When Sakura walked through the door of the house late in the afternoon, the first thing she felt was a wet cloth hit her face. After several seconds it fell and landed on the floor. She picked it up and carried it into the kitchen where Syaoran was standing with an expectant look on his face, as if waiting for something to be explained.
"You know, there are better ways to gain someone's attention than to throw a wet tea towel at them." Sakura said, placing it back in the sink.
"I felt the fluctuation in your power earlier today; what happened?" He asked, ignoring her comment. She sighed.
"I got a little pissed off with the class I was teaching, nothing overly drastic." She explained. "It happens sometimes."
He stared at her with an unimpressed look, not buying her explanation. He didn't believe it one bit. "For you to have felt the wave of magic though, must mean that you have some power yourself." Sakura murmured as she got herself a glass of water.
"Yes, as does Sora and my brother. But you already knew that Sora had magic." Syaoran answered.
"I did; I've witnessed her use it. But I wasn't sure about you or your brother." Sakura said as she took some medication for an oncoming migraine.
"Yes, well, the magic is from my mother's side of the family." Syaoran explained.
"I see…" she murmured.
"Can Kei use magic?" He asked.
"Thankfully, no." Sakura replied.
"That's good. So what do you plan on doing with your afternoon?" He asked.
"Nothing really." She sighed.
"Good, let's go out."
"What?"
"You heard me."
She rolled her eyes. "Fine."
Sora came barging through the door, scaring the crap out of Rena who was sitting on the couch reading through a document she'd received at school earlier that day.
"Is she wearing that stupid onesie of hers?" Syaoron asked.
"No…" Rena replied, letting out a breath to calm herself.
He looked up and Sora was standing in the doorway of the lounge room wearing her favourite green dress.
"Oh, you're actually dressed decently today." He said.
"Oh shut up you! Where are the other two?" She asked.
"They went out for the afternoon." He replied, returning to reading his book.
"That sounds nice. So Rena, what are you reading?" Sora asked cheerfully, sitting down on one of the recliners.
"It's nothing really…" Rena murmured. Syaoron looked at her out the corner of his eyes, and then returned to reading his book once again.
"Alright then!" Sora shrugged it off, and pulled out her phone and began playing a game on it.
Sakura spotted a shop that looked a little run down and old fashioned, like it had been there for many generations currently passed. She sensed something strange about the shop, almost comforting.
"What is it?" Syaoran asked.
"That shop…" She murmured, walking over towards it. Not exactly sure what she was doing, he followed after her.
They entered the shop to find it dimly lighted and several shelves full of a vast variety of jewels and strange items scattered among them. Sakura could sense power in the shop, and she knew it was no ordinary shop. There were cages with strange looking birds in them against one of the walls, and a couple of antique-looking mirrors hanging above them. There was a silvery rope hanging on a stand somewhere, and a clothing rack among the mess of the store. Eventually Sakura's eyes settled on the counter; sitting behind the counter was an elderly woman with her silvery hair tied back into a neat bun. She wore strange ornamental clothes in deep shades of purple and gold. Around her neck was a pendant of amethyst with a gold leaf curled around it, and on her slender fingers were several rings. Behind her were strange jars full of weird things-ingredients probably-and liquids of all different colours. Sakura recognised most of them as ingredients for potions and other such things to do with magic.
The woman laid her silver eyes on Sakura and smiled. "You're no ordinary couple if you're able to walk in here." The woman said with a twinkle in her eyes.
"Has this shop always been here?" Sakura asked curiously.
"For thousands of years." The woman replied.
"I've never been able to see it…" Sakura murmured.
"It's only visible when you have a need for it." The woman said with a smile.
Sakura felt confused, "I don't understand; I don't know what my need could possibly be." She said.
The woman stood and went through a deep burgundy curtain to the back of the shop, leaving Sakura standing with Syaoran who was still looking around at the place. A ginger cat with a scar over its right eye made its way out and circled around their legs a few times before disappearing around one of the shelves. Sakura wondered around the shop, looking at the different items. She recognised many of them; crystal balls, pendants, jewellery to seal magic, magic rope…
The woman reappeared holding a black box with silver vine patterns all over it. She opened it, pulling out an egg that seemed to glow strange colours. "I can tell you have a kind heart. This one needs a home; I trust you'll find one for her?" The woman asked.
Sakura recognised that egg. She knew what would hatch from it, and she knew exactly who it should go to.
"Yes…" Sakura replied, stepping forward.
"But there is something else you need. Your power has been fluctuating, and those earrings can't hold it in check, can they?" She smiled knowingly.
Sakura realised this woman was wise, and knew of so many more secrets the world held than anyone could possibly imagine. She shook her head. The woman headed over to one of the shelves and found a set of identical studs to the pink ones in her ears above the wings in her ears.
"Here, these are more powerful. You can have these items in exchange for those." The woman said as she hobbled over to the counter again. Sakura blinked.
"Two items for these earrings?" She asked.
"It's quite rare to find such beautifully crafted jewellery that is made to seal away magic. I do believe it's an even price." She smiled.
Sakura thought it over for a minute, and nodded. It made sense.
"Alright." She said, handing over her earrings.
The woman took them and placed them in a small box, and then placed the lid of the black box back over it.
"I advise you put the earrings in now, just to be safe." The woman smiled.
"Thank you." Sakura smiled, picking up the small studs and inserting them into her ears.
The woman looked over at Syaoran with interest. "I remember your mother, boy." She said.
Syaoran looked up, shocked by her sudden words. "Yes, she was quite powerful. It was interesting to learn whom she had married. I was sad to learn of her death."
"How do you know she's passed away?" Syaoran asked.
"When you're old you become far too wise for your own good." The woman answered.
Syaoran stayed silent.
"One more thing before you leave." she said.
Sakura looked up. "Be careful in the future, or you may lose that which you love most." She said.
Sakura looked to Syaoran who was looking just as troubled as she was by the woman's words. But when they looked up, the shop was gone, and they were back on the street with the black box in Sakura's hands.