Thank you for the people that commented on my story… it actually my first completed story. I'm still new to writing, but I love writing journals.

Disclaimer (sorry if I don't do that for every one of my chapters): I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS OF CARDCAPTOR SAKURA!!!

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Sucking all the memories, both warm and haunting, I walked into my old room on the second floor of the temple. Surprisingly, it was the same as I left it; the fire never reached my room (since it was located at the far end of the hallway, the last room to the right). Still the plain ordinary room that I lived in.

I looked out the window, feeling the sunrays on my skin. This was the part of the day that I went out to practice my kendo. My eyes were set on the place in the forest that I used to practice each kata ("form" in Japanese) that Sensei Ton teaches each day.

The students have separate classes for their training, in the morning were the experts, the intermediate was in the early afternoon, and the beginners were in the late afternoon. Also, on the third and fourth floor of the temple, we had teachers that taught us education, like English, math, history, etc. The teachers were so impressed that I was learning rapidly that they have to assign private classes for me. I was also passing swiftly through my kendo classes with ease. I guess Sensei Ton was right about the great potential he saw in me when he first laid his eyes on me. By the end of my first year in the Genbu Martial Arts Temple, I was already an intermediate and was well on my way to an expert.

"I think it's bad for me to dwell in my past like this." I said to myself. Then a thought just struck my head.

I walked to a particular spot in the room and kneeled. I slowly stripped the wooden board from the floor and found some souvenirs I saved before the 'Pandemonium' started. A small samurai-looking doll that Maribel sowed for me, the black belt I received in six months through my stay, the flower (now withered) that a boy gave me, and finally a gold chain necklace given to me by Syaoran were all in here.

"Syaoran..." I spoke, the name rising into the air, then exploding into fragments of memories I had with him. Even though he was the main reason my friendship with Maribel deteriorated, I was never mad at that. For some reason, when I first met him, a sense of familiarity came over me. It was like I met him before, somewhere not of this world. And that brought forth a multitude of mysterious dreams dealing with a world in the heavens.


"Sakura Sakura!!" Maribel yelled as she hastily ran towards me. I was in the front yard of the temple, studying my subjects on the grass. I poked my head from the book.

"What? Did I do something wrong?" I questioned, fearing that I might be in trouble.

"You! Do something wrong... HA!" she teased, "That will be day I get killed. No silly."

She snatched the book away from my hands. "Sensei Ton wants to see you, and that cute Syaoran boy was with him too."

"Huh?" I said oblivious, "Who's Syaoran?"

She sighed, "Do you ever take any recognition of boys around here?"

My face expression was saying 'Do you think I care'. She laughed and went on, "He's the new assistant for Sensei Ton! Probably the reason you didn't recognize is because he came to Genbu two days ago. I heard he is an expert and he's ONLY 15!!!"

I got up and said, "So..."

"SO!" she crossed her arms and looked irritated, "The girls are after him. But do you know what I think?" she whispered to my ear, "I think he likes me."

I stared at her with a blank look, "That's good" I smiled, "I hope you two make a perfect couple."

Maribel grinned happily and hugged me, "Thank you very much! Now Sensei Ton is waiting for you in his room. Sorry that I took your time."

"That's okay." I hugged her back and we both released, "I tell you everything that happens!"

I walked towards the temple, "You better!!!," I heard her say. I smiled at her and went through the door leading into the temple.

I ran up the stairs to the fifth floor (there are six floors to the temple as I learned yesterday). This floor was consist of the teachers' and the sensei's rooms. I walked unto I reached Sensei Ton's room, which had his name engraved on the door. I opened it up to see Sensei Ton and a boy, with his back towards me, conversing.

"Your late Sakura." Sensei Ton scolded me.

"I'm sorry sensei." I bowed down half way with respect and shame.

"Don't be." he answered in a delighted voice, "Have you met Syaoran?"

The boy turned around to me and stared straight into my eyes. Suddenly, a slight pain struck through my head. My eyes squinted for a second. I quickly got myself back together and bowed in respect, "My name is Sakura."

Rith smiled, a smile that seems so calming and friendly, "My name is Syaoran Li, but don't be formal with me."

I straightened myself up when Sakura walked close to me. He placed one finger under my chin and lifted my face up to look at his face, "I heard so many great things from you Miss Sakura. Sensei Ton told me how great a student you are."

I felt heat rising up to my face and pulled away, becoming suspicious, "So you have." I simply said.

He was kind of shocked of my reaction but chuckled, "I see you are not as the other girls here."

He walked pass me whispering, "Of course, you're not from this earth aren't you. I should know you better than this."

I swiftly turn around to him with alarm. 'Know you better than this' the words rang through my head, 'What does he means by that?'

Syaoran turned around to Sensei Ton, "I see you later sensei with Sakura after you guys talk."

And with that he left the room, leaving Sensei and me alone. Sensei Ton cleared his throat and stood up, "It's about time I talk to you." he caught my attention with his broad voice.

He must of saw the fright in my eyes, he laughed, and said "There's nothing to worry about I just want to speak about changes that will affect you, but in a positive way."

I followed Sensei Ton downstairs and out of the back door of the temple. We started to tread on a footpath into the forest.

Sensei Ton and I walked along the rugged footpath. Today was a burning 95°F on a regular summer day. The sunrays were piercing our tender skins, giving me a slight headache.

Silence was all there was since Sensei Ton and I was trotting on this path. I wondered why he was so quiet. Maybe it's because Mrs. Samuel (my literature teacher) must have saw me copying down Maribel's homework one time because I forgot we had homework that time. Or is it because Maribel and I snuck out of the temple one night just to see the fireflies that were lingering around the field. My mind was wandering through too much.

After like almost an hour I realized we were not on the footpath anymore, but walking up a high grassy hill. It took long but finally we reached the peak of the hill. I was amazed about how you can see the temple from here and the other magnificent sites of the Divine that were made for us to explore. I stood a few feet behind Sensei Ton and let myself get hypnotized by the earth's wonders. Finally Sensei Ton spoke.

"Move yourself here to my side." he commanded.

And I did, I walked up to him and stood at his side. "Yes Sensei?"

"Your marks have disappeared two years ago, is that a good sign or bad?"

I wondered why now he's talking about it, "I really don't know... but I think it's a good sign, Sensei."

"And do you have a family?"

I thought about that, then I remembered my life back in town, hearing all those rumors about my parents, "No Sensei, I don't have a family. They died when I was young." That was half true.

Sensei Ton looked at me, "By that long pause, it seems like you don't even know where you came from." And he continued, "When I first saw you hiding behind that tree, with those scars, marks, and those bloody clothes, all I can see was your pain through your eyes. That told me that you were like a rat in a city, barely making it day through day with your own life. You had a cold icy aura around you; like you were ready to kill anyone that was dared looked your way. Am I right."

That didn't surprised me a bit, I knew he was observing me inside out when I first came to his life. I felt his eyes watching me everyday, like a hawk. "Yes, you are right."

"But there was a pure side of you, full of passion, love, humility, and gentleness. That's the side I saw that was dominant in you, the side that I want to build up. Light, like fire, can be burned out if you don't have the power to fuel it, especially when people stole it from you. It left you with the darkness, a power that, if not controlled, can bring you to your doom. Both sides can bring death if not handled properly."

He cleared his throat and continued, "One early morning, while I was searching for some herbs to make some medicine for a sick student, I saw you crying. Your marks started to glow a dark color, than a light color. Then I remembered that some boys were teasing you, because of the way you were made. Your negativity showed at most but was quickly defeated by your light side. After that you fainted and I carried you back to your room at the temple."

"Yes Sensei. I remembered that." I smiled at him, "At least now I know who did that kind act, even though that wasn't a irregular act that you would do." I did a courtesy in front of him saying thank you. He laughed.

"No need for thanking me Sakura." he said, "But you shouldn't always convert your problems to negative energy. Also, you shouldn't let your past destroy your present and future. You should walk the right path, stand on the right mountain, and then, you can see your purpose stretched out in front of you."

I didn't get what he was saying, but suddenly I had that picture of those seven-cloaked men. One of them said, "Queen of the Clow, get rid of those who mock you and build a world that is good for everyone in your own eyes." Then I saw the massacre all over again. All the anger and rage started to build up in me again.

I quickly woke up and shook those feelings aside. Sensei Ton patted my head and said, "Why don't I start to teach you my most powerful technique, Dark Heaven and Sacred Hades? That could help you control your mysterious opposite personality, seeing if every attack deals with using an equal part of the energy. Negative for damaging your enemy, and light for controlling how much damage you give. Will that be okay."

"Oh yes Sensei!" I exclaimed, finally thinking I found the answer to the discipline of my unstable magic. He chuckled.

"Well then now, I have to start giving you private lessons everyday since this is going to take all the practice you can get. So since you have practice in the mornings and school all throughout the afternoon, then the evening is set." He smiled at me, "We start tomorrow."

We stared out at the sunset, admiring the brush-streaks of the rainbow.

"It's getting late." Sensei Ton announced, "We should be getting back."

When we got back. I found Maribel in her room, but then I realized something was wrong by her blank face, which always had life. I told her everything that we talked about, including Syaoran.

"Lucky you." she teasingly said, "Of course that's a good thing." she sighed and hugged her small slender legs to her chest.

Finally I spoke up, "What's wrong with you?" I shook her by the shoulders, "You have been too quiet. You the one that suppose to be the hyper one here."

"I... tell you tomorrow... ok?" she said quickly, "I'm just tired... I'm going to bed now."

"Ok..." I breathed out, "but you better tell me everything."

"Ok." she smiled, "I will."

"Good night." I whispered to her as I hugged her.

"Same to you." she hugged back.

I walked out and closed the door.