1 Chapter 13
Syaoran watched in terror as the Shot Card's bullets hit the Shield Card over and over again. He could sense that the Shield Card was weakening. It would not hold much longer. "Sakura!" he called. "Call back the Shield Card!"
"What?!" she screamed. She looked as terrified as Syaoran felt.
"Just do it!" he yelled. "Trust me!"
"All right," she replied nervously. The Shield Card returned to its card form.
Syaoran immediately started running. The bullets coming from the blur that was the Shot Card flew at him, whizzing far too close to his head and shoulders. He did not look back, never hesitated, and just ran, dodging the bullets. They were coming close, too close! They needed to stop the Shot Card. But how? They had defeated it with the Mirror Card before. Surely it would not fall for the same thing again.
Suddenly pain shot through Syaoran's left arm. He glanced down. His robe was torn just below his shoulder. He could see blood staining the green material. He grimaced but never slowed down. He desperately tried to think of a solution, but between the fresh, throbbing pain and his growing fatigue from running at top speed for so long around the park, nothing came to mind. Fear gnawed at his stomach, not just for himself, but for Sakura. Would she be able to hold her own against the dragon if something happened to him? He did not doubt her strength, but the dragon had proved to be an incredible foe.
No! He had let himself become distracted!
Syaoran gritted his teeth as pain burned in his right leg, just above his knee. It was so bad that he completely forgot about the pain in his left arm. He could feel the blood dripping down his leg. He tried to keep running but could not. He fell to the ground, pain on his face.
"Syaoran!" Sakura screamed, running towards him.
"No! Stay away! I don't want you to get hurt too!" Syaoran brandished his sword. She stopped, took a couple of steps backwards, clutching her staff close. Tears were running down her face. "Syaoran, no..."
Syaoran used his sword to block the Shot Card's bullets as he half sat, half lay on the ground. He was managing, but the pain was blinding. He was unsure of how much longer he could keep it up.
Syaoran caught a glimpse of the dragon. It looked smug, sure that it would win now. Syaoran wanted to kick the cocky expression off the creature's face. But he could not let himself be distracted. Not even by the tears of the girl he loved as she stood about ten feet away, terrified that she would lose Syaoran. He had to stay focused, or a bullet would get past his sword and that would be the end. But he could not keep this up forever, focused or not. No other options came to mind. This could be the end! Not like this! He had never told Sakura...
Just when he had finally reached the end of his rope and felt himself slipping, he heard Sakura stop crying. He saw a bright light and heard Sakura's voice ring out loud and clear and strong.
"Firey Card! Create a fire around Syaoran hot enough to melt the bullets! Firey! Release and dispel!"
Syaoran saw bright orange flames follow the Firey spirit as it soared towards him. It flew in a circle, protecting Syaoran with a blazing wall of fire. The Shot Card flew above Syaoran, but Firey followed, blocking every shot. Syaoran slumped down, feeling the scorching heat all around but not caring. He was live! But now what would he do?
He could still hear Sakura's voice, though he could not see her through the flames. "Freeze Card, create an icy cage for the dragon! Release and dispel!"
Syaoran heard the dragon cry out in horror and frustration. Suddenly, the fire disappeared. There was Sakura. She took the Firey Card from the air and put it away. She ran to Syaoran, dropping to her knees beside him. "Syaoran, are you okay?."
"Yeah, I'm okay." He smiled, ignoring his pain. "Thanks to you. Those were some great moves, Sakura. I suppose the dragon called back the Shot Card." Sakura nodded. "Did you get your cards back?" She nodded again. He looked down, his smile now faded. "I wish I could have helped more."
Sakura shook her head violently. "I never could have done it without you! Just knowing you were there, and seeing you do all you could to protect me... It made me strong." She smiled. "I remember thinking to myself, What would Syaoran do?"
Syaoran smiled again, then thought of something. "But I don't understand. How does a cage made of ice hold in a dragon? Couldn't it just melt it?"
Sakura shook her head again. Syaoran could not help but think how beautiful she looked with her hair gently brushing her face. He noticed that the soft moonlight that shone on her made her look like an angel.
"Look," she said, jerking Syaoran back into reality as she began to answer his question. She pointed at the dragon. It was cramped into a small cage made of ice. Its wings were pressed flat against its back for lack of space. It could hardly move at all. It was struggling in vain, smoke wisping from its nostrils. Its golden eyes glared, angry and defeated. Its teeth were bared. Syaoran noticed that the dragon wore the standard expression of an angry caged animal. "The cage is small around the dragon," Sakura continued, echoing Syaoran's own observations. "It can't move. It can't get at an angle to effectively melt the cage. And even if it could..." She smiled. "I did some research the other day. Dragons are used to living in a hot environment. They retain their power most of the time... unless they're very close to ice. I noticed before that the dragon always kept its distance from the snow. I thought it might be some kind of weakness, so I checked. And sure enough, being close to ice drains a dragon's power without hurting it."
Syaoran smiled, shaking his head, disbelieving. "I don't give you nearly enough credit, Sakura. You're a genius."
"I'm not a genius," she said, blushing. "I'm just glad you're okay," she added softly.
"And I'm glad you're okay," he replied quietly. He pulled her close in a gentle embrace. He should tell her... Now would be the perfect moment...
Suddenly the sweet, calm moment was shattered by a strong, commanding voice. "Well done. Very well done. I am impressed, Card Mistress. Your power is great. But you, Syaoran... I am disappointed. Not by your performance. You did all you could. I am disappointed by your display of weakness. A Li should always be strong. He should never be soft, showing his emotions to the entire world. You have never failed in this before, and I am shocked that you fail now. And he should, above all, always remember his duties and keep his promises. Or have you already forgotten the phone call?"
Syaoran was shaking. He felt fear, deep inside him. He had changed, he knew it. And it would not sit well with her. He had known that, but it had not mattered before. As these thoughts spun crazily through his mind, Sakura just looked confused. "Who is she?"
Syaoran slowly, slowly managed to turn around. He looked up at the tall, harsh-looking woman who stood there in formal Chinese clothes with the symbol of the Li Clan on them. Her black hair was long, falling past her waist, and was partially held back by a clip. Her brown eyes were cold, glaring. Her hands were on her hips.
Syaoran's voice trembled. "Mother."
Author's Notes: I bet you didn't see that coming! Heh heh heh... Evil am I. Well, next chapter is the end. Will it be a happy ending? You'll just have to wait and see! I'm sorry if I didn't properly describe Syaoran's mothers. I'm actually not entirely sure what she looks like. I've only seen a couple of pictures of her. So bear with me. And I'm sorry that it took so long for this chapter. I have less time to write now that school is back in session. But here you have it, chapter 13! Chapter 14, the final chapter, hopefully coming soon! Keep up the reviews, and thanks to all of you for reading my fic! Ja ne!
Syaoran watched in terror as the Shot Card's bullets hit the Shield Card over and over again. He could sense that the Shield Card was weakening. It would not hold much longer. "Sakura!" he called. "Call back the Shield Card!"
"What?!" she screamed. She looked as terrified as Syaoran felt.
"Just do it!" he yelled. "Trust me!"
"All right," she replied nervously. The Shield Card returned to its card form.
Syaoran immediately started running. The bullets coming from the blur that was the Shot Card flew at him, whizzing far too close to his head and shoulders. He did not look back, never hesitated, and just ran, dodging the bullets. They were coming close, too close! They needed to stop the Shot Card. But how? They had defeated it with the Mirror Card before. Surely it would not fall for the same thing again.
Suddenly pain shot through Syaoran's left arm. He glanced down. His robe was torn just below his shoulder. He could see blood staining the green material. He grimaced but never slowed down. He desperately tried to think of a solution, but between the fresh, throbbing pain and his growing fatigue from running at top speed for so long around the park, nothing came to mind. Fear gnawed at his stomach, not just for himself, but for Sakura. Would she be able to hold her own against the dragon if something happened to him? He did not doubt her strength, but the dragon had proved to be an incredible foe.
No! He had let himself become distracted!
Syaoran gritted his teeth as pain burned in his right leg, just above his knee. It was so bad that he completely forgot about the pain in his left arm. He could feel the blood dripping down his leg. He tried to keep running but could not. He fell to the ground, pain on his face.
"Syaoran!" Sakura screamed, running towards him.
"No! Stay away! I don't want you to get hurt too!" Syaoran brandished his sword. She stopped, took a couple of steps backwards, clutching her staff close. Tears were running down her face. "Syaoran, no..."
Syaoran used his sword to block the Shot Card's bullets as he half sat, half lay on the ground. He was managing, but the pain was blinding. He was unsure of how much longer he could keep it up.
Syaoran caught a glimpse of the dragon. It looked smug, sure that it would win now. Syaoran wanted to kick the cocky expression off the creature's face. But he could not let himself be distracted. Not even by the tears of the girl he loved as she stood about ten feet away, terrified that she would lose Syaoran. He had to stay focused, or a bullet would get past his sword and that would be the end. But he could not keep this up forever, focused or not. No other options came to mind. This could be the end! Not like this! He had never told Sakura...
Just when he had finally reached the end of his rope and felt himself slipping, he heard Sakura stop crying. He saw a bright light and heard Sakura's voice ring out loud and clear and strong.
"Firey Card! Create a fire around Syaoran hot enough to melt the bullets! Firey! Release and dispel!"
Syaoran saw bright orange flames follow the Firey spirit as it soared towards him. It flew in a circle, protecting Syaoran with a blazing wall of fire. The Shot Card flew above Syaoran, but Firey followed, blocking every shot. Syaoran slumped down, feeling the scorching heat all around but not caring. He was live! But now what would he do?
He could still hear Sakura's voice, though he could not see her through the flames. "Freeze Card, create an icy cage for the dragon! Release and dispel!"
Syaoran heard the dragon cry out in horror and frustration. Suddenly, the fire disappeared. There was Sakura. She took the Firey Card from the air and put it away. She ran to Syaoran, dropping to her knees beside him. "Syaoran, are you okay?."
"Yeah, I'm okay." He smiled, ignoring his pain. "Thanks to you. Those were some great moves, Sakura. I suppose the dragon called back the Shot Card." Sakura nodded. "Did you get your cards back?" She nodded again. He looked down, his smile now faded. "I wish I could have helped more."
Sakura shook her head violently. "I never could have done it without you! Just knowing you were there, and seeing you do all you could to protect me... It made me strong." She smiled. "I remember thinking to myself, What would Syaoran do?"
Syaoran smiled again, then thought of something. "But I don't understand. How does a cage made of ice hold in a dragon? Couldn't it just melt it?"
Sakura shook her head again. Syaoran could not help but think how beautiful she looked with her hair gently brushing her face. He noticed that the soft moonlight that shone on her made her look like an angel.
"Look," she said, jerking Syaoran back into reality as she began to answer his question. She pointed at the dragon. It was cramped into a small cage made of ice. Its wings were pressed flat against its back for lack of space. It could hardly move at all. It was struggling in vain, smoke wisping from its nostrils. Its golden eyes glared, angry and defeated. Its teeth were bared. Syaoran noticed that the dragon wore the standard expression of an angry caged animal. "The cage is small around the dragon," Sakura continued, echoing Syaoran's own observations. "It can't move. It can't get at an angle to effectively melt the cage. And even if it could..." She smiled. "I did some research the other day. Dragons are used to living in a hot environment. They retain their power most of the time... unless they're very close to ice. I noticed before that the dragon always kept its distance from the snow. I thought it might be some kind of weakness, so I checked. And sure enough, being close to ice drains a dragon's power without hurting it."
Syaoran smiled, shaking his head, disbelieving. "I don't give you nearly enough credit, Sakura. You're a genius."
"I'm not a genius," she said, blushing. "I'm just glad you're okay," she added softly.
"And I'm glad you're okay," he replied quietly. He pulled her close in a gentle embrace. He should tell her... Now would be the perfect moment...
Suddenly the sweet, calm moment was shattered by a strong, commanding voice. "Well done. Very well done. I am impressed, Card Mistress. Your power is great. But you, Syaoran... I am disappointed. Not by your performance. You did all you could. I am disappointed by your display of weakness. A Li should always be strong. He should never be soft, showing his emotions to the entire world. You have never failed in this before, and I am shocked that you fail now. And he should, above all, always remember his duties and keep his promises. Or have you already forgotten the phone call?"
Syaoran was shaking. He felt fear, deep inside him. He had changed, he knew it. And it would not sit well with her. He had known that, but it had not mattered before. As these thoughts spun crazily through his mind, Sakura just looked confused. "Who is she?"
Syaoran slowly, slowly managed to turn around. He looked up at the tall, harsh-looking woman who stood there in formal Chinese clothes with the symbol of the Li Clan on them. Her black hair was long, falling past her waist, and was partially held back by a clip. Her brown eyes were cold, glaring. Her hands were on her hips.
Syaoran's voice trembled. "Mother."
Author's Notes: I bet you didn't see that coming! Heh heh heh... Evil am I. Well, next chapter is the end. Will it be a happy ending? You'll just have to wait and see! I'm sorry if I didn't properly describe Syaoran's mothers. I'm actually not entirely sure what she looks like. I've only seen a couple of pictures of her. So bear with me. And I'm sorry that it took so long for this chapter. I have less time to write now that school is back in session. But here you have it, chapter 13! Chapter 14, the final chapter, hopefully coming soon! Keep up the reviews, and thanks to all of you for reading my fic! Ja ne!
