Chapter Four- Out of the Mist

~*~*~*~*~*~ = Sakura's POV

I==D====== = Syaoran's POV

------;---@---;------ = Eriol's POV

o/'o/'o/'o/'o/'o/' = Tomoyo's POV

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* = Nakuru's POV

'___' = Thinking "_____" = Speech

Thank you everybody that reviewed! Keep them coming! And once again I state, I WILL take helpful criticism! ^-^

Disclaimer- CCS belongs to Clamp...but one day..mark my words..it'll belong to me...o yes.....

::ahem::

Start!

------;---@---;------;---@---;------;---@---;------;---@---;------;---@---;------;---@---;------;---@---;------;---@

I shook my head. 'Get ahold of yourself Eriol! Just because you've been isolated for so long, doesn't mean you fall for the first person you see!' A little disturbed with myself, I stalked out of the room, tail held high, and went to my bedroom to prepare the plan.

I mustn't tell Syaoran, he'll just order us to stop. If we don't stop, he'll force us to. After all, he has a bit of magic himself, and he's three times my size. Nakuru has magic as well, but she has an even lesser chance of standing up against him, being a butterfly.

The storm would take quite a bit of my energy, but I was willing to sacrifice a bit of my consciousness for a while, rather than have my powers and body shrunken forever. I hissed a bit in frustration that I was so weak now. Had I been in my true form, I could have conjured up ten hurricanes without a second thought, and without any materials at all, just my own magic, but here I am, toiling around on a desk, mixing up powders. I sighed and continued my work.

~One Week Later~ ( No POV)

Fujitaka rode home, weary and depressed, on his chestnut bay. Only two ships had come back, with all the crew surviving, but barely any cargo. After he had paid the sailors, there was no money left for him and his family. He sighed, thinking how sad his daughters would be when he came home empty handed.

It was growing dark, and it would be another two hours before he reached home. In the distance he heard thunder, and saw lightning crackle. 'I hope I can beat the storm', He thought. Light rain began to descend, enveloping the trail and the forest in mist. Fujitaka slowed down his horse, for fear of running into something. The rain gradually became bigger and bigger, with large gusts of wind blowing it everywhere. Lightning zipped across the sky and a gigantic boom was heard. Suddenly, the horse reared and took off, running into the forest with Fujitaka, spooked by the noise.

"Whoa! Whoa!" Fujitaka called, pulling on the reigns with all his might, to no avail. He grimaced at the thought of what might happen, but just lay low on the horse's back, clutching it's mane. The horse plunged on through the trees, trying to escape the thunder's sound. Fujitaka gritted his teeth and thought, 'At this rate, I won't get home until midnight! That is, providing I can find my way through this forest.'

After an hour, the storm began to die down, the rain dripping down slowly on the horse and it's rider from the tree branches. Fujitaka wandered around in the forest for a while, looking for the trail, but had no luck. He sighed, then stroked his horse, trying to calm it down. It had froth coming out of its mouth and was breathing heavily, sweat pouring down. "I'd better find somewhere to stay for the night." He thought out loud. Just as he said those words, the mist cleared, and there, right in front of him, was a large, arched gate, with Chinese, stone guardian lions on both sides. He looked past the gate, and there, was a splendid palace.

Gingerly, he pushed the gate. It swung wide open with a loud bang, surprising the horse. It reared and whinnied loudly. Fujitaka cursed, then pulled on the reigns, bringing the horse down. He swung off its back, and tied its lead to a lion's foot. He stroked it on its nose, whispering calming words to it, then proceeded to walk forward.

He walked down the pathway, admiring the gardens and how well taken care of they were. 'Funny, the Chinese in the village never mentioned any nobility living nearby.' After a while, as the gardens and path were quite extensive, he reached two large red doors. He hesitated, wondering if it was all right for him to just walk in like this. Suddenly, a large violet butterfly flew past him, into the palace. He smiled, and followed it inside. The butterfly flew in front of him, turning a corridor every now and then, until it came into a small room. It was a bedroom, with a fire burning merrily in a corner. There was some tea and food set on a small table next to the bed. There was also a white card on the table. Fujitaka walked toward it, curious. On the note it read, "Huan yin!" He lifted an eyebrow. "Chinese? Welcome? They must mean me...how strange that they knew I was coming." He murmured. He hesitated when he was about to take a bite of a delicious looking fish, garnished with spring vegetables, but then succumbed to his hunger. "Itadakima!"

When Fujitaka was done with the food, the butterfly fluttered to him, seeming to beckon for him to follow it. He got up, and walked with it. It led him back down a grand staircase, and out of the palace, through the gardens. It flew on ahead to some stables, where Fujitaka's horse was. He smiled. "My host has been most generous. Domo arigato," he spoke aloud to the air, hoping that perhaps his mysterious host would hear. He was about to go towards the stable, when he saw some cherry trees. There was a small stream running by them with a bridge, the blossoms lit up by millions of tiny fireflies. "Perhaps I will be able to bring Sakura something after all." He crossed the bridge and walked towards the Sakura trees.

I==D=======I==D========I==D=======I==D=======I==D=======I==D=======I==D=======

I paced around in my room, wondering where Eriol and his assistant had gotten to. I'd gotten a bit wary of the former extremely powerful sorcerer, as he always had some tricks up his sleeve, so I liked to keep an eye on him when I could. I wandered down the hallway towards his bedroom, but stopped when I saw a balcony. I walked onto it, and looked down towards the garden, admiring the cherry blossoms. I looked to the left to look at my peonies, but saw a dark figure walking toward the cherry blossoms. What was he doing here? I leaned down to get a better look. The man looked rather wet and dirty. It seemed as though he had had a rough time. 'Must have wandered in from the storm' I sighed, he could stay the night I suppose, but I would make sure he left the very next morning. He didn't look hungry, so perhaps Hirragiizawa had been off taking care of him. 'Yes, he would do that.'

Then, I saw him reaching towards a cherry blossom tree, breaking off a sprig of my flowers. 'How dare he!!' I thought, enraged that he would just take what was mine, just like that, and take it away from me. I snarled, and bounded through the hallway, and down the stairs to the garden.

------;---@---;------;---@---;------;---@---;------;---@---;-------;---@---;------;---@---;------;---@---;------;---@

I heard a loud growl coming from the balcony, and stuck my head out of my room, just in time to see Syaoran bounding down the stairs into the garden. 'Damn! He'd seen Fujitaka!' I darted out of my room, still a little weary from making the storm.

I reached the garden to find the poor man huddled on the ground, clutching a sprig of them in his hands, with Syaoran looming over him, looking like he was about to bite his head off. "What are you doing in my palace?!" He snarled.

"I'm so sorry sir! I thought it was all right...I mean, there was a card...and I just thought that.." Fujitaka stuttered.

"I would have let you stay the night, but what right do you have to be stealing flowers from my gardens?!?!?!" Syaoran yelled, thoroughly enraged. I jumped between them, just as Syaoran was about to swipe the man.

"Syaoran, control yourself," I said calmly. Fujitaka gasped at the sight of me, and nearly fainted away. I admired him for staying conscious. Any lesser person would probably have fainted clean away at the sight of not one, but two talking animals, one of which was mad at him.

"You stay out of this!! You were probably the one who let him in anyway!" Syaoran growled at me.

"Yes, I'll admit that was me, but killing him won't do anything, and torture is just plain cruel." I replied.

"Who's to say I'm not?" Syaoran glared.

I sighed. Then had a brilliant idea. "Listen, perhaps it's not his life he values most. Look at him, he's practically a filthy beggar, and probably wants to die anyway." I stated casually. Fujitaka made and indignant sound at my remark, but otherwise kept quiet. "If you took away his most prized possession, it would be a bigger blow to him, don't you think?" I continued.

Syaoran continued to glare at me for a while, then admitted, "I guess...fine..that's what we'll do then." He then turned around to face Fujitaka. "You, what's your most prized possession?" Fujitaka remained silent. I knew he was thinking of his daughters.

"Perhaps it is not a thing, maybe it's a person, a family member, " I remarked. At this, Fujitaka's eyes grew wide. "Is it your wife?" I asked, playing I didn't know.

"My wife is dead," He whispered, eyes on the ground.

"How about your son?" I continued.

He shook his head. "I have no sons." I could sense his increasing nervousness. Syaoran began to grow impatient.

"Hiragiizawa, you deal with him, this is just stupid," he sneered, growling one last time at Fujitaka. With that, he strode back into the palace on his hind legs, dressed in a red velvet cloak. He had never wanted to admit what he was to himself, and continued to walk erect and wear clothes like a person, despite how difficult it was. I grinned, this was just too perfect. I could deal with Fujitaka as I wished now.

"So, do you have daughters?" I queried. At this, Fujitaka's face scrunched up, sweat practically pouring out of his forehead.

"Please no! Please! For the love of God! Don't take my daughters! Those two are my life! Take me instead!" He ranted all of a sudden, his fear for himself driven away by the fear for his daughters.

I smirked inwardly, and on the outside, pretended to soften. "Well," I purred. " Instead of giving both of them to me forever, how about you give me only one daughter to live here for one year. She'll be fed properly, well dressed, and treated like a princess," I promised. I started to read his mind. Fujitaka was confused, what would a talking cat want with a girl? Also, he then thought I could turn myself into a human, complete with human needs, and desires.

"You don't think I don't know what you want with her?! Well no!" He yelled.

I held my breath to keep from laughing. How queerly his mind works. "I promise sir, not a single hair on her head would be harmed." He glared at me in stony defiance.

"Well, I suppose my friend could always just come to your house to meet you, and both your daughters. I won't be able to come, but I think he'll be able to behave himself," I said airily, and made as if to walk back inside the castle. '1...2....3..'

"All right!" Fujitaka sobbed. "All right!"

I smiled. "There, there. You made a good choice. None of you will have to get hurt, and one of your daughters gets to live like an empress for a year. Of course, she must come off her own free will. You may not just force one of them into this. Explain to them what happened here, and let one of them come back with you within a week. Stay outside the palace grounds, let her come in by herself. Or else.."

Fujitaka gulped and nodded. "Now take your horse, and ride home right now. You'll find food in the pouch. You may also take that sprig you have there back with you. Remember, you have one week. The day after a week is over, and you have not shown up at the castle with a daughter, the beast shall find you." Fujitaka nodded again, then scampered off into the stables. I watched as he galloped like a madman through the gates, and into the forest. I sent a breeze his way, to watch over him and make sure he got home safe.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I watched outside through the window. It was already 1 'o clock in the morning, and father still hadn't come home yet. "He said he would be back by dinner!"

Tomoyo came over and hugged me. "Don't worry, he'll come home" She sat down next to me and watched through the window as well. Suddenly, I heard the sound of Ginger, Otou-san's horse. The sound was followed by a figure from out of the mist, galloping on the horse.

"Otou-san!" I ran outside to greet him, followed by Tomoyo. He looked absolutely exhausted! Ginger was covered with froth. We helped him out of the saddle, and he collapsed in our arms.

"The ships, no cargo left! And the beast he-" Then he fainted.

Tomoyo took off the bag he was carrying, and together, we lifted him up and bought him inside. We laid him on the couch and got him a blanket. Tomoyo ran off into the kitchen and came back with the kettle and a cup. She poured him some tea then whispered to me, "Go take care of Ginger." I nodded and ran outside to the horse.

When I came back inside, I found Tomoyo, staring dumbfounded at the bag. I walked over to her and looked inside it. It was full of jewels! There were diamond rings, ruby bracelets, sapphire earrings, and many more beautiful gems inside. It was like a king's ransom! I picked up a strand of pearls. "I thought he said there was no cargo left" I whispered in awe.

I==D======I==D======I==D======I==D======I==D======I==D======I==D======

I sat on a chair on the balcony, watching what was going on below. Why had I left? Because, despite the fact that I have never exactly liked that Hiiragizawa since I was ten, I had to admit, he was one crafty sorcerer. He had become famous throughout all of China when he was only eleven. He dabbled in dark magic a bit, and I knew that he would love to put to work one of his plots he had been formulating in his head. Judging by what a twisted mind he had, this should be quite interesting.

I saw Hiiragizawa step toward the man, who was huddled on the ground, cowering in fear before a little blue cat. I smirked, but then frowned, since I couldn't hear what was going on. Well, whatever that sorcerer said to him, it got him on his feet, jumping on his horse, and out the gate in ten seconds flat. 'I'll just ask Hiiragizawa what happened when he comes back up.' I waited for a bit, and soon smelled the cat stalking back up the stairs to the balcony. Yes, I smelled, although I could hear very well, too. This new body of mine can do quite a lot, and is rather powerful, but I still want my old body back.

"I took care of it," came a smug voice from behind.

Without turning around I answered him, "What happened?"

"He will be presenting to you in a week's time his most precious treasure," the cat mewed.

I snorted. 'What can a beast do with gold or jewels?' I thought. Instead, I said, "And what might this 'precious treasure' be?"

There was a long pause before Hiiragizawa answered, but finally, he replied. "Well, he has two daughters..."

"What will his daughters make for me?" I already had an extensive collection of persian rugs, and elaborate embroideries, and would have no real use for whatever this man would give me. I must admit, Hiiragizawa disappointed me.

"Ah.....well, his daughters aren't making anything for you. They're around you're age you know," came a voice from behind my chair. I turned around to face him, lifting an eyebrow, or, whatever would have been an eyebrow for a beast. "Li-san I made a deal with him that one of his daughters...she is...will, come to live with you." Hiiragizawa answered. There was a brief moment of utter and complete silence, before what he said had completely registered in my mind.

"WHAT THE HELL?!?!?!?"