Kero stared at his sad face and he looked at the clow book. "This has been a boring week ...the clow cards haven't attacked in nearly a week and I'm getting pretty annoyed…I wonder what the next clow spirit is going to be around anyway…"
"It doesn't really matter…" Todd replied. "I wonder what we're going to do today? It's Saturday and I'm very bored of Monster Battle 2000x so…Do you want to go to Sakura's house soon?"
"Why?" Kero asked.
"Well, it beats being around here…Mom just left for Hong Kong so I'm gonna get a new sitter…she should be here soon." Todd replied. "Let's not go to Sakura's house until she comes okay?"
"Sure!" Kero replied. "I challenge you to a match with Monster Battle 2000x! You and me! Mono et Mono!"
Todd became really irritated. "Kero…we've been playing that game for three solid hours!!"
"Well, I really can't get enough monster battling!" Kero replied. "My monsters need some more training!"
"You play that game whenever you get a chance…so why would you need more practice time?" Todd asked. "No matter how hard you try, you'll probably never be able to beat my Mom. I never can win usually…so what chance do YOU have?"
"How did you know I wanted to play against your mom?" Kero asked.
"I see you spying on us whenever I play against Mom. You obviously want to seek a worthy opponent. Too bad if she sees you, she'll probably freak out…after all, she hates rodents and you look an awful lot like a rat to me."
"You said that I look like a rat?" Kero asked angrily. "I happen to be a guardian beast! I'm no rat!"
"Yeah well, my Mom doesn't know about that stuff so you'll look like a fine rat to her." Todd commented as he heard a knock on the door. "Coming!"
Todd opened the door and gasped. "It's you!"
Miss Mackenzie walked in and smiled. "Well, it looks like you're home!"
"Miss Mackenzie! You're going to be my new sitter! It's impossible!" Todd stammered. "You can't be my sitter!"
"And why not?" Miss Mackenzie asked warmly and turned to Kero who stared back at her. "Hello Keroberos."
"Hi, Layla…" Kero replied. "I guess it'll be safe to say that you'll have to do your homework from now on." Kero turned to Todd. "Well, Kid it looks like you have another sitter…only THIS one I can actually talk to."
"Well, Miss Mackenzie, now that you're here…I can go to Sakura's house." Todd replied. "I'll be home at dinner…coming Kero?"
"I sure am! We'll talk later Layla…" Kero said and flew into Todd's backpack.
Todd left the apartment fully geared up with his skates and he bladed to the elevator and pressed the button. "Wow! This is a surprise…"
"It really shouldn't be…you already knew about her." Kero replied from within the backpack. "Well let's go to Sakura's! I'm starving!"
Todd got into the elevator and it stopped at the third floor. Tatea walked onto the elevator and they continued downward. "Well…how's life treating the new card captor on the block…I sensed a powerful spirit from the field trip from the other day." Tatea asked, getting out a map. "…grr…I can't believe that I got talked into this…"
"What did you get talked into?" Todd asked. "What's the map for?"
"I have to do errands for Tejina! She wants more fabric and the shop she wants me to get it at is on the other side of town. The walk will do me good…but I can't believe I have to do all this stuff. This'll eat up my Saturday completely." Tatea growled as she handed the list to Todd.
Todd's eyes widened as he read the list and he was mystified. "I can't believe what you have to do for today! Oh man that's tragic!" He handed the list back to Tatea and asked. "Hey! Why do you know about the clow card's sightings anyway?"
"That's really none of your business!" Tatea replied, annoyed. "I don't ask YOU a million annoying questions about your life…"
The elevator stopped and they both got off. Todd skated to the end of the Kyoden parking lot. "Well Kero…we'll go to Sakura's now okay?"
Todd heard snoring coming from his backpack. Todd sighed and said. "Well…I guess you don't have a say now…"
Todd bladed through the downtown area, he dodged the parked cars…the heaves in the sidewalk and the people that cross his path. Todd wiped his brow. "Whew, this is hard work."
Todd finally made it to Sakura's house and he knocked on the front door. No one answered at first and Todd sighed. He looked up and saw the sky was gray with clouds. Todd shrugged and the door was finally opened by Tori. Tori looked at him suspiciously and asked. "What're YOU doing? Still coming around…don't you know that the Avalon family moved away?"
"You're part of the Avalon family!" Todd scoffed.
"Whoops!" Tori shrugged and let him in. "Sakura is in her room, squirt."
Todd looked around and went up stairs to Sakura's room and knocked on the door. Sakura opened the door and she asked. "So, what took you so long?"
"I hit traffic crossing the downtown area of Reidington. The downtown can be tough this time of day…" Todd replied. "Oh, Hi Madison!"
"How's it going Todd?" Madison asked cheerily. "I finished your new battle costume!"
"Yeah, don't worry about a clow spirit catching me unawares…a clow spirit hasn't attacked in four days." Todd replied, a little depressed.
"Yeah…no wonder it's so boring…" Madison replied drearily.
"So! No Li today?" Todd asked Sakura.
"Li and Meilin are both going to the doctor, I really don't know about the details." Sakura replied. "So, what are we going to do today?"
"Well, I was going to ask you and Kero to help me with another Clow reading." Todd asked as he shook his school bag. "Wake up!!"
Kero groggily floated out from Todd's backpack and asked. "What's up, Sakura and Madison?"
"Hi Kero!" Madison greeted. "You bored too?"
"Extremely…" Kero replied drearily. "So what do you want, Todd?"
"Let's do a clow reading." Todd replied. Todd shuffled the cards put the cards in a diamond pattern with his left hand and chanted. "Ancient Cards of Clow…grant me a vision now…show me if you may…who is standing in by way…" Todd raised his hands a little and the cards began to glow a bluish color. There was a wind and the wind calmed back to nothing. "Okay everyone…speculate now!" Todd flipped over a card and it was the Fly card. "Fly card."
"That one's easy! It means things are going to get better for you. You'll be "on the rise," so to speak." Sakura commented.
"Okey dokey…now the next three cards. They will show me who my next enemy is going to be like." Todd said as he flipped the cards over one by one. "Cloud, Windy and Time."
"… … …Hmm…" Kero commented. "This is one of the first times that I saw the cards line up like this."
"So you don't know what it means?" Todd asked, somber. "I need to know…"
"Well…cloud and windy definitely have something to do with one another. Time means that the next battle will be very soon." Kero commented. "Windy and cloud…"
Sakura looked out the window and saw the overcast sky. She thought for a second and then she smiled as though the light went on. She turned to Todd and said. "The next clow card that you'll find will be high up in the sky!"
"High in the sky…that means that it will be either snow, storm, thunder or...It could also be float…you know, it really doesn't narrow the field down by that much. There still could be like…ten clow cards up there." Todd reminded Sakura. "Well, this mission is another one that I'll need fly for. Come on…Let's go find Li at the doctor's office and we'll talk with him."
Everyone got on their roller blade gear on and skated out to the street. Within a matter of minutes, they found themselves at the foot of the hospital. They opened the clean glass door and walked into the building. The plaza in the building was very impressive looking. The gift shop on the right looked full of colorful items sure to brighten up someone's day, the stairs looked regal looking with red carpet. The elevators were also there, but with each opening, tons of people walked out and rushed about. Todd looked up to see designs on the roof. It looked like a huge painting. "THIS thing's a hospital?" Todd asked the girls with disbelief. "It looks more like a hotel or a shopping mall."
"A hotel or a shopping mall?" Madison asked. "…well it sort of looks like it."
"Do either of you have ANY idea whatsoever of where Li and Meilin could possibly be? This hospital is huge and I heard it was poorly layed out." Todd asked.
"We could ask the reception guy…" Sakura replied as she walked to the desk and rang the bell.
A well-dressed man wearing a dark blue tie, a dress shirt and dress pants walked out of the office area and sat down on the desk. " Welcome to Reidenton Hospital...how may I help you, kids? Are you here to see a sick friend?"
"Well...no I'm actually looking for a well person who stopped off here. Could you please tell us where the pediatricion offices are and search for an appointment for two named Li and Meilin?" Sakura asked. "We're their friends and we need to talk to them about something relatively important."
"I can't do that…it would violate the trust agreement contract..." The officer replied. "I can tell you where the offices for pediatricians are though. They're on third, next to the huge candy machine."
"Thanks!" Sakura bowed and ran to the elevators with Todd and Madison.
Todd pushed the button and waited for the UP light to turn on. "Man, I can't believe this is taking so long...I wonder if the candy machine has something I want?"
The elevator door opened, revealing over seven people. The people pushed past the kids to exit the hospital. Todd and Sakura glared at them while they were leaving and said to each other. "How rude! To think people don't know how to say 'excuse me' anymore..."
They got on the elevator and pushed the 3-button on the controls. They rode the elevator up to the third floor and got off. Only to get pushed and shoved past, by more people. Sakura and Madison dodged out of the way and Todd backed to the side. They got onto the elevator arguing and the door closed. Todd smiled and said. "Have a nice trip, you creeps!"
"I can't believe how rude people are getting nowadays." Madison commented as she opened the first door and looked in. "Nope! He isn't here!"
Sakura tried the door next to Madison and sighed. No one she recognized was there either. "There isn't anyone here…"
Todd looked in a door, then another and another. Todd sighed and sat on a bench in the hallway. "Meilin and Li aren't in any of the other waiting rooms. Sakura and Madison sat down on the bench with them and they all sighed in frustration. "Well, at least we aren't lost ourselves…and I can go get a nice candy bar!"
Li and Madison walked into the hallway and got into the elevator. It wasn't until Todd saw Meilin's hairstyle that he figured it out. "Hey Sakura! Madison! I saw them, they entered the elevator!"
They all pressed the button for DOWN over and over. A door opened and Todd ran to it. The door opened to reveal another crowd of 12 people and they nearly trampled Todd. Todd backed away and glared at them as they were entering the offices. "More rude people! Man! I'm starting to hate it here!"
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."
"You're right, Madison! It's way too early for snow…but the weather did call for precipitation and it is getting colder…so it is probably just a dusting." Sakura replied, somber. "It might be a clow card, Todd."
"It could be, Sakura…but let's go after Li and Meilin. They're bound to be home soon…they took a car!" Todd replied.
They all bladed to Li's apartment complex the "Obdiba Manor" and saw Wei's car. They walked into the building and walked up to Li's apartment. Todd knocked on the door and Li answered it. "How are you and Meilin, Li?"
"We're fine, it's just a regular appointment. How come you're here now though…?" Li asked. "A clow card cometh?"
"Maybe…you do realize that it's snowing?" Todd asked. "Clow cards tend to do things like this. How about you and Meilin come with us to capture the clow card?"
"Right! I was about to leave and search for it anyway. Hey Meilin! Let's go find a clow card." Li called to Meilin's room.
"REALLY?! A clow card! Finally an end to the boredom!!" Meilin came out yelling.
"Let's go!" Todd replied as he turned to Madison's smiling face. "…Uh oh…?"
"I have a battle costume for you to try on!" Madison said cheerily as she quickly whipped it out for him. "It's actually perfect for this sort of situation!"
Minutes passed as Todd put it on, he came out of the bathroom dressed in a light blue snow coat that had a fur rimmed hood and huge black bulky snow boots the outfit was topped with huge looking mittens with colored designs on them. Todd walked out saying. "It looks a little fluffy, but I'll give it a shot. Let's go find the snow card."
Li walked out first, holding the Lasan board. "Force of light with ancient spin, send forth the magic power within! Force know my plight, release the light!" Li's lasan board glowed blue in the center and shot a beam of light to the sky. "So it really is the snow card! Or maybe just a flying card."
"All right! A clow card...finally!" Kero cheered. "Now we can re-sharpen our skills."
"A card which comes from the sky!" Todd realized. "It's just like my premonition! I'll get the spear out and you'll have to help me…"
"How do I need to help you?" Li asked. "You want me to attack the card?"
"Sure do." Todd replied and chanted. "Spear of Todd...power of magic...power of light...surrender the spear...the force ignite! Release!" Todd threw the glowing orb up in the air. The orb spun around in the air and grew to normal size with the spear inside. The orb burst in a shower of sparkles and Todd gripped the spear. He took out the fly card and thrust the spear point into it. "Let's Fly!!" Large white wings grew on his spearhead and Todd hopped on. "Let's go!"
Li nodded and took out the pendant. "Force of light with ancient spin, send forth the magic power within! Force know my plight, release the light!" Li chanted as his pendant glowed in a yellow light. The pendant faded into the sword and he jumped onto the spear as well.
They took to the air and within seconds, broke the cloud barrier. Todd looked at himself and shivered. "It's cold out here..." Todd realized that he and Li were covered in snow. "Oh, that explains it."
"We don't have time to worry about the snow, let's find this card. Force, know my plight! Release the light!!" Li took his lasan board out and it shone through the clouds in an east direction. "It's over there!!"
"Remember Todd that when you're up here, you're fair game for snow..." Kero warned Todd.
"Thanks Kero, I'll be careful." Todd looked over to where the Lasan board was pointing and sure enough, he found a large woman dressed in an odd robe floating there. Snow looked over and gasped as Li shot a bolt of lightning at her with his sword. Snow raised her hand and a tiny cloud ripped itself from the overcast down below and met with the bolt. "Uh Oh...snow is a lot like rain in this case..." Todd mumbled to Li as he shot another bolt of lightning at her. "We aren't going to defeat it by doing this."
"How do you propose we beat it then?" Li asked.
Snow glared at them both and raised her hands up and then pointed them at Li and Todd. A stormy gust of snowy wind knocked them both off of the spear. They fell back down to earth, Li was petrified with fear and Todd was straining for the spear which lost its wings. They continued falling and broke through the clouds below.
"They're falling!!" Meilin screamed, with tears in her eyes. "Sakura! Do something!!!"
"Time Card!" Sakura said as she anxiously searched for the Time card. She found it and took out the key of star. Sakura threw the star key up and shouted. "Release!!" A flash emitted from the star key and fell back into her hand as the star wand. "Time, slow the moment so they fall slowly!!" Sakura quickly said as she slammed the Time card with her wand and the color of the surrounding area was inverted and everything fell still. Todd and Li were caught, 20 feet above the ground and were falling slowly. Sakura and Meilin rushed under them to catch Todd and Li and they were caught.
Todd and Li opened their eyes to be in the arms of Sakura and Meilin. Todd looked into Sakura's eyes and said softly. "...thank you..."
"You're welcome..." Sakura replied warmly, brushing back the tear in her eye and Todd got up.
Todd looked at her and Meilin a little strangely and said. "Please don't worry, we're fine thanks to you...so NOW what? Attacking snow all out isn't working..."
"Well, let's sneak up from behind her and attack her, just like how we captured the rain card." Li replied. "It should work."
"This is no time for talking!! When the snow card is on the war path..." Kero reminded everyone, irritated.
Todd looked up and gasped. "Whoa! SNOW!!"
Gobs and gobs of wet heavy snow fell from the sky. Gobs so large they seemed like large snowballs and were getting bigger. Todd took out the shield card and said. "Everyone! Get over here!! All that snow will pulverize us! I'll use the shield card!" Everyone ran over to him he nodded. "Shield, make us a barrier to protect us from all of that snow! Shield Card!" Todd threw the card up and slammed it with the spear. The card broke into a mass of blue energy that flowed around the group, forming a blue barrier.
The shield got pelted with gob after gob of snow. Sakura saw it splattering off of the shield and onto the ground. The gobs were so huge that they looked like melting boulders of snow. "It's doing so much damage! Look at that car!" Sakura pointed to the car and the roof was heavily damaged.
"The snow card is NOT a docile card...so watch out!" Kero warned Todd.
"I hope it stops soon, I don't think my barrier will take much more snow punishment." Todd commented as the boulders of snow continued dropping. "What can I do?"
To Todd and everyone's relief, the gobs of snow subsided and the shield was dispelled. Snow floated down from the heavens and glared when she saw that everyone was all right. Todd stepped up and asked. "Well...now that we've done our little temper tantrum...maybe you'd like to come with us?"
Snow shook her head and clapped her hands. Suddenly her aura filled the whole park with snow and ice and it got a lot colder. Todd gasped when she dove under the snow. "Where did she go?"
Li was grabbed from underneath and sucked into the snow. Li cried out and took out an ofuda. From under the snow, Todd heard a muffled voice and Snow flew out of the snow, in flames. Li struggled free of the snow and said. "I used fire element on it..."
"Hey! Right! Thank goodness we found a weakness before she did more snow attacks" Todd exclaimed and took out the Firey card. "Firey, I command you to thaw all of the snow and attack Snow herself! Firey! Release and Dispel!" Todd slammed the card with his spear and the card broke into an inferno of fiery energy. Firey appeared from the inferno and rose up to the sky and formed a glowing orb in his hands. Firey released the orb and the orb grew and engulfed everything and thawed all the snow. Firey then saw Snow and tackled her. The flames bashed into Snows body and partially melted her and she crashed down to the ground. Todd ran over to her and chanted. "Snow card! Return to your power confined! Snow!" Todd rose the spear up and a glowing card shape appeared. Snow broke into a mass of energy and filtered into the card. Snow's picture appeared on the card and floated upward.
"Great work everyone!" Kero cheered but looked at the card. "...I guess it really was an equal capture..."
"Uh oh..." Todd said. "We all helped...so...the card can belong to anybody."
"Take it, Todd." Li said. "You should have it."
"If you say so." Todd replied as he took the card from the air. Todd put it in the clow card packets and said. "Another clow card for me...It's good that the clow cards are not just leaving...you do know that when you don't sign the cards, the cards aren't really sealed."
"They must really like you as their captor!" Kero replied cheerily. "You're doing some good work! Now...how about we go celebrate with some icecream!"
Todd looked around and said. "I think I've seen all the cold things I can stand today...how about we just go back to my house for some pudding...?"
"Whoa! Pudding! I'll never turn down pudding!!" Kero cheered.
As they were walking to Todd's house, Tatea enters the area. She sat down on the bench and sighed, putting her shopping bag on the bench. "I can't believe that I've spent a whole day finding these... I'm exausted..." She rested on the bench for a bit and began walking to the Kyoden manor and entered the building. She walked to the room number 22 and knocked on the door. Tejina answered it and took the bag off of Tatea's hands. Tejina gave Tatea 20 dollars and asked. "Well, was it hard to find the stuff?"
"Yeah...I had to search four places to find the fabrics. I wish you weren't such a green freak..." Tatea said as she left the apartment.
Tejina laughed and went into the kitchen. She took a cookie from the cookie jar and ate it. She wondered and thought about things as a little creature flew in. "You in deep thought?" The creature asked.
"I wonder if they're going to be ready for the test?" Tejina asked as she opened the phone book. "Madison should be free to help me come up with the next design. I wonder if she had someone model the snow wear that's going to be showing in a week?"
"I really don't know...I sure wish you would study the book though. I hate having to tell you all about a clow card before you come to Todd's rescue every time he was attacked. I spied on him when he and his friends were trying to fight the Snow card. He was nearly killed." The creature replied. "Even though it isn't your place to capture the clow cards, you should at least help him capture the tougher ones. This child won't fare well against the dark one if we don't help him out."
"YES, Miiko...but the more I help him, the more he'll learn about me and if my identity is known by the clow cards...the whole thing falls apart." Tejina replied.
"Sennyo and Sennae will surely target you." Miiko replied. "Well, what ever you think is best."
"I really don't know but...maybe we could catch a movie." Sakura replied. "Wait...I might have cheerleader's practice tomorrow."
"I don't have any extra cash anyway..." Todd grumbled as he looked through his wallet. "Well, we'll probably do something fun."
They nodded and Miss Mackenzie walked in. She smiled and asked. "Well Todd, you and you're friends having a math convention?"
"You're so funny!" Todd replied, a bit irritated. "Well, see you guys later!"
Everyone left and Miss Mackenzie sat down on the couch. "I see that you caught a clow card. Was it the snow card?"
"Yeah...How do you know about the clow cards?" Todd asked.
"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..."
After the 11 preview commercials, the movie began.
It started in a house in china where a guy was
talking to an old man. There was subtitles but
they were in Japanese. Todd squinted and read them
to himself. "I can't make out some words so...
"Here we are again, Mertain. How will we deliver the
computer...chaps? We must ask for the...armorable?
Shaolon Warriors to assist the...trunk to Hong
Kong to help the army learn about the activities
of the....trashcans? Or is it trespassers... or maybe
telephones? Teach the army about the telephones?!
Wait, that's not right..."
* * *
Meanwhile, up in the film room, we see a scrawny
guy with a goatee scratching himself. He yawned
and said. "This movie is a real snooze fest...I
can't believe out theater would bring something this
crummy into our movie theater...but then again,
there was that 40 Days and 40 Nights movie that
really stunk up the theater..."
A woman wearing a scarf over her lower face walked
into the room and stared at him. She was
wearing odd clothing and the Man asked her in
a somewhat raised voice. "What are you doing here,
I thought that no one was allowed here?"
The woman did not reply.