Author's Note: Can you believe tomorrow marks the final chapter of this LONG story? I feel like this story's always been around and now it's about to end. But fear not, because there will be more from me. As soon as I wrap something else up, I will get started on that crossover story that this has been leading up to. More details tomorrow.
Summary: Sakura begins to look back at her rematch with Yue. But someone else is watching her…and remembering the same thing. (Along with a little original speech of my own that I added. ^_^)
Episode 58- Recalling Sakura's Final Judgment: Part 3
Sakura shook her head. "I would never want to live in a world like that. It was just so…awful! And I'm glad Ms. Mackenzie was there, or else I don't know what would have happened."
"Is this where we started to remember everything?" Madison asked.
Sakura nodded. "It was like I was finally starting to wake up…and I was brought back to reality…"
Flashback: Tokyo Tower
P.O.V.: Sakura Avalon
Sakura opened her eyes and saw she was back at Tokyo Tower. She was starting to remember everything…as it REALLY was. And the vines of the Wood Card were loosening their hold on her. They let her down safely on the rooftop and she was finally free. Once she was able to move freely, Sakura looked up and turned her head to see…
"Ms. Mackenzie!"
Her teacher, Ms. Mackenzie, was standing across from her, holding something an ever-present bell. It was the same bell she used during the whole Maze Card adventure.
"That bell…"
The bell began to sparkle…and it suddenly disappeared.
"This bell was left behind by Clow Reed," Ms. Mackenzie explained. "It was meant to give you a second chance and now that it has fulfilled its purpose, it is no longer needed. But be careful, Sakura. You will not get another chance."
A second chance was all Sakura wanted. She was now fully prepared to take whatever Yue could dish out. She grabbed her wand and turned to face the guardian.
"I've seen what it is to live in a world where you can't love the person you love the most!" Sakura said sternly. "I can't let everyone forget! It's too cruel! I'll do my best! And it'll be ok for sure!"
As Sakura recited those last words, a light began to emit from her wand. It startled her for a moment and she took a step back.
"Sakura, hold up your wand," Ms. Mackenzie instructed.
Sakura held her wand above her head and the light began to grow brighter. When the light started to clear, she saw that her wand was starting to change…and the Clow Cards were starting to come to her.
"They're returning to her!" Yue shouted in shock.
"They've chosen Sakura," Ms. Mackenzie smiled.
Once the Clow Cards had all come back to Sakura, the light finally cleared. And Sakura's wand…looked different. The wand changed. Instead of the bird-like head she was so used to seeing, there was a yellow star surrounded by a pink circle. Seconds later, a small pair of wings sprouted from the wand's tip.
Sakura grew determined as she held up her new wand. The battle was about to begin, but it wouldn't be anything like last time. This time…she believed in herself…
…and she definitely had much more to fight for.
Through the window, he could see the four recalling that fateful evening. But it wasn't exactly a night he would forget either. It was a night that forever changed him, and at first he thought it wasn't for the better. He tried everything to make sure that night didn't happen. At the time, he didn't want it to.
YUE didn't want things to change.
"You knew they'd be up there," a quiet voice called out below.
Yue looked down and saw Tori Avalon, so he flew down to the ground, right beside him. "How long have you been here?"
"I had a feeling you'd be here," Tori replied. "I've got to tell you, Madison needs new security guards. So are they saying what I think they are?"
Yue nodded. "Recalling the Final Judgment. It doesn't surprise me that they'd be looking back at that day. It was a prophetic dream that haunted your sister for a long time. And now with a NEW dream haunting her thoughts, it only makes sense that she look back."
Tori frowned. "You're sad, aren't you?"
Yue shook his head. "When it first happened, I was. I was afraid of change and I wasn't about to take being given a new Mistress quietly. So I didn't exactly make the Final Judgment easy on her."
"You underestimated her," Tori smirked.
"Perhaps I did," Yue agreed. "I thought the second time around would be just like the first…but it wasn't…"
Flashback: Tokyo Tower
P.O.V.: Yue (!)
It was a level of magic the likes of which Yue had not seen since the day of Clow. He didn't want to believe it, though. He wasn't about to lose now. He wouldn't make this easy for the candidate and if she wanted to be the new Mistress, she would have to beat him. And Yue didn't plan to go down without a fight.
Yue also couldn't believe the Clow Cards were coming back to her. They must have been really attached to her. He couldn't believe them. They were almost fickle. It was shocking that they would forget their true master so quickly. But Yue would never forget and he vowed to fight on.
The candidate held her wand over her head and she reached for one of the cards. "Windy!"
~* Fool! She has learned nothing. Windy is another card under the moon. *~
Windy came out and headed towards Yue. Yue motioned for Windy to turn away…but to his shock…
~* What is this?! Windy! Go back! *~
…Windy didn't turn away. She came straight for Yue and wrapped him up, leaving the guardian trapped.
Yue felt himself being lowered and when he looked up, he saw the candidate looking right at him. He couldn't bring himself to look at her. He had already lost.
"You must have loved Clow very much," she said softly.
That was all Yue could take. "You have no idea! You cannot begin to fathom how much I loved him! He was like a father to me! He was MORE than a father to me! I suffered greatly when he died! I couldn't bear to see it! And I still cannot believe he is gone!"
The candidate slowly approached him… "The disaster…"
"I wanted disaster to fall upon you all! I am not a malicious being; Keroberos can tell you that. But I wanted you all to feel the pain that I endure each and every day. I wanted you to know what it was like to lose the one you love the most…just as I have!"
Yue found that a tear had fallen to the ground. He wasn't an emotional guardian by any stretch of the imagination, but he loved Clow Reed more than anything in the world. And his world came crashing down the day Clow died.
"I can't stand the thought of anyone new. I don't want anyone to replace Clow. I don't WANT a new Mistress!"
The candidate walked up to Yue and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know the feeling now. I know what it feels like to lose the one you love the most…and it's something I don't wish upon anybody. I'm sorry for what you've had to go through. I know I can't replace Clow…no one can.
"But I don't want to be your Mistress, Yue. I want to be your friend."
Yue raised his head and saw that pair of cheerful emerald eyes looking at him. She didn't look bitter at all about going through the disaster. She didn't look bitter that Yue had not even given her a chance and she didn't appear to hold any grudge, despite Yue being so unmerciful.
~* She has compassion unlike any other. And she certainly has enough heart. Even when in the brink of defeat, she never gave up. She truly is worthy. *~
Yue stood up. "Close your eyes."
Sakura seemed skeptical. She wasn't sure what to make of this and Yue couldn't blame her after everything he put her through.
"Just do it," Yue said solemnly.
Sakura finally put her trust in Yue and closed her eyes. Yue put a hand over her head and spread her wings.
"The Judgment is over. I, Yue the Judge, accept Sakura as our new Mistress."
It wasn't an easy thing to do, but Yue would no longer fight what was apparently meant to be. This girl would no longer be denied. She had successfully completely the Final Judgment and for that, he would accept her as his new Mistress.
Maybe he would even grow to love her someday.
"She's a lot stronger than she looks," Yue continued. "And in the past seven years, she has only gotten stronger. She's shelved the demons of uncertainty and has fully accepted her destiny as Mistress of the Sakura Cards. And I feel she can handle anything."
"You never should have underestimated her to begin with," Tori smirked. "I knew she'd come through eventually. From what I saw, I knew she would never give up."
Yue blinked. "What do you mean 'from what you saw'?"
Tori's smirk remained. "I saw the whole thing, too."
"Impossible. None of us saw you there. How could you have been witness to The Final Judgment?"
Tori knew the answer to that. "There was ONE person who saw me there…"
Flashback: The Shrine
P.O.V.: Tori Avalon
The Final Judgment had just ended. And Tori couldn't be prouder of his sister. He saw her run up to her friends and immediately throw up shouts of joy. She even grabbed the brat in a huge hug and swung him around. It wasn't the most pleasant scene for Tori to see, but he could understand since Sakura was really happy.
But what Tori didn't see was that Ms. Mackenzie had found him. She walked towards him and she looked out towards Sakura and her friends. Then she turned to smile at Tori.
"You've been here the whole time, haven't you?"
Tori nodded. "Yeah."
"Then you know Julian isn't human?"
"Yeah."
It was a shocking revelation to say the least, but Tori knew that Julian wasn't what he seemed. But it was something Tori would get used to. He would get used to it soon. After all, Julian is his best friend.
"So what happens now?" Tori asked.
"What do you mean?" Ms. Mackenzie asked back.
Tori had one big question lingering on his mind. He knew he had to ask it sooner or later. It was a question that had been haunting him for a long time. And he knew he had to ask it again.
"I know my sister's secret," Tori explained. "But she doesn't know that I'm on to her. And she doesn't know that I can see into the spirit world. We're two siblings…holding secrets from each other. I…saw my mom again…and she said I should wait until she's ready to tell me. But after all this…I'm still not sure."
"I understand your anxiety, Tori," Ms. Mackenzie replied. "But the best thing to do is respect what your mother tells you. The time will come when you and Sakura will reveal everything to each other, leaving no more secrets. It may be many years from now, but the time will come. And until that time comes…all you can do is wait."
Tori looked out to see his sister was still celebrating. There would be a day when the secrets would all be revealed and there would be nothing to hide anymore. He couldn't wait for that day to come.
But the ball was in Sakura's court. It was up to her to say something.
"She still hasn't said anything," Tori continued. "But I have a feeling she's finally ready to say something. You know it too, don't you?"
Yue nodded. "I have heard about it from…someone. You understand that I can't tell you any more."
"I understand," Tori said. "I'll just wait and let everything fall into place. I know Sakura will tell me soon. I just wonder what things will be like once we know about everything."
Yue thought about that. Life had taken so many different twists and turns in the last seven years. But one constant thing had always remained. Sakura and Tori were both keeping the big secret from each other. Sakura never knew about Tori's powers or that Tori knew about her. And Sakura had yet to tell Tori about her own powers. So now the one constant was about to change. Maybe it was for the best.
For the first time in a while, Yue smiled. "Things will get a lot more interesting, I'm sure."
Author's Note: We've recalled everything and while this would be a nice way to end it, I don't feel good about ending it here. So let's come back next time with an epilogue. See you all then!
Any comments? Then mail me at AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com and don't forget to review below.
