Hello and welcome to the season finale.
A/N: You heard me right. It's becoming quite clear to me, and probably to you, that in my current condition (Studying lots and lots and lots.) I'm not managing to keep up the pace of my own story. Therefore, I have decided to take a short break. The idea of breaking my story into seasons occurred to me and it seemed like a good excuse to take a break. Plus, isn't 26 the usual number of chapters in anime series?
The good side of this is that I'll be able to relieve the stress of constantly thinking: "Man, I have to update!". The bad side is that there'll be no story for a while and, since this was a last minute decision, this chapter wasn't written as a season finale. If I'd written it with that concept in mind I would have surely made it much more special and stuff. It does close the story ark so it is very appropriate to end the "first season", but it's not season finale worthy material. I did make some changes to make it better, but its essence is that of "just another chapter" so it lacks that constant tension thingy a season finale is supposed to have.
Anyway, bottom-line is: I'm taking some time off fan fiction. This way, when I return with the next season (hopefully, but not likely, still in 2007) I'll have my mind fresher with ideas and disposition. I even intend shift the focus of the story a bit. I can't tell you how cause that would spoil the story. But I already have a very solid idea of the things that will happen throughout season 2.
Now that I've bored you enough with my lame excuses for my laziness, I'll start doing my routine.
Disclaimer: "It's all real, man. You think it's just a joke, but it's real. The truth is out there, and I can show it to you. Just drink this magic tea and were off to a trip you'll never forget..." Uh... I was trying to make this random guy end up talking about me not owning CCS somehow, but it was just impossible... I mean... Look at him! He's all: "The corporations are behind it, man." I can't have some alienated, junkie hippie be my spokesman. I'll have to do it myself. I don't own CCS... Uh... Does anybody want to adopt a hippie? He doesn't bite.
"Character Talking"
Character Thinking
(Me Talking)
All the life on the planet is based on a magical energy called 'Mana'. The Sun and the Moon provide this mana to every corner of the planet. Those who learn to manipulate the mana are called magicians. A long time ago, Clow Reed mastered the use of both Sun and Moon mana and created his masterpiece in the use of these types of magic, the Clow Cards. Half of them used the mana from the sun and half from the Moon. Now, after accidentally setting those cards on the loose, Kinomoto Sakura must help Li Syaoran, a descendant of Clow, and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards, to capture the cards which, not having Clow to provide them with mana anymore, are going on a rampage after the magical energy they need to live.
Card Captor Sakura
Chapter 9: Sakura and Syaoran - Act IV
Part 5: I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
"I'm home!" Touya called, taking off his shoes.
Nadeshiko appeared immediately, sighing in deep relief. Now she could finally sleep calmly, knowing Sakura's and Touya's whereabouts. "Where were you, Touya-kun? You just left all of a sudden."
Touya didn't feel like lying once again. His mother had suffered enough that day. However, there wasn't much he could do. He recalled that Eriol had once told him very specifically not to let Nadeshiko know about the cards. Even if his father were to find out he should still keep it a secret from his mother.
Just like most of the things he was used to hearing from the boy, that made no sense, but Eriol was very incisive when saying that if Nadeshiko ever found out it would put both hers and Sakura's life in danger.
Touya hated how everything seemed to conspire to fit the boy's will, and the way he expected other people to just accept that. He had grown to despise the spectacled boy more than he despised Syaoran.
Staring at Nadeshiko's inquisitive, but ingenuous eyes, he felt an urge to tell her he'd just met with a boy who was the reincarnation of Clow Reed. A magician whose crazy cards were putting Sakura's life in danger every day. But the words of the boy echoed in his mind. Touya knew that, despite that hateful conceited smile, Eriol was telling the truth.
He sighed. "I just felt like some fresh air." He said, walking past Nadeshiko.
The woman stared at the back of his son, and it was clearer than ever to her that the word 'lie' was stamped all around it. "What are you two hiding from me?" She whispered, not daring to let Touya hear it. Partially out of respect for him, and partially out of fear of the answer to the question.
"Ah... I really needed that." Sakura said, resting on the chair. The meal, though very simple, had proved much more needed than what she'd anticipated. She was starting to understand why boys ate so much. She was sure that she could still eat at least a couple more servings, something she'd never even dream of as a girl. Then again, Syaoran's body wasn't really that of a standard twelve year old. His rigorous training was probably what made him develop such voracious appetite.
Syaoran, on the other hand, felt satisfied. The food had been just the right amount for Sakura's stomach. He felt like resting now.
Tomoyo and Mei Ling had done nothing but watch the two eating. It was curious that while they ate, it was impossible to tell that their bodies were switched. They were both diving in their food with the same determination. That view pleased Mei Ling. She could look at Sakura and pretend it was Syaoran just for a few moments. Though she didn't like that the two seemed to be in such harmony even for eating.
"Alright." Kero said, landing in the middle of the table. Tomoyo and Mei Ling walked to the side of the table to follow the conversation. "Now that we're all done with eating, we can hear Sakura's idea and finally fix this whole mess, right?" He said turning expectantly to Sakura.
Sakura blushed. All the eyes in the room had turned to her. She had been holding back her discovery for quite a while now, so it was to be expected that everyone was dying to hear it. Syaoran's eyes had a particular glow of naive expectation that made him look a bit more like he was in the right body.
"Well..." Sakura started, staring at her empty bowl. She resembled a shy five year old answering a question for a reporter. "I think I know of something that the spell can't affect... Well... It's not that it can't affect... It's more like it wouldn't affect. But I don't know... I'm not so sure if it will..."
"Just say it!" Mei Ling interrupted, exhausted by the girl's intermittent speech. "We don't have much time before they force us into bed. Then you'll have to go to school like this!" She pointed out.
"Alright! Alright!" Sakura cried waving her hands, trying to calm Mei Ling. She took a few seconds to think of a way to explain her thoughts. "The puppet master said that he wasn't really using the spell anymore, right? Only what he had already changed remained. But even if that's the case, you can't be sure if what you're saying really comes from you because you don't know exactly what he changed. You couldn't know, after all, feelings are all intertwined and you can never be sure how much influence the spell is having on a particular feeling or thought even if it wasn't directly changed by him."
Kero was smiling as she said that. He couldn't help but doing so. Sakura's matured a lot since she started chasing the cards. To be able to comprehend the spell so well... I bet not even the brat could have put it so clearly what troubles him. It was a good thing that she learned to value her own abilities.
Mei Ling was acting unimpressed, but she couldn't help but recognize Sakura a bit. "Well... I guess you can put it that way." She said. "But if that's the case... then it's really impossible for Syaoran to beat the spell. I mean... what he needs is precisely what he can't get."
"A memory which he knows for sure that comes from himself." Sakura said, completing Mei Ling's trail of thought. "How can he get such a thing if he can't trust himself?" She was staring to get excited as the conclusion of her idea approached. "That's exactly the key. To find something in which you can trust yourself."
Syaoran was smiling softly when Sakura faced him to say that last sentence. He immediately covered up the smile that went by unnoticed by the others. The fact that he was in Sakura's body made Tomoyo unconsciously ignore it, so even she missed it. "And do you know what this something is?" He asked expectantly.
Sakura nodded. "I think so... But I've been thinking a bit more about it and for some reason I feel like I'm missing something." She said. "I feel like I'm on the right way, but I'm forgetting an important detail." She started to immerse in thought.
Tomoyo, who had been a spectator until now, recognized her cue. "Sakura-chan, let's try your idea." She said. "I'm sure that it will work." Sakura and the other two looked at Tomoyo as if asking 'How can you know?' Tomoyo merely smiled in a reassuring way only she could smile. "I know it will because I saw it in you face when you had this idea. You were already celebrating that you would help Li-kun get rid of the spell. You knew it back then." She paused to let Sakura take in what she'd just said. "It's normal to feel hesitant now, but it's not as if Li-kun will loose his chances of dispelling himself."
Sakura smiled back to Tomoyo feeling thankful. "Thanks, Tomoyo-chan."
Mei Ling was awed. It was the first time she'd seen Tomoyo do that. She knew that whatever that was, it was her 'thing'. If tennists played tennis and cooks cooked, Tomoyo did that.
Syaoran was also awed, but he'd seen Tomoyo doing her 'thing' before. He was starting to get used to having that unique girl around. "Let's hear it then."
Sakura nodded. "Ok. Here's what I thought... Hoe?" Sakura paused, suddenly looking confused. Her eyes widened with surprise.
"What is it Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked, leaning towards Sakura with concern. "Is something wrong?"
"Is it a Clow card?" Kero asked immediately searching for any auras nearby.
Mei Ling sighed. "Are you're sure you really thought of something?" She asked, but got no response. "Well, are you or... Hey, what's wrong with you?" Upon looking at Sakura, Mei Ling noticed her face was all red again, but much worse this time. She had her hands clenched tightly, resting on her lap, and her lips were trembling. Her eyes were concealed by her bangs, cause she was staring down at her hands. Overall, she looked like someone who's about to either confess a terrible secret or have a breakdown. Or both.
All of that looked really weird when pasted over Syaoran's face. I guess it's never been clearer that this is not really Syaoran. Mei Ling thought.
Kero, upon finding no auras, showed his concern too, flying to Sakura's shoulder. "What's happening? Are you feeling sick?"
Sakura shook her head rather violently. She exchanged glances with Syaoran who had been watching the scene with a mix of curiosity and concern. As soon as he looked at Sakura's eyes he understood what she was trying to tell him mentally. It made him blush immediately too. His reaction was in fact quite similar to Sakura's, causing Mei Ling to sweat drop and take back her personal remark. Maybe it could have been Syaoran after all.
They all realized Sakura had told Syaoran what was happening trough telepathy, but that didn't help, since he was as shocked as she was, if not more. "What's going on Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked. Sakura's lips mouthed something unintelligible, so Tomoyo had to lean closer. "I can't hear you." Sakura repeated the same words, but it was just as meaningless to Tomoyo.
"Come on Kinomoto-san, we don't have time to waste." Mei Ling said, standing up from her chair and leaning towards Sakura too. "Just say it loudly already!"
Sakura opened her mouth again. Tomoyo, Mei Ling and Kero leaned closer while Syaoran just sunk on his chair in what seemed to be embarrassment
"I... v... t... ee" Was all they could make out of Sakura's words.
"You don't have to be afraid to say it Sakura." Kero encouraged the girl. She repeated it again, this time Kero was close enough to her mouth to understand the whole phrase.
His face fell.
"Oh... Gee..." He said, not becoming as nervous as Sakura and Syaoran, but showing sympathy for them. "Hadn't thought of that."
"What did she say?" Tomoyo and Mei Ling asked the guardian anxiously.
Kero sighed. He watched Sakura shrink and Syaoran nearly hide under the table. "She said..." He paused, hesitant to say it, seeing how much it bothered Sakura. "She said she has to pee."
The room was dead silent for nearly five seconds.
Mei Ling was the first to try and break tension. Though she didn't do a very good job.
"Oohhh." The girl said, her frown becoming a face of pure pity for the girl. "I... That's..." She couldn't find any words to it. She looked over at Syaoran, and this time found it completely excusable that he was so embarrassed.
Tomoyo nearly lost her composure for a couple of seconds, but seeing how her friend needed help, she managed to stay calm. For Sakura-chan. She told herself.
Mei Ling witnessed for the second time Tomoyo's 'thing'. Once again she was awed. Not only was she able to do that thing, but she could keep her calm in even the most embarrassing situation. If she wasn't so good at being nice, she'd be scary. Mei Ling thought.
Tomoyo put a hand on Sakura's shoulder again, causing the girl to look up. "It's alright Sakura-chan." She said, putting on her best comforting smile. "You just have to close your eyes and do it as if you were still a girl, right Li-kun?"
Syaoran jumped at the mention of his name. "S-sure." He said, trying to force a smile, but getting nowhere near it. No! It's not that simple!
"Would that even work?" Mei Ling questioned. "I mean, if you sat down, wouldn't your..."
"It works!" Syaoran shouted with excessive loudness, interrupting any idea that Mei Ling might suggest. "Just go!" He said to Sakura, folding his arms. He walked to a window and stared at the backyard, trying to distract himself. Would it work? Was the thought he was fighting to get out of his mind.
Sakura looked at Tomoyo, begging for any other solution, but Tomoyo just nodded at her and smiled. Mei Ling and Kero had chosen to leave that matter for Tomoyo and Sakura, they were just pretending to look elsewhere, though they couldn't help but sneak a peek at Sakura occasionally.
"Fine... I'll go." Sakura said, standing up slowly. She felt like a circus attraction now. Not that she blamed the others for acting weird, but it was uncomfortable nevertheless. She also realized how important it was that Tomoyo didn't act like the other three.
"Go ahead and use my bathroom." Tomoyo said, leading Sakura to a door. "Take your time."
Sakura opened the door. Behind it was a bathroom she had used many times in the past, but never in a situation like that one. Taking one last peek at the room behind her, she wondered what Syaoran was thinking. She couldn't see it clearly anymore, and she didn't really feel up to talking to him. It felt like breaking some sort of taboo. She was sure Syaoran felt the same way. She swallowed a big lump of saliva before entering and closing the door behind her.
"You'll think she'll be ok?" Mei Ling asked, watching the closed door with some concern.
Tomoyo nodded. "I'm sure of it."
"Just hope she doesn't get any traumas from this." Kero joked.
"That's not funny!" Syaoran said, turning back to the room. "It's not funny at all!" He repeated.
Kero chuckled. "You say that know, but in a few years this will be one of your funniest memories. Admit it." Kero said. "I do feel sorry for Sakura though, but eventually she'll look back and laugh too."
"Why you..." Syaoran started stomping towards Kero.
"Bring it on!" Kero exclaimed. His confidence and his flight were broken, however, by a punch in the back of the head by Mei Ling.
"You're as sensitive as a rock!" She said as the guardian struggled to regain his balance on the floor.
Syaoran smirked; it was good to see that someone agreed with him when it came to Kero. "Serves you right." He said.
Tomoyo obviously found that scene amusing, but refrained from taking her camera again. Instead, she leaned against the bathroom door and called out for Sakura. "Sakura-chan, are you ok?" She asked.
Sakura didn't answer.
"Just give her time." Mei Ling scolded. "I know we have the card and the spell to worry about but... I can't possibly tell her to hurry up in this condition." She said, trying to sound firm in her opinion.
Tomoyo stared at Mei Ling with surprise. After seeing trough her mask she let out a big smile. "You were mad at Sakura-chan at first, but now you're already worrying about her. You really are a nice person, Mei Ling-chan."
Mei Ling completely lost her composure. She's sharp! She thought, feeling her face blush. "That's... I... It was just a misunderstanding at first... hehe..."
Tomoyo giggled, holding herself back not to go further into Mei Ling's feelings.
Syaoran had paid little attention to the conversation. He was now for the first time feeling that his torment was getting close to an end. As he stared out the window, a rush of optimism grew inside him. It felt like the real thing was going to begin that day. That was when he would start to chase the cards as himself, no spells.
His trail of thought was disrupted when he heard a voice coming from outside.
"You... more right." He heard. The sound was faint and he couldn't make out every word. "...out of fear."
There's someone out there. He thought. He looked around, but couldn't see a thing. This voice... He opened the window to try and hear the voice better.
"I have Clow's promise to fulfill and only Sakura can help me." Came the voice again.
That's when he was sure he knew that person who was speaking somewhere in the backyard. "It can't be!" He exclaimed, surprising Mei Ling and Tomoyo. Kero was still dazed and confused on the floor.
"What's wrong Syaoran?" Mei Ling asked, but Syaoran ignored her. He had his head stuck out of the window and was looking around the place wildly.
"Just listen. I think you'll like it." He heard the puppet master voice say to whoever he was talking to.
In the distance, he could make out two silhouettes. His heart jumped. One of them had to be the puppet master. "I'm not gonna let you escape!" He mumbled. Taking a step back, he assumed a jumping stance, feeling the adrenaline take over.
"Wait! Li-kun..." Tomoyo tried to stop him, but it was too late.
Syaoran jumped out. Tomoyo and Mei Ling ran to the window to watch him.
They were in the second floor, which was pretty high in a mansion like Tomoyo's, but that wasn't anything Syaoran couldn't usually handle. He was well trained in this sort of feat.
Being that way, Syaoran didn't expect any challenge from jumping down that window. No wonder that he was surprised when, in midair, the harsh reality of the situation became obvious to him. I can't do this in her body. He quickly concluded.
Indeed, what would have been an ordinary jump to him was an impossible task in a body that was giving him a hard time to even walk straight, just a few hours before.
He landed with his feet first, but couldn't distribute his weight evenly between them. An excruciating feeling took hold of his left leg, he heard a loud cracking sound and that was all he could remember before his head hit the ground and all turned black.
Touya couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Hospital?!" He screamed at the woman on the phone. It wasn't her fault, but he had to let it out. Why did I let him do it his own way?! He cursed himself. 'He'll protect Sakura.' He said. 'I won't let anything happen.'
Nadeshiko, who had been by his side, nearly fainted at the mention of the word hospital. The episode at the school nursery had been enough to shake her spirit. But this was just too much. She had to find out what was happening with her children.
It took the Kinomoto family less than ten minutes to get to the local hospital. There they met the whole Daidouji and Li families at the waiting room.
Sonomi, who seemed as shook up as Nadeshiko as the first to give the mother a comforting smile. "She's alright. The doctor said it's just a fractured leg and some bruises." She said, laughing at Nadeshiko and herself as if saying. 'The things us mothers have to take...'
Nadeshiko sat down with relief, followed by Fujitaka who sat by her side, looking very relieved too. If it wasn't Sakura, they would have felt silly for worrying too much over a broken leg, but being their little daughter, they felt that their tension had been very well measured.
Touya didn't even realize that the group composed of a boy, a girl, a women and a man was with the Daidoujis until he noticed that the was Syaoran. Sakura, actually. He corrected himself. Ugh. I don't think I can bear to watch this. He turned his gaze away from Sakura, but that didn't help. Soon the Lis were introducing themselves to the Kinomotos.
"It's sad that we have to meet under these circumstances." Yelan said. "I heard so much stories about you, I had hoped out meeting would be joyful."
Nadeshiko couldn't help but smile at the elegant lady. "You must be Yelan-san. I feel the same way." Nadeshiko said. "But at least the tension has passed now. Sakura-chan is going to be alright."
Yelan smiled back at her. "Yes." They looked at each other in silence for a moment. Nadeshiko felt Yelan's eyes pierce her. Those eyes were gentle, but invasive nonetheless. "I'm hoping to become great friends with you like our children."
Nadeshiko let out her brightest grin. "Yes, I'm sure that any friends of Sonomi-chan will be a great friend of mine."
"Oh... and speaking of our children." Yelan turned to her family. "Let me introduce you."
And so the Kinomotos were formally introduced to the Lis, with the exception of Syaoran. Sakura had to do his part.
"Sakura tells me a lot about you. It's a pleasure." Nadeshiko said to Sakura, bowing.
Sakura realized that she was going through her most awkward moment after the Change. She had to admit that she was kind of disappointed that her mother didn't say something like: 'You're Sakura, I know, somehow.' She wasn't making it any hard for Nadeshiko to notice, being all shy and bowing in a clumsy way. Then again, Syaoran would often act like that too.
Touya and her father weren't any easier. Fujitaka had acted in a very weird manner. It felt to Sakura as if he knew that it was her, and more than that, as if he thought everybody knew also. But that's impossible. Sakura told herself.
Sakura expected Touya to try and blame Syaoran somehow for the incident, which would be actually quite accurate, but he didn't even stare at her like he usually did with Syaoran.
After the introductions Sakura went to sit by herself. Mei Ling tried to go and talk to her but Tomoyo stopped her. "I get the feeling she doesn't want to draw much attention in front of her family. They're more likely to recognize her after all." She said. Mei Ling couldn't help but agree.
"Still, I feel kind of bad for her. I mean, Syaoran was in her body for just a few hours and he already managed to break her leg." Mei Ling commented. "I feel like I should apologize in advance for Syaoran, cause I know how stupid he can be."
Tomoyo giggled. "I'm sure Sakura doesn't resent him."
Sakura felt kind of uncomfortable cause she could easily overhear the girls talking about her. Though she appreciated Tomoyo noticing that she didn't want to draw her family's attention, she wish she could tell Mei Ling that she wasn't angry at Syaoran or anything like that. She was just sorry that it happened when they were so close to maybe getting him rid of the spell.
Mei Ling sighed. "Well, it doesn't matter if she resents him or not." She said. "You're the one who told me that she looked up to him. She'll be at least a little bit disappointed... I mean... You have to fight to trust someone after an irresponsible slip like that one."
Trust. Sakura suddenly remembered what she'd been thinking about since she had her idea to help Syaoran. I still trust Li-kun. I know he had a good reason to do that. And then, it came to her as clear as water. That's it! I need to tell Li-kun!
Syaoran didn't remember much after hitting his head. He wasn't sure if he had regained consciousness ever since then. All he knew is that he wasn't conscious right now.
It was all white again. No matter which side he looked at, the white fog took hold of his perception.
Is this that place again? He asked himself, even though he knew the answer already.
"Li-kun!" He could hear Sakura's voice calling out to him from somewhere beyond the fog. That was strange not only because he was getting used to hearing Sakura's voice come out of his mouth, but it was the first time he'd heard any voice other than his or the puppet master's in the fog.
Syaoran looked to the place the voice was coming from, and somehow he could see Sakura through the dense fog that surrounded him. There she was, floating above, looking confused.
"Kinomoto-san! What happened? How did you get here?" He asked. He knew now that the place they were in was inside his mind. It was some sort of dream according to the puppet master, but Sakura was supposed to be awake.
"I just tried to talk to you, you know, trough our minds. Suddenly I got here." She answered, awed with the grandiosity of the nothingness around her. "Is this place in your mind? Is this your dream?"
"Sort of..." Syaoran said. He noticed that Sakura and him were in their original bodies and felt pleased by that, even though he knew that they would go back once he woke up.
"Then I guess I can see this place because of our link." Sakura suggested.
"Yeah. Just like at the Kissaten." Syaoran agreed. It made perfect sense. "But what about the real world? What's going on there?"
"I was sitting on a waiting room, so I'm probably sleeping there now."
"A waiting room?" Syaoran raised an eyebrow.
"We had to take you... me... my body to a hospital. When you jumped out of that window, my leg kinda... broke." She said with hesitation, knowing that Syaoran would feel guilty. "But don't worry!" She quickly added. "I know you had a good reason to jump out of that window, right?"
Syaoran felt absolutely embarrassed and irresponsible. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to... I thought it was an easy jump!" He blurted out.
Sakura waved her hands hastily to off the subject. "It's ok! Really! We'll worry about that latter. Right now, I have to tell you about my idea."
"What idea?"
Sakura giggled. "To break the spell, what else?"
Syaoran's heart raced. "Now? You think it'll work like this?"
Sakura nodded confidently. "When you hear it, you'll agree with me. It's something that we can really trust each other about, the Change will have no choice but to take this curse off of us, and the spell will vanish too!" She declared, making a victory sign with her fingers. "Are you ready?"
Syaoran hesitated a bit. He wasn't sure if Sakura could really have the solution. She might be eluding herself. He thought. "So... What's your idea?"
Sakura lost her confident pose, but not her confidence. She just changed the fighting stance to a gentle one. Syaoran could feel her smile dig his soul. The intensity of her gaze was increased by the fact that she was floating above him and consequently looking down to him.
"Think about it." Sakura said, somehow moving closer to Syaoran. "The puppet master messed up all of your thoughts, so you can't trust yourself or the memories you have from after the spell, right?" She said, repeating what she'd said before. "But there is one thing that you can be sure he hasn't touched. Something he could maybe have changed in you, but I know for sure he didn't."
Syaoran blinked in confusion. "How can you know it?"
Sakura smiled. For once she felt like she knew something Syaoran didn't. "Li-kun, your desire to get rid of the spell." She said, Syaoran felt his heart jump again as he struggled to understand what she meant. "The reasons you want to get rid of this spell, they're the exact opposite of everything the spell does."
"I..." Syaoran wasn't feeling so confident about her idea. Maybe she was eluded after all.
Sakura decided to explain further. "Can't you see? The nature of this spell, it's a spell that binds. It's like a cage around you that allows this man to tell you what he wants you to do. And the one thing he can't tell you is to give up and accept the cage. No matter how much he manipulated you, you've always been trying to break the bars in the cage."
This time something clicked inside Syaoran's head. He saw it clearly now. The trust in himself that he had been looking for all this time was exactly in his desire to believe in his own thoughts. That was the only thing he knew for sure that came from only his own will.
"To get rid of the spell..." Syaoran could feel Sakura's confidence turning into his hope. "That's something I know the spell couldn't have caused. I really want to be able to be me again!" He declared, almost shouting it out loud.
Sakura giggled. "But there's one more thing." She said.
Syaoran looked at her as if saying 'I'm ready for anything.'
"What that man said was that you needed was a memory related to me. Even if you know what you want, your memories about me will still be confusing." Sakura explained, repeating what she recalled hearing in Syaoran's memories. "So, you need one more thing besides trusting yourself."
"What else do I need then?"
Sakura held out her hand. "You need to trust me."
"What?" Syaoran regretted saying 'what' like that, but he was frightened with how Sakura seemed closer to him now. Physically and psychologically.
Sakura didn't move her hand. "Just believe me when I say that I want from the bottom of my heart to see you free."
Syaoran started to reach for Sakura's hand, but stopped midway looking hesitant. "But... This way I'm back where I'm started. What if I believe you because of the spell?"
Sakura frowned. "It's a leap of faith." She said. "If you are going to wait until you're one hundred percent sure of something before you do it then you'll never accomplish anything."
"I..." Syaoran felt intimidated by Sakura in a way he'd never considered possible.
"I'm doing this because to me you're a friend." Sakura said, trying to help Syaoran. "I know I've seen the real you, not only in my dream, but everyday since we met."
Syaoran pulled his hand back an inch. Sakura's words weren't getting through him.
Sakura got closer to him and grabbed his hand. "I'm not letting you with this spell anymore." She pulled him and their bodies collided.
Syaoran became stiff. She was hugging him now. "K-Kinomoto-san."
"I once dreamed that you were fighting to protect me." Sakura said. "I can't live up to that dream if I don't do the same for you."
Syaoran was still stiff. "I..."
Sakura thought for a second and then pulled back a bit so she could face Syaoran. "Kiss me!" She said with a determined face.
That didn't help Syaoran get any less embarrassed. "W-what?!" He didn't know what was happening anymore.
Sakura didn't look like she was joking. "I've been saving my first kiss for Yukito-san. I know you understand how I feel about him cause you saw it in my mind." She said. "But I'm willing to give up this dream to help you. That's how much you mean to me."
"And how is kissing me going to help me?" Syaoran asked.
"Because this way you have proof that I'll do anything to save you, even give you something I've been saving ever since I first saw Yukito-san. It's the most precious thing I have with me right now."
Sakura closed her eyes and started leaning forward.
Syaoran was paralyzed. He had no idea if he should break free or not and he had just a few seconds. Why is she doing this? That's when he noticed a little drop leak out of Sakura's shut eyes. She's crying? Is she crying because of me? He asked himself. No. She's crying for Yukito. His own mind answered. Syaoran was moved.
Without hesitation he raised his hands and held Sakura back. She opened her eyes and looked at him inquisitively. "I can't allow you to waste your first kiss on me." He said, showing the guilt he was feeling for hurting her again, this time through her feelings.
Sakura smiled. "It wouldn't be a waste if it helped you."
Syaoran swallowed all the saliva in his mouth before showing Sakura a smile too. "You helped me already."
"So, you..." Sakura didn't need to ask, Syaoran knew what she meant.
The boy nodded, much to her rejoice.
"That's it! That's your memory. The hard time we spent this past day, or month in your case, to get rid of the spell. If you ever feel like you've lost your grasp on reality, remember that we fought together against this spell because we really wanted to, and that we really believed in each other." She said, reaching out for him with her hand again. "Not because some dumb spell told you to, but because you wanted it."
Syaoran reached out for her and their hands touched. It didn't feel romantic, and it wasn't even too touching, but Syaoran knew that he had expressed the words 'we're friends' in a clearer way than he could have ever done, even with their telepathy. On that moment, he defined the Sakura which he would get to know better in the future. He might love her, hate her, or just be indifferent to her, but regardless of what the future had in store for him, he now had his own point of view of Kinomoto Sakura now: An amazing girl who wanted to see him free of the spell as much as he did.
Syaoran smiled to himself, and then to Sakura. "Thanks." He held her hand tighter.
Syaoran opened his eyes. He felt weird. His body was heavy and his head hurt. He was still grasping something in his hand, but it wasn't Sakura's hand anymore.
"What's this?" He looked at the object in his hands. "What the..."
It was a card. "A Clow card..." The card had a sun symbol on the back. Syaoran turned it around and his eyes widened. The words 'The Change' were written under the drawing of a weird chameleon. "It worked!"
It was only then that he realized he was back in his own body. "I'm back!" He exclaimed, earning the attention of the people who were walking by him, but not caring much. He then noticed that he was indeed inside a hospital's waiting room, like Sakura had said. "Kinomoto-san!"
He shoved the card in his pocket and, seeing no familiar faces, ran to a nurse nearby.
"Kinomoto? Oh! The girl with the broken leg?" Syaoran blushed at the mention of that, een though the nurse had no idea it was his fault. "She's ok already, though she hasn't woken up yet, I think. Your family is already there with her, they did ask us to send you there when you woke up." She said. "Follow me."
Syaoran followed the woman up a set of stairs and through a long corridor. "Is this it?" He asked when she stopped in front of a door.
"Yes, I'll leave you here. You can go ahead and enter." The woman said before leaving.
"Thank you." Syaoran bowed respectfully to the nurse before entering the room.
The room was pretty much what you'd expect from a hospital. A bed, all sorts of medical equipment a television and a nurse calling button.
Everybody was there, even Touya, who wasn't holding back on his glares anymore. Syaoran suspected Kero was hiding somewhere.
He noticed a woman beside Sakura and a man with his arms around the woman. He figured they were her parents. Her mother's pretty. He thought as the woman looked at him.
"You're finally awake." The woman said. Syaoran realized that she had probably already met him as Sakura so there was no need for introductions. "Sakura just woke up too." Nadeshiko smiled to the girl on the bed.
Sakura was hearing instructions from a young man, a doctor, on how to take care of the new cast around her left leg. She noticed Syaoran when her mother talked to him.
Syaoran couldn't help but smile at her when their eyes met. He had wondered earlier that night how it would feel when they met without the spell. He had thought he might be confused like the puppet master had said, or maybe she would seem like a stranger, she might even seem the same as before. Now he knew all of those where wrong. She was definitely no stranger. He knew who she was after all. He remembered everything she had done that past month very clearly. He even remembered how he had felt. But right know she was the girl who had helped him get out of the spell. The kind girl who held out a hand to him when he needed. As he walked to Sakura's side, casually greeting everyone else, he could only find one proper thing to say.
"I'm sorry for your leg."
Sakura smiled at the boy. She could now feel his real aura clearly like she had never felt before. Well, she had felt it like that once. Her mind went back to her dream more vividly that ever. There was no doubt that he was free of the spell.
She answered him with an answer that was just as confusing to everybody else as Syaoran's apologies.
"You already compensated for it, just by being you."
Syaoran blushed a bit. It felt great to blush though. He was secure of his shyness now.
From that point on, he might love her, hate her, or just be indifferent to her, but regardless of what the future had in store for them, they were off to a good start.
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A/N: And so, a season ends!
Thank you all! Thank you, thank you, and thank you. I'm glad you guys are still with me even after so many chapters and so much laziness from me. I hope to write much more and improve with every chapter.
Now, I've closed the spell ark and I already have plans for the next one. It'll be very different from this one so be prepared.
I don't know if you liked this chapter, but after a few changes I thought it became much more finale-worthy (I made the changes after writing that introduction.) I hope it makes up for my long absence to come. I'm really sorry for those who like the story. I swear I'll do my best to return soon with great material and I swear I love you all for being so nice with me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
And if you feel up to it, I'd appreciate your ("Cough" Review "Cough") opinion on the first season...
And your money.
No! Scratch that! Just your opinion. I mean... I'd appreciate your money of course. Money is always welcome, but I couldn't possibly ask you to give me money for this fanfic. I mean, what kind of a sick bastard would actually charge people for something he wrote... except for book writers... they're ok... and the guys in the newspaper... Anyway, I'd be happy if you gave me money, but don't. Or else I'll probably get banned from the site. But thanks for the intention, that's what counts they say. I mean, if there was any intention at all. Not that there should be but... Ok, I'll shut up now.