Wishes From the Bottom

by Kirei Blossom

*COMPLETE* Sakura a young mermaid is granted a wish to become human. But she only has 14 days before the spell is over. What if the prince unexpectedly falls in love with her? Will she have to return to the sea back to the place she doesn't belong?

7. Wishes are Powerful Things

Ah, sumimasen!  +_+;;  I'm so sorry this took so long to get out.  But at last, here it is: the long awaited final installment of Wishes From the Bottom..  Hope you like it.

Disclaimer: Cardcaptor Sakura is owned by the wonderful people of CLAMP and Kodansha; not by me!  I do own Kotomo Shinzo and all other new characters ^^; Wishes From the Bottom

Chapter 6:  Wishes Are Powerful Things..

~ By Kirei Blossom

~*~*~*~

Cold… So cold…

She felt as though she were in a dream, with coldness and stiff silence pressing in against her from all sides.  This didn't feel right somehow.  Why weren't the birds twittering in the trees outside her window?  Where was the sun and why wasn't it warming her?  Why wasn't the cool breeze playing on her face?  And why… why did her heart feel as if it had been encased in ice and why was it hurting so?

Stirring slightly, Sakura opened her eyes and as she blinked and looked around at her seashell bed and ivy hangings it all came splashing back to her.  Of course, she was back in the ocean.  Back with her family; with her Otou-san and Onii-chan.  Far away from the land of sunshine and trees, of wind and soil, of countless wonders.  Away from Tomoyo, Meiling, and Shinzo.  Away from Syaoran.  Far away from all the happiness and excitement she had experienced during the last two weeks.  Wearily, she sat up and gazed down.  Her legs were gone, replaced by her ocean green fins, which glimmered eerily in the dark water.  She gave her tailfins one dejected swish, watching them cut through the water, causing it to ripple.  At once the ache in her heart increased, as though an iron fist were clenching it tightly.  Sighing listlessly, Sakura plopped facedown back on her pillow of seaweed and marine flowers.  It was so dark here, so cold.  She was back in the ocean where she didn't belong. 

Yet, as she lay there she scolded herself.  "I shouldn't feel unhappy." She thought to herself, blinking determinedly to stop her eyes from welling with tears.  "If I do, everyone else will worry about me.  After all, I did get my wish granted.. or rather.. as far as my wish could be granted.  For that I should be truly happy.  But all the same… I'm not.  I wish I could've stayed there longer, maybe even forever.  In two weeks time, land felt more like home than the ocean ever has.  I wish I never had to leave all those wonderful things behind." As a new wave of sorrow and confusion threatened to engulf her, Sakura quickly blinked back her tears and sat up.  "No… I should just stop thinking like this.  It will only make me worry more and make everyone else around me feel bad.  For certain, I don't want that to happen."

"I should just be glad and thankful that I was able to experience the world above the water.  Earlier I had said to myself that even if I could visit the land for just one day, I would be happy.  And here I got not only one but fourteen days."  Sakura gulped down the tightness in her throat.  "Yet, why do I feel like my heart has been torn out?"  Images from the past two weeks kept flashing before her eyes, tormenting her even more.  "Why do I have this choking feeling inside me?"  Tightly closing her eyes, Sakura clasped her hands.  "It hurts…"

~*~*~*~

"Ohayou!" Sakura swam into the kitchen with a big smile on her face.  She paused for a second, surveying the scene.  Touya had already finished his breakfast and was getting ready to leave.  Her father looked up at Sakura and greeted her with a warm smile.  "Ah, good morning Sakura-san.  You slept in quite late today.  You must have been tired from all your adventures, right?"

"Un!" Sakura nodded, trying to look calm and filled with her usual cheer.  "I was a little tired."

"A little tired?"  Touya faced her with a sardonic glint in his eye.  "You've been sleeping like a log in your room since early yesterday evening!  But of course," he waved his hand carelessly.  "Monsters tend to need more rest and then they only wake up to harass other people and then eat like there's no tomorrow.  Sigh… it must be a very hectic life."

Furrowing her brow in anger, Sakura clenched her fist.  "What did you call me?!  I am NOT a monster.  Nor do I eat like there's no tomorrow!"

Solemnly Touya nodded.  "You may be right.  But the evidence proves otherwise.  Only your plate still has food in it, while ours don't.  It's because you eat much more than we do.  Kaijuu."

Quickly, Touya ducked as Sakura picked up the object nearest her and flung it at her brother's head.  She was seething with anger and a vein throbbed in her forehead.  "Grr.. I'm not a kaijuu!"

"Don't mind your brother's teasing, Sakura-san."  Fujitaka quelled the fight before it got out of hand.  "Touya-kun just missed his little sister, that's all."  (Touya made a disagreeing noise in his throat and looked away.)  "But it's great to have you back with us again."  Gently, Fujitaka looked carefully at his daughter.  "So tell us.. did you enjoy yourself the past two weeks?"

A genuine smile spread across Sakura's face.  She looked down at her plate.  "Yes."

"That's a relief.  I'm glad to hear that you got along well with the humans.  Were they just like you had expected them to be?  Are they like us?"

Sakura was just about to give her eager reply but was cut off by Touya, who was still careful not to meet his sister's eye.  "Humans can never be like us." He stated, his voice low and serious.  He seemed to be talking more to himself than to his family.  "Humans are all wild, barbaric fish-eaters who care about nothing but themselves.  It's a miracle Sakura came back to us alive and in one piece."

Sakura's emerald green eyes grew round.  "Onii-chan, that's not true at all!  Humans are nothing like what you say.  I made so many new friends, and all of them were really nice and kind to me.  They are not wild or barbaric.  They simply live in a world that's different than ours.  In fact, I never expected people to be so much like us."

"Touya-kun, you shouldn't be so close minded.  Sakura-san has met people who live above the surface.  You shouldn't judge them when you don't know about their ways or haven't met them."

Touya merely grumbled at this.  "I don't need to meet them to know that ocean creatures are never safe in their hands.  But, anyway.." with a flick of his fins Touya got up.  "It's time for me to leave or else I'll be late.  Ah… Sakura," he turned just inside the door.  "Your friend Mihara-san stopped by a little earlier.  She was asking about you."

"Chiharu-chan?" Sakura questioned.

Fujitaka nodded.  "That's right, I almost forgot.  She said something about meeting with the others at the flower cavern."

"Oh, Otou-san, would it be alright if I go too right now then?"  Having finished her breakfast, Sakura got up also.

"Of course."

"Wai!" Sakura hugged her father.  Really, out of everyone she had truly missed him the most over the last fourteen days.  "Thank you, Otou-san!"  Gracefully, Sakura whirled around and followed her brother out the door.  Touya eyed her warily.  "How long are you going to remain outside?" he asked. 

"I'll be back by lunch-time."  Sakura replied.  She waved to her father who had also come outside.  "Well then I'll be going now.  Bye."

"Bye, have a good time." He smiled.  "By the way, that is a very pretty hair ornament you are wearing, Sakura-san."

"Eh?" Sakura reached up and removed the ornament from her hair.  She felt a lightbolt strike her as she stared down at it.  In her palm lay the pretty pink hair ornament designed and decorated in the shape of a single cherry blossom flower; adorned with crimson ribbons and encrusted with tiny golden beads, which shimmered and twinkled at her.  It was the one that Syaoran had secretly bought for her that day when they had gone shopping in town.  Sakura's stomach knotted as she remembered.  That night, on Sheifa-san's birthday, when they had been in the garden outside, he had told her… told her that he…

Despite herself, Sakura felt her face flush.  When Syaoran-kun paid for the ornament and told the salesgirl to give it to me, that day also he tried telling me… 

"Why are you staring at that thing as though it'll jump up and bite you?" Touya asked.

"Is something wrong?" Fujitaka was concerned.  "Your face is all red."

"N-no!" Sakura shook her head.  With full energy, she clenched her fists.  "I'm going now!  Ja ne~" She spun around in the water and took of at top speed, leaving a very bewildered father and brother behind her. 

~*~*~*~

Sakura kept swimming absentmindedly through the kingdom of Mizueda, staring at the ornament clenched in her hand.  All around her, merpeople greeted her as she passed, and asked her what her last two weeks were like.  However, Sakura was too tangled up in her own thoughts to pay any attention to what was happening around her.  She quickly passed by without a word, her ocean green fins swishing to and fro in a steady motion.

"Eh?" One mermaid wondered.  "I just said hello to her.  Why didn't she answer?" 

Her friend came out and joined her.  "Sakura-chan didn't seem her usual genki self, did she? I wonder if something is wrong."

The first friend thought for a while, and then cheered up.  "She'll be her usual energetic self soon again.  It's Sakura-chan after all."  Together, they watched Sakura swim away far into the distance till she was out of sight. 

Little shoals of fish scattered as Sakura swam towards them, quite oblivious of where she was going.  Actually, if she had been paying any attention, she would've noticed that she was going in the exact opposite direction of the flower caverns.  In fact, by the time she looked up, she was quite far from the populated kingdom of Mizueda.  Filled with distress, Sakura sat down on a boulder.  Her emerald green eyes were confused and rueful.  She fingered the ribbon on her hair ornament. 

"Syaoran-kun knows now.. that I'm a mermaid."  For some reason, she felt her heart wrench.  Was he mad at her for hiding such an important fact?  He probably was.  Sakura cringed as she recalled the look on his face when he saw her transform back to a mermaid.  It was one of shock and confusion.. and maybe even pain.  Regret draped over her features.  Making someone feel bad, that was what she hated the most.  Although a part of her felt sort of relieved that he had discovered the truth.  She had always hated hiding that she wasn't human, hated having to tell lies all the time to conceal the truth. 

Gazing at the cherry blossom ornament, Sakura turned slightly pink.  Syaoran's voice from two days ago echoed in her mind.  I'm in love with you.  The one I love most is you.  Gasping for breath at the choking feeling within her, Sakura clenched the flowered treasure to her heart.  For a while she sat motionless.  A few fish and sea horses hesitantly swam closer.  They knew this particular mermaid – she was notorious for always scaring them out of their wits with her overenthusiastic cheer.  They worriedly exchanged looks with one another.  What was troubling the young mermaid so much that she was sitting still like a statue with a glassy expression?

Taking a shuddering breath, Sakura closed her eyes.  "How… how do I feel about Syaoran-kun?" she murmured, her voice shaking as she spoke.  At once, Syaoran's face loomed before her eyes, his deep amber eyes with dark level eyebrows furrowed down.  "I.. I like him.  As a friend."  She pictured all the times she had spent with him.  "Yes, of course.  But.. is that all?"

She recalled the time when she had been running carelessly with closed eyes that bright, cheerful morning and had bumped into Syaoran.  When she had cut her hand on his sword and Shinzo had been making a mess of things, it was Syaoran who tied his own handkerchief around her wound.  That time, when Sakura realized she could no longer swim, even though all her other friends had been present, it was Syaoran who swum out to her and rescued her.  When she and Tomoyo had snuck out to the beach late at night, and Syaoran had found them, he had volunteered to walk them home.  It was that day that Sakura truly comprehended how nice and caring Syaoran could be.  Syaoran was the one who had taught her how to ride a horse.. and.. and when she had fallen off Shadow, it was Syaoran who came after her.  Sakura distinctly remembered the worry reflected in his deep golden amber eyes when she had come back to consciousness.  Syaoran had stayed with her all night in the dark, cold forest, taking care of her while he himself stayed awake all the time so that the wolves wouldn't get to them.  A steady warmth filled her heart as she remembered.  Other incidences also flashed through her mind.  Like the time when he had bought her the hair ornament, and when she had danced with him on her last night and he had shown her all the wonderful constellations in the sky later on.   

Sakura felt the warmth seep through her body.  When she thought about Syaoran she felt a pleasant feeling pass through her – like a calm hand of reassurance pressed on her shoulder.  A feeling of safety and protection, of comfort, of immense happiness.  This feeling.. it was something she had never felt before.  Not even at the time when she had been ten years old and Yukito-san had patiently told her that her feelings for him had merely been similar to the love she felt for her father.  But this new feeling… what was it?  It was like a fuzziness in her heart, a gentle aching.  Could it really be.. love?

Sakura recollected the thing that she had once told Tomoyo.  "I am happy now.  There is something here… I am not sure what it is.  But I feel like I have found the thing I was looking for.  It confuses me sometimes, and I hope to find out what it is I have finally found here, but it has made me truly happy."

The thing she had found.. could it possibly be that she had…

With a start, a new sense of comprehension flickered in her eyes.  "Somehow, without realizing it, I found the person I love most." Tears filled her ocean green eyes, blurring her vision.  She clung to that feeling of warmth within her, cherishing it amongst her most treasured feelings. 

And then it suddenly dawned on her that she would never see Syaoran-kun again.  Never.  The warmth in her body dissolved away, leaving in its wake an icy dread of loneliness and regret.  She would never again see Syaoran.  Never again be able to talk to him or be near him.  From the very core of her heart, a chill slowly spread across her body, all the way to the tips of her fingers and fins. 

"Not being able to see Syaoran-kun again…" A crystal tear spilled out from her welling emerald eyes and melted away in the water around her.  "This is terrible.  Terrible!"  She hugged the cherry blossom hair ornament to her heart, almost bent double.  "He is far away in a completely different world, and I will never be able to see him again.  This hurts so badly.." More tears fell, melting unnoticed in the ocean around her. 

"Syaoran-kun…"

~*~*~*~

"Oi!  Sakura!"

Sakura snapped out of her thoughts and raised her head.  Touya and Yukito were hurriedly swimming towards her.  Touya reached her first.  He was panting hard and gasping for breath.  "We have been searching for hours!" he spat harshly.  "Do you realize it is late evening?  'tou-san has been worried sick about you.  You say you are going to meet your friends at the flower cavern, yet you don't go there.  Explain what you are doing out here so far from home!  Do you not care about anyone besides yourself?!"

"To-ya!  Don't be so harsh!" Yukito advised.

Touya quieted down and gazed at Sakura's expressionless face.  Silently she got up and bowed her head.  "I'm sorry." She murmured, her voice flat.  "I was thinking and lost track of time.  I'm sorry for making you worry."

"Really…" Touya grumbled.  "C'mon now, kaijuu."  Together the three of them swam back to Mizueda, Touya lecturing Sakura all the way about responsibility and how she should be stopped from leaving the house if she kept up wandering off alone.  He didn't stop talking until he saw Sakura swim safely through their home door. 

Dropping his stern scowl, Touya turned and sat down on a boulder outside the door with a huff.  Yukito crossed his arms.  "To-ya, why are you being so hard on Sakura-chan? It's not like you at all.  Of course, you have always teased her out of brotherly affection but this is going too far.  What is really bothering you?"

"It's nothing." Touya murmured.

"Don't act as if you are not worried about something!" Yukito countered.  "One moment you are worried out of your senses when you find out she is missing and then the next moment you rage upon her like an impending storm.  And you were completely fine until two weeks ago.  So, why?"

For a long moment Touya remained silent.  Thinking that he wasn't going to answer, Yukito turned to go home. 

"I never told you about that time when I first saw Sakura, did I? The first time I met her after she was born?"

"Eh?"  Yukito turned back to find Touya gazing calmly, yet wistfully in the distance.

Flashback…

"This is my little sister?" Seven-year-old Touya asked, peeking at the tiny little mermaid with ocean green fins and large eyes to match.

"Yes." Nadeshiko replied, brushing back her smoke gray hair and blinking identical colored eyes as her newborn daughter.  "This is your little sister, Sakura."

"But she's so small." Touya commented, eyeing her doubtfully.  "How will she be able to play with me?"

At this Nadeshiko laughed, a clear tinkling laugh that made little Touya's heart glow.  "She will get older and bigger as time goes by and then she will be able to play with you."

Fujitaka put a hand on his son's shoulder.  "Yes, and then you can teach her many things you already know."

"Get along with her, Touya-kun." Nadeshiko ruffled her son's thick, jet-black hair.  "She will look up to you for many things, since you will be wiser and older than her.  And remember, always protect her and take care of her.  Sakura-chan is precious to all of us, but especially to you Touya.  Because you are her older brother.  Her Onii-chan."

Fujitaka smiled gently.  "And Nadeshiko-san is also precious to us, Touya-kun.  We have to take care of her too, ne?"

"Yes Otou-san…" Touya smiled with new resolution.  "I promise to always take care of Okaa-san and Sakura.  Because they are both precious to me!"

End Flashback…

"So that's why…" Touya drifted off, a soft sadness in his voice.  He passed a hand over his tired eyes.  "I've already lost one thing precious to me.  I don't want to lose the other one." 

"Lose her?" Yukito asked incredulously.  "What do you mean?"

Touya shook his head.  "What kind of a brother do you think I am? You think I don't know when something is bothering Sakura? I know when she's trying to hide something or when she puts on that cheerful mask of hers.  That was why… Hrmphf!  I was against her making that stupid wish of hers from the start.  I knew something like this was bound to happen."

Yukito looked at his friend with sad cloudy gray eyes.  "But Touya… you do want her to be happy don't you?  This way.. by not accepting her choices, by not letting go… you'll only cause her and yourself more pain."

Touya thought for a while.  Then with a pensive look, he averted his eyes upward.  "Kami…" he murmured.  "Why couldn't it have been someone right here in the ocean?"

~*~*~*~

The ocean waves crashed against the shore, the noise echoing for miles around.  It was a beautiful day; with the birds chirping their delight, the pretty blossoming flowers shining with dew and a calm, serene breeze blowing over it all.  The sky was a deep periwinkle blue, without a hint of cloud in sight.  It seemed like the world were wrapped in a tender blanket of warmth and serenity, emitting a peacefulness yearning to be cherished by all. 

Inside the Li castle however, the atmosphere couldn't have been more different…

"Sakura-chan's a WHAT??!!" Meiling's eyes popped out in disbelief.  Beside her, Shinzo mouthed wordlessly like a fish out of water, apparently too appalled to speak.  Together, they had been trying various methods to get Syaoran to tell them what was eating at him, but never had Meiling expected to hear anything like this.  "Syaoran…" she hesitated, uncertainly.  "Don't say such ridiculous things!"

"That can't be true at all!" Shinzo burst out, finally finding his voice.  "There's no such thing.  Sakura-chan can't be a mermaid!"

"Shhhhh!!" Meiling clamped her hand on Shinzo's mouth.  "Not so loud!" Even though Meiling didn't want to believe what she just heard, there was something about Syaoran that made her wary.  He was being disconcertingly aloof, busily polishing his sword (he had just finished his swordfighting lesson) as though he didn't have a care about anything.  Meiling noticed a strong ruthlessness as his hands moved up and down the sword's brilliant surface. 

Shinzo whistled.  "Wow, you must really be feeling betrayed."

"SHINZO!  BAKA!" Meiling squashed him flat.  Syaoran didn't show any response at all.

"Syaoran…" She took a hesitant step towards him. 

"What? Are you still not finished pestering me?"

 Meiling cringed at the arrogant shake of his head as he faced her.  His usually calm amber eyes were hardened and the scowl that had been absent for days was back in place.  To anyone else, he would've looked quite intimidating, but Meiling knew better. 

"Li Syaoran, don't give me that look!  I'm only trying to help."

"Oh?" was the scathing reply.

This infuriated her even more, but biting her lip she only said, "I know you're hurt Syaoran and feel like you've been deceived… but please, don't be mad at her—" she paused, realizing that that sounded quite lame. 

"I'm not."

"But knowing you, you're angry at yourself then.  Syaoran, you—"

In one smooth motion Syaoran put his sword back in its sheath.  "Look, I don't care.  Now are you two going to stay here all day? Go away.  I have work to do." He stated, picking up a stack of heavy books and throwing them into his bookshelf.

Meiling opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it.  Silently she and Shinzo left, closing the door behind them with a soft click.

Once more alone in his room, Syaoran dropped his scowl at once.  He let out a heaving sigh and collapsed on the seat near his window, clenching his trembling hands.

Don't be mad at her, Meiling had said.  Syaoran shook his head.  Even if he had tried, he couldn't have brought himself to be angry at her.  How could he? Wasn't he the one who had told Sakura that she was the one he loved most? A twinge of sadness and pain stabbed his heart, reflecting slightly in his whimsical amber eyes.  Why hadn't she ever told him? He most likely wouldn't have been feeling so foolish right now if she had.  Daidouji had known, yet she too acted as though nothing was going on.  A part of Syaoran did feel betrayed – he felt like he had been played with, like he had been a part of some joke.  He, Li Syaoran, had fallen in love with a mermaid.  Even in his mind that sounded so absurd.  For one thing, he still couldn't believe that such creatures existed in the world, not to mention right in the ocean beside which he had lived all his life.  And why… why had a mermaid been turned into a human, been able to spend time outside the water and then turned back to a mermaid again? Syaoran put his shaking hands to his face.  It made absolutely no sense.  Meiling had been right in one aspect – he was angry at himself.  Angry for not having known and for all the while falling in love with her. 

Just then a small bird landed on Syaoran's windowsill, hopping around on its tiny feet and piping a delightful song.  Slowly, Syaoran looked up and rested his arms on the windowsill.  Without the slightest apprehension, the bird pecked gently once or twice at his fingers.  Despite the hurt gnawing on his heart, Syaoran couldn't help smiling a little.  He couldn't help thinking that if the baby bird had done the same thing to Sakura, she would have been laughing with delight, her eyes clear and sparkling.  A string jerked at his heart.  Why hadn't he been able to see through it all? After all, it was he who said countless times that she was a strange girl…

["Wow, it's so shiny!"  Sakura reached one hand to touch the cold metal of the sword.  She placed her hand on the sword, right at the razor-sharp blade which pressed into her soft palm, and winced in pain.]

[Sakura blinked up at him, her face an absolute picture of innocence.  "I was just touching the pretty fire…. Hoe?  What would happen if I touched it?"]

["Even though I don't know much about the different const… constel... the constellations.  I think they hate me, so that's why they are hiding."]

And yet throughout it all it was that innocence that he had fallen for… that innocence which he had felt a need to protect from harm.

The distant noise of waves crashing upon the shore rode on the wind and carried up through his open window.  As a chill slowly spread through his body, his deep amber eyes filled once more with remorse, hurt and uncertainty.  Would he ever see Sakura again?

~*~*~*~

"I'm glad you're back, Sakura-chan." Chiharu stated with a soft smile, her braided pigtails framing her pretty face.  "It was getting lonesome and quiet in Mizueda without you."

Sakura smiled at her longtime friend.  "I missed you a lot too, Chiharu-chan." The two mermaids were sitting amidst the beautiful flowers at the flower cavern, picking different colored flowers and idly weaving them together.  Sakura tightened the thin black weed around the flowers' stems, twisting the flowers into the shape of a wreath.  The nostalgic scent of the blossoms tickled her nostrils.  Somehow, this reminds me of the many flowers in the Li castle gardens…  Something of the wistfulness she was feeling must've showed on her face because Chiharu said, "You missed your friends in the ocean… but you miss things on land even more, right?"

"Hoe?" Sakura looked up.  Chiharu's face shone with a soft radiance and her brown eyes sparkled with understanding.  "Chiharu-chan… how?"

"What kind of friend would I be if I couldn't tell when my friends are worried?" She stated simply.  "Ne, did you make many friends on land?"

Sakura nodded.  "Yes.."  Soon, she found herself telling Chiharu about all the different people she met and all the fun things she did and learnt about.  Chiharu listened with a sad smile till Sakura talked herself into silence. 

"It all sounds really wonderful." Chiharu commented.  "Making that wish meant a lot to you and I'm happy that you got a chance to see it all."  Sakura just nodded her head, afraid that if she spoke, her voice wouldn't work properly. 

"Sakura-chan, if you ever need someone to share your problems with, you can always rely on me as a friend." 

Slowly, Sakura glanced up at Chiharu..  Would she understand?  Would Chiharu be able to give her any advice on her troubles?  Sakura shook her head.  No.. her troubles were her own after all.

~*~*~*~

"I understand now.." Syaoran said quietly.  Tomoyo had called him over saying that she wanted to tell him something important.  Now, looking around the Daidouji living room, Syaoran reflected over what he had heard.  How and why Sakura came to be on land – her feeling of captivity in the ocean, her being granted a wish on her birthday and how the Merking had only been able to grant her wish fro two weeks – Tomoyo had told Syaoran everything.  Syaoran shook his head.  Only one word came to mind – strange.  This had to be the strangest, most weirdest story he had ever heard.  It sounded more like something some crazy fangirl would've thought up in her free time.  If he hadn't seen Sakura transforming back into a mermaid with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed it.

"I'm sorry that you had to find out this way, Li-san." Tomoyo apologized.  "Sakura-chan couldn't have told you – she was worried about breaking the ocean laws.  And I had promised that I would help her and not tell anyone.  That's why we didn't tell you—"

"It's all right." Syaoran interrupted.  "That I wasn't told about it.. it doesn't matter anymore.  That's the past." Syaoran paused.  It seemed to him that he had created more complications in the already complex situation by telling Sakura his true feelings.  Most likely, he had troubled her even more.  Syaoran sighed.

"Li-san…" Tomoyo's eyes softened sadly.  For the first time she was uncertain what to say.  What could she possibly do to comfort her friends?

Choosing his next words carefully, Syaoran looked the other way.  "So even though she is unhappy in the ocean… there is no way that she can be human again, is there?"

In reply, Tomoyo merely stared at the floor, silent. 

"I see." Syaoran stood up, ready to leave.  His deep amber eyes held a strange flicker in them – one of defeat and resignation.  The situation seemed completely hopeless after all. 

~*~*~*~ 

Next day…

"Eriol-kun, I think I lost my shell pendant somewhere.  I've looked everywhere for it but I can't find it.  Where could it be?"

"Don't worry about it." Eriol reassured.  "It's with Tomoyo-san."

Relief swept over her.  If it was with Tomoyo-chan, then there was nothing to worry about.  For a second, she was scared that the pendant might've fallen into the wrong hands.  After all, it was a magical object that could lead to awkward questions.  Hoe.. wait a moment.  If it was with Tomoyo-chan..

"Ano… Eriol-kun, um.." Sakura hesitated.  "Can I—"

"Here." Eriol placed his own golden seashell into her hands.  "I'm sure she would like to talk to you." He moved to the side out of earshot. 

Gingerly, Sakura fingered the seashell.  Should I?  Would not talking to her dear friend again bring back the hurt and pain and make all the memories even clearer?  Torn between this thought for a moment and the urge to talk to Tomoyo, Sakura finally dug her fingernails into the groove that ran along the seashell and opened it, releasing the hovering ball of light. 

"Sakura-chan!"

"Hello, Tomoyo-chan."

Tomoyo blinked and a look of worry crossed her face.  It was very discomforting seeing Sakura with a lifeless, expressionless look on her face.  "Are you all right?"

"I guess I am." Sakura shrugged.  A small smile appeared on her face.  "Ne, Tomoyo-chan, is the sun shining in the sky?"

Tomoyo smiled also, a gentle, wistful smile.  "Hai."

"And the clouds.. what shape are they making?"

Tomoyo briefly gazed out her window.  "They are white and fluffy and the big one I can see looks like a butterfly."

"And the breeze?"

"Calm and full of the songs of birds."

Picturing all this in her mind, Sakura's face glowed with a faint radiance.  It must be a lovely day.  She could almost feel the warmth of the sun on her skin.  But realizing her dark, cold surroundings, the warmth quickly left her, leaving a hollow emptiness inside her.  "I miss you, Tomoyo-chan.  I miss everything so much… so much, I feel like my heart will burst.  I—" Sakura sniffed, too choked to go on.

"Sakura-chan, please cheer up." Tomoyo sighed helplessly.  "I'm sure things will work out."  Though would they? Her words held no conviction, no confidence.  She was just holding on to false hope.

"To-Tomoyo-chan, have you seen Syaoran-kun?" 

"Yes."

"I didn't tell you, but.. on the night of Sheifa-san's birthday party, he… he…" Sakura blushed.  "He told me that he…"

"That he loves you." Tomoyo helped out quietly. 

Sakura nearly dropped the seashell from her shaking hands.  "You knew??"

"Yes, I did.  I knew for some time before he told you.  And your answer?"

The stifling silence of the ocean pressed against Sakura's ears.  Trying to hide the tear leaking from her eye, Sakura stated, "My answer doesn't matter anymore, Tomoyo-chan, does it?"

Tomoyo's amethyst eyes saddened. 

~*~*~*~

"Here, Eriol-kun." Sakura said in a meek voice.  "Thank you for letting me use it." She pressed the seashell back into his hands and turned to leave, trying to hide that her eyes were swimming with tears.  Silly.  Why can't I stop crying?  Why can't I forget and just move on?  This hurts so much.. it's like having a constant ache in my heart.  Yet, there is nothing to be done anymore.  After all, true wishes aren't ever granted.  I know that I should just forget what I experienced in the past two weeks, but it's so hard to do.  And no matter how hard I'm trying, I can't forget Syaoran-kun..  I just can't.      

"Sakura-san, do not let go of your hope."  Eriol commented. 

"Eriol-kun, I really appreciate that you are trying to cheer me up, but please…" Sakura bowed her head without turning back.  "I realize that just holding on to false hope will not get me anywhere.  Anyway, was it not you who once told me long ago that I shouldn't brood on worries that are unsolvable – that it is better to just leave such worries behind and move on?"

"Yes, but this is completely different."  Eriol said.  "I also told you once that you shouldn't think every worry to be unsolvable."

Tears fell from Sakura's eyes.  I am trying to not let go of hope, yet what can be done?  A mermaid is a mermaid and lives in the ocean.  She doesn't belong on land..  no matter how much she wishes it to be that way.  And it's not just about being on land anymore.  Sakura felt as though a hand were squeezing her heart.  I can't be with the person I love most.  That is what hurts the most..  The pain became unbearable and Sakura clenched her hands.  As more and more tears fell from her eyes she took in a shuddering breath, and replied in a muffled, quivering voice, "I have to go now Eriol-kun.."

Without looking back, she hurried off into the faint darkness of the ocean water, letting it swallow her up, not caring where she was going anymore.  She didn't care.  Right now, she would even have gladly accepted it if her heart stopped beating.  It hurt so much.  I can never be with him anymore.  Syaoran-kun…

~*~*~*~

"Hiiragizawa-kun, there has to be some way for this." Tomoyo stated, gazing into the pendant. 

Eriol looked thoughtful.  "The only solution I see right now is this:  Fujiwara-sama is the only one in Mizueda who has strong magical powers.  Right now, the very kingdom of Mizueda is magically shielded from outside influence thanks to him.  His powers are great; he is capable of performing many magical things – like controlling the ocean flow and currents.  The power of water is under his control.  And of course, he knows many other spells – like healing spells, switching spells, and so forth.  Yet still, permanently changing a creature of the ocean into a creature of the land – that is beyond his power.  The only way Sakura-san can be turned human is to repeatedly perform the spell that made her human for fourteen days, over and over and over.  But this way would be too irksome."

"I see what you mean." Tomoyo commented.  "Sakura-chan would have to take the potion every fourteen days."

"Yes, but that way she would have to wait till the last sunset of every two weeks, wait till she turns back into a mermaid and then take the potion.  For the spell will not work while she is human.  And if Sakura-san wishes to be a human forever, this process will have to be repeated forever, every fourteen days."

"That won't work." Tomoyo looked downcast.

"No…"

Blinking, Tomoyo said,  "Hiiragizawa-kun, I can't stand knowing that Sakura-chan is unhappy.  For the two weeks that I have known her, Sakura-chan has been the dearest friend to me – always smiling, happy and energetic.  I have told her many times that her happiness is my own happiness.  Yet, her sadness is my own too.  We have to find a solution for this."  After all, wasn't I the one who said I had found my true purpose in life when I met Sakura-chan? I have searched and waited to know what my role in the world is.  And I found it, didn't I? Keeping Sakura-chan smiling and protecting her happiness – that is my role in life.  But is that role really impossible to play now? No.. I shouldn't think like that.  As long as I wish from the bottom of my heart for everything to be all right, there will be a way.  Everything will work out.  Because wishes from the bottom of the heart always come true..

"I will consult with Fujiwara-sama about this, Tomoyo-san." Eriol said. "Hopefully, we will find a way to make Sakura-san human again."

~*~*~*~

Dawn spread its wings of tranquil calm over the peaceful valley.  The soft rustles of feathery light penetrated into every corner, awaiting the final moment for when it would take flight and soar away into the foggy mists; when the golden sun would rise from behind the mountaintops, gently shooing away the night chill.

//CLANG!!//

The ring of metal on metal broke the soothing atmosphere, echoing around the courtyard of the Li castle.  As the Li Clan swordsmaster brought his sword down, Syaoran quickly blocked the attack with his own sword, a little more aggressively than he normally would have done.  The swordsmaster's eyebrows furrowed down while he studied the determined face of his opponent and then violently swung his sword in a full circle, pushing Syaoran's sword out of the way and pointing the blade of his sword a mere inch from Syaoran's face.

Syaoran blinked as he stared at the blade silently.  It had been quite some time since he had let his teacher defeat him like that.

"You are fretting over something that is not in your control, Syaoran." The swordsmaster stated plaintively, pulling his sword back. "That is the reason for your lack of concentration today, is it not?"

Syaoran straightened.  "I like having my life under my own control." He said in a level tone.  It was quite disconcerting to know that his teacher could pinpoint his worries like that. 

"Doesn't everybody? Yet, what do you wish to gain from worrying? If it is not in your control, why waste your qualms over it?"

"What else can I do?" Syaoran asked haltingly.

"Wish."

Syaoran raised an eyebrow.  "Wish?"

"Of course.  Wish for the best.  Wish that whatever you are worrying over be solved.  All you need to do is simply make a wish."

Syaoran stared as the wise teacher sheathed his sword.  The master could be queer at times, but still…

"Wishes are frivolous, master." He said with a slight frown.  "For little children wishing over stars – that kind of thing.  They are merely child's play.  For cowards who sit around and wait for something to happen.  I would rather try to tackle the problem myself rather than giving in to it.  Wishing gets one nowhere.  Because wishing is only another way of giving up.  For fools and people who lack courage and show shameful fear and timidity."

The teacher looked mildly surprised.  "Do you really think so? Do you really think wishes are frivolous and mere child's play? If so, then I would say children are the smarter ones.  Because wishing does not mean giving up.  No.  Wishing is a sign of courage and not giving up – of hoping against hope.  And hope is one thing that the world cannot do without.  If there were no hope, people would stop doing everything in their lives and just wait for death.  But even if a problem seems completely black, and one wishes from the bottom of their heart, anything is possible.  For wishes are powerful things, Syaoran.  Those who give up their hope are the foolish and cowardly ones.  You say you would rather try to tackle your bothers yourself.  But just now you also say that your problem is out of your control.  How then will you tackle it?

Syaoran fidgeted uncomfortably. 

"Now only last week I told you not to contradict yourself – you should remember what you are told.  Still, when a problem seems unsolvable, rather than approaching it with doubt and anxiety, approach it with a hopeful outlook.  You will find it is much better that way.  Take this Cherry Blossom tree for instance.  In the winter its branches lay bare, waiting for spring to come once more when it will blossom into beautiful flowers.  But if it loses hope and gives in to the dark bleakness of winter it will lose sight that spring is yet to come.  This way, the tree would stop taking in food and water from the soil, leaving itself to just wither and die.  That would be a terribly cruel thing to happen.  Because after every cold and dismal winter there is always a glorious, colorful spring.  That has been the way of the world since beginning of time, and that is how it shall be.  There is nothing worse in life than giving up your wish, your hope and your will.  Remember that.  And if you apply this to the problem you are facing now, or any other problem, everything will be all right."

Ignoring the thump of his heart, Syaoran gazed at the Cherry Blossom tree standing in a corner of the courtyard.  A gust of wind blew, rustling the pale pink flowers and carrying a few Cherry Blossom petals right into his hand.

~*~*~*~

Dodging a few passing merpeople, Sakura gloomily swam through Mizueda.  She had stopped herself from letting her tears fall, but her eyes were still red and misted.  I wish it would stop hurting so.  Why can't I stop thinking about Syaoran-kun and that I will never see anymore?  But.. I think he's mad at me right now for never telling him..

"Sakura-chan!!" a voice broke into her thoughts.  Startled, she looked up at two people waving at her.

"Chiharu-chan.  Yamazaki-kun."

Chiharu tilted her head and looked at Sakura worriedly.  "Sakura-chan.. what's wrong?  You were swimming as though you have all the ocean's problems on your shoulders." 

"Eh?  N-no!  What made you say that?"

"You were making a sad face." Yamazaki replied, smiling warmly as always.  Then, slapping his forehead, he cried out, "Ah!  I forgot I had to meet Yoshuda-kun right now!  I'll see you two later." Waving goodbye, he swam away.

"Sakura-chan, is there any way I can help you with what's bothering you?" 

"Hoe?" Sakura looked over at her friend quizzically.

Chiharu smiled sadly.  "You've been so sad lately.  What happened to our energetic, cheerful, happy Sakura-chan?  The one who was never miserable, never shedding a tear?  Your eyes are dry, but the redness is saying that you've been crying..  You're upset about something.  Sakura-chan, I see you as one of my dearest friends.  It's unsettling to see you like this.  Please, is there anything I can help with?"

Sakura bowed her head.  "A-ano… Chiharu-chan.. If you hid something important from Yamazaki-kun, and he found out… what would you do?"

Chiharu went dot-eyed.  "What do you mean by 'hid something'? Like hiding a birthday present?? Or hiding a surprise I made for him?"

"Uh.. no." Sakura sweatdropped. 

Chiharu gave a warm smile.  "Well.. if it was something that made Yamazaki-kun upset or angry, I would apologize."  She calmly watched a few passing fish.  "Yamazaki-kun is very dear to me and I wouldn't want him to stay upset with me.  I want to stay together forever.  So no matter what it is that I did wrong, I would always apologize.  And knowing Yamazaki-kun, he would always say 'no problem, it's okay.'  So Sakura-chan, I'm sure that if you apologize they'll also say, 'it's okay.'"

"You're right." Sakura's face brightened.  "I should apologize."

Beneath the calm exterior, Chiharu noted a hint of contemplation on Sakura's face.  "But that isn't all you're upset about, is it Sakura-chan?"

"I-I.."

"It's alright.  You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Sakura looked up.  "It's not that." In a quiet, strained voice she said, "Chiharu-chan, what would you do if the one you love most goes away and you can't be with him anymore?  Wouldn't you be lonely and feel like crying?"

Clasping Sakura's hands in her own, Chiharu leaned forward, her light brown eyes radiating sympathy.  "Can't you be with the one you love, Sakura-chan? Is that it?"

Sakura nodded, trying to fight back tears.  "From now on, I can't see him anymore.  He's far away.  And.. and it hurts so much every time I think about it."

"Not being able to be with the one you love.  That is a bitter thing.  But Sakura-chan, if you can't see him anymore, will you stop loving him then?"

Sakura's eyes widened at the thought.  Then forcefully shaking her head she said, "No!  Of course not.  I would still love him just as much.  And I would want to see him still, no matter how long I have to wait."

"Then it will be all right." Chiharu smiled.  "Things are usually that simple.  If you both wish to see each other again, then surely, everything will be all right.  Don't worry, Sakura-chan.  Cheer up, ne?"

"Un!" Sakura's face glowed.  "Thank you, Chiharu-chan!"

"All right!" Sakura stated softly with new determination as she swum towards her home.  "Somehow, I need to go see Syaoran-kun.  I need to apologize to him for never telling him that I'm a mermaid."  Her voice lowered a bit.  "And I need to give him my answer.  But, how can I tell him—"

"How can you tell who what?"  Touya stuck his face right in front of Sakura's. 

"HOEEEEEE!!!" Sakura jumped back, freaking out.  "Onii-chan!!  Don't surprise me like that."

Ignoring her cry, Touya continued, looking around suspiciously, "Who were you talking to?  Who do you need to give an answer to? Answer to what?"

Her face burning a fiery red, Sakura shook her head.  "N-n-nothing!!!" She put her hand behind her head.  "Yes, it's nothing at all.  Ahahahahahaha—hoe?" Sakura looked up when she felt Touya place his large hand on top of her head and ruffle her hair.  This was not like her brother at all..  She would have expected some retort or some teasing comment about her being a monster.

"I won't tell anyone.  Go." He stated somberly.

"…Onii-chan?"

"Mostly everyone is at the kingdom square right now for the festival.  They won't see you sneaking up to the surface.  Go."

Sakura stared at her brother with wide eyes, her lip trembling the slightest bit.

"Or would you rather that I change my mind and shut you up in your room for life?"

"Uh…no." Then without warning, she shot at him with full force, hugging him tightly, and knocking him backwards.  "Thank you." Sakura buried her head into his shoulder, letting out a trembling sigh of gratitude and relief. "Thank you so much, Onii-chan."

Highly embarrassed, Touya looked the other way.  "Gah!  What a grip.  I think I'm going to die from little monster's strangulation.  Now go.  If anyone asks, I'll make up an excuse for you."

"Fuaaaah!" Sakura's head broke the surface of the water.  For a second, she stared up at the overcast sky, filled with swarming gray clouds.  In the west, just above the horizon, there was a crimson-golden haze shining behind the clouds.  Sunset..  Usually, her friends would be outside at this time.  However, she wasn't sure whether Syaoran-kun would be at the beach right now or not.  And what if someone else was there?  She mustn't be seen.  Nodding firmly, she swam towards the shore in the distance, hoping and praying with all her might.  I wish I could at least get a glimpse of Syaoran-kun.  That would be enough.  Onegai..  As she neared the shore however, her heart dropped to her stomach.  It was deserted.  Scrunching up her eyes, she listened hard, wishing somehow for Syaoran to come.  She could hear a gentle murmur of far off voices, maybe coming closer.  Quickly, not wanting to take the chance, she hid herself from view behind a large boulder, backing up against it and hesitantly peeked out from a corner. 

"Did you hear what happened in the neighboring kingdom?" Meiling asked, kicking slightly at a tree root.

"You believe that?" Shinzo asked.  "They're all just stories."

"Maa.. but its still disturbing if you think about it." Tomoyo commented.

"That's right." Meiling agreed.  "What do you think, Syaoran? Are the rumors true or not?" She looked sideways at Syaoran, standing with his back against a tree a little detached from the group, his arms crossed against his chest with closed eyes.  He didn't respond. 

"Syaoran?" Meiling repeated slowly.  I'm seriously starting to worry about him.. 

"They're all only rumors.  Nothing serious." Syaoran stated without moving a muscle.

"Well that's good." Tomoyo said.

Letting his thoughts wander away from the conversation, Syaoran listened motionlessly to the wind rustling in the treetops.  Suddenly he looked up, his amber eyes alert with concentration.  

"Eh? Where's Syaoran going?"  Meiling tilted her head to the side curiously as Syaoran crept away.

Emerging from the grove of trees Syaoran stared around him.  He had felt something – an all too familiar presence somewhere nearby.  But how could it be?  In deep thought, he subconsciously followed his instincts, feeling the pull of something calling out towards him.  The soft footfalls of his shoes turned slightly muffled as he walked across the sandy shores of the beach; a place he hadn't set foot in since that day…

The ocean lay crisp and clear, reflecting the gray sheen of the clouds.  Not a soul in sight.  I am just imagining things, Syaoran thought.  Why would she be here anyway? Almost ready to turn back, he caught some movement from the corner of his eye.  Staring at one large boulder half submerged in the water, his amber eyes widened.

"…Sakura?"

Trying to stop her cheeks from turning pink, Sakura swam forward.  "S-Syaoran-kun.."

The two stared at each other, unsure what to say.  The only sound heard were the waves crashing upon the shore.

Sakura felt her stomach knot up and she quickly racked her brains.  What had she wanted to say? Right.  "Syaoran-kun, I… I'm sorry." She couldn't meet his eyes.  In a tiny voice she continued, "I'm sorry that I never told you.  You can be angry at me if you want.  But… I just wanted to apologize.  I… I really do bother you too much, ne? I'm so sorry Syaoran-kun…"

She waited for him to say something, anything at all.  It would have even felt better if he had scolded her.  Then, her eyes still fixed on her hands, she heard him come closer right to the water's edge and kneel down.  Fearfully, she looked up. 

"It's all right.  You don't have to apologize.  I understand." Sakura was surprised to see the gentle smile light his face and his amber eyes softened at her. 

"You're not mad at me?"

"No."

Sakura felt a smile cross her face.  "I'm so glad…  Ah!  But, it was still wrong to hide it from you.  See, I'm so silly, I don't know what to do most of the time.  You are my friend, so I should've told you.  But still… Haha.  Somehow, I can't stop being a bother to people.  I always always always always end up troubling them and—"

"You're wrong." Syaoran interrupted.

"Hoe?"

Syaoran carefully avoided her eyes.  "I've told you before too, I don't see you as a bother.  Actually, it's me who's troubled you from the start.  I was really mean to you in the beginning.  I'm sorry for that, I didn't know that everything was so new to you."  He paused for a minute.  He wanted to tell her how much he admired her for always keeping that smile on her face, and being friendly towards him, no matter how unpleasant he had been to her; but he didn't know how to say it.

"I'm glad I got the chance to meet you, Sakura.  If it weren't for you and your friendship towards me, I would still be entrapped in my solitary shell, not interacting with others.  You helped me realize how valuable some things can be.  It's because of you that I've started looking at life from a different perspective.  You have some qualities that I could never possess."

"N-no!" Sakura forcefully shook her head.  "That's not true at all.  Syaoran-kun, you have helped me and taught me much more than I ever could.  If it weren't for you, I would have been dead long ago.  You've helped me out so many times.  Thank you."

"Ahhhh, Sakura-chan looks so cute over there." Tomoyo commented, video taping everything from a corner. 

"Syaoran seems quite content." Meiling added.

Shinzo let out a sigh.  "So she really is a mermaid.  I was hoping it wasn't true." Tears started pouring down his face.  "I really liked Sakura-chan.  But now, maybe I won't ever find a girl who would like me for who I am.  It's just not meant to be.  Oh, the sorrow!  I think my heart is on fire!  But it's strange, because I want Sakura-chan to be happy.  Things have just got to work out for her and Li-san! Ohhhh, if only there was something I could do to help.  My poor Sakura-chan!  Do you see that glow in her eyes, Meiling-chan?"

Meiling sweatdropped.  "W-what are you rambling on about? What glow?"

"Exactly!!!" Shinzo burst out.  "There's no glow in her eyes like there usually is.  *SOB!* She's sad.  Oh, the horror… I can't bear to watch."

"Me neither." Tomoyo murmured, her voice anxious. 

A drop of water plopped on Sakura's nose.  "Hoe?"  She looked up at the sky as one more drop fell on her hand.  "What's this? Water is falling from the sky…" Soon, little drops were falling all around, rippling the water as they fell into the ocean, on the beach, and onto herself and Syaoran.  "This must be rain."  Her face brightened.  "I've never seen it before.  Look, Syaoran-kun, rain!"

Syaoran smiled warmly.

"Uwah~!  It's so pretty, ne?" Sakura laughed and giggled animatedly.

"Yes." Syaoran calmly watched her look this way and that in excitement. 

Suddenly there was a loud clap of thunder, reverberating among the mountains in the distance, causing the noise to be amplified many times. 

"HOEEEEEEE!" Surprised, Sakura thrashed about in the water, neatly sending a torrent of water right in Syaoran's face. 

Another loud thunderclap rang out. 

"Hoeeeeeeeee!!" Frightened out of her wits, Sakura jumped an inch and accidentally fell forward onto Syaoran's lap clinging to him out of sheer terror.  "W-w-what's happening?"

With a slightly flushed face, Syaoran reassured.  "Shh.. don't worry, its just noise." Carefully placing his hands on her shoulders, he helped her up. 

"S-sorry." Sakura sweatdropped.  "I was so scared!  What was that? Ah—" She looked up to see Syaoran's face drenched in water. 

"Huh? Syaoran-kun, why is your face so wet?" Sakura blinked.

Syaoran just stared at her. 

"Oops." Sweatdropping, Sakura realized that it was her fault.  "Ahahahahahahahaha.."

The water dripped down onto Syaoran's shirt.  With his sleeve, he wiped his face dry. 

"Hehe…  Gomen ne, Syaoran-kun.  I didn't mean to spray you with water." Syaoran shook his head.  "But what was that noise? I thought the world was shattering!"

"It was thunder.  Noise made from the clouds crashing into one another."

"It was so scary!" Tears poured down her face.  "Right? Don't you think so?"

In reply, Syaoran smiled crookedly. 

"Mou! Syaoran-kun, don't laugh at me.  Thunder is very scary." Sakura's hand positioned itself to splash Syaoran with more water.

"Oh! Yes." Syaoran waved his hands in defense, smothering his smile.  He really hadn't liked being splashed in icy cold water on a cloudy, rainy day.  "Yes, it's very scary."

"Un!"

They fell quiet after that.  As Sakura brushed back a strand of hair from her face, her hand touched the hair ornament she was wearing.  Right.  She had almost forgot.  She recalled that she had also wanted to tell him…

Clasping her hands, Sakura straightened.  "S-Syaoran-kun?" she whispered.

"Hmm?"

"I… I wanted to tell you… the reason I came here was I wanted to tell you that… I …" she trailed off, trying to summon up more courage.  Syaoran looked at her questioningly. 

"Syaoran-kun, I—"

Suddenly, they heard distant footsteps coming closer their way. 

"Syaoran!" Meiling hissed from the trees, where the others were standing out of earshot.  "Wei's coming this way!"

Turning back to Sakura, Syaoran fixed her with an urgent stare.  "Leave, now."

"But!"

"No, Sakura.  Hurry and go." He stood up, brushing the sand off his pants. 

Sakura felt tears forming in her eyes.  Why did she have to be interrupted? Not now of all times.  She had to give him her answer.  "But Syaoran-kun, I—"

Syaoran put his warm hand to her face, gently tilting her chin up to look at him.  "Sakura, if someone sees you, they will surely raise a cry.  I don't want you to get caught."

Sakura stared back at him, her eyes shining with tears.  Slowly, she backed away.  "Goodbye Syaoran-kun."  With a swish of her ocean green fins, she dived into the depths of the ocean, tightly holding onto the feelings of the gentle warmth in her heart.  She wanted to save this feeling before it got dissolved away into the icy coldness and loneliness of the ocean. 

~*~*~*~

At the desk in her room, Tomoyo took out a sheet of paper from a drawer and laid it on the smooth table surface.  Picking up a pencil she wrote 'HUMAN BEING' on the left half and 'MERMAID' on the right.  She paused, thinking.  What was that theory that Sakura had told her? Under HUMAN BEING she wrote, 'human + human' signifying the two characteristics that people were made up of.  And under MERMAID she wrote 'fish + human.'

Tomoyo stared at the paper.  Fujiwara-sama had replaced the fish attributes in Sakura with temporary magical human attributes to complete the transformation.  Yet, what could Fujiwara-sama do to permanently change Sakura to a human? Of course, he would need to take out the fish attributes as before, but this time exchange them with permanent human attributes, ones that wouldn't fade away after a set limit of time.  But that was the problem… How could that be done? How could Fujiwara-sama substitute real human characteristics in Sakura-chan?

Suddenly Tomoyo gasped.  Like a lightning bolt she felt an idea strike her.  With trembling hands, she circled one of the human attributes under 'HUMAN BEING' and the fish attribute under MERMAID and drew two crisscrossing arrows going from one to the other. 

Gazing at the paper in front of her, Tomoyo smiled.  She felt calmer than she had in days.  She would preserve Sakura-chan's happiness after all…and her own as well.  Picking up the seashell pendant, Tomoyo opened it.  "Hiiragizawa-kun, I think I have something here.'"

~*~*~*~

A cluster of golden seahorses chased one another, darting here and there among and around many mermen and mermaids.  They liked to play with the kind, larger ocean creatures, but today not many merpeople took any notice of them.  They were too preoccupied with their conversations. 

"I can't help but worry." One mermaid with shimmering golden hair said.  "Mizueda just doesn't seem the same these days"

"You're not the only one who's concerned." Her friend said.  "How can this kingdom seem the same when its most happy and lively mermaid seems so put out lately?"

One dense mermaid blinked.  "You mean Sakura-chan? She didn't seem unhappy at all to me.  Rather, I thought that she has never been more energetic.  When I talked to her the day before, she was in her usual overly super genki mode.  Hmm… Actually, she seemed a bit too over energetic."

The first mermaid sighed.  "That's the thing.  Beneath it all, she appeared quite distant and subdued.  The whole kingdom is confused.  Whatever could've happened to our fin-twirling, buoyant Sakura-chan? The other day when I was with my boyfriend, I met her and she gave me such a whimsical smile, that I couldn't help but wonder…"

"I think it has a lot to do with the wish that she made.  It's been a week since she returned from land, and ever since she' been unhappy.  She said so herself, that she wanted to be a human forever when she made that wish in front of Fujiwara-sama.  It must have hurt her so much to return to the ocean…"

"I just want to se our Sakura-chan happy again." A blue-eyed mermaid stated.  "What I wouldn't give to see her laughing again… I just wish there was someway I could help her."

"I wish the same." King Fujiwara murmured to himself, listening to the group of teenage mermaids chattering with each other as they passed by his palace garden.  Thoughtfully, Fujiwara reflected to what Sakura had said the day he had granted her a wish. 

 ["Fujiwara-sama, I… I want to be a human!  I've wanted this for as long as I can remember now." ]

Yes, he reasoned with himself, the reason she was unhappy right now was because she wasn't able to be on land.  "Sakura-chan's happiness means a lot to Mizueda." He chuckled helplessly.  "What kind of a king am I? I don't even know what to do when my subjects are unhappy… especially when the kingdom's favorite mermaid is swimming about with that look in her eyes.  If only there was something I could do to fulfill my promise to her.  After all, what was the use of granting a wish when I can't even fulfill it? Sigh… If only there was some way…"

A merman guard appeared before the door and bowed.  "Your highness, Hiiragizawa Eriol wishes to speak to you."

"Oh? Send him in." Fujiwara replied.  Secretly, he admired the boy's persistency.  Over the past week he had come over with many questions and suggestions to help Sakura.  He really did care a lot about protecting Sakura-chan's happiness.  "Ah…Eriol-san."  Silently, the king listened to what Eriol had to say.  His brown eyes widened but at the same time also flickered with doubt. 

"That… is possible." He replied, after listening to Eriol's suggestion.  "But, would Sakura-chan agree to that? To her, her friends are more precious than anything in this world – even more than herself."

~*~*~*~

"No!  Tomoyo-chan, I can't let you do that!" Sakura cried out, her hands holding the shell pendant trembling uncontrollably. 

"But Sakura-chan, this is the only way."

"No.  It doesn't matter." Sakura gulped down the tightness in her throat." I don't want you giving up all of that for me.  It would be too big of a sacrifice on your part and I—"

"Sakura-chan, please listen to me. " Tomoyo pleaded. "I know more than anybody how much becoming a human means to you.  Didn't you tell me how much you felt trapped in the ocean as though you were a captive in the cold dark waters? I've seen how happy you've been on land.  Always happy.  Always smiling and cheerful, bringing joy and light into everyone's hearts.  And comparing that to how you look now… Sakura-chan, please.  I don't want to see you so miserable.  Seeing that crestfallen face of yours gives me pain as well.  That despondent expression doesn't suit you at all – you are best when you are smiling.  I've understood now that Sakura-chan was meant to be happy – forever happy.  That's why I know that what I'm doing is right."

"But Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura reasoned, her voice quivering.  "What about you? You deserve so much more to be happy than I do.  I don't want to be a burden on you like that.  You are so selfless and caring.  I can't let you leave everything…" A tear trickled down her cheek.  "I don't want to cause you any pain at all; I want you to be happy as well."

Tomoyo shook her head and smiled.  "Then all you have to do is agree to this, Sakura-chan.  Because you are my greatest happiness – as long as you are smiling, I am content and will have nothing to worry about.  To me, it doesn't matter where I am… if you are happy, I will be happy as well.  That's why…" Tomoyo looked pleadingly at her friend.  "Let me do this, please.  How can I go on with my life knowing that you are miserable in the ocean and I could've done something to prevent it? This is as much as for me as it is for you, Sakura-chan.  Please agree…for the sake of our friendship."

Sakura fidgeted, desperately searching for something else that might stop Tomoyo from going through with such a serious plan.  "Ah! But what about Sonomi-san?"

"That's no problem." Tomoyo replied.  "I talked to mother and she understands completely.  So… will you please let me do this for you, Sakura-chan? You are my dearest dearest friend and for everything you have given me, this is the least I can do in return."

"A-ano…" Sakura lowered her eyes.  "Well then, if it will make you happy…"

"It will." Tomoyo's amethyst eyes shone brighter than usual.  A smile, as serene as mist floating over the ocean, spread across her face.  "This way I am sure that, for both of us, surely everything will be all right."

~*~*~*~

By evening, the news had spread all over Mizueda like a whisper of wind passing through grass:  King Fujiwara had summoned Sakura to his palace on a very important matter.  That evening, all the mermaids and mermen who had leave to enter the court filled the palace hall with low murmurs and whispers about what they each thought was going to happen.  They cast questioning looks at Sakura, who was standing silently in the center.  Finally, a hush fell over the hall as King Fujiwara entered and seated himself on his magnificent golden throne.  For a while, Fujiwara studied Sakura with a thoughtful stare, and at last he spoke out loud.

"Sakura-chan, three weeks ago in this court, I granted you a wish – to wish for anything that your heart desired, anything that you longed for, and I promised that I would fulfill it as best to my power.  Your wish to become human was not possible to grant that day… and that has made that wish binding to me.  Meaning that if and whenever I am able to fulfill the wish, I must do so; if the person who made the wish still desires it."

"Therefore, tell me Sakura-chan, is becoming a human still the thing that your heart most desires?  Do you really, truly want to leave the ocean forever?"

Sakura raised her head.  And as she did so, her eyes met those of her father, bringing back to her memory like a rush of waves the incident that had taken place at home just a couple of hours ago.

Flashback…

"Do whatever your heart says is right, Sakura-san." Her father replied after she had told them everything there was to tell.

"Eh? So you mean it's okay with you if I leave the ocean?" Sakura couldn't help but asking.

Fujitaka smiled.  "I am okay with everything you choose to do, because I know that whatever you will choose, it will be the right thing.  As long as you are happy and smiling, I am satisfied with that."

Sakura gratefully returned the smile.  Then she turned to her brother, and gazed up at his sharp profile.  His face was averted, so she couldn't see his expression.  "Ano… and Onii-chan?"

Touya sighed heavily.  "I guess it can't be helped." He placed his large hand on Sakura's head and ruffled her hair out of place.  "The monster is likely to throw a tantrum otherwise, no?"

"Hoe?"  Sakura started to scowl, but then her face cleared up with an expression of immense joy.  Overcome, she hugged her brother tightly, her father patting her on the head.  "I love you so much Onii-chan, Otou-san..." They understood, they understood completely.  A tear of happiness spilled out of her eye.  Now her mind was made up. 

End Flashback…

Yes, her mind was made up.  "Yes, Fujiwara-sama." She stated in a small but calm voice.  "Becoming a human is what I wish for most."  Even as she said it, Sakura felt wave after wave of relief and happiness spread over her.  She would be able to return to the land after all.  She wouldn't have to go through the torment of not being with the person she loved most anymore.. 

"Then it is decided." Fujiwara said gravely.  "Since a solution has been found to grant your wish, and it is still what you most desire, it is my duty to fulfill my promise to you.  Sakura-chan, if it were possible, I would have begged the fates to let you stay on in the ocean.  Yet, that would have made you very unhappy…  I think I am right in saying that none of us in Mizueda want that to happen."

Sakura glanced all around her.  Everyone was smiling at her and nodding.  Really, to them Sakura's happiness meant more than anything in the world. 

Fujiwara continued, "You are a very dear mermaid to Mizueda.. and your absence will surely be missed.  But I am sure that with this, you will stay happy forever.  Sakura-chan, you are very lucky to have such a friend as Tomoyo-san."

Turning to the rest of the court, he explained.  "Daidouji Tomoyo-san, a young maiden from land, was the one who found the solution to turning Sakura-chan forever into a human.  She gave me the idea to use a simple switching spell – to switch Sakura-chan's fish attributes and Tomoyo-san's human attributes to help her friend."

There was a collective gasp at this. 

"Yes.." Fujiwara nodded.  "Tomoyo-san has requested me to perform this transformation – she is willing to become a mermaid for Sakura-chan's sake.  Since I will be switching true characteristics, and not merely forming them from my magic, the transformations will be permanent."  Seeing the surprised glances merpeople gave one another, Fujiwara smiled.  "I hope that now, we will reconsider our view of people who live above the surface of water.  If one of them can give such a sacrifice in the name of friendship, then they certainly aren't as bad as some of us make them up to be."

"Well, Sakura-chan," Fujiwara smiled.  "Tomorrow, at the hour of sunset, the transformations will take place.  Is that all right?"

Sakura nodded, her eyes turning misty.  "Thank you, Fujiwara-sama."  She looked around at everyone gathered in the court. "Thank you, all of you."  Her emerald green eyes sparkled with gratefulness.  "You are all doing so much for me, even though I haven't done anything for you… "

"No, that's not true." Fujiwara said.  "Compared to the laughter and cheer you fill us with everyday, this is nothing.  If there was anything more that we could help you with, we would.  Because everyone loves Sakura-chan."

A chorus of agreement rang throughout the court.

~*~*~*~

The crimson red sun splayed its fading light across the ocean, slowly starting to sink beneath the line of the horizon.  Finally, it was the appointed hour of sunset.. 

There were quite a few people gathered on or near the beach.  On land, everyone who knew Sakura's secret was present.  Just a few minutes ago, King Fujiwara had surfaced from the depths of the ocean, along with a few other mermaids and mermen.  In the shallow waters near the shoreline, a large rock jutted out from the ocean floor, slanting gently upwards and pointing away towards the sky.  Sakura and Tomoyo sat on top of it, their hair slightly lifting up by the placid spring breeze.

Sakura took a deep breath to calm her quavering heart.  "A-are you scared, Tomoyo-chan?"

"No, there isn't any reason for me to be." Tomoyo answered truthfully.  Then she clasped Sakura's hands into her own.  "Sakura-chan, I have a very important request to make."

"Request…?" Sakura repeated curiously. 

Tomoyo smiled up at her friend.  "Yes.  Promise me Sakura-chan, that after this, you will always stay happy.  Always and forever.  Never let any hardships get in your way.  Because smiles and laughter are the things that suit you best.  You are such a wonderful friend, Sakura-chan – with the purest and most innocent heart I have ever seen.  Please, don't ever change from that.  Stay forever happy.  All right?"

Sakura stared at her friend, verdant eyes shining luminously.  Then a soft smile lit her features.  "Yes, I promise Tomoyo-chan."  

"It is time."  King Fujiwara called.  "Are you two girls ready?"

Exchanging a look, Sakura and Tomoyo both smiled.  "Yes."  Tightly clasping each other's hands in their own, they both closed their eyes.

A hush fell over the onlookers as Fujiwara raised his long staff and murmured a few words under his breath.  A sparkle of magic formed at the tip of his staff and gradually growing in size, it shot out at Sakura and Tomoyo, engulfing both of them in a dazzling brilliant light that made everyone shield their eyes.  Sakura and Tomoyo were lifted up in the magic, and with a tremendous flash the transformations were complete.  As the magic slowly subsided, the light faded, revealing the scene once more. 

Amidst a few sparkles still hovering around the area, Sakura was lowered gently back onto the rock, her green tailfins gone and replaced by legs and feet.  Another sparkle of magic unwrapped itself and melted into the ocean, landing Tomoyo gently down with it.  Eyelids fluttering slightly, Tomoyo opened her eyes and looked down in wonder.  Her legs were gone and in their place tailfins glimmered vibrantly in the pastel light of dusk.  She blinked at the amethyst colored fins, matching her eyes perfectly.  Then with a tiny smile, she looked up.  She was so glad… the procedure had worked.

Standing up on the rock, Sakura steadied herself, brushing her skirt into place.  Her eyes sparkled.  It had worked!  Now she was a human at last!

"Are you sure that it is really okay for you this way?" Syaoran asked.

Sakura swirled around, her face lit up with an inner glow.  "Un!!  Because!"

Syaoran blinked blankly.  "Because?"

"Because.." Sakura took a big leap off the rock and soaring through the air crashed against Syaoran, sending him reeling backwards onto the sandy shore with her on top of him.  "Because Syaoran-kun is the one I love most!" 

"Wh-wha~?"

Sakura just giggled madly, hugging him.

"Wai!! Things finally did work out for those two!" Meiling jumped up and down in happiness.  "I'm soo happy!"  Then, boldly reaching up, she planted a kiss on Shinzo's cheek in her exhilaration.

"Huh?" Shinzo touched his cheek in amazement and then with puzzlement, turned to look at Meiling.  For a second, he stared and then hearts popped out in his eyes with sparkles floating all around him.  "Meiling-chan!  I never knew!"  Dropping to the ground on one knee, he gallantly raised an arm in front of her.  "Will you go out with me?"

"Ho Ho Ho!!"

"That's a very noble thing you did for your friend." Eriol commented, swimming up to Tomoyo. 

Tomoyo however, shook her head.  "No.  You don't understand.  In the end, it's all for myself." She watched Syaoran help Sakura up, the pink patches on both of their cheeks shining brightly.  Syaoran painfully rubbed the bruise on his head, yet there was no mistaking the gentle gaze in his eyes as he watched Sakura jumping up and down while holding onto his hand, apologizing and laughing at the same time.  Her eyes glittered and her face was glowing.  Tomoyo glanced at Eriol.  "I'm just like everyone else.  I don't want to be sad or miserable.  If she were sad, I would be too.  So this way, I'm not only keeping her happy, but myself as well."

Sakura noticed that Tomoyo was watching her and quickly rushed up to her, dragging Syaoran behind her.  She bent down and squeezed her friend in a tight hug.  "Thank you so so much, Tomoyo-chan!  I'm so grateful.  Truly, you're the best and most wonderful friend that anyone could ever ask for.  Ne, if there's ever anything I can do for you, just ask, okay?  I'll do anything I can!  I promise…  Eriol-kun, please look after Tomoyo-chan for me, just like you looked after me all this time.  And could you ask Chiharu-chan and Naoko-chan to take care of Tomoyo-chan too? Please?"

Eriol smiled his usual warm smile.  "Of course."

"I'm relieved now.  I'm sure you will like the ocean much better than I ever did, Tomoyo-chan."

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan, I'm sure that I will."  Tomoyo replied.

"Will I ever be able to talk to you again?" Sakura questioned.

"Of course you will."  Tomoyo removed a chain hanging from her neck and gave it to Sakura.  It was her seashell pendant, with Sakura's name engraved on the golden surface.  "Here, this belongs to you."   

Eriol handed his own golden seashell to Tomoyo.  "I'm sure that this will be more useful to you from now on, Tomoyo-san."

"And Sakura-chan, besides talking to you through the shell pendant, I'm sure we can meet too.  If not here, then anywhere far from the shore.  Li-san can teach you how to swim, right?"

"Eh?" Sakura rounded on Syaoran.  "Will you Syaoran-kun?"

"Yes." Syaoran nodded.

"Oh, and will you also tell me more about swords, please? Haha, I promise I won't cut my hand on it again.  And could you also explain the pretty fire too? I never did really understand it.  Oh! And thunder! No, wait.. I don't think I want to learn more about that.  It's scary!!  Oh, oh, and Syaoran-kun, can we go horse-riding again? Can we? I absolutely promise that I won't fall off this time!  Hahaha.  And.. and.. ano.. what else.. OH!!  Can you show me some more constellations?  You still haven't shown me the Orion.  I can't wait for winter to come so you can show me.  You will do all this stuff, right? Please?"  

"S-sure." Syaoran sweatdropped at the long long list of requests.   

"WAI!!!" Sakura threw her arms up into the air in joy.  "Syaoran-kun, you're soooo nice!  You're the best."

Syaoran turned slightly red.

"Hey, I can show you all that stuff too, Sakura-chan!" Shinzo leapt forward.  "Much better than Li-san ever could.  I'll tell you all about swords and fire and thunder and take you horse-riding, okay?  Haha, just joking Li-san.  Just joking!!" He added, seeing Syaoran's death glare.  "Hehe, you know what, you look really funny whenever you turn red like that.  OUCH!" Shinzo hopped around the spot as he received a well-aimed punch from Syaoran.  "I said I was only joking!  You didn't have to punch so hard.  Sheesh.  Well, actually I wasn't joking about how you look funny whenever you blush like that.  OWWW!!!"

Meiling had whacked him on the head.  "Shut up already, Shinzo!"

"Okay!" Shinzo immediately straightened and grinned.  "Ahh, what I wouldn't do for Meiling-chan!"

"Wh-wha~?" Meiling blinked. 

Sakura giggled a bit.  Then she remembered something.  "Oh, and Syaoran-kun, will you also tell me more about rain? And I've heard about snow too.  It snows when it's really cold.  You'll show it to me, right?" 

"Y-yeah." 

"YIPPEE!!" Sakura leapt forward and hugged him.  "Syaoran-kun, you're so cool!  I love you sooo much!"

"Oho ho ho ho… Li-san looks quite embarrassed." Tomoyo laughed.  "Li-san, promise that you'll take good care of Sakura-chan.  I know that you will, but still."

By now, Syaoran was blushing and sweatdropping like crazy.  But he still managed to nod.  "I promise."   

Secretly, Tomoyo giggled at Syaoran's flustered face.  Well, she had no doubts; she felt sure that Syaoran would never hurt Sakura.  "Ahh, I'm so happy right now." Tomoyo put her hand to her cheek, losing herself into her own dream world.  Then suddenly she remembered something and her face fell.  "Aww, but now that I'm a mermaid, I only have one regret."

"What's that?" Sakura asked worriedly.

With a crestfallen face, Tomoyo continued.  "I won't be able to release my two-hour special movie starring Sakura-chan as the main character.  I had it all planned out.  It was going to be a big hit!"

Everyone sweatdropped.

Sakura blinked, completely clueless.  "Hoe?"

~*~-----THE END-----~*~

Kirei Blossom: ………

………

I can't believe it!  It's over, it's finally over!  Ahhh, this is the most dearest story I've ever written.  And this shall always remain the most beloved fanfic I ever write.  I had so much fun writing this ^_^  *bounces all around the room*  sigh.. but it had to end somewhere. 

Okay, so first things first.  I should apologize for taking ever so long to get this up.  Six months!  *faints*  Sorry, sorry sorry.  ^^;  The reason that it took so long was well, first, it was a real hard and LONG chapter to write, with trying to get everyone's emotions right.  I really took my time writing out different scenes.  Second reason is that I rewrote the entire chapter 2 or 3 times.  ~~;  Oh and thank you soooo much to everyone who reviewed or sent me emails!  ^_^ If it weren't for them, I don't think this would've been updated.     

Hmm.. so the whole story is laid out before you now, start to finish.  Like it? ^_^;; I hope you did.  And I hope it made sense too.  This chapter was kind of the most emotional.  That's why it took ages to complete.  There was so much stuff happening at all the different levels.  Sakura and Syaoran finally did get together! Yay! Thanks to Tomoyo.  I really really like Tomoyo-chan.  She's so nice, ne? ^^ Oh, on a side note, I don't support Eriol and Tomoyo pairings.. hehe, so don't think that I've got them together or anything. 

All right!  So please review everyone! PLEASE! ^_^  Also, just don't ask for sequels, okay?  'Cause after laboring on this story for almost a year, I'm kind of tired of it.  I've had enough of mermaids to last me a lifetime.  So I won't make a sequel no matter how much you ask.  Maybe I might do an epilogue or something for this.  (But no promises!)  Anyway, I have some more story ideas that I want to work on now.  This story had tied me down for so long.

Okay, enough rambling.  ^_^ Thanks for reading this.  Now before leaving, give me a review for this, onegai.  Anything you might want to say.. thoughts, opinions, comments, whatever, it will all be appreciated and cherished.  If you have any ideas for future stories, I'd really like to hear those too.  And feel free to email me about anything!  I love talking to my readers or fellow authors.  Review or email at goldenapple99@yahoo.com, whatever you want, but just do respond!  Well, okay, till the next time then!  Ja mata ne, minna ^_^

Wishes From the Bottom.  By Kirei Blossom.  Started on November 10, 2001.  Completed on November 4, 2002