Olwen-Cheesecake: Today we have a special guest from CCS.
Takashi: grins
Olwen-Cheesecake: Don't you have something to...disclaim to
the audience for me?
Takashi: grin wavers
Olwen-Cheesecake: Is there something-
Takashi: mutters Chiharu-let-go.
Chiharu: smiles, avoiding eye contact
Olwen-Cheesecake: Chiharu why are you gripping Takashi's ea-
Chiharu: He's a liar that's why. Always storytelling. Did you
know he threatened to tell one of his all time favorite stor-
Takashi: Will you let go if I say I was joking?
Chiharu: No.
Takashi: frowns Why not?
Chiharu: smiles That'd take all the fun away.
Olwen-Cheesecake: sweat drops Perhaps this is a bad
time...turns to audience Anyway, I will apologize for wasting your time for
exactly...twenty seconds? So yeah-my point: I do not own Card Captor
Sakura...
A.N.: Just a not before you begin-from the last chapter, Kai, his name was changed. It is actually now changed to Mamoru, meaning earth. I just think his name is more significant this way.
"Patience brought you to know,
From Nameless and Nothing it came to show.
But the mixture wasn't mere,
Because the Mistress let fall a tear."
Sakura read for the umpteenth time. Syaoran had said he couldn't understand anything except for the first line.
"This one will take a long while to figure out." Syaoran added, unnecessarily.
"Well I'm not gonna waste my time staring, stupidly, at a small scroll that could pass off for a-" Chiharu was cut off by Takashi.
"Now sweetie, no harsh language is needed."
"I'll cut down if you cut down." Chiharu retorted.
"I don't speak harshly...not a lot anyway." Takashi replied.
"No, but your stories could be lessened..." Chiharu smiled cleverly.
Takashi sighed and bent over so that Chiharu could reach his ear. He couldn't help his story-telling. It was a given. He could hear Chiharu chuckling and felt her kiss his ear. His ear turned a bright, even though it hadn't been yanked. He stood straight again and admired his girlfriend in her pretty ashen kimono with its own pastel designs. He thought her an angel, though she could be cruel at times. She tortured him.
"Enough of this for now. It is time to get ready for the fair." Tomoyo got up. "And Sakura, you better come with me." Sakura followed Tomoyo into the room she was staying in. There, Tomoyo had already laid out Sakura's kimono. "Get dressed-and quick." Sakura nodded and changed behind the Shoji screen, again.
"Okay, now that you're done..." Tomoyo sighed as she pulled Sakura in front of one of the mirrors and began working on Sakura's hair. She isolated two strands of Sakura's hair, twisted them into two separate braids and then joined them around her head, at the back.
"Done yet?" Sakura asked, patiently.
"No." Tomoyo stated plainly. "Finishing touch..." That was when Sakura could see, in the mirror, that Tomoyo took out two fake flowers from a pocket in her skirt. It was a peony and cherry blossom. With careful movements she was able to cover the joining of the braids with the two lovely flowers.
"Why a peony?" Sakura asked, suddenly and suspiciously.
Tomoyo sighed, with the knowledge of something Sakura couldn't see. She wondered what it was. Nevertheless, Tomoyo answered, what sounded, as honestly as she could. "Their personalities meld, though they are not the same. At times they look great together and other times they look horrible. These two flowers were meant for each other."
"Are you absolutely sure-because I though that a-" Sakura was cut off.
"I'm absolutely sure. Now it's up to you to prove me right." Tomoyo smiled.
Sakura was speechless. She didn't understand what Tomoyo was getting at, but there was something there. Something she was too dense, as usual, to see. "What do you mean?"
Tomoyo had lost interest in the conversation, Sakura could see, but she answered one last time anyway. "Just promise me this. You prove to the world, to me, and to yourself that the peony and the cherry blossom belong."
"I-I promise?"
Touya looked around at the people in the fair. They varied in every feature on a human body, possible. He could never get his hopes up, especially since very few he had seen had those familiar sparkly eyes. Let alone very little women had those eyes.
Yukito stood inside the stuffy stand, watching Touya closely. He seemed discouraged and doubtful. "Don't worry Touya. I'm sure she's okay." Yukito decided to say.
"I'm sure she's fine too-but what if she never comes back? How will I say good bye to someone I can't live without? I could never imagine waking up in the morning without getting a thump on my head from my little kaijuu. How will I know whether fate will allow me to see her one last time? Things would never be the same. I'll be so...alone." Touya replied, even more miserably than he looked.
Yukito felt a strange and awkward wrench inside of him. He ignored the feeling and spoke despite the cramping inside of him. "Fate doesn't decide you; you decide fate."
Touya gave Yukito a genuine smile. "You're just full of advice, aren't you Yuki?"
Yukito's heart filled with warmth. He called me Yuki again! This could be an impro-
Yeah he called you Yuki-why is it so important?
Who are you?
Yue.
"Sakura calm down!" Tomoyo called while she, Meilin, and Chiharu struggled to catch up. The guys; Kero, Syaoran, and Takashi; had gone somewhere else to roam around in the fair. Meilin had left the "Dunno" brothers at her house with one of the orphanage volunteers, who was supposed to bring the brothers later, to the fair.
Sakura raced down into the fair, looking for all the jewelry stalls in the fair. She couldn't find it. Her thoughts were urging her forward, making her rush to the point where she'd almost trip and knock over at least ten stalls, but she couldn't stop. She had to keep going until it was found. Itwas so near she could feel it.
Whatever's set her off is totally important. I just can't understand what-. Tomoyo's thoughts were cut off by Sakura's squealing. She had finally found whatever she was looking for. Tomoyo caught up and saw that the owner of this stall looked devious. He seemed a peasant boy, with glasses and bright blue eyes, unlike Mamoru's. Mamoru's blue eyes were crystal clear and felt so familiar and warming, especially like the summer-time sea.
The peasant boy was smiling as Sakura jumped up and down in happiness at her find. Tomoyo peeked at the two matching necklaces that Sakura clutched as if they were her precious life. The boy at the stand winked at Tomoyo, and she felt herself shudder at the boy's straight-forwardness.
"Would you like that in a small bag?" The boy asked Sakura, pleasantly.
"Oh yes-please."
Tomoyo came closer until she was just by the boy. She felt him nudge her. Outrage flowed through her at his comfort around women and especially her. She glared at him, but he simply shrugged innocently. "Do we know one another?" Tomoyo finally asked after glaring at him long enough.
"I believe so."
His answer surprised her. Not because she hadn't expected him to answer or because she hadn't anticipated him to recognize her from somewhere, but because she thought him familiar as well. She began feeling comfortable and flirtatious around him, but she wouldn't dare show her mixed feelings around this curious boy that was roughly her age.
The boy smiled at her and nodded. She could swear he had just read her mind. She ignored it and shuddered, but quickly recomposed herself. He looked hurt by her reaction to his warm gesture. Tomoyo almost opened her mouth to say she meant no offense, but thought better of it. Sakura was already receiving the bag and preparing to leave and find the rest of their group. Tomoyo felt that she almost regretted leaving this boy now, but she had enough of her wits about to ask him his name.
"Eriol, " he replied with that sweet smile again; almost mischievous.
Tomoyo began to tell him her name, but he cut her off. "I do know you Tomoyo."
"W-what?" Tomoyo stuttered. "I-I..."
He looked as if he had seen things Tomoyo would never dream of seeing, or even want to. Suddenly she realized she did know him and she wanted to be there to comfort him and help him with his troubles. She realized that he needed more from her than Sakura did now.
Sakura grabbed Tomoyo's arm at that moment, "No time for Eriol, Tomoyo, we have to get going!"
Tomoyo didn't want to leave-"You know him!?" Sakura nodded. "Well...let me see your necklaces before we run off." Tomoyo decided to add in a Tomoyo-like way, "We have to make sure they're worth what you spent on them. We also have to make sure this gaki doesn't run off on us." Eriol, the blue-haired boy, smiled. Tomoyo smiled back and her mouth twitched as she heard Sakura giggle from behind. "Well let me see!" Tomoyo demanded and Sakura immediately took out the necklaces.
Tomoyo had to admit, the necklaces were worth more than what Sakura paid for them, but she wouldn't say a word of it. Both of the necklaces' theme was a heart, but both of them varied in the tiniest ways. The first one had wings and the second one, slightly more interesting to look at, had a sword stuck through it. On the hilt and partially the blade, there were displays of Celtic knotting and other intricate works. Tomoyo was fascinated, but Eriol brought her attention away from the necklaces.
"Suitable price..." Tomoyo's voice came out as a squeak. She was overwhelmed by this Eriol. His eyes bore into her, reading everything that had anything to do with her. She could feel him reading her like a book. However Sakura had come to know this boy it must have been at a most desperate time. His face was unreadable. Tomoyo felt vulnerable, but at the same time she liked his company. He felt so familiar-something about him. His aura, even, had some tweak about it. That was when she realized. His aura! Just like Mamoru's when I chose him to be my scribe. They both give off that-
Tomoyo saw Eriol's face redden and his eyes darken. Something was wrong and she knew he could read her mind now. He had to have, no one would react in such a way. It couldn't have been just a coincidence. Eriol looked as if he were going to leave suddenly, but Tomoyo grabbed his arm and so that only he could hear said, "Don't think I couldn't feel you in my mind Eriol, and whatever's bothering you has to do with Mamoru. I won't let you harm him, he's a good person."
Eriol's expression changed. He looked surprised as if he couldn't understand how she could've known he was in her mind. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Don't lie to me!" Tomoyo said, harshly. "Sakura may be dense, but I'm not. Make no mistake about that. Sakura may know you as a person that helped her or a person that is worth the company, but if you cannot handle my thoughts-leave them. Mind your own business."
It was the wrong thing to say because Eriol seemed to stiffen and become drained of any human emotion. "Perhaps it is my business." Was his answer. Then Tomoyo realized that he hadn't said it aloud and it was only in her mind. She shuddered. Eriol glanced at Sakura who was standing impatiently behind Tomoyo. "You have to go."
Tomoyo shook her head, "Don't do anything..."
Eriol forced on a sinister smile, "It is not in my power to do anything."
Before Tomoyo and Sakura met up with Meilin and Chiharu at the food stands, Tomoyo tried prying as much information she could out of Sakura.
"So he was the magician you met at the cabin?" Tomoyo needed verification.
"Yes," Sakura confirmed.
"What does he know?"
"Everything-I think he watches us closely." Sakura smiled. "I know he protects us in any way he can, unless we are not meant to be protected."
Tomoyo was shaken by her answer. She didn't want to know if Eriol was watching them.
Sakura giggled, "I think he likes you."
"He likes you too."
"You know in what way I mean!" Sakura teased.
"Damat-te!" Tomoyo exclaimed, stubbornly. A.N. "Shut up!"
Sakura was silent, but a smile was planted on her face.
"What now?" Tomoyo asked, regretfully.
"You know how he told us of the story before everything changed?"
"Yes..."
"Well, while Syaoran and I were catching up, you two were dancing-as a couple." Sakura added.
Tomoyo sighed, "Are you trying to make a point?"
"Yes!" Sakura exclaimed impatiently. "You two belong with each other!"
"That was then this is-"
"Now." It was Syaoran. Tomoyo shuddered. She didn't know how much he had heard, but she didn't ask him for fear of his response. "That may be true Tomoyo, but you know what they say-old feelings never die."
Now it was Sakura's turn to shudder. Could that mean-
"However, there are many exceptions, after going through our ordeal, some feelings must die." Syaoran continued.
Sakura wanted to argue and she did for that matter. "But in our ordeal, as you call it, we must restore those feelings to get back what we once had. Or there is no hope for our future. Wouldn't you agree?"
Syaoran was speechless, but he didn't show it for a second, he simply smiled. "I guess so-"
"Now where are the others?" Sakura changed the subject. She didn't want to talk about it. Syaoran shrugged to himself and pointed at a tree and under the tree sat Sakura's friends, eating and chatting away happily. Takashi's finger was up in the air and Chiharu was yanking him down by the ear. The others were either laughing or gossiping. Even Mamoru was there with the "Dunno" brothers. One was poking Mamoru's nose and the other was staring at him in the eye, curiously. Her friends were playful, and cheerful even knowing that the end could be very soon. They were light-hearted, even knowing that Sakura and Syaoran's actions could put them at jeopardy.
Suddenly she heard the laughter stop. Meilin was beaming at her from far away, under the tree. They must have called her. "Coming!" Sakura replied. She smiled to herself. There was always hope. Always.
After eating with her friends, Sakura decided that they should send the "Dunno" brothers home with Mamoru, Takashi, and Chiharu. Takashi and Chiharu claimed that they had things to do anyway and Mamoru argued that he was not getting paid to have fun. Sakura was reluctant to let them go, but decided she would make it up to them all by getting them some sort of souvenir from the fair.
While thinking about what sort of souvenirs Sakura should get for everyone she found a small stand with toys covering it to the point that one could hardly see the people working inside. "Meilin! It's a toys' stall! And it's free!" Sakura called the Meilin who was chattering away to Tomoyo behind Sakura.
"Alright!" She called back and both her and Tomoyo came running up to her. Syaoran was left behind, stumbling to a faster pace, head facing his feet. Meilin caught up and gasped. "This is perfect for the kids-I'm surprised all the toys haven't been taken already."
Tomoyo giggled, "They must be restocking every hour or so. That's so kind!"
They approached the stall cautiously. There was a sign that said "One toy per person." There were only four of them and they wanted to bring back toys for the orphanage and their friends.
Meilin put on her best, angelic face and decided to ask the owner if they were allowed to take more than one. "Uh-hello?" Meilin could distinctly see someone bent over in the stall, looking for something. "Uh-I'm a volunteer for the orphanage and my friends and I would all like a toy as well as for the orphanage. We were wondering if you would be as kind to us as to give us the privilege of taking more than one toy each-at least two." Meilin was holding her breath, and her face was almost blue, waiting for the owner of the stall to reply.
"Fair enough-help yourselves." a muffled voice replied. Meilin plucked two toys from the stall, followed by Sakura, Tomoyo and finally Syaoran. They were just about to leave, but Sakura felt it unfair not to show her appreciation. She turned back to the stall and heard the person in the stall hit his head on something.
"Found them!" he exclaimed.
Sakura moved forward, "Thank you so much."
The man, finally, had found what he was looking for and stood straight. He was taller than ever and clutched a pair of dirty glasses. He rubbed them clean and shoved them on his nose to verify he had heard that familiar voice. "Sakura!"
Suddenly another tall figure appeared from behind the stall. "Sakura?" It was Touya.
Sakura paled, "Great." Her first instinct was to run, but she wanted so much to just faint. Sakura could hear Tomoyo gasp and scream. Sakura slowly and steadily turned around, "RUN!"
Sakura knew she couldn't follow her friends, after all, Touya was after her. She dove into the crowds and split up with the group. She could hear Tomoyo scream her name, but she knew Meilin would drag her away. Sakura thought she would lose Touya in the crowd, but she could hear his light steps behind her. She could feel his will to catch. She could feel him accelerating. She ran to the nearest alley and climbed up the ladder on the wall of the building, in the alley. She scurried up the ladder and into the building through the window. She had to break the window and had cut her self in the carelessness of getting through. It stung, but she couldn't stop-Touya was so near. She could hear him panting. She needed the cards now more than ever. The first one that came out was the Fly card.
Sakura only paused a second to decide which corridor to run down. She chose the one with the window at the very end. Lucky for her the window was already open. She would have to call on the Fly while jumping out, or the wand wouldn't fit out the window. She sped up and prayed that her plan would be successful, otherwise she would just be a pancake seconds later. The window was getting closer. Tension grew and she tried not to think about Touya's close proximity. Three seconds 'till flight. Two seconds 'till flight. One second-Sakura dived out the window and in mid-air summoned the Fly card through her gasps. She would have expected the wand to sprout wings, but when she looked back at the window, where she had heard Touya gasp, she could only see massive feathered wings blocking her way. They had grown from her back!
Sakura faced the window now, flying backwards. She wanted to see what Touya thought of this, but he didn't seem disappointed at her departure. He didn't even seem surprised. Only his gasp seconds before were proof of his surprise, but now he looked solemn. She smiled and blew Touya a kiss. She wasn't mocking him, she was giving him a farewell. She couldn't hide her tears. Sakura had a feeling she wouldn't make it through her mission. She wouldn't come out of it the way she wanted. Nothing would ever be the same. Nothing.
Sakura flew to the far side of the fair, gladly keeping out of view. She summoned the Fly card back once she had landed in a safe area behind a tree. After that she set out to search for her friends, surely they had found each other and were waiting for her. Sakura found them waiting for her at the tree that they had eaten at in the early afternoon. Tomoyo grabbed and shook Sakura in concern; Meilin pulled her away from Tomoyo and hugged her; and Syaoran gave her concerned looks and ask her what had happened. She had to admit she was disappointed that he hadn't shaken her or hugged her or did something drastic. She couldn't believe she was alive. It felt like a dream, but she told them briefly how she had scrambled into a building nearby and how she had flown out the window using the Fly card. She told them how she had expected the wand to sprout wings, but instead she had. Sakura told them how Touya didn't seem to be upset at her escape. She told them she was tired and wanted to-
"Syaoran what's wrong?" Sakura asked. He seemed more distant than usual, but she knew he had wanted to say something that he thought might disturb everyone.
Syaoran hesitated before answering. "We split up after you had with us"
"So?" Meilin dismissed the statement.
Sakura hushed Meilin, "And?"
"I ended up near the Obythians' stalls, but I didn't stop until I was behind one of the well-guarded tents. Thank the gods that they hadn't seen me." he paused. "I never knew that the Emperor himself would come to the fair, but when I heard the confirmation of him being in that tent I got scared. I didn't know why he would be at such a petty fair. I knew he was up to something. I had to stay and listen."
"Go on," Sakura urged.
"He was talking to one of his loyal spies. I couldn't understand at first, but then I knew what he was talking about. He has plans for all the couples and pregnant women participating in this fair." Syaoran sighed sadly, "And his plans aren't pretty."
"Tomoyo!" Sakura called unhappily to her purple-eyed companion, exploring the stalls.
"What is it?"
Sakura's eyes began to water, "I can't find both of my heart pendants!"
"When did you last seem them?" Tomoyo asked without turning away from the stall that she was currently at.
"I put it in my purse, in that little bag that Eriol gave me. I think I put them away right when Syaoran crept up behind us and finished the end of your sentence, which by the way, totally infuriated me so I had to shoot some sort of retort back at him and all he did was stupidly smile at me as if I know best. Wouldn't that infuriate you?" Sakura replied in one breath.
"Uh huh..." Tomoyo replied lazily. "I'm sure you dropped it when you flew out the window."
"Oh no!" Sakura cried. "Right now I want to kill Touya sooo much."
"I'm sure, " Tomoyo responded, again, as if she were not really listening.
Sakura ignored her tone, "Can't we look for it?"
"After we find as many pregnant women as we can." Tomoyo agreed.
"How do you think that Syaoran and Meilin are doing with finding all the couple at the fair." Sakura asked.
"Don't be a worry-wart."
"Oh! There's a pregnant woman!" Sakura yelled at Tomoyo and received awkward glances from the crowds of people near her. Then more quietly she added, "Or there's a possibility she's been eating at that one food stall all day."
Tomoyo approached the woman and whispered something in her ear. It made the woman smile and she followed Tomoyo and Sakura through the fair. Sakura even found a couple that Syaoran must've missed so she called them and requested that they join her with the others. Or more like she demanded that they join her with the others.
Many seconds, minutes, and hours passed as they searched. By 11:30 p.m. they were able to retrieve as many couples and pregnant women as they could see were at the fair. Sakura was glad the almighty sovereign wasn't after any of the children. Yet she realized that if he had gone after the children, his own lost sons would have been eliminated as well.
"C'mon!" Tomoyo urged over her shoulder for everyone following behind them to hurry. They were going back to Meilin's house, in the basement, where all of the rest of the couples and pregnant women had been collected previously in the day. How they had gotten them all there was a mystery to Sakura. It seemed to her that just a general mention that the emperor was up to something made them believe their crew of friends. They trusted their own kind, not the emperor. He would never be able to buy their trust.
When
they gathered in the basement every single person was attentive and anxious to
know what Syaoran had overheard. "Okay ladies men and fetuses, listen up
carefully or you'll find yourselves confused to the utmost extent of being
confused. Not only that, but you may even
die, if you do not understand
what I am here to talk about and what my friends and I have saved you from."
Syaoran glanced around the room to see the effect of his words. No one was
baffled, but there were some looks of concern.
"I'm sure one of us briefly told you that the emperor had a
devious plan-a plan that would not only satisfy his Obythian populace, but also
us. How? Well, first of all, you wouldn't be there to complain would
you-if you were executed that is." Now everyone looked baffled. That word rung
in the air like some sort of poisonous green gas that everyone could see and
were uncomfortable around. Executed. They wouldn't have thought that the
emperor could be so cruel. In fact some had heard the emperor had a soft spot
anyway. But what was it that could make him love them like his own laypeople?
Why was he so cruel? Ah, but that was the beauty of it, he would never dare to
tell his big secrets. His reasons for action. His strive for life...or perhaps
even death. He would never tell them.
"I'm sure many of you are wondering what his exact plans
were. Actually, he was going to let you have the advantage of seeing one last
fireworks display and then fifteen minutes after midnight he was going to
announce the execution of all the couple and pregnant women-at the fair only. It
was going to be a sign. A warning. He wanted very few witnesses, but now there
is nothing to witness." Syaoran knew that everyone wanted to hear what else
he had to say. He knew that it would be simple to get their help, but he didn't
know if it was right to get them involved. Syaoran continued slowly, "His
reasoning is rather obvious. They think us despicable and disgraceful,
yet they had kept us alive all this time.
They aren't getting what they
want-they have no use of us if they have not obtained whatever it is they have
been wanting since the beginning of time. It is our extinction the emperor
wished to achieve. And he was starting from the bottom. First the potentials of
new births. The couples would be executed. Then the unborn-the fetuses in all
the pregnant women, including the women themselves; executed.
"He wants no more humans like us. Us; without their power or
knowledge. Us; without their wealth or fortune. Us; without the ability to
remember. Remember our world for what it was-what it should be. We are the real
inhabitants of this world and we should
never-NEVER have to tolerate such
cruelty in our presence...meant to harm us." Syaoran declared. There was some
confused applauding, but soon enough everyone was cheering. It was obvious to
Syaoran that these people had forgotten their past up until now. Why had they
remembered? That was too simple of a question. Sakura. Her power; her will...it
had the ability to restore any memory, any trust,
any...love.
They were going to be liberated.
Everyone quieted down when Sakura approached Syaoran's side. Her presence
brought comfort, but there was a hint of sadness to it. It didn't matter now,
though, she wanted to speak...and everyone knew it. Sakura became nervous by the
silence and respect everyone regarded her with. She spoke shakily, but once she
got into her speech, she felt calm. "S-since th-there are hundreds of
us-you-here right now, in this cramped cellar, I want to tell you the whole
truth. I want to explain to you why these memories come now. I want you to know
what I know.
"Can you remember exactly what happened two years back?"
Sakura looked around and smiled as some shook their heads, others looked
immensely confused, but mostly everyone yelled out or murmured things like "-and
the bright lights-" or "-went blank-" and "...darkness after the light."
Sakura waited for the murmuring to stop and then continued, "From the day
our past was wiped away from anyone's memory and borne unto Obythia, we
sacrificed everything; money, family, and friends...to get to this point."
Sakura shuddered even thinking about what she had lost. Faces began appearing in
her mind's eye. They were replaying over and over, torturing the sanity she had.
There were images of girls and boys that she once knew. School friends perhaps,
but most definitely her friends. "We sacrificed what little peace we did
have in the world. We sacrificed what we had left of equality, love, friendship,
faith and most of all...hope." Sakura felt a jet within her take off. She
was on fire. She liked it.
"This is my search for Hope, and right now hope says you have
what it takes to grasp back what was rightfully ours...Obythia. No-earth."
Sakura nodded at the confusion of the word "Earth" being mentioned again; over
and over. They knew it was familiar, but couldn't quite remember every single
detail of their once-upon-a-time-reality. "Yes...think back two years. Think
back and try to remember your world. Think back and ask yourselves why
you were able to let Obythians take control of your life. Think back and ask
yourself whether this life is better than how it had been before. Think back and
ask yourself, 'Can I make the right decision?'" Sakura began to pace from
right to left. All eyes were on her and there were no distractions; no movement,
and hardly any breathing at all.
"I
have lived two years serving beings that are no higher than you or I. Now they
are no longer equal to us-for what they have done. They have brought their low
rank upon themselves by enslaving us. Us. People like them only slightly
different. We were civilized, living our own small lives-nothing that should
have bothered them. Yet they still smother us like ants under their feet. They
still spit on us like a camel spitting on the hot desert sand. They still tear
us to shreds like useless, undesirable papers. They still toss us aside as if we
are only sticks or stones.
"Now I ask you again; can you make the right choice?" Sakura
pointed to Mamoru, the scribe standing along the back wall and then said, "Let
Mamoru know if you've made the choice to help u; to help yourselves."
Sakura walked away without expecting anyone rushing to the scribe or discussing their opinions, but to her surprise, every single person present applauded. She felt refreshed and motivated by this. She felt more than hopeful. She smiled sweetly and moved closer to Syaoran as people raced to Mamoru. Instead of sighing she just giggled.
"What?" Syaoran turned to her.
"You know how hard I worked on that speech!?"
"You couldn't have-there was no time." Syaoran replied, incredulously.
"Exactly," Sakura paused. "So basically I worked out around fifty brain cramps in thirty seconds." she calculated and then her face went dead serious. "It hurts!"
Syaoran sweat-dropped and laughed uneasily. Then he muttered under his breath, "Yes your episode was a true victory, but you're still the same dense girl I remember."
"All of them."
"All of them?"
"Yeah."
"Perfect!" Sakura cried happily to Mamoru's news. "Thank you!" She kissed Mamoru's cheek and skipped away to tell Syaoran.
"How many are there?" Syaoran asked.
"Four hundred eighty-eight."
"Wow." Syaoran gasped. "Great going Sakura."
"Thanks, I just hope we'll be able to find the Hope card in time." Sakura replied.
"Did you hear?" Syaoran changed the subject.
"No-what?" Sakura didn't mind the change. In fact, Syaoran doubted she noticed.
"It's all over Tokyo!" Syaoran grinned. "Well the central area, but the news is spreading real fast."
"What? What!?" Sakura's eyes sparkled and she was practically on top of Syaoran trying to get him to say what was going on.
"Oh...just that a group of heroes somehow saved all the ones that were meant to meet their doom at the fair-to the emperor's dismay." Syaoran chuckled. "They say he was so angry he almost killed one of his commanding officers."
Sakura laughed as well, calming down a bit. "Temper temper." They sat sharing their thoughts on what was happening around them and what their involvement meant.
"Isn't it weird?" Sakura suddenly asked through their umpteenth set of giggle fits.
"What?" Syaoran also stopped laughing.
Sakura sighed deeply, "How we can act like nothing ever happened, or that nothing is there-when there is. But what bothers me most is that we never talk about it. Why don't we?"
Surprisingly, Syaoran laughed again. "That confidence of yours is going to get you in trouble some day, but for now...I'm sure it's a good thing."
Sakura laughed a little too, "I suppose, but seriously..."
"Alright...we don't talk about it, well, because it's too confusing to talk about. I found my answer to the problem, but I'm not sure you have." Syaoran smiled lightly and found that he failed to continue.
Sakura helped him along by saying, "Well?"
"Well...Sakura, what I'm trying to say is that..." Syaoran sighed and closed his eyes thinking about all the good things that could happen if he admitted it now. He completely ignored what could go wrong. Perhaps for the best. "I-I love you." Syaoran finished uneasily.
Sakura felt her stomach flutter. How could she answer that? What decision had she for resolving the awkwardness? She felt hope fill her. She smiled to herself and knew.
Syaoran opened his eyes to see Sakura's eyes sparkling and at the same time glowing a even brighter emerald color than before. She moved closer to him with a smile playing on her lips. In the embrace Syaoran realized that he had caught her lips with his own and now the embrace was intimate. The intimacy only increased when he heard Sakura whisper in his ear, "Aishiteru."
Sakura had decided to look for her necklaces on her own. At the building she had flown from, she discovered nothing resembling her necklace so she decided it was safe enough to look through the fair, avoiding a certain area or stall. It wouldn't matter where she went anyway, the stalls were being taken down, and figured that Touya and Yukito must have left by now. Sakura headed closer to where Touya's stall had been and discovered still standing, but abandoned.
"Might as well take advantage of the situation." Sakura said to herself and headed over. She began yanking toys from the stall, each with its own reason for being taken. "This is for making me lose the necklaces...this is for trying to force me to sing...this is for abandoning your people...this is for Tomoyo...this is for me...this-this is for-"
"Syaoran?" Touya grabbed Sakura's wrist. "That IS the bastard's name, isn't it?"
"Oh...crap. Touya-let-go-of-me!" Sakura tried to pull away, but couldn't get loose.
Touya grabbed one toy, "This is for running away!" He grabbed another one, "This is for driving me nuts...and this-" he held his fist out, making Sakura flinch. "This is for making me proud." He dropped two heart necklaces in Sakura's hands. She realized he had let go of her. "Go you silly kaijuu." Touya encouraged with a hint of sadness and teasing.
Sakura was going to run, but decided against it. She hugged Touya lovingly. "I could never hate you more than I hate you now, Onii-chan."
Touya hugged back, "Take care of yourself kaijuu-Ow!" Sakura stomped on his foot and ran, tears threatening to fall.
Sakura arrived a little late for dinner, but would explain her reasoning truthfully. As soon as she got into the house she found Syaoran sitting on the couch patiently. Sakura smiled at him as she closed the door behind her, "Did you send everyone home for now?"
"Yeah...where were you?"
"At the fair, looking for my-"
"THE FAIR!?" Syaoran burst. "What if you got caught?"
"But I did," Sakura said as innocently as possible. "Touya let me go. He understands now-a little."
"But what if he hadn't let you go!?" Syaoran asked, angrier still.
"I would've handled myself fine." Sakura dropped the toys on the couch across from Syaoran.
"I told you that confidence of yours would get you in trouble!" Syaoran's voice was rising.
"Well it didn't. No trouble at all. Calm down." Sakura insisted.
"CALM DOWN!?" Syaoran boomed and at the same time stood up. "You could've been taken away! You knew the risks and you took them! How could you neglect yourself like that?"
Sakura's tears were threatening to fall again. She heard Meilin stop Tomoyo and Chiharu from dragging her away from Syaoran.
"Yeah! Go on, cry!" Syaoran cried bitterly.
Sakura choked in answer. All of a sudden, her eyes felt dry and her face red hot from anger. Her fingers were white due to the pressure she was putting on them by clutching her hands together so tightly. A hoarse, choked voice escaped her throat, "You're right. I've neglected myself. I've been stupid. I have no place here-I'm just in the way of your plans." Sakura cleared her throat. "I can't see my use of being here." Sakura stepped in Syaoran's direction. His face was drained of color. He was afraid for her, but he was going to yell again. Sakura threw something at his feet. "Was it love?"
Syaoran bent over and picked up a necklace with a heart on it. Through the heart, a sword pierced it with Celtic knotting on the blade. Syaoran looked up to where Sakura had been standing to find Meilin in her place, instead.
"She's gone to her room." Meilin explained before he could ask.
"Make sure she isn't let out of-"
Syaoran was cut off by Tomoyo's screams. "Sakura!? Sakura! She's gone!"
A.N.: HEY! Exciting? Suspenseful? Tell me about it... reviews guys! The fight was exciting was it not? I shouldn't be happy-I know, but I feel like a dog all of a sudden...why is that? Inu-Yasha -. I just wanna clarify one thing before I begin my list of explanations. Okay-so I changed the scribe's name, but for good reason. Mamoru is more meaningful. I also just found out what other character has the same name...from Sailor Moon. I should have guessed, but I always watched the English version where Tuxedo mask was Darien not "Mamoru". But guys, remember-my Mamoru is NOTHING like Tuxedo mask or Darien. NOTHING! NEVER!...Though Darien is quite-Sailor Moon hits Olwen-Cheesecake on her head.
List of Explanations:
1) The heart with the sword piercing through it is actually a symbol. It means something like "Love is Pain". The heart with the wings and crown, which is Sakura's necklace has a series of meanings: "Love is blind, but it will guide you", "Love is built on friendship and hope", and many more along those lines. I was gonna suggest "Love can fly due to its wings and is rich because the crown suggests so", but that would be poking fun wouldn't it? Anyways, widdershins-Marium Together, combined, the necklaces mean "True Love".
2) Sakura isn't really meant to be that clever or smart as you ALL know, but I have portrayed some sort of understanding in her, in this chapter when she was giving her huge-ass speech. It was actually one of those once-in-a-lifetime smart moments for her. She has it when it was needed most, I guess you could say. It also shows that her heart is always in the right place and because she is so determined in my fanfic her thinking accelerates and therefore no denseness in her can stop her from reaching her goal-she IS the Card Mistress after all.
Remember guys! R&R! (And point out any mistakes anywhere!)