Sakura struggles to stand her ground. "IT'S FLY!" Above them Fly comes into view, towering over them as it's winged flapped, generating blinding gusts of wind each time it's wings made a full stroke. Sakura grabs the key, and grips it tight. "Key of the Star, with powers burning bright, reveal the staff and shine your light! RELEASE!!" As the new staff comes to life, it's energy courses and rages, catching Fly's attention. "Tomoyo!" "Right." (holds up Gaia's ring as she films with her free hand) "GAIA! BIND FLY WITH YOUR VINES AND BRANCHES!" From the ground all around Fly, the earth erupts and releases many vines and branches which wrap themselves around Fly, slowly pulling it downwards. "NO!!!" "What---?" Sakura stammers. "Did Fly just speak?" As Fly struggles against Gaia's powers, a piercing scream, feminine yet filled with primal fear, rips through the air as Fly starts to pump it's wings faster to retake the air. "STOP FLY!! DON'T STRUGGLE!! FLY!!" Sakura screams, watching Fly struggle harder and harder against the vines. "FLY!! I'M SORRY!!" (thrusts out wand) "CLOW CARD, RETURN--" "Eyyyyaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!" Fly shudders, screaming as it curls it's wings tight. It's voice shaking everyone to the core and causing each of them to pause. With a brief opening, Fly shoves out one final time, snapping free of it's restraints and pummeling it's wings fast to climb back skyward out of harm's way. Sakura slumps, head lowered as she watches Fly limp away. It was hurt, so it wouldn't be doing anymore high speed attacks, but it was also in pain. Yet there was more, something that didn't happen the first time she fought Fly. Sakura quickly spins about, fear on her face, "Tomo-chan!! Are you alright--?!?" "Yup, of course, and I got it all on tape!" Sakura faints. Nina - "Well I'm glad somebody's recording all this for posterity's sake-- I guess." Back at Daidouji Estates "Did Fly really talk?" "Here--" Kero chirps up, putting the video back on play. In the room was Sakura, Tomoyo, Kero & Nina. Eliza went straight from the school to the slumber part with videos (and more snacks). ""NO!!!" (Fly's head spins back and forth, it's beak seemingly moving in concert with the word). "So Fly did say something--" Tomoyo remarks as she watches the video. "Sounds female though." "And Fly doesn't know how to talk, let alone say words." `"So what does that mean, Kero?" "I don't know yet, Tomoyo. I don't know." The video was now on the next scene as Fly struggles against the vines. "CLOW CARD, RETURN--" "Eeeyyy---" "Stop tape." Nina suddenly asks, moving forward to take the control. She rewinds it abit, then plays it again. "I'M SORRY!!" (pause) "CLOW CARD, RETURN--" "Eeeyyy---" Rewinds. "FLY, I'M SORRY!!" (pause) "CLOW CARD, RE--" (pauses tape, then slowly moves it forward) "What are you looking for?" Kero asks, attention focused on the screen as Nina moves it forward. Suddenly she stops it and points at something. "There! You see that?" "What?! I don't see anything." "Does this thing have a-- guess not--" (pulls hook up cord out of a pouch on her belt and attaches it to Tomoyo's video player (she has yet to put this on DVD)). "What are you doing?" "Just feeding this image into my wetware, Tomoyo, so I can play with the image." "Wetware?" "Isn't that something you wear to the beach?" "Kero!" (Sakura looks at Nina oddly) "Your going to hook that up to a laptop or something?" "Or something." Nina responds, holding the end of the cord in her hand, plugging it into another cord with two prongs at the end. "One side connected to the machine, the other." Quickly Nina pushes her hair back and plugs each prong into a hidden metal slot behind each of her ears, directly linking to her brain through neural wetware links. "----" Sakura looks shocked. Tomoyo is recording all this since the conversation started, so she's fascinated. Kero looks like he's going to hurl. "I'll need a chair--" (Tomoyo moves a chair for Nina to sit in) "--thank you." As Nina focuses, her mind locks into the image and holds it, dissects it, and through all the wetware implants in her head she begins to make it do her bidding. At first nothing happens, then the screen is suddenly filled with icons, menu bars, scrolls and a cursor. First the cursor locks onto a place on the image (off to one side), then it circles it with a box and locks into it. "Magnify and enhance." The image magnifies, showing a part of Fly and one of the school buildings. Again a part is cursored off and clicked on. "Magnify and enhance." This time it takes longer but an image of the building (Fly reflected in it) comes closer, that and--- "I see something--" "Magnify & enhance one more time." As the image comes on, it takes longer this time, and more concentration is needed by Nina to pull in the image. But, at long last, the image comes in clear. It's the reflection of Fly trapped by Gaia's vines. And what seems to be a ghostly figure superimposed over Fly, that of a young woman. "What's that?" "That--" Nina slowly notes as she turns to view her handiwork. "Is our screamer." "Is--- is--- is it a---" "Ghost? Sure. Looks like it. Probably died a horrible death too and--" (Sakura runs out of the room with Tomoyo close behind her, leaving Kero to scowl at Nina). "What?!" Command Center (Citadel City) A Few Minutes Later--- "I'm sorry, Nina, but it's the best we can do." "I don't suppose a little better might be called for at this stage, don't you think?" (Nina over the commlink to Command) "I'm sorry---" (regards image sent over link) "--but you have to understand the image you sent us is of a fuzzy silhouette of what might be a spirit or a merged entity. And let's not forget this image has it's back turned to us. It might be a woman, it might be something else entirely like a Darkling. There's too little information on this one image to give us much. I'm analyzing the copied video you sent us but it looks like this is the only time the image is visible, so again it's not much to go on." "I see. Well, try what you can. We'll continue doing what we can here. But it seems it's injured--" "Which makes it that much more dangerous. I see. Well, keep at it and let us know what you find." "Right. Kotobuki out." With a sigh the officer looks back at the image, reaching out to touch the form on it. "So who are you, our mysterious young lady? Ghost? Spirit? Tormented soul? Maybe all three at once--" The image, a female spirit straining against the vines, screaming-- fear? Agony? What? Only she knew and she wasn't talking. Yet. Back in Sakura's "Lab"--- "I hate ghosts!" Sakura complains, reaching into her private freezer for the ice cream. "Tomoyo said it's probably another Clow card merged with Fly, and I think she's got a good point. It's probably Snow, or one of the other feminine cards and I concur with her thinking. It's a plausible idea." "But why is it trapped inside of Fly? And is that card inside Fly making Fly act all weird?" "We'll find out when we catch up to Fly--" (sighs) "--though right now I'm more interested in my dessert!" (starts to bounce up and down) "Give itt here! Give it here! Give it here!!" "Hold on, hold on---" (puts ice cream on top of a piece of pound cake) "I think we should fortune tell with the cards once we have enough for it! A romance fortune telling!" "Sakura--" Kero sighs, "You already know your romantic destiny, why do a reading now?" "Not for me! For Mirra-chan! I want to see her romantic future!" "Didn't Tomoyo warn you about meddling in her life?" "It's NOT meddling! I just want to peek--" (sighs as she sets down Kero's treat for him to eat) "It's important! I want to know who she's destined for!" "You just want to make sure it's not Toya, don't you." "No way in hell it's Toya!" Sakura pouts as she makes dessert for herself and Tomoyo (mostly because Kero's talking got Sakura in a bad mood and she wants a treat to settle her down before bed) "Toya's a pain in the ass! I can't even believe how things ended-- but he's NOT right for Mirra-chan. Heck, he probably doesn't even like her that way so I just want to avoid having her heart broken!" "Like yours almost was if you didn't find your feelings for Tomoyo?" "What did I say about getting on my nerves!!" Sakura grumbles, plating up dessert and walking out the door. "Mirra is too good for Toya! Period!" "Or Toya's too old for Mirra." Kero finishes as he starts eating. ------------------------------------------------------------ 'Maybe Kero's right. Maybe I'm only interested in making sure Toya isn't in her future.. ARGHH!! He did it to me again!! Kero!!' Sakura sighs, a free hand gently running through Tomoyo's hair as the other girl slumbers next to her. "I wish I could be as calm as you are about all this, Tomo-chan." Once again Sakura lies down, trying to fall asleep. As her eyes close, her mind opens-- --and she begins to dream-- which is strange in a Realm of Dreams. ------------------------------------------------------------ In her dream she sees Fly, in Fly's wings it's cradling a scared woman, gripping tight onto Fly. "--no more-- no more-- please don't touch me-- no more-- don't-- please-- don't-- no more--" She was begging, scared and in pain, begging someone to leave her alone. "I won't hurt you. Please-- let me help you--" "Sa--" "Don't hurt me-- please-- let me go-- let me go--" Sakura smiles, trying to be brave as she reaches out, "I won't hurt you. Here, take my hand--" "Sakura! Sakura---" ------------------------------------------------------------ "Sakura!" She suddenly wakes up to come face to face with Tomoyo, dressed for school. "You got to get up or we'll be late for school!" "SCHOOL?!?" In a mad dash Sakura throws her clothes on and makes a wild rushing sprint to the kitchen downstairs. "WHERE'S MIRRA-CHAN?!?" "She's going to school from her friend's house, remember?" Tomoyo calls out from behind her. "OH!!" (dashes into kitchen) "I'M SORRY!! I OVERSLEPT!!" "---" Nina smiles as she regards Sakura, "I'm stuck. You either remind me of Gamera or Godzilla, but I can't figure out which-- help me out here, willya?" Sakura glares at Nina as she eats (wolfs) down her breakfast, quickly rushing to the door next to Tomoyo grabbing for her blades-- which aren't there. 'NOT AGAIN!!' Sakura freaks, 'I didn't-- I did-- I LEFT THEM AT SCHOOL JUST LIKE THE LAST TIME!!! HOW AM I GOING TO MAKE IT TO SCHOOL NOW?!?' Inspiration suddenly hits. "Uh--uh-- Nina? C---c--- can I have a ride?" Nina shrugs, "Sure, why not--- but you'll OWE me one! Get on, Snoozer." Sakura grits her teeth, shuts her eyes, and prays Nina vanishes right then and there. Since her wish obviously wouldn't come true, she ends up stuck behind Nina on the trip to school. ------------------------------------------------------------ "Where's Toya? I thought we usually pass him on the way to school?" "I had him stop off to escort Mirra-chan to school. Just to make sure she's safe and all." "WHAT?!?" Sakura yells, nearly into Nina's ear as she does, "STOP IN FRONT OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!!" "Are you nuts?!? You'll be late dammit!!" "DO IT!!" Nina looks over quickly at Tomoyo for help, only to notice Tomoyo roller-blading without comment to Sakura's fit. "Oh, sure, abandon me at my moment of need why dontcha'." ------------------------------------------------------------ When they finally arrive at ths school Toya is already leaving, Mirra-chan and her friends walking to class. "See? All that paranoia over nothing!" Nina scoffs at Sakura, "Your letting your hatred of your brother get the better of you!" "I DON'T HATE HIM!!" "Couldva' fooled me." Toya remarks as he sneaks up behind Sakura, "Hey there, squirt." "STOP CALLING ME SQUIRT!!" Before the argument could escalate, the wind suddenly picks up. "--not now--" Nina sighs, looking skyward. As the wind whips up to high, Sakura quickly grabs Tomoyo to brace her, and is herself grabbed by Toya as Fly passes overhead. Nina, standing her ground, watches Fly pass by. Suddenly Fly screams. "So feminine-- so much pain--" Sakura whispers, listening to Fly's screams. Seconds later Fly takes off again into the sky, slower than usual for it as it makes good it's escape. "Why are you hurt, Fly?" Sakura whispers as she watches Fly disappear into the clouds. "Hey! You all alright? Nina! Are you hurt?" Eliza, who was nearby helping drop the girls off, rushes straight to Nina and hugs her tight, trembling as she does. "Hey," Nina remarks slyly, hugging Eliza back to calm her down, "I'm fine! Really! Come on now, stop trembling-- people are staring!" Toya smirks as he taps Sakura on the shoulder, "No problems with you being whisked away, your TOO HEAVY for that!" Tomoyo - "Sakura? I--" (grits teeth, winces) "--ouch--" (silence) "--is he dead?" Nina - "Nah, just knocked out--" (blinks) "Well I had my dose of violence for today. Let's go."
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