DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN TRC OR CLAMP. There, I said it.
I can't believe this is the 10th chapter! Double digits, whoooo!!!
I'm sorry about the somewhat long absence (again). I went to visit Mickey Mouse in Disney World!!! It was really fun. And you guys probably don't care, so go on with the story.
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Okay, so the first thing I noticed when we arrived in this world was – white. I mean it, it was everywhere! It still is, however. The second thing I noticed was - cold. Seeping through my light clothes, it only took it about ten seconds to get me shivering from head to toe. As I wrapped my arms around myself to try to keep in body heat, I took a look around. A strange white fluffy substance is covering everything. Reaching to it I take a handful, only to yelp in surprise when I realize how cold it is. Fai laughs.
``You've never seen snow before?`` he asks playfully.
``This is snow?`` I ask back, looking at the white substance melting in my hand. I've never seen so many before. In Hanshin, we only had snow for a few weeks, and it almost never stayed on the ground. Even when it did, it never pilled up more than a centimeter.
``Isn't snow supposed to fall from the sky? Like rain?`` I ask again, not sure how to react at this new phenomenon.
``Yes, but after it falls, where do you think it goes?`` Fai answers, his grin widening.
``It melts,`` I answer. ``Well, it does in Hanshin, anyway.`` Fai laughs again.
``It only melts if it's warm enough,`` he explains. ``If it's cold, like here, it stays on the ground.`` I'm not the only one to be surprised by the amount of snow around here. Syaoran is staring at a snow bank like it could jump out and attack him any second. Sakura's hair is covered in white flecks, which landed on her when she accidentally fell in that same snow bank. And Mokona is sitting next to a snowball his size. Kurogane, on the other hand, doesn't seem bothered by it. Facing the opposite direction, he's looking around – to seek potential threats, or something like that. Seizing my opportunity, I grab Mokona's snowball. After a quick aim, I throw it in Kurogane's direction. It misses his head by an inch and hits the tree behind him. The ninja turns around in a flash.
``Who did that?!`` he screams, his face distorted in anger. I compose myself as innocent of a face as I can, given the circumstances. Fai laughs madly.
``Hyuu! You really are quite a shot, Raki seed!`` he says.
``Stop doing those whistling sounds!`` Kurogane yells, pointing a finger at him. ``And you!`` he continues, pointing his finger at me, ``You are going to pay for this!``
``I don't think so!`` I scream back, as I dash in the direction opposite from him. He runs after me, yelling unintelligible words. At first I keep him easily at a distance, but the snow is much softer than the ground and I trip often. Just as he's about to catch up to me, I pass right next to Fai. The blond man's foot innocently moves sideways a little when the ninja follows me and…
``You bastard! I'm getting both of you for this!`` Kurogane yells as he struggles to get up from the snow bank he tripped onto. His legs got entangled in his cloak, and now he's getting so worked up that he can't get up. I tease him by going as close as I can to him, just out of his arm reach.
``Ha ha, Kuro-rin can't catch me!`` I sing. I know I shouldn't provoke him, but I can't help it. It's too much fun. Suddenly, Kurogane hoists himself towards me and grabs my ankle. I try to free myself, but too late. He pulls on it, making me fall back into the snow. Fortunately, it's soft, but I muffle a scream as it starts to melt on my bare skin.
``Oh my gosh, are you alright?`` Sakura asks, rushing towards me.
``It's c-cold,`` I answer, my teeth clenched so that they don't shake. All my muscles are tensed up, making me unable to get up, no matter how much I want to. Kurogane is now towering above me.
``That'll show you,`` he concludes before walking away. Fai just stands beside me, laughing wildly.
``You c-could help m-me up, y-you know,`` I stutter. Still laughing, he offers me his hand, which I hurriedly grab. I hoist myself up and quickly wrap my arms around myself in a desperate attempt to get warm. I fail, however, and my shivering gets out of control.
``Let's follow Kurogane-san,`` Syaoran suggests. ``He seems like he found something.`` So we all head out in the direction the ninja did. Turns out he did find something, and it was an old trail. Now he's just standing there, waiting for us.
``Coming or what?`` he grunts, before following the trail and leaving us there.
``Maybe y-you could wait f-for us!`` I stammer. I try as best as I can to take off the half-melted snow, but it still clings to my body. That plus the cold weather makes it very freezing. Remember I'm only wearing capris and a tank top here!
``Do you want my coat?`` Sakura offers, already taking off the coat Fai gave her.
``I'm f-fine,`` I answer, pushing it away. She puts it back on, not before shooting me a worried glance. Beside me, Fai sighs.
``Well, I guess that settles it,`` he says. I feel something warm on my shoulders and automatically pull it tighter. Looking at it, I realize it's Fai's other coat. I give him a weird look.
``Aren't you going to be cold?`` I ask him, though I know I would not give away the warmth of his coat for anything. He smiles.
``At least I have pants,`` he tells me,`` and long sleeves. And I didn't just fall in the snow. And I wasn't already wet.``
``But still,`` I say, ignoring the last comment. He wants to know, but he won't. Not now, anyways, ``It's your coat.`` He waves away my argument.
``Besides, my country is way colder than this,`` he continues like I said nothing. I overdramatically pout.
``Fai won't listen to me!`` I playfully whine. He gives me an amused glance.
``You know you're contradicting yourself by clinging to my coat like that,`` he notices.
``I don't care,`` I pout. ``You still won't listen to me. And what's a raki seed?`` I ask, remembering the nickname he gave me earlier.
``Food,`` Fai answers simply. I look skeptically at him. What does food have to do with the color of my hair? The mage smirks at me.
``It's red,`` he explains as my eyes get wider and I slap him on the arm.
``You meanie!`` I exclaim. ``My hair is pink, not red!`` I pout, turning my attention to our surroundings. I really have never seen this much snow before. The trees are different, too. They look almost black against the pale background. Even the sky seems white. The snow crunches under my feet at a regular pace. Crunch, crunch, crunch… I wonder if anyone lives around here. I guess there as to be, since we found a trail, but it doesn't look like it's been used in a while. Then again, I guess if it snowed on it… but it can't snow that often, can it? I wonder what the people around here are like. Maybe they dress a little like Fai, with fur-lined coats and many layers. I scan the trees to see Kurogane, but he's nowhere to be found. I guess he can't be far. He might be a pretentious jerk, but he doesn't seem like the kind of person to just leave us here. Yes, I am pissed at him for pushing me in the snow. I threw him a snowball, but it doesn't justify trying to freeze me. Besides, I missed. A bird passes over us, crying loudly. I don't like that cry. It sounds like a dying animal. The bird perches itself on a tree nearby. I look at it for a few seconds. It looks unlike any bird I've seen before. Completely black, beak and all, it just stares back at me. It doesn't seem to have any ornamental feathers, or any bright colors like the birds back home. I point a puzzled finger at it.
``What…?`` I start.
``It's a crow,`` Kurogane's voice answers behind me. Startled, I turn around with a yelp.
``Where did you come from?`` I ask hurriedly to hide my shock. How the hell did he get there without anyone noticing? I guess he is a ninja, but still…
``Kuro-pin sure is sneaky!`` Fai says with a fake whistle. Mokona jumps on my head.
``Sneak attack!`` he yells, throwing in a couple of kicks. I shake him off my head.
``How about staying on Syaoran's head?`` I suggest. I just don't like him pitter-pattering on my scalp. It freaks me out. Kurogane grunts exasperatedly.
``I found a town nearby,`` he says. ``There's an inn there.``
``Do they serve alcohol?`` Fai asks joyfully. I glare at him.
``Are you doing this by purpose?`` I ask, annoyed.
``Yup,`` he answers, an innocent smile splattered on his face. I muffle a scream of frustration and hurry forward. I swear, if I ever get my hands around his neck… It seems I didn't think my options thoroughly in Koryo. Maybe I should have stayed. I wouldn't have had a chance to go back home, but I wouldn't have to put up with this, at least.
``Um… Aisha-san…`` Syaoran's voice calls behind me.
``What!`` I yell back as I keep walking blindly. ``And how many times do I have to tell you-`` Bam. Lying on my back, I look up to the wall I just crashed in.
``Watch out,`` Syaoran completes his sentence as he catches up to me.
``Thank you,`` I say sarcastically. I watch as the others crowd around me. Sakura looks concerned as she takes a better look at me. What does she think, that I have some kind of disability that makes me crash in walls? Kurogane just stands there, the look in his eyes saying 'that'll teach you'. Fai is making no effort to hide his hilarity.
``You seem to be falling down a lot lately,`` he notices between two bursts of laughter.
``Hardy har har,`` I answer, glaring at him. I get up by myself this time, shaking the snow off of Fai's coat. ``And while you're at it, why don't you find out why there's a wall in the middle of a forest?``
``Because we aren't in the middle of a forest,`` Kurogane grunts. ``It's the town I was talking about.``
``Ah,`` I look around and notice several quaint brick houses, including the one I crashed in. ``So it is.``
``The inn's this way,`` the ninja says, leading us somewhere to our left. We follow him, Fai still laughing at my fall. Kurogane leads us to a larger house, the only thing differencing it from the others being the size and a rusty sign clapping in the wind. It reads 'The Prince's Table'. Sounds pretty pricey. I don't ask what we'll do to pay though; I have a feeling the others already have a plan. They've been doing this for longer than I have. Kurogane opens the door an urges us in. A wave of warmth hits my face and I sigh gratefully. Finally, something warm! I loosen Fai's coat around my shoulders, and only then do I notice I'm being observed. Actually, we're all being observed. The room is crowded, and it seems like everybody turned their heads towards us. Sakura shies from their gazes, but the others don't seem to care. Fai walks up to one of the waitresses.
``May we have a table?`` he asks her in a soft voice, flashing his brightest smile. She blushes and hurriedly shows us to a nearby table of four. The entire room's focus moves as we do. Sakura looks down at the four chairs, and at the five of us.
``How will we…?`` she begins.
``Oh, that's okay,`` I answer, pulling myself a chair. ``Fai can sit on the ground.`` The wizard looks at me with hurt eyes.
``Why are you doing this to me, Cotton Candy? You're being so mean…`` he whines overdramatically. I sigh.
``Maybe if you'd call me by my name, then this wouldn't happen.`` I say. He looks at me, his eyes widened in mock surprise.
``That's not your name?`` he asks in a stage whisper.
``Sit!`` I order exasperatedly. The mage pulls himself a chair from a nearby table and sits next to me. A dumb smile is illuminating his face.
``Am I detecting something like friendship in your tone?`` he asks. I blush violently.
``No!`` I dismiss the idea. ``We are not friends and I am still pissed at you!`` I hurriedly look away. The truth is, I've been acting with him the very same way I do with my friends when I do something stupid – like crashing into a wall - and they laugh. And he's been acting almost the same way they do in return.
``You're not mad at me, admit it!`` he sings.
``Oh, shut up,`` I grumble. I don't want to be friends with him. I don't want to get closer to any of them. It's hard enough trying to get home without getting emotionally attached. Besides, it's not like I'm going to stick around for a long time, right? I'm planning to get home as soon as possible.
``You heard that, Kuro-pin? She just told me to shut up!`` Fai says joyfully to the ninja. Kurogane just stares for a few seconds, scowls and looks away.
``So what?`` he answers. ``It's not like she hit you. Now that I would like to see.`` he adds, his lips stretching in a murderous smile. I look back at Fai, whose hands are now up in sign of peace.
``Please don't hit me,`` he says. ``I don't enjoy pain.``
``Neither do I, yet we all go through it,`` I answer, turning my attention to the people around us. I don't think I have the strength to continue talking to Fai, Kurogane probably won't speak to me after the snowball incident, Syaoran is too busy studying the structure of the fireplace – or something like that – and Sakura looks so sleepy I'm surprised she's not already fallen asleep on the table. The clothing around here particularly interests me. All the women seem to be wearing dresses, and the men are wearing suits. Overall, something out of the…Victorian era, maybe? I realize with horror that if we have to stay here, I'll be wearing a dress like that with a corset and what looks like a hoop skirt. No way Jose! I can't tell how they manage to walk in those things, not to mention breathe. Obviously the guys won't mind, the male clothes don't look uncomfortable. I wonder if Sakura will – but if she's a princess, she's probably used to wearing this type of things. Am I the only one here who minds changing environments almost daily? Not even a day ago I was wearing some sort of kimono, now I'm sporting a heavy fur-lined coat, and soon I'll be forced to wear a corset! Damn inter-dimensional fashion… A man in particular catches my attention. Staring at me, detailing every inch of my body, he sits only a few feet away. I stare back, locking my eyes into his. Two can play this game. When he realizes I'm staring back, he quickly blushes and averts his eyes. Heh. I like it when I scare people by just looking at them. Kento used to say it was because my eyes are so dark. Said it made me look like a witch. Ironic, isn't it? Now that I know there's some sort of magical power living in my body, I could have told him he was right. The man looks again, only to blush when he realizes I'm still looking. With a smug look on my face, I turn back to the table where Fai has just ordered some food. Since he doesn't know what people eat here – he'd look a little crazy going to ask for 'raki seeds' or whatever he calls them – he asked for five orders of the house's specialty. I just hope we don't get stuck with something disgusting, like bugs or whatever.
``Do we even know if there is a feather here?`` I ask to no one in particular. I'm a little hopeful that this is just a pit stop; I really don't want to wear one of those dresses. Mokona, who is sitting as immobile as possible next to Fai – we can't know if there's magic around here or not – answers in a whisper.
``No, Mokona can't feel any strong power. But he can't be sure.`` I sigh. Great, another treasure hunt. Hopefully this one won't include acid droplets, murderous demons or enchanted lakes.
``We should start looking around as soon as possible,`` Kurogane says. I see Syaoran nod in approval. I'm about to ask Kuro a question as to where to start, but he sees me coming.
``I'm still mad at you for that snowball, so don't get any ideas,`` he adds a few seconds later. I pout.
``But I missed, so what's the big problem?`` I ask him, but he ignores me. Just at that moment, two waitresses come in to bring us our meal. I stare, puzzled, at the plate placed in front of me. I prod the large piece of meat sitting on it. How do they expect us to eat that if it's so big? There's also a plate full of buns in the middle of the table, and a strange puree beside the meat.
``So,`` Fai asks the waitress closest to him, ``what wine would you suggest to go with that?`` Without even looking at him, I whack the back of his head so hard it hits the table with a sickening crash before bouncing back into my open hand. I'm not worried though; that guy survived a hammer thrown at his head. I then look at the waitress, an over polite smile on my face.
``No alcohol whatsoever,`` I ask. ``Please.`` Wide-eyed, she nods slowly in approval, unable to detach her eyes from Fai, who is now rubbing his head. She then leaves quickly, her small steps echoing across the room. Just then, I notice the entire restaurant is staring. Figures, since they were ever since we entered the room. I decide to ignore them, instead turning towards Kurogane.
``Happy now?`` I ask him with a smile.
``Very,`` he answers. Fai pouts.
``You guys are mean!`` he whines. Syaoran and Sakura, who seemed to be too surprised to react at first are now almost screaming.
``Fai-san, are you…?``
``Do you feel okay? I'm sure we could get something…``
``It made an awful crash! It didn't break the table, did it?``
``I'm fine.`` Fai reassures them. ``It sounded worst than it was.`` I look at him with intrigued eyes. I clearly heard his head bang on the table, and that push was hard enough to make an entire man fall. Either he has a weird immunity to pain, or he's faking. I can't really be sure. Then he turns at me.
``Is this any way to treat someone?`` he asks me, his eyes wide in mock sadness.
``You know I hate when you do that,`` I answer simply.
``But I lent you my coat!`` he protests. I sigh.
``You also laughed at me, insulted me, and purposely kept talking about liquor even though I told you to stop,`` I reply calmly.
``It's still not a reason to hit me,`` he whines again.
``No, that was just to make Kuro-kun happy,`` I explain. Visibly out of arguments, Fai turns back to his plate with a sad face. I turn back to mine too, only to realize I have no chopsticks. Instead I see a small rounded knife and a strange utensil, which ends with three spikes. I lift it up to look at it in the light, still puzzled as to what it's for. Syaoran comes to my rescue.
``Are you having trouble with your fork, Aisha-san?`` he asks politely.
``That thing?`` I ask, showing him the strange device. He nods.
``It's cutlery,`` he explains. ``You use it to eat.`` I look at the fork again, trying to figure out how to use it. In a flash, I grab the knife and fork in one hand, like chopsticks, and try to grab my piece of meat between them. But the chunk of beef is too heavy and easily slips between them, falling in the puree, which gets splashed all around. Fai gets some, so does Mokona and Sakura, who seems to suddenly snap out of an 'off' moment. I'm the worst, though, the white puree all over Fai's blue coat. The entire table freezes for a second. I stare at my plate for a few seconds until I feel like I can speak again.
``Um… I'm guessing that's not how it works?`` I say timidly. I feel myself blush furiously. I can be such a klutz sometimes! Why now? A few more seconds pass before the others start reacting. First it's Fai, throwing his head back and laughing crazily. To my surprise, Syaoran joins him, followed by Mokona, who jumps inside my coat and tickles me. Surprised, I jump. But the other's laugh is contagious and I soon find myself laughing as well. At the other end of the table, I see Kurogane quickly let go of his own fork and knife, which he had tried to use the same way I did. I don't think anybody else sees it, but that detail alone makes me laugh even harder. Beside me, Sakura is looking around with a dazed expression, obviously trying to figure out why everyone is laughing and she has puree in her hair. But I clearly see her light up with a smile when she sees Syaoran laughing madly with us. Ah, young love. But it's true, now that I think of it, I never saw Syaoran laugh once since I came along. Smile, sure, but only when Sakura was there. I guess nothing was worth laughing. I haven't laughed much either, other than sarcastic chuckles and small bouts of hysteria. But now I am, at a table full of strangers. No, not strangers. Not anymore.
Syaoran is the first to regain control of himself. Trying to suppress his large smile, he grabs his own cutlery.
``Like this,`` he explains, holding one in each hand. ``The knife is to cut and the fork is to grab the food.`` He pricks his fork in his chunk of beef to immobilize it and starts cutting with small back-and-forth movements. I try to imitate him, but my knife is slippery and I never seem to be able to cut through the whole thing without loosing it. Kurogane, on his part, completely ignores Syaoran's directions and is trying to rip it apart using two forks. And all the while the entire room keeps staring at us, the odd bunch of travelers struggling to eat with forks and knifes.
``We really do stand out,`` Fai notices.
``Our clothes are the major problem,`` Syaoran explains.
``They're so different from the clothes in this country,`` Fai agrees. ``Especially Kuro-tan's.`` he adds after a second's thought. At those words the ninja perks up and mumbles something made unintelligible by the piece of meat in his mouth. After trying to rip it apart, it's almost like he wants to eat it whole. Syaoran leans over the table towards Fai.
``But, is it okay?`` he asks the wizard. ``This meal…``
``What's the problem?`` Fai asks innocently. Syaoran takes a few careful glances around and lowers his voice to barely a whisper.
``We don't have any currencies from the country,`` he says. Ah, right. We wouldn't want the owner to know that we might not pay his food. But Fai only waves the argument away and smiles broadly.
``That's okay!`` he chirps. ``Isn't that right, Sakura-chan?``
``Huh?`` the princess answers.
A few minutes later, Sakura is seated at another table with two men and a strange deck of cards. I tried following the game for a while, but it got too complicated. All I got was that the crown was stronger than the horse, which was stronger than the tower (which, if you ask me, makes no sense. How in blazes could a horse run down a tower?) That, and the fact they're playing for money. Turns out that's how we got clothes in Koryo, too. Sakura was playing this simple game with dices and ended up winning every single time! The same thing's happening here. She just got a whole deck of crowns, which is apparently the strongest deck you can get. The only thing I understand in this: more money in Fai's large bag. Now the conversations are heating up, the men wondering how Sakura wins all the time, and many are accusing us of cheating. Meanwhile, at the other table…
``No, you hold it this way,`` Syaoran explains patiently as I made yet another mistake at holding my fork. I growl in frustration.
``If you ask me, which you haven't, it's much more simple to just cut the food in small pieces before serving it,`` I say exasperatedly. I would give anything to just go back to my chopsticks right about now. So would Kurogane, who is now fighting Mokona for his steak. That's how you call that huge chunk of meat, according to Fai. Behind us, the voices that had calmed down are rising again, as Sakura wins for the who-knows-how-many-eth time. I see Syaoran sigh and look longingly over my shoulder to her. I can tell he doesn't like it when people yell at his princess. Looking pensively at my barely-half-eaten steak, I push my plate away.
``Come on,`` I tell Syaoran. ``Let's go see how they're doing.``
``But, your food…`` he protests, though I know he wants to go.
``I wasn't that hungry anyways,`` I cut him off as I get up. ``Besides, Mokona can have it and stop pestering Kurogane.`` Honestly I doubt that, since neither Sakura nor Syaoran have finished their steak either, and they have remained untouched in their plates. I suspect Mokona to want to annoy Kurogane more than anything else. But I seem to convince Syaoran, and we make our way to the other table where people have started to crowd to see the unnaturally lucky princess. Fai is now reassuring the other players, who accuse him of some sort of devilish trick.
``We don't have time to cheat,`` he reminds them, sweeping all the money in his large bag (which they have also won at the card game.) Pulling on the strings to squeeze it shut, he points behind him to where Kurogane is sitting.
``If you have any problem at all, please talk to the man in black over there,`` he says with one of his huge smiles. At his words, the ninja perks up and turns around.
``What?`` he growls at the wizard. Both players quickly cower in the corner, mumbling things like: 'No, nothing at all!' and 'Sorry to have suspected you!' Both Fai and me watch them do so with victorious smiles. It's not like it's Sakura's fault they can't hold on to their money! 'A gambler is always a looser', Etsuko used to say. She knew what she was talking about, her dad going every night to the casino. Ren would have a different opinion, but not everybody's as good at probabilities and strategies as she is. She could beat every level of CyberChess, this video game where you played chess against the computer. I could barely get pass level 5! And there was 30 levels… Anyway, all this to say she was a real strategy wiz. She was so good most of us would have followed her into the craziest plan on earth, because she was always right. Always… Stop thinking about home! I tell myself. Stop it!
``Nice work, Sakura-chan!`` Fai congratulates the princess as he helps her to her seat. ``The most important thing now is that we have enough money,`` he adds, his smile widening. Rolling my eyes, I follow them, though I had just gotten up from my chair. Syaoran does the same. A large man makes his way to our table with a large plate full of drinks. He has the look of someone who works hard and has gotten rewarded for it. I've seen him before, when we had just entered the restaurant. The waitresses all treat him with deference, so I assume he must be the boss around here. He sets a glass next to Sakura.
``You are pretty good, little girl,`` he tells her with respect. I see her smile shyly.
``I don't even know the rules of the game,`` she admits. ``Is that all right?`` The owner looks at her for a few moments, undecided, then seems to think it's all a joke and laughs noisily.
``You're kidding!`` he decides. The princess retains herself from arguing, feeling it will be no use anyway. Then the owner starts passing the drinks off to the rest of us, talking all the way.
``You're clothes are pretty weird. Are you tourists?`` he asks no one in particular.
``Yes. We're looking for something, so we are traveling all around,`` Syaoran answers.
``Have you decided where to go yet?`` the owner asks, handing out his drink to Syaoran.
``No, not yet,`` the later answers again.
``Well, let me give you some advice,`` the man leans towards us, as if conspiring. ``Do not go north.``
``Why not?`` Fai asks curiously.
``There is a terrifying legend in the Northern Country,`` he explains, finally giving me my drink. I sniff it curiously, get a whiff of alcohol and glare at Fai. All he finds to do is smile innocently, as if I didn't already know he's the one who ordered them. Thankfully Sakura's drink isn't the same as mine, and I hope Syaoran's isn't either. I pointedly push my glass away, refusing to drink from it.
``What kind of legend?`` Syaoran asks the owner. The man clears his throat, puts down his plate and begins:
``Long ago, there was a castle in the Northern Country. There lived a beautiful princess with golden hair. One day, a bird flew to the princess's side. It gave to her a shiny feather and said: 'There is a strong magic within this feather. It will give you mysterious powers.'`` I perk up at those words. A shiny feather with magical powers, eh? That sounds strangely like one of Sakura's feathers… I go back to listening to the story. We can think of that later. ``The princess got the feather. After that, the king and queen died suddenly, and the princess was left master of the castle. And then, as though attracted by the feather, children living outside the castle started disappearing one by one.`` The man's voice goes deeper and his face takes a grim expression. ``They never returned,`` he concludes. Whoa, talk about messed up fairytales. I mean, maybe the kids just really liked it at the castle, who knows? And why wouldn't we go to the north because a creepy fairytale is staged there? Oooh, we're going to have trouble sleeping at night… quick, run! Heavy sarcasm intended.
``Is that a fairytale?`` Fai asks innocently. The owner shakes his head.
``No, it's a true story.``
``But there is indeed a castle in the Northern Country,`` Syaoran tries.
``This is a story passed down for 400 years. That castle should be in ruins by now,`` the owner explains.
``So,`` Fai retries, ``because of this terrifying(he says it with lots of sarcasm) legend, we shouldn't go to the Northern Country-?`` I get his point. He told us not to go there and his only argument is that an evil princess that's been dead for 400 years once possibly lived there. Besides, now that we know a feather was involved, not much would stop Syaoran from going.
``No,`` the man says gravely, and I lift my head to look at him. Something in his tone doesn't bode well. A slight shiver makes its way up my spine. ``Just like in the legend, children started disappearing again.``