<__< BLOSSOMS IN THE SPRING <__< A crossover Improfanfic started by The Eternal Lost Lurker This chapter by Sharyna Tran Street Fighter and all related trademarks belong to Capcom. Card Captor Sakura and all related trademarks belong to CLAMP, Kodansha. Used without permission. ___ <__< Chapter Five: Sakura Pursues a DREAM... ___ <__< -----=====----- All too soon, it seemed, break was over and school had begun once again. "Kasugano Sakura!" "Hai!" Sakura stood ramrod-straight, as the gym teacher continued to read off the list of names. Never mind that real alertness required a relaxed posture. Ohka-sensei was firm about standing at attention. Sakura glanced down the line of young women from the corner of her eye. It was an awesome sight. Tall, short, developed or still boyish, every single one of them was reduced to a shapeless blob by the pale brown, baggy, one-piece gym uniforms. Some of the girls had tried to throw a sense of style into the things by turning up the cuffs on sleeves and legs, or by ironing them carefully, but it was hopeless. Sakura shook her head minutely. If nothing else, they were a change from Tomoyo's costumes. Oh, they were just as strange-looking, but at least she didn't stand out in the crowd. "Count off! By twos! Now!" Obediently the class counted off, obediently the Twos took two steps forward and one to the left, obediently they went through a limited set of calisthenics, and obediently they all sat on the floor to listen to a lecture. The subjects of these lectures were rarely interesting, sometimes embarrassing, and often mind-numbingly dull in any case. The evolution of field hockey. The history of badminton. The organizational structure of the All-Nippon Sports Federation. Sakura shifted uneasily, wishing she could unclasp her hands from around her knees. Okha-sensei was firm about sitting still, too. The small amount of exercise they had just completed had left Sakura barely warmed up, and for someone in good physical shape, as she was, having to then sit still for minutes at a time was very uncomfortable. In fact, thought Sakura, if she wasn't a teacher, I'd think Ohka-sensei was a bit of a bully... She focused her attention earnestly on the climbing-rope just behind Ohka-sensei's head. A slight poke on her back. Several seconds later, another one. Sakura blinked. What could be so important as to risk the wrath of a teacher? Slowly she leaned back, ever so slightly, to catch a whisper. "Oi, Sakura, see if you can wake up Midori..." The whisper was faint, but Sakura could hear the worry in it. That would be Keiko, Midori's best friend. Ichida Midori was sitting in front of Sakura and diagonally to her left. Sakura could see that her head was slumped forward, and that her breathing was deep and regular. This was not good. Ohka-sensei was really going to blow her top if she noticed. She could not see Midori's face, as her hair had fallen forward across her cheek. Choosing a moment when the teacher was turned towards the other side of the room, Sakura leaned forward and gently prodded the dozing girl's upper arm. The result was not what she'd expected. A jerk of the head, maybe, and a startled look, but not what she got. "HYAH!" Midori gave a loud cry, sprang to her feet, and whirled towards Sakura, assuming an attack posture. Sakura sprang to her feet as well. Instinctively, she began to assume a defensive stance, but then forced herself to relax and stand normally. No need to bring her Street Fighter skills into the classroom. Anyway, Midori was beginning to straighten up herself. Her face was flushed and her eyes looked bewildered. Her hands flopped at her sides. She blinked at Sakura, and whispered, "Gomen nasai. Such a dream..." "Kasugano-kun! Ichida-kun! What is the meaning of this?" Time to put on a look of injured innocence. Sakura listened as, to her surprise, Midori admitted that she had fallen asleep, and been frightened by a nightmare. Frowning, the teacher turned to Sakura. "And what do you know about this, young lady? Why should Ichida-kun attack you, of all people?" "I...don't know, sensei." "Hmmph." The teacher frowned at the two of them. "Well, I cannot permit such undisciplined behavior in my classroom. Ichida-kun, you will stand against the wall near the door for the rest of the class, and Kasugano-kun, you will stand against the opposite wall, facing her." She wrote a brief note, then tore the paper off her clipboard. "And after class, Ichida-kun, you will report to the nurse's office. She'll have to find out if there's some reason why you're so tired." She blew into her whistle. "Class! Take sides for volleyball!" Sakura slumped against the wall, not even pretending to be interested in the volleyball game. Of all the unfair--! Tomoyo was making little waves and thumbs-up signs whenever she could, but Sakura merely shrugged in irritation. She hated this sort of thing. Now she would have to be extra-careful in gym, and Keiko would be apologizing, and everyone would be asking her what had happened. Who knew what rumors it would start? Across the room, past the leaping bodies of her classmates, she saw Midori, hands demurely behind her, supporting herself against the wall with one foot. Unbelievably, her eyes were closed again. A faint smile bent her lips. She looked blissfully asleep. As Sakura looked more closely, though, she noticed that the girl's forehead was wrinkled, as though she were thinking deeply, or were distressed about something. And that smile...was there something odd about that smile? For a moment, it almost looked to Sakura as though the smile was superimposed on Midori's face, that her actual expression underneath was different. Perhaps there was a reason why Midori responded so strongly to such a light poke after all. Finally, the class ended, and the girls pushed, chattering, into the locker room. Sakura avoided Tomoyo long enough to shower, but while she was drying off her friend appeared at her side. "Do you know what that was all about, Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked. She was already perfectly dressed, her fuku showing no sign that it had ever been stuffed in a locker. "I have no idea," Sakura frowned slightly. "Weird, wasn't it?" Tomoyo nodded and lowered her voice. "Maybe we should let Kero-chan out, to check on her." Sakura's eyes grew big. "You're letting Kero-chan out in HERE? Anou, I'm not sure that's such a good-" "Well, do you want to find out what's going on or not?" Tomoyo asked reasonably, reaching past Sakura's towel-clad body and into Sakura's locker for her book-bag. A subdued, yet agitated thumping had been going on within it for some time. "Shush, shush, I'm letting you out." "Now listen!" Sakura addressed the book-bag in a sternly urgent whisper. "We're only letting you out because we need to check something, OK? And if you forget for one instant that you are a plush toy, I will lock you in my closet for a month. Is that clear?" A series of bobbing motions seemed to indicate that something in the bag was nodding vigorously. "OK then..." Sakura nodded to Tomoyo, who opened the top of the bag, thrust in her hand, and drew out the small, slightly worn-looking figure of Cerberus, who Sakura had packed just in case, remembering how random the Clow Cards seemed to be location-wise. True to his promise, the creature was careful to keep his limbs stiff, wings motionless, and eyes looking dull and lifeless, but Tomoyo could feel his agitated body quivering in her hand. It was an agitating sight, if the sight of teen-age girls in various states of undress gets you agitated. Some were in underwear, more or less. Others, like Sakura, were swathed in towels that just covered the essentials. And others seemed to think that eye-shadow and blusher went on better when the rest of the body was in a state of nature. Only a few, like Tomoyo, had completed their toilettes. A trio of young ladies stood with one foot each up on a locker-room bench, comparing pedicures, a posture displaying their posteriors to advantage, while near by another young woman--doubtless of the highest moral character--was demonstrating to two of her friends how to turn a standard bra into a strapless model. A faint sound came from the plush toy. Sakura and Tomoyo bent forward to hear a tiny voice saying, "thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou..." Just as quietly, Sakura said "Baka!" and gave the creature an admonitory bap on the head. "Over there." Midori was standing in the back of the locker room, being talked to by Keiko. As Tomoyo and Sakura moved towards the pair (past a classmate who was towel-drying her toes and air-drying the rest of her anatomy, which made Cerberus quiver again), she could see that Midori was trying to apologize. Keiko was not ready to let her, however. "...this is the third time, the THIRD time you've fallen asleep in a class. Now I'll have to apologize to Sakura, and you'll both probably be in trouble with Ohka-sensei for weeks." Midori had her hand behind her head, and was flushed with embarrassment. "Midori-chan, we're supposed to be friends. Just tell me-why won't you go at least to see the nurse?" "I'm sorry, Keiko-chan, I know I'm giving you a lot of trouble..." Midori looked over Keiko's shoulder to see the approaching Sakura and Tomoyo. "Ahh, ohayo, Sakura-chan, I'm so sorry..." "Me too," said Keiko, frowning. "If I'd had any idea what this idiot girl was going to do, I'd have let her sleep until Ohka-sensei caught her." "It's OK," Sakura said almost absently. "Ummm... I couldn't help overhearing your conversation, though. You really should go see the nurse, Midori, if you're as tired as all that." "But I feel fine!" Midori protested. "I just had some trouble sleeping last night, so today I'm drowsy." Keiko looked at her friend. "Trouble sleeping? First I've heard of it. What from?" Midori looked away from the three of them. "Dreams...Look, I'm fine, really. I'll be OK tomorrow, I promise." Keiko sighed, looking at Midori, then turned from her back to Sakura and Tomoyo. She opened her mouth to speak-then suddenly saw Cerberus clearly. "What a kawaii plushie! Can I hold it?" Tomoyo grinned. "Sure!" And Cerberus was cheerfully handed over, to be held close to a rose-colored silk brassiere (with matching panties), then to find himself being examined by the owner thereof. "Oooohhhh, he's adorable! Look, Midori!" And the small figure was airborne. Grinning, Midori reached for Cerberus' fluffy body. As soon as her fingers touched his fur, however, she drew back with a squeal. Cerberus landed on the floor before either Tomoyo or Sakura could catch him. As the latter leaned over to retrieve him, she frowned. A blissful expression had spread across his face, as he looked up at the four girls standing over him. Sakura squeezed him with more than necessary pressure, causing a faint, barely audible "Urk!" The small bear's expression rapidly re-assumed a stuffed-animal dullness. Midori was apologizing again. "I don't know what's wrong with me today, Sakura-chan. I guess I'm a little nervous." Tomoyo spoke for the first time. "Nothing a good night's sleep won't take care of, I hope, Midori. Anyway, it's nearly class-time, and you all still need to get dressed." Three startled looks were directed at the clock, and within seconds Cerberus was back in the book-bag, while undies, socks, shoes, and seifuku flew through the air and onto Sakura's body as though drawn by magnets. As Sakura picked up the book-bag and raced after Tomoyo, she thought she heard the little voice again, saying "thankyouthankyouthankyou..." *** "So Kero, what'd you think?" Sakura asked the seeming-plushie discreetly, as they left their next class. "Gaaaahhhhh..." Cerberus replied, eyes swirly. Sakura bapped the guardian on the head. "I meant about Midori. Did you sense anything about her?" "Yes, I did," Cerberus answered. "I sensed...I sensed...I sensed a girl who's going to grow up to be really ho-" Sakura shushed him with a finger over his mouth. "Kero-chan. I'm asking you seriously. Did you or did you not sense a Clow Card when you were around Midori?" "Enh...maybe." "MAYBE?! Whaddaya mean, 'maybe'?" Sakura asked angrily. "Well, I...had my mind on other things. You know." Sakura ground her teeth. "Kero..." "Sakura?" It was Tomoyo. "What?" "I think it might be a good idea to continue that discussion for later, eh?" Tomoyo glanced meaningfully at the crowded hall. "Oh. Right, T-er, Yuriko." Sakura gave Cerberus one last, menacing glare and stuck him back in her backpack. *** "All right, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo began as they sat in Sakura's room, "What were you yelling at Kero-chan about, earlier?" "That...that...that HENTAI wasn't paying attention when we were trying to get him to see whether or not Midori was being possessed by a Clow Card!" Tomoyo shot the plushie a disappointed glance. Cerberus had enough grace to look shamed. "Well, what made you two think that she's possessed by a Clow Card?" He asked. Sakura's eyes narrowed. "I'm...not quite sure. It's just...I don't know. She was really jumpy and...not normal at all. Oh, what am I saying?" she moaned, burying her face in a pillow. "I am getting *so* paranoid over this stuff! Next thing, I'm going to be thinking that anyone who looks at me weirdly is possessed by a card!" "Don't be like that, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo said, patting her friend on the shoulder. "In your other life, you got to be pretty good at sensing Clow Cards. Maybe a bit of that's coming back to you!" "Maybe," Sakura sighed. "Besides, *I* thought Midori was acting a little weird, myself. I mean, you don't usually spin around and try to attack someone like that when someone wakes you up, right? Well...*you* might, but I don't think Midori has any martial arts training." "I don't think she does, either," Sakura frowned. "And right after Ohka-sensei finished yelling at us, she fell asleep again! Right against the wall, in front of the whole class and everything!" Tomoyo nodded. "Yeah, I saw her. I thought it was kind of strange. D'you think...maybe we should call her, to see if she's all right." Sakura hesitated only for a split second. "Good idea." *** "Moshi moshi?" Midori's mother. "Ahh...may I speak with Midori, please?" A pause. "She's asleep right now; if you'll give me your name, I'll have her call you back?" "Um...it's Kasugano Sakura. And...it's kind of important. It's about school." Not exactly a lie. "Oh." Slight pause. "Well, all right...hold on a moment. I'll get her up." Another pause. Wait impatiently, exchange worried glances with Tomoyo and Kero-chan. In the background, "Midori-chan?" "HWAH! Oh, gomen nasai, okaa-san!" "...Midori-chan? Daijoubu?" "Hai, okaa-san..." "There's someone on the phone for you, Midori-chan...she says it's important. Sakura?" "Oh!" Then, a tentative "Sakura?" "Midori!" Let loose a held breath. "Are you all right? You sound strange." "I...was asleep." "Again?" "Um...yeah. I-I don't...um." Exchange another worried glance with Tomoyo and Kero-chan. >From Tomoyo, "Let me talk to her." Nod uncertainly, hand over the phone, sit on the bed and wait. Watch Tomoyo. "Midori-chan? It's Yuriko. Listen, Midori-chan, would you like to come to a sleepover at my house tonight?...unh...well, Sakura's coming, too-" Wait, what? "What?!" Get waved down, fume silently. "So you'll be able to come? Great! See you there, Midori-chan!" Click. "What did you do that for?" Sakura asked, indignant. "Do what, invite Midori over for a sleepover? I just thought it would be a good idea; if she really is possessed by a Clow Card, it'll be easier to capture it at my place than at hers, and if she isn't, well, it can't do any harm. And if it *is* a card, we could hardly capture it without you, right?" Cerberus nodded. "Sounds like a good plan to me, Tomoyo-chan." Sakura's anger died down, and she sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Just...next time, warn me about this kind of stuff, all right?" "Whatever you say, Sakura-chan!" Sakura sighed. *** "Wow, Yuriko-chan, your house is really big!" Midori remarked, impressed. She didn't seem nearly so jumpy now, Sakura noted. Perhaps Tomoyo had been wrong about the Clow Card. Tomoyo laughed. "It's not really all *my* house, Midori-chan. Hey, are you thirsty? Can I get you something to drink?" "That sounds great!" Midori agreed and followed Tomoyo off into the kitchen, leaving Sakura and Cerberus alone. "All right, Kero-chan, now that you're *focused*," Sakura began, "What's the word about Midori?" "Hmm...I'm not sure just now," the seeming-plushie replied cautiously. "She could have a Card inside her, but it's pretty uncertain right now." "So what you mean is, you're going to need some more time to figure it out, right?" "Yep." At that point, Tomoyo walked out of the kitchen, a worried frown on her face. "What's wrong?" Sakura asked. "She's asleep again," Tomoyo replied. "I got us both some hot chocolate to drink, and when I got back from putting everything away...she was asleep. I don't think this is just a case of sleep-deprivation, Sakura." "Huh," Sakura said, a puzzled look on her face. "Yuriko-chan? Sakura-chan?" The two girls turned to see Midori walking towards them, rubbing her eyes. "I'm sorry I fell asleep again. I...I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm afraid I'm not going to be much fun at this sleepover; maybe I should go home." "Oh, no, Midori-chan!" Tomoyo disagreed. "You're already here, there's no point to turning around and going home again! Why don't you take your things upstairs, my room is the third door on the left, Sakura-chan and I will be right up, okay?" "Well...I guess so," Midori said uncertainly, picking up her bag and following Tomoyo's directions. Sakura's eyes narrowed as she watched Midori go. "I'll bet you she'll be asleep by the time we get up there." "Oh, you think so too?" Tomoyo asked, also watching. *** To their surprise, Midori wasn't sleeping when they entered Tomoyo's room... she was crying. Crying, and holding a picture of Tomoyo's family that she had apparently found on the nightstand. Sakura and Tomoyo exchanged alarmed glances, and rushed over to their friend's side. "Midori-chan? Are you all right?" Tomoyo asked, gently removing the picture from Midori's shaking hands. "S-sorry...I'm sorry," Midori managed to gasp out between sobs. "It's all right, Midori-chan," Tomoyo told her gently, patting her on the shoulder. "Everyone needs to cry sometime." Sakura picked up the picture Midori had been holding and looked at it. It was a photo of a young Tomoyo and her parents, beaming happily at the camera. She peered more closely at the photo. That was Tomoyo, all right, but...the man and woman standing with her didn't look like her parents. At least not, Sakura realized with an odd lurch, *Yuriko's* parents. These, then, were Tomoyo's real parents, the ones she'd left behind when she'd gone to find Sakura. She looked at them more closely, feeling an unsettling wave of familiarity/unfamiliarity, then put the picture down. That was enough of that. "I-it's just," Midori was stammering to Tomoyo, "Your family...you look so happy! I-I just wish my family was like that..." "Midori-chan, I didn't know you were having problems with your family," Tomoyo prompted, ignoring the plushie that had climbed on top of her shoulder, out of Midori's sight, and was now waving frantically to Sakura. "Um...excuse me, Midori-chan, Yuriko-chan. I have...I think I left something downstairs." Tomoyo and Midori nodded absently, not really paying attention to her. Sakura walked out of the room, sweeping up Kero-chan on the way. "OK," Sakura said once they were out of earshot. "What is it?" "She's got a card, all right," Cerberus told her seriously. "And from what you've been telling me, it sounds like either the SLEEP or the DREAM." "The SLEEP or the DREAM, huh?" Sakura pondered. Quietly, she walked back into Tomoyo's room. This time when she entered, Midori *was* sleeping. Tomoyo, in the process of wiping away the other girl's tearstains, looked up, her blue eyes questioning. Sakura nodded. "The SLEEP or the DREAM," she whispered quietly. Tomoyo nodded back, and walked towards the door. "The DREAM, I think," she said once they were out. "Right before she fell asleep, she started mumbling about how happy her family used to be, and how she could just picture it...and then she sighed and dropped off." "Sounds like you're right, Tomoyo-chan," Cerberus nodded. "What's wrong with her family now, anyway?" Sakura asked. "Her father left a few years back," Tomoyo answered sadly. "And her mother's been getting increasingly bitter ever since. She's having a hard time dealing with things, Sakura." "That explains a lot," Cerberus mused. "If her home life is that bad, she'd probably take any chance she could to forget about it, and the DREAM would be the perfect card to help her do it." "So that's what's really behind her falling asleep all the time," Sakura realized. Tomoyo nodded again, and headed down the hallway. Puzzled, Sakura followed her. "Where are you going?" she asked. "Why, to get your costume, of course!" Tomoyo chirped cheerfully. Sakura's eyes widened in dread. "Come on, Tomoyo! We should be getting that Card, whichever it is, out of her! Right now, it'll be easy to get it since she's asleep, but what if she wakes up while we're wasting our time with costumes?" "Don't be silly, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo told her. "You yourself saw how she was able to sleep, even through gym. I shouldn't think she'll be waking up for a while." Sakura sighed. *** Cotton candy. Tomoyo-chan had most *definitely* eaten too much cotton candy while making up this costume, Sakura decided. This particular tortu-er, outfit was all in pale pink and baby blue chiffon, so light and fluffy she was half-afraid it would float away. There was a barely visible sheath across the back where she could stash the Key Staff if she needed both hands while fighting, although this capture probably wouldn't require much of that. She was *so* glad she wouldn't have to go out in public wearing it. Shaking her head, Sakura went back into Tomoyo's room. "All right," she said, looking down at Midori's unconscious form. "Let's go." She took a deep breath. "Return to the guise that you were meant to be in! CLOW CA-wha?" She paused, startled, as Midori blinked her eyes open and stared at her. "Sakura-chan? What's that odd thing you're holding? And *what* are you wearing? That has to be the strangest set of pajamas I've ever seen..." "Ahh..." Sakura told her, embarrassed and half-panicking at the same time. She looked over at Tomoyo, who smiled at her. Great. Well, she supposed, since surprise was out of the question now, she might as well take the direct route. "Midori-chan...listen to me. These dreams you've been having haven't been coming from you. You're being influenced by a...I suppose you could call it a spirit power. It's inside you right now, and I'm going to have to try and drive it out, okay?" Midori's face, which had been growing pale as Sakura explained, stiffened. "No." Sakura blinked. "No?" "No," Midori repeated, more firmly. "Spirit power or no, these dreams have been making me happier than anything else in this stupid life. I *won't* let you take them away." "This isn't like you," Tomoyo said. "It's the c-the spirit power talking, Midori-chan. It's taking over your mind." "I. Don't. Care," Midori stated flatly. "I'm not going to let you take the dreams away, and that's final." "Midori, this *isn't* the answer," Sakura insisted. "You can't just-" "Stop it! Didn't you hear what I just said?!" She was agitated now, her hands clenched into fists. "If you were really my friends, you'd just leave me alone!" Sakura stared at her for a long moment...then slowly let the Key Staff droop towards the floor. "You're right, Midori-chan," she began, "we *are* your friends..." Then, with a sudden movement, she gripped the Staff tightly and lifted it into striking position. "...and that's why we're getting that thing out of you, whether you like it or not!" "I said, NO! I won't LET YOU!" The last two words turned into a scream, and at the same time a brilliant blue light suffused Midori's body. Sakura's eyes widened in shock. "What the-" "It's the DREAM!" Cerberus was suddenly there, hovering over Sakura's shoulder. "She's letting the DREAM take over!" Indeed, Midori was clearly falling into a deep slumber, collapsing gently onto the floor. As she fell, however, the glow that had surrounded her remained upright, and in an instant formed into the visage of a woman. She wore a long dress, a fashionable cape, and an ornate mask that covered her eyes. Despite this, she was quite obviously glaring at Sakura. "DREAM, I presume?" Sakura smirked and twirled the Staff. "This'll be a cinch." "Sakura-chan," Tomoyo said hesitantly, "aren't you forgetting something?" "Of course not. I... oh." Next to her, Cerberus nodded. "Like the PUSH, you won't be able to capture the DREAM until she returns to Midori's body." "Wonderful." She scowled at the Card, who scowled right back. "I guess we're at an impasse here..." A noise caught her attention, and she looked down at Midori, turning over in her sleep. "Nnnnn," she murmured. "Won't... let you... hyah..." A sense of doom crept over Sakura. "...hyah?" With a slight smile, the DREAM flashed and changed shape in an instant. Instead of the masked woman, there now stood there a copy of Midori herself, dressed in a martial arts gi. She raised her fists into a ready position, glaring at Sakura. "HYAH!" Sakura rubbed her temples. "...could this possibly get any worse?" Without another word, Dream Fighter Midori leapt at Sakura, who barely dodged out of the way in time. "Gak! Sorry I asked!" Tomoyo and Cerberus watched as Sakura avoided the ghostly warrior's every attack. "Yare, yare," the Guardian Beast muttered, "This doesn't look good. Sakura, why aren't you fighting back?" "I... ngh... can't!" she panted. "If I do... I'll end up breaking... all of Tomoyo's stuff! And probably the house along with it!" With stars in her eyes, Tomoyo clasped her cheek with one hand. "Sakura- chan... to put yourself in danger over your concern for me... you're so wonderful!" Sakura would have allowed herself a sweatdrop if she'd had the opportunity. Instead, she shook her head and returned her concentration to the fight. This was getting her nowhere, she decided, ducking under the DREAM's spinning kick. The DREAM was no trained fighter-Sakura supposed that it was going by what Midori *thought* martial arts was like-but it wasn't getting tired. Sakura's eyes narrowed. This could go on for a long while. Cerberus seemed to have the same idea. "You have to do something soon, Sakura!" "I'm open to ideas!" He rubbed his chin. "If you can't fight her, you'll have to use your magic!" "Left the Cards at home! Didn't think we'd need 'em!" "That's so irresponsible! Tomoyo *said* she was inviting Midori over to see whether or not she had a card!" Sakura dived beneath a crushing punch. "IDEAS, Kero! NOW!" "Well, the only other way is to reason with her, but I don't see how-" "I do!" Tomoyo brightened. "Sakura-chan! The DREAM is only doing this because she thinks she's helping Midori!" Surprised, Sakura actually turned to look at Tomoyo, allowing the DREAM to sneak in a kick that sent her staggering against one of Tomoyo's (many) video storage shelves. Fortunately, since they were designed to withstand anything short of a nuclear blast, no damage was done. To the shelves, at least. "Oww..." She shook her head, then risked a quick smile to her friend. "Right! Thanks, Tomoyo-chan!" Tomoyo beamed and offered a thumbs-up. As the DREAM watched her warily, Sakura cautiously let the Staff fall to her side. "DREAM," she began, "I know you're only trying to help Midori... but you're only making things worse for her!" The glowing DREAM/Midori narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "It's true!" the Card Captor/Street Fighter insisted. "Lots of people have problems like Midori does. We have to face them, get over them, and move on. That's what being human is all about. But Midori's *not* facing her problems. She's running away into her dreams, and she doesn't even care about making things better!" The DREAM hesitated, then looked down uncertainly at Midori's peacefully slumbering form. "I know Midori doesn't want you to go," Sakura continued, not unkindly, "But she's...not thinking straight right now. You know the troubles she's been having..." The DREAM nodded slightly. "Well, the way she's been acting lately isn't going to help her any; if anything, it's going to cause her even *more* trouble. Besides, if she spends all of her time asleep, she'll never have the chance to truly *live*." The DREAM hesitated again...then looked up in surprise as Sakura placed her hand on the Card's shoulder, her eyes slightly misted over. "Please...let us help our friend?" The Card searched Sakura's face for a long moment...and suddenly it was the woman once again, a kind smile on her face. She floated toward Midori, then shifted into an amorphous glow as she rejoined her host. "Thank you," Sakura whispered, then lifted the Key Staff. "Return to the guise that you were meant to be in! Clow... CARD!" In moments it was done, the light from Midori's body swirling and coalescing into a long rectangle of paper. It hovered in the air for a moment, then flitted across the room, landing directly between Sakura's outstretched fingers. Cerberus peered over her shoulder, and smiled as he saw the image of the DREAM Card. "Nicely done, Card Captor," he murmured. "Thanks, but...I just wonder. Was it really right to take away her happiness like that? She sounded so very desperate, at the end..." "Don't you believe what you were saying? You did the right thing, Sakura," Cerberus told her, patting her on the head. "She wouldn't have been able to help herself by dreaming about the past." Sakura took a deep breath, and nodded. "I guess you're right, Kero-chan..." A slight sound caught her attention. Midori was conscious again, and shuddering, Tomoyo by her side. As Sakura drew closer, she realized that the other girl was crying again. Tomoyo looked up at her. "It's going to take her some time to work this out, Sakura-chan. The DREAM might have understood why you did this, but I don't know how Midori will take it. I think...it might be a good idea for you to go home tonight. She's probably not going to be very happy with you for a while." Sakura nodded again. "I understand." -----======----- LEAVE IT TO KERO-CHAN! -----======----- Konya nyatchiwa! Well, now that Sakura's back in school, let's take a look through some of her classes! Like my personal favorite, gym! (You only like it because you want to see girls in the locker room!) Eh-heh...anyways, everyone in gym starts out in the locker room, ne? Let's start there as well! OK! KERO-CHAN CHECK! Now, in the locker room there will generally be a lot of...cranky football players? What the-this is the wrong locker room! (Ha! Serves you right!) Er...actually, let's poke through Sakura's classes another time! Bye for now! -----=====----- Author's Notes: Before anyone says anything about my introducing two characters named Midori in two impro parts that were written back-to-back...*this* Midori was all Lirazel's idea. :P The beginning of the part is pretty much all her; she offered me what she'd managed to do before she had to skip, and since I couldn't think of anything to do, I accepted it gladly. ^^ She deserves a lot of thanks and a lot of credit. Brian Stricklin also deserves credit, for writing the battle scene. I'm horrible at those. @_@; Thanks also go to Ardweden for giving me an extension on this and to Rayearth, Brian, Yonjuuni, Lirazel, and Midnight Star for prereading. Good luck to the next author!