rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: The Jealousy Card: rlm@0: rlm@0: By Stirling Twilight and Amazoness Duo rlm@0: stirling_9@hotmail.com rlm@0: amazonessduo@hotmail.com rlm@0: rlm@0: Sakura took a deep breath of fresh air as she started rlm@0: rollerblading down the street. It was a beautiful day, and the sun rlm@0: was shining brightly. A soft breeze gently blew over her as she rlm@0: made her way to school. She blushed lightly at the thought of rlm@0: Yukito waiting where he usually did before school. Sighing, she rlm@0: felt a pang of sadness at the thought of who he was waiting for. rlm@0: She slowed down, finally coming to a stop, as her brother rode by rlm@0: on his bike. As long as he was happy, right? Tomoyo had once rlm@0: told her that what really mattered was that the one you loved was rlm@0: happy, even if they weren’t with you. rlm@0: Waiting a few moments to make sure her brother and Yukito rlm@0: were well on their way, Sakura started rollerblading again, a little rlm@0: slower this time. She was glad Yukito had found love, but would rlm@0: she ever find it herself? She had thought she loved the older boy, rlm@0: but after her talk with him, she wasn't so sure anymore. He had rlm@0: told her that her feelings for him were like the ones she had for her rlm@0: father. Oddly enough, besides short bouts of sadness over him, she rlm@0: seemed to be doing pretty well. Maybe she was just being mature rlm@0: about it. But could there be something else to it? Could it be that rlm@0: maybe she was falling for someone else? Thinking for a moment, rlm@0: Sakura tried to figure who such a person could possibly be, but rlm@0: ended up dismissing the idea. She was happy for Yukito, Sakura rlm@0: decided, and that was all. rlm@0: Her spirits noticeably higher, Sakura flashed a smile at the dark- rlm@0: haired girl waiting for her at the front gate of their school. "Hi, rlm@0: Tomoyo-chan!" she said, skidding to a stop in front of her best rlm@0: friend. rlm@0: "Ohayo gozaimasu, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo said happily. "How rlm@0: did you sleep last night?" rlm@0: "Pretty well. I had a strange dream, but I can't remember it rlm@0: now. You were in it. And Li-kun. And I was worried about you rlm@0: for some reason," Sakura trailed off, trying to remember more of rlm@0: her dream. rlm@0: "I'm very glad I was in your dreams, Sakura-chan, but don't be rlm@0: worried about me," Tomoyo said thoughtfully. "It was just a rlm@0: dream. And, in any case, worrying about it won't do any good. You rlm@0: should try to relax." rlm@0: "You're right," Sakura agreed. "I wish I could remember the rest rlm@0: of it, though. I feel like I’ve forgotten an important warning about rlm@0: something. Like it was a premonition." She pulled off her rlm@0: rollerblades along with the rest of her protective gear. Standing rlm@0: back up, she walked side by side with Tomoyo towards their rlm@0: classroom. rlm@0: "If your dream was a warning about something, I'm certain that rlm@0: you will eventually figure it out," Tomoyo said with a reassuring rlm@0: smile. rlm@0: Sakura found herself smiling back. 'I always do feel better after rlm@0: talking to Tomoyo,' she thought to herself. "Thank you, Tomoyo- rlm@0: chan." rlm@0: "Whenever you want to talk, Sakura-chan, I’m always here for rlm@0: you. I love talking to you, and if it helps you, I'm happy." Tomoyo rlm@0: took her seat next to Sakura's and started pulling out what she rlm@0: would need for class from her backpack. rlm@0: Sitting down in her desk, Sakura grinned to herself. She felt a rlm@0: lot better about things now. She wasn't worrying about her dream rlm@0: or her sadness over Yukito for the moment. Looking through the rlm@0: window, she watched the late students getting to school. She rlm@0: closed her eyes, basking in the warm sunlight as she waited for rlm@0: class to begin. This day could be a good one after all. rlm@0: rlm@0: "How does this look?" Tomoyo asked tentatively as she handed rlm@0: Sakura a sheet of paper from her notebook. Sakura carefully took rlm@0: the paper, finishing up another bite of her lunch at the same time. rlm@0: She sweatdropped when she saw the sketch of herself in a costume. rlm@0: There were several different views to show the whole costume, rlm@0: including the large bow in back. "What do you think?" rlm@0: "It's... nice," Sakura said, not quite knowing what else to say. rlm@0: "I think it would look really cute on you, Sakura-chan." rlm@0: Tomoyo grew starry eyed as she blushed at she thought of Sakura rlm@0: in the finished costume. "Do you think it could use more lace?" rlm@0: "No, no, I think it's fine the way it is," Sakura said hastily. Her rlm@0: troubles with wild Clow Cards had ended when she became the rlm@0: Card Mistress, and now with things settling down after Eriol, there rlm@0: really wasn't much of a need for her to go out as a Card Captor rlm@0: anymore. But Tomoyo still made plenty of costumes for her, rlm@0: getting Sakura to come over to her house and try them on so the rlm@0: dark-haired girl could at least videotape her in them. She was rlm@0: happy to humor the dark haired girl, even if it was a bit strange rlm@0: wearing all the different costumes. Tomoyo seemed to love rlm@0: videotaping her in them so much that it was the least she could do rlm@0: for all the help and friendship the dark haired girl had given her. rlm@0: "Every time I finish a new costume, when I look at it, I get the rlm@0: feeling that something isn't right. It doesn't seem really finished. rlm@0: But when I finally see you wearing it, Sakura-chan, it's like the last rlm@0: piece of a puzzle has fallen into place. You complete them." rlm@0: You complete me, Tomoyo wanted to add. rlm@0: Sakura blushed as Tomoyo smiled gently at her. For a second, it rlm@0: felt like she and Tomoyo were the only ones there. The feeling rlm@0: slowly faded and Sakura noticed all her classmates busily chatting rlm@0: through lunch. She wasn't sure if she was relieved or saddened that rlm@0: the moment had ended so quickly. rlm@0: "I'll start working on this one when I get home," Tomoyo rlm@0: finished. Her head tilted to the side, a worried look spreading over rlm@0: her face. "Sakura-chan, are you alright?" rlm@0: "Hai… I'm fine," Sakura said, laughing nervously. For some rlm@0: reason, she felt awkward all of a sudden. Glancing around a bit rlm@0: while she ate some more of her lunch, she noticed Syaoran walking rlm@0: by, on his own as he often was. "Li-kun! Why don't you have lunch rlm@0: with us?" she asked happily. Syaoran paused for a moment before rlm@0: accepting, sitting beside the two girls. rlm@0: "I really hope we don't have much homework tonight," Sakura rlm@0: said conversationally. "It's my night to make dinner." rlm@0: "I hope so, too. If you need to pick up ingredients or anything, I rlm@0: could come with you before you go home," Tomoyo offered rlm@0: helpfully. rlm@0: Sakura smiled at her. "Thanks, Tomoyo-chan. I don't think I rlm@0: need anything, though." She placed a hand on her chin, trying to rlm@0: make sure. rlm@0: "Sakura..." Syaoran interrupted. rlm@0: "Hoe?" Sakura turned to Syaoran who was now staring straight rlm@0: ahead. Tomoyo turned to look at him as well, putting aside the rlm@0: sketches. rlm@0: "There's something I want to tell you," Syaoran said slowly. He rlm@0: was really nervous, even though he'd probably never admit it to rlm@0: himself. rlm@0: "What is it?" Sakura asked curiously. Tomoyo smiled at him, rlm@0: knowing what it was that he wanted to say. She nodded slightly, as rlm@0: if urging him to go on. rlm@0: "I... I..." rlm@0: "Syaoran-kun, are you feeling okay?" Sakura asked worriedly. rlm@0: "It's about Sakura-chan, right, Li-kun?" Tomoyo suggested rlm@0: gently, trying to help him along. rlm@0: Syaoran nodded emphatically. Sakura looked more and more rlm@0: interested as she waited to hear what he had to say. rlm@0: Syaoran rounded on Tomoyo and asked her pointedly, rlm@0: “Can you go?” He wanted to be alone with Sakura if he was going rlm@0: to tell her. rlm@0: The dark haired girl smiled and nodded. Picking up her rlm@0: notebook, she walked over to a nearby tree. She felt almost as rlm@0: nervous inside as the Chinese boy. This was it. He would finally rlm@0: tell Sakura, wouldn’t he? Maybe it was about time she did as rlm@0: well… rlm@0: Syaoran watched her go before turning back, to meet the green rlm@0: eyes that were watching him in confusion. He gathered his breath rlm@0: and in one long exhale managed to force out, "I... I... I like you!" rlm@0: Sakura blinked in confusion several times. "You what?" rlm@0: Syaoran stood up, made an obvious effort to composes himself, rlm@0: lost the battle and made a hasty retreat back towards the classroom. rlm@0: He nearly bumped into Naoko in his hurry. rlm@0: "What did he mean?" Sakura asked aloud. She just couldn't rlm@0: figure out what on earth Syaoran was trying to do, telling her that rlm@0: he liked her and then running away. rlm@0: Tomoyo leaned towards her, having returned unnoticed. rlm@0: "I think Li-kun was trying to say that he loves you," Tomoyo rlm@0: explained in a soft whisper. rlm@0: Sakura's face turned a deep shade of crimson as realization hit. rlm@0: She opened her mouth and tried to speak, but nothing came out. rlm@0: After a few false starts she finally got out, "But... but... how?" rlm@0: Tomoyo smiled brightly at her friend. "That's not hard, Sakura- rlm@0: chan. It's easy to fall in love with you. It's telling you that’s the rlm@0: hard part." Standing up as the bell rang for the end of lunch, rlm@0: Tomoyo offered Sakura her hand. Sakura, still in shock, let the rlm@0: other girl help her stand. She tried to walk, but stumbled a bit. rlm@0: Tomoyo arms went gently around her waist, steadying the rlm@0: brunette. Smiling gently, she helped her back towards the rlm@0: classroom, not letting her own inner turmoil show. rlm@0: rlm@0: It was a bit colder after school, but the weather was still rlm@0: pleasant. A gentle breeze meandered past the two girls on their rlm@0: way home. Sakura was still having trouble coming to grips with rlm@0: what had happened earlier with Syaoran. She was so worried, she rlm@0: wasn't really aware of where they were going. Tomoyo was rlm@0: silently leading her home, trying to give her best friend time to rlm@0: think. Though it was still early in the evening, Sakura felt rlm@0: tired, exhausted. She just wanted to lie down so that she wouldn't rlm@0: have to think about anything. Questions kept racing through her rlm@0: mind. How could he? Was he serious? rlm@0: What should she do now? rlm@0: Sakura, walking slowly, noticed all of a sudden that Tomoyo rlm@0: wasn't at her side anymore. She turned around and saw the other rlm@0: girl standing there, her long, dark hair rlm@0: fluttering behind her. Sakura looked at her with surprise. Her rlm@0: friend seemed deep in thought. rlm@0: "Tomoyo-chan?" rlm@0: Tomoyo looked at her, but didn't answer right away. Sakura rlm@0: felt a pang of nervousness. It was such an unusual attitude in her rlm@0: friend... rlm@0: "Sakura-chan," Tomoyo said at last, startling Sakura a little, "do rlm@0: you remember when I said that I loved you?" rlm@0: That was an easy one, Sakura thought. Tomoyo had told her rlm@0: that many, many times. "Un!" she nodded. rlm@0: "You looked happy, Sakura-chan, and you said that you loved rlm@0: me too. And I said: 'But Sakura-chan doesn't mean the same thing rlm@0: as me.' Do you remember?" rlm@0: Again, Sakura nodded. rlm@0: "After that, I told you that I'd explain everything later. Isn't that rlm@0: right?" rlm@0: Sakura's eyes lit up with remembrance. "Oh yes, I remember! I rlm@0: wondered so much about that, I couldn't figure what in the world rlm@0: you were talking about." rlm@0: Tomoyo smiled gently. "Well, I think I will tell you now, rlm@0: Sakura-chan," she said. "Truth is, I'm a little nervous about this. I rlm@0: don't know if the time is right, I'm not sure you will understand." rlm@0: She paused for a moment, and then added softly, "But I'm going to rlm@0: give it a try anyway." rlm@0: Sakura looked at Tomoyo intently. She felt very excited all of a rlm@0: sudden. The dark-haired girl sounded so serious it was a bit scary, rlm@0: but an overwhelming curiosity gnawed at her. After all, she rlm@0: thought, this was Tomoyo. Whatever she had to say, it couldn't be rlm@0: anything bad, could it? rlm@0: "What is it? Please, Tomoyo-chan, tell me!" Sakura begged, her rlm@0: face bright with eagerness. rlm@0: Tomoyo took a deep breath and slowly released it. She gazed rlm@0: deeply into Sakura's beautiful green eyes. "Sakura-chan, we've rlm@0: been very close for a long time now, and I want you to know that rlm@0: you've always been the most important thing in the world to me." rlm@0: Sakura smiled happily at her. "You are a very important friend rlm@0: to me too, Tomoyo-chan." She let out a sigh. She was glad it rlm@0: hadn’t been anything big. She’d had enough surprises for one day. rlm@0: Tomoyo sweatdropped and decided to try a different approach. rlm@0: "Whatever I do, wherever I go, I'm always thinking about you, rlm@0: Sakura-chan. It's like..." she was having trouble finding the right rlm@0: words. "You make me think of an angel, Sakura-chan. You are like rlm@0: a heavenly angel sent down to this earthly realm to fill the lives of rlm@0: humans with light. I feel like I would never be able to repay you rlm@0: for the joy you've brought into mine. That's the way I feel, in my rlm@0: heart, when I think about you." rlm@0: Sakura felt a rosy blush spread all over her cheeks. She rlm@0: lowered her gaze, forced out a shaky little laugh and rubbed the rlm@0: back of her head. "I... I... Oh, Tomoyo-chan, it's nothing like that! I rlm@0: mean, I'm not an angel. I'm not heavenly or anything. I'm just..." rlm@0: Sakura paused briefly, as if gathering her thoughts, then looked rlm@0: back up and smiled at her friend, a genuine smile this time. "You rlm@0: say the nicest things, Tomoyo-chan. I feel all warm and mushy rlm@0: inside when you say that kind of thing, even though I'm not the rlm@0: way you say. Thank you so much! You're my best friend in the rlm@0: whole wide world, and I'm really, really glad that you're happy rlm@0: when I'm around." rlm@0: Tomoyo sighed softly. This was sooo much harder than she rlm@0: thought it would be. Part of her just wanted to stop, put on her rlm@0: trademark happy smile and tell Sakura that they were late and that rlm@0: they should be hurrying. She knew Sakura would then dismiss rlm@0: everything Tomoyo had just said as "some more of Tomoyo's rlm@0: weird stuff", and things rlm@0: between them would return to normal. It would be so easy, she rlm@0: thought, backing off and leaving love confessions for another day. rlm@0: But she couldn't do that, not this time. rlm@0: Not when she had already come this far. rlm@0: "Sakura-chan," she started again, trying to find stronger words rlm@0: to express the feelings in her heart, "I'm always happiest when rlm@0: we’re spending time together. And whenever I'm unhappy, all I rlm@0: have to do is think about you to feel better. When I see you rlm@0: wearing one of the dresses I make for you, my heart feels like it's rlm@0: going to pound out of my chest in joy. Being with you, doing rlm@0: things with you is my idea of heaven. You mean so much to me. I rlm@0: can't bear the thought of not being able to see you. I want to be rlm@0: with you, always, forever." rlm@0: Sakura blushed again, redder this time. Tomoyo was always rlm@0: saying strange things around her, and she knew she should be used rlm@0: to it by now, but this... this was like all of them rolled into one. She rlm@0: wasn't sure what to say, or if she should just wait for her friend to rlm@0: continue. rlm@0: Tomoyo was blushing a little, too. She had said so much, and rlm@0: yet, she could tell, just by looking at Sakura, that she still hadn't rlm@0: gotten her point across. "I know you were surprised, today, when rlm@0: you found out about Li-kun's love for you, but I understand his rlm@0: feelings all too well. Since the day I met you, you have been like rlm@0: the sun in my life, outshining everything else. Sakura-chan, cards rlm@0: aren't the only magic you have at your command. I've been under rlm@0: your spell for a long time." rlm@0: Sakura didn't realize she'd been holding her breath until her rlm@0: lungs started to ache for air. She was blushing as red as a peony rlm@0: now, and she was starting to find it difficult to stand still. She felt rlm@0: weak in the knees from the nervousness building up inside her. rlm@0: "Sakura-chan, daisuki desu wa," Tomoyo declared with earnest rlm@0: feeling, and then, before her innocent cousin could once again rlm@0: misunderstand those three simple words, rlm@0: she continued, "And I don't mean just as a friend. I love you so rlm@0: much more than that. Sakura-chan, I'm in love. I'm in love with rlm@0: you, I love you. Do you understand what I'm rlm@0: trying to say?" Tomoyo took Sakura's hands in her own and gazed rlm@0: again into those dazzling emerald green eyes. "I love you," she rlm@0: repeated softly, her own stormy blue eyes trying to convey every rlm@0: bit of the feelings inside of her. rlm@0: "To... To... Tomoyo-chan..." Sakura barely managed to get out. rlm@0: Her heart was thudding a mad tempo in her chest, and she was sure rlm@0: her eyes looked like saucers. The shock of Syaoran's confession rlm@0: felt like nothing compared to what she was feeling at this moment. rlm@0: She had thought that, after Syaoran, nothing in the world could rlm@0: surprise her anymore. Oh god, had she been wrong! She knew that rlm@0: she had to say something, she could tell the other girl was waiting rlm@0: for her to say something, but her mind had gone completely blank. rlm@0: First Syaoran and now Tomoyo? It was too much for her. She felt rlm@0: like her whole world had been turned upside down. rlm@0: "Tomoyo-chan,” she stammered, “I... I... I'll talk to you later," rlm@0: Sakura finished, a little lamely. Turning around too quickly, she rlm@0: almost stumbled. Tomoyo's hand on her shoulder barely helped her rlm@0: regain her balance in time. rlm@0: Waving to Sakura while the brown-haired girl hurried off, rlm@0: Tomoyo called, "Bye, Sakura-chan! Sleep well!" rlm@0: Glancing over her shoulder, Sakura caught a glimpse of rlm@0: Tomoyo's smiling face. She managed a faint smile of her own and rlm@0: waved back weakly before turning back around. rlm@0: Her mind felt sluggish as she tried to sort things out. rlm@0: What was she supposed to do? Nothing in her life seemed to rlm@0: make sense anymore. Breaking into a fast sprint after turning a rlm@0: corner, Sakura ran all the way back home, totally unaware of the rlm@0: fading glow that followed her. rlm@0: rlm@0: “Oh, so the monster’s home,” Touya said conversationally as rlm@0: her heard Sakura come rlm@0: in through the front door. He put down the job ads he’d been rlm@0: reading, ready to see his rlm@0: sister’s angry face. He was shocked to see her disappearing up the rlm@0: stairs. “Sakura?” The rlm@0: small glimpse of her hadn’t offered much of an explanation as to rlm@0: why she hadn’t argued rlm@0: with him, but she had looked rather distraught. Worse than he’d rlm@0: seen her in a long, long rlm@0: time. The house was silent again, except for the rustling of the rlm@0: newspaper on his lap. rlm@0: “Well, she’s heading into high school now. She’s probably just rlm@0: getting overemotional about rlm@0: something,” he told himself, not quite believing it. Telling himself rlm@0: not to worry, he went rlm@0: back to looking for another job, but he kept glancing up towards rlm@0: her room, wondering rlm@0: what was really wrong. rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: "Kero-chan?" rlm@0: "Hmm?" rlm@0: Sakura shifted her arms on the open window ledge trying to get rlm@0: comfortable. She could see the moon behind the leaves and the rlm@0: Jade Plate swam for a moment in the wetness that suddenly rlm@0: appeared in her eyes. rlm@0: "Kero-chan...." rlm@0: Kero-chan clicked his tongue and glided to her side. rlm@0: "Sakura" he chided, "You haven’t finished a sentence yet rlm@0: tonight. What's happened?" rlm@0: She sighed and pressed her eyes against her pajama sleeve. rlm@0: "Kero-chan, I had a dream last night." rlm@0: "Ah", the Seal Beast breathed in pleasure. Sakura's dreams rlm@0: always carried a great deal of portent. He drifted to where he rlm@0: could look at her. "What did you dream?" rlm@0: "I dreamt that Tomoyo-chan and Li-kun were in danger, and it rlm@0: was because of me." She paused, breathing hard, and then the dam rlm@0: broke. "I was so upset, and all through the dream I kept talking rlm@0: and nothing was coming out of my mouth. I wanted to tell them rlm@0: today at school, but I didn't know how, and I thought that maybe I rlm@0: would find a way, but every time I tried the time was wrong, and rlm@0: then Li-kun wanted to talk to me alone, and then Tomoyo-chan rlm@0: said..." rlm@0: "Clow Card!" Kero-chan yelled spinning towards the open rlm@0: window. "Hurry!" rlm@0: “Card?” she stammered in surprise. Obviously this was the day rlm@0: for it, and how very like her dream it all seemed… her talking and rlm@0: no one was hearing her. With a sigh she gathered a few things and rlm@0: climbed out onto the tree. It occurred to her as she descended that rlm@0: she should call Li and Tomoyo, but she also felt that being alone rlm@0: would be nice too. At least with a Card to capture she wasn't just rlm@0: sitting and thinking. How long had it been since she’d been out rlm@0: Card Capting anyway? rlm@0: Once out of sight of her house Sakura drew out the Key and rlm@0: joined Kero-chan in the air. He flew purposefully, as if he knew rlm@0: where he was going. Sakura saw, in her mind's eye, the many rlm@0: videos Tomoyo had taken of the Seal Beast. Smiling at the rlm@0: thought she was suddenly very sorry she didn't call the dark hair rlm@0: girl. Tomoyo would forgive her, there was no question, but at the rlm@0: same time Sakura also knew that no matter what her mood, rlm@0: Tomoyo would never exclude Sakura from something that would rlm@0: give her pleasure. Before she realized what was happening the rlm@0: phone was in her hand, and the redial pressed. But what to tell rlm@0: her? Sakura had no idea where they were going. rlm@0: "Look!" Kero-chan cried, stabbing a paw downwards. Sakura, rlm@0: phone to her head, looked down, and saw Li running in the same rlm@0: direction they were flying in, his glowing Lasin Board held before rlm@0: him. rlm@0: "Sakura-chan?" rlm@0: Momentarily disoriented Sakura realized the voice was rlm@0: Tomoyo's and the source was the phone. "Tomoyo-chan!" she rlm@0: yelled over the wind, "We're near the clock tower, after a Card...." rlm@0: "I'm on my way," and she was gone. rlm@0: Sakura tucked the phone back into her pocket and drew closer to rlm@0: Kero-chan. "What should we do?" she mused aloud. rlm@0: Kero-chan turned towards her, smiling broadly, "Card Capture rlm@0: Sakura..." rlm@0: And he was gone. rlm@0: Sakura suddenly found herself standing in a room. The Key was rlm@0: in her hand. The room, a sort of box, had no door, no windows rlm@0: and the walls were a sickly green. Across from her Li stood, rlm@0: looking equally as surprised and Kero-chan was nowhere to be rlm@0: seen. rlm@0: "Li-kun?" she began, but no sound reached her ears. He too rlm@0: opened his mouth, but she heard nothing. Stepping back she rlm@0: pulled out the Sword Card, exchanged the Key for the Sword and rlm@0: swiped at the nearest wall. It had no effect. Li also began trying rlm@0: attacks on the room, with the same effect. She moved closer to rlm@0: him, her hand reaching for him, and just as she touched his arm her rlm@0: hand went threw his as if he were a ghost. Alarmed she drew rlm@0: back...he didn't seem to be aware of her. He suddenly turned and rlm@0: appeared to be smiling at someone behind her. Sakura looked back rlm@0: and saw Tomoyo, video camera in hand, looking at Li with a look rlm@0: that sent a chill through Sakura. Rushing to her side Sakura was rlm@0: almost weak with relief. She called Tomoyo's name, heard rlm@0: nothing, and stopped short. Slowly she extended a hand… it rlm@0: passed threw Tomoyo without any resistance. Tomoyo and Li rlm@0: crossed the small room, intent it seemed, only on each other. rlm@0: Sakura drew back in confusion as the two came together in a rlm@0: passionate kiss. rlm@0: Nothing more than shock made Sakura sit down heavily. Sword rlm@0: slipped silently from her fingers. What did this mean? What was rlm@0: happening? Her mind reeled at the sight. Closing her eyes for a rlm@0: moment, hoping it was a dream, she opened them again. In the rlm@0: center of the room stood Tomoyo and Yukito, kissing. rlm@0: "This is a dream," she screamed soundlessly, desperately, rlm@0: "Tomoyo-chan loves me and only me, she told me so! Only me! rlm@0: None of this is real!" rlm@0: Raising her head once more she found herself confronted by Li, rlm@0: sword in hand, and Tomoyo clinging to his side. Li was looking at rlm@0: her with unhidden hatred. He raised the sword, and Sakura had rlm@0: just enough time to exchange the Sword for Shield as he swung at rlm@0: her. The sword rebounded, sending a shock through his arm. He rlm@0: staggered back, disbelief evident on his face. rlm@0: "Why?!" Sakura screamed mentally, her mouth forming the rlm@0: word. Drawing herself up to her knees she studied Li. He was rlm@0: panting, and still looked angry, but he didn't continue to fight. rlm@0: Could it be that he knew he was fighting a Card? That had to be rlm@0: the answer. They were trapped within an uncaptured Card, and she rlm@0: had to figure out what the Card was. rlm@0: Suddenly the pieces were fitting. She was seeing something rlm@0: that would make her… what? Angry? Jealous? They must be rlm@0: experiencing something similar. Li would see… rlm@0: Sakura sucked in her breath. Li would see Sakura and Tomoyo! rlm@0: No wonder he turned on her! But no, why fight Sakura, unless rlm@0: Sakura looked like Tomoyo to him. That would explain his rlm@0: surprised look at being rebuffed by Shield. Sakura acted quickly, rlm@0: bringing out Mirror, "Show me what Li-kun is seeing" she rlm@0: commanded. In the disc Mirror held Sakura saw exactly what she rlm@0: expected. In the place where she knelt on the floor cowered rlm@0: Tomoyo; a Sakura, assumably Tomoyo, was being crushed to Li’s rlm@0: side by his arm around her waist, and she looking horrified, weakly rlm@0: fighting to reach the figure on the floor. rlm@0: She locked eyes with Mirror and felt the color drain from rlm@0: her face, "Show me what Tomoyo-chan sees," she mouthed. A rlm@0: chill went through her at the thought of what she was about to see. rlm@0: The first thing she saw was herself. She was smiling rlm@0: happily, seemingly without a care in the world. Two arms were rlm@0: around her waist, holding her tight. They belonged to Syaoran, rlm@0: who was uncharacteristically grinning. Lying on the floor in shreds rlm@0: was one of Tomoyo’s costumes for Sakura. Sakura instantly rlm@0: remembered it as the design Tomoyo had shown her earlier that rlm@0: day. Syaoran pulled up an ofuda, chanting briefly before throwing rlm@0: it on the tattered costume. Sakura’s counterpart in the Mirror just rlm@0: laughed as the costume burned, snuggling closer to Syaoran. She rlm@0: stopped watching when the images kissed. rlm@0: Tears ran down Tomoyo’s pale cheeks as she looked on rlm@0: helplessly. A steel band crushed Sakura heart at the sight and she rlm@0: lashed out at Mirror, blinded by tears of rage and sorrow. "No!" rlm@0: she screamed over and over, "It's not like that." She rose to her rlm@0: feet, picked up Sword and continued to rampage about the little rlm@0: green room. Li and Tomoyo ignored her and again embraced as if rlm@0: nothing had happened. Sakura stopped at the sight, and a sob rlm@0: escaped her. rlm@0: "Tomoyo-chan…" rlm@0: As if she had heard her name the ghost Tomoyo turned her head rlm@0: and smiled at Sakura, Li too smiled at her, but then the couple rlm@0: locked eyes again and kissed. Sakura decided that this had gone rlm@0: on long enough. She pulled out Darkness. If they couldn't see rlm@0: each other the spell just might be broken. rlm@0: "Surround Li-kun, Tomoyo-chan and myself in a darkness that rlm@0: we cannot see through." rlm@0: Instantly the room was gone and she stood alone in a vast night. rlm@0: Hesitantly she tested to see if the Card was still working. rlm@0: "Tomoyo-chan?" she said, and heard nothing. It was still rlm@0: working. Obviously she had to name this Card to overpower it, rlm@0: like she had had to do with Mirror. Drawing herself upright she rlm@0: closed her eyes and yelled with all her might, "Jealousy!" and the rlm@0: sound broke on her deafened ears like a storm. Suddenly the green rlm@0: room broke like glass into a million tiny pieces. Before she could rlm@0: do anything they gathered to her right, and were gone. She quickly rlm@0: recalled Darkness and found herself on the street below the clock rlm@0: tower facing both Li and Tomoyo, who were looking around rlm@0: dazed. Li seemed to come back to himself first and turned to rlm@0: Sakura with a look of raw hatred. Sakura, shocked, took a step rlm@0: back in alarm. Li looked from her to Tomoyo, and Sakura rlm@0: instantly knew she had to act, and quickly. rlm@0: Sakura was fast, but Li was faster. rlm@0: Li drew out an ofuda and threw it at Sakura even as she invoked rlm@0: Shield. The glowing paper landed on her arm and she couldn't rlm@0: move. Li grabbed Tomoyo roughly by the arm and began dragging rlm@0: her away. rlm@0: Tomoyo looked back at Sakura, who was struggling against the rlm@0: spell. "Sakura-chan!" she yelled helplessly. “Sakura-chan!” rlm@0: "Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura screamed back in anger and frustration. rlm@0: "TOMOYO-CHAN!" rlm@0: rlm@0: Syaoran landed on a rooftop far away from the immobilized rlm@0: Sakura. He shoved Tomoyo from him when they landed. She tried rlm@0: to keep her balance but fell to her hands and knees. “You…” he rlm@0: growled. “You’re what’s keeping me from her. You’re what’s rlm@0: standing in my way. She and I are supposed to be together, but rlm@0: you keep getting in the way.” rlm@0: “No… That’s not it. I just want Sakura-chan to be happy.” rlm@0: Tomoyo looked up at the angry gaze he directed at her and shrank rlm@0: back. “I love her. I just hope she would be happy with me.” She rlm@0: knew it was the wrong thing to say to the enraged boy even before rlm@0: she uttered it, but it was the truth. rlm@0: “How could she ever be happy with you?” Syaoran sneered. rlm@0: “You just get in her way. She’s only your friend because she pities rlm@0: you.” rlm@0: Tomoyo shook her head. “No, she’s my best friend. We care rlm@0: about each other. We’ll always be friends…” Her mind raced. rlm@0: Nothing seemed certain to her anymore. The horrible images of rlm@0: Sakura and Syaoran came flooding back to her mind, threatening rlm@0: to overwhelm her. Syaoran’s hand grabbed her arm, hauling her rlm@0: back to her feet. The dark haired girl winced at the sudden rlm@0: explosion of pain the cruel movement brought. She flinched as he rlm@0: clutched her arm tightly. rlm@0: “I want you to leave her alone. To leave us alone. Do you rlm@0: understand?” Syaoran hissed angrily. He dragged the limp girl rlm@0: against his chest, shaking her hard. Tomoyo, her dark hair flying rlm@0: wildly about her, closed her eyes tightly. This only brought back rlm@0: earlier images. “No,” she said, trying to make him understand, “I rlm@0: won’t leave unless Sakura tells me too. She means everything to rlm@0: me. I love her!” Looking at him defiantly, she tried desperately to rlm@0: bring up happier images of Sakura, ones she treasured and kept rlm@0: dear to her heart. rlm@0: Angrily, Syaoran shoved the dark haired girl backwards. rlm@0: Tomoyo gasped as she fell, landing hard on her side. “Don’t you rlm@0: dare stand in my way. She will be mine!” he howled. rlm@0: Keeping her eyes clamped shut, Tomoyo desperately ran rlm@0: memories over and over in her mind. When she first met Sakura, rlm@0: when Sakura had come to her house for the first time, when Sakura rlm@0: had first worn one of the costumes she made, the first time she’d rlm@0: videotaped Sakura with her camcorder. She waited quietly for what rlm@0: Syaoran would say next, but nothing came. Cautiously, she opened rlm@0: her eyes and looked around. “Sakura-chan!” she yelled, catching a rlm@0: glimpse of the brown haired girl. Forcing herself to her feet, she rlm@0: couldn’t help but smile as she ran to her friend. She stopped dead rlm@0: in her tracks, her eyes growing wide, when she saw Syaoran rlm@0: standing behind her. rlm@0: Tomoyo’s spirits sank as the two kissed. Somewhere, in rlm@0: the back of her mind she could hear someone scream, “NO!” She rlm@0: shut her eyes, wishing the vision would disappear, but it remained rlm@0: when she looked again. She took a few slow steps towards them, rlm@0: her heart aching with each step. “Sakura-chan…. I’m… I’m happy rlm@0: for you,” she said quietly. Sakura looked directly at her, giving her rlm@0: an icy stare that chilled Tomoyo to the bone. “Sakura-chan?” she rlm@0: asked weakly, “Why?” rlm@0: Sakura didn’t find her worthy of her notice as she bestowed rlm@0: all her attention on Syaoran. The two shared a deep kiss, ignoring rlm@0: the forlorn Tomoyo, as if she had simply ceased to exist. rlm@0: Dropping to her already scratched knees, Tomoyo’s small rlm@0: body was wracked with sobs. “Sakura-chan….”, she whimpered, rlm@0: clutching her stomach. She couldn’t bear it. Why was this rlm@0: happening? Glancing back up, Tomoyo saw things had changed. rlm@0: Sakura was wearing a wedding dress and Syaoran a tuxedo. A stab rlm@0: of pain shot through Tomoyo’s heart. Sakura had promised her rlm@0: that she could make her wedding dress when they day finally rlm@0: came, but that wasn’t anything she’d make for Sakura. Looking rlm@0: through her tear blurred vision, she could see her camcorder rlm@0: smashed on the floor near them, the film pulled out. Blinking back rlm@0: her tears, Tomoyo could see things had shifted once again. Sakura rlm@0: now held a baby. Sakura and Syaoran’s baby. rlm@0: Unable to stand watching anymore, Tomoyo struggled to rlm@0: her feet. She stumbled away from the scene, half delirious from rlm@0: the power of the Card and her visions. “You don’t need me rlm@0: anymore, do you, Sakura-chan?” she asked the thin air. Again, rlm@0: from somewhere, came the same scream of “No!” Had she rlm@0: dreamed it? Tomoyo felt numb all over. Nothing seemed to rlm@0: matter anymore. The person that mattered most didn’t care about rlm@0: her at all. And she’d lost to Syaoran. She felt… jealous of him. rlm@0: She wished she could be the one to make Sakura that happy. She rlm@0: just prayed Sakura would always be happy as she stepped up on rlm@0: the ledge of the rooftop. “You don’t need me anymore, Sakura- rlm@0: chan. You don’t even want me as a friend. But you’re happy.” rlm@0: She smiled sadly, blinded by her tears. “I’m glad. I’m glad that rlm@0: Sakura-chan is happy. Please stay that way, Sakura-chan. I love rlm@0: you. Forever. Maybe I can be your guardian angel,” she added rlm@0: hopefully. With that, Tomoyo stepped off the ledge into rlm@0: nothingness. She kept her eyes shut tight as the ground raced to rlm@0: meet her. rlm@0: rlm@0: Syaoran watched, shocked by the sudden turn of events. rlm@0: He’d intended to make his point clear with Tomoyo, that she never rlm@0: get in his way with Sakura, but she had turned suddenly and started rlm@0: looking off at something only she could see. After talking to rlm@0: herself, the dark haired girl had thrown herself off the rooftop. The rlm@0: screams of the Seal Beast had surprised him, but Syaoran couldn’t rlm@0: locate the magical animal no matter where he looked. He blinked rlm@0: several times, still confused, and unsure about what had just rlm@0: happened. “At least she won’t get in my way anymore,” he said to rlm@0: no one in particular. rlm@0: rlm@0: The world seemed to slow as a small dark haired girl rlm@0: plummeted through the air. Further and further she went, the brief rlm@0: amount of time slowing to a near stop for the girl as everything rlm@0: seemed to move in slow motion. “Sakura-chan...” she whispered, rlm@0: one last time, her eyes shut tight. Her heart felt as if it had been rlm@0: ripped out of her chest. Her whole world, her whole reason to live, rlm@0: had been crushed in the matter of minutes. She was looking rlm@0: forward to an end to her pain, to the end of her torment, to rlm@0: oblivion. And Sakura, her dear Sakura, would be happy. rlm@0: A sudden impact shocked Tomoya back from her thoughts rlm@0: and her fall was suddenly interrupted as two arms wrapped around rlm@0: her tightly, fumbling desperately to hold on to her, gripping her rlm@0: like a pair of steel bars. “Tomoyo-chan!” a voice cried in terror, rlm@0: over and over in a hysterical pitch. Her mind wondered what was rlm@0: happening, as the wind on her face gave her the impression of rlm@0: climbing upwards. The voice, close to her ear and frantically rlm@0: calling her name, was Sakura’s. Tomoyo could feel her friend’s rlm@0: breathing coming in a labored pant as they raced skyward. rlm@0: Opening her eyes slowly, Tomoyo blinked several times in rlm@0: confusion. Wasn’t she supposed to be dead by now? She took a rlm@0: second to glance around, and found herself in the arms of the Card rlm@0: Mistress, whose wings were working hard to finish the arc of rlm@0: Saukar’s dive. Seconds later Saukar touched down on a rooftop, rlm@0: deposited Tomoyo on her feet and dropped to her hands and knees rlm@0: beside the dark haired girl. rlm@0: Maybe she was dead, Tomoyo thought. Maybe this was rlm@0: heaven. “Sakura-chan? Why? Why did you save me, Sakura- rlm@0: chan?” Tomoyo asked, her mind reeling. “I did this for you. rlm@0: You’re happy. That’s all I wanted. You didn’t need me anymore.” rlm@0: “No, Tomoyo-chan.” Sakura heaved herself into a kneeling rlm@0: position, her hands clutching for the small girl. She embraced her rlm@0: friend, crushing her to her chest, “I always need you,” she sobbed, rlm@0: “You’re my best friend. You mean so much to me. I don’t know rlm@0: what I’d do if you were gone.” She blinked back the stinging tears rlm@0: in her eyes as she looked up at the dark haired girl. Her body felt rlm@0: cold all over from the recent shock. rlm@0: “But, Sakura-chan, you… I would only get in the way. rlm@0: You aren’t even happy as friends anymore. You have what you rlm@0: want. I hope you and Li-kun are very happy.” Tomoyo mustered a rlm@0: pained smile before turning away. rlm@0: Sakura bolted to her feet and seizing her friend, shook her rlm@0: hard. “No! Tomoyo-chan, listen to me, it’s the Clow Card. The rlm@0: Jealousy Card it’s still affecting you! We’re best friends, nothing rlm@0: will ever change that. I know you want me to be happy, but losing rlm@0: you would definitely not make me happy. And I want you to be rlm@0: happy, too.” The Card Mistress sighed, looking deeply into rlm@0: Tomoyo’s stormy blue eyes. “Tomoyo-chan, you have to fight this. rlm@0: Please? For me?” rlm@0: Tomoyo held her head, confusion flooding her mind. rlm@0: Glancing towards the roof’s edge, to Sakura and back, she rlm@0: shuddered, unsure of herself. Finally giving out a small cry, rlm@0: Tomoyo threw herself into Sakura’s arms. “Oh, Sakura-chan, I’m rlm@0: so sorry….” The dark haired girl sobbed. “I just… I thought you rlm@0: hated me… that you didn’t need me anymore… and that you were rlm@0: happy with, with… him…” Her sobs overwhelmed her and she rlm@0: feel silent, leaning heavily against Sakura. rlm@0: “Tomoyo-chan, it’s going to be okay,” Sakura said rlm@0: soothingly, hugging the limp girl close to her. Tomoyo’s hot tears rlm@0: rolled onto her shoulder, soaking into the cloth of her pajamas. rlm@0: “It’s just the Card. I could never hate you, Tomoyo-chan. You rlm@0: know that. You’re my very important person.” For a second, rlm@0: Sakura wondered where she had heard that before, but she quickly rlm@0: shrugged it off, not having time to worry about it. “Please, rlm@0: Tomoyo-chan, don’t cry. It’s alright now.” rlm@0: The dark haired girl took another shuddering breath before rlm@0: standing up on her own. “Thank you, Sakura-chan.” A small, rlm@0: genuine smile formed on her soft lips. “I always knew you would rlm@0: come save me if anything happened.” rlm@0: Sakura smiled back, relief filling her soul. “Of course I rlm@0: would, Tomoyo-chan. I’m not about to let you get hurt by rlm@0: something like this. Or anything, for that matter. I don’t want to rlm@0: see you hurt, Tomoyo-chan.” rlm@0: Before the Card Mistress could think to ask Tomoyo if she rlm@0: was ready to go home, a sword slashed the air between both girls. rlm@0: Tomoyo gasped and Sakura jumped back, her staff in hand. She rlm@0: got ready to get a Card out just in case. Between them stood rlm@0: Syaoran, hatred and jealousy flaring in his eyes. “Li-kun!? Fight it, rlm@0: Li-kun! It’s just the Jealousy Card affecting you.” rlm@0: “Fight what?” Syaoran spat angrily. “I saw the two of you. rlm@0: She’s trying to steal you from me. She’s trying to get in the way. rlm@0: To come between us!” Raising the sword, he swiped at a stunned rlm@0: Tomoyo. rlm@0: Sakura lunged forward, her eyes wide with fear of what he rlm@0: might do. Her staff barely blocked his sword inches from the dark rlm@0: haired girl. “Li-kun, don’t do this!” she pleaded as Tomoyo sank to rlm@0: her knees. rlm@0: He leapt backwards, landing in a fighting stance. He held rlm@0: the sword straight up in front of him, his eyes falling closed as he rlm@0: began to chant. Energy surrounded the blade. rlm@0: Sakura barely had time to throw herself in the way of rlm@0: Tomoyo when she realized what he was doing. “Shield!” she rlm@0: yelled desperately as his attack came flying towards them. The rlm@0: burst of lightening dissipated against Shield, leaving the two girls rlm@0: unhurt. Sakura glanced at Tomoyo, assuring herself that her friend rlm@0: was unharmed when another attack hit…and another and another. rlm@0: “Li-kun! Leave her alone!” she screamed, “Don’t hurt her!!” rlm@0: Sakura wondered how his rage could be so focused on the dark rlm@0: haired girl behind her. “She’s never been anything but kind to rlm@0: you!” rlm@0: Syaoran narrowed his eyes as he began chanting again. rlm@0: Sweeping the sword down, a burst of wind struck against Shield. rlm@0: “How could you know?” he demanded. “She blinds you with her rlm@0: hero worship, but she keeps coming between us. She’s why you rlm@0: don’t returned my feelings.” rlm@0: ‘That’s what this is all about isn’t it?’ Sakura asked herself rlm@0: as she braced herself for his next attack. ‘They both… They’re rlm@0: both in love with me.” Then the realization struck her with the rlm@0: force of an express train. It was Sakura herself that had created the rlm@0: problem, literally! As Card Mistress her feelings and desire were rlm@0: made manifest in the form of Cards. Somehow she had created the rlm@0: Jealousy Card without even thinking about it. That’s how Jealousy rlm@0: got to them both so easily, and so strongly! ‘This is all my fault.’ rlm@0: “Stop this!” the Card Mistress yelled. rlm@0: Turning to face him as she rose, Sakura pulled out Windy rlm@0: and sent it spilling before her. “Bind Li-kun!” she yelled, bringing rlm@0: the Key down on the Card. The resulting rush of air quickly rlm@0: surrounded the startled boy, pinning his limbs tight against his rlm@0: body. Sakura didn’t hesitate as she twirled the Key over head rlm@0: again, Windy almost drowning out her command “…Sakura rlm@0: Card!” The Card Mistress brought the Wand down on the softly rlm@0: glowing green dot within the rushing wind. The Jealously Card rlm@0: lifted out of Windy and floated to her waiting hand. rlm@0: For a moment, the only sound that could be heard was the rlm@0: wind rustling past them. Sakura recalled Windy and turned to face rlm@0: Syaoran, hoping the danger was now over. Utter silence claimed rlm@0: the rooftop for a moment. Then the clatter of Syaoran’s sword rlm@0: against the roof broke the silence. His mind started to clear from rlm@0: the haze of jealousy the Card had managed to place over him. rlm@0: “Sakura” he stammered, his faced blossoming to a brilliant rlm@0: crimson, “... I… I don’t know how I… I don’t know what to say… rlm@0: I’m… I’m sorry.” He lowered his head. rlm@0: Sakura let Shield fade away, but remained standing rlm@0: protectively in front of Tomoyo. “I’m not the one you intended to rlm@0: kill,” she said quietly. A second silence descended, this one rlm@0: fraught with embarrassment. Sakura looked at her friends and rlm@0: came to a decision. rlm@0: “Fine,” she said, almost to herself. She was tired of rlm@0: fighting. Tomoyo and Syaoran looked back at her quizzically, rlm@0: wondering what she meant. “Fine. You both want to know who I rlm@0: love, don’t you? Stop this, then. I care too much about both of rlm@0: you to watch either of you get hurt. The Jealousy Card was using rlm@0: both of you. And it’s because of me, because of your feelings for rlm@0: me! It’s still getting to you both because of me. So I want to put rlm@0: an end to this.” Sakura took a deep breath before continuing. “I rlm@0: will make my decision tonight. I’ll tell you both tomorrow the one rlm@0: who I love.” rlm@0: Syaoran looked up at her, his face still scarlet, “Tomorrow rlm@0: you’ll….” rlm@0: Sakura nodded, cutting him off. “Hai. Tomorrow I’ll tell rlm@0: you both which one I’m in love with.” rlm@0: Bending down, Syaoran retrieved his sword from where it rlm@0: had landed. Without a word he turned and leapt into the darkness. rlm@0: As soon as he left, Sakura collapsed to her hands and rlm@0: knees. The battle, the Card, and her own nervousness about what rlm@0: had happened earlier that day had finally taken their toll. She rlm@0: glanced over when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. She saw rlm@0: Tomoyo’s concerned face looking back down at her. Before the rlm@0: dark haired girl could say anything, Sakura threw her arms around rlm@0: her friend with a tearful howl. “Tomoyo-chan! Oh God, I almost rlm@0: lost you so many times tonight. You had me so worried. I’m so rlm@0: sorry you got dragged into all this. If I hadn’t called you, none of rlm@0: this would have happened.” She gently rocked back and forth, rlm@0: cradling the dark haired girl against her. rlm@0: Tomoyo sighed softly. She liked having the other girl so rlm@0: protective of her, but she hated seeing Sakura so worried about rlm@0: things. “Sakura-chan, I’m fine. It’s all over now.” rlm@0: Sakura scrubbed her face with a free hand, trying to dry the rlm@0: tears that continued to threaten. She untangled her arms from her rlm@0: friend’s neck. Using her wand to help her weary body stand rlm@0: upright, Sakura looked out at the dark night sky. “No. Not yet. I rlm@0: still have to find out who I…” She blushed at the thought. In her rlm@0: mind she could see the boy who had been her rival, but had turned rlm@0: out to be her greatest help with the Clow Cards. She could also see rlm@0: her best friend, the girl that had always been there for her. She let rlm@0: her head drop sadly. She had no idea how she’d make a decision rlm@0: by the next morning. rlm@0: “Sakura-chan,” Tomoyo said softly, her voice barely above rlm@0: a whisper. Sakura looked so fragile standing there. “Sakura-chan, rlm@0: please don’t worry too much about tomorrow. Just make the rlm@0: decision that will make you happy.” rlm@0: Sakura turned back to her skeptically. “And I won’t have to rlm@0: go rescuing you from jumping off buildings if it’s Li-kun?” rlm@0: Tomoyo shook her head. “You said we’ll always be rlm@0: friends, remember? That’s all I need. It’s what makes me happy.” rlm@0: Smiling a little, Sakura felt her spirits lifting. “Thanks, rlm@0: Tomoyo-chan. We will always be friends,” she reconfirmed, “It rlm@0: makes me happy too.” rlm@0: “No matter who you choose tomorrow, I’ll always be there rlm@0: for you, Sakura-chan. And I’ll always love you.” rlm@0: Sakura felt her cheeks burn as she blushed. She was still rlm@0: nervous about the idea that her best friend could be in love with rlm@0: her. But, putting that aside she invoked Fly, unfolded her wings rlm@0: and turned towards Tomoyo. “Are you ready to go home?” rlm@0: “Hai, Sakura-chan.” Tomoyo smiled. rlm@0: “I’m so tired, but I doubt I’ll be getting any sleep tonight.” rlm@0: Sakura sighed and lifted off into the sky. rlm@0: rlm@0: Once Sakura had left Tomoyo on the terrace outside her rlm@0: bedroom the Card Captor rose and allowed herself to drift. Kero- rlm@0: chan was still missing, but she had more on her mind than the Seal rlm@0: Beast, who was more than capable of taking care of himself. With rlm@0: a soulful sigh she glanced down at the town, with its the clock rlm@0: tower silhouetted against the moon. The clock proclaimed the rlm@0: hour to be 1 AM. Morning already, Sakura realized with a sigh. rlm@0: With a thought the Sakura Cards in her pocket floated into rlm@0: the air, forming a circle around her. She felt their presence, their rlm@0: love for her, and she drew comfort from it. It was a warm feeling. rlm@0: Like when she had her arms around Tomoyo-chan. rlm@0: She paused mentally. rlm@0: No, not like it. It was different. It lacked a sort of rlm@0: excitement. There was more to the feeling of comfort she had rlm@0: when she had hugged her friend. Sakura’s mind raced away, rlm@0: trying to put into words the feeling that was suddenly so very rlm@0: important. But try as she might she could not find an expression rlm@0: for that feeling. rlm@0: With a thought her wings vanished and she began to fall. rlm@0: “Float!” she cried over the wind, and didn’t wait for the rlm@0: Card to answer her command before she turned in the circle of rlm@0: Cards, looking for the one she wanted. rlm@0: “Illusion!” she yelled, as the wand came down on the Card rlm@0: named. “Show me my heart’s desire.” rlm@0: Even as she said it she knew she was cheating, but her rlm@0: mind, exhausted from the earlier battle, and everything else, was rlm@0: becoming desperate. She could fly around all night waiting for the rlm@0: lightening bolt that was Tomoyo-chan to strike her… rlm@0: Sakura sat down hard, in midair, as the air left her body. rlm@0: She drew a deep breath, her eyes fighting to focus. She sat stunned rlm@0: for a long moment, trying to mentally collect herself. Before her rlm@0: Illusion was beginning to take form, but she no longer cared to rlm@0: wait for the outcome. Recalling the Cards she resumed her wings rlm@0: and flew as quickly as possible back the way she came. rlm@0: rlm@0: Tomoyo stood right where Sakura had left her. Her hands rlm@0: were pressed to her chest, and her eyes, watching the sky. At first rlm@0: Sakura was unsure that her friend had seen her return, but as she rlm@0: alighted Tomoyo turned her face towards the Card Mistress. She rlm@0: bore a look of serene peace that lifted some massive, unknown, rlm@0: weight off of Sakura’s shoulders. Neither one spoke. Sakura felt rlm@0: her wings fade and the weight of the charm around her neck. rlm@0: Silently she walked to her friend, who stood unmoving and rlm@0: watchful. When they where within inches of each other Sakura rlm@0: stopped, and stood swaying for a moment. Slowly she sank to her rlm@0: knees and slipped her arms around Tomoyo’s small waist. rlm@0: Tomoyo’s head fell back as she awaited the words that would rlm@0: transform her life. Sakura, her head pressed against her friend’s rlm@0: hip, allowed her mind to express the feelings it couldn’t before. rlm@0: “It’s you,” she whispered. rlm@0: Tomoyo’s eyes rolled closed, tears spilling onto her cheeks. rlm@0: “It’s you,” Sakura repeated, no longer surprised. “It will rlm@0: always be you, it has always s been you.” rlm@0: Tomoyo’s fingers unlaced themselves and found a new rlm@0: home in Sakura’s hair. At the contact Sakura looked up at her rlm@0: newly discovered lover. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she wondered rlm@0: aloud. rlm@0: Tomoyo lowered her head to face her friend. She smiled rlm@0: through her tears, “You needed to learn for yourself,” was the rlm@0: whispered reply. rlm@0: “Are you sorry it took me so long to realize?” rlm@0: A sad smile played on the dark haired girl’s lips, her voice rlm@0: was a mere sigh, “I was willing to wait a lifetime for you… rlm@0: Sakura.” rlm@0: rlm@0: Kero-chan stood in the air before Li. They had both seen rlm@0: everything that happened, and now Kero-chan was ready to defend rlm@0: the lovers if the need arose. Li watched them for several long rlm@0: minutes before he tore his eyes away to look at the Seal Beast. rlm@0: “I’ve lost,” he whispered, “… everything. The Cards, the rlm@0: girl I love… everything.” rlm@0: Kero-chan’s tail whipped menacingly, “And what are you rlm@0: going to do?” rlm@0: Li frowned. “Do you think I would attack them?” he rlm@0: asked, in a sort of shocked anger. rlm@0: Kero-chan allowed his silence to speak for him. Li turned rlm@0: his back on the scene and disappeared into the night. rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: The day dawned crystal clear and Sakura was out early. It rlm@0: was her morning to clean the classroom, and she knew Tomoyo- rlm@0: chan would be waiting for her. rlm@0: It had been a week since they had come together as a rlm@0: couple. ‘One week, six hours and 15 minutes,’ Sakura thought as rlm@0: she pushed herself harder, racing the clock for extra seconds in the rlm@0: company of her friend. More than friend, she corrected herself rlm@0: with a smile. As she rollerbladed, she relived, for the thousandth rlm@0: time, the feeling of Tomoyo’s hands on her as the dark haired girl rlm@0: helped her to rise from her position of worship at her friend’s rlm@0: waist. Felt, again, as Tomoyo’s hands gathered her own, and then rlm@0: drew her into the dark bedroom. Sakura had wanted, so much, and rlm@0: had slept, so long! She blushed, even now, thinking of it. Not a rlm@0: good opening for a lifetime together, she mused, but Tomoyo rlm@0: didn’t seem to mind. rlm@0: As she came within sight of the school Sakura could make rlm@0: out the form of Tomoyo waiting for her near the gate. She raised rlm@0: her hand and waved wildly, the joy in her heart becoming one rlm@0: thought, one word… rlm@0: “Tomoyo-chan!” rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: