The Cage
By Alison

Part 5
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*****

Die didn't hear one order that Yoshiki barked out as the doctors and
techs scrambled around the room doing everything they could to shock
Toshiya's brain back to reality. So far, nothing had been successful.

Die watched with vacant eyes, not minding that he was being shoved out
of the way by people ever other second. He eyes were still locked on
Toshiya, his love, his life. A single tear ran down his face, which he
hastily swiped away as he seemed to return to life.

"I'm going in." Everybody stopped doing what they were doing when they
heard Die's low growl.

Yoshiki frowned and stepped forward. "Die…I really don't think…"

"I don't care what you think," Die snapped as he grabbed one of the
nearby doctors, "All I know is that Toshiya's life is in danger and I
have to do something about it. There isn't anything to think about!" Die
glared and then turned and dragged the doctor with him into the other
room, where he sat down in the extra chair (that was made for this type
of thing, and for group therapy if sometimes needed) and stuck out his
arm for the doctor.

Yoshiki shook his head. He knew Die was right, but… "Die…" Yoshiki's
voice crackled over the intercom, "You know that nobody has ever been
brought back in this sort of thing…and that you will probably die also
if you do this."

Die shrugged. "I don't care. I can't just abandon Toshiya!" Besides, Die
thought as the doctor finished hooking him up, what is my life anyway if
it doesn't have Toshiya in it.

"Good luck, Die." Was the last thing he heard before he was plunged into
Kaoru's mind.

##{*}##

The smile that graced Kaoru's face as he and Toshiya lay curled up
together under the arbor slowly slipped off his face. His eyes narrowed,
he felt the change. Someone else was here.

"What is it?" Toshiya asked softly as he raised his head to look up at
Kaoru, his eyes filled with worry.

Kaoru smiled again. "Nothing. But, I think we better get dressed…we are
going to have some…company."

Toshiya nodded and pulled out of Kaoru's arms, which had been tightly
wrapped around him. He began to get back into his clothes when Kaoru
held up a hand, signaling for him to stop.

"Those clothes are so boring. You need something that will do justice to
your beauty." Kaoru told him, then studied Toshiya's nude form
thoughtfully. "How about…" His eyes narrowed a bit and a short leather
skirt and tight black top complete with black knee high boots and a
spiked collar appeared on Toshiya.

Kaoru wrinkled his nose and shook his head, the clothes disappearing,
leaving a blushing Toshiya naked again. "Those clothes made you look
like a hooker, you are better than that. How about," He narrowed his
eyes again and a dress from the 1800's clad Toshiya's body. Toshiya
twisted so he could look down at himself. "No way."

"Fine fine, how about…"

A Victorian style dress appeared next, which Toshiya also didn't like.
Kaoru snapped his fingers, "I've got it!"

Toshiya shrieked when he found himself in a black bunny suit, complete
with the ears. "Kaoru! No!" He protested, and he pulled the ears off his
head.

Kaoru fell back to the grass laughing. Toshiya huffed and stumped his
foot on the ground. "Alright alright, come here, we will get you
something nice to wear." Kaoru managed to stop laughing and held his
arms open. Toshiya sighed in defeat and sat down in Kaoru lap, his arms
instantly wrapping around Toshiya's back.

"Hmm…so what shall we dress you in?"

Toshiya giggled. "I feel like some like dress up doll you play with."

Kaoru laughed again. "Nah, I just want you to be properly dressed for
our company. So! What are you interested in, hmm?"

Toshiya shrugged. "I leave it up to you."

Kaoru grinned. "Good, that is what I wanted to hear! Well, how
about…something in dark blue…a long dress, that fits your form nicely."

"It will be like a second skin to me, you mean. That way you can use
that corny pick-up line, 'How does one get into a dress that tight'!"
Toshiya accused and he playfully smacked Kaoru's bare chest.

"You have got me figured out, Totchi chan. Now, back to your outfit. And
it will be spaghetti strapped, and from the straps up to the choker on
your next it will be a dark lace, see through, of course. Your
hair…well, we don't want it covering your beautiful face, do?" Kaoru
continued on after Toshiya nodded his head in agreement. "So…how about a
give you an elegant silver headdress? And for make up? Blue lipstick
with dark eyeliner. Sound good?"

"Hai!"

Kaoru cocked his head to the side and the outfit suddenly appeared on
Toshiya's body, every detail exactly like it had been described. Toshiya
gasped and stood up. He smiled at Kaoru and spun around.

"It's beautiful!" Toshiya exclaimed. "But…what are you going to wear?"

"Why, what I was wearing before of course!"

Toshiya stuck his tongue out at Kaoru as Kaoru began to leisurely put
his clothes back on. "How come I have to wear the fancy outfit?"

"I told you that already, you are much to beautiful to wear normal and
boring clothes." Toshiya smirked, but said nothing more as he watched
Kaoru finish dressing.

Kaoru frowned as he looked around at their surrounding. "What is it?"
Toshiya asked, as he once again noted Kaoru's displeasure.

"This place."

"What is wrong with it? I rather like it!" Toshiya said defensively as
he glared at Kaoru.

Kaoru chuckled. "Oh, it is a wonderful place. Wonderful for the stuff we
can do in it…" Toshiya blushed as Kaoru's voice turned husky and low,
but returned to normal as he began to speak again, "But…for our needs
right now, it won't do at all. We need to present ourselves properly for
our guest. I think a gothic style throne room would suit the needs."

Toshiya giggled. "Why a throne room? *We* aren't royalty!"

"Oh course not, my love, but we want to present ourselves as so. To show
who is in command here." A wicked smile spread across his face as the
things surrounding them began to twist and swirl around them. Toshiya
gasped in fear, but Kaoru took his hand and smiled at him. "Don't worry.
This is perfectly natural."

Soon the lighthearted atmosphere of the valley was replaced by a dark
ominous throne room. Behind Toshiya and Kaoru appeared two black
thrones, each topped with sharp spikes and had blood red rubies set in
them. The actual room was long and every thing in it was black, save for
the long red carpet running down the length of the room. The only light
came from the large windows, which there were plenty of, lining the
walls of the room.

Toshiya frowned and looked around the room. "I don't know, Kaoru. This
kind of seems…depressing…to have a guest."

"Well this guest was uninvited, so it really doesn't matter how we
receive him. But never mind that." He extended his hand, which Toshiya
took, and they walked done carpet to the thrones as if they really were
royalty.

Kaoru plopped down in his chair sideways, legs thrown over one arm while
his back rested against the other. Toshiya sat down in his chair more
elegantly, earning a smile from Kaoru.

"Now, my Toshiya chan," Kaoru said as he held up his hand and staring
until a crown suddenly appeared in it, "We are ready to have our guest."
Kaoru smirked as he placed the crone on his head, allowing it to fall
slightly to one side.

*

"Huh?" Panic seized Die as the world around him began to spin.

"He is with me." Diet tensed when he heard the voice, anger filled his
body as he turned around, expecting to see Kaoru, but no one was there.
"Fool, I am not here. But I am bringing you to me. He is with me. If you
really want him so bad, you will have to fight for him."

Then everything stopped. The world stopped spinning and the voice went
away. When Die turned around again, he found himself standing if front
of a large set of black doors. He took a step forward and the doors
slowly began to open, complete with the creaky 100-year-old door sound.
Die frowned, Toshiya was probably just beyond those doors, and if
Toshiya was there, Kaoru would be with him.

The hall was dark when he entered, but as he walked down the long red
carpet, torches on both sides of the chamber suddenly blazed forth. It
wasn't long until he saw Kaoru, sprawled all over a thrown, crown on
head like he was some sort of royalty, and Toshiya, sitting elegantly in
one next to Kaoru's.

"Toshiya!" Die gasped, relief washing over him when he saw that his
lover had not been harmed. Kaoru claimed that he loved the blue haired
man, but even the people they loved the most could be harmed when they
were not in their right mind.

"No no," Kaoru told Die as he held up his hand when Die began to rush
towards Toshiya. A few more steps led Die crashing into a barrier that
Kaoru had created to keep him away from Toshiya.

Die stumbled back and glared at Kaoru with flashing eyes and a curled up
lip. "You give him back. You sick bastard! You give him back to me now!"

Kaoru laughed. "Oh but it really isn't up to me. You really have to ask
Toshiya if he wants to go back. It is his life, after all."

Die narrowed his eyes in confusion. How could it be up to Toshiya. Of
course he would go back with Die! "Toshiya…" Die began slowly, convinced
that it was some kind of trick. " Come here, please? Let's go home.
Please?"

"Excuse me?" Toshiya asked, clearly not understanding the question. Who
was this person, and how did he know Toshiya's name?

Kaoru laughed again and moved so that he could stroke one of Toshiya's
cheeks with his finger. "I don't think…that Toshiya is going to be going
anywhere, do you, Die?" Kaoru grinned and his arm snaked around
Toshiya's neck, pulling the younger man in for a kiss, complete with
plenty of tongue. Kaoru smirked against Toshiya' lips when he saw Die go
pale out of the corner of his eye.

Toshiya's eyes were closed when they pulled apart, and small smile
danced across his lips as his face took a pink hue. Slowly his eyes
opened and he found Kaoru staring at him, a smile on his face and his
eyes filled with love. Toshiya blushed even more and allowed Kaoru to
take his hand.

"Kaoru…" Die began when Kaoru turned his attention back to him. Die's
voice was shaky with anger as he spoke. "When I get a hold of you you
are going to wish that you had never laid on eyes on Toshiya. I am going
to kill you. I am going to pull you limb from limb and then shove all
the pieces down your throat."

Kaoru smirked as he made a clicking noise of disapproval. "Die! Such
harsh words!"

"And I mean everyone of them. Now give me back my boyfriend."

"You want him? You can have him. But what are you going to do? How are
you going to leave?"

Kaoru turned to Toshiya and released the younger man's hand. "Go on
Toshiya, go to your koi."

"Kaoru…what do you mean?" Toshiya asked as he looked from Kaoru to Die
and then back to Kaoru.

Kaoru smiled. "Don't worry. You will understand eventually." He leaned
over and kissed Toshiya lightly on the cheek before giving him a gentle
shove in Die's direction.

Toshiya walked over to Die unsure of what he was doing, but kept going
because Kaoru had told him too. When he reached Die, the other man
pulled Toshiya into a tight hug, leaving a puzzled expression on his
face, but a warm feeling in his heart. That bothered Toshiya. And it
bothered Kaoru that Toshiya didn't pull away like expected.

Die smiled at Toshiya and grabbed his hand. Still smiling he pressed the
button in Toshiya's palm. His smiled didn't last long, however. Die
frowned when after a few minutes they were still in Kaoru's head. He
pressed Toshiya's palm again and again, but nothing happened.

"I won't let him go." Kaoru said softly, his eyes locking with Die's. "I
can't let you take him from me. I can't."

"You…you are doing this. How? Why won't it work." Die growled.

"Don't you understand? Can't you remember? Oh, of course not. We took
care of you too. Just like Toshiya, we made sure that you wouldn't
remember anything. That is when you took him from me."

"What are you talking about?" Die shouted. "I have never seen you in my
life. I don't know you! And I didn't 'take' Toshiya from anyone. You
have to let him go! He will die if he stays in here! He will waste away
in the real world! You will kill him! Is that what you want? You are
going to kill him! You say you love him so much, then why are you doing
this? Let him go!"

"Shut up!" Kaoru screamed and clutched at his head as if he were in
pain. Suddenly Die flew backwards, as if someone had just slammed into
him, shoving him to the ground.

Die groaned and he too clutched at his head. Pain rippled trough his
skull as he sat up. Another groan wrenched itself from his lips as he
saw Kaoru sitting on the ground, still clutching his head as Toshiya sat
next to him, kissing his hands and face as he murmured words of comfort
into Kaoru ear.

Kaoru looked up, as if he knew Die was watching them. Toshiya's gaze
followed. "You want to know?" Kaoru asked, his voice hardly more that a
whisper, but Die heard. "You want to know how I can keep him hear, and
why the fancy escape button in his hand won't work? You want to know how
all of us are connected? Do you? Do you want to know why Toshiya was
with you instead of me, even though we were lovers before he even met
you? Would you like to know? Do you want to know why I had to give him
up? Why we had to make sure that you two wouldn't remember?"

"Yes. Do tell me Kaoru. Tell me why you are doing this. What makes you
so special, huh? And what makes you think that you can just waltz in
here and claim Toshiya as your."

"Why don't we start off with why you can't leave." Kaoru smirked. "I
think that is a pretty interesting topic, don't you? Tell me Die, what
do you know about The Cage? What did they teach you? Who made it? Why?
What happened to that person?"

Die rolled his eyes but played along, realizing that he was at Kaoru's
mercy, and that until he had a fail proof plan to get out of here, with
Toshiya, he had better do what Kaoru said. "The Cage was created by a
man named Kyo. He was fascinated by the minds of the insane. He created
the program to go in their mind and have a look around, see what made
them the way they are. The last time he went in, he got lost in the mind
of the man. He died. And that is what is going to happen to Toshiya if
you don't let him go!"

Kaoru ignored that last comment and pulled Toshiya onto his lap, earning
a glare from Die. "You know what ticks me off? That they never tell you
everything. The man who's head he went into was his lover. Kyo loved
Shinya more that anything on earth, and Shinya felt just as strongly.
But they never tell you that. But there are always evil people out
there. Those evil people…who want nothing more than to ruin your hard
earned happiness. That is what happened. And Shinya didn't want to loose
Kyo.

"Shinya knew exactly how the machine worked since, after all, it was his
lover who made it. And one time Kyo went in…Shinya never let him out. He
didn't want to lose Kyo. But they died happily. They died together.
Isn't that how you would want to go? Wrapped in the arms of the one you
love. It was heaven for them. Until one day…it just ended. Just like
that. No one felt pain, no one felt loss. Just…nothing. It was over.
They were dead. But nobody ever tells that side of the story. They don't
want you to know that a person can control The Cage from inside. No.
Then who would want to use it.

"You know, when I was younger, my brother and I-"

"You never told me you had a brother!" Toshiya twisted around to stare
at Kaoru who smiled back and placed a quick kiss on Toshiya lips.

"Well, he was older than with me and lived on his own. I never got to
see him much because of my uncle. But when I ran away…and when I cut
school I met with him."

"Oh."

Kaoru smiled lovingly at Toshiya again and then turned his attention
back to Die. "When I was young, my brother and I always dreamed of
becoming famous together. We wanted to do something big! But then my
damn uncle got in the way and things got all fucked up. It was eight
years before I saw my brother next. Eight years! Boy…he sure had changed
a lot. But do you know what, Die?"

"What?" A mixture of venom and boredom laced Die's voice.

"He had done it. He had found away to become famous. And when I next saw
him, he wasn't along. He had a pretty boyfriend now. And it shocked me
how devoted they were to each other, and to my brother's creation."
Kaoru smirked again and planted a kiss on the back Toshiya's neck,
earning a purr of delight from the other man, while he waited for the
information to register in Die's brain.

And suddenly it did. Die gasped. "You mean you brother was…KYO?!"

"Hai. So you see Die, The Cage is more than just a machine to me, it is
a family heirloom. I know it inside out, and until I say so, no one is
going anywhere."

*****

Oh my god!!! But I bet you all saw that one coming, huh? -.- Stay tuned
until next time! When we will find out what the heck Kaoru is talking
about. Perhaps he swallowed to much sea water when he was thrown into
the ocean in a box. ^^;;;

-Alison

PS: TO ALL AUTHORS!!!! If you have a J-Rock related web page please send
me the link so I can put it in the links page at the archive, kay??
Thanks!! ^_^

...to be continued...

email Alison

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