"WHAT?" Kero cried out. Sakura had come home to tell him all about what she had learned, plus her decision to try using her cards in the show.

"The Clow Cards were never meant for that. What if someone finds out about them?" Kero asked her.

"Well, they're not Clow cards anymore, they're Sakura cards, and besides, you told me all about how Clow used to do magic to entertain people."

"But times have changed Sakura, magic isn't seen the same now as it was in his time. I'm all for you learning new stuff, but you cant let people see you using the cards. They would be afraid of you. They wouldn't understand."

Sakura thought hard about that. She wouldn't like that at all, suddenly having people fear her. She had always kept the cards a secret, and had thought it was because she was just embarrassed, but she realized just then that she was just afraid of what people would say.

"Tomoyo found out about the cards," Sakura suddenly remember, "and she wasn't afraid of me. She understood." Sakura was getting a little angry about having to argue about this.

"But, Sakura," Kero said calmly, "Tomoyo was a dear friend of yours long before she saw you riding on your staff. What was she gonna do? She adores you."

Sakura was beginning to see Kero's point. People who know her may eventually find out about the cards and Sakura's magic, but people who don't know her may become fearful, distrustful, Jealous. She suddenly remembered reading about witch-hunts, and how they used to be burned at the stake.

"I," she stuttered, "I'm sorry. I just wish I didn't have to keep them secret. I wish there something more I could do with them. Like Clow-san used to do." Kero flew up to Sakura and stared into her eyes.

"I know it's hard, but you have to know that Clow chose you for a reason. There is some higher purpose that he sensed. You don't have to do anything special to earn the right to be the mistress of the cards."

"I," Sakura started, "I at least want to do one trick. I could use flower, or bubble. Something no one would be able to tell the difference with." Sakura looked at Kero with hope.

"Well," he said, having to admit to himself that it wasn't that bad an idea. "Maybe. But be very careful Sakura."

"I will. I don't want people afraid of me." But all this talk of not having to be special didn't make Sakura feel better. She still didn't feel like she was good enough to hold the cards, even though she loved them, and she knew they loved her. She still felt like she had to prove herself.

At lunchtime the next day at school, everyone had gathered around Sakura to hear about the magic show, and wanted to know about all the secrets. Sakura just told them she was sworn to secrecy, that Joushin had said that if she broke his confidence, he wasn't sure what curse he would have to put on her. That was all a lie, but a showy lie, one that made all the magic seem that much more mysterious. Eventually, the crowd thinned out, leaving Tomoyo, Shaoran and Sakura alone for the first time all day.

"Sakura, I need you to come over sometime before the last show," Tomoyo said, "I need to take some measurements since you've grown taller."

Sakura nodded, but she kept noticing that Shaoran was quiet. Too quiet.

"Shaoran-kun," Sakura said, "are you feeling OK?"

"Yes," he said, "why?"

"Your so quiet lately. Is it about the magic show?"

"Um," he stammered, trying to think of the right words. "I. Was actually thinking. How cool it will be to see you. On the stage." Shaoran was surprised at himself, really, that he had slowly come around to the idea of Sakura in the magic show. "I'm really looking forward to it."

Sakura blushed. Her feelings about Shaoran weren't as confusing as they had been. She knew that she loved him; only she didn't know exactly how to show it sometimes. She stared at him for a second or two, and then quickly at the ground as her stomach churned with her feelings.

"I'll do my best for you." She said and smiled at him. Tomoyo just sighed. Her best friend, and love of her life (so far) had a boyfriend, but she was glad when Sakura was happy. And it was obvious to all that the magic show was making Sakura very happy.

In fact, school was just a breeze for Sakura, everyday going by quickly. She just couldn't believe it sometimes, as she roller bladed to the theatre everyday to practice. Her life was interesting again. Even Touya's teasing couldn't put her in a bad mood anymore, try as he might. But nothing made her happier than the day she walked up to the stage just in time to see Joushin and Elainu, along with the other assistants, practicing the Water Escape.

In fact, it was Elainu who was practicing, under the watchful eye of Joushin. As the assistant made some adjustments to the stocks that would hold Elainu's feet in place while she was upside down in the tank, Joushin was giving out some instruction on the finer points of doing the escape.

"Remember," He told his niece, "When you take a that last deep breath, to stop and suck in as much air as you can, like you're blowing up a balloon in reverse. You never know when it might take a little longer to get the cuffs free." He inspected the stocks himself, making sure that every detail was checked and rechecked. "Also, remember, only unlock ONE hand. No need to waste time on both."

"What about the weight, Uncle," Elainu asked.

"Oh," he said, "that's right." He went to the other end of the stage and pulled out an anchor that had a rope attached to it. "I used this at last night's performance. I told the audience that it made the escape more difficult; when in reality it doesn't do a thing. The rope goes around and under your arms as you're upside down, and with your arms at your sides and your hands behind your back, the rope stays in place. But as soon as you're free of the cuffs, you hold your arms down towards the bottom of the tank, and the rope slips easily off. It added the performance so well, I thought."

Joushin slipped the rope, which was tied in a loop, around Elainu, and then placed the cuffs on her hands, locking them behind her back. The then motioned to the assistants, who pulled on a rope and pulley, gently lifting the stocks and Elainu up in the air. Soon, she was upside down, and they all worked her into position over the tank, lowering her until her head was just above the water.

Sakura stayed quiet. She was very nervous again, worried about what might happen to poor Elainu. Sakura had only seen the trick done the one time, and as fascinating as it was. She had come to really like Joushin's niece, and if anything went wrong, she didn't know what she would do. But at the same time, she couldn't help but think that Joushin would never let his niece do something unless he thought it was safe.

"Remember, also," Joushin continued, "As your going into the tank, to make a big show out of it. Make it look like your already struggling."

"You still want me to undo the cuffs on the way in, too?" She asked him.

"Yes, but try to keep it like your not doing anything at all," Joushin said. "As soon as the curtain goes around the tank, you can pull your hands around and let the weight drop."

"OK," Elainu said, without even a trace of fear in her voice or on her face. Sakura was amazed. How could she be so calm? "OK," Joushin said, "get ready." Elainu took one deep breath. Two deep breaths. And on the third she took a big breath, stopped, and then sucked a little more air in, then nodded. They lowered her in, and almost immediately she began struggling, so much so that Sakura gasped. Even though she had just heard Joushin tell his niece to 'act' like she was struggling, Sakura couldn't help but be worried.

But Sakura's fears soon turned to admiration. Once they had locked the stocks in place and Elainu was sealed in, Sakura noticed that they didn't put a curtain around the tank. Of course, she thought, it's only a practice. But then, within just seconds, Elainu had gotten her hands free, she pointed both hands toward the bottom of the tank, and the rope and the anchor fell to the bottom. Then She reached out and grabbed bars that were in each corner of the tank. Sakura hadn't notice they were even there. But Elainu used them to work her body up to where she could reach her feet, and she reached up to the stocks and did something to them. Then suddenly, Elainu's feet came loose, and she turned right side up in the tank.

Sakura couldn't believe what she had seen. As Elainu pushed the middle part of the stocks up and climbed out without having to undo the locks, Sakura realized that she had only been underwater about 30 seconds.

"Elainu," Joushin said as she climbed out of the tank.

"Yes, Uncle?"

"You forgot something. It's best to relock the cuff after you take it off, so that it can't get caught on anything. But other than that, you did well." Elainu was beaming with pride as she noticed Sakura standing near the front row seats.

"Hi, there. Did you see the whole thing?" Joushin turned and smiled as he saw his cute little guest assistant.

"Yes!" Sakura said. "I thought it took longer to get out than that."

"Oh, no," Joushin said, "There has to be enough time to go and get into the sledge hammer rescue costume. Except of course, when Elainu does the escape, we have her go and hide in the audience. She will be doing the escape at tomorrow's matinee, so she needs to work out the kinks in her performance."

"Aw come on uncle," Elainu said as she jumped down from the tank and took a towel from a waiting assistant, "It's not that hard. Anyone could do this with a little practice."

"Not everyone," her uncle said, "people with heart problems and weak muscles shouldn't ever try it. But I suppose anyone who wants to could learn it. By the way, Sakura-san, I'm sorry I haven't been here any this week to help you get ready for the show, but Elainu tells me you are coming along nicely."

"Oh, no, Jousin-kun," Sakura replied, "no need to apologize. I've learned so much, I cant thank you enough."

"Why your very welcome," Joushin told her. "Now, after we clean up, we can run through some of the magic. I'd like you to be onstage through the whole show, since you are doing well. It's always a big kick for the audience when they see one of their own in the show."

But, after the rehearsal, Sakura stopped and talked to Elainu.

"I want to learn how to do the escape," Sakura told her. "I'm not sure that I want to do it, but I at least want to learn."

"Well," Elainu said, "The first thing you'd have to do is learn to unlock the cuffs while your hands are behind you. I'll tell you what." Elainu disappeared for a minute and came back with a pair of cuffs that were just like the ones she had used for the escape. "If you promise to bring them back tomorrow, you can take these home and practice. Here's the key. Don't lose it."

Sakura nodded. She couldn't wait to get home. But first she needed to stop at Tomoyo's house.