"Come on, Meiling-chan!" cried Sakura. She lifted her star staff and cried, "Thunder!"

"Damn it!" cried Meiling. She lifted her Ofuda, in which (from what Yelan has said) is Meiling's best weapon. "Counter attack, Thunder!"

But after so many attempts, Meiling's Thunder was shrunken back and nearly hit her whereas Sakura's Thunder nearly caused her to lose control.

"Ah… this is so hard." Sakura wiped her forehead. "Anyway, you seem to be doing better Meiling-chan. Your Thunder managed to hold me off for a few seconds unlike last time."

"Yeah… but I'm still too weak," said Meiling. "At least you're able to control it a little more. You almost singed me last time."

Sakura laughed. "I now understand why I always lose control."

"Eh?"

"Your Ofuda. The Li-clan has tons of those and most of Li members use it against attacks. If I can't fight off a simple Ofuda, how do you expect me to fight off those really tough ones?"

"Syaoran's mother uses a fan… but she's still very powerful," murmured Meiling. "Enough with this yakking. Let's try it again." Meiling lifted her Ofuda in front of her. "This time, I'll be more prepared."

Sakura lifted her staff, "Come forth, Thunder!"

"Counter attack, Thunder!"

The whole room was filled with light from the Thunder. This time both girls were powerful enough to hold on for a few minutes until finally Meiling's Thunder again had shrunken back and Sakura lost control.

Both girls slumped to the floor gasping.

And then Sakura's eyes caught someone. "Ma'am?"

Meiling looked and saw Yelan. (I don't know how Sakura was meant to call Syaoran's mother now that she's engaged but for now, Sakura's calling her 'Ma'am') And to Meiling's surprise, a man stood next to her.

"The both of you are getting stronger, but you still need help," said Yelan.

Both girls walked up to Yelan. The man's face now more visible to Meiling. And for some reason, slightly menacing.

"This is Kinomoto Sakura, my soon to be daughter-in-law," Yelan introduced. "And this is Li Meiling."

Sakura stammered. "Err… it's nice to meet you…?"

The man narrowed his eyes. "Tao Ren."

Meiling felt the whole world swirling around her. Oh god… he's here! What day is it today? Damn it, how could I forget! He's supposed to come today and I completely forgot! "Oh…" was all Meiling could say.

"I'm going to get Syaoran. Looks like I have to beg Guma to let him off," said Yelan.

"Why?" asked Meiling. Why are you calling Syaoran?

"Well, the four of you going to the city of course. We must show him around this place," said Yelan and she was off.

The three of them stood quietly for a moment. Then Meiling saw something behind Tao Ren.

"Is that your spirit?" asked Meiling.

"Eh?" went Ren. "You can see him? I thought you had no magical powers."

"Somehow, Meiling's magic just popped out of nowhere. That's why she's training," explained Sakura.

"This is Bason," introduced Ren.

"It is nice meeting you ladies," said Bason.

Sakura and Meiling bowed politely.

Meiling couldn't help herself to another question. "Are you powerful?"

"Eh?" went Sakura.

Ren gave a cold long stare at Meiling. Then gave an evil grin. "Hmph, I don't think you truly know who I am."

"Well of course not. We just met," Meiling retorted.

Ren leaned closer towards Meiling. "Have you ever heard of the Shaman fight in Tokyo?"

Meiling shook her head. He's pretty intimidating…

"Of course not. Back then only Shamans knew about it." He then stood straight. "But I'm sure you know the basics of Shamans, right?"

Sakura gave a questioned look. But Meiling nodded. "Shamans are people who interact to the world of the dead. You gain power according to your spirits powers."

"Well, at least you know that."

"What's that supposed to mean?" cried Meiling.

"There's a lot more to Shamans than just acquiring powers from other spirits. It also depends on the amount of magic contained in yourself."

Meiling's eyes widened. That means…

"I'm sorry I'm late," said Syaoran walking up to them. "Mother had to bribe Guma-sensei to let me off. You must be Tao Ren." Syaoran held out his hand.

Ren took it lazily. "Li Syaoran, the next leader of the Li-clan, am I right?"

Syaoran nodded. "Shall we go?"

OoO

Sakura looked in front of her where Syaoran and Ren were walking in front of them. She then looked at Meiling next to her.

What is running through your mind, Meiling? thought Sakura.

Meiling looked in front of her, staring at the back of Ren. Here he is… the man I was meant to marry. With him all chances of getting Syaoran back is gone.

But to get Syaoran for myself would break Sakura's heart. And Tsukishiro already broke her heart although in the end Sakura found out she never did truly love him.

"Meiling-chan…" Sakura whispered.

"Eh?"

"It'll be alright, don't worry." Sakura held Meiling's hand. "Give him a chance. He doesn't look too bad."

"That smart-talking jerk? Hmph, just looking at him and I feel like I'm doomed."

"No, you're not," laughed Sakura. "I really think he's a nice guy. In fact, he reminds me of someone I know."

"Who?" went Meiling.

Sakura merely smiled. Then she looked forward, "That reminds me… remember that man we saw while we were at the café?"

"Yeah… he had a spirit, too."

"Do you think he could be another Shaman?"

Meiling kept quiet. Maybe there's another reason why Tao Ren is here instead of meeting his future fiancée.

"Li Meiling is your cousin, right?" asked Ren to Syaoran.

"Yeah…"

"From what I heard, you two were once engaged."

Syaoran shrugged. "Meiling fell in love with me when we were three. We were very young, anything could happen…"

"And it did." Ren glanced behind and looked at Sakura, happily chatting away, for a second. Then he looked forward. "Quite a famous magician, she is. Clow Reed is a popular man in China."

"Of course, he is part Chinese." Syaoran also glanced back to look at Sakura. "But that's not why I love her."

Ren raised his eyebrows. "Getting sappy, are you?"

Syaoran shook his head. "It's always been a problem of mine." He then looked at the two girls behind. "What say we get some ice-cream?"

"Sure!" the girls replied.

They then entered an ice-cream parlour. Sakura, Meiling and Ren sat down as Syaoran went to the counter to order.

"Can I ask you something?" asked Meiling to Ren.

"What?"

"You and Bason… how did you get him?"

"Bason? He was a gift to me from my father. In the Tao family we're given our main spirit from young."

"Wow… I kinda like Bason."

Ren jolted. "What?"

"I don't know… he looks cool."

Bason then appeared starry eyed. "Buchama's fiancée likes me?"

Meiling smiled at Bason. "You seem very powerful."

Bason gasped in happiness. Ren's shark fin hair stood high. He grabbed Bason and hissed, "Watch how you act!"

Meiling and Sakura giggled. "I see what you mean, Sakura," whispered Meiling. "That's okay. Maybe I'll see how powerful the both of you are someday."

"You might be seeing it sooner than you think," Ren murmured. "And besides I keep telling you the real power comes from the Shaman, not the spirit."

"So you're telling me that you're the powerful one, is it?"

"A-re… Meiling-chan!" Sakura sweat-dropped. She's provoking him…

"Of course I'm the powerful one. More powerful than you!"

"Is that so!" Meiling stood up in anger. "You have some nerve to pick on someone weaker than you!"

"Only because the weak likes to act strong!"

Meiling and Ren looked at each other. Their stare sent out electrifying sparks of anger.

Sakura's sweat-drop grew. Hoe… it's definitely not love sparks.

Syaoran then brought the ice cream. He then saw the way Meiling and Ren were looking at each other. "Did something happen?"

Sakura ushered him to sit down. "You don't want to know…"