A/N: After becoming a little fed up with Code Geass fandom, I decided to come back to this story. By the way, I now have a picture of Sakura's outfit, although, since I haven't got a deviantart account, I'm not sure how I can make it so you all can see it. If you have an idea, leave a review. TRC still isn't mine. Okay, it's time for the story!

Chapter 11: Parting

"Sakura's?" Kurogane demanded.

"I thought something like this would happen," Fai said. "For it to be necessary to place a seal on someone that not only suppressed their magic, but also their heart, soul and memories, that person would have to be extremely powerful. That kind of power can't truly be sealed. It was only a matter of time until the seal began to break."

"So she's a magician, too?" Kurogane asked.

"Less a magician, and more the holder of a great power," Fai explained. "I don't even think she can use it consciously. It seems like it simply takes action on its own when she needs it to."

"That was amazing," Chu'nyan breathed. "I've never seen magic like that before. Even my mother…" she lapsed into stunned silence.

"Well, Kuro-pippi, I'm beginning to wonder what we've gotten ourselves mixed up in," Fai said, picking Sakura up.

Sakura dreamed of the sound of running feet. Amber eyes shone in the darkness, and a moonlit hand stretched toward her.

"Sakura!" a voice called.

The sound of the car backfiring shocked Sakura back into conciousness.

"Good. You're up," Fai said, glancing over his shoulder from the driver's seat.

"Where—Chu'nyan-?" Sakura asked, trying to gather her thoughts.

"Still in Lotus," Fai said. "We decided to leave while you were sleeping. We have a better chance of finding Syaoran if we get to Farae Village quickly."

"But I didn't get to say goodbye…" Sakura said softly.

"Chu'nyan said that you could come see her again as soon as you found Syaoran," Fai said.

"Don't worry, she's fine," Kurogane said.

"What happened?" Sakura asked, confused. "The last thing I remember is that lord trying to hurt you and Fai- are you all right?"

"We're just fine, thanks to you," Fai said cheerily.

"To me?" Sakura echoed.

"It appears that you are quite a powerful magician," Fai said. "You made that seal of the lord's explode, and then passed out."

"I did that?" Sakura asked.

"Geez, what are you, a broken record?" Kurogane asked, rolling his eyes.

"Now, Kuro-rin, be nice," Fai said.

"Shut up."

Sakura giggled in spite of herself. Still, most of her mind was caught up in what Fai had said. She could use magic? She wondered what kinds, and how much. Could she heal people? Could she grant wishes like Yuuko, or break the spells of others, like Chu'nyan?

All of these questions spilled out of her, more quickly than Fai could answer. He explained that her power was the kind that the person who had it couldn't really control.

"If you really need it, you'll be able to use it," he told her.

So she had magic. She wondered if she'd known about it when she had her memories, and if she'd ever used it before. She was excited that she'd learned about herself, but at the same time, all it seemed to do was give her more questions.

It also didn't answer the question she most wanted to know the answer to: Who were the people who were important to her? She knew that Syaoran was one of them, but were there others? Who were they? Did she have a family, or friends? What were they like?

There was also her secret fear, the one she hadn't told to Fai or Kurogane. She was afraid that maybe she wasn't important to anyone. Maybe that was why Fai had found her wandering alone. She didn't remember, so how could she be sure that there were people looking for her, and waiting for her. Maybe she was alone. Even the thought of that being true made her feel like crying.

Of course, there was the voice in her dream. It had sounded so desperate, as though she was important to whoever it belonged to. She really hoped it had been Syaoran, because hearing it had made her feel warm all over. She was sure that traveling with the owner of that voice would be wonderful.

Syaoran's captor scowled. "You have failed me," he intoned.

The lord of Lotus Town bowed on the floor, trembling. "It will not happen again."

"It will not," the man barked. He extended his hand. A luminescent red seal with a bat-like symbol at its center appeared above the frightened noble.

"No!" the lord pleaded. "I'll do anything!"

"You had your chance," the man said flatly.

The seal glowed brightly, its light enveloping the lord. He screamed as his corpulent frame elongated and became thinner. Metal encased his hands, turning them into gauntlets with four retractable, wicked-looking blades extending from them like fingers. A helmet formed over his face, complete with a visor that covered his eyes. His clothes melted together into a black robe with a high neck that came up past his mouth. The robe's shoulders were topped with decorative metal points, emblazoned with the bat symbols of the seal. Black pants and shoes formed beneath the robe.

The being that had been the lord raised its gauntlet in a salute, then stepped back into the shadows of the room, joining a horde of identical beings. No sign that this being had been the lord, or indeed had ever been the lord, remained.

The man turned to a tall figure who had been standing beside his chair.

"You understand, then," he said. "This is what will happen if you fail."

"I am not that incompetent noble," the other said.

"Very well. Understand this: you must succeed. The girl must be brought back to the path I have laid out for her. If she continues to diverge from it, all of our efforts will have been for naught. I will lend you my power, but, ultimately, it is you on whom all of this depends."

"I understand."

NinthFeather: Thank you for reading. BTW, the lord of Lotus Town was transformed into one of those robot-soldier things like the ones that appeared in Clow when Sakura's memories were scattered, in case the description didn't help.

*Chi 1 and Chi 2 from Eiri's shop run past, carrying a picnic basket. They are followed by Maru and Moro from Yuuko's shop in xxxholic, who are carrying a picnic blanket and a few large bottles of soda*

NinthFeather: Um, what are you doing?

Maru: We're having a picnic!

Moro: A picnic!

NinthFeather: Why?

Chi 1: To welcome the new guy!

Chi 2: The new guy!

*The robot soldier version of the lord of Lotus Town shows up, wearing a sunhat with daisies on it, which looks a little odd with the black and red outfit*

NinthFeather: Him?

Maru & Moro: Yep!

*Robot soldier tries to open one of the bottles of soda, but ends up slicing it with the claw-things. Soda sprays everyone, and they all start laughing, except the robot soldier, which is still expressionless.*

NinthFeather: …Have fun with that. Okay, while the characters without souls have a picnic, take some time to review the chapter. I just enabled anonymous reviews, so I'm hoping you'll take the time to tell me if you liked the chapter. Until next time!