Recent chapters are somewhat boring because CLAMP was building a background story for Syaoran (whom I referred to as Real!Syaoran, despite his real name not being Syaoran after all), which means no Kurogane nor Fai nor Mokona (that sucks!). "Clow Country" appeared in these chapters, but it's not like the Clow Country we'd seen in the beginning of the series. It looked like Clow Country anyway, with desert and all that. But its king was Fujitaka, not Clow Reed.
I feel bad for those reading this who never even read TSUBASA RESERVoir CHRONiCLE because I know you guys won't understand what I've written so far. Nevertheless, on with the review....
Chapter 188: The Ruins on That Day
The gang continued their journey to the ruins. There, they found a place filled with water—pools, mini falls; you get the idea. But the weird thing was, nothing was moving (including the supposed-to-be dripping water). Syaoran said that it was because time stopped at that place.
Chapter 189: Inherited Resolve
The recollection of Syaoran's past began. Young Syaoran was seen in front of Yuuko's shop. Saying that he had no wish, Syaoran told Yuuko that his father sent him there since, according to his mother's dream, someone was out there waiting for the boy. But when Syaoran asked what the price for traveling to another world might be, Yuuko said she had received it from his mother (and guess what it is: the star staff CCS's Sakura used). And so, Yuuko sent him to "Clow Country", where he met this girl in that watery place....
Chapter 190 (the translated title wasn't written on the scanlation)
The girl's name was Sakura, and she was undergoing a purification ceremony, which would last for seven days (the "seven days" part was actually mentioned in chapter 188, but I think it's more befitting to place it here). Surprised at seeing Syaoran, she fell to the water. But when Syaoran reached out to her to help her stand, Sakura refused adamantly (she apologized afterwards, of course) because she was not to be touched for that seven days. The priestess, Sakura's mother (who looked like Kinomoto Nadeshiko of CCS), came to take her back to the palace since the ceremony was over for that day. Syaoran tagged along as well, and in the palace he met the king of Clow, Sakura's father. As Syaoran and Sakura went off together, the king and his wife (a.k.a. the priestess a.k.a. the queen) talked about how Syaoran was the one destined for Sakura.
Chapter 191: The Seven-Day Promise
Not much information in this chapter, except for Yuuko's saying that Syaoran would only be permitted to stay in Clow Country for seven days. After that, he would return to his original world (Japan). Little Touya and Yukito made a cameo, by the way.
Chapter 192: Overflowing Memories
This chapter was even less informative than chapter 191. Just some cutesy scene starring Syaoran and Sakura (I've had enough of it; one would've, reading CCS). Syaoran's father made an appearance in this chapter, giving his son his sword (and you know what, the sword was like that of Li Syaoran of CCS; again, the CCS reference). And so did Watanuki.
Chapter 193: Seventh Birthday
Nothing notably interesting. Just the typical CLAMP dialogue about believing what the future holds and the sorts. The chapter ended with Sakura's falling into some kind of a trance when she and Syaoran were going stargazing two nights before the purification ceremony was over.
Chapter 194: The Tone that Calls the Princess
The trance thing--well, it seemed that Sakura heard the sound of a bell calling her from the ruins and had vision of something bad that was about to happen ("Syaoran, no! It's dangerous. Stay back!"). Worried, Syaoran suggested to the king that he accompanied Sakura during the ceremony. The king said he'd rather be there with her himself but didn't want to put everything Sakura had worked for to waste (since no one but Sakura was allowed to be there once the purification ceremony took place). And considering that the water didn't seem to mind Syaoran's being there (the ceremony wasn't canceled out when Syaoran arrived at the site the other day), the king agreed that Syaoran's accompanying Sakura was probably a good idea.
Chapter 195: The Border of the World
Syaoran and Sakura were at the ruins. Suddenly, the place shook and a rent materialized out of nowhere. Surprise, surprise, it's Fei Wong Reed. Syaoran went, "Sakura!"
Chapter 196: A Moment's Hesitation
Trying to save Sakura from Fei Wong Reed's evil clutches (oh, I love those words: evil clutches), Syaoran was close to grabbing her hand when he hesitated, realizing that Sakura should not touch and be touched by anyone until the ceremony ended, and it gave Fei Wong Reed the chance to engrave "the seal of death" to her body. And this "seal of death", well, it looked like THE feathers. I should mention that at this point, I was not surprised finding out that Sakura's real name was not Sakura.
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