A/N: 50 REVIEWS? OMG! THANK YOU! MERCI! ARIGATO! XIE XIE! All those mean thank you. I can't believe it! Thank you guys so much! I can't really type a lot cause I tell you. I've typed the author note, disclaimer and reviewers section three times. All I want to say is I hope I will reach my goal soon, I was evil in the last chapter and I promise everyone things will get better. Let's get on with the story.
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Disclaimer: I do not own Cardcaptor Sakura, and I'm sure you don't too!
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Reviewers
A/N: I received an e-mail saying that the website has banned authors from replying their reviewers. I have no idea why but since I don't wanna get banned, I'll stop till I get some right news. I am so sorry you guys, I'm sure you've heard some authors being banned around here! Thanks for the reviews, I really appreciate them. Now on with the story!
I would have written the thank you list too but my com has the habit to freeze after copying too many names from the review list. That's why I can't...so sorry. It actually freeze 3 times just now..sigh!
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Chapter 19: Plan
"A ball to celebrate the engagement between...?" Sakura echoed to herself. She didn't know what to do. Help? Help the only guy she ever love entertain his friends and relatives in a ball to celebrate a wedding that isn't between her and him? NO way! Zilch! Zip!
"Yes, I will help your Majesty..."
Who was she kidding? This is the Queen she's talking about!
"How about you my dear?" Yelan's sharp brown eyes directed to Tomoyo, who was staring wide-eyed at Sakura.
"Oh! Yes your Majesty, I will help with the dresses."
"I appreciate both your help. Now, I have something else to attend too. You can leave now."
Both girls nodded and turned full circle before heading out of the door.
However, once Sakura opened the office door, she saw Rei standing right outside, ready to knock.
"Excuse me...Mother? I was just coming over to ask when the ball is."
Sakura side-stepped for her, not knowing what to say nor think. It took all she had in her to restrain herself from yelling, "How could you? Why did you steal Syaoran away from me?"
Shaking from her thoughts, she left the room and headed for the stables while Tomoyo returned to her room.
Yelan lifted her head up, "It's in 4 days."
Rei nodded and smiled. She then looked at the disappearing silhouette of Sakura. Knowing she was the actual girl that stole her fiancé's heart, she was curious why Sakura wasn't exactly insulting her.
Boy, if she were her, she would have brought insults to a whole new level.
Half consciously, she followed Sakura, not bothering to say goodbye to her future mother-in-law. Yelan watched as Rei disappeared from the door, quirking an eyebrow. This is interesting...
At the stables...
Sakura opened the stable door to reveal her beautiful eleven unicorns. Each trotted out to their mistress. All of them understood the misery Sakura was going through and comforted her when she seeks for them in the stables. Sakura smiled, knowing she could count on her unicorns whenever she needed them.
"Ok guys. Today, we need to do some practicing. Remember when I was young, we had a performance? We need to perform it in 4 days time for, Syao--- Prince Syaoran and Princess Rei's engagement celebration ball."
All of her unicorns looked uncertainly at each other. Help the witch who took away Syaoran? NO way!
Dust stepped front and neighed. As if reading their thoughts, Sakura's misty eyes shone with grief.
"I know... But, I can't refuse the Queen! For god sakes, I need to pull through this for just four more days! Just four more! Then, I will be out of Prince Syaoran's life, forever..."
Pain pierced the cherry blossom's fragile heart once again. Images of times she spent with her prince swam through her mind. No! She couldn't think of him at a time like this. She had to concentrate, choreographing the best unicorn performance ever!
(A/N: Actually, it will be ME who's going to do that performance...")
But...
A tear managed to found its way down Sakura's cheek. Realizing her sudden mistake, she wiped it off and blinked all her tears away.
"It's ok! I'm fine! Really! Everyone to their positions! Dust, I have a special something for you to do..."
The unicorns reluctantly started to practice their performance. Not knowing they have an unexpected visitor...
Rei stood behind the wall of the stable, watching how Sakura interacted with her pets...no her friends.
Oh how she envied Sakura. Sure she may be a princess who gets all the jewelry and dresses she wants but...besides Luna, she had no other girl to count upon. Besides, Luna isn't exactly someone who would call her a real friend. Thanks to her nasty attitude all the time and greediness, she chased away almost all her potential fiancés, until she was engaged to Syaoran.
She thought back to the first time she attempted to make a friend...
Flashback (A/N: Rei isn't the REAL bitch in this story. Not everyone is that unfeeling right?)
Note: Rei has dark reddish hair and black eyes while Luna has black hair and sliver eyes. They do look beautiful but not as pretty as Sakura and Tomoyo! But in the past...
"Hi there!"
A young prince turned to see to most horrid sight ever.
A young eight year old girl wearing the most beautiful dress he had ever seen.
However but the ugliest face he had never thought he could imagine.
With messy red hair with thousands of split ends, a pair of eyebrows that seemed to be just one and thousands of freckles, its no wonder she was avoided by any child in a six foot radius.
"AH! MONSTER!"
The boy ran away with lightning speed, disappearing in a split second.
The young girl, whose name is Rei, stood there hugging a unicorn doll. Tears filled with unshed tears, she ran away from all her pain.
Everyone criticized her appearance, even when she is a princess. Her maids have tried to tame her wild red locks but failed miserably due to lack of technology. Her freckles were unavoidable and her eyebrows...well, let's just say she wails like a train if someone were to pluck them.
But this little girl suffered more than that. No one liked her, not even animals.
Hell, they ran away at the sight of her.
All she had with her was a small unicorn doll that was white all over.
She tried being nice, she really did! Still, no one, except maybe her cousin Luna, who still looks at her strangely, ever came close to her.
Luna, who's child beauty was below average, never really talks to her "ugly" cousin.
However, due to her nasty attitude, no one really likes her. Therefore, her only friend was Rei.
Bawling her eyes out on a daily basis, the young girl knew no one to turn to for she had no friends.
Suddenly, she heard a gasp behind her.
Turning, she saw other children prancing into the playground.
Apparently, the garden was where queens and kings leave their small children out to play.
Sort of like a play date for many princes and princesses.
Looking for the source of the surprise, she was shocked herself.
Dressed in a sparkling glittery dress, with the cutest sliver bow on her head, was her cousin Luna. It seemed overnight that she has transformed from an ugly duckling to well a... a baby swan! Her sliver eyes sparkled with glee from the attention she received from her parent's friends. Her hair was down to her waist as usual but was amazingly silky that day. Her freckles were gone and her teeth were straight now. Rei had only one word to describe her cousin...beautiful.
Amazed, Rei wiped her tears away and approached her cousin slowly.
"Luna?"
Sliver eyes turned to the voice.
"Rei?"
"How?"
Luna whipped her head to her mother and asked if she could be excused.
Her mother nodded and Luna pulled Rei away.
Luna pulled Rei under a tree and said, "I'm so happy to see you. Since you're my only friend, I guess you are to only one who is worthy enough to know how I turn like this.. Besides, I think you need it."
Rei nodded, keeping silent.
Luna looked around to see if anyone was listening.
Satisfied with the situation, she whispered to her cousin.
"Daddy's advi—sor was playing around with stuff the other day and accidentally created something that makes us look pretty! It was used on a cat with the funniest fur ever. But after the magic ball was placed on it, its fur became all smooth! He only managed to make 3 though. He lost the "fourmulea" or something.."
Rei was amazed.
"Do you think? I can have one of those balls?"
Luna smiled at her cousin.
"I bribed Daddy and told him I wanted the last one. And... I brought the last one here to give it to you!"
"You would do that for me?"
Luna's eyes shifted, "Pfft! I just don't wanna be seen with a girl with... One eyebrow..."
Rei's heart pinched as she received the blue ball.
Inside was filled with sparkles and glitter.
Thinking hard... she debated to herself, asking her heart if this was right.
Images of criticism and insults appeared in her head.
She could no longer stand the insults and the loneliness.
Biting her lip, she threw the ball and a "poof" sound was heard.
Rei's image changed drastically... She had no more freckles, nor one eyebrow. Her hair has changed from wild to straight and silky. Rei looked at herself in a puddle while her cousin nodded in approval.
Rei was ecstatic. Gone with hideous look and hello to the new and improved Rei!
"Come on! Let's go show everyone your new look!"
Luna pulled her cousin once again. Rei, who was taken by surprise by the sudden jerk, dropped her unicorn doll on the grass, never seeing it again.
From that day on, Rei's life changed. Under the influence of Luna, she became greedy and nasty. She became self-centered and petty. No one liked her, but no one could deny her beauty.
End of Flashback
Rei sighed at the memory. Maybe, it was time to forget the hurt she experienced when she was young. Now, after listening to some of the maids in the Li palace, she realized how lucky she was.
She heard how Sakura's family died and what she had to go through for many years.
Losing someone precious to anyone would still be a big blow emotionally.
Now, she was doing the exact thing again to Sakura, taking away the only man she had ever grown to love.
Feeling remorseful, she decided it was time to change, time to make amends.
She doesn't care if Luna was appalled with her decision; all she knows now was that she had to do something to lift some guilt she was carrying.
"Hello?"
Sakura almost stumbled from her position at the sudden noise.
"Princess Rei?"
The once-devil nodded. "I just wanted to say it was a really amazing performance."
Sakura smiled genuinely, "This princess isn't so bad after all!"
The unicorns were startled. But...expect the Unexpected!
"Your unicorns are really beautiful you know... I remember I used to have a white unicorn doll"
Sakura grinned, "Princess Rei, I thank you for the compliment. Do you want to know more about the unicorns?"
Rei grinned, "I love to. And please, call me Rei, Kinomoto."
Sakura smile widened, "Only if you call me Sakura."
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They became quick friends since that day, to everyone surprise, including Luna, Rei wasn't as nasty as she used to be.
Rei was happier than she had been in years. She made not one, but two new friends! Scratch that. Thirteen new friends!
Syaoran noticed the change and weakly smiled from his bedroom window, watching the two girls practicing for the performance the next day.
Rei may have become more tolerable but...
"Sakura just have the ability to make anyone love her. And that's why I love her.."
He too had heard of the ball. However, he knew he would not be able to do anything to change the situation. He still cherished and adored Sakura with all his heart. It was painful to avoid Sakura after the heart-thumping kiss they shared just mere days ago. But...he just couldn't right then. He was scared. Scared of Rejection.
Tomoyo and Eriol however, had no improvement whatsoever. Eriol was usually seen in the library while Tomoyo stayed in her room to finish Yelan's dress.
Tomoyo had also heard of the new friendship formed and decided to join the circle. It was always nice to meet someone new, even when she's Syaoran's fiancée.
She also managed to sew new dresses for Rei, Sakura and herself. It fit them perfectly and Tomoyo was satisfied with her work.
Throughout the next two days, there was much hustle and bustle around the palace, all to prepare for the engagement ball.
Ribbons were hanged up. The ballroom was filled with decorations of the finest quality. The tables and chairs were made of the best oak and cushioned with the softest pillows (The chairs).
The field outside the stable was also fenced up into a heart shape. It would be the stage for Sakura's act.
As the day of the ball drew closer with each passing second, Sakura and Tomoyo's heart broke piece by piece even when on the outside the looked cheerful.
The day when the ball was commenced, was also the day of their departure from the palace, for the first and the last time.
Also, the final time they would say goodbye to their true loves, for eternity.
Days left: (Now, on the day of the ball) 7 days
To be continued...
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A/N: AhhHH! I managed to complete it in time. Amazing. So, how did you think of Rei this time? This chapter is mostly about her.Luna is still nasty but maybe she'll change. I say MAYBE. Sorry for not updating sooner, also had a tad bit of writer's block. It may seem short but I did make the word count. 2143 words. Also, I didn't have a reviewers section. I couldn't add anything else. Anyways... Hope you like it!
ANNOUNCEMENT: Oh ya! Syaoran's sisters went on a trip but will be there for the ball.
This is Cherri-star signing off!