Well, here's Chapter 1. Please note the following. I do not own FY. I am writing this in the vain desire that Watase Yuu reads it and likes it enough to use ideas from it when she finally does the Byakko story. Which I firmly believe she will do, because Tatara, Tokaki, and Subaru are just that cool.

I've gotten some comments on Subaru's name. Ok..one. From Hydra-star. :) So I'm only going to say this once. Subaru=Dourin. Subaru!= Doulin. Anyone who has studied any kinda anime/manga knows that the 'l' and 'r' sounds are pretty much interchangeable. (Which is why Tasuki's incantation has read in various fansubs both 'Lekka shinen' and 'Recca Shinen.') I think it's supposed to be more of a 'lr' sound than just 'r' or 'l'. So it may actually be Doulrin. (Try and say it. I think it may be pronounced more like 'Dole-reen'. I could be wrong. Anana-chan?) Besides. I think Dourin is a lot prettier of a name than Doulin. That...and Doulin brings back rather painful memories of 8th grade US History. So Dourin it is. 'Sides. The english translation of the FY Art book has it as Durin. :)

Still considering different primary bad guy ideas for the Byakko seishi. If you've got something, or would like to make a suggestion, send a review here or email me at tokaki@kyrith.net.

Chapter 1. Friends.

It was the sort of day that the chill in the air cut right through to the bone, biting and harsh. Winter had come to the desert. And while it brought colder temperatures, it was no less dry than the full heat of summer. Which meant that the desert was still a desert, and the people who called it home knew how to survive. If they dwelled within the desert, as many tribes did, they knew to find shelter on the south side of rocks, to protect themselves from the winds that drove the cold deeper than it drove the sand. Those in the city stayed off the streets as much as possible, relying upon their harvest or stores to keep themselves warm and fed. Those who roamed the windswept roads of the city did so only if they had no choice, such as the weary traveller arriving late in the morning on that day.

He was tall and slim, and walked through the streets bent over against the wind, staying as close to buildings as possible to shield himself. A hood covered his head, obscuring his face. His cloak billowed out behind him, though he tried without much success to keep it wrapped around him. A pack was slung over one shoulder, and he wore a long, heavy butternut colored robe, the wide collar obscuring his face and keeping his nose and lips protected from the bitter cold. His golden eyes were narrowed against the wind. "What a day to come back." He muttered to himself, strugging in vain with one hand to pull the hood over his white hair.

His course took him deep into the city, his weary steps straight and true. He knew where he was going. He'd grown up in this part of town, though it had been many months since he was last here. The buildings that he passed weren't merely part of the background to him. They were old friends, and despite the bitter chill of the air, they were as comforting as a warm pair of shoes to him. It meant he was finally coming home.

He turned the corner, his route taking him through a dark alleyway. "Hmm. It's not usually this dark." In fact, it was usually lit by lights from the windows of the shops and homes that the alley ran between, and was used as a frequent shortcut for people wishing to switch streets. He paused for amoment, frowning as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Halfway down the alley, there seemed to be some sort of commotion. He could not see what was going on, but a strange tension filled the air.

The wind had all but disappeared, blocked almost entirely by the buildings that formed the alley. The white-haired man started down towards the commotion, the hairs on the back of his neck starting to rise. Why, he could not say, but he was still becoming alarmed. As he neared the group in the center of the alley, he found the source of the tension. "Well, that explains the reason for the darkness." He muttered to himself.

Someone at the center of the group of men was being mugged. Or worse, but it was impossible to make out anything about the person being attacked. But it was clearly only one person, and they were surrounded by at least ten of the roughest looking men that had ever been seen in this part of Arudo, most armed with wooden clubs, but one, obviously the leader, bore a sword. "Hmm." The white-haired man said, this time a little louder, in an attempt to draw the attention of the thugs. "Ten against one seems hardly fair." He said, and as the men turned and spread out to deal with him, he got a glimpse of their target. His eyes widened for a moment.

It was then that their leader chose to address him. "Beat it old man. This is none of your business. If you know what's good for you, you'll turn around now and forget you ever walked down this alley." With his words, the men started to loom around the newcomer, scowling in a menacing way.

Lan-uan was ignoring all this though, instead his attention was focused on their opponent. He was a young man, probably between the ages of 17 and 23, with long black hair and a very gentle appearance. He was surrounded by vines, looped around his body, as though the thugs were using that as rope. He was very badly bruised, and it appeared as though he was in the middle of a severe beating. His clothes were unusual, made of dark silks. Lan-uan watched him for a moment longer, considering. Something had made him wary as he walked down this alley. Something more than just the commotion. Something he couldn't define. His eyes flicked back to the leader and his golden eyes glinted. "Old man?" He paused for a moment, and then continued. "Tell me. Why do you need so many men to take down another?" He asked mockingly.

"Why you...." The leader said, his face reddening with anger. "Get him!" He ordered, pointing his sword at Lan-uan. The men closest to the intruder charged, swinging their clubs towards his head. Lan-uan made no move to stop him, instead standing there calmly watching them, one eyebrow raised as he watched them run towards him. As they neared, each swung his club hard towards the newcomer, but their weapons instead flew through empty air, and with the inertia of their charge and the force of their swings, the three thugs over balanced and went sprawling, skidding through the dirt until they came to a halt a several feet away, a knot of arms and legs. Where Lan-uan had been, there was nothing for a moment, then, with a brief flash of white light, he reappeared.

"Well, I tried to be nice." the white-haired man said, before pulling the cloak and robes from his body in one quick, fluid motion. What they revealed was anything but an old man. Instead, before them stood a young man, of around age 17, with white hair, cut so that two long bangs hung down over his face; dark skin; golden eyes; and a very wild look about him. His lips were twisted into a cocky grin as he considered the thugs who had attacked the young black haired man. Another thug tried to take advantage of the transformation by attacking Lan-uan before the cloak and robe even hit the ground, but suddenly Lan-uan was two feet from where he was standing before, spinning and catching the thug in the jaw with a reverse round-house kick that made a loud cracking noise as it connected. The thug went down hard, and unconcious.

Lan-uan spun back around and moved into a fighting stance, that cocky smile still on his face. "Right. Next?" He said, one hand in front of him with two fingers raised. The other thugs paused for a moment to look at each other. In less time than it took to blink, this interloper had managed to down one of them, and he wouldn't be getting back up for awhile. Obviously, this man was a skilled fighter, someone they were unused to dealing with. The thugs charged again, and Lan-uan moved again, this time disappearing and reappearing behind them. This wasn't just speed and skill he was using against them. This was something else. Something unnatural.

Lan-uan leapt forward, and placed his fingers on the shoulders of each of the two thugs who charged, pressing firmly into a spot where their shoulders met their necks, and the two men dropped, unconcious. The three who had landed in a pile finally got themselves untangled and stood back up. Lan-uan was facing them, with the leader and the remaining 3 behind him. His white hair whipped around as he turned his head to the young man the bullies were previously attacking. "I'll be with you in just a moment." he said. But the young man sitting on the ground opened his eyes widely, staring at Lan-uan in shock. There was something glowing on the man's cheek! It was the kanji for 'stride.' This wasn't just an extraordinary young man. This was a seishi!

Lan-uan then winked as one of the three in front of him charged, and turned back to his opponents, oblivious to the other man's shock. He took two steps forward, spinning and landing a punch in the burlier man's midsection that brought him up short and doubled him over. Then Lan-uan dropped his elbow into the back of the man's neck and he dropped like a stone. All but the leader ran forward then, realizing that the only possible way they were going to beat him was to gang up on him.

"Bastard!" One yelled, as he swung his club with all his strength at Lan-uan's head, before the seishi teleported from between them. The attack struck one of his fellows hard on the side of his head and dropped him. "Pity." Said Lan-uan from behind the man. "That must've hurt." Then he kicked the thug in the back, thrusting him forward into another one of his fellows, taking them both down. Another club swung at his head, but again he wasn't where he was supposed to have been, reappearing a foot behind the swing, and as the thug lurched towards him, over balanced, he swung his leg out and tripped the man up into the prone forms of two of his fellows. "That's...what, seven?" Lan-uan asked, turning to face the remaining two.

The other two dropped their clubs and took off running for the end of the alley, trying to escape. While they still had the advantage of numbers, they were too afraid to actually face Lan-uan, since he'd taken down seven of them already. Lan-uan's eyes flicked then to their leader, who stared at him for a moment, his sword raised. Then that, too, fell to the ground with a metallic clatter as the leader turned and fled.

Lan-uan watched the thugs flee with a triumphant smirk on his face, before turning to the young man they had been shaking down. "Well, they're gone, but they probably will be back. Are you Ok?" He asked, reaching out to offer the man a hand up.

The other man took the hand, slowly getting to his feet, moving gingerly, testing his battered body before asking too much of it. "Yes. I think I am bruised, but whole." A gentle smile appeared on his face as he regarded his rescuer. "Thank you. I am Zonye Kasaru, and I am in your debt."

"Hahm Lan-uan." The white-haired man replied in kind, grinning broadly. "And you're welcome. What was that about, anyway?" He asked, taking a moment to study the man he'd rescued.

Zonye Kasaru could best be described as willowy, at first glance tall and thin, appearing almost as though a strong wind would blow him over. He had long dark hair that hung loosely about his face, but was tied into a long ponytail in the back. His blue eyes blinked out at the world from behind a very gentle face, the face of a man who cared a lot about everything. And he was looking at Lan-uan with the most peculiar expression on his face. "I think it is because I am not from this city." He replied in his deep, gentle voice. "I am from Sasu."

"Sasu, eh?" Replied Lan-uan, shrugging. "My master took me through there once. Nice place. Why'd you leave it to come here?" He asked, before looking back up and down the alley again. "Tell you what, you can pay me back by buying me a drink, and we'll be even. C'mon. I know a great inn around here, quiet, relaxing, and you can tell me your life story, and I can get very drunk while you do."

Kasaru gave a quiet chuckle at this suggestion, and nodded. "I will, and gladly, my friend." He paused for a moment, as if debating with himself for a moment. "But first, I would ask you a question." he regarded Lan-uan carefully for a moment, then held up his hand. There, on the back of his right hand, a small symbol, "ru", glowed brightly with pure white light. "I am also known as Tatara. Who are you?"

To say that this stunned Lan-uan was obvious, as his cat-like eyes flew wide. "You're.... Tatara." He said, almost wonderingly, before his shock was replaced with that perpetual grin. "Tokaki. Now, before these goons wake, let's go get drunk." He said, grabbing his cloak and robe and wrapping one around him, the other around Tatara, then throwing a companionable arm around Tatara and leading him out of the alley. "So, now I'm curious. What can you do?"

"Nothing like you." Tatara responded. "You...you can teleport, right? I just...well, I can control plants. It's not much. I tried to defend myself and got tangled in my own vines." He sighed softly, remembering the looks of shock and fear on the faces of his attackers, which was quickly replaced by laughter and derision.

"I'd....wondered about where they'd come from." Tokaki asked, shaking his head with a grin. "And you just need to learn how to use your abilities for fighting." He glanced at the other man again. "You don't fight much, do you?"

They talked as they walked through the streets together, Tokaki steering along the many twists and turns, Tatara following. Tatara told him that he'd come to the city because he wanted to learn more about his destiny, and the priests living in Sasu only could tell him so much. He'd only been in the city for a few days, when he got lost trying to return to the inn where he was residing. He'd tried to go to the temple of Byakko as well, but had somehow managed to get lost doing that too. It wasn't that he had a poor sense of direction, it was that he'd never been in a city as large as Arudo before. His attackers jumped him as he tried to cut down a dark alley, believing the street on the other side to be the one he was looking for.

As they came to the inn Tokaki was leading them to, Tatara blinked, looked up, and laughed softly. "Why, this is the place I am staying." He said, his voice filled with surprise. Tokaki laughed in response, shook his head, and lead the other man inside, picking a table in the middle of the room.

The inn wasn't very crowded. In fact, it was almost empty that night, and as Tatara sat down, Tokaki took a moment to look around the room. It was an older inn, but well cared for. The tables were old, but clean and fresh, the chairs worn comfortable by years of patronage. The walls weren't split, the paper on them was new, and showed signs of being replaced often. The bar, which at the moment was empty, was smooth and clean, and the chairs in front of it were clean, their padding fresh. It wasn't the place for a wealthy merchant to stay, as the decor was plain, but for a single traveller, it was warm, comforting, and the fireplace had a roaring fire. Tatara leaned back his chair, turning and looking up at Tokaki. "Well, sit down. I'm sure the girl will be a-" He broke off, as Tokaki interrupted him.

"Oka-san!" Called the white-haired man as he walked up to the bar. "Oka-san, I'm home!" He turned and flashed Tatara that roguish grin of his, before a large woman came out of the door back to the kitchen.

She wasn't fat, this woman, instead her weight was matronly, her face handsome. She'd been a beauty in her youth, attracting her fair share of men. However, her life had not been easy, and she was a hard worker, and her youthful beauty had matured into the woman smiling broadly at Tokaki. "Lan-uan!" Her voice was high with excitement. "You're home early!" Suddenly though, her eyes narrowed and her face changed into a suspicious scowl. "What happened?"

From his table, Tatara grinned, hiding his mouth with his hand as his blue eyes twinkled merrily to see his new friend's discomfiture. Which is about the only way that Tokaki's reaction could be described. "Weeeell..." He said, reaching up behind his head to scratch his neck, a sheepish look on his face. "Master sent me home early. He wasn't done with his training circuit yet, but he figured that it was the best place for me, right now."

And his mother didn't believe a word of it. "What was her name?" She asked, eyeing her son with a hawkish glare.

Defeat was evident in Tokaki's voice. "Shinobu."

"And she was?"

"The...." he held the word out, as if trying to delay the inevitable. "Daughter of one of the town elders?"

"BAKA!" His mother exclaimed, then, as though from nowhere, a frying pan appeared, flying through the air to connect with Tokaki's head, creating a loud clanging noise. "You've never been sent home before! You must've done something really bad, baka. What was it? Why did your master send you home?" Tokaki flew across the room as Tatara just sat there, his eyes wide, watching the mother and son. Tokaki landed hard, lying there upside down for a few moments, before sitting up and holding his head, groaning. His mother then turned to Tatara and smiled politely. "Can I get you anything, Zonye-san?"

Tatara could only stare, his eyes huge and round. Tokaki got to his feet then, and staggered across the room to plop down next to Tatara, leaning back into his chair and rubbing the spot on his head where his mother whacked him. "Oka-san, can we get two beers?"

Tatara then raised his hand in protest. "Tea for me, please." He said, ignoring the look on Tokaki's face.

"Fine, fine. Beer for me, tea for him." Tokaki replied, waving his hand airily. "So you're staying in my family's inn? That's...not a coincidence."

After Tokaki's mother disappeared into the back, Tatara shook his head. "No. It's not. I picked this place because it's called the Arms of Byakko." When Tokaki's mother reappeared, he smiled in thanks. "Thank you, Hahm-san."

The woman looked from her son to her paying customer as she set the drinks down on the table. "What, you two are friends?" She thought Zonye Kasaru was a much nicer boy than that.

Tokaki shook his head; grinning up at his mother as he took the beer he'd ordered and took a long pull from it. "Well, we just met tonight, Kaa-san." He explained. "Tatara-kun here was being attacked by some gang of thugs, and I ran 'em off."

Tatara's eyes got real wide, then narrowed, holding up his hand to Tokaki. "Lan-uan, I really don't th-" He started, but was interrupted before he could get any further.

"Zonye-san! You're a seishi?" Tokaki's mother explained, her hands coming together in delight. "Why didn't you say so?" But before Tatara could have a chance to respond, she continued. "Well, that settles it. From now on, you stay here, free of charge. And you, young man, should've told me sooner. Why, I had another seishi staying under my roof all this time. When I think about what your father might've said to you holding /that/ information from me."

Tatara managed to squeak a few words out at this point. "B-but, Hahm-san. I...I couldn't." While he generally was a very calm and collected youth, this much generosity overwhelmed him.

Tokaki's eyes closed in an expression of mock irritation. "1Weeeeell, I just found out tonight myself." His expression changed to an impudent grin, which he then flashed at Tatara. "Yes. You can." He waved his mother off. "Oka-san, we just met, and I think I need to explain some of this stuff to him. You can mother hen him later." The white-haired lad waved imperiously, for which he received another swat to the head, but this one affectionate.

"Yes, dear." His mother said, before heading for the door, turning the lock. "We're not getting any customers tonight anyway. I think it's the weather." She paused for a moment, gazing out the window. "If you hadn't found him, son, I'd probably have gone looking for him." She smiled fondly at her son, before addressing Tatara. "Now, Tatara-san, if you need anything at all, just ask him, and kick him if he refuses. I'm going upstairs. Good night, boys."

Tatara, who was rather stunned at the complete change from innkeeper to mother hen that Tokaki's mother just underwent, could only stutter. "H-Hai, Arigato."

"Well." Tokaki said, leaning back in his chair. "Sorry about that. My mother generally is a very sensible person. But...when it comes to seishi..." His grin became sheepish then, and he ran his hand through his hair in an embarrassed sort of way. "I think she's caught up in the legend of it all. She knows we're real people and all, but the thought that the legend is true is making the little girl in her act a little strangely."

"I...see." Tatara said slowly, before smiling gently. "I'm a little...taken aback by all of it though. I mean, how...how does she know?"

Tokaki's eyes twinkled merrily then, and Tatara was struck by the mobility of the man's wild face. "It's sort of hard to not notice when you're handed your newborn son, and his cheek is glowing with bright white light." He said then, reaching up to tap his cheek lightly, the symbol of 'kei' coming to life once more. "My uncle was present, since my mother wanted a monk there, and when he saw it, he knew, and told my mother what it meant. That I would one day be called upon to protect the savior of our country." His grin turned embarrassed again. "Kaa-san changed the name of the Inn the next day. That's why it's called Byakko's Rest. She's caught up in the romance of the whole thing."

Despite Tokaki's rambling a little, Tatara could see that he was blushing slightly under his dark skin and white hair. "I see. Your uncle is a monk then?" He sipped gently at his tea, before smiling. "I would very much like to learn more about...the legend of the Byakko no Miko. I...the monk that kept the Shrine to Byakko in Sasu was...a wonderful, enthusiastic man, cheerful and calm. Perfect for a place like Sasu. But he only knew that when the Miko's time was near, seven people would appear throughout the land, each with a symbol of Byakko on their body. And that the Miko's coming heralded a time of great danger for all of Sairou. So I came here. Surely there must be more than that. I was hoping to learn more here."

"Don't worry. I'll take you up there tomorrow. I probably should go myself and pray." He shrugged, leaning dangerously back in his chair. "Well..and visit my uncle too. Then, afterwards, I'll take you to this bar I know. It's got the prettiest serving girls in the entire country. And most scantily clad too." He dropped a wink at Tatara, who blushed.

"Um...I do not think that I would enjoy a place like that." Tatara began, raising his hand. Unfortunately, Tokaki just as quickly cut him off.

"Oh, no, don't worry about it. My treat. Besides, they know me there, and it's safe" replied the other man, totally oblivious to the blush on Tatara's face. "We'll have a little party. Just for us. The Byakko Shichiseishi Tokaki and Tatara!"

They talked like that far into the night, and in mostly the same pattern. Tokaki would tell of some of his many exploits, and Tatara would blush and sigh. Tatara would tell of the gardens at his home in Sasu, and of Sasu and his trip to Arudo, and whenever he'd mention a woman, Tokaki would lean forward in an interested way and ask if she were pretty. Tatara would frown gently at the interruption to his story, and, with that roguish grin he affected so easily, Tokaki would lean back in his chair and gesture for Tatara to continue, a twinkle in his eye.

*****

Sometime during the evening, the two young men became fast friends. The next day they went to the temple, where they learned more about the legend of the Byakko no Miko. Taiitsukun gave a scroll to the first emporer of Sairou, and on that scroll, the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho, it is written that a girl from another world would appear in Sairou, gather the seven Celestial Warriors of Byakko and summon the tiger god to save his land and his people. When the Miko appeared, it would be at a time when the country was nearing its most desparate hour. That Tatara and Tokaki had found each other, and were both Shichiseishi, it meant that the time of the Byakko no Miko would be soon.

*****

Far to the south of Arudo, a young woman, long revered for years and known only as the 'Fire Sage of Mt.Jikorou,' sat in her pillar of fire and dreamed. She saw the stars of Byakko fall from the sky and come to earth, dimming and separating into seven distinct points of light. Two of the seven converged upon each other, and became as one, while a third crawled slowly towards them. The land itself lay darkened, as though waiting for some great light. The world spun and twisted and then she stood in the center of the land and looked around it. To the north, east, and south, all was peaceful with the land, and the people lived in their idyllic paradise without a concern for the larger world. But when she faced the west, her eyes saw only a great darkness, that was alive and pulsated as though breathing. She saw the darkness start to devour the land, and her blood ran cold. Even living in a pillar of fire, it is still possible to awaken in a cold sweat. She screamed, once, long and loud, and then subsided, slumping wearily. From her lips, the only word that was spoken was. "Soon."

*****

Time passed in the land of Sairou, the country sacred to the tiger god, Byakko. Two years passed in relative peace and quiet. Relative meaning that with Tokaki as a friend, things could get rather loud. Fathers, husbands, and brothers chasing him through the streets as he ran along, gleefully outdistancing his pursuers. Tatara admonishing him gently to behave himself, and Tokaki ignoring him. Both of the young men helped out with Tokaki's parents' inn, with Tokaki training Tatara in how to use his powers to fight, and both of the young men working on learning the extent of their powers and what limits they had during their off hours. It was two years of the easy and quiet life, with occassional moments of great interruption, but overall, happy.

And yet...as time passed, both young men began to grow tenser. They knew the moment of their destiny was drawing near. They never talked about it, but when they'd walk through the city, they'd catch themselves studying women separately. Each never admitted to the other that they were looking. They weren't even sure exactly what they were looking for, but that didn't stop them from looking for anyone who could possibly be Byakko no Miko.

And so it happened that one day, a fall 12 years after a young boy got beaned on the head by a younger girl with a frying pan, Tokaki and Tatara were strolling through the market place together, not with any specific destination in mind, or any specific shopping list to fill, just enjoying the crowds, the sights, and the smells of a harvest time market.

"Wow. It's not usually this busy, is it?" Asked Tatara, still unnerved by all these people, even after living in the city for as long as he had, he was still a quiet boy from the country at heart.

"Naah. But I think the Ra Tribe is in the city today. Usually they're up near the Hokkanese border, but once a year or so, they try and get down here to get supplies. Things they can't get up there." He glanced around for a moment, before pointing at the obvious form of a woman, her head bent towards the merchant she was dealing with. "There. She's one of 'em. Nice figure."

She was dressed in an outfit that was mostly cream, loose enough to stay comfortable in the heat of the desert, but gathered at the wrists and ankles. In the front, an indigo cloth hung down to her calves, trimmed in pink ribbon. The indigo front was part of a sort of vest combination that covered her chest, with the collar trimmed in satiny pink. A wide satiny pink of the same hue as her collar wrapped around her trim waist, tied off with a long, golden yellow ribbon. Her head was down, and from what Tokaki could make out, her hair was white.

"Mother, I'm thinking. Grandmother, possibly, but...damn, if she is, they raise them w...." He trailed off then, his mouth going slack. The girl had just raised her hand, and turned to laugh at something another one of the merchant's customers had said. She raised her hand to her mouth coyly, coloring slightly. The man nodded his head and smiled. The woman was young. Very young. She could not be older than Tokaki himself, and was probably younger. But she was beautiful. Quite possibly the single most beautiful woman that the young man had ever laid his eyes upon.

And her hair. Her hair was done up in two loops that were twisted in place on the top of her head. He'd only ever seen one girl with a hairstyle like that before in his life. Tatara, standing right next to him, waved his hand in front of his friend's face, sighing in exhasperation when he received no response. "Not again." The quiet man murmured softly. But then his head shot up sharply and he gave his friend a strange stare. This was different. For Tokaki had never known her name in advance before.

"Dourin."

*******

END NOTE: BEHOLD! SUBARU! And I bet you were thinking she wasn't going to be in this one. And Wai! Tokaki-kun's mom! I thought about it, and I figured it would really work in the story for Tokaki's mother to be a woman who is very like a woman that Tokaki might woo. I think that may be part of the reaction and reason so many women fall so easily for Tokaki. (at least, as I see him.) He's charming, he's roguish, he likes kids...I think a lot of women believe that they can tame the wildness within him. I think his father was very much the same as he in that regard.

Which, I believe, is the primary reason why she doesn't believe him for an instant.

Okay, Kaze-chan and I /believe/ Jiko means either accident/trouble or self, and Rou... isn't coming up as meaning wolf, but it does, and also means labor/toil. -Jiku- on the other hand is axis/shaft.

So Mt Jikurou means Shaft of Toil. Or Axis of Labor...or something like that.