I wait, turning more and more red. Any moment now, she's going to kiss me…I feel myself turning red…
My eyes snap open. Dark! She's exposing herself! Sakura almost immediately begins just radiating fear, and I sit up. I need to create a light for myself, but not anytime soon. Seems like Dark still hasn't recovered from her bout with me.
"Be careful! It's the work of a Clow Card! It's Da-," suddenly some Moon power just slams into both Dark and myself. Completely unawares, I feel myself fading away. Damn!
~*~
Syaoran sat down, one hand on his sword, which was now shining. Suddenly, he picked it up and pointed it to something in the darkness. After a short while, a figure with long red hair appeared. Syaoran's eyes opened wider in surprise, but his sword remained where it was.
"Li-kun. There really is no need to be so alert."
"It's…you. You've been blocking my magic, haven't you?"
"I cannot deny it."
"Doushite no?"
"Li-kun, tell me, what have you been doing?"
"I have been weakening the cards for the other cardcaptor."
"No…tell me, truly, what this means." Syaoran started at her, then turned his head away.
"Something along the lines of fooling her into a false sense of security?" He didn't miss Kaho's nod.
"Did you know that Clow made three mistakes?" Syaoran turned around, startled.
"But the books tell of just two!"
"Because the third mistake lies in you."
"Me?"
"Clow did not expect you to push yourself this hard. He did not expect you to destroy any previous precedents of standard power in a child. In short," here she looked almost half-pained, half-sorry, "he did not expect you to be the worthy candidate for the Card Master." Syaoran's brow furrowed in understanding.
"You are basically telling me that I should…give up the cards." Kaho slowly nodded, fixing her gaze on the young boy.
"You've studied Clow's life, have you not?"
"Of course."
"Then you know how he died? The real reason?"
"Yes." This time it was Kaho who showed surprise.
"You were willing to take an early death to please the Elders?" Syaoran looked away once more.
"It was to be my duty." Kaho started to say something when the darkness shimmered and dissipated.
"You all came back! Yokata!" Syaoran jumped when Sakura glomped him.
"Oi! Everything's okay!" He flushed, and then caught the teacher's eye in the back stage.
'You know what to do,' she mouthed. Syaoran stopped moving.
He did know…but was he going to be able to do it?
~*~
AN: Well, after this is going to be the Final Judgment, then Nadeshiko's Cut, cause my idea of her magic requires Eriol. Sorry Anime Queen, but it should be up pretty soon. I also just realized that the beginning part was written in the present tense. Weird.
And these chapters are getting shorter…well, then I just have to write more, ne?
To my reviewers: lots of love to you all, and I'll be formally thanking you the last chapter.
To everyone else: hey, you can review too!
Until next time,
wicherwill ^_^
