Kotori was feeling at a loss. Kanoe had put her in a plane some 12 hours ago without a single word of explanation. Well, it wasn't that true, but Kotori wasn't very eager to remember what the high priestess of the Dragons of Earth had said. Actually, she hadn't understood everything, and that's what had scared her…to death.

"Kotori darling," Kanoe had said with one of her predatory smiles, "You're such a cute girl. But so shy! What a shame you let all your beauty unemployed! Such a waste…"

"Ka… Kanoe-san? What do you mean?" Kotori muttered. That woman… she was making her so unsure, so… so… stupid! More than usual, anyway.

Kanoe had smiled, and said : "That's exactly what I mean. Unable to see what's right before your eyes, Kotori-chan. How's it with Kamui-chan?"

Kotori had sighed, letting her gaze drop onto Kanoe's shoes. Red shoes. With high heels. Very high red heels. Kotori had felt her cheeks becoming even redder.

"I don't know what you mean, Kanoe-san. Kamui-chan's only some good friend of mine…"

"I've heard he didn't want you anymore, right?"

"But… ano… well…" She was feeling bad.

"Don't feel depressed, Kotori darling," Kanoe had said, "He didn't deserve you. He's a brat. But I must admit that perhaps you're just a little too… (pause) innocent, for your own good."

Really really bad.

"With all your looks and charm, you should be able to behave much better!"

"Be… better? I'm not sure I understand… What are you talking about anyway?"

It was Kanoe's turn to sigh and to mutter: "I think I begin to understand some things better now…. (Louder) I mean you should act more like a woman and not like a little lamb! (Kotori startled) Some men are fond of little blond lambs, birds or whatever-cute-and-helpless-thing-you-want, but that's not how a real woman makes her way in the world. And I like you Kotori darling. I really like you…"

Kotori gulped.

"… And I want you to learn what power your looks give you upon people. You don't want to use your powers as a Dreamgazer ("that old discussion again", silently sighed Kotori), at least learn to use your natural woman's powers!"

Kanoe had taken a step forward, and held her hand to touch Kotori's cheek.

"I've got a present for you."

"A… a present?"

"Yeah, exactly. A nice present. It was hard to obtain, and I hope you'll enjoy it."

"What is it?" Kotori asked, already fearing something nasty.

"A trip," Kanoe answered, "A nice trip in the desert. There is a palace in this desert. And a room checked for you in this palace. And this (she showed the girl a key coming from what seemed mere space), is the key of your room."

Kotori stared at the key in sheer amazement. It was huge, twice as long as Kotori's hand, without any ornamentation on it. It seemed made of iron, but she couldn't be sure for she hadn't the slightest clue about how an iron key was supposed to look. Was it supposed to have any special look, anyway? Kanoe let the key fall between her hands. God, it was heavy!

"So, what do you think of my present? Once in your room, it's up to you darling. Use my present please, and come back more… err… experienced. No one has ever come unsatisfied of such a trip. They all say it made them grow up."

Kotori was listening very carefully. What crazy idea had crossed Kanoe's mind again? Last week, she had tried to kiss her, hadn't she? Kotori had screamed and cried, and Kanoe had retreated, almost as shocked as she was. Surely, Kanoe must have been out of her mind. She couldn't have meant it… The entire week, Kanoe had been avoiding her, and now, there was this strange present… If she was trying to apologize, she was using a wrong way, Kotori could swear… but she didn't want to be impolite. Her father had taught her good manners. So she kept the key. It was a way of making one's apologizes after all. She thanked Kanoe, who beamed. And smiled like a succubus.

"Ne, Kotori-darling, I'm sure you'll like my present. Please tell me about it when you come back. I'm dying to know about what you'll learn. Please? And I hope you'll show me what you'll have learnt!"

Kotori had promised… and immediately felt sorry when seeing Kanoe's hungry eyes.

Anyway, Kanoe didn't leave her any time to think about it. 15 minutes later, Kotori was in Kanoe's private plane, heading for an unknown place, far away in the desert.

"But…" Kotori realised, "Why a palace in a desert? There's nothing to do in the desert! Kanoe must think I need real vacation far from the others… and Kamui." Since the end of the Holy War, he wasn't the same boy anymore. He had been avoiding her for the several past months, finally confessing he didn't love her. He kept hanging around the other Dragons, like her brother or Sumeragi-san… not seeing her.

She began crying. Her life was hell. Really. Nothing worst could ever happen to her. She prepared herself for the boriest vacations of her life.

Kotori was standing right at the entrance of the palace. She had never seen anything similar. First, it was really big (as she had expected it to be). But it also was truly beautiful, outside and inside, and she didn't dare to put a foot on its ground. She couldn't find any word to describe it. "It's like a castle in a fairy tale!!" she thought. A beautiful man came to take her luggage and check her identity. She gave him her key.

"You've got the Gemini Key," the man said, "Congratulations Monou-sama! The Gemini Key is, if I may say so, a very good choice."

She smiled by reflex, dazzled by the beauty of the palace. How could such a place exist in the middle of the desert?? It was surprising… nearly frightening.

Another man led her to her room. He was holding the Gemini Key ("what a weird name, and why do they name their keys anyway?") on a silver plate, and held it to her when they stopped before a door.

"Please have your key my lady," the man said, "And enjoy your stay in the Palace."

She took the key and used it to open the door. She came in.

At first, she didn't see much. Half or more of the spacious room was disappearing in the darkness, while the other side (in which she was standing, confused) was filled with sunlight. She took a couple of steps forward, looking around. The part of the room she was standing in was bright, pale, white walls and pale-coloured and beautiful furniture, with slight hints of blue and green. Something blue was shining in the middle of the room. The other side of her room… well, it was kinda strange. The sun was shining brightly, but it was dark as a night's sky. It must be her imagination, but she was seeing stars on the ceiling. What a strange room… and where was the bed?

"I hope it is not on the dark side", Kotori thought. "I'm scared! I don't like that dark side, it's… abnormal…"

She took a deep breath and decided to look at that scary dark side. She looked at the ceiling while walking, and saw the stars again. She began to get quite confused. She didn't know if she was liking her room or not… she felt rather as she hated it. Kanoe really had weird ideas…

"Welcome Mistress!" a clear voice let out Kotori jumped, her foot slipped, and she fell…

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!! Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp!!!!!!!!" She couldn't scream any more since water was submerging her.

"Oh no, it's my nightmare resuming!"

A strong hand ("Kakyou-san!!" she felt the urge to scream, but she couldn't since her mouth was full of water) grabbed her and took her out of the water without any visible effort. She rolled on the room floor, vomiting the water she had just drunk.

"Are you OK Mistress?" a worried voice said. "Just tell me you're OK! Should I get someone? Mistress!!"

She hiccuped, opened her eyes to see one of the most beautiful faces she had ever seen.

"Ah, Mistress," the beautiful being said, "I'm so glad you're not hurt! They told me to prepare the bathing pool for you, but had I known you would fall into it, I…"

"Excuse-me…" Kotori interrupted, "But what are you talking about? They didn't mention any servant in my room and…" she paused, and coughed.

"Mistress, you'll catch a cold! Please let me put new clothes on you!"

"What?" She looked at that beautiful boy's face, with his beautiful green eyes and dark hair, she looked twice, and saw exactly the same.

"Let me dress you Mistress. You seem tired and all."

She stood up, her legs shaking. Who was this boy? Why was he here? And what was he… what insanity was he saying?????

" There must have been a mistake," she muttered.

"What mistake Mistress?," the boy said, surprised.

"You've got the Gemini Key, or you couldn't have entered the room. And now, you've got me."

"But who are you!!" she nearly screamed.

"I'm Souichi," the boy said with a charming smile. "And I'm your sex slave. Please to meet you Mistress. May I ask your…"

But Kotori had already fainted.

Souichi looked at the girl at his feet.

"She's such beautiful a mistress, he thought, "But she seems very shy. A little… dumb, perhaps? But she has beautiful hair…"

He picked her up, and brought her to the bed, which was (as Kotori has feared it), in the dark side of the room, a beautiful bed with dark blue canopy and curtains. He watched her, wondering if she would be a nice Mistress to him. He didn't know why, but he wasn't sure she was in a place made for her… but it wasn't his role to argue. She was the Mistress, and he was his Slave. Unless she should give him to someone else, but… He began to undress her.

Quickly, she awoke. Quite painfully.

"My God, she thought, "I thought it was over with all those scary dreams…" She opened her eyes, and saw it wasn't over.

"I'm glad you're awake Mistress," Souichi said. "I changed your clothes."

"You undressed me???" she nearly cried. "You touched me??? You undressed me!!! Hentai!!!!!"
Souichi stared at the hysterical girl, shocked. What the hell…

"You could have caught a cold Mistress," he tried to explain. "I…"

"I want to get out!!!!!! Let me get out!!!!!!"

"But…"

Kotori jumped out of the bed and ran to the only door. "Let me out, let me out, I don't want to stay here!! Let me out!!"

Souichi followed her, stunned.

"But Mistress, I'm just your slave, don't worry. If I've done anything wrong, please let me know and I'll repair…" Kotori opened the door with all her strength and ran through the corridors, screaming : "Help!!! Heeeeelp!!!!!! Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp!!!!"

She screameded until two servants reach her and calmed her down. She was getting truly hysterical. She was put on a plane, and came back to Japan, crying, shaking, and cursing Kanoe front the bottom of her soul. WHO exactly did she think she was?? And that hentai boy in his scary room… Hentai!! All of them!!! A sex slave?? And what next??

Once in Japan, she went to see Hokuto-san. The girl was sometimes strange, but she trusted her. She didn't want to see Kanoe and give the Key back. She didn't have the strength. She would ask Hokuto to do it for her. For sure, she would understand.

Hokuto stared at the key, listening Kotori telling her story. She looked at Kotori, then at the Key, then at Kotori again.

"So you want me to get rid of that key, right?" she asked.

"Yes, please, even touching it makes me sick! Please give it to Kanoe or send it back to the Palace, but please…."

"OK, OK, I understand."

Kotori was a nice girl, but sometimes, she was so… irritating, always crying and whining.

"What you want from me is to take the Key and manage so as you'll never see it again, right? That's OK for me," Hokuto said, refraining herself from shining with joy. Kotori didn't know what wonderful present she had just given her…

"Really???? Oh, thanks Hokuto-san!!!! I was sooooo scared! I couldn't have stand to…"

"Ok, OK Kotori-chan, that's OK. Now go home and take a rest, ne?"

"Thanks again," Kotori insisted, and she went home, relieved. She didn't want to hear of the Key or Kanoe anymore. Never again!!

As soon as Kotori had left her house, Hokuto jumped on the phone. Half an hour later, Arashi, Karen and Yuzuriha were sitting in front of her, giggling madly at the story she was telling them.

"And then Kotori left me with the Key, with one of those damned Keys I have been in need for so long!!"

"What did you need that Key," Yuzuriha asked "You don't have any problem to date the most beautiful boys!"

"I thought such a key could do wonders on my little brother!" Hokuto said. "But since he has Sei-chan, I don't want to use it for him anymore."

"So what's your plan?" Karen asked.

"Don't you think one of the Dragon would be in need of a little…affection? One poor lonely boy…"

"Kamui-chan," Yuzuriha stated. "He's been very lonely lately… I feel sorry for him."

"I do, too," Karen said. "So you want to give him the key, don't you?"

"Exactly!!!" Hokuto beamed. "He's a little shy sometimes, and he needs someone. I think we should put him in the first plane, without telling him anything, or he won't come. What do you think, Arashi-san? You haven't spoken yet…"

"I'm wondering… Do you really want to give Kamui a slave? Hokuto, we're talking about slave and slavery! Not about toys! I'm sorry, I'm not okay with that, not at all, and if I knew where this palace was, I would…"

"Arashi-san," Hokuto interrupted, "I understand. I HATE slavery either. I understand that you want to destroy the palace. However, don't you think that Kamui would do it better than you would -should he choose to do it -? We have a key, and a sad boy. Just give the sad boy the key, and let's see what he'll do with it… and with the slave and the palace. After all, Kamui can do whatever he wishes… Maybe he'll find some happiness in the desert… Ne?"

It was Kamui's turn to sit in the plane, wondering about Hokuto's words. Had he had any choice, he wouldn't have gone. But it was Hokuto he was talking of, and when she had something in mind, no one could make her shut up.

"She told me to go and enjoy myself… in the desert?? She must have gone crazy… except she is crazy for long."

He sighed, thinking of Hokuto's brother. He already missed Subaru's gentleness… even if Subaru had become very withdrawn since Seishiro Sakurazukamori's return. Kamui knew he would never have any chance with Subaru as long as the Sakurazukamori was alive… and he was, damn it! And Fuuma… Fuuma who couldn't even look at him. Who was feeling guilty from the bottom of his painful heart, and couldn't bear standing next to him. Everyone was avoiding him. Why hadn't he died at the End of the World? Now, he was reminding everyone of those painful days, living remain of their suffering. He felt he could die from sheer loneliness. Finally, he thought, perhaps Hokuto was the only person who continued to take care of him. Sorata and Arashi had, too, for a little while, but they were now living together in a apartment near Tokyo. Far away from his daily life, from his never-ending distress and suffering. He felt so miserable… and going in… in… holidays (the word seemed nearly obscene to his ravaged mind)!! As if his life could be changed by a 15-day-vacation! He would come back to Tokyo, perhaps after having had some nice rest, and his life would resume, as dark and gloomy as it was before his departure. And he hated desert, sand and heat. Not only was he feeling depressed, but Kamui, the Saviour of the World, also began to get very, very angry… Dangerously angry for his surroundings, anyway.

Once arrived, Kamui threw a dark glance to the palace. For what use did they build such a thing in the middle of nowhere?? For the pleasure of rich people searching an escape to their little dull life… what a waste of money and possibilities! A castle in the desert… how much had it cost??? He was beginning to hate this place with all his heart. Hokuto was going to hear about it as soon as he would be back home… well, back at what he used to call a home. He walked in the entrance hall without looking around him. All he wanted was to get his room and to have a rest before leaving. He gave his key, this stupid heavy key, to the man behind the counter.

"So you're the new Owner of the Gemini Key," the man stated. "We've been informed by Lady Monou of her yielding of her Key to you, Shirou-sama. Please enjoy your stay."

Kamui said nothing. Hokuto hadn't said a word upon Kotori, and he didn't really want to know what part the young blond girl had played in all this. He had been sorry to push her away, but he didn't love her anymore… and knowing that she was suffering of his lack of affection made him more depressed and unjustly angry against her. He followed a servant to his room, opened the door and slammed it against the wall, letting the key fall on the ground.

He looked at his room, feeling some of his anger disappearing. It wasn't as bad as he thought it would. A little weird perhaps, but he liked that. The room was divided in two parts, he could see clearly : one filled with daylight, the other one filled with darkness. In the middle of the room was a huge bathing pool, exactly what he enjoyed. The bed was on the dark side (Kamui had very good eyes you know, what could you have expected from the saviour of the world? To wear big glasses? Wouldn't have been very exciting! ^^;;), and it seemed to be in the old-fashioned style, with canopy and curtains falling gracefully to the ground. They were dark. Kamui immediately loved them. He loved the room.

Feeling tired, he went (nearly run) to the bed and let himself fall in it, giving in to sleep at once. He was sooooo tired… he could sleep days.

He hadn't even noticed the young man who had been desperately trying to talk to him, and who was now sighing heavily, feeling himself inexplicably very tired.

Kamui awoke in the middle of the night. Well, it must have been the middle of the night, since he was starving as if he hadn't had any proper dinner. Which was exactly the case. He stood up, and walked a few steps in his room, trying to remember what he was doing there and why he wasn't in his room lamenting his fate like the past few months. He felt rested and in good spirits. Until he stumbled over something lying on the ground. He fell.

"What the hell?!?"

He heard a moan, somebody (the something he had just walk over) waking up.

"Oh, is that you Mis… Master?" The sleepy voice was unsure.

"Who are you?" Kamui growled. "What are you doing in my room??"

The man - for the voice was one of a man - stood up and went to turn on the light on the dayside of the room. Kamui saw a tall young man, in his late teens he thought, with a beautiful olive skin and really nice black hair… just like Subaru's or Fuuma's. The boy was dressed in a green pair of pyjamas, which did really good on him. He had a worried look on his face.

"Are you alright Master?"

Kamui came near to him, very curious. It was a long time he hadn't felt curious toward another human being. But this boy was… striking. And definitely much taller than him he stated, once he had approached him.

"I asked you who you were."

"I'm your slave Master. My name's Souichi, and I'm here only for your pleasure."

"…" Kamui was apparently thinking hard.

"I… I hope," Souichi continued, destabilised by Kamui's lack of answer - but it was an improvement after his previous Mistress' fear - "I hope I'll suit you, for my previous Owner, your friend, Sir, didn't seem to like me very much and…"

Still no answer from Kamui. Souichi stopped. He was beginning to worry. He had seen his Master come to his room, jumping on the bed without noticing his attempts to catch his attention. So he slept on the floor and his new Master fell on him in the dark. Had he broken his head? He was acting quite strangely…

"Master?"

"…"

"Master, please answer me!"

"Could you repeat everything you said from the very beginning and very slowly? I'm sure I'm dreaming this."

"Master," Souichi insisted, "You're not dreaming. You're in the Palace, with the Gemini Key, your humble slave. Please forgive me, I was sleeping on the floor and…"

"So it's your room here?" Kamui interrupted.

"Err… Yes, Master, except that now it's all yours, and so am I."

"'Master'… 'Slave'… you mean you're my servant, don't you? OK? But why did you sleep on the floor? Don't you have your own bed?"

Souichi sighed, preventing his irritation growing. "Master, I'm not your servant, I'm your slave. Your sex slave. That's why there's only one bed here. You can do anything to me, as long as you want to!" He saw confusion in his master's eyes.

"I can't believe it…" he muttered. "A sex slave??? Are all the rooms in the palace inhabited by… it's a brothel, isn't it?"

"Not exactly Master," Souichi answered. "But yes, there is a slave in each room. That's what you paid for when you came here, didn't you know?"

"That's… disgusting!" Kamui yelled. "I can't believe such a place is real… AND I CAN'T BELIEVE HOKUTO BROUGHT ME HERE!!!!!!! DAMN YOU HOKUTO!! DAMN YOU DAMN YOU DAMN YOU!!!!!"

Kamui was shouting out of anger, feeling bitterly deceived. He hated when people made a fool of him. Concentrated on his sole anger, he wasn't noticing the change in his "slave's" mood. Souichi was scrutinising Kamui very carefully, as he was trying to decide whether he was worth a further explanation or not.In other words, Souichi was getting bored with all of this.