A/N: Woot! It's the weekend! I'm totally pumped and ready to kick some ass on this story! I really appreciate the reviews, guys. I love you all.

I expect I'll be able to post at least one more chapter today so check back later!

Now…

LET'S KICK SOME TSUBASA FANFIC BUTT! WHOOOOOOOO!

Chapter 6

Kurogane versus…Kurogane!

Kurogane wiped the sweat from his forehead, pushing his damp bangs out of his face. He was pretty strong and Sakura was fairly light but it was still no easy task to carry her across the electrified floor on his shoulders, jumping from each safe zone to the next. Thus, by the time he had reached the center of the room, he was already tired.

"Kurogane san, I can carry Sakura chan the rest of the way," Syaoran offered.

"Don't be…stupid," the ninja panted. "She's almost…the same size…as you. There's no way… you could make these… jumps with her… on your shoulders."

Syaoran looked at the floor. Now that Kurogane pointed this out, he realized that it was true. But he wanted to be the one to take care of Sakura. Collecting her feathers was his mission and the ninja had been unwillingly dragged along. Syaoran hated it when he found himself unable to pull his own weight and had to rely on someone else to do it because it made him feel like a burden. Fai put a hand on Syaoran's shoulder and bent down so that he could be level with the smaller boy.

"Don't worry about it, Syaoran kun," the wizard said with an encouraging smile. "We know you'd do it if you were able to. It's ok to let someone else help you out when you can't do something by yourself. Besides, Kuromin hasn't been doing much recently; we need to make him feel useful, too."

At this comment, the ninja's head shot up. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, I HAVEN'T BEEN DOING MUCH! I'VE DONE A LOT, YOU BASTARD!"

"Sure Kurorin," Fai grinned, patting Kurogane on the head as if he were a small child, "whatever makes you happy."

The warrior got to his feet once more, glaring at the magician and muttering a stream of obscenities under his breath. Fai, for his part, just smiled innocently and waited for Kurogane to lead the way once more.

Only four more squares left until they reached the safety of the stone floor on the other side of the room. Kurogane's muscles were sore but he was determined to make it across so that he could meet his look-alike that they had seen standing on the hour hand of the clock. He had a score to settle; that other guy had no right to strike girly poses while hanging out in a body that looked like his! …Jerk…grumble grumble…

"Ooh, Kurowanko is angry at the other Kurowanko!" Fai observed, prodding the ninja playfully in the shoulder.

"Huh?" Kurogane grunted. "Don't tell me you're reading my mind again! I thought you couldn't do that anymore!"

Fai shrugged. "I'm not really sure what's going on. It seems to come and go as it pleases… but it's working right now."

Kurogane's cat-tail stiffened nervously again as he spun around, putting his back to the wizard.

"Oh ho! Kurotan is getting nervous again!" Fai sang. "And he's trying very hard to keep his mind blank… but I can see some interesting things slipping in theeeeeere!"

Heat crept up into the ninja's face as he hopped to the next safe tile, hoping to divert the wizard's attention from him.

Fai laughed. "I agree, Kuro chan! That would be fun! But I don't think now is the time… we should wait until we're…alone."

Kurogane's tail bristled again; had his mind let something slip! He had been doing his best not to think about anything but it didn't seem to be working.

Syaoran, not sure about what was going on, did his best to ignore this suggestive conversation and jumped onto the square next to Kurogane. Fai continued to snigger to himself as he made a leap for the next safety zone.

It was his preoccupation with the ninja's thoughts that caused him to misjudge the distance and miss the square. There was a loud buzz, a bright flash and the wizard was tossed against the wall on the side they had started from. He slid down the stone and crumpled limply on the floor like a rag doll.

"Fai san!" Syaoran shouted.

"Damn!" Kurogane said, his hands balling themselves into fists as he had to restrain himself from hurrying to the sorcerer's side.

Syaoran showed no such restraint and made to jump back to the square he had just come from, wanting to make sure that Fai was alright but the ninja stopped him by putting a hand heavily on his shoulder.

"Don't go back. I'll help you and the princess get across so that you can keep going," he said grimly. "I'll go back for him as soon as you've made it across."

"But--!" Syaoran started to protest before Kurogane cut him off.

"You have a mission to do. You already decided you would do it, right? I'll deal with him in just a minute but you have to go on."

"Right," the boy nodded.

Syaoran and Kurogane rushed through the last four squares somewhat carelessly in their mutual concern for Fai though Syaoran was the only one who would readily admit to this being the reason.

Once they made it to the stone floor, the ninja knelt down and carefully removed the princess from his shoulders, passing her into Syaoran's arms. The boy held her close, and for a moment, Kurogane felt a pang of jealousy. The brat was lucky to be able to hold close the one he loved. He may never be able to do that. Syaoran looked concernedly into Kurogane's eyes.

"Kurogane san…please, take care of Fai san," he implored.

The ninja stared back at him, a look of mild surprise registered on his features. Then he snorted and looked away.

"I'm not making any promises," Kurogane muttered.

Syaoran picked up Sakura with some difficulty, pulling himself and the girl to their feet.

He carried her to the door leading to the next room, throwing one last glance at his two traveling companions before continuing on to the unknown.

Without Sakura's weight on his shoulders, Kurogane was able to clear the obstacle of the electrified floor with a speed and agility unrivaled by any. He was at the wizard's side in a flash. The ninja's first move was to put his ear to Fai's chest to check his vital signs. He breathed a sigh of relief at the sound of a heartbeat pounding beneath the ribcage.

Kurogane slid an arm under Fai's shoulders and supported him into a sitting position. Then he paused, uncertain what his next move should be.

"Hey," he said as he gently shook the mage's shoulders. There was no response; Fai's eyes remain closed and his body unresponsive.

Kurogane gave him another little shake. "Hey. Magician."

Nothing happened. The ninja was a little more worried now. "OI! GET UP, DAMMIT!" he shouted nervously. For a moment, he got no response but then Fai slowly and dazedly opened his eyes, trying to focus on Kurogane's face.

"Kuro…chin?" he said slowly.

The warrior did his best to keep the relief he was feeling from showing on his face and prayed to God that Fai wasn't still reading minds.

"Ouchy…my head hurts…" the sorcerer groaned.

"What do you expect? You hit it on a stone wall," Kurogane pointed out, breathing a little easier now that he was getting responses out of Fai. "If you'd just freaking pay attention to what you were doing instead of messing with me all the time, this never would have happened."

Fai smiled apologetically at him. "I'm sorry, Kuronro. I won't do it again."

The ninja stared at him. "I didn't mean that… I just meant you should watch what you're doing when we're in a dangerous situation…"

The sorcerer held his gaze for a moment before his face lit up. "Hyuuuu! Kuronyanko just gave me permission to mess with him!"

Kurogane's face turned a bit red. "I did not! I just said that you'd better pay attention from now on!"

"Whatever, Daddy," Fai giggled, poking the ninja's cheek playfully. "I heard what you said, loud and clear."

"DON'T POKE ME, YOU DIPSHIT!" Kurogane roared.

The wizard laughed and tried to get to his feet, a task which he managed after using the wall to support himself.

"I take it you can't make it across this thing by yourself," the ninja sighed.

"No…I don't suppose I could…" Fai mused.

Muttering bitterly to himself, Kurogane lifted the sorcerer onto his shoulders as he had Sakura, and without another word began to cross the electrified floor one more time. Fai lay still compliantly, resting his cheek on the warrior's sturdy shoulder. He closed his eyes as he silently rejoiced in the moment, wishing that it would never end. On Kurogane's shoulders, even in this dangerous room, the wizard felt safer than he ever had in his life.

Of course, the moment, as they tend to do when one is enjoying them, was over much too quickly and the ninja was soon setting him down before turning on his heel and leading the way through the door Syaoran had used. Fai smiled a little to himself when he noticed that Kurogane was carefully keeping his back to him, his ears bright red once more.

Syaoran struggled up the stairs, dragging the princess along with him. He stopped many times and tried to find some easier way of carrying her but his efforts got him nowhere so he just pulled her up the steps one at a time. His back was starting for ache with the effort.

Syaoran paused once more for a break, holding Sakura to his chest as he leaned back against the wall to catch his breath. She looked so peaceful, unaware of his struggles. Though her timing for falling asleep was inconvenient he was somewhat thankful for it at the same time. When he could look upon his princess and let his teenage fantasies run rampant in his mind as he drank in her beauty, life was good. And when he could do this without running the risk of her catching him at it, life was even better. And when he could do both these things as he nibbled happily on a doughnut, life was kick-ass…but he had yet to reach that stage.

Syaoran pulled himself to his feet again, feeling magically reenergized now that his mind was full of princesses and doughnuts. Life was good.

"Ooh, more stairs," the wizard observed. "What are the chances of you carrying me up them, Kuromun?"

"About a trillion to one," Kurogane muttered as he began to climb them.

"Hyuuuu! I have a chance!" Fai whistled. "I wasn't expecting that! Kuropon must like me!"

"Hmph… you flatter yourself," the ninja grunted.

"Kya! It's my lucky day! Kuronya didn't deny it!"

"Shut up, dumb ass."

The two of them began their climb in awkward silence, and with much more ease than Syaoran had just moments before them, though Fai's legs were still hurting a little from being shocked and thrown against the wall.

A mischievous grin spread across the sorcerer's face as an idea occurred to him.

"Waah! Help me, Kuropu! I'm falling!"

Quick as a flash, Kurogane whipped around and grabbed Fai around the waist to keep him from falling.

"Hee hee," the mage giggled, the sound slightly muffled against the ninja's chest. "Just kiiiiiding! Made ya look! My, and look how tightly you're holding me! You must've been really worried, Kurotan!"

Kurogane's blood boiled as he shoved Fai roughly away, his face burning.

"YOU BASTARD! I'M NOT GONNA HELP YOU NEXT TIME!"

Sure Kuromin, the wizard thought smugly. I bet you won't. His stomach writhed in anticipation; he would soon be putting this theory to the test and he was sure he already knew what the results would be.

"You should get ready, erm…Kurogane san," Syaoran said as he pushed his way into the room at the top of the stairs and carefully laid Sakura on the floor. "Fai san and the other Kurogane san are coming."

"Okaaaay!" Kurogane sang, getting to his feet. "I'm reeeeeady!"

Syaoran laughed, partially amused, partially nervous. He both excitedly and nervously awaited Kurogane's reaction. Finally, the main part of the plan was being set into motion.

"You should get ready too, Syaoran," Kurogane reminded the boy.

"Oh, right," he said. "Come over here and help me out, Kurogane san."

"Go on, Kurorun," Fai whispered, suppressing a huge grin with difficulty. "Open it."

Kurogane looked at him suspiciously, cocking an eyebrow. "Why don't you open it?"

"Look at how big and heavy that door is," the wizard pointed out. "There's no way it could be opened by little old me."

The ninja scowled as he threw his shoulder against the heavy wooden door; that magician was looking thoroughly over-excited about this whole ordeal. It made him think once again that there was some kind of conspiracy at work here and that he was the only one who wasn't in on it. He shook his head as the door creaked open; that might be possible if the wizard had been given time to plan but they never knew where they would end up next. It's not as if Fai had chosen the next world himself.

Kurogane had been expecting a wide variety of different things to pop out at him as he opened that door; everything from demons (like those from Outo Country), to possums (like those they had encountered in that sunny forest), to a herd of angry boy scouts (hey, you never know). It turned out to be the thing he supposed he should have guessed in the first place but had completely forgotten about in all the commotion with Fai getting shocked and all: it was him. Kurogane was already inside that room, waiting for him.

His double smiled wickedly at him, waiting in an offensive stance.

"It's about time you showed up," he said. "You sure took your time getting here didn't you?"

The real Kurogane drew his blade. "You've got some nerve, bastard. I'm gonna slice you in half."

"Oh yeah? Bring it."

Kurogane brought it. "That's for the girly pose," he snarled, his wolfish smile widening as he watched a bit of blood leak from the other guy's shoulder.

"Ouchyyyyy!" his double whined, clamping a hand to his wound and stomping his foot childishly. "You're gonna pay for that, you jerk!"

Kurogane snorted. He doubted it.

A/N: Arrgh… I'm stupid. Me and my retarded inconsistencies. I decided to bring back that mind reading thing for a bit because people liked it and I expect it'll crop up at least one more time before this story is done.

But yeah, when I was first starting this thing I was trying to decide whether or not to wait until it was finished to start posting it. In the end, I decided to post it a chapter at a time because it seemed to be the "thing to do". I mean, everyone else was doing it. I was like "yeah, I'll leave 'em in suspense! Ha ha! I'm badasssss!" Pfft. Good choice, moron. I go back and re-read what I've written when I get stuck and now I'm noticing all these flaws that I would have been able to fix if I'd just waited to post the damn thing. AAAARGGHH! I'M NEVER DOING IT THIS WAY AGAIN!

Oh, but I have so many more ideas for Tsubasa fanfics that I can't wait to try…tee hee hee!