Summary: Last time, we took a look back at the Time Card. This time, we look back again, but we also look back at what you DIDN'T see.


Key:

"~* Thoughts *~" = Thoughts

"[NAME:]" = Character voiceover


Episode 17- Recalling the Time Card and…the Time That (doesn't?) March On


After having a long lunch, Sakura and Madison headed back to Madison's room. There, Sakura saw her flute again, which again, brought back memories of the Time Card. Sakura had already begun recalling her experience with Time and how she was forced to live the same day again and again. Of course, Madison only remembered recalling that day once.

So she wanted to know what she missed. "So what happened, Sakura?"

"Well…what can I say?" Sakura sighed. "Seeing the same thing over and over again was getting tiring, so I tried to take the Time Card out the next time around…"


Flashback: Outside the Clock Tower (Day 3)

P.O.V.: Sakura Avalon

Here she was again. Sakura was ready to repeat the same night again. She didn't know what to think. Of course, she still turned red when she tried on Madison's latest bizarre costume.

"I like it!" Madison said cheerfully. "This costume's for undetected night-flight."

That dialogue sounded familiar. "What happened, Kero?"

Kero just looked into the camera. "A time slip."

"A what?"

"It's the Time Card," Kero clarified. "And it's interfering with the flow of time."

Madison, bless her unknowing soul, just casually made the adjustments as if nothing happened. "Ok, camera's ready."

Sakura called on Fly again. Then she got on her wand and got ready to go after Time again. She was quickly approaching the Clock Tower, but apparently it wasn't quick enough. Sakura started moving a lot faster. Time was accelerating.

"He reversed it!" Sakura shouted.

"Yeah, yeah," Kero added. "Now he's speeding everything up!"

Sakura sped towards the Clock Tower...until the clock struck midnight.

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

[Madison: Is this where I started to remember?]

[Sakura: Not yet. At this point, I started to get the idea that Fly would do me no good. So I tried some more…unorthodox methods…]


Flashback: Outside the Clock Tower (Day 4)

P.O.V.: Sakura Avalon

"This costume's for undetected night-flight."

Kero sighed into the camera. "What do you have in mind, Sakura?"

"It's very simple, Kero," Sakura began. "If the day keeps repeating itself every time the clock on the Clock Tower strikes midnight, then there's a very simple solution. Stop the clock."

Kero wasn't convinced. "Are…you sure that'll work?"

"Trust me," Sakura nodded. She reached in for a card. "Windy! Stop that clock from running! Windy! Release and dispel!"

Sakura looked on as Windy rushed out towards the Clock Tower's minute hand. It wrapped itself around the minute hand and cracked it. It was done. But the hour hand was still moving towards twelve.

"Windy!" Sakura cried out. "Take the hour hand out, too!"

Windy obeyed and cracked the hour hand on the Clock Tower. Now there was no way for the Clock Tower to reach midnight. So Sakura stood there, feeling proud of herself.

"What time is it, Madison?"

Madison looked at her watch. "It's…eleven fifty…"

A flash. Much to Sakura's chagrin, time was going back again.

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

[Sakura: So needless to say, that plan didn't work.]

[Kero: Time marches on, Sakura. I could've told you that!]

[Sakura: Yeah, well I still wasn't ready to give up, though. I knew there was more than one way to stop a stubborn Time Card.]


Flashback: Outside the Clock Tower (Day 5)

P.O.V.: Sakura Avalon

"This costume's for undetected night-flight."

Sakura spent the whole day thinking about how to handle this. Then the idea came to her as she was walking home from school.

Kero sighed into the camera again. "What's the plan this time, Sakura?"

Sakura was feeling awfully proud of herself. "If the Time Card sees me coming in through the Clock Tower, it'll try to stop me. But what if it's not really me?"

"What do you mean?" Madison asked.

"Just watch," Sakura smirked. She took out her secret weapon. "Illusion Card! Create a fake version of me to fly to the Clock Tower! Illusion! Release and dispel!"

Sakura looked on as an illusion of herself, Kero, and Fly were all flying towards the Clock Tower. The decoy looked very realistic and Sakura knew there was no way Time could tell the difference. So Sakura prepared the next phase of her plan.

"Jump!"

Sakura released Jump and started to leap up to the Clock Tower. Unfortunately, in mid-jump, Sakura was suspended in mid-air. She was frozen.

"Huh? Kero, how did this happen?"

Kero offered his two cents. "I don't think Time can be fooled with illusions. Sorry, kiddo."

Sakura moaned loudly. "I thought this would work! Can this get any worse?!"

Kero sweatdropped. "Um…I don't think you want to look down."

Sakura looked down just as Time unfroze her. She fell straight down…

**SPLASH**

…and into the fountain. Sakura spewed out the fountain water that made its way into her mouth, just as Madison came in with her video camera. Being Madison, she quickly took out her photo camera and took a snapshot.

"MADISON!! DON'T take a picture of that!!"

Madison grinned. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

Sakura got on her feet and walked out of the fountain, but then she smiled mischievously. "Madison, what time is it?"

Madison looked at her watch. "It's 11:58. Why do you ask?"

"Two minutes?" Sakura grinned evilly. "GOOD!"

In a fit of frustration, Sakura grabbed her best friend and hurled her into the fountain, leaving Madison soaked from head to toe.

Madison coughed as she stuck her head out of the fountain. "Sakura?! What was that for?!"

Sakura smirked. "Relax. It's not like you'll remember any of this anyway."

And sure enough, there was another flash. It was time for Sakura to relive her day yet again.

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

[Sakura: …Oops. I knew there was a minor detail I should have left out.]

[Madison: So you tossed me into a fountain, huh? After all I did for you, Sakura.]

[Sakura: Sorry…I guess I let my anger take over. It did get frustrating after a while. But if it'll make you feel better, it's kinda like that moment never existed.]

[Madison: Hmm…I was tossed into a fountain…but I wasn't. It happened…but it didn't. Um…before I get a headache, I'll just let you finish the story.]

[Sakura: Ok, then. I was just about out of ideas, but then somebody finally showed up who could help me…]


Flashback: Outside the Clock Tower (Day 6)

P.O.V.: Sakura Avalon

"I like it!"

"Undetected night-flight, right?"

Madison blinked. "Um…yeah…exactly. Wow, Sakura, you weren't kidding when you said you've seen all this before."

Kero sighed hopelessly into the camera. "Any other bright ideas, Sakura?"

Sakura honestly didn't know what to say. She had tried just about everything she could think of. There seemed to be no way to get into the Clock Tower.

"Pathetic."

Then Madison saw someone behind Sakura. "Li?"

Sakura looked behind her to see Li Shoran had shown up.

~* It's about time. Where have YOU been these last five days? *~

"Li…what happened to your nose?" Madison asked. She was referring to the bandage on Li's nose.

Sakura grinned. "He was hit by the soccer ball."

Madison blinked. "Hope he scored a goal at least."

"It was a lucky shot."

Li was flustered. "Haven't you sealed the Time Card yet?"

"I was just working on that," Sakura responded.

"Well, whatever you've been trying hasn't worked," Li snapped. "But I have an idea. You can't go in through the top of the tower, because Time will see you. So the only way is to use a card to destroy the Clock Tower."

"What? But you can't do that!" Madison protested.

"Why not?" Li demanded.

Sakura peered over at the Clock Tower. "Well, there are a lot of people down there and they'll get hurt. And a lot of people depend on that Clock Tower. Isn't there another way?"

Li conceded. "Follow me and be quiet. We can't have Time hear us. And have your wand ready."

Everyone made their way into the Clock Tower. Sakura looked up to see that green aura. There was no way Time could hear them. So Sakura daringly made her way forward until…

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!"

…Sakura fell through the floor. The old Clock Tower was completely run down and Sakura stepped through a crack and fell through until she hit the dirt below.

"Are you all right?" Madison asked.

"Just…a little bruised," Sakura groaned. "I'll be fine. Just as long as…"

**BONK**

Just then, a loose wooden beam that came loose when Sakura fell through gave way. It fell into the hole and landed right on Sakura's head, knocking her out. But before Sakura lost consciousness, she could have sworn she heard Madison get a snapshot off.

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

[Sakura: That wood beam really hurt! And all you could do was take a picture. So anyway, that was just another setback. Luckily, though, I was ready the next time.]

[Kero: Well, at least that ugly bump on the head went away when we were taken back. It's true that Time heals all wounds.]

[Sakura: Not funny, Kero. Madison, where was I?]

[Madison: Is this the part I remember?]

[Sakura: Oh, yeah! You bet! This is where I finally got it right!]


Flashback: Outside the Clock Tower (Day 7? OY!)

P.O.V.: A very frustrated Sakura Avalon

"I like it! Oh, you look great!"

Sakura frowned. "Undetected night-flight, right?"

Madison blinked. "Yeah! It's amazing on how you just get these things! So are we ready?"

Kero floated down towards the camera. "I should take one of these days to sleep. I am SO tired! Living in the same day seven times is just too much for me. I'd like to move on if you don't mind."

"You think I'm not sick of this?" Sakura demanded. "I'm so sick of taking the same music test!"

"Hey, getting to the last level of Zylon Warriors every day isn't easy either, you know!"

Sakura and Kero kept arguing until the final element showed up.

"Li? What happened to your nose?"

Sakura loved this. "He was hit by the soccer ball."

"Hope he scored a goal at least."

"It was a lucky shot."

Li examined his bandage again. "All right, I think we heard enough about my day with the soccer ball. Let's just get this over with." He walked over to Sakura and started whispering in her ear. "You won't leave me hanging, will you?!"

Sakura shook her head. After all the usual words of the last seven days were exchanged, everyone headed into the Clock Tower. This time, Sakura made sure to watch her step as she and Madison made their way up, while Li went in another way.

Sakura and Madison then got to their target area. Madison ducked behind a post to film the action, while Sakura quietly sneaked up behind Time. Unfortunately, Time saw her coming. Sakura was frozen as she held her wand up in the air.

"AAAAAAHH!!!"

Li came in through a glass window and kicked Time, loosening Sakura from his spell.

Li struggled with Time. "Quick, use the Shield Card, Sakura! Now!"

Sakura didn't hesitate in taking out the Shield Card. "Shield Card! Protect me from the power of Time! Shield!"

A bubble surrounded Sakura and Kero, leaving them protected from Time's power. Seeing this, Time tried to make a break for it.

Li tried to chase it. "Time's flying...I mean, fleeing!" He quickly took out his sword. "Force, know my plight! Release the light! Lightning!"

Li had the Time trapped. It couldn't go away, and that was all Sakura needed.

"You backed me up!" she exclaimed.

"Now seal it!" Kero added.

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

Sakura watched as Time was sealed and she waited for it to float into her hand. But shockingly, it floated over to Li.

"What?!" Sakura whined. "But I'm the one who sealed it!"

Kero tried to explain. "The card doesn't always go to the one who seals it. The card belongs to Li."

"But why?" Sakura asked.

Kero shook his head. "Hey, if I knew everything, would I look like this?"

Sakura looked disappointed while a smug grin appeared on Li's face.

~* It's not fair. After I went through all that pain. After taking the same music SEVEN TIMES! After getting dumped in a fountain! And after I got bopped on the head by a wooden beam! And HE gets the card?! And why is he smirking like that? That's why I'll never like Li Shoran. He's such a pompous, rude, arrogant…JERK! Oh…sometimes, I really hate being a Cardcaptor. *~

Sakura turned away sadly. She just walked away with only one consolidating thought. At least this day would finally end.


"I do remember that now," Madison said after the story was over. She reached into the scrapbook and pulled out a picture. "It was tragic. It was the first time you didn't do your pose after a card capture."

Sakura looked at the picture. It was of Sakura sadly hanging her head down, while Li smugly held up the Time Card.

"Well…I learned one thing that day," Sakura said. "I learned that there was still a lot for me to learn. But in the end, it turned out better that Li had the Time Card. It all worked out."

Sakura looked out the window. The sun was beginning to set. And she knew what that meant.

"Sakura, don't you have a date with Li tonight?" Madison asked.

Sakura stood up. "Yeah. I'd better go home and get ready. Same time tomorrow?"

Madison nodded. "Yeah…I'll see you tomorrow, Sakura. I'll still be here."

Sakura smiled. Madison's punishment was passing a lot faster with Sakura offering companionship. And Sakura really enjoyed looking back at the past. But when she looked in her scrapbook and saw that picture of the Time Card, Sakura realized something.

Her quest had only begun.


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