Mercurial > moonlitnights
diff old/stories/tomoyovisitor.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/tomoyovisitor.txt Fri Feb 19 20:53:12 2010 -0500 1.3 @@ -0,0 +1,283 @@ 1.4 +Tomoyo and the Visitor 1.5 +A Tomoyo and Sakura Story 1.6 +By G. P. 1.7 +Please send comments to: treeandleaf2002@yahoo.com 1.8 + 1.9 +Note: all names and characters are property of CLAMP. This story is 1.10 +in no way meant to infringe on their intellectual property rights. 1.11 + 1.12 +I. 1.13 +Tomoyo first heard it while reading in the garden: a faint shuffling 1.14 +noise by the big beech tree. She rose and walked over, looking for 1.15 +the source of the sound. Then it moved, a small feathery body 1.16 +flopping in the short grass. Leaning over, she saw a little orange- 1.17 +brown bird with black wings, not quite a fledgling, cheeping in 1.18 +fright. She looked up into the leafy branches of the tree, shading 1.19 +her lavender eyes from the midday sun, but could see no nest. 1.20 +Kneeling, Tomoyo undid the blue ribbon of her straw bonnet and used 1.21 +it to deftly scoop up the tiny creature. It was noisy, active, and 1.22 +did not seem to be hurt. Gazing at the lost little bird, she felt an 1.23 +odd kinship. Smiling, she whispered, 1.24 + 1.25 +“You almost look ready to fly. I’ll ask Mother if you can stay until 1.26 +you’re ready.” 1.27 + 1.28 +Cradling the bonnet, she walked to the house and opened the massive 1.29 +front door. Her footsteps echoed as she walked the long hallway to 1.30 +the stairs. Bounding into her room, she placed bird and bonnet on her 1.31 +dresser and pulled up a chair. As she contemplated the tiny creature, 1.32 +it regarded at her with large, watchful eyes. Then it began to chirp, 1.33 +moving about in the bonnet, eyes fixed on Tomoyo, who said to herself, 1.34 + 1.35 +“You’re hungry, aren’t you? First let me see just what you are, and 1.36 +then we’ll see what you want to eat”. 1.37 + 1.38 +With a smile she rushed downstairs to the library, and rushed back 1.39 +clutching her Firudo Gaido Nihon no Yacho, A Field Guide to the Birds 1.40 +of Japan. Looking at the bird, half expecting it to be gone, she 1.41 +scanned the colored plates to try and identify it 1.42 + 1.43 +"It's a hawfinch, cocothraustes cocothraustes, of the Fringillidae 1.44 +family". Tomoyo carefully sounded out the difficult Latin words. 1.45 +"Your name is bigger than you are", Tomoyo giggled to herself. She 1.46 +read on, "‘they are shy birds, spending most of their time hidden in 1.47 +the treetops eating seeds and caterpillars'. I guess grubs would be 1.48 +OK for you. I'll be right back!" She flew downstairs, to beg one of 1.49 +the guards to take her to the pet shop. Already, she was in love with 1.50 +it. 1.51 + 1.52 +II. 1.53 +The next day Tomoyo, practically beaming, asked Sakura during lunch, 1.54 +"Would you like to come to my house after school? There's something I 1.55 +wanted to show you". 1.56 + 1.57 +Sakura, intrigued, nodded her head and replied, "Sure. Let me call 1.58 +my Father to see if it's OK. I don't have any chores today". 1.59 + 1.60 +After homeroom was dismissed, Sakura walked out with her friend and 1.61 +saw a single, darkly garbed bodyguard standing by the black Cadillac. 1.62 +The guard opened the back door, bowing low, her long, brown hair 1.63 +hanging straight down. When Sakura clambered in, she was surprised by 1.64 +the roominess of the car's interior. As the car sped away, she turned 1.65 +to Tomoyo and said, 1.66 + 1.67 +"What did you want to show me?" 1.68 + 1.69 +Tomoyo smiled broadly, "You'll see" 1.70 + 1.71 +Tomoyo glanced at her friend, delighted by her intense curiosity. 1.72 +Tomoyo loved surprises, and the sweet anticipation they caused. She 1.73 +snuggled into the plush seat, thought about Sakura, and the hawfinch, 1.74 +and felt a wonderful glow. 1.75 + 1.76 + 1.77 +III. 1.78 +Sakura gazed at the little bird, hopping merrily in its large, 1.79 +silver cage. Her eyes widened as she exclaimed, 1.80 + 1.81 +"Kawaii! Tomoyo-chan, it is sooooo cute!" 1.82 + 1.83 +Tomoyo tilted her head and smiled brightly as Sakura asked, "Did you 1.84 +give it a name yet?" 1.85 + 1.86 +Tomoyo shook her head no, and in a conspiratorial whisper, as if the 1.87 +young bird would be embarrassed to hear such a thing, answered, 1.88 + 1.89 +"I don't know if it's a boy or a girl". 1.90 + 1.91 +Puzzled, Sakura blurted out, 1.92 + 1.93 +"How can you tell?" 1.94 + 1.95 +Tomoyo blushed and looked at the floor, whispering, 1.96 + 1.97 +"I...I don't really know" 1.98 + 1.99 +Sakura, realizing what she was asking, blushed, hid the nervous 1.100 +giggle behind her hand and whispered, 1.101 + 1.102 +"S..sorry" 1.103 + 1.104 +Tomoyo looked up, all smiles, took her hand, and asked. 1.105 + 1.106 +"Would you like some tea?" 1.107 + 1.108 +And the two girls raced down together to the massive kitchen. 1.109 + 1.110 + 1.111 +IV. 1.112 + 1.113 +Over the next week, Tomoyo spent hours with the little bird. She 1.114 +sketched it, painted it, carefully weighed and measured it's food, 1.115 +cleaned the cage, and overall attended it with more care than the 1.116 +most doting of mothers. Most of all, she loved to just sit and watch 1.117 +as the hawfinch explored it's cage, played with the little golden 1.118 +bell she bought, and gamely tested its wings in a flurry of flapping. 1.119 +She knew it would be ready to fly soon, and though she would miss her 1.120 +companion, she grew excited at the thought of the fledging soaring 1.121 +into the vast, open sky. After a nearly-rushed dinner, she excused 1.122 +herself to go to bed, ran upstairs, and burst through the bedroom 1.123 +door. There, she found the bird dead. 1.124 + 1.125 +At first, she thought it asleep, though in an odd, twisted posture. 1.126 +But looking closely, she realized it had suddenly, inexplicably died. 1.127 +Staring, she put her hand to her heart and felt her legs weakening. 1.128 +It couldn't be...it had been gaily hopping and chirping just before 1.129 +dinner. With a shaking hand she opened the door to the cage and, with 1.130 +a slender finger, lightly nudged the warm, stiff lump, which slid 1.131 +slightly on the bottom of the cage. She turned away, stunned, 1.132 +sickened, her eyesight graying on the periphery, as she felt queasy 1.133 +and faint. Just then, the phone rang. 1.134 + 1.135 +She reeled backwards, mechanically reaching for the pink cell phone 1.136 +and holding it to her ear. 1.137 + 1.138 +Sakura stood puzzled when the phone was picked up with no greeting. 1.139 + 1.140 +"Hello? Tomoyo-chan?" 1.141 + 1.142 +Silence. 1.143 + 1.144 +"Tomoyo-chan, are you there? Are you all right?" 1.145 + 1.146 +Trembling, Tomoyo exclaimed in a rush, 1.147 + 1.148 +"Sakura-chan it's dead I...I… oh Sakura-chan I'm sorry it's all 1.149 +right don't worry it's all right it's..." 1.150 +Tomoyo broke off in a fit of sobbing. 1.151 + 1.152 +"Tomoyo-chan, what's the matter, are you all right?" Sakura shouted 1.153 +out as the phone went dead. 1.154 + 1.155 +Tomoyo sat on her bed; fists clenched into tight little balls, 1.156 +weeping hysterically. It was so young, just ready to fly. Why? Why 1.157 +did it die now? Why, with a whole life ahead of it, why did it have 1.158 +to die? Before it could even fly it was dead. The overwhelming 1.159 +unfairness of it all staggered her. She sat crying, unheard in the 1.160 +vast, empty house. Unable to move or see through her tears, she only 1.161 +barely heard the frantic pounding on her window. Turning, she saw 1.162 +Sakura perched on the ledge outside her room, wings disappearing from 1.163 +her staff as she prepared to break through the glass. The sight of 1.164 +the auburn-haired girl threw Tomoyo into a blind panic. She rushed to 1.165 +the window and opened it carefully, taking Sakura by the hand as she 1.166 +stepped into the room. By habit she smiled brightly, but the words 1.167 +wouldn't come, and the tears wouldn't stop. 1.168 + 1.169 +Sakura beheld her friend in fear and wonder. Never, ever had she 1.170 +seen Tomoyo like this. Always cheerful, always composed and never, 1.171 +ever sad, the dark-haired girl looked shattered as her smile 1.172 +dissolved in a renewed flood of tears. She turned away from Sakura, 1.173 +arms flailing as if to ward her off. Hysterically she begged, 1.174 + 1.175 +"Sakura-chan go away please go away I'm sorry please please please!" 1.176 + 1.177 +Tomoyo shut her eyes tightly as a tempest of emotions raged inside 1.178 +her. The sudden death of the little bird still tore at her in a raw, 1.179 +uncontrollable grief. But for Sakura to see her like this was even 1.180 +worse. Never, ever had she allowed Sakura even a glimpse of her 1.181 +private sorrow, or of the passionate love that lay unrequited for so 1.182 +long. She had dedicated herself to her beautiful friend, and vowed 1.183 +never to burden her beloved with her own sadness or longing. And if 1.184 +most of the time her joy at just being with Sakura was genuine, it 1.185 +was sometimes a mask to hide her own hurt, and protect the precious 1.186 +happiness of her one, true love. But now, she had hurt Sakura through 1.187 +her grief for the bird. Struggle as she might, the little creature's 1.188 +death was a pain she could not still, a bitter cup that overflowed 1.189 +and spilled over. Her mask shattered, she felt naked and ashamed and 1.190 +alone. Better she were dead than this. 1.191 + 1.192 +Sakura stood with her arms at her side, utterly helpless as Tomoyo 1.193 +huddled in the corner. The sight was wrenching, and Sakura was at a 1.194 +loss. Glancing about the room, she saw the door of the silver 1.195 +birdcage open, and the motionless, feathered form within. Looking at 1.196 +her still sobbing friend she understood, and felt her own heart break 1.197 +for Tomoyo's loss. And if she did not comprehend all of Tomoyo's 1.198 +grief, or it's secret cause (which was Sakura herself), she knew 1.199 +enough to run to her love and enfold her in her arms. 1.200 + 1.201 +"I'm so sorry, Tomoyo-chan. I'm so sorry it had to die." 1.202 + 1.203 +Tomoyo felt the warm presence wrapped around her, melting the icy 1.204 +pain in a passionate, loving hug. On her cheek the warm wet of her 1.205 +tears mingled with Sakura's own as her friend held her tightly. 1.206 +Sakura's love cut through the haze of guilt and shame like a fiery 1.207 +sword. Tomoyo turned and shifted, laying her head on Sakura's 1.208 +shoulder, hugging her tightly. How strange it was that she felt such 1.209 +comfort here in the arms of her love, when seconds ago the mere 1.210 +presence of the girl had thrown her into a horrified frenzy. Her iron 1.211 +guard for once lowered, she gave herself up to the sadness, and 1.212 +softly wept for the little bird. As the shadows of night covered them 1.213 +they lay in a bittersweet embrace, hearts beating together till sleep 1.214 +stole their pain away. 1.215 + 1.216 +Tomoyo awoke to the twittering of birds, and bright sunlight 1.217 +streaming through the open window. She smiled to find Sakura in her 1.218 +arms, still asleep. She remembered the hurt of the bird's death, and 1.219 +felt the echo of grief deep inside. But Sakura's magic was not only 1.220 +in the Cards, for she had blessed Tomoyo with the solace of her love. 1.221 +As the dark lashes fluttered, Tomoyo kissed her tenderly on the 1.222 +forehead. Waking, she smiled, and then looked at Tomoyo with sudden 1.223 +concern. But Tomoyo smiled back and whispered, 1.224 + 1.225 +"I'm OK now. Thank you, Sakura-chan. Thank you so much." 1.226 + 1.227 +Sakura gazed into the deep blue eyes and then smiled again. Slowly 1.228 +the two rose, slightly stiff from sleeping on the floor. Sakura 1.229 +looked at the window, and the sun, and froze. 1.230 + 1.231 +"Hoeee, what if oniichan goes to wake me up for breakfast?" 1.232 + 1.233 +Tomoyo giggled, and whispered, "You’d better go." 1.234 + 1.235 +Sakura looked at her uncertainly. 1.236 + 1.237 +"Smiling, Tomoyo said, "I'm all right, really. It's still a little 1.238 +sad, but I'm all right." 1.239 + 1.240 +Sakura looked wistfully at her friend and hugged her tightly. She 1.241 +looked out the window and saw a bank of low clouds that would hide 1.242 +her flight home. With another hug they parted, and Sakura flew 1.243 +through the window as Tomoyo watched in awe. Then, turning with a 1.244 +sigh, she looked at the cage, and wondered what to do. 1.245 + 1.246 +Her Mother, home for a rare weekend without work, sensibly placed 1.247 +the hawfinch in a plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator. Tomoyo 1.248 +made the preparations, starting with a small pouch. She was unsteady 1.249 +in needlepoint, but her Mother helped with the more complex stitches. 1.250 +She talked on the phone with Sakura several times that day, 1.251 +reassuring her that things were fine. As they worked, Tomoyo asked 1.252 +her mother in an anguished voice why something so sweet and innocent 1.253 +had to die before it had even flown. For a long time, Sonomi sat 1.254 +silent as she worked the needle and thread. Finally, she looked up 1.255 +and said, 1.256 + 1.257 +" I asked that when Nadesico was dying. I asked her. Through all the 1.258 +pain she smiled at me and said, 1.259 + 1.260 +'But Sonomi-chan, we're just visitors here. We can't stay forever' “ 1.261 + 1.262 +The two sat in silence while Sonomi cut and tied the last thread and 1.263 +held up the finished work. 1.264 + 1.265 +"There, all done." 1.266 + 1.267 +At sunset, Tomoyo gently took the little bird from the bag and 1.268 +wrapped it in a white silk scarf. Placing the cold, enshrouded body 1.269 +in the pouch, she took a small shovel from the tool shed and dug a 1.270 +little hole under the tree. Kneeling, she carefully laid the pouch in 1.271 +the warm earth and looked one last time at the design, a needlepoint 1.272 +hawfinch soaring through a cloudless sky. Then she patted the dirt 1.273 +down and stood with lowered head and folded hands. With eyes closed, 1.274 +she thanked the little visitor, and begged it to find peace here 1.275 +under the beech tree. Turning, the little girl left the gathering 1.276 +dark to go find her mother, and to cry. 1.277 + 1.278 + 1.279 + 1.280 + 1.281 + 1.282 + 1.283 + 1.284 + 1.285 + 1.286 +