I do not own Tsubasa or any of their wonderful characters, although Sammy Featherstone is my own creation.

~Featherstone

Chapter 6

'That was… ever so slightly unexpected.'

'What should we do now the process has started?'

'Wait for the right time.'

'Is that wise? What if the subject disobeys again?'

'Since when do things ever go to plan?'

'Should we keep trying?'

'Yes, the mind shouldn't hold much longer.'

xXx

I felt as though I was swimming through treacle, my limbs wouldn't move properly and my breath was slowly being squeezed out of me. All around I could see darkness with occasional swirls dotted into the landscape. I needed to get out of this place fast, where and how were things I could work out later. I tried running but I just couldn't go fast enough. I tried screaming for help, yet no sound escaped my lips. A little glint of light appeared before me, beckoning me to a way out. I followed it with all the energy I could muster, dragging my legs through the binds that held me, constantly fighting. Heat flared within my chest and head causing me to flinch and stop fighting. The light began to move, getting further and further away until it were no more than a spec in the distance. The pain increased and I collapsed to the floor, gouging away at whatever was there with my hands.

xXx

My eyes opened and I took in my surroundings. I was still in the room, I wasn't back in the empty void and there was no pain. I had moved from the wall and ended up in by the door. I looked at it closely and could see scratch marks on it from where I had been gouging something. Outside I could see that it was early, the sun had not risen and it was quiet. I wouldn't get any sleep; I never do after these dreams. If I try I end up going back to where it left of, and being in pain again didn't seem like something I wanted.

I stood up and walked over to the chest which is in the corner of the room. Arashi had put some clothes in here for me and I pulled out a pair of jeans and a blue shirt to change into. I didn't really care what I looked like, as long as I could move and function in them I didn't care. I took them to the bathroom and took a shower before deciding what to do.

xXx

I hung the towel that I had just used to dry my hair with on the wall in the bathroom and made my way back to the room to drop off the clothes from yesterday. I peered out of the window and could see a few life forms starting their day of work, setting up shop and drunkenly stumbling back from the night before. This time of day is something to be admired.

I could feel hunger setting in from not eating anything and made my way to the kitchen to see if there would be anything to eat. All I was faced with when I arrived, however, was a mess. Pots and pans which I didn't even use were strewn across the kitchen along with plates and cups from the meal. The sight made me slightly angry yet I smiled. It was a challenge, something I could do before they all woke up. I didn't want to be acknowledged for cleaning the mess up; proving myself is not something I need to do, so I needed to get it done quickly.

I worked systematically throughout the kitchen, putting away clean items and gathering dirty ones in one area before cleaning them in the sink. It didn't take long and I quickly grabbed something which looked like an apple before heading back to my room. I smiled at the fact that I had done it so quickly a leaned against a wall facing the window, watching the city slowly wake up.

xXx

Fai was walking around in circles looking around for Kudans.

'I guess nobody has their Kudan out while simply walking. And if they don't we will never see if anyone's Kudan is stronger or weaker.'

After a short amount of time the others had woken up and had got ready. The mystery of the tidy kitchen was a matter of discussion whilst they were eating breakfast, although they didn't even bother asking if I knew. I was happy that they had got the idea that I wasn't sociable. I didn't really want to go out and look for Sakura's feather in the city, I would have rather stayed back at the apartment and watched over her but the others wouldn't listen to my protests. Well, it was more of a sentence that got ignored. So, I ended up in the city with the others looking for the feather. Kurogane shrugged his shoulders.

'Even if we do find out which Kudan has taken the feather, I doubt they'll be overly willing to give it up.'

I sighed and leaned against one of the buildings that were away from the main rush of people. I didn't enjoy being out like this but I didn't have a choice. I turned my head slightly to look along the street for Kudans and came face to face with a boy – half way through the wall!

'What the hell is that?'

I staggered back and watched it emerge out of the wall before hearing someone shout behind me.

'Syaoran!'

Syaoran turned and shouted back to a boy who had just called him. I turned and noticed that he looked exactly the same as the boy who just came out of the wall, meaning one thing, the one which just came out of the wall was a Kudan.

'Masayoshi!'

The Kudan dissolved into the boy and he began to talk to Syaoran.

'Were you able to find what you were looking for after I left?'

Syaoran hung his head and frowned.

'Not yet…'

'What about the other thing… Sammy, wasn't it?'

So they must have met him yesterday whilst I went for my little trip. Fai waved and then pointed at me.

'Yup, we found her hidden in a little old bookshop. She made us all worry so much; even kuro-tan was worried!'

'Will you shut it?'

Kurogane had got hold of a broom and started to chase Fai whilst trying to hit him. Masayoshi ignored their stupidity and turned towards me smiling whilst holding out his hand.

'Nice to meet you!'

I looked at the outstretched gesture and just decided to nod. He seemed slightly confused but then resumed back into his hyper setting.

'So how about I guide you all around today? It's a Sunday so I'm not at school.'

Fai ran back towards us without Kurogane and looking around I saw him sulking by a shop. It turned out the shopkeeper who owned to broom was lecturing Kurogane about being responsible. I almost felt a small grin creep onto my lips but I quickly stopped it. Fai laughed and then joined in with the conversation.

'That would be helpful to us, thanks! Although, I'm surprised you were able to find us.'

'My Kudan can find anybody as long as it's met them once.'

Syaoran's face spread into one of amazement.

'Wow, that's incredible!'

'But that's all he can do. He's pretty weak.'

If he thinks his Kudan is weak he should see mine. All it can do is turning me invisible and even then it only does it when it feels like it. I walked forwards so we could start searching and get out of the city as quickly as possible. Even though it was a Sunday the walkways were still full of commuters. As I was walking I heard a whooshing like noise and turned slightly.

'Move!'

I turned fully, saw Kurogane running towards me and before I could move he grabbed onto my arm and pulled me back towards the wall. I snatched my arm away and turned to face him.

'What the hell do you-'

Just as I was about to finish spouting my abuse a large metallic object sped past the spot I had been standing in and I saw Masayoshi and Mokona fly off into the distance. Well, that was unexpected.

xXx

Syaoran picked up a note which was on the floor and opened it. He read it then shouted at all of us, although something was wrong, I couldn't understand anything he was saying at all. Kurogane and Fai started talking as well and everything they said sounded like gibberish.

'I can't understand anything you are saying!'

We all looked at each other with equally confused looks and stood around, trying to figure out what had just happened. Mokona and Masayoshi were taken away by a bird and a note was left. After that we couldn't understand anything. I guess that was natural considering we came from different places but that must mean something was working as a translator. The only thing missing which it could be is –

'Mokona!'

They all had managed to get onto the same thought path and soon we were running through the city following Syaoran. He seemed to have an idea about where to go and we followed him to an underground station. They all ran surprisingly fast and it was difficult to stay up to speed with them whilst they ran about the city. After escaping the hell that was the subway Syaoran shouted at us from the top of the stairs pointing towards a building. I still couldn't understand what any of them said but I followed them onwards. We came up to a huge bridge which spanned over a river and Syaoran gasped and pointed towards the top of an old building where Mokona and Masayoshi were hanging from a decoration.

'Mokona! Masayoshi!'

My first thought was wondering about how they got up to the top and tied so quickly. My second was that I could understand the others again. The others noticed too and Kurogane stuck his hands o his side.

'So you understand me now?'

Fai nodded and Syaoran looked towards Mokona again.

'So it is Mokona that's doing it! Mokona was serving as a translation device. It's pretty incredible, transporting us to other worlds, translating languages, eating whole apples…'

I was too interested in watching Mokona swing from side to side that I nearly got left behind when they started running again. My chest was beginning to ache and when I eventually made it to where the side of the building and I saw Fai fly into the air… He flew? I spotted Kurogane and Syaoran by the edge of the river and shouted at them.

'What's going on?'

Kurogane and Syaoran glanced at me and I saw a grin spread across Kurogane's face.

'Wow, you must be weak or something. Nearly getting hit by the bird creature and you can't even keep up with us.'

I felt slightly ashamed but then remembered that I don't need their approval and tried to ask what had happened again.

'So-'

Just as I was about to ask again there was a loud explosion above me and before I could do anything a large chunk of rubble and dust fell towards the ground directly towards me.