Disclaimer: Them, not me.

A/N: I do one-shots, so there won't be a chapter per goodbye, just Kurogane's musings about others' goodbyes.

Not Even a Goodbye

I never thought I'd be gone this long. I don't even know how many years it might have been since…I disappeared. It could've been seconds, or minutes…hopefully. But what if it'd been years…? What if it had been…centuries? What if I never returned? I didn't even get to say anything to her. I just…cursed at her. I didn't even say goodbye.

But then again, she didn't either. She laughed. She just…laughed. And I guess I was too pissed off to notice how much it hurt. I was going to disappear. Like, forever. And what was she doing? She just let it go on, and she went on laughing. Like she was happy I was gone. Like…she knew I'd never come back, and she didn't care. I didn't mean a thing to her.

Kurogane opened his eyes, groggy but awake. His head was still in a whirl…he kept thinking about his little farewell. Well actually, it wasn't much of a farewell, was it? He was worried. He was immensely worried. Centuries could've passed…and Princess Tomoyo could've been assassinated; Souma couldn't do the job all on her own. His country needed him. But where was he? About sixty million time-space-dimensions from home, at the times his country needed him most. Now. He could just feel it.

"Kurogane-san," said a hoarse, also groggy voice to his left. It was Syaoran, who had also just awoken. His eyes were still half-shut, but he was definitely awake. Kurogane stared at him. The kid…must've been going through a lot more torment and inner torture than he was. While he was fuming over a crappy farewell, this kid was risking his life to save his princess because he loved her, even if she'd never know it. Kurogane knew the feeling. He knew it well.

"What, kid?" Kurogane shot. He was rather moody in the morning. Kurogane scratched his head and turned his neck at an angle, just to stare at Syaoran. There wasn't really anything that out of the ordinary about the kid. He was tall, thin (but in a fit way), brown-haired, brown-eyed, and sleepy. But Kurogane knew Syaoran was not such a regular kid. He had this weird kind of…fire going behind his eyes. It burned all the time, even now, as Syaoran gazed at the princess. This kid was far from regular. Kurogane felt a surge of respect for the kid.

I wonder what kind of goodbye he got, if any. His face was so hardened and serious when we met. He probably didn't get a goodbye, either. Maybe a rundown of what he was to do to restore the princess's memory, and what he couldn't do. You know, kind of like the fact that I can't kill coldheartedly. I wonder if…he misses them. It must be doubly hard to look at the princess now…if this happened to Tomoyo-hime, I don't know how I could deal. I don't know…what I'd do.

"Oh, nothing," Syaoran replied groggily. "I just…noticed you were awake…" here he yawned, "and," he yawned again, "I'll go out and buy us some…" another yawn, "food."

"Nah, kid," Kurogane said, waving his hand dismissively. "You're still half-asleep. I'll do it. What'll we be eating?"

At that moment, Fai awoke. He shook his elegant blonde head and ran a hand through his silky hair. He stared, also half-asleep (maybe more than half) at Kurogane. His eyes were slightly out of focus as he murmured, "Ashura-heika?" Kurogane blinked. Did the wizard have some royalty he served as well?

"Who the hell are you talking to?" Kurogane replied. Fai blinked, now he was awake. For a moment, he looked half-shocked, mostly flustered, but then calmed down in an instant. He grinned disarmingly.

"Kuro-tan," he said, his worried eyes contrasting to his carefree smile. "You're awake."

Ashura-heika? And this was…? Kurogane wasn't going to question, but did the wizard have some sort of royalty too? Could it be a missed goodbye?

Kurogane wanted to question who this Ashura-heika was, but a little voice in his head held him back. Oh great, now he had voices in his head? But anyway, he didn't ask. Instead, he merely shot, "STOP CALLING ME THAT!" Kurogane got up, scratching his raven hair. "I'll go pick up some stuff." He got up, and started to walk out of the apartment they were staying at.

Kurogane stared back into the room, at the wizard and the kid and the hime-san. All fighting their own battles inside, and coping with their messed up lives. Maybe thinking about…the goodbyes they never had. Maybe they were thinking about…returning. Even if everything was different than it was. Even if the princess never remembered and the wizard was found, they would return. Even if Princess Tomoyo was long gone, and he returned too late, or she had gotten mar—never mind. He would be back to see it happen.

Maybe they all…had missed goodbyes. And maybe they all missed their homelands and princesses and kings. I hate to admit, but I even missed that brat, Tomoyo, and her goody-goody ninja, Souma. The wizard said "Ashura-heika" with some worry in his face…I could just feel it. Maybe…the wizard had done something bad to the king, and now he was on the run? Well, we'll see…. But maybe they all had someone precious that they loved, but had to leave. I mean, I don't love the princess…or…well, whatever. I don't really care, or I…don't want her to be in danger. I guess we've all just gotta stay tough and hang in there…and return home someday.

They were to return home someday. It was…going to happen. And maybe if Tomoyo would hate it if they did, and maybe if Sakura-hime wouldn't remember the kid, and even if this Ashura-heika would find the wizard…it would happen, and it would be done with, and it would…just…fall into place. Because that's what destiny, and fate, is. Traveling worlds, this wasn't particularly obvious, but when they reached their final destination…collected all the feathers…returned to Tomoyo…. It would happen someday.

And he'd leave Tomoyo again.