Summary: Today, our CCS characters take a look back at the capture of the Shield Card. But what brings about that memory? You might be surprised. ^_^


Key:

"~* Thoughts *~" = Thoughts

"[NAME:]" = Character voiceover


Episode 15- Recalling the Shield Card and a HUMONGOUS house


Sakura tried really hard. She grew determined as she faced her latest foe. She struggled as hard as she could, but she just couldn't do it. She felt like she had truly met her match this time.

"I…just can't do it."

"I'll do it."

Li was up next to take on this fiendish creation. He used all the strength he could muster, but it was no use. He couldn't do it either. All the magic in the world, and nobody could overcome the immense power of this…

…pickle jar.

"Let me try it. I'll get it open!"

Meilin eagerly took her chance, while Li took a seat next to Sakura and Madison. It was a normal day up in Madison's room, when someone got the craving for a hamburger. Of course, Kero wanted pickles, which created this dilemma. Meilin tried with all her strength, but the lid wouldn't pop open. She finally gave up and took her turn rubbing her sore hand, alongside Li, Sakura, and Madison.

"Is that thing glued on, Madison?" Meilin complained.

"It feels like it," Li muttered.

"All the money in the world," Sakura added, "and you can't buy a better jar of pickles."

"Well, sorry," Madison pouted. "But my family's always been attached to this brand. The jars never used to be like this. Um…Sakura? What are you looking at?"

Sakura was browsing through her secret scrapbook, which she had brought over from home. "Well…we came here to look back at some memories and I was wondering if you remembered…this!"

Sakura pulled out a picture from the scrapbook that reminded Sakura of this situation. It was of Sakura doing her trademark two-finger pose, right next to a box somewhere in Madison's house.

"I do remember that!" Madison said cheerfully. "It was seven years ago when you came over my house. When I wanted you to open that box for me."

"Ooh, can't wait to hear this," Meilin said eagerly.

Li was trying to twist the pickle jar open. "Y-Yeah. I don't think I remember this one. So why d- don't…don't…AAH! IT WON'T COME OFF!!" He shot Kero a glance. "You just HAD to ask for pickles, didn't you?!"

"Hey, it's not my fault I'm in the mood for pickles," Kero shot back. "My palette can be very sensitive sometimes!"

Sakura sweatdropped. "Ok…I think I'll start. It was just a normal Sunday morning, when I got a phone call from a certain someone…"


Flashback: The front of Madison's house

P.O.V.: Sakura Avalon

Sakura had just stepped off the bus and she stood in awe at the sight in front of her. She had almost forgotten how enormous Madison's house was. She still marveled at its size.

"Ok, where are…WHOA!!!"

Kero stuck his head out of Sakura's bag and his jaw dropped open at the sight of Madison's entire estate. Only the richest of people had this kind of home. Sakura continued walking along towards the front porch as she looked around in amazement. When she got to the front door, she was greeted by one of Madison's maids, who directed Sakura to 'Miss Taylor's' room.

There, Sakura found Madison, who was holding a videotape and inserting it into a VCR. But Sakura couldn't see a TV anywhere.

"Hey, Sakura!" Madison beamed. "Glad to see you. I was just about to pop in a tape."

Sakura looked around. "Where? There's no TV anywhere."

Madison only giggled and took a few steps back. She reached up with a remote control and flipped the switch. There indeed was a TV…and it took up most of the entire wall. Sakura had never seen anything like it. Then Sakura saw herself. Madison had a tape of one of Sakura's card captures on the screen, leaving Sakura blushing.

"Um…what was that problem you were talking about, Madison?" Sakura asked.

Madison suddenly got out of her trance. "Oh, yeah. I have a big problem…"

"Sakura?"

Sakura and Madison turned around to see Sonomi Taylor standing at the door. She looked very happy to see Sakura there.

"Sakura, Natasha Avalon's daughter!" Sonomi squealed. "You've grown so much! How are you doing, sweetie?"

Sakura smiled. "I'm doing great, Ms. Taylor."

"That is so wonderful to hear," Sonomi beamed. "It's so wonderful to see you two together like this. You two remind of…Natasha and myself. In fact, I insist we talk about it over cake. Let's go, girls."

Sonomi practically pushed Sakura and Madison out the door. But before they were out, Sakura could've sworn she heard a whining voice come from her bag.

"C-C-Cake?"

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

[Kero: I still can't believe you went to have all that cake without me!]

[Sakura: Kero, we made it up to you. Besides, in the end, it turned out better that you stayed in the bag.]

[Kero: Well…I guess you're right about that…]


Flashback: Madison's room

P.O.V.: Kero

Kero felt like making a break for it. The sound of cake was too tempting.

~* Aw, why couldn't Sakura take me with her? I may be a guardian beast, but I have feelings, too. And right now I feel hungry! I REALLY wanted some of that cake. Why…?! Wait…I sense something… *~

Kero raised his head and got out of Sakura's bag. He looked around for any signs of trouble, but that sense only meant one thing.

~* I sense a Clow Card. And it's somewhere in this house. Of course…with THIS house, finding a Clow Card will be like finding a needle in a haystack. *~

Kero looked around Madison's room, trying to pinpoint the possible location of any Clow Card.

~* This would be a lot easier if Sakura were here. Of course, she's out having cake right now. OH…CAKE!! *~

Kero was ready to cry as he looked around for the Clow Card. He really wanted that cake.

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

[Meilin: So what did you do then?]

[Sakura: Well, we had lunch with Madison's mom, but she was called away on business. So then we went back into the house to go get Kero and…Li?! Will you give it up?!]

[Li: NO! I can get this open!! So what happened next?]

[Sakura: Oh, well after Madison's mom left, we went back to Madison's room to find Kero…]


Flashback: Madison's room

P.O.V.: Sakura Avalon

Sakura and Madison were all smiles as they walked back into Madison's room. But Sakura was just in time to find a moaning Kero.

"Oh…so hungry…I hope YOU TWO enjoyed yourselves! You probably had your cake and ate it, too!"

Sakura grinned and took out a small plate of cake. Kero started salivating at the sight of the sweet confection. Sakura put the plate in front of Kero and the guardian beast started eating greedily. As Kero finished eating, Sakura decided to find out an important detail.

"So Madison, was what that problem you had?"

Madison suddenly got out of her trance. "Oh, yeah. Sakura, I've had a big problem with this box I've been trying to open." Madison walked over to a box. "No matter what I do, it just won't open."

"Oh, that's right!" Kero suddenly piped up. "I meant to tell you, Sakura. There's a Clow Card somewhere in this house."

Sakura thought about that and Madison's problem.

~* A Clow Card? Here? Hmm…I wonder… *~

"Could you try opening the box, Madison?"

Madison got a key and tried to put it inside the keyhole. But a force kept the key out and flung it towards the other side of the room. Sakura just looked on in shock.

Kero came to a conclusion. "I think we have our Clow Card. Sakura? I think you know what to do."

Sakura took out her key. "Key of Clow. Power of magic. Power of light. Surrender the wand. The force, ignite. Release!"

Sakura had her wand in her hand, but she had no idea what to look for. So she and Kero began to examine the box.

~* Hmm…my sense is getting stronger. There IS a card in here somewhere. But it's not coming out and I can't tell what it is. *~

Sakura tried something. She tried to tap the box with her wand, but as the wand made contact, everyone started to see a black shield.

"BINGO!" Kero shouted. "It's the Shield Card!"

"Ok, so what do I do?" Sakura asked.

"You've got to reveal its visible form," Kero answered. "And to do that, you have to cut the shield."

Sakura tried to think of what she could cut the shield with. Then it hit her. "Madison, bring my an axe."

Madison ran out and brought back a huge axe for Sakura. Sakura grabbed the axe and swung it down at the shield. Unfortunately, the blade bent.

"Um…Sakura," Kero began. "I don't think…"

"Ok, that didn't work," Sakura sighed. "Madison, bring me a chainsaw."

Madison hesitated for a minute, then she ran out. She came back with one of the gardener's chainsaws. Sakura grabbed the chainsaw and turned it on to hear its noisy whirring. She brought the chainsaw down to create many sparks, but the chainsaw began to malfunction. Sakura lifted the broken chainsaw and sweatdropped.

So did Madison. "Sakura, that was a very expensive chainsaw!"

"Never mind that," Sakura sighed. "Madison, bring me a jackhammer."

"WHAT?!"

"Sakura, this really isn't necessary," Kero said calmly.

"Then what do you think I should do?" Sakura asked curiously.

"Try Sword," Kero suggested.

Sakura nearly slapped herself for not thinking of that. Had she thought of this earlier, she might have prevented the mindless destruction of an expensive chainsaw. So Sakura took out Sword.

"Sword Card! Release and dispel! Sword!"

Sakura waited as her wand turned into a long blade. Sakura then reared back and slashed through the shield. That left only what looked like a cross between a wing and a medieval shield. It was the Shield Card's visible form.

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

The Shield Card was sealed and all that remained was the box. Madison was ecstatic.

"Thanks, Sakura! Now I can open it!"

Madison reached in with her key and opened the box to reveal a bouquet of cherry blossoms. Just then, Madison's mom was walking in.

"Madison, I'm back. I…Madison! You got the box open!"

Sonomi was overjoyed to see the box open as she reached in for the cherry blossoms. "These remind me so much of your mother, Sakura. She always told me how much she wanted to name her daughter after her favorite flower. And translated, Sakura means cherry blossom."

Sakura looked on amazed. The box contained a memento of Sakura's mother. Sakura had learned something new about her mother that day…and about Sonomi. Sakura suddenly began to feel very proud of her name.


"You've always been our cherry blossom," Madison continued. "But I remember that look on your face when saw that bouquet."

"They were just so beautiful," Sakura smiled.

"But that was beautiful," Meilin suddenly cut in. "Today, we're trying to break open something…green. You got it yet, Li?!"

Li still struggled to get the lid open. He couldn't seem to get that jar of pickles open. Finally, Li gave up and put the jar down.

"I give up. We've tried everything! There's nothing that can get that jar open!"

Just then, little Kero flew over to the jar. He looked up at the lid and tried something different. He turned the lid in the other direction. To everyone's shock, the lid flew open.

"How 'bout that?" Kero grinned. "A left-handed jar. Don't see too many of those."

That's when Li lost it. He stormed over to the jar and grabbed Kero. Then he stuffed him in the jar and closed the lid.

"HEY KID!!" Kero shouted. "LET ME OUT OF HERE!! IT REEKS OF PICKLES!! SAKURA!! DO SOMETHING!!"

Sakura frowned at Li. "Li, isn't that just a little too cruel?"

Li just pouted. "Stupid stuffed animal. Don't worry, I'll let him out…before his air runs out."

"Wait a second!" Meilin suddenly spoke. "Sakura? Madison? Can I ask you guys something?"

"Sure."

"Go ahead."

"Well, Madison, your mom said she had a special box so she could remember Sakura's mom. Do you have anything like that…so you could remember Sakura?"

Madison smiled. "I'm glad you asked." She reached under her bed and took out a little pouch. She pulled out an eraser. "This is what Sakura first gave me when we first met. I never got rid of this eraser. I just treasured it as a memory of the day we first met…of course…" Madison grinned.

So Sakura finished for her. "…That's another story in itself."


Any comments? Ok, that axe/chainsaw scene was my own addition. Feel free to tell me what you thought of it by mailing me at AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com or reviewing below! But don't forget, because I love getting feedback!