The Ninety-nine Balloons
May 16, 2001
"Truth or dare?" "Truth." "You always pick truth, Daidouji-san." "So do you, Hiiragizawa-kun. Now hurry up and ask the question." "...What would be the ideal birthday present?" "Hey! You never give meeasy questions like that!" "Shizukani, Syao-chan. I want to hear Tomoy-chan's answer." "Since when has my cute little descendant answered to the name Syao-chan?" "Hiiragizawa-kun, do you or don't you want me to answer your question?" "Forgive me fair lady. Do proceed." "Don't snort Syaoran-kun." "Well?" "A hundred balloons." "Pardon?" "I'd like a hundred birthday balloons." "Why?" "Because." "That's a very good explanation, Daidouji-san." "Thank you." "Spin the bottle Tomoyo-chan!" "Very well then..."
September 2, 2005
Tomoyo Daidouji flopped onto her huge comfortable bed in a very unladylike fashion. Usually, she was the epitome of elegance and dignity but right now, she was too tired to care. Sighing, she looked at her calendar to see what had been scheduled for her tomorrow. Tomorrow had been circled. And it had balloons doodled all over it. She realized with shock that she had forgotten that tomorrow was the day. Her birthday. Her birthday party. Her birthday party at her house. Her birthday party at her house with lots of balloons. That was a lot of bold lettering there. It wasn't as if her birthday was that important. Or that it was the day that Syaoran was leaving again. And that Sakura wouldn't be with her and would be saying good bye to Syaoran at the airport. Not at all important. Liar, she told herself. She would never get balloons. Or at least, not a hundred of them.
September 3, 2000
"Look Hiiragizawa-kun, balloons!" "They're very nice. Would you like me to buy you one?" "Oh, it's alright-" "Excuse me sir, I'd like ten balloons. Here you go." "Arigato gozaimazu Hiiragizawa-kun! Did you know that today was my birthday?" "Really? Well, I guess I don't have to buy you a present now." "Hai." "You're letting the balloons go?" "They look so pretty, the colors are dancing in the sky." "How very poetic of you, Daidouji-san... You're right. They are pretty." "..." "..." "Hiiragizawa-kun?" "Hai?" "That was the best present I ever had."
September 3, 2005
Sakura hugged Tomoyo one last time. "Are you sure you'll be alright without me?" Tomoyo smiled reassuringly. "Of course! I have Rika, Naoko, Chiharu, and Yamazaki." "And Eriol," Sakura added. Tomoyo blinked for a few moments before remembering. "Oh, yes. And Eriol." They were silent for awhile. "HOE!" Sakura broke the silence as she looked at the clock, did a double take, and looked at the clock again. "I'M LATE!" She screamed as she gathered up her stuff. "BYE, TOMOYO!" Tomoyo smiled. "Bye Sakura-chan!" She sadly closed the door and went upstairs. She had other guests to attend to.
September 2, 2005
"Thank you sir, please come by again." Eriol left the store with packets of balloons in his hand. He would need a lot of help from Nakuru and Suppi to get all of them blown...
September 3, 2005
"Well, Eriol said that he'd meet up with us at Penguin Park for the picnic. Let's go through the list one more time. Napkins? Check. Utensils? Check. Picnic Clo-" Yamazaki suddenly interrupted Tomoyo. "Did you know that forks were actually made to comb hair-OW!" Yamazaki ruefully massaged his ear. "That hurt, Chiharu." "It was supposed to." "As I was saying, it's your birthday Tomoyo. You don't have to worry about everything-OW!" Chiharu glared at him. "You weren't saying that!" "I was going to." "Liar." "Um…guys…?" "Sorry." "Let us leave, shall we?"
September 2, 2004
"It's so sweet of master to give Tomoyo-chan balloons! Don't you think its sweet Suppi?" "Mmmmmm unnnnnh mmmf ummm." "What was that Suppi?" "Blow the balloons!" "Oh, whoops! Hehehe! But don't you think its sweet of master?" "I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk like I wasn't here, Nakuru. Now can you keep working?" "But why do WE have to blow them up? It's YOUR present." "I'm working on the surprise." "Isn't this surprise?" "No, you dolt! This is not the surprise. This is the stuff to decorate the surprise!" "Bad Suppi! I am not a dolt." "Oh sure." "Nakuru, Suppi! Just…be quiet!" "Okay Master!" "He said quiet!" "Gah!"
September 3, 2005
"Where could Eriol be?" "Why don't we spread out and search for him? Then we could meet back here." "That's a good idea." "I'll go in this direction, Tomoyo go that way, Rika that way, and Yamazaki that way. Got it? Good. See you guys late-" Tomoyo turned around at Chiharu's gasp and saw something that made her drop the picnic hamper. It was a balloon. It was just floating in the sky and it had the number 'one' on it. It was followed by another that said 'two.' And another. One, two, three, four, five…ninety-six, ninety-seven, ninety-eight, ninety-nine…ninety nine, only ninety-nine. Tomoyo sighed. "We should meet up with Eriol." She turned around to pick up the hamper when she heard Rika gasp. Whirling around, Tomoyo saw Eriol. In a parachute with the number '100' on it. Her eyes widened as the hot-air balloon began to descend. "Tomoyo! Here's your hundredth balloon! Would you honor it with your presence my queen?"
That day, several people in Tomoeda looked up into the sky to see two lovers in a hot-air balloon. And ninety-nine balloons.