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 14 — Past Events
By Mystic Dawn
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Syaoran had the vague sense of floating effortlessly in a sea of darkness. He neither knew how he got there, nor what he was doing there. His limbs were stiff and would not yield to the effort he was exerting to move them. All that he understood in that dark, senseless place was that he was trapped. He was trapped and helpless. But worst of all, he was alone. So terribly alone. He had only felt like this once before when he had been very young. He had been wandering around aimlessly, hurting all over and stumbling with exhaustion, trying so hard to remember how he had gotten there and who he was, before he had been found and taken in by Fujitaka...
All of a sudden, Syaoran could see something different in the darkness. He saw a faint light in the distance that pulsed and steadily intensified with each passing second—a dazzling blue-green brilliance that surrounded him wholly. He was momentarily relieved that the scene around him had finally changed, but he still could not move a single muscle, no matter how hard he tried to. It was as if his limbs were as heavy as lead.
The next sensation he experienced was sound. A gentle, methodical rhythm filled his ears. It was a loud, yet soft sound, which reminded him of something, though he could not quite put his finger on it. Then he understood. It was the sound of a beating heart. Syaoran could even feel the vibrations as the heartbeat continued to reverberate all around him. And then, the sound of another heart joined the first. They beat together harmoniously, each a little different than the other, but after a few moments they synchronized and beat together as if they were one heart, though he could still tell that they were separate.
Syaoran... someone called him.
Syaoran recognized the voice. He could faintly discern a dark form in the hazy blue-green light before him, and he squinted to make it out. He then realized that it was the boy—the boy who looked exactly like him.
He was barefoot and wore dark-colored robes lined with red cloth, and he bore a peculiar black symbol upon a red circular background on his chest. It looked vaguely like a diamond with two outstretched wings at its sides that crawled upward—more like a bat than anything else. His brown hair swirled around his face, much in the same way hair would act when submerged in water, and he wore a black patch upon his left eye. His arms were wholly covered in red markings—from his upper arms to the tips of his fingers—his legs and feet similarly adorned. The only difference was that he had been younger the last time Syaoran had seen him, whereas now he was equal to him in age.
Syaoran...
His right eye opened, and Syaoran saw that it was amber-colored, just like his. The boy's expression remained resolute, but he raised one of his tattooed arms, as if beckoning to him.
Who...? Syaoran wondered in confusion.
Syaoran...
What do you want? he asked him tentatively, casting out his thought to him.
The time is nearing...
Nearing? Syaoran repeated, dumbfounded. Nearing for what?
Something is meant to happen...
What...?
And you can do nothing to prevent it...
What are you talking about?! he demanded angrily.
His doppelganger's face remained expressionless, but Syaoran could clearly hear the pulsing heartbeats falter, no longer beating together simultaneously. He wondered what was going on, but then he heard his name being called again, and the voice was frighteningly alluring.
Syaoran...
And everything around him vanished. The crystal-clear sound of a gong echoed in his ears as he felt himself swirling backward into an abyss of pitch-black darkness, and his right eye seared him painfully. Faster and faster he plummeted through the darkness as he tried to grasp at the air in a vain attempt to break his fall, but to no avail could his leaden arms willingly yield to his crumbling will. He continued to spiral into the depths of night, wildly spinning out of control, and—
Syaoran started awake and sat up, gasping for air. He was sweating profusely and his hands were visibly trembling. His gaze frantically traveled about the faintly illuminated room for an inkling—or maybe even a vague hint—of what he had just witnessed, but all he saw was Fay's form on the other side of the room. Fay had his back toward him, and by the regular sound of his breathing, the blond wizard was sound asleep.
Syaoran rubbed at his eyes wearily and lay back upon his sleeping pallet. He ran his hand through his hair, which was damp with cold sweat. "A dream?" he whispered to himself. "Was it really just a dream?" Somehow, he felt it might have been something more.
Syaoran tried to recall the things he had seen and heard. His need to gather, to evaluate, and to comprehend why this was happening to him was too great to be ignored. He felt that it might have something to do with his hidden past, but the voice had only referred to the future. What did he mean with all of those things he revealed to him? The time was nearing for something that was meant to happen... but what? No matter how much Syaoran contemplated the matter, he could not find a logical explanation to put his mind at ease.
But one thing he knew with a certainty was that he couldn't tell the others about his dream. For one thing, they would worry, and they already had enough to worry about without him adding to their load. Despite being extremely puzzled by his dream, Syaoran was also taking note of the remaining time left at their disposal, and he chafed at the delay. He knew that he had to curb his impatience for at least one more day, but it was difficult. Each wasted second meant another second gained by Fei Wang Reed, and that was something Syaoran was not willing to afford.
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Sakura yawned tiredly. "Oh, dear..." she mumbled as she sleepily rubbed at her eyes. "I must've fallen asleep all of a sudden again." She sat up and stretched her arms high above her head. She looked around the sunlit room, curiously taking in her surroundings. Mokona was sleeping peacefully by her side, and it giggled once in its sleep. Her gaze then fell upon Kurogane, and she arched a quizzical eyebrow. He was leaning upon the windowsill, looking down at the city listlessly, wearing an unfathomable look on his face. Sakura pursed her lips and her brow knitted as she wondered what the tall ninja might be thinking about to be wearing such a peculiar expression.
"You're awake," Kurogane suddenly said after a few moments without turning, surprising her somewhat.
"Uh, yeah," Sakura nodded nervously. She then smiled in greeting, "Good morning, Kurogane-san."
"Morning," he grunted in answer.
Sakura crawled out from under the covers carefully to avoid disturbing Mokona, and, pulling on her geta sandals, she joined him at the window.
The heavens had finally given way to the sunlight, and there was not a gray cloud in sight. The sky was a beautiful crisp-blue color, and the sun, which had now risen fully, was a blinding yellow-white sphere of brilliance.
Sakura looked down at the snow-filled courtyard and her deep-green eyes sparkled impishly. She was just itching to get her hands on some of that snow. She had never really had a chance to enjoy freshly-fallen snow—or any snow for the matter—and she was wondering if she could manage to persuade the others into playing in the snow with her. She knew that Fay and Mokona would probably accept jovially without any hesitation, but Kurogane and Syaoran were another matter. There was definitely no way on earth she could ever persuade Kurogane, but with the proper suggestions she could probably convince Syaoran that he could afford a small break from studying the Prophecy.
She grinned and leaned her elbows upon the sill, her hands supporting her chin. She thought it would be quite amusing to pelt Syaoran with snowballs. He would most certainly start enjoying himself after getting over his initial shyness, and anyway, he looked much more appealing when he wore a smile on his face. Sakura blushed sheepishly at the thought, and then turned even more red when she noticed that Kurogane was looking at her curiously through the corner of his eye.
"So..." she said, attempting to make conversation. "How long have I been asleep?"
Kurogane arched an eyebrow. "What's the last thing you remember?"
"We were all in this room and we were talking about going to the Red Rose. Syaoran mentioned that our pose as a merchant and his helpers might not be plausible, and that's when I suddenly felt extremely tired."
Kurogane grunted with assent and nodded. "You slept about half a day and all through the night," he informed her.
"Oh, dear," Sakura said quietly. "I've stalled us, haven't I?"
"No sweat. We've got it covered," he assured her gruffly. "The wizard and I went to the tavern last night while the others kept an eye on you. We found someone who can give us the information we need when we go back tonight."
Sakura blinked in confusion. "Who is this person?"
"A kid. Eight or nine years old, I think." Kurogane's expression turned sour. "He's a sneaky little pickpocket and he tried to steal from me," he mumbled.
"Tried?"
"I caught him at it before he had even had the chance to get close enough."
"And now he's going to help? How did that happen?"
Kurogane shrugged. "I didn't hurt him or hand him over to the guards, so he agreed to provide us with information. It was a fair trade."
"But how can such a young child find information?" she pressed.
"He's not just a kid," Kurogane disagreed. "Thieves and beggars and the like have their own kind of society with their own kind of rules. It's sort of complicated. Basically, each one of them can communicate with another despite the differences in the lines of work each one follows. They make pretty good spies, actually. All you do is give them something, preferably money or something of value, and they'll be a goldmine of information."
"Couldn't you have asked someone else? Like someone who works at the tavern?" she suggested tentatively.
"I guess. But since the opportunity presented itself, why not make the most of it?"
"I suppose you're right," Sakura conceded. "Thank goodness," she then sighed with relief. "I was really worried there for a few moments."
"What for?"
"I don't want to be the reason we were unprepared. We won't be able to confront the One Without Destiny without more information on him," she pointed out.
"Well, if that thief doesn't manage to come up with anything useful we can always resort to interrogating the regular patrons." Kurogane smirked. "I can be very persuasive if the situation demands it," he said grimly, cracking his knuckles.
Sakura sweat-dropped. Although she admired Kurogane, she found some of his tactics more than a little unnerving.
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"Okay, now we need some pro... provi..." Sakura muttered as she read with great difficulty from the small slip of parchment she was holding.
"Provisions?" Syaoran suggested.
"Yeah, that's it! Thanks!"
"These characters are sure hard to make sense of," Fay observed. "Good thing you can read them, Syaoran-kun, or else Kuro-tako'd be more than a liiittle displeased with us for not buying what he told us to!"
It was late morning and Sakura, Syaoran and Fay had gone out to buy some necessary supplies. It was better to have the dull, but needed, business of gathering their things over and done with before tomorrow. Hopefully, Kurogane and Fay would obtain ample information from the pickpocket when they would meet up with him that evening, which would ensure them to be able to set out tomorrow at first light for Solar Tower.
Kurogane had drawn up a list with the things they would be needing and he had given Syaoran some of his money. "The princess wouldn't know how to tell each coin apart," he had said, "and I don't trust that bastard"—he had pointedly ignored Fay's feigned crushed expression—"so I'm putting you in charge of the change. Make sure the shopkeepers and vendors don't swindle you, but don't give in to outrageously cheap prices," he had cautioned him.
"Because then something is probably wrong with the product in question," Syaoran had replied.
Kurogane had had some difficulty in hiding the fact that he was impressed that Syaoran had managed to remember some of the finer points in their discussion the previous morning. "Right," he had said with the hint of a small smile. Then he had taken off in another direction. Because of their disguise, Kurogane had had to pretend yesterday that he was interested in the price of wine at that season, just in case they were being watched. He had used the pretence of perhaps setting up a business in the capital, so he and Syaoran had also searched for an empty warehouse. Now Kurogane had to somehow spread the word to those he had spoken to that it was no longer in his interests to trade in Sembia. It was the only way they would be able to hide their tracks successfully.
"Doesn't Kurogane-san seem more cheerful to you of late?" Sakura then asked the two of them as they turned a corner.
"Yeah," Syaoran agreed, "ever since we arrived back in his home-world, actually. He seems more open and outgoing, for one thing."
"Yup! He's not so morose and he's even more willing to actually talk."
"Ahhh..." Fay closed his eye in a slow and deliberate wink. "But Kuro-pin wasn't exactly like that from the start, if you recall. He started acting like that only after his little chat with Tomoyo-chan."
Sakura and Fay broke into peals of silvery laughter, but Syaoran's smile was somewhat strained... for obvious reasons (an auburn-haired princess whom he could never admit his feelings to loomed largely in his awareness).
"It's actually very amusing to see Kuro-tako space out sometimes," Fay continued, grinning broadly. "I never thought I'd ever get the chance to see him in such a condition! Did you two notice his face this morning at breakfast? It took all of my willpower to control my teasing-streak."
"Oh, yes," Sakura chuckled. "You know that I can sense emotions and all, and I caught him with his heart all aflutter. He was remembering this specific..." She clamped her mouth shut and blushed furiously. "I'd better stop talking," she muttered, her face still aflame with embarrassment.
Fay laughed uproariously, his cerulean eyes alight with mischief. "Might I be able to convince you to indulge this vital piece of information to me so that I can taunt him about it afterward?" he asked Sakura slyly.
"Of course not, Fay-san!" she said in a shocked voice. "It's much too personal!"
"Awww... Sakura-chaaan, you're taking out all the fuuun in this," he moaned with a little pout.
"I like a good joke as much as the next person," she said defensively, "but this would have been going too far." She raised an eyebrow in question. "You weren't seriously considering to tease Kurogane-san if I told you... were you?"
"Nah, not really. I had a lot of fun at lunch yesterday, but I don't think I should provoke him too much. Yesterday was a bad day for him." Fay paused. "At least about Tomoyo-chan," he decided. Then his face suddenly lit up. "But that doesn't mean I can't tease him about other things," he said brightly. "That's such a relief! I was having trouble controlling myself today at breakfast."
Sakura and Syaoran exchanged amused expressions and grinned in spite of themselves. Fay's attitude definitely wasn't about to change anytime soon.
Sakura suddenly frowned. "But now that I think about it, I wasn't even trying to sense him," she mused, tapping her chin with her forefinger thoughtfully.
"Well, that's because when you sense someone's emotions you're doing it consciously," Fay explained, reverting to a more serious frame of mind. "You reach out to someone with your thought—meaning that you probe someone's emotions with your awareness—and he doesn't even realize it, unless he's highly skilled at magic and unless you do it subtly. But if someone's emotions are very intense, or if someone's feeling something very strong at the moment, you're liable to feel it too just by being close-by."
"Is that so?" Sakura sighed heavily. "I don't think I'll ever get the hang of using magic."
"These things take time," Fay told her. "So curb thy impatience and absorb the bounty knowledge doth provide us with to the fullest extent," he advised her with an archaic air.
Sakura giggled at Fay's imitation. "Hey"—she suddenly spotted a sign above a shop to their left—"doesn't that ideogram mean 'provisions'?" She looked down at the parchment in her hand. "It certainly resembles Kurogane-san's spelling of it."
Syaoran checked the list and then shaded his eyes against the sun's glare to better view the sign. He nodded. "Yes. This is our last stop." He walked up confidently to the entrance and stepped in, followed closely by Sakura and Fay.
"Morning to you, kind masters and miss," the shopkeeper greeted them with a stiff bow as soon as they had passed the threshold and gone into the store's interior. The store consisted of one narrow room with tall and cluttered shelves littered with an assortment of foodstuff. The owner himself was swarthy and wore a food-stained apron. He was none too clean, and he was hastily wiping his hands on a dirty rag. "Now, what brings you three here?" Despite his somewhat untidy appearance, his manners were at least passable.
"We'd like to buy some travel rations," Syaoran responded politely. "Enough for... six days," he added after a quick calculation.
As the owner began to suggest a variety of goods and Syaoran began to haggle with him about the prices, Sakura allowed her mind to wander. As she recalled, it was only two days to Solar Tower, and it was a one-way trip, for as soon as they retrieved her memory they would be on their way to the next world. Why need provisions for six days? Then she remembered with a sudden pang that Kurogane would have to return to Shirasagi Castle afterward. She fingered the small bit of parchment and sighed heavily. She still hadn't gotten quite used to the idea that they would part with him when this was all over.
"Do we have an agreement?" Syaoran asked the shopkeeper firmly after several minutes.
"You've gone and ruined me, that you have," the owner said, referring to the price as he sadly shook his head. He began to pluck various items from the shelves and stuff them in a bulky canvas bag. "I think I've seen you around before," he suddenly said in a conversational tone to him as he continued to fill the sack. "You passed outside yesterday morning with a tall black-haired fellow, didn't you?"
"I suppose so," Syaoran admitted carefully, wondering if this man had anything to do with Sakura's feather. "My master does, in fact, match that description. We were inquiring about the wine market this season."
"Any specific preferences?"
Syaoran knew that he was treading on dangerous ground and that he had to phrase his next words with the utmost care. Even Sakura and Fay had become more alert, and the atmosphere, unknown to the owner, had become tense. Sakura looked at Fay mutely, and he nodded slightly. She took a deep breath to clear her mind, set on probing the owner's awareness.
"My master is particularly interested in the quality surrounding saké," Syaoran said. "The demand is high this year."
"But I take it things didn't go according to plan?" the shopkeeper asked him shrewdly. "Good saké is hard to come by in these parts."
"Yes. Unfortunately, my master learned that the hard way. We're on our way to Jorsan to try our luck there." He chose a random name off the map, safely far from the capital.
"Jorsan?" the shopkeeper mused, tying up the sack. "That name rings a bell. Isn't it close to the border?"
"Yes," Syaoran admitted. "As is common knowledge, the rice fields there are quite fertile, which means a good amount of saké must have been let to ferment by now since they harvested them a few months ago." He was coming up with plausible facts on the spot, not even knowing if he was doing the right thing or not.
"That they are, that they are," the owner sighed wistfully, handing the sack over to Fay.
Syaoran paid the agreed price and bid the owner a polite farewell before they stepped out of the shop and onto the chilly street, making their way back to the inn. "Well, Sakura-chan?" Fay asked her expectantly. "Should we start suspecting that shopkeeper?"
"It was rather pointless sensing him," she said critically. "There was nothing of earth-shattering importance in his questions. It was a feeble attempt to see if he had done well in agreeing on the price he and Syaoran had settled on. He wanted to discover Syaoran's social status to see if he had gained or lost. He was only interested in talking shop, and he was also feeling rather peevish because of a previous customer with very rude manners." She shrugged. "As I said, it was a waste of time."
Fay blinked. "Sakura-chan, you managed to sort through all of his individual little quirks!" he exclaimed in surprise.
"Is that a good thing?" she asked him anxiously.
"I'll say! You're getting much better at sensing people!"
Sakura beamed with pride.
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Kurogane roamed the streets, making his way back to the Dragon's Den. Although the sky had remained clear all morning, the streets were still cluttered with snowdrifts, and the chill, dry odor of the air warned him that it would start raining before nightfall.
Kurogane's task had been successfully accomplished without any incidents. When some had asked him why he had changed his mind he had said that it simply did not suit him any longer to set up his business in Sembia (a good number of the wine-merchants had been evidently relieved that there would be no more competition to deal with).
Kurogane scratched at his cheek absent-mindedly, scrunching his face up in a self-accusatory expression. Something seemed odd and out of place. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he had the vague feeling that something was terribly wrong. He had had this feeling of wrongness ever since he had regained consciousness a little over a week ago.
He was suddenly interrupted in his musings by the familiar prickling sensation running along the back of his neck, making his hair stand on end. Someone was watching him.
Kurogane gave no outer indication that he had sensed anything and he continued along the street at a forced leisurely pace. However, his right hand was concealed beneath his cloak, and it sought out the hilt of his dagger. Kurogane turned to the right and stepped up to a garment seller's stall, making a show of inspecting his displayed wares. Kurogane's crimson eyes traveled around himself in search of the watcher, and, after a few moments, he located him; the tall silhouette of a man cowled in a tattered cloak at the mouth of an alleyway, standing in plain slight.
It was the mage.
Kurogane was not sure of it, but it looked like a sort of shimmering halo surrounded him, emitting a pale glow of white light. Kurogane frowned in confusion. Why wasn't the mage taking any care to hide himself? Kurogane fingered a silken scarf thoughtfully, pretending to be interested in it.
"Here now," the seller said in a rather irritated-sounding tone of voice, "what do you think you're doing there?"
Kurogane arched an eyebrow at him lazily. "You don't expect me to purchase something without examining it first, do you?"
Inwardly pleased at the prospect of a buyer, the seller suddenly became unctuously polite. "Oh, of course not, sir."
Kurogane sniffed as he looked down at the scarf. It was actually quite soft and wispy to the touch, and a pretty pale lavender color. Kurogane thought that it might look rather nice on Tomoyo. He frowned again, contemplating on what would be the best course to follow in dealing with the mage. But there was no need to, for at that moment the mage shimmered and vanished, yet again without a trace.
Kurogane closed his left hand in a fist and clenched his teeth together. "Damn it," he swore under his breath.
"Pardon?" the seller asked him, eyeing him curiously.
"Nothing," Kurogane mumbled.
"Have you made your decision yet, sir?"
"Oh... right." Kurogane shrugged as he cleared his throat, impulsively making up his mind. "So, how much is this?" he asked, holding up the scarf.
The seller's expression turned greedy. "It is of the finest silk in the land. It costs no more than six golds."
Kurogane choked slightly on the price. "Six?!" He held up the scarf in the seller's face and waved it slightly. "For a little thing like this? I could buy a heavy winter cloak at less than half the price."
They haggled for around ten minutes, and Kurogane left with a triumphant smirk on his face, managing to pay the price he had wanted. He safely stowed away the lavender scarf inside his cloak and continued on his way at a hurried walk.
Well, the whole morning hadn't been a complete waste of time. Kurogane had purchased a little present for Tomoyo, and he had also spotted the mage again. Kurogane's brow creased. What on earth did the mage want from them? Kurogane still felt as is he were missing something—and something important—and it continued to nag at him as he made his way back to the inn.
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"...So, this young thief will give us the information tonight," Fay concluded as he took a sip from his saké. "Hopefully, we'll be able to make use of it."
Sakura, Syaoran, and Fay were in the inn's common room, drifting over their finished lunch, and the blond wizard had found the opportunity to tell Syaoran what had happened last night at the Red Rose. It was nearing three hours after noon, and Kurogane still hadn't arrived yet.
Syaoran frowned in thought, mulling over what Fay had told him as he considered the possibility of there being any connections with his recent dream.
"Don't you think it's a bit odd, though?" Sakura wondered. "We know that the One Without Destiny somehow 'encouraged' the tavern keeper to 'forget' about him, which means that he probably did something similar to those who were working there too, now that I think about it. And then you just so happen to bump into this kid, who just so happens to offer to gather the information you want."
"It does sound sort of suspicious when you say it that way." Fay nodded. "I think you're on to something."
Encouraged by Fay's support, Sakura continued her speculation. "I just get the feeling that we're being led around... as if someone's helping us."
"Or interfering with us," Syaoran said darkly.
Fay scratched at his cheek. "I've been having an ill feeling ever since we left Shirasagi," he admitted. "Like something dreadful is going to happen soon."
At that moment, Kurogane ambled into the common room. Spotting the threesome after scanning the room with a cursory glance, he made his way to them, winding through the other tables.
"Didn't I tell you he'd eventually arrive for lunch?" Fay asked the adolescents cheerfully. "Doggies always come home when they get hungry!" He looked up at Kurogane, who had just reached their sides at that moment, with a big smile. "So what took you so long, Kuro-wankoro? I would've expected you to be the first one here!"
"Never mind that now," Kurogane said tersely, sinking into the vacant cushion beside him. "I saw that guy again," he told them in a bleak tone as he shrugged off his cloak.
"Who?" Syaoran demanded, raising his head sharply.
"That mage," Kurogane spat, pouring himself some saké. "I was on my way back here when my instincts kicked in again, warning me that I was being watched." He drank some wine from his cup and pulled his untouched plate toward him. "And then I saw him in front of an alley right in plain sight, sticking out like a sore thumb. And... I'm not sure, it could've been a trick of the light... but it looked like he was glowing, too."
"Glowing?" Fay asked him intently, sitting up straighter. "Glowing how?"
Kurogane scratched at his chin thoughtfully. "It was something like... a faint white light, bringing out his outline."
Fay frowned. "Go on," he said slowly.
"That's it," Kurogane shrugged. "He looked at me, I looked at him, and then he disappeared again." He speared a rice ball, shoving it in his mouth and chewing it vigorously. He hadn't realized how hungry he was.
"Doesn't it seem a little weird that only Kuro-sama's ever seen the mage?" Fay mused after a few moments.
"Are you calling me a liar?" Kurogane demanded hotly.
"No," Fay shook his head, "I was merely pointing out an observation. I mean, if this mage were after all of us, wouldn't he have been spying on us, too? Well, I didn't sense anyone near us while we were shopping. Did you, Sakura-chan?"
Sakura shook her head in the negative. "Nothing at all."
"Hang on," Kurogane interjected. "Lemme get this straight. You think this so-called mage's after me? What for?"
Fay grinned foolishly. "It is a little far-fetched, isn't it?"
Kurogane said nothing as he ate another rice ball. Was the probability of him being the mage's goal far-fetched, or did it just so happen to be the real case? Kurogane honestly had no idea what to surmise.
Syaoran's eyes suddenly widened in revelation as he drew in his breath sharply. "I think I've got it!" he exclaimed excitedly as he snapped his fingers.
"Got what?" Kurogane said.
"What's going on," Syaoran replied, his expression elevated. "Remember the part in the Prophecy Tomoyo-hime said didn't exist before? The one that says that Fei Wang Reed sent the One Without Destiny after us? It also says, 'And whilst they do not come face to face with the Dark One, the new piece shalt presently be added to the game, the Mage, to bring the numbers into balance with the interference of the One Without Destiny.' That's the mage Kurogane-san saw! The Mage!"
"Wait a minute, Syaoran-kun," Fay said, holding up a hand. "We don't even know this person. Who can guarantee us that he's on our side?"
"'Bring the numbers into balance,'" Syaoran quoted. "It's painstakingly obvious that the One Without Destiny is too strong for us, which means that someone of equal strength will help us! That's the mage!"
"I don't know..." Fay said dubiously. "Let's assume for a moment that this is the case. If it is, then why hasn't the mage shown himself?"
"But he has," Syaoran pointed out. "Kurogane-san's seen him twice."
"Yes, but what makes you think it's been the mage 'helping' us?" Fay protested. "If he were on our side, wouldn't he have tried to make contact with us?"
"Maybe he's looking for the right moment to approach us," Sakura suggested.
"I just don't think we should jump to conclusions," Fay said. "There must be a reason behind all of this. What does he want from us?"
"I don't think this mage is after us," Kurogane disagreed. "If he was, wouldn't he have attacked us already?"
"Who knows how the minds of those with nearly unlimited powers work?" Fay mused quietly. He sat in silent thought for a few moments, then shook his head slightly, as if coming out of a daze. "This mage is a powerful being," he explained. "He's even stronger than the One Without Destiny and probably even stronger than Tomoyo-chan."
Kurogane crossed his arms over his chest and scowled darkly. "Tomoyo's the most powerful sorceress in this world," he said in a voice ringing with pride. "Her powers are what keep Nihon safe from both dark and mundane forces. If it hadn't been for Tomoyo, Nihon would've been suppressed by other countries ages ago." He smirked. "All the other monarchs thought it'd be easy to conquer Nihon when she first ascended the throne because of her young age, but she sure showed them."
Fay rolled his eyes skyward and rubbed at his temple with a forefinger. "Don't let your feelings for her blind you from the obvious," he told the gloating ninja critically. "Tomoyo-chan's not all-powerful."
"What do you know?" Kurogane snapped, by his tone obviously dismissing Fay's words.
"More than you," Fay retorted, finally losing his patience with him. "It's not like you have any idea on magic, after all."
Kurogane shrugged indifferently, taking another sip from his cup. It stung him to admit that he lacked in any category, especially if Fay surpassed him in it (even though that category was magic, a category that Kurogane failed to fully comprehend).
"There are things most practitioners of magic would never dare to do," Fay told them in a low voice, with the air of one speaking from experience. "And yet, there are others who have given everything up—and I mean everything—to achieve their ends... no matter what the consequences. Just like our enemies. They'll stop at nothing to get their hands on what they want."
"Sakura's memories," Syaoran muttered darkly. "But how will we determine if the mage is like that?"
"I'll have to see him for myself. I can't reach a conclusion without a careful examination." He suddenly chuckled good-naturedly. "It'd be like trying to decide if the weather's fine without looking at the sky!"
Sakura shook her head, frowning. Their whole discussion on the mage was pure speculation, useless guessing that circled and circled and never got to the point. It was obvious that they couldn't do anything about him, so why bother in even trying?
Sakura cleared her throat loud enough to be heard. Once she had gotten their attention, she clasped her hands before her. "We've drifted from our original topic," she said briskly. "What we have to do is focus on one thing and that's the One Without Destiny. Everything else is secondary, including that mage." She eyed them each speculatively.
"You two," she said, pointing two fingers at Fay and Kurogane, who exchanged surprised looks at her sudden superiority, "are going to find out all you can on the One Without Destiny from that young thief when you go to that tavern tonight. If the information is not sufficient, you will thoroughly question the regular customers. And you," she said, rounding on a startled-looking Syaoran and shaking her forefinger, "are going to study that Prophecy front and back, until we manage to gather more information on the One Without Destiny. We will not go to that meeting at Solar Tower unprepared. I don't want anyone getting hurt because of our ignorance. Since we have a chance to discover our enemy's weaknesses, I say we take full advantage of it. Oh, and Moko-chan and I will pack our things and help Syaoran out with the Prophecy," she added. She raised her eyebrows. "Any questions?"
"No, Your Highness," Fay said with a totally straight face.
Sakura blinked. "Since when have you been calling me by my royal title?" she asked him, baffled.
"Since when have you been handing out royal commands?" Fay countered, flashing a mischievous grin.
"Oh..." Sakura blushed sheepishly. "I guess I got a little carried away," she giggled, sweat-dropping.
"That's what I call the making of a good ruler," Fay commented, still grinning hugely. "Sakura-chan's just proven the superiority of the female mind. Now why didn't any of us think of her nice simple solutions to our problems?"
Sakura smiled sweetly. "If I wanted to be spiteful, I could say that it was because you're men, and you men just adore unnecessary complications. It's not nice to be spiteful, though, so I won't say it." She gave them an arch little look. "I may think it, but I won't say it," she added brightly. She had always had a streak of mischievous impishness, and she had always wanted to say something like that. Admittedly, she had been reserving that little speech for her brother for ages now.
Syaoran's expression was one of shock, whereas Kurogane looked scandalized. Fay shook his head in mock self-pity. He then collapsed over the table, laughing uproariously.
———————————————
"Move it," Kurogane barked as he drew his hood up. "We'll be drenched if we don't hurry." He continued along the street, his long legs stretching out in a rapid stride, leaving Fay to lag behind.
Fay sighed in resignation, pulling up his own hood and quickening his pace to match Kurogane's. "Does it really matter if we're a few minutes late?" he huffed.
"Of course," Kurogane snapped impatiently.
"Well, it is raining," Fay gasped, trying to keep up with him. "Won't he understand?"
Kurogane slowed down enough to turn his head and give Fay a withering look of superiority. He turned forward again and said, "For people in his profession, timing is everything. If we're not there soon that sneak might just get up and leave. And where would that leave us?"
"Back at the start," Fay mourned, making a sour face when he stepped in a pool of rainwater, the water splashing up and soaking his legs. "So... how is it that you know so much about thieves?"
"I've had dealings with these kind of people before," Kurogane replied curtly.
"I see," Fay chuckled nastily. "You're not as innocent as I thought, then!"
Kurogane muttered an oath under his breath and pulled his cloak tighter about himself, trying to ignore both the annoying rain dripping down his back and Fay's annoying comments, which droned on and on.
After a few minutes, Kurogane and Fay eventually reached the Red Rose. It was with an evident sense of relief that they entered the warm interior, despite its bawdy atmosphere, escaping from the wrath of the squall, their cloaks heavy with rainwater. They made their way to the table they had been sitting at last night, where the boy-thief was waiting for them. His appearance was equally bedraggled as theirs, his arms were crossed over his chest, and he was scowling at them.
"And here I thought your glares were intimidating," Fay murmured to Kurogane as they took their seats at the table. "Hello there!" he greeted the youth enthusiastically.
"You're late," the boy said in a flat voice.
"Sorry about that," Fay apologized with a sheepish grin, pulling off his cloak. "I hope you didn't have to wait too long!"
"I was beginning to think you weren't desperate for that information. You sure acted like it was important yesterday."
At that moment, a serving-girl approached their table. She was a medium-sized brunette who seemed more modest and subdued than the previous barmaid. "Welcome to the Red Rose," she said in a soft, timid voice. "May I please take your orders?"
"Saké," the boy said promptly. "And leave the bottle here."
Kurogane and Fay exchanged surprised looks, but made no comment.
As soon as the barmaid had left, the boy arched a curious eyebrow at the two of them. "That's probably the only somewhat drinkable thing they've got here," he told them with the air of one who knew more than them on the subject. "Everything else is like pig-swill."
"How many times do you come here?" Fay asked the thief curiously in an attempt to make friendly conversation.
The boy shrugged. "Not too often for them to say I'm a regular patron, and yet not too rarely for me to stick out. It's actually a lucky thing for your red-eyed friend over here. The usual serving-wench would've probably been even more persistent in pursuing him if she wasn't busy at the moment." He frowned. "Did you want to continue with this pointless discussion or did you want to cut down to the chase?"
"You certainly speak your mind," Fay chuckled.
"I'm a little pressed for time. I've got to rob two houses before morning, you see."
"You take your line of work very seriously, don't you?"
"I have to if I want to keep my throat from being cut. Must we really go on with this meaningless chatter?"
"My sentiments exactly," Kurogane grunted.
The serving-maid returned and left them with three cups and a wine bottle. She bowed slightly and then went to another table to take orders, where some more soaked customers who had just arrived had taken their seats.
"So," Kurogane said, turning back to the thief, "I assume you managed to gather what we need?"
"Well, I did learn quite a bit. But before we get down to the details, I'd like for us to clarify something."
"Oh?" Fay piped up, pouring himself some of the wine. "Exactly what do you need clarified?"
The boy rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. "The price," he answered bluntly. "Information's valuable, and I can tell by the way you're acting that you two want it badly. I don't know if your intentions are honorable or not, and frankly, I don't care. The less I know the better, right? What I want to make is a tidy profit." He crossed his arms. "So how desperate are you two to get this information on the One Without Destiny? It'd better be worth my trudging through fragrant alleys and hiding in moldy cellars."
Fay turned to Kurogane with a hopeful and expectant little smile, and Kurogane groaned as he fished out some coins from his money-pouch, muttering under his breath.
"Tell me when you run out of words," the thief said in an amused tone. "I'm a fairly good swearer."
"You've got sharp ears," Kurogane grunted as he counted out how much money he had left.
"Pretty useful in hearing floorboards creak. It wouldn't do any good for a thief to be caught while he's working." He eyed Kurogane evenly. "Yesterday was an accident. It was the first time I'd ever been caught." He seemed to be implying something with his explanation.
"How's this?" Kurogane asked, laying two golds and three silvers on the table.
The boy scooped up the money, smiling wickedly. "Just fine... for a start."
Kurogane made a weird strangling noise, causing Fay to snigger heartily.
"Let's see..." the boy mused, leaning back. "Around two years ago, a vagabond arrived in Sembia. No one knew where he came from, but then, no one really cared to find out back then. Who'd ever pay attention to a homeless traveler? But the point is that he wasn't just any vagabond. For one thing, he aroused suspicions because he never removed his hooded cloak. No one ever got the chance to see his face, so many assumed that he was either ghastly deformed, or that he was taking great care to hide himself. Personally, I agree with the second opinion. If I was deformed, I wouldn't even dare to show myself in public.
"As I was saying, he wasn't your everyday run-of-the-mill wanderer. He had a purpose, a purpose, though, which isn't very clear." He sniffed professionally. "He firstly came to this tavern, looking for a place to stay. At first, the tavern keeper was reluctant to border the vagabond, because when he asked him if he had any money on him he actually said that he didn't, which was really stupid of him, in my opinion. Instead, the vagabond offered to entertain his customers. When the tavern keeper inquired as to what sort of entertainment he would provide, the vagabond told him that he was a traveling magician, and that he could amuse the customers as long as he stayed in Sembia."
"Amuse them in what way?" Fay inquired.
"He performed tricks," the boy explained. "Little lights would dance around his fingers, he'd create illusions of fabulous treasures and beautiful women, he'd make himself disappear and appear in another place in the room... stuff like that."
"Amateur," Fay sniffed in an undertone.
"Each night he'd eat his dinner in the tavern," the thief continued, "fool around with the more sleazy serving-wenches, and then he'd stand on his feet and make the same boring old speech in a thunderous voice. Pretty illuminating to what you'd might need, though," he added slyly. "He'd basically introduce himself as the One Without Destiny and say that there'd be a time when worlds would collide... or something like that. He was speaking with 'thee's' and 'thou's', so it was a little hard for me to follow him. Most people who start throwing those kinds of words around are raving lunatics." He shrugged helplessly. "Then the One Without Destiny would perform his regular show.
"Now, it just so happened that he became extremely famous. Every day he'd go out into the city and every night he'd return to the tavern and have his regular meal. By now, the tavern keeper didn't even mind that the One Without Destiny didn't pay for his room or meals because of his outstanding reputation. The tavern would be packed each night with people to see him, ensuring a nice profit for the tavern keeper.
"And this is actually the interesting part," the boy said eagerly. It was evident that he had been caught up with his own story, and seemed to be reaching the climax of his telling. "It happened around a year ago. The One Without Destiny attracted a very unusual customer one night... none other than that traitor, Prince Dai." He spat out the name with disgust. "He was the most revolting man you could ever clap your eyes on. He just came in one night, all high and mighty as if he owned the world, bawling for saké. The One Without Destiny was just about to make his regular speech when he saw the Prince. Now, this is actually the weird part, because instead of going on with his usual show, he told the room at large that he'd do something different, just for the honor of His Royal Highness," he said, emphasizing the last words with heavy sarcasm. "The One Without Destiny parted his cloak slightly, revealing these weird tight-fitting shiny black clothes—something like what warriors wear since a hakama would be cumbersome in a fight—and he pulled out something that was glowing like mad. It was this weird-looking feather in a ball of bright white light."
Fay and Kurogane exchanged furtive looks of understanding. That had to be, without a doubt, Sakura's memory fragment.
"So the One Without Destiny raised it above his head and said directly to him, 'If thine soul is as black as thine mind, exchange it for that which thine black heart craves for.' Well, it sounded like a bunch of mumbo-jumbo to me, but the Prince seemed to act as if those words had been very important. The One Without Destiny then put the pretty feather away and began his usual tricks. But afterward, instead of retiring for the night, he settled down at the Prince's table. Now, I was real curious at this change in the vagabond's performance, so I eavesdropped.
"He told him that he could recognize a 'kindred spirit' when he saw one, and asked him to what extremes he'd go to to get his hands on what he wants. Dai-ouji said that he'd do anything for power. So the One Without Destiny said that he'd help Dai-ouji if Dai-ouji helped him. Then they went upstairs to talk in greater detail. I couldn't follow because of his two bodyguards guarding the stairway, but when he came down an hour later he seemed even more vile-looking than he had been at first. It was obvious that those two were up to something.
"And then, a few days later, Prince Dai came back to talk with the vagabond again, but he didn't have his bodyguards with him this time. Instead, he had this warrior who was dressed up like a ninja. Now, this seemed really fishy to me, because he'd always said that he loathed those people living over in Nihon. You wouldn't believe how put out he was when his father signed a peace treaty with Princess Tomoyo. Dai-ouji's outraged screams could be heard all over Sembia," he snickered. "Well, this peculiar procedure happened again a few more times. Prince Dai would come, sometimes alone or sometimes with that ninja guy, and talk with the One Without Destiny.
"Now, I don't know if this is somehow connected with that magician-vagabond, but a little later Prince Dai actually goes to Nihon and starts courting Princess Tomoyo. Now, I started getting pretty suspicious at that point, because he'd never even look at a girl from Nihon, let alone touch her. Thinks they're contagious or something."
Kurogane inhaled deeply, trying to keep himself under control, for he was feeling an uncontrollable hot anger begin to boil inside him. How dare that despicable excuse for a prince deceive Tomoyo in such a manner?
"Well," the boy continued, "he must've charmed her somehow or other, eventually proposing marriage to her, and everything seemed to be going on smoothly. Now—I haven't really gotten this part straightened out—but something happened at the would-be wedding. The way I get it, is that an assassin hired by Dai-ouji had been handsomely paid to murder Tomoyo-hime that day, but one of her ninja found out and saved her. Next thing we simple folk know is that the prince is dead—under mysterious circumstances if I should believe my sources—and that he had betrayed his father with his plans, nearly causing Nihon to go to war with us. Dai-ouji had been planning to totally annihilate Nihon and make it a Sembian province, but the truth was revealed with the would-be assassin's failure.
"I bet the One Without Destiny must've egged him on, because Dai-ouji was a pretty wimpy kind of person to decide to do something like that on his own. Not to mention that around a week ago the One Without Destiny just disappeared without a trace." He spread his hands. "That's it. Everyone's baffled by why and how he suddenly vanished, but, as I said, it's probably connected with what happened to Prince Dai."
Kurogane leaned forward to eye the boy-thief with a penetrating gaze. "You haven't been spinning tales out of thin air there, have you?" he asked him in a low voice.
The boy shook his head. "I have it on good authority that all of this information's true. I even asked several others to get another opinion on some facts. I discarded conflicting opinions which were probably falsehoods, and I gave you this abbreviated version."
"So you've been telling us the truth?"
"As far as I know, yes."
Kurogane tossed his money pouch to the astonished-looking thief. "It's all yours," he said as he quickly wrapped himself in his cloak.
The boy opened it and peered inside. "What?!" he gasped. "All this?!"
"Yours," Kurogane repeated firmly. "You've been a goldmine of information." He turned to Fay. "Let's go," he hissed impatiently.
"Okay, okay," Fay muttered, drawing on his cloak and getting to his feet. "Thanks a lot," he said to the thief in a gesture of farewell.
The boy raised his hand and waved at them absent-mindedly, his attention on the money he was fervently counting. They quickly scurried out of the tavern and out into the downpour (with Fay complaining that he hadn't gotten a chance to finish his drink and that he was not really keen on getting soaked and with Kurogane resisting the urge to strangle him).
However, they had both failed to notice that someone had been watching them. The man was large and muscular, and his face was heavily scarred. Unlike yesterday, he was presently unaccompanied by his companions. It had given him a chance to hear in on the conversation, which he had not been able to do properly last time. He had heard the entire conversation and now knew with certainty that this was the pair he and his companions had been ordered to dispose of.
He drained the rest of his drink and hauled himself to his feet, donning his cloak and trudging out the door. He would have to make a side-trip to pick up the rest of his associates, but that was of little consequence. He knew their final destination, so intercepting them on the way would prove to be a simple chore. The price was, after all, well worth the trouble. His upper lip curled as he grinned maliciously, absently stroking at the heavy sword strapped at his side with a caressing forefinger. His blade would taste the sweet flavor of fresh blood soon enough.
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To Be Continued
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A/N: This was basically the chapter where we find out a little more abut the enemy they'll be facing soon enough; the One Without Destiny. And why this fic is called When Worlds Collide, too! ;)
Rereading this I suddenly realized that the boy-thief basically has two pages to himself with his massive monologue. And I never even mentioned his name! Well, I never really thought of one, but it's a bit ridiculous when I gave him so much screen time, haha. I hope I've gotten you guys itching to read the next chapter and find out what happens to Kurogane and Fay!
Oh, I just forgot to mention one more thing. What Sakura says about men was totally snagged from somewhere. It's one of the kind of things that sticks with you, you know? XP I hope it didn't make my male readers feel bad, though. I just couldn't resist the fact that... girls rule and boys drool! Okay, that was bad, sorry...
Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!