Chapter 48: The Duel of the Sun and Moon

Release date: June 17th, 2004 

Word count: 52,383

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Thoughts: If I was reading these chapters in the order of release date, the next chapter would be the Christmas Special, aka Chapter 49.75 (posted on Feb 29th, 2004). But since I'm reading chronologically, after Ch 48 there's still Ch 49 and Ch 49.5 before I get there! At this point in time, Wish-chan was in her first year of college so her schedule was all over the place and she had a roommate too who apparently bugged her about the writing.

The Yahoo Ring was born in February 2004. Past!Wish-chan pondered about how it will turn out. Thankfully after 18 years it's still a place for NT and CC discussion and I'm also using it to lead a book club with the manga chapters.

Kai is getting sicker because of his gunshot wound. Very nice foreshadowing on Wish-chan's part. 

I love the subtle passage of time in NT. I'm just a handful of scenes in and there's already three mentions of the weather getting colder.

Erika is stunned when Syaoran asks her about her aspirations. I think she would make a great fashion model but she has the potential of being an actress too. In that conversation he tells her about Sakura's greatest weaknesses and he also tells Erika that she's nothing without Eron. This place a huge part in what's to come.

I still remember coveting the imaginary Card Captor Sakura and Friends PC game that Kai designed. 

Hmmm, Erika just bounded herself to a promise with Syaoran on how she won't hurt Sakura if he tutors her. How does she get around that?

It's amazing how Wish-chan connected Erika's failed attempt of controlling Syaoran with The Obedience with Eriol's failed attempt to do the same but with thread during Erika and Eriol's first conversation in NT.

I wrote a ficlet where NT!Syaoran was good with kids, but this chapter totally negates it. Upon visiting the loud nursery, he claimed that as the youngest he never had to deal with kids and that children were encouraged to stay away from him.

Meilin to Syaoran as she gets ready to leave Japan: “Now, you better have made some progress with Sakura next time I see you!” There's another NT/CC parallel! Li Meilin is the captain of the S&S ship.

When Eriol said, "But the Dark Ones appeared, and she was thrust into the full-fledged battle that the Sakura Card days were only a prologue to", it totally made me see CCS as a prequel to NT istead of NT being a sequel to CCS and I love it.

Kai finally acknowledges his true identity to Meilin and the scene is downright chilling. And then there was the kiss that shocked us all. Such a 180 degree difference when compared to S&S's sunrise kiss. Oops, I completely forgot about the second kiss. Now Selenity's fanarts make so much more sense.

There are many scenes from NT that we wish were animated and the duel of the Sun and Moon is one of them. But it's thanks to Wish-chan's vivid play by play descriptions that this scene comes to life.

So Erika bypasses her blood oath with Syaoran by making Obedience harm Sakura. Crafty!

I love how the Tanaka siblings think alike. Kai ran to find Syaoran to save Sakura and Miho ran to find Sakura to save Syaoran.

So did anyone expect Eriol to be the victor? He definitely did have the upper hand for the majority of time.

I find the scene where Tomoyo and Kai feel a painful longing for something they can't have after witnessing Eriol and Miho's closeness is so underated.

Fanart spotlight: We were all blown away with Dreamfollower's dark forced kiss scene between Kai and Meilin that she titled Lesson Number 2. If NT was an anime then this looks like it could be an actual still. This is definitely one of NT's edgier moments and the fanart is a great reflection of that.