DAYBREAK Chapter III Tomoyo

She fell to her knees, her left hand tightly clutching her chest, her right groping at the wall to find something with which she could raise herself up. The white stucco wall held no such relief. It was too smooth, too perfect, the way her mother had wanted the mansion to be. And now this perfection had become her undoing. She struggled to stand but her legs buckled and she fell once more. The pain in her chest was mounting and her heart hammered at her breasts. She could hardly breathe. The room around her became a blur as she felt cold sweat drip down her face. She felt almost weightless, as though she had no arms and legs to control. She was falling fast and she had nowhere to reach out. But then she fell back into herself and once again she felt the agonizing tug at her heart. It was pumping as hard as was possible and the echoes of her heartbeat throbbed in her head. It was almost too much to bear and she thought that she would not pull out of this one. She closed her eyes, ready to give in to the next painful tug, but it never came. Her heartbeat began to slow and her head no longer pounded. Her breathing became natural and all at once, she regained control of her body. She slumped down on the floor, wiping the sweat from her brow. She stared out at the sky through the large French windows, which lined that particular hall of the wing. A sudden thought came into her mind. Sakura must be seeing this too. The sun had just set under the horizon and the sky glowed like a wondrous painting. Pinks and purples lined the sky, a pale golden light still hung on the clouds and the sky itself seemed a mixture of oranges, hues, and reds. It looked almost disturbing were it not for its beauty. She gazed at it for a while longer until she found strength in her legs once more to stand up.

                She stayed close to the wall, using it for support as she walked through the entirety of the hallway and into the main wing. More large windows lined the enormous room, which was built to be the center of their massive estate. Two great staircases extended upward in a graceful spiral, their newly polished wood gleaming with the last rays of the sun. She rested her arms on one of them, the one on the left. It was nearer to her room and she felt the need to sleep. She seemed sapped of all energy and had only the will in her legs to keep her from falling. She sought the comforts of her own soft bed and dreamed of plopping down into its fluffy pillows and smooth beddings. She could almost feel it! But she was still at the bottom of the stairs, staring helplessly at the daunting task of climbing its many polished steps. She wished she could sleep were she was but then again, her mother would not approve of it. So she gathered up the last of her strength, promising herself a rewarding sleep if only her legs would carry her as far as her room. She'd crawl the rest of the way if need be.

One by one, she tackled the steps, her legs shaky and unsure, yet she managed to reach the final step. She then turned to her right, hugging the wall once again for support. She noticed that the purple Russian rug, which stretched out the entirety of the hallway, was very clean and almost spotless. It seemed quite inviting, soft as it was. But as she reached the end of the hall she realized how near she was to her destination. With one last effort, she dragged herself, making another right at the bend, and at last, she saw her pretty white door come into view. She opened it and went directly towards her inviting bed. She threw herself unto the soft mattresses, pillows, and blankets. She felt the tension ease from her body as well as her mind and her eyes slowly closed. She fell asleep.

*********

It was nighttime when she next opened her eyes.  The moon was full and high outside her window, and she smiled as she remembered the countless times she had seen it with her friends. And she remembered one friend in particular, a boy, with chocolate hair and a set of deep brown eyes. She had always associated the moon with him, though why she could no longer recall. Perhaps it was that very first night when she saw him in battle, and the moon had been as full as tonight's. She sighed. She felt an ache in her heart, not the kind that she had suffered just before, but a deep sadness. Poor Sakura. She must still miss him until now. We all do. And then it came to her that she had had a dreamless sleep. She closed her eyes in a short prayer and said thanks for a fulfilling sleep. She stood up, refreshed by her rest, and walked towards the door.

The hallways looked especially creepy at night. Though they were abundantly lighted by the rows of hanging crystal chandeliers and small candle-shaped lamps fixed on the walls, they looked desolate and empty in their largeness. She shuddered as she walked through the one, which led to the main wing. Shadows cast on the white walls and the slight flickering of lights made them dance eerily as she walked by. The large windows now seemed a curse than a blessing for they gave off a luminescent light from the moon, creating large patches of light at each interval. They looked ethereal, like they were portals to another dimension. She quickened her stride, making sure never to face the large windows or the dark world outside.

At last she reached the two spiral stairs. She climbed down, sliding her fingers over the smooth mahogany finish of the railings. She admired the craftsmanship in it, the high quality wood and varnish, which gave it a reddish color. The carvings down the side were simple enough, depicting a scene of spring, with tiny carved flowers and leaves floating through the vines and branches. Simple, with a touch of elegance, that's what her mother had said when she commissioned for these to be made. Indeed, that was what it was when it was finished.

She stepped off the stairs and turned to her left. She entered the enormous main hall, and proceeded towards the dining area. She was hungry, and it seemed time for supper. She quickened her pace once more, avoiding the wide windows.

She came into the large room, the family dining room, which she and her mother used when they weren't entertaining guests. She marveled at its size. It could have easily seated a party of fifty with room to spare for a few extras. She wondered why her mother even bothered to make another dining area for special occasions. This one would easily serve the purpose. She sighed. Everything was so big in her world. She felt somewhat lost in all of it, and very insignificant.

Tomoyo sat down at the nearest chair. The table had been set for two people and the other plate was laid across her. Quite suddenly, a woman came in and placed a silver tray before her, and then another, and another. Then the maid asked her if she wanted bread or rice, what beverage she preferred and if she would want some miso soup. She said yes to the soup, the warmth would feel good to her belly, and that bread was quite fine. She asked for some hot green tea, just to soothe the nerves, and as quickly as the maid came in, she was gone again. She was left in silence.

She stared idly at the paintings, which decorated the walls. The large one on the center caught her eye the most. She realized that while everything else here was changed every season, this one painting remained. It was very lovely, with smooth strokes and lively colors, but not too bright to shock the eyes. It was of a woman, with long wavy hair that flew with the wind. Beside her was another woman, just as beautiful as the first but in a stronger way, and she was holding on to her straw hat to keep it from being blown away. They were laughing as they walked side by side, hand in hand, showered but thousands of pink cherry blossoms. It was a very sweet picture and it reminded her of herself and Sakura when they would walk through the streets lined with cherry blossoms.

"It's very nice, isn't it? Brings back a lot of good memories."

She shook out of her thought. She looked to her side where a tall woman, with russet hair cut stylishly short, was standing. She nodded, and smiled and the woman walked across her to the other side of the table. She sat down where the other plate had been placed.

"You had me quite worried. The maid said you wouldn't wake up. You must've been very tired to have missed out on proper dinner time." The woman was looking at her, her chin resting on her long slender hands. She seemed very dignified, very much like a socialite, except for that little glow of mischief that twinkled in her eyes and that little grin on her well-painted lips.   

"I had a headache. I'm sorry. What time is it anyway, mother?" Tomoyo smiled her usual calm smile. It had become her trademark over the years and she quite liked it.

"It's half past ten, my dear," Sonomi said slyly. "If I were half as strict as any of my business partners, I'd fire you for being late." The grin became wider. Then she sighed and slumped back on her chair, stretching her arms behind her and yawning. "But then again, I can't fire my daughter, can I?" she winked and she seemed more of an older sister than a mother.

Tomoyo nodded. The maid came back. She placed a basket of toasted bread before the two and a small bowl of miso soup on Tomoyo's left. She placed a steaming cup of hot tea on the right. And without a word, she did the same for the older woman, placing a bowl on her left and a cup on her right. Then she quickly scurried off, like a well-trained maid ought to do, and left the two by themselves.

Tomoyo looked at her soup. It seemed quite inviting. She drank once, and then smiled as the warm soup tickled her throat and her nerves. She set it down and looked up again at her mother. "I'm sorry", she said shyly. "I couldn't help myself. My stomach turned out to be more empty than I thought." She was blushing at her own rudeness. And then she was dumbstruck. Her mother was doing the same thing; only she didn't stop with one sip. She was gulping the entire thing down. After she finished, she smiled a contented smile and placed the bowl down. She looked at her daughter and laughed.

"What did you say?" She was laughing and Tomoyo couldn't help but giggle as well. But she placed a folded hand on her lips, just out of polite habit, while her mother laughed out boldly. After all, she was the master of the house. She had every right to laugh when she wanted to, and there were no board of trustees and foreign ambassadors to be polite to, so it seemed perfectly fine. After a while, they finally stopped, and they proceeded to eat the little feast set out before them. 

"Will you be visiting Sakura tomorrow? How is she doing anyway? Last I heard, her injuries were fine but she was weak from exhaustion." Her mother's voice had a note of worry. Sakura was very dear to her, like her own child. After all, she was a niece and the best friend of her daughter, and she reminded her of her dead cousin whom she had loved so well. It pained her to not have been in the hospital when Sakura first woke up. "Would you tell her I'm sorry for not coming. It's just that everything is so busy at work and I have so many things to do." She looked down, defeated. There was sadness in her face.

"Don't worry about it, mama," Tomoyo said reassuringly. "I'm sure she understands. And besides, you've made up for it already. Thank you for paying for her medical bills. I'm sure it was a great help to Mr. Kinomoto. I hear his new job isn't much help."

Sonomi shook her head. "It was the least I could do for both Sakura and Nadeshiko." She sighed. "Is there anything new with her condition?" She looked hopefully at her daughter.

Tomoyo nodded, again the reassuring smile on her face. "Touya called yesterday. He said Sakura was pulling out of it. Her breathing's better and she can eat solid foods, and there's nearly no scar left on her body. What's left was quickly disappearing. He said she was getting stronger by the minute, no more fevers or anything of the like. The main problem now is her weight. She lost a lot of it during the fever and they're afraid it might weaken her. But other than that, he said she was recovering fine."

                "Thank the gods and deities! I thought she wasn't going to make it, the way you described her last. All those bruises and cuts, and broken bones. I should have known. She's a strong girl." Sonomi looked relieved. She began eating once more, cutting through her steak with a finesse of a well-bred lady.

                "Would you like to come with me tomorrow? I'll visit her in the afternoon."

                "I'm afraid I can't, dear. I've got a meeting that would probably last the whole day. Honestly, those sharks are really trying to get us! That's why I can't go. You know how messy everything gets when I'm not around. They'll buckle down and sell everything if I'm not there. I'm really sorry."

                 Tomoyo nodded. She continued to eat, tearing off a small piece of bread as she was taught. Proper etiquette, all little ladies must know this. "It's fine. I'm sure she'll understand. And there'll be other times. I'm sure you can visit her then."

                Sonomi nodded gratefully. "I'll do that."

                They both ate in silence.

                Tomoyo went to bed right after. Her mother came to tuck her in, combing her long locks, as was her custom every night, before drawing her blanket to her chin and kissing her goodnight. She smiled at this little ritual. Even though she was already fifteen, she still liked it. It was like being a child again, without any worries, when everything was fine. But she had to face reality. She was no longer a child and not everything was fine. In fact, everything was horrible. A friend had died, her best friend was in the hospital, and they haven't talked to each other in almost two years since Sakura left their school. And now, these attacks and images, she didn't know what to make of them. The only one she had confided these images to was Cerberus, but the little guardian could not make sense of it all. Indeed, things couldn't get any worse.

                She shook her head. She had learned from experience to expect the unexpected and therefore see the darker sides of something already too dark to begin with. She had held it back from Sakura all those times, and perhaps that was why everything was crumbling before her now. She tried to ignore what was all too obvious just for the sake of keeping her little world bright and hopeful. Despite the fatigue, she could not sleep.

                There was something wrong and she could feel it. The soft stirring of the wind outside just didn't seem right. And the moon glowed just a little bit eerier than it should. The shadows seemed longer and the sounds too faint. It was all the same but different. It was all too silent. She sat up. She stared around her room, searching for anything out of the ordinary to confirm her feelings but found none. She looked out but there was nothing to bee seen aside from the dark sky and well-trimmed gardens. Whatever it was, it evaded her well. She crinkled her nose as if in disgust and dug back under her sheets. It would have to wait until morning, she thought. 

*********

                She walked about the familiar street, glancing at the sceneries around her. She shifted under the weight of her bulging bag. She had thought that a few gifts and cakes would be in order for this visit. After all, they hadn't spoken to each other in nearly two years and she had wanted the reconciliation badly. She recalled Sakura's tired voice as she spoke her name in that little white room and she felt her spirits lighter. Their friendship was stronger than she had thought and she was glad that Sakura still thought of her as a friend. She herself never thought otherwise, though every now and then, doubt crept into her mind. But it was all over now. In a few minutes, she would be talking with Sakura once more, and they would say their apologies and everything would be fine. She shifted once more, this time lugging the bag behind her. Perhaps she had brought too much after all.

                She thanked the lady beside her once more. Of all the luck, the elevator simply decided to go out of order the very same day she was visiting. If it hadn't been for the nurse's help, she would have never gotten all her luggage up the seven floors. She sighed in relief as she paused in front of the room. The nurse assured her that Sakura was awake and ready to receive any visitors. She had decided not to tell Sakura she was coming since she wanted it to be a surprise. She smiled widely as she knocked and slowly opened the door.

                Sakura looked up from her book. Her eyes grew wide as she saw the dainty little girl slide into her room without so much as a creek. She was amazed. Tomoyo never seemed to lose her grace no matter what she did. She smiled warmly. She had missed her friend so much.

                "I'm glad you came." Sakura spoke from the bottom of her heart. Losing Tomoyo was like losing a part of herself and she had lost one too many already.

                Tomoyo nodded. "I'm glad too. I've missed you so much. The whole school felt so lonely when you went and then…. you never called. I thought you would never forgive me and I became pigheaded! I should have apologized, then everything would be done!" She came towards Sakura's bed and placed her bag down.

                Sakura looked at the bag, then at Tomoyo's sad face. It all came back to her, the reason why she hadn't called her for those two long years. Of course, how could she forget? The way they fought and shouted at one another, it was the first time that it had ever happened between them and both of them thought it had been the end of their friendship. But here she was now and there was no enmity between them, only a sense of lost time and opportunities and a nostalgic feeling she had felt since that day she ran out on her friend. She smiled wistfully and a single tear fell to her open book. She quickly caught herself and closed the book.

                "I hope I didn't come at a bad time." Tomoyo's quick wit always had a way of making lengthy conversations from awkward moments. "What were you reading? I haven't seen you hold that thick a book…ever. It must be really good then, right?"

                Sakura shook her head but she felt the same lightheartedness she used to feel whenever she was with Tomoyo. Of course, Tomoyo would notice such a thing. After all, they had been together for more than half of their lives. She knew how much Sakura hated reading or what her favorite food was, even in what mood she was in. Come to think of it, Tomoyo seemed to know her better than she knew herself. She certainly knew about him before she herself had ever gotten a clue.

                "Not really, just something to pass the time. I've changed a bit now, since we last saw each other." Deep sorrow glimmered in her eyes as she cast them down. A wistful smile played on her lips. "I'm not the happy little girl who you used to know, Tomoyo. I've lost that part of me who you used to cherish as a friend."

                "What are you trying to imply? That everything we've been through in past makes no difference to you now at all? You can't say such a thing. No matter how much any of us has changed, we are still and will always be the best of friends! Isn't that what you promised me?"

                "I'm sorry Tomoyo. It's just that…I don't know what to say. I'm afraid that I might let you down, that I might hurt you again the way I did that last time."

                Tomoyo's dark eyes began to water. She slowly stepped closer to her friend and then hesitantly, she took her friend's hands in hers. "It doesn't matter anymore. I'm not afraid and you shouldn't be either. Things like that happen no matter how tight the bond. What we have to do now is to believe in our friendship and face all the challenges that lie before us. Isn't that what true friendship is about?"

                Sakura felt a smile tug at her lips as she nodded. More tears sprung from her eyes as she lunged towards her friend's surprised yet open arms. "I'm so sorry!" she said in between sobs as Tomoyo slowly stroked her hair and cooed at her ear. "I'm so sorry for doubting you! I'm so sorry for every hurtful thing I've ever said. I've missed you so much! You don't know just how lonely I felt, without having anyone by my side, not you, not him, not any of our friends. I felt so scared!"

                Tomoyo nodded, stroking Sakura's hair in a comforting manner. She felt relieved to hear her friend's words. She smiled to herself. She held Sakura by her shoulders and pushed her away gently so that they could see eye to eye. Again, the encouraging smile was on her face. "So, what has the Card Mistress been up to these last few years? Do tell me something's on the stir. All your new costumes have been piled up in my closet and I'm dying to take more videos!"

                Sakura giggled as she wiped away her tears. It was refreshing to see Tomoyo's genuine optimistic attitude. "Nothing much, I'm afraid. This Card Mistress had just sorely lost to a bunch of rich-ass, and absolutely powerless brats, and got her own ass kicked into this hospital room. To tell you the truth, I haven't released the wand or any of the cards for nearly three years," her eyes were downcast and her voice fell to a whisper, "since he went away. I guess I just didn't have the heart."

                Tomoyo's dark eyes glimmered in reflection of her friend's sadness. She understood her perfectly. "I know how you feel. It's like you've lost the only reason to touch anything that's magical. Like you've lost that part of you that ties you to your powers. I feel that way sometimes, only in my own terms."

                Sakura nodded at her friend's words. "How do you feel that way? I didn't think you'd have any…."

                Tomoyo laughed. "Oh, no, not in the way you're thinking. I don't have any magic at all. But when you left, I've lost that part of me that loved to hold the video camera." Tomoyo sighed as her eyes became dreamy. She held her cheeks with both hands and her face blushed a bright red. "Oh, I felt so empty without my tapes of Sakura! It's like, I've lost all meaning in my life!"

                Sakura smiled in disbelief. "Don't you think you're a little too obsessed with your tapes?"

                "Of course not! My dear Sakura is worth video taping every minute and hour of the day. Why, when you left, there was nothing worth taping anymore. Do you know how many possible cute moments I've missed in those two long years? So much! It was agony! Sheer agony I tell you!"

                Sakura laughed and her laughter came purely and freely from the bottom of her soul. It was only now that she truly realized how much she had missed her best friend.

                "But I'm making up for all those wasted times right now! I'm not missing a single moment more!" Tomoyo quickly produced a video camera from her bag and expertly focused it on her friend's beautifully surprised face. Sakura nearly fell off the bed in amazement at how her friend made a camera materialize in her hands but she quickly caught herself. She wondered if Tomoyo's camera was magically linked to her hands just as the key was to hers.

                "You look so cute when you're confused. You just have a way of looking so innocent even when you're brain does not comprehend anything at the moment. It's so hard to find that in people. Most often, they just look plain stupid!", Tomoyo purred.

                "Hey!" Sakura pouted and placed a hurt look on her face. "Are you hinting at something? It sounds more like a criticism than a complement!"

                Tomoyo gasped as though in surprise while keeping the focus on Sakura. "My! You know I never have anything bad to say about you! All I'm saying is that you make bewilderment and pure ignorance blissfully enjoyable to look at. Now that's a talent!"   

                Sakura stuck out her tongue and laughed once more. This time Tomoyo joined in though she made sure that the camera recorded every moment of her friend's happiness.  "Tomoyo, will you stop that," Sakura half-pleaded in between laughs. "It's embarrassing!"

                Tomoyo shook her head. "I vowed to immortalize your face in as much digital time as possible and I plan to do it! Like I said before, I wont miss a moment more!"

                Sakura smiled gratefully. She knew it was her friend's way of telling her that she would never leave her again and that they would always be friends no matter what. Sakura whole-heartedly appreciated that.

                A knock on the door.

                The two girls stopped. Sakura wiped away some of the tears of laughter that had formed beneath her crystal green eyes. "Come in. the door's open."

                A young woman slowly stepped inside. She had short dark hair and a pair of amber eyes. Tomoyo recognized her to be the nurse that had helped her just a while back. She had a serene smile on her face.

                "I'm glad you two seem to be enjoying yourselves." She walked towards the two then turned to the dark-haired beauty beside the bed. "Thank you. She seems all the better already because of you. You're exactly what the doctor ordered."

                Tomoyo blushed. Something about the woman's gaze touched her deeply and reminded her of her own mother. She nodded in response then quickly remembered her manners. She gracefully bowed to the woman. "My name is Tomoyo Daidouji. It is my pleasure to meet you. I greatly appreciated your assistance a while ago and would like to thank you."

                The nurse smiled in return and bowed as well. "I'm Nami, Nami Nakamura. And it's no big deal. I'm glad to have helped a friend of Sakura's in any way."

                "And now that everybody's acquainted, let's get out of here!" Sakura brightly said. "It's too stuffy to have a picnic in here and the weather seems to be cool enough! Let's not waste these last few days of spring!" She made an indicating look towards Tomoyo's bag and then at Tomoyo herself and grinned. Tomoyo grinned as well. Her friend wasn't as oblivious to everything as she thought.  

                Nami nodded and left the room. A while later, she came back, pushing along a wheelchair obviously for Sakura's use. She helped the young girl up from her bed and unto the chair while Tomoyo stood aside so as not to get in the way. She focused her camera on Sakura's face as she balanced her bag on her left shoulder.