Mercurial > moonlitnights
diff old/stories/dearsakura-04.txt @ 2:fc00894c1d4a moonlitnights
[svn r3] moved all the bad stuff to 'old'
author | rlm |
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date | Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:53:12 -0500 |
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1.1 --- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 1.2 +++ b/old/stories/dearsakura-04.txt Fri Feb 19 20:53:12 2010 -0500 1.3 @@ -0,0 +1,363 @@ 1.4 +Dear Sakura: 1.5 +On Angel's Wings 1.6 +by The Amazoness Duo 1.7 +amazonessduo@hotmail.com 1.8 + 1.9 + 1.10 + 1.11 + “Tomoyo-chan, are you sure you won’t come with me? The cabin will 1.12 +be lonely without you. You could bring some of your videotapes and we 1.13 +could watch them while we’re up there. And the weather is going to be 1.14 +gorgeous. We could go for a picnic,” Sonomi Daidouji suggested to her 1.15 +daughter as the younger of the two continued packing. 1.16 + “I would love to come with, Okaa-sama, but I couldn’t stand to 1.17 +disappoint Sakura-chan. You should have heard her on the phone last 1.18 +night. She sounds so excited. I haven’t heard her like that since the 1.19 +night she told me that Li-kun had proposed to her.” What she didn’t 1.20 +have to add was that she and Syaoran had been planning to for weeks 1.21 +but he couldn’t work up the courage or make up his mind so she had to 1.22 +follow him around and nudge him ever closer into finally proposing. 1.23 +It had been one of the most heartbreaking things she had done for 1.24 +Sakura’s happiness, but it had to be done. What if he hadn’t proposed 1.25 +otherwise? Tomoyo smiled her trademark smile as she placed in some 1.26 +more clothing. Sakura had told her to pack light clothes, so she was 1.27 +going for a slightly different style than the usual dresses she wore. 1.28 +Her camcorder was already packed up in it’s case, ready for the long 1.29 +trip to Hong Kong. 1.30 + Sonomi sighed exasperatedly. Even if she could see past her 1.31 +daughter’s almost impenetrable emotional masks, she still wished that 1.32 +she would let them down more often around her. And that she would 1.33 +listen to reason. “I just don’t think this is a good idea. Sakura- 1.34 +chan already went off and got married right in front of you. Does she 1.35 +really need to throw it in your face? No good can come from this. 1.36 +Just tell her that as your mother and your boss, I forced you to come 1.37 +along to the mountains with me.” The older woman took out the blouse 1.38 +Tomoyo had just placed in the suitcase, laying it back on the bed. 1.39 + Looking back to her mother, Tomoyo smiled cheerfully again as she 1.40 +repacked the offending blouse. “Sakura-chan wouldn’t do that. She’s 1.41 +lonely up in Hong Kong all by herself. She needs some help getting 1.42 +settled. So I’ll go and help her. I think she’ll be happy to get a 1.43 +little piece of home in her new life. It will help her to move on 1.44 +with her life.” Tilting her head to the side thoughtfully, she 1.45 +glanced around for anything she may be missing. 1.46 + Her lithe hands taking her daughter’s shoulders, Sonomi turned the 1.47 +younger woman to face her. “But what about you, Tomoyo-chan? Maybe 1.48 +Sakura-chan does need this. But I really don’t think you do. It’s not 1.49 +wise for you to go back for more pain. Darling, don’t you think she’s 1.50 +hurt you enough? Do you need to see her with him now? For the past 1.51 +few years I’ve seen you suffer in silence as you watched them 1.52 +together. I don’t want you going off so she can blindly break my 1.53 +little girl’s heart again.” She frowned, brushing away some of 1.54 +Tomoyo’s lavender hair from her stormy blue eyes. Her heart was 1.55 +tearing itself in two. She knew first hand how painful it was to 1.56 +watch one’s true love marry another. And there had been nothing she 1.57 +could do about it. And now she was equally helpless to stop the pain 1.58 +in her daughter. Through the weak smile Tomoyo was keeping up, she 1.59 +could see the shimmer of tears in her daughter’s eyes and the deep 1.60 +pain behind it. “Oh, Tomoyo-chan...” Pulling the smaller woman 1.61 +closer, the businesswoman held onto her tightly, stroking her back 1.62 +the way she had when she was little. 1.63 + Tomoyo closed her eyes as her mother held onto her, letting the 1.64 +comforting embrace relax her. “Please don’t worry about me, Okaa- 1.65 +sama. I’ll be fine. I really will be happy to see Sakura-chan again. 1.66 +I’ve missed her so much lately. Hearing her on the phone and writing 1.67 +her isn’t enough. I need to see her. To be with her. Even if it’s for 1.68 +the last time,” her musical voice whispered softly, barely 1.69 +restraining the emotion underneath. She hugged her mother back, her 1.70 +eyes still shut. This whole visit had brought up so many mixed 1.71 +emotions in her. She dearly wanted to see her precious Sakura again, 1.72 +but the prospect of interrupting her new life with her husband was 1.73 +painful. She knew that Syaoran was probably taking good care of 1.74 +Sakura and providing her with things she never could. And in turn, he 1.75 +was rewarded with something Sakura could never give her. Her sweet, 1.76 +innocent love. And what a reward at that. But if he could make her 1.77 +happy, then he more than deserved it. But going in and seeing her 1.78 +beloved with her husband was a painful thought indeed. And after 1.79 +Sakura got settled, there really wouldn’t be much of a need for her 1.80 +anymore. Syaoran had already replaced her at Sakura’s side as the 1.81 +most important person in her life. He would love and support her the 1.82 +way she always had. She would go to him with her problems. And Sakura 1.83 +could forget about her. So in that sense, this trip was extremely 1.84 +bittersweet for the young heiress. This truly could be the last time 1.85 +she ever saw Sakura. But she had to. For Sakura’s sake. As well as 1.86 +her own. If this was her last chance to spend time with Sakura, she 1.87 +would have to treasure the moments for eternity. 1.88 + When Tomoyo finally stepped away from her mother, she smiled 1.89 +softly, composed once again. “I’ll be fine, Okaa-sama. I’ll give 1.90 +Sakura-chan your love.” 1.91 + Sonomi seemed to consider that for a moment. Did she really want 1.92 +Sakura even hearing from her after the hell she had been forcing her 1.93 +daughter through? Not that there was any use arguing the point with 1.94 +Tomoyo. The younger Daidouji already had enough to worry about 1.95 +without her mother’s anger at Sakura. Sighing, she crossed her arms. 1.96 +“But promise that you’ll call me while you’re up there. Everyday. I 1.97 +want to know how things are going.” 1.98 + Tomoyo giggled softly and nodded. “Hai, Okaa-sama. I’ll be sure to 1.99 +call you. Please have fun on your vacation, too.” A melodious beeping 1.100 +interrupted the two from Tomoyo’s watch. Pink and cute with intricate 1.101 +and colorful designs on it, it was most obviously a product of 1.102 +Daidouji Toys. “I’m going to be late if I don’t hurry.” She glanced 1.103 +back at her mother after picking up her small bag with the camcorder 1.104 +in it. Two darkly clad bodyguards picked up her two other suitcases. 1.105 +“Everything will be fine. Please don’t worry. You’ve been so busy 1.106 +with work that you really need to relax on this vacation. And how can 1.107 +I enjoy my time with Sakura-chan if I know Okaa-sama’s busy worrying 1.108 +about me?” 1.109 + The older woman couldn’t help but smile. Just like Nadeshiko. Her 1.110 +daughter had always been such a sweet girl, much like her cousin. But 1.111 +that concern for her loved ones came from Sonomi herself, even if 1.112 +Tomoyo managed to be more subtle about it. “Let’s hurry. The 1.113 +limousine’s waiting.” 1.114 + Taking one last look at her room, Tomoyo tried to spot anything 1.115 +that she might be missing. She was usually very good at organizing 1.116 +things, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was missing 1.117 +something. Her eyes finally settled on the half-finished costume she 1.118 +had once been working on for Sakura. Folding it over her arm, she 1.119 +hurriedly followed her mother out the door. 1.120 + 1.121 + Stormy blue eyes watched with a mild curiosity as the lighter blue 1.122 +skies slowly filtered past outside the window. It wouldn’t take too 1.123 +long before she was in Hong Kong. But Tomoyo hadn’t fully sorted out 1.124 +her feelings on the situation. Which was very difficult for her. She 1.125 +knew how she should feel about the whole thing. She should be happy 1.126 +for Sakura, that she was with the one she loved and that she was 1.127 +happily on the road to her new life. But it hurt her terribly that 1.128 +their roads had veered from one another’s. Her heart longed for 1.129 +Sakura. Her determined spirit, her genki attitude, her sweet smile. 1.130 +Everything about her. So it was with some delight that she had gotten 1.131 +the chance to fly out to see her so soon. And without the pretext of 1.132 +Sakura being with child as well. But how did she fit into Sakura’s 1.133 +new life? As nothing more than a relic from the past, sadly. And this 1.134 +trip was just making her realize that cold fact more and more. The 1.135 +trip was not much more than an attempt to curb Sakura’s homesickness 1.136 +so that she could move on with her new life. Seeing Sakura would be 1.137 +both the most pleasant part of the trip and the most painful. Part of 1.138 +her had wanted to accept her mother’s offer to go on vacation with 1.139 +her at a cabin in the mountains. But she needed to see Sakura again. 1.140 +To see that she had done the right thing in getting her beloved with 1.141 +another. Of that she was fairly certain, but she wanted to see Sakura 1.142 +happy with her special person. Seeing that making Sakura happy would 1.143 +make it all worth it. The she could go back to Japan and Sakura could 1.144 +forget all about her. But her final memories of Sakura, the knowledge 1.145 +that Sakura was finally happy would carry her through it. 1.146 + Tomoyo needed to see Sakura if for no other reason than to be with 1.147 +her true love just once more. She needed to see the girl that she had 1.148 +fallen in love with all those years ago. Sakura always filled her 1.149 +heart with such warmth just being near her. That had been missing 1.150 +from her life for too long now. Her heart soared at the thought of 1.151 +seeing her dear Sakura again, of being able to experience those 1.152 +wonderful sensations without the aid of videotape or her own 1.153 +memories. To feel the sheer and utter warmth she had for this girl at 1.154 +its strongest, the way she always was when she was in Sakura’s 1.155 +presence. 1.156 + “Don’t you make me happy... Don’t you have a good time...” Tomoyo 1.157 +sung softly as she watched the clouds outside. One big fluffy one 1.158 +looked just like Kero-chan. And in another wispier one, she could see 1.159 +Sakura on her old staff. Smiling softly, she took a small bite of her 1.160 +meal. It was nice, but she wasn’t very hungry. 1.161 + “Can I get you anything, ma’am?” the waitress asked pleasantly. 1.162 +Tomoyo just smiled in response and shook her head politely. 1.163 + After months and months of struggling, Tomoyo had finally managed 1.164 +to watch the videotape of the wedding ceremony all the way through. 1.165 +She had left right near the end, unable to stay and watch the entire 1.166 +event. That fact weighed heavily upon her. She had wanted to stay for 1.167 +Sakura, but watching her love get married off and taken away from her 1.168 +for good was too much for her to bear. And that had been the last she 1.169 +had seen of Sakura. They had left for their honeymoon after that and 1.170 +then to Hong Kong. She was truly grateful that Sakura had sent her 1.171 +the bouquet from her wedding. She had felt devastated for not being 1.172 +there near the end, but it made her feel better to have the pretty 1.173 +flowers that symbolized Sakura’s new union. Now it was right next to 1.174 +her mother’s bouquet from Nadeshiko’s wedding. It really made her 1.175 +wonder if maybe it was Fate at work. Her mother obviously loved 1.176 +Nadeshiko with the same passion that she held for Sakura, yet she was 1.177 +denied that love. Just as she was denied the chance to be with 1.178 +Sakura. Even though they both went about their love in very different 1.179 +ways. But it was all right. Her mother might not understand exactly, 1.180 +but it really was more important that Sakura be happy than with her. 1.181 +That your loved one was happy, even if you weren’t together, truly 1.182 +was the most vital thing. 1.183 + That fact had been what she had tried to explain many times to 1.184 +Sakura. But what she hadn’t told Sakura was that even if she was 1.185 +pleased for her special someone to be happy with someone else, there 1.186 +was also a lot of hurt inside. Yes, she was happy for Sakura. That 1.187 +was the truth. It was also true that she cried herself to sleep at 1.188 +night, lonely and sad that she would never be able to let her 1.189 +feelings for Sakura out of the cage of her heart. But sometimes 1.190 +Sakura only needed the half truth. Especially when the whole truth 1.191 +would hurt her. And Tomoyo had been very careful in all the time that 1.192 +she had known Sakura to not hurt her. Even if it meant being creative 1.193 +about the truth at times and not always showing her true feelings. 1.194 + A mixture of pain and warmth, longing and loneliness filled the 1.195 +young businesswoman’s heart. Her own heart used to be so open to her. 1.196 +She had understood it implicitly. But now it was so confused by all 1.197 +the conflicting thoughts and emotions that she didn’t know if she 1.198 +could fit some of the conflicting emotions together. Which meant she 1.199 +had to be even more careful while in Hong Kong. She needed to be 1.200 +happy for Sakura. She couldn’t let Sakura see that she was hurting or 1.201 +it might ruin things. At the very least, it would make Sakura sad and 1.202 +she couldn’t have that. 1.203 + Tomoyo smiled gently as she closed her eyes, envisioning the cute 1.204 +brunette. “I love you, Sakura-chan. Let’s enjoy this trip. There will 1.205 +be time for tears later.” 1.206 + 1.207 + Sakura sighed as she stared blankly at the magazine on her lap. Her 1.208 +mind was refusing to concentrate on anything. Tomoyo’s flight was 1.209 +overdue and she was starting to get worried. She had gotten to the 1.210 +airport early in her enthusiasm to see her sweet friend again. A yawn 1.211 +escaped her lips which she tried to cover quickly. Sleep hadn’t been 1.212 +very generous in coming for the past few nights. And the closer it 1.213 +got to Tomoyo’s arrival, the more difficult it became for her to get 1.214 +any rest. Last night had seemed like an eternity. Sleep had eluded 1.215 +her for hours. She spent most of it in the room she had prepared for 1.216 +Tomoyo, tidying things up one last time. When she had finally fallen 1.217 +asleep, she had found herself passed out at the desk in that room. 1.218 +Embarrassed and still a little sleepy, she had slipped back into bed 1.219 +with her husband, but sleep once again taunted her. All sorts of 1.220 +memories kept coming to her when she was about to nod off. The dress 1.221 +Tomoyo had made her for one of the school dances had come to mind. 1.222 +Then the lavender haired girl had asked her to the dance when she 1.223 +found out that Syaoran couldn’t be there to take her. That had been a 1.224 +lot of fun, even if it had seemed a little awkward at the time. When 1.225 +Tomoyo had practiced with her for her auditions in Drama Club, which 1.226 +had been the dark haired angel’s idea in the first place, had also 1.227 +drifted into her head. When Tomoyo had shown her the videotape of her 1.228 +flying on her magic staff and had found out that she was a magical 1.229 +girl played over and over again in her mind. 1.230 + Oddly enough, the one memory that stuck out the most was when 1.231 +Tomoyo had been explaining the custom of making a teddy bear for the 1.232 +person you like and them naming it after you. When Sakura had asked 1.233 +the beautiful heiress about why she wasn't going to make one, Tomoyo 1.234 +had smiled at her and explained that she would be happy as long as 1.235 +her special person was. At the time, she had seen it as nothing more 1.236 +than Tomoyo’s usual eccentricity, but for some reason it was 1.237 +bothering her now. Why couldn’t Tomoyo make it for her special 1.238 +someone? That wasn’t fair that she’d have to be alone like that, not 1.239 +even being able to take part in such a cute little tradition. But 1.240 +before she could make any sense of the whole thing, she had hurried 1.241 +off to the airport. 1.242 + The plane was still late. Sakura bit her lip anxiously. Her stomach 1.243 +was starting to feel sick from all of the anxiety of waiting. She 1.244 +kept seeing her pale friend in her mind’s eye, and it just made her 1.245 +impatience grow. She missed Tomoyo terribly. They had been best 1.246 +friends for years and years now and suddenly she was without her in a 1.247 +new country. She was happy to be with her new husband, but the 1.248 +loneliness she felt being away from Tomoyo continued to grow while 1.249 +she was gone. And that confused her. Now that she was starting her 1.250 +new life with Syaoran, she had expected that to diminish as time went 1.251 +by. But it had only grown worse. So Tomoyo’s visit came as quite a 1.252 +relief. It thrilled her to know that her friend would soon be with 1.253 +her again. There was so much to do! So much to say! Her heart pounded 1.254 +in her chest in excitement. She couldn’t wait to see the beautiful 1.255 +woman again, to laugh with her and know that she was there by her 1.256 +side. She hadn’t been this excited since the honeymoon. 1.257 + Sakura paused for a moment, setting the magazine aside. Tomoyo had 1.258 +been her best friend for what felt like a lifetime. They had only 1.259 +been apart for several months. And she was married to her loving 1.260 +husband and living her wonderful new life. Sure, it was great to be 1.261 +able to spend time with Tomoyo again, but was that really anywhere on 1.262 +par with a honeymoon with the man she had vowed to spend the rest of 1.263 +her life with? Oh, it didn’t matter. She missed her friend so dearly 1.264 +that it would be great to see her again. Why did it matter if she was 1.265 +so exited to see her or not? Tomoyo was very important to her. More 1.266 +than she’d ever realized before. But now that she was gone, Sakura 1.267 +missed her daily. The dark haired woman’s nigh constant comforting 1.268 +presence and warm words were no longer there except in the presence 1.269 +of phone calls and letters. And that just wasn’t the same thing. She 1.270 +needed the pale woman there with her so that she could feel whole 1.271 +again. She knew Tomoyo believed in her, but sometimes she had trouble 1.272 +believing in herself. And sometimes it was so hard adjusting to her 1.273 +new life. But Tomoyo had always helped her through everything. 1.274 +Somehow she knew that it would all be better if her incredibly 1.275 +perceptive friend was there to help her. 1.276 + Standing up excitedly, Sakura watched an airplane taxiing up. Was 1.277 +that hers? Could that be...? It was!! Sakura clasped her hands 1.278 +together happily as she watched it move slowly forward. It moved 1.279 +achingly slow in her mind. ‘If only this wasn't for just a visit’. 1.280 +That thought saddened her for a moment, but it quickly passed as her 1.281 +excitement built to a crescendo. All of the waiting had built up to 1.282 +this moment. All of that time apart would be over. At least for now. 1.283 +Tomoyo would have to leave again soon enough. That thought alone left 1.284 +a pain in her heart. Just like what Tomoyo had said about knowing 1.285 +they couldn’t be together forever. The same was true now. They’d only 1.286 +be here for a short visit. But that wasn’t for a while yet. And they 1.287 +would see each other again in the meantime. Her heart nearly stopped 1.288 +as she saw a pale figure walk out of the plane. Long, lavender hair 1.289 +was done up in elegant braids, draped past her shoulders, sharply 1.290 +contrasting her pale skin. Her short blue and aquamarine dress was 1.291 +simple but beautiful. Tomoyo was stunningly beautiful, even more so 1.292 +than Sakura had last remembered her. How her special someone could 1.293 +ignore her, Sakura could not even begin to comprehend. Joy bubbled up 1.294 +in her heart at the very sight of her best friend. It was a far cry 1.295 +from their first meeting in class eight years prior. “Tomoyo-chan !! 1.296 +Tomoyo-chan!” 1.297 + Tomoyo turned to find the source of the voice. Her smile brightened 1.298 +immeasurably as she spotted the brunette running towards her. “Sakura- 1.299 +chan!” She stepped to the side, trying to get away from the rest of 1.300 +the passengers and to her eager friend. “Sakura-chan, I’m so...” The 1.301 +breath was knocked out of her as Sakura leapt into an embrace. The 1.302 +athletic girl pulled her close, hugging her with all the energy she 1.303 +could muster. Tomoyo felt her own heart surge at being so near Sakura 1.304 +again. She had been right. Being near her did fill her heart near 1.305 +bursting as the love inside struggled to be released. “It’s so good 1.306 +to see you, Sakura-chan,” Tomoyo said sweetly when Sakura finally 1.307 +released her grasp ever so slightly. Her eyes lingered on Sakura’s 1.308 +shining emeralds. Sakura had grown into quite a pretty young woman. 1.309 +She was still Tomoyo’s image of perfection. The bags under Sakura’s 1.310 +eyes concerned her, but she knew that the Cardmistress hadn’t been 1.311 +sleeping much because of her impending visit. 1.312 + “I’m so happy to see you, too, Tomoyo-chan! I was starting to worry 1.313 +that you had been swept up on your way to see me. I couldn’t wait for 1.314 +you to get here.” Giving Tomoyo another tight hug, Sakura finally let 1.315 +go. “I still can’t believe you’re here.” It had felt like an eternity 1.316 +since she had last seen Tomoyo, but now that the dark haired girl was 1.317 +here, it felt like it had only been the day before that they had last 1.318 +seen each other. This trip was going to be wonderful. She could just 1.319 +feel it. 1.320 + Tomoyo giggled softly and shook her head. “Nothing could keep me 1.321 +from my Sakura-chan. I had to get here. I’m very sorry to keep you 1.322 +waiting.” She hefted the camcorder case up, adjusting the strap. “I 1.323 +wanted to come out and record you again but they won’t let me until I 1.324 +have it checked with security. It would have been the perfect first 1.325 +shot for my ‘Sakura-chan and the Dream Vacation’ videotape!” 1.326 + Now it was Sakura’s turn to laugh. “We’ll have to get you some 1.327 +better shots than that. And I’m just glad to see you. I’ve missed you 1.328 +so much, Tomoyo-chan. You don’t know how happy I am to have you here 1.329 +in Hong Kong. I’ve been waiting the longest time for your visit.” 1.330 + “I missed you, too, Sakura-chan. Nothing’s the same without your 1.331 +cute presence to make everything exciting.” Tomoyo couldn’t take her 1.332 +eyes off of Sakura. It was like she had been dying of thirst and had 1.333 +just found her oasis. She drank up Sakura hungrily, burning her 1.334 +precious image into her mind at that very moment as best she could. 1.335 +She felt like she had been kept in the dark, blind and deaf to the 1.336 +world and that she had just now been returned her senses. For now her 1.337 +worries were far away. They hardly seemed to matter in the face of 1.338 +the girl she loved. 1.339 + Sakura blushed softly at Tomoyo’s compliment, but smiled. “We 1.340 +better go get your bags. There’s so much I need to show you. And I 1.341 +can’t wait for you to see your room. I really think you’ll like it. 1.342 +I’ll help you unpack.” Taking Tomoyo’s hand, she couldn’t get rid of 1.343 +her smile. Not that she wanted to. She was too happy to have her 1.344 +friend back with her again. Things finally felt all right. 1.345 + Tomoyo was a little surprised by Sakura’s hand holding her own, but 1.346 +she didn’t complain. Squeezing Sakura’s hand gently, she nodded. “I’m 1.347 +sure it will be lovely. Anything that Sakura-chan spent so much time 1.348 +and effort into must be perfect. I’ll love being able to see it 1.349 +without the need of a picture this time.” 1.350 + “I really hope you think so when you see it. I think it’ll be very 1.351 +nice for you. I tried to think like Tomoyo-chan while I was fixing up 1.352 +the room. I’m afraid it’s not much like your old room, but I still 1.353 +think it looks nice. So I’m not sure how good a job I did as you.” 1.354 +Sakura looked outside and sweatdropped. Rain plastered the windows 1.355 +all around them, casting the girls in shifting shadows. “I hope you 1.356 +brought an umbrella. I was hoping things would at least clear up when 1.357 +you arrived.” 1.358 + Leading Sakura towards the baggage check out, Tomoyo’s worries felt 1.359 +like they had been left back in the airplane. Being with Sakura again 1.360 +really did feel wonderful. “Hai, I did. I tried to pack as best I 1.361 +could from what you told me. And I already know that I’ll love the 1.362 +room Sakura spent so much time putting together for me. I’m much 1.363 +happier than I could be with any hotel room I could have.” 1.364 + Sakura smiled happily and squeezed Tomoyo’s soft hand in return. 1.365 +“Good. We’ll need to hurry so that we don’t waste any of your time 1.366 +here!”