Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Qin'Ai ❯ A Dangerous Challenge ( Chapter 6 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Qin'Ai Part 6: A Dangerous Challenge
A Card Captor Sakura Fanfic


The morning passed slowly. Minutes and hours ticking away. The hall clock struck one like a death march. Meilin gazed down at the mechanical locket she held. It was identical to Tomoyo's.
"Tell him there's someone else." Li spoke into the silence, startling her. He was leaning against the doorway to her room.
"He'll demand to fight them." Meilin stated.
"True...and fighting is one skill she doesn't have."
Meilin whirled to him, startled. "When...How do you -?"
"Is that important right now?" Li entered the room.
"...no, I suppose not..." Meilin looked down at the locket again, running her hand over the design of two entwined hearts on the front. "No, she can't fight. That's my forte."
"You could beat him." Li walked to look out her window.
"Maybe I could, but..." Meilin froze. "I could..." Grabbing up a tape she shoved it into a VCR in her room, turning on the tv.
"What are you doing?" Li asked, confused.
Meilin waved for him to be silent, watching the tape.
"What about you, Reporter Li?" On the TV Naoko held up her chopsticks.
Chiharu followed suit. "You had been asked to the dance by many boys, so why did you choose to go alone?"
"Uh...I guess I just wasn't interested in any of them romantically." Meilin answered.
"I see." Naoko said.
Chiharu scooted closer. Why is that, Reporter Li?"
"Well, um...I guess I wanted...a stronger guy. As a martial artist I really am not interested in a man I could easily defeat in a martial arts match...I guess."
Meilin paused the tape. "That's it!" She stood up, running to hug Li. "If I say I won't marry any man who can't defeat me in battle he'll have to give up or fight me and if I win -"
"On the battlefield he won't be able to take revenge." Li finished.
"Honor will have been served. And further more, I won't really have rejected him." Meilin added.
"Will he agree to those terms, though, without proof -"
"Proof?...Tomoyo!" Meilin opened the locket she held.
"What are you doing now?"
"Making sure he won't be able to back out when I defeat him!" She typed quickly.



Tomoyo started when her locked beeped. She pulled it open, reading the message.
"Meilin?" Sakura sat across from her.
Tomoyo eyes filled with relief as she read the message before replying. "She says she's got a solution. She needs me and my camera at Li's place ASAP."
"We better hurry then." Sakura stood up.



"And the reason the camera is running?" Li asked. He, Sakura, Meilin, and Tomoyo were all gathered in the living room of his and Meilin's apartment.
"We're filming a documentary." Tomoyo produced Meilin's microphone from her bag.
"On what?"
"Valentine's Day." Tomoyo didn't miss a step.
"She's a genius." Meilin's smile was bright.
Someone knocked. "Sit down." Tomoyo waved Sakura and Li to a seat, starting up the camera.
"As everyone knows, here in Japan it's a tradition for girls to give chocolates to boys on Valentine's Day. Will your be bought or homemade?" Meilin stepped into the camera view, acting as if this had already been going on as Wei and Jibo entered. She held her microphone out to Sakura.
"That's a secret." Sakura smiled.
"And what is this?" Wei asked sarcastically.
"Excuse me, but we're filming a documentary." Tomoyo told him, turning as if annoyed to be interrupted, camera still in hand.
Wei snorted, and turned to Meilin. "You know why I'm here. What's your answer?"
Meilin stepped forward to face him. "I'm sorry, it's not that simple." She told him.
"What does that mean?" Wei's tone was threatening, missing the fact that Tomoyo had stepped back to make sure she had the best angle to get the confrontation on film. Jibo, behind him, didn't miss it, and he glanced between Tomoyo and the two facing off, before hiding a smile.
"I've sworn an oath not to marry any man who cannot defeat me in a martial arts battle." Meilin told him.
"Is that so..." He glanced at Li. "I don't recall you mentioning that yesterday, Syaoran Li."
"My cousin makes her own choices." Li stood. "I was unaware of her oath, until I spoke to her."
"Convenient."
"My terms are plain. If you have no more interest, leave. Or perhaps you'd like to challenge me?"
"Have it your way. I am Wei Shu. And I challenge you to battle, Meilin Li. Here and now."
"A public battle. With a Master in attendance to rule the winner." Meilin disagreed.
Wei glared, but for the first time noticed the camera. His hands clenched, realizing the trap. But he turned back. "As you say, then. Should I defeat you, however, you will agree to become my wife."
"And if I defeat you, you will forfeit your proposal. And the right to ever ask again."
Silence followed before Wei bowed. "Accepted." He stood and smirked. "I look forward to your defeat...Meilin Shu."
Meilin's eyes narrowed. "Don't sing praises for a victory you don't have, nor ever will."
"We shall see." He turned on is heel and left, the door slamming behind him.
Jibo remained behind. "He always was a hot head...He's never forgotten that you defeated him in childhood, in front of both our clans."
"He didn't learn from that defeat either." Meilin shot back.
"He's trained a long time."
"I've trained my whole life."
Jibo nodded, and bowed. "Zaijian."
"Zaijian." Meilin bowed in return, straightening to watch him leave. When the door closed, she turned to Tomoyo. "Well?"
Tomoyo turned off the camera, pulling out the tape to hand it to her, putting the camera aside. "You will win?"
"Would I let you down?" Meilin asked, her smile hopeful. Tomoyo kissed her.
"Too bad you don't have a tape in here." Sakura spoke, holding Tomoyo's camera.
"She made sure of that." Li crossed his arms.
"You two are very casual about this." Meilin pointed out.
"You really thought we didn't know?" Sakura queried.
"She did." Li nodded.
"I don't recall either of you saying anything." Tomoyo mentioned.
"If you weren't, why should we?" Li queried.





"Will you be alright without me?" Liu asked quietly.
"Liu, please don't..."
"Meilin, listen to me. There's something I have to tell you now. About a vision I had about you years ago. About a fight...a terrible fight you were in...or will be in...or..."
"Liu, you need to rest." Meilin cut in gently.
"No! Listen!" Liu exclaimed.
"I Am listening!"
"It's a terrible fight. It'll test all your skills...you could lose, but you Mustn't. Your happiness is riding on this fight. You Must Win."




Meilin opened her eyes, taking in a startled breath. Sunlight was shining through her window. Sitting up she glanced around her room, then at her fighting garb - which hung waiting for her on her closet door. She glanced at the picture of Liu and her. Next to it now sat a picture of her and Tomoyo. "A terrible fight that will test all my skills..." She repeated quietly. "I fight Wie Shu today, Liu. Is this the fight you tried to warn me of?"




To Be Continued...


Salmon