Stars On Ice:
Part Four
This time, Sakura was ready for the day early! Today was the recital and she was really nervous. She heard a knock at the door and went to answer it. Opening the door she found none other than… "Hi Li!" Sakura greeted.
"Hi, Sakura. Ready?" He asked.
Sakura nodded. "Half an hour ago."
Li raised an eyebrow. "Something the matter?"
Sakura nervously shook her head and laughed. "No…no…why?"
"You're never ready early." Li replied.
Sakura sighed in defeat. "I'm a little nervous."
"Sakura listen to me." Li put down his bag, looked her straight in the eye, and placed his hands on her shoulders. "You have nothing to be nervous about. You're the best skater in the class, you've practice the routine, and now you know it by heart. You'll do fine. We'll both do fine."
Sakura smiled. "Let's go then!" She said with renewed confidence. She bent down and picked up her bag. Li gently took it away from her and carried both hers and his in his left hand. Then he took her hand in his right, and together they left for the recital.
From behind a tree, Brian sneered. Watching the two walk away holding hands. If I can't have you Sakura, no one can. Brian crossed his arms over his chest and his form wavered. The next second, he was gone.
Sakura and Li arrived just as the show started. They were at the end, so they still had time. Madison saw them and waved them over. "Sakura! Li! Over here!"
Sakura and Li smiled at their friend and ran over. "When did you get here, Madison?" Sakura asked.
Madison shrugged. "A while ago. I don't want to miss anything of your first skating recital!" She brought out her camera and waved it around. "You two are going to be so kawaii!!!" Sakura and Li sweat dropped.
The recital was going great. Their classmates weren't making many mistakes! It was an almost flawless performance!
Li leaned down and whispered in Sakura's ear. "See. Nothing to worry about."
Sakura nodded and watched as another boy from their class did his solo routine. Sakura watched as he turned backwards and then forwards again. Then, something caught her eye. Under the kid's feet, the ice just slightly cracked.
Be careful, for though the ice seems safe, it is full of cracks. If you're not cautious, you might find yourself falling though thin ice! Brian's voice echoed in her mind. "No!" Sakura yelled. Everyone turned to her. But she didn't care. She stretched out her senses and searched until she found him.
She immediately turned on her heel and ran off in that direction. "Sakura!" Li called and followed her. She stopped in the middle of a grove of trees, near the lake. Li finally caught up to her. "What's the matter? Why'd you run off?"
Sakura turned to him, and he saw pure fear in her eyes. "He's here."
Li's eyes went wide. He stretched out his own senses until he too felt Brian's presence. Li opened his eyes. "We have to make sure he doesn't hurt any of the spectators."
Sakura nodded. She brought out her key. "Key of Clow. Power of Magic. Power of Light. Surrender the wand, the force ignite! Release!" Her key became a wand and Li brought out his sword. Sakura turned to him. "Do you have enough strength to use the time card?"
Li nodded. Not really but do I have a choice? He brought out his card. "Time card! Freeze the flow of time! Time Card!" He hit it with his sword and already felt his power drain. The familiar color of the time card grew and froze everyone in their place. Even Sakura. Li slowly walked over to Sakura and gazed into her face. She's so beautiful. Li slowly moved a strand of hair out of her face, before touching her skin to unfreeze her.
"That was not very wise, Little Wolf." A voice said. Li and Sakura turned and saw Brian standing in one of the trees. "Using such a card will only guarantee my victory."
"Don't count on it!" Li said. He pulled up his sword and got into a fighting stance.
"Brian, catch a hint! I don't like you! I love…" Sakura started, but stopped and blushed.
"Who Cherry Blossom? Who has stolen your heart? Brian asked.
Sakura glared at him. "None of your business!" She said. "I know one thing, it's not you and it will never be!"
Brian got mad. "So be it! You have sealed your own fate! If I can not have you, no one will!" Brian jumped from the tree, pulled out his sword in midair, and drove it into the ground.
Suddenly, a blast drove through the ground and was aimed right at Li! "Li!" Sakura cried and pushed him out of the way. The blast hit her and she began to freeze. Her feet were first and it slowly grew up her leg.
"Sakura! No!" Li ran to her side.
A single tear fell from her eye as she stared at Li in horror. "Li. I love…" The freeze covered her mouth, before she could finish her sentence.
"No! Sakura!" Li pounded on the ice frantically trying to break it. Brian has to be pretty powerful to freeze someone with magic. Not even the freeze card could do that! Li thought.
"Too bad. She'll make a beautiful statue." Brian taunted.
Li turned and glared at Brian with fire in his eyes. "That does it! I've had enough of you! You will pay for this!" Li charged at Brian, sword raised above his head.
Brian met it with his own and smiled at Li. "So the Little wolf grows a backbone? Did I strike a nerve?" Li growled and pushed down on his sword, driving Brian back a few steps.
Brian pushed Li's sword back and back flipped back. "You're pretty good in a fight, but what about against an opponent you can't see?" Brian's body wavered and he appeared besides Li. Brian punched Li in the ribs, making Li cry out in pain. Brian moved again. "I see the time card is taking it's toll" He disappeared again.
"Come out and fight like a man!" Li said to the open air. Brian appeared in front of him and sliced at his shirt, barely missing his skin. Brian quickly disappeared.
"Not very good, little wolf! One more inch and your guts would have been all over the ground!" Brian's voice came to Li from all sides.
I can't fight him like this! Li thought.
See with your heart. A voice said.
"Who's there!?" Li said.
Search with your heart, not your eyes. Your heart will be able to find that which your mind cannot.
"Sakura?" Li turned to Sakura. She was still frozen in the ice. "Is it you?" No reaction. "It's worth a shot." Li moved away from Sakura and brought out his sword. He closed his eyes and tried to "see" What was around him. Immediately, he saw one giant color, and in it, he saw a black presence. Brian.
The blackness moved around Li and then behind him. Without a second thought, Li thrust his sword behind him and felt it make contact.
"Not possible." Brain said looking down at the sword, which now dissected his mid drift. "He has the second sight." Brian's eyes rolled back into his head as his sword dropped loosely at his side. Li pulled out his sword and Brian feel to the floor. No sooner had he hit the cold snow, then his body disappeared.
Li ran to Sakura and saw the ice around her melt. Once free, she collapsed. Li caught her and went to his knees. "No. Sakura." He felt his tears fall from his eyes. Sakura's lips were a light blue and her skin had lost all color.
Li immediately put Sakura down and began CPR. He pressed five times on her chest before plugged her nose and breathing into her mouth. Nothing. He tried again and again, always the same reaction, nothing.
"No! Sakura! I won't give up! Not now!" Li looked down at Sakura's face and saw her tear from before had stayed frozen. He picked it up from her cheek and saw it had turned to glass. "No!!!" Li pounded on Sakura's chest with his fist.
Sakura's eyes immediately opened up and she breathed in a large amount of air. "Sakura!!" Li grabbed her and hugged her.
"Li?" Sakura asked. "What happened?"
Li smiled. "He's gone. He'll never hurt you again."
Sakura smiled and hugged Li back. Li got up and helped Sakura up. "Come on. We have a show to do."
"But the ice. It'll crack." Sakura reminded him.
Li smiled. "No problem." Li brought out his sword and a card. "Freeze card! Freeze the lake once more! Freeze card!" He hit it with his sword and Freeze did it's job. Li then recalled time and everything started moving again.
Li and Sakura changed into their show outfits and made their way to the edge of the rink. Li looked at Sakura. "Ready?"
Sakura nodded confidently and made ready for their cue.
"The last performance of the day! Sakura and Li: Stars On Ice!" Li led Sakura onto the ice and went to the center of the rink. The music started and Sakura did her routine. Li did his part and the song went great. Sakura would twirl and Li would jump into the air.
The ending came and both stars started their figure eight. The met each other and Li threw Sakura up into the air. He stopped and Sakura came down into his arms. He put her down gracefully and they spun around each other till the end of the song came.
"…watashi no chikara de susumu hate shinai kono michi o" Then the song ended
Li and Sakura stopped and stared into each other's eyes. Both were breathing hard. Li smiled. "What were you going to say before?"
Sakura smiled. "I love you."
Li smiled back. "I love you too." He leaned in and kissed her passionately in front of everyone in the park. All at once everyone started cheering, while Madison recorded it with a smile. Finally. She thought.
Li and Sakura were given flowers and roses from the audience and were found to be the most popular performers there. They looked at each other and were happy, for once. Not because Brian was gone, or that they did the routine right. No, they were happy because they knew they had each other now, and no one could stand in their way.