"Power is something I always longed for…power is something I yearned to obtain. My life was based around honour, and it will always be centred around it…but who'd have thought my power, my strength and my honour, all lurked within another person…a person who means the world to me…"

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Kurogane's Point Of View…

It was never Kurogane and…it was always just Kurogane, and I liked it like that. It was me and me alone, something that was mine, something no one could take from me. Well, that was until he came along. Fai D. Fluorite. A fool. A deceiver. A teaser. A wizard. A friend…Fai was a friend. A dear beloved friend…a friend I silently sought comfort from. His desire to flee from his home was a mystery to me, considering all I yearned for was to return home…but in some way, his desires always kept my strength up. I always told myself it was because he just made me happy I wasn't him, soothing myself to believe I wasn't a coward like he was.

But all the same, I was a coward. I was afraid of how he seemed to glow…how I couldn't tear my gaze from him. The first time I saw him sleeping…I was mesmerised. His ivory skin just emitted light in the faint dim glow of the lazy moon…and I was enticed from that very moment. The atmosphere changed immediately when he stepped into a room, a serious situation turning into a light hearted conversation in an instant. His smile, so easy but oh so plastic strangely turned my guts to ice but melted my heart. I always wondered how he'd learned how to do that, without a flicker of doubt or remorse for putting on that fake twitch to his smooth silky lips…

"Kuro-growl?"

I snapped out of my thoughts immediately, feeling strangely pleased to hear his voice but also irritated as he called out one of my most dreaded nicknames…it seemed he added just about anything to the end of my name these days…

"What???" I swung around, seeing the sleek elegant blond haired figure of Fai standing in my doorway, arms folded, and his smile brightening his pale face.

"Uh oh, Kuro-bark just snapped at me," Fai chuckled, chewing his bottom lip in an innocent manner with his brow creasing slightly to add the final touch. I felt my cheeks heat up immediately. He walked towards me, his footsteps like feathers upon water, making hardly any sound. He held out his slender arm out to me, eyes closed, head cocked sweetly to one side. "Look, Kuro-woof, you gave me Goosebumps!" he laughed softly, a singing tone to his laugh.

I slapped his arm away, scowling. If anything, I was angry that he'd caused my entire body to turn aflame.

"Idiot…" I muttered. "What do you want, anyway?"

"Little dog and little cat want to go out," Fai pouted, his eyes puppy-like as his hand fell lip, as if the light tap had caused great injury. "So I thought we could do something today! Just you and me!"

"Mage, call them by their real names, we're not in that stupid world anymore," I said firmly. "And secondly, why do you wanna go out anyway? We're only here for that girl's feather…"

"B-but, we've been working so hard!" he protested. "C'mon, Kuro-temper, please come out! Mokana has gone with the kids too so it'll just be you and me. Mommy and Daddy!"

"Please tell me you're referring to yourself when you say mommy…" I sighed, my eyes seeming to roll backwards with annoyance as he took my wrist and dragged me out.

We'd come to this world to search for Sakura's feather…another obstacle before I could get home. But of course, the brat and the girl wanted to go sight seeing too, not even thinking of asking me since the stupid mage assured them it'd be fine and I'd be okay with it. I swear he kids himself to believe he's Cupid…the way he always pushes those kids off together. I think he's just hoping to become a Grandma way too soon…

Before I'd really taken in what had happened, it was just Fai and me, walking around the town market. This country was abnormally hot. I'd abandoned my cloak and just walked around in my black shirt and trousers, but now I was considering abandoning the shirt altogether. My shirt had become nothing but a nuisance. Thinking about it, Fai had seemed to have abandoned his cloak also and was wearing a pair of jeans that fitted his sleek physique perfectly as well as a skin tight baby blue long sleeved shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. It suited him…

Fai must've noticed me staring at him since…

"Hey, Kuro-perv!" he grinned mischievously, pretending to look flushed and embarrassed, putting his index finger to his cheek making a small dent, winking at me with the tip of his tongue sticking out. "See something you like, Mr Stare?"

I felt every part of me burn again, looking away as I helplessly gave him a shove.

"Oh shut it…" I pinched the bridge of my nose, counting slowly under my breath to regulate my increasing heart rate.

I barely got to ten when I heard a soft panting. I turned my head slowly to see Fai looking a little more flustered. He had a hand to his forehead, brushing away glistening beads of moisture with the back of his hand. He shook his hair, the bangs sticking to his skin. He caught me looking once more, but instead of a seductive cheeky look, he gave me an uneasy smile.

"Hey, how about we sit down?" he suggested faintly. "Hm, somewhere nice in the shade…"

Before I could question him, he'd pranced off, taking refuge it seemed under the shade of a cherry blossom tree. The blossoms were in full bloom and the petals were gently snatched from the flowers to drift away silently in the breeze. Fai sat down, his entire body language changing there. It was like he'd been carrying a heavy weight and had just dropped it, letting his aching muscles relax from the heavy load.

I didn't say a word…I just sat beside him…watching the slow rising and falls of his chest from the corner of my eyes. So, he did have a weakness. After all that acting calm and collected about everything going on around him, in mid battle he would have a laid-back attitude but his weakness was heat. He came from a cold climate…this kind of weather seems to take it all out of him.

Fai smiled airily after a few minutes of regaining the strength to force that smile.

"Heh…it's really hot here," he murmured thoughtfully. "It gives me a light headed feeling almost…"

I half smiled along with him. "Hm, just don't make me carry you when you've passed out," I teased gruffly. "It's too hot to be carrying an oaf like you around like you're some freaking princess. I'm not like the kid…"

It might've been the heat affecting my senses, but I could've sworn I heard Fai's breath hitch with a suppressed gasp.

"That was a tad harsh, Kuro-rough," he said softly. "I admire Syaoran and his determination to protect Sakura…I wish…I wish I had someone who…"

"Who'd freely carry you around and risk their life for you in a blink of an eye?"

"No…who loved me as much as he loves her…"

I felt a sudden pang of guilt when he said that. I looked away from him completely, feeling his eyes were on me, discreetly observing me. My heart was beating extremely fast, the thump, thump, thump ringing in my ears. I felt a lump rise in my throat, and I swallowed quickly, feeling a little sick. Why did I care if Fai thought I was being harsh? The kid would risk his life for that girl…he had strength and honour…something I envied. He found someone he'd lay his life down for too, something else I was jealous of. Obviously Fai was not a fan of jealousy, or maybe he'd misread it in my tone for sarcasm. I wasn't sure…but I felt bad for it.

"Kurogane…"

I looked up suddenly, taking in the serious tone of his voice. I saw a group of men crowding us, all of them with the same X shape on their faces, chests and forearms. Their lips were snarled slightly, blazing ruby eyes glowering down at us. Fai and I rose to our feet slowly in sync, me shakily remembering I'd left my blade back at the house. Cursing under my breath, I backed up only to bump into the tree we'd been so casually leaning against moments before.

"Who are these freaks?" I demanded, my eyes transfixed on them.

"They're called Kreatūra," Fai explained slowly. "It means 'creature' in Lithuanian…they are known as creatures of the underworld. The X marks on their bodies symbolise the amount of times they have separated their souls in order to unlock forbidden spells and unleash forbidden creatures."

I stared at him for a moment, letting this all sink in. "How do you know so much about this?" I persisted, snatching my gaze back to glare at these freaks as I preferred to call them once more.

Fai smiled gingerly. "Let's just say I've had a few issues with these guys before…"

"Get out alive?"

"Obviously but not unscathed."

Before we could continue our small talk, one of the "freaks" made a move towards us. His fist plunged into the bark of the tree behind us, his skin only brushing against my upper arm for a brief second but the touch had burned, like acid. I cringed, as I moved to the side.

"Careful, their skin is made of the strongest acids," Fai shouted towards me, obviously just ducking to avoid behind hit with burning fists. "One full one blow from one of these guys' fist, and it would be a third degree burn."

I narrowed my eyes. Fai knew a lot about these guys…and they seemed extremely deadly. How he ever escaped from this lot before was a mystery to me…

These Kreatūra creatures were quick, there were a growing number of them, over seven now as they began to close in on us. Fai had leapt somewhere to the right, getting the attention of five of them and I'd leapt to the left, two of them closing in on me. I was wondering for a split second that maybe they were after Fai but that thought was pushed quickly aside as one of the two attacking me spread his fingers so beads of blood shot out of his palm. I dodged them, seeing the blood beads piercing the tree bark and making a massive impact, almost like a bullet.

Bullets made of blood? I felt the clammy uneasiness prickle against my forehead and I immediately worried about Fai, no matter how hard I tried to think against it. More of these guys were coming, and over eight were now surrounding him with four around me. I was hardly coping…they were extremely face and I noticed every time their skin briefly touched my shirt, the fabric had been burned, a strange scented smoke rising to my nostrils.

A light touch from these guys' skin could do this to my shirt…imagine what it would do to my flesh…

One of them swung their fist at me, his arm whacking against my side. I found an unfamiliar cry leaving my lips as a searing burn pierced my skin, causing me to fall onto the floor. The burning sensation lingered against my skin for a moment before fading into a dull numbness, a staggering pain if touched. I knew that would be a pretty good burn by tomorrow.

I barely regained focus when four fists were all thrown at once. All aiming towards vital parts of me. One to my right, one to my left, one to my face and one to my chest. I couldn't escape that blow. I felt everything slip away for a split second…my dreams…my chance to return home at my fingertips only to fall away. I subconsciously curled my fingers into my palm, into a fist. Stupid mage…if only we hadn't gone out today…stupid kid…make sure you look after that princess of yours…

I closed my eyes, awaiting my demise. I felt a whoosh of wind. My eyes snapped open. Tears spilled down my cheeks, no longer caring if they were seen, believing it was the end. The Kreatūra around me collapsed out of sight, and there stood Fai, panting heavily. His shirt was in tatters, burning red flesh revealed beneath torn fabric. His arm was heavily bruised and the skin looked twisted, scalded almost. His lip was bleeding heavily and he staggered as he put weight on his right leg. Fai shook his hair shakily and glanced at me, half smiling at me.

"Get on your feet, Kuro-lazy," Fai whispered softly, just loudly enough to hear.

That was the last thing I heard before the Kreatūra leapt at him, Fai falling out of sight…