Summary: The story of Sakura's Rival opens up a can of worms, and it shows when Sakura talks to Li later on.


Key:

"~* Thoughts *~" = Thoughts

"[NAME:]" = Character voiceover


Episode 13- Recalling the Sword Card


Sakura was spacing out again as she sat in Madison's guesthouse, which was also where Li lived now. She knew Li was talking, but she wasn't listening. Something caught her eye. It was the brooch on her shoulder.

"Sakura?"

Sakura raised her head and looked at Li. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did you say something, Li?"

"I don't know," Li answered. "Weren't you the one who wanted to talk to me about something?"

Sakura suddenly remembered. "Yeah…I wanted to talk to you. Li…do you remember what happened seven years ago…when we first met?"

Li sweatdropped. "Oh…you mean…that…?"

"Yeah," Sakura said, sounding hurt. "You kept calling me hopeless."

"Well, you were."

Sakura hung her head down. "Thanks a lot."

"No, that's not what I meant," Li backtracked. "You were hopeless…at the time."

Sakura didn't raise her head. "You're not making me feel better."

Li paused. He wanted to put it just right. "I…wasn't thinking then. All I had on my mind was getting what I came to Japan for. I wanted the Clow Cards. And I didn't think I'd find them in the hands of a girl. So…I said some things that just came out." He gave off a half-smile. "I was kinda hoping you'd just give up and let me have the Clow Cards. And to tell the truth, I was feeling pretty bad…until the next morning."

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked curiously. Then she gasped. "Oh, Li, you can't mean…?"

"You think that didn't hurt ME? Let me remind you…"


Flashback: Reedington Elementary

P.O.V.: Li Shoran

Li walked into the classroom with his usual expression. He took his seat, but saw someone walking up to him. It was her.

~* Great. What does SHE want? Maybe she'll come and whine to me about last night. *~

Sakura looked at Li somberly. "Li…about last night? I want…to thank you…for helping me. But…I won't need your help next time. I'll be able to handle it by myself."

Li stared coldly at her. "It's like I said last night. You don't have a clue! You're no Cardcaptor!"

Sakura hung her head down. She seemed to be thinking deeply on those words.

~* Aw, I hurt her feelings. Stupid kid. But she has to learn just how hopeless she really is! *~

Sakura's face suddenly brightened. "Ok, then answer me this. If I'm no Cardcaptor, then why was I able to open the Clow Book? I may not have studied this magic my whole life, and I may not have fancy robes, but…"

~* Oh, no. She did NOT go there! She did NOT just talk trash about MY ROBES!! *~

Li stood up angrily. "Those are the Li family ceremonial robes! You have NO right to talk about them!"

Sakura was stepping back nervously. Li had just about had it with this girl. He was ready to take action. It didn't matter if there were other people around, he would have the Clow Cards NOW. And he would've done something, had a boy not walked up to him.

"Li? I'm Zachary, the class president. You're new here and I assign all the classroom duties. So I'm assigning you to clean up, wash up, and brush up." The kid handed Li an eraser.

Li sweatdropped. "Do I have to do all that this minute?"

Zachary nodded and directed Li to the blackboard. It seemed that Sakura and her little friend looked relieved. Li wasn't, though. He started working with his eraser as Zachary supervised.

"Let me tell you something about gum removal…"

Li sweatdropped and moaned softly. This was going to be a long day.

~----------~

[Li: You don't forget something like gum removal.]

[Sakura: Were you really THAT sensitive about your robes? … Ok, ok, I'm sorry I asked. Alright, I apologized, now what about you?]

[Li: What? For telling the truth? You weren't ready to be a Cardcaptor, Sakura. And it showed when I found you later that day…]


Flashback: Sakura's house

P.O.V.: Li Shoran

Li held out the Lasin Board again. The light was pointing at a nearby house and already, Li could hear the sounds of a fight. He rushed over to see three girls. One of them was Madison, standing by the door with that little stuffed animal. Another one he recognized as Rita, and she was holding a sharp sword. And the other one…

~* You can't tell me she's struggling with Sword. Man, she has NO idea what she's doing! *~

Li decided to take action. As Rita was about to come down on Sakura with her sword, Li blocked the blow with his own sword. Then he looked down at Sakura and uttered only one word.

"Hopeless!"

Li prepared himself. It looked like he had a fight on his hands, but he and his sword were ready. Unfortunately, just as he was about to strike, Sakura stopped him.

"Li, NO!!"

Sakura grabbed Li and they both went into the air. She moved him out of the way using Jump.

"What are you DOING?!" Li demanded.

"I won't let you hurt Rita!" Sakura shouted.

The stuffed animal suddenly flew down. "Nobody has to get hurt! You just have to get the sword out of Rita's hand!"

Li then looked to see a determined look on Sakura's face. She had something in mind.

"I'll handle this!" she said firmly.

Sakura started running off and she was heading straight for Rita. Li held his sword out.

"She can't handle it!" Li shouted.

He was ready to take Rita on himself, but suddenly felt a lot of pain coming from his finger. A pain that could only be brought on by a set of teeth.

"YEOW!!"

"Let her handle this!" Kero snapped.

Li rubbed his finger painfully as Sakura reached for a Clow Card. He could only wonder what she had in mind until she actually put her plan into action.

"Illusion Card! Reveal to Rita what she fears most! Illusion! Release and dispel!"

Sakura released the Illusion Card and an illusion appeared before Rita. It looked familiar. Then Li recognized it.

~* Is that…Mr. Terada? Boy, this girl has issues. *~

Rita stood there in a trance as Sakura rushed her. She swung her wand, knocking the sword out of Rita's hand. The sword fell as Rita fainted. Sakura held up her wand.

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

Li looked on as Sakura sealed the Sword Card. Madison and Kero rushed over to congratulate her. Li, though, was less than impressed.

"Told you Sakura could handle it!" Kero grinned.

Li scoffed. "Everyone knows Sword is an easy capture. It still doesn't make her a Cardcaptor. And it still makes you a STUFFED ANIMAL!"

Kero bit Li's hand again, bringing his finger great pain. At this rate, Li would need gloves. But Sakura suddenly told Kero to hide. Li shook off the pain. He wanted to get what he came to Japan for, but someone pulled up.

Sakura looked up. "Julian?"

Julian looked at everyone. "I…wanted to see if Tori was home, but I guess that overachiever's still at work. Um…is everything ok?"

Sakura chuckled nervously. "Uh…yeah. Everything's fine."

Then Julian walked up to Li. "Hey, cool outfit!"

~* Ok…I wasn't ready for this. Um…what do I do? Uh…um…uh…ok, I think I got it! *~

Li ran from the scene screaming. It was completely the opposite of what he had in mind.

~----------~

[Sakura: And that wasn't enough for you, was it? You just had to go after my brother, too, didn't you?]

[Li: He was calling me out! I couldn't just duck away from a challenge! So the next day…]


Flashback: Reedington Elementary

P.O.V.: Li Shoran

Li found his target. He was sitting on a tree, talking to Julian. It was Sakura's brother, who apparently had called him out after what happened yesterday.

~* If he wants a fight…then he's got one! *~

Li grabbed a paper strip and let it fly over to the big brother. When it made contact with his sleeve, it ignited. While he tried to put out the fire, Li stood over the fence.

"You wanted to see me?!"

Sakura's brother glared at Li. "I do!"

They both jumped down to the ground and got in each other's faces. Julian was seemingly a spectator in all this until Sakura and Madison suddenly showed up.

"Hey, Julian!" Sakura said cheerfully. "Chocolate?"

"Oh, thanks."

"Look, I wanted to thank you for yesterday…you know, helping me take Rita back into the house."

Li's ears were burning. He looked at Sakura in outrage. "WHAT?! But I'm the one who…!"

"No problem, Sakura."

Li slapped his forehead in frustration. He suddenly wasn't in the mood to fight anymore. So he did what he usually did when he caught sight of Julian. He ran away.


Sakura hung her head down. "You never thought much of me back then. You were just so…mean!"

Li stuttered. "S-Sakura, there's nothing else I can say. I can't change what I thought of you back then. But…I can only say…I'm sorry."

Sakura turned her head. "You really hurt me when you kept calling me hopeless. I started to believe it after a while."

Li gently put a hand under Sakura's chin and turned her head until he was gazing into her emerald eyes. "You're not hopeless anymore. You've become better than I ever thought you'd be. And if I hurt you…then I'm sorry. I was just a stupid little kid. I know better now. I love you, Sakura."

Then they locked lips in a kiss. As they started working in some tongue…

"AH-CHOO!!"

Sakura and Li quickly broke the kiss as soon as they heard that sneeze. It was coming from the window. Sakura rushed over there to find no signs of life. But she looked down over the guest house window to see a video camera abandoned on the ground.

Sakura growled when she realized what had happened. She was being taped this whole time. The whole conversation between her and Li was caught on tape. But in her haste to escape, a certain friend must've dropped her camera. And it could only be one person.

"MADISON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


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