Thank you all so much for your patience and encouragement with this story so far! As usual, I don't own anything (nobody owns Hamlet; PUBLIC DOMAIN, Y'ALL), I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

10- Sakura and the Culture Festival Collaboration

The school courtyard was mostly empty first thing in the morning, a sight that Sakura was still unused to even after a week of early-morning cheerleading practices. She had to show up particularly early today to practice some small group stunts that they'd been having trouble with the afternoon before, and she'd even beaten her dad out of bed that morning to get ready. It was hard having to be up so early, especially since it was so dark in the mornings nowadays, but it was all worth it for the cheerleading performance they were preparing for the upcoming culture festival. It was a musical collaboration with the choir club and the concert band club, and with Tomoyo performing a solo, she couldn't wait to get on stage together.

With her head in the clouds and her lips humming the tune of the song they were performing, she almost didn't notice the sound of an unfamiliar voice from farther over in the courtyard. However, when a voice she did recognize replied, she quickly turned her attention to what was happening. Sakura dashed over toward the clearing, peering over the hedge to see what was going on.

On the clear patch of grass, Syaoran stood opposite a girl that Sakura didn't recognize, both of them wielding swords. Her heart raced as she watched them strike at each other, parrying back and forth with seemingly equal strength. Syaoran's sword was not the one he normally wielded, but something thinner, akin to a fencing foil. The girl's was similar, and her movements were just as fluid and sure as Syaoran's were. The sight caused Sakura to draw in a frightened breath.

What's going on?

The two foils struck each other again, and the combatants jumped back, both seeming to be sizing up their opponent. Syaoran was the first to speak up again, raising his sword with an impatient "have at you now!"

The girl was just a split second too late, starting to draw back but failing to do so in time to avoid Syaoran's sword grazing her shoulder. She tumbled to the ground, clutching the shoulder with gritted teeth, but when Syaoran brought his sword down over her, she was able to spring up and deflect his strike to the side.

Sakura couldn't tell whether or not the girl was injured- she really had looked hurt when she fell, but her uniform wasn't damaged, and she was on her feet again. Everything in Sakura's mind was telling her to jump in before Syaoran really hurt this girl, but she couldn't bring herself to move. What if she distracted him and made the situation worse? What was going on anyway?

Back on her feet, the girl turned back to Syaoran for another strike. He went on the offensive, dashing forward to meet her halfway, his arms outstretched. There was the sound of metal hitting metal as their swords met one another, then again, and then again with such force that the hilts were wrenched from their hands. Both Syaoran and the girl dove forward, barely missing the hilt of their respective foils, but managing to grab the other's. The unfamiliarity of the new sword seemed to distract Syaoran as he looked back and forth between the one in his hand and the girl's- and this was just the opening she was looking for. She struck him, her sword grazing his chest and sending him back with a grunt of pain. He landed on the grass, struggling to prop himself up with one arm while he clutched his chest with the other. The girl approached, looming over him with her sword poised to strike, and Syaoran managed to stagger to his feet again, shifting his grip to meet her strike once again-

"STOP! STOP THIS!"

Before she knew what she was doing, Sakura had leapt through the hedge and thrown her arms out to get their attention. If she could just distract them, maybe she could find out what was going on and put a stop to it. If Syaoran was in danger, she couldn't just do nothing.

The two swords hit one another, and they both jumped back. Syaoran's eyes flew over to Sakura and widened. "Sa-"

The girl cut him off as she threw her free hand to the side. "Nay, come again!"

"I-Izumi-senpai, I don't think she knows what's going on…"

The change in Syaoran's posture was immediate, his hunched position covering his chest giving way to his usual squared shoulders. All the pain on his face had disappeared, and he seemed more concerned than anything else. Sakura looked back and forth between the two, still confused.

"Well, she got the timing right, even if the line was wrong." The girl turned to look at Sakura and smiled with a wink. "The line is 'part them; they are incensed,' but I think Hashimoto-kun would be upset if he knew someone was trying to steal his role."

Sakura jumped back against the hedge and waved her hands. "N-no, I wasn't- wait. Role? Were you guys… practicing for the play?"

There was a pause. Syaoran groaned, but Izumi burst out laughing.

"Wow, Li-kun. What kind of person are you, that your girlfriend thinks you'd really be swordfighting with an upperclassman in the schoolyard?"

Sakura covered her mouth, trying to hide the blush on her cheeks. "I-I'm sorry! It's not like that, it's just-"

"It's alright." Syaoran sighed, stepping over to stand beside Sakura and pat her on the shoulder. "She's just worn out from all her cheerleading practices. Don't tell me you've got practice this early? You need your sleep."

Sakura pouted. "I could say the same to you! What you guys are doing is dangerous- what if you get hurt?"

"I don't want to hear this from someone at the base of a cheerleading pyramid-!"

Their argument was cut off by the sound of laughter from Izumi, and the two turned back to look at her. "You two are really cute," she spoke through her laughter, approaching them and holding out her foil for Sakura to see. "These are our props for the play. They're not sharp, see? We've worked out the blocking so that it looks like we hit each other to the audience, but we don't actually make contact with one another's bodies. That's the magic of stage combat."

Sakura reached out hesitantly, running her finger over the foil. "Wow. This is amazing…"

"Sakura, aren't you headed to practice?"

The sound of Syaoran's question elicited a gasp from Sakura. "Oh no! That's right- I'm going to be late! Sorry for interrupting- good luck with your practice!"

"Thanks!" Izumi waved to her as she ran off. "Oh, but remember; actors don't say 'good luck.' Actors say 'break a leg!"

"H-huh…?" Sakura froze. "B-bu… re…"

"It's English," Syaoran interrupted. "It's an ironic expression of encouragement, wishing the actor to break their leg."

"Oh, uh…"

Izumi nodded, her smile still as bright as ever. "And in French, they say 'merde,' which means-"

"A-anyway, Sakura has to get to cheerleading practice!" Syaoran grabbed Izumi's free arm and jerked her backward. "See you in class, Sakura! Bye!"

Sakura waved back, a little taken aback by the sudden break in the conversation.

"...bye, then…"

Sakura made it to the classroom after practice, still out of breath. The practice had gone well, if a little frustrating. It was a new group she was working with for this stunt, and not only was the flyer a little unbalanced, but the fourth-position was a third-year who seemed completely disinterested in the endeavor. The two had bickered about it, blaming each other for being too enthusiastic or not enthusiastic enough, and Sakura couldn't take it. Lifting one of her teammates above her head? She could do it without breaking a sweat. But listening to her teammates arguing? Sakura was already exhausted and school hadn't even started yet.

As she opened the classroom door, Sakura heard the sound of Tomoyo's voice singing. She walked over to their desks, leaning over to see the sheet of music on Tomoyo's desk. Naoko and Rika were there with her, talking now that she'd stopped singing.

"Hey, can you give me a B again? I don't think that was quite right." Tomoyo finished her statement and then seemed to realize that Sakura was there. "Oh! Sakura-chan! I was just practicing my solo for our performance. For some reason, I keep hitting that high C at the end just a little flat."

Rika tapped her phone and it emitted one short note. "That's the B," she said, showing the display to Tomoyo. Tomoyo nodded and glanced back down at her sheet music just a moment before closing her eyes and singing out. On the last note, she paused and held it longer than needed. She frowned, looked back up at Rika, and sang the note again. Rika played another note on her phone, one that sounded to Sakura like exactly the same note that Tomoyo was singing. However, Tomoyo adjusted her pitch ever so slightly until she was satisfied.

"That sounds better. Let me see if I can get it starting from measure eleven again-"

Sakura sat down, smiling as she listened. Tomoyo was working just as hard as Syaoran was on his play and she was with the cheerleading group. It was going to be their first culture festival as high schoolers, and the collaborative performance was something everyone in the school was excited for, whether or not they were actually participating. Syaoran was probably still practicing with the theater club, so Sakura didn't expect him to arrive in the classroom until just before class started. In the meantime, she opened her math textbook. Maybe she could use this time to study the material she'd been neglecting recently.

Despite the excitement surrounding the upcoming festival, the teachers held class as usual. Of course, with the extra exercise in the morning before class, Sakura was more than ready for lunch when the time came around. As soon as the bell rang, she snatched up her lunchbox and dashed out to her friends' usual spot in the courtyard. Syaoran followed her, and within a few minutes, most of their group had gathered.

"Wow, Sakura-chan. You packed a big lunch today!" Rika exclaimed. Sakura just nodded, still with a bite of omelet in her mouth. As she finished it, Tomoyo offered an explanation.

"With all the practices that the cheerleading club has been having, she needs plenty of fuel!"

Sakura nodded, finally able to speak. "I had to eat breakfast really early too. I didn't think I was going to make it all the way through science class. I was so scared Umeno-sensei was going to hear my stomach growling and call me out in front of everyone…"

Chiharu laughed. "I know what you mean. I stole some of the cookies that Takashi had in his desk before fourth period started-"

"That was you?" Yamazaki bristled, looking down at his lunch and then back at Chiharu. "I knew I had ten cookies this morning!"

"Aw, come on. You always share your cookies with me."

"But when I do that, I'm offering them to you. If you steal them, then-"

"You were literally standing right there when I took them! If you were upset about it, you should've stopped me then!"

The group shared a light-hearted chuckle over the sight and then continued their conversation without the bickering couple. "I know that Chiharu-chan and Tomoyo-chan and I have been practicing for the joint performance," Sakura began again, "and Yamazaki-kun and Syaoran are doing the play with the drama club… but what are the other clubs doing? Rika-chan, you're in the baking club, right?"

"Right." Rika nodded. "Since Christmas is less than two months away, we're doing a gingerbread-house building competition. Everything, including the gingerbread, icing, and candy is all made from scratch. We're inviting people to come by and cast votes for their favorite, as well as decorate their own gingerbread cookies to eat."

"That sounds wonderful," Naoko gasped. "The literature club has put together a novella that we're selling, with a chapter written by each member. We've passed it around for several weeks, one person writing a chapter and then handing it off to another member to continue. I wrote chapter three last month, so I've been involved in helping edit and typeset everything since then. It's really a great read, and fun to see how everyone's writing style differs not only in word choice but in the way that they balance moments of comedy and drama."

"Ooh, how much are the copies?" Tomoyo asked, her eyes sparkling. "I definitely want a copy!"

"They're five-hundred yen apiece, but we've also decided to offer digital copies for two hundred and fifty yen. It saves a lot of time and money on printing and binding."

"Smart," Syaoran murmured. "Many people are turning to e-readers these days. But if you make the digital copy half the price, is there a danger that no one will buy the ones you've printed and you'll lose money on the printing costs?"

Naoko shook her head. "Those of us in the literature club love the feel of a physical book, so we'll probably sell a bunch just within the club. There's something special about seeing your writing in print, you know? And some of the older teachers and parents will probably prefer the print copies."

"Oh, right. I forgot there was the parent market to consider."

Tomoyo giggled. "You can really tell that Syaoran-kun's father is a businessman. He's picked up a lot."

"Wha-?! That's not-"

Before he could finish, there was a yell from across the courtyard as a group of third-years approached them. The one in front was waving, and Sakura recognized her as the girl that Syaoran had been practicing with earlier.

"Oh, there they are! See? I told you that Li and Yamazaki always ate lunch with Naoko-chan!"

Naoko looked up with a sudden gasp, her cheeks turning red. "S-Saya-senpai? What are you doing here? Who is this?"

The three upperclassmen gathered around the circle, the two in back offering a friendly wave. Saya motioned to each of them in turn. "This is Hashimoto-kun and Akasaka-chan. They're in the play with us, and were wondering if Li and Yamazaki would be willing to help us practice the lines around the swordfight portion of the last scene."

Both Syaoran and Yamazaki looked up from their lunches. "I-I'm almost finished eating," Syaoran volunteered. "But I can practice when I finish. Do we need to get the foils from the prop room?"

"No. We'll just pretend for right now. It's the death lines for Akasaka, Hashimoto, and Li that we want to go over."

Sakura flinched. "D-d-death lines?! You're saying they all die in the same scene?"

Naoko turned and patted Sakura on the shoulder. "You've never read Hamlet, have you, Sakura-chan?"

"No, but I…"

"It's a Shakespearean tragedy," Tomoyo offered, "so almost everyone dies at the end. That's how they work."

Yamazaki moved over a little, opening up the circle so that the third-years could sit with them. "Why don't you guys join us?" he asked, waving his hand. "We can finish eating, and then we can do the scene for our friends here."

Hashimoto shrugged his shoulders. "Sounds good to me. I don't mind an audience."

Naoko's eyes sparkled. "A sneak peek at the drama club's upcoming production? Oh, I can't wait!"

Akasaka sat down by Hashimoto, close enough that they could tell the two were a little more than just classmates. Saya, in the meantime, stretched and took a seat a little closer to the middle of the circle.

"This is going to be my last production with the drama club at Seijyo, so I want it to be the best we can make it, you know?"

"Your last one?" Rika asked. "You're not going to participate in the spring talent show?"

Saya shook her head. "Unfortunately, I have to quit the club to focus on college entrance exams and auditions. Performing arts programs not only require students to pass the university's entrance exam but also hold auditions to be part of the program itself. Even if you get into the university, there's no guarantee the performing arts program will accept you. That's why I have to work my hardest."

"Do you want to be a Shakespearean actor, Izumi-senpai?" Chiharu asked, swiping another cookie from Yamazaki's lunch.

Saya shook her head. "I actually want to do period pieces. But when you're just starting out, you have to audition for every role you can. It's later, once you've established yourself as a popular actor that you can pick and choose. I've considered auditioning for television roles too, just to diversify my portfolio, but we'll see."

"Oh! If it's period pieces you like-" Yamazaki broke in, "-you definitely have to come by class 1-B when you have some free time. We're decorating it like a traditional Japanese home and offering lessons on making wagashi flowers with nerikiri dough."

"Oh my gosh, that sounds amazing!" Saya squeaked. "That's way more creative than what my class is doing! We're just doing a regular cafe…"

"Hey, that's not true," Hashimoto interrupted. "We've got a group of students doing stand-up for the patrons. It's supposed to be like a comedy club. I'm the headliner, don't forget."

Akasaka squeezed his arm. "He's a hilarious comedian! You guys have to come and listen!"

"Yeah, right." Saya rolled her eyes. "If you like that sort of thing."

"I do like that sort of thing!"

"H-hey, guys!" Yamazaki broke in. "Li-kun and I just finished eating, if you'd like to run the scene. We could get the others to sit in a sort of semicircle, and do the blocking on a smaller scale here."

The third years stopped, glanced at each other, and laughed. "Yeah, let's do it," Saya agreed. "The sparring ground can be here, and the king and queen will sit over there…"

Within a few minutes, the members of the drama club had worked out their positions and started the scene. Sakura watched, fascinated with the way they were able to suddenly change into different people in a different time and place. There were no props, no stage, nothing to help them, and yet they became so fully immersed in what they were doing. She had no context for who the characters were or what was going on- besides Syaoran and Saya having just performed the swordfight she'd seen that morning. Yet somehow, she felt like she was part of it.

"Part them; they are incensed!"

"Nay! Come again-"

As Saya and Syaoran leapt toward each other, Akasaka collapsed onto the ground. Sakura moved to get up, but Tomoyo put a hand on her arm and she realized that it was part of the scene and calmed down again as they continued.

Yamazaki knelt down beside Syaoran, who was clutching his chest. "How is't, Laetes?" he murmured, placing a hand on his shoulder. Syaoran gritted his teeth, but he spoke with a calm, resigned smile.

"Why, as a woodcock to mine own springe, Osric… I am justly kill'd with mine own treachery…"

Saya, meanwhile, was drawing closer to where Akasaka had fallen. "How does the queen?" she begged.

"She swounds to see them bleed," Hashimoto replied with a wave of his hand, starting to help Akasaka to her feet. However, Akasaka clutched his shirt and tugged on it as she fell forward.

"No, no! The drink, the drink-" she shrieked, reaching out in Saya's direction. "O my dear Hamlet- the drink!" Her arm began to droop and her shoulders grew limp. "...the drink… I am poisoned…"

She fell out of Hashimoto's grip and crumpled onto the floor. Saya jumped to attention, her hands positioned as though she were holding her foil out. "O villainy!" She pointed off to the side, offstage. "Ho, let the door be locked: treachery! Seek it out!"

"It is here, Hamlet;" Syaoran called, pulling himself to his feet so that he could grab at her sleeve. "Hamlet, thou art slain. No medicine in the world can do thee good; in thee, there is not half an hour of life; the treacherous instrument is in thy hand..." His grasp on her sleeve tightened as he continued his lines, his head downcast yet tilted to the side enough so that his voice carried out to the audience rather than being directed at the ground. "...I can no more: the king, the king's to blame."

Saya jumped back as Syaoran released his grip, looking down at her imaginary sword and then over at Hashimoto. "The point, envenomed too! Then, venom-" There was a desperate twinge in her voice as she descended upon Hashimoto and struck forward as though stabbing him with the foil. "-to thy work!"

"Treason!" Yamazaki yelled, clasping his face in horror. "Treason!"

"Oh, yet defend me, friends; I am but hurt." Hashimoto struggled against the grip that Saya had taken on his shirt, but he couldn't pull himself away. Saya reached for an imaginary prop and shoved it in his face, her voice starting out quiet and raising in pitch with each word, the insults spat with growing fervor.

"Here… thou incestuous, murderous, DAMNED Dane, drink off this potion! Is thy union here? Follow my mother."

And with that, Saya threw Hashimoto aside. He stumbled backward and crumpled onto the ground next to Akasaka. Sakura clutched her hands close to her chest, not prepared for the overwhelming force of the actors' emotions. She knew this was going to be a death scene, of course, but this… this was something she couldn't have imagined up if she'd tried.

Syaoran walked slowly over to where Saya stood, looming over the two pretend-corpses. "He is justly served;" he spoke, almost in a sigh. "It is a poison tempered by him...self-" As he finished his sentence, his voice hitched and he clutched his chest, doubling over and then crumpling to his knees. Saya knelt down next to him, holding his hand as he continued weakly. "Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet: mine and my father's death come not upon thee, nor… thine… on… me…"

Syaoran crumpled down into her lap, and Saya gently moved his limp form onto the grass. "Heaven make thee free of it! I follow thee-"

At that point, the school bell rang, pulling both the actors and the audience out of the trance they'd all fallen into. It was like a spell had been broken and they'd been pulled back into the real world from a dream. Hashimoto and Akasaka hopped up, bushing themselves off, and Hashimoto leaned down to help Syaoran up as well.

"I guess that's our cute to split, huh?" Hashimoto asked with a grin. "That was pretty great! Though, Izumi, you could stand to throw me a little harder. I know how to fall correctly- you're not gonna hurt me."

Saya laughed. Save your notes for practice this afternoon. We can talk it over then."

"Sure, sure."

Naoko started to clap, and the others in the audience stopped packing up for a moment so that they could join in the applause. "You guys were amazing!" Rika exclaimed. "I can't wait to see the real thing with a set and props and all!"

Saya waved as she followed the other third-years back toward the building. "You won't be disappointed. See you later, Li, Yamazaki! Nice job!"

"Th-thanks," Syaoran replied as he waved back, though it wasn't obvious whether or not Saya actually noticed. He sighed and turned back around to the others. "Should we head in? We don't want to be late."

"Right!" they agreed in unison, though Sakura continued speaking to Syaoran on their way back.

"That was incredible, you know. When your character died, I really got scared for a minute. I knew it was just a play, but…"

Syaoran offered her a supportive pat on the shoulder. "It's okay. That means you were really into it- and that I did a good job. So, uh, thanks. But don't worry about me, alright?"

"Yes! Everything is going to be alright!"

Syaoran couldn't argue with that logic.

There were no classes that Saturday, but everyone showed up early to work on preparations for the culture festival. There was the general gamut of attractions; booths on the field run by different classes and clubs, and interior classrooms being decorated for use by others. Sakura first dropped by class 1-B to see what she could help with before cheerleading practice, but she quickly had to leave in order to get into uniform and onto the field. The cheer uniform was a little cold in the weather, but she knew that she'd warm up easily as they practiced, and the clear skies meant perfect weather for the outdoor performance.

"Chiharu-chan!" Sakura waved as she saw her friend, the other first-year member of her stunt group. Chiharu turned around to respond, but she wasn't smiling.

"Sakura-chan, there's a big problem."

The statement stopped Sakura in her tracks. "...a big problem? Huh?"

Chiharu led her over to where the other two in their stunt group were gathered, but it wasn't a pretty sight. The two were arguing, staring each other down with scathing glares.

"-and I'm telling you, I don't feel safe up in the air with you pulling on my ankle like that!"

"I am not pulling on your stupid ankle!"

"Then that's your problem right there! You're supposed to pull on my ankle!"

"Wait, now you want me to pull on it?"

"Yes, but not the way you were doing-"

Sakura jumped in between them, holding out her hands. "You guys, please! What's going on with you?"

The third-year crossed her arms and turned away. "First, she complains that I'm pulling on her ankle, and then she says that I'm supposed to pull on her ankle! What am I supposed to do? How do I please her?"

The second-year turned away too, letting out a frustrated huff. "She's supposed to pull up on my ankle, not backward. If she pulls back, could lose my balance and fall. If she doesn't pull at all, then all my weight will be on the bases and I'll still fall! We're not gonna have these practice pads at the performance, you know!"

Chiharu stepped in beside Sakura. "Hey, just because we're first-years doesn't mean we're unreliable bases. Even if Watanabe-senpai doesn't pull her weight, we'll be able to support you-"

"Even if I don't pull my weight?!" The third-year hissed. "I've been cheerleading since I was five! I didn't get where I am by not pulling my own weight!"

"I don't care how long you've been cheerleading! If you're not going to support me, there's no way I'm going to let you lift me into the air-"

The two continued arguing, and Chiharu pressed close to Sakura. "What do we do?" she asked. "Should we tell Shimazaki-sensei?"

"If we tell Shimazaki-sensei, she might punish them by taking them off the performance. Then we'll have to rearrange places and practice new choreography, and…" She sighed and shook her head. "This isn't like them at all. Something weird is going on."

"Well, this is Watanabe-senpai's last culture festival. It'd be a shame if she couldn't participate." Chiharu looked back at their teammates who were still arguing. "But we can't practice like this, and if we can't practice, we won't get the timing right…"

Sakura glanced around, scanning the area not only with her eyes but with her magical intuition. There definitely seemed to be something strange around, but she couldn't figure out where it was. It felt vague and nebulous, like one of the cards that affected a large area rather than a single location. However, the feeling was the same- the one she'd been training herself to identify.

She was getting better at sensing Warp Cards, and this was definitely one.

"Hey, why don't we let them work this out themselves? I'm feeling kinda lightheaded, so I'm going to the nurse's office for a little bit."

"Huh?" Chiharu looked over, surprised. "What's the matter? Do you need me to walk you there-?"

"N-no, I'm fine!" Sakura stepped away, already heading in the direction of the building. "I think I've just overworked myself. I need to sit down for a little while, and I'll be good as new! I'll see you guys later!"

She waved as she ran off, ignoring Chiharu's repeated questions and the upperclassmen's stares. If she was going to find out what was going on, she had to find Kero and Stephen.

Tomoyo had left her bags- and the two guardians- in the classroom while she was practicing with the chorus club, so Sakura went straight there first. It was already beautifully decorated, with the desks set aside so that a large portion of the floor was exposed. The floor was covered with a patterned paper meant to look like tatami mats, and some of the students were already dressed in the costumes they'd brought. There was enough commotion that Sakura just planned to walk through and grab the bag inconspicuously. However, the sound of a heated argument caught her attention.

"We can't! It's just too historically inaccurate!"

"We have to! There's no other way."

"A propane burner to simulate a fire would at least provide a closer version to-"

"You know a propane burner isn't allowed in the classroom! We've been over this!"

"But an electric hot plate is-"

Sakura drew closer to the two, reaching out to them. "Um, what exactly are you two-?"

"Kinomoto-san!" Both of the boys turned to her immediately, causing her to scramble backward. They seemed unfazed by this, one grabbing the hot plate that was sitting on the desk nearby and the other pointing to the recipe book he was holding.

"We're not allowed to use a burner in the classroom," the first stated firmly. "A hot plate is our only option in this case. Unless, of course, you want to make the nerikiri dough at home and bring it in-"

"That draws away from the experience," the other student replied. "We want our visitors to see where the dough they're working with comes from. Watching us make it is an important part of the process."

"So you agree that the hot plate is necessary."

"But it's-!"

Sakura stepped away, holding her hands up. "U-um, if I had to make a decision, I'd say it's only logical to use the hot plate. I mean, ancient people would've used that technology is they had it, right? So there's nothing wrong with modernizing our process at least a little." Before either of the two boys could say anything else, she grabbed the bag from Tomoyo's desk. "I've got to take this to Tomoyo-chan in the music room, so, uh, good luck!"

"Wait! Kinomoto-san!"

She was already out the door before they could finish, and while she glanced back to see if they were following her, the classroom door stayed closed. She breathed a sigh of relief and then continued down the hall and around the corner to the stairwell where it was quiet and generally deserted. Once there, she could open up the bag and look in to see what Stephen and Kero were doing.

"Huh?! What is that?"

Kero and Stephen both looked up from the handheld gaming system they were glued to, each pulling a single earbud from one of their ears.

"Excuse me!" Kero groaned before looking back at the game. "We're kinda in the middle of something here."

"Well, save and turn it off," Sakura ordered. "I need your help with something."

"I'm afraid we cannot, Sakura-sama. You see, this game does not allow one to save during a battle."

"HAH!" Kero yelled, slamming his paw down on a button. "Ya think you're so great with yer fire spells? Get a taste of my Waterfall Vortex!"

"Kero-chan!" Sakura groaned, leaning in closer to him. "Forget the game for a minute. This is serious. I think there's a Warp Card here."

Kero immediately shut the game off. "Well, why didn't you say that in the first place? Come on! Let's go check it out-"

"Kero-chan, wait!" Sakura caught him as he tried to fly out of the bag. "I don't know where it is or exactly what it's doing. All I know is that it's making people argue, and I need to find it or it's going to ruin our whole culture festival."

Kero relaxed a little, turning back to look at her and leaning against her hand. "Makin' people argue? About what?"

"Yes, we need more information." Stephen hopped up onto the handle of the bag. "There are many Warp Cards that could produce such an effect. The Ouroboros can create cyclical or repetitive thoughts that drive its victims mad, The Siren can drive people to madness using certain sounds, and The Parasite can create strange behavior in its hosts depending on its chosen mechanism of infection-"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Sakura cut him off. "I don't think it's any of those, though. They didn't seem like they were in pain or being controlled. They were just fighting over, like, choreography and historical accuracy… artistic differences, I guess."

Stephen put a paw over his mouth, humming a little as he thought. "Artistic differences, huh… then it must be…" He stopped and let out a gasp. "That's it! The Muse!"

Sakura and Kero looked at him, waiting for him to elaborate. When he didn't, Kero flew over to sit beside him, nudging his arm. "And? What does The Muse do, exactly?"

"Ah! My apologies, Kerberos, Sakura-sama. The Muse is a card which attacks all forms of artistic expression. Music, dance, literature, theater- Muse will infect the minds of those involved in such endeavors, making it impossible for them to work. It was created from one of Warp Neon's most ruthless war tactics, attacking the morale of the enemy troops. If you take an enemy's weapons away, they will still fight you with their bare hands, he said. But take away their happiness, their art and music and all manner of things that make life worth living, and they will have no strength to fight."

Sakura clutched a hand to her chest. "Th-that's terrible!"

Stephen nodded. "The card must have been attracted to your school, Sakura-sama, because of all the students engaged in artistic pursuits. It is the perfect target."

"Hey, uh, you said it affects music and theater too, right?" Kero asked, putting his paw up. "Doesn't that mean Tomoyo and the kid's clubs will be affected?"

Sakura gasped, nearly dropping the bag as she straightened up. "Tomoyo-chan! Syaoran! They could be in trouble!"

Stephen grabbed on tightly to the handle as the bag shook in Sakura's grip. "Th-the Muse is made up of nine individual beings, each representing one of the nine goddesses of the arts in Greek mythology. There are two devoted to drama; one for comedy and one for tragedy. If Li Syaoran-sama is performing in Hamlet, then certainly the muse of tragedy will be attracted to him. Tomoyo-sama may attract either the muse of song or of hymns."

"How do I find them?" Sakura asked. "And when I find them, what can I do to stop them? If they're all separate, how am I going to seal the card?"

Stephen crossed his arms, frowning. "Now that you mention it, that will be the most difficult part of this. How will you capture the card when the parts are separated...?"

"Aw, don't just repeat her questions and not give any answers!" Kero growled. "If you're not gonna give an answer, then quit yammerin' on and let Sakura do her work!"

"Calm down, Kero-chan," Sakura warned, picking him up and putting him back down in the bag. "You two hide again for right now. I'm going to the auditorium to see how Syaoran's dress rehearsal is going."

Stephen nodded and hopped down into the bag again. "Keep thinking about it Sakura-sama. I'm sure there is a Sakura Card or combination of Sakura Cards that will allow you to assemble the Muse's parts into a whole."

"A combination of Sakura Cards, huh?" Sakura murmured as she closed the bag back up. "I wonder…"

The drama club was supposed to be doing a dress rehearsal, so Sakura expected to walk in on a lit stage and an in-progress play. However, when she entered the school's auditorium, she found it in chaos. Students were all talking over one another, some on the stage and some in the audience seats, many with their eyes glued to their scripts. No one seemed to notice Sakura walk in, so she was left to scan the area trying to find Syaoran. She'd spent enough time with Tomoyo while she'd been working on his costume to recognize the dark blue, gold-trimmed tunic. He seemed to be speaking with the teacher, so she stood to the side and waited until the conversation ended. The teacher seemed to agree to something, and Syaoran thanked him and ran off toward the auditorium door. He met Sakura halfway and stopped as soon as he saw her.

"Y-you're here! How did you know…?" He stopped himself, shaking his head as he answered his own question before she could. "You sensed the card, didn't you?"

"Yes," Sakura answered with a nod. "There was trouble with the cheerleading club and our class too. According to Stephen, a lot of different groups might be affected. What's going on here?"

Syaoran frowned, glancing at the bag and then back at the others in the auditorium. "No one can seem to remember their lines. We've been off-book for two weeks, but when we started our dress rehearsal, we could barely get through the first scene. The director started scolding everyone, but when really reliable actors like Izumi-senpai couldn't get through even the first part of a soliloquy, we realized something was wrong. We're taking a break now to study, but if it's the work of a Warp Card, then-"

"Let's go somewhere no one can see us," Sakura began, grabbing hold of Syaoran's hand. "We can talk to Stephen and figure out where to find the part of the card that's doing this."

"Part…?"

Sakura didn't answer, just motioning for Syaoran to follow and making her way up to one of the lighting rooms above the stage. From there, she could get a better look at the auditorium without drawing any attention to them.

"I remember this place," Syaoran murmured. "This is where we were hiding when you captured the Mist card."

"Yeah!" Sakura nodded in agreement. "And you rescued Onii-chan and his classmate."

"Oh, th-that? I, uh, don't recall… must not remember… sorry."

If the situation were not so dire, Sakura would have laughed at his embarrassed denial. But they had more important things to worry about right now. She unzipped the bag to let Kero and Stephen out. Kero flew over to perch on one of the stand lights, and Stephen climbed up the bag's handle and Sakura's arm to sit on her shoulder.

"Stephen here has been sayin' that Muse's components will find places where they can observe everything that's goin' on," Kero said, scanning the auditorium. "My guess for here would be somewhere up on the lighting or-"

"Hold on. Slow down," Syaoran broke in. "What card did you say this was?"

"The Muse, Li Syaoran-sama," Stephen responded. "It is a card that can separate into nine different entities that each represent one of the ancient Greek goddesses of the arts. Thankfully, each by itself is not particularly powerful. But for Sakura-sama to seal the card and purify it, we will need to collect all nine. Otherwise, the purification won't work-"

"There! That's gotta be it!"

Kero's voice cut off Stephen's explanation, and the rest of the group turned around to see him pointing up at one of the lights above the stage. Atop the light was perched a small, fairy-like creature, peering at the chaos through the eyes of a mask. Noticing that it was being watched, the creature turned to look into the lighting room, moving aside the exaggerated frown of the mask to reveal a smile on its real face. It leapt up off the light and came flying towards them, a sparkling magic emanating from its body.

"Quick, Sakura-sama! You've got to restrain it!" Stephen hid behind Sakura's back, peeking up over her shoulder ever so slightly. Sakura nodded and grabbed her key, chanting the incantation and pulling two cards from her pocket. She didn't have enough time to give a detailed explanation, but the cards knew what she was thinking, and they did just as she'd hoped.

"Trap Muse's physical form! BUBBLE! SHIELD!"

One large bubble formed around the creature, and before it could pop the bubble from inside, Shield's magic reinforced the walls. Muse was left buzzing around the bubble, pounding against the sides to be let out. But its strength was no match for Shield, and it finally resigned itself to sit down with a pout. It placed the mask back over its face, allowing the frown on the mask to express its feelings. Sakura, on the other hand, sighed in relief.

"Thank goodness it worked."

"You weren't sure it was going to work?" Syaoran asked. "What were you going to do if it didn't? Putting all our faith into things that might work was our problem when we fought Vegetation! You can't do that-"

"Um, excuuuuse you!" Kero interrupted, flying into Syaoran's face. "You ever think there's a difference between a card that can asphyxiate you with vines and a card that, uh, makes you forget the lines to some stupid five-hundred-year-old play."

"What did you say-?!" Syaoran growled, leaning in, though he was cut off by a comment from Stephen.

"Actually, Hamlet was written approximately four-hundred years ago, at the very beginning of the seventeenth century-"

Kero turned around to Stephen, getting in his face the way he'd done with Syaoran. "Shuuuut up!"

"Everyone, stop it!" Sakura scolded. "I shouldn't have acted so surprised. I trusted the cards and what they would be able to accomplish together. So often I use them separately, but when Stephen said something about a combination of cards, I realized that they really are a team. The cards are individuals, but they were made to work together, and as their master, I should be more aware of that."

The others went quiet, listening to her speak. Syaoran smiled and nodded, and Kero flew over to pat Sakura on the shoulder. "I've gotta say, I've never seen either card used like that. Askin' Bubble to make one big bubble instead of lots of little ones, using Shield to keep things in instead of out… Clow Reed would be proud of ya, kiddo. And I'm sure the cards are proud of ya too."

Syaoran stepped forward. "I'm sorry to have criticized you like that. You knew what you were doing, and I was just being overprotective. It's like Kero said, this is not a card like Vegetation. And, even if it was, there's no point in scolding you when it's all worked out."

"It's alright!" Sakura chimed. "You need to go back and work with the rest of the drama club. I'll go find the other parts of the card and collect them so that I can purify it."

"Do you know where they are?" Syaoran asked.

"Stephen can help me."

"Yes! Sakura-sama is right!" Stephen held up one paw. "I shall inform her of the different parts of the card and the artistic activities with which they prefer to interfere. This one, Melpomene, is the muse of tragedy, which is why it was attracted to your production of Hamlet. There are eight others, so I'm sure we can find them with no trouble. And with Sakura-sama's ability to trap them, we'll have this card- she'll have this card- purified before lunchtime!"

"We need it before then!" Sakura argued. "At eleven o'clock, the cheerleading, choir, and concert band clubs are doing a run-through of our joint performance. If that bombs, then we may not get to perform tomorrow night."

"Then we will not allow that to happen! Li Syaoran-sama, what is the current time?"

Syaoran checked his watch. "Quarter-past nine, so you'd better hurry. Let me help; I can-"

"No." Sakura didn't even let him finish his offer. "You need to stay and practice here. I'll be alright, I promise."

He paused, but finally sighed and nodded.

"Do your best."

It was like a scavenger hunt around the school.

Back in the gym, the cheerleaders were all arguing with one another, but once Sakura silenced the fairylike creature's tiny lyre, the fighting stopped and the gym was once more filled with the sounds of teamwork. In class 1-B, trapping the fairy kept it from making any more notes on its scroll and calmed the arguments of Sakura's classmates. The veiled figure terrifying the occult club by moving the pieces of the Kokkuri game was easily snatched up, and the masked fairy that had stolen the voices of class 3-A was added to the group as well. Lost items puzzled both the astronomy club and the literature club, with the stars on the star map and the text on the printed books having disappeared. It took capturing the parts of the card to return them from the fairies' globe and scroll respectively. Finally, a pass by the concert band club's room made their problem of out-of-tune instruments clear, and the flute-playing creature in the window was the culprit. Once Sakura had captured it, the vastly-improved tones from the music room seemed to resound in celebration that she had only one part of the card left to collect.

"The only one left is Erato, the muse of lyric poetry," Stephen said, examining the eight that were fluttering around in Sakura's Shield-fortified bubble. "My guess would be a group that is singing or writing song lyrics-"

"The choir club!" Sakura gasped. "It's gotta be! And that's Tomoyo's club too- we have to hurry! What time is it, Kero-chan?"

Kero picked up his smartphone and glanced at the clock. "Half past ten," he read, and it took him a moment to realize the severity of their situation. "Oh, yikes! Sakura, you'd better hurry!"

"Yeah! The choir is probably heading out to the field already! Quick, let's get downstairs and see if they're still there!"

The music room on the second floor was where the choir club was practicing, and when Sakura went down to see what was going on, she found the members lining up to go outside. She scanned the moving group and identified Tomoyo, running to catch up with her.

"Tomoyo-chan! Is everything okay?"

Tomoyo twirled around on her heels, looking over and noticing that Sakura was carrying her bag. "Sakura-chan! Are Kero-chan and Stephen…?" She gestured vaguely and Sakura nodded.

"Yes. There's a… you know." Sakura looked over the sullen faces of the other members of the choir club as they passed by. "Something strange is going on with the choir club, isn't there?"

Tomoyo clasped her hands close to her chest. "No one can seem to find their note. It's like we're all tone-deaf. That high C I was worried about yesterday is now the least of my problems… The director said that if we can't pull ourselves together for this joint practice, there's no way we can perform tomorrow."

"No!" Sakura gasped. "But we can't perform without you!"

"The cheerleading club can still dance to the instrumental by the concert band-"

"But it won't be the same!" Sakura reached out and grabbed Tomoyo's hands. "Don't worry! I'm going to capture it, I promise. Just go on ahead to the field and line up as usual, okay?"

"But what about you? The cheerleading club is practicing with us too-"

"I'll take care of it and be back in time. Just trust me."

Tomoyo was quiet for a moment and then finally nodded. "I'll trust you with it, then. Please, Sakura-chan, do your best."

Sakura beamed. "I will!"

She kept that smile as she watched the rest of the choir club walk out. The teacher followed, glancing over at Sakura and her cheerleading uniform, and motioning her to follow. She flinched and pointed down the hall toward the girls' restroom, and he nodded and continued on.

Sakura made a dash around the corner, and once she was out of sight, she pulled out her staff and cards again.

"They'll get suspicious if I don't show up and get in position. Mirror Card! Please, help me out by taking my place on the field! MIRROR!"

Mirror appeared in Sakura's form, matched exactly down to the finest details of the cheerleading uniform. Kero flew up to her, examining her and looking back at Sakura. "Is this really okay? What if you don't make it back down in time and they start dancing while Mirror is still standing with them?"

"It's okay, Kerberos!" Mirror answered before Sakura could. "The cards have been with Sakura every day while she's been practicing. I know all the choreography, and my magical strength will be more than enough to support her teammates in the stunts."

Sakura clapped her hands together. "Thank you so much! I can always count on you for so much, I can't fully express my thanks…"

"Don't worry about it," Mirror said, running off back down the hall. "I'm happy to stand in Sakura's place! We're all happy to have new friends, so please do your best to purify this card too!"

Sakura waved until Mirror was out of sight and then heaved a sigh. "Stephen," she began, "if the choir club moved outside, that part of the card must have followed them, right?"

"Not necessarily," Stephen answered. "All it needs is the ability to view the people that it is influencing. Because of that, any of the windows that overlook the field would be suitable."

Sakura looked back and forth, up and down the hallway. "So the classrooms… it could be in any one of them."

"Try using the other parts of the card," Stephen suggested. "With no one for them to attack, they will be attracted to the part of themselves that is attacking."

"Ah!" Sakura reached into the bag and pulled out the bubble that held the portions of the card. Most of them had calmed down by that point, sitting and pouting. Sakura held the bubble up, carefully watching their movements. "Alright, find me your last companion."

They didn't seem to respond at first, several of them turning away with a 'hmph!' However, after a moment of silence, they started to perk up and fly in one direction. Sakura followed, walking down the hall using the creatures' movements as a sort of compass. She had to be careful not to look suspicious- while the other students running about the hallway shouldn't be able to see the bubble, it was still suspicious of her to wander down the hallway looking like she wasn't sure where she was going. Finally, the creatures turned back, indicating one of the storage rooms toward the end of the hall before the stairwell. Sakura steeled her nerves and opened the door, feeling prepared for whatever was waiting for her on the other side.

Unfortunately, she wasn't ready for what she found.

"Oh. Kinomoto-san. I thought I saw you on the field. Don't tell me you've sent a Clow Card out to perform in your place?"

Sakura froze. "N-Noboru-sensei… what are you…?"

Noboru held up his hand to reveal the small creature perched on it, playing a strange, harp-like instrument. The ones in Sakura's bubble suddenly began to chatter, the musical tones of their voices rising as they recognized one of their own. Noboru looked them over for a moment and then sighed, shaking his head.

"What a shame, trapping them like that. Of course, I understand the need. The students here are working so hard, I'd hate to ruin their efforts. But to be held captive by a Clow Card… they must feel so humiliated." He held out his free hand. "Why don't you hand them over? I promise I'll call them off. As a teacher, I have a vested interest in my students' endeavors-"

"No way!" Stephen jumped out of the bag and clambered up the side of the stacked desks so that he could speak with Noboru face to face. "She has eight parts of the card, and you only have one. You should be the one to hand Erato over to her."

Noboru pressed his lips together, letting out a pensive hum. "I… think not. You aren't in any position to be making demands, you know."

"What is that supposed to mean-?" Stephen growled, but Sakura got what Noboru was saying.

"The choir club!" she gasped. "They're about to sing! Please, Sensei, you've got to call off the card. If this practice goes poorly, they won't be able to sing for the performance tomorrow!"

"I'm sorry. I cannot do that."

"B-but-!" Sakura clutched the bubble close to her chest. "They've been practicing for months! This is the last culture festival for the third-years too. If they can't perform, then-"

"You misunderstand, Kinomoto-san." Noboru held his hand up as he interrupted her. "I have befriended this portion of the card by singing a song that I learned from Warp Neon's memories. But it does not recognize me as its master and will not obey me if I tell it to stop. I must have the full card in order to perform my incantation and reclaim it as my own. I would gladly call it off if I could. But that requires your cooperation."

Stephen ground his teeth. The fur on his back was beginning to stand on end. "If you don't want to let the choir club suffer, then give the card over to Sakura-sama to be purified!"

There was a silence, and Noboru considered it.

"...no."

"Wha-?" Kero gasped, flying over to the desk where Stephen was standing so that he could back him up. "You'd let all of your students' hard work go to waste?!"

Noboru just laughed. "Understand, Kerberos, that my own creation, the Muse Card, is working hard too. Why would I let its hard work go to waste? The students will be disappointed, yes, but they will move on and find other creative outlets. Muse, well, this is what it was created to do. If Kinomoto-san gives me the rest of the card, I will call it off out of gratitude for the work she's done in collecting the pieces. But if she doesn't, why should I hand my creation over to her?"

Stephen was about to yell back, but Kero stepped in front of him. "They're not your creations, though. You aren't Warp Neon. Just because you have his memories doesn't make you him. Shouldn't you be living your own life?"

For the first time since Sakura had met him, Noboru appeared to lose his cool. "Shouldn't you be MINDING your own BUSINESS instead of STEALING other people's CARDS?!"

The room went dead silent, all except for the noise of the band warming up on the field below drifting through the open window. Noboru stepped back, sighing and running his free hand through his hair in an attempt to regain his composure.

"In any case, this is Kinomoto-san's decision to make. The band is almost finished warming up, so time is of the essence. What will you do?"

Kero inched back over the desk toward her. "Sakura!" he hissed out of the corner of his mouth. "Ya gotta do something!"

"They're testing the microphones. It looks like Daidouji-san is about to sing," Noboru observed. "Will you abandon the choir club, Kinomoto-san? Will you abandon your friend?"

"Quit it!" Stephen barked. "No matter what you say, Sakura-sama will never submit to you-"

"Shield, Bubble, that's enough. Release them."

Kero and Stephen spun around just in time to see Sakura's bubble disappear and the pieces of Muse break free. They giggled and chattered as they rejoined their companion by Noboru's side, and he didn't hesitate in chanting his own incantation.

"Creatures of chaos, disruptors of peace, the son of Poseidon commands thee to cease; let the winds of your destruction be still: surrender thyself unto thy master's will. WARP CARD."

All nine of the creatures began to glow and finally coalesced into a single form, returning to the shape of a card and landing in Noboru's hand. He nodded and placed the card in his pocket.

"A fine decision, Kinomoto-san. You truly are a good friend."

Sakura rushed over to the window, passing him by as he exited the room. She listened, hearing the band play the first three measures of introduction, and then Tomoyo's clear, beautiful voice coming through on the sound system.

"Life is a fast-paced dance; rhythms change as the times advance. As we keep moving on, our past grows hard to see-"

There was some feedback on the microphone, and a commotion followed as those responsible for the audio system worked out the problems amongst themselves. Sakura turned around again, satisfied that the choir was back to normal, and dashed toward the hallway.

"S-Sakura-sama!" Stephen called. "Where are you-?"

"I have to go switch places with Mirror! You guys stay and watch from here. I'll come back for you later, okay?"

The two guardian beasts watched her go, closing the door behind her, and then turned to one another. Stephen frowned, clutching his paw into a fist in frustration.

"Kerberos, why… why did she do that? Why did she let him take the card? And why did you stand by and do nothing?!"

"Whaddya mean, why did she do that?" Kero replied, leaning in. "She did it for her friends, genius!"

"Her…?"

"Look, if you think Sakura was just gonna throw her best friend under the bus for the sake of potentially getting some magical card, you don't know Sakura." Kero flew over and perched on the windowsill. "Yes, she agreed to purify the Warp Cards, and yes, she genuinely wants to do that. But Sakura wouldn't let her friends suffer for her own selfish reasons. If the choir club doesn't sing, it not only affects Tomoyo but all the other members of the choir club as well as the cheerleading and band clubs that have to perform without them. Haven't you heard the song they're performing? It's all about moving forward, chasing your dreams with the people you love. Without the words, the band is just playing a tune and the cheerleaders are just doin' some fancy footwork. Sakura sacrificed her chance at purifying this card to help others. That's what makes her Sakura. And if you can't accept that… maybe you shouldn't have asked her to be the new master for the Warp Cards in the first place."

Stephen was quiet, looking down at the desk underneath his paws. There was a split second of magical energy that passed so quickly that he almost didn't notice it. He looked up, and see his curious stare, Kero explained.

"That felt like the Time Card. Sakura must've used it to swap places with Mirror without anyone noticing. It's probably a good thing she didn't purify the card, then- using Time takes a lot out of her, and she'd never have the energy after creating a new Sakura Card."

Stephen took another few moments to think it over and then sighed in resignation. He hopped up onto the bookshelf on the wall, scurrying along the shelf to reach the windowsill and hopping over to join Kero. The joint practice had started, and the sound of the band and choir together was echoing around the field. Seeing the coordinated movements of the cheerleaders on the stage brought a soft smile to Stephen's face, and he sat down next to Kero.

"I understand," he murmured, so quietly that Kero could barely hear him over the music.

"Wha-?"

"I understand Sakura-sama's point of view. And while I'm not happy with how events turned out today… her love for her friends is exactly why I want her to be the master of the Warp Cards."

Kero sighed and nodded.

"That's why I chose her too."

It was a chilly night on Sunday, but with the lights and the dancing, Sakura didn't even feel it. Her strong, even breaths clouded into condensation in the air around her as she followed the choreography, moving in tandem with her teammates. She had been so moved by Syaoran's performance in the play earlier that afternoon, she couldn't help but give her all, especially as she saw him in the crowd with an ear to ear smile.

The pace of the dance slowed a little with the trumpet solo that signaled the bridge of the song- and the time for the stunts. Her eyes focused on her teammates, and her mind focused solely on the choreography.

"When our ship comes sailing into the shore…" Half-turn. High V. "...and we sail on to worlds we've never been before…" About face. Low V. "...then, will the distance we face…" Circle up. Get in position. "...be so small we can embrace…" Mount. Support the flyer's weight. Stay as still as possible. "...when I close my eyes, it all comes to me, I almost can see-"

And then- dismount, transitioning smoothly back into the chorus choreography. There was a peal of applause as the flyers dismounted, and Sakura caught sight of a smile that passed between the flyer and the spotter of her group. She smiled at Chiharu in turn. The arguments from yesterday morning felt like a bad dream, washed away by the electric energy of the dance.

Syaoran, meanwhile, didn't realize how much he was smiling. The song came to an end, the cheerleaders struck their final pose, and he felt a nudge against his arm as the applause died down.

"That was pretty fantastic. You and Kinomoto-chan could win an award for most coordinated couple, y'know?"

Syaoran looked up in surprise. "Izumi-senpai! I didn't get to see you after the curtain call, there were so many people. You did so well-"

"I've got you to thank for that. The sword fight would never have been as impressive as it was without your insight and skill. You could make a career out of stage combat, I think. You've definitely got the ability."

Syaoran felt his face start to redden from more than just the chill in the air. "I'd, uh, really rather be an expert in real combat, I think."

He realized a split second after the statement had left his mouth that it might've been an insensitive thing to say to someone who was devoted to theater. But to his relief, Saya laughed.

"So you're a fighter, not a lover, huh?"

Syaoran looked away in embarrassment, stealing a glance at the stage where Sakura was taking a bow with an exhausted-but-thrilled smile on her face. It warmed his heart, and he couldn't fight a smile.

"I fight because there are things I love… things I want to protect."