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Chapter Three: Metal Wings


"Hey Squirt," Touya winked.
"Yeah, yeah whatever, I'm up already."
Touya slammed the door and walked away. Sakura sighed wishing what happened last night was all a piece of her nightmare. Sakura laid back onto the pillow and thought.
"A new deck of cards? Impossible!"
"You know Sakura, I did remember Clow Read mentioning something about the Celestial Cards. He said that it was extremely dangerous. I'm not sure if it was a good idea that you accepted the responsibility. I don't even know what kinds of cards they are and what they can do." Kero went into a thoughtful pose and glanced at the clock. "And also Sakura, if you don't move, you've be late!"
"Hoe? Oh no!!!!!" Sakura raced down the stairs and roller skated all the way to school. While Kero chuckled evilly and sat down in front of the play station.
"Let the fun begin... Hehe... what???? I didn't save it? But this can't be!!! No!!!"

During History class Miss Mako handed back the History test. Sakura was asked to redo the test.
"I'm sure you'll do it good this time. Anything's better than what you've got now." Tomoyo smiled brightly, hoping to make Sakura feel better, but it made Sakura felt worse. "So what happened last night? Touya called and asked where you were... he practically flamed on me." Tomoyo said adjusting to a more serious pose.
"Oh nothing else then a whole new deck of cards for me, the good old cardcaptor to capture." Sakura sighed and Tomoyo's enthusiasm.
"That's wonderful Sakura, I was just wondering when I would get some new exciting shots for my collection. This is perfect! And if you and Li ever go on a..."
Sakura jumped up and hushed Tomoyo, turning around she made sure that Li didn't overhear.
"Is there anything the matter, Sakura?"
"Ah... um..." She turned her head slowly to see all the eyes of her classmates where laid upon her. She immediately took her hands off Tomoyo. And laughed it off. "Oh nothing, Miss Mako... sorry!"
The bell rang through the school grounds.
"Class dismissed. And you Sakura, I will be waiting for you after school."
"Phew!"
Tomoyo took Sakura's arm and dragged her off to lunch. "When did you start being bad in History...
"I don't know." Sakura was staring across the playground towards a group of boys chatting around Li who was blushing furiously. And quickly moved her eyes towards Melin centered by a circle of nosy girls.
Most girls in the class since the beginning of this new term had developed crushes on Li. Li was considered to be a member of the top students in the class. Of course everybody would be jealous and admire of Melin since she proudly boasted that she's Li's fiancé.
Tomoyo realized where Sakura's eyes were and silently laid back towards the tree and sighed with a word that sounded very much like, "oh."
Sakura watched as Melin showed off her fancy back flips and front flips with a turn in the air. She had to admit, Melin was a much better cardcaptor than she was.
"Melin would be much better capturing the Metal Cards than I am."
"Don't say that Sakura."
Sakura turned her head to look at Tomoyo blindly.
"You know that Melin doesn't have any magic."
"But that guy said you would have to be a warrior to capture these cards. And I'm afraid..."
"What are you afraid of?"
"That I would get you hurt."
"I'll take care of myself."
"With Kero not be able to transform." Sakura complained.
"You're scaring my Sakura. Stop worrying. If you're destined to capture the Celestial Cards, then you can do it. I'm sure."
Tomoyo's encouraging smile was all Sakura needed to finish off her lunch.
"Hey I know what will cheer you up." Tomoyo suddenly said to put a smile on Sakura's face. "The Spring's festival's coming and I'm sure winning a footrace against Melin and Li, would really prove to yourself that you're tough."
"I don't know Madison. Melin and Li are fast runners."
"That's why you're going to practice. Meet me after your redo test on the tracks, and we'll get rolling!" Madison laughed and run away at the sudden bell.
"Madison!"

"Very nice job Sakura, this proves to me you know your history. I'll see you tomorrow in class." Miss Mako congratulated as she shuffled some test papers.
"Bye Miss Mako." Sakura began to leave the room.
"Bye... oh right Sakura. You might want to keep the box with you. You're going to need it." Miss Mako ended with a mysterious smile.
"Huh?"

On the track the sun was hot that day and Sakura couldn't keep from sweating with her sweatshirt on.
"Tomoyo? Um... maybe we should put this on another day."
"No way Sakura. You outta be tough and this is the way to do it. I've got you a new outfit." Tomoyo took out jersey, and sports shorts. "Hey put them on."
After few laps around the track Sakura was breathless. Sakura walked panting towards Tomoyo who looked very pitiless at that time with her camera on her shoulder.
"Come on Tomoyo. Give me a break." Sakura begged, but Tomoyo didn't say anything but just aimed her camera towards the sky. "Tomoyo? Tomoyo? Are you ok?"
"You better look up Sakura." Tomoyo whispered.
Sakura raised her head and brushed her wet bangs a side, she expected to see the blazing rays of the sun making a black burn on her eyes but instead she saw a dark shadow. Yet it had a silver tinge that made it sharp and clean.
"Sakura!"
Sakura spun around at the call. Li and Melin were standing on the top of the stands.
"I think we've got a card to capture."
The clouds began to gather up and cover the sky. The shadow was getting closer and closer. Sakura could see it now. It was a blue silver bird with hard green eyes.
"What is that?"
"I don't know Sakura." Kero flew by. "But I'm positive it's a new card that guy was talking about."
"But what kind of Celestial Card?"
"Um... Maybe Fly... or also Windy... because I overheard Clow and the shadow guy once talking. The guy said that all his cards were either of an animal or thing. Which make each card with a unique personality."
"That helps." Li groaned.
"Hey Kid, if you're so smart. You figure it out by yourselves. Huh? What do you say?"
The air was starting to swirl up.
"Kero! It's not a good time to fight. This look dangerous."
The wind blew stronger and fiercer than ever.
"I'm pretty sure this is the Windy Card!" Sakura shouted.
The air swirling up to form a tornado. The stands began to separate, and the sand on the track was flying everywhere.
"Everybody hold onto something!" Li shouted. But the truth was there was nothing to hold on to. Sakura planted her fingers into the dirt, determined not to be pulled away. She felt her body ripping apart.
"Sakura!" A shout of help sounded behind.
Sakura immediately turned her head. Tomoyo was being pulled into the center of the cyclone.
"No!!!! Tomoyo!" Sakura suddenly let go of the earth that she held onto and let her towards Tomoyo.
"Sakura don't be stupid. We have to think up of a solution." Li growled loudly in the load and pitiless roar of the element.
"We have no time!" Sakura jumped and held onto Tomoyo gradually the wind lessened. And Sakura went thump onto the ground.
"That's it?" Melin jeered.
"Look out Sakura!"
Sakura wildly spun her head to see what was going on. She had been badly hurt by the fall and was too lazy and slow to see the bird swooping down at her. As she felt a blaze of pain sweep across her face. She touched her cheeks and saw blood on her fingers.
"Ah...!"
"Sakura." Li jumped down to see if it was ok. "What the..."
"The feathers of this bird is as sharp as the sword card. I can't imagine how we're going to capture this card without using the Sakura Cards."
Sakura still stared at her hand. The bird settled onto the ground with a thump. Sakura took a closer look at the monstrous figure. It was impossible to imagine such an animal that big was a magical card. It wings were magnificently covered with silver steel feathers. Sakura gasped as its cold eyes pierced her eyes. She felt her head splitting in half and all her brain were cut and thrashed by knives and spikes. Sakura put her hand onto her head.
'This is impossible,' she thought. 'How can I fight this creature? Monster?'
Then as if a real light bulb, Sakura had a flashback. She remembered Miss Mako telling her that the box she gave Sakura was useful that day.
Sakura reached for her pocked and took out the tiny cherry wood container. She opened the lid and a light burst open.
Sakura waited a second, two seconds, three seconds. Nothing happened. Just as her heart was going to fail her, a yell came from above.
"Ya!!!"
Sakura lifted her head and looked up. A boy was riding the bird and thrust his curved blade into its wings.
Sakura felt a pitiful shiver for the bird.
The boy jumped down and set down his sword. Surprisingly it had no blood on it, except a silver steam coming from the edges, and the wound on the birds wing. Sakura got up. Li backed away studying the boy's face. Sakura did so too.
'It is the boy that I bumped into!' Sakura exclaimed.
He smiled, Sakura could remember, a terrifying energy spread across her from her heart and outwards until it reached her finger tips and toes.
Sakura wanted to shout jump and capture that bird.
She took off her necklace, without warning, she began to chant:
"Key of the Ancient,
Source of Light,
Key of the Magic,
Source of Hope.
I command thee,
With this rhyme
To grant me the power,
Celestial Light.
Key of Power,
Before thy Mistress...
Release!"
The pendant detached from the chain and circled Sakura round and round, when it stopped, Sakura was wearing a battle costume. Madison straightened up to check if her camera was ok and started taping.
"Wow!"
The unknown boy grabbed Sakura by the waist and jumped on to the bird, and jumped down. Sakura started at the sharp feathers, afraid that if she touched it, it would cut her hands too. But when she finally conjured up the courage to try, it didn't hurt at all, instead it had a usual softness and warmth. The bird soared up and down, it turned in circles did tricks, but Sakura held on.
'I'm too far to give up know.'
Sakura's hands held onto its feathers, and wouldn't let go. She clanged on her dear life and nothing at that moment was going to stop her from calming down this beautiful bird.
Finally the tired creature landed on the center of the stadium and flattened all of the grass there.
Sakura jumped down and turned to face the bird. She raised the Celestial Light wand, the circle surrounding the moon disappeared, the sun suddenly disappeared and the moon showed its unusual blue and silver face. The moon face on the wand spun and spun until it exactly mimicked the moon hanging in the sky.
"Celestial Fly! Return to your form confined! Fly Card!"
Capturing the card felt good, the card was sealed in a heavy metal card. But after all the excitement, Sakura finally felt the wound she still had on her face. But she looked up at the boy staring once again at the boy's magical eyes. The boy reached out it hand and touched Sakura's face, a strange like lighted in his palm and Sakura no more felt the pain and sting of the wound.
She smiled and murmured politely. "Thank you... what's you name?"
The boy did nothing but to gave a sideways-smile and shimmered out of existence.
Sakura still stared at the air where her hero left. She did not notice Tomoyo clapping and congratulating her on a great capture, Kero dancing about and Melin complaining that it could have been Li's card.
Sakura didn't even notice that Li was watching her silently with pain and anger in his eyes.



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