Summary: After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...
Pairings: KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura
Disclaimer: Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.
Note: This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).
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A/N: With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!
It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy When Worlds Collide as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.
I hope you enjoy my fan fic!
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When Worlds Collide
Chapter 8 — Awakenings
By Mystic Dawn
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Kurogane first understood that he was in pain. Intense pain. Then the pain had ebbed away, and he had drifted back to sleep.
He vaguely realized that this peculiar process had been repeated two more times, and dimly recalled he had been given a hot beverage to drink the last time, which seemed to inflict his drowsiness.
And at long last, he had regained full consciousness.
He awoke to a dull headache and to a throat parched with thirst. The first sensations he felt were stiff and protesting muscles, and the second were searing pains along his back and chest. He tried to open his eyes but they stung horribly when the light hit them, and he screwed them tightly shut. After a moment he tried again; this time by squinting at first, until his vision had adjusted to the brightness. After he had managed that, he slowly and steadily opened his eyes wider, until he could finally stand the light and see with clarity.
He realized after a few moments that he was on his back, staring at the white-washed ceiling. He tried to turn his head to better view his surroundings, but he suddenly felt extremely dizzy and stopped; drawing even breaths to control the urge to be violently sick. But his deep breaths caused his chest to constrict in pain, so he tried to breathe less forcefully.
After a few moments, and after the sharp pains had subsided, he licked his dry lips, speculating on how to go about this. He finally came to the conclusion that he had to try and at least get up in a sitting position; what good would it do to remain on his back?
He tried to move his limbs, but every movement caused him agony. He couldn't even summon enough strength to move his arms. But he would not give up. He gritted his teeth determinedly and slowly raised his lower arms. Supporting his weight with his upper arms, he strained protesting muscles as he raised himself slowly and deliberately upon his elbows, ignoring the fire that suddenly erupted in his chest. Then he put his lower arms underneath his back and lifted himself up in a sitting position.
He very nearly blacked out again from the pain and nausea that ruthlessly attacked him, and dark specks danced across his eyes as he forced himself by sheer willpower to keep conscious. He breathed steadily and cautiously until the dizziness faded away, and was mildly surprised to find himself drenched with sweat for his efforts. He laid the palms of his hands upon the floor to support himself as he chanced a look around.
He saw that he was in a plain room, devoid of personal items and furniture save for the sleeping pallet he was upon and for a pile of cushions close-by. He looked down at himself and saw that he was stripped to the waist, wearing a pair of black pants trimmed in silver, and that he was bare-foot. He hardly registered these petty details, however, for his attention was drawn to his torso.
Large bandages were wrapped around him, and a specific area on the left side of his chest was stained with something crimson. What had happened? Had he been badly injured? Probably, by the way his chest and back relentlessly sent massive ripples of pain through him.
His eyes traveled around himself, steadily taking in his environment. He saw two broken arrows nearby. They were covered in blood. That's my blood, he realized with a jolt.
Then the memory of what had happened at the wedding came flooding back. Tomoyo! Was she safe? Was she all right? Had the assassin been apprehended? Or had the assassin managed to hurt her...?
Sinking feelings of alarm and anxiety had taken hold of him, but worst of all was a creeping sensation of dread that clutched at his heart. He quickly stood up, ignoring the staggering waves of pain that engulfed him; he had to find Tomoyo. But he had barely gotten to his feet when he felt the familiar dizziness kick in with astonishing force, and before he could stop himself, he had fallen forward with a loud thud!
At that noise, a group of people rushed into the room. Kurogane struggled to raise himself, but his chest and back ached too much. He dimly took in two pairs of hands lifting him up, and he gave off a low moan when his back and chest shot through with sudden pain. They laid him back against his sleeping pallet, and one person tried to give him something to drink. Remembering the hot liquid that had caused him to sleep before, he pushed it away, mumbling, "I don't want it..."
"It looks like Kuro-puu's finally recovering!" exclaimed one of the voices happily. "I was really beginning to wonder if he'd ever wake up!" The voice was light and witty, and there was a hint of mockery behind the words.
Kurogane struggled to make out the shapes that were around him, trying to force away the black spots flecking his vision, which threatened to overwhelm him and drag him back into the world of darkness. He frowned as he realized whose voice that was...
"Not you..." he groaned weakly.
"He recognized me!" Fay giggled.
Kurogane closed his eyes, counted to three, and opened them again. He found himself surrounded by the familiar faces of his friends; Sakura, Syaoran, Mokona, and Fay.
Kurogane struggled to raise himself. "What happened?" He winced as his chest and back throbbed painfully.
"Lie back," Sakura instructed him as she put a restraining hand on his shoulder and pushed him back on the pillows.
"Will somebody tell me what happened?" he snapped irritably.
"We can tell you some other time. For now, drink this." Sakura tried to give him the potion.
"No..." he groaned as he pushed it away. He had somewhat forgotten his worry and fear at first, but they now returned in full measure. Why was Sakura trying to keep him asleep? Had something horrible happened? He struggled to raise himself in a semi-sitting position, ignoring the waves of pain searing through him. "Ah...!"
"Kurogane-san! You're hurting yourself!" Syaoran tried to force him back on the sleeping pallet.
"Stop it," he snarled as he pushed his hands away. "Why the hell're you guys trying to pamper me?" His eyes widened. "What happened?!" he demanded, alarmed. "Did anything happen to Tomoyo-hime! That's it, isn't it? That's why you want to keep me asleep! Why aren't you telling me?!" He tried to rise, but he fell back with a sharp gasp as he clutched at his chest.
"Hold your horses, Kuro-bun," Fay chuckled. "You saw what happened when you tried to get up before. You fell flat on your face!"
Kurogane tried to glare at him, but he couldn't summon enough strength. "Tell me," he begged them in barely a whisper. "Is Tomoyo-hime hurt?"
Sakura smiled reassuringly at him. "No. She's perfectly fine. You saved her."
Kurogane sighed with relief, then grimaced slightly at another sharp stab of pain.
"How do you feel?" Mokona asked him tentatively.
"Sore," he said truthfully. "I've definitely had better days."
"I believe that," Fay grinned.
Kurogane pointedly ignored him. "Can I have some water?" he croaked after a pause.
Sakura got up and poured him a glass of water from a pitcher upon a small table. "Here you go," she said as she sat down upon a cushion beside him.
Kurogane arched his eyebrows. "It won't make me sleep, will it?"
Sakura giggled. "No. It's just water."
Kurogane gingerly hefted himself in a sitting position, which left him feeling light-headed and dizzy. His chest and back seared suddenly and he sagged back with a small groan.
Sakura cupped the back of his head with one hand and eased the glass to his lips with the other. He drank eagerly, some of the water spilling down his front. "More," he gasped. Sakura filled the glass again and repeated the same procedure. He drank again, less eagerly this time, savoring the way it cooled his burning throat down. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and sank back against the pillows with a small sigh. "That's better."
"Don't mention it," Sakura smiled.
Kurogane looked up at them expectantly. "Now will you tell me what happened?"
"Don't you remember the wedding?" Mokona asked him.
"I remember seeing the assassin about to shoot Tomoyo-hime, and me pushing her out of the way," he muttered, then frowned, trying to remember. "Then I remember pain, and shielding Tomoyo-hime again when another arrow was going to hit her. Then... I don't remember clearly... the assassin seemed to fall, and then everything went black."
"Well," Syaoran began. "I guess it all starts with the assassin." He regarded Kurogane with a serious expression. "It was Kazuo-san."
"What?!" Kurogane gasped weakly. "How... why... how can it be?! A ninja?! One of Tomoyo-hime's own ninja?! What...?" He would have never thought Kazuo capable of such an act. The young ninja had always seemed so innocent and naive... which, Kurogane now realized, must have been a mask to hide his true intentions.
Syaoran then recounted what had taken place; from Kazuo's confession, to Fay and Sakura finding the pendants, and to Dai's death and mysterious message.
Kurogane frowned. "But how come Tomoyo-hime's magic worked on the prince and not on the samurai and the assassin?" he wondered, recalling that Souma had told them that Tomoyo had been unable to question them.
"The thought crossed my mind once," Syaoran admitted, "and I asked Tomoyo-hime about it. She suspects that the One Without Destiny did it on purpose; she was able to question Dai-ouji only because he had allowed it."
Kurogane traced his mouth thoughtfully with one finger. "Then this guy wants to be found," he muttered. "There's definitely something wrong with this picture... but I can't put my finger on it..." Kurogane frowned. "I get the feeling that there's more to this than there seems..." He suddenly inhaled sharply as he felt fire flow through him, like thousands of knives twisting inside of him. He clenched his fists in the bed sheet as he doubled over in intense pain.
"Kurogane!" Mokona cried out in fear. "Are you all right?!"
Kurogane drew even breaths to try and steady himself. "My back..." he groaned. He leaned his forehead on his hands as he continued to draw shallow breaths, careful as to not set off his chest-wound as well. Then the pain ebbed away, and only a dull throb remained. After a few moments he raised his head. "I think it's passed now," he said quietly.
"Are you sure?" Sakura asked him anxiously.
"Yeah..." He gently eased himself back against the pillows.
Sakura bit on her lower lip in worry. Kurogane seemed so helpless and vulnerable... she would have never thought it possible that he could seem so frail. Not at all like the Kurogane she knew. Then again, this had been the first time he had nearly been killed.
"So... just out of curiosity," he said after a pause, "how long have I been asleep?"
"It's been close to... twelve days," Syaoran said carefully.
"What?! Twelve days...?" Kurogane said weakly. He sagged even deeper into the pillows. "What hit me?!"
"Two arrows!" Fay grinned. "Why, what did you expect? A day and you'd be a-okay?"
"No... but..." Kurogane exhaled. "Twelve days?" he repeated, amazed.
"We've got a question, too, by the way," Fay smiled after a few moments. "How is it that you reacted so fast to the attack? Before Kazuo-san had barely shot the arrow, I mean, since you couldn't have possibly sensed his aura because of the pendant?"
Kurogane squirmed uneasily. He definitely didn't want to reveal that it had been due to the fact that he couldn't stand looking at Tomoyo because of his feelings for her. "By chance, to tell you the truth. I... I guess I got bored or something and started looking around the throne room. I dunno why, but my eyes rose to the ceiling and there I saw him, about to shoot." He shrugged, bringing forth another ripple of pain, and he winced slightly. "So I did the only logical thing."
"Take the hit yourself," Fay supplied.
"That was an accident!" Kurogane said defensively. "I just wanted to get Tomoyo-hime out of the way, then I turned to see if he had shot..."
"But you have to admit, it was pretty obvious that you intentionally took the second hit, right?" Fay asked him, grinning hugely.
"Well..." Kurogane tried to say, feeling his face getting hot. "I..."
"Oh, shucks, Kuro-pon! It's so cute that you care so much about Tomoyo-chan!" Fay giggled.
Kurogane glared at him as he grabbed a pillow and threw it at his face. "Quit it with those damn nicknames!" he shouted, his chest throbbing again. "And—wait just a minute! Since when have you been calling her Tomoyo-chan?!" he demanded in horror.
"Do I see jealously rearing its ugly head?" Fay asked slyly as he peeked at him from behind the thrown pillow he had caught in mid-air.
The others tried to stifle their laughter.
"You're avoiding my question," Kurogane snarled in a deadly voice.
"It's nothing, really. We're just working together. It's so tiring calling someone 'princess' all the time, don't you agree?" he asked him with a grin.
"Working on what?" he demanded in a low and dangerous voice.
"Research as to what happened to Dai-ouji." Fay took on a kittenish smile. "We've all been pretty busy these last twelve days. Sakura-chan has been taking care of you, Syaoran-kun and Mokona have been poring over the Prophecy, and Tomoyo-chan and I have been researching Dark Contracts."
Kurogane glared at him furiously, and the fact that his chest hurt him made the glare even more intimidating.
"It is jealousy! You're jealous!" Fay laughed. "But never fear... I don't like her like you do. I like her like I like Sakura-chan, Syaoran-kun, Mokona, and you Kuro-tako! Like a friend!"
"Like her like you like...? " Kurogane muttered, trying to untangle all the likes. But it was too much for him to handle at the moment. He cleared his throat, and, upon trying to change the subject, he asked, "So have you found anything on these so-called Dark Contracts?"
"Nothing much," Fay sighed. "Tomoyo-chan's got a lot of books in the library that talk about magic, but since she's not a practitioner of the Dark Arts, we aren't making much of a headway. I mean, based on our knowledge and experience, we've come up with a pretty good picture of what happened, but it's still mostly guesswork."
"What do you think happened?" Syaoran asked him curiously. "You haven't told us yet."
"Well..." Fay mused. "Dai-ouji must've met the One Without Destiny sometime before he started courting Tomoyo-chan"—he ignored Kurogane's cringe at these words—"so it must've been a little over a year ago..." He pursed his lips for a few moments, then nodded to himself. "The One Without Destiny probably offered to help Dai-ouji with his little escapade of conquering Nihon and taking the throne of Semba from his brother. (Very ambitious fellow, wasn't he?) So, they wrote up the Contract, and the exchange for the One Without Destiny's aid was Dai-ouji's soul. He probably gave Dai-ouji the medallion so he could deceive Tomoyo-chan. Then he probably found some warriors and made some sort of Dark Contracts with them, too, so they could try to assassinate her, presumably with the purpose to fail. And then, he probably persuaded Kazuo-san to actually be successful. Dai-ouji must've wanted to blame Tomoyo-chan's death on Kazuo-san at first, so he could strike at Nihon when it was weak. The One Without Destiny probably helped Dai-ouji for the sole reason of getting rid of Tomoyo-chan." He shrugged exaggeratedly. "That's it."
"But..." Sakura said slowly. "The Prophecy said that the One Without Destiny is one of Fei Wang Reed's agents, right?"
"Then he's after the feathers, too," Syaoran muttered darkly.
"But why get rid of Tomoyo-hime?" Kurogane wondered. "If he's working for your enemy, then what—?" But he was interrupted in his musings by a light knock on the door.
Syaoran got up and opened the door a crack. "Yes?"
"May I come in?" asked a girl's voice tentatively.
Syaoran's eyes flitted to Kurogane once before slowly saying, "Of course..."
Suzue entered and caught her breath when she saw that Kurogane was awake. "Oh... Nii-chan!" she gasped as she rushed to his side. "How are you? Do you hurt?"
Kurogane started violently—so violently that he lapsed into an extended fit of coughing, which left him feeling winded and light-headed, his chest searing him painfully. "Suzue?! What're you doing here?!"
"I came to see you, of course!" she said brightly. "Mother and Father are here, too!"
"WHAT?!"
"Uh-huh!" she grinned. "I was so worried about you!" Her happy expression suddenly hardened. "What the hell were you thinking of, getting hit by two damn arrows?!"
"I didn't mean to..." he tried to explain.
"Yeah, right," she snorted. "You're too reckless! Always on the move... you should try to loosen up and relax! Fay-kun's a perfect example!"
"Don't you go telling me he's a good example and—hold it! Since when have you been on speaking terms with him?!" he demanded, extremely flustered.
"Since you were still out cold six days ago," she told him dryly. Her expression then turned sly. "Which reminds me... I know something that you don't," she said in a singsong voice.
"What...?" he asked her warily. Did he even want to find out?
"Kuro-min snores and smiwes when he sweeps," she said in a childish voice, artfully batting her eyelashes.
Kurogane's jaw dropped open. "What?!" he spluttered. He did not know what to argue with first. The fact that she was calling him Kuro-min which was one of the nicknames Fay had given him (Since when have they been talking with each other?! he thought furiously), or the fact that she had just blurted in front of the others that he snored and smiled when he slept (Smile? Me? In my sleep? What the hell was I dreaming of?! Aaah... it must have been that dream, he thought as he felt his face getting warm)?
Fay chortled, "Wooks wike Kuro-chii's a wiiittle embarrassed!"
"Oh, look! He's blushing!" Suzue giggled. "Right... there!" She pointed at his cheeks, which had become a light shade of pink.
The others were trying (unsuccessfully) to stifle their laughter.
Kurogane groaned and laid back against the pillows, covering his face with one. "Why the hell've you guys turned me into an object of derision?!"
"Ooh... Kuro-rin's learned how to use big words!" Fay teased. He was laughing so hard that he did not see the pillow flying at him until it hit him squarely in the face. "Ah!" he gasped in surprise, then giggled shrilly.
"Ha! Now maybe you'll put a cork in it, you bastard," Kurogane snarled. "And—!" But his words were cut short when his stomach gave off a large growl.
"Methinks you're hungry," Fay grinned.
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It had been four days since Kurogane had regained consciousness, and although he found that he could now stand with only a slight dizziness, he lurched somewhat whenever he tried to walk. "As soon as you can walk normally, the healers say there's no need for you to stay in bed anymore," Syaoran told him.
"Finally," Kurogane grunted. "I'm sick of lying in bed all the time. I feel so useless."
Syaoran smiled. "You're not at all useless. If it hadn't been for your fast reflexes, Tomoyo-hime would have been hit instead. You're a hero."
Kurogane sniffed. He had had no desire to become a hero. But that was what had happened. After he had woken up, he had had a number of guests; all were thankful that he had survived and that he had managed to save the Princess. Even Kurogane's parents had stopped by to see him; his mother had been overjoyed to find him (relatively) in good health and had fussed over him with a passion and his father had simply admonished that Kurogane was as reckless as ever, with a glare that made them all quail. Souma had passed by a little later, happy to see him alive and well, and had apologized about not warning him about his family sooner. But there was one person who hadn't paid him a visit yet, and he was wondering at that.
Tomoyo hadn't passed by yet.
He knew that she probably had better things to do than to visit wounded ninja, but he had saved her. She could have at least passed by to say thank you or something...
"Um..." Kurogane began tentatively. He did not want to make it seem as if he cared about it, but he just had to know. "So... how's Tomoyo-hime?" He screwed his face up in a sour expression. Stupid! I shouldn't have asked it like that!
"I don't really know, to tell you the truth. She's probably still caught up with her royal duties," Syaoran said in a low voice. He gave no hint if he had understood why Kurogane had asked him the specific question. "And the others are still trying to puzzle out that box. We're no help whatsoever since we don't have powers," he said heavily.
Just after Kurogane had come round to, a package and a letter from the King of Semba had arrived. In the letter, he had informed them that they had found some clues on the One Without Destiny. They had discovered that a wandering vagabond had decorated himself with the name about two years ago, and, until recently had been residing in a classy tavern in Sembia, Semba's capital, by the name of the Red Rose.
The vagabond in question had never removed his cloak, and he had drawn people to him with the 'tricks' he displayed. He had earned his keep by entertaining the customers in the tavern, and it turned out that Dai had gone for a drink there one day and had been fascinated by his 'magic'.
The King did not know how and when the two of them had met together and come up with their plans, and the tavern keeper had not been able to give them a satisfactory answer. "He seemed to be under some sort of spell and could have told us whatever we wanted—except that he couldn't tell us what we really wanted regarding Dai and the vagabond," he had said in his letter.
And when the King had ordered his guards to have the vagabond apprehended, they had found no trace of him, save that his rooms had had the appearance of a hasty departure and that he had left behind a small red box that they had been unable to open, which he had given to Tomoyo.
So, Tomoyo had handed the box over to Fay, Sakura and Mokona because she had fallen behind in some of her duties and needed to catch up. The threesome had been trying to open it ever since, for it was obviously protected by some sort of magic spell. They passed by every now and then to check up on Syaoran and Kurogane, informing them every time that they still hadn't managed to open the box.
Syaoran had decided to keep Kurogane company since he had raised his hands in defeat on the Prophecy. It was so confusing and incomprehensible—full of riddles and tantalizing hints that made no sense at all—that he had half a mind to never look at it again. Kurogane didn't want to admit it, but he felt grateful for Syaoran's company; he was able to keep up a civilized and mature conversation with him, unlike with others...
"Yeah..." Kurogane sighed. "Well, at least that idiot's not hanging around, tormenting me all the time."
Syaoran leaned his elbows upon the windowsill behind him. "Fay-san may be somewhat frivolous and annoying at times... but it looks like your sister's replaced him in that," he pointed out with a wry smile.
Dong...
"Ever since they met and that bastard taught her all of those damn nicknames she's been literally driving me up the wall," Kurogane grumbled irritably. "And I don't trust the way she talks about him..." He was feeling very over-protective of his little sister.
Syaoran looked up, frowning. He thought he had heard something that sounded like a gong. "Did you hear that?" he asked Kurogane slowly.
"Hear what?" he demanded, arching an eyebrow. He hadn't heard anything, and he was wondering whether Syaoran was feeling all right.
Dong...
"There it is again!" Syaoran gasped.
Doku doku doku...
A heartbeat? Syaoran wondered. "Ah!" His right eye suddenly seared with pain and he collapsed, falling to his knees.
"Eh? Kid?" Kurogane gingerly raised himself as quickly as he could afford his protesting muscles. "Are you okay?"
Syaoran did not answer. Images seemed to flash before his eye, which he kept tightly shut. Images of... a dark place... and some sort of green light... and a boy... with red markings...
Syaoran... he heard a faint voice call him.
Who are you? he said warily.
You are in danger...
What?! Syaoran demanded.
To your left...
Syaoran did not know what came over him then. He wondered about it afterward, and he felt terrible for initially trusting the voice. But it was as if all reason had left him when he turned to attack someone who had been approaching him from the left without being able to control himself.
"What happened?" Kurogane asked him anxiously as he wobbled to his side. He laid his hand on his shoulder worriedly.
Syaoran's reply was an immense kick that got Kurogane in his abdomen and sent him flying into the wall. "Argh!" he cried out as his body flashed with intense pain and the air rushed out of his lungs. He lay stunned for a moment on the ground, drawing ragged breaths. "What the hell's gotten into you?!" he gasped as he struggled to get to his feet, his hands gripping at the wall in an attempt to raise himself.
Syaoran did not answer. He seemed to have lost control of his body. He straightened and approached Kurogane with sure and steady steps.
You must kill him...
But it's Kurogane-san! Syaoran's mind screamed in protest.
He is the enemy...
Not Kurogane-san! Syaoran tried to control his hands, which were gripping the hilt of his sword.
Kurogane lurched unsteadily to his feet, clutching his torso, then fell to his knees again. The kid's not himself! He's acting just like when we first got here... Kurogane knew that there would be no way Syaoran would regain control over himself anytime soon. He quickly tried to think of a way of immobilizing him without hurting him. But Syaoran was approaching rapidly, and he was drawing his sword.
And he had been cornered, and had no weapon himself.
Syaoran was now before Kurogane, and he raised Hien in the air, ready to deliver the fatal blow. No! Please! Stop!
For one of the first times in his life, Kurogane felt totally helpless. He was in pain and had no way to protect himself. His eyes were wide as they beheld the sword, which had started its descent...
NOOOOOOOOOO! Syaoran exclaimed in horror.
Kurogane reacted on instinct; he raised his hands and caught the blade between them, his palms pressed against the cool steel as he tried to force the sword away. "Get a grip!" he cried as he summoned all the strength he could muster and pushed Hien away. "This isn't you!"
I know! Syaoran said silently. But I can't stop myself! I can hear you, but I can't do anything! His arm shot out again, and, with a swinging sweep, he nearly decapitated Kurogane hadn't the latter ducked in time.
Kurogane crouched low, his right hand upon the ground and his left arched in the air, ignoring protesting muscles and spasms of pain as he calculated the distance separating them. He narrowed his eyes in speculation as he leapt out of the way of another sudden attack. He continued to dodge Syaoran's blows, until finally spotted an opening; Kurogane lunged and tackled him to the ground.
Syaoran hit the ground hard, his lungs exploding as the air siphoned out of them and his sword skittered away. Kurogane fell upon him and quickly gripped his wrists, his knees effectively pinned against his chest. "Wake up!" he snapped. "You have to control it!" He had to bring him back to his senses somehow. Then it came to him. "Think of what would've happened if the Princess had been here instead of me!"
Syaoran glared at Kurogane with utter loathing in his eyes as he thrashed beneath him, trying to escape. But upon hearing about Sakura, his eye shot through with a painful stab, and he found that he could control himself once more. His limbs relaxed and his eyes widened as he gasped in terror. "I'm sorry..." he croaked. "I... I couldn't stop myself..."
Kurogane got off of him and offered him his hand. Syaoran took the offered hand and pulled himself to his feet. He hesitated, then bowed low in apology. "I'm so sorry..."
At that moment the door opened and Fay, Mokona and Sakura entered.
Fay arched a brow upon seeing the expressions on their faces. "I'm guessing something happened." It wasn't a question, but a statement.
"Exactly," Kurogane said. He turned back to Syaoran, regarding him curiously. "What the hell happened?"
"I don't really know..." Syaoran muttered. "I heard something like a gong, and then a heartbeat. Then I thought I saw a boy with red markings on his arms, and someone called my name..." He swallowed. "He... he told me I was in danger and I couldn't control myself... and I attacked you..." His voice cracked slightly. "He told me I had to kill you... that... that you were the enemy... I didn't want to, but I couldn't stop myself... I'm sorry..."
Kurogane put his hand to his chin, frowning. This sounded serious. For someone to force Syaoran to attack his companions...? But what did the boy with red markings have to do with Syaoran? Could he have controlled him? Could he be the One Without Destiny? "Has this ever happened to you before?" he asked. "Other than when we first arrived here?"
Sakura frowned at that, but said nothing.
"When we were in Sharano, my eye hurt me three times, and one of those times I felt I had lost control of my limbs, if only for a moment. And then in Piffle, I saw a dream with him in it. Someone was calling me... and the voice..." Syaoran faltered. He had a faint suspicion... but should he share it? "I... he sounded like someone I knew... and the boy... looked... like me..." he finally finished tonelessly.
"Syaoran-kun," Sakura gasped as she took his hands in hers, "you'd never want to hurt us, I know it. It wasn't your fault."
"But I couldn't control myself... it was my fault, I should've fought against it... and I nearly... I nearly... I'm so sorry, Kurogane-san, please, forgive me..."
"Hey, it's okay," Kurogane told him gruffly. "At least it happened when I was here."
"Aren't you perhaps a little too overconfident?" Fay asked him with a sly smile.
Kurogane snorted, then grimaced slightly at the usual sharp twinge of pain. "No, I'm not. What would you have done if he'd attacked you?" he snapped.
Fay pursed his lips in thought. "Good point," he finally said.
Kurogane shook his head in dismay. "The fact that remains is that someone is interfering here. It's happened before and—hang on, did something like this ever happen to you before Sharano?"
Syaoran shook his head.
"Hmm..." Fay's eyebrows furrowed in thought. "But we can't overrule the possibility that this won't happen again. It probably will, and it's something we can't risk."
"I don't think it's something we can stop," Kurogane pointed out. "It's obvious that this is something the kid'll have to puzzle out on his own. The enemy's using him and not any of us for a reason."
"But he's using Syaoran-kun to get to us," Sakura interjected. "Can't we do something to prevent this from happening again?"
"No," Syaoran said quietly, causing their heads to turn in his direction. "Kurogane-san is right. This is something that has to do with me and me alone. If Fei Wang Reed or the One Without Destiny or whoever it is who controls me controls me again, it'll be up to me to stop him. There's nothing any of you can do." His face was serious, and in his eyes shone a determination that spoke volumes. "It's my problem and I have to face it."
"But, Syaoran-kun," Sakura protested, "we can't let you face something like this alone!"
"Not when something like this concerns us all," said Fay.
"There's nothing you can do!" Syaoran suddenly exclaimed. "It's not like you can open my head at leisure and remove whatever offends you! I'm not a book or an object that you can change according to your tastes! I'm a human, a human who has a will of his own. And that will is being tested." He drew a deep breath. "Don't you understand? It's something that has to do with me alone. It's only using me. So it's something I have to fight against."
Sakura's face betrayed that she felt helpless that she could not do anything for Syaoran and that she was very worried about him. Fay also seemed as if he wanted to say something that could prove the opposite of all that Syaoran claimed, but he could not find the words to show him wrong.
Kurogane nodded. "I'm sure that if you work your hardest, you'll figure this out."
Syaoran looked up curiously at him. It was not often that Kurogane gave advice or spoke praise for anyone, but here he was, telling him that he had complete confidence in him and in his abilities. It made Syaoran find renewed strength, and he felt that he could face anything now.
"Did the garments bear a strange symbol?" Fay suddenly piped up.
"Eh?" said Syaoran and Kurogane.
"The clothes this... boy... was wearing. Did they have a strange symbol upon them?"
"Now that I think about it... a strange circular shape..." Syaoran admitted.
Fay pulled out a black amulet from his obi belt. "Did it look like this?"
The amulet in question was made out of a strange black metal with a circular deep-red background on it. It was decorated with a peculiar black symbol that looked vaguely like a diamond at the bottom with two outstretched wings at its sides, crawling upward. The symbol irresistibly resembled a bat more than anything else.
"That's it!" Syaoran gasped. "But where...?"
"Sakura-chan managed to open the box," Fay told him and Kurogane. "It turned out to open with a simple spell, actually. Ridiculously simple, like most simple spells you first thought complicated. Well, this amulet was in it. Along with this," he said as he opened it and pulled out a small folded piece of yellowed parchment. He unfolded it and showed it to them. The writing was so small that they had to squint to make out the ideograms.
"Meet me upon November's full moon at midnight atop Solar Tower," Syaoran read.
It was addressed to the One Without Destiny.
"Solar Tower...?" Kurogane muttered slowly. "Wait a minute!" he gasped. "That's one of the Two Towers!"
"What are those?" Syaoran asked him curiously.
"The Two Towers are the Lunar Tower and the Solar Tower," Kurogane explained. "The Solar Tower is in Semba and the Lunar Tower is in Nihon. They're ancient structures that were made thousands of years ago. We've never found out their true purpose. They just exist." He scratched his head. "They're something like relics, you could say. Possibly monuments to forgotten gods. We don't have the slightest idea why they were made or if they actually do something, except for an obscure myth that goes way back."
"Which is?" Syaoran asked him eagerly.
Kurogane snorted in disbelief at Syaoran's fascination before finally shrugging and saying, "Well, according to legend, Nihon and Semba were once one country that was ruled in peace and in harmony by two divinities. The Solar Divinity was Amaterasu Omikami and the Lunar Divinity was Tsukuyomi No Mikoto, and they were siblings. But after a number of years had passed, they found that they couldn't always agree when making decisions for the welfare of their people. So they decided to spilt the country into Nihon and Semba. Amaterasu Omikami created the Solar Tower to reside in and to rule over Semba, and Tsukuyomi No Mikoto did likewise, creating the Lunar Tower to rule over Nihon. But because of this separation, an enmity grew between the peoples of Nihon and Semba, and they fought constantly amongst themselves. The two divinities were disappointed by mankind's failure to cooperate and departed from the world of mortals to reside in the spirit world, leaving them to their own devices. But legend has it that if one of pure heart attempts to reunite Nihon and Semba, the divinities will return to rule united once more and the land will prosper." Kurogane shrugged, wincing slightly. "But as I said, it's just a myth. A stupid fairytale..."
"But... the One Without Destiny is supposed to meet someone at Solar Tower..." Sakura murmured. "When's the next full moon?"
"I'd say in around ten days," Fay mused.
"The One Without Destiny is Fei Wang's agent," Sakura said as she frowned in thought. "And now we know that Fei Wang must be the one behind what's been happening to Syaoran-kun since the boy in his dreams bears the same symbol as this amulet. The One Without Destiny is supposed to meet someone at Solar Tower at the next full moon. Someone who must also be working for Fei Wang," she concluded.
"But isn't it odd?" Syaoran wondered. "Solar Tower symbolizes the sun. To meet someone atop Solar Tower at the full moon...?"
"A paradox?" Fay suggested.
"It's possible."
Fay nodded. "Perhaps Sakura-chan's feathers may have something to do with this meeting." He turned to the white creature on his shoulder. "Mokona?"
"There's definitely a lot of magic southward," Mokona confirmed. "All the magic that's been interfering has been coming from the south."
Syaoran clenched his fist determinedly. "That means that we have to go to Semba. To Solar Tower."
"Hyu! We shall embark upon another long and perilous journey with Syaoran-kun in the lead!" Fay giggled. "Team Tsubasa's back on track!"
Kurogane frowned. Team Tsubasa... was he still a part of it? He honestly did not know. He was back home, but his friends were still here, in search of the feather. Could he offer them his aid? At least one more time? He sincerely wanted to. They had been through a lot together, and he couldn't bear to leave them. Not yet, at least.
But it was obvious that the situation had gone beyond him now. From someone plotting against Tomoyo, then turning out to be one of Fei Wang's agents? Something strange was happening in his home-world. What could Fei Wang possibly want with Tomoyo? Wasn't he after the feathers? Did Tomoyo have anything to do with Fei Wang?
But maybe... because Tomoyo had shown them the Prophecy, she had become a target. But that didn't make any sense; the One Without Destiny had started sending assassins after her long before they had found out about the Prophecy. And one of them must have surely been from a different dimension.
What on earth was going on?
Tomoyo... Kurogane sighed. Now that things had quieted down should he dare to make a move? To tell her how he felt for her? He saw what had happened because of him not saying anything. But he also knew that he was just a ninja and that she was the Princess of Nihon. What could he ever hope to accomplish?
But what had Sakura told him before? "I'm a princess, too, and it wouldn't matter to me if I were in her place. Who cares if you're just a warrior? If you were earnest, and told her, something might actually happen! If you really love her, you have to risk it!"
So should he risk it? Should he tell Tomoyo how he truly felt for her? How did he feel for her, anyway? He wanted to protect her from danger. Whenever he looked at her, his heart leapt in adoration. He felt a warm sense of serenity whenever he was near her and whenever he was talking with her...
He loved her.
But... what if she refused him? He didn't know if he could bear it. He had never felt anything similar for anyone else before. Would he be able to get over her if that was the case?
"KURO-WANKORO!" Fay suddenly screeched in his ear.
"Gah!" Kurogane exclaimed as he started violently. "What the hell was that for?!" he shouted angrily.
"Kuro-muu wasn't answering our calls, so I took drastic measures," he laughed. "You were gone for a few moments, there. It seemed as if you were thinking about something reaaaaally deep." He wrapped one arm around Kurogane's shoulders and drew close. "It was something about Tomoyo-chan, wasn't it?" he whispered in his ear.
Kurogane furiously pushed Fay away. "I don't have to answer that," he retorted hotly.
"Nyan nyan! It was! I knew it!" Fay giggled as he jumped up and down. "Hyu! Kuro-wan's a lovesick doggy! A big lovesick doggy!"
Kurogane lunged at Fay, but Fay was too quick and leapt away, laughing his head off, singing, "Kuro-chan's in looove! Kuro-chan's in loooooove!"
"Shut up!" he bellowed at him.
"Kuro-chan's in looooove! Kuro-chan's in looooooove!"
Sakura, Syaoran and Mokona collapsed onto the floor in a heap; Sakura and Syaoran were seat-dropping nervously, whereas Mokona was laughing so hard that it couldn't even support its own weight.
Kurogane glared at Fay. "Shut it, you friggin' bastard! I'm sick of you!" he spat. He fell upon his sleeping pallet with a plop and bowed his head between his knees.
Fay unceremoniously settled down on a cushion in front of Kurogane. "Is Kuro-rin okay?" he asked, grinning.
"Get away from me or I swear I'll hurt you," he threatened him in a low and muffled voice.
Fay arched an eyebrow. "You really do love her, don't you?" he asked him quietly.
Kurogane's head snapped up and he opened his mouth to retort angrily, but upon seeing the serious expression on Fay's face, he simply nodded.
Fay smiled blissfully. "It must be a nice feeling. Being in love. Your heart leaping whenever you hear that person's name. Having your mind on that person all the time, even if you're asleep. To take one look at that person and lose yourself in that person's beauty and character..."
Kurogane regarded him curiously, frowning slightly. He had never heard Fay speak in such a manner before. Almost as if he, too, had experienced something similar...
Fay turned to look at Sakura and Syaoran. "Right?" he asked them innocently, grinning hugely.
Sakura stood up and brushed her robes nervously, blushing slightly as she nodded, whereas Syaoran remained where he was sitting, but bowed his head as he blushed profusely.
Fay turned back to Kurogane. "You're going to have to tell her," he told him in a matter-of-fact tone.
Kurogane scowled. Fay was right, but what was he even going to say to her? Oh, Tomoyo, guess what. I love you. He shuddered. No way! It sounds ridiculous!
"Kurogane-san," Sakura started to say as she sat down beside Fay, "it won't do any good to ignore your feelings. You'll just feel worse."
"But..." he said, struggling to explain himself. "How am I even gonna tell her...?"
"Well... don't be crude and blunt," she advised him. "Start with something like, 'Do you remember how we first met?' That's a nice phrase," she smiled.
"Sakura-chan, Kuro-pippi can't possibly say something like that," Fay chortled. "He's gonna have to say something romantic to move her, something like, 'When I gaze into your eyes I seem to lose myself, for they are as deep and eternal as the sea.' That'll get her for sure!"
"That's too sudden and too elaborate, Fay-san! He has to start nice and simple, and go at it subtly and slowly," she pointed out.
"I know! I know!" Mokona squealed as it leapt upon Fay's head. "Kiss her! That's how she'll understand how you feel!"
Kurogane sweat-dropped and buried his face in a pillow. "Some help," he muttered sarcastically under his breath.
"Just be honest," Syaoran advised him solemnly as he got to his feet. "Tell her what's going on in your heart. From then on, it doesn't matter what words you use, as long as you mean them."
Kurogane looked up. Syaoran seemed somehow... different. His hard and serious face had softened, and his eyes seemed to be gazing at something that only he could see. Only then did Kurogane realize that he and Syaoran were very much alike, for Syaoran himself cared for someone deeply and had not said anything, just like him. But Syaoran's case was different. He had given a price and he had accepted it. But there were no such restrictions on Kurogane. So why not make the most of it? There would be no better opportunity.
Kurogane nodded in thanks. "That's the best advice I've heard yet." He grunted as he bent and began to pull on his boots.
"Er... what are you doing, Kurogane-san?" Sakura asked him timidly.
"Following your advice," he told them shortly as he finished tying up his bootlaces. He winced slightly as he stood up, then pulled on a simple black cape, being unable to find his shirt. "You guys're right. I'm going to have to tell her sooner or later." He drew a deep breath. "Now's as good a time as any." He squared his shoulders and turned toward the door. He paused. "Well... wish me luck."
He laid his hand against the door handle and was about to let himself out, but for Sakura calling him. "Kurogane-san," she said timidly.
"What?"
She smiled at him warmly. "Just be yourself."
A pause followed her advice. "Thanks," he said in a low voice, then drew open the door and left.
Fay leaned back upon the soft cushions with a large grin. "Now, we wait."
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To Be Continued
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A/N: Okay... about the Two Towers... I so didn't mean for it to sound like the Lord of the Rings, sorry! I suppose some things just rub off of me. However, Amaterasu Omikami and Tsukuyomi No Mikoto were in fact divinities, and the solar and lunar divinities, too, according to Shinto religion. But I used what I liked and created this legend. I mean no disrespect. After all, this is fiction, right?
And, of course, you're probably all aware by now that Syaoran isn't actually controlled/manipulated in the original storyline. At the time, we honestly had no idea about it, so I really expanded on it. I'm not sure how it'll turn out now, but oh, well! It's one of CLAMP's specialties to confuse us poor fans like this! XP
Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!