Part Five
"Today's parent/teacher day!" Sakura said to Tomoyo happily. "Not only do we not have to do school work, but we also find out today who Juri's been dating!"
Tomoyo sweatdrops a bit at that. "It's really been bugging you, hasn't it Sakura?" she said, with a smile. "I do hope we see my mom today, but she's not sure if she can get away from her business meetings," she sighed.
"Your parents are divorced, aren't they?" Sakura asked. Tomoyo nodded. "That must have been hard," Sakura finished sadly.
"She's been much happier since he was gone, honestly," Tomoyo answered her with a cheerful smile. "I'm just glad that she's started dating again. She even moved her corporate headquarters to be nearer to the school."
"Wow," Sakura said admiringly. She looked over at the wall clock and jumped to her feet! "Oh, the acting Chairwoman's speech! We'll be late!"
"You just made it," Juri commented with a impish smile as the two panting and wheezing figures stumbled to a stop right beside her. "Don't worry, I saved you two some seats," Juri said, fighting back a laugh.
Sakura sat down between Juri and poor Tomoyo who was trying to catch her breath, when out of the blue Sakura suddenly felt a spark. And again, a flash of incredible, yet oddly familiar power. "Juri, Tomoyo," Sakura said breathlessly, "there's a Card nearby!" Tomoyo instantly took her ever- present video camera and slowly played it across the crowd.
"Where?" Tomoyo asked her eagerly. A hand touched Sakura's shoulder, and she turned to see Juri smiling down at her.
"Trouble?" Juri asked her mildly.
"We're not entirely sure," Tomoyo answered quietly. Suddenly, there was a crackle from the loudspeaker, and a figure stepped up to the microphone.
The vice-Principal adjusted his tie nervously before clearing his throat, "Welcome everybody. Today is the annual parent/teacher day here at Ohtori academy. But before the parents start arriving the Acting Chairwoman would like to say a few words," Two figures walked up to the platform, and Sakura felt her heart catch in her throat.
The young man was handsome, his long white hair framing elven features, and strangely, he cradled what appeared to be a stuffed animal toy in his arms. But it was the woman that caught Sakura's eye: long brown hair framed a beautiful, intelligent face, and when the breeze blew just right, Sakura caught the scent of roses and cherry blossoms.
"It's her," Sakura whispered softly, "the woman who saved me as a child. But how?"
The Chairwoman adjusted the microphone just a bit higher, even as the young man behind her suspiciously scanned the audience. 'Is he some kind of bodyguard?' Sakura found herself wondering, 'But he seems so delicate!'
"Students of Ohtori Academy, I'm Kaho Mitsuki, and I'm very honored to be standing here today. My year of filling in for the ill Kanae Ohtori will soon be over, as I'm happy to announce she will be soon returning to her former post." She smiled at the cheering, looking out over the crowd, and Sakura almost felt her heart stop when her eyes meet hers. "I am very proud of you all," she said simply, keeping her gaze locked with Sakura's eyes. With that, the speech was over, and she and her companion were quickly gone.
"Sakura, are you all right?" Tomoyo asked the dazed girl. Sakura shook her head and smiled weakly, and Tomoyo felt her heart go out to her.
"I'm fine," Sakura said with a frown. She spoke slowly "She's the one who rescued me when I was a child. And I'm sure I feel a Card around her. But how?"
Suddenly, an announcement blares loudly over the speakers all around the school: "Would Sakura Kinomoto and Company please report to the Chairman's observatory? Sakura and Company, to the observatory, please."
"I guess this is it," Sakura said softly.
"I'm going along with you," Tomoyo quietly said before Sakura could say anymore. Sakura opened up her mouth to try to argue with her, but saw an iron resolve in her eyes. That, and something... more, some deeper emotion.
Juri spoke up, "I'm going too."
Sakura groaned and rubbed a large, throbbing "x" on her forehead. "I have no idea how bad or crazy it's going to get this time..." she started off again.
"If you don't let us go with you," Tomoyo said to her quite cheerfully, "we'll just follow along behind you anyway."
Sakura sighed and sweatdropped. "I guess you're right." she said, and smiled at her two friends. As they walked along Tomoyo plucked a white rose at the base of the tower, and then quite ceremoniously put it in Sakura's breast pocket. She then leaned in and kissed Sakura lightly on the lips, then once again, more lingeringly.
"For luck, Sakura," Tomoyo said to softly. Sakura lingered there a moment too, lost in her eyes. They separated, and Sakura glared up at the smirking Juri. They made their way up the long flight of stairs, finally coming to a stop just outside the observatory doors.
Sakura drew out the sword pendant, cuped it in her hands, and spoke her voice echoing a bit in the arched hallways:
"Oh Sword of Dios, Power of magic, power of Right! Surrender the Blade, the sword of Light! Release!"
Her blade in hand, Sakura opened up the door and lead her friends inside. Suddenly, a figure swept down from above them, his blade swinging. Sakura pushed Tomoyo back into Juri's arms as she parried the blow, and he retreated up above. "Face the test of Yue!" the white haired boy with wings cried out, and swept down at her again. Sakura casually stepped aside, grabbed at a wing, and used his own momentum to slam him hard against a wall.
"Passed," she said as she sliced away his rose. A voice howled in rage and Sakura spun around to see a winged lion racing towards her. He clawed at her frantically, but she rolled while shielding her own rose, and managed to slash across the rose in his harness as well. The two opponents drew back a bit, taking a moment to recoverm then they knelt down before her.
"I, Yue, acknowledge you Sakura." the white haired, winged boy said formally.
"And I, Kerberos, acknowledge you Sakura," the winged lion said in a deeper, rumbling voice.
"But now," a woman's voice said, "you must make the final judgment." Kaho Mitsuki smiled slightly as she emerged from the shadows, carrying another sword, a gray rose on her breast. "A judgment on me," she finished.
"I don't understand," Sakura said with a frown.
"I used you, Sakura," Kaho Mitsuki said to her quietly, "with half truths and lies. I made you collect the cards, putting you and others," she looked at the two standing there behind Sakura, "in grave danger. Will you judge me and my deeds, Sakura?"
Sakura suddenly raced towards Ms Mitsuki and then swung her sword at her smoothly. A single cut, and the rose she wore lay in pieces on the floor, but Ms Mitsuki herself was untouched. "You saved my life," Sakura said to her softly, "I wanted to die that day, and I would have without you. I was drowning in my despair over my family's death, and you gave me a reason to live."
Ms Mitsuki swayed a bit in front of her, then she smiled. "The final test is one of mercy, Sakura. You passed it." Both darkness and light exploded out from her body, forming into twin figures standing before Sakura. Sakura raised the sword to bind them and saw a staff in her hands instead.
"What happened to..." Sakura blinked.
Ms. Mitsuki smiled at her gently, "You don't need to force them with a sword anymore, you only need to ask, mistress of the cards."
Sakura smiled back at her, then she raised her up new staff and said "Dark Card! Light Card! Return to your power confined! Dark and Light!" The two cards formed, and then softly dropped down into her hands.
A little while later as the parents began to arrive, they talked together outside. "Where did Yue and Kerberos go?" Sakura asked Kaho.
"Their purpose is to guard the protector of the cards. For an age that was me but now it's your turn. I believe they are taking on some new forms to prepare for their service to you." Sakura tried to protest the word 'service', but Ms Mitsuki shushed her and pointed, as two beautiful young women dressed in boy's and girl's uniforms walked out of the tower together, one pink haired, one purple haired. "Kerberos," she said, nodding to the pink haired girl, "Yue," nodding to the purple haired one. "Will you take on new names to fit your new bodies?"
The pink haired girl smiled and said "I'm Utena, and this," she said, looking down at the former Yue, "is Anthy."
"Wait a minute!" Sakura said angrily, startling the two of them. "Sorry," she said to the pair, then turned to Juri and said "Juri, you said you'd tell us who you're girlfriend was today!" Ms. Mitsuki and Tomoyo sweatdropped, and Juri smiled.
"Here she comes now," Juri said to them mildly and pointed to a disturbance that was moving through the crowd.
Five female bodyguards firmly cleared the way for a older beautiful woman with short, sandy hair. "Tomoyo!" she cried happily, picking her up in a hug.
As soon as she let her down, Tomoyo gently pulled Sakura forward to introduce her, "Sakura, this is my mother, Sonomi."
Sakura bowed nervously. "Very pleased to meet you," she stuttered out.
"And you. Are you Juri's friend?" Sonomi asked.
Sakura looked at her blankly a moment. Then Juri stepped forward, and Sonomi pulled Juri into her arms for a very thorough kiss.
"Juri told me about it yesterday," Tomoyo said to the dumbfounded Sakura. She smiled at the stunned girl, then slowly pulled her into a kiss.
"What was that for?" Sakura asked rather breathlessly.
"Preview for later," Tomoyo answered simply.
A fiercely blushing Sakura slowly smiled.
The End
"Today's parent/teacher day!" Sakura said to Tomoyo happily. "Not only do we not have to do school work, but we also find out today who Juri's been dating!"
Tomoyo sweatdrops a bit at that. "It's really been bugging you, hasn't it Sakura?" she said, with a smile. "I do hope we see my mom today, but she's not sure if she can get away from her business meetings," she sighed.
"Your parents are divorced, aren't they?" Sakura asked. Tomoyo nodded. "That must have been hard," Sakura finished sadly.
"She's been much happier since he was gone, honestly," Tomoyo answered her with a cheerful smile. "I'm just glad that she's started dating again. She even moved her corporate headquarters to be nearer to the school."
"Wow," Sakura said admiringly. She looked over at the wall clock and jumped to her feet! "Oh, the acting Chairwoman's speech! We'll be late!"
"You just made it," Juri commented with a impish smile as the two panting and wheezing figures stumbled to a stop right beside her. "Don't worry, I saved you two some seats," Juri said, fighting back a laugh.
Sakura sat down between Juri and poor Tomoyo who was trying to catch her breath, when out of the blue Sakura suddenly felt a spark. And again, a flash of incredible, yet oddly familiar power. "Juri, Tomoyo," Sakura said breathlessly, "there's a Card nearby!" Tomoyo instantly took her ever- present video camera and slowly played it across the crowd.
"Where?" Tomoyo asked her eagerly. A hand touched Sakura's shoulder, and she turned to see Juri smiling down at her.
"Trouble?" Juri asked her mildly.
"We're not entirely sure," Tomoyo answered quietly. Suddenly, there was a crackle from the loudspeaker, and a figure stepped up to the microphone.
The vice-Principal adjusted his tie nervously before clearing his throat, "Welcome everybody. Today is the annual parent/teacher day here at Ohtori academy. But before the parents start arriving the Acting Chairwoman would like to say a few words," Two figures walked up to the platform, and Sakura felt her heart catch in her throat.
The young man was handsome, his long white hair framing elven features, and strangely, he cradled what appeared to be a stuffed animal toy in his arms. But it was the woman that caught Sakura's eye: long brown hair framed a beautiful, intelligent face, and when the breeze blew just right, Sakura caught the scent of roses and cherry blossoms.
"It's her," Sakura whispered softly, "the woman who saved me as a child. But how?"
The Chairwoman adjusted the microphone just a bit higher, even as the young man behind her suspiciously scanned the audience. 'Is he some kind of bodyguard?' Sakura found herself wondering, 'But he seems so delicate!'
"Students of Ohtori Academy, I'm Kaho Mitsuki, and I'm very honored to be standing here today. My year of filling in for the ill Kanae Ohtori will soon be over, as I'm happy to announce she will be soon returning to her former post." She smiled at the cheering, looking out over the crowd, and Sakura almost felt her heart stop when her eyes meet hers. "I am very proud of you all," she said simply, keeping her gaze locked with Sakura's eyes. With that, the speech was over, and she and her companion were quickly gone.
"Sakura, are you all right?" Tomoyo asked the dazed girl. Sakura shook her head and smiled weakly, and Tomoyo felt her heart go out to her.
"I'm fine," Sakura said with a frown. She spoke slowly "She's the one who rescued me when I was a child. And I'm sure I feel a Card around her. But how?"
Suddenly, an announcement blares loudly over the speakers all around the school: "Would Sakura Kinomoto and Company please report to the Chairman's observatory? Sakura and Company, to the observatory, please."
"I guess this is it," Sakura said softly.
"I'm going along with you," Tomoyo quietly said before Sakura could say anymore. Sakura opened up her mouth to try to argue with her, but saw an iron resolve in her eyes. That, and something... more, some deeper emotion.
Juri spoke up, "I'm going too."
Sakura groaned and rubbed a large, throbbing "x" on her forehead. "I have no idea how bad or crazy it's going to get this time..." she started off again.
"If you don't let us go with you," Tomoyo said to her quite cheerfully, "we'll just follow along behind you anyway."
Sakura sighed and sweatdropped. "I guess you're right." she said, and smiled at her two friends. As they walked along Tomoyo plucked a white rose at the base of the tower, and then quite ceremoniously put it in Sakura's breast pocket. She then leaned in and kissed Sakura lightly on the lips, then once again, more lingeringly.
"For luck, Sakura," Tomoyo said to softly. Sakura lingered there a moment too, lost in her eyes. They separated, and Sakura glared up at the smirking Juri. They made their way up the long flight of stairs, finally coming to a stop just outside the observatory doors.
Sakura drew out the sword pendant, cuped it in her hands, and spoke her voice echoing a bit in the arched hallways:
"Oh Sword of Dios, Power of magic, power of Right! Surrender the Blade, the sword of Light! Release!"
Her blade in hand, Sakura opened up the door and lead her friends inside. Suddenly, a figure swept down from above them, his blade swinging. Sakura pushed Tomoyo back into Juri's arms as she parried the blow, and he retreated up above. "Face the test of Yue!" the white haired boy with wings cried out, and swept down at her again. Sakura casually stepped aside, grabbed at a wing, and used his own momentum to slam him hard against a wall.
"Passed," she said as she sliced away his rose. A voice howled in rage and Sakura spun around to see a winged lion racing towards her. He clawed at her frantically, but she rolled while shielding her own rose, and managed to slash across the rose in his harness as well. The two opponents drew back a bit, taking a moment to recoverm then they knelt down before her.
"I, Yue, acknowledge you Sakura." the white haired, winged boy said formally.
"And I, Kerberos, acknowledge you Sakura," the winged lion said in a deeper, rumbling voice.
"But now," a woman's voice said, "you must make the final judgment." Kaho Mitsuki smiled slightly as she emerged from the shadows, carrying another sword, a gray rose on her breast. "A judgment on me," she finished.
"I don't understand," Sakura said with a frown.
"I used you, Sakura," Kaho Mitsuki said to her quietly, "with half truths and lies. I made you collect the cards, putting you and others," she looked at the two standing there behind Sakura, "in grave danger. Will you judge me and my deeds, Sakura?"
Sakura suddenly raced towards Ms Mitsuki and then swung her sword at her smoothly. A single cut, and the rose she wore lay in pieces on the floor, but Ms Mitsuki herself was untouched. "You saved my life," Sakura said to her softly, "I wanted to die that day, and I would have without you. I was drowning in my despair over my family's death, and you gave me a reason to live."
Ms Mitsuki swayed a bit in front of her, then she smiled. "The final test is one of mercy, Sakura. You passed it." Both darkness and light exploded out from her body, forming into twin figures standing before Sakura. Sakura raised the sword to bind them and saw a staff in her hands instead.
"What happened to..." Sakura blinked.
Ms. Mitsuki smiled at her gently, "You don't need to force them with a sword anymore, you only need to ask, mistress of the cards."
Sakura smiled back at her, then she raised her up new staff and said "Dark Card! Light Card! Return to your power confined! Dark and Light!" The two cards formed, and then softly dropped down into her hands.
A little while later as the parents began to arrive, they talked together outside. "Where did Yue and Kerberos go?" Sakura asked Kaho.
"Their purpose is to guard the protector of the cards. For an age that was me but now it's your turn. I believe they are taking on some new forms to prepare for their service to you." Sakura tried to protest the word 'service', but Ms Mitsuki shushed her and pointed, as two beautiful young women dressed in boy's and girl's uniforms walked out of the tower together, one pink haired, one purple haired. "Kerberos," she said, nodding to the pink haired girl, "Yue," nodding to the purple haired one. "Will you take on new names to fit your new bodies?"
The pink haired girl smiled and said "I'm Utena, and this," she said, looking down at the former Yue, "is Anthy."
"Wait a minute!" Sakura said angrily, startling the two of them. "Sorry," she said to the pair, then turned to Juri and said "Juri, you said you'd tell us who you're girlfriend was today!" Ms. Mitsuki and Tomoyo sweatdropped, and Juri smiled.
"Here she comes now," Juri said to them mildly and pointed to a disturbance that was moving through the crowd.
Five female bodyguards firmly cleared the way for a older beautiful woman with short, sandy hair. "Tomoyo!" she cried happily, picking her up in a hug.
As soon as she let her down, Tomoyo gently pulled Sakura forward to introduce her, "Sakura, this is my mother, Sonomi."
Sakura bowed nervously. "Very pleased to meet you," she stuttered out.
"And you. Are you Juri's friend?" Sonomi asked.
Sakura looked at her blankly a moment. Then Juri stepped forward, and Sonomi pulled Juri into her arms for a very thorough kiss.
"Juri told me about it yesterday," Tomoyo said to the dumbfounded Sakura. She smiled at the stunned girl, then slowly pulled her into a kiss.
"What was that for?" Sakura asked rather breathlessly.
"Preview for later," Tomoyo answered simply.
A fiercely blushing Sakura slowly smiled.
The End