"Solid as a rock!" Sakura complimented. "I didn't know you were so good at fixing things!"
"Well, this has happened before and Iv learned how to do it from the Super of this apartment. He told me do this and these things go in here." Todd replied as he showed Sakura and Meilin what he did.
"I'll bet that Li could fix a door in no time!" Meilin boasted. "He's great at tools and stuff like that."
"Really?" Todd asked.
They all went to the table and all had a cup of pudding. Kero was right there to eat some pudding along with everyone. Kero slurped some pudding up and asked. "So Todd...you took almost an hour to get that door knob...anything unexpected happen?"
"Yeah, I got pulled into a fight with the through card. Man, she sure can hit!" Todd complained. "My face still hurts..."
"You fought a clow card?" Li asked. "Why on earth was it in the hardware store?"
"Well...it went like this..." Todd replied as they went into flashback.
Todd sighed and mumbled. "I feel something wrong here...very wrong...clow card wrong..."
A door suddenly opened in the back of the door department. There peeked out a tall woman wearing odd robes. She giggled and then raised her hands. The hands started glowing a blue color and she sent out a wave of energy. The wave opened all the doors in the store, including the entrance doors. A shopkeeper looked at the woman and called out. "Can I help you?"
The woman went back through the door and out the closest door to Todd. She giggled an evil giggle as the Shopkeeper stared in utter disbelief. "How...how did you do that?!"
She raised her hands and touched them to the ground, a hole appeared out of nothing there and she sent that hole towards them. The hole actually moved towards them swallowing up everything that it was under. This freaked out the shopkeeper and he ran for the exit. He went through the door but nothing came out on the other side. The shopkeeper vanished.
"What on earth are you doing?" Todd asked angrily. "You're a clow card aren't you? You're the...Through card, correct?"
Through nodded and went back through the door and appeared in one of the doors near the back of the displays. Todd looked on, perplexed and said. "I'll capture you!" Todd took out his pocket spear and chanted. "Spear of Todd...power of magic...power of light....surrender the spear...the force ignite, release!" Todd's pocket spear glowed and rose up from his hand. An orb of light appeared and broke into a million dazzling sparkles that illuminated the whole store. Todd ran into the door section and stammered. There were over fifty doors in the huge room. "Did they have to have so many doors in this place?!"
Through suddenly rushed out of one of them and tackled Todd. Todd was totally caught off guard and was knocked onto the floor with a surprising force. Todd slowly got up and moaned. "Ow! Watch where your going!" The flashback ended.
"And then Windy and I managed to subdue the card after using some strategy. I never realized that the through card could be such a vicious one. I thought she was supposed to be gentle...?" Todd replied. "But this one must have been suffering from the Dark One's aura right?"
"Right!" Kero replied. "As you gain more power, expect the enemy to gain more power as well. The earth card wasn't usually that powerful when Sakura fought it but it manage to almost destroy the whole city."
"I wonder when I'm going to face another elemental card? I think that I'm ready...but if it's anything like the through card...well I just don't want to get smacked around again."
"Don't worry you'll do fine..." Kero reassured. "I've seen great card captors not do half as well as you!"
"Thanks!" Todd said.
Sakura looked at the time and said. "Whoa, I have to go now...it's past five! See you tomorrow, Todd!"
"Right! Good Bye, Todd!" Meilin called as she left the apartment.
"Bye Todd...we'll talk some more tomorrow." Li said as he also left.
Todd found himself alone again. He flopped on the couch and watched some TV and before long, Todd's mom walked in. She commented. "Did you buy a new doorknob? It works so well!"
"Yeah I did, the old one kicked the bucket." Todd replied.
"I'm going to make some Chinese food for supper tonight. So I hope you like it..." Alicia said as she walked into the kitchen and started getting some pots and pans from out of the cupboard.
Supper was great. Todd ate it up eagerly and hurried to get a second bowl. Alicia looked at him oddly as he ate. She commented. "Why on earth do you eat so much? Are you really active when I'm gone or what?"
"Yeah, I do a lot of active things like roller blade and sports. I also do other things to help me get through the day." Todd replied as he continued shoveling food into his mouth. "Your cooking is great too so I can't just have one helping of that good stuff."
"Thanks!" Alicia replied. "I got the recipe from Aiden! He's great at cooking..."
They finished dinner and did the dishes. Todd spent the next hour and a half doing an essay for english and some math homework. By the time he was done, it was 8:22 pm. Alicia asked. "Are you done your homework?"
"Yeah, but I'll bet I'll have heaping helpings of homework tomorrow." Todd replied.
"Let's have a little match with Monster Battle 2000x! I'll bet you that I'll win this one!" Alicia asked heatedly.
"Fine! You're on!" Todd replied, also heated.
The match was a total disaster for Todd and Alicia won the match. Alicia's angel managed to best Todd's gali and rocky. Todd moaned bitterly as Alicia cheered and said. "You'd better pick a better team next time!"
Todd nodded and went to the bathroom to have a shower. Todd thought about things and he went to bed, taking the clow book from underneath the bed and laying it out on the bedspread. "I think I'll do some studying..." Todd flipped the page to the Earthy card. "Earthy, one of the four main elemental cards. It has the power over the earth and can use various earth related magics. That's really neat but...It seems like it's miles away from me..."
"The earth card is the last elemental card and it probably won't be caught until near the end..." Kero replied. "When the four elemental cards meet then, I will be restored to my full power."
"I wonder what that'll be like?" Todd asked.
"You just wait and see!" Kero replied.
Todd put the clow book away and he turned off the lamp. Kero flew up to Todd and curled up on the side of Todd's pillow and they both fell into a deep sleep. Todd had a dream and in the dream...Todd landed in the lasan shrine, he looked around and asked. "So what do you want to do now with me...?"
"We want to give you another test. You'll have to battle another monster." The Silhouette replied. "Are you ready to take on the challenge?"
"I'm always ready to take on challenges...I'll do this." Todd replied. "Where is the monster?"
"The monster that you must best is a replica of Serpantile, a beast of water that is controlled by the dark one. If you defeat him, I will ease your card limit from five to six. You will be able to cast more spells."
"That's good...so, let's do it!" Todd replied as he was suddenly floating. He was transported to a beach bathed in twilight and shells on the beach glittered in the night. Todd looked off in the glittering ocean distance and commented. "Where is the monster?"
Suddenly there was a huge wave on the horizon. Todd looked at it with a bit of dismay and backed up. Todd took out the fly card and said. "This wave will try to pulverize me...I can just imagine what this wave is going to do to me...! Fly Card!!" Todd slammed the fly card and within seconds he was high in the air. The wave below crashed against the cliff with awesome force. "The water was pulverizing!" Todd replied looking down while on his winged spear. Todd flew down as the water cleared. He landed and the wings vanished from the head of his spear. The wave's crest burst to reveal a huge aqua colored serpent with glowing eyes and a huge tail fin. Todd gasped as the creature roared a mighty roar. Todd sighed and asked, looking up. "I have to fight THIS thing? How? Whoa!!"
The serpent gnashed down on Todd and Todd leaped out of the way. He hit the ground and rolled. He took out the Wood Card and chanted. "Wood Card! I command you to restrain the Serpent with your roots and vines! Wood, release and dispel!" Todd threw the wood card up and impaled it with his spear. The card turned into roots which formed into wood. Wood flew around the serpent's body and wrapped vines around it. The vines grew large branches which bursted into leaf. Within seconds, the serpent's body was covered in tangling vines and foliage. The serpent couldn't move.
"Yes! I did it! What?" Todd was happy but looked in shock as the serpent broke free of the vines. It then shot a blast of icy breath which blasted Wood and sent her backward. She tumbled to the ground and turned back into her card form which flew back to Todd's hands. "Huh? I guess Wood isn't strong enough."
The serpent breathed some more icy breath at Todd. The icy winds knocked Todd onto his back. Ice was forming on his legs. Todd knocked the ice off and quickly dodged out of the way of the serpent's tail. "I guess I'll have to use a different card, huh?" Todd thought about the serpent's size and laughed out loud.
The serpent gained a look of confusion but roared at him again. Todd took out the big card and chanted. "Big Card! I command you to make me seem as though the serpent is just a tiny salamander. Big Card, release and dispel!" Todd threw the card up and slammed it with his spear. The card broke into a blue mass of energy which flew around Todd and formed a dome around him. Todd suddenly grew gigantic, and the serpent was now just a little lizard now. Todd bent over the serpent and said in a booming giant's voice. "You want a piece of me?! You want some of this?!"
The serpent suddenly gained a look of shock and terror. The serpent backed away from him and dove into the sea. Todd looked up to see the silhouette in shadow above him. "Well done." The Silhouette commended. "Sometimes you must solve situations in a non violent way."
"What about the Naughty Ones? Should I solve the situation non violently with them?" Todd asked. "They ALWAYS want to fight!"
"Sure you could try it..." The Silhouette replied. "I don't think you'll succeed though. Anyway, since you defeated the serpent, you will receive your reward! Your card casting limit is eased by one." The Silhouette waved her arms and Todd found himself in a pinkish glow. The glow made him feel warm and relaxed and he felt a little more refreshed. Todd's surroundings started glowing and he started floating. "I must be leaving now right?"
Todd woke up with sunlight shining in his face. Todd groaned and arose from his bed. He walked to the kitchen and made himself some breakfast. Todd was eating his super sugar bombs when a thought occurred to him. "Hey! Today is our field trip to the woods!"
Kero floated in after him groaning noisily. "What's that Todd? You're going on a trip?"
"Yeah, to the woods to collect samples." Todd replied as he crunched on more cereal. "It's for science. Do you want to come?"
Todd's mom suddenly walked through the curtains and into the living room. Kero saw it and fell lifeless to the ground. Todd's mom walked over to a lifeless Kero and a shocked Todd. She picked up Kero and asked. "Todd...is this thing yours?"
"No, it's Sakura's! She collects those things..." Todd lied. "She must have left him there."
"...Him?" Alicia asked. "So it's a him huh?"
"Yeah, Sakura called him Kero. Well, I'm stuffed! I'm getting ready for school now!" Todd said as he quickly rushed to the bathroom and did his things and ran to his room to change into his uniform. He took Kero from his mom and strapped on his roller blades. He skated out the door and to the elevator and got in. The elevator stopped at the third floor and Tatea got onto the elevator.
"Well, I hope you're ready for the field trip Toddy boy." Tatea replied cheerily. "I know I am!"
"We certainly are cheery this morning...!" Todd commented as he looked at her oddly. "Usually you're in a mood that would make flowers droop and the ocean stormy."
"Well, I can be in a good mood too you know..." Tatea growled.
The elevator stopped at the main floor and they both got off. Todd skated to the school where everyone was waiting for him. Todd skated up to them and asked. "So what event would cause the whole gang to be here?"
"We're leaving early!" Madison replied as she showed him the bus. "Let's go!"
They all got on the bus and the engine jerked the bus a bit. Sakura and Todd sat together and Li and Zachary sat behind them. Jeremy sat with Madison and Jaki and Mashou sat in the very back, whispering and making annoying remarks.
"So, are you excited about the field trip?" Sakura asked.
"Well, you really can't be too excited over a bunch of plants and leaves. But something unexpected could happen here..." Todd commented. "I brought everyone's favorite clow guardian Kero..."
"Really?" Sakura asked.
"So are you ready? I heard that the first field trip was done with the ancient Inca Indians? That was the secret to their prosperity because the field trips that they made, made them wiser then all." Zachary said to Li. "Actually it reminds me of what happened to some kids who went on a field trip just like us."
"Put a sock in it, Zachary!!" Chelsea called. "That's enough out of you!"
Meanwhile in the back row, Jaki and Mashou were talking. "So do you want to fight them?" Jaki asked.
"Why not? They shouldn't be too much of a hassle. Besides...I heard that an elemental was in town..." Mashou replied. "If we can steal it away from that Todd kid...then not only the card will be ours to use, but Keroberos will never be able to become his real form...heh, heh, heh..."
"We have to work quick like though...because if they find it first, the whole thing falls apart..." Jaki commented.
The bus ride the rest of the way was calm and uninterrupted. The bus finally made it to the ranger station and everyone got off. Everyone stretched their legs and they walked into the station. The ranger walked in, she was dressed in a stereotypical ranger outfit in the greenish color, her huge shining badge showed that she was the head ranger. She galloped in saying. "Welcome future rangers of tomorrow of the future!!"
"Whoa I can't believe what I just heard!" Todd mumbled to Sakura.
"I think she just repeated herself..." Sakura mumbled back.
"We're here to collect samples for science." Li called out. "Can we go in the woods now?"
"The woods are also known as the forest and the forest is known for its prestige plant life which is also known as good vegetation." The ranger called.
"Is it me? Or is the ranger a little redundant..." Todd asked to Sakura quietly.
"Before we begin, I want to show everyone the video. It's all about how to stay alive in the woods should you get lost. After all, sregnar eth nioj is our motto!" The ranger sang in an annoying way.
"What does that mean?" Todd asked.
"It's in another language and it means "the forest is our friend." The ranger replied. "We needed to come up with a slogan that wasn't already taken by some other ranger group. We need as much help as we can get!"
They were let out of the ranger station and they began their field study. Everyone quickly became jealous of Chelsea's ability to find amazing samples and Sakura and Todd decided to go together. Todd looked at a sample and started to pick it out. "Did you think that the Ranger was acting a little strange?"
"Yeah...I wonder what "sregnar eth nioj" means anyway?" Sakura replied. "It almost seems like a code or something...oh well." Sakura replied as she kneeled to get a grass sample. "The air is so great here...and everything is so beautiful."
"Not nearly as beautiful as you, Sakura..." Todd mumbled. "Seeing you brightens my day."
"Todd..." Sakura muttered, blushing.
Todd smiled and got another sample and was suddenly hit with a feeling. "Oh...I feel something strange...It's very subtle but..."
"I know...so do I." Sakura replied. "Let's go get the others..."
Todd and Sakura ran up to Li, Meilin and Madison who were fumbling for a good sample. Todd ran up to them and said. "I feel something here..."
"What?" Madison asked. "You have Kero here with you?"
"Yea..." Todd replied as he took Kero's limp body out of his backpack. There was a bubble coming from his nose and he was snoring. "Wake up!" Todd shook Kero until he was awake.
Kero yawned and blinked. "I was having such a good dream...ugh. Hey! Where are we?" Kero looked around. "Why did you wake me up anyway?"
"I think that there's a Clow card around here so let's get moving!" Todd replied. "I sense it in...this direction." They all ran to a place where Li could use his lasan board.
"Source of light with ancient spin...send forth the magic power within...force know my plight, release the light!" Li's lasan board glowed in the center and shot a beam of light in the direction they were already headed. "Hey! You're getting better at sensing these...but I'm having a hard time sensing this one."
"...Possibly an Elemental!" Todd replied as they ran in the beam's direction. They made it to a clearing in the woods and everyone was out of breath.
"Where is it?" Meilin asked impatiently. "Isn't it supposed to be...right here?"
Meanwhile on the other side of the clearing there was a camper. In front of the camper was a middle aged balding man and his wife. The middle aged man snorted the country air and breathed. "Ahh, Nature!"
"My idea of camping is a hotel with no room service...why did you drag me out here?" The woman complained. "All we have is instant coffee...you know I hate instant coffee."
"Well, you could buy some at the convenience mart across the road." The man replied. "I know the way!" They both left the camp and went into a forest path and forgot to douse the fire.
Todd and Sakura looked around the clearing but found no clow card in sight. Sakura asked Li. "What happened? Maybe you should try the lasan board again."
They all suddenly heard laughing echoing through the trees. Everyone looked around and saw Sennyo and Sennae jump out from the trees. They were laughing and pattering. Sennyo asked. "Are you looking for the pretty little elemental?"
"What? Did you steal the clow card?" Todd demanded. "You better not have!"
Kero floated up to them. "Give the rain and glow card back you little imps!"
Sennae walked up to him and flicked him in the face. Kero tumbled back and cried out. Sennae laughed and said. "And you are Keroberos aren't you. That's pretty pathetic, don't you agree sister?"
"Right! I thought you were supposed to be some sort of flying lion but I guess you're really just an insolent little flying rat. A beanie baby!" Sennyo laughed mischievously. "You are cute though...so how about you get a key chain and ride on my backpack?!"
They both laughed a chittering annoying but evil laugh which made Kero even more angry. "I was appointed by Clow Reed himself, you little cretins are no match for Todd here!" "Right! I almost forgot why we came here in the first place. If you want this card, you'll have to beat us in a fight in order to get to it. Yah hear me, Toad? Fight...Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fi..."
"Man! SHUT UP!" Todd snapped. "Let's get this over with!" Todd replied, taking out his pocket spear. "Spear of Todd, power of magic, power of light, surrender the spear, the force ignite, release." Todd threw the spinning spear up in the air and a bright flash emitted from it. When Todd caught it, it was full size. "Let's go!"
Sennyo and Sennae jumped back and chanted in unison. "Summon despair beyond the void and cause some pain. To shut out light and seal in bane! Abyss!!"
Under Todd and Li formed a glowing sinister design and Todd took notice and whipped out the shield card. "Shield, protect us from this spell! Shield release and dispel!!" Todd slammed the card and a barrier formed around Li and Todd. They watched as a dome formed around them and the acidic gas ravaged their shield. The shield held and the Abyss spell vanished.
Li summoned his sword and immediately summoned a bolt of lightning at Sennyo but she blocked it quickly with a starlight barrier. She laughed and spun around. She winked at him and it sent a glowing black heart streaming at him. Li cried out and shielded himself from it. The heart bounced off of his arms and flew over him. The heart grew huge and spun around over him. Then, the heart cracked and fell on him. Li collapsed and groaned.
Meilin looked at them and charged at them Kung Fu style and Sennae jumped out of the way. Meilin began a blinding series of kicks and punches but Sennae blocked them with ease. Sennae rose up and kicked. Meilin blocked the kick but was surprised at the force and she was knocked to the ground. Sennae leaped up high and attempted to stomp her but Meilin dodged out of the way.
While they were battling, Sakura summoned her star wand and she took out the time card. "Time Card! Freeze the moment!! This'll give us a predicted edge!!" She slammed the card which sent out a wave of energy that inverted the colors of all the surroundings. Sennyo and Sennae were not affected. Sakura cried out as Sennae sent out a rush of black stars at her and she dodged them. The stars flew past and crashed into a tree, knocking it over. Sakura cried out again when she saw Sennae rushing towards her in a rage. Todd looked over and saw it. "Magic Missile!!" Todd flung the glowing missile at Sennae and it crashed into him from the side. Sennae was knocked away from Sakura and she breathed a relieved sigh. Todd nodded.
Both Sennyo and Sennae jumped to a side and were preparing to summon another abyss. Todd and Li both responded by sending a projectile at them. Li sent a bolt of lightning and Todd sent a magic missile. They combined and hit both Sennyo and Sennae and they crashed down to the ground in a flurry of electricity and sacred power currents. Sennae slowly got up and said. "Ugh! Well met...but this isn't the end!"
Sennyo took out a small bauble and nailed the ground with it. The bauble exploded in a hige white flash and she and Sennae both took flight and escaped. Todd and Li breathed a sigh of relief. Meilin was breathing hard and she stood up. "It's a good thing that those guys ran or else I would have gotten mad! Then they would have been sorry!"
They all nodded and smiled but their happiness turned into panic as they looked over to the camper and the areas around it. It was all burning in flames and the blaze was out of control. The fire was spreading out of control. Todd was hit with a feeling. "This is not only the work of stupid people who should look after their campfire but a clow card!"
They ran up to the blaze and saw a little creature within the inferno. The creature had elven ears and was dressed in odd clothing and had flames all around it. Kero flew up to Todd and said. "Li and I can't help you. This is an elemental card and you can only use three clow cards against it."
"What if I use more?" Todd asked.
"It will not accept you as its commander and will vanish to the lasin shrine. You should be able to capture it." Kero replied, taking a meditating position. "Just use powers that you know will win."
Firey flew up and created a fireball and sent it at Todd. Todd jumped back to see the fireball explode and make more fire. Todd took out the Windy and the Watery card and said. "There's no point in beating around the bush. I'll just use these two. Windy and Watery, I command you to attack Firey with your power! Windy and Watery, release and Dispel!!" Todd slammed the cards with his spear and summoned them both. Windy and Watery surrounded Firey and Todd raised his spear up to the sky. "Winds of Water…send forth a current…ice in the air…release to the sky! Atmosphere!!"
Windy and Watery raised their hands and surrounded Firey with a glowing blue paneled globe. The globe's panels flashed randomly with a blue aura which glowed. In the globe streaked currents of blue lightning which ravaged Firey and knocked him about and he cried out from the pain. Then the globe exploded sending out water and bright light. Firey was left lying on the ground groaning. Todd ran up to it and shouted "Firey, return to your power confined! Firey!!" Todd's spear gained a glowing clow card on the tip. Firey broke into a mass of swirling red ropey energy which flowed into the card. Firey's picture appeared on the card and Todd took it. "Not the hardest capture...anyway...Water! I command you to put out the fire!"
Watery nodded and sent out some flows pf water which put the flames out. The spirits put themselves back in card form and everyone ran up to him. Sakura first said. "Way to go, you passed the test!"
"I knew you could do it!" Kero commended.
Todd nodded and said. "Those people will probably be coming back so...Let's get out of here and leave these guys alone. Todd and everyone else walked back through the woods to the ranger station where everyone else was lining up for the bus.
Chelsea ran up to them and called. "Hey! Come on! You'll miss the bus home if you don't hurry!" They boarded the bus and Chelsea turned from her seat to ask them. "So, did you find anything interesting?"
"Yeah..." Todd replied, sinking into his bus seat.
Todd, Sakura and Madison entered the elevator and rode it to the bottom floor. Todd and Sakura got off and pointed to Meilin and Li leaving the doors. They and Madison followed them quickly to the outside world. Todd left first and was welcomed with snow in the face. "Aagh! It's cold! Get it off! This is...snow?"
Todd looked around as Sakura and Madison approached. Madison looked around and then at the sky. "It's snowing…but It is only the fall months…it isn't supposed to snow just yet."
* * *
"Speaking of that...I need to talk to you about something..." Miss Mackenzie said seriously. "When Yue gets back to me, I shall talk to you about the clow cards and why you can't sign them...but until then, why don't you go for a skate? I have to get supper ready and it won't be ready for awhile..."
"Then I shall see you later, Miss Mackenzie."
Todd asked. "I also need to speak to Kero..."