Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Card Captor Sakura - Altered World ❯ Sakura and Tomoyo's Vanished Voice ( Chapter 19 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Card Captor Sakura - Altered World

Card Captor Sakura - Altered World

Notes: This fanfic is S+S, and has mature concepts. Read at your own risk. I'm poor; don't sue. I don't own CCS at all.

Chapter 16: Sakura and Tomoyo's Vanished Voice
"…I'll use it for you only," sang a rather sweet sounding voice in the grove of Sakura trees in full bloom. It was the Sakura Festival, and people gathered around the park to view the soft, pale, pink petals as they broke off the tree branches, possessing slight freedom to their movements until they fluttered to the ground.
"Someday, I'll become a wonderful person," Sakura continued to sing, as her friends sat down on a sky blue blanket, looking up towards her. Various bento boxes lay scattered across the blanket.
"I want to bring happiness with my own magic," finished Sakura with her eyes closed as she sang into the microphone. Everyone clapped in appreciation.
"Ah, I was so nervous," said Sakura as she sat down on the blanket, crossing her legs.
"It was wonderful," remarked Tomoyo, giving Sakura a smile.
"Not bad but not as good as me," said Meiling, with a single finger raised to make her statement.
"This portable karaoke microphone works really well," commented Takashi as he and Chiharu examined the device.
"It's from your mother's company, isn't it?" asked Chiharu, raising her head to look towards Tomoyo.
"Yes, but it's not for sale in stores yet" replied Tomoyo.
"It's nice to have one while viewing the cherry blossoms isn't it?" commented Naoko, while Syaoran watched, out of the corners of his eyes, a certain "cherry blossom."
Sakura turned her head at Syaoran, as Rika said, "It's great for parties."
Syaoran froze and concentrated his gaze on his drink, taking a sip while Sakura looked at him in confusion.
"You know, about the karaoke…" started Takashi, about to pull another Yamazaki special.
"Next, it's Tomoyo-chan's turn," interrupted Chiharu with a smile. She didn't feel like beating Takashi on a nice day like this.
"Yes," said Tomoyo, holding the microphone in her hands and raising to stand.
"I love to hear Tomoyo sing," said Sakura, with a bright smile at Meiling, "Don't you?"
"I guess, only Daidouji-san can rival me in singing," announced Meiling as Syaoran sweatdropped.
Tomoyo bowed and everyone turned around, clapping.
"When I'm lonely, I seek warmth," sang Tomoyo's melodious voice, "I trace far into the distance my dear memories."
Sakura blossoms fluttered in the air as everyone turned to hear the enchanting melody.
"Holding her beloved child in her arms," sang Tomoyo, as everyone watched her with the utmost attentions, smiles present on their faces. Even Syaoran's face had softened considerably, his mouth slightly upturned.
"A mother sings a lullaby under the sun. Playing in dreamland…"
Unknown to them, a pink glowing orb perched on the Sakura tree, that provided them shade, listening to Tomoyo's voice.

"That must have been nice," whined Cerberus as he struggled with holding Sakura's hairdryer, "I wanted to go see the cherry blossoms too!"
"Chiharu-chan and the others were with us," explained Sakura, her hair still slightly damp.
"I could've pretended to be a stuffed animal," complained Cerberus.
"Then you wouldn't be able to eat anything."
"No way! That'll be too painful," said Cerberus, shaking around in protest.
"Thanks," said Sakura, taking the hairdryer away from Cerberus and then shutting it off.
"Hey, if you return to your original form, will you be able to go see the cherry blossoms during the day?" wondered Sakura aloud.
"Even more impossible," replied Cerberus as he stood on the windowsill.
"Hey, how does your original form look like?" asked Sakura, placing her hands on the sill, kneeling in front of him.
"Incredibly cool!" said Cerberus, striking into a pose.
"Like how?"
"So cool that it's impossible to describe in words."
"How?" asked Sakura eagerly.
"Well, when you finish gathering all the cards, you'll find out," replied Cerberus.
"Fine..." said Sakura, giving Cerberus a pout.
Turning towards the night sky, Cerberus said, "But at that time, you might need to deal with that guy too..."

"Tomoyo-chan, do you have practice?" Sakura asked as they packed their bags.
"Yes," replied Tomoyo.
"Me too! Let's go home together then," said Sakura, happily.
"In order to prepare for the competition, I need to stay late. The set piece is hard," explained Tomoyo
"The song that you sang at the cherry blossom viewing?" wondered Sakura.
"No, it's a different song," answered Tomoyo.
"Are you singing a solo?"
"No it's a choir, but I l have a solo at the beginning…" replied Tomoyo modestly, "It'll affect the performance of the rest of the choir if I do not sing well. And it's a song that I love really much."
"Don't worry! You'll do well," assured Sakura brightly.
"I'll do my best," said Tomoyo. Especially since Sakura-chan is cheering for me.

"See you later!" waved Sakura as Tomoyo entered the school building after walking Sakura out.
"Kinomoto-san," said a voice from behind her.
"Hoe?" wondered Sakura as she turned around.
"Is Daidouji-san going to choir practise?" asked Kaho politely.
"Yes," Sakura simply replied. A gently breeze came along, playing with their tresses as cherry blossoms danced around them.
"Daidouji… I think she'll be having a hard time…" said Kaho gently, "Help her through it okay?"
"Eh?" wondered Sakura as Kaho gave her a slight smile. Sakura watched Kaho puzzled as she entered the school building.

"Hurray! Hurray! Seijou High!" cheered the cheerleaders during practice, waving their pompoms.
"Have you heard the new song the school choir was practising?" Sakura asked Chiharu and Naoko as they relaxed during a break in cheerleading practise.
"No," said Chiharu and Naoko, not paying attention to the other cheerleaders as they continued practise.
"Tomoyo-chan said she was practising a new song for the competition," Sakura informed.
"Tomoyo-chan's singing is wonderful," remarked Naoko.
"She said that she might have to stay late for practice," Sakura continued to converse, and with an afterthought, "Ah! Do you want to go watch her after practice?"
"Yeah, I'll go!" replied Chiharu.
"I'll go to," said Naoko, likewise.
"I'm going to take a drink. I'll be right back, okay?" said Sakura, placing her pompoms onto the ground.
"Okay."
Sakura ran to the fountains, her cheerleading skirt flapping, and obliviously ignored a few admiring stares aimed at her well toned thighs. She turned the dial of the fountain, and took a few sips to ease her first. As she made her way back, she heard an almost heavenly voice from within the building. Pausing, she thought, Tomoyo-chan's voice. She stopped in front of a window, and watched. Her voice is so beautiful.
The cheery blossoms and leaves shook as a wind passed by. Sakura tensed.
"Clow Card…" said Sakura slowly, backing away from the window. She whipped around her and scanned the area. A pink ball burst apart into streams and fled into the school building. The singing stopped.
"What's wrong, Daidouji-san?" asked a voice and Sakura stared numbly at the entrance of the school.
"Daidouji-san. Daidouji-san!"
Sakura ran passed the double opened doors, making haste towards the music room.
Sakura paused at the entrance and took a few slow steps forward. Tomoyo was kneeling on the floor, with her pale hands wrapped against her equally pale throat. The teacher had her hands on her shoulders and was shaking her.
"Daidouji-san!" called the teacher urgently again.
"Tomoyo-chan!" cried Sakura, dropping herself onto her knees, to kneel before Tomoyo.
'Sakura-chan,' mouthed Tomoyo.
"Eh?" cried Sakura in anxiety. Tomoyo continued to mouth a few words.
"You can't… speak," concluded Sakura hesitantly.
Tomoyo nodded.
"It can't be..." uttered Sakura anxiously.

"And then, Tomoyo went home?" asked Cerberus.
Sakura nodded, her face crestfallen, and replied softly, "Her bodyguards came and picked her up. And they went straight to the doctor. That's what maid-san said on the phone just now. It seems that she hasn't been able to speak since then…"
"This is probably the doing of the Clow Card that you sense back then," concluded Cerberus.
Sakura lifted her downcast face and looked at Cerberus.
"If I noticed it a little sooner and sealed it before…"
"Cheer up," said Cerberus fatherly, and flew up to smooth Sakura's bangs, "If you are like this, Tomoyo would be sad too."
"Yes," nodded Sakura a bit dejectedly.
"She can't speak… which means…" contemplated Cerberus at his seat beside the window, "There is no doubt about it. It's the card Voice."
"Voice?" questioned Sakura.
"It liked Tomoyo's voice so it stole it," answered Cerberus.
"That's cruel!"
"Help her through it okay?"
"What Mizuki-sensei said… Could it be about this…?" wondered Sakura.
"Hmm. I'd like to meet this teacher for once, " said Cerberus as he continued to contemplate.

Tomoyo sat alone in her bedroom. She looked sadly at the music sheets in her hands. Running her hands down the book, her hand clenched.
There was a thunder of footsteps and her bedroom door slammed open.
"Tomoyo!" cried Sonomi as Tomoyo hid her book under her pillow.
"You can't speak? Even though the doctor said you didn't catch anything?" said Sonomi as she headed towards the bed and grabbed Tomoyo by her shoulders, "How about a fever? Are you cold? Are you in pain anywhere?"
Tomoyo smiled and shook her head.
"Really," said Sonomi with relief, as she sat down on Tomoyo's bed.
Placing her hand on Tomoyo's arm, Sonomi said, "I'll skip work tomorrow. I'm really worried about you."
Tomoyo looked at her mother surprised and took her notebook and pen. She wrote in her characteristically neat writing and raised the opened notebook to her mother.
'I am okay,' her writing read.
Sonomi softly smiled at her daughter and shook her head.
"But in truth, you are worried, are you not? Well, mother will keep you company tomorrow," said Sonomi, hugging her daughter, "I know because you are my only daughter."
Tomoyo closed her eyes peacefully and smiled.

"Mioko Saitou."
"Here."
Sakura looked sadly at the empty spot beside her as Kaho took attendance.
"Ryouichi Tanade."
"Here."
Syaoran's eyes followed Sakura's movements.
"Daidouji is not feeling well today," Kaho announced, "Her mother called saying that she will be absent today."
Sakura turned her head away from the desk and looked down at her desk. "Tomoyo-chan..." said Sakura dejectedly. Syaoran's head rose in surprise.

Sakura stood miserably in front of the piano in the music room, alone. A few footsteps were heard in the hall as Syaoran approached the doorway, with his fist clenched. He stood there for a few moments and watched her still form with concern.
"What happened?" he asked, breaking the silence as Sakura turned in surprise behind her.
"Li-kun, why are… you here?" asked Sakura softly.
"I-I was worried about you…" stuttered Syaoran. His face rose in shock and he turned his head with a blush. What am I saying?! He covered, "...Might have found a Clow Card…"
Sakura looked at him painfully and closed her eyes, hanging her head.
Syaoran looked at her in surprise.

Syaoran and Sakura sat on the swings in Tomoeda Park. Many cherry blossom trees bloomed beautifully around them, and cherry blossoms blown off by the wind lay scattered on the ground.
"Daidouji is absent because of the Clow Card," stated Syaoran as Sakura finished telling him the events of the past day.
"Tomoyo-chan, for the competition this time, was practising so hard for the solo in the beginning," said Sakura with her head lowered.
Shaking her head, she wondered worriedly, "Not just the competition, what if she loses her voice permanently?"
Sakura's voice cracked when she said, "Tomoyo-chan." She wiped her eyes and Syaoran told her, "It is no use crying."
She was crying again like last time. He had seen her tears so many times yet they made him feel worse each time. Somehow, he wanted to make sure that she would never cry again. He didn't know exactly why, but he wanted to assure that her tears would fall no more. It wasn't because… Damn it, no, of course not. He just hated people crying, that's it.
Looking away, he instructed her, "You must think of a way to seal the Clow Card. I'll work on it too."
Sakura raised her tearstained face at him in surprise. Syaoran looked down with his flushed face and stuttered his explanation, "I… just… wanted to capture the card, that's all."
You don't say you care, but you are really worried about me, Li-kun?
Sakura smiled and said, "Thank you."
Syaoran gulped and looked upward at the sky in embarrassment. Why does she break out of her obliviousness now?
"In-In the meantime, we should go visit Daidouji and see how things are going," said Syaoran standing up. He began to walk jerkily away to the left of the park.
"Li-kun! Tomoyo-chan's house is in the other way!" called Sakura as she ran after him.

"How are you?" asked Sakura, seated on Tomoyo's yellow green sofa. The walls were a soft peach colour and the curtains were a cloudy white silk, transparent enough to look outside. A black coffee table stood in the middle of the sofa set. Syaoran and Sakura were seated beside each other, their schoolbags, lying at their sides.
Tomoyo sat on the lone chair and smiled, making an okay sign with her hand.
"You still can't speak, can you? I'm sorry. It's all because I didn't notice it quickly enough," said Sakura sadly, her bangs falling over her eyes as her head bowed over.
Tomoyo picked up her notebook and ink pen from the coffee table and wrote a few lines in it carefully.
Smiling, Tomoyo held up the open notebook which read, 'Sakura, cheer up. Seeing your sad face makes me feel sad as well.'
"Tomoyo-chan," said Sakura with awe. Tomoyo simply smiled back at her.
"I'll capture the card before the competition. I promise!" vowed Sakura with determination.
Sakura, you always think of those around you, thought Tomoyo as she gave Sakura another bright smile.
Knock. Knock.
The living door opened to reveal Sonomi holding a porcelain tea set on a tray. Strawberry shortcake lay on a glass platter as well.
"Hello," greeted Sonomi with a smile. Sakura and Syaoran stood up and bowed politely. Sakura returned the greeting as Syaoran stayed silent.
"Oh, we haven't met before," said Sonomi as she approached the table.
"I'm Li Syaoran," Syaoran introduced himself.
"I am Tomoyo's mother. Nice to meet you," said Sonomi as she set the tray on the table.
Sakura hurried over to help, and Sonomi said, "Oh, Sakura-chan, please sit."
"Please let me help you," said Sakura graciously as she began to set the teacups with their matching saucers.
"Oh, thank you," said Sonomi as she lifted the floral teapot.
Tomoyo observed Syaoran as he watched Sakura silently as she set the table for tea. For that instant he was simply captivated by her movements. Later, he would spend some time agonizing himself for the reason. It was simply in front of his eyes though.
Thoughtfully, she wrote in her notebook and opened it towards Syaoran, catching his attention.
'You are always watching Sakura-chan,' it read, as Tomoyo gave him a knowing smile.
"Wh-Wha… I-I'm… not," said Syaoran unintelligibly as he flushed.
"What's wrong, Li-kun?" asked Sakura naively.
"Erk!" sounded Syaoran.
Syaoran fell onto the couch with a thump and said with his head bowed, "It's nothing."
Tomoyo smiled.
You may say it is nothing now Li-kun but you'll find out sooner or later what it truly is.
The opposite.

"Did Cerberus say anything about the voice card?" asked Syaoran after their long silent contemplation.
Sakura turned away from her position by on of Tomoyo's shelves and replied, "Kero-chan said Voice likes Tomoyo-chan's voice so it took it."
Syaoran took out his Rashinban and focused his magic, making it spin. The small dot of light refused to concentrate on one spot and vanished.
"It's not nearby," explained Syaoran as he and Sakura looked at the board.
"Kero-chan also said that Voice isn't going to stop until it collects all the voices it wishes to have," added Sakura, "It'll also hide from those whose voices are taken so that they can't get them back."
"So if we want to seal Voice, we'll have to find it first," concluded Syaoran as Tomoyo watched in masked anxiety.
"Yeah but how do we?" wondered Sakura.

"I have absolutely no idea how to seal Voice!" cried Sakura in frustration. Syaoran looked downwards and sighed.
'Please cheer up,' wrote Tomoyo with another patient smile.
Sakura's eyes went blurry as tears filled her eyes, and said, "Tomoyo-chan is so strong. She's always smiling even though she must be feeling worse than me."
Sakura sobbed on Tomoyo's shoulder as Tomoyo gently smoothed her back to give comfort.
Syaoran thought silently, You always feel so much for the people around you. Where have my feelings gone? I want to be normal… You are normal so don't be sad. Only I have the right to be sad…
"This is the second time already! I already got you involved in the Song!" cried Sakura angry with herself.
"Song! We can use Song!" exclaimed Syaoran at his moment of realisation. Sakura and Tomoyo looked at him questioningly.
"The card had copied Daidouji's voice right?"
Sakura nodded.
"If Voice could hear the voice it has stolen coming from somewhere..."
"It might come out to steal it again!" finished Sakura excitedly.
"Deliver the most supreme singing voice! Song!" chanted Sakura as streams of pale pink escaped from the card.
A figure formed with a pale pink dress, like the colour of cherry blossoms, flowing gently. Her hair was long and two blue clips adorned it from the side. One in the shape of a treble clef. Song clasped its hands together and sang to the tune of 'Seed of Kindness'. Its voice carried over Tomoeda and a pink orb pulsed on its position perched on top of a cherry blossom tree. It burst into pink streams that fled through the Tomoyo's window into the living room of the Daidouji Mansion. The streams combined into a glowing pink orb and formed into a pink figure. Voice had wavy hair and wings for arms.
The Card looked around her, searching for the source of the faint yet lovely voice. Sakura, Tomoyo and Syaoran peered behind the card, hidden by a curtain.
"All right," signalled Syaoran quietly. The sprite gasped as Sakura ran out of her hiding spot. It headed towards the window to flee but Syaoran threw a sealing ofuda over the window frame, preventing it from doing so. The card glanced around and headed towards the other window but was blocked by another ofuda. Voice turned around and gasped again in surprised to see itself cornered by Sakura.
"Return to thy form which thou should be! Clow Card!" chanted Sakura as the card closed its eyes and admitted to its fate. Pink streams flew into the card, commencing its sealing. When the card was secured, a pink orb glowed and floated into Tomoyo's throat.
"Tomoyo-chan!" cried Sakura.
Tomoyo raised her hand to her throat hesitantly and spoke, "Sakura-chan…"
Sakura burst into happy tears and threw her arms around Tomoyo.
"I'm so glad! I'm so glad!" cried Sakura between sobs.
Syaoran smiled slightly. I will only let you cry because you are happy.
"Thank you very, very much," said Tomoyo, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around Sakura.

"I'll walk you home," he mumbled in embarrassment.
"What did you say Li-kun?" Sakura asked cutely as the exited from the iron gates of Daidouji Mansion.
"I'll walk you home," he repeated, pointing to the already dark sky. It was practically pitch black except for the twinkling of a few stars against the glow of the ever-present moon. It was always there, but the matter was when it actually glowed.
"Okay," said Sakura as Syaoran looked instinctively back at the Daidouji Mansion. He saw a grey haired figure standing in the centre balcony. He narrowed his eyes in concentration. What was Daidouji doing with her hand? Syaoran stopped himself from smacking himself in the head when he realised what it was, a thumbs-up sign. Great, just great. Now, Daidouji would be teasing him about that girl now. Why didn't he protest when he had the chance? Because he was a moron. Syaoran groaned. He really knew how to dig himself deep.
"What's wrong Li-kun?" asked Sakura stepping in front of him with her hands clasped behind her back.
"Err, nothing," replied Syaoran nervously. Close.
"If you ever feel like telling me, then go ahead," said Sakura smiling and skipping back into her place beside him.
"It's kind of funny to think Li-kun is walking me home."
"How?" he asked, turning to her with a quizzical expression on his face.
"When we first met, you were trying to steal the cards from my house and then the second time…" Sakura stopped suddenly and flushed, turning her head.
"Oh, right," he said dully, as he turned equally red.
"D-Did Tomoyo-chan give you trouble?"
"N-Not really." More like I made a lot of trouble for myself.
"Thank god," said Sakura with a bright smile, "Tomoyo-chan tends to overreact when she thinks people are harassing me. Like for example when I was in grade six…"
Syaoran watched her idly chattering, her face breaking into wonderful smiles and laughter that pleased the ear. Her auburn hair gently swished as the she moved her head in subtle gestures. Her bright green eyes shined like the most precious emerald. It just seemed so amazing for that moment of time. She's beautiful… he concluded, stunned. Beautiful? He shook his head and looked at her again. Yes she was, and he must have been a blind idiot to never notice. In fact, he was so caught up in capturing the cards and with his own 'little' problems that he had never noticed. His heart pounded so hard that it seemed to threaten to ram out of his chest.
"Li-kun, thank you for walking me home," said Sakura, breaking him out of his thoughts.
He stared at her wide-eyed, and then looked to his right to see the bright yellow house standing in front of them.
"It's nothing," he replied, frowning as he tried to clear the confusion in his heart. Sakura looked at him puzzled, and then decided to ignore it.
"See you tomorrow!" Sakura said brightly with another smile that went straight to his heart. She opened the gate and ran to the door and unlocked it. She turned to wave at him again, and walked into the house. All he could do was stare as the door slammed shut. Then, he applied a simple battle tactic. If there was a hopeless situation, what did you do? Flee.
Syaoran ignored the stares as his feet pounded into the sidewalks. All he knew was his mind was in absolute turmoil. What happened to simply grabbing the cards and going home? Everything was so much more complicated. The world was spinning and he was lost within it. He took few long intakes of breath before he climbed up the stairs to the level of his apartment. He knocked and heard a call of "Wait a second!" After waiting patiently, the door opened with a smiling Meiling, wearing a yellow frilly apron.
"Welcome home, Syaoran!" she greeted her cousin, "What took you so long?"
"I was trying to capture a card but the girl got it," he replied as he stepped in and took off his jacket.
"Aww, I wanted to be there," said Meiling disappointedly as Syaoran slipped into his slippers.
"Well I've got dinner ready. We're having steamed pork ribs and vegetables. Go get changed and then we'll eat," she ordered, ushering him in hurriedly.
Syaoran walked down the hallway into his room. He shut the door and placed his book bag by his desk. He collapsed onto his bed and then stared at the ceiling blankly.
"Syaoran! Dinner is going to get cold!"
Shaking his head, he got up from his bed to change.
Author's Notes: (WebpageUpdates regularly)
Ashley-chan, Meiling is definitely not giving up without a fight. She's in a lot of pain, but one of good/bad points is her persistence.
Did you see the undertone of Meiling's kindness of last chapter? She could have woke Sakura but she let Sakura rest on her shoulder. (Unfortunately, she was being a bit careless ^^;;;) She, of course, didn't want to make it obvious. I've noticed that Meiling tends to put her kindness behind a façade.
Hehe, Syaoran is getting close... *Smacks dense guy with frying pan.*
Tomogirl, I'm not sure whether I'm doing the Suppi ep due to congested time. No one is even bothering to help me sort out what eps to do so I guess I'll just see if I can pack all the stuff I want. I hopefully won't mess up though.
Laira, thank you for pointing out that error. Errors are everywhere since I proofread my own stuff.
Tafumi-chan, thank you for your thoughts. The funny thing is to make the characters human I stick myself into the character's shoes and just think of what I would do. After all, I am human and an author has to use what's available to them. ^_-
The Altered World poster is finished! View?

July 16, 2001, Christine Chan aka Kinomoto Sakura of Ffnet