Chapter 7: Encounter

Rei-

Insects. It felt like there were insects crawling all over her skin and Rei fought not to leave the room. It was what she dearly wanted to do. Every instinct she had was screaming at her to leave and get as far away from the little boy as she possibly could. He looked harmless. Soft blonde hair and big eyes along with a chubby face still full of baby fat. For goodness sakes, he was wearing footy pajamas with ducks! But Rei's skin was crawling. Her face felt hot, right behind her eyes and nose.

'Deep breath in. Deep breath out.'

It wasn't helping , much. The insects continued to creep very quickly and there wasn't a single spot on her body that was free from their relentless crawling. She almost wished they were real. If they were real, she could have just brushed them off. But the insects weren't real.

"Rei?" Usgai was suddenly there, at Rei's side, looking up at Rei with her big, innocent eyes. How anyone could have lived through what Usagi had and still looked so damned innocent, Rei had no idea. She was grateful for whatever or whoever had protected Usagi all this time. If anyone deserved such protection, it was Usagi. "What's wrong?"

Wrapping her arms around herself, Rei took another discreet step backwards, closer to the door. She wouldn't run. This was her home and she'd be damned before she let some little whatever he was chase her out of her home just because he gave her the creeps! Rei nodded slowly and took another deep breath. "Something. Not sure what. Other than the obvious." Obvious being that the child had just transformed from an owl into a child. Supposedly. They'd all seen far stranger things and they all knew that the child was no human. "Keep out of arms reach." This last Rei whispered with a warning glance to Usagi who, for once, didn't argue or act like a fool.

Usagi wasn't stupid. Rei knew that and that was why she absolutely hated it when Usagi acted like an idiot. Instead, Usagi nodded and moved to stand behind Makoto without a word of protest. It was a good tactical move and everyone but Sarah and the little owl-boy had noticed it.

The guard went up. Makoto shifted slightly, raising up from where she knelt to squatting just in front of Usagi. It would be a better position if Makoto had to jump to her feet to either fight of shield Usagi. Minako noticed the move and positioned herself near the window that the child had flown in through and turned herself so she could keep her eyes on the front yard, but look as if she were paying attention to what was going on. Meanwhile, Ami stayed right by Sarah's side, putting her in the most danger if the owl-boy turned suddenly hostile. But Ami smiled and acted as if nothing was different, just kept herself as close to Sarah as possible. That made it more likely that Sarah and the owl-boy would focus their attentions on Ami instead of the others. Tactically, it was all good. Realistically, Rei didn't like it at all. She wanted that child out of her home and away from her girls.

Luckily, no matter what was going on, Sarah and the owl-boy paid no attention to anyone but each other.

Rei stepped back, away from the scene, trying to regain her composure. She wouldn't be any good if she lost control, which she did far too often. She ignored the feeling of her flesh crawling as best as she could and focused on the boy. Sarah was just an ordinary human, the feeling of power must be coming from the child. Yes, power. Not evil. Rei knew what evil felt like. She knew the mind-numbing terror and malicious force of evil. This child felt neither good nor evil. His power just...was.

"Toby, what's happening?" Sarah was nearly in tears when she finally managed to speak. "How," She looked at the window Toby had flown through. "How did you do that?"

Toby laughed and it sounded strange to Rei's ears. A little too perfect. "I told you, sissy. The nice man showed me how." He threw his arms around Sarah's neck and nuzzled his face into her neck. "It hurt, but it's okay now. I'm okay. Jareth showed me how to be an owl 'n it's easy. I can fly now and I get to live with him." Toby's face froze and then fell a little. "He says you can't live with us. He says it'll make you sick."

Sarah seemed to break, then. She sobbed, unable to speak and held Toby tightly while she cried. It didn't last long, but went on too long. Makoto, uncomfortable with such things, looked at the floor. Ami had a sympathetic look on her face, but didn't move to touch them as Rei knew she would have done if the crying person had been one of them. Minako barely looked at them, she kept her eyes on the yard outside.

When Sarah calmed herself, she cast a look at the other girls in the room and hunched her shoulders. Rei thought that Sarah wasn't used to giving into her emotions like she just had, especially not in front of a room full of strangers. "This is my brother." Sarah said, sniffling as delicately as she could. "Toby. Tobias Williams. We were...err..."

Usagi came the rescue with a gentle smile. "Looks like you haven't seen each other in a while." Her face brightened with that absurd, clueless smile of hers. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Toby. I have a little brother, too, but he's older than you by quite a bit. He's twelve. Are you hungry? I know I am, but I'm always hungry. If you want to get something to eat, Rei's got some great munchies in the kitchen."

"Usagi!" Rei snapped. There was no way she was letting her princess go with that little thing, whatever he was, without any protection. Yes, Usagi might have the most actual power, but she wasn't capable of hurting a child. If it came to that, someone more ruthless was needed. "If you're going to raid my kitchen, I'm going, too! You'll eat me out of house and home!"

"I'll come. Goodness knows you two can't even unwrap cheese without mucking it up, somehow." Makoto laughed brightly as she climbed to her feet and Rei was pleased. Makoto accepted the dangers, even if she didn't really understand.

"No." Sarah clung to Toby. "He's staying with me." She looked so pitiful, still pale from the loss of blood and covered in darkening bruises. Usagi had wanted to use her magic to heal Sarah, but Rei talked her out of it. No matter what was going on with Sarah, they really didn't know if she was friend or foe, yet. Now with Toby and his terrible feeling of power, Rei was even less certain. Toby was not human. Sarah was. Toby was giving off the feeling of power like heat from a fire, while Sarah felt like just an ordinary, everyday human. This wasn't right. They couldn't possibly be related.

Usagi never lost her smile. "It's alright. We weren't going to steal him!" She laughed at the absurd idea, but Sarah didn't. "You all stay here, I'll get some cookies and milk or something." She leapt to her feet and skipped out of the room with Rei following silently.

Once in the kitchen and away from prying ears, Usagi turned more serious. "I like them, Rei."

"The boy's dangerous."

"You're sure?" Usagi clearly didn't like this, but it wasn't Rei's duty to tell Usagi what she wanted to hear. It was Rei's duty to tell Usagi the truth. Usagi had the tendency to try and overlook reality and Rei felt compelled to shove it in Usagi's face.

"Yes. I can feel tremendous power coming from him and it's definitely not human." Rei kept her arms at her sides and her eyes on Usagi. It was the only way she could be sure that Usagi was listening. "He's dangerous, but he's not…"

"Not threatening us?" Usagi actually smiled. "Boy, it's been a long time since that's happened, huh?" She laughed happily. "Everyone we meet's usually trying to kill us, corrupt us, take over the galaxy, or just end everything. Kinda nice to meet someone who has power but doesn't seem to want to use it."

Rei felt a headache coming on. She was sure that Usagi said things like this just to irritate her. "Usagi, please don't tell me you believe that."

"Awww, come on. Don't tell me you think that adorable little boy is going to turn evil on us."

"Why not? Chibi-Usa did." Rei regretted it the moment she said it and Usagi's face fell. All her light-hearted cheerfulness had slipped away and her shoulders slumped. "It wasn't your fault." Maybe she should have apologized. No. She should resist that kind of impulse. What she'd said had been true. Sweet Chibi-Usa had changed into

"No." Usagi agreed quietly. "But I should have been able to do more."

Rei did something she rarely did. She reached out and touched Usagi's arm. By far, Rei was the least demonstrative of all the senshi. She disliked touching and getting close to anyone made her nervous. Anyone, except Usagi. Since the moment they'd met, Rei had been drawn to Usagi and that was why her touch was something rare. It wasn't that she disliked people, it was just uncomfortable. Rei was psychic. It wasn't terribly powerful, but strong enough that it made physical contact unpleasant. Usagi was different. There weren't any negative emotions, for the most part. No deep seeded pain or hate or any other unpleasant emotions. Usagi was very, very peaceful. Rei liked touching Usagi and that, quite honestly, frightened Rei. "She's alright, now. She's home and safe and you do everything in your power to protect her."

"Thanks. I'm alright about it. Just…thinking about what happened to her. The way she looked and the hate in her face…I can't stand it. My Chibi-Usa shouldn't have so much anger and pain. You're right, though. She's safe and that's all that matters." Usagi smiled, popped a cookie in her mouth, and all was right with the world, again.

Rei dropped her hand away and stepped back to a more safe distance. It was always better to keep a little distance between herself and everyone else. "Let's be practical." Rei took a deep breath and wished Ami had come with them instead of stayed out there. Ami was such a clear thinking and could easily determine the most logical. "Sarah's still hurt. She's lost blood. We need to know if she's got any connection to the Dead Moon Circus, other than the 'story' that the Amazon Trio just happened to find her. I just don't believe that. She also needs more medical attention than Ami can give." Though Ami's first aide treatments were a wonder.

Usagi raised a hand to her breast and stroked the broach she wore. "I could…"

"I don't think that's a good idea." Rei frowned.

"Why not? If I can help at all, I want to." Usagi's fingers stayed on her broach, caressing it gently. The broach was a weapon. One of Usagi's most powerful weapons, but it was also capable of healing. In the past healed it had driven out the evil from possessed humans, but Sarah wasn't possessed, as far as they knew. She was just physically injured and there was no telling what kind of damage the magic could do to her.

"I know you do, but we really don't know how your power would affect a normal human like Sarah. It's not just physical damage, her mental state's a mess. I touched her hand when I first met her and she's got some serious issues. Anger, mostly. She's very, very angry. Seeing this boy she thinks is her brother has nearly pushed her over the edge. Not surprising."

"Yeah," Usagi agreed. "I guess she didn't know he could turn into an owl. That's what it sounded like, but you know my English isn't very good."

"That's exactly what was going on, but you aren't listening. She only thinks that's her brother. He can't possibly be her real brother. She's human and he, obviously, isn't. I'd say the last time she saw him, he couldn't do that. Besides, I don't want you to reveal any more of your power than necessary, not with that creature outside."

Usagi scowled, disapprovingly. "Would it hurt you to call him a child? Whether he's Sarah's brother or not, he's still a little boy."

"No. He's not a child. Not a human child, anyway. Come on, let's go back."

Rei followed Usagi back into the room to find Sarah still holding Toby and speaking to him very rapidly in English. The little boy answered pleasantly enough, but was more interested in playing with the buttons of Sarah's nightdress. For a moment, Usagi stood in the doorway and just watched the two of them. She whispered so softly, "Do you really think he's the one who hurt her? She's not afraid of him. Maybe he's mixed up with the Dead Moon Circus and that's why the Amazon Trio got involved. This could all be some kind of trap with Sarah as the bait."

"Or the tracking device." Rei's eyes widened with the horrible idea and she cursed. "If he's with the Dead Moon Circus and he's working for Zerconia, then they know where I live. Toby can take that information right back to them! Oh! How was I so stupid? They gave her to us and used her to find us out. By now they'll know all our real identities." Their families were in danger, now. Zerconia could threaten their families. "Oh…granpa…" How could she protect him? She'd have to reveal not only her true self to him, but also the fact that she'd been lying and keeping secrets from him for a couple of years. He'd be so ashamed of her.

A little hand touched Rei's elbow and she found Usagi smiling. "That's all an 'if'. We don't know any of that for certain, yet. Does Toby feel evil?"

"No. Just very powerful. He's definitely not human."

"Just because he's not human doesn't mean he's evil and power doesn't mean he's working for the Dead Moon Circus. After all, we have power. Let's make the best of this." She frowned, the first time she'd done that since Sarah had woken up. "Still, the Amazon Trio IS involved. Why would they have helped her? I just don't understand."

There were no answers, just more questions, unless they could get Toby to talk. It was very likely that Sarah didn't even know what was going on. If she did have an idea, she was mostly likely just a pawn in whatever deceit was happening.

They brought out a couple of chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk, setting them on the floor near Sarah and Toby.

"I can't thank you enough for helping." Sarah said with her stilting, hesitant accent. "It really means a lot to me. Toby and I should go, though."

"Home?" Makoto asked. It hadn't escaped Rei's notice that she'd stayed relatively near Ami while Rei and Usagi were out of the room. Makoto had always been protective of her friends and just a little bit more so of their gentle Ami. Then again, who wouldn't be protective of Ami?

Sarah's face darkened and her mouth became an thin, angry line. "No."

"But won't your parents be worried about you and Toby?" It was a good question on Makoto's behalf. She was an orphan and living alone. She had no family to worry about her. Rei wondered if Makoto was jealous of everyone around her who did have families. Did she dream about parents or brothers and sisters? One little touch could tell Rei what she wanted to know. Rei kept her hands to herself. There were lines she wouldn't cross and if Makoto wanted her to know those kind of things, Makoto would tell her.

"Maybe." Sarah was obviously reluctant to talk and leaned hunched over a little. "They'll wonder about Toby, anyway. Toby, don't eat so quickly, I…" Her voice trailed away. Sarah blinked, staring at Toby, shoving cookies into his mouth, with her own mouth wide open. She took a corner of the blanket Ami had draped over her and wiped Toby's mouth clean. "Toby, I think I heard some birds outside. Do you want to go chase them for a while? Keep in that yard, though." She pointed to the yard just outside the window. "I want to be able to see you."

Toby obligingly nodded. "Okay, but we have to go soon."

"Go? Where are we going?"

Toby shook his head. "Not you and me. Me and Jareth."

"Oh. Him."

Toby slipped off Sarah's lap and got to his feet, turning so he could look at Sarah. "You don't have to worry. Everything's alright, now." Then he dashed off with a happy laugh.

Sarah looked up and all around at them, her eyes looking tired and somewhat lost. "You can understand Toby?" Her voice sounded empty, hollow.

"Sure." Ami answered. She hadn't missed the strange tone of Sarah's and kept her answer as nonchalant as possible. "He speaks Japanese even better than you do. It's flawless. Has he lived here long? I've heard that children pick up languages faster."

"No." Sarah shook her head. "He…he's never been here before three weeks ago. He can't speak more than three words in Japanese. This is just impossible."

Ami frowned a little and her hand raised almost instinctually to her ear where she could activate her little Mercury computer, but remembered what she was doing and masked the move by brushing her fingers through her hair. "Impossible or not, he does pretty well."

Sarah looked, for a moment, as if she'd cry again. Then she looked angry and turned her attention to Toby who could, by then, be seen chasing the crows as Sarah had suggested. "You don't understand. He's only three. He's talking like he's six. His speech has entirely changed in just the passed couple of hours. He couldn't speak Japanese a day ago, but now he sounds like he's been speaking it all his life. His eyes were blue, but now they're green and brown. Toby's changed." She muttered something in English which Rei didn't catch. Her hands were balled into fists and she hit her leg. "It's all his fault."

"Who's fault?" It was Usagi who asked, coming closer so she could, once again, sit next to Sarah on the floor. "Do you think someone hurt him?" She must have been thinking that whoever would try to hurt Toby was the same person who'd hurt Sarah. If Sarah wasn't spy or a trap or even if she were just brainwashed into thinking that Toby was her brother when he was the agent of the Dead Moon Circus.

Rei felt a headache coming on. Too much to think about and no answers unless they came right out and asked and that could mean even more trouble. Trouble or not, they needed answers. "Who beat you, Sarah?"

Sarah blinked at her and then turned defensive. "It's not your business."

"But it is. We brought you to our home and we know you were attacked by one of the Amazon Trio. We saw that…boy turn from an owl into his present shape. Just by taking you in we've put ourselves in danger and I think we have a right to know what's going on. How are you involved with the Dead Moon Circus?"

Sarah's expression was blank and confused. Rei found herself believing that Sarah knew nothing. "I don't know what an Amazon Trio is or what the Dead Moon Circus is and Toby's not dangerous!"

"Yes, he is. I can feel the power surrounding him. Thick as peanut butter. He's nearly bursting with it. Whether he'd intentionally hurt anyone or not…"

"He's three! He wouldn't hurt anyone!" Sarah was getting angry now and though Rei knew, logically, that Sarah was no threat. She was so injured that she could hardly sit up unsupported. Still, the anger was enough to make Rei's own anger start to rise.

"Not purposely, but he has power." Rei could feel herself getting angrier by the second. Her friends could defend themselves, most likely, but this put her grampa and poor Yamada, the disciple. He was a very nice guy, but utterly hopeless when it came to taking care of himself. "What is he?"

Maybe it was too blunt of a question. Sarah turned bright red and opened her mouth to answer, but something behind Rei distracted her.

There was a sudden force of icy wind blowing and Rei felt overcome. It wasn't just cold, it was more than cold. She could feel it right down to her bones. Her blood chilled and, for just a moment, she couldn't breathe. As suddenly as it had happened, the terrible feeling vanished and a silk voice spoke.

"Such a rude question. No wonder you've managed to rise my Sarah's ire."

Rei felt him before she heard him and turned just seconds before everyone else did. He was…unreal. Ugly. Tall and lanky, too thin to be properly healthy. His hair looked hard and brittle. In fact, that was what he looked like all over. Brittle…fragile. He looked like he would break in the slightest of breezes. He didn't look weak, but at the same time, he didn't look strong. He was all fair skin stretched over sharp bones, a skeleton draped with fancy clothes. He wore a crown of brittle, almost white hair framing his severe face and oddly miss-matched eyes. Even the way he dressed was otherworldly. No one dressed like that. Maybe once, hundreds of years ago, Europeans might have, but Rei doubted even that. He wore tight hose which left very little to the imagination and gave Rei the urge to cover Usagi's eyes. Her shirt was white and opened nearly to the waist with full sleeves and lace on the cuffs. What drew Rei's attention most of all was the amulet he wore on a chain around his neck. It looked very much like a downward pointing crescent moon. That thing leaked power. Dangerous, unstable power.

They were stunned by his appearance in their midst and no one moved. Could the others feel his power? How could they not?

Sarah spoke first. "I'm not yours, Jareth."

An arrogant smirk inched across Jareth's face, as thin and unattractive as the rest of him was. "Are you so sure?"

"Stop it. This isn't fa…no. You can't change the rules now. I won. You said you'd let him go."

"And I did." Jareth pushed himself away from the wall where he'd been leaning. "I put him safely back in his crib and put him to sleep before I left him. Then I saw something which compelled me to retrieve him."

"What did you do to him?" Sarah spoke calmly, but her tone was anything but calm. She was seething, boiling with fury just under the surface and, from the way she was trembling, she was only just managing to control herself. She wasn't surprised by this man's appearance. She knew him.

Makoto move to stand in front of Usagi. Everyone was starting to stand, all but Ami who had discreetly activated her little computer. Its translucent screen speared over her eyes and she was, without a doubt, getting all the information she could from him. Being cautious in front of an injured girl was one thing, but this was very likely an enemy. They couldn't afford caution and if Sarah saw then…oh well. They'd deal with that later. Rei had already revealed more information than she'd wanted to by mentioning the Amazon Trio and the Dead Moon Circus.

Sarah-

He had the gall to turn up? Sarah couldn't think. He wasn't supposed to just turn up. Not after what he'd done to Toby. Whatever it was.

Jareth looked perfect, not a single bit changed from the last time she'd seen him. Still lean and elegant, he was graceful with every move. His eyes were unreal, one ordinary brown and the other green as an emerald. The exact colors she now saw in Toby's eyes. Toby no longer had Karen's blue eyes, but Jareth's. She was sure she should be more worried about that than she was. Maybe it was just shock. She'd rather see Jareth when she looked at Toby than Karen, though. Why wasn't didn't it repulse her to acknowledge that? Karen was as much a monster as Jareth. Maybe moreso.

'Karen and dad. They're both monsters. Karen hurt me, but dad doesn't even care. I wonder if they've noticed Toby and I are gone, yet.'

Jareth couldn't be more of a monster than that. At least he hadn't hurt Toby. Not really. 'What am I thinking? He took Toby.' She couldn't blame him for the first time around, that was her fault. 'Be took Toby when I couldn't protect him, this time. I didn't wish him away. He probably sent that guy who carried me away.' She hadn't forgotten the soft voice or the strong arms when she'd woken up, her eyes still too swollen to see.

"What happened to Toby is a private matter." Jareth made a sweeping motion around the room, indicating the girls. "It's not to be discussed in front of outsiders."

"They helped me." She wouldn't go so far as to call them friends, yet. She could barely remember any of their names except Rei's. "You took Toby away from me and had that guy kidnap me. You did something to him. What are you doing? Is this how you turn children into goblins? Little by little until there's nothing left of him? You changed the rules and didn't even tell me!" Irrational. That's what Sarah's brain was trying to scream at her mind. She was being completely irrational. None of what she was saying made any sense, especially not in light of Toby's relatively safe reappearance.

"I had nothing to do with you being kidnapped, though I think you would be wise to show more gratitude. They found out you were injured and rescued you as I rescued Toby. I couldn't take you as I did Toby or I would have. You see, the rules haven't changed. A child must be wished away and Toby wished himself away."

"They?" She'd only heard one voice.

"Yes, they. The ones who took you from your home is known to these creatures," Again, he gestured to the girls around them. "They had no connection with me. Why don't you ask your new friends why you were delivered into their hands? They were dressed differently, at the time. In obscenely short skirts and skin tight shirts."

Sarah saw, out of the corner of her eyes, that all of the girls flinched and looked suddenly worried. So…they were hiding things, too.

"So, how are you feeling?" Jareth stepped closer but stopped. His gaze was focused above her head and he frowned.

When Sarah looked over her shoulder to look at whatever he was looking at and found that one of the girls, the one with very long blonde hair and orange jeans had matched Jareth, stepping closer to Sarah from the window where she had been standing. She looked neither friendly nor aggressive. In fact, there was a neutral expression on her face and it was only then that Sarah realized she hadn't heard this girl speak once since she'd woken up. Her attitude reminded Sarah of a boy she'd once known. He'd been slow to fight and quiet, but very, very dangerous.

"I've been better." Sarah turned back to Jareth. He was the real threat. No matter what, he was the dangerous one. These girls had helped her and Sarah would defend them. If she could just get her battered body to react. Right now, it was all she could do to sit up and think straight. Her hands tightened around the blanket covering her and it hurt. Her hands were bruised and it hurt just to tighten them, but the pain made it a little easier to think.

"May I ask, why are you associating with these creatures?" He cast a glance around the room and looked very disapproving. "Such interesting company you keeping finding. First that nosey alien and now these ones? You must pick your companions a little more carefully."

"I seem to hang around YOU often enough." She wouldn't be swayed by his soft eyes and asked again, "What did you do to Toby? How can he turn into an owl?" Alien? Did he say alien? As in flying saucers and little green men?

"You won't allow privacy in this? Very well." Jareth gave her an odd smile that Sarah couldn't decipher. Not that she had ever been able to understand him or his motives. "It was time to chose my successor and Toby is the lucky child. He will be the next King of Labyrinth."

Sarah was dumb struck. She literally couldn't say anything. She stared at him without blinking for such a long time that he waved a gray gloved hand in front of her face. "Sarah? Did you hear me?"

"She heard you. Who are you?" Usagi spoke up and Sarah wished that she hadn't. She didn't want innocent people to get involved with Jareth and Usagi had just drawn attention to herself. Then she planted a fist on her hip and gave a childish pout. "Who are you calling an alien, anyway? That's no way to talk to a bunch of beautiful young girls."

"I've seen more beautiful rodents than you children. Now be silent, this is none of your affair." He didn't spare them a glance. "Sarah?"

She blinked and opened her mouth a few times in an effort to say something, but nothing came out of her mouth. She had to do something. All of the girls looked angry and Sarah couldn't really blame them. If she didn't do or say something, they would say something they'd regret and Jareth would do something terrible. He was being civil, but that didn't mean he'd allow impudence. He couldn't have changed all that much in just two years. Sarah couldn't think of anything to say. She was angry. More than angry. Furious. Irate. Livid. "You…you …my brother's going to be king of the Labyrinth? You've made him like you."

"I…" He was interrupted by a scream and everyone looked out the window to see Toby on his knees, screaming at the top of his lungs with his arms wrapped around himself. Toby's eyes were clenched tightly closed and tears were streaming down his face. Sarah had never seen anyone move so quickly as Jareth did. He took another step towards Sarah, but when she feared he would step on her, he pushed up, a little hop, and then he was gone.

There was a moment between when he was gone and when he outside picking Toby up, but Sarah missed that moment. All she knew was that Toby was in pain and that he was in Jareth's arms. "No!" Sarah pushed herself to her feet and tried to push passed Usagi who was trying to get her to stay laying down. "I have to get Toby! You don't understand! He'll take him again!"

"Never fear." Jareth was once again in the room and held Toby tightly. "I think you'll find I have as much vested in his welfare as you do, now. There, there. What's the matter, Toby?" He acted, for all the world, like Toby was HIS little brother and Toby did nothing to dissuade him. He clung to Jareth the same was he'd always clung to Sarah when he was afraid or in pain. Sarah felt a pang of something bitter. Jealousy?

"My tummy hurts!" Toby wailed, pushing his face into the front of Jareth's midnight blue jacket. "It hurts! Make it stop."

There are times when one must prioritize. The alien girls were unimportant. Jareth was unimportant. The changes in Toby were unimportant. The blonde boy who'd attacked her, her own pain, nothing was important but Toby. Toby came first. Sarah struggled to her feet, this time with Usagi's help. She put her arms out to Toby, patting his hair and rubbing his arm. "What happened? You were fine a minute ago. Did you fall? Are you sick?"

"What did he eat?" Jareth asked.

"Eat?"

"He's changed. You know that. He can't eat human food any longer." Jareth seemed about to say something, but stopped himself and waited for an answer.

"Cookies. He had two cookies." Ami spoke up, breaking the moment and Sarah looked away. She realized how close she was standing to Jareth, but didn't move away. It wasn't that she wasn't afraid, she was, but she couldn't leave Toby when he was crying so miserably. Instead, she settled for looking away from Jareth and at Ami. Ami was very small, probably the smallest girl her age Sarah had ever met. There was something very peaceful about her. "What have you done to him, exactly? Should we get him to a hospital?"

It sounded like a fantastic idea to Sarah, but Jareth turned slightly away, putting his body between Toby and Ami. "Certainly not! I won't have those butchers you call healers laying a hand on him. They're likely to kill him. I can handle this without your interference."

"Handle this?" Sarah echoed. "Handle what? What's wrong with him? Shhh…don't cry, Toby. It'll be alright." She hoped she wasn't lying to him. "Why would food hurt him?"

Jareth smiled at her, tightly. "Food is the stuff of life. Earth food is suited for humans. Labyrinth's food is suited for my kind. You remember what happened when you ate the peach?"

Sarah blushed at the memory and had to turn away. It was a very pleasant dream, but it was just that. A dream. Nothing more. It hadn't been real and Sarah had been a fool for slipping so easily into the dream Jareth had woven for her. "You poisoned that peach."

"No, I didn't. That was a normal, ordinary peach. What we put into our bodies affects us." While he was explaining this to her, Jareth shifted Toby slightly to free one of his arms and plucked a crystal sphere from the air. He touched the crystal to Toby's stomach, pulling up Toby's pajama top to let the crystal rest on his bare skin, just above his belly button. "Whatever you saw was created out of your own mind."

'I'm still in my nightdress. Practically naked.' The thought came to her unbidden and Sarah's blush deepened. She desperately wanted a robe or to at least grab the blanket and wrap it around herself. Bad enough to be nearly naked in front of a group of girls, but to be in such a state in front of Jareth? Sarah didn't think she could stand it. Again, the priorities. Her modesty or Toby. Sarah chose Toby and kept her hands on him to give as much comfort as she could.

If Jareth noticed the state of her undress or discomfort, he didn't mention it. He just continued with his subject of food and the peach. "That peach was rather like a hallucinogen to you. You fell asleep and had dreams. You woke when the effects wore off. I have to say, it was a good thing for you sake that you didn't greedily devour it. One bite kept you dreaming for hours. If you'd eaten the whole thing before falling asleep, you wouldn't have woken up. You'd still be laying just outside the Bog of Eternal Stench, slumbering. It seems that Earth food has a less pleasant affect on Toby. There, better?" He took the crystal off Toby's stomach and smiled down at him.

"Better. See, sissy. I told you he'd come back!"

"Of course I came back. Didn't I tell you I would?" Jareth looked over Toby's head and gave Sarah a sly smile. All signs of compassion he'd worn when Toby had been in pain were gone and he was once again quite inhuman. "I can't leave without the prince, after all."

"Yes, about that," Sarah demanded, finally able to speak. "Are you planning to explain?"

"Are you planning to explain why you still live with that poor excuse for a family when they treat you like this?" He made a rough gesture at Sarah. "I don't even treat my fairies like that."

Sarah's anger boiled. He'd been watching her. How long? "That's none of your business. Tell me about Toby."

"Sarah," Ami was looking straight ahead of her with some kind of nearly see through screen in front of her eyes. It must be a new kind of computer, Sarah had never seen anything like it before. "That man isn't human. Neither is Toby."

"You've spoiled the surprise." Jareth was angry, but he hid it well. "Sarah, I would like to introduce the future king of Labyrinth, Prince Tobias!"

"You are not taking him away from me!" Not human? That couldn't be possible. He turned into an owl. Cookies were poison to him. His eyes were Jareth's eyes. He wasn't human. There was a great pain in Sarah's chest. He wasn't human. Did that mean he wasn't her brother anymore, either? Did Toby even care? Realistically, Sarah had to accept this. Toby couldn't eat, he'd starve to death if he stayed with her.

Jareth responded with heat of his own. "I can't very well leave him on this backward little world, now can I?"

Toby frowned at them both. "Don't fight." He ordered.

Jareth rubbed a gloved hand over the boy's hair. "We're not fighting, Toby. We're playing. Sarah likes to yell when she plays."

Toby accepted this information and made himself comfortable in Jareth's arms.

Sarah rubbed her forehead, but couldn't see that her brother was in any real danger at that moment. She was realistic enough to realize that whatever Jareth had done to Toby, she couldn't undo. "What exactly did you do to him?"

"Privacy." Jareth smiled.

Sarah had no choice but to give in. "All right. Let's go outside then. No one's around to hear."

The tall girl, with the brown pony tail, put a hand on Sarah's shoulder and Sarah jumped. She hadn't realized the other girl was so close and wondered how someone so big could be so quiet. "You don't have to. If you're afraid of him, have him tell you here. We won't make you go off with him if he's dangerous."

"Thank you, but it's probably better this way." Sarah wished the other girl hadn't mentioned that she was afraid of Jareth. She was, but she didn't want him to know that. Besides, they probably already thought she was some kind of freak. Well, Rei probably didn't. If Rei could 'feel' power, like she said she could, then she must be a little odd, herself. Still, no need to expose them more than necessary to Jareth. "There's a place out there, near the big tree." She paused and gave Jareth a hard look. "You going to put my brother down anytime soon?"

"You might want to get used to the idea of me as a friend. Or even family. Yes, we're practically related." He smirked but did, as Sarah had asked, and set Toby down.

"Don't get your hopes up." Sarah took Toby's hand. He seemed completely healed and back to his old self. For that, at least, she was grateful. "Huh?" A heavy blanket landed on Sarah's shoulders and she turned to find Usagi smiling at her.

"It's your choice to go with him, but we'll be close by and we'll be watching. Yell if you need us."

"Oh, thanks." She was glad for the blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders. Now she didn't feel nearly so vulnerable. She wouldn't call for help, though. No matter how strong these girls thought they were, Sarah knew they couldn't possibly be a match for Jareth.

Jareth bowed to her, a great exaggerated bow, when she went to the door, walking slowly for her aching body. "Ladies first."

She glared, but went out the door. She didn't like the thought of him at her back where she couldn't keep an eye on him. Then again, even if she could see him, there was very little she could do if he tried anything. It just wasn't fair. Not that she'd say that aloud. Jareth would just laugh.

They were halfway to the tree when Sarah stumbled. Her feet were bare and she happened to step on a small stone. It hurt just enough to make her trip up. She would have fallen had a hand not caught her arm. She thought, for a moment, that it was Jareth and she turned to yell at him. She'd rather fall than be helped by him. It wasn't Jareth who'd stopped her fall, however. It was Toby. He didn't even look like he was straining with her weight, he just held her arm and helped her to stand.

"Sissy, are you alright?"

Sarah nodded. It wasn't her imagination. His speech was improving every time he spoke. He sounded like a little adult, without a trace of baby-talk. Sarah wanted to cry.

Toby pulled Sarah to her feet, then looked at Jareth, expectantly. "Don't let sissy fall."

Sarah paled. She'd never heard anyone give Jareth an order and could only imagine that Toby would be punished for such insolence. Instead, her worry vanished when Jareth wordlessly took her other arm and slowed his pace to accommodate her.

He must have seen her confusion. "Toby is important to me. He's not just your brother. Not anymore."

"So you follow Toby's orders? I find that hard to believe." Her throat was starting to hurt from all this talking.

"Hardly. I am, however, responsible for his safety, happiness, and education. If Toby wants to make sure you don't fall, then it's a small thing I can do. Besides, I am a gentleman. Haven't you ever held a gentleman's arm as you walked?"

"It doesn't come up, often."

"I think this world hasn't improved much since I left it. Manners have declined a great deal." When they reached the tree, Jareth let go of Sarah's arm as soon as she was leaning against the tree. "Now, ask your questions. I'll answer."

'Why are you being so helpful?' Sarah only thought that question. It made her suspicious, but she was afraid that if she actually asked, his mood might change and that could be a very bad thing. "Why did you do this to Toby? Change him?"

"I can't rule forever, I don't even want to. Toby will make an excellent replacement." He ticked Toby under the arms and made him giggled wildly. "You should be pleased. He'll never again be in danger. He'll never worry about food or clothes or having a home. Everything he needs, everything he wants, is at his fingertips. As he learns to control his power he'll be able to stay on Earth longer. Now, he's got a time limit. Just a few hours."

"A time limit?" She stared dumbly. "Then what?"

"If he doesn't return to Labyrinth, he'll die. You shouldn't worry. That's nearly impossible. Long before it reaches that stage, he'll feel an overpowering urge to return. It's a fail-safe. He can only come to Earth once every few days, at this point."

"What is my brother?" She was working very hard to control herself. "What have you done to him?"

Jareth was very serious. "He's like me. Different. When I brought him to Labyrinth the first time, I took him to the heart of Labyrinth, the Esher room where you found him. Then deeper, into the depths." He couldn't look at her cold eyes and turned to looked down at Toby. "Labyrinth wanted him. It chose him. Labyrinth changed Toby's entire body. There's nothing left of his human body, even though it still resembles him. Only his mind and soul are still the Toby you remember. Labyrinth killed his human body to recreate him. He is part of Labyrinth as I am."

"Don't say that, he's not dead." Sarah's hands tightened on Toby's shoulders. "You make it sound like Labyrinth is alive."

"In a way, it is. It created me and I do it's bidding." Jareth sounded strained at this. "I had no choice in what happened, no more than Toby did."

"You're a slave?"

Jareth didn't look at her, but he flinched at the word. "Well, I suppose you could put it like that. Obeying Labyrinth is my reason for life. I can't do anything it doesn't want me to do."

"And now you've made my brother like you? You've made him a slave?" Sarah was still angry, but she was trying to think clearly. "Is there anyway to reverse this?"

Jareth shook his head. "No. Labyrinth doesn't give up what it claims." He was very certain about this. "Besides, I just told you, I didn't do it. Labyrinth did. It has decided that it wants Toby. I'm sorry, Sarah. I had no choice."

"So, it wasn't really your decision?" Sarah took a deep breath. Some how that made it better. At least Jareth hadn't gone out of his way to hurt Toby and he did seemed concerned about Toby. Maybe it was all an act. To what end? If he wanted, Jareth had the power to just take Toby. He didn't need to resort to deceit and Sarah believed he was telling the truth. Why he bothered was beyond her, though. "What happens now?" For Toby's sake, she had to think about this. If she lost her temper, Jareth might decide she was a waste of time and just take Toby and leave.

"I will take Toby back to Labyrinth to train him. He has all the power that I have inside him, but he needs to learn to control it. There will be...accidents if he can't control his power."

"What kind of accidents?"

"Fatal ones. I really don't think you want little Toby to become a murderer at three years old."

Toby tugged on Sarah's hand. "What's a murderer?"

"Don't worry about it." Sarah didn't want to explain that. "Why Toby? Why would Labyrinth want him?"

Jareth shrugged. "I don't know. That's like asking one of you humans why your gods want something done. Perhaps because Toby is the only child to ever have escaped."

"You must have some idea!"

Jareth sighed. "You overestimate my strength, Sarah. I am merely a servant. I am king because it pleases Labyrinth. I am male, because it entertains Labyrinth. I can speak to you now only because it amuses Labyrinth. I exist because I delight Labyrinth. I have free will only so long as I am allowed to. There is no other life." There was evident pain in his voice and Sarah knew how hard it must be for the proud king to say such things.

For the first time, Sarah felt pity for Jareth. He was more of a slave than anyone else had ever been, he couldn't even have his own thoughts or control his actions. Unfortunately, that meant that they still couldn't trust him, as Labyrinth could be forcing him to say these things.

"I don't have any say in this, do I?" Sarah looked up at Jareth. "He WILL be safe, won't he?"

"Oh, yes." Jareth answered. "In Labyrinth, there is nothing that could hurt him and in this world, there are few powers great enough to threaten us, Toby and I. Being slave to Labyrinth isn't as bad as it sounds, really. I enjoy great power and luxury along with food and drink. I have the ability to travel virtually anywhere I please and I can do most anything, so long as it doesn't anger Labyrinth." There was something in his voice that said he wasn't as happy as he tried to sound.

"So you took Toby because Labyrinth made you."

"No. I took Toby because I heard you crying and I felt great pain from you. When I searched for you, I saw," He reached out and ran his thumb down the side of her face. "This. Have you looked in a mirror, lately? You look as if you've just been through a war. I take offense at my property being damaged."

Sarah choked. "What?!"

Again, Jareth smirked and Sarah felt her sympathy for him shrivel up and die very slowly. "My property You have traversed Labyrinth and survived the traps that were put in your path. You ate the fruit of Labyrinth. You are tied to it and as I am the king, you belong to me."

Sarah slapped his hand away from her face. "You arrogant bastard!"

"Now, now. Mind your language in front of the boy." Jareth slipped his hands over Toby's ears. "I'm only telling you the truth. Why don't you try it? Why did you stay in that situation?"

"I'm sixteen. What was I supposed to do, runaway? You think I could take care of Toby on my own? I couldn't get a job. I couldn't get a place to live. If I went to the police, we'd have been put in separate foster homes and I might never have seen him again. At least there he had a roof over his head and we're together." It was a painful subject and Sarah turned her mind away from it. "What about that blonde guy with the whip? The one that attacked me? If he wasn't with you, then who was he?" She remembered what Rei had said and the questions. "Rei said something about the Amazon Trio and the Dead Moon Circus. Do you know anything about that?"

"The Amazon Trio?" Jareth was a normally pale man. Something Sarah had said, though, made him turn deathly white. His eyes widened slightly and he stepped away from Sarah. "I thought I recognized that boy." It came out as a mutter, like he was talking to himself. Then he focused sharply on Sarah. "I have nothing to do with that the Circus people. Why they've changed their name, I have no idea. It used to be just the Circus. But that was a long time ago. Ah. I think we have a spy." Jareth glared up, into the branches of the tree and Sarah followed his gaze.

There, perched on one of the high branches was a small black cat and a little girl with two pink pony tails on either side of her head.

Pegasus-

He watched, through Chibi-Usa's eyes. He slept in Chibi-Usa's mind, a place of safety where he could hide from his enemies. The ones who would destroy him would surely kill the child he'd taken sanctuary within if they found her.

If anyone were able to see Pegasus, deep within the dreams of Chibi-Usa, they would see a winged horse with a golden horn. It was in that horn that all of Pegasus' power was stored. The power to control dreams. The power in his horn, the golden crystal, had to be kept safe from Neherenia who would use that power to strengthen her own until she was able to do what she most wanted to do…destroy everything.
He recognized the power almost as soon as Chibi-Usa had seen the man. Pegasus had become aware as soon as the man had come to this world and that was why he had urged Chibi-Usa to go to the temple so he could see who it was. It was troublesome. This man was not of the Dead Moon, but of yet another place. Not a world, exactly, but a place of great power, very much like the Circus.

Labyrinth was like the Circus only in that it was connected with dreams. It was a place where dreams could, and often did, become reality. Where reality was nothing but a fantasy. Where the dreamer could become lost in their own desires and forget everything else. Where the power was alive with a will of its own. Pegasus knew of those other worlds well, though he did not go to those places. Those places were dangerous, hungry things that swallowed any who came within reach. Labyrinth and Circus, along with unimaginable other realms, were all alike, yet different, and all nightmarishly dangerous.

Now, looking down at the man, the puppet of the Labyrinth, Pegasus was sorry he'd encouraged Chibi-Usa to come into such danger. The King of the Labyrinth was not a man to fool with, even on Earth where his powers were weakened. "Get away from him, Chibi-Usa!" Pegasus yelled from deep within her mind

Chibi-Usa wasn't used to obeying orders, but she did as Pegasus commanded and started scrambling up the tree, further out of reach. For just a moment, he thought that the Labyrinth's puppet would not challenge them. Then, he smiled cruelly and raised his hand. A perfect crystal appeared and he tossed it lightly up into the air.

Time slowed to a crawl, as it often does when one become truly frightened, and Pegasus watched helplessly. It happened so quickly that he didn't even have time to reveal himself to protect Chibi-Usa and, even if he'd had the time, he really didn't know if he'd be able to. The crystal transformed in mid-air with a flash of bright light, right in front of Chibi-Usa. It became a serpent, a twisting, writing thing the color of moss. Chibi-Usa screamed and fell backwards, tumbling out of the tree.

She was caught before hitting the ground and when she opened her eyes, Chibi-Usa found two mismatched eyes looking down at her, coldly. "Another one of you? No, not quite." He raised her up so he could look closely at her eyes and Pegasus felt fear for the first time in a very long time. He felt as if the creature holding Chibi-Usa could see right through her eyes and find him. "You have some earthling blood within you. Half, I'd guess. What shall we do about you?"

Dead Moon Circus-
Zerconia-

He couldn't see into the chambers of the Amazon Trio. He'd never been able to and that angered him more than anything else had ever been able to. They were shielded by something. He'd never asked what kept them safe from him, that would be a sign of weakness and that would not be allowed. Especially not to those three. They were nothing but animals. Lowly, unthinking creatures. They were only interested in satisfying their own appetites. He could not permit them to know that they were able to keep secrets from him. If they knew that he was not all knowing, they were spread that information to the rest of the Circus people and that would damage his position. A position he needed.

He stood on the dais raised above the rings where the performers practiced as they always did. It was a never ending cycle of training. There was dancing and singing, sword swallowing, acrobatics, trapeze artists, high wire walkers, almost anything that could be imagined was being practiced, perfected. They were obsessive, convinced that Zerconia would lead them again into the life they'd lost. The only ones who never seemed to practice were those three, the Amazon Trio. They spent their spare time in the bar, drinking and talking softly, or in their chambers.

Were they lovers? That would be good reason for their secretive behavior. They had no care for anyone's company but their each others. He wished he knew what was going on in there. Did they plot against him? He'd never seen need to show them such things as compassion. They'd all suffered for than once for failures. It wasn't unthinkable that they'd wish him gone.

After all these years, the Circus people still remembered the true Ringmaster. They still revered her memory and none more so than Hawk's Eye, Tiger's Eye, and Fish Eye. Did they think to replace him as he'd replaced the Ringmaster? It wouldn't happen. They were useful, but not indispensable. If they were tired of his rule, if they had thoughts of their former master, perhaps they should just be put out of the way. Dead, they were no threat.

At least he didn't have to depend on them. He had the children to use; the Amazon Quartet.

At Rei's Temple-
Sarah-

Jareth wouldn't hurt the little girl. Sarah believed that one hundred percent. There was something amused about his eyes and if he'd wanted to hurt her, he'd have done more than frightened her out of the tree. "Jareth, you're scaring her. Let her…"

Something cold and sharp pressed against Sarah's neck and she froze.

"Put her down or I'll kill this girl." The voice was hard and as cold as the blade against Sarah's throat. She turned her eyes enough to see what was going on. There was a short sword at her throat held by a tall girl with very short blonde hair. Her voice was almost as deep as a man's. "Do it now!" She barked when Jareth didn't instantly obey, pressing the blade closer. "I'll take her head if you hurt that child! I don't bluff."

Jareth glared, but he didn't immediately set down the little girl. The amusement died out of his eyes and was replaced by something darker than Sarah had ever seen in him. "What a pity."

Distantly, Sarah could hear Toby crying and she wanted to tell him to look away, but couldn't seem to get any words to get passed the lump of fear in her throat.

To be continued…

I'll say right now, I'm no expert about Sailor Moon. Any real fan has probably noticed that by now. Forgive me if I've gotten facts wrong. Doing my best and I hope you're all enjoying the fic.