A/N: Hello all! This is Chase-chan editing! This will be our first story on our joint account! Yay! So I was reading the 6th Tsubasa manga that of course I didn't buy Anna for her birthday (everyone wish her a belated happy birthday!) and I thought "hey, this is a good manga series!" So I went and bought the first one. Then I thought "wow! This makes sense! This is a GREAT manga series!" Not Anna-chan and I are writing… Be kind to us, minna-san. This is our first Tsubasa, but certainly not our first fic :)
A/N2: Neither of us have read past what is published in America as of yet. I'm sure the series will deal with Fai and Ashura, but as of now, we're handling it...Sorry, CLAMP. Lol, nah, we just decided to give in a whirl before CLAMP worked their magic.
Chapter One
He felt it as soon as it happened; a darkness stirred in his soul and a shock of cold fear shot through him. He sat up in bed, his blue eyes wide, and he subconsciously held his breath as if waiting for the darkness to strike out at him. But there was nothing...Not here at least, nothing tangible. It was coming. And it would know where to look. He glanced around and let his breath out slowly, taking comfort in the sight of his companions. Syaoran was actually sleeping heavily, and the boy needed it. He had hardly moved on his cot from when he had laid down. His gaze turned towards Kurogane and he smiled. The warrior was sprawled over his place, limbs hanging over the sides and he was snoring. Which was odd, since Fai couldn't remember him ever snoring before...
Kurogane faked sleep, wanting to avoid the awkward "you had a bad dream" conversation, and knowing Fai would deny it anyway. But Kurogane had felt something as well, on a much lighter level but it pricked at his soul and made him shiver. It was a bad omen. They needed to find the feather in this country, fast, so they could move on.
The blue eye mage eyed him in the darkness. "Anou... Kuro-mi, if you were going to fake it, at least do it realistically," he said as lightly as he could, slipping off of his own cot to squat on the ground with a half smile on his pale face.
Kurogane snored louder. He never gave Fai what he wanted, if he could help it, (and heaven only knew how many times he couldn't help it) so there was no reason to start now.
"You're a bad actor," Fai murmured, the smile broadening slightly and he sat back on his cot. Nothing would happen that night, he was sure, but he feared for the next day and the next... To put his friends in danger was something he'd never want. He lay there for several more minutes, eyes staring widely at the ceiling and these thoughts running through his mind. He wouldn't see it, he decided at last. He would make sure that no harm would come to them because of him. They had enough to worry about without this. That decided, he stood as quietly as he could and slipped into his shoes. Hopefully this would be dealt with quickly, but if not... "No depressing thoughts," he murmured to himself and he tiptoed his way out the door.
Kurogane snorted. "Right, and you might want to wait until I'm really asleep and can't actually hear you trying to sneak out." He sat up on one elbow and gave Fai a reproving glance. "Where do you think you're off too?"
Fai grinned, waving it off. "Oh just for fresh air, of course!" he beamed.
"I'm a bad actor. You're a bad liar. Sit down and tell me why I sense fear in you."
"We'll wake everyone up," the mage whispered.
So it wasn't just his imagination. Fai was actually afraid of something. Kurogane narrowed his eyes and stood. "Let's go." he said quietly.
The ninja watched the smaller man glance around as they stepped outside. His blue eyes darted from one area to the next and finally came to rest on Kurogane. "I...umm..." He attempted to grin in his frivolous manner.
"I felt it too. A shift in power so great it reached across time and space. But how far does it reach?" Kurogane asked, speaking softly almost as if to himself.
"Forever," Fai murmured, his eyes half closing.
He frowned. "Is this what you gave up your markings for? Is this the thing that caused you to pay that kind of a price? The thing you have to keep running from?"
Fai looked away, unable or unwilling to speak.
"You're not afraid of anything. What is this beast?"
"Ashura," Fai said, barely above a whisper. He turned his light blue eyes back up to the taller man. "He was... is...the king of my country..."
"He must not be a very good king." Kurogane grumbled under his breath.
A small smile stretched across the magician's lips. "I-" He stopped. He couldn't say it... How would he ever be trusted again? Certainly not easily... Not if they knew.
"What'd you do? Break his sister's heart or somethin'?" he asked with a smirk.
"I can't say."
Kurogane said nothing, just stared at the former magician. He sighed. Their little group had been together so long and they knew so much about each other, certainly more than he'd ever planned on sharing with anybody (ever, in his life...) and yet there was so much they didn't know. So many secrets...
The smaller man shook slightly, wrapping his arms around himself. "He's close... I can't stay here."
"Then we'll go." he replied simply. This evil that carried the name Ashura...surely Fai didn't think he could fight him all by himself...surely he didn't think any of them would let him.
"We?" the mage echoed. "Oh no, Kuro-chan, I'll go on alone for a bit. It's really quite all right. It's...mine to deal with as it is."
"No."
His typical smile faded. "I'm not asking you to come with me," he said seriously. "In fact, just the opposite."
"Are you demanding I stay behind?" Kurogane challenged, a dangerous look in his eyes.
"Ehh..." Fai managed, but then smiled as brightly as ever. "Yes."
Kurogane squelched the part of him that felt crushed by the other man's statement. "Fine." he said sharply. He turned and began walking back to the inn. Let him do his own thing, fight the damn power of the universe. He didn't care. He could get five more hours of sleep, at least.
Fai turned quietly. He could have been selfish... he wanted to be selfish and have the ninja come with him. His fear of his former king was well founded. Unless he found a way to slip from beneath his sight, he would die.
Kurogane was halfway back to his cot before he let out a frustrated sigh, gabbed his sword, and walked right back out. Irritating man...
He had to quicken his pace to catch back up to the mage. "You know what you are?" he demanded, shouldering his weapon.
Fai jumped, spinning around with eyes wide. "Scared to death! Don't do that, Kuro-chan!"
"You," Kurogane continued, "are selfish. You think you can waltz right out of here and 'take care of it' because it's your problem. Haven't you noticed that we're your friends and we want to help you?" Protect you... "What happens if you fight him and get killed? We just have to wait and wait and wonder why you never show up again?"
Fai forced a grin and a chuckle. "Who says I'm planning to fight him? I'm avoiding him."
Kurogane grabbed his shoulders. "Don't lie to me. You're going seek him out -or let him find you- aren't you?"
"You don't know what's going on and don't pretend to have any idea!" Fai snapped, surprising even himself with his tone.
"It doesn't help that you never tell us anything! You stick that stupid grin on your face and talk a million miles a minute without saying anything meaningful and damn it that is not my fault! The point is, you're going to run off and be a martyr and you've got another thing comin' if you think I'm gonna sit here and pretend like nothin's going on." Kurogane snapped back.
Time for a new tactic. "Wai! Kuro-tan is worried about me! Didn't know you cared, Kuro-min!"
"Like hell you don't," he grumbled.
The carefree grin faded as quickly as it had come on and turned to a frown. "Why do you have to be so stubborn about this anyway? If you want to come, you'll have to bring Mokona because we'll do little good to each other if we can't understand the other, but then what of Sakura-chan's feather...?" There was a calculated thoughtfulness in his voice, as if it were one last desperate attempt to send the ninja back in.
"I don't have to talk to you to fight with you." Kurogane said. He knew what Fai was trying to do, and it wasn't going to work. He ignored the voice in the back of his head that was agreeing with Fai, telling him it was safer to stay, that the magician could take care of himself. Kurogane shut the voice up, because this was something...this was definitely something he couldn't do alone.
Fai began to walk slowly away from the door of the small shelter they had found. He was coming. "What if I deserve everything I get by him?" he murmured softly.
"Chi'." Kurogane snorted. "The past is past. That's something I've even learned on this journey."
The blue-eyed magician nodded and quickened his pace. Arguing more would do no good and Ashura was closing in almost quicker than he could move. He felt a shudder pass through his thin frame and he stumbled in his haste.
Kurogane's eyes widened as he too sensed the oncoming danger. He moved quickly, more quickly than he could ever remember moving before and snatched the mage away from the spot he was standing in. A split second later, blue light exploded where Fai had been. Kurogane stood, his arm still around the smaller man and stared at the spot his eyes wide.
Fai felt himself began to shake and he forced his body under control. He'd avoided this man - and he was only such, wasn't he? - for long enough now. "I've no weapon," he murmured absently.
"Great way to say hello." Kurogane murmured. This was not going to be pleasant, and he didn't even have his Silver Dragon.
"If you expected better, you expected too much," Fai answered softly as he felt his coat pocket. "Ahh..." he murmured as he felt the darts that lay inside. "Now how could I forget these?" His typical smile appeared on his face. "Ready?"
Kurogane gripped the borrowed katana over his shoulder. "Hai."
A dark figure stepped from the shadow of the woods around them. His long dark hair blew a bit in the wind and his eyes fixated on Fai. "You left me there to rot?"
"Not my intention," Fai responded with a strained smile.
"You Ashura?" Kurogane said shortly.
"I am. And you?"
"Kurogane. What the hell do you want, barging in here and throwing kii around?"
"My mage," the king answered, gesturing toward Fai.
"You know I won't go with you," the magician in question murmured lowly.
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"What do you want him for?" Kurogane growled.
Ashura moved closer, an eerie light glowing around him. "His life. Has he told you, Kurogane-san, just what he's done?"
Kurogane pulled Fai back and stepped in front of him. "Don't waste your time enlightening me. I don't care."
"Kuro-tan," Fai whispered, touching his shoulder lightly. "Please... This is not your battle now."
"Oh, well I'll go take a nap and come back later."
Fai smiled, though not happily.
"The dimension witch took your markings, I hear," Ashura murmured, eyes locked with Fai's. "You haven't tried to use your magic then?"
"You know I wouldn't... not after last time."
Kurogane remained silent, eyeing this "king" warily. He seemed like one of those opponents who was as likely to attack you in the middle of an expose as to give you warning. He didn't trust him, and wouldn't let him get a clean opening to Fai.
"Have you told your friend here about last time?"
"Mou... Kuro-chan here isn't too interesting in it all," Fai answered lightly, his smile returning as he secured several darts between his fingers.
Kurogane twitched, whether at the name or the insult he wasn't sure. "I told you, don't waste your breath. I don't care about his past." I care about him living.
"You say that because you do not know," the king answered as he moved to one side, tilting his head as Kurogane stepped so that he was still between the two. "Would you believe me if I told you that his entire country is dead because of him and his magic?"
"No."
"Then you don't know him." Ashura let loose an attack.
The ninja shoved Fai to the left as he himself dodged to the right. He caught himself effortlessly and rushed Ashura, blade swinging dangerously.
The same blue light that had exploded before seemed to wrap itself around the sword and rip it from the ninja's hands. A cold smile crossed his attacker's face and Kurogane found himself flying through the air and landed, hard, against the nearest tree and sinking to the ground.
"Kurogane!" Fai called out.
He grimaced and placed a hand against the tree trunk to steady himself. "Tricky bastard, aren't you?" He stood and took a fighting stance before closing his eyes. Help me, he thought fiercely, help me now, like you did before. Help me protect him... Blue light flooded up around him and he reopened his eyes, the desire to fight burning in them.
The kudan rushed at Ashura and the king was caught off his gaurd. "What... is it?" he questioned softly.
"Kudan," Fai's voice echoed from behind where he'd stumbled. The magician wore his cocky grin and held a long stick in his hand that he'd managed to pull from a tree. "You'll find their quite useful, or harmful, depending who you might be."
"The strong ones only come to those who want to do good for someone else. I don't think you'll be getting one anytime soon." Kurogane said dryly.
"We shall see," Ashura murmured and was gone in a flash of light, leaving the two companions alone in the middle of the woods.
Fai crossed the distance between himself and Kurogane. "Daijoubu ka?"
Kurogane rubbed his shoulder. "Hai. I don't much like this king of yours."
"Neither do I," Fai whispered. He reached up to his friend's shoulder, long fingers massaging it a bit. "Doesn't feel like it's out of socket."
"Well there's the highlight of the evening." Kurogane said, but it was without any malice. He half smiled. "Always liked a challenge."
"This is more than a challenge."
"Always wanted to die honorably."
"But not before you get home, ne, Kuro-pii?"
"Hmph."
Fai released Kurogane's shoulder. "Well, no damage, Lucky, ne?" His voice was drained sounding and he sank down to the ground, leaning his back against the tree with a sigh.
A second later, Kurogane knelt in front of him. "Maybe..."
"Ehh?"
"Maybe I've changed my mind...about where home is."
Fai smiled at this. "So you'll stay with us until the end? Even if we land in your home world?"
"Hai. I will stay with you until the end."
"Then can I tell you a secret?" the magician asked as he let his eyes slip closed tiredly.
: "Hai." He sat down next to him.
"It was true. What he said." Fai's eyes fluttered back open, but he did not look at his friend.
"Hn." Was all the reply the other man gave.
It was now that blue eyes turned on him, studying him. True, Kurogane had killed many people in his time, but Fai considered what his magic had been used for to be beyond what the other had done. Men, women, children... everyone had died. "Anou..."
"Did you mean for it to happen?" Crimson eyes met blue. Kurogane's gaze was serious, but not judgemental.
"I..." Fai found himself shivering as the memories he'd tried so hard to push back now bombarded him. "I didn't know it would kill so many."
"You have a good heart." Kurogane said quietly. "Even if you killed people, you didn't plan on it happening that way. And you grieve for the lives lost. I killed many, intentionally and didn't care about their lives or families at all. You're a good person, Fai."
Fai forced a smile, though his eyes remained sad. "You don't give yourself credit, Kuro-chan. You've done a lot to help Sakura-chan on this trip and you protected me against what I've run from this whole time... you can't be all bad."
"Hn. Maybe there's hope for us both."
Fai laughed. "Mou... Kuro-ni! We can't sleep the rest of the night away out here in the open..."
"Ah." He stood and turned, offering his hand to the mage. "Then lets go."
Fai stood with his help and the shifted their way through the woods until finding a suitable place to sleep. Fai burrowed down, wrapping himself tightly in his long coat. "Anou... Kuro-kun?" he called sleepily.
"Hai?" Kurogane answered from a few feet away.
"Arigatou."
Kurogane made a noncommittal noise, but in the darkness, he smiled.
A/N: Let us know! Feed our review addiction!
CY & AM