It was one of those nights where I just couldn't sleep no matter how many chocolate bars I tried to count jumping over a fence. The thing was, I was starving and we had rushed out of the restaurant so quickly that I didn't even get a nibble. Plus, I hadn't wanted to intrude into the Doctor's pantry before but...

"Maybe I'll sneak a snack. A little something won't hurt, right?", I mumbled to reassure myself. I felt like I was one of those pregnant ladies with the unexpected food cravings. Oh well...the most important thing was to not wake anyone up, especially Fai or Masumi. Oh god, I didn't even wanna think about it.

As I slipped through the door, thinking about these things reminded me....I had a conversation with Masumi earlier in the night. She had been acting really strange and saying things that just weren't like her normal self. I wondered if maybe she just wasn't feeling so good, like a fever or something.

"So...where does a doc keep his stash?", I thought to myself, tip-toeing down the steps. As I reached the bottom, I checked the room closest to the stairs. It looked like...an examination room. There was a a chair in the corner and a desk with a couple of drawers. I peeked inside them and surprisingly, I found no equipment. Instead, the only thing I found was a book, but I couldn't read this country's language very well, it was close to German. It read Induzieren, whatever that meant. I hadn't focused much in my German language classes in 9th grade. "Strange doctor though...not having tools to use to check up on patients," I commented.

An odd light started to brighten from outside. I went closer by the window, holding my breath.

An elegant girl with long wavy blonde hair and a lace dress. Her body glowed and she was transparent. I didn't know if the girl could see me, but she looked over in the direction of the house, wearing a face of grief. A little girl was right beside her. Red hair...wait a sec, that was the girl that had bumped into me today, Mary!

It had to be the rumored princess from the legend, I had no doubt. There was no time, I had to get out there or else that girl would disappear!

I started to walk fast and quietly towards the back door, when suddenly I heard the gentle footsteps of someone coming down the steps. I froze in my tracks, hoping to be unseen in the darkness.

"A-Aya?"a voice peeped," Are you there..?"

"S-Sakura?," I exhaled with relief and walked out by the steps to see her in full view," Oh phew...What are you doing down here?"

"I saw someone outside. I was worried and plus, I noticed you weren't in your bed," she admitted," But why were you down here, Aya?"

I blushed," Eha, well, you see...never mind. Um...wait you saw it too!?"

"Yes."

"So I wasn't hallucinating! C'mon!" I grabbed her arm," We have to follow that princess!"

I pulled her along out the back door and towards the forest to the north end of the town. I could now see the faint glow of the Princess Emaurade's spirit in the distance of the trees. I motioned for Sakura to run faster. In no time, we ended at a river. Across the river, there was a bridge, broken in half. On the other side, there was an eerie, eroded stone castle. The Princess and the little girl, Mary, had vanished.

"I wonder where those two went..."

"Shouldn't we get Syaoran and the others?", Sakura huffed, kneeling down beside a tree.

"This is a rare opportunity to find the secret behind the legend. Plus, I feel like I haven't done much. I want to make some sort of impact on this journey. Plus, if I just sit around and do nothing, I'll find out nothing, I'll see nothing, I'll feel nothing."

She nodded knowingly," In a way, I can understand how you are feeling. Sometimes, I feel so weak that I can't do much to help Syaoran. He works so hard to get my feathers and I don't even know why. Its not like I know him well. Unless, maybe I do know him. I just don't have those memories of him yet...."

I stared solemnly at the cold snow on the ground.

"But, maybe I will get them sometime soon I hope! That is, if I knew him before I lost my memories," She beamed.

I attempted to fake a smile and patted her shoulder. I knew for a fact that those memories wouldn't return. Even if she tried to remember. I had a feeling Sakura had loved Syaoran before her memories had vanished. I wasn't sure why, I guess it was just the look in Syaoran's eyes every time he stared at the princess.

"I hope that you get those memories back soon too, Sakura."

She smiled jovially," T-Thank you so much, Aya," she put her hand to her mouth and flushed," I...I didn't expect to talk that much!"

"Hahaha, its ok. My mother used to always tell me this:One must not keep their feelings in the bottle too long or the bottle will shatter."

"Used to?"

"She died a year ago. Don't let it get to your head though, it doesn't bother me anymore," I poked her forehead," C'mon we better get moving. Its freezing. My butt is getting hypothermia here."

She laughed as she got up,"Sure."

"Soooo~Anyway, what are we supposed to do now....hello?...Sakura?!", I turned to look at her. Her eyes seemed sort of glazed over.

"I...have to go there....", she stated, pointing at the castle in a zombie-like trance.

"Uh yeah, I know. I'm trying to figure out how. Just be patient. What's with you? Are you okay?", I put my hand in front of her, but her eyes didn't daze a bit at all.

"The....feather..." Huh!? She could sense the feather?! I frowned. So Syaoran was right, the feather had something to do with the legend!

!!!!

She started pulling along towards the dark, icy water.

"Hey! Whoa! Don't go there! When I said figure out a way, I didn't mean that way! C'mon, we're going back!" I started dragging towards the direction of town, following our footsteps from earlier....wait those footsteps were to large to be ours. And they were fresh too.

"Someone's out here..." I muttered. I suddenly heard a rustling behind the bushes before me.

"W-who's there?!" I squeaked," I'm warning you!..." I should have brought a weapon.

Before I had a chance to react, I felt a heavy object hit the back of my head. Everything was spiraling.

Nooo...

The whole world turned black.

This chapter was indeed short, I admit. I plan to make next chapter longer. And the surprise for next chapter?: It won't be in Aya's POV! Since Aya got attacked. Who's POV will it be? Hm, I'm not sure yet, I'm trying to decide who. :D

I found Aya getting up in the middle of the night for a snack a bit amusing, I'm not sure why. Her character seems like the type of person who loves eating.

(I've noticed that I have had Aya getting attacked a lot. Sorry Aya '^^ I just need you in the action.)

I'm not sure why I thought Jade Country would be good with a language similar to German. I think it was because I looked at old photos from my parents' vacation in Germany and the towns just sorta reminded me of Jade.

Note: The word Induzieren means 'induce' or 'hypnotize' in German. but Aya doesn't know, so nobody knows. *wink wink*