News; Letter

"I want to write a letter."

Both Fai and Kurogane looked up from their activities they were working on; Fai, reading a book, Kurogane, polishing his new sword.

"Why's that, Sakura-chan?" Fai asked curiously

She shrugged and looked out the window of their room. "I only remember bits and pieces of my brother, but I like to think he worries about me, and want to write him a letter."

"Good luck finding paper," Kurogane grumbled, disinterested with the subject.

"Don't say things like that, Kuro-chan."

"It's Kurogane, damn it!"

Sakura laughed and shook her head. "Don't worry about it, I don't even know what I'd say…"

Fai thought for a moment, book temporarily forgotten. "Well, you could tell him about your journey, and about Syaoran-kun, how many feathers we've recovered--"

"16," Kurogane interjected, having gone back to his sword-polishing.

"You can ask Syaoran to help you look for paper and a pencil if you want," Fai smiled sweetly at the girl as she blushed at the thought.

"How would I get it to my brother, though?"

"That Time Hag could deliver it I suppose," Kurogane replied, leaning his sword against the wall and resting his chin in his hand, appearing to think about the matter as if he actually cared.

"Thanks Fai-san, Kurogane-san…" she mumbled, suddenly embarrassed.

Not five minutes later, Syaoran emerged from the door way with Mokona perched on his shoulder. Mokona had a disappointed look on his face, while Syaoran looked a little more than slightly frustrated.

"No luck, yet again. It's like these feathers are running away from us…" He sat down next to Sakura and sighed. "I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. We haven't recovered a feather for awhile now…"

Sakura merely smiled and shook her head. "Don't worry, they'll show up soon I'm sure of it." She looked down at her hands and began playing with the hem of her shirt, "Um, Syaoran-kun? Do you know where I could find some paper?"

Syaoran blinked at the question. "…Paper?"

"Yup!"

Syaoran thought for a moment. "Well it can't be that hard to find some, I'll go ask Kuzuki-san, downstairs," And with that he got up in search of some paper.

Sakura stared after him a moment longer after he had left the room, slightly confused.

"What's the problem, Sakura-chan?" Fai asked curiously.

"He, he didn't ask what it was for…"

Fai looked at the door from which Syaoran had disappeared and shrugged. "He probably just wants to respect your privacy."

"Oh…"

Syaoran returned moments later with two sheets of paper and a pen in hand.

"Here you are, Sakura-chan," he mumbled, handing her the items.

"Thank you very much, Syaoran-kun," Sakura returned, just as quietly, and sat down to begin her letter to her older brother.

'Dear Touya-nii-sama…'

The next hour was spent in almost complete silence, with Fai reading, Kurogane trying to polish his new sword further, and Syaoran playing some sort of game with Mokona.

Sakura sat up from the floor.

"I'm done!" she announced proudly, waving the three page letter in Fai and Syaoran's direction "I even had to used both sides of one paper!"

"Very impressive, Sakura-chan! I'm sure your brother will appreciate this greatly," Fai cooed, patting her on the head.

Syaoran looked at Sakura a moment at the mention of her brother, but said nothing and continued his game with Mokona.

Sakura handed her now neatly folded letter to Fai. "Do you think it'll reach him, Fai-san?"

"Yuuko-san will figure something out for us," Fai reassured.

Sakura nodded and was about to sit back down when she paused. "Wait, won't she want something in exchange?"

"Let's give her back the rat!" Kurogane growled, glaring at the white rabbit-looking thing.

Mokona turned around and gave Kurogane a questioning look. "Did Mokona hear Mokona's name?"

"No Mokona, you must be hearing things," Fai laughed and handed the letter to Mokona "Can you transfer this to Yuuko-san, Mokona?"

"Mokona sure can!" it took the letter and once again opened the window to Yuuko's world, and they found Yuuko smiling evilly back at them.

"Well look who it is!" she slurred, blush lingering on her cheeks; she was obviously drunk.

"You're looking well, Yuuko-san," Fai greeted kindly, his smile never leaving his lips "Can we ask a favor of you?"

"Depends, what is it?"

He held out the letter to show her. "We need to get this letter to Sakura-chan's older brother. Can you get it to him?"

Yuuko eyed the pieces of paper wearily. "I can, but it'll cost you something big, what do you--" Yuuko stopped mid-sentence, and the evilest smile ever recorded in history crept onto her face. "Kurogane!" she called.

The man looked up, glaring, "What do you want?"

"His sword will be the price," she told Fai, as she pointing to the newly polished sword.

"What! No way in hell, you old hag! This sword is mine!" Kurogane nearly shrieked, grabbing the sword protectively.

Yuuko merely shrugged, "Then I won't take the letter,"

"Yuuko-san, is there anything else we can give you?"

"Nope, I want the sword."

Fai sighed and turned to Kurogane, who was glaring death itself at the wizard.

"Kuro-pi, I'll buy you a new sword, a better one, okay?"

"No!" Kurogane had now moved his new sword behind him, an extra precaution incase someone tried to snatch it from him, "I bought this sword with my own money, to replace the one she already stole, damn it! I'm not giving it away, too!"

Fai sighed again and looked over at Sakura, "Sorry, Sakura-chan, looks like you did all that writing to your brother for nothing…"

Sakura looked sadly down at her hands, "Well, it's okay; it's not fair that we ask Kurogane-san to give up his sword, anyway…"

Syaoran was the first to notice Kurogane begin to give in when he saw him slowly take the sword back out from behind him.

"Well? What'll it be? Do I get the sword or are we wasting my time?"

"It looks like we're wasting your time, Yuuko-san, I'm sorry."

"Hold on," Syaoran walked over to Kurogane, "We'll all pitch in and buy you a new sword, and Yuuko-san wont take it, right Yuuko-san?" He glared in the Time Witch's direction. She merely put her hands up and smiled.

"Sure, whatever, I just want that sword there."

Kurogane glared at Syaoran for a long minute before shoving the sword into his arms, "I hate you all."

Syaoran gave the sword to Mokona, who transferred it along with the letter over to Yuuko, who bid them farewell with one last evil smile before leaving. The rest of the night was spent trying to pull Kurogane out of his now extremely bad mood. They all went to bed unusually early because of this, but Syaoran found he was the only person not able to fall asleep right away.

He was staring at the ceiling, after everyone had presumably already fallen asleep when he heard someone shift to his right, and suddenly Sakura was sitting next to him.

"Thank you, Syaoran-kun," was all she said, and bent down and planted a small kiss on his cheek.

By the time he could even begin to think about what had just happened Sakura was already back in her bedroll, fast asleep. Syaoran stared at her for a moment, and a small smile found its way onto his lips. He turned over and went to sleep, feeling suddenly very calm, and even a little happy in his heart, a feeling he hadn't felt since Sakura woke up. He sincerely hoped he would feel this happy again in the near future.