Author's Note: Thanks to all the responses I've gotten so far. I know this may be getting a bit repetitive, but it will pick up soon...
Cards captured so far: Fly, Windy, Hole, Water, Replay, Light, Oil, Thief, Ice, and Fog
The Book of the 2nd Cards: Part 11
Sakura had a hectic weekend. Her fight with Madison thankfully didn't last. And they managed to patch up whatever strain was left on their friendship. Now Sakura was ready to start a new week. Of course, she would end up starting the week off the exact same way she always did nowadays.
"Oh no! I'm late!!"
Sakura went as fast as she could to get to school. She jumped over each open manhole and ducked under each branch to try to get there on time. She wouldn't be late again.
**DONG**
"Not again!" Sakura shouted to herself.
By now, Sakura knew the routine. When she saw the ramp, she didn't even bother asking herself this time or think about the consequences of what could happen. She just headed straight for the it. She went as fast as her roller blades could take her. She jumped the ramp and cleared the wall again. Sakura started to think that jumping the wall was getting easier. But despite a good landing, Sakura wasn't home free. Because she didn't see…
"LOOK OUT!!!"
**CRASH**
…the construction workers. But she didn't hit them. Sakura instead went head first into the steel beam they were carrying between them. It was all she remembered before it all went black.
"So you're feeling better?"
"A lot better than I was a few hours ago," Sakura answered Madison, still holding her head. "I just can't believe I recovered that quickly. How long was I out?"
"At least an hour," Madison replied. "Oh, Avalon. Won't you ever learn not to jump the wall?"
"I've learned my lesson," Sakura said casually.
Madison glared at her cynically.
"What? I mean it this time," Sakura whined. "I won't do it again."
"It could have worse," Madison conceded. "You could have broken your leg again and you wouldn't be able to perform."
Sakura looked at Madison curiously. "Perform? For what?"
"Don't you remember?" Madison asked. "Our English class is putting on a performance of Romeo and Juliet. And we have to audition today."
Sakura groaned. "Oh, I forgot all about that. Madison, I'm not ready."
"I'm sure you'll do fine, Sakura," Madison said comfortingly. "But of course you won't get the part of Juliet. I know that'll be me."
"You would make a great Juliet," Sakura said teasingly. "And I have a feeling I know who your Romeo would be."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Madison said innocently.
"Of course you don't," Sakura said in the same tone.
Inside, Sakura groaned again. She wasn't ready for this. She completely forgot about the auditions. Why couldn't summer already be here? It seemed like the longest May of her life.
"I choked!"
Sakura kept repeating that all day, even as she and Madison were walking through the park. Her audition didn't go exactly as planned.
"Come on, Sakura," Madison said assuredly. "You didn't do that bad."
"Are you kidding?" Sakura asked. "I stunk it up. Shakespeare's probably rolling over in his grave."
"I think you're being hard on yourself," Madison replied. "You did great."
"You really think so?" Sakura asked.
Madison nodded. "I know you did great, but I know that I'll get the part of Juliet."
"That's true," Sakura responded. "You were a lot better, Madison. You're a natural. And I think Tommy's definitely going to be cast as Romeo."
Sakura wished she hadn't said that. That got Madison in a trance. Sakura tried waving her hand in her face, but there was no response. She was out of it.
Sakura sighed. "Well, you'd be better as Juliet anyway. I know I couldn't play that part. And I wouldn't want to with Tommy as Romeo."
"Saving him for me," Madison realized. "That's sweet of you, Sakura."
"No…problem…" Sakura paused. She stopped in her tracks.
"Sakura?" Madison asked in concern. "What is it?"
Sakura didn't say anything. She only pointed in front of her. Madison looked in front of her and gasped. The trees were on fire. And lightning was striking the park, even though there were no clouds in the sky. The park was now deserted.
"Lightning with no clouds?" Sakura asked herself. "It's a 2nd Card. I know it is."
"Did I hear someone say 2nd Card?" a voice called out from Sakura's backpack. Kero came flying out.
"For once, I'm glad you stowed away," Sakura said. "We've got a 2nd Card out here."
"But which one?" Madison asked.
Sakura thought about that. "I think it's a safe bet to say that it's the Lightning Card."
"Lightning Card?" Kero repeated. "You'd better be careful, Sakura. The Lightning Card is one of the more dangerous of the 2nd Cards."
Sakura pulled out her magical key. "Key of Clow. Power of Magic. Power of Light. Surrender the wand. The force ignite. Release!"
Sakura had the wand in her hand and boldly stepped forward. The lightning suddenly stopped striking. She looked around her to try and find it. But all she could see were the burning trees, Kero, and Madison who was holding her new video camera up.
"Where'd it go?" Sakura asked.
Just then, Madison pointed behind her. "Look out!!"
Sakura abruptly turned around and saw the Lightning Card. It was in the form of a walking yellow lizard. Its appearance was fearsome and it sparked electricity in its scaly fingertips. It immediately shot a bolt of lightning at Sakura. She just barely managed to jump out of the way.
"Kero…" Sakura called out. "Any ideas?"
"I can't think of anything!" Kero shouted. "Try stalling it."
The Lightning Card shot another bolt of lightning at Sakura. She managed to dodge it, but saw where the lightning hit. It struck another nearby tree and ignited it. The park was literally being destroyed and Sakura knew she had to do something. She pulled out the Ice Card.
"Ice Card! Freeze our adversary! Release and dispel! Ice Card!"
The Ice Card release a fierce ice beam and nailed the Lightning Card. The Lightning Card was frozen in its tracks. Seemingly subdued, Sakura ran to seal the Lightning Card.
"Lightning Card! Re…"
She paused. She could hear a sizzling sound coming from within the ice. Suddenly, the ice burst in a flash of light sending Sakura flying backwards. She groaned as she got up. She held her arm in pain, as it collided hard with the tree. Somehow, she knew it was too easy.
The Lightning Card continued throwing bolts of lightning at random. Sakura decided to try something else. She pulled out the Fog Card.
"Fog Card! Fill the park with fog! Release and dispel! Fog Card!"
The Fog Card slowly released a load of fog. Sakura could hardly see anything, but luckily the fog had surrounded the Lightning Card as she had intended. Sakura pulled out the Hole Card.
"Hole Card! Form a hole under the fog! Release and dispel! Hole Card!"
She couldn't see the hole get formed, but Sakura knew it formed. She knew that when she heard the Lightning Card fall in. She ran towards the hole and prepared to seal the card again.
"Lightning Card! Re…"
The Lightning Card tried to shoot Sakura with a bolt of lightning again, but she ducked out of the way. It certainly didn't give up easily. Sakura prepared her wand again, but heard a flushing sound.
"Sakura!" Kero shouted. "Look out!!"
Sakura looked behind her to see a stream of water coming right at her. It was from a fire hydrant that had been hit by the bolt of lightning. It nailed Sakura right in the chest and sent her flying backwards to a nearby tree. She saw the Lightning Card jump out and prepare to shoot a lightning bolt at the wet trail that led right to Sakura. Sakura knew what was coming. Water conducted electricity. If the Lightning Card shot the bolt at the trail, it would carry the electricity right to Sakura. She only had one chance. She pulled out the Replay Card.
"Replay Card! Replay the stream's last move! Release and dispel! Replay Card!"
It took only a split-second, but Sakura saw her saving grace. The Lightning Card was standing right in the path where the stream of water had struck. So it couldn't get out of the way when the stream came flying by again. Sakura moved out of the way as the stream knocked the Lightning Card backwards into the tree. It was stunned and Sakura had to act fast.
"Lightning Card! Return to your power confined! Lightning Card!"
After a long and arduous battle, the Lightning Card was finally sealed in its card. Sakura breathed a sigh of relief, but she quickly realized she wasn't finished yet. The trees were still on fire.
"Madison," Sakura called out. "Do you hear any fire trucks coming?"
"No, I don't hear anything," Madison answered.
"Good," Sakura replied. "Then I can put these fires out. But I'd better play it safe." She pulled out the mask she found while hunting the Ice Card and put it on. Then she pulled out the Water Card. "Water Card! Extinguish these fires! Release and dispel! Water Card!"
Sakura acted fast and the Water Card quickly doused the flames that were all over the park. When the work was all done, there didn't remain much of the park. The trees were all burned down and the grass was completely singed.
"I think we'd better go," Kero pointed out.
"I agree," Sakura said. "Let's go."
"Wait!" Madison shouted. She pointed her video camera at Sakura. "Smile!"
Sakura posed for the camera. After fighting something as formidable as the Lightning Card, she was entitled to a victory pose.
"Hold still, Sakura."
Sakura didn't come out of that battle with the Lightning Card completely unscathed. She was shocked a few times during that battle, but also had a bad gash from hitting one of the trees. Now Madison was in Sakura's room trying to treat the wounds with some iodine. But the iodine wasn't exactly painless.
"YEOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Madison shook her head. "Oh, Avalon. It's only iodine."
"It's only iodine to you," Sakura shot back. "But that really stings."
"It could have been a lot worse, Sakura," Kero said. "That Lightning Card was really dangerous. You're lucky to only come out with a few bruises."
"That one was a lot tougher than the other cards," Sakura pointed out.
"You can't forget how tough these cards are," Kero replied. "They'll only get tougher and we aren't even close to done with them. And there are 2nd Cards that come a lot tougher than the Lightning Card."
"I wish you hadn't said that," Sakura said grimly.
"Sakura, you're not doubting yourself again, are you?" Madison asked.
"I've got to face it, Madison," Sakura responded. "I can't go on like this. How long can I keep fighting these 2nd Cards by myself? I can't last much longer."
"I know you want help, Sakura," Madison said. "But you can't forget that you're the only Cardcaptor here. Li's in Hong Kong. You're on your own."
Sakura hung her head. She really wished Li were here to help her. And she felt like there was another reason why she wanted Li back.
"But…" Madison continued. "You'll always Kero and you'll always have me. And we'll never leave your side."
"Thank you, Madison," Sakura said softly. "You have no idea how much that means to me."
It did mean a lot to Sakura that Madison and Kero would always be at her side.
But that didn't mean that she didn't want Li back.
Any comments? Then mail me at AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com and don't you forget to review below.
