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1
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2
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3
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4 The Jealousy Card:
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5
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6 By Stirling Twilight and Amazoness Duo
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7 stirling_9@hotmail.com
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8 amazonessduo@hotmail.com
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9
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10 Sakura took a deep breath of fresh air as she started
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11 rollerblading down the street. It was a beautiful day, and the sun
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12 was shining brightly. A soft breeze gently blew over her as she
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13 made her way to school. She blushed lightly at the thought of
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14 Yukito waiting where he usually did before school. Sighing, she
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15 felt a pang of sadness at the thought of who he was waiting for.
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16 She slowed down, finally coming to a stop, as her brother rode by
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17 on his bike. As long as he was happy, right? Tomoyo had once
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18 told her that what really mattered was that the one you loved was
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19 happy, even if they weren’t with you.
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20 Waiting a few moments to make sure her brother and Yukito
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21 were well on their way, Sakura started rollerblading again, a little
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22 slower this time. She was glad Yukito had found love, but would
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23 she ever find it herself? She had thought she loved the older boy,
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24 but after her talk with him, she wasn't so sure anymore. He had
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25 told her that her feelings for him were like the ones she had for her
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26 father. Oddly enough, besides short bouts of sadness over him, she
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27 seemed to be doing pretty well. Maybe she was just being mature
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28 about it. But could there be something else to it? Could it be that
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29 maybe she was falling for someone else? Thinking for a moment,
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30 Sakura tried to figure who such a person could possibly be, but
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31 ended up dismissing the idea. She was happy for Yukito, Sakura
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32 decided, and that was all.
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33 Her spirits noticeably higher, Sakura flashed a smile at the dark-
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34 haired girl waiting for her at the front gate of their school. "Hi,
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35 Tomoyo-chan!" she said, skidding to a stop in front of her best
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36 friend.
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37 "Ohayo gozaimasu, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo said happily. "How
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38 did you sleep last night?"
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39 "Pretty well. I had a strange dream, but I can't remember it
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40 now. You were in it. And Li-kun. And I was worried about you
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41 for some reason," Sakura trailed off, trying to remember more of
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42 her dream.
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43 "I'm very glad I was in your dreams, Sakura-chan, but don't be
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44 worried about me," Tomoyo said thoughtfully. "It was just a
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45 dream. And, in any case, worrying about it won't do any good. You
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46 should try to relax."
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47 "You're right," Sakura agreed. "I wish I could remember the rest
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48 of it, though. I feel like I’ve forgotten an important warning about
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49 something. Like it was a premonition." She pulled off her
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50 rollerblades along with the rest of her protective gear. Standing
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51 back up, she walked side by side with Tomoyo towards their
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52 classroom.
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53 "If your dream was a warning about something, I'm certain that
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54 you will eventually figure it out," Tomoyo said with a reassuring
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55 smile.
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56 Sakura found herself smiling back. 'I always do feel better after
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57 talking to Tomoyo,' she thought to herself. "Thank you, Tomoyo-
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58 chan."
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59 "Whenever you want to talk, Sakura-chan, I’m always here for
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60 you. I love talking to you, and if it helps you, I'm happy." Tomoyo
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61 took her seat next to Sakura's and started pulling out what she
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62 would need for class from her backpack.
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63 Sitting down in her desk, Sakura grinned to herself. She felt a
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64 lot better about things now. She wasn't worrying about her dream
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65 or her sadness over Yukito for the moment. Looking through the
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66 window, she watched the late students getting to school. She
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67 closed her eyes, basking in the warm sunlight as she waited for
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68 class to begin. This day could be a good one after all.
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69
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70 "How does this look?" Tomoyo asked tentatively as she handed
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71 Sakura a sheet of paper from her notebook. Sakura carefully took
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72 the paper, finishing up another bite of her lunch at the same time.
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73 She sweatdropped when she saw the sketch of herself in a costume.
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74 There were several different views to show the whole costume,
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75 including the large bow in back. "What do you think?"
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76 "It's... nice," Sakura said, not quite knowing what else to say.
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77 "I think it would look really cute on you, Sakura-chan."
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78 Tomoyo grew starry eyed as she blushed at she thought of Sakura
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79 in the finished costume. "Do you think it could use more lace?"
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80 "No, no, I think it's fine the way it is," Sakura said hastily. Her
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81 troubles with wild Clow Cards had ended when she became the
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82 Card Mistress, and now with things settling down after Eriol, there
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83 really wasn't much of a need for her to go out as a Card Captor
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84 anymore. But Tomoyo still made plenty of costumes for her,
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85 getting Sakura to come over to her house and try them on so the
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86 dark-haired girl could at least videotape her in them. She was
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87 happy to humor the dark haired girl, even if it was a bit strange
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88 wearing all the different costumes. Tomoyo seemed to love
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89 videotaping her in them so much that it was the least she could do
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90 for all the help and friendship the dark haired girl had given her.
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91 "Every time I finish a new costume, when I look at it, I get the
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92 feeling that something isn't right. It doesn't seem really finished.
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93 But when I finally see you wearing it, Sakura-chan, it's like the last
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94 piece of a puzzle has fallen into place. You complete them."
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95 You complete me, Tomoyo wanted to add.
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96 Sakura blushed as Tomoyo smiled gently at her. For a second, it
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97 felt like she and Tomoyo were the only ones there. The feeling
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98 slowly faded and Sakura noticed all her classmates busily chatting
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99 through lunch. She wasn't sure if she was relieved or saddened that
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100 the moment had ended so quickly.
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101 "I'll start working on this one when I get home," Tomoyo
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102 finished. Her head tilted to the side, a worried look spreading over
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103 her face. "Sakura-chan, are you alright?"
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104 "Hai… I'm fine," Sakura said, laughing nervously. For some
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105 reason, she felt awkward all of a sudden. Glancing around a bit
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106 while she ate some more of her lunch, she noticed Syaoran walking
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107 by, on his own as he often was. "Li-kun! Why don't you have lunch
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108 with us?" she asked happily. Syaoran paused for a moment before
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109 accepting, sitting beside the two girls.
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110 "I really hope we don't have much homework tonight," Sakura
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111 said conversationally. "It's my night to make dinner."
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112 "I hope so, too. If you need to pick up ingredients or anything, I
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113 could come with you before you go home," Tomoyo offered
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114 helpfully.
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115 Sakura smiled at her. "Thanks, Tomoyo-chan. I don't think I
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116 need anything, though." She placed a hand on her chin, trying to
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117 make sure.
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118 "Sakura..." Syaoran interrupted.
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119 "Hoe?" Sakura turned to Syaoran who was now staring straight
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120 ahead. Tomoyo turned to look at him as well, putting aside the
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121 sketches.
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122 "There's something I want to tell you," Syaoran said slowly. He
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123 was really nervous, even though he'd probably never admit it to
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124 himself.
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125 "What is it?" Sakura asked curiously. Tomoyo smiled at him,
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126 knowing what it was that he wanted to say. She nodded slightly, as
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127 if urging him to go on.
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128 "I... I..."
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129 "Syaoran-kun, are you feeling okay?" Sakura asked worriedly.
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130 "It's about Sakura-chan, right, Li-kun?" Tomoyo suggested
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131 gently, trying to help him along.
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132 Syaoran nodded emphatically. Sakura looked more and more
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133 interested as she waited to hear what he had to say.
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134 Syaoran rounded on Tomoyo and asked her pointedly,
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135 “Can you go?” He wanted to be alone with Sakura if he was going
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136 to tell her.
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137 The dark haired girl smiled and nodded. Picking up her
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138 notebook, she walked over to a nearby tree. She felt almost as
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139 nervous inside as the Chinese boy. This was it. He would finally
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140 tell Sakura, wouldn’t he? Maybe it was about time she did as
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141 well…
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142 Syaoran watched her go before turning back, to meet the green
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143 eyes that were watching him in confusion. He gathered his breath
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144 and in one long exhale managed to force out, "I... I... I like you!"
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145 Sakura blinked in confusion several times. "You what?"
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146 Syaoran stood up, made an obvious effort to composes himself,
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147 lost the battle and made a hasty retreat back towards the classroom.
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148 He nearly bumped into Naoko in his hurry.
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149 "What did he mean?" Sakura asked aloud. She just couldn't
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150 figure out what on earth Syaoran was trying to do, telling her that
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151 he liked her and then running away.
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152 Tomoyo leaned towards her, having returned unnoticed.
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153 "I think Li-kun was trying to say that he loves you," Tomoyo
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154 explained in a soft whisper.
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155 Sakura's face turned a deep shade of crimson as realization hit.
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156 She opened her mouth and tried to speak, but nothing came out.
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157 After a few false starts she finally got out, "But... but... how?"
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158 Tomoyo smiled brightly at her friend. "That's not hard, Sakura-
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159 chan. It's easy to fall in love with you. It's telling you that’s the
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160 hard part." Standing up as the bell rang for the end of lunch,
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161 Tomoyo offered Sakura her hand. Sakura, still in shock, let the
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162 other girl help her stand. She tried to walk, but stumbled a bit.
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163 Tomoyo arms went gently around her waist, steadying the
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164 brunette. Smiling gently, she helped her back towards the
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165 classroom, not letting her own inner turmoil show.
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166
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167 It was a bit colder after school, but the weather was still
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168 pleasant. A gentle breeze meandered past the two girls on their
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169 way home. Sakura was still having trouble coming to grips with
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170 what had happened earlier with Syaoran. She was so worried, she
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171 wasn't really aware of where they were going. Tomoyo was
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172 silently leading her home, trying to give her best friend time to
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173 think. Though it was still early in the evening, Sakura felt
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174 tired, exhausted. She just wanted to lie down so that she wouldn't
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175 have to think about anything. Questions kept racing through her
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176 mind. How could he? Was he serious?
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177 What should she do now?
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178 Sakura, walking slowly, noticed all of a sudden that Tomoyo
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179 wasn't at her side anymore. She turned around and saw the other
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180 girl standing there, her long, dark hair
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181 fluttering behind her. Sakura looked at her with surprise. Her
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182 friend seemed deep in thought.
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183 "Tomoyo-chan?"
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184 Tomoyo looked at her, but didn't answer right away. Sakura
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185 felt a pang of nervousness. It was such an unusual attitude in her
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186 friend...
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187 "Sakura-chan," Tomoyo said at last, startling Sakura a little, "do
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188 you remember when I said that I loved you?"
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189 That was an easy one, Sakura thought. Tomoyo had told her
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190 that many, many times. "Un!" she nodded.
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191 "You looked happy, Sakura-chan, and you said that you loved
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192 me too. And I said: 'But Sakura-chan doesn't mean the same thing
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193 as me.' Do you remember?"
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194 Again, Sakura nodded.
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195 "After that, I told you that I'd explain everything later. Isn't that
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196 right?"
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197 Sakura's eyes lit up with remembrance. "Oh yes, I remember! I
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198 wondered so much about that, I couldn't figure what in the world
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199 you were talking about."
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200 Tomoyo smiled gently. "Well, I think I will tell you now,
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201 Sakura-chan," she said. "Truth is, I'm a little nervous about this. I
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202 don't know if the time is right, I'm not sure you will understand."
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203 She paused for a moment, and then added softly, "But I'm going to
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204 give it a try anyway."
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205 Sakura looked at Tomoyo intently. She felt very excited all of a
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206 sudden. The dark-haired girl sounded so serious it was a bit scary,
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207 but an overwhelming curiosity gnawed at her. After all, she
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208 thought, this was Tomoyo. Whatever she had to say, it couldn't be
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209 anything bad, could it?
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210 "What is it? Please, Tomoyo-chan, tell me!" Sakura begged, her
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211 face bright with eagerness.
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212 Tomoyo took a deep breath and slowly released it. She gazed
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213 deeply into Sakura's beautiful green eyes. "Sakura-chan, we've
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214 been very close for a long time now, and I want you to know that
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215 you've always been the most important thing in the world to me."
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216 Sakura smiled happily at her. "You are a very important friend
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217 to me too, Tomoyo-chan." She let out a sigh. She was glad it
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218 hadn’t been anything big. She’d had enough surprises for one day.
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219 Tomoyo sweatdropped and decided to try a different approach.
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220 "Whatever I do, wherever I go, I'm always thinking about you,
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221 Sakura-chan. It's like..." she was having trouble finding the right
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222 words. "You make me think of an angel, Sakura-chan. You are like
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223 a heavenly angel sent down to this earthly realm to fill the lives of
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224 humans with light. I feel like I would never be able to repay you
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225 for the joy you've brought into mine. That's the way I feel, in my
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226 heart, when I think about you."
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227 Sakura felt a rosy blush spread all over her cheeks. She
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228 lowered her gaze, forced out a shaky little laugh and rubbed the
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229 back of her head. "I... I... Oh, Tomoyo-chan, it's nothing like that! I
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230 mean, I'm not an angel. I'm not heavenly or anything. I'm just..."
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231 Sakura paused briefly, as if gathering her thoughts, then looked
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232 back up and smiled at her friend, a genuine smile this time. "You
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233 say the nicest things, Tomoyo-chan. I feel all warm and mushy
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234 inside when you say that kind of thing, even though I'm not the
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235 way you say. Thank you so much! You're my best friend in the
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236 whole wide world, and I'm really, really glad that you're happy
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237 when I'm around."
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238 Tomoyo sighed softly. This was sooo much harder than she
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239 thought it would be. Part of her just wanted to stop, put on her
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240 trademark happy smile and tell Sakura that they were late and that
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241 they should be hurrying. She knew Sakura would then dismiss
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242 everything Tomoyo had just said as "some more of Tomoyo's
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243 weird stuff", and things
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244 between them would return to normal. It would be so easy, she
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245 thought, backing off and leaving love confessions for another day.
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246 But she couldn't do that, not this time.
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247 Not when she had already come this far.
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248 "Sakura-chan," she started again, trying to find stronger words
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249 to express the feelings in her heart, "I'm always happiest when
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250 we’re spending time together. And whenever I'm unhappy, all I
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251 have to do is think about you to feel better. When I see you
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252 wearing one of the dresses I make for you, my heart feels like it's
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253 going to pound out of my chest in joy. Being with you, doing
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254 things with you is my idea of heaven. You mean so much to me. I
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255 can't bear the thought of not being able to see you. I want to be
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256 with you, always, forever."
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257 Sakura blushed again, redder this time. Tomoyo was always
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258 saying strange things around her, and she knew she should be used
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259 to it by now, but this... this was like all of them rolled into one. She
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260 wasn't sure what to say, or if she should just wait for her friend to
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261 continue.
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262 Tomoyo was blushing a little, too. She had said so much, and
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263 yet, she could tell, just by looking at Sakura, that she still hadn't
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rlm@2
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264 gotten her point across. "I know you were surprised, today, when
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265 you found out about Li-kun's love for you, but I understand his
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rlm@2
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266 feelings all too well. Since the day I met you, you have been like
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267 the sun in my life, outshining everything else. Sakura-chan, cards
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rlm@2
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268 aren't the only magic you have at your command. I've been under
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269 your spell for a long time."
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rlm@2
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270 Sakura didn't realize she'd been holding her breath until her
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rlm@2
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271 lungs started to ache for air. She was blushing as red as a peony
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rlm@2
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272 now, and she was starting to find it difficult to stand still. She felt
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273 weak in the knees from the nervousness building up inside her.
|
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rlm@2
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274 "Sakura-chan, daisuki desu wa," Tomoyo declared with earnest
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rlm@2
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275 feeling, and then, before her innocent cousin could once again
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276 misunderstand those three simple words,
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rlm@2
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277 she continued, "And I don't mean just as a friend. I love you so
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rlm@2
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278 much more than that. Sakura-chan, I'm in love. I'm in love with
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279 you, I love you. Do you understand what I'm
|
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rlm@2
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280 trying to say?" Tomoyo took Sakura's hands in her own and gazed
|
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rlm@2
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281 again into those dazzling emerald green eyes. "I love you," she
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rlm@2
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282 repeated softly, her own stormy blue eyes trying to convey every
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rlm@2
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283 bit of the feelings inside of her.
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rlm@2
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284 "To... To... Tomoyo-chan..." Sakura barely managed to get out.
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rlm@2
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285 Her heart was thudding a mad tempo in her chest, and she was sure
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rlm@2
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286 her eyes looked like saucers. The shock of Syaoran's confession
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rlm@2
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287 felt like nothing compared to what she was feeling at this moment.
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rlm@2
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288 She had thought that, after Syaoran, nothing in the world could
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289 surprise her anymore. Oh god, had she been wrong! She knew that
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rlm@2
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290 she had to say something, she could tell the other girl was waiting
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291 for her to say something, but her mind had gone completely blank.
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rlm@2
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292 First Syaoran and now Tomoyo? It was too much for her. She felt
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rlm@2
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293 like her whole world had been turned upside down.
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rlm@2
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294 "Tomoyo-chan,” she stammered, “I... I... I'll talk to you later,"
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rlm@2
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295 Sakura finished, a little lamely. Turning around too quickly, she
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rlm@2
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296 almost stumbled. Tomoyo's hand on her shoulder barely helped her
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rlm@2
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297 regain her balance in time.
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rlm@2
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298 Waving to Sakura while the brown-haired girl hurried off,
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rlm@2
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299 Tomoyo called, "Bye, Sakura-chan! Sleep well!"
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rlm@2
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300 Glancing over her shoulder, Sakura caught a glimpse of
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301 Tomoyo's smiling face. She managed a faint smile of her own and
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rlm@2
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302 waved back weakly before turning back around.
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rlm@2
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303 Her mind felt sluggish as she tried to sort things out.
|
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rlm@2
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304 What was she supposed to do? Nothing in her life seemed to
|
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rlm@2
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305 make sense anymore. Breaking into a fast sprint after turning a
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rlm@2
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306 corner, Sakura ran all the way back home, totally unaware of the
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rlm@2
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307 fading glow that followed her.
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308
|
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rlm@2
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309 “Oh, so the monster’s home,” Touya said conversationally as
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310 her heard Sakura come
|
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rlm@2
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311 in through the front door. He put down the job ads he’d been
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rlm@2
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312 reading, ready to see his
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rlm@2
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313 sister’s angry face. He was shocked to see her disappearing up the
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rlm@2
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314 stairs. “Sakura?” The
|
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rlm@2
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315 small glimpse of her hadn’t offered much of an explanation as to
|
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316 why she hadn’t argued
|
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rlm@2
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317 with him, but she had looked rather distraught. Worse than he’d
|
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rlm@2
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318 seen her in a long, long
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rlm@2
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319 time. The house was silent again, except for the rustling of the
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rlm@2
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320 newspaper on his lap.
|
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rlm@2
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321 “Well, she’s heading into high school now. She’s probably just
|
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rlm@2
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322 getting overemotional about
|
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rlm@2
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323 something,” he told himself, not quite believing it. Telling himself
|
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rlm@2
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324 not to worry, he went
|
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rlm@2
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325 back to looking for another job, but he kept glancing up towards
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rlm@2
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326 her room, wondering
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rlm@2
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327 what was really wrong.
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rlm@2
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328
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rlm@2
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329
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rlm@2
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330
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rlm@2
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331 "Kero-chan?"
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rlm@2
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332 "Hmm?"
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rlm@2
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333 Sakura shifted her arms on the open window ledge trying to get
|
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rlm@2
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334 comfortable. She could see the moon behind the leaves and the
|
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rlm@2
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335 Jade Plate swam for a moment in the wetness that suddenly
|
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rlm@2
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336 appeared in her eyes.
|
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rlm@2
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337 "Kero-chan...."
|
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rlm@2
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338 Kero-chan clicked his tongue and glided to her side.
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rlm@2
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339 "Sakura" he chided, "You haven’t finished a sentence yet
|
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rlm@2
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340 tonight. What's happened?"
|
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rlm@2
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341 She sighed and pressed her eyes against her pajama sleeve.
|
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rlm@2
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342 "Kero-chan, I had a dream last night."
|
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rlm@2
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343 "Ah", the Seal Beast breathed in pleasure. Sakura's dreams
|
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rlm@2
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344 always carried a great deal of portent. He drifted to where he
|
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rlm@2
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345 could look at her. "What did you dream?"
|
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rlm@2
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346 "I dreamt that Tomoyo-chan and Li-kun were in danger, and it
|
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rlm@2
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347 was because of me." She paused, breathing hard, and then the dam
|
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rlm@2
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348 broke. "I was so upset, and all through the dream I kept talking
|
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rlm@2
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349 and nothing was coming out of my mouth. I wanted to tell them
|
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rlm@2
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350 today at school, but I didn't know how, and I thought that maybe I
|
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rlm@2
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351 would find a way, but every time I tried the time was wrong, and
|
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rlm@2
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352 then Li-kun wanted to talk to me alone, and then Tomoyo-chan
|
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rlm@2
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353 said..."
|
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rlm@2
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354 "Clow Card!" Kero-chan yelled spinning towards the open
|
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rlm@2
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355 window. "Hurry!"
|
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rlm@2
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356 “Card?” she stammered in surprise. Obviously this was the day
|
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rlm@2
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357 for it, and how very like her dream it all seemed… her talking and
|
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rlm@2
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358 no one was hearing her. With a sigh she gathered a few things and
|
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rlm@2
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359 climbed out onto the tree. It occurred to her as she descended that
|
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rlm@2
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360 she should call Li and Tomoyo, but she also felt that being alone
|
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rlm@2
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361 would be nice too. At least with a Card to capture she wasn't just
|
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rlm@2
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362 sitting and thinking. How long had it been since she’d been out
|
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rlm@2
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363 Card Capting anyway?
|
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rlm@2
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364 Once out of sight of her house Sakura drew out the Key and
|
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rlm@2
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365 joined Kero-chan in the air. He flew purposefully, as if he knew
|
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rlm@2
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366 where he was going. Sakura saw, in her mind's eye, the many
|
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rlm@2
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367 videos Tomoyo had taken of the Seal Beast. Smiling at the
|
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rlm@2
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368 thought she was suddenly very sorry she didn't call the dark hair
|
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rlm@2
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369 girl. Tomoyo would forgive her, there was no question, but at the
|
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rlm@2
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370 same time Sakura also knew that no matter what her mood,
|
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rlm@2
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371 Tomoyo would never exclude Sakura from something that would
|
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rlm@2
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372 give her pleasure. Before she realized what was happening the
|
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rlm@2
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373 phone was in her hand, and the redial pressed. But what to tell
|
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rlm@2
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374 her? Sakura had no idea where they were going.
|
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rlm@2
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375 "Look!" Kero-chan cried, stabbing a paw downwards. Sakura,
|
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rlm@2
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376 phone to her head, looked down, and saw Li running in the same
|
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rlm@2
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377 direction they were flying in, his glowing Lasin Board held before
|
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rlm@2
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378 him.
|
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rlm@2
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379 "Sakura-chan?"
|
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rlm@2
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380 Momentarily disoriented Sakura realized the voice was
|
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rlm@2
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381 Tomoyo's and the source was the phone. "Tomoyo-chan!" she
|
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rlm@2
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382 yelled over the wind, "We're near the clock tower, after a Card...."
|
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rlm@2
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383 "I'm on my way," and she was gone.
|
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rlm@2
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384 Sakura tucked the phone back into her pocket and drew closer to
|
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rlm@2
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385 Kero-chan. "What should we do?" she mused aloud.
|
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rlm@2
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386 Kero-chan turned towards her, smiling broadly, "Card Capture
|
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rlm@2
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387 Sakura..."
|
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rlm@2
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388 And he was gone.
|
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rlm@2
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389 Sakura suddenly found herself standing in a room. The Key was
|
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rlm@2
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390 in her hand. The room, a sort of box, had no door, no windows
|
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rlm@2
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391 and the walls were a sickly green. Across from her Li stood,
|
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rlm@2
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392 looking equally as surprised and Kero-chan was nowhere to be
|
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rlm@2
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393 seen.
|
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rlm@2
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394 "Li-kun?" she began, but no sound reached her ears. He too
|
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rlm@2
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395 opened his mouth, but she heard nothing. Stepping back she
|
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rlm@2
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396 pulled out the Sword Card, exchanged the Key for the Sword and
|
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rlm@2
|
397 swiped at the nearest wall. It had no effect. Li also began trying
|
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rlm@2
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398 attacks on the room, with the same effect. She moved closer to
|
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rlm@2
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399 him, her hand reaching for him, and just as she touched his arm her
|
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rlm@2
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400 hand went threw his as if he were a ghost. Alarmed she drew
|
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rlm@2
|
401 back...he didn't seem to be aware of her. He suddenly turned and
|
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rlm@2
|
402 appeared to be smiling at someone behind her. Sakura looked back
|
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rlm@2
|
403 and saw Tomoyo, video camera in hand, looking at Li with a look
|
|
rlm@2
|
404 that sent a chill through Sakura. Rushing to her side Sakura was
|
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rlm@2
|
405 almost weak with relief. She called Tomoyo's name, heard
|
|
rlm@2
|
406 nothing, and stopped short. Slowly she extended a hand… it
|
|
rlm@2
|
407 passed threw Tomoyo without any resistance. Tomoyo and Li
|
|
rlm@2
|
408 crossed the small room, intent it seemed, only on each other.
|
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rlm@2
|
409 Sakura drew back in confusion as the two came together in a
|
|
rlm@2
|
410 passionate kiss.
|
|
rlm@2
|
411 Nothing more than shock made Sakura sit down heavily. Sword
|
|
rlm@2
|
412 slipped silently from her fingers. What did this mean? What was
|
|
rlm@2
|
413 happening? Her mind reeled at the sight. Closing her eyes for a
|
|
rlm@2
|
414 moment, hoping it was a dream, she opened them again. In the
|
|
rlm@2
|
415 center of the room stood Tomoyo and Yukito, kissing.
|
|
rlm@2
|
416 "This is a dream," she screamed soundlessly, desperately,
|
|
rlm@2
|
417 "Tomoyo-chan loves me and only me, she told me so! Only me!
|
|
rlm@2
|
418 None of this is real!"
|
|
rlm@2
|
419 Raising her head once more she found herself confronted by Li,
|
|
rlm@2
|
420 sword in hand, and Tomoyo clinging to his side. Li was looking at
|
|
rlm@2
|
421 her with unhidden hatred. He raised the sword, and Sakura had
|
|
rlm@2
|
422 just enough time to exchange the Sword for Shield as he swung at
|
|
rlm@2
|
423 her. The sword rebounded, sending a shock through his arm. He
|
|
rlm@2
|
424 staggered back, disbelief evident on his face.
|
|
rlm@2
|
425 "Why?!" Sakura screamed mentally, her mouth forming the
|
|
rlm@2
|
426 word. Drawing herself up to her knees she studied Li. He was
|
|
rlm@2
|
427 panting, and still looked angry, but he didn't continue to fight.
|
|
rlm@2
|
428 Could it be that he knew he was fighting a Card? That had to be
|
|
rlm@2
|
429 the answer. They were trapped within an uncaptured Card, and she
|
|
rlm@2
|
430 had to figure out what the Card was.
|
|
rlm@2
|
431 Suddenly the pieces were fitting. She was seeing something
|
|
rlm@2
|
432 that would make her… what? Angry? Jealous? They must be
|
|
rlm@2
|
433 experiencing something similar. Li would see…
|
|
rlm@2
|
434 Sakura sucked in her breath. Li would see Sakura and Tomoyo!
|
|
rlm@2
|
435 No wonder he turned on her! But no, why fight Sakura, unless
|
|
rlm@2
|
436 Sakura looked like Tomoyo to him. That would explain his
|
|
rlm@2
|
437 surprised look at being rebuffed by Shield. Sakura acted quickly,
|
|
rlm@2
|
438 bringing out Mirror, "Show me what Li-kun is seeing" she
|
|
rlm@2
|
439 commanded. In the disc Mirror held Sakura saw exactly what she
|
|
rlm@2
|
440 expected. In the place where she knelt on the floor cowered
|
|
rlm@2
|
441 Tomoyo; a Sakura, assumably Tomoyo, was being crushed to Li’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
442 side by his arm around her waist, and she looking horrified, weakly
|
|
rlm@2
|
443 fighting to reach the figure on the floor.
|
|
rlm@2
|
444 She locked eyes with Mirror and felt the color drain from
|
|
rlm@2
|
445 her face, "Show me what Tomoyo-chan sees," she mouthed. A
|
|
rlm@2
|
446 chill went through her at the thought of what she was about to see.
|
|
rlm@2
|
447 The first thing she saw was herself. She was smiling
|
|
rlm@2
|
448 happily, seemingly without a care in the world. Two arms were
|
|
rlm@2
|
449 around her waist, holding her tight. They belonged to Syaoran,
|
|
rlm@2
|
450 who was uncharacteristically grinning. Lying on the floor in shreds
|
|
rlm@2
|
451 was one of Tomoyo’s costumes for Sakura. Sakura instantly
|
|
rlm@2
|
452 remembered it as the design Tomoyo had shown her earlier that
|
|
rlm@2
|
453 day. Syaoran pulled up an ofuda, chanting briefly before throwing
|
|
rlm@2
|
454 it on the tattered costume. Sakura’s counterpart in the Mirror just
|
|
rlm@2
|
455 laughed as the costume burned, snuggling closer to Syaoran. She
|
|
rlm@2
|
456 stopped watching when the images kissed.
|
|
rlm@2
|
457 Tears ran down Tomoyo’s pale cheeks as she looked on
|
|
rlm@2
|
458 helplessly. A steel band crushed Sakura heart at the sight and she
|
|
rlm@2
|
459 lashed out at Mirror, blinded by tears of rage and sorrow. "No!"
|
|
rlm@2
|
460 she screamed over and over, "It's not like that." She rose to her
|
|
rlm@2
|
461 feet, picked up Sword and continued to rampage about the little
|
|
rlm@2
|
462 green room. Li and Tomoyo ignored her and again embraced as if
|
|
rlm@2
|
463 nothing had happened. Sakura stopped at the sight, and a sob
|
|
rlm@2
|
464 escaped her.
|
|
rlm@2
|
465 "Tomoyo-chan…"
|
|
rlm@2
|
466 As if she had heard her name the ghost Tomoyo turned her head
|
|
rlm@2
|
467 and smiled at Sakura, Li too smiled at her, but then the couple
|
|
rlm@2
|
468 locked eyes again and kissed. Sakura decided that this had gone
|
|
rlm@2
|
469 on long enough. She pulled out Darkness. If they couldn't see
|
|
rlm@2
|
470 each other the spell just might be broken.
|
|
rlm@2
|
471 "Surround Li-kun, Tomoyo-chan and myself in a darkness that
|
|
rlm@2
|
472 we cannot see through."
|
|
rlm@2
|
473 Instantly the room was gone and she stood alone in a vast night.
|
|
rlm@2
|
474 Hesitantly she tested to see if the Card was still working.
|
|
rlm@2
|
475 "Tomoyo-chan?" she said, and heard nothing. It was still
|
|
rlm@2
|
476 working. Obviously she had to name this Card to overpower it,
|
|
rlm@2
|
477 like she had had to do with Mirror. Drawing herself upright she
|
|
rlm@2
|
478 closed her eyes and yelled with all her might, "Jealousy!" and the
|
|
rlm@2
|
479 sound broke on her deafened ears like a storm. Suddenly the green
|
|
rlm@2
|
480 room broke like glass into a million tiny pieces. Before she could
|
|
rlm@2
|
481 do anything they gathered to her right, and were gone. She quickly
|
|
rlm@2
|
482 recalled Darkness and found herself on the street below the clock
|
|
rlm@2
|
483 tower facing both Li and Tomoyo, who were looking around
|
|
rlm@2
|
484 dazed. Li seemed to come back to himself first and turned to
|
|
rlm@2
|
485 Sakura with a look of raw hatred. Sakura, shocked, took a step
|
|
rlm@2
|
486 back in alarm. Li looked from her to Tomoyo, and Sakura
|
|
rlm@2
|
487 instantly knew she had to act, and quickly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
488 Sakura was fast, but Li was faster.
|
|
rlm@2
|
489 Li drew out an ofuda and threw it at Sakura even as she invoked
|
|
rlm@2
|
490 Shield. The glowing paper landed on her arm and she couldn't
|
|
rlm@2
|
491 move. Li grabbed Tomoyo roughly by the arm and began dragging
|
|
rlm@2
|
492 her away.
|
|
rlm@2
|
493 Tomoyo looked back at Sakura, who was struggling against the
|
|
rlm@2
|
494 spell. "Sakura-chan!" she yelled helplessly. “Sakura-chan!”
|
|
rlm@2
|
495 "Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura screamed back in anger and frustration.
|
|
rlm@2
|
496 "TOMOYO-CHAN!"
|
|
rlm@2
|
497
|
|
rlm@2
|
498 Syaoran landed on a rooftop far away from the immobilized
|
|
rlm@2
|
499 Sakura. He shoved Tomoyo from him when they landed. She tried
|
|
rlm@2
|
500 to keep her balance but fell to her hands and knees. “You…” he
|
|
rlm@2
|
501 growled. “You’re what’s keeping me from her. You’re what’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
502 standing in my way. She and I are supposed to be together, but
|
|
rlm@2
|
503 you keep getting in the way.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
504 “No… That’s not it. I just want Sakura-chan to be happy.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
505 Tomoyo looked up at the angry gaze he directed at her and shrank
|
|
rlm@2
|
506 back. “I love her. I just hope she would be happy with me.” She
|
|
rlm@2
|
507 knew it was the wrong thing to say to the enraged boy even before
|
|
rlm@2
|
508 she uttered it, but it was the truth.
|
|
rlm@2
|
509 “How could she ever be happy with you?” Syaoran sneered.
|
|
rlm@2
|
510 “You just get in her way. She’s only your friend because she pities
|
|
rlm@2
|
511 you.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
512 Tomoyo shook her head. “No, she’s my best friend. We care
|
|
rlm@2
|
513 about each other. We’ll always be friends…” Her mind raced.
|
|
rlm@2
|
514 Nothing seemed certain to her anymore. The horrible images of
|
|
rlm@2
|
515 Sakura and Syaoran came flooding back to her mind, threatening
|
|
rlm@2
|
516 to overwhelm her. Syaoran’s hand grabbed her arm, hauling her
|
|
rlm@2
|
517 back to her feet. The dark haired girl winced at the sudden
|
|
rlm@2
|
518 explosion of pain the cruel movement brought. She flinched as he
|
|
rlm@2
|
519 clutched her arm tightly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
520 “I want you to leave her alone. To leave us alone. Do you
|
|
rlm@2
|
521 understand?” Syaoran hissed angrily. He dragged the limp girl
|
|
rlm@2
|
522 against his chest, shaking her hard. Tomoyo, her dark hair flying
|
|
rlm@2
|
523 wildly about her, closed her eyes tightly. This only brought back
|
|
rlm@2
|
524 earlier images. “No,” she said, trying to make him understand, “I
|
|
rlm@2
|
525 won’t leave unless Sakura tells me too. She means everything to
|
|
rlm@2
|
526 me. I love her!” Looking at him defiantly, she tried desperately to
|
|
rlm@2
|
527 bring up happier images of Sakura, ones she treasured and kept
|
|
rlm@2
|
528 dear to her heart.
|
|
rlm@2
|
529 Angrily, Syaoran shoved the dark haired girl backwards.
|
|
rlm@2
|
530 Tomoyo gasped as she fell, landing hard on her side. “Don’t you
|
|
rlm@2
|
531 dare stand in my way. She will be mine!” he howled.
|
|
rlm@2
|
532 Keeping her eyes clamped shut, Tomoyo desperately ran
|
|
rlm@2
|
533 memories over and over in her mind. When she first met Sakura,
|
|
rlm@2
|
534 when Sakura had come to her house for the first time, when Sakura
|
|
rlm@2
|
535 had first worn one of the costumes she made, the first time she’d
|
|
rlm@2
|
536 videotaped Sakura with her camcorder. She waited quietly for what
|
|
rlm@2
|
537 Syaoran would say next, but nothing came. Cautiously, she opened
|
|
rlm@2
|
538 her eyes and looked around. “Sakura-chan!” she yelled, catching a
|
|
rlm@2
|
539 glimpse of the brown haired girl. Forcing herself to her feet, she
|
|
rlm@2
|
540 couldn’t help but smile as she ran to her friend. She stopped dead
|
|
rlm@2
|
541 in her tracks, her eyes growing wide, when she saw Syaoran
|
|
rlm@2
|
542 standing behind her.
|
|
rlm@2
|
543 Tomoyo’s spirits sank as the two kissed. Somewhere, in
|
|
rlm@2
|
544 the back of her mind she could hear someone scream, “NO!” She
|
|
rlm@2
|
545 shut her eyes, wishing the vision would disappear, but it remained
|
|
rlm@2
|
546 when she looked again. She took a few slow steps towards them,
|
|
rlm@2
|
547 her heart aching with each step. “Sakura-chan…. I’m… I’m happy
|
|
rlm@2
|
548 for you,” she said quietly. Sakura looked directly at her, giving her
|
|
rlm@2
|
549 an icy stare that chilled Tomoyo to the bone. “Sakura-chan?” she
|
|
rlm@2
|
550 asked weakly, “Why?”
|
|
rlm@2
|
551 Sakura didn’t find her worthy of her notice as she bestowed
|
|
rlm@2
|
552 all her attention on Syaoran. The two shared a deep kiss, ignoring
|
|
rlm@2
|
553 the forlorn Tomoyo, as if she had simply ceased to exist.
|
|
rlm@2
|
554 Dropping to her already scratched knees, Tomoyo’s small
|
|
rlm@2
|
555 body was wracked with sobs. “Sakura-chan….”, she whimpered,
|
|
rlm@2
|
556 clutching her stomach. She couldn’t bear it. Why was this
|
|
rlm@2
|
557 happening? Glancing back up, Tomoyo saw things had changed.
|
|
rlm@2
|
558 Sakura was wearing a wedding dress and Syaoran a tuxedo. A stab
|
|
rlm@2
|
559 of pain shot through Tomoyo’s heart. Sakura had promised her
|
|
rlm@2
|
560 that she could make her wedding dress when they day finally
|
|
rlm@2
|
561 came, but that wasn’t anything she’d make for Sakura. Looking
|
|
rlm@2
|
562 through her tear blurred vision, she could see her camcorder
|
|
rlm@2
|
563 smashed on the floor near them, the film pulled out. Blinking back
|
|
rlm@2
|
564 her tears, Tomoyo could see things had shifted once again. Sakura
|
|
rlm@2
|
565 now held a baby. Sakura and Syaoran’s baby.
|
|
rlm@2
|
566 Unable to stand watching anymore, Tomoyo struggled to
|
|
rlm@2
|
567 her feet. She stumbled away from the scene, half delirious from
|
|
rlm@2
|
568 the power of the Card and her visions. “You don’t need me
|
|
rlm@2
|
569 anymore, do you, Sakura-chan?” she asked the thin air. Again,
|
|
rlm@2
|
570 from somewhere, came the same scream of “No!” Had she
|
|
rlm@2
|
571 dreamed it? Tomoyo felt numb all over. Nothing seemed to
|
|
rlm@2
|
572 matter anymore. The person that mattered most didn’t care about
|
|
rlm@2
|
573 her at all. And she’d lost to Syaoran. She felt… jealous of him.
|
|
rlm@2
|
574 She wished she could be the one to make Sakura that happy. She
|
|
rlm@2
|
575 just prayed Sakura would always be happy as she stepped up on
|
|
rlm@2
|
576 the ledge of the rooftop. “You don’t need me anymore, Sakura-
|
|
rlm@2
|
577 chan. You don’t even want me as a friend. But you’re happy.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
578 She smiled sadly, blinded by her tears. “I’m glad. I’m glad that
|
|
rlm@2
|
579 Sakura-chan is happy. Please stay that way, Sakura-chan. I love
|
|
rlm@2
|
580 you. Forever. Maybe I can be your guardian angel,” she added
|
|
rlm@2
|
581 hopefully. With that, Tomoyo stepped off the ledge into
|
|
rlm@2
|
582 nothingness. She kept her eyes shut tight as the ground raced to
|
|
rlm@2
|
583 meet her.
|
|
rlm@2
|
584
|
|
rlm@2
|
585 Syaoran watched, shocked by the sudden turn of events.
|
|
rlm@2
|
586 He’d intended to make his point clear with Tomoyo, that she never
|
|
rlm@2
|
587 get in his way with Sakura, but she had turned suddenly and started
|
|
rlm@2
|
588 looking off at something only she could see. After talking to
|
|
rlm@2
|
589 herself, the dark haired girl had thrown herself off the rooftop. The
|
|
rlm@2
|
590 screams of the Seal Beast had surprised him, but Syaoran couldn’t
|
|
rlm@2
|
591 locate the magical animal no matter where he looked. He blinked
|
|
rlm@2
|
592 several times, still confused, and unsure about what had just
|
|
rlm@2
|
593 happened. “At least she won’t get in my way anymore,” he said to
|
|
rlm@2
|
594 no one in particular.
|
|
rlm@2
|
595
|
|
rlm@2
|
596 The world seemed to slow as a small dark haired girl
|
|
rlm@2
|
597 plummeted through the air. Further and further she went, the brief
|
|
rlm@2
|
598 amount of time slowing to a near stop for the girl as everything
|
|
rlm@2
|
599 seemed to move in slow motion. “Sakura-chan...” she whispered,
|
|
rlm@2
|
600 one last time, her eyes shut tight. Her heart felt as if it had been
|
|
rlm@2
|
601 ripped out of her chest. Her whole world, her whole reason to live,
|
|
rlm@2
|
602 had been crushed in the matter of minutes. She was looking
|
|
rlm@2
|
603 forward to an end to her pain, to the end of her torment, to
|
|
rlm@2
|
604 oblivion. And Sakura, her dear Sakura, would be happy.
|
|
rlm@2
|
605 A sudden impact shocked Tomoya back from her thoughts
|
|
rlm@2
|
606 and her fall was suddenly interrupted as two arms wrapped around
|
|
rlm@2
|
607 her tightly, fumbling desperately to hold on to her, gripping her
|
|
rlm@2
|
608 like a pair of steel bars. “Tomoyo-chan!” a voice cried in terror,
|
|
rlm@2
|
609 over and over in a hysterical pitch. Her mind wondered what was
|
|
rlm@2
|
610 happening, as the wind on her face gave her the impression of
|
|
rlm@2
|
611 climbing upwards. The voice, close to her ear and frantically
|
|
rlm@2
|
612 calling her name, was Sakura’s. Tomoyo could feel her friend’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
613 breathing coming in a labored pant as they raced skyward.
|
|
rlm@2
|
614 Opening her eyes slowly, Tomoyo blinked several times in
|
|
rlm@2
|
615 confusion. Wasn’t she supposed to be dead by now? She took a
|
|
rlm@2
|
616 second to glance around, and found herself in the arms of the Card
|
|
rlm@2
|
617 Mistress, whose wings were working hard to finish the arc of
|
|
rlm@2
|
618 Saukar’s dive. Seconds later Saukar touched down on a rooftop,
|
|
rlm@2
|
619 deposited Tomoyo on her feet and dropped to her hands and knees
|
|
rlm@2
|
620 beside the dark haired girl.
|
|
rlm@2
|
621 Maybe she was dead, Tomoyo thought. Maybe this was
|
|
rlm@2
|
622 heaven. “Sakura-chan? Why? Why did you save me, Sakura-
|
|
rlm@2
|
623 chan?” Tomoyo asked, her mind reeling. “I did this for you.
|
|
rlm@2
|
624 You’re happy. That’s all I wanted. You didn’t need me anymore.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
625 “No, Tomoyo-chan.” Sakura heaved herself into a kneeling
|
|
rlm@2
|
626 position, her hands clutching for the small girl. She embraced her
|
|
rlm@2
|
627 friend, crushing her to her chest, “I always need you,” she sobbed,
|
|
rlm@2
|
628 “You’re my best friend. You mean so much to me. I don’t know
|
|
rlm@2
|
629 what I’d do if you were gone.” She blinked back the stinging tears
|
|
rlm@2
|
630 in her eyes as she looked up at the dark haired girl. Her body felt
|
|
rlm@2
|
631 cold all over from the recent shock.
|
|
rlm@2
|
632 “But, Sakura-chan, you… I would only get in the way.
|
|
rlm@2
|
633 You aren’t even happy as friends anymore. You have what you
|
|
rlm@2
|
634 want. I hope you and Li-kun are very happy.” Tomoyo mustered a
|
|
rlm@2
|
635 pained smile before turning away.
|
|
rlm@2
|
636 Sakura bolted to her feet and seizing her friend, shook her
|
|
rlm@2
|
637 hard. “No! Tomoyo-chan, listen to me, it’s the Clow Card. The
|
|
rlm@2
|
638 Jealousy Card it’s still affecting you! We’re best friends, nothing
|
|
rlm@2
|
639 will ever change that. I know you want me to be happy, but losing
|
|
rlm@2
|
640 you would definitely not make me happy. And I want you to be
|
|
rlm@2
|
641 happy, too.” The Card Mistress sighed, looking deeply into
|
|
rlm@2
|
642 Tomoyo’s stormy blue eyes. “Tomoyo-chan, you have to fight this.
|
|
rlm@2
|
643 Please? For me?”
|
|
rlm@2
|
644 Tomoyo held her head, confusion flooding her mind.
|
|
rlm@2
|
645 Glancing towards the roof’s edge, to Sakura and back, she
|
|
rlm@2
|
646 shuddered, unsure of herself. Finally giving out a small cry,
|
|
rlm@2
|
647 Tomoyo threw herself into Sakura’s arms. “Oh, Sakura-chan, I’m
|
|
rlm@2
|
648 so sorry….” The dark haired girl sobbed. “I just… I thought you
|
|
rlm@2
|
649 hated me… that you didn’t need me anymore… and that you were
|
|
rlm@2
|
650 happy with, with… him…” Her sobs overwhelmed her and she
|
|
rlm@2
|
651 feel silent, leaning heavily against Sakura.
|
|
rlm@2
|
652 “Tomoyo-chan, it’s going to be okay,” Sakura said
|
|
rlm@2
|
653 soothingly, hugging the limp girl close to her. Tomoyo’s hot tears
|
|
rlm@2
|
654 rolled onto her shoulder, soaking into the cloth of her pajamas.
|
|
rlm@2
|
655 “It’s just the Card. I could never hate you, Tomoyo-chan. You
|
|
rlm@2
|
656 know that. You’re my very important person.” For a second,
|
|
rlm@2
|
657 Sakura wondered where she had heard that before, but she quickly
|
|
rlm@2
|
658 shrugged it off, not having time to worry about it. “Please,
|
|
rlm@2
|
659 Tomoyo-chan, don’t cry. It’s alright now.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
660 The dark haired girl took another shuddering breath before
|
|
rlm@2
|
661 standing up on her own. “Thank you, Sakura-chan.” A small,
|
|
rlm@2
|
662 genuine smile formed on her soft lips. “I always knew you would
|
|
rlm@2
|
663 come save me if anything happened.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
664 Sakura smiled back, relief filling her soul. “Of course I
|
|
rlm@2
|
665 would, Tomoyo-chan. I’m not about to let you get hurt by
|
|
rlm@2
|
666 something like this. Or anything, for that matter. I don’t want to
|
|
rlm@2
|
667 see you hurt, Tomoyo-chan.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
668 Before the Card Mistress could think to ask Tomoyo if she
|
|
rlm@2
|
669 was ready to go home, a sword slashed the air between both girls.
|
|
rlm@2
|
670 Tomoyo gasped and Sakura jumped back, her staff in hand. She
|
|
rlm@2
|
671 got ready to get a Card out just in case. Between them stood
|
|
rlm@2
|
672 Syaoran, hatred and jealousy flaring in his eyes. “Li-kun!? Fight it,
|
|
rlm@2
|
673 Li-kun! It’s just the Jealousy Card affecting you.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
674 “Fight what?” Syaoran spat angrily. “I saw the two of you.
|
|
rlm@2
|
675 She’s trying to steal you from me. She’s trying to get in the way.
|
|
rlm@2
|
676 To come between us!” Raising the sword, he swiped at a stunned
|
|
rlm@2
|
677 Tomoyo.
|
|
rlm@2
|
678 Sakura lunged forward, her eyes wide with fear of what he
|
|
rlm@2
|
679 might do. Her staff barely blocked his sword inches from the dark
|
|
rlm@2
|
680 haired girl. “Li-kun, don’t do this!” she pleaded as Tomoyo sank to
|
|
rlm@2
|
681 her knees.
|
|
rlm@2
|
682 He leapt backwards, landing in a fighting stance. He held
|
|
rlm@2
|
683 the sword straight up in front of him, his eyes falling closed as he
|
|
rlm@2
|
684 began to chant. Energy surrounded the blade.
|
|
rlm@2
|
685 Sakura barely had time to throw herself in the way of
|
|
rlm@2
|
686 Tomoyo when she realized what he was doing. “Shield!” she
|
|
rlm@2
|
687 yelled desperately as his attack came flying towards them. The
|
|
rlm@2
|
688 burst of lightening dissipated against Shield, leaving the two girls
|
|
rlm@2
|
689 unhurt. Sakura glanced at Tomoyo, assuring herself that her friend
|
|
rlm@2
|
690 was unharmed when another attack hit…and another and another.
|
|
rlm@2
|
691 “Li-kun! Leave her alone!” she screamed, “Don’t hurt her!!”
|
|
rlm@2
|
692 Sakura wondered how his rage could be so focused on the dark
|
|
rlm@2
|
693 haired girl behind her. “She’s never been anything but kind to
|
|
rlm@2
|
694 you!”
|
|
rlm@2
|
695 Syaoran narrowed his eyes as he began chanting again.
|
|
rlm@2
|
696 Sweeping the sword down, a burst of wind struck against Shield.
|
|
rlm@2
|
697 “How could you know?” he demanded. “She blinds you with her
|
|
rlm@2
|
698 hero worship, but she keeps coming between us. She’s why you
|
|
rlm@2
|
699 don’t returned my feelings.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
700 ‘That’s what this is all about isn’t it?’ Sakura asked herself
|
|
rlm@2
|
701 as she braced herself for his next attack. ‘They both… They’re
|
|
rlm@2
|
702 both in love with me.” Then the realization struck her with the
|
|
rlm@2
|
703 force of an express train. It was Sakura herself that had created the
|
|
rlm@2
|
704 problem, literally! As Card Mistress her feelings and desire were
|
|
rlm@2
|
705 made manifest in the form of Cards. Somehow she had created the
|
|
rlm@2
|
706 Jealousy Card without even thinking about it. That’s how Jealousy
|
|
rlm@2
|
707 got to them both so easily, and so strongly! ‘This is all my fault.’
|
|
rlm@2
|
708 “Stop this!” the Card Mistress yelled.
|
|
rlm@2
|
709 Turning to face him as she rose, Sakura pulled out Windy
|
|
rlm@2
|
710 and sent it spilling before her. “Bind Li-kun!” she yelled, bringing
|
|
rlm@2
|
711 the Key down on the Card. The resulting rush of air quickly
|
|
rlm@2
|
712 surrounded the startled boy, pinning his limbs tight against his
|
|
rlm@2
|
713 body. Sakura didn’t hesitate as she twirled the Key over head
|
|
rlm@2
|
714 again, Windy almost drowning out her command “…Sakura
|
|
rlm@2
|
715 Card!” The Card Mistress brought the Wand down on the softly
|
|
rlm@2
|
716 glowing green dot within the rushing wind. The Jealously Card
|
|
rlm@2
|
717 lifted out of Windy and floated to her waiting hand.
|
|
rlm@2
|
718 For a moment, the only sound that could be heard was the
|
|
rlm@2
|
719 wind rustling past them. Sakura recalled Windy and turned to face
|
|
rlm@2
|
720 Syaoran, hoping the danger was now over. Utter silence claimed
|
|
rlm@2
|
721 the rooftop for a moment. Then the clatter of Syaoran’s sword
|
|
rlm@2
|
722 against the roof broke the silence. His mind started to clear from
|
|
rlm@2
|
723 the haze of jealousy the Card had managed to place over him.
|
|
rlm@2
|
724 “Sakura” he stammered, his faced blossoming to a brilliant
|
|
rlm@2
|
725 crimson, “... I… I don’t know how I… I don’t know what to say…
|
|
rlm@2
|
726 I’m… I’m sorry.” He lowered his head.
|
|
rlm@2
|
727 Sakura let Shield fade away, but remained standing
|
|
rlm@2
|
728 protectively in front of Tomoyo. “I’m not the one you intended to
|
|
rlm@2
|
729 kill,” she said quietly. A second silence descended, this one
|
|
rlm@2
|
730 fraught with embarrassment. Sakura looked at her friends and
|
|
rlm@2
|
731 came to a decision.
|
|
rlm@2
|
732 “Fine,” she said, almost to herself. She was tired of
|
|
rlm@2
|
733 fighting. Tomoyo and Syaoran looked back at her quizzically,
|
|
rlm@2
|
734 wondering what she meant. “Fine. You both want to know who I
|
|
rlm@2
|
735 love, don’t you? Stop this, then. I care too much about both of
|
|
rlm@2
|
736 you to watch either of you get hurt. The Jealousy Card was using
|
|
rlm@2
|
737 both of you. And it’s because of me, because of your feelings for
|
|
rlm@2
|
738 me! It’s still getting to you both because of me. So I want to put
|
|
rlm@2
|
739 an end to this.” Sakura took a deep breath before continuing. “I
|
|
rlm@2
|
740 will make my decision tonight. I’ll tell you both tomorrow the one
|
|
rlm@2
|
741 who I love.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
742 Syaoran looked up at her, his face still scarlet, “Tomorrow
|
|
rlm@2
|
743 you’ll….”
|
|
rlm@2
|
744 Sakura nodded, cutting him off. “Hai. Tomorrow I’ll tell
|
|
rlm@2
|
745 you both which one I’m in love with.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
746 Bending down, Syaoran retrieved his sword from where it
|
|
rlm@2
|
747 had landed. Without a word he turned and leapt into the darkness.
|
|
rlm@2
|
748 As soon as he left, Sakura collapsed to her hands and
|
|
rlm@2
|
749 knees. The battle, the Card, and her own nervousness about what
|
|
rlm@2
|
750 had happened earlier that day had finally taken their toll. She
|
|
rlm@2
|
751 glanced over when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. She saw
|
|
rlm@2
|
752 Tomoyo’s concerned face looking back down at her. Before the
|
|
rlm@2
|
753 dark haired girl could say anything, Sakura threw her arms around
|
|
rlm@2
|
754 her friend with a tearful howl. “Tomoyo-chan! Oh God, I almost
|
|
rlm@2
|
755 lost you so many times tonight. You had me so worried. I’m so
|
|
rlm@2
|
756 sorry you got dragged into all this. If I hadn’t called you, none of
|
|
rlm@2
|
757 this would have happened.” She gently rocked back and forth,
|
|
rlm@2
|
758 cradling the dark haired girl against her.
|
|
rlm@2
|
759 Tomoyo sighed softly. She liked having the other girl so
|
|
rlm@2
|
760 protective of her, but she hated seeing Sakura so worried about
|
|
rlm@2
|
761 things. “Sakura-chan, I’m fine. It’s all over now.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
762 Sakura scrubbed her face with a free hand, trying to dry the
|
|
rlm@2
|
763 tears that continued to threaten. She untangled her arms from her
|
|
rlm@2
|
764 friend’s neck. Using her wand to help her weary body stand
|
|
rlm@2
|
765 upright, Sakura looked out at the dark night sky. “No. Not yet. I
|
|
rlm@2
|
766 still have to find out who I…” She blushed at the thought. In her
|
|
rlm@2
|
767 mind she could see the boy who had been her rival, but had turned
|
|
rlm@2
|
768 out to be her greatest help with the Clow Cards. She could also see
|
|
rlm@2
|
769 her best friend, the girl that had always been there for her. She let
|
|
rlm@2
|
770 her head drop sadly. She had no idea how she’d make a decision
|
|
rlm@2
|
771 by the next morning.
|
|
rlm@2
|
772 “Sakura-chan,” Tomoyo said softly, her voice barely above
|
|
rlm@2
|
773 a whisper. Sakura looked so fragile standing there. “Sakura-chan,
|
|
rlm@2
|
774 please don’t worry too much about tomorrow. Just make the
|
|
rlm@2
|
775 decision that will make you happy.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
776 Sakura turned back to her skeptically. “And I won’t have to
|
|
rlm@2
|
777 go rescuing you from jumping off buildings if it’s Li-kun?”
|
|
rlm@2
|
778 Tomoyo shook her head. “You said we’ll always be
|
|
rlm@2
|
779 friends, remember? That’s all I need. It’s what makes me happy.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
780 Smiling a little, Sakura felt her spirits lifting. “Thanks,
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rlm@2
|
781 Tomoyo-chan. We will always be friends,” she reconfirmed, “It
|
|
rlm@2
|
782 makes me happy too.”
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|
rlm@2
|
783 “No matter who you choose tomorrow, I’ll always be there
|
|
rlm@2
|
784 for you, Sakura-chan. And I’ll always love you.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
785 Sakura felt her cheeks burn as she blushed. She was still
|
|
rlm@2
|
786 nervous about the idea that her best friend could be in love with
|
|
rlm@2
|
787 her. But, putting that aside she invoked Fly, unfolded her wings
|
|
rlm@2
|
788 and turned towards Tomoyo. “Are you ready to go home?”
|
|
rlm@2
|
789 “Hai, Sakura-chan.” Tomoyo smiled.
|
|
rlm@2
|
790 “I’m so tired, but I doubt I’ll be getting any sleep tonight.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
791 Sakura sighed and lifted off into the sky.
|
|
rlm@2
|
792
|
|
rlm@2
|
793 Once Sakura had left Tomoyo on the terrace outside her
|
|
rlm@2
|
794 bedroom the Card Captor rose and allowed herself to drift. Kero-
|
|
rlm@2
|
795 chan was still missing, but she had more on her mind than the Seal
|
|
rlm@2
|
796 Beast, who was more than capable of taking care of himself. With
|
|
rlm@2
|
797 a soulful sigh she glanced down at the town, with its the clock
|
|
rlm@2
|
798 tower silhouetted against the moon. The clock proclaimed the
|
|
rlm@2
|
799 hour to be 1 AM. Morning already, Sakura realized with a sigh.
|
|
rlm@2
|
800 With a thought the Sakura Cards in her pocket floated into
|
|
rlm@2
|
801 the air, forming a circle around her. She felt their presence, their
|
|
rlm@2
|
802 love for her, and she drew comfort from it. It was a warm feeling.
|
|
rlm@2
|
803 Like when she had her arms around Tomoyo-chan.
|
|
rlm@2
|
804 She paused mentally.
|
|
rlm@2
|
805 No, not like it. It was different. It lacked a sort of
|
|
rlm@2
|
806 excitement. There was more to the feeling of comfort she had
|
|
rlm@2
|
807 when she had hugged her friend. Sakura’s mind raced away,
|
|
rlm@2
|
808 trying to put into words the feeling that was suddenly so very
|
|
rlm@2
|
809 important. But try as she might she could not find an expression
|
|
rlm@2
|
810 for that feeling.
|
|
rlm@2
|
811 With a thought her wings vanished and she began to fall.
|
|
rlm@2
|
812 “Float!” she cried over the wind, and didn’t wait for the
|
|
rlm@2
|
813 Card to answer her command before she turned in the circle of
|
|
rlm@2
|
814 Cards, looking for the one she wanted.
|
|
rlm@2
|
815 “Illusion!” she yelled, as the wand came down on the Card
|
|
rlm@2
|
816 named. “Show me my heart’s desire.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
817 Even as she said it she knew she was cheating, but her
|
|
rlm@2
|
818 mind, exhausted from the earlier battle, and everything else, was
|
|
rlm@2
|
819 becoming desperate. She could fly around all night waiting for the
|
|
rlm@2
|
820 lightening bolt that was Tomoyo-chan to strike her…
|
|
rlm@2
|
821 Sakura sat down hard, in midair, as the air left her body.
|
|
rlm@2
|
822 She drew a deep breath, her eyes fighting to focus. She sat stunned
|
|
rlm@2
|
823 for a long moment, trying to mentally collect herself. Before her
|
|
rlm@2
|
824 Illusion was beginning to take form, but she no longer cared to
|
|
rlm@2
|
825 wait for the outcome. Recalling the Cards she resumed her wings
|
|
rlm@2
|
826 and flew as quickly as possible back the way she came.
|
|
rlm@2
|
827
|
|
rlm@2
|
828 Tomoyo stood right where Sakura had left her. Her hands
|
|
rlm@2
|
829 were pressed to her chest, and her eyes, watching the sky. At first
|
|
rlm@2
|
830 Sakura was unsure that her friend had seen her return, but as she
|
|
rlm@2
|
831 alighted Tomoyo turned her face towards the Card Mistress. She
|
|
rlm@2
|
832 bore a look of serene peace that lifted some massive, unknown,
|
|
rlm@2
|
833 weight off of Sakura’s shoulders. Neither one spoke. Sakura felt
|
|
rlm@2
|
834 her wings fade and the weight of the charm around her neck.
|
|
rlm@2
|
835 Silently she walked to her friend, who stood unmoving and
|
|
rlm@2
|
836 watchful. When they where within inches of each other Sakura
|
|
rlm@2
|
837 stopped, and stood swaying for a moment. Slowly she sank to her
|
|
rlm@2
|
838 knees and slipped her arms around Tomoyo’s small waist.
|
|
rlm@2
|
839 Tomoyo’s head fell back as she awaited the words that would
|
|
rlm@2
|
840 transform her life. Sakura, her head pressed against her friend’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
841 hip, allowed her mind to express the feelings it couldn’t before.
|
|
rlm@2
|
842 “It’s you,” she whispered.
|
|
rlm@2
|
843 Tomoyo’s eyes rolled closed, tears spilling onto her cheeks.
|
|
rlm@2
|
844 “It’s you,” Sakura repeated, no longer surprised. “It will
|
|
rlm@2
|
845 always be you, it has always s been you.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
846 Tomoyo’s fingers unlaced themselves and found a new
|
|
rlm@2
|
847 home in Sakura’s hair. At the contact Sakura looked up at her
|
|
rlm@2
|
848 newly discovered lover. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she wondered
|
|
rlm@2
|
849 aloud.
|
|
rlm@2
|
850 Tomoyo lowered her head to face her friend. She smiled
|
|
rlm@2
|
851 through her tears, “You needed to learn for yourself,” was the
|
|
rlm@2
|
852 whispered reply.
|
|
rlm@2
|
853 “Are you sorry it took me so long to realize?”
|
|
rlm@2
|
854 A sad smile played on the dark haired girl’s lips, her voice
|
|
rlm@2
|
855 was a mere sigh, “I was willing to wait a lifetime for you…
|
|
rlm@2
|
856 Sakura.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
857
|
|
rlm@2
|
858 Kero-chan stood in the air before Li. They had both seen
|
|
rlm@2
|
859 everything that happened, and now Kero-chan was ready to defend
|
|
rlm@2
|
860 the lovers if the need arose. Li watched them for several long
|
|
rlm@2
|
861 minutes before he tore his eyes away to look at the Seal Beast.
|
|
rlm@2
|
862 “I’ve lost,” he whispered, “… everything. The Cards, the
|
|
rlm@2
|
863 girl I love… everything.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
864 Kero-chan’s tail whipped menacingly, “And what are you
|
|
rlm@2
|
865 going to do?”
|
|
rlm@2
|
866 Li frowned. “Do you think I would attack them?” he
|
|
rlm@2
|
867 asked, in a sort of shocked anger.
|
|
rlm@2
|
868 Kero-chan allowed his silence to speak for him. Li turned
|
|
rlm@2
|
869 his back on the scene and disappeared into the night.
|
|
rlm@2
|
870
|
|
rlm@2
|
871
|
|
rlm@2
|
872 The day dawned crystal clear and Sakura was out early. It
|
|
rlm@2
|
873 was her morning to clean the classroom, and she knew Tomoyo-
|
|
rlm@2
|
874 chan would be waiting for her.
|
|
rlm@2
|
875 It had been a week since they had come together as a
|
|
rlm@2
|
876 couple. ‘One week, six hours and 15 minutes,’ Sakura thought as
|
|
rlm@2
|
877 she pushed herself harder, racing the clock for extra seconds in the
|
|
rlm@2
|
878 company of her friend. More than friend, she corrected herself
|
|
rlm@2
|
879 with a smile. As she rollerbladed, she relived, for the thousandth
|
|
rlm@2
|
880 time, the feeling of Tomoyo’s hands on her as the dark haired girl
|
|
rlm@2
|
881 helped her to rise from her position of worship at her friend’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
882 waist. Felt, again, as Tomoyo’s hands gathered her own, and then
|
|
rlm@2
|
883 drew her into the dark bedroom. Sakura had wanted, so much, and
|
|
rlm@2
|
884 had slept, so long! She blushed, even now, thinking of it. Not a
|
|
rlm@2
|
885 good opening for a lifetime together, she mused, but Tomoyo
|
|
rlm@2
|
886 didn’t seem to mind.
|
|
rlm@2
|
887 As she came within sight of the school Sakura could make
|
|
rlm@2
|
888 out the form of Tomoyo waiting for her near the gate. She raised
|
|
rlm@2
|
889 her hand and waved wildly, the joy in her heart becoming one
|
|
rlm@2
|
890 thought, one word…
|
|
rlm@2
|
891 “Tomoyo-chan!”
|
|
rlm@2
|
892
|
|
rlm@2
|
893
|
|
rlm@2
|
894
|
|
rlm@2
|
895
|
|
rlm@2
|
896
|
|
rlm@2
|
897
|
