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1 Learning To Fly: Chapter 2
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2
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3 by:
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4 The Amazoness Duo
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5 amazonessduo@hotmail.com
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6
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7 G.P.
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8 pearsong1954@yahoo.com
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9
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10 =====
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11
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12 Shifting uneasily in his chair, the hospital administrator glanced
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13 at the two young women while shuffling distractedly through the
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14 paperwork on his massive desk. He had seen the one girl many times
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15 before, assisting her mother in charity work. As Acting Director of
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16 the Tokyo Medical Center Children's Hospital, he was fully aware that
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17 the presents for pediatric patients were but a tiny fraction of the
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18 Daidouji Foundation's generous contributions. Very generous
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19 contributions. He knew the younger Daidouji as quiet, sensible and
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20 hard working. But her companion was something new altogether. He
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21 peeked sideways at her, as if to confirm just what he was seeing. She
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22 was young, rather pretty, and looked deeply embarrassed. Embarrassed,
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23 no doubt, by the outlandish costume in which she was dressed.
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24
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25 Her blouse was tightly wrapped and bare at the shoulders, leaving
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26 little to the imagination. Made of a curious fabric, she shimmered
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27 all the colors of the rainbow with every hesitant movement. Her
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28 skirt, made of glossy white taffeta, was distressingly short,
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29 revealing a pair of athletic legs clad in silvery pantyhose and
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30 lavender garters. Her hair was bedecked with ribbons and bows, and on
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31 her back were…wings. She had to lean forward to keep from crushing
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32 her delicate, diaphanous butterfly wings against the chair. Most
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33 peculiar of all they seemed to flutter now and then all on their own.
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34 It was of little comfort that the girl seemed as embarrassed as he
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35 was, though their mutual emotion seemed to make little impression on
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36 the cheerful Daidouji woman. In a reluctant voice he spoke,
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37
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38 "Ehhh, well, it is a bit unusual, you see. The children, are, well,
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39 easily upset by changes in their routine."
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40
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41 Oblivious to his concerns, the dark-haired woman sang out, "But
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42 we're merely delivering the presents, so there really is no change to
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43 the routine. And I'm sure they would be delighted by Sakura's
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44 costume, don't you think?"
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45
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46 This allowed him the chance to look directly at the young brunette,
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47 though he quickly looked away with a blush. Haltingly, he spoke
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48 again, "Perhaps, umm, if I had some of the nurses deliver the
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49 presents…"
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50
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51 Tomoyo replied with a sweet smile, "I wouldn't want to trouble your
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52 staff with such a little thing. I'm sure they are very busy with
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53 their regular duties. Perhaps, if there is a problem, you and my
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54 mother would be the best ones to work it out?"
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55
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56 This hit home. The last thing he wanted was to explain to the Board
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57 of Directors why the primary donor of the Hospital was upset. Almost
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58 too hastily he answered, "Oh, no, no, no, I'm sure there is no need
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59 for that, heh-heh. Umm, yes, well, why don't you and, umm, Kinomoto
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60 san go ahead with your good work, then?"
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61
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62 "Splendid!" The Daidouji woman rose and bowed, pulling up the still
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63 dazed Sakura by her bare arm. "I believe we are scheduled for the
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64 second floor today."
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65
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66 "Yes, well, the best of luck to you both." The Acting Director
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67 slumped back in his chair, watching the peculiar pair exit the door.
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68 Holding his head in his hands he slumped back, longing for the life
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69 of a simple ward doctor working 48 hours straight.
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70
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71 Sakura and Tomoyo strained to pull the wagon full of gaily decorated
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72 packages. Passing nurses and orderlies doing their utmost not to
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73 stare, Sakura mumbled, "Tomoyo chan, he's right, you know. Why am I
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74 dressed up in this….costume?
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75
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76 Tomoyo, amazed as ever at Sakura's strength, replied cheerily,
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77 "Because Sakura looks very cute in it, and if it makes the children
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78 half as happy as it makes Tomoyo, they will be ecstatic."
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79
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80 After trundling down the long 1st floor hallway, the girls stopped
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81 in front of a massive freight elevator. Tomoyo pressed the "2" button
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82 and waited. With a mechanical ka-chunk the doors opened, and the cart
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83 was wheeled in. As the doors shut, Sakura marveled,
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84
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85 "It's sooooo big! Do they use it as a freight elevator?"
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86
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87 Tomoyo nodded and answered quietly, "Yes, and it has to be big for
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88 the gurneys, for carrying children to and from the operating rooms.
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89 That happens on the third floor."
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90
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91 Sakura was silent as the elevator stopped with a little jolt, and
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92 the doors opened. Operations, she thought with a shudder. It must so
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93 scary for the poor children. She realized Tomoyo was struggling to
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94 get the cart over a little bump between the doors, so she helped
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95 muscle the cart onto the second floor. The hospital was impeccably
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96 clean, characterized by a distinct antiseptic odor. But this smell
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97 was somehow sharper and less cheery than the scent of a freshly
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98 cleaned house. Sakura felt an odd sense of unease, but she shook it
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99 off as the cart rolled forward. Finally, Tomoyo gasped out
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100 breathlessly, "This is it, 21, the first Ward. Oh, my, I'm so glad
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101 you came, Sakura-chan. This is much harder to do without Oka-sama."
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102 Tomoyo opened the door and the two pushed the heavily laden cart into
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103 the large room.
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104
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105 Sakura looked up from her labors and saw a long room, with beds on
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106 either side. Suddenly, the boys and girls rose up amid squeals and
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107 chatter, nearly overwhelming the nurse in their eagerness.
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108
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109 Contrary to Sakura's expectations, Tomoyo proved to be exactly
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110 right. The children were more excited by Sakura and her fairy costume
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111 even than the cartload of presents. They huddled around her, gaping
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112 in awe at the remarkable sight, a few brave ones reaching out
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113 tentative hands to touch her. At first overwhelmed, she quickly
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114 adapted to being the center of attention, and was soon chatting
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115 merrily with her appreciative audience. They showed her scars and
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116 hurts, some healed, some not. They peppered her with questions,
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117 unable to suppress their astonishment at such a fantastic sight.
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118 Tomoyo and the nurse struggled to bring order out of the happy chaos,
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119 finally managing at least a modicum of order. Tomoyo organized some
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120 quiet games, and a sing along, including one song about fairies that
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121 the children found especially delightful. Sakura again found herself
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122 the center of attention, blushing as the children laughed and sang.
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123 Finally, when it was time to go, the children rushed forward and
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124 hugged her, reluctant to loose the magic she had brought. With waves
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125 and smiles and shouts of goodbye, the two girls, with the grateful
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126 nurse's help, pushed the slightly less heavy cart out into the
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127 hallway.
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128
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129 And so it went for 5 other wards on the 2nd floor. By the time they
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130 entered Ward 26, both girls were exhausted, but the excited children
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131 somehow gave them the giddy energy to continue. As Tomoyo passed out
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132 the last of the presents, Sakura wended her way to the bed-ridden
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133 children near the large window at the end of the ward. Finally she
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134 came to one boy, about 12 years old, who stared at her curiously
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135 with dark, watchful eyes. She smiled and asked his name, but he
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136 frowned at her hatefully and turned away. Startled, she opened her
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137 mouth to say something, but found herself at a total loss for words.
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138 A little girl with a cast on both legs managed an apologetic smile
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139 and said quietly,
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140
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141 "Don't mind him.. He's always grumpy about things,"
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142
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143 "I'm not grumpy. I just hate her," he spat out.
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144
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145 Sakura was taken aback, and whispered, "I'm sorry."
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146
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147 Suddenly the boy spun around and glared at her angrily. In a venom-
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148 laced voice laced he shouted,
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149
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150 "You should be sorry! Running around in that pathetic outfit,
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151 pretending to be something that doesn't even exist."
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152
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153 The little girl in the cast recoiled and answered in a trembling
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154 voice, "That's not true. Fairies do so exist."
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155
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156 The boy turned on her with an ugly scowl and shot back, "Don't be
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157 stupid. Fairies don't exist, and even if they did, she's just a
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158 stupid girl in a stupid costume." Suddenly, he reached out and
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159 tightly grabbed a diaphanous wing. With a smirk he brutally ripped
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160 off the shimmering wing, tearing the costume and leaving a flap of
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161 satin loose on Sakura's back. Triumphantly the boy held up his trophy
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162 and called out in a mocking voice,
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163
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164 "See? See? It's just a fake outfit. She's just a fake!" Then,
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165 turning Sakura he hissed, "Go back to your stupid cosplay, you
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166 stupid, lame, fake."
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167
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168 With that, he hurled the severed wing at Sakura and lay down,
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169 turning his back to the room. She stood stunned and paralyzed, her
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170 mouth open in disbelief. She heard sobs and one child nearly
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171 shrieking. Suddenly she felt a gentle touch on her arm, and saw
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172 Tomoyo bending down to retrieve the fallen wing. Calmly, the dark
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173 haired young woman escorted her out into the hall, leaving the nurse
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174 to try and restore order. As the door closed, Sakura's composure
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175 finally shattered, and in a furry of tears she slumped to the floor.
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176
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177 Tomoyo's suffered her own agony as she cradled her sobbing friend.
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178 Sakura's pain was always her own, amplified by the intense love the
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179 Daidouji woman bore her. Worse was knowing that she was responsible
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180 for bringing her dear friend into all this. Unaware of her tears that
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181 fell silently on Sakura's soft brown hair, Tomoyo struggled to keep
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182 from completely breaking down. Time enough for tears later, she
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183 scolded herself. Feeling the head burrowing into her breast, Tomoyo
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184 cooed reassurance, desperately trying to mask her own shattered
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185 heart. For a long time they hugged each other, oblivious to the
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186 figure that stood beside them. Finally, Sakura glimpsed the neatly
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187 starched white skirt, and struggled to her feet. Wiping away the
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188 tears, she rose unsteadily, helped by the Tomoyo. The woman offered a
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189 handkerchief that she thankfully accepted. Sakura stammered an
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190 apology, but the nurse cut her short,
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191
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192 "Please, it's my fault for not warning you about him. He's, well,
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193 he's a bit of a problem child here, and there's no way to predict
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194 just how he will react."
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195
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196 Sakura looked at her, verging on tears again. Confused and hurt,
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197 Sakura felt a stirring of anger at the injustice of it all, "But
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198 why/? Why did he do that? Why is he so mean? What a horrible boy."
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199
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200 The nurse let out a heavy sigh, and stared at the wall, looking for
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201 the answer there.
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202
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203 "He didn't use to be like that. He was actually one of our
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204 favorites: bright, curious, and always so helpful."
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205
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206 Sakura looked at her, genuinely baffled. The nurse answered the
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207 girl's pained question before she asked it,
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208
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209 "Well, I suppose no one really knows why. But last winter, he got a
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210 hold of his medical file. We never let the children see their files,
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211 of course, especially children like him. But he was always the
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212 curious one, and clever enough to find a way."
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213
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214 Sakura and Tomoyo gazed at the woman, her features clouded in silent
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215 pain, an echo of some past storm of agonized regret. She smiled
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216 bitterly and continued, "I'm the one who left the charts out where he
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217 could get them. So all this really is my fault."
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218
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219 Sakura's voice shook as she asked, 'But why…" Her voice trailed off,
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220 as if she dared not ask. The nurse answered in a detached, clinical
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221 manner,
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222
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223 "Because he's terminal. And now he knows."
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224
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225 Tomoyo looked at the brightly polished floor, eyes fixed on the
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226 black and white checkerboard tiles. Terminal. The nurse said the word
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227 as her Mother once said it, when describing what it was like when
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228 Nadeshiko was in the hospital. Terminal. The cold, metal finality of
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229 the word cut the heart like a dagger of ice.
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230
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231 Sakura stared, the slow comprehension mirrored in her tear-streaked
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232 face. Again the nurse spoke in her best professional monotone,
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233
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234 "He has maybe 6 months, at most a year."
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235
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236 A dipping sun painting the hallway shades of pink and orange. Three
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237 figures standing silent. Nothing more to say.
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238
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239 II.
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240
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241 Sonomi served the tea herself. Eager to hear how the first day went
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242 for the new member of Daidouji Foundation, she had urged Tomoyo to
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243 bring Sakura over for dinner. When she heard her daughter's
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244 reluctance over the phone, she insisted. No one knows a daughter like
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245 her mother, and no one knew the enigmatic Tomoyo better than Sonomi.
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246 Something was wrong, and she would find out what.
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247
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248 Dinner had been delicious, but strained. Both girls tried to put on
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249 a stolid front, but it was apparent the day had not gone well.
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250 Normally a gratifyingly hearty eater, Sakura picked at her food with
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251 distracted disinterest. Tomoyo bravely kept up a stream of
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252 conversation on every imaginable topic but the day at the hospital.
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253 Sonomi let her ramble, sometimes nudging the conversation in
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254 directions her daughter did not want it to go, watching for her
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255 reaction, probing, testing, reconnoitering. The older woman was
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256 anxious to know, but patient as a cat by a rat hole. She bided her
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257 time and waited for dessert.
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258
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259 Chirping crickets made more noise than the sad little party of three
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260 sipping their tea in the massive Daidouji Estates garden. Finally,
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261 Tomoyo broke the silence and announced that they should be leaving.
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262 Her voice sounded relieved that the night was over, and whatever
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263 secrets lay hidden would stay that way. But Sonomi, with an inward
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264 smile, pounced. In a purring voice she asked,
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265
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266 "Yes, I'm sure you two are exhausted after your big day at the
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267 Hospital."
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268
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269 At this, Sakura stiffened, and Tomoyo glanced to the side, all hope
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270 of avoiding discovery dashed. Sonomi regarded the two with cat's
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271 eyes, inwardly smiling at their discomfort, knowing she had hit close
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272 to the mark. With her daughter, as well as the daughter of her
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273 beloved cousin, she was a typical mother, all love and affection. But
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274 when their welfare was at stake, she turned into a deadly predator.
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275 Sometimes love had to hurt before it could help. Sonomi let the
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276 uncomfortable silence do it's work until her daughter struggled to
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277 break it,
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278
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279 "Well, it was, eh, very interesting for Sakura." As soon as she
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280 spoke, Tomoyo regretted her words. Her mother's eyes turned to Sakura
|
|
rlm@0
|
281 as she blandly asked,
|
|
rlm@0
|
282
|
|
rlm@0
|
283 "Oh, and what was so interesting today, Sakura-chan?"
|
|
rlm@0
|
284
|
|
rlm@0
|
285 The girl stared at her for a moment, then her lip trembled and she
|
|
rlm@0
|
286 began to cry. Not the wild sobbing of late afternoon, but a slow,
|
|
rlm@0
|
287 soft, sad sort of sorrow, the sorrow of regret and loss. The sorrow
|
|
rlm@0
|
288 that comes with the night. Tomoyo enfolded her friend in her arms,
|
|
rlm@0
|
289 looking at her mother, silently begging her to stop. Sonomi's voice
|
|
rlm@0
|
290 was kind but insistent,
|
|
rlm@0
|
291
|
|
rlm@0
|
292 "Tomoyo-chan, what happened?"
|
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rlm@0
|
293
|
|
rlm@0
|
294 Before she could speak, Sakura broke in, "It's all my fault. I'm
|
|
rlm@0
|
295 sorry. I'm so, so sorry." Slipping from her chair she fell to her
|
|
rlm@0
|
296 knees, bowing her head to the ground like a suppliant. Sonomi stood
|
|
rlm@0
|
297 up, walked over, bent down, and gently lifted the girl to her feet.
|
|
rlm@0
|
298 Holding her close, gently stroking her hair and back, the woman spoke
|
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rlm@0
|
299 in a motherly voice that Sakura only dimly remembered,
|
|
rlm@0
|
300
|
|
rlm@0
|
301 "It's all right now. It's all right."
|
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rlm@0
|
302
|
|
rlm@0
|
303 It took time, and some gently probing questions, for Sonomi to find
|
|
rlm@0
|
304 it all out. She gave the girls time to calm down and talk among
|
|
rlm@0
|
305 themselves when she went out to make more tea. Upon returning, she
|
|
rlm@0
|
306 poured the steaming liquid into cute little yellow cups. Finally,
|
|
rlm@0
|
307 Sakura whispered resignedly,
|
|
rlm@0
|
308
|
|
rlm@0
|
309 "It really is my fault. I made such a scene. I'm deeply sorry. I
|
|
rlm@0
|
310 will of course resign from my duties at the Daidouji Foundation."
|
|
rlm@0
|
311 Tomoyo looked stricken, but Sonomi replied calmly after a pause,
|
|
rlm@0
|
312
|
|
rlm@0
|
313 "Of course, you are free to resign anytime, as you are under no
|
|
rlm@0
|
314 contractual obligation. But the Foundation," and here Sonomi spoke in
|
|
rlm@0
|
315 her most dignified, Voice-Of-The-Foundation tone, "Sees nothing wrong
|
|
rlm@0
|
316 in your actions."
|
|
rlm@0
|
317
|
|
rlm@0
|
318 Sakura looked at her with surprise, "But I…"
|
|
rlm@0
|
319
|
|
rlm@0
|
320 "But you did everything right". Sonomi smiled, placing her arm on
|
|
rlm@0
|
321 the beautiful girl's shoulder. Her voice was almost mirthful, "You
|
|
rlm@0
|
322 didn't break down in front of the children, and further upset them.
|
|
rlm@0
|
323 You got out of the room and then started to cry. There's nothing
|
|
rlm@0
|
324 wrong with crying, dear."
|
|
rlm@0
|
325
|
|
rlm@0
|
326 Sakura stared into the woman's crystal blue eyes, and felt all the
|
|
rlm@0
|
327 hurts of the day wash away. For the first time in many hours, Sakura
|
|
rlm@0
|
328 managed a genuine smile.
|
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rlm@0
|
329
|
|
rlm@0
|
330 And so they talked, the three of them, sipping tea late into the
|
|
rlm@0
|
331 night. A crescent moon swung into view, dancing amid the far away
|
|
rlm@0
|
332 stars. The crickets stopped, and a cool breeze caused Sakura and
|
|
rlm@0
|
333 Tomoyo to huddle together. Shortly after midnight Sonomi suddenly
|
|
rlm@0
|
334 spoke up from the shadows in a voice fraught with emotion,
|
|
rlm@0
|
335
|
|
rlm@0
|
336 "Just now, the moon reminded me of her. It was that sort moon on
|
|
rlm@0
|
337 that night. No, it was that moon exactly." She sounded distant, her
|
|
rlm@0
|
338 voice strange and far off. And so it was, for she was lost in memory.
|
|
rlm@0
|
339 Still and faceless in the darkness, she spoke like a ghost from the
|
|
rlm@0
|
340 long past,
|
|
rlm@0
|
341
|
|
rlm@0
|
342 "It affects everyone differently, those it takes and those it leaves
|
|
rlm@0
|
343 behind. Some are afraid, so very afraid. Some are sad, overfull with
|
|
rlm@0
|
344 regrets. Some are so in pain that's all they know. Some are angry,
|
|
rlm@0
|
345 cursing the hospitals, and the doctors and nurses who can't do
|
|
rlm@0
|
346 anything, and all the living that walk about as if nothing had
|
|
rlm@0
|
347 happened. As if no one had gone forever, as if no bright light had
|
|
rlm@0
|
348 been extinguished in the filthy darkness. As if everything was just
|
|
rlm@0
|
349 the same, even though it will never be the same again. I was angry
|
|
rlm@0
|
350 like that. I guess I still am. But she wasn't."
|
|
rlm@0
|
351
|
|
rlm@0
|
352 Sonomi paused, and Sakura could hear her own heart beating. Tomoyo
|
|
rlm@0
|
353 listened, her heart breaking for her beloved mother. But Sonomi only
|
|
rlm@0
|
354 laughed,
|
|
rlm@0
|
355
|
|
rlm@0
|
356 "She wasn't angry. Not once, not ever in her whole life. At least
|
|
rlm@0
|
357 not that I remember. She wasn't afraid at all. They always said she
|
|
rlm@0
|
358 was too stupid to be afraid, climbing up trees and skiing down
|
|
rlm@0
|
359 professional-only slopes. But it wasn't that she was stupid. It was
|
|
rlm@0
|
360 just that she didn't care. About the danger, I mean. Nothing ever
|
|
rlm@0
|
361 frightened her. She loved the whole world." Here the woman paused,
|
|
rlm@0
|
362 and when she started again her voice was filled with wonder, "She
|
|
rlm@0
|
363 even loved leaving it."
|
|
rlm@0
|
364
|
|
rlm@0
|
365 "She told me, near the end, not to be afraid, or sad, or angry. She
|
|
rlm@0
|
366 said she'd had a wonderful little visit. That was exactly what she
|
|
rlm@0
|
367 called it, that short, sweet life of hers: the little visit. She said
|
|
rlm@0
|
368 she had had a fascinating career, two wonderful children, and a
|
|
rlm@0
|
369 cousin who adored her." Sonomi paused her, straining to keep the
|
|
rlm@0
|
370 loathing out of her voice,
|
|
rlm@0
|
371
|
|
rlm@0
|
372 "Oh, yes, and a wonderful husband, too. Anyway, she said with all
|
|
rlm@0
|
373 these things, her life felt very complete. And she was curious about
|
|
rlm@0
|
374 what came next. She really was. But I was still angry. So very, very
|
|
rlm@0
|
375 angry. And anger is a terrible master. It makes you say and do things
|
|
rlm@0
|
376 you don't really mean, things that hurt and break. You hurt so bad
|
|
rlm@0
|
377 yourself that's all you want to do: hurt and break."
|
|
rlm@0
|
378
|
|
rlm@0
|
379 Sonomi leaned closer to Sakura, gently taking her hand. In the dim
|
|
rlm@0
|
380 light the woman's face seemed to Sakura almost ghostly, but she was
|
|
rlm@0
|
381 too entranced to be afraid. The woman smiled and broke the spell,
|
|
rlm@0
|
382 then she spoke in a plain, matter of fact voice,
|
|
rlm@0
|
383
|
|
rlm@0
|
384 "Try not to blame the boy. He's probably afraid, and full of regret,
|
|
rlm@0
|
385 and very angry. But he doesn't mean the hurt he causes. It's just
|
|
rlm@0
|
386 that, when you have no hope…"
|
|
rlm@0
|
387
|
|
rlm@0
|
388 Sonomi smiled a sad, knowing smile. Sakura nodded, and suddenly felt
|
|
rlm@0
|
389 very, very tired.
|
|
rlm@0
|
390
|
|
rlm@0
|
391 III.
|
|
rlm@0
|
392
|
|
rlm@0
|
393 The next night, Sakura and Tomoyo stayed up late studying together.
|
|
rlm@0
|
394 Even going to different schools, their classes were similar, so
|
|
rlm@0
|
395 mutual study was a helpful exercise, especially for the frequently
|
|
rlm@0
|
396 perplexed Sakura. Taking a break, Tomoyo brought out the torn fairy
|
|
rlm@0
|
397 costume and began to sew. Sakura sat on the floor at the seamstress'
|
|
rlm@0
|
398 feet, knees brought up together under her chin. The dark-haired girl
|
|
rlm@0
|
399 knew her friend was deep in thought, so she worked quietly. Sakura
|
|
rlm@0
|
400 looked up and saw the pale girl, her nimble fingers deftly stitching
|
|
rlm@0
|
401 the torn material. Entranced, she watched the silver needle slip
|
|
rlm@0
|
402 through the satiny fabric, every stitch perfect and precise. Tomoyo
|
|
rlm@0
|
403 had always been a marvelous seamstress, garnering praise and
|
|
rlm@0
|
404 attention all through school. She would kid that with all the
|
|
rlm@0
|
405 practice sewing costumes for the Card Mistress, anyone would be good.
|
|
rlm@0
|
406 Sakura was unable to look away from the slender fingers, the smooth
|
|
rlm@0
|
407 flow of flawless craft. Tomoyo used a little desk lamp to light her
|
|
rlm@0
|
408 work. The room was dim, save for the glow that bathed the costume on
|
|
rlm@0
|
409 her lap. Sakura's green eyes wandered, beholding Tomoyo's placid
|
|
rlm@0
|
410 face, illuminated by the little glow. She felt her heart flutter at
|
|
rlm@0
|
411 the sight.
|
|
rlm@0
|
412
|
|
rlm@0
|
413 Tomoyo had always been pretty, the prettiest girl she knew. But
|
|
rlm@0
|
414 tonight, she was exquisite. Her violet eyes were fixed on her task,
|
|
rlm@0
|
415 long lashes fluttering now and then. A cute little nose, pale, fair
|
|
rlm@0
|
416 skin, and little ears shrouded in that mysterious hair, sometimes
|
|
rlm@0
|
417 black, sometimes gray, sometimes almost violet. An ever present smile
|
|
rlm@0
|
418 hovered on delicate cherry lips, making her seem as enigmatic as the
|
|
rlm@0
|
419 Mona Lisa. Suddenly, Sakura was sweetly shaken by this ethereal
|
|
rlm@0
|
420 vision of the girl she knew so well. A strange tugging at her heart,
|
|
rlm@0
|
421 and a dizziness, like being on a great height looking down. Sakura
|
|
rlm@0
|
422 felt an aching surge, a longing, an incomprehensible desire. She
|
|
rlm@0
|
423 trembled like a fawn in the chill early dawn. She felt her body
|
|
rlm@0
|
424 floating like a little cloud, far above the world below. Slowly, as
|
|
rlm@0
|
425 if she were underwater, Tomoyo lifted her eyes and gazed at the
|
|
rlm@0
|
426 countenance below. Sakura felt her face on fire, a furious blush
|
|
rlm@0
|
427 covering her entire body. But she could not look away from those
|
|
rlm@0
|
428 eyes, those deep, violet eyes. Tomoyo's smile widened ever so
|
|
rlm@0
|
429 slightly. She tilted her head, looking at her friend with a
|
|
rlm@0
|
430 quizzical, elfin curiosity. Sakura opened her mouth to speak, but no
|
|
rlm@0
|
431 words came. Suddenly, she tore her gaze away, staring at the floor,
|
|
rlm@0
|
432 breathing raggedly. As if from some far off place, she heard Tomoyo's
|
|
rlm@0
|
433 voice.
|
|
rlm@0
|
434
|
|
rlm@0
|
435 "Sakura-chan? Sakura-chan, are you OK?"
|
|
rlm@0
|
436
|
|
rlm@0
|
437 I was going to say I love you.
|
|
rlm@0
|
438
|
|
rlm@0
|
439 Had she actually said it out loud? Sakura's mind raced and wheeled
|
|
rlm@0
|
440 in shock and confusion. No. No, but I was going to say it. I was
|
|
rlm@0
|
441 going to say I love you. It sounded like the strangest three words
|
|
rlm@0
|
442 ever uttered by human tongue: I love you. What had happened to her?
|
|
rlm@0
|
443 As if an explosion had gone off near her head, she was disoriented,
|
|
rlm@0
|
444 torn from her normal, cozy world. Tomoyo's voice again, shot through
|
|
rlm@0
|
445 with worry and concern.
|
|
rlm@0
|
446
|
|
rlm@0
|
447 "Sakura-chan, are you all right?"
|
|
rlm@0
|
448
|
|
rlm@0
|
449 With a violent shake of her head, Sakura fought to regain her
|
|
rlm@0
|
450 composure. She somehow managed a disjointed, "Ummm hmmm," nodding her
|
|
rlm@0
|
451 head furiously. What had happened? She was afraid to look up, afraid
|
|
rlm@0
|
452 she might again go spinning wildly out of control if she saw Tomoyo.
|
|
rlm@0
|
453 Calm came gradually, haltingly, and brought a numb, fragile peace to
|
|
rlm@0
|
454 her thudding heart. Tomoyo, masking her concern, sat back and
|
|
rlm@0
|
455 continued her sewing. Time passed like a lazy river between them,
|
|
rlm@0
|
456 until Tomoyo at last broke the silence,
|
|
rlm@0
|
457
|
|
rlm@0
|
458 "Sakura-chan, what were you thinking of back then?"
|
|
rlm@0
|
459
|
|
rlm@0
|
460 "Umm, that boy. That boy in the hospital," Sakura lied. Well, not
|
|
rlm@0
|
461 precisely a lie. The boy had been on her mind ever since.
|
|
rlm@0
|
462
|
|
rlm@0
|
463 "Ah, so," Tomoyo graciously replied. Her silence begged Sakura to
|
|
rlm@0
|
464 continue.
|
|
rlm@0
|
465
|
|
rlm@0
|
466 "I was so surprised, and then so hurt, and then so angry at him. I
|
|
rlm@0
|
467 feel awful about that."
|
|
rlm@0
|
468 Sakura remembered her righteous rage at the child, and the sickness
|
|
rlm@0
|
469 that followed the nurse's revelation.
|
|
rlm@0
|
470
|
|
rlm@0
|
471 "But Sakura-chan didn't know about the boy's condition. If she had,
|
|
rlm@0
|
472 she would never have felt anger," Tomoyo looked intently at the
|
|
rlm@0
|
473 fabric in her lap as she spoke; it was a delicate point in the
|
|
rlm@0
|
474 mending.
|
|
rlm@0
|
475
|
|
rlm@0
|
476 Sakura thought about this for a moment, and then replied, "Still, I
|
|
rlm@0
|
477 shouldn't have gotten so angry." Then, mumbling to herself, "I wish
|
|
rlm@0
|
478 there was something I could do."
|
|
rlm@0
|
479
|
|
rlm@0
|
480 "There." A note of pride and triumph in Tomoyo's voice as she held
|
|
rlm@0
|
481 the outfit aloft for Sakura's inspection, "As good as new."
|
|
rlm@0
|
482
|
|
rlm@0
|
483 Sakura looked at the shimmering fairy costume. Tomoyo's work was
|
|
rlm@0
|
484 impeccable: the tear neatly sewn and barely perceptible, the severed
|
|
rlm@0
|
485 wing restored. Restored. Healed, fixed. Made whole again.
|
|
rlm@0
|
486
|
|
rlm@0
|
487 Made well.
|
|
rlm@0
|
488
|
|
rlm@0
|
489 Sakura's smile froze, and then broadened into a crazy grin. Leaping
|
|
rlm@0
|
490 to her feet she took the outfit in both hands, holding it aloft.
|
|
rlm@0
|
491 Then, she turned to her friend with a beaming smile,
|
|
rlm@0
|
492
|
|
rlm@0
|
493 "No, Tomoyo-chan. It's better. Better than new!"
|
|
rlm@0
|
494
|
|
rlm@0
|
495 The boy woke slowly from his dream. A sound? A knocking somewhere?
|
|
rlm@0
|
496 Bleary-eyed, he stared at the ceiling. Then he heard it again, an
|
|
rlm@0
|
497 unmistakable rapping. Startled, he sat up in bed and turned to the
|
|
rlm@0
|
498 side, towards the window. There, hovering with great, beating wings,
|
|
rlm@0
|
499 was the woman from before, the one in the costume. With her was the
|
|
rlm@0
|
500 lady who always delivered the presents, and both were astride a long,
|
|
rlm@0
|
501 slender staff with a marvelous star at the top. His mouth opened in
|
|
rlm@0
|
502 surprise, for they were floating, no, flying in the air. He let out a
|
|
rlm@0
|
503 startled cry, rousing the other children. Instinctively he crawled
|
|
rlm@0
|
504 away to a corner of his bed as the other children moved to the window
|
|
rlm@0
|
505 with oooo's and ahhhhhh's. The costumed woman was smiling, pointing
|
|
rlm@0
|
506 to the handles on the inside of the window. A girl tried to open it,
|
|
rlm@0
|
507 but it was stuck fast. Pleadingly she looked at him, and with a frown
|
|
rlm@0
|
508 he moved to the window and undid the lock. The children were starting
|
|
rlm@0
|
509 to get loud, but the costumed woman placed her finger to her lips and
|
|
rlm@0
|
510 that quieted them somewhat.
|
|
rlm@0
|
511
|
|
rlm@0
|
512 She floated into the room, great wings beating, a flurry of wind and
|
|
rlm@0
|
513 feathers announcing her arrival. The dark-haired one slipped off the
|
|
rlm@0
|
514 staff, video camera in hand, filming the proceedings. The feet of the
|
|
rlm@0
|
515 other woman, clad in little beribboned slippers, finally touched the
|
|
rlm@0
|
516 floor. The children encircled her in awe, but she came before the boy
|
|
rlm@0
|
517 and stood straight and still. Then, bowing low before him, she spoke
|
|
rlm@0
|
518 in a musical voice,
|
|
rlm@0
|
519
|
|
rlm@0
|
520 'Gomenesai. I'm very sorry if I disturbed you the other day. Please
|
|
rlm@0
|
521 accept my apologies."
|
|
rlm@0
|
522
|
|
rlm@0
|
523 He stood there, unable to reply. The fairy figure straightened up,
|
|
rlm@0
|
524 tilting her head and smiling. Then she said,
|
|
rlm@0
|
525
|
|
rlm@0
|
526 "You may be right. There may be no real fairies in this world. But
|
|
rlm@0
|
527 there is magic, and it is real."
|
|
rlm@0
|
528
|
|
rlm@0
|
529 With that she swung her staff, and a riot of colors lit up the room.
|
|
rlm@0
|
530 Her voice rang out as she flipped a card into the air, " ***Sakura's
|
|
rlm@0
|
531 chant here****
|
|
rlm@0
|
532
|
|
rlm@0
|
533 Suddenly, a beautiful flower-clad woman appeared. She looked around
|
|
rlm@0
|
534 the room, and with a wave of her arms showered the surprised children
|
|
rlm@0
|
535 in a blizzard of sweetly scented petals. Then she began to dance,
|
|
rlm@0
|
536 with the giggling children, with Sakura, and finally, with the still-
|
|
rlm@0
|
537 startled boy. In a giddy whirl they danced, she smiling, he blushing,
|
|
rlm@0
|
538 both spinning away. Finally, she stepped lightly before the dark-
|
|
rlm@0
|
539 haired girl with the camera. The woman dressed as a fairy giggled,
|
|
rlm@0
|
540 "She wants to dance with you, too, Tomoyo-chan."
|
|
rlm@0
|
541
|
|
rlm@0
|
542 Slowly the woman lowered her camera, looking a bit uncertain. She
|
|
rlm@0
|
543 glanced at Sakura, who was busy with a gaggle of young children.
|
|
rlm@0
|
544 Then, with a smile, she walked to the boy and leaned forward, "Would
|
|
rlm@0
|
545 you please hold it for me?"
|
|
rlm@0
|
546
|
|
rlm@0
|
547 He gazed at her sparkling eyes and felt his heart pound. Taking the
|
|
rlm@0
|
548 camera, he watched her return to the mysterious flower woman, curtsey
|
|
rlm@0
|
549 prettily, and begin to dance. Distressed to think such a beautiful
|
|
rlm@0
|
550 sight might be lost forever, he swung the camera up and began
|
|
rlm@0
|
551 filming. Through the viewfinder he watched her, graceful and fluid,
|
|
rlm@0
|
552 her body flowing in rhythm to the music. Music? What music? Where was
|
|
rlm@0
|
553 it coming from? He didn't know, but he could hear. And see.
|
|
rlm@0
|
554
|
|
rlm@0
|
555 There were other amazing sights to see that night as the fairy woman
|
|
rlm@0
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556 tossed her cards and waved her staff: a bouncing plush toy, a
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rlm@0
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557 mysterious, shadowy figure, and a strange flying teddy bear that kept
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rlm@0
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558 up an incessant chatter about himself. Finally, one of the girl
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rlm@0
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559 patients pulled on Sakura's sleeve, and whispered that it was nearly
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rlm@0
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560 time for the night nurse to check up on them. The fairy girl looked
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rlm@0
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561 panicky, but the one called Tomoyo calmly began tidying up, tucking
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rlm@0
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562 the children in bed, and escorting Sakura to the window. The boy
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rlm@0
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563 followed, feeling a mix of emotions. Wonder and awe clashed with
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rlm@0
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564 shame for his past behavior. Clearing his throat, he watched the
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rlm@0
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565 fairy girl, Tomoyo, and the teddy bear stop and face him,
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rlm@0
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566
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rlm@0
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567 "Excuse me. I….I ," It was hard to say. He could just let it go,
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rlm@0
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568 but… "I'm very sorry that I tore up your costume. I…I would like to
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rlm@0
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569 help pay for the new one you bought."
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rlm@0
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570
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rlm@0
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571 The fairy girl looked confused, but Tomoyo smiled as she arched over
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rlm@0
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572 him, "It's the same costume. I just sewed it up."
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rlm@0
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573
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rlm@0
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574 Astonished, he turned and glimpsed her pale face, the color of
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rlm@0
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575 radiant moonlight. He bowed and stammered, "Thank you for fixing it."
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rlm@0
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576
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rlm@0
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577 She nodded and then slipped through the window onto the staff, aided
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rlm@0
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578 by the fairy girl. The children gathered around, straining to keep
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rlm@0
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579 their gleeful voices down. He waved, and thought he saw the beautiful
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|
rlm@0
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580 dark-haired girl wave back. The pair swung into the starry night, and
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|
rlm@0
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581 he watched them until they vanished. He stood and stared into the
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rlm@0
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582 dark sky.
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|
rlm@0
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583
|
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rlm@0
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584 "Tomoyo," he whispered her name to himself, "Tomoyo."
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rlm@0
|
585
|
|
rlm@0
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586 The little girl in the adjacent bed poked him in the ribs. With a
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rlm@0
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587 mischievous grin she giggled, "See, fairies are real."
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rlm@0
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588
|
|
rlm@0
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589 He looked down ate her and smiled wryly, "Well, I don't know about
|
|
rlm@0
|
590 that. But I guess magic is."
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|
rlm@0
|
591
|
|
rlm@0
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592 The next morning, Sakura and Tomoyo slept late and missed all their
|
|
rlm@0
|
593 early classes At that same time, the Acting Director of the Tokyo
|
|
rlm@0
|
594 Medical Center Children's Hospital began his day by trying to figure
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|
rlm@0
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595 out how to dispose of 12 bushels of flower petals in Ward 26. |
