Summary: After a brief stint in Egypt, our characters come back…just in time for a heat wave. And looking through the scrapbook doesn't make things any easier…
Episode 39- Recalling Freeze and Ice Skating
The temperature reached 102 degrees. That's why Sakura had the idea of going off to Madison's house to cool off. Li, who lived in Madison's guesthouse, only had to take a few steps to get to his destination. Holing up with Madison did no good, though. Indeed, the heat was unbearable that day. So unbearable that even the overwhelming power from Madison's air conditioner couldn't cool everyone off.
"It's SO hot!" Madison moaned.
"I need something to get my mind off this," Sakura added. She walked over to the mini-fridge in the corner of Madison's room to get some ice, but was surprised to find…
"Kero?"
The little guardian beast was clever. He found a spot to sit inside the mini-fridge. "Hey, close that door! You're letting all the heat in!"
Kero reached over and slammed the fridge door. Sakura sighed. At least Kero had some refuge, whereas everyone else had to suffer. She only wished she had something to take her mind off everything.
"Hey, Sakura. Take a look at this."
Madison was browsing through the scrapbook again. Sakura walked over and looked over her shoulder at a picture of Sakura on the ice skating rink.
"I remember that," Sakura said. "It was…back with the Freeze Card."
"I heard about that one," Kero said from behind the fridge door. "But you never told me the whole story."
Sakura sighed. "Oh…well, it was really cold that day. In fact, it was too cold."
"I remember the heater was broken," Madison added. "But…it wasn't until a few minutes later that it started…"
~--------------------~
Flashback: The Ice Skating Rink
P.O.V.: Madison Taylor
It wasn't that it's been a bad day so far. Any other day, Madison would enjoy a day of ice skating. Sakura seemed like had been enjoying it, too. All she had to do was learn from Ms. Mackenzie.
The problem was that the heater was busted and the rink was getting very cold. In fact, hardly anyone could move. Sakura and Madison had taken a seat on the bench in a desperate attempt to warm themselves up. But it wasn't helping. Madison and Sakura were freezing.
~* I wish the heater was working. It feels SO cold. This…isn't fun anymore. *~
By this time, the rest of the class was starting to get off the ice. They didn't want to be around the tremendous cold. But Madison noticed that Meilin had fallen…and couldn't get up. Li immediately rushed over to her aid.
"Meilin…can you get up?"
"M-My legs are frozen," Meilin said weakly. "I feel…so…tired."
Li gasped. "Meilin! Don't fall asleep!"
Madison couldn't believe what happened next. Meilin…was then frozen solid…literally. She was a block of ice and she froze right before Li's eyes.
Mr. Terada saw it, too. "Everyone off the ice!!" But as soon as he said that…he froze solid, too.
This didn't seem normal. It felt like a disaster. Kids were beginning to freeze solid right before them. Madison was about to say something…when she got a horrible feeling inside her. Something had a grip on her. It like an extreme cold…had reached out and grabbed her very soul.
"S-S-Sakura…"
Madison couldn't get anything else off. She could feel the ice covering her legs and slowly enveloping her. And before she knew it…
…Madison Taylor was frozen solid…and she lost consciousness.
~----------~
[Madison: It was one of the scariest moments of my life. It was something I never wanted to feel again, no matter how hot it ever got.]
[Li: I remember watching you and Meilin get frozen. I immediately knew what that meant…]
~--------------------~
Flashback: The Ice Skating Rink
P.O.V.: Li Shoran
Li looked around. Everyone had been frozen solid. He had witnessed the horror of his friend, Meilin, being covered in ice and now the rest of the class shared her fate. Everyone was frozen except for Li…and…
"Li!"
…Sakura. She was just fine…for now.
Li skated over towards Sakura. "You know what this means, right?"
"It's a Clow Card!" Sakura growled. There was an anger in her voice and Li could understand why. Their friends had all been frozen solid.
Li couldn't understand one thing. "But…why weren't we frozen?"
"Maybe because it isn't strong enough to freeze people with magical powers?" Sakura thought.
It sounded like a good theory. Li didn't have any better explanation. Sakura knew where to go from here.
"Key of Clow. Power of magic. Power of light. Surrender the wand. The force, ignite! Release!"
Sakura took her wand, but immediately after she grabbed it…Freeze struck. It rose out of the ice and carried Sakura up. Li got out of the way, but Sakura was caught and that practically killed him.
~* Come on, Sakura! You're the only one who can seal that thing! *~
Sakura took out one of her cards. "Jump!"
Sakura jumped out from Freeze's grip and skillfully skated away. She was getting better at skating, but Freeze wasn't giving up easily. Sakura was successful at dodging Freeze thus far, but her luck wouldn't last. Because after Sakura jumped again…Freeze lunged out and knocked her down from behind. Sakura was out.
Li immediately rushed over to her. "Sakura? Get up! Say something!"
Sakura was knocked out. Then…to Li's horror, ice was starting to cover her. Sakura was being frozen.
"NO!!"
Li desperately tried cracking the ice with his fists. The ice was trying to cover Sakura, but Li wouldn't let that happen.
~* Sakura! Please don't freeze! You're the only one who can do this! Please! You CAN'T freeze! Why won't you wake up?! *~
Li kept punching away at the ice trying to cover Sakura. But then the ice moved to another target.
"NO! THE WAND!"
The ice was trying to cover the sealing wand and if the wand was frozen, then all would be lost. He couldn't let that happen. Just then, though, he noticed something floating under the ice. It was Freeze's visible form.
"Whoa…that spirit's as big as a whale."
At that moment, Sakura finally came to. She woke up and loosened her wand. Freeze then tried to lunge at them again, so Sakura and Li moved out of its way. So far, this fight wasn't going their way. They couldn't go on like this.
~* We're not getting anywhere. This is a real dangerous card. But…maybe there's a pattern to its movement. When I saw it…it came out right away. Hey! That's it! *~
Li had an idea. "The Freeze Card appears just before it jumps out. You can use this chance to seal it."
Li skated away before he got a reply. Just as he suspected, Freeze appeared underneath him. So Li skated towards Sakura just as Freeze jumped out. And Sakura was primed and ready.
"Freeze Card! Return to your power confined!"
It was a long arduous battle, but Sakura successfully sealed the Freeze Card…and it flew over to Li. He almost expected to hear some complaining, but Sakura wasn't arguing this. She fell to her knees. It seemed that Sakura was just happy this was all over.
~----------~
[Madison: Oh…I remember this. This is where I started to come to. And I could tell I missed everything…]
~--------------------~
Flashback: The Ice Skating Rink
P.O.V.: Madison Taylor
Madison opened her eyes. She couldn't believe it. She was alive. That awful feeling of an icy hand grabbing her soul was gone. But Madison looked around. She didn't know what to make of any of this.
"W-Wasn't…I…just…?"
Madison didn't finish her thought. She just sat there on the bench with a stoic expression on her face. She tried to think of how this could have possibly happened.
~* I could have sworn I was just frozen. But…how? No…wait…A CLOW CARD! Of course! But…that means I missed taping another capture! NO!!!! *~
Madison was ready to cry. Not because of the scary ordeal she just endured, but because she missed another chance to tape Sakura.
Just then, Sakura skated over towards Madison and handed her a drink, looking somberly at her. "Are you ok?"
Madison nodded. "I…I…I guess so. Sakura…what happened?"
Sakura's somber expression remained. "Uh…I'll tell you later. You just relax right now. I'll be right back."
Sakura skated off with the tray in her hand, handing drinks to the other kids. The whole thing still hadn't sunk into Madison yet. Only one thing was for sure. Sakura had saved the day once again.
~* Sakura…I'm glad you're all right. *~
~----------~
[Madison: I was a little shaken up, but I was fine. I think Li was a little nervous about Meilin signing him up for skating lessons.]
[Li: She really didn't have to do that.]
[Sakura: Well…after a few more minutes…you didn't need them anymore.]
[Li: Oh…you must mean…]
[Sakura: That's right. I'm glad you remember…]
~--------------------~
Flashback: The Ice Skating Rink (The Aftermath)
P.O.V.: Sakura Avalon
Sakura finished handing out all the drinks and she started to think about going over to Madison. Her best friend was probably traumatized over what happened to her. Being frozen solid might do that to a person. But Sakura suddenly noticed something.
"I CAN do this! OW!"
Sakura spotted Li…and he kept on falling on his butt. It was almost funny and Sakura tried to suppress a giggle.
~* I shouldn't be laughing. He's really trying. He just needs…a little help. *~
Sakura skated over to Li and picked him up. "Need help?"
"I don't need help," Li said sourly. As if on cue, he fell on his bottom again.
Sakura giggled. "Come on. I'll help you."
Sakura picked up Li and held his hands. She helped him skate forward, right foot forward, left foot forward, and Li actually kept his balance.
"Getting the hang of it?" Sakura asked cheerfully.
Li smiled…but Sakura started to get the feeling that it wasn't because he was actually skating. Li had his eyes fixed on…his hands…which were being held by Sakura's hands.
Sakura grinned. "I'm gonna let go now, ok?"
Li's smiled faded. "Huh?"
Sakura let go…and Li fell again. Sakura almost fell over laughing. She picked Li up and dusted him off. "It's ok. You'll get it someday."
Sakura skated off again, but she looked back one more time to see Li standing still…smiling…almost…blushing.
Sakura smiled, too. But she could have sworn she was blushing. She put a hand on her cheeks. They had suddenly gotten warmer.
~* Am I blushing? ……No……couldn't be. *~
~--------------------~
Sakura almost fainted from the tremendous heat. "I'd give anything to go ice skating…to be in the snow."
Madison dug through Sakura's scrapbook again. "Well…I remember this picture, too."
Sakura looked at the picture and nearly fainted. "Oh…don't show me that one."
Li sighed. "I'm starting to remember that one. Let's get something to eat and we'll come back. I know…there's something about that picture. It's always lingered in the back of my mind."
Sakura wouldn't argue with Li. Maybe remembering this next memory would help get Sakura's mind off the heat.
Or maybe it would make things worse. Who knew? Either way…Sakura would be recalling…the snow.
Any comments? Go ahead and mail me at AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com and don't forget to review below! I want your feedback!
