A/N: I decided to take on my personal challenge which was to make an adventure/romance story about a couple going to see the "Seven Wonders of the New World." Here's the beginning of it - it'll probably be about eight chapters long, one for each wonder and possibly a ninth chapter to sum everything up. Anyway: no, I'm not stopping with Cold Flames, both stories will be updated weekly at the minimum. c:

Thanks for reading, don't forget to review!

SEVEN WONDERS

FLIGHT

The apprehension was shown in the way the his pleasant face was pulled taut. One hand shielded ruby eyes from the torrents of wind kicked up by helicopter blades. Said helicopter was the reason for his deep disquiet; the thing looked worn and its pilot looked no better. Homura choked down the knot in his throat and followed the tour guide's instructions to board.

Each step was taken cautiously as though he were approaching his deathbed and apparently it showed because the girl beside him scoffed and muttered something under her breath. The only words he could make out were 'thou art afraid of flying' which he strongly disagreed with, Homura was afraid of dying, he was perfectly fine around commercial airliners but this was no such luxury.

The man glanced at her out of the corner of his eye to see that she was a lovely blonde with stormy eyes and a peculiar speech pattern. She was wearing a name tag that said "Tsukiumi" which was just visible beneath her crossed arms. He glanced down at his own and traced the bolded letters with a slender finger as he took his seat inside the roaring helicopter.

The final passenger happened to be this Tsukiumi and as she climbed into the seat next to him they began to pull off the ground, her eyes widened as she lost her footing and fell straight into his lap. A furious blush spread across her face; she stammered a disgruntled apology and began to stand. Unfortunately, that little white dress of hers was caught on the buckle of his belt and she came crashing down again.

This time Homura made a small sound as she fumbled to untangle the dress from him and quickly engulfed her delicate hands with his own to stop her. The blonde looked up at him with a heated expression and a frantic look in those blue eyes and he raised one silvery eyebrow. Her hands went limp in his and he let go of them before moving to his belt buckle and unhooking the edge of her dress from it.

"There, all better," Homura joked.

Tsukiumi huffed, half in indignation and half in embarrassment, but moved quickly to her seat beside him. Both passengers began to wish there were more people on the helicopter as an awkward silence ensued their brief episode. It was only them and the ginger tour guide who he vaguely connected with the name Matsu.

Homura let a quiet sigh slip through his lips. His slender frame rested back against the seat as his eyes drifted closed. Here it was: the "adventure of a lifetime." Looks like that ticket he won at the host club was already paying off - he had just been straddled by a blonde bombshell. He dared to smile as he opened one ruby eye to take a peek at his new travelling companion.

He didn't know her yet but it seemed she was also a passenger on this trip. Their destination was currently Chichen Itza in Mexico but the tour expanded to all seven of the proclaimed "wonders of the world" - first Mexico and then Brazil if he remembered correctly. After that he couldn't recall where Matsu had said they would be going next. Seven places in all - every one of them in a foreign country.

That was most of the reason they would need a guide: the language barriers. The redhead would be accompanying them everywhere so they didn't say something wrong and get arrested. Couldn't have these innocent Japanese citizens rotting in jail because of a miscommunication.

"I am sorry for falling on thou."

Homura's eyes jerked open and he turned to look at her, gauging for sincerity. Her face gave nothing away but there was a certain apologetic softness in her eyes. Her sudden speaking had given him a bit of a shock but he was glad for the break from his thoughts. The idea of travelling had always made him nervous.

"Well, it's not every day that a pretty girl falls into my lap."

She masked a bit of surprise before asking, "Thou thinkest me pretty?"

"Of course," he answered without pause.

"Oh."

Homura glanced at her to see that she was toying with the hem of her dress, there was a faint smile on her face that made him smile as well. The conversation fell off after that and he began to drift into sleep as Matsu droned on about certain cultural features that the two might be interested in. Even the pilot seemed to tire from her historical notes but he kept his eyes wide open.

There was a slight rock as they hit a patch of turbulence. The sudden bumps woke him in a jolt and silver locks of hair fell into his eyes as he glanced around quickly in shock. Tsukiumi snorted and he could just hear scorn dripping in the sound. He frowned and put one hand to his forehead, staring down into his lap as if doing so might make them land sooner.

By some divine fate, Homura realized they really were lowering onto a platform that seemed to be on the top of a hotel. He wondered silently if this was even legal then turned to the blonde beside him. She averted her eyes as soon as he looked her way. Playing hard to get? he mused, his lips curling instinctively into a smirk.

"We're here, get your shit and get out," came the gruff voice of the pilot.

Matsu shot him a glare through the lenses of her glasses but he just shrugged and said something about having places to be. Homura decided not to keep the man waiting; he stood and waited for Tsukiumi to get her carryon bag.

He hadn't bothered bringing one, instead he had his luggage delivered straight to the hotel. The only things he brought for the trip were his wallet and phone which were currently in the pockets of his jeans. He frowned and put one hand to the straight leg denim, they were fitted but comfortable, a much different feel from the formal attire he usually donned.

The casual outfit was completed with a pair of simple black shoes and a white T-shirt that only served to make him more pale. Normally his taste in clothing was impeccable but this morning he had been in a bit of a rush after explaining the trip to his landlady who was curious as to wear he would be.

She was a sweet lady, as long as you knew her rules were law. Homura chuckled under his breath as he stepped off the helicopter close behind his travelling companion. The artificial wind created by the propellers sent their hair whipping to the side as they looked out over the landscape below. They had chosen to stay in Merida which was a fairly large city about one to two hours away from Chichen Itza.

The sun was just setting and it painted the Mexican sky in deep shades of red and orange. Matsu noticed how the two stopped and a smile overtook her as she watched them knowingly.

"Everyone seems to have the same first impression," she giggled to herself as Homura and Tsukiumi ogled the vivid expanse.