Chapter 6.3: Hope's Surprise and the Third Orb

Yatsi-chan: Here comes the third part!

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Mihara Chiharu

Daidouji Tomoyo

Sasaki Rika

Who's Fair Flower?

"These are your suspects. Am I right?"

"Suspects?" he asked incredulously. He then exclaimed: "You speak as if they did something wrong! It's better to call them… my guesses. They're the only probable people I can think of that could be fair flower."

"What made you think so?" her voice showed her curiousness. What did she do that made her a suspect, anyway? She thought it would simply be a tie between Chiharu and Rika! She covered her tracks properly, right?

His eyes gleamed naughtily. "I have my reasons that even you, my partner, shouldn't know."

Tomoyo pouted under her hood. "You're getting all secretive suddenly… that doesn't feel right at all."

"I'm not comfortable with only me guessing" he answered with an equally cute pout.

She almost laughed at his silly face but instead, with all the sarcasm in the world, "As if it wasn't hard enough guessing what you think about"

'Normally, if you keep a secret, it would bring bad things. But to this two, it's actually always an adventure!'

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"Tomoyo-chan! This is the second to the last day of the guessing game. What would you do today?"

Even though she was formerly against the game, Nakuru already grew into loving this. It wasn't just a game played by two; it was a game played by the whole Tomoeda.

Chiharu, Yamazaki, Sakura, Syaoran, Touya Nakuru and especially Spinnel enjoyed it.

"Today? Hmmm… Spinnel thought this day out. He called it Déjà vu since we will act out events from the past. Chiharu will act as Hope though, because I won't be here" There was a excited smile on her face as she narrated the plan.

"Huh? You mean you won't be here today? Wah! I'm getting nervous!" Her eyes widened and she jumped up and down in panic.

Tomoyo laughed softly at her. "Calm down! I trust Spinnel and Chiharu; you too. I trust everyone to keep it a secret for now. Tomorrow will be the big day after all."

Nakuru's excited eyes softened upon hearing the phrase 'the big day'. "I hope everything will be alright. You and master are perfect for each other. You compliment each other greatly."

"I hope so too" the Plum answered.

Their conversation was stopped when the flying panther-like guardian came in from the master's library. "Master will wake up any moment now. You have to go. Don't worry. I'll guide Mihara-san so she won't make a mistake."

"Of course. I trust you. I'll go now" She waved and walked off to the door. Before fully opening the door, she stopped as if remembering something. With her softest voice, she said, "If ever he can't handle the memories anymore, just take him away and I'll rest for some more moths before finally revealing myself. I don't want to cause him more sufferings."

Spinnel shook his head. "It is a must that we tell him tomorrow; whatever happens. It is the perfect time. You only see the suffering he goes through whenever he is overwhelmed by memories. But you can't see how incomplete he feels whenever he sleeps at night."

Nakuru also looked at her with a serious expression and spoke. "He knows that he needs something. He whispers your name whenever he dreams."

The plum looked at her with a surprised expression. "He whispers my name…" A look of understanding passed through her face. "You mean Fair Flower, right?"

The winged panther shook his head. "No. He whispers your name"

"Tomo… No… Don't leave… I… Stay with me… Tomoyo… I'm sorry…" Nakuru mimicked her master's plea.

"Tomoyo-sama, you can do it. You need to do this for Eriol-sama and yourself. You have to go now. He'll wake up soon."

Tomoyo muttered an 'I'll go now' and walked away.

…

"I'll only assist you to our first destination: the university. As you said, it is the most probable place for Fair Flower. I have some appointments today so I can't join you all day. I gave Suppi-chan the plan today. I'll just fetch you later so we can talk about what happened."

Eriol heard nervousness in her voice. It wasn't like her to falter. Something is terribly wrong here!

But what?

…

"Spinnel, what should we do?"

The mage wasn't sure where to go. What should he expect when his day started so lamely? Hope didn't talk while they were walking here. AND she didn't do anything naughty that made him smile, like usual.

"Well, we'll walk around. That is what's written here. Just walk as if you're a tourist or something"

Eriol nodded and hid Spinnel inside his pocket. He walked around the university wearing his disguise and getting weird looks because of it.

"I've been living with a shadow overhead

I've been sleeping with a cloud above my bed

I've been lonely for so long

Trapped in the past

I just can't seem to move on"

There was someone singing and playing a piano. The song felt really familiar and close to his heart but he can't seem to find its place. He was lured to the source of the melody… the university's music room.

The door was slightly ajar. No one was around the corridor at the moment. He peeked ever so quiet.

Daidouji Tomoyo.

The beautiful girl was singing and playing the piano like a professional. She was smiling but certain sadness was in her eyes.

"Ah!" He clutched his head in pain as a burning feeling erupted in it. "Stop… Ittai…"

The notes faltered a bit as a few tears fell from her eyes. She stopped singing to conserve her energy; she needed it to finish the song.

Eriol wanted to run away. Run away from the beautiful creature playing the beautiful melody. He wanted to stop the pain.

But he didn't.

He knew inside his heart that he needed to survive this. He needed to stay. He needed to savor the beautiful music. He needed to stay, looking at the beautiful girl.

It was the right thing to do.

After the pain, there will be a new piece for him. A piece to complete the puzzle that was him.

.

As the last note echoed through the hall, Eriol sat beside the door with his head on his palms and his hair disheveled. The pain was going away slowly…

"Erio- Hiiragizawa-kun?" a goddess-like voice asked as the door opened more widely. Why was he still here? Wasn't he supposed to be in the next place now? This is not part of the plan! "Are you okay?" Even though she was shocked, concern for him took over.

"Huh?" He looked up in shock. "How did you…?" He then realized that half his disguises were gone. Due to his pain, he didn't notice that his sunglasses and cap fell to the floor.

"Do you want to go the clinic?" she asked with a frown. "Or do you want a drink? I can get some juice for us"

"If… Ummm… Can you join me for coffee? I don't think I can handle going to the café by myself."

Spinnel suppressed a laugh. His master is really a flirt sometimes! Except… always with the same person!

"Sure" she replied with a smile. "At least I could interrogate you as to why you're in Tomoeda"

He smiled weakly at her. She offered her a hand and he took it to stand up.

"Wha-?" He released her hand as if being scorched. It felt just like…!

"Is there a problem?" she asked.

He shook his head, not trusting his voice.

"Okay then. Let's go!" She walked to the University's exit, thinking deeply. It took all her will power not to punch the mage. What shall she do now? He completely blew the course off! He should be someplace else now, repairing a vase like planned. But he just had to stay and destroy the well-prepared plan! Poor Spinnel Sun!

…

"If you want to reminisce, then why don't you look at your locker? I heard that yours hadn't been cleaned out yet. You left so suddenly, so there wasn't an assurance that you wouldn't come back and study here again"

Actually, Tomoyo asked if she could keep his locker the same so that she'll be able to remember him even though he's not in Tomoeda. But since he's here now, she will now use it as a memory trigger!

"Hmmm…" Oh! If Fair Flower knows that he is here, his locker could be a good place to place her final letter. "You're right! That's a good idea!"

He suddenly stood up and held out a hand. "Could you accompany me to the locker?"

She smiled and took his hand. "Sure. I'll be glad to."

…

There's a note!

As Eriol opened his locker, a small torn-up paper came flying out. He silently took the note with a curious expression.

Thank you because you were always by my side. The days I spent with you were the most beautiful days I have experienced. Thank you.

Respectfully yours,

Eriol Hiiragizawa

Clow Reed reincarnate

Admiring Gentleman

Eh?

It was his handwriting. Another pain shot through him. This time, he was able to control himself. Instead of collapsing like usual, he clutched Tomoyo's hand and squeezed it as if asking her to give him strength. It was a very weird thing to do; given the fact that he just saw her again this day and that he wasn't close to her even before.

She squeezed his hands, too; as if saying that she'll give the strength he needed.

…

"Last destination: Penguin Park, for unknown reasons." Spinnel read from the notes that were supposedly given to him by Hope.

"Okay. I'm sure she has her reasons" the mage replied and walked quickly to that place.

Suddenly, droplets of rain came down from the sky. It was raining! But it wasn't like any other rain… it was a rain overflowing with a card's aura. Upon closer inspection, he found out that it was… the Storm!

He ran to Penguin Park which was where the aura was strongest.

Rain…

Penguin Park…

And…

Is that Daidouji-san; under the emperor penguin?

This scene…

It's achingly familiar…

"Aaaahhh!!!"

This was the strongest pain he had felt. Ever. It was so strong that he wasn't able to stop himself from kneeling in pain, in screaming in terror. "Aaaahhh!!! Ittai… stop it… please stop… please… I don't want… this… stop it… please… it hurts… so much… Nakuru… Spinnel… help… it hurts…"

Spinnel bit his lips, stopping himself from changing into his true form and flying his master away back to England where he would be unharmed and safe.

But he can't, right?

Only after experiencing pain would you be able to appreciate happiness.

"Aaahhh!!! Spinnel… please… stop it… now… I don't want…"

Overflowing memories.

Intense pain.

No…

He wasn't able to bear it any longer.

Eriol fainted.

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Yatsi-chan: Wah! Second to the last chapter is so sad… I cried while imagining how Eriol is suffering… I'm sorry if this is rushed… I'm really sleepy now and I need to go somewhere for Valentine's so I needed to think quickly to make sure I fulfill my promise.

Next update would be on Sunday.

Please read and review!

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Yatsi-chan's mood: In-love, as in, 'In an unrequited Love'. Hahahaha… In-love but unknown to my only love… emo?