To Make It Up

IV


Mokona stirred and opened her eyes slightly. *Where am I…?* She looked around fuzzily. She rubbed her eyes and rose up on the bed. *Bed?*

Mokona realized she was in some kind of a bedroom. It was very ascetic, only a drawer and a night stand beside the bed she was in, and a plush chair in front of a lit fireplace. The floors and walls were made up from stone. No windows.

*Where is this place? Where are Fai and Syaoran? I have to find them!* She hopped down from the bed and went to the door. She jumped up and tried the handle. It was locked. Mokona started to feel a little despair. *How am I going to get out…* She thought hopelessly. Suddenly she heard movement behind the door, and the sound of a key turning in the lock.

*Oh no! I have to hide!* Mokona looked around frantically and the only place she could think of was the bed. She dashed to the bed and hid under the covers.

The door opened and someone stepped in. Mokona couldn’t help but shiver in anticipation and fear when the steps came nearer. Something was placed on the night stand, a delicious aroma wafting through the fabric, causing Mokona’s stomach to rumble.

“You don’t have to hide. You’re quite safe,” a soft and kind voice told. “I brought you something to eat.”

Mokona didn’t dare move, although she was quite sure the person knew where she was. Her stomach rumbled again and a chuckle followed.

“I can hear you are hungry. Please, come from under the covers. I won’t hurt you,” the voice promised.

Mokona carefully peaked at the stranger. Her eyes widened in recognition and she quickly threw the covers away.

“FAI!” She exclaimed and jumped at him.

The blonde man blinked in surprise.

“Fai? How do you know him?” He demanded.

Mokona drew herself from the man’s neck and watched him in puzzlement. “Fai…?”

“Tell me, please,” the blonde man pleaded. He looked very distressed, and Mokona got even more confused.

“What do you mean? You are Fai…” she told him. What was wrong with him.

The man sighed and bowed his head. “I’m not Fai… But he’s a very dear person to me. So please, tell me how you know him.”

“We… We travel together. We came here a few days ago, searching something my other companion lost…” She didn’t mention anything about the feather or dimensions to the Fai look-alike. Mokona wasn’t sure she could trust him.

“You travel together…” he muttered. “Then I guess we are not talking about the same person. I’m sorry if I confused you,” the blonde apologised, but he seemed disappointed.

Mokona shook her head. “It’s okay. But, umm… Could… Could you tell me where I am?”

“I’m afraid I cannot reveal the exact location, because I don’t really know myself… I’m sorry,” he looked at the manjyuu sadly.

Mokona bowed her head. “Oh…”

Suddenly the man’s expression brightened. “Why don’t you eat. Here…” He took the tray he had put on the table and brought it on the bed, next to Mokona.

“It looks delicious!” she praised and dug in. The man smiled warmly and watched as the little creature ate with vigour.

It didn’t take long for Mokona to finish the bowl of vegetable soup, bread and glass of milk. “Kyaa, that was good. Thank you,” she patted her stomach happily.

The blonde chuckled. “You welcome. But now I must go. But I promise I’ll come to see you again,” he rose from the side of the bed, where he had seated himself. He took the tray and headed for the door.

Mokona watched sadly after him but then something occurred to her. She didn’t know his name!

“Wait!” The man stopped and turned.

“Yes?”

“What’s your name?” she asked.

The man smiled. “Yui,” he said and left the room.

---

“Oh my God! What happened?” Lisa gasped, when Kurogane barged through the front door, carrying an unconscious Syaoran, Fai trailing behind them. He didn’t look so good either, with the torn clothes he wore.

Kurogane didn’t answer and instead headed straight to the couch. He carefully positioned the injured boy on it. Lisa came rushing and pushed the ninja out of her way. She started to examine Syaoran’s injuries.

“What’s going on?” Sakura came to the living room. She had been in the kitchen, when she heard all the racket. She gasped and put a hand to her mouth as she spotted Syaoran.

“Syaoran-kun!” Sakura ran towards him but Fai grabbed her.

“Sakura-chan, let Lisa look after him. He’s going to be alright,” he assured the girl.

“Kurogane! Get me my first-aid kit from the kitchen! It’s in the third cabinet by the door. And water and a towel!” Lisa commanded while taking Syaoran’s shirt off.

Kurogane didn’t argue and went to fetch the needed items. It didn’t take long for him to carry a bowl of water and the aid-kit to the living room.

“Are you going to tell me what happened?” Lisa demanded. She took the towel and damped it in the water. Then she started to wipe at the blood from the boy’s face.

Fai explained all that had happened. Sakura hugged him, sobbing. “I’m so sorry, Fai-san. Are you okay?” she asked, looking tearily up at him.

“I’m okay. Kuro-pon… He came at the right time…” Fai said.

“Those bastards,” Lisa muttered under her breath. She had wiped all the blood away and now took the disinfectant from the kit. “His nose is not broken, which surprises me. The blow must have been quite hard for him to be knocked out. It’s a little swollen though, we might need some ice to put on it. Aside from those, Syaoran is going to be alright.” Lisa informed.

“That’s good…” Fai sighed relieved.

“Let’s move him to his bed. I bet he’s going to nurse a fine headache tomorrow…” Lisa motioned Kurogane to carry the boy upstairs.

“I want to be with Syaoran-kun when he wakes,” Sakura said. She didn’t want Syaoran to be alone.

Lisa smiled in approval. “We can take the spare mattress from the closet and put it in Syaoran’s room. You can sleep on it.”

Sakura beamed and rushed after the ninja.

Lisa looked at Fai calculatingly. “Are you sure you’re fine?” she asked.

“Yes. Don’t worry,” he said but then doubled over a bit, seemingly in pain. Lisa helped him on the couch and tore the remnants of Fai’s shirt. A big purple bruise marred his torso.

“You stupid man! Why didn’t you say anything!” Lisa was tempted to back hand the blonde but calmed down, and went to the first-aid kit to get some bandages.

Fai didn’t say anything and let the woman apply some cream on the bruise and wrap the bandages over it. He hissed a little as Lisa’s hand accidentally ran too hard over the bruise.

“Oh, sorry,” Lisa apologised.

“It’s okay, thank you,” Fai brushed it off.

“I’ll be more careful,” she promised and went to wrap the bandage around Fai’s torso, which caused her to almost hug him. Fai blushed a little at the close proximity, and felt a bit nervous. He closed his eyes and tried to vanish the memory of that man’s hands on him.

Lisa kept on wrapping. “Is it getting too tight?” She asked. Her breath tickled Fai’s neck and he squirmed a little.

“It’s fine.”

“There,” Lisa patted him on the shoulders after finishing her job, and withdrew to pack the cream back on the kit.

Fai massaged his torso gently and thanked.

“Make sure you don’t over exert yourself,” she instructed.

Fai nodded. He watched as Lisa put the kit under her armpit and lifted the bowl of water to take back into the kitchen.

“Go rest,” she turned to leave but was stopped by Kurogane, who stood in the way.

“Kurogane. Is everything alright?” Lisa furrowed her brows. Kurogane seemed to glare at her…

“The kid’s fine. I put him in the bed,” Kurogane grunted.

“O-Okay…” Lisa said and swept past the ninja. Kurogane glared her retreating back for a while before turning his gaze on the mage.

---

Kurogane put the boy on the bed and Sakura tucked the blanket firmly on him.

“I’ll go get the mattress,” Kurogane said and went out of the room.

Sakura drew a chair beside the bed and took Syaoran’s hand in her’s. He looked so pale and it hurt Sakura to see him like that. She didn’t want anyone of her friends to get hurt on her account. Because of the feathers… Sakura did want her memories back, very badly, but…

Kurogane came back carrying the big mattress. He put it on the floor and the thud startled the girl.

“Oh, thank you, Kurogane-san,” Sakura said and the ninja just nodded.

Suddenly the princess gasped. “Mokona! How could I have forgotten her! We have to get her back!” She exclaimed loudly.

Kurogane had, too, totally forgotten the annoying manjyuu. “Don’t worry. The bunny can take care of herself,” Kurogane said.

“You promise you’ll find her,” Sakura pleaded.

Kurogane sighed. “I promise.” They definitely had to get the manjyuu back, or they had no way of continuing their journey. Or ending up in Kurogane’s world for that matter.

Sakura beamed at him and resumed her attention on the boy.

“I’ll go look on the mage…” Kurogane headed out the room and downstairs.

He stopped on the entry to the living room. The woman was wrapping bandages around the mage, and got quite close to the blonde. He noticed Fai blush. Kurogane narrowed his eyes. Then Lisa spoke something what caused Fai to squirm. For some strange reason the mage’s reactions angered him. Finally the woman finished.

“Kurogane. Is everything alright?” the pestering woman asked. He glared her.

“The kid’s fine. I put him in the bed.” He didn’t know why he felt a strong dislike towards Lisa suddenly.

“O-Okay…” He watched her leave and then turned towards Fai.

“Why didn’t you say you were injured?” Kurogane asked.

“Syaoran was more important at the moment,” Fai answered, leaning back against the couch’s back rest.

Kurogane glared at him. “What about the manjyuu? We have to find her, if we wish to get away from this world to the next.” *Hopefully to my Japan.*

“Oh my, Mokona! Were could we find her. We have no clue as to where that portal lead,” Fai said.

“We’ll just have to go back to the alley and see if the portal is open again,” Kurogane told.

Fai wasn’t very happy hearing they had to go back there. “You are right,” he said however. Then he noticed Kurogane’s hand was still covered in blood, but it had dried already. His eyes widened in realisation.

“Did you kill that man?”

Kurogane raised his brow. “No, I couldn’t afford to weaken in that situation.”

Fai nodded. That explained why the curse Tomoyo had put on Kurogane hadn’t taken effect.

“You should go to bed,” Kurogane stated.

“Yeah…” Fai rose a bit difficultly. “Good night Kuro-pon,” he smiled and went to the stairs.

Kurogane seated himself on the couch and took a deep breath. This was getting annoying.

---

Yui bowed down. “You called for me.”

“Do you have the creature?” a soft baritone inquired. Although the voice was soft it wasn’t kind, and it made Yui shiver – not in a good way.

“Yes. I placed it in one of the empty rooms.”

“Good. Come here, Yui,” the voice commanded.

Yui lifted his head and glanced at the man, seated on a big, throne like chair. The man was handsome, with long black hair, pale skin and piercing violet eyes.

Yui went over the man but didn’t look him in the eyes. An arm snaked around his waist and pulled him on the black-haired man’s lap. “You don’t have to be so shy,” he said and licked at Yui’s neck.

Yui tensed. Even though this wasn’t knew to him, it still disgusted him. He tried to pull away from the exploring tongue. “Please, stop…” he pleaded. To his surprise the man stopped.

“You have no place to order me!” he said menacingly, hardening his hold on the blonde.

“I’m sorry, please!” Yui gasped.

“Leave, I’m not in the mood now,” he pushed Yui roughly from his lap and he fell on the floor.

Yui rose from the floor and bowed. “Yes, Ashura-sama.”