Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Beyond The Darkness ❯ in the harpy's lair ( Chapter 2 )

Me: "......."

Yami: say something

Me: like what? i can't think right now

Yami: oh, any notes or comments on the fic, oh mighty authoress?

Me: hush. i'm thinking

Yami: don't hurt urself. remember what happened last time

Me: ooooh, that's it! *grabs duct tape and tapes Yami's mouth shut * *smiles *

Yami: mmmmpphhh!!!!! *tries to remove tape *

Me: ^____^ and now, on with the next chapter. oh, i just remembered what i wanted to say!!! chapter two would've been up a few days ago, like the day after i put out chapter one but my stupid computer *kicks ancient piece of **** * wouldn't let me log onto fanfiction.net, so i was screwed

Yami: *through mind-thought * / when aren't you screwed?/

Me: grrr...i thought i shut u up!

Yami: ^_^ /nope, and how about starting the fic now? nobody wants to listen to you run your big mouth. so do us all a favor, stuff it, and start the fic/

Me: grrr........ *rolls up sleeves * things are about to get ugly here, folks. see you at the end

Yami: *eyes widen * * runs away *

Me: *chases *

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Mazou and the child appeared in utter darkness. There was nothing to touch or hear. There only was....nothing. The child was sniffling and shaking. He was terrified, but he kept pulling at the tight grip the creature had on his wrist. He was as uncooperative as uncooperative could be....well, he wasn't biting or fighting back, just trying to escape, which was very.....annoying.

Mazou growled and yanked the kid further. Suddenly, though, he halted. There was no feeling of vast, evil power here. He couldn't sense his master's presence. /master?/ he questioned, wondering what was wrong. Silence was his answer. That and the noisy sobs of the boy.

A few moments later, and panic began to set in. Maybe he navigated wrong? No, no, that was impossible in the Shadow Realm. Maybe Master sent him on another task, and he hadn't been paying attention when his master was speaking.....maybe the master was upset with him......he began to shudder with these thoughts, and his hold on the squirming boy tightened, his claws digging into the soft flesh.

Yugi tried to run away. He was terrified, and still shocked at what had happened. He had been asleep when he suddenly felt another presence in the room. He'd awoken to a thing from a nightmare reaching out to grab him. He'd screamed, and there was a flash of light.....he'd been taken somewhere. /Yami!!!!/ he tried, once again, to contact his other half. But, like all the other times, he had received no answer. Which only terrified him even more. Although, by now, he should be used to being cut off from Yami- ever since Yami had left, he hadn't been able to contact his darker half. He wanted to escape, but where could he go? He seriously doubted that he was in his own world anymore. All he knew was that he didn't want to be around this thing anymore. He wanted to get away from it. He wanted Yami. He just wanted his Yami.

The silver harpy watched from her hidden spot amongst the blackness. She sat perched upon a boulder in an open field. But she had cloaked everything in darkness, and placed the two in the middle, so it would feel empty like a Shadow Box did. She smirked, amused at the feeling of fear and confusion emanating from Mazou. She paused when she saw two huge tears roll down the boy's face. He had such pretty purple eyes and hair. He looked very familiar......but the one he reminded her of would never have such an expression on his face. But those eyes, and that hair.....was it possible he'd changed over time?

She smoothed a feather back into place, then got on with her ...fun. Mazou shrieked when the darkness suddenly vanished and the harpy was right next to him. The demon growled angrily at her for her interference, and the two began a rough tussle. Yugi saw a silver woman-bird with sharp claws at the ready come flying towards them. He cried out and shut his eyes. The noises he heard were horrendous. There were screeches, squawks, growls, snarls, barks, hisses and yowls as the two fought.

Suddenly Yugi felt warm, feathery limbs wrap around him, and he was crushed against a feathered chest. The noises of the fight had stopped, and he was being lifted into the air. He gasped, his tears halting as he opened his eyes. Because of the tight grip on him, all he saw was the top swell of a female breast covered in silver feathers and a feathered arm. He was unable to move within that grip; all he saw was silver, and all he heard was the gentle flapping of wings, which eventually lured him to sleep.

When Yugi next awoke, he still felt the feathers, except they were against his back. And there was no curves of a female body against him.....it felt as if he was laying on someone's legs. But the feathers were there....and they were so soft and warm....Yugi snuggled closer, drawing a surprised squawk. He blinked and opened up his eyes.

The harpy still held him. She peered at him closely with glinting dark blue eyes. He peered back, just as curious. She was sitting with her knees up, Yugi resting on her upper legs. She was examining the child- he seemed so familiar to her, yet she knew it couldn't be him......when the small form had suddenly cuddled against her. He smiled up at the harpy drowsily, blinking his huge eyes. "Thank-you for saving me." his voice was raspy and dry from crying and screaming before.

The bird blinked. Yugi frowned to himself.....how did one thank some strange creature when it couldn't understand him? but, what if he tried....../Thank you for saving me/. He reached out mentally, his instinct was to use this other form of communication....it worked well with him and Yami, and Yami had supernatural powers....so, maybe it would work here, too.

The bird blinked again, but this time in surprise. /You can use mind talk. Surprising. Very few mortals can./

Yugi's smile grew even bigger. /My Yami taught me/.

/And who is your yami?/ She was amused and intrigued by Yugi.

/He's from the Shadow Realm. He was imprisoned in a puzzle my grandfather had found, and I released him/.

The bird's eyes grew round and she screeched. /Yami? The Dark Magician? The one who banished Pegasus to the Shadow Box? The one who controlled Neko..../ here the harpy stopped herself, catching herself just in time before she uttered that forbidden name. /This Yami is your yami? No wonder you looked so familiar to me...you look so much like him/.

Yugi's smile gave way to a yawn. /Every one says that. Could you please tell me where this place is?/

The bird's features grew soft. /The Shadow Realm. I've been sent to bring you to my mistress, Mai. She will tell you more when you meet her/.

Yugi's eyes widened. /The Shadow Realm? Is Yami here?/

The bird chuckled. /I haven't seen Yami for eons now. Who knows what's become of him. Rest now. Soon we'll be leaving./ Sleep won the battle, and the boy's eyelids dropped. The harpy reached one finger up to gently trace the path of dried tears on Yugi's face. In his sleep, the boy snuggled against the warmth of her feathered body.

The harpy groomed herself as best she could, but it was awkward with her little bundle in the way. While waiting for Mazou to appear, she had preened and smoothed her feathers, but after the fight.....she still needed to clean up. While the boy had been sleeping, she'd cleaned herself, and now only had a few touch ups left. She would have set him down, but for fear of what might happen. She had elected herself this task, and would not fail it. Too much was riding on it.

And if she let go of the boy....

The sounds of claws scraping stone and a bell tinkling caught her attention. She stretched her legs out, shifting the boy so he rested on her shoulder, and sunk her own claws into the smaller creature. There was a weakened whimper and the thing at her feet stilled. She smiled.

**************************

Yugi heard distant sounds of feathers rustling, claws scuttling and scraping, squawks and chirps. The closer he came to full consciousness, the louder they got. They grew in volume as he blinked and his eyes focused in the dark interior. He was inside a cave of some sorts. A very homey cave. All around him were harpies of different brilliant colors with well cared for feathers. They were really beautiful birds….but very noisy as well. Seeing that his eyes were open, they all crowded around him, their high pitched chirps and cackles ringing in his ears. He blinked and shook his head. They came closer to him, reaching out to touch him. He huddled in on himself and watched as they curiously touched him. A metallic gold harpy was closest to him, and was stroking her claws through his hair. The green one was touching his face and bangs. A sapphire blue one reached out her arms to pick him up for a thorough examination.

There was a sudden angry squawk, and the silver feathered harpy slashed amongst her sisters until they backed off as a whole. The other birds looked miffed and growled at her. She growled right back, her immaculate, shining feathers all fluffed up and talons ready. She put herself between Yugi and her sisters. Yugi himself was in a big nest of straw and silk blankets. Apparently, the silver harpy's nest.

The silver one glared at the others. /He's mine. I was the one who went and got him./

The rest of the flock fluffed up, too. An orangish-gold one sharpened her own claws. /He's not yours. It's for Mistress Mai to decide what to do with him. So back off./

/No. As of now, until our lady comes, he's mine./

It was a standoff; the harpy flock glared at one another unwaveringly. Yugi bit his lip, uncertain of what to do. He couldn't read their thoughts- none of them were communicating with him. He stayed where he was- he had decided, since the silver harpy had saved him, and hadn't eaten him or used him for any spells or anything of that sort, that she was ok. Maybe she was even an ally or a friend. But he didn't know about the others. And Yami had never talked to him about the Shadow Realm, saying only that it was a dangerous place and one couldn't trust anybody or anything in it. Yugi had wanted to talk to the others about it, but Yami had, apparently, forbidden the other darks of mentioning it to his little aibou.

Yugi was unsure of what to do, so he did nothing until a smaller reddish copper harpy came up to him. The silver one turned her attention to her, but then a blue one made to sneak around her. The silver whipped her head around and lashed out. The blue squawked in pain and fury and attacked back. They hit into an emerald green one who joined in, and they hit into another and another until the dry, cool, and rocky cavern was filled with screeches and flying feathers. The only harpy who wasn't fighting was the reddish copper one. She extended her wings and hovered above her brawling siblings before landing gently, unnoticeably, on the edge of the nest.

She sat perched precariously, half her attention on the brawl, and the other on the boy. Her large amber eyes took in every detail of him. He looked so scared and unsure. But not helpless. She could sense an extraordinary amount of innocence and purity radiating off of him. He was a hikari, all right, but a hikari with amazing power. No wonder Pegasus wanted him. She was also unsurprised that he would be Yami's hikari. She shook with fear at the very thought of that dark magician…..he was a very powerful one…..If prophecy came to pass, and Pegasus was freed, and Yami returned, and the two were locked in combat again…..she shuddered with the memories of those dark times. If that ever came true, she would be on Yami's side. Well, only if her mistress was. But Mai had helped Yami before, and she was doing so now as well. And taking care of this little one and guarding him from Pegasus was what needed to be done now.

She cocked her head to one side and squawked softly in the harpy tongue, trying to coax him to calm down and come to her. Yes, she wanted this little one calmed down, but he also was very intriguing…her great curiosity was piqued. He looked exactly like Yami, except those eyes were so soft, gentle and loving. He was definitely not of this realm. Yugi, seeing the bird acting so gently, scooted forward a little, ready to jump back at the first sign of violence. But she was squawking so soft, almost crooning in a harpy-like way, and her eyes weren't cold….they held….intelligence and curiosity. Her extended claw was non-threatening, so Yugi came forward even more, locking eyes with the bird.

The harpy kept crooning to the boy, coaxing him to her. She knew he didn't understand a word she said, but he seemed to get the general gist that she wouldn't hurt him. He stopped just out of her reach, ready to retreat. He was wary, but curious as well. /Who are you?/ She let out a startled little screech at his use of mind-speak. Where had he learned this? Yami had probably used it to communicate with him.

/Who I am is not of importance/ Although, to be fair, she did fluff her feathers up proudly, showing off how sleek and glossy they were. /You're in the den of Mistress Mai./

/Who is she? And why have I been brought here?/

/Suffice to say for now, an evil Shadow Mage named Pegasus needs you in order to free himself from his eternity of imprisonment. An innocent heart for a dark one./

Yugi's eyes widened. /He wants to switch places with me?/

The harpy smiled. /You're very perceptive, little one. Almost- he wants to sacrifice your soul, utterly destroy it, and free himself. He wants you because of your power. I can sense so much energy coming from you. However, Mistress Mai found out about his plans, and sent my sister to intercept Mazou when he kidnapped you. You need not fear us; we are here to protect you, for the time being./

The boy's face was astonishment and shock. He accepted her words so readily as truth. He was so trusting and innocent. Yet, she sensed, if she lied to the boy, he'd be wise enough to see right through it. He looked so close to tears. She switched back to the harpy language, squawking softly for him to come to her. The tone seemed to comfort him, and he came forward once again, although fully willing and trusting this time. Once he was within her reach, she gently took him into her arms, and he snuggled against her warm, feathery body, crying and shaking. Her feathers became wet, the little one's tears gliding off of the water-proof sealing of the feathers and falling to the floor to form a small puddle. She enfolded him against her and continued to squawk comfortingly until he calmed down.

Yugi rested against her soft, fluffy shoulder, his head tucked under her chin. /Arigato./ his mental voice was watery and weak. She stroked his back.

/So, little one, tell me what the tears were for/.

/Yami. He's been gone so long- a while ago, he left, saying there was trouble in the Shadow Realm that he had to go take care of. Do you think he's alright?/

/Child, I don't know. This is news to us; the last anyone knew, Yami was still in the Millennium Puzzle/.

Yugi sniffled. /I haven't been able to contact him for so long. I'm so scared- what if something has happened to him?/

/Hm./ The harpy held him tightly to her as new tears assaulted his body. / I don't know what to say. All I know is that Yami is one of the most powerful things within this realm and earth. It would be very unlikely for something to happen to him- there are very few here who could rival his power./

Yugi sniffled. /Thank you again./

The harpy, unaccustomed to such kindness, stiffened uncomfortably, then felt him snuggle against her and she held him, enjoying the unfamiliar sensations coursing through her. Earlier, she had wanted to get hold of the child to examine him- she was curious with what Pegasus could want such a small thing for. She sat quietly, listening to her sibling quarrel, when one of them went flying from the group and smacked into the wall. She hit her head, rubbed it with a claw, looked up, and saw…..She let out an extremely angry screech that caught her sister's attention, and all eyes turned to focus upon the copper one. The silver one shook herself in anger and readied to claw at her sibling.

The copper one held Yugi to her and readied her wings for flight. She was smaller than her sister, and not as strong. Feeling the arms suddenly scoop him up, and the feathery body tense, Yugi instinctively clung to her. /What's going on?/ he got no mental answer as the harpies prepared to fight while the rest of the flock watched, grooming their ruffled and ripped feathers and each waiting, though pretending not to, for the chance to snatch Yugi away and satisfy their curiosity of the young mortal.

Just as the silver one was about to pounce, a voice suddenly spoke, halting the action of the entire flock and drawing all eyes towards the speaker. /You girls are worse than a rowdy bunch of boys. I swear, I can't leave you alone for one minute. Now, where is the boy?/

A girl a little taller than Yami, although about the same age, walked amongst the now still harpies. Her thick blonde hair hung in huge curls and her body was covered in a velvet purple cloak. Two big hoop earrings hung from her ears, and her eyes were cold and hard. As was everyone's who was a resident of the Shadow Realm. The girl came over to the reddish copper harpy, who promptly set Yugi down. The other harpies crowded around to see what would happen.

The girl smirked, bent down and held out her hands to help Yugi up. Her nails were perfectly manicured, and several bracelets and rings adorned her. Yugi hesitated slightly before giving her his hands. She pulled him to his feet and gazed down at him. "So, you're finally awake."

Yugi looked at her shakily. "W-who are you?"

She smiled at him. "I'm the one who saved you-" There was an indignant squawk from the silver harpy. She glared at the bird, which quieted down, and continued, "I'm Mai, the Harpy Mistress. And these-" ,she swept her arm out to the harpies, "are my flock."

Yugi nodded and whispered, "Arigato for saving me." He still remembered Yami's warning about how dangerous the Shadow Realm was, and that you couldn't trust anyone or anything in it. But, Yugi reasoned, Yami was from the Shadow Realm, and he wasn't bad or evil. Mai seemed to be the same way. Yugi suddenly wondered.....if Mai really was as old as Yami, and the harpies knew of him, maybe.....just maybe Mai knew him, too..... "Mai-sama, please forgive me if this question is too forward, but do you know what's happened to Yami?"

Mai was startled. Her eyes widened with surprise, then she smiled. "Yami? I haven't seen him for millennia. No, little one, there has been no word of Yami for a long time now. The latest news of him is what you brought to us; that he's free from the Millennium Puzzle. Yami was a powerful and well known force......news, especially when it pertains to someone of Yami's stature, travels quickly. If he was up to anything, we would've heard it by now. For some strange reason-" she smirked and glanced at her harpies, who fluffed up proudly," we always seem to hear of things before or as they are happening. We're the secret finders of the realm, ne, girls?"

Yugi smiled softly through his tears. He was becoming very, very worried about Yami. He hadn't heard from Yami since he'd left- and that had been nearly a month ago. They couldn't communicate telepathically, and their link had been severed. That was what had caused him to cry himself to sleep every night. The feeling of being empty, his other half missing. It was this feeling of solitude that other people lived with all their lives, and were blissfully content of their ignorance. But Yugi was so used to Yami always being there, of always feeling that presence in him, of feeling their link to each other. Even after all this time, he still wasn't used to it. A familiar pain of emptiness, misery, and longing shot through his heart, and the tears welled up in his eyes. He tried to blink them back, but the old, still bleeding pain of Yami's total absence sent him to his knees, his small frame wracked by sobs. He bowed his head, clutching his heart and wanting Yami. Just wanting Yami.

Mai was surprised to see the little one crying so hard so suddenly. She looked to her flock, and the reddish copper one answered. /He was crying earlier as well/. She nodded and knelt down. "Yugi......little one......little Yugi....." He sniffled, and when he felt her arms hesitantly touch him, he flung himself against her and cried. Mai stiffened, unknowing of what to do; being a creature of the Shadow Realm, she wasn't used to such feelings. Pain and tears she saw, but they were always tears of self-pity or fear. Wounds in a gentle, loving, and pure heart were unfamiliar to her, as were these crystal tears. Those tears....all that pain....all of it was for Yami. This was the pain of love.

Sensing Mai's unease, Yugi pulled back, no longer crying as hard, but tears still running freely down his face. "G-gomen-n." He sobbed. Mai stared, transfixed, at his face. Such a sweet face......and those tears.....she reached out gently with one finger and caught a watery bead. Never had she seen tears so pure. "Y-you're......crying.....for Yami." She was amazed by this little angel, this little hikari. "I've never seen anyone......care so much about another......"

Finally able to control his tears and push the sadness back into his heart, Yugi blinked away any remaining tears and wiped his soggy face. He looked up at her, genuine puzzlement on his face. "Why.....?"

She smiled sadly. "Yugi, this is the Shadow Realm....there is no light here; only darkness. As such, there are no light feelings.......no love, laughter or anything of that nature. It is rare....indeed, I've never seen anyone like you. You're so pure, so innocent. And Pegasus would destroy you for that. I can not allow that to happen."

Yugi smiled at her. "You say there is no good here....but Yami is good, and so are you." She bristled slightly. Yugi scooted back a bit, but continued. "Yami has a heart, and so do you. If you didn't care, you wouldn't have saved me."

Mai scowled and abruptly stood up. "The only reason I saved you is to save the Shadow Realm. If Pegasus is free, he'll have his revenge upon all of us. The dark times will come again, and it will be even worse than the last time. If he would escape and leave things the way they were, he could chop you into a thousand tiny pieces for all I'd care. What's a weak little runt like you worth, anyway?"

Yugi's eyes welled up with fresh tears, and his little body shook. The silver and reddish copper harpies sent their mistress a dark look. Mai hesitated, a flash of guilt echoing faintly through her, and knelt down again, and touched Yugi gently on the shoulder. He shrank away. Guilt flared up again, and she shifted around uncomfortably. What was with this boy? Her harpies had been protective of him, and now so was she. How did he cause these feelings in her? Damn it, it was that softness in him.....he was a hikari, and a very powerful one. Maybe that kind heart and all that love.....got to you after a while. If Mai was unable to be around the boy and not fall prey to his sweetness, then poor Yami must have become ensnared a long time ago, as soon as he was released from the puzzle. Although, to be fair, Yami was so much stronger than her, than nearly anyone else within the realm. And so was Yugi.....his light powers seemed to match Yami's dark ones. Where darkness destroyed and killed, light healed and gave hope.

She tried again. "Yugi? I'm sorry. Please.....Yugi, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you." He wouldn't look at her; he'd curled up into a ball and was now sobbing. Mai stood and sighed in frustration, her patience easily giving in. The small copper harpy came over. "Oh, fine." Mai snapped, "Calm him down if you can and take him to your nest for the night. I'll talk to him in the morning." She huffed and walked away, a few harpies trailing after her.

The copper one reached out greedily to grab Yugi, but halted on second thought. She shot her sisters a snide glance and squawked softly, crooning to him as she had before. Recognizing the only comfort he'd had in this strange realm, Yugi gravitated towards it. She gathered him to her when the silver one came over. The two started to screech, bickering over him, until he started shaking more, upset by their noises.

/He should sleep with me; I'm the one that went and got him/.

/That may be, but the mistress gave him to me for the night. Besides, you haven't finished your snack/. The copper shot back smugly. Both harpies shot a glance to the far rear of the cave, where a small carcass lay, the bones gray and picked clean. The creature had once been a rat-like animal. Near the skeleton lay a collar with a bell. /If he ever escapes, he could easily pull his body back together/. The copper prodded, and the silver looked back and forth, torn between Yugi and finishing what she had started with Mazou.

A gold harpy jealously made to snatch at the bones. The silver one screeched and fought her off with claws and teeth. Having already established a claim to it, however, the golden one gave in easily. The silver flew over and started to chew on the bones, splintering them into tiny pieces.

While she was preoccupied, and the other harpies were starting to focus on their grooming, the copper one snuck away and went back to their nest cavern. Nests lay on the floor and some were on ledges on the rock walls. Each nest was neatly made with twigs, straw, and fine fabrics such as silks, velvets, and satins. Some of the snobbier harpies had even scavenged jewels for their nests. Strands of pearls, diamonds, rubies and other jewels lay unshinning in the dim light. The copper harpy flew up to the highest ledge and settled down with Yugi cradled against her. She gathered a pile of velvet and silk then lay him down in it. She lay next to him, his little body pressed against hers. She crooned a lullaby to him, calming him down. Her crooning was oddly melodious for a harpy. It was low, but not so low that her sisters couldn't hear. She could hear a few of them below and smiled as she though of them writhing with envy and glancing angrily at her nest. Yugi yawned and closed his eyes, snuggling closer to her. Her smile broadened and she held him tightly.

End chapter 2.

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Me: told ya the next chapters would be longer.

Yami: /you sure took your time getting this one out/

Me: grr….i thought I knocked you out!!!!!!!

Yami: ^_^ /nope...........fast recuperative powers are part and parcel of the whole spirit of the sennen puzzle deal/

Me: damn. But, almighty pharaoh, you still haven't been able to get the duct tape off.

Yami: "………."

Me: ^_^ I thought so.

Yami: /onna, when are you going to work on your other fics? You've been neglecting them./

Me: anou…..i'm working on it! But I'm having fun writing this one right now, even if no one is reading it!

Yami: *snorts* any idea how long this one is going to be?

Me: dunno. We'll have to see….still lots more to come, though.