view old/stories/Bara.txt @ 4:69f0191c9016 moonlitnights tip

added error.log and access.log
author Robert McIntyre <rlm@mit.edu>
date Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:42:35 -0400
parents fc00894c1d4a
children
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1 Author’s notes: This story is set in the future of Cardcaptor
2 Sakura. ^-^ Tomoyo & Sakura are married and have a child named Bara.
3 This is just a cute little story that I’ve been wanting to write for
4 a while now. If you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail
5 me. ^-^ I always love to hear what people think. ^-^ The characters
6 are not my own (with the exception of Bara). They are property of
7 CLAMP.
10 Be My Teddy Bear
11 by Amazoness Duo
12 amazonessduo@hotmail.com
15 “How kawaii!! I finally get the chance to videotape the two most
16 beautiful women in my life,” Tomoyo exclaimed ecstatically, zooming
17 in on the subjects of her camcorder. A pale hand went to the slightly
18 eccentric woman’s cheek as she focused the image. Her long, dark
19 hair, done up in two pigtails with some aquamarine ribbons, stirred
20 lightly in the gentle afternoon breeze that meandered through the
21 garden bringing with it the sweet fragrance of flowers in bloom.
22 The two women who were as always the focus of Tomoyo’s wholehearted
23 attention blushed simultaneously as they found themselves caught on
24 video. “Tomoyo-chan...” The taller of the two said nervously as she
25 placed her hand behind her head. Her fingers brushed chestnut hair
26 away from her eyes as the gentle breeze began to pick up. After over
27 a decade of marriage, Sakura still couldn’t hide her embarrassment
28 over some of her wife’s obsessive remarks. Of course, knowing what
29 was behind her best friend’s words actually made it all the more
30 embarrassing. These weren’t just strange comments as she’d thought
31 when they were children. She knew very well just how much Tomoyo
32 meant every one of them. Of course, even if they were a little
33 embarrassing to hear at the end of a meeting at Daidouji Inc., she
34 could never bring herself to ask Tomoyo to stop. She wouldn’t want
35 the dark haired woman to cease such things, after all. Besides,
36 wasn’t that sweet devotion part of why she had married her in the
37 first place? So even if it always started Sakura blushing, she was
38 always happy to hear her wife’s strange remarks.
39 The younger girl, not much older than Sakura had been back when she
40 had begun her own adventure with the Cards, sweatdropped herself.
41 Daidouji Bara was a small, pale girl with short, midnight hair. While
42 not quite as easily embarrassed as her more athletic mother, she
43 still found herself blushing at some of Tomoyo’s comments. Certainly
44 not starved for attention, she once again whiled away her afternoon
45 by having a picnic with her parents. The daughter of Sakura and
46 Tomoyo was an energetic and gentle girl. While not being as
47 athletically inclined as Sakura, she did find herself becoming more
48 and more interested in the magical workings of her mother’s own
49 Sakura Cards. Part of that was because of her friendship with several
50 of the Cards, including the Flower and Mirror. Brave and determined,
51 there was little that frightened her and so magic had quickly become
52 something that captivated her attention. Unfortunately, through some
53 twist of nature, or perhaps an inheritance from Nadeshiko, the poor
54 girl was terribly accident prone. This kept her loving parents and
55 guardians ever vigilant, but even then she often got herself hurt.
56 While not quite as overprotective as Tomoyo’s mother, they still
57 tried to keep a careful eye on their bubbly daughter. “Okaa-sama...”
58 Bara said, nearly mimicking Sakura. This only brought a giggle from
59 Tomoyo and yet more videotaping.
60 Bara didn’t really mind her mother’s videotaping hobby. In fact,
61 she had grown up with that particular facet of life. So it hardly
62 seemed strange when the dark haired woman pulled out her camcorder to
63 record just about any event. It seemed that the only prerequisite for
64 Tomoyo’s camcorder was that Sakura or Bara had to be present. The
65 loving wife and mother was always happy to videotape one or the other
66 for her ever expanding collection of videotape. Bara herself enjoyed
67 watching through her mother’s older videotapes so aptly entitled
68 ‘Cardcaptor Sakura’ or ‘Sakura-chan’s Kawaii and Magical Adventures’.
69 It always fascinated her to watch her parents in their younger days
70 and the exciting escapades they had found themselves in. She had even
71 worn some of the costumes that Sakura had worn in the videotapes.
72 Tomoyo had kept nearly every costume, so when Bara had asked her
73 about them she had been more than happy to go through the vast
74 collection. The designer of the costumes had fixed up some of them to
75 fit Bara and had taped her running around in them. Bara had been
76 awestruck at the wide variety of beautiful designs that her mother
77 had sewn over the years. The gorgeous outfits had all been eye candy
78 for the hungry girl. Sharing her mother’s flare for the artistic, she
79 had easily been lost in the wide array of clothes kept in pristine
80 condition. In recent years she had even begun helping Tomoyo with
81 some of the costumes that she still made for an embarrassed but
82 willing Sakura. She was always thrilled to see the finished designs
83 on their auburn haired model, something she shared with her pale
84 mother.
85 “Oh, Bara-chan,” Tomoyo began thoughtfully, pulling herself from
86 her Sakura induced daydreams. Her hand went to her chin as she placed
87 the camcorder on her lap. “I picked up some materials for you on the
88 way home. I put them on your bed. If you want a different design for
89 the cloth I can go through my closet and see if there’s anything you
90 like.” Her trademark smile graced her lips as she watched her
91 daughter’s face light up. It was such a wonderful feeling to see her
92 daughter enjoying some of the same things that had always brought joy
93 to her own heart. Tomoyo’s mother had taught her simple things like
94 sewing and even videotaping when she had been a child herself and she
95 had fallen in love with these seemingly simple activities. Mostly
96 because the woman she loved was always the focus of her work. Seeing
97 her daughter grow up was equally thrilling but was slightly
98 bittersweet. She knew that her child would one day grow up and find
99 her own way in the world, but part of her wanted to cling on to the
100 baby girl that she and Sakura had raised together, to never let her
101 grow up. But watching her blossom into a beautiful woman, seeing the
102 result of her love for Sakura grow was a gift that she would never
103 let go of.
104 “Really?! Okaa-sama, arigato!” Bara nearly squealed. Pushing off
105 the picnic blanket, she hugged the older woman tightly. Tomoyo hugged
106 her back for a moment before the younger girl got to her feet.
107 Excitement tingled through her mind as the half-forgotten thought
108 from earlier once gained her full attention. Bowing to both of her
109 parents, she smoothed down her sunflower yellow sundress as the wind
110 played with the edges. “Dinner was wonderful. It was a lot of fun. I
111 think I’m going to go to my room to start right now. Thank you again,
112 mother!” She smiled happily as she turned on a sandalled foot and
113 hurried towards the large mansion. Despite her frail body, the
114 younger girl took off like a shot, anticipation evident in her eager
115 strides.
116 Sweatdropping, Sakura watched her daughter disappear into the
117 house, wincing as the younger girl nearly fell on her face, barely
118 recovering herself. The door finally swung shut, bringing forth a
119 relieved sigh from the two parents as their baby remained unscathed
120 for the time being. Turning to her still smiling wife, the auburn
121 haired woman raised a quizzical eyebrow. “Bara-chan sure was eager. I
122 think she would have even given Sonomi-sama some trouble in a race
123 just now.”
124 “And Sakura-chan, too, if that’s the case,” Tomoyo added, sipping
125 some tea delicately, her stormy blue eyes never leaving the Mistress
126 of the Cards. Dark lashes fluttered half closed as she savored the
127 bitter taste of the tea, watching Sakura through long lashes. “She
128 may not be very fast but she can’t help speeding off with her whole
129 heart blazing.”
130 “Well, she might not be fast, but she has your cute feet,” Sakura
131 replied thoughtfully, resting back on her hands. Her eyes went to
132 Tomoyo’s pale bare feet, her unused sandals lying next to the picnic
133 basket. The pale girl had always been beautiful, but as she had grown
134 into a woman she had become absolutely stunning, and it was something
135 that Sakura was easily reminded of. Her mind would have happily
136 lingered on such warm thoughts had something Tomoyo said hadn’t
137 suddenly replayed through her mind like one of Tomoyo’s tapes on
138 replay. Sitting up, the brunette shifted her legs under her. Her
139 throat had suddenly gone dry and she had to lick her lips before
140 continuing. Bara was still her little girl in her mind and it was
141 difficult to imagine her growing up so quickly. Sakura had always
142 tried to protect those she loved and she had come to understand just
143 why Sonomi had been so overprotective now that she had a daughter of
144 her own. “Wait, with ‘her whole heart blazing’?” Years ago, the
145 brunette had written off a lot of Tomoyo’s strange comments as just
146 her friend’s cute but bizarre eccentricity. But as she had learned
147 from their time dating and years of marriage, what Tomoyo said should
148 always be given careful consideration. Certain things still slipped
149 past her at times, but she wasn’t nearly as dense as she once had
150 been, especially when it came to the dark haired woman.
151 Smiling to herself, Tomoyo again sipped at her tea. She had
152 wondered if Sakura would catch that. Setting down the tea cup, the
153 pale woman brushed some grass away from her long skirt. “She may have
154 my feet, but she definitely has Sakura-chan’s adorable ears.” Pausing
155 for a moment, Tomoyo tilted her head to the side, dark hair spilling
156 past her shoulder in a shadowy cascade. “And Sakura-chan’s nose. And
157 your sparkling emerald eyes, always so full of energy and
158 determination.” Sighing sweetly, Tomoyo placed a hand on her cheek. A
159 soft giggle escaped her lips as a slightly flustered Sakura continued
160 to watch her intently. Shifting on the blanket, the dark haired woman
161 felt her bare feet brush against the soft fabric. Tilting her head
162 back, Tomoyo brushed a long, dark pigtail over her shoulder. She
163 waited for Sakura to comment, but the brunette just waited, her hands
164 now on the blanket in front of her. Sighing to herself at the
165 gorgeous sight before her, Tomoyo almost forgot what had been on her
166 mind. Pale fingers reached out, gently playing with Sakura’s auburn
167 hair. The soft strands swayed at her touch, tickling playful fingers.
168 The shorter haired woman held her breath for a moment as Tomoyo
169 brushed through the luxurious hair. Her heart swelled happily as she
170 looked into the eyes of her genki wife. Her love for Sakura had only
171 grown stronger as the Cardmistress’s presence nurtured it. That train
172 of thought reminded her of the purpose of Sakura’s intent gaze, but
173 it could have easily been her touch that drew Sakura nearer. And
174 almost subconsciously, the brunette was getting ever closer. A
175 delicious warmth spread through Tomoyo’s soul despite the cool breeze
176 swirling around them. Her daughter’s company was always wonderful to
177 have, but time alone with Sakura was it’s own reward. “You haven’t
178 noticed? Bara-chan has been extra genki lately. And very dreamy.” She
179 paused, waiting for Sakura’s reaction.
180 “Un... I guess so. But what does that have to do with her heart?”
181 Sakura asked curiously, her own hand coming to a rest atop Tomoyo’s.
182 She could still feel Tomoyo’s fingers in her hair, moving through the
183 short hair slowly. The sensation was certainly a pleasant one as they
184 sat under the sinking sun. The Mistress of the Cards would have been
185 happy to simply bask in Tomoyo’s gentle touch, but her curiosity had
186 been piqued. Sakura herself had never been very good at reading
187 hearts, whether it be her own or someone else’s. But her nearly
188 constantly smiling wife could read hearts with an ease that had
189 always surprised Sakura. Tomoyo seemed to know them inside and out,
190 Sakura’s in specific. But the pale woman seemed to be able to read
191 her daughter equally as well. Sakura knew her daughter well, but
192 there were some things that slipped past her. She was glad that her
193 more perceptive wife always picked up on them.
194 “Bara-chan is making a teddy bear to give to someone very important
195 to her,” Tomoyo said simply, watching Sakura’s reaction. For a
196 moment, the auburn haired mage said nothing, emerald eyes sparkling
197 with their own inner radiance. Sakura looked as if she may be
198 dreaming, still drifting closer to the warmth of her wife’s embrace
199 as Tomoyo continued toying with her hair. After a long moment, the
200 jade orbs widened perceptibly, shock registering on Sakura’s pretty
201 face.
202 “A teddy bear..?” Sakura asked, trailing off. She shook her head
203 quickly, still holding Tomoyo’s hand to the side of her head. “But
204 she’s just... How can she be making one... She’s making a teddy bear
205 for the person she likes?” the surprised Cardmistress got out at
206 last. The dark haired woman nodded, still smiling sweetly. The fact
207 that Tomoyo didn’t seem fazed at all by this turn of events didn’t
208 immediately soothe Sakura’s frazzled nerves. After all, the lavender
209 haired businesswoman rarely seemed shaken by anything that didn’t
210 have to do with her. And even then, Tomoyo had hidden it from her for
211 the longest time whenever she would worry. Any arguments Sakura could
212 think of died before they made their way to her mouth. Age couldn’t
213 be a problem. Tomoyo had been in love with her since the third grade.
214 Sakura couldn’t even argue about Bara sewing because Tomoyo had been
215 teaching her how. Besides, even if Bara was accident prone, she never
216 seemed to have trouble with artistic endeavors. The fact that her
217 daughter was in love with someone wasn’t such a big deal, but she was
218 hit with the sudden realization that her baby girl wasn’t quite so
219 little anymore. “Hoe...” she got out weakly.
220 “Sakura-chan makes such a cute mother,” Tomoyo whispered softly as
221 she closed the remaining distance between herself and her still
222 bewildered wife. Her lips pressed lightly against Sakura’s, drawing
223 the brunette from her jumbled thoughts to a much more pressing here
224 and now. Tomoyo had known all about the teddy bear and had actually
225 been the one to tell Bara about the legend behind giving one to the
226 person you liked. She was even fairly confident that she knew the
227 focus of Bara’s attention. Of course, there would be time to explain
228 the intricacies to Sakura later on. For now it was much nicer to just
229 enjoy the distinct taste of Sakura’s kisses. Sakura apparently
230 thought so as well, her arms sliding around Tomoyo’s waist and
231 pulling her closer as their kiss deepened. Letting her eyes fall
232 closed, Tomoyo sighed inwardly. Love wrapped her heart like a heavy
233 quilt. Love spun her around, leaving her ever thirsty for more of
234 it’s intoxicating and endless depths. It was for this reason that she
235 was so pleased to see her daughter falling in love. Her love for
236 Sakura, and in later years Sakura’s love for her, had been life’s
237 greatest joy and deepest amazement. If her daughter could experience
238 that same warm and all encompassing feeling then it was with great
239 joy that she watched her growing into a beautiful young woman.
240 Curling up with Sakura on the blanket, the two women quickly lost
241 themselves to each other, lost to a deep and endless love that had
242 captured them both long ago. As the heavy sun began sinking beyond
243 the horizon, the two women continued to kiss, embracing warmly under
244 the darkening sky.
246 Blushing at her parents’ sudden display of affection, Bara closed
247 the blinds to her window. She had been about to call down to Tomoyo
248 to thank her again for the materials for her teddy bear, but the
249 older woman looked like she had her mind on other things. Not that
250 Sakura was ever far from her mind. Deciding it might be best to thank
251 her mother later, the younger girl hurried to her bed. Surveying the
252 items on her bed, the materials all looked perfect for what she had
253 in mind. A beautiful peach and white cloth would make up the body of
254 the bear. A lavender bow would clad the small teddy bear when it was
255 finished while tiny little green orbs would make up the eyes. Tomoyo
256 had insisted upon that small touch.
257 “After all, if the one you like is going to name it after you, it
258 should have your eyes,” Tomoyo had said earlier. “That way, they will
259 always see you when they look into its eyes.”
260 Sitting on her bed next to the pile of supplies, the dark haired
261 girl pulled her legs up to her chest. The bear was already fully
262 assembled in her head, but she didn’t know where to start. Her heart
263 still beat in her chest like a swarm of angry honey bees, startling
264 her. She was a little embarrassed about making such an obvious
265 declaration of her feelings, but she knew it was what she wanted to
266 do. It was too difficult to not say anything at all. And this would
267 finally give her a chance to tell the person she liked how she felt.
268 She still wasn’t sure how they felt, but as long as she didn’t have
269 to hide her feelings anymore, it would be worth it. She hoped.
270 “I need the scissors,” Bara said, thinking aloud. Slipping off the
271 bed, the dark haired girl hurried out of her room, her mind already
272 two steps ahead of her body. When would she give her gift? What
273 should she say? Should she offer anything else with it? Too lost in
274 her own thoughts while on the way to her mothers’ room for the
275 supplies she needed, Bara didn’t see the little table in the hallway.
276 It had been there for nearly as long as she could remember, but she
277 simply wasn’t paying enough attention to notice it. Her bare foot
278 snagged the table leg, throwing her off balance as her forward
279 momentum kept her sailing forward. Arms pinwheeling, the pale girl
280 fell forward, the world seeming to tumble around her. A short yelp
281 escaped her lips before arms grasped her waist, keeping her from
282 falling face first into the floor. The situation not being very new
283 to the accident prone girl, she didn’t find herself very startled by
284 the whole situation. Smiling, she turned in the arms of her rescuer.
285 Moving in the tight embrace, she came face to face with herself.
286 Emerald green eyes looked at her in concern from underneath midnight
287 hair. Pale skin offset the darkness, pressed against Bara’s own pale
288 skin. “Mirra-chan!” Bara exclaimed happily.
289 The Sakura Card let out a sigh, slowly letting go of the
290 Cardmistress’s daughter. As usual, the dark haired girl hardly seemed
291 fazed by yet another accident she nearly got herself into. Mirror was
292 starting to wonder if the human girl cared at all about such trivial
293 things as pain or injuries. She tried to frown, but Bara’s smile was
294 contagious. She found herself returning it before too long. “You
295 really need to be more careful, Bara-chan. You’re cuter when you
296 aren’t all bruise covered,” she said quietly.
297 The two Baras looked at each other for a moment before the real one
298 giggled in reply. “But with you and mother and everyone around
299 there’s no reason to worry about it.” Turning back to the task at
300 hand, the pale girl began again towards her parents’ large room,
301 slipping lithely into the room through the half open door.
302 Emerald eyes began searching for what she needed, looking past a sea
303 of portraits and picture frames, labels and videotapes that were all
304 somehow in perfect order. Tomoyo’s large desk lay in one corner,
305 several costume designs and a half finished costume resting on top of
306 it. Some stuffed animals lay on the bed, all from Sakura’s
307 collection, which had grown in recent years even as she gave some of
308 her long held ones to Bara. One of the centerpieces to the group of
309 stuffed dolls was a little Sakura doll that Tomoyo had made for the
310 brunette back when they has still been children. The fabric was a
311 little frayed and it’s age was showing, but Sakura took it wherever
312 she went, and always held onto it when Tomoyo was gone on a business
313 trip.
314 A television lay in one corner of the room, obviously for Tomoyo to
315 view her tapes, even though she had a viewing room for such things
316 with a much better setup. Bara’s questing eyes finally came to a halt
317 on the desk. It looked like her mother had been busy at work on a
318 costume the night before, so all of the materials she needed were
319 there. Grabbing several of them, she turned to leave the room.
320 “I’ll carry that,” Mirror said quickly, taking the scissors from
321 Bara’s hands. The last thing she needed was for Bara to trip while
322 holding something like that. The midnight haired girl simply smiled
323 in gratitude as she headed back for her room. Following behind her,
324 the Sakura Card watched as the Cardmistress’s daughter sat back on
325 the bed. “What are you doing?” she asked curiously.
326 Looking up from the assortment of items she had gathered along with
327 those her mother had already lain out for her, Bara spotted Mirror in
328 the doorway. Smiling cutely, the dark haired girl shook her head
329 emphatically. “I can’t tell you. I’m making something, but it’s going
330 to be a surprise for someone.” She turned back to the items, shifting
331 through them. After a second, she walked over to a still confused
332 Mirror and took the scissors slowly from her hand. “I’ll tell you all
333 about it later,” she said reassuringly.
334 Mirror sighed as Bara returned to the bed. “Why can’t you tell me
335 now? You know I won’t tell anyone. It will just be our secret.” The
336 Sakura Card tried to catch Bara’s gaze as she herself reached the
337 bed. Her own eyes tried to lock onto Bara’s jade eyes, but the human
338 girl seemed intent on her thoughts. Shifting to her normal form for a
339 brief second, the magical creature quickly returned to being Bara’s
340 lookalike. Something she had learned over time was that it was easier
341 for someone to trust themselves than to trust anyone else. This
342 helped her at times because she could be them. It was, in a sense, as
343 if they were looking into a mirror. Unfortunately, this trick rarely
344 seemed to work on the Cardmistress’s daughter. Bara generally trusted
345 her with most things as it was. But when the dark haired girl wanted
346 to keep something from her, it was very difficult to drag it out.
347 Tilting her head to the side in thought, Bara paused for a moment.
348 “Well, mother, for one. Maybe Flower. Oh, and uncle Touya if he stops
349 by. Am I missing anyone?” Smiling sweetly, the magical girl finally
350 turned her gaze back to the Sakura Card. She liked to tease her
351 friend from time to time. Mirror got riled up so easily. Never did
352 her teasing get mean spirited, but she did like to see how Mirror
353 reacted. The midnight haired girl already knew that she wouldn’t be
354 telling her friend about what she was making anyway. So she was only
355 having some fun while Mirror was continuing to be stubborn. Besides,
356 Bara’s mind was already busy trying to decide exactly how she wanted
357 the teddy bear to end up. But the image she had in her mind slowly
358 faded away. ‘I can’t force it. Just like mother’s costume designs and
359 her videotape. You have to let things flow on their own, to see where
360 they take you.’ Her hands gently trailed over the cloth. ‘There’s a
361 teddy bear in here and she wants to come out. I’m just going to help
362 her. How she comes out is up to her,’ she thought to herself, a small
363 smile spreading across her lips. An important lesson that she had
364 learned from her mother was not to force things. Bara had learned
365 that after coming to Tomoyo with tears in her eyes over an accident
366 she had while painting. Her inspiration had been nonexistent and when
367 she had tried to finish a painting she had started several days
368 before, it wound up being ruined. Tomoyo had held onto her and
369 brushed back her shorter, dark hair, whispering softly. She had
370 explained to Bara that forcing things didn’t let them grow as they
371 wanted to, and it forced them to be a certain way. To bring them out,
372 to truly see them for what they were, they had to be nurtured and
373 loved. It was a lesson that Bara saw in many aspects of life. Whether
374 it be painting or videotaping or falling in love. It was still
375 difficult sometimes to banish a finished mental image from her mind,
376 but she was much happier with how things turned out.
377 Unaware that Bara was deep in thought, Mirror found herself
378 blushing deeply. She had indeed had a crush on Touya long ago. And
379 she was still delighted to see him whenever he stopped by to visit
380 his little sister and her wife. But that hardly mattered. He had
381 Yukito, after all. And she was only a Card as it was, so it couldn’t
382 have worked out between them, even if Touya had returned her
383 feelings. A sigh escaped her lips as she let her eyes slip closed.
384 Still, did Bara have to keep teasing her about it? It had been a
385 lifetime before. Bara hadn’t even been born back then. But Tomoyo had
386 to be right about one thing. There was definitely something cute
387 about those ears. For some time now, she had continually noticed how
388 Bara’s were the same. The cute little ears jutted out of short, black
389 hair in the same way that Sakura’s did. Mirror had found it quite an
390 endearing aspect of her friend. And it certainly added to Bara’s
391 already considerable cuteness. Shaking her head and attempting to
392 banish the blush, Mirror replied. “You know I wouldn’t tell any of
393 them. Even Touya-san.”
394 “I know,” Bara answered simply, emerald eyes glittering as she
395 looked up from her thoughts. Pale fingers brushed dark hair away from
396 her jade orbs. “But I still can’t tell you. You’ll find out sooner or
397 later. You always do.” Winking at the Sakura Card, the pale girl
398 giggled. “So just be patient.”
399 “If you say so, Bara-chan,” Mirror said in defeat. She knew it was
400 pointless to continue arguing to be told. Much like Tomoyo, Bara
401 could keep a very tight lip about such things. Even if she didn’t
402 want to wait to find out what her friend was up to, it didn’t seem
403 like she had a choice. Sitting on the bed, the Sakura Card watched
404 the pale girl continue to dreamily go over ideas in her head.
405 Blushing a bit from the direction her thoughts were headed about
406 giving her teddy bear to the one she loved, Bara quickly shook her
407 head. “Ano... I think you should probably go for now, Mira-chan. I
408 need to get started on this.” Hopping off of the bed, Bara put her
409 hands on the Sakura Card’s back, gently pushing her mirror image
410 towards the door. “If you stay, I’ll get distracted and then I’ll
411 never finish up. And if I don’t ever finish, you’ll never find out
412 what it is.” Smiling sweetly, the Cardmistress’s daughter closed the
413 door.
414 Mirror blinked as she found herself outside of Bara’s room. What
415 had just happened? “Well, I guess. But I hope it won’t take too
416 long,” Mirror said through the door, pressing her ear up against it
417 as she waited for a reply. Curiosity gnawed at her magical core. She
418 couldn’t begin to guess what her human best friend was up to, and the
419 dark haired girl’s strange behavior was only strengthening her desire
420 to know what Bara was up to. She could hear movement on the other
421 side of the door, strange noises that met her ears as she tried to
422 discern them. Just what was the slightly eccentric girl doing?
423 Pushing the side of her face against the door, she strained to make
424 out what was happening. Suddenly, the door fell away from her and she
425 nearly came crashing to the ground. Pinwheeling, the Card barely
426 regained her balance in Bara’s doorway. She looked up to see Bara
427 smiling at her.
428 “Well, the sooner you stop listening in, the sooner I can start.
429 Honestly, Mira-chan, how can I ever do anything surprising if you
430 won’t let me hide a few things from you now and then?” the pale girl
431 gently chided, tucking some strands of black hair behind her ear. She
432 could only smile at the childish look of embarrassment flashing
433 across Mirror’s face, an exact copy of her own face. Did she really
434 look like that when she was caught embarrassed? The fact that Mirror
435 often looked like her wasn’t at all awkward for her. She had actually
436 grown accustomed to seeing that pale face and dark hair greeting her
437 when she saw her best friend. Like looking into an actual mirror, she
438 could always see herself in it, but unlike those constructs of glass,
439 she could see the girl underneath her visage. Mirror was always her
440 Mira-chan, no matter what she looked like. The Sakura Card looked
441 very lovely in her normal form, very formal with pretty pale green
442 hair, but she didn’t get to see Mirror like that very often. It was a
443 shame, but Bara didn’t mind very much. It didn’t matter how Mirror
444 looked so long as she was there. “Now scoot,” she commanded, putting
445 on as serious a look as her near giggly heart could allow. It came
446 out sounding silly, even to her. She placed her hands on her hips and
447 gave Mirror a mock stern look before bursting out laughing. Mirror
448 joined her a second later, forgetting her earlier embarrassment.
449 “I can’t let you hide things from me,” Mirror said after they both
450 regained some measure of composure. “Because I’m you.” Striking her
451 best imitation of the young heiress, she watched the human girl. That
452 was what she was after all, a reflection. She had been created to be
453 a mirror, to reflect things back. She was more comfortable looking
454 like Bara than she was looking like herself. It was easier for her
455 that way, to assume someone else’s identity, to simply reflect what
456 she saw. And she could think of no one she would rather be a
457 reflection of than the Cardmistress’s daughter. Bara’s shimmering
458 spirit and sweet nature made her a perfect choice for Mirror’s new
459 guise. She had spent more time as the dark haired girl’s twin over
460 the past few years than she had as herself. And that’s the way she
461 liked it. “So it’s not fair if you know things about you that I
462 don’t,” Mirror argued.
463 “Nice try, Mira-chan. I’ll see you in a bit.” The pale girl gave
464 her magically created friend a quick hug before once again closing
465 the door. She waved to her slowly before it closed shut. Pressing her
466 own ear against the door, she waited until she heard the Sakura Card
467 walking away before hurrying back to her bed. Her heart fluttered in
468 her chest like a hummingbird, her jade eyes flashing with
469 determination to finish her teddy bear as quickly as possible. Pale
470 fingers began sifting through the materials spread out on her bed,
471 shaking in their eagerness. The young girl had to force herself to
472 slow down, lest she make any mistakes with her new little friend. The
473 teddy bear should be perfect after all. Her heart’s desire deserved
474 nothing less. Humming softly to herself, the pale waif started her
475 work.
477 “Hoe...” a flustered voice rang through the spacious wardrobe room
478 that Tomoyo had insisted on having when the house had been built. It
479 was right across the hallway from Sakura’s Magician’s Workshop,
480 another room Tomoyo had decided on having. The whole house was almost
481 dreamy, very beautiful and elegant yet with an almost absurdly cute
482 feel to things. It lingered in the background, never entirely
483 prominent but there just the same. And it was in Tomoyo’s wardrobe
484 room, or rather, Sakura’s wardrobe room as the costumes inside all
485 fit her snugly, that the two childhood friends once again found
486 themselves. “Isn’t it a bit...” Sakura trailed off, at a loss for
487 words. Here she was, a grown woman, and Tomoyo could still get her
488 into crazy costumes with little more than a few words. Her cheeks
489 flushed as she looked down at the outfit she was wearing this time.
490 She wore a man’s suit and tie, a very dressy outfit. The polished
491 white and black shoes shown back up at her. She would think Tomoyo
492 had gone shopping in the men’s section on accident if it weren’t for
493 the fact that it fit her measurements exactly.
494 “Handsome? I certainly think so,” Tomoyo put in, finished Sakura’s
495 sentence in a way Sakura herself wasn’t likely to have. Reaching
496 forward, the lavender haired businesswoman readjusted Sakura’s white
497 dress shirt. “There. See? I think children will love this design for
498 the Kenji doll. He’s handsome and dashing with just a touch of
499 innocent vulnerability in him. It’s a nice outfit for if he’s going
500 out on a date with one of our other dolls or if he’s just going out
501 for a night at the theater.” Smiling happily, Tomoyo was in her
502 element. Dressing up Sakura and working out new designs. Turning her
503 shy wife around, the eccentric woman sighed contentedly. Yes, this
504 was exactly what she lived for. “After this, you can try on the two
505 new designs we have for the Hanako doll.”
506 “Ano... Tomoyo, do you really have to make life-size versions of
507 all the costumes you design for the toys?” Sakura asked as her
508 lovably obsessive wife fixed the costume here and there on her.
509 “Yes, of course. Because it makes a much better impact if I can
510 have Sakura-chan sport our new designs at the meetings before they go
511 into production. Seeing you walk around the room like a model
512 showcasing the new designs is always much better than simply showing
513 the costumes for our dolls on paper,” Tomoyo explained, turning
514 Sakura so that the auburn haired woman faced the camcorder on it’s
515 tripod more directly.
516 “But Tomoyo-chan, you’re the president of the company. You don’t
517 need to sell everyone on the designs.” Sakura sweatdropped as she
518 looked over at the camcorder. Even after over a decade of marriage,
519 the lavender haired woman still managed to confuse Sakura at times.
520 But it was always a sweet confusion that didn’t generally last long.
521 Tomoyo’s motives were, after all, beautifully simplistic.
522 “It makes the meetings much more fun if Sakura-chan’s dressed up
523 like our new products,” Tomoyo added, smiling her trademark smile as
524 she looked at the brunette. Sakura simply watched her as she
525 readjusted the camcorder. Her long, dark hair was done up in a high
526 ponytail now, draped down over one shoulder. That had always been her
527 ulterior motive, but it had been one that served her well. She liked
528 designing, but she found that Sakura was always at the root of her
529 inspiration. Working for her mother and later taking over the
530 Daidouji Toys company, she had to design for many of the toys the
531 company produced. It was fun to work on them, but she much preferred
532 to be designing costumes and outfits for her beloved Sakura. She had
533 found a way around this by making life-size versions of her designs
534 for Sakura to traipse around in for her. This allowed her to design
535 for the brunette even while she was working on dolls and their
536 wardrobe. Besides, who could resist seeing Sakura wearing her
537 company’s newest designs at important meetings?
538 Sighing in defeat, Sakura’s shoulders slumped. Wasn’t this the way
539 things had always worked? No matter how embarrassingly cute the
540 design, Sakura had always wound up wearing whatever Tomoyo made for
541 her. How could she not when the lavender haired woman had poured so
542 much of her love and effort into creating these beautiful clothes for
543 Sakura? Even as she stood in the man’s clothes for the Kenji doll,
544 the Mistress of the Cards knew that she did enjoy the attention
545 Tomoyo blanketed her with. Her mother had been a famous model, but
546 Sakura was Tomoyo’s model alone. And that was the way she liked it.
547 Sure, it was embarrassing. Sure, Tomoyo had some bizarre designs and
548 things that Sakura would never wear without a promise that the
549 videotape of her in such things would never be viewed by anyone but
550 her wife. But it was simply part of life with Tomoyo. Who else would
551 treat her like a movie star? Who else would give her all the
552 attention in the world? Who else could love her the way Tomoyo did?
553 “Besides, Sakura is very handsome like this,” Tomoyo stated,
554 placing her hands on Sakura’s shoulders. Her stormy blue eyes gazed
555 lovingly into their emerald partners, sending a spark through her
556 that had only grown stronger and more acute as the years had gone by.
557 It always thrilled her to dress Sakura up in all manner of clothing
558 and styles, eager to see how her energetic wife would look in them
559 all. It was like having her own live KiSS doll. The lavender haired
560 woman’s hobbies were very much centered around the one she loved. Her
561 videotaping was always of Sakura, her costume designs were made
562 specifically for her wife, and her singing was for the one she loved.
563 But what better way to spend her free time than with her beautiful
564 wife, no matter what they did? Her hands squeezed Sakura’s shoulders
565 slightly, delighting at the feel of Sakura underneath her fingertips.
566 Sakura looked nearly as cute in men’s clothes as she did in women’s
567 clothes. Even if it wasn’t as lacy or as frilly as Tomoyo would like,
568 it was still her gorgeous Sakura. And she pulled off the dress suit
569 perfectly. Though it helped that Tomoyo had designed it with Sakura
570 in mind.
571 Sakura blushed at Tomoyo’s compliment, her eyes unable to escape
572 that azure gaze. Her hands slowly went to Tomoyo’s slender waist.
573 “Arigato, Tomoyo... You’re gorgeous,” Sakura breathed quietly as she
574 raised on of her hands up to the lavender haired woman’s snow white
575 cheek. The pale skin was offset wonderfully by the cascade of dark
576 hair down her shoulder. That long ponytail hung between them as the
577 two women inched closer. The Mistress of the Cards had the
578 overwhelming urge to ask Tomoyo to dance. They were surrounded by
579 racks of costumes and mannequins sporting some of Sakura’s old battle
580 costumes, but even in the quiet room it seemed like an excellent
581 idea. “Will you dance with me, Tomoyo?” Sakura asked at last, unable
582 to find a single reason not to. It felt a little strange to still be
583 in the awkward clothes Tomoyo had given her to wear, but it clung to
584 her perfectly, showcasing her wife’s talent for costume design.
585 “I would love to, Sakura,” Tomoyo whispered in reply, smiling
586 brilliantly. Leaning ever closer, her petal soft lips brushed
587 Sakura’s. Her heart ached longingly as their lips touched again,
588 longer this time. These little touches of heaven were pure bliss to
589 the lavender haired businesswoman. They were like the sweetest of
590 dreams brought magically to life. This was the magic she saw in a
591 life with Sakura. It wasn’t the Cards or any of the power Sakura had.
592 It was the brunette’s ability to bring out a sheer, unadulterated joy
593 inside of her. It was the warmth that shivered through her heart as
594 it waited bedecked with ribbons and lace for Sakura to simply hold it
595 close. Dancing with Sakura anywhere sounded like a wondrous idea, but
596 dancing with her among the flurry of cute and dreamlike costumes felt
597 like a trip through some distant wonderland. And her trusty camcorder
598 was set up to record the glorious moment. Tomoyo sighed rapturously
599 as their lips slowly parted, both women reluctant to end the kiss.
600 But there would be many more. There always were.
601 Drawn forward as if by a magnet, the dazed Sakura barely stopped
602 herself before initiating another long kiss. Shaking her head, she
603 tried to think coherently, but thought was rendered all but
604 impossible as the lavender haired woman caught her near kiss and
605 returned it with her own. Holding onto Tomoyo, Sakura felt feather
606 soft lips deliciously meeting her own. The fairy tale kiss came to a
607 slow end after Sakura got a taste of Tomoyo’s tongue in her mouth.
608 Her own tongue tried to follow Tomoyo’s, but her wife had already
609 begun to pull away. Still leaning forward, Sakura blushed as she felt
610 the lavender haired woman’s lips around the tip of her tongue. They
611 stayed that way for a moment, Tomoyo sliding closer for another
612 simmering kiss before pulling away once more. Slowly remembering
613 where she was and the promised dance that awaited them, a dreamy
614 Sakura pulled out a pink Card and twirled it between her fingers.
615 “Song! Please give us some music to dance to!” The Sakura Card
616 flashed and music slowly began to filter through the room, Tomoyo’s
617 voice singing softly with the music. The Song Card had long ago
618 chosen Tomoyo’s voice for the one it would use, just as the Voice
619 Card had sought her out as the most beautiful voice it could find.
620 And Sakura certainly agreed with the both of them. Hearing Tomoyo’s
621 voice sing to the both of them, the two woman slowly began to dance
622 through the costumes. “Hanyaan,” Sakura whispered.
624 “So okaa-sama couldn’t have caught it without you?” Bara asked
625 curiously as she flipped through the Book of Sakura. Several of the
626 Cards were elsewhere at the moment, such as Mirror and Song, but the
627 majority of the pink Sakura Cards were in their matching book. Bara
628 was currently looking through the Cards, trying to get a feel for
629 them. She was leaning absentmindedly against the upstairs railing,
630 overlooking the large entrance hall to the house. While sifting
631 through the Cards, she was listening to Kero’s stories about his
632 adventures during her mother’s days of card capturing. His stories
633 weren’t always entirely factual as Tomoyo’s videos had shown when
634 Bara watched them after listening to the Seal Beast, but she loved to
635 hear them all the same. Magic fascinated her and she always yearned
636 to find out more about it.
637 “You got it, kid. Had I not been there, we might not be standing
638 here today havin’ this little chat.” Kero nodded, his arms crossed.
639 He was standing on the railing, recounting his tales of wonder to
640 Sakura’s daughter. At least the dark haired girl appreciated him.
641 Sakura had never quite believed in how truly amazing he was. The kid,
642 on the other hand, would hang onto his every word. It had been a
643 mighty good thing that Sakura and Tomoyo had gotten hitched after
644 all. He was finally getting some appreciation.
645 “Then I’m sure Tomoyo-mama must have thanked you many times over
646 for saving Sakura-mama.” Smiling, Bara continued to flip through the
647 Cards, trying to feel them with her own slowly growing magic. It was
648 difficult for her, but she was pleased to see that she was making
649 some progress. Her left foot moved about playfully behind her. She
650 had finished the teddy bear a short time ago and now all she had to
651 do was wait for a good opportunity to give it to her special someone.
652 These things needed to be planned carefully if they were to come out
653 perfectly. One wouldn’t want to give something important like a teddy
654 bear to their true love during an inconsequential moment. So while
655 she waited for inspiration to strike on how to go about giving away
656 her heart in the guise of a trussed up bear, she spent some time with
657 the Seal Beast, gleaning up on her knowledge of the Sakura Cards. Her
658 mother didn’t really mind when she borrowed the Sakura Book to look
659 through the Cards, so she tried to go through them when she could.
660 The Cards were all so amazing to the pale girl. Her best friend was
661 one of them as well. They all had such neat things they could do and
662 they all had their own distinct personalities. Some had become good
663 friends, like Mirror and Flower, others seemed rather mischievous
664 like Jump, and some had an air of respect about them that had Bara
665 bowing whenever in their presence, as was the case with Dark and
666 Light. And the Seal Beast was just funny. She always enjoyed Kero’s
667 company.
668 “Yep! She made such a delicious cake as a thank you...” Kero sighed
669 dreamily, remembering the cake Tomoyo had made in more detail than he
670 could remember the actual event in question. “Hey, let’s ask Tomoyo-
671 chan to bake a nice big dessert for everybody when we finally find
672 her. If this place wasn’t so big, I’d go look for her right now. As
673 it is, I’d probably get lost and starve to death.” The Seal Beast
674 looked down at his stomach, putting both hands on it. “I’m already
675 wasting away.”
676 “I’ll bake you something if you want, Kero-chan,” Bara offered,
677 looking over to the flying teddy bear. She idly wondered if she
678 should have based her teddy bear off of the Seal Beast, but decided
679 she was happier having something original. It felt more from the
680 heart that way. Besides, no stuffed animal could take Kero’s place.
681 “Would you?” Kero’s eyes sparkled as he flew up next to the dark
682 haired girl. Yes, this was definitely Tomoyo’s daughter. “Wai!! Wai!!
683 Arigato, Bara-chan!!” Visions of cakes and sweets encircled his head
684 while he alighted next to the young heiress’s elbow.
685 Giggling at Kero’s enthusiasm, Bara nodded quickly. “Un, Kero-chan.
686 It sounds like fun.” There were very few instances when Kero wasn’t
687 hungry and this didn’t appear to be one of them. The dark haired girl
688 had plenty of time to waste as it was and if the Seal Beast was
689 hungry, she was more than happy to cook for him. He was always very
690 complimentary about such things, so she didn’t have to worry overtly
691 about ruining a recipe while she was at it. Besides, cooking was an
692 art form in itself. So with enough patience, it could be a very
693 lovely thing. Bara enjoyed cooking nearly as much as she enjoyed
694 painting. They had a chef for such things, if they so needed it, but
695 Tomoyo and Sakura often cooked dinner together, and Bara had learned
696 from the two of them. She was slowly making her way through some of
697 the cookbooks in the kitchen along with Kero, though she needed
698 Tomoyo’s help with some of the trickier recipes.
699 Looking over at the Seal Beast with a smile, she didn’t notice as
700 the Sakura Book began slipping in her grasp. She barely looked back
701 in time to see it tumble end over end through space as it plummeted
702 to the floor below.
703 “Owww!!” sounded rather than the thud Bara had been waiting for.
704 Peering over the railing, Bara spotted Mirror sitting on the floor,
705 rubbing her head, the Sakura Book lying next to her. “Gomen nasai,
706 Mira-chan!” The dark haired girl darted down the stairs, nearly
707 tumbling down herself if not for Kero’s grip on her blouse as she
708 missed a step. Stumbling forward, she didn’t miss a beat as she
709 hurried to her injured friend’s side. “I’m so sorry, Mira-chan! It
710 just kinda... fell.” Sweatdropping, the pale heiress bowed
711 apologetically. “Daijoubu?”
712 One of the only real downsides to being the sweet, genki young
713 girl’s best friend was that it seemed her accident proneness had
714 targeted Mirror as well. As if it wasn’t enough that the pale girl
715 was always getting herself hurt, it always turned out that she
716 somehow managed to get Mirror hurt as well. It was as if Fate was
717 aiming at the poor girl and anyone who got near her. But even then,
718 the Sakura Card couldn’t imagine giving up her cherished friendship
719 with the girl for anything. Sighing, she continued to rub her own
720 dark hair, still a mirror image of Bara Daidouji. “I’m fine. Just a
721 little dazed. I didn’t expect it to start raining books today.”
722 “Awww... Gomen, Mira-chan.” Bending over, the pale girl kissed the
723 spot on Mirror’s head that the Sakura Card had been rubbing. Like a
724 mother kissing away some phantom pain, she gently pressed her lips
725 into Mirror’s soft, black hair. She didn’t know if it would do any
726 good, but it had always comforted her when she was younger, and the
727 gesture itself always made her feel better. Pulling away, she knelt
728 next to the fallen Sakura Card, hugging her pale legs to her chest.
729 She smiled softly at her friend, watching and waiting to see if she
730 was still in pain.
731 Blushing, Mirror looked down as Bara sat next to her. For a long
732 moment, she was silent. Maybe it wasn’t so bad that Bara was so
733 accident prone after all. If that was what she had to look forward to
734 when she got hurt, it might be worthwhile just to stumble around
735 blindly and see what happened. The dark haired girl had a very
736 gentle, loving touch and it shined through in everything she did. The
737 Cards had all quickly come to love their Mistress’s daughter, keeping
738 an eye out for her. That was probably the main reason Bara hadn’t
739 been hurt any worse than she already had over the years. The
740 embarrassment quickly melted away as Mirror’s eyes shot up eagerly.
741 “Oh, are you finished yet with whatever it was you were doing? Can
742 you tell me now?”
743 Bara giggled and hugged her legs tighter. “Yes, I’m finished with
744 it. No, I can’t tell you yet.” Letting go of her legs, the heiress
745 crawled over to Mirror and whispered in her ear so Kero wouldn’t
746 here. She knew how much he liked to be on the inside of everything.
747 “I can’t say now, but meet me in the garden tonight at nine. I’ll
748 explain everything then.” Standing up slowly, the pale girl smoothed
749 out her long skirt and smiled. “See you then, Mira-chan!”
750 Blushing once more from Bara’s cute whisper ringing through her
751 ear, Mirror nodded, now more confused than ever. What was she making?
752 Why was it so big a deal that she couldn’t simply tell her now? Well,
753 many things seemed like a big deal to the dark haired girl. Even
754 small things held a great deal of importance to her. So it didn’t
755 necessarily mean this was any different. But still, she couldn’t help
756 but wonder just what this was all about.
757 “What were you doing? And what are you two talking about?” Kero
758 demanded, disappointed about being left out of whatever this whole
759 thing was.
760 “Come on, Kero-chan. You can decide what we bake,” Bara coaxed,
761 already on her way to the kitchen.
762 The Seal Beast fell in with the younger girl, all previous thoughts
763 replaced with the goodies of what was to come.
764 Mirror sighed as she watched the two disappear around a corner.
765 “Bara-chan...”
767 Mirror paced nervously in the darkened garden as time slowly ticked
768 away in her head. There were plenty of lights out in the garden that
769 could be turned out if someone were so inclined to take a midnight
770 stroll or to have a late picnic, but aside from the lights of the
771 mansion, it was dark at the moment. The flustered Sakura Card
772 couldn’t even understand why she was so nervous. Bara was simply
773 going to explain whatever it was she had been doing earlier. From the
774 looks of things, she was probably sewing a yukata or something for
775 school. But then, maybe she could see the midnight haired girl in it.
776 That would be a sight to behold in and of itself. Just the same,
777 Mirror couldn’t completely set her anxiety aside. Bara was treating
778 this all like some special secret that she was enjoying far too much.
779 When this all turned out to be nothing more than some school
780 project... The green haired magical being knew that she should most
781 likely be in her Card form at the moment, back with the other Sakura
782 Cards, but she had to know that Bara was so excited about. Her best
783 friend was a real mystery at times.
784 A sound from up above tore Mirror from her thoughts. Shifting back
785 to a reflection of Bara, she watched up above and listened for the
786 sound to return. A small figure haltingly crawled out of one of the
787 windows, stepping out onto a nearby tree branch. Mirror could barely
788 make out the pale girl in the dim moonlight, it’s pale glow
789 illuminating her faintly. Hurrying over to the tree, the Sakura Card
790 looked up and tried to spot her Mistress’s daughter. “Bara-chan?” she
791 called out.
792 “Shh... I’ll be right down,” came Bara’s whispered reply. The dark
793 haired girl stepped down to another branch, being careful not to snag
794 her dress on the tree. Bit by bit, she made her way down the tree.
795 Nearing the last few branches, she reached out with her foot for the
796 last one and missed. Losing he footing, the pale girl careened out of
797 the tree.
798 Mirror’s eyes went wide as she saw the shape of her best friend
799 drop out of the tree. Bolting under her, she tried to catch the
800 falling star, but did little more than break Bara’s fall. Collapsed
801 under the heiress’s slender weight, Mirror sighed, spitting out some
802 grass. “You’re going to be the death of me, Bara-chan.”
803 The pale girl giggled softly as she helped her magical friend back
804 to her feet. “Gomen nasai, Mira-chan. I’ll try to be more careful.
805 Thank you for saving me.” Bowing, she glanced up to see Mirror
806 watching her. Smiling at the Sakura Card, Bara stood up. Her hair in
807 slight disarray looked like the faintest of shadows, the first
808 touches of midnight gripping the sleeping world. Her alabaster skin
809 seemed to sparkle like freshly fallen snow in the dim moonlight. She
810 wore a stunning ice blue dress that flowed down to her ankles. Her
811 ears were adorned with two cute teardrop earrings. Slender shoes clad
812 her delicate little feet while white stockings disappeared underneath
813 the dress. She held a small pink sack that was drawn closed with some
814 pull strings. It was all slightly messy from her fall, little blades
815 of grass here and there and what looked like a leaf stuck in her
816 hair, but she looked altogether gorgeous nonetheless.
817 Shaking her head, Mirror tried to find herself, but couldn’t help
818 but stare in astonishment at the Cardmistress’s stunning daughter.
819 The small girl was always beautiful, but that night she looked simply
820 angelic. “It was my pleasure. I’m just glad you’re all right, Bara-
821 chan. I don’t know what I’d do if you were hurt. I’d be a broken
822 mirror. It wouldn’t be worth going on if I couldn’t reflect your
823 beautiful image ever day.” She smiled when the pale girl giggled
824 softly and hugged her. She returned the hug, the two carbon copy
825 girls holding each other underneath the moonlit. They stayed that way
826 for a long time, the cool breeze playing with dark tendrils of black
827 hair, moonlight shimmering over them. Bara was like a falling star,
828 carrying her own inner light that cascaded through the darkness. Oh,
829 and she fell a lot. But Mirror wasn’t about to mention that. It was
830 nice to simply stand there, hugging the other girl while the night
831 enveloped them. The pale girl’s steady breathing lulled Mirror into a
832 peaceful silence. For a moment, she thought that Sakura’s daughter
833 had fallen asleep in her arms, but Bara slowly stirred and took a
834 step back.
835 “This is for you, Mira-chan,” Bara said, smiling cutely. She held
836 out the small pink bag hopefully, trying to keep her own nervousness
837 from showing. She didn’t want to pressure Mirror with concern for how
838 she herself would feel. She simply wanted to express her feelings in
839 the best way she knew how. As the confused Sakura Card slowly took
840 the bag, Bara felt as if she were handing over all of her hopes and
841 dreams in the small sack. Her heart fluttered in her chest like a
842 cloud of butterflies, yet she continued to smile as best she could.
843 It was like waiting to see what someone thought of one of her
844 paintings, only infinitely worse. This time there was a lot more
845 involved than a simple piece of artwork. Crafted with such care and
846 love, she could only hope her gift would be given a good home. But it
847 was more than the gift itself. Wasn’t it her heart in that bag? It
848 had simply taken the shape of a bear for the night. It’s Fate now
849 rested in Mirror’s hands.
850 Looking at Bara and then back at the bag, Mirror began to undo the
851 pull strings on the pink bundle. She was surprised to see her hands
852 shaking. She could never remember being this nervous, not even when
853 she had been confronted by Sakura after getting Touya hurt years and
854 years earlier. This was altogether different. And much more
855 frightening for some reason. Something in the back of her mind
856 whispered to her that it was only Bara. That there was nothing to
857 fear from this petite, lovely young girl. That eased the Sakura
858 Card’s nerves and allowed her to work out the last knot. Opening up
859 the bag, she gazed in to spy its contents. Inside sat a lone teddy
860 bear, his ‘fur’ a creamy peach and white combination. A cute lavender
861 bow was tied neatly around his neck, and beautiful emerald eyes
862 looked up from the teddy bear to the Sakura Card. Mirror stared at
863 the precious gift, speechless. The bag fluttered to the ground as she
864 held it up in the moonlight. “For.. me?”
865 Nodding quickly, Bara smiled, her eyes closed. She wanted to see
866 every little detail, to know what Mirror thought, to see how she
867 reacted and her facial expressions and what she did with the bear and
868 so on, but she couldn’t bring herself to watch. Her nervousness had
869 finally stepped in and gotten the better of her. She knew that she
870 couldn’t keep smiling if she watched. It would be too difficult to
871 keep it up when she was too concerned with how Mirror was taking it.
872 And if she kept smiling, it wouldn’t matter how Mirror would take it,
873 because then the Sakura Card wouldn’t have to worry about hurting
874 her. So she waited in silence, her hands held together in front of
875 her as the wind whistled in her ear. She wanted to open her eyes, but
876 she couldn’t quite get them to budge. All the better, she supposed.
877 She wanted to know exactly how Mirror felt about receiving her heart
878 in a bear costume, and she certainly wouldn’t know if she was staring
879 at Mirror and begging for a positive response. The cold wind brushed
880 her bare skin, as if to tease her about her gift. She felt her dress
881 flutter about in the wind, her dark hair waving forward. The silence
882 just made her all the more anxious, but she continued to smile for
883 what felt like an eternity. Something warm and soft pressed into her,
884 causing her to take a half step backwards. Blinking her eyes open,
885 she could see Mirror’s grateful, smiling face in front of her, and
886 realized that the Sakura Card was hugging her again. She could feel
887 the bear still in Mirror’s hands pressed against her back. For once,
888 Mirror was actually herself, her longer green hair tossing about in
889 the wind. Smiling genuinely now, Bara returned the hug tightly.
890 “It’s so pretty. Thank you, Bara-chan. I’ve never gotten such a
891 wonderful gift. It’s perfect.” Elation rose through Mirrors soul as
892 the two stood under the starlight. Never had she imagined that
893 something so small yet so important as a little teddy bear would be
894 her own. That the black haired girl had made it for her was stunning.
895 She was a magical creation, a Sakura Card. Did she really deserve
896 something so special? Did it matter? Bara had made it for her. Had
897 crafted it with her own small, delicate hands. No gift could ever
898 exceed the small, precious teddy bear that she held.
899 Relief flooded through Bara’s nervous body, the pale girl relaxing
900 into the embrace that held them both. And that was really all she
901 could ask for. Whatever happened in the future, well, hopefully the
902 legend of the teddy bear was true. “What are you going to name it,
903 Mira-chan?” the black haired heiress asked after a moment, the wind
904 dying down around the two of them.
905 Pausing for a moment, Mirror shifted her grip on the cute bear in
906 her hand. Her fingers carefully traced the stitches as she held onto
907 the Cardmistress’s daughter. She remembered once more when she had
908 first met up with Touya. He had been helping her look for something,
909 but they had never found it. ‘When you find what you’re looking for..
910 Maybe you can go back..’ he had said, referring to heaven. Holding
911 the teddy bear tighter against Bara as she hugged the smaller girl,
912 she smiled to herself. She had found what she had been looking for
913 after all. But she needn’t go anywhere to find heaven. It was right
914 with her in the form of the darling little angel of a girl before
915 her. “I’m going to name it Bara-chan,” Mirror whispered.
916 Bara couldn’t help but smile joyously as the Mirror Card held her.
917 That had been exactly what she had prayed for. Maybe the legend was
918 true after all. “Really? There’s a legend that if someone gives you a
919 teddy bear and you name it after them, the two of you will fall in
920 love,” the dark haired girl explained quietly. She could feel her
921 hair moving around, but she couldn’t quite tell if it was the wind or
922 Mirror that was doing it. She shifted a bit against the now taller
923 girl, letting her eyes fall closed again. It felt so peaceful. Her
924 previous worries felt far away, as if they had been from years
925 before. Now she was just with Mirror. Under the moonlight. Her heart
926 beat steadily. It was all so sweetly romantic.
927 Mirror sighed softly, looking down at the younger girl. She kissed
928 Bara’s forehead gently, brushing back the girl’s short, black hair.
929 “I sure hope so,” she replied, smiling. Bara blushed and looked away,
930 burying her head against Mirror. Holding onto the dark haired girl
931 underneath the night sky, the Sakura Card promised off all of her
932 magic if only that moment could last forever.