Chapter 67: The Sacrifice, Part 1 and Part 2

Release date: January 25th, 2011

Word count: 41,217 words (out of 78,648 words total)

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Thoughts: While this is not the first time I'm treating a chapter that has a special embedded into it, it is the first time that I'm neatly dividing a chapter in half since Wish-chan does make it clear that Ch 67.5: The Ring takes place halfway through. So both blog posts and my summaries will reflect that.

Um… how did Risa lose her sight? This was actually a thing in G5 history? Apparently Risa sacrificed her sight to save Hayashi from a dark force.

Should I feel guilty about not remembering the conditions that Touya set in order for Syaoran to live at the Kinomotos? Does it have to do with Syaoran not being allowed to tell Sakura the truth about the magic transfer?

Kai, Miho and Keisuke got on for so long outside of the family unit that it only makes sense that reuniting doesn't mean happily ever after. 

I loved the scene when Sakura and Syaoran had lunch together! Sakura commenting on how school used to be a oasis that got turned into a battlefield was interesting because Syaoran said that for him school was the actual minefield and he préfère the actual battle ground. As someone who was an easy target for getting teased miserably, I have to agree with Syaoran.

Kai's Kaitou Magician room with all of his props and capes and accessories sounds like a fun place to visit. But his secret hideaway alcove must be even cooler.

I love how Wish-chan does such a good job at describing the meals at La Seine. Just imagining them makes my mouth water.

Sakura and Syaoran have pink and green teddy bear charms on their new phones. If I ever see something like that selling I'd be sure to snatch it up! And Tomoyo instructing Syaoran to take mundane footage of Sakura is so CC:CCS!Tomoyo.

The scene between Kai and the Orange Tiger is absolutely hilarious. The way that he addresses Kai as his elder even though he's not just because Kai exaggerated about his age in the past is great.

I don't think I remember the gang's drinks order at La Seine being so contrary with items such as melon cream soda without the melon and a triple decaf espresso. 

We have another mention of the green ribbon that Syaoran pocketed years ago in chapter two! 

Lol, Eron has quite a nose with all of that sniffing talk when he explained to Sakura that she couldn't feel the diamond's power because it was an extension of her similar to people are used to the way they smell. I checked to see if this chapter came before or after Kirei-chan's delightful Sniffing Chronicles and it turns out that Wish-chan started the trend! 

One of the perks of doing a re-read so close to the finale is that I know the identity of the third voice that pipes up every now and again at the Chang residence!

Fanart spotlight: It started out with a kiss, how did it end up like this? Bubulona's 'I know you love me too' captures the triggering moment that unleashed the reason behind Risa's suicide and the downfall of the Great Five. I really loved the way she captured this stolen moment between these two even though the events that follow this scene are heartbreaking. 

Chapter 66: The Truth in the Heart

Release date: August 13th, 2010 

Word count: 71,312 words 

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Thoughts: This is the longest chapter to date. I had to decide whether to continue reading while my real time corresponds with New Trials time so I can read Ch 67.5 around Valentine's Day but I decided to take it easy since currently the story goes as far as Chapter 73.5 and I don't want to keep myself on a time table when writing the new summaries. Remember back when Arc 4 started I was able to update my blog once a week? Now that I'm back on summary writing duty, I should consider posting once a month as a win.

As we're getting closer to the end, I'm having a better time remembering. But when I read that all three teens were kneeling in front of Touya after being discovered in Sakura's room, it was like discovering that detail for the first time.

I love how the Arc 1 photo of Sakura being caught looking at Syaoran keeps coming back into play. 

While I do remember Tomoyo and Eriol making a bet now that I'm reading it over, I honestly don't even know who wins.

The idea of Jinyu as a Seijou student is hilarious. I'm glad that Wish-chan pointed out that he was younger than Kara because he gives off older age vibes. I'm really glad that we finally get a glimpse of thing's from his point of view when he reacts to Erica thinking that he was in his late twenties and Kara thinking he was Leiyun's uncle.

Chapter 65: Cohabitation Part Deux

Release date: April 1st, 2010

Word count: 43,677 words

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Thoughts: I remember being so excited with the premise of S&S living together once more despite the fact that Syaoran isn't particularly Sakura's favourite person. 

When it comes to character growth in New Trials let's give a hand to Touya. Last year after the power transfer he told Syaoran that there was no more use for him and he had to leave Japan. Now he's inviting the guy to live under his roof!

Archeology talk with Fujitaka and Syaoran is so much fun since I actually did get to go to Xian and see the Terracotta Warriors myself during my honeymoon in August 2010. It was one of my favourite sites during my trip. 

This chapter marks the first time Syaoran shuts down Sakura's chatter about Eron-kun. It sure wouldn't be the last!!!

Everything that happens before Syaoran runs off is comedy gold. I love the image of Touya, Yukito, Syaoran and Kero-chan playing mahjong together. And I'm so happy that I cajoled Diana into sketching a sexy fresh-from-the-shower Syaoran for the "Mist" prompt of the 100 Themes project.

Honey milk was such a huge CCS trope back in the day. I can't believe Wish-chan waited this long to use it since that canon CLAMP side story.

"Not only that, onii-chan and Syaoran high-fived after the goal, which I thought was a lie, but here is an evidential photo taken by Yukito-san." ~ I want to draw that fanart.

There's a bunny hoodie selling on Amazon that's the perfect replica of the bunny hoodies that Tomoyo made for S&S. I'm tempted to buy it but I could never wear it in public without drawing attention. I might end up getting it just to wear at home, though.

Chapter 64: A Christmas Miracle

Release date: December 25th, 2009

Word count: 44,938 words

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Thoughts: It isn't often that New Trials time and the release date coincide but that was the case in December 2009. It's also matching real time for me because today's Christmas 2018!

I forgot that we get to meet Moeko-chan again! And I love how thrown off Sakura gets when the orphanage director calls Eron her boyfriend.

Is it ever revealed who was behind the Shirose Subaru Foundation? It sounds like such a Syaoran thing to do.

Awww, Sakura's dream/flashback of what prompted Syaoran to get her a mirror was so sweet. 

Erika complains about everyone leaving her and Syaoran talks about how she doesn't value the people who chose to be by her side. This is such a huge life lesson. Never take the people close to you for granted and always show appreciation.

I never realized how much Sakura and Leiyun resembled the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Cinematic Universe. Sakura had been cultivating her bond with the alliance members for years while Leiyun is trying to catch up by making his own circle but with less success.

Who does Leiyun have in the Mizuki slot?? He told Kai that he wanted to add him as a thief to his group consisting of a betrayer, an assassin, the daughter of a criminal and a daemon possessed soul. Jinyu, Kara and Erika are self-explanatory. But who's the betrayer? Leiyun or Syaoran?

Chapter 63: The Joining of the Circle

Release date: November 12th, 2009

Word count: 41,199 words

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Thoughts: This is the last chapter where the summary is currently posted. I have nothing for Ch 64, but at least I have WIPs for Chapters 65 and 66. That's where the work will really begin. I'm going to have to change the title to "Amethyst Beloved's New Trials Summaries" to ease the confusion as much as I can since a lot of people have author's updates notifications. 

Originally this and Chapter 64 were supposed to be one chapter! I'm happy that the Christmas special got to stand alone and it got to be released during the holidays too.

Meilin's unfaltering trust in Kai came as a welcomed surprise. I completely forgot what followed after she found him with Jinyu's gun.

It's crazy that Shing was able to recognize that Kai was the Kaitou Magician. And yet the dark force is completely blinding him from the ultimate truth.

Eriol and Tomoyo were both holding the red ribbon when they were stowing her fashion show things away. I wonder if this could be foreshadowing.

Kai is the one wearing the Mizuki locket in this chapter. But didn't it go to Miho? There's got to be something that I forgot. Or maybe the exchange hasn't happened yet. Sometimes I just don't know what to make out of the conversations that he has with Kara. Each time they talk, even more questions arise.

Meilin suggests that Keisuke could still be alive because no body was uncovered. We're getting closer and closer to the reveal!

Fujishinto finally lets go of his pride and the dark force released him. Wish-chan explained that the reason why the Pride had to be sealed twice was because the Sakura without memories is not the same Sakura now that she remembers. Even Moonie-chan said, "I don’t think you will be able to seal the dark force unless you conquer that dark force yourself.” I almost didn't catch the fact that the Pride still wasn't sealed in this chapter.

The reveal that Nina was Fujishinto's daughter and thus Fujitaka's half-sister and Sakura's aunt is pretty hilarious.

Chapter 62: Designs in Crime

Release date: July 15th, 2009

Word count: 41,298 words

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Thoughts: I love this chapter so much an I consider it as one of my favourites. Let's see if it holds up in the re-read!

The whole idea of how the Japan Young Designer Contest was rigged from the start makes me sad. The Teen Choice awards are controversial for that reason. While the audience does have a voice in terms of picking the finalists, it's the network who chooses who gets the award.

Tomoyo is dead-set on confessing to Eriol after the competition and is fully expecting to be rejected so she could move on. Maybe that's why I feel that this scene has happened even though my fellow fans said that it didn't.

Touya is still a first year resident? Wasn't he a first year resident when New Trials started back when Sakura was in the eighth grade? She's in grade ten now! We should track that.

I completely forgot that Kaho could have pursued Touya because he was the son on one half of Clow Reed. And I never noticed how Nakuru's last name of Akizuki was so close to Mizuki. 

The rumour about Nina's parentage is that she's Fujitaka's brother's daughter. Unless I'm mistaken, she's Fujitaka's father's daughter. So instead of her being Sakura's cousin, she's her aunt!

The Touya and Syaoran conversations are so much more fascinating in Arc 4. He researched power transfers and hypothesized that Syaoran's power could come back if Sakura gets her power back, similar to how Touya got his power back once Sakura was string enough to sustain Yue. To think he was fishing for information to know if Sakura could get her original power of the stars back because Syaoran's magic that he senses in her is off putting for him, haha. But Touya comes to a realization about Syaoran. Does he realize that Syaoran is acting like a double agent?

Back in the early 2000s, Atlantis Forester drew a fanart of an older Syaoran in a suit. I love the way I can enter it in the Picture Book with a scene that came out nearly a decade later! Yet Fujishinto locking up Sakura in a room after their argument came to a complete surprise to me.

It was so refreshing to see S&S battle side by side for the first time since Sakura's memories came back. It looks like Syaoran would have broken Sakura out if Kai didn't sense her presence first after all.

Chapter 61: Fantasia in Memoriam

Release date: April 3rd, 2009

Word count: 31,913

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Thoughts: Spoiler alert: if this isn't my longest blog post, it's definitely the one that asks the most questions! 

The first person Syaoran meets is his father and I'm already so emotional.

Syaoran spent a seemingly long time with Ryuuren and his men. I'll be curious to see how much time has actually passed in the real world. How Narnia-esque!

The masquerade ball scene was lovely. It was great to see Sakura happy to see Syaoran again and it's inspired a fanart by Saloni.

Mika's line about how Subaru and the other children had no other place to go was so sad. So far I was able to place everyone but Elenor, though she must be from Clow's early life.

I love how Syaoran is being trained by Shulin like how Kai got to be trained by Mayura.

Hayami totally called Sakura out on being a coward and running away. From succumbing to the Memory and fleeing to the Fantasy, he isn't wrong… Who is he? I thought he was Mayura's little brother (it was actually Keigo) but maybe he's Hayashi's.

Syaoran rescuing Sakura was so gallant! I love these fairy tale moments that Wish-chan allows herself to write within the bounds of the Fantasy.

Aww, I didn't remember Syaoran pulling Sakura on top of him and holding her tight. That would have made a sweet fanart.

Ruichi calls his fellow G5 members, "a narcissist, a firecracker, a sadomasochist and an escapist". Would that be Landon, Shulin, Mayura and Hayashi? Ruichi calls himself a psychopath. 

Syaoran and Hayashi battling it out in a music showdown is hilarious as it is endearing.