Written by: Sakura_Kinomoto

27. Return to the Future

Sakura is having a dream about the radio tower and a strange figure. She wakes up, an hour earlier than usual and changes leisurely. Kero is still asleep when she leaves for school. She skates to a stop in front of the shrine when she hears a bell ring. She then remembers how Madison told her that Miss Mackenzie's dad runs the shrine. Sakura really likes her teacher but says Li doesn't trust her. Someone asks Sakura who she was talking about and, the latter whirling around in surprise, sees Miss Mackenzie. The math teacher is working around the shrine because her father wasn't well. Sakura offers to help and Julian, suddenly arriving there, offers, too. The trio are sweeping the grounds and Sakura remembers the time with the Maze Card and Li telling her to be careful of Miss Mackenzie. As they finish up, Miss Mackenzie gives them both chestnuts as a thank you gift. Julian offers to walk Sakura to school and Sakura is delighted. Miss Mackenzie calls Sakura, a worried look on her face. But then she tells her never mind, that she would tell her later since there was still time.

Sakura gets to school early and shows Madison the chestnuts and tells her how she helped Miss Mackenzie. Li, overhearing, jumps up angrily. Before he can say much, Meilin runs into the classroom, and Sakura offers her a chestnut when she sits down. Meilin proceeds to show them how to properly peel a chestnut. Li settles back into his seat when he suddenly senses something. When he turns to the doorway, Miss Mackenzie walks in. Li is shocked while the teacher smiles at him. Later that day, Sakura and her father were at the dinner table, eating dessert. Aiden was looking over a notice from the school about the new math teacher. He was rather shocked and Sakura was surprised he knew her. It was actually Tori who knew her; she was his math teacher until she went to teach in England. Sakura said when they met before, they acted like they didn't know each other. Aiden said it was strange. Miss Mackenzie is outside at the shrine, watching the moon with a smile. Something appears, spins around a tree, and merges with the tree. Late at night, Sakura is following Kero because he sensed a Clow Card. They stop outside the shrine. Li joins them, lasin board activated. No one else was with them.

They stop sensing it for a while and Kero wants something to drink. Sakura gives him enough money to buy each of them a drink. After he leaves, Sakura and Li are sitting on the branches of a tree and they talk about their previous capture and Miss Mackenzie. Li says to be wary of her but Sakura disagrees. Li gets angry, jumps off the tree and runs off. Sakura jumps down to follow, but the tree roots grab her. Li pauses and turns around, seeing the tree clutching Sakura and drawing her in. Kero returns with three drinks, hears Sakura scream, and drops all the cans on himself. Sakura disappears and Kero says it's the Return Card. Sakura wakes up in front of a tree, mulling over the past events. She tries to find a hole in the tree but gives up. The tree actually has cherry blossoms fluttering down. She hears footsteps and greets Li. But, it's not Li. She jumps up into the tree and sits there. She sees Tori and wonders why he's wearing his junior-high uniform.

Tori touches the tree trunk and the spot glows. He mutters about sensing something. Someone greets him; Miss Mackenzie. She recognizes him from her class and comments on the aura in the tree. She also says it must be difficult to see things others cannot but Tori answered that he was used to it. Then Miss Mackenzie says he has a little sister named Sakura. Tori says she just turned six. Sakura nearly falls out of the tree in shock but steadies herself as she realizes she's in the past. In the present, Li and Kero are talking about the Return. It can only take one person and on a night with a full moon. Back in the past, Miss Mackenzie is sweeping the ground when Tori joins her, asking how she knew about Sakura. She answers that she also had powers. Tori, surprised, asks her what kind, and she responds that they're the same as his. They were both connected by a special person. In the present, Li asks if there was something they could do, because, if they did nothing, Sakura would be in the past until it caught up with the present.

Back in the past, there's a festival at the shrine and Miss Mackenzie and Tori went together. Miss Mackenzie tells him she's been offered a job in England, which surprises Tori. The former tells him not to tell Sakura about their talks and such. Tori doesn't answer as his companion looks up at the full moon and says when a disaster befalls the world; but get interrupted by a flash of light. Her eyes are on Sakura. Sakura realizes Miss Mackenzie can see her and the latter told Sakura that it was her destiny. Sakura screams as she's suddenly pulled away. Kero's calling her and Sakura realizes she's back while Kero tells her it was a good thing Li was there. The tree glows and Sakura seals the Return Card before it escapes. The card goes to Li, who is standing beside the tree. He tells her it's a good thing she made it back and collapses. Kero tells her, as Li is lying against the tree, that the only way to stop Return was to use the Time, but that took a lot of energy. Sakura thanks Li while Kero looks up at the moon and thinks of Yue. A short distance away, Miss Mackenzie watches them with a smile.

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