Lookie Mum! I'm growing wings and moving away from Harry Potter fanfiction! So, yeah...my first Tsubasa fic. Little nervous, but I'm taking the daring dive anyway!

Lono:That's a girl.

Do I get a cookie? Or chocolate?

Lono: No.

Meanie. Anyway... This is Fai-Kuro, don't like it, don't read it. So without further ado, I bring you this first chapter of Ring Around the Rosy.


"What's that smell?" Sakura asked as soon as they all had gathered their bearings. She, much like Fai was, was covering her nose and mouth. Syaoran seemed to be choking on the potent stench that floated threw the air. Kurogane was trying hard to ignore it, but was failing miserably. Mokona had made itself comfortable on Fai's shoulder quickly, seemingly not noticing the smell at all.

"It smells like rotting flesh." Kurogane muttered, trying to discreetly bury his face in the fur on Fai's hood. The stench really was unbearable. The ninja was beginning to think that Mokona didn't have a sense of smell.

"I feel ill." Fai murmured, touching Kurogane's hand lightly. Sakura and Syaoran nodded in agreement.

"Mokona, do you sense a feather?" Syaoran asked, hoping that Sakura's feather wasn't in that world. The sooner they left it, the better.

"Its faint, but its there." Mokona said. There was a collective groan from the group. Not one of them wanted to stay.

"What are you doing outside?" A man asked, sticking his head out of the door of what looked like an inn. "It's too windy out! You'll catch the plague!"

"The plague?" Fai asked once they were inside the inn, safe from the disease ridden wind.

"Haven't you heard?" The man asked, "It's spreading throughout the country! There's no way to stop it!"

"Is it deadly?" Syaoran asked.

"Very." The man nodded, "I lost my young daughter to it."

"That's horrible." Sakura said, "What if one of us gets it?"

"I highly doubt a disease would kill one of us." Kurogane muttered.

"That's the spirit Kuro-tan!" Fai said, clapping. Kurogane just gave him a look before he muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'you're lucky I love you.'

"You should all be careful when you go out. You especially don't want lose these two." The man said, pointing to Sakura and Fai. Sakura blushed slightly while Fai put his hand on Kurogane's to prevent him from grabbing his sword.

"When did this plague begin?" Syaoran asked, now wondering how long it could have been going on. It seemed to have been months to years at the very least. That is, if you could tell by the stagnant air.

"Rumor has it that this weird feather thing brought it." The man said, "Our scholars are studying it as we speak. We've lost three of them already."

"Aren't you afraid to lose more?" Sakura asked, tilting her head to the side innocently.

"More lives will be lost if no one tries to stop it." Fai said, "What is your name?"

"I am Kieran. Kieran Talverion." The man said, bowing in an extravagant manner. He then, being the chivalrous man he was, kissed Sakura and Fai's hands. Syaoran didn't look at all pleased with Kieran and if it weren't for Fai's soft touch, Kurogane would've killed the innkeeper right then and there. "You haven't introduced yourselves yet."

"Why should we?" Kurogane growled before Fai could begin introducing them.

"My, my, aren't we rude. I graciously saved you from the evils carried by the wind and this is the thanks I get! Why, I am injured!" Kieran rested the back of his hand against his forehead. Kurogane snorted at his melodramatics. Fai wasn't even this bad at his worst.

"Kieran-san, Kurogane-san doesn't mean to be mean." Sakura said, "I'm Sakura and this is Syaoran-kun."

"Why, it's nice to meet you Miss Sakura and valiant champion Syaoran." Kieran said with a bright smile, "And you two fine gentlemen are…?"

"I'm Fai D. Flowright and this is Kuro-"

"-gane." The ninja finished before one of his stupid nicknames escaped the mage's lips. Fai smiled up at him, having been expecting Kurogane to cut him off.

"Ah, the beauty and the beast." Kieran said, nodding knowingly.

"Who are you calling a beast!" Kurogane growled, almost knocking over Fai and his chair as he stood.

"He is a beast in bed." Fai murmured so that only Kurogane and Kieran could hear him. He smiled cheekily when he saw Kurogane's face become tinted with red. Sakura and Syaoran exchanged confused glances as the three older men continued with their antics.


"You look dizzy." Kurogane muttered, looking at Fai out of the corner of his eye. The magician looked like he was going to lose what they had had for dinner pretty soon.

"Oh, good." Fai said airily, "I feel dizzy."

"You looked flushed, angel." Kieran said, "Have another drink."

"Stop calling him 'angel'." Kurogane growled, moving the drink away from Fai. "I think he's had enough anyway."

"He's fine." Kieran said, waving Kurogane off. "He'll feel better after he's had another drink."

"I've had enough Kieran-san." Fai said, resting his head on the table. "Where are the children?"

"Ah! The princess and her valiant knight went off to find clothes and what-not for you." Kieran said. Kurogane raised an eyebrow. The innkeeper was up to something and he didn't like it. Syaoran and Sakura always told them when they were going out. Not to mention that they had taken Mokona with them also. Not that he was complaining or anything.

"Well, I think I'm going to go lay down." Fai said, getting up from the table. Kurogane noted that he seemed to be a little shaky and stood to make sure he didn't fall, but Kieran beat him to it.

"Allow me to help you to your room." Kieran said, grabbing Fai's arm. "We can't be having someone as beautiful as you falling, now can we?"

"What do you think you're doing?" Kurogane growled. Kieran just brushed his dingy hair back with the most twisted smiled the ninja had ever seen.

"All in good time." The innkeeper said as Fai collapsed into his arms. He carried the mage to one of the rooms, leaving a seething Kurogane behind.


"You two shouldn't have come to this town." A woman said from a doorway as Sakura and Syaoran passed her cottage. "Disease isn't the only thing that resides here."

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked, stopping short. Syaoran fell over trying to avoid running into her.

"What I mean is that this town is full of deceit. You can't trust many people." The woman said, "I almost regret moving here."

"You're not from this town?" Syaoran asked, standing up. The woman shook her head.

"Where I come from, people are truthful." The woman said, "Come have some tea. Your companions will be fine for now. Well, at least the raven haired one."

"How do you know about Fai-san and Kurogane-san?" Sakura asked, following the woman into the house.

"I'm a seer." The woman said, "Not a seer in the sense you must know. I don't see the future. I see what others cannot even if it's under their nose. Some just call it intuition. What do you think Miss Sakura? Or should I call you Princess Sakura like your friend here?"

"It can't be intuition if you know my name." Sakura said, looking around the cottage. "What are all these potions for?"

"I'm a healer also." The woman said, "Being seer isn't something you can live off of, you know. Don't look at me like that Syaoran. If I didn't become a healer, I would be known as 'That Crazy Seer Lady That Lives in the Alley'."

"What is your name?" Sakura asked.

"I am Naiya Mercuria." The woman said, "You shouldn't stay at the inn. There have been many beautiful travelers that have gone to stay there. All of them died mysteriously. I fear that it may be too late to protect Fai, but Sakura still has a chance to escape a horrible and deadly fate."

"What do you mean?" Syaoran asked, "What's wrong with the inn?"

"It's not the inn itself, but rather, its owner." Naiya said, pouring them each some tea. "I'm sure you have met Kieran."

"Kieran-san is very odd." Sakura said, "He keeps touching me and Fai-san."

"Kurogane-san looks like he's going to kill him." Syaoran said, nodding his head to confirm Sakura's statement.

"You kids should be wary of Kieran." Naiya said, "The man is a snake."

"Is he causing the-"

"No, the feather you are looking for is. I figure it must be our little princess' memory of illness."

"How do-"

"Do not concern yourself with that. Drink up and be on your way." Naiya said with a warm smile. "You are welcome to stay here when you realize how dangerous Kieran is."


"Listen you bastard, is there or isn't there a healer or doctor or someone useful in this town?" Kurogane growled, holding Kieran up against the wall.

"My, my, you are such a brute Kurogane." Kieran sighed, "Poor angel must be ashamed to have a lover like you."

"Answer me!" Kurogane yelled, ignoring Kieran's comments. The smaller man just simply sighed.

"Do you treat angel like this?" Kieran asked, "I'm shocked that he hasn't left you yet. Maybe I could win his-"

"Could you two be a little quieter?" Fai moaned from the bed, "My head hurts."

"We're back!" Sakura called from downstairs. Kurogane dropped Kieran before opening the door. Sakura and Syaoran walked in to find Kieran on the floor with Kurogane standing between him and the bed where Fai lay.

"What's wrong with Fai-san?" Syaoran asked, noting how flushed Fai looked.

"It's just a small fever. I'll be fine after some rest." Fai said as Sakura sat down on the bed with Mokona in her arms.

"It's more than just a fever." Kurogane muttered, "We need to find a healer or a doctor."

"Naiya-san is a healer." Sakura said, "We always can go get her."

"That witch doesn't know the first thing to healing." Kieran said, "She only pretends to be a healer so that people don't think she's crazy. I see through her though."

"Oh, do you Kieran?" A woman said, tucking a strand of ebony hair behind her ear. "Others may be blind to your plans, but I know better."

"Naiya-san, what are you doing here?" Syaoran asked, "You said that you had work to do."

"So I did." Naiya said, "I should get to work then, shouldn't I?"

"I don't want your filth in my inn. You'll scare away costumers." Kieran muttered, glaring at Naiya. The seer pointedly ignored him.

"You are Fai, correct?" Naiya said, approaching the bed.

"Yes, did Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun tell you about us?" Fai asked, looking up at the woman curiously.

"Yes and no." Naiya said, "I knew your name before I even met Sakura and Syaoran."

"What were you doing with the kid and the princess?" Kurogane growled, not trusting Naiya at all.

"We had some tea. That's all." Naiya said, "He's been poisoned."

"Who has been poisoned?" Syaoran asked.

"You didn't even examine him!" Kieran hissed, pointing accusingly at Naiya.

"There is no reason to." Naiya said, "I knew that he had been poisoned before I even came here. I felt that the children and Kurogane (He's a treat for the eyes, hm?) needed to know."

"Get out." Kieran growled, pointing to the door.

"Do not linger here for long if you value the lives of those who are precious to you." Naiya said, heading for the door. "Good day."


"Don't let the princess drink anything that Kieran guy touches, got it kid?" Kurogane said roughly. Syaoran stopped in the doorway and looked back at the ninja.

"Do you think he slipped something in Fai-san's drink?" Syaoran asked, glancing at the pale form in the bed. Fai had long since fallen into a fever induced sleep, moaning something incoherent every so often.

"I saw him put something in his drink. I just didn't know what it was." Kurogane said, "I should have stopped the idiot from drinking it."

"Maybe Naiya-san will be able to save him." Syaoran said, watching Kurogane press his hand against Fai's rosy cheek.

"I'm doubtful." Kurogane said hoarsely, "Let's hope that death takes him quickly."

"Kurogane-san?"

"You haven't left yet?"

"You seem to be gentle only with Fai-san. Why?"

"That's none of your business." Kurogane growled, "Go to bed. We're leaving this inn at dawn."


Okay...now for the moment of truth! What do you guys think?

Loko: You seem oddly ...frightened.

'Tis been a rough day. Anyway...Next week (or sooner I hope) I'll post chapter 2: Pocket Full of Posy.