Act One: Possibilities
A heavy rain poured down upon a small town nestled in green hills. The town it's self appeared gray as if all the life had been sucked out of it. There wasn't a single sign of life on it's streets. The stores were all closed by this hour, not a candle was lit in any window, nor were there any animals scurrying across the alleyways. The sky was darkening rapidly and adding to the darkness was the fact that not one street light was turned on. The silence was deafening enough that it was almost nerve racking. Not the creak of a house, the rustle of trees, or even the rain made a single sound as it dropped upon the cobble stones.
A man in a green cloak stepped slowly onto the road. His black boots shuffled upon the stones. He pulled the hood closer to his face with his calloused hands. If anyone had been around to pay close enough attention an astonishing fact would have been revealed to them. The rain did not fall upon the man in the green cloak. It avoided him entirely. It opted to go in different directions and fall down to the ground in a delicate fashion. The man in the green cloak was completely dry. The rain was of no nuisance to him. He preferred the rain in fact. He liked to watch it fall gracefully from the sky. But today he was not here to watch the rain. There was someone in the town who he was here to offer a great business opportunity.
The stillness of the town did not bother him as it would have many others. He did not want an audience for his endeavor since he was unsure of whether it would create a scene. Perhaps the silence, the street lights, and the rain were all of his own doing. They made things easy. The towns people did not see the man in the green cloak even stumble into their town, which was possibly for the better. This way he would be able to give his proposition uninterrupted. If she could draw the kind of attention he needed. He would not leave until she gave him the answer he was seeking. But he knew he must test her first. He had been on the hunt for far too long and had found far too many disappointments. Perhaps she would be the one that would keep it alive. He could not do it on his own any longer.
On his right-hand side there was a small house. The roof was in desperate need of repair. Missing bricks and chipped paint were apparent by simply glancing at the structure. It had a large window in front with curtains that appeared to be dark but he was unsure of the exact color. A tiny wooden door added an amount of charm to the home. There were a few potted plants on the steps leading to the door. They were strategically placed so that they missed the pouring down rain shielded by a ledge .
He watched as the curtains were drawn back slightly and a single lit white candle was placed in the window. The absence of light in the rest of the town was now even more apparent then it had been before. The flame flicked back and forth. It seemed to dance in an attempt to lure him nearer. This was the place. As the man in the green cloak walked up the steps to the home he could make out a faded sign hanging on the door. It was inscribed with a beautiful cursive message.
"Fortunes found and fortunes lost. Possibles are endless your journey is not."
If anything after reading the sign he was more sure that it was were he was supposed to be. His resolve to purpose his deal only deepened as he raised his hand to knock on the front door. Before his hand connected with the white oak panels the doorknob shook. The door swung open slowly and it's hinges creaked as though they had not been oiled in quite some time. A girl stood before him... No he decided rather suddenly she was a women though barley old enough to be called so. She wore an emerald green dress that matched the shade of her eyes perfectly. Her hair cascaded down her back let loose from any kind of restraints. The oddest thing about her he found by just looking at her was the fact that she wore no shoes. The women smiled at him. Her eyes sparkled. She had a certain air about her that he couldn't yet explain but he felt it none the less.
"Hello," She greeted. She had a sweet melancholy voice. "I know why your here. Please do come in. It is raining outside. Though I do see that it has not been a problem for someone like you."
He followed her inside. She shut the door behind them silently. There was a fire roaring in the small hearth. It's warmth could be filled throughout the entirety of the home. She lead him to some chairs positioned in a way were they would benefit from the effects of the fireplace both in comfort and in sight. The chairs were old but not tattered and covered with a silk fabric with a floral design.
The women's green dress swished behind her as she walked and he could see her bare feet as she lowered herself into one of the arm chairs. He followed suit sitting in the chair opposite of her. She drew her knees up to her chin. The man in the green cloak supposed it was a more comfortable position for her. He began to wonder if she sat that way all of the time. The man in the green cloak could image it so. Before he could drift off into any her further thoughts she spoke once again.
"I do not have visitors often anymore. The town thinks I'm a witch though I already know you will not have the same opinions as they do. I am not the one who you seek though. I am afraid you will not find her." She told him.
"So your not Nadeshiko Kinomoto?" He asked. He did not wonder how she knew what he was up to as had met a great many people who had some sort of talent that would allow them to know unspoken information.
She shook her head and smiled sadly. He noticed she was pouring him a cup of tea. It had already been prepared before he had gotten there. Even if she wasn't who he was searching for perhaps she did have some talent he could borrow from her. Hopefully the talent would be strong enough for his purpose.
The girl in the green dress handed him a porcelain cup. He could tell it was part of an old set. Perhaps something passed down from many generations. He took a polite sip from the cup. It was rather good. The man dictated a bit of honey and green tea leaves.
"You have the sight though do you not?" The man in the green cloak asked though his question was more of a statement. He already could tell as much.
"Yes, it has been passed down from generation to generation. Just like that tea cup you were pondering about only second ago. Though sometimes the gift turns into something else entirely. It more then just the sight for me. I know you are not here for a simple reading through. My mother could perform a readings flawlessly as you already know. She could also speak to the dead as well. I myself do not have that gift. I wish I did then perhaps I would see her from time to time."
He remained silent for a few moments. The woman's voice had gotten softer as she talked and eventually had trailed off. He knew there was more she had wanted to say but he decided he would not push her. He did not wish to cause her pain and decided he would not pry into the events that lead to her mother's death. If only he had known before hand that he would not find the one he sought after but perhaps he had found someone else who could help him.
The girls began again. She had a demand of him and he was going to listen. "I would like to know your name and see your face before we continue this conversion. I will tell you mine as well"
"I thought you could see everything." The man in the green cloak pulled down his hood. He was visible smirking trying to make light of the conversation. His chocolate colored hair was messy but not in an unattractive way. His eyes of amber were piercing and she thought just maybe she could see the magic that crackled behind them.
She smiled. "I can see some things but not everything." The girl brought her teacup to her lips taking a tiny sip. She then placed it on the table. "Mostly things I see about my own feature are at best fuzzy including the part where I meet you."
"My name is Syaoran Li."
"My mother knew yours then." She told him after she recognized the sir name. " I think we may have met once even. When we were young though you would have been older then I was. I probably couldn't even utter a syllable yet." She paused for a second. "My name is Sakura."
"I think I may remember but only vaguely. I was five or six you were not even one. My mother had come for a visit to where your mother lived. Not here though somewhere much different. "
"Yes I have not always lived her. But I do not believe you were here to reminisce. You were here for a reason. I believe there is something you are here to ask me."
He nodded. His eyes held her gaze. Syaoran looked into them hoping his attempt would be more beneficial if she could see the agony in them. "My mother sent me. But you probably already know that. She wanted to ask your mother a favor. For one she would be indebted to her for but since your mother is no longer her I will ask this favor of you instead."
Sakura nodded. She sipped her tea as she listened never breaking contact from his brilliant amber eyes. Her visions had not been clear of why he was coming just that he was so she listened closely to his every word.
"The Li family has been in possession of a quite remarkable endeavor for a a very long time now. To thousands everywhere we make the impossible possible and the unbelievable believable. But the whole system is falling apart. We're afraid that if we do not find someone who is gifted enough to help support this endeavor then everything we have been working for will be lost. This place I speak of is a home and a family. I can not bare to see it cease to be. But I have used up so much energy trying to maintain it. I cannot succeed on my own. I need a partner. I would like you to be this partner that I so desperately need...that everyone so desperately needs. Without your help I fear the worst. Would you be interested?"
"And what would this venture be? You describe it so incredibly but I'm not sure entirely what it is."
"My family owns a circus but not just any circus. Most circuses rely on tricks and slight of hand to astound and fascinate their audience but what I'm talking about is a true circus powered not by lies and deceit but by real magic."
The whole idea of such a place sounded almost impossible to her ears though she was sure such a place did exist now that he had described it to her. He held such passion and love for it. To her the whole deal almost sounded too good to be true. Help him run a circus. There was more to this then he had explained to her. There was more to the whole thing then she understood. She need to know more before she could possibly make a choice such as this. This place however dreary it may be was hers now though never truly a home. What he offered her was an adventure and how she did crave for something more.
She started to ask a question but he stopped her. "I know. There is more to tell you before you make a decision so please listen some more then your free to ask your questions.
Sakura nodded.
"It will not just be you and I running the circus. I may ask for your help from time to him for that sort of thing. When I said you will be my partner I meant in everything magic. The circus runs on it. Not all acts and all things need my help to keep them going but many are made of magic and need a certain energy to maintain them. I can no longer sustain them on my own. I took over this duty when I was eighteen with the death of two of my cousins. They were all that was left besides myself with the power to take care of such a thing. They did a wonderful job all those years after my own fathers death but sadly there was an accident that ended both of their lives. I was left with the burden but I am not strong enough to do it alone. It has taken a toll on me. For seven years I have done this on my own but I am afraid if you do not help me this will kill me. If that happens then the circus will stop being. You are not the first person I have come across with power but they did not have enough strength for this job. I hope you may be the one who has power enough to help balance the magic."
She understood now. Her mother had a powerful magic running through her veins so he sought her out. Since her mother was not there any longer she might be the only one left that could help him.
"I've tried to find others." He told her. "But none of them had any true power not any true strength. Will you put down your shield and let me gauge the power of your aura?"
"Yes I will. But you must do so quickly. You know why I must keep it hidden." Aura's could be traced. Other magicians...dark magicians hunt aura's taking their power. Some people were unaware they even had an aura. They were easy targets for magicians like that. Sakura did not want to be a target though she was almost sure she could defend herself. She had done so before.
"Don't worry your with me. I will not let anyone come for you."
His words of reassurance were enough for her. She unleashed all the magic she had kept bottled inside. It pulsed through her veins. It felt good to be free of her confines but she knew she could not stay this way forever. Syaoran felt her aura pull to him. It was nearly as strong as his own. It was stronger then anything he had expected. It would be more then enough to keep the circus well under control. It would no longer be a danger to him or anyone else. All he needed was her consent.
He grabbed her hand. A sensation consumed them both. It was not bad or good. Just different. Something neither of them had ever felt before. They're aura's danced around each other in almost perfect harmony. The began to balance each other out aligned in perfect unison. Both were surprised at the feeling. It was very unusual an interesting reaction. The first moment Syaoran found himself again he dropped her hand as if it was hot coal.
"I'm sorry." He muttered still feeling the effects of what ever had just occurred.
"It's alright." Sakura said quickly hiding her aura again. "I think we are just matched closely in power and... well I've heard about stranger things."
"Yes your right." He decided to hide his aura as well thinking it was the safest thing to do. "Sakura, Will you come with me. Will you help us?"
"I'm going to need sometime to think and my head doesn't feel like thinking much at the moment." He understood what she meant. He was feeling the same effect. The mingling of their auras had caused something strange to happen and it was causing them both not to think straight.
"I figured as much." He told her. "I will come back later then."
"How soon is later?" Sakura asked.
"When you make up your mind. When I first came here my resolve was if you had enough power to do what I wanted I would stay until you said yes but I do understand it is a lot to take in. I'll be around. I can sense that you need some space. You do your best thinking on your own."
He was right about that. Syaoran looked down at his now empty cup of tea. "Thank you very much for the tea. It was delicious."
He pulled his hood up over his head getting up quickly. The fire was still dancing on chopped logs and the shadows could be seen waving across Sakura's face. She knew he would not be far away. He wanted an answer as fast as he could get one. But decisions are not always easy to make and they are not always done quickly.
The door to her house shook open as he stepped out into the night. The rain could be heard again on the top of her roof. Sakura moved to the window. Her delicate hand moved back her purple curtains. She looked off into the distance watching him go. As his shadow disappeared the street lights began to turn on one by one. Such great control he had. Going back to her chair she began to wonder about all the things perhaps he could teach her. Sakura's eye lids felt heavy. She fell asleep dreaming of all the different possibilities.