Tari Tari: "Past and Present"
Chapter 1: Extended Epilogue
Author's notes: This short story is going to attempt to add a bit more the ending of Tari Tari, which I loved. I loved it, but I wish I had more, as there was limitless potential in there. It'll also try to link the dots of what happened between Sawa and Taichi, as well as having the rest of the group in it, as Tari Tari isn't a romance anime, but a slice of life.
Without further wording, I hope you enjoy the story!
Sawa enjoyed the light breeze that came in from the opened window as she finished singing with the rest of the group on video. It still only felt like yesterday when she got here to the United States on her trip to become a Horse Jockey. She undid her twintails and let her hair loose, letting it dance with the coming breeze.
"Sawa, just so you know, Tanaka is as red as-"
"Quiet you!" As the man in question came in and grabbed Konatsu's mouth before she could finish.
Sawa let out a small laugh. She really did miss being there with everyone...
"Maybe I really should have gone back..." She sighed. Her father had actually told her to come back several times on the phone, she found that endearing, but she wouldn't come back empty handed. Living in the States was very hard, even if she was doing what she really wanted.
The video went on as they all took turns to send Sawa a personal message. First up was Wakana
"Sawa! I hope you're really doing well in the United States! We're taking care of Sabure making sure it doesn't feel alone!" A smile drew itself on Sawa, as Wakana kept talking "... And I finished writing a new song!"
She made a mental note to ask her about it later.
Wien's turn came, or rather he took a step forward.
"Okita-san, I went to see Sabure the other day with Taichi and it kicked me" He proudly showed the camera his arm where it had been evident he'd gotten a pretty bad blow. "It's fine anyways, It was fun."
"Man I thought I had told them to stay away from Sabure's right leg..." Sawa looked out her window recalling the moment she-
"Sawa did tell us to not get near Sabure's right leg, didn't s-" Taichi suddenly turned around as though he had forgotten something.
"Wait, she did?" Konatsu chipped in "What, what? I never heard of this" She went around to face Taichi, who turned around yet again.
"Yeah, pay more attention... Airhead" He answered avoiding the petite's gaze
Sawa's mom was heard laughing. "Yeah, of course she'd laugh..." she thought
"Konatsu, anything to say to Sawa?"
"Yes! Sawa!" Konatsu came very close to the camera "I'm working together with your mom for the whole town to keep holding the Shirosai, despite... you know, what happened" Konatsu's eyes lost a bit of gleam, if only for a second "But you know, we're all going to university next year. So..." She looked around as if trying to remember what she had planned on saying. "Oh! We're taking care of Tanaka for you, don't worry!" Konatsu smiled mischievously and ran out of camera (or was forced out of camera by an infuriated Taichi, one or the other)
Sawa facepalmed. Was it that obvious?
"H-hey! Don't go assuming things!" Taichi was pushed in front of the camera by the two girls, as her mother laughed.
"So come on, what have you got to say to my daughter?" A slight menace in her voice. Of course, only Sawa knew what it meant.
Taichi scratched the back of his head as Sawa looked at the laptop screen with a tiny nervous smile, as Konatsu and Wakana kept laughing like small girls. Honestly, you'd think they are 10 years old.
"Hey... I just wanted to say... that we're really missing you here." His face trying to keep straight. "We'll wait for you to come back, so don't come back empty handed!"
"But, you know, Tanaka; Sawa might come back with an american boyfriend" Her mother quipped. Sawa turned scarlet
"No, no, no." Sawa waved her hands as though someone was watching her. "Definitely not happening"
Taichi simply looked flabbergasted for a second before quickly getting off camera as the rest of the group laughed. Sawa even laughed at Taichi's expression.
The camera then turned around to her dad.
"Sawa, you know... I may keep telling you to keep coming back, but it's only because" he looked away for a second "I really care about you. I only want the best for you"
An "Aww" was heard from Konatsu. She really was one to express herself.
The camera then turned to her mother, Seeing her actually made her feel a bit better. She was still very alone in a new land.
Sawa rummaged through the box that got to her home that morning. The first thing was of course the CD with the video they sent her but there were a lot more things. A stuffed horse doll which she found lovely with a letter pinned to the back.
"Sawa, I put this doll in your seat at the graduation. You were always with us. Konatsu :)"
She could already picture the scene of the doll sitting in the graduation as a small tear came down her cheek. She didn't have to imagine much, because Konatsu had also sent her a picture of that moment. Sawa pinned the picture on the wall together with a bunch of other pictures, those she had taken to remember them all by.
She found a small CD case with a piece of paper written in it.
"Sawa, this is my song. Hope you like it"
Of course, she knew who had written it. She played it on her laptop, so she could listen to it as she went through the other things. A soft piano tune started playing... soothing and you could say that a bit romantic.
Wien had sent her a small notebook filled with horse articles on newspapers and horse pictures. They had all been cut and pasted by hand... With a smile she thanked him mentally. He had also sent her a letter.
"Okita-san, I made this with articles I cut from the same newspapers I kept taking articles from to send to Jan back in Austria. I actually got a letter from him, and I think I might be able to see him again. Hope you like it"
Sawa remembered how Wien had been heartbroken by the fact that Jan had moved, and felt sincerely happy for them to be able to find each other.
Her mother had sent her a few things she had forgotten or couldn't fit during the first trip, including her photo album from school. It was actually filled with pictures of the whole group, and stuff from the Shirosai she couldn't see yet.
Wakana's song playing in the background made the whole moment seem a bit more melancholic than it was, but Sawa liked that.
At the very bottom of the box, a badminton racquet with a small letter.
"I thought you could have something to remember me by as well..."
She grabbed the racquet smiling fondly, a tint of red on her cheeks. She wondered if Taichi had actually used this as it was pristine. She swang it around a bit and then noticed something etched on the handle.
"To Sawa"
Her heart actually skipped a beat, before a smile plastered on her face.
After she was done with tidying the place up, she pinned pictures of the group on the wall by her desk so they could be in plain view. Her mother had actually sent her a picture with Taichi circled in a heart, she quickly stuffed it at the very back of the drawer, vowing to get back at her. The badminton racquet now found a place next to her bed.
She looked at the time and realized that she had only five minutes left before her morning routine started, so she closed her laptop, quickly got changed, and got went on with renewed strength.
By the time she got back home, the sun was on it's last legs. She dropped her bag and let herself fall onto the bed. The bed bounced back and a case fell on her head.
"Ouch!"
A CD case... she had no idea where it had come from. Maybe it had fallen out of the box and she hadn't seen her that morning. It could have been that.
"To Sawa"
She grabbed the CD inside and played it.
Taichi's face appeared, a little flustered. She found that very cute, how he could get so flustered when put in the center of attention.
"H-hey, It's me"
Sawa rolled her eyes.
"If you're seeing this then you probably have seen the racquet I sent you... It's from the national tournament when you guys cheered me on..." He sighed "I thought you could have it, as it is my favorite racquet"
He tried to force a smile even though he was probably cracking from the nerves
"Just... take good care of it. I would have said it in the other video but Konatsu wouldn't have me hear the end of it"
Sawa laughed as it was probably true.
"I actually went to see Sabure the other day again, he's also missing you. But he'll manage, he's a tough one"
The video actually cut and another scene replaced it. She knew that scene well, the stables where Sabure was kept.
"Hey there, Sabure" Taichi's voice came
The horse looked up and made a small grunt
"Not in a good mood huh?" A hint of dissapointment in his voice "Smile for the camera, this is for Sawa"
The camera then panned around a bit and the camera slowed down for a second on the wall before coming back to the horse.
"So hey Sabure, remember when Sawa and I came by?"
Sawa choked on saliva. She prayed that her mother had not seen this video... chances were slim though, knowing her.
The video then cut back to Taichi staring at the camera at his house.
"Yeah, Sabure wasn't very happy to see me I guess. He's been a bit cranky lately, he even kicked Wien, but you know that already"
Sawa sighed. She knew why the horse would be a bit cranky, but nothing she could really do.
"I'm running out of time, so I'll say that I hope you're having fun in America... and that we're waiting for you back in Japan... All of us"
The video ended with Taichi giving her the first carefree smile he'd seen from him since she left. Sawa laid back on her chair and stared at the ceiling, sighing heavily. She tried to not think about Japan much, because she knew that if she started thinking she'd get sad at leaving them all behind... but she really couldn't go back now, nor did she want to.
"I'll go back some day anyways" She shook the uneasy feeling off, as she went back to the matter at hand.
Her mother had obviously seen the video, so that explained the picture with Taichi circled. "She's such a girl..."
Sawa planned on writing an e-mail to her mother telling her she got everything, but she'd beaten her to the punch.
"Sawa, I see that the package arrived today. Hope you had as much fun going through it as I did!"
She slammed her laptop shut. She was so going to kill her when she got her hands on her.
"She doesn't even try to hide it..." She laughed as she punched the air.
Opening her laptop again, Sawa wrote a quick response, asking how everyone was doing. Her mother answered immediately, she had not expected that.
"Everyone is doing fine, Konatsu keeps dropping by with Sakai. Your boyfriend came in a bunch of times already to check on Sabure. What the hell happened in there?"
Once again, she vowed she'd have revenge on her mother someday.
Author's Notes: Hope you guys enjoyed reading my first chapter! I really enjoyed writing this for a reason, and in fact, it's 3:30 AM, I've got college tomorrow and I'm not regretting writing this one bit.
Keep in mind that this is a short story, It'll be at most 3 chapters of about the same length.
To those of you from Animesuki, welcome! To those of you who come from other places, welcome as well!
Niker (AKA: Arturia Polaris)