Author’s notes: This story is set in the future of Cardcaptor

 Sakura. ^-^ Tomoyo & Sakura are married and have a child named Bara.

 This is just a cute little story that I’ve been wanting to write for

 a while now. If you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail

 me. ^-^ I always love to hear what people think. ^-^ The characters

 are not my own (with the exception of Bara). They are property of

 CLAMP. 

 

 

 Be My Teddy Bear

 by Amazoness Duo

 amazonessduo@hotmail.com

 

 

 	“How kawaii!! I finally get the chance to videotape the two most

 beautiful women in my life,” Tomoyo exclaimed ecstatically, zooming

 in on the subjects of her camcorder. A pale hand went to the slightly

 eccentric woman’s cheek as she focused the image. Her long, dark

 hair, done up in two pigtails with some aquamarine ribbons, stirred

 lightly in the gentle afternoon breeze that meandered through the

 garden bringing with it the sweet fragrance of flowers in bloom. 

 	The two women who were as always the focus of Tomoyo’s wholehearted

 attention blushed simultaneously as they found themselves caught on

 video. “Tomoyo-chan...” The taller of the two said nervously as she

 placed her hand behind her head. Her fingers brushed chestnut hair

 away from her eyes as the gentle breeze began to pick up. After over

 a decade of marriage, Sakura still couldn’t hide her embarrassment

 over some of her wife’s obsessive remarks. Of course, knowing what

 was behind her best friend’s words actually made it all the more

 embarrassing. These weren’t just strange comments as she’d thought

 when they were children. She knew very well just how much Tomoyo

 meant every one of them. Of course, even if they were a little

 embarrassing to hear at the end of a meeting at Daidouji Inc., she

 could never bring herself to ask Tomoyo to stop. She wouldn’t want

 the dark haired woman to cease such things, after all. Besides,

 wasn’t that sweet devotion part of why she had married her in the

 first place? So even if it always started Sakura blushing, she was

 always happy to hear her wife’s strange remarks. 

 	The younger girl, not much older than Sakura had been back when she

 had begun her own adventure with the Cards, sweatdropped herself.

 Daidouji Bara was a small, pale girl with short, midnight hair. While

 not quite as easily embarrassed as her more athletic mother, she

 still found herself blushing at some of Tomoyo’s comments. Certainly

 not starved for attention, she once again whiled away her afternoon

 by having a picnic with her parents. The daughter of Sakura and

 Tomoyo was an energetic and gentle girl. While not being as

 athletically inclined as Sakura, she did find herself becoming more

 and more interested in the magical workings of her mother’s own

 Sakura Cards. Part of that was because of her friendship with several

 of the Cards, including the Flower and Mirror. Brave and determined,

 there was little that frightened her and so magic had quickly become

 something that captivated her attention. Unfortunately, through some

 twist of nature, or perhaps an inheritance from Nadeshiko, the poor

 girl was terribly accident prone. This kept her loving parents and

 guardians ever vigilant, but even then she often got herself hurt.

 While not quite as overprotective as Tomoyo’s mother, they still

 tried to keep a careful eye on their bubbly daughter. “Okaa-sama...”

 Bara said, nearly mimicking Sakura. This only brought a giggle from

 Tomoyo and yet more videotaping. 

 	Bara didn’t really mind her mother’s videotaping hobby. In fact,

 she had grown up with that particular facet of life. So it hardly

 seemed strange when the dark haired woman pulled out her camcorder to

 record just about any event. It seemed that the only prerequisite for

 Tomoyo’s camcorder was that Sakura or Bara had to be present. The

 loving wife and mother was always happy to videotape one or the other

 for her ever expanding collection of videotape. Bara herself enjoyed

 watching through her mother’s older videotapes so aptly entitled

 ‘Cardcaptor Sakura’ or ‘Sakura-chan’s Kawaii and Magical Adventures’.

 It always fascinated her to watch her parents in their younger days

 and the exciting escapades they had found themselves in. She had even

 worn some of the costumes that Sakura had worn in the videotapes.

 Tomoyo had kept nearly every costume, so when Bara had asked her

 about them she had been more than happy to go through the vast

 collection. The designer of the costumes had fixed up some of them to

 fit Bara and had taped her running around in them. Bara had been

 awestruck at the wide variety of beautiful designs that her mother

 had sewn over the years. The gorgeous outfits had all been eye candy

 for the hungry girl. Sharing her mother’s flare for the artistic, she

 had easily been lost in the wide array of clothes kept in pristine

 condition. In recent years she had even begun helping Tomoyo with

 some of the costumes that she still made for an embarrassed but

 willing Sakura. She was always thrilled to see the finished designs

 on their auburn haired model, something she shared with her pale

 mother. 

 	“Oh, Bara-chan,” Tomoyo began thoughtfully, pulling herself from

 her Sakura induced daydreams. Her hand went to her chin as she placed

 the camcorder on her lap. “I picked up some materials for you on the

 way home. I put them on your bed. If you want a different design for

 the cloth I can go through my closet and see if there’s anything you

 like.” Her trademark smile graced her lips as she watched her

 daughter’s face light up. It was such a wonderful feeling to see her

 daughter enjoying some of the same things that had always brought joy

 to her own heart. Tomoyo’s mother had taught her simple things like

 sewing and even videotaping when she had been a child herself and she

 had fallen in love with these seemingly simple activities. Mostly

 because the woman she loved was always the focus of her work. Seeing

 her daughter grow up was equally thrilling but was slightly

 bittersweet. She knew that her child would one day grow up and find

 her own way in the world, but part of her wanted to cling on to the

 baby girl that she and Sakura had raised together, to never let her

 grow up. But watching her blossom into a beautiful woman, seeing the

 result of her love for Sakura grow was a gift that she would never

 let go of. 

 	“Really?! Okaa-sama, arigato!” Bara nearly squealed. Pushing off

 the picnic blanket, she hugged the older woman tightly. Tomoyo hugged

 her back for a moment before the younger girl got to her feet.

 Excitement tingled through her mind as the half-forgotten thought

 from earlier once gained her full attention. Bowing to both of her

 parents, she smoothed down her sunflower yellow sundress as the wind

 played with the edges. “Dinner was wonderful. It was a lot of fun. I

 think I’m going to go to my room to start right now. Thank you again,

 mother!” She smiled happily as she turned on a sandalled foot and

 hurried towards the large mansion. Despite her frail body, the

 younger girl took off like a shot, anticipation evident in her eager

 strides. 

 	Sweatdropping, Sakura watched her daughter disappear into the

 house, wincing as the younger girl nearly fell on her face, barely

 recovering herself. The door finally swung shut, bringing forth a

 relieved sigh from the two parents as their baby remained unscathed

 for the time being. Turning to her still smiling wife, the auburn

 haired woman raised a quizzical eyebrow. “Bara-chan sure was eager. I

 think she would have even given Sonomi-sama some trouble in a race

 just now.”

 	“And Sakura-chan, too, if that’s the case,” Tomoyo added, sipping

 some tea delicately, her stormy blue eyes never leaving the Mistress

 of the Cards. Dark lashes fluttered half closed as she savored the

 bitter taste of the tea, watching Sakura through long lashes. “She

 may not be very fast but she can’t help speeding off with her whole

 heart blazing.”

 	“Well, she might not be fast, but she has your cute feet,” Sakura

 replied thoughtfully, resting back on her hands. Her eyes went to

 Tomoyo’s pale bare feet, her unused sandals lying next to the picnic

 basket. The pale girl had always been beautiful, but as she had grown

 into a woman she had become absolutely stunning, and it was something

 that Sakura was easily reminded of. Her mind would have happily

 lingered on such warm thoughts had something Tomoyo said hadn’t

 suddenly replayed through her mind like one of Tomoyo’s tapes on

 replay. Sitting up, the brunette shifted her legs under her. Her

 throat had suddenly gone dry and she had to lick her lips before

 continuing. Bara was still her little girl in her mind and it was

 difficult to imagine her growing up so quickly. Sakura had always

 tried to protect those she loved and she had come to understand just

 why Sonomi had been so overprotective now that she had a daughter of

 her own. “Wait, with ‘her whole heart blazing’?” Years ago, the

 brunette had written off a lot of Tomoyo’s strange comments as just

 her friend’s cute but bizarre eccentricity. But as she had learned

 from their time dating and years of marriage, what Tomoyo said should

 always be given careful consideration. Certain things still slipped

 past her at times, but she wasn’t nearly as dense as she once had

 been, especially when it came to the dark haired woman. 

 	Smiling to herself, Tomoyo again sipped at her tea. She had

 wondered if Sakura would catch that. Setting down the tea cup, the

 pale woman brushed some grass away from her long skirt. “She may have

 my feet, but she definitely has Sakura-chan’s adorable ears.” Pausing

 for a moment, Tomoyo tilted her head to the side, dark hair spilling

 past her shoulder in a shadowy cascade. “And Sakura-chan’s nose. And

 your sparkling emerald eyes, always so full of energy and

 determination.” Sighing sweetly, Tomoyo placed a hand on her cheek. A

 soft giggle escaped her lips as a slightly flustered Sakura continued

 to watch her intently. Shifting on the blanket, the dark haired woman

 felt her bare feet brush against the soft fabric. Tilting her head

 back, Tomoyo brushed a long, dark pigtail over her shoulder. She

 waited for Sakura to comment, but the brunette just waited, her hands

 now on the blanket in front of her. Sighing to herself at the

 gorgeous sight before her, Tomoyo almost forgot what had been on her

 mind. Pale fingers reached out, gently playing with Sakura’s auburn

 hair. The soft strands swayed at her touch, tickling playful fingers.

 The shorter haired woman held her breath for a moment as Tomoyo

 brushed through the luxurious hair. Her heart swelled happily as she

 looked into the eyes of her genki wife. Her love for Sakura had only

 grown stronger as the Cardmistress’s presence nurtured it. That train

 of thought reminded her of the purpose of Sakura’s intent gaze, but

 it could have easily been her touch that drew Sakura nearer. And

 almost subconsciously, the brunette was getting ever closer. A

 delicious warmth spread through Tomoyo’s soul despite the cool breeze

 swirling around them. Her daughter’s company was always wonderful to

 have, but time alone with Sakura was it’s own reward. “You haven’t

 noticed? Bara-chan has been extra genki lately. And very dreamy.” She

 paused, waiting for Sakura’s reaction. 

 	“Un... I guess so. But what does that have to do with her heart?”

 Sakura asked curiously, her own hand coming to a rest atop Tomoyo’s.

 She could still feel Tomoyo’s fingers in her hair, moving through the

 short hair slowly. The sensation was certainly a pleasant one as they

 sat under the sinking sun. The Mistress of the Cards would have been

 happy to simply bask in Tomoyo’s gentle touch, but her curiosity had

 been piqued. Sakura herself had never been very good at reading

 hearts, whether it be her own or someone else’s. But her nearly

 constantly smiling wife could read hearts with an ease that had

 always surprised Sakura. Tomoyo seemed to know them inside and out,

 Sakura’s in specific. But the pale woman seemed to be able to read

 her daughter equally as well. Sakura knew her daughter well, but

 there were some things that slipped past her. She was glad that her

 more perceptive wife always picked up on them. 

 	“Bara-chan is making a teddy bear to give to someone very important

 to her,” Tomoyo said simply, watching Sakura’s reaction. For a

 moment, the auburn haired mage said nothing, emerald eyes sparkling

 with their own inner radiance. Sakura looked as if she may be

 dreaming, still drifting closer to the warmth of her wife’s embrace

 as Tomoyo continued toying with her hair. After a long moment, the

 jade orbs widened perceptibly, shock registering on Sakura’s pretty

 face. 

 	“A teddy bear..?” Sakura asked, trailing off. She shook her head

 quickly, still holding Tomoyo’s hand to the side of her head. “But

 she’s just... How can she be making one... She’s making a teddy bear

 for the person she likes?” the surprised Cardmistress got out at

 last. The dark haired woman nodded, still smiling sweetly. The fact

 that Tomoyo didn’t seem fazed at all by this turn of events didn’t

 immediately soothe Sakura’s frazzled nerves. After all, the lavender

 haired businesswoman rarely seemed shaken by anything that didn’t

 have to do with her. And even then, Tomoyo had hidden it from her for

 the longest time whenever she would worry. Any arguments Sakura could

 think of died before they made their way to her mouth. Age couldn’t

 be a problem. Tomoyo had been in love with her since the third grade.

 Sakura couldn’t even argue about Bara sewing because Tomoyo had been

 teaching her how. Besides, even if Bara was accident prone, she never

 seemed to have trouble with artistic endeavors. The fact that her

 daughter was in love with someone wasn’t such a big deal, but she was

 hit with the sudden realization that her baby girl wasn’t quite so

 little anymore. “Hoe...” she got out weakly. 

 	“Sakura-chan makes such a cute mother,” Tomoyo whispered softly as

 she closed the remaining distance between herself and her still

 bewildered wife. Her lips pressed lightly against Sakura’s, drawing

 the brunette from her jumbled thoughts to a much more pressing here

 and now. Tomoyo had known all about the teddy bear and had actually

 been the one to tell Bara about the legend behind giving one to the

 person you liked. She was even fairly confident that she knew the

 focus of Bara’s attention. Of course, there would be time to explain

 the intricacies to Sakura later on. For now it was much nicer to just

 enjoy the distinct taste of Sakura’s kisses. Sakura apparently

 thought so as well, her arms sliding around Tomoyo’s waist and

 pulling her closer as their kiss deepened. Letting her eyes fall

 closed, Tomoyo sighed inwardly. Love wrapped her heart like a heavy

 quilt. Love spun her around, leaving her ever thirsty for more of

 it’s intoxicating and endless depths. It was for this reason that she

 was so pleased to see her daughter falling in love. Her love for

 Sakura, and in later years Sakura’s love for her, had been life’s

 greatest joy and deepest amazement. If her daughter could experience

 that same warm and all encompassing feeling then it was with great

 joy that she watched her growing into a beautiful young woman.

 Curling up with Sakura on the blanket, the two women quickly lost

 themselves to each other, lost to a deep and endless love that had

 captured them both long ago. As the heavy sun began sinking beyond

 the horizon, the two women continued to kiss, embracing warmly under

 the darkening sky.

 

 	Blushing at her parents’ sudden display of affection, Bara closed

 the blinds to her window. She had been about to call down to Tomoyo

 to thank her again for the materials for her teddy bear, but the

 older woman looked like she had her mind on other things. Not that

 Sakura was ever far from her mind. Deciding it might be best to thank

 her mother later, the younger girl hurried to her bed. Surveying the

 items on her bed, the materials all looked perfect for what she had

 in mind. A beautiful peach and white cloth would make up the body of

 the bear. A lavender bow would clad the small teddy bear when it was

 finished while tiny little green orbs would make up the eyes. Tomoyo

 had insisted upon that small touch. 

 	“After all, if the one you like is going to name it after you, it

 should have your eyes,” Tomoyo had said earlier. “That way, they will

 always see you when they look into its eyes.”

 	Sitting on her bed next to the pile of supplies, the dark haired

 girl pulled her legs up to her chest. The bear was already fully

 assembled in her head, but she didn’t know where to start. Her heart

 still beat in her chest like a swarm of angry honey bees, startling

 her. She was a little embarrassed about making such an obvious

 declaration of her feelings, but she knew it was what she wanted to

 do. It was too difficult to not say anything at all. And this would

 finally give her a chance to tell the person she liked how she felt.

 She still wasn’t sure how they felt, but as long as she didn’t have

 to hide her feelings anymore, it would be worth it. She hoped. 

 	“I need the scissors,” Bara said, thinking aloud. Slipping off the

 bed, the dark haired girl hurried out of her room, her mind already

 two steps ahead of her body. When would she give her gift? What

 should she say? Should she offer anything else with it? Too lost in

 her own thoughts while on the way to her mothers’ room for the

 supplies she needed, Bara didn’t see the little table in the hallway.

 It had been there for nearly as long as she could remember, but she

 simply wasn’t paying enough attention to notice it. Her bare foot

 snagged the table leg, throwing her off balance as her forward

 momentum kept her sailing forward. Arms pinwheeling, the pale girl

 fell forward, the world seeming to tumble around her. A short yelp

 escaped her lips before arms grasped her waist, keeping her from

 falling face first into the floor. The situation not being very new

 to the accident prone girl, she didn’t find herself very startled by

 the whole situation. Smiling, she turned in the arms of her rescuer.

 Moving in the tight embrace, she came face to face with herself.

 Emerald green eyes looked at her in concern from underneath midnight

 hair. Pale skin offset the darkness, pressed against Bara’s own pale

 skin. “Mirra-chan!” Bara exclaimed happily.

 	The Sakura Card let out a sigh, slowly letting go of the

 Cardmistress’s daughter. As usual, the dark haired girl hardly seemed

 fazed by yet another accident she nearly got herself into. Mirror was

 starting to wonder if the human girl cared at all about such trivial

 things as pain or injuries. She tried to frown, but Bara’s smile was

 contagious. She found herself returning it before too long. “You

 really need to be more careful, Bara-chan. You’re cuter when you

 aren’t all bruise covered,” she said quietly.

 	The two Baras looked at each other for a moment before the real one

 giggled in reply. “But with you and mother and everyone around

 there’s no reason to worry about it.” Turning back to the task at

 hand, the pale girl began again towards her parents’ large room,

 slipping lithely into the room through the half open door. 

 Emerald eyes began searching for what she needed, looking past a sea

 of portraits and picture frames, labels and videotapes that were all

 somehow in perfect order. Tomoyo’s large desk lay in one corner,

 several costume designs and a half finished costume resting on top of

 it. Some stuffed animals lay on the bed, all from Sakura’s

 collection, which had grown in recent years even as she gave some of

 her long held ones to Bara. One of the centerpieces to the group of

 stuffed dolls was a little Sakura doll that Tomoyo had made for the

 brunette back when they has still been children. The fabric was a

 little frayed and it’s age was showing, but Sakura took it wherever

 she went, and always held onto it when Tomoyo was gone on a business

 trip. 

 A television lay in one corner of the room, obviously for Tomoyo to

 view her tapes, even though she had a viewing room for such things

 with a much better setup. Bara’s questing eyes finally came to a halt

 on the desk. It looked like her mother had been busy at work on a

 costume the night before, so all of the materials she needed were

 there. Grabbing several of them, she turned to leave the room.

 	“I’ll carry that,” Mirror said quickly, taking the scissors from

 Bara’s hands. The last thing she needed was for Bara to trip while

 holding something like that. The midnight haired girl simply smiled

 in gratitude as she headed back for her room. Following behind her,

 the Sakura Card watched as the Cardmistress’s daughter sat back on

 the bed. “What are you doing?” she asked curiously.

 	Looking up from the assortment of items she had gathered along with

 those her mother had already lain out for her, Bara spotted Mirror in

 the doorway. Smiling cutely, the dark haired girl shook her head

 emphatically. “I can’t tell you. I’m making something, but it’s going

 to be a surprise for someone.” She turned back to the items, shifting

 through them. After a second, she walked over to a still confused

 Mirror and took the scissors slowly from her hand. “I’ll tell you all

 about it later,” she said reassuringly.

 	Mirror sighed as Bara returned to the bed. “Why can’t you tell me

 now? You know I won’t tell anyone. It will just be our secret.” The

 Sakura Card tried to catch Bara’s gaze as she herself reached the

 bed. Her own eyes tried to lock onto Bara’s jade eyes, but the human

 girl seemed intent on her thoughts. Shifting to her normal form for a

 brief second, the magical creature quickly returned to being Bara’s

 lookalike. Something she had learned over time was that it was easier

 for someone to trust themselves than to trust anyone else. This

 helped her at times because she could be them. It was, in a sense, as

 if they were looking into a mirror. Unfortunately, this trick rarely

 seemed to work on the Cardmistress’s daughter. Bara generally trusted

 her with most things as it was. But when the dark haired girl wanted

 to keep something from her, it was very difficult to drag it out. 

 	Tilting her head to the side in thought, Bara paused for a moment.

 “Well, mother, for one. Maybe Flower. Oh, and uncle Touya if he stops

 by. Am I missing anyone?” Smiling sweetly, the magical girl finally

 turned her gaze back to the Sakura Card. She liked to tease her

 friend from time to time. Mirror got riled up so easily. Never did

 her teasing get mean spirited, but she did like to see how Mirror

 reacted. The midnight haired girl already knew that she wouldn’t be

 telling her friend about what she was making anyway. So she was only

 having some fun while Mirror was continuing to be stubborn. Besides,

 Bara’s mind was already busy trying to decide exactly how she wanted

 the teddy bear to end up. But the image she had in her mind slowly

 faded away. ‘I can’t force it. Just like mother’s costume designs and

 her videotape. You have to let things flow on their own, to see where

 they take you.’ Her hands gently trailed over the cloth. ‘There’s a

 teddy bear in here and she wants to come out. I’m just going to help

 her. How she comes out is up to her,’ she thought to herself, a small

 smile spreading across her lips. An important lesson that she had

 learned from her mother was not to force things. Bara had learned

 that after coming to Tomoyo with tears in her eyes over an accident

 she had while painting. Her inspiration had been nonexistent and when

 she had tried to finish a painting she had started several days

 before, it wound up being ruined. Tomoyo had held onto her and

 brushed back her shorter, dark hair, whispering softly. She had

 explained to Bara that forcing things didn’t let them grow as they

 wanted to, and it forced them to be a certain way. To bring them out,

 to truly see them for what they were, they had to be nurtured and

 loved. It was a lesson that Bara saw in many aspects of life. Whether

 it be painting or videotaping or falling in love. It was still

 difficult sometimes to banish a finished mental image from her mind,

 but she was much happier with how things turned out.

 	Unaware that Bara was deep in thought, Mirror found herself

 blushing deeply. She had indeed had a crush on Touya long ago. And

 she was still delighted to see him whenever he stopped by to visit

 his little sister and her wife. But that hardly mattered. He had

 Yukito, after all. And she was only a Card as it was, so it couldn’t

 have worked out between them, even if Touya had returned her

 feelings. A sigh escaped her lips as she let her eyes slip closed.

 Still, did Bara have to keep teasing her about it? It had been a

 lifetime before. Bara hadn’t even been born back then. But Tomoyo had

 to be right about one thing. There was definitely something cute

 about those ears. For some time now, she had continually noticed how

 Bara’s were the same. The cute little ears jutted out of short, black

 hair in the same way that Sakura’s did. Mirror had found it quite an

 endearing aspect of her friend. And it certainly added to Bara’s

 already considerable cuteness. Shaking her head and attempting to

 banish the blush, Mirror replied. “You know I wouldn’t tell any of

 them. Even Touya-san.”

 	“I know,” Bara answered simply, emerald eyes glittering as she

 looked up from her thoughts. Pale fingers brushed dark hair away from

 her jade orbs. “But I still can’t tell you. You’ll find out sooner or

 later. You always do.” Winking at the Sakura Card, the pale girl

 giggled. “So just be patient.”

 	“If you say so, Bara-chan,” Mirror said in defeat. She knew it was

 pointless to continue arguing to be told. Much like Tomoyo, Bara

 could keep a very tight lip about such things. Even if she didn’t

 want to wait to find out what her friend was up to, it didn’t seem

 like she had a choice. Sitting on the bed, the Sakura Card watched

 the pale girl continue to dreamily go over ideas in her head. 

 	Blushing a bit from the direction her thoughts were headed about

 giving her teddy bear to the one she loved, Bara quickly shook her

 head. “Ano... I think you should probably go for now, Mira-chan. I

 need to get started on this.” Hopping off of the bed, Bara put her

 hands on the Sakura Card’s back, gently pushing her mirror image

 towards the door. “If you stay, I’ll get distracted and then I’ll

 never finish up. And if I don’t ever finish, you’ll never find out

 what it is.” Smiling sweetly, the Cardmistress’s daughter closed the

 door. 

 	Mirror blinked as she found herself outside of Bara’s room. What

 had just happened? “Well, I guess. But I hope it won’t take too

 long,” Mirror said through the door, pressing her ear up against it

 as she waited for a reply. Curiosity gnawed at her magical core. She

 couldn’t begin to guess what her human best friend was up to, and the

 dark haired girl’s strange behavior was only strengthening her desire

 to know what Bara was up to. She could hear movement on the other

 side of the door, strange noises that met her ears as she tried to

 discern them. Just what was the slightly eccentric girl doing?

 Pushing the side of her face against the door, she strained to make

 out what was happening. Suddenly, the door fell away from her and she

 nearly came crashing to the ground. Pinwheeling, the Card barely

 regained her balance in Bara’s doorway. She looked up to see Bara

 smiling at her.

 	“Well, the sooner you stop listening in, the sooner I can start.

 Honestly, Mira-chan, how can I ever do anything surprising if you

 won’t let me hide a few things from you now and then?” the pale girl

 gently chided, tucking some strands of black hair behind her ear. She

 could only smile at the childish look of embarrassment flashing

 across Mirror’s face, an exact copy of her own face. Did she really

 look like that when she was caught embarrassed? The fact that Mirror

 often looked like her wasn’t at all awkward for her. She had actually

 grown accustomed to seeing that pale face and dark hair greeting her

 when she saw her best friend. Like looking into an actual mirror, she

 could always see herself in it, but unlike those constructs of glass,

 she could see the girl underneath her visage. Mirror was always her

 Mira-chan, no matter what she looked like. The Sakura Card looked

 very lovely in her normal form, very formal with pretty pale green

 hair, but she didn’t get to see Mirror like that very often. It was a

 shame, but Bara didn’t mind very much. It didn’t matter how Mirror

 looked so long as she was there. “Now scoot,” she commanded, putting

 on as serious a look as her near giggly heart could allow. It came

 out sounding silly, even to her. She placed her hands on her hips and

 gave Mirror a mock stern look before bursting out laughing. Mirror

 joined her a second later, forgetting her earlier embarrassment.

 	“I can’t let you hide things from me,” Mirror said after they both

 regained some measure of composure. “Because I’m you.” Striking her

 best imitation of the young heiress, she watched the human girl. That

 was what she was after all, a reflection. She had been created to be

 a mirror, to reflect things back. She was more comfortable looking

 like Bara than she was looking like herself. It was easier for her

 that way, to assume someone else’s identity, to simply reflect what

 she saw. And she could think of no one she would rather be a

 reflection of than the Cardmistress’s daughter. Bara’s shimmering

 spirit and sweet nature made her a perfect choice for Mirror’s new

 guise. She had spent more time as the dark haired girl’s twin over

 the past few years than she had as herself. And that’s the way she

 liked it. “So it’s not fair if you know things about you that I

 don’t,” Mirror argued.

 	“Nice try, Mira-chan. I’ll see you in a bit.” The pale girl gave

 her magically created friend a quick hug before once again closing

 the door. She waved to her slowly before it closed shut. Pressing her

 own ear against the door, she waited until she heard the Sakura Card

 walking away before hurrying back to her bed. Her heart fluttered in

 her chest like a hummingbird, her jade eyes flashing with

 determination to finish her teddy bear as quickly as possible. Pale

 fingers began sifting through the materials spread out on her bed,

 shaking in their eagerness. The young girl had to force herself to

 slow down, lest she make any mistakes with her new little friend. The

 teddy bear should be perfect after all. Her heart’s desire deserved

 nothing less. Humming softly to herself, the pale waif started her

 work. 

 

 	“Hoe...” a flustered voice rang through the spacious wardrobe room

 that Tomoyo had insisted on having when the house had been built. It

 was right across the hallway from Sakura’s Magician’s Workshop,

 another room Tomoyo had decided on having. The whole house was almost

 dreamy, very beautiful and elegant yet with an almost absurdly cute

 feel to things. It lingered in the background, never entirely

 prominent but there just the same. And it was in Tomoyo’s wardrobe

 room, or rather, Sakura’s wardrobe room as the costumes inside all

 fit her snugly, that the two childhood friends once again found

 themselves. “Isn’t it a bit...” Sakura trailed off, at a loss for

 words. Here she was, a grown woman, and Tomoyo could still get her

 into crazy costumes with little more than a few words. Her cheeks

 flushed as she looked down at the outfit she was wearing this time.

 She wore a man’s suit and tie, a very dressy outfit. The polished

 white and black shoes shown back up at her. She would think Tomoyo

 had gone shopping in the men’s section on accident if it weren’t for

 the fact that it fit her measurements exactly. 

 	“Handsome? I certainly think so,” Tomoyo put in, finished Sakura’s

 sentence in a way Sakura herself wasn’t likely to have. Reaching

 forward, the lavender haired businesswoman readjusted Sakura’s white

 dress shirt. “There. See? I think children will love this design for

 the Kenji doll. He’s handsome and dashing with just a touch of

 innocent vulnerability in him. It’s a nice outfit for if he’s going

 out on a date with one of our other dolls or if he’s just going out

 for a night at the theater.” Smiling happily, Tomoyo was in her

 element. Dressing up Sakura and working out new designs. Turning her

 shy wife around, the eccentric woman sighed contentedly. Yes, this

 was exactly what she lived for. “After this, you can try on the two

 new designs we have for the Hanako doll.”

 	“Ano... Tomoyo, do you really have to make life-size versions of

 all the costumes you design for the toys?” Sakura asked as her

 lovably obsessive wife fixed the costume here and there on her. 

 	“Yes, of course. Because it makes a much better impact if I can

 have Sakura-chan sport our new designs at the meetings before they go

 into production. Seeing you walk around the room like a model

 showcasing the new designs is always much better than simply showing

 the costumes for our dolls on paper,” Tomoyo explained, turning

 Sakura so that the auburn haired woman faced the camcorder on it’s

 tripod more directly.

 	“But Tomoyo-chan, you’re the president of the company. You don’t

 need to sell everyone on the designs.” Sakura sweatdropped as she

 looked over at the camcorder. Even after over a decade of marriage,

 the lavender haired woman still managed to confuse Sakura at times.

 But it was always a sweet confusion that didn’t generally last long.

 Tomoyo’s motives were, after all, beautifully simplistic. 

 	“It makes the meetings much more fun if Sakura-chan’s dressed up

 like our new products,” Tomoyo added, smiling her trademark smile as

 she looked at the brunette. Sakura simply watched her as she

 readjusted the camcorder. Her long, dark hair was done up in a high

 ponytail now, draped down over one shoulder. That had always been her

 ulterior motive, but it had been one that served her well. She liked

 designing, but she found that Sakura was always at the root of her

 inspiration. Working for her mother and later taking over the

 Daidouji Toys company, she had to design for many of the toys the

 company produced. It was fun to work on them, but she much preferred

 to be designing costumes and outfits for her beloved Sakura. She had

 found a way around this by making life-size versions of her designs

 for Sakura to traipse around in for her. This allowed her to design

 for the brunette even while she was working on dolls and their

 wardrobe. Besides, who could resist seeing Sakura wearing her

 company’s newest designs at important meetings? 

 	Sighing in defeat, Sakura’s shoulders slumped. Wasn’t this the way

 things had always worked? No matter how embarrassingly cute the

 design, Sakura had always wound up wearing whatever Tomoyo made for

 her. How could she not when the lavender haired woman had poured so

 much of her love and effort into creating these beautiful clothes for

 Sakura? Even as she stood in the man’s clothes for the Kenji doll,

 the Mistress of the Cards knew that she did enjoy the attention

 Tomoyo blanketed her with. Her mother had been a famous model, but

 Sakura was Tomoyo’s model alone. And that was the way she liked it.

 Sure, it was embarrassing. Sure, Tomoyo had some bizarre designs and

 things that Sakura would never wear without a promise that the

 videotape of her in such things would never be viewed by anyone but

 her wife. But it was simply part of life with Tomoyo. Who else would

 treat her like a movie star? Who else would give her all the

 attention in the world? Who else could love her the way Tomoyo did? 

 	“Besides, Sakura is very handsome like this,” Tomoyo stated,

 placing her hands on Sakura’s shoulders. Her stormy blue eyes gazed

 lovingly into their emerald partners, sending a spark through her

 that had only grown stronger and more acute as the years had gone by.

 It always thrilled her to dress Sakura up in all manner of clothing

 and styles, eager to see how her energetic wife would look in them

 all. It was like having her own live KiSS doll. The lavender haired

 woman’s hobbies were very much centered around the one she loved. Her

 videotaping was always of Sakura, her costume designs were made

 specifically for her wife, and her singing was for the one she loved.

 But what better way to spend her free time than with her beautiful

 wife, no matter what they did? Her hands squeezed Sakura’s shoulders

 slightly, delighting at the feel of Sakura underneath her fingertips.

 Sakura looked nearly as cute in men’s clothes as she did in women’s

 clothes. Even if it wasn’t as lacy or as frilly as Tomoyo would like,

 it was still her gorgeous Sakura. And she pulled off the dress suit

 perfectly. Though it helped that Tomoyo had designed it with Sakura

 in mind. 

 	Sakura blushed at Tomoyo’s compliment, her eyes unable to escape

 that azure gaze. Her hands slowly went to Tomoyo’s slender waist.

 “Arigato, Tomoyo... You’re gorgeous,” Sakura breathed quietly as she

 raised on of her hands up to the lavender haired woman’s snow white

 cheek. The pale skin was offset wonderfully by the cascade of dark

 hair down her shoulder. That long ponytail hung between them as the

 two women inched closer. The Mistress of the Cards had the

 overwhelming urge to ask Tomoyo to dance. They were surrounded by

 racks of costumes and mannequins sporting some of Sakura’s old battle

 costumes, but even in the quiet room it seemed like an excellent

 idea. “Will you dance with me, Tomoyo?” Sakura asked at last, unable

 to find a single reason not to. It felt a little strange to still be

 in the awkward clothes Tomoyo had given her to wear, but it clung to

 her perfectly, showcasing her wife’s talent for costume design. 

 	“I would love to, Sakura,” Tomoyo whispered in reply, smiling

 brilliantly. Leaning ever closer, her petal soft lips brushed

 Sakura’s. Her heart ached longingly as their lips touched again,

 longer this time. These little touches of heaven were pure bliss to

 the lavender haired businesswoman. They were like the sweetest of

 dreams brought magically to life. This was the magic she saw in a

 life with Sakura. It wasn’t the Cards or any of the power Sakura had.

 It was the brunette’s ability to bring out a sheer, unadulterated joy

 inside of her. It was the warmth that shivered through her heart as

 it waited bedecked with ribbons and lace for Sakura to simply hold it

 close. Dancing with Sakura anywhere sounded like a wondrous idea, but

 dancing with her among the flurry of cute and dreamlike costumes felt

 like a trip through some distant wonderland. And her trusty camcorder

 was set up to record the glorious moment. Tomoyo sighed rapturously

 as their lips slowly parted, both women reluctant to end the kiss.

 But there would be many more. There always were. 

 	Drawn forward as if by a magnet, the dazed Sakura barely stopped

 herself before initiating another long kiss. Shaking her head, she

 tried to think coherently, but thought was rendered all but

 impossible as the lavender haired woman caught her near kiss and

 returned it with her own. Holding onto Tomoyo, Sakura felt feather

 soft lips deliciously meeting her own. The fairy tale kiss came to a

 slow end after Sakura got a taste of Tomoyo’s tongue in her mouth.

 Her own tongue tried to follow Tomoyo’s, but her wife had already

 begun to pull away. Still leaning forward, Sakura blushed as she felt

 the lavender haired woman’s lips around the tip of her tongue. They

 stayed that way for a moment, Tomoyo sliding closer for another

 simmering kiss before pulling away once more. Slowly remembering

 where she was and the promised dance that awaited them, a dreamy

 Sakura pulled out a pink Card and twirled it between her fingers.

 “Song! Please give us some music to dance to!” The Sakura Card

 flashed and music slowly began to filter through the room, Tomoyo’s

 voice singing softly with the music. The Song Card had long ago

 chosen Tomoyo’s voice for the one it would use, just as the Voice

 Card had sought her out as the most beautiful voice it could find.

 And Sakura certainly agreed with the both of them. Hearing Tomoyo’s

 voice sing to the both of them, the two woman slowly began to dance

 through the costumes. “Hanyaan,” Sakura whispered.

 

 	“So okaa-sama couldn’t have caught it without you?” Bara asked

 curiously as she flipped through the Book of Sakura. Several of the

 Cards were elsewhere at the moment, such as Mirror and Song, but the

 majority of the pink Sakura Cards were in their matching book. Bara

 was currently looking through the Cards, trying to get a feel for

 them. She was leaning absentmindedly against the upstairs railing,

 overlooking the large entrance hall to the house. While sifting

 through the Cards, she was listening to Kero’s stories about his

 adventures during her mother’s days of card capturing. His stories

 weren’t always entirely factual as Tomoyo’s videos had shown when

 Bara watched them after listening to the Seal Beast, but she loved to

 hear them all the same. Magic fascinated her and she always yearned

 to find out more about it. 

 	“You got it, kid. Had I not been there, we might not be standing

 here today havin’ this little chat.” Kero nodded, his arms crossed.

 He was standing on the railing, recounting his tales of wonder to

 Sakura’s daughter. At least the dark haired girl appreciated him.

 Sakura had never quite believed in how truly amazing he was. The kid,

 on the other hand, would hang onto his every word. It had been a

 mighty good thing that Sakura and Tomoyo had gotten hitched after

 all. He was finally getting some appreciation. 

 	“Then I’m sure Tomoyo-mama must have thanked you many times over

 for saving Sakura-mama.” Smiling, Bara continued to flip through the

 Cards, trying to feel them with her own slowly growing magic. It was

 difficult for her, but she was pleased to see that she was making

 some progress. Her left foot moved about playfully behind her. She

 had finished the teddy bear a short time ago and now all she had to

 do was wait for a good opportunity to give it to her special someone.

 These things needed to be planned carefully if they were to come out

 perfectly. One wouldn’t want to give something important like a teddy

 bear to their true love during an inconsequential moment. So while

 she waited for inspiration to strike on how to go about giving away

 her heart in the guise of a trussed up bear, she spent some time with

 the Seal Beast, gleaning up on her knowledge of the Sakura Cards. Her

 mother didn’t really mind when she borrowed the Sakura Book to look

 through the Cards, so she tried to go through them when she could.

 The Cards were all so amazing to the pale girl. Her best friend was

 one of them as well. They all had such neat things they could do and

 they all had their own distinct personalities. Some had become good

 friends, like Mirror and Flower, others seemed rather mischievous

 like Jump, and some had an air of respect about them that had Bara

 bowing whenever in their presence, as was the case with Dark and

 Light. And the Seal Beast was just funny. She always enjoyed Kero’s

 company. 

 	“Yep! She made such a delicious cake as a thank you...” Kero sighed

 dreamily, remembering the cake Tomoyo had made in more detail than he

 could remember the actual event in question. “Hey, let’s ask Tomoyo-

 chan to bake a nice big dessert for everybody when we finally find

 her. If this place wasn’t so big, I’d go look for her right now. As

 it is, I’d probably get lost and starve to death.” The Seal Beast

 looked down at his stomach, putting both hands on it. “I’m already

 wasting away.” 

 	“I’ll bake you something if you want, Kero-chan,” Bara offered,

 looking over to the flying teddy bear. She idly wondered if she

 should have based her teddy bear off of the Seal Beast, but decided

 she was happier having something original. It felt more from the

 heart that way. Besides, no stuffed animal could take Kero’s place. 

 	“Would you?” Kero’s eyes sparkled as he flew up next to the dark

 haired girl. Yes, this was definitely Tomoyo’s daughter. “Wai!! Wai!!

 Arigato, Bara-chan!!” Visions of cakes and sweets encircled his head

 while he alighted next to the young heiress’s elbow. 

 	Giggling at Kero’s enthusiasm, Bara nodded quickly. “Un, Kero-chan.

 It sounds like fun.” There were very few instances when Kero wasn’t

 hungry and this didn’t appear to be one of them. The dark haired girl

 had plenty of time to waste as it was and if the Seal Beast was

 hungry, she was more than happy to cook for him. He was always very

 complimentary about such things, so she didn’t have to worry overtly

 about ruining a recipe while she was at it. Besides, cooking was an

 art form in itself. So with enough patience, it could be a very

 lovely thing. Bara enjoyed cooking nearly as much as she enjoyed

 painting. They had a chef for such things, if they so needed it, but

 Tomoyo and Sakura often cooked dinner together, and Bara had learned

 from the two of them. She was slowly making her way through some of

 the cookbooks in the kitchen along with Kero, though she needed

 Tomoyo’s help with some of the trickier recipes.

 Looking over at the Seal Beast with a smile, she didn’t notice as

 the Sakura Book began slipping in her grasp. She barely looked back

 in time to see it tumble end over end through space as it plummeted

 to the floor below. 

 	“Owww!!” sounded rather than the thud Bara had been waiting for. 

 	Peering over the railing, Bara spotted Mirror sitting on the floor,

 rubbing her head, the Sakura Book lying next to her. “Gomen nasai,

 Mira-chan!” The dark haired girl darted down the stairs, nearly

 tumbling down herself if not for Kero’s grip on her blouse as she

 missed a step. Stumbling forward, she didn’t miss a beat as she

 hurried to her injured friend’s side. “I’m so sorry, Mira-chan! It

 just kinda... fell.” Sweatdropping, the pale heiress bowed

 apologetically. “Daijoubu?”

 	One of the only real downsides to being the sweet, genki young

 girl’s best friend was that it seemed her accident proneness had

 targeted Mirror as well. As if it wasn’t enough that the pale girl

 was always getting herself hurt, it always turned out that she

 somehow managed to get Mirror hurt as well. It was as if Fate was

 aiming at the poor girl and anyone who got near her. But even then,

 the Sakura Card couldn’t imagine giving up her cherished friendship

 with the girl for anything. Sighing, she continued to rub her own

 dark hair, still a mirror image of Bara Daidouji. “I’m fine. Just a

 little dazed. I didn’t expect it to start raining books today.”

 	“Awww... Gomen, Mira-chan.” Bending over, the pale girl kissed the

 spot on Mirror’s head that the Sakura Card had been rubbing. Like a

 mother kissing away some phantom pain, she gently pressed her lips

 into Mirror’s soft, black hair. She didn’t know if it would do any

 good, but it had always comforted her when she was younger, and the

 gesture itself always made her feel better. Pulling away, she knelt

 next to the fallen Sakura Card, hugging her pale legs to her chest.

 She smiled softly at her friend, watching and waiting to see if she

 was still in pain.

 	Blushing, Mirror looked down as Bara sat next to her. For a long

 moment, she was silent. Maybe it wasn’t so bad that Bara was so

 accident prone after all. If that was what she had to look forward to

 when she got hurt, it might be worthwhile just to stumble around

 blindly and see what happened. The dark haired girl had a very

 gentle, loving touch and it shined through in everything she did. The

 Cards had all quickly come to love their Mistress’s daughter, keeping

 an eye out for her. That was probably the main reason Bara hadn’t

 been hurt any worse than she already had over the years. The

 embarrassment quickly melted away as Mirror’s eyes shot up eagerly.

 “Oh, are you finished yet with whatever it was you were doing? Can

 you tell me now?”

 	Bara giggled and hugged her legs tighter. “Yes, I’m finished with

 it. No, I can’t tell you yet.” Letting go of her legs, the heiress

 crawled over to Mirror and whispered in her ear so Kero wouldn’t

 here. She knew how much he liked to be on the inside of everything.

 “I can’t say now, but meet me in the garden tonight at nine. I’ll

 explain everything then.” Standing up slowly, the pale girl smoothed

 out her long skirt and smiled. “See you then, Mira-chan!”

 	Blushing once more from Bara’s cute whisper ringing through her

 ear, Mirror nodded, now more confused than ever. What was she making?

 Why was it so big a deal that she couldn’t simply tell her now? Well,

 many things seemed like a big deal to the dark haired girl. Even

 small things held a great deal of importance to her. So it didn’t

 necessarily mean this was any different. But still, she couldn’t help

 but wonder just what this was all about.

 	“What were you doing? And what are you two talking about?” Kero

 demanded, disappointed about being left out of whatever this whole

 thing was. 

 	“Come on, Kero-chan. You can decide what we bake,” Bara coaxed,

 already on her way to the kitchen. 

 	The Seal Beast fell in with the younger girl, all previous thoughts

 replaced with the goodies of what was to come.

 	Mirror sighed as she watched the two disappear around a corner.

 “Bara-chan...”

 

 	Mirror paced nervously in the darkened garden as time slowly ticked

 away in her head. There were plenty of lights out in the garden that

 could be turned out if someone were so inclined to take a midnight

 stroll or to have a late picnic, but aside from the lights of the

 mansion, it was dark at the moment. The flustered Sakura Card

 couldn’t even understand why she was so nervous. Bara was simply

 going to explain whatever it was she had been doing earlier. From the

 looks of things, she was probably sewing a yukata or something for

 school. But then, maybe she could see the midnight haired girl in it.

 That would be a sight to behold in and of itself. Just the same,

 Mirror couldn’t completely set her anxiety aside. Bara was treating

 this all like some special secret that she was enjoying far too much.

 When this all turned out to be nothing more than some school

 project... The green haired magical being knew that she should most

 likely be in her Card form at the moment, back with the other Sakura

 Cards, but she had to know that Bara was so excited about. Her best

 friend was a real mystery at times. 

 	A sound from up above tore Mirror from her thoughts. Shifting back

 to a reflection of Bara, she watched up above and listened for the

 sound to return. A small figure haltingly crawled out of one of the

 windows, stepping out onto a nearby tree branch. Mirror could barely

 make out the pale girl in the dim moonlight, it’s pale glow

 illuminating her faintly. Hurrying over to the tree, the Sakura Card

 looked up and tried to spot her Mistress’s daughter. “Bara-chan?” she

 called out.

 	“Shh... I’ll be right down,” came Bara’s whispered reply. The dark

 haired girl stepped down to another branch, being careful not to snag

 her dress on the tree. Bit by bit, she made her way down the tree.

 Nearing the last few branches, she reached out with her foot for the

 last one and missed. Losing he footing, the pale girl careened out of

 the tree.

 	Mirror’s eyes went wide as she saw the shape of her best friend

 drop out of the tree. Bolting under her, she tried to catch the

 falling star, but did little more than break Bara’s fall. Collapsed

 under the heiress’s slender weight, Mirror sighed, spitting out some

 grass. “You’re going to be the death of me, Bara-chan.”

 	The pale girl giggled softly as she helped her magical friend back

 to her feet. “Gomen nasai, Mira-chan. I’ll try to be more careful.

 Thank you for saving me.” Bowing, she glanced up to see Mirror

 watching her. Smiling at the Sakura Card, Bara stood up. Her hair in

 slight disarray looked like the faintest of shadows, the first

 touches of midnight gripping the sleeping world. Her alabaster skin

 seemed to sparkle like freshly fallen snow in the dim moonlight. She

 wore a stunning ice blue dress that flowed down to her ankles. Her

 ears were adorned with two cute teardrop earrings. Slender shoes clad

 her delicate little feet while white stockings disappeared underneath

 the dress. She held a small pink sack that was drawn closed with some

 pull strings. It was all slightly messy from her fall, little blades

 of grass here and there and what looked like a leaf stuck in her

 hair, but she looked altogether gorgeous nonetheless. 

 	Shaking her head, Mirror tried to find herself, but couldn’t help

 but stare in astonishment at the Cardmistress’s stunning daughter.

 The small girl was always beautiful, but that night she looked simply

 angelic. “It was my pleasure. I’m just glad you’re all right, Bara-

 chan. I don’t know what I’d do if you were hurt. I’d be a broken

 mirror. It wouldn’t be worth going on if I couldn’t reflect your

 beautiful image ever day.” She smiled when the pale girl giggled

 softly and hugged her. She returned the hug, the two carbon copy

 girls holding each other underneath the moonlit. They stayed that way

 for a long time, the cool breeze playing with dark tendrils of black

 hair, moonlight shimmering over them. Bara was like a falling star,

 carrying her own inner light that cascaded through the darkness. Oh,

 and she fell a lot. But Mirror wasn’t about to mention that. It was

 nice to simply stand there, hugging the other girl while the night

 enveloped them. The pale girl’s steady breathing lulled Mirror into a

 peaceful silence. For a moment, she thought that Sakura’s daughter

 had fallen asleep in her arms, but Bara slowly stirred and took a

 step back. 

 	“This is for you, Mira-chan,” Bara said, smiling cutely. She held

 out the small pink bag hopefully, trying to keep her own nervousness

 from showing. She didn’t want to pressure Mirror with concern for how

 she herself would feel. She simply wanted to express her feelings in

 the best way she knew how. As the confused Sakura Card slowly took

 the bag, Bara felt as if she were handing over all of her hopes and

 dreams in the small sack. Her heart fluttered in her chest like a

 cloud of butterflies, yet she continued to smile as best she could.

 It was like waiting to see what someone thought of one of her

 paintings, only infinitely worse. This time there was a lot more

 involved than a simple piece of artwork. Crafted with such care and

 love, she could only hope her gift would be given a good home. But it

 was more than the gift itself. Wasn’t it her heart in that bag? It

 had simply taken the shape of a bear for the night. It’s Fate now

 rested in Mirror’s hands. 

 	Looking at Bara and then back at the bag, Mirror began to undo the

 pull strings on the pink bundle. She was surprised to see her hands

 shaking. She could never remember being this nervous, not even when

 she had been confronted by Sakura after getting Touya hurt years and

 years earlier. This was altogether different. And much more

 frightening for some reason. Something in the back of her mind

 whispered to her that it was only Bara. That there was nothing to

 fear from this petite, lovely young girl. That eased the Sakura

 Card’s nerves and allowed her to work out the last knot. Opening up

 the bag, she gazed in to spy its contents. Inside sat a lone teddy

 bear, his ‘fur’ a creamy peach and white combination. A cute lavender

 bow was tied neatly around his neck, and beautiful emerald eyes

 looked up from the teddy bear to the Sakura Card. Mirror stared at

 the precious gift, speechless. The bag fluttered to the ground as she

 held it up in the moonlight. “For.. me?”

 	Nodding quickly, Bara smiled, her eyes closed. She wanted to see

 every little detail, to know what Mirror thought, to see how she

 reacted and her facial expressions and what she did with the bear and

 so on, but she couldn’t bring herself to watch. Her nervousness had

 finally stepped in and gotten the better of her. She knew that she

 couldn’t keep smiling if she watched. It would be too difficult to

 keep it up when she was too concerned with how Mirror was taking it.

 And if she kept smiling, it wouldn’t matter how Mirror would take it,

 because then the Sakura Card wouldn’t have to worry about hurting

 her. So she waited in silence, her hands held together in front of

 her as the wind whistled in her ear. She wanted to open her eyes, but

 she couldn’t quite get them to budge. All the better, she supposed.

 She wanted to know exactly how Mirror felt about receiving her heart

 in a bear costume, and she certainly wouldn’t know if she was staring

 at Mirror and begging for a positive response. The cold wind brushed

 her bare skin, as if to tease her about her gift. She felt her dress

 flutter about in the wind, her dark hair waving forward. The silence

 just made her all the more anxious, but she continued to smile for

 what felt like an eternity. Something warm and soft pressed into her,

 causing her to take a half step backwards. Blinking her eyes open,

 she could see Mirror’s grateful, smiling face in front of her, and

 realized that the Sakura Card was hugging her again. She could feel

 the bear still in Mirror’s hands pressed against her back. For once,

 Mirror was actually herself, her longer green hair tossing about in

 the wind. Smiling genuinely now, Bara returned the hug tightly. 

 	“It’s so pretty. Thank you, Bara-chan. I’ve never gotten such a

 wonderful gift. It’s perfect.” Elation rose through Mirrors soul as

 the two stood under the starlight. Never had she imagined that

 something so small yet so important as a little teddy bear would be

 her own. That the black haired girl had made it for her was stunning.

 She was a magical creation, a Sakura Card. Did she really deserve

 something so special? Did it matter? Bara had made it for her. Had

 crafted it with her own small, delicate hands. No gift could ever

 exceed the small, precious teddy bear that she held. 

 	Relief flooded through Bara’s nervous body, the pale girl relaxing

 into the embrace that held them both. And that was really all she

 could ask for. Whatever happened in the future, well, hopefully the

 legend of the teddy bear was true. “What are you going to name it,

 Mira-chan?” the black haired heiress asked after a moment, the wind

 dying down around the two of them. 

 	Pausing for a moment, Mirror shifted her grip on the cute bear in

 her hand. Her fingers carefully traced the stitches as she held onto

 the Cardmistress’s daughter. She remembered once more when she had

 first met up with Touya. He had been helping her look for something,

 but they had never found it. ‘When you find what you’re looking for..

 Maybe you can go back..’ he had said, referring to heaven. Holding

 the teddy bear tighter against Bara as she hugged the smaller girl,

 she smiled to herself. She had found what she had been looking for

 after all. But she needn’t go anywhere to find heaven. It was right

 with her in the form of the darling little angel of a girl before

 her. “I’m going to name it Bara-chan,” Mirror whispered.

 	Bara couldn’t help but smile joyously as the Mirror Card held her.

 That had been exactly what she had prayed for. Maybe the legend was

 true after all. “Really? There’s a legend that if someone gives you a

 teddy bear and you name it after them, the two of you will fall in

 love,” the dark haired girl explained quietly. She could feel her

 hair moving around, but she couldn’t quite tell if it was the wind or

 Mirror that was doing it. She shifted a bit against the now taller

 girl, letting her eyes fall closed again. It felt so peaceful. Her

 previous worries felt far away, as if they had been from years

 before. Now she was just with Mirror. Under the moonlight. Her heart

 beat steadily. It was all so sweetly romantic.

 	Mirror sighed softly, looking down at the younger girl. She kissed

 Bara’s forehead gently, brushing back the girl’s short, black hair.

 “I sure hope so,” she replied, smiling. Bara blushed and looked away,

 burying her head against Mirror. Holding onto the dark haired girl

 underneath the night sky, the Sakura Card promised off all of her

 magic if only that moment could last forever.