HA! You thought I was dead, didn't you?! WELL YOU WERE WRONG BABY!!

--

Lucas was terrified. You couldn't tell at first glance, but if you knew him as well as Claus did, you could just tell he would wet himself the moment someone would slightly touch him. He found himself descending via elevator to the underground, the same place where all the chaotic moments almost now 9 months ago happened. He was surprised the Elevator still worked.

He took a glance at the people behind him. Claus, for once in his lifetime, had a serious look on his face. It scared Lucas slightly, seeing his brother like that. He then took another look at Polly, who was surprisingly calm … happy … almost, too happy …

The doors opened to the dark, misty underground. It was just the way he left it. How could everything else change while the underground here still remained the same?

If this was the same, what else could be left from before?

Lucas gulped. "This … This is the moment of truth."

He turned to Claus. "Whatever happens, we're brothers, right?"

Claus nodded. "Yes."

Lucas turned back around, away from Claus. "Good. Well. Now I think it's time to tell you the truth …"

Lucas gulped and sighed.

"Okay … well, you know when Dad and I told you that you were in a Coma for about 4 years? That's a lie. For about 3 years you disappeared, but that's because the Pig-mask Army took you rebuilt you into becoming their general. You had lightning powers, and we battled a couple of times, only, I didn't KNOW it was you until the last battle and .. well, you see, I had this badge that could repel lightning, so you killed yourself when you sent the lightning towards me and it bounced off of you, and …"

He noticed that Claus was not responding to anything he said. He turned around and saw that not only Claus was missing, but Polly was nowhere to be found as well. Lucas panicked. He would have to search for the two all by himself now, in the dark, scary, mine-like underground.

Lucas felt like throwing up.

"Okay, just … calm down, Lucas …" Lucas told himself, pacing in a small circle, "Polly prob'ly had to use the bathroom and Claus was escorting her to a private place … but then, why wouldn't he tell me …? O-Okay then! Claus also felt like throwing up, so Polly took him to the edge to do so!"

Lucas turned to look at a cliff, but still, nor Polly or Claus was in sight.

Lucas grabbed his head. "Oh geez, what do I do what do I do what do I do what do I do …?"

"LUCAS!" Flint's voice boomed over the canyon. Lucas turned and saw his father running towards him. Ecstatic, plus the fact he was terrified beyond belief, he ran towards his father and wrapped his arms around his waist, on the verge of tears.

"D-dad! I-I'm sorry, I really am!" Lucas said, trying his best to fight the onslaught of tears, "I-I think M-mom's a-alive a-a-and we came here because a fortune teller told us to … a-and now Polly and C-Claus are missing and …"

"It's okay, son." Flint said, patting Lucas on the head, "You've nothing to fear now."

Lucas wiped his tears and smiled at his father. But he frowned again when he looked around, Claus still nowhere in sight.

"They shouldn't have gone far … plus, there's only one way to go and that's …" Lucas said, his voice trailing off.

Flint marched forward, Lucas creeping behind. "We shall soon find out if you're right or not, son …"

--

Kumatora woke up, her head aching and her left leg in pain. She remembered that she and Kana were attacked by 'Shadow-creatures'. Trying to ignore the searing pain that pulsated from her leg, she got up, spotting Boney on the other side, leaning against a cavern wall.

"What is this place …?" Kumatora asked herself, "It's nothing like the underground, could it be possible that …?"

She heard stirring from the left of her. To her delight, she found Duster, messed up but still alive. She limped towards him, helping Duster to his feet.

"Agh … be careful, my right arm hurts … I think I may have broken a bone." Duster said, coughing slightly and still dazed.

"Oi, my left leg's in pain too, you don't see me complaining …" Kumatora said, letting Duster rest against the wall. "Were you attacked by shadow-creatures too?"

Duster nodded. "Yeah …"

Kumatora looked around. "Where's Flint?"

"He … he might be in the building already … He rushed in right before they attacked me." Duster said, shaking his head.

Kumatora looked around once more, and saw that Boney was finally stirring. So, Flint was in the building, hopefully with Lucas and Claus, Duster was here, and Boney was here … all that left was …

"Where's Kana?" Kumatora asked.

Duster blinked. "Wasn't see with you?"

Kumatora looked around, "She was … I wonder if we got separated during the attack …?"

Finally, the pain in the princess's leg took over her body, and she gently fell to the floor, trying to quell the pain. Duster, as best as he could do with one arm, helped the princess towards the cavern wall, laying her against it.

"You might wanna rest that leg, Princess …" Duster said softly, "If you continue to use it the way I did, you might end up like me with a limp leg."

Kumatora tried getting up, but the pain in her leg plus Duster pushing her down kept her sitting. "Duster, we need to get to the others … Lucas … he may be …"

Duster sighed, "Princess … honestly, to tell you the truth, I don't think there's much we can do about them …"

Kumatora fought back tears. In her mind, she wanted to protest against Duster, but in her heart, she felt that he was right.

"Then … Then what can we do …?" Kumatora said, leaning against Duster. "What should we do …?"

Duster closed his eyes and looked down. In truth, he had no idea what they should do. As injured as they were, plus the fact that they had no idea where they were, they were pretty much useless in the current situation right now.

Duster sighed. "We Pray, Kumatora. We pray …"

--

Kana was injured, but she was alive.

That was the least of her worries.

She found herself wondering through a labyrinth, twisting and turning every which way imaginable. Anyone would have gone crazy by now, but Kana was more patient than that. She knows she'll eventually find a way out.

But will she find it in time?

Ever since she woke up, she had been getting visions of darkness, most of them including Lucas and Claus in some way. They were in terrible danger, so she had to hurry and get out of here.

Another vision. She heard a woman's cry for help, screaming in pain. She wondered for a moment if Polly was in danger as well … no, this wasn't Polly's screams. They sounded more like the woman she heard before.

Hinawa.

Then a reality struck her: she had dozens of visions including both Lucas and Claus, but why did none of them include Polly?

Unless …

Unless she was the one causing them …

Could it be?

Kana picked up her feet and ran. No matter how much pain she felt in her ribs, no matter how much breath she had, she had to protect the children as much as possible.

Because they're deep within the Lion's mouth: only a miracle could save them.

--

"Are you sure Lucas will be alright?" Claus said, following close behind Polly.

"I'm positive!" Polly said with the same smile as before, "This won't take long, honest!!"

"Where are you even leading me?" Claus asked, "Why does all of this seem … familiar?"

"Because you were here before …" Polly said, her eyes becoming blank and her voice becoming serious.

Claus looked at Polly, not being able to see her face. He wondered why she sounded so serious. "Polly? You alright?"

Polly turned around and smiled at Claus again, her face pleasant to look at. "I'm fine!' she said excitedly, "But you seem tense."

Polly went behind Claus and grabbed both of his shoulders, leading him forward. Her voice darkened as she put her chin on his right shoulder. "You do like me, right …?" Polly said, her tone almost seductive.

"Uh … Y-yeah … I do …" Claus said, blushing and trembling at the same time.

"I want you to play with me for a bit …" Polly whispered in Claus's ear.

"What?!" Claus yelled out, his eyes wide.

"I know of a game we can play …" Polly said, slipping her hand down Claus's arm. "And here are the rules …"

Her hand rested on Claus's wrist. Claus didn't know whether to resist or to go along with her (granted Claus still thought she was cute … but now she was just acting CREEPY). Before Claus could decide, he felt his arm being twisted back, Polly's arm wrapping around his neck.

"If you try to resist, you lose. If you try to fight back, you lose. If you call out for help, you lose." Polly said, her eyes turning blood red.

"What … what are we playing?" Claus asked, trying to reach for any air he could find.

"My version of 'follow the leader'. I will lead you somewhere, and you have no choice but to follow." Polly whispered.

"But … But I'm in front of you …" Claus said, his tone flat.

"I said this was MY version, did I not?" Polly said, forcing Claus forward. "I want to show you something …"

Claus felt himself being lead forward, not knowing what she was going to show him. He had no choice but to let Polly lead him forward.

Polly spoke once again, her voice icy cold, sending a shiver down his spine.

"Master Giygas has been waiting a very long time to meet you, Claus …" she hissed.

--

You were just WAITING for a Higurashi laugh, weren't you? I thought so :3