Chapter 4: The Glass Moon and a Dream
"Alright, we're off," called Fai to the others waving as he and Kurogane left for the Glass Moon at nine at night, exactly.
Kurogane whispered as they left, "Are you sure you're alright with your ankle? Last night you were acting a bit strangely."
"I was just tired," he smiled.
"Well stay wide awake tonight, because if we get into it with anyone…"
"It's just a club, not a battle ground."
The two stopped suddenly, eyes wide. Kurogane just fit in, with small similarities, but Fai was totally out of it.
They walked in and sat down. For being open for only a few minutes, the place was pretty crowded.
"Drinks for you my friends?" asked the bartender.
"No thank you."
"Then why exactly are you two here?" he asked, grabbing a piece of Fai's hair and rubbing it in between his fingers.
The blonde slightly flinched as he said, "Information."
"I see," he mused, playing with Fai's hair, "You can always…pay with you body."
"Um, sorry sir…"
He cupped Fai's face in his hand and smiled, "My, my you're a gorgeous one aren't you…magician?"
Kurogane stood up, grabbing the man's wrist, "Get your filthy hands away from him."
"Keep, it's 'keep' your filthy hands away from him."
He looked to see Fai sitting on the other side of the counter.
"F-Fai?" he looked next to him to see the blonde staring at his identical self across the counter.
Kurogane felt the mage's whole aura darken as the life drained form his face. He went so pale that Kurogane felt as if he were looking a piece of paper.
"Fai?"
The blonde clenched his fist and stood.
"I-I need some air, get all the information you can about the Prince."
"Fai!"
"Kurogane," he said, bring his hand up to cover his eye, "please."
The magician walked out, a few moments later the other blonde walked over to him.
"Kurogane is it?"
"Yes, and you?"
"Better kept unnamed."
"Legends, got any?"
"Why gather any information with out your author present?"
"So you want to meet him, huh?"
He tilted his head and smiled, but something about it wasn't at all like Fai's.
"Well I don't think he's very keen on meeting you."
"So I can tell."
"Well, I can tell you what you need to know, the feather is in the castle, under the Prince's control. Also, Fai is being arrested right now."
"H-how do you-"
"It's almost natural actually, your friend, Fai, can do it too."
"What are you…"
A scream echoed through out the streets. Kurogane's eyes widened and his breath picked up. He had never herd the blonde scream before, but he recognized it as Fai. He ran outside to see Fai on his knees, a knife through his shoulder. Blood stained his white suit as he raised a shaky hand to the knife. He flinched by just touching it.
"Fai!" Kurogane called.
Fai looked up and smiled his eyes closing slowly.
The ninja ran over to him, "Fai…please…"
"I'm not dying," he said in a chocked voice, "It doesn't hurt."
"Bullshit it doesn't ."
Three huge men stood around the two, "Please leave the prisoner with us and be gone."
"N-never!" he cried, lashing out punches and kicks.
Two of them convicted the ninja and tossed him back into the club, by the time he stood up, shook off the pain and walked back outside, they were already gone, leaving behind a pile of blood.
Kurogane shook with rage as he held in the tears. He turned to the other blonde.
"Who? Who did this?"
"The Prince," he said smiling, "false information from his loyal servant, Kamiko, which Fai ran into the other night, leads the Prince to believe that Fai is causing problems here."
"How can I get to the castle?"
"Walk right in the front doors, but it is too late, go tomorrow. Take the others, hunt for the feather and take back your precious Fai."
Kurogane tensed, was Fai…precious to him?
"He means nothing to me."
"You lie to him as well as yourself, but be gone. Sleep tonight, rest and go retrieve him tomorrow."
"Let's hope he'll be alive."
Kurogane went to the inn, nobody was awake, thank God. He stumbled into his room and laid in bed. It somehow seemed empty and lonely. Kurogane had only been lonely after two events, when his mother died and after he met Fai. When ever he was alone, he felt as if the rest of the world had shunned him, but with Fai around, he felt connected with the rest or the world and in a way, happy.
His eyes slipped closed as he dreamt.
"Kurogane…" Princess Tomoyo had said, "what is it that you want?"
"To learn how to fight. I want to become strong to protect the people who I love."
"Very well. You start your training tomorrow."
The vision changed.
Masami (the princess now) glanced down at him.
"You've done well today Kurogane."
"Thank-"
"Now, tell me why you fight."
"To protect the ones I love."
"And why do you want to protect them?"
"Because I love them and don't want anything to happen to-."
"Right."
"Now why is that you must fight smart and your defense should be better then your offense?"
"Because sometimes Defense is your best Offense."
"Good. Now let me see some blocks and pull aways."
"Okay!"
The dream switched to him and Serichi (the prince now).
"Tell me Kurogane…why do you fight in an offensive style?"
"To get better, to get stronger, to become invincible," he barked.
"Right."
"Kurogane, say it with me, if you want to suceed in life…what do you have to do?"
"Remove all weaknesses."
"The whole thing Kurogane."
"Remove all weaknesses and you will become unstoppable."
"Good. I think you're ready."
"Here, this is a sword. But not any sword. It's your sword. It will grow as you grow, pick up skill as you do and become stronger when you gain strength. This sword is not a weapon, it is an extenion of yourself, mind, body and soul. If you lose it, you are lost. You've trained with many other swords and many other ways. This sword will open up so many things for you."
"Yes sir, thank you."
"Now go and practice!"
Dream switches to Kurogane eavesdropping in on Princess Tomoyo.
"Gone?"
"Yes, I've herd that Masami zapped up into the sky. Into another dimension."
The princess gasped, "Does Serichi know?"
"Yes, he is going to the Demention Witch to try to find her."
"I hope he finds her alright."
"Me too."
There was a knock on the door as Kurogane shot up. He opened it to see the others standing there anxiously.
"Kurogane?" asked Syaron, "Where's Fai?"