Summary: It's the day before Sakura's graduation and…someone's fixing a cake? One of our characters can smell this cake from a mile away. But once Sakura arrives, she begins to remember another past experience with cake.
Author's Note: Ok, I'm back a little sooner than I thought. I'm still busy trying to get these other ideas out of my head, but I feel it's been too quiet on my front. So I'm back with this chapter. Enjoy!
2nd Note: NO HORIZONTAL LINE TAGS?! NO WAY!! You DO know how much harder that makes things, right?!
Episode 35- Recalling the Sweet Card and Future Cavities
It seemed like a sixth sense to him by now. From his desk in Sakura's room, Kero could smell that delicious aroma of baked goods. It smelled like…a cake. The prospect of a cake was too tempting to pass up, so Kero flew out the bedroom window and headed towards the kitchen window. Sure enough, there was Aiden Avalon watching over a cake in the oven.
"Kero!"
Kero sweatdropped. In a flash, he had already been spotted. "Um…hi Sakura." He looked around. "Where are you?"
"Up here!"
The little guardian beast looked up to see Sakura and Li sitting up on a tree…alone. They were probably trying to have a romantic moment. Kero flew up and faced them.
"What are you doing looking into the kitchen?" Sakura asked.
"What are you two doing up here?" Kero shot back. "Haven't you learned from last time?" He was obviously referring to a few weeks ago when Sakura and Li tried to have a similar moment on this tree…until the branch snapped. It appeared that the couple was ready to try again.
"What does it look like?" Li muttered.
"Maybe it's better I don't ask," Kero mumbled. "Anyway, I was just looking into the window to see…a cake. Sweet…delicious…cake."
"My dad's baking a cake?" Sakura asked. On those words, Sakura climbed down the tree…
…leaving Li a little disappointed. "Sakura…I thought we were trying to have a moment."
"We'll have our moment later," she replied. "But let me see this. I hope it's what I think it is."
Sakura peeked in through the window and Kero squeezed in under her and got a glance in as well. The cake just happened to be finished at that moment and her father took it out. He started to spread the frosting and then started to put the lettering on. The cake read:
Congratulations!
Sakura's face brightened. "I knew it! It's a cake for our graduation!"
Li climbed down the tree and calmly walked over. "I've never seen you get this excited over a cake before. You almost look like Kero." He looked inside. "You know, the way we've been going on lately…remembering the past…I'm surprised this isn't bringing something back into your head."
Sakura leered slyly to her left. "Oh…you mean THAT."
Kero was getting curious. "What? This doesn't ring a bell. Somebody want to tell me?"
Sakura sighed. "I guess I'll tell you. I thought for sure you'd remember, Kero. It's got to be one of your favorites of all the Clow Cards…"
~--------------------~
Flashback: Reedington Elementary
P.O.V.: Sakura Avalon
It was time for cooking class again. Only this time around, Sakura felt a lot more at ease. The assignment was a lot more suited for her. The assignment was to bake a cake. Anxiously awaiting this day, Sakura and her father prepared a practice cake; one which Sakura hoped to give to Julian…but she chickened out at the last second. So she gave the cake to her four favorite critics: Chelsea, Rita, Nikki, and Madison. They all gave it rave reviews.
Sakura looked around as everyone made their choices. She could see that Li, Meilin, and Zachary were going with a custard cake. Chelsea, Rita, and Nikki decided on a strawberry shortcake. But Sakura and Madison were still unsure about what they should do.
"Any ideas?" Sakura asked.
"I haven't got a clue," Madison replied.
The two girls then looked over their cooking magazine. There were a lot of delicious looking cakes, but they couldn't decide on which one to go with. That is…until Sakura made a spontaneous comment.
"Chocolate cake?"
"That sounds delicious."
Sakura looked up. That wasn't Madison. Sakura looked up to see…
"Ms. Mackenzie!"
Sakura and Madison were now joined by the ever enigmatic substitute teacher. Sakura looked down to see those chocolate cakes in the pictures. Chocolate cakes didn't seem like such a bad idea.
"You like chocolate cakes, Sakura?" Ms. Mackenzie asked.
Sakura nodded eagerly. "Oh yes!"
Ms. Mackenzie smiled. "Me too! I guess we have something in common. If you two ever finish that cake, I'd love to try it."
~* She wants to try MY cake? Oh…I feel so…so…giddy! *~
Sakura blushed. "We'd love that."
Ms. Mackenzie chuckled and walked out. "Good luck, girls."
Sakura smiled dreamily, mesmerized again by her teacher, then she finally turned to her best friend. "Chocolate cake sound good?"
Madison nodded. "Sounds good."
It was agreed. A chocolate cake. That's what Sakura and Madison would bake the next day. Sakura was still unsure of her croquette skills, but she was very confident in her baking. She knew she and Madison would bake a first-class cake.
~----------~
[Sakura: It was a great idea. I didn't know what could possibly go wrong. Then…there was the next day.]
~--------------------~
Flashback: Reedington Elementary (The next day)
P.O.V.: Sakura Avalon
Sakura just loved the smell of baked goods. The smell filled the classroom that day as everyone had their finished cakes in front of them. All that remained was to decorate them. Sakura and Madison each grabbed a tube of frosting and a butter knife and spread the frosting. Then they finished the final decorations. Their chocolate cake was finished and Sakura and Madison's mouths were watering at the delicious sight.
"So…you want to try it first?" Sakura offered, trying not to drool.
"I couldn't do that, Sakura," Madison stammered. "I could never go first."
They both eyed their cake, each one wanting a taste.
"Well…we can't both not go first," Sakura pointed out.
Then the teacher's voice sounded. "Ok, everyone. Try your cakes!"
Sakura finally made a sensible decision. "Ok, let's try it together."
Sakura took a slice off her cake and put in on a plate. She took a piece off the slice and tasted it alongside Madison. They wished they hadn't. Sakura could literally feel her teeth cracking. The cake was too…sweet. Sakura spit the piece out and coughed, trying to get the bad taste out of her mouth. Madison accidentally swallowed her piece. But both girls wanted one thing at that moment.
"WATER!!!!!!!!!!!!"
~----------~
[Kero: So if a cake's too sweet…then that's a bad thing?]
[Sakura: Any cavities I had after that day, I knew it was because of that cake. What made things worse was that you thought it was MY fault…]
~--------------------~
Flashback: Sakura's Room (Later that day)
P.O.V.: Sakura Avalon
Sakura was still trying to get that sweet, sweet taste out of her mouth. After ten glasses of water and two rounds of gargling with mouthwash, she could still taste that cake.
"ACK! It was just so…SWEET, Kero! It was horrible!"
Kero shook his head. "You probably put too much sugar in the mix."
"It wasn't that," Sakura replied. "Madison and I measured each cup carefully. Besides, everyone else had the same problem."
"Then everyone else probably made the same mistake," Kero said, obviously not convinced.
~* Oh, I give up. Why should I even bother to argue? *~
Sakura finally stopped drinking and sat on her bed. "Well, since everyone failed, we get another chance to make it up next week. We'll all get to try again."
Kero looked at Sakura curiously. "Hmm…you failed…but you sound pretty happy. Did I miss something?"
"You have to see things my way, Kero," Sakura said cheerfully. "Now I can make an even better cake to give to Julian and Ms. Mackenzie."
"What about me?" Kero asked.
Sakura giggled. "You'll get a piece, Kero. I promise."
~* If I even get it right. But it DOES seem a little strange. Why would EVERYONE'S cake be that sweet? It's almost as if it were a Clow Card. But…a sweet Clow Card? That…sounds kinda silly. Nah…it has to be something else. *~
~----------~
[Li: If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have even known it was a Clow Card.]
[Sakura: How was I supposed to know? It just sounded so…weird. And why are you smirking like that? You didn't really help as much as you think you did. When Ms. Mackenzie showed up, you suddenly became a mute…]
~--------------------~
Flashback: The Cake Shop Window
P.O.V.: Sakura Avalon
Unable to put the day's failure behind them, Sakura and Madison decided to drown their sorrows in a day of shopping. It didn't help…especially when the two girls approached the cake shop. They both sighed deeply and gave melancholy looks towards the cake shop window. Things hadn't gotten any easier, especially since Sakura could still taste her earlier failure and its over-sweetness.
"So have you come up with anything?" Madison sighed.
Sakura shook her head. "I can't think of anything. We did everything right. What did we do wrong?"
"You mean you didn't sense anything?"
Sakura and Madison turned around to see that Li had joined them and there was a certain stern gaze on his face. It was one Sakura had grown somewhat familiar with…somewhat…
"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.
Li didn't say anything. He just looked sharply to his left. Someone else had arrived at the cake shop. In an instant, Sakura's day became that much brighter.
"Ms. Mackenzie!"
Sakura's substitute teacher smiled as she walked towards the cake shop door. "You girls shopping?"
Sakura nodded. "We were…but then we saw this…cake shop. But…how about you? Are you shopping?"
Ms. Mackenzie looked into the cake shop. "Yes…I was shopping until I got in the mood for something sweet, so I decided to stop here."
Sakura moaned softly. "Maybe I should leave. I've had enough cakes for one day."
Ms. Mackenzie bent down to gaze warmly into Sakura's eyes. "Cheer up, Sakura. You'll get your chance to try again and I'm sure you'll do just fine."
Sakura suddenly felt a lot better. "Thanks, Ms. Mackenzie."
Seeing her work was done, Ms. Mackenzie headed inside the cake shop. "Good luck, girls. And remember…you promised me a taste."
Sakura sighed dreamily. She still couldn't understand what it was about Ms. Mackenzie that made her feel so much…happier. Then she forgot she was in the middle of a conversation.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Li. What were you saying?"
Li glared towards the cake shop. "Oh…I…forgot what I was saying. Never mind."
Li found nothing more to say, so he just walked out, leaving Sakura and Madison somewhat confused.
Both girls just muttered under their breaths. "Weird."
~----------~
[Sakura: See? You didn't help THAT much?]
[Li: Sorry. You know the effect she has on me. I just don't like her. But I told you eventually, didn't I?]
[Sakura: I guess so. But still, I wasn't sure. Luckily, someone was there to confirm it for me…]
~--------------------~
Flashback: Reedington Elementary (The next day)
P.O.V.: Sakura Avalon
Break time. Everyone had put their cakes in the oven and walked out of the classroom…except for two people: Sakura and Li. Sakura was still unsure about something. Earlier, Chelsea told her that the other class's cakes all came out too sweet…just like her class. That made Sakura wonder if it really WAS a Clow Card. But that didn't make any sense…or at least it didn't SOUND like it made any sense. But Sakura couldn't ignore…her sense.
~* I DO feel it. It feels like a Clow Card. But there's no way. A sweet Clow Card? *~
"You DO sense it, don't you?" Li asked.
"I can't ignore it, Li," Sakura responded. "It feels like a Clow Card, but it can't be what I think it is…can it?"
No one got to respond to that, because Sakura's phone rang. Since it was ringing in the middle of the school day, that meant it had to be serious.
"Hello?"
"Sakura, I think I got it!"
Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. She knew Kero would come through. "What is it, Kero?"
"It's none other than…the Sweet Card!"
Sakura felt just a little skeptical. "Say that again?"
"The Sweet Card!"
"The Sweet Card?"
"That's right. The Sweet Card! Anything it touches becomes really, REALLY SWEET! I'm talking 'see your dentist' sweet!"
Sakura nodded to no one in particular. "Uh huh…and by any chance does it look like a small fairy with a yellow dress?"
"Um…yeah…how did you know that?"
"Because it's right in front of me!"
Sakura and Li both noticed the little Sweet Card inside one of the ovens, sprinkling what had to be its over-sweetness into one of the cakes. Sakura hung up the phone and Li ran towards the oven.
"Ok, come out of there!"
The Sweet Card flew out of the oven and started flying around the room with Li giving chase the whole way. Sakura realized it wasn't getting them anywhere.
"Li! Cut it out! You're scaring it!"
Li stopped running as the Sweet Card flew behind a bag of flour, trying to hide. He grinned. "Now I got it!"
Li calmly tiptoed towards the flour bag…and then lunged for it. Unfortunately…the flour bag blew up. Li coughed as he and Sakura were both nearly blinded by the flour. When the smoke (er, flour) cleared, Li was as white as a ghost. Sakura couldn't help but laugh.
"You think this is funny?"
Sakura sighed contentedly. "I only wish Madison was here with her camera."
Li pointed behind Sakura. "Maybe you won't find THAT so funny."
Sakura looked behind her and let out a soft yelp. The Sweet Card was flying around and working its magic. Soon the blackboard…the chairs…the pans…just about everything…turned into a…confectionery treat. Sakura shook her head as she snapped off a piece of a nearby chocolate chip cookie chair. Unfortunately…when she took a bite, she spit it out.
"UGH! That taste again! It's too SWEET! This stuff doesn't even taste good! Oh, I'm going to need a dentist when this is all over."
"Well you better end this quickly," Li pointed out. "I mean, how would it look if everyone came back in to find…this?"
Sakura sweatdropped. "I see your point." She took out her key. "Key of Clow. Power of magic. Power of light. Surrender the wand. The force, ignite. Release!" Sakura took her wand, but honestly didn't know where to go from there. So she glanced at Li. "Any ideas?"
Li sighed. It seemed that he didn't like his own idea. "Bait." He went over to one of the ovens and was about to take out his cake.
~* No…I can't let him do that. Even if it is to take down a Clow Card, I can't let him sacrifice his grade. *~
Sakura reached over…and held Li's hand. "Don't. There has to be another way. I don't want you to fail, Li."
Li wasn't convinced. "Do you have any better ideas?"
~* I'm sure something'll come to me. But it better come to me right now. I can't let Li sacrifice his cake. Besides…Meilin would probably kill me. OW! My tooth! That's just great! Now I have a toothache and a bad aftertaste. And here I was thinking only overly salty foods could leave this bad a taste in my mouth. Wait a minute! Salty? That's it! *~
Sakura nodded enthusiastically. "As a matter of fact, I do!"
Sakura grabbed some salt and poured it into a bowl. She grinned evilly. "Fight sugar…with SALT!" She took the bowl and started chasing the Sweet Card around, trying to sprinkle salt over it. So far, she hadn't been too successful. "You can't run away forever!"
Finally, Sakura made one big lunge…and missed. She fell flat on the ground, her face landing in the bowl of salt. She spit the salt out and looked above her to see the Sweet Card snickering. It wasn't laughing long, though, because Li sneaked up behind it and poured another bag of salt over it. The Sweet Card was covered in salt and it didn't like it. It was ready to cry. Sakura was, too, after all she had gone through, but she picked herself up and pointed her wand.
"Sweet Card! Return to your power confined! Sweet Card!"
Sakura sealed the Sweet Card and breathed a sigh of relief. Everything went back to normal and there were seemingly no casualties from this war…except for one. Sakura held her jaw painfully.
"OW! MY TOOTH!"
~--------------------~
Kero just floated in the air and grinned towards the end of the story. "Well, your toothache was actually a blessing in disguise, Sakura."
"How could you consider that a blessing?" Sakura growled.
"Because that meant more cake for me," Kero answered. "Besides, you passed, didn't you?"
"Yeah," Sakura nodded. Then she glanced at Li. "Which is more than I can say for some people."
"It wasn't my fault," Li mumbled. "No one said Meilin could bake." Then he let out a half-smile. "At least you got the best out of that day. You got rave reviews for that cake, from Tori, Julian, everyone at school…"
Sakura grinned. "Ms. Mackenzie."
Li frowned. "Yeah…her, too."
Sakura shook her head. "You still don't like her, do you?"
"No, I don't like her. Never have, never will. I'm just happy she's not around anymore."
Sakura sighed. She never did tell Li about that letter she got a few weeks ago from Ms. Mackenzie. She figured there was no need to, knowing how he felt.
Li went ahead and changed the subject. "So this is it, huh? We're graduating tomorrow."
Sakura sighed again. "Yeah…tomorrow."
"Life won't be the same after this, you know."
"You're right."
Sakura and Li just stood by the kitchen window, watching as Aiden Avalon continued to decorate the cake. Graduation was one day away. Sakura had been through a lot in high school and now it was coming…to an end.
Leave it to Kero, though, to not realize the seriousness of it all. "So…I'll get a piece of that cake, right?"
Sakura didn't say anything. She just kept looking into the window.
~* Tomorrow…tomorrow…tomorrow it ends. *~
Author's Note: Tomorrow's flashback won't be too long, because there is a side story and, if you haven't noticed by now, our characters are graduating high school. Come back tomorrow, because you never know what might happen at something like a high school graduation.
Any comments? If you have any, then go ahead and mail me at AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com and don't forget to review below.
