Merry Christmas!!! and New Trials updates...

First off, many apologies for being MIA for the past month. Those of you who have stuck by New Trials for years probably know that Christmastime is usually eventful for New Trials updates. The only thing that can keep me from writing New Trials besides dire emergency in real life is exams or being stranded on a tropical island without internet access. This time, surprisingly, it was the latter. I took an unexpectedly early vacation trip to a tropical island in the Pacific ocean, hence the delay in Chapter 67 of New Trials. I have not been able to check emails, blog or anything. So, I start off Christmas with the apology. >.< I estimated the chapter to be done by end of November, but I forgot how crazy end of the year is with various events and whatnot, so I am feeling very sheepish and humble right now and don't want to give any false dates for when the chapter will be ready. But one thing I came to know for sure is, I'm not going to finish the chapter by today (my original goal). Lol. I've been writing like crazy for the past week ever since I came back from the trip, (I have been sitting on the beach, stressing about Chapter 67 even there) but the problem is, I am knit-picky and there's an aspect towards the end of the chapter that needs reworking and I can't release a chapter that I am not satisfied with. Either way, the chapter is 98% done and shall enter final editing stage soon. It's a long chapter, and it's getting longer if that is any solace. Sorry for the wait! I'll try my best so that Chapter 67 doesn't disappoint.

There is something very jarring sitting on a beach, soaking in the sunlight, listening to Christmas carols being belted out from the hotel. Sort of like being in a twilight zone. The place I was staying at was full of Japanese tourists and lots of cute, young couples, newlyweds and adorable children. I also saw for the first time what was presumably a gravure photoshoot. There were two Japanese models (very pretty) and they were posing on the beach all day long. You can't really make them out in the picture above, but it's the models, staff and cameraman. It's tough work, being a model, posing all day long in the same spot. The sunset was beautiful though. There were also lots of wedding photoshoots happening there as well. There was a poor bride that was doing a photoshoot by the beach side when it suddenly began to pour. She had to crouch underneath a parasol in her wedding dress and veil and wait for the rain to pass. But there was a huge rainbow after the rain passed. I saw it because the cutest little kid cried out, "Papa... Niji da yo! Niji!" The adults on the beach were to busy doing whatever day were doing, flirting, drinking beer, sunbathing, to look up at the sky, but the little boy pointed it out first. Children can see the world better than adults sometimes.

Here is a little preview of the New Trials of Card Captor Sakura Chapter 67: The Sacrifice:

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“Kaijou, you’re going to be late for school!” Kinomoto Touya pounded on the door. Very graciously, he stated, “I’ll drive you and the Brat to school on my way to work.”

There was not answer. Touya glared at Li Syaoran, currently a guest at his house, as if it was his fault. “What’s wrong with her?”

Li Syaoran, hands shoveled in his sky-blue uniform jacket, loathing the fact that he had to be the news bearer, grimaced and mumbled, “Chang Eron broke up with her, it seems.” Yesterday, he had found Sakura in King Penguin Park, in tears because things had ended with Eron. Maybe he was too optimistic in thinking that Sakura would have been cheered up by today. And he felt an ugly resentment whelming within his stomach.

“You mean she’s hung up over some guy?” Touya scowled with renewed viciousness. “Why are we Kinomoto’s so unlucky when it comes to relationships?” He pounded on the door again. “Kaijou, you come out this second or else I’m going to come in and drag you out of bed.”

“I’m not going to school!” retorted Sakura, voice muffled by her pillow.

“That’s it. Where is this Chang Eron?” Touya growled, rolling up his sleeve.

“Stop it, ‘nii-chan. Just go away and leave me alone!” Sakura exclaimed from under her blankets.

Touya’s jaw dropped. His precious little sister had just called him a nuisance. Again he glared at Syaoran then smacked him on the head.

“Ow! What did you do that for?” demanded Syaoran, clasping the back of his skull. “Don’t you have the wrong guy here?”

“I don’t know. I just felt like hitting you for some reason,” said Touya. “Ugh, just looking at you makes my stomach curdle.”

“It’s not my fault!” exclaimed Syaoran.

“Yeah, sure.” Touya whacked Syaoran on the head one more time. “If Sakura is not out of her room, smiling and brightly calling out ‘onii-chan’ by the time I come home again, you’re getting more than a whack on the head. Understand?”

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Sakura's Christmas Gift by ~wishluv on deviantART