A/N.: Hello dear readers! This is another of my one-shots (I realized that I had been writing them quite a lot lately now) with the idea also coming from a fanart that I saw on pixiv. I always wanted to make a crossover between Tsubasa Chronicle and Cardcaptor Sakura but it is quite difficult to find an idea that didn't had already been used in fanfictions, but I have finally found one! I just hope that you would enjoy it though! And please don't hesitate to review!
This is a what-if situation in the 42nd chapter of Cardcaptor Sakura - Clear Card so it may be a bit SPOILER for the people who didn't read so far (and also the people who don't know about the end of Tsubasa Chronicle, and I am speaking of the manga), but only the beginning of this one-shot!
Kinomoto Sakura, currently at her first year in middle school, successor of Clow Reed who is one of the most powerful magician, owner of the Clow Cards now turned into Sakura Cards and creator of the Clear Cards born from her own powers, was completely at loss over what was going on.
It was the long awaited Parents Day at the Tomoeda Middle School she was currently attending, and much to her delight her kind and gentle father, Kinomoto Fujitaka, had especially made some free time in his busy schedule to attend it for her sake. She was currently speaking with Daidouji Sonomi, her best friend Tomoyo's mother, along with Tomoyo herself and the recently transfer student in their class, Shinomoto Akiho.
Everything was going well when suddenly, the world turned black, for everything besides her.
Sakura suddenly felt a strong wave of nostalgia mixed with an immense worry as she was immediately reminded of the time when she faced Eriol, who put all of Tomoeda to sleep, for the sake of making her turn the two few Clow Cards into Sakura Cards.
However the difference is that nobody were asleep, but they weren't moving either. It was as if they were turned in the same color as the dark world, yet they were mimicking the same actions they did before it happen… As if they were frozen in time.
It wasn't the work of the Time Card, otherwise she would have definitely noticed it, besides it was Syaoran who was has her Sakura Cards in his possession, and she would have hardly imagined him to do such a thing.
…!
Feeling two strong sources of magic power gathering above her, Sakura quickly look upward and then widened her eyes in shock as she mumbled weakly the names of the two persons presents: "―Syaoran-kun…? Kaito-san…?" Moreover it was two persons she was strongly familiar with.
Yes, above her, on two opposite trees' branches were standing both Li Syaoran, her boyfriend, and Yuna D. Kaito, Akiho's butler. Both of them were armed, Syaoran with his Chinese Jian sword and Kaito with a staff with its head shaped like some kind of clock or gear. And just like her, it seems that they could still move in that weird, silent space that extend itself to the horizon.
""...!"" It seems that they still managed to hear her weak mumbling (or was it because the world around them was silent?), this caused both of them to stop the spells they were preparing to throw at each other, cancelling the magic gathered around them and look at her in shock.
However Kaito's expression soon turned into an understanding one as if he immediately realized something he should have overseen before it transformed into his usual mysterious smile, "I'd intended to wave a spell so strong… as to freeze all but the Young Master Li in their tracks. I should have known, Sakura-san."
Upon hearing his words, Sakura's eyes widened and a frown appeared on her face, but she didn't had the time to even ask anything as a magic circle appeared in front of him and was gathering magic power all around him, even though he didn't did any particular movement with his staff!
"...?!" Sensing an incoming danger directing itself towards Sakura, Syaoran immediately the two most powerful Sakura Cards in his possession from his pocket in a fluid and rapid movement, he didn't even checked them and there was no need, even they knew they would be the most suited for this action.
"Light! Dark!" He summoned them as he invoked their names and they formed themselves, turning from card to a physical shape. Immediately in front of Sakura, two women appeared, guarding their original mistress with fierce protection, ready to anticipate any kind of attack towards her.
The one at the right is regally dressed with long, straight, black hair. She wears a spiked crown and has five gems spread across her neckline.
While the one is elegant and richly dressed with lengthy, curled, pale hair. She wears a spiked crown with a stylish dress and a sun printed above her chest.
Despite this summon, Kaito's composure wasn't broken, his smile ever so present on his face as he just observed the situation with interest and mirth, "I see… You don't know how I plan to attack you, so you've summoned the two most versatile cards you can. A wise decision." He praised the young Li, but to the boy it only seemed like he wasn't being taken seriously, just like an adult watching over the growth of a little kid.
Still, refusing to lost any opportunity or to even let any opportunity to happen, he clenched his sword stronger and pointed the tip towards his enemy. "What are you doing here in Tomoeda?! What do you want?!" Of course there wasn't any proof that what he would say would be the truth, and of course the possibility of being answered in first place isn't high. If it was a real fight, Syaoran know that he wouldn't even last long enough to get those answers, the man in front of him even managed to push back Hiiragizawa Eriol, his ancestor's, Clow Reed's dominant reincarnation and even weakened, is a magician far more powerful than himself.
"..." Kaito closed his eyes and smiled, and after a while of silence. "...I want Sakura-san's new cards." The girl herself was speechless after hearing those words, but he didn't cared about it and continued, "She's manifested many new cards… but not the one I'm after."
Syaoran furrowed his eyebrows further and glared at him as he demanded, "And what is that?!"
Kaito put a finger on his chin as he hummed in thought. "Hm… I could tell you… but I'm afraid it would make you very, very angry."
Syaoran clenched his teeths in fury, he was about to launch himself onto Kaito and pierce him with his sword in anger, if it weren't for…
"Syaoran-kun! Kaito-san! What's going on here? What happened?!" Yes, if it weren't for Sakura's voice calling out to him, bringing him out from his rage. Her hand were extended towards him, it was obvious that she wanted to go to their sides and ask for explanations, if it weren't for Light and Dark who were restraining her by holding her down.
This immediately brought him back to his senses as he gave her a worried glance, hurting Kaito no matter what kind of person he is is definitely not something Sakura would like him to do.
"You certainly are honest, aren't you? One look at your face, and I know exactly what you're thinking." During his hesitation, Kaito stated so and it brought his attention back to him.
"But you suppressed your honesty when you came back here to be with Sakura-san... Lest the future foretold by the current head of the Li Clan come to pass."
"...!" Indeed it was Syaoran's mother who divined this to him, but nobody else but Eriol whom he contacted beforehand should know about this, so how did he…?
"You're not gifted in divination yourself, are you? Neither am I. I can manage a few glimpses into the future if I'm careful to follow the right steps, of course. But i could never dream to be as accurate as a proper oracle. I'm told Sakura-san can see such glimpses in her dreams, as well… but what little she has seen isn't set in stone." Kaito explained as he kept on gathering magic power around him and more magic circles started to appear around him.
But Syaoran couldn't do anything else but listen and stay on his guard, he didn't knew what he was about to do and acting too much in hurry could cause a fatal mistake, so was telling the teachings of his mother, his own experience and intuition.
"Meaning… it is for the strong to decide… what the future holds in store for us all." Kaito finished as he raise his hand and staff and closed his eyes, three small magic circles appearing in front of him and started to glow with light before he finally opened his eyes, which was glowing too, "I will permit her to manifest more cards… until she grants me the power to work forbidden magics."
Sensing an upcoming attack, Syaoran took out a talisman paper and summoned his own magic circle akin to his Rashinban tool and prepared power to counter it, "You won't get away with it! I promise you that!"
Here it began, the battle was now unavoidable…
"Tina―"
"Raitei―"
Both called out the summoning chants for their respective spells, no one was smiling anymore and only serious expressions were present on her face. But…
"STOP―!" The one who stayed silent interrupted them, glowing herself with power that surpassed their own and halted temporarily their own magics by surprise and summoned her own wand.
Syaoran stopped in shock and saw himself being stared by some kind of target or radar before he felt himself being forcefully pulled from his original place and dragged somewhere else, without any mean to stop it or to resist it.
When he finally realized what was happening, he was already far away from Kaito and close to Sakura, as if… he was just teleported there.
Kaito widened his eyes at the unexpected actions but then smiled again, about how this newly created card wouldn't be able to change anything in his plans. "Oh, well…"
He then raised his staff as a giant magic circle was glowing under him and he recited the spell he used many times in order to rewrite the events that didn't went well with him, "Time, heed my command! Turn back!"
"WAIT―!" Sakura cried out, but definitely he wouldn't stop, she wished that there would be a way to stop him or at least to break his spell, and―
*CRACK*
...It was as if a glass had been shattered into thousand pieces, thus answering her wish...
""...?!"" Both Syaoran and Kaito widened their eyes in shock, and looked towards her… no, or rather, the thing that was above her.
Sakura looked up too and widened herself, it was as if the sky itself had been cracked open in front of her, the inside being akin to a black void, just like a broken mirror…
And then she felt something, wind gathering around her…? No! It was pulling her towards what seemed to be a black hole!
"Kyaa…?!" She cried out and tried to resist but it didn't let her do so, she was forcefully draggd away from Dark and Light's hold and was being sucked inside!
"Impossible...?!" She could hear Kaito said but she couldn't even saw him from where she was, everything was so blurry! It was as if she was in a tornado! As if she was being sucked inside a vacuum!
"Sakura!" She saw Syaoran running towards her before using the Card Fly and grow wings as he flew towards her and extended a hand to reach hers.
"Syaoran-kun...!" She weakly tried to extend her hands towards him but it was as if she rebound on something as she felt a sharp pain on her hand, as if the wind just cut her, that something was keeping her from reaching out to anyone. And just like a leaf blown away by a gust of wind, Sakura catch his hand; no matter how much she tried, she then felt something hard hitting her consciousness and her mind becoming fuzzy… The void mercilessly swallow her body, leaving her with no means to escape.
"SAKURAAAAAAAAA―!" Syaoran's tearful cries of her name was the last thing she remembered before her mind went completely unconscious.
Though still unconscious, it didn't took Sakura much time to notice that she was laying on something hard, but the soreness of her body and the burning pain at her right hand were enough to slowly wake her up.
Weakly she tried to open her eyelids but it was only after a few more attempts that she finally managed to success, and when she did opened her eyes, she couldn't even see well around her. Not because her eyes had a problem but rather because the place in where she was was utterly dark, like some kind of closed room. She tried to sit up by using her other hand as a support (each time she tries to use her right one, it just hurt so much as if it was burning) and then looked around her further. It seems that there were all kind of antique objects in this place, and they seems to be of eastern-style. No matter how much she looked at it, it was certainly not her room.
She remembered the events of what happened before she fall unconscious; about Kaito-san and Syaoran-kun in a battle, about Kaito being probably the one who stopped everyone's time, about how she was sucked by some kind of black hole and Syaoran trying to reach out to her but with no success.
"…"
So here she is, all alone.
Without anyone at her side, it was a first, no maybe not a first but it's the first in quite a while, it reminded her the time when she was facing Yue all alone during her trial.
'...Now that I think about it, everyone has always been at my side, didn't they? Kero-chan was always here by my sides, Yue-san was always here to give me advice, Tomoyo-chan was always here to support me from sidelines… and Syaoran-kun…' She had to bite her lower lip to keep herself from trembling. Especially when she remembered Syaoran-kun's panicked expression before she lost consciousness.
'...No! I can't stand still in such a place!' Sakura stood up, wiping the beads of tears that were forming at the corners of her eyes with the back of her left hand, before looking forward with an expression full of determination. She needed to go back, she must go back, no matter what!
She managed to find her wand on the ground, which had returned into its key form surely when she was unconscious, and she called it back into its wand form, the Clear Cards were still all in her pockets, it's better to be able to use them immediately instead of taking time to do the transformation all over and again.
'Firstly I need to investigate where I am…' It was better than using magic recklessly. After being sure that she was in a safe place, she would try to find a way to go back to where everyone was, hoping that they are safe and well.
After renewing her will, organizing her plan, Sakura decided to finally take one step forward towards her goal, she also literally took one step forward towards the door and extended her hand towards the doorknob, when…
*BAM!*
...When the door was literally slammed into her face.
"...Huh…?" She heard a surprised man's voice from the other side, well of course he would be surprised. There shouldn't be anyone in this room yet he collided with something that shouldn't be here. Even her was surprised, despite the pain she could still manage a thought that almost brought a wry smile to her face: 'Ah, so the door must be pushed from the other side.'
"啊，对不起！你还好吗?"
Sakura immediately frowned at the foreign language she didn't understood, but she somehow managed to recognize it, because she had two friends, one of them is her boyfriend though (while the other is his cousin), who come from a country that uses such a language.
'Chinese…?' After Sakura finally managed to massage down the pain on her face and looked up at the person in front of her… before only falling back on her butt, on the ground.
Aah… She must look pretty stupid right now… But it can't be helped, after all…!
"..." The person in front of her seems to be equally shocked, his eyes were wide open and so was his mouth, but he still maintained a certain composure compared to her.
Only one thought went through Sakura's mind right now. Was she still dreaming? Did she hit her head too hard that she started hallucinating? ...Okay, it makes two thoughts, but still…
Because in front of her… was a perfect replica adult-version of Li Syaoran.
"...Um…" The man spoke hesitantly, probably intending to ask what she was doing here or who she was, but the sound of his voice alone managed to make Sakura realize that it was reality, and…
"H-Ho…"
"...'Ho'...?" The man repeated, confused while raising an eyebrow, waiting patiently for her to finish her word, and so she did.
"HOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE―?!"
...The building literally jumped a few meters away from the ground with her loud cries even though it shouldn't be physically possible, but what on earth is impossible in a world full of magic and nonsense? ...Nothing, apparently.
"I-I'm really sorry for the commotion I caused..." Sakura apologized sincerely, her head bowed down and her face burning red from embarrassment from her previous blunder. She so wanted to find a hole where she could bury herself in and hide right now, well since couldn't do so in another person's home, she had no choice but to try and hide her face in her hands instead…
However even such a thing wasn't allowed.
"Don't worry, it's alright. Though I admit that you surprised me a bit, it's not your fault. After all it's quite surprising, I was surprised too. Though it's lucky that I'm at home alone right now." 'Hahaha', the man in front of her laughed slightly and the sound of it made her blush spread further on her face as his hands were currently wrapping bandages around her right one.
It was truly a wonder that despite the pain, she didn't even noticed that her right hand was bleeding. A cut that was caused by the sharp wind probably when she was sucked up by that black hole.
But even with his comforting words, which had without doubt the purpose of making her feel relaxed, Sakura could only look further down in shame. After all her scream literally turned the man temporarily deaf and confused much to her embarrassment as she realized that no matter how much she called out to him, he didn't answered and instead winced while raising a hand to his ears. Only a few minutes later, it went better. He didn't seemed to hold any annoyance or resentment against her but it didn't made her feel better in any case. And just like he said, it was truly a relief that there was no one but him here... Otherwise it would be an ever greater problem to take care of.
She then looked up shyly to the man who was sitting in front of her, she would recognize his features from everywhere, brown face-length hair that is slightly spiked and eyes of an amber-brown, wearing traditional Chinese clothes. He looked exactly the same as her boyfriend, Li Syaoran… expect that he looked to be in his early twenties… But no matter how similar they are, she can tell that he isn't her Syaoran-kun.
He wasn't a relative or anything either as Syaoran-kun once told her that his father died in his childhood.
It was apparently the Li Syaoran of another universe, an alternative self to be more precise. Someone sharing the same name, appearance and soul while being a completely different person who lived a completely different life than the one she knew and probably had completely different relationships with others.
It seems that he was aware of it too because when he saw her, he looked very surprised too, and not just about her invading his home like this, but also as if his view of her overlapped with someone else's… or at least, this is what she thought of his dazed look on her.
But he soon recomposed himself (maybe he was used to something like this?) as he saw the blood on her hand and he set the questioning asides in order to first treat her wound. She was grateful that he was kind enough to do so for a stranger, and moreover one who suddenly appeared in his home without any warning. And then they discussed of their own shared knowledge on the situation which lead to the current situation they were in.
"B-But still, it's such a relief that Li-san can speak Japanese…" Sakura sighed in relief as a troubled smile grew on her face.
After all he spoke to her in Chinese at the beginning, and despite the fact that she has Chinese acquaintances in her surrounding, Sakura didn't knew how to speak or understand Chinese at all (even though she went to Hong Kong once in the past but it was more in a touristic manner and thankfully her brother and Yukito were there too!). But thankfully this world's Syaoran soon grew an understanding smile on his face upon hearing her meek mumbles and then switched his language to Japanese, surprising her by the same moment.
"Yeah, it must be troubling for you to be in a place where you can't understand others nor having others to understand you."
"Y-Yes! But may I ask why Li-san know how to speak such a language?"
Not 'Syaoran-san', but 'Li-san'.
This kinda reminded Sakura of the time when she first met her Syaoran-kun. At that time he was really hostile and in competition with her, and with her being enamored with Yukito-san, she would have never imagined to fall in love with him back then. Though she was a bit annoyed at his unfriendly attitude previously, now that she look back in her past memories, she can't feel but finding it cute now. Truly, love change people's perspective, don't they?
But she couldn't bring to call this person in front of her 'Syaoran-san' no matter how much she tries, because no matter how much he looks and is like him in terms of appearance and personality, he isn't the one who allowed her to call him by his given name.
Besides from her memories, Wei-san, Syaoran-kun's caretaker who previously came to Japan together with him, once mentioned that only person relatively close to him could address him with his given name. But the current them were just strangers, even if he looks to someone she know really well, so she didn't thought that it would be appropriate to be too familiar on their first meeting… it could also lead to many complicated feelings. The fact that he is calling her, 'Sakura-chan' also give a strange feeling but also one that makes her feel relieved, that allow to difference the two in her mind.
"Well, I did studied a lot of things and moreover my wife is Japanese."
"E-EH?! B-By 'wife', does that mean that Li-san is married?! M-May I ask, since when…?"
"...? Well, it has already been a few years now, if I remember well… right after she graduated from high school…?"
"H-High school?!" Sakura was beyond shocked and speechless. Well indeed the Li Clan has probably enough money to support a family through their life and that there surely wouldn't have a need to go to university or to search a work, but isn't right after highschool way too early?!
'I-I can't definitely not imagine myself marry Syaoran-kun right after high school!' Just trying to imagine the scene itself turned Sakura in a blushing mess, the best they could do besides holding hands right now was hugging, and it was mostly during moments in order to comfort the other, so how on earth can she even thought about marriage?!
'O-Of course that I want to stay with Syaoran-kun as long as I can and if possibly, forever, but still, th-that kind of talk is… way, way too early for me…!' As Sakura started to get hyped up on her own, she didn't noticed the worried and awkward look that Li-san was sending to her.
"Err… Sakura-chan?"
"Y-Yesh…?!" ...Oh, she fumbled.
"Are you alright?"
"Y-Yes, I am…! Th-There is nothing to be worried about!"
"If you say that I would like to believe you but, there is… steam that is coming out from your head."
"...Hoe?" ...Indeed, her face was so red, her cheeks felt so hot to even the tips of her ears and moreover there was steam that were coming out from her head as if she was some kind of living kettle… Aah… Why is she keeping on messing up…?
"Did you calmed down a bit?"
"...Yes… Once again, I am sincerely sorry…"
"No, it's alright. It's normal for you to be confused in an unknown place, it's not something that I can't understand."
"Th-Though that it isn't the place that confuse me…"
"...? Did you just said something?"
"N-No, nothing at all!"
"If you say so…"
*GROOOWWL～*
"..."
"..."
Both froze at the enormous sound akin to the roar of a wild beast, and that is none other than…
'...My stomach, why are you crying now?!' Sakura thought in a teary manner as she hugged her stomach with both arms, trying to keep it down quiet.
Now that she thought about it, before she has gotten here, before she even noticed the fight between her Syaoran-kun and Kaito-san… yes, it was supposed to be lunch break, they gathered with everyone in order to enjoy their lunch. And because it didn't happen, here is her stomach's call for her.
Li-san looked at her in a very surprised manner before he broke into another understanding smile. Ouch, this hurt… this hurted so much, it hurt as much when her dad surprised her eating snack in the kitchen in the middle of night because she didn't had enough for dinner and he showed a similar understanding smile and then asked her: "Sakura-san? Should I cook you a late-night meal?" And surprisingly, it stabbed at her heart far more than her brother's usual teasing.
"Well, I know that you must be in hurry to go back home but I can't leave a guest go back with an empty stomach now. Though it isn't much of a meal, would you like to have some tea? I shall bring some desserts with it."
"Desserts…?! ...Ah."
"..."
"...!" And here is it back, that smile. Just like that of an adult watching over a child… though it was actually the case itself right now, but still it made it far more embarrassing when someone sharing Syaoran's face was doing it!
Sakura also scolded herself about the fact that her mood turned far better just about the thought of having desserts, though she hate to admit it, she can't deny anymore to either Kero-chan or her brother that she was still childish, a far off side from the mature self she was aiming to become.
Has if he noticed what she was thinking about, but still decided to extended a helping hand to escape her mental conflict, "As I have said earlier, I will go pick up tea for both of us, would you like to go with me, Sakura-chan? I can take this chance to make you visit too, it would be less boring than staying here waiting alone, right?"
In normal times she would refuse out of politeness, but right now she was in an unknown place and being separated from the only person she knew here left her quite anxious, so she accepted gratefully with a nod.
Li-san smiled and showed her the way, and quickly, like a puppy, she followed him.
Sakura watched Li-san as he prepared the tea and was in awe in front of his fluid and graceful movements as he put the leaves in the teapot before pouring hot water over it. It reminded her of her brother or father when they were cooking, as if they were real professionals, compared to her more inexperienced movements (though she has gotten better at it too compared to before!). Was he also experienced in housework too? She couldn't help but wonder so.
"Here you go. Be careful, it's very hot." Li-san said as he handed her the cup of tea.
"Ah, thank you very much." Sakura gracefully accepted it, noting that the cup is Chinese porcelain before freezing at the possible thought of her clumsy self accidentally dropping and breaking it, but she soon chased those thoughts away, if needed then she would repair it with magic.
"...Is there something wrong?" Li-san asked patiently, noticing her gaze on him.
Sakura blushed in embarrassment, she knew that she was staring at him too much, but the fact that he noticed itself made her feel even more remorse, so in an attempt to explain herself and apologize at the same time, she accidentally voiced out her real thoughts: "I'm sorry, it's just that Li-san is so cool and mature and that I just got mesmerized!"
"Eh?" Not noticing the surprised look that was send to her, Sakura was immersed in her own thoughts. 'I wonder if Syaoran-kun would be like that too when he'll become an adult～? Hanya～an～' If so then there would be a lot of things to expect in the future.
But then she felt a small guilt being lit upon in her chest as an horrifying thought came to her mind. 'I-It's not like I'm cheating on Syaoran-kun, this thought never occurred to me! It was just like with the Rewind Clear Card, it was so cute that I couldn't help but stare at it all night, but in my heart, Syaoran-kun is the one and only! That's why Syaoran-kun, please believe me, this isn't what it looks like!' Thus she started to apologize to an imaginary Syaoran who isn't even here like a husband being caught cheating red-handed in the back of his wife.
Li-san observed her reactions for a while before chuckling and answering her with a dazzling smile that seems to shine like the sun to her (or maybe she was just overreacting about it), "Thank you. Sakura-chan is very cute too."
"Eh? No, that is…" Sakura smiled shyly while Li-san just kept on smiling. In the end, the two were both utterly modest people who often praise others but found themselves shying away when being praised at their turn.
Soon Sakura grew more comfortable around Li-san, and turned into 'Hanyaan～' mode around him, not in a romantic way like Syaoran-kun of course but, it just…
"Even though it's the first time I met Li-san, the fact that you are very much like Dad is putting me at ease…" Wherever it was their personalities, calm demeanors or even their kind, patient smiles.
But then…
"...Eh?" Li-san looked at her in a very shocked manner, for the first time, his composure completely broke.
Curiously noticing this, Sakura remembered how she phrased her words and quickly apologized for any misunderstanding or offense she just possibly caused, as she raised her hands in panic and apology. "I-I-I-I a m really sorry! To think that I said something so rude! I-I-It's just that your calm and composed and kind attitude resembles my father very much, and…!"
It seems that her sudden panic had snapped Li-san back from his trance, "A-Aah, don't worry, it isn't what you think." He reassured her in a soft tone which calmed her down almost immediately, it was similar to how her father would calm her down when she was scared or crying.
He still looked a bit surprised before he took his composure back and closed his eyes as he held his own teacup and drank some of it before letting it rest in his hands on the table, "Actually, it makes me happy that you think of me in such a way." He said in a serene manner as if he was fondly remembering something.
Sakura waited for him to finish his words, sensing that he had probably something he still wanted to say after this. After all he had been nothing but kind and patient towards her, the least she could do was to try and return the favor to him.
But only after a few more 30 seconds, Li-san opened his eyes and spoke the continuation from his earlier's sentence. "Because soon, I'll truly became a 'Father'."
…
...It took a small moment for Sakura to correctly sink his words in her mind, and once she truly understood their meanings…
"...C-Could it be that...?" She asked, her cheeks flushed red with excitement and her eyes shining with anticipation as she leaned a bit forward on the table, completely forgetting her manners at this moment and going back to the child she used to be.
She didn't got to ask the end of her question but Li-san seems to have already understood it as he gave her the answer she was waiting for, "Yes. My wife is pregnant."
"Hooeeee～!" Sakura smiled so wide and she could barely restrain herself from jumping around, even though this wasn't related to her in any way, for some reason it still made her really happy, or rather it was a joyous event for the man in front of her, so why couldn't she be happy for him! She so wanted to take his hands and shake them in order to congratulate him but as expected that would be too much even for someone as friendly as him.
"It's amazing～! Is the baby a boy? Or a girl?! Ah, but in both cases, congratulations!"
"Thank you." Li-san smiled in a mix of amusement and gratitude as he answered her previous question, "About the gender… well, it would be a surprise until the child's birth, or so I have been told."
"Ah, I see…" Sakura felt a bit disappointed about not being able to know the child's gender but she realized that Li-san should be more excited about it than her and instead decided to pass to another matter, "Then, would Li-san like the baby to be a girl or a boy?"
"Hm, let's see… I'm fine with either but…" He paused and then, "However I have the feeling that the child would be a boy."
"Eh? Why are you thinking so?" Sakura asked curiously, but Li-san just responded. "Hm… Call it intuition, I guess?" He laughed in a sheepish manner.
Even though he sound as if he was telling a joke, for some reasons Sakura could sense an absolute certitude in his words, as if he knew exactly that his child would be a boy while there was no way to be sure of it yet. But she soon dismissed that thought as her imagination.
"Then it must be hard for you to be alone at home during such a busy moment…"
"Well my wife went to the hospital for her pregnancy check-up, I wanted to accompany her but my older brother-in-law strictly refused. Even after all this time, it's seems that I am still disliked by him. Well it's understandable since I took his precious younger sister away from him." Li-san laughed with a wry smile, no trace of resentment present on his face.
Sakura in response, nodded twice, before looking at him with a strange compassion in her eyes, "Somehow, I can understand your troubles."
Maybe it was because she was in a similar case? Well her brother and Syaoran-kun were always glaring at each other each time they met, well it wasn't as bad as they were competing with each other when she was in primary school but still, they wanted them to get along and to enjoy time with each other without having to worry about the fact that a fight may erupt at any second.
Deciding to chase away such depressing thoughts away from her mind, Sakura was about to ask something else, "By the way, is your wi―" But then she soon froze in her tracks, stopping her all of her movements immediately.
This action surprised Li-san as he repeated her words, waiting for her to finish. "...'Wi'...?"
"E-Err… I mean, wherever it's a boy or a girl, I'm sure that Li-san's children would be really adorable!"
"Fufu, thank you. Aren't you more enthusiastic about it than me, even though I'm supposed to be the parent?"
"A-Ahaha…" Sakura laughed nervously at Li-san's teasing, hiding her uneasy feelings under a smile. Soon she took a peach bun from the tray and stuffed it against her mouth, hoping to hide the worried face she was currently making, hoping for the man in front of him to not find about it. Thankfully he didn't seemed to notice her small blunder.
'...I was about to ask questions concerning Li-san's wife… but then I got scared, after all even if they are the same persons but from another world, the possibility of them not living the same life is high… so, so… what-if… what if Li-san's fated person, isn't 'Me' of this world…?'
...If it was really truly, then what would she do? How would she feel about it? How would she cope up with it? She was more afraid of knowing the answer than to have to ask that question.
'Besides, I know that this person is of another world… that he isn't my "Syaoran-kun", but… I may not like having to hear Li-san talk about his wife…' She knew it was really selfish of her, she was genuinely happy for him to live a happy life here, but still... she didn't liked the idea of him, talking of another woman, who may not be 'her'.
"Sakura-chan, are you feeling full right now?"
"Yes, thank you very much. It was very delicious!"
"I'm relieved that it suits your tastes. Now then, shall we find a way to send you back home? Your relatives must be quite worried."
"Yes! Thank you very much for your hospitality!"
"Do you know how you arrived here?"
"Err… It was something caused by my Clear Cards I think, so… Ah, I'll explain along the way, but is there Cards here too?"
"Cards, huh…? I think that there were Cards in a closed book passed down in our clan but..."
"Ah, it may be that! If the Cards are here, then maybe I can use them to go home!"
'...I was too naïve…!' Sakura thought in a depression as she stared at the book in her hand, one that indeed contained cards, but not the one she needed, and moreover wherever she tried to draw magic from them with her wand, it didn't worked at all, it didn't respond at all!
And moreover, on the book there was written words which she was very familiar of and give quite a nostalgic feeling, the cards that started everything for her: 'CLOW CARDS'.
'Those aren't my Clear Cards at all, those are Clow Cards! What should I do? Change them to Sakura Cards first? But I can't even feel the slightest magic left in those, can I even transform them in such a state? But Clear Cards aren't transformed Sakura Cards either... What happened to the Cards of this world? I can't feel anything from them at all. Don't they have an owner? What should I do? What should I do? If nothing works, does that mean…'
"...!"
'...Does that mean, that I would never be able to go back home…?' In normal times, Sakura isn't one to give up so easily, she would try to find a way no matter how much hopeless the situation is.
Everything will definitely be alright.
This was her motto, and it is because of that strong belief and the support of everyone around her that she managed to overcome all the trials she had to face up until now.
However this time, Sakura was all alone. In a world where she was separated from her loved ones, and where her magic cannot even work, where she can't even get out of this situation alone and where help would certainly not be coming. With also the new discovery that a trusted individual, Kaito-san, is the one behind every irregularities that happened around her lately.
The stress along with the impatience and panic started to make her feel pessimist and because of that, the light of hope that was always shining in Kinomoto Sakura started to be covered with the darkness of despair.
About the possibility of never being able to go back home, of never being able to see her precious people again...
And in one last whisper before she could completely break down…
"...Syaoran-kun…"
...Sakura called out the name of her beloved one in a whisper so quiet that even she didn't noticed herself doing so. But her call would definitely not reach him… Not this him, at least.
"...!" Sakura widened her eyes as she felt a strong but gentle hand being laid on her shoulder and looked behind her to see that Li-san was the one who did so.
He hovered his hand above the book and then a light appeared, he looked carefully at it as if he was studying it thoroughly before a small frown appeared on his face, "All traces of magic have disappeared from this item a long time ago, I'm sorry but I don't think that it would be of help in any ways."
"L-Li-san, I…!" Sakura looked at him tearfully, but gently and softly, Li-san cut her down, "Calm down, Sakura-chan." That gentle voice along with the comforting warmth of his hand managed to calm Sakura down from her and keep her from breaking down.
"...?" But then, she felt something strange.
"Don't worry, you will definitely be able to go home. You are far more strong than what you think, if you wish for it strongly and sincerely you will be able to go back. From now on, image carefully what you want to make happen, it doesn't need to be something complicated."
'...Huh…?'
"Didn't you said that those Clear Cards were created by you unconsciously? Just by the power of your thoughts? If so then now that you are aware of your abilities, you can put them further at use. Right now you have your wand, and magic power, and moreover Sakura-chan, you are yourself here, just that are plenty enough, there is no need to use your Cards."
"...!"
"Li-san ressemble my dad very much."
Those were the words she previously said, and her opinion didn't changed either. Wherever it was his gentle, calm and patient attitude, his kind and warm smile, or the soft way he uses to calm her down and show her the way to go in order to accomplish her goal. She could also think of many other persons around her (surprisingly) who were similar to her father in a way.
Just like Dad…
Just like Eriol-kun…
Just like Yukito-san…
...And more than anything, the sensation she just felt when she saw Li-san's magic, that nostalgy that was the beginning of all her adventures, that feeling that she would probably never forget, before her dad, before Eriol-kun, the person from who everything started…
"...Li-san…"
"What is it?" He asked to her curiously as he put back the book on the shelf, his expression shifting to relief once he saw that she was no longer depressed.
She felt guilty about breaking it when she would ask that question, he was worried and relieved for her sake, something she was truly grateful about, but even so it was something she must ask otherwise she felt that it wouldn't feel right, so she braced herself and…
"Li-san… Why can I feel Clow-san's magic coming from you…?"
"...!" As expected, he looked at her in an astonished manner.
She felt bad for forcing him to make such an expression, even though he was always kind to her, but even so she forced herself to not shy her gaze away from him and waited for him to answer. This was now, the second time that she saw his composure completely break.
After all the only one who was supposed to possess Clow's magic was Eriol who was his reincarnation and her father since Eriol asked her to split his own magic power into two for him to have at the end of the trial he gave to her.
Even though the Li Clan are descendants from Clow Reed, they didn't herited of his magic power through their bloodline. So for Li-san to have it...
Li-san then looked down in thought before he smiled, however Sakura felt that she didn't liked that smile very much in contrast of the previous ones she had seen from him, it was sad and resigned, like that of someone who went through a lot of hardships and who was still burdened by them.
"...You may get caught by a bad person if you were to know the truth about it, so let's keep it as a secret, shall we?"
"...Yes." Even though she wanted to know the answer, once she heard his words and saw his sad smile, Sakura gave up the topic and nodded strongly. Nods, something from deep within her told her to, and she decided to obey.
Syaoran saw her apologetic expression before giving a small sigh and soon smiled as he closed the distances between them with a single step and bent himself a bit, whispering something at her ear.
"―Tsubasa―"
"HOE?!" Sakura's eyes widened at the words, not understanding the meaning of such a thing being told to her, and when she was about to ask Li-san about it, he beat her to a punch and answered beforehand.
"...It's the name of my child." He said, "It was something that we decided far before this child's conception, wherever it is a boy or a girl, this name would fits to both."
Sakura held a hand over the ear where he just whispered to, memorizing the name, and looked at him in a worried manner, "B-But is it fine? For you to tell me the child's real name…"
She had heard that it was a tradition for his family to pass over the name of the father to his son and keep their real name hidden, and it was forbidden to reveal it, so for him to tell it to a acquaintance of not even one day, even if she is from another world is…
But despite that Li-san nodded as he continued to speak. "We don't know what may happen in the future from now on, and if something were to happen to us… but if Sakura-chan can at least remember it, then I believe this child would be alright." Even though his child was not born yet, he has a very fatherly expression on his face, Sakura couldn't help but notice.
However she frowned slightly as this expression reminded her of something else. "Could it be that someone is putting you in danger, Li-san? Are enduring something? Are you perhaps suffering from something?"
However Li-san shook his head with a gentle smile.
Seeing that it was truly not the case, Sakura looked down with a relieved smile, "If it's really true then I'm relieved… because I know of someone who force himself to smile for the sake of others… and that's makes me sad."
She remembered about how upset and sad she was when she found that her Syaoran-kun was carrying all this burden onto his shoulders, and bearing it all on his own in order to not worry her. She didn't wanted it to happen again, not just to him or the him of another world, but to anybody around her, she would definitely not allow this to repeat itself.
'Which is why…' Sakura thought as she made a decision firmly and walked forward, towards Li-san. Gently, she took both of his hands in hers and matched her gaze with his own as she declared the following words: "If Li-san is ever bullied by someone else, then… this time, I'll be the one who will come and save you, definitely, I promise you!" She finished with a smile. It may sound a bit childish, but it was the truth, and she was truly ready to accomplish if needed, or rather she wouldn't even hesitate a second for it.
Li-san then looked surprised, before he looked like he was about to cry but instead closed his eyes and smiled, squeezing back gently Sakura's hands in his owns as he whispered tearfully: "...If Sakura-chan can keep on staying happy forever, it would be more than enough to save me… but thank you, really thank you." With that both let go of each other's hand and readied both their magic tools.
Sakura with her staff, and Li-san with a sword similar to Syaoran-kun's.
"I'll help you with it, so don't worry and believe in it. You will definitely be able to go back."
"Yes, thank you very much, I won't doubt anymore! I will never forget about you either!"
"Yeah, I admit that this is quite an unforgettable meeting. ...Goodbye."
The two shared a last laugh together as they cast their magic at the same time, magic circles appearing under them before a pillar of light appeared in the sky, warm, bright and gentle like a ray of sunshine, totally unlike the dark and cold vortex she was sucked in when she arrived here. Sakura felt herself being carefully lifted through it as she started to float in the air and be raised in it.
But before that, there was something she almost forget to say, something that mustn't be forgotten, something that must absolutely get through to him.
"Li-san! The name of your child is a wonderful one!"
"...!"
She couldn't listen to his response since she didn't had much time here left, so she could only apologize to him in her mind for interrupting him and instead focused on what she wanted to say as she continued, "That child would surely meet a lot of kind people, see a lot of beautiful things, loving a favorite person, living a lot of happiness and becoming a wonderful person, I'm definitely sure of it! Everything will definitely be alright!" There was so much things that she wanted to say to him, to apologize to him and to thanks him for, she would probably never met with him ever again, but for some reasons she felt that this was plenty enough. And with last one dazzling smile before disappearing into light particles, Sakura left this world and went back to her original one.
"...She left, huh?" Syaoran looked up at the blue sky as it almost rained feathers of light from where the girl disappeared, he extended his hand to catch a falling on but it immediately dissipated upon coming in contact with his skin, yet the warm and comfortable feeling coming from it stayed, just like the girl who owned such a kind magic power.
'I did travelled through many worlds and saw many of my acquaintances' alternate selves, but to think that I would meet the alternative self of one of my closest persons was truly unexpected. Or rather it's a wonder that we didn't met any up until now.' He felt like chuckling at that, which he did.
From travelling through all kinds of worlds and living through many kind of wonders with Sakura, Fay-san, Kurogane-san and Mokona, he thought that by now, nothing would be able to surprise him anymore as he saw too much for it, but it seems that it wasn't the case. Never once he imagined such a meeting, not that he would complain about it or anything, he had a lot of fun chatting with this girl who was ironically an alternative self of his wife. It seems that even ages don't match despite all the similarities through different worlds.
Now that he remembered that girl's energetic attitude and cheerful reactions (though she was kind of shy at the beginning), he couldn't stop the smile from staying on his face. 'Now that I think about it, Sakura was like that too in the past, wasn't she?'
He was reminded of their previous lives, when both were just a traveling archaeologist's adopted son and the princess of the kingdom. Each time when Syaoran came back at home after an expedition, Sakura literally jumped onto him and assaulted him with a avalanche of questions.
"Welcome back, Syaoran! Say, say, what kind of things did you see? Was it fun? Are you and your father feeling well? Was it hot? It must be hot since we are in a desert, did you drank enough water, did you ate tasty food, did you had enough rest? Did you, did you…!"
Ironically it wasn't just as when she was a child, she continued this until she was 14 though she later realized that it was a bit improper to jump on a young man as a young woman, something she hardly cared as a child. Aah, the work of puberty…
Though he never thought that one day he would be able to marry her due to their too different social statues, here they are now, in a world where such things don't matter anymore, being able to enjoy a life together with each other.
It was also ironical that this little Sakura is Japanese just like his wife (and with the exact same name, or at least, the maiden name that is), as she panicked when he asked her, 'Are you alright' in Chinese. Sure, not having Mokona to act as a translator was quite tough. He can definitely understand such hardships to not understand the other because of the barrier of languages (like at the Hanshin Republic when Mokona was kidnapped and he had to stay with Fay-san and Kurogane-san whom he couldn't understand), it was a great thing that Japanese language was among his studies too, otherwise he wouldn't have understood Sakura when he reunited with her.
Anyway being with her allowed him to be refreshed nostalgic memories and it was both amusing and endearing to see her reacting as open and emotionally as she is. It's been quite a while since he last laughed, so it has been helpful for him to let loose a bit.
'I hope that she managed to reach her home safely.' He prayed for the heaven's that it would be the case, before his smile fell from his face as he remembered Yuuko-san's, the Witch of Dimensions' motto.
"There is no coincidence in this world, everything is a matter of fate."
...So was the meeting with this little Sakura was also due to fate? All he hoped is that she wouldn't get caught into their twisted cycle. Her sensing the power of Clow Reed inside him is unexpected, but at least she didn't tried to pry further into it, which was a relief to him. He couldn't allow her to fall into Fei Wong's grasp and him making another person unhappy with his schemes. Syaoran had already failed to save Sakura in the past, he didn't wanted such a thing to happen again, even if she wasn't his Sakura, even if she was from another world. He had already hurt enough people to begin with, he didn't wanted to hurt another one, especially such a young, kind and strong girl.
"―Syaoran...?"
Upon hearing a familiar voice, calling out to him, Syaoran turned around and smiled at the sight of the one whom he was waiting for. It's been since their wedding that she stopped addressing him with the honorific 'kun', bringing nostalgia and satisfaction along with a slight sensation of loss. Even though he would have gladly welcomed such a change in the past, now he felt some mixed feelings about it. After all both ways she called him with were filled with their precious memories together.
"Welcome back." He said as the person, woman, in question walked towards him slowly.
"So how was it?" He asked.
"It's alright. Like I said earlier, you and Touya-niisan are too overprotective. Even though the two of you are always at odds with each other, when are you getting along so well when it come about my security?"
"You can't blame us for that. The date of birth is in another month after all. It's quite an anxious moment."
"Even though I am the one giving birth?"
"Even though you are the one who's giving birth. The fact that I won't be able to do anything in order to help you when that time would come is making me worried."
Then his hand was gently squeezed by another grip. "Just having you there is more plenty than enough."
The two stayed in a comfortable silence, cherry blossoms petals blowed by a gentle wind were dancing around them, it was then that his wife asked him. "By the way, why were you in the garden, looking at the cherry blossoms?"
It was only then that Syaoran realized that he was in the garden, he just knew that he had to take the little Sakura outside in order for her to use magic but he didn't even noticed that he brought her up under the cherry blossom trees.
Sakura-chan left the under 'sakuras', and just when Sakura-chan disappeared, Sakura appeared and joined him under the 'sakuras'... How ironic.
"Pff!" He couldn't hold back a laugh as he started to snicker on his own, bringing a hand to his mouth in order to cover the sound, surprising his wife on the side, though bursting out of laughing wasn't in his habits, it was also rare for him to snort in such a way, he mostly did a mature chuckle or giggle after all.
The woman near him widened her jade green eyes in surprise as a faint blush grew on her face. Since their reincarnations, reunion and marriage, there was no longer any embarrassment or awkwardness in their relationship anymore. The childlike innocence and purity of their previous lives were destroyed by bloodshed, suffering and cruelty near the end of it, because of that both of them matured far beyond their actual ages even as teenagers, before they met each other again in this new life.
And yet, here he is, smiling and laughing, like the 14 years old that she knew when she was still her amnesiac self, the happy and bright smile with shining eyes full of interest as he saw an object related to history or to architecture and he started to hover around it and throw a waterfall of questions to anyone who know enough about how it was built, trying to absorb as much knowledge and informations as he could.
It was a smile that she remembered fondly, one that she loved and one that made the her of back then feel relieved, as he didn't casted his own interests away for the single sake of protecting her. It was also a smile that she thought she would never see again, with everything they went through, at least until right now…
Then he intertwined their fingers together, surprising her once again, as he showed a rare peaceful smile on his face, as he said the following words: "Sakura, actually when you were absent, something interesting happened."
"Eh? Is that so?"
"Yeah, I can't wait to tell you about it, but first let's head inside and discuss about it over some tea, the teapot must still be full."
And with that the married couple head inside, cherry blossoms petals marking their paths.
A/N.: Here, finished! So this is the story of a small meeting between the reincarnated Clone Syaoran from Tsubasa Chronicle, and Sakura from Cardcaptor Clear Card! I hope it has been to your liking!
By the way, the way Sakura repaid Clone Syaoran was by giving her staff to Clone Sakura through a dream, like it has been in the canon story of the Tsubasa Chronicle manga!
The first POV was the common one, then it shifted at Sakura's and then at Clone Syaoran's, which is why there are the respective honorifics they use to refer to the people of their surroundings in it! It is a first for me to do such a thing so I hope that it isn't too confusing…
I also considered to put an ending scene where Sakura the Cardcaptor got reunited with her Syaoran in the world where the time had been modificated by Kaito (it just that before his time magic work, Sakura had been sucked away by her new Clear and canon Card, "BREAK", which is shown at the latest translated chapter), and Kaito notices this change while Sakura's memories isn't modificated by the time-leep, but I don't know how to end it and it would have led to a completely different story with more than one chapter so I decided to end it there.
So now, have a nice day and I hope you will enjoy the rest of my other fanfics too! And don't forget to review your opinion XD
And also, please stay careful about the coronavirus wherever you are, please take your precautions and stay healthy! It's worrying about how it's keep on climbing wherever it's the number of victims or deaths.