As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!
6- Sakura and the Science Lesson
Syaoran slammed the front door behind him and stopped on the Kinomoto's front porch to catch his breath. The outburst had taken a lot out of him, and he had to pause in order to collect his thoughts about the situation.
He hadn't meant to yell- especially not at Sakura. But with everyone putting so much pressure on him, what was he supposed to say? It felt all of a sudden as though he were back at home, at the Li estate where all eyes were on him. With his sisters' lack of magical power, he was the one left to inherit the name and legacy of the famous Li family, and it was no small burden. Considering the struggle his mother had gone through to be named heir, she had only the highest expectations for the son who would follow in her footsteps. And that left Syaoran in a tough position. He genuinely wanted to become head of the family, genuinely loved studying magic and martial arts, genuinely felt connected with his heritage, and yet… There came a time in his life when he realized that he wouldn't have had a choice in the matter if he'd felt differently. And that put all the pressure and high expectations in a different light.
Coming back to Tomoeda in middle school had been a dream come true. Not only could he be by Sakura's side, but he could also live his life the way he chose. The pressure of living under the Li family's microscope was gone, and he could truly enjoy himself. He bought a video game system the likes of which his mother never would have approved, he joined the drama club rather than picking what his family might consider a more 'productive' pastime, he went on dates with Sakura, hung out with friends from school, played intramural sports at the park- hell, he even learned how to knit! ...not that he'd tell anyone about it, but still. He could be himself. And no, he wasn't ignoring his duties as heir to the family name, nor was he ignoring his study of Clow Reed's magic and the Li family's martial arts. But they could be a part of his life instead of consuming all of it.
Now that these Warp Cards had appeared, suddenly that had changed. All his free time was spent in front of a computer screen, probably straining his eyes in an attempt to scour the entirety of Clow Reed's writings. It was consuming him all over again, and he hadn't realized just how much it was weighing on him until his date with Sakura yesterday let him take a break.
He sighed, leaning against the wall and taking a deep breath. The heat was stifling, and it made his lungs feel fuzzy as he tried to fill them. He wanted to go back inside and breathe cool, air-conditioned air, but he knew that going back inside would mean having to face everyone, and he wasn't ready for that.
Suddenly, as though granting his wish, he felt a cool breeze pass by. It was refreshing, and he raised his head against the wind to better enjoy it- only to be met with the sight of a tall, luminous figure.
"WHOA!"
Syaoran stumbled backwards in surprise, pressing himself against the door. His shock lasted only momentarily, however, until he recognized the figure. At the same time, a familiar voice spoke up from around the corner of the house.
"I'm sorry! We didn't mean to startle you. I just… thought you might be hot out here."
Sakura stepped out from around the corner, and Windy moved around to float behind her, bowing its head apologetically.
"D-don't worry, its fine!" Syaoran replied. "Actually, that helped a lot. Thanks, Windy. But…" He took a step away from the door, looking back at it. "...where'd you come from?"
"I went out onto the back patio and walked around," Sakura explained. "I was so worried that you'd gone home, it was a relief to see you still here. Yue said you have a tendency to run from your feelings, so…"
"I do not run from my feelings!"
Sakura put her hands up. "I was just repeating what he said!"
Her defense made Syaoran blush, and he turned his head away. "S-sorry. All this has been kinda overwhelming."
"Hey, I hear you." Sakura stepped closer so that she could stand beside him, and Windy began to circle them to offer a cool breeze. "I'm really sorry for putting so much pressure on you. I didn't realize the position I was putting you in. Here I was, asking my friends to help me because I didn't know what to do, and yet I asked you to make the decision all by yourself."
"It wasn't just you. Having everyone else yelling at me didn't help."
"Yeah, makes sense. But even so, I'm sorry."
The two were quiet for a moment, staying still to enjoy the refreshing feeling of Windy's breeze on their faces. Syaoran finally spoke up, his voice low.
"Honestly, Sakura… hearing you say that you trusted me like that… in hindsight, I can't say how much that means to me. Growing up in a family like mine, you learn very quickly that it's hard to know who to trust. The greater your magical power, the more enemies you'll make even without trying. Even someone like you, whose kind and loving nature would soften almost anyone's heart, can become a target simply because of the power you wield. That's why everyone is so wary of Stephanos despite how genuine he appears."
Sakura shifted her weight uneasily. "I know what everyone says about him, but I still trust him. He has strong opinions, but they come from a place of heartache and grief. If no one is there for him, it will only make things worse. I want to be there for him if no one else is. If he's really on our side, he deserves it. And if not... maybe it'll change his mind, y'know?"
"Not really, but I'll leave that up to you." Syaoran let out a slight laugh. "Really, people like you are so rare in the magical community. Not just that you're so good-natured, but that you're optimistic too. It's probably what makes your invincible spell so invincible- it's the only one of its kind. I spent the first ten years of my life learning all there was to know about magic and martial arts, and yet… I've learned so much more in the time I've spent with you. I'm kinder, more understanding, more true to myself, and I'm so much happier for it. But despite that, I can't make a decision like this so easily. It involves your safety and the safety of the cards, and that's not something I can take lightly."
The wind around them intensified, and Syaoran felt a nudge against his cheek. Windy had flown around behind him and moved in for an affectionate nuzzle. Its body wasn't solid, feeling more like a spray of compressed air against his skin than anything else, but the sentiment was clear. Sakura giggled at the sight of it.
"I think she's saying thank you for always caring so much about us."
Syaoran reached a hand over to place on Windy's other cheek. The card smiled and then flew back overhead to continue circling them with cool air. Syaoran turned back to Sakura, shrugging his shoulders in response to her statement.
"Well, I was raised to believe that I would be the one to inherit Clow's magic. I cared about the cards from the get-go. But you…"
He turned to face her, his face turning red as he prepared himself for what he was going to say. She stepped closer, looking up to him with that soft, expectant smile that he'd grown to love so dearly. Without even thinking about it, he reached down and grabbed her hands.
"It's so rare in this business to have someone you can trust wholeheartedly with no reservations. For me to be that for you… to be that for someone I… I… love… more than anything…" He tightened his grip on her hands. His throat had gone dry, and his face was red from more than just the heat, but after what Yue had said, he just couldn't 'run from his feelings' any longer. "...it makes me so happy. You make me so happy, Sakura. You've helped me through so much, I want to help you as much as I can. I want to be there for you no matter what. That's why I have to think so hard about what to do. I want to make the decision I know will be best for you. So, please, just be patient with me a little longer."
"Syaoran…" Sakura's eyes gleamed with the slightest hint of tears. She pressed herself closer to him, holding his hands close to her chest. "You know I'll wait for you as long as it takes. And you shouldn't feel like you have to deal with this alone either! We can make the decision together. As long as we have each other, we'll never be alone."
It was like a scene from a movie, the way the wind was blowing their hair as they gazed into each other's eyes. Syaoran was sure his face was positively glowing red by this point, but he couldn't pull himself away. Their faces were so close already, he leaned in only slightly and the tips of their noses brushed against one another. Feeling he'd initiated something he should've asked about first, Syaoran didn't move any closer, but Sakura was one step ahead of him. She angled her face slightly to better lean in and-
The front door of the Kinomoto's house swung open with a loud bang, causing Sakura and Syaoran to jump away from each other in surprise. Syaoran stumbled over his own feet, falling back into the wall, and Sakura had to hold onto one of the posts. Touya stood on the other side of the doorway, looking back and forth between them with a suspicious glare.
"...what are you two doing out here?"
"W-we were just talking about what happened inside!" Sakura stammered. "And anyway, what are you doing?"
Yukito stepped around Touya and out onto the porch, reaching out for Sakura's hand to help steady her. "Touya just realized how late it's gotten. We're working the breakfast shift at our part time job tomorrow, so we'll have to be up early. I'm sorry we can't stay longer, but-"
"No, no! I'm sorry we kept you so late!" Sakura accepted his help, taking his hand and stepping away from the post. She reached in her pocket for the Windy card and called its physical form back. Once it had disappeared into the card, she turned back to Yukito and Touya, the latter of whom was busy staring daggers at Syaoran. "Thank you guys for coming on such short notice. I'm sorry everything got so crazy- I can't tell you how much I appreciate your input on this."
"Hey, no need to apologize." Touya turned his attention back to his sister, patting her on the head. "You kept your promise to include me in what's going on. I appreciate that. Even if some of your pals are… not exactly my type."
"You mean Akizuki?" Yukito asked with a pleasant smile. "I think she's a lot of fun."
"You would think that, wouldn't you?" Touya groaned. "Anyway, Sakura, I just want to say that it's alright with me if you do decide to take the offer. Just be careful- and make sure you're doing it because you believe it's the right thing to do, not just because someone told you to do it. Got that?"
Sakura smiled and nodded. "Yes, of course."
"Good. And let me know what you do decide. I want to be able to support you as best I can."
"We both do," Yukito added, giving Sakura's hand a quick, affectionate squeeze. "I know Yue will always be involved as your guardian, but remember that I care about you too."
"Thanks, Yukito-san." Sakura leaned in to hug him, and he returned the gesture with a reassuring pat on the back. When they separated again, Touya gave Sakura a pat on the shoulder and then led the way back over to the garage.
"See ya. Good luck." Before he disappeared around the side of the house, he turned back to give Syaoran an 'I'm-watching-you' gesture. Syaoran crossed his arms and looked away, but Sakura just giggled nervously.
"Shoulde we, uh, go back inside? If you want to stay out here, that's fine, but the others are probably worried too-"
"Yeah, let's go." Syaoran opened the door for her and motioned her inside. "They'll probably be pissed if we keep them waiting too long for a decision only to find out that I need to sleep on it."
"I'm sure they'll understand."
"Yeah? I hope so…"
When Sakura and Syaoran returned to the living room, the conversation that had been going on immediately stopped, and the group turned around to look at them.
"Oh, Sakura-chan! Thank goodness!" Nakuru jumped up and ran to hug the two. "We were worried that we'd scared you off!"
"What? Of course not…" Sakura choked. She heard Eriol conspicuously clear his throat, and Kero and Stephen- both returned to their small forms- got up from the couch and approached Sakura and Syaoran. They both had their heads bowed, and when they spoke, it was in unison.
"We're very sorry, Li."
Nakuru let go of Syaoran and Sakura, stepping back so that they could converse with the two little animals instead. Sakura reached out, picking up one in each hand and holding them up to Syaoran.
"What… are you guys talking about?" he asked, examining their expressions. "What are you sorry for?"
"It was wrong of us to put so much pressure on you," Stephen answered. "We were yelling, not only at each other, but at you… in a sense. We should not have done that."
"Yeah, we were bein' real jerks," Kero added, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "You've got enough to deal with, helping Sakura and doin' your research and all. The last thing you need is us playing tug-of-war with your logic."
"Will you forgive us for our rudeness, Li Syaoran-sama?"
Syaoran blushed and looked away. "Yeah, I guess so. I'm also sorry for making a scene, so if you guys will forgive me for that, we can call it even."
"Oh, thank you Li Syaoran-sama!" Stephen bowed even further so that he was nearly lying flat on Sakura's hand. Kero, meanwhile, just sat up and sighed.
"Sure, kid. We'll call it even, then."
Tomoyo had stood up to join them, and she gave Syaoran a friendly pat on the back. "It certainly looks like Sakura-chan was able to cheer you up."
"Huh? Wh-what do you mean by that?!" His face flashed red again, and she giggled.
"Syaoran-kun, you blush too easily. You must have overactive blood vessels."
He stiffened and crossed his arms. "No, I- I mean, I don't blush that easily-"
"Aww, his face is so red!" Nakuru threw her arms around Syaoran's shoulders, leaning her whole weight against him. He staggered forward in surprise and pushed her away.
"Can you give that a rest? This is a serious situation!"
"He's correct," Eriol broke in, standing up and prompting Nakuru to let go and step back. "Li-kun, have you made a decision? Or would you like some extra time to think it over? Remember, there's no shame in giving it thorough consideration."
"I… I would like to give it more thought." Syaoran nodded. "I want to discuss it further with Sakura and understand what her own feelings are about the situation. I'm sorry to make you wait, but I want to be sure- I want Sakura to be sure- that the decision we make is the right one."
Eriol smiled. "Sometimes there isn't necessarily a right or wrong answer to choose. Choices in life aren't a test you take in school where there's a correct and incorrect answer- they're more like a fork in the road, where each path provides a different experience. From where you stand, you may have a very limited view of what each path offers. You must simply choose one to follow and be satisfied with the decision you make."
Nakuru clasped her hands together and closed her eyes. "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both-" she recited, and was soon joined by Stephen, who landed on her shoulder to chime in.
"-and be one traveler, long I stood and looked down one as far as I could to where it bent in the undergrowth-"
Nakuru stopped and looked over at Stephen with a gasp. "You've read Robert Frost?"
"Well, of course! When I realized how long I'd been sealed away, I had to research all the great poetry I had missed. Do you like poetry, Nakuruby?"
"I love poetry! We have tons of English-language poetry books in the library back at Eriol's house. You should come by sometime and we can read together-"
The two continued to chat while Eriol spoke up again to the rest of the group.
"The most important thing to remember is that, once the decision is made, you should pursue it wholeheartedly. Regrets will only cause you trouble in the long run. My guardians and I will support you in whatever decision you make, and I know Kaho will too." He stopped for a moment and sighed. "Nakuru and I really should be getting back. If we return too late, we might disturb our guests."
"Oh, of course!" Sakura bowed in his direction. "Thank you for coming on such short notice! Really, for you to leave your work like that, all for my sake, I… w-well, I just can't thank you enough!"
Eriol chuckled. "Sakura-san, don't forget that the whole reason for my return to Tomoeda was to assist you should you face any difficulties. Call me any time you need me. In the meantime, I'll be contacting my associates back in England for more information on Warp Neon. Perhaps something they know may prove useful."
"Oh, fantastic! Thank you so much!"
"I'll contact you if I find anything suspicious in Clow Reed's archives." Syaoran stepped forward as he spoke. "My sisters said there's still a lot left for them to scan, so there's still a chance I may find something."
"That sounds like a good plan." Eriol smiled at him, giving him an encouraging pat on the back. "Just don't overwork yourself." He paused and turned back to the living room. "Ruby? Are you-?"
"She ran to London and knocked on the door Of the Lord High Doodelum's coach-and-four-"
Nakuru and Stephen, meanwhile, were knee-deep in a recitation of their favorite British poetry, barely paying attention to the rest of the conversation.
"-Please, sir (if there's anyone in), However-and-ever did God begin-?"
Kero laughed, interrupting the poem. "Hah! Getting a little serious there for a nursery rhyme, aren't we?"
Nakuru crossed her arms, her pout lasting only long enough to be seen before she launched into another spiel. "Actually, there have been multiple books published concerning the deeper themes present in Milne's children's literature and poetry. One author has even pointed out the presence of major Taoist themes in some of his more popular works."
Syaoran raised an eyebrow. "From a twentieth-century British children's author?"
"I've read those as well," Eriol answered, stifling a soft laugh at Syaoran's stubborn criticism. "It's not that there was any authorial intent, but rather, that Taoist philosophy asks its followers to view the world with what Western society now considers a childlike innocence. Clow Reed was a great proponent of the Taoist principles of simplicity and spontaneity."
Kero scoffed. "Clow Reed never did anything simply, but he was certainly spontaneous."
The comment allowed Eriol the chance to laugh openly, motioning for the others to follow him as he made his way to the door.
"I think the simplicity that Clow Reed embraced was a belief that all things are part of the Tao, or fate as he referred to it. It was by tapping into the knowledge of fate that he could so accurately see future events and prepare for them. This isn't necessarily to say that the future is set in stone, but merely that the forces governing our lives are all connected by fate." He stopped in front of the door, noticing Sakura's blank expression. "I'm sorry to drop so much philosophy on you at one time. There's no need to overthink this, especially not for Clow Reed's sake."
Eriol paused again and took a deep breath. He then reached out with one hand, inviting Sakura to place hers in it.
"When we were voting, I made the mistake of giving you advice as Clow Reed. I'm not Clow Reed, nor will I ever be- even if I do recover the memories that are lost. It's better that I give you advice as Hiiragizawa Eriol. And Eriol's advice is-" Sakura had placed one hand in his, so he covered it with his other hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze. "-to follow your heart rather than your head. Logic can take you far, but when logic comes to an impasse like this… you must do what you feel is right."
His eyes sparkled with warmth, and Sakura's expression echoed his.
"Thank you. I will."
She would do what she felt was right. She just… didn't know what that was yet.
Following Kero's advice, Sakura made some tea and served it with a box of cookies she'd pulled from the pantry. The idea was to discuss the situation at the table while they ate, but the kitchen stayed quiet the whole time. Kero consumed at least half of the cookies, but no one protested. They weren't very hungry anyway. It seemed like the situation had put a damper on not just their spirits, but their appetites as well.
After a long, awkward silence as they drank their tea and watched Kero scarf down cookies, Tomoyo finally spoke up.
"It's not like we need to make this decision tonight. We won't see Noboru-sensei until Monday. Why don't we sleep on it and talk more about it tomorrow?"
"Tomoyo-sama is right," Stephen replied, nodding his head. "Forcing ourselves- yourselves- to make a decision before you're ready will only end in regret. And Eriol-sama said that there should be no regrets in what you choose."
"We're all tired," Kero added in as he shoved another cookie in his mouth and had to pause before he continued so that he could swallow it. "It's late, and it's been a long day. Tomoyo and the kid can go home, and tomorrow we ca-"
As he was speaking, the sound of the front door opening cut him off mid-sentence. The door closed quickly, alongside a "Sakura! Sorry I'm late!"
"Dad!" Sakura jumped up and ran toward the hallway. "Welcome home! There's leftover pork buns in the fridge, if you're hungry. I invited Tomoyo-chan and Syaoran-kun over for dinner, since it was just going to be me."
Fujitaka and Sakura reentered the kitchen, and he smiled over at Tomoyo and Syaoran. "Thank you two for keeping Sakura company while I was working. We just couldn't leave those sensitive artifacts outside with the heat like it is. I'm just sorry you had to stay so late."
"We're always happy to stay with Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo chimed. "And anyway, we hadn't realized how late it was until just now. We were busy discussing a history project for school."
"Oh? What kind of history project?" Fujitaka slid into the empty seat at the table, his eyes lighting up in interest. "You just got a new teacher, right?"
"Yes, so we're just choosing our topic right now. It'll be a group presentation later on in the year. Our topic is due to Noboru-sensei on Monday, so we need to figure out what we're going to do soon."
"I see." Fujitaka nodded. "Well, if you need any help, my specialty is the development of religious iconography. Most of my work has been done in the Peloponnesus and Turkey, but I can help out with local areas too if you're restricted to locations in Japan. You're studying Japanese history this year, right?"
"Well, yes, but Noboru-sensei wants to give us a bigger overview of history with this project, so it's open to other regions of the world." Tomoyo turned to look at Sakura and Syaoran. "That makes it hard to decide. Right, guys?"
"R-right!" Sakura nodded her head, but Syaoran just looked away. Fujitaka frowned and reached out in concern.
"Li-kun? Is something the matter? I thought you loved history."
Syaoran shot to attention, his shoulders going stiff. "I-I do! It's just…"
"Are you having trouble with the new teacher?"
"A little, but…" Syaoran's voice trailed off, and he was quiet for a moment. "...I guess I'm just concerned with making a decision that everyone in the group will be happy with. If not, then we won't be able to work our best, and we could end up getting- er, a bad grade."
Fujitaka laughed. "You're so studious, Li-kun, I doubt the teacher would find fault with your work no matter the topic. But I admire your desire to pursue knowledge that you're passionate about. Many students just sort of float through school doing the bare minimum."
Sakura suddenly blushed. "Y-you're not talking about me, are you?"
"No, no, Sakura. I've seen far worse, even in college. You genuinely try, and that's what's important." Fujitaka stood up and moved toward the refrigerator. "I'm going to heat up one of those pork buns. All that moving stuff around really wore me out."
As he placed the bun in the microwave, he glanced over at the outdoor thermometer attached to the window. His eyes widened in concern, and he turned back toward the table.
"Tomoyo-san, Li-kun, how were you two planning to get home? Do you need rides?"
"I-I was just going to walk home," Syaoran replied. "It's not far. Don't worry about me."
Tomoyo nodded her head. "I was thinking about calling my mother, but my home is in the same direction as Syaoran-kun's, so I thought I'd walk with him-"
"I can't let you two do that," Fujitaka interrupted. "It's too hot for anyone to be walking a long distance. I can drive you two home, or you can stay the night here. It's your choice."
"S-stay here?" Syaoran stammered. "But we… I-I mean, where would we… would I…?"
"Tomoyo-san has slept over in Sakura's room plenty of times. And you can stay in Touya's old room, Li-kun."
"Is that… is that really alright?"
The microwave beeped, and Fujitaka offered Syaoran a smile before turning to retrieve his dinner. "Of course it's alright. I offered, didn't I?"
"Well, yes…" Syaoran looked across the table at the others. "...alright, then. If Tomoyo-san decides to stay, I'll stay as well."
Tomoyo pushed her chair back and hopped to her feet. "I'll call my mother and let her know I'm sleeping over!"
As she pulled out her phone and excused herself into the hallway, Fujitaka sat down and began eating. Syaoran and Sakura stayed quiet, both caught up in their thoughts. The only noise was Fujitaka eating and Tomoyo chattering from the next room. Noticing the tension, Fujitaka set down his half-eaten bun and spoke up again.
"Is something troubling you two?"
"No, it's nothing!" Sakura replied, shaking her head. "We're fine, we just-"
Syaoran had started speaking too, and Sakura cut off as soon as she realized so that she could listen. "It's just that… I want to make a decision based on everyone's desires, but at the same time, I don't want to make a decision that will cause trouble for my teammates. Even if it's something they feel strongly about, if they can't handle the work involved, then…"
"Li-kun-" Fujitaka interrupted, and Syaoran looked up suddenly. "-I can't make any decisions for you, but let me offer you the advice that I've always followed in my work. It's important not to overwork yourself, but if you pass up a project you're passionate about just because there is a lot of work involved, you'll find yourself with regrets. Taking the easy route is fine, but if you do decide to pursue something that you care a great deal about, you'll find the work easier than you thought. You may even find it easier than the alternative, because your feelings will propel your work. Does that make sense?"
Syaoran didn't say anything, but he nodded mutely. Sakura stood up, scooping up Kero and Stephen and motioning toward the hall with her free hand.
"I'm, uh, going to go get my room ready for Tomoyo. Thank you, Dad, for letting them stay."
"Of course!" Fujitaka chimed, offering a smile in reply. "Li-kun, once I'm finished eating, I'll show you to Touya's old room. You can sleep in some of my old pajamas, if they're not too big."
Syaoran felt his face burn in embarrassment, but he steeled himself to say thank-you. It was the least he could do.
"I… I appreciate it. Thank you."
"And, Li-kun? Try not to get too bogged down in this. It's just a school project, after all. I know you're the kind of person who wants to make all the right decisions in your life, but for something like this? Just have fun with it."
"Have fun with it," Syaoran repeated, staring down at the tabletop. "I'll try."
"This is exciting, Sakura-chan! We haven't had a sleepover in so long!"
Despite the seriousness of the evening's events, Tomoyo was cheerful as she and Sakura prepared for bed. Sakura, meanwhile, was quiet. She'd started to dry her hair after getting out of the bath, but her hair had long since dried, and at this point she was just blowing it around rather than doing anything.
"Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo repeated her name and sat down beside her. She took hold of the hair dryer, switching it off. "Sakura-chan, you're going to dry out your hair too much if you keep blowing it like that. Let me brush it for you."
"O-oh, thanks," Sakura murmured, unplugging the hair dryer and setting it aside. "Sorry, I've just been thinking about things."
"What kinds of things?" Tomoyo began running the brush through Sakura's hair, taking care to move gently against the scalp in case Sakura had accidentally scalded herself. Sakura didn't flinch at the touch of the brush, so Tomoyo moved more confidently and continued speaking. "Is it about what your dad said? I could hear a little of the conversation while I was waiting for my mom to pick up. Something about choosing what you're passionate about over what's easiest…?"
"Ah, I guess so. But that's not entirely it." Sakura started to shake her head, but with the brush in her hair, it was more of a toss of her head to one side. "Tomoyo-chan, can I… can I tell you something?"
Tomoyo pulled the brush away, a glint of happiness appearing in her eyes. "Sakura-chan, you know you can tell me anything!"
"It's… well… it's about Syaoran and me…"
Sakura fidgeted with her hands, and Tomoyo scooted around the other side of her so that they could speak face to face. She said nothing, not wanting to alarm Sakura, just nodding quietly for Sakura to continue.
"...we… while we were outside talking about what happened, we… he and I..." Her face had turned red, and she forced the words out through embarrassment. "...we… almost kissed."
Tomoyo let out a little gasp. "Oh!"
Relieved of the burden of secrecy, Sakura was able to talk more fluidly now. "W-we didn't, though! Onii-chan and Yukito-san came through the door before we could. I don't think it was on purpose, because they couldn't see us, but I think Touya could see what was going on and he wasn't happy. Syaoran-kun seemed embarrassed too. I don't know what to do- should I bring it up later? If I don't, it might be awkward. But I'm scared that he won't try to kiss me again if I don't say anything…"
"And you want him to try again?"
"Um, well…" Sakura's face went red, and she got choked up again. "...I think… it would be nice… but if he's too nervous because of what happened, then…"
Tomoyo laughed. "You don't seem to have any idea how persistent Syaoran-kun can be when it comes to his feelings for Sakura-chan!"
"Huh?" The statement was enough to break through Sakura's embarrassment again, and she raised her eyebrows. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Sakura-chan really doesn't know…" Tomoyo murmured, covering her mouth in an attempt to hide the sly smile that spread across her face. "...how many times Syaoran-kun tried to confess his feelings for you before he actually succeeded."
"Wh-wha-?"
"Oh yes!" Tomoyo put the brush down and clapped her hands together. "He tried so hard, again and again, no matter how many times he was interrupted! No matter how many times Kero-chan got in his way-"
"Hey!" Kero called from where he was lounging on the windowsill. "It's not like I did it on purpose or anythin'!"
Sakura, meanwhile, was looking at Tomoyo in surprise. "He… he really tried that many times to confess to me?"
"He did. And no matter how many times he was interrupted, he tried again and again until he finally succeeded. So I know-" Tomoyo smiled, reaching out to place one hand gently against Sakura's cheek. "-that, for something as important as his first kiss with Sakura-chan, he won't give up so easily. That means you can't give up either, okay?"
"This is true," Stephen agreed, hopping down from the pile of plushies where he'd been curled up. "A relationship like the one you share with Li Syaoran-sama is a balance of two people's feelings and desires. If there is a form of physical affection you seek, you shouldn't be content with waiting for him to make the first move. Make sure he's comfortable with it, and initiate yourself."
Kero scoffed. "If I didn't know you were talkin' about a kiss, I'd say you were givin' her advice about more serious stuff."
"Kero-chan!" Sakura's face flashed red, and she balled a fist in his direction. "Kissing is serious stuff when you're only sixteen!"
Tomoyo giggled, and Kero let out a sigh. "Such an innocent soul…"
"It's all part of Sakura-chan's charm."
Sakura looked back and forth between the two of them and finally let out a groan. "Will you guys give it a rest? I'm genuinely upset over this."
Tomoyo reached out and took Sakura's hands in hers. "I'm sorry for laughing, Sakura-chan. Stephen is right. I know that Syaoran-kun won't give up just because of one setback, so you shouldn't give up either. Just be adamant about it. If you aren't, then your chances could pass you by one by one until it becomes more of a running gag every chapter than an actual effort."
"...running gag? Chapter?" Sakura frowned. "You're making it sound like this is some poorly-written romance novel."
Kero laughed. "Yeah, right! With all these Warp Cards flyin' around, it's more like a poorly-written adventure novel!"
"Until we know just how Noboru-sensei came to have Warp Neon's memories and abilities to control the cards," Stephen corrected, "I believe it to be more along the lines of a poorly-written mystery novel."
Tomoyo glanced around and crossed her arms. "Why is it that the only consensus we can reach is that it's poorly-written? Why can't it be a well-written novel, no matter the genre?"
"Wouldn't it be conceited of us to praise a work in which we appear as major characters?" Stephen asked. "Besides, many acclaimed works of literature end on awfully sad terms. I'd rather my story be poorly-written with a happy ending than well-written with a sad one."
There was a moment of silence, and Sakura finally stood up, removing the towel from her shoulders and folding it up. Tomoyo picked up the hair dryer and stood up beside her, wrapping the cord as she spoke up again.
"It's fun and all to joke, but we have to remember that, if our lives really are a story, then we're the ones writing them. So we have the power to give ourselves a happy ending. No matter what we do, let's focus on that."
Sakura smiled. "Tomoyo-chan is right! Everything will definitely be okay!"
"And Sakura is definitely gonna get that kiss from her boyfriend…"
"Kero-chan!"
Sakura and Tomoyo fell asleep easily, and the sound of Kero's snoring could be heard even outside the drawer. But Stephen couldn't manage to sleep, no matter how he tried. He settled in his usual spot among the stuffed animals Sakura had sitting against the windowsill, but his mind kept focusing on the memory of Noboru's face. He could still feel the man's fingers closed around the scruff of his neck, and the dark eyes burning into his own. Noboru didn't look anything like the Warp Neon he remembered, at least superficially. But he spoke with exactly the same air of superiority Warp had. It was that same, awful, gut-wrenching tone that sent shivers through Stephen's fur. He remembered that voice all too well…
"It wasn't my intention to kill her, merely to curse her. Her blood is not on my hands."
...that awful, awful voice…
"So long as you continue to collect the Warp Cards, I will not do you any favors. If they kill you, your blood will not be on my hands."
It was too much. Stephen couldn't bear it any longer. He jumped up from the pile of plushies and floated toward the door, carefully opening it so as not to wake the others. Floating down the stairs and over to the living room, he became aware of the sound of the air conditioning running on the other side of the door. Someone else was in there, but he wasn't sure who- especially since there wasn't a light on. Sakura and Tomoyo had both been asleep when he'd left, and it was doubtful that Sakura's father would sit in the dark in his own home. That only left…
"Li Syaoran-sama?"
Syaoran had been sitting on the couch, staring out the window. Stephen's voice gave him a sudden start, and he jumped, falling into an odd position half on the couch itself and half on the armrest.
"Wh-wh-where did you come from? Don't scare me like that!"
"My apologies. I was just surprised to see you here. You can't sleep either, I gather?"
Syaoran turned to look away. "There was just… more I had to think through, I guess. I couldn't stop thinking about what Mr. Kinomoto said, and that made it too hard to fall asleep. I know I need to rest, but…"
"No, if you need to think, then you should take the time to think. Your racing mind shows that there are still aspects of the new information you need to process."
There was a pause, and Syaoran only just seemed to realize what language they'd been conversing in. "Wait a minute! You… you speak Hong Kong Cantonese?"
"I was created in Hong Kong, remember? Warp Neon created me with the ability to speak the variety of languages found there, including English, French, and Japanese as well."
"Ah, that's right." Syaoran nodded and looked out the window again, his speech almost absentminded. "You were created in Hong Kong, weren't you?"
"I suppose that's just another thing we have in common, right Li Syaoran-sama?"
That question took Syaoran off-guard. He turned so that he could face the other side of the couch where Stephen was sitting. "What do you mean, just another thing?"
"Er, I'm sorry, I was just…" The look in Syaoran's eyes was frightening, and Stephen shifted uncomfortably. "It's just that, when I see you with Sakura-sama, the way that you care for her and protect her… it just makes me think of Chioni. It makes me want, more than anything, to help you protect the person you love the way I couldn't."
Syaoran had one arm resting on the back of the couch, and he balled his hand into a tight fist. "This isn't the same."
"I wasn't insinuating it was! You and Sakura-sama are far different than Chioni and I! You're both human, for one. And she…" Stephen's voice took on a melancholy color. "...she loves you back."
The statement surprised Syaoran enough for him to relax his tensed shoulders and release his fist. "...Chioni didn't…"
"I mean, it's not that she didn't care for me. We were close, always. But she fell in love with someone else. It was only natural, of course, and I shouldn't have been upset. A human belonged with another human, not with a guardian beast-"
"Wait a minute-" Syaoran cut him off. "-human? I thought you said Chioni was your fellow guardian. You never said she was a human."
"I didn't? I could swear I did. It's true, she wasn't really a guardian created by Warp Neon, but rather, a human to whom he entrusted the care of his cards. It's not as though it makes a difference-"
Syaoran scooted closer, cutting off Stephen's statement. "Who was she? Why did Warp Neon ask her to guard his cards and then kill her? That would've been important for us to know when we were discussing Noboru-sensei's intentions for Sakura!"
Stephen drew back, his ears drooping. "I… I… I didn't…" His hesitance made Syaoran realize just how abrasive he'd been, and he leaned back too.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to yell. It's just that, if you're making all these connections between Sakura and Chioni, I need to know why. I need to know who Chioni was, what made her vulnerable to Warp Neon, and how that might affect Sakura. Will you please tell me?"
There was a silence between them, and Stephen finally heaved a sigh. He shifted his weight and moved close to Syaoran's shoulder so that he could be heard without speaking too loudly.
"Warp Neon didn't seek out Chioni, but rather, was sort of stuck with her. She was his granddaughter by blood, but he treated her more like a servant than family."
"So Warp Neon had children?" Syaoran asked. "If she was his granddaughter, I mean."
"Technically, yes. I don't know much about his children, because he didn't keep in contact with them, but I know he had a few. Back in England, his reputation as a magician grew so great that sorceresses from a variety of families made offers to him in exchange for fathering their children, hoping that they could add to their family's powers. Warp only indulged a few of these requests, one of them being from the Helene family. They were a reputable sorcery clan from the north of France but there must have been some family turmoil, because Chioni's father was exiled from the family and eventually came to England to seek his father. He and his wife died when Chioni was very young, and with no family to take her in, she ended up with Warp Neon as her legal guardian. This was around the time that Clow Reed's notoriety was reaching England, so when Warp packed up and moved to Hong Kong, he took little Chioni with him."
Syaoran nodded silently, not wanting to interrupt the story, but wanting to acknowledge that he was listening. When it seemed like Stephen wasn't going to continue right away, he spoke up to prompt him.
"How did she die? Why… why did Warp Neon turn on her?"
Stephen's expression clouded as he dredged up the memories. Up until now, he'd been speaking about events he'd only known of. But now he was going to be giving an actual account of events he'd witnessed, and Syaoran could see the pain in his eyes, even in the darkness of the room.
"...Chioni… fell in love… and Warp Neon disapproved," he finally said, his face downcast. "When they decided to get married, Warp Neon forbade it. Chioni defied his wishes, saying she'd only run away if he tried to lock her up. I was prepared to help her escape, but Warp… decided to let her go. It wasn't until later that I realized he'd put a latent curse on her, but by then there was nothing I could do."
"A curse?" Syaoran murmured.
"A curse of deterioration- particularly of physical wellbeing. It was hidden within her body, waiting to manifest when it found pain on which it could feed and grow. Those curses grow stronger and stronger the more pain their host suffers, physical, mental, or emotional. But Chioni was happy, healthy, and well-cared for. She was surrounded by people who loved her, who showed her the kindness that her grandfather never had."
Stephen stopped before the part of the story that Syaoran knew he must be leading up to, so he started the next sentence himself.
"...until…?"
At the prompt, Stephen raised his head again. "Li Syaoran-sama, do you know what is the most painful experience a human can ever undergo?"
Syaoran thought for only a moment. "Losing someone you love," he answered.
"I- er, yes, I suppose that's true. But I mean physical pain. What is the greatest physical pain a human body can endure?"
"I suppose that would be…" Syaoran began, and realized the implication of what Stephen was getting at before he even finished his sentence. "...oh no…"
Once again, Stephen lowered his head. "Clow Reed sensed the latent curse long before anyone else did. He warned her of its ability to feed on pain. He warned her it would be dangerous, that delivering a child would put her at risk of succumbing to the curse's effects. She told me all that he'd told her, but confessed… how much she wanted to have a family. I never wanted to see her sad. I ignored the curse's potential. I encouraged her and her husband not to let Warp Neon get in the way of the family they wanted to have. And just over a year later, Chioni gave birth to baby girl, Lian. I never saw her so happy as when she was with her daughter, and yet…"
Syaoran was silent. He was growing impatient with the rambling nature of the story, but at the same time, the raw emotion in Stephen's account kept him from interrupting. It felt like the first time Stephen had truly relayed the details of these events to another person, the way he was pausing and grasping at memories. If this was just a ploy to gain his sympathy, it was a damn good one for sure.
"...it was a difficult birth, and it left Chioni vulnerable to the curse. Within days, it had consumed her. When Lian was only ten days old, Chioni… died." Stephen's voice hitched as he said the word. He continued on, almost barreling through the rest of the story. "I didn't know what had happened. Clow Reed had promised me he'd find a way to remove the curse. But Warp Neon told me a different story, that Clow Reed had instead killed Chioni because he believed the search for a cure would be too time-consuming and didn't want to spare the resources. Like an idiot, I believed him- after all, it wasn't a curse meant to kill its victim, but rather to make its victim suffer a pain worse than death. I thought that someone had to have killed her, and in my grief, I let Warp Neon paint a target on Clow Reed for me. I sought revenge, nearly killing Kerberos and Yue- and myself- in the process. Clow Reed was powerful enough to have killed me when I came after him. It was only when he spared my life that I calmed down enough to listen to the whole story."
"Which was…?" Syaoran prompted as Stephen paused.
"Chioni's true cause of death was blood poisoning from an infection that had grown severe following the curse's hold on her. Even though the curse was only meant to cause psychological pain, it had the side effect of weakening its host's immune system. Clow showed me the medical records, everything that doctors had done when they realized she was going into septic shock. Certain kinds of healing magic can patch up wounds, but no magic had yet been developed to combat bacterial infections. There was nothing they could do."
Syaoran's stomach churned as he realized that Stephen had begun to cry.
"I… I went back to Warp Neon to confront him about what happened. He said that it hadn't been his intention to kill her… that it wasn't his fault… that…" His voice cracked as he kept speaking. "...that her blood wasn't on his hands. It was the same thing he said about Sakura-sama today in the classroom. He was always like that, doing things that he knew would hurt other people and claiming that he wasn't responsible because it wasn't his intention. It feels like, in saying that, he's already staked his claim on Sakura-sama, no matter the decision she makes…"
Syaoran broke in, giving Stephen a chance to regain his composure.
"I will not let him hurt Sakura. You have my word on that. No matter what happens, no matter what dangers she might face, I'll be right there by her side. So cry for Chioni if you need to, but don't cry for Sakura's sake."
Stephen sniffled and looked up at Syaoran with a beaming smile. "Oh, Li Syaoran-sama, thank you. Not only for your willingness to listen to my story, by for your words of reassurance. Knowing that Chioni's bravery lives on in her descendants makes me happier than you can imagine."
The thanks was genuine, but Syaoran didn't understand the last part of Stephen's statement. Was Stephen talking about him?
"I'm sorry, I'm confused. What do you mean, lives on in her descendants? You're not talking about me, are you?"
"Well, of course. You are the son of the Li clan, are you not? Chioni's husband was Li Xiaohe, next in line to be the head of the Li family."
The name was unfamiliar to Syaoran, and he spoke it with some confusion. "Xiaohe… no, there must be some mistake. Li is one of the most common names in China, after all. Perhaps you have the wrong family-"
"No, no, no! I mean Li Xiaohe, son of Li Zhixiong, cousin and apprentice of Clow Reed. Surely you know of him!"
Syaoran perked up at the second name. "Li Zhixiong was Clow Reed's uncle, right?"
"Yes!"
"Then Li Xiaohe was his son?"
"That's right!"
"And was the father of Li Baoyi?"
"Ye-" Stephen began once more in affirmation, but stopped as he processed the statement. "Wait, who? You said the name was Baoyi?"
"Li Baoyi, the first head of the Li family under Clow Reed's teachings. He succeeded his grandfather, Li Zhixiong, but because Baoyi was raised by Clow Reed, he completely changed the way they viewed and practiced magic."
"...s-so…" Stephen began to stammer. "...Li Xiaohe was never head of the family?"
"If he was, we have no records of it."
"And his daughter, Li Lian? Is she in your records?"
"No. I've never heard or read that name anywhere in the family history."
Stephen looked stricken. His eyes were wide, and his ears had drooped flat against his head. "I… I don't understand… what happened to them, then?"
"You don't know?"
"Of course I don't!" Stephen raised his voice as he snapped back, jumping up from the couch. "When I confronted Warp Neon about his part in Chioni's death, he sealed me away in the book! Then, when Clow Reed defeated Warp, he simply renewed the seal on the book with his own magic. I know nothing about what became of Chioni's family!"
Syaoran stiffened. "Okay, I get it. You don't have to yell about it."
"B-but, if Xiaohe never became head of the family, what happened to him? Was he cast out of the family for his connections with Warp Neon? Did they send Lian with him? Is that why the Li family erased every piece of information on Warp Neon from their records- they didn't want to admit that they'd cast out one of their own-"
"Stop, stop!" Syaoran jumped to his feet, his voice mirroring Stephen's in its intensity. "How dare you say that about my family? You have nothing to base it on, and making foundless accusations isn't going to do any good!"
Stephen shrunk back, his tail tucked between his back legs. "But what am I supposed to think? Finding out that Chioni's only family not only forgot about her, but about her daughter as well… I don't know how else to explain it."
"Xiaohe might have left the family of his own accord to protect his daughter from suffering the same fate as her mother! That would make just as much sense if not moreso!"
"But then why would the family erase their records of him?"
"Th-that's…"
"Just WHAT is going on down here?!"
That was Kero's voice, coming through the doorway and echoing around the room. Syaoran and Stephen both looked up to see Kero sitting on Sakura's shoulder as she stood in the doorway with Tomoyo beside her. Sakura stepped forward, looking back and forth between them.
"We came downstairs because we heard yelling. Stephen wasn't in my room, so we got worried that something bad might be happening. I used Sleep to make sure my dad doesn't wake up… Syaoran-kun, what's going on?"
Syaoran felt his face go red as he processed the worry on her face. She really thought they might be in danger, when all they were doing was having a stupid argument. "W-we… we…" he stammered.
"Li Syaoran-sama and I were having a conversation about the past. I'm very sorry if we woke you," Stephen spoke up. "I became emotional and said some hurtful things that I should not have. They were merely speculation, and had no basis in fact, and Li Syaoran was trying to get me to see reason. I apologize for my actions, both to you-" He turned back to Syaoran, bowing his head. "-and to you, Syaoran-sama. I am very sorry for my accusations. I will not say such things again."
His apology was so formal, Syaoran wasn't sure how to respond. "I-I… I mean… it's okay. I shouldn't have yelled. I think I'm just tired, and the heat is getting to my head."
"It is hot in here," Kero commented, glancing up at the air conditioner on the opposite wall. "Did you turn that on?"
"Yeah. It's been on for… thirty minutes, maybe?"
"That long? The room should be cool by now." Tomoyo pulled her phone from her pocket and flipped through to a local weather app. "Unless it's… OH!"
"What's wrong?" Sakura leaned over to see the phone screen and let out a gasp of her own. "Fourty-five degrees? That's impossible! That's hotter than it ever gets here, even in the summer!"
Kero groaned, stretching out on Sakura's shoulder. "Geez… it's almost October. Why is it so hot?"
An answer wasn't immediately offered, but in the silence that followed, Stephen's small voice finally spoke up in a whisper.
"...it's The Heat."
With a scoff, Kero sat up again and looked over at him. "Yeah, no kidding. Got any other brilliant observations for us, Captain Obvious?"
"No, no! What I mean is, it's got to be the Heat Card!" Stephen flew over next to Sakura and grabbed Kero's paws, tugging him off her shoulder. "I was so upset over our conversation with Noboru-sensei today, I didn't even notice the card's effects before they became severe! I'm so sorry, Sakura-sama!"
Sakura frowned, reaching for her key. "So you're saying that this heat wave is being caused by a Warp Card?"
"Yes, almost certainly!"
"Then it's only going to get hotter until we do something," Tomoyo added. "Stephen, where can we find this card? How can it be captured?"
Stephen let go of Kero, instead placing one paw against his chin as he thought it over. "I'm not sure. The Heat is a card with long-range effects, much like The Feral. It would have to be lured out over a long distance. But unlike with Feral, I don't know if there's an easy way to do that."
"Is there a way t' find the center of the heat wave or somethin'?" Kero asked, flying over to the window. "Some way to know where the card is hiding?"
"I'm afraid not. Heat's effects are evenly distributed over a specific area, and it can move freely about that area without changing the boundaries. The only way to know for sure where it is would be to lure it out- but, again, I don't know how we'd do that."
Syaoran scowled, closing his eyes tightly. "How are we supposed to attract the attention of a card like that? If it can affect us from far away, there's no reason for it to come into close enough quarters for us to fight."
"And we can't go out and search for it," Tomoyo added. "Not in heat like this, at least. We'd be overcome by heatstroke before we got anywhere- unless, perhaps, we were to use a Sakura Card like The Freeze or The Snow to keep us cool…"
There was a pause, and suddenly Sakura clapped her hands together.
"Tomoyo-chan, that's it!"
"What is? Keeping cool while we search, you mean?"
Sakura shook her head. "Not quite. If we use The Freeze and The Snow, then we won't have to go searching at all. We can force The Heat to come to us!"
"Force it?" Kero turned away from the window to look back at her. Sakura nodded, and Syaoran gasped.
"You don't mean…"
"It's just like in our science lesson," Sakura answered with a nod. "According to thermodynamics, heat is just another form of energy. And energy always moves from areas of higher concentration to areas of lower concentration. So if we can cool the area around us- say, the yard around my house, for instance- then The Heat will have no choice but to come to us."
"Sakura-sama, that's genius!" Stephen cried. "Then you'll be able to draw Heat out and convert it into a Sakura Card!"
"Or, she could put a seal on it using The Shield," Kero interrupted. "That way, if she chooses to do so, she can take it in to her teacher on Monday. It's up to Sakura."
"I… I…" Sakura stammered, and looked over at Syaoran. He knew she was asking for his input, but he didn't have an answer for her at the moment.
"Let's just go ahead and lure in the card," he said. "Once we know what we're up against, we can decide the best course of action. Is that alright, Sakura?"
"Yes, that's fine." Sakura nodded, already retrieving both The Freeze and The Snow. "Let's go outside, then. I'm going to turn this place into a winter wonderland."
Tomoyo smiled and held up her camera. "I'm glad I brought this with me, then!"
"You-" Sakura began, and then sighed. "...just be careful, Tomoyo-chan."
"Will do!"
Getting Freeze to freeze the ground enough that Snow's wintry mix could stick to it was a simple enough job. But as soon as Sakura called them back, everything started melting. She knew that she needed to be able to use a defensive card in case Heat attacked, but watching their carefully-thought-out trap melt around them as they waited was nerve wracking.
Thankfully, they didn't have to wait long.
Sakura was standing on her porch, tightly gripping her sealing wand in preparation for the card to appear through the gate. Stephen had described its physical form as a winged humanoid creature, warning that it held a vase full of scalding water that could be used to severely burn potential opponents. Don't, under any circumstances, let yourself be touched by the water, he explained. A pretty obvious warning, but at the very least she appreciated knowing what to expect. But it was only when a crash and a massive plume of steam emanated from around the side of the house when Sakura realized that the card was not going to actually enter the front gate. It felt obvious too, but somehow it threw her off. Syaoran made a dash for the side of the house, but Sakura called out to him.
"Wait! Let me go first! The card may try to flee if it feels too threatened. Stephen said it prefers to attack from a long distance."
"But…"
He began to protest, but Sakura had already run past him and around the side of the house. She stopped short as she saw the source of the steam- the figure of a winged boy was standing in a clearing where the snow had melted around his feet. Tucked under one arm was an amphora, the mouth of which was spilling steaming water onto the lawn. The grass under the stream of water, as well as that below the boy's bare feet, had turned brown and wilted. He turned, saw Sakura, and ran in the opposite direction, unfurling his large, tawny wings and taking off into the sky. Sakura fished a card from her pocket and tapped it with her staff.
"FLY!"
A pair of pink wings appeared on Sakura's back and she took off after Heat. As expected, it could only skirt around the edges of the Kinomoto's property, staying within the confines of Freeze and Snow's effects. The snow was almost all slush by this point, however, and everything hit by the steaming water pouring from the card's amphora melted instantly. If she delayed any longer, the yard would warm up again and Heat would be free to escape the way it seemed intent on doing.
It really looks like it's trying to get away… is it that frightened of me?
Just as she was thinking this, Sakura began to close in on the card. Fly allowed her to move faster than Heat did, and it noticed as well. Instead of continuing to flee, Heat turned around mid-air and shifted its grip on the amphora. It turned the opening toward Sakura, and a jet of scalding water shot out in her direction. Sakura let out a yelp and dove out of the way, knocked off balance by the sudden change in air pressure from the steam. As she flapped around trying to regain her balance, Heat closed the gap between them, raising the amphora above its head as though it were going to toss it at her. But instead, the vessel remained still and the water poured out in a jet directed at Sakura.
"God of ice, obey thy command! Come forth!"
Syaoran's voice echoed from below, and before the jet of water could reach Sakura, it was frozen solid in the air. The stream of ice plummeted to the ground, and Syaoran had to dive out of the way, pulling with him Tomoyo, who seemed determined to capture the most dangerous shots possible.
The Heat turned to look at Syaoran momentarily, giving Sakura time to find her balance and circle around.
"Syaoran-kun, that gives me an idea! Can you do that again?"
"Huh?" Syaoran picked himself up, and his eyes widened. "-look out!"
Heat had lunged toward Sakura again with the amphora outstretched, but this time she was ready. She turned and held out another card, tapping it with her staff.
"Turn its water attacks back at it to surround it with a rope of water! WATERY!"
As the jet of water shot toward Sakura, Watery's physical form appeared and redirected it, sending it spiraling back at Heat and surrounding Heat's physical form. Sakura looked back down at Syaoran with a quick "now!" that he understood instantly. Again, he summoned ice powers, freezing the rope of water into a solid block that held fast to Heat's wings and sent it careening to the ground. It landed in the yard, struggling against the chains of ice that were already beginning to sublimate as its physical form touched them. Sakura knew she only had moments, and she glanced down at the Shield card she'd pulled from her deck. It would only take a second to seal Heat back to its card form, but… something about that didn't feel right. She could feel Fly's hesitance coursing through her wings, and Watery and Shield sent her similar thoughts from their spot in her hands. It seemed like the cards were saying-
"Sakura! Transform it!"
The words were Syaoran's, yelled with as much force as he could muster over the sound of steam hissing from the ice. Sakura glanced back at him only momentarily, but the look they shared gave her all the information she needed, and she turned back with a renewed conviction. Putting Shield and Watery away, she instead raised her staff and brought it down over Heat's physical form.
"Card by evil's hand designed, reveal your power and form confined, reject the hold of evil's blight, and draw your power from my light! SAKURA CARD!"
The Heat was consumed in a bright flash, and once the light died down, all that remained in the spot where it had been was a single card. The card flew over to Sakura, who reached out to take it in her hand. A series of cards flew out of her pocket of their own accord, fluttering around her hand to get a better look at their new companion- among them Freeze, Snow, Fly, Watery, Shield, and even Windy. Sakura smiled, letting the cards have their moment and then collecting them in her hands to hold close to her chest.
"Thank you, everyone-" she murmured, hugging them tightly. She then turned around to where Syaoran was watching with restrained curiosity. Kero was sitting on his shoulder, while Tomoyo and Stephen stayed a short distance away. "-and thank you."
"I… didn't know whether I should interfere or not," Syaoran admitted. "I didn't want to get in your way. But Kero saw that you were in danger, and I couldn't help myself."
"You did the right thing! If it weren't for you, I would've been burnt for sure! And you gave me the inspiration for how to catch Heat. I couldn't use both Watery and Freeze while I was flying, so having your ice powers was a big help. I'm so glad you were here."
Before Syaoran could say anything else, Sakura had run to hug him, throwing her arms around his shoulders. He hugged her back, squeezing her waist as he pulled her close. "I'm… so glad I was here too…" he murmured.
While the two were caught up in their embrace, Stephen turned to see a faint outline of a winged figure disappearing against the night sky. He frowned, glancing over at Kero to confirm that he'd seen it too. "Messenger," Stephen murmured, and Kero nodded back at him.
"Probably off to go tell its new master exactly what happened. There's no getting around it- the fact that Sakura transformed the card sends a clear message about her decision on the matter."
"I…" Syaoran broke away from the hug. "...I'm sorry to make the decision so quickly like that. It wasn't fair of me to throw that at you when you were under so much pressure, but-"
"No, it's okay." Sakura shook her head. "I can't be sure, but… in that moment, before you said anything, I felt like the cards were telling me exactly the same thing. I thought I had asked everyone their opinion about my decision, but I forgot the most important person of all to ask. I should've asked the cards too. And the cards seemed to want me to transform it."
Kero flew over to perch on Sakura's arm. "Am I to take this as you making a decision?"
"Yes," Sakura replied with a nod. "I can't say how Warp Neon treated his cards, or how Noboru-sensei will treat his cards. But I know how I will, and that's with the love and respect they deserve from their master. So I want to capture and transform all the Warp Cards, to give them all that chance."
Stephen let out a soft "Sakura-sama," and Syaoran gave a proud nod of approval. Kero turned towards her and tapped his chest.
"Alrighty, then. As your guardian beast, I reaffirm my commitment to helping you capture and transform the cards. I'm behind you on this, no matter what."
Sakura beamed. "Thank you, Kero-chan! ...er…" Her voice wavered at the end of the sentence, as she found herself shivering. It had been hot in her room, so the pajamas she was wearing were no more than a tank top over a pair of athletic shorts. With her sandals not helping much to separate her feet from the half-frozen ground, she was awfully cold.
"Sakura?" Syaoran asked, stepping closer again. "Are you okay?"
"F-fine. It's just… with all this snow around, it's kinda cold."
Not even thinking, Syaoran instinctively wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his side. "Is that better?" he asked.
"Yeah, thanks."
They stayed like that for a moment before Sakura pulled away- not entirely, just enough so that they could stand face to face. She leaned up, moving her face to the side so that she could brush her lips against his. He tensed up, and she jerked her head back.
"I-I'm sorry! I should've asked first!"
"No, it's- it's okay. I was just surprised." Syaoran's face reddened, but he forced a smile for her sake. "I would've said yes."
"Even so, I should have asked."
"Well, then…" he ventured, "...may I, um… kiss you?"
Sakura felt her face flush hot with a mix of embarrassment and delight. "Yes!"
Syaoran leaned down for a better angle, and the two placed their lips together slowly, almost unsure of where they should go. Syaoran pursed his lips slightly, and Sakura closed hers around his bottom lip, enjoying the warmth that spread through her whole body from just that one small touch. She finally pulled back, a soft smile on her face, and observed his similar expression. The nervous butterflies in her stomach wouldn't be still, but it wasn't an unpleasant feeling at all. Not this time.
A shrill "OH NO!" from beside them sent Sakura and Syaoran spinning around. Tomoyo was holding her camera, looking into a blank screen with an expression of dismay.
"My camera battery died! It was right before you actually kissed too! I can't believe it- I totally had it charging before we went to sleep too! How is that possible?"
Sakura was still cold, but she could feel a drop of sweat make its way down her brow. "It's okay, Tomoyo-chan. You got the card capture, right?"
"Yes, but… this was important. It was Sakura-chan's super special first kiss…"
"We're not going to recreate it for you, if that's what you're implying." Syaoran was quick to jump in before she even asked. Tomoyo, however, seemed scandalized at the very idea.
"Are you kidding? There's no way to recreate the tender sweetness of a kiss like that! Oh, if only I'd changed out the battery sooner…"
As Tomoyo continued to talk with Sakura and Syaoran, Kero moved over to the fence, where Stephen had taken a perch after Tomoyo's outburst. He sat down beside Stephen and nudged him.
"You wouldn't have had anything to do with Tomoyo's camera actin' strange, would'ya?"
Stephen looked away. "It just… seemed like a special moment between Sakura-sama and Syaoran-sama. I didn't want that weird piece of technology to desecrate it."
Kero laughed. "Hey, maybe you're not so bad after all! Just don't let Tomoyo know it was you, or you'll be in big trouble!"
There was a moment of silence. Kero half expected Stephen to say something about Sakura's decision, but he didn't. He seemed too deep in thought even to comment on Kero's sudden- if joking- expression of trust in him. When he finally did speak, it was with a deeper, more serious tone.
"Kerberos, I… have a question I want to ask you."
Kero frowned. "When you phrase it like that, I don't know if it's something I should answer, but I'll bite. What is it?"
"Well… it is something I would like to ask, but at the same time I am unsure as to whether I truly wish to know the answer. It may be something I am better off not knowing."
"Better off not knowin'? What kinda talk is that?"
Stephen shook his head. "My apologies for confusing you. I think I will keep the question to myself for now. But should I decide in the future that I want to know, will you answer it for me?"
"That depends on what it is. Keep being all cryptic like that, and there's no way I'm gonna answer it for ya."
Kero wasn't really sure what he expected as a reply to that statement, but whatever it was, it wasn't what he got.
"Perhaps that is for the best, then. Thank you, Kerberos."