KYA! IM SO SORRY! I've made you all wait a month for an update! The reason is because I was working on an FMA one shot (and still am) but that's no excuse! You all took the time to read this and review it, the least I can do is get off my lazy ass and write something! Thank you so much for you patience ;-; (tears of joy)
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For a brief moment, Kurogane could have sworn he saw Fai's grin waver before it resurfaced strong as ever. "What do you mean Kuro-wan? I'd never lie to you."
Sakura and Syaoran exchanged glances. As usual, Fai was beaming, but Kurogane's behavior was unusual to the pair. If the ninja spoke to the wizard, normally it would be out of annoyance with something the magician was purposely doing only to bother him. In the end, it would always result in the Japanese man dashing full speed after the blonde, slashing his blade in Fai's direction.
"Then why are you lying right now? I was hoping that when I hit you it knocked some damn sense into you, but I was obviously wrong." Kurogane growled, as the wizard braced himself for another blow to the cheek, "Now for once, tell me the truth. I want to know about Ashura, and I want to know about your daughter."
Hearing that the ebony haired ninja was the one who hurt Fai, Sakura placed her hand over her mouth as if she removed it, hateful words toward Kurogane would all spill out. On the other hand, Syaoran seemed to be scanning the room for the quickest exit in case the situation got out of hand. Mokona sat on the ground, though the argument made him nervous for the wizard, he was intrigued at the moment by a donut filled with jelly. Every so often, he would raise a stubby paw and jab it's side, watching the jelly spurt out in curiosity. Such strange food in this world.
Fai seemed to contemplate the idea of revealing his past for a few moments. The question of whether to say anything or not always seemed to loom over him and by telling his friends, or rather, three friends and one man who despised him, the burden would be cleared. Yet, that could cause more conflict and tension than there already was. It could pit his friends against him, and he couldn't let that happen. Over time, he had grown quite close with the group. After hearing about his past, it was highly doubtful their relationship would be the same. Loneliness would be an even heavier burden to carry.
Abruptly, he snapped back to reality as Kurogane shouted, "Damn it! Just tell us already! What's the worst he could have done to you?"The black haired man regretted his last statement as a sullen expression spread across the blonde's face.
"I don't want to talk about it. Besides, if you hate me so much, it doesn't matter anyway." His tone lacked it's usual friendly warmth. Instead, it sounded the exact opposite- cold, dead, and broken. Not a single life form in the room was not frightened. This was the first time Sakura, Mokona or Syaoran had seen him without the mask and though it was not a first for Kurogane, it caused just as much anxiety. Not seeing the magician prevaricate every question was a rare sight. "Why are you asking me Kurogane? I already told you... but you didn't believe me..."
Kurogane paused, trying to think back to their previous conversation. The memory that returned over and over again, that flooded his mind and washed away any other thoughts, that he couldn't get out of his head, was the single line that convinced the ninja Fai was a liar, and always would be. 'He got me pregnant.' That single lie pestered him more than any other lie the wizard told. It wasn't so much the lie itself, but his facial expression as he said it. Had he wore his usual grin, the thought would have been brushed off, but his face was sincere, even his tear brimmed eyes. One would be lead to believe for once there was at least a hint of truth in what the raven haired man was told, but he knew better. In a demanding voice, Kurogane growled,"What do you mean you told me?"
Sighing, Fai responded, "Never mind... you didn't believe me then, and you won't believe me now." Briefly, he shut his sapphire eyes. Watching as rage began swarm the ninja's face was not something that he had intent on doing, nor did he intend for his friends to watch him break. He didn't want them to see him this way, melancholy and drowning in self hatred. Blue orbs reopened and his hand raised slightly above the ground for a fleeting moment, but then subsided. There was no point in leaving, he would only be followed and bombarded with questions.
Syaoran, who had been quiet for some time, spoke up after curiosity got the best of him, "Believe what Fai-san?" Nervously, the magician fidgeted with a frayed edge of his shirt. Having everybody's eyes upon him as they traced his every move was awkward. By now he was used to it, but not in a personal situation like this.
A lengthy, grueling silence fell into the air. Even Mokona was quiet for once, and ceased munching and prodding the jelly filled pastry. All eyes were on the wizard, including his own. His gaze was fixed on his shirt as he restlessly moved it through his fingers. "I told him who Mayumi's other parent is." Replied the flaxen mage, only half attempting to lift the edges of his mouth into the false smile that usually plagued his face. By now they all knew the truth- he was miserable. No point in hiding it anymore.
Sakura's hand now rested upon her lap rather than blocking her mouth. Though she was still upset with Kurogane for being so rough with the wizard's physical and emotional well being, now she was half upset with herself. How could she have been so blind to Fai's pain? Nobody could be so happy all the time, she should have noticed. She should have payed more attention to the short moments when the smile flickered away. She should have at least asked him about his life in Seresu. Finally, Sakura managed to find her voice,"Who was it? If you don't want to tell us, I understand, but-"
Cutting off the end of her sentence, Fai muttered,"King Ashura." Stunned, Sakura blankly and wordlessly stared at the blonde. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.
Syaoran was equally stunned, but managed to stutter, "Wait... what?" He blinked several times and scratched the side of his head. Judging by Sakura's reaction, he had heard right, but it couldn't be. Perhaps Fai was playing another trick on them; However, after the smile had crept off his face, Syaoran wasn't sure the wizard had a single shred of his former cheery persona left.
Breathing deep, Fai said in a near whisper, "King Ashura is the one who got me pregnant." Now the brunette was positive his hearing was not wrong. Pregnant? Was Fai a woman? This thought left Syaoran's head spinning. During the whole trip, he and every other member of the group (at least as far as he knew) thought Fai was a man... that would explain his effeminate behavior as well as a few other things, but how could that be? How could a woman be mistaken by two men, a woman, and a pork bun for a man? And if him- er, her and Ashura were together, would that make him queen?
Luckily, Syaoran's theory was put to an end. "I know where you're from men don't get pregnant, but where Im from it works for either gender. Women just have shorter pregnancies because of the way their bodies are built." The magician informed the younger man. Blushing, Sakura's protector nodded quickly, head still spinning.
Meanwhile, Kurogane had not moved from his spot. He wasn't sure whether to trust the wizard or not. After spending so much time with Fai, it was obvious he had a knack for making up lies. Between his smile and his short story to the hotel receptionist, clearly lying was a craft he was all too familiar with. It didn't make sense, Fai was running from Ashura. Before this day, that was all anybody knew about the blonde. Now him and Ashura are suddenly lovers with a daughter? The whole ordeal left the ninja confused and enraged.
"If you two are a couple," The ninja spoke in an ire voice, "Then why are you running from him? What did he do to you that would be so bad you'd go crying to the Space Time bitch about how you can't return to your own world?"
0...0...0...0
A hard fist swung against his cheek, toppling the boy over. "Can't take a hit, can you?"
Yes, he could take a hit, just not so many at once. This was not unusual to the blond, in fact it had become so simple he barely thought anything of it. It was something he had grown so used to that it became a simple inconvenience rather than the act of abuse it had once been. Bruises cluttered the young boy's pale skin, but that was the way it always was. He came, he beat him, he left and that was all there was to it. Pain was as natural as breathing. Unfortunately, Ashura noticed this and took it a step beyond simple punches.
At first, Fai was confused. Why did he stop? Normally he would have been kicked and shoved into a corner of the cell, but now his king had stopped. Instead, the ruler had a single hand gently stroking his blond hair. This was not what the prisoner was used to, and it was eerie. One in his position might have been grateful, but not Fai. He knew better than that. Trembling, he made an attempt to squirm away, but it was useless. A hand grabbed his wrist with the usual rough hostility, "If you know what's good for you, you'll sit down and shut the hell up." Obediently, the boy sat, still shaking with fear. His fear only grew as he was pinned to the wall with Ashura's hands venturing down his chest.
0...0...0...0
"Look Chi! It's been ten years, so we brought you some pretty flowers! Lots!" Mayumi's squealed with delight. She set down the small bouquet she held in her hands. "I picked these ones! Daddy has some for you too!"
Fai forced himself to smile. If he didn't, Mayumi would know how upset he was, leaving her just as miserable. Who knows, maybe she felt the same way already, and smiled for the same reasons. That or she was oblivious to the dark reality of what had taken place only ten years before.
Bending over, the blonde wizard set his own arrangement of flowers beside his daughters. "Im sorry it's taking so long Chi. I just want to make sure Im doing everything the right way so nothing goes wrong." He spoke, wiping a bit of dirt off her headstone.
0...0...0...0
"She's your daughter Ashura-ou! Ours! How could you?" Cried the blonde. Blood drenched the adolescent girl's body he held in his hands. Her breath had quickened, each gasp shorter and more of a struggle than the last. She'd lost too much blood... at this rate, she'd never make it out alive.
0...0...0...0
"No, we can't!" Shouted a villager, "He'll kill us all, we're not strong enough!" Ignoring the villagers cries, Fai pressed onward.
Another shouted, "We don't have a chance, we're done for!"
"Please, listen to them. It's okay, we'll just build new homes." Chi begged, gripping the blonde's hand tighter than ever.
"What, so he can burn them down again? So we can lose half the village in another fire? If we don't do something now, he'll just get even more powerful." Retorted the magician, continuing his walk. Whether the villagers stayed or came didn't matter as long as Ashura died.
0...0...0...0
When he didn't receive a reply, Kurogane shouted, "At least you can return to your stupid world! Im stuck here until the damn pork bun spits us out in Japan!"
Sakura wrapped her arms protectively around the wizard. Turning to Kurogane, she murmured, "Kurogane-san, enough. Fai-san doesn't need you yelling at him. Please, if that's all you're going to do, leave." The ninja was taken aback. Never had he seen the princess speak this way to another. He had almost forgotten there was a chance she could have feelings other than happiness.
"No Sakura-chan, it's alright. Really, Im fine." Fai smiled at the princess. She didn't need to worry about him, he didn't deserve her kindness nor anybody else's. The only treatment he deserved was to be locked in his filthy cell again with abuse from his king on a regular basis.
The auburn haired girl knew he was by no means fine, and left her arms around him. "Besides... I'll have to tell all of you eventually... it might as well be now." he said, his smile fading.
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Ah cliff hangers... I use them on my readers for the same reasons I keep a leash on my dogs- so they won't go away, lol. Yep, I make you wait a month for an update, then make you suffer through awful writing, then leave you with a cliff hanger. Yay?
Ugh... I couldn't even proofread this whole thing I was so disgusted with it.
