Mercurial > moonlitnights
comparison old/stories/tomoyovisitor.txt @ 2:fc00894c1d4a moonlitnights
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date | Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:53:12 -0500 |
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1 Tomoyo and the Visitor | |
2 A Tomoyo and Sakura Story | |
3 By G. P. | |
4 Please send comments to: treeandleaf2002@yahoo.com | |
5 | |
6 Note: all names and characters are property of CLAMP. This story is | |
7 in no way meant to infringe on their intellectual property rights. | |
8 | |
9 I. | |
10 Tomoyo first heard it while reading in the garden: a faint shuffling | |
11 noise by the big beech tree. She rose and walked over, looking for | |
12 the source of the sound. Then it moved, a small feathery body | |
13 flopping in the short grass. Leaning over, she saw a little orange- | |
14 brown bird with black wings, not quite a fledgling, cheeping in | |
15 fright. She looked up into the leafy branches of the tree, shading | |
16 her lavender eyes from the midday sun, but could see no nest. | |
17 Kneeling, Tomoyo undid the blue ribbon of her straw bonnet and used | |
18 it to deftly scoop up the tiny creature. It was noisy, active, and | |
19 did not seem to be hurt. Gazing at the lost little bird, she felt an | |
20 odd kinship. Smiling, she whispered, | |
21 | |
22 “You almost look ready to fly. I’ll ask Mother if you can stay until | |
23 you’re ready.” | |
24 | |
25 Cradling the bonnet, she walked to the house and opened the massive | |
26 front door. Her footsteps echoed as she walked the long hallway to | |
27 the stairs. Bounding into her room, she placed bird and bonnet on her | |
28 dresser and pulled up a chair. As she contemplated the tiny creature, | |
29 it regarded at her with large, watchful eyes. Then it began to chirp, | |
30 moving about in the bonnet, eyes fixed on Tomoyo, who said to herself, | |
31 | |
32 “You’re hungry, aren’t you? First let me see just what you are, and | |
33 then we’ll see what you want to eat”. | |
34 | |
35 With a smile she rushed downstairs to the library, and rushed back | |
36 clutching her Firudo Gaido Nihon no Yacho, A Field Guide to the Birds | |
37 of Japan. Looking at the bird, half expecting it to be gone, she | |
38 scanned the colored plates to try and identify it | |
39 | |
40 "It's a hawfinch, cocothraustes cocothraustes, of the Fringillidae | |
41 family". Tomoyo carefully sounded out the difficult Latin words. | |
42 "Your name is bigger than you are", Tomoyo giggled to herself. She | |
43 read on, "‘they are shy birds, spending most of their time hidden in | |
44 the treetops eating seeds and caterpillars'. I guess grubs would be | |
45 OK for you. I'll be right back!" She flew downstairs, to beg one of | |
46 the guards to take her to the pet shop. Already, she was in love with | |
47 it. | |
48 | |
49 II. | |
50 The next day Tomoyo, practically beaming, asked Sakura during lunch, | |
51 "Would you like to come to my house after school? There's something I | |
52 wanted to show you". | |
53 | |
54 Sakura, intrigued, nodded her head and replied, "Sure. Let me call | |
55 my Father to see if it's OK. I don't have any chores today". | |
56 | |
57 After homeroom was dismissed, Sakura walked out with her friend and | |
58 saw a single, darkly garbed bodyguard standing by the black Cadillac. | |
59 The guard opened the back door, bowing low, her long, brown hair | |
60 hanging straight down. When Sakura clambered in, she was surprised by | |
61 the roominess of the car's interior. As the car sped away, she turned | |
62 to Tomoyo and said, | |
63 | |
64 "What did you want to show me?" | |
65 | |
66 Tomoyo smiled broadly, "You'll see" | |
67 | |
68 Tomoyo glanced at her friend, delighted by her intense curiosity. | |
69 Tomoyo loved surprises, and the sweet anticipation they caused. She | |
70 snuggled into the plush seat, thought about Sakura, and the hawfinch, | |
71 and felt a wonderful glow. | |
72 | |
73 | |
74 III. | |
75 Sakura gazed at the little bird, hopping merrily in its large, | |
76 silver cage. Her eyes widened as she exclaimed, | |
77 | |
78 "Kawaii! Tomoyo-chan, it is sooooo cute!" | |
79 | |
80 Tomoyo tilted her head and smiled brightly as Sakura asked, "Did you | |
81 give it a name yet?" | |
82 | |
83 Tomoyo shook her head no, and in a conspiratorial whisper, as if the | |
84 young bird would be embarrassed to hear such a thing, answered, | |
85 | |
86 "I don't know if it's a boy or a girl". | |
87 | |
88 Puzzled, Sakura blurted out, | |
89 | |
90 "How can you tell?" | |
91 | |
92 Tomoyo blushed and looked at the floor, whispering, | |
93 | |
94 "I...I don't really know" | |
95 | |
96 Sakura, realizing what she was asking, blushed, hid the nervous | |
97 giggle behind her hand and whispered, | |
98 | |
99 "S..sorry" | |
100 | |
101 Tomoyo looked up, all smiles, took her hand, and asked. | |
102 | |
103 "Would you like some tea?" | |
104 | |
105 And the two girls raced down together to the massive kitchen. | |
106 | |
107 | |
108 IV. | |
109 | |
110 Over the next week, Tomoyo spent hours with the little bird. She | |
111 sketched it, painted it, carefully weighed and measured it's food, | |
112 cleaned the cage, and overall attended it with more care than the | |
113 most doting of mothers. Most of all, she loved to just sit and watch | |
114 as the hawfinch explored it's cage, played with the little golden | |
115 bell she bought, and gamely tested its wings in a flurry of flapping. | |
116 She knew it would be ready to fly soon, and though she would miss her | |
117 companion, she grew excited at the thought of the fledging soaring | |
118 into the vast, open sky. After a nearly-rushed dinner, she excused | |
119 herself to go to bed, ran upstairs, and burst through the bedroom | |
120 door. There, she found the bird dead. | |
121 | |
122 At first, she thought it asleep, though in an odd, twisted posture. | |
123 But looking closely, she realized it had suddenly, inexplicably died. | |
124 Staring, she put her hand to her heart and felt her legs weakening. | |
125 It couldn't be...it had been gaily hopping and chirping just before | |
126 dinner. With a shaking hand she opened the door to the cage and, with | |
127 a slender finger, lightly nudged the warm, stiff lump, which slid | |
128 slightly on the bottom of the cage. She turned away, stunned, | |
129 sickened, her eyesight graying on the periphery, as she felt queasy | |
130 and faint. Just then, the phone rang. | |
131 | |
132 She reeled backwards, mechanically reaching for the pink cell phone | |
133 and holding it to her ear. | |
134 | |
135 Sakura stood puzzled when the phone was picked up with no greeting. | |
136 | |
137 "Hello? Tomoyo-chan?" | |
138 | |
139 Silence. | |
140 | |
141 "Tomoyo-chan, are you there? Are you all right?" | |
142 | |
143 Trembling, Tomoyo exclaimed in a rush, | |
144 | |
145 "Sakura-chan it's dead I...I… oh Sakura-chan I'm sorry it's all | |
146 right don't worry it's all right it's..." | |
147 Tomoyo broke off in a fit of sobbing. | |
148 | |
149 "Tomoyo-chan, what's the matter, are you all right?" Sakura shouted | |
150 out as the phone went dead. | |
151 | |
152 Tomoyo sat on her bed; fists clenched into tight little balls, | |
153 weeping hysterically. It was so young, just ready to fly. Why? Why | |
154 did it die now? Why, with a whole life ahead of it, why did it have | |
155 to die? Before it could even fly it was dead. The overwhelming | |
156 unfairness of it all staggered her. She sat crying, unheard in the | |
157 vast, empty house. Unable to move or see through her tears, she only | |
158 barely heard the frantic pounding on her window. Turning, she saw | |
159 Sakura perched on the ledge outside her room, wings disappearing from | |
160 her staff as she prepared to break through the glass. The sight of | |
161 the auburn-haired girl threw Tomoyo into a blind panic. She rushed to | |
162 the window and opened it carefully, taking Sakura by the hand as she | |
163 stepped into the room. By habit she smiled brightly, but the words | |
164 wouldn't come, and the tears wouldn't stop. | |
165 | |
166 Sakura beheld her friend in fear and wonder. Never, ever had she | |
167 seen Tomoyo like this. Always cheerful, always composed and never, | |
168 ever sad, the dark-haired girl looked shattered as her smile | |
169 dissolved in a renewed flood of tears. She turned away from Sakura, | |
170 arms flailing as if to ward her off. Hysterically she begged, | |
171 | |
172 "Sakura-chan go away please go away I'm sorry please please please!" | |
173 | |
174 Tomoyo shut her eyes tightly as a tempest of emotions raged inside | |
175 her. The sudden death of the little bird still tore at her in a raw, | |
176 uncontrollable grief. But for Sakura to see her like this was even | |
177 worse. Never, ever had she allowed Sakura even a glimpse of her | |
178 private sorrow, or of the passionate love that lay unrequited for so | |
179 long. She had dedicated herself to her beautiful friend, and vowed | |
180 never to burden her beloved with her own sadness or longing. And if | |
181 most of the time her joy at just being with Sakura was genuine, it | |
182 was sometimes a mask to hide her own hurt, and protect the precious | |
183 happiness of her one, true love. But now, she had hurt Sakura through | |
184 her grief for the bird. Struggle as she might, the little creature's | |
185 death was a pain she could not still, a bitter cup that overflowed | |
186 and spilled over. Her mask shattered, she felt naked and ashamed and | |
187 alone. Better she were dead than this. | |
188 | |
189 Sakura stood with her arms at her side, utterly helpless as Tomoyo | |
190 huddled in the corner. The sight was wrenching, and Sakura was at a | |
191 loss. Glancing about the room, she saw the door of the silver | |
192 birdcage open, and the motionless, feathered form within. Looking at | |
193 her still sobbing friend she understood, and felt her own heart break | |
194 for Tomoyo's loss. And if she did not comprehend all of Tomoyo's | |
195 grief, or it's secret cause (which was Sakura herself), she knew | |
196 enough to run to her love and enfold her in her arms. | |
197 | |
198 "I'm so sorry, Tomoyo-chan. I'm so sorry it had to die." | |
199 | |
200 Tomoyo felt the warm presence wrapped around her, melting the icy | |
201 pain in a passionate, loving hug. On her cheek the warm wet of her | |
202 tears mingled with Sakura's own as her friend held her tightly. | |
203 Sakura's love cut through the haze of guilt and shame like a fiery | |
204 sword. Tomoyo turned and shifted, laying her head on Sakura's | |
205 shoulder, hugging her tightly. How strange it was that she felt such | |
206 comfort here in the arms of her love, when seconds ago the mere | |
207 presence of the girl had thrown her into a horrified frenzy. Her iron | |
208 guard for once lowered, she gave herself up to the sadness, and | |
209 softly wept for the little bird. As the shadows of night covered them | |
210 they lay in a bittersweet embrace, hearts beating together till sleep | |
211 stole their pain away. | |
212 | |
213 Tomoyo awoke to the twittering of birds, and bright sunlight | |
214 streaming through the open window. She smiled to find Sakura in her | |
215 arms, still asleep. She remembered the hurt of the bird's death, and | |
216 felt the echo of grief deep inside. But Sakura's magic was not only | |
217 in the Cards, for she had blessed Tomoyo with the solace of her love. | |
218 As the dark lashes fluttered, Tomoyo kissed her tenderly on the | |
219 forehead. Waking, she smiled, and then looked at Tomoyo with sudden | |
220 concern. But Tomoyo smiled back and whispered, | |
221 | |
222 "I'm OK now. Thank you, Sakura-chan. Thank you so much." | |
223 | |
224 Sakura gazed into the deep blue eyes and then smiled again. Slowly | |
225 the two rose, slightly stiff from sleeping on the floor. Sakura | |
226 looked at the window, and the sun, and froze. | |
227 | |
228 "Hoeee, what if oniichan goes to wake me up for breakfast?" | |
229 | |
230 Tomoyo giggled, and whispered, "You’d better go." | |
231 | |
232 Sakura looked at her uncertainly. | |
233 | |
234 "Smiling, Tomoyo said, "I'm all right, really. It's still a little | |
235 sad, but I'm all right." | |
236 | |
237 Sakura looked wistfully at her friend and hugged her tightly. She | |
238 looked out the window and saw a bank of low clouds that would hide | |
239 her flight home. With another hug they parted, and Sakura flew | |
240 through the window as Tomoyo watched in awe. Then, turning with a | |
241 sigh, she looked at the cage, and wondered what to do. | |
242 | |
243 Her Mother, home for a rare weekend without work, sensibly placed | |
244 the hawfinch in a plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator. Tomoyo | |
245 made the preparations, starting with a small pouch. She was unsteady | |
246 in needlepoint, but her Mother helped with the more complex stitches. | |
247 She talked on the phone with Sakura several times that day, | |
248 reassuring her that things were fine. As they worked, Tomoyo asked | |
249 her mother in an anguished voice why something so sweet and innocent | |
250 had to die before it had even flown. For a long time, Sonomi sat | |
251 silent as she worked the needle and thread. Finally, she looked up | |
252 and said, | |
253 | |
254 " I asked that when Nadesico was dying. I asked her. Through all the | |
255 pain she smiled at me and said, | |
256 | |
257 'But Sonomi-chan, we're just visitors here. We can't stay forever' “ | |
258 | |
259 The two sat in silence while Sonomi cut and tied the last thread and | |
260 held up the finished work. | |
261 | |
262 "There, all done." | |
263 | |
264 At sunset, Tomoyo gently took the little bird from the bag and | |
265 wrapped it in a white silk scarf. Placing the cold, enshrouded body | |
266 in the pouch, she took a small shovel from the tool shed and dug a | |
267 little hole under the tree. Kneeling, she carefully laid the pouch in | |
268 the warm earth and looked one last time at the design, a needlepoint | |
269 hawfinch soaring through a cloudless sky. Then she patted the dirt | |
270 down and stood with lowered head and folded hands. With eyes closed, | |
271 she thanked the little visitor, and begged it to find peace here | |
272 under the beech tree. Turning, the little girl left the gathering | |
273 dark to go find her mother, and to cry. | |
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