SEASON OF WINTER
Part Two v2
By: Lau-kun
Disclaimer: A/N at end. CCS©CLAMP and this fiction is ©2005 by yours truly. So if you even dare steal it or use it w/o permission, a pack of white wolves with steel fangs will eat you... ALIVE. And for those who wanna sue me, I don't own CCS (along with a few copyrighted things mentioned in this fiction) coz if I do, Eriol would be off with Tomoyo by now. (Yeah... that's putting it mildly... XD)
Feedbacks are always welcome, even cruel ones! VampirePeaches! (Yeah, I would never get tired of thanking you) you're really something!
For those who previously read this story. I... uh... deleted the prologue coz I think it needed attention. Read chapter two, okay? XD XD XD and review! Please! And No, this is NOT a new chappie. Just edited it coz a lot of people had been telling me it's toooooooooo loooooooong!
Winter
Marked by lack of Life, Warmth and Cheer.
Sakura wondered what happened to Eriol-kun.
After sensing the undeniable clashing of two powerful magical waves, Sakura felt the urge tosee for herself what had happened to Eriol-kun.She wanted to turn. But she couldn't. Raven was busy keeping her attention for herself with obvious motives... well, alright,perhaps not too obvious motives since she couldn't quite comprehend why they were letting Eriol-kun fight their master. And in par with their first encounter, it seemed like her skill had doubled. Sakura wasn't even aware someone could possess such skill and still live (in all modesty, Sakura never actually thought about the amount of power she had, while basically, all powerful beings would nash their eyeteeth just to give it one single wave).
Anyway, she was still wondering WHY they were letting Eriol-kun fight their master.
And what about Tomoyo-chan?
Sakura was desperately feeling the urge to know. She really, really wanted to know the reason, that she almost triggered her foresight to work on such dangerous time. It was a good thing though, her opponent had some grace in her to speak out and snap her out of it. Whether it was intentional or not, she really didn't know. "You should concentrate more on what you're doing than straying towards other thoughts," said Raven, surprising Sakura a bit while she was swishing her sword around. "It's not in my nature to be pushy but if you don't concentrate, I might inflict damage on you."
Sakura was confused. "Isn't that what you want?"
Raven grinned. "Yes well..." her grin widened, a bit sheepish much to Sakura's wonder. "I don't want to do it with much ease now, do I? Where's the challenge in that?"
And so, their duel continued.
"Give. Her. Back. Clow... Now." Murderous poison was in Eriol's voice. If his guardians saw him like this then they'll undoubtedly note it as Eriol's hidden streak of...well, it was simply Eriol's dangerous, dangerous streak that they wouldn't even dare encompass given the seven tortures of hell itself. They would probably make a truce to not go on the path of pissing him anymore than their usual act of rubbing on his nerves up to no end. Not that they've gone that far, oh no. Eriol was too used to their babbling, ramblings and occasional bossy mode but this — this case, was entirely different.
Nakuru only goes for fun in getting Spinel Sun drunk. Spinel Sun could be as murderous in thoughts but both of them never crossed the line of actually hurting one another to the extremes. Even if one of them wanted to, they couldn't and wouldn't because they had deeper affinities than one could ever imagine. It's a sibling complex, comparable to that of Touya-kun's sister complex. And logic dictated — he glared even more at the hooded man — that this unknown Clow reincarnate meant more than what he's saying; even more dangerous than just finding out his reaction if he hurts any of his friends.
And it was not wise to anger Eriol, even if he only had half of his powers left.
Clow chuckled. "I guess I go by that name now..." he chuckled some more, somehow finding a cryptic humor in Eriol's words. It took Eriol an effort to control the flowing anger boiling inside him, like hot molten magma, since if he did blow up, he would most likely hurt Daidouji too, which he was avoiding at all costs.
And he wouldn't forgive himself if he does now, wouldn't he? Asked the little voice inside him again. Yes, he wouldn't forgive himself if something happens to one of his close friends even though technically; Daidouji-san and him were far from being considered close.
Still, he cares for her. In a way...
Tomoyo's eyes were shut but her mind wasn't.
Her head was reeling in confusion as she paid close attention to the conversation that had been happening around her. She could remember faint light. And even before that, she could remember two winged beings introducing themselves politely as Cyrus and Raven, cornering her down the clock tower and carrying her towards their master.
It was strange but she somehow realized, though disturbingly, that Cyrus was being extra careful. And Raven was too, while they were carrying her to the top. They were even bickering over trivial matters such as the other is an idiot and then the other would most likely shred his fur to convert him into a convenient throw-rug. It would've been funny if the circumstances were different, but anyway...
She met him.
It was Clow. He introduced himself as Clow Reed but why on earth did he had that burnoose hood pulled over his head?
"But don't forget..." Clow spoke with unfathomable cheer in his voice, "that you're as much of Clow Reed as I am, Eriol-kun. Though not quite Clow, it counts..." he smiled.
Eriol-kun. Tomoyo processed the name in her mind. It was Hiiragizawa.
And she concluded again, perhaps, he doesn't want Hiiragizawa to see his face.
"It's not yet the time to know who I am, Eriol." said Clow.
At least, not yet as he says...
Mental unconsciousness came and took her to rest.
"So for the mean time, let's play this part now, shall we?" Clow smiled lopsidedly and drew the staff on his hands. Golden radiance appeared beneath him again and then, Tomoyo levitated in mid air. "Such a pretty thing... don't you think so, Eriol-kun?" the smile on Clow's face appeared dangerous and extremely obnoxious for his liking. "I think I wouldn't mind keeping her around for a while."
Before he could add another word, Eriol launched forward, only to be repelled by a powerful barrier surrounding his other self.
Clow's chuckle was dripping evil. "That is a problem now, don't you think?" he cheerfully added — cheerfully evil if that were a possible combination. Well he didn't have a hard time combining those two so it must be possible. Eriol frowned, loathing his other self more than he already did.
"Don't YOU even dare do something to her." Eriol warned, wincing a bit from the unexpected contact with his nemesis' barrier. The pain in his body was tingling but he found his worry too overwhelming to even think of his own safety. Daidouji did nothing to deserve this. Nor did anybody so if this was Clow, then it was his business to stop it — through wire and fire.
He has to because they were one in a point of their life. Technically, if his other self was doing this to Daidouji, then, he might as well hang his self for pleas of guilt. Two — or three people were one, thus, making one responsible for the other. And if that were the case, he would feel responsible if anything should happen to her. And he just WOULDN'T forgive his self if anything should happen to Daidouji.
Never.
"No?" it was a drawled rhetorical question; Clow raised his staff, emitting golden radiance of dangerous sparks. "I don't know about you..." he allowed one purely EVIL smile. "But I think it would be lots of fun..."
It was enough to make Eriol snap and blow Clow out to oblivion.
And, before he could even see what happened to his other reincarnated self, Eriol was already carrying the unconscious Tomoyo; murmuring words despite the fear that materialized out of the blue, hammering endlessly on his chest. "It's alright... You're safe with me..." he pushed several violet tresses away from her face before letting out a shaky sigh of relief. "Because... It's me..." an unexpected emotion of desperation surged through him, "I can assure you that I'm not like that at all..."
It was only then did he realize he wanted reassurance.
And oddly, he found it as he was staring upon Daidouji's serene expression as she was unconsciously lying in his arms.
Only now, he didn't know if his comforting words were meant for Daidouji or for himself...
Raven's katana was descending down the path and Sakura waited for it to clash with her own sword... only to have her blinking in confusion as her opponent disappeared in a blink. "Hoe?" The last sound of steel clashing with steel still hung in the air.
"Where'd they go?" Spinel spun his head around, only to see — much to his distress — a massive fur ball that goes by the name of Cerberus, midway to hurling pure concentrations of fire from his mouth...well, at least, not until his black counterpart decides to scamper away, judging by the pained look on Cerberus' face.
He couldn't handle it.
Spinel's eyes imitated two round saucers, sweating buckets, as he saw his yellow counterpart let go of the massive concentrations of flame towards him. He managed to move away but not without getting wisps of his curly tail burned upon contact...
Silence was observed.
Spinel narrowed his eyes upon his tail in dislike. "May I kindly remind YOU that YOU should be targeting the ENEMY and NOT somebody from YOUR side?" Veins swelled on the black guardian's head.
Everyone sweat dropped.
Cerberus chuckled nervously, "Eheh... Originally, it wasn't meant for you..." He tried to explain.
More veins popped out of Spinel's head.
Well at least he was telling the truth. Cerberus had another bead of sweat rolling down his head...
"Tomoyo-chan! Eriol-kun!" Sakura landed, running in frenzy towards Eriol and immediately inspected the lady on his arms. She suddenly looked troubled. "Is she alright?"
Eriol nodded, weakly. "Nothing serious was done. The spell was only meant to render her unconscious."
"What happened to the hooded guy?" Li looked around the still empty grounds. "Is he really Clow Reed?"
Eriol nodded. "He suddenly disappeared after I cast a spell." he answered calmly; quite contradicting to what he felt when he blasted Clow to nowhere. He earned Yue and Cerberus' puzzled looks. "At least, that's what he wanted me to call him." he concernedly stared upon Tomoyo, "Although I'm not sure what he told Daidouji-san."
"Tomoyo-chan's alright for now..." Sakura held her best friend's hands. "Everyone else is and that's all that matters... for this time at least." she looked up at Eriol and smiled. "Thank you Eriol-kun."
"I'm still not sure about the 'everyone' part." suggested Spinel with a frown, holding up his burnt tail for his master to see. "This is the second time I got hurt and the credit goes to Cerberus." it shows that he was really, really annoyed. "He BURNED my tail."
All but Spinel and the unconscious Tomoyo sweat dropped.
"I already said I'm sorry!" exclaimed a sheepish Cerberus; sweat dropping all the way.
"I was wondering when you would decide to make an exit." Raven was frowning more than usual, earning a funny look from Cyrus who was more cheerful than his female cohort was at least. He did enjoy the 'exercise', as he named the encounter, but he found out that Raven wasn't at all too happy with what she was doing.
"I take it you didn't enjoy yourself?" Cyrus' question was a rhetorical one. Other than Raven's perfect rendition of a grumpy old bachelor from a famous book — minus her being a female, so Yue was still considered to be the epitome of the grumpy old man, except that he really doesn't look that old — her voice was basically dripping it all in dislike. And as always, he found it amusing. "It must be a bore to fight with only one person."
Raven only snorted.
"I'll take that as a yes..." snickered Cyrus. Raven skewered him in a glance.
"I could tell he wasn't at all too pleased with you taking Tomoyo-san like that." said Raven, deciding against the thought of pulling her katana and shredding the throw rug's fur. "What did you talk about?"
Clow smiled cheerfully again, "Things about the past... about how he would feel if I did something bad to his friends... and... a few comments enough to make him decide to blow me out to oblivion." the cheerful smile intensified. And it would've crept Cyrus and Raven if they weren't too used to their master's smiley nature that bordered on inexplicable weirdness already. But they guessed, it went to people who knew too much, with Sakura-san's exemption of course.
"Oh I'm sure..." she balled her eyeballs around, "And does blowing out to oblivion include us?" Raven arced one perfectly curved eyebrow, "What do you get from it?"
"Save your sorry behind from Sakura-chan." Cyrus muttered audibly.
"One more from you and I'll pacify your mouth with a shard." Raven dismissed her snickering companion immediately. "I'm sure you don't mean to play dead after this... aren't you?"
Cyrus made a gruff noise and grinned, "And what are the possibilities of your asinine deduction?"
"No more asinine than your lousy comments of being a smart ass..." Raven turned a sickeningly sweet smile at Cyrus, "Believe me, you're terrible at it, Cy-chan."
"Who asked YOUR opinion?" snarled the tiger.
The femme just turned a more diabetic smile at him. "Who did yours?"
Clow smiled fondly over his creations. "Well, in a way, both of you are correct."
Raven and Cyrus turned to face their master. "We are?" they chorused, switching glares for a second before turning back to their master, questioningly.
"About you not playing dead after all these?" asked Raven.
Clow nodded, still bearing the smile.
"About Raven being a complete and utter asinine?" Cyrus asked, grinning happily and receiving skewering looks from Raven who didn't hesitate this time to do action.
It only took seconds to pacify Cyrus' mouth with a shard that suddenly materialized as he was grinning. "REIFFEN! Geff shish shofsh! Geff shish SHOOOOOFSH!" His spittle was visibly dropping.
Clow sweat dropped.
"Can't say I didn't warn you." Raven looked extremely pleased with herself. Cyrus was muttering muffled profanities.
"I'm not referring to that, Cyrus" chuckled Clow as they let him roll around with an effort in the background, for the sake of removing the shard. "I have other things in mind but right now I think it's time to call it a day." He nodded apologetically at Sakura-san's group. "I've been messing up with their plans of having fun twice now and I can't help but feel a little guilty."
"Tell me about it..." a sarcastic Raven eyed her master. Cyrus was still struggling to get the shard off of his mouth, rolling around with muffled curses and profanities that neither Touya nor Li had ever heard off. "If I may say so, you're quite enjoying yourself."
"How rude of you, Raven." his guardians knew he was feigning hurt innocence. "I'm not entirely evil, you know." Which was true.
Sort of...
Cyrus finally managed to remove the attack shard-cum-pacifier successfully with a pop; "I bet you've been working up on that comment about Tomoyo-chan for quite some time now, aren't you?" he narrowed a pretty annoyed glare at Raven. "ANDDON'TYOUEVERDOTHATAGAINYOUNITWIT!" a vein swelled on his head.
"Can you please stop rambling on my face? Your drool's throwing out in all directions and — God Almighty —" Raven narrowed her gaze comically. "— YOUR breath really stinks." she received a death glare.
"It does NOT!"
"Does to!"
"Does NOT!"
"Does to!"
"Does NOT!"
"Does to!"
It goes on for minutes — if Clow was lucky. Hours if he wasn't.
"That's enough now..." he fondly, half-heartedly scolded them.
They didn't listen; followed by more pacifying shards and comments.
Clow decided to chuckle it away and turn his attention towards the group of people below. After his encounter with Eriol-kun he's sure his plans were over the first initial stages already. He had all the intentions of letting them know who's behind the attack. And he wasn't at all lying when he said that he WAS Clow Reed now, wasn't he?
He gently smiled at Tomoyo's sleeping figure; amusement and fondness were evident before he let a smirk take over.
The fun has yet to come...
Fujitaka-sensei opened the door, looking ruffled than usual with smudges of dusts on his face. Whatever he was working at a few minutes ago, he found it less puzzling than the group of people standing in front of him, looking totally worn out from whatever business they did. He blinked and turned a look at Nadeshiko.
Nadeshiko just smiled at him.
"You look tired, daddy." Sakura reached up and planted a kiss on his cheeks.
Your father's determined to clean his study. Nadeshiko reached down and kissed her daughter — although for Sakura, it felt like a brush of warm air in passing.
"All day?" asked Sakura. Nadeshiko beamed her a gentle smile.
"Not exactly." Fujitaka turned his head towards the others, obviously avoiding his daughter's question since the last time he answered it with a yes, her daughter turned a look that was enough to make anybody who knew her capabilities squirm. Personally, even though he was her father, he felt like a worm under close observation by a powerful scientist running an experiment on its crucial stages. "What happened to Tomoyo-san?" he inquired with a puzzled look.
"Long story..." yawned a yellow stuffed animal, flying out of his hiding place to perch on the professor's shoulder. "But I'll let Sakura-chan and the others handle the explaining. Naaa, Fujitaka-senseeeeiiiiii...?" he bared all his teeth. "Are there cakes left?" his grin abruptly diminished, tragically, "It was ooone very looooong and tiring fight and my oooold wounds are still hurting. And my stomach's been complaining all day, saying that it hasn't eaten anything yet!"
Not for the last thirty minutes or less at least, thought Fujitaka, still beaming a sunny smile at Kero. Truthfully, he didn't mind his appetite at all — Yukito-san was even more particular in that field but he still didn't mind — even if he did cause him a heart attack whenever he transforms into a full-grown lion in the living room. But then, he'd gotten used to it too. More often than before, he had been touching up his armored head while Cerberus replied by nudging his palm in such a way that could really make him feel the old connection between himself and his past self's guardian. It's amazing him, really, but maybe not as much as the fact that he's half the reincarnation of a powerful mage; and his other half was now standing right across him, carrying his unconscious niece.
And from the looks of it, Sonomi-kun wouldn't be happy seeing her daughter in that state. He imagined his wife's cousin turning cat-eyed again and he was just thankful she didn't posses magic, else it would probably bring about the earth's end if Sonomi-kun blows up. She was her only child after all.
"I'm sure you are after burning MY tail..." Spinel grumbled, still not getting over the fact that Kero burned his curly-tipped tail, no matter if it's unintentional. He still burned his tail and that was a fact. He grumbled some more.
Fujitaka smiled at Kero-chan. "Of course... I'll get some for everyone." he turned to Spinel, "And milk and cookies for Spinel this time. All of you look worn out."
Nadeshiko smiled cheerfully. And so do you from your cleaning-up-businesses, Fujitaka-san...
Fujitaka coughed.
Settling a petite frame on Sakura's bed was easier than carrying Nakuru's shopping bags whenever they engage on a shopping spree from time to time. Honestly, Eriol found it amusing since Nakuru had always insisted he should carry her bags because he's a boy and he's a girl — though he technically knew that Nakuru was neither male nor female — but then, he would just laugh at it and submit himself to whatever the false form of the moon guardian had in mind. He was enjoying it anyway. Even if he does know the truth about Nakuru, to the eyes of other people, she looked very much female — a flat–chest female.
And speaking of females... his eyes rested upon the unconscious ashen-haired lady.
He found it most heartbreakingly adorable... and unsettling at the same time since he was experiencing something entirely different — something foreign though a sleeping human occurs almost everyday and he often had the pleasure of seeing to it that Sakura-san gets tucked into bed comfortably in the past, but not much now though, since she's already a full-grown woman (let's just say that Li-kun wouldn't like the idea but really, she's his half daughter if anybody would assess the basic facts).
On the way back from the amusement park, he managed to carry Daidouji-san around with ease, shifting her from one position to another to provide her a more comfortable position. Touya and Yukito had offered to carry the lady for him but he refused, claiming she was lighter than a duffle bag stuffed with stones. He pushed a lock of hair away from her face and tucked a strand behind her ears. Truth be told, he was feeling sort of responsible, given the reason that it was, after all, his other self who did something dirty.
"Eriol-kun..." Sakura suddenly spoke, awakening him from his thoughts. "I'm sure Tomoyo-chan's okay for now, you don't have to worry."
Eriol smiled gently, still refusing to take his eyes off Tomoyo without particular reasons. "Why do you say that?"
Sakura flashed a cheerful smile, "Because you were looking at Tomoyo-chan with gentle eyes." That sent his head flying towards Sakura, a little less puzzled but surprised to know that she actually noticed. "And I've never seen you do so to anybody... other than me — or as Tomoyo-chan says you do." She had the grace to look embarrassed, much to Eriol's amusement. "And coughMizuki-senseicough."
Eriol simply smiled. "I'm happy for her, Sakura-san."
"I believe you because you say so..." Sakura truthfully said then shrugged. "But then, you're still sad and lonely. You may have accepted it but you're still feeling sad for the most part; and lonely too even if Nakuru-chan and Spinel-san were around to cheer you up." Eriol blinked. He didn't know Sakura was capable of blasting a hole in his head for thorough reading like Spinel would a book in the span of three hours. And to imagine, she did it within an hour but then again, Sakura-san wasn't ordinary in every way and that's what makes her special. "And I think you don't deserve to be sad at all — no one deserves to be sad at all."
Eriol chuckled, aware of the pleasant paternal feeling that Sakura-san was triggering in him. It wasn't the fact that he had mostly outdone himself in terms of seeing through her growth progress since the day she was born up until today; it was remotely something more. How his heart agreed that he didn't deserve to be sad but he knew he wasn't completely, miserably sad as she had implied he was.
Or was he? There went the voice again.
Eriol took two and two into consideration then decided, he would thoroughly think of it later in the confines of his apartment before his skull began to crack. "That would be something to hear from my cute descendant though..." He tried to lighten up the mood with a joke. "But I think he'd much rather prefer seeing me get hit by a train or a nuclear warhead... or maybe even worse."
Sakura's lips crossed, "Hoe?" She went along but shook her head, "Syaoran-kun may be mean at times but he does care..." She hesitated, "Though he really has a funny way of showing it to other people. Most of all you, Kero-chan and Onii-chan — particularly Onii-chan since I just got them to get along about three months ago." She pouted. "Sort of..."
Yes, he knew about that. He knew of Sakura's determination and sneaky plots — with the help of Daidouji again as he had seen from an enchanted frying pan in the kitchen on several occasions — in the past just to ensure Li-kun and Touya-kun's truce. Dealing with two steel-headed males to agree with one another can cause serious headaches, but she still managed to accomplish it — with some help of course; but for the most part, the boys were overcome by their extreme attachment for Sakura-san.
And everything went right as always...
"But," said Sakura-san, "Do try to remember that everything will turn out to be alright for you too. You will find your happy ending as I have with Syaoran-kun no matter how impossible it may seem." She smiled. "Eriol-kun's been kind and I'm sure, the one that you would come to love best will love you for who you are... forever."
Eriol nodded, still amazed at how Sakura-san could suddenly morph into an all-knowing individual despite of her patented denseness. "And I would try to make her happy too."
Sakura shook her head; honey-colored strands were swinging from side-to-side. "You don't need to try, Eriol-kun..." she blamed her instinct for trying to explain something even she couldn't understand. But for the better part, it was for Eriol-kun. He needed reassurance that everything would be okay in the end. She didn't like the thought of Eriol-kun settling for the fact that he had no happy ending to live for. Eriol-kun had helped her in figuring out exactly how she had felt for Syaoran-kun, and now, it was her turn to do the helping. "You CAN make her happy... when you find your number one... you can make her happy for the rest of your lives together." she took a step forward and clasped his hands with her own. "Do you understand, Eriol-kun?"
He nodded, obediently. "Thank you."
The door to Sakura's room opened, revealing the head of a chocolate-haired lady as she stuck it into the door. "E-RIII-ooool! Sakuraaa-chaaaaaan! Cakes and tea are SEEE-eeerved!" her trilling halted their conversation but at least, Eriol was somehow feeling a bit lighter now. Better than before. It was really good to have company to talk with especially if she's someone who could understand your feelings...well, in a way at least.
It was far different from whenever Spinel was giving him advice, yet similar in a way because he was understood; not criticized.
"Come on, Eriol-kun!" Sakura beamed a smile and received a nod from Eriol.
"Hai, Sakura-san." Eriol turned and tucked in Tomoyo properly, while Sakura went on ahead to follow a bouncing Nakuru, singing an off-key version of a song about cakes and beautiful things. Once more, he glanced at Tomoyo and saw her stir; tresses of violets spilling freely on her face in the process...
He automatically reached to tuck the tresses behind her ear again; and was somehow, suddenly horrified when he had felt the urge to touch her face. He blinked, but then, gave in to the whim with one gentle smile. Perhaps — he caressed her cheek gently — it was just his paternal personality kicking in like, whenever Sakura-san was around.
Eriol considered this for a while.
Yes. That must be it. It was just his paternal personality, he assured himself, giving one final glance at Tomoyo before turning towards the door to join the others. Surely, it must be THAT, since figuratively, he's old enough to be her father.
And a voice argued from the back of his mind that he only had to look at the mirror to confirm it. He batted the thought aside, fully intent on saving it all for later. He really didn't need to constantly reprimand himself for thinking of such things. He was only human. And human instincts involved thinking. He drew a sigh then plastered a smile, forcing himself to confront the voices in the living room, which were all dominated by someone, frantically shouting to Keep Those Cakes Away From Him Or I'll SHOOT You With My Beams.
Can you hear me?
Tomoyo was standing in the middle of nowhere; completely surrounded by darkness as she turned her head around in an attempt to find the owner of the voice. "Hello?" she asked, walking calmly with her right hand clutching her chest; trying to suppress the fear that was beginning to bubble up somewhere inside her.
Search for the light...
It instructed. Speaking from an unknown place that seemed so close yet so distant.
Tomoyo knew that she was far from being mentally impaired so she couldn't be hearing voices because of that. She was positive that this was all happening in a dream and, well, she should be feeling a bit scared by now. She SHOULD be scared of hearing voices, especially one that was undeniably foreign to her ears. But there was something in its tone that made her feel... safe enough... in an odd way.
Look for it.
It commanded, softly. She didn't know who it was. But then, Tomoyo was now certain, that the voice was willing her fears away. Willing her to be at ease despite the darkness. It was deliberately willing her to push her fears away because he was there... not to hurt her... but lead her somewhere to safety...
I'm here...
He was there to protect her...
Within the light...
"Light?" asked Tomoyo, slightly puzzled. She didn't know if she should trust him but considering her current position, she did not have much of a choice. She searched for any indications of light then saw something glitter on the ground, "Light..." she kneeled then picked up the object. It was a ring. The color of the stone almost mingled with darkness — the darkness of the night. Midnight blue. Yet, she could see it was burning deep inside.
The warmth was reaching for her like it was struggling to break free from its prison. "Should I put it on?" The beauty of its simplicity was simply enthralling, making her caress it gently with thoughtful admiration, though the voice had somehow put her in a place to hesitate in doing what one was supposed to do with a ring...
You can put it on once you've come to realize and accept...
"Realize...? Accept...?" Tomoyo asked again, puzzled at the seemingly riddled words of the calm and knowing voice as she stared at the ring on her hand. "I don't... understand..."
Then, as if to answer her inquiry, the ring flew up and gave a burst of white light right before her eyes...
"Was it part of your foresight—" The lady turned and smiled ever so slightly at the man before her. "—Clow-sama?"
It was a vision.
Clow Reed thoughtfully stared at the marvelous color works of autumn from the inside of his manor. The endless tree-laden landscape of his property's perimeter were showing off varieties of red, brown and gold; mingling with flowers that were now falling together in a merry last dance, flowing with the wind that whistled gently in a quiet melodious rhythm.
"Ah..." answered one thoughtful mage as he smiled at the sight before him, "autumn has finally come." the lady turned her attention once more to the garden. "Today, they will bloom their last to make way for younger ones in spring."
The black-haired lady chuckled lowly in amusement. "Meaning, you cannot bring someone who died back to life again as what you've said for countless and countless of times already." She turned to fully face the mage with a sneer; and much to Tomoyo's surprise, she knew the woman. "And to quote your words, even if you were reincarnated, it's no longer you..." she frowned. "Though I can read you thoroughly... Must you always speak in riddles, Clow?"
It was Raven. And the voice that urged her to find the light earlier belonged to Clow Reed.
Clow gave her his normally frustrating knowing smile. "I wasn't called to answer that."
Raven snorted. "See what I mean?" she narrowed her gaze at the smiling mage and sighed. "You always WERE not called to answer anything. How's someone like me supposed to know anything anyway?"
Within a snap of the fingers, Raven and himself were transported in the middle of the garden.
Flowers after flowers were falling down the ground and Raven was left to admire it — she was left to admire everything. She raised her left hand to catch one of the falling flowers. "Plum blossoms..." she whispered, letting one thoughtful smile graze her lips. "You know... this is my favorite flower, Clow." she raised one interrogating eyebrow. "And I have a sinking feeling you've got something to do with it. As my creator, why, of all flowers, these?"
Clow upturned another mysterious smile. "Then as my creation, why, of all flowers, do you like those?"
His answer — or question — made Raven frown. "You're answering my question with a question and to top it off, you're answering my question with my OWN question." her frown deepened. "You're really annoying, you know."
Her creator simply smiled; she didn't know whether he was really trying to annoy her or he was just amused at her display of boldness. So, deciding on giving up, she sighed once again and rolled her eyeballs. "You created me, Clow. And you know very well that I am unlike your other creations in terms of temper." she seriously looked at him straight in the eyes. "Like Yue and Cerberus, I get irritated and no one is exempted." She glared at Clow's obnoxious smiling face. "And I mean, NO ONE. The difference between me and them is I include YOU in my list, though you are my master and you know well that I wouldn't scratch a hair on you."
Tomoyo was halfway to admiring her audacity.
"I see." Clow nodded cheerfully, "It's your way of saying that you care for me."
Raven made a face. "Don't push it."
"The one to decide for what you like best is yourself. I have nothing to do with it." Clow turned to face Raven and nodded at the flower on her palm. "Now... can you tell my why is it your favorite flower?"
Raven brought her gloved hand closer to her face to inspect the flower closely. "It is because I realized something." she smiled; enlightenment was lighting up her pretty features, "When one says favorite, often times, they like it because of its physical properties: its appearance, smell, uses and other things that can be observed by the naked eye — by the ordinary senses we use everyday..."
The mage's facial expression didn't change one bit but he was really happy about Raven's wise deductions. Indeed, he created her as planned: smart, witty, wise, stubborn, dry-humored, sarcastic but loyal and loving in a funny sort of a way. "And it's not your favorite because of its physical properties?"
He saw her nod.
"It's not just my favorite because it's beautiful and its fruits are edible..." she grimaced. "Sourly edible..." she hesitated, "... it's my favorite because..." Raven's normally piercing green-gray eyes gentled at the sight of the flower, still innocently sprawled on her left palm. "Because I feel a very strong connection with it..."
The mage smiled. "What connection?"
"Something that I can't explain. Something deeper because I know it's not just my favorite because it's nice and beautiful..." she looked up to meet Clow Reed's eyes, "It's my favorite because somehow, it feels like it is part of my existence — a purpose yet to come."
Clow nodded and patted Raven's head in fatherly fashion. "What if I tell you that it IS part of your existence and your purpose has yet to come?"
Raven stared at Clow, puzzled yet unsurprised.
"Cyrus would awaken soon and when I'm gone, I want you to help 'me' after 'my' wish has finally been fulfilled." He sighed, looking as if he was carrying the world on his shoulders as a very, very heavy load of burden.
Raven suddenly looked skeptical. "Okay, who are you and what did you do to Clow Reed?" Clow smiled amusedly at her antics. "Clow would never tell his plans to anyone."
Clow's smile widened. "In every rule, there is an exemption."
Raven frowned. "Why?"
Clow Reed turned the same mysterious smile again, "Because I want something... and the two of you would be of most help."
"Why not your daughter-in-the-next-life then?" Raven asked once more.
He chuckled fondly. "Sakura-san was considered but things were too... complicated..." Clow turned and looked up at the plum blossom tree. "Even with power, it would be hard for her to do and understand — to some extent — why "I" have to do this... but in the end..." Clow turned his head once more, officially surprising Tomoyo, as he somehow met her gaze. "Everything will be okay."
Those were his last words before the vision faded; leaving a trace of Clow Reed's gentle eyes, upon her own, etched on her mind, even after reality had welcomed her back with open arms: in the confines of a room that she recognized as Sakura-chan's room...
Tomoyo sat up quickly, feeling her heart pounding against her ribs as Clow Reed's voice reverberated through her brain.
Everything will be okay.
Okay for whom? She found herself asking and once again, she was consumed deeply in her thoughts, trying to recall the incidents in her dream...
"KEEP AWAAAAAAAY!"
That was, until the door noisily opened with a slam and something black zoomed in to flump on her sheet-covered lap.
It was Spinel Sun.
"Keep away!" He hiccupped. "Keep Cerberus away from my candy and chocolates!" Hic, hic. "No one will eat these. It's all mine! MINE I tell you! It's MIIIIINNNEEEE!" Tomoyo half expected him to dramatically cackle, diabolically, similar to those she saw in the movies after an EVIL plan had been laid out for the protagonist.
It was an apparently, very drunk Spinel Sun with flushed cheeks and a bag of chocolates that she recognized as the one Hiiragizawa-kun won from the amusement park earlier.
Tomoyo blinked then looked up at the door.
"Aw!" Nakuru pouted and stared at the drunken plush toy in Tomoyo's lap. "Look at what you've done, Suppi! You woke. HER. UP. YOU woke up Sleeping Beauty!" she rested her hands on her hips, looking severely authoritative as if she didn't do anything wrong. "And you're NOT. EVEN. The Prince's HORSE!" she looked annoyed.
Tomoyo felt like gagging on her own spittle. "Really Akizuki-san..." she smiled sheepishly. "I'm far from the league of Princess Aurora in any case."
Nakuru grinned and bounced closer to Tomoyo. "Oooh... but I think you're MORE than fit to be Sleeping Beauty! And nooooooow... it'll only take a matter of time before your handsome Prince Charming would gallop in on his horse! Like this—!" She galloped around. Tomoyo sweat dropped. "Then he would save you from EEEEEVVIIIIIIILLL..." She cackled diabolically. Tomoyo sweat dropped some more. "And theeEEEEeeeen..." She paused dramatically; "He'll give you a kiss!" she winked. Tomoyo went a shade redder. If it was so, then that would be her first real kiss. She went two to three shades redder much to Nakuru's delight. "And I demand you to call me Nakuru-chan!"
Tomoyo blinked, and felt like a pair of test tube tongs was seizing her by the neck in apprehension. "Hai, Aki—Nakuru-san...I mean... Nakuru-chan."
Nakuru grinned, happily.
"Cerberus may take them away... keep him away from me... keep him away from my chocolaaaaates..." whined Spinel, in between hiccups and sleepy nodding.
Tomoyo blinked again and stared at Spinel and then turned towards Nakuru who simply raised her hands up and started a count down with an impish grin... to put it mildly at least, since it was totally an inch or less close to being considered maniacal. "Ten... nine... eight..."
Tomoyo stared at Spinel. "Kero-chan's downstairs... he wouldn't take your sweets away."
"Seven... six... five... four..."
Spinel looked up at Tomoyo trustingly. "Promise?"
"Three..."
Tomoyo nodded cheerfully and cradled Spinel in her arms, gently petting his head with a smile. "I promise..."
"Two... One..."
Spinel dozed off, peacefully; the bag of untouched chocolates lay forgotten on the bed.
Tomoyo stared at Spinel and then up to a grinning Nakuru. "Is this..." he looked down at Spinel again and blinked. "Something that happens normally?"
"If you try to feed Suppi-chan with sweets everyday then it's a daily normal occurrence!" she uttered happily; the grin on her face widening.
Tomoyo sweat dropped, feeling sorry for the poor little critter.
After carefully tucking Spinel Sun on Sakura-chan's bed, Nakuru didn't waste a second to engage her in a bone-crushing hug once more. "I forgot to great you goooood evening, Tomoyo-chaaaan!" she trilled, wringing Tomoyo's hand next after the hug. "Are you feeling alright now?"
Tomoyo nodded. "I wasn't really hurt. I just suddenly—" she furrowed her brows. "—Blacked out." Her statement made Nakuru stare at her worriedly, which was unusually creeping her out since it was exceedingly far from the Nakuru she had come to know.
"You can't remember anything?" inquired the false form of the moon guardian, creeping Tomoyo all the more from the face she was making.
Tomoyo shook her head. "A-After I talked with Clow Reed in the amusement park, I couldn't remember anything else."
"So they introduced their selves to you!" gasped Nakuru in all due drama and then fired up like a bursting gun. "What did they tell you? What did they ask? What did they do? Why did you scream? Did they hurt you?" Nakuru's eyes were wide as saucers, trying to fish out information from the victim — as she said Tomoyo was — with her face barely five inches away from Tomoyo's.
"Na...Nakuru-chan..." Tomoyo sweat dropped, smiling sheepishly at her merciless interrogator.
It was a good thing that Yukito-san and Fujitaka-sensei went up to check on what was happening upstairs after Nakuru-chan bombarded her with questions. It was as if she was free from any bombardment of questions downstairs, since by the time she set foot upon the last flight of stairs that led towards the living room, Li-kun mostly attacked her with questions, matched by a pair of dangerous and annoyed glaring eyes all rolled into one. He obviously didn't like the idea of his ancestor bringing danger again and this time, he couldn't blame Hiiragizawa for it.
And that was added to Li-kun's List of Things He Didn't Like.
Sakura-chan and Hiiragizawa-kun pretty much wanted to do the same thing but decided on a more mellow approach. At least they were a bit sensitive than the others were, she thought, smiling up at her best friend's worried face. "I screamed because I almost slipped on the Clock Tower. It was a good thing that he had a firm grip on my hand."
Everyone hit the ground save for Tomoyo.
"Are you sure?" Li-kun was skeptical, along with Touya-niichan who was basically skewering the air where he imagined the beings' obnoxious faces smiling down at him, even if he haven't seen them yet. Now she knew how it felt like to be surrounded by overprotective males — it was similar to hiring dragons as your bodyguards, considering the fact that one of them, actually, could yield flame from a piece of paper and one could dart poison by a simple glare (though not literally, it could still make anyone cower off in fear). And on several occasions, Yukito-san or Yue-san had proclaimed the same thing especially when Yue-san almost killed one of Tomoyo-chan's perverted suitors after Yukito — just in passing — saw something that neither him nor his true form liked one bit. The guy ended up in the hospital for a week and was never seen nor heard from ever again.
Tomoyo nodded, gravely touched by their obvious concern. "Yes, Li-kun." she suddenly burrowed her brows down in thought. "But I did have this dream..."
Everyone suddenly looked curious.
"It's about Clow Reed," continued Tomoyo. "And I guess it must have occurred in the past."
Now, everyone was even more curious.
And if the phone didn't ring then the mood wouldn't have been destroyed. Sakura and Touya made a motion to get it but Fujitaka smiled at them understandingly. "Don't worry. I'll get the phone." He left with Nadeshiko towards the kitchen. Everyone was left back to his or her normal, unusually quiet state.
"What was it about, Daidouji-san?" it was Eriol's turn to ask, sounding as if he was talking to a seven-year-old girl. If it's about the past then, he's sure he would be able to recall it since he was the one with Clow Reed's memories. He inwardly frowned. Or perhaps, not entirely as it seems... He trailed over towards Fujitaka and Nadeshiko, floating closely beside him, as he held the phone over his ear, hearing something about Christmas, talk and other stuff that was probably connected with his work in the university. Then, he fully disappeared in the kitchen.
"I..." Tomoyo stared at the floor for a while and then looked up at everyone. "I forgot..."
Everyone fell from his or her seat, save for Tomoyo again, bearing the look of an innocent hyena.
"You're just like Sakura-chan..." Kero clicked his tongue disapprovingly then popped another chocolate in his mouth. "Alwaysh fhorgetshing imfortchshant shtuff that comsh in her dreamsh." He swallowed. "The fine line is that, Sakura still oversleeps even though she's already twenty-five and Tomoyo-chan retained her usual punctuality..."
Sakura glared at Kero-chan. Kero-chan laughed nervously then stuffed another chocolate in his mouth.
"But at least you remembered that it's about Clow Reed." Yukito began, earning a few approving nods from Eriol, Sakura, Kero-chan and Nakuru. "How did you remember it was about him?"
"His last words sort of echoed through my brain." she answered, feeling a bit silly. "He told me that everything will be okay." It almost came out as a whisper but audible enough for everyone to hear. All eyes turned towards Sakura-chan and then back to Tomoyo; and then back to Sakura-chan again.
"Maybe it's Clow Reed's way of assuring Daidouji that everything will be just fine..." It was more like a question than a statement from Li-kun. "What do you think, Hiiragizawa?" asked Li.
Eriol nodded. "Perhaps." He sighed, suddenly looking burdened from the events that had been happening. "That is, if he intends to reveal his purpose." And until then, he had to keep watch over Daidouji-san and the others too. He couldn't let anything like that happen again, especially now that the so-called other Clow Reed made it clear, upon Touya's disappearance throughout the whole incident, that their target was really Tomoyo.
But then again, he looked up as the others engaged themselves in a much lighter conversation, one can never be too careful around someone as powerful as Clow Reed is — half a power or not, they can never be too careful.
He should know best. After all, he was once a part of Clow Reed too.
Fujitaka-sensei came back from the kitchen. "I'm sorry. Is there anything I missed?" He smiled, more or less, cheerfully with Nadeshiko giggling like she found something totally and cryptically amusing for her taste. Eriol thought, it was probably because of everyone's funny look directed towards Fujitaka and his other half was somehow looking a bit startled from their sudden switch of conversation. He saw Fujitaka shrug. "I guess I pretty much missed a lot now, did I?" He turned to Eriol and smiled.
"Nothing much, really," answered Eriol, looking exactly like Fujitaka — especially with that boyish smile plastered firmly on his face. "Was the call from the university?"
Fujitaka smiled brightly. "I was just about to ask you something about relics..."
The sound of a very amused chuckle echoed quietly through a particular dimmed room. He was observing Sakura's group conversation from somewhere with a small, amused smile...
"Of course, Eriol-kun," he said. His voice was basically dripping with vileness and more plots set ahead for everyone in his mental chess game. "Why wouldn't I reveal my purpose to everyone?" Clow stopped and smirked. "But not just now. No, not yet." the smirk intensified.
"It wouldn't be fun at all if everyone discovers it ahead of time now, would it?"
"Did you have fun?" Sonomi stuck her head on the door of her daughter's room. She was wearing a somewhat normal smile but for someone who knew her for twenty-five years, the gleam on her teeth and the look on her face suggested, well, something else to put it mildly. Way TOO mildly.
"Yes mother." Oh yes. She did. That is if you consider getting attacked by two guardians, who were basically after your neck, as fun. But it wasn't entirely a lie since she did have fun spending the night out with Sakura-chan and the others. Tomoyo smiled at her mother, more or less, the same ready smile and continued brushing her long hair.
Sonomi nodded approvingly and stepped inside her room. "I'm going to Paris later for a business trip."
Tomoyo stopped midway and blinked at her mother. "Surprise trips, huh?"
Sonomi made a face and sighed in defeat. "Believe me, baby... I'd rather stay here and work my head off than to spend most of my time traveling towards one place to another." she turned cat-eyed, seemingly seeing the faces of her business associates — which she oh-so wanted to wipe out from the face of the earth by any means possible — in thin air. "Argh! What a nuisance!" She was waving and punching her fists high up in the air.
Her daughter was already quite used to the sight of her mother, looking exactly like a cat swatting the air for insects quite irritably, to even boggle. "What time then?" Tomoyo chuckled.
Sonomi hesitated. "The private jet leaves at about one in the morning so I have to be there at about ten or eleven."
Tomoyo smiled sweetly at her mother then nodded. "I can handle it okaa-san. Don't worry."
Sonomi hesitated even more. "That's what I'm worried about, baby." She sighed heavily and planted a kiss on her daughter's head. "You always work too much — even worse than I do, Tomoyo-chan." her smile depicted utmost concern and worry — typical of a mother. "Even Sakura-chan and the others are beginning to worry."
Worse than her mother? Tomoyo blinked up at Sonomi from the mirror that was reflecting them. Since when?
"Is there something bothering you?" Sonomi took the brush from her daughter's hand and did the job for her. She loved her hair. It was partly because it reminded her of Nadeshiko-chan but as it being owned by her daughter, who succumbed to her simple wish of growing it for her, fueled the feeling all the more. What parent wouldn't love someone from her own flesh anyway? She was the only family she has— other than her grandfather and to some extent, the Kinomoto's, though she'd lash her tongue out first before she admits it to Fujitaka-sensei — and she would gladly shoot anyone who even dare lay a finger on her baby. Her ONLY baby. Even if she's already twenty-five years old, Tomoyo was STILL her baby.
"I'm fine okaa-san... really." Tomoyo smiled, truthfully... or, at least, she was convincing her own self that it was the truth. As she had been putting her mind into it lately, something was indeed bothering her for a long time but due to her stubbornness it only surfaced about a week ago. Her dilemma had been eating her from the insides and to make things worse, it was beginning to affect her working performance.
Sonomi looked unconvinced but let it go for the mean time. She knew perfectly well that Tomoyo would tell her when she's ready to talk about it. "If you say so, baby." It was her way of saying I-don't-believe-you-one-bit-because-I'm-your-mother and Tomoyo got the message instantly. She smiled in turn. Sonomi made a face for a brief second and then smiled sweetly. "Just remember that your mother's here when you need someone to talk to, okay?"
"Yes okaa-san." Tomoyo smiled up at her mother and gave her one affectionate hug.
"Oh, look at the time." A cat-eyed Sonomi and a dot-eyed Tomoyo stared at the clock. "I need to go, baby. I'll see you in about a week-" she grimaced. "If I'm lucky."
Tomoyo smiled understandingly. "And if you're not?"
Sonomi made a worse face. "I don't want to think about it..." Then, she pulled a very authoritative look from nowhere and raised one perfectly curved eyebrow. "But I'll make sure, it won't go for over a month." She pecked her daughter's cheek and patted her gently on the head. "I'll make it before Christmas even if I have to SHOOT my associates. ALL of them."
Tomoyo chuckled. "See you then, okaa-san."
When Sonomi closed the door to her room, Tomoyo heaved a sigh and placed the brush down on her drawer.
Two weeks more before Christmas; and when one says Christmas for someone who's managing a toy company, it would be like dragging Santa Claus in a frantic frenzy after oversleeping for an extra one month and finding himself in a fixed deadline of about two weeks to make toys for all the good children across the globe — which were, roughly, billions in number. She sighed again. Daidouji Company supplies the majority of the toy stores all over the world so the difference must be a foot off if not the same.
And not for the first time, she could feel her skull cracking.
Tomoyo fought the urge to groan in irritation and stood up from the stool she had been sitting on. She was already in her night robes and going out for a stroll to clear her head would make it seem inappropriate for her taste. On the other hand — she turned her head towards her bed — sleeping early would do her good after a tiring day. She was feeling unusually wound up from the events that had occurred earlier so perhaps one early rest would give her a fresh start tomorrow — especially now that her mother was going out to Paris for the week, meaning work, work, work for her all day, beginning tomorrow.
She shook her head and pulled the sheets off her bed, ready to retire for the day against her fluffy pillows and—
Stuffed animal?
Tomoyo stared at the innocent-looking panda bear on her bed and then blinked.
Who in the world had put that in there?
She sat, cross-legged, in the middle of her king-sized bed and curiously picked up the panda for closer inspection — a note fell in the process.
I was meaning to give it to you earlier but due to certain circumstances, I didn't find the appropriate time.
This was the only medium that I could think of. I'm begging your pardon for any offense made.
Hiiragizawa
PS. If I got the right one, please smile for me.
Tomoyo blinked at the note again and stared at the panda. And then, turned to the note again and then to the panda. When the words finally sunk in properly, she smiled slightly and then groaned in frustration.
She could only make out one meaning in the note: Hiiragizawa noticed her troubles too — like her mother did.
But really — she pulled the topmost drawer on her bedside table and tucked the note properly in a box — it was thoughtful of Hiiragizawa to give her the panda. He must've noticed her looking in the direction of the shooting alley and detected her flow of mind by reading something — she didn't know what but he managed to read it somehow. He always did. Since fifth grade, Hiiragizawa was really the only one who ever managed to see right through her and vice versa in a way or another.
And she didn't know if it was a good or a bad thing.
Having someone who knew her dilemma about Sakura-chan was somehow a bit perplexing especially now that she had discovered something else about her emotions. The emptiness she felt had somehow surfaced; making her doubt the completeness of the love she felt for Sakura-chan. The mantra she kept on repeating to herself — the happiness of her loved one as her own — had somehow placed her into... well... confusion didn't seem to suit it. But it would do for now.
She stared at the panda thoughtfully then caressed its white fur. "What do you think, little guy?" she asked, half expecting the panda to utter a sort of reply. It took her seconds before she finally felt silly. She chuckled.
For a large part of her life, she only knew two stuffed animals that could actually talk: one was a yellow bear and the other was a wise black cat — wise when not stuffed with sweets, that is.
Her brows burrowed when something struck her. She wondered if the tiger she met earlier had a false form too, given the thought that Clow made them as well.
Tomoyo stopped and burrowed her brows even more.
Come to think of it, they may have false forms and one of them — just like Yukito-san — may not have inkling about it.
Then, another thought struck her. It struck her hard; she even thought her brain would squeeze out of its juices at the inexplicable... inexplicable. That was the only word for it. Tomoyo had been wondering why a certain secretary suddenly punctured a hole in her messy head as if she was fully intent on driving her wacko. Now she knew why she instantly remembered seeing her somewhere else before... other than the office for four years...
How could she miss it?
Shinokawa Akiyo had an uncanny resemblance with Raven.
Tomoyo contemplated for a while as she stared at the panda. It would probably do her deductions some good if she were to take one good look at Akiyo-chan then ask Yukito-san questions later... and even Nakuru-chan too. But for the mean time, caution should be observed. Questions after questions went colliding in her brain and instantly, she knew how a canned sardine felt like to be run over by a thousand-ton wrecker. When she figured she could no longer answer a single letter, Tomoyo dropped on her bed and held the panda high up in the air. She stared at it for a brief second, then spoke, "Here's your smile, Hiiragizawa..." She even surprised herself at how real her smile went. "I didn't like the way you kept on looking at me with that gentle look but... I guess..." her true, genuine smile softened, "Everybody would need it in some point of their lives..."
She switched her lights off and went to sleep, cuddling the panda closer for company. "Goodnight... Eriol-kun."
Unaware that the giver of said plush toy was observing her from a window's glass panel in his apartment...
"You always were a keen observer." Eriol's smile was inexplicably gentle, "Good night... Tomoyo-san..."
And somehow, Eriol felt that he would sleep nicely tonight.
Tsuzuku...
Your reviews keep me from dumping this fic in ze trash bin... (smiles smugly) XD So Review!
I'm really sorry for keeping your hopes up! (Bows) I already mentioned that it'd take time before I post up the next (REAL) chapter. The muses aren't smiling DOWN on me right now so I'm having twouble. And I've been receiving messages that my chapters are really looooong and I don't want my readers to suffer from headache... ahahaha... so... there, I separated the first chapter into two. Do me justice please! I can't break the second part of winter season so... eheh. XD Forgive me!
a. If you had the impression of Tomoyo-chan being somebody's reincarnation from Clow's timeline, I'm sorry to disappoint you but it's not. XO VERY different. In what way, you ask? Let's just say that she's not somebody's reincarnation. XD Just wait. Ahaha... I'm bad. I know. But I wonder if someone out there could form correct ideas about this fiction. Give it a shot and tell me by reviewing! This fiction was designed to be read as a whole but then... let's just wait okay? I want to hear your opinions and deductions so review!
b. The Winter Season is going bye-bye now! Ahahahaha! But not the fiction though! Not quite!
c. Character developments are on the way and I bet you weren't expecting a last minute ET moment in the end... (Gushing) me neither! (Ahahahaha...)
d. The next season would take some time before I post it up! My professors made sure of that... eheh... XD