Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Cardcaptor : Sakura, they all belong to Clamp (Satisuki Igarashi, Nanase Ohkawa, Mick Nekoi and Mokona Apapa.). If I have made any errors in my disclaimer, please inform me of such an error so that it can be corrected immediately. Then again there is no real point in suing me as I have very little money (I'm only 13!) jjk!
Ghost ChildJust a bit of an author's note here, all the names I'll be using will be from the Cardcaptor : Sakura manga. Although I've only read the French version (first of all the translations are far more accurate and secondly the English versions are almost impossible to find (in Quebec anyway)) so the names might be a little different (and if you have any questions regarding the names or anything else for that matter please tell me!). Now on to the story ;3!
Chapter One- Memories of The Past
The trees were glazed with a thick layer of snow and ice, giving off an illusion that could of easily passed off as a Christmas dream world. The dull "crunch, crunch" of snow was somewhat soothing. Tomoyo gazed at the grey sky above her head…depression, this emotion was usually depicted as such, the grey skies and the soft pitter-patter of rain. She sighed and continued on not knowing where her feet were carrying her. I'm a long way from home…Oka-chan must be worried…Tomoyo dismissed that thought pushing it as far back into her mind as possible. The wind blew softly playing at her ebony locks. In a slow and jittery gesture she tucked her stray wisps of of dark silk behind her ear. It was cold out and Tomoyo began to lose feeling in her limbs, if only the cold could numb thepain the plagues my heart she thought to herself placing a gloved hand to her chest. The raven haired school girl trudged on, deciding to leave the main road she cut off into a strangely familiar patch of forest…
The school bell chimed loudly over the sound of chattering students. A new school year had begun…Tomoyo smiled and stepped into the freshly cleaned halls, she leaned against the wall waiting happily. She hadn't seen Sakura-chan for most of the summer and couldn't wait to spend another fun-filled school year with her. They had now entered their last year of middle school and High School exams weren't too far away, Tomoyo frowned, that meant that she would have to attend cram school after her regular classes, not to mention she would have to endure extra tutoring after that . She thought back to the conversation she had with her mother early that morning. "Oka-chan! Why do I have to take extra tutorials? I mean I've always been top of my year and-," Her mother cut her off and firmly set down a cup of green tea before her daughter, "Tomoyo! You may be at the top of your year at your school but you know that the entrance exams are intensive and that there are many other students at the top of their year competing for those spots."
Tomoyo blinked, "What are you talking about? Tomoeda has already said that they have guaranteed a spot for me!" she fought back raising her voice a little.
"I know, I know, but I'm not sending you to Tomoeda High," She said, sitting across her daughter, she took a sip of her tea, "I'm sending you to one of Japan's most revered high schools."
Tomoyo gasped, letting her empty tea cup slip from her fingers and fall to the ground with a clatter, "O-Oka-chan, do you really wish to…" She felt her head go numb…it was one of her greatest dreams, to attend the best of Japan's schools and do honor by her family name.
"Un. It was…Oto-san's wish," Tomoyo watched as her mother fought the urge to cry.
"…Oyaji…," Tomoyo whispered, it wasn't to herself or to her mother, she did this often whenever she was stressed out or thankful.
She knew that somewhere her father was watching over them, "…Tomoyo," her mother's voice released her from her thoughts, "have I ever told you how much you resemble your father?"
Tomoyo shook her head, she could barely remember her father. He had died long ago but she did kind of understood what her mother was talking about. She didn't really look like any of the other girls at school, she had her mother's black hair (who constantly dyed it brown) but her alabaster skin was far lighter than any girl living in Japan and her eyes didn't have that Asian trait. "You have the same eyes…" She drifted of into some fond memory long ago, "I used to call him stormy eyes, since his eyes were the same color as the ocean on a stormy day. I found them so captivating…"………………………………………………………………………………………
Tomoyo blushed at remembering about how Oka-chan gushed over Oto-san. The queue of students had thinned and yet Sakura had not come, Tomoyo bit her bottom lip, slightly agitated now. "Sakura-chan, where are you?" she muttered in a tone barely above a whisper. Then again Tomoyo had expected this, being late for Sakura was as natural as wings were to birds.
"Tomoyo-sepai," the girl turned her head slightly to face a young female teacher, "it is time for all the students to go to the auditorium now." She said in a gentle tone.
Tomoyo sighed and left for the auditorium. She paused when she heard the sound of screeching roller blades, "Kinomoto Sakura! You know perfectly well that roller blades are not permitted on school grounds!"
"Gomen Nasai, Sensei but I was running late and-and" Sakura said pleadingly.
"Excuses, excuses Kinomoto-sempai." the teacher groaned dismissing the frazzled child with a brisk hand gesture.
Sakura glided over to where Tomoyo stood smirking, "Moshi Moshi Sakura-chan. I see that you've gotten yourself into a little trouble back there." Tomoyo teased.
Sakura blushed and rubbed the back of her head laughing nervously, "Well you know me, I have this sort of knack for attracting trouble."
Tomoyo giggled her cheeks turning pink, "Yeah, I could never deny that!"
"Oh you!" Sakura punched her giggling friend lightly on the shoulder.
§
A half an hour later the two girls sat across from each other at the front of the class. Sakura bent over towards Tomoyo her marine green eyes blazing "Isn't this wonderful! We're in the same class and we have Mr. Tarota!"
Tomoyo flashed a warm smile. Yes everything was going to be great…"Class may I have your attention please!" The class all turned in the direction of Mr. Tarota, "Thank-you. Now it is my pleasure to announce that Li Shaolan has returned from Hong Kong and has decided to reside in Japan until he has completed high school."
Tomoyo couldn't help but smile when Shaolan entered the room…she had missed him so much. Tomoyo gasped, Shaolan looked so-so different. For one thing he was a lot taller but he was still kind of light framed and he still possessed some of his boy-ish traits. His eyes seemed to be warmer, although that was hard to tell considering how his dark locks fell over his eyes. Tomoyo felt herself grow weak, No! I can't be in love with Shaolan-chan! But it was true she was in love with him…ever since she first saw him all those years ago…
"Shaolan!" Sakura squealed, leaping from her seat she wrapped her arms around Li "Shaolan, Shaolan I've missed you so much."
Tomoyo couldn't help but feel a pang of anger, her temples throbbed. Shaolan turned scarlet, "Ano…I've missed you too Kinomoto." He slid the bouncing girl off him and took his place behind Sakura.
"Oh, moshi moshi Tomoyo-kun" he said absentmindedly.
Tomoyo flinched as though she had just been slapped on the face. She bowed her head allowing for a black curtain of hair to hide her face, on the verge of breaking down she said, "Hello Li-sempai,"
§
'He didn't even miss me', Tomoyo was perched among the blossoms of her favorite sakura tree by the lake. 'But why?' Gently picking off a blossom she began to tenderly caress the pink petals. She took in the sweet scent of the blossoms around her and tossed the petals into the air. "Tomoyo-chaaaaaaaan!" Sakura's voice echoed through the yard, "Tomoyo-chan where are youuuuu?" Tomoyo could see Sakura now, her honey colored hair gleaming in the sun light.
Tomoyo shifted on the branch preparing to jump off, "Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo paused opting to launch herself higher into the tree.
Sakura turned to face the owner of the voice, "Shaolan…" she trailed off watching as Li entered the clearing, his cheeks were flushed.
"Have you seen Tomoyo?" she inquired her voice wavering.
Shaolan solemnly shook his head, "Iya, I haven't. I'd expect to see her here with you…considering that you two are never apart. But I guess that that's okay…because I need to tell you something…" Tomoyo held her breath, "What is Shaolan talking about?" she hissed.
A gust of wind cut though the clearing like a blade the lake rippled and Li's brown hair was blown from his eyes. He walked gingerly over to Sakura his cheeks ablaze. Sakura looked uneasy and backed up against the tree that Tomoyo had been standing on. Shaolan slowed his pace, Tomoyo could practically see the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "Sakura-chan, I know that sometimes I can be mean to you but-" Sakura shook her head disagreeing completely, "Iya,iya,iya. No, Shaolan you've always been real nice."
Li couldn't help but grin, "Honto?"
"Un." She replied beaming.
"Well while I was in China I couldn't…help but miss you…" He stated quietly.
Sakura's cheeks began to burn, "Well…I've really missed you too." Shaolan fell against the tree looking tired.
"I was really depressed…that's why mother let me come back. You see Sakura I needed to be with the people who were(and still are)really important to me…I was lonely."
Sakura blinked and cocked her head to one side, "How could you be lonely? I mean you have like half-a-dozen sisters."
"True…but I needed something more. Tell me, were you ever lonely?"
Sakura sighed, "I was…but that's no longer the case"
Li moved in closer, "How so?"
Sakura smiled and looked up at the boy, "'Cuz you're here."
Tomoyo could see the two gazing at each other with love sick eyes, she tried her hardest to fight the urge to jump down from her post and break the two apart before they could do anything too intimate. 'No…Sakura wouldn't…I mean she likes Yukito'
"Sakura…there's been something I've been meaning to tell you." Li said.
Tomoyo felt her insides freeze, 'No!'
"Ai shiteru, Sakura" and without further notice he firmly planted a kiss on Sakura's lips.
Tomoyo couldn't believe what had just happened…but there was no denying it…it did. She watched a shower of sakura petals descended upon the couple, tears welled up in her eyes her heart shattering. 'Shaolan!'…"ITE!" Tomoyo gasped when she lost her footing, she tumbled through the branches and landed with a dull splash in the lake.
Sakura parted lips with Shaolan and scrambled over towards the lake, Shaolan wasn't too far behind. "Tomoyo-chan! Are you okay?" Sakura kneeled down to her friend's level checking for any cuts and bruises.
Tomoyo grit her teeth, she nodded fighting to hold back any tears that would leave their ducts. She was thankful that she had fallen in a lake or she would have broken something, "Tomoyo are you sure? Then again what were you doing up there?" her question was firm yet gentle.
Tomoyo shuddered, "I was sitting up in the tree just relaxing…and I guess that I fell asleep and came down here" she lied quickly adding in the sleeping part anticipating that Sakura would ask her why she never came down when she called.
"Tomoyo! You-you're crying!" Tomoyo scowled, her eyes had betrayed her.
Yet no matter how much she forced herself stop she just couldn't. "Tomoyo…let me take you to the infirmary 'kay." Sakura said soothingly.
Tomoyo rose from the lake not caring about the liberal amounts of mud that soiled her shoes, she shook, pent up anger coursing through her veins. She wanted to hit Sakura, using every ounce her strength her body possessed, anything to make the pain go away. Tomoyo ran despite the ache in her leg that taxed her so, 'I mustn't let her catch me…she can't ever know!' she thought. She forced herself to go even faster ignoring the cuts she received as she sped past branches. It was a feeble attempt to say in the least, Sakura was a natural born athlete, her legs lean and muscular from years of training in various sports. There was no way Tomoyo (who's legs were frail and scrawny in comparison) could ever hope to out run her.
She entered the school, her footfalls echoing through out the corridors. Tomoyo side stepped into the nearest restroom and limped towards the sink. She stared briefly at her reflection, 'I look terrible' Tomoyo put her hand to her sweat-drenched face and flinched. Her cuts were finally beginning to bleed and the pain in her leg had grown more intense. Tomoyo slid to the floor, her body racked with sobs, 'He loves her…' she stood up and glared at herself, hating how unattractive she thought her self, '…He loves her, always has and-,' she thought back to those painful words Shaolan had said ten minutes ago : "Ai shiteru Sakura" '…and he always will'
Tomoyo gulped, feeling another torrent of tears coming on she shook her head and sent her fist crashing into the mirror. The glass shattered and blood flecked shards landed on the tiled floor with a sharp tinkle. Tomoyo yelped and clutched her bloody hand, she gasped waiting until she had caught her breath. She gazed at the remains of the mirror, her eyes were glazed over and she bore the strangest of expressions…"This is it…there's nothing left…"
Sighs and bows head Guys I'm really sorry that this chappie was so short(in fact it it's the shortest chapter I've ever written)…it would have been longer but I thought that that would be a nice place to leave it. Anyway please review and tell me what you think…no flames please (but constructive critisism is welcomed…what the hell am I saying?). I hope that you shall continue to read, take care and ja ne. .