Chapter 2
I Remember You
Talida slept for about twenty four hours and woke up the next night. She felt like her old self again and was pleased she got to say goodbye to her father.
Yue and Kiro took turns watching Talida all the way through they day and night. Kiro was asleep at the foot of her bed when she woke. She realised that she was wrapped up in Yue's robe and took it off. She carefully walked around him and out the door towards the mysterious room she remembered so well now. Inside she saw Yue asleep on a couch with a fire beside it. Half of his face had fallen prey to the shadows whilst the rest was caressed by the light from the fire.
She thought it best not to wake him and looked around the room. The picture of her and the guardians with her uncle were on the mantelpiece above the fire. Each memory from the pictures danced in her head and she smiled. Talida was about to leave when she spotted her uncle's staff propped up against the armchair opposite the couch. She ran a hand along it.
"So your awake now?" Talida turned to see her uncle smiling at her. "Sorry if I worried you."
"If he came to see me then I would have done the same thing if I were in your position."
Talida went over to Yue and draped his robe on him like a blanket. He moved his head and made a soft groaning sound but didn't wake from his slumber. "He stayed by your bedside until an hour ago when Kiro convinced him to get some sleep. He blames himself for you passing out after his fighting lesson."
"I'm annoyed that he deceived me for so long. I'm angry that you wiped my memories away but I can't blame either of you. He was following orders and you didn't want me to remember what happened in the dark part of the garden. A four year old would love this place and no one would believe me if I told anyone. I would have probably been beaten by kid's everyday by telling stories that are true and be left by my friends. But I've grown up a little more and I'm wiser so there's no danger in me telling stories. This is a secret part of my life that no one but us and the guardians will know about." Clow was pleased to hear it and she went back to bed.
In the morning she woke to the sound of Kiro walking out of her room. Talida slowly got up and changed in to her clothes. She ate all her breakfast which pleased Clow no end. She got to see her father and her energies balanced right out. "Your back to your old self?" Talida nodded and smiled. "I don't think there will be any lessons today, your tutor is still asleep." Talida giggled and went to the garden.
She went to the Cheery blossom tree to see Yue sleeping beside it. Talida stayed by the willow and read a book for a few hours. His gentle breathing even made Talida want to go back to sleep and she caught herself nodding off. She got bored and collected some pencils and a piece of paper. She went back to the willow tree to see Yue was still asleep. She began to draw him and Kiro no longer in his temporary form came by. "Talida?"
"Shhh!" Talida put a finger to her lips and Kiro took a look at what she was drawing. "That's very good, will you draw me next?" Talida nodded as she concentrated on Yue's face. She found human features very hard to draw but managed to do it after another hour. It took so long that even Kiro fell asleep. She drew Kiro asleep as well and it took less time. That only left her uncle Clow, but could she catch him sleeping long enough to draw a picture?
When she nearly finished Kiro's picture she heard someone yawn loudly behind her. Kiro was roused and Talida sighed, she took her picture and screwed it up. "Could you be any louder? I don't think the rest of the world heard you." Talida sounded annoyed and Yue didn't quite know what to do. "I'm sorry mistress." The word mistress sent a shiver down her spine. She hated titles and jumped up like she was sitting on something hot. She looked scared at first but then she laughed. "Mistress? Since when have you ever called me that? We are friends aren't we?" Yue nodded and Kiro smiled.
Talida showed Yue her picture and didn't tell Kiro what happened to his. But she made up for it by drawing him awake instead. Yue yawned again and leaned back on to the tree. "Still tired I see. So what will you be teaching me tomorrow Rei?" Yue smiled and Talida smiled back. "What do you want to learn?"
"I'm eating and sleeping properly so it would be nice to have another fighting lesson. I won't pass out I promise." Yue and Kiro looked a bit apprehensive about this but agreed. Yue fell asleep again when Talida went inside to have lunch.
The next day things were back to the way they were. Yue was her tutor again and Kiro tagged along. "I'm glad your in your usual clothes Yue. I couldn't keep a straight face when I pictured you in your new outfit. It really didn't look good on you and the glasses were a bit much." Kiro laughed and Yue rolled his eyes. But he had to agree that his old clothes were much better on him.
First Talida was taught another language and Kiro found it boring. He joked and fooled around with Talida quietly but Yue seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. She had to write an essay as punishment and Kiro had to help her. Yue was no tutor but knew how to deal out punishments very well. "No wonder he's called the judge." Talida whispered to Kiro. "It's so hard just to make him smile; when you called him an angel I thought you were mad."
"Stop talking and finish your work!" Yue said as he fixed them with an icy glare, he looked angry so they didn't say another word.
Later the fighting lessons continued and Talida even got one over on Yue. Kiro laughed and applauded Talida as Yue rubbed his back where he fell. He looked embarrassed and his pride was wounded. But Talida gave him a helping hand to get up off the ground. He looked annoyed and humiliated but took it willingly. Kiro kept laughing. "Kiro stop it!" Kiro immediately stopped and stared at Talida. Even Yue looked surprised that it was she who told Kiro off and not himself.
When the lesson was finished Talida looked breathless but happy. Yue looked concerned but Talida told him not to be. "I'm not dizzy so I'm not going to pass out Ok?" Yue nodded and was back to his usual, dignified, self.
For the first time in a few months Talida felt good and energetic. Yue was having a rest whilst Kiro and Talida were playing a game of hide and seek. Kiro was bigger than Talida so she found him easily. But when Kiro took his other form Talida had no idea what he looked like. She would've asked Yue for help but Yue being Yue would see this as a waste of precious time. She decided to test her powers and held her fathers pendant. She looked around for a while before her eyes settled on a stuffed looking animal and looked right at it. "You can take any form my friend but I'll always be able to find you." The little thing sighed and turned back in to the Kiro she knew and loved. "You never used to be able to find me."
"I can feel the difference between an object free from magic and one that isn't." Kiro looked at her father's pendant in her hand. "He must've loved you very much to part with that. He wouldn't have parted with that for all the tea in china and you know he loved tea."
"People are known to pass things on after death. I guess my father took it literally." Talida looked a little sad after that and Kiro had an idea that might cheer her up.
When they came out Yue was surprised to see Talida riding Kiro's back. First they started slowly and trotted round the garden. But then Kiro went faster and Talida didn't like it. "Hey! Kiro slow down!" But Kiro went even faster and Talida felt they were going to take off. She didn't realise how right she was until Kiro spread his wings. "Kiro don't! I mean it, if you take off- KKKIIIRRRROOOO!" Kiro took flight and Talida screamed her head off for a few seconds.
Yue quickly stood up and wondered what on earth Kiro was doing. He looked worried but knew Kiro wouldn't let her fall so he sat down again.
Talida was scared out of her wits at being so high. Kiro knew she was scared but his plan had to work. "Hold on to my shoulders but don't pull my fur out."
"Ok Kiro, and by the way you'd better not land anytime soon."
"Why?"
"If you do then I'll kill you for real this time!" Kiro seemed worried but Talida changed her tune as they flew around. It took ten minutes for her to start laughing and she stopped screaming when they dived from a great height. "WOOOHOOO!" They picked up speed and Yue had a heart wrenching moment when they approached the ground. Kiro pulled up before they hit the ground so sharply Talida felt her stomach jolt with joy. Yue's also flipped and was glad that he didn't eat.
Kiro was exhausted and they glided down to the ground. Talida held her arms out and laughed her head off. The feeling was intoxicating and she felt a bit disappointed when they landed. Kiro panted heavily and looked very tired. "It's…been a while…since I last…did that." He panted and Talida hugged him. "Thanks for cheering me up."
Yue approached them and looked a bit angry. "Our master likes us to keep a low profile. We can't fly around everywhere with children on our backs. I thought you had more sense than this Talida, you know how important it is that we aren't known. Especially after the last time you were here. She won't ever forget you and is a constant threat to us. How would your parents feel about that? Do you want us to become open targets to her? Well?" Talida looked ashamed and shook her head, she was wrapped with guilt. "Good, now go somewhere else so I can have a word with Kiro." Talida went to the weeping willow tree and was soon out of site.
Kiro glared at Yue and had something to say. "That was out of order Yue!"
"She has to learn Kiro!"
"To bring her parents in to it was well out of line! It's only been a few months since she lost them and has been mature for long enough. She deserved to enjoy herself for a moment." Yue realised his mistake too late but was adamant to prove a point. "Clow Reed-"
"Would agree with me! She's only eight years old and has felt very little else apart from pain since when she first came here. What was it you two used to say? Friends forever? You may be her tutor but you've changed, and it's not a very nice one." Kiro was very angry when he walked away and Yue wondered. 'Changed?'
When Yue gathered himself together he went over to the willow and heard something that made his heart drop. Talida was crying and muttering to herself in between sobs. "When I said…I wondered what it was like to…to fly like a bird…I didn't mean it literally. What would my…parent's think? Stupid! I'm…so stupid! I'm…sorry my friends…I'm so sorry."
Now it was Yue's turn to feel guilty and he came towards Talida. Her eyes were so full of tears that she didn't notice him sit down beside her. It was only when he put an arm around her did she know he was there. It made her jump and she turned to him with her eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry Yue." Yue made a gentle shushing sound and Talida stopped crying. "I shouldn't have spoken to you like that. You act so mature I often forget your eight years old." Yue held her closer and Talida put her head in his lap wiping her eyes dry.
"I'm sorry for bringing your parents in to it. That was an inexcusable thing to do." Talida looked up in to Yue's eyes. "But you were right; I wouldn't have known what they would've thought anyway." Yue raised his eye brows and looked curious to what she meant so Talida explained. "You know they were hardly home due to their work on holidays, and I was sent to a boarding school on school days. I was surrounded by people but felt alone. Do you understand that?" Yue nodded. "I wish I did. I also wish I got to know them better but…"
"Yes. Both of your parents were on the magic side and had to leave you with Winston and a secure place for your safety. The world is a dangerous place, I hope you never have to experience it the way I have."
"Is that why you are such a grouch?" Yue narrowed his eyes and turned cold. "I'm kidding." Talida said in a so, so sort of way. Yue had a slight smile which Talida didn't return. "Yue, I'm scared of her." Yue stroked her head and Talida relaxed a little. "Clow Reed will be unlocking your powers soon. You'll be able to protect yourself and will have no reason to be afraid."
"Really?" Yue nodded and looked tired. He yawned and closed his eyes inevitably falling asleep again. "Thanks Yue." Talida looked up to see Yue had fallen asleep again. 'Still tired I guess.' Talida felt tired too after the training and excitement. She put her head down and fell asleep as well on Yue's lap.
Talida's dreamed about something from the past where she felt frightened and hurt. She was going to market with Clow Reed when she was six. She was left alone for only a moment when the town kids attacked. Clow Reed was on the other side of the street when it happened.
She lagged behind after looking at some jewellery and then became cornered by the kids. They surrounded her and she wasn't afraid…at first. "Hi." The kids didn't answer and looked at her with bad intentions. "Your uncles a freak!" One kid said. "Yeah!" Another one said.
"If he's a freak then your one too!" A boy cried not much older than herself.
"Witch!"
"Weirdo!"
"Witch,
witch;
you're a witch!" They all chanted. It was only when someone threw a stone at her did they all attack. They continued to chant and didn't care that she didn't retaliate. One hit her on an arm, another on a leg and the next one hit her above her right eye. She screamed in pure fear and pain. "UNCLE CLOW!" She screamed at the top of her voice. The kids legged it and Clow Reed ran up to his niece who was huddled on the ground. Her body shook with fear and she sobbed in to her hands. Clow picked her up and glared at the children who ran away from the scene of the crime.
When they got home he took Talida to her room to see the extent of her injuries. Silent tears rolled down her face and she looked scared to death. Clow found bruises on her arms and legs but he paid more attention of the one over her right eye. A cut had appeared and some blood had escaped. She didn't speak and just kept crying. He hugged her tight but couldn't stop her trembling.
She didn't come to dinner so Clow tucked her up in bed. Talida looked very down trodden and still didn't utter a word. There was nothing he could say to cheer her up and just left her there to sleep. Talida didn't sleep, all she could hear were the children chanting in her ears and their hateful faces leering down at her.
In the morning she felt no better and hardly slept at all. She was still trembling and felt ill at the mere memory of it. Kiro came in to cheer her up but couldn't get through to her at all and she really liked him. He tried everything from jokes to games. Talida wouldn't laugh or play, she just sat there at the end of her bed with the curtains drawn. The darkness seemed to make her feel secure in a strange way. No one asked Yue to help because they couldn't see him being sensitive to a six year old.
Talida still didn't eat and hardly slept when the second day came round and Clow was running out of ideas. Yue could see Kiro was trying hard but nothing was getting through to her. So he decided to try.
Yue knocked on the door but got no answer. He went in and saw her staring at the floor in the dark. Yue sat beside her and looked at the spot she was staring at. Finding nothing of interest he went over to the window and opened the curtains. This made Talida spring in to action. She ran over to the curtains and closed them quickly. Yue looked alarmed and tried to put his hand on her shoulder. She stepped aside and looked like a frightened rabbit. "Why do you sit in the dark?" Talida didn't answer and just stared at the floor again.
She sat back on her bed and Yue stood in front of her. He wondered what to do but nothing came to him. "Look at me." Talida didn't look at him at first but slowly raised her head. He saw the bruise above her eye that seemed to be healing. "They did this to you?" Talida looked away from Yue who knew he put his foot in it. "I'm not very good at this I know, but we need you to come out. Please say something. Kiro is out of ideas; the master is at his wits end and is thinking of sending you to a healer."
"No." Talida looked even more frightened. "It speaks, but why did you start now?"
"Winston said anywhere but here, my home and school aren't safe. She could find me." Yue could swear that he could hear Talida's heart beat become faster. What he said frightened Talida worse than before. But at least she had snapped out of her stupor and was talking again. Yue made a ball of light appear above his hand and she seemed intrigued. "What is that?"
"I use it as an attack, but now I'm just using it to get some light in here. Do you like it?" Talida smiled weakly. "Yeah. Does it take much energy to make?"
"Not really, but it would save my energy if you open the curtains." Talida agreed and opened them wide. Yue made the ball disappear and Talida looked out of the window. "Why do they hate me so much?" Yue stood up and stood beside her. "It's not you they hate. It's what you represent and the master's power they fear."
"But I don't have any powers." Silent tears rolled down her face. Yue put an arm around her and held her close. "The world can be a cruel place sometimes but if you get knocked down you get up again. Don't give up and you'll get respected for it." Talida stopped crying and wiped the tears away. "Thanks Yue. So…I guess that makes us friends now?" Yue looked confused but nodded just the same. "Friends forever?" Talida held out a hand for Yue to take. He looked at her and a small smile appeared on his face. "Indeed."
Back to when she was eight the garden where she slept grew cold and dark. Yue woke to find Talida still on his lap fast asleep. He gently picked her up and carried her to the house.
He put Talida to bed and tucked her in. Talida woke up and looked incredibly frightened about something. A sudden thought hit her, what if Clow Reed did the same to Yue and Kiro. She grabbed his hand and he could feel her trembling. "Friends forever Yue no matter what Ok?"
"What's wrong?"
"Promise me Yue! Please!"
"I promise no matter what." Before he could ask she had fallen back to sleep and didn't seem to be worried at all. It was as if her panic was never there so he just left.
The next day Clow Reed came to a decision and spoke to Talida about it. "I heard about you and Kiro yesterday and I want to know how it felt."
"You're not angry?" Clow shook his head so Talida tied to answer him. "It felt like a freedom I've never felt before."
"How would you like to learn to fly by yourself?" This sudden announcement knocked Talida back a little. "Magic?" Clow nodded with a great big smile on his face. "I'm not sure if I want to learn about that."
"How do you know that until you've tried?"
For the next month Talida changed her father's pendant in to a staff. An out fit appeared to match her black staff. She had a spiked black robe like Yue's without the tassels and a small wide rimmed hat; whilst her arms and legs were covered in a grey material. Talida learnt move things from one place to another in many different ways. Then she learnt how to wield the elements and other things. She learnt all of the magic from the cards without even using one. But there was one she didn't want to know and Clow found her out.
He took her out to the garden late at night. "Now I'm going to teach you how to fly." Talida looked very nervous at this proposal and Clow had a cheeky smile on his face. "Trust me." Talida created some wings on her back. But they weren't white like Yue's or golden like Kiro's. Instead they were pitch black and shaped like a falcon's resembling the wings on her staff. "Now what?" Clow Reed turned to Yue. "Take her up in to the air Yue."
"What?" Yue nodded and came towards her. "Yue! No!" He picked her up and they went high above the clouds. Talida was scared out of her wits as she looked down to the ground far below. "Ok…this is way too high!"
"Relax, I won't let you fall."
"You promise?" Yue nodded and Talida felt a little more relaxed. "Aright, I can do this."
Yue turned Talida to faced him so she could spread her wings. She did so and flapped them a little slowly growing more confident. He let her go without knowing and she fell screaming a little. He caught her and they tried again. "I thought you said you won't let me fall!"
"Then how will you learn?" Talida looked very angry but agreed with Yue's logic.
It was only on the forth launch did she fly for herself. Due to her wings she was much faster than Yue and zipped around him. She dived in to a cloud and didn't come out. Yue tried to find her and she came out from behind him yelling "BOO!" This made him jump. Yue turned to see she had disappeared in to the cloud again. He looked angry and the one thing you shouldn't do is make Yue mad. Eventually she came out of the cloud when Yue looked less annoyed. "Why did you do that?" He asked her with a stern look on his face. "That's pay back for scaring me when you dropped me without warning. Don't try to deny it I saw you smile each time."
"Why whatever do you mean?" Yue asked with an innocent look. "I don't know if you've noticed but it's nearly impossible to get you to admit to acting childish." Talida smiled. "I guess what I'm trying to say is thanks…for teaching me how to fly." Yue smiled and she smiled back as they glided back to Clow Reed and landed in front of them.
"And?" Clow asked with his smile that never seemed to end. "Alright I take it back, magic is a great thing to have and I was wrong." Kiro smiled looking smug and Yue had that dignified look again.
Talida's life was becoming as normal as any kind in her position could be. Yue was still her tutor and Kiro taught her how to have fun every now and again.
The next couple of years were the best in her life. She spent her ninth birthday with them happy to be alive. The party was a magical one she enjoyed very much and the same went for Halloween, Easter and other events for the year. She found November the fifth to be brilliant with its magical fireworks Clow Reed made himself.
Christmas came round and Talida was keeping a happy face on. But her thoughts were on her parents not being there for Christmas. Talida missed them greatly and felt very sick after she had Christmas dinner. She loved her presents and went outside to the garden later to reflect on things. She sat on the ground and looked at her father's pendant. That was when she broke down completely and curled up in to a ball of silent sobs.
The others were in the house relaxing after their Christmas dinner. Only Yue was worried about Talida, he didn't say anything but caught her looking sad when she left.
When he found her she had stopped crying and was sitting up with her pendant in her hands. "Are you alright?" She looked over to Yue and knew he could see she had been crying. She had a horrible forced smile on her face and nodded. "I haven't given you my Christmas present yet." He took out a ring with a white moon stone on it. "This is in case you need me. All you have to do is hold it and call my name three times."
"Why?" Talida asked curiously. "I'll be there before you know it." He put it in her hand and she looked in to his eyes. "You're not alone." He said and walked back to the house. She looked at the ring and put it on the chain were it hung beside her father's pendant. Talida ran up to Yue and took him by the hand. "Thanks Yue." Yue squeezed her hand and she did the same. "Your welcome." Talida held Yue's hand all the way back to the house.
Shortly after her 10th birthday things took a turn for the worst.
Talida was in the garden when she saw a man leave the house. She recognised him as a doctor and felt something was very wrong. She ran inside the house to see Kiro and Yue looking grave. "Kiro? Yue? Why was the doctor here?" They didn't look at her and the silence was torture. "Where's Clow Reed? Where is my uncle?" Kiro moved his head towards the living room and Talida's heart was racing.
Talida went in to see her uncle sitting calmly on a chair with his staff leaning against the chair. "Uncle? Wh-what's going on?" Clow Reed looked at her with no smile on his face. "I think you know." Talida couldn't believe it and didn't want to. "You're…dying? But you can't be dying! This isn't fair you shouldn't be dying! Your young, your strong this doesn't make any sense!"
"Don't be afraid Talida; we'll see each other again." Clow was far from comforting Talida. "No, no, no-" She said over and over again without taking her eyes off her uncle. "It's alright."
"NO IT'S NOT!" Talida ran out the room with tears springing to her eyes.
She ran outside and flew high above the clouds. She stopped for a moment and looked around before letting loose an angry scream full of grief. She stayed there for hours on end and cried.
When it got dark Yue flew up to her looking as sad as she did. He tried to take her hand but she moved away and started to descend. Yue was confused but didn't leave her side on the way down. Talida wanted to run away from it all. 'But to where?' That was when she looked over to the tree covered in cherry blossom. She looked to Yue who still looked confused about what was going on in Talida's mind.
She made her staff appear and walked towards the tree. "I'm sorry Yue." She tapped the tree and it glowed. Yue still didn't know what she was going on about so she decided to keep her goodbye short. "I…" She faltered not knowing what to say next. "Goodbye my friend." She walked closer to the tree. "Goodbye? Talida wait!" But his cry came too late. Talida had stepped in to the tree and passed to the future.