FicWad

((This is only the first chapter, so it starts off a little mild, to set the scene. I promise much more interesting things to come. Beware, the rating will steadily increase as I add chapters.))



Kurogane sat up with a grunt, rubbing a fist against his eye to dispel his disquieting dream. It was quickly fading; something about mysterious attackers and Fai's smiling face... He scowled and shook his head. Why did traveling through that damn pork bun give him such odd nightmares? Where had they landed, now, anyway? A glance around the room didn't really answer the question. All that met his crimson guys were dull gray walls. Not stone, some sort of metal. No door, that he could see, either. The only one there with him was the blond wizard. He scowled. Of course, that would be who he'd be stuck with. It looked like he had been up for awhile before him, too. Irritating.

"Fai, you know where we landed?" he demanded. "And where are those brats?" The man stared at him blankly with that eternal grin without answering. Damn idiot. Kurogane tried again.

"Hey, moron, where are we?" he growled. This time, Fai shrugged, and spoke gibberish. Damn it. Like back in that Hanshin place, Mokona must be too far to translate for them. He considered the immediate implications of this. Mainly, would that make the wizard more, or less, annoying, if he couldn't understand what the other spoke? Before he had a chance to figure out an answer, part of the wall behind Fai slid away with a small hissing noise. That would be the door, he assumed. He jumped to his feet while Fai rose more sedately, and reached instinctively for a sword that wasn't at his side.

"Damn it!" he swore to himself; of course, they would have taken Souhi. This was obviously a prison of some kind. He grabbed Fai's arm and pulled him roughly behind him as someone rather short walked through the new doorway. He crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes. What the...? He came up to maybe Fai's shoulder, roughly, but feline ears poked out through dark brown hair. A matching tail flicked every now and again behind him. Ooookay, then. A language barrier, and a species barrier. Terrific. Just goddamn great.

The green-eyed freak was speaking to them in a fluid-sounding language, but he must have figured out that neither of them understood, because he stopped abruptly. Instead, he beckoned them to follow. There was no one else with him, either. He sighed to himself; they wouldn't find out anything trapped in here. He looked back over his shoulder at Fai, jerking his head towards the cat creature to say they should go. The mage made a nose of agreement, lacing his fingers behind his head and stepping out after the... whatever-it-was. Kurogane brought up the rear. They were going through a large building of some sort, some large rooms with high and vaulted ceilings that would put the finest temples to shame, as well as contrastingly cramped little tunnel-like hallways. He supposed it wouldn't really bother people as small as these; the tallest yet stood barely higher than Fai's chin, and the blond idiot didn't get past his shoulder.

As they walked, the... cat-people... gathered around, staring at them with wide eyes and talking amongst themselves. Some looked merely curious, others frightened, and a few glared with an open hostility that he quite gladly returned in a scowl. Dressed in black and far larger than any of the brightly-garbed little creatures, Kurogane intimidated them more than effectively. For the most part. At least enough to keep them at a distance. He turned his head to the side to catch a brief glance at Fai, who had drifted behind him. He didn't know why he bothered. The wizard still seemed like he was in his own happy, content little world, as usual. For some reason, that calm demeanor angered him. Did the reality of any situation ever enter his empty head? He turned that anger on the feline thing leading them to nowhere through the labrythine building.

"Look, where the hell are you taking us? You better find some way to communicate! You took my sword away, but I still have my fists!" The guy had slowed once he'd started yelling, but he was forced to admit to himself that it was probably more from his tone and volume than anything he was actually saying. Right on the heels of that thought, the creature lunged towards them in an almost blindingly fast motion. Before he had time to react properly (he had reached for his absent weapon again, damnit), something hard and cool had snapped firmly around his neck. He stiffened when he realized what it was.

"What the fuck?!" He had jerked hard at the metal collar, only to have it give him a nasty little shock. His yelp was echoed by Fai, so he assumed the same treatment applied. He was practically seeing red, now. How fucking dare they?! The cat was talking again, and he paused midstep when he realized that now he could understand him perfectly.

"...apologize, but it's necessary. I can't have you both running away; you'll be killed on sight without identification! And anyway, now we can understand each other!" He smiled, tail swishing around--Kurogane really wanted to rip it off and strangle him with it. A glance back at Fai confirmed both that he was none the worse for his on jolt, and that he could understand this individual, now, as well. It didn't really do anything to quell his temper. A collar was a collar was a damn fucking collar, and he wanted it off! He strode forward and pinned the guy against the wall with one hand wrapped around his throat.
"Good. So now you know that if you don't let us leave, I'm going to make you," he snarled in his face. A second later, and his knees buckled from a tremendous surge of pain rippling through him. He just barely managed to catch himself on one knee. "You damn bastard.... Wait 'til I get this fucking thing off, just wait!" he threatened as he stood shakily, keeping one hand on the wall for balance. The words of the bastard in question practically tumbled over one another as he apologized from well out of arm's reach.

"I'm sorry, I really am. I was honestly afraid you were going to crush my windpipe. The collar reacts to things like that!"

He didn't really care. It was still his fault, since he'd put it on him in the first place. He grunted in mild surprise when the wizard stepped forward to slip a shoulder under his arm and helped him to a standing position. Then he had to go and ruin it by talking.

"Now, now, Kuropipi, no more sleeping! You've done enough of that already~"

"Shut up! Don't call me that!" He shook off the irritating blond. Damn moron.... His steps weren't steady, but he managed to keep his balance as he stomped after their captor. Idiots; he was surrounded by idiots!

It wasn't too much longer that they arrived at their destination. They'd been walking for some time; how huge was this place? The wall opened up like it had back in the cell, revealing rather opulant living quarters. It also looked a little off. He finally realized that, besides everything simply being built on a smaller scale, that it was spaced too widely. There also wasn't a single sharp edge in the place. And the damn walls glowed! It wasn't a harsh light, and it was bright enough to illuminate the place sufficiently, but it was still fucking weird. The cat man had started speaking again; he crossed his arms over his chest and glanced over at him.

"Now, I'm only going tell you this once; if you try to leave, you'll get shocked." This seemed to be directed more at him, than Fai, so he glared at him. "I have some things to do, so just make yourselves at home!" The cat had turned to face the wizard while he said that last part. Yeah, he clearly didn't like him. Good, the feeling was mutual.

As soon as the apparently nameless feline had left, he started to stalk around, looking for a way out. Fai seemed content enough to stare out at the night sky while he examined the way the man had left. How the fuck did you open it? There was nothing like a knob or a handle, and he couldn't slide it open by hand, either. He heard his companion gasp, and whirled around.

"What?" The other merely gestured out the window. Grumbling under his breath, he stalked over. Nothing but stars. "So?"

"Look down, Kurochan." He frowned; despite the stupid name, Fai sounded serious. He looked more carefully out the window. It beveled outwards, so this was no great task. The side of the building curved inwards as it stretched its great bulk downwards, and below it, he could see... the sky?

"We seem to be floating in a world of stars," the wizard informed him softly as Kurogane stared at the expanse in dismay.