A/N:The rewritten version of ch 2.

Enjoy!

Chapter 2

"Who the hell are you?" growled one of the men, while at the same time, the other one asked politely, "Are you the dimension witch?"

The two exchanged glances, but Madiha's attention was drawn to a young, panic-stricken boy who was just a few feet behind the two men and her friend. In his arms was a frail looking girl whom he held onto as though his life depended on it. His deep, amber eyes were wide with worry, but there was a determined frown on his face.

He was wearing a green cape and goggles, and appeared to be fourteen at most. The girl appeared to be the same age as the boy. Her unconscious form was donned in a strange kind of pale pink skirt and cape.

She turned her attention to the guy who had growled at that red-eyed woman and noticed that he was tall and handsome with tanned skin. His well-built, muscular form was dressed all in black, like some ancient Japanese ninja, complete with a cape, headpiece and a sword. This guy too, Madiha noticed, had red eyes.

Weirder and weirder, She thought as her gaze moved towards the other guy who had appeared from the bulge in space.

He had a lanky frame, but Madiha admitted mentally that he was good-looking. This guy was a blond, with enchanting blue eyes and a warm smile gracing his features. He was dressed in a white fur coat, as though he had arrived there straight from the Arctic Circle.He was looking at the woman expectantly, the tip of his jeweled staff resting lightly on the ground.

"Please give me your names first?" The red eyed woman asked while extending her hand towards the group before her.

"How about you?" She pointed to the guy dressed like a ninja

"Me? I'm Kurogane…" he replied. His scowl deepened as he looked around at the tall skyscrapers surrounding them. "What is this place?"

More like where is this place, I think. Madiha thought as she, too, looked around. This was definitely nowhere near her hometown.

"It's called Japan," the woman replied calmly.

"Eh? I came from Japan!" He sounded perplexed as though trying to make sense of her answer. Everyone ignored the simultaneous exclamations of 'Japan?' from the two girls.

"A different one." The woman stated calmly as though it was no big deal.

What the hell? Xahra's thoughts raced. We can't really be in Japan… Can we?

"I don't understand." Kurogane growled, sounding confused. The woman ignored him.

"What about you two?" She quirked a brow at the two girls.

"I'm Xahra," Xahra spoke, recovering from the shock first. She nudged her friend with her elbow, giving her a look that clearly meant answer her.

"My name's Madiha," The brown-haired girl said as she folded her arms. Her light summer shirt was not at all helping her stay warm in the chilling rain. She was soaked through and the cold wind biting at the exposed skin of her arms was getting extremely annoying. Apart from that, the rain was currently sliding down her glasses and making it really difficult for her to see. She was still confused about how they could be in Japan, but decided on getting a bit more information before freaking out.

The woman nodded, before shifting her gaze to the guy from Antarctica.

"I am Fai D. Flourite," the blond said, giving a small bow, "The wizard of Celes."

"My name is Yuuko," she said. "You do know where we are, right?" She asked them all.

"Your backyard?" Madiha responded dryly quirking a brow at the same time as the blond, Fai-who claimed to be a wizard- nodded an affirmative. Her response earned her another jab from her best friend while the red-eyed guy snorted behind her.

"We are at a shop that grants wishes at a proper price." The self-proclaimed wizard continued.

"That is correct," Yuuko replied, sounding more like a school teacher telling her student that he had gotten the right answer. "And since you all are here," she said, looking at the small group before her. "It means you all have some sort of wish."

A wish, huh? Madiha thought skeptically. She lazily wondered if she was dreaming back at home. Maybe she had passed out while playing that boring game and this bizarre dream was a by-product?

"I wish to go back to my homeland." Her silent contemplation was cut off by Kurogane's growl, while at the same time, Fai chirped, "I wish to never go back to my homeland." Kurogane scowled at the blond who merely beamed in response.

"Well? What about you?" she questioned Xahra, her garnet-eyed gaze sweeping in Madiha's direction before returning to the raven-head.

"My wish?" she repeated thoughtfully as she lowered her head to stare at the ground. "I… I wish to know why I am the way I am," Xahra murmured solemnly as she looked back up to stare at the woman.

"Ah, of course," Yuuko nodded, "You wish to know your true self." She then turned her attention towards the bespectacled girl, who merely frowned back at her. "And you?"

"I don't believe in magic," Madiha shook her head, squashing down the small voice inside her head asking her how she could explain her presence in Japan. I'm probably just asleep at home. She mentally shrugged, though Yuuko smiled at her knowingly. "And I don't have a wish either."

"You don't believe in magic?" Yuuko repeated serenely.

"No."

"Then how would you explain your presence here, in Japan?" Yuuko smirked, repeating the question the voice in her head had asked only moments before.

"I'm probably asleep at home," she gave the woman she had given the voice before shutting it up. She pretended not to have noticed the looks her response drew from the others present.

"If this is all just a dream," the witch's grin grew wider as she stepped closer to the girl in what could be considered a violation of personal space by some, "then why are you so afraid of making a wish?"

"I'm not scared." The brunette crossed her arms defiantly.

"Then speak up." Yuuko said simply as her gaze bore holes in Madiha's head. "What is it that you wish for?"

"I told you-" Madiha felt a childish urge to stamp her foot on the muddy ground as she made to repeat her earlier words.

"No one but those who have a desire they want fulfilled can enter this shop," the witch interrupted, "even if you believe this all to be a dream, keep in mind that this is no ordinary dream. Now then… What is it you wish for?"

"How about, 'get this not-so-ordinary-dream over with.'?" She responded irritably.

"That will have to do for now," Yuuko said, a momentary frown taking over her features before her pleasant smile graced her lips once more. Her garnet eyes seemed to mock Madiha as the witch's gaze swept past her, looking over the entire group assembled in the pouring rain. "I have the power to grant all of your wishes," she told them sagely, "but the price will be something too high for all of you." The brown haired teenager clutching onto the sleeping beauty, instantly looked crestfallen. Maddy looked over at him wondering why Yuuko had not asked him about his wish. But then again, he had already been there when she and Xahra had arrived. So maybe he had already made his wish? Not that she really believed in all this wishing crap. Everyone had the power to make out their own destiny, fulfill their own wishes. If what Yuuko had said was true, then her shop ought to have been overflowing with customers. Well… she did have about six customers right then but that wasn't the point. She broke out of her mental tirade as the witch continued. "That is, if you wish to pay it separately. Even if you offered the most precious thing you owned, none of you would have enough to pay. However," a glimmer of hope glistened in the depths of those amber eyes which belonged to the teenage boy as he looked up at the sound of those words. "If all five of you paid together, you may just be able to afford it."

The guy dressed as a ninja scrutinized the others standing with him; a deep scowl across his face, his arms folded firmly across his chest in a manner similar to Madiha's. Fai smiled and shrugged nonchalantly, Xahra simply nodded, and so did the brown haired boy. Madiha on the other hand looked warily at Yuuko.

"All of your wishes are the same in the end." Yuuko paused, as she turned to the teenager. "You want to go to many worlds in order to restore the memory of this child," She said, as she put her hand on the unconscious girl's forehead.

I don't even want to think about it. Madiha groaned internally. This is all just one bizarre, stupid dream... A dream that is freakishly similar to that stupid game Xahra forced me to play with her but I'm sure it's all just a coincidence.

Yuuko turned to Kurogane. "You want to return to your own world." Then to Fai, "You want to go to different worlds to avoid returning to your own." Next she turned to face Xahra. "You wish to find out who you are." And finally, she faced Madiha. "You want to end the dream."

"Your purposes might be different, but the method to fulfill them is the same. The ability to travel to different dimensions…that is what you need."

Just go along with it. Maddy told herself, It's just a dream, next thing you know, you've got a talking rabbit for a pet. This calmed her down enough to ask, "What will be the price?"

"The price for you, will be that ring," Yuuko pointed towards the white gold ring which she wore in a chain around her neck.

"M-my ring?" Madiha stuttered, her right hand moving to clutch the object in her freezing fingers.

"It is your most precious item, no?" Yuuko raised a brow.

"It is…" She affirmed softly, "It's the last thing he gave me."

"Which is precisely why it is your price," the witch justified.

She had no idea why she did it but as if in a trance, her hands moved off their own accord to unhook the clasp that held the chain in place. Sliding out the ring, she handed it over to Yuuko. It almost seemed as though someone else was moving her body for her but… It's just a dream… She told herself, the chain feeling dreadfully light around her neck without the added weight of the ring. She watched the ring glow on top of Yuuko's hand before vanishing.

"Your price will be your sword." She informed the tan skinned man.

"What?" Kurogane bellowed angrily, "I'd never sell Ginryu!"

"Fine then." Yuuko smirked as she sidled up to the ninja and poked him. "You can just wander this world looking like a costume-contest loser, get picked up by the police for carrying an unlawful sword, and get plastered all over the TV for being a freak! Is that what you want?"

"Huh? Poli... TV?" Kurogane gaped at her, a scowl quickly marring his features, "What the hell are you rambling on about, witch?"

"You do realize that you are trapped here," Yuuko grinned like a Cheshire cat, "and I am the only person in this world who can get you out?"

That caught Kurogane's attention apparently as he burst out immediately. "That's got to be a lie!"

"I'm afraid it's all true, Mr. Black." Fai piped in helpfully.

"You've got to be kidding me." Kurogane said, half in horror and half in disbelief. The wizard just laughed and shook his head.

"So, what will it be?" Yuuko's grin only widened, a feat Madiha thought previously impossible. Anymore and the woman's face would be split in two.

Growling and cursing, Kurogane untied the sword from his hip and thrust it at the witch. "When I'm free from this curse," he promised, "I'm coming back for it!" A sudden wind blew around the sword, lifting it away from him until it was hovering in the air between him and Yuuko. Madiha felt her jaw drop to the ground. Yuuko's smirked in her direction slightly as though asking what was it that had surprised her so. The sword too began to glow before it disappeared.

"Your price," Yuuko said to Fai, "is your marking."

The blond looked startled upon hearing his payment. "I don't suppose my staff would do instead?" He asked hopefully, a small smile on his lips as he lifted his staff just a little bit.

"I'm afraid it won't." Yuuko shook her head, her hair ornaments jingling lightly at the movement, "Like I said before, the price is the thing you value the most."

The self-proclaimed wizard looked deeply troubled by this news, but he smiled anyways. "I guess I have no choice, then." A blue glow appeared on his back and took the shape of a phoenix-like marking. It floated up from Fai's back and moved to Yuuko's side. There, it glowed brightly before disappearing as well.

Madiha was dumbfounded. A tattoo? She thought incredulously. His most valuable possession is a tattoo?

Yuuko's attention shifted to Madiha's raven-haired friend, Xahra.

"Your necklace should suffice as your payment," She informed the girl after giving her a contemplative look.

"I suppose, if Maddy gave up her ring…" Xahra mumbled as she fumbled with the clasp holding the gold chain in place. She held out the necklace to Yuuko without another word, her purple eyes staring longingly at the black gemstone that was carved out into a lightning bolt shape. It glinted brightly as lightening flashed across the sky overhead. As the thunder rumbled the ground beneath their feet, it began to glow softly before vanishing like all the other prices.

Finally, Yuuko's attention switched to the teenage boy clutching desperately onto the unconscious girl. The rain continued to pour down on them all, with the occasional flashes of lightening.

"What about you?" she asked, a touch of sadness coloring her tone. "If you hand over the thing you value most, you will be able to travel the worlds."

The teenager stroked the young girl's face softly, a look of longing and tenderness showing through his eyes as he stared at her before turning to Yuuko. "I'll pay it." He told her seriously.

"You do realize I have not yet named a price," Yuuko warned him as she looked at the determined young man. Something about the way she looked at him unsettled Madiha. It was almost as if the woman could see into his future and witnessed nothing but pain, trials and tribulations lying in wait for him.

"I know." He nodded solemnly. "But I'm willing to pay whatever it is you ask for."

"Bear in mind that the only thing that I can do is send you to other worlds," she warned him, "Finding this child's memories is something you will have to do."

"… I understand."

"I like your attitude," Yuuko complimented the boy, as a small smirk finally formed across her cherry red lips. She glanced in the direction of a bespectacled boy who had just emerged from the house. He was dressed in a pair of black pants and a black jacket, which for some reason reminded Madiha of a school uniform even if she had never seen one like it before. He didn't appear any older than the boy clutching onto the unconscious girl, probably fourteen years old at most. He was holding on to two, identical, rabbit-like creatures with roud jewels in the centre of their foreheads and a bejeweled earring in one long ear. Everything was indistinguishable about them, down to last furry little paw, except for their colors. One was white, the jewel and earring red in color while the other was black, the jewel and earring a shade of blue.

"Here they are," She smiled at the creatures fondly as she took the white one from the boy's hands, letting him hold on to the black one. "The name of this young one is Mokona Modoki. Mokona will be the one to lead you through the different worlds." She told them all.

"Hey, you have an extra," Kurogane smirked at the sight of the black rabbit resting in the boy's arms. "Hand it over. I'll go home with that," He said as he reached for it.

"No." Yuuko slapped his hand away. "That's how we keep in contact." She pointed to the black Mokona. "The only power this one has is to stay in communication with Mokona." Kurogane snorted in disgust at that. "Mokona will take you to different dimensions, but there is no way to control which dimension. For that reason, only fate will decide when your wishes will be granted." Her expression became neutral. "However, there is no coincidence in the world. What there is, is 'Hitsuzen.' And what brought all of you together was also 'Hitsuzen.'' She explained, before turning her attention back to the brown haired boy.

"Syaoran," she addressed the brunette grimly, "your price is your relationship."

A relationship? Madiha wondered. How would that work?

"The thing you value most is your relationship with her," Yuuko informed him sadly. "So that shall be your price."

"My relationship?" the boy, Syaoran, asked. "But how-" apparently he had the same thoughts as Madiha but Yuuko cut him off before he could get the complete sentence out, "Even if this child's memories are completely restored…your current relationship with her will not be restored. Tell me…" The witch of dimensions stared at him unyieldingly. "So, what is she to you?"

Madiha felt a pang of sadness grip heart as she observed the boy looking down, clutching the unconscious, dying girl to his chest. "Sakura is… a childhood friend…" He screwed his eyes shut, burying his face into her hair, "she is the princess of a country… and most importantly… a girl who is precious to me." He declared.

"I see…" Yuuko's expression softened and turned sad once again, "If you wish to accept Mokona that relationship will end. Even if you retrieve all of her memories, the one memory you will never retrieve will be her memory of you." She looked up towards the raining clouds. "That is my price. Will you still pay it?"

Syaoran still had his face buried in the girl's hair, "I will not let Sakura die," He mumbled before looking up abruptly. "I'll pay it!"

"… I understand," Yuuko nodded, "Now I will give you a fair warning for your journey."

"As you will travel different worlds, it is possible that you will meet people who may look like someone you know from your home world," she said. "However, despite their similar appearances, they won't be the ones you know…"

-0-

"… Are you still determined to see it through?" Yuuko finished.

"… I am." Once again, Syaoran agreed without any hesitation and Xahra found herself admiring his unwavering resolve.

"Sincerity and determination…" Yuuko smiled as she lifted the white rabbit high into the air. Keeping her eyes on the small creature, she continued. "No matter what a person wants to attempt, those are needed. And it seems that you are well provided with both."

A gust of wind began to blow as the Mokona rose into the air. A glowing, cryptic seal appeared beneath the white rabbit as it suddenly grew wings on its back. The wind blew stronger and stronger as Mokona opened its mouth and started inhaling. A strong force of suction pulled on the small group of people in front of the creature. Once again the girls found themselves being enveloped in the multi-colored swirling mist, but this time, they were not the only ones. Beside them the three males and the unconscious girl were also beginning to dissolve into the rainbow-hued mist. Mokona closed its mouth after it had sucked in the entire group, and popped out of existence from that world.

The rain stopped pouring and the clouds cleared to reveal a happily shining sun. Yuuko's gaze once more shifted to the heavens. "I wish you children the best of fortunes on your journey. May you find the strength to face the difficulties ahead of you…" she sighed adding the last words as a whisper that was lost to a gust of wind, "this time."