"Not the cat," moaned Tamahome.

"What's wrong no da?" queried Chibi-Chichiri as he hopped into the tiny saddle on the feline's back. Tama-neko was a little larger than previously, but was otherwise unchanged.

"I think he's cute!" Nuriko exclaimed, clasping his hands together.

"He's a smart-ass little pain in the posterior!" Tamahome snapped.

"Niyaao!"

"It's a cat, Tama-chan," Nuriko informed him flatly. "Get a grip." Rolling his dark eyes, he tugged on Tamahome's arm. "Come on. Your time is running out, and we're still a long way away from the castle!"

"Ack! Thanks for the reminder!"

Tamahome darted across the bridge, Nuriko following more leisurely, with Chibi-Chichiri atop his "steed" bringing up the rear.

Tamahome paused where Tasuki was just beginning to regain consciousness. "That looks painful," he commented, trying very hard not to grin. He failed.

Tasuki groaned and sat up, clutching his head. "Itai!"

"Come on, we gotta get moving." Tamahome held a hand down.

Tasuki groaned and grumbled, but allowed Tamahome to lever him to his feet. He was a little wobbly, but he was recovering quickly, and he managed to give Nuriko a furious glare when the older youth tripped up to join them.

"Thanks a #$*&*in' lot," he snarled, showing his fangs.

Nuriko looked singularly unimpressed. "It was your own fault."

"@#$%^%*%$#!!"

"Come on no da! Let's go no da!"

"AUGH!! What the @#%$* is THAT?!"

Nuriko doubled over in cheery laughter, while Chibi-Chichiri managed to look cutely insulted. "Watch your manners no da!"

"Tamahome, I'm swearing off sake," Tasuki said earnestly, grabbing Tamahome's shirt and leaning forward to gaze into the other boy's eyes with a look that was only partly sane.

"Oh, knock it off. At least Chichiri hasn't kissed me yet!" Tamahome jerked Tasuki's hand away. "He's all right, though I don't know about the cat. Come on, let's go."

Tasuki whimpered and staggered against a nearby tree trunk, holding his head. Tamahome sighed. Well, Tasuki could catch up or not. He had to get going.

Tamahome dashed away through the thick wood before them, Nuriko swiftly following, and Chibi-Chichiri bouncing madly on Tama-neko's back behind. Tasuki straightened, losing his slightly dazed expression and suddenly looking determined.

Reaching into his jacket front, he plucked out the earring stud and made ready to flick it into the bog they'd just escaped.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"YAH!" Tasuki yelped and spun, staring in fear at the tall figure cloaked in shadows behind him. "#@%$*^@!! What are ya tryin' to do; give me a @#%$&in' heart attack?!"

"You will give him that gem."

Tasuki peered at Nakago, trying to get a better look. The Goblin King was almost completely hidden in the shadows beneath the trees, but there was something odd about....

"What's wrong with your #$^@*in' hair?"

Nakago reached up and plucked what looked to be several ribbons from the darkness hiding his upper half, then tried vainly to smooth down the tufts that were still visibly sticking out at odd angles, even in the dim gloom surrounding him. "None of your business."

Tasuki winced at the soft menace in Nakago's voice, but he had a bone to pick with the Goblin King. "Oi! Majesty!" He made it sound almost like another curse. "What the #^%& was that back there? You just said you'd make my life miserable if *I* kissed Tamahome. That little #$^!@er kissed me! Not the other way around!"

Nakago snorted, folding his arms. "Yes, I know. Think how much worse it could have been."

"#@%&**%$#...."

"Now get after Tamahome and give him that 'gift'!"

"Aw, come on," whined Tasuki, clutching the gem in his hand. "How am I supposed to get the #@^%er to wear it? It's not as though I can @!%$^in' say, 'here, sweetie, accept this as a #@&^*in' token of my love'!"

"It doesn't matter how you do it. Just do it. Or you become a permanent resident of that bog!"

Tasuki shuddered as Nakago waved a hand toward the area he'd just come from. "Hai, hai. I'll #@$%&^*in' do it. I don't know HOW, but...."

But Nakago was gone.

"Ch'. @#$%&er thinks he's so hot." Tasuki scowled darkly. "Why's he always gotta @#%$&in' pick on me? Why can't Nuriko be the bad guy for once?!"

Kicking angrily at a passing Nyann Nyann that was trying to "naosu" his bruised body and dented skull, Tasuki started after Tamahome. If he had to play traitor, best to get it over with quickly, so they could get on to the happy ending. Though when Nakago was concerned, Tasuki wasn't altogether sure any ending could be completely happy.

***

Nakago looked in the mirror -- a normal one -- and sighed. Yuiren had played havoc with his hair, and it was going to take him at least a quarter of an hour to get it to fall the way it was supposed to. Then he had to choose a new outfit. As the only character who had any wardrobe changes in this story, he had an image to maintain, and one of his biggest scenes was coming up.

He smirked to himself in the mirror, good humor restored. It would probably take Tasuki a while to figure out how to get Tamahome to accept the earring, and Nakago had a lot of preparing to do. Best to get to it.

***

"Tama-chan, I'm hungry!"

"Quit whining. And now that we're traveling with the cat, you better stop calling me that!"

Nuriko pouted, but Tamahome actually cheered up when he thought about what he'd just said. Well, that was one small blessing. Though he had to admit, he was getting pretty hungry himself.

"Oi, Chichiri, I don't suppose you could magic us up some food, could you?"

"Saa no da! My powers don't work like that, Tamahome-kun!"

"Not very useful, are you, squeaker?" Nuriko inquired.

Chibi-Chichiri glared balefully. Of course, the effect was pretty well ruined, considering he was only two feet tall, impossibly adorable, and was riding on a cat. "I don't see you doing anything so great no da!"

Nuriko sniffed and tossed his head. "I'm improving the scenery as we speak! With me around, you'll never lack for something beautiful to look at!"

Chibi-Chichiri made gagging motions while Tamahome stifled a snicker, and Tama-neko didn't even try to stifle his. Nuriko scowled -- but still looked very pretty while doing so. "You guys are just mean! You don't appreciate true beauty! I don't know why I put up with you!"

He fell back, to where Tasuki was skulking along behind the assorted group. "What are you so glum about, fang-boy?"

Tasuki shot him a dark glare. "Nnvyr#%$^&bsnss," he mumbled.

Nuriko correctly translated that as a rebuff, but he continued to walk beside the gloomy bandit, chattering cheerfully.

And so the strange company made their way further and further into the Labyrinth, and the story became slightly boring, so we'll skip to the next chapter, where there should be some action.

"Seriously, Tasuki, what's wrong?" asked Nuriko in concern. They'd been walking a long time and all he'd been able to drag from the younger boy were a few grunts, even though he'd been going out of his way to be as annoying as possible.

"Nothin'," Tasuki muttered, shoving his hands more deeply into his pockets, his fingers fisted tightly around the earring. He thought briefly that he might be able to convince Nuriko to get Tamahome to wear the earring, since Tamahome seemed to trust Nuriko more than he did Tasuki, but he decided the dope would probably just put it in his own ear.

And the longer he waited, the more second thoughts he was having. After all, he still didn't know what the thing would do to Tamahome, and he certainly had more amiable feelings toward Tamahome than he did toward Nakago. Nakago just scared him, but Tamahome was almost a friend. Well, maybe not quite.... But more so than Nakago could ever be!

"Saa-ah! I give up!" Nuriko threw up his hands and darted forward to meld himself against Tamahome's side. "Tama-CHAN!"

"Nuriko! I told you not to call me that!"

"Gomen ne." Nuriko pouted a little, then sighed. "Tamahome-kun, I'm worried about Tasuki."

"Hn." Tamahome didn't seem too concerned.

"Tamahome-kun!"

"Nuriko, what do you expect me to do about it?" Tamahome stared at Nuriko, trying not to show his anger. They were still so far from the castle, and he had so little time left.... He needed a miracle, and he didn't have time to worry about sulky party members.

"Tama-ch-- Tamahome no baka!" Nuriko retreated to do some sulking of his own.

Tamahome sighed. At least Chibi-Chichiri still looked cheerful. Though that could just be the mask. And it would take more than a few spats or hunger pangs to damp Tama-neko's spirits.

Still, Tamahome knew what happened when heroes had falling-outs with their companions; Bad Things. And he could ill afford any more troubles.

With a heavy sigh, he dropped back to speak with Tasuki. Nuriko, still upset, just kept walking, his eyes straight forward, his back stiff, and Tama-neko ambled along, oblivious, while Chibi-Chichiri seemed to be taking a little nap on his back. Well, Tamahome would talk to Tasuki first, then try to smooth things over with Nuriko. At least he hadn't pissed off Chichiri or Tama-neko. Maybe he was still safe from the curse.

"Tasuki." Tamahome grasped the red-head's shoulder and pushed him back against a tree trunk, waiting 'til the others were out of earshot.

"Yer not gonna @^%*in' kiss me again, are you?" asked Tasuki suspiciously.

Tamahome glared. "No! Though I don't see why you're so paranoid about it now! After all, you're the one who assaulted me in the oubliette! That certainly wasn't MY idea!"

"Didn't feel you #$^%*in' fighting back," Tasuki smirked.

Tamahome glowered. "Look, I just wanted to ask you what you're brooding over! Nuriko was worried about you, though I don't know why--"

"'Cause he's a $&^&#in' nice guy," Tasuki said quietly, staring down at his boots.

"Tas... Tasuki?" Tamahome blinked at the bandit, wondering what in the hell was going on.

"I'm fine, Tamahome. But you better go patch things up with Nuriko. He's too good a friend to fight with."

Tamahome's eyes widened. Tasuki had spoken a complete sentence without cursing once. "What the hell--?"

"Go on, ya @#^&%er." Tasuki spun Tamahome and gave him a slight shove in the direction the others had disappeared.

"I.... O-Okay." Tamahome gave Tasuki a confused look over his shoulder, then took a step to follow Nuriko and Chichiri.

Sudden red and black flared behind his eyes as something hard struck the back of his head, and he collapsed into senselessness.

"Gomen nasai, Tama-kun," Tasuki said, his harsh voice sounding almost choked by tears as he knelt and fastened the earring tightly in Tamahome left ear. "But I'm not strong enough to stand up to that @#%$er alone."

Swallowing thickly, Tasuki stood, and with one last stricken look at the unconscious boy sprawled in the thick carpet of dead leaves, he darted away into the dark forest.

***

"Crude but effective," Nakago commented softly to himself as he watched the scene in a small round ball of chi energy that was performing the same function that the mirror had previously.

He was perched on the windowsill of the throneroom, dressed in nice black clothing, his hair flowing over his shoulders like molten gold. Yuiren was napping in his bedroom once again -- though her slumber was normal this time, not magic-induced -- and the goblins were mostly sleeping wherever they had fallen or had found nooks to curl up, though a few hearty souls were playing cards or still kicking each other around. Still, if there was any sense of time in the Labyrinth, it would have been approaching midnight, and it was fairly quiet all over.

That suited Nakago just fine. He wanted to be able to concentrate, and the goblins were too rowdy when fully awake. He didn't know why he put up with them. Well, at least they were loyal. And they treated him with respect, even if it was mostly due to fear. There was nothing wrong with having a bunch of fawning idiots ready to obey his every order, even if they were pretty incompetent for the most part.

Not that he'd trust them any further than he could kick them. After all, when even those one considered friends could turn against one, as Tasuki had just demonstrated so well, what hope was there in mere lackeys, minions, and cannon-fodder?

Hence his loneliness, and hence his current distraction.

"You are mine, Tamahome," he whispered, sending the thread of his chi to seek and claim Tamahome's kuodo-clouded senses.

***

Nuriko stopped and shivered as a cold wind suddenly blasted into him, blowing a few hard, dead leaves up to scratch at his face. He glanced back anxiously, then blinked stinging eyes.

"Oi, Chichiri-kun! Where did Tasuki and Tamahome go?"

"Nani no da?"

"Tama-chan!"

"Tamahome-kun!"

"Tama-chaaaaan!"

Tamahome faintly heard the voices, and they sounded vaguely familiar, but the calls were fading and it was getting harder to fight the fuzziness clouding his mind.

With a soft sigh, he gave in to the insistent tug on his soul, gave up his sense of self, and became what the one calling to him wished him to be. He was Tamahome no longer.

***

"Tama-chan!!!" Nuriko sniffled and wiped his wet cheeks roughly with his sleeve. "Where do you think he is, Chichiri?"

"I don't know no da."

Nuriko stamped a foot. "Well, can't you track him down by his chi or something?!"

"Aiyah no da! I didn't think of that no da!"

Nuriko started to snap something scathing, but he shut up when he saw Chibi-Chichiri concentrating.

"He's moving no da," Chichiri said, his squeaky voice sounding confused.

"Where to?"

"Toward the castle no da. But there's something strange...."

"Well, come on then!"

"Chotto matte, Nuriko-kun no da!"

But Nuriko wasn't listening, only darted away toward the castle that glowed like a beacon in the distance.

"Nani no da?" Chichiri blinked and hopped off Tama-neko, reverting to his normal height and shape. He'd just lost Tamahome's chi. It was as though the boy had ceased to exist in any way. "What the hell is going on no da? Nuriko-kun! Matte no da!!"

With a stifled curse, he picked Tama-neko up and tucked the cat into his shirt front as he ran after the rapidly disappearing Nuriko.

***

A confused young man blinked about himself in bewilderment. Where was he? Wait a minute... *who* was he?!

The nameless youth moved slowly through the crowd filling the large room he found himself in. He was looking for something, but he didn't know what. He *was* someone, but he no longer knew who. There was confusion filling his mind, and a strong feeling of unreality clouding his senses.

He paused before a mirror, hoping that he might remember who he was if he could see his reflection. But it told him nothing. The glass held a handsome young man with dark hair and clear grey-violet eyes. The stranger was wearing a nice white outfit, slightly reminiscent of a tuxedo, but more medieval looking, which contrasted with the warm darkness of his face and hands. His hair was brushed and gleaming, but still managed to look tousled, as though by a friendly hand. The nameless youth moved closer, staring at the small blue gem set in his left ear. There was something... not... right about that.... But he didn't know what.

He was distracted from his thoughts as someone bumped lightly against him, and a deep voice spoke a soft apology.

The boy turned to look into a pair of narrow, thickly lashed golden eyes. The beautiful man smiled vacantly at the youth, then was swept away into the crowd with a flicker of long, dark hair. The nameless boy blinked, wondering why that face had been so familiar.

He forgot the mirror and wandered into the crowd, looking for that man. Maybe he knew who the boy was, what he was looking for. Somehow the boy thought that what he was seeking was more important than who he was.... But everything was still foggy, and after a moment he forgot what he had been doing, and merely gazed about himself with wonder.

He was in a huge ballroom, draped with creamy colored curtains, most of the walls hidden behind sprawling mirrors, so that the place looked a hundred times larger and more crowded than it was. The floor was cool ivory, the air warm and filled with the smell of roses. The people.... The people filling the room were all beautiful, all draped in clothing as nice as his or nicer... and yet their eyes seemed so blank, so empty, even while they laughed and flirted and danced with one another. For all he had lost his identity, and felt as though he was floating within his own mind, the nameless youth thought that he was the most real person within this room.

He watched vaguely as a glorious red-haired boy glided past. He would have thought the beauty a woman, but the suit the red-head wore was much like his, and the chest covered by the spotless white silk was obviously as flat as his own.

The red-haired boy paused, then turned and moved back to where the silent youth stood, his wide, luminous green eyes sparkling with amusement. This one seemed almost real. Without speaking, the boy reached into his waist-length hair and drew out a brilliant crimson rose, then pressed it into the lost youth's nerveless hand. With a soft brush of his lips against the nameless boy's cheek, he directed the other's attention toward the center of the crowd, then stepped lightly backward. There was a flicker of darkness, the sensation of a fire too close for comfort, and the red-haired beauty was gone, leaving the nameless youth with the rose, the sense of being all alone in a crowd, and the strong feeling that he ought to go in the direction indicated.

As he turned his gleaming eyes toward the center of the room, he could feel it. A strong chi was calling out to him, pulling him, tugging at his soul. He brushed the rose against his lips and gave in to the pull, moving slowly through the milling crowd.

At first the crowd seemed to grow thicker, forcing him to push his way through. But as he neared his objective, the revelers parted, allowing him to see where he was going for the first time.

He blinked, more confused than before. He felt as though he knew the tall man standing, waiting for him, and yet, he still couldn't remember.

Glowing blue eyes caught his, making it impossible for him to look away. The man had pale flesh in contrast to the boy's warm skin tones. Long, gleaming golden hair spilled in his face and over his shoulders, in counterpoint to the boy's tousled dark mane. The man was dressed in white as well, more elegantly than the nameless youth. He had one blue gem in his ear, just like the boy in the mirror had.

The man raised one hand slightly, his long slim fingers curling. The boy couldn't help himself but step forward, drawing a sharp breath. Something about this man both compelled him and repelled him at once. He wished with one heartbeat to close the distance between them, and with the next to turn and run away as fast as he could. Yet he could do neither. He seemed frozen where he stood, and it was now the man who was pacing deliberately toward him, with a feline grace.

He found he was shivering as the man came to stand before him, gazing up into the depthless blue of those narrow eyes. The face above his was so lovely, and yet so cold....

Warm fingers brushed his cheek, then fluttered down to his neck, and still the man held him captive with those bright eyes. The boy couldn't draw a complete breath. He wanted to move, though he was unsure whether it would be forward or back, but he was trapped.

The man leaned closer, the scent of roses filling the nameless boy's senses. He felt this was all so familiar.... If only he could remember....

His hand clenched convulsively on the rose he still held, forgotten for a brief time... the rose that the beautiful red-head had given him. The thorns on the green stem bit sharply into his flesh, breaking the spell the golden-pale man had cast over him.

With a jerking gasp, he stepped backwards.

Emotions flooded the blue eyes, hurt, anger, pain, and even a little fear.

The room shattered around them. Mirrors fractured, people scattered, a cold wind sprang up and made the disappearing room into a chaotic storm of debris, and yet the young boy held firm, staring into the bright blue eyes.

Darkness howled into place about them, and the boy was grasped and flung back into the real world and into unconsciousness, followed by the memory of a pair of glowing blue eyes, filled with pain.