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date Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:53:12 -0500
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1 Cardcaptor Nadeshiko
2 Chapter Zero
3 by G.P. and the Amazoness Duo
4
5 On Sonomi’s tenth birthday it rained hard all day. Mother cancelled the party, leaving her
6 daughter with the dreary prospect of being cooped up indoors. Like most girls her age Sonomi
7 was active and easily bored, so being shut in by the weather left her edgy and irritable.
8 Frustrated, she prowled the house like a restless animal, looking at the birthday decorations
9 with a pitiful disappointment. Surprised by a knock at the front door, she was opened it and
10 heard the rushing roar of the heavy rain. There stood her cousin Nadeshiko, drenched by the
11 downpour, smiling sweetly as always. Stunned, Sonomi silently ushered her in, then frantically
12 began yelling for her mother to bring all the towels in the house, and quickly. Her mother rushed
13 to the hallway, spied the dripping wet girl, shook her head and laughed,
14 “Oh, my goodness! Nadeshiko-chan, you look like something that the cat dragged in.”
15
16 Sonomi blurted out indignantly, “Mother, it’s not funny. She could get pneumonia or something!”
17
18 Mother regarded her worried daughter with a smile. Then, as mothers ever have, she began to bring
19 order out of chaos, “Sonomi-chan, get the big red blanket from the hall closet. Nadeshiko-chan,
20 lets get you out of those wet clothes and into a hot bath right away. I guess you can wear some
21 of Sonomi-chan’s clothing”.
22
23 Nadeshiko chimed in brightly, as if all the bedlam concerned her not in the least, “Thank you,
24 Oka-sama, but I brought clothes for the party I can change into afterwards.” Smiling proudly, she
25 held forth a large package carefully wrapped in plastic.
26
27
28 Sonomi’s mother smiled indulgently, “All right dear. Let’s get you in the tub straight away.
29 Sonomi darling, please get me that blanket.”
30
31
32 Suddenly remembering her appointed task, the red-haired girl leapt up the stairs and hurried to
33 the hall closet. Her birthday forgotten, she felt a sickening knot in her stomach as she fretted
34 about her precious cousin. Grabbing the heavy woolen blanket, she dashed to the bathroom.
35 Entering, she heard the sound of running water, and her mother’s voice calling out, “Sonomi-chan,
36 please get that blanket around Nadeshiko right away.”
37
38
39 Sonomi stepped over a heap of damp clothing, and then saw the girl hugging herself for warmth,
40 naked and shivering in the cold, October air. She looked like some bedraggled fairy, her long,
41 silver-gray hair a wet and stringy shawl draped over her slender body. Sonomi quickly wrapped her
42 up and hugged her tightly, as if to give her own warmth to the trembling girl. Looking at her
43 cousin with glistening, grateful eyes, Nadeshiko spoke in her whispery, musical lilt, “Thank you,
44 Sonomi-chan.” Burying her head in her cousin’s chest, she waited patiently for the bath to fill.
45
46
47 Later that afternoon, the willowy girl sat on a chair by the window, staring out at the dark,
48 ragged clouds scudding across the steel gray sky. Enraptured by the jagged lightning illuminating
49 the thunderclouds, Nadeshiko listened eagerly for the distant rumbling and booming to follow.
50 Clapping her hands in delight, she ooh'ed and ahh'ed with each brilliant burst of light like a
51 fireworks display at a festival. Simple things intrigued her, and this showy display of Nature
52 filled her with an indescribable joy. For the odd nine year-old, the world was an endlessly
53 fascinating place. Sometimes, she would sit still and quiet for hours, watching an ant laboring
54 mightily with an enormous crumb, or a delicate spider weaving her web with silent dedication.
55 Oblivious to the stares and whispers that followed her peculiar behavior, she dwelt in a solitary
56 world inhabited only by herself and the current object of her fascination. Thus it was to be
57 expected that, enthralled by the crashing thunderstorm, she was quite unaware that her equally
58 enthralled cousin was staring at her.
59
60
61 Sonomi perched on the edge of her bed, watching intently. Nadeshiko had changed into the outfit
62 she had brought in the package, and now wore a frilly, flouncy dress of pure white taffeta that
63 made her look like a fairy tale princess. This was no doubt her Mother's doing, as she
64 invariably dressed the lovely child in the cutest manner possible, like some rare and precious
65 doll. Her flowing hair, a curious shade of silvery-gray, was loosely tied with bows of light blue
66 ribbon. She wore white shoes and lacey anklets, her crinoline crinkling as she swung her feet
67 back and forth. Sonomi gazed at her with an aching heart, a longing she felt but did not
68 understand. Yet the joy that bubbled up inside her was tinged with sadness, as if all her
69 happiness rested on a perilously fragile foundation. It was more than a girl just turned ten
70 could fathom, so she spoke out almost irritably, struggling to put her confused and distraught
71 feelings into words,
72
73 “Nadeshiko-chan, why did you go out in the rain like that?”
74
75
76 Literally lost in the clouds, her cousin failed to respond. Sonomi sighed, and reflected on this
77 craziest of birthdays. After a warm bath and hot tea, Nadeshiko had defied all Sonomi’s worries
78 by appearing perfectly fine. Mother broke out the party hats, colorful napkins, and all the
79 birthday regalia that had been consigned to the closet. At first it seemed quite foolish, this
80 party of two, but Nadeshiko’s innocent enthusiasm soon swept away the birthday girl’s lingering
81 inhibitions. After luncheon, Nadeshiko insisted on singing Happy Birthday in as rousing a chorus
82 as she could manage with her gentle voice. Sonomi blushed during the song, and after when her
83 cousin hugged her with delirious abandon. Now, clad in her birthday party best, the silver-haired
84 girl seemed oblivious to Sonomi’s edgy concern. Clearing her throat, the auburn-haired girl
85 spoke up in a voice loud enough to get her distracted cousin’s attention,
86
87 “Nadeshiko-chan!”
88
89
90 Startled, the girl turned around. Sonomi, unable to hide her gnawing worry, said,
91
92 “Nadeshiko-chan, why did you come like that in the rain? You could have gotten terribly sick.”
93
94
95 Tilting her head and smiling brightly, she replied, “Nadeshiko would have felt terrible if she
96 had missed Sonomi-chan’s wonderful tenth birthday party.”
97
98
99 Exasperated, Sonomi declared, “But didn’t your parents tell you the party was cancelled? I can’t
100 believe they let you go out in weather like this.”
101
102
103 “Oh, they told me the party was cancelled. But that would have made Sonomi-chan too sad on her
104 special day. Sonomi-chan being sad would have been worse than any cold I could catch.” With that,
105 she giggled conspiratorially and whispered,
106
107 “Mother and Father didn’t know I was coming. But I left them a note for when they get back, so
108 everything is all right.”
109
110
111 As if that settled the matter, Nadeshiko went back to sky gazing, leaving Sonomi more perplexed
112 than ever. But suddenly, the silver-haired girl leaped up, clasping her hands and blurting out,
113 “Oh!”
114
115
116 Sonomi felt her heart racing as she exclaimed, “Nadeshiko-chan, what’s wrong?”
117
118
119 Nadeshiko bolted for the door and sang out, “I’ll be right back. Stay there, and no peeking!”
120
121
122 In no time she was back, holding two rather soggy presents wrapped in pink paper and bows. She
123 bowed and smiled apologetically as she merrily offered the first one to her startled cousin,
124
125
126 "Happy Birthday, Sonomi-chan!"
127
128
129 Sonomi took the package, looked at it, then stared at Nadeshiko. Smiling, she shook her head and
130 began to undo the ribbon. Thoughts of her crazy cousin gave way to a child's curiosity as she
131 carefully undid the ribbons, then ran a finger through the seam of the paper. It was skillfully
132 wrapped, which led her to believe that Nadeshiko's mother had done it. Finally the paper shook
133 loose, revealing a scrapbook with a hand-written title, "Sonomi-Chan's Precious Memories." The
134 script was labored and unsteady, as if her cousin had spent an inordinate amount of time trying
135 to get it just right. The cover was gaily decorated with hand-drawn hearts and flowers, and odd
136 little animals and faces. She opened it, and saw the blank pages had little marginal notes and
137 drawings written in a familiar, childlike scrawl. She looked up and saw Nadeshiko's expectant
138 face, and struggled to keep her own tears in check as she spoke,
139
140
141 "Thank you so very much. It's beautiful."
142
143
144 The silver-haired girl smiled with glee as she bounced up and down , "Open the other one! Open
145 the other one!"
146
147
148 Sonomi carefully placed the hand-made scrapbook on her desk. It was typical of Nadeshiko's
149 presents. Despite a lack of skill or craft, her little gifts were imbued with an innocent love
150 that deeply touched the heart. Sonomi took the next package, which was a small rectangle.
151 Carefully opening it, she saw a box for a camera kit. With a puzzled glance at her cousin she
152 asked, "What is it?"
153
154
155 Nadeshiko could scarecely contain herself, "Open it, Sonomi-chan, open it!"
156
157
158 What on earth did she put in this box, Sonomi wondered. Cookies? Candies? Undoing the tape on the
159 lid, she pulled out a cardboard liner wrapped around a small, black camera. Stunned, she gaped
160 open-mouthed as Nadeshiko hopped up and down, her face alight with excitement, "Do you like it?
161 Do you like it?" The girl asked eagerly.
162
163
164 "It's...it's wonderful," Sonomi stammered, "But how did you...it must have been so expensive."
165
166
167 Nadeshiko's grinned hugely, " I saved up all my birthday money, and the money grandfather gave me
168 for Girl's Day. The man at the store said it was a very good camera. You can buy new lenses and
169 everything."
170
171
172 Sonomi ran her finger over the cold metal trim and the bumpy black body of the amazing
173 instrument. She had always been fascinated by photography, by the ability to capture a moment out
174 of time forever. But this was too much. She couldn't accept such a costly gift. Yet one look at
175 Nadeshiko's ecstatic face and she knew it would break her heart to refuse it. And that was
176 something she could never, ever do. Carefully placing the camera down on the desk, she wrapped
177 her arms around the long-haired girl. Hot tears ran down her cheeks as she hugged tightly,
178 whispering thank-yous. Finally, reluctantly, she pulled back, wiping away the tears, and said,
179
180
181 "Well, the first picture should be of my most precious memory for my beautiful scrapbook. May I
182 please take your picture, Nadeshiko-chan?"
183
184
185 Her cousin bowed and answered in mock solemnity, "I would be honored to serve as the first
186 subject of the future famous photographer, Amamiya Sonomi-sama."
187
188
189 Giggling, the two girls examined the camera and began to read the complicated instructions.
190
191
192 II.
193
194 On the way home in the car as her mother gently chastised her, Nadeshiko's mind wandered. Her
195 walk in the rain was great fun, dodging from tree to tree, helping the poor little worms to keep
196 from drowning, and dancing in the streams and rivers that gurgled down the storm drains. The
197 warm bath and hot tea had felt so good, and the love of Sonomi's mother had washed over her like
198 a gentle wave. The magnificent cake was so pretty, with curlicues of pink and green frosting
199 around the edges, and little sugar decorations that looked like rosebuds. The look on Sonomi's
200 face as she unwrapped her presents had been so adorable. Nadeshiko's heart beat faster at the
201 thought of her precious cousin. She smiled, feeling the love swirl inside her heart.
202
203
204 And the pictures! Posing for the camera had been almost like dancing, gliding and moving like
205 liquid, her body infused with light, shimmering and transparent. Sonomi-chan was so cutely
206 flustered at first, but soon seemed determined to take the perfect shot. All that afternoon
207 Nadeshiko posed while Sonomi fussed with the camera. Finally, Nadeshiko's worried, apologetic
208 parents swept her away to home, where a comfy bed was waiting. By the time the car arrived at her
209 house, Nadeshiko had slipped into the land of dreams. Her father carried her to bed as she
210 danced with Sonomi under a purple moon.
211
212
213 The days that followed her birthday were an agony of waiting for Sonomi. On the way home from
214 school she stopped faithfully at the drugstore to see if her pictures were ready. Finally, on
215 Friday, the clerk saw her coming and smilingly placed a neatly wrapped brown packet on the
216 counter. Sonomi eagerly paid and ran home. At first she was crestfallen. Some of the shots were
217 blurry, or washed out, too light or too dark. She frowned, realizing only a dedicated effort
218 would bring the skill she needed to be a real photographer. But one came out just right:
219 Nadeshiko standing, holding a straw hat on her head, framed by the gray storm clouds in the
220 picture window. She looked carefree and natural, as if the camera did not even exist. Sonomi
221 always felt self-conscious when pictures were taken, but not Nadeshiko. In a way, the picture was
222 oddly disturbing, as if her cousin was blithely unaware of the furious storm that raged all
223 about her. But the anxiety Sonomi felt was eased by the sheer beauty of the photograph. Nadeshiko
224 looked like something from a storybook, a beautiful princess or a magical spirit. Sonomi felt a
225 hot, crimson blush on her cheeks, but could not stop looking at the ethereal image. All that day
226 she kept it with her, finally falling asleep under the covers, gazing at her beautiful cousin by
227 flashlight. In the morning, worried about the picture being crumpled, she carefully placed it in
228 her kawaii little scrapbook before going to school.
229
230
231 Then, and forever after, Nadeshiko would be her most precious memory.
232
233