rlm@0: Title: Seal Cards rlm@0: Subtitle: Epitomes of Love rlm@0: Author: Matthias Engel aka MysticMew rlm@0: Feedback: Solarsenshi@gmx.de rlm@0: Status: Alpha rlm@0: Fandom: Card Captor Sakura (manga) rlm@0: Rating: PG-13 (with some scenes bordering on R) rlm@0: Category: Romance, Action/Adventure rlm@0: Pairing: Sakura/Tomoyo rlm@0: Timeline: Sequel to "Happy Years" rlm@0: Summary: There are two more cards Clow created. Our couple must learn rlm@0: that even great mages are not prone to mistakes. rlm@0: Sub-Summary: When a vacation goes a little different than planned, can rlm@0: Sakura control herself from loving Tomoyo "too much"? rlm@0: Distribution: MSD (www.catstrio.de), Shoujo Ai.com (www.shoujoai.com), rlm@0: ff.net (www.fanfiction.net), Mediaminer (www.mediaminer.org), Moonlit rlm@0: Nights (http://jrem.net/moonlit/tsFics.html) others may follow. If you rlm@0: like this fic for your story, please tell me, I'm not likely to put rlm@0: stones in your way, but I like to know where it goes. rlm@0: Legal Disclaimer: This story features two females romantically rlm@0: involved with a few (hinted) mature notions. If that is illegal where rlm@0: you are or entirely not your thing, turn around and leave now. rlm@0: Disclaimer: Card Captor Sakura belongs to CLAMP and assorted rlm@0: companies, I claim no right on the characters and original storyline. rlm@0: Story Disclaimer: Seal Cards: Epitomes of Love(c)2003 by Matthias rlm@0: Engel rlm@0: rlm@0: ****************************** rlm@0: rlm@0: Foreword rlm@0: rlm@0: And it's time for the last one. This one will be done in two parts. rlm@0: That has more something with style than necessity though. This is the rlm@0: first part and this one will have a few more mature themes, the rlm@0: delicate stuff will be handled in special, additional file though. rlm@0: rlm@0: ****************************** rlm@0: rlm@0: Seal Cards: Epitomes of Love rlm@0: Based on the works of CLAMP rlm@0: Story Concept by Matthias Engel rlm@0: rlm@0: ****************************** rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: There was a lasting silence in the small room. The curtains were rlm@0: closed and only the soft glow of daylight shining through their veil rlm@0: illuminated the table in front of me. But I could see perfectly well. rlm@0: I wouldn't even need to see the eight cards spread in front of me. rlm@0: This was a much more complex method of card reading than the simple rlm@0: one Kero hat shown me all the years back. Yet, judged by the situation rlm@0: at hand, this was rather appropriate. rlm@0: I stared intently at the two middle rows and the top card. Once rlm@0: again the same. Just like every time I attempted to see what the cards rlm@0: could tell me. I had tried this countless times in the past but the rlm@0: big picture would just not change, nor would it completely make sense rlm@0: to me. There was just one thing that was for sure. The premonition, rlm@0: beyond doubt, was about Her. rlm@0: I squeezed my eyes shut. I thought I had conquered those rlm@0: memories but after telling Tomoyo three months ago, I couldn't help rlm@0: but recall some of the horrible scenes that had driven me straight rlm@0: from that future into this one. Kuso, I hated myself for making Tomoyo rlm@0: worry so much. The accusations had cut right through my heart. I knew rlm@0: on some level they were mostly frustration but... rlm@0: *Don't you trust me?* rlm@0: That one had hurt. Of course I did trust her. She was the cause rlm@0: of why I had come back here, she was why Time had even let me, she was rlm@0: the sole reason that I was able to settle back into a remotely normal rlm@0: life - as normal as life can be for one of the most powerful people on rlm@0: Earth. I had long since given up on the notion that I was the most rlm@0: powerful person. Maybe being the strongest mage was true. However, in rlm@0: my old time I had met enough other groups of magic users to which my rlm@0: power seemed to be a trifle... And none of them had stood a chance rlm@0: against Pandora. rlm@0: Amazingly enough, after the talk with Tomoyo the tension within rlm@0: us had pretty much been turned upside down and nowadays we were almost rlm@0: inseparable. I feared that closeness a little since that had been one rlm@0: of the things that had troubled me back then. It still did. I would rlm@0: feel embarrassed but my mind was too old to be ashamed of the rlm@0: thoughts. And I wouldn't think twice about letting Tomoyo know just rlm@0: how much I loved her if not for the simple fact that we were both only rlm@0: fourteen. I had never quite imagined this would become a major problem rlm@0: of the transition but it seemed I had miscalculated. Lately my rlm@0: feelings for the lavender-haired girl had blossomed more and more into rlm@0: something greater and more passionate. My adult mind and teenager body rlm@0: were having a hard time coming to terms how to react to this. rlm@0: Kami, I am a little pervert! rlm@0: Okay, maybe it wasn't this bad but I was wondering what the hell rlm@0: was wrong with me. This had begun about a year ago, slowly at first rlm@0: but then more steadily. At first I thought it was just my teenage body rlm@0: beginning to mature but at times the love, and the desire spreading rlm@0: from that love, became so strong I was barely able to keep my hands rlm@0: off of Tomoyo when we were snuggling or something. I had to put some rlm@0: distances between us, yet I had chosen the wrong method as it seemed. rlm@0: The resulting frustration from both sides nearly drove a wedge between rlm@0: us. That was dealt with and resolved now, the feelings between us rlm@0: though had only been intensified and I was silently already preparing rlm@0: a last will, because if I should really lose control and Sonomi-kaasan rlm@0: found out... rlm@0: I chuckled ruefully. I WAS overreacting, not to mention rlm@0: distracting myself from the reading and its expected and depressing rlm@0: outcome. Compared to that, my little physical problems were rather rlm@0: insignificant. Sighing audibly, I slowly turned around the last card. rlm@0: Woody was the association, the first card. Woody stood for many rlm@0: things, for which one was nature itself, or Life if you want. In rlm@0: short, I assumed, it meant Earth itself would face a crisis soon. At rlm@0: least that made the most sense from what I expected to come. So rlm@0: basically, it was a call from Earth for help. rlm@0: Then came Mirror, Time and Illusion. They were the cause of the rlm@0: current situation. From experience I knew that Mirror and Illusion rlm@0: often were substitutes for other unknown elements the cards couldn't rlm@0: represent, or at least couldn't represent with the cards available. rlm@0: Together with Time at the center it would normally not make much rlm@0: sense. However, I knew that Mirror and Illusion most likely pointed at rlm@0: the two other Forbidden Clow Cards, those that were responsible for rlm@0: Pandora's release in my time. I hadn't known that then but I knew now rlm@0: after talking to Time - as little as she did reveal -, Kerberos and rlm@0: Yue. And the more I learned about this, the more my belief grew that rlm@0: Clow was just as imperfect as any other human being and not nearly as rlm@0: foreseeing as Eriol said his prior incarnation had been. rlm@0: The Light, the Dark and Erase in the next row, presenting the rlm@0: solution. Alright, the solution was not so more like a pointer, a rlm@0: guide, a way of what had to be done to assure an outcome in the mage's rlm@0: favor. The solution could point at powers, people, a lot of things. It rlm@0: could also be a gamble, since the solution could also turn into an aid rlm@0: for the problem. The combination was a little weird for my taste. rlm@0: While I could see Light and Dark together, I couldn't really place rlm@0: Erase. Erase could be another substitute or it could mean something rlm@0: completely different. I had some vague theories but that is all they rlm@0: were. Vague. rlm@0: Which leaves the last card. The location, the Where. rlm@0: Shadow. rlm@0: As expected. Once again, the location was clouded into shadows, rlm@0: unrevealing darkness. I had desperately hoped that for once I would rlm@0: get a clue where to look for the Seal Cards but once again no hint was rlm@0: given to me. The thing was I could feel the distant presence of a card rlm@0: but by their sheer magnitude I suppose they were probably very far rlm@0: away. rlm@0: Picking up the cards, I returned them to the book and stretched. rlm@0: This was getting me nowhere and tomorrow we would all make a small rlm@0: trip. I had agreed to the idea readily, seeing this as a chance to rlm@0: make up it up to Tomoyo for our little fight and just relax for rlm@0: awhile. Summer break had just started and the weather was ideal. A rlm@0: part of me wished that we could go alone but I didn't really mind the rlm@0: rest of the family coming along. This was going to be fun and maybe I rlm@0: could forget about the cards, the uncertain future and dark memories rlm@0: for awhile. rlm@0: rlm@0: ****************************** rlm@0: rlm@0: (Tomoyo) rlm@0: Whistling a happy tune, I made my way to the front of the Kinomoto rlm@0: residence. It had been a nice day and the evening sun was still warm rlm@0: and pleasant. Perfect weather for a vacation. Adjusting the bag over rlm@0: my shoulder I made a note to myself not to pack so many things the rlm@0: next time. Of course I had reminded myself the last time to do so and rlm@0: look where it had gotten me rlm@0: Not that the little problem was of any significance to the more rlm@0: important things in life at the moment. Sakura and I had finally come rlm@0: around and while I was pretty sure that she hadn't told me everything, rlm@0: I was simply too happy right now to care. I had overreacted after all rlm@0: and chided myself enough about it already. I knew deep down that rlm@0: questioning Sakura's trust had hurt my girlfriend and I wished rlm@0: desperately I could take it back somehow. Being confronted with how rlm@0: much Sakura depended on me when she revealed some of her secrets to me rlm@0: had made me feel so ashamed of myself. Sakura was quick to scatter rlm@0: those worries though. And since we both felt too guilty about the rlm@0: whole matter for different reasons we came to the agreement that this rlm@0: would simply just not happen again. rlm@0: And the make up was definitely exquisite. I never thought you rlm@0: could be so close to a person. I had also thought I was already much rlm@0: more attached to a person than normal, even back then in Elementary rlm@0: School, at an age there that was rather strange. Especially since the rlm@0: relationship part hadn't come for another two years. However, seeing rlm@0: us now, aside from school we barely spent a minute alone anymore. The rlm@0: strength of our feelings was rather overwhelming even by me. Not that rlm@0: Sakura wasn't worth every last ounce of attention but it was as if our rlm@0: guilt over the whole accident had undergone the drastic change from rlm@0: "turning fire into water". rlm@0: My thoughts were interrupted as I looked up, coming to a stop a rlm@0: few feet from the front door. Touya stood there with a grin. "I rlm@0: suppose saying "Welcome" as if you are a guest, just doesn't do it rlm@0: anymore, hmm?" It was remarkable how much the two of them had in rlm@0: common. While physically not all that similar, Sakura and her older rlm@0: brother had a lot of hidden character traits that often made them more rlm@0: alike than they'd ever admit being. rlm@0: He moved forward, taking the bag not even waiting or actually rlm@0: expecting a request. After all this time I was still a little rlm@0: surprised - pleasantly so - as how easy Touya had accepted me. rlm@0: Compared to Syaoran that is. Knowing me prior probably had helped rlm@0: things a little and even with most of his sight gone - Sakura said it rlm@0: was returning very slowly - he had always been rather perceptive. rlm@0: Something I admired about him in a way. rlm@0: "Arigato," I said, following him into the house and slipping out rlm@0: of my shoes. Okaasan had made it pretty much clear to Sakura that she rlm@0: was to treat our home as hers and while it had never been said this rlm@0: way from the Kinomotos before, the offer was obvious in small things rlm@0: like this or the way the treatment had gradually changed from that of rlm@0: a normal guest to that of a permanent houseguest or resident even. rlm@0: Sakura's home had also become my home and it didn't really matter rlm@0: anymore where we were or who would stay with whom. Either way, IF we rlm@0: were together, we were at home. rlm@0: Touya shrugged, putting the bag down next to the staircase. rlm@0: "It's okay. I'll bring it up later. The monster has been in her room rlm@0: for awhile again, maybe you can get her to come down and eat rlm@0: something." rlm@0: I wasn't sure whether to give into the humor or the sigh. On one rlm@0: hand it saddened me to hear that Sakura obviously was still troubled rlm@0: by her worries. I couldn't fault her, knowing what I did learn so far. rlm@0: Sakura had such a good heart and she wanted to protect everyone, rlm@0: especially the people she loved and feeling so helpless had to be rlm@0: hard. I never really realized how hard it had to be until I learned rlm@0: the truth of the events of her timeline. Still, I wished she wouldn't rlm@0: think that she had to take all the responsibility upon herself, almost rlm@0: as if she was desperately trying to do it all alone. That is why I rlm@0: insisted so much on the vacation when the idea was brought up one rlm@0: evening we had all sat together in this very house. The idea for a rlm@0: little boat trip was spontaneous but once everyone had gotten into it, rlm@0: the plans were quickly made. Hopefully this could get Sakura's mind rlm@0: set on something different at least for a little while. rlm@0: I finally managed a small giggle. I found it funny that Touya rlm@0: still called her "monster", even more so than when my girlfriend was rlm@0: younger. I supposed that it had become more of an affective nickname rlm@0: than the gentle teasing it had once been. rlm@0: Already a few steps up the stairs I stopped and turned slightly rlm@0: to look back at Touya. "Doesn't it bother you at all?" I had meant to rlm@0: ask the question for awhile now. Sakura had come clean about her time rlm@0: travel by now. While both her brother and father had suspected rlm@0: something already, Sakura had felt obligated to talk to them about rlm@0: this after realizing how much concern it had caused me and how much it rlm@0: had to have an impact on her family. The whole thing was taken rlm@0: relatively well, she had let out a few things she told me exclusively, rlm@0: but other then that most of what I learned was revealed to the rest of rlm@0: the family. rlm@0: Touya looked at me thoughtful for a moment. "Not really. It's a rlm@0: little weird sometimes. And I admit I feel helpless knowing all that rlm@0: has happened already or will happen or... well, you get the point." I rlm@0: smiled wryly, knowing full well the confusion talking about this rlm@0: caused me sometimes. "I am just amazed that YOU are taking all this so rlm@0: well. Doesn't it bother you in the slightest, I mean... She's not rlm@0: exactly the girl you fell in love with anymore. I believe it is much rlm@0: harder for you, as her girlfriend, than it is for me, as a brother." rlm@0: I didn't really need to think about my answer. Staring directly rlm@0: into Touya's eyes - well, as much as you can from a higher vantage rlm@0: point -, I said softly but with a firm voice nonetheless, "I wouldn't rlm@0: be that - her girlfriend - if Sakura-chan hadn't done what she did. rlm@0: She is still Sakura, all the little details are still there. You can rlm@0: see it too, I know that. When you truly love someone, you love rlm@0: everything about that person. The positive as much as the negative. rlm@0: Tell me, Touya-oniisan, would you turn down Yukito-san if the same rlm@0: would have happened to him." rlm@0: The dark-haired, young man stared back stunned for a moment, rlm@0: then his eyes softened and he shook his head slowly. "No. Never." rlm@0: I smiled fondly. "Good. Then we understand each other." I turned rlm@0: back to resume my ascent. "We'll be down for dinner in a few minutes." rlm@0: I swear I heard him mumbling something along the lines of "if you were rlm@0: able to separate long enough to walk down the stairs", smiled to rlm@0: myself and proceeded to Sakura's room. rlm@0: rlm@0: ****************************** rlm@0: rlm@0: (Sakura) rlm@0: As I leaned back after putting the cards back into the book, I rlm@0: realized how stiff I had become. This happened a lot. Often I tried to rlm@0: figure out a reading for hours not even realizing the passage of time. rlm@0: It was a good thing I still did physical activities frequently to keep rlm@0: my body in shape. It would be a little early to suffer from back rlm@0: problems... rlm@0: My eyes had drifted close for a moment and now they only rlm@0: fluttered open for a short moment before the movements of skilled rlm@0: hands rubbing my shoulders made me sigh blissfully - though I hadn't rlm@0: made up my mind if it was involuntary or not yet. I had to be pretty rlm@0: absorbed to not even notice Tomoyo coming up or slipping into the rlm@0: room. Usually I could tell from far away already when she was present. rlm@0: Not to mention that I tried not to show her just how much I took the rlm@0: whole thing to heart... and often failing miserable at that task. rlm@0: "Do you have to torture yourself. Even a day before vacation?" rlm@0: Tomoyo asked softly, her voice barely a whisper and close to my ear. I rlm@0: suppressed the shudder wanting to run down my spine at her closeness rlm@0: and the feelings her warm breath tickling my skin invoked. I wished rlm@0: nothing more than to... rlm@0: What was wrong with me? rlm@0: Fighting down the primal urges of my - entirely too young - body rlm@0: I focused on her question, with some effort. "You know I must. If I rlm@0: don't find a way to prevent the seal from breaking than..." I trailed rlm@0: off, not wishing to speak further in fear of calling back the haunting rlm@0: images of a future long since past. A future that might become reality rlm@0: again if I didn't... rlm@0: "I know you will find a way. You always do. But that you still rlm@0: have a few years, right? Don't push yourself so hard." rlm@0: I let go of another content smile as the hands moved from my rlm@0: shoulders to my neck and further down my back with patient precision. rlm@0: Tomoyo could really give one hell of a massage. "How can you be so rlm@0: calm about this. I told you what happened. I stood no chance against rlm@0: that... thing. I..." I turned around albeit my body's vehement rlm@0: protests, fixing a startled Tomoyo with an intense gaze. "She killed rlm@0: you, right in front of my eyes. I... I won't..." I could feel tears rlm@0: stinging in my eyes and was a little bit surprised at the emotional rlm@0: surge that had triggered such a strong response. I usually was much rlm@0: calmer nowadays but Tomoyo managed with her mere presence alone to rlm@0: create that overwhelming urge to love, to protect, to cherish and rlm@0: always hold onto this incredible gift. I couldn't maintain my shields rlm@0: around her for long. "I will never let this happen again," I finished, rlm@0: trying to make my voice sound firm but it was more a croaked whisper. rlm@0: "Never..." rlm@0: Before I even knew what was happening we were kissing. And not rlm@0: just the chaste kiss of children or young teenagers but laced with a rlm@0: mixture of passion and need. My arms went around Tomoyo's waist on rlm@0: instinct drawing her closer, basking in the heat of the contact. Not rlm@0: just the physical but also the spiritual one. Our kisses had become rlm@0: that much bolder lately and they weren't always initiated by me. rlm@0: Tomoyo proved very quickly that this important aspect of life was as rlm@0: much one of the skills she was so good with, just like all the others. rlm@0: And so I found myself relenting briefly as the kiss began to involve rlm@0: tongues rather quickly, that sweet scent, so distinctive Tomoyo, rlm@0: filling my mouth, literally drinking up all the troubles, concerns and rlm@0: fears of only a few moments ago. rlm@0: Finally Tomoyo drew away but only a few inches. I am sure my rlm@0: face was flushed since hers definitely was. A part of me was rlm@0: disappointed at the lack of contact and wanted to reengage right away, rlm@0: taking this to places I steadfastly refused to even let myself think rlm@0: about. The beautiful lavender-haired girl had her fingers tangled in rlm@0: some strands of my hair falling in disarray over my face. "I know, rlm@0: Sakura-chan. I know you will always be there to protect me. I told you rlm@0: that a long time ago and my belief has not changed. You have taken all rlm@0: those risks and changed your future already. Your beautiful heart will rlm@0: find a solution when the time is right. Please, don't burn yourself rlm@0: out. That won't get us anywhere and brings you only more pain. I hate rlm@0: to see you suffer." rlm@0: I stared in amazement at this magnificent creature. What in all rlm@0: the world had I done to earn such trust, such loyalty, such love from rlm@0: this gentle and kind girl. When I was young and unknowing of her rlm@0: feelings I had often felt a little embarrassed. But never scared. I rlm@0: knew some people who experienced our interaction wondered why I wasn't rlm@0: scared of Tomoyo's devotion. Yet, I could never be scared of such a rlm@0: wondrous thing. Now, I was simply amazed and every time she looked at rlm@0: me like this, so completely without doubt, utter faith in her gaze rlm@0: that I would never let her come to harm, I knew that I wasn't worth rlm@0: it. But yet, it always created a confidence in me so strong that I rlm@0: felt like being able to strike down any foe ever trying to harm this rlm@0: otherworldly creature that I could dare call my girlfriend. rlm@0: "I don't deserve you," I whispered, one hand softly stroking the rlm@0: pale skin of her cheek. I had never felt like this before. Not with rlm@0: Syaoran, never with him. That realization had come gradually but by rlm@0: now I was certain that while a part of me would always love him, my rlm@0: statement that the love for him and Tomoyo was an equal one had long rlm@0: since expired. The magnitude of love I felt for Tomoyo know had rlm@0: definitely exceeded what I ever had felt for the Chinese boy. "But I rlm@0: love you more than anyone or anything else in this world," I said, rlm@0: making sure she understood completely what I was implying. rlm@0: Tomoyo's smile was radiant, her blue eyes sparkling as if the rlm@0: sun was reflecting on the clear surface of a lake. I leaned forward rlm@0: again, touching my lips to hers, leaving my gaze glued on those rlm@0: brilliant orbs. Sensual at first I felt that inner fire once again rlm@0: igniting with renewed intensity and for several seconds I completely rlm@0: lost myself in the feelings, tongues meeting in a slow dance, rlm@0: passionate but not forceful. So much unlike Syaoran's kisses. This rlm@0: was... softer, slower and at the same much more intense. rlm@0: "Hey, monster! Get down here, dinner is ready!" rlm@0: I blinked my eyes, realizing only now that somehow Tomoyo had rlm@0: found her way into my lap and my hands were resting on her buttocks, rlm@0: Tomoyo's arms were around my neck, clinging tightly as if afraid to rlm@0: fall apart if she should let go. I blinked again, slowly drawing away rlm@0: and tentatively altering my grip from my girlfriend's behind to hold rlm@0: her around the waist again. I didn't want to let go but there was that rlm@0: slight spark of embarrassment that I had let myself go so far. But I rlm@0: didn't really feel all that bad about it, after all Tomoyo seemed rlm@0: quite content where she was. rlm@0: "Wow..." I whispered, my breath a little shallow from the rlm@0: exchange. I could feel some sweat on my forehead and was rather aware rlm@0: that both of our body temperatures had definitely risen to a rlm@0: noticeable degree. "That was..." I wanted to say "too close" but rlm@0: honestly, I had to agree with Tomoyo's definition. rlm@0: "Intense. Amazingly intense..." Tomoyo responded, equally rlm@0: breathless and I was fascinated at how much that sparkle in her eyes rlm@0: had even more increased but now it was more like... I wasn't sure I rlm@0: actually wanted to know the answer to that because I wasn't sure right rlm@0: now if I could control the following consequences. rlm@0: "We should... uh, get downstairs... Dinner, you know...?" I rlm@0: tried lamely, my mind not yet fully restored from one of the most rlm@0: passionate moments between us yet. Tomoyo just nodded, also a little rlm@0: out of it. rlm@0: It was only with a lot of effort and after another few minutes rlm@0: of regaining some composure that we managed to follow my brothers rlm@0: request. Touya was giving me the most annoying smirk all evening. rlm@0: rlm@0: ****************************** rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: There was one thing that was for sure about life with Sakura. It never rlm@0: was boring. I had known this right away when I met her. I knew that I rlm@0: just had to put an effort into at least befriending the genki brunette rlm@0: or my life would be so much duller. This experience had only grown rlm@0: when Sakura came back for me and devoted her attention almost solely rlm@0: upon me. The things we did on a regular basis when going out, other rlm@0: couples probably never even encounter half the excitement and the rlm@0: wonders Sakura managed to produce. rlm@0: I had noticed that Sakura liked to use the cards rather often rlm@0: for those special occasion but also other everyday life stuff. For rlm@0: example creating a nice atmosphere with Glow or Flower, lightening rlm@0: candles with Firery or often just flying around with Fly. Sakura had rlm@0: developed a close bond with her cards, that much was for sure. "Don't rlm@0: they mind doing all those things for you?" I asked, turning my head rlm@0: towards Sakura. The question was more a rhetorical one with just a rlm@0: touch of curiosity I could guess the answer already. rlm@0: Sakura laughed lightly and I could feel just the tiny bits of a rlm@0: ripple around us that felt like... giggling. "Don't worry about that. rlm@0: The cards actually want to get out and play whenever I let them. While rlm@0: they don't mind being in the book, they like to do things outside, rlm@0: interact with the world, you know." Sakura gazed at me adoringly and I rlm@0: felt my cheeks flush, a reaction the lovely girl had managed to bring rlm@0: forth more and more in the last days. The passionate scene from the rlm@0: evening two days ago was still present in my mind and this hasn't been rlm@0: the only occasion. "And they like you, too, so they like to do things rlm@0: that make you happy." The blush deepened and I melted into the rlm@0: following kiss that was much to brief and chaste for my taste... rlm@0: Blinking I tried to clear my foggy mind, snuggling closer to rlm@0: Sakura who had one arm around my waist so that we wouldn't be rlm@0: separated, not that any of us minded the contact. The water around us rlm@0: was cool but not freezing. I believed this to be an added side effect rlm@0: of Watery other than providing an air bubble to breath and right now rlm@0: the movement as well. We already had been swimming quite some while rlm@0: but right now we were content to enjoy each other's presence and let rlm@0: Watery do the stirring, so to say. rlm@0: The ocean down here was a captivating sight. Especially this rlm@0: way, without diving gear or other such limitations. Only our bodies rlm@0: and normal senses experiencing what no ordinary human would usually be rlm@0: able to do. Not for that long and surely enough not as deep as we were rlm@0: already. This definitely had been one of Sakura's best ideas involving rlm@0: the cards up to now. We had left the world above the surface already rlm@0: far behind, exploring the wondrous depths of the ocean. rlm@0: I hadn't expected something like that - Sakura always managed to rlm@0: surprise me with those things - when we set out yesterday morning for rlm@0: the beach and then a trip with our family yacht. Okaasan had actually rlm@0: been glad to have a use for it after all that time. In all my life we rlm@0: had only gotten to make use of it once and I had been almost too rlm@0: little to remember it then. Now, the yacht served as the perfect tool rlm@0: for some nice, relaxing days. Okaasan had been excited to participate rlm@0: in the family vacation and readily provided the boat even though it rlm@0: visibly got to her to spend so much time in close company to Sakura's rlm@0: father. They managed to behave most of the trip but a few hours ago rlm@0: the tension had escalated and everyone had retreated hastily to other rlm@0: parts of the yacht to evade the coming war zone. Yukito and Touya had rlm@0: went below deck and Sakura came up that we should probably go even rlm@0: deeper with a twinkle in her eyes. I had had barely enough time to rlm@0: prepare myself - thankfully we already had been in our bathing suits rlm@0: for the purpose of sun bathing - before Sakura grabbed me and jumped rlm@0: into the calm ocean, activating Watery in the process. rlm@0: The feeling was extraordinary. The ocean was calm on this clear rlm@0: summer day and the flow was gentle, encompassing the two of us. rlm@0: Somehow Watery had managed to make it so that we could breathe rlm@0: underwater but still feel the water and move freely. Therefore we were rlm@0: treated by the embrace of the wet element, washing over our skin. It rlm@0: didn't even sting in the eyes! rlm@0: Right now we were resting from swimming so much, gently floating rlm@0: through the vast ocean, letting Watery push us forward. And once again rlm@0: we found ourselves in one of those moments. The place was a little rlm@0: odd, I admit, but as usual neither of us cared very much and while we rlm@0: weren't even kissing, just the contact was enough to hold us captured rlm@0: in the moment. I could feel Sakura's hand lightly stroking my bare rlm@0: skin and shivered. Not from the cold of the water but from the sudden rlm@0: heat coursing through my body, making my skin tingle. rlm@0: Oh, I wasn't stupid. I was pretty much aware of the sexual rlm@0: tension. There was just no other way to describe it. Both of us were rlm@0: rather mature for our physical age and that was even more true in rlm@0: Sakura's case. It had taken me some time to figure out that the whole rlm@0: Pandora issue hadn't been all that had my girlfriend bothered lately. rlm@0: I hadn't been totally sure at first but the level of passion in our rlm@0: kisses, the lingering touches, the closeness. The encounter the rlm@0: evening before our departure wasn't the only one and they had become rlm@0: even more heated. No, by now I was pretty sure that Sakura had rlm@0: definitely trouble suppressing urges she surely felt entirely to rlm@0: improper for our physical age. rlm@0: How did I feel about this? I honestly wasn't sure. I would lie rlm@0: if I said that the rising passion between us didn't scare me a little. rlm@0: Just a little. I hadn't thought in this direction at all until a few rlm@0: months ago but now I found myself wishing at times that Sakura would rlm@0: just go ahead and... See, that's what I meant. Where I could rlm@0: understand and tolerate that Sakura's older mind might harbor such rlm@0: thoughts, I know that for me they were rather... early. Not rlm@0: impossible, but early in their appearance. And entirely too strong to rlm@0: be natural. rlm@0: At the same time the feelings were exhilarating and I felt rlm@0: myself craving the attention, the sensations of drowning in Sakura's rlm@0: love and passion, wishing nothing more than to just let go and feel. rlm@0: This was frightening in itself but more like a thrill, a good, rlm@0: exciting thrill I had entirely no idea how to deal with. I just knew rlm@0: if Sakura as much as asked I would jump at the chance and that scared rlm@0: me again, just a little. rlm@0: Out of the corner of my eye I spotted something and was rlm@0: partially grateful for the interruption of the moment. Because as much rlm@0: as a big part of me wouldn't object I think the setting would be more rlm@0: than a little awkward. Not too mention, we'd probably traumatize poor rlm@0: Watery! rlm@0: "Hey, there's a cave down there!" rlm@0: Sakura blinked, a look of disappoint crossing her features that rlm@0: almost made me giggle. I suppressed that reaction though and pointed rlm@0: down. We were rather close to the bottom I think. The water was rlm@0: getting murkier here. Less light was reaching us from the surface and rlm@0: it was a little hard to make out the cave's entrance. Sakura and I rlm@0: looked at each other, confirming our mutual curiosity and made our way rlm@0: into the cave. rlm@0: rlm@0: ****************************** rlm@0: rlm@0: (Sakura) rlm@0: Emerging from the water we were both surprised and amazed to find a rlm@0: cave that huge. Sure, there probably were enough on the ocean floor rlm@0: but when did you ever get the chance to see them. Not that any of us rlm@0: was paying much attention to our surroundings. Watery went back into rlm@0: card form and then to subspace for the moment with nothing more than a rlm@0: thought. My eyes were pretty much glued to Tomoyo and there was a rlm@0: conflict inside of me whether to praise or curse myself for my rlm@0: impromptu idea. Kuso, Tomoyo was sexy in that dark blue bikini, rlm@0: drenched by the ocean water and therefore highlighting the young rlm@0: girl's curves pretty well. rlm@0: This was ridiculous. Something was definitely going on here. I rlm@0: mean something other than my dirty adult mind and developing teenage rlm@0: body. As much as I did love Tomoyo this was getting out of hand and I rlm@0: was pretty sure that my control was only a few percent from rlm@0: evaporating into thin air. I mean, I had actually kicked Touya for rlm@0: flirting with Tomoyo. He did that sometimes and I know very well that rlm@0: it was never more than teasing. And still I had actually hit him, he rlm@0: had been throwing wary glances my way the whole trip. And the poor boy rlm@0: from when we arrived at the beach who dared to... wanted to ask Tomoyo rlm@0: out or something. I swear he must have run straight to his mommy after rlm@0: the menacing look I had given him - thankfully that had been all. My rlm@0: emotions couldn't suddenly be so out of control. Not naturally... rlm@0: "Sakura?" rlm@0: Gah! rlm@0: Tomoyo was standing right in front of me, blue eyes focused on rlm@0: me in a wordless, yet demanding expression. I was being drawn into the rlm@0: liquid pools, drowned in a sea of happiness and love. I might have rlm@0: jumped at the touch, her hand on my cheek, caressing slightly in a rlm@0: circular pattern. "What are you afraid of?" rlm@0: Crap, she always knew me so well, that hadn't changed in the rlm@0: most aspects of my life even after traveling back in time. With the rlm@0: exception of the Pandora happenings and my growing desires she had rlm@0: always managed to read me like a book. It seemed the latter was about rlm@0: to experience the same fate. rlm@0: "Tomo-chan... I..." I breathed, my voice taking on a husky tone, rlm@0: feeling her other coming around me, one hand settling on my back. A rlm@0: surge of immediate desire rushed through me and my mouth couldn't rlm@0: decide whether to be dry or the complete opposite. I couldn't finish rlm@0: the sentence but looking into her eyes, I knew it wasn't necessary. rlm@0: "You don't have to be afraid for my sake, Sakura-chan." I gasped rlm@0: when she dipped her head slightly to the side and moved forward to run rlm@0: her lips over the skin on my neck. My arms tightened around her, rlm@0: almost crushing her lithe form against mine even if that small voice rlm@0: that was calling me names was still there. It was fading fast. rlm@0: "I... I don't want to hurt you... This is not how..." rlm@0: Tomoyo looked up again and before I could even guess her rlm@0: intentions her lips were upon mine. The kiss was sending hot waves of rlm@0: tiny flames through my whole body. Her lips were crushed against mine rlm@0: and I leaned into the passionate, desperate contact without even rlm@0: thinking. The last bit of rational thought was more or less leaving me rlm@0: right now. rlm@0: Coming up for air after almost a full minute, I realized that rlm@0: our hands had become much bolder. Tomoyo's hands were just resting rlm@0: under the hem of my bikini top and mine were already all the way rlm@0: there. The desire created between us had reached the force of a rlm@0: tornado. I could see the desperation and need reflected in Tomoyo's rlm@0: eyes. rlm@0: "Do you really want to fight this?" Tomoyo asked in her usual rlm@0: soft, lightly musical voice but still somehow managing to let it sound rlm@0: seductive. "We can't fight this any longer, you know that." rlm@0: Can't fight...? A jolting sensation of recognition passed rlm@0: through me and for just a single moment I managed to tear myself away rlm@0: from the powerful thrall both of us were under. No, not so much a rlm@0: thrall as the rise of emotions to its maximum. Right here, right now, rlm@0: around us... rlm@0: Love was here. rlm@0: Love, one of the Seal Cards. Time had told me that the reason I rlm@0: felt its presence nearing was because the original seal was more or rlm@0: less encompassing the whole planet, both elemental powers overlapping rlm@0: each other. It had been a steady stream, unyielding and without a rlm@0: flaw. Until Clow tempered with those ancient archtypes and bound rlm@0: powers where he should have not. After realizing his mistake and that rlm@0: he couldn't control the elemental powers, he had placed the cards rlm@0: inside the original seal, reestablishing the power but not the flow. rlm@0: The flow had been destroyed, its flawlessness lost. To make the flaw rlm@0: as tiny as possible the cards were moving around in the seal in a more rlm@0: or less stable orbit. It was no surprise to realize that this had rlm@0: given Pandora her opportunity. Clow's actions to fix his mistake had rlm@0: not been enough after all. rlm@0: The realization came at a rather bad moment though and most of rlm@0: my thoughts on the matter were just like a background image. I was rlm@0: aware of it, I was aware of the enormous presence so similar to Time rlm@0: back then, yet I couldn't do anything about it. I didn't have the rlm@0: willpower anymore to call upon some counter spell. I simply didn't rlm@0: want to stop! rlm@0: And with a groan of resignation I brought my hands up around rlm@0: Tomoyo's neck, drawing her in. My breath was creating tiny goose bumps rlm@0: against her skin, my voice long since having lost the battle to hold rlm@0: pack the passion and longing. "I love you so much, Tomo-chan. Even if rlm@0: this is not entirely our doing, I want to make you happy. Do you trust rlm@0: me enough with this?" I said the last bit with the utmost seriousness rlm@0: I could still muster in this situation, yet I was unsure if I could rlm@0: take a negative answer anymore. rlm@0: "I told you already," Tomoyo whispered back, her voice mirroring rlm@0: my own open desire. "I will always be safe with Sakura-chan. I have rlm@0: faith that Sakura-chan will always save me and keep me safe." rlm@0: Proceeding to kiss me again, I simply let go, my body almost sighing rlm@0: in relief, welcoming whatever shall come. rlm@0: rlm@0: ****************************** rlm@0: rlm@0: (Tomoyo) rlm@0: Slowly, with the speed of a turtle climbing a hill my senses returned rlm@0: to awareness, my spirit floating back down from that place somewhere rlm@0: far above the heavens where it had climbed to... some time... ago. I rlm@0: really had NO idea how much time had passed, how long we had been in rlm@0: the cave or lying on the cold ground warmed by a small friction of rlm@0: magic - but I really didn't care where it came from right now. rlm@0: The tremors had finally subsided and my body lay in total peace, rlm@0: every muscle relaxed and surely not able to obey any command in the rlm@0: near future. And I felt GOOD. Kami, did I feel good. I had really been rlm@0: a little... unsure when I gave in to my desires. Yet, seeing Sakura rlm@0: suffer even more, trying to hold herself back, inhabitations had been rlm@0: thrown out of the window. Very, very far away. And it wasn't like I rlm@0: had not wanted. We loved each other after all, so it couldn't be a bad rlm@0: thing, just... a little early maybe. It wasn't like we were still ten rlm@0: or something. That would have been rather illogical. rlm@0: Feeling Sakura move slightly from her position spooned up behind rlm@0: me, I shifted slightly and craned my neck to look behind me. Her face rlm@0: was producing a stronger result than the Glow card could... even rlm@0: though I was sure the expression was mirrored on my own. I smiled rlm@0: widely, feeling giddy and in a state of utter bliss. I've never felt rlm@0: so much in the right place like now. I was sure that was what I was rlm@0: meant to be, where I belonged to be. Right here, in Sakura's arms, rlm@0: enveloped in a warm blanket of love. Body, mind and soul. rlm@0: I could see the hint of regret and shame in Sakura's eyes though rlm@0: and was quick to dispel these feelings. With some effort I managed to rlm@0: command my body to turn around in the tight embrace. Brushing some of rlm@0: the brown hair that had fallen into Sakura's face out of the way, I rlm@0: leaned in to place a soft, lingering kiss on her lips, gazing rlm@0: adoringly into green eyes. Sakura smiled faintly. "You keep giving the rlm@0: most special gifts in the most special ways. You are such an amazing rlm@0: person." rlm@0: Sakura's smiled turned into a more genuine one. "That wasn't all rlm@0: my doing. Don't you feel different somehow?" rlm@0: I was puzzled at her question. "What do you mean? Of course I rlm@0: feel different!" I said lightly teasing. rlm@0: Sakura laughed heartedly and the sound was such a lovely thing rlm@0: to my ears. "No, no, I mean. About the desire between us. Just until a rlm@0: few minutes ago..." She let the sentence linger and I suddenly rlm@0: realized what she meant. The whirlwind of feelings had ceased to be rlm@0: more gradual, more normal. I had first though this was only and effect rlm@0: of the afterglow but there was a little more to it. I didn't know how rlm@0: I could tell the difference, I just did. So when Sakura said this rlm@0: wasn't completely her doing then did that mean... rlm@0: I blinked almost audibly and was already in the process of rlm@0: sitting up despite the protests of my body before Sakura pulled me rlm@0: down again gently but persistent. "Yes, I am sure its one of the Seal rlm@0: Cards. I told you about them, right?" I nodded, wondering why we were rlm@0: still lying here. Not that I WANTED to move, mind you. "It must be rlm@0: Love. But its moving very slowly. We can easily catch up, don't rush rlm@0: now. I, personally, feel like being defiant and not rush after it the rlm@0: way it played with us." Sakura chuckled and run one hand through my rlm@0: open hair, drawing out a sigh from me in the process. I had went to rlm@0: tie it into a ponytail in the last months but was seriously rlm@0: considering to leave it open again in order to experience the rlm@0: wonderful sensations my girlfriend's fingers in my hair produced more rlm@0: often. Hmm, girlfriend didn't seem right anymore. Lover? Mate? It had rlm@0: felt a lot like mating on a level and I couldn't quite believe that rlm@0: this all had been the card's doing. rlm@0: "You mean Love made us do all this?" I asked curiously, showing rlm@0: my disbelief at the possibility. rlm@0: Sakura shook her head slightly, drawing me closer until my head rlm@0: rested contently under her chin, almost nestled comfortingly in her rlm@0: small chest. I let go of another sigh and could practically feel rlm@0: Sakura's smile in response. "No, the way I understand it is that Love rlm@0: cannot produce false feelings. It can only take what is there and rlm@0: amplify them. The stronger the feelings the more they are amplified. rlm@0: And Love doesn't do something on its own since the card is embedded in rlm@0: the seal. It is a natural side effect. Clow played with something you rlm@0: can't just simply control. The magic he bound into a card was so rlm@0: strong that, even ineffective, it puts out incredible power." rlm@0: I listened carefully and would have nodded, had I not been so rlm@0: comfortable right now. Instead I said in a lightly teasing voice, "So rlm@0: you DID want me THIS way..." I grinned to myself, feeling Sakura shift rlm@0: a little... not uncomfortably but surely enough embarrassed. Even if rlm@0: her mind was older she was still such an innocent creature at times. rlm@0: "It's okay. You didn't hurt me and it was the most wonderful gift rlm@0: other than your heart that you could ever have given me." rlm@0: Sakura's arms tightened around me even more. "I love you. I rlm@0: really do. More than anything. That wasn't just because of Love. I rlm@0: promise you, I will always love you, forever." rlm@0: I lifted my head slightly, meeting her downward gaze of rlm@0: unrestrained, unconditional love with one of my own. "I love you, too. rlm@0: More than I could ever put into words." rlm@0: rlm@0: ****************************** rlm@0: rlm@0: (Sakura) rlm@0: You'd expect after the whole mess I'd feel guilty. You'd expect I rlm@0: would want to harm myself for ever letting my urges get the better of rlm@0: me. You know what? I really didn't care anymore. The experience was rlm@0: just so... glorious. And Tomoyo didn't regret it either. You could see rlm@0: it in her body language or every other part of her. She could probably rlm@0: be lightening a Christmas tree right now and I surely wasn't very far rlm@0: behind. rlm@0: I wasn't sure whether or not to give Love a piece of my mind rlm@0: when we caught up with it though. On the one hand I knew that rlm@0: logically seen the card had pretty much no control over its effect. rlm@0: Yet, the timing was rather... inappropriate. I still couldn't believe rlm@0: we did THAT down THERE. I mean, sure, I love to treat Tomoyo to rlm@0: special things in special places. The cards really like to be useful rlm@0: and they really like to make Tomoyo happy too, both of us actually. rlm@0: However, this was rather shooting over the top. As I said, now I rlm@0: didn't regret it anymore. It was done with and I was not about to rlm@0: destroy this eternal memory of a first time with thoughts of rlm@0: self-blame and guilt when my... lover looks like I couldn't have rlm@0: possibly made her happier today. rlm@0: Anyway, after resting a few minutes longer, we finally returned rlm@0: to the surface. The recovery was only one reason why I wanted to stay rlm@0: down there for awhile. No, and the other was NOT to enjoy the feel of rlm@0: Tomoyo's naked form against mine... Kami, I must be blushing madly at rlm@0: this thought, I could tell from Tomoyo's almost smug look - Tomoyo and rlm@0: smug! No, that had not been the reason... although it was an added rlm@0: bonus. Staying still for a short while would allow Love to pass on a rlm@0: little further and therefore lessening the chance of a fallback into rlm@0: emotional overload. rlm@0: I was very glad I decided on that because I REALLY didn't want rlm@0: to know what happened up here on - and mostly likely in - the yacht a rlm@0: few minutes ago while we had our own encounter below the surface. We rlm@0: might have just stood there for another minute or so before either of rlm@0: us could override the shock to our system at the scene playing in rlm@0: front of us. I glanced at Tomoyo with a totally bewildered look and rlm@0: saw my girlfriend - I would stick with that for now, the other term rlm@0: sounded TOO mature for our physical age - equally flabbergasted. rlm@0: "Didn't you say Love only amplifies what is already there?" she asked. rlm@0: I turned pack to the couple at the helm of the yacht, engaged in rlm@0: a - pretty intense - lip lock, blissfully unaware of having an rlm@0: audience... and probably just as unaware of what they were doing in rlm@0: the first place. I shrugged at Tomoyo's question, rather perplexed rlm@0: myself. "I honestly have no idea. It's not like even Clow himself rlm@0: understood what exactly he created there." Grinning slightly I put my rlm@0: hands on my hips and cleared my throat loud enough for the two adults rlm@0: to hear. rlm@0: There was a very short silence and it seemed as if the world rlm@0: itself just stopped breathing for a timeliness moment, awaiting the rlm@0: inevitable apocalypse. Then, as if someone dropped a sledgehammer rlm@0: between them the two parental figures of our group literally jumped rlm@0: several feet apart. Otousan looked rather baffled... well, stupefied rlm@0: actually and I could see from the look on Sonomi-kaasan's face that rlm@0: was just about turning from speechless consternation into smoldering rlm@0: rage that he would probably not survive the following moments if I rlm@0: didn't intervene. rlm@0: "Save it!" I shouted, drawing their attention immediately and rlm@0: succeeding in flustering both of them speech- and motionless again. rlm@0: Right now I regretted not explaining to them about the Seal Cards as I rlm@0: had done for Tomoyo but I really didn't want to waste anymore time. I rlm@0: could sense Love was actually picking up speed... which was strange rlm@0: since the paths of the cards were supposed to be stable. "We don't rlm@0: have time for this now. There is a card here I need to catch and its rlm@0: moving away right now. So if any of you would be kind enough to get us rlm@0: moving." Granted, I would normally never take such a... commanding rlm@0: tone with my father or Tomoyo's mother. But I knew where this was rlm@0: leading when I didn't intervene and I really had no time for this. I rlm@0: could feel in every fiber of my being that this was my chance, my only rlm@0: chance to change something about the future I had experienced. rlm@0: Just that moment Kero-chan choose to make his appearance, coming rlm@0: from below deck and looking rather agitated. "What's going on?" He rlm@0: looked around at the scene, arching a tiny eyebrow at the still rather rlm@0: shell-shocked-looking adults and then turned to me. "Sakura? I felt rlm@0: the presence of a card. Is that...?" rlm@0: I nodded at his unfinished question, already trying to track rlm@0: Love. That was funny, I cold feel something else too. Was that the rlm@0: other one? If yes, that would be more coincidence when I believed in. rlm@0: Isolating Love for now I felt it rapidly moving westwards. rlm@0: "Quick, Otousan, turn the boat around, its picking up speed for rlm@0: some reason!" I yelled running to the back of the yacht, staring out rlm@0: over the ocean intently. I could see something moving in the distance. rlm@0: It was to tiny to really make out and for someone without magic rlm@0: probably impossible to see at all. rlm@0: Otousan meanwhile had snapped out of his shocked state long rlm@0: enough to take over the controls and pull the boat around, pushing the rlm@0: engine to top speed. "Tomoyo, get Yukito, I'd rather like everyone rlm@0: together and who knows if I might need Yue. Love isn't actually rlm@0: dangerous - I think - but I'd rather be safe." Tomoyo nodded and took rlm@0: off. I was pretty sure Yue must have sensed what was going on too and rlm@0: was probably already on his way. Hopefully he was because I could more rlm@0: or less guess what Love did to him and Touya, considering what it did rlm@0: to the rest of us. I really hoped Tomoyo wouldn't catch them in an rlm@0: embarrassing situation. rlm@0: "I better take care of this before we all go crazy trying to go rlm@0: near that thing," I said more to myself, only realizing Kero was next rlm@0: to me at his squeak when he obviously figured out what exactly I was rlm@0: implying. Well, that couldn't be helped now. rlm@0: Taking the key from its resting place I invoked its ancient rlm@0: powers and drew Time from subspace. Better to fight Fire with Fire, or rlm@0: something like that. "Time!" I called out. "Encase us in a bubble of rlm@0: your power!" There was a bright flash of crimson-purple energy and the rlm@0: sensitive eye could see the dim, almost completely transparent field rlm@0: of temporal energy enveloping the yacht. I heard Otousan gasp and rlm@0: realized suddenly that he actually could see all this. Of course he rlm@0: could, I told myself, since he has part of Clow's magic now. rlm@0: "Don't worry, just stay on course." I reached out once again, rlm@0: confirming my earlier observation. "See the small object in the rlm@0: distance?" Otousan nodded. "Follow it!" rlm@0: If I could have it any other way I really wouldn't want to rlm@0: endanger everyone. But seeing as if I might never be able to come so rlm@0: close again, I had hardly a choice left. Besides, the Seal Cards were rlm@0: not really... active. Therefore I hoped it wouldn't be all that rlm@0: dangerous. rlm@0: rlm@0: ****************************** rlm@0: rlm@0: (Tomoyo) rlm@0: I found them alright. And I found them just as expected in their cabin rlm@0: doing... err, the same that we did... Not that I would tell them that. rlm@0: Of course I had had the decency to knock or wanted to... until the rlm@0: cabin door was flung open and I was almost flattened by an agitated rlm@0: Yue. Thinking back on it I should really not be surprised but the rlm@0: sudden change from the powerful yet sweet experience below the surface rlm@0: and the serious situation above was rather sudden and I was a little rlm@0: nervous, I admit. I knew this was important for Sakura - heck, it was rlm@0: important for all of us in the long run. I didn't think I've seen rlm@0: Sakura so... confident before. She usually was not the type to give rlm@0: commands like that. That was a fact that was easily reflected onto her rlm@0: cards who she treated more as friends than as tools. rlm@0: I hadn't even realized I complied with her order without a rlm@0: question before I was halfway below the deck. That was an amazing rlm@0: discovery in itself because I found out just then that there was rlm@0: something else to Sakura I was sure neither of us had seen so far. The rlm@0: attributes of a natural leader. Not some great military genius or rlm@0: whatever you want to call the equivalent for a mage. No, years of rlm@0: training had given her an air of confidence that often leaked through rlm@0: in many aspects of every day life but really developed in a serious rlm@0: situation like this one. Making new discoveries about Sakura has rlm@0: always been one of my favorite things, especially since I knew so much rlm@0: about her already, seeing new things was rare and often served to add rlm@0: another special flair to her magnificent personality. rlm@0: As I said, I literally bumped into Yue, Touya following looking rlm@0: a little as if he just woke up - which might be true. I shot him a rlm@0: knowing smirk - to which the older Kinomoto sibling just shrugged and rlm@0: grumbled something - before I turned back to Yue. "You better go up. rlm@0: Sakura wanted you there just in case. I get it, you are quite aware rlm@0: what just passed us?" The faint blush tingling on his cheeks was rlm@0: answer enough for me. rlm@0: Yue nodded and was already up the stairs before I could make any rlm@0: more comments. I glanced back at Tomoyo and raised an eyebrow at his rlm@0: questioning stare. Oops, he isn't suspecting anything, is he? The rlm@0: young man didn't elaborate on the look, just grinned and then shrugged rlm@0: his shoulders. "Let's go up as well. I must admit I am curious. I have rlm@0: heard about all this from Sakura and you but I've never really had the rlm@0: opportunity to see it." rlm@0: Emerging outside a short while later I spotted Sakura standing rlm@0: in the middle of the spacious deck, her star wand transformed into a rlm@0: size I had never seen before. It was reaching a bit over her head and rlm@0: was planted firmly into the ground below. Sakura had her eyes closed, rlm@0: seemingly in deep concentration. Kerberos - transformed into his real rlm@0: form - and Yue stood a couple of feet behind her and seemed a bit rlm@0: unsure about their actual purpose. rlm@0: "What's that?" Touya asked next to me and pointed ahead of the rlm@0: yacht speeding westwards towards the small group of little isles in rlm@0: the distance. Funny, I hadn't noticed them before. There were several rlm@0: things I took note of that I know I definitely shouldn't. First of all rlm@0: their was a very faint glimmer around the ship. Like a force field of rlm@0: some kind. I had felt the emotional increase fade when I went under rlm@0: deck and was pretty sure now that whatever Sakura did was responsible rlm@0: for it. But I didn't think I should be able to see the magic at all. rlm@0: Yet I did and I also saw the sparkling sphere in the distance, rlm@0: coming closer very quickly. The orange-golden orb seemed to radiate rlm@0: purest light to my eyes. rlm@0: "Um... That's Love, I think. I hope the shield is going to hold rlm@0: its effects off." I said, not sure why I revealed my knowledge of rlm@0: actually seeing all this. I guess I was subtly seeking confirmation rlm@0: that I wasn't going crazy. Sakura had told me that Touya's second rlm@0: sight was gradually returning so he should be able to pick up those rlm@0: things. rlm@0: "Yeah, it's heading straight for that isle. I have the feeling rlm@0: that is no... wait a second... You can see all this?" rlm@0: I shrugged helplessly. rlm@0: There was no time for further research on the subject though. rlm@0: Sakura's father had finally managed to catch up with what was rlm@0: apparently the card. Suddenly the boat jerked, the engine almost rlm@0: coming to a complete spot. I flashed Touya a grateful smile for the rlm@0: steadying hand but my attention was quickly drawn back to the glowing rlm@0: sphere. Love was hanging in the air looking for all it was worth like rlm@0: a tiny star in the middle of the day. I was a little surprised at the rlm@0: sudden stop in movement but either the card realized that she couldn't rlm@0: escape - not that the term was accurate in the first place - or she rlm@0: sort of knew what was going to happen. Kero-chan told Sakura once and rlm@0: she told me in return that all the Clow Cards were automatically drawn rlm@0: to the new Master or Mistress. There was a connection between the one rlm@0: that was chosen to become their wielder and the cards themselves. I rlm@0: had no idea if this was the case with Love but I believed it to be rlm@0: very likely. rlm@0: I could see the sprite-form of the card - another thing I wasn't rlm@0: sure whether I was supposed to do this or no - and Love looked a rlm@0: little confused and uncertain. There was something else there though. rlm@0: I didn't know how I could tell. It wasn't my observations skills that rlm@0: much I was sure of. However, somehow I just KNEW that Love was rlm@0: tremendously lonely. rlm@0: Glancing at Sakura I waited to see what she would do or if she rlm@0: detected the same thing I just did. The Card Mistress had applied a rlm@0: lot of unorthodox methods capturing some of the Clow Cards, often rlm@0: rather trying to make the cards trust her and let themselves be rlm@0: captured rather than to engage into a heated battle. Therefore I rlm@0: wasn't really surprised seeing Sakura's tense and concentrated rlm@0: demeanor suddenly change. For a moment confusion crossed her features rlm@0: before she relaxed, her eyes softening and her grip around the staff rlm@0: not so firm anymore. rlm@0: Kerberos and Yue were about to move forward when without even a rlm@0: command Fly's wings materialized on Sakura's back. My girlfriend rlm@0: looked back with a reassuring smile that halted the two guardians even rlm@0: though one could tell they weren't really fond off the idea. rlm@0: The winged girl was about to ascend, then stopped and turned a rlm@0: look in my direction. Her eyes finding mine. Quite frankly I had no rlm@0: idea what exactly happened but when Sakura held out a hand towards me rlm@0: I stepped forward and took it in my own without a word. There was not rlm@0: even the thought of hesitation or surprise when I felt something wash rlm@0: over and through my body. Identical wings to the ones Sakura was rlm@0: sporting burst into existence but my movements were almost rlm@0: trance-like. Only one thing was for sure that I trusted Sakura, rlm@0: complete and unconditional trust. The level of communication at this rlm@0: moment was higher than anything before and somehow we just knew what rlm@0: we had to do. rlm@0: To the casual observers though - even the magical-apt ones - the rlm@0: moment we were on a level with the spectral figure of Love, we rlm@0: literally vanished from sight. rlm@0: rlm@0: TBC (soon) rlm@0: rlm@0: Author's Notes rlm@0: rlm@0: Yes, I know I am evil. rlm@0: I said it would be two parts and I actually planned this out a little rlm@0: differently. The second part was supposed to take place some time rlm@0: later. Love was supposed to be captured already... I just realized rlm@0: that for what I wanted to do I had to do it in a shorter period of rlm@0: time and the ending was just such a nice point to end the first part. rlm@0: Don't worry though. I suppose I'll be out with the next part very rlm@0: soon. Maybe even before Christmas (don't hold me to that). rlm@0: I hope I managed to describe the emotions in here in the way I wanted rlm@0: them to be represented. This installment started a little slow on the rlm@0: writing side but began to pick up pace and intensity fast. rlm@0: I admit the moment I chose to reveal about what the Seal Cards are was rlm@0: rather... odd. Forgive me please, Maia decided to let this story run rlm@0: wild halfway through, I actually planned on... say, two more scenes rlm@0: from the start of the trip... I really think it's awkward and maybe I rlm@0: actually add those later on. Please tell me if it seems too out of rlm@0: place and I change that. rlm@0: Anyway, things are slowly picking up on the suspense end. The last rlm@0: part will probably actually have some action and wrap things up for rlm@0: that little pre-series. rlm@0: I am not sure if I’ll write the actual lemon scene or not. I planned rlm@0: to but am not so certain right now. rlm@0: rlm@0: I hope you enjoyed yourselves again. If you did, then leave me a note rlm@0: (mail, review whatever). rlm@0: rlm@0: Ja ne, yours rlm@0: rlm@0: Matthias