Disclaimer: All characters portrayed in this fanfic are the property of CLAMP and their company people. They're not mine. Well, except that is the people that I'll be making up. :D
AN: Hullo! First chapter up! I decided who this is going to be about! Woopie for me! Well read on! :D Don't forget to R&R pleaseeee!
Going to work was one of those dreadful moments in her otherwise good days. She worked as a waitress in a small café by the Thames River. She had the afternoon shift which brought many in for drinks and pastries. It was a common place to meet in this city of history and romance.
Her eyes scanned the dimly lit café which sat on a busy corner in one of the busiest streets in the Central London area. Conversations were going on left and right. She must've zoned out because the next thing she knew her manager was yelling at her.
"HEY! Don't fall asleep on the job! That's not why I hired you!" His green eyes had a angry glint in them as he walked into the back room muttering something about firing lazy waitresses.
She winced and mumbled a stiff apology before turning back to watch her customers. She had been living in London for almost two years, ever since she had been accepted to the English National Ballet School. A most prestigious school for young ballet dancers to master their form and technique.
Her attention turned to an old couple who just walked in. Carefully they both took a seat at a table near the window. She smiled when the old man held out the chair for his dear wife. The waitress made her way over and she greeted them with a surprising amount of warmth in her voice, "Good afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Sterling. How are you today?"
The old couple looked up at her with the twinkling eyes of a 12 year old, "My dear! It's been a while hasn't it? We're perfectly fine! How're you?"
She couldn't help but smile at their sweetness, "The usual, college, ballet, my job."
"Sit, sit my dear. Speak with us for a minute, we haven't seen you in so long." The elderly woman took her hand and motioned for her to sit down.
Noticing that the café was quite empty today she nodded and took a seat across from them. She looked at them tenderly and asked, "How was your trip to Hawaii? Did you have any fun?"
The couple shared a loving look, linked their hands together and chuckled, "Yes, we had much fun. It reminded us of our very first honeymoon there."
Affection showed on her face as she grinned at the elderly couple. They were like her guardians in this world of busy people and crowded streets. She had first met them when she rented an apartment next door to them the first week she was in London. And ever since she moved out of that apartment, she had kept in touch with them via letters and phone calls.
"How's your dancing going?" The aged man asked with a crinkle in his fond smile.
She told them of her audition and her concerns with a slight frown.
"Ah, don't fret my child, I'm sure you got the job! You're a beautiful dancer!" The old woman's praise did much for her self-esteem.
She beamed and her eyes twinkled, "You think so?"
The couple smiled at her with a proud expression, "We know so!"
She laughed softly at the compliment. It made her feel good that they had this much faith in her dancing. Out of the corner of her eye she saw her manager walk back in. Giving each of them a quick hug and kiss, she bid them a good day and went to get their usual for them.
Before the couple left they made her promise them to call when she got news of her job. Her spirits lifted and her face lit up at their interest in her life. It felt good when someone cared about you, whether it be people you knew or complete and total strangers. And in this case, it was two considerate angels.
----------------------------------------
Her dark hair flew behind her as she ran down the streets of London at 8 in the morning. She was going to be late for class! She was suppose to turn in her art history paper today. A low groan emitted from her throat, the professor was going to kill her by giving her a big red F. Panicking at the thought of getting an F in the class, she ran faster and rounded the corner of the building. Just a little more to go she told herself. As she ran up the steps of the building, someone ran out. The sudden impact sent both figures toppling over. As you can imagine, books and papers flew into a large jumble on the floor.
The person that she bumped into glared at her, "Watch where you're going!"
A bit taken back from the collision, she muttered apologies as she knelt down to sort his belongings from hers, still in a frantic rush to get to class on time.
Seeing that it was a delicate looking girl his anger subsided. Her dark hair flowed down her thin frame. Her pretty Asian features revealed themselves in the sunlight. If he didn't see her frenzy of energy while gathering her things in an effort to get to class on time, he'd say she was anorexic. She did look quite funny since now she was muttering curses under her breath while hastily trying to pick up her books.
His laughter brought her to a halt as she looked up at him. "What?" she asked exasperated. "Can you help me instead of standing there and laughing at me?" She emphasized her words by throwing his book at him.
His fast reflexes caught the object before it had a chance to come into contact with his face. His eyebrows quirked up in amusement. "Why are you in such a hurry?" he asked trying to make small talk as he knelt down to help her.
"Late for class," she answered her eyes still on him.
Feeling a little awkward under her gaze, he ran a hand through his dark blue hair. "What? Something wrong?"
She shook her head as if to clear her thoughts, "No, you just remind me of someone."
He grinned, showing off white pearly teeth, "Is that a compliment?"
She gave him an impassive look before standing up with her things and running into the building.
Shaking his head at the distant nature of the girl, he picked up his books and treaded down the stairs. "Weird girl," he commented.
----------------------------------------
She stretched her long legs on the barre while doing some demi pliés and relevés. It was then that her Madame walked in and cleared her throat. Abruptly stopping what she was doing she looked over to her teacher expectantly. What she saw in her Madame's eyes wasn't calming to say the least. It looked dull without the normal strict but kind glimmer there. She winced. What Madame had to say wouldn't be good. She prayed for the worst.
"My dear, your ballet is beautiful, indescribable. I haven't seen so much talent in a student for a long, long time," Madame had deliberately emphasized long to drop a hint to her beloved pupil that she was indeed a special ballerina with much talent.
The young girl's eyes darkened and she looked down, "But..." she prompted her mentor.
"I don't know how to ask this but..." the instructor's face developed a troubled look, "but there is something wrong isn't there?"
The impassive eyes met the worrying brown ones. "No...nothing's wrong. Why do you ask?" She turned back to the bar to continue stretching, a sign that she didn't want to discuss this subject any further.
The Madame looked at her student with a expression showing pity. "It's just that your dancing has become a mere chore to you. You don't have that sparkle of energy or life when you're dancing anymore. It seemed to have disappeared altogether. When you first came to me, I could see the persistence and determination in glowing in your eyes, but now, they seem to be..." she paused trying to find the right word, "gone."
The young ballerina seemed to ignore her, so she continued gently, "What I'm trying to say is, if you don't want to dance anymore, you shouldn't. Maybe dancing isn't right for you. Maybe your interest isn't in ballet...you can explore other revenues...no one is going to stop you from doing so..."
Blazing eyes snapped itself up to look at her. The girl's voice turned low and menacing, "I do have the determination and the persistence! I also have the talent as you've said so yourself many times! You don't know me, so don't try tell me whether or not I've lost interest in ballet! Ballet is my life." She had hissed the last sentence before storming out of the studio with her possessions, leaving the shocked Madame to muse over her usually impassive student's sudden outburst.
----------------------------------------
Her feet brought her to a halt when she felt the breeze of the water hit her face. Eyes brimmed with tears, she bit her lip in an effort to hold back the emotional stab of pain from the comment of her Madame. Nobody was going to tell her that she wasn't interested in ballet. Nobody. No one was going to tell her that she had lost the spark that was in her dancing. How could her Madame say something like that?
Her mentor knew how hard she had worked for the skill she possessed this very day. She knew that Madame saw her sweat, saw her labor, saw her bleed, working for that flawless form, striving for that perfect technique. Dancing the epitome of perfection on graceful twinkling toes. After all that, how can Madame still say that she didn't have the spirit? She, herself knew she had a lot of goddamned spirit! Hell if it weren't for her spirit, she wouldn't even have worked to fulfill her goals!
And if no one saw it, then she'd just have to work harder, attempt to do better, and last but not least get inspired so she can gain that lost glow back. A wry smile look crossed her face. Yes, that is what she will do. Reach for the stars. Her mind prepared itself for another year of harsh training. Tomoyo Daidouji will never give up.