Rem: Look! It's the second chapter! You're thinking "Finally!", right? Sorry, sorry! We'll try to hurry with chapter 3. Well, anyway, this chapter is pretty boring. Mostly just feeding you with a lot of information. However, the next chapter will be more exciting! We promise! The story will indeed start to pick up and actually show signs of a real plot xD As for now, just bear with us, 'kay? Also, thanks for all the nice reviews :D I feel nice and fuzzy inside -g- As you know, we do love reviews -wink, wink- Hm. That's pretty much it. Enjoy the chapter!

Suzie: Hey, it's me again! Suzie! Okay, so, it took awhile but here it is... -drum roll- CHAPTER 2! Aren't you so proud of us? We finally got off our lazy butts and actually did something productive! If you have any questions/comments/complaints, feel free to email either me or Rem. Enjoy!

Disclamer: We don't own CCS. That honor would have to go to CLAMP.

-- CHAPTER TWO --
Book

Inquisitive emerald green eyes peered into the dim hut. "Auntie Sonomi-chan ?" a clear bell-like voice rang out.

Hearing no response, the girl, five-year-old Sakura, entered the musty room. Going past a shelf full of jars, she peered into the bedroom, but found no one. Disappointed, Sakura was about to leave when suddenly, Sonomi's large bookcase caught her eye. Sakura stepped toward it, eyeing a certain shelf – the one she was forbidden to touch.

Sakura hesitated a bit, but eventually reached out a trembling hand, pulling out the nearest book. On the cover read, "The Magical Creatures of Gambria" in fancy, gold letters. Sakura thought to herself, "What harm could come from reading an informational book about mythical creatures?" With that, Sakura flipped the book open to the bookmark stuck in it and began to read.

Not much is known about fairies and their powers, but this information is known so far. Fairies have a distinct butterfly birthmark on their back. Every butterfly is different from the others. Fairies can make their wings disappear at free will but until they know how to make their wings appear, they must learn to make do without their wings. Their wings are shaped like the butterfly wings that are on their back.

Fairies have the power to heal. They also have the power to help plants grow. They can cast glamours, which mean to cast an illusion on things.

Fairies are strangely smart for their age. For example, a five year-old fairy might have the intelligence of an 8 year-old human.

Fairies have very long life spans too. They can live to be 300 years-old if they aren't hunted down first. Every five—

Slam!

Sakura jumped back, surprised, only to bump into a very angry Sonomi who was clutching the large book so tightly her knuckle's were white. Sakura felt like she was shrinking as her aunt glared down at her. "I-I was j-just dusting y-your bookshelves?" Sakura stuttered, looking up nervously.

Sonomi's frown deepened. "Come with me." Sonomi said sharply, while stalking out of the hut. Sakura followed closely behind, her face turned towards the ground.

Sakura looked up to see that they had arrived at Nadeshiko's hut. Puzzled, Sakura was about to ask why they were at her house, when Sonomi opened the door and looked inside before turning back to Sakura.

"Do you know where Nadeshiko is?" Sonomi asked kindly. Sakura shook her head. "No…" Sakura answered, timidly.

Just then, Nadeshiko came out from her bedroom. "Oh! Nomi-chan, what brings you here today?" Nadeshiko inquired, smiling brightly. That smile faltered a bit when Nadeshiko noticed Sakura standing behind Sonomi, looking extremely nervous. "What happened?" Nadeshiko asked, worriedly.

Sonomi let out a sigh. "I caught Sakura looking through the book." Sonomi muttered, putting special emphasis on 'the book'.

Nadeshiko's mouth opened a bit to form a perfect 'o'. Nadeshiko turned to Sakura and asked softly, "Saku, dear, what do you think about this book here?"

"What do you mean, Mama? It's a nice book, I suppose. I don't see why I can't read it." Sakura pouted.

Nadeshiko smiled at Sakura and said, "Auntie Sonomi and I have to talk. Why don't you go to your room and wait there until we call you. Is that okay, sweetie?"

"Yes, Mama." Sakura answered cheerfully, happy that she wasn't in trouble yet.

As Sakura sat on her bed waiting, she could faintly hear her mother and aunt talking in low voices. Deciding to eavesdrop, Sakura pressed her ear to the door to try to hear what they were saying, though she was only able to pick up snatches of the conversation.

"Should we tell…" "…but Sakura…" "…fairies…" "…does Tomoyo…"

Frowning upon hearing her best friend's name, Sakura sank onto her bed, thinking about how her cousin Tomoyo was involved. As she thought harder, everything started to piece itself together in Sakura's head.

Sakura sat frozen for a few moments, finally understanding what everything that had happened to her meant.

After a few moments, Nadeshiko knocked on Sakura's door, telling her to come out. Sakura swayed a bit before steadying herself and walking out the door.

When she reached the living room, Sakura looked up at Nadeshiko. She asked slowly, "Am I a fairy?" Without waiting for Nadeshiko to answer, Sakura went on. "That's why I'm so smart, right? That's why I have a butterfly on my back. That's why the garden I tend to grows so well. That's why Tomoyo-chan's cut healed in a matter of hours. It's not because I'm 'special', like you tell me. It's because I'm a fairy, isn't it?" Sakura's voice kept rising until she was practically screaming at Nadeshiko and Sonomi.

Nadeshiko winced. "Sakura…"

With tears slowly dripping down her face, Sakura asked, trembling, "Why didn't you tell me?" With that, Sakura fled out the door and towards her small garden in a secluded part of the forest.

Spying Tomoyo there, Sakura called out, "Hi, Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura smiled brightly, trying to mask the pain she felt.

Amethyst eyes turned to Sakura. Tomoyo frowned as Sakura came closer, still smiling. "What's wrong, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura stopped smiling for a moment, before plastering the fake smile back onto her face. "What do you mean, Tomoyo? Nothing's wrong!"

Tomoyo's frown deepened. I'm your best friend and cousin, Sakura. I can tell when you're not your normal, cheerful self. Trust me."

Sakura sighed and sank down onto the bench next to Tomoyo. Knowing her 'cousin' wouldn't give up until she knew what was wrong, Sakura reluctantly told Tomoyo about everything that had happened, from when she entered Sonomi's hut to when she ran out of her own hut and met up with Tomoyo.

When Sakura had finished talking, Tomoyo was staring at her with wide eyes. "A fairy?" Tomoyo gasped.

Sakura nodded miserably.

Tomoyo gazed at Sakura with understanding in her eyes. "Don't worry, Sakura-chan. Everything will be okay." Tomoyo patted Sakura on the shoulder before standing up and brushing out the wrinkles in her dress. "Well, you can't avoid Mama and Auntie Nadeshiko forever. Let's head back now."

Sakura hesitated before slowly rising to her feet. "I know. Let's go."

---

The two friends made their way back to Nadeshiko's hut, Tomoyo in front with Sakura lagging behind. When they reached the hut, Nadeshiko and Sonomi rushed out. "Are you alright, Saku?" Nadeshiko asked softly.

Sakura nodded and replied, "Yes…" her voice barely a whisper.

Sonomi glanced at Sakura, and then Tomoyo. "Come inside and we'll tell you everything."

---

When all four were seated at the table, Sonomi began speaking. "Do you both promise to never repeat any of this to anyone?"

Both Tomoyo and Sakura nodded hesitantly.

Sonomi sighed before continuing. "Well, the truth is that..." Sonomi's voiced drifted off a bit before she started speaking again. "When you were about five months old, someone left you on Nadeshiko's doorstep."

Sakura stared at Sonomi incredulously. "But… that means Mama isn't really my mother? And you aren't really my Auntie?" Sakura's voice wavered and her eyes began misting up.

Nadeshiko stared down at her lap, nodding. "Yes, Sakura. It's true. I'm not really your mother."

Sakura sniffed loudly and leaned on Tomoyo's shoulder, digesting this new information.

Sonomi was quiet for a moment, feeling sympathy for Sakura. But, sighing, Sonomi knew that Sakura must learn everything about her past, or at least what Sonomi and Nadeshiko knew. "Sakura, read this section of the book you were just reading, alright?"

Sakura wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, before accepting the big book from Sonomi. Flipping it open to the second bookmark, Sakura began reading aloud to everyone.

"Fairy hunters are the major predators of fairies. They are the only creatures in existence that can somewhat overpower fairies.

Fairy hunters have a hawk birthmark on their backs.

Fairy hunters, like other creatures, cannot see through a fairy's glamour. However, they have high hunting skills to make up for that. Also, fairy hunters are subconsciously drawn to the vast power that fairies possess.

There is one special fairy hunter born every five generations who is greater than the rest. This special fairy hunter is the only one that can match up to the special fairy (See page 169).

The fairy hunter's true origin is unknown, though there are stories told about it, the most common being:"

Sakura stopped there, turning back to page 169 to read about this "special fairy".

"Every five generations, a special fairy is born. Although not much is known about them, we do know that they are more powerful and intelligent than the average fairy."

Then, Sakura turned back to the page she had been on to read aloud the legend of the fairy hunters.

"Long ago, there was a young maiden by the name of Ying Hua. Her home was a small cottage in the forest, where she had lived all her life. Her companions were the birds and other animals of the forest. Ying Hua lived a peaceful life where days were filled with joy. Then, one day, Ying Hua met someone who changed her life forever. His name was Xiao Lang and he was a beautiful fairy. Everyday, Ying Hua would go to a secret clearing in the forest and meet with Xiao Lang. The two became very close and soon fell in love. Their happiness, or shall we say, Ying Hua 's happiness, did not last long. One fateful winter morning, Ying Hua came to their special meeting place as usual. She waited for an hour until Xiao Lang finally showed up. Wordlessly, Xiao Lang struck Ying Hua with a strange fairy magic and left her to die. Unfortunately for him, Ying Hua possessed a strong will to live. She managed to pull herself to her cottage and was healthy again in a mere month or so. Ying Hua appeared happy once more to all who knew her, but she alone knew Xiao Lang had changed her for the worse. Ying Hua now harbored a deep hatred for fairy-folk and a taste for revenge. The Fairies feared this hatred that would soon turn to dark, powerful magic so they enchanted Ying Hua and turned her into a hawk. For centuries, Ying Hua flew from place to place around the world, seeking a vassal that would suit her needs. She eventually found five young warriors to carry out her will to wipe out the fairy population. Those five have slowly came to form the vast people known today as the Fairy Hunters."

Sakura looked up from the book. "How sad!"

Nadeshiko nodded. "The truth is, your parents were on the run from fairy hunters which is why they left you in my care."

Sakura stared at Nadeshiko. "I wonder if they are alright."

Nadeshiko bit her lip. "I do too."

Sakura sat up straighter, her gaze flickering from Sonomi to Nadeshiko. "Thank you for telling me this now, I suppose."

Sonomi shook her head. "No, it's our fault we didn't tell you sooner." Sonomi stood up. "Come along, Tomoyo. We should be heading home now."

Tomoyo nodded soundlessly and rose to her feet. Turning around, Tomoyo hugged Sakura tightly. "Will you be okay, Saku-chan?"

Sakura smiled. "I think so. Thank you for worrying about me, Tomoyo-chan."

As Tomoyo followed Sonomi out of the hut, she turned back grinning. "Well, that's what friends are for."

Sakura nodded. "Thank you, Tomoyo. You truly are a wonderful friend."

Well, this chapter isn't too great either but... hang in there, okay? It should be getting better:)

Cheers,
Rem & Suzie