Chapter 2
A Song of Storm and Fire
You'll lose everything.
"Why are you doing this? Where am I?"
In the place where I stayed for a long, long time.
"What do you want from me?"
I want everything.
"Everything?"
Yes. You took it all away from me.
"What do you mean?"
I'll take every single thing you have. It's time for you to pay the price.
"What? Are you The Void? I already sealed you! What do you want?"
I want you to pay the price.
"Price? What price?"
The price for sealing me. As a payment, you have to give up the most special thing—just like what I did.
"What are you talking-"
"Wake up, Sakura! Wake up!"
"Syaoran, it's no use. She's not moving at all." Tomoyo spoke with an unsteady voice. "We don't know what to do!"
"No, we have to do something! We have to! Sakura!"
"Tomoyo, call Yukito and tell him to-" Kero-chan was just to finish his sentence when the door opened.
"Sakura!" It was her brother Touya. Luckily, he was with Yukito.
"What happened here? You! What did you do to my sister?" Touya yelled at Syaoran. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO MY SISTER!"
"Touya, calm down." Yukito placed a hand on Touya's shoulder. There was a blinding light. Wings appeared on Yukito's back and he changed into Yue.
"Mistress!"
Tomoyo, crying, spoke with a stuttering voice, "O-one of t-the cards a-attacked her. T-then there wa-was a bl-black ball...it...it su-surrounded her and she...she c-collapsed."
"Her body—it's getting colder!" Syaoran panicked. "What should I do? Sakura!"
Kero-chan returned to hisoriginal form. "Maybe we can go to the witch."
"Who the hell-" Touya paused, realizing that the stuffed toy Sakura always brought around with her was this huge beast. "Witch? What witch?" Touya asked impatiently.
"The Witch of Dimensions. She could help us." Yue answered in a calm voice.
Syaoran was panicking. He didn't have any idea how she could save her. "How could you be so calm? At this rate, she might-"
"Die." Kero finished.
Everyone looked at Cerberus. There was silence. Syaoran couldn't let her die. I just saw her today...no, she can't die...she can't!
"We have to save her! I'll do anything, if I have to go to that, that witch you're saying, then I'll go. No matter what it takes, I have to save her!" Syaoran exclaimed.
"Let's go." Cerberus said.
"Wait I'll go with you!" Touya said.
"Me too!" Tomoyo added.
"It would be safer for you two to stay here. Just wait for us. I promise you, we'll save her." Yue re-assured them.
xxx
"What can I do for—oh," The woman in black smiled. "You're the other one. Welcome to my shop I've always wanted to see you in person."
Syaoran winced. What was she talking about? Never mind. "Are you the Witch of Dimensions?" He asked politely.
"Yes, I am. My name is Yuko—Yuko Ichihara. What can I do for you, Syaoran?"
"How did you know my name?" Syaoran wondered. Can she read minds?
"I've met you before, haven't I? But that was the other you. He was also with the Princess, together with other..." She paused, looking at Cerberus and Yue. "...travelers. You're not travelers, are you? I can sense that you are from this world."
"No we're not-I need your help. This girl is named Sakura and-"
Just as he was going to explain what happened, the witch took a step forward and put her hand on their foreheads. She first put her hand on Syaoran's then on Sakura's.
"I see. One of her cards attacked her."
Syaoran nodded in response. She must be really powerful, he thought.
Yuko took a deep breath. "She lost her memories."
"WHAT?" They all gasped in horror.
How could something like this could happen? Syaoran thought. "This is all my fault... What can I do to retrieve them? Does that mean that the card stole her memories?"
Yuko nodded. "Yes, but I know a way to save her."
"What is it? Tell me!"
"I'll give you enough power to capture the card and save Sakura but," There was a pause. "Are you ready to pay the price?"
"Price? What price?"
"The price that will make our contract. I'll give you what you seek for and you'll give me what I ask for in exchange of my offer. The price will be the most valuable thing to you."
"My most valuable thing?"
"Yes."
His spirit rose. Now that he knew that he could save Sakura, his heart opened a little entrance to hope he thought was gone. "Anything! Anything will do! Just say it, and I'll give it to you!"
"Would you give your life?"
Without hesitation, Syaoran nodded. "Yes, I will."
"Syaoran..." Cerberus said.
"I would give anything you ask." He looked down to Sakura. "If that would save her."
Yuko smiled. "You are completely determined...just like him. Your life isn't the most important thing to you. That girl is." She pointed an index finger to the dying girl.
"What do you mean?"
"I would take your relationship with that girl. Even if she regains all her memories, anything that's connected to you will be gone. She wouldn't remember you anymore. That is your price. Now, are you ready to pay for it?"
"If that would keep her alive, then yes." Syaoran said firmly.
"Very well then. You two, Cerberus and Yue," Yuko turned to them, "you have to take part of the sacrifice too. I will have to take some of your powers, will that be okay?"
"Yes, I will do anything for our mistress." Cerberus assured her.
"My mistress' safety comes first." Yue told her.
"Okay then." Yuko said in response. Little orbs of light began to emanate from the three of them. First was from Syaoran. Green colored orbs came out and Yuko collected them in her left hand. "Watanuki, get a container."
"Coming." They heard someone say from inside the shop. In a few moments someone came out. It was a thin, pale looking boy with eyeglasses and a jar sealed with magic on his hands. When he saw them he stopped. "You...you're-"
"Watanuki, he's from our world. The other one who visited us with the princess was from another dimension. And Fei Wong's prisoner, they're the same aren't they?"
Watanuki nodded. "Yeah." His eyes were focusing on them.
Yuko sighed. "Same yet different. The world flows in mysterious ways."
Then the Witch of Dimensions took Cerberus' and Yue's orbs. Cerberus' were red and Yue's were blue.
"The two of you will start to feel weaker when you get home," There was a pause, "while you, Syaoran, will be much stronger when your body has finished absorbing the new strength you got. Good luck." And she turned her back to them.
"Wait, I still have one question to ask, Y-yuko-san." Syaoran called her.
"What is it kid?"
"What do you mean 'the other' me?"
"You'll know someday. Just remember, there's no such thing as coincidences-"
"Only inevitability." Syaoran finished.
"You know a lot kid. Well, good luck." Using her own power, Yuko transported them back to Tomoeda with her magic circle.
xxx
"Li-kun! Sakura-chan! Kero-chan! Yue-san!" Tomoyo exclaimed. "What happened? Is everything alright?"
"How is my sister?" Touya asked impatiently as he hurried to see Sakura in Syaoran's arms.
"We did everything to save her, and thank god we found a way." Cerberus answered. "I think we have to get back to our disguises."
There was a glow of light. Cerberus and Yue had turned back to their old forms.
"I feel weaker." Yukito said, looking at his hands.
"Me too." Kero-chan added.
"Tell me everything, kid." Sakura's brother said in a serious tone.
"Sakura lost her memories." Syaoran answered weakly.
"What?" Touya and Tomoyo gasped.
Tomoyo held Sakura's hand. "Sakura-chan..." More tears welled in her eyes.
"How is that-"
"When the dark energy surrounded her, it took her memories. That's why she collapsed." Kero-chan interrupted.
"Yue told me everything." Yukito said. "A body with no memories is just like an empty shell. Without the soul or the memories, the body would perish. In other words she'll die. Yuko, the Witch of Dimensions, told us that if we want to stop the card and retrieve all of Sakura's memories, Syaoran has to acquire a new power enough to stop it. So she gave him power, but in exchange, we all have to pay a price."
"A price?" Tomoyo asked.
"That means we have to give her something which is equivalent to the power she gave Syaoran." Yukito.
"And that was my relationship with Sakura." Said Syaoran. "That means if she retrieve all of her memories, anything that is connected to me will be gone. She won't be able to remember me."
"No..." Tomoyo muttered.
"I think we should put her on her bed so she can rest." Yukito suggested.
"I'll carry her." Touya volunteered. *
"You can now go home, you two." Touya said.
"Okay. Just call me if something happens to Sakura. I'll be here in no time." Tomoyo said weakly.
"I'll stay with her." Said Syaoran.
"No you can't, kid."
"But I HAVE to!" The boy insisted.
Touya let out a deep sigh. I know you can save her so, no matter how much I hate you, I have to trust in you. "Alright. You can stay with her—just for tonight."
"Thank you very much." He said and immediately went upstairs in Sakura's bedroom.
"Me too, Touya. I'll stay." Said Yukito.
Touya asked him. "Yukito, why did you say that you became weaker?"
"We have to take part in paying for the price too. An amount of power were taken from Cerberus and me. But don't worry, it's just a small amount."
"He really loves her, ne, Touya-san?" Tomoyo said.
Touya nodded. "Yes, for sure."
xxx
"Sakura... I swear...I'll protect you.. even if it costs my life." Syaoran promised. He took her hand and held it. "I'll hold this until you wake up, is that, okay?"
"I never had a chance to say it this morning... 'I love you.' Even if you forget me, even if you don't love me back, even if you're away from me, even if you hate me...I still love you. I'll fight for you...even if it takes my whole life."
"If I can't be beside you, I'll be behind you. If you love someone else, it's just alright. As long as you're happy. My happiness is as long as you stay happy. I'll be alright." Without realizing it, his tears poured down his cheeks. He cried very hard.
"Sakura..."
He wiped his tears off. "Sorry if I have to take my hands off for a moment." Then he held it again.
In the dead silence, something crashed. Syaoran put down Sakura's hand gently and reached for his sword. He unsheathed it and pointed it to the lady's chest in front of him.
"Give back her memories."
A/N: Phew, another long chapter again! To everyone who reads this, thank you so much. You can always give me suggestions and you are free to ask whatever you like. Your reviews are really appreciated! ^^
