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Chapter 2: The Awakening

"The 4 hours are almost up," said the Witch of Dimensions.

"4 hours? Is that why you're dressed like that instead of your ceremonial clothes?" asked a voice.

"Precisely, it's not that important to dress up like that anyways," replied the Witch.

The Witch of Dimensions and a man next to her were standing in the middle of the park on a fair night. There was no one else nearby, so it was an ideal spot for people being transported from another world to their world in order to land.

"What time is it?" asked the Witch.

"It's, 8:59PM. Why do you ask?" questioned the man.

"He will be arriving soon then. Like right now," said the Witch as a circle appeared in front of them.

A large circle appeared on the ground giving the symbol of five elemental runes, water, fire, earth, air, and metal. The circle beamed with strong light as the two people looked at it. Something started to rise out of the circle and as it made its way up, the man next to the Witch stared with wide eyes as Leo rose out of the circle and landed on floor, standing.

Leo's head was pointed down but he slowly opened his eyes to see that he was on land once again. Bringing his head up, he saw the two people but didn't react. The Witch wore a dress of blue with butterflies climbing up diagonally, her hair was tied up into a pony tail, and her complexion was of someone that was only in their early 20s. The man on the other hand, wore a school uniform of a white button up shirt and black pants and shoes, glasses, and looked no older than 18. His eye colors didn't match and he also looks scared.

"We've been waiting for you Leo," said the Witch.

"You're the voice I heard in the void," said Leo in surprise.

"Yuuko, what is this thing? It looks like he is being a cosplay," said the man staring up and down Leo.

"Watanuki, you're so dense. He isn't cosplaying anyone or anything. This is exactly how he looks. See?" said Yuuko as she grabbed Leo's fur tightly and pulled really hard.

"OWWWW!!!! What are you trying to do?!" shouted Leo as Yuuko let go.

"Okay, so he really isn't cosplaying. Is he from another world like the others?" questioned Watanuki.

"He's from a different world, a parallel dimension to be exact, but enough talk, let's go back to the shop! And Watanuki, I want some fried fish dumplings!" said Yuuko as she turned to leave the park.

"What! How am I going to make fried fish dumplings?!" cried Watanuki as he shouted at Yuuko's back.

Leo just stood there watching Watanuki shout at Yuuko before he started following her back to the shop. On the way back to the shop, Watanuki continued to complain about making dinner and tried to avoid alcolhal before Yuuko decides to ask for sake. Leo looked around to see that this world was like his own. Thinking about what Yuuko said, how this world and Leo's world were parallel dimensions, what he saw supported that theory. The buildings and technology were the same no matter where he looked. In addition, the language here was in kanji, so he must be in Japan, maybe the most industrial one, Tokyo.

"Ah! We're here, my beautiful shop. Eh?" said Yuuko as she looked at the entrance. "Watanuki, did you remember to close the shop door?"

"Yes, I'm sure I closed the door, but it's wide open," said Watanuki.

"It seems like someone has a wish to be granted but forgot to close the door," said Leo scaring Watanuki.

"A wish? At this time of day? That doesn't seem right," said Watanuki walking towards the door with Yuuko and Leo.

"Anything is possible and fate has done this," said Yuuko as she crossed the threshold.

"If you're right, then I will believe you but I still don't know how to make fried fish dumplings," responded Watanuki as he crossed the threshold as well.

Leo crossed the threshold in silence but rather than seeing Yuuko and Watanuki as he crossed, he appeared in a room full of assorted items from boxes and jars to weapons and pictures. Dust covered everything in this room but Leo ventured deeper into the room, looking at all the items as he walked by. At the end, there was a wall with two things mounted; a sword and shield, both of them had a strange marking on it, a marking on the hilt and a marking on the shield's surface. These two items began to glow while Leo's eyes began to lose life while looking at them.

Back at the entrance, Yuuko immediately felt Leo's presence disappear and stopped next to a screen near the entrance. Watanuki stopped and stared at Yuuko then look behind him to see that Leo wasn't behind them.

"Where did Leo go?" asked Watanuki.

"He moved to a different room in the shop, but I know where he is," replied Yuuko as she began to move through the house.

Yuuko moved past archways leading to different rooms, various paintings and objects, and arrived at a dark oaken door. Watanuki caught up with Yuuko and looked between her and the door several times before saying something.

"Is he behind this door?" asked Watanuki.

"Yes, but we are not allowed in. What ever called him straight to this room must be extremely powerful to hide its ability," said Yuuko as she stood there.

"Yuuko-san, what are you doing here," said the white Mokona as he hopped his way to her.

"The chosen is inside and I must wait for him out here, get the black Mokona and we all will wait together," said Yuuko as she sat on the floor.

"You're just going to wait without any sake?" asked Watanuki.

"Oh, now that you mention it, I want some sake!" shouted Yuuko in glee.

Watanuki turned away from Yuuko, walked towards the kitchen, and muttered to himself, "I don't know what I'm doing for her anymore."

Inside the room, Leo continued to stare at the sword and shield and soon lost conscious as he fell to the floor asleep. Even after he fell, the sword and shield continued to glow.

"Wake up!" said a strong voice.

"Wake up already!" said another voice.

"Mnguh..." sounded Leo as he woke up to find himself in another void.

"You're finally awake, that's a relief," said the strong voice.

"EH?!" shouted Leo as he quickly got up.

"There's no need to get shocked. You may think you're in another void, but this is actually your subconscious. So technically, you're asleep," said the second voice.

"We need to introduce ourselves, I am Tsurugi Hane (Feather Sword), the Sword of Avalon," stated the strong voice firmly.

"And I am Tsubasa Kaze (Feather Wind), the Shield of Avalon. We are mighty protectors of an ancient civilization known as Avalon which, by this day and age, have disappeared or nearly vanished from the face of this earth," spoke the second voice.

"Nearly vanished? Who or what are the Avalon's?" questioned Leo as he calmed down from his shock.

"The Avalon's were a great peaceful race that had the ability to control time and appear in different dimensions. Of course records were lost about Avalons for quite a long time, thus we didn't find the chain again until Yuuko received us as payment for some wish she granted," spoke Tsurugi.

"The chain that we picked up was actually you, Leo, though, that was when you were just a mere child. You wouldn't remember too much because the ability weakened as you grew older. The power flows through you with immensely, far greater than the strength of the ones who made us," continued Tsubasa.

"To have such an extraordinary power is one thing but being able to control it is a different matter. You're control over time has severely weakened so much that it would take eons to recover but we can help you recover some of it and teach you how to control the ability as if it was first hand. The only problem is if you will trust us and believe our story to begin with," spoke Tsurugi.

"But, I'm no descendent of the Avalons. I'm just myself and nothing more. I was born as a lion so how can I be apart of a lost and ancient civilization?" asked Leo.

"That is where we do not know exactly. We left the great city of Avalon and never went back, thus, we do not know how there can be Avalon descendents. It doesn't seem possible because at the time that we left, the people of Avalon lost most of their powers and only those of high power, could use it with special permission," spoke Tsubasa calmly.

"I believe that if we can restore your strength to full strength, we can return to the time we left Avalon and see what has happened afterwards. It is your decision to make," said Tsurugi.

"I need to think about it," said Leo.

"There is nothing to think about," said a voice that Leo heard earlier. "Just follow what you believe to be true to your heart and mind. Remember though, hitsuzen is the true guide and there is nothing you can do about that."

"Yuuko?" questioned Leo as he heard her voice echo in the darkness.

"Even if you aren't the descendent of Avalon, there is a strong possibility that the ability chose you. To make a change in the future that the real cause is actually a different force that shouldn't be messed with. Like people, objects have feelings. So do ideas. Time, is crying out to make a change and create a new story to write and it chose the only person whose parallel being is not the same," continued Yuuko.

"My parallel is not like me at all?" questioned Leo.

"Your parallel lives an entirely different life than the life you lived in your world. The source of strength comes from the mutual feelings you both feel. Even though the reasons are different, the feelings don't change. To make it simpler, you have no exact parallel or counter part in any of the worlds or dimensions in existence," stated Yuuko.

"That isn't true! You do have parallels!" snapped Tsurugi.

"Don't listen to that witch; she doesn't know what she is talking about. You have exact parallels and they do exist. Anything and everything that she says is a lie, a complete and utter lie," stated Tsubasa.

There was a moment of silence before anyone spoke but during this time, Leo couldn't help but think that something was odd about the way Tsurugi and Tsubasa acted. It was as if they didn't want to be with Yuuko in the first place. It's as if they had something bigger planned. It's as if they wanted Leo for their own doings and hoped to gain his respect by making up lies. In truth, Tsurugi and Tsubasa are not who they say they are.

"There's nothing to fear Leo, I can help you begin to recover your dormant ability," spoke a soft sweet voice.

"It seems that I stalled long enough for this to happen, it's a good thing Watanuki always do things I ask him to do its not like he has a choice," laughed Yuuko softly.

"My name is Sakura and I'm here to help you. Like Syaoran helped me in the past, I'm going to help you, for the future of our worlds and other worlds in trouble by this loop," stated Sakura firmly but retained a kind feeling.

"Can you really help me? I feel like I'm surrounded by deceit from Tsurugi and Tsubasa," said Leo.

"Those two only have selfish ambitions that will mainly benefit them, but by speaking to the trees around me, they know who Tsurugi and Tsubasa are. They are..." began Sakura.

"What do trees know? They know nothing. They are just objects and so is this so called "Sakura." She's trying to use you for her own deeds. She wants to take over the world by using you like a puppet. Don't fall into her trap like that, then all hope will be lost. Besides, we are much better suited for you because we know how this power works better than anyone else, even our former masters," spoke Tsurugi as he cut Sakura's sentence off.

"This is the time for decisions Leo; things are either meant to be or not meant to be. You either choose Sakura or Tsurugi and Tsubasa as your aid," said Yuuko before Tsubasa could get a chance to speak after Tsurugi.

"I follow my heart and choose Sakura because I can't trust Tsurugi and Tsubasa enough based upon the way they speak," spoke Leo softly.

Suddenly, a great light flashed across the darkness. This light took shape into two people with no faces. They both reached out for Leo and able to grab him.

"We are not going to let this opportunity escape us again. For too long we have lost many chances to regain power and restore the Avalon kingdom. For too long, we have to watch as man make foolish mistakes. For too long, we have just sat idle, unable to do something. But now, we will do something and no one can stop us!" shouted Tsurugi and Tsubasa as one.

Their grip on Leo was strong and he felt large amounts pain searing through his body. Large bands of electricity streaked across his body as it shocked him with pain. Strong forces were constricting his body, preventing him from moving. Tsurugi and Tsubasa were trying to break the soul so that they may take over the body for themselves. Little did they know that the immense power that Leo owned was within the soul, thus, if the soul was destroyed, so was the power.

"I will not let you have your ways no matter how desperate you need them!," shouted Sakura and cherry blossoms fell from the darkness, enveloping the streaks of lighting and Leo.

"These petals feel so warm. They feel like home, the home when mother and father was still alive," thought Leo as the warmth from the petals weakened the restraints upon his body and eased the pain that was surging through his body. Warmth from a home is the only place where people feel calm and safe from anything and anyone that endangered them in any way possible. A home to Leo was life.

"These petals can do nothing to us!" laughed Tsurugi and Tsubasa.

"They're not meant for you," spoke Sakura happily.

Tsurugi and Tsubasa looked back at the petals to realize that Leo was gone from the void that Tsurugi and Tsubasa took him to. All that was left from where he stood was a large pile of cherry blossoms.

---

Inside the treasure room, Leo woke up and felt more refreshed than before. He sniffed the air and could tell that there were two other people in the room. Yuuko being one of them but the second scent was a mysterious one. Getting up, Leo looked at the wall and noticed that the sword and shield that hung there disappeared.

"Tsurugi and Tsubasa sneaked in by the looks of it and took on the form as a sword and shield without my knowledge. That explains why the door was open then," said Yuuko making Leo turn around sharply.

Upon turning around, he saw who the second person was. Rather than seeing Watanuki by her side, it was a different man. He was dressed in old fashion green clothing that can be found in China. It was laced with figurative designs from cherry blossoms to the symbol of yin and yang. His face was fierce yet soft at the same time with brown to amber colored eyes. Leo noticed that this person was also holding a sword of ancient design.

"My name is Li Syaoran but you can call me Li. I was sent here by Sakura. All she told me to do was to take you to where she is. I assume that I'm just supposed to take you and only you?" questioned Li.

"Syaoran here is a very unique person and you can learn a lot from him and Sakura. Don't worry though, I'm only a Mokona away," said Yuuko in a luring tone.

"A Mokona?" asked Leo.

"Yes, one of those things," pointed Li at the two rabbit like creatures that look like pork buns.

"Those are Mokonas? But they look like pork buns," said Leo in shock and was kicked in the face by the white one.

"Mokona is not a pork bun. Mokona gets enough of those from Kuropi-kun," spoke the white Mokona.

"We better not delay Sakura any further. I'm sure the others are there as well," said Li turning to Yuuko.

"Indeed they are. Anyways, you're taking Mokona with you whether you like it or not," said Yuuko as she turned away and exited the room with the black Mokona following right behind her.

After Yuuko left, Leo picked up Mokona who escaped his grasp and landed on his shoulder happily. Li took his sword and started to make a big circle with the tip of the blade. When he was done, he had Leo place his index and middle finger on his right hand together and follow the movements that he was doing. While Leo was copying the movements, streams of light emitted from his fingers and took the shape of what he was writing. The stream of light circled around Leo then started to take the outline of the larger circle around them. Mokona sat quietly until the stream of light got close to the beginning and jumped into the air. In the air Mokona erected wings and started to suck in large amounts of indefinite air.

"Don't worry, this is natural. Mokona has the ability to take people to different dimensions and with the markings around us, we will land in the world where Sakura is," spoke Li as he began to turn into wind. Leo was also turning into wind but he kept his mind fixed upon the situation rather than look at amazement at Mokonas work.

Mokona sucked them into his mouth and soon, he too, disappeared as the markings dissolved back into air. The void that Leo was in was full of colors, as if he was in the Northern Lights. Li was right beside him and Mokona was above him spinning and enjoying himself as he spun. No more than a minute passed before a bright light, as if it was the end of a tunnel, shined and Leo saw the ground below him. He made it to the ground and landed upon his feet as if he was a feather falling. Mokona landed on his head, poised like a figure skating ballerina while Li landed on his back as if he was relaxing.

"Where are we?" asked Leo as looked all around him. The land around him was full of flowers and butterflies, not to mention plenty of cherry blossom trees. The air smelled pure with a healing atmosphere.

"This is the Country of Sakura, this is the only place with sakura trees all over the world. Sakura is supposed to be some where near where we are," stated Li as he got up. Mokona hopped off of Leo and made a perfect landing on the ground that would earn him a 10.0 if there were judges.

"Mokona likes the way this country smells and Mokona can smell Kuropi-kun and Fay-kun nearby," said Mokona jumping around Leo.

Without warning, a stream of sharp wind emerged from the surrounding trees and made a small cut into Leo's arm. Another stream of wind came from a different direction and made an attempt to hurt Leo but Leo successfully dodged the attack only to get hit by the hilt of a katana. The person wielding the katana made quick swings at Leo which he was barely able to dodge well. The attacker was wearing clothes between a samurai and a ninja with a headband marked with a crescent moon. It was hard to tell whether the clothing he wore was heavy because Leo could feel the speed of each slice as the katana cut the air.

"Hold it you guys!" shouted Li but the attacker didn't hear him, neither did the one emitting the streams of sharp wind.

With the mixed actions of dodging the katana swings and the streams of sharp wind aimed at him, Leo didn't really have much of a choice but to try and attack back. At any openings he saw amongst the swings, Leo attempted to punch and hi-kick his opponent but missed at every chance Leo saw. This lasted for a few minutes before Mokona stepped in by jumping onto Leo's opponent's face.

"Get off you stupid pork bun!" spoke Leo's opponent angrily.

"Mokona's not a pork bun! Mokona is Mokona!" shouted Mokona back.

At this opening, Leo made a low kick and tripped his opponent, with Mokona on his, face down. That stopped the katana swings but not the wind attack. Leo kept dodging the attacks and noticed that Li has disappeared until he heard a loud whack nearby. Li walked out from behind one of the sakura trees dragging someone else. This person was dressed in white clothing mixed between robes and winter apparel.

"I told both you to stop. Now it had to resort to this kind of action," stated Leo as he let the white clothed person go.

"How could we stop if this thing looks like a monster?" spoke the samurai/ninja clothed person.

"Mokona almost forgot!" shouted Mokona as he hopped onto the samurai/ninja clothed person. "This is Kuropi-kun. And this is," Mokona hopped to the white clothed person, "Fay-san."

"So these *huff* are *huff* *huff* the attackers?" questioned Leo as he tried to regain his breath.

"This is the person Sakura wanted me to get. By the way, where is Sakura?" asked Li as he looked around.

"She's back in at the alter saying something about an evil force appearing," answered Kuropi-kun.

"We also felt the force and it lead us to him, sorry if we attacked out," added Fay-san as he looked at Leo.

"Evil...force...I think I know what that is..." stated Leo dreadfully.

"Well whatever it is, we can't let it stop us from completing Sakura's request. Let's go, the alter is this way," stated Kuropi-kun as he walked off into the trees.

Li, Fay-san, Mokona, and Leo followed Kuropi-kun through the many trees which seemed like a giant maze because all the trees look alike and so did the scenery. Although the trees looked alike, they arrived at the alter and Sakura was there praying to something.

"Sakura, I've brought the person you have asked for," spoke Li as he approached the alter.

"That's strange, why isn't Sakura responding? She usually does whenever she hears Li's voice," spoke Fay-san quietly.

"It's here, the evil presence is here," said Sakura as she got up.

"Indeed the evil presence is here. Here to enact our revenge on you," spoke quite familiar voices.

"Oh crap," stated Leo and he immediately started to run away from the alter but he was too late. Tsurugi and Tsubasa appeared but not in their weaponry form, they appeared in human forms both of them look exactly like its other. Rough silver armor covered their body and one held a great sword while the other a great shield. Their faces were hard to distinguish from each other as well.

"Thanks to Leo, we are finally able to get rid of you, you pest," spoke Tsurugi and Tsubasa together. "This time, we are going to fight as one and our abilities will increase ten fold, not that you have seen it yet anyways."

Tsurugi and Tsubasa clicked their sword and shield together and became one person wearing the same armor and facial design. They were now known as Taras.

Li and the others acted quickly and began to attack this intruder. Li with his martial arts, Kuropi-kun with his katana, and Fay-san with his magic. Each attempted to land a strike on Taras's body but that was impossible because the shield he was holding fended off the magic and katana strikes while his armor protected his body from Li's attacks.

"I told you, my powers are ten times stronger than before and when this is all over, Leo's body will be ours for the taking," regarded Taras as the battle continued with no sign of damage being done to Taras at all.

"Well, play time is over, time for me to bring out the power of my heritage. Dragon Flame Slash!" shouted Kuropi-kun as he created a large arch in front of him sending out a sea of flames in the shape of a slash. This slash of his, struck Taras's shield but did not do anything.

"Well, if you don't want to play then let's not play. Shadow Break!" shouted Taras and his shadow began to take form. The shadow Taras attacked Kuropi-kun's shadow and dealt major damage to him leaving him unable to battle any further.

"Kuropi-kun!" shouted Mokona as he watched from the alter.

"I'm not done yet. Shadow Spire!" shouted Taras again. This resulted in a dark spire striking Fay-san hard in the chest and sent him flying into a sakura tree. Fay-san went unconscious the moment he hit the ground.

"Not Fay-san to!" cried Mokona.

"There's nothing we can do..." spoke Sakura silently. "Even I can't do anything to help."

Li made a strike for Taras's legs but Taras swung his sword. The tip of the blade cut into Li's right arm lightly making him bleed.

"I'm getting tired even though you just started to bleed. Night Shatter!" shouted Taras and a dark pieces of glass and black blades formed. Li tried to dodge this attack but was unsuccessful and became a bloody mess when the attack was finished. At the same time, the attack drained Li of his energy, leaving his legs, arms, torso, and parts of his face with many cuts and wounds.

"Hah! No one can defeat me. Now, I'm going to get Leo out of my way before I enact my revenge," spoke Taras as he lifted his sword into Leo's direction.

Throughout the battle, Leo was leaned up against a tree in shock. He saw Kuropi-kun get internally damaged by Shadow Break and Fay-san's internal damage from Shadow Spire. Yet, after seeing Li's physical damage, Leo became frozen and didn't know what to do.

"Say good night Leo. Dark Assault!" shouted Taras and a stream of darkness as sharp as a blade made its way to Leo's heart.

All Leo could do was close his eyes and wait for his death but it seemed like it never came. He opened one eye slightly and saw that Sakura, dressed in a kimono of cherry blossoms had defended him. Although the pain that she received wasn't severe, the attack did more to her soul than her physical appearance.

"NO! PRINCESS SAKURA!" shouted Li as he saw Dark Assault plunge into Sakura's side.

Leo quickly caught Sakura in his arms and looked at her face. Sakura was in a large amount of pain but she still spoke to Leo.

"You have a great ability but I don't think that you will make it to the point where you can even use that power. Just run and be safe for now," spoke Sakura as she kept a straight voice even though the pain was unbearable.

"No, I can't just run and leave everyone like this," said Leo.

"There's no use in running because you're mine now," said Taras. "You will always be mine from this day forward. Dark Assault!"

Leo closed his eyes as the attack hit him right in the heart but he didn't die but he did feel an immense amount of pain. This pain was far worse than being constricted and far worse from dying. In his moment of pain, he thought to himself, "I can't give up. Sakura tired to protect me even though we don't even know each other. I can't let this suffering go on more than it already has." A golden piece of thread fell from the darkness in his mind. His soul grabbed it and soon, a great brilliance of light emitted from Leo and Taras was struck by this light painfully.

Within this light, Leo's wound, where Dark Assualt struck, was healed to perfect condition. This light gave him strength to fight. A newly renowned strength that Leo vaguely remembers feeling when he was a child. He has regained the power to control Time and Space and he also knew the true name of this ability now.

"What is this light?!" shouted Taras in agony.

The light faded and Leo stood taller than he had ever stood before. "This light is the light of my revival. I have been reborn like I was when I was only a child. I have the power of Kanis Falthelom, the power to control Space and Time. I'm not going to let you hurt anyone one else ever again Taras. You are not going to use me for your deeds!" shouted Leo and a battle within the Country of Sakura as begun. The only battle here will change this land forever.