I don't really have an opening notes this time, Thank you all so very much for your continuing support and encouragements, I hope the chapter is worth the wait for you.
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Strawberry Surprises Chapter 9 - Plans
I do not own CCS
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The two girls sat silently. When the waitress brought the drinks, Sakura merely looked into the glass and seemed to Tomoyo like she wasn't really there at all.
Tomoyo herself was having a hard time processing it all as well. She was certain now that someone had done something to Sakura; she outright REFUSED to believe that her dear Sakura would willingly hurt the Cards, or any living creature for that matter. It just has to be some kind of spell, or trick or something. That's the only explanation for any of this.
"So… Tomoyo, what's the story with her?" Sakura asked. She was watching Seiko serve other tables. She wasn't sure why, but she was miffed at the idea of someone else having Tomoyo's attention. Well, and you're just avoiding thinking about your own problems. Still it was something that was obviously bothering her.
"It.. It was nothing Sakura… I was just having a ah, rough time then and Seiko was there to help me." Tomoyo blushed a little, but covered it up by taking a drink.
"What does, 'Help me' mean exactly Tomoyo?" Even though Sakura's voice was more than a little jealous, it was the Sakura she knew at least and Tomoyo couldn't contain the blush that filled her face even more than before. Seiko had certainly been there for her, at one point it had probably been the only thing keeping her sane, but it was probably best if Sakura never learned just what Tomoyo HAD done with the girl.
"It was a bad time for me, I was really upset over.." she paused. She wasn't sure just how much more stress Sakura could handle today, and bringing up their complicated relationship and the pain it had caused her over the years was probably not something Sakura really needed right now.
"I was really upset about a bunch of things. I needed someone to talk to and you were in Hong Kong," she stopped as Sakura's face turned white. Shit, great job Tomoyo, trying to hard to avoid admitting you slept with Seiko and instead literally throw the far bigger problem right in Sakura's face.. Just great. She rushed on in a hurry, "And I knew Seiko from this place and she comforted me when I really needed someone to be here for me."
"I've let so many people down…I've hurt you, and the Cards, and Li, and everyone so much.." Sakura was staring into her drink again, all signs of the normal her gone, her eyes were filled with tears and Tomoyo was having a hard time not crying herself. "What's the point to me even trying to fix this Tomoyo? I'll just make it worse in the end." Her worlds were barely a whisper. Tomoyo hesitated before responding, she didn't want to be hard on Sakura, but this was a feeling she herself knew far to well to be comfortable seeing Sakura this way.
"Sakura…I don't know what has happened, but first of all, I'm here for you, and I'm not letting you go again." She forced Sakura to look at her, by grabbing her hands, before continuing.
"This isn't the Sakura I know. You've always had your doubts, but you're better than this, and we can be so much better than this together. We BOTH know that whatever happened in Hong Kong," She winced at Sakura's flinch but went on anyways,
"Whatever happened that day, it wasn't because you failed or because you hated the cards. Something HAD to be controlling you, if it were anything else, Windy would not have come back to you, and Light and Dark would have as soon attacked you as talked to you. We just need to figure out what it was that caused all of this.
The look on Sakura's face was conflicted. It was both the confused Sakura that Tomoyo knew and loved so deeply, and at the same time it was so pained and hurt looking Tomoyo had to fight back tears again.
"What if I end up doing the same to you as I apparently did to the cards Tomoyo?" She was beginning to cry.
"I don't think I could live with myself if that happened. Whatever caused me to abandon them is still inside me, and I don't even consciously know what it could be."
That won't happen." Was Tomoyo's immediate response. While the thought had occurred to Tomoyo that whatever had possessed Sakura before could cause her to act again, and possibly more violently, that wasn't what Sakura needed to hear right now.
"If it did though…"
"That is NOT going to happen Sakura, we are going to fix this problem together, and nothing is going to drive me away from you."
"But-"
"No buts, enough of this dwelling, its not going to get us any close to finding out what happened in Hong Kong, or finding any of the cards." That seemed to get through a little to Sakura whose eyes focused a little, even if they were still full of tears..
"You're right Tomoyo," She took a sip of her drink finally and looked at least a little better, "I've made so many mistakes, but I have to start correcting them if I'm going to get anywhere."
"That sounds more like the Sakura I know, so do you have any ideas about where Mirror might be? She's our only real link to any of this apparently and I can't imagine she'd have gone very far given everything."
"You're probably right Tomoyo, but I have spent so long believing that all of the cards were safely with me, that finding her may be difficult."
"That is a problem, but we've done it before and we can do it again, you are the Card Captor after all."
"Alright, lets get going then Tomoyo." They got up and headed for the door, from above, Light and Dark watched their departure. Neither the girls nor the Cards saw the shadowy eyes that also watched them go.
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In the dungeons of an abandoned castle in southern Germany, a shadowy figure crept along, searching. Its so cold. Why the bloody hell is it so cold this far underground.. Terry didn't like this place, it gave him the creeps, but he had been sent here to investigate.
Supposedly a rogue Card was believed to be hiding in this castle. So far all he had seen was dust and a few rats. Turning a corner he saw a faint light and crept along to the door. He knew that the cards were dangerous and that he was to make no attempt at actually confronting it alone, but he still needed to confirm its presence. Its probably just some poor hobo down here trying to stay warm.
Still, it was his job. As he approached the door, he heard talking from inside.
"Yes master, she has become aware that we are missing, but knows little beyond that, Including why they went missing to begin with." The creature speaking HAD to be the Card he was sent to find, it was basically wreathed in water and ice and yet it stood calmly at ease.
"That's is fine, she had to discover it eventually. What about the situation with Power?" the woman he answered sounded very young, but he could not make out her face, her voice however was harsh and as biting as the
"We have discovered where She has been sealed, it is a weak one, but even with myself and the others, we would risk much to attempt to free her. Fiery was not happy."
"That foolish Card, she should never have been captured. She had just one job. Still we will free her in time." He paused and looked towards the door where Terry stood. "Still as long as I have this book, it is only a matter of time before all bow to me." She held up a thick book that looked exactly like the book Terry knew to be the Cards book.
"Yes Master." He had seen enough, so Terry moved to leave. Suddenly he felt a burning in his chest. He couldn't breath. It was like his lungs were full of water. He fell backwards into the door as the woman said.
"Now we can't have you leaving so soon dear, the party is only beginning. Don't you want to learn more of my plans before you go? For once he really didn't, but suddenly he could breath again.
"Can't let you die so easily either, I have a better idea for you. Now, tell me what brought you here and we can make this as painless as possible."
"You're just going to kill me anyways, while prolong it?"
"Kill you? I wouldn't dream of it, you are going to help me."
"Why would I-" he cut off as the woman held up a different card.
"Because you will want to." I really hate my job…
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Outside the bar, Toya, and Li were waiting for them.
"So what did you find out?" Li asked bluntly as they approached the car.
Before Sakura had a chance to say anything, Tomoyo answered, "Nothing immediately important, except that we need to find Mirror who seems to be the key in all of this right now. Except, the problem is we don't know where to look."
"Well that's just great isn't it? What about the two in there? Did you at least get them contained again? Its dangerous having cards roam free like that." Li was increasingly making Tomoyo want to punch him. But all she said was,
"That is not your problem Li, it's ours and we dealt with it." The cold in her words was so biting even Li stepped back from her slightly.
"So what's the plan now?" Toya asked calmly, ignoring the whole exchange.
"Well, They said mirror supposedly was somewhere nearby, but they were not sure where exactly." Sakura replied to her brother, she too ignoring Li entirely.
"Well surely you have to have some idea a to where to start?"
"Yes, I do have an idea. Well two actually. I might have an idea as to where Mirror is, but Tomoyo and me will get to that in bit." She looked at Toya and Li, with a pained expression for a minute before continuing.
"I need you two to do me a favor though. While we're finding Mirror, I want you to work together to locate the rogue cards and find out who's controlling them if possible. They need to be stopped, and it's almost a certainty that whoever is controlling them is linked to how they got free." Sakura is being so serious right now.. is it just the stress or is she actually growing up a little? Tomoyo wasn't sure she liked it much either way, but she stood silently and listened.
"So you want me, Li and Yuki to go to Europe and find out what we can?" Sakura nodded slightly.
"Actually I want you and Yuki to go, I know you'll find something. But if something was to happen and the cards were to attack, I'd feel safer knowing someone like Li was there to help you. "
"So I get here, find out you've made a total mess of everything, abandoned me for another girl, and now in the light of finding out you have literally NO idea what's going on, you want to send me away? And just as insurance to keep your brother safe? Why should I even begin to listen to this?" Li was furious.
"Because I don't remember anything from what happened before, so being around me isn't going to get you anywhere anyways, and because we BOTH know you could be of more use investigating the cards than searching aimlessly for one card you probably wouldn't even recognize if you talked to it." Sakura seemed to Tomoyo to be getting more irritated with Li as it went on, Then again, I don't like him much, so maybe I'm a little bias.
"But that's enough talk, we need to start moving. As I said Tomoyo I have an idea as to where Mirror is, but I'm going to need your help to find her." Not that I mind, but why my help?
"Hey, I'm not-" Li started but Toya picked him up and threw him into the car before slamming the door on him.
"Listen kid, I know you. I've known literally your entire life. Something happened didn't it? Something bad, real bad." Sakura's face said it all. "You don't have to tell me, I get it. But just stay safe. Getting yourself hurt or killed wont make anything better, you know that right?" She nodded. "Good. Tomoyo," He looked over at her. "Watch out for her, She may be an airhead but she's still my sister." Sakura stuck her tongue out at him. That's more like her.
"I will Toya…" Toya stepped a little closer to Tomoyo.
"Especially from the things she can't protect herself from. Like herself, that's what worries me most.." Toya whispered into her ear softly, then turned towards the car. louder he said.
"Well, I don't really like being ordered around by my little sister, but in this case she's right, me and Yuki will figure out whatever the hell is going on with the cards, you just worry about finding Mirror and getting to the bottom of what's wrong with you."
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As Toya and the others drove away, Sakura looked towards Tomoyo and for a second Tomoyo didn't see any of the worry that Sakura had to have had right now.
"Tomoyo, I was just thinking it was nice to be just us again. Its almost like when we first started looking for the cards.. Only.." She started to tear up again suddenly and Tomoyo rushed to her.
"Sakura! What's wrong what is it?"
"Only it's not the same at all, and I don't know what to do."
"But you have an idea, you said you knew where Mirror might be."
"I'm pretty sure I know exactly where Mirror is, but what then? What if we find out I did what I did because of something petty? What if I really am just a monster?"
"You are NOT a monster Sakura and we aren't even having this discussion right now." Tomoyo took her by the hand and started walking. She didn't know where to, but she was tired of waiting.
"Now where are we going Sakura?" Tomoyo stopped and looked back. Sakura was thinking and looking at the bar. Suddenly she shook her head.
"I thought at first it had to be Seiko. I mean she looks so much like me its scary, but it wasn't. I'd have known if it was a Card that close. But something about her feels different to me.."
"Sakura that's jealousy. Its cute in a way, but not helpful." Sakura shook her head again, but she actually laughed, which made Tomoyo's heart stutter slightly..
"No Tomoyo, that's not what I mean at all. I mean being honest, yes I AM jealous she could be there for you when I couldn't, or wouldn't." She paused and took a deep breath, "but that's not what I mean at all. There is something different about her that is not all that it seems, and she did feel faintly like Mirror. I don't think she IS Mirror but its entirely possible that she knows where she might be."
"And you are sure its not just your jealousy seeping in that you want to interrogate the person I sle-" Shit.
"That you WHAT?" Surprisingly Sakura didn't look mad, but just plain shocked in response to her slip.
"Nev..nevermind, we should go see Seiko."
"Tomoyo, just what DID happen between you two? TOMOYO?!" But Tomoyo was already going back inside, a slightly hysterical Sakura right behind.
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I Started the main writing on this chapter sometime in very late April 2015 as anyone who has checked my Profile has seen, it has been a very complicated and trying period in my life since then. Nonetheless, I hope that it was worth the wait to those who stuck with me.
