(A/N: What's that?  The chapter title sucks?  Why, thank you!)

Cat sat upright, breathing hard.  Cold beads of sweat slid down her cheeks.  A dream…?  But, that makes no sense…

Hearing a movement beside her, she glanced over to see Yoyo, lying down and watching her.  She inhaled quickly.  "What're you doing here?" she whispered.  He was too close for her own comfort.

"Sorry," he whispered back.  "Tip said this was the only available spot."  He shrugged into the dark, the motion visible only to Cat's catlike eyes.

Cat made a mental note to get back at her gang's leader for that.  "She lied," she muttered in annoyance.

"Sorry," Yoyo apologized again.  He stared at her for a moment, his eyes not as well-adjusted to the dark.  "You okay?"

"Yeah," Cat answered, not feeling as certain as she hoped she sounded.  "Just a nightmare, that's all… really," she added when she saw his skeptical look.  "I'm fine."

"Tell me about it," he suggested in a soft voice, surprising her.  He sat up and braced his open hands against the floor.  "Have ya had it before?"

"…Yeah, something similar," she responded after a moment, her voice even quieter.

Yoyo had moved over to Cat, and he circled his arm around her shivering shoulders, hoping to steady her.  She seemed startled, but did not attempt to push him off.  "What was it?" he asked, still concerned.

"It was…" she paused, catching her breath.  "A gang… I think.  A girl and some guys…  I…"  She brushed hair out of her face.  "I might've seen 'em before…"

"Where?"

"In the fortified residential zone.  There were these kids…"

"Tell me about 'em," Yoyo prompted when she did not continue.

"They wear black… black and dark grey.  They have a black upside-down cross on their shirts, surrounded by red flames…  The girl has a gun, one of the guys has a knife.  They're bad, real bad; I know it.  And something…"

She looked at Yoyo as her voice trailed off, wondering why she had let him get so close to her, and for so long.  She disliked males in general, and Yoyo was no exception, though he didn't seem as bad as some…

Lightly she brushed his half-gloved hand off her shoulder.  "Thanks, Yoyo.  I think I'll be okay… just got a little alarmed, I guess."  She smiled at him, not sure if he could see; hoping he couldn't, because she was sure she was blushing.  "Thanks."

Yoyo backed up, sensing her embarrassment.  "Sorry," he apologized for the third time that night.  "I shouldn't have—"

"It's okay," Cat told him, surprising both herself and Yoyo.  "Good night."

Yoyo was settling back into his spot when he heard a growl.  Sitting up, he saw that Cat seemed to be asleep, but a pair of golden eyes was staring at him, between himself and Cat.  A small mouth opened just beneath the eyes, releasing a soft hiss and revealing tiny, needlelike fangs.

Yoyo cautiously leaned back again, more than a bit disturbed.  He had seen Cat holding a small, golden-eyed kitten earlier.  She had called him Half, he remembered.

"Half," he whispered.  The cat's mouth closed, as if in a yawn, and the golden eyes stared eerily at him.  Yoyo made a quiet clicking noise with his tongue, and Half padded over to him, paws silent on the floor.  Yoyo let the kitten sniff his hand, then rub against it as he gently petted the soft fur.  A few seconds later Half began to purr.

Yoyo smiled to himself.  "I wish Cat was as easy to calm as you," he muttered.  "Though I don't think I helped her much."  Mentally he cursed himself for even getting near her… now he might never get back to sleep.

Half mewed softly and rubbed his head against Yoyo's face.  He smiled at the kitten and settled back down.  Half sat down on top of his shoulder, purring at such a volume that Yoyo couldn't have heard someone speaking next to him.  Loud as it was, the consistent sound relaxed him, and within a few minutes he was once again asleep.

*          *          *

Black Rose took a deep breath.  She had been through Ayame Street, Rokkaku-Dai Heights, and the Tokyo Underground Sewage Facility, all the way to the fortified residential zone of Tokyo.  Huge buildings loomed around her, giant machines hummed, and no human being was in sight… not that much could be seen with the black fog that now hung over the residential zone.

"Wax!" she shouted, the shadows seeming to swallow her voice.  "You wanted me to come here; what do you want?"

A voice behind her nearly startled her to death.  "Quiet," it commanded.  "I don't want to wake up the police… hard as it is."

Black Rose turned, just about ready to strangle Wax.  "Don't do that!" she snapped, angered further when he just grinned.  "Now tell me what ya want so I can get out of here."

Wax leaned against a wall, ignoring her desire to hurry.  "If you don't want to be here, why'd ya agree to come?"

She glared at him.  "Because if you call me, at four in the morning no less, I know you're up to something… and whatever it is, it's not good."

He seemed suddenly alarmed.  "You did come alone, didn't you?"

"Yes," Black Rose answered.  "Hand didn't want me to, but—"

Her mouth shut as she realized what she was saying, but Wax had heard her.

"Don't mention him again," he ordered in an icy voice, and Black Rose was relieved that he did not make anything more of it.  Wax was fairly small, but she knew that he always carried a pocketknife, and she was unarmed… and even though they were related, Wax was unpredictable.

"But you are alone?" he continued.  "Or are you lying to me?  To your brother?"

Black Rose took a step back, disturbed and insulted.  Though unable to see, she could feel his suspicious stare.  "Half-brother," she corrected.  "Snap's my only brother."

Wax laughed, the sound a mixture of mockery and annoyance.  "Yes, aren't you quite the lucky one."

"I came alone," Black Rose told him, returning to a subject she was more comfortable with.  "Now what is it?"

"All in good time," he laughed.  "Come with me."  He turned and skated a few feet, waiting for her to follow him.

The black-and-red design on his back seemed to glow.  Black Rose followed it, the uneasy feeling in her stomach increasing with every forward movement of her skates.

Wax kept going, jumping on a stair rail and grinding up.  "It's a long way to the top," he informed her, his words as much a challenge as a warning.  "Don't get lost."

Black Rose quickened her pace.  Much as she did not want to be here, much as she did not trust Wax, she knew that if she did not go with him, something bad would happen… something very, very bad.

*          *          *

Cat smiled at the sleeping boy six feet away from her.  She had to admit he looked… quite amusing, if nothing else.  Yoyo's glasses, having never left his face during the night, were slightly askew.  One arm was at his side; the other crossed over his chest, letting a hand rest on Half, who was curled up on his shoulder asleep.

Glancing around, Cat saw that most of the others were still sleeping.  Speed, however, was sitting against the wall, knees pulled up to his chin.  His black hair was hanging in his face, and he didn't seem to realize that anyone else was up.

"Speed?" Cat whispered.

He looked up quickly, almost defensively.  "Oh, hi," he murmured when he noticed her.  "Sleep well?"

Cat thought of her dream… and of Yoyo.  "Yeah, I guess.  How 'bout you?"

Speed laughed the short, humorless laugh that seemed to be characteristic of him.  "Not really, but it doesn't matter.  I'll be leaving soon enough."

Cat stared at him.  "You're leaving?  Why?"

Speed said nothing.  His head sank back into the thick sweatshirt, his ponytail curling over one shoulder.

"Spark'll be going with you, I guess," Cat sighed, downcast with that realization.

Speed's cool voice interrupted her disappointment.  "No.  She's gonna stay here with you and Tip."

Cat raised an eyebrow at him.  "Did she say that?"

Again Speed was silent.  Finally he answered, "I can't mess up her life."

"You wouldn't mess anything up.  I saw how delighted she was to see you.  I haven't seen her that happy since I've known her."  She paused.  "She used to talk about you, ya know.  Never shut up.  I think she figured you'd come after her when she left.  When you didn't… she tried to stop thinking about you.  She's missed you, though.  I know she has."

Speed closed his eyes and sighed.  "We'll see," he muttered.

Feeling an odd urge to smack him and demand a straight response, Cat shrugged to herself, then smiled and glanced from Yoyo to Tab, then back to Speed… then back to Yoyo.

Now each of us seems to have a guy to deal with, she mused.  Watching Yoyo's slight movements as he drew breath in and out of his body, she smiled again.

Hers was not going to be easy to get rid of.

*          *          *

Petal glanced up, squinting a bit into the dim light of the very early morning.  "You're late.  You said you'd be here at three."

The young man blew loose black hair out of his eyes as he completed his landing, having jumped from grinding down the spiral staircase.  "Not my fault.  He wasn't there.  I searched the whole place."  He looked critically around the area Petal had chosen, then shrugged to himself.  "Where's the kid?"

"Where's who?"  Petal asked, standing and moving closer to the boy.

"The kid you said wanted to join us."

"Oh, he's… around."  Petal put one hand on the boy's shoulder and leaned against his arm.

He shook her off.  "I ain't got time for this, Petal," he snapped.  "Where is he?"

Petal pulled back, pouting.  "You never got time for me… Slow," she complained.

His fist shot up to her face so swiftly that it almost connected.  She jumped back with a gasp, shocked.

"Never call me that," he ordered in a low voice.  "Never.  My name's Blade.  Don't forget it.  Now tell me where the kid is and stop—"

"I'm right here," a voice interrupted.  "That was interesting, I gotta say… Blade."

Blade turned to his left, then his right, trying to find the voice.  He muttered a curse at himself; years ago such carelessness might have cost him his life.

"Relax."  A young man stepped out of the shadows, where he had been leaning against an old building.  "It seems that Petal doesn't think I'm good enough to join you."

Blade shot Petal a look.  "She don't make the decisions around here," he snapped, glaring at the girl, who had returned to her pouting.

"So it appears," noted the boy.  "I believe you were speaking of wasting time.  I don't got much time myself, so if ya could come to a quick decision, whichever way it may be, as to whether ya want me in your gang or not, I'd appreciate it."

Blade looked the boy over.  He was wearing a dark grey sweatshirt and jeans of the same color.  Short black hair provided a sharp contrast to his pale skin.  His face, eyes obscured by a pair of sunglasses, held no expression whatsoever.

"Why do ya want to join us?" Blade asked.

"I got my reasons," the boy answered.  "I see no point to telling you."

Blade grinned.  "Ah.  I guess we might as well take ya.  What's your name, kid?"

There was a moment of silence, then he replied, "Glitch.  And you two here are Petal, whom I've already met, and Blade, the leader.  Where're the others?"

Petal shrugged, ignoring Blade's dangerous glare.  "Doesn't matter.  They'll be here soon enough."

Glitch said nothing more and seemed to disappear back into the shadows, his shady form blending in with the wall of the derelict house, hidden eyes watching every movement of his two new fellow gang members as Petal filled Blade in on what he had missed during his jail sentence.

A soft, relieved sigh came from the dark figure, though the others did not hear.  So far, so good, he thought.  And very good at that.

*          *          *

Tip leaned back and smiled, letting the morning breeze ruffle her hair.  Beside her, Cat laughed.  "Having a bit too much fun, Tip?"

Tip sighed.  "Probably.  I wonder if Spark's up yet."

Cat looked out over the water.  The sun was just rising, streaking purple, peach, and pink across the sky.  "She hardly ever misses the sunrise, does she?"

"And you hardly ever see it," Tip pointed out.  She winked at her friend.  "I guess today's just a special day, huh?"

"I don't think I want to know what ya mean by that," Cat mumbled.  Suddenly she remembered the previous night.  "And hey, what did ya think you were doing, putting Yoyo right by me, and telling him it was the only place there was room?  What's up with that, huh?"

Tip grinned.  "I saw you two staring at each other.  It was hard to miss.  And besides, can you honestly say you wish I hadn't?"

Cat looked back at the rising sun, her cheeks matching the pink in the sky.  "I hate you," she told Tip.

"Thank you," Tip responded cheerfully.

"I'll get you back for that," Cat muttered.  "You just wait till Tab gets better."

"Don't you even think it!"

"Oh, like you really don't want me to either," Cat teased, enjoying the fact that she had reversed their positions.

"Shut up."

Cat decided to leave Tip alone before she managed to incriminate herself as well.  "Now we just gotta find a guy for Spark…"

*          *          *

Black Rose's skates slid to a stop.  "Where are we?"

"I don't think you need to know that," Wax replied as he stopped a few feet in front of her.  The sun was beginning to come out (though one could hardly tell in the residential zone), but Black Rose was becoming even more uncomfortable.

"What do you want, Wax?" she demanded.  "Tell me now, or I'm leaving.  You've wasted enough of—"

She was cut off by a half-gloved hand covering her mouth.  Recovering from her shock, she tried to bite her attacker, but an arm wrapped around her neck, and she began to gasp.  Glancing up at Wax, she saw to her horror that he was watching, a crooked smile on his face.  He had tricked her.

"I'm sorry, Black Rose, honestly I am," he told her as she tried unsuccessfully to free herself.  "But I swear, I got no other choice."  He nodded to the person holding Black Rose.  She had too brief of a moment to comprehend the motion before she felt a sharp pain in the back of her head.

Then everything seemed to go black.

*          *          *

Yoyo woke up gasping.  He knew instantly that his dream (or nightmare, rather) had been similar to Cat's, with the gang in black.  Except… his had had a strange girl in it, one he had never seen before. She had been struggling with one of the gang members, and then…  Yoyo shook his head.  Whatever was going on, it wasn't good at all.

He looked around, trying to catch his breath.  Tip, Cat, Spark, and Speed were gone.  Tab was still lying on the couch; whether he was asleep or not Yoyo was unable to tell.  He saw Half perched on the arm of the couch, staring at him, and smiled.

Yoyo was getting up when Half hissed.  Glancing at the small cat, Yoyo could see that he was hissing at Tab.

Yoyo picked Half up gently and looked down at Tab, who appeared to have just awakened.  "That's a creepy sight to wake up to," Tab said.

Yoyo grinned.  "Me or the cat?"

The leader of the GGs shrugged, then winced.  "Both."

Yoyo rolled his eyes.  "Thanks so much."  He let Half jump to the ground and shook his head down at his friend.  "You're an idiot, you know that?"

Tab nodded.  "Yup."

Yoyo laughed.  "What were ya doing in Bottom Point anyway?  You know how stupid that is."

"I got lost," Tab explained.  "It's not that hard."

Yoyo sighed.  "Let me rephrase that: what were you doing in the sewers at all?  Assuming it's something I wouldn't drastically mind hearin' about…"

"Trying to get away from the PGs," Tab admitted.

"The Prissy Girls?  What'd ya do this time?"

"Um, well, they've given me a warning about staying out of Rokkaku-Dai before, and you know what they do to guys the second time they catch 'em there…"

Yoyo grinned again.  "I don't know, maybe you could use a makeover."

Tab shut his eyes.  When he opened them again he growled, "Don't even joke about that.  It's not funny."

"Okay, okay…  Hey, did you see that girl who seems to be Poison Jam's leader?"

Tab nodded.  "Yeah, she said her name was Cube… why?"

"Just curious," Yoyo replied.  "I'd never seen her before."

"There's a lot we don't know about the sewers and places past them," Tab muttered.  "I'd say we're happier that way.  I don't know 'bout you, but as soon as I can I'm getting out of here and going back home, where I know my way around."

"Are you sure?" Yoyo asked.  "You don't, for instance, want to stay awhile 'cause of a certain girl who saved your worthless life?"

Tab looked away, wishing he could punch his fellow GG.  "As usual, ya don't know what you're talking about, Yoyo."

"Maybe I don't.  Maybe I do.  Maybe you're just afraid I'm right.  Maybe that's why you're blushing.  Maybe we'll never find out.  Who knows?"

Tab ignored his friend, deciding to change the topic.  "Where's everyone else?"

To Tab's relief, Yoyo allowed the subject switch.  "I don't know, I just woke up too.  I guess they're morning people."  He paused.  "Hey, what's up with you and Speed, huh?  How did you guys know each other?"

Tab stiffened.  "Are you sure ya want to hear it?"

Yoyo nodded.

Sighing, Tab did not speak for what seemed to be a long time.  When he began, his voice was lower than its normal pitch and his words flowed swiftly, as though he couldn't get them out fast enough.

"Me and Speed…  We grew up in the same foster home in Dogenzaka Hill.  We were best friends, even though we're three years apart in age… then we fought over something, pretty badly.  I don't remember what it was; I was about ten years old then."  He took a deep breath and continued, "I left Dogenzaka and hung around Shibuya and Chuo for awhile, not really doing anything… then a couple years later I went to Ayame Street.  I met Gum there, and we formed the GGs.  You joined awhile after…"

Tab stopped speaking as suddenly as he had begun, then changed the subject once more.  "Why don't you go find Dark Storm and Speed?"  He smiled, as though having forgotten everything he had just said.  "You never know, you might just be the one staying here 'cause of a certain girl."

Yoyo turned pink.  "Wh-what are you talking about?"

Knowing then that he had assumed correctly, Tab gave his friend a wicked grin.  "I saw the way you were looking at Cat last night.  And you never moved more than a few feet from her.  Care to explain that?"

Yoyo turned too fast for Tab to see any more of a reaction.  "I, uh, guess I'll go see if I can find everyone.  Sure you'll be okay?"

"Of course," Tab assured him.  "If you leave me alone, that is."

Yoyo went up the ladder in a grind.  The grin remained on Tab's face as he watched his friend go.

So Yoyo likes Cat, he mused.  I never would've guessed it, but there it is… no matter what he tries to imply.  I, on the other hand…  He stopped, his mind drawing a blank.  Shaking his head at himself, Tab closed his eyes.  He didn't intend to do any more thinking on that particular subject.