Four
The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife, and Stormlight didn't care how cliché that sounded. The Seiryu and Suzaku Sichiseishi faced off, and it looked as though both sides would leap into an all-out brawl at any given moment, rules or no rules. She was immensely glad that Jareth had taken both magic and weapons—and one werewolf—but that didn't mean they couldn't beat each other to death. She sighed.
Men. Such uncivilized creatures. And her mother actually wanted her to marry one? Not likely. I'd just as soon buy a pet monkey.
"Okay, listen up," she snapped, deciding that somebody had better do something before all hell broke loose. "Let's all just keep our heads here, shall we? I don't think beating each other to bloody pulps will solve our problems, and it sure as hell won't get us home. Or have you already forgotten what Jareth said?"
Thirteen pairs of eyes were suddenly fixed on her, and she gulped and took a step back, wishing she'd kept her mouth shut. Neither group looked particularly happy at the moment.
"You."
How was it, Stormlight thought darkly, that Nakago managed to turn the simplest of words into a curse vile enough to disintegrate stone?
"As I understand it," the Seishi continued as he stalked toward the increasingly nervous Listian, "you are the reason we are all here in the first place."
She gulped and attempted to hide behind Chichiri. "Well, uh, you're not exactly wrong about that…" She offered a nervous smile. "See, I said some things that sorta got Jareth mad at me…"
"And how does that involve us?" Nakago pressed, following her as she continued to back away from him, stumbling over exposed rocks, roots, people's shoes…
The Suzaku Seishi, she noticed apprehensively, were not bothering to intervene.
"Well, see, he seemed to think that I wasn't being a good little Listian and writing stories about him like I'm supposed to, and since I'm … uh … familiar with the story of all of you and Suzaku and Seiryu and everything that's going on and all, he decided that maybe I'd get some inspiration if he took us and threw us all into his Labyrinth for awhile," she babbled. "He gets … jealous easily."
"Is he your boyfriend or something?" Miaka asked.
Stormlight choked. "Hell no! Me and Jareth?Don't make me laugh! He's just a … a guy I know. Who happens to be in possession of a great amount of magic and who also happens to believe he owns me. So, whatever he says goes." Nakago was still closing in on her; she quickly raised her hands to stop him from getting any closer, and they ended up landing solidly on his chest. She blinked, impressed. Holy cow, this guy has muscles! She blinked again, giving herself a mental shake. Okay, focus. He's the bad guy. Who wants to hurt me. Badly.
"So, in other words it is entirely your fault that we're trapped in this cursed land," the blond shogun growled, catching her hands in a powerful grip. She winced as her bones creaked.
"Um, you're missing the bigger picture here. I'm a victim, too, ya know!" she protested, trying to extract her hands from his painful grasp. "I'm also the one who'll get you through this Labyrinth in relatively good condition, FYI. So long as you don't kill me first."
"You said you've never been through it before," Yui pointed out, eyes narrowed.
"Well … technically, I haven't. But I know enough about it to at least warn you about the traps and creatures you're bound to run into." Stormlight tugged uselessly to free herself again. "Besides that, if Blondie here so much as lays a finger on me, Jareth'll throw him headfirst into an oubliette! He doesn't like his 'property' messed with."
"Perhaps I'm willing to take that chance," Nakago growled.
"Back off, Tinkerbell!" she snapped, finally extracting her hands and dancing out of reach. "Look, we're wasting time, here! And time can be rather wonky in this place, so I say we get started before the three days are over already!"
"I agree," Miaka said, keeping a wary eye on Nakago. "We should get going! Stormlight, you're with us, right?"
"Definitely," she replied. She sure as hell didn't want to end up with the Seiryuu for the course of this little jaunt. They couldn't off the Suzaku, but Jareth had never told them they couldn't try and off her, instead.
"But that isn't fair!" Yui protested, running forward. "Why should you have a guide when we don't? I say she should come with us!" She latched onto the Listian's arm and began pulling her toward her Seishi.
"Eh?" Stormlight squeaked in alarm, digging in her heels and leaving little grooves in the dirt. Yui was a lot stronger than she looked.
"Hold it!"
She suddenly found herself stumbling in the opposite direction as Miaka grabbed her free arm with both hands. "That Jareth guy brought her here to help us," the Suzaku Miko complained. "So she's not going anywhere with you!" She gave a fierce pull on the Listian's arm to prove her point.
"Hey!" Stormlight yelped. "I am not a rubber band!"
She was, of course, ignored.
"She's coming with me!" Yank!
"No way! She's staying with me!" Yank!
"HEY! Ren and Stimpy! Keep this up and you'll both end up with me!" the Listian screeched. "I'd like to keep my arms attached to my body, if you don't mind!"
They stopped pulling long enough to blink at her. Then, looking properly sheepish, they let her go. She glowered as she rotated her shoulders, trying to get some feeling back into her arms. "Now, if we're all through playing tug-of-war with my body, are you ready to listen to my suggestion?"
"Which is…?" Yui prompted after a moment.
"Well, this may be a completely foreign concept for you, but how about we try cooperating?" She waited expectantly, and was rewarded with blank looks all around.
"Cooperating?" Miaka repeated doubtfully.
"As in working … together?" Yui looked like she'd just swallowed a particularly nasty insect. Or maybe one of those biting fairies that were always flitting around.
The Listian raised her eyes skyward and sighed. "The concept is not that difficult to grasp. I mean, they teach it to toddlers on Sesame Street all the time!"
"But we're enemies," Yui protested. "We all hate each other!"
Stormlight shot her a disgusted glance. "First off, you are the one that hates Miaka, not the other way around, as she's tried to tell you many times. Secondly, if Miaka's group does hate you, it's only because yours has done nothing but provoke that hatred in the first place, so the fault is entirely on your shoulders."
Yui stared at her, wide-eyed. "H-how would you know that?" she challenged, albeit a bit shakily.
Stormlight pursed her lips. "Trust me. I know."
And for some reason, Yui believed her.
"Look," Miaka interrupted, "what purpose does it serve for us to work together? I mean, we're supposed to get the Shinzaho before they do!"
"What do you want, an instruction manual? We travel together and watch each others' backs, and once we reach the gates to the city, we can all go our separate ways to reach the castle. No doubt the goblins will be sent out to stop us, and we'll be too busy fighting them off to worry about each other anymore," Stormlight explained.
"G-goblins! There are really goblins?" Miaka yelped.
The Listian shot her an exasperated glance. "No. Jareth is called the Goblin King because he rules over a land of fuzzy little unicorns," she deadpanned. "Seriously, were you even paying attention when he was talking?"
"How dangerous are they?" Yui asked.
She shrugged. "They aren't very intelligent, but they're loyal to Jareth, and there are way more of them than there are of us. Plus, they have weapons."
"Well, this sounds just peachy," Tamahome muttered. "I thought the point of this was to race against each other."
The girls looked around in surprise; they hadn't even noticed the Seishi closing in on them.
"It is," Stormlight said, addressing the whole group. "Which is why my idea is so perfect! It's all about revenge! I mean, can you just imagine the look on Jareth's face when two groups of sworn enemies come strolling into his city together?" She grinned maniacally and rubbed her hands together. "Maybe that would teach him to go snatching unsuspecting people from their worlds just to ease his boredom!"
"But won't that just make him mad?" Tasuki asked.
Stormlight shrugged. "So? He's always in a pissy mood for one reason or another. I'm used to it. He won't do anything."
"Are you sure about that?"
This question came from Soi, the only female member of the Seiryu Seishi. Or any of the Seishi, for that matter. Stormlight had always wondered why Soi was the only female, but she did kind of like her, even if she was on the wrong team. She had integrity … sort of. It wasn't completely her fault that she had lousy taste in men.
"Well, not entirely," the Listian replied slowly, "but I really don't think Jareth'll care much. I mean, he's Fae, and all Fae love the unexpected; he sure won't be expecting everyone to team up! As long as he's been alive, it takes a lot to keep him interested in something. No doubt he'll be going nuts, wondering if you'll be able to keep from breaking the rules and murdering each other in your sleep."
There was silence as they pondered the idea. "Well," Hotohori began slowly, "it's a rather intriguing suggestion."
"Yes, but it's rather unusual, isn't it?" Mitsukake added.
"Um, this entire situation isn't exactly what you'd call 'normal'," Stormlight pointed out. "What have we got to lose? You aren't allowed to maim each other anyway, and admit it, wouldn't all of you feel better being able to keep a constant eye on each other, and not have to worry about who's winning?"
"A good point," Soi conceded.
"I refuse to have anything to do with those murderers," Suboshi snarled, glaring hatefully at Miaka. "I would sooner die!"
"That could be arranged," Tasuki growled.
"Oh, knock it off, you lunkheads," Stormlight snapped. "And you." She pointed at a startled Suboshi. "Get it through your thick skull! They did not kill your brother! He fell into the river and drowned. It was a horrible accident, but that's all it was."
Suboshi turned his glare on her, muttering under his breath, but he didn't pursue the argument further.
"So?" Stormlight ignored the questioning (and suspicious) stares being directed at her as she gestured impatiently. "Can we do this, or not? And can you please decide sometime before the twenty-second century arrives?"
Surprisingly, it was Yui who replied, "I vote in favor of traveling together."
"Lady Yui—"
"No. Nakago, what choice do we have? This Labyrinth looks huge, and we need someone who at least knows what we'll be up against, or we'll never make it through in time. You don't have weapons or power anymore. I can tolerate traveling with her if it'll help us reach our goal in the end."
"What if we are led into a trap?"
This question came from the one member of the Seiryu group who, up until then, had not spoken. Had not even been noticed, really.
Miboshi. Stormlight frowned as she regarded him. This one was tricky, and considering he wasn't a child monk so much as a not-so-nice demon summoner who simply possessed the body of one—literally—he wasn't really what she'd call a trustworthy kind of guy. I wonder if Jareth took that into account when he took the Seishis' powers, she thought nervously. An evil spirit isn't quite the same as a human, after all.
"…be leading them into the same trap, which really doesn't benefit anybody," Yui was saying, dragging the Listian's thoughts back to the present. "For now, I say we set aside our quarrels and just work on getting through this. When we reach the city, like Stormlight said, then we can go our own ways."
"That makes a lot of sense, no da," Chichiri approved.
"Yeah, for someone so smart and practical, she's sure got her priorities mixed up," Tasuki snorted, earning a glare from both Mikos.
"She's just confused!" Miaka defended. "And who wouldn't be, having to hang around them all the time? They're kinda mixed up themselves, don't you think?"
Suboshi growled, starting toward Miaka with clenched fists, but Yui's hand came to rest on his arm, stopping him. "Now isn't the time," she said coldly. "Don't do anything stupid to ruin our chances at winning."
"Yes, Lady Yui," he replied sulkily, backing off.
"Nakago?" she pleaded. "Please, I really think it's best this way."
"Very well, Lady Yui," he conceded, voice dark, "But only because it is your wish."
"Thank you, Nakago. This will all be worth it in the end. You'll see."
"Wonderful! Now that that's settled, what say we actually get started?" Stormlight exclaimed. "There's the entrance. Just keep walking, look out for pitfalls, and try to stay together. Jareth'll probably try to separate us, just to throw us off track. If that happens, keep heading for the castle. We'll meet again eventually. Oh, and if you happen to fall into an oubliette, do not choose down."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Tamahome asked, looking somewhat disgruntled.
Stormlight smirked. "Well, if you fall in, you'll find out."
"Hey, whose is this?" Nuriko held up a large green-and-red patchwork bag.
The Listian blinked, surprised. "That's mine," she said, and Nuriko tossed it to her. Using a bit too much force, perhaps, since she ended up sprawled on the ground when she caught it.
Nuriko grinned sheepishly. "Eh, sorry about that. I don't know my own strength."
She grunted as she staggered to her feet and dusted herself off. So, it did come over with me, she thought, patting the stray dust from the pack. In all the excitement, she hadn't even noticed it laying there. But, of course it would have to come with her. It held her notebook, after all, and she was supposed to write a story about all of this. But … had it always been this heavy?
She opened the bag, checking its contents. Everything was still in it, but there were definitely some new additions. "I don't remember stuffing any clothes in this thing," she muttered, pulling out two pairs of shorts and some T-shirts (along with some unmentionables). "Cute, Jareth. You just think of everything, don't you?" At least she wouldn't have to wear the same clothes three days in a row. "But does he really think shorts and flip flops are adequate to hike through a labyrinth in?" she grumbled to herself.
No sooner had she spoken then a strange tingle passed over her body. Tasuki, at the same moment, suddenly yelped, "What the hell?" Alarmed, she glanced down at herself and her jaw dropped upon realizing that she was now decked out in a shimmering ball gown that closely resembled the one Sarah had worn in the movie. Complete with several million dollars worth of diamonds and a pair of crystal shoes with six-inch heels that Cinderella could have envied.
"Gyaaaaahhhh!" she screeched, so startled that she lost her balance in the ridiculous shoes and began to fall backwards, arms windmilling frantically. She braced herself for an ungraceful landing in the dirt. Instead, she landed against something warm as a pair of arms locked around her waist to steady her, and she looked up into Hotohori's startled eyes as a blush immediately spread over her face. "S-sorry!" she yelped, attempting to regain her balance. She finally kicked off the uncomfortable shoes in a fit of rage, trying to ignore the shocked stares of everyone around her.
"What just happened?" Miaka asked, bewildered. "You look like a princess in that dress!"
"Jareth!" The thoroughly embarrassed Listian turned to fix the turrets of the castle with an evil glare, skirts swirling around her. "Knock it off, you creep! I am not your personal Barbie doll!"
Disembodied laughter was her only answer, and she clenched her fists. "Change me back!" she demanded, stamping her bare foot for emphasis and wincing when she inadvertently stomped on a rock.
"Oh, very well. Really, dearest, you're no fun at all," Jareth's voice shimmered in the air, causing the entire group to jump in surprise.
Another tingle of magic passed across the Listian's body. The ballgown poofed away in a shower of glitter; she found herself dressed instead in a pair of jeans, leather boots, and a dark green shirt with belled sleeves. She sighed with relief. "Better." Adjusting the collar of the shirt, she turned around to find twenty-six eyes all fixed intently on her.
"What?"
Every gaze was abruptly fixed on anything other than her. Muttering to herself, she slung her bag over her shoulder and stalked for the Labyrinth's entrance.
She looked at the closed doors doubtfully. They looked very big, and very heavy. In the movie, Hoggle the Dwarf had merely pointed at them, and they'd opened. With a mental shrug, she pointed.
They didn't even twitch.,
She huffed, amused. Of course Jareth wouldn't make things that easy. Sighing, she put both hands against the doors and pushed with all her might. They didn't budge.
"Stand back," Suboshi commanded. "Let a man handle this."
Stormlight glanced up at him, annoyed that, even though he was almost ten years her junior, he was still taller than her. "Sure, kid. When you find one, be sure to let me know." Miaka tittered, but quickly fell silent under Suboshi's glare. He backed away several paces, then rushed the doors, slamming into them with his shoulder and succeeding only in bouncing off and landing spread-eagle on the ground, dazed.
Stormlight snickered as she bent over him. "Ouch," she said in mock-sympathy. "You're gonna be feelin' that in the mornin'."
"Shut up."
"Okay, my turn!" Nuriko sang as he strutted up, preening a little as he rubbed his hands together. He braced himself against the doors, pushing with all his might. His arms trembled slightly with the strain, and his eyes were squeezed shut as a bead of sweat trickled down his cheek, but, incredibly, the doors began to slowly creak open. He stood back, panting slightly, and wiped his brow with his sleeve. "See? Nothing to it!" he bragged.
"Amazing!" Miaka squealed, throwing her arms around him. "Nuriko, you're the best!"
"I know." He patted her head. "You just couldn't get by without me."
"Wait! How come he still has his strength?" Tasuki asked suspiciously. "Didn't Jareth take away all our abilities?"
"Nooooo, he took away all your magic," Stormlight corrected. "Nuriko's strength isn't magical, it's … er … natural. Sort of." She scratched her head, trying to figure it out.
"Look at it this way, no da. Even though your magical abilities have been taken, Jareth didn't take your natural speed or fighting abilities, no da," Chichiri supplied. "It isn't like he sealed Suzaku away or anything, na no da."
"Even though he probably could have, if he'd wanted to," Stormlight added. "But I guess he didn't want to leave everyone completely defenseless. That'd ruin his fun, if we got defeated on the first day."
"I get it. I think." Tasuki scratched his head.
"Well, ponder it later. Time's tickin', and we've got a long way to go!" the Listian shouldered her bag again and marched into the Labyrinth. "You guys comin', or what?"
"This place is creepy," Nuriko complained, gazing at the high walls on either side of them and the narrow, brush-strewn passage that stretched in both directions as far as the eye could see. His gaze fell on a clump of lichen growing out of the wall right at eye-level with him, which appeared to have eyeballs growing out of the stalks. All of which were staring right back, blinking ever so often. He gulped and hastily backed away, nearly mowing Tasuki over in the process. "Creepy," he repeated firmly. "So, boss, which way do we go?" He looked at Stormlight expectantly.
The Listian blinked at him, then shrugged. "Beats me. Pick a direction."
What followed was the sound of numerous bodies hitting the dirt.
"Is this what you call guiding us?" Tamahome yelled, leaping to his feet.
She planted her fists on her hips, pursing her lips. "Hey, I told you I've never been through here before!" she reminded him. "One way is as good as another, so just start walking!" To prove her point, she marched down the passage to the right, deciding on a whim to follow Sarah's original route. Even if it was only in a movie, at least it was something to follow, and maybe it'd actually get them somewhere.
They walked in sullen silence in a line; the passage was too narrow and choked with branches and weeds to allow more than two at a time to pass. The sound of breathing and feet scraping against rock were the only noises. Even the crows had fallen silent as soon as the doors had shut behind them. It was a rather uncomfortable silence, and Stormlight found herself wishing that somebody would say something to break it. She got her wish a moment later when Miaka, who was walking with Tamahome somewhere in the middle of the line, called, "So, uh, Stormlight, you're a writer? What do you write?"
"Stories, mostly. Novels, short stories. Poetry, when inspiration strikes," the Listian replied. "It's kind of a hobby, although I want to be a professional author someday."
"That's neat. Do you have anything published?"
"Just on the net," she replied. "Various fanfiction sites. A few for original stuff."
"So, I've been wondering, is Stormlight your real name?" Yui asked. She sounded highly doubtful, and the Listian smiled.
"No, actually. It's the pen name I took up when I started writing stories for Jareth. I use it on the 'net, like a pseudonym."
"So what is your real name?"
"Doesn't matter. Stormlight'll do."
"Well, aren't we just full of secrets," Nuriko teased.
"That's me! Stormlight the super spy."
Miaka released Tamahome's arm and skipped ahead to join the Listian at the front of the line. "So when does this passage end, anyway?" she asked, looking ahead with a frown. "Aren't there supposed to be turns or something?"
"One turn, coming right up!"
The Listian stopped … a bit too abruptly, as everyone promptly ran into each other and fell over amid startled and rather colorful curses. She looked behind her in surprise to find the lot of them sprawled on the ground. "Er … whoops?" She offered a sheepish grin. "Sorry. I'll give a little more warning next time…"
"Yes, that would be appreciated." Yui struggled to her feet, watching as Stormlight began to feel along the wall, grimacing at the touch of the damp, slimy rock beneath her fingers.
"What are you doing?" Suboshi asked suspiciously.
"I'm looking for hidden entrances. There's gotta be one somewhere…"
"I don't see any entrances," the Seiryu sniffed, crossing his arms.
"That's why they're hidden, halfwit. Make yourself useful and help me look, or we could end up standing here all day."
Suboshi muttered a few choice words under his breath as he, too, began to feel along the slimy walls. "It'd help if I knew what I was looking for," he grumbled.
"Trust me. When you find one, you'll know." Stormlight moved further along, stepping over a dead branch. "Come on, I know there's one around here somewhere… Check the other side, too."
After several more minutes of fruitless searching, Tasuki growled and straightened up. "This is pointless," he complained. "There's nothin' here!"
"If Stormlight says there is a passage, then I believe there is a passage," Hotohori defended. The Listian looked at him in surprise and he smiled at her. She quickly turned back to her search before he could notice her flaming cheeks.
And J wonders why I like this guy so much…?
Tasuki crossed his arms stubbornly and leaned back. "Yeah? Well, you go ahead and keep lookin'! I'm takin' a brea-AACK!"
Stormlight turned around just in time to witness the bandit fall right through the wall, arms flailing madly as he hit the dirt. "Ow," he muttered sulkily.
"Alright!" she squealed. "You found one!"
"No shit!" he snarled, standing up and fingering a growing lump on his head.
"Company, onward march!" Stormlight pointed and strode forward, pausing just long enough to drop a quick kiss on a startled Tasuki's cheek. "Good job, Red!"
"Aack!" the bandit yelped, scrubbing at his face while the rest of the group sniggered. "Now cut that out!"
The Listian merely laughed as the group started down the passage.