Cardcaptor Sakura: The New Trials (Wish-luv)

Chapter 40: The Fate Determined by the Stars

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The production date for Star-Crossed isn’t far away. We spent months, to be exact, more than half a year preparing for it now. All of us who were involved, whether in the cast, the chorus, the costume-making, the lighting, the scenery, the orchestra, or even little errands such as photocopying and fetching equipments are looking forward to the final night where all our hard work will finally pay off. Truthfully, the rehearsals were very hard, time consuming and stressful, and I often times asked myself, why am I doing this? Why am I putting up with the music teacher scold me endlessly, my peers laugh at me when I make a mistake on stage, or spending nights and nights memorizing hundreds of lines when I have to study for the math test the next day, investigate about my past, or conquer a dark force?

 

Well, it is every girl’s desire to once in a lifetime take the spotlight, becoming Juliet. And this is my one chance to find my Romeo.

 

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It was a strange dream. She hardly ever dreamt about her mother, less frequently as she grew older and all together lost recollection of her mother’s beautiful face.

             Kinomoto Nadeshiko sat on a bed, her face paler than usual, with dark shadows underneath her eyes. A little girl, around three or so sat on her lap. Absentmindedly, Nadeshiko brushed the little girl’s short brown hair, listening to her daughter’s childish chatter with a gentle smile.

             A tall majestic woman walked up to the foot of the bed. No, there was more than one woman. Was it triple vision? There were three women, one holding a spindle, one holding a long silver thread, and one holding a scissor up the thread.

             “Nadeshiko,” the woman holding the scissor said in a hollow voice. “You’re life thread has spun to its end. I hope you were prepared for this.”

              With widened emerald eyes, Nadeshiko answered in her mind voice, “Yes, I knew I didn’t have long to live, though I didn’t expect that the end would come so quickly. My daughter’s only a baby. She’s just three. She won’t be able to remember my face if I leave her now.”

             “Poor thing. But this is what Fate has written for you. You can’t change it, you know that, don’t you?” the woman holding the spindle asked.

             “Yes, I do. I plan to accept my death quietly. But, I just need some more time,” Nadeshiko replied. “To tie up some things.”

             “Very well. You have enough time to settle things down. But we warn you, time is still limited for you.” The three women began to fade. “We’ll come back when you are ready.”

             Letting out a sigh, Nadeshiko watched the figures disappear, before resuming tying red ribbons into the little girl’s hair.

             “What is it mommy?” the little girl asked.

             “Nothing at all, my pretty Sakura,” Nadeshiko replied.