New Trials Chapter 69: The Betrayal

New Trials Chapter 69: The Betrayal is up at my website! Many apologies for the long delay.

I have mentioned in my chapter endnote that this chapter was the most difficult one to write to date. Those of you you have already read the chapter probably understand why it was so difficult to complete it. I'm almost scared to check my hotmail inbox (which sadly I haven't been able to check in months--I do not like the new layout). But on the brighter side, hopefully the next two chapters will be out quicker since Chapter 70 is 70% done and I've also worked on Chapter 71 already. 

I feel like I am always giving excuses on why it's taken so long to update a new chapter (which you guys know are the size of a moderate-length YA novel.) But you guys have been so understanding and supportive, which I am utterly grateful for, so I though I might give a brief run through of life.

This is my take two on this blog post-I was finished with a very long update on my life and my internet crashed on me literally as I typed in my last sentence which irritates me exceedingly. And I thought blogspot was supposed to save interim drafts?

So, as I may have mentioned before, I work in journalism which is a very time-consuming, exhausting profession which leaves me little time for hobby-writing. My poor fingers are exhausted at the end of the day. But anyhow, I was aiming to get this chapter up for Sakura's birthday but in March, I changed beats hence work got hectic. May, my Sony VAIO driver crashed, and I took the my laptop to the A/S center in my country. They told me I had to get the whole thing reformatted, and I told them, the whole reason I brought my laptop to pro technicians was so that they can fix it--I can reformat the computer myself at home if I want to. So, I had to say bye-bye to three-years worth of files and programs. Actually, I did manage to save most of my important files onto an external harddrive. But it was a pain to install programs all over again and I kept delaying the process of transferring files throughout the rest of the month. Needless to say, I am very sad that I have so few songs on my computer at the moment. I need good BGM to write. Also, I am not liking Microsoft Word 2010. 

Flashback to several months ago, I was asked by a close sister-like to be a bridesmaid for her June wedding. She's Korean, he's Chinese-American, and they had a beautiful garden wedding albeit chaotic. It was a very international wedding, and her other bridesmaids were coming from abroad, and I was busy running about interpreting for the guests. Funny story, it was so hot during the ceremony outside that I almost fainted from heatstroke. The interpreter just made the whole process very slow, and I hadn't eaten or drunk anything all day because it had been so hectic. I began to see white spots, and I kept telling myself I could not faint and ruin the wedding. I almost tripped as we made it back down aisle but thank goodness for the groomsman--I wouldn't have been able to walk in the straight line otherwise. Lesson of the day: eat and drink before big events. 

July was the busiest month ever because I was working on a feature series, people were gone for holidays so we had to write an extra article a day, and it was so hot my brain worked twice as slow. Sorry Syaoran, but it was a horrid month, and I'm glad it's over. 

The song the Tomoyo sings in Chapter 69 is "I Do" by Ilaria Graziano and composed by of course Yoko Kanno, a part of the Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex OST. I was surprised to realize that there actually was a Yoko Kanno song that I didn't know, but recently I listened to an amazing cover of the song by Rasmus Faber (in his Platina Jazz ~Anime Standards Vol.4 album), which might even be better than the original version. It had been a long time since a song captivated me and low and behold, it was Yoko Kanno's song. 

Some notes on the recent chapter that are not too spoilery. First, I was scouring the CCS Movie 1 to figure out where Syaoran lived. The CCS crew went up the tram to Victoria's Peak and then the next scene panned to Syaoran's mansion. Victoria's Peak is one of the most expensive real estate neighborhoods in the world. Yes, Syao-chan has just been that humble all along. Second, I really didn't care much for Erika in Arc 1 but she's grown on me over the arcs. Jinyu also was a sideline character, but it was fun seeing what his personality was like for the first time. Thirdly, oh my goodness, is it really the 15th anniversary of CCS? I'm very excited about all the pretty new CCS artwork I've been catching glimpses of.

Happy Birthday Syaoran 2013!!!

Happy Birthday Sakura 2013!!!

Everything's gonna be all right, Sakura... by ~wishluv on deviantART

Good news or bad news first? Bad news first because that's how I like things--Chapter 69 is not yet finished but good news is that it's getting there, perhaps 90%? I was targeting a release for Sakura's birthday, a friend was visiting from the States for the past week that I haven't seen in three years. Throw social and work obligations out the window so I can finish writing Arc 4! So, I'm rather mischievous in my own way amongst people I am close to and love playing Aprils' Fools jokes, but I just don't have the heart to play any prank on you guys and have a fake chapter up. But I do admit the thought has crossed my evil mind.

I know it's Sakura's birthday, but I wanted draw sort of a canon fanart pertinent to an Arc 4 scene so it can be added to the New Trials picture book. I know I rather rushed through drawing it so I see it more as a concept art. Maybe I'll redraw from another angle some other day. How I went from drawing the pink ribbon scene in Arc 2 to this one, I do not know. Actually, I'm pretty sick of drawing S+S at the moment and really want to draw Meilin and other characters. Can't wait to finish Chapter 69 because there are so many side projects I want to do and have stalled. 

Happy Birthday Sakura 2013!!! Happy Aprils' Fool Day and Happy Easter as well!

The music spotlight this time around is an obvious choice, Sweetbox's "Everything's gonna be alright." I think I included this song some time ago on the New Trials OST playlist. The song is a quintessential 90s song, released in 1997. This was sort of therapeutic song during my high school and college years, I think, when things were tough for me. I still enjoy listening to it once in a while because you really can't go wrong with classical mixed with hip-hop.  I'm a big fan of Bach, especially Air on the G String from Suite No. 3, which is the classical piece playing the background in case you are wondering. There is another version of the song, the Reborn Version, featuring Jade, of Final Fantasy X-II fame (English singing voice of Yuna), but for this song I prefer the original Tina Harris version which is just more raw.

Happy Valentine's Day

Sakura x Syaoran - Valentine's Day Cherry Kiss by ~wishluv on deviantART

Wow, this is my first blog post of the new year. I can't believe it's already 2013. Happy New Year, Lunar New Year. My heart is still stopped at 1999, it feels like. Which is the year which I first began writing New Trials, now that I think of it. I had my first very short break in nearly two years last week. I went to Japan for three days again, this time to Fukoka, so I might blog about it later. It's my first time traveling in ages.

It was recently the New Trial Yahoo Group's anniversary, but I didn't get to do anything to celebrate so I felt guilty. But thank you to the Yahoo Group for keeping me inspired through all the ages.

Cherry x Kiss is a concept that I thought would be cute for Sakura and Syaoran. In the Korean-dub broadcast of CCS, Sakura's name was "Cherry." Strangely enough, Syaoran was kept "Sha-o-rang"--perhaps because he's supposed to be foreign. I wonder if anybody would photoshop the picture and erase the cherry, squish them together and actually make them kiss. I might do that actually someday if I'm bored. I was actually doing a Meilin and Kai fanart for Valentine's Day but it ended up coming out so angsty that I decided to stick with S+S for a lighthearted day.

I know you are all waiting for Chapter 69. I was able to get out of my writer's block all thanks to Kirei Blossom's The Secret Wedding Chronicles which I definitely would recommend to pass time if you have't read already. So, though I don't have a lot of time to do personal writing, I've been working consistantly for the past two months, even if its several lines a day. And then I asked myself, why in the world am I making no progress in Chapter 69? It's because I've been writing ahead again. But since there are only an estimated 4-5 chapters left, it's kind of necessary to plan ahead instead of the "plot of the day" sort of chapters that has usually been the case. So, perhaps future chapters will come quicker, but I do promise I'm working hard on Chapter 69.



Song of the day is an all-time favorite feel-good band, Spitz's "Cherry." I didn't realize how much the lyrics can apply to Syaoran in Arc 4, but totally can imagine him singing the song to Sakura. Actually, the song is sadder than I thought, now that I think of it.

Happy Valentine's Day 2013! And belatedly happy birthday to Amethyst Beloved, the wonderful person who has done so much for New Trials over the years, not least of all maintaining and running the New Trial Fan Project site amongst many other things.

Merry Christmas 2012!

New Trials of Card Captor Sakura: Christmas Omake by ~wishluv on deviantART

Wow, time is relative but this year has gone by in a flash. I haven't updated in a long time as well. I absolutely love writing Christmas specials, but I wasn't able to this year. Sadly enough, not a whole lot of time has passed since Christmas (Chapter 64: A Christmas Miracle) in the New Trials universe.

I don't think I'll finish the next two chapters for 2012, unfortunately. (I'm working on Chapter 69 and 70 simultaneously at the moment). They just are not chapters befitting for holiday season, in my opinion. And I am suffering from a minor writer's block, but more of I write at work so I cannot look at any more words when I get home syndrome.

I think this is my first time drawing a Christmas 4-koma omake. This is a season I've been wanting to draw since I wrote it, so I'm glad I finally got to do it. Yes, Syaoran in Chapter 15 of New Trials is running off the scene with beat-red face, but I wanted to draw a cooler version of him. I'll post a full-version of the picture, which truthfully I was trying to post on Christmas, but I didn't quite finish the background in time.

I haven't been able to get much into the Christmas spirit this year (I'm working on Christmas Day), but I am one of those odd soles that celebrates Christmas and listens to carols in July then come holiday season feel rather Scrooge-ish. I just love Christmas and carols, just not in the winter time.

My favorite Christmas songs differ from year to year, but those ones I loved as a child always will stick in my heart.

We sang "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" for choir in elementary school, and I think I was moved by the lyrics, at that age, so it will always stick in my heart, which is why I featured it in Chapter 15: Hang a Shining Star, where it gets the title from the lyrics. Bette Midler maybe best summarizes what I feel about the song: "'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' manages to be happy and sad at the same time, hopeful but full of melancholy, as all the best Christmas songs are."

What are your favorite Christmas carols?

The Carpenters - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas



Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays 2012!!!

Happy Halloween 2012!!!

Lady Sakura and Lord Syaoran by ~wishluv on deviantART

Octobers tend to be very hectic, and I've been so busy this month. So when I tuned back in and found out all the lovely fanarts/fanfics/etc. projects that readers have posted up at the New Trials Facebook group for my birthday/Halloween I was beyond delighted, inspired, touched and moved... And thanks Amethyst Beloved for coordinating everything. Tears.... Honorable mention goes to Bubulona's Legacy of the Five Forces fanfic. As I mentioned before, I would love to have more time to work on the Legacy arc but New Trials is a priority, and it was such a pleasant surprise to read about the Great Five (since they are OCs after all). But I have not seen so much CCS+New Trials fanart in one Halloween in a long time and check them out~ Or go to the New Trials Fan Projects page: http://thedarkforceguide.weebly.com/

I was feeling rather glum at the prospect of aging another year. Earlier this month, I had the strangest dream. In my dream, I looked down at my left leg, and there was what looked like a tattoo of a huge clock appear. But it wasn't a tattoo but sort of glowing in my skin. I remember it vividly-it was shades of gold with blue accents. I woke up thinking how can a dream be any more blatant. Ah, fleeting time.

I'm working on Chapter 69 and 70 simultaneously at the moment. Each chapter gets harder for me to write as the end draws nearer. It's sad that having a writing job makes it harder for me to spend any time doing creative writing. I think these chapters might be the most challenging to write so far, but I am glad New Trials took so long because I feel ready to tackle the finale.

Overall, it's been a really tough several months for me because of real life factors but today, I am all but filled with gratefulness, awe and wonder at everyone's talents. I thought turning another year older was a gloomy prospect in a sense (stigma of women and their roles in society) but then again, today, I am again filled with the wide-eyed sense of inspiration, aspiration and appreciation for the lovely community that my favorite hobby, writing, has brought me to.

Happy Halloween 2012!!!

 Thinking what was a good Halloween song, and decided on Loreena McKennitt's Mummer's Dance, an old-time favorite since Ever After. It was on my randomly playlist when drawing the Victorian Sakura and Syaoran fanart.

Happy 13th New Trials Anniversary!

Sakura and Syaoran: Till the Sunrise by ~wishluv on deviantART

Being 13 years old, I don't really think I would have envisioned writing this Card Captor Sakura fanfiction 13 years later. So, I don't recall when I really started writing New Trials. All I remember is that it was around fall 1999. That seems so long ago, now. Luckily, years later fans have designated September 1 as the International New Trials Day, and it seems befitting. I am lucky in the fandom I chose because Card Captor Sakura (1996-2000) till this day remains a hugely popular CLAMP work and has had enduring power as a shoujo anime and manga franchise. Firstly, I think CCS is probably one of the best mahou shoujo anime and manga of the last decade and a half, and secondly, CLAMP revisiting the characters of Sakura and Syaoran et. al. in Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles (2003-2009) also helped revive interest in CCS and make it relevant today to a wide group of fans of all ages, male and female and all over the world. It's been three years since TRC ended already--makes me think it's about time for CLAMP to reboot the franchise one more time.

But in the meantime, New Trials has endured all these years. I wish I can have the new chapter ready, but as you all know, I do tend to go MIA when real life takes over. I haven't had a day off in over a year now. Ah, Asian work ethics. Sometimes I miss being a student. Anyhow, the several past months have been hectic. I'm working in journalism at the moment, so I have crazy hours, and I do radio broadcast early in the morning as well. Recently, my mom broke her leg, so I've been staying at the hospital--actually writing this post at the hospital. Just a warning, be careful of rain.

These days, I've been itching to draw since I couldn't for several months. My middle finger that I strained still is stiff and hurts sometimes; I think I overuse it. But it was fun doing none chibi-artwork for a change. I really wanted to draw scenes from Chapter 4: The Camping Trip since I wrote it, and I've been sketching out the scene. So, I finally wanted for the 13th anniverary of New Trials to revisit good old Arc 1 days. 

I also posted up the newly edited and annotated versions of New Trials of CCS Prologue to Chapter 4. I was tempted to do a whole lot of rewriting, but I thought for nostalgia's sake, I would keep editing to a bare minimal, just fixing up typos and grammar mistakes here and there, along with just a few factual consistancy changes.

You can find the newly edited chapters here:
Prologue
Chapter 1: The New Beginning
Chapter 2: The Mysterious Past
Chapter 3: Of Ghosts, Statutes and Quarrrels
Chapter 4: The Camping Trip

The annotations say August 2012, but these five chapters were edited in October 2010, probably right after the shock when revolutionhosing.net went down. So, in case you're all wondering why I'm editing old chapters when I haven't even finished writing Chapter 69, then it's because these edits have already been done, and I've been just too lazy to upload the edits. As for the progress of Arc 4, there's probably around five chapters left, maybe more. When I draw or write side chapters, it's usually when I have a writer's block, but these days, it's because my day job is writing, so I just down have energy to write anymore at home. 

I haven't been able to check my email or really respond to much anything this couple months, but hopefully I'll be able to catch up come fall. (Stupid heat wave this summer which made my brain melt). Seriously, I worry about global climate change but even more about my inability to piece together coherent thoughts when  hot.

This is a meaningful anniversary because it marks that I've been writing the New Trials of Card Captor Sakura for half my life now. It's sort of a sombering knowledge.

It's an awful long time to spend on one fanfiction. But writing this makes me happy, and hopefully it makes others happy or entertained as well, so that's why I keep doing it.

Happy International New Trials Day 2013!

I am always shocked, amazed and delighted by the wonderful creativity that New Trials has spurred, which can be seen collectively here: http://newtrialsfanprojects.weebly.com/updates.html many thanks to the amazingly organized Amethyst Beloved. 

Thank you so much for giving this little big fanwork so much love and support for 13 years! 

Lots of dialogue happening at the New Trials Facebook page these days so check it out!