Hello! I haven't posted a story in such a long time that I feel a little out of practice! Well, where better to start than with good ol' Fai and Kurogane? I hope that you enjoy
It had been so long. This was like a dream…Or would it turn out to be a nightmare?
………………………….
The months had soon added up to more than a year's time. A year of travels, battles, uncertainty, and deceptions. It seemed that the more time that passed, the more that stupid mage suffered, the more distant he became… At least the insufferable man wasn't refusing to be in the same room with him anymore. It seemed as though the cruelest times had past, though he had no certainty that the blonde would ever truly want to be around him again.
Kurogane grimaced as he slouched against the cold, steel wall behind him. It was dark still; he could see no sign of the sun through the small window in front of him. The faint sound of Fai's breathing reached him from where he rested next to the wall closest to him. He knew the kid and the princess huddled nearby as well, trying to get through another icy night in this glacial world.
They had already gotten everything that they needed here, now all they were waiting on was the steam bun's energy to perk back up enough to take them to the next world. Maybe then Fai wouldn't look so damn morose all the time.
Maybe in the next world Fai would find something worth fighting for. Or maybe for once, there would be a way so the blonde wouldn't have to fight at all…
…………………
Kurogane must have drifted back into a dreamless sleep, because the next thing he heard was that annoying high-pitched chirping of the steam bun. "Kurogane's still sleeping! Puuuu, he's such a sleepy head. Even Sakura's awake!"
Maybe in the past Kurogane would have seen the innocent teasing as meriting a good attempted thrashing, but now he a simple growl would be sufficient. At least that meant that the bun was finally awake. "Tch, you're the one that slept for nearly two full days!"
"Mokona had used so much magic in this world that Mokona became sleepy! But Mokona is ready now"
Kurogane straightened himself up as he glanced around the room. There was no sign of the kids, but Fai was standing as still as though he were a painting, standing, looking out from the far window. The sooner they could leave this place the better; Kurogane could see that this place reminded the blonde too much of his own ice-filled world.
As though he could feel the heat of Kurogane's crimson gaze, Fai turned his head slightly back to look at the two of them. "Well, it would appear that Kuro-tan is ready, whenever you are Mokona."
"Leave it to me! I'll get Syaoran and Sakura, too!" The bun was still talking as he bounced out of the room.
"Well, he seems full of energy today…" Kurogane grumbled as Fai didn't respond immediately, rising slowly from his seat on the floor. "The same can't be said for you."
"Mokona says that he has a good feeling about the next world. He said that we're getting 'close to something.'" Fai fell silent for a moment as he looked back to face Kurogane. Seeing the dark lines and weariness on his companion's face, Kurogane would have been sure that the man hadn't slept for days, though he himself had heard his gentle breathing during his sleep last night. Something else was weighing down the blonde's mind, something that Kurogane was sure that he wasn't willing to share with him just yet.
"Kuro-ma, I also have a feeling about the next world, but I…"
"Fai! Kurogane! It's time! It's time!" The grimace on Kurogane's face deepened as the bun and the two kids walked into the room. Did they have no sense of timing?
"Damn manjuu, just get us outta here."
"Are you ready, Sakura?" Syaoran's voice was gentle as he took her hand. She didn't fight his touch; she just gave a small nod as Mokona began to cast the spell.
"Here we go!"
…………………………
Kurogane heard Fai's breath hitch slightly as his own mind raced. This couldn't be real…No, that untainted smell. That cool breeze. It was unmistakable. They were finally here. They had reached Nihon; the place that Kurogane had desired so much to get back to. He was finally back, finally done traveling…
…What now?
There's the end of Chapter 1! Thank you for reading. It had a slow beginning, though I'm planning to pick it up a bit more in the next chapter if the story is to anyone's liking.
Hmmmm, I love comments, so please R&R It's always appreciated.