Disclaimer: We don't own Tsubasa Chronicle. Also, the lyrics featured at the beginning are from a translation of the song Rakuen (Paradise) by the fabulous Do As Infinity. The translators at Mognet(dot)net have generously given us permission to include their translation. Thank you, Mognet!

This fic takes place directly after episode 26 of the anime, so at the end of season 1. And this last chapter is extra special, as it is devoted to our wonderful friend Ginger Ninja in honor of her upcoming birthday. Hope you enjoy it, Gin!

Blindly We Step Forward
By: Hane no Miko (link no miko + Koorino Megumi)

Aim for a paradise that you can't yet see
Somewhere in this endlessly expanding world
We'll walk there
No matter how far away

Don't turn away, look ahead
Until your body falls apart
You'll live on
Toward the future

Chapter 3: What was Changed

He woke slowly, painfully, something heavy weighing him down, centered over his chest. When he stirred the weight did as well, and the first thing Syaoran saw was Fye's smiling face above his own.

"Morning, Syaoran-kun."

It was only then that he realized Fye was the weight on his chest. The magician was pinning him to the ground, knees tucked up under his chin and his feet planted on Syaoran's left side. But the majority of his weight was on the boy's stomach.

"F-Fye...san...?"

"Oi!" Suddenly the weight was gone, only to be replaced by a much lighter, much more familiar one as Mokona took Fye's place, the magician hauled away by Kurogane.

"The hell were you doing!"

"Making sure he didn't try to attack me again."

"By sitting on him?"

"Mokona suggested it!"

"Syaoran," said creature spoke up, drawing the boy's attention away from the dueling adults, "are you okay now? Mokona and everyone were so worried."

He tried to smile but winced instead. His ribs hurt, and with the pain came the memory of why. "I...I'm okay, Mokona. Thank you."

The creature nodded, although he obviously didn't believe Syaoran. And he was about to say something, his expression unusually serious, when Sakura crawled into view, and just as quickly Mokona was smiling again as he bounced over to her.

"Sakura, did you see? Syaoran woke up!"

The princess nodded with a smile, crawling over beside the boy. She didn't hesitate at all, despite what had happened before, and seeing this, Syaoran felt a pang in his heart.

Of course she isn't afraid of me. Sakura could never be afraid of a friend...

"How are you feeling?" she asked, peering down at him with concern.

"I'm okay," he assured her quickly. He did not try to sit up, fearful of what might happen if he did. "And I'm sorry..."

The princess's eyes widened, and she frowned sadly, clasping her hands before her. "Syaoran-kun shouldn't be sorry!" she cried, "You just need to rest and get better..."

Syaoran blinked in surprise at that, but before he could reply, Fye came up behind her. He put a hand on her shoulder, gazing at Syaoran over her with his usual smile. "Sakura-chan is right," he stated, "Syaoran-kun needs to think about his health now and then."

Syaoran put his hands up, unable to help being embarrassed at all the attention. "Really, I'm fine now!"

"He's touching her again."

The boy's eyes widened, and he caught Fye's look in response, although he tried to hide his slip.

It's not all right...something is still wrong.

It's not safe for them to be near me!

Syaoran tried to sit up then, ignoring the pain that shot through his ribs. "We still need to find out if this world has a feather! There's no need to worry so much."

"Kid," Kurogane growled from his other side, and Syaoran turned his face to look up at the swordsman. "Shut up and lie down. You aren't going anywhere, not with a cracked rib and heat stroke." The archaeologist opened his mouth to protest, but Kurogane cut him off with a glare. "A good fighter knows when to rest. Don't make yourself an idiot because of this."

"Aww Kuromyuu, that's so meean."

"Kurogane dammit!"

"They're right, though," Sakura said quietly as she laid something cool and wet against his forehead, Mokona, Fye and Kurogane bickering in the background. The damp rag felt good and relaxed him immensely, and he made no protests as she continued to tend to him. "Syaoran-kun should take it easier."

"I know..."

"You don't."

"But you don't, Syaoran-kun." He blinked and looked at her, fear creeping into his eyes before he could beat it back down. The presence inside him smirked. "You push yourself so hard and...and sometimes you don't even realize, and it's not healthy."

"Princess..."

"I know I can't do much, and that like I am I have to depend on you, but..." She wrung out the rag and placed it against his forehead without looking at him. "Please depend on me too sometimes. Don't take it all on yourself."

Syaoran's heart beat faster, and suddenly all he could hear was his own voice, hollow and emotionless as it talked back to him from a twin face that was his and not at the same time. "You want her."

No. I won't let you hurt her!

"I'll take her from you."

The coolness suddenly felt like fire, and he closed his eyes, trying to push it away. To push him away.

"I won't, princess," he said, opening his eyes and smiling for her. Always, just for her. "I promise. But...I'm tired now. Could you...?" He hated lying to her, hated that he had to do this, but if she was near him, if he let her stay...

I won't let her get hurt...

Sakura smiled back at him and nodded. "Syaoran-kun should rest when he's tired." She took the cloth from his head for a moment, redampening it before carefully replacing it on his forehead. "Good night."

Syaoran kept the smile on his face, even as he felt the other within him stirring, whispering words that he would never share. "Good night, princess."

And the princess stepped away, her hands still clasped with worry, though she smiled at him. He forced himself to keep smiling back.

But then another voice interrupted with, "Sleep tight!" and Syaoran was distracted from watching his princess as Mokona bounced over to him, jumping onto his stomach. The light body collided just below his ribs, and Syaoran briefly wondered if even Mokona was being careful or if that was simply how it had happened. "Mokona wants to sleep, too!" the manjuu bun declared brightly, lying down against him.

The boy smiled, momentarily forgetting his fear for the others' safety as he took the creature in his hands. "Then Mokona should rest as well," he commented, and Mokona beamed at him before settling against him.

Calmed by the creature's presence, Syaoran closed his eyes. He could still feel the other within him, but his body had been put through too much and demanded rest. And with a friend so close, somehow he felt that it would be safe to give into that desire. Relaxing, arms still around the white manjuu, Syaoran allowed himself to drift off to sleep.

Things were hard to see--hazy, indistinct. But there was a dim pinprick of light ahead, and he knew that if he could just touch it, everything would be clear. All he had to do was reach it...

He felt a presence pass near him, and he turned quickly, reaching out to grab it, but his fingers touched upon nothing, and the feeling was gone. Unable to make sense of what it had been, he took a step forward and gasped as arms encircled him, their point of origin unknown. All he knew was that they were strong and steady and that they were pulling him further into the darkness.

And then the light was gone.

Sakura awoke with a start, a small gasp escaping her before smooth, warm hands gently covered her mouth, and she looked up to see Syaoran kneeling beside her, a finger to his lips. Beyond his hand she could see that he was smiling, and her own expression softened as she nodded and he took his hand away.

"Syaoran--" she started to say in her softest whisper, but he shook his head and put a finger against her lips, still smiling. Something flashed in his eyes, but she didn't understand it, and then he was standing and urging her up too, holding her hand gently. She stood as silently as she could, confused, but his soft smile eased her fears, and she nodded when he pointed away from camp, in the direction they had been traveling towards.

In the dark, she never noticed the way his left eye gleamed, dead to the world.

As the princess followed the archaeologist away from their small camp and into the cold desert, she suddenly felt something brush against her leg and let out a gasp.

Syaoran turned immediately, eyes concerned, but Sakura broke out into a smile as Mokona jumped into her arms. "Mokona wants to go, too!" the creature whispered, his cheerfulness obvious even in his soft words. The girl nodded, holding him against her, and turned back to Syaoran, smiling brightly to show him that everything was okay. He smiled as well, and they continued on their way.

As they got progressively farther from camp, however, Sakura began to feel concerned. She trusted Syaoran, of course, but wasn't this quite a bit of extra walking that they would have to do over again tomorrow with Fye and Kurogane? And what if Syaoran got sick again, way out here, when she was the only one with him? "Syaoran--" she started, but again he put a finger to his lips. Frustrated, she continued with a timid, "But aren't we a little far?"

He just shook his head, taking her hand in his to urge her on, and for the first time all journey, the girl began to feel a bit disconcerted by his silence. They were clearly so far out that no one would hear them, so why wouldn't he say anything?

However, in her arms, a certain white manjuu was singing softly but cheerfully about the stars in the sky and how he wanted to fly across it among them, and his obvious unconcern calmed her somewhat. If something was wrong, Mokona would surely react to it.

And then suddenly Sakura was faced with the sight of what Syaoran had taken her so far out to see.

The Ruins were huge, like giant wings curving up to kiss the sky. Even in the dark of night they glowed with their own light, bright like the stars, and she couldn't stop a gasp of surprise at seeing them. They were beautiful, so very terribly beautiful, but they scared her too, deep down in the part of her soul that had never truly left her.

Mokona continued to sing.

"Sy-Syaoran--" Again, he cut her off. As he pulled his hand away, Sakura frowned, lifting her own fingers to brush against her lips. They felt cold somehow when before they'd been so warm. When had his hands become so cold...?

D-don't doubt him! He's helping you, he's always helping you. Syaoran-kun would never hurt you.

...But why...does this feel so wrong...?

He grabbed her hand then, fingers soft and gentle against hers, but so very cold, and they began walking towards the Ruins, Syaoran leading the way silently.

And still Mokona sang.

She let Syaoran direct her down into the Ruins, into a corridor with a round symbol in the middle of the floor.

Are those...wings?

Syaoran stopped then, turning to her with a smile, and began to slowly kneel on the symbol, bringing her down with him. Confused, Sakura set a hand on the floor to steady herself as they knelt down, and suddenly everything changed. A tone rang throughout the room, a beautiful sound, reaching to her very soul.

Is it...calling me?

The world grew hazy around her, but at the same time so very, very clear, and suddenly Mokona's singing was gone, replaced with only the tone, and Syaoran's silence seemed perfectly appropriate. His hand was warm in hers. And as Sakura let the sound carry her away, she dimly realized that the floor was opening below her. But that was what was supposed to happen, wasn't it? They were both sinking into a deeper chamber, to the place where she would find the sound.

It is...it's calling me...

The world grew more and more distant, but Sakura didn't mind. She let her body move on its own, under Syaoran's lead, as she was fully engulfed in that beautiful sound.

Its call...I'll answer it...

And with that her will was entirely consumed.

He watched her through eyes that were no longer his, watched her follow him and trust him, and he screamed at her to stop, turn around, run away and please just go, but she didn't. He was a fool to think she would.

And then they entered the Ruins, entered that room that had taken her away from him so long ago, and something inside him snapped even as he heard the gentle, beautiful song.

They landed softly, so differently from the last time he'd been here, and they both stood. Syaoran railed and fought the presence within him even as it easily shoved him back, taking Sakura's hand and leading her towards the wall he'd saved her from.

No. No, not there! No, don't take her away from me again!

"You shouldn't have separated yourself from her, then."

...What?

"You pushed her away on your own. I picked her up."

That's not true!

Sakura made a sound beside him, and he looked over at her. The girl's eyes had closed, and she released his hand, her arms lifting at her sides as though moved by a strange wind. Before them, the wall shimmered and warped until the surface shone, bright and clear as a mirror, and Syaoran gasped.

Because the people looking back at them were not their reflections.

There was a man with an eyeglass, only his head visible through the mirror. He must have been sitting, for he was lower than the dark-haired woman whose face Syaoran could see just behind him. They were both watching, their expressions full of anticipation, as Sakura floated closer to the mirror, her fingertips brushing across the surface and beginning to sink within it.

No! She won't be taken from me! Not ever again!

Syaoran screamed and screamed inside, but the other just sneered, ignoring him as he watched the princess go, his eyes shining.

"First she will go, and then I will follow. We will go home together."

That is not her home! "Isn't it? And what home did she ever have with you?"

Syaoran struggled desperately, fighting against the presence controlling his body, but it continued to hold him back as if it took no effort to do so.

"It's too late. You've already lost her."

Sakura's arms had gone into the mirror now, and she was still moving, her face just inches from it. The other was right. She was leaving him, right before his eyes, and he could do nothing to save her.

No. NO! I won't lose her. I will NEVER let her go!

Sakura's body was nearly gone, the surface around her rippling like liquid. Syaoran's body wrenched, and he screamed, both in his head and out loud, the twin presence within him crying out in shock and pain. And then he was moving, running so fast it hurt, his arms reaching out and touching her, looping around her stomach--the mirror felt so cold, so cold, like ice and crystal and death--and then he was pulling her back, flinging his body as far away from the wall as he could.

They landed hard, and all the air was pushed from his lungs as his princess landed against him once again, silent and expressionless. Through the ripples in the wall, he could see that the strange bespeckled man had stood, rage distorting his features more than the mirror did, and the woman's eyes were narrowed in calculation.

"Boy!" the man said, his voice harsh and strained through his clenched teeth. Syaoran gently lifted Sakura away from him so he could stand and then pulled the girl up into his arms and turned to face the man.

"I will not let you take her. Not ever."

The man's eyes flashed as he stared the boy down. "I don't see how you can stop us, Syaoran."

He felt a kick to his gut at the man's words--pain and anger and confusion and so many emotions jumbled together he could never hope to sort them out. And inside he felt that other presence--that him that was not him--laugh, and even though he knew, he still had to ask.

"How...do you know my name...?"

The man smirked. "You know who I am," he replied simply, "And that this," his hand lifted and pointed towards Syaoran, and the boy knew the man meant his own defiance--his own control, "will never happen again."

The mirror began to fade then, the man and the woman disappearing as the pattern of wings resumed its place on the wall. At the same time, Syaoran heard a grinding sound coming from above him, and as he looked up in shock, he found that the passage that they had come down through was closing above them--and quickly.

Cradling the unconscious Sakura in his arms, Syaoran prepared to jump back up, running as fast as he could toward the opening. But even as he drew close, he could see that it was going too fast for him to make it.

But we have to get out of here!

"Kid, would you hurry the hell up?"

Syaoran's eyes widened at the voice, and as he watched in surprise, a very familiar sword was suddenly wedged in the opening, slowing the movement of the two slabs.

"We're coming!" he called in response, his determination renewed. He sped up to gain momentum, and then, carefully judging the angle as best as his vision could, he jumped, holding Sakura tightly against him.

I'll keep you safe.

Arms reached down to catch his outstretched one, and suddenly he was up and over the lip of the opening and Kurogane had wrenched his sword away. Sakura lay clutched against him, Mokona and Fye close by. The small white creature held one stubby hand to Sakura's forehead, a frown creasing his usually happy expression, and Fye removed his coat to lay over Syaoran's shoulders and Sakura's legs.

"Sakura..."

"What happened down there, Syaoran-kun?" Fye asked, voice light as usual, but his eyes and face held a seriousness the boy rarely saw.

"I..."

"No time," Kurogane interrupted, hurrying past them. "We're getting out of here and far away. Then we're gonna sit down and you're gonna explain exactly what the hell you were doing." His glare left no room for argument, and so Syaoran nodded and stood on shaky legs, holding his princess tightly against him with the magician's coat over her. Mokona huddled on his shoulder.

"Well then, I think we should hurry," Fye said quietly and started after the taller man, Syaoran following in his wake.

He didn't look back.

But as they walked out into the desert, all three were forced to stop abruptly. The sand was wavering before them, literally moving, and as Syaoran watched, he realized the sky was doing the same.

It's like in Outo! Does that mean...

"I was hoping this would end soon," Fye commented pleasantly, and Kurogane shot him a look.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It's not real."

The other two turned to Syaoran in surprise, and the boy found that even he was caught off-guard by his calm statement. Shouldn't he be sad to know that he hadn't really returned home? For a moment he was afraid that the words may not have come from him, but as he thought about it, he realized that wasn't the problem at all.

The home I'm looking for isn't this--it isn't just Clow itself. What about the people who lived there, like the king and the high priest? And the princess...

He drew the girl against him, holding her tight even as everything around him continued to waver and move.

My home...is wherever she is.

And in an instant, the world liquefied, melting like ice under the desert sun, until it all faded to black.

"So," Kurogane said, poking at the fire absently. They were all huddled together under his cloak again, only this time they sat in a field of wild flowers and not beneath the baking desert sun. Sakura still slept, cradled against Syaoran, and Fye sat slightly outside the circle of light.

"Let me get this straight. You," the samurai pointed the red-hot poker at the magician, who turned around and smiled happily, "knew that we were in an illusion." A nod. "The entire time." Another nod.

Kurogane's hand twitched around the poker. Fye beamed.

"And you," the swordsman said suddenly, turning his glare to the startled Syaoran. "The hell was going on with you!"

Syaoran paled, not sure he knew the exact answer to that question. The other presence hadn't made itself known since he'd defeated it to save Sakura, but he knew it was still there, resting within his heart, and the thought terrified him. Like this, he would be nothing but a liability to the team. If they could no longer trust him, if he could no longer trust himself...

"I...am not sure. I'm sorry for--"

"Don't apologize."

Syaoran stopped, startled at the dark-clad man's words, but Kurogane just stared into the fire as he poked at it.

"Don't apologize. Grow stronger instead." He looked up then, if only for a second, and then tossed the poker into the fire and stood. "Then we won't have to worry about this ever happening again."

"Ooh, Kurowan says such insightful things!"

"Shut the hell up!"

"Mokona wants to say insightful things, too!"

"Graaaah, get offa me!"

"But that illusion..." Syaoran murmured, looking down at the unconscious princess in his arms. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the magician's smile fade. "That was all set up for this to happen...wasn't it?"

Fye gave him a gentle smile in response, looking down at Sakura as well. "I don't think you have to worry about that, Syaoran-kun. No one meant for that to happen."

Syaoran turned to the man in surprise. "But how do you-"

Fye shushed him with a broadening of his smile. "Because you and Sakura-chan came back safe."

The boy just stared for a moment, but then he felt a stirring in his arms, and his gaze immediately turned to the girl who blinking up at him.

"Syaoran-kun...?"

Relief flooded through Syaoran at the name, his fears that she may have lost something important again fading in an instant. "How are you feeling, princess?"

"Just fine. But..." The girl gasped, pulling herself to a sitting position, Syaoran instinctively keeping an arm against her back. "Where are we?"

"Sakura woke up!" Mokona sang, "Look, Sakura! The illusion is gone now."

"Illusion...?"

"That's right, Sakura-chan," Fye said, leaning down and smiling at her. "We were caught in an illusion of your home. But we broke free."

She blinked up at him, then at Syaoran, and then smiled sadly. "I'm glad. I...didn't like it there."

Syaoran looked down at her in surprise. "Princess?"

"I'm glad that wasn't my real home. Because...it was so quiet. And sad." She looked away from Syaoran, twining her fingers together as they lay across her stomach. "I thought...it would be a very sad place to live in, if it was really like that."

"Princess..."

She looked up at him and smiled, and then moved away, away from the warmth of his arms, and suddenly the night was very cold.

Fye smiled at the two and quietly left the safety of the tent, stretching out his arms when he was out in the open. Mokona bounced over to the other man and hopped up onto his shoulder. The magician smiled and lay a hand gently on the little creature's head.

"Shall we, Mokona?"

His smile was all Fye needed.

"Neee, Kurotan, wait for uuuus!"

"Kuromyuu!"

Syaoran smiled at their two friends, not at all surprised that they would find a way to lighten the situation. It was something only Fye and Mokona possessed, and he was infinitely grateful that he'd been able to meet them. He didn't know what he'd do without their smiles to help him through the journey. Beside him, Sakura let out a pleased sigh as she warmed her hands by the fire, and Syaoran's expression softened as he watched her.

Mokona's and Fye's smiles served to help him through the hard times. But it was Sakura's smile that he was always aiming for.

She was his goal.

He wondered if he'd said something or made some kind of noise because she looked at him then, eyes shining and a smile brightening her face. And he knew the presence was still deep inside his heart, knew that the strange man and woman were still there, somewhere, waiting. Knew that things could never, ever be the same, that this journey would never end the way he dreamed it would every night.

But she still smiled for him, that smile just for him, and he thought that he could become strong enough.