MAJOR SPOILERS.

You've been warned. Don't complain.

These all have to deal with Fai's thoughts, starting with chapter 124 and going back and forth. It has no specific plot; it serves only to allow me to fill in the places where Fai said nothing, simply thinking. Still, bodily, this takes place in 124.

I hope this doesn't suck. If it does, tell me and I'll fix it. I also hope I go through with my intent to make this more than one chapter.

Disclaimer: If I owned Fai, well…things might have turned out differently.

The Wizard's Countdown

C h a p i t r e 1

I never wanted to die. I hadn't meant for this to happen.

That's a lie, of course. I've gotten so good at those. I knew what I was doing when I allowed it to happen. How could I not?

The interesting question is: why did I allow it?

Maybe Kuro-puu was right. I've grown attached to our little band of travelers: two cats and two dogs following a white manjuu bun, looking for a Princess's feathers by roaming through an assortment of worlds. Yes, that must be why.

Still, as I look back on all this, I can't help but smile (although that's not rare now, is it? I smile at everything). I had come to the Dimensional Time Witch in hopes of running away, aspiring to be a lonesome nomad making plenty of acquaintances but never getting close to anyone, and what happens? I end up here, lying on a hospital bed, missing an eye and half of the magic I had sworn never to use thanks to a pair of star-crossed teenagers, not to mention an unfortunate amount of blood.

Still, even though they're the reason I'm here, I'm not angry. It was my choice, after all – my stupid risk. I didn't think it would actually work, but I couldn't give up. Not without trying.

Now that I start to recall everything, I must say, I have no idea what was I thinking. I hate pain, and that was pretty painful. I must have been crazy.

No. Not crazy. I know better now. I had just started to take Kuro-tan's advice. I had let them in, and as a result I hurt everyone.

He really should just let me die. I'm no good at this sort of thing. All I know how to do is run away and smile.

Yes. Smiling. I've gotten really good at that, too.