Author's Note: We're back to Japan. We're seeing two sides of how they are handling this unfolding nightmare. One side already knows what is coming and the other side is trying to escape. Poor Kiku! He never catches a break in this series and I outdid myself with this one this time. I want to see where I am going to go with this. I don't know how I keep coming up with such interesting ideas. All I know is that I like it. Next week, we will check in on Arthur, Oliver, and the nightcomers in this party from Hell. For now, enjoy this week's match.

Match Three: Meido:

Some are handling this maze better than others. Kuro and his wife are two of those people. They are just going along with this crazy plan.

Kuro

He is one of the few people who know what is going on. Kuro took his time walking through the halls. There's been no one in sight. Gave him plenty of time to plot out his next course of action. Kuro took his time with his trip around the house. Everything had been chill around him. Then again, this has happened before, hasn't it?

He couldn't help but smile to himself.

However, it doesn't last long. His wife managed to track him down again and she had to come to the party. Kuro rolled his eyes.

"Does she have to be everywhere I have to be?" he asked himself. The man sighed and rubbed his temples. Kumiko was going to fuck up his plans. That woman never truly listened to him. She may look sweet and elegant, but Kuro knew better. Some would be wise to say that he might even be scared of her. Not that he would admit it though. Still, he would rather not cross her. It wasn't pretty.

Kuro shook his head. This wasn't going to work if he was going to do what he needed to do. However, there were other things the Japanese man had to work on. He pulled out his pocket watch. The hands weren't moving. Kuro held the watch to his ear. There was no ticking coming from it either. He took another look at the watch.

"Heh," he said. Time finally stopped in this place. Now the show could really begin. Kuro shoved his watch back into his pocket. He began walking down the hall again. The Kumiko situation was going to have to take a backseat.

He had to see how this little adventure was going to unfold. Suddenly, Kuro stopped in his tracks.

"Oh, fancy seeing you here," he said.

Kumiko

She lost track of her husband again. Oh dear. This would not do. Kumiko found herself alone in another room. She didn't remember which door she used to get in here. There was just a door and she went inside. There was nothing in this room.

"Hm," the woman said. She had a disappointed look on her face. Kuro wasn't in here. That was no good. Kumiko turned and walked out of the room while there was still a door. The woman was back in the hallway. This time, she went back the way she came. Probably not a good choice, but what else could she do?

Kumiko frowned as she got lost in thought.

"I don't like this hallway," she said. Kumiko waved her hand in the air. Pink cherry blossoms filled the air. They all floated around her. A little smile came across her face.

"That's better," she said. A nice smell filled the air. Kumiko smiled as she took it all in. She twirled around and giggled to herself. Maybe she could redesign the house and make it look so much better. Feliciano wouldn't mind. She too knew the secret of this house. How long would they figure it out as well?

She turned when she heard a sound down the hall.

"Hm? Hello?" Kumiko frowned as she turned around for a better look.

"I know you are there, dear," she said. "Why don't you come out and show yourself?" The woman paused as she waited. Well that didn't work. Kumiko shrugged her shoulders.

Oh well.

The woman continued her walk down the hall. Where the hell was she going to go now? Kumiko frowned as she waved her hand in the air. More cherry blossoms appeared in the air. A little smile came across her face.

"Much better," she said. She walked as she hummed a little tune to herself. It didn't take her long to come across a deep red door. Kumiko perked up when she could sense something inside.

"This will do just fine," she said. The woman walked up to the door and went inside.

Kiku

He's been trapped in the mirrors this whole time. Kuro somehow managed to drag him to this party. No one could see or hear him. That didn't stop him from trying to reach out. He could see what was coming next. Kiku had to warn them someone, anyone.

But they can't hear him.

That's not the only problem on his plate. Kiku paused just as he was about to knock on the glass again. He didn't want to look. Every inch of his being screamed at him not to. He really shouldn't have. But he just had to look, didn't he?

Kiku looked out of the corner of his eye. There wasn't anything physically behind him. Still, he could feel the breath on his back.

"And what do we have here?" a woman's voice asked. The Japanese man couldn't answer. His body tensed up. A soft laughter ran down the back of his neck.

"My, my, my. What an interesting toy I have."

"Toy?"

More laughter rattled in his ears. Kiku lifted his chin and faced forward. He forced himself to not turn around. His body began to tremble.

"What to do with you first?"

"Huh?" He shouldn't be talking to her. He needed to get out of here. But there was no exit. Kuro had him trapped in the mirror good. The Japanese man still hadn't figured out how his double did it.

"You're not getting out of here."

Kiku pressed his lips together. "Why is that?" A pair of graceful hands wrapped around his body. He went stiff all over. He wanted to push her off. His spine might as well be made of ice. That laughter danced in his ear.

"You belong to us now."

"No…" The color drained from his face. He could feel his heart pounding against his chest. Kiku slowly shook his head. Nails started to sink into his chest. His heart pounded faster.

"No, I don't think you understand. You belong to us now."

"No!" That's when he got a good look at his captor. Skin paler than the brightest light. The black hair seemed to float around such a creature. Its red eyes glowed in the glass. The gold cross earrings gleamed in the emptiness. The black and pale cream gown was falling off the body. The creature's reflection reached out for Kiku's chest as well.

"What… What are you?"

The creature laughed again. "We are the Wasteland." Kiku felt his body sinking backward. He didn't even get a chance to scream out. The Japanese man fell into a sea of endless black and vanished.

Meanwhile, the creature shut its eyes. Its other half flew into the main body. Flames erupted from the body and swallowed it whole. The fire rose into the air, leaving nothing in its wake. A form of Kiku took its place. The new Japan opened his eyes. He looked down at his hands and his body. He flexed his fingers and his hands. "Kiku" stretched his neck from side to side. He rolled back his shoulders. He stretched out his arms and legs. A little smile came onto his face.

Perfect.

The new Japan turned and began walking along his own path.

Sena

Sena was at her limit with her patience. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists.

"I'm getting sick of this bullshit!" she shouted. Sena didn't want to come to this party anyway. They talked her into it. Who was they? Kuro for starters. She gave him a suspicious look.

"Really?" she asked. "Why?" Sena wasn't stupid. She knew this wasn't her husband. What the hell was he playing at this time? Kuro kind of shrugged.

"I don't know," he said. "Just thought that you would like to get out for a change."

"Really?" Sena asked again. Kuro as Kiku slowly nodded. His "wife" narrowed her eyes. He gave her a cheesy grin. Sena rolled her eyes. This man wasn't going to stop, was he? Sena threw up her hands.

"Whatever," she said.

And now she was here. Sena cursed herself under her breath.

"Why the hell did I let him talk me into this?" she asked. The woman gritted her teeth as she kept walking. She had no idea where she was going. All that she knew was that she had enough of this shit. There was no way to make any calls. Sena hadn't seen anyone for seemingly hours. The more thought about the angrier she got.

Suddenly, Sena froze when she heard a tapping noise. It took her all not to scream.

"What is now?" she asked. Sena turned around for a look. A confused look came across her face. Where did this mirror come from? Sena walked over for a closer look. She tapped the glass as she looked more confused.

"What the fuck?" she asked. Sena tapped on the glass again. That's when something caught her eye.

"Hm?" She leaned in for a closer look. That looked like a face. Sena narrowed her eyes. Her jaw dropped.

"Kiku?" she asked. Her husband walked up to his side of the glass looking panicked. He was pounding the glass, pleading for help. Sena covered her mouth in shock.

"Kiku?! What happened to you?! Who did this to you?!" I shouted. He shouted at her like he couldn't hear her. Sena started to panic.

"Don't worry, baby," she said. "I'll get you out somehow." She started to look for a way to break the glass. Kiku pounded harder. He appeared to be screaming at the top of his lungs.

"I'm not seeing a way out," she said. Sena started looking around at her feet.

"I don't see anything to break the glass with," she said. Kiku didn't stop pounding. It was then his wife noticed that something was a bit off. Her husband looked a bit exaggerated. He probably couldn't hear her, but he would have at least responded to how she was trying to help him. Sena waved her hand in front of her husband's face. He didn't respond at first. Sena took a step back with a puzzled look on her face.

"Wait…" Sena said. "Are you really Kiku?" The Japanese man still kept pounding at first. Sena slowly shook her head as she backed up.

"No."

Suddenly, "Kiku" stopped panicking. He lowered his fist and smirked.

"Well, well, well," he said. "You're much more observant than what I thought." The woman glared at him.

"Who are you? Where the fuck is my husband?" she growled. "Kiku" put his hand to his chest.

"Your Kiku is in here with me," he said. His smirk deepened with each word.

"Give him back!" Sena shouted.

"No," the mirror said. Suddenly, the grin on "Kiku's" face stretched from ear to ear. He opened his mouth wide. He started running up to the mirror. Sena backed away and took off running. She had no plans of sticking around and seeing what was coming next.

"Oh hell no!" she shouted as she ran down the hall. The figure wasn't going to give up so easily. After all, the game had just gotten started. Why quit so early? That's not fun.

Two sides of Japan in the same ordeal. One side is trapped while the other side is waiting for what is coming next. The night is still early, however. What is going to happen next? There hasn't been enough time to call it.

Wonder what's going on over here…