FF VII: Interrupted by Fireworks

Chapter 5- Forces Collide

The next day at school, Sakura was busy telling Tomoyo all about their meeting with Gabor, while Li was busy starring off into space.

"...And he gave us his phone number and everything. I mean, how often is it you get a chance to hang out with a Remnant Cardcaptor?" She said excited.

"According to Kerberus, you didn't even know what a Remnant Cardcaptor was until a few days ago." Tomoyo said with a mischievous grin.

Sakura got a sweatdrop.

"Yeah, well, whatever." She said. The teacher stepped into the room.

"Hey look, Tomoyo! We've got a substitute teacher."

"You know what that means..." Her classmate smiled, on the edge of evilly. "No homework!" They whispered at the same time.

Catsy stood on the roof of the church next to her apartment, a black Card in her hand. A small crowd of people was crowded around at the sides of the church, gazing up at her intently and whispering amongst each other while waiting for the Police to arrive.

"It's show time, ladies and gentlejerks!" She shouted. The Card in her hand began to glow. "Prepare for the greatest Pyrotechnics display in the world! Ha HA!"

The Card grew even more, phasing and stretching outward until it formed into a huge werewolf-like beast with fur the color of fire and skin like coal. The people screamed and backed away as Catsy laughed her head off at the fearful pedestrians.

"Ok, Flarewolf, let's give these people a real fire show! Burn this building to the ground!" She and Flarewolf back flipped in unison off the roof, landing where so many people had been standing mere moments before. Flarewolf immediately began to hit the building with a stream of fire from it's mouth. Catsy turned in the direction of a bunch of people who were running away, screaming in terror. "This oughta get his attention."

Gabor sat alone in his small one-room apartment, watching the events unfold on TV. This girl with the Cards was trouble, and he knew it. Plus, knowing the way Necros and company operated, this girl warrior was probably packing Darkcaptor Cards, which didn't make his job any easier.

That demon scum was starting to get on his nerves.

"He's after me, and I know it." Gabor thought out loud, or seemed to be until Kai showed up behind him. "He gets me outta the way and those Cardcaptor kids are his for the taking."

"Your instincts serve you well. Remember though, you are at a technical advantage in this situation. No weapon formed against you shall prosper." Kai stated. "The time to act is now. You cannot let her destroy that church. I'll guard the Cardcaptors."

"I'm on it." In the blink of an eye Gabor was wearing his cross and full Cardcaptor outfit. "She won't get away with this attack."

"Oh no you don't!" Catsy shouted as squads of firemen raced onto the scene. She pulled out another Card. "Let's see you put out a fire when you're frozen solid!"

She threw the Card out of her hand into the midst of the firefighters.

As if thought activated, the Card exploded into a fierce ice storm, freezing solid not only the firefighters, but the fire engines and all the nearby ground as well. Catsy laughed loudly in delight.

Suddenly, the ice began to vanish. Catsy starred in disbelief, the church still slowly burning down behind her. Flarewolf sniffed the air, then let out a howl of fierce intensity.

A sudden blast of wind blew away the flames that were consuming the building, and Catsy instantly turned to track the source. A small white dove-like bird flew in mid-air, hovering. It's wings seemed to glow like light reflecting off a mirror and it's eyes almost gave off the impression of it being a bird of prey. Black lines formed in it's feathers created an upside-down V shape from it's eyes to the back of it's head and it had a similar mark on it's chest flowing between it's two wings and fading off as it reached the edge of each wing.

Nearby, like some kind of a phantom of the opera, stood Gabor. He was battle-ready with his sword at his side. In his left hand he held a glowing white Card.

"I was wondering when you'd show up. C'mon, I'll take you down, 'God boy'!" Catsy challenged.

"Don't you know that greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world? Necros and his like are using you and as soon as they're done with you they'll destroy you, too."

"You narrowminded fool." Catsy scoffed. "But enough talk, 'Tuxedo Mask'. Now we fight. Attack him, Flarewolf!"

"Valconair, hold that thing at bay while I deal with our resident sorceress." He brought his sword to a battle position as Valconair swooped and darted at the fast and agile Flarewolf, dodging blasts of fire from it's mouth. Catsy made the first move, pulling out her own sword and leaping high into the air over Gabor's head. The two swords clashed in a brilliant shower of sparks as the two warriors slashed, swiped, blocked, parried, dodged, and fought with one another for their very lives. They both moved like lightning fast blurs, and if it hadn't been for the special powers each had access to they may not have even seen their opponent. Firemen scattered away from the battle scene as the two combatants sliced the air with their swords.

Catsy suddenly leapt high into the air, throwing out a Card that suddenly turned into a shower of energy spikes. Gabor dodged, but barely. He retaliated; as soon as Catsy hit the ground sending out a Card of his own. The Card turned into a swirling blast of white energy, and as Catsy dodged it exploded into a shower of electricity. The two squared off, swords ready and a Card in each person's hand.

"Let's just get all the Cards out on the table right now, OK? I'll go first." She challenged, sending out a swarm of Cards. Most were strange creatures, some appeared to be nothing but oddly figured energy clouds, and a few almost looked human.

"If that's the way you want to play, let's play." Gabor reached for his Cards as well.

"Sakura, have you seen the news?" Tomoyo questioned on their way out of the school building.

"No, what's up?"

"Sakura!" Li ran up from behind them. "There's trouble downtown, by the new church. Gabor is fighting some lady in black. I bet she's a Darkcaptor!"

"A what?" Sakura questioned.

"Darkcaptors are rivals to Remnant Cardcaptors. Gabor is in trouble, bigtime!"

"Let's go! There's no time to waste!" Tomoyo said as they rushed out.

"Oh no. Not you." Li stated, stepping in front of Tomoyo. "I got a good look at what the news crews were taping and believe me, they're getting enough footage. You'd better stay here."

"No way! Sakura, tell him I can tag along."

"Well, this could get really messy..." Sakura stated.

"Ok, fine. I know when I'm not wanted. You two go off and save the world without me. See if I care. Besides, I've got homework to do."

Tomoyo turned and walked away.

"No she doesn't." Sakura stated.

"No time to worry about that, Sakura." Li stated. "We've gotta get up there, STAT!"

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