Chapter 5
~~~~~
As the walked out of the wood, Sakura, Syaoran and Chocy had came to a village entrance, the village was filled with people and shops, it looks like a festival. Sakura seems very excited, "Wow...." she cried as she ran towards the entrance. "Hey!" Syaoran yelled, "Wait!!" he called as he tried to catch up to her with Chocy.
It was indeed, very crowded, she walked from one store to another; there were jewelry stores, restaurants, toys stores, and anything you can imagine. She seems very excited. [Good!] She thought as she looked at the colorful stores. [I'll need some parties to spice me up a little after all the loneliness in the lost wood.] She walked in to the toy store, feeling like buying everything in the store.
Syoran and Chocy sat at the steps near by. "Why do you thing all girls like to shop?" He asked Chocy. [They hate carrying all those money I suppose...] Chocy thought. They're both very exhausted from all the walking. Only Sakura would be energetic enough to go through every store at this time.
Sakura came back, empty-handed; she smiled "Okay, let's go!! You boys must be tired." Syaoran blinked, "Did you buy anything at all?" Sakura giggled, "Of course not, not with our financial problem. We still have a long way to go till we reach the base of the missioners, how do we know that we won't go penny-less before w reached there?" She grabbed his arm, "I'm just looking around, now let's go!"
Syaoran suddenly felt very warm inside of him. [She's different from the rest of the girls...] he thought, [That's why I like her...] He smile to her as they walked off.
A little boy wandered in the middle of the street, he looked around, feeling lost (maybe is because he is lost) and lonely, he accidentally bumped in to Sakura. She looked at him, and smiled "I'm sorry, are you okay?" She slightly glanced at the little boy, he's about the age of five, and had a lollypop in his hand. "Ahh...aah...." the boy seems a little shy. "Where are you parents?" Sakura asked. "Huron...no parents..."
Sakura wiped the smile off her face, and kneed down in front of him.” I’m sorry, umm, so you name is Huron, huh?" She asked gently. The little boy nodded. "I'm lost...I can't find Jowna..."
"Jowna?"
"Huron's big sis."
"Oh, okay, we'll help you find her." Sakura tried to pick him up, but he was too heavy for her. Someone grabbed Huron from the back. "Yo, you got a address, kiddo?" It was Syaoran, giving him a piggyback ride. "Who are you?" Huron asked, "Why I'm the protector of the lost children, are you lost?" Syaoran joked.
"Yes!!" the kid nodded wildly, "Will you help me find Jowna?"
"Well if you're lost, I'll bring you to her, do you know where you live?"
"Umm, no, but Jowna says if me lost, me give this to who ever ask me where do I live." Huron handed a little slip to Syaoran, Syaoran glanced at the slip,"397 Eero St. , no problem, I'll escort you home!"
"Yeah~!" the little boy cheered. Sakura looked at them softly, [He's very sweet...] she thought. They walked off, then he turned back to Sakura, "Any idea on how to get there?" he asked. She laughed.
~~~~~
They asked people for direction, then they finally arrived at the kid's house, they knocked on the door. A 16-year-old lady opened the door. She has a hair bend tied on her head, her hair was brownish but also golden. "May I help you?" she asked.
"Umm...hi...I..." Sakura felt very awkward talking to a stranger. "We're from the lost and found, lost a little brother?" Syaoran picked it up for her. "Sis~~!!" the kid jumped out of Syaoran's arms. "Huron!!" the lady picked up her little brother and gave him a big hug. "Don't you ever scare me like that..."
She looked at Sakura and the others, and bowled. "Thank you for bringing him back, would you like to come in and have a cup of tea?"
"No thanks," Sakura said, "we'll have to move on."
"Then maybe I can have your address and so on, so that I can sent you a gift or so."
"That wouldn't be necessary, we're travelers, we don't stay at a certain place for too long."
"Then why don't you stay for the night? It's going to be very hard to find a hotel room at this time of year."
"Why?" Sakura asked. "What about this time of year that makes it so special?"
"You don't know? It's the star fairy festival; we all celebrate this time of year. Tonight is the star fairy night, every year this time the sky would fill with beautiful stars."
[So that was why the street was so crowded.] Sakura thought. "I can understand the meaning of the day, but why star fairy night, why not star night?"
"It goes back a long way, why don't you come in and I'll explain it to you?"
[Well, we could save the hotel money...] "Okay, we'll stay!" Sakura answered.
~~~~~
They went inside the house, the house was small, but neat and cozy. They were surrounding the dining table, drinking tea, as Jowna began to explain:
"There's a legend about this day, long ago, there was a beautiful lady that knows magic power. She knows how to control the power of light, but because of that, many people call her a witch, she was a poor little girl who always get pick by the other kids, she was an orphan, so no one really cared about her, she was a lonely little girl...
One day, as usual, she was getting picked on, a handsome young man came to save her, and she was touched. They quickly became friends, the only one she had got. She knew that he doesn't know her ability, so she kept it away from him, she doesn't want to lose him.
But the secret can be kept away forever, the young man over heard one of the other kids' teasing, he asked her about it, and she told him the truth. But the young man didn't mind at all, so they fell in love, and live happily for a period if time.
But the happy days were short, one day, an evil magician had cover the sky with darkness, the sun used to be up all the time, but now the would world is filled with darkness. The lady and the young man fought with their lives, and the power of love had defeated the power of darkness. Although the magician was defeated, the sky remained dark. But they were both badly wounded, they didn't have much time to live. At the moment of their death, they united with the spirit of light, and filled the sky with stars. They flew to the haven and became the guardians of stars.
So every time this year we would honor this couple and their love."
"Wow..." Sakura said, "It's very touching...this is a very nice story~"
[Corny...I hate it...] Syaoran thought.
"Oh! That reminds me!! I'm suppose to rehearse for the play today!!" Jowna suddenly stood up. "I'm the director of this year's play: The Star Fairy's Story." she said proudly.
"That must be interesting!!" Sakura seems excited enough. "Can I come and watch you rehearse? I won't disturb you...please..."
"Alright, you can come."
"Weee...." Sakura cheered.
"Oh brother..." Syaoran sighed.
~~~~~
They reached a huge theater, it was all lid up with bright lights. “Typical,” Syaoran said. “They don’t have very good transportation they dressed in very old fashion, but they have high tech tools...” People were running around, moving props around. One of the workers came running towards Jowna, he seems nervous. “Jowna!” He cried out loud. “We have a problem!”
The worker tried to catch his breath, then he began. “It’s the main actor and actress, they were hurt, and won’t be able to perform tonight!!”
“What!?” Jowna cried out, “But they are the star of the show, they have to be here!! The show can’t go on with out them!! Is their injuries serious, can they perform with those injuries?”
“I’m afraid that is not possible, one of them was fell from the 3rd floor and the other was hit by a chocobo carriage.”
Jowna bit her lip, the show must go on, but with out the star of the show…
Something hit her; she scanned the place looking for the right people. Her view stopped in front of Sakura and Syaoran, who were looking over the props and the costumes, she point out her finger, and cried, “You will sub in for them!!” Sakura and Syaoran still didn’t know what’s going on.
~~~~~
“Whaaaaaat??” Syaoran yelled.
“Please~ you guys are my only hope on this play, you’re about the same age height, and look comparing to the stars of the show. They couldn’t make it due to some sort of accidents... so please, please say yes...”
Well, Jowna is kind of their friend, and helping her would be the right thing to do, plus she did let them stay at her house, so the reasonable answer would be...
“NO.” Syaoran said.
“No?” Jowna said, surprised by the answer.
“He has something against plays...” Sakura backed him up. She’s right, after “The Sleeping Beauty” play, he’d never, ever do another play again. For those of you who didn’t read it, it happed in “CCS” issued no. 3, Sakura’s class was don’t a Christmas play on topic that has completely nothing to do with Christmas ---- “The Sleeping Beauty”. Because the rolls were drawn, the beauty doesn’t exactly have to be a girl. Unluckily, (well, to Syaoran anyway) Syaoran was the chosen one ---- the princess. That was the bad news, the good news was, the one who had to kiss (only on the cheek) and wake him up was Sakura. After making a complete fool out of himself, he pretty much decided NOT to attend any theater company AT ALL.
But this is different, he might not end up being the princess, or fairy, in this case. “Not even when you’re the fairy’s lover??” Sakura asked with a soft voice, she wants to help Jowna; she’ll try her best to convince him. “I can be the fairy!!” Sakura said to Jowna. [Wait a minute...] Syaoran thought, [If she’s the fairy, and I’m the fairy’s lover…that would make me…the fairy’s...lover!! That also means that I’m going to experience what it’s like to be her boyfriend!!!] He paused. [Wait, will that be a good idea?]
“Alright...” he said, unwillingly, “I’ll do it...” [That’ll make Sakura happy.] “Yeah~~” Sakura cheered.
~~~~~
Syaoran put on his costume; it looks more modern and cooler than the one Shi Shi gave him. [Shi Shi is so cheap...] he thought. The costume comes with a belt that goes from his right shoulder to his left waist. Good for his charms. He liked this costume, there’s another belt around his waist that can hold his sward. He looked like a warrior, ready for battle. “This looks like one of Tomoyo’s costumes...” Sakura wined as she changed into her costume. “Syaoran...” She popped her head out of the changing room curtain. “Do I look weird in this costume...tell the truth!” She walked out of the curtain. She looked like one of the loco girls, but more...beautiful. “Well...” She asked. “Do I look weird...?”
Syaoran was too impressed to say anything. All he came up with is... “It’s...nice...” [That’s the best thing I can think of~~!!!!!?] He doubted himself. “Well,” Sakura looked down at her dress. “As long as it’s not weird...I trust you, Syaoran!!” She looked up to him with a face.
The play was beginning, thousands of people gathered outside the out door theater, waiting to get in to watch the play. They were all very excited. It was just like the play in Sakura’s school, but with more people. Jowna was up at the control room, getting organized. She was supposed to be the narrator when the show starts. She organized the skids, and tested out the microphone. Everything is in place, all she worried about was the actors, of course, Sakura and Syaoran never had the time to remember the lines, so Jowna is just going to read the line through another microphone that is connected to an ear phone in each of their ears. “Testing, testing...you guys hear me?” She said through the microphone. “If you do, wave at me.” Jowna could see them through the big window. They look so small from Jowna’s view; they looked around, searching for the control room. Since they don’t have a microphone on them to speak to her, all they can do is wave or do some sort of action to indicate that they can hear her. “Up here, behind you...little more...that’s right, now look to your left, no, not you Syaoran, Sakura! Yeah, hey! Sakura, I guess you can hear me! Syaoran, I’m here, more to the right...more...that’s it! Hi!” Syaoran kind of waved, then turned around again. “I’m coming down!” Jowna said. “Wait for me in the coffee room. Over and out!” She ran away from the control panel, and ran down the stairs, jumping three steps at a time, running towards the coffee room. “Come on, Huron!” She said, picking him up in the hall way.
They met in the coffee room. Jowna placed Huron on the chair, and walked towards the counter. “You want coffee?” she asked. Poring a cup for herself, “Huron wants milk~” Huron wined. “What about you?” She looked at Sakura and Syaoran, “Hot cocoa please.” Sakura said. “I’ll take a glass of water.” Syaoran said. “Thanks again you guys, you’re a life saver! I’ve donated my whole life into this play, if anything goes wrong, I’ll never forgive myself. Our family wanted to host the play for a very long time already. I’m so glad that I fulfilled their dreams.” Whenever she talks about the play, her face lightens up. “It was ashamed that those actors and actresses got hurt right before the play...”
[Right before the play?] Syaoran thought.
“I don’t know what’s with our play this year, we kept having accidences during rehearsals, lights falling off, actors getting hit by chocobos, actresses getting bit by Trees...”
[Getting bit by trees?] Syaoran and Sakura thought. Staring curiously at Jowna. [Ometin trees bite?] they pictured a tree chasing them of a cliff.
Jowna saw their looks, she responded. “Trees, it’s the name of Mr. Groubre’s dog.”
“Ooohhhh...” they both exclaimed.
“How can it possible that they all got hurt right before the play?” Jowna said. “You don’t how helpful you’ve been...thank you...but do you think you can handle it?”
“No problem!!” Sakura said, drinking her hot cocoa. “Owww!” she cried. “What is it?” Syaoran jumped up, worried. “It’s too hot...I burned my tongue...”
“Silly...here drink this to cool it off.” He handed her a glass of water. She took it and drank a mouthful. “Feeling better?” He asked. “Yeah...” Sakura replied. Jowna watch them as she smiled. “What so funny?” Sakura asked.
“Well,” she began. “It’s just that you guy seem to care a lot for each other, it’s like...the star fairy and her lover.” Both of their face turned red and they stared at each other, Syaoran sat down nervously. “You guys are so cute!!” Jowna exclaimed. “Jowna!!” Someone called at the door. “We need you out here!!”
“Coming~~!!” Then she left the room. Leaving Sakura and Syaoran in the room, speechless. [Syaoran for a boyfriend? I never thought about that...] Sakura thought. [But then again...it isn’t that why I agreed to go on a date with him?] She can’t settle her mind; just then, Syaoran interrupted her thought. “Sakura...I think...well...maybe that, if you forget what Jowna said...um...” [I’m sooooooooo bad at this...] “But...if you would consider that issue...when...I think that...”
“Syaoran~~!!!! Play with me!!!” Huron shouted. (Oh yes, Huron was also in the room, did I forgot to tell you that?) He jumped on Syaoran’s back; Syaoran was totally freaked out by that. [Just when I was about to tell her...] Syaoran thought. “Fine...what do you want to play?”
“Piggy ride! Piggy ride!”
“Ok, you asked for it!” Syaoran picked him up in one smooth motion, “Weee!!” Huron yelled, they also, left the room.
[What was he about to say?] Sakura thought. [If only Huron hadn’t interrupted...oh wait, I’ve got to feed Chocy!! It’s been standing out there all afternoon~!!] Then she ran out of the room too.
To be continued...
This is the first official “to be continued” ever! I can believe I wrote so much!! I thought I can have the whole thing under one chapter but it’s getting too long! If I finish the other half it’ll be too long, that you’ll just look at it and don’t feel like reading!! Well, the other half is coming, so come back again!!
Piggy Ho Ho
February 10, 2000