Chapter 8
(....)=author talking
'......'=character thinking
"..."=character talking

'Come on...Sakura, where are you?' Syaoran panted as he ran through the forest. Then he heard someone call his name.
"Li-kun? Li-kun? Are you there?" It was Tomoyo. She ran up to him and stopped to catch her breath. "Let me guess..." He said. "You want to tape it."
"Of course!! It will be one of Sakura's greatest accomplishments! I'll call it Cardcaptor versus Cardcaptor." Her eyes had stars in them as she pictured what she could do with Sakura. The dresses, outfits... 'opps...' She grinned sheepishly as she saw Syaoran staring at her weird.
"She said something like it's close to a cave... or something like that." She told him as they walked deeper into the forest. Syaoran nodded. "There should be one close." He said.
Then he heard a voice in his head. 'If I don't make it, I love you.' It was Sakura.
'Sakura, please be alright.' He thought.
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'Sakura, please be alright.' Sakura heard this in her head. She didn't know when they developed a link, but she knew it was Syaoran. She smiled slightly. 'I will win.' She thought to herself. 'I won't let you down Syaoran.' She took out a card. "Sword!" She yelled out and her wand became a sword. The silver gleamed brightly and reflected the sunlight off it.
She watched as Mioki conjured her own sword. It was a black sword. Sakura knew instantly that she would have a hard time fighting because Mioki's sword didn't reflect light.
Mioki started the attack first. She rasied her sword and lunged towards Sakura. Sakura blocked it but Mioki sent more power to her next thrust and managed to cut her left arm and her left cheek badly. She raised her sword again and was about it send it to Sakura's head when Sakura raised her own blade and blocked it.
'She's strong.' Mioki thought as Sakura gritted her teeth and then with all her strength, flung Mioki into a tree, knocking the sword away.
Green leaves started floating down from the tree branches.
Mioki stood up and took out the last Sakura card. She smirked as she tossed the card in the air. "Thunder! Strike down that girl!" She ordered Thunder, whom had appeared from the card.
Mioki smiled. 'NOW I have her.' She thought to herself.
Sakura got ready, closed her eyes and crouched down, waiting for the attack to come.
But the attack didn't.
Mioki gaped at the card. "Obey me!" She yelled at it.
Sakura opened her eyes. Mioki was in rage. The Thunder beast seemed to have stopped right in front of Sakura. It raised it's head and looked at Sakura in the eyes.
Sakura stared at it back and then realized. 'It must know that I'm it's rightful owner.' Sakura thought to herself.
Thunder looked at her with pleading eyes and walked over. It seemed to wait for Sakura to command it. Sakura smiled then nodded. 'Go Thunder.' She thought. She watched as Thunder read her mind and turned. It crouched, bared it's teeth and got ready to attack at Sakura's feet.
"So." Sakura yelled to Mioki. "Are you ready to lose?" She asked, smiling. "Thunder has joined me." Sakura patted Thunder's spicky head.
It growled in response, enjoying Sakura's touch.
Mioki smirked. "Hah! You may have your Clow Cards, but I'm more powerful then you!" She yelled back. She somersaulted over to her sword as Thunder zapped right where she was standing a second ago. Mioki grabbed her sword and picked it up.
Sakura gritted her teeth as Mioki came for a second shot. She ducked quickly as Mioki tried to chop her head off, but missed the tiny detail that gave Mioki the upperhand. She kicked Sakura in the stomach and Sakura went flying back into a giant oak tree. Thunder stood by not knowing how to attack without getting it's mistress hurt also.
"SAKURA!"
Sakura turned her head slightly without looking away from Mioki and saw Syaoran and Tomoyo looking at her with horror on their faces. She knew that she looked horrible. She had cuts and bruises all over her arms and legs. Her clothes were slashed and ripped in different places and her left arm and cheek wore a giant gash. But her face wore a smile. A grim smile, but a smile nonetheless.
Mioki looked worst then Sakura did. When Sakura had flung her into a tree, she had flung her into a branch that was half snapped, making a perfect spear-like point. She had a deep gash on her back. She had scrapes and bruises all over her arms and legs as well. Her leg was wounded by a long cut.
"Sakura! Are you alright?" Syaoran and Tomoyo ran up to her, ignoring the danger. Syaoran took out his hankerchief and wiped the blood from Sakura's cheek, while Tomoyo tried to bind the wound on her arm.
"Get away from here!" Sakura growled, her eyes never leaving Mioki. She shook them loose and stood up painfully, still holding the sword.
"Sakura?! What are you doing?" She heard Syaoran ask her. He walked up to her and gripped her tightly.
"I'm sorry, Syaoran-kun. It's for your own good." She said under her breath. Calling as little power so that she won't hurt Syaoran much, she prepared to fling him away.
She didn't have much choice because at that time Mioki decided to throw fireballs towards them.
Sakura saw them on time and flung Syaoran and Tomoyo away. "I'm sorry." She whispered as she took the fireballs. She staggered to her feet and took a defensive stance and once again faced Mioki.
Just before Syaoran lost consciousness, he heard Sakura's voice, "I'm sorry." She said. Then all he could see is black.
"Let's go!" Mioki said, brandishing her sword. Sakura held her sword up as well. 'This is going to be one hard fight.' She thought. 'We seem to be evenly matched.' She stopped thinking as Mioki flung herself onto Sakura, chopping this way and that way.
Sakura jumped and dodged out of the way and sliced Mioki's shoulder.
Mioki fell back wincing at the pain. Sakura smiled slightly. 'We ARE evenly matched.' She thought. She looked over at Tomyo and Syaoran. Both were still unconscious. 'If I lose...' She thought. 'They will die as well...' She glared back Mioki who was trying to bind her wound. 'You will not win!' She took the chance to slash at Mioki again. Mioki tried to attack back but shoulder's wound was too painful. She fell down still gripping her sword tightly.
Sakura stood over her. She raised her sword high and...
In desperate measures to stay alive, Mioki sliced Sakura's stomach.
"Itai!" Sakura sank to the ground holding her stomach in one hand and her wand in the other. 'Grr... I'll get you for that!' Sakura yelled in her brain. She ignored the firey pain and stood up slowly.
Mioki looked at her and saw Sakura's eyes harden. But she could not move. It seemed as if there was a spell on Mioki. She could not move her body.
"Now, Sakura!" A voice yelled out. It was Syaoran. He had used an orfuda to summon up the wind to contain Mioki. She never knew that Syaoran was strong enough to freeze her in one spot. The boy's eyes were filled with fire and concern as he saw Sakura standing up, trying to hold back a very big wound.
Mioki looked back at Sakura, suddenly afraid. 'I never should've threatened that boy. Their powers seem to grow when they are protecting each other.' She watched as Sakura held her sword up a second time and plunged it into Mioki's stomach. "I'll get you, Sakura Kinomoto. Nothing will stop me." She hissed before she disappeared into the air.
Sakura watched as she saw Mioki's face smirk. The Thunder card returned to it's card form and flew back into Sakura's outreached hand.
Sakura was confused as to why Mioki would be smiling, but she didn't have time to think about it because the sudden realization that she used up all her energy came to her and she fell onto the ground unconscious....