A/N: I've recently found out that Zirconia is a SHE not a HE. For the sake of the story, however, I will keep to what has been written and Zirconia will remain a man.

Also, in case you haven't noticed, this is an AU. Many things have been changed such as Zirconia doesn't know what the Amazon Trio is since he didn't create them. He doesn't have that little ball of magic that can turn them into humans as he did in the anime.

Sigh…The Amazon Quartet is OOC here. Just like so many others. Why? Because, in all honesty, I didn't much like the original Quartet. It wasn't that I hated them or thought they were bad characters, they just didn't do anything for me. Therefore, I change them to suit myself.

Enjoy.

RINGMASTER

Chapter 9: Truce

Labyrinth-
Toby-

Toby was still sitting on the floor in front of the mirror when Jareth walked back through the door. He didn't really know how long he'd been watching sissy in the mirror, but right at that moment, he thought it was all pretty boring. All they were doing was talking. He was glad sissy was safe, even if it looked like she was still hurt. She was still bandaged up and her face was still bruised, but there didn't seem to be any new hurts other than a little cut on her neck. Toby fumed at that when his eyes fell on the woman, standing with her hands on her hips near another girl who'd tried to hurt sissy, the woman with long blue hair.

'I hate her.' That bad woman had given sissy the cut and she hadn't even said sorry, from what Toby had watched. She was bad and had bad manners. Still, other than that one tiny cut, all the other injuries were no one's fault but mommy and daddy's. 'I hate them.' All mommy and daddy ever did was hurt them and yell. Toby thought, maybe, he could remember a time when there wasn't any yelling. A time when sang him to sleep and when daddy would sit with him at breakfast. Everyone smiled then. Everyone had been happy. Not anymore. Now, no one smiled and sissy was hurt. Toby remembered a couple of times when he'd seen sissy hurt, a bruise on her cheek or a limp in her walk, but never anything so bad as now. She almost didn't look like sissy. She looked…weak. It frightened Toby to see his sissy so weak. She looked as if she couldn't even stand up and one of her eyes still didn't open.

Toby felt like hurting someone whenever he thought about mommy and daddy. When he thought about them he felt sick, like there was something hot and heavy in his stomach. Of course, he'd never told sissy. That kind of thing would only make her sad and sometimes it seemed like she was always sad.

'Is it my fault, sissy?' Toby reached out to the mirror when it focused on sissy's face. 'You got hurt for me?' He knew it was the truth. Sissy protected him. Why hadn't he noticed it before? It seemed like he was noticing a lot of things now that he'd never thought about. He'd seen sissy scared and he'd never thought that she could really be scared, before. That scary lady was trying to hurt sissy and Jareth left her there to save those two girls. Two strangers they didn't even know. It wasn't fair. Sissy was much more important than people they didn't know. At least Jareth had left here with people to protect her. 'I'll protect you. From now on, I'll be the one to protect you and I won't fail.'

The image on the mirror wobbled and Toby blinked. Mirrors weren't supposed to do that, were they? Again, the image wobbled, like the reflection on a puddle when the wind ran across it. Sissy was sitting with the people Jareth had left there and talking to the girls that Toby no longer liked. He'd hate them forever, especially that lady that tried to hurt sissy. That woman was looking at sissy with the rest of the girls and Toby hated her for just looking at sissy.

Hate her. Hate mommy. Hate daddy.

The sick feeling in Toby's stomach was starting to hurt.

It didn't hurt much, though. Not nearly as much as Toby had hurt when Jareth had brought him to that strange room. That had hurt a lot! Toby put both of his hands on his head and remembered the pain, but it was more than pain. He'd felt like he was being stretched. Like something was pulling at the insides of him.

"I hate them."

"Hate is unworthy of you. It's a waste of energy." Jareth stood just next to the mirror. He wasn't watching it, but had his eyes fixed on Toby. "Hate is a very weak emotion."

"I can't help it. They hurt sissy. I hate them all."

Jareth nodded solemnly. "I understand."

The image wavered and flickered to darkness.

"What's happening?" Toby reached out to the mirror and touched the cool surface. "Hey!" Toby shouted, now at his own reflection. "Come back!"

"It's too late." Jareth didn't look happy. In fact, Toby knew he wasn't happy. It was more than Jareth's scowl or the vertical crease that scowl caused between the man's eyebrows. Toby could feel Jareth's unhappiness like a vibration tickling against his skin. "You've lost your concentration. You have to focus to make the mirror work. There's no time for that now, though. It's time to go back."

"Back?" Toby jumped to his feet, the prospect of actually being with sissy being much more important than just seeing her. "Now? We can go back now?" He rushed to Jareth and bounced up and down on his toes eagerly, taking one of Jareth's hands with his.

"Soon." Jareth smiled. He waved a hand at Toby and Toby found himself dressed in new clothes. His pants were light and felt funny against his skin, but they were baggy and comfortable. The shirt was the same way and Toby tugged at the bottom of the shirt. "You look a bit more respectable, now. There are baths around here, but that's for later, when all this trouble's taken care of. I need to return that girl I took, earlier. It seems we had a stowaway and I want to speak with him while I have him at my mercy. This time, remember not to eat or drink anything while we're on Earth. It will make you sick, again. Come."

When they were in the room where Jareth had left the little girl, Toby stayed in the doorway while Jareth went in and sat on the bed beside the girl. He watched Jareth take the little girl's hand in his and patted the back of her hand gently.

Toby suddenly understood jealousy. He'd never really thought about it before, but, when he saw Jareth acting so kind to the little pink haired girl, he was jealous. It wasn't a very nice feeling. Toby recognized the feeling, but now he knew a name to put to it. Before that moment, Toby had only ever been jealous when he'd seen sissy being nice to other people or when she talked about her friends at school. She was HIS sissy and Jareth was HIS friend! Why should they like other people? Plus, it was the girl Jareth had left sissy for. At least one of them. "Where's the other girl?" Toby pouted at the unfairness of everything and kept near the door while Jareth went to sit on the bed beside the little girl.

Jareth shrugged, absently. "Don't worry about her. She wasn't real. Come over here, I want you to watch." Jareth told Toby. "Sulking like that won't accomplish anything." He turned, but he wasn't looking at Toby. Whatever it was that he was looking at, Toby couldn't see it. "You'll be king of this world, one day. That title comes with many responsibilities. Our greatest duty is to the children we rescue." He looked back down at the little girl and brushed his fingers through her hair. "She isn't like us, Toby. She's weak and helpless. She must be protected from those who would hurt her. You and I are strong and this place is a sanctuary we are guardians of." Now he did turn and fix his eyes on Toby. "We must never wish harm to the children in our care. You have no reason to be jealous."

Toby didn't question how Jareth knew what he was feeling. It seemed natural. By the time Toby had come to stand next to Jareth at the bedside, he was ashamed for his jealousy. He still didn't entirely understand what was going on. He didn't understand what had happened to him in the scary room Jareth had brought him to or how he could now do magic. It didn't frighten him much, sissy was always telling him about magic and he now recognized that all her stories were about Jareth and Labyrinth. It wasn't anything to be scared of. Toby felt safe with Jareth and everything in Labyrinth felt right. Toby couldn't find any reason to be frightened.

"As times moves on," Jareth said, his voice quietly. "You'll understand more and more. I think you'll curse me, then. You're already changing. Sarah noticed it. You feel differently than you did just a day ago. That's Labyrinth's influence. It's forcing you to understand. I'm sorry for that. Once you understand everything, you'll be very angry. I know I was." He shook his head and smiled, though it seemed like a sad smile.

Jareth-

"I don't understand."

Of course he didn't. Still, Jareth knew Toby would be angry when he realized he would have to watch his sister from afar while Sarah grew old and died. He would hate Jareth. Jareth looked back down at the seemingly innocent child. She felt like an ordinary child, to him. Still, Labyrinth was never wrong about something like this so Jareth turned his full attention to the girl, even as he spoke to Toby. "Don't worry too much. Pay attention. This is part of your lessons. You may need to do this someday." He looked at the girl and raised his voice, as if he were angry. It wasn't much of a stretch. His home had been invaded and he was the one who'd allowed the invader in. "Wake up!" He snapped at the little girl. "Don't think you can fool me by remaining quiet, wake up! I know you can hear me perfectly well and you're strong enough to speak."

For a long while, nothing happened. Then the girl's dull, lifeless eyes slipped open.

Jareth crossed his arms and smirked. "Ah. I thought you'd hear me. Well, what's this all about?"

"What do you want, Jareth?" It was a little girl's voice, but not. There was a thrill of power in the voice.

Jareth found a little hand creep into his. Toby didn't look happy at all. In fact, he was partly hiding behind Jareth, only peeking at the girl from around Jareth's side. It was a good sign and meant that Toby could feel the power and he knew enough to be afraid. Not that there was anything for him to fear, not while he was in Labyrinth. Still, the look of the little girl would be enough to set anyone on edge, even if they couldn't feel the power radiating from her. She was perfectly still, but for her half-opened eyes and her mouth.

The fact that whoever was inhabiting the girl knew him, concerned Jareth. "You have me at a disadvantage. Why are you possessing this child?"

"That is not your business, Jareth." The girl didn't move other than to focus her gaze on Jareth and, briefly, on Toby. "Release her. This child doesn't belong in your realm."

"All children have a place in my kingdom. It's you who are out of place. I'll ask only once more. What are you doing to this child?"

The little girl wasn't at all scared and answered, quite calmly, "I am known as…"

"No. Not what you are known as. I know what you are." Jareth's eyes, if possible, narrowed further. "You are the same as I. Tell me your name."

"I am priest of Elysian, Helios."

Now there was a name Jareth recognized. "It's been a long time." At Toby's puzzled look, Jareth supplied, "Elysian is a being much like Labyrinth. Our purpose's are similar, but different. Elysian protects dreams. Labyrinth inspires dreams."

"And Circus is a home for all the dreams that might be." Helios added in, ignoring a sour look Jareth threw at him. "As for this child, I do not do this to her lightly."

Jareth wasn't appeased by the evasion. "Why don't you share? You're in my domain now, as I'm sure you know. What could be so important that you'd leave your realm for such a long period. You put yourself in grave danger."

The little girl closed her mouth and her eyes.

"Very well." Jareth smiled suddenly and it was a very unfriendly smile. "Keep your secret. I'll just remove you from the child before I take her back." He allowed himself a wicked smile. "That should take care of the problem."

The girl's eyes snapped open, angrily. "You can't!"

"You doubt my power in my own realm?" Jareth raised his hand until it was directly above the girl's face and let the power of Labyrinth seep through him. Just enough for Helios to feel.

"No!" Helios let out the word like a bark. "I am hunted and my realm endangered. A powerful outside influence is determined to take my golden crystal just as she has seized control of the Circus. You and your master are also in danger. Even your heir will not be safe."

Jareth stopped immediately, though the sudden effort in calling the magic back nearly struck him off his feet. "You've got my attention. Continue."

"I was discovered one night by agents working for a creature calling herself Queen Nehelenia. She is ancient and has been watching for a very long time."

"Watching what?" Toby asked.

"Everything." Helios sighed, but still didn't have enough power to move the girl's body. "She saw the Circus and learned of the power the Remless' showed when they left the Circus for whatever reason. Now her agent controls the Circus and all of its people. Nehelenia has learned of my journeys through the dreams and hopes of humans as well as your less frequent visits to Earth. She knows of our power, and covets it, but not the power of our masters. She would dominate everything. Not just the physical universe, but our home realms as well. Mine has already been invaded and is under siege."

"How did this happen?" Jareth couldn't imagine any living creature having the power to threaten realms such as Labyrinth or Elysian. "How could anyone get in unless you allowed it?"

Helios was angry, but Jareth could tell only from the tone he used. "Allowed? I was captured! Do you think I put this child in danger for no reason? I have no physical form, my body is being held captive by the one who would destroy my realm. Using the Circus' people, the Remless', she was able to do damage to Elysian. She used me body to enter Elysian until I was able to escape into this child's dreams."

"And how did this creature get control of the Remless'?"

"The Ringmaster is dead."

Jareth's face was stony at that remark. Her eyes…her laugh… "Don't mock me." He would NOT allow any pain to show.

"I don't. You know that without her, the Circus is defenseless. The Remless' are weak and unable to care for themselves. Nehelenia sent an agent, Zirconia, to take the Circus shortly after Ringmaster's dead. She had no heir, as you know. Whatever is happening in there now, I have no idea. All I know is that the Remless' are following Zirconia's commands and they now fight for him. They are willing to kill for him."

Kill? Jareth struggled with that idea. It didn't seem possible. "I saw one of the Rmless' superiors earlier. I'd seen him once or twice, long ago. They're searching for you, I suppose? He was barely grown and had managed to…" Jareth let his words trail away. There was no reason to tell Helios that Sarah had somehow could open a passage into Labyrinth. No reason to give away secrets until Jareth himself could fully understand it. "The Remless' are harmless. You said it yourself, they're weak and incapable of looking after themselves, let alone acting aggressively. They're passive." Yet, at least one of them had attacked Sarah. According to Helios, more of them were becoming violent and all of them were under the control of something . "So, you were caught away from Elysian?" It was the only possible way to trap one of them, to get them away from their realm. This Nehelenia couldn't possibly force her way into Elysian, even with all the power of the Circus at her disposal.

"Nehelenia wants my golden crystal, she believes it to be the source of my power. I was searching for dreams to feed Elysian. That was how they found me. Elysian needs the energy given off from dreams to feed upon, just as Circus needs it. You're fortunate Labyrinth doesn't require such regular feedings. I was running through the dreams of sleeping humans when a Remless opened a dream mirror and saw me. It was just coincidence, I'd thought. They'd seen me before. Then they attacked and I was forced to flee. I've been hiding since then."

"And you can't just go back to Elysium because you still have to send energy back to feed it, even if it's the small amount you can milk from this single child. Such a small amount. Does Elysian still live?"

"It's not as effective as it would be if I were going back myself or if I were able to harvest from more than just one child. Elysian is dying very slowly. It's fortunate for the Remless' that their talents are perfectly suited to hunting me. Otherwise, Nehelenia would have ordered them destroyed long ago. It's also fortunate for us all that Nehelenia hasn't discovered Ringmaster's jewel."

Jareth turned away from Helios. Yes, that was good. It meant that Nehelenia might think she had the power of the Circus, but she really had nothing. She could force the Remless' to obey her, but not the Circus. If she had the jewel and if Circus accepted her as the new Ringmaster, her power would increase and it could mean war between them all. "Where is the jewel?" Jareth felt another stab of guilt. He hadn't been with Ring when she'd died. In fact, he hadn't even seen her body. He'd felt her die. Like his own death, he'd felt it. The idea that Ring's precious jewel might have been captured by the one who'd stolen her position was abhorrent.

"I haven't the slightest idea. If Nehelenia had the jewel, though, she would have woken Circus by now. She would have understood that my golden crystal, your amulet, and Ringmaster's jewel are all nothing but reflections of the true powers. As it is, she plans to steal our talismans and kill us." Like the amulet Jareth wore around his neck, Helios' golden crystal and Ring's jewel were nothing more than outlets. It was used so that they wouldn't be without power when they were away from their realms. On the day that Toby became King of the Labyrinth, he would inherit the amulet. Helios grew agitated. "You must understand why I hide in this child's dreams. I will NOT become a tool in the destruction of my home and master. I will not bring about the destruction of my people! Nehelenia must be defeated."

"I'm surprised the Remless' accepted an outsider as a leader so easily."

"So am I. Then again, how often does a situation like this arise? My predecessor never mentioned that something like this could happen. All I know is that the Remless' follow Zirconia and, through him, Queen Nehelenia."

Jareth nodded briskly, once, and picked up the little girl's body. "I need to return this child, now. Labyrinth isn't happy with me for bringing you here."

"Return her to the young women you took her from. They were frightened for her, not threatening her."

Jareth sniffed. "I'll return her to her bed. If she wants to go back to them, that's her own choice."

Dead Moon Circus-
Junjun, of the Amazon Quartet-

Junjun watched with her sisters from the high rafters above the Circus, barely curious about what was going on. She passed her red sphere from one hand to the other absently. Neither she, nor her sisters, had ever been involved much in the Circus life. They weren't welcomed by the Remless' for a simple reason. They weren't one of them. The Quartet had never known the one called Ringmaster. What difference that made, Junjun had no clue. So, while the drama played out below, they watched from above.

CereCere, dressed in yellow with her soft pink hair, was swinging her legs absently while she too looked down at the Remless' and Zirconia. "This is boring. I want to go play." Like all of them, Cerecere was dressed in very revealing clothes and she didn't like it anymore than the rest of them did. It was too cold to wear such things and why should they bother? Why couldn't they wear comfortable clothes? It wasn't as if anyone was going to see them. Still, Lady Nehelenia had put Zirconia in charge and he had decided what outfits they should wear.

"Me, too." Vesves was laying on her back, staring up instead of down at the people with one leg crossed over the other. "I don't see why we should be here. It was the Trio that messed up, not us. Why should we listen to the old windbag holler?" Her long red hair, tied into a thick ponytail on the top of her head, hung down over the beam she was laying on. "I hate this." Her voice was laced with impatience and her hands flexed at her sides. She'd always been the tough guy of their group, always ready for a fight.

Zirconia had been infuriated by something. "Where are they!"

Junjun kept rotating the sphere in her hands. The Trio…there was something up. "This is our chance. Without the Trio Zirconia will rely on us. Who else? You think he'll send those idiot Remless' to find Pegasus? We do this and we'll have the Circus just like they did." Wouldn't it be nice to be in charge? To not hide away in the shadows of the rafters.

The Dead Moon Circus trembled before the wrath of Zirconia. The games had stopped and there was no singing or laughter. On their circular platforms which raised them from the main living area of the Circus to the area where Zirconia held court, dozens upon dozens of performers were silent. Right arms were crossed over chests and everyone bowed, fearfully keeping their eyes on the floor.

Had the Remless' always been like this? Cowardly? The Amazon Trio bowed before Zirconia, but never groveled at the Remless' did. How the Amazon Trio would have been shamed to see their precious Remless' cowering before Zirconia.

Zirconia's corpse like hand was tight on his staff as he glared down at his people. "Go! Find them!" He jabbed the staff at the crowd of kneeling people, pointing it randomly at a Remless. It had been a sight before. Like the champions of the Circus, the Amazon Trio would stand in the spot light, together. While the Remless' hid from Zirconia's view unless called upon by the Trio for battle, the Trio would stand at attention before Zirconia. How long had they been leaders in the Circus?

At Zirconia's command, the two headed Remless clown who'd been the unlucky one to seize his attention, leapt to his feet and gave a flourishing bow. They'd all been trained in such gentle manners. The clown said nothing when his platform shifted and began the slow move down, into the darkness.

The large cylinder he normally occupied when they were all summonsed before Zirconia. The big top's floor was made out of many large circular platforms that raised up when Zirconia summons them. Long ago, it had been the way for bringing performers into the spotlight when they put on a show.

Of course, those days were long ago. Now the immense cylinders were used to bring them up from the inner parts of the circus. The parts where only they could go. Not even Zirconia could go into those bowels of the Circus.

The two headed clown reappeared and groveled, throwing himself to his hands and knees. "Forgive me, but they aren't here. Not in the bar or the public areas. I called at their room, but no one answers."

If anything, this angered Zirconia more. "Did you look in the room?"

The clown was so shocked by the suggestion that one of his heads looked up at Zirconia. "Go in?" He said it as if he hadn't even considered the idea. "Sir, no one enters their chambers. It's forbidden. It always has been."

"I am giving you permission." Zirconia hissed.

"Sir, you don't understand. It's not possible. The doors are sealed to all but those three." The clown was shaking, his voice low and muted.

Zirconia turned his back on the Remless' and moved back to his chambers behind the plat form where he'd always spoken from. "Find them!" He shouted over his shoulder. "Find them and destroy them! They are traitors to the Circus."

Traitors? That was unlikely.

Junjun realized that she'd never seen Zirconia anywhere but on that platform. No matter. Zirconia had rescued them after the wars and brought them to this place where they would never age. At first, Junjun had been suspicious when he'd found them and offered them what they'd wished for. After all, wishes couldn't really come true. Dreams were just…dreams. They were wishful thoughts that had no affect on reality. Then they had come to this place and learned that at least one dream could come true. They didn't age. Not a single day since they'd stepped foot in the Circus. Junjun would do anything to keep this dream of eternal youth real. Better to remain a child forever than to grow up and become like the adults who'd destroyed their home and killed their families.

Death was better than becoming an adult.

The Circus' people rose from their knees when they were sure that Zirconia had gone and began to play again, practicing their art. It was as if nothing had happened.

"Did you know Zirconia's face could turn that color?" Pallapalla giggled and leaned back until she flipped upside-down, holding onto the beam with her legs. Her blue hair flopped down and that only seemed to amuse her more. Pallapalla had always been a bit simple and little things amused her.

Junjun agreed, nodding her head and making her elaborated headdress bob up and down. It was a simple rope that wrapped around her green hair, but most of her very long hair had been piled up into a high cone on top of her head and wrapped with rope and two long ropes on either side of her head had two very large balls attached. "I guess he's really upset this time and just watch me feel badly for him." Junjun held up her red sphere and brought it close to her face. A little push here…a touch of magic there…

"What are you going to do with that?" Pallapalla looked down at Junjun from above with a worried expression. "You aren't going to make another dolly, are you? Poor Dolly…"

"No. No more dolly. This one's just an experiment." Junjun laughed and started to toss the sphere up and down. "Dolly was such a waste. After all the trouble you went to make her, Pallapalla."

There was a sharp snap and Junjun looked over to see that Vesves had snapped her whip in mid-air. She did that often when she was restless. "Yeah, weird though, huh? Dolly follows the girl and gets taken right to that place. Hey," Vesves narrowed her eyes. "Who's form was it that Dolly assumed, anyway? Some skinny kid with dark hair. Those senshi seemed to know her, but I don't think we've ever seen her fight with them." It was handy that they'd been keeping careful watch over all the Trio's battles with the senshi.

It had been easy to find out that the Trio was up to something after Tiger's Eye's last failed mission to find the Pegasus. Every attempt had failed, but that last one had been something else. It had been Junjun who'd watched the battle and brought her findings back to her sisters. She hadn't told Zirconia about the strange man or about Tiger's Eye's near destruction. The more information she kept to herself, the more power they'd have.

No one in the Circus, let alone the stars of the circus, ever gave a second thought to the Quartet and because of that the Trio hadn't known that they'd been watched all this time. Cerecere had watched when they'd made their unauthorized trip to Earth and she'd watched them kidnap the girl Tiger's Eye had attacked only hours earlier. They'd taken the girl who'd almost been the cause of Tiger's Eye's death and given her to the senshi. Junjun couldn't think of a reason for that. It seemed strange that they wouldn't have noticed that they'd been followed all this time. Perhaps they'd been too concerned over Zirconia's sudden obsession with Pegasus. It was only right that they think of Zirconia's anger, his displeasure could be the death of them. "Remember the one we sent dolly after? That Sarah girl silly Tiger's Eye had so much trouble with?"

"You're too kind. Tiger's Eye is a fool. More so now that he's made Zirconia angry. I wonder why they've risked so much." Vesves was quick to say. "Why'd they give her to the enemy?"

Pallapalla laughed brightly, not taking her eyes away from her pale blue sphere. "Enemy? You make it sound like we're at war." Her laugh died away at that last word and her eyes drifted away from her sphere. "War? This isn't a war, is it? Not like before." She swung her body easily and sat upright again and twisted to gracefully face Junjun. "Is it war like mommy and daddy…"

"No!" Cerecere leapt from her place on the rafters and landed next to Pallapalla, slipping her arms around their youngest sister. "No war! Zirconia promised! No more wars! It's just a little fight. Just a squabble. Right?"

Vesves snorted and rolled so she wouldn't look at the younger two and Junjun was glad for it. Vesves was more cynical than she needed to be. When she spoke, however, her voice was gentle. "'Course not. Wars are stupid grown-up things. Got nothing to do with us."

The happiness that washed over the faces of Pallapalla and Cerecere were relieving. Did Vesves believe what she said, too? Did she really believe that they weren't in the middle of a war? Junjun believed it. She had to. If she didn't believe it then…then what were they doing here? Eternal youth was one thing, but to waste that dream in a war? No. Vesves had to be right. This wasn't a war. It was just looking for the Pegasus. Once they found the Pegasus then they could leave and there wouldn't be anymore fighting.

"I want to know what goes on. You know, below. The Trio must have made some kind of plan, but we didn't know about it because we haven't dared to go down there." Junjun looked down at the dark abyss far below where the Remless' lived. Before, the Trio had been like the spoiled princes of the Circus. Everyone had deferred to them, but no one had ever told why. After all this time, the sisters were still outsiders. "Those three had everything here. Why would they move against Zirconia? He was only using them, but they didn't know that. We can do a better job than they ever could. It all started with that girl, didn't it? Dolly saw, just for a moment, into a world we've never heard of. A world of a gigantic maze and a moon of crystal. But that world wasn't a beautiful dream, so Pegasus couldn't have been there. I want to know who that man was." Even as she spoke, the green sphere in her hands developed an image of the man dolly had seen. A sever, cruel face and long white hair. "There. That's him, I'm sure of it." She smiled. "Let's see what kind of reaction we get, shall we?" She let the sphere drop from her hand to the people below.

The sphere landed with a clink on one of the many circular platforms and the Remless on that platform looked down at it curiously. He bent at the waist and blinked two of his three eyes as he looked just a bit closer. All of a sudden he jumped back, away from it, with a little squeak that was barely heard in the din.

Junjun made a jerk with her hand and the sphere popped like a bubble, leaving the Remless just staring at what he'd seen. "He recognized that man. I want to know more."

Earth-
Sarah-

There was a long silence through which Sarah did not wait patiently.

She was so tired and wanted nothing more than a long hot bath. She felt dirty all over and the fact that she was wearing a borrowed nightdress wasn't helping at all. At least having friends around was helping, even if Hoggle was cursing vilely under his breath while he nursed the burn Rei had given him and Didymus was giving suspicious glares to the blonde woman who'd held Sarah hostage for a few minutes. Ludo's fur was warm and soft. It made Sarah drowsy just to lay against him, listening to his massive heart thud like a drum beating a slow, steady rhythm. His breathing, now that there was no danger-no danger that he could see-was gentle and relaxing. It was like the soft rocking of a ship on the sea.

Sarah let herself be held like a baby on Ludo's lap. He was plenty strong enough to bear her weight. His strong arm was against her back and it made Sarah feel safe. It was the first time she'd felt safe in a long time. How long had it been since her bedroom had been a refuge? A place of safety amongst toys and books. The fairytales that surrounded her childhood and filled her dreams. Sparkling junk jewelry and pretty dolls. Cheap dress up clothes she'd treasured so much. The worn, comfortable rug and fading wallpaper. It was all still there, in the house so far away in America. Everything was exactly as she'd left it, right down to the lipstick she'd left on her little vanity and the paper crown . All those things had always made her feel safe.

Safe.

Karen yelling, swearing.

Daddy always somewhere else.

Toby needed her so badly. 'I'm only seventeen. I can't protect him. Not always. I'm still a kid.' Sarah wanted to be strong. She wanted to protect him and give him everything he deserved, but she'd spent the last three years trying to shield him from their parents. Whatever happened to dating? School? Would she even be able to go to college? Three years she'd spent feeling vulnerable and exposed. No, it was longer than three years. How long ago had her mother abandoned her? She was…six? Seven? Sarah couldn't even remember her mother's face if it weren't for the newspaper clippings she'd religiously horded in the vain hopes that one day her adored mother would return for her.

What had she gotten for her faith? Trinkets, baubles, and an annual visit when she'd had to share her mother with her mother's new boyfriend. When Sarah looked back at it, through all the smiles and sweet words, her mother hadn't wanted her anymore than Karen did. Was she soothing her own guilt by giving Sarah the pretty things all children craved? Did she think Sarah would forgive her for leaving?

How could anyone feel safe without a mother? Without a father? 'I'm not ready to be the grown-up. I want to go back and play with my dolls. I want to loose myself in a book without worrying about Toby. I want a nap.'

"Right, then. I suppose you've guess." Rei moved forward, making Ludo start growling. Ludo might not understand what was going on, but he knew the girls were dangerous. They'd hurt Hoggle and Hoggle was Ludo's brother.

Sarah gave Hoggle another glance. Did the Labyrinth even have any medical facilities? What if that burn got infected? "Hoggle, are you alright?"

"I've 'ad worse." Hoggle shrugged at her. He still had his meaty hand clamped over the wound and, though he was in obvious pain, he didn't seem otherwise upset by the wound. "What about…about you?" He squinted at her, making his hairy eyebrows lower over his eyes and Sarah wondered how he could see. "Jareth, 'e said you was in bad shape. 'E took yer lil' Toby, again. I seen him, 'e's safe."

"I just saw him, too. Jareth explained everything. It's alright. I guess." What choice did she have? She couldn't insist that Toby stay with her, he'd die. She couldn't live with him, she'd die. 'It's just not fair.' Sarah almost laughed at the absurdness of that thought. Better to look at things she could deal with. Sarah turned back to Rei. "I've figured out that you all have some kind of magic." It didn't shock her as much as they probably thought it should. What could surprise her after surviving the Labyrinth? "I'd like to know what's going on." Her eyes went to the woman with short blonde hair. She seemed to be the oldest of them all, though not by much. "You were trying to help the little girl, I suppose I can believe that." She still found it unlikely, though. The woman had been so enraged and they hadn't even known who Jareth was. Why should they think he was a threat? If anything, they should have thanked him for catching her when she'd fallen. "But, really, what's going on?"

Rei, again, spoke for them after a brief glance behind her at the others. "We're warriors, Sarah. We fight an evil force, well…several actually. This is about the fourth war we've been in. Forth? Something like that. I loose track after all this time. You met apart of our current enemy the other day."

"That blonde boy? The one with the whip?" What had happened, then? Sarah remembered that it had hurt, whatever it had been. For just a moment, it had felt like part of her had been ripped open.

Rei nodded. "That was Tiger's Eye, a part of the Amazon Trio. He works for the Dead Moon Circus. When you were attacked, he was trying to see into your dream mirror, where all your dreams are contained."

"My dreams?" Maybe Sarah's Japanese wasn't as good as she'd thought it was, but that was what it sounded like Rei was saying. "I don't understand. He helped me. I'm sure it was him who took me away from…" Sarah stopped herself and bit back the incriminating words. She didn't want to get her daddy or Karen into trouble. Wait. Toby didn't have to go back there. Sarah laughed suddenly as the realization hit her like a brick between the eyes. "My dad and stepmother. That Tiger's Eye guy took me away from there. Whatever he did at first, it had hurt, but he's a good person." Still…trying to get a peek at her dreams? If he showed up again, the boy was going to have some explaining to do.

Rei understood, there was a flash of pity in her eyes. From the puzzled looks of the other girls, some of them weren't quite so certain why it would be a good thing to be taken away from one's parents. Good. Let them keep their innocence. "What about you?" Rei looked around at Sarah's friends. "Who and what are they?"

"Friends. Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus." Didymus preened when Sarah named him, his whiskers bristling as he must have been imagining that the girls they were being introduced to being awed by him. After all, he was a legend in his own mind. Sarah liked him despite all his arrogance. His heart was in the right place, after all.

All of a sudden, the polite conversation was broken up when Usagi rushed passed Rei and Sarah only then noticed how bad Usagi looked. Before, when Sarah had first woken up, Usagi had been so gentle and at ease. Now her eyes were wide with fear and she almost stumbled trying to get to Sarah. "Where is she? Please, where did he take her? Make him bring Chibi-Usa back!"

Didymus tried to move to stop Usagi from getting to Sarah, but Sarah waved him back and let Usagi come close enough to make Ludo nervous. A nervous Ludo wasn't a good thing and Sarah patted his arm to reassure him. The situation wouldn't be made better if Ludo started howling again or, worse, start swinging his arms. "I don't know how you plan to get her back. The only way I know of is to challenge the Labyrinth. If the rules are the same as the last time…"

"Last time?" Now it was the blue haired girl, Ami who spoke.

What kind of sunglasses were those supposed to be? While Ami wore basically the same kind of uniform as all the other girls, her eyes were shielded by what looked like a blue light suspended in front of her face. Her hands were also raised to just about waist height with her fingers poised, as if she were typing in mid-air. Sarah nodded, slowly and wondered if she should trust Ami. There was a sharp look in Ami's soft eyes. She was definitely dangerous. "Last time. It's pretty obvious that I've met him before, isn't it? He'll come back, I think. Unless the rules have changed. I guess that might have happened. Rules don't seem to mean much in the Labyrinth." Was Labyrinth a real, living creature as Jareth said? Sarah couldn't figure out any reason why Jareth would lie to her about that. At that moment Jareth appeared and a sparkle of gold dust accompanied his appearance. Sarah gave him a sour look. "Speak of the devil and he will appear."

"I'm hurt." Jareth said even as he lowered Toby to the ground. His eyes met Usagi, still teary eyed. "The child is in her own bed and fast asleep. Perfectly unharmed." Then he whirled around to face the blonde young woman. "You!" He lashed out a finger and she recoiled back with a cry, a hand going to her throat. When she brought her hand down, Sarah could see a small cut. "Consider that payment in kind."

Toby ran to Sarah and quickly climbed up Ludo to sit on her lap and kiss her cheek. "Sissy! I was so scared for you!"

Rei-

Michiru tended to Haruka as best as she could, but Haruka, to her credit, didn't look overly upset. "I over reacted, according to her." She pointed her chin at Sarah. "If the princess is safe, I'll apologize."

"I just told you she was safe."

"And I should trust you, why?" Haruka arched an eyebrow and bent down a little more so Michiru could fuss at the tiny cut. Michiru tended to do that when Haruka was involved. "From what Sarah says, this has all been a misunderstanding. Misunderstanding or not, I don't know you, therefore I don't trust you."

It was typical of Haruka, blunt in the extreme.

Jareth didn't look happy, but turned his back on all of them. "Well, that's a shame, isn't it? I don't really have to explain myself or my actions to you. If you don't mind, we'll be leaving now." He was very interested in Sarah and Rei didn't like it at all. She liked Sarah and wanted to know what Jareth was before he started getting so familiar. Then again, from what Sarah said, this wasn't exactly a first meeting for them. Nothing was adding up, but maybe Usagi was right. Maybe he wasn't really an enemy and it just happened that he had a great deal of power. There was also the little boy to consider, but he seemed harmless enough sitting in Sarah's lap as he was.

Again, Rei worked at calming her psychic senses to whatever power it was that Jareth was giving off. She opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Usagi.

"No." Rei had never been more proud of Usagi as she was in that single command. Usagi was still worried about Chibi-Usa, but she still had the presence of mind to take charge, just as she should. More and more, as time went on, Usagi was growing up and becoming a woman Rei was proud to call her queen. Usagi looked stern when she spoke, speaking both to Jareth and Sarah. "Now that you're here, we have questions." Usagi's eyes went from Sarah and back to Jareth. "Why are you mixed up with the Dead Moon Circus? Why did the Amazon Trio attack Sarah and then just give her to us?"

"That's a good point. What ever happened to the Amazon Trio?" Minako asked suddenly. "Why are they all mixed up in this?"

Dead Moon Circus-
Tiger's Eye-

They couldn't just leave. There was one last thing to do, a very important thing. They'd snuck out of their chambers and crept through the dark corridors of deepest part of the Circus. Not many people came down to these parts anymore. The halls were dark and the only light they had was the light from Hawk's Eye's torch. None of them spoke as they made their way, side-by-side, down the long dark corridor. They didn't hesitate, even in the dim light. There wasn't any reason to as they all knew the path as easily as they knew the way around their chambers in the dark. The hall would have no obstacles in it and it was straight without any turns or corners. Eventually, they came to a very ordinary looking curtain emblazoned with the insignia of the Circus.

Tiger's Eye swallowed hard when Hawk's Eye gave him a push on the back. "Go on." Hawk's Eye told him. "You've done it before."

"I know, I know." That didn't mean he liked doing it. Still, he straightened his shoulders and walked quickly to the curtain just in time to hear Fish Eye squeal,

"Awww…there goes daddy's brave little man!"

"Shut up!" Tiger's Eye yelled with his fists balled.

It didn't stop Fish Eye from waved cheerfully with both hands. "Go on, go on! Nothing to be scared of. We're proud of you!"

Thankfully, Hawk's Eye was there to defend him. "We love you, Tiger. Come back in one piece." Or maybe not.

"I hate you both." He pushed aside the curtain and stepped into the room. The room was small and didn't seem as dark as the corridor had due to the orb floating in center of the room. The orb was murky gray, like storm clouds in a bubble, and it was giving off a very faint glow. "Hey, you ready for this?" Tiger's Eye always ended up talking to the orb, though he wasn't sure why. It never answered back. Tiger's Eye felt like something was pressing against his skin. He didn't like this, even if it was necessary. After all, someone had to do it and he was the last one to contact a dream, no matter how weird that dream had been.

Holding his hands out to the orb, Tiger's Eye cupped his hands around the orb and let the power he'd absorbed from Sarah's dream soak into the orb. It was the way they'd always fed the Circus, another secret they'd kept from Zirconia. It was gentle at first, as it always was. Then, for no apparent reason, a force woke inside the orb and began pulling at the energy. The clouds in the orb began to swirl around and around, faster and faster, and Tiger's Eye tried to pull away. His hands were frozen in place and no matter how much he struggled he couldn't so much as move a finger.

Hush, hush. I won't take too much. I promise.

Tiger's Eye stopped struggling instantly at the voice that seemed to come from all around and from inside his own head.

There. I feel so much better. So kind of you. The clouds in the orb were lighter and the glow was brighter. Hurry along, now. She's at the Hino Shrine. Tiger's Eye was abruptly released and he staggered back with such force that he went right through the curtain only to be caught by Fish Eye.

"Hino Shine!" Tiger's Eye burst out. "We have to go there!"

Hawk's Eye blinked at him. "What? Why?"

"She's there!"

"Ringmaster? How do you know?"

Tiger's Eye didn't have an answer. He started running down the corridor, out of the light of Hawk's torch. It didn't matter. He didn't need his eyes. He could smell their trail back to the beginning and…

"Tiger! Wait!"

Tiger's Eye turned to see Fish struggling to keep up with Hawk's Eye far behind. He'd forgotten how badly hurt Hawk's Eye had been and that he was still injured. Stupid! Thoughtless! So he changed directions long enough to reach Hawk's Eye. "Get on my back." He offered.

Hawk's Eye gave him a puzzled look, but did as Tiger's Eye said, climbing awkwardly on and putting his arms around Tiger's Eye's neck. "Are you sure about this? Hino Shrine?"

"We have to go now!" And he took off running again with faith that Fish Eye was right behind him.

Hino Shrine-

They arrived at the Hino shrine shortly after, all of them tense and watchful for Remless' that Zirconia might have sent to attack them or take them back to the Circus. They arrived in time to see a little boy who didn't seem quite human, chasing ravens, and Jareth standing in front of the senshi, completely unafraid. On the other side of Jareth was Sarah, the possible Ringmaster. She sat in the lap of a huge, hairy, orange…thing. The thing was sitting on the ground with its back against a tree, one arm slightly raised to give Sarah a place to rest against. There was a little dog-like creature with a tiny sword and….and…at Sarah's side, talking so gently to her…

"That little traitor!" Fish Eye hissed, baring his teeth.

Tiger's Eye couldn't suppress a growl and his hands balled into fists so tight that he cut himself with his own claws. Hoggle! That damned dwarf!

There was a shriek of rage before Hawk's Eye launched himself out of the trees they'd been concealed in and flung himself at the dwarf. They rolled on the ground for a moment until Hawk's Eye landed on top of Hoggle with his talons wrapped around Hoggle's fat neck, digging into the skin, maliciously.

"Die." Hawk's Eye sucked in a deep breath through his nose and opened his mouth, ready to spit enough fire at the struggling dwarf to turn him into charcoal.

To be continued…