Hiee! It's me again, after such a long time. You know the same old, Gomen Nasai!! So many idea yet not enough time to carry them all out. As Usagi- chan says, one of these days, my head is gonna explode from all these ideas. It's not good for my health obviously. But I won't keep you waiting with all my yakking. 8th day.

Chapter 9

"Don't worry Sakura, I'll be home on time, okay?

"Alright, love you too. Mata ne."

Click!

"Alright, my shift is over, I'll see you tomorrow Bill." Fujitaka said to his co-worker as he took off his lab coat and hung it up.

"You too Professor. Have a good night. I trust I'll see you later at the Daidoji residence for their charity ball?"

"Just don't me find you spiking the punch again, alright?" Fujitaka joked back. Then he took his briefcase and headed out the door."

~*~* "Ouch, Tomoyo! What are you doing?" Sakura exclaimed after being painfully poked by a needle.

"Mmm momen masai Makura-mhan," Tomoyo said with a mouth full of pins. Sakura bent over and pulled them out so she could actually understand what her friend was saying.

"Thanks, but I'm so excited!! This is going to be fantastic! I'll try to be more careful though, you're almost done." Tomoyo continued, as Sakura sighed and stuck the pins back into Tomoyo's mouth. There was nothing she or possibly anything human that could stop Tomoyo from her ideas.

"I still can't believe you picked this theme just so YOU could make everyone's costumes."

"Mof mourse, Blah," Tomoyo spitted out the pins onto a near by table. "An 18th century ball is the perfect thing for a charity fest. Plus I get to decide how everyone should look. There, all finished." Tomoyo said as she stepped back to admire her masterpiece.

Sakura was standing on a small stool dressed and an elegant polonaise. Her fitted bodice and skirt was a cream colored pink, (which was in the back and acted like a fitted jacket that was sewn to a strapless white dress) and the front was white with little pink ribbons around her waist. The sleeves were quarter cut (cut the elbow and drapes out), with layers of lace ruffles draping out. Her long auburn hair was pulled up into a long ponytail with real sakura blossoms at the root and ending in long curls, like her front bangs. A silver heart hung on a pink chocker around her neck.

Tomoyo just sighed in silent happiness, trying to enjoy the moment while it lasted. Her eyes almost brimming with tears.

"Well, how do I look?" Sakura asked curiously.

Tomoyo just mouthed something that sounded like perfect, but she was too overwhelmed happiness that she just couldn't put it into vocal..

However, Eriol arrived at just the right time, knocking first.

"Sakura, are you decent?" he asked nervously.

"Hai," Sakura answered back.

Eriol stuck his head in to see. "Wow! Sakura, you look beautiful, Syaoran would be very please." He complemented making Sakura blush.

"Eriol-kun, you look so handsome!" Sakura exclaimed.

Eriol was dressed in midnight-blue jacket with tails hanging down with a white blouse with ruffles in the middle and a gold colored vest. He had beige breeches reaching just below his knees ending with long white socks and the 18th century shoes. At his neck was a single gem collar, which just added on to his confiscation.

"Doma arigato Sakura-chan. Now Tomoyo-chan," he said turning to her, "go changed, the party is about to start!"

"But I wanted to add more to Sakura-chan's hair. It's too simple!" Tomoyo whined.

"Go!" Eriol said, pushing her into the changing room and then shutting the door tight. Then he turned back to Sakura and said, "Sakura, did you call you father yet?"

"Yes, he said he should be arriving any moment soon."

BAM! The changing room's door flung opened. "By the way, Sakura, here are your father's clothes." Then as soon as Tomoyo had given Sakura the clothes, Eriol was pushing her back into the room. "Tell him to-"

BAM! And there went the closet door.

Eriol sighed as he turned around and leaned against the door, making sure Tomoyo wouldn't pop out again.

"Don't worry Eriol, I'll look after Tomoyo and you go wait with Syaoran, okay?" Sakura offered.

"Thanks Sakura-chan, I need to go and greet the guest anyways. Jeez, she can afford a fancy mansion but she can't afford locks."

"I heard that!" shouted a muffled cry from inside the closet.

~*~*

"What's taking them so long?" Syaoran asked anxiously as he paced back and forth. He was dressed similar to Eriol except his jacket was a rich forest green, his vest was dark silver and his breeches were black instead of beige. He also had a jeweled collar except his gem was an emerald green compared to Eriol's royal purple.

Both Eriol and Syaoran were in the waiting room where the guests come through to sign in and donate their funds.

"You know Tomoyo." Eriol simply shrugged.

"What do you mean know me?" Asked a voice from behind them.

There was Tomoyo, dressed just as elegantly as Sakura except her bodice was a dark indigo with a lavender dress. She had ribbons adorned on her sleeve, which were also quarter cut with laces. Her long, dark hair was pulled up a pretty bun encircled in little white lilacs and two curly strand of hair each ran down the sides of her face.

Eriol just stared. It was as if every single vocabulary he ever knew, all the English and Japanese words, just disappeared from his mind causing a dazed stare. Same with Syaoran, as soon as Sakura came up from behind Tomoyo.

"Thank you Eriol, you look very nice too." Tomoyo answered back seeing how blank Eriol's face was.

"Syaoran what do you think? Sakura asked, going a bit pink.

Syaoran just went red. He swallowed hard and muttered something.

"What did you say?"

"Bea..Bea..pretttty.." Obviously the word "beautiful" was too much for him to handle at the moment.

Sakura just giggled as Syaoran's awkward state. It was a rare moment to see him speechless now since they've been together for so long.

"Sakura, Tomoyo!" shouted a voice from behind them. All four of them turned around to see Yuki and Touya.

"I hope we're not late," Yuki said as he waved. He looked soooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo cute!!! His outfit was of course similar to Eriol's and Syaoran's except his pants were longer and he was wearing long boots. His jacket and pants was black with a silver vest, which complimented his kind eyes. Instead of a collar or ruffles, he had a light blue necktie tucked in inside his vest. (What I mean is not an actual tie but one of those that look like a piece of fabric tucked in, usually rich people wears them with the whole blazer)

"Yuki!! You made it just in time!" Sakura exclaimed as she rushed toward him. "Where's Touya?"

"Right here." Said a voice behind Yuki. There appeared Touya, wearing what looked almost like one of his violin tuxedo. Except Tomoyo changed it to make it look more 18th century-like. He was also wearing a necktie, except his was a darker blue, along with a long black trench coat that buttoned in the middle but opened out at his legs to reveal his black pants. And in the back of his trench coat was cut into tails.

"Tall, dark, and handsome was exactly what I was going for." Tomoyo said with a grin.

"I couldn't agree more," said a voice close to Sakura. They all turned around to find Kaho standing there.

"Mitsuki-san!! You made it!" Sakura shouted as she ran towards her for a hug.

"Hello, Sakura, it's good to see you again." She said softly. "Tomoyo, thank you so much for taking time to make my dress. It's beautiful."

And it was, of course(!). Her dress was similar to Tomoyo's and Sakura's except his had a high collar instead of low like the girls. Like Eriol, she had ruffles coming down from the collar with a jeweled chocker. Her dress was a rich peach and beige color with her hair also up in an elegant bun, except she wore her bangs straight instead of curly.

Touya's expression turned to sulking. He hated seeing his old girlfriend because she always had some kind of prediction.

Kaho, however, spotted this immediately and just grinned.

"Don't worry Touya, I won't say anything, so you don't need to keep wearing that expression." She simply said. Still, Touya didn't look too reassured.

"Try to cheer Touya-san. Besides, Nakura will be very please with how well you look tonight," Eriol said with a big grin.

At that moment, Touya's expression automatically dropped. He lowered his head and voice and whispered," She's not close by is she?" he asked in desperation.

Suddenly, as if by psychic connection, there was a loud voice, shouting behind them. "TOUYA!!!!!"

Touya's expression dropped from sulking to complete terror!! "Wait!! Don't- "

But he was cut in by Eriol asking Ms Mitsuki to dance as soon as the waltz struck up. "Kaho, would you like to? For old times sake." Eriol asked, offering a hand.

"Eriol-kun, you were always the gentleman." Kaho replied as she accepted.

"Yuki, would you honor me with this dance?" Tomoyo asked, turning to Yuki.

"Of course, Tomoyo I'd love to!" Yuki said, extending his arm so Tomoyo could hook hers around it. Then they set off with Sakura and Syaoran, leaving Touya alone, and defenseless.

"Yuki, you traitor.." Touya muttered his breath. "Tonight, you're getting your own ride home. Hope it doesn't rain."

"Umm.Touya?" Repeated Nakura's voice, except Touya could sense her presence right behind him.

Sigh. Okay, this is it. Just suck it in and go for it. You'll live. Just one night, only. Hey come on, you've fallen off a cliff before, this should be a piece of cake. Okay, now!

Nothing.

Coward..

"Umm, Touya?" Nakura said again this time tapping lightly on his shoulder.

Touya just turned around, without thinking, but had his eyes shut tight. Slowly, he peered through one eye to make it was safe.

But instead both eyes and jaw(!) dropped about 3 ft towards the ground.

There was Nakura, dressed in a perfectly, classy dress. It was red and black dress, close to Sakura and Tomoyo's, with a black chocker and a red butterfly hanging off. Her long hair was pulled back into a long ponytail, dressed with an ornamental, crystal butterfly. And her long hair fell back in waves. She was carry herself different somehow, more shy-like and quiet. Completely un-Nakura, which was usually loud and jumping all over the place.

"Umm..er..You probably wouldn't want to,... but.. would you like... to .um.. dance?" Nakura asked in a small voice, yes, a small voice, and turning slightly pink.

Touya, after popping his mouth back into his jaws and putting back in his eyes, smiled and held out his hand.

~*~* Fujitaka sighed as he leaned against the wall. He had arrived, not too long after Touya and was already dressed him his outfit.

His costumes was, however different from every one else. He had a long white sleeve, which hang long from his shoulder to his elbow and then come in like a regular shirt at his wrist. (if you have no idea what I'm talking about, it's the shirt that Bart Simpson was wearing in the Hamlet episode). Outside of the shirt, is an auburn vest trimmed with gold and handfuls of gold, copper, and ember autumn leaves as a pattern. He even had a pocket watch with chains dangling so he could hang his pocket watch, the only prized procession he's kept from his parents after they died. His breeches were a tan color and he wore knee high brown boots, just like Yuki.

The party was no doubt a huge turnout. People were dancing, all dressed gracefully, thanks to Tomoyo. But he just didn't feel like he belonged so he just started to drift off to the side, now sitting by himself, watching the others dance.

Suddenly a loud "thump" came from behind him.

Thinking that someone could be in trouble, and being the heroic type he is, Fujitaka followed the sound into a large area. There in the middle, stood a gigantic fish tank. It was so big, it touched the two walls so it was impossible to walk around it.

He couldn't help but to start admiring the amazing colors of the tropical fish, swimming back and forth like birds in the sky. All those colors, and bubbles everywhere, it was like dream, ...a rainbow beneath the ocean blue. The waters even reflected onto the whole ceiling so it was like he was underwater.

Then there was one fish that caught his eye. It stood out among the brilliant colors because of its sleek, slivery scales. And a violet line streaked across its eye. At the bottom of the tank were pictures and plaques stating which fish was which. Fujitaka skimmed through and found it on the corner.

Type: Angel Fish Location: Southern Japan Nickname: Nadeshiko

Fujitaka looked back up and found the fish staring at him for a while, and then, as if by chance, led him across the tank from one side to the other, weaving through the holes, and castles, the plants and other companions.

Suddenly, it stops. After it went a little loop in a rock, it stopped right in front of it.

"What is it?" Fujitaka muttered to the fish.

It was almost as if the fish actually heard and moved out of the way.

There was an eye staring back at Fujitaka through the loop!!!

Fujitaka jumped back from shock. He took out his glasses and rubbed them clean with a handkerchief from his pocket, then put them back on.

Then he edged back towards the tank, though very slowly, the eye was still there, but this time it blinked. Perhaps there was someone on the other side of the tank. It is possible, Fujitaka thought to himself, trying to find a logical answer for the eye staring at him. Because of the water, he couldn't identify whose eye it was exactly.

"Fujitaka?" suddenly said a voice from the other side of the screen.

"Kahimi?" Fujitaka asked back, just recognizing the voice. He bent in closer towards the glass. That silvery eye did seem familiar. "Where are you?"

"I'm on the other side. Hold up, let me see if I can find a hole somewhere in one of these castles." Her voice echoed from the tank.

Then, the eye disappeared, moving to the right. Fujitaka followed.

"So what brings you here?"

"The kids wanted me to come and sing for the charity. And since I wasn't busy grading papers, I decided to come. What about you?"

Fujitaka continued moving right, following her voice, only seeing more fish. "Well, it's better than be stuck at the office with research papers. Plus it's not everyday people suddenly start wearing 18th century clothes."

"My feet can't take it." Kahimi joked. "What are you doing here? In this room I mean."

"I don't dance too well, you know. Stepped on one too many toes in my life time already." Fujitaka answered.

"What the perfect Professor Fujitaka-san can't dance?" Kahimi asked with a slight hint of surprise and teasing in her voice.

"You're teasing with me. I'm not perfect.." he said as Fujitaka continued to walk along the tank.

"Sure if you're comparing yourself to the personality of mystical beings, then no, but to the average man, you are."

"Aww Kahimi, you're making me blush." Fujitaka jested.

Then Fujitaka saw her. Her sweet face and head through a large hole craved into one of the rocks that was just big enough too. The water flowed continuously, creating an angelic mirage of her image. The light reflection off the ceiling played back down on her head like ripples falling down her hair.

They both smiled at the sight of each other and blushed slightly. Thank god for the tank or else it would've been crystal clear.

"Ahem," Fujitaka suddenly said after coming back down to earth. "Would you like to dance?"

"Oh I would but how do I get to you? The tank takes up the whole room!

I think we've better meet back in the ballroom, I'll go back around." Kahimi replied.

~*~*

As Fujitaka entered back inside the ballroom to find it packed as ever, now that more people had arrived.

How the heck was he suppose to find Kahimi through that crowd. And it was useless shouting since the orchestra had started playing. Nevertheless, Fujitaka tried to make his way through the crowd.

"Kahimi!" he tried to shout. "Kahimi!" It was worth a shot.

"Fujitaka-san?!" called a distant voice from across the room.

"Kahim-whoa!" Fujitaka was suddenly pulled up into the dance as everyone just grabbed a close partner.

"Fujitaka! Where are you?" Kahimi asked, as she too was suddenly pulled in.

The gentlemen would twirl the girl and then bow, then they turned around and started dancing with the girl behind them. Hand and arm lifted up and hooked around each other, round about like a carousel, waltz for a couple of minutes, twirl and then bow again.

"I'm over here!" Fujitaka shouted back, but it was no use.

"Where over here?"

Just then Fujitaka had finished twirling his partner, as Kahimi's partner finished twirling her, both of them back to back. They bowed and spun around only to meet eye to eye.

(Neko strikes up romantic music! Bubbles everywhere!)

"Kahimi/Fujitaka!"

No doubt, she had to be one of the best dressed up person there, (other than Fujitaka of course, ahem..). A wreath of lilies held in an incomplete bun with her long hair flowing down her back in long curls. Her dress was a deep cream color with lacey collared sleeves and neckline. Her eyes were sparkling from the ballroom lights, which gave her a complementary glow.

"Do you think your feet can handle one last dance?" Fujitaka asked with a grin holding out his hand.

"I think there's still one left in them." Kahimi replied, accepting it. "But on one condition."

"And what's that?"

"Not to step on my feet, they already hurt." Kahimi asked with an apologetic smile.

"Promise."

The air was filled with laughter and music as everyone was, well, having a ball. No pun intended. Except for a dark figure looking out from behind the kitchen doors.

Tomoyo was just returning from the bathroom when her mother called out to her from the kitchen.

"Tomoyo, darling, I'm going to up my room. Do you think you could handle the rest of the charity? Just stick to the schedule, and then bid everyone goodbye on their way out when they leave. The servants will take care of the mess." Sonomi said.

"Yes Mother, but won't you join the party? I put your dress on your bed for you already." Tomoyo replied, looking a little worried.

"I'm sorry darling but I have a headache from work this morning and I'd rather lay down.." Sonomi forced on a smile in case her daughter had suspicions. "Don't worry about me. You just go have fun, okay."

"Okay Mother." Tomoyo tiptoed up to give Sonomi a quick kiss and then left to rejoin up with Sakura.

Sonomi ascended up the spiral staircase, but half there, she stopped to look back down again.

There was Fujitaka dancing with that pretty young woman from the restaurant. Tomoyo had told her, her name. Kahimi Noda, the new teacher. She watched as Fujitaka twirled Kahimi around, see her throw back her pretty head with long hair as she laughed. Almost like the Nasdeshiko did. The way she seemed to just float on the dance floor, as if her feet never touched the ground. Nadeshiko may have been clumsy but dancing seemed to come natural to her.

It was too painfully to watch any longer, as Sonomi shut her pretty brown eyes closed to keep tears from pouring and left.

~*~*

"What? Fujitaka, Mr. Better-than-Perfect can't dance?" Nadeshiko teased.

Fujitaka turned bashful at his own lack of ability to dance.

Nadeshiko giggled to see her fiancé so shy for once but it just made him even cuter.

Instead she took both hands and led him into the dance floor. She took one hand and put it on her waist, the other in her own hand, and draped her own arm on his shoulder. Then slowly they began to spin, step left, step, step, (yea, she was leading), step in rotation, and step forward, and repeat.

(How many of you are trying to dance this thing at home?? That's what I thought. Just a little note, I can't waltz, usually it's just rocking back and forth, spinning in a circle, you know what I mean.)

"Oww." Nasdeshiko quince.

"..uhh gomen nasai.." Fujitaka replied bashfully, turning SUPER-DE-DUPER (my cousin obviously has too much of an influence on me -_-') red.

Nadeshiko just pulled him closer, bent in his ear, and whispered "Daijobu."

The waltz ended a slow ballad struck up. She draped both arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder.

Sonomi was on stage as she took the microphone and began to sing.

"Spend all your time waiting for that second chance For the break that will make it ok There's always some reason, to feel not good enough And it's hard at the end of the day I need some distraction or a beautiful release Memories seep from my veins Let me be empty and weightless and maybe I'll find some peace tonight"

Fujitaka held Nadeshiko closer to him, knowing that someday, she would vanish from his arms. Vanish from the face of the earth, forever.

"Now this I can do," he whispered softy.

"In the arms of an Angel far away from here From this dark, cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear You are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie You're in the arms of an Angel; may you find some comfort here"

"Oww.."

"Or not.."

~*~*

"So tired of the straight line, and everywhere you turn There's vultures and thieves at your back The storm keeps on twisting, you keep on building the lies That you make up for all that you lack It don't make no difference, escaping one last time It's easier to believe In this sweet madness, oh this glorious sadness That brings me to my knees

"In the arms of an Angel far away from here From this dark, cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear You are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie You're in the arms of an Angel; may you find some comfort here

"You're in the arms of an Angel; may you find some comfort here...."

APPLAUSE!! WHOOOP!!! ENCORE!!! APPLAUSE!!! CLAP, CLAP, CLAP, CLAP!!!"

Kahimi took a bow, as Tomoyo took over the microphone " Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you attending tonight's charity ball. I am please to announce that we made over half a million dollars of the Leukemia-Cure, and our sponsors have promise to double whatever amount we make so thank you everyone! I hope you all have a good night and drive safe! Oyasumi nasai!!"

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~* MNKitty: OMG, that took me the longest time to write. Like I said before I'm so sorry. But getting only five hours of sleep each day the past months isn't exactly the healthiest condition to be writing fanfics. And plus I have to get back into the feeling after so long of not writing. I hope this chapter turned out to be okay, I kinda rushed myself. I promise in the next chapter I'll have a guest in the studio. If you guys have any request just put it in the review. You can also find updates from me in there so check in every once and a while. Thanks and like Tomoyo said: "Oyaumi Nasai!!"