Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction / Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction / Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction / Twilight Of Dark Master Fan Fiction / X/1999 Fan Fiction / Magic Knight Rayearth Fan Fiction / Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction ❯ Dark Tournament ❯ Revelations ( Chapter 1 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
Category: Massive crossover, AU, Yaoi
Overall Warnings: This fic will have scenes of violence, angst, non-consentual sex, graphic lemons, limes, sap, shonen ai, and anything else I throw in.
Warnings: shonen ai, sap, rampant confusion
Pairings: Heero_+_Duo, Trowa_+_Quatre, Sano_+_Kenshin, Lantis_+_Eagle, Sephiroth_+_Vincent
Author: Arigatomina
Email: arigatoumina@hotmail.com
Complete Archive: www.geocities.com/arigatomina

Dark Tournament

Prologue 2: Revelations

Initially, they'd thought restraints might be in order, especially considering the temperament of many of the participants. But Shin was quick to remind them that such methods were unnecessary, his presence had assured there would be no battles outside of the arena. There was the chance of utter chaos ensuing if
they were placed together, as there were harsh ties between more than two of the contestants. But this, too, was partly avoided as each was placed under sleep until Tsunami had gathered them all. Then they woke them, and monitored the reactions.

* * *

Before he had so much as opened his eyes, Albert was hit by the cool temperature. This, more than anything, served to confuse him and he opened his eyes rather than enjoying what could have been a dream. There was a white surface above him, and his eyes trailed till he made out the shadow of a wall, the same white color reminding him of his last memories. He remembered heat and wind, but attributed them to having been in the desert. It was the white light that told him something had happened. He was lying on his back, a cool, flat surface beneath him. Turning his head, he followed the wall. Then he caught sight of someone lying beside him and his slow moving mind woke abruptly.

He pushed himself up, and his eyes flew around what he found to be a small room with no visible doors. But it had corners and he had his back to one before he remembered that the unconscious man was not really his enemy. Minutes may have passed before he regained his confidence, and Albert straightened slowly. His spear was gone. While Lloyd had yet to stir, he wasn't about to trust him, and his hand moved inside his armor, searching quickly. The pouch he'd kept his items in was also missing, but what really worried him was the missing dragoon spirit. Suddenly, he didn't care why the Wingly had been placed in the room with him, didn't care if the man was supposed to be dead. Someone had taken him in the desert, and that person had stolen the stone.

Red violet eyes snapped open, and Lloyd flinched back from the golden glare inches above him. Then he rolled away, rising in an instant crouch and staring at the green-clad man in confusion. He recognized the king, and he was more than accustomed to the anger in those oddly golden eyes, but the fact that he was alive seemed more pressing than whatever was bothering the man. Looking down, he took in his silver trimmed clothing, his lack of armor, and his painless body. He'd hit the stone platform with enough force to shatter it, yet he didn't feel any broken bones. Albert moved, and his gaze snapped to him, his eyes narrowing at the man's offensive stance. While he couldn't deny that the king had reason to seek revenge on him, the man was obviously unarmed. He, on the other hand, wasn't.

His teeth pressed together when the pale Wingly stood suddenly, but Albert didn't flinch at the transformation. Whether or not Lloyd had been disarmed mattered little when the man could reveal his true form without the use of accessories. The man's silver-gray armor was darker than he remembered, but it could have been an effect of the white room. As it was, he didn't care. "I am unarmed." The man paused, the silver magic that elevated him a foot from the floor disappearing as he landed lightly, and he raised an eyebrow.

"I can see that," Lloyd murmured. He didn't know what was happening, but he wasn't about to trust the man, especially since he'd killed Lavitz. It wasn't likely that the king would forget the murder of his knight. But then, Albert had woken him, and that was as curious as the room he found himself in. While he didn't transform back, he did relax his stance. "What is this?"

Albert frowned. It disturbed him, the fact that he was aligning himself with the Wingly, but he had decided the man was not responsible for their present situation. He was thinking of a response when Lloyd's eyes widened suddenly and he turned, his mouth opening in shock. The wall behind him was moving upward, drawn into the ceiling. It wasn't the technology that shocked him, as much as the absolute silence, and the lack of any visible groove into which the white wall was disappearing. Then he was able to see a man, and his eyes narrowed, focusing on him.

Fine white hair hung straight down the man's back, long bangs hiding his brows and falling to each side of his narrow face. Pale blue eyes swept from one man to the other, and dark red lips curved into a smirk as he stared at Lloyd. "I see it does no good to take the weapons and magic from one who *is* magic."

Fighting the urge to glance at the man behind him, Albert's gaze flew past the black-clothed man as another being stepped into view. The darkness outside the room made it impossible to see where they'd come from, and he was relieved when Lloyd stepped forward to stand beside him. "Who are you?"

"Tsunami," the man said smoothly, his voice tainted by a calmness that made the two men uneasy.

"Don't try to attack us, Lloyd."

Lloyd flinched at the soft-spoken order, and he stared at the short figure that had come to stand beside the tall man. He obviously wasn't human, his skin a lavender color, his ears rising in points. Pale bluish white hair trailed down the center of his otherwise smooth head, part of that mane falling between his narrow black eyes. Lloyd had never seen anything like him, and his hands curled into fists. "Why not?"

"Your questions will be answered, soon." The man's eyes flicked to Albert, and he nodded slowly. "I am Shin. Come, now. Once the others are awake, everything will be explained." Neither man seemed eager to move, and his eyes turned, gazing at the pale-haired man who leaned against the outside of the room, out of sight of the two occupants. Kuja smirked at him, and he glared briefly. The man hadn't been happy that his prediction of a battle had been wrong, but he was obviously expecting one now. But it wasn't going to happen. Turning back to the men, he set his gaze on the white haired one. "Lloyd, you have been healed of your injuries. Haven't you wondered why you aren't dead?"

It was as if the short man had read his mind, and Lloyd's glare darkened. He had just been entertaining the notion of giving them a chance, the fact that he *had* been healed a sign of something other than hostility. Albert was looking at him, and he glanced to the human for a moment. The king nodded, then stepped toward the open wall. With misgivings, he followed.

* * *

They both woke at the same moment, and their hands curled almost simultaneously, gripping controls that weren't there. Zechs was the first to turn his head, and his pale blue eyes blinked rapidly before he pushed himself up. "Wufei?" The Chinese boy had crouched as quickly as his head turned, and Zechs was a bit satisfied to see the Gundam pilot was as startled and confused as him. Sitting up, he gazed around the room, frowning at the evident lack of a door. Then Wufei jumped to his feet and he was surprised by the blatant distrust in those black eyes.

"Where is this?" Wufei growled, glaring at the white-haired man. The black coat confused him as the last time he'd seen the man, Zechs had been in his space suit. Obviously, time had passed while he'd been unconscious. The former Lightning Count looked surprised, but that didn't fool him. He was the only one who could have reached his suit, especially since he'd just left the man before his blackout. "I knew you were an enemy."

For a second he wondered if the boy had somehow learned of his alliance with the colony rebels, but that wasn't possible. "You mean this?" Zechs asked, standing slowly. He walked to one of the walls, feeling the smooth material and glancing up so he could look at the seams of the room. "I'm not responsible for this."

His eyes narrowed, and he followed the tall man as Zechs moved around the room. He didn't believe him for a second. It was too much of a coincidence that the man had requested an alliance mere minutes before the attack. Though he couldn't remember anything after the light, Wufei was convinced it had been an attack. "Where is my Gundam?"

The boy was still growling at him, and Zechs sighed, frowning with ill concealed irritation. "How would I know that?" he returned, raising an eyebrow. "I could as well ask you where Epyon is, couldn't I." Wufei actually blinked at this, and he was surprised by the confusion that replaced that hateful glare.

"Epyon?"

"Ah, you wouldn't know. It's my Gundam," he said, turning as he finished inspecting the walls. "Treize made it. He gave it to Heero but...we exchanged suits." The boy's eyes had narrowed at the mention of Treize, but even that rise of anger didn't dissipate his confusion. Then Wufei was glaring again and he sighed, leaning against the wall opposite the young pilot. "You don't believe me."

It made no sense. There was no time for the man to have exchanged suits, and the idea that Treize had made a Gundam was difficult to believe. That he might have given such a suit to Heero was simply ridiculous. "Say what you like." The man raised an eyebrow at this, but Wufei ignored him. Folding his arms over his chest, he let his gaze travel over the room. If Zechs wasn't behind the attack, then there was no choice but to wait for the person to show himself. If he was, then his 'check' of the room wasn't to be trusted. But then, he didn't trust the man either way.

Not moving from his position, Zechs watched the boy retrace his steps, a smirk curving his lips. He was the same as the last time they'd spoken, belligerent and as untrusting as ever. Minutes passed in silence before the boy was finished, and he watched Wufei sit down in the corner across from him. "Where were you taken?" he asked, sighing when the boy glared. Rather than answering, the pilot abruptly turned his head away. "Wufei, I am *not* behind this. I don't even..." His words trailed off, and he stared at the wall to his left. "Wufei. The wall." The boy's eyes snapped to him, then the Gundam pilot stood suddenly as the wall retracted.

Wufei was prepared to face the person responsible, but the oddly dressed figure who stepped into the room made him stare in disbelief. He couldn't tell if it was a girl or a boy, but the person looked to be about twelve years old. Dark purplish blue armor covered his shoulders, parted over his chest, and was trimmed in thin lines of gold. But it was his bare stomach that made Wufei stare at him, the old fashioned armor not as odd as the provocative clothing, or lack there of. Thin white cloth trailed down to the person's wrists, a purplish blue material barely hiding his sex and held by thin straps about his hips. Transparent white cloth, similar to the material on his arms, covered his legs, and Wufei turned wild eyes to Zechs, not sure what to make of the person. The white haired man seemed as shocked as himself, and he turned back to the figure.

Stepping into the room, Kuja grinned and ran a hand through his pale shoulder-length lavender-blue hair. It never ceased to amuse him, the way some people reacted to his dress, and he allowed himself a moment of enjoyment. His blue gray eyes sparkled merrily as he raised an eyebrow. "I thought you'd be asking who I am, but I can wait until you're finished?" Both men reacted to his taunt, and his fingertips touched his lips, hiding his soft laughter. "In the meantime, why don't you come outside?" The black-haired boy seemed to shudder, he shook himself so roughly, and he stepped forward with glaring eyes.

"What is this?"

"Questions later, we've decided to wait until you're all together before explaining. It'll save time." The two males exchanged glances, and he smiled again, turning slowly. Glancing back over his shoulder, he winked at Wufei, smirking when the boy's eyes widened and he looked incredibly insulted. "Coming?"

Wufei followed, and Zechs trailed them both until they entered the darkness beyond the room. He had to pause for a moment as his eyes adjusted, and he caught sight of the oddly dressed boy ahead of him. Wufei had also stopped, but the pilot's eyes weren't on the stranger. Following his gaze, Zechs froze as well, unable to comprehend what he was seeing. There were four people a few yards away, three normal enough despite the odd armor the silver-haired man wore. But there was also a purple-skinned creature that couldn't exist. He didn't believe in aliens.

Kuja's laughter rang out in the wide space the rooms surrounded, and Shin sighed. Glancing at the two stunned pilots, he looked to Tsunami and shook his head. "I hadn't counted on this."

"They'll get over it," Kuja smirked, moving forward to stand next to the four of them, his eyes drifting briefly over Lloyd and Albert. Those two were obviously reconciled to the wait, and he was almost disappointed when the brown-haired man moved past him. Turning, he watched Albert approach Zechs and Wufei and glared. "No fun at all."

"Don't be so immature," Shin admonished. The young man flashed a grin at him, and he was again reminded of why he didn't care for him. His magic had its uses, though, and he wasn't as bad as he'd been before Tsunami had found him.

* * *

Heero sat up the moment his eyes opened, and he immediately searched the room. Instead of the man he'd seen in space, he found an even stranger sight. After another quick glance around the blank walls, he knelt beside Duo, his hands pressing the boy's neck. His fingers found a steady pulse, then violet eyes blinked open and Duo jerked away, staring at him in shock.

"Heero? Where the hell did you come from?" Shaking his head, Duo sat up slowly. Then he looked around him, tensing abruptly. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure." He could have told the American about what he'd seen, but he doubted the sight. It didn't make sense. And Duo seemed different somehow, his eyes were moving too quickly as if he were nervous. That might have made sense considering they had obviously been captured by someone, but it was more than that. He almost looked jumpy. "Do you remember what happened to you?"

"Light," Duo muttered, glancing at him. "I didn't see anything on radar, but something hit me." Heero's eyes had narrowed, and he blinked at the boy's glare. "What?"

"Radar?"

The question was asked in such an odd tone that he wasn't sure what to make of it for a moment, then Duo shrugged. "I was in Deathscythe Hell. Then something hit. I don't remember anything after that except some kind of light, hot, *inside* the cockpit. It was really strange."

He was describing the exact thing that had happened to him, but Duo hadn't had his suit. Deathscythe had been with the other Gundams, only Wing Zero was sent ahead. In fact, the boy hadn't even been conscious when he'd left. Something was very wrong. Protocol demanded he assess the situation, escape was his first priority. Heero let his eyes move around the room, searching for any sort of surveillance camera, then he looked at Duo. The boy had turned his back, and he wasn't sure what he was doing till he saw the space suit he was wearing shift.

Dropping his gloves, Duo pushed his suit down to his waist, his hands touching his hip. It didn't make sense. Why would the enemy take his suit off long enough to take his gun and then put it back on? The fact that he'd somehow managed to sleep through that was odd enough, though, and he didn't feel as if he'd been drugged. Actually, he felt better than he had since coming to space, at least physically. Glancing over his shoulder, he looked at Heero's helmet-less suit, not paying too much attention to the boy's expression. The other pilot was wearing a suit that was much lighter than his own gray one. Without a weapon, Duo was certain he'd have to be able to move quickly and while his own space suit wasn't that bulky, he didn't see a reason to take the risk. He crouched as he undid the boots.

There was nothing in the white room except for them, and Duo left his suit where it lay. It was useless anyway, without the helmet. Standing, he looked around again before folding his arms and blinking at Heero. "Could OZ have found some new sort of technology we don't know about?"

"OZ...?" His voice sounded faint in his ears, and Heero took a sharp step forward so he could grab Duo's shoulders. "Why are you *wearing* that? What's wrong with you?"

"What?" Dark blue eyes were boring into him, and Duo tried to pull away. The hands clamped on his shoulders wouldn't give and he finally dropped his eyes, looking from his outfit to Heero warily. "I...always wear this. Heero, are you feeling all right? Did something happen after you and Trowa left?" The boy almost looked scared for a second, then one of the hands lifted from his shoulder and moved toward his head. Jerking back, Duo shoved him away, glaring to hide his own confusion. "What's with you?"

To give him credit, Heero was doing his best to rationalize things. From what Duo said, Trowa had left him after he'd escaped from the colony. Something must have happened then. But that didn't explain the black outfit the boy was wearing, the same damned priest smock the boy had worn throughout the war. He hadn't seen the thing in over a year, but it looked exactly the same. And Duo had asked if OZ was behind the abduction. It was as if he'd forgotten. "You said you were in Deathscythe?"

"Yeah," Duo said slowly. He was wondering what else to say when the wall moved beside them, and it was almost a relief to end the conversation. Heero had always been strange, but he made him nervous now. Turning, he waited beside the Japanese pilot, watching as darkness was revealed, a tall figure moving into the light. A sharp breath drew in beside him, and Duo jerked when Heero abruptly moved in front of him. The boy was staring at the white-haired man as if he'd seen him before, and Duo looked himself. He didn't look special, though his lips were rather red. Clad in a long black coat, the man gave no hint as to an affiliation with any military organization and Duo wondered for a moment if he was a member of the colony rebels.

"You."

Tsunami nodded, acknowledging Heero's accusing welcome. He waved a hand, turning sideways. "Come out. You have acquaintances you can wait with. Everything will be explained soon enough."

The man didn't have a gun, but Duo was accustomed to being held, and he moved forward almost immediately. Heero wasn't so quick, and he raised an eyebrow at the boy when his arm was caught. "Why not?"

"He..." The man was watching him, and Heero knew how it would sound if he explained that he'd seen the man floating in space without a suit. It wasn't possible. Instead, he moved past Duo, entering the dark outside the room. He had to slow until his eyes could adjust, then he halted suddenly. There were a number of people not far from them, and he stared for a moment before his eyes narrowed. Then he stalked forward. "Wufei."

Duo sighed when he caught sight of the black-haired boy, and he gave him a quick smile. Wufei nodded at him, but Heero moved between them before he could give a verbal greeting.

Heero didn't think the Chinese boy was responsible, but he had aligned himself with the Mariemeia rebellion. He wasn't going to forget that now. "Were you also taken, or are you a part of this?" he asked coldly. The boy frowned at him, but Heero's gaze shifted and he blinked, seeing Zechs a few feet behind Wufei. "I see you're still alive. Have you joined the rebels, Zechs?"

Wufei glared, turning to stare at the tall man behind him. "I knew you couldn't be trusted."

They couldn't possibly have found out so soon. That was the first thing to cross Zechs's mind as he looked from Wufei to Heero. He felt cornered for a moment, then Heero turned his glare on the black-haired boy.

"You can't be trusted either," Heero said evenly.

"What's wrong with you guys?" Duo interrupted, moving between his friends. A glance proved that Wufei was very insulted by the accusation, and he was again hit by how oddly Heero was behaving. As if he didn't know who his allies were. "Wufei? Do you know what's going on here?"

Shaking his head, Wufei tore his gaze away from the dark-haired pilot, glancing at Duo. "I woke up in a room with him," he jerked his head, motioning to Zechs. "We're supposed to get an explanation after everyone else joins us." Duo's mouth opened, and he hurried before the boy could ask. "I don't know who else they have here, but there are things I can't explain." He knew he should warn the boy about the alien they'd seen, but he was still having trouble with that himself. Instead, he turned to look at Albert. The man had moved away, no doubt giving them privacy, and he nodded to him. "These two are also pilots, like myself. Duo, and Heero." The latter boy was still glaring at him, and while he hadn't gotten over Heero's claim that he wasn't trustworthy, he left it for now. "This is Albert. And as far as I can tell...he isn't from our world."

* * *

His first thought upon waking was that Goku obviously wasn't the only one with the ability for instant teleportation. It couldn't have been anything else, though he'd obviously been put to sleep also. Sitting up, Trunks looked over at the boy sharing the small room with him. He didn't recognize him, but that didn't really mean much. The other person was also waking, and he crossed his legs beneath him, his head tilting back so he could look at the ceiling and walls of the room. They didn't look to be made of any metal, so he wasn't worried about escaping. Rather, he wondered who had taken him, and why. The boy sat up quickly, and he blinked at wide burgundy eyes.

"Who are you?" Van asked, his eyes flying around him. "Where is Escaflowne?" The young man blinked, and he frowned suddenly as he realized the lavender-haired man probably didn't know. If he was locked up as well, it wasn't likely that he was the one behind his abduction. His hand curled at his waist, and his eyes narrowed when he found his sword missing. He'd been unarmed.

"My name is Trunks, but I don't know any...Escaflowne." The boy nodded as if distracted, and he raised an eyebrow, his pale blue eyes glinting. "And you are?"

"Van." He didn't offer any more, there wasn't a reason to. Instead, he stood, stepping to one of the walls. "This is a prison, then," he said slowly, more to himself than to the stranger.

"Not a very good one," Trunks said, smirking and glancing upward. "I could get out. But I think it would be better to wait for our captor. If he took us specifically, he must have had a reason." Time suddenly didn't seem to be a problem. He knew he could have been asleep for hours at least, and his father would have already destroyed Cell. There was no hurry. And he was curious. The slender boy was dressed oddly, his sleeveless red shirt a contradiction to the thick gloves he wore. There was also a belt hung at a slant around his waist and Trunks knew from his own experience that it was made to hold a sword. That in itself was enough to arouse his curiosity. It was rare to meet another person who used a sword.

Van turned at the boy's words, and he crouched quickly. "You can get out of here? Do it, then. I can't let Escaflowne fall into the wrong hands."

"What is it?" The black-haired boy frowned, and Trunks raised an eyebrow at him. "You trust me enough to help you, but not enough to tell me that? If you had it with you before, whoever took us must have it now. One more reason to wait."

Glaring, Van stood. He should have expected as much, he hated relying on someone else for help. Trunks flinched suddenly and he looked to his right, following the boy's gaze only to see a blank wall. "What?"

"Someone with...power," Trunks murmured, standing as well. The boy looked from him to the wall, then back again. This was different than with the man he'd seen before the white light. He could actually feel a power, one he understood, though he wasn't able to rank it in his mind. The wall was already lifting, and his eyes glinted when he saw the short man standing there. He didn't recognize the light purple skin, but the power he'd sensed was definitely coming from him.

"I am Shin." The saiyan nodded to him, and he was relieved. The boy was nothing like his father. That was one of the main reasons they'd taken him when they had, he'd grown with Gohan as his influence. The young king was frowning at him, but at least he hadn't been as shocked as the pilots before him. "Van, Escaflowne is in a safe place." The boy's eyes widened at this, and he stepped back. "There are a number of others like the two of you. Once they have been woken, everything will be explained. Come."

* * *

Memory came before movement, and he remembered the throne. He'd been kneeling, then the man had been there. The vision swam into focus behind his closed eyelids, long white hair, dark lips, black coat, and magic horrifying in its intensity. Lantis lifted his hand slowly, feeling the freedom of the movement as his eyes flicked open. He knew his sword was gone before he'd even begun to sit up, and his gaze fell to the one lying beside him as if drawn there. Icy chill crept over him and his dark eyes narrowed, focused on pale lips. "Eagle..." There was no response, but his breath caught anyway.

Crouching, he moved silently, as if afraid to make any sudden noise, and he leaned over the man. His fingers brushed the slick black gloves that covered Eagle's left palm, then he pressed the back of his hand against him, feeling the warmth of his skin. He was breathing, his cream colored cloak had hidden the movement of his chest, but Lantis could hear soft steady breaths. "Eagle." His voice was too faint and he glared suddenly, lifting the man's shoulders off the white floor. "Open your eyes, Eagle." This came out more forceful, but still husky and low. Pale lashes flickered before revealing slits of mellow gold.

For a moment everything swam before him, then he blinked rapidly, focusing on the man glaring at him. He didn't feel disoriented, the weakness that had plagued him frequently was absent, and he felt no pain. A strong hand tightened on his shoulder, and he winced before giving Lantis a weak smile. "I lived, then."

He hadn't. Lantis knew that, he'd seen the explosion, he'd watched helpless as the FTO had been consumed, Hikaru's screams surpassing the sound. But he was alive now, a soft smile curving his lips, short white hair trimmed in hints of ash as it fell over his golden headband. He wanted to kiss him, longed to crush him in an unbreakable embrace and hold on tight. Then Eagle smiled, his eyes closing briefly in that adorable way he had and Lantis glared again. "You fool!"

"What?" Eagle's eyes widened at the man's snarl, and he blinked at him in confusion. "What did I do?"

"You could have killed yourself!" A calm voice murmured in the back of his mind that he had, but Lantis wasn't listening. Weeks of grief were remembered and he shook the slender man, furious now that the shock of seeing him alive had broken.

"But..." Frowning, Eagle's narrow eyebrows drew together. "I only did what you told me to, Lantis. Surely you didn't think I would refuse to help you?"

"No. You knew you were sick, dying, yet you came to Cephiro. You risked your life *repeatedly* when you *knew* it was killing you. And you never said a word." His anger hung for a moment, then Eagle closed his eyes and he felt it drop away.

"What was I supposed to say?" Eagle murmured, glancing at the dark-eyed man. A sad smile curved his lips, and he let out a little laugh. "I'm dying, please don't leave? It wouldn't have made any difference, the physicians did everything they could. I wasn't even supposed to live long enough to *reach* Cephiro. But..." He glanced away for a moment, then smiled again. "I feel fine. It doesn't make sense."

It was the smile that did it and Lantis pulled him close, his face buried in the olive green cloth that trailed down from the golden band before disappearing beneath the pale cloak over Eagle's slender shoulders. His breath was hot on the cloak, but he could feel the man's neck beneath it and he tightened his hold. //I'm so sorry. If I had known, I would never have left Autozan.//

"Ah, Lantis, you had to go. Just like I had to follow you." The man's dark gray-blue armor was hard against him, making the embrace uncomfortable, and he pushed back after a minute. "Cephiro," he said suddenly, his hands pressing the man back further when Lantis didn't lift his head. "What happened to Cephiro? The last thing I remember was getting you out of that suit and Debonaire showing up. Did Hikaru...?"

"Cephiro is almost back to normal, now. And refugees from Autozan are making their way in. Hikaru did become the pillar," Lantis said, raising a hand when the pale man's expression dropped. "But as such, she dissolved the system from within. All of the people are responsible for preserving the country now."

"And Hikaru?"

"She went back to her own world." Those golden eyes widened and Lantis blinked when Eagle's fingers brushed his cheek.

"I'm sorry. She cares so much for you, I'm sure she will find a way to come back to you." The black-haired man nodded, and he smiled when Lantis leaned forward till their foreheads touched.

"Like you did."

"Mm." Dark, midnight blue eyes were smoldering inches from his own, and Eagle glanced away. He hadn't taken in his surroundings at all, and was uneasy. There was no longer a reason for him to stay in Cephiro. Even if his people were taking refuge there, his place was in his country. With this thought, he leaned back, turning his head so he could look around him. Then his eyes widened and he raised an eyebrow. "Am I being held again?"

Lantis knew he was speaking of the time he had entered the room with the pillar and been restrained. This room was different, lacking in magical barriers, and he shook his head, reluctantly releasing the man. "I don't know where this is. I saw something, then I woke here to find you."

"After the pillar was dissolved?" Eagle asked, his eyes wide. "Have I been missing since then?"

"Yes. Clef as well." Standing slowly, Lantis leaned down, pulling the slender man to his feet. Just the sight of his easy stance brought an urge to grab him; his injuries had obviously been healed completely. Instead, he turned, paying more attention to the room. He hadn't stopped to think about what was happening, his shock at finding Eagle alive had taken precedence.

"The master mage? Was he injured as well?"

"He's been missing since the end of the battle. No one has seen him since the magic knights returned to their world, nearly three weeks now." The white-haired man was frowning at him and Lantis' eyes narrowed as he made the connection suddenly. He didn't actually hear the wall moving, but he turned to it, nodding sharply at the short figure who was revealed. "Clef. I see."

Eagle blinked at the odd tone of the man's voice, and he looked at the short mage. He seemed to be the same as the last time he'd seen him, except that worn shadow around his pale blue eyes was gone. Clef was gazing at him, and the pink-haired man smiled suddenly, stepping into the white room.

"Your health has been restored," Clef said softly, glancing from the white-haired man to Lantis. "I admit, I never could have done it alone, my magic wasn't strong enough. There was a price for this, so if you are angry with me later, I'll ask you to remember this."

"What did you do?" Lantis asked, his tone low and strumming with intensity. "Is this where you've been all this time? Why?"

Eagle was staring at Lantis, and Clef smiled a bit, looking between them. "You sound ungrateful," he said softly. Lantis blinked, but he inclined his head toward the door, pointing with his tall staff. "There was some question as to whether I crossed the lines, including the two of you in this because of my own inclinations, but you are here now. You aren't the only ones who are confused, there are others outside who are also eager for answers. Come out and wait with them, it should not be long."

"Others?" Lantis frowned when the short mage nodded solemnly, but he wasn't about to argue. He'd been reminded of his debt to the man, a quick glance to Eagle confirming that. "Yes."

* * *

The man woke an instant after he did, and Kamui rose slowly, his calm gaze focused on furious black eyes. The man wasn't that tall, but he had black hair that rose in an odd point over his head, the hairs seeming to stand on end naturally enough to defy gravity. Sitting, Kamui curled his legs, tilting his head to the side as he took in the oddly pale blue light that surrounded the muscular man. He didn't sit up, but rather flew from his lying position till he was hovering a foot off the ground. Those black eyes were focused on him, his brows drawn downward in a scowl and Kamui blinked slowly at him.

As before, Vegeta sensed something, but this time he didn't have to focus at all since the source of the odd energy was seated mere feet in front of him. He'd woken with fury, enraged that someone had managed to take him off guard with such ease, as well as anger that his confrontation with the androids had been averted. Now, he stared at what he found to be a teenager. While he did sense something from the boy, it was not a power level such as he was acquainted with, and he glared, knowing the boy wasn't his target. It might have surprised those who thought they knew him, but he was able to calm himself a bit till his feet touched the white floor beneath him. Pale grayish blue eyes rimmed with black followed his slight movement, and he could see that the teen was calm.

The man was measuring him, but Kamui had already taken his own measurement. He didn't know what he'd expected when the odd man had approached him in the cemetery, but he was sure the man before him had been placed in the room for a reason. He was content to wait until that reason was revealed, or rather, he didn't feel like asking.

"Who are you?" Vegeta growled, his low voice sounding more vicious than his intent. But that was normal for him, and the boy didn't so much as flinch. The boy was wrapped in a black cloak that hid his seated form, a hint of red visible beneath his chin. If it hadn't been for his direct gaze, Vegeta would have dismissed him immediately as being useless. "What is this?" The boy continued to stare at him for a moment, then shrugged. His anger immediately surged in him.

Kamui blinked when the man let out a growl and turned away sharply. Then he raised an eyebrow as Vegeta's fist slammed against the wall, the sound echoing in the enclosed room. That pale light was surrounding the man again, and Kamui stood, moving away to give him space. "Impatient?" he asked slowly, frowning when the man actually looked surprised by his worlds. Then the scowl returned.

"You *can* speak," Vegeta mocked, his eyes raking the boy's slender form before focusing on the white wall again. There wasn't even a dent where he'd struck the smooth material, and he gritted his teeth, prepared to raise his power level for a stronger attack. He didn't want to use any energy blasts inside the small space unless absolutely necessary.

"Are you trying to break down the wall?" Kamui asked, frowning when the man nearly snarled at him.

It had to be the stupidest question anyone had ever asked him, and Vegeta's eyes narrowed to black slits. "No," he said, his sarcasm thick, "why would I do that? Of course I am!" The boy was glaring at him, but he had already turned back, his hands curled into fists, and he gave another testing blow on the resisting wall.

"You're wasting your time, then." The man tensed visibly, but Kamui was through talking to him. He didn't know who had taken him, but he doubted if the white-haired man would have placed them inside a room they could escape. It would defeat the purpose of having enclosed them, if they were able to tear down the walls as the man was trying to do. He knew this, it was obvious to him without even attempting escape. Vegeta had ceased his attack, but he kept his gaze on the wall beside him, not glancing over when the man stalked to him.

"What do you know?" He had discounted the boy, but his words made Vegeta suspicious, and he stared at him. It would be clever to trick him with such an unassuming youth in order to catch him unawares. Those dark eyes were averted, and he growled. "Answer me, boy."

"Kamui, not boy." The man jerked back when he turned to glare at him, and Kamui felt a smidgen of pleasure. "What I know is that you can't tear these walls down. You would only waste your energy and your time. Besides, someone's coming." Those black eyes were still staring when he turned his face away again, and a small smile flicked the edge of his lips. Then the wall began to lift and Vegeta flinched.

While he didn't understand the power he sensed from the boy, Vegeta had a definite sense of energy from the person who was slowly revealed. He couldn't tell what sort of person he was, as he didn't recognize the light purple skin, but the short man had pointed ears that reminded him of a Namek. But it didn't really matter whether or not he recognized him, the man had to be the one who was responsible. He did remember the black-clothed human who'd appeared before him, but he felt more power from this one. Glaring, he prepared for a fight.

The saiyan would only wait a short amount of time, Shin was sure, and he gave him a significant look, his voice low and careful. "Saiyan prince, Vegeta, this is your chance to prove your strength." The man blinked sharply, and Shin was hard pressed to control the smile that tried to curve his lips. He had to concentrate, playing on the man's pride as he coaxed him from the room and encouraged him to be patient. The fact that he read every thought that passed through the man's head was a definite help in this. As for the boy, Tsunami had already explained that no incentive was needed. For him, this was an escape from nothing, literally.

* * *

One thing Glenn had learned since his last waking in captivity was that his armor hadn't been made to lie in. The thick metal over his shoulders dug into his arms, and he winced when he shifted on the flat surface. It was when he pushed himself onto an elbow that he found this time was different. Unlike his wakening on Fargo's ship, he found that his sword was gone, as was the circular shield that he kept strapped to his left arm. He could see Serge lying next to him, but he left the boy for now, his gloved hand pressing beneath the waist of his breastplate. As he'd feared, every one of his elements was gone. While he normally would have applauded his enemy for having the intelligence to take his weapons, he had never heard of anyone capable of removing his abilities.

Most elements could be removed, he'd exchanged enough of the magic with Serge in the past to know how easily it could be allocated. But his technical skills were not elements in the sense of magic to be used by just anyone. Different from magic, they had no physical presence, yet he found himself unable to find the abilities inside himself. It was as if he had never learned them. True, he couldn't perform any of the moves without his sword, but simply disarming him had never disabled his tech skills before. As if they were nothing more than normal elements, whoever had taken him had also managed to steal these from him. And that garnered deep respect.

He couldn't kneel well with his armor, but he crouched beside Serge, his gray blue eyes shifting over the floor before resting again. He didn't see Leena, and he had a brief wave of unease before shoving it down. Fargo was not the one who had taken him in that storage room, so it was possible that the person who had caught him had left the girl. He would have. She was a useful ally, but her abilities were faulty at best; he suffered her presence for the sake of the boy lying in front of him. The dark blue haired boy was frowning lightly, and Glenn gave him a shake to quicken his waking. Cerulean eyes blinked quickly, and he leaned back, giving the boy room to sit up.

"We've been moved somewhere," Glenn said sharply, not giving the boy time to ask. "And my elements are gone. Is it the same with you?"

Frowning, Serge slipped his red-gloved hand within the thin chain-link armor covering his chest. As the man had said, his pouch was gone. "Even my items," he said, nodding. "Do you know who did it?"

Glenn shook his head, his eyes narrowed as he glanced away. He knew it wasn't Fargo, but he couldn't think who else it might be. Lynx wouldn't have gone to the trouble and leave them alive. "I don't know, but whoever it was moved faster than I could. I saw nothing."

"I saw him," Serge said, nodding when his comrade turned sharply. "I've never seen him before, and it was just a glimpse really. He had long white hair, blue eyes, and a black coat. I don't remember if he had any weapons, I only saw him for a moment." The man was nodding, pale ash-brown bangs falling into his eyes, and Serge gave a small smile. "It's good to see you again, Glenn."

The boy's eyes were bright, and Glenn frowned at him, but decided not to ask what he meant by that greeting. Instead, he stood slowly, watching as Serge did the same. A tense moment of silence filled the room as they waited for something to happen, then Serge sighed.

"What do you think this person wants with us?"

The boy was still young, and while he'd had many experiences since his journey began, Glenn knew he questioned his judgment on people. He often asked the opinions of his companions. "I can't say with any certainty," Glenn said slowly, "but I doubt if he plans to kill us. He has obviously had ample time to do so if he managed to unarm us." The blue-haired boy was nodding, and he frowned, folding his arms and glaring at the wall across from him. Almost as if in reaction to his glare, the white surface moved, and Glenn's eyes flicked to the side for a second as Serge stepped closer to him.

Serge didn't know what he'd expected aside from the white-haired man he had glimpsed before, but he was definitely surprised by the young man who was revealed. His clothing was bold, almost as provocative as the outfit Nikki sported, but the boy didn't hold himself the same as the musician did. Pale eyes flitted over them then glanced away and Serge wondered if he were preoccupied with something. Glenn was scowling, and Serge took a step toward the youth, blinking when the boy frowned at them.

"I know you have questions," Kuja said quickly, a bare smile twitching his lips before his eyes turned to his left for a moment. "Go ahead and wait with the others." The two men frowned at him, but they stepped forward and he nodded sharply. "Good. Right over there." Waving, he gestured to the growing group of fighters and watched until the two had started in that direction. Then he grinned and turned the other way.

* * *

Vincent woke slowly, looking to the right and then the left. His eyes snapped open wide when he saw who was beside him, and his muscles tensed. Staring at the white haired man, he sat up very slowly, not making the slightest sound. His right hand touched the floor but came up empty. The gun was gone, and that meant the materia he had junctioned to it were also lost. He could feel the lack of accessories on him, but that didn't worry him as much as the loss of the magic. All of his summons, his weapon, without them he was practically defenseless. His hand touched the red cloth at his throat, and he knew the materia he'd attached to his armor was also gone. It was the feel of cloth against his hand that made him stiffen, and his eyes dropped, frozen.

Lifting his left arm, he stared at his palm, at his pale fingers, and his eyes trailed to the red marks lining his wrist. His glove was gone. He almost never took it off, and he continued to stare at his hand for a moment before he glanced at Sephiroth. The last time he had seen the man, they had defeated him, beaten the last of his many forms. But he was uninjured now, and Vincent moved slowly, crouching. He had just started to rise when his left wrist was caught. Frozen, he watched as pale blue eyes opened a bit and turned to look at him. His teeth clenched, and Vincent glared at the man, jerking against the man's hold. The grip tightened until he felt as if he were breaking his wrist and his eyes narrowed to hateful slits of red.

Sephiroth blinked slowly, not bothered by the man's evident fury, and he rose on an elbow. "You."

He entire body was tense, but Vincent held still with effort, his glare denying the icy worry that crept over him. "We *killed* you."

His magic was gone, as was his sword, and Sephiroth was glad he'd kept the man close to him. Staring at those dark red eyes, he shook his head slowly. "No, if I *am* dead, then Cloud killed me in our private match. But obviously he didn't kill me either." A shadow of doubt flickered over Vincent's eyes, the rest of his face hidden by his red collar. "Why am I here?" The man pulled away, and he tightened his grip on that slender wrist, a muffled growl reaching him before Vincent stopped. He couldn't risk letting him gain an advantage over him. His materia was gone, but he didn't know if the same could be said for the black-haired man. While Sephiroth didn't know anything about him, he remembered the man from those final battles. He'd seen enough to know better than to underestimate him, especially when he was unarmed.

Anger was in him, but Vincent could feel his body straining, he couldn't keep his calm much longer. He hadn't been completely disarmed, and his right hand curled slowly as he knew he had one chance. If Sephiroth tried to kill him, the man would have to do it quickly. From what he'd seen of the man, he knew him to be twisted, and he was certain he would toy with him first. If he inflicted enough damage to him before actually killing him, he'd have his chance. As much as he hated to resort to his darker side, he wasn't ready to die. His hand was curled into a fist, hidden by his long cloak where the white-haired man couldn't see it.

Sephiroth jerked back when the man moved suddenly, and he caught his fist. Lunging forward, he shoved Vincent onto his back, his eyes narrow at the paltry attack. He could hear the man's furious breaths through the high cloth hiding his face, and he frowned into slitted eyes. The man didn't fight with physical attacks. While his assumptions were based on that one battle, he knew that the man's strength lay in his weapon. He fought with a gun, with magical attacks and summons. Even his gun paled in comparison with his magic. Sephiroth shook his head slightly, wondering at it. The move had been fast, but he lacked the strength to harm him even if he had been able to make the blow. There was only one reason he could think of. "Are you unarmed?"

The question nearly caught Vincent off guard, then he glared at the man holding him down. Whether Sephiroth had known he was defenseless or not made no difference at all.

"What were you thinking?" Sephiroth murmured, shaking his head at the man's silence. "I am a swordsman. You don't stand a chance in hand-to-hand combat with me." He paused for a moment, his eyes flicking away, then he frowned down at the man. "Did you expect me to kill you when you are completely defenseless?"

Vincent's eyes widened for a split second, then he glared again, furious with himself. He had to remember who it was. "You killed Aeris," he whispered, "she wasn't armed." The man's expression grew dark and he found himself holding his breath as he waited for the attack he'd expected from the beginning.

"She was armed with the one thing more powerful than meteor. Of *course* she was armed."

Those pale blue eyes were aimed at something he couldn't see, and Vincent almost read regret on the man's face. But he knew better. Waiting, he knew Sephiroth was right about him, his strength. Even if he'd had the opportunity, he wasn't strong enough to throw the man off. Sephiroth jerked suddenly, and Vincent tried to see around him as the man was gazing over his shoulder. Then a light laughter reached him and his eyes widened.

"You couldn't wait," Kuja said, his eyes sparkling merrily as he looked at the two men lying on the floor. Shin wasn't laughing, though, and he watched the short man step forward.

"Let him go."

Sephiroth stared at the two men for a moment, then his eyes narrowed and he slowly leaned back, not relinquishing his hold on Vincent's wrists. He pulled the man with him as he stood, but those dark red eyes weren't on him but on the two men who'd entered. Looking at him, he could tell the man didn't know them, his gaze was just as wary as it had been before though it lacked that blatant anger. Vincent finally glanced at him, and he looked down at the man's hands, drawing his gaze as he slowly released him. The man blinked, but Sephiroth turned away, facing the short creature with a raised eyebrow.

Shin was staring at the tall man with surprise written on his face, and Kuja frowned when the lavender-skinned man blinked and relaxed his stance. He didn't know what the man had learned, and it angered him that he was unable to read minds the way Shin could. His gaze ran to the black-haired man, and he smirked at the way Vincent was cradling his left wrist. They had definitely interrupted something.

Looking at Vincent, Shin raised his chin a bit. "You and Sephiroth are no longer enemies," he said slowly. Red eyes sparked at him, but he nodded. "Jenova is dead." Sephiroth jerked at this, glaring at him, and Shin knew the man didn't want reminders. But his words weren't for him. Sephiroth may have convinced himself that Vincent was defenseless, but Shin knew the man had the potential to be a problem. "Remember," he continued, "Sephiroth and Cloud were once allies. As things changed then, so have they changed again." The black-haired man was watching him, and he turned his gaze to Sephiroth, his eyes narrowing. "There will be no fighting now." Pale blue eyes narrowed at this, and Shin adopted a stern gaze, despite the fact that his words were unnecessary. As it was, the man smirked at him.

"That remains to be seen," Sephiroth said softly, his gaze dangerous.

"You were both brought here for a reason. If you come, everything will be explained."

"Who are you?"

Shin's expression relaxed as he glanced at the black-haired man, and he turned a bit toward the open wall. "Soon. Consider this a truce for the moment."

* * *

The moment he woke, Irvine jerked and looked around, his brown eyes wide. The last thing he remembered was the incoming explosion, and he was stunned to find himself in a quiet room. Then he saw Squall lying beside him, and he rolled onto his side, touching the teen's shoulder. "Hey. Squall, wake up." The boy frowned for a moment then opened his eyes. Grinning, Irvine rose into a sitting position. "Where did you come from?"

Squall blinked for a moment, then pushed himself up as well. His gaze circled the room before halting on the brown-haired boy. "Irvine." He blinked again, then touched the sleeve of Irvine's brown coat. "You caught me, thank you."

Frowning, Irvine shook his head. "What are you talking about?"

"You didn't catch me?" He'd assumed the young man must have as he remembered losing his grip.

"Catch you when?"

"On the bridge...the prison."

Staring at Squall's confused expression, Irvine frowned. "You know you made it across on your own. I mean, we lost sight of you for a minute when the dust rose, but you made it just fine. No one had to help you." Blue eyes blinked at him, and Irvine's expression grew concerned. "Have you hit your head since we separated?"

He was even more confused by this, but Squall thought he must be referring to when they'd been captured in the prison. Irvine and Rinoa had managed to break them out after a time, and he dropped his gaze wondering if his confusion was a result of the time incarcerated. "No," he said softly. He remembered losing his grip, but he wondered if he had somehow managed to make it without remembering. It was possible that he had lost consciousness after getting across, possible that his memory of falling had been induced by something else. But he didn't know, and his eyes darted around as he realized the others weren't there. "Where are the others now?"

"I don't know," Irvine said quickly, still watching the dark-haired youth. He wanted to ask Squall if Selphie and Zell were all right, but he was more worried about Squall at the moment. The normally somber boy seemed 'off' somehow, and Irvine thought that Selphie and Zell must have made it through the explosion. After all, they had made it to the tank, and if he had survived outside then they would definitely have survived within the shelter of the metal. Following Squall's downward gaze, he saw the boy fingering his belt and his own eyes grew wide as he realized his rifle was gone. "My rifle."

Searching with a growing panic, Irvine finally raised wide eyes to Squall. "Everything is gone. My magic, items, even my GF's!" The brown-haired boy's gaze grew dark and he watched as Squall checked his own supply.

"Mine also," Squall said, glaring around them.

They both turned when the wall lifted, Kuja scowled at them, his hands on his hips. The longhaired teen had risen to his feet, but he shook his head at the two of them. "You are no fun." Irvine looked insulted at this, but Squall just scowled. Waving his hand, Kuja sighed and stepped back toward the darkness outside the room. "Come out and wait with everyone else."

Squall exchanged a confused glance with Irvine, then he stepped after the odd man. "Wait. What's going on?" His words trailed off as Kuja had already turned his back on them, and they followed him out of the room.

* * *

Trowa didn't look around the room, he didn't wonder or question anything. Instead, his first action was to kneel beside the boy who lay unconscious on the floor. His right hand touched Quatre's stomach, and he stared at the material of his suit, not finding the bloodstain he'd expected. In fact, there was no tear at all, and the suit itself was different than he remembered. He didn't have time to wonder at that, though, as the blonde boy was starting to stir. Sliding an arm under Quatre's shoulders, he lifted him up. "Quatre."

Bright green eyes were watching him, concern evident on the boy's face, and Quatre blinked at him in surprise. "Trowa! What happened? Are you all right?"

"Of course I am, Quatre." The boy's eyes widened, and Trowa didn't know what to make of the blonde's expression.

"You remember me, Trowa?" His breath caught, and he shook his head slowly. "Oh, Trowa, I'm so sorry."

"What are you talking about?" Trowa asked, frowning when the boy looked stricken. Those pale blue-green eyes were filled with pain and he clutched Quatre's shoulder. "You aren't making sense, but whatever it is, Quatre, whatever you think you've done you have to know I forgive you."

He was so serious, but Quatre dropped his eyes, staring at the chest of Trowa's suit. The boy was *humoring* him. Suddenly he felt wary, something wasn't right. True, the pilot knew his name, but he obviously didn't remember what he'd done. Glancing at Trowa's intense expression, he nodded. "Thank you," he said softly. The boy continued to look at him and Quatre leaned forward, ducking out of the partial embrace. "Where are we?"

Trowa stood slowly, his eyes never leaving the pale boy who was currently looking around the room. He was again reminded of the gray space suit, one completely unlike the one he'd last seen the boy in. The fact that he didn't seem to be injured despite the fact that he'd been stabbed combined with his odd words served to make the entire situation questionable. Catching Quatre's arm, his doubts were affirmed by the boy's wary gaze. "Where is your black suit?"

"What?" Quatre blinked for a moment then leaned away as subtly as he could with the boy holding his arm. "I...I only have the one suit, Trowa." His arm was released, the hand moving to his shoulder instead, and he watched with wide eyes as Trowa touched his stomach. A light flush warmed his cheeks, and he pulled back against the boy's hold. "Don't."

"It doesn't hurt, does it."

The boy was glaring at him, and he shook his head, an odd chill racing down his back. "No, why would it?"

Releasing the boy, Trowa took a step away from him, his eyebrows lowering as he glared. "What is this?"

Quatre shook his head quickly, but the boy turned and he followed his gaze to see the wall beside them rising. Then he stared at the short man who was slowly revealed. He seemed to be dressed in odd robes that trailed on the white floor beneath him, and he held a tall staff that was nearly two feet taller than himself. It curved over him, and Quatre blinked at his short hair as it was a pale pink color. But the most interesting thing was that he seemed to have a curved horn growing out of his forehead. It wasn't until the man took a few steps toward them that he realized it was actually attached to a thin band around his forehead. While strange, he did not have a dangerous appearance, and he didn't seem to be armed with any weapon Quatre could see. And his expression was solemn yet earnest.

"What is this," Trowa repeated, glaring at the man. Waving toward Quatre, he took a quick step forward. "What's going on?"

Clef knew what the problem was, and he nodded to the tall boy. "You have conflicting memories, but don't doubt that you are still the people you know. I promise, this will be explained very soon. Until then, your fellow pilots are also here, you can wait with them."

* * *

He was crouching within a matter of seconds, his hand curled where his sword normally hung. Then Kenshin's eyes narrowed as he remembered that he had dropped his blade. That was inexcusable. He checked the room with a sweeping gaze before turning to the man lying on the floor. His fingers brushed Sanosuke's shoulder lightly, and he frowned, wondering why the man wasn't covered in bruises. But he could see the red bandage on Sano's hand, and that was proof enough that the man retained damage from their moonlit fight. It also served as a reminder; they were not presently allies unless Sano had changed his mind since then. The muscle beneath his hand tensed as brown eyes flicked open and Kenshin blinked when they focused on him. Taking his hand back, he leaned on his heels while Sano sat up.

Sano's eyes widened when he saw the man, and he folded his legs, a smile curving his lips. "Kenshin. It's great to finally catch up with you, but what's going on?"

"I don't know." Kenshin shook his head, wondering what the man meant by 'catch up'. But there was something else he wanted to ask first. "You are not angry with me?"

"A little bit," Sano admitted, making a sour face. He glanced at the red-haired man and let out a sigh before smiling again. "But seeing you does make up for it. Besides, I guess I did need the training." Thinking of what the monk had taught him, he smirked suddenly. "You won't believe the new trick I learned." Kenshin was blinking at him, his expression confused, and Sano leaned forward. "Are you all right?"

Nodding slowly, Kenshin was surprised when the man grabbed him. He tensed for a moment as he was held against Sano's chest, then he realized the man was hugging him. Not sure what to make of it, he relaxed as much as he could, his arms limp at his sides.

Pulling back a bit, Sano raised an eyebrow at the cold reception. "Kenshin, you didn't think I'd hold a grudge, did you? You know I've fallen harder than that." He drew the man close again, brushing his lips with a light kiss.

Sano's eyes were closed, and Kenshin couldn't do more than stare at him in complete shock as soft lips pressed his own. Then the man drew back and a hot flush marred his cheeks.

"Surely it hasn't been *that* long," Sano laughed, raising an eyebrow again at the man's red cheeks. Standing, he reached a hand down, pulling the silent samurai to his feet. It was then that he noticed the empty sheath hanging at the man's waist and he frowned. "Where is your sword?"

He seemed to be having trouble with speech, and Kenshin cleared his throat quickly. "I dropped it."

"You're kidding," Sano said softly, his eyes wide. "Wow. Whoever caught you must have moved like the wind if he could catch you that unawares."

Kenshin looked away quickly, knowing he had no excuse. He hadn't been paying any attention, too distracted thinking about the man in front of him. The man who'd just kissed him. His face was trying to warm again, and he narrowed his eyes, concentrating.

The shorter man was silent, and Sano wondered how he was going to be able to go up against someone capable of sneaking up on Kenshin. The fact that he'd made the man *drop* his sword proved he'd caught him without his even having the time to struggle. There was no way he could defeat such a person, but he wasn't about to admit it, much less give up without a fight. Catching Kenshin's eyes, he gave the man a cocky grin and raised his fists. "Well, don't worry about this. After all, *I* still have *my* weapons."

Noticing that Kenshin was staring at his red-clothed fist, Sano blinked and flexed the hand slowly. "That's just an injury from training. Though, mostly my own stubbornness is to blame." He was moving his fingers, and he frowned suddenly, blinking in surprise. "It doesn't hurt." It didn't take him long to unwrap the red bandage, and his mouth dropped open when he saw his unmarked knuckles. There wasn't even scabbing. "It's completely healed," he said softly, showing his hand to Kenshin.

He took the man's hand, and Kenshin's eyes narrowed as he looked at the faint scars that crossed the underside of his fingers. It had obviously healed, making him wonder exactly how much time had passed since he'd been on the riverside. Sano pulled his hand away, shaking his head and turning it.

"I tore the skin off," Sano explained, motioning to his knuckles. "But it's gone, strange, neh?"

"When did this happen?"

"Oh, I met this guy on my way after you. I'd just learned the technique right before I woke up here. There's no way my hand could have healed so quickly. Makes you wonder how long we've been asleep, doesn't it."

Kenshin wasn't looking at him, his mind racing as he tried to imagine the time that must have passed. From what Sano said, the man must have come looking for him, meaning he'd been sleeping longer than a few moments. He jerked his head up in surprise when the man brushed some of his loose hair away from his face. "Sano?"

"How have you been, really?"

One of the tall man's hands was on his back, and Kenshin was caught by those warm brown eyes. "I'm fine."

"That's good," Sano murmured, drawing the slender man closer.

Both stiffened when the wall was drawn up, though they hadn't heard anything, and they watched with equal glares. Tsunami's gaze shifted between them, and he noticed that the tall man tensed visibly, but Kenshin didn't seem to have moved. The evidence of his preparation for battle lay in the odd tint of amber at the edge of his violet eyes. And that when the man had no weapon. Stepping into the room, he nodded slightly. "You two are the last. All of your questions will be answered in a matter of minutes." The two men exchanged a quick look, then Sano relaxed his stance. "No one will harm you."

Sano came forward first, stepping past him as Tsunami made room for them, then he found himself the recipient of a dark measuring gaze. He didn't need Shin's mind reading abilities to know that Kenshin was giving him a silent warning, and he kept his expression clear until the man stepped past. Watching the two move forward into the dim lit space, he smirked, then followed.

The people were standing in a basic group, though they were not exactly intermingling. Vincent was leaning against the wall opposite Shin and Clef, but Sephiroth was near him. The Gundam pilots were together, though Heero continued to glare at Wufei while staying close to Duo. Zechs was a few steps behind them, obviously feeling out of place amongst the younger teens. Tsunami's gaze swept on to the others, marking the few who were not waiting patiently. Vegeta was separated from the group by nearly three feet, but the Saiyan's glare was glued to Trunks. Tsunami was certain the man recognized him, though he doubted if the black-haired man had any idea why Trunks was avoiding his gaze.

Walking to Shin, Tsunami glanced briefly at Lantis and Eagle, the two men currently standing near Clef. There had been major debate over the pink-haired mage's inclusion of them, but it had been necessary for his involvement. Besides, the two were accomplished fighters in their own right. Kenshin and Sano halted near the edge of the strangers, and Tsunami turned his eyes to Kuja, noting the man's smile. He was obviously looking forward to their reactions. Now that they were all together, the explanation could be given and there was bound to be trouble.

Shin nodded sharply when Tsunami's eyes caught him, and he stepped forward, gaining everyone's attention. "You have been gathered here to participate in a tournament, of sorts. This will determine your strengths against various opponents. We four have been watching each of your worlds, and you were chosen."

"Why me?" Vincent glared when Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at him, and he kept his gaze on the short lavender-skinned man who'd spoken. "If you wanted the strongest, why didn't you take Cloud?"

Sephiroth stared at the man for a moment, then smirked. "You don't have much confidence in yourself."

"Cloud defeated you," Vincent said sharply, rounding on the man. Pale blue eyes narrowed, then looked away.

"There was a reason each of you were chosen that has nothing to do with your strength." Tsunami nodded to Vincent, his eyes shifting to include them all. "In some cases there were other fighters who could have participated but were dismissed. This will be explained shortly."

"We have an arena," Shin continued, "outlined for you to fight in. The ones not fighting will view from here. As soon as everything is explained, I'll show you the screens."

"We haven't agreed to this," Heero said suddenly, glaring. "I have more important things to take care of."

Catching the boy's eyes, Clef stepped forward, a hand raised in a calming gesture. "After the tournament you will be returned to your world. Each of you will go back to your own worlds as if no time had passed."

"What if one of us dies?" Glenn interrupted, gray-blue eyes narrow.

"That won't happen," Clef said. "We have fixed things so that no one will be seriously injured on the battlefield. Swords will not cut flesh, and any injuries that do occur will be healed immediately after each battle. That way, the fighters who finish their matches will go on to the next one completely healed and refreshed." His eyes moved to the group of six, making certain he had the Gundam pilots' attention before shifting to include Eagle and Van. "Any damage done to your suits will also be repaired after each battle."

"How is that possible?" Quatre's eyes were wide, and he couldn't help but think of how difficult it would be to replace damaged Gundanium parts after multiple battles. It was something he'd experienced enough to know it wasn't as easy as they were making it out to be.

Kuja grinned, catching the boy's eyes. "You wouldn't know," he smirked, "being unfortunate enough to live in a world without magic, but don't worry. You'll see your share of magic soon enough." Trowa glared at him, and Kuja smirked when the tall boy inserted himself in front of the blonde. He raised an eyebrow at him, but remained leaning against the blank wall.

"Why should we fight in this thing?" Squall asked, frowning darkly. "I have nothing to prove."

"We have reasons that concern the safety of all worlds. When the time comes, we will need to know who is best equipped to fight." Shin could tell that many of them were suspicious, but they had decided not to tell them of the danger coming. Not until they were absolutely certain they had to. "You will have some motivation to fight," he continued, his left eye twitching suddenly. Turning, he looked at Tsunami and stepped back as the tall man took his place before the group.

"One of the reasons we chose you is because each of you have something in common that can be used for our purposes. It would be unfair to any of our other possible candidates so they were dismissed." Tsunami folded his arms, preparing himself for denials before he made his last statement. "Each of you has had homosexual tendencies."

General denials flew at this, and Albert turned, taking in Wufei's furious red face before moving forward a bit. "I have no such tendencies," he said calmly, holding Tsunami's gaze. "In fact, I have plans to be married as soon as I finish my battle, so I know your accusation is false."

Tsunami raised a hand, stalling any of the more outraged cries from some of the younger fighters. "Shin?" The short man nodded slowly, but he could see that he was still uncomfortable with the entire discussion.

"You may deny it, but what he has said is true whether you have ever acted on these impulses or not." He'd read their minds during his study of each of them, so he knew it was true.

"The loser of each battle will submit to the winner," Tsunami continued, his expression lazy as if he wasn't the least bit bothered by the fury before him. "And the winner of each tournament will have his choice of all the contestants."

"What if the *winner* doesn't want any of the contestants?"

Tsunami glanced at Kamui for a moment, then his eyes trailed over the other men and he smirked. "I don't think that will be a problem." The black-haired boy who had spoken raised an eyebrow at him.

"This is *not* how tournaments are held," Lloyd growled, his eyes glinting dangerously.

Kuja's smirk disappeared, and he pinned the man with a warning glare. "This one is."

"Do you have the power to enforce participation?" Sephiroth questioned, his own gaze steadier, his voice calm.

Tsunami stared at him for a moment, then nodded. "Yes."

Quatre was pale and Trowa touched the boy's shoulder then slipped an arm around him. "This isn't right," he said softly, his green eyes boring into the tall white-haired man.

Albert nodded waving his arm towards the Gundam pilots, then motioning to Van who was still looking furious. "You can't seriously plan to subject these young ones to blatant sex with complete strangers. It amounts to rape."

"It isn't a problem if they don't lose," Kuja argued, ignoring the glare the king sent to him.

"The same rules apply as to battle," Clef said quickly, being careful not to look at Lantis as he could imagine the shocked way the man must be staring at him. "No one will be hurt because we have our magic."

"Also," Shin said, "No one here is evil, it's not as if we are pitting anyone against monsters."

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed when Vincent flinched, and he looked away from the pale man. He no doubt wanted to object, and he knew the man was thinking of his past attempt to destroy the world. The black-haired man knew nothing of the madness that had run rampant through his mind, he didn't understand that finally he could think clearly again. Dropping his eyes, he didn't notice that Vincent hadn't even glanced in his direction.

"I won't participate," Trunks said suddenly. "You can *not* expect me to fight in this."

"There is one exception," Shin said quickly, "You and Vegeta are exempt and will not fight against each other."

"What?!" Outraged at what he saw as an insult, Vegeta stalked forward. "Of course, I am not interested in any of these weaklings, but I will *not* be made an exception." He was not about to forget his humiliation when the lavender-haired boy had shown up with more power than him. The fact that the boy had had the nerve to claim to be a super saiyan had been infuriating and he glared at him now. "I could defeat that child easily."

Trunks was staring at the spiky-haired saiyan in horror, his face red, and Kuja laughed suddenly. It was too much.

Reading the boy's thoughts, Shin caught Trunks' gaze. "You and he were taken at different times. As someone who has experienced time travel, you should be familiar with this. In his time, Vegeta has not yet learned who you are, but don't worry. He won't remember this once the tournament is over." Vegeta was scowling at him in confusion and he turned to the man. "Trunks is your son, it is from you that he gained his saiyan blood." The man nearly reeled back and Shin nodded.

"We won't, of course, expect you to fight your own son," Clef put in. "Certainly not under these circumstances."

"Then how can you hold a tournament?" Squall asked. "How can anything be determined when you are fixing the fights to keep them from being matched?"

"This entire *idea* is ridiculous," Wufei spat, black eyes narrow. "If the four of you have the power to take us from our worlds, to *travel* through time, then why would you need us?"

"It sounds like an excuse to hide something," Zechs murmured, "this idea of motivation. Why would someone who claims no desire for men be motivated to fight in order to obtain submission?"

Tsunami looked at the white-haired man for a moment, then turned, his gaze locking on Lantis. "Would you willingly fight Eagle?"

Lantis blinked and frowned. He thought about how Eagle had died in his time because of him and he couldn't imagine hurting him again. "I wouldn't fight him at all. This 'motivation' isn't enough. I don't need such an excuse."

The tall man had his arms draped over Eagle's shoulders and Tsunami's lips twitched at the light blush that marred the pale man's cheeks. Turning a bit, he pointed a finger at Heero, drawing Lantis' gaze to the dark-haired pilot. "Would you fight him?"

Following the man's arm, Lantis looked at the boy, not minding his belligerent glare as he assessed him quickly. "No."

"I see," Tsunami said lightly. "And what if you knew that if he won you would have to submit to him?"

"He wouldn't win," Lantis argued, raising an eyebrow. He had heard a bit about the six males, and he knew they came from a world with no magic. He didn't consider any of them a threat.

Duo glared at the tall man, insulted at the casual dismissal. "Would we fight hand-to-hand?"

Kuja smiled, stepping through the others so he could lay a hand on the longhaired boy's shoulder. "You will use your Gundams. And he, his sword."

Heero jerked him away from the oddly dressed youth, and Duo stared at him in surprise before looking over at Lantis and Tsunami. "He wouldn't stand a chance against a Gundam. Unless he has his own suit."

While he didn't know what a Gundam was, Lantis assumed it was a mobile suit. That would explain why the boys were considered worthy fighters. He blinked as he tried to imagine losing to the dark-haired boy and he had to admit it was hard to swallow. Looking to Tsunami, he gave a small nod. "I understand." His eyes turned to Zechs and he nodded to the man. "Those who admit their lust would fight for that chance, but those who deny it still have a reason to fight. They would fight so they don't have to submit. And that doesn't even take into account those who refuse to lose in battle."

That last bit touched on him and Zechs' eyes shifted to Wufei as he knew the boy couldn't stand the thought of losing. He was still against it, but he admitted the argument had merit, as twisted as it was.

Tsunami waited for a moment then continued. "Once the tournament is underway, the oddness of this will be lost. After experiencing it, you will all see the motivating force in the battles."

"You may be able to force us to battle each other," Vincent said, "especially since there are no ties between most of us. But you cannot force people to have sex when there is no lust."

"Oh, it's easier than you think," Kuja smiled. "It's just a matter of some magically enhanced lust, playing off the urges that are already lying dormant in all of you. And after a battle or two, that won't be needed anymore." Most of them were looking quite hostile, and he sighed, glancing at Shin with a smirk. "There's really no point arguing with them. Let's get started."

Shin nodded to Clef and the mage stepped to the wall. Inclining the tip of his curved staff, his hair rifled briefly as if a wind passed over him. Then the wall dissolved into a view screen showing a rocky terrain. It was a flat land as far as could be seen, and the sky above it was clear blue.

"You will fight there," Shin said, turning so his back was to the screen. "Each pair will be transported there one fight at a time. The winner will be determined not by death or knockout, though anyone knocked unconscious is, of course, the loser. Rather, the winner must immobilize his opponent. When a contestant can no longer fight, he is then declared the loser."

"Do you have an intercom or something to talk with people out there?" Duo asked. Kuja snorted, but he gave the man a quick glare before turning his gaze back to the odd-skinned man. "What if the loser doesn't concede?"

"If there is any problem with the loser not willingly conceding on the battlefield, he will be immobilized." Clef nodded to Shin. "He has this ability."

"After the battle, the winner claims his prize." Shin glared at Kuja's wide smile, but kept his back straight.

Irvine laughed, shaking his head. "So what? After the fight they have sex? Out there? And we're supposed to do that with everyone in here watching?"

"This is disgusting," Wufei growled.

Clef shook his head. "No one will be forced to watch who does not choose to."

"How long is this tournament going to last? Is there a time limit on the individual fights?" Sano knew from the dirty looks he received that the others thought he was agreeable to the terms, but that wasn't it. He had respect for magic and he simply didn't see a way out of it. Besides that, he knew his own strength, and Kenshin was practically unbeatable.

"Some battles will not last long," Shin answered, "but for those that do, there will be no set time limit. It wouldn't be fair since some depend on a certain amount of time having passed in order to fight their best." His eyes moved to Squall and Irvine, then to Vincent. He was referring to their limit breaks, and the first two seemed to realize this. Vincent looked away. "If any attempt is made to stand down without fighting, the person will be subjected to anger-enhancing magic."

Irvine's head jerked at this and he glanced at Squall for a moment before looking back to Shin. "Are you talking about some sort of berserk spell?"

"Something like that," Kuja answered, smiling at the man.

Tsunami stepped to Shin, raising an eyebrow at the short man. "Is that everything? The longer we wait, the more chance of a united uprising against us. We should start as soon as possible." His voice was low, but Shin nodded sharply.

"Let's begin."

* * *
TBC