Hi! I apologize about the slow uploading, I was on a holiday. Anyway, sorry about the spelling of Fai, my friend told me that the f-y-e spelling is only used in one version or something. Please R&R!
… …
Syaoran's eyes widened and he gaped, open-mouthed at the bringer of bad news. "You can't be serious!" he exclaimed.
"Why, Syaoran, it seems like I always have been very serious to you. Why should I lie?" was the enchantress' frosty reply.
"But… but… Mokona? Why Mokona?"
"Now and then, Syaoran, things don't always go your way."
Syaoran stood up straight and made direct eye contact with the Portal Enchantress. "Now and then?" he shouted. "More then than now, it seems! Why do you have to take away all the memories of me from the one person I truly treasure? Is that your life's goal? To make my life as miserable as possible?"
The Portal Enchantress frowned at him. "I expected more respect in my own house."
"I'm sorry," Syaoran muttered. "But isn't there any other way?"
"There might be," the enchantress smiled, "and then again, there might not. I believe that you can find a solution, Syaoran. Sometimes things are more simple than they seem."
… …
"What did the Portal Enchantress talk to you about, Syaoran?" Sakura enquired.
Syaoran gave her a forced smile. "Nothing much. Private stuff."
"No doubt about what we forfeited at the beginning of our journey," Kurogane cut in.
Syaoran gave Kurogane a you-idiot-why-did-you-open-your-big-mouth glare.
Mokona grinned. "Oh-oh! Storm ahead!"
"It's nothing, really, guys." Syaoran tried to convince them, just as he saw Kurogane whispering something to Fai, who in turn whispered to Mokona. Good news sure travels fast, he thought sulkily.
… …
"Princess Sakura, what do you think of Syaoran?" Fai asked Sakura as the pair sat on the porch admiring the beautiful night sky.
Sakura blushed. "Well, he's really nice to me, and…"
"And?" Fai prompted.
"And…" Sakura's voice trailed off.
"And… and you love him?"
Sakura's mouth formed a shy smile. Her eyes sparkled as she turned to face Fai. Closing her eyes, she nodded violently…
And Syaoran woke up.
"Damn," he swore. "Why couldn't it be real?"
… …
"So what are we going to do now, now that our mission's completed?" Fai asked during breakfast.
Kurogane grunted. "I feel like killing someone." Sakura winced.
"Big black lump shouldn't be so rough!" Mokona squeaked.
"I… I suppose I'd have to go back to the palace," Sakura muttered.
Oh great, Syaoran thought, how can Princess Sakura fall for a commoner like me? "Why don't I take you back, Princess?"
Sakura smiled happily. "Okay! But there's no need to hurry, Syaoran-kun, we can take our time."
"Of course you should," Kurogane said loudly. "Young people should treasure their time with their… close ones."
Fai grinned. "Yep." As Sakura blushed.
Wait a minute, Syaoran thought, did Sakura blush? Could she… like me? Not being able to help himself, he blushed too.
"Cherry-face day!" Mokona sang. Sakura and Syaoran blushed even more.
"Uh, everyone, I need to talk to Fai and Kurogane for a while. In private. Is that okay?" Syaoran asked.
"Why are you being so private nowadays, Syaoran-kun?" Sakura eyed him curiously.
Syaoran forced a grin. "It's guys' stuff."
… …
"So you have to decide between Mokona and Sakura." Kurogane managed after a pregnant pause.
"Or don't decide at all," Fai added.
Syaoran sighed. "What should I do?"
"Mokona is pretty important to us," Fai mumbled, "and Sakura is very important to you."
"Don't make it sound like I don't care about Mokona," Syaoran snapped.
"I know you do, Syaoran. Just let fate take things its way. Maybe you won't have to sacrifice anyone at all," Fai replied.
… …
"Sakura? Can I come in?" Fai asked Sakura as he poked his head around the door.
"Sure," Sakura smiled at him. "You want to talk to me about something, don't you?"
Fai chuckled. "We've been having a lot of talks recently, haven't we?"
Sakura laughed. "Talks must go very well with accomplished missions."
"Mm-hmm. Let me ask you something, Princess. What do you think of Syaoran?" ((Déjà vu, readers!))
Sakura frowned slightly. "Well, he's really nice to me, and he's brave, he's… he's… nice…" she concluded.
"Do you love him?" Fai asked. Darn. Too straightforward.
Sakura breathed deeply. She turned to Fai and gave him an inquisitive look. "Uh… no… um… why are you asking this?"
"Oh. For a… survey?"
Sakura's eyes widened. "What is it, really? You wouldn't ask this question for a survey!
Fai closed his eyes. "SyaoranhastodecidewhethertosaveMokonaormakeyourememberhimandmaybelovehim."
"What?"
"Okay. I'll start from the beginning. Remember I told you that at the beginning, we had to forfeit whatever was the most precious to us?"
"Yes."
"Well, Syaoran had to give up all your memories of him. The reason? He loves you. Now, Syaoran really wants you to remember him, so maybe there'll be a chance of you loving him. The Portal Enchantress told him, in their private chat, that there is one more feather, containing all your memories of him. The problem is that whatever the feather is in, will disintegrate slowly over time, and it will be excruciatingly painful. That final feather, according to the Portal Enchantress, is in… Mokona."
Sakura let out a little squeal. "No! Syaoran won't kill Mokona… right? He… I… I'll tell him I love him! Then everything will be okay, and Mokona won't have to die! So… so… everything's fine," she said, trying to convince herself, knowing perfectly well that, considering the circumstances, there was no way Syaoran would believe her.
Fai sighed. "Syaoran won't believe you, and we both know that very well. He'll probably think that you just want Mokona to survive, and put yourself into 'torture' with him. Convincing him will be very, very difficult."
"Still, I can try, can't I?" Sakura asked hopefully.
"I suppose you can," Fai replied, before muttering to himself, "but I bet that the chances of Syaoran believing you would be 100 to 1."
"When should I tell him? Now?"
"I guess now would be okay," Fai said skeptically. "But on a lighter note," he added, trying to brighten things up, "Mokona will be very happy with you."
Sakura smiled. "I just hope he believes me. Mokona's helped me so much… I… I just have to save him… I owe it to him… I'm going now! "
Sakura walked slowly out of the room, oblivious to everything… including Fai's distant gaze and some muttering about love.
… …
Syaoran sat gloomily on his bed. Sakura or Mokona? Sakura or Mokona? Sakura or Mokona? Arrgh! He slapped himself on his face. You idiot. Why did you have to bring Sakura to the architectural site? Then nothing would have happened!
A knock on the door. "Come in."
"Syaoran?" Sakura entered. "Can I talk to you?"
"It's the season for talks," Syaoran remarked.
"More or less," Sakura replied. "Syaoran, Fai told me everything… there's no need to make a decision, I love you! I always wanted to tell you that… but I never had the guts to… but I'm not lying to you to save Mokona, Syaoran-kun, I really do love you!"
"What?" Syaoran exclaimed.
… …
Please review… thanks!
