Welcome to Gaia! ::

(( I thought you'd never ask biggrin ))

"See ya." He gave a wave and threw away his own trash.

Later that day...

"I'm home!" Tim closed the door and tossed his rollar blades into the closet. After school, he'd gone to the skate park with some friends; a few with rollar blades like him, most with skateboards.
He glanced at the clock. 8:47. He went to the fridge and pulled out some leftover lasagna. His parents were both doctors of some sort, and were at a seminar in Washington until next Monday. He'd been left home alone plenty before for similar reasons and he didn't mind.
He took the lasagna out of the microwave and quickly put the hot plate on the table. Whistling, he turned away and got out a Sprite, took a quick swig. When he turned back he froze.
Sitting on the table, comically drawfed by the fork it was holding, was a little yellow... thing that looked like a stuffed animal with small white wings on its back. It looked up at Tim, the fork in its mouth. They blinked at eachother, and it pulled the fork out of its mouth with a little pop. "You going to finish this?" It asked.
Tim swallowed. "No, you can have it," He paused, "Kerberos."
Kerberos stared at Tim for a few moments, mild surprise showing in his face. Finally he put the fork down and said, "So, my thoughts about you were right."
"What?" Tim asked, confused.
"You dreamed about me, didn't you? Or had some kind of vision."
Tim nodded.
Kerberos floated off the table, his wings not moving, and flew close to Tim's face. Tim forced himself to not back away as the tiny thing stared into his eyes for a long time. "Yes... you'll definetly do," he said dramatically. Suddenly he smiled and 'stood' on the air, pointing to himself. "Call me Kero! I am the Guardian of the Seal of the Book of the Clow, formerly owned by Sakura Kinomoto. And you..." He waved his hand searchingly.
"Tim." Tim supplied.
"Timmy! are one of my Chosen Card Captors." He stood very dramatically, pointing at Tim with one hand and the other one his hip.
"Um... OK?" Tim said. "Do I get a say in this?"
Kero shrugged. "Suppose I can't force you." He looked at Tim with a glint in his eye. "But you're going to help me anyway. It's just the way you people are."
Tim didn't quite know what to say to that. Kero abruptly dropped his pose and looked around. "Where's your phone?"
Tim pointed, then asked, "Why?"
Kero floated over to the wireless phone and picked it up. The whole thing was bigger than he was. He carried it over to Tim. "Because you need to call someone."

At Bree's house, the phone began to ring.

On the phone: ... What?... Why? ... ... Fine, fine. Bree? Think you could come over to my house? There's, uh, someone who needs to talk to both of us. Concerning what we were talking about today?

Tim heard a knock at the front door. "(sweatdrop) Wow." He put the phone back. "That was fast."
He started to the door and Kero followed. Tim stopped and turned. "Maybe the freaky yellow thing should wait in the kitchen?" He was feeling quite a bit more brave now that he had come to terms that this thing was basically a living plush toy.
"... Fine." He flew into the kitchen. Quickly he stuck his head out and said, "But only because this is you kid's first time!" Then popped back in.
Tim rolled his eyes and opened the door. "Heya Bree," he said as normally as he could. "Come on into the kitchen. You want a Coke or something?"

"You wanna say that again, little girl!? Wait till you see my awesome true form you ingrates." He crossed his arms, pouting.
Tim hid his grin and got a Coke out of the fridge. He handed it to Bree then sat down. "OK, 'Kero'. Who are you, what are you, and why are you here?"
"Don't I get a Coke, too?"
"You ate my dinner. So no."
"You said I could have it!"
"I was a little bit in shock, thanks!"
"Not my fault if your sense aren't good enough yet." He sat back, grumbling.

Kero sighed. "My last person wasn't this questioning." He put on a serious face. "Your dreams are more than likely a side effect of your magic affinities, nothing to worry about.
"Like I said, I am Kerberos. Guardian of the Seal of the Book of the Clow. It is my job to protect the Cards any way that I see fit.
"A long time ago, my creator, Clow Reed, created 53 magical entities contained in the form of Cards. He combined Eastern of Western magic in a way rarely seen in that time. When he died, he sealed the Cards in a Book, binding me to it as well to keep it safe.
"The Book moved from generation to generation until it came to my new master, Sakura Kinomoto. Once she died she locked the Cards in the Book, and it moved once again down the centuries." He paused, making sure they were with him so far.
Tim nodded, his head spinning with the introduction of magic, his insides beginning to bubble with excitement.

((We're back))

After school got out, Steven and Ally went over to his house to work on homework.

Ally walked around the family room of Steven's house for a bit looking at all the different souvenirs that his family had collected from around the world. After a little bit she went and sat down on one of the couches next to Steven and opened her backpack.
"So, um, Steven. You seem a little more somber than usual. Is something wrong?" Ally asked as she opened up her physics textbook, "And you actually fell asleep during class. I may have only met not to long ago but I know you aren't the slacker type."

(( Welcome back ))

Kero looked embarrassed and said finally, "'Cause they're not anymore."
There was silence for a few moments, then Tim asked, "Well, where are they?"
"Oh, around." Kero replied, waving his arm.