Sorry for the wait, I've still got one week of school left and A-Kon's this weekend. Hopefully updates will come in more rapid succession this summer. In any case, I hope you enjoy the latest chapter of The CardMistress' Magical Twin. It is entitled: The Thunder Card.

Chapter Ten: The Thunder Card

As he often was, Kinomoto Haruki was reading a book. Not just any book, though. It was, as Haru would be quick to tell you, an excellent book. Haru was currently reclining on his upper bunk engrossed in an American fantasy novel; 'Over Sea, Under Stone' by Susan Cooper. He was entranced by the idea that three modern children could have such a wonderful adventure in such a dull place as England. Haru had never considered the island country all that interesting and had long believed that any excitement within its borders had long dried up; if it had ever existed in the first place.

He had just reached the part where Jane Drew was being chased through the woods when Sakura snatched the battered paperback from his hands.

"Are you even listening, Haru?" she demanded, peevishly.

"Of course not," her twin replied irritably as he tried to snatch his book back, "I can't read and listen at the same time."

Sakura planted her hands on her hips as she glared at him.

"Really Haru, " she began, exasperated, "You're as obsessed with Western novels as some Westerners are with Anime and Manga. Kero-chan is trying to tell us something important."

Haru arched an eyebrow suspiciously.

"What? Does he want more pudding?"

Sakura had to suppress a snort of laughter in spite of herself. Kero floated in front of Haru's face angrily.

"I was trying to tell you more about this Li Syaoran kid," he growled.

"That guy?" Haru shrugged and snorted dismissively, "He's a jerk, what more is there to say?"

"A lot," said Kero.

"Apparently, he's a descendant of Clow Reed," Sakura informed him. "You know, the guy who created the Clow Cards."

"I know who Clow Reed is, " Haru informed her caustically, as he sat up and swung his legs over the side of his bed, "What I fail to understand is why any of this matters."

"Hoe?" Sakura said, cocking her head to one side.

"He wants the cards; we want the cards," Haru jumped down to the floor. "He's our rival, pure and simple."

"Haru-," Sakura began, but she was interrupted when the cell phone that Tomoyo-chan had given her rang.

Sakura walked over to where the device lay on her desk and picked it up.

"Moshi moshi," she answered it. Sakura listened for a moment then motioned for Haru to open the curtains that covered their window. Puzzled, Haru did so. Immediately, he saw the problem.

Though no rain fell, the sky was completely clouded over. Thunder rumbled as lightening lit up the horizon.

"We see it, Tomoyo-chan," Sakura said into the reciever after a moment. "We'll meet you in Penguin Park in ten minutes."

They had arrived at the agreed upon meeting place on time and Tomoyo had outfitted them both with rubber cat suits, much to Haru's chagrin.

"This is the most ridculous outfit you have ever designed," Haru told his cousin, mortified.

"Don't be so negative, Haru-chan," Tomoyo was chastising and filming him simultaneously, "You look totally Kawaii."

"Who said I want to look cute?" muttered the raven-haired ten year old rebelliously.

Just then, thunder rumbled in the heavens and lightening lept towards them.

"Show time!" shouted Kero.

"Yosh!" exclaimed Haru as he ran forward, flinging down his skateboard and jumping onto it. "Hey, Thunder Card!" he shouted, waving his arms wildly to attract its attention. "Your mother was a transistor and your father was an alkaline battery!"

'Kinomoto Haruki is completely insane,' Li decided as he watched his classmate from afar. Only an absolute psycho would even think about taunting the Thunder Card into chasing him. Li watched for a while longer before deciding to step in. He arrived on the scene at the same time as that joke of a Cardcaptor Kinamoto did. She was asking a small plush-toy-looking thing what the Thunder Card's true form was while watching her brother cavort through the park with said card hot on his heels. She didn't even notice that he was standing right behind her.

The plush toy spoke.

"Thunder is really-,"

"You don't even know that?" Li interrupted, announcing his presence.

The girl jumped. Literally.

"Li-kun!" she cried, waving her arms around wildly.

Li ignored her and raised his sword into a casting pose.

"Gods of Thunder, Answer my Call!" he intoned in a loud, yet solumn, voice. He brought his sword back then thrust it forward in a throwing gesture, just as Haruki led the Thunder Card's manifestation past the building on which they were standing.

A great bolt of lightening flew from Li's sword to strike the Thunder head on.

Thunder flew backwards, taking on a more definitive shape than its previous orb of lightening.

Li ran forward before Thunder could recover, standing between it and the severely winded Haruki. Much to his annoyance, Sakura followed at his heels.

As Thunder got to its feet, they could now see a four-legged beast that seemed to be made of lightening.

"It looks scary," Sakura murmured nervously.

Li ignored her.

"You catch Thunder after you change into it's true shape as a Raijuu. You don't even know that?" He spoke in a know-it-all tone of voice.

"I was about to explain that!" the plush toy muttered angrily.

The Raijuu stood and gave a shrieking roar before turning towards the two fourth graders. Li notice that Sakura was holding the Windy Card.

"Baka," he snapped, "You can't fight against Thunder with Windy!" Was she stupid or something?

"But...I've caught some cards by holding them down with Windy..." A hint of a uncertainty had entered her voice.

What, did she think every card was the same?

The Raijuu started towards them.

"Do you have the Shadow?" Li asked.

It was Haruki who answered.

"Hai, she does. Boy, was that one a bitch to catch, too. Chased me around the school three times before she managed to seal it."

"Haru!" Sakura admonished, though weither she was objecting to his language or his implication that she was slow, Li was unsure.

"Petals of Wind, Answer my Call!" Syaoran called. A high wind blew the Raijuu away from the pair. It landed several feet away; right in front of Haruki who was too tired to run.

"Uh-oh," the young bookworm gasped.

"Use the Shadow Card!" Shouted Li.

Sakura dug into her pocket with one hand frantically.

"I don't mean to rush you, Sakura," called Haruki as the Raijuu poised to attack, "But I'm kind in a situation here so could you HURRY UP!?"

"SHADOW!"Sakura cried, striking the appropriate card with her staff.

The cloaked figure of Shadow loomed above the Raijuu for a moment before it enveloped the beast.

Sakura ran forward and raised her staff.

"RETURN TO THE GUISE YOU WERE MEANT TO BE IN!"

She brought the staff down hard.

"CLOW CARD!"

There was a bright light and a moment later, a card labeled 'The Thunder' fluttered to the ground.

Haruki slumped to the ground in relief as Sakura bent to pick up her new card.

Haru was so relived to not be dead, that he found he didn't mind so much when Li started talking down to Sakura. It may have been the left over adrenaline talking, but the guy wasn't really all that bad. A little uptight maybe, but nobody was perfect, right?

Haru stood and slung his arm around the other boy's shoulder just as Kero-kun stopped biting his finger.

"You know Li-kun?" Haru began, "I think we're gonna be good friends."

Li's eyes widened in shock at this out-of-nowhere statement.

"You're insane," the Chinese boy informed him. Shrugging off Haru's arm, he stalked off, passing Tomoyo who had come over to check that both of her cousins were alright.

Haru just threw back his head and laughed.

Glossary of Japanese Word and Phrases: Chapter Ten

-chan: Honorific generally used for girls or small children, can be considered demeaning when used towards boys.

Hoe: Sakura says this when ever she is confused, scared, etc. In other words, she says it a lot.

Moshi Moshi: Polite way to answer the phone

Kawaii: Cute(as in little kid cute, not attractive cute)

Yosh: Alright!

-kun: Honorific used to address males one is familiar with.

Raijuu: "Thunder Beast"

Baka: Moron

Hai: Yes

Hope you liked it. Let me know if you did.

Until next time,

Ja ne!