Todd then felt a darkness surge inside of him that felt like he was being torn apart. Todd then closed his eyes as he noticed he was in his white suit with the white cape with the white turban. He had his spear out as he surveyed that he was in the center of a huge platform. The platform seemed to be a huge battle Colosseum. The arena was decorated with several statues of a cloaked demon with gigantic horns, wielding a giant claymore. The rows of the Colosseum were lined with creepy little imps that were screaming and cheering. The dark green clouds overhead spewed with thunder and lightning. Todd then realized that the platform was over a gigantic lava pit that emitted foul smelling sulfur. Todd then gasped as he viewed his opponent. The opponent was a giant shadow monster with glowing red eyes. Razor sharp claws and dripping fangs. Todd then realized he had his clow cards with him.
Todd then threw up the Wood Card and chanted. "Wood Card...release and dispel!" Wood appeared and awaited orders. "Protect me from this demonic figure!" Wood then lunges at the demon with her roots. Wood then binds the monster with roots and vines. Todd thought he was alright but the vines and roots snapped away as the monster effortlessly broke free. The monster laughed that evil cruel laugh that Todd remembered from before. Todd was about to issue another order when the monster started screaming a horrible, evil, demonic scream that hurt Todd's ears. The scream caused Wood to instantly turn brown and lose her leaves. She then collapsed and turned back into her clow card form. Instead of returning to Todd, the clow card exploded into one hundred tiny shreads of paper. Todd was horrified.
Todd did not give up. He took the windy card from his pocket and summoned it. Windy streamed to the demon in an attempt to bind it. The demon then raised its mighty claws and struck Windy. She was knocked back so far that she fell over the edge of the stadium and into the lava. She turned back into her card form which burned up from the lava instantly. Todd looked in that direction, terrified. The demon then trampled up to Todd, trying to gore Todd. "Jump Card!" Todd suddenly chanted as he leapt out of harms way, only to be smacked by the demon's mighty claws. Todd flew about thirty feet and thudded on the ground. The audience imps cheered loud and cruel.
Todd slowly got up to reveal that he was bleeding from his forehead. The blood soaked his Turban which lied on the ground. Todd then dropped to his knees, The monster then picked Todd up and walked over to the arena's edge. The demon boomed in a cruel evil tone. "You are no Cardcaptor. You're worthless! Now it is time for you to die!!"
The demon took Todd's spear and broke it in four pieces. He then telekineticly removed the Fly card from Todd's pocket and waved its hands, the card exploded into one hundred pieces. He then hurled Todd over the edge and Todd was falling towards the lava.
"NOOOOOOOOO!!!" Todd screamed horribly as he woke up. He was breathing hard as he noticed Kero staring at him, shocked.
"What's wrong Todd?" Kero asked, worried. "Did you see something...bad?"
"T,That was so horrible..." Todd sobbed, keeping back tears. "I can't be true! It can't be true!" He got up and immediately looked in the clow book. "Is this a clow card? I can't fight this thing...its invincible..."
"Nothing's invincible...This thing was just a nightmare..." Kero commented.
"I had clow cards! Was this thing a premonition?" Todd wondered.
"No, it's just a dream!"
Todd then went to the kitchen to get himself some breakfast. Todd ate some toast and then returned to the clowbook. He studied it for an hour and didn't find anything from the demon in his dream. He was relieved.
"Got any plans to do anything, Todd?" Kero asked. "Today is an ideal day to study the clow cards."
"Oh Kero! To you, every day is an ideal day for capturing and studying." Todd replied as though he heard that line 10000 times.
"Well, a clow card hasn't attacked yesterday, so you'd better hit the books...you are a long way away from being a CardCaptor..." Kero said, in a meditated position. "Expect the unexpected, that's a motto that all the CardCaptors use, including Sakura."
"Sakura! That's a great idea." Todd complimented. "I'll call Sakura today, and ask her to some ice-cream!" Todd then was going to call Sakura when he heard a knock on the door. Todd then went to answer it and peered at the visitor. He dropped the phone when he saw who it was. Kero then floated after Todd and saw who it was. He was shocked.
"How are you... son?"
Todd then looked at him strangely and peered closer. He saw the stranger's brown eyes, brown hair and the jacket that he wore. He looked at the stranger's jeans and his shoes. They were all exactly the same. "... ... Dad?"
Kero then flew away instantly. Todd then stared at his father and said. "It's been...such a long time..."
Todd's Dad was let in and he sat on the couch. Todd picked up the phone he dropped. He called Sakura and said with a solemn voice. "Sakura, it's Todd."
"Hey Todd..."
"I want you to immediately come over, would you please? It's very important. *Click*"
At Sakura's house, she was putting on her in line skates when Tori popped in. "Hey, Squirt... what's wrong?"
"Todd wants me to go over to his house. Tori, could you give me a ride there?"
"Sure, that's where I'm headed now."
The drive was very quick and Sakura was let in by Todd. Todd then said. "Sakura, Tori...I want you to meet...my Dad."
Sakura then stared at Todd's father. He looked back but Sakura saw something that she didn't understand. Todd then said. "Were going to catch up on old times..." Sakura then nodded and they had tea over the coffee table. Sakura liked tea but Todd didn't and Tori had a black coffee. Todd then asked. "Where have you been all these years? Why haven't you tried to contact me?"
"Oh it doesn't matter, all that matters now is that I'm here." Dad replied.
Sakura sipped her tea and thought about things. She collected that Todd's dad disappeared when Todd was younger and Todd moved here with his mom. She then thought about her own parents and her and her brother's Mom. Her mom was deceased but was still fresh in her memory. She took another sip of her tea. Tori was also deep in thought.
"I have an idea! Let's all go to a baseball game." Dad said enthusiastically.
"Okay, is it okay if Sakura and Tori come too?" Todd asked.
"Wait! I'll have to take a rain check..." Tori interrupted. "I have a job interview."
"I'll go with you." Sakura said.
They got into a car and they drove to Tokyo to get tickets. The drive wasn't long but Sakura and Todd were talking in the back seats.
"So what's your story?" Sakura asked Todd.
"Well my dad disappeared when I was seven years old and I haven't seen him since. Todd said as they went into flashback.
"Yay! My daddy is so cool." Little Todd chanted.
Todd's Dad smiled as he stepped up to the plate. Todd watched his dad at bat in a baseball game. They were at ninth inning and the L.A. Dodgers were behind one run. Todd's Dad then positioned himself, eyes intense, and the pitcher threw the ball and he hit it clear out of the park. The crowd went wild as the L.A. Dodgers scored three runs, winning the game.
"I knew you could do it! You're is the coolest Daddy!" The flashback ended.
"That night, my Dad disappeared...and I haven't seen him since, until today! I can't believe it! I'm so happy!" Todd replied cheerily.
"I'm happy that you're happy!" Sakura replied.
They finally made it to Tokyo and got tickets. They then sat through the baseball game and made them proud to see their hometown battle it out with Tokyo's team. Todd and Sakura spent the whole time cheering and eating junk food. Todd's Dad just sat through the whole thing quietly. The game ended with Reidenton losing by three runs.
"That was so great! Too bad our team lost..." Sakura said cheerily.
"It was fun! Don't you think so Dad?" Todd said.
"Yes it was Todd my boy...I must take a little break, stay right here." Todd's Dad said as he hurried to the washroom. When Todd's Dad was in the washroom he went into one of the stalls. "Phew this is hard work. I must be convincing though..." Todd's dad transforms into a silhouette of a man, glowing and parallaxes of designs appearing on the silhouettes in a tapestry. "Ahhh, much better..."
There was someone in the washroom with it and gained a mystified look as he heard the creature talking. The creature then changed back into Todd's father as came out of the stall. He asked. "Do you want in here?"
"N,No..." The person said.
Todd's Dad walked out of the bathroom. They all piled into the car and drove back to Reidenton. Sakura got out of the car first and said. "Thank you, Todd. Thanks for taking me to the baseball game. I have to go home now, so see you.
Todd and his dad decided to go fishing. Todd packed the fish gear and Todd's dad warmed up the car. Todd brought the food and were ready to go. They drove to Reidenton river where the biggest fish are. Todd then put his fishing rod together and noticed his Dad not putting his rod together. Todd asked "Huh? Why aren't you putting your fishing rod togther?"
"I prefer to do it this way..." Todd's Dad replies as he positioned himself. He got ready and leaped into the water like a beast. He flew in and transformed into water and gathered around a bunch of fish. Todd stared and couldn't find him. Suddenly Todd's dad leaped up with an armful of fish.
Todd stared at his father, mystified. Todd saw him pour the fish into the cooler. Todd stared at him as he got himself a towel out of nowhere and wiped himself off. Todd stared at him again and finally said. "No wait, no fishhook! That's a cool way."
Todd and his Dad then finished up their fishing. They got back into the car when Todd asked. "Where have you been all this time? I need to know! Mom will be so happy to know you're coming back with us!"
"Let's not talk about that. I'm back now, and that's the important thing." He unemotionally reponded to Todd's question. The drive was over and Todd got out of the car first.
"Why will you not talk about your past!" Todd asked, angry. "You must be hiding something!"
"Why would you say that, Todd?"
Todd was about to say something when he was suddenly hit by a feeling. Todd was now getting an awful feeling from his dad. Todd then began to ask his Dad a question. "What is my last name, If you really are my Dad, you'll answer correctly!"
"Pardon me? You don't think I am your father?" Todd's Dad asked, shocked.
"I have certain...reasons to believe that you aren't my Dad!" Todd shouted. "Please answer the question!"
"Your last name is...." Todd's Dad wondered. Todd then stared at him and then began tapping his toes. Todd then glared at him and stepped back. "I am your father, Todd..."
"I want you to answer the question right now...!" Todd demanded, starting to think that his Dad was a fake. "What is my last name!?"
"You last name is ... Gato!"
"No it isn't! Who are you! Tell me now!!" Todd demanded. "Even some person who knows me even slightly would know my last name is Arcana! You aren't my Dad!"
Todd's Dad then lost the light in his eyes. He then jerked his head at Todd and then suddenly bursted from the inside out and exploded. This scared Todd as he stepped back and yelled. "What in blazes are you!? A clow card?"
The pile of flesh transformed into a silhouette of a man. The silhouette had a polygonal pattern. The silhouette began talking in a strange mysterious language. Todd was perplexed as he suddenly felt a wave of coldness pass through him. Todd then saw himself engulfed in darkness. Todd found himself sitting under an apple tree. Todd was cold as he was staring at himself. He was wearing nothing but a pair of blue swimming trunks. Todd noticed his father running up to him and saying. "Hey Todd, are you going to go swimming? Your mother and Sakura are waiting for you."
"Sakura...?" Todd asked dreamily. "Huh? Well...okay..."
Kero flew out of Todd's window and flew up to the roof. Kero saw Todd talking to what seemed to look like a garbage can, sounding very happy. Kero then flew down to confirm his suspicions. Todd was talking to the garbage can as though it was Sakura. Todd's eyes were without light and half closed. Todd acted though he was sleepwalking. Kero became worried. "Todd, snap out of it! What's wrong with you!?"
Todd then whipped around and slapped Kero very hard. Kero was knocked into a puddle of mud. Kero looked up at Todd, bewildered. Todd then snapped. "Stupid bugs! They get worse every year!" In his dream, Todd started running after Sakura who giggled as she ran upwards to a higher area. Todd stopped her and said to her. "I, I love you!"
She blushed and giggled as she continued running up the hill. Todd, in reality was talking to Tatea on the second floor inside of the main building when he said that. Tatea looked at Todd strangely and said. "That's nice...I'm leaving now...bye..."
Todd then looked in the direction of the elevator and started shouting. "Hey! Wait Sakura! I want to get you a nice sea shell! Todd started groping the floor for a sea shell. In Todd's dream, he found a sea shell but in reality he was just holding a penny he found on the ground and started to run into the elevator, screaming "Wait Sakura! I found you a sea shell. It's a token of my love for you!!"
Tatea stared in Todd's direction and said to herself. "Uh Oh...This is...I better get ready for it..."
Todd reached the top floor and danced out of the elevator, saying. "The seashell I gave you is great isn't it?" Todd then said to Sakura as she started singing love songs to him. Todd paused and started singing back. In reality, he was singing love songs to an old woman who lived down the hall. The woman then looked at Todd strangely. Todd then said "Oh Sakura! I'll race you to the jump!" Todd started running towards a balcony singing. "I'll do the best dive! I'll do the best dive! Ha, Ha, Ha!
The old woman became horrified as she realized what Todd was about to do. She hurried to the elevator and called the intercom saying. "There's a little boy who is about to jump off the balcony!! Please do something."
As she finished talking, The Mysterious Stranger burst through the elevator doors, charging after Todd. In Todd's dream, He has finally reached the top of the cliff, Todd's Dad and Mom were swimming below. Sakura giggled and jumped into the water. Todd was preparing to do a belly flop. In reality, Todd was about to jump off the balcony.
The Mysterious Stranger then burst through the balcony doors. Todd was laughing as Sakura called him to do a flip. Todd then crouched and leaped up, but the Stranger grabbed him and held him back.
Todd then stared at the sky and then looked at the Stranger. The light returned to his eyes as he slowly said. "Uh...what happened. My head hurts..."
The Mysterious Stranger replied. "This is the work of a clow card. The Illusion card!"
Todd looked over the edge of the balcony. Todd sighed as he notice two officials approach him. They look at Todd and Todd replied. "I'm sorry everyone, I was sleepwalking and this person saved me from doing something horrible."
They all breathed a sigh of relief as the officials left Todd and the Shrouded One alone. Todd then looked over the ledge again as they notice the Illusion card stewing about in the Kyoden parking lot. Todd points to the creature and said. "That's the Illusion card!"
Todd then whipped out his pocket spear and began to chant. "Spear of Todd, power of magic, power of light, surrender the spear, the force ignite! Release!" Todd's spear glowed in an orb of light. The orb of light got bigger and the orb burst to reveal Todd's spear at full size. Todd then whipped out the jump card. "Let's jump off the right way! Jump, make me and the Shrouded one able to jump higher. Jump Card!" Todd commanded as he threw the card up. Todd impaled the card with the spear and white wings grew onto Todd's and the Shrouded One's feet. They leaped off the balcony and plunged four floors down and landed gracefully at the bottom. Todd then commented. "I'd think I'd rather jump off the balcony this way, Illusion."
Illusion turned to face the two. They shouted. "Okay Illusion, show us what you really are."
Illusion's paisley design flashed and exploded out. The explosion surrounded Todd and the Shrouded One in a blast of colorful splashes and weird mosaics. Todd and the Stranger found themselves in an illusionary world.
"This isn't what I mean!" Todd snapped as he gripped his spear tighter.
The world was mystifying, the sky was dark green and the ground was composed of dark red sand. Todd looked at the dark blue cliffs that surrounded the area. Todd ran to an edge and noticed that clouds were below as they seemed very high in the sky.
"This is Illusion's realm!" The Shrouded one replied. "Beware of Illusion, it is everywhere."
"Everywhere!?" Todd yelled. "Then?" Todd positioned his spear, ready to receive a clow card. "Okay, if it's everywhere, I should be able to capture it!"
The gravity of this strange new world suddenly doubled. Todd then gained an astounded look as he dropped to his knees. The Shrouded one kneeled as well. "We should defeat this spirit before you try to capture it."
"Explain." Todd demanded.
"Okay!" The Shrouded one said to itself. "This card is elusive, nothing in, hey what's that?" The shrouded one pointed in the distance and noticed familiar shapes. Those shapes were Watery, Wood and Windy. Those spirits were advancing on them.
"These are all mine! I didn't summon them though!" Todd replied. "They look mad!"
"They are the spirits of past ordeals, They'll surely try to destroy us." The Stranger replied. "What's wrong?"
"Three powerful spirits against us two? We'll have to match them!" Todd repled. "Which spirit should I use?"
"We don't do anything."
"What? We have clow cards attacking and you say that we don't do anything?" Todd replied hastily. "I'll match spirit to spirit."
"No, you'll get worn out magically. These things aren't real." The Shrouded one replied. "I think they are just figments of the Illusion card."
"You better be right!" Todd replied, worried. "Uh Oh, they're attacking now."
Todd prepared for the spirits. Windy started to bind Todd and the Shrouded one as they stood there. Windy tried to wrap around Todd but her body just flowed through his. Todd looked down and then at Windy and asked to her. "What? I caught you already. I know that your just a figment trying to scare me. You can't do anything to me." Windy suddenly vanished in a puff of yellowish smoke.
Wood lunged at Todd and Todd then started to Run. The Stranger just stood there looking at Todd. Todd then shouted as Wood followed him. "Catch me! Catch me! I dare you!"
Wood extended her vines to grip Todd and they hit him. The vines went right through him and Todd laughed. "What's wrong Wood? Can't grab be? Well that's just great!" Wood then vanished into a puff of green smoke. "What's next?"
Watery charged at Todd and lifted her arms to the sky. A giant Tidal wave appeared on the horizon behind her. Todd stared at the tsunami that approached them, roaring loudly. Todd then said. "Surf's up!"
The wall of water hit Todd and Tadea with such a force that they'd be washed away...in reality. The wave actually hit them but went right through them. Todd and Tatea weren't even wet. Todd shouted. "Is that the best you got? Do it again, kill me."
Watery hissed at Todd and evaporated into a cloud of blue smoke. Todd then stood triumphantly to The Shrouded one. The Shrouded one smiled at Todd as they also forgot about the gravity, removing it. A bright flash encircled them as the world they were in melted back into their normal real world. They both looked at Illusion, now on its knees in a swirl of color. Todd walked up to the creature and positioned its spear. Todd then chanted "You were good, but you weren't convincing enough to kill me. Return to your power confined, Illusion Card!" Todd's spear gained a glowing clow card at its head. Illusion broke its form and flowed into the clow card. The card gained the illusion picture and Todd frowned.
The Mysterious Stranger walked up to him and said. "Good Capture, Todd. Miiko told me about the Jump and Watery card, well done."
Todd turned to The Stranger and frowned. "Thank you for saving my life. It's now pretty apparent that the clow cards want to kill me. You have saved my life twice now..."
"You must not thank me." The Mysterious Stranger replied. "It is my mission to help you capture the clow cards."
"You must be our ally, then. Won't you please tell me your true identity?" Todd asked, staring at the Shrouded one.
"I cannot tell you who I really am, it would endanger everyone." The Stranger replied. "I will however, tell you why I can't tell you."
"Why?" Todd asked. "Is it because of..."
"I have been cursed. I am actually here to avoid the Dark One. Telling who I am will only affect the situation negatively." The Shrouded said darkly.
"Dark One...?" Todd asked, perplexed. "Is this Dark One a monster?"
"He is..." The Shrouded one replied. "He is a monster that was battling Clow Reed long ago. Clow Reed sealed him away. The Dark One counter cursed Clow Reed. He would get unsealed when the clow spirits have been released 10 times. Sakura was the ninth one who opened the clow book..."
"That would mean that I'm the tenth one..." Todd replied grimly. "These cards may be affected by the Dark One's aura...?"
"They are, and that's why they are so aggressive. Now you know a clue." The Stranger said as it dashed off.
Kero flew up to Todd and said. "Good capture, Todd. You'll be a great one, I can tell."
"Good for me..." Todd replied, his eyes growing glassy. "We have an even bigger problem."
"What's wrong?" Kero asked seriously. "You caught the card..."
"My Dad...is never coming back."
"Oh he'll come back someday." Kero replied. "I'm sure of it."
Todd and Kero walked back to the apartment and The Mysterious Stranger watched him from a distance. It finally said. "You must prepare yourself well...It only gets tougher from here on..." The Stranger Dashed to its apartment and let itself in. Miiko greeted the Shrouded one as it walked in.
"Did you capture the clow card?" Miiko asked.
"No, I let the novice receive it. I still can't tell him about my identity right?" The Stranger Replied to Miiko. "The Dark One...it doesn't already know about us right?"
"I don't know..." Miiko replied.
Todd was greeted by Tori when he came in. Tori said. "Hey Squirt ...where's your Dad?"
Todd stared at Tori blankly and finally replied. "Dad is gone again, he probably won't ever come back...I'm taking a bath..." Todd slammed the bathroom door and turned on the water.
"Won't ever come back?" Tori replied, somber.
Todd thought about things and said to himself. "Sakura will be so shocked about what we're dealing with... I don't know what I'm gonna do about this but...I'll have to gain some skill before taking this monster on." Todd continued his bath and began thinking about the nightmare he had last night. Todd remembered fighting a demon and losing horribly. "If the fight is going to be like that nightmare...I don't know if I'll be able to..."
Todd finished his bath and brushed his teeth. Todd walked to the kitchen and took a pop tart from the package and ate it. Todd realized what he did and sighed. Todd went to brush his teeth again and prepared for bed. Kero flew up from the bed and asked "So, what do you plan to do?"
"Well..." Todd wondered as he fluffed his pillow. Todd yawned and saw Kero staring at him. "I'll first sleep. Sleeping is the most important thing for me right now. Tomorrow is my field trip to the museum, I do that and I might go out for ice-cream with Sakura, Li and Madison..."
"Is capturing clow cards anywhere on the list?" Kero asked, irritated. "Everything will come in its time..." Todd yawned. "All in good time..." Todd got comfortable with Kero curled up on his pillow. Todd then went to sleep, hoping he'll dream of something a little more pleasant.
"I have an announcement for everyone! We will have two new students who will be joining our class. Please welcome, Jaki and Mashou Nekura! They transferred here from Hong Kong! Just like Li Showron!"
Everyone in the class turned to Li, they wanted to ask but Li replied. "Sorry, I don't know everyone who is from China!"
* * *
She uncovered the sword and Sakura and Li looked with terror. Shelly continued. "See? This is..." She suddenly fell down on the ground as a bright flash erupted in the room. The light vanished to reveal Shelly in a fighting stance and no light was in her eyes, she was like a zombie. "Ha, ha, ha...I'll take the sword and in my stead...swing the blade and sever your head! Please do not be afraid...this is a very sharp blade!"
* * *
The shield card flew off the hook and smashed through the display case.
They stared at it as it flew up into the air. The shield floated there
for a minute and suddenly dove down. Shield smashed through the display
case in the center and flew into the treasure chest. The chest locked.