Previously -- Sailor Moon held her new staff out with a determined look on her face. Dramatic pose, dramatic words -- it would have been even more dramatic if Sailor Mars wasn't rolling on the ground behind her laughing her head off. With a wide swing Sailor Moon spun about as she cried out the activation words, making sure to whack Rei on the head as she did. "DREAMING MOON PLANET SHOCKWAVE!!" ----- Sakura gritted her teeth, fists clenched as she looked up from the ground where she was knocked down. Tomoyo felt the two clumsy males grope her, but she was only concerned for Sakura. She looked so angry but all Tomoyo could think of was quelling her anger. "Sakura don't--" They grunted and choked out obscene words and gestures at her, groping her breasts and bottom. This didn't mean nothing to her. None of their touching did. All Tomoyo could think of was Sakura. She looked so angry. Her hand wanting to take her keystaff and -- ----- As Usagi stopped, her hands thrusted the staff forward a bright light shot out, which became a thunderous shockwave of pure soul energy. Makomi jumps clear, but Keiko grapples Von Hammer from behind (pinning his wings down as she did) "OH NO YOU DON'T!!" she screamed, holding on tight, "NO FLYING AWAY!! YOU'RE STAYING RIGHT HERE!!" Before he could argue the wave was upon them, and as the shockwave hit there was a scream, silence, and something fell. ----- One of the males falls over into the ground, the other spinning about only to come face to face with a very tall and very angry person. Her equine face looking down at him as her anger showed through her eyes. Her strong hands grabbing him, shoving him towards his "friend" on the ground. Xai Shar didn't have words for them, nor did she waste them, she simply thrust her foot out and kicked the two backwards even further, hastening their departure. ----- "KEI-CHAN!!" Eve/Older Hotaru half screamed, stumbling upward onto her feet. It took a few seconds for the smoke to clear, but it was clear that Keiko survived the blast -- but was affected by it. She was knelt down on her knees shaken, her eyes abit dimmed as she tried to shake off the effects of the shockwave, her sword falling free of her shaken and weakened hand clattering onto the ground. "---von hammer---" she rasped, eyes burning despite her weakened condition. She didn't know what he was doing there, or why he chose that time to attack when he's been quiet for so long -- but as Older Hotaru (Eve) rushed up to her, crying, she decided to shelf those questions for now as Older Hotaru checked her out. Suddenly she spun on a now shocked Usagi, quite angry. "WHY DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!?" she screamed at Usagi, "KEI-CHAN'S HURT BECAUSE OF YOU!!" "---but I---" Usagi stammered, only to be stopped by Keiko (hand raised) "It's alright -- just dazed --" "Kei-chan?" Older Hotaru rasped, eyes tearing up, "I--" her voice fades as Keiko presses a few fingers gently to her lips to shush her. "It'll take more than that to put me down -- trust me." (pitches forward into her arms) "--ugh -- so tired though--" ----- It took a long minute for Tomoyo to get Sakura to loosen her hands, which brought a yelp from her. "You're bleeding!" She had gripped her fists together so tightly that she cut herself on her own key, blood dripping from her hand as she lets the key fall from it onto the ground with a clack. Tomoyo, reaching down to tear abit of her clothes for a band aid, is stopped by Xai. "I'll heal it." With a quick motion, and a few swipes of her hand in the air forming spell craft, she casts a healing spell. "I originally wanted to be a SpellThrasher. But I was never coordinated enough to cast complex spells in conjunction with magic after -- my nerves are a little shot after --" "After?" Tomoyo asked, uncertain whether to even speak as she tended to Sakura. "I practiced since I was little. Always wanting to be a mage? but when I was 12 cycles old I was hooked up with a friend on a fad called Rhythm Thrumming? and it was great, for a time, but eventually it damaged my nerves after prolonged exposure and I was no longer able to cast spells like I used to." (stops the spell as she looks at her hands) "You see, in order to weave complex spellwork you need nimble fingers? and that's something I don't have? anymore." (checks Sakura's hand) "Becoming a Judgment seemed natural since I was naturally quite powerful and fast, and more importantly I didn't need skilled hands to butcher people." Her voice drops abit, tinged with regret as she speaks. ----- Keiko's uniform felt wet, as if something was -- quickly she peeled Keiko's top off to reveal several slashes on her arms and upper body where feather blades cut into her. She was bleeding. But, as the Sailor Soldiers looked on, the wounds began to close and heal. Everyone except the Older Hotaru was shocked by this. As for Von Hammer? He was gone, but -- "He's not dead -- if you're wondering --" Keiko rasped, turning towards the Sailor Soldiers as she spoke, seemingly more concerned about her nemesis than her injuries. "He's just gone somewhere to lick his wounds and heal his damaged pride. We'll see him again -- in about 10 or so years since he doesn't like to see me more than once a decade." "Oh." Usagi whispers -- the whole meaning of Keiko's words missing her head by a mile. By the time reinforcements arrived the fight was over, but not the questions. Suddenly there was movement and everyone turned and looked. "Dammit, they see us!" Technocrat spat out, quickly spinning on his heels to run for it. "Wish the damn ShadowCloaks worked right now!" "Why don't they?" Quake asked, following right behind him with her blonde hair rustling in the wind. "The entire complex has a scattering field about it! We're lucky we got this close considering we had to do it without concealment gear!" The two were quickly out of sight, but not quick enough. The sight that greeted the Sailor Soldiers confused them, and unfortunately none of them were carrying cameras at the moment -- but, then again, they didn't need to. As for Keiko? All she noticed was that Older Hotaru didn't seem too concerned about her injuries. Normally, like the other Sailor Soldiers who stood about shocked at what they saw, people couldn't grasp very well how casual she was when she got injured like that. True, she felt abit of panic in herself since she had a fear of mutilation, but she suppressed it since it wasn't the time to panic in the middle of a fight. Her wounds closed, and a calming feeling overwhelmed her? but for Older Hotaru it seemed as if she wasn't worried at all, if she knew this was going to happen -- yet she never saw this before. It was as if she had known this was nothing for Keiko, though Keiko had never been injured like this before in front of her so she shouldn't have -- in any case it didn't matter. She pushed it to the back of her head and turned her attention to the mess she called a uniform top. Looking at it as she flipped it about, her fingers felt the torn material, "Looks like another uniform bites the dust. I --" Before she can say another word, Older Hotaru throws herself into Keiko's arms, smothering her. She quickly grasps the younger girl and holds her, smiling, "Come on, come on already! I'm OK -- you're such a bundle of nerves right now it's scary!" But it seemed almost an afterthought. As if she realized how aloof she was and -- From behind they heard the sound of heavy thudding footsteps and a cry "KEIKO! Are you--?" "I'm fine. I'm fine." she smiled, waving Greymalkin off with a silly smile and a quick retort, "I'd ask you to join in but I'm in no condition for a group hug, thanks ever so." ---- Keiko went to gather up Sakura and Tomoyo, the other Soldiers separated to find their ways home for dinner, leaving Older Hotaru behind with Michiru and Haruka. She sat down on the smooth stonework near a large fountain, breath rasping abit. "You OK, Hotaru?" Haruka asked with interest, leaning forward, "You need to re--" "I'm fine. I'm just -- worn, that's all -- it's been a long day." she responded, her body shivering -- but not from the cold that was slowly setting in as the sun set. Keiko kissed her. Touched her softly as she would when she was Eve. Nothing sexual, or explicit, but she -- she was responding to her form as Hotaru now -- why? "Want to talk about it?" Michiru offered, to which she scowled. "Why can't you understand?" she grumbled, standing up as she did, "You can wish for me to be Hotaru forever and ever, but I'm not Hotaru anymore. All of this --" (holds up hands) "-- isn't me. I don't want to be Hotaru, the only reason I became Hotaru is because --" "You missed having a family." Michiru finished, drawing a scornful look from Eve/Hotaru. "If you were my family you'd accept me for who I am! Not who you want me to be!" And, with that, she turned and ran off towards where Keiko would be waiting for her. ----- The sight that greeted her when she found the two brought a smile to Keiko's face. There, on one of the benches, Sakura leaned against Tomoyo, quietly sleeping. As she noticed her, Tomoyo raised a finger to her lips and whispered "She had a busy day." "So I figured." Keiko mouthed silently, noticing a watchful Xai Shar in the background keeping the two under surveillance. Slowly, and carefully Keiko picked her up and cradled the slumbering Sakura in her arms. "Rollercoasters take the energy out of her?" "Something like that." Tomoyo replied in a soft hushed tone, never straying far from Sakura's side as they began to walk. Suddenly Keiko felt a light touch on herself, and knew Tomoyo was eyeing her damaged uniform that she threw back on for the walk home. "What happened? Are you?" "It's nothing." she remarked, waving Tomoyo's inquires off silently with a smile as they walked towards the exit. There, they met Hotaru/Eve and started back to the bus stop. Hotaru, smirking as she looked at Sakura, whispered "Rough day?" "I'm glad we brought them with us." Keiko replied. Hotaru/Eve nods her head, letting it end with that. The whole bus ride home Tomoyo would hold Sakura's hand, leaning her own head against Keiko's strong body as she watched over Sakura. Even when assured that Sakura would be fine Tomoyo refused to leave her side. It was as if something had happened, yet she would not say even when prodded for details. Finally, as they reached home, Sakura woke up, staring down at Tomoyo as she walked dutifully beside her, arm raised and hand holding Sakura's hand. "Tomo-chan--? I?" "So my sleepy head's finally awake. Here's your key back." she smiled, putting Keiko's key back into her pocket as she beheld her beautiful face, scrunched with concern and worry. "Sorry." Sakura whispered sullenly, only to be scolded gently by Tomoyo. "I like it better when you smile. You're my sunshine and my muse after all, Sakura-chan. Smiles are more appropriate for my Sakura-chan's face than frowns." A small smile returns to the usually energetic girl's face, her body wiggling as she asks to be put down. From there, Sakura walked the rest of the way home, Tomoyo close by as they walked, each keeping an arm around the other's waist, talking in quiet whispers. It might have seemed like Tomoyo was being a mother hen, but Sakura didn't mind the cuddling one bit as they walked. ----- Time passed, even in a place where time had no true meaning. And as time passed, and the impact of what happened finally sank in with Keiko, she went through her phases. The same usual phases she goes through after confronting Von Hammer. First she clenched her teeth, then she paced silently, then she went to the bathroom and wretched abit (nothing coming out since she was rather strong stomached) and then she drank abit of water and sat down for abit moping. Then she shook it off and went to dinner, looking rather chipper and upbeat. Her moods when Von Hammer was concerned : erratic and strange. The moods didn't last long, and weren't very intense, but they were there nevertheless. It's no secret that she and Von Hammer loathe each other. They've been at each other's throats ever since she struck him down years ago in a village called Judgment, hacking away his wings and bringing him crashing to the ground before "dispatching" him back to his "realm". Keiko didn't want to show it, she never wants to show it, but she is often shaken by his appearances. They have had such a long history together -- as enemies -- which is something she hasn't shared with Eve yet. But that will have to change sooner or later. In any case? Tonight wouldn't be the night to find out because she couldn't change back to Eve. Keiko was too diligent, watching her for her own safety, and she was extra careful since she was still high strung after the incident with Von Hammer. She refused to let the weakened Eve/Hotaru leave in her condition, even though she had sometime to recover and was abit better now. She laid next to her in the bed they shared as Keiko/Eve and watched over her. Her breathing was abit labored as she tried to rest, but couldn't from the stress of being so close to Keiko. So close and yet -- "You sure you don't want me to call a doctor? I know a really good one --" "It's OK." Keiko whispered, uncomfortable with the idea of a doctor prodding her, "I'm all healed up." Suddenly Keiko moved forward, wrapping her arms about Eve/Hotaru, "You have to relax or you'll never fall asleep. Eve called and said she can't make it home tonight so it's just us girls minding the store while she's gone, is that OK?" "Yeah." Eve/Hotaru sighed, knowing fully well she came up with that ruse once she realized Keiko wasn't going to give her the chance to slip away to change back to Eve. She turned, wanting to break free of Keiko's grip -- then stopped. Suddenly, for some reason, she felt as if she didn't want to break her hold. In fact -- it seemed so very right for Keiko to hold her regardless of what form she held. So she simply sank deeper into Keiko's touch, and relented herself to her loving feelings that Keiko may or may not have had for Hotaru. As she relented, her breathing slowed and she calmed down. "See?" she whispered, "If I hold you tight you'll just calm right down -- and fall asleep." "But -- Eve --" Two fingers press against her lips, and silence her. "Go to sleep." As she closed her eyes she felt so warm -- so comfortable -- "I'm scared --" she thought, "-- I can't fall in love with Keiko -- in this form -- it's wrong." She wanted just to sink into Keiko's grasp and forget, but the thoughts keep rattling through her head. "I never used to think Keiko could have feelings for me in this form -- but if she does -- then I'll have to tell her the truth -- and she'll hate me forever for lying to her. Oh goddess what am I going to do!!" As she drifted to restful slumber in Keiko's arms, she thought "How long can I keep this charade going?" "How long do I want to keep this feeling in my heart going? How long before it goes -- too far?" ----- Meanwhile, earlier that day at the Apartment of Li Syaoran The knock at the door got Li's attention. He tore himself away from his studies and went to answer. There, on the other side much to his shock, was Eliza. Before he could stammer a reply she invited herself in. She was wearing casual clothes, with the only sign of her status as a SpellThrasher being her work belt which she wore as a belt to keep her skirt up. He couldn't resist staring no matter how hard he tried. "Nice apartment. You really are quite the neat and tidy sort." she remarked, poking around as he watched. However while she was focused on his property, his eyes were focused on her. The way she moved, how she touched things and walked, and occasionally when she bent down? "N-n-no --" Li choked, looking about for a place to sit Eliza if only to get her out of his thoughts. She walked about, pulling a datapad from her belt pouch punching a few "buttons" before handing it off. "Here's the latest reports from SpellThrasher HQ. I just got them and it'll be a day before it becomes general knowledge to all the Thrashers so I wanted to get it to you before you found out via your regular communiqués." He takes the pad, and breezes over it as Eliza walks out of sight. The notes were focused on possible sightings of "Mimic" on CLAMP School, and her activities there chasing after a mysterious thief called "20 Faces". The second part of the notes covered the recent appearance of Assassin Guilder' Prime Drones and their possible link in the plot to recruit "Clow Cards" to fight on CLAMP School. As he walked into his bedroom to pick up his mem-deck to record all this data down for future reference he spotted Eliza, sitting on his bed, holding the portrait her herself that he drew. Shocked he stood there dumbfounded staring at her. She smiled, put it back where she found it, and motioned for him to come closer. "I guess we need to talk." Gulping down hard, he sat down next to her, but words refused to come forth. He sat there, and mumbled and gasped abit. That's when it happened. The next thing he knew was that she was kissing him, and holding him tight. As she released him from his kiss she whispered "I know what you've been dreaming -- you can't hide it from me." He blushed even more, and tried to apologize for something, but even he didn't know what. She kissed his ear and whispered "-- and you're not alone. But do you know what you're getting into?" Her hand gripped his, moved it towards her waist, and his heart nearly stopped. "It's not fake, nor magic -- it's all too real. Is that OK with you?" His heart nearly stopped, but he barely manages to nod his head furiously before she releases him. She then backed away, smiled playfully, and offered to make him lunch. He could only grunt a reply -- what happened then shocked him. In fact he couldn't move for abit afterwards. What may yet happen -- could only answer his deepest and most hidden dreams. And become another girl's nightmares. But that was then -- this is now. ---- Once again, that night. The shower seemed particularly soothing. Far more so than usual. All her muscles loosened up, and she seemed to nearly collapse against the wall of the shower as her tension finally let go. Xai looked about the shower, abit weary as she turned off the water and gathered her wits. She had only been there to keep an eye on them, but another thought occurred to her before the Sakura incident. 'I could take Meilin there. On a date. The way lovers do.' She hasn't gone on my dates with Meilin here in Tokyo because it felt so wrong. Meilin had insisted on it because she, at least, didn't let their difference in age diminish her love for the Palominian. At least she was age-blind even if Xai sometimes let it trip her up. It wasn't as if Xai was doing it on purpose, but she couldn't get over it no matter how she tried to suppress it. A girl of Meilin's age going out with a woman far older than her. Having friends and others from her school see her with an old mare of a female. She knew Meilin told her friends about the impending wedding, and how happy she was to be marrying Xai, but Xai at times she couldn't get over the fact that she was -- she was so much older than Meilin. She kept her spirits up near her, and promised not to let her depression show in front of her. But still? the doubts nagged in the back of her mind. She turns her gaze upwards and sighs, a rush of breath near a horse's sigh as she relents to her fears for a brief second. "I'm not a dirty old woman." Time, it seemed, was not a good friend of her's anymore. She didn't like feeling this way but -- she just couldn't help herself it seems. It wasn't her fault. She didn't become this age by choice. Still, if it was just the age thing she could get over it. There was a new concern growing in her mind. One she asked Meilin about as she returned to bed. "Have you seen Sakura -- I mean have you seen her ever? lose it before?" Meilin, not understanding the question posed to her, turned to look at Xai as she crawled into bed. "Lose it?" "I mean have you ever seen her -- angry. Really and truly 110% angry. Have you ever seen her in such a rage you would have thought her capable of just about anything." For awhile Meilin thought about it. Honestly and truly put that question to her mind. Then, with a slight shake of her head, she answered "I don't know. She's been angry but not truly viciously angry. I never thought it was in her nature to be that way. She's too kind and pure for that. Why? Is something wrong?" "Nothing." Xai answered, as if from a distance. "Nothing at all." But that was not the truth. At least, not the way she was pondering the thought in the back of her head. 'I just hope she's online tonight.' ----- Online. A term usually associated with surfing the internet. But when one has wetware installed into their brains it takes on a whole new meaning. When "sleeping", in a state of rest that allows the spirit to recharge, one's mind occupies itself within the confines of it's "head" and either "dreams" to entertain itself, or "dreams" things which may be subconscious messages from somewhere. If one has wetware implants one can spend their time in their "private command center" within their mind and go through their e-mails, surf the web, and do other things while "Sleeping". But in Xai's case she is referring to the vast Judgment Citadel within DreamCyberSpace (the DCS Network) where Judgments meet and discuss cases on "secure" links, in a place where no one can spy on them. Thankfully the person she was waiting for, Keiko, was online tonight. "Just what are you driving at." "In consideration of what must be done -- perhaps we're going the wrong way." "And what way do you think we can go?" Keiko remarked, "I don't see where we have the luxury of a second "opinion" considering we don't even have the option of a second choice, period. Like it or not this is the only course of action we can take?" (snarls) "?devil be damned how it'll end." "So you think Sakura is capable of --" "We're all capable of it." Keiko answers. "Sakura is no different than you, or me, she's a human being with human failings. And we have to power her up to levels well past her abilities when she was heir apparent of Clow Reed's magical "heritage", which will make it all the more worse for us if she turns." "Will she turn?" Silence. "If anything happens to Tomoyo we can kiss any chance of stopping Sakura short of killing her goodbye." ----- Sakura's eyes snapped open, her mouth wordlessly gasping a few words as she wakes. It was still dark, which meant it was early in the morning? yet she couldn't forget so easily. She couldn't get it out of her head. What happened earlier. Those men molesting Tomoyo. She then put it one step further, and thought of Tomoyo's father. What he did to her. In her dreams she's a mute witness back at the skating pond, watching Tomoyo's father assault her in the snow? screaming for him to stop. In a brief instant she felt a terrible urge come over her. An urge to kill. She wanted to grab her keystaff, bring forth sword, and? but then reason overcame base fear and anger. As she looks down she finds herself in a state of half dress, her pajama top pulled away exposing her bare flesh. As she closes her top she sighs. Her last rational thought in her dream was to take Tomoyo's place. Pull her clothes away and beg him to take her instead. Anything for Tomoyo? That's when she felt a hand squeeze her hand, and Tomoyo's gaze fall upon her. "Sakura-chan?" Sakura smiles, and leans down to kiss her softly. 'I don't want to worry her anymore.' Sakura thinks to herself. 'It's not fair to her.' "You OK?" she whispers, concerned. Sakura smiles and whispers "I'm thirsty." Tomoyo's head bumps against her's as she sighs. "You're a poor liar, Sakura-chan." Sigh. She could never lie to Tomoyo it seems. She always knew when Sakura was being less than honest. "If anything ever happened to you?" Tomoyo nodded her head, and knew what Sakura was about to say without even having to hear it. "Nothing happened. Don't let that incident worry you so. They could never "touch" me the way you do? here?" (she grasps Sakura's hand and puts it to her heart) "?understand?" Tomoyo falls back into a lying position, her hands pulling Sakura along, her smile electric as they fell into each other's arms. "I'm going to have to work harder to make you forget those sort of things, don't I?" The two kiss long and passionately, a kiss that lasts an eternity before they break, Tomoyo smiling as she "I'm going to make you a new costume. That'll help you forget." Sakura suddenly feels grateful that it's too dark for Tomoyo to see the expression on her face at that moment. ----- Yesterday, before this incident at Syaoran's apartment, she and Nina went shopping. When she returned she proclaimed happily that she and Eliza were out accessory shopping and bought the cutest little pocket messenger slash pocket assistant she ever seen! Since then she's been rather giddy about her new toys and yet refused to say more about them. So, it was this morning, as Nina went to shoot some scenes for the series she was in (Pink Panties) that Keiko found herself needing a cellphone. "What's wrong with --" Hotaru/Eve asked before Keiko showed her her phone, or to be more precise the remains of her phone. "Yet another thing to add to my "to replace" list -- apparently it was hit by a stray blade feather and was broken -- cut nicely in half too." (plays with pieces before disposing of them in a proper disposal container) "I don't suppose you have a cellphone on you?" "Nope." Hotaru/Eve lied. Sure she had one, but it was Eve's cellphone -- and Keiko would become rather suspicious since Eve swore that she'd never give that phone to anyone and yet here it was in "Hotaru's" hands. "I need to get another cellphone." Eve thought to herself as Keiko walked off towards Nina's room. "Where are you going? Can't you use the regular phones?" "I don't want the call traced so I'm using a portable cellphone and making it short. Nina got a new one yesterday so that'd be perfect. Since it hasn't been used much it'd be perfect for an untraceable call." "They're tracing the calls?" Hotaru/Eve asked, confused. "Tomoyo's bodyguards has a monitoring system on the phones -- mostly to weed out sex fiends and perverts making obscene calls to Tomoyo or Sonomi." Keiko remarks, walking right into Nina's room and straight towards a huge desk and the gigantic cute doll house sitting on it. "Only Nina would think of hiding her phone and datapad in a doll house. Yet who'd think to look in here -- ingenious, really." "Is this alright?" Hotaru/Eve whispers, glancing about, "We could get in trouble." "It's alright. She won't mind. I'll just reach through the roof and grab the phone and we're in---" "EEKKK!!" Quickly Keiko yanked her arm out of the doll house with a deathly pale face, grasping her hand as if it was just burned. "WhatthehelldidI---" she rasps, teeth clenched. "Keiko---?" From inside the house something moved, which scared the hell out of Keiko causing her to fall over onto the floor. Small footsteps could be heard as Hotaru/Eve rushed to her side, the footsteps slowly descending down the "stairs" as they listened. Soon, a small little noise could be heard in the house, which followed by the little door of the house poppingopen, causing Keiko to yelp in a rather out of character manner. There, at the door of this little house, stood the most peculiar sight. A small "female" about so high with well defined and rounded features complete with small perky breasts no less, wearing the most bizarre little outfit while sporting this strange purplish hairdo. She looked on, eyes rolling back and forth at the two, before she spoke. "Who squeezed Plum? Well? Who-Squeezed-Plum?" The small female, face pouty, repeated her inquiry while she stood there with arms crossed in a judgmental way. Keiko, now frowning, looked as if she was about to cry. "It's accusing me of molesting her!!" "?" Plum looked confused by the sudden accusation, then she thought about it -- and thought -- and thought -- and shook her head, and thought some more -- That's when a second voice called out to her from inside the doll house. "She thinks you're accusing her of touching you in your naughty spots!" a tired voice from inside screamed. The voice, which sounded quite feminine (and quite sleepy) cried something akin to "Good night" then fell silent. Plum, looking back through the door for a second, quickly recovered and waved at Keiko, "Oh, no! No! My naughty things are untouched, thanks! Opal didn't frisk me yet this morning." Something inside the house groaned. "Don't call me that." Keiko however was more interested in the strange purple haired micro girl who, with her large eyes and whimsical face, creeped Keiko out majorly. Slowly, but surely, she raised herself up to look this "Plum" straight in the "eyes" to ask, "Just who the heck are you? anyway?" It took a few seconds for the question to sink in. She smiles, and points at herself saying "Plum." "Say what." Keiko mutters. Clearly she was still dazed from what happened a minute or so ago. "Plum." she repeated, pointing at herself again. "Plum. I'm master's messenger. My partner's Opal, and?" "My name's NOT Opal! Stop calling me Opal!" But Plum would hear nothing of it. She walked right back in, her footfalls the only thing heard, until something with long dark hair is shoved through the second floor window. "OPAL!! Say hi!! Say something intelligent!!" The small female, her eyes droopy as she looked about, sighed? "Stupid idiot." "No, no." Plum insisted. "Say something smarter than that!" Opal - "?. (-_-) ?." ----- Breakfast was slowly becoming a feeding cattle call in the Daidouji Estates. The amount of residents, Clow girls and visitors was becoming ridiculous. It was becoming harder and harder to feed everyone. It came to the point that they either had to rotate dining shifts so the kitchen wasn't overwhelmed, or a whole room had to be converted into a "mess hall" to accommodate everyone. The latter choice was made. Tomoyo decided to do the task so when she and Sakura woke up that morning for breakfast in bed, she began to work. As Tomoyo sketched out the plans on a notebook, Sakura glanced over her shoulder with a curious expression on her face. "That's not clothes for me, is it?" "Not now? but I have a few designs I want to show you later." Sakura blushed. "Oh. But?" (?) "?are you drawing a room?" "It's the new dining area to accommodate all our visitors and extra "family". After drawing costume designs for years it's very easy to design a room layout." (smiles) "And it's fun too? but not as much fun as going on another date with you." Sakura's eyebrows go up, confusion setting in. Tomoyo simply smiles and says "There's no school today. Let's go out and --" ----- "Date?!?" Nina, Keiko, Eve and Cloud seemed rather confused by this announcement. Kero, hovering over the table, smiled his wicked little smile. "It really pays off to pay attention and keep your ears open, because you'll never know when you'll hear something interesting." "Interesting only to you." Keiko countered. "What. You're love life that boring that you need to live vicariously through Sakura and Tomoyo?" Cloud pouted, and Kero refused to say a word to her. Eve had to do the speaking. "Where are they going?" "They wouldn't say. All I could hear was that. I had important things to do and?" "They threw you out." Nina guessed, to which Kero didn't say a word? until he finally nodded his head and sighed. "Sakura has no sense of humor." Everyone (except Kero) sighs. Cloud, kicking her feet beneath the table, gave Kero a severe look. "You're just avoiding the fact that you STILL suck at Mario Party 5! Any other reason you found a good excuse to go "check" on Sakura than to avoid admitting MY greatness other than that?" "You're not THAT great." Kero scoffed. "Don't get all self important on me. I was winning." "That's the lament of a LOSER!" "?why you?!" Nina sighs as she watches the two bicker, pulling another biscuit from the basket on the table as she speaks, "Not that I care where Sakura/Tomoyo date, and I don't, but why don't you two?" (aiming her comment right at Cloud/Kero) "?get a room or something, you lovebirds you." The two huffed their breaths, grabbed biscuits, and stormed off to go back to playing games. Nina - "When Cloud gives birth to Kero's child I'm going to shoot myself, mostly from the shock that the two actually stopped playing video games long enough to even think of attempting reproduction? oh, yeah, where are they going?" Eve - "Back to their room to play Mario Party 5." Nina - "?I meant Sakura/Tomoyo?" Eve - "I thought you didn't care." Nina - "Screw that. I wanna watch?" (eyes turn towards Keiko) "?yes, I'm THAT bored. Up yours." Keiko - "Didn't say a thing." Nina - "You were, and that's what counts." Keiko - "Was not, and like that ever counted with you." Nina - "Jerk." Keiko - "Natural born stalker." Eve sighs and goes back to her own food. Nina - "So? where are they going?" Keiko - "Go ask Kero, if he's not too busy reproducing." Nina - "Up yours." To be continued.
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