Chapter 2.- Witness
The private plane of the Li Clan landed without problems, it was midmorning, and at that time not much planes arrived so they didn't attract too much attention.
"Shaoran-kun!" Sakura cried out as she ran to her beloved.
Even if they had just been apart for about a month, after getting used to being with him everyday the separation had been difficult.
"I missed you so much." Shaoran whispered to his beloved Cherry Blossom.
"But we've seen every night in dreams." Sakura reminded him in a low voice.
"It's not the same." Shaoran replied.
A small cough reminded both of them they weren't alone (as they would have wished).
Behind Shaoran came his four sisters, Mrs. Yelan and Wei.
"Sakura-chan!" the four hyper misses Li cried out just seeing their future sister-in-law.
"Girls." Yelan's authoritarian voice was enough to calm them (at least for the moment being).
"A pleasure to see you again Yelan-sama." Sakura greeted her bowing.
"The pleasure is all mine, specially now that I know that soon you'll be one more of my daughters, Sakura-san." Yelan said pleased. "Xiao Lang couldn't have found a better woman to marry."
"It honors me that you think that way Yelan-sama." Sakura said smiling at her.
"I think we should be going." Fujitaka suggested. "Before it gets too late."
"That's right, the cars are waiting for us outside." Tomoyo added. "If there's not problem Xiefa-san, Fanren-san, Feimei-san and Fuutie-san will be staying at my house. While Mrs. Yelan and Shaoran-kun stay in Sakura's house."
Everybody nodded to this. They knew Tomoyo's intention was for Sakura's and Shaoran's parents to get to know better, as they were gonna be family. And because Touya had moved out to the house behind the Tsukimine Temple, there was that room available, besides the guest room.
.---.
That night Tomoyo invited them to dinner. And there was an unexpected guest. Just when they were about to begin eating most of them (all of those who had magic) raised their heads and turned to the direction of the back garden.
"I can feel a magical presence…" Fuutie murmured.
"Severus!" Sonomi was the first to recognize it and ran to hug the just-arrived wizard.
This wasn't a surprise for Tomoyo, who in the vacations had gotten used to seeing her godfather once in a while.
To Sakura it was still a bit odd to see the 'dreaded-Potions-professor' acting as a common man in love with her aunt.
Shaoran flinched for an instant remembering the battle occurred just a few months ago.
The rest seemed to stay impassive, except:
"Good evening Severus-san." Yelan greeted him.
Severus Snape turned his attention to the woman in a half-surprise.
"Shiken? Yelan Shiken?" he asked. "Well, I have to admit this is a surprise."
"It should not be." Yelan replied calmly. "And I am Yelan Li now. Xiao Lang is my son."
Severus nodded, as he turned his attention to the rest of the guests.
The proper introductions were made.
Sonomi convinced Severus to stay for dinner and he accepted. Through it they talked about common magic things as they were all magical people (except Fujitaka, who was anyway familiarized with it), they could also talk about what was happening in the magic world.
"Even without the Dark Lord, there's something that bothers me." Severus said suddenly.
"What is it?" Tomoyo asked, worried by his expression.
"I've seen many of the Death Eaters acting in a strange way, almost sinister, as if they were planning something." Severus explained.
"You think they would try to attack the magical people even without Voldemort?" Sakura asked with doubt.
"That I'm not so sure." Severus answered. "But I think they know something we don't yet."
Sakura didn't like how that sounded.
"Don't worry uselessly Severus." Sonomi spoke suddenly. "You know who we are. If something is to happen, they'll be the first to know."
Sakura, Shaoran and Tomoyo knew she was addressing them; as they also knew Severus had been one of the few not to be affected by Tomoyo's enchantment. So he remembered perfectly well how had the last battle really been, and the identities of them three and Professor Eriol as the four Supreme Sorcerers. Also he had even bigger suspicions about the relationship of Eriol and Tomoyo, but he had preferred to let things be; after all he wasn't going to affect his goddaughter in any way.
"So Rika's engagement party is next week." Sakura said changing of topic.
"That's right!" Tomoyo said smiling. "And I've already got our clothes ready, they're wonderful."
"I'm sure they are." Sakura nodded.
"Is Eriol-san coming?" Sonomi asked her daughter.
"Sadly not." Tomoyo answered. "Professor Dumbledore asked for his help to stop those Death Eaters who are still out there, attacking. He told me that if he got the chance he would use his magic to get here right away, but it's not for sure."
They could all notice the sad tone in her voice. Which was able to dissipate any doubts anyone could have about the relationship of the Enchantress and the reincarnation of Clow Reed.
"And why didn't Naoko-chan come?" Shaoran asked.
As they all knew (well, except Severus) that Naoko was a Sprite, he didn't understand why wasn't she having dinner with them.
"She still lives with her foster parents, just goes with Kaho-san to train her powers." Touya intervene. "So right now she's with them."
"You train someone in magic without the authorization of the Ministry of Magic?" Severus asked somehow shocked.
"This is not the same kind of magic." Kaho replied. "Just as Sakura-chan, Tomoyo-chan and Shaoran-kun. They may study Wizardry, but that's not their real power. In this case Naoko-chan is a sprite."
"A Sprite?" Severus didn't quite understand.
"Like a nymph or a fairy." Kaho explained. "The difference is that while nymphs and fairies are magical creatures that live in forests, the Sprites are human beings, they have some of the powers the other creatures posses, but their figure is that of a human. Some of them exist when they're born of a Nymph and a human. But in this particular case, Naoko was chosen to yield this power."
"Chosen?" again Severus was lost.
"Here in Asia, we have very different traditions and costumes from those in Europe." Yelan interfered. "Also our legends and prophecies differ, even those that may involve you, you may not know about them. There's the case of Clow Reed. In Europe you all know he was a very talented wizard, that helped founding Hogwarts, and even gave classes for a short time. But here in Asia, we know we was also the greatest Sorcerer, the creator of the Clow Cards, and the two Guardians: Kerberos and Yue. An ancestor of the Li family, and a prophet who did many predictions that even today are becoming true. Like the one of the 5 Supreme Sorcerers."
Severus was amazed by everything, and he would have wanted to know more. But Yelan stopped there, and decided to say nothing more. Which meant Severus would have to wait for someone else to tell him in another time, or he would be in the need of investigating by his own. He preferred the second option.
The night went on without much problems, and at almost midnight Fujitaka, Sakura, Yelan and Shaoran decided it was time for them to get home. Using the flu network, just as Touya and Kaho had done to get to their own house, it took them no time to get to their house.
.---.
Next morning Yelan entered the kitchen to find Fujitaka getting breakfast ready. And was a bit surprised by the absence of her son and to-be-daughter.
"They're training downstairs." Fujitaka answered her unasked question.
"How can they be training?" Yelan asked. "I don't feel any magical activity downstairs."
"It's one of Sakura's abilities." Fujitaka answered. "To create some kind of parallel realm, and erase all sign of her presence in this one."
Yelan nodded. She knew that such a thing as creating and transporting to a new realm, and besides being able to erase the 'door' that gave access to it needed a very high level of magic.
"I've always wondered." Yelan murmured suddenly. "You are Sakura-san's, and Touya-san's father, even without having…"
"Magic?" Fujitaka interrupted her, a small smile in his lips.
Suddenly Yelan could feel a cool breeze entering the room, even with the windows closed.
"Things aren't what they seem Yelan." A voice suddenly whispered.
"Nadeshiko-san…"Yelan murmured, almost surprised.
Next to Fujitaka was the ethereal figure of a beautiful woman; both could feel her presence, but just Fujitaka could see her.
"Maybe I never went to a magical school such as Hogwarts." Fujitaka spoke. "And I don't belong to any magical clan, but that doesn't mean I'm unfamiliar with magic."
"You're a medium." Yelan stated.
"Not really." Fujitaka denied. "That gift, Nadeshiko gave it to me just before she died. So we could see each other, even after that day. I'm not a Sorcerer, but I know much about magic. I'm what magical people call a Witness."
"A Witness." This time Yelan was really shocked.
A Witness was a human who was chosen to carry the magical knowledge of an era, to the next. They were humans who were most of the times incapable of doing magic, but even then they could recognize it, in all its levels, and were unaffected by most of the low-levels enchantments and incantations. With relatively long lives, so they had a chance to pass the knowledge, they had a great resistance to their surroundings, the ability of adapting themselves to their environment, no matter how hard the change might be; and were invulnerable to most of the common-human diseases. The Witnesses were very rare, one for each era the Magical Word went through, and normally just the next Witness got to know who his predecessor had been.
"Yes." Fujitaka said. "That's why since I met Nadeshiko I knew what she was. I knew why some people said she was 'weird', studying in England when she could have anything here in Japan."
"And that's what made her chose you, and quit Hogwarts." Yelan understood finally.
"Once you find a person who loves you, and whom you love, you do whatever is needed to remain by his side, forever." Nadeshiko said sweetly.
"One day I'll go to you my beloved." Fujitaka said cupping her face in his hands. "But for now I can't. I must first make sure our Sakura-chan is safe."
"I know Fujitaka, I know." Nadeshiko answered. "And be sure I'll be waiting forever for you, and will continue next to you, always."
For Yelan Fujitaka was moving his arms through thin air, she could make out Nadeshiko's aura, but even then it was a bit odd.
"I must leave now." Nadeshiko said suddenly. "Aishiteru."
"Aishiteru." Fujitaka replied.
There was a soft breeze, and the aura was gone.
"Sayonara oka-san…"
Sakura's soft voice got both adult's attention to the kitchen's entrance. Where Sakura and Shaoran were currently standing.
"How did your training go?" Fujitaka asked to break the silence.
"Wonderful." Sakura answered. "I think we should do it more often."
Shaoran agreed. It had been quite interesting. The two of them fighting, a one to one, and then when Arrow, Fight and Power got in the middle to try and distract them.
"Well, breakfast is ready. Come on. Lets eat." Fujitaka said.
"Hai!" Sakura cried out. "Kero-chan!"
A second later the false form of the guardian flew into the kitchen, with his eyes shinning as he saw the breakfast Mr. Kinomoto had prepared.
"Ohayo Kerberus-san." Yelan greeted him.
"Ohayo Li-sama." Kero answered.
In the past years Kero had learned to be a 'little' polite, something that had impressed everybody, even if he still bothered Sakura sometimes, and called Shaoran gaki. But the relationship of those two was mere fun, because it seemed like they would feel odd if all of a sudden they became friends.
"I haven't seen Yue-san." Yelan commented. "Is he okay?"
"Perfectly fine Yelan-sama." Sakura spoke. "Yukito-san, his false identity, got a job as professor in the Seiju High, so right now he's working, which is why you haven't seen him."
Yelan nodded, understanding.
.---.
The week went by really fast for all of them. Sakura and Yelan became even more close than before; which seemed to have Shaoran really impressed. The four hyper sisters tried their best to keep calm, which was almost impossible for them. Sakura and Shaoran continued training together every morning. And their parents would chat about their past, specially about Nadeshiko. The last days of the week the girls seemed to have 'vanished' as they were helping Rika prepare everything to her engagement party, which was going to be held in the Tsukimine Shrine, by offer of Kaho. Touya finally finished accepting Sakura's engagement to Shaoran and 'tried' his best to get along with the 'Chinese gaki' as he still called him; after all, he had known that would happen since almost six years ago.
.---.
It was dark, really dark, like a night without a moon and stars. A chilling sensation went through the place, even when there was no wind causing it. White stones lined to both sides in perfect order, with unknown names written, memories sealed away, lives long forgotten.
"This is…a graveyard…"
And yes it was. The tombstones standing as silent guardians of the corpses they kept under the earth. The place felt so full of essences, yet so empty of life. There was no one there…or perhaps there was.
In the other side of that graveyard, after an enormous Gardenia Tree was what looked like a small garden. A circle of flowers surrounded two similar tombstones that laid in the middle. Made of marble instead of common stone, with the names shinning with an unknown force.
"This essence…it's almost…magical…"
A great surprise was what followed, at discovering the only two blossomed flowers, as the rest were still closed. Two single flowers, roses: one red, and one white.
And then, the names in the tombstones became clear:
Rose Tsubame…
Rose Midori…
.---.
"Again the two roses…" a half-asleep feminine voice murmured as she sat on her bed. "And still I don't know what they might mean…" she sighed sadly. "But I can still feel it, problems coming."
Then her eyes turned their attention to the night table at her right, where a small reading lamp laid, and next to it was a small box, like a chest, in which's top lay the very same image that had been hunting her dreams since a little longer than a month ago: Two Roses.
Done. And yes, I know I took too long to update and that you may be wanting to kill but please, have mercy, I got on a huge writer's block, and then lost the notes I had done on how I was going to begin this story, so you would know what it was going to be about since the beginning, so you could try and make guesses of what would happen later on. I don't know if you yet know who the enemy will be (or enemies), but I don't think so.
At first I had decided to include in this chapter Rika's engagement party, but as there are gonna be some details that are important (and that will make this chapter longer, an so the update would have been until next week), I decided to end it here and use the next chapter to that party and some details more.
As you can see I also took the time to explain that of the Sprite and the Witness. The Sprite I believe I made it all up, to adjust to Naoko's current situation. As you can see she'll be one of the main characters in this story. And about the Witness, I also made that up, I wanted to make Fujitaka someone that would be important for the Magic Society without him being a Sorcerer (that's why I didn't use the idea of him being half Clow Reed's reincarnation), and so that's how the idea of the Witness was born.
I think that's everything I've got to say for now. I expect to be seeing you in the next chapter (hopefully in les than a month). Sorry this first updates are so distant one from the other, but believe me, once I get a firm grip on this story they'll be more frequent.
Please leave a review, it's very important to me.
Arigato. Matta ne.
