Disclaimer: I disclaim! DISCLAIM DAMNIT! …not mine… still.

Author's Note: Holy shit this chapter is plotful and the 'walking in the desert' arc is officially over. Yay! Now, I know you want to scroll down and find out what's happening with our favorite CLAMP couple -but- there are a few other POVs that need to be covered first. The plot demands it. Don't skip or you'll ruin the experience.

Also, after this chapter I promise we'll have fewer unconscious characters. :) I know it's been awhile but once again: the plot, I am merely it's humble scribe, slaving away so I might feast upon your tender reviews.

PS- If you go to my profile you'll see all FanArt and TRC loveness has been moved to a new blog that is dedicated and based on this fic. :) I even designed the template myself featuring some of my sister's awesome FanArt.

PSS- Said sister has also begun a fan-doujinshi version on this fic. I'll keep you posted.

PSSS- Thankies muchly to burgundy eyes for helping me get this chapter all pretty for everyone!!!

Syaoran's POV

"Mokona hopes that Sakura-chan will be okay."

Syaoran jerked, never having noticed when his eyes started to drift shut in the first place. A quick mental check assured him of the following things: that the princess was still safe in his arms, they were still in an impossibly quiet dungeon, devoid of jailers save for whoever left them food whenever they happened to fall asleep, and that it had in fact been their little white companion who had spoken.

He took a breath, forcing the jolt of tension from his bones before giving the best reassuring smile he could. "I'm sure she will be. We just have to be patient a little while longer."

The almost-rabbit looked scared.

"Are you okay, Mokona?"

"There's something in the shadows that feels very sad."

His heart jumped, carefully checking the corners of their cell for any presence but he couldn't see anything. Maybe Mokona was talking about herself? "Everything will be fine. We just have to keep our spirits up-"

The little creature's eyes shot open suddenly. "The other Mokona is trying to contact me!" The jewel on her forehead lit up, an image of a scrawny boy with glasses appearing mid-way up the wall.

Syaoran sat up, pulling Sakura even closer. "Where's Yuuko-san?"

The witch's helper, he remembered her referring to him as Watanuki, smiled sheepishly. "She's out running errands right now but she asked me to give this to you." He held up a blue, hand folded, envelope. "It's something for Sakura-chan." He leant forward, disappearing from the hologram for a moment before standing upright again as Mokona spit the object out.

Syaoran took it gingerly, opening it as if there might be a bomb inside- Kurogane had often stressed that one could never know what was bound to come out of the 'manjuu's' mouth.

Of course, that still didn't stop him from being surprised when it turned out to be something perfectly normal and seemingly harmless. He looked at the long white blond hair inside with a raised eyebrow. "What are we supposed to do with this?"

The boy shrugged. "Yuuko isn't very keen on leaving much in the way of instructions. She said remember how to remember you've forgotten- or something to that effect."

Cryptic much?

"Did she say anything else? What it's for or what it cost?"

Watanuki shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. I wish I could be of more help."

He smiled. "It's okay. Thank you very much." When the hologram flitted out into nothing he looked at the little blue envelope again, the golden strand just barely glinting in the weak light. "I wonder…"

"Does Syaoran know what it's for?" Mokona hopped closer, squinting at the hair hopefully.

"Maybe." He bit his lip, thinking back. "When I was little my dad would tell me to tie a string around my finger when I wanted to remember something important. It wouldn't help me remember what I forgot- just that I'd forgotten it."

With on last stolen glance into the shadows he tried to ignore the chill that rushed up the back of his neck and tied the strand around Sakura's little finger.

"Everything will be okay, Princess."

Black Mokona's POV

Watanuki turned to him as soon as the portal was closed, his brow creased in agitation. "Okay, I did what you asked now explain."

"Mokona doesn't know what~"

The boy crossed his arms, more than prepared to be stubborn. "Oh, no. Don't give me that. You have to know something. Yuuko never goes on her own errands."

He started to shake his head, and even if he did…

"I bet if I located her stash of specialty sake-"

"Nope!" He stuck his tongue out, hopping around. "Not even then."

"Why not?" Watanuki couldn't fight the whine in his voice. "What's so important you won't give it up for free booze?"

"Silly, Watanuki!"

"Yes. Silly, Watanuki!"

Maru and Moro started to run circles around him, their sing song voices filling the room like music laced with sugar.

"All booze is free!"

"Free booze!"

He flailed. "Wha-?! What are you doing? Don't run around inside. You could break some-" Suddenly Watanuki's tired eyes closed of their own accord, knees sinking to the ground before he even knew where they were going. "I don't feel so good."

Maru and Moro were there in a heartbeat, each draped over one of his arms, preparing to watch over him as their mistress had instructed.

"It's okay."

"Yes, perfectly okay."

Their knowing smiles harmonized. "We'll take good care of Watanuki!"

Mokona hopped after them, briefly looking back at where the great witch had last sat, smoking her silver pipe and contemplating the greater questions of the universe. 'Yes, we'll take care of Watanuki because he has a good soul and he's the only one who can help Yuuko and the others find their way back…' His mistress' parting words clear and strong even if her presence wasn't. '…but if he knew that the price would be too great…'

Kuro's POV

His head hurt.

His shoulder still hurt.

His mouth felt like it was full of cotton.

And someone had stolen his clothes.

….

It wasn't a simple thing for Kurogane to wake up in a good mood. Something like that didn't just happen without a bit of effort on his part and having those kinds of things at the top of his what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-this-situation list didn't exactly help.

Still, it could have been worse.

He'd woken up to find himself in a strange but not unpleasant room. Moonlight filtering in through a small round window to gently illuminate his surroundings: a bowl of dried fruit and water pitcher off to one side of the bed, his sword leaning against the wall on the other, and a pair of sand free clothes- black, laying folded on a nearby chair. All of these cozy comforts went a long way towards proving he wasn't in the company of an enemy- at least one who wanted him to suffer, none of them more important though than the cool air pressing against his abused body.

Comfort aside, nothing in this room was going to answer the handful of very pressing questions rolling around inside his head.

Had he simply dreamt Tomoyo? If not, where was she? Where was he? And most of all- where was Fai?

Later he would blame his lack of planning, another very un-ninja like thing on his growing list of mistakes, on prior heat exhaustion which coincidentally didn't stop him from rushing out the door without a second thought…

…and almost straight over the edge.

Beneath his feet lay cool wooden planks. Before him a metal railing most likely designed to keep accidents like the one he'd just been about to make from happening and beyond that was… the horizon?

'Kami…?' Kurogane had to physically shake himself to force thoughts inside his head to connect with one another.

He stared out across the silent abyss, broken only by dunes and dips, to find nothing. Absolutely nothing but moonlit sand as far as the eye could see. Looking at the expanse of it all he could only hope they were still heading in the right direction, trying hard not to think about how long they could have been walking in that shit.

If that wasn't daunting enough looking down provided him with a whole other concept to wrestle with. The planks beneath his feet, the railings… the way the horizon seemed so steady and yet the sand beneath them was almost moving.

Kurogane rubbed a hand over his face, orienting himself. He was burnt, obviously, his skin now more copper than tan, dehydrated, and tired as hell but that was nothing a little care and a couple of naps couldn't fix. So, why were his eyes still playing tricks on him?

'And if they are playing tricks on me why couldn't they have stuck to spots and fuzzy blotch monsters?'

He looked down again, the sand still moving several feet below, dust billowing everywhere like it did when Chun rode over the landscape- fans pushing everything up… Fans… fans beneath a wooden… building? Propelling it over the ground like…

A boat?

A really big boat?

A really big boat in the middle of the desert?!

'But that doesn't…' He was starting to feel a little dizzy. 'Ah, hell. I've gone and lost my mind.'

"Good thing you're not a sleep walker, eh?"

Looking up, he forced his body language into silence when he met another all too familiar face, half tempted to call her by name or threaten her to see if she was really real. Her hair was done up in a high bun, seemingly shorter than it was in Japan, her eyes worn and tired around the edges but still full of the same rough and tumble fight he was used to. Her clothing and stance were different but he'd have recognized her anywhere. She was one of the last people he'd seen in his own world after all.

Souma.

"Yeah." He agreed sheepishly, trying not to look at her too intently- like a friend he never thought he was going to see again.

Nevertheless, something in his posture must have given him away because she looked at him suspiciously even as she held her hand out. "Captain Kendappa at your service but you can call me Souma seeing as I'm only second in command on this 'ere SandScooner."

"SandScooner?" He repeated slowly just to make sure he'd heard right.

She nodded, leaning over the railing with a smile he'd only seen during sparring. "Well, I suppose it would be more appropriate to call her a SandShip but it gets hard to think of anything under seventy feet from the ground up as a ship after sailing with Polly."

"Polly?"

"Yeah. Sorry, I forgot. You and your buddy aren't from around here." She laughed. "Miss Polly de'Vour, the last grand fleet-ship of Umi'sekai." Her eyes grew distant. "Just shy of one-hundred an' twenty by three-fifty from tip to tail. Don't have enough fuel to pull her outta dock anymore, else we would have brought her to pluck you two from the ocean-"

Kurogane blinked. "Ocean?"

Souma paused, brows furrowed. "For a man of few words you manage to ask some strange questions. Of course the ocean. How old are you?"

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?" He was confused, patience dwindling, and temper returning with a vengeance. Not a good mix for someone with a penchant for swords.

She smiled and put her hands up in a show of peace, completely unperturbed by his outburst. "I meant no offense- it's just, you can't be that young."

The ninja just stared at her, grumbling. "We're not from around here."

"You must be from pretty far away then." She sighed, running a hand through her hair in an awkward movement reminiscent of trying to explain a very obvious subject to a very simple person. "I can still remember it, the rolling tides and roaring waves. Blue black depths hiding all an' giving nothing." That faraway look took her again.

"Everything,… this whole world was ocean save for small plots of land high above the waterline too small for decent civilization. We used them for sparse farming but otherwise lived in colonies- following the fleet ships where the tides took 'em. Until those heirs came along an' dried everything up leaving us with this dusty rock for a home."

She spat over the railing, her words taking a feral edge and bringing her accent closer to the surface. "Most of us don't even have the heart to call it that anymore. Our home is the sea. Nowhere else. We were all raised on these 'ere boats and now children… some of them were too young, and some of them haven't ever set eyes on a body of water beyond their own tub."

"It's pathetic, it is." She growled taking a breath before turning back to him with a smile. "Ah, but pardon me. I've gotten myself all riled up." She chuckled looking genuinely chastised.

Kurogane didn't smile back. Silent simply because he had no words to give. It wasn't his place to say he was sorry though he could sympathize… on a much smaller level. He knew what it was like to lose his mother, his father, and his home all in one night but he couldn't imagine watching his country, or even his world, perish right before him.

Kind of like he couldn't imagine losing some dumb blond.

Souma shook her head, gazing out one last time. "It's sad really but ten years down the line I suppose you gotta give up hope eventually. A ship's a ship, an ocean an ocean, an' this filthy rock a desert." She shrugged with a wink. "Even if only children call it that."

The ninja's fists clenched. It didn't matter what world she was in she still knew how to push his buttons. "What the hell's that supposed to mean?!"

She laughed, the conversation from before disappearing around them while she glanced at her pocket watch. "Well, I've probably taken up enough of your time with my ramblings. Tomoyo and Chun- the girl who found you, are down in the infirmary with your buddy. C'mon, I'll take you to 'em."

She turned, leading the way. "By the way, you're kind of quiet. Don't think I caught yur name."

"Kurogane."

She looked over her shoulder at him curiously. "What? No last name?"

And he met her stare evenly. "Nope."

Yes, he was proud of his name. That didn't mean he'd forgotten how mercilessly the Souma of his world had tormented him for it nor did it mean he wanted to repeat those memories.

Given, they were only eleven at the time but still…

Though he remembers every turn they made he can't help but feeling lost by the time they made to the infirmary. It wasn't that the familiar presence of Souma or the promise of seeing the idiot and Tomoyo again had dulled his senses- not by a long shot, if anything it made him even more aware. It was just… the whole damn boat, ship, whatever looked the same on the inside.

White and silver walls, wooden floors decorated with robin egg blue carpet where appropriate. Small round windows that showed nothing but the endless night unless you came closer and looked down. Every door painted the faintest shade of green with a different black number in the center.

Few souls seemed to be out and about, the occasional silent person hurrying past them with their own tasks at hand though never once forgetting to incline their head at Souma with acknowledgment and respect. He wondered what the outside of this contraption must look like and if people would be busier up on deck- seeing as the railing he'd nearly plummeted over was at a lower side of the ship, or down below as there were fans instead of sails to see to. He wondered how they survived in this world, so different from what it had been. How they had the fruit that was dried in his room or the water sitting next to it. He wondered how the fans ran and how they'd come upon creating and installing them.

His fascination was enough to drive him to distraction, so much so that the only warning he had that they'd reached their destination was slightly muted, one-sided shouting followed by the slam of a door and stomping feet. All of which echoed down the quiet corridors.

"Chun, please come back here."

That gentle voice stilled the air as they rounded the corner to find the girls staring at one another. One with unwavering eyes, wise but worried as she stood tall- beckoning, and the other much shorter with fists clenched- her aura filled with misdirected hate.

Tomoyo and Chun.

Kurogane knew both looks well. It wasn't so many years ago that he'd stood in the same position with his own princess. Hateful for things that he couldn't change. He almost wanted to hurt for the familiarity of it all but he couldn't because he knew Tomoyo would ensure she grew to be a great and strong individual.

Or a doll. Whichever came first.

"Please." She repeated, her every movement and tone bellowing sincerity even in their softness. "I know you have your reasons. I will not stop you for them, little one, but it's far too dangerous-"

"You think I don't know that?" Chun hissed, fists clenching even tighter. "I'm not some little kid."

Tomoyo smiled sadly, a sigh showing in her shoulder. "You're right. You're not little anymore but you mother asked me to see to your safety and that's exactly what I shall do. You will not be leaving this ship tonight and that is final."

"Yeah, like my mother knew anything about that." Tears spilled down her reddened face as she turned, running past them. "You don't know anything."

"Hey," Souma shouted, grabbing her by the arm. "Don't you talk ta' her like that after all she's done for you. Is't so bad to not want to see you hurt?"

Chun glared and ripped her arm away with another hiss before leaving down the hall. "And you don't know anything either."

The desert captain went from controlled to fuming in an instant, her face showing she had half a mind to show that girl just how much she knew. "Why you little brat-"

"Souma."

The one word stopped her though she was clearly inches from ignoring it.

"Just let her go, Souma." Tomoyo chided, her eyes now locked on them. "Reukie locked up her bike and hid her fuel crystals. She won't be going anywhere till we reach Tower."

The other woman grumbled with physical effort to unclench her teeth. "If she ever talks that way to me again-" She stopped, shaking her head and forcing her tempter back down. "Alright, alright. She gets a free pass tonight but next time she'll be on the loading team for a week.

"Thank you, now-" She turned to him. "You must be here to see your friend.

Kurogane took a second to catch up. He'd almost forgotten his own presence, so caught up with how seamlessly the past could blend and twist with the present.

Tomoyo smiled, gesturing to the door behind her. "Please, come this way."

If he hated how much he cared for the idiot-

'Fai…'

-then he hated how all the air seemed to be stolen from his lungs when he saw him even more. It was almost as much as he hated seeing the blond in that condition in the first place- unconscious and vulnerable to the world.

The mage was laying on a slim bed, the crisp white sheets making his skin all the more discolored. Various patches of skin carefully covered with bandages, the odor of burn ointment thick around him, and golden strands stuck to his face where beads of sweat stubbornly gathered and clung.

In a nutshell: he looked like hell.

"It's good we found you when we did. A little longer out there and I'm not sure he would have made it." She patted his face with a dry cloth, drawing a groan from the smaller man, before meeting his eyes again. "Or you for that matter."

Kurogane can't help but stare. It's not like it's the first time he's seen her face in another world- just like Souma but even in Piffle, wherever he finds her he also finds that all too knowing look that makes him feel like a little kid again… He realized belatedly he hadn't yet acknowledged her words. "I-"

"It's okay." She smiled, taking a seat beside Fai. "I look like someone familiar, don't I?" That damn look again. She knew something but still, perhaps stubbornly, he refused to react. It had always been the kid who chose whether or not they'd be telling people they were on a 'magical quest across the universe' also known as 'purposeful regurgitation by manjuu to locate feathers.'

Neither sounded worthy of repetition right now.

"What were you fellas doing out there in the first place?" Souma accidentally changed the direction of the conversation, a gentle reminder of her presence.

Kurogane paused, still unsure how much information to give away. This wasn't exactly his territory…

"You're looking for something, aren't you?" Tomoyo answered for him.

"Sort of." He found himself replying before the words were all together in his head. "Our group was looking for something but then two of us, kids, were taken."

"The heirs of fire?"

He nodded. "We were tracking them."

"Good luck there." Souma scoffed. "Only a handful of people have ever found their hideout and only one of them has ever come back."

Kurogane frowned. "Well, then I'll talk to that person and if they don't tell me I'll-"

"You can't." Tomoyo interrupted, refusing to meet his eyes for once.

"Why the hell not?"

"Because Chun won't tell anyone. Ever." The captain's eyes were hard. "And anyone who tries to make her will answer to us."

Kurogane smirked. He didn't know her reasons but he could understand what wasn't said. So what if the girl knew? If she was off limits then that meant a challenge and there was nothing the ninja liked more than that. "Fine but we will find them using whatever other means necessary. I'd like to see them try to stop us."

"Awww!" Tomoyo's face lit up, softening the edge their conversation had taken instantly with her hands clasp together and eyes practically glowing.

It was another familiar look, one that was usually brought on by one of three things; shopping trips, match making, and dress up. Also known as fangirlism. He cringed in preparation.

"That's so sweet! You two are like their parents. That makes you the daddy, but then- that means your friend here is the mommy, right?" She giggled. "Oh, that's so cute!"

Souma sighed. "Just ignore her. It's normal."

"Che." Kurogane didn't stoop so low as rolling his eyes. "I know. Someone else I know does that."

The taller woman must have heard the reluctant homesickness in his voice and misinterpreted it for something else, an over fondness of sorts because in the next second her hand was on the hilt of her sword, eyes dark and merciless.

The ninja wasn't phased though. Faces weren't the only thing that stayed the same from world to world. No matter how much the lives varried- the souls, and the souls those souls grew attached to, seemed fairly consistent. Tomoyo and Souma being no exception to the rule.

"Not like that. She's like…"

The words wouldn't come. They were just too sentimental. He couldn't. Even if it was the two of them- no, especially if it was the two of them. He just couldn't.

Of course that didn't stop the violet eyed girl from saying it for him. "Like someone who's more a sister than not?" She went from happy spazzy to contemplative seer in a matter of heartbeats. "In fact," She smiled. "we're identical. Aren't we?"

Kurogane didn't answer, realizing just how unprepared he'd been for a situation like this. What a disgrace.

Tomoyo watched his every reaction carefully as she continued. "We know you're not from this country. You're not even from this world."

"Oh, yeah?" The ninja tested, still unwilling to give any ground.

"Yeah." Souma smirked, her posture taking on that cat that ate the canary stance. "No one from Umi'sekai, no matta' how young or old would willingly walk out into the o- desert."

He looked between the two of them, to Fai, and back up again, his blood burning. They'd been acting- Souma when she asked how old he was because he didn't know this rock had once been an ocean and Tomoyo for toying with him. Of course she looked like her… "How long have you known?"

"Five days ago." His princess' doppelganger said quietly. "She- the other me, spoke to me through a mirror. I'm sorry for the game but she warned that your trust was no easy thing to gain even with a familiar face."

"And playing games is supposed to make it easier?" He couldn't help how his voice raised. 'And here I figured she knew better.'

"No, it's not but seeing as I don't have the years of experience in reading you as she does it's supposed to help me understand if you're doing alright." That smile returned. "For her curiosity."

Kurogane stood there silent, utterly floored. "What?!" Now, he was definitely going to start shouting. "How the hell is that supposed to make sense?"

"Simple: If you didn't get angry then something would be wrong."

…

Suddenly it was very clear why he was 'in like' with a man.

Tomoyo, Souma, that drunken witch. Even his own mother at times. All the women in his life enjoyed tormenting him… then again, Fai wasn't much better.

He closed his eyes, feeling a vein throb off to the side of his skull. 'Kami, what have I done to deserve this?' He took a breath, trying to calm the urge to kill something before redirecting the conversation. "And you don't think it's strange that we're from another world?"

She chuckled, taking the change of topic easily. "There was a time, back before we were divided into countries- before there was land enough to divide, when this world was a hub of life. People came from all over to watch meteor showers over a blue on blue horizon, to dive for the same ruins that now house our more fortunate, to set out on their own against the tide with no rule but there own." Her smile frayed a little at the edges, voice growing serious. "You are certainly not our first visitors, though, you are the last."

"All the entry point have dried up. Just like the water." Souma added, her own gaze a million miles away. "Just like everything else before..." She shook her head. "Never mind."

"What happened?" Kurogane couldn't help but ask.

The taller woman shrugged. "Take care of your friend first." Then, with a quick salute to the two of them she turned toward the exit. "I'd better get back ta' my rounds before Reukie decides he's gonna play 'Casual Friday' again. See ya later."

The door closed behind her with hardly a sound.

"Please forgive her." Tomoyo's voice drew back his curiosity. "It's been a long day for everyone- Chun's run away and return bringing back more memories than most of us would prefer." Her tone fell. "Our way of life is broken and becoming more so with every day we're left to bake under the magic of another's rage. It's a long story, winding back through our history several years now and none can tell it more aptly than Souma but she'll have to tell you in her own time. Until then," She gestured to Fai. "you can help me with this friend of yours."

Kurogane grunted, taking a seat even as his mind paced. It wasn't in his nature to be patient. First he couldn't ask the girl where those bastards were- stalling how long it would take to find the kids and now he had to wait to see if the Souma-look-a-like would tell him anything and hope it was useful.

"You don't talk very much, do you?" She asked, dumping fresh bandages and gauze into his arms.

He shrugged. "Not when it benefits me more to keep my mouth shut."

"Hmm, I suppose that makes sense." She began removing bandages one by one and replacing, an almost motherly look gracing her features while she worked. As far as magic went she seemed younger than his own Tomoyo- less omnipotent but when it came to this, scolding Chun, looking after Fai- she seemed far older. "Have you two been traveling together long?"

Another shrug. "Bout a year, maybe."

She nodded thoughtfully, never looking up from her task.

"Is he in pain?" The ninja asked quietly, his own voice almost surprising him as his eyes roamed over pale red flesh. He'd seen his share of battle- seen comrades fall in the most gruesome of ways. He'd built a callous of sorts against being affected, it still hurt but he was always able to go on. Somehow seeing Fai just laying there... it made things different, twisting things too far beyond normal. He kept expecting him to sit up any minute now and flash him that stupid smile, call him Kuro-shit, or whatever.

Anything was preferable to this silent man laying in the mage's place. This man he hadn't been able to protect.

"Not much. He has some fairly deep burns and a slight fever but I'm certain he'll be fine. Not only do we have excellent medicine at our disposal but your friend seems to heal very quickly. He already looks much better than he did just a few short hours ago. Though,..." She frowned lightly. "It's odd."

The sickly feeling of air being stolen from his lungs came again. "What is?"

Tomoyo brushed some of Fai's hair back, violet eyes intent on his closed ones. "I don't think it's anything to worry about, it's just that he hasn't woken up. Not once."

Kurogane nodded. "He's been like that the last..." He gestured vaguely. "Two or three days."

"Completely unconscious?"

The ninja nodded.

"Hmm." She smiled, reassuring. "Well, I'm sure it's nothing. If anything, I would say it's best that he sleeps till we get to Tower. The more rest the better and if he did wake up, it's likely he'd only make his condition worse."

Kurogane took her every word for it's worth, be they said with a light heart or not it still came down to one thing. This had been a close call- one of far too many that were starting to pile up on this journey. Landing a barren world, the heirs finding them, the kids taken, his shoulder wound, Fai...

"...is he from?"

"Huh?" The ninja blinked. He was getting trapped in his thoughts again.

"His world." Tomoyo repeated. "What is it called?"

"Dunno off the top of my head." 'I'm sure he mentioned it once but...'

"Do you know how old he is?"

Shrug.

"What about his favorite food?"

Tomoyo's eyes grew cross when he didn't answer, the other side of her motherly façade seeping through. "Do you know anything about your friend?"

'Ouch.' Kurogane didn't flinch even though he felt the bite behind her words, forcing himself too keep her less gentle gaze. "He doesn't exactly like to answer questions."

"But have you ever asked something as simple as his age or favorite food?"

Ouch again. "No, it never-"

"You tell him the past doesn't matter. If that is so then why do you still insist asking of it?"

A fine flicker of anger grew in him. "How do you kn-"

She smiled again suddenly, throwing what was left of his balance in this conversation. "These are the things your Tomoyo wished me to ask you."

"What?" He growled. 'Another fucking game...'

"It's no game, Kurogane." She replied, already able to guess the thoughts that flicked across his face even though they'd only just met. "These were the things I needed to ask- not so I might know the answer but so you might finally know the questions. Perhaps he doesn't like answering questions but you'll never know until you ask something worth answering."

"Hey, I ask him shit worth answering-"

"What is more important?" She held out a hand to each side like a scale. "What made him who he is or who he is?"

When she put it that way...

"Che. He'll just lie anyway."

She shook her head, standing with a sad look. "What one chooses to hide can be quite revealing but what one chooses to share willingly can be even more so. Figure it out."

Just great, he could be chastised by two different Tomoyo's across one universe at the same time. 'How much worse could it get?' He looks over at the mage and grimaced. 'Damnit. Now I want to yell at myself too.'

"That's all she told me and all I know. No questions to me will do you any good but you had better start asking someone else before you lose your chance to know them."

She left with one last knowing grin.

"Damnit."

Sakura's POV

Time was flowing in every which way, worlds overlapping and folding unto one another. Stars burning out, suns being born, and cosmic seas churning. Her vision was hazed with the mesh of cherry blossoms, snow, and shadows dancing around her.

It was frighteningly beautiful but oh- so very, very loud.

She wanted to scream, cry, or call out for someone but her voice was as lost as she was, her consciousness torn too many directions at once. Threads burning with light of every different color surrounded her, hovering just beyond her reach and the more she tried to focus on them the more it felt like something was being drawn away. Her breath, her body, her mind!

"Don't fight it." Sakura looked up, eyes almost finding focus on a short figure with blond hair and sharp sapphire eyes.

"But it's…" She didn't know what it was and that's what worried her so much.

"It's okay. I know it's scary but you'll just have to trust me." He held his hand out to her.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Fai and you are Sakura-chan." He said softly.

She hesitated but he wasn't lying. Her heart told her as much but her heart also said he wasn't the same. Not the same as the Fai she knew.

"Please?" He reached out a little farther. "I promise you'll be safe. He wouldn't have made me to hurt you."

"M-made you?" She frowned. "Who?"

"My dreamer of course." The boy smiled a smile that was familiar and strange all at once. "Now, please- let's hurry. I can take you across to a much quieter dream."

"Okay." She nodded with determination, the urging in his voice enough for her to let go of her questions for a moment. The second their hands met the spinning stopped and she was thrown into a grey place where dreams converged.

"Good evening, princess of Clow Country."

Mystery POV

The girl's eyes snapped open, her gasp echoing across the prison.

"Sakura?!" The boy shook her, his own eyes reflecting as much frantic concern as her's did the void within the darkness. "What's wrong? Can you hear me?"

Slipping closer through the shadows, careful to keep his presence hidden, he wondered what has happened but curiosity aside- it didn't concern him. These human children were a bother.

Another accident just waiting to happen.

No. He had far more important concerns to consider as his eyes slid to the fat rabbit-like creature. A pet of the dimensional witch, keeper of wishes.

'And just how much would it cost to have so many lives plucked from existence?'

Kuro's POV

Running a hand through his disheveled hair he tried to clear his head. There was no place to think on this 'ship.' Engines and fans rumbling constantly, the odd strangely accented voice reaching his ears from time to time as the sun slowly crept over the horizon and people began to wake. Even up here, on deck, there was no place for him to swing his sword or meditate.

No solace to be found in silence.

No solace to be found in fighting.

No Fai to blame it on.

He'd sat with the idiot for hours after Tomoyo left. There were no words to be had and at first he felt oddly at ease having him in his sight, the weird sort of balance he'd been lacking since he woke up finally clicking into place but the more he watched him... the more it drove him crazy.

Tomoyo was right. She was always right.

He didn't know the most basic things about Fai.

'Fai...'

He ran another hand through his hair, dislodging sand he figured he'd still be finding years after they left this rock. If they left this rock. If they found th-

"When we find the children."

"You know, it's never a good sign ta' be talking to yourself." Souma's voice came from his left, an uncorked bottle of sake held out to him in offering. "Take it, I've had two of my own already."

He grunted a half audible 'thanks' and took a swig, letting the bitter liquid burn down his throat.

"So, how's th- your friend doing?"

The question was innocent enough but he caught the slip in her words easily. "He's an idiot, an asshole, and annoying as hell but he's not an heir."

"I know that. It's just hard after everything to treat someone who looks like one of them with kindness." She hopped up on a barrel and sat down. "Everyone is already whispering. You're gonna have a hellava' time when we make dock."

Kurogane nodded, his eyes finding the horizon again. "I'll deal with that when I have to." He took another sip. "So, what's your grudge against the bastards?"

She frowned and he had to admit it was a stupid question. That didn't mean he was going to take it back. "Besides killing our world a little every day?"

"Yeah, besides that. I've seen enough to know hatred when I see it. So, who'd they kill?"

Her eyes hardened. "None of your business, stranger."

'Okay, so maybe I could have found a better way to word that...' "What about the girl?" When Souma tensed, he amended. "I already said I wouldn't question her, doesn't mean I can't try asking you. Besides, I've met her in another world. She's different. Angrier." He took another drink. "Angry in a way only a sword through someone's gullet can fix."

She sighed, shoulders visibly relaxing. "You're not too far off there but what she has is too strange ta' be called a grudge. It's what we call a masochistic fascination."

Chun's POV

The other man had left some time ago, mumbling something about 'fresh air' as he made his way up deck, giving all the opportunity she needed to be alone with him. She felt her blood boil, looking at the frail man lying there with his golden hair and fair skin mottled. He was different... but not. Similar and opposite. A lie wrapped under the guise of fragility.

And she hated him for it.

"It's your fault." She whispered to the quiet infirmary. "I was almost there..." The man didn't answer, her words wasted on his unconscious state. It made her teeth grind, small fists balling at her sides. "You'll be just like them. Just like Kensai when we took him in..."

"Chun, come here and meet Kensai-kun. He'll be staying with us till his wounds heal..."

"Kensai-kun are you feeling alright?"

"Where are we going?"

"Kensai...?"

"No, don't hurt her!"

"...Mamma...?"

Memories washed over her faster than she would have liked, leaving her bones shivering with furry. She hated the way he'd betrayed them,... the way he betrayed her mother. She hated how he could smile and lie, flick his wrist and break your own, and laugh with a corpse while they bled out. She hated everything about him.

"You look like him." She picked up a spare pillow, holding it to her chest. "But you're weak... right now." Thoughts collided passively, sparking when they fell in a seemingly perfect sequence.

"I could kill you." Her grip on the pillow tightened. "It would be so easy. Painless. I might even be doing you a favor if I smothered you in your sleep." She smiled, oblivious to the hot tears falling down her face. "I should. It would serve you right but... but..."

"Your mother wouldn't want you to spend your life in vengeance. Let me do that. Let me be the sword that draws his final breath."

"But, Kaito-"

"No, Chun. Return to your people. You don't belong here lest her sacrifice be for nothing.

"It's not fair." She cried, knees hitting the floor. She buried her face in the pillow to keep back sobs. "It's not, it's not, it's not!"

Unnoticed by her, the figure on the bed began to toss.

Kuro's POV

"Angry in a way only a sword through someone's gullet can fix."

She sighed, shoulders visibly relaxing. "You're not too far off there but what she has is too strange ta' be called a grudge. It's what we call a masochistic fascination."

Kurogane quirked an eyebrow. "A what?"

"Umi'sekai dried up ten years ago but the first of the heirs were here long before that... Sumiko- Chun's mother, found 'em in the ruins of Tower almost twenty-three years ago. Two small boys with strange coloring and identical looks. She named them Kaito an' Kensai."

"Kensai..." The ninja growled, knowing that name at once. "That's the bastard who attacked us."

Souma nodded. "I'm not surprised." She frowned. "No one would be. Them kids were different from the start. I was pretty young at the time but I still remember how it was. They kept to themselves even after the excavation, never trusting a soul or saying how they came to be there in the first place.

"Central dock is built around the ruins, that's why we call the place Tower, an' people were always coming and going." She gestured back and forth. "Folks were pretty friendly most of the time but if you act like you have something to hide long enough they'll start treating you that way.

"It wasn't even two years before they showed up at Sumiko's, beaten and bloody."

Kurogane drained his sake and leaned against the rail, giving her his full attention. "What happened?"

"There was a fight. No one's really sure what exactly happened, or if they are they're keeping tight lipped about it, but someone went after the smaller one- Kaito. They couldn't have been much older than Chun at the time- eleven or twelve. Short, sickly little creatures with mild manners and quiet natures. That's why we were all surprised when Kensai outright killed the man."

"So, what did this Sumiko person do about it?" The ninja asked.

"She fought for them." Souma smiled at the memory of the woman. "She stood her ground when the people tried to send them away. Even went as far as taking them in as her own though she wasn't much older, saying it was self-defense and if they'd been more welcoming it wouldn't have happened in the first place. Things quieted down after that for a long while until the Kaito got sick.

"They'd been living as a family for about five years by then. Kaito was still as quiet as ever, always nervous around people if left alone but Kensai always managed to pull him out of his shell and made him laugh which in turn always brought a smile to Sumiko's face..." She paused, bitting her lip for a moment before continuing.

"Looking back I think Kensai really became attached to her but he was a strange kid, even more than his quiet brother. He was quiet in the sort of way that made you worry. That's why we all blamed him when the fires started."

Kurogane frowned. "What kind of fires can you have in a world made up entirely of water?"

"Big ones." Souma met his eyes evenly. "They started shortly after Kaito got sick an' though no one ever found enough evidence- even Sumiko couldn't deny it was arson."

"How?"

She shook her head. "She never said but they stopped as soon as he got better. Like I said, we all blamed Kensai. The kid had a thing for matches and whenever Kaito came down with something he would lock himself away for days. Sumiko became nervouse but always smiled, trying to reassure him that everything was gonna be alright an' he tried to listen to her but I just don't think he knew how to function without his brother."

The ninja nodded. It sounded like he cared in his own screwed up way. "So, how'd he become such a little bastard?"

"Simple. After nine years of treating them like equals she chose one over the other."

"You mean-"

"Yup. When but Kensai caught them sneaking around behind his back like forlorn lovers- which I guess they might'ave been." She shrugged. "He told Kaito it was her or him and when his brother picked Sumiko... he just up and disappeared."

"Just like that?" Kurogane was incredulous. "No bloodshed?"

Souma shook her head. "Nope, he just disappeared. Nobody knows where an' for awhile everything was fine, quiet even. At least until Kaito got sick again."

"What was he sick with?"

Again the captain shook her head. "Don't think we ever figured that out. He'd just get real pale and weak, like he didn't have any energy. Sometimes he'd sleep for days and then weeks- that's when Kensai returned.

"He was different then, angrier, maybe even a little crazier too. Either way he blamed Sumiko for his sickness- saying it would be her fault if his brother died. There were no fires that time but he did break her wrist before taking Kaito out into the night, disappearing just as he had before. She wanted to go after him and would have to but that was about the time she discovered she was pregnant.

"So, the kid is...?"

"Possibly, but don't repeat it. Not many know and those who do don't dare repeat it. Tomoyo intends to tell her when she's old enough but until then..." She shrugged. "Only time will tell."

"That still doesn't tell me what you meant by masochistic infatuation or whatever."

"Masochistic fascination." Souma corrected. "Ten years ago the heirs started showing up all over the place. None of them quite like Kaito or Kensai- they pillaged boats, setting everything they could on fire while the ocean dropped by feet a day. My grandfather was among the first to notice it... no one believed him at first. The fishing had become real easy and we all saw it as a blessing 'till we realized it was getting easier cause they were running out of places ta' swim. More of tower was revealed every day..." She shook her head.

"Anyways, just three short years ago Kensai showed up again. He was injured, supposedly seeking refuge and Sumiko took him in if only so he would tell her if Kaito was alright. He only stayed for a week and when he left he took them with him. Months later we found Chun walking through the sand covered in blood. She never told us what happened or how long she'd been out there, only that her mamma wasn't with her anymore."

Kurogane cracked his knuckles as he listened. Images of his own mother's death briefly flashing through his mind. If he got his hands on this prick Kami help him he was going to...

"What's strange though," The captain continued. "is that you won't ever hear her talk of revenge. Not often at least. She's angry and sad interchangeably but she doesn't curse them often out loud. Instead... instead she seeks them out."

"What do you mean seeks them out?"

"She was in the middle of running away, again, when she found you in the oce- desert. She tried to runaway tonight- twice, and I don't doubt she'll run away three more times before the week is out. She never manages to find them but someone always brings her back-"

Suddenly there was a noise below deck, Tomoyo's voice ringing out above the steady rumble. "Kurogane, come quickly. He's going to hurt himself!"

Sakura's POV

"Good evening, princess of Clow Country."

She gasped.

Before her sat a man in a silver throne, his long dark hair and sharp golden eyes marking him as an almost ethereal being to her senses. He was clothed in a long robe, the edges all lined in fur and tinted gold but that's not what left her shocked.

In his lap lay another little boy, identical to the first save for the fact that he was wrapped in an achingly familiar blue and white cloak, his eyes shut tight against this dream world as he slumbered on. She didn't know who this man was but there was one thing she knew without a doubt…

"That's Fai."

"Indeed." The man chuckled. "Won't you come join us?"

And the little boy began to cry out.

Author's Note: Just like showing the angry Fai in other chapters I really enjoyed showing the shy and unsure Kurogane in this one. The personalities lurking just beneath the surface of what we see. Hope I didn't make him too awkward in places. I honestly tried to keep it believable.

Ooo, we're getting closer to the middle of the story. Yes, that's right. I said close to the middle. :) Lol, it's obvious I couldn't pick what cliff hanger to go with on this one. There were just sooo many options. I'd also like to mention that it was really hard to get myself in the frame of mind needed to write from a Mokona's point of view.

Questions:

1. Better than last chapter? It's longer at least.
2. Does Kuro-chan's personality in this chapter seem fitting? I had him as kind of quiet but I had my reasons. See notes.
3. Any guesses for who the mystery POV is?
4. Was the ocean thing confusing?
5. Were the slight accents in some characters weird?

Anon reviews are also on the ToI blog.

If you're interested my notes and ramblings about this chapter you can find them via the ToI blog (see link in profile) in a post titled Chat About The Chapter. My rambles include but are not limited to:

Souma's last name and accent, what Umi'sekai and other names mean, a bit on Kurogane's 'last' name, why he's Kuro-quiet in this chapter, a thought on Kuro/Tomo romance (don't fear my faithful yaoi shippers!), the soon to be uploaded ToI doujinshi, and much more!