Note: Have anyone seen the movie? It's quite fast paced isn't it? And Tomoyo-hime made an appearance! I'm surprised Kurogane didn't show much more emotion than he did in the movie…

Disclaimer: I do not own Tsubasa Chronicles. If I do, I would've finished it first before letting the public view it…

TSUBASA RESERVOIR CHRONICLES

SEARCHING FOR THE LIGHT

CHAPTER 8: MYSTERY

Syaoran gaped openmouthed at the vision before him. Sakura stood there, before a full-length mirror in the clothes store, staring intently at her own reflection. A crowd was forming at the entrance as the other customers in the store paused in whatever they were doing to stare at Sakura.

She had on a long white robe with yellow borders around the hems of the sleeves. It was a pretty normal dress but for the obscenely high slit at the front of the robe, revealing her legs whenever she moved. In addition, the neckline of the robe is also too low for comfort as it revealed too much of Sakura-hime's skin…

Syaoran blushed furiously as he quickly banished the thought from his head and approached the store-keeper, who was standing by the side and was smiling approvingly at the image of Sakura in the dress.

"Uh, sir, I think you got us wrong… We requested for a priestess robe for the lady over there," Syaoran began, looking towards Sakura, "but… uh…"

"That's exactly what I've given you," the man explained, not tearing his eyes away from Sakura, "that's what the priestesses wore in the temple." Shrugging, he turned to look at Syaoran. "You people are not from around here are you?"

"Uh…"

"Nah, forget it. I don't need to know. But, you must've been fooled if the person who told you that a position as a priestess at yon temple," he pointed towards the general direction of the temple, "is a great and honorable profession…"

"Sakura-chan! You look great in that outfit! You should wear those kinds of clothes more often seeing as it can even make Syaoran-san turn red!" Mokona chirped, giggling mischievously as Sakura made eye contact with Syaoran and he turned away quickly, turning even redder.

Kurogane frowned. "I think it's inappropriate for a princess to dress up like a whor-"

"Kuro-pon! No badmouthing Sakura-chan in public! You should be ashamed of yourself!" Fai mockingly scolds as he stepped out from the dressing room, clad in priestly garb which happens to be very decent priestly robes.

"What! I'm telling the truth! Tomoyo-hime doesn't dress like that either!" retorts the ninja, turning around to face Fai.

"Yes, yes. I know Tomoyo-san doesn't dress that way. But the ones that Sakura-chan had on now ARE this country's official clerical robes. We can't do anything about it now, can we?" Fai replied as he walked over to pick up Mokona from the ground, where it stood bouncing up and down.

"Speaking of which, why aren't you dressed up yet? Everyone is ready to go," he added. Pointing a finger at the pile of clothes in a corner he continued, "Aren't those suitable enough for you?"

"This store doesn't have a priest's robes that would fit Kurogane-san," Syaoran answered for the ninja from his position at the counter, trading the clothes they got from their previous world.

"'Doesn't fit'?" Fai wondered aloud. "Ah! You mean Kuro-pon here is too scraggly to fit into any outfit, right?" he discovered and grinned broadly as Mokona giggled even more in his arms.

"Shut up! Besides, nobody would believe that I'm a priest even if I'm dressed as one!" Kurogane defended, crossing his arms in front of him.

"Hm, hm!"

"I thought I told you to shut up!"

"I didn't say anything at all, Kuro-chan" Fai dragged in a sing-song voice, making said person even more pissed off.

"Anyways, we have to get into the temple so Kurogane-san would have to act as our uh… bodyguard or something…" Syaoran concluded, stopping Fai's teasing of Kurogane.

Walking over to Sakura, he handed her her cloak. "Hime, put this on till we reach the temple grounds, alright?" he told her as she nodded and donned the cloak over her dress.

"This temple is big!" Mokona commented once their guide had left them in the waiting room.

"Indeed. It's even bigger than the ones we've been to before…" Fai agreed.

"Hime? Are you okay?" Syaoran asked concernedly, as he noticed Sakura shivering in her seat.

"Hn, I'm fine. It's just… this outfit is a little… drafty…" she finished and tried to warm herself by rubbing her shoulders.

"Maybe you should put on the cloak…" Syaoran suggested, worried, as the sound of footsteps were heard.

"No, it's okay. I'll be fine once we move again," Sakura replied smiling at him.

Syaoran still had on a worried look as they were once again escorted to meet with the one who was in charge of the temple.

They were ushered into a large, and warm Syaoran noted, room where a person sat behind a screen, features shielded from them. Their guide left, quietly closing the door behind him. The person seated behind the screen shifted and reached for something that was placed beside.

"Are you here to enroll as priests?" the person asked, the voice clearly belonged to a man. Without waiting for them to answer, he continued, "The temple welcomes you, young people. You'll be granted a three-month's trial period where we will see if your hearts are pure enough to serve in the temple. Once the trial period is over and we find you pleasing, you will be officially initiated as priests… and priestess," he added, noticing Sakura.

"A senior priest will escort you to your living quarters until you are given your schedules. You are welcomed to ask the seniors any questions that you may have," he ended and rang a bell as he rise from his seat and moved away in the opposite direction in a hurry.

The door opened and a young priestess walked in. She, too, was dressed in the inappropriate-looking robes of her position as priestess. Nodding briefly to them, she turned to look at the disappearing figure behind the screen and sighed in relief. Smiling cheerfully at them, she indicated that they should follow her and lead them through a long corridor.

After a few minutes distance from the room they had left from, she stopped and turned to face the group.

"Forgive me for not introducing myself earlier. I'm Raine, the one who is in charge of all the priestess in this temple."

"Raine-san, your name is very special, do you know?" Mokona chirped suddenly from its position on Fai's shoulders.

The girl was taken aback at first; either from receiving such a comment or hearing Mokona speak, but recovered quickly.

"Thank you. It's the first time anyone has ever praised my name…" she answered and patted Mokona on the head, making the manjuu giggle and bop around.

"Raine-san, may we ask you a few questions?" Syaoran interfered as he realized the girl had relaxed a bit.

Nodding her assent, she waited for Syaoran to continue.

"We've been hearing strange rumors about the temple when we were passing through a few villages… About the absence of the head priest--"

"There's no such thing!"

The group was startled by her reaction. They could see that she had suddenly tensed up again and her smile had disappeared as she stood there rigidly. Shaking her head forcefully as if to clear away some thoughts, she started to walk forward at a fast pace without saying another word.

They exchanged glances with each other before running to catch up to her. She silently led them to their separate rooms, which were located in the same block and left without another word.

"Raine-san sure is acting weird a moment ago…" Fai remarked as they gathered in Syaoran's room after dinner.

Temple attendants who refused to utter even a single word when they were questioned brought their dinner to them. As soon as the trays of food were taken back, they silently gathered in Syaoran's room, which happens to be a bit bigger than theirs.

"That's a sign that confirms what the crazy old woman at the previous village told us was true: the head priest is really missing… and I bet the temple people knows about it," Kurogane voiced out from his position beside a window.

Kurogane was not allowed to enter by the temple guards so he had to stay outside while the rest of the group entered the temple. Syaoran had Fai sent Mokona to inform Kurogane of their rooms and had told Mokona to ask Kurogane to somehow meet up with the others in his room to discuss further plans. After explaining everything that has happened earlier, they were now figuring what course of action they should do next.

"We could always ask Raine-san again," suggests Fai from his seat across Syaoran.

"But… wouldn't she be angry at us again? Mokona likes Raine-san so Mokona doesn't want Raine-san to be angry with us…"

"But it seems to be the only way since we don't know anyone here. The temple attendants aren't keen on talking with us either…" Fai added.

"Should I ask Raine-san then?" Sakura volunteered.

They turned to look at her and saw her determined face, meaning that she was serious of her offer to help them out with their situation.

"I think it's a good idea. Since they're both women, it should be easier to get Raine-san to talk if Sakura-chan was the one to ask her," Fai agreed smiling at the princess.

Sakura nodded as she smiled at Fai gratefully. Syaoran's gaze lingered on her for just another second longer before giving his consent too. Kurogane just shrugs and hmphed his opinion on the matter as Mokona began to chant her name repeatedly.

"So, that's settled then. Sakura-hime will ask Raine-san again tomorrow and Kurogane-san…" Syaoran turned towards said ninja, "If you would…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll stay in town and try to uncover some info or something. Remember to inform me if something happens, alright?" he finishes before opening the window and jumped out from it. (Their rooms were near the ground so Kurogane could sneak in and out easily.)

"So, I'll be heading back to my room. Goodnight Syaoran-kun, Sakura-chan," Fai greeted before walking out of the room.

"Goodnight Syaoran-san! Goodnight Sakura-chan!" Mokona ended as it followed Fai back to his room.

"Hime, I'll see you back to your room," Syaoran offered as he escorted Sakura to her room, which was situated at the end of the corridor.

Reaching her room, Sakura opened the door and turned around to smile at Syaoran.

"Thank you, Syaoran-kun. You're really kind,"

"No, it's nothing. Goodnight, Sakura-hime,"

"Hn. Goodnight, Syaoran-kun. I promise I'll try my best tomorrow,"

Syaoran answered with a kind smile and she returned it before shutting the door of her room. He lingered in front of her closed door for some time before finally turning to head back to his room.

Note: I'm extremely sorry for the long wait, I've been seriously busy these few weeks to type out the story… The next chapter is on the way, so don't worry. I just hope I'll have the time to type and submit it quickly before work pours in again! Mou- Why am I so busy! It's unfair! (sniff)