Chapter 6: Knots

Kurogane wasn't sure what he had been expecting from Fai, but it certainly wasn't what he received, though that always seemed to be the way it was between them. Fai was spontaneous and always full of surprises. This time though, he was coming apart at the seams and Kurogane was clueless as to what to do.

He almost followed him. He almost stopped him. He almost did a lot of things, but the point was that he didn't commit to anything. Kurogane simply let him go.

Whenever he thought about it though, he thought of that man Ashura, his cold eyes and his icy smile. It was clear to him that Fai would be in pieces when he was done with him. Perhaps it was clear to Fai as well. After all, Kurogane had never seen the wizard run so fast before. Ashura was definitely a source of fear and pain for him. Fai's smiles would always fade at his name alone.

For once, Kurogane was unsure of what to do. He had to do something, he knew that much. Perhaps it was that he didn't know Ashura; hell, he barely knew Fai. It was a battle between them and them alone and no one else should interfere. That was the way it had always been in his own world. None of the other soldiers dared to jump into Kurogane's battles.

This was not his world though and Fai was not just another solider. Somehow, he was more than that. Kurogane wasn't entirely sure what to make of that thought, but he did know one thing for sure.

He could see it clearly in his mind. Ashura's fingers wrapped around Fai's thin neck, crushing it brutally. He could see Fai gasping for precious air, struggling in Ashura's grasp. In his last breath, just before he falls limp, he calls his name. Not Kuro-wan or Kuro-rin or Kuro-bon, but Kurogane.

This thought left a knot in his chest and a thirst for Ashura's blood. The entire idea pissed him off for some reason and even if he wasn't sure why, he would make sure that Fai came back safe.

It wasn't the first time this strange feeling had overpowered Kurogane's mind and soul. The day before, as he carried Fai in his arms, that knot had been in his chest. That knot had tied his mouth shut when he wanted to growl about how his shirt was coated in that damn wizard's blood and quietly made him noticed the way Fai's hair fell over his eyes.

He knew what his princess would think of this. She would try to tell him with sparkling eyes that he had found his true love and that she simply must meet him. Then she would ask when the wedding would be and rush off to make ceremonial robes for him before he could give her an answer, leaving Kurogane fuming. Needless to say, it was an aspect of her personality that Kurogane found simply irritating.

Kurogane considered it for a second though, with a quiet, dark laugh to himself. Love? Is that what it was?

Before he could muse anymore on it, he turned to see Syaoran, Sakura, and the white manjyu Mokona speeding over to him. They all looked extremely worried, as well they should have. It seemed that Mokona had bounced over to the two lovebirds and told them everything it knew.

" Kurogane-san," Syaoran asked calmly. " Where is Fai-san?"

" I'm not really sure," Kurogane admitted. " There's someone after him though. He's probably gotten himself into some trouble."

" Someone's after Fai-san?" Sakura gasped, her eyes wide with concern. " That's terrible! We need to do something; we have to help him!"

Mokona made irritating noises in agreement, but Syaoran was more focused and calm. He knew exactly when it was that he should panic and he knew that now was not the time for that.

" Do you know who it is?" he asked. " Who is after Fai-san, I mean."

Kurogane's eyes darkened and he glared at no one in particular.

" His name's Ashura," Kurogane said. " He's got long dark hair and he was wearing some kind of weird jewels on his forehead."

" Right," Syaoran nodded. " Let's go."

Syaoran was about to start running off, but Kurogane roughly picked him up by the collar and held him a few inches off of the ground. He hung there confused, until Kurogane explained himself.

" Hold it, kid," he said. " First of all, do you even know where he is?"

" Well, no…" Syaoran admitted.

" Second," Kurogane continued, " we all know that guy is a damn powerful wizard. Now if he's afraid of this guy, we shouldn't charge after him completely defenseless, should we?"

Syaoran didn't answer, but it was obvious that he realized his flaws on his own. Kurogane sighed and let him down. The kid had his heart in the right place, but he would get himself killed one day if he didn't think things through. This wasn't to say that he didn't always think things through, but when people he cared about were in danger, Syaoran tended to be a little reckless. He was strong, but no one can live on dumb luck alone.

" So what should we do, Kurogane-san?" Syaoran asked, hoping his comrade had a plan of attack.

Kurogane paused for a moment. Did he have a plan? Not really. There was really only one thing they could do, and it was fine by Kurogane. He grinned at Syaoran, a real grin, not one of those fake things that Fai always wore.

" What do we do?" he grinned murderously. " We go back and get our swords, that's what we do."

Syaoran nodded, satisfied with that answer. There was no need to stand around any longer. Kurogane and Syaoran sped off quickly, back to the house they were staying at. Syaoran had Sakura by the hand, gently pulling her along. Mokona though, had jumped onto Kurogane's shoulder, much to his annoyance.

Every so often, Kurogane would catch a glimpse of Syaoran and Sakura. Syaoran was always very careful with her, as though she would break if he tugged her too hard. His feelings for her weren't exactly a secret to Kurogane, Fai, or even Mokona. Sakura was oblivious to all of it. Even with her memories gone though, Syaoran still loved her unconditionally.

Again, Kurogane thought of Fai. Fai was always clinging to him, being goofy and turning his name into a cute abomination. He was always wearing that annoying smile, the one that was so fake, the one that pissed him off so much. Was it possible to hate someone so much and still want them back safe and sound? Kurogane wasn't sure.

When they were back in the house, as they were gathering their swords, Kurogane decided to ask someone who would know more about it. No one had bothered to light any candles, seeing as they were only running in for their weapons.

" Oi, Brat." Kurogane said, sheathing his sword, Souhi.

" Yes, Kurogane-san?" Syaoran turned to him, grasping his sword tightly.

Kurogane paused, unsure of how to phrase his thought without sounding stupid. After all, it was such an unusual topic for him. He could barely form the sentences in his own mind, let alone his mouth.

" You say that you're in love with the princess," he said. " How do you know? I mean…"

He took a deep breath and looked over at Syaoran carefully, trying to tell if he was ready to laugh at him. Of course, he wasn't, but Syaoran did seem a little confused.

" What I mean is," Kurogane tried again. " What does it feel like to love someone?"

That still didn't sound quite right to Kurogane, but he wasn't going to rephrase it again. Kurogane wasn't really a man of eloquent words anyhow. It was more like Syaoran or Fai to say everything exactly the way they needed to.

However, Syaoran looked extremely surprised. Perhaps he wasn't expecting a question on love in this dire situation, or perhaps it was that he could never picture Kurogane being in love with someone. Then there was the fact that he couldn't picture Kurogane being interested in his love life. He thought hard on the question, because he had never really thought about it before.

" What does it feel like?" he echoed.

Kurogane nodded, getting impatient with the boy. Syaoran took a deep breath and tried to explain it.

" Well, your heart beats really fast when you think about that person," he said, " and I guess your stomach feels sort of weird…"

Kurogane blinked. Could that be the knot that he felt in his chest?

" Love is," Syaoran tried again. " It's when you feel so strongly about someone that nothing else matters. It's when you would give anything just to be by their side. It's when…when you would die just to keep that person safe."

Syaoran clutched his chest and Kurogane wondered if he was feeling that knot as well. He wondered if Syaoran was thinking of his princess waiting outside for them.

" It's when you feel like your world would collapse without them," Syaoran said sadly. " Without them, the sky just isn't as blue and the stars just don't shine as brightly."

Kurogane's eyes widened. Was that really how he felt about Fai? He stopped for a minute and tried to picture life without the wizard. He thought of the possibility that Fai could be dead before they got there. For some reason, that thought hurt. It hadn't hurt as much before though. There had been a pang of pain when they had thought he was dead in Outo, but he was forced to bear that pain and fight. Somehow, it hurt more this time around.

Suddenly, Syaoran looked up with an embarrassed blush.

" I'm sorry," he said. " I think I'm babbling."

Kurogane couldn't help but grin at that. The kid was too honest for his own good. Besides, they didn't have time to waste on what color blue the sky was. Kurogane made sure Souhi was secured and stood up straight.

" We should get going," he said, nodding for the door.

Syaoran gave an understanding smile and laughed, which was rare for the serious boy. He was the sturdy rock that Sakura could lean on. In Kurogane's mind, they were perfect for each other, but it was so cute that it was sickening.

" Yes," he said. " Let's go."

Needless to say, as soon as they left the house Syaoran and Sakura were attached by the hand. There was a light in Syaoran's eyes that Kurogane hadn't noticed before. Was that love?

As they ran through the marketplace, Kurogane decided that it was not the time to ponder that. He was a fighter, not a lover, at least not then. If he kept his head in the clouds, Ashura would certainly stab him in their inevitable battle.

There was no doubt that the two of them would go into battle, and Kurogane had to enter the arena with the knowledge that one of them wouldn't walk away alive. Something in his mind tried to remind him of his curse, the curse his princess bestowed on him. He chose to ignore this though, because if he didn't kill this man, he knew that Fai would die. Kurogane couldn't let that happen.

Soon enough, they reached the ruins of their battle from the day before. Sakura was on the verge of tears from seeing the corpses again, filled with an empathy unknown to the rest of mankind. Syaoran held her gently.

Kurogane, however, took a closer look at some of the bodies. A few of them had been stepped on so hard that there were marks from shoes left on them. There were hands that had been broken from the force.

" I think they've been here," he said. " Or at least Ashura has. That wizard wouldn't make a dent at all; he's so damn light."

There was no way to prove this, of course, but Kurogane couldn't think of a soul in Nebanos who would do this, and he knew that they hadn't left the bodies this way.

Syaoran nodded while Sakura whispered something to Mokona.

" Mokona," she asked. " Can you sense Fai's magic the same way you can sense my feathers?"

" Mm," Mokona said, lacking the ability to nod. " I can do it!"

This caught Syaoran and Kurogane's attention. It would definitely make things incredibly easier if Mokona could sense him. They watched carefully as Mokona was focused in concentration. Suddenly, Mokona's eyes shot open and he made a loud 'Mekyo' noise.

" I can sense him! He's nearby!" Mokona said, " and so is Sakura-chan's feather!"

" Sakura-hime's feather is near here?" Syaoran gasped.

Mokona bounced up and down in excitement, confirming that fact. Kurogane wondered if he was the only one who saw Syaoran's eyes light up at that.

" Yeah," Mokona said. " But there's another magic too. It's kinda like Fai's but at the same time it's not, you know?"

Kurogane roughly grabbed Mokona by the ears and lifted it up so he could yell at it face to face.

" No I don't know, you white manjyu!" he growled. " You're not making any sense what-so-ever!"

" Waa! Kuro-wan is scary…" Mokona chirped, jumping on his shoulder.

Syaoran approached the two of them cautiously. He was always overly polite, not wanting to interrupt unless absolutely necessary. At that moment though, time was of the essence.

" Which way do we go Mokona?" he asked.

Mokona motioned to the woods just beyond the wreckage. Their battle had been on the very edge of the town, and Syaoran had hypothesized that the creature had come from the forest. It was probable that they might have to face that monster again. Kurogane was ready to risk that though.

" How fast can you run, kid?" he looked over at Syaoran and grinned. "You'd better keep up with me."

Syaoran nodded, taking Sakura by the hand.

" I will," he said simply.

With that, they were off and running twice as fast as before. Sakura was having a difficult time running with Syaoran, but she knew how dire the situation was and didn't ask to slow down. Kurogane looked almost graceful, the way he carefully dodged branches and rocks. He was used to running through the woods, seeing as there were woods like this in his own world.

He still didn't know if it was love that he felt for Fai, but the knot in his chest pulled him along like he were on a string. He would get there and he would save Fai. He had to, because Kurogane had finally come to the realization that he didn't know what he would do without him.

( A/N: Wow. Over 100 reviews. OO Thank you so much! I really appreciate it. : ) This chapter's a lot longer than the others too, and mildly happier than I usually write. XD Anyway, thank you very much everyone! Please R&R and I'll have the next chapter up very soon!)