The Star Warriors

by C. S. Cooper

  “No need,” said Yelan as she poured a cup of jasmine tea for the girl. “It is no sin to voice your emotions.” She took a seat beside Sakura and motioned for her to drink. “My son dearly loves you,” she said. Sakura almost choked. “Does this fact embarrass you?”

  Sakura shook her head fervently.

  “Not at all,” she insisted. “I just … I feel as if I should be accepted by the Lee Clan before I admit that.”

  Yelan cocked her head stoically. “That did not stop you from flying into the airport at Tokyo, risking discovery of your secret powers, to confess to him. I believe you called him your ‘Number One.’” Sakura’s cheeks reddened at the memory of her first kiss. She tried to hide it with a long sip, but Yelan could clearly see through her façade. “I am glad that you feel so fondly for my son,” said Yelan.

  Sakura smiled warmly at the thought. She set the cup down and turned to Yelan.

  “Missus Lee,” she began awkwardly. “I feel as if we’ve met before. I sense something from you that feels very familiar.”

  Yelan held out her hand and said, “Take a closer look.”

  Sakura edged her hand toward Yelan, and her fingertips brushed slightly against the woman’s palms. She suddenly recalled a certain attempt upon her life at Tsukimine Shrine. Yelan’s signature was very similar to that of Alice Axilotl.

  “I am not the same kind of Witch as that abomination,” said Yelan upon receiving Sakura’s shocked glance.

  “So, are you a good Witch, or something?” asked Sakura.

  “Good and evil are troublesome labels at best, Lady Kinomoto,” said Yelan. “Suffice to say, some Witches have affinity for offensive and destructive magic. Others lean toward healing and regeneration.”

  Sakura recalled Xiaolang’s healing magic. Her brain’s wheels ground together when she also remembered her boyfriend’s ability to control the elements.

  “Are boys different?” asked Sakura after pointing out Xiaolang’s magical proficiency.

  “Not at all,” said Yelan. “Some people have the affinity for both. But it is in what is done with those powers that the truth of good and evil lays. There are many Witches of Axilotl’s affinity, who are well-meaning and mannered. And there are many of my affinity who are selfish and callous.”

  Sakura harrumphed and took a placid sip of tea.

  “Guns don't kill people,” she murmured.

  “You are wise, Lady Kinomoto,” said Yelan.

  “I’ve tried to be, at least,” said Sakura.

  “I must confess, I have looked forward to this meeting for nearly twenty years,” said Yelan. “I predicted your birth, but never knew where or to whom. I was truly excited to finally identify you, yet my trepidation paled in comparison to the fervour with which Xiaolang begged to meet you. My husband took a great deal of convincing to allow him to go to Japan.”

  “I know,” said Sakura, a hurt smirk riding on her lips. “He’d wanted to get the Clow Cards off me before I collected them. It took a lot to convince him I was worthy.”

  “Hardly,” said Yelan. “I saw the look in his eyes. He had chosen you the moment he saw your photograph. It was no different from the gaze I saw in my own husband’s eyes upon our first meeting.”

  Sakura’s eyes bugged out in amazement. She recalled their first meeting in which he’d tried to deprive her of the Clow Cards. She couldn't believe that same boy harboured feelings for her as far back as then. Suddenly, every glance he’d thrown her way over the last year made sense. In those flashes of memory, Sakura saw his strong affection and desire to be with her.

  How did I not see it before?

  Then she recalled the Final Judgement against Yue, and all of Xiaolang’s behaviour made sense.

  “He was afraid I’d fail the Final Judgement, and he’d lose his feelings for me,” she thought aloud.

  “Precisely,” said Yelan. Sakura beamed at the woman, who kissed her forehead maternally. Then she rose from the couch and strode to the door. She said over her shoulder, “There is a dojo in the basement. My husband would like to meet you when you have eaten.”

  Then she opened the door and disappeared down the corridor.

  Xiaolang entered the room not long after, and Sakura threw her arms around him. She gripped him tightly, and captured his lips vigorously. She finished her kiss and looked into his bewildered eyes.

  “I love you, Xiaolang,” she said. When he said it back to her, she couldn’t help but think, Wedding bells’re gonna chime!

  Chapter 8: Sparring

  Sakura took lunch with Xiaolang in the garden behind the mansion. Meiling joined them, but was far more civil than she was before. She even apologised for her earlier jokes. Sakura suspected Yelan had compelled her to do so, but accepted the apology all the same.

  “Trust me, Kero is worse,” she said.

  They discussed Sakura’s experience with capturing the Clow Cards and transforming them into Cards of her own design. Meiling had a lot to say about Tomoyo’s videos, particularly the sheer brilliance of disguising the hunt as a webseries. Xiaolang’s sister then asked for details about their dates in Japan, of which there was little to discuss.

  “We only went on one before Lamperouge’s shenanigans,” said Xiaolang.

  “Oh, I hear the Scotsman is really annoying,” said Meiling.

  “He’s not that bad,” Sakura interjected. “He is quirky, but I like quirky people.”

  “Yeah, but he delights in torture,” said Meiling.

  “The airport was bad, but he was worse during that movie shoot. Remember?” said Xiaolang flatly.

  Sakura thought about the film in which her brother had been involved. She tried to remember Eriol’s behaviour during the shoot, but all she could recall was his encouraging applause when she emerged in Tomoyo’s hand-made Meiji costume. He’d even praised that her life was more fun than she realised. Then again, that was when she thought that Tomoyo and Xiaolang were a couple, and she had a chance with Yukito.

  “Aha, now that I think about it,” she thought aloud.

  Discussion went onto future plans for the couple. Xiaolang reiterated his intention to migrate to Japan. He smiled at Sakura as he said it. That only prompted Meiling to re-broach the subject of marriage. Sakura put that in the future, after she’d finished high school. But the glances she kept throwing Xiaolang stated, loud and clear, that it was a certainty.

  When lunch was finished, Sakura recalled Yelan’s invitation to meet Xiaolang’s father in the dojo. Xiaolang guided her downstairs, into the basement of the mansion. As they descended the stairs, Sakura could hear loud clacks of wood striking wood. Upon entering the brightly lit dojo, she saw a man in a white shirt and black trousers, before a wooden dummy, practicing wing-chun drills.

  The man soon finished, and turned to greet the new arrivals. He approached slowly, gliding across the dojo floor as he unfurled his sleeves, and stopped in front of Sakura. He bowed reverently, his smile warm and earnest.

  “I am honoured to finally meet you, Lady Kinomoto,” he said. “I am Feiwang Lee.” His Japanese was slightly off, suggesting it was not his strongest language.

  Sakura bowed and stammered, “Thank you for having me, Mister Lee.”

  Feiwang eyed Xiaolang, who stood at attention with just as much discipline as for his mother. His father’s smile widened and he motioned his son to be at ease. Then he beckoned Sakura to follow.

  “I am afraid I understand Japanese far more than I speak it,” he said in English. “Would it be permissible to speak this language instead?”

  “That would be fine,” said Sakura. “Aside from my family on Sundays and your son occasionally, I don’t get much practice.”

  Feiwang approached the altar on the wall opposite his practice dummy. He reverently lit a stick of incense and set it into the burner before the Buddha statue. Sakura studied the nameplates adorning the wall above the altar, all of which hung beneath the Chinese symbol of the Lee Clan. Feiwang pointed to an outlying name in the top-l
eft corner.

  “There,” he said. “That is the nameplate of Clow Reed. Do you know why he stands alone on this wall?”

  “Kero … I mean, Kerberus said he was incomparable,” said Sakura. “He was the greatest magician in history. So, obviously, he’d be out there.”

  Feiwang chuckled, “Wrong. He stands alone on this wall because he stood alone in life.” The man turned to face the girl. “Do you stand alone, Lady Kinomoto?”

  Sakura glanced over at Xiaolang. Then she considered Kero, Yukito, Yue, Touya, Tomoyo, and her father Franklin. She turned to Feiwang and said, “I am not alone.”

  “Because of that, young one, you stand more powerful than Clow Reed could ever have hoped to be,” proclaimed Feiwang.

  The phrase sent shivers down Sakura’s spine. But she didn’t know whether to be proud or frightened. More than once, she’d failed her friends. She hadn’t noticed so many important things. Recently, she had started to worry that she’d missed something about her father.

  “You disagree?” asked Feiwang.

  Sakura explained her concerns in a hushed voice, so that Xiaolang would not hear.

  “There is no shame to be had there, Lady Kinomoto,” said Feiwang. “Pity the person to whom friendship comes naturally. It is through making mistakes and learning that we truly become masters of our arts. Friendship is no exception. And it is only through struggle that we triumph. Would you not agree?”

  Sakura considered her experiences in gathering the Clow Cards, and their subsequent transformation. She knew he was right.

  Feiwang motioned to the floor of the dojo.

  “I understand my son has given you training in wing-chun,” he said. Sakura nodded. “Would you demonstrate for me?”

  Sakura’s eyes widened and she looked around nervously. “You mean, fight you?”

  “Just a friendly spar,” said Feiwang. “We shall not use our full strength.”

  The girl coughed and eyed Xiaolang. The boy looked worried, but motioned for her to proceed. Meiling clasped her hands giddily. Sakura removed her shoes and socks, and set them beside the door. Then she walked toward the centre of the room where Feiwang awaited. His smile remained on his face. Sakura reached for the key beneath her shirt, but Feiwang stopped her.

  “No magic, please,” he said.

  Sakura almost backed out, but steeled her nerves and took position facing him. She jutted her knees inward, tucked her right fist under her shoulder, and held her left palm out in the starting stance. It was just as Xiaolang had showed her, and yet she felt awkward and out of her element.

  Feiwang took a similar stance and his face became incomprehensible as he fixated upon her. He motioned for her to make the first move. She made several fault starts, before finally sucking in a deep breath and launching forward. She aimed for his face, only to find her strike diverted with lightning speed. Then, she brought her fist around to strike at his torso, but was blocked by the most gentle of swats. Feiwang’s hand swung her arm around, exposing her back to him, to which he issued a palm strike.

  Sakura stumbled away with a soft cry. She quickly swivelled and faced him. Her body trembled with the need to flee. Yet, she stood her ground, determined to prove her worth to her boyfriend’s father. She advanced with greater speed. She levelled more blows, all of which missed their mark. Then she switched to her feet, and aimed a kick at Feiwang’s stomach, which he nimbly evaded. He then hooked his arm under her knee and hurled her away. She hit the ground with a thud.

  Cradling her shoulder, Sakura scrambled to her feet and winced.

  “Are you alright, Lady Kinomoto?” Feiwang asked with genuine worry. Sakura waved him off and resumed her stance. “I’ll go a bit slower this time,” said Feiwang, assuming his own stance.

  Sakura advanced again, but he caught her arm in a firm hold and touched his palm to her shoulder.

  “Hit,” he announced.

  Sakura pulled back and swiped with her other fist, which he ducked before touching his elbow to her cheek, announcing another hit. He gripped her forearms, pulled her toward him, and pressed his palms to her temples. Then he issued a volley of punches, deliberately falling short of striking her torso, neck, and head.

  Sakura fell to the floor in a daze. Though none of Feiwang’s strikes had harmed or even touched her, she felt as if she were on death’s door. She peeked out from under her raised arms, and saw Feiwang’s hand held out to her. His smile had not wavered. She took the hand and rose to her feet.

  “Lady Kinomoto, are you afraid of me?” he asked. Sakura nodded. “Why is that? I am hardly someone who can deceive your eyes, or lash out at you from the shadows.”

  “I just … I’m not used to fighting without magic,” said Sakura. “I’m not a fighter, really.”

  Feiwang smiled, and motioned to Yelan, who had entered the dojo during the spar. The Witch waved her hand, and a translucent wall surrounded the combatants. Sakura’s eyes bugged out in surprise.

  “A barrier, to protect the house while we spar,” said Feiwang. He held his hand out. “You may use magic this time.”

  Sakura glanced over at Xiaolang, who wore a nervous yet excited smile. He propped up her courage, and she withdrew the Star Key. She uttered:

  Key of the Stars, Master of dreams,

  Bequeath unto me the power ye deems.

  Let us fulfil our vow in time’s great streams … Release!

  The key flashed and transformed into her wand. The topaz star set within its pink metal circle glimmered as she held it before her. With much greater confidence, she faced her opponent.

  Feiwang clapped his hands. As he prised them apart effortlessly, a Chinese jian formed between them. He took the blade and pointed it at Sakura. He advanced, and brought the sword to her right. The blade clanged against Sakura’s shield. He twirled and slashed at Sakura’s head, but she parried it with the wand, which had become a majestic rapier. She resonated with the Blade Card, and let it guide her body. Both she and the Card were careful to avoid actually striking him, even when there was an opening. Feiwang backed away as Sakura advanced.

  Suddenly, with his back against the magical wall, Feiwang diverted Sakura’s blade into the floor. With his index and middle finger outstretched, he summoned a gale that threw Sakura backward. He then twirled the sword, from which burst a torrent of fire. Sakura snuffed it with the Aqua Card.

  Feiwang started to laugh. The barrier vanished, as did his sword, in a flash of light.

  “You fight extremely well alongside the Cards,” he said. “Xiaolang has trained you well.” He shot his son a look of pride that made Xiaolang swell. He then clasped his hands and bowed before Sakura. “You have truly mastered these Cards and made them your own.”

  Sakura deactivated her wand with a smile and returned the bow.

  “Thanks for going easy on me,” she said.

  Chapter 9: Moon!

  Before dinner, Sakura retreated to her room to clean up. She showered and washed off all the sweat from the flight and her spar with Feiwang. Then Meiling appeared with a pink hanfu for her to wear. The shy girl took a while to accept the gift, but not nearly as long to put it on. When she entered the opulent dining hall, Xiaolang rose from the table and almost fainted at the sight of her.

  “Down, boy,” joked Meiling.

  The food was delicious, and Sakura ate her fill. Conversation drifted from Sakura’s combat technique, to Xiaolang’s teaching style, and then onto what she intended to do with the Cards. Sakura had little to say about that, given that she’d only focused on capturing them. She did mention that she liked using the Cards to make other people happy, such as influencing the shadow of a bully to teach its owner a lesson, or using the Lucis and Noctis Cards to alleviate a salaryman’s depression. While Feiwang was receptive of such ideas, Yelan cautioned, “The Cards do have a far higher purpose than that, Lady Kinomoto.”

  “I know, Missus Lee,” said Sakura. “Eriol told me that Clow Reed created the Cards to promote kindness in the world a
nd defeat evildoers. But …” She thought for a moment. Frustrated that she couldn’t articulate herself, she blurted, “I’m just a kid from Tokyo. I’m hardly qualified to fight bad guys, am I?”

  “You may have to,” murmured Yelan. Her eyes glimmered subtly, and Xiaolang exhaled slightly. Sakura heard his reaction, but she couldn’t figure out his meaning.

  Feiwang raised his hand and said, “Perhaps your small acts of kindness are precisely what Clow had in mind.” His gaze fixed on Sakura, even though his words were targeted at Yelan. The woman only raised her eyebrows at her husband, but said nothing more.

  The meal finished soon after. When the house staff cleared the table, they put a bowl of boiled rice in front of Sakura. Confused, but not wanting to be rude, she took her chopsticks to the bowl, only for Xiaolang to stop her. He shook his head silently, and motioned her to leave the bowl on the table11.

  Tea was served thereafter. Then Yelan and Feiwang took their leave. Meiling also left, explaining that she had some prior engagements. This finally gave Xiaolang and Sakura some alone time. They went to his bedroom and closed the door. Sakura followed Xiaolang to the sofa beside his desk and sat down with him. She noticed the small pink fimo shisa on his desk and stroked it gently.

  “She can’t wait to get back to Japan,” said Xiaolang. Sakura shuffled over, nestled into his embrace, and rested her head on his shoulder. She sighed with contentment.

  “Why didn’t we do this sooner?” she mumbled.

  “Didn’t have time at the airport,” replied Xiaolang.

  “I was being rhetorical,” said Sakura.

  Absentmindedly, she threaded her fingers through his and kissed his knuckles. When she looked into his eyes, she remembered Meiling’s jibes about nuptials earlier in the day. She blushed.

  “What?” asked Xiaolang.

  “I was just thinking about … marriage,” she stammered.

  “You want to get married now?” Xiaolang choked.