"Sakura," Tomoyo asked later, "have all the cards hidden in duelists?" "Pretty much," Sakura said with a nod. "That's why I've asked Juri to keep an eye on the fencing and kendo clubs in case something does come up." Sakura sweatdropped a bit, as Tomoyo rewound the video of the capture of the Earth card and watched it again. "Do you have to watch that? It's embarrassing!" Tomoyo smiled back. "Come on, you have to admit it was pretty funny." She started the tape, and poor Tsuwabuki came up. The Earth card had made him unmovable, something Sakura had discovered by quite painfully bouncing off him a few times. Still, once she figured out the rose was mostly unprotected, the capture went easily enough. Their conversation was interrupted by a soft knocking at the door. Sakura got up, letting Tomoyo shut of the VCR, and went over to answer the door. Saionji, Wakaba at his side, nodded to her respectfully. "There's something... odd going on over at the kendo club," Saionji explained a few moments later, sitting at Sakura's desk. "I've spoken to Juri about it, and she sent me over to see you." "What's going on?" Tomoyo asked. Saionji looked at her disdainfully, but quickly stopped when he saw Sakura's hard glare. "Sorry," he said quietly, "old habit. A longtime competitor has suddenly began winning all his matches, even against opponents who previously easily defeated him. The people he faces say it's uncanny, it's like they're seeing him in more than one place at the same time." Sakura nods thoughtfully. "Sounds like one of the cards, all right." She asked, " So who is this kendoist?" "Kiryuu Touga," Saionji answered. Not long after, he excused himself, and he and the smiling Wakaba left together. "We'd better call Juri," Tomoyo said thoughtfully. "She's on the student council, and can probably get us back stage. We need to stop him before any more matches, right?" Sakura nodded firmly. "It's not fair to the others, if we don't." she agreed. A short while later, Juri was leading them up the back ways of the kendo hall. "So who's your mystery girlfriend?" Sakura asked her again. Juri rolled her eyes. "You just won't let it go, huh?" she said, smiling. "All right, you can meet her at the parent/teacher day next week. She'll be here then." "So she's the mother of a student here? You rogue!" Tomoyo said with a smile. Juri made a face. "Touga's warming up in here, it should be private enough for the capture." They knocked, and faintly heard a voice yell an answer from inside. "Did that sound like 'Go away' to you?" Tomoyo asked with a smile. They pushed the door open and went in. A handsome young man moved gracefully across the floor, his long red hair swinging around him. His sword cut through the air gracefully, like poetry in motion. "Hey, Touga!" Juri yelled to him. "Get you're skinny ass over here!" He came to a jarring stop, then turned and glared at Juri. The glare turned to a falsely charming smile when he saw Sakura and Tomoyo. "Ladies!" he said with a lounge lizard's smile, walking over and shaking each of their hands. Sakura shivered as soon as he touched her, 'Oh, yes,' she thought, 'definitely a card hiding here.' She smiled bleakly. 'And is he ever a creep.' "I'd like to challenge you to a duel," Sakura said simply. Touga pretended to look shocked. "A beautiful woman like you? I wouldn't want to risk harming such a fair lady," he said with great sarcasm. Sakura drew out the sword, and it's soft glow lit the room, showing a strangely sinister glow around Touga's form. She speaks quietly: "Oh Sword of Dios, Power of magic, power of Right! Surrender the Blade, the sword of Light! Release!" She points the blade at him. "Are you a coward, Touga? Is what everyone says about you true? Or is it you're afraid of a fair fight?" Sakura said in biting tones. "Shut up, damn you!" Touga shouted. "I'll duel you, bitch!" Juri plucked a red rose from a nearby vase, putting the still wet rose in his coat pocket. She then produced a white rose and put it in Sakura's pocket. He calmed down a bit, and smiled coldly at Sakura. "See my power, then," he said quietly. He seemed to shimmer slightly, then there were two Tougas facing her. Then three. Four. Five, and finally six Touga's surrounded Sakura in a circle. All wore red roses, and all had that same sneer on their faces. Together, the voice echoing around her, Touga said "Catch me if you can, Sakura." She turns, wheeling about, trying to see which was the real one. Suddenly, she cries out, a stinging cut burning across her cheek, and barely brings her blade around to protect her rose. The Tougas circle her, taunting, occasionally striking out to try to mark Sakura with his blade. Finally she stops, and goes dead still, closing her eyes. Sakura closes her eyes, concentrating. 'It's Mirror, it has to be,' she thought. How to I find the real one, though? She focuses, thinking about Mirror, and when she had seen Touga practice. 'Why is that still in my head?' Her eyes suddenly shoot open in shock. She scans the Touga's, and suddenly smiles. The Touga's charge her, but Sakura unerringly finds the real Touga, and in a second, his rose lies in pieces on the dojo floor. "How?" Touga choked out. "You're right handed," Sakura said quietly, "you're twins were lefties." She stepped back and raised her sword, as glowing shards of glass wheel out from Touga's form. "Mirror card! Return to your power confined! Mirror!" Sakura cried, and the card materialized and then floated into Sakura's hand. She steps back and looks at Touga coldly. "Good luck in your duels now, cheater." With that, Sakura led Tomoyo and Juri away.
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