Summary: The day starts simply enough. But at the end of the school day, Meilin approaches Sakura, who just happens to be carrying her secret scrapbook.
Key:
"~* Thoughts *~" = Thoughts
"[NAME:]" = Character voiceover
Episode 26- Recalling the Fight Card and Meilin's First Day of School
"Sakura! Wait up!"
"Here she comes," Sakura said calmly.
"Wow, how did you know?" Madison asked in amazement.
"I had a hunch."
Sakura and Madison stopped in their tracks. She could hear Meilin running up behind her. After telling her story yesterday, Sakura had a sneaking suspicion of what she wanted.
"What's up, Meilin?"
"Do you have the scrapbook with you?"
Sakura smiled. She knew what was coming, and she didn't mind at all. "Sure. It's right here." Sakura reached into her backpack and pulled out her scrapbook. She knew Meilin would want to see it.
"It's been a long time, hasn't it?" Meilin asked. "A long time since we've known each other?"
Sakura nodded. "It's been a little more than seven years."
Meilin turned the scrapbook to just the page she was looking for. "Do you remember when this happened?"
Meilin pointed at a picture Sakura knew very well. It was one of Sakura posing with the sealed Fight Card, but Sakura had a feeling that Meilin was also referring to the background scene. Meilin could be seen in the background of the photo, clinging on possessively to a flustered Li.
"It was the first time we captured a card together," Sakura smiled…then her smile faded. "We…didn't quite get along back then, did we?"
"Of course we didn't," Meilin answered. "I hated you back then. I still never forgot you wearing that shirt I gave Li. It didn't get any better when yours was one of the first faces I saw on my first day of school…"
Flashback: Reedington Elementary
P.O.V.: Meilin Rae
Meilin knew there was no turning back. This was it. It was time for her to start her first day of school. This was so hard for her. She didn't know anybody. This wouldn't be easy for her. And it didn't get any easier when Li left for school without her. Then she set foot into the classroom for the first time. Everyone was a stranger to Meilin.
~* I…don't know anybody. This is so hard…everybody's staring at me. I only hope…there he is! The one person I DO know! My Li! *~
"Li!" Meilin called out. She ran up and embraced him. "I thought we were going to walk to school together!"
Li sighed and Meilin could only wonder if she walked too slow that morning. Then she was introduced by Mr. Terada and heard Li sigh again. Then she heard a familiar voice.
"Do you know her, Li?"
~* That voice! It's HER! *~
Meilin turned her head angrily to see that same girl she saw the night before.
~* The same girl who was wearing the shirt I gave Li! What does she think she's doing?! Who does she think she is, getting so close to Li?! *~
Meilin quickly sprang into action to defend her man. She quickly got in between Li and this girl. Meilin gave her a menacing glare.
"Back off him, honey!"
Meilin took Li's arm again. Li sighed and Meilin knew why. This other girl was obviously annoying him. Meilin knew she had to be more protective of her man.
~----------~
[Sakura: I would never forget that first impression…no matter how hard I tried.]
[Meilin: I didn't scare you, did I?]
[Sakura: Don't act so innocent! You scared the daylights out of me! I didn't forget what happened later that day…]
Flashback: Reedington Elementary (Recess)
P.O.V.: Sakura Avalon
Sakura wasn't going about her normal recess routine. She was too stressed out about that earlier encounter with that new girl, Meilin. Sakura knew she saw her from somewhere. She saw her the night before when Li gave her the book. Meilin was the girl who was yelling at Li about the sweater Sakura was wearing.
Sakura could hear her friends talking, but her mind wasn't on the conversation. Her mind was on another conversation going on in the distance. It was between Li and the new girl, Meilin. Sakura tried to overhear what they were talking about, but to no avail.
~* They obviously know each other from somewhere. This is so weird. Just when I thought I was getting to know Li Shoran, THIS happens. Who knows what else I don't know about him? I hope she's not another Cardcaptor. I've had enough rivals. Li's already taken two of the Clow Cards, I can't take anymore competition. *~
Then Meilin made a sudden move. She growled angrily and turned to point her finger…right at Sakura.
"I knew it! It's her, isn't it?!?!"
Sakura whimpered softly. She didn't know what it was, but she knew this couldn't be a good thing.
"What's wrong, Sakura?" Madison asked. She was completely oblivious to Sakura's fear.
"I suddenly feel very cold," Sakura shuddered.
"I can help you better than she can!" Meilin shouted. She then eyed Sakura. "Don't worry, Li. I'm here now and we can out-capture her."
~* Out-capture me? Oh, great! She IS a rival! I don't believe my luck! *~
Sakura watched as Meilin emphatically embraced Li again. There was nothing she could do but look on at this surreal scene and wonder what this would mean in the long run.
~----------~
[Meilin: So you thought I was a Cardcaptor?]
[Sakura: I didn't know WHO you were! All I knew was that you had it in for me. I went home that day watching my back. And you didn't make capturing Clow Cards any easier.]
[Madison: It's true. When I went with Sakura to Penguin Park to chase a Clow Card that night, I could see how nervous she was. But that was nothing. She really got scared when you first showed up…]
Flashback: Penguin Park
P.O.V.: Madison Taylor
Madison prepared her camera for what was sure to be an exciting card capture. She had been waiting for a night like this for a while. She had a costume waiting for Sakura for a few days and now she finally had a chance to wear it. Madison was proud of the new pink costume and she had a similar ensemble for Kero…who needless to say, wasn't too thrilled with it.
Kero flew around, muttering to himself. "This is great. The Clow Cards are dropping like flies. At this rate, I'll have my old body back in no time. Oh, oh, I definitely sense a Clow Card, Sakura."
Madison pondered that. "But which card would attack trained fighters?"
"The Fight Card!!"
Madison and Sakura turned around to see someone jumping down from a street light. It was the new girl, Meilin. She confronted the two girls, wearing ceremonial robes that looked vaguely familiar.
~* They're almost like the robes Li wears. Maybe Sakura was right. Maybe she IS a new rival! *~
"So you're the Cardcaptor?" Meilin asked. She eyed Sakura's costume. "What kind of outfit is that for a Cardcaptor?"
~* Oh, she did NOT go there! I worked hard on that costume!! *~
Meilin scoffed. "Well, I'm here now, so you can take a hike! I'm helping Li capture all the cards now!"
"Hey, back off!" Kero piped up.
Meilin examined Kero, just like Li did the first time he saw him. "What's…this thing? Some kind of toy?"
"That's Kero," Sakura grinned. "He's the guardian beast of the seal."
"This stuffed animal is a guardian beast?"
"Let go, little girl!"
Meilin scowled and slapped Kero out of the way. "Yeah, well you're just a stuffed toy and YOU, Sakura, butt out! I'm taking over now!"
But as Meilin said that, someone jumped out of the water. It was a blue girl in an unusual costume. Madison made sure to get it on tape as Sakura stuttered nervously.
"That's the Fight Card? A girl in an unusual costume?"
Madison eyed the outfit. "Well…the design is very millennium."
~* I wonder if I could make a costume like that? It'd certainly be worth a try. *~
Sakura sighed as she braced herself, but the Fight Card didn't turn towards her. The Fight Card turned towards Meilin.
Sakura was shocked. "It wants to fight Meilin?"
Kero tried to piece it together. "The Fight Card will only fight with someone who's strong. Let's just hope she's as good as she thinks she is."
The Fight Card and Meilin took their stances. Madison aimed her camera. It would be an action shot like no other. The Fight Card struck first, punching with all its might, but Meilin blocked every blow. Then Meilin stiffly kicked the Fight Card, sending it down.
"Wow! Meilin can fight!" Sakura noted.
~* Now I know why Sakura's so nervous. I wouldn't want to meet up with a Meilin in a dark alley. *~
The Fight Card was tenacious, though. It got up and was ready for round two.
"Wanna go again?" asked the cocky Meilin.
The fight was on again. Meilin tried the same move again, but the Fight Card had her scouted. The Fight Card tripped Meilin and was ready to deliver the final blow, when…
"AAAAAHHHHH!!!"
Li came in flying with a kick, knocking the surprised Fight Card right into the fountain. Meilin dusted herself off, while Li looked at her disapprovingly.
"What are you doing here?!" Li demanded.
Meilin pouted. "Oh…I told Wei not to tell."
Li glared at Meilin angrily. "Meilin, the Lasin Board! Give it to me!"
Meilin sighed and reluctantly handed the Lasin Board to Li. "It wouldn't work anyway."
"I'm not surprised," Kero chimed in. "She may be a good fighter, but she has no magical powers."
Sakura abruptly turned to Kero. "You mean…?"
"Uh-huh. She's no Cardcaptor."
Li took the Lasin Board in his hand and pointed away. "Go home, Meilin!"
As Li pointed his finger, a light shot out of the Lasin Board and pointed right into the water. The Fight Card came out with the speed of a bullet and knocked Li to the ground.
Meilin gasped and ran up to Li. "Li! Are you hurt?"
Li's eyes widened. "Meilin…the Fight Card!"
There was a new fire in Meilin's eyes as she glared at the Fight Card. "You may be a Clow Card…but I'm Meilin Rae!!"
Meilin tried to go after the Fight Card again. And during this whole ordeal, Madison and Sakura had just been spectators.
"What do I do, Kero?" Sakura suddenly asked.
Kero nodded knowingly. "The only way to beat the Fight Card…is to fight."
"F-F-Fight?" Sakura stuttered fearfully. "Are you sure there isn't another option?"
By this time, Meilin was losing. The Fight Card was getting the better of her and didn't look to be breaking a sweat.
Kero continued to coax Sakura. "Sakura! You're a Cardcaptor! You do what you have to do!"
"You're right," Sakura replied. She still seemed afraid, though. Sakura obviously didn't want to get into a fight she knew she'd lose.
~* Hmm…and there's nothing that says she won't come after us next. But Sakura's too scared to fight…and even if she wasn't, she couldn't beat THAT! If only…HEY! I got it! *~
"You've done it with the Power Card before, Sakura."
Sakura's face brightened. She reached into her pocket for the Power Card.
Li struggled to get up. "Meilin…"
Sakura held her arm out. "Wait, Li! …Let ME handle this!" She threw the Power Card up. "Power Card! Grant your power to this wand! Power Card! Release and dispel!"
Madison found herself turning the camera back and forth. But it wasn't such a hard choice. Sakura was literally glowing with power and Madison couldn't miss that on tape. She watched as Sakura approached the Fight Card.
Fight suddenly saw the power Sakura was wielding and went after her. Sakura swung her wand downward and pounded in the cement on the ground. But she didn't hit the Fight Card. When the dust cleared, Madison saw Sakura had missed.
~* That can't be good. Where…OH, NO!! *~
The Fight Card was running at full speed towards Sakura. Sakura nearly turned white when she saw what was coming. So she closed her eyes…
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!"
…and swung her wand…nailing Fight right on the head. There was an awkward silence…until Fight fell in a heap. Fight was out.
"Seal it!" Kero cried.
Sakura nodded. "Now return to your power confined! Fight Card!"
It was finally over. Sakura had sealed the Fight Card and the ordeal was over.
"You did it!" Madison said cheerfully.
Sakura sighed. "Thanks to what you said about the Power Card, Madison."
By this time, Li had crawled over towards Meilin. "Are you ok?"
Meilin saw Sakura holding the Fight Card…and threw a tantrum. "It's not fair! It's not fair! Why did SHE get the card!"
Sakura sweatdropped. "Well, actually…we both did it. I couldn't have sealed the card if you hadn't warmed it up for me…Meilin…"
Meilin was right in Sakura's face. "Don't even go there, Sakura! *I* can see what you're up to! But we're gonna BURY YOU!" Then she emphatically hugged Li, seemingly to his chagrin.
Madison blinked. "Cardcaptoring…has suddenly become a lot more complicated."
Kero shrugged it off. "It's just a glitch."
Madison blinked again. "You call HER a glitch?"
Kero nodded. "Um…I do. Just a minor glitch."
"Things have really changed since then," Meilin sighed.
"Yeah," Madison agreed. "Now you and Sakura have become really close."
"We haven't become THAT close," Meilin said cynically. Then she saw Sakura and Madison smiling at her. "Well…maybe we have become better friends."
"I'm glad to hear you say that, Meilin," Sakura grinned.
"And I guess I have learned to let Li go. I know he's happier with you, anyway."
"Yeah," Sakura said dreamily. "I really love him."
"BUT…"
Sakura's smiled faded. "But?"
"Just remember, Avalon. If you ever hurt Li, I'll have to hurt YOU!"
Sakura nodded nervously. "Um…yeah…I'll remember that. But you don't have to worry, Meilin."
Sakura looked into her scrapbook again, seeing those pictures of times gone by…and thinking about what had happened since those days.
"I'll love Li…forever."
Any comments? Then mail me at AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com and don't forget to review below.
