Chapter 27 – Unexpected Encounters

Domeki cancelled all prior engagements for that weekend.

"They shouldn't always rely on me," was Domeki's response when Natsume insisted it was unnecessary.

Although Natsume tried to act like he could deal with it on his own, he was relieved that Domeki was going to work with him.

While Natsume thoroughly enjoyed the extra space at the shop and Watanuki's home cooked meals, more than anything he just wanted things to go back to normal.

The longer they stayed, the more likely the change would stick. He knew from the start that they would never be a normal nuclear family, but he had hoped he could have given the twins more stability than this.

"Where are you going?" Will inquired.

"You are up early," Natsume deflected. They had kept their exorcism mission low key; only Watanuki knew what they were leaving for.

Watanuki came out of the kitchen. "Will, you're up...," he looked at Natsume, "Breakfast is ready, come and eat."

"Where are you going?" Will asked again. "I want to come too."

"I have an important meeting at the bank," Natsume lied. "Go eat breakfast, I will be back before you know it."

Watanuki took Will by the shoulders and led him into the kitchen.

Nyanko-Sensei hopped into view. "Let's go before Katie wakes up."

With the cat in his left arm, Natsume opened the door with his right.

The sun shone bright but refused them the comfort of heat.

Natsume had no time to regret the lightweight clothes he was sporting; today, he was going to finally deal with the spirit that had been stalking his family.

While the two men had different, but strong determinations to finish the job, neither had a clue where to begin.

Domeki wasn't forced to take the lead very long. Standing on the other side of the fence was Natori's familiar, Hiiragi.

"Follow me," she ushered.

They followed her without question, a couple blocks away from the store to a children's park where Natori was perched against a tree.

"How did you know?" Natsume asked.

"Word gets around," Natori replied, making brief eye-contact with Nyanko-Sensei.

"How will we proceed?" Domeki asked. The sooner this rouge Youkai was put in check, the sooner they could recover Sora.

"Kimihiro gave me a few talismans he made, and I also have an old sealing pot."

"Talismans aren't going to be enough," Natori replied.

Natsume took out the sealing pot from his backpack.

"Do you mind?" Domeki asked.

Natsume handed it over.

"I think I've come across this in my research, they are supposed to be very rare. How did you come across this?"

Natori could see nothing more than just a plain clay pot.

"It was a gift," Natsume explained.

"I don't know how strong this spirit is, but if this is what I think it is, it won't be able to escape from this pot," Domeki replied.

...

"Are we sure it hasn't already left?" Nyanko-Sensei asked.

"That wouldn't make sense, why give up now?" Natsume replied. While he could wish for nothing more than it to disappear on its own, he knew it was unlikely.

"It's probably waiting for us to split up," Natori theorized.

"I don't think we should split up," Natsume rebuked.

"I don't either, but it may not show itself until we do. We won't be able to move around like this forever," Domeki pointed out.

"If we must split up, we should at least be in groups. I'll go east with Sensei, and both of you head west," Natsume ordered.

With that, they went their separate ways.

Natsume was on high alert when Domeki and Natori were no longer in sight. He couldn't say that he understood the spirits intention, but if it was not after the twins, then it was most likely after him. Somehow everything always returned to the Book of Friends, that still remained in his possession.

By the time Will and Katie entered his life, there were only five names left in the book; much to his bodyguard's dismay. Maybe he didn't search hard enough for the remanding few, but he hadn't had any other spirits approach him since then. He lately he wondered if that silence was a good thing. Could this spirit be this way because I didn't return its name in time?

"What do you think its really after?" he asked Sensei.

"Does that matter at this point? It is a nuisance I plan to eat," he replied.

"Does everything revolve around food to you?"

"Yes, what else is there?"

Natsume sighed, changing the subject, "I brought the book along just-in-case. There have been a few angry spirits my grandmother left behind, but this one seems different."

"It is rather persistent."

"Well, this isn't the first time a Youkai has followed me home."

"You get stalked more than most humans."

"I just can't help but wonder if I am blowing this thing out of proportion. It might result in nothing more than an angry mid-range spirit."

"An overconfident weakling is always the ideal scenario, but the fact that the twins caught onto it as well, means it can exert a decent amount of energy. I doubt that it can match even half of my strength, however, I will say that it's forced presence is strong."

Sensei was an arrogant creature, so for him to acknowledge the spirit in any way, meant they weren't dealing with anything amateur.

A rustle in the grass immediately set them off. Seconds later, Nyanko-Sensei was in full beast mode and Natsume was holding up a talisman, both ready to fight.

A stray orange cat with a black tip at the end of his tail popped out of the grass.

Natsume put his hands on his knees and breathed out.

This was usually the time Sensei reverted, but he remained in his natural form and made no remark on Natsume's state.

The cat meowed loudly.

"That surprised me, it came out of nowhere" Natsume admitted.

Modera was silent.

The cat continued to cry.

"I have no food, sorry."

The cat made a hissing sound.

"Go on," Natsume shooed.

The cat's fur raised in response.

Natsume made a motion to run at it, he didn't have time to be in a standoff with a stray.

"Wait!" Modera tried to warn.

The cat jumped on to him, sticking its claws into his thin clothing. He didn't have to look down to know that he was bleeding.

"What is wrong with this cat?" Natsume yelled trying to throw it off.

Modera growled.

After a few kicks, Natsume was able to shake it off.

There was relief from the claws, but a new danger at his neck. Natsume's hands were held behind his back and there was presumably a finger on his throat.

"What a cold welcome, grandson of Reiko," a silken voice said.

I knew this was about me!

"If this is about," his captor pressed his finger against his throat.

"You have the nerve to speak," he barked.

"What is nine-tailed fox doing so close to humans?" Madora asked coolly.

"This is none of your business, stay out of it, beast!"

"Unfortunately, he is my business."

"Are you trying to become the master of the book?" the fox asked. "There aren't enough names to make it worth your time. Hop along big guy, my problem is only with this child of man."

"What I do with my time is none of your business," Madora's loud voice, lifted up Natsume's hair, "let go of the child."

"The world has changed so much in the little time I was away," the fox said, pulling his finger from Natsume's throat and letting go of his arms. "A beast with the audacity to bear its teeth to a creature as godly as I."

"You beings always forget," Madora boomed, "that you are not gods."

Natsume was shoved with such force, he went flying into the grass.

"Stay out of the way grandson of Reiko, you will be killed next."

Natsume laid on the grass, winded.

He tried to stand back up.

"Stay down," Madora demanded.

Natsume couldn't move but he could still speak. "What do you want from me?"

The nine-tailed fox that took the form of a tall pale man with bright red hair and yellow eyes, peered down at him.

Madora growled.

"I was almost surprised when I found out Natsume Reiko was no longer living, humans did always die so quickly."

"My grandmother passed away before I was born."

"Isn't it amusing that her off-spring would also die around the same age?"

Natsume glared up at the fox.

"Although I probably had a part in her earlier departure."

Natsume scrambled to his feet, pulling out the rest of his talismans, "what did you say?"

The fox smiled smugly at him and with inhuman speed came towards him. Natsume found himself once again on the ground, this time Madora standing protectively in front of him.

"I told you to stay put," Madora scolded.

Natsume was in no state to move, but that didn't stop him from trying. "What did you do to them?"

"What did I do? Shouldn't you be asking what she did? Locking me away-,"

"Silence," Madora boomed.

Natsume flinched, it was rare to see Madora in a state other than drunk.

"Oh?" The fox said, eyes glowing, "was that your little friend?"

"I've let you speak long enough," Madora said.

A large murder of crows flew away, deafening all they passed with their loud cawing.

Natsume couldn't cover his ears as he had become paralyzed under the crushing pressure of Madora's exerting power.

The nine-tailed fox quickly matched his energy.

If Natsume were a regular human he would have been knocked out, but he wasn't. Like his grandmother he had been gifted, (or cursed,) with unusually strong spiritual energy. It was with this energy that he cried out, "stop!"

His plead had them both falter but not because he had asked them to.

"Nasty power," the fox replied.

Natsume watched its extended claws retreat into regular looking human hands. His eyes stopped glowing and settled into an amber colour. All in all, the fox stood out no more than a wondering tourist would.

Madora turned back into a cat and jumped into Natsume's arms.

It seemed unbelievable that it would end like that, but he wasn't complaining.

"Natsume Reiko couldn't do that," the fox pointed out.

"Do what?" Natsume asked.

"And yet she still won."

Natsume didn't completely understand, but from the tone alone he felt like he was being judged.

The fox changed back into an orange cat once more.

"I will be back for you, Natsume Takashi."

The nine-tail fox darted into the grass and out of sight.

"Only you could pick a fight with a nine-tailed fox," Sensei complained.

"I didn't start this!" Natsume cried.

"Call stone face," Sensei's nickname for Domeki, "tell him to bring that pretty boy (Natori) back to the shop."

"Don't call them that," Natsume said with a sigh.

"Pick up the speed, there is food for us."


Clow Country

"Key of-,"

"Princess Tsubasa?"

"Yes!" Tsubasa cried, putting the key behind her back.

"What are you doing in the Southern Corridor?" the High Priest asked. "You never come around here."

"It's because I never come around here that I wanted to-,"

"You have always been a terrible liar," High Priest, Yukito replied bluntly.

"Please don't tell the king," Tsubasa begged.

Princess Tsubasa was one of the two people that he would do anything for. It hurt him to even think about saying no to her. But her older brother and the man he had sworn to serve for life, had but one restriction; magic.

Yukito felt his insides being torn apart. He couldn't do what they both wanted, and he had to make the choice of who he would make miserable. Tsubasa was a strong contender and if it had been anyone else against her, she would have instantly won, no matter the situation. But the king was the king and his wishes out ranked hers.

"You understand that this power is extremely unstable and therefore posses a real danger to you," Yukito started.

It took all Tsubasa had not to rudely roll her eyes.

"I know," she cut him off, "I know."

"Then please understand what I have to do next is for you."

With the tap of his staff to the ground, Tsubasa's arms went forward and he ungripped her right hand.

"What are you-, no please," Tsubasa begged as he took away her borrowed pink key.

...

Dinner was an awkward affair.

"Why are you both so quiet?" the King demanded.

"I had a lot of paperwork," the high priest explained.

Touya was not convinced, as his sister was turned as far away from them as the chair allowed.

"Tsubasa?"

She didn't budge.

"Tell me what is going on," Touya ordered.

"I'm finished," she said, pushing her plate forward. She felt awful for casting away a good meal, but she couldn't sit with them any longer.

"You've barely eaten anything, eat."

"I'm full, I am going to rest."

"Tsubasa!"

She didn't flinch at the sound of his voice. Since she had discovered Sakura's Cards, they had been fighting more than they ever had before.

"Excuse me."

Her eyes caught Yukito's and she instantly felt remorse. She wanted to apologize, but her pride was too strong.

She walked out of the main dining hall, ignoring the King's demands.

Her brother was known to have a short temper, and if she had been a regular citizen, there was no telling what he would have done.

Tsubasa was all too aware that no matter what she did, her brother would never hurt her. Sure, he scolded her every day, but she was never once even threatened to be thrown into the dungeons.

Times like today, she felt that she probably deserved to be chained up for her unforgivable selfish behaviour.

Touya will probably come and scolded me, she thought with a heavy sigh.

As she breathed in, she caught onto a sweet aroma. The scent was perfume-like, which was odd to pick up in the middle of the corridor. As far she knew, they didn't spray any perfume or light any candles in this area.

She stopped in her tracks, with the feeling that something was underneath her feet. She lifted her foot, and to her dismay discovered that she crushed a red rose.

In her desert country, flowers were often hard to come by naturally and were not often grown due to the large amount of water needed to sustain them.

Tsubasa gathered the pieces together, she was determined to make something of them. I'll dry them out and use them as decoration.

With her mind preoccupied with her new task, she continued.

Only a few steps forward she discovered another flower, this time a blue rose. She picked up the rose and continued, stopping to pick up a pink rose, then a white rose.

Who is so careless with these flowers?

Her arms were full of the different coloured roses by the time she reached her bedroom. She had to place them down, to open the door, only to find that her room was bursting with flowers of all kinds.

The flowers pilled onto her, knocking her down.

Is this a prank?

She couldn't fathom why anyone would do this.

Am I being punished?

The free fall of flowers continued to push her away from her room.

Why are they still flowing?

She stood herself up.

The abundance of flowers was abnormal, something else was going on. But what?

Out of the flowers came out a semi-translucent woman with big, curly pigtails and pink ball gown dress.

Her greyish skin colouring and clothing signalled that she did not belong to Clow Country. Who is she? How did she get here?

With all the commotion she had expected the guards or servants to come, but there was no one to be found, and it seemed like unlikely that anyone would come to intervene. She wasn't currently speaking to her brother or the High Priest, so she was in this alone.

The lady began to dance, effectively hypnotizing Tsubasa.

She allowed herself to be lifted by the growing number of flowers underneath her, fully entranced by the exotic movements of the lady.

Tsubasa, wake up.

Tsubasa ignored the voice.

The voice kept calling her until she could no longer ignore it.

She snapped out the trance and gasped for air.

As she had idly watched the performance, the hallway was being rapidly filled to the brim with flowers.

Tsubasa was inches from the ceiling and fighting to create space to breathe. Her heart beat rapidly, and she was now hyper aware of the thorns sticking into her skin and scrapping her as she tried to push them away.

Her panic overwhelmed all thoughts.

I am going to die like this! I will never see him again. I don't want to die!

Tsubasa! The voice called. TSUBASA!

She froze.

Call out your staff.

"How can I, when you are so far away?"

I will never be out of reach.

Her nose was almost close enough to touch the ceiling.

She took a deep breath and placed all her belief into calling out the staff.

Command me.

"Chase her and the flowers out of the castle, Windy!"

Just as her face began to press against the ceiling, a sharp wind pushed all the flowers from underneath her.

Her heart paused as she waited to drop, but the Windy card had itself wrapped around her and safely brought her down to the ground.

Her feather-topped staff was floating in the air, patiently waiting for her to grab it.

Let's capture the Flower Card together.

Tsubasa grabbed her staff and ran behind Windy, down the stairs and out of the castle.

Tell me what I have to do next.

"Make a chain of air around her."

The Windy card complied.

Tsubasa watched in awe as Windy chased the unbounded Flower Card around the courtyard. The Flower Card as able to dodge a few of Windy's advances, but it didn't take long before it was taken over.

The Flower Cars struggled in Windy's grasp.

"These are the most beautiful, sweet-smelling flowers I have ever come across," Tsubasa said, gripping her staff.

The Flower Card went still.

"This country is quite void of them, I wish everyone else could see them too. Maybe you can help me make that happen can?"

The Flower Card smiled.

Seal it now.

"Card reincarnated by Sakura, abandon your old form and reincarnate, under the name of Tsubasa, your temporary master."

When the Flower Card returned to its vessel, only a few flowers were left scattered on the ground, the rest of the excessive flowers had evaporated along with her.

Tsubasa picked up The Flower Card and the Windy Card. The cards were an egg-white colour. At the top of each card, SAKURA was written, and at the bottom, in much smaller letters, TSUBASA.

Tsubasa did not want to keep the beauty of the flowers to herself. She called out the Flower Card and ordered it place flowers around the capital city.

Feeling satisfied, she returned to her quarters.

The king and the high priest watched silently from the balcony.

"I knew she would be okay," Yukito said.

"Why is your hand so white?" Touya asked.

Yukito looked at his right hand that was tightly gripped to his staff.

He loosened his grip.

"Still everything turned out how it should have, she got through it on her own."

Touya tsked.

"We should believe in her, she is strong."

"I know that," Touya replied. "I'm just not ready to let go of her yet."

"I have not heard that she plans to leave."

"Yet."


Tomeda

If Yukito had ignored him for as long as he had ignored him, he would have already kicked down his door.

Touya laid miserably in his bed, longing for his best friend. In any disagreement they ever had, Touya, 9 times out of 10, was the first to make amends. This time, however, he couldn't bring himself to.

If it were just his supernatural powers, maybe he wouldn't have been so upset, but he continued to avoid him because he knew there was more he was hiding. He couldn't imagine what it was, but in his gut, he knew there was a possibility he might never forgive him.

That long week apart, Touya questioned everything. He was frankly paranoid; everything in his life seemed like one big cover-up, and he had no idea how to differentiate what was real and what was not.

What was not fake and coming to get him was the supernatural. Ever since he became aware of them, they would usually only cat-call him and occasionally jump out at him. However ever since he became aware of his situation, they had become a lot more aggressive. At least once a day he was sprinting away from one.

Touya looked at his phone, another 10 missed calls and 2 voice messages. Touya tortured himself by listening to them, only because he wanted to hear his voice.

"Touya, this is Yukito again. Your… friend, if you forgot. Please pick up your phone."

"Touya, give me a chance to explain. You must feel scared and alone right now. I just want you to know that I am always here for you when you… want me to be. I'm sorry, you know I would never try to hurt you."

There was a knock on the door.

"Dad?"

Mr. Kinomoto came in with a brown paper bag.

"I picked these up," he said passing the bag over.

Touya looked inside, at the still-warm Dorayaki.

"Thanks."

"You seem down, are you sick?"

"No."

"I haven't seen Mr. Tsukishiro lately."

Touya started to eat to avoid answering. Mr. Kinomoto picked up and cleared his throat.

"I find the best way to deal with disagreements is to talk about it."

"What if it's something they won't tell you?"

He thought about it. "It all depends on why they are withholding the truth. Do you trust that there is a good reason?"

"There probably is."

"Do you trust him?"

"I do."

"Then I am sure it will be okay."

Go on.

Yukito paced around the front steps of the Kinomoto residence.

He could take it no longer, he had to see Touya before it drove him insane.

Ever since they met all those years ago, the longest they had been apart was three days, and in that time Touya had called him twice.

Someone is going to call the police on you, Yue threatened.

Without letting himself think about it, he rang the doorbell.

Mr. Kinomoto opened the door.

"Good evening."

"Good evening."

Mr. Kinomoto gestured him inside and to the kitchen.

"I have some peaches, why don't you take them upstairs?"

Yukito grabbed the peace offering. His heart speed up with each step closer to his room.

The door was closed.

Yukito had crashed into his room many times before, he didn't know why it was so hard now.

I just want to run away.

You are already here, Yue noted.

Yue had been annoyed by the whole thing.

Just open the door and get on with it.

Yukito had always been a runner, and if this had only been Day 1 without Touya, he would have, but it was now Day 6 and he couldn't leave without seeing him.

Even if he hates me.

The door was unexpectedly open.

Neither were prepared to see each other.

"Yukito?"

"Touya."

Yukito shoved the tray onto Touya, chickening out.

"Your dad told me to give you these."

"You just came here to give this to me?"

"No."

"Then come inside."

Now that Yukito was here in front of him, Touya wasn't going to let him leave.

They sat down on the floor and ate the peaches in silence.

"You got something on your face," Touya said, reaching over and whipping off specs of peaches of his face.

Yukito skin felt hot at the touch, "thank you."

"You're not here to tell me everything," Touya said.

"The things I know, I can't tell you, with everything else I am just as confused as you are."

"Do you know something about my supernatural seeing ability?" Touya asked.

"No, I know nothing about it."

"Then what you are hiding from me?"

"That I can't tell you."

"Why can't you tell me?"

"To protect you."

"From what?"

"I don't fully understand, but neither of us wants anything to happen to you because of it."

"Who is us?"

Yukito froze, he knew Touya wasn't going to let it slide.

"Someone that cares about you."

"Dad?"

"No."

"Grandpa?"

"No."

"Daidouji relatives?"

"No, you won't be able to guess who it is."

"If it's someone I don't know, why would they care about me?"

"Because they care about you!" Yukito cried frustrated. He wanted to spill everything and was biting his lip to contain himself.

"As much as you do?"

Yukito looked at him.

"In a different way, but yes."

"What kind of way?"

"I can't tell you."

"Will you ever tell me?"

"When it is finally over."

"When will that be? When I no longer have these powers?"

"This and that are separate. I don't think those will go away."

It went quiet again.

"Touya?"

"Yeah."

"I know I am hurting you by not telling you, but for everyone's sake, I am doing this. So, please don't push me away anymore. Everything I do is miserable without you. Even if you hate me, let me stay beside you."

"I don't hate you."

"Then why aren't you answering my calls?"

"Because I was upset."

"When I leave are you going to ignore me again?"

"No," Touya paused, "because I was more miserable without you."

"I don't think that's possible," Yukito scoffed.

They laughed and Touya laid down on the floor.

Yukito followed and they stared at the ceiling.

"So," Touya said.

"So?" Yukito replied.

"Spirits are starting to chase me, any solutions?"

"Run?"

Touya smacked his arm.

"Seriously I don't know what I would if they caught up."

Yukito frowned. "I can't see them, I don't know how I can help."

"It's not your fault."

"I think we should go back to the shop, Mr. Domeki or Mr. Watanuki would be able to help. I heard Mr. Natsume can perform exorcisms as well."

"How did you find out about that shop?" Touya asked.

"Mr. Natsume's twins found me."

"If you can't see the supernatural, why would they bring you there?"

"One day Touya, I'll tell you everything, but I can't today."

"Alright, I look forward to that day."


Narita International Airport was crowded that evening.

Kurogane was in particularly bad mood; the number of people, with the unexpectedly nippy weather, was an unideal environment.

"We are here, at last," Fai said, his mood undampened.

"Where should we go?" Tsubasa asked.

"We need to get out of this airport," Kurogane said.

To Kurogane's dismay, the subway was an even more unpleasant experience.

"Why don't we get off at Oshiage Station?" Tsubasa suggested.

"I don't care where we go, I just want to get off of this awful machine," Kurogane responded.

They had nowhere to be, so Fai agreed as well.

"I heard something about a Skytree, we should go see what that is about," Fai said when they got off.

They had no schedule to adhere to, so they moseyed their way over.

"I don't think we can afford to go up," Tsubasa said, nodding to the admission prices.

"No, we can't."

"Excuse me, are you Mr. Flowright, Mr. Kurogane and Mr. Li?" a young uniformed employee asked.

"Yes, we are," Fai answered, turning up the charm at the sight of a member of the opposite sex.

"Follow me please."

Without any reason to suspect ulterior motives, they followed her. They cut through the long line up and the employee pressed the button for the elevator.

"Looks like we won't have to pay," Fai commented, pleased. Since their time in Hong Kong, Fai took great pleasure at getting a good deal. As free was the best deal one could get, so he was in a great mood.

The elevator door slid open.

Dressed in a black cocktail dress on the other side was Mei.

"Welcome to Tokyo."

Kurogane went red with emotion, "you, you!"

"Come inside we've been waiting for you."

"We?" Fai asked, stepping into the elevator.

Tsubasa obediently walked behind, but Kurogane was reluctant to follow.

"Our meal will get cold," Mei encouraged.

Kurogane stepped in, only because he was hungry.

When they reached the observation deck, Mei led them into the restaurant that had been reserved for only them that evening.

"Right on time," a new voice said.

A man in his early twenties came into view. He had short dark hair and purple eyes.

Tsubasa thought he looked familiar, but he couldn't place who he looked like.

"Take a seat, the first entrée will be served shortly."

They should have been more suspicious, but it had been hours since they had last eaten. All the extra money they had earned, had been spent converting it into Japanese Yen.

Not a minute after they were seated, a crew of waiters brought their first dish; Japanese Wagyu A5 Grade beef.

"This meat was butchered and sent in from Kobe today."

The waiter brought the man a large bottle of Asahi Dry beer.

He walked over to Kurogane.

"You look thirsty," he said.

Kurogane watched him fill his glass.

"This is what a welcome should look like," Kurogane said, chugging it one shot.

They inhaled the first entrée and the second was brought out only minutes later. Along with the finest sake, entrée two composed of seafood caught that morning in Hokkaido.

"Eat as much as you'd like," the man said.

They didn't need to be told twice and devoured everything in sight.

When the second entrée was complete there pause before dessert.

While their stomachs were content, and they maintain a good buzz, their suspicion didn't go away.

"We probably should have asked your name," Fai said.

"Kaito D. Yuna," he replied.

Kaito stared at him until he realized Fai had not caught on.

"What's the D stand for?" Kurogane asked.

"Rank," Fai replied.

Kaito smiled, glad he understood.

"It's clear you know who we are, but we do not seem to have the pleasure of knowing you," Fai said.

This was one of the first times Tsubasa noticed that Fai didn't try to enchant the other person when there were communicative issues.

"You could call me a concerned third party," Kaito replied.

"If you knew who we were, and you knew that we were going to come here, why did you strand us in Hong Kong?" Kurogane asked.

Kaito took a sip of wine.

"There were a few unexpected variables."

"To what?" Tsubasa asked.

The waiters came out again with melons and fat grapes.

"Wait, are these Yubari melons?" Mei asked, speaking for the first time.

"Of course," Kaito replied. "And the grapes are from Okinawa."

The conversation was delayed as they indulged themselves in the expensive fruit.

Fai dapped his mouth. He wasn't usually distracted by anything other than pretty women and embarrassed by his own lack of resilience to the food.

"I speak for us all when I say this was the best meal we had in years."

Tsubasa and Kurogane nodded.

"While we are grateful, we'd really like to know about who you are and why you are treating us to dinner."

"Completely reasonable," Kaito agreed. "I can't give you all the details at this moment, but what I can tell you is about my little brother. When he was very small, we had to abandon him. My mother and father were powerful figures in our organization, but the organization's orders are absolute. My mother died of grief, and my father soon followed her."

"I am so sorry," Tsubasa said.

"What kind of organization would force a child away from their family?" Fai asked.

"An old magician's society."

As a previous member of royalty, Fai had never been forced to join any group he did not want to, but he had heard nasty rumours and understood their potential.

"What does this have to do with us?" Kurogane asked bluntly.

"My brother, the only family I have left, is tangled in the middle of your mess," Kaito explained.

"Who is your brother?" Tsubasa asked he knew no one that fitted the description.

"That is irrelevant at this moment. Why I have summoned you to this earth, is because I need this to be done once and for all."

"You are the reason we haven't moved to another planet; how did you do that?" Fai asked, impressed.

"I isolated Mokona to the place where his magic can't affect you."

"Where would that be?"

"Yuuko's shop of course."

Tsubasa now knew why everything felt familiar because he had spent time on this earth before.

"It wasn't easy to do, but I made it so that you would be dropped in a country far from Japan."

"Is Mokona alright?"

"Of course, Mokona is in the safe hands of Watanuki Kimihiro. As far as I know, they have been looking for you."

"Why are you separating us?"

"It wasn't my original plan but there were external factors I was unable to prepare for, or prevent."

"Why did you send Mei?" Fai asked, "why not come yourself and explain?"

Kaito pulled a gold pocket watch from his suit.

"A magician's word is based upon more than just his honour or trust, it is based on an understanding of punishment."

"What are you trying to say?" Kurogane demanded.

"That once you have sworn your oath to the group, you have a lot more to lose than your position, they could strip of your powers or go so far as to even end your life."

Mei didn't have a hard time believing the story, but she did question Kaito's sincerity. He wasn't half as amiable as he was in front of them, and she doubted that it had to do with sexism.

She also wary of his rebellious attitude towards the organization. She knew, that he fully understood that the organization would take him out if they ever were to find out about what he was trying to do.

So why would he risk it?

If he was sincere, she wondered why he didn't confide in her. Physically she was a teenager, but mentally she was much older than a human should be.

She was also sure that she knew who the little brother was, and for that reason alone, he should have told her. They were on the same side, were they not?

"My father was exiled from the organization when they found out that he had tried to get in contact with my brother and was ultimately killed," Kai continued. "I only want to be re-connected with my only living relative. Will you work together with me, to end the mess Clow Reed made?"

"Of course," Tsubasa said.

"We'd also like to move our lives forward," Fai agreed.

"Great!" Kaito said with a smile, "let's talk about business."

In her past life, she had lived too long to know that Kaito D. Yuna had ulterior motives.

Mei sat there quietly waiting for the right moment to expose him.

Kaito caught eye contact with her, and she remembered why she continued to follow his orders. He, of course, could easily overpower her, that was one thing, but he also threatened her with the exposure of her identity.

"You can't go back to him, the way you currently are," he told her the day they first meet.

"It's not the look he is expecting, but it is me," she had argued. "I know he will be waiting for me."

"Of course, he hasn't stopped waiting since the moment you finally left this earth, and he will continue to wait until you return."

"Even more reason to return."

"Don't you find it strange that you remember everything about your past life as Ichihara Yuuko, but that you don't know anything about who are as Meilin Itou?"

"Meilin Itou? Or as your parents fondly call you, Mei-chan. You were named after a close friend they met in Hong Kong when they were college, funny how you don't seem to remember," Kaito pointed out.

"I don't know anything about Meilin…"

"No, which is why you can't return. I don't know how it's possible, but you weren't properly reincarnated, therefore you are not the person he is waiting for. You won't fulfill his price."

"What price?"

"Of course, there was a price, I thought you of all people would understand. In order to get out Fei Wong's prison, he promised to not leave the shop until you have returned."

"How long has he been waiting?"

"A year and some."

"Even if I'm not, whatever you say I am not, I've got to see him."

"You could, but that would only show him that he is trapped in that store for eternity. Until things are set straight, you would only be bringing him pain."

"You seem to know how I could do that, tell me."

"I will, for your help of course."

She stared at him.

"Everything has its price, mine is unquestioned support."

Kaito had reiterated the point many times, that if Watanuki Kimihiro knew of her existence it would hurt him.

She had only found out recently that they were looking for her.

Even if they found her, she couldn't go back to the store with him, and because she couldn't, he would think she was avoiding him. Which she was, but he was better off thinking she was dead, until she could set her reincarnation in order.

"About my assistant Meilin Itou," Kaito said, bringing back her attention. "Due to her age, she is placed at a greater risk of being discovered by the organization, therefore even when you eventually go back to the shop, you must give me your word that she is never brought up in conservation, ever. Outside of her family and friends, she does not exist, are we clear?"

They easily agreed; too many people had been dragged by them in their journey; the fewer people involved, the better.

There goes my early exit, Mei thought.