Chapter 2: Illness and Magic
The next day was the first time I actually had a conversation with my visitors. Touya was yet again dragged off by Kaho to "revive old times" as she called it. Nakuru was easily over Touya and was now going after the moon guardian's reincarnate. She dragged him away too. As for the other two guardians . . . they were busy with their video games and snacks.
The conversation started with the formal "hello" and "how are you". I expected as much, for it has been a long time since our last meeting. Fortunately (or unfortunately), Meilin was not a very patient person nor was she formal. She was immediately annoyed by the dumb remarks.
"So what's with the reunion, Hiiragizawa?" she said tartly making the others stare at her. "Are you planning some new problem for Kinimoto to face? I particularly didn't appreciate the time when the penguins in the King Penguin Park attacked us."
I hid a smile as Daidouji told her to be respectful to their "host". I simply forgot how much Li Meilin could talk.
"I'm so sorry about that," I said humbly, bowing my head. "It was for Sakura's own good . . . and Syaoran's too."
"Yeah right," the brown haired youth mumbled.
Needless to say, our conversation was quite a disaster. Everyone was mouthing off each other, everyone except Daidouji Tomoyo.
"Are you alright Daidouji?" I asked. When she looked up, I saw that her face was lacking color and immediately I knew that she was sick. "You should rest."
She nodded meekly. "I'm fine Hiiragizawa-kun. Just tired I guess."
I accepted her answer and continued to watch the cat fight of Li Syaoran and Li Meilin. Sakura sighed and faced me instead.
"How are you doing Eriol-kun? What do you do know?" Sakura asked me thoughtfully. I knew that she was thinking about sorcery.
I laughed and gave her a smile. "I'm still Eriol, Sakura," I said. "I have the responsibilities of a normal seventeen year old boy."
"Normal is hardly what I'd call you," I heard Syaoran's cold voice say.
I was about to give him a rude remark when we heard something hit the floor. It was Daidouji and she lay in an unseemly manner on the ground. I realized that she fainted and for some reason a rush of panic went through me. I quickly knelt by her side and checked her pulse, Sakura cried on Syaoran's chest and Meilin turned away.
"She's alive, don't worry," I reassured them, wondering why all the emotion over a simple fainting spell.
I guess that Li saw the confusion on my face. "Just bring her to her room and we'll tell you the whole story," he said.
I did as he ordered and we gathered inside the bedroom of Tomoyo. She lay unconcious on the bed as we huddled. I was anxious to hear the story.
"It's like this," Syaoran started as Sakura dried her tears. "Six months ago, we found out that she was sick—"
"I know that," I interrupted. He glared at me before he continued.
"—and the doctors didn't know what was wrong with her. There was no internal bleeding, no virus and nothing, but she was weakening. She spent five months in the hospital getting x-rayed and everything but they couldn't find anything wrong. Tomoyo wanted us to take her out. She hated the medicines and drugs they were bombarding her with. The actual reason we came to you was—"
"—so that I could heal her with magic," I finished as he nodded.
"Hiiragizawa, please help Daidouji-san," Li Meilin begged as she comforted the weeping card mistress.
"Please Eriol . . ." Sakura begged as well.
I was lost in thought. I knew it was odd. How could someone be dying with no apparent reason? It had to be caused by magic . . . but what?
"I'll try to do what I can," I promised and shooed them from the room so that I could revive the unconscious girl.
I approached her and tried to arrange her fragile body in order that she could partake of some of my power. As soon as she was in the proper position, I held her limp hand and brought the silvery light of my magic into her body. It surrounded her body and seeped into her skin. Then, I could feel the power conquering her spirit.
Flashes of pink, green, gold and silver magic was eating her aura; magic I knew well. I immediately drew my power away from her and released her hand. Cold sweat poured from my forehead as the realization came unto me. I didn't know what to tell Sakura. I didn't know what to do with myself. I felt miserable. Much more miserable than I had right to be.
The door opened and in rushed Sakura throwing her arms around me as tears poured from her emerald eyes. "I felt your magic. I felt it. It's bad isn't it?" she cried.
Syaoran came in and took his beloved away from me. "What is it? What's wrong with her, Hiiragizawa?"
"I . . . I was the one . . . killing her . . ."
"You what?" screamed Meilin as she grabbed the collar of my clothes.
"Not only me . . . Sakura . . . Syaoran . . . Clow . . . we were all killing her," I said and the Chinese girl released me. "Our power . . . it's eating her."
They were all paralyzed with shock before Sakura fell down crying and Syoaran seethed with anger at himself. Among us, only Melin remained sane.
"Can't you do anything?" she asked as she glanced painfully at the sleeping girl. "Can't the mighty Clow Reed do anything?"
"No," I said, returning to my senses. "The more power we feed her, the worse she'll become."
"She can't be saved?"
"No."
It was Li Meilin's turn to burst into tears and for once I didn't have anything to say. I just watched them, wondering why a sad fate like this befell on an innocent because of our folly. The world is much less complicated without magic. Why her?
The following day, Kinimoto Touya and Yukito had to return to Tomoeda, Japan. Kaho joined them, scared that she might lose Touya again. Nakuru somehow smuggled inside the plane to be with her newest conquest, Yukito. I didn't bother telling them about Tomoyo's condition. They might just worry too much. For some absurd reason, the two guardians never left the game room. We never told them about Tomoyo either.
Daidouji Tomoyo slept the whole day. Sakura and Meilin were in constant worry while Syaoran continued harassing me for a cure. I couldn't decide whether to tell the sick girl she was dying or not.
We were all in the living room that evening, when Tomoyo came in bringing two reluctant guardian beasts along with her. She had a pleasant smile on her face although she was still pale.
"We shouldn't allow these two to stay play the video games for so long," she laughed as she placed the two sulking creatures upon the mahogany desk. She took a look at us. "You all look serious."
And so we were. We decided that we should tell her that she was dying. We knew it was for the best.
"Tomoyo," Sakura started. "We know and you know that you're sick. Eriol here found out what the matter with you was . . ."
I cringed as I heard my name. I noticed Tomoyo sit down on the armchair. I guess she realized that this conversation might take a long time.
"You're dying, Tomoyo."
I waited for crying or even just a pained gasp, but it never came. I only saw her smile and look at us sadly.
"I know," she said.
That came as a surprise for me and for the others as well I'm sure.
"Y-you do?" asked Meilin, whose eyes ere opened wide and confused. I knew she was asking her self why Daidouji-san was still smiling. I asked that question too.
Tomoyo smiled even wider and even sadder. "I knew that for a long time. I've already accepted it Sakura, don't worry."
"Oh Tomoyo!" the Sakura cried and flung herself at the sick girl. Her eyes poured out salty tears. "How can you be so strong at this time? How can you be happy even if you're about to die? You can't leave me! Please don't!"
My eyes stung. Li Syaoran's shoulders were shaking as he looked away and his cousin wept silently. Even Spinel Sun and Cerberus sobbed. All of us have grown to love the meek girl.
"Don't cry," Tomoyo begged Sakura. "Sakura, please don't cry. I didn't want to die . . . I didn't. I wanted to live and grow up too, Sakura. I don't want to leave you. There's nothing we can do." Daidouji-san's voice betrayed her. She was trying hard to be strong if not for herself, for Sakura.
"It's all my fault!"
I looked up and I realized the others did so too. Somehow, I knew Sakura would blame herself for it although it couldn't be helped. But I couldn't lecture her at the time; I blamed myself as well.
Our revelation ended and nobody spoke much that day. Our meals were silent and bed was early. I thought Daidouji-san looked oddly determined, but I didn't say a word. I knew that a plan was forming inside her head, but I had absolutely no idea what the plan was.
As the others went into their respective bedchambers, Daidouji-san approached me. She was almost nervous. I pondered on what her request might be.
"Hiiragizawa-kun," she started. "Could you do me a favor?"
"Of course, Daidouji-san."
"Can I stay here with you until I die? It won't be for long, don't worry. I wouldn't be a bother at all," she said quickly. I knew it took a lot from her just to say those words, but still, I was surprised.
"Whatever for?" I asked. I knew she anticipated that question.
"I can't go back home. It would hurt too much," she explained. "It would be much easier if I died here away from my mother . . . away from Sakura . . ."
I quickly understood. I felt her pain and grief. Before I knew it, I went over to her and hugged her. I knew she was surprised. I was too.
"It'll be alright, Tomoyo," I said, using her first name for once. "Of course you could stay here with me. I have no objections to that."
She wept a little. "Thank you, Eriol-kun . . ."
The following days, not a word of our conversation fell from our lips. We didn't want to tell them until the day they had to leave came. As expected, they did not take the news lightly.
"No! You can't stay here! I'll miss you terribly," Sakura said decidedly through her tears. "You can't spend your last days here! You have to stay with me."
Although Tomoyo loved Sakura very much, she couldn't help feeling a bit annoyed. "Sakura, It would be much easier if I stayed here. Eriol-kun might be able to find a cure."
I knew that Sakura wanted to object, but her curiosity overcame her. "When did you start calling him 'Eriol-kun'?"
"Ever since he agreed that I could stay here."
The two cousins were glaring daggers at me; I merely gave them a sweet and (in their opinion) annoying smile.
"What did you do, Hiiragizawa?" asked Syaoran dangerously.
"I merely agreed to a favor," I answered.
He, luckily, left it at that. As we went to the airport, everyone was silent. Nobody dared to destroy the odd silence and nobody wanted to. Only the weeping of Sakura could be heard.
"Goodbye, Eriol-kun," said Sakura as she was about to enter the plane. "Please take care of Tomoyo-chan for me. Don't let her die."
"I'll try my best," I assured her and kissed her on the cheek.
Sakura then approached Tomoyo and gave her a hearty farewell with lots of tears. Li Meilin did the same. Syaoran gave her a warm hug and pecked her on the cheek.
I noticed Li Meilin staring at me warily. I gave her a smile. She approached me reluctantly and gave me a hug.
"Please send her back to us," she begged, her ruby eyes watering.
"I can't."
She nodded with understanding. "I guess I knew that. It wasn't really your idea, was it? It was hers. Daidouji-chan's mother would kill us for it," she said thoughtfully.
I gave her a last hug and she went back to Tomoyo to cry. Syaoran went towards me.
"What is it Li-kun?" I asked him smiling. He did not look too happy.
He glared at me suspiciously. "What did Meilin say?"
"Goodbye," I answered. I wasn't sure if he believed me, although I was telling the truth, but his glare softened a bit.
"Protect her, Hiiragizawa," he ordered and forced himself to smile. "Sayonara."
"Sayonara," I replied, gripping his outstretched hand tightly.
And so they left with much tears and good-byes, Tomoyo and I headed back to my mansion.
~
A/N: This is longer than the first one. So, how do you like it? Tomoyo is DYING. That's sad. What will happen now? Do you hate me for making Tomoyo sick?