Rose Petals and Cherry Blossoms
A Shoujo Kakumei Utena/Card Captor Sakura crossover
By Ming-Ling (ming_ling@hotmail.com)
http://www.ming-ling.net/ccs/
All characters (c) their respective owners

Chapter 10: Rose Revolution [Beta draft]
[12/29/01: Beta posted]

	She landed on the platform lightly, the wings disappearing in a silent 
puff of feathers.
	"Welcome, my dear Sakura."
	She blinked a few times as she saw who spoke. Was she still dreaming? 
"Akio-san?" she asked quietly of the young man, standing still in the center of 
the Platform.
	He nodded. "And how is my sweet little Rose Bride doing?"
	Sakura froze.
	"I see you still wear my rose faithfully. I want to thank you for that, 
and for taking such wonderful care of the gardens. The school really needed 
someone of your capability... I needed someone of your capability."
	She watched him, suddenly wary. His flattery fell short and she felt her 
skin prickle. Why did she remember him having wings made of roses, of roses that 
formed bridges that stretched into the sky?
	"The roses have bloomed again, just as they did when my little sister was 
here. They're flourishing, just as the duelists are. Again, I thank you."
	He took a few steps closer to her. She wanted to move away but something 
kept her rooted to the spot. In a mere moment he had covered the distance and 
his long fingers were dancing along the edges of the rose in her pocket.
	Her skin prickled again at his proximity.
	With a swift movement he plucked the rose from her pocket. She reached out 
instantly to take it back but he was too fast.
	When she looked again, it was not a rose he held in his hand but the 
glistening Sword of Dios. And on his finger was a Rose Signet, one she hadn't 
remembered seeing before.
	"Thank you for holding on to this for me," he smiled. "But I think it is 
time for me to reclaim what is mine."
	Akio walked back to the center of the platform, leaving her standing 
forlorn. The Rose Magic, which had been a present tingle in her blood ever since 
she had first become the Rose Bride, was gone now.
	Light flared from overhead as the Castle of Eternity spun itself into 
existence, power shining from every conical rooftop. It filled the night sky and 
blotted out the stars.
	Except for one, dangling around her neck.
	The Star Key.
	She may no longer be the Rose Bride, but she was not without magic.
	Pink light shimmered at Akio's feet and the familiar circle of Rose Magic 
glowed through the bushes.
	"Akio!" cried an angry voice from behind her. A deep growl echoed the 
sentiments.
	"Kero-chan! Saionji-san!"
	"What are you doing with the Sword of Dios?" he demanded hotly. "You're 
not the Champion. You're not even a duelist, even if you do have a Rose Signet 
on your hand!"
	Akio chuckled. The light at his feet dimmed but did not go out. "Are you 
really challenging me?" he asked. "But where is a duelist without his sword?"
	Saionji paused.
	"Saionji-san..."
	He turned as she was suddenly beside him, placing a white rose in his 
pocket and a sword in his hands.
	"Sakura!" Keberus protested. "You can't give him your wand! It won't 
work!"
	"It's okay," she said softly. "I'm not giving it to him, I'm just letting 
him borrow it for a short while."
	"This rose," Saionji started, wondering how she could have found a white 
rose amongst all the red ones on the platform.
	"It's from the Flower Card," she explained before her words were drowned 
out by the tolling of the school bells.
	Akio looked angry. "A duel it is, then," he scowled, raising the Sword of 
Dios.
	Saionji charged.
	"But you won't be able to use your magic without your wand!" Keberus 
continued to protest, raising his voice above the angry cry of metal on metal.
	"Yes I can, Kero-chan. It's something I noticed lately. I don't need all 
those spells and wavy hand movements anymore. This is my magic. I can use in any 
way I want to." And to prove it, pink wings sprouted from her back as she 
summoned the Fly Card.
	"Sakura! Where are you going?" The Guardian leapt into the air to keep 
pace.
	"To the Castle of Eternity!"
	"Why?"
	"To bring about the World Revolution!"
*	*	*	*
	Akio noticed her first, climbing towards the misty spires. "No!" he 
shouted, summoning the Rose Magic with a flick of his free hand.
	Saionji stumbled backwards as pink light flared at his feet, partially 
blinding him.
	Akio spun around and pressed his attack. Saionji moved up his blade just 
in time to block, then shoved the older man away from him.
	He was worried. Even with Akio distracted by Sakura, even with the Sword 
Card whispering in his ear about Akio's weaknesses and strengths, he wasn't sure 
if he could win.
	But the duel had begun. And there was only way to end it.
*	*	*	*
	Thorny vines shot upwards towards her, wrapping around her arms and legs 
and trapping her. The next instant the Windy had sliced through the stems, but 
more vines spun around, hampering her progress. Next to her she could hear 
Keberus snarling as he burnt those closest to him.
	Rose petals swirled around the two, crowding around their faces and making 
it difficult to see and breathe. Firey burnt them into ash but more took their 
place.
	If this continued, all the roses on the platform would die.
	There was no time to think of those consequences. She had to reach the 
Castle.
	It was going to take all of her magic and all of her cards to get through 
this.
	Firey burnt the vines and roses into ash, Wood tangled their progress, 
Windy sliced through them and blew the petals away, but there were more and more 
grabbing at her, pulling her downward, blocking her way.
	She slammed into the platform as the vines with their sharp thorns gripped 
tighter and tighter. Next to her she could hear Keberus struggling just as she 
was.
*	*	*	*
	"You're a fool," said Akio smugly as he leapt away from Saionji's attack. 
"This duel is entirely pointless. It doesn't matter who is the Champion or a 
duelist. She's not the Rose Bride. See how her roses attack her? They are 
rejecting their former master."
	Panting heavily, he replied, "Only because you sent them against her."
	"No. These roses only answer to one person. To Dios."
*	*	*	*
	This felt familiar to her.
	It reminded her of the Final Judgment, the battle to make the Clow Cards 
her own. She had used the Wood Card to capture Yue, the Judge, not knowing Wood 
was under the influence of the moon.
	The Wood Card had turned against her and trapped her in a manner not 
unlike what was happening right now.
	But here there was no Tomoyo. No Mizuki with a bell made by Clow himself.
	No Shaoran.
	But, said a voice in her head, there is Saionji.
	And Dios.
	"Dios!" she cried out to the castle that hung impossibly in the sky.
*	*	*	*
	The Castle of Eternity glowed with golden light. It concentrated into a 
single ray. In that ray, a solitary figure fell slowly.
	"Dios!"
	"You said these roses only answer to Dios," said Saionji. "But Dios 
answers to her."
	Akio grinned. "No he doesn't."
	To the shock and horror of the others, he took another step back until the 
ray of light shone through him and turned pink, mingled as it was with the light 
from the Rose Magic. 
	Dios descended into Akio.
	"I am Dios," said the apparition.
*	*	*	*
	Sakura's eyes grew wide as she stared. Dios was Akio.
	Why hadn't she seen it before? They both had the same lavender hair, the 
same eyes, the same graceful manner.
	Akio had given her a rose. A rose that became the Sword of Dios.
	How could anyone but Dios give her that?
	She summoned her Cards to her, to break her from the thorny grip.
	She had to stop him.
*	*	*	*
	Saionji blinked many times to clear his eyes of the image, but it 
continued to stand there.
	"I am no mirage," Akio-Dios told him. "It's time to end this pointless 
game once and for all." He lifted the Sword of Dios, which now sparkled from 
every facet in the hilt, until the tip was level with the rose in the duelist's 
pocket.
	He could do nothing but raise his own blade in a futile attempt to defend 
himself, knowing he could not win.
	Akio-Dios swung out so quickly his eyes saw only a blur.
	The Sword of Dios slammed straight into a wall.
	Opening an eye cautiously, Saionji noticed something hovering in the air 
between him and his opponent. It was like a translucent shield, patterned with a 
wind-swept wing. A star winked at him from the corner.
	Sakura was...
	His eyes sought hers but found her staring straight at the Castle of 
Eternity, wings beating strongly as elemental powers tried to keep the rose 
vines at bay.
	How...?
	He heard a snarl behind him as Akio-Dios tried to attack again but was met 
with the same wall of resistance.
	Saionji's eyes narrowed. He knew he could not defeat his opponent, but his 
opponent was also powerless against him. He had to help Sakura.
	Dashing forward, the Sword Card flashing in his hands, he slashed at the 
vines that held her. Suddenly freed, she shot upwards like a rocket.
	"No!" screamed Akio-Dios.
*	*	*	*
	Rose light shone from Akio-Dios as he started rising towards the castle as 
well.
	Below, Saionji continued to hack furiously at the roses.
	Akio-Dios swung out his arms and beams of light streamed forward to knock 
them all out of his way.
	The Shield Card protected Saionji.
	All of the Sakura Cards protected their Mistress and Guardian.
	The Shadow Card, bolstered by the Dark Card, blocked the light that shone 
down from the Castle of Eternity on Akio-Dios but were blasted aside. Maze and 
Illusion tried to lead him astray but he continued his flight straight upwards. 
The Glow Card, augmented by Light, tried to blind him but he merely closed his 
eyes and ignored their efforts.
	Vines started wrapping themselves around Saionji despite the efforts of 
the Shield Card. Lightning flashed from the cloudless sky and cut them into 
pieces.
	Above, Sakura struggled against the Rose Magic. Keberus' claws, teeth, and 
fire, even with the elemental Cards, couldn't prevent the vines from swarming 
around her. She tried using the Jump Card to leap over them but to no avail. 
Akio-Dios was rising faster. He would reach the Castle of Eternity first.
	She didn't want to think of what would happen if he did.
	A flash of inspiration hit and a second later, the Mirror Card flashed by 
her side. The Rose Magic was confused and half of the brambles reached out to 
the fake Sakura. Partially relieved of her burden, Sakura and Keberus flew 
higher, yet she knew she would not be in time.
	Akio-Dios had almost reached the lowermost spire of the castle, and was 
reaching out with his hand to touch it.
	There was still one card she hadn't used.
	"For the revolution of the world!" she screamed.
	Akio-Dios paused to look at her.
	"ERASE!"
*	*	*	*
	Saionji's gaze swung upwards in shock. The Castle of Eternity was...
	Falling apart.
	Dios' golden glow disappeared from around Akio as a mighty shower of rose 
petals, all that was left of the shining castle, engulfed him.
	"KINOMOTO!" cried Saionji as the rose petals fell upon her.
*	*	*	*
	She looked up and saw Keberus shielding her. She gave him a small, 
grateful smile.
	"We have to get out of here," he said.
	Her cards flocked to her, their magical powers protecting her from harm.
*	*	*	*
	Saionji felt the Rose Platform rumble below his feet, threatening to shake 
him and everything on it into pieces. He continued to grip the Sword Card 
tightly and the Shield Card sheltered him as a rain of roses crashed like a 
mighty wave upon the Platform.
	The Rose Platform fell apart from the blow.
	Akio was nowhere to be seen.
	He was falling.
	"Saionji-san!"
	Sakura and Keberus were suddenly with him, trying to pull him upwards. 
Their wings flapped erratically and a strong wind pushed from under him, but 
together, they continued the fall.
	Roses fell alongside them.
	The school was disintegrating into petals.
	"Saionji...san..."
	He gasped as the wings on her back fell apart and the wind at his back 
disappeared. Her eyes closed and she started tumbling away, but he reached out 
and grabbed her tightly, hugging her limp body to his. The Star Wand dropped 
from his grasp as the Sword Card's power was spent, but he didn't care anymore.
	They continued to fall.
	He closed his eyes and prayed it would be over soon.
*	*	*	*
	Yukito sat straight up in his chair.
	"Eh? What's wrong, Yuki?" asked Touya, covering the mouthpiece of the 
phone he was talking on.
	In a voice much deeper than his own, he said, "The Master is in danger."
	"Wha..."
	Yukito ran out of the room.
	"Hey, wait...! Here, take a message!" Touya tossed the phone at a passing 
office lady and ran after his friend.
	By the time he ran out of the building, his friend was a shrinking figure 
in the sky. But it was easy to see where he was going.
	Tokyo Tower.
	The Master is in danger.
	"Sakura!"	
*	*	*	*
	Saionji felt a wave of disorientation, as if his stomach was spun around a 
roller coaster track. In surprise, he opened his eyes.
	He saw a small tower.
	Which rapidly became a large tower.
	The ground was getting closer with alarming speed.
	Keberus burst into the air above them and his teeth grabbed Saionji's 
collar, trying to slow their descent.
	He saw a white shape out of the corner of his eye and suddenly felt strong 
arms breaking their fall.
	They landed.
	A cascade of cards fell around them. Then everything went black.
*	*	*	*
	Saionji blinked a few times, feeling bruises all over him. Still, he felt 
pretty good considering he had just fallen from the sky. He opened his eyes to 
see Sakura lying on the ground as if sleeping and Keberus standing guard over 
her. A man with long silver hair and white wings was standing to the side, arms 
crossed.
	"Keberus," he said.
	"Yue," greeted the big feline.
	"Sakura? Sakura!"
	Saionji was pushed aside as a young man bent over her. He wondered if this 
was Li Shaoran, even though he didn't quite match Sakura's descriptions.
	"Calm down, Touya," said Yue, who then turned to Keberus.
	"She has used up all her magical power for the time being," explained the 
Guardian. "It was a great battle, that last struggle. She needs time to rest and 
regain her strength. As do I... I can hardly maintain this form right now." And 
he tilted his head and gave the winged man a thoughtful look.
	"Very well," said Yue, not looking very pleased. He reached down and 
picked up the Star Key, moving back to Sakura's side. The dark-haired man nodded 
and took a step back. Yue placed the Key in her hands, closed his eyes, and held 
his own hands above hers. They glowed with white light as he intoned several 
words Saionji couldn't understand.
	After what seemed an eternity (although less than a minute had passed on 
Touya's watch), her fingers twitched and her eyes opened. She looked around in a 
daze.
	"Kero-chan... Yue-san... big brother!"
	Brother?
	"Sakura..." He hugged her tightly to affirm that yes, this was his little 
sister and yes, she was okay.
	"Sakura," said Saionji as he struggled to stand up.
	"Saionji-san..." She smiled at him. "That's the first time you've called 
me by my given name."
	His cheeks turned red. "S... Sorry for being so rude..."
	"It's okay," she said, looking in his eyes, "as long as I can call you 
Kyouichi-san."
	He froze. How did she know his given name?
	"Let's go," said Kero-chan. Saionji didn't even notice when the Guardian 
had reverted to his smaller and cuter form, nor when Yue changed into an 
unassuming salaryman. "We all need a long rest and then we can tell you of the 
adventures we've just had in college."
	"Sounds like it'll make my college career sound boring," mumbled Touya to 
himself.
	Everyone heard him and started laughing.
	Sakura smiled as helping and loving hands helped her upright.
	She was home.
	Everything was as it should be.

...to be continued...