Part 2
Originally, this and Part 1 were merged but I split them because it was a bit long. Believe it or not, inspiration for this fic came from Harry Potter, hence the simplified prose. Cardcaptor Sakura and all characters are (C) CLAMP. This fic was made by a fan for fans. Please don't sue!
Normally, little girls wake up to the sound of an alarm clock the next morning. But if you were a girl named Sakura Kinomoto, you eventually awoke to the sound of Kero-chan.
"Good morning, Sakura! Time to wake up!"
Sakura rubbed her eyes. "Kero-chan, you're actually awake this morning. Are you feeling okay?"
"Of course I am! Why would I be?" Kero commented, flexing his arm.
"I think you only woke up because you wanted to impress Tomoyo-chan." Sakura commented.
Kero blushed. "O-of course not! Tomoyo was already awake by the time I woke up."
Sakura looked around. Tomoyo's belongings were nowhere to be found. Neither was Tomoyo herself. "Tomoyo-chan? Where did she go?"
"She said she was going outside to the backyard. Said also that she'll be around for breakfast." Kero shrugged. "I don't know what she's up to. But, more importantly, you have to be awake for today! It's already 8:00. You're going to be late for school."
Sakura glanced at the clock. "Hoe! You're right!" she freaked and made a mad dash for her belongings.
Kero was right. Tomoyo was around for breakfast. Her manners were impeccable and she thanked Touya graciously for cooking extra for her. Touya grunted a "You're welcome" that Tomoyo swore sounded like a "I wish you were Yukito". She giggled, then turned to Sakura who was looking very concerned.
"Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo blinked. "Is something the matter?"
"Are you sure you're okay, Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura pouted.
Tomoyo paused, then burst into a quiet giggle. "You're so sweet, Sakura-chan. I'm so glad to have you for a best friend. But I'm all right. Why do you ask?"
"Hmm..." Sakura poked her bacon. "I just feel like something is bothering you, that's all. Maybe it's just my imagination."
"You worry about others so much. One of the many traits I love about you." Tomoyo smiled, all starry-eyed.
"Eh..." Sakura blushed.
Touya shook his head at his sister. Sakura noticed. "What, onii-chan?"
"Nothing. Just watching the reactions I have to live with when you settle down with your future wife."
"W-wife?!" Sakura yelped and Tomoyo giggled.
"Whatever..." Touya stood. "You'd better get to school soon. Because if going to school this late becomes a habit for you, being a wife is all you can hope for."
"Mou! Onii-chan, you're cruel!" Sakura cried as Touya left.
Soon, Sakura packed her books, strapped on her rollerblading gear and was already out the door. Tomoyo, with her knapsack around her shoulders and her ever-present camcorder in her hand, was nearby.
"Bye, onii-chan!" Sakura waved. "Come on, Tomoyo-chan!"
"Coming!" Tomoyo called as Sakura left. But just before Tomoyo set foot outside the door, she felt someone grab her by the shoulder. With an "Eh?" and an immediate grab for that hand, she looked up and behind her and saw Touya.
"You're hiding something from Sakura, aren't you?"
"You... you... No, I'm not hiding anything." Tomoyo forced a smile.
Touya shrugged. "Doesn't bother me, personally. I'm not your future to-be. What bothers me, though, is that you're hiding a secret from Sakura, who is your best friend."
Tomoyo looked to the ground. "Sakura-chan already has her own problems. She doesn't need to know any that don't really concern her."
"If you are really her friend, you'd tell her. That's what friends are for." Touya continued.
"Mmm..." was all Tomoyo said before she took off herself.
Touya closed the door behind Tomoyo. He wasn't going to say anything - he didn't know all the details, although he could make an educated guess. It was up to Tomoyo to tell Sakura. Although, he had a feeling that Tomoyo won't say anything.
The bell rang, indicating recess. Sakura, Tomoyo, Meilin and Li hung around the classroom around Meilin's desk. Meilin sat on her desk, looking ashamed at herself. Li was to Meilin's left, his arms folded and his expression stern. Sakura and Tomoyo stood together at Meilin's right.
"Aren't you going to tell them?" Li asked.
Meilin fidgeted.
Sakura blinked. "Tell us what?"
"Tell them before I do." Li continued.
"All right, all right." Meilin hugged her knees. "So I told a little fib yesterday. I didn't come in first in last year's tournament. I came in second."
"'Last year'?" Li repeated as if to prod his cousin.
"Okay, okay - the year before, and the year before that..." Meilin took a deep breath. "The truth is, I always came in second place. There's always one person much... well, she always came in first and beats me every year."
"Wow... someone better than you, Meilin?" Sakura was in genuine awe. She couldn't imagine anyone being better than Meilin, except for maybe Li. "Who is it?"
Li placed a magazine article, folded to a specific page, on Meilin's lap, adding more insult to his cousin's injury. Sakura and Tomoyo glanced at this complicated-looking chart. "Her name is Ritchner Kitohara. That's only her stage name. But every year, she won first place."
"Not this year. This year," she stood, "I, Meilin, will claim first place in the children's division and prove to the world that I am the best!"
As she said 'the best', she kept shooting glances towards her right. Sakura yelped. "What? I don't practice martial arts! What are you looking at me for?"
"Don't worry, Sakura-chan." Tomoyo placed her hands around Sakura's neck in an affectionate hug and looked at Meilin. "Meilin, I'm sure you will do fine in this year's finals. We'll be rooting for you!"
Meilin grinned. "Of course I will! You can count on that, Tomoyo Daidouji!"
Meanwhile, Li contemplated in silence.
Tomoyo requested to stay over at Sakura's house again that night. Sakura now was thoroughly confused but again agreed. Whatever was bothering Tomoyo, it probably made her happy to stay over than to force her to go home. Still, Sakura wanted to know what was bothering Tomoyo, but Tomoyo kept changing the subject. The other Kinomoto's didn't mind Tomoyo's quiet presence.
Sakura continued to ponder about Tomoyo as she went to bed.
Where Sakura would have a dream about her chasing The Bunny with her wand. Not that there was any such card called The Bunny, but it was cute nonetheless.
Ring!
Ring!
Sakura was awoken by the phone. She rubbed her tired eyes and glanced at the clock. 11:00 PM. She wondered why someone would be calling now of all times. Fujitaka had picked up the phone. Sakura could hear her father speak on the other end. Meanwhile, Kero and Tomoyo slept through it all. Then, Fujitaka's footsteps came up the stairs and knocked on Sakura's door.
"Sakura, it's a call from Mrs. Daidouji. Can you please pick up the phone?"
Sakura opened the door. "Thanks, dad." She closed the door, then paused to allow a wave of dread to pass. She had a feeling that Tomoyo's mother - Sonomi - meant business. But Sakura had to answer quickly before she was labeled rude, and placed the receiver to her ear. "Hello?" she muttered groggily.
"Sakura, is it? This is Tomoyo's mother."
"What is it, Mrs. Daidouji?"
"Is Tomoyo there? She didn't leave any message to her whereabouts, so I gathered that this would be the first and best place to look."
"Yes, she's here. Why?" Sakura asked.
"I want Tomoyo to come home immediately."
"Eh? So late at night?" Sakura was awake now. "Wouldn't it be easier if she came home tomorrow morning?"
"I'm sorry, Sakura, but this is urgent business. Tomoyo is to come home immediately. I will arrange for a ride if absolutely necessary."
"Tell my mother I won't need a ride." Sakura whirled around and was surprised to see that not only was Tomoyo awake, she had heard the phone conversation somehow. Maybe it was because the house was so quiet and that Mrs. Daidouji was speaking very loudly. "I'll walk home."
Sakura returned her attention to the phone. "Tomoyo-chan says that she'll walk home."
"I understand. I expect to see her home as soon as possible." With that, Mrs. Daidouji hung up.
"What was that all about..?" Sakura wondered. She turned around and saw Tomoyo already getting dressed and packing up.
"I'm so sorry, Sakura-chan." Tomoyo looked to the floor. She slung her bag over her shoulder, her camcorder nestled in her other hand. "I'm so sorry for being selfish."
"It's okay, Tomoyo! Really, it's okay!" Sakura put a hand over Tomoyo's shoulders. "At least let me walk you to the door."
The two girls crept quietly down the stairs. Fujitaka didn't ask Sakura what that was all about as she gave him the phone. It was none of his business. Besides, he could already guess what was going on, seeing Tomoyo walk to the door.
Just before Tomoyo left for good, she turned to Sakura. "Please take care, Sakura-chan. Wish Meilin good luck for me."
Sakura nodded. "I will. But Tomoyo-chan, what's going on? Why are you acting so strangely."
Tomoyo looked to the side. "I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. I... I'm just selfish, that's all." Bowing, she left the Kinomoto residence.
Sakura watched Tomoyo leave. "Poor Tomoyo-chan... I wonder what's bothering her..." she wondered aloud before closing the front door.
The streets were bare and silent, lit only by street lamps. Tomoyo continued on down the street, staring at the ground. Normally, a girl her age would be dead tired but she was wide awake. The last thing she wanted to do was to go home, but where else could she go? It was already selfish of her to ask Sakura to stay over. And the Li's? No, she didn't want to go to Li's house, mainly because Meilin was there.
Speaking of Meilin...
"What's with the down face?" called Meilin who stood atop a brick wall.
Tomoyo looked up. "Meilin..."
Meilin jumped down in front of Tomoyo. "I see that you couldn't stay at Sakura's after all. So, where are you going to go now?" She snapped her fingers. "I know! You could stay with me tonight! Wouldn't that be grand? We can spend a whole night together!"
Tomoyo shook her head, then sported her usual innocent smile. "No thanks, Meilin, but thank you very much for the offer." She tried to leave but was cut off by Meilin.
"I see. So you're going to go home to your precious mommy, huh? You and I both know what's going to happen when you get home. You told me yourself what happens."
"How did you know where to find me?" Tomoyo asked, pointing her now rolling camera at Meilin. She hoped the change of subject would distract Meilin.
To the Japanese girl's relief, it did - "I called your mother's house earlier but you weren't home, so I figured that you'd be at Sakura's." - but not for long. "So, are you going to accept my invitation or not? It'd be a real shame if you didn't come tomorrow."
Tomoyo held up her camcorder. "Meilin... I'm sorry."
Meilin growled. "Fine, then! I'll show you what it feels like to have honour hurt!"
The Chinese girl lunged at Tomoyo with an outstretched fist. Tomoyo screamed and flung her arm back, knocking her precious camcorder on the ground. As the sound of fists and scuffles continued, the camcorder continued to tape them...
Just an hour had passed since that phone call when Tomoyo arrived at home. Not a hair was out of place nor any clothes touched. She regretted that during the scuffle, she had torn off and left her camcorder behind. She secretly hoped that Meilin had taken the camcorder and will give it to Sakura tomorrow, because Tomoyo herself had no intentions of going to that tournament tomorrow. But on the other hand, Tomoyo didn't want Sakura to see what was on that video...
"Welcome home, Tomoyo dear." spoke the voice of Sonomi.
Tomoyo dropped her school bag. In fear, she backed up to the door but it was automatically locked by electronic guard. Sonomi stepped in from underneath the shadows. Her voice was ragged and her smile was wicked. Very wicked. Tomoyo recognised that look - the very same one she was trying to avoid.
"I-I'm home, mother. I'll be going to bed now."
Not taking her eyes off of her mother, Tomoyo slid sideways towards the direction of her room, then took a mad dash for the hallway. Sonomi, however, was much faster and grabbed Tomoyo by the arm. She pulled her daughter in close, breathing down her neck.
"Tomoyo, dear..." Sonomi's voice was not that of the sane world. "Put these on. Put them on, Tomoyo darling."
Tomoyo shut her eyes as tightly as possible. She felt something cold and leathery pressed against her face, forcing her to open her eyes. She wished she didn't - directly in front of her were a pair of leather gloves. They were much too small for Sonomi, but Tomoyo knew them all too well.
"Put on the gloves, Tomoyo dear. Put them on!"
"No!" Tomoyo screamed before her mother lashed her across the face.
"I said to put them on, Tomoyo! Do as you're told!" Tomoyo's mother commanded.
"No, mother! I know what you'll do to me if I do! What difference does it make if I wear them or not? It's all the same!"
"Do it! Now!" Sonomi bellowed and shoved one of the gloves over Tomoyo's fist.
If tears had a certain speed for Tomoyo's moods, they had never flowed any faster.