Cards of Yesterday

The Aftermath

Yue tied a light bow on the bandage and looked up to check if it was too tight on her. Sakura nodded blankly affirming that it was just fine. A few blood-rimmed glass pieces were lying on the floor among scattered papers and clothes.

Meilin handed over a picture to Eriol who was clutching onto his staff. He sat down beside Sakura and looked at the picture.

Sakura hadn't spoken ever since the confrontation with Ayumi had happened. She was pretending to be fine but Syaoran could see she was just moments away from crumbling.

The apartment was a mess. Pictures that were hung on walls with wooden clips had come apart. Bottled planters that they'd shopped for together had fallen on the ground. Books and tiny clay miniatures were scattered around the room. Sakura's mind was feeling no different.

The apartment had been her safe haven for more than 3 years. The plants on her windowsill had been the symbols of companionship and comfort. Now all that remained were chipped parts that couldn't be put together anymore and a friendship that couldn't be resurrected.

"So what do we do now?" Meilin spoke breaking the eerie silence.

"She is going to return when the next full moon happens." Syaoran answered.

"We'll have to face her with all our resources. One person alone won't make it through." Eriol arranged his glasses.

"If only she hadn't slipped away from my hands." Syaoran growled.

"Can we not try to kill her... She has a family waiting out there for her." Sakura spoke looking at her fingers.

"Some people deserve no mercy." Yue spoke coldly with his pale face illuminated by the faint glow of twilight.

"I'm sure I can talk her out of it." She whispered.

"Sakura, you tried doing that already. Was it of any help? She still tried to hurt you." Syaoran revolted.

Sakura didn't respond to his brutal honesty.

"What he means is, we know she was a great friend... But if that was built on selfish motives, then there's no point to the friendship in the first place." Tomoyo reframed Syaoran's words.

Eriol let out a gentle smile looking at her.

"Yue, I'll have to include both Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun for this. I expect you will co-operate." He deviated the conversation.

Yue nodded.

"I'll ask Mizuki to take the next flight. I won't be able to fight alone." Eriol sighed.

"You can't fight at all. Atleast not in this condition."

"I won't be the only one..."

"Can I suggest something?" Tomoyo spoke softly.

"Ayumi and Nadeshiko were supposed to be good friends. Isn't there a way to find out what weaknesses Ayumi has. I'm sure her mother must have told someone about her... Or written it in her diary or something..." she reasoned.

"She's got a point. You could do some research about her past. Maybe ask her dad or aunt Sonomi." Meilin agreed.

"It still doesn't make sense... Ayumi was only just 28 when I met her just the other day... How can she be a little younger than her mother?" Syaoran contemplated.

"What if its the wrong person you're looking for?" Yue asked calmly.

"No. She mentioned my mother when she fought me. I'm sure she knew her well." Sakura broke her silence.

"There is a more efficient way to do it. If she uses the return return card she will be able to see exactly what happened and also maybe find out about Nadeshiko." Eriol answered.

"What about her mother?" Syaoran asked.

"Well. Its quite strange how the Clow Book was in the Kinomoto residence in the first case. What if her mother had something to do with their location?" Eriol closed his eyes and spoke calmly.

"And that's how Ayumi came to know about the cards?" Meilin asked.

"What do I have to do?" Sakura asked. Her voice a little more charismatic.

"Easy. First you need to visit her burial place."

-

Sakura shivered in the dry cold and walked slowly, nestled in her dark coat. The sky was in a blur and weather reports predicted the possibly of light snow.

When she was a child, she loved winters as they were a reminder that Christmas was just around the corner. Tomoyo and she had a tradition of exchanging gifts each year. With time, celebrations like these grew less important and taxing. The decorated trees and brilliant lights only made her feel lonely and hollow.

Sometimes she wished she could return back to feeling the way she did when she was little. She tugged onto Syaoran's blazer lightly as she thought of things that upset her.

"Are you cold?" He asked.

Li was from a tropical land so he wasn't used to the winter Japan had to offer. He had worn layers of warmers and coats to protect himself from something he wasn't acquainted to.

He held her cold fingers and put them in his pocket wrapped around by his fingers warmed in wool. Through roads lined with dried boughs that looked like claws and veins, they walked quietly relying on each other to face the cold winter.

"I'm sorry for the other day... I shouldn't have spoken to you like that." He sighed.

"I'm sure you didn't mean it the way you said it."

"I was just... Really frustrated... If I was more in control then... Things wouldn't turn out this way." His head hung low with embarrassment.

"You mean you weren't angry because I said something stupid?" Sakura looked at him.

"You didn't say anything stupid."

"But I suggested we give Ayumi another chance."

"Not all people deserve to be forgiven." Syaoran tried to sound less harsh as possible.

Sakura looked down at her fingers in light self doubt. He looked at her from the corner of his eyes not moving his head in her direction.

"You can be a little too trusting sometimes... Its a value no less... Not something I can afford to have... but I do appreciate it in you." He held onto her fingers and looked up at the sky.

Sakura's cheeks lit a slight red.

"Come on... Mother's grave is nearby." she rushed forward.

Syaoran walked quickly as well to keep up with her pace.

On a corner overgrown with dried leaves, a pristine marble stone rose from the ground with its fading edges exposed to the wind. It had been a long time since Sakura had visited her mother.