10.

He wants to run far away fast.

He is seriously considering getting away from his travel group. But it is his only means of traveling from one world to another without using his own magic, and staying put in one world is not an option, especially after he used his magic in vain. So, at least for the meantime, he will just have to bear staying in one place with an observant ninja who knows way too much (who now knows his real name, for the love of!), two clones who have noticed that something is going on, and an empathic magical creation whose normally cheerful, talkative stature dampens whenever he is around. It is... disconcerting. They should have never known, and they should never have cared this much.

After looking for a feather in this new world and finding that there is none, they decided to take a break from what happened in the last world, as Syaoran says. God, if that isn't enough proof that he should be going by now, he didn't know what it was. He didn't quite dare ask Syaoran what the clone knows or hypothesize of him. But ever since the world with the twins, the princess is somehow gentler to him than she usually is, if you ever think that it is still possible. Syaoran is... somehow, always careful around him, and smiles at him all the time with a little pitying tinge. He didn't like that, and he didn't need it. Mokona always wants to stay with him and snuggle against him. And don't even let me start about Kurogane and his piercing stares, he thinks bitterly.

He just needs to get away, even just for a while.

He is just wandering around, really. This current world is almost similar to the previous world, except the people are dark-haired instead of blonde or brown-haired and look more like Kurogane than him. It probably means that he should relax a bit since finding versions of him and his Fai is almost nil, but the last world taught him prudence. So his current goal is to get away from his traveling companions while looking for a version of him or his twin. The moment he sees one, he'll drag them out of here. But what else do I have left to hide? He thought, then shakes the idea off. Still quite a lot, actually. If there is a Yuui here who is running away from a powerful person who wants to be killed, or maybe a Yuui acting as a spy on his current companions, or a Yuui who is convicted of homicide because he killed his twin, he is doomed.

After a few hours of walking around and finding not a single head of blonde, he finds himself quite lost. It probably is subconscious, this wish to not be able to go back to his companions, but he has to go back because they agreed to meet up at the place where they arrived when it gets dark in order to find a place to stay for the night, and the sun is currently way past its zenith.

He pauses and observes his surroundings. There are gray buildings around him, and they pretty much look like the same. Not good. He is standing on a sidewalk with many people passing by him, and there are cars honking on the road, all hot and angry and noisy because they're stuck and can't get past. He tries to retrace his steps, but is quite unable to deal with the heat, the noise, and the constant shoving he gets from the crowd who is rushing to get from one place to another. Deciding to get a little rest before he tries to get back to his group, he enters one of the buildings whose walls are made of glass.

The place is cool for a start. This is the kind of place where they got their goods in the middle of the night in the previous world: chocolates when they can still afford it, and instant noodles or canned goods after Fai got hospitalized. It was sort of okay to stay in these kinds of places without arousing suspicions, so he takes a seat.

Sitting two chairs away from him is a familiar head of long black curls. The child turns around and he sees a ten year old version of Tomoyo, dressed in a rich Sunday dress made of velvet and silk with silver jewelry, looking like the princess she is and very much out of place in a convenience store. Said version smiles at him. He wonders if this Tomoyo knows about their little traveling group, but after he returns her smile, she goes back to drinking her... drink. He didn't quite know what it is. They sat just like that (Tomoyo ignoring him in favor of her drink, and him discretely staring), until another lady approaches Tomoyo.

"Miss Tomoyo, this is Youou." The lady said. Beside her is a pre-teen with spiky black hair. "Youou, this is Miss Tomoyo. You will be serving her."

He would not have taken any special attention to them anymore, figuring out that Nihon's princess Tomoyo does probably not inform this Tomoyo. In fact, he is about to turn his gaze somewhere else and start thinking about how to go back to their meeting place. But the kid talked, and his voice is just too familiar. "Good afternoon." the kid says.

He jerks his head to the direction of the two and sees a pre-teen version of Kurogane. This version, called Youou, is currently very silent and standing very still.

Tomoyo accepts. She smiles at Youou and shakes his hand. "Nice meeting you."

The lady, contented, walks to the shop's exit. Tomoyo and Youou both look on as the lady goes away, her back facing them.

"I take it that you're new." Tomoyo says. She offers him her drink, "Slushy?"

Youou wrinkles his nose a little and shakes his head. "I'm new, and no, thanks."

"Are you KC?" She asks, after she retrieves her slushy.

"What?" Youou asks, the gruff exterior of his ninja counterpart slowly showing.

"Kiss conscious. If we share a drink we'd have an indirect kiss." Tomoyo smiles happily at him.

"What – how old are you?" He jerks away from this world's Tomoyo. "Because I'm fourteen."

"I'm nine. But really, a kiss is like..." she waves her hand in front of her to make the words roll out from her. "...Worldly knowledge. Yes, that's it. There's nothing wrong with knowing what a kiss is. Even mothers kiss their kids."

Youou's face is currently burning red. "Fine." He concedes. He stays a seat away from Tomoyo, just for safe measure.

He finds himself sitting beside Kurogane's counterpart. It is weird, and it is definitely barging in the ninja's past; him knowing that maybe, at some point in Kurogane's life, the ninja's name was Youou. He doesn't want to go barging in the ninja's past, even after Kurogane found out a lot of things about him. It is rude, and there is this saying: Do unto others what you want to be done unto you. The next time Kurogane sees a counterpart of him, he wants the ninja to stay clear. So he stands up to leave.

"See Youou, you scare others! Say sorry to him!" Tomoyo says as soon as she notices that he is leaving. The sudden change in her tone is enough to make him pause from his journey to the door.

"What- I didn't do anything!" Youou's lower jaw drops.

"Just say sorry!" Tomoyo demands.

The irritation is evident in Youou's face, but he gives in to his new master anyway. "Sorry, for whatever wrong I've done." Youou looks him in the eye (red sharp eyes, just like Kurogane's) while rubbing the nape.

He blinks. It is... weird, having Kurogane's counterpart apologize to him.

A word had still to leave his lips when Tomoyo speaks again. "As an apology, mister, I give you the honor of giving him a new name."

"What! Why the hell would you give me a new name? And why from him? I don't even know him!"

He had to suppress a laugh; this is insane, ridiculous, and this world's Kurogane has just the same short, explosive temper as the ninja. A weak smile escapes his lips, but it is almost lonely.

"Well, this is like a new life for you, isn't it, after your parents' accidents? Besides, my bodyguards often get new names to hide their real names." Tomoyo's teasing tone fades down to a gentler one.

Okay. He is definitely prying in this Tomoyo and this Kurogane's business. "I'm fine, really. So, please excuse me..."

Tomoyo stands up and rushes to block his exit. "No you're not, sir! He sat at the seat beside you without even knowing you or asking if it is taken, therefore violating your personal space! Please give him a new name."

That is too accurate.

"Wait a minute! There was no one sitting there! It was vacant. And this is a public space, why should I ask permission to sit in a public seat?"

"Common courtesy, Youou. You always ask people if it includes sort of violating their personal space." Tomoyo answers smoothly. She pulls him towards his seat. "Please sit here for a while, mister, and help me think of a new name for him."

He is, needless to say, speechless. He stares at the Tomoyo in front of him; scrutinizing her and is on the brink of asking her if she knows another Tomoyo or of events from the last world when Youou speaks.

"I think you are the one scaring him."

"Shush, black. I think something with Kuro will suit you, since you're wearing all-black today." Tomoyo ignore both his stares and Youou's comment. She has a hand on her chin and is in deep thought.

"My parents just died, of course I have to wear black."

"And you're grumpy and have a dark mood literally written on your face. Kuro it is. Kuro-something... Kuroju, since I hear you're proficient with a gun? Do you have anything in mind, Mister?"

He is tempted to suggest Kuro-wan wan just to see this ninja's counterpart's reaction, but he realizes he isn't even in the mood to tease Kurogane, let alone Kurogane's innocent counterpart. So he suggests the ninja's current name. "I think 'Kurogane' fits him."

Tomoyo squeals in delight. "Yay, it fits! Kurogane it is! Thanks a lot, mister!" She claps her hands enthusiastically, therefore letting go of his hand. Youou, now Kurogane, mumbles but protests not so strongly. Maybe he also likes his new name.

Just as Tomoyo is babbling about making now-Kurogane's bodyguard outfit, he slips away.

-END-

Yay! The Orphanage is finally done! It took years, but it was really fun writing the mini twins and Kurogane's various jobs and Fai breaking down and Kuro being always there to support him *inhales*. My hardest challenge was well, updating :)), and trying to keep this friendship kurofai as friendly as possible. It's the inner fangirl :3. I hope you all had as much fun as I did. Thanks for all who read and supported the Orphanage all through out its three years of completion.

Thanks a lot, minna! :3