Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ XX09 ❯ Section 0.5 ( Chapter 5 )
[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: Chibizoo 
Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Sci-fi | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 01.26.2003 | Pages: 6 | Words: 3.6K | Visits: 175 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Sci-fi | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 01.26.2003 | Pages: 6 | Words: 3.6K | Visits: 175 | Status: Completed
Author's notes:
Disclaimer: I own whatever I want to own. End of story.
**************************************
Entry 0.5
It had taken a while before Yuugi had mustered enough courage to even snap
from his initial shock. He had remembered going into the room at the end of the
corridor, to meet some "Seto Kaiba" entity, and entered a strange dimension called
the Game. Everything else was a blurry mess. Nevertheless, he was where he started
from, in the humming, buzzing lair just moments before he had heard Seto Kaiba's
disembodied voice taunting him. This was where it had all started.
The silvery barrier had intrigued the boy for a while, to the point where he
tentatively brushed his fingers against the strange substance. His hands went right
through, disappearing into the opaque-white fabric with a slight ripple. Startled, the
boy withdrew his hand, backing away from the barrier while gazing uneasily at its
surface. He could have sworn that his reflection was laughing at him.
Yuugi turned around, scanning the room around him. Nothing had changed
since he had left, well, nothing save the weird mirror-like barrier. And he definitely
wasn't going to prod around _that_ anymore. A pang of guiltiness swept through the
boy's chest as he thought of Jounochi and Anzu. Where were they now? Maybe, he
was supposed to meet them outside, just like they had promised. In fact, they were
probably waiting for him now.
With a determined nod, though it looked quite ludicrous, nodding to oneself,
Yuugi slipped out of the room, grabbing a torch on one side of the wall to help
navigate him through the long, darkened hallway. The trek was just as foreboding,
even more frightening now, due to the absence of company. Yuugi shuddered slightly,
both hands clenched tightly to his torch. The firelight flickered and wavered around
his features, bathing his face in a warm glow of yellow-orange light. He gulped
slightly, placing hesitant feet in front of him, stopping at every few paces to nervously
glance behind him. He was alone in the darkness, and unprotected. A million things
could emerge from the shrouded walls and attack him, clawing at his face or
swallowing him into an eternal pit.
Yuugi took another few steps before fretfully looking behind him once more.
Having given himself that much reassurance, the small boy continued his way down
the wall, jerking uncomfortably like a wooden puppet. The hairs on the back of his
neck prickled, some in sensitivity, some in anticipated fear.
This corridor seemed different from the one he had entered. For one, it was
much longer, and there was no longer a still waterway running parallel to the path.
True, the cavernous corridor was still as damp and dark, but this one was jaggedly
unkept and isolated, rather than trim and tidy like the previous. Having made these
comparisons, Yuugi's mind searched for another topic to bide his time, and fear.
At last, he saw it. There, at the very end, was a tiny pinprick of light. Slowly
but surely, it grew into a molehill, and then a cavernous entrance. With a relieved
sigh, Yuugi bounded towards the exit, rushing towards the light as fast as his legs
could carry him.
He hit the exit in a dazzling flash of pure white light and fresh air, the stunning
sensations leaving the boy momentarily overwhelmed. He blinked several times,
squinting to adjust to the light.
The small boy was facing a grey-blue sky, still complete with ruined buildings
and scattered remnants of strange monuments. Yuugi quickly stepped into the light,
all too eager to get out from the frightening tunnel. Broken pieces of pavement and
dust scattered and clunked whenever the boy's feet touched their territory, protesting
in muffled clicks. Yuugi looked up, catching a glimpse of a lone creature flying in the
sky. He had never seen anything like it: it was a large, grey-white bird, wingspan
easily a meter in length.
A slip of memory, freed by the bird's image, slipped from his mind's
impenetrable wall of ignorance, releasing its meaning to the boy. The word made its
way through his body until it echoed in his soul.
"Albatross." Yuugi said the word out loud, "It is a bird of the divine, used to
lead voyagers to their true destinations."
As if hearing its name, the albatross spiralled downwards in a dizzying arc,
stopping to wheel a few times over a location a few yards away from the boy. Then,
the bird arched its long, curvaceous wings, flapping a few times before disappearing
into the skies once more.
Blinking a few times in momentary awe, the boy finally recovered, making his
way towards the abatross's indication. The area had been barricaded somewhat by
piles of debris, so that Yuugi had to climb over some of the larger pillars, slipping
onto the ground at the other side with a soft thump. He dusted his pants before
looking up. There, in front of him, was an underground staircase. The opening was
inscribed onto the ground, the rest of it disappearing into the darkness below, always
followed by the set of stairs.
However, Yuugi recognized this opening. It was one of the hidden pathways
to the Shelter; the very same one Anzu and Jounochi had shown him. With a
determined nod, the small boy stepped inside, easing down the steps to retreat back
into the darkness. This time, he was not worried. He knew that Jounochi and Anzu
were waiting for him, inside the Shelter.
********************************
Tap. Tap. Tap.
His feet made sharp clicks against the solid stone tiles as they descended into
the cavern below. Now, Yuugi could see a flicker of light ahead. It was not the
brilliant, overwhelming glare of sunlight but a rather pale glimmer; green and
somewhat sickly in tone. The boy timidly approached the entrance to the Shelter, feet
slowing to a sluggish, tentative pace. He was slightly afraid of the others; the Hybrids
as they were called. He was a human, the last of his species, feared and hated by
some. Yuugi was not like them.
Perhaps he should just leave. The others would never accept him; he was too
different. A small sigh escaped the boy's lips. He simply did not belong here, Shelter
or no Shelter.
Yet, there was Jounochi and there was Anzu. He owed them so much, and
now, could he really be reluctant to approach them?
'It is better to face your fears than to hide them and be forever ignorant', a
voice in his mind warned, oddly detached from the boy's main stream of thoughts.
Yuugi couldn't help but agree. Taking a deep breath, the boy dared himself into the
mouth of the cavern, forcing himself to walk into the Shelter and ignore the staring
eyes of its inhabitants.
There was no one.
Yuugi blinked. He looked around, mind not registering at first. The entire
Shelter, once alive with thousands of bustling individuals, moving like a sea of life,
was completely desolate. It was as if a gigantic hand had swerved down to swoop
upon the Shelter and rid it of its population in a single swipe.
But now, it was more than obvious.
Flames flickered and burned everywhere, some dancing in vulgar delight. The
buildings were no better than ruins, newly devastated, but unnervingly similar to the
ancient carnage outside. The pool of water had been upset, now a marble of black and
ruby swirls, as the moss too was splattered in stains of ochre-crimson. Thick plumes
of smoke wafted around the bundles of flames, touching the broken buildings as if
confirming their loss.
It was impossible.
Yuugi blinked, rubbing his eyes, trying to clear his mind away from the horrid
sight.
The Shelter had been destroyed.
Not just the Shelter itself but its thousands of inhabitants. They had been
easily wiped out, smitten by a single, crushing blow, prospering city littered into a
million broken pieces.
And then, a startling panic gripped the boy's mind. It started as only a nagging
subconscious reaction, though it soon grew into fear and then an intense trepidation.
Jounochi and Anzu - they lived in the Shelter! They couldn't be-
Yuugi cut off the last thought, breaking into a full-out run. Flashes of
flickering crimson and yellow, blocked by darkness and grey rubble swerved around
his vision, like a kaleidoscope of destruction.
Several ragged figurines shot through his vision, but Yuugi ignored them.
Only one objective burned in his mind.
There, between two crumbling pillars swathed by a wreath of flames was a
glint of golden fur.
Yuugi's heart leapt, both in fear and excitement. "Jounochi!" The boy
screamed, running towards the image. The golden head jerked at the sound, pointed
ears prickling slightly in acute awareness.
Yuugi sighed as he approached the blonde lycanthrope. Jounochi was safe! He
eagerly ran towards the other, stopping short a few paces in front of the other.
Jounochi's face had been shrouded by his long, rugged hair; back bent so that
he kneeled on all fours. Now, for the first time during this encounter, the blonde
Hybrid turned his downcast eyes towards the boy. They were bloodshot and sorrowful
eyes, reflecting an indescribable anguish, coloured a dull, watery hazel.
Yuugi recoiled in slight shock. This was not the Jounochi he had known. He
remembered the happy, smiling, eagerly optimistic Hybrid, and compared it with the
haunted face of this one. No, there was no relationship between this, this stranger, and
his Jounochi.
And yet, the other acknowledged the boy. "Yuugi." The tone sounded dull,
zombie-like. "I-I…" Suddenly, Jounochi choked back a muffled sob, voice cracking
with unrestrained emotion. His face contorted into what seemed like a feral grin,
canines flashing wildly under the flickering flames. Yuugi knew better than that; it
was not a smile but a grimace of absolute grief.
Terror struck the boy's heart. The expression on the other's face, it was as if
Jounochi had lost half his soul. And then, there was that other issue at hand…
"Jounochi, where's Anzu?"
Silence. That, and the light roaring flicker of flames.
And Yuugi knew.
There were many losses in life: shelter, security, belonging. Yet, to be
suddenly robbed of one's past, to be stripped of one's childhood friendship and
bonding - that was not a loss but a descent. Jounochi had descended into virulent
despair. He had lost his childhood companion. He had lost Anzu.
Yuugi felt a lump rise in his throat. His heart was pounding noisily inside his
chest, and he could feel the tears dribble freely down his cheeks. It was true then:
there was no denial about it. For a moment, the boy just stood there, face bathed in an
expression of shock, letting the other's ragged sobs rise above his abstained silence.
Finally, the boy spoke. "Who would do such a thing?" It was a simple enough
question. "What did she ever do to deserve this?"
Jounochi looked away. The blonde lycanthrope made no discernable answer,
though he clenched his right fist angrily so that it began to shake. "Yuugi?"
Jounochi's voice sought to overcome the sobs and trembling gasps. "Whatever you
do-" He paused as his voice cracked slightly "-Never don't doubt yourself. You have
to be strong."
Yuugi heard the indirect message in the blonde lycantrhope's words, the
accusation that burned in Jounochi's averted eyes. The small boy's shoulders sagged
in defeat and pure guilt. Of course, it only made sense.
His fault. His fault entirely. _It_ was after him; after his soul; after the spirit of
the last human. Anzu had promised to protect him. It didn't take a genius to figure out
the rest. The grief soon turned to bitterness, and then, a sense of loss.
"I shouldn't have come here." Yuugi fought to keep his bitterness from
showing. "If it weren't for me, none of this would have happened!" He could hear his
nagging conscience swirl in his mind. He was guilty. He had done this. He had caused
everything.
Jounochi roughly wiped the tears from his eyes. The blonde lycanthrope saw
the doubt and self-resentment in the other's expression. "Yuugi." Jounochi placed a
familiar paw on the boy's shoulder, patting it slightly. He had to be strong for the
boy's sake. "Don't blame yourself for something you didn't do. You are still our last
hope; don't ever forget that."
" A lot of good that did." Yuugi retorted, voice quavering in resentment. It
was his fault. If only he had submitted to _it_ in the first place. Then, the others could
have been saved, and nothing could have happened. If only he had known, if only he
had realized the implications.
"You know," Jounochi suddenly said, breaking Yuugi's pit of self-misery.
"You're just playing the 'If Only' game."
Yuugi looked up sharply. "What do you mean?" He breathed, slightly
confused.
Jounochi gave a sad smile. "The past is past, there is nothing you can do to
change it. The 'If Only' game is very addicting; it has lured many under its trap. 'If
only I had thought of this, then this would have never happened.' And the more 'if
onlys' you create for yourself, the deeper your misery becomes, because you could
have, but didn't, do any of them."
Yuugi shook his head. "It doesn't make sense. Everything is my fault."
Jounochi ignored the comment. He paused, swallowing a slight lump forming
in his throat. "So, A-Anzu and I made up a new game. We called it the 'Because of'
game. 'Because of this accident, I learned that I needed to be stronger. Because of this
mistake, I learned that I needed to be wiser'."
The small boy cocked his head questioningly. "I still don't understand." He
stated rather plainly.
"You don't need to understand." The blonde lycanthrope shook his head, still
smiling sadly. "It's already there."
Yuugi watched the other pick himself up from the ruins, brushing the dust off
his golden frame. The small boy quickly followed Jounochi, walking silently in his
wake like a lost shadow. A small thought passed his mind for a fleeting moment.
There was no doubting himself now.
'Because of Anzu's sacrifice, I learned -'
Flash. Twin, catlike eyes glowing in the darkness.
Flash. A gentle aura, almost maternal in demeanour.
Flash. Smiling. Laughing. Frolicking.
'- I learned to never give up.'
*********************************
"Hey, Jounochi!"
A voice roared amidst the flames. Yuugi looked up; a figure was waving in the
distance, part of a larger crowd of Hybrids
Jounochi blatantly ignored the voice, grabbing Yuugi's hand and suddenly
speeding up his pace. The small boy stumbled slightly as he sought to match the steps
of the other.
"Jounochi!" The voice roared again, manifested with an obvious hint of
irritation. "Get your carcass over here!"
At last, the blonde lycanthrope stopped, turning to face the source of the voice
with his blank, listless eyes. The voice belonged to another wolf-human, hair and fur a
chestnut-brown sheen.
"What do you want, Honda?" Jounochi's voice was bleak and dull, robbed of
vigour. There was a slight tinge of irritation in the last word.
The other Hybrid stood up, hobbling towards Jounochi and Yuugi. The brown-
furred lycanthrope stopped to face Jounochi, amber eyes burning with uncontrollable
rage. Yet, despite the other's anger, Jounochi remained stoic; almost dead to figure in
front of him. The other Hybrids watched with equally livid faces, even in their
distance away from the pair.
Without warning, the brown-furred Hybrid shot his arm into the air, raking his
claws deep into Jounochi's skin in a sideways sweep. Honda's snout was bared in a
half-snarl, tongue lolling as he took in deep, extended gasps of air. "You bastard!" He
took a few more angry breaths before continuing. "Look what you did!"
Jounochi said nothing. The blonde lycanthrope didn't even make a move to
touch his bleeding face.
Honda seemed to have noticed Yuugi for the first time. Suddenly, the brown-
furred lycanthrope gave an enraged snarl, lunging towards the boy.
Jounochi immediately struck the moving Hybrid, colliding with the other's
path. Both figures fell to the ground, breaking into a series of fitful slashes and
growls. Honda had his arms wrapped tightly around Jounochi's neck, trying to
strangle the blonde lycanthrope. Jounochi thrashed wildly, snarling and twisting his
head to break from the grip. The blonde-haired lycanthrope lashed out with his legs,
claws gouging deeply into the Honda's flank. With a startled shriek, the brown-furred
Hybrid let go, letting Jounochi drop to all fours.
Both lycanthropes circled each other, fur bristling in rage and apprehension.
Jounochi was the first to move, digging his feet onto the ground to charge at the other.
The brown-furred Hybrid nimbly swerved to one side, tackling Jounochi and digging
his canines into the blonde lycanthrope's neck.
Jounochi howled in fury. He quickly rolled to one side to make the other lose
his grip before locking the other into a lopsided bear-hug. The two lycanthropes hit
the ground in a flash of gold and brown, rolling in the dirt and broken cement in
barely discernable blurs of movement.
Yuugi, too absorbed in watching the fight, didn't even have time to react as a
pair of muscular arms grabbed him around the arms. The small boy was immediately
hefted into the air, locked into the assailant's tight grasp. A coarse, grey-furred hand
covered Yuugi's mouth, strangling his belated protests. Several other Hybrids circled
the boy, tying him together with tight cords. The ropes bit harshly into Yuugi's
exposed flesh, but the boy cries were no better than muffled gasps of air.
Jounochi realized it all too late. The blonde-haired lycanthrope's eyes widened
as he noticed the small, struggling figure of the boy being carried away by the other
Hybrids. His moment of shock was rewarded with a stinging blow at his chest,
momentarily knocking the air from the blonde Hybrid.
"Yuugi!" Jounochi wheezed, now longer interested in his fight with Honda.
He hastily tried to avoid the other Hybrid's blows, with varying levels of success. The
brown-haired lycanthrope soon had Jounochi pinned to the ground, struggling
helplessly.
"Yuugi!" Jounochi screamed again. Another blow hit the blonde lycanthrope
straight in the face, shooting a scatter of blinding white specks across his vision. He
roared and snarled, vainly trying to struggle out of the other's grasp. From the corner
of his eyes, he could see the other Hybrids taking away the boy, disappearing until
they were specks of shadows in the darkness.
"YUUGI!"
This time, the blow knocked Jounochi unconscious.
**********************
Yuugi was tossed roughly to the ground. He was in a sealed room barricaded
by large stone tiles, barely discernable under the murky darkness. It was slightly
damp, and he could hear a slight drip-drop of water running along the sides of the
walls.
The metal door swung shut with a loud clang, locking the boy inside. Yuugi
blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the darkness, looking around with large violet
eyes. He had been rough-handled and tossed around for quite a while until he had lost
all sense of direction. Finally, after hours of semi-consciousness, the boy had arrived
at his destination, to be cruelly locked up in this strange dungeon. His body was still
tied, and he feebly struggled to undo the painful coils still rubbing against his skin.
Some had grated into his flesh, now burying painfully into his open wounds every
time he moved.
"Hold still." A voice hissed beside Yuugi's ear.
Yuugi jerked in shock. He winced momentarily as the coil around his neck
roughly grazed his chin. "W-who are you?" The boy looked around, catching a
glimpse of tattered clothing moving in the corner of his eyes.
"I want to help you." The other voice replied. It was a smooth voice, soft and
gentle. "Don't move, and I'll untie them."
What did he have to lose? The boy grunted in acceptance, letting this
anonymous figure work on his cords. At least, he wasn't alone. It made the small boy
briefly wonder how this other figure had ended up being locked up just like him.
Surely, this individual couldn't have upset the others that badly, to be locked up with
a _human_. Yuugi bit his lip slightly. He wondered where the Hybrids had taken
Jounochi, and if the blonde-haired lycanthrope would be okay.
The ropes were beginning to relax and slowly uncoil. The other's fingers had
amazing dexterity. A few seconds later, all the cords fell onto the ground with a small
thump, leaving Yuugi free to stretch his stiff muscles.
The boy winced from the cuts scattered across his body. He rubbed his sore
wrists and ankles before turning thankfully towards the other.
"Thank you." Yuugi began. His eyes could barely make out the outline of a
slender figure, sporting a thick mane of snow-white hair.
The other shrugged. "No problem." Said white-haired figure then turned
around to face Yuugi. "It's not every day that I see anyone here. My name's Ryou, by
the way."
Yuugi opened his mouth to give his name. Now, his eyes had adjusted to the
shadowy half-darkness, and he was able to make out some of the finer details of this
figure standing in front of him.
Ryou was dressed even shabbier than Yuugi, tattered clothes barely hiding
noticeable scars and half-healed bruises running along his exposed skin. Yes, ivory-
white skin, paler even than Yuugi's.
Yuugi's mouth dropped before he was even able to speak.
Ryou was a human.
*************************************
Disclaimer: I own whatever I want to own. End of story.
**************************************
Entry 0.5
It had taken a while before Yuugi had mustered enough courage to even snap
from his initial shock. He had remembered going into the room at the end of the
corridor, to meet some "Seto Kaiba" entity, and entered a strange dimension called
the Game. Everything else was a blurry mess. Nevertheless, he was where he started
from, in the humming, buzzing lair just moments before he had heard Seto Kaiba's
disembodied voice taunting him. This was where it had all started.
The silvery barrier had intrigued the boy for a while, to the point where he
tentatively brushed his fingers against the strange substance. His hands went right
through, disappearing into the opaque-white fabric with a slight ripple. Startled, the
boy withdrew his hand, backing away from the barrier while gazing uneasily at its
surface. He could have sworn that his reflection was laughing at him.
Yuugi turned around, scanning the room around him. Nothing had changed
since he had left, well, nothing save the weird mirror-like barrier. And he definitely
wasn't going to prod around _that_ anymore. A pang of guiltiness swept through the
boy's chest as he thought of Jounochi and Anzu. Where were they now? Maybe, he
was supposed to meet them outside, just like they had promised. In fact, they were
probably waiting for him now.
With a determined nod, though it looked quite ludicrous, nodding to oneself,
Yuugi slipped out of the room, grabbing a torch on one side of the wall to help
navigate him through the long, darkened hallway. The trek was just as foreboding,
even more frightening now, due to the absence of company. Yuugi shuddered slightly,
both hands clenched tightly to his torch. The firelight flickered and wavered around
his features, bathing his face in a warm glow of yellow-orange light. He gulped
slightly, placing hesitant feet in front of him, stopping at every few paces to nervously
glance behind him. He was alone in the darkness, and unprotected. A million things
could emerge from the shrouded walls and attack him, clawing at his face or
swallowing him into an eternal pit.
Yuugi took another few steps before fretfully looking behind him once more.
Having given himself that much reassurance, the small boy continued his way down
the wall, jerking uncomfortably like a wooden puppet. The hairs on the back of his
neck prickled, some in sensitivity, some in anticipated fear.
This corridor seemed different from the one he had entered. For one, it was
much longer, and there was no longer a still waterway running parallel to the path.
True, the cavernous corridor was still as damp and dark, but this one was jaggedly
unkept and isolated, rather than trim and tidy like the previous. Having made these
comparisons, Yuugi's mind searched for another topic to bide his time, and fear.
At last, he saw it. There, at the very end, was a tiny pinprick of light. Slowly
but surely, it grew into a molehill, and then a cavernous entrance. With a relieved
sigh, Yuugi bounded towards the exit, rushing towards the light as fast as his legs
could carry him.
He hit the exit in a dazzling flash of pure white light and fresh air, the stunning
sensations leaving the boy momentarily overwhelmed. He blinked several times,
squinting to adjust to the light.
The small boy was facing a grey-blue sky, still complete with ruined buildings
and scattered remnants of strange monuments. Yuugi quickly stepped into the light,
all too eager to get out from the frightening tunnel. Broken pieces of pavement and
dust scattered and clunked whenever the boy's feet touched their territory, protesting
in muffled clicks. Yuugi looked up, catching a glimpse of a lone creature flying in the
sky. He had never seen anything like it: it was a large, grey-white bird, wingspan
easily a meter in length.
A slip of memory, freed by the bird's image, slipped from his mind's
impenetrable wall of ignorance, releasing its meaning to the boy. The word made its
way through his body until it echoed in his soul.
"Albatross." Yuugi said the word out loud, "It is a bird of the divine, used to
lead voyagers to their true destinations."
As if hearing its name, the albatross spiralled downwards in a dizzying arc,
stopping to wheel a few times over a location a few yards away from the boy. Then,
the bird arched its long, curvaceous wings, flapping a few times before disappearing
into the skies once more.
Blinking a few times in momentary awe, the boy finally recovered, making his
way towards the abatross's indication. The area had been barricaded somewhat by
piles of debris, so that Yuugi had to climb over some of the larger pillars, slipping
onto the ground at the other side with a soft thump. He dusted his pants before
looking up. There, in front of him, was an underground staircase. The opening was
inscribed onto the ground, the rest of it disappearing into the darkness below, always
followed by the set of stairs.
However, Yuugi recognized this opening. It was one of the hidden pathways
to the Shelter; the very same one Anzu and Jounochi had shown him. With a
determined nod, the small boy stepped inside, easing down the steps to retreat back
into the darkness. This time, he was not worried. He knew that Jounochi and Anzu
were waiting for him, inside the Shelter.
********************************
Tap. Tap. Tap.
His feet made sharp clicks against the solid stone tiles as they descended into
the cavern below. Now, Yuugi could see a flicker of light ahead. It was not the
brilliant, overwhelming glare of sunlight but a rather pale glimmer; green and
somewhat sickly in tone. The boy timidly approached the entrance to the Shelter, feet
slowing to a sluggish, tentative pace. He was slightly afraid of the others; the Hybrids
as they were called. He was a human, the last of his species, feared and hated by
some. Yuugi was not like them.
Perhaps he should just leave. The others would never accept him; he was too
different. A small sigh escaped the boy's lips. He simply did not belong here, Shelter
or no Shelter.
Yet, there was Jounochi and there was Anzu. He owed them so much, and
now, could he really be reluctant to approach them?
'It is better to face your fears than to hide them and be forever ignorant', a
voice in his mind warned, oddly detached from the boy's main stream of thoughts.
Yuugi couldn't help but agree. Taking a deep breath, the boy dared himself into the
mouth of the cavern, forcing himself to walk into the Shelter and ignore the staring
eyes of its inhabitants.
There was no one.
Yuugi blinked. He looked around, mind not registering at first. The entire
Shelter, once alive with thousands of bustling individuals, moving like a sea of life,
was completely desolate. It was as if a gigantic hand had swerved down to swoop
upon the Shelter and rid it of its population in a single swipe.
But now, it was more than obvious.
Flames flickered and burned everywhere, some dancing in vulgar delight. The
buildings were no better than ruins, newly devastated, but unnervingly similar to the
ancient carnage outside. The pool of water had been upset, now a marble of black and
ruby swirls, as the moss too was splattered in stains of ochre-crimson. Thick plumes
of smoke wafted around the bundles of flames, touching the broken buildings as if
confirming their loss.
It was impossible.
Yuugi blinked, rubbing his eyes, trying to clear his mind away from the horrid
sight.
The Shelter had been destroyed.
Not just the Shelter itself but its thousands of inhabitants. They had been
easily wiped out, smitten by a single, crushing blow, prospering city littered into a
million broken pieces.
And then, a startling panic gripped the boy's mind. It started as only a nagging
subconscious reaction, though it soon grew into fear and then an intense trepidation.
Jounochi and Anzu - they lived in the Shelter! They couldn't be-
Yuugi cut off the last thought, breaking into a full-out run. Flashes of
flickering crimson and yellow, blocked by darkness and grey rubble swerved around
his vision, like a kaleidoscope of destruction.
Several ragged figurines shot through his vision, but Yuugi ignored them.
Only one objective burned in his mind.
There, between two crumbling pillars swathed by a wreath of flames was a
glint of golden fur.
Yuugi's heart leapt, both in fear and excitement. "Jounochi!" The boy
screamed, running towards the image. The golden head jerked at the sound, pointed
ears prickling slightly in acute awareness.
Yuugi sighed as he approached the blonde lycanthrope. Jounochi was safe! He
eagerly ran towards the other, stopping short a few paces in front of the other.
Jounochi's face had been shrouded by his long, rugged hair; back bent so that
he kneeled on all fours. Now, for the first time during this encounter, the blonde
Hybrid turned his downcast eyes towards the boy. They were bloodshot and sorrowful
eyes, reflecting an indescribable anguish, coloured a dull, watery hazel.
Yuugi recoiled in slight shock. This was not the Jounochi he had known. He
remembered the happy, smiling, eagerly optimistic Hybrid, and compared it with the
haunted face of this one. No, there was no relationship between this, this stranger, and
his Jounochi.
And yet, the other acknowledged the boy. "Yuugi." The tone sounded dull,
zombie-like. "I-I…" Suddenly, Jounochi choked back a muffled sob, voice cracking
with unrestrained emotion. His face contorted into what seemed like a feral grin,
canines flashing wildly under the flickering flames. Yuugi knew better than that; it
was not a smile but a grimace of absolute grief.
Terror struck the boy's heart. The expression on the other's face, it was as if
Jounochi had lost half his soul. And then, there was that other issue at hand…
"Jounochi, where's Anzu?"
Silence. That, and the light roaring flicker of flames.
And Yuugi knew.
There were many losses in life: shelter, security, belonging. Yet, to be
suddenly robbed of one's past, to be stripped of one's childhood friendship and
bonding - that was not a loss but a descent. Jounochi had descended into virulent
despair. He had lost his childhood companion. He had lost Anzu.
Yuugi felt a lump rise in his throat. His heart was pounding noisily inside his
chest, and he could feel the tears dribble freely down his cheeks. It was true then:
there was no denial about it. For a moment, the boy just stood there, face bathed in an
expression of shock, letting the other's ragged sobs rise above his abstained silence.
Finally, the boy spoke. "Who would do such a thing?" It was a simple enough
question. "What did she ever do to deserve this?"
Jounochi looked away. The blonde lycanthrope made no discernable answer,
though he clenched his right fist angrily so that it began to shake. "Yuugi?"
Jounochi's voice sought to overcome the sobs and trembling gasps. "Whatever you
do-" He paused as his voice cracked slightly "-Never don't doubt yourself. You have
to be strong."
Yuugi heard the indirect message in the blonde lycantrhope's words, the
accusation that burned in Jounochi's averted eyes. The small boy's shoulders sagged
in defeat and pure guilt. Of course, it only made sense.
His fault. His fault entirely. _It_ was after him; after his soul; after the spirit of
the last human. Anzu had promised to protect him. It didn't take a genius to figure out
the rest. The grief soon turned to bitterness, and then, a sense of loss.
"I shouldn't have come here." Yuugi fought to keep his bitterness from
showing. "If it weren't for me, none of this would have happened!" He could hear his
nagging conscience swirl in his mind. He was guilty. He had done this. He had caused
everything.
Jounochi roughly wiped the tears from his eyes. The blonde lycanthrope saw
the doubt and self-resentment in the other's expression. "Yuugi." Jounochi placed a
familiar paw on the boy's shoulder, patting it slightly. He had to be strong for the
boy's sake. "Don't blame yourself for something you didn't do. You are still our last
hope; don't ever forget that."
" A lot of good that did." Yuugi retorted, voice quavering in resentment. It
was his fault. If only he had submitted to _it_ in the first place. Then, the others could
have been saved, and nothing could have happened. If only he had known, if only he
had realized the implications.
"You know," Jounochi suddenly said, breaking Yuugi's pit of self-misery.
"You're just playing the 'If Only' game."
Yuugi looked up sharply. "What do you mean?" He breathed, slightly
confused.
Jounochi gave a sad smile. "The past is past, there is nothing you can do to
change it. The 'If Only' game is very addicting; it has lured many under its trap. 'If
only I had thought of this, then this would have never happened.' And the more 'if
onlys' you create for yourself, the deeper your misery becomes, because you could
have, but didn't, do any of them."
Yuugi shook his head. "It doesn't make sense. Everything is my fault."
Jounochi ignored the comment. He paused, swallowing a slight lump forming
in his throat. "So, A-Anzu and I made up a new game. We called it the 'Because of'
game. 'Because of this accident, I learned that I needed to be stronger. Because of this
mistake, I learned that I needed to be wiser'."
The small boy cocked his head questioningly. "I still don't understand." He
stated rather plainly.
"You don't need to understand." The blonde lycanthrope shook his head, still
smiling sadly. "It's already there."
Yuugi watched the other pick himself up from the ruins, brushing the dust off
his golden frame. The small boy quickly followed Jounochi, walking silently in his
wake like a lost shadow. A small thought passed his mind for a fleeting moment.
There was no doubting himself now.
'Because of Anzu's sacrifice, I learned -'
Flash. Twin, catlike eyes glowing in the darkness.
Flash. A gentle aura, almost maternal in demeanour.
Flash. Smiling. Laughing. Frolicking.
'- I learned to never give up.'
*********************************
"Hey, Jounochi!"
A voice roared amidst the flames. Yuugi looked up; a figure was waving in the
distance, part of a larger crowd of Hybrids
Jounochi blatantly ignored the voice, grabbing Yuugi's hand and suddenly
speeding up his pace. The small boy stumbled slightly as he sought to match the steps
of the other.
"Jounochi!" The voice roared again, manifested with an obvious hint of
irritation. "Get your carcass over here!"
At last, the blonde lycanthrope stopped, turning to face the source of the voice
with his blank, listless eyes. The voice belonged to another wolf-human, hair and fur a
chestnut-brown sheen.
"What do you want, Honda?" Jounochi's voice was bleak and dull, robbed of
vigour. There was a slight tinge of irritation in the last word.
The other Hybrid stood up, hobbling towards Jounochi and Yuugi. The brown-
furred lycanthrope stopped to face Jounochi, amber eyes burning with uncontrollable
rage. Yet, despite the other's anger, Jounochi remained stoic; almost dead to figure in
front of him. The other Hybrids watched with equally livid faces, even in their
distance away from the pair.
Without warning, the brown-furred Hybrid shot his arm into the air, raking his
claws deep into Jounochi's skin in a sideways sweep. Honda's snout was bared in a
half-snarl, tongue lolling as he took in deep, extended gasps of air. "You bastard!" He
took a few more angry breaths before continuing. "Look what you did!"
Jounochi said nothing. The blonde lycanthrope didn't even make a move to
touch his bleeding face.
Honda seemed to have noticed Yuugi for the first time. Suddenly, the brown-
furred lycanthrope gave an enraged snarl, lunging towards the boy.
Jounochi immediately struck the moving Hybrid, colliding with the other's
path. Both figures fell to the ground, breaking into a series of fitful slashes and
growls. Honda had his arms wrapped tightly around Jounochi's neck, trying to
strangle the blonde lycanthrope. Jounochi thrashed wildly, snarling and twisting his
head to break from the grip. The blonde-haired lycanthrope lashed out with his legs,
claws gouging deeply into the Honda's flank. With a startled shriek, the brown-furred
Hybrid let go, letting Jounochi drop to all fours.
Both lycanthropes circled each other, fur bristling in rage and apprehension.
Jounochi was the first to move, digging his feet onto the ground to charge at the other.
The brown-furred Hybrid nimbly swerved to one side, tackling Jounochi and digging
his canines into the blonde lycanthrope's neck.
Jounochi howled in fury. He quickly rolled to one side to make the other lose
his grip before locking the other into a lopsided bear-hug. The two lycanthropes hit
the ground in a flash of gold and brown, rolling in the dirt and broken cement in
barely discernable blurs of movement.
Yuugi, too absorbed in watching the fight, didn't even have time to react as a
pair of muscular arms grabbed him around the arms. The small boy was immediately
hefted into the air, locked into the assailant's tight grasp. A coarse, grey-furred hand
covered Yuugi's mouth, strangling his belated protests. Several other Hybrids circled
the boy, tying him together with tight cords. The ropes bit harshly into Yuugi's
exposed flesh, but the boy cries were no better than muffled gasps of air.
Jounochi realized it all too late. The blonde-haired lycanthrope's eyes widened
as he noticed the small, struggling figure of the boy being carried away by the other
Hybrids. His moment of shock was rewarded with a stinging blow at his chest,
momentarily knocking the air from the blonde Hybrid.
"Yuugi!" Jounochi wheezed, now longer interested in his fight with Honda.
He hastily tried to avoid the other Hybrid's blows, with varying levels of success. The
brown-haired lycanthrope soon had Jounochi pinned to the ground, struggling
helplessly.
"Yuugi!" Jounochi screamed again. Another blow hit the blonde lycanthrope
straight in the face, shooting a scatter of blinding white specks across his vision. He
roared and snarled, vainly trying to struggle out of the other's grasp. From the corner
of his eyes, he could see the other Hybrids taking away the boy, disappearing until
they were specks of shadows in the darkness.
"YUUGI!"
This time, the blow knocked Jounochi unconscious.
**********************
Yuugi was tossed roughly to the ground. He was in a sealed room barricaded
by large stone tiles, barely discernable under the murky darkness. It was slightly
damp, and he could hear a slight drip-drop of water running along the sides of the
walls.
The metal door swung shut with a loud clang, locking the boy inside. Yuugi
blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the darkness, looking around with large violet
eyes. He had been rough-handled and tossed around for quite a while until he had lost
all sense of direction. Finally, after hours of semi-consciousness, the boy had arrived
at his destination, to be cruelly locked up in this strange dungeon. His body was still
tied, and he feebly struggled to undo the painful coils still rubbing against his skin.
Some had grated into his flesh, now burying painfully into his open wounds every
time he moved.
"Hold still." A voice hissed beside Yuugi's ear.
Yuugi jerked in shock. He winced momentarily as the coil around his neck
roughly grazed his chin. "W-who are you?" The boy looked around, catching a
glimpse of tattered clothing moving in the corner of his eyes.
"I want to help you." The other voice replied. It was a smooth voice, soft and
gentle. "Don't move, and I'll untie them."
What did he have to lose? The boy grunted in acceptance, letting this
anonymous figure work on his cords. At least, he wasn't alone. It made the small boy
briefly wonder how this other figure had ended up being locked up just like him.
Surely, this individual couldn't have upset the others that badly, to be locked up with
a _human_. Yuugi bit his lip slightly. He wondered where the Hybrids had taken
Jounochi, and if the blonde-haired lycanthrope would be okay.
The ropes were beginning to relax and slowly uncoil. The other's fingers had
amazing dexterity. A few seconds later, all the cords fell onto the ground with a small
thump, leaving Yuugi free to stretch his stiff muscles.
The boy winced from the cuts scattered across his body. He rubbed his sore
wrists and ankles before turning thankfully towards the other.
"Thank you." Yuugi began. His eyes could barely make out the outline of a
slender figure, sporting a thick mane of snow-white hair.
The other shrugged. "No problem." Said white-haired figure then turned
around to face Yuugi. "It's not every day that I see anyone here. My name's Ryou, by
the way."
Yuugi opened his mouth to give his name. Now, his eyes had adjusted to the
shadowy half-darkness, and he was able to make out some of the finer details of this
figure standing in front of him.
Ryou was dressed even shabbier than Yuugi, tattered clothes barely hiding
noticeable scars and half-healed bruises running along his exposed skin. Yes, ivory-
white skin, paler even than Yuugi's.
Yuugi's mouth dropped before he was even able to speak.
Ryou was a human.
*************************************