annotate stories/dearsakura-24.txt @ 0:ed1308d04df2 moonlitnights

[svn r1] initial import
author rlm
date Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:24:59 -0500
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rlm@0 1 Dear Sakura
rlm@0 2 by Amazoness Duo and G.P.
rlm@0 3 amazonessduo@hotmail.com
rlm@0 4 pearsong1954@yahoo.com
rlm@0 5
rlm@0 6
rlm@0 7 Bbbrrrrinnng.... Bbbrrrriiinnng.... Bbbbrrrrriiiinnng....
rlm@0 8 Tomoyo rolled over in her sleep, her long dark hair covering her
rlm@0 9 pale form like a sinuous shadow. She stirred as the phone continued
rlm@0 10 to ring at her in the silence, finally sitting up in the darkened
rlm@0 11 room. She was lying on the couch in her little home theater room, a
rlm@0 12 video of Sakura still playing in the background. She was still
rlm@0 13 wearing her busines clothes from the day before, not having had the
rlm@0 14 will to change out of them. Her tired mind quickly located the source
rlm@0 15 of the ringing and she slowly reached out for the phone. Who could be
rlm@0 16 calling her at this hour? Her fingers paused just before touching the
rlm@0 17 phone as if it had suddenly become a venomous snake, its ringing the
rlm@0 18 deadly rattle of a beast about to lunge out and bite her. She was
rlm@0 19 filled with a deep and foreboding dread at who may be on the other
rlm@0 20 end. 'Leave it. You can pretend that you were asleep. It's late and
rlm@0 21 no one will mind,' she thought to herself. But she knew that she
rlm@0 22 couldn't do that. Whoever would be calling this late at night must
rlm@0 23 have a terribly urgent reason. She couldn't just ignore it.
rlm@0 24 "Moshi moshi..." Tomoyo heard herself say, but the voice didn't
rlm@0 25 sound like her own. It was cracked and pained, as if it still held
rlm@0 26 countless unshed tears. Her fingers trembled as she held the phone to
rlm@0 27 her ear, brushing back dark hair that got in the way. Her dread was
rlm@0 28 growing by the second as she waited for what felt like an eternity
rlm@0 29 for an answer. For a second, she felt the beginnings of relief begin
rlm@0 30 to brush lightly at her bruised and battered soul. It must have been
rlm@0 31 a wrong number. But her relief quickly turned to mute horror as an
rlm@0 32 all too familiar voice answered her.
rlm@0 33 "Tomoyo-chan!!" an uberly genki voice called out. "Tomoyo-chan, I
rlm@0 34 was so worried. I couldn't get through earlier and I didn't know if
rlm@0 35 you would be there or not. I just... You see, I was in the garden
rlm@0 36 and... Well, remember how you kissed me?" A giggle before she
rlm@0 37 continued. "Well, I finally... Ummm... Can I come over?" Sakura
rlm@0 38 sweatdropped on the other end of the phone. She felt like a guilty
rlm@0 39 schoolgirl asking permission to go over to a friend's house to do
rlm@0 40 anything but study. That thought was silly and awkward for her, but
rlm@0 41 she couldn't help it. Being back home had felt almost like she had
rlm@0 42 travelled back in time. She hadn't been in the house more than a few
rlm@0 43 minutes before calling the Daidouji household. She could hear Touya
rlm@0 44 making tea in the kitchen and silently thanked her older brother for
rlm@0 45 all of his help.
rlm@0 46 The phone clattered to the floor, dropping from Tomoyo's numb
rlm@0 47 hands. She stared at the deadly viper that had indeed reached out and
rlm@0 48 bit her. How could it be Sakura? Her letter couldn't have gotten to
rlm@0 49 her already, could it? Tomoyo wasn't even completely packed yet. She
rlm@0 50 hadn't planned on moving out for another two days. And how could
rlm@0 51 Sakura be in Tomoeda? She should be in Hong Kong at that very moment,
rlm@0 52 snuggling with her husband. This was wrong. This was all wrong. It
rlm@0 53 completely shattered Tomoyo's painstakingly crafted plans to fade
rlm@0 54 from Sakura's life as well as her mother's. She felt trapped, caged
rlm@0 55 in on all sides by imposing iron bars. How could she escape her
rlm@0 56 torment if Sakura would not allow it?
rlm@0 57 "Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura's voice asked, concern tinging her exuberance.
rlm@0 58 Tomoyo realized only dimly that Sakura had been waiting on the
rlm@0 59 other end while the phone had lain uselessly on the floor. She
rlm@0 60 reached out slowly, picking up the cold plastic once more. Her eyes
rlm@0 61 flickered to the screen that was still showing her beautiful second
rlm@0 62 cousin flying through the air like an angel. The angel had finally
rlm@0 63 come for her, and she had nowhere to flee. She searched desperately
rlm@0 64 for her soft voice, one that had served her well for years as a
rlm@0 65 member of the choir, but was frustrated to find it having suddenly
rlm@0 66 gone missing. What disturbed her even more was that she had begun
rlm@0 67 crying moments earlier and hadn't even realized it. Wet tears slipped
rlm@0 68 past her cheek and against the telephone as she held it tightly. She
rlm@0 69 briefly remembered the cute pink cell phones that she had gotten from
rlm@0 70 her mother to stay in contact with Sakura. They had been a wonderful
rlm@0 71 tether for the two girls, offering Sakura with a constant link to her
rlm@0 72 loving and supportive friend and giving Tomoyo a link to the
rlm@0 73 beautiful girl of her dreams. It had been a wonderful thing for both
rlm@0 74 of them, giving Sakura a way to always turn to her best friend and
rlm@0 75 Tomoyo a way to bask in Sakura's presence even when they were far
rlm@0 76 apart. It had worked so well, in fact, that Tomoyo had given Syaoran
rlm@0 77 one of the cute cell phones so that he and Sakura may be able to
rlm@0 78 share that same bond. Hadn't that been the start of all this? No,
rlm@0 79 no... The start of all this had been the gift of a small eraser a
rlm@0 80 lifetime ago.
rlm@0 81 "Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura repeated, this time listening intently for
rlm@0 82 her best friend. She thought she could hear short, ragged breaths, as
rlm@0 83 if someone was short of air, and what sounded like sniffling. "Tomoyo-
rlm@0 84 chan?"
rlm@0 85 'She can't hear me like this. It will ruin everything. She'll never
rlm@0 86 let me go if she knows how I feel. And it will destroy Sakura-chan's
rlm@0 87 fairy tale. Her beautiful new life will crumble. All because of me. I
rlm@0 88 can't do that to Sakura-chan. I can't stay because I... can't...
rlm@0 89 handle... it....' Tomoyo thought frantically, her shaking fingers
rlm@0 90 quickly wiping her tears away. It did little to soothe the cold and
rlm@0 91 broken shards of her heart. 'If I stay, it'll kill both of us, Sakura-
rlm@0 92 chan. I can't be a part of your life anymore. Seeing you, loving you,
rlm@0 93 knowing that I can't be a part of your heart, it's killing me. It's
rlm@0 94 killing me and I won't let it kill you, too.' When she finally spoke,
rlm@0 95 her voice came out weakly, a pale shadow of it's normal gentle self.
rlm@0 96 It sounded sorrowful in Tomoyo's ears and she immediately cut herself
rlm@0 97 off, closing her lavender eyes tightly. 'Hang up!' part of her cried,
rlm@0 98 but she knew she couldn't. Sakura was like the Syren from long ago,
rlm@0 99 luring her towards grave dangers that she couldn't force herself to
rlm@0 100 escape from. She needed to answer Sakura. And soon. But she didn't
rlm@0 101 know how. If Sakura heard her crying, then her farewell letter would
rlm@0 102 be for naught. Sakura would know the pain that resided in her heart
rlm@0 103 and they would both be doomed. With a supreme effort, the pale ghost
rlm@0 104 of a girl gathered the splintered shards of her masks, cutting her
rlm@0 105 soul in the process as she pulled them up for one final act. But
rlm@0 106 would they be enough? Were these tiny shards enough to hide the pain
rlm@0 107 she was in? "Sakura-chan..." her soft voice whispered into the phone.
rlm@0 108 The pain was still glaringly evident in Tomoyo's ears, but she hoped
rlm@0 109 that the brunette wouldn't hear it. The ocean of tears underneath her
rlm@0 110 voice's surface wasn't gone exactly, but it was muted, as if a large
rlm@0 111 tarp had been thrown over it.
rlm@0 112 The auburn haired girl on the other end of the line sighed in
rlm@0 113 relief. She had thought that the line had disconnected or that, even
rlm@0 114 more irrationally, Tomoyo had finally made good on her words.
rlm@0 115 'Goodbye,' echoed through Sakura's mind in Tomoyo's sweet voice,
rlm@0 116 surrounding her like a sad song from long ago. It anchored Sakura's
rlm@0 117 heart with painful chains and hooks. But Sakura struggled forward
rlm@0 118 despite the immense weight on her heart. She was here now. Tomoyo
rlm@0 119 couldn't leave or fade away. She would finally fulfill her promise.
rlm@0 120 'I knew Sakura-chan would come and rescue me,' Tomoyo had said an
rlm@0 121 eternity before. And Sakura had finally come to rescue her fair
rlm@0 122 skinned damsel in distress. "I'm here, Tomoyo-chan," she said again,
rlm@0 123 not noticing that she was speaking out loud. She blushed slightly,
rlm@0 124 but continued on. "I'm glad to hear you. I was so worried about you.
rlm@0 125 I got your letter in the mail today... well, yesterday... Anyway, I
rlm@0 126 got your letter and I had to come see you. Tomoyo-chan..." her voice
rlm@0 127 caught in her throat as she blinked back crystal tears. "I don't want
rlm@0 128 you to go. I need you, Tomoyo-chan. I need to talk to you. Right now.
rlm@0 129 I'm going to be over in a few minutes, okay? Just unlock your window
rlm@0 130 and I'll be there as soon as I can," the Cardmistress said quickly.
rlm@0 131 Sakura was too flustered to sleep, her heart's recent revelation
rlm@0 132 too much to keep inside for herself. It longed to be offered up as a
rlm@0 133 gift to the woman who had been there for Sakura every step of the way
rlm@0 134 through her life. But she couldn't do that over the phone. Words
rlm@0 135 weren't Sakura's strong point. She always went on her emotions. She
rlm@0 136 couldn't even understand her emotions half the time. But she knew
rlm@0 137 that the woman on the other end of the phone knew her emotions
rlm@0 138 perfectly, as if she could read Sakura the same way others read a
rlm@0 139 good book. She had the eye of an artist, but one that was attuned to
rlm@0 140 the human soul. No one else understood her like Tomoyo. No one else
rlm@0 141 could hope to. But there was one thing that even Tomoyo hadn't been
rlm@0 142 able to uncover. The glistening love that lay shrouded in the curious
rlm@0 143 mists of Sakura's heart. Now that Sakura had finally understood it,
rlm@0 144 she wanted to go to her gentle best friend and to tell her the
rlm@0 145 deliscious secret she had learned.
rlm@0 146 Of course, she didn't know if Tomoyo would accept her tentative
rlm@0 147 offering of love or even how she would react. The eccentric young
rlm@0 148 woman held so much love in her heart that its depth felt endless and
rlm@0 149 all encompassing, like a warm, deep ocean. She knew that much from
rlm@0 150 the love Tomoyo had always showered on her. It may have been
rlm@0 151 embarrassing at times, but Sakura would never have wished it away. In
rlm@0 152 fact, being without it during her months in Hong Kong had felt like
rlm@0 153 she had been exiled to a barren and empty desert. She knew that
rlm@0 154 Tomoyo's warm and giving heart had a very special someone at it's
rlm@0 155 core, but she knew not who that person was. She only knew that if
rlm@0 156 they couldn't love her dear, sweet Tomoyo, then they were undeserving
rlm@0 157 of the lavender haired woman's boundless love. And Sakura would try
rlm@0 158 her hardest to take away all of Tomoyo's pain, to love her with all
rlm@0 159 of her heart. She may not be Tomoyo's special someone, but she would
rlm@0 160 more than try to make up for it. She would love Tomoyo with all of
rlm@0 161 her heart and soul and try to make everything, for once, all right.
rlm@0 162 Tomoyo didn't know how much time had gone by as she sat on the
rlm@0 163 floor of her room in the dark, her legs curled under her and her
rlm@0 164 tearstained eyes still focused on the moving images of Sakura on the
rlm@0 165 screen in front of her. Panic consumed her, a viscious monster that
rlm@0 166 had snagged her in it's fangs. Her clothes were only half packed, her
rlm@0 167 airplane tickets not for another two days. Sakura had caught her in
rlm@0 168 the midst of her plan to fade away from her life, and like a breath
rlm@0 169 on a house of cards, it all came tumbling down. Sakura couldn't come
rlm@0 170 now, not with the state she was in. It was all Tomoyo could do to
rlm@0 171 clutch onto the few remaining shards of the illusions she used to
rlm@0 172 hide her pain from those she loved. If Sakura saw her.... "Sakura-
rlm@0 173 chan... I can't see you... Not now. Today was such a long day and I
rlm@0 174 can't keep my eyes open much longer." And it was true. She couldn't
rlm@0 175 keep her eyes open without tears cascading down her pale cheeks.
rlm@0 176 Blinking in confusion, Sakura listened to Tomoyo words once again
rlm@0 177 in her mind. That didn't sound like her happily eccentric best
rlm@0 178 friend. She knew that Tomoyo had stayed up quite often on costumes or
rlm@0 179 videotapes and the like. Besides, Sonomi was the businesswoman in the
rlm@0 180 family. She was the one who threw herself into her work. And even
rlm@0 181 then, she would throw that aside when her daughter needed her. And
rlm@0 182 there was something else as well, as if there were little broken ice
rlm@0 183 crystals in Tomoyo's voice, threaded through the lavender haired
rlm@0 184 woman's melodious voice. This took Sakura completely by surprise. She
rlm@0 185 hadn't thought of the possibility that Tomoyo might not be ready for
rlm@0 186 her to visit as soon as she reached Tomoeda. She was almost as
rlm@0 187 shocked by the lack of Tomoyo's usual embarrassing comments. No
rlm@0 188 'Sakura-chan's lovely voice is like a dream', 'All of Tomoeda must be
rlm@0 189 ecstatic to know that Sakura-chan is back again', or even 'Isn't Hong
rlm@0 190 Kong missing Sakura-chan's beautiful face?'. They had always caused
rlm@0 191 such a flurry of emotions in her, but the lack of her best friend's
rlm@0 192 adoring remarks left her in silence.
rlm@0 193 Covering the phone as she choked back a sob, Tomoyo tried
rlm@0 194 desperately to think. She couldn't let Sakura see her like this,
rlm@0 195 teary eyed and broken. It would crush the energetic Cardmistress's
rlm@0 196 spirits. She was like a shattered China doll lying upon the floor.
rlm@0 197 Wasn't it better for Sakura to think that her favorite China doll was
rlm@0 198 simply elsewhere than finding it broken and smashed? Pulling together
rlm@0 199 the last bit of her strength, Tomoyo could feel her tears burning at
rlm@0 200 her eyes as she kept her voice as level and soft as she could. Her
rlm@0 201 tattered heart heaved in her chest as she hung onto her crystalline
rlm@0 202 mask shards until her soul cried out. "Sakura-chan needs her beauty
rlm@0 203 sleep so that she will be gorgeous and genki when the morning comes,"
rlm@0 204 she said at last, and was relieved to hear it sound as obsessive and
rlm@0 205 adoring as ever.
rlm@0 206 That seemed to relax Sakura on the other end of the phone, calming
rlm@0 207 some of her worries for her dark haired friend. Sakura sighed,
rlm@0 208 hugging her knees to her chest as she held onto the phone. "Are you
rlm@0 209 sure, Tomoyo-chan? I... I really want to see you." She had been
rlm@0 210 waiting so long. Ever since they had said farewell at the airport,
rlm@0 211 Sakura had been longing to see her friend again, to hold her, to love
rlm@0 212 her, and to kiss her. To make sure that things would truly be all
rlm@0 213 right. That feeling had become even stronger since discovering the
rlm@0 214 love within her for her blue eyed friend. Tomoyo had been all she had
rlm@0 215 thought about on the flight out and the ride home. Things like her
rlm@0 216 marriage and what would happen when they met failed to concern her.
rlm@0 217 All she knew was that she had to be with Tomoyo again. To lose
rlm@0 218 herself in the sweet scent of her long, luscious hair. To feel her
rlm@0 219 gentle embrace, and her warm lips. She wanted to give Tomoyo her
rlm@0 220 entire heart, to offer it on a beautiful platter of silver and
rlm@0 221 emeralds. What Tomoyo would do with her gift was entirely up to her.
rlm@0 222 But Sakura knew that she had to give her most precious Christmas
rlm@0 223 present to Tomoyo soon.
rlm@0 224 The dark haired woman waited in silence for a long moment, trying
rlm@0 225 to regulate her breathing. This was even more difficult than when
rlm@0 226 Sakura had complained about the butterflies in her stomach while
rlm@0 227 Tomoyo had helped her into her wedding gown. That had been a very
rlm@0 228 traumatic experience for the young heiress. Helping Sakura into the
rlm@0 229 intricately designed and lovingly crafted dress, her own heart
rlm@0 230 pouring out to the auburn haired woman as she tried to soothe
rlm@0 231 Sakura's worries over marrying someone else had been one of the
rlm@0 232 hardest moments in her life. Part of her had wanted to confess her
rlm@0 233 love right then, to stand up after helping Sakura with her stockings,
rlm@0 234 to look her in the eyes and tell her 'You don't have to be afraid,
rlm@0 235 Sakura-chan. I love you.' But even that now seemed like nothing
rlm@0 236 compared to this bitter struggle with her emotions. She knew that she
rlm@0 237 had strings around Sakura, that she had since they had been small
rlm@0 238 children. Sakura was so loving, so trusting, and she had such faith
rlm@0 239 in Tomoyo. Tomoyo knew that she could use that to manipulate Sakura
rlm@0 240 like a marionette on it's strings. Sakura would listen to whatever
rlm@0 241 she had to say, always trusting her dark haired friend. But Tomoyo
rlm@0 242 had never used that for her own gain. Well, aside from getting Sakura
rlm@0 243 into her costumes and videotaping her. Tomoyo's gentle heart would
rlm@0 244 not allow her to use Sakura in such a way. So she had merely used her
rlm@0 245 influence on the brunette to gently nudge her heart in the right
rlm@0 246 direction, to help her through all of the obstacles life placed
rlm@0 247 before the Cardmistress. She now had to try and keep Sakura from
rlm@0 248 coming to her, though the longing in the brunette's voice broke
rlm@0 249 Tomoyo's already shattered heart into further pieces. Taking a deep
rlm@0 250 breath, Tomoyo fought back her tears as she continued. "It really has
rlm@0 251 been a long day, Sakura-chan, especially if you've been on a plane
rlm@0 252 for so long. Please get some rest. When next I see Sakura-chan, I
rlm@0 253 want to see her emerald eyes sparkling happily as she laughs with
rlm@0 254 joy."
rlm@0 255 Sakura smiled softly as she held the phone to her ear. Just hearing
rlm@0 256 Tomoyo's voice made her feel better. "Yeah, I guess you're right,
rlm@0 257 Tomoyo-chan. I can wait till the morning. That would probably be
rlm@0 258 better anyway. I have a lot I need to tell you." Slumping back on the
rlm@0 259 bed, Sakura moved an athletic leg into the air as she yawned. It
rlm@0 260 really had been a long flight. And it would probably be better if she
rlm@0 261 could actually decide what she wanted to say to Tomoyo. Not that she
rlm@0 262 was ever very good with such things. As Tomoyo had told her before,
rlm@0 263 she should simply speak her heart. She nodded in silent agreement to
rlm@0 264 her best friend. She would speak her heart when she saw Tomoyo the
rlm@0 265 next day. "Okay. Thanks, Tomoyo-chan. I'm so glad to hear you again.
rlm@0 266 I really missed you. Please sleep well, okay? I'll see you early
rlm@0 267 tomorrow."
rlm@0 268 "Sweet dreams, Sakura-chan. Dream of the most beautiful angels,"
rlm@0 269 Tomoyo's soft voice whispered quietly on the other end. And with a
rlm@0 270 slow click, she was gone.
rlm@0 271 Lying back in bed, Sakura stared straight up. She wasn't looking at
rlm@0 272 the ceiling so much as she was looking through it, as if it wasn't
rlm@0 273 there. She had wanted to see Tomoyo that night, but the lavender
rlm@0 274 haired woman had made sense. Besides, it was better for Tomoyo to
rlm@0 275 hear what Sakura had to say when she was rested. Sakura, on the other
rlm@0 276 hand, was pretty sure that she couldn't sleep. She had slept off and
rlm@0 277 on during the plane ride and in the car with Touya. On top of that,
rlm@0 278 her mind was still buzzing with excitement over being back in
rlm@0 279 Tomoeda, of being so close to realizing her hearts secret desires.
rlm@0 280 The thoughts of once again basking in that sweet love that she had
rlm@0 281 taken for granted during the years she and Tomoyo had been friends
rlm@0 282 sounded exhilerating. She let out a warm sigh. "Hanyaan..." It had
rlm@0 283 always been there, but she had overlooked it as something that would
rlm@0 284 forever be a part of her life. Now she knew that Tomoyo was its
rlm@0 285 source, the reason behind so many of her happy childhood memories,
rlm@0 286 and throughout her adolescence. Tomoyo had bloomed like a gorgeous
rlm@0 287 flower, and like a beautiful gardener had coaxed Sakura into becoming
rlm@0 288 a very pretty young woman, always nurturing her heart and soul with a
rlm@0 289 warmth that Sakura could search the world over for and never find
rlm@0 290 again. Sakura felt blessed to have grown up with such love in her
rlm@0 291 life.
rlm@0 292 But if Tomoyo's heart belonged to another, to her special someone,
rlm@0 293 then how would she react to Sakura's declaration of love? Would it
rlm@0 294 bother her? Would Tomoyo put her down gently? Or would she be happy
rlm@0 295 to simply be loved by someone for once in her life? And just who was
rlm@0 296 this special person anyhow? Tomoyo had first mentioned them when they
rlm@0 297 had only been ten year olds. And yet she still spoke of them with the
rlm@0 298 same passionate fervor she had always shown for this mysterious
rlm@0 299 person. So it had to be someone that Tomoyo had known for years.
rlm@0 300 Someone who had been close to her, always there in her life
rlm@0 301 throughout all of that time. Someone who Tomoyo thought could never
rlm@0 302 love her back.
rlm@0 303 Sakura sat bolt upright in bed, her emerald eyes wide as a sudden
rlm@0 304 realization hit her. She ran down the stairs two at a time, almost
rlm@0 305 running full tilt into her older brother as he finished up the tea.
rlm@0 306 "Oniichan!! I know who Tomoyo-chan's in love with!"
rlm@0 307 Touya turned around in surprise. He hadn't expected Sakura to find
rlm@0 308 out so suddenly on her own. Especially after all the hints Tomoyo had
rlm@0 309 dropped over the years and the one's he himself had been dropping
rlm@0 310 since the two had turned fourteen. That she would finally come to
rlm@0 311 that conclusion after all of this time stunned him. "You do?" he
rlm@0 312 asked curiously, holding the two tea cups with the grace that years
rlm@0 313 as a waiter, among other things, had afforded him.
rlm@0 314 Sakura nodded energetically, her short hair flying about her face.
rlm@0 315 The young woman looked seriously focused, as she could often get when
rlm@0 316 faced with a particularly difficult problem. She sighed, blinking her
rlm@0 317 emerald green eyes. She wasn't too happy about it, but at least she
rlm@0 318 knew. "Tomoyo-chan's in love with one of her bodyguards," she said at
rlm@0 319 last, her shoulders slumping.
rlm@0 320 Staring at Sakura for endless minutes, Touya slowly raised an
rlm@0 321 eyebrow. Handing Sakura her cup of tea, he ruffled the younger
rlm@0 322 woman's hair. "Good try, monster, but you're going to have to try a
rlm@0 323 lot harder than that if you're going to figure out who she's in love
rlm@0 324 with." Sighing, the sleep deprived older sibling made his way
rlm@0 325 upstairs.
rlm@0 326 "Hoe.... Why is this so hard?" Sakura asked herself in the empty
rlm@0 327 kitchen. Figuring out Tomoyo was certainly a lot more difficult than
rlm@0 328 understanding the Sakura Cards. She would have argued with her
rlm@0 329 brother, but she simply wasn't in the mood. Taking a sip of the
rlm@0 330 flavorful tea, she wondered idly just what she was supposed to do for
rlm@0 331 the next... five hours, if she left at eight in the morning. A sudden
rlm@0 332 idea struck her like a lightening bolt. Grinning, the Mistress of the
rlm@0 333 Cards made her way upstairs.
rlm@0 334 "Not where is it?" she asked no one in particular as she sifted
rlm@0 335 through her bag. She smiled at the Cardcaptor Sakura keychain that
rlm@0 336 Tomoyo had had made for Sakura's thirteenth birthday that lay hanging
rlm@0 337 on the side. It was one of a kind, the design of the superdeformed
rlm@0 338 Sakura completely Tomoyo's while Sonomi had it crafted by her
rlm@0 339 company. She pushed it with a finger, watching it swing back and
rlm@0 340 forth like a pendulum. Shaking her head, she went back to searching
rlm@0 341 and within moments pulled out the object of her search. Tomoyo's half
rlm@0 342 finished costume lay unfurled before her, it's dazzling design
rlm@0 343 obvious even in that early state of completion. Tomoyo had always
rlm@0 344 been making such beautiful things for her. It seemed a shame that
rlm@0 345 Tomoyo's final costume design was never to be finished. She
rlm@0 346 understood that Tomoyo had wanted her last design for Sakura to be
rlm@0 347 the wedding dress, so the lavender haired woman thought it
rlm@0 348 unnecessary to finish this final costume. So if Tomoyo couldn't
rlm@0 349 finish it, Sakura could.
rlm@0 350 Smiling to herself, Sakura ran to the other room to get the
rlm@0 351 supplies she would need. Sewing wasn't exactly her forte, but she had
rlm@0 352 sewn a yukata for Syaoran and she knew that if she tried hard enough,
rlm@0 353 she could finish what Tomoyo had begun. It wouldn't be as lovely as
rlm@0 354 Tomoyo's delicate work, but it would finally be finished, putting to
rlm@0 355 rest at least one of Sakura's worries. This was their work, both
rlm@0 356 Tomoyo's and Sakura's. She wanted to show it to her best friend.
rlm@0 357 After all of those years of wearing Tomoyo's costumes, blushing all
rlm@0 358 different shades of red with the bizarre yet captivating designs,
rlm@0 359 this would be a combination of both of their hearts, every stitch
rlm@0 360 lovingly etched into the beautiful fabric. Clasping her hands
rlm@0 361 together determinedly, Sakura got to work.
rlm@0 362
rlm@0 363
rlm@0 364 Clutching onto the teddy bear Sakura had sewn for her as a farewell
rlm@0 365 present, Tomoyo rocked gently back and forth, whispering a lullaby
rlm@0 366 that her mother used to sing to her when she was a little girl. Icy
rlm@0 367 tears dripped down her chin, falling onto her little stuffed bear
rlm@0 368 named Sakura. She held it tightly, sobbing quietly as the phone lay
rlm@0 369 haphazardly a few feet away from her. "I love you so much, Sakura-
rlm@0 370 chan... Please forgive me... I don't know what to do, Sakura..." she
rlm@0 371 whispered tearfully into bear Sakura's ear. Her whole body felt cold,
rlm@0 372 torn apart by countless thorns that snaked around her heart. "Please
rlm@0 373 help me..." But no one would come and save her. Not even her darling
rlm@0 374 Sakura could save her from the darkness that surrounded her now. If
rlm@0 375 the brunette came for her, they were both doomed. Sakura's happy life
rlm@0 376 would be ruined and Tomoyo would never be able to survive watching
rlm@0 377 Sakura so closely like that, unable to be with her.
rlm@0 378 An even darker thought that crossed her mind was about what Sakura
rlm@0 379 had been struggling to say on the phone. What feelings did Sakura
rlm@0 380 have for her? What feelings did the Cardmistress understand now? Did
rlm@0 381 she know of Tomoyo's love for her? Which meant that Sakura's
rlm@0 382 marriage, her beautiful marriage, the child she hadn't yet had, the
rlm@0 383 whole life that lay before her was in peril. And all because Tomoyo
rlm@0 384 had failed to fade out of Sakura's life properly.
rlm@0 385 "Sakura-chan, what am I to do?" Tomoyo asked hopelessly, pressing
rlm@0 386 her tearstreaked cheek into the soft material of the teddy bear.