The Standard Disclaimer: I won't bore you. Please write a review
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Chapter 9: Operation: Get Your Love (Preview)
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The following afternoon, Eriol found himself, waiting nervously in front of the theatre doors to Tomoeda high school's Daidouji theatre. Dressed in the clothes that were picked out so enthusiastically by Nakeru and Suppi-chan the evening before and armed with a bouquet of delicate, yet fragrant lilies of the valley, he waited for Tomoyo to come out of the theatre. 'Why am I doing this to myself?' he reflected to himself, 'I have absolutely no reason to be nervous.'
"Hey Eriol, I hope I didn't keep you waiting for too long," asked Tomoyo, as she came out of the theatre's doors.
"No, not that long."
"Oh."
"Tomoyo-chan, are you busy right now?" came a voice from behind her, "because if you aren't could I have a word with you?"
Tomoyo turned around and there was Eli waiting quietly for her. Nervously she looked from Eli to Eriol, as if she was waiting for a reaction of some sort of reaction. "Umm…. I guess so. Excuse me, Eriol this won't take too long," she said apologetically to Eriol, and turned to Eli.
"How I help you, Eli?"
"Is that my competition?" came the question bluntly
"Eriol isn't your competition, Eli. We're just going to dinner and a museum opening," said Tomoyo simply, "Not that I'm required to tell you or anything, Eli."
"Sounds like a date to me."
"Eli, if you just wanted to check if I've had a change of heart since last night. It hasn't," said Tomoyo quietly, "I'm sorry but I was planning to break it off that night, regardless of Eriol's return to Japan or not."
"Are you sure you don't have any feelings toward this Eriol?" asked Eli.
"Nothing more than should be felt towards a friend," said Tomoyo, while adding quietly to herself, 'an long absent friend, who never bothered to write me even a line'. " If that is all Eli, I'll see you in class tomorrow, have a good evening," with that she turned on her heels and walked back to Eriol.
" I'm sorry for keeping you waiting, Eriol. I had some things to take care of."
"As long as it is taken care of, Tomoyo," said Eriol, who during that entire exchange between Eli and Tomoyo, was trying his best not to eavesdrop; which was an attempt that failed miserably.
"So where to first?"
"Well the museum opening first then the reception,"
"Okay. Shall we get going?"
"Of course."
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Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Tomoyo and Eriol, there was a small party happening at Sakura Kinomoto's home, which was home base for all operatives involved in Operation: Get Your Love^.
"Okay, Me and Syaoran are going to stay here, because we can't sneak in to the museum opening, since it's by invitation only," issued Sakura, "However Kero-chan and Suppi-chan, you guys are going to be stationed at the museum, which is where you will be taking over from Mirror. So you better get going, if you are to get to checkpoint A on time."
"Got it, Sakura," said Suppi-chan
"Your orders are to keep an eye on Tomoyo and Eriol until they arrive at the Restaurant at which point Nakeru and Touya are to take over," said Syaoran seriously, picking up where Sakura left off, "Now listen this is VERY important, under NO circumstances are you to be seen by anyone, especially Tomoyo-chan and Eriol-kun, however you are to report back to us, if Eriol is about to do something that will annoy or upset Tomoyo-chan, or if anyone who is not a part of this mission endangering Eriol-kun and Tomoyo-chan's chances of having an enjoyable date. Got it?"
"Yes, Sir," said Kero-chan with a very smart salute.
"Oh Kero-chan and Suppi-chan, one more thing," said Sakura, just as the two smallest operatives were about to fly out of Sakura's windows, " YOU TWO ARE NOT TO TOUCH ANY OF THE FOOD, and YOU TWO ARE TO GET ALONG and You are to STAY OUT OF SIGHT, I don't have an invisible card. I will have someone watching you two at all times."
"Yes, Mistress of the Sakura Cards," said the two operatives meekly and flew off to complete their part of Mission: Get Your Love.
Sakura sighed as she watch Kero-chan and Suppi-chan fly off into the night, "I don't have a good feeling about those two," she said to Syaoran, as soon as Kero-chan and Suppi-chan disappeared from her line of sight.
"Don't worry so much about it, Sakura. I'm sure they'll do fine tonight," said Syaoran, " I think we should check up on Mirror and show things are proceeding."
"Sure," said Sakura, and she then dropped into the trance needed to scry (basically it's an way of spying on people without actually following them. It's a concept borrow from fantasy fiction, check it out in action in books by Tamora Pierce)^^. Soon there was an image of a small bird, which was flying over the heads of Eriol and Tomoyo; who were walking towards the museum, " Mirror what is your status?" asked Syaoran.
"I'm fine, Syaoran, things are going smoothly, I don't think I've been detected yet," said Mirror, "Eriol-sama and Tomoyo-chan are talking about Chopin at the moment."
"Has there been any trouble since this date started?"
"Umm…. Yes, there was, but Tomoyo took care of it. Eli Moon showed up just before Eriol and Tomoyo could leave for the museum," said Mirror and she continued to relate the entire conversation, which had happened between Eli and Tomoyo, "but other than that I don't think there has been any trouble since then."
"Okay, is that all?"
"Yes, Syaoran."
"Very well, carry on. Kero-chan and Suppi-chan will meet you at the front door of the Museum. You are to create a small diversion, try flying into the faces of the people manning tbe front doors of the Museum, which will enable Kero and Suppi to get in unnoticed. You are to do this after Eriol and Tomoyo have entered the museum and proceeded toward the gallery."
"Yes, Sir. Mirror Out."
After a few moments, Sakura had worked herself out of the trance, "Anything to report?"
"Yup," said Syaoran, and he proceed to relate the entire conversation between him and Mirror.
"Hmmm..." said Sakura thoughtfully, "I'll give Eli some points for being so persistent, but that's it. He could cause trouble later on, we'd better keep an eye on him."
Just then there was a knock on Sakura's door. "Come in," said Sakura.
Nakeru poked her head in," Did Suppi and Kero leave yet?"
"Yup they have."
"How much longer until I get my mission instructions," asked Nakeru, clearly impatient and extremely eager to get started on her part of the mission, " This going to be so much fun."
"Nakeru this is suppose to be serious, we're playing around with the love life of Eriol and Tomoyo, and we have to be absolutely seriously."
"If that was the case, we wouldn't be meddling," said Touya, who had just walked in, " You know that, Monster. Do I really have to work with Nakeru?"
"Yes, Onii-chan and could you please stop calling me monster."
"I don't see why I have to be involved in this, Sakura."
"Because Yukito wanted in, and you know you want to help Tomoyo, seeing that you once told me that she was like another little sister to you, because she is here so often."
"True, I guess. But I still don't understand why I have to be paired up with Nakeru on this mission."
"Because Sakura wants US to have some quiet time to catch up." Said Nakeru cheerfully, " and I want a complete explanation as to why you never wrote back to me," and she playfully wagged her finger at Touya, as if to scold him.
"But you never even wrote to me, so of course I wouldn't write to you."
"That is beside the point, you still should have written to me," said Nakeru, before bursting into peels of laughter at the expression on Touya's face.
"I think this one went to Nakeru, Touya-kun," said a quiet voice from the direction of the door.
"You're probably right, Yukito," said Touya, "but I don't see why we have to get involved, and why do I have to work with Nakeru?"
"Because the restaurant Eriol has made reservations at, you and Nakeru are working there so naturally you are going to be involved," pointed out Yukito.
"Nakeru is working at Maxim's?" asked Touya
"Yup, Touya. Aren't you lucky? You get to see me every night from now on," said Nakeru gleefully, completely ignoring the 'oh-shoot-me-now-and-hurry' expression on Touya's face.
"Wait a minute, about Yukito? What is he suppose to be doing?" asked Touya
"Yukito, well rather Yue is going to take over from you two after Eriol and Tomoyo leave the restaurant. Since Eriol's going to walk Tomoyo home, by way of Penguin Park, we're going to need someone following them from the air," explained Sakura.
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Meanwhile at front door of the museum, Tomoyo and Eriol were walking up the steps to the entrance, without mishap. Once through the door, Tomoyo looked around her surroundings.
"Thank you, Eriol. I mean for inviting me to this exhibit. I've heard that getting an invite to this exhibit is next to impossible. How did you mange it?"
"I've got my ways and connections," said Eriol with a mysterious smile, "Shall we go on in?" offering his arm to her.
Tomoyo laughed, " but of course" in her best imitation of a British accent, and placed her hand over his; they then proceeded to walk in to the Grand Gallery, completely oblivious to a small nightingale, who suddenly flew almost straight in to the doormen's faces; allowing two spots of colour to dart in and hide behind the row of palm tress, which lined the entrance way in to the Grand Gallery.
To be continued…
Author's Notes:
^ Get Your Love is the name of a CCS song, which is from the Japanese edition.
^^ Umm.. I probably should explain this, normally you won't need to go in to some sort of trance in order to scry, however, Sakura is the only one with a definite connection to the Sakura Cards, therefore making it difficult to perform such covert operations, such as spying on Tomoyo and Eriol, since Eriol still has magical powers, even if they are at half strength (according to the Manga, anyways.), that would be difficult, hence the reason why Sakura would need to trance to make sure there is a steady and secure connection to the current active agent, Mirror. I hope that clears up any sort of confusion. ^-^ sorry I didn't make that clear enough.
Well I hope you like what I've done with the beginning of Eriol and Tomoyo's first date. "-" A BIG BIG BIG Special thank you to Lady Destiny, who was so helpful and encouraging to me while writing this chapter. ARIGATO for everything Lady Destiny, Sugoi-ne?? I'm going to try and have the museum portion of the date up as soon as I can, but please don't expect it until at least after Christmas, because until my exams are done, my pen and imagination are tied... Gomenasai.
Happy READING and I wish you all the best the holidays have to offer you. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
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