Author's Note: The card capture in this chapter will be brief, because I want to get our Cardcaptors to their next destination. I plan for the next chapter to be long…and significant.


Cards captured so far: Vision, Heat, Vine, Bell, Sleep, Wind, Angel, Sludge, Multiple, and Silence


CCS: The American Cards: Part 14


Sakura couldn't help but notice one thing once she got to Detroit. The city was more polluted than any she had ever seen. Even through her hotel window, she could see the smog outside. In fact, there was a whole lot of smog.

"Is there supposed to be this much smog?" Sakura asked her friends.

"I hope not," Meilin said first. "I could barely breathe on my way in here."

"I didn't think Detroit was supposed to be THIS polluted," Li added.

"It's a little too much pollution," Madison said, looking at the Detroit Free Press. "In fact, some factories have been forced to close because of it."

"Wait, I thought factories CAUSED the pollution," Meilin thought.

"There's been a lot of pollution inside the factories," Madison clarified. "Most of the plants that manufacture cars have been forced to evacuate because of excess smoke. It's been like that for the last week."

"Wait a minute," Kero suddenly said. "That…doesn't make any sense."

"What do you mean, Kero?" Sakura asked.

"Well, let's think about it," he explained. "If factories and plants have been shut down for over a week, then there shouldn't be this much pollution around. I doubt that they left the factories on. So the pollution should be decreasing, not increasing. This reeks of an American Card."

"But what American Card makes pollution?" Sakura wondered.

"The Smoke Card," Li answered. "It's the only one I can think of."

"That's the one," Kero confirmed. "If the Smoke Card's on the loose and attacking plants, then it's best we get it at night. There should be no one around at that time. We'll just go around Detroit with the Lasin Board."

"That could take hours," Sakura said.

Kero shook his head. "Doesn't matter. We can't leave the Smoke Card loose. It's hard to even breathe in this city."

Sakura just wandered over towards he window. It looked like she wouldn't get much time to enjoy the sights of Detroit, Michigan. She would have to spend this night going up against an American Card that didn't know when to stop smoking. But the first thing she had to do was…

"Madison, can I use your phone?"

Sakura finally found what she was looking for. It took a few hours of wandering around Detroit wearing a big red skirt with a pink vest, her ever-present Santa hat, and of course, her wand, but the Lasin Board finally found the next American Card. The four were standing outside a closed plant, where the Lasin Board had directed them. Sakura could make out the sign on the gate.

General Motors

Sakura knew what she had to do know, but it wouldn't be easy to get into the plant.

"There's no opening anywhere," Li said. "The plant's sealed shut." He glanced over at Sakura. "But there may be something you can do."

Sakura sweatdropped nervously. "Um…isn't there another way?"

"You have to learn how to use it sooner or later, Sakura," Kero said solemnly. "Might as well be now."

"Go ahead, Sakura," Madison added, now pointing her camera at Sakura.

She had to do it. Sakura took out the Angel Card and braced herself.

"Angel Card! Release!"

It started to happen again. Sakura could feel the angel's wings coming out of her back. She could feel the aura starting to surround her. Her friends backed up as the Angel Card took effect.

"I don't know about this," Sakura said nervously. "I'm still not used to it."

"I'll be right here," Li assured her. "If you fall, I'll catch you."

Sakura closed her eyes and concentrated hard. She could hear the wings flapping, then she sensed that she wasn't on solid ground anymore. Sakura opened her eyes to see she was up in the sky, just ten feet above the ground. She did it. She was instantly overjoyed.

"Hey, guys! I'm…AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

She lost focus. Sakura started to fall, and she fell right into the arms of Li. Sakura got to her feet and took a deep breath. She was shaken up.

"You did better that time, Sakura," Kero offered. "You just have to concentrate."

"I started to like it," Sakura admitted. "…Until I fell."

"I still can't believe that was you, Sakura," Meilin said.

"If I didn't get it on tape, I wouldn't have believed it," Madison added. "Come on, Sakura. One more time!"

Sakura breathed deeply again and closed her eyes. Then her wings started to flap and she sensed she was moving again. Then she opened her eyes again and could see she was flying directly above the point she was standing on earlier.

"Uh…Kero?" Sakura began. "…How do I move forward?"

"This is a test," Kero responded. "You have to figure out the Angel Card on your own."

At first, it was just like swimming. It was all a matter of turning towards her destination and positioning herself. Then she started moving forward, stumbling a bit on the way, until she was passed the gate. Then came the hard part. Sakura had to make the landing. She tried to maintain her focus, but couldn't. Instead, about halfway down, Sakura fell to the concrete below.

"Are you all right, Sakura?" Li asked from the other side of the gate.

"I'm fine," Sakura groaned. She stayed on the ground for a moment, then got back up. "I was doing fine until the landing."

"Don't worry about it, kid," Kero said comfortingly. "You did great. You're starting to get the hang of it. Now let's get in there and catch ourselves an American Card."

Sakura was about to go inside. Then she heard Meilin ask Li a big question.

"So how are we getting in, Li?"

"Um…we don't."

"We don't?" Meilin asked. "You mean Sakura's going in alone?"

Li looked over at Sakura. "You can do it…right, Sakura?"

Sakura hesitated at first. Doing this without any of her friends at her side sounded tough. But she shook it off. She always had Kero at her side.

"I'll be right back," Sakura finally said. "But use the Lasin Board for me. I need to know where to go."

Li held the Lasin Board out again. "Source of Light! With ancient spin! Send forth the magic! Power within! Force, know my plight! Release the light!"

The Lasin Board pointed towards a nearby warehouse. It was helpful to say the least. But Sakura still couldn't help but feel nervous. She was about to go into her next battle with Kero as her only ally. She walked towards the warehouse while recalling the Angel Card. When she opened the front double doors, she immediately started coughing. The warehouse was filled with smoke.

To clear the air, Sakura pulled out Windy. "Windy! Release!"

The Wind Card started blowing through the inside of the warehouse and began to clear the smoke. Sakura could see the Smoke Card. Like the 2nd Card Fog, it looked like a walking foghorn. Sakura recalled the Wind Card and ran towards it, but it started blowing smoke in her face and started jumping on some of the crates. Sakura dove towards it, but it jumped out of the way and she went crashing through a stack of crates.

The Smoke Card was standing over a big crate and started blowing smoke again. The warehouse was starting to fill up with the putrid black smoke.

"I can't see anything over here!" Kero shouted. "Time to use Windy again?"

"I have a better idea," Sakura replied. She took out the Vision Card. "Vision! Show me the Smoke Card! Release and dispel! Vision!"

Sakura began to see through the smoke and saw where the Smoke Card was standing. She could also see what was above it. It was a big motor engine hanging by a chain. The chain was being held up by a crane. Sakura knew she could take the Smoke Card out if she turned the crane. So she pulled out the Vine Card.

"Vine Card! Pull the crane! Release and dispel! Vine Card!"

A big vine rose out of the card and extended towards the crane's lever. The vine pulled the lever and the crane released. The motor engine fell and landed on top of the Smoke Card. The smoke stopped coming out as the Smoke Card was knocked out. Sakura made her way through the smoke and went up to the Smoke Card.

"Smoke Card! Return to your power confined! Smoke Card!"

Finally, the smoke from the warehouse cleared and Sakura could actually see in front of her. Since the Smoke Card was sealed, she could breathe clearly as well.

"Ah, fresh air," Kero sighed in relief. "You did it, Sakura! You sealed the Smoke Card…on your own."

"I guess I did," Sakura realized. "Sealing a card by myself kind of brought back some memories. I…never got to seal cards by myself that much." Sakura looked at her watch. "Oh, it's late. They're probably starting to worry. I'd better go back."

Kero flew in front of her. "Wait, Sakura. Shouldn't we use the Vision Card now? You know, just to get it out of the way?"

Sakura couldn't argue with that. "I guess so." She took out the Vision Card. "Vision! Show me the next card! Release and dispel! Vision!"

Li waited anxiously. Sakura was taking a long time and he was starting to worry about her. He knew she more than capable of taking care of herself, but still…he worried.

"You think she can do it?" Meilin asked.

"Of course she can," Madison responded. "She'll be fine. I know she can do this."

"Still, I know she could use our help," Meilin went on. "I don't think she's supposed to be taking this long."

Li didn't say anything. He just waited…and waited. Finally, he could see someone coming out and flying overhead. It was Sakura, using the Angel Card. She descended slowly in front of Li and landed perfectly.

"Great landing," Li said softly.

Sakura smiled warmly. "Thanks."

"What took you so long?" Li asked. "I was starting to think something happened."

"We stalled," Kero answered for her. "We used the Vision Card in advance. And now we know where to go next."

"Where?" Madison asked eagerly. "Where do we go next?"

"Chicago," Sakura answered. "The next card is in Chicago. But…but…." She paused.

"What is it?" Li asked.

"I couldn't make out what card it was," Sakura continued. "All I saw was…a heart. A walking heart."

"A walking heart?" Li repeated. "I'm not sure I remember that card."

"Neither do I," Kero added. "What card could come in the shape of a heart?"

Li really wanted to remember, but he couldn't. He knew pretty much everything there was to know about the one-and-a-half books that Clow Reed made, but this one card seemed to elude him. He would only have until he got to Chicago to figure it out.

Author's Note: The series takes a twist in the next few chapters. What's the next American Card?


Come back and find out. Until then, don't forget to review below.