Yuki wasn't known for bitching and moaning, but then there was the desert. He hadn't exactly lived a pampered life as a street rat. And he wasn't calling himself a pansy. But there was sand. A lot of it. And it was getting in his hair.

"How far away is this place? I wasn't expecting this." Yelled Yuki to the ambling banana that was a few paces ahead of him. "And why did you need me to come with you?"

"Umm…because I have a bad back." Answered the ever quick-witted Tohma. He hadn't exactly thought of a foolproof plan. He felt Caspian chewing at his ear and heard him cackle ever so quietly.

"Bad back, eh? You seem pretty capable to me." Returned Yuki sullenly. He had decided that he really hated sand. With a passion. "I think you're lying."

With that Tohma halted in his tracks and turned to face Yuki. He stopped short. The blond man looked quite angry. His once fine hair had clomped into clumps littered with sand, his once smooth face was gritty, and his gorgeous eyes were narrowed with anger and displeasure.

"Uhh…I…I'm not a liar! And hey! I sprung you out of prison!" replied Tohma after he recovered from the startling image of the sapphire. The desert wasn't treating his features so well.

"Whatever..." said Yuki. He then turned inward to study his thoughts of earlier. He had caught a glimpse of the prince before he left the palace with the idiotic banana.

Shuichi had been half running and half walking down the hallway with tears in his eyes. He and the banana had paused to watch for any interruptions. The prince stopped about ten feet away to catch his breath and almost collapsed from the tears that were racking his body. Yuki had already worked himself back into his previous rage and even earlier lust and was going to approach the boy, but a shadow coming down the hallway stopped him in his tracks. He hadn't wanted to be caught.

The shadow belonged to the other prince, Nakano. Yuki recognized him from their meeting in the street. Yuki still remembered the conversation that progressed quite clearly.

"Trying to sneak out again?" asked Hiro.

"I don't know anymore…" replied Shuichi without caution. It had appeared to Yuki that he didn't care anymore.

"Shuichi…?" Hiroshi had asked quietly, sensing the need to be concerned.

After that Shuichi had broken down and told Hiro the entire story. Everything. He started with why he had run away, his meeting a handsome street rat, but before he could explain his tears, Hiro interrupted him.

"You should just accept this." Said Hiroshi in response. His eyes were masked by the answer, and it was carefully calculated. He had caught a glimpse of an intruder behind him. He didn't want to make things worse.

"No! I won't! It's my life, not hers, not yours!" returned Shuichi angrily.

"Have you ever considered what she'll do to you or the fact that you have no say in this whatsoever?" replied Hiroshi. He could see that his words were causing Shuichi pain, but they lacked any real conviction. He glanced quickly over his shoulder.

"I don't care…I'll die before I marry you, or give in to her…" said Shuichi, the fiery light leaving his eyes.

"You know…I'd feel sorry for you if it wasn't for the elephant. When we leave, IT doesn't." said Hiro. His voice now held a tone of light sarcasm. He again looked up and down the hallway.

"Dammit, I'm not going anywhere with you, you insensitive jerk!" yelled Shuichi, instantly becoming the raging fireball from earlier.

"Alright, alright. She's gone." Said Hiro calmingly as he glanced up the hallway again.

"She? So what, you're crazy and a complete ass?" returned Shuichi.

"No. The Sultana. She was here, listening. Didn't you see her?"

"No…I think you're lying to me."

"Why would I lie? You're not the only one that hates this place." Answered Hiro with a touch of anger. "Do you honestly think that I came here by choice? No. And do you really think I want to pursue you? No. You already turned me down…and I'm not really a jerk…I was just trying to protect myself. And for that I'm sorry." Spouted Hiro quickly, trying to get everything off of his chest at once.

"That clears things up…" said Shuichi through sniffles.

After that the two had turned to leave back up the way Hiro had come, and the banana had grabbed Yuki and dragged him along. Looking over the conversation, Yuki suddenly felt that he couldn't be angry. Shuichi had had to lie to him. And it wasn't necessarily his fault that this Tohma fellow outranked him. Not to mention that the boy had been right; they were the same. Both trapped. Just as suddenly as he had had this thought, his anger towards Shuichi faded entirely, leaving only feelings that had evolved in the night. His face plunging into a sand dune brought him out of his stupor.

As he stumbled to his feet, he noticed that the banana had come to a halt. And gigantic mound of sand was in front of him, providing an interesting silhouette.

"This is where you come in. I can't enter the cave." Said Tohma dramatically to Yuki. "Come closer."

"First of all, you never mentioned that, and second of all don't tell me what to do-" Yuki was stopped in mid sentence. The mound of sand had suddenly become animated.

A giant tiger's head had risen out of the sand at the prompting of the banana. Yuki was completely enthralled with the tiger's head and didn't hear the approaching footsteps. He and the banana weren't alone within the desert, and neither of them knew it. Their pursuer was the sneaky sort.

An hour earlier…right after Yuki and Tohma leave the palace.

"I can't believe he's gone…" said Ryuichi sadly to Kuma and Tatsuha.

"Eh, they probably had him executed…pretty standard." Replied Tatsuha nonchalantly, eager to get back to the earlier game.

"No…" said Ryuichi. Except his voice wasn't sad. "No…look! Footprints."

"They're not his. He's dead, just accept it."

"I WILL NOT. My captain needs me." With that, Ryuichi dashed out of the main gate and into the streets of Agrabah. He had a friend to find.

"This is the cave…I need you to go inside. Just get me the lamp and then the rest of the…the…treasure is all yours." Said Tohma as he gestured towards the cave. He glanced towards Yuki while he said this and noticed a shadow flying over the desert sands. "Umm…what is that?"

"What is what?" posed Yuki slowly as he turned around. Before he could even begin to look over his shoulder, he was tackled from behind by a blurry figure.

"YUKI! Kuma and I found you! You're not dead!" squealed Ryuichi while he held tight to Yuki's chest.

"GET OFF ME DAMMIT!" yelled Yuki. He didn't like to be touched and he was not in the mood to deal with Ryuichi. He was sharply reminded of Shuichi.

"Sorry, Yuki..." muttered Ryuichi quietly. He hadn't expected much more, but still. He had traveled a long way just to see Yuki. He reluctantly let go of his friend and caught sight of the giant banana. "Oooo…a banana…"

"The time has come. Get in there!" said Tohma, starting to lose his composure. He wanted that lamp. Badly.

"Don't tell me what to do!" returned Yuki angrily.

Tohma would've replied, but his response was cut off entirely by a booming voice coming from the cave.

"You know whom it is that I seek. Only the sapphire may enter here…"

"I have brought him…" answered Tohma with dignity. Yes, bananas can be dignified. "This is your cue."

"Who wishes to enter here?" demanded the cave with authority as Yuki drew towards the entrance.

Yuki didn't bother with a reply and instead glared at the cave and motioned Ryuichi forward. Sensing the right choice, the cave opened its large mouth and allowed the duo to come forward, warning them to touch nothing but the lamp. Tohma anxiously awaited the moment of entry from his spot in the sand. Caspian just wanted to go home. It was past his bedtime and he was one cranky conure.

Yuki held his breath and stepped forward. Ryuichi cautiously followed. After Yuki had proceeded forward two or three more steps without suffering any harm whatsoever, Ryuichi bounded forward with a yell and tumbled down the stairs with Kuma waving in the air as he went.

"They had better get that lamp…or we're dead…" muttered Tohma to Caspian.

"Correction. You'll be dead. I can fly." Answered Caspian haughtily as he stretched out on his back in the midst of the green boa that was now out from underneath the banana suit.

Back inside of the cave, temptation was slowly killing Yuki. Among the clutter of yo-yo's, vinegar bottles, and bird's nests, there was gold. And gems. Lots of them. But the cave had specifically said that nothing besides the lamp was to be touched. Yuki would've rather had his stomach turned inside out than have to face this torture. He had never seen such wealth in all of his life.

"Damn…" whispered Yuki to himself.

"Hey, hey, hey! Yuki, Yuki, Yuki!" said Ryuichi excitedly. He had spotted something of interest. There was a brightly colored rug rolled up in a corner and Ryuichi was enthralled.

"What is it now?" said Yuki with a sigh. He had only been called over in that fashion about fifty times in the last ten minutes.

"It's a…a…piece of carpet…" said Ryuichi with his eyes wide and bright.

"I see that."

"And there's a gigantic panda on here…" said Ryuichi, still captivated by the rug.

"I don't care Ryuichi. It's not a lamp. It's not gold, and it's not worth anything."

"Hey! That's not very nice, Yuki. It's a very pretty rug…Kuma likes it…" said Ryuichi. He was quite upset that Yuki had been so mean to the rug and to him throughout the trip. It was about time for some Ryuichi Revenge. "Oh Yuki…YUKI!"

"What now?!" yelled Yuki back while massaging his forehead. Ryuichi was giving him the mother of all headaches.

"I found a person…with pink hair…hey, he kinda looks like me…" said Ryuichi with seriousness in his voice.

"What?" said Yuki immediately as he ran back over to Ryuichi. "Where?"

"Just kidding."

"That's not funny…"

"Then you should apologize to the rug, lover boy."

"I don't know what you're talking about…" replied Yuki as he turned to walk away from Ryuichi and back to the only discovered path. "I don't love him."

"Sure you don't…"

"I DON'T!"

"Whatever…" said Ryuichi, eyeing a pretty gem he had found sitting next to the carpet in question. The game was over to him.

Just as Ryuichi turned to leave, the carpet unrolled itself and started to hover over the pair.

"Yu…Yu…YUKI!" screamed Ryuichi as the carpet swayed in his direction.

"I am tired of your little game, Ryuichi. NO MORE. I am NOT looking anymore, I am NOT listening to you." Replied Yuki with a slight snarl.

"But-"

"NO!" screeched Yuki. He was tired, and he was in a bad mood after Ryuichi's earlier trick.

As Ryuichi was forming his reply to Yuki, the carpet swooped down and grabbed Kuma. It then flew back behind the pile of gold where Ryuichi had found it. Ryuichi burst into noisy tears and sat down in the middle of the path.

"What now?" drawled Yuki, not even bothering to turn around. This wasn't uncommon coming from Ryuichi.

"I WANT MY KUMA!" bawled Ryuichi from his spot in the path.

"You have 'your Kuma' dumbass."

"KUMA KUMA KUMAGORO!" Ryuichi yelled at the top of his lungs. A piece of rock dislodged from the ceiling and smacked Yuki in the head. The carpet flew back out from behind the gold and hovered just behind Ryuichi.

"THAT'S IT! SHUT THE FU-" Yuki stopped mid sentence as he turned around to face his screaming compadre. There was a rug flying behind his head holding on to Kuma. Not to say the least, Yuki was completely flabbergasted. "Wha…wha…what the hell?"

"I want my Kuma…" said Ryuichi with tears welling up in his eyes. "Yuki…"

"Ryuichi…turn around." Said Yuki matter-of-factly. His piercing eyes were focused on the rug that was now swaying behind Ryuichi's head in a sweeping motion.

Ryuichi slowly revolved on the spot. He stifled a scream. The carpet had mutinied against him. And Kuma was being held hostage. Ryuichi did the only thing a sensible adult would do in the same situation. He let out an ear-shattering war cry and tackled the rug.

Yuki decided to step out of the situation and let his thieving friend handle the reclaiming of Kuma on his own. He looked down the long hallway, and then looked back the other way. Suddenly it occurred to him. One of the rarest phenomenon known to the human race was happening; Yuki Eiri was lost.

"Ryuichi. Which way did we come from?" asked Yuki with authority. When hopelessly lost in a talking cave with a man that loves a rabbit and a piece of carpet, one must remember to never let them on to your secret.

"I…don't…know…" said Ryuichi, as he struggled with the carpet. "GIVE ME MY KUMA!"

Yuki turned in both directions, but couldn't remember any distinct landmarks. He was starting to panic. Slowly but surely, he was telling himself, he might just go crazy.

"Ryuichi. WHERE DID WE COME FROM?"

"From our parents Yuki…" said Ryuichi in an exasperated tone as he finally succeeded in rolling on top of the carpet. Without warning, he was suddenly six feet in the air, the carpet having taken flight.

The carpet suddenly barreled towards Yuki with Ryuichi and Kuma in tow. Yuki was still lost in thought, and in the process of figuring out where the hell he was, and in accordance to this, the carpet smacked him square in the back and he toppled over. The poor carpet startled itself and ran into the nearest pile of gold, sending Ryuichi, Kuma, and lots of gold flying in all directions. It took flight and hid behind a stack of rubies. Yuki slowly got to his feet and looked around, afraid of what he might find.

"Ryuichi?" he asked with a hesitant tone.

"I…found…Kuma…" came Ryuichi's weak voice from under a stack of assorted gems. Yuki walked over and hoisted him out.

"Ryuichi, listen to me for once. We're lost. Which way did we come from?" asked Yuki, his golden eyes serious.

"Why don't we ask him?" said Ryuichi brightly, pointing to the carpet.

"Are you insane?! It just tried to kill us!" screeched Yuki, one of his eyes twitching manically.

"Ummm…"

Before Yuki could respond, the carpet came out of hiding and flew towards a doorway that was concealed behind a pile of silver. It started to gesture wildly.

"Come on Yuki!" chirped Ryuichi, grabbing Yuki's arm and pulling him towards the carpet and the door.

Inside his head, Yuki was convincing himself that he was going to kill Ryuichi and hide his body in the charred carcass of the rug. This was not going to work.

Alright. Came back through to edit this chapter (found a plot point that needed editing) and accidentally screwed everything up. It's all explained in Chapter 5, so if you're reading this, you probably know what I'm talkin' 'bout.

-Amaya