Shattered Skies: The Morning Lights

CHAPTER 25: Closer Than They Appear

Notes:

[Translation Notes (Up here to avoid spoilers):

*1. From Japanese: "shouri", "winning" and "yuuken", "postage stamp". Yes, this is an extraordinarily nerdy language pun. No, I'm not apologizing for it.

*2. Cantonese interjection, meaning "Bye bye; see you later; so long", etc.

*3. Japanese equivalent of the western LOL in chatspeak. Short for "warai", "laughter"]

Chapter 25: Closer Than They Appear

The Lighthouse, Sekigahara Training Grounds

"That's it, Sakura-chan. Keep focusing, you're doing great."

"Hnnnn."

"Feel the power gathering within you, deep in your belly. Now just channel that energy up, up into your chest..."

"Hnnnn...."

"Don't try to force it. Just let it flow into your fist and-"

"Hanyaaa~!" Sakura Kinomoto exclaimed and threw a punch with all her might. Sure enough, she felt something erupt from her hand... Though her eyes were shut tight, she felt the air whoosh past her ears as it soared across the room, then a burst of heat as it crashed against a solid object.

"Good, Sakura-chan!" said Nanoha Takamachi's voice over the sound of hands clapping. "That was very good!"

"I agree." That was Fate Testarossa Harlaown, next to her as always. Her clapping was more restrained, but still audible. "Most new students can't manage that without at least a month of training."

"Way to go, Sakura!" And of course, Kero could probably be heard shouting from the next Vertex Point over. "Yer gonna have this Strike Arts stuff mastered in no time!"

Sakura cracked an eye open. "Did I really do it...?"

"You certainly did," said Nanoha, who wore a proud smile. "See for yourself."

So Sakura looked, and squealed. "Hoeeeee~!" The target lay fragmented a few meters away, its largest pieces smoking and blackened with soot. "I did that?!"

Kero fluttered over the shattered target for a closer inspection. "Ya sure did! Man... keep this up and you'll be chuckin' fireballs Ryu-style in no time!"

Sakura blinked, uncomprehending. "Ryu...?"

"Oh man, ya don't know who Ryu is?! Where have ya been?"

"I-"

"Ya know! Ryu!" Kero flapped his wings and raised himself an inch or two in the air, his tiny paw raised high. "Shoryuken!"

Sakura stared in abject confusion. "A... a prize-winning stamp*1? Hoeee~...?"

Making a face of purest misery, Kero put his face in his paws and moaned.

The two other occupants of the room watched from the sidelines, one showing considerably more interest in Sakura's training than the other. Alph's gaze was riveted as she sat stock still, her ears standing at attention. Her only motion was the constant back-and-forth swishing of her tail.

By contrast, Meilin Li's attention wandered. It took a few seconds of delay each time to collect herself enough to clap for Sakura's latest achievement. Sakura was a natural, because of course she was. Not just Clow Reed's chosen successor anymore, but one of the Three who would save everyone.

Including Shaoran? The thought was bitter as a too-ripe olive. Losing Shaoran once was hard enough. Now he was lost in the most complete way possible, and to get him back, if that was even possible, she had even- No, thought Meilin, shaking her head. I'm being stupid. It's not fair to blame her for that. That was my choice, no one else's. I've got to live with it.