Disclaimer: CLAMP owns them all.

A/N: Thinking of the recent spoilers and waiting for the next world, I didn't pay attention and a plot bunny ate my brain. That, and I've read one fic too many with Ashura as a total bastard. Don't take me wrong, I enjoy them as much as the next fangirl, even to the point of writing them, but what if, just for once, Fay was the one who did wrong?

Warnings: Evil!Fay, NotEvil!Ashura

The Lamb and the Slaughterer

"Why do you insist on coming along?"

"Because I want to know, of course." Kurogane didn't slow down, following the mage with just as swift steps as before. "Be glad I helped you convince the kids to stay behind."

"What do you want to know, then?" the blonde asked, sounding slightly frustrated. "Ask, and I'll answer. Then you can just leave, right?"

"When you came to the witch, your wish was to never return home," Kurogane reminded. "You wanted to flee from the one who might come after you. Then why now, when you know that person's awake, you're returning to them?"

"It should be simple to understand, my dear Kurogane," Fay replied. He didn't stop walking. "Back then, I didn't want to die. Now, I do."

"Good luck with that," the ninja grumbled. "Let's see if I let that happen."

"You may still change your mind," replied the mage. However, he refused to say anything more.

They travelled through the lifeless halls of the castle, their steps echoing in the emptiness. Everywhere they say corpses, some quickly finished, some horribly mangled until they could hardly be even recognized as humans anymore, only the ragged clothes around them hinting to their species. Neither even flinched. Kurogane had seen – and caused – much more death and destruction, while Fay ignored the dead as though they hadn't been there at all.

Finally they appeared before enormous twin doors, richly decorated with engravings. Fay stopped before the doors.

"You can still turn back," he said. "If you do, you'll doubtlessly be happier in the end than if you stick along."

"The hell I will," replied Kurogane, a hand on the hilt of his sword. His glare obviously told the mage he was not about to leave.

"Very well, then. But you shall regret it later." With a mere wave of his hand, he opened the massive doors, stepping inside.

Inside the room, they saw a throne. And on the throne sat King Ashura.

"I see you have returned at last, Fay," sighed Ashura. "But who is this who accompanies you?"

"Just somebody who doesn't want the idiot to die," Kurogane replied. He eyed the king with murderous intent. How dare the bastard send his mage on the run?

Ashura shook his head slowly. "Whatever you may have been told, your dear friend is not an innocent lamb running from the slaughterer," the king said seriously. "Instead, he is the slaughterer coming back for the last lamb he could not finish."

Kurogane started his mouth to protest. However, he was silenced by a sharp gesture from Fay.

"Don't say anything, Kurogane," the mage said quietly. "For he is correct." He glanced at Ashura. "He's the only one who ever protected me from others," he said, "yet I repaid him by killing his people and binding him in sleep."

"Which I do not understand," Ashura added. "Why did you do that, Fay-kun? Did I ever treat you badly?"

"No, you didn't," Fay replied. "You were my sole protector. However, you wouldn't let me free." He smirked sadly. "Back then, I didn't understand it was just as much to protect other people as to protect me. After all, the destruction I cause is quite remarkable."

"Yes, and you –" Ashura paused. "You don't have your tattoo anymore," he said then.

"What's the matter with that tattoo anyway?" Kurogane growled. "How'd that be the most important thing to him?"

"The tattoo kept his magic in check," Ashura replied. "In our world, magic is potentially destructive. Without the binding tattoos nobody is allowed to use magic, since otherwise it would only cause misery."

"Of course, it cannot always be predicted which individuals are born with magic," Fay said. "As my powers awakened early, and were great in power, I managed to destroy half of my home village before I was captured. Nobody dared to come near enough to kill me, and thus I was imprisoned until the king took me under his protection."

"I taught him how to use and especially control his magic, how not to harm anyone with it," the king continued. "My only condition was that he mustn't leave the castle – because the people outside would undoubtedly try to kill him, knowing what he had done. One day, however, he snapped, killing everybody and defeating me."

"You said the tattoo kept any accidents from happening," Kurogane said. "Then those corpses all over the castle…"

"Yes." Fay smiled coldly. "I killed them deliberatedly."

Kurogane seemed to think for a moment. Then he shrugged. "I've killed more people than I can count for much less reason," he said. "So, I don't care."

"Surely that yet isn't a reason to side with him?" Ashura asked, indicating their position, two men facing one. "Step aside if you wish, but are you sure you want to aid a murderer in finishing his horrible deeds?"

"I'm not here to finish anything," Fay said, "but simply to receive my just punishment. Step aside as he says, Kurogane. I have more than deserved whatever end my king has prepared for me."

The ninja smirked a bit, drawing his sword and moving into a ready position between the two other men, facing Ashura. "I am but a simple ninja," he said with perfect seriousness. "I don't judge. I just protect."

Fay smiled sadly. "And for that, my dear Kurogane," he whispered, "you are a fool."