Sonomi took a small drink of her glass of wine, being careful not to over do it as she walked out of the building and into the gardens. The dark haired woman circulated through the crowd outside, smiling and nodding to familiar faces, then slowed as she neared the buffet tables. The center piece of the table was a ice sculpture, probably something the catering company ordered, a lovely image of a woman bursting free of the water. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" Kaho remarked softly. She smiled slightly as she added, "Though not half as lovely as you are." "Flatterer," Sonomi laughed softly, smiling up at the slightly taller, light brown haired woman with obvious love. "Just the honest truth," Kaho answered honestly, taking a moment to steal a kiss. As both woman walked away from the table they were unaware that the sculpture had cracked on one side... the eyes of the woman's face glowing brightly in the twilight as the liquid trapped in the ice began to swirl about under it's own power. Tomoyo returned to Sakura's side within the building, giving the smaller reddish brown haired woman a sympathetic smile. Several of her superiors from the museum were here too and she had found herself being introduced around the city's elite like some kind of new toy. "Thank you," Sakura took the drink with a relieved sigh. "Sorry," Tomoyo gave her a gentle smile, "I didn't really expect that to happen." "Not your fault," Sakura smiled at her warmly. She took a drink, then visibly stiffened as her eyes widened slightly. "What's wrong?" Tomoyo asked, unconsciously moving forward to hold Sakura's arm as the other woman swayed suddenly. "Clow card," Sakura breathed out, "there's a Clow card here." "Oh hell," Tomoyo cursed softly... just as the sounds of screams began outside. Without another word Sakura and Tomoyo raced out through the glass double doors, looking around wildly as people tried to ruin in all directions, fleeing the chaos. In the middle of the open area a column of water swirled in place, on top of it a beautiful woman made of the same water gazed about with a expression of pure irritation. Sakura looked up at the constantly shifting figure as she breathed out, "Water.. it would almost have to be." "Do you have your Clow cards with you?" Tomoyo asked as the last of the people raced by them inside, the sounds of cars roaring off heard in the distance. "Yes," Sakura nodded, "but none of the cards I have will help us against a Element card... especially water. I need to contain it, somehow." "How?" Tomoyo asked reasonably. "It looks like that ice statue," Sakura noted as she pulled her necklace out, chanting softly and causing the key to transform to her battle staff, "freezing must contain it." "So someone deliberately sent Water to my mother?' Tomoyo frowned, her reporter's brain already speculating on possibilities. "Wish I knew why," Sakura muttered as they moved forward cautiously towards the visibly angry elemental being. Standing nearby Water and trying to keep two other women back was Mei Lin, the lovely young Asian woman growling, "It's too dangerous." "Like hell it is," Kaho Mitsuki answered, "it's news!" Then she got a good look at Saukra and the staff she carried and her jaw dropped, "You!" "I forgot that Yukito got a few good pics of you and your staff in action," Tomoyo murmured to Sakura regretfully. Sonomi looked at them with a scowl, "What's going on?" "Sakura is the city's protector," Kaho growled before fixing Tomoyo with a glare, "and your daughter has been keeping it a secret." Before anything else could be said Water decided she did not want to be ignored. Lashing out with powerful streams of fluid she slashed into the earth, missing them by bare inches. "You, keeper of the Clow," Water hissed, "why are you here?" 'Well, this is one of the more talkative Clow cards,' Sakura noted, holding her staff steady in her hands. "I'm here to honor the birth of someone who is close to me," she said to her diplomatically, "and what of you, Water?" Water tilted her head to the side, her fin-like ears appearing from beneath her long, liquid hair. "I don't know," Water finally admitted, "I remember flowing freely in the rivers of this place, then such cold... and I found myself here." "She's talking to it?" Mei Lin blinked. "For now," Tomoyo shrugged, wishing she had a camera with her. 'And where is Yukito when I need him?' she wondered. "Those two," Water turned glowing blue eyes towards Sonomi and Kaho, "they insulted me... and they must pay." "What?!" Kaho was surprised a moment then she blushed as she remembered their little conversation nearby the sculpture. "What did you do?" Sakura asked softly. "I said that Sonomi was prettier than Water," Kaho softly admitted. Looking up at the visibly agitated Water she said, "While Sonomi is indeed lovely, so are you m'lady." "Yes," Sonomi gritted her teeth but continued, "I don't think I could rival your beauty." "Really?" Water suddenly reminded them of a eager teenager, rather than a dangerous elemental being. "You mean it?" she looked between them. "You're stunning," Sakura chimmed in. "And thin, too," Tomoyo's lips twitched wryly, "women and men like that." Getting into the spirit of the thing Mei Lin said, "Your blue eyes are lovely, and your skin shimmers beautifully beneath the lights." Water shifted her focus away from Sonomi and Kaho, instead flowing over towards Mei Lin. "Do you mean that?" she asked, studding her face. Mei Lin blinked, "Well, yes." Water reached out to touch Mei Lin's cheek, her gaze thoughtful. "Prove it," she said after a moment, "kiss me." "Hoeee?" Sakura squeaked. "Shhhh!" Tomoyo hushed her, watching eagerly. "Kiss?" Mei Lin looked at Water, her eyes wide. Recovering from her surprise she stepped forward, reaching out to touch Water's soothingly cool form. "All right," she nodded. Cool lips made of semi-solid Water met flesh, the two women standing there in a circle of pure stillness as they kissed. They separated after a moment, Water smiling as she stroked Mei Lin's cheek. "Thank you," she breathed out, "I will not forget this." "Nor will I," Mei Lin admitted softly. "Uhm, excuse me..." Sakura intruded uncomfortably. Water looked at Sakura with a frown, her voice terse. "Keeper of the Clow," she said, "it's time. Bind me back into my card form." "Water Card! Return to the form that you were meant to be," Sakura tapped it with her staff as she finished, "Water!" The outline of a card appeared in mid-air then Water flowed into it, filing it as the card solidified, the image of Water forming on it. "Thank god that's over," Kaho sighed. Sakura hesitated, holding the card, then calmly she passed it to Mei Lin, "I think this is yours." "What?" Mei Lin looked surprised as she reflexedly took the card. "I get a sense from the cards sometimes," Sakura shrugged, "she wants to be with you." She smiled, "Though I hope you'll let me borrow her." Mei Lin nodded as she reverently took the Water card, "Certainly." Tomoyo sighed, giving her boss a sheepish smile, "I guess we have a lot to talk about." "That we do," Kaho agreed with deceptive mildness.
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