rlm@0: "Tomoyo Captor Sakura" rlm@0: by: Ren-chan rlm@0: rlm@0: Part I: Morning Breaks rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: Author's note: rlm@0: My first attempt at a fanfic. I don't know how this will go because I am making rlm@0: it up as I go along. It will be done in parts. I predict it will start out slow rlm@0: but will pick up pace. I hope you enjoy my fic. Beware of grammatical errors. rlm@0: I'm assuming you know Tomoyo's situation, have seen a good part of the series, rlm@0: and know some Japanese language and/or culture. I may use them. This first part rlm@0: is from Tomoyo's point of view. I'm planning to change point of view from time rlm@0: to time. Well, let's see how this goes. I use the characters as close to their rlm@0: personalities as portrayed in the manga and anime series. (I'm still not sure rlm@0: how to do Cerberus's Osaka accent, so its in standard.) rlm@0: rlm@0: This is subject to change: story and title depending on how the story goes. This rlm@0: is a draft kinda. I decided to put it up anyway because I want my work up and rlm@0: known to the world. Besides, won't it be great to see how the amateur writer rlm@0: grows and changes? =P rlm@0: Tomoyo, Sakura, and company belong to CLAMP-sama etc etc. I'm just imagining rlm@0: what would happen in the future. Send comments and critizisms (be gentle) to rlm@0: renchan@lodoss.org rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: I wake to the light touch of her foot against my own. I smile to myself rlm@0: and turn around in my bed to stare at the beautiful face of my best friend. rlm@0: Her hands lay folded together on top of my pillow, gently touching my nose. rlm@0: I feel myself blush slightly by her touch. I sit up in bed and stretch. I rlm@0: head to the windows and pull away the curtains allowing the bright sunshine rlm@0: to poor into my room, greeting the new day. rlm@0: rlm@0: She still feels comfortable sleeping in the same bed with me at sleepovers rlm@0: like when we were children. All these years we've been together, we've grown rlm@0: closer. I know her as if she were me and she knows me as if I was herself. rlm@0: But still, as I kneel next to her side, gazing longingly at her sleeping rlm@0: face, she still doesn't know. She still doesn't understand. But it's alright. rlm@0: As long as I'm with her, as long as I can make her happy, see her happy, let rlm@0: me be there for her, it's alright. Even if she never understands how much- rlm@0: rlm@0: "I love you, Sakura-chan," I whisper to her as I stroke her short, soft rlm@0: brown hair. She smiles and stirs a bit in her sleep. She didn't hear me. rlm@0: She's such a deep sleeper. I wonder what she's dreaming about... rlm@0: rlm@0: "Tomoyo-chan.." rlm@0: rlm@0: I look at her bewildered. Did she just say my name in her sleep? I shake my rlm@0: head to shrug out any hope of her loving me the way I love her. She is going rlm@0: out with Li-kun, afterall. I supported their relationship, and still do. He rlm@0: makes her happy and that's all I'm concerned about. As long as Sakura is rlm@0: happy- rlm@0: rlm@0: "Tomoyo-chan.." rlm@0: rlm@0: I stiffen as she repeats my name. Slowly her eyes open to see mine looking rlm@0: over her. She slightly blushes as her eyes shine brightly even with my rlm@0: shadow looming over her. She gives me the sweetest smile I've ever seen her rlm@0: give me. I melt inside with complete joy. I move back, tilting my head down rlm@0: feeling my pale skin blush from head to toe. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Good morning, Tomoyo-chan." rlm@0: rlm@0: "Good morning, Sakura-chan." rlm@0: rlm@0: She looked out the window and smiled happily. She hasn't changed a bit since rlm@0: then. Sakura-chan is the same as we first met and through the times of our rlm@0: adventures in capturing the Clow Cards, now turned Sakura Cards. She is the rlm@0: Card Mistress. Her cards leap out of her bag and surround her lovingly, greet- rlm@0: ing her good morning. rlm@0: rlm@0: Kero-chan pokes his head out from the covers of the bed sitting up yawning. He rlm@0: blinks his little, dot eyes as he floats from the bed. He floats around muttering rlm@0: about how he wished he didn't wake up from his great dream about giant cakes made rlm@0: of chocolate. The Sakura Cards float back into the Book and float towards Kero, rlm@0: glowing brightly. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Good morning, Sakura. Good morning, Tomoyo. Ne, can we have breakfast? Daidouji- rlm@0: san makes great pancakes! Oh, can she make the blueberry ones or the banana ones? rlm@0: How about some strawberry shortcake, too?" He continues to babble about sweets rlm@0: while Sakura-chan and I smile at each other. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Hai. I'll ask her to make some as soon as she comes," I reply. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Wai! Wai!" exclaims Kero-chan as he dances in the air in joy. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Tomoyo-chan, can I use the bathroom first? I won't take long." rlm@0: rlm@0: I nod to her and watch her leave the room. I walk to my desk and pull out one of rlm@0: my numerous sketch books with drawings of dresses and costumes. Most of them with rlm@0: a detailed Sakura-chan wearing them. I sigh as I stare at the recent sketch of rlm@0: her in a halter top complimenting her figure under an open button-down, denim rlm@0: double-pocket breasted, short sleaved shirt. With that she wears a matching cargo rlm@0: denim short shorts and knee high combat boots. This is less extravagant than the rlm@0: costumes I used to make for her as a Card Captor. Nowadays, I design a lot of rlm@0: everyday clothes with Sakura as my model. She doesn't mind at all. That makes me rlm@0: extremely happy. Sometimes she gets Li-kun to pose and try on some of the men's rlm@0: designs I make. I am planning to go to the fashion a school, after all. Men's rlm@0: clothes designs should be in my portfolio. I sit back in my chair and stare at rlm@0: the sketch of Sakura-chan in complete awe. rlm@0: rlm@0: "That's a nice design. You got Sakura's features down perfect from head to toe." rlm@0: I gasp startled, noticing Kero-chan hovering over my shoulder. I nod to him as rlm@0: he studies my drawing. His face turns slightly serious. He folds his arms, taking rlm@0: a deep breath. I look at him curiously, wondering what he's thinking about. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Tomoyo," the guardian beast begins,"I've noticed how you look at Sakura." He rlm@0: pauses as if he's choosing his words. "I know how you feel about Sakura." rlm@0: rlm@0: I stare at him, slightly shocked. I take a deep breath and smile sadly, not quite rlm@0: meeting his gaze. I know when I was younger I was pretty obvious. All I ever did rlm@0: was tape her, draw her in flashy costumes, and talk how cute and perfect Sakura rlm@0: was. I try to be more subtle now that she has Li-kun. I don't want to burden her rlm@0: with my feelings. rlm@0: rlm@0: "I realized it awhile back. It's pretty obvious when you two were younger." He rlm@0: pauses again and continues. "Don't get me wrong, I have no problems with it. If I rlm@0: did, I would've consulted Sakura about it." I tense up and look at him in fear rlm@0: at the idea that he could've told her his suspicions. "Relax, I haven't said any- rlm@0: thing about it." rlm@0: rlm@0: I sigh in relief. "Thank you, Kero-chan. It means alot that you don't mind about rlm@0: my feelings for Sakura and that you haven't told her about it." rlm@0: rlm@0: The little beast hovers down, sitting on the desk. "No problem. I'm just worried rlm@0: about you that's all. Sakura can be... oblivious to things like that." He pauses rlm@0: again. "I don't think Sakura would mind. She speaks highly of you and holds you rlm@0: dear and stuff." Another pause, as if stopping himself short from saying some- rlm@0: thing further. "She wouldn't hold your feelings against you." rlm@0: rlm@0: I smile happily at that. I notice that he is starting to tense up. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Sakura is really involved with that brat." Another pause. "I think he knows, rlm@0: too. Don't get upset. I don't think he wants to touch the subject either. But he rlm@0: knows you won't do anything to jeopordize their relationship. Afterall, you got rlm@0: them together and supported them until this day. He might say something to you rlm@0: about it. Err... Just don't think about it." rlm@0: rlm@0: The door opens to reveal Sakura-chan all freshened up. She smiles to the both of rlm@0: us. She looks at my drawing with a little sweatdrop on her head. She studies it rlm@0: more carefully and smiles. rlm@0: rlm@0: "You're really talented, Tomoyo-chan. I'm flattered that you know my features so rlm@0: well and make great clothes for me. I hope you get into that art school you want. rlm@0: You make the best designs." rlm@0: rlm@0: I blush slightly at her compliments as I smile brightly. "Thank you so much, it rlm@0: means alot to me." rlm@0: rlm@0: She nods and begins to change behind me. I blush even more as I look away, even rlm@0: though we've changed in front of each other numerous times. "So what are we rlm@0: going to do today?" rlm@0: rlm@0: "A picnic in the park with Syaoran. It's been awhile since we've all been to- rlm@0: gether. He's making lunch. We gotta be there at two so we can kill some time rlm@0: in the shopping area right after breakfast." She turns to me and holds my hands rlm@0: in hers. "Please help me pick out a present for him for our two-year anniversary. rlm@0: I know you're good at these things." rlm@0: rlm@0: I smile, holding in the slight pain in my heart. Two years... Two years they've rlm@0: been going out. I brought them together. And she's smiling more brightly rlm@0: since then. There's no way I could tell her how I feel. Li-kun is going to be rlm@0: with us. Will he confront me after what Kero-chan said? "Of course, Sakura-chan. rlm@0: I'll help you." rlm@0: rlm@0: She smiles brightly. "Thank so much! I love you, Tomoyo!" She hugs me tight, then rlm@0: holds my hands again, tighter yet so gentle. "I'm so glad you're my best friend. rlm@0: You're always there for me. I don't how to make it up to you." rlm@0: rlm@0: I was about to say something just as we heard the door knob turn. Kero-chan rlm@0: quickly does his stuff animal impression as the door opened to reveal my mother rlm@0: on the other side. She smiled brightly just as she always did when Sakura-chan rlm@0: came over. She loves her just about as much as I do because she looks soo much rlm@0: like Nadeshiko-san. I look at her as she notices Sakura-chan holding my hands. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Good morning, Tomoyo." she says happily to me with a conspiring wink. "Good rlm@0: morning, Sakura-chan. What do you two want for breakfast?" rlm@0: rlm@0: Mother wants me to be honest with her and try to win Sakura-chan's feelings. I rlm@0: know she doesn't want me to end up like her and Nadeshiko-san. But I won't, she's rlm@0: happy and secure with him. Mother will never understand how much seeing Sakura rlm@0: happy makes me happy. I wouldn't have set them up if I didn't think I could stand rlm@0: her being with another. Besides I know he'll protect her and will take great care rlm@0: of her. "Blueberry or banana pancakes would be nice. Maybe some croissants and rlm@0: strawberry jelly." rlm@0: rlm@0: She nods to me and grabs Sakura by the arm. "Ok! Sakura-chan, why don't you help rlm@0: me while Tomoyo gets ready? Don't take too long, ok?" Mother drags her down the rlm@0: hall insanely happy while I smile, glad that Mother gets to spend time with Sakura rlm@0: as well. I know she misses Nadeshiko-san everyday and seeing Sakura reminds her rlm@0: of her. rlm@0: rlm@0: Kero-chan flies happily around the room as I quietly walk out the room towards the rlm@0: bathroom. I begin to remember all the times I would tape Sakura in her adventures, rlm@0: the late nights I spent making her costumes, and all the times I tried to get her rlm@0: to understand my feelings. She's still as dense as I remember. I also remember how rlm@0: I would root for Li-kun as he tried to confess his feelings for Sakura. Back then rlm@0: all I could think about was Sakura in all her glory in my costumes capturing them rlm@0: on film and getting her and Li-kun together so I could emerse myself in joy seeing rlm@0: Sakura even more happy. But lately all I can do is imagine us together.. happy.. rlm@0: rlm@0: No, I have no magic to protect her like Li-kun has. How could I ever bear her a rlm@0: beautiful child? What about her having a "normal" wedding? But I love her just as rlm@0: much, possibly even more than Li-kun. Why am I thinking about this? All that matters rlm@0: is Sakura happy. Why should I ask Sakura for so much? Her friendship is enough. rlm@0: I shake out any further thoughts of doubt about Li-kun and Sakura-chan. I open the rlm@0: bathroom door and think about what Sakura should give to Li-kun. rlm@0: rlm@0: * * * rlm@0: rlm@0: Back in Tomoyo's room, Kero-chan flies around the room impatiently waiting for food. rlm@0: For one minute he thinks of Clow Reed and sighs as he remembers the things he had go rlm@0: through, comparing them with Sakura's situations. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Sigh.." rlm@0: rlm@0: Unknown to him, outside on the roof, is a transperant image of a smiling Clow Reed and rlm@0: another transperant image of a woman with wings. rlm@0: rlm@0: "This is the last test, if it should even be called a test. But is this really necessary?" rlm@0: whispers Clow. The woman nods and smiles warmly as they gradually fade into the morning rlm@0: light.