Chapter 16
"Well, you did see me fly in to the back yard?" Tomoyo said as she sat on her bed.
"Yes. I suppose this means that you have magic wings like Sakura?"
"Yes, exactly." Tomoyo replied before her exhausted mind told her that her Mom wasn't suppose to know this. "You know about Sakura?"
"I saw her coming out of your window once. I was afraid she was going to fall and kill herself for a moment, but then she suddenly had these big white wings that seemed to glow in the moonlight...and she just flew away... I was going to ask you and her about it, but I was afraid maybe I had hallucinated and you would think your mother was crazy. I'm very relieved to know that there really are people with magic wings and I'm not crazy. Unless, I just think I saw you, a woman, an old man and some really strange looking things fly into the back yard."
"No, Mom. You're not crazy. There really are Magic wings and many other very amazing things too." Tomoyo could see the relief on her mom's face but she seemed to be smiling as well.
"Okay, but then why couldn't I see your wings?"
"I'll show you." So she bent over and called on her fly card. See, Mom, I have different wings than Sakura's."
"They look like insect wings! Why don't you have nice angel wings like Sakura?"
"Well. I didn't have a choice. I was given a magic card that would allow me to fly and these were the kind of wings the card makes. And in fact these wings are much faster and stronger than Sakura's pretty ones."
"But why couldn't I see them?"
"They are transparent as you can see, and they move very fast when I fly, like this." There was suddenly a roaring, and a wind in Sonomi's face and in fact she could hardly see the rapidly beating wings.
"And now you can just make them disappear?" As Sonomi finished the question the wings were gone. "And those things that were following you?"
"Those are Card sprites. When they are 'put away' they become cards like these" Tomoyo then picked up the Sakura Cards and showed them to her mother. "These pink ones are Sakura's magic cards. But these three are my Cards, and this is my Fly Card. When I call on this card with my Magic I sprout wings as I did a minute ago. And those wings have carried me all the way here from Hong Kong. That should explain why I'm so tired."
Sonomi nodded slowly before speaking. "Of course. It is a long way...to fly with your own wings..." After she had digested this for a moment she continued speaking. "Well, I did see you fly, and you have shown me your wings. So unless I am hallucinating, you do have Magic and it would seem, Magic cards. But those things I saw following you. You called them what?"
"Card sprites. Fiery!" In an instant the flaming sprite was out and looking at Tomoyo. "Why did I call Fiery of all Cards? I guess after all the talking we have been though I feel closer to him than the rest. I hope he doesn't blister the paint on the ceiling."
"Would you like me to burn something?" he smiled as a fire ball appeared in his hand.
"Not right now, thank you."
"It's no problem. I did burn all of Hong Kong after all." he said proudly as he turned to Sonomi and smiled. Sonomi's eyes got rather large as she stepped back from the flaming sprite.
"Please go back to Card form, Fiery." Fiery then shrugged, shrunk to a card and flew back to Tomoyo's hand.
"And the earthquakes? And the Tsunami's?"
Tomoyo nodded and held up Earthy and Watery. "But why...?"
"Everything was fine as long as Sakura had the Cards. They all love her and will do anything she asks. But someone killed Sakura."
"Oh." Sonomi said softly and then sat down in a nearby chair.
"And then Fiery and many of the other cards were so furious that after they had killed the guilty person, they just kept on killing and destroying. And they would kill anyone other than me who tried to stop them. So Eriol powered up my Magic and made some Magic cards for me, then helped me to learn how to use my Magic and pointed me towards Hong Kong."
"So now you have all these destructive things? Isn't it horrible dangerous to have them here with you?"
"Not really. They are doing whatever I say because they know that I can bring Sakura back."
"But you just said she was dead!?"
"She is right now. In fact a few days ago I talked with her ghost. But with the Return card, I can now go back in time to last Sunday, rewind time actually, and save her. And then the Cards won't destroy Hong Kong."
"You can...what?."
"That's okay Mother. It's a lot to absorb at once."
"Wait! Did you just say that even though Sakura is dead now, you can go back in time, and save her?!"
"Yes. That's correct. And this will also save all the people who died when Hong Kong was destroyed."
"You can change the past?!"
"Yes. If it is permitted."
"Permitted by who?"
"Well, you can call it either natural law, or the gods. Some things have to happen. They are destined. But others don't have to happen, and those can be changed."
"How do you tell the difference?"
"I can't. But Eriol, who was here a few days ago? Well, he can tell what is destined and what isn't."
"Oh. I was just wondering if you could go back and save Nadeshico."
"I don't know. But I can't do anything until I save Sakura."
"Of course. And all those people... But how are you suppose to stop a killer? Tell the police?"
"No. I don't even know who it is. I just have to go back and do my best. I have my Cards, Saber, Shield and Fly and the Magic to use them. If I must fight whoever it is, then I will do so. And Eriol said I have a very good chance of succeeding."
"But what happens if you fail?" Sonomi asked with a worried look.
"Then I guess, Sakura, and all those people in Hong Kong will die again."
"But what will happen to you?"
"I don't know."
"And you are trying to avoid telling me that you are risking your own life in this."
"Yes Mother, I am risking my life. And I think Sakura and all those millions of people are worth some risk."
"But why can't someone else go back and fight this killer?! Why not this Eriol? He seems to have magic power too."
"He does. And much more than me. But he looked at the possible futures and in all of them where he went back, Sakura and all those people in Hong Kong still died, and he died as well. The only way that Sakura and Hong Kong can be saved is if I go back. I have a special kind of Magic that no one else has. I expect that's why it has to be me."
"This is all so strange and confusing. I don't know WHAT to do!"
"There isn't very much you can do, Mother." Tomoyo said quietly but firmly. "You can help me or not help me, but you can't stop me. I may be only sixteen, but with the Cards I have more power than just about anyone on Earth. And I will do -whatever- I have to, to save Sakura; and undo all the horror and death that happened there." Then as Sonomi looked thoughtful, Tomoyo realized how she was vulnerable. "And you had better not try drugging the food or anything like that, because if Fiery and the rest think that I'm not going to save Sakura as I promised, they may just do to Tokyo what they did to Hong Kong."
As this image appeared in Sonomi's mind the shock showed clearly on her face. "They could..."
"Yes, they could. And I doubt that there is any power on Earth that can stop them... except me. I am the only one they will listen to right now."
Just then there was a knock at the door. The food Tomoyo ordered had arrived. Sonomi sat quietly and digested as well as she could, all that her daughter had told her. Fortunately she was both intelligent and imaginative, and she had loved magical fantasy when she was young. As she went over it in her head she realized that, in fact there was nothing she could do to stop her daughter from risking her life. "Okay, I think I understand now. And I won't do anything to interfere with you. But I am very frightened." She was silent again for a moment before continuing. "If you go back and change time what happens to me?"
"Time gets sort of wound back. You go back to Sunday, and start living your life from there. Without any disasters."
"Will I remember any of this?"
"No. As far as you are concerned, it will have never happened."
"But you will remember it."
"Yes. I have to. And I think Sakura will remember it too. But I am really tired now and I would like to sleep for a while."
"When you are ready, just do it. I don't really want to remember this past week anyway...except... Once this is over and you and Sakura are safe, please tell me about it again. I promise I won't cause you any trouble. I just want to know."
"Okay mom. If it's okay with Sakura, then I'll tell you about the Magic."
"Thank you." Sonomi nodded.
"I really would like to get some sleep now."
"Of course. Sleep well and... I'll see you again last Sunday." She finished with a small smile. But as she was going out the door she turned. "You remember when I told you how I wanted so very much to be a Magical Girl when I was little?" When Tomoyo nodded she continued. "It's good to know that they really exist. I missed out, but at least my daughter gets to be Sailor Moon. Good night my Magical Girl."
"Good night, Mother." Tomoyo answered politely. "So I'm a magical girl like Sailor Moon? In a way I suppose. But not really. This is real Magic and a lot different from the dumb stuff they do on television."