I'm back... again... and i have no life! YAY ME!

Disclaimer: Do not own... though i wish i did...

Artist: Dj Satomi
Title: Castle In The Sky

There's a place in my mind
No one knows where it hides
And my fantasy is flying
It's a castle in the sky

It's a world of our past
Where the legend still lasts
And the king wears the crown
But the magic spell is law

Take your sword and your shield
There's a battle on the field
You're a knight and you're right
So with dragons now you'll fight

And my fancy is flying
It's a castle in the sky
Or there's nothing out there
These are castles in the air

Fairytales live in me
Fables coming from my memory
Fantasy is not a crime
Find your castle in the sky

You've got the key
Of the kingdom of the clouds
Open the door
Leaving back your doubts

You've got the power
To live another childhood
So ride the wind
That leads you to the moon 'cause..."

Three tasks… three warriors… three guides… three enemies… three worlds… three, three, three… Always three…

The Law of Three

Phoenix, Phoenix,

Sorrow and gloom,

I filled my heart with unending doom.

Cry, Cry,

To the end of time,

Until the day I end this rhyme…

Warbler, Warbler,

Why do you sway?

To keep those who travel

Far away.

Why for the travelers

Do you weep?

To warn them of death

In the stony keep.

Dungeon, Dungeon,

And brimstone walls

Pinning me

To the world of laws

Treasure hoarded for the love

For all that shines and sparkles above…

Three verses will be sung by the last night of the third month. As the last note falls, the sands of time will still… and the moons will align… then all will fall into rhyme.

I twist words, I play the strings of life like a harp, strumming whichever way I want, playing with lives and twisting, turning paths until the way becomes unclear and I turn friends against friends and enemies become allies. Come play my game where the only law… is the Law of Three….

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"How many of you have ever heard the tale of…The Law of three? It's a fable or a fairy tale told in your world if I remember correctly." The boys suddenly grasped what she was talking about. She smiled slightly. "Good… this is what you could call a real life telling of the aforementioned tale. You all play a part in the tale. You have three choices… finish and take the crown, finish and hand the crown down… or never finish… and never go home. None of these choices are set in stone. The tasks you'll face will influence your final choice. Each of you will have your own three individual tasks as well as three tasks for you as a group to complete. We're here to guide you through the world and help you along the way where we are allowed. Will you accept the first task?" she held out a well built, slender hand that was elegant yet strong in the way she held it palm up and out towards them. Her nails appeared almost like talons. She kept her gaze steady and calm as she looked at each of them in turn. Each looked at the other and finally Matt pushed back his chair and stood.

"I'll take it…" She smiled and brought her hand up to beckon him forward.

"Come then… the three of you need to think of one person you care about most… we're going to play a little game of hide and seek…"

- - - - - - - -

"What does she mean we have to find our most cherished one!?!" Tai growled. Matt shot him a silent glare and Davis just rolled his eyes.

They had been walking around the Labyrinth for a good few hours now, with much reassurance from Jezzy that the creature was no longer there. They had been sent out to find the exact center of the portal and had found that, not only was it a very large and difficult maze, but the walls also moved every hour, changing the paths around. Tai hadn't shut up the entire time, Davis had taken to kicking rocks a head of him, and Matt was silent. Jezzy followed closely behind, making sure they had no idea of her presence. She was having trouble not to laugh at the odd trio.

"Oh my Gawd!!!!!! What am I gonna do!? Sora! Sora! What'll I do if while I'm here… Matt… Matt…What if Matt steals my chance with Sora!?!" Tai squawked, hyperventilating. Matt looked over at him flatly and clearly un-amused.

"Tai…"

"No! I can't let it happen!"

"Tai…"

"BUT WAIT! What if… what if… she… she… she likes him!?!"

"Tai…"

"NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" SLAP!

"TAI! Goddamnit! I'm right here! Baka!" Matt growled, rubbing the back of his now red hand. Tai blinked in shock before bursting into tears. He clung to Matt, drenching his shirt. "Tai! G'r offa me!" Matt shouted as he was thrown down as Tai's weight was shoved into him.

"Oh Matt! I'm soooooo sorry! I'm just worried about Sora! I don't want her to get lonely without me there!" He sobbed.

"Get a hold of yourself man! You've been sucked into some weird world without anyone knowing about it and all you can think about is Sora!?! What about your sister!?! Poor TK's all alone at the house probably wondering when his big brother's gonna be there to pick him up for the day! And you know what!?! I'm not gonna show! You know why!?! Because I've been dragged into another reality along with your sorry ass! AGAIN! Now get the fuck offa me!" Matt then proceeded to squirm his way out of the weeping Tai's bone-crushing grasp. Davis just watched with interest at the scene unfolding before him. He slumped.

"Crap! TK's gonna steal Kari from me!" He screeched, his voice hitting that same octave high note Tai's had taken. Matt stopped struggling and looked over at Davis like "You've gotta be kiddin' me…". Giving one final kick to Tai, Matt was free and holding Tai back with his hand holding Tai's forehead, preventing him from moving further. ((A/N: Even though he kept trying… not very bright is he?))

"Davis please… could ya just spare me a little agony while we're here? I already have to help deal with your 'hero'…" Matt said, adding finger quotations on the word "Hero" with his free hand. Davis frowned.

"Wow Matt… you really know how to make an ass of your self…" Tai piped in, suddenly sounding very happy. Matt frowned at him.

"Listen wise ass! Do you wanna live to get out of here and see Sora?" Tai nodded. "Then shut the hell up and deal with it!" Matt growled, moving his hand so Tai tripped forward a couple steps before catching himself again.

"MATT! You're so mean!" Tai whined. Matt just deepened his frown. Davis glared.

"Hey! Don't make fun of him just 'cause he's slow!"

"Yeah!" Tai agreed. "Don't make fun of me just 'cause I'm- HEY!" Matt smirked, snorting as held back a laugh. Davis shrugged.

"Hey! Sorry man! But… you can't change the truth…" He said as if it would save his hide. Some how it did.

- - - - - - -

Hands danced over the smooth surface of the polished hematite ball. The hand looked lethal yet elegant as the black nails etched with silver tapped a rhythm on the stone. Her Black eyes sparkled as she watched what the ball was showing her.

"Those boys won't stand a chance… let's give them a little shove in the right direction…" she purred, lifting a silver thread from a place on the stone slab. She held it so it fell straight down, taking a pair of old, blood rusted scissors, she snipped the string in half.

"Let them find their most cherished…"

- - - - - - - - -

Tai was leading, seeing as they had three months and each month would circle around a different persons three tasks. After looking into who they were it was decided the first month was Tai the second was Davis and the third was Matt. None of them found any problem with this. If this was what it took to get them home then they were willing to do pretty much anything. That's when they found it, the center of the maze and the portal. Jezzy finally revealed her presence.

"Good job… you found it. Ready for a little game of hide and seek?" She asked, stepping out of the shadows. The three jumped and flinched slightly.

She walked over and touched her hand to the portal. The thin line grew to become a large oval that reflected all before it. It looked almost like a silvery mirror made of pure water. The surface of the portal rippled slightly as she touched it once again. She then turned to them.

"Your first task…as a group. You will be sent into a land of what we call daydreams. Everything will be … well … normal. You will each have exactly one hour to search for, find, and rescue your designated person. If the three of you are not back within the hour… you've already failed." She narrowed her eyes and her smile faded. It was uncomforting. Tai and Matt both exchanged glances before looking over to Davis. He blinked and looked at the other two.

"Have I made myself clear?" she smiled. "And… go." She turned an hourglass upside down so the sand began to pour to the empty compartment at the bottom. The three of them launched into the portal. "Good luck young knights…" she whispered quietly.

The grass was a welcome feeling yet dreaded at the same time as Tai found himself landing on his ass in the soft green grass. He stood and shook the grass from his clothes. He scanned his surroundings and stopped when he noticed he was outside of his school. He hurried over to the doors only to find them locked. This was odd. He turned and thought of other places he should try. His home. He nodded in silent agreement with himself and took off down the road.

He reached his home and tried the door. It was locked. He frowned and turned back to each of his friends' houses. It was this time around as he ran through the streets that he realized everyone was frozen in mid action. He checked each and every house he came upon and finally came to Sora's. He knocked and then tried the door after remembering that everyone was frozen.

He looked around on the empty rooms and stopped when he heard sniffling. He followed the noise all the way to Sora's room. He knocked then entered, quietly calling her name. She looked up.

"TAI!" She shrieked, jumping up and latching to him, sobbing into his shoulder. Tai wrapped his arms around her and leaned his cheek on her shoulder. She was the only person he'd found that wasn't trapped in the hold of time.

"They're watching us… they know you're here…" she whispered. He quirked a brow and looked down into her eyes.

"What?"

"The watchers… they don't want you to win…" she whispered. The fear in her eyes scared Tai and that's when he heard it. He froze. Turning to face the new comer, he was met by the fiercest eyes boring down onto him.

"Get up…" The deep, commanding voice scared him, as did the fiery red eyes. Tai stood. The new comer laughed. His slate colored skin seemed like it was covered in soot and sweat. Red markings covered his entire body, glowing with the heat of fire. The Feathery black hair fell into the eyes, barely seen due to the glow emitting from him. The new comer laughed.

"Fool… do you listen to everybody?" He asked before thrusting forward with a sword. Tai barely snaked out of the way, the blade grazing his arm slightly. A startled yelp escaped him.

"Who are you!" he hissed. The new comer just laughed again.

"My name is Cerberus, but don't worry… you won't have to remember it… seeing as you'll be dead…" Tai could have laughed had the situation been a little, well, less violent. "Why do they always give the Bad Guys such cheesy lines?" He thought to himself before dodging another attack. He was sure of one thing, this guy may have bad taste in threats but he meant business.

The gravel stung as it ripped into Matt's shoulder. A sharp intake of breath followed it as he slid into stonewall, finally coming to a stop. Groaning, he sat up. He took in where he was only to find it outside his home. He stood with a start and hurried into the building to find TK. He was home, but something didn't feel right.

Matt told himself the reason he was looking for TK was because TK was his younger brother. Matt knew, however, that something was dreadfully wrong. No one was out walking around, no one was moving. He finally arrived at the door to their apartment and burst through it, not caring to take off his shoes.

"TK… TK!!!!!!!!!!!" He called and stopped only when he saw the figure of his brother running towards him looking panicked. Relief was far from achieved.

"Matt!" TK yelled, running over and burying his face in Matt's shoulder. Matt pulled him in and sighed, little relief beginning to shine through. That relief was shattered suddenly as an unwelcome guest stepped into the small apartment. Tai turned and came face to face with a pair of incredibly deadly looking slate eyes, the same color as his. Blond hair fell down around the well-tanned face ion layers. Matt came face to face with a female copy of… Himself….

"Hello Yamato… My name's Maria… Mommy made me just for you…. Wanna play?" She asked, a chain whip unraveling and falling to its full length to come and rest on the floor. She tightened her grip and a malicious smirk played at her perfect lips.

"Davis… Davis… Davis…." Some one tutted in disapproval. He cracked open his eyes and came face to face with a smiling Kari. He smiled back but that smile soon faded. There was something weird about Kari. It was then that he realized Kari was wearing black. He blinked back his shock and sat up suddenly.

"Kari?" He asked, confused.

"Yes, Davis?" she asked, a small giggle followed it closely.

"What's with the black clothing..?" She giggled again and spun around.

"You like it?" she asked. Davis blinked.

"You're not Kari…" Kari stopped.

"Yes I am…"

"No… Kari doesn't wear black… and she doesn't giggle…"

"I'm Kari…" Anger flared in those all too familiar eyes. Some one else approached them.

"Davis?" came a familiar voice. He spun around to see…

"Kari?" there she stood, in her usual pink and white shirt, tan shorts and smiling eyes confused at the scene before her while another Kari stood on his other side, decked out in black with anger in those gorgeous eyes.

"Davis… what's going on?"

Blood trickled in a small trail down his cheek as Tai ran down another alleyway. He could hear the man called Cerberus following close behind. Sora was somewhere hidden, Tai hoped she'd done what he'd asked her to do, but he couldn't be sure. He needed a weapon… either that or he had to lose this guy. Then he remembered the Hourglass. He needed to get Sora out of there. He guessed he had about two hours left. He checked the watch he was given before he entered. Scratch that. He had half an hour. He picked up his pace and began to back track, passing Cerberus.

"Sora!" he called, coming up to the area she'd hidden in. She came out and Tai beckoned for her to follow him. She did, easily keeping pace with him. Cerberus was nowhere. He found the portal and the two jumped through. His task had gone well. He arrived, expecting to see the other two but was stunned to see only Jezzy, sitting there and reading a book. She looked up at the two.

"Congratulations… you're the first two to arrive… Have a seat… eat…" she handed them trays of food. Where she got it, Tai didn't care because he was just hungry.

Matt stood and turned to face the one called Maria. She just smiled. Had she had shorter hair and not been so well stacked in the chest area, she could have passed for Matt, fooling anyone around her. Her voice was even nearly identical. This creeped him out. Maria took a step towards him as he took a step towards her. She mirrored his movements. He swore silently in his mind.

"Tsk tsk…Matty boy… quite the mouth you got there… let's fix it." She purred, lashing out with her whip. Matt dodged but his arm still felt the sting as barbed metal cleaved skin from bone. The weapon was vicious, cruel and unforgiving. Matt flinched as the whips fell, losing its grip on his arm. A long gash had begun to bleed severely. He needed to get TK out of there. That's when he remembered the hourglass. They could go through the portal.

"What's this about a portal?" Maria asked. Matt frowned. He remembered as well that the bitch, unsettlingly enough, could read minds. This unnerved him. She lashed out once again and the whip wrapped around his wrist. She pulled and he was forced forward. Maria stopped him from falling and kissed him quickly, teasingly.

"Do I make you nervous?" she asked. Matt smirked.

"No… you make me nauseous!" He growled, before pulling free of her whip and her grasp. His hand and wrist were screaming in pain as blood seeped from the newly opened wounds but he didn't notice. He grabbed TK and forced him forward.

"GO! RUN!" They both took off at a dead run, towards the portal their only hope of escape. Maria let out a screech that sounded almost like a hunting cry and followed, her voice still echoing in the empty streets.

She managed to nearly catch up and lashed out with her whip, tripping Matt. He yelled for TK to keep going and go through the portal while he struggled to free himself from the chain teeth. He finally managed but Maria was already there.

"Where ya goin'? Don't wanna play?" she purred, kicking him in the ribs. Matt winced and scrambled back a few feet so he could stand against the protests of his body..

"Hell no!" He replied, kicking her in the stomach causing her to go down. He turned and ran towards the portal, not even slowing down as he jumped through.

Jezzy looked up from her book with distaste at the state of Matt's appearance. She sighed and dog-eared her page before standing. She clucked in disapproval once with her tongue and walked over to him as he stood.

"Matt, Matt, Matt… what will we ever do with you? Your brother's over there by Tai… you might want to go talk to him and… clean up." She handed him some bandages of which he thanked her for eagerly.

Davis stood and walked over to the normal looking Kari. She blinked and silently asked him what was going on. He shrugged.

"Look… whoever you are..-"

"Kari…" the girl in black said. He nodded.

"Yeah well… I have to be going… come on Kar…" He said, leading the real Kari off. The other girl watched them leave and smiled.

"Buh-bye!" she waved. "See you in Hell…" she smirked and walked away. She'd let them go for now… no doubt her girl Maria had taken out her target. The girl never failed.

Davis and Kari got through the portal without any other interference and unscathed. He noted, however, that Tai had a few cuts but Matt looked like shit. He walked over, Kari close behind. And waved.

"Hey guys! What I miss?" Jezzy did a double take and nearly choked on the lemonade she'd been drinking.

"You're not dead!?! Shit! There goes my next pay check!"