A/N: Alright, here's the goods. That took a little longer than I had anticipated. Ha ha…oops. I'll blame it on…er… my dog. My dog ate lappy and I had to redo the whole thing. Yeah! That's what happened!
Pfft. Right. Or not. My dog is about the size of a football. But whatever. You may commence with your reading and I do hope that nothing you read in this fic causes you to be arrested…that would be sad.
Chapter 3
Into the Woods
When the group left Yamazaki's house, they had all been eager and determined to get going. However by the time they had made it out of Yamazaki's neighborhood, their resolve had weakened significantly. Wandering villagers had made just making it down that one stretch of road a nightmare. All of them had been pecked, scratched and picked over and were now sporting some nasty cuts and rips in their clothing; all except for Sakura who had been under Syaoran's protection.
This might have been a lucky break for Sakura but Syaoran wasn't exactly enjoying himself as he had twice the injuries that everyone else had. He wasn't complaining though; it was an honor to be able to protect his princess. Besides, if Sakura took that kind of beating she might get upset and require some comforting which Fai would instinctively move in to offer. Syaoran liked Fai. He didn't want to have to hurt him. But if Fai got between him and his princess, he would have to be promptly bowled over. Besides, Syaoran got the strange feeling that Kurogane wouldn't want Fai comforting Sakura either, though he couldn't imagine why that would be. The ninja had never expressed the slightest interest in Sakura…and there was no way he was interested in Fai. That would be crazy! A/N: pffft! Ha ha ha ha!
"There's got to be an easier way to do this!" Kurogane growled, kicking a villager and sending him (her? It?) flying with an indignant squawk. "You! Wizard! You can use magic! Put a spell on them to make 'em stay the hell away!"
"Hush, little Kuromun!" Fai cooed, leaning against the ninja's chest and putting a finger to his lips. "Don't tell lies."
"GET OFF ME!" Kurogane snapped, color rising in his face as he shoved the wizard away. "Damn magician."
Fai lingered just out of Kurogane's reach, giggling to himself. Syaoran moved to intercept another chicken that had tried to peck his princess, getting a vicious-looking cut across his arm for his trouble. "I wonder how the people who haven't been turned into chickens do it," he mused as Sakura apologized once more for being so much trouble. "There must be a trick to it."
The four of them pressed on at a pace that was excruciating in more than one sense. Even Sakura sustained a few minor cuts; there were simply too many of them for Syaoran to fight off on his own. Fai looked over at Kurogane, and expression of surprise on his face. Though the ninja was radiating an anger so intense that it could have fried those lousy chickens, he was taking their abuse rather well. No sooner had this thought crossed Fai's mind than Kurogane finally lost his temper.
"DAMMIT! I DON'T CARE IF THERE'S A FREAKING CURSE ON ME! I'M GONNA MURDER THESE DAMN CHICKENS!" he roared, jerking his blade from its sheathe and brandishing it threateningly at the noisy birds.
"Ah! Ku-Kurogane san!" Syaoran stammered timidly. "Y-You shouldn't do that…!"
"Y-yeah, you might hurt them!" Sakura whimpered.
"THAT'S THE POINT!" Kurogane snapped. His fist connected with one of the chickens, sending it flying.
"Excuse me, sir," a cool voice said from behind them, "but I would very much appreciate it if you could keep your fist from connecting with my sister and send her flying."
The four travelers turned to see who was speaking to them. A small boy with neat black hair, a black suit and a bored expression stood there, an ice cream bucket in his hand. Kurogane glared at him for a moment, the blood from his various injuries making him look all the more intimidating. The boy wasn't fazed by the ninja's "glare-o'-death" however and simply met his gaze.
"WELL KEEP HER THE HELL OFF ME THEN!" Kurogane shouted.
The boy calmly took the lid off his ice cream bucket, making a faint popping noise as he did so. Though the noise could hardly be heard over the racket the chickens were making, it caused all of them to freeze and fix their eyes on the boy and his bucket. He reached a hand in and dug out a handful of corn, tossing it over his shoulder. The effect was instantaneous: the villagers immediately forgot about attacking Syaoran and his group and dove for the corn, tripping over each other in their hurry to get the first taste.
"If you would follow me then, please," he said indifferently as he put the lid back on his bucket and brushed off his hands. The four travelers gratefully fell in behind their savior, leaving the savage chickens to scramble for the remaining corn.
"Hyuuu! This is an awesome house!" Fai commented as the boy entered the code on the main entrance gate.
"Why thank you, Mr. ah…"
"Oh, it's Fai. Fai D. Flowrite."
"Mr. Flowrite," the boy repeated. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Minoru Kokubunji."
"And this is Syaoran kun, Sakura chan and Kuropi," Fai said.
"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU! IT'S KUROGANE, DAMMIT!"
"Please come in." Minoru stepped aside and bowed them through the gate which automatically closed behind them.
All of them silently followed their young host, taking in their surroundings with awe. He lead them up the paved driveway that cut through the vast, sweeping grounds, past an ornate marble fountain and towards a huge white Victorian-style mansion that was surrounded by trees on both sides. Minoru took out a skeleton key from a long, thin gold chain around his neck and unlocked the door to let them in.
"Please, make yourselves at home. I shall fetch some bandages and perhaps a roll of tape for your loud friend's mouth." He nodded in Kurogane's direction.
The ninja gritted his teeth but said nothing. Fai laughed. Minoru was playing an old trick that parents used on their children to get them to shut up by suggesting that the child was incapable of keeping his mouth closed. It was working beautifully; Kurogane seemed to be holding his tongue just to prove that he could, in fact, be quiet, so there Mr. Meanie Head. Minoru disappeared down one of the lengthy hallways while his guests seated themselves on the lush carpet, not wanting to get any blood on the furniture. Fai spread himself out, cat-like, on the floor.
"Mmm, I like this carpet," he purred. "Kurochi, lay down on it with me!"
"Sit up, dumb ass," Kurogane growled. It is nice carpet, though, the ninja thought to himself.
"See! I told you!" Fai grinned. "Does Kuromyu have a secret passion for soft things? I think he does!"
Kurogane blinked. How had Fai known that he was thinking that the carpet was nice?
"I don't know," the wizard mused. "I guess you were just thinking it too loud."
Syaoran and Sakura tilted their heads as they looked at Fai, confused. Kurogane looked horrified. That damn magician was reading minds now? Oh, shit.
"Hee hee! Does that worry you, Kuronya?" Fai giggled. "Why? What goes on in your head that you don't want me to know about? Maybe some dirty fantasies? Could they be about me? Kuropu, you naughty boy!"
"Don't flatter yourself, wizard," Kurogane snarled, though his cheeks took on a red flush.
"Kyaaa! Kurowan is blushing!" Fai squealed gleefully. "I must have guessed the right answer!"
Kurogane made a grab for the wizard's throat which was easily dodged. Minoru's reappearance halted the ninja's punishment as the boy entered the room holding two rolls of gauze bandages. He tossed one roll to Syaoran and the other to Fai before having a seat in one of the chairs.
"So," he said, leaning back in his chair and steepling his fingers in a stereotypical rich-guy manner, "what brings four travelers such as yourselves to a dismal place like this?"
"We're looking for Sakura hime's memories," Syaoran explained. "She lost them because of some kind of enchantment and they were scattered across the dimensions. We think one of them might be in the clock tower."
"Hmm, that makes sense…" Minoru said slowly. "That would explain the strange things that have been going on here recently. I do hope that's the problem; I've been trying to figure it out since it started happening three weeks ago but the answer has been eluding me. I must say, I would be very grateful if you could solve the matter and would be more than willing to give you any reward you could name."
"Anything?" Fai asked excitedly, looking covetously at the carpet beneath his fingers.
"Anything," Minoru nodded. Then he added, "except the carpet. I'm rather attached to it."
"Awwwww," Fai pouted.
"That's very kind of you, Kokubunji san," Syaoran said politely, "but you don't have to give us anything. It'll be our repayment to you for the bandages."
"I am touched by your generosity," Minoru replied, though the bored expression never left his face. "Now, if you don't mind me asking, how are you traveling between dimensions? This is a subject I'm very interested in."
"We use Mokona," Fai said simply. He finished wrapping up the last of his injuries and began to assist Kurogane, easily avoiding every punch the ninja threw at him. Kurogane gritted his teeth, increasing the speed of his attacks to no avail. He wanted to put on the Bandaids himself!
"Mokona?" the boy repeated.
"Yes, he was also traveling with us," the wizard continued. "I'd introduce you but I'm afraid he was punt-kicked into the distance and we haven't come across him yet."
"Curses," Minoru frowned. "Well, if you plan on venturing into the forest, you'll need to take a bucket of this corn along. It's the only thing that will make the villagers leave you alone."
He produced a second ice cream bucket full of corn and gave it to Sakura. She opened the lid curiously to have a closer look at its golden contents.
"I would accompany you on your journey to the clock tower but my dear mother's last words before she became a chicken were 'Minoru, if you meet four travelers, a princess, a peasant, a wizard and a ninja, who are going into the forest, you must not accompany them on their journey to the clock tower.' So, alas, it is now that we part for I simply cannot ignore my mother's final request."
"Wait," Syaoran said, frowning slightly. "How did you know that stuff about us?"
"You mean the bit about the 'princess, peasant, wizard and ninja'?" he asked. "It's written all over your faces."
Syaoran looked over at Sakura and noticed that she did indeed have the word "princess" scribbled across her forehead and cheeks. "I see," he muttered. "So it is."
"Now, I hope you'll excuse me for being so rude but go away. I grow tired of looking at your ridiculous faces," Minoru sighed.
Stupid little rich bastard, Kurogane thought angrily.
"I agree Kurotan," Fai nodded as he got to his feet.
The four of them made for the door but Minoru stopped them.
"One more thing," he said. "Mr. Kurogane, if you would be so kind as to get your ass over here."
The ninja scowled as he stepped forward, imagining himself carving the boy up into small pieces. Minoru met his gaze for a moment before suddenly pouncing, catching Kurogane off guard completely, and pinning the stunned ninja to the ground. The boy produced a pair of cat ears on a headband from nowhere and put them on the stunned warrior.
"Local law requires all those who punch chickens to wear these for the remainder of their stay," Minoru explained. "Thus, you shall be stuck with these until you leave town."
"What the hell…!" Kurogane shoved the boy off of him and reached up to rip the ears off. They didn't budge. "WHY AREN'T THESE DAMN THINGS COMING OFF!"
"I believe I just told you that you shall be stuck with those until you leave town," Minoru repeated. "Are those words too large for your inferior mind to comprehend? Do I need to state it more simply for you?"
"You stupid, spoiled little son of a bitch," Kurogane spat, reaching for his sword once more. "I'll carve you up into pieces so small—"
"Now, now, Kurorin," Fai said easily, waving the murderous ninja's threats away. "There will be plenty of things for you to carve up in the forest. Come along now."
The wizard grabbed Kurogane's collar, opened the door and dragged him out onto the step, Syaoran and Sakura quickly falling in behind him, careful to keep their distance from the two. Fai pulled his angry captive behind him, turning to wave cheerfully at their young host.
"Thank you for all your help, Minoru kun!"
"It was my pleasure," the boy said, bowing, a slight smile appearing on his face for the first time. "I wish you luck on your quest."
"Why did you stop me, you damn wizard?" Kurogane snarled at Fai. "That stupid brat needed to be taught a lesson!"
"Now, Kuro chan," Fai scolded. "Don't you think you're being a bit unreasonable? Besides, those kitty ears make you look even cuter than usual!"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, 'CUTER THAN USUAL'!" the ninja roared. "I'M NOT CUTE, DAMMIT!"
"I think you aaaare!" Fai sang.
Syaoran gave Sakura a nervous glance, realizing how strangely quiet she was being. When he looked at her, he suddenly understood why she wasn't talking; her mouth was full.
"P-Princess Sakura?" Syaoran stammered. "Wh-what are you eating?"
She finished chewing before answering. "Corn. Do you want some, Syaoran kun?" she asked, offering him a handful from the bucket.
"Oh no, Sakura chan," Fai said, going to her side and putting a hand on her head the way a parent would when they found their two-year-old sucking on a marker. "Don't eat that, honey. It's for the chickens."
Sakura hung her head. Fai pulled her close and ruffled her hair. "It's ok, Sakura chan. Just don't eat anymore, alright?"
"HEY!" Kurogane said loudly (perfect timing, Kurogane san! Syaoran thought). Fai's attention shifted from the princess to the ninja. "We're at the forest."
The group shifted their attention to the woods looming in front of them (Syaoran took advantage of this distraction, taking Sakura's hand and pulling her behind him slightly at the same time that Kurogane moved so that he was between the wizard and the princess). The trees towered menacingly over them, their thick branches and foliage blocking out the small amount of light that the moon provided. A dense mist swirled between the dark trunks, making the scene appear all the more foreboding. The four travelers stared at the impending doom before them, transfixed. A loud popping sound made them all jump and look around wildly.
"Ah ha, sorry," Syaoran laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "I seem to have sprouted a pair of wings."
He turned his back to show them. A small pair of pink cherub wings had torn through his shirt and were fluttering slightly.
"Ah! They're so cute!" Sakura giggled, reaching out and stroking their feathers. Then she quickly withdrew her hand, blushing. "Sorry!"
"N-no, that's ok!" Syaoran said quickly, his face equally red. "Y-you can pet them if you want!" Then he blinked. "Ah! I said something weird, didn't I! S-sorry!"
"She's right, they are cute," Fai beamed. "Can you fly with them, Syaoran kun?"
Syaoran concentrated as hard as he could on flapping his wings but they seemed to have a mind of their own and refused to obey his commands.
"No, I think they're pretty much useless," Syaoran said finally.
"They're sick, is what they are," Kurogane muttered. "It's an insult to the kid's manly pride to have little pink wings stuck on his back."
"Oh yeah, you'd know, wouldn't you, Kuronyan?" Fai giggled, pointing at the ninja's cat ears.
"Do you want me to cut them off for you, kid?" Kurogane asked, trying to ignore Fai, though there was a vein throbbing in his temple.
"Oh, n-no thanks," Syaoran stuttered. "I'm sure they'll go away eventually."
"Well, if you wanna walk around with sissy wings on your back, it's your business," the ninja shrugged. "I've had enough of this standing around. Let's get this show on the road."
Kurogane began making his way through the trees and the others followed, sticking close to the ninja for protection. Thus began their travels into the woods.
A/N: Dude, that was a long one. Pant, pant, pant… but I had fun doing it so there. Take that. And take a review while you're at it. I mean, make a review… I mean… AAAARGH! SOMEONE BRING ME SOME CANDY, DAMMIT! GIMME SUGAR!