rlm@2: Author’s notes: This story is set in the future of Cardcaptor
rlm@2: Sakura. ^-^ Tomoyo & Sakura are married and have a child named Bara.
rlm@2: This is just a cute little story that I’ve been wanting to write for
rlm@2: a while now. If you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail
rlm@2: me. ^-^ I always love to hear what people think. ^-^ The characters
rlm@2: are not my own (with the exception of Bara). They are property of
rlm@2: CLAMP. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Be My Teddy Bear
rlm@2: by Amazoness Duo
rlm@2: amazonessduo@hotmail.com
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	“How kawaii!! I finally get the chance to videotape the two most
rlm@2: beautiful women in my life,” Tomoyo exclaimed ecstatically, zooming
rlm@2: in on the subjects of her camcorder. A pale hand went to the slightly
rlm@2: eccentric woman’s cheek as she focused the image. Her long, dark
rlm@2: hair, done up in two pigtails with some aquamarine ribbons, stirred
rlm@2: lightly in the gentle afternoon breeze that meandered through the
rlm@2: garden bringing with it the sweet fragrance of flowers in bloom. 
rlm@2: 	The two women who were as always the focus of Tomoyo’s wholehearted
rlm@2: attention blushed simultaneously as they found themselves caught on
rlm@2: video. “Tomoyo-chan...” The taller of the two said nervously as she
rlm@2: placed her hand behind her head. Her fingers brushed chestnut hair
rlm@2: away from her eyes as the gentle breeze began to pick up. After over
rlm@2: a decade of marriage, Sakura still couldn’t hide her embarrassment
rlm@2: over some of her wife’s obsessive remarks. Of course, knowing what
rlm@2: was behind her best friend’s words actually made it all the more
rlm@2: embarrassing. These weren’t just strange comments as she’d thought
rlm@2: when they were children. She knew very well just how much Tomoyo
rlm@2: meant every one of them. Of course, even if they were a little
rlm@2: embarrassing to hear at the end of a meeting at Daidouji Inc., she
rlm@2: could never bring herself to ask Tomoyo to stop. She wouldn’t want
rlm@2: the dark haired woman to cease such things, after all. Besides,
rlm@2: wasn’t that sweet devotion part of why she had married her in the
rlm@2: first place? So even if it always started Sakura blushing, she was
rlm@2: always happy to hear her wife’s strange remarks. 
rlm@2: 	The younger girl, not much older than Sakura had been back when she
rlm@2: had begun her own adventure with the Cards, sweatdropped herself.
rlm@2: Daidouji Bara was a small, pale girl with short, midnight hair. While
rlm@2: not quite as easily embarrassed as her more athletic mother, she
rlm@2: still found herself blushing at some of Tomoyo’s comments. Certainly
rlm@2: not starved for attention, she once again whiled away her afternoon
rlm@2: by having a picnic with her parents. The daughter of Sakura and
rlm@2: Tomoyo was an energetic and gentle girl. While not being as
rlm@2: athletically inclined as Sakura, she did find herself becoming more
rlm@2: and more interested in the magical workings of her mother’s own
rlm@2: Sakura Cards. Part of that was because of her friendship with several
rlm@2: of the Cards, including the Flower and Mirror. Brave and determined,
rlm@2: there was little that frightened her and so magic had quickly become
rlm@2: something that captivated her attention. Unfortunately, through some
rlm@2: twist of nature, or perhaps an inheritance from Nadeshiko, the poor
rlm@2: girl was terribly accident prone. This kept her loving parents and
rlm@2: guardians ever vigilant, but even then she often got herself hurt.
rlm@2: While not quite as overprotective as Tomoyo’s mother, they still
rlm@2: tried to keep a careful eye on their bubbly daughter. “Okaa-sama...”
rlm@2: Bara said, nearly mimicking Sakura. This only brought a giggle from
rlm@2: Tomoyo and yet more videotaping. 
rlm@2: 	Bara didn’t really mind her mother’s videotaping hobby. In fact,
rlm@2: she had grown up with that particular facet of life. So it hardly
rlm@2: seemed strange when the dark haired woman pulled out her camcorder to
rlm@2: record just about any event. It seemed that the only prerequisite for
rlm@2: Tomoyo’s camcorder was that Sakura or Bara had to be present. The
rlm@2: loving wife and mother was always happy to videotape one or the other
rlm@2: for her ever expanding collection of videotape. Bara herself enjoyed
rlm@2: watching through her mother’s older videotapes so aptly entitled
rlm@2: ‘Cardcaptor Sakura’ or ‘Sakura-chan’s Kawaii and Magical Adventures’.
rlm@2: It always fascinated her to watch her parents in their younger days
rlm@2: and the exciting escapades they had found themselves in. She had even
rlm@2: worn some of the costumes that Sakura had worn in the videotapes.
rlm@2: Tomoyo had kept nearly every costume, so when Bara had asked her
rlm@2: about them she had been more than happy to go through the vast
rlm@2: collection. The designer of the costumes had fixed up some of them to
rlm@2: fit Bara and had taped her running around in them. Bara had been
rlm@2: awestruck at the wide variety of beautiful designs that her mother
rlm@2: had sewn over the years. The gorgeous outfits had all been eye candy
rlm@2: for the hungry girl. Sharing her mother’s flare for the artistic, she
rlm@2: had easily been lost in the wide array of clothes kept in pristine
rlm@2: condition. In recent years she had even begun helping Tomoyo with
rlm@2: some of the costumes that she still made for an embarrassed but
rlm@2: willing Sakura. She was always thrilled to see the finished designs
rlm@2: on their auburn haired model, something she shared with her pale
rlm@2: mother. 
rlm@2: 	“Oh, Bara-chan,” Tomoyo began thoughtfully, pulling herself from
rlm@2: her Sakura induced daydreams. Her hand went to her chin as she placed
rlm@2: the camcorder on her lap. “I picked up some materials for you on the
rlm@2: way home. I put them on your bed. If you want a different design for
rlm@2: the cloth I can go through my closet and see if there’s anything you
rlm@2: like.” Her trademark smile graced her lips as she watched her
rlm@2: daughter’s face light up. It was such a wonderful feeling to see her
rlm@2: daughter enjoying some of the same things that had always brought joy
rlm@2: to her own heart. Tomoyo’s mother had taught her simple things like
rlm@2: sewing and even videotaping when she had been a child herself and she
rlm@2: had fallen in love with these seemingly simple activities. Mostly
rlm@2: because the woman she loved was always the focus of her work. Seeing
rlm@2: her daughter grow up was equally thrilling but was slightly
rlm@2: bittersweet. She knew that her child would one day grow up and find
rlm@2: her own way in the world, but part of her wanted to cling on to the
rlm@2: baby girl that she and Sakura had raised together, to never let her
rlm@2: grow up. But watching her blossom into a beautiful woman, seeing the
rlm@2: result of her love for Sakura grow was a gift that she would never
rlm@2: let go of. 
rlm@2: 	“Really?! Okaa-sama, arigato!” Bara nearly squealed. Pushing off
rlm@2: the picnic blanket, she hugged the older woman tightly. Tomoyo hugged
rlm@2: her back for a moment before the younger girl got to her feet.
rlm@2: Excitement tingled through her mind as the half-forgotten thought
rlm@2: from earlier once gained her full attention. Bowing to both of her
rlm@2: parents, she smoothed down her sunflower yellow sundress as the wind
rlm@2: played with the edges. “Dinner was wonderful. It was a lot of fun. I
rlm@2: think I’m going to go to my room to start right now. Thank you again,
rlm@2: mother!” She smiled happily as she turned on a sandalled foot and
rlm@2: hurried towards the large mansion. Despite her frail body, the
rlm@2: younger girl took off like a shot, anticipation evident in her eager
rlm@2: strides. 
rlm@2: 	Sweatdropping, Sakura watched her daughter disappear into the
rlm@2: house, wincing as the younger girl nearly fell on her face, barely
rlm@2: recovering herself. The door finally swung shut, bringing forth a
rlm@2: relieved sigh from the two parents as their baby remained unscathed
rlm@2: for the time being. Turning to her still smiling wife, the auburn
rlm@2: haired woman raised a quizzical eyebrow. “Bara-chan sure was eager. I
rlm@2: think she would have even given Sonomi-sama some trouble in a race
rlm@2: just now.”
rlm@2: 	“And Sakura-chan, too, if that’s the case,” Tomoyo added, sipping
rlm@2: some tea delicately, her stormy blue eyes never leaving the Mistress
rlm@2: of the Cards. Dark lashes fluttered half closed as she savored the
rlm@2: bitter taste of the tea, watching Sakura through long lashes. “She
rlm@2: may not be very fast but she can’t help speeding off with her whole
rlm@2: heart blazing.”
rlm@2: 	“Well, she might not be fast, but she has your cute feet,” Sakura
rlm@2: replied thoughtfully, resting back on her hands. Her eyes went to
rlm@2: Tomoyo’s pale bare feet, her unused sandals lying next to the picnic
rlm@2: basket. The pale girl had always been beautiful, but as she had grown
rlm@2: into a woman she had become absolutely stunning, and it was something
rlm@2: that Sakura was easily reminded of. Her mind would have happily
rlm@2: lingered on such warm thoughts had something Tomoyo said hadn’t
rlm@2: suddenly replayed through her mind like one of Tomoyo’s tapes on
rlm@2: replay. Sitting up, the brunette shifted her legs under her. Her
rlm@2: throat had suddenly gone dry and she had to lick her lips before
rlm@2: continuing. Bara was still her little girl in her mind and it was
rlm@2: difficult to imagine her growing up so quickly. Sakura had always
rlm@2: tried to protect those she loved and she had come to understand just
rlm@2: why Sonomi had been so overprotective now that she had a daughter of
rlm@2: her own. “Wait, with ‘her whole heart blazing’?” Years ago, the
rlm@2: brunette had written off a lot of Tomoyo’s strange comments as just
rlm@2: her friend’s cute but bizarre eccentricity. But as she had learned
rlm@2: from their time dating and years of marriage, what Tomoyo said should
rlm@2: always be given careful consideration. Certain things still slipped
rlm@2: past her at times, but she wasn’t nearly as dense as she once had
rlm@2: been, especially when it came to the dark haired woman. 
rlm@2: 	Smiling to herself, Tomoyo again sipped at her tea. She had
rlm@2: wondered if Sakura would catch that. Setting down the tea cup, the
rlm@2: pale woman brushed some grass away from her long skirt. “She may have
rlm@2: my feet, but she definitely has Sakura-chan’s adorable ears.” Pausing
rlm@2: for a moment, Tomoyo tilted her head to the side, dark hair spilling
rlm@2: past her shoulder in a shadowy cascade. “And Sakura-chan’s nose. And
rlm@2: your sparkling emerald eyes, always so full of energy and
rlm@2: determination.” Sighing sweetly, Tomoyo placed a hand on her cheek. A
rlm@2: soft giggle escaped her lips as a slightly flustered Sakura continued
rlm@2: to watch her intently. Shifting on the blanket, the dark haired woman
rlm@2: felt her bare feet brush against the soft fabric. Tilting her head
rlm@2: back, Tomoyo brushed a long, dark pigtail over her shoulder. She
rlm@2: waited for Sakura to comment, but the brunette just waited, her hands
rlm@2: now on the blanket in front of her. Sighing to herself at the
rlm@2: gorgeous sight before her, Tomoyo almost forgot what had been on her
rlm@2: mind. Pale fingers reached out, gently playing with Sakura’s auburn
rlm@2: hair. The soft strands swayed at her touch, tickling playful fingers.
rlm@2: The shorter haired woman held her breath for a moment as Tomoyo
rlm@2: brushed through the luxurious hair. Her heart swelled happily as she
rlm@2: looked into the eyes of her genki wife. Her love for Sakura had only
rlm@2: grown stronger as the Cardmistress’s presence nurtured it. That train
rlm@2: of thought reminded her of the purpose of Sakura’s intent gaze, but
rlm@2: it could have easily been her touch that drew Sakura nearer. And
rlm@2: almost subconsciously, the brunette was getting ever closer. A
rlm@2: delicious warmth spread through Tomoyo’s soul despite the cool breeze
rlm@2: swirling around them. Her daughter’s company was always wonderful to
rlm@2: have, but time alone with Sakura was it’s own reward. “You haven’t
rlm@2: noticed? Bara-chan has been extra genki lately. And very dreamy.” She
rlm@2: paused, waiting for Sakura’s reaction. 
rlm@2: 	“Un... I guess so. But what does that have to do with her heart?”
rlm@2: Sakura asked curiously, her own hand coming to a rest atop Tomoyo’s.
rlm@2: She could still feel Tomoyo’s fingers in her hair, moving through the
rlm@2: short hair slowly. The sensation was certainly a pleasant one as they
rlm@2: sat under the sinking sun. The Mistress of the Cards would have been
rlm@2: happy to simply bask in Tomoyo’s gentle touch, but her curiosity had
rlm@2: been piqued. Sakura herself had never been very good at reading
rlm@2: hearts, whether it be her own or someone else’s. But her nearly
rlm@2: constantly smiling wife could read hearts with an ease that had
rlm@2: always surprised Sakura. Tomoyo seemed to know them inside and out,
rlm@2: Sakura’s in specific. But the pale woman seemed to be able to read
rlm@2: her daughter equally as well. Sakura knew her daughter well, but
rlm@2: there were some things that slipped past her. She was glad that her
rlm@2: more perceptive wife always picked up on them. 
rlm@2: 	“Bara-chan is making a teddy bear to give to someone very important
rlm@2: to her,” Tomoyo said simply, watching Sakura’s reaction. For a
rlm@2: moment, the auburn haired mage said nothing, emerald eyes sparkling
rlm@2: with their own inner radiance. Sakura looked as if she may be
rlm@2: dreaming, still drifting closer to the warmth of her wife’s embrace
rlm@2: as Tomoyo continued toying with her hair. After a long moment, the
rlm@2: jade orbs widened perceptibly, shock registering on Sakura’s pretty
rlm@2: face. 
rlm@2: 	“A teddy bear..?” Sakura asked, trailing off. She shook her head
rlm@2: quickly, still holding Tomoyo’s hand to the side of her head. “But
rlm@2: she’s just... How can she be making one... She’s making a teddy bear
rlm@2: for the person she likes?” the surprised Cardmistress got out at
rlm@2: last. The dark haired woman nodded, still smiling sweetly. The fact
rlm@2: that Tomoyo didn’t seem fazed at all by this turn of events didn’t
rlm@2: immediately soothe Sakura’s frazzled nerves. After all, the lavender
rlm@2: haired businesswoman rarely seemed shaken by anything that didn’t
rlm@2: have to do with her. And even then, Tomoyo had hidden it from her for
rlm@2: the longest time whenever she would worry. Any arguments Sakura could
rlm@2: think of died before they made their way to her mouth. Age couldn’t
rlm@2: be a problem. Tomoyo had been in love with her since the third grade.
rlm@2: Sakura couldn’t even argue about Bara sewing because Tomoyo had been
rlm@2: teaching her how. Besides, even if Bara was accident prone, she never
rlm@2: seemed to have trouble with artistic endeavors. The fact that her
rlm@2: daughter was in love with someone wasn’t such a big deal, but she was
rlm@2: hit with the sudden realization that her baby girl wasn’t quite so
rlm@2: little anymore. “Hoe...” she got out weakly. 
rlm@2: 	“Sakura-chan makes such a cute mother,” Tomoyo whispered softly as
rlm@2: she closed the remaining distance between herself and her still
rlm@2: bewildered wife. Her lips pressed lightly against Sakura’s, drawing
rlm@2: the brunette from her jumbled thoughts to a much more pressing here
rlm@2: and now. Tomoyo had known all about the teddy bear and had actually
rlm@2: been the one to tell Bara about the legend behind giving one to the
rlm@2: person you liked. She was even fairly confident that she knew the
rlm@2: focus of Bara’s attention. Of course, there would be time to explain
rlm@2: the intricacies to Sakura later on. For now it was much nicer to just
rlm@2: enjoy the distinct taste of Sakura’s kisses. Sakura apparently
rlm@2: thought so as well, her arms sliding around Tomoyo’s waist and
rlm@2: pulling her closer as their kiss deepened. Letting her eyes fall
rlm@2: closed, Tomoyo sighed inwardly. Love wrapped her heart like a heavy
rlm@2: quilt. Love spun her around, leaving her ever thirsty for more of
rlm@2: it’s intoxicating and endless depths. It was for this reason that she
rlm@2: was so pleased to see her daughter falling in love. Her love for
rlm@2: Sakura, and in later years Sakura’s love for her, had been life’s
rlm@2: greatest joy and deepest amazement. If her daughter could experience
rlm@2: that same warm and all encompassing feeling then it was with great
rlm@2: joy that she watched her growing into a beautiful young woman.
rlm@2: Curling up with Sakura on the blanket, the two women quickly lost
rlm@2: themselves to each other, lost to a deep and endless love that had
rlm@2: captured them both long ago. As the heavy sun began sinking beyond
rlm@2: the horizon, the two women continued to kiss, embracing warmly under
rlm@2: the darkening sky.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Blushing at her parents’ sudden display of affection, Bara closed
rlm@2: the blinds to her window. She had been about to call down to Tomoyo
rlm@2: to thank her again for the materials for her teddy bear, but the
rlm@2: older woman looked like she had her mind on other things. Not that
rlm@2: Sakura was ever far from her mind. Deciding it might be best to thank
rlm@2: her mother later, the younger girl hurried to her bed. Surveying the
rlm@2: items on her bed, the materials all looked perfect for what she had
rlm@2: in mind. A beautiful peach and white cloth would make up the body of
rlm@2: the bear. A lavender bow would clad the small teddy bear when it was
rlm@2: finished while tiny little green orbs would make up the eyes. Tomoyo
rlm@2: had insisted upon that small touch. 
rlm@2: 	“After all, if the one you like is going to name it after you, it
rlm@2: should have your eyes,” Tomoyo had said earlier. “That way, they will
rlm@2: always see you when they look into its eyes.”
rlm@2: 	Sitting on her bed next to the pile of supplies, the dark haired
rlm@2: girl pulled her legs up to her chest. The bear was already fully
rlm@2: assembled in her head, but she didn’t know where to start. Her heart
rlm@2: still beat in her chest like a swarm of angry honey bees, startling
rlm@2: her. She was a little embarrassed about making such an obvious
rlm@2: declaration of her feelings, but she knew it was what she wanted to
rlm@2: do. It was too difficult to not say anything at all. And this would
rlm@2: finally give her a chance to tell the person she liked how she felt.
rlm@2: She still wasn’t sure how they felt, but as long as she didn’t have
rlm@2: to hide her feelings anymore, it would be worth it. She hoped. 
rlm@2: 	“I need the scissors,” Bara said, thinking aloud. Slipping off the
rlm@2: bed, the dark haired girl hurried out of her room, her mind already
rlm@2: two steps ahead of her body. When would she give her gift? What
rlm@2: should she say? Should she offer anything else with it? Too lost in
rlm@2: her own thoughts while on the way to her mothers’ room for the
rlm@2: supplies she needed, Bara didn’t see the little table in the hallway.
rlm@2: It had been there for nearly as long as she could remember, but she
rlm@2: simply wasn’t paying enough attention to notice it. Her bare foot
rlm@2: snagged the table leg, throwing her off balance as her forward
rlm@2: momentum kept her sailing forward. Arms pinwheeling, the pale girl
rlm@2: fell forward, the world seeming to tumble around her. A short yelp
rlm@2: escaped her lips before arms grasped her waist, keeping her from
rlm@2: falling face first into the floor. The situation not being very new
rlm@2: to the accident prone girl, she didn’t find herself very startled by
rlm@2: the whole situation. Smiling, she turned in the arms of her rescuer.
rlm@2: Moving in the tight embrace, she came face to face with herself.
rlm@2: Emerald green eyes looked at her in concern from underneath midnight
rlm@2: hair. Pale skin offset the darkness, pressed against Bara’s own pale
rlm@2: skin. “Mirra-chan!” Bara exclaimed happily.
rlm@2: 	The Sakura Card let out a sigh, slowly letting go of the
rlm@2: Cardmistress’s daughter. As usual, the dark haired girl hardly seemed
rlm@2: fazed by yet another accident she nearly got herself into. Mirror was
rlm@2: starting to wonder if the human girl cared at all about such trivial
rlm@2: things as pain or injuries. She tried to frown, but Bara’s smile was
rlm@2: contagious. She found herself returning it before too long. “You
rlm@2: really need to be more careful, Bara-chan. You’re cuter when you
rlm@2: aren’t all bruise covered,” she said quietly.
rlm@2: 	The two Baras looked at each other for a moment before the real one
rlm@2: giggled in reply. “But with you and mother and everyone around
rlm@2: there’s no reason to worry about it.” Turning back to the task at
rlm@2: hand, the pale girl began again towards her parents’ large room,
rlm@2: slipping lithely into the room through the half open door. 
rlm@2: Emerald eyes began searching for what she needed, looking past a sea
rlm@2: of portraits and picture frames, labels and videotapes that were all
rlm@2: somehow in perfect order. Tomoyo’s large desk lay in one corner,
rlm@2: several costume designs and a half finished costume resting on top of
rlm@2: it. Some stuffed animals lay on the bed, all from Sakura’s
rlm@2: collection, which had grown in recent years even as she gave some of
rlm@2: her long held ones to Bara. One of the centerpieces to the group of
rlm@2: stuffed dolls was a little Sakura doll that Tomoyo had made for the
rlm@2: brunette back when they has still been children. The fabric was a
rlm@2: little frayed and it’s age was showing, but Sakura took it wherever
rlm@2: she went, and always held onto it when Tomoyo was gone on a business
rlm@2: trip. 
rlm@2: A television lay in one corner of the room, obviously for Tomoyo to
rlm@2: view her tapes, even though she had a viewing room for such things
rlm@2: with a much better setup. Bara’s questing eyes finally came to a halt
rlm@2: on the desk. It looked like her mother had been busy at work on a
rlm@2: costume the night before, so all of the materials she needed were
rlm@2: there. Grabbing several of them, she turned to leave the room.
rlm@2: 	“I’ll carry that,” Mirror said quickly, taking the scissors from
rlm@2: Bara’s hands. The last thing she needed was for Bara to trip while
rlm@2: holding something like that. The midnight haired girl simply smiled
rlm@2: in gratitude as she headed back for her room. Following behind her,
rlm@2: the Sakura Card watched as the Cardmistress’s daughter sat back on
rlm@2: the bed. “What are you doing?” she asked curiously.
rlm@2: 	Looking up from the assortment of items she had gathered along with
rlm@2: those her mother had already lain out for her, Bara spotted Mirror in
rlm@2: the doorway. Smiling cutely, the dark haired girl shook her head
rlm@2: emphatically. “I can’t tell you. I’m making something, but it’s going
rlm@2: to be a surprise for someone.” She turned back to the items, shifting
rlm@2: through them. After a second, she walked over to a still confused
rlm@2: Mirror and took the scissors slowly from her hand. “I’ll tell you all
rlm@2: about it later,” she said reassuringly.
rlm@2: 	Mirror sighed as Bara returned to the bed. “Why can’t you tell me
rlm@2: now? You know I won’t tell anyone. It will just be our secret.” The
rlm@2: Sakura Card tried to catch Bara’s gaze as she herself reached the
rlm@2: bed. Her own eyes tried to lock onto Bara’s jade eyes, but the human
rlm@2: girl seemed intent on her thoughts. Shifting to her normal form for a
rlm@2: brief second, the magical creature quickly returned to being Bara’s
rlm@2: lookalike. Something she had learned over time was that it was easier
rlm@2: for someone to trust themselves than to trust anyone else. This
rlm@2: helped her at times because she could be them. It was, in a sense, as
rlm@2: if they were looking into a mirror. Unfortunately, this trick rarely
rlm@2: seemed to work on the Cardmistress’s daughter. Bara generally trusted
rlm@2: her with most things as it was. But when the dark haired girl wanted
rlm@2: to keep something from her, it was very difficult to drag it out. 
rlm@2: 	Tilting her head to the side in thought, Bara paused for a moment.
rlm@2: “Well, mother, for one. Maybe Flower. Oh, and uncle Touya if he stops
rlm@2: by. Am I missing anyone?” Smiling sweetly, the magical girl finally
rlm@2: turned her gaze back to the Sakura Card. She liked to tease her
rlm@2: friend from time to time. Mirror got riled up so easily. Never did
rlm@2: her teasing get mean spirited, but she did like to see how Mirror
rlm@2: reacted. The midnight haired girl already knew that she wouldn’t be
rlm@2: telling her friend about what she was making anyway. So she was only
rlm@2: having some fun while Mirror was continuing to be stubborn. Besides,
rlm@2: Bara’s mind was already busy trying to decide exactly how she wanted
rlm@2: the teddy bear to end up. But the image she had in her mind slowly
rlm@2: faded away. ‘I can’t force it. Just like mother’s costume designs and
rlm@2: her videotape. You have to let things flow on their own, to see where
rlm@2: they take you.’ Her hands gently trailed over the cloth. ‘There’s a
rlm@2: teddy bear in here and she wants to come out. I’m just going to help
rlm@2: her. How she comes out is up to her,’ she thought to herself, a small
rlm@2: smile spreading across her lips. An important lesson that she had
rlm@2: learned from her mother was not to force things. Bara had learned
rlm@2: that after coming to Tomoyo with tears in her eyes over an accident
rlm@2: she had while painting. Her inspiration had been nonexistent and when
rlm@2: she had tried to finish a painting she had started several days
rlm@2: before, it wound up being ruined. Tomoyo had held onto her and
rlm@2: brushed back her shorter, dark hair, whispering softly. She had
rlm@2: explained to Bara that forcing things didn’t let them grow as they
rlm@2: wanted to, and it forced them to be a certain way. To bring them out,
rlm@2: to truly see them for what they were, they had to be nurtured and
rlm@2: loved. It was a lesson that Bara saw in many aspects of life. Whether
rlm@2: it be painting or videotaping or falling in love. It was still
rlm@2: difficult sometimes to banish a finished mental image from her mind,
rlm@2: but she was much happier with how things turned out.
rlm@2: 	Unaware that Bara was deep in thought, Mirror found herself
rlm@2: blushing deeply. She had indeed had a crush on Touya long ago. And
rlm@2: she was still delighted to see him whenever he stopped by to visit
rlm@2: his little sister and her wife. But that hardly mattered. He had
rlm@2: Yukito, after all. And she was only a Card as it was, so it couldn’t
rlm@2: have worked out between them, even if Touya had returned her
rlm@2: feelings. A sigh escaped her lips as she let her eyes slip closed.
rlm@2: Still, did Bara have to keep teasing her about it? It had been a
rlm@2: lifetime before. Bara hadn’t even been born back then. But Tomoyo had
rlm@2: to be right about one thing. There was definitely something cute
rlm@2: about those ears. For some time now, she had continually noticed how
rlm@2: Bara’s were the same. The cute little ears jutted out of short, black
rlm@2: hair in the same way that Sakura’s did. Mirror had found it quite an
rlm@2: endearing aspect of her friend. And it certainly added to Bara’s
rlm@2: already considerable cuteness. Shaking her head and attempting to
rlm@2: banish the blush, Mirror replied. “You know I wouldn’t tell any of
rlm@2: them. Even Touya-san.”
rlm@2: 	“I know,” Bara answered simply, emerald eyes glittering as she
rlm@2: looked up from her thoughts. Pale fingers brushed dark hair away from
rlm@2: her jade orbs. “But I still can’t tell you. You’ll find out sooner or
rlm@2: later. You always do.” Winking at the Sakura Card, the pale girl
rlm@2: giggled. “So just be patient.”
rlm@2: 	“If you say so, Bara-chan,” Mirror said in defeat. She knew it was
rlm@2: pointless to continue arguing to be told. Much like Tomoyo, Bara
rlm@2: could keep a very tight lip about such things. Even if she didn’t
rlm@2: want to wait to find out what her friend was up to, it didn’t seem
rlm@2: like she had a choice. Sitting on the bed, the Sakura Card watched
rlm@2: the pale girl continue to dreamily go over ideas in her head. 
rlm@2: 	Blushing a bit from the direction her thoughts were headed about
rlm@2: giving her teddy bear to the one she loved, Bara quickly shook her
rlm@2: head. “Ano... I think you should probably go for now, Mira-chan. I
rlm@2: need to get started on this.” Hopping off of the bed, Bara put her
rlm@2: hands on the Sakura Card’s back, gently pushing her mirror image
rlm@2: towards the door. “If you stay, I’ll get distracted and then I’ll
rlm@2: never finish up. And if I don’t ever finish, you’ll never find out
rlm@2: what it is.” Smiling sweetly, the Cardmistress’s daughter closed the
rlm@2: door. 
rlm@2: 	Mirror blinked as she found herself outside of Bara’s room. What
rlm@2: had just happened? “Well, I guess. But I hope it won’t take too
rlm@2: long,” Mirror said through the door, pressing her ear up against it
rlm@2: as she waited for a reply. Curiosity gnawed at her magical core. She
rlm@2: couldn’t begin to guess what her human best friend was up to, and the
rlm@2: dark haired girl’s strange behavior was only strengthening her desire
rlm@2: to know what Bara was up to. She could hear movement on the other
rlm@2: side of the door, strange noises that met her ears as she tried to
rlm@2: discern them. Just what was the slightly eccentric girl doing?
rlm@2: Pushing the side of her face against the door, she strained to make
rlm@2: out what was happening. Suddenly, the door fell away from her and she
rlm@2: nearly came crashing to the ground. Pinwheeling, the Card barely
rlm@2: regained her balance in Bara’s doorway. She looked up to see Bara
rlm@2: smiling at her.
rlm@2: 	“Well, the sooner you stop listening in, the sooner I can start.
rlm@2: Honestly, Mira-chan, how can I ever do anything surprising if you
rlm@2: won’t let me hide a few things from you now and then?” the pale girl
rlm@2: gently chided, tucking some strands of black hair behind her ear. She
rlm@2: could only smile at the childish look of embarrassment flashing
rlm@2: across Mirror’s face, an exact copy of her own face. Did she really
rlm@2: look like that when she was caught embarrassed? The fact that Mirror
rlm@2: often looked like her wasn’t at all awkward for her. She had actually
rlm@2: grown accustomed to seeing that pale face and dark hair greeting her
rlm@2: when she saw her best friend. Like looking into an actual mirror, she
rlm@2: could always see herself in it, but unlike those constructs of glass,
rlm@2: she could see the girl underneath her visage. Mirror was always her
rlm@2: Mira-chan, no matter what she looked like. The Sakura Card looked
rlm@2: very lovely in her normal form, very formal with pretty pale green
rlm@2: hair, but she didn’t get to see Mirror like that very often. It was a
rlm@2: shame, but Bara didn’t mind very much. It didn’t matter how Mirror
rlm@2: looked so long as she was there. “Now scoot,” she commanded, putting
rlm@2: on as serious a look as her near giggly heart could allow. It came
rlm@2: out sounding silly, even to her. She placed her hands on her hips and
rlm@2: gave Mirror a mock stern look before bursting out laughing. Mirror
rlm@2: joined her a second later, forgetting her earlier embarrassment.
rlm@2: 	“I can’t let you hide things from me,” Mirror said after they both
rlm@2: regained some measure of composure. “Because I’m you.” Striking her
rlm@2: best imitation of the young heiress, she watched the human girl. That
rlm@2: was what she was after all, a reflection. She had been created to be
rlm@2: a mirror, to reflect things back. She was more comfortable looking
rlm@2: like Bara than she was looking like herself. It was easier for her
rlm@2: that way, to assume someone else’s identity, to simply reflect what
rlm@2: she saw. And she could think of no one she would rather be a
rlm@2: reflection of than the Cardmistress’s daughter. Bara’s shimmering
rlm@2: spirit and sweet nature made her a perfect choice for Mirror’s new
rlm@2: guise. She had spent more time as the dark haired girl’s twin over
rlm@2: the past few years than she had as herself. And that’s the way she
rlm@2: liked it. “So it’s not fair if you know things about you that I
rlm@2: don’t,” Mirror argued.
rlm@2: 	“Nice try, Mira-chan. I’ll see you in a bit.” The pale girl gave
rlm@2: her magically created friend a quick hug before once again closing
rlm@2: the door. She waved to her slowly before it closed shut. Pressing her
rlm@2: own ear against the door, she waited until she heard the Sakura Card
rlm@2: walking away before hurrying back to her bed. Her heart fluttered in
rlm@2: her chest like a hummingbird, her jade eyes flashing with
rlm@2: determination to finish her teddy bear as quickly as possible. Pale
rlm@2: fingers began sifting through the materials spread out on her bed,
rlm@2: shaking in their eagerness. The young girl had to force herself to
rlm@2: slow down, lest she make any mistakes with her new little friend. The
rlm@2: teddy bear should be perfect after all. Her heart’s desire deserved
rlm@2: nothing less. Humming softly to herself, the pale waif started her
rlm@2: work. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	“Hoe...” a flustered voice rang through the spacious wardrobe room
rlm@2: that Tomoyo had insisted on having when the house had been built. It
rlm@2: was right across the hallway from Sakura’s Magician’s Workshop,
rlm@2: another room Tomoyo had decided on having. The whole house was almost
rlm@2: dreamy, very beautiful and elegant yet with an almost absurdly cute
rlm@2: feel to things. It lingered in the background, never entirely
rlm@2: prominent but there just the same. And it was in Tomoyo’s wardrobe
rlm@2: room, or rather, Sakura’s wardrobe room as the costumes inside all
rlm@2: fit her snugly, that the two childhood friends once again found
rlm@2: themselves. “Isn’t it a bit...” Sakura trailed off, at a loss for
rlm@2: words. Here she was, a grown woman, and Tomoyo could still get her
rlm@2: into crazy costumes with little more than a few words. Her cheeks
rlm@2: flushed as she looked down at the outfit she was wearing this time.
rlm@2: She wore a man’s suit and tie, a very dressy outfit. The polished
rlm@2: white and black shoes shown back up at her. She would think Tomoyo
rlm@2: had gone shopping in the men’s section on accident if it weren’t for
rlm@2: the fact that it fit her measurements exactly. 
rlm@2: 	“Handsome? I certainly think so,” Tomoyo put in, finished Sakura’s
rlm@2: sentence in a way Sakura herself wasn’t likely to have. Reaching
rlm@2: forward, the lavender haired businesswoman readjusted Sakura’s white
rlm@2: dress shirt. “There. See? I think children will love this design for
rlm@2: the Kenji doll. He’s handsome and dashing with just a touch of
rlm@2: innocent vulnerability in him. It’s a nice outfit for if he’s going
rlm@2: out on a date with one of our other dolls or if he’s just going out
rlm@2: for a night at the theater.” Smiling happily, Tomoyo was in her
rlm@2: element. Dressing up Sakura and working out new designs. Turning her
rlm@2: shy wife around, the eccentric woman sighed contentedly. Yes, this
rlm@2: was exactly what she lived for. “After this, you can try on the two
rlm@2: new designs we have for the Hanako doll.”
rlm@2: 	“Ano... Tomoyo, do you really have to make life-size versions of
rlm@2: all the costumes you design for the toys?” Sakura asked as her
rlm@2: lovably obsessive wife fixed the costume here and there on her. 
rlm@2: 	“Yes, of course. Because it makes a much better impact if I can
rlm@2: have Sakura-chan sport our new designs at the meetings before they go
rlm@2: into production. Seeing you walk around the room like a model
rlm@2: showcasing the new designs is always much better than simply showing
rlm@2: the costumes for our dolls on paper,” Tomoyo explained, turning
rlm@2: Sakura so that the auburn haired woman faced the camcorder on it’s
rlm@2: tripod more directly.
rlm@2: 	“But Tomoyo-chan, you’re the president of the company. You don’t
rlm@2: need to sell everyone on the designs.” Sakura sweatdropped as she
rlm@2: looked over at the camcorder. Even after over a decade of marriage,
rlm@2: the lavender haired woman still managed to confuse Sakura at times.
rlm@2: But it was always a sweet confusion that didn’t generally last long.
rlm@2: Tomoyo’s motives were, after all, beautifully simplistic. 
rlm@2: 	“It makes the meetings much more fun if Sakura-chan’s dressed up
rlm@2: like our new products,” Tomoyo added, smiling her trademark smile as
rlm@2: she looked at the brunette. Sakura simply watched her as she
rlm@2: readjusted the camcorder. Her long, dark hair was done up in a high
rlm@2: ponytail now, draped down over one shoulder. That had always been her
rlm@2: ulterior motive, but it had been one that served her well. She liked
rlm@2: designing, but she found that Sakura was always at the root of her
rlm@2: inspiration. Working for her mother and later taking over the
rlm@2: Daidouji Toys company, she had to design for many of the toys the
rlm@2: company produced. It was fun to work on them, but she much preferred
rlm@2: to be designing costumes and outfits for her beloved Sakura. She had
rlm@2: found a way around this by making life-size versions of her designs
rlm@2: for Sakura to traipse around in for her. This allowed her to design
rlm@2: for the brunette even while she was working on dolls and their
rlm@2: wardrobe. Besides, who could resist seeing Sakura wearing her
rlm@2: company’s newest designs at important meetings? 
rlm@2: 	Sighing in defeat, Sakura’s shoulders slumped. Wasn’t this the way
rlm@2: things had always worked? No matter how embarrassingly cute the
rlm@2: design, Sakura had always wound up wearing whatever Tomoyo made for
rlm@2: her. How could she not when the lavender haired woman had poured so
rlm@2: much of her love and effort into creating these beautiful clothes for
rlm@2: Sakura? Even as she stood in the man’s clothes for the Kenji doll,
rlm@2: the Mistress of the Cards knew that she did enjoy the attention
rlm@2: Tomoyo blanketed her with. Her mother had been a famous model, but
rlm@2: Sakura was Tomoyo’s model alone. And that was the way she liked it.
rlm@2: Sure, it was embarrassing. Sure, Tomoyo had some bizarre designs and
rlm@2: things that Sakura would never wear without a promise that the
rlm@2: videotape of her in such things would never be viewed by anyone but
rlm@2: her wife. But it was simply part of life with Tomoyo. Who else would
rlm@2: treat her like a movie star? Who else would give her all the
rlm@2: attention in the world? Who else could love her the way Tomoyo did? 
rlm@2: 	“Besides, Sakura is very handsome like this,” Tomoyo stated,
rlm@2: placing her hands on Sakura’s shoulders. Her stormy blue eyes gazed
rlm@2: lovingly into their emerald partners, sending a spark through her
rlm@2: that had only grown stronger and more acute as the years had gone by.
rlm@2: It always thrilled her to dress Sakura up in all manner of clothing
rlm@2: and styles, eager to see how her energetic wife would look in them
rlm@2: all. It was like having her own live KiSS doll. The lavender haired
rlm@2: woman’s hobbies were very much centered around the one she loved. Her
rlm@2: videotaping was always of Sakura, her costume designs were made
rlm@2: specifically for her wife, and her singing was for the one she loved.
rlm@2: But what better way to spend her free time than with her beautiful
rlm@2: wife, no matter what they did? Her hands squeezed Sakura’s shoulders
rlm@2: slightly, delighting at the feel of Sakura underneath her fingertips.
rlm@2: Sakura looked nearly as cute in men’s clothes as she did in women’s
rlm@2: clothes. Even if it wasn’t as lacy or as frilly as Tomoyo would like,
rlm@2: it was still her gorgeous Sakura. And she pulled off the dress suit
rlm@2: perfectly. Though it helped that Tomoyo had designed it with Sakura
rlm@2: in mind. 
rlm@2: 	Sakura blushed at Tomoyo’s compliment, her eyes unable to escape
rlm@2: that azure gaze. Her hands slowly went to Tomoyo’s slender waist.
rlm@2: “Arigato, Tomoyo... You’re gorgeous,” Sakura breathed quietly as she
rlm@2: raised on of her hands up to the lavender haired woman’s snow white
rlm@2: cheek. The pale skin was offset wonderfully by the cascade of dark
rlm@2: hair down her shoulder. That long ponytail hung between them as the
rlm@2: two women inched closer. The Mistress of the Cards had the
rlm@2: overwhelming urge to ask Tomoyo to dance. They were surrounded by
rlm@2: racks of costumes and mannequins sporting some of Sakura’s old battle
rlm@2: costumes, but even in the quiet room it seemed like an excellent
rlm@2: idea. “Will you dance with me, Tomoyo?” Sakura asked at last, unable
rlm@2: to find a single reason not to. It felt a little strange to still be
rlm@2: in the awkward clothes Tomoyo had given her to wear, but it clung to
rlm@2: her perfectly, showcasing her wife’s talent for costume design. 
rlm@2: 	“I would love to, Sakura,” Tomoyo whispered in reply, smiling
rlm@2: brilliantly. Leaning ever closer, her petal soft lips brushed
rlm@2: Sakura’s. Her heart ached longingly as their lips touched again,
rlm@2: longer this time. These little touches of heaven were pure bliss to
rlm@2: the lavender haired businesswoman. They were like the sweetest of
rlm@2: dreams brought magically to life. This was the magic she saw in a
rlm@2: life with Sakura. It wasn’t the Cards or any of the power Sakura had.
rlm@2: It was the brunette’s ability to bring out a sheer, unadulterated joy
rlm@2: inside of her. It was the warmth that shivered through her heart as
rlm@2: it waited bedecked with ribbons and lace for Sakura to simply hold it
rlm@2: close. Dancing with Sakura anywhere sounded like a wondrous idea, but
rlm@2: dancing with her among the flurry of cute and dreamlike costumes felt
rlm@2: like a trip through some distant wonderland. And her trusty camcorder
rlm@2: was set up to record the glorious moment. Tomoyo sighed rapturously
rlm@2: as their lips slowly parted, both women reluctant to end the kiss.
rlm@2: But there would be many more. There always were. 
rlm@2: 	Drawn forward as if by a magnet, the dazed Sakura barely stopped
rlm@2: herself before initiating another long kiss. Shaking her head, she
rlm@2: tried to think coherently, but thought was rendered all but
rlm@2: impossible as the lavender haired woman caught her near kiss and
rlm@2: returned it with her own. Holding onto Tomoyo, Sakura felt feather
rlm@2: soft lips deliciously meeting her own. The fairy tale kiss came to a
rlm@2: slow end after Sakura got a taste of Tomoyo’s tongue in her mouth.
rlm@2: Her own tongue tried to follow Tomoyo’s, but her wife had already
rlm@2: begun to pull away. Still leaning forward, Sakura blushed as she felt
rlm@2: the lavender haired woman’s lips around the tip of her tongue. They
rlm@2: stayed that way for a moment, Tomoyo sliding closer for another
rlm@2: simmering kiss before pulling away once more. Slowly remembering
rlm@2: where she was and the promised dance that awaited them, a dreamy
rlm@2: Sakura pulled out a pink Card and twirled it between her fingers.
rlm@2: “Song! Please give us some music to dance to!” The Sakura Card
rlm@2: flashed and music slowly began to filter through the room, Tomoyo’s
rlm@2: voice singing softly with the music. The Song Card had long ago
rlm@2: chosen Tomoyo’s voice for the one it would use, just as the Voice
rlm@2: Card had sought her out as the most beautiful voice it could find.
rlm@2: And Sakura certainly agreed with the both of them. Hearing Tomoyo’s
rlm@2: voice sing to the both of them, the two woman slowly began to dance
rlm@2: through the costumes. “Hanyaan,” Sakura whispered.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	“So okaa-sama couldn’t have caught it without you?” Bara asked
rlm@2: curiously as she flipped through the Book of Sakura. Several of the
rlm@2: Cards were elsewhere at the moment, such as Mirror and Song, but the
rlm@2: majority of the pink Sakura Cards were in their matching book. Bara
rlm@2: was currently looking through the Cards, trying to get a feel for
rlm@2: them. She was leaning absentmindedly against the upstairs railing,
rlm@2: overlooking the large entrance hall to the house. While sifting
rlm@2: through the Cards, she was listening to Kero’s stories about his
rlm@2: adventures during her mother’s days of card capturing. His stories
rlm@2: weren’t always entirely factual as Tomoyo’s videos had shown when
rlm@2: Bara watched them after listening to the Seal Beast, but she loved to
rlm@2: hear them all the same. Magic fascinated her and she always yearned
rlm@2: to find out more about it. 
rlm@2: 	“You got it, kid. Had I not been there, we might not be standing
rlm@2: here today havin’ this little chat.” Kero nodded, his arms crossed.
rlm@2: He was standing on the railing, recounting his tales of wonder to
rlm@2: Sakura’s daughter. At least the dark haired girl appreciated him.
rlm@2: Sakura had never quite believed in how truly amazing he was. The kid,
rlm@2: on the other hand, would hang onto his every word. It had been a
rlm@2: mighty good thing that Sakura and Tomoyo had gotten hitched after
rlm@2: all. He was finally getting some appreciation. 
rlm@2: 	“Then I’m sure Tomoyo-mama must have thanked you many times over
rlm@2: for saving Sakura-mama.” Smiling, Bara continued to flip through the
rlm@2: Cards, trying to feel them with her own slowly growing magic. It was
rlm@2: difficult for her, but she was pleased to see that she was making
rlm@2: some progress. Her left foot moved about playfully behind her. She
rlm@2: had finished the teddy bear a short time ago and now all she had to
rlm@2: do was wait for a good opportunity to give it to her special someone.
rlm@2: These things needed to be planned carefully if they were to come out
rlm@2: perfectly. One wouldn’t want to give something important like a teddy
rlm@2: bear to their true love during an inconsequential moment. So while
rlm@2: she waited for inspiration to strike on how to go about giving away
rlm@2: her heart in the guise of a trussed up bear, she spent some time with
rlm@2: the Seal Beast, gleaning up on her knowledge of the Sakura Cards. Her
rlm@2: mother didn’t really mind when she borrowed the Sakura Book to look
rlm@2: through the Cards, so she tried to go through them when she could.
rlm@2: The Cards were all so amazing to the pale girl. Her best friend was
rlm@2: one of them as well. They all had such neat things they could do and
rlm@2: they all had their own distinct personalities. Some had become good
rlm@2: friends, like Mirror and Flower, others seemed rather mischievous
rlm@2: like Jump, and some had an air of respect about them that had Bara
rlm@2: bowing whenever in their presence, as was the case with Dark and
rlm@2: Light. And the Seal Beast was just funny. She always enjoyed Kero’s
rlm@2: company. 
rlm@2: 	“Yep! She made such a delicious cake as a thank you...” Kero sighed
rlm@2: dreamily, remembering the cake Tomoyo had made in more detail than he
rlm@2: could remember the actual event in question. “Hey, let’s ask Tomoyo-
rlm@2: chan to bake a nice big dessert for everybody when we finally find
rlm@2: her. If this place wasn’t so big, I’d go look for her right now. As
rlm@2: it is, I’d probably get lost and starve to death.” The Seal Beast
rlm@2: looked down at his stomach, putting both hands on it. “I’m already
rlm@2: wasting away.” 
rlm@2: 	“I’ll bake you something if you want, Kero-chan,” Bara offered,
rlm@2: looking over to the flying teddy bear. She idly wondered if she
rlm@2: should have based her teddy bear off of the Seal Beast, but decided
rlm@2: she was happier having something original. It felt more from the
rlm@2: heart that way. Besides, no stuffed animal could take Kero’s place. 
rlm@2: 	“Would you?” Kero’s eyes sparkled as he flew up next to the dark
rlm@2: haired girl. Yes, this was definitely Tomoyo’s daughter. “Wai!! Wai!!
rlm@2: Arigato, Bara-chan!!” Visions of cakes and sweets encircled his head
rlm@2: while he alighted next to the young heiress’s elbow. 
rlm@2: 	Giggling at Kero’s enthusiasm, Bara nodded quickly. “Un, Kero-chan.
rlm@2: It sounds like fun.” There were very few instances when Kero wasn’t
rlm@2: hungry and this didn’t appear to be one of them. The dark haired girl
rlm@2: had plenty of time to waste as it was and if the Seal Beast was
rlm@2: hungry, she was more than happy to cook for him. He was always very
rlm@2: complimentary about such things, so she didn’t have to worry overtly
rlm@2: about ruining a recipe while she was at it. Besides, cooking was an
rlm@2: art form in itself. So with enough patience, it could be a very
rlm@2: lovely thing. Bara enjoyed cooking nearly as much as she enjoyed
rlm@2: painting. They had a chef for such things, if they so needed it, but
rlm@2: Tomoyo and Sakura often cooked dinner together, and Bara had learned
rlm@2: from the two of them. She was slowly making her way through some of
rlm@2: the cookbooks in the kitchen along with Kero, though she needed
rlm@2: Tomoyo’s help with some of the trickier recipes.
rlm@2: Looking over at the Seal Beast with a smile, she didn’t notice as
rlm@2: the Sakura Book began slipping in her grasp. She barely looked back
rlm@2: in time to see it tumble end over end through space as it plummeted
rlm@2: to the floor below. 
rlm@2: 	“Owww!!” sounded rather than the thud Bara had been waiting for. 
rlm@2: 	Peering over the railing, Bara spotted Mirror sitting on the floor,
rlm@2: rubbing her head, the Sakura Book lying next to her. “Gomen nasai,
rlm@2: Mira-chan!” The dark haired girl darted down the stairs, nearly
rlm@2: tumbling down herself if not for Kero’s grip on her blouse as she
rlm@2: missed a step. Stumbling forward, she didn’t miss a beat as she
rlm@2: hurried to her injured friend’s side. “I’m so sorry, Mira-chan! It
rlm@2: just kinda... fell.” Sweatdropping, the pale heiress bowed
rlm@2: apologetically. “Daijoubu?”
rlm@2: 	One of the only real downsides to being the sweet, genki young
rlm@2: girl’s best friend was that it seemed her accident proneness had
rlm@2: targeted Mirror as well. As if it wasn’t enough that the pale girl
rlm@2: was always getting herself hurt, it always turned out that she
rlm@2: somehow managed to get Mirror hurt as well. It was as if Fate was
rlm@2: aiming at the poor girl and anyone who got near her. But even then,
rlm@2: the Sakura Card couldn’t imagine giving up her cherished friendship
rlm@2: with the girl for anything. Sighing, she continued to rub her own
rlm@2: dark hair, still a mirror image of Bara Daidouji. “I’m fine. Just a
rlm@2: little dazed. I didn’t expect it to start raining books today.”
rlm@2: 	“Awww... Gomen, Mira-chan.” Bending over, the pale girl kissed the
rlm@2: spot on Mirror’s head that the Sakura Card had been rubbing. Like a
rlm@2: mother kissing away some phantom pain, she gently pressed her lips
rlm@2: into Mirror’s soft, black hair. She didn’t know if it would do any
rlm@2: good, but it had always comforted her when she was younger, and the
rlm@2: gesture itself always made her feel better. Pulling away, she knelt
rlm@2: next to the fallen Sakura Card, hugging her pale legs to her chest.
rlm@2: She smiled softly at her friend, watching and waiting to see if she
rlm@2: was still in pain.
rlm@2: 	Blushing, Mirror looked down as Bara sat next to her. For a long
rlm@2: moment, she was silent. Maybe it wasn’t so bad that Bara was so
rlm@2: accident prone after all. If that was what she had to look forward to
rlm@2: when she got hurt, it might be worthwhile just to stumble around
rlm@2: blindly and see what happened. The dark haired girl had a very
rlm@2: gentle, loving touch and it shined through in everything she did. The
rlm@2: Cards had all quickly come to love their Mistress’s daughter, keeping
rlm@2: an eye out for her. That was probably the main reason Bara hadn’t
rlm@2: been hurt any worse than she already had over the years. The
rlm@2: embarrassment quickly melted away as Mirror’s eyes shot up eagerly.
rlm@2: “Oh, are you finished yet with whatever it was you were doing? Can
rlm@2: you tell me now?”
rlm@2: 	Bara giggled and hugged her legs tighter. “Yes, I’m finished with
rlm@2: it. No, I can’t tell you yet.” Letting go of her legs, the heiress
rlm@2: crawled over to Mirror and whispered in her ear so Kero wouldn’t
rlm@2: here. She knew how much he liked to be on the inside of everything.
rlm@2: “I can’t say now, but meet me in the garden tonight at nine. I’ll
rlm@2: explain everything then.” Standing up slowly, the pale girl smoothed
rlm@2: out her long skirt and smiled. “See you then, Mira-chan!”
rlm@2: 	Blushing once more from Bara’s cute whisper ringing through her
rlm@2: ear, Mirror nodded, now more confused than ever. What was she making?
rlm@2: Why was it so big a deal that she couldn’t simply tell her now? Well,
rlm@2: many things seemed like a big deal to the dark haired girl. Even
rlm@2: small things held a great deal of importance to her. So it didn’t
rlm@2: necessarily mean this was any different. But still, she couldn’t help
rlm@2: but wonder just what this was all about.
rlm@2: 	“What were you doing? And what are you two talking about?” Kero
rlm@2: demanded, disappointed about being left out of whatever this whole
rlm@2: thing was. 
rlm@2: 	“Come on, Kero-chan. You can decide what we bake,” Bara coaxed,
rlm@2: already on her way to the kitchen. 
rlm@2: 	The Seal Beast fell in with the younger girl, all previous thoughts
rlm@2: replaced with the goodies of what was to come.
rlm@2: 	Mirror sighed as she watched the two disappear around a corner.
rlm@2: “Bara-chan...”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Mirror paced nervously in the darkened garden as time slowly ticked
rlm@2: away in her head. There were plenty of lights out in the garden that
rlm@2: could be turned out if someone were so inclined to take a midnight
rlm@2: stroll or to have a late picnic, but aside from the lights of the
rlm@2: mansion, it was dark at the moment. The flustered Sakura Card
rlm@2: couldn’t even understand why she was so nervous. Bara was simply
rlm@2: going to explain whatever it was she had been doing earlier. From the
rlm@2: looks of things, she was probably sewing a yukata or something for
rlm@2: school. But then, maybe she could see the midnight haired girl in it.
rlm@2: That would be a sight to behold in and of itself. Just the same,
rlm@2: Mirror couldn’t completely set her anxiety aside. Bara was treating
rlm@2: this all like some special secret that she was enjoying far too much.
rlm@2: When this all turned out to be nothing more than some school
rlm@2: project... The green haired magical being knew that she should most
rlm@2: likely be in her Card form at the moment, back with the other Sakura
rlm@2: Cards, but she had to know that Bara was so excited about. Her best
rlm@2: friend was a real mystery at times. 
rlm@2: 	A sound from up above tore Mirror from her thoughts. Shifting back
rlm@2: to a reflection of Bara, she watched up above and listened for the
rlm@2: sound to return. A small figure haltingly crawled out of one of the
rlm@2: windows, stepping out onto a nearby tree branch. Mirror could barely
rlm@2: make out the pale girl in the dim moonlight, it’s pale glow
rlm@2: illuminating her faintly. Hurrying over to the tree, the Sakura Card
rlm@2: looked up and tried to spot her Mistress’s daughter. “Bara-chan?” she
rlm@2: called out.
rlm@2: 	“Shh... I’ll be right down,” came Bara’s whispered reply. The dark
rlm@2: haired girl stepped down to another branch, being careful not to snag
rlm@2: her dress on the tree. Bit by bit, she made her way down the tree.
rlm@2: Nearing the last few branches, she reached out with her foot for the
rlm@2: last one and missed. Losing he footing, the pale girl careened out of
rlm@2: the tree.
rlm@2: 	Mirror’s eyes went wide as she saw the shape of her best friend
rlm@2: drop out of the tree. Bolting under her, she tried to catch the
rlm@2: falling star, but did little more than break Bara’s fall. Collapsed
rlm@2: under the heiress’s slender weight, Mirror sighed, spitting out some
rlm@2: grass. “You’re going to be the death of me, Bara-chan.”
rlm@2: 	The pale girl giggled softly as she helped her magical friend back
rlm@2: to her feet. “Gomen nasai, Mira-chan. I’ll try to be more careful.
rlm@2: Thank you for saving me.” Bowing, she glanced up to see Mirror
rlm@2: watching her. Smiling at the Sakura Card, Bara stood up. Her hair in
rlm@2: slight disarray looked like the faintest of shadows, the first
rlm@2: touches of midnight gripping the sleeping world. Her alabaster skin
rlm@2: seemed to sparkle like freshly fallen snow in the dim moonlight. She
rlm@2: wore a stunning ice blue dress that flowed down to her ankles. Her
rlm@2: ears were adorned with two cute teardrop earrings. Slender shoes clad
rlm@2: her delicate little feet while white stockings disappeared underneath
rlm@2: the dress. She held a small pink sack that was drawn closed with some
rlm@2: pull strings. It was all slightly messy from her fall, little blades
rlm@2: of grass here and there and what looked like a leaf stuck in her
rlm@2: hair, but she looked altogether gorgeous nonetheless. 
rlm@2: 	Shaking her head, Mirror tried to find herself, but couldn’t help
rlm@2: but stare in astonishment at the Cardmistress’s stunning daughter.
rlm@2: The small girl was always beautiful, but that night she looked simply
rlm@2: angelic. “It was my pleasure. I’m just glad you’re all right, Bara-
rlm@2: chan. I don’t know what I’d do if you were hurt. I’d be a broken
rlm@2: mirror. It wouldn’t be worth going on if I couldn’t reflect your
rlm@2: beautiful image ever day.” She smiled when the pale girl giggled
rlm@2: softly and hugged her. She returned the hug, the two carbon copy
rlm@2: girls holding each other underneath the moonlit. They stayed that way
rlm@2: for a long time, the cool breeze playing with dark tendrils of black
rlm@2: hair, moonlight shimmering over them. Bara was like a falling star,
rlm@2: carrying her own inner light that cascaded through the darkness. Oh,
rlm@2: and she fell a lot. But Mirror wasn’t about to mention that. It was
rlm@2: nice to simply stand there, hugging the other girl while the night
rlm@2: enveloped them. The pale girl’s steady breathing lulled Mirror into a
rlm@2: peaceful silence. For a moment, she thought that Sakura’s daughter
rlm@2: had fallen asleep in her arms, but Bara slowly stirred and took a
rlm@2: step back. 
rlm@2: 	“This is for you, Mira-chan,” Bara said, smiling cutely. She held
rlm@2: out the small pink bag hopefully, trying to keep her own nervousness
rlm@2: from showing. She didn’t want to pressure Mirror with concern for how
rlm@2: she herself would feel. She simply wanted to express her feelings in
rlm@2: the best way she knew how. As the confused Sakura Card slowly took
rlm@2: the bag, Bara felt as if she were handing over all of her hopes and
rlm@2: dreams in the small sack. Her heart fluttered in her chest like a
rlm@2: cloud of butterflies, yet she continued to smile as best she could.
rlm@2: It was like waiting to see what someone thought of one of her
rlm@2: paintings, only infinitely worse. This time there was a lot more
rlm@2: involved than a simple piece of artwork. Crafted with such care and
rlm@2: love, she could only hope her gift would be given a good home. But it
rlm@2: was more than the gift itself. Wasn’t it her heart in that bag? It
rlm@2: had simply taken the shape of a bear for the night. It’s Fate now
rlm@2: rested in Mirror’s hands. 
rlm@2: 	Looking at Bara and then back at the bag, Mirror began to undo the
rlm@2: pull strings on the pink bundle. She was surprised to see her hands
rlm@2: shaking. She could never remember being this nervous, not even when
rlm@2: she had been confronted by Sakura after getting Touya hurt years and
rlm@2: years earlier. This was altogether different. And much more
rlm@2: frightening for some reason. Something in the back of her mind
rlm@2: whispered to her that it was only Bara. That there was nothing to
rlm@2: fear from this petite, lovely young girl. That eased the Sakura
rlm@2: Card’s nerves and allowed her to work out the last knot. Opening up
rlm@2: the bag, she gazed in to spy its contents. Inside sat a lone teddy
rlm@2: bear, his ‘fur’ a creamy peach and white combination. A cute lavender
rlm@2: bow was tied neatly around his neck, and beautiful emerald eyes
rlm@2: looked up from the teddy bear to the Sakura Card. Mirror stared at
rlm@2: the precious gift, speechless. The bag fluttered to the ground as she
rlm@2: held it up in the moonlight. “For.. me?”
rlm@2: 	Nodding quickly, Bara smiled, her eyes closed. She wanted to see
rlm@2: every little detail, to know what Mirror thought, to see how she
rlm@2: reacted and her facial expressions and what she did with the bear and
rlm@2: so on, but she couldn’t bring herself to watch. Her nervousness had
rlm@2: finally stepped in and gotten the better of her. She knew that she
rlm@2: couldn’t keep smiling if she watched. It would be too difficult to
rlm@2: keep it up when she was too concerned with how Mirror was taking it.
rlm@2: And if she kept smiling, it wouldn’t matter how Mirror would take it,
rlm@2: because then the Sakura Card wouldn’t have to worry about hurting
rlm@2: her. So she waited in silence, her hands held together in front of
rlm@2: her as the wind whistled in her ear. She wanted to open her eyes, but
rlm@2: she couldn’t quite get them to budge. All the better, she supposed.
rlm@2: She wanted to know exactly how Mirror felt about receiving her heart
rlm@2: in a bear costume, and she certainly wouldn’t know if she was staring
rlm@2: at Mirror and begging for a positive response. The cold wind brushed
rlm@2: her bare skin, as if to tease her about her gift. She felt her dress
rlm@2: flutter about in the wind, her dark hair waving forward. The silence
rlm@2: just made her all the more anxious, but she continued to smile for
rlm@2: what felt like an eternity. Something warm and soft pressed into her,
rlm@2: causing her to take a half step backwards. Blinking her eyes open,
rlm@2: she could see Mirror’s grateful, smiling face in front of her, and
rlm@2: realized that the Sakura Card was hugging her again. She could feel
rlm@2: the bear still in Mirror’s hands pressed against her back. For once,
rlm@2: Mirror was actually herself, her longer green hair tossing about in
rlm@2: the wind. Smiling genuinely now, Bara returned the hug tightly. 
rlm@2: 	“It’s so pretty. Thank you, Bara-chan. I’ve never gotten such a
rlm@2: wonderful gift. It’s perfect.” Elation rose through Mirrors soul as
rlm@2: the two stood under the starlight. Never had she imagined that
rlm@2: something so small yet so important as a little teddy bear would be
rlm@2: her own. That the black haired girl had made it for her was stunning.
rlm@2: She was a magical creation, a Sakura Card. Did she really deserve
rlm@2: something so special? Did it matter? Bara had made it for her. Had
rlm@2: crafted it with her own small, delicate hands. No gift could ever
rlm@2: exceed the small, precious teddy bear that she held. 
rlm@2: 	Relief flooded through Bara’s nervous body, the pale girl relaxing
rlm@2: into the embrace that held them both. And that was really all she
rlm@2: could ask for. Whatever happened in the future, well, hopefully the
rlm@2: legend of the teddy bear was true. “What are you going to name it,
rlm@2: Mira-chan?” the black haired heiress asked after a moment, the wind
rlm@2: dying down around the two of them. 
rlm@2: 	Pausing for a moment, Mirror shifted her grip on the cute bear in
rlm@2: her hand. Her fingers carefully traced the stitches as she held onto
rlm@2: the Cardmistress’s daughter. She remembered once more when she had
rlm@2: first met up with Touya. He had been helping her look for something,
rlm@2: but they had never found it. ‘When you find what you’re looking for..
rlm@2: Maybe you can go back..’ he had said, referring to heaven. Holding
rlm@2: the teddy bear tighter against Bara as she hugged the smaller girl,
rlm@2: she smiled to herself. She had found what she had been looking for
rlm@2: after all. But she needn’t go anywhere to find heaven. It was right
rlm@2: with her in the form of the darling little angel of a girl before
rlm@2: her. “I’m going to name it Bara-chan,” Mirror whispered.
rlm@2: 	Bara couldn’t help but smile joyously as the Mirror Card held her.
rlm@2: That had been exactly what she had prayed for. Maybe the legend was
rlm@2: true after all. “Really? There’s a legend that if someone gives you a
rlm@2: teddy bear and you name it after them, the two of you will fall in
rlm@2: love,” the dark haired girl explained quietly. She could feel her
rlm@2: hair moving around, but she couldn’t quite tell if it was the wind or
rlm@2: Mirror that was doing it. She shifted a bit against the now taller
rlm@2: girl, letting her eyes fall closed again. It felt so peaceful. Her
rlm@2: previous worries felt far away, as if they had been from years
rlm@2: before. Now she was just with Mirror. Under the moonlight. Her heart
rlm@2: beat steadily. It was all so sweetly romantic.
rlm@2: 	Mirror sighed softly, looking down at the younger girl. She kissed
rlm@2: Bara’s forehead gently, brushing back the girl’s short, black hair.
rlm@2: “I sure hope so,” she replied, smiling. Bara blushed and looked away,
rlm@2: burying her head against Mirror. Holding onto the dark haired girl
rlm@2: underneath the night sky, the Sakura Card promised off all of her
rlm@2: magic if only that moment could last forever.
rlm@2: