Summary: Looking over her scrapbook again, Sakura begins to recall one of her stranger adversaries, the Mirror Card. Li also begins to recall the brief aftermath.
Key:
"~* Thoughts *~" = Thoughts
"[NAME:]" = Character voiceover
Episode 31- Recalling Mirror and Being Discovered
It was just another day where Madison needed company. No, her punishment still hadn't passed. Sakura was surprised that her mother could be so angry over a little thing like sneaking off to England by herself, but nonetheless Madison was still grounded, so Sakura, Li, and Meilin kept her company again.
Sakura then found a particular picture that caught her eye. At first, Sakura wondered why there would only be a picture of her running down the street. But then, something quickly reminded her. It was Madison…dropping a small mirror.
"Oh, great," Madison muttered cynically. "I'm already grounded. I don't need seven years bad luck."
Hearing that, Sakura reached into her scrapbook and pulled out the picture. "Now I remember this one. This wasn't a picture of me. It was a picture of the Mirror Card."
"This was one of those captures I missed, wasn't it?" Meilin asked.
"I think I missed it, too," Madison added.
"Well, it's not like I could tell any of you," Sakura tried saying. "That card caused a lot of trouble and if my life wasn't already upside-down before, it sure was after that day was over."
"I know that's true," Kero suddenly said. He popped up from Sakura's pocket and flew up to her shoulder. "I won't forget that day. It was one of Sakura's hardest days as a Cardcaptor. I remember what happened when she came home from school that day…"
Flashback: Sakura's Room
P.O.V.: Kero
Kero was sleeping contentedly. But he started turning over when he heard the front door slam.
~* Sakura's home. Maybe she brought me something back to eat. *~
Kero waited eagerly as he heard Sakura walk up the stairs. But when she came in…Kero frowned. He saw Sakura looked…depressed. Her expression was almost stoic.
"Sakura…what happened?" Kero asked. "Bad day at school?"
Sakura ran up to her bed and buried her face in her pillow. "Kero…this day has been just horrible! Everybody thinks I've been going around doing all these terrible things! My reputation's been ruined! Everyone's going to hate me! I don't know what to do! I..."
Kero flew over and patted Sakura on her shoulder. "Sakura, slow down. Just calm yourself…and tell me all about it."
Sakura sat up as Kero flew over to his desk. He was all ears, so Sakura began her story. "There's…someone going around…who looks like me…doing horrible things. It started…this morning…when Meilin said she saw me knocking over a display of stuffed animals."
Kero scoffed. "The little girl's jealous, so she's making up stories. No big deal."
"At first that's what I thought," Sakura continued. "But then Chelsea and Nikki said they me there, too. They said I knocked over all the stuffed animals. Then they came up to me later and said I knocked over a sand castle and made some kids cry."
"Chelsea and Nikki said that?" Kero asked.
Sakura nodded. "That's right! And they heard the little kids crying and then they saw me run out of the park."
"And this kid looks identical to you?"
"Yeah, Kero! Like a twin! I saw her myself! And…the stuff she does gets worse and worse! What am I supposed to do?"
Kero tried to think of that himself, but he uttered the first words that came to his head. "Ok…don't panic. How did you feel when you first saw your twin."
"I don't know…sort of strange…as if something were…" She gasped. "As if it were a Clow Card!"
"Hello-o-o-o!" Kero shouted. "Expect the unexpected!"
~* Ok, Kero. Now it's you who needs to calm down. Maybe it's time… *~
"The unexpected," Kero said again. "It's time I taught you to use the Clow Cards in a different way. Take out the ones you've captured."
Kero waited as Sakura took out all her Clow Cards and stacked them on her desk, all the while hoping that the end result of this wouldn't be what he thought it'd be.
"Ok, do exactly as I tell you. First, use your left hand and shuffle the cards. Still with your left hand, put them in a pile and split them into three groups. Now put them in a pile again."
"Why am I doing this?" Sakura asked.
"Just concentrate, Sakura. One by one, pull the cards randomly from the deck, and arrange them as I tell you. First, one goes up on top…the next in front of you…then one to the bottom-left…one to the bottom-right…one at the top-left…the top-right…one in the middle…and one to each side of the middle."
The Clow Cards were now arranged in order and it was time for the next step, but Kero was starting to feel nervous.
"Repeat after me. Ancient cards of Clow, give me vision now."
"Ancient cards of Clow, give me vision now."
The cards began to glow and Kero continued. "Show me if you may, who is standing in my way."
"Show me if you may, who is standing in my way."
The cards began to glow and their power began to flow around Sakura. Kero still couldn't get over such power being held by such a little girl. Then he got a sinking feeling.
~* She's still only ten. If this is what I think it is…her life will never be the same again. But I can't put it off any longer. We have to do this sooner or later. *~
"Now, turn over the top card."
Sakura turned over the top card. "Windy."
~* Windy? No! Then it IS true! This can't be happening! Not to her… *~
Sakura saw the mortified expression on Kero's face and began to worry. "What is it?"
"The cards have found out you're a Cardcaptor," Kero said grimly.
Sakura gasped. "How?"
"Windy creates paths and channels of communication. …Information travels."
Sakura put it all together. "So the Clow Cards know exactly who I am?"
"That's the way it's shaping up here," was all Kero could say.
Sakura hesitated for a moment, reflecting on this recent development. "Kero…if my double is a Clow Card, which one is it?"
Kero pointed at the cards in the middle. "That's what we have to find out. Turn over these three."
Sakura turned each one over and found…
"Shadow…Water…and Illusion."
Kero then pointed at the bottom card. "Ok, now turn over the card at the bottom of the pile. That'll tell us what your double is after."
Sakura turned over that card and revealed…
"Flower? I don't get it."
~* That makes two of us. But I'd better not say anything. She's counting on me. She doesn't know just how bad this really is. I should just float here and look like I know what… *~
Sakura gasped. "TORI!"
~* Tori? *~
~----------~
[Kero: I didn't know what you meant at first and you didn't even say anything before you just rushed out of the house. But the Mirror Card went straight after Tori. And things started to look bad after you lost the sense.]
[Li: Yeah…it's a good thing I was there…]
Flashback: The Forest
P.O.V.: Li Shoran
There was no sign of it so far, but Li knew it was nearby. As he walked around this area, he sensed a Clow Card and he swore to himself that he would find it before Sakura did. Of course, since using the Lasin Board a few minutes ago, Li had lost the trail. So he moved forward through some leaves.
"AAH!"
Li nearly jumped when he heard that panicked cry, but then he saw that it was only Kero.
"Hey, you shouldn't sneak up on people like that!" Kero chided.
Li just kept moving. "There's a Clow Card around."
"Big news flash," Kero muttered under his breath.
Li ignored that and kept moving until he found Sakura sitting on the ground.
~* Well, if it isn't the hopeless wannabe. Guess she needs my help…again. *~
"Good to see you hard at it," Li said bitingly.
Sakura turned her head and looked at Li. She seemed sad. Then she gasped. "The Lasin Board!" She grabbed Li's hand. "Li, please use the Lasin Board to find my brother!"
~* What? She wants me to find HIM? I'd be better off if I just let the Clow Card get to him. I mean…why should I help him? And why should I help her? *~
Li was about to refuse, but then he looked into Sakura's eyes. They seemed to desperately cry out for help. They were slowly filling up with tears. Li didn't know what it was. But it was a look that he just couldn't say no to.
"Y-Yeah…sure." He held out the Lasin Board. "Source of light with ancient spin. Send forth the magic power within. Force, know my plight! Release the light!" The light came out and pointed off into the distance. "That way."
Sakura ran off. "Tori, please be all right!"
~* Hey! Does she think she's leaving without me? *~
Li didn't want to let Sakura take this one on her own, so he quickly followed her. Then they reached the cliff and the light started to point downward.
"Down there!"
Sakura quickly pulled out a card. "Fly!"
Sakura got on fly, but Li didn't let her go alone. He went on right behind her. They both went down and then they found Sakura's brother, Tori. He looked to be unconscious.
Sakura got off and ran to her brother. "Oh, no! Tori!"
Sakura held on to her brother and Kero checked his pulse. "Well…he's still breathing."
"He needs a doctor right now!" Li added.
Sakura's sadness faded and it turned to anger. She turned to…herself. Li saw that the Clow Card they were looking for looked…just like Sakura.
"I'M the one you want!" Sakura shouted.
The double just looked at Sakura almost stoically. But Li knew that had to be just a façade…at least that's what he thought.
Sakura wasn't falling for it, either. "Windy! Release and dispel!"
Windy came out and headed straight for the other Sakura…and went right through her. Sakura couldn't believe it.
"It's not strong enough!" Li exclaimed.
"Use an attack card!" Kero told her.
Sakura took another card out. "Water! Release and dispel!"
Water came out and went straight for the double, but the result was the same. It went right through her. Li knew this card had to be tough, but when she opened her eyes…she almost looked sad. But Li knew that couldn't be it. This was a Clow Card. It had to be a trick…didn't it?
"Concentrate!" Kero instructed. "Attacks and incantations aren't going to work on this one. It's got to be a helix!"
"What's that mean?" Sakura asked.
"Her form is hidden. Hard to find."
"So what do I do?"
"With a card like this, you got to identify it first. Once you do that, you can capture it. Concentrate, Sakura! Which card is it?"
Sakura hesitated. Then she closed her eyes and began to concentrate. Li was getting nervous. This card could be one of the more unpredictable ones for all he knew. Then Sakura began to approach her double.
"No!" Li shouted. "Don't get too close!"
Sakura wasn't listening, though. "Clow Card, you hurt my brother Tori!"
To everyone's surprise, the Clow Card…sighed. It was almost a despondent sigh that seemed to get Sakura's attention.
"You need to concentrate on what card it is!" Kero told Sakura.
Li could barely watch. He knew Sakura was getting in over her head. She closed her eyes and began to concentrate. She held up her wand…and Li saw the double copy her move. Sakura opened her eyes and stepped back…and the double did the same. The twin was mimicking her.
"That's it!" Sakura suddenly shouted. "Clow Card, your name is Mirror!"
She had done it. Sakura revealed the Clow Card's identity and the double changed into its true form. Being exposed, the Mirror Card flew over to the fallen Tori…and kissed him on the forehead.
"I'm sorry."
~* I'm sorry? *~
Mirror flew in front of Sakura…and waited for the inevitable.
"Return to your power confined! Mirror Card!" Sakura took Mirror in her hand…and rushed back to her brother. "Tori! I'm so sorry!"
Li helped her pick Tori up. They started to carry him out…and Li felt he should say something.
"Sakura…you did good back there."
Sakura didn't say anything. She just looked…depressed.
"Sakura…are you ok?"
Sakura didn't respond. She just hung her head down as she dragged her brother.
"He'll be fine, Sakura," Li said softly. "Don't worry."
"It's not that," Sakura mumbled sadly. "Li…they know."
"What do you mean?"
"The cards. They know. They know who I am."
Li knew that couldn't be a good thing. She was telling him that the Clow Cards know she's a Cardcaptor. And if that's true…then that's how Mirror knew to go after her brother. Li should have told her. He should have told her that this probably wouldn't be the last time a Clow Card went after her or anybody she cared about. But he just couldn't. He just made one realization.
~* She's going to need my help now more than ever. I have to be there for her…no matter what. *~
"I didn't sleep that night," Sakura added. "I just couldn't get it out of my mind. The cards knew who I was and I knew that my life wouldn't be the same after that day."
Madison put a hand on her shoulder. "It all worked out in the end, didn't it?"
Sakura smiled. "I guess you're right." Then she looked at the picture. "It's just that seeing this was so…surreal. Um…why don't you take it for a minute, Madison. Li, can I see you privately for a minute?"
Sakura handed the picture to Madison and dragged Li towards Madison's walk-in closet. They could hardly squeeze in, but this wouldn't take long.
"What is it, Sakura?" Li asked.
Sakura smiled. "I never knew you felt that way back then. When you said you wanted to be there for me…you cared about me, didn't you?"
Li tried to play it off. "You don't know what you're saying."
Sakura ran a hand through Li's hair and smiled seductively. "I think I do. You cared about me, Li Shoran. You didn't want to admit it, but you did."
Li grinned. "Ok, maybe I did. What's your point?"
"Just shut up and kiss me."
Sakura and Li engaged in a passionate kiss, just as they heard someone knocking on the closet door.
It was Madison. "Sakura? Li? Are you making out in my closet again?"
Sakura didn't answer. She just ignored her and kept kissing her love.
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