Mercurial > moonlitnights
comparison old/stories/thejealousycard.txt @ 2:fc00894c1d4a moonlitnights
[svn r3] moved all the bad stuff to 'old'
| author | rlm |
|---|---|
| date | Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:53:12 -0500 |
| parents | |
| children |
comparison
equal
deleted
inserted
replaced
| 1:dbe144217c71 | 2:fc00894c1d4a |
|---|---|
| 1 | |
| 2 | |
| 3 | |
| 4 The Jealousy Card: | |
| 5 | |
| 6 By Stirling Twilight and Amazoness Duo | |
| 7 stirling_9@hotmail.com | |
| 8 amazonessduo@hotmail.com | |
| 9 | |
| 10 Sakura took a deep breath of fresh air as she started | |
| 11 rollerblading down the street. It was a beautiful day, and the sun | |
| 12 was shining brightly. A soft breeze gently blew over her as she | |
| 13 made her way to school. She blushed lightly at the thought of | |
| 14 Yukito waiting where he usually did before school. Sighing, she | |
| 15 felt a pang of sadness at the thought of who he was waiting for. | |
| 16 She slowed down, finally coming to a stop, as her brother rode by | |
| 17 on his bike. As long as he was happy, right? Tomoyo had once | |
| 18 told her that what really mattered was that the one you loved was | |
| 19 happy, even if they weren’t with you. | |
| 20 Waiting a few moments to make sure her brother and Yukito | |
| 21 were well on their way, Sakura started rollerblading again, a little | |
| 22 slower this time. She was glad Yukito had found love, but would | |
| 23 she ever find it herself? She had thought she loved the older boy, | |
| 24 but after her talk with him, she wasn't so sure anymore. He had | |
| 25 told her that her feelings for him were like the ones she had for her | |
| 26 father. Oddly enough, besides short bouts of sadness over him, she | |
| 27 seemed to be doing pretty well. Maybe she was just being mature | |
| 28 about it. But could there be something else to it? Could it be that | |
| 29 maybe she was falling for someone else? Thinking for a moment, | |
| 30 Sakura tried to figure who such a person could possibly be, but | |
| 31 ended up dismissing the idea. She was happy for Yukito, Sakura | |
| 32 decided, and that was all. | |
| 33 Her spirits noticeably higher, Sakura flashed a smile at the dark- | |
| 34 haired girl waiting for her at the front gate of their school. "Hi, | |
| 35 Tomoyo-chan!" she said, skidding to a stop in front of her best | |
| 36 friend. | |
| 37 "Ohayo gozaimasu, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo said happily. "How | |
| 38 did you sleep last night?" | |
| 39 "Pretty well. I had a strange dream, but I can't remember it | |
| 40 now. You were in it. And Li-kun. And I was worried about you | |
| 41 for some reason," Sakura trailed off, trying to remember more of | |
| 42 her dream. | |
| 43 "I'm very glad I was in your dreams, Sakura-chan, but don't be | |
| 44 worried about me," Tomoyo said thoughtfully. "It was just a | |
| 45 dream. And, in any case, worrying about it won't do any good. You | |
| 46 should try to relax." | |
| 47 "You're right," Sakura agreed. "I wish I could remember the rest | |
| 48 of it, though. I feel like I’ve forgotten an important warning about | |
| 49 something. Like it was a premonition." She pulled off her | |
| 50 rollerblades along with the rest of her protective gear. Standing | |
| 51 back up, she walked side by side with Tomoyo towards their | |
| 52 classroom. | |
| 53 "If your dream was a warning about something, I'm certain that | |
| 54 you will eventually figure it out," Tomoyo said with a reassuring | |
| 55 smile. | |
| 56 Sakura found herself smiling back. 'I always do feel better after | |
| 57 talking to Tomoyo,' she thought to herself. "Thank you, Tomoyo- | |
| 58 chan." | |
| 59 "Whenever you want to talk, Sakura-chan, I’m always here for | |
| 60 you. I love talking to you, and if it helps you, I'm happy." Tomoyo | |
| 61 took her seat next to Sakura's and started pulling out what she | |
| 62 would need for class from her backpack. | |
| 63 Sitting down in her desk, Sakura grinned to herself. She felt a | |
| 64 lot better about things now. She wasn't worrying about her dream | |
| 65 or her sadness over Yukito for the moment. Looking through the | |
| 66 window, she watched the late students getting to school. She | |
| 67 closed her eyes, basking in the warm sunlight as she waited for | |
| 68 class to begin. This day could be a good one after all. | |
| 69 | |
| 70 "How does this look?" Tomoyo asked tentatively as she handed | |
| 71 Sakura a sheet of paper from her notebook. Sakura carefully took | |
| 72 the paper, finishing up another bite of her lunch at the same time. | |
| 73 She sweatdropped when she saw the sketch of herself in a costume. | |
| 74 There were several different views to show the whole costume, | |
| 75 including the large bow in back. "What do you think?" | |
| 76 "It's... nice," Sakura said, not quite knowing what else to say. | |
| 77 "I think it would look really cute on you, Sakura-chan." | |
| 78 Tomoyo grew starry eyed as she blushed at she thought of Sakura | |
| 79 in the finished costume. "Do you think it could use more lace?" | |
| 80 "No, no, I think it's fine the way it is," Sakura said hastily. Her | |
| 81 troubles with wild Clow Cards had ended when she became the | |
| 82 Card Mistress, and now with things settling down after Eriol, there | |
| 83 really wasn't much of a need for her to go out as a Card Captor | |
| 84 anymore. But Tomoyo still made plenty of costumes for her, | |
| 85 getting Sakura to come over to her house and try them on so the | |
| 86 dark-haired girl could at least videotape her in them. She was | |
| 87 happy to humor the dark haired girl, even if it was a bit strange | |
| 88 wearing all the different costumes. Tomoyo seemed to love | |
| 89 videotaping her in them so much that it was the least she could do | |
| 90 for all the help and friendship the dark haired girl had given her. | |
| 91 "Every time I finish a new costume, when I look at it, I get the | |
| 92 feeling that something isn't right. It doesn't seem really finished. | |
| 93 But when I finally see you wearing it, Sakura-chan, it's like the last | |
| 94 piece of a puzzle has fallen into place. You complete them." | |
| 95 You complete me, Tomoyo wanted to add. | |
| 96 Sakura blushed as Tomoyo smiled gently at her. For a second, it | |
| 97 felt like she and Tomoyo were the only ones there. The feeling | |
| 98 slowly faded and Sakura noticed all her classmates busily chatting | |
| 99 through lunch. She wasn't sure if she was relieved or saddened that | |
| 100 the moment had ended so quickly. | |
| 101 "I'll start working on this one when I get home," Tomoyo | |
| 102 finished. Her head tilted to the side, a worried look spreading over | |
| 103 her face. "Sakura-chan, are you alright?" | |
| 104 "Hai… I'm fine," Sakura said, laughing nervously. For some | |
| 105 reason, she felt awkward all of a sudden. Glancing around a bit | |
| 106 while she ate some more of her lunch, she noticed Syaoran walking | |
| 107 by, on his own as he often was. "Li-kun! Why don't you have lunch | |
| 108 with us?" she asked happily. Syaoran paused for a moment before | |
| 109 accepting, sitting beside the two girls. | |
| 110 "I really hope we don't have much homework tonight," Sakura | |
| 111 said conversationally. "It's my night to make dinner." | |
| 112 "I hope so, too. If you need to pick up ingredients or anything, I | |
| 113 could come with you before you go home," Tomoyo offered | |
| 114 helpfully. | |
| 115 Sakura smiled at her. "Thanks, Tomoyo-chan. I don't think I | |
| 116 need anything, though." She placed a hand on her chin, trying to | |
| 117 make sure. | |
| 118 "Sakura..." Syaoran interrupted. | |
| 119 "Hoe?" Sakura turned to Syaoran who was now staring straight | |
| 120 ahead. Tomoyo turned to look at him as well, putting aside the | |
| 121 sketches. | |
| 122 "There's something I want to tell you," Syaoran said slowly. He | |
| 123 was really nervous, even though he'd probably never admit it to | |
| 124 himself. | |
| 125 "What is it?" Sakura asked curiously. Tomoyo smiled at him, | |
| 126 knowing what it was that he wanted to say. She nodded slightly, as | |
| 127 if urging him to go on. | |
| 128 "I... I..." | |
| 129 "Syaoran-kun, are you feeling okay?" Sakura asked worriedly. | |
| 130 "It's about Sakura-chan, right, Li-kun?" Tomoyo suggested | |
| 131 gently, trying to help him along. | |
| 132 Syaoran nodded emphatically. Sakura looked more and more | |
| 133 interested as she waited to hear what he had to say. | |
| 134 Syaoran rounded on Tomoyo and asked her pointedly, | |
| 135 “Can you go?” He wanted to be alone with Sakura if he was going | |
| 136 to tell her. | |
| 137 The dark haired girl smiled and nodded. Picking up her | |
| 138 notebook, she walked over to a nearby tree. She felt almost as | |
| 139 nervous inside as the Chinese boy. This was it. He would finally | |
| 140 tell Sakura, wouldn’t he? Maybe it was about time she did as | |
| 141 well… | |
| 142 Syaoran watched her go before turning back, to meet the green | |
| 143 eyes that were watching him in confusion. He gathered his breath | |
| 144 and in one long exhale managed to force out, "I... I... I like you!" | |
| 145 Sakura blinked in confusion several times. "You what?" | |
| 146 Syaoran stood up, made an obvious effort to composes himself, | |
| 147 lost the battle and made a hasty retreat back towards the classroom. | |
| 148 He nearly bumped into Naoko in his hurry. | |
| 149 "What did he mean?" Sakura asked aloud. She just couldn't | |
| 150 figure out what on earth Syaoran was trying to do, telling her that | |
| 151 he liked her and then running away. | |
| 152 Tomoyo leaned towards her, having returned unnoticed. | |
| 153 "I think Li-kun was trying to say that he loves you," Tomoyo | |
| 154 explained in a soft whisper. | |
| 155 Sakura's face turned a deep shade of crimson as realization hit. | |
| 156 She opened her mouth and tried to speak, but nothing came out. | |
| 157 After a few false starts she finally got out, "But... but... how?" | |
| 158 Tomoyo smiled brightly at her friend. "That's not hard, Sakura- | |
| 159 chan. It's easy to fall in love with you. It's telling you that’s the | |
| 160 hard part." Standing up as the bell rang for the end of lunch, | |
| 161 Tomoyo offered Sakura her hand. Sakura, still in shock, let the | |
| 162 other girl help her stand. She tried to walk, but stumbled a bit. | |
| 163 Tomoyo arms went gently around her waist, steadying the | |
| 164 brunette. Smiling gently, she helped her back towards the | |
| 165 classroom, not letting her own inner turmoil show. | |
| 166 | |
| 167 It was a bit colder after school, but the weather was still | |
| 168 pleasant. A gentle breeze meandered past the two girls on their | |
| 169 way home. Sakura was still having trouble coming to grips with | |
| 170 what had happened earlier with Syaoran. She was so worried, she | |
| 171 wasn't really aware of where they were going. Tomoyo was | |
| 172 silently leading her home, trying to give her best friend time to | |
| 173 think. Though it was still early in the evening, Sakura felt | |
| 174 tired, exhausted. She just wanted to lie down so that she wouldn't | |
| 175 have to think about anything. Questions kept racing through her | |
| 176 mind. How could he? Was he serious? | |
| 177 What should she do now? | |
| 178 Sakura, walking slowly, noticed all of a sudden that Tomoyo | |
| 179 wasn't at her side anymore. She turned around and saw the other | |
| 180 girl standing there, her long, dark hair | |
| 181 fluttering behind her. Sakura looked at her with surprise. Her | |
| 182 friend seemed deep in thought. | |
| 183 "Tomoyo-chan?" | |
| 184 Tomoyo looked at her, but didn't answer right away. Sakura | |
| 185 felt a pang of nervousness. It was such an unusual attitude in her | |
| 186 friend... | |
| 187 "Sakura-chan," Tomoyo said at last, startling Sakura a little, "do | |
| 188 you remember when I said that I loved you?" | |
| 189 That was an easy one, Sakura thought. Tomoyo had told her | |
| 190 that many, many times. "Un!" she nodded. | |
| 191 "You looked happy, Sakura-chan, and you said that you loved | |
| 192 me too. And I said: 'But Sakura-chan doesn't mean the same thing | |
| 193 as me.' Do you remember?" | |
| 194 Again, Sakura nodded. | |
| 195 "After that, I told you that I'd explain everything later. Isn't that | |
| 196 right?" | |
| 197 Sakura's eyes lit up with remembrance. "Oh yes, I remember! I | |
| 198 wondered so much about that, I couldn't figure what in the world | |
| 199 you were talking about." | |
| 200 Tomoyo smiled gently. "Well, I think I will tell you now, | |
| 201 Sakura-chan," she said. "Truth is, I'm a little nervous about this. I | |
| 202 don't know if the time is right, I'm not sure you will understand." | |
| 203 She paused for a moment, and then added softly, "But I'm going to | |
| 204 give it a try anyway." | |
| 205 Sakura looked at Tomoyo intently. She felt very excited all of a | |
| 206 sudden. The dark-haired girl sounded so serious it was a bit scary, | |
| 207 but an overwhelming curiosity gnawed at her. After all, she | |
| 208 thought, this was Tomoyo. Whatever she had to say, it couldn't be | |
| 209 anything bad, could it? | |
| 210 "What is it? Please, Tomoyo-chan, tell me!" Sakura begged, her | |
| 211 face bright with eagerness. | |
| 212 Tomoyo took a deep breath and slowly released it. She gazed | |
| 213 deeply into Sakura's beautiful green eyes. "Sakura-chan, we've | |
| 214 been very close for a long time now, and I want you to know that | |
| 215 you've always been the most important thing in the world to me." | |
| 216 Sakura smiled happily at her. "You are a very important friend | |
| 217 to me too, Tomoyo-chan." She let out a sigh. She was glad it | |
| 218 hadn’t been anything big. She’d had enough surprises for one day. | |
| 219 Tomoyo sweatdropped and decided to try a different approach. | |
| 220 "Whatever I do, wherever I go, I'm always thinking about you, | |
| 221 Sakura-chan. It's like..." she was having trouble finding the right | |
| 222 words. "You make me think of an angel, Sakura-chan. You are like | |
| 223 a heavenly angel sent down to this earthly realm to fill the lives of | |
| 224 humans with light. I feel like I would never be able to repay you | |
| 225 for the joy you've brought into mine. That's the way I feel, in my | |
| 226 heart, when I think about you." | |
| 227 Sakura felt a rosy blush spread all over her cheeks. She | |
| 228 lowered her gaze, forced out a shaky little laugh and rubbed the | |
| 229 back of her head. "I... I... Oh, Tomoyo-chan, it's nothing like that! I | |
| 230 mean, I'm not an angel. I'm not heavenly or anything. I'm just..." | |
| 231 Sakura paused briefly, as if gathering her thoughts, then looked | |
| 232 back up and smiled at her friend, a genuine smile this time. "You | |
| 233 say the nicest things, Tomoyo-chan. I feel all warm and mushy | |
| 234 inside when you say that kind of thing, even though I'm not the | |
| 235 way you say. Thank you so much! You're my best friend in the | |
| 236 whole wide world, and I'm really, really glad that you're happy | |
| 237 when I'm around." | |
| 238 Tomoyo sighed softly. This was sooo much harder than she | |
| 239 thought it would be. Part of her just wanted to stop, put on her | |
| 240 trademark happy smile and tell Sakura that they were late and that | |
| 241 they should be hurrying. She knew Sakura would then dismiss | |
| 242 everything Tomoyo had just said as "some more of Tomoyo's | |
| 243 weird stuff", and things | |
| 244 between them would return to normal. It would be so easy, she | |
| 245 thought, backing off and leaving love confessions for another day. | |
| 246 But she couldn't do that, not this time. | |
| 247 Not when she had already come this far. | |
| 248 "Sakura-chan," she started again, trying to find stronger words | |
| 249 to express the feelings in her heart, "I'm always happiest when | |
| 250 we’re spending time together. And whenever I'm unhappy, all I | |
| 251 have to do is think about you to feel better. When I see you | |
| 252 wearing one of the dresses I make for you, my heart feels like it's | |
| 253 going to pound out of my chest in joy. Being with you, doing | |
| 254 things with you is my idea of heaven. You mean so much to me. I | |
| 255 can't bear the thought of not being able to see you. I want to be | |
| 256 with you, always, forever." | |
| 257 Sakura blushed again, redder this time. Tomoyo was always | |
| 258 saying strange things around her, and she knew she should be used | |
| 259 to it by now, but this... this was like all of them rolled into one. She | |
| 260 wasn't sure what to say, or if she should just wait for her friend to | |
| 261 continue. | |
| 262 Tomoyo was blushing a little, too. She had said so much, and | |
| 263 yet, she could tell, just by looking at Sakura, that she still hadn't | |
| 264 gotten her point across. "I know you were surprised, today, when | |
| 265 you found out about Li-kun's love for you, but I understand his | |
| 266 feelings all too well. Since the day I met you, you have been like | |
| 267 the sun in my life, outshining everything else. Sakura-chan, cards | |
| 268 aren't the only magic you have at your command. I've been under | |
| 269 your spell for a long time." | |
| 270 Sakura didn't realize she'd been holding her breath until her | |
| 271 lungs started to ache for air. She was blushing as red as a peony | |
| 272 now, and she was starting to find it difficult to stand still. She felt | |
| 273 weak in the knees from the nervousness building up inside her. | |
| 274 "Sakura-chan, daisuki desu wa," Tomoyo declared with earnest | |
| 275 feeling, and then, before her innocent cousin could once again | |
| 276 misunderstand those three simple words, | |
| 277 she continued, "And I don't mean just as a friend. I love you so | |
| 278 much more than that. Sakura-chan, I'm in love. I'm in love with | |
| 279 you, I love you. Do you understand what I'm | |
| 280 trying to say?" Tomoyo took Sakura's hands in her own and gazed | |
| 281 again into those dazzling emerald green eyes. "I love you," she | |
| 282 repeated softly, her own stormy blue eyes trying to convey every | |
| 283 bit of the feelings inside of her. | |
| 284 "To... To... Tomoyo-chan..." Sakura barely managed to get out. | |
| 285 Her heart was thudding a mad tempo in her chest, and she was sure | |
| 286 her eyes looked like saucers. The shock of Syaoran's confession | |
| 287 felt like nothing compared to what she was feeling at this moment. | |
| 288 She had thought that, after Syaoran, nothing in the world could | |
| 289 surprise her anymore. Oh god, had she been wrong! She knew that | |
| 290 she had to say something, she could tell the other girl was waiting | |
| 291 for her to say something, but her mind had gone completely blank. | |
| 292 First Syaoran and now Tomoyo? It was too much for her. She felt | |
| 293 like her whole world had been turned upside down. | |
| 294 "Tomoyo-chan,” she stammered, “I... I... I'll talk to you later," | |
| 295 Sakura finished, a little lamely. Turning around too quickly, she | |
| 296 almost stumbled. Tomoyo's hand on her shoulder barely helped her | |
| 297 regain her balance in time. | |
| 298 Waving to Sakura while the brown-haired girl hurried off, | |
| 299 Tomoyo called, "Bye, Sakura-chan! Sleep well!" | |
| 300 Glancing over her shoulder, Sakura caught a glimpse of | |
| 301 Tomoyo's smiling face. She managed a faint smile of her own and | |
| 302 waved back weakly before turning back around. | |
| 303 Her mind felt sluggish as she tried to sort things out. | |
| 304 What was she supposed to do? Nothing in her life seemed to | |
| 305 make sense anymore. Breaking into a fast sprint after turning a | |
| 306 corner, Sakura ran all the way back home, totally unaware of the | |
| 307 fading glow that followed her. | |
| 308 | |
| 309 “Oh, so the monster’s home,” Touya said conversationally as | |
| 310 her heard Sakura come | |
| 311 in through the front door. He put down the job ads he’d been | |
| 312 reading, ready to see his | |
| 313 sister’s angry face. He was shocked to see her disappearing up the | |
| 314 stairs. “Sakura?” The | |
| 315 small glimpse of her hadn’t offered much of an explanation as to | |
| 316 why she hadn’t argued | |
| 317 with him, but she had looked rather distraught. Worse than he’d | |
| 318 seen her in a long, long | |
| 319 time. The house was silent again, except for the rustling of the | |
| 320 newspaper on his lap. | |
| 321 “Well, she’s heading into high school now. She’s probably just | |
| 322 getting overemotional about | |
| 323 something,” he told himself, not quite believing it. Telling himself | |
| 324 not to worry, he went | |
| 325 back to looking for another job, but he kept glancing up towards | |
| 326 her room, wondering | |
| 327 what was really wrong. | |
| 328 | |
| 329 | |
| 330 | |
| 331 "Kero-chan?" | |
| 332 "Hmm?" | |
| 333 Sakura shifted her arms on the open window ledge trying to get | |
| 334 comfortable. She could see the moon behind the leaves and the | |
| 335 Jade Plate swam for a moment in the wetness that suddenly | |
| 336 appeared in her eyes. | |
| 337 "Kero-chan...." | |
| 338 Kero-chan clicked his tongue and glided to her side. | |
| 339 "Sakura" he chided, "You haven’t finished a sentence yet | |
| 340 tonight. What's happened?" | |
| 341 She sighed and pressed her eyes against her pajama sleeve. | |
| 342 "Kero-chan, I had a dream last night." | |
| 343 "Ah", the Seal Beast breathed in pleasure. Sakura's dreams | |
| 344 always carried a great deal of portent. He drifted to where he | |
| 345 could look at her. "What did you dream?" | |
| 346 "I dreamt that Tomoyo-chan and Li-kun were in danger, and it | |
| 347 was because of me." She paused, breathing hard, and then the dam | |
| 348 broke. "I was so upset, and all through the dream I kept talking | |
| 349 and nothing was coming out of my mouth. I wanted to tell them | |
| 350 today at school, but I didn't know how, and I thought that maybe I | |
| 351 would find a way, but every time I tried the time was wrong, and | |
| 352 then Li-kun wanted to talk to me alone, and then Tomoyo-chan | |
| 353 said..." | |
| 354 "Clow Card!" Kero-chan yelled spinning towards the open | |
| 355 window. "Hurry!" | |
| 356 “Card?” she stammered in surprise. Obviously this was the day | |
| 357 for it, and how very like her dream it all seemed… her talking and | |
| 358 no one was hearing her. With a sigh she gathered a few things and | |
| 359 climbed out onto the tree. It occurred to her as she descended that | |
| 360 she should call Li and Tomoyo, but she also felt that being alone | |
| 361 would be nice too. At least with a Card to capture she wasn't just | |
| 362 sitting and thinking. How long had it been since she’d been out | |
| 363 Card Capting anyway? | |
| 364 Once out of sight of her house Sakura drew out the Key and | |
| 365 joined Kero-chan in the air. He flew purposefully, as if he knew | |
| 366 where he was going. Sakura saw, in her mind's eye, the many | |
| 367 videos Tomoyo had taken of the Seal Beast. Smiling at the | |
| 368 thought she was suddenly very sorry she didn't call the dark hair | |
| 369 girl. Tomoyo would forgive her, there was no question, but at the | |
| 370 same time Sakura also knew that no matter what her mood, | |
| 371 Tomoyo would never exclude Sakura from something that would | |
| 372 give her pleasure. Before she realized what was happening the | |
| 373 phone was in her hand, and the redial pressed. But what to tell | |
| 374 her? Sakura had no idea where they were going. | |
| 375 "Look!" Kero-chan cried, stabbing a paw downwards. Sakura, | |
| 376 phone to her head, looked down, and saw Li running in the same | |
| 377 direction they were flying in, his glowing Lasin Board held before | |
| 378 him. | |
| 379 "Sakura-chan?" | |
| 380 Momentarily disoriented Sakura realized the voice was | |
| 381 Tomoyo's and the source was the phone. "Tomoyo-chan!" she | |
| 382 yelled over the wind, "We're near the clock tower, after a Card...." | |
| 383 "I'm on my way," and she was gone. | |
| 384 Sakura tucked the phone back into her pocket and drew closer to | |
| 385 Kero-chan. "What should we do?" she mused aloud. | |
| 386 Kero-chan turned towards her, smiling broadly, "Card Capture | |
| 387 Sakura..." | |
| 388 And he was gone. | |
| 389 Sakura suddenly found herself standing in a room. The Key was | |
| 390 in her hand. The room, a sort of box, had no door, no windows | |
| 391 and the walls were a sickly green. Across from her Li stood, | |
| 392 looking equally as surprised and Kero-chan was nowhere to be | |
| 393 seen. | |
| 394 "Li-kun?" she began, but no sound reached her ears. He too | |
| 395 opened his mouth, but she heard nothing. Stepping back she | |
| 396 pulled out the Sword Card, exchanged the Key for the Sword and | |
| 397 swiped at the nearest wall. It had no effect. Li also began trying | |
| 398 attacks on the room, with the same effect. She moved closer to | |
| 399 him, her hand reaching for him, and just as she touched his arm her | |
| 400 hand went threw his as if he were a ghost. Alarmed she drew | |
| 401 back...he didn't seem to be aware of her. He suddenly turned and | |
| 402 appeared to be smiling at someone behind her. Sakura looked back | |
| 403 and saw Tomoyo, video camera in hand, looking at Li with a look | |
| 404 that sent a chill through Sakura. Rushing to her side Sakura was | |
| 405 almost weak with relief. She called Tomoyo's name, heard | |
| 406 nothing, and stopped short. Slowly she extended a hand… it | |
| 407 passed threw Tomoyo without any resistance. Tomoyo and Li | |
| 408 crossed the small room, intent it seemed, only on each other. | |
| 409 Sakura drew back in confusion as the two came together in a | |
| 410 passionate kiss. | |
| 411 Nothing more than shock made Sakura sit down heavily. Sword | |
| 412 slipped silently from her fingers. What did this mean? What was | |
| 413 happening? Her mind reeled at the sight. Closing her eyes for a | |
| 414 moment, hoping it was a dream, she opened them again. In the | |
| 415 center of the room stood Tomoyo and Yukito, kissing. | |
| 416 "This is a dream," she screamed soundlessly, desperately, | |
| 417 "Tomoyo-chan loves me and only me, she told me so! Only me! | |
| 418 None of this is real!" | |
| 419 Raising her head once more she found herself confronted by Li, | |
| 420 sword in hand, and Tomoyo clinging to his side. Li was looking at | |
| 421 her with unhidden hatred. He raised the sword, and Sakura had | |
| 422 just enough time to exchange the Sword for Shield as he swung at | |
| 423 her. The sword rebounded, sending a shock through his arm. He | |
| 424 staggered back, disbelief evident on his face. | |
| 425 "Why?!" Sakura screamed mentally, her mouth forming the | |
| 426 word. Drawing herself up to her knees she studied Li. He was | |
| 427 panting, and still looked angry, but he didn't continue to fight. | |
| 428 Could it be that he knew he was fighting a Card? That had to be | |
| 429 the answer. They were trapped within an uncaptured Card, and she | |
| 430 had to figure out what the Card was. | |
| 431 Suddenly the pieces were fitting. She was seeing something | |
| 432 that would make her… what? Angry? Jealous? They must be | |
| 433 experiencing something similar. Li would see… | |
| 434 Sakura sucked in her breath. Li would see Sakura and Tomoyo! | |
| 435 No wonder he turned on her! But no, why fight Sakura, unless | |
| 436 Sakura looked like Tomoyo to him. That would explain his | |
| 437 surprised look at being rebuffed by Shield. Sakura acted quickly, | |
| 438 bringing out Mirror, "Show me what Li-kun is seeing" she | |
| 439 commanded. In the disc Mirror held Sakura saw exactly what she | |
| 440 expected. In the place where she knelt on the floor cowered | |
| 441 Tomoyo; a Sakura, assumably Tomoyo, was being crushed to Li’s | |
| 442 side by his arm around her waist, and she looking horrified, weakly | |
| 443 fighting to reach the figure on the floor. | |
| 444 She locked eyes with Mirror and felt the color drain from | |
| 445 her face, "Show me what Tomoyo-chan sees," she mouthed. A | |
| 446 chill went through her at the thought of what she was about to see. | |
| 447 The first thing she saw was herself. She was smiling | |
| 448 happily, seemingly without a care in the world. Two arms were | |
| 449 around her waist, holding her tight. They belonged to Syaoran, | |
| 450 who was uncharacteristically grinning. Lying on the floor in shreds | |
| 451 was one of Tomoyo’s costumes for Sakura. Sakura instantly | |
| 452 remembered it as the design Tomoyo had shown her earlier that | |
| 453 day. Syaoran pulled up an ofuda, chanting briefly before throwing | |
| 454 it on the tattered costume. Sakura’s counterpart in the Mirror just | |
| 455 laughed as the costume burned, snuggling closer to Syaoran. She | |
| 456 stopped watching when the images kissed. | |
| 457 Tears ran down Tomoyo’s pale cheeks as she looked on | |
| 458 helplessly. A steel band crushed Sakura heart at the sight and she | |
| 459 lashed out at Mirror, blinded by tears of rage and sorrow. "No!" | |
| 460 she screamed over and over, "It's not like that." She rose to her | |
| 461 feet, picked up Sword and continued to rampage about the little | |
| 462 green room. Li and Tomoyo ignored her and again embraced as if | |
| 463 nothing had happened. Sakura stopped at the sight, and a sob | |
| 464 escaped her. | |
| 465 "Tomoyo-chan…" | |
| 466 As if she had heard her name the ghost Tomoyo turned her head | |
| 467 and smiled at Sakura, Li too smiled at her, but then the couple | |
| 468 locked eyes again and kissed. Sakura decided that this had gone | |
| 469 on long enough. She pulled out Darkness. If they couldn't see | |
| 470 each other the spell just might be broken. | |
| 471 "Surround Li-kun, Tomoyo-chan and myself in a darkness that | |
| 472 we cannot see through." | |
| 473 Instantly the room was gone and she stood alone in a vast night. | |
| 474 Hesitantly she tested to see if the Card was still working. | |
| 475 "Tomoyo-chan?" she said, and heard nothing. It was still | |
| 476 working. Obviously she had to name this Card to overpower it, | |
| 477 like she had had to do with Mirror. Drawing herself upright she | |
| 478 closed her eyes and yelled with all her might, "Jealousy!" and the | |
| 479 sound broke on her deafened ears like a storm. Suddenly the green | |
| 480 room broke like glass into a million tiny pieces. Before she could | |
| 481 do anything they gathered to her right, and were gone. She quickly | |
| 482 recalled Darkness and found herself on the street below the clock | |
| 483 tower facing both Li and Tomoyo, who were looking around | |
| 484 dazed. Li seemed to come back to himself first and turned to | |
| 485 Sakura with a look of raw hatred. Sakura, shocked, took a step | |
| 486 back in alarm. Li looked from her to Tomoyo, and Sakura | |
| 487 instantly knew she had to act, and quickly. | |
| 488 Sakura was fast, but Li was faster. | |
| 489 Li drew out an ofuda and threw it at Sakura even as she invoked | |
| 490 Shield. The glowing paper landed on her arm and she couldn't | |
| 491 move. Li grabbed Tomoyo roughly by the arm and began dragging | |
| 492 her away. | |
| 493 Tomoyo looked back at Sakura, who was struggling against the | |
| 494 spell. "Sakura-chan!" she yelled helplessly. “Sakura-chan!” | |
| 495 "Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura screamed back in anger and frustration. | |
| 496 "TOMOYO-CHAN!" | |
| 497 | |
| 498 Syaoran landed on a rooftop far away from the immobilized | |
| 499 Sakura. He shoved Tomoyo from him when they landed. She tried | |
| 500 to keep her balance but fell to her hands and knees. “You…” he | |
| 501 growled. “You’re what’s keeping me from her. You’re what’s | |
| 502 standing in my way. She and I are supposed to be together, but | |
| 503 you keep getting in the way.” | |
| 504 “No… That’s not it. I just want Sakura-chan to be happy.” | |
| 505 Tomoyo looked up at the angry gaze he directed at her and shrank | |
| 506 back. “I love her. I just hope she would be happy with me.” She | |
| 507 knew it was the wrong thing to say to the enraged boy even before | |
| 508 she uttered it, but it was the truth. | |
| 509 “How could she ever be happy with you?” Syaoran sneered. | |
| 510 “You just get in her way. She’s only your friend because she pities | |
| 511 you.” | |
| 512 Tomoyo shook her head. “No, she’s my best friend. We care | |
| 513 about each other. We’ll always be friends…” Her mind raced. | |
| 514 Nothing seemed certain to her anymore. The horrible images of | |
| 515 Sakura and Syaoran came flooding back to her mind, threatening | |
| 516 to overwhelm her. Syaoran’s hand grabbed her arm, hauling her | |
| 517 back to her feet. The dark haired girl winced at the sudden | |
| 518 explosion of pain the cruel movement brought. She flinched as he | |
| 519 clutched her arm tightly. | |
| 520 “I want you to leave her alone. To leave us alone. Do you | |
| 521 understand?” Syaoran hissed angrily. He dragged the limp girl | |
| 522 against his chest, shaking her hard. Tomoyo, her dark hair flying | |
| 523 wildly about her, closed her eyes tightly. This only brought back | |
| 524 earlier images. “No,” she said, trying to make him understand, “I | |
| 525 won’t leave unless Sakura tells me too. She means everything to | |
| 526 me. I love her!” Looking at him defiantly, she tried desperately to | |
| 527 bring up happier images of Sakura, ones she treasured and kept | |
| 528 dear to her heart. | |
| 529 Angrily, Syaoran shoved the dark haired girl backwards. | |
| 530 Tomoyo gasped as she fell, landing hard on her side. “Don’t you | |
| 531 dare stand in my way. She will be mine!” he howled. | |
| 532 Keeping her eyes clamped shut, Tomoyo desperately ran | |
| 533 memories over and over in her mind. When she first met Sakura, | |
| 534 when Sakura had come to her house for the first time, when Sakura | |
| 535 had first worn one of the costumes she made, the first time she’d | |
| 536 videotaped Sakura with her camcorder. She waited quietly for what | |
| 537 Syaoran would say next, but nothing came. Cautiously, she opened | |
| 538 her eyes and looked around. “Sakura-chan!” she yelled, catching a | |
| 539 glimpse of the brown haired girl. Forcing herself to her feet, she | |
| 540 couldn’t help but smile as she ran to her friend. She stopped dead | |
| 541 in her tracks, her eyes growing wide, when she saw Syaoran | |
| 542 standing behind her. | |
| 543 Tomoyo’s spirits sank as the two kissed. Somewhere, in | |
| 544 the back of her mind she could hear someone scream, “NO!” She | |
| 545 shut her eyes, wishing the vision would disappear, but it remained | |
| 546 when she looked again. She took a few slow steps towards them, | |
| 547 her heart aching with each step. “Sakura-chan…. I’m… I’m happy | |
| 548 for you,” she said quietly. Sakura looked directly at her, giving her | |
| 549 an icy stare that chilled Tomoyo to the bone. “Sakura-chan?” she | |
| 550 asked weakly, “Why?” | |
| 551 Sakura didn’t find her worthy of her notice as she bestowed | |
| 552 all her attention on Syaoran. The two shared a deep kiss, ignoring | |
| 553 the forlorn Tomoyo, as if she had simply ceased to exist. | |
| 554 Dropping to her already scratched knees, Tomoyo’s small | |
| 555 body was wracked with sobs. “Sakura-chan….”, she whimpered, | |
| 556 clutching her stomach. She couldn’t bear it. Why was this | |
| 557 happening? Glancing back up, Tomoyo saw things had changed. | |
| 558 Sakura was wearing a wedding dress and Syaoran a tuxedo. A stab | |
| 559 of pain shot through Tomoyo’s heart. Sakura had promised her | |
| 560 that she could make her wedding dress when they day finally | |
| 561 came, but that wasn’t anything she’d make for Sakura. Looking | |
| 562 through her tear blurred vision, she could see her camcorder | |
| 563 smashed on the floor near them, the film pulled out. Blinking back | |
| 564 her tears, Tomoyo could see things had shifted once again. Sakura | |
| 565 now held a baby. Sakura and Syaoran’s baby. | |
| 566 Unable to stand watching anymore, Tomoyo struggled to | |
| 567 her feet. She stumbled away from the scene, half delirious from | |
| 568 the power of the Card and her visions. “You don’t need me | |
| 569 anymore, do you, Sakura-chan?” she asked the thin air. Again, | |
| 570 from somewhere, came the same scream of “No!” Had she | |
| 571 dreamed it? Tomoyo felt numb all over. Nothing seemed to | |
| 572 matter anymore. The person that mattered most didn’t care about | |
| 573 her at all. And she’d lost to Syaoran. She felt… jealous of him. | |
| 574 She wished she could be the one to make Sakura that happy. She | |
| 575 just prayed Sakura would always be happy as she stepped up on | |
| 576 the ledge of the rooftop. “You don’t need me anymore, Sakura- | |
| 577 chan. You don’t even want me as a friend. But you’re happy.” | |
| 578 She smiled sadly, blinded by her tears. “I’m glad. I’m glad that | |
| 579 Sakura-chan is happy. Please stay that way, Sakura-chan. I love | |
| 580 you. Forever. Maybe I can be your guardian angel,” she added | |
| 581 hopefully. With that, Tomoyo stepped off the ledge into | |
| 582 nothingness. She kept her eyes shut tight as the ground raced to | |
| 583 meet her. | |
| 584 | |
| 585 Syaoran watched, shocked by the sudden turn of events. | |
| 586 He’d intended to make his point clear with Tomoyo, that she never | |
| 587 get in his way with Sakura, but she had turned suddenly and started | |
| 588 looking off at something only she could see. After talking to | |
| 589 herself, the dark haired girl had thrown herself off the rooftop. The | |
| 590 screams of the Seal Beast had surprised him, but Syaoran couldn’t | |
| 591 locate the magical animal no matter where he looked. He blinked | |
| 592 several times, still confused, and unsure about what had just | |
| 593 happened. “At least she won’t get in my way anymore,” he said to | |
| 594 no one in particular. | |
| 595 | |
| 596 The world seemed to slow as a small dark haired girl | |
| 597 plummeted through the air. Further and further she went, the brief | |
| 598 amount of time slowing to a near stop for the girl as everything | |
| 599 seemed to move in slow motion. “Sakura-chan...” she whispered, | |
| 600 one last time, her eyes shut tight. Her heart felt as if it had been | |
| 601 ripped out of her chest. Her whole world, her whole reason to live, | |
| 602 had been crushed in the matter of minutes. She was looking | |
| 603 forward to an end to her pain, to the end of her torment, to | |
| 604 oblivion. And Sakura, her dear Sakura, would be happy. | |
| 605 A sudden impact shocked Tomoya back from her thoughts | |
| 606 and her fall was suddenly interrupted as two arms wrapped around | |
| 607 her tightly, fumbling desperately to hold on to her, gripping her | |
| 608 like a pair of steel bars. “Tomoyo-chan!” a voice cried in terror, | |
| 609 over and over in a hysterical pitch. Her mind wondered what was | |
| 610 happening, as the wind on her face gave her the impression of | |
| 611 climbing upwards. The voice, close to her ear and frantically | |
| 612 calling her name, was Sakura’s. Tomoyo could feel her friend’s | |
| 613 breathing coming in a labored pant as they raced skyward. | |
| 614 Opening her eyes slowly, Tomoyo blinked several times in | |
| 615 confusion. Wasn’t she supposed to be dead by now? She took a | |
| 616 second to glance around, and found herself in the arms of the Card | |
| 617 Mistress, whose wings were working hard to finish the arc of | |
| 618 Saukar’s dive. Seconds later Saukar touched down on a rooftop, | |
| 619 deposited Tomoyo on her feet and dropped to her hands and knees | |
| 620 beside the dark haired girl. | |
| 621 Maybe she was dead, Tomoyo thought. Maybe this was | |
| 622 heaven. “Sakura-chan? Why? Why did you save me, Sakura- | |
| 623 chan?” Tomoyo asked, her mind reeling. “I did this for you. | |
| 624 You’re happy. That’s all I wanted. You didn’t need me anymore.” | |
| 625 “No, Tomoyo-chan.” Sakura heaved herself into a kneeling | |
| 626 position, her hands clutching for the small girl. She embraced her | |
| 627 friend, crushing her to her chest, “I always need you,” she sobbed, | |
| 628 “You’re my best friend. You mean so much to me. I don’t know | |
| 629 what I’d do if you were gone.” She blinked back the stinging tears | |
| 630 in her eyes as she looked up at the dark haired girl. Her body felt | |
| 631 cold all over from the recent shock. | |
| 632 “But, Sakura-chan, you… I would only get in the way. | |
| 633 You aren’t even happy as friends anymore. You have what you | |
| 634 want. I hope you and Li-kun are very happy.” Tomoyo mustered a | |
| 635 pained smile before turning away. | |
| 636 Sakura bolted to her feet and seizing her friend, shook her | |
| 637 hard. “No! Tomoyo-chan, listen to me, it’s the Clow Card. The | |
| 638 Jealousy Card it’s still affecting you! We’re best friends, nothing | |
| 639 will ever change that. I know you want me to be happy, but losing | |
| 640 you would definitely not make me happy. And I want you to be | |
| 641 happy, too.” The Card Mistress sighed, looking deeply into | |
| 642 Tomoyo’s stormy blue eyes. “Tomoyo-chan, you have to fight this. | |
| 643 Please? For me?” | |
| 644 Tomoyo held her head, confusion flooding her mind. | |
| 645 Glancing towards the roof’s edge, to Sakura and back, she | |
| 646 shuddered, unsure of herself. Finally giving out a small cry, | |
| 647 Tomoyo threw herself into Sakura’s arms. “Oh, Sakura-chan, I’m | |
| 648 so sorry….” The dark haired girl sobbed. “I just… I thought you | |
| 649 hated me… that you didn’t need me anymore… and that you were | |
| 650 happy with, with… him…” Her sobs overwhelmed her and she | |
| 651 feel silent, leaning heavily against Sakura. | |
| 652 “Tomoyo-chan, it’s going to be okay,” Sakura said | |
| 653 soothingly, hugging the limp girl close to her. Tomoyo’s hot tears | |
| 654 rolled onto her shoulder, soaking into the cloth of her pajamas. | |
| 655 “It’s just the Card. I could never hate you, Tomoyo-chan. You | |
| 656 know that. You’re my very important person.” For a second, | |
| 657 Sakura wondered where she had heard that before, but she quickly | |
| 658 shrugged it off, not having time to worry about it. “Please, | |
| 659 Tomoyo-chan, don’t cry. It’s alright now.” | |
| 660 The dark haired girl took another shuddering breath before | |
| 661 standing up on her own. “Thank you, Sakura-chan.” A small, | |
| 662 genuine smile formed on her soft lips. “I always knew you would | |
| 663 come save me if anything happened.” | |
| 664 Sakura smiled back, relief filling her soul. “Of course I | |
| 665 would, Tomoyo-chan. I’m not about to let you get hurt by | |
| 666 something like this. Or anything, for that matter. I don’t want to | |
| 667 see you hurt, Tomoyo-chan.” | |
| 668 Before the Card Mistress could think to ask Tomoyo if she | |
| 669 was ready to go home, a sword slashed the air between both girls. | |
| 670 Tomoyo gasped and Sakura jumped back, her staff in hand. She | |
| 671 got ready to get a Card out just in case. Between them stood | |
| 672 Syaoran, hatred and jealousy flaring in his eyes. “Li-kun!? Fight it, | |
| 673 Li-kun! It’s just the Jealousy Card affecting you.” | |
| 674 “Fight what?” Syaoran spat angrily. “I saw the two of you. | |
| 675 She’s trying to steal you from me. She’s trying to get in the way. | |
| 676 To come between us!” Raising the sword, he swiped at a stunned | |
| 677 Tomoyo. | |
| 678 Sakura lunged forward, her eyes wide with fear of what he | |
| 679 might do. Her staff barely blocked his sword inches from the dark | |
| 680 haired girl. “Li-kun, don’t do this!” she pleaded as Tomoyo sank to | |
| 681 her knees. | |
| 682 He leapt backwards, landing in a fighting stance. He held | |
| 683 the sword straight up in front of him, his eyes falling closed as he | |
| 684 began to chant. Energy surrounded the blade. | |
| 685 Sakura barely had time to throw herself in the way of | |
| 686 Tomoyo when she realized what he was doing. “Shield!” she | |
| 687 yelled desperately as his attack came flying towards them. The | |
| 688 burst of lightening dissipated against Shield, leaving the two girls | |
| 689 unhurt. Sakura glanced at Tomoyo, assuring herself that her friend | |
| 690 was unharmed when another attack hit…and another and another. | |
| 691 “Li-kun! Leave her alone!” she screamed, “Don’t hurt her!!” | |
| 692 Sakura wondered how his rage could be so focused on the dark | |
| 693 haired girl behind her. “She’s never been anything but kind to | |
| 694 you!” | |
| 695 Syaoran narrowed his eyes as he began chanting again. | |
| 696 Sweeping the sword down, a burst of wind struck against Shield. | |
| 697 “How could you know?” he demanded. “She blinds you with her | |
| 698 hero worship, but she keeps coming between us. She’s why you | |
| 699 don’t returned my feelings.” | |
| 700 ‘That’s what this is all about isn’t it?’ Sakura asked herself | |
| 701 as she braced herself for his next attack. ‘They both… They’re | |
| 702 both in love with me.” Then the realization struck her with the | |
| 703 force of an express train. It was Sakura herself that had created the | |
| 704 problem, literally! As Card Mistress her feelings and desire were | |
| 705 made manifest in the form of Cards. Somehow she had created the | |
| 706 Jealousy Card without even thinking about it. That’s how Jealousy | |
| 707 got to them both so easily, and so strongly! ‘This is all my fault.’ | |
| 708 “Stop this!” the Card Mistress yelled. | |
| 709 Turning to face him as she rose, Sakura pulled out Windy | |
| 710 and sent it spilling before her. “Bind Li-kun!” she yelled, bringing | |
| 711 the Key down on the Card. The resulting rush of air quickly | |
| 712 surrounded the startled boy, pinning his limbs tight against his | |
| 713 body. Sakura didn’t hesitate as she twirled the Key over head | |
| 714 again, Windy almost drowning out her command “…Sakura | |
| 715 Card!” The Card Mistress brought the Wand down on the softly | |
| 716 glowing green dot within the rushing wind. The Jealously Card | |
| 717 lifted out of Windy and floated to her waiting hand. | |
| 718 For a moment, the only sound that could be heard was the | |
| 719 wind rustling past them. Sakura recalled Windy and turned to face | |
| 720 Syaoran, hoping the danger was now over. Utter silence claimed | |
| 721 the rooftop for a moment. Then the clatter of Syaoran’s sword | |
| 722 against the roof broke the silence. His mind started to clear from | |
| 723 the haze of jealousy the Card had managed to place over him. | |
| 724 “Sakura” he stammered, his faced blossoming to a brilliant | |
| 725 crimson, “... I… I don’t know how I… I don’t know what to say… | |
| 726 I’m… I’m sorry.” He lowered his head. | |
| 727 Sakura let Shield fade away, but remained standing | |
| 728 protectively in front of Tomoyo. “I’m not the one you intended to | |
| 729 kill,” she said quietly. A second silence descended, this one | |
| 730 fraught with embarrassment. Sakura looked at her friends and | |
| 731 came to a decision. | |
| 732 “Fine,” she said, almost to herself. She was tired of | |
| 733 fighting. Tomoyo and Syaoran looked back at her quizzically, | |
| 734 wondering what she meant. “Fine. You both want to know who I | |
| 735 love, don’t you? Stop this, then. I care too much about both of | |
| 736 you to watch either of you get hurt. The Jealousy Card was using | |
| 737 both of you. And it’s because of me, because of your feelings for | |
| 738 me! It’s still getting to you both because of me. So I want to put | |
| 739 an end to this.” Sakura took a deep breath before continuing. “I | |
| 740 will make my decision tonight. I’ll tell you both tomorrow the one | |
| 741 who I love.” | |
| 742 Syaoran looked up at her, his face still scarlet, “Tomorrow | |
| 743 you’ll….” | |
| 744 Sakura nodded, cutting him off. “Hai. Tomorrow I’ll tell | |
| 745 you both which one I’m in love with.” | |
| 746 Bending down, Syaoran retrieved his sword from where it | |
| 747 had landed. Without a word he turned and leapt into the darkness. | |
| 748 As soon as he left, Sakura collapsed to her hands and | |
| 749 knees. The battle, the Card, and her own nervousness about what | |
| 750 had happened earlier that day had finally taken their toll. She | |
| 751 glanced over when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. She saw | |
| 752 Tomoyo’s concerned face looking back down at her. Before the | |
| 753 dark haired girl could say anything, Sakura threw her arms around | |
| 754 her friend with a tearful howl. “Tomoyo-chan! Oh God, I almost | |
| 755 lost you so many times tonight. You had me so worried. I’m so | |
| 756 sorry you got dragged into all this. If I hadn’t called you, none of | |
| 757 this would have happened.” She gently rocked back and forth, | |
| 758 cradling the dark haired girl against her. | |
| 759 Tomoyo sighed softly. She liked having the other girl so | |
| 760 protective of her, but she hated seeing Sakura so worried about | |
| 761 things. “Sakura-chan, I’m fine. It’s all over now.” | |
| 762 Sakura scrubbed her face with a free hand, trying to dry the | |
| 763 tears that continued to threaten. She untangled her arms from her | |
| 764 friend’s neck. Using her wand to help her weary body stand | |
| 765 upright, Sakura looked out at the dark night sky. “No. Not yet. I | |
| 766 still have to find out who I…” She blushed at the thought. In her | |
| 767 mind she could see the boy who had been her rival, but had turned | |
| 768 out to be her greatest help with the Clow Cards. She could also see | |
| 769 her best friend, the girl that had always been there for her. She let | |
| 770 her head drop sadly. She had no idea how she’d make a decision | |
| 771 by the next morning. | |
| 772 “Sakura-chan,” Tomoyo said softly, her voice barely above | |
| 773 a whisper. Sakura looked so fragile standing there. “Sakura-chan, | |
| 774 please don’t worry too much about tomorrow. Just make the | |
| 775 decision that will make you happy.” | |
| 776 Sakura turned back to her skeptically. “And I won’t have to | |
| 777 go rescuing you from jumping off buildings if it’s Li-kun?” | |
| 778 Tomoyo shook her head. “You said we’ll always be | |
| 779 friends, remember? That’s all I need. It’s what makes me happy.” | |
| 780 Smiling a little, Sakura felt her spirits lifting. “Thanks, | |
| 781 Tomoyo-chan. We will always be friends,” she reconfirmed, “It | |
| 782 makes me happy too.” | |
| 783 “No matter who you choose tomorrow, I’ll always be there | |
| 784 for you, Sakura-chan. And I’ll always love you.” | |
| 785 Sakura felt her cheeks burn as she blushed. She was still | |
| 786 nervous about the idea that her best friend could be in love with | |
| 787 her. But, putting that aside she invoked Fly, unfolded her wings | |
| 788 and turned towards Tomoyo. “Are you ready to go home?” | |
| 789 “Hai, Sakura-chan.” Tomoyo smiled. | |
| 790 “I’m so tired, but I doubt I’ll be getting any sleep tonight.” | |
| 791 Sakura sighed and lifted off into the sky. | |
| 792 | |
| 793 Once Sakura had left Tomoyo on the terrace outside her | |
| 794 bedroom the Card Captor rose and allowed herself to drift. Kero- | |
| 795 chan was still missing, but she had more on her mind than the Seal | |
| 796 Beast, who was more than capable of taking care of himself. With | |
| 797 a soulful sigh she glanced down at the town, with its the clock | |
| 798 tower silhouetted against the moon. The clock proclaimed the | |
| 799 hour to be 1 AM. Morning already, Sakura realized with a sigh. | |
| 800 With a thought the Sakura Cards in her pocket floated into | |
| 801 the air, forming a circle around her. She felt their presence, their | |
| 802 love for her, and she drew comfort from it. It was a warm feeling. | |
| 803 Like when she had her arms around Tomoyo-chan. | |
| 804 She paused mentally. | |
| 805 No, not like it. It was different. It lacked a sort of | |
| 806 excitement. There was more to the feeling of comfort she had | |
| 807 when she had hugged her friend. Sakura’s mind raced away, | |
| 808 trying to put into words the feeling that was suddenly so very | |
| 809 important. But try as she might she could not find an expression | |
| 810 for that feeling. | |
| 811 With a thought her wings vanished and she began to fall. | |
| 812 “Float!” she cried over the wind, and didn’t wait for the | |
| 813 Card to answer her command before she turned in the circle of | |
| 814 Cards, looking for the one she wanted. | |
| 815 “Illusion!” she yelled, as the wand came down on the Card | |
| 816 named. “Show me my heart’s desire.” | |
| 817 Even as she said it she knew she was cheating, but her | |
| 818 mind, exhausted from the earlier battle, and everything else, was | |
| 819 becoming desperate. She could fly around all night waiting for the | |
| 820 lightening bolt that was Tomoyo-chan to strike her… | |
| 821 Sakura sat down hard, in midair, as the air left her body. | |
| 822 She drew a deep breath, her eyes fighting to focus. She sat stunned | |
| 823 for a long moment, trying to mentally collect herself. Before her | |
| 824 Illusion was beginning to take form, but she no longer cared to | |
| 825 wait for the outcome. Recalling the Cards she resumed her wings | |
| 826 and flew as quickly as possible back the way she came. | |
| 827 | |
| 828 Tomoyo stood right where Sakura had left her. Her hands | |
| 829 were pressed to her chest, and her eyes, watching the sky. At first | |
| 830 Sakura was unsure that her friend had seen her return, but as she | |
| 831 alighted Tomoyo turned her face towards the Card Mistress. She | |
| 832 bore a look of serene peace that lifted some massive, unknown, | |
| 833 weight off of Sakura’s shoulders. Neither one spoke. Sakura felt | |
| 834 her wings fade and the weight of the charm around her neck. | |
| 835 Silently she walked to her friend, who stood unmoving and | |
| 836 watchful. When they where within inches of each other Sakura | |
| 837 stopped, and stood swaying for a moment. Slowly she sank to her | |
| 838 knees and slipped her arms around Tomoyo’s small waist. | |
| 839 Tomoyo’s head fell back as she awaited the words that would | |
| 840 transform her life. Sakura, her head pressed against her friend’s | |
| 841 hip, allowed her mind to express the feelings it couldn’t before. | |
| 842 “It’s you,” she whispered. | |
| 843 Tomoyo’s eyes rolled closed, tears spilling onto her cheeks. | |
| 844 “It’s you,” Sakura repeated, no longer surprised. “It will | |
| 845 always be you, it has always s been you.” | |
| 846 Tomoyo’s fingers unlaced themselves and found a new | |
| 847 home in Sakura’s hair. At the contact Sakura looked up at her | |
| 848 newly discovered lover. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she wondered | |
| 849 aloud. | |
| 850 Tomoyo lowered her head to face her friend. She smiled | |
| 851 through her tears, “You needed to learn for yourself,” was the | |
| 852 whispered reply. | |
| 853 “Are you sorry it took me so long to realize?” | |
| 854 A sad smile played on the dark haired girl’s lips, her voice | |
| 855 was a mere sigh, “I was willing to wait a lifetime for you… | |
| 856 Sakura.” | |
| 857 | |
| 858 Kero-chan stood in the air before Li. They had both seen | |
| 859 everything that happened, and now Kero-chan was ready to defend | |
| 860 the lovers if the need arose. Li watched them for several long | |
| 861 minutes before he tore his eyes away to look at the Seal Beast. | |
| 862 “I’ve lost,” he whispered, “… everything. The Cards, the | |
| 863 girl I love… everything.” | |
| 864 Kero-chan’s tail whipped menacingly, “And what are you | |
| 865 going to do?” | |
| 866 Li frowned. “Do you think I would attack them?” he | |
| 867 asked, in a sort of shocked anger. | |
| 868 Kero-chan allowed his silence to speak for him. Li turned | |
| 869 his back on the scene and disappeared into the night. | |
| 870 | |
| 871 | |
| 872 The day dawned crystal clear and Sakura was out early. It | |
| 873 was her morning to clean the classroom, and she knew Tomoyo- | |
| 874 chan would be waiting for her. | |
| 875 It had been a week since they had come together as a | |
| 876 couple. ‘One week, six hours and 15 minutes,’ Sakura thought as | |
| 877 she pushed herself harder, racing the clock for extra seconds in the | |
| 878 company of her friend. More than friend, she corrected herself | |
| 879 with a smile. As she rollerbladed, she relived, for the thousandth | |
| 880 time, the feeling of Tomoyo’s hands on her as the dark haired girl | |
| 881 helped her to rise from her position of worship at her friend’s | |
| 882 waist. Felt, again, as Tomoyo’s hands gathered her own, and then | |
| 883 drew her into the dark bedroom. Sakura had wanted, so much, and | |
| 884 had slept, so long! She blushed, even now, thinking of it. Not a | |
| 885 good opening for a lifetime together, she mused, but Tomoyo | |
| 886 didn’t seem to mind. | |
| 887 As she came within sight of the school Sakura could make | |
| 888 out the form of Tomoyo waiting for her near the gate. She raised | |
| 889 her hand and waved wildly, the joy in her heart becoming one | |
| 890 thought, one word… | |
| 891 “Tomoyo-chan!” | |
| 892 | |
| 893 | |
| 894 | |
| 895 | |
| 896 | |
| 897 |