A/N: I so sorry for the long update! As I've explained on my profile, I forgot the book I write my fanfiction on in the plane and had to re-write the chapter. Also, I've been having a lot more homework lately =.= But anyways, this chapter is kind of dull, but it gets more interesting at the end. Thank you to all those who have reviewed!
Disclaimer: I do not own CCS or Tsubasa
Chapter 3: Explanations
Kurogane leaned against a near-by tree as he watched the happy scene in front of him. Fai and Syaoran were leaving to collect firewood and the girls were bidding them goodbye. It seemed as if in the very short time they had known Sakura, everyone had grown on her; including himself. (Not that he would admit it) He sighed. Quite frankly, he was extremely bored. He watched as the 2 girls settled down and began chatting about nothing in particular. Floating around them was the strange creature Sakura called "Kero-chan", who was whining about cake or something.
As for Mokona…wait a minute, where did that manjuu bun go? Kurogane looked around the small clearing for a familiar flash of white. Suddenly, something soft plopped onto his head and he knew immediately what, or who, it was.
"And where have you been?" He growled in annoyance.
"Mokona found a feather!" It cried happily.
Jumping to the ground, Mokona bounced over to where the 2 girls were seated. Immediately, both the feather and the princess started glowing as the feather shot into her chest. A wide-eyed Sakura and panicked Kero caught her before she toppled over. Gently, she lowered the unconscious princess to the ground.
With that, she turned around and sprinted straight for Kurogane with Kero in tow. He blinked in surprise. How the hell could such a small girl run so fast? Within seconds, she had reached the black ninja and was barely out of breath.
"A feather just— Sakura-hime… what do I do?" Sakura exclaimed; her panic distorting her words slightly.
Kurogane realized that Sakura would have any knowledge on the facts on the princess and the kid, seeing as she had just recently joined heir little group. Someone would have to tell the story to her and Kero… He looked around for Mokona and finally spotted it sleeping next to the princess. That little traitor! Kurogane sighed as he resigned himself to his fate and sat down at the base of the tree. Sakura followed suit.
"Listen up; squirt, because I'm not going to repeat myself."
Ignoring her cries of, "I'm not a squirt!" he began his story.
Shaoran followed Tomoyo down the street as the girl fought to keep her tears inside. The silence was overwhelming. Tomoyo desperately wished Sakura was her but knew it would do no good just wishing. Besides, Sakura would want them to stay strong as she surely was doing right now.
"We're here." She announced quietly.
Shaoran couldn't help but gape at the huge house, better described as mansion, which Tomoyo was standing in front of. He followed her down the straight pathway as she greeted some night guards and the occasional maid or butler.
When they finally arrived at her room; Shaoran was barely keeping himself from growling in frustration. Tomoyo notice this and quickly ushered him in; grabbing a locked box and the phone at the same time. The boy glanced down at the box curiously but stayed silent. He watched as Tomoyo sped-dialed Eriol's number with just a spark of annoyance that he had to depend on him to help Sakura. He answered after the first rind.
"Something happened to Sakura." It was a statement, not a question.
"Hai."
"I'm taking the first flight to Japan. Please tell Shaoran-kun not to do anything rash." With that, he hung up.
Shaoran bristled at those last words but refrained himself from lunging at the phone. Instead, he chose to clench his fists and glare elsewhere. That place just happened to be the box on Tomoyo's lap.
"What's in there?" he asked.
Tomoyo chose not to respond. Instead, she took out a key and inserted it into the lock. Slowly, she opened the box and gazed down at the contents with a gentle smile.
Shaoran peered closer and was slightly disappointed by the bouquet of Nadeshiko flowers and something smaller that he couldn't make out in the corner. Tomoyo lifted it up out of the box. It was an eraser.
"When I first met Sakura-chan," she began softly, "I had forgotten my eraser at home. She leant me her eraser and we became fast friends after that."
A calm silence befell them. Shaoran thought back to when he had first met Sakura and winced at the thought. After all, not only had he threatened her, he had also tried to take the cards by force. Shaoran was jolted out of his memories by Tomoyo's voice.
"You should go home and rest. We still have to tell Sakura-chan's family about what happened and Eriol will probably arrive tomorrow."
The boy nodded and gave her one last suspicious glance. Since when was she on such familiar speaking terms with him? Quietly, he eased out of the room with a practiced grace.
Tomoyo sighed in relief when Shaoran left the room. Finally, the tears she had been holding in cascaded down her face in waves. The tears she had been holding back for a while now.
'Sakura-chan… wherever you are, please be safe.'
"…and now he's collecting feathers for the princess."
"That' so sad…" Sakura sniffled. "Syoaran-san really loves Sakura-hime doesn't he?"
Her thoughts turned back to her best friend and boyfriend back home and she sighed sadly. Realizing where her mind had wandered, she quickly shook her head to clear it of any morbid thought.
Kurogane watched as Sakura's face changed from sad to determined in a second and wondered what happened. Suddenly, a loud clatter was heard; signaling the arrival of Syaoran and Fai. The younger of the 2 had immediately rushed to Sakura-hime; panic apparent on his face.
Mokona woke up at the noise and jumped onto Syaoran' shoulder. "Mokona found a feather!" it cried. The boy visibly relaxed.
"Aww… that's so sweet." Sakura murmured.
Syaoran didn't appear to hear her. He picked up the princess's unconscious body and glanced at them.
"Are we ready to leave?"
There were murmurs of agreement from both men flanking Sakura's side. Bewildered, she looked around in confusion when they all bunched up around her. Mokona's wings spread out as Sakura clung to Kurogane and Kero. The wind whipped past them at an alarming rate. Soon, they disappeared; leaving no indication that they had ever been there in the first place.
/A different dimension/
The town square was bustling with activity as people rushed back and forth. Suddenly, it seemed as if a large piece of the sky drooped down and touched the ground. It quickly dissipated, leaving 3 people standing there.
Whispers rose up from their wary audience and the men of the group got into defensive positions. Some whispers drifted over to them.
"They're witches…"
"They'll hurt us!"
"We have to kill them!"
A man dressed in all black with a top hat strode up to the crowd and held his hand up. Immediately, all was silent. He turned his cold, glaring eyes at them.
"Take them to the dungeons."
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