Author’s notes: This story is set in the future of Cardcaptor Sakura. ^-^ Tomoyo & Sakura are married and have a child named Bara. This is just a cute little story that I’ve been wanting to write for a while now. If you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail me. ^-^ I always love to hear what people think. ^-^ The characters are not my own (with the exception of Bara). They are property of CLAMP. Be My Teddy Bear by Amazoness Duo amazonessduo@hotmail.com “How kawaii!! I finally get the chance to videotape the two most beautiful women in my life,” Tomoyo exclaimed ecstatically, zooming in on the subjects of her camcorder. A pale hand went to the slightly eccentric woman’s cheek as she focused the image. Her long, dark hair, done up in two pigtails with some aquamarine ribbons, stirred lightly in the gentle afternoon breeze that meandered through the garden bringing with it the sweet fragrance of flowers in bloom. The two women who were as always the focus of Tomoyo’s wholehearted attention blushed simultaneously as they found themselves caught on video. “Tomoyo-chan...” The taller of the two said nervously as she placed her hand behind her head. Her fingers brushed chestnut hair away from her eyes as the gentle breeze began to pick up. After over a decade of marriage, Sakura still couldn’t hide her embarrassment over some of her wife’s obsessive remarks. Of course, knowing what was behind her best friend’s words actually made it all the more embarrassing. These weren’t just strange comments as she’d thought when they were children. She knew very well just how much Tomoyo meant every one of them. Of course, even if they were a little embarrassing to hear at the end of a meeting at Daidouji Inc., she could never bring herself to ask Tomoyo to stop. She wouldn’t want the dark haired woman to cease such things, after all. Besides, wasn’t that sweet devotion part of why she had married her in the first place? So even if it always started Sakura blushing, she was always happy to hear her wife’s strange remarks. The younger girl, not much older than Sakura had been back when she had begun her own adventure with the Cards, sweatdropped herself. Daidouji Bara was a small, pale girl with short, midnight hair. While not quite as easily embarrassed as her more athletic mother, she still found herself blushing at some of Tomoyo’s comments. Certainly not starved for attention, she once again whiled away her afternoon by having a picnic with her parents. The daughter of Sakura and Tomoyo was an energetic and gentle girl. While not being as athletically inclined as Sakura, she did find herself becoming more and more interested in the magical workings of her mother’s own Sakura Cards. Part of that was because of her friendship with several of the Cards, including the Flower and Mirror. Brave and determined, there was little that frightened her and so magic had quickly become something that captivated her attention. Unfortunately, through some twist of nature, or perhaps an inheritance from Nadeshiko, the poor girl was terribly accident prone. This kept her loving parents and guardians ever vigilant, but even then she often got herself hurt. While not quite as overprotective as Tomoyo’s mother, they still tried to keep a careful eye on their bubbly daughter. “Okaa-sama...” Bara said, nearly mimicking Sakura. This only brought a giggle from Tomoyo and yet more videotaping. Bara didn’t really mind her mother’s videotaping hobby. In fact, she had grown up with that particular facet of life. So it hardly seemed strange when the dark haired woman pulled out her camcorder to record just about any event. It seemed that the only prerequisite for Tomoyo’s camcorder was that Sakura or Bara had to be present. The loving wife and mother was always happy to videotape one or the other for her ever expanding collection of videotape. Bara herself enjoyed watching through her mother’s older videotapes so aptly entitled ‘Cardcaptor Sakura’ or ‘Sakura-chan’s Kawaii and Magical Adventures’. It always fascinated her to watch her parents in their younger days and the exciting escapades they had found themselves in. She had even worn some of the costumes that Sakura had worn in the videotapes. Tomoyo had kept nearly every costume, so when Bara had asked her about them she had been more than happy to go through the vast collection. The designer of the costumes had fixed up some of them to fit Bara and had taped her running around in them. Bara had been awestruck at the wide variety of beautiful designs that her mother had sewn over the years. The gorgeous outfits had all been eye candy for the hungry girl. Sharing her mother’s flare for the artistic, she had easily been lost in the wide array of clothes kept in pristine condition. In recent years she had even begun helping Tomoyo with some of the costumes that she still made for an embarrassed but willing Sakura. She was always thrilled to see the finished designs on their auburn haired model, something she shared with her pale mother. “Oh, Bara-chan,” Tomoyo began thoughtfully, pulling herself from her Sakura induced daydreams. Her hand went to her chin as she placed the camcorder on her lap. “I picked up some materials for you on the way home. I put them on your bed. If you want a different design for the cloth I can go through my closet and see if there’s anything you like.” Her trademark smile graced her lips as she watched her daughter’s face light up. It was such a wonderful feeling to see her daughter enjoying some of the same things that had always brought joy to her own heart. Tomoyo’s mother had taught her simple things like sewing and even videotaping when she had been a child herself and she had fallen in love with these seemingly simple activities. Mostly because the woman she loved was always the focus of her work. Seeing her daughter grow up was equally thrilling but was slightly bittersweet. She knew that her child would one day grow up and find her own way in the world, but part of her wanted to cling on to the baby girl that she and Sakura had raised together, to never let her grow up. But watching her blossom into a beautiful woman, seeing the result of her love for Sakura grow was a gift that she would never let go of. “Really?! Okaa-sama, arigato!” Bara nearly squealed. Pushing off the picnic blanket, she hugged the older woman tightly. Tomoyo hugged her back for a moment before the younger girl got to her feet. Excitement tingled through her mind as the half-forgotten thought from earlier once gained her full attention. Bowing to both of her parents, she smoothed down her sunflower yellow sundress as the wind played with the edges. “Dinner was wonderful. It was a lot of fun. I think I’m going to go to my room to start right now. Thank you again, mother!” She smiled happily as she turned on a sandalled foot and hurried towards the large mansion. Despite her frail body, the younger girl took off like a shot, anticipation evident in her eager strides. Sweatdropping, Sakura watched her daughter disappear into the house, wincing as the younger girl nearly fell on her face, barely recovering herself. The door finally swung shut, bringing forth a relieved sigh from the two parents as their baby remained unscathed for the time being. Turning to her still smiling wife, the auburn haired woman raised a quizzical eyebrow. “Bara-chan sure was eager. I think she would have even given Sonomi-sama some trouble in a race just now.” “And Sakura-chan, too, if that’s the case,” Tomoyo added, sipping some tea delicately, her stormy blue eyes never leaving the Mistress of the Cards. Dark lashes fluttered half closed as she savored the bitter taste of the tea, watching Sakura through long lashes. “She may not be very fast but she can’t help speeding off with her whole heart blazing.” “Well, she might not be fast, but she has your cute feet,” Sakura replied thoughtfully, resting back on her hands. Her eyes went to Tomoyo’s pale bare feet, her unused sandals lying next to the picnic basket. The pale girl had always been beautiful, but as she had grown into a woman she had become absolutely stunning, and it was something that Sakura was easily reminded of. Her mind would have happily lingered on such warm thoughts had something Tomoyo said hadn’t suddenly replayed through her mind like one of Tomoyo’s tapes on replay. Sitting up, the brunette shifted her legs under her. Her throat had suddenly gone dry and she had to lick her lips before continuing. Bara was still her little girl in her mind and it was difficult to imagine her growing up so quickly. Sakura had always tried to protect those she loved and she had come to understand just why Sonomi had been so overprotective now that she had a daughter of her own. “Wait, with ‘her whole heart blazing’?” Years ago, the brunette had written off a lot of Tomoyo’s strange comments as just her friend’s cute but bizarre eccentricity. But as she had learned from their time dating and years of marriage, what Tomoyo said should always be given careful consideration. Certain things still slipped past her at times, but she wasn’t nearly as dense as she once had been, especially when it came to the dark haired woman. Smiling to herself, Tomoyo again sipped at her tea. She had wondered if Sakura would catch that. Setting down the tea cup, the pale woman brushed some grass away from her long skirt. “She may have my feet, but she definitely has Sakura-chan’s adorable ears.” Pausing for a moment, Tomoyo tilted her head to the side, dark hair spilling past her shoulder in a shadowy cascade. “And Sakura-chan’s nose. And your sparkling emerald eyes, always so full of energy and determination.” Sighing sweetly, Tomoyo placed a hand on her cheek. A soft giggle escaped her lips as a slightly flustered Sakura continued to watch her intently. Shifting on the blanket, the dark haired woman felt her bare feet brush against the soft fabric. Tilting her head back, Tomoyo brushed a long, dark pigtail over her shoulder. She waited for Sakura to comment, but the brunette just waited, her hands now on the blanket in front of her. Sighing to herself at the gorgeous sight before her, Tomoyo almost forgot what had been on her mind. Pale fingers reached out, gently playing with Sakura’s auburn hair. The soft strands swayed at her touch, tickling playful fingers. The shorter haired woman held her breath for a moment as Tomoyo brushed through the luxurious hair. Her heart swelled happily as she looked into the eyes of her genki wife. Her love for Sakura had only grown stronger as the Cardmistress’s presence nurtured it. That train of thought reminded her of the purpose of Sakura’s intent gaze, but it could have easily been her touch that drew Sakura nearer. And almost subconsciously, the brunette was getting ever closer. A delicious warmth spread through Tomoyo’s soul despite the cool breeze swirling around them. Her daughter’s company was always wonderful to have, but time alone with Sakura was it’s own reward. “You haven’t noticed? Bara-chan has been extra genki lately. And very dreamy.” She paused, waiting for Sakura’s reaction. “Un... I guess so. But what does that have to do with her heart?” Sakura asked curiously, her own hand coming to a rest atop Tomoyo’s. She could still feel Tomoyo’s fingers in her hair, moving through the short hair slowly. The sensation was certainly a pleasant one as they sat under the sinking sun. The Mistress of the Cards would have been happy to simply bask in Tomoyo’s gentle touch, but her curiosity had been piqued. Sakura herself had never been very good at reading hearts, whether it be her own or someone else’s. But her nearly constantly smiling wife could read hearts with an ease that had always surprised Sakura. Tomoyo seemed to know them inside and out, Sakura’s in specific. But the pale woman seemed to be able to read her daughter equally as well. Sakura knew her daughter well, but there were some things that slipped past her. She was glad that her more perceptive wife always picked up on them. “Bara-chan is making a teddy bear to give to someone very important to her,” Tomoyo said simply, watching Sakura’s reaction. For a moment, the auburn haired mage said nothing, emerald eyes sparkling with their own inner radiance. Sakura looked as if she may be dreaming, still drifting closer to the warmth of her wife’s embrace as Tomoyo continued toying with her hair. After a long moment, the jade orbs widened perceptibly, shock registering on Sakura’s pretty face. “A teddy bear..?” Sakura asked, trailing off. She shook her head quickly, still holding Tomoyo’s hand to the side of her head. “But she’s just... How can she be making one... She’s making a teddy bear for the person she likes?” the surprised Cardmistress got out at last. The dark haired woman nodded, still smiling sweetly. The fact that Tomoyo didn’t seem fazed at all by this turn of events didn’t immediately soothe Sakura’s frazzled nerves. After all, the lavender haired businesswoman rarely seemed shaken by anything that didn’t have to do with her. And even then, Tomoyo had hidden it from her for the longest time whenever she would worry. Any arguments Sakura could think of died before they made their way to her mouth. Age couldn’t be a problem. Tomoyo had been in love with her since the third grade. Sakura couldn’t even argue about Bara sewing because Tomoyo had been teaching her how. Besides, even if Bara was accident prone, she never seemed to have trouble with artistic endeavors. The fact that her daughter was in love with someone wasn’t such a big deal, but she was hit with the sudden realization that her baby girl wasn’t quite so little anymore. “Hoe...” she got out weakly. “Sakura-chan makes such a cute mother,” Tomoyo whispered softly as she closed the remaining distance between herself and her still bewildered wife. Her lips pressed lightly against Sakura’s, drawing the brunette from her jumbled thoughts to a much more pressing here and now. Tomoyo had known all about the teddy bear and had actually been the one to tell Bara about the legend behind giving one to the person you liked. She was even fairly confident that she knew the focus of Bara’s attention. Of course, there would be time to explain the intricacies to Sakura later on. For now it was much nicer to just enjoy the distinct taste of Sakura’s kisses. Sakura apparently thought so as well, her arms sliding around Tomoyo’s waist and pulling her closer as their kiss deepened. Letting her eyes fall closed, Tomoyo sighed inwardly. Love wrapped her heart like a heavy quilt. Love spun her around, leaving her ever thirsty for more of it’s intoxicating and endless depths. It was for this reason that she was so pleased to see her daughter falling in love. Her love for Sakura, and in later years Sakura’s love for her, had been life’s greatest joy and deepest amazement. If her daughter could experience that same warm and all encompassing feeling then it was with great joy that she watched her growing into a beautiful young woman. Curling up with Sakura on the blanket, the two women quickly lost themselves to each other, lost to a deep and endless love that had captured them both long ago. As the heavy sun began sinking beyond the horizon, the two women continued to kiss, embracing warmly under the darkening sky. Blushing at her parents’ sudden display of affection, Bara closed the blinds to her window. She had been about to call down to Tomoyo to thank her again for the materials for her teddy bear, but the older woman looked like she had her mind on other things. Not that Sakura was ever far from her mind. Deciding it might be best to thank her mother later, the younger girl hurried to her bed. Surveying the items on her bed, the materials all looked perfect for what she had in mind. A beautiful peach and white cloth would make up the body of the bear. A lavender bow would clad the small teddy bear when it was finished while tiny little green orbs would make up the eyes. Tomoyo had insisted upon that small touch. “After all, if the one you like is going to name it after you, it should have your eyes,” Tomoyo had said earlier. “That way, they will always see you when they look into its eyes.” Sitting on her bed next to the pile of supplies, the dark haired girl pulled her legs up to her chest. The bear was already fully assembled in her head, but she didn’t know where to start. Her heart still beat in her chest like a swarm of angry honey bees, startling her. She was a little embarrassed about making such an obvious declaration of her feelings, but she knew it was what she wanted to do. It was too difficult to not say anything at all. And this would finally give her a chance to tell the person she liked how she felt. She still wasn’t sure how they felt, but as long as she didn’t have to hide her feelings anymore, it would be worth it. She hoped. “I need the scissors,” Bara said, thinking aloud. Slipping off the bed, the dark haired girl hurried out of her room, her mind already two steps ahead of her body. When would she give her gift? What should she say? Should she offer anything else with it? Too lost in her own thoughts while on the way to her mothers’ room for the supplies she needed, Bara didn’t see the little table in the hallway. It had been there for nearly as long as she could remember, but she simply wasn’t paying enough attention to notice it. Her bare foot snagged the table leg, throwing her off balance as her forward momentum kept her sailing forward. Arms pinwheeling, the pale girl fell forward, the world seeming to tumble around her. A short yelp escaped her lips before arms grasped her waist, keeping her from falling face first into the floor. The situation not being very new to the accident prone girl, she didn’t find herself very startled by the whole situation. Smiling, she turned in the arms of her rescuer. Moving in the tight embrace, she came face to face with herself. Emerald green eyes looked at her in concern from underneath midnight hair. Pale skin offset the darkness, pressed against Bara’s own pale skin. “Mirra-chan!” Bara exclaimed happily. The Sakura Card let out a sigh, slowly letting go of the Cardmistress’s daughter. As usual, the dark haired girl hardly seemed fazed by yet another accident she nearly got herself into. Mirror was starting to wonder if the human girl cared at all about such trivial things as pain or injuries. She tried to frown, but Bara’s smile was contagious. She found herself returning it before too long. “You really need to be more careful, Bara-chan. You’re cuter when you aren’t all bruise covered,” she said quietly. The two Baras looked at each other for a moment before the real one giggled in reply. “But with you and mother and everyone around there’s no reason to worry about it.” Turning back to the task at hand, the pale girl began again towards her parents’ large room, slipping lithely into the room through the half open door. Emerald eyes began searching for what she needed, looking past a sea of portraits and picture frames, labels and videotapes that were all somehow in perfect order. Tomoyo’s large desk lay in one corner, several costume designs and a half finished costume resting on top of it. Some stuffed animals lay on the bed, all from Sakura’s collection, which had grown in recent years even as she gave some of her long held ones to Bara. One of the centerpieces to the group of stuffed dolls was a little Sakura doll that Tomoyo had made for the brunette back when they has still been children. The fabric was a little frayed and it’s age was showing, but Sakura took it wherever she went, and always held onto it when Tomoyo was gone on a business trip. A television lay in one corner of the room, obviously for Tomoyo to view her tapes, even though she had a viewing room for such things with a much better setup. Bara’s questing eyes finally came to a halt on the desk. It looked like her mother had been busy at work on a costume the night before, so all of the materials she needed were there. Grabbing several of them, she turned to leave the room. “I’ll carry that,” Mirror said quickly, taking the scissors from Bara’s hands. The last thing she needed was for Bara to trip while holding something like that. The midnight haired girl simply smiled in gratitude as she headed back for her room. Following behind her, the Sakura Card watched as the Cardmistress’s daughter sat back on the bed. “What are you doing?” she asked curiously. Looking up from the assortment of items she had gathered along with those her mother had already lain out for her, Bara spotted Mirror in the doorway. Smiling cutely, the dark haired girl shook her head emphatically. “I can’t tell you. I’m making something, but it’s going to be a surprise for someone.” She turned back to the items, shifting through them. After a second, she walked over to a still confused Mirror and took the scissors slowly from her hand. “I’ll tell you all about it later,” she said reassuringly. Mirror sighed as Bara returned to the bed. “Why can’t you tell me now? You know I won’t tell anyone. It will just be our secret.” The Sakura Card tried to catch Bara’s gaze as she herself reached the bed. Her own eyes tried to lock onto Bara’s jade eyes, but the human girl seemed intent on her thoughts. Shifting to her normal form for a brief second, the magical creature quickly returned to being Bara’s lookalike. Something she had learned over time was that it was easier for someone to trust themselves than to trust anyone else. This helped her at times because she could be them. It was, in a sense, as if they were looking into a mirror. Unfortunately, this trick rarely seemed to work on the Cardmistress’s daughter. Bara generally trusted her with most things as it was. But when the dark haired girl wanted to keep something from her, it was very difficult to drag it out. Tilting her head to the side in thought, Bara paused for a moment. “Well, mother, for one. Maybe Flower. Oh, and uncle Touya if he stops by. Am I missing anyone?” Smiling sweetly, the magical girl finally turned her gaze back to the Sakura Card. She liked to tease her friend from time to time. Mirror got riled up so easily. Never did her teasing get mean spirited, but she did like to see how Mirror reacted. The midnight haired girl already knew that she wouldn’t be telling her friend about what she was making anyway. So she was only having some fun while Mirror was continuing to be stubborn. Besides, Bara’s mind was already busy trying to decide exactly how she wanted the teddy bear to end up. But the image she had in her mind slowly faded away. ‘I can’t force it. Just like mother’s costume designs and her videotape. You have to let things flow on their own, to see where they take you.’ Her hands gently trailed over the cloth. ‘There’s a teddy bear in here and she wants to come out. I’m just going to help her. How she comes out is up to her,’ she thought to herself, a small smile spreading across her lips. An important lesson that she had learned from her mother was not to force things. Bara had learned that after coming to Tomoyo with tears in her eyes over an accident she had while painting. Her inspiration had been nonexistent and when she had tried to finish a painting she had started several days before, it wound up being ruined. Tomoyo had held onto her and brushed back her shorter, dark hair, whispering softly. She had explained to Bara that forcing things didn’t let them grow as they wanted to, and it forced them to be a certain way. To bring them out, to truly see them for what they were, they had to be nurtured and loved. It was a lesson that Bara saw in many aspects of life. Whether it be painting or videotaping or falling in love. It was still difficult sometimes to banish a finished mental image from her mind, but she was much happier with how things turned out. Unaware that Bara was deep in thought, Mirror found herself blushing deeply. She had indeed had a crush on Touya long ago. And she was still delighted to see him whenever he stopped by to visit his little sister and her wife. But that hardly mattered. He had Yukito, after all. And she was only a Card as it was, so it couldn’t have worked out between them, even if Touya had returned her feelings. A sigh escaped her lips as she let her eyes slip closed. Still, did Bara have to keep teasing her about it? It had been a lifetime before. Bara hadn’t even been born back then. But Tomoyo had to be right about one thing. There was definitely something cute about those ears. For some time now, she had continually noticed how Bara’s were the same. The cute little ears jutted out of short, black hair in the same way that Sakura’s did. Mirror had found it quite an endearing aspect of her friend. And it certainly added to Bara’s already considerable cuteness. Shaking her head and attempting to banish the blush, Mirror replied. “You know I wouldn’t tell any of them. Even Touya-san.” “I know,” Bara answered simply, emerald eyes glittering as she looked up from her thoughts. Pale fingers brushed dark hair away from her jade orbs. “But I still can’t tell you. You’ll find out sooner or later. You always do.” Winking at the Sakura Card, the pale girl giggled. “So just be patient.” “If you say so, Bara-chan,” Mirror said in defeat. She knew it was pointless to continue arguing to be told. Much like Tomoyo, Bara could keep a very tight lip about such things. Even if she didn’t want to wait to find out what her friend was up to, it didn’t seem like she had a choice. Sitting on the bed, the Sakura Card watched the pale girl continue to dreamily go over ideas in her head. Blushing a bit from the direction her thoughts were headed about giving her teddy bear to the one she loved, Bara quickly shook her head. “Ano... I think you should probably go for now, Mira-chan. I need to get started on this.” Hopping off of the bed, Bara put her hands on the Sakura Card’s back, gently pushing her mirror image towards the door. “If you stay, I’ll get distracted and then I’ll never finish up. And if I don’t ever finish, you’ll never find out what it is.” Smiling sweetly, the Cardmistress’s daughter closed the door. Mirror blinked as she found herself outside of Bara’s room. What had just happened? “Well, I guess. But I hope it won’t take too long,” Mirror said through the door, pressing her ear up against it as she waited for a reply. Curiosity gnawed at her magical core. She couldn’t begin to guess what her human best friend was up to, and the dark haired girl’s strange behavior was only strengthening her desire to know what Bara was up to. She could hear movement on the other side of the door, strange noises that met her ears as she tried to discern them. Just what was the slightly eccentric girl doing? Pushing the side of her face against the door, she strained to make out what was happening. Suddenly, the door fell away from her and she nearly came crashing to the ground. Pinwheeling, the Card barely regained her balance in Bara’s doorway. She looked up to see Bara smiling at her. “Well, the sooner you stop listening in, the sooner I can start. Honestly, Mira-chan, how can I ever do anything surprising if you won’t let me hide a few things from you now and then?” the pale girl gently chided, tucking some strands of black hair behind her ear. She could only smile at the childish look of embarrassment flashing across Mirror’s face, an exact copy of her own face. Did she really look like that when she was caught embarrassed? The fact that Mirror often looked like her wasn’t at all awkward for her. She had actually grown accustomed to seeing that pale face and dark hair greeting her when she saw her best friend. Like looking into an actual mirror, she could always see herself in it, but unlike those constructs of glass, she could see the girl underneath her visage. Mirror was always her Mira-chan, no matter what she looked like. The Sakura Card looked very lovely in her normal form, very formal with pretty pale green hair, but she didn’t get to see Mirror like that very often. It was a shame, but Bara didn’t mind very much. It didn’t matter how Mirror looked so long as she was there. “Now scoot,” she commanded, putting on as serious a look as her near giggly heart could allow. It came out sounding silly, even to her. She placed her hands on her hips and gave Mirror a mock stern look before bursting out laughing. Mirror joined her a second later, forgetting her earlier embarrassment. “I can’t let you hide things from me,” Mirror said after they both regained some measure of composure. “Because I’m you.” Striking her best imitation of the young heiress, she watched the human girl. That was what she was after all, a reflection. She had been created to be a mirror, to reflect things back. She was more comfortable looking like Bara than she was looking like herself. It was easier for her that way, to assume someone else’s identity, to simply reflect what she saw. And she could think of no one she would rather be a reflection of than the Cardmistress’s daughter. Bara’s shimmering spirit and sweet nature made her a perfect choice for Mirror’s new guise. She had spent more time as the dark haired girl’s twin over the past few years than she had as herself. And that’s the way she liked it. “So it’s not fair if you know things about you that I don’t,” Mirror argued. “Nice try, Mira-chan. I’ll see you in a bit.” The pale girl gave her magically created friend a quick hug before once again closing the door. She waved to her slowly before it closed shut. Pressing her own ear against the door, she waited until she heard the Sakura Card walking away before hurrying back to her bed. Her heart fluttered in her chest like a hummingbird, her jade eyes flashing with determination to finish her teddy bear as quickly as possible. Pale fingers began sifting through the materials spread out on her bed, shaking in their eagerness. The young girl had to force herself to slow down, lest she make any mistakes with her new little friend. The teddy bear should be perfect after all. Her heart’s desire deserved nothing less. Humming softly to herself, the pale waif started her work. “Hoe...” a flustered voice rang through the spacious wardrobe room that Tomoyo had insisted on having when the house had been built. It was right across the hallway from Sakura’s Magician’s Workshop, another room Tomoyo had decided on having. The whole house was almost dreamy, very beautiful and elegant yet with an almost absurdly cute feel to things. It lingered in the background, never entirely prominent but there just the same. And it was in Tomoyo’s wardrobe room, or rather, Sakura’s wardrobe room as the costumes inside all fit her snugly, that the two childhood friends once again found themselves. “Isn’t it a bit...” Sakura trailed off, at a loss for words. Here she was, a grown woman, and Tomoyo could still get her into crazy costumes with little more than a few words. Her cheeks flushed as she looked down at the outfit she was wearing this time. She wore a man’s suit and tie, a very dressy outfit. The polished white and black shoes shown back up at her. She would think Tomoyo had gone shopping in the men’s section on accident if it weren’t for the fact that it fit her measurements exactly. “Handsome? I certainly think so,” Tomoyo put in, finished Sakura’s sentence in a way Sakura herself wasn’t likely to have. Reaching forward, the lavender haired businesswoman readjusted Sakura’s white dress shirt. “There. See? I think children will love this design for the Kenji doll. He’s handsome and dashing with just a touch of innocent vulnerability in him. It’s a nice outfit for if he’s going out on a date with one of our other dolls or if he’s just going out for a night at the theater.” Smiling happily, Tomoyo was in her element. Dressing up Sakura and working out new designs. Turning her shy wife around, the eccentric woman sighed contentedly. Yes, this was exactly what she lived for. “After this, you can try on the two new designs we have for the Hanako doll.” “Ano... Tomoyo, do you really have to make life-size versions of all the costumes you design for the toys?” Sakura asked as her lovably obsessive wife fixed the costume here and there on her. “Yes, of course. Because it makes a much better impact if I can have Sakura-chan sport our new designs at the meetings before they go into production. Seeing you walk around the room like a model showcasing the new designs is always much better than simply showing the costumes for our dolls on paper,” Tomoyo explained, turning Sakura so that the auburn haired woman faced the camcorder on it’s tripod more directly. “But Tomoyo-chan, you’re the president of the company. You don’t need to sell everyone on the designs.” Sakura sweatdropped as she looked over at the camcorder. Even after over a decade of marriage, the lavender haired woman still managed to confuse Sakura at times. But it was always a sweet confusion that didn’t generally last long. Tomoyo’s motives were, after all, beautifully simplistic. “It makes the meetings much more fun if Sakura-chan’s dressed up like our new products,” Tomoyo added, smiling her trademark smile as she looked at the brunette. Sakura simply watched her as she readjusted the camcorder. Her long, dark hair was done up in a high ponytail now, draped down over one shoulder. That had always been her ulterior motive, but it had been one that served her well. She liked designing, but she found that Sakura was always at the root of her inspiration. Working for her mother and later taking over the Daidouji Toys company, she had to design for many of the toys the company produced. It was fun to work on them, but she much preferred to be designing costumes and outfits for her beloved Sakura. She had found a way around this by making life-size versions of her designs for Sakura to traipse around in for her. This allowed her to design for the brunette even while she was working on dolls and their wardrobe. Besides, who could resist seeing Sakura wearing her company’s newest designs at important meetings? Sighing in defeat, Sakura’s shoulders slumped. Wasn’t this the way things had always worked? No matter how embarrassingly cute the design, Sakura had always wound up wearing whatever Tomoyo made for her. How could she not when the lavender haired woman had poured so much of her love and effort into creating these beautiful clothes for Sakura? Even as she stood in the man’s clothes for the Kenji doll, the Mistress of the Cards knew that she did enjoy the attention Tomoyo blanketed her with. Her mother had been a famous model, but Sakura was Tomoyo’s model alone. And that was the way she liked it. Sure, it was embarrassing. Sure, Tomoyo had some bizarre designs and things that Sakura would never wear without a promise that the videotape of her in such things would never be viewed by anyone but her wife. But it was simply part of life with Tomoyo. Who else would treat her like a movie star? Who else would give her all the attention in the world? Who else could love her the way Tomoyo did? “Besides, Sakura is very handsome like this,” Tomoyo stated, placing her hands on Sakura’s shoulders. Her stormy blue eyes gazed lovingly into their emerald partners, sending a spark through her that had only grown stronger and more acute as the years had gone by. It always thrilled her to dress Sakura up in all manner of clothing and styles, eager to see how her energetic wife would look in them all. It was like having her own live KiSS doll. The lavender haired woman’s hobbies were very much centered around the one she loved. Her videotaping was always of Sakura, her costume designs were made specifically for her wife, and her singing was for the one she loved. But what better way to spend her free time than with her beautiful wife, no matter what they did? Her hands squeezed Sakura’s shoulders slightly, delighting at the feel of Sakura underneath her fingertips. Sakura looked nearly as cute in men’s clothes as she did in women’s clothes. Even if it wasn’t as lacy or as frilly as Tomoyo would like, it was still her gorgeous Sakura. And she pulled off the dress suit perfectly. Though it helped that Tomoyo had designed it with Sakura in mind. Sakura blushed at Tomoyo’s compliment, her eyes unable to escape that azure gaze. Her hands slowly went to Tomoyo’s slender waist. “Arigato, Tomoyo... You’re gorgeous,” Sakura breathed quietly as she raised on of her hands up to the lavender haired woman’s snow white cheek. The pale skin was offset wonderfully by the cascade of dark hair down her shoulder. That long ponytail hung between them as the two women inched closer. The Mistress of the Cards had the overwhelming urge to ask Tomoyo to dance. They were surrounded by racks of costumes and mannequins sporting some of Sakura’s old battle costumes, but even in the quiet room it seemed like an excellent idea. “Will you dance with me, Tomoyo?” Sakura asked at last, unable to find a single reason not to. It felt a little strange to still be in the awkward clothes Tomoyo had given her to wear, but it clung to her perfectly, showcasing her wife’s talent for costume design. “I would love to, Sakura,” Tomoyo whispered in reply, smiling brilliantly. Leaning ever closer, her petal soft lips brushed Sakura’s. Her heart ached longingly as their lips touched again, longer this time. These little touches of heaven were pure bliss to the lavender haired businesswoman. They were like the sweetest of dreams brought magically to life. This was the magic she saw in a life with Sakura. It wasn’t the Cards or any of the power Sakura had. It was the brunette’s ability to bring out a sheer, unadulterated joy inside of her. It was the warmth that shivered through her heart as it waited bedecked with ribbons and lace for Sakura to simply hold it close. Dancing with Sakura anywhere sounded like a wondrous idea, but dancing with her among the flurry of cute and dreamlike costumes felt like a trip through some distant wonderland. And her trusty camcorder was set up to record the glorious moment. Tomoyo sighed rapturously as their lips slowly parted, both women reluctant to end the kiss. But there would be many more. There always were. Drawn forward as if by a magnet, the dazed Sakura barely stopped herself before initiating another long kiss. Shaking her head, she tried to think coherently, but thought was rendered all but impossible as the lavender haired woman caught her near kiss and returned it with her own. Holding onto Tomoyo, Sakura felt feather soft lips deliciously meeting her own. The fairy tale kiss came to a slow end after Sakura got a taste of Tomoyo’s tongue in her mouth. Her own tongue tried to follow Tomoyo’s, but her wife had already begun to pull away. Still leaning forward, Sakura blushed as she felt the lavender haired woman’s lips around the tip of her tongue. They stayed that way for a moment, Tomoyo sliding closer for another simmering kiss before pulling away once more. Slowly remembering where she was and the promised dance that awaited them, a dreamy Sakura pulled out a pink Card and twirled it between her fingers. “Song! Please give us some music to dance to!” The Sakura Card flashed and music slowly began to filter through the room, Tomoyo’s voice singing softly with the music. The Song Card had long ago chosen Tomoyo’s voice for the one it would use, just as the Voice Card had sought her out as the most beautiful voice it could find. And Sakura certainly agreed with the both of them. Hearing Tomoyo’s voice sing to the both of them, the two woman slowly began to dance through the costumes. “Hanyaan,” Sakura whispered. “So okaa-sama couldn’t have caught it without you?” Bara asked curiously as she flipped through the Book of Sakura. Several of the Cards were elsewhere at the moment, such as Mirror and Song, but the majority of the pink Sakura Cards were in their matching book. Bara was currently looking through the Cards, trying to get a feel for them. She was leaning absentmindedly against the upstairs railing, overlooking the large entrance hall to the house. While sifting through the Cards, she was listening to Kero’s stories about his adventures during her mother’s days of card capturing. His stories weren’t always entirely factual as Tomoyo’s videos had shown when Bara watched them after listening to the Seal Beast, but she loved to hear them all the same. Magic fascinated her and she always yearned to find out more about it. “You got it, kid. Had I not been there, we might not be standing here today havin’ this little chat.” Kero nodded, his arms crossed. He was standing on the railing, recounting his tales of wonder to Sakura’s daughter. At least the dark haired girl appreciated him. Sakura had never quite believed in how truly amazing he was. The kid, on the other hand, would hang onto his every word. It had been a mighty good thing that Sakura and Tomoyo had gotten hitched after all. He was finally getting some appreciation. “Then I’m sure Tomoyo-mama must have thanked you many times over for saving Sakura-mama.” Smiling, Bara continued to flip through the Cards, trying to feel them with her own slowly growing magic. It was difficult for her, but she was pleased to see that she was making some progress. Her left foot moved about playfully behind her. She had finished the teddy bear a short time ago and now all she had to do was wait for a good opportunity to give it to her special someone. These things needed to be planned carefully if they were to come out perfectly. One wouldn’t want to give something important like a teddy bear to their true love during an inconsequential moment. So while she waited for inspiration to strike on how to go about giving away her heart in the guise of a trussed up bear, she spent some time with the Seal Beast, gleaning up on her knowledge of the Sakura Cards. Her mother didn’t really mind when she borrowed the Sakura Book to look through the Cards, so she tried to go through them when she could. The Cards were all so amazing to the pale girl. Her best friend was one of them as well. They all had such neat things they could do and they all had their own distinct personalities. Some had become good friends, like Mirror and Flower, others seemed rather mischievous like Jump, and some had an air of respect about them that had Bara bowing whenever in their presence, as was the case with Dark and Light. And the Seal Beast was just funny. She always enjoyed Kero’s company. “Yep! She made such a delicious cake as a thank you...” Kero sighed dreamily, remembering the cake Tomoyo had made in more detail than he could remember the actual event in question. “Hey, let’s ask Tomoyo- chan to bake a nice big dessert for everybody when we finally find her. If this place wasn’t so big, I’d go look for her right now. As it is, I’d probably get lost and starve to death.” The Seal Beast looked down at his stomach, putting both hands on it. “I’m already wasting away.” “I’ll bake you something if you want, Kero-chan,” Bara offered, looking over to the flying teddy bear. She idly wondered if she should have based her teddy bear off of the Seal Beast, but decided she was happier having something original. It felt more from the heart that way. Besides, no stuffed animal could take Kero’s place. “Would you?” Kero’s eyes sparkled as he flew up next to the dark haired girl. Yes, this was definitely Tomoyo’s daughter. “Wai!! Wai!! Arigato, Bara-chan!!” Visions of cakes and sweets encircled his head while he alighted next to the young heiress’s elbow. Giggling at Kero’s enthusiasm, Bara nodded quickly. “Un, Kero-chan. It sounds like fun.” There were very few instances when Kero wasn’t hungry and this didn’t appear to be one of them. The dark haired girl had plenty of time to waste as it was and if the Seal Beast was hungry, she was more than happy to cook for him. He was always very complimentary about such things, so she didn’t have to worry overtly about ruining a recipe while she was at it. Besides, cooking was an art form in itself. So with enough patience, it could be a very lovely thing. Bara enjoyed cooking nearly as much as she enjoyed painting. They had a chef for such things, if they so needed it, but Tomoyo and Sakura often cooked dinner together, and Bara had learned from the two of them. She was slowly making her way through some of the cookbooks in the kitchen along with Kero, though she needed Tomoyo’s help with some of the trickier recipes. Looking over at the Seal Beast with a smile, she didn’t notice as the Sakura Book began slipping in her grasp. She barely looked back in time to see it tumble end over end through space as it plummeted to the floor below. “Owww!!” sounded rather than the thud Bara had been waiting for. Peering over the railing, Bara spotted Mirror sitting on the floor, rubbing her head, the Sakura Book lying next to her. “Gomen nasai, Mira-chan!” The dark haired girl darted down the stairs, nearly tumbling down herself if not for Kero’s grip on her blouse as she missed a step. Stumbling forward, she didn’t miss a beat as she hurried to her injured friend’s side. “I’m so sorry, Mira-chan! It just kinda... fell.” Sweatdropping, the pale heiress bowed apologetically. “Daijoubu?” One of the only real downsides to being the sweet, genki young girl’s best friend was that it seemed her accident proneness had targeted Mirror as well. As if it wasn’t enough that the pale girl was always getting herself hurt, it always turned out that she somehow managed to get Mirror hurt as well. It was as if Fate was aiming at the poor girl and anyone who got near her. But even then, the Sakura Card couldn’t imagine giving up her cherished friendship with the girl for anything. Sighing, she continued to rub her own dark hair, still a mirror image of Bara Daidouji. “I’m fine. Just a little dazed. I didn’t expect it to start raining books today.” “Awww... Gomen, Mira-chan.” Bending over, the pale girl kissed the spot on Mirror’s head that the Sakura Card had been rubbing. Like a mother kissing away some phantom pain, she gently pressed her lips into Mirror’s soft, black hair. She didn’t know if it would do any good, but it had always comforted her when she was younger, and the gesture itself always made her feel better. Pulling away, she knelt next to the fallen Sakura Card, hugging her pale legs to her chest. She smiled softly at her friend, watching and waiting to see if she was still in pain. Blushing, Mirror looked down as Bara sat next to her. For a long moment, she was silent. Maybe it wasn’t so bad that Bara was so accident prone after all. If that was what she had to look forward to when she got hurt, it might be worthwhile just to stumble around blindly and see what happened. The dark haired girl had a very gentle, loving touch and it shined through in everything she did. The Cards had all quickly come to love their Mistress’s daughter, keeping an eye out for her. That was probably the main reason Bara hadn’t been hurt any worse than she already had over the years. The embarrassment quickly melted away as Mirror’s eyes shot up eagerly. “Oh, are you finished yet with whatever it was you were doing? Can you tell me now?” Bara giggled and hugged her legs tighter. “Yes, I’m finished with it. No, I can’t tell you yet.” Letting go of her legs, the heiress crawled over to Mirror and whispered in her ear so Kero wouldn’t here. She knew how much he liked to be on the inside of everything. “I can’t say now, but meet me in the garden tonight at nine. I’ll explain everything then.” Standing up slowly, the pale girl smoothed out her long skirt and smiled. “See you then, Mira-chan!” Blushing once more from Bara’s cute whisper ringing through her ear, Mirror nodded, now more confused than ever. What was she making? Why was it so big a deal that she couldn’t simply tell her now? Well, many things seemed like a big deal to the dark haired girl. Even small things held a great deal of importance to her. So it didn’t necessarily mean this was any different. But still, she couldn’t help but wonder just what this was all about. “What were you doing? And what are you two talking about?” Kero demanded, disappointed about being left out of whatever this whole thing was. “Come on, Kero-chan. You can decide what we bake,” Bara coaxed, already on her way to the kitchen. The Seal Beast fell in with the younger girl, all previous thoughts replaced with the goodies of what was to come. Mirror sighed as she watched the two disappear around a corner. “Bara-chan...” Mirror paced nervously in the darkened garden as time slowly ticked away in her head. There were plenty of lights out in the garden that could be turned out if someone were so inclined to take a midnight stroll or to have a late picnic, but aside from the lights of the mansion, it was dark at the moment. The flustered Sakura Card couldn’t even understand why she was so nervous. Bara was simply going to explain whatever it was she had been doing earlier. From the looks of things, she was probably sewing a yukata or something for school. But then, maybe she could see the midnight haired girl in it. That would be a sight to behold in and of itself. Just the same, Mirror couldn’t completely set her anxiety aside. Bara was treating this all like some special secret that she was enjoying far too much. When this all turned out to be nothing more than some school project... The green haired magical being knew that she should most likely be in her Card form at the moment, back with the other Sakura Cards, but she had to know that Bara was so excited about. Her best friend was a real mystery at times. A sound from up above tore Mirror from her thoughts. Shifting back to a reflection of Bara, she watched up above and listened for the sound to return. A small figure haltingly crawled out of one of the windows, stepping out onto a nearby tree branch. Mirror could barely make out the pale girl in the dim moonlight, it’s pale glow illuminating her faintly. Hurrying over to the tree, the Sakura Card looked up and tried to spot her Mistress’s daughter. “Bara-chan?” she called out. “Shh... I’ll be right down,” came Bara’s whispered reply. The dark haired girl stepped down to another branch, being careful not to snag her dress on the tree. Bit by bit, she made her way down the tree. Nearing the last few branches, she reached out with her foot for the last one and missed. Losing he footing, the pale girl careened out of the tree. Mirror’s eyes went wide as she saw the shape of her best friend drop out of the tree. Bolting under her, she tried to catch the falling star, but did little more than break Bara’s fall. Collapsed under the heiress’s slender weight, Mirror sighed, spitting out some grass. “You’re going to be the death of me, Bara-chan.” The pale girl giggled softly as she helped her magical friend back to her feet. “Gomen nasai, Mira-chan. I’ll try to be more careful. Thank you for saving me.” Bowing, she glanced up to see Mirror watching her. Smiling at the Sakura Card, Bara stood up. Her hair in slight disarray looked like the faintest of shadows, the first touches of midnight gripping the sleeping world. Her alabaster skin seemed to sparkle like freshly fallen snow in the dim moonlight. She wore a stunning ice blue dress that flowed down to her ankles. Her ears were adorned with two cute teardrop earrings. Slender shoes clad her delicate little feet while white stockings disappeared underneath the dress. She held a small pink sack that was drawn closed with some pull strings. It was all slightly messy from her fall, little blades of grass here and there and what looked like a leaf stuck in her hair, but she looked altogether gorgeous nonetheless. Shaking her head, Mirror tried to find herself, but couldn’t help but stare in astonishment at the Cardmistress’s stunning daughter. The small girl was always beautiful, but that night she looked simply angelic. “It was my pleasure. I’m just glad you’re all right, Bara- chan. I don’t know what I’d do if you were hurt. I’d be a broken mirror. It wouldn’t be worth going on if I couldn’t reflect your beautiful image ever day.” She smiled when the pale girl giggled softly and hugged her. She returned the hug, the two carbon copy girls holding each other underneath the moonlit. They stayed that way for a long time, the cool breeze playing with dark tendrils of black hair, moonlight shimmering over them. Bara was like a falling star, carrying her own inner light that cascaded through the darkness. Oh, and she fell a lot. But Mirror wasn’t about to mention that. It was nice to simply stand there, hugging the other girl while the night enveloped them. The pale girl’s steady breathing lulled Mirror into a peaceful silence. For a moment, she thought that Sakura’s daughter had fallen asleep in her arms, but Bara slowly stirred and took a step back. “This is for you, Mira-chan,” Bara said, smiling cutely. She held out the small pink bag hopefully, trying to keep her own nervousness from showing. She didn’t want to pressure Mirror with concern for how she herself would feel. She simply wanted to express her feelings in the best way she knew how. As the confused Sakura Card slowly took the bag, Bara felt as if she were handing over all of her hopes and dreams in the small sack. Her heart fluttered in her chest like a cloud of butterflies, yet she continued to smile as best she could. It was like waiting to see what someone thought of one of her paintings, only infinitely worse. This time there was a lot more involved than a simple piece of artwork. Crafted with such care and love, she could only hope her gift would be given a good home. But it was more than the gift itself. Wasn’t it her heart in that bag? It had simply taken the shape of a bear for the night. It’s Fate now rested in Mirror’s hands. Looking at Bara and then back at the bag, Mirror began to undo the pull strings on the pink bundle. She was surprised to see her hands shaking. She could never remember being this nervous, not even when she had been confronted by Sakura after getting Touya hurt years and years earlier. This was altogether different. And much more frightening for some reason. Something in the back of her mind whispered to her that it was only Bara. That there was nothing to fear from this petite, lovely young girl. That eased the Sakura Card’s nerves and allowed her to work out the last knot. Opening up the bag, she gazed in to spy its contents. Inside sat a lone teddy bear, his ‘fur’ a creamy peach and white combination. A cute lavender bow was tied neatly around his neck, and beautiful emerald eyes looked up from the teddy bear to the Sakura Card. Mirror stared at the precious gift, speechless. The bag fluttered to the ground as she held it up in the moonlight. “For.. me?” Nodding quickly, Bara smiled, her eyes closed. She wanted to see every little detail, to know what Mirror thought, to see how she reacted and her facial expressions and what she did with the bear and so on, but she couldn’t bring herself to watch. Her nervousness had finally stepped in and gotten the better of her. She knew that she couldn’t keep smiling if she watched. It would be too difficult to keep it up when she was too concerned with how Mirror was taking it. And if she kept smiling, it wouldn’t matter how Mirror would take it, because then the Sakura Card wouldn’t have to worry about hurting her. So she waited in silence, her hands held together in front of her as the wind whistled in her ear. She wanted to open her eyes, but she couldn’t quite get them to budge. All the better, she supposed. She wanted to know exactly how Mirror felt about receiving her heart in a bear costume, and she certainly wouldn’t know if she was staring at Mirror and begging for a positive response. The cold wind brushed her bare skin, as if to tease her about her gift. She felt her dress flutter about in the wind, her dark hair waving forward. The silence just made her all the more anxious, but she continued to smile for what felt like an eternity. Something warm and soft pressed into her, causing her to take a half step backwards. Blinking her eyes open, she could see Mirror’s grateful, smiling face in front of her, and realized that the Sakura Card was hugging her again. She could feel the bear still in Mirror’s hands pressed against her back. For once, Mirror was actually herself, her longer green hair tossing about in the wind. Smiling genuinely now, Bara returned the hug tightly. “It’s so pretty. Thank you, Bara-chan. I’ve never gotten such a wonderful gift. It’s perfect.” Elation rose through Mirrors soul as the two stood under the starlight. Never had she imagined that something so small yet so important as a little teddy bear would be her own. That the black haired girl had made it for her was stunning. She was a magical creation, a Sakura Card. Did she really deserve something so special? Did it matter? Bara had made it for her. Had crafted it with her own small, delicate hands. No gift could ever exceed the small, precious teddy bear that she held. Relief flooded through Bara’s nervous body, the pale girl relaxing into the embrace that held them both. And that was really all she could ask for. Whatever happened in the future, well, hopefully the legend of the teddy bear was true. “What are you going to name it, Mira-chan?” the black haired heiress asked after a moment, the wind dying down around the two of them. Pausing for a moment, Mirror shifted her grip on the cute bear in her hand. Her fingers carefully traced the stitches as she held onto the Cardmistress’s daughter. She remembered once more when she had first met up with Touya. He had been helping her look for something, but they had never found it. ‘When you find what you’re looking for.. Maybe you can go back..’ he had said, referring to heaven. Holding the teddy bear tighter against Bara as she hugged the smaller girl, she smiled to herself. She had found what she had been looking for after all. But she needn’t go anywhere to find heaven. It was right with her in the form of the darling little angel of a girl before her. “I’m going to name it Bara-chan,” Mirror whispered. Bara couldn’t help but smile joyously as the Mirror Card held her. That had been exactly what she had prayed for. Maybe the legend was true after all. “Really? There’s a legend that if someone gives you a teddy bear and you name it after them, the two of you will fall in love,” the dark haired girl explained quietly. She could feel her hair moving around, but she couldn’t quite tell if it was the wind or Mirror that was doing it. She shifted a bit against the now taller girl, letting her eyes fall closed again. It felt so peaceful. Her previous worries felt far away, as if they had been from years before. Now she was just with Mirror. Under the moonlight. Her heart beat steadily. It was all so sweetly romantic. Mirror sighed softly, looking down at the younger girl. She kissed Bara’s forehead gently, brushing back the girl’s short, black hair. “I sure hope so,” she replied, smiling. Bara blushed and looked away, burying her head against Mirror. Holding onto the dark haired girl underneath the night sky, the Sakura Card promised off all of her magic if only that moment could last forever.