AN: This was so fun to write, especially the first scene. I won't say why, only that it was easy to write.

Read, enjoy, and review!


Chapter Eleven
Musings

The house was quiet, Fujitaka noticed when he came out his office and that either meant that his daughter wasn't awake yet or she had left the house. He glanced at the time. It was past one and though his daughter liked to sleep late during the summer, she didn't typically sleep that late. He assumed she had left the house, but checked her room just to be sure and to his surprise found her still in bed with the pillow over her head. Fujitaka frowned. That was certainly out of the ordinary. And he was quite sure she hadn't practiced any magic the night before for he remembered hearing her come in the house and promptly falling out on the couch. He guessed Yue had eventually moved her to her room at some point, but the point was that her friend's wedding couldn't have been that tiring.

He made his way downstairs to search for Yue and Kero when he didn't find them in the former's room. He first checked the living room, then the kitchen, and finally found the two outside in the backyard. Kero was in his true form sleeping in a sunny spot near the tree and Yue was sitting under the tree reading a book. Fujitaka almost found the sight strange. Rarely was it that the brothers were in the same place and at peace with each other. Usually, they were getting on each other's nerve.

"Yue," Fujitaka said and the barely perceptible tilt of the young man's head was the only indication that he was listening. "Is there a reason Sakura's so tired?"

Yue lowered his book but didn't look at Fujitaka quite yet, only seemed to be trying to figure out how to answer.

"She found herself having to use quite a bit of powerful magic yesterday so that her friend's wedding wouldn't be ruined," Yue said carefully.

"But she doesn't usually sleep like this."

"She's just tired from using so much magic. She should have left early, but Sakura insisted on staying for the duration of the reception. Needless to say, she hardly had the strength to change out of her kimono."

Fujitaka frowned, and seeming to realize what he said and who he said it to, Yue hastily added, "MIRROR enjoys aiding our mistress during those times so I implored her to help Sakura change. You can relax."

Yue had obviously dismissed the issue as he went back to reading his book, but Fujitaka couldn't help adding with a smile, "I know. But you'll understand when you have a daughter."

Yue looked up at Fujitaka for the first time, obviously taken aback by the statement. However, the moon guardian didn't comment and simply continued to read his book after a few seconds, albeit with a distinct and thoughtful frown on his face.

Fujitake went back into the house, his thoughts now straying to Yue. Even after months of having the man stay with them, Fujitaka still couldn't comprehend the moon guardian's personality. He was polite and respectful enough, but the few times they had talked Yue was so formal and distant. Aloof certainly described it. It was like Yue was perfectly aware of what was going on around him but in a whole other world. It showed by the way he would never truly look at someone who was talking to him, though he'd usually reply, at least to Fujitaka. Kero had mentioned to him that Yue was nicer to Fujitaka than he was to most people, and that probably had something to do with the fact that he was Sakura's father.

Speaking of Sakura, he didn't quite understand at first what it was about the moon guardian that attracted her to him and if he were honest, he still didn't fully know. The two were as different as night and day on first glance. Sakura was bubbly, happy, and a social being, while Yue was cold, quiet, and could only tolerated so much of being social. But during the time he had secretly watched them (How else was he supposed to understand their relationship when neither was very open about it to him?), he observed the way Yue relaxed around her, how casual he was with her, how he was much more playful and open with her. And though Yue did his best to hide it, he too had a certain innocence to him when it came to the way certain things went in the world. Things that seemed simple or rather didn't need explaining to a normal human sometimes seemed a bit beyond the other man's ability to grasp without elaboration. On the flip side, Yue seemed more wary and aware of the dangers in the world, where Sakura could miss them in her natural inclination to trust the good of others. So Fujitaka guessed in that respect, they complimented each other.

He couldn't help frowning though. It wasn't that he disapproved, but he wasn't sure he approved either despite the fact that he didn't mention his insecurities about it to Sakura. She was part of a world she was never fully outright with him about so he probably didn't fully understand, but any decent father would be concerned. No matter how reasonable he was, Fujitaka couldn't ignore a few things about Yue. First, he was much older than Sakura. He once managed to con Kero into telling him that Yue was at least two centuries old and that was not counting the time they spent in Clow's card book (that was a whole different issue). Second was that Fujitaka had a feeling Sakura wasn't exactly being forthright about Yue's relationship with his previous master. It wasn't anything they had said directly, but some of the comparisons and contrasts Kero would make between the two that gave it away.

So, having decided that he had held his tongue on these matters long enough, Fujitaka started to make his way back upstairs to have a serious conversation with his daughter… until the doorbell rang.

He answered the door to find Sakura's two friends, Syaoran and Meiling at the door panting.

"Honestly," Meiling was saying. "What's the point of having a phone if she isn't going to answer the damn thing?"

"Sakura's resting right now," Fujitaka replied. "Yue informed me that she had a long day yesterday. Maybe you should-."

"With all due respect sir," said another voice in a foreign accent. "This is important."

Fujitaka looked past the two to see Eriol standing calmly by himself, without his usual companions. Fujitaka sighed. It appeared his talk with Sakura would have to wait until later. He briefly wondered if any other fathers in the world had sorceresses for daughters and had to deal with these kinds of situations.


Sakura sighed as she sat in the living room, rightfully annoyed that her sleep had been interrupted but also because how Yue had been forced to awaken her when she refused the first few times. He so owed her for this later…

"This had better be good," she muttered trying to fully awaken herself.

"It is," Syaoran said. "Remember that sash you cut off the harpy yesterday?"

Sakura nodded. How could she forget?

"I took it home to look at it and when I finally did, look what I found," Syaoran said handing her a certain corner of the sash,

Sakura took it from him, and if she hadn't been fully awake before, she was when she saw the circle with a cross and an ankh crisscrossed in it. She almost dropped the sash in surprise, remembering the same crest being on the necklace, bottle of perfume, and ring from before.

"What?" she said not quite comprehending what it could mean.

"Somehow, I'm not surprised. I told you Marie doesn't give up that easily," Cerberus pointed out.

"But I don't understand. What's she got to gain from attacking me like this?" Sakura asked.

"She's trying to get to your attention," Eriol said to her. "She probably didn't like how you blatantly dismissed her offers and the Voss Family is certainly known for their expertise in bringing creatures from the underworld. It makes sense."

"Well," Sakura said setting her hand in her lap. "She's got my attention, now what?"

"Choose the lesser of two evils," Eriol said. "Either you can go directly to Marie and talk to her or ask the Magic Council to help you mediate the rift."

Sakura grimaced. Neither prospect sounded inviting. After only encountering the magic council once, she was pretty sure she wasn't held high on their list of favorite sorceresses, and if she were honest, she wasn't too fond of them either. But Marie… She had seemed pleasant enough to talk to, but there was something about her. Sakura shuddered. Marie's cold emotionless void was something she'd never adjust to.

"Do I have to?" Sakura asked.

"She's just going to attack again if you try to ignore her," Meiling pointed out. "If the point was for her to get your attention, you may as well let her know that she has it."

Sakura sighed tiredly and started to ask exactly how she was supposed to get in contact with Marie until she sensed something, another presence suddenly appear in the house. She blinked as she looked toward the doorway where Midha was standing. Quite surprised to see the magic council member, Sakura blinked, and then said as politely as she could, "Next time, can you just use the door?"

Midha, who already appeared to be looking at her with unwavering disapproval, only frowned.

"Seems a little troublesome when I can just come right in," she said taking a seat without waiting for one to be offered to her.

"Maybe," Sakura said. "But it is my house and if a person can't get any privacy there, where can they?"

Midha made an indignant sound but appeared to make note of the request before briskly waving her hand in dismissal and getting to the point.

"Just checking in, I suppose," Midha said answering the unasked question of why she was there to begin with. "It's come to my attention that you've been using a lot more magic lately. In fact, yesterday, you stopped time for a good while."

"I… Wait a minute. How do you know that?"

"You didn't think we'd just leave you be on your own again?" Midha asked like a mother talking to her young child. "Besides, you're certainly a unique case Miss Kinomoto…"

"You've been watching her?" Eriol asked bluntly.

"Limitedly."

"Either you are or you aren't," Syaoran pointed out to which Midha ignored him as she looked at Sakura.

"Speaking of that, you were attacked? Is that common?"

Sakura sighed. "Not like this." Sakura handed Midha the sash with the Voss crest on it.

The woman inspected it, looking neither concerned nor dismissive.

"You think Marie Voss is attacking you?" Midha didn't wait for an answer as she suddenly said, "Can I talk to you privately?"

Sakura nodded and before Midha could possibly use her magic to take them somewhere, Sakura gestured for them to go outside instead. As they went over to stand next to it, Midha commented on the garden.

"You garden is beautiful," she said touching a flower blooming among them.

"Thank you," Sakura said as she watched Midha begin to touch on certain leaves and fruits delicately.

"You know you wouldn't have this problem if you would take the council's advice. It's in the best interest of everyone. Including yourself."

"Maybe," Sakura replied. "But then I'd have an entire new set of problems."

"So you find the idea intimidating? Is that why you won't consider it?"

There was something about Midha's tone that put Sakura on edge. It was as though she already knew the answer, but was trying to indicate that she was aware of something else.

"In a way I suppose," Sakura said slowly. "But I don't even know why Marie is doing this, so why be hasty about it?"

"If it is Marie," Midha said as though she agreed, but Sakura detected a certain slyness to it. She sounded something like a politician. "She has family spread all over western Europe who don't feel they should answer to her. Who's to say?"

"I didn't really consider that… I assumed it was just…"

"Of course you did, because that's not what's stopping you from acting is it?" Midha asked, turning from the garden and looking at Sakura with a stern expression, like she was reprimanding her own daughter.

Sakura was silent as she tried to discern the woman's intention and meaning. But she didn't have to for Midha made her meaning clear with her next comment.

"You seem to have a very close relationship with your moon guardian."

Sakura tried to school her features into an indifferent expression, because she certainly didn't want to look as dumbfounded and shocked as she felt. How…?

"What makes you…? Why…? How?" she finally asked, cursing the fact that she was a terrible liar.

"It's because you're so careful trying to hide it," Midha said to her. "A glance and a smile here, a touch there, secret exchanges and you seem to have a certain affinity for the moon. It's so subtle, it's obvious."

Sakura thought she was done until the woman added, "Then again, I'm an Egyptian, and so I might just be looking at it from that lens. Who's to say that in Japanese culture that's not perfectly normal for a relationship between people as close as a master and guardian living under the same roof?"

Sakura felt herself starting to lose her temper at the condescending and sly way Midha was approaching this. Why not just be honest and say what she thought instead of dancing around the issue? Sakura might as well admit to it at this point. Then it occurred to her that maybe that's what Midha wanted, to rile Sakura up into admitting it herself. Sakura smiled a little. It was a game Yue liked to play with her when she was trying to hide something. He didn't have to know a thing, but he would make a few assumptions, talk like he knew everything and then coax a person into telling him what he really hadn't known to begin with. But what Midha described could be explained off…

"I'm guessing you don't know about the laws hm?" Midha asked.

Laws, Sakura questioned to herself. Maybe she should just play this whole situation safe…

"I was wondering, could you maybe get in contact with Marie. I'd like to enjoy my summer instead of worrying about future attacks," Sakura said obviously changing the subject.

Midha smiled in amusement. "I'll see what I can do," she said and faded away right before Sakura's eyes.

Sakura knew there would be no going back to bed as she went back into the house. This was all just too perfect. She sensed the tension, everyone practically on edge. She started to just tell them outright, but was it really something to be concerned about? Was it really that important? She glanced at Yue who was patiently waiting with his arms crossed and eyes closed for her to say something. She almost frowned. If she told them that Midha suspected a relationship between the two, she was positive Yue, ever the cautious one ,would go back to being his reclusive self, rarely showing himself with her out and about or either only at night when there was no one to see. Maybe… Sakura frowned. Not yet, not until she understood this better.

"So? What did she say?" Kero asked losing what little patience he had to begin with.

"She asked about the attacks," Sakura finally said. "Then she said I could avoid all this if I just took the council's advice. When I told her no and asked her if she could get in touch with Marie, she said she'd see what she could do, but there was something about the way she said it, almost like she was planning something. I don't quite know what to make of the council. Are they good or what?"

"As manipulative as they are Sakura, what you have to understand is that their primary job is to protect the magical community, and although not everyone has magic, it's far more vast than what you know. There are the powerful magical families and then there are individuals, places where magic just happens to pop up. They aren't worried about that, but the problem with you is that you're a single sorceress, who a powerful sorcerer from two powerful magical families made his heir. See the problem?" Eriol asked.

"They see me as a threat to their order?" Sakura said uncertainly.

"Exactly," Syaoran affirmed. "So their job is to eliminate the threat you could pose, the immediate one being that you expose the magical world, and if they ever found out about your relationship with Yue, the second being that you disrupt the social order."

Sakura almost rolled her eyes. "That again…"

"It's not just some prejudiced rule Sakura," Meiling said softly.

Sakura looked at Meiling who until now hadn't said a word.

"Nani?"

"Because a guardian is duty bound to obey the commands of a master, there have been countless cases of abuse of authority in the master's end. It was put in place for the protection of the guardian, not because of some prejudiced way of thinking… That's an entirely different story and exactly the category you could drop someone like the Voss family in," Eriol said dryly rolling his eyes.

Sakura open and closed her mouth, not quite sure what to say. "But I… I'm not…"

"Of course you're not," Yue finally spoke sensing that she needed his reassurance. "But you're a unique case. Not all sorceresses and sorcerers have as pure and kind of heart as you."

"Yeah…" Kero said dryly. "Even Clow for all his kindness had his flaws in that regard…"

Sakura didn't miss the look Yue shot Kero in warning. Then she glanced at Eriol, who flinched just slightly at the implication. There that issue came up again. Was she ever going to know the totality of it?

"The point is that while at this point they may be in opposition to you, it's nothing personal. It's their job and because they're so impersonal is what makes them a delicate group to deal with," Syaoran explained.

Now that Sakura knew all that, it put everything into perspective, but it certainly didn't make her life any easier.


AN: Fujitaka's musing was enjoyable to write. It thought it would be an interesting interaction. So I have to go. I really need to be studying for finals and trying not to cuss out one of my teachers for the ridiculous expectations she has for an in-class essay test… Okay.

Hope you enjoyed! Review Please!