Always and Eternal

 

 By MH Hughes

 

  

 

 Notes and the like: Ok, these characters do not belong to me….*phew* Got that off my chest!

 

 The fic is slightly AU-ish in the first part….the second will be more present day. Maybe….basically whatever I am in the mood for ^^

 

 And in being AU, expect possible OOC behavior. But you’ll like it, I swear ^^

 

 I will also begin this with a song, which I also do not own….it is by Cibo Matto, a Japanese group…I suggest you get one of their CD’s. They rock!!! Alright, I can babble at the end of the first part….^_~

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 *******************************************

 

  

 

 She’s got a living stone and rain in her mind

 

 She doesn’t have an umbrella to cover herself

 

 She’s got a living stone and pain in her hand

 

 All I can do is sing for her and myself

 

 I wish I can take it away to three thousand light years away

 

 Don’t be afraid, I’ll be next to you.

 

  

 

  

 

 *************************************************

 

  

 

 Sakura fell into bed, feeling exhausted and spent. She had no reason to feel this way…school, cheerleading practice, coming home and doing chores……

 

 Even Kero was sleeping when she got in and not playing that video game of his.

 

 Why am I so tired?

 

 She closed her eyes, grateful for the darkness. But sleep wouldn’t come easily at first.

 

 Instead, Sakura laid there and stared out the window, her eyes seemingly searching….

 

 For what?

 

 A Clow card? No….I don’t sense anything out of the ordinary.

 

 Except myself. I don’t feel ordinary. Hoe…..

 

 She felt a headache coming on. Sakura massaged her temples and tried to come up with the explanation for her odd feeling.

 

 It started today….early this morning….before dawn…..

 

 Sakura paused in her ministrations. A dream.

 

 She awoke with from a dream, the effects of it still cloying at her, heavy like humid air….

 

 Sakura couldn’t shake the feeling all day.

 

 I just want to sleep….Sakura turned on her side and forced her mind to stop thinking about it, it wasn’t a vision…at least it didn’t feel like it.

 

 Good, Sakura decided.

 

 No problems, time to relax…..to sleep…..She yawned, letting her eyelids grow heavy, until her breathing calmed…..her headache left….her muscles uncurled…..

 

 And for a moment, almost too brief to be noticed, a flutter went through her body.

 

 It clinched at her heart.

 

 But Sakura didn’t catch it. She slipped into slumber.

 

  

 

 ***********************************************************

 

  

 

 Again, that dream…..

 

 Sakura barely tasted her food at breakfast. Even Touya commented on her lack of enthusiasm. 

 

 She didn’t understand it herself.

 

 The dream was so vivid……

 

 Sakura was sipping from a cup, bitter tea…very bitter…..salty?

 

 No, that was tears….tears pouring from her face and into the tea. Why am I crying so?

 

 Sakura then looked up and saw Tomoyo, the girl looking beautiful in a robe….so many colors…

 

 Red, blue, orange, yellow…..

 

 “Don’t you remember?” Tomoyo kept asking. Sakura could only cry.

 

 “How could you leave me?” Was all Sakura could say…over and over…..her sobbing only becoming worse.

 

 Sakura shuddered at the thought of it now.

 

 Is something going to happen to me? Or to Tomoyo?

 

  

 

 It was hot. Too hot. Sakura roller bladed down the street slowly, Tomoyo walking beside her, talking about her newest fashion creation…..

 “Sound good, Sakura-chan?” Tomoyo asked, shaking Sakura out of her overheated haze.

 

 “Uh…yes, very nice…”

 

 “Sakura, it is rude not to listen when someone is talking to you…” Tomoyo giggled, showing that it really didn’t bother her at all that Sakura seemed a million miles away.

 

 Sakura smiled weakly, the dream presenting itself once again…should I tell Tomoyo?

 

 But Tomoyo’s house loomed ahead and Sakura sighed dejectedly.

 

 Guess not…..

 

 “And we’ll still go on that picnic on Saturday?” Tomoyo asked.

 

 “Of course, Tomoyo-chan.” Sakura said, running a hand through her hair. Tomoyo smiled at her warmly and grabbed Sakura’s shoulder.

 

 “You can tell me anything, Sakura-chan…..” The girl said softly. Was Sakura that obvious with her plight?

 

 “Oh, no…I’m fine! See?” Sakura smiled broadly, hoping Tomoyo couldn’t tell she was lying.

 

 If the black haired girl did know, she didn’t let on.

 

 ****************************************************************

 

  

 

 Sakura took at bath, trying to refresh herself.

 

 It did not work very well.

 

 She walked into her bedroom, looking idly for Kero.

 

 “Kero-chan?” She questioned. No answer….that’s strange….Unless….

 

 The cake downstairs…Sakura knew she should go after him, but could not muster the energy to catch him and bring him back.

 

 If he gets caught, I can come up with something….maybe.

 

 She glanced at her desk of drawers, seeing the picture of her and Tomoyo, sliding her finger over the glass…..

 

 What is the dream telling me?

 

 Sakura suddenly felt very dizzy, her head swimming….light and disconnected with the rest of her body….She dropped to her knees, watching the room spin out of control.

 

 “Don’t you remember?” Tomoyo’s voice echoed. Sakura tried to focus on the sound of the other girl, to try and find it in this confusion….

 

 “Don’t you?” The voice pleaded. Sakura grabbed her head….remember? Remember what?

 

 Then she saw herself, kneeling across from her….watching her.

 

 Is…is this a card? Sakura’s mind managed to ask.

 

 Her double smiled at her, reaching out to touch Sakura’s face…..

 

 “You must try, try to recall the past….” Sakura heard herself say.

 

 Tears sprang forth from her eyes at those words…..

 

 Sakura rested her head in her hands.

 

 “I have tried….I have…..please, show me how….” 

 

 *************************************************************

 

  

 

  

 

 Then she drifted, pulled by a black current she could not fight….The further she went, the less she could recall her room, her brother or father…all of it was slipping away from her mind’s grasp. What….? A small tendril of light was piercing her vision. Dawn…it feels like morning, Sakura thought, feeling oddly calm and serene.

 

 Her hands fell to her sides, grazing….is this grass? Yes, grass….Sakura sat up, recognizing the field before her, it’s tall green waving at her…..My field….mine…….

 

 In the distance, smoke weaved it’s way upward and into the sky…..a house….my house.

 

 Sakura began to walk.

 

 This path…I know it, Sakura thought. Each step she took seemed familiar, filling her soul with an unknown happiness.

 

 I am finally home, Sakura smiled to herself.

 

 *********************************************************************

 

  

 

  

 

 Tomoyo was almost asleep when she heard a small tapping at her bedroom window. She got up and threw the curtains open, almost expecting Sakura to be there….

 

 “Kero-chan?” Tomoyo whispered, her face falling somewhat. The Seal beast came into her room, all business.

 

 “A new card has Sakura under it’s magic.” Kero stated. Tomoyo felt her blood run cold.

 

 “Sakura….” Her voice managed to say, as she grabbed some more suitable clothing, her limbs feeling numb.

 

 “It is the Memory Card….I have yet to understand all it’s powers…” Kero talked as Tomoyo climbed out of her window.

 

 “You don’t know what it does?” Tomoyo asked, not wanting to sound worried but unable to conceal it.

 

 “Let’s go. I’ll show her to you.” Kero answered.

 

  

 

 ***********************************************************************

 

  

 

  

 

 Sakura entered the house, touching the table with the red cloth, so fine….hanging on the surface.

 

 She lingered in the kitchen, her fingertips pressing onto the cool marble counter, her nose taking in the scents of a recent meal….cumin or rosemary….her mother’s herb garden, near the stream….

 

 Sakura went further into the home, to where she knew her room waited for her.

 

 Her bed, disheveled, her books from school….the little hearts she drew on the thin paper given to her….given by…….

 

 Sakura felt tears splash onto her cheeks.

 

 Tomoyo……

 

  

 

 She ran as fast as she could without falling down. Each root was jumped, all puddles of muddy water were traversed with ease……Just over there, just a little bit further……

 

 Sakura stopped short, not wanting to look desperate and slowed her pace down.

 

 Then she saw the girl.

 

 She sat in the garden, letting the flowers be graced by her presence, her soft gray-black hair loose…not in the usual bun her mother insisted on…..

 

 Sakura felt her heart skip a beat.

 

 “Tomoyo!” Sakura hollered out, waving a hand. Tomoyo smiled at her…..that smile! I feel as though I have not seen it forever, Sakura thought as she ran over.

 

 She couldn’t stop herself from embracing Tomoyo. 

 

 The girl laughed softly.

 

 “Sakura-chan?” She asked. But Sakura just held her, afraid…..very afraid Tomoyo would disappear if she let go.

 

 “Is something wrong?” Tomoyo asked, her voice a little concerned.

 

 “I just missed you.” Sakura answered, knowing it would sound silly. Tomoyo giggled and pushed Sakura off gently.

 

 “I just saw you at Mitashi-sensei’s, Sakura-chan……”

 

 “I know.” Sakura blushed, now feeling embarrassed. She fidgeted with her hands until Tomoyo shook her head understandingly.

 

 “You had that dream again didn’t you?” Tomoyo stated. Sakura nodded, her face lowered.

 

 “I am not going to leave here…you mustn’t let it bother you. Mother doesn’t believe anyone would marry me anyway…too independent minded she says….And marriage would be the only way I could leave, though it would be nice to see the world….”

 

 Sakura grabbed the girls delicate hands in her own.

 

 “You and I can travel, Tomoyo-chan” Sakura said softly, hoping…just hoping….

 

 “And how would we live? Selling rice cakes by the trading road?” Tomoyo laughed.

 

 “But…?”

 

 “Gomen, Sakura-chan, but that is unrealistic. Though, I find it sweet that you would want to spend your days with me….arigatou, Sakura.”

 

 Tomoyo stood up then, pulling her hands away and walked onto the terrace.

 

 “Want to stay for dinner, Sakura-chan?” Tomoyo asked, suddenly cheery and light.

 

 “Nani?” Sakura asked, still trying to feel Tomoyo’s hands in hers.

 

 “Dinner?”

 

 “Hai…” Sakura followed her inside…….

 

 My Tomoyo….don’t leave me….

 

  

 

 *****************************************************************

 

  

 

 Li looks upset, Tomoyo noted. I suppose he really does care for Sakura….I wonder if Sakura feels the same? The two seem so different, but they carry some of the same qualities….

 

 They hunt the Clow Cards.

 

 They both had crushes on Yukito-san.

 

 Maybe…would this be the special person for her Sakura?

 

 “It is possible…” Kero muttered. Tomoyo knew that Li and Kero had little affection for each other, but she hoped that they could put it all aside for Sakura’s sake.

 

 “It is the only possibility, but…I do not know how to break the spell.” Li said somberly.

 

 “Silly pookie baka….” Kero stated, to which Li grumbled. Tomoyo sighed.

 

 “Sakura needs our help…please fight later.” She pleaded. The two of them backed down.

 

 “So, it is thought to be Memory’s purpose to what?” She asked Li.

 

 “It lulls you to sleep in order for you to recall memories your mind has repressed…..whether in this life or another…”

 

 “Really?” Tomoyo looked at the sleeping girl, that beautiful auburn hair framing her face…..

 

 Sakura, what are you remembering? Tomoyo wondered.

 

  

 

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 End of Part one

 

  

 

  

 

 Notes:

 

 *sighs* I feel better now! I have wanted to right this forever…..^^ Any questions about plot? Like what the hell is going on? Email me and I will explain all…in great detail, no doubt ^_~

 

 You can find me residing at SPIRITWOMAN@skybest.ocm

 

 MH