Peculiar. There was something peculiar about this world. Fai clicked his tongue in curiosity as he couldn't decide what it was. Maybe it was the way the sky had a swirl of pink and yellow like in banana strawberry Trix yogurt, or the renaissance style buildings that were off in the distance. Fai had never seen anything like this city's doodads, so he really couldn't decide.

He looked around at his companions. There was Syaoran, who had his arms clasped around Sakura comfortingly, and lovingly. Then there was Kurogane, who was angrily trying to swat a little white creature off of his spiky-haired head. Fai smiled when he saw this creature. It was Mokona, the one that made this possible. But it was rare to find a time when Fai was not smiling.

They were all on a journey together. An extraordinary journey, if you are not used to magic and things of the like. They were in search of Princess Sakura's feathers, which happened to be her memories that shattered, what felt like so long ago. Mokona mentioned to the group that he did sense a feather in the town, but once again it was too weak to know exactly where. Mokona looked at them sadly.

The group went on, without any worries about the slow waves from the feather. This had happened numerous times already. But if they were going to get it, they couldn't stand there in the middle of a forest path, breathless by the yogurt sky.

The city in the background got larger and larger, and they began to think it would never end. It was a massive city. It looked very strong. Fai thought that luck wouldn't be in their favor if they were to stir up any trouble. He immediately gave Kurogane a glance, and chuckled at the ninja's puzzled glare as way of answer.

"You must be tired." Fai said to his comrade.

"Naw. I wouldn't say that." Kurogane still has a some-what murderous grin on his face.

"That was quite a fight back there." Fai looked back at Syaoran and Sakura behind them. Sakura was telling Syaoran of another memory.

"Yeah? Well maybe I'm not as weak as you are." Kurogane's smile curved up on one side. He admitted to himself he was a little tired. But it was only because the damn path seemed to go on forever. "You…used a little bit of your magic didn't you?"

'The part I'm still able to use….' Fai thought to himself, but not surprisingly he didn't say this thought out loud. It was a rare time when Fai showed his real emotions. He didn't reply at all to this. Mostly because he didn't want to, he didn't want his guilt to slither out like a snake, also because he couldn't.

There was hardly a sound as the city people emerged from the trees. They were all very tall, and most of them were blonde. They wore red, like it was a uniform.

"What's this talk of 'magic'?" One of them inquired. She appeared to be the only woman in this curious group. "Only Master Ashura is allowed to use magic!" She sounded poisonous. Like disobeying the law meant death.

Fai put his hands up an inch or so from his waist in an innocent way. "Oh no…that was nowhere near here…" He sweat dropped as he tried to explain. He tried not to make his face look pale, for Kurogane would probably notice, just like last time his beloved Ashura's name was mentioned.

The woman arched an eyebrow. She raised a spear she had wit her. When the group looked around, they noticed everyone had them. They looked like weak little things, however. Or at least Kurogane didn't find them a threat in the least. "Where else could you have used it?"

Fai felt Kurogane's gaze at him. He must have recognized Ashura's name. He still refused to let anything leak out of from inside of him. He laughed. "Umm…well your probably wouldn't believe us…we're travelers." He tried to be as polite as possible, and kept the princess and Syaoran out of their way.

"Never mind," the woman muttered. "You look familiar. I think we should bring you to Master Ashura. See what he wants us to do with you." she lowered her spear. She motioned to the others to do the same. "Any disobedience and we'll tie you together, but because I like this fellow's smile, we'll let you walk."

Kurogane swallowed down a complaint and obeyed. Who knows? There could be a feather nearby. Maybe this 'Ashura' character, which they had the pleasure of meeting him before in another world, and Kurogane was also pretty sure Fai had seen him more than once, could have it. Mokona had said that it sensed it, so it was here, and this way they were going to the town. If anyone was going to be killed, he wouldn't let it happen. If death were to occur he wouldn't be able to go home.

As they entered the large city, they were awestruck. It was beautiful. The buildings were higher then they have ever seen before, and torches lit on the outsides, making everything glow with pure orange. And there were so much of these torches, that you even felt the heat. It was like there was a celebration going on.

As they entered a large building, after quite a long walk, Fai seemed to turn pale and colorless. Kurogane nudged him and hissed in his ear that this wasn't the time to get sick. Fai secretly thanked him for not mentioning Ashura, for he saw it in his eyes that he knew the real reason for this colorless moment.

Fai did not take notice of all the passer-bys in the building and on the streets back when they were outside. He looked at the flowery wallpaper spread across every inch of the inside walls. He heard Mokona cheering from Kurogane's head, and Kurogane swore. Syaoran and the Princess were as bewildered as he was, completely silenced.

Finally, they all stood in front of a man who was dressed as a king, but sat in no throne. His smile seemed to say 'I would rather stand for such an occasion' somehow. He had the thick black hair that was just as Fai had remembered it. Easily blown in the wind, feminine, and oh too recognizable. The color in Fai's face continued to be drained. He never did like the color white, much less, he didn't like his mask to be cracked, not even in the slightest.

Master Ashura's smile went up to one side as the group was pushed up in front of him. His hands were behind his back, and his fingers were locked together as he inspected them. He walked in thin sandals that flapped when he walked. He stopped in front of Fai and looked the blonde in the eyes. His smile twisted. Fai breathed.

"Yes…he does look familiar." His expressionless eyes moved to the woman from earlier.

The woman smiled with obvious pleasure to have pleased Ashura.

"What are you playing at?" Kurogane growled.

Ashura ignored him and looked at Fai again. "You look chipper. I like that. Just a little white, you are." He placed two fingers behind Fai's ear and pushed some blonde locks back behind them. "What is your name?"

Fai trembled a little. Ashura felt it, but showed no change in emotion. "F-Fai." Perhaps he only imagined the slurring in his voice. He remembered he couldn't be afraid, so he smiled. "Fai D. Flowright." Ashura's hands were cold against his now colorful skin.

Ashura smiled again and nodded. Then he looked at the companions behind Fai. He placed his hands behind his back again and paced. "You are in my city perhaps you are…looking for something…" He seemed to hiss as he talked, and gave a long glance at Kurogane, with a smile Kurogane did not like. He looked at his kidnappers, and told them he wanted to talk to Fai. He told them to bring the others to their treatment.

Kurogane wanted to prevent this, ready for a fight. However, Syaoran held his tense arms down, meant to calm.

"We'll see how this goes." The brat said.

Kurogane had soothed, but it wasn't like his worries disappeared.