Author's Note: No bus trip or nothing. We get right into this because this chapter will have an impact on the rest of this series. What could the next card be?


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


CCS: The American Cards: Part 15


Sakura looked around everywhere. There was no costume this time around, because it was just plain COLD. She couldn't expect anything less from a place called the Windy City. The cold didn't seem to bother Li and Meilin. They wore their usual.

They had spent the whole night looking around Chicago for the next American Card, but the Lasin Board was taking them all on a wild goose chase. This next card seemed to be on the move. Finally, the Lasin Board led them to a big place called Lincoln Park. But as soon as they all got in, something bizarre happened. The Lasin Board's light split into four directions: North, West, East, and Northeast.

"How did that happen?" Sakura asked.

"That's never happened before," Li said in amazement. "I guess…we have no choice but to split up."

"But what do we do if we find the card?" Meilin asked.

Madison reached into her purse and took out three walkie-talkies. They were the ones that she had since Sakura first hunted for the Clow Cards, eight years ago. She handed one to Meilin and another one to Li.

"We'll call each other if any of us find it," Madison explained. "The three of us will meet and Li can call for Sakura using his sword."

"Sounds good," Kero piped up. "But we'd better hurry. This card's been moving all night. It might not be here for long. And remember…we're looking for a walking heart."

The four of them split up and went their separate ways. Sakura could feel it in the pit of her stomach that this would be a long night.

Meilin looked in front of her to see that she was walking towards the park's giant pond. She didn't see anything at first, but she was determined. This was Meilin's big opportunity to prove herself. For a while, she'd always felt she was being a third wheel. But this was her chance to actually help take down a card…whatever it was.

But that's when she began to get a headache. The headache was strong, more like a migraine. Meilin fell to her knees and closed her eyes. Then she opened them to see that she wasn't in the park…but…back in Hong Kong…back home. She could feel this was an out-of-body experience. Because she could see herself…right in front of her eyes. She saw a younger version of herself…and Li. She tried to see what she was saying.

"WHAT do you need the money for, Li?"

Li scratched his head nervously. "For…a plane ticket."

"A plane ticket? For what? So you can see HER?"

Meilin gasped. She remembered this. This was…five years ago. This was back when…Li left Hong Kong…to go back to Japan. This was such a painful moment for her. Why was she seeing this again?

The conversation went on exactly as it did five years ago, word for word. Then she saw the most painful part of that memory.

"You ARE coming back, aren't you?"

Li looked back. "I…I'm not sure. I really can't tell you."

Meilin saw herself take out a wad of cash and hand it to Li. "Take it. Take it and go."

Li hesitated for a moment. "Meilin…?"

"GO! Go before I change my mind!"

Li took the money and slowly walked out the door. "Goodbye, Meilin…and thank you."

Meilin watched that moment again as Li walked out that door for the last time. Then she saw herself break down in tears. It was such an emotional moment for her. She couldn't stand to see that again. Then the vision faded. But Meilin didn't move. She just laid there on the ground…thinking back to that moment. Why…WHY did she have to see that again?

Li rushed through the park, still holding the Lasin Board. Since he and his friends split up, it went back to a single line of light. Then he reached an isolated part of the park, where he was surrounded by four trees. The Lasin Board's light began to split up again. It pointed five ways into the sky. Li stopped moving. He didn't know where to go next.

Then he started to get a headache…more like a migraine. He fell to his knees and his vision began to blur. Then he opened his eyes to find himself…in the airport…Japan's airport. Then he looked in front of him to see a much younger version of himself…and Sakura.

"So is this goodbye?" Sakura asked sadly.

Li nodded. "I can't stay anymore. I have to go home now."

Li could see the hurt expression on the face of Sakura. It was so hard to see her like that. He couldn't stand it. But why was he seeing her like that?

Sakura hung her head down. "I'll miss you."

Li saw himself turn to leave…on that plane to Hong Kong. Then he saw the tears on Sakura's face.

"Li? You…will come back…won't you?"

Li's younger self turned around. "Not for a very long time. But………I'll come back someday………I promise."

Sakura couldn't stop herself from crying and Li saw his younger self start shedding a tear as he left. He never forgot this moment. It always lurked in the back of his mind. It was the moment he always wished he would never have to repeat. It was the moment his family demanded he repeat. His family wanted him to leave Sakura…but Li would have none of that.

Still, it hurt him to see that again. Why was Li seeing this again?

For the first time in a while, Madison had her camera off. Mostly because its battery was starting to run low, but Madison had all her focus on finding the American Card that was loose. Then she found herself in Lincoln Park's conservatory, which was empty. She looked over at the plants and couldn't help but marvel at them. She hadn't seen plants like this since she was back in Japan.

Then she started to feel a very strong headache…a migraine, even. She started to fall to her knees and began to hold her head. Then she stuck her head up to see she was back in Japan, in a familiar place. It was Penguin Park. She looked around and gasped when she saw Sakura…but a younger Sakura. Then she looked over to see Li…frozen in a block of ice. And she saw herself…stuck atop a tree branch.

It finally hit Madison what she was seeing. This was…five years ago…back when Sakura had sealed the final 2nd Card and closed the book. This was a big moment for her, but it wasn't such a fond moment for Madison. Because she remembered what happened after Sakura got her down from the tree. Sure enough, when Madison's younger self was taken down from the tree, she began to look around. Madison knew who she was looking for. She was looking for Tommy Canton, whom she had unceremoniously dumped, because he released the 2nd Cards and had them wreak their havoc.

"Where is he?" Madison heard herself ask. She remembered what happened. Tommy regretted what he had done and helped to stop the Psychic Card…but then he disappeared.

"I don't see him," Sakura answered. "…He's gone."

Madison saw herself break down. She didn't say anything, but Madison remembered everything she thought at that emotional moment. She genuinely liked this guy…and he had betrayed her…but then tried to make up for it. Madison called him a liar. She said he never liked her. But she then realized that he really did like her. He tried to make things right…but then left.

"NO!" Madison shouted to herself. She didn't want to see this. Then she opened her eyes again to see she was somewhere else.

It was the airport…in Japan. She remembered what happened this night, too. And she wouldn't be able to take this.

"NO!" Madison shouted again. "Not this!"

Madison remembered exactly what happened this day, and she shuddered to think of it. And sure enough, that's when she saw someone in front of her. It was the gentle blue-haired boy from England. It was Eriol. This was the moment…Madison couldn't stand to see again.

"Do you have to leave?" Madison heard herself ask.

Eriol nodded. "I can't stay here, Madison. You know that. I have to go back home."

"But…isn't there any chance you can stay?" Madison's younger self pleaded.

Eriol shook his head. "I'm really sorry. I wish I could…but I can't. I really have to go home. I've stayed here too long."

"But Eriol…"

"Don't make this any harder than it already is! You know this is hard for me, too. But…my flight's leaving. Goodbye."

Eriol started to walk away. Madison saw her younger self try to go after him, but she couldn't get through the crowd of people in the airport. By the time she got a clear path, Eriol was gone.

Madison remembered this moment for so long. She could hardly go a day without thinking about it. But now this wound that was just beginning to heal had reemerged. Madison tried so hard to forget it, but it came back to haunt her. Madison broke down and started crying. She couldn't take it. She wanted this vision to end.

Sakura could sense this card nearby. She started walking towards the grass in the middle of the park. It was very unusual that there was no one around. But Sakura realized that it was luck. Maybe this American Card liked privacy. Then she started to feel a splitting headache…one that felt like a migraine.

Then Sakura fell to her knees and closed her eyes. When she opened them…she saw herself in the airport…back in Japan. She was a lot younger…in fact…she was 10. This was eight years ago. She remembered this time…it was back when…NO…she couldn't be seeing this again. Not again!

Sure enough, there was Li. He had his bags packed and ready to go. He was going back to Hong Kong. He was leaving Sakura's life.

"So is this goodbye?" Sakura asked sadly.

Li nodded. "I can't stay anymore. I have to go home now."

Sakura didn't want to see this again. She was burying her face in her hands. She didn't want to see what happened next.

"Sakura?" Kero suddenly asked. "What is it?"

"I don't want to see this again!" Sakura shouted.

But she was. The flashback went on as it had last time.

"I'll miss you," Sakura said emotionally.

Li turned to leave. Sakura was hanging her head down sadly. "Li? You…will come back…won't you?"

Sakura couldn't take this much longer. This was such torture for her to see. Then she heard Kero.

"Sakura! Whatever you're seeing? It's the Memory Card! You can overcome what you see! Just think of something good that came out of whatever you're seeing!"

Something good? What possible good came out of this moment? This was so depressing. Being forced to watch Li walk away from her life was the worst thing in the world. Then she saw Li's response.

"Not for a very long time. But………I'll come back someday………I promise."

Then it hit Sakura. She got to her feet and looked at her younger self.

"This was the worst day of my life…because I thought Li would leave me forever. But he didn't. He came back to me…just like he promised! I'm not going to be haunted by the past, Memory Card!"

The memory started to fade…and Sakura was back in Lincoln Park. Then she looked in front of her to see the heart on two legs. It was the Memory Card. And it didn't try to get away. It knew it was beaten, so it just stood there as Sakura approached it.

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

When Sakura held the Memory Card in her hand, she wondered about an unfinished issue.

"Kero? Why did the Lasin Board point in four directions?"

"I think I might know the answer," Kero replied. "You might not have been the Memory Card's only target…or victim."

"You think the others might have seen something like I saw?"

"I hope not. The Memory Card is capable of bringing out a person's most painful memory until that person remembers the good that came from that day…if any. It could leave them scarred for a very long time. And the residual effects are unpredictable."

Sakura wondered about that. If the Memory Card did indeed strike the others, she wondered what kind of memories they could have seen. She had a feeling she would find out sooner or later.


Author's Note: Hmm…not much so far. But the Memory Card leaves a lasting impact that no one could have foreseen. How does the fallout threaten Sakura and Li's relationship? S+S fans, come back tomorrow…and be afraid.


Until then, don't forget to review below.