Disclaimer: I do not own CCS.
Note: Hello readers! Well I thought that I would leave Spinel's adventures for later chapters, but since the idea came, I started to write and got it done for you today :) So it is earlier than expected, but hopefully you enjoy Spinel's part of the story! Thanks for the reviews and hope you enjoy your reading :)
Being Tomoyo
Spinel woke up startled from a vivd nightmare. He sat up on the very comfortable bed as his eyes scanned his surroundings for his master, but something caught his attention as he realized with horror that this was not his home. He looked at the floral wallpaper and the feminine decorations and the pretty dresses that were hanging on the hook against the wall. For a moment he thought this was Nakuru's room, but he then remembered that Nakuru's room was pink and cramped with stuff animals and clothes thrown around carelessly. This was definitely not Nakuru's room, so where was he then?
Spinel then took notice that he had hands, small delicate hands that were well manicured. Immediately he pulled the blanket off from his body and saw that he had feet too and he was wearing a pink pajama. Something was terribly wrong, as he began to panic. Quickly Spinel jumped off the bed and lost his balance as he crashed onto the carpet floor. He never had legs before, he didn't know how to walk. He took a couple of minutes to adjust to his legs and once he did stand up, he awkwardly made his way to the mirror. Anxiously he stepped into view and to his horror he saw a female face looking back at him with her beautiful amethyst eyes staring back in disbelief.
"No. This can't be happening." Spinel whispered in shock as he waved his hands and dreaded to see that it was really him moving in a female body.
He moved his hand up and touched his soft skin and his long silky hair. If he wasn't mistaken, he was now Tomoyo Daidoujii, but how did this happen? The last time he saw her was in Tomoeda High school building. So the nightmare he had was all real. He didn't dream about the explosion and the pain that his body felt when an invisible force had pulled his soul out of his feline body. This was all real and to his horror, Spinel was a very beautiful girl.
"Eriol!" Spinel suddenly realized. "I need to tell him and make him switch me back! If I am not wrong, the real Tomoyo must be inside my body!"
Spinel then quickly headed towards the door but before he could turn the door knob, a maid walked in with a smile. "Good morning mistress." She greeted pleasantly.
"Good morning." Spinel replied and frowned that his voice was not the usual tone but instead soft and delicate.
The maid then softly giggled as her eyes ran up and down her figure. Spinel stepped back feeling uncomfortable, as he wondered if the maid knew his secret or might know something he did not know.
"Why are you laughing?" He asked a bit suspicious.
"Mistress you are still in your pajamas. You must be really excited to leave to have forgotten to change once you woke up." The maid answered still giggling.
"Leave?" Spinel asked not understanding what she was saying. "You mean you knew where I was going?" He furthered inquired, thinking that she might have figured him out and was trying to help him to go to Eriol's house.
"Of course I know where you are going." The maid replied with smile. "But first you must change and eat your breakfast. There will be a car for you waiting outside."
Spinel couldn't believe his luck. He didn't know if this was all a trick or if he should mistrust the human woman, but right now looking into her brown eyes, Spinel couldn't deny the sincerity it showed. Maybe Eriol had figured everything out and had sent the maid to help him get out of this horrible situation, how else would she know about him leaving this quick to search for his master? A normal human without any possession of magical powers could not have known he was Spinel and not Tomoyo. The maid was here to aid him and Spinel smiled and thanked his master for being so clever.
Although a bit relieved, Spinel still wanted to make sure. "Are you here to help me leave?"
The maid giggled at how suspicious Tomoyo sounded. "Of course mistress. Why else would I be here so early."
Spinel smiled in satisfaction to the answer. "Well then we must not waste anymore time."
The maid giggled again as she helped Spinel awkwardly change out of his pajamas and into one of the Tomoyo's vast collection of sundresses. Spinel blushed as he eyed himself in a dress, feeling very uncomfortable and out of his matter. He felt guilty that he saw Tomoyo in her under garments and he felt more conscious of himself that the sundress was actually showing off Tomoyo's beautiful curves. Spinel couldn't understand why women would wear such clothes, if it was up to him he would wear a t-shirt and jeans. The maid also made him wear a matching sandal, to which he detested because it was making it difficult for him to walk straight and keep his balance. It took Spinel literally thirty minutes to walk down the stairs without falling or tripping. The maid was there to help him after several missteps.
"This is only delaying my departure!" Spinel complained as he thrust the sandals off from his feet.
"But it looks nice on you mistress, especially with that dress you are wearing." The maid complimented.
"Why do I need to wear them?" Spinel complained.
"Because your mother bought them for you to wear." The maid simply replied.
Spinel looked at the maid smiling and his brains began to puzzle the pieces together. He now understood her meaning as he decoded her words. He needed to wear this dress and the awful sandals to look and be Tomoyo so no one would suspect and find out that he was actually Spinel. This was a small mission and the maid was clearly here to get him out undetected, but he needed to act his part well. He needed to act like Tomoyo Daidoujii, but he didn't know how. He had seen enough high school girls while in his missions with Eriol and he had watched some television shows to know how girls should act. He might actually pull it off.
"Good morning mistress." Greeted a male servant as they entered the dining room.
"Good morning." Spinel tried his sweetest voice and gave him a huge smile. He remembered some of the high school girls doing that when greeting their male classmates at school.
The male servant looked back a bit confused but he let it slip as he served the mistress her breakfast. Spinel watched in horror as he was given waffles with maple syrup and some sweet japanese cakes. Spinel eyed the male servant in a murderous look, in which he looked at her a bit taken aback at her facial expression. He had never seen that look before, not on the sweet mistress.
"I'm sorry. Are you displeased? I thought you loved these food?" The male servant asked a bit worried that he had made a mistake.
Spinel gulped and forced a smile on his lips. He needed to be Tomoyo for now and get out of the house as soon as possible. "No. No problem at all." Spinel lied.
The male servant sighed in relief and smiled back. "Would you like more maple syrup?"
Spinel wanted to stretch his hands out and gag the servant for even suggesting such atrocity. Spinel hated sweets. Was this male servant trying to kill him? The servant seeing her eyes burn in anger, quickly excused himself from the room and retrieved without looking back. Spinel was left alone in the room with the maid who stood beside her serving a cup of orange juice. Spinel gratefully took the cup and gulped the juice down before standing up.
"You are not eating your breakfast?" The maid asked.
Spinel frowned, maybe Eriol forgot to tell her that he detested sweets. He was about to voice his thoughts when the doors open and in came a lovely sophisticated woman. He gasped as he recalled seeing her at school with Tomoyo once in the school festival.
"Sonomi Daidouji?" Spinel inquired.
Sonomi laughed. "Has it been that long since I saw you that you don't even recognize your own mother?" She asked with a grin, but a bit hurt nonetheless.
Spinel quickly composed himself and managed to sound sweet. "Sorry mother. I just was excited to see you." He replied feeling very awkward in calling the woman his mother.
"Come here you." Sonomi opened her arms wide and Spinel hesitated for a second, but knew he had to go.
He walked into her embrace and felt himself blush as the woman circled her arms tightly around him. It was a very comfortable and warm feeling. He looked up to see her smiling back fondly and felt very special under her gaze. Spinel unconsciously brought his arms around her and hugged her back gently.
"Well then, eat your breakfast fast. We are leaving." Sonomi spoke as she kissed Spinel's forehead.
"You want me to eat?" Spinel asked in horror.
Sonomi nodded her head. "Yes of course. I don't want you to feel hungry."
"But I don't feel like eating." Spinel replied as he looked at the waffles in great disgust.
Sonomi laughed. "Don't be silly Tomoyo, you must have some breakfast." She then added curiously. "Are you dieting or something?"
"No not at all!" Tomoyo answered back knowing that Tomoyo didn't need any sort of diet. "I just am too excited to go."
Sonomi smiled brightly. "Yes true, very true. I am excited as well, but I still insist that you take one bite first."
Sonomi walked towards the plate and took a piece. She then presented it in front of Spinel who eyed the waffle in great discontent. Regretfully he opened his mouth and let Sonomi feed him the food and once he tasted the sweetness his body reacted. Sonomi watched as Tomoyo's eyes started to sparkle and her arms began to flap up and down. She jumped and began to run around the room several times before Sonomi grabbed her hand in laughter.
"Alright alright we are leaving now." Sonomi spoke.
"YES! We are leaving! Lets go! Lets go! Lets gooooo!" Spinel chanted overly cheerful as they left the dining room towards the car that awaited outside the house.
When Spinel opened his eyes and stretched his arms from the very comfortable nap, in which he did not recall, he found himself lying on a queen sized bed. Startled he immediately knew something was terribly wrong. The room had wooden furniture that matched the floral pastel wallpaper and the beach decorations that were placed in every single corner of the room. The smell of the ocean and the sound of the waves crashing told Spinel everything he needed to know. He was not in Eriol's house and he knew that he might not be anywhere near his final destination. He sprung off the bed quickly and headed towards the window where he pushed the curtains aside. What greeted him was the beautiful view of the beach.
"Good your awake." Spoke a familiar voice as Spinel gazed away from the window to find Sonomi entering the hotel room. "All that sugar made you so hyper that you got tired really fast, dear. I am glad you got to sleep well in the airplane cause now we can enjoy the beautiful beach!"
"Sono-" Spinel started but caught himself and started again. "Mother, where are we exactly?"
She looked back at her daughter with a a grin. "We are in Hawaii of course."
"HAWAII!" Spinel shouted in horror as he realized that now it was impossible for him to escape and walk home.
"Yes, Hawaii." Sonomi smiled taking Spinel's outcry as a sign of excitement and disbelief that they have finally come together for their much anticipated vacation. "We will have a great time my dear."
"Yes of course." Spinel answered feebly.
"Look I bought you a new bikini while I was over in China. Lets head to the beach first, shall we?" Sonomi asked excitedly.
Spinel looked at the bikini in aversion as he gulped and wondered how he was going to be able to fit in such tiny garments. He gazed away quickly at the outfit and found the white telephone on the small desk. Suddenly aware that he could call Eriol and let him know about the whole situation made a smile finally appear on his face.
"Mother I will met you downstairs at the lobby." Spinel quickly spoke as Sonomi nodded and headed towards the door.
"Dear don't forget to put some sunscreen on. We don't want you looking like a red crab, your skin is too fair." Sonomi warned as she smiled and finally left.
Once the door was closed, Spinel dove towards the phone and picked up the receiver. "ERIOL!" He called and all he heard back was the tone.
Spinel then slapped his head at his own stupidity. He never used a phone before and never had bothered to learn to use one. Spinel was regretting not have taken time to learn about human objects, such as the microwave, the rice cooker, and especially the telephone. He eyed the numbers and the buttons before picking up the receiver again and pressing whatever he thought might work, and nothing but a silent tone. He hung up and tried again, but this time he tried spelling Eriol's name with the numbers, and once again there was a silent tone from the other end of the receiver.
"How does this work!" Spinel cried exasperated as he dialed and pressed unknowingly.
Several attempts later Spinel was about to give up when the phone began to ring. Did whatever he do before work? Surprised and in hopes Spinel quickly picked up the phone and answered. "Eriol!"
"Excuse me miss, but could you please stop calling the front desk." Spoke the voice from the other line who sounded frustrated but tried to keep a civil tone.
"Sorry." Spinel replied sheepishly, but then he quickly added. "HELP ME DIAL HOME!"
"Home. Where is that miss?" She asked.
"HOME AS IN JAPAN." Spinel answered back loudly, glad that she was being helpful. "TOMOEDA. I LIVE WITH ERIOL HIIRAGIZAWA!"
"You need to make an international call. Do you have the phone number? I can tell you how to dial it." The woman spoke a bit annoyed that Spinel was shouting at her over the phone.
Spinel looked lost. He had not memorized his phone number, but that was natural since he never used a phone before in his lifetime. What was he suppose to do. "I DON'T KNOW ANY NUMBER! I just want to talk to Eriol Hiiragizawa!"
The woman sighed, but she heard the despair evident in Spinel's sweet voice that she couldn't ignore the girl and not help. "Alright miss, please stay on the line and I will figure it out."
Spinel smiled in hope and waited patiently in the line while he heard music being played. Not long the woman answered again and instructed everything he needed to know. Spinel kept her for several more minutes trying to learn how to dial and how to call. He wanted to make sure he knew how to use a phone now, but the woman sounded a bit impatient.
"So all I need to do is press the button and wait?" Spinel asked for the third time.
"Yes miss." The woman spoke tiredly. "Is there anything else I can help you with today?"
"No. Thank you for your help." Spinel smiled gratefully.
"I hope you enjoy your stay with us." The woman spoke and was about to hang up when suddenly Spinel asked.
"So one last time again. I need to just press the number you told me and I can talk to Eriol. That easy?" All he heard back was the tone.
Spinel sighed as he put the receiver back on the phone and frowned. Well at least he got the number he wanted and he was quite sure right now how to use the telephone. Not wasting any more of his time, Spinel picked the receiver once again and started pressing the numbers exactly as it was written on the paper. He heard the phone ringing and waited nervously for someone to pick up as his fingers tapped the desk impatiently.
"Hello-" Spoke the other end and before letting the person finish the sentence Spinel quickly shouted. "HELLO! Eriol!"
"-Please leave a name and message after the peep. PEEP!" Finished the other end.
"Hello!...CAN YOU HEAR ME?...HELLO!" Spinel called as he listened carefully for a reply back.
Spinel was about to add a few more words when the door opened and Sonomi walked in. She looked at her daughter, who apparently hadn't changed or even looked like she was about to move away from the telephone. Sonomi sighed.
"Tomoyo, dear, I know you miss Sakura but you can talk to her over the phone later in the afternoon. I have been waiting for you in the lobby for over more than half an hour. Could you please join me now?" Sonomi asked as she pushed Spinel away from the phone.
"But, but-" Spinel was about to reason with her when Sonomi shushed her lips with her finger.
"No buts. You are here to have fun with me. This is our vacation! It's Hawaii. Lets relax and enjoy." Sonomi spoke as she quickly pushed Spinel towards the bathroom and handed her the bikini.
The next thing she knew, Spinel found herself on the beach with Sonomi, who had comfortably taken a seat on the towel laid upon the sand. A drink was being served to her by a servant who quickly retrieved, while another servant was opening an umbrella. Spinel held onto the towel around his female body, refusing to let it go as it covered his body from everyone's view. Sonomi looked at her a bit sadden.
"You don't like the design I bought you dear?"
Spinel blushed. It wasn't the design that bothered Spinel, it was the fact that it was a bikini and the smallest garments he had ever seen or put on. He couldn't imagine anyone being happy wearing such little clothing, although it was hot outside, he felt very uncomfortable wearing so little. Sonomi laughed at her daughter's embarrassment and then simply smiled.
"Dear, don't be shy."
Spinel still refused, but his attention was caught by the telephone booth near the bar. He eyed it carefully, trying to figure out if it really was a telephone or not, because it looked different from the one in the hotel room. Spinel recognized the numbers and the buttons that looked similar to the telephone he just used. In hopes, Spinel quickly ignored the grasp around his towel and instead grabbed the paper he had written the numbers on and quickly headed to the bar. Several men stopped to look appreciatively at Spinel as he quickly ran to the bar not noticing the attention he was receiving. When he finally reached the booth a man quickly blocked his way inside.
"Hey gorgeous. Let me buy you a drink." He asked while flashing her a bright smile.
Spinel frowned at his intrusion. "No. I am in a hurry." He replied back trying to pass through.
He blocked Spinel once again. "Come on girl. Just one drink." He then grabbed a hold of Spinel's hand.
Spinel quickly bit his hand as strong as he could, it was his way of defending himself, like the way he would whenever Nakuru tried to force him to eat some sweets, he would also bite her off. In pain, the man yelled loudly before letting her go. Spinel grinned and ran into the telephone booth and closed the door behind her. The man cursed and walked away feeling hurt. Quickly she picked the phone and started dialing but nothing happened.
"You need a telephone card." Spoke a teenage boy waving outside the booth, and apparently he had one.
Spinel opened the door and grabbed the card, but he held it tight, not letting Spinel take it. "But of course I would gladly give it to you if you let me take you out for lunch."
Spinel sighed and sweetly batted his eyes. "Please, would you give me the card."
He drooled and blushed. His grip loosened and Spinel took this chance to take the card away form his hand. He then quickly entered the booth once again and locked the door. The boy noticing what happened tried to open the door but couldn't. He looked at Spinel hopefully.
"Is that a yes? I take it as a yes!" He asked, but Spinel wasn't paying attention to him. "Ok I'll be off for now, but I'll come find you again for lunch." Spinel still ignored him. The boy waved and then his smile faded as he grunted and left knowing that he had lost.
Spinel quickly followed the cards instructions and managed to dial to home. He heard the ringing sound and he smiled in relief as he waited. There it was again the voice and then the peep sound. Spinel held the receiver closer to his mouth as he shouted loudly.
"I AM IN HAWA- AH!" Spinel was not able to finish his sentence when someone banged the door loudly and in fright he dropped the phone.
He spun around to find the boy there knocking. "Lunch time." He announced.
Spinel grabbed the phone and heard the silent tone. He turned to the boy and yelled. "Leave me alone!" The people around the bar heard her outcry and stared at their direction.
The boy evidently embarrassed, quickly turned away and left her. "Sheesh." He whispered under his breath.
Spinel took this chance once again to dial, but before he could finish punching the last number he heard a knock.
"Didn't I tell you to leave me alone." Spinel complained as she turned around to find Sonomi looking at her.
"Tomoyo. What are you doing? Are you trying to call Sakura again?" Sonomi spoke suspiciously.
Spinel sighed and opened the door. "No mother."
"Your suppose to be having fun. Come dear, lets go build some sandcastles." Sonomi cheerfully suggested as she took her daughter's hand and led her away from the telephone booth.
Spinel watched the distance increase between himself and the phone. He sighed in defeat, but he would not give up. He determinedly set his goal to call Eriol no matter what happened. He needed to let his master know that Tomoyo had switched body with him. Spinel feared what Tomoyo might do to his feline body or worse what she would do with Eriol. Tomoyo could accidently blow the house up not knowing to control his powers or something worse might even happen. He was determined in letting the truth out and so throughout the whole day Spinel made several attempts to the phone. He made excuses to Sonomi saying he needed to go to the bathroom or he was feeling sick or he wanted to take a nap. Sonomi knew better and always caught Spinel on the phone and always interrupting him before he could complete a sentence.
Sonomi dragged Spinel to the beach, to the restaurants, to the mall, to the cinema, to the spa, and to the tourists sites. Everywhere they went, Spinel tried searching for a telephone and when he did he was always caught before completing a call to his master. He had lost track of how many times he had tried calling Eriol in the first week of their stay in Hawaii, but he also knew Sonomi was growing suspicious of his daughter's futile attempts to use the telephone. Even at nighttime when they were free of events, Sonomi had shared a bed with Spinel, making it hard for him to sneak out and use the phone.
At last, Spinel had his chance when Sonomi received an emergency call from the company back in Japan. Spinel quickly ran to their bedroom and closed the door behind. He picked the phone up and started to dial the numbers, which by now he had memorized. He waited and waited but no one picked the phone up. Mumbling under his breath in anguish, Spinel finally heard a peeping sound.
"HELLO! ERIOL? NAKURU?" Spinell yelled at the receiver. "PICK THE PHONE UP!"
"Tomoyo!" A stern voice called her attention.
Spinel hung up the phone and turned to see Sonomi standing behind her with her arms crossed over her chest. She had a frown on her face, but seeing Spinel looking up a bit frighten, the frown slowly disappeared. Sonomi sighed before taking a seat next to Spinel on the large bed.
"I don't know if this is my fault or not, but I keep thinking that you miss your friends more than you miss me." Sonomi suddenly voiced her concern. "This sounds stupid, but I am actually feeling jealous that you are trying to call back to Japan every single day."
Spinel suddenly felt a serge of guilt as he saw Sonomi's sadden eyes look at her helplessly. It wasn't her fault it was mostly his fault for ignoring her all this time. He put his delicate hands over Sonomi's hand.
"I am sorry mother. It wasn't my intention to ignore you." Spinel confessed in remorse. "I was caught up in doing something that I have forgotten the real reason I was here."
Sonomi smiled as she patted her daughter's head. "I have never been there with you for most of your days, and I wonder why you have never complained, maybe because you are such a great daughter. I thought that bringing you to Hawaii would make up for some of the absence." Sonomi explained.
Spinel could see the love in Sonomi's eyes and the regret of not being there for Tomoyo. He didn't want to make Sonomi feel any worse than he was feeling himself. He never had a mother before, but he had a friend that cared as much as Sonomi was caring for Tomoyo. Spinel smiled at how similar Sonomi was to Eriol in his concern and his affection. He understood the worries in her eyes and the concern. Spinel felt special under her gaze and regretted having done nothing but trouble the woman.
"Don't be silly. I have never complained because I understood and I never had any regrets." Spinel voiced his true thoughts, hoping that what he said held true to what Tomoyo would have thought as well. He had observed her occasionally when he was in his missions with Eriol. Tomoyo was always smiling and seemed content with her life.
"I love you Tomoyo and all I want is the best for you." Sonomi whispered as she brought Spinel into a tight embrace, making him warm up to her.
"I love you too...mother" He added as he really liked the idea of having a mother.
Spinel made up his mind right there that he would stop calling his master. He had spent a whole week trying to get in touch with Eriol without any success. It was time for him to enjoy his vacation with Sonomi and maybe take this time to relax and really appreciate Hawaii and its beauty. Maybe he could even do stuff he couldn't do with his feline body, such as go jet-skiing or scuba diving. He knew these were the following plans Sonomi had arranged for them, and for now he was going to be glad to pretend to be Tomoyo. Not because he had to, but because he wanted to for Sonomi's sake and for the bond Tomoyo would have wanted to share with her mother in the rare occasions she saw her mother. Spinel genuinely smiled for the first time he had been Tomoyo, and he knew he was going to have a great time.
TBC