Warnings: Yoai, rape, sex with a minor, lemons, much, much, much gore, character death, death in general, nudity, half nudity (if I need to put that in there… I have no clue!), extreme violence, and a lot of other stuff I have yet to come up with.
(NOTE: not all warnings are in this chapter.)
Squall looked around his prison with a dull expression. "A new day, the same fate" he muttered. He wondered how long he had been here, locked in this prison of his own creation. His eyes glazed over as he remembered a young boyish face. Those sapphire blue eyes are what got him into this mess, but he could not be angry with him. A soft smile appeared on his face as the memory of those days came back to him.
Flashback
"C'mon Leon lets go!" Wined a very excited Sora.
'Leon' merely raised an eyebrow as Sora started jumping up and down in excitement. This was the day that Sora had been waiting for. Sora was turning 18, and today he could start his own life without thinking of his parents being dead. Squall had promised to bring him out to drink; after all, he protected the kid for 8 or so years, a person would grow on you after that amount of time.
Sora was born into the Skylark's family. The Skylarks were a very loving and caring couple that is, until the mother died in childbirth when Sora was two, killing both the mother and the child. The father was so upset the he got drunk every night. One night he got in a car and never came back. He drove off a cliff killing two people along with him. Sora was now the only one left. He grew very depressed; after all, everyone in his family had just died. Because Sora was underage, and the parents had nothing, Sora was given nothing. Sora never had any other relatives, everyone on his dad's side only had one child and his grandparents were dead. On his mother's side everyone was dead except for her mother's sister, who was on her deathbed in a nursing home. Sora was then put in the orphanage, or tried to at least. Sora fled, consumed by misery and not wanting to die or to go in an unfamiliar place.
Sora fled to the streets hoping to escape his fear, but instead, was usually raped or beaten. It was one of these times that Squall had found him. It was not unusual to find kids raped and beaten so Squall was about to pass by pretending not to notice, that is what people usually did when the found a kid like that, what else could they do? They couldn't help every kid they saw. But Sora looked up and caught Squall's eyes. Squall's gray sharp eyes looked into moist sapphire blue and stopped dead. Something in those eyes held Squall in a trance of some sort as he bent down and rapped his leather coat around the kid.
"Hey, you alright there? Let's get you cleaned up." He said softly to the boy as he gently lifted him to his feet.
"Can you walk?" He asked with the same soft gentle voice.
"I… don't know" Came the raspy reply. It was obvious that the kid did not speak much besides screaming or pleading.
Squall said nothing just picked him up, just like that. "Ok, don't worry you'll be alright now, just stay awake until I can get you some help ok? We don't know if you have a concussion so you got to stay awake alright?" Squall spoke gently as he lifted the 10-year-old off his feet and into his protective 18-year-old arms.
Squall carried the young boy to his newly bought apartment and laid him down on the couch. "Alright just rest, but don't fall asleep just yet ok? I will be back really soon." Squall returned a minute later with bandages and a blanket. Squall set to work fixing up his wounds and an hour later he was done.
"Ok I don't think you have a concussion so you can go to sleep now. I'll be in the next room or in this room when you wake up so just say something and I will hear you."
End Flashback
Squall smiled at the fond memory unaware of the approaching footsteps that would bring him to hell. The footsteps reached the door, but Squall did not notice as another memory came into focus.
Flashback
It had been three weeks since that fateful day when he picked up Sora off the streets. Sora had been recovering fairly quickly, it had become apparent that he was used to these conditions that was life on the streets. Squall had been taking very good care of him, even though their standards were low, and the fact that Squall had no idea as to how to take care of someone.
They had minimal conversation, both thinking that they would never see each other after this odd and completely random deed. They found out each other's names, and basic information. Squall knew from experience you do not bring up how you got into the situation you were in. Squall never brought it up, and Sora never mentioned it. That is just the way it works.
They were eating lunch together for what seemed like the last time. "Leon? Do you know of a place where I could get a job?" Squall looked up from his sandwich and stared at the kid for long time thinking. 'What if I could get the kid a job at my store? Then maybe he could stay with me a little more.' 'Wait Leonhart… when did you want the kid to stay longer? You never had a reason to pick him up off the streets in the first place.' Despite the voices annoying facts Squall grew excited, though he did not show it.
"Leon?" Sora asked a little confused at why Leon was staring at him for such a long period of time. "Yeah, I could get you one," the older brunette muttered, then looked away. Sora could've sworn he saw the tiny twitch of the older's lips. If Sora did see that… then what the hell was Leon think that could make him show that much emotion, even if it was only a twitch.
"I might have an opportunity for you…" The older male trailed off still not looking at the boy. "But when are you staying until? After all, you can't pay for an apartment in a minutes work. You have to work a lot just to be able to pay the deposit on an apartment. And sorry kid, but I don't feel the will to let you go live in a shitty apartment."
Sora gawked at the older man in wonder. 'What the hell… why should he care where I live? What… does he not want me to go? That's impossible! Leon doesn't care. I don't know why he picked me up off the streets in the first place. Unless… he's making amends for something he did. That must be it! Leon did something really bad… wow must be insanely bad to actually make him guilty about it enough that he wants to help someone to make up for whatever it was.'
Leonhart get a grip! What are you thinking? Why do you want him to stay? You remember the last time you did this and you vowed never to do it again! Squall inwardly winced as he remembered the last time he helped a boy. He picked him up off the streets just like he did Sora. He was a really cute boy when he got cleaned up and… well Squall really didn't want to think about that right now. To shortly put it, it ended after Squall lost control of his emotions.
Sora was giving him a look that seemed to be asking if the older had lost his mind, but Squall did not notice because he was rapped up in his own thoughts. "Yeah… that's a good idea… behind the counter…. manage… no" were the coherent word Sora managed to pick out. "Sora," the older teen said, seemingly coming out of his trance, "you should go to bed you have an interview in the morning." With that Squall walked away leaving Sora to deal with his confusion. 'When did I get a job interview…?'
End Flashback
The door slammed open bringing Squall painfully back to the present.
"Hello my dear…" a sinister voice called. Squall looked up from his chained position on the wall with a dead expression. "Yes, yes, I know love. But no, today is not the day I kill you… Master has ordered you to suffer a little more. And look, you get to spend the day with me." The aggressor looked over his captive with a hungry expression. Squall was stripped of a shirt showing off his rock hard mussels that he worked so hard to acquire. Shadow, as the man was called for his demonic dark powers, looked over the damage he had done to the poor soul. Scars covered his body, along with dried blood. Squall's head held no damage at all, except from a scar he had not gotten from this hell. Shadow had an obsession with beauty, and because he believed Squall face was the absolute beauty he did not lay a finger on it, unless of coarse, he had an urge to caress that beautiful face of his.
Shadow himself was elegance. He had long, straight, well-kept, midnight black hair that went down to his waist. He was very muscular, yet had a feminist touch. He was very slim, and had cobalt eyes that shown like crystals under-water. These eyes were famous for captivating his victims to a point that he could make them believe what he was telling them to. He had tried that with Squall, but it seemed that he was dead to the world. It seemed that way, but Shadow knew, that deep down, he was waiting for an opportunity. What type, even Shadow could not figure out. Shadow was the one assigned to track and capture Squall, as if he were a wild animal. Because of this, Shadow spent 2 years studying Squall's habits and body language. He knew Squall better than anyone else, and yet, he could not figure out what kept him going. What kept him alive. He often pondered this when he tried to break him about 6 months ago. The question used to haunt him for days as he beat the younger male to near death and past unconsciousness. Shadow lived to bath in the others blood, to make him his own. One day though, he will be forced to turn him over to the Master. He has already past obedience tests with his pet. He could have Squall do anything he wants. Yet Squall refused to give up hope, so he dragged his pain and suffering another day, another week, another month, another year.
The strange thing is, Squall and Shadow managed to establish a bond. Neither knew how it happened, nor cared. The fact of the matter is that there was a bond present and, to an extent, both admired each other. Squall admired Shadow for his determination, devotion, and strength. Shadow admired Squall for his bravery, dedication, and courage. Shadow could get Squall to do anything he wanted, but no one else could. They could mimic Shadow for a year and nothing would change. So, if they had this bond, why would the Master continue to allow Shadow to be the guard and tamer for Squall? Simple, the Master knew that Shadow knows everything about Squall. Therefore Shadow knows what hurts him the most, what can get to him, and how to make him suffer.
Shadow walked up to Squall admiring his face again. He reached out and grazed the tip of his black claw along Squall's cheekbone, ending right below his ear. Squall neither flinched, moved away, nor leaned into the touch. Shadow knew this would happen, it happened every time, but it frustrated him so. However, he did not let it show, he could not show his unwanted emotions because it showed 'weakness'.
"We have a show to put on today love," Shadow whispered lustfully into the younger's ear "But we'll show them right? We always do. You are always so much stronger…" Shadow continued talking softly as he trailed his fingers down Squall's chest. "So much faster…" He licked right under Squall's ear where he knew he would get a reaction, and he did. Squall shivered as Shadow slipped behind him with his back to the wall and his arms sliding down around his waist. "So much more precise…" Squall shivered once more as Shadow nuzzled against his bare neck.
"Why should I listen?" Squall's hoarse voice seemed to echo off the walls. It seemed as if Shadow was the only one who heard the deep memorizing voice anymore. "Because love… this one is a big one. You will get a full weeks rest along with three meals a day and no chains if you win." Squall eyes widened. That seemed like heaven. Both knew that he would not put up a fight with Shadow merely out of respect, but still, Shadow gave him rewards for doing well because that was their bond.
"What do I have to do?" Squall's deep voice blessed the chamber once again.
"Just the normal stuff. But this is important because it is your yearly evaluation to the Master. He will be present, so we want to do good, don't we?" Squall said nothing in response just leaned forward as to let Shadow out from behind him to unshackle him.
Shadow did so with practiced ease. Squall almost fell down because he had not used his legs in such a long period of time. Shadow steadied him with one of his arms and said, "The test begins at sundown, we will have all day for you to rest and build up strength again. Do you have any major injuries or problems that won't heal by sundown?"
"I'll live."
Shadow chuckled at the other's statement "Yes, you always seem to don't you?" Squall merely glanced over as if saying that he had heard.
"Come, let us prepare." Shadow signaled the guard in the soundproof box to open the only entrance and exit to the chamber. As the two exited, there were guards standing on either side of the hallway. Some of which would sneer or growl. Others however, would nod and, in a sense, give the prisoner luck for his evaluation. Doing this was customary because of the rumors spread about such examinations. The approval of the Master was extremely difficult to gain. This particular test, the obedience test, was said to be the easiest of them all though, but still, even these tests were extremely hard to pass.
As the two reached the hallway that led to the captive's cafeteria, Shadow turned to leave. "What are my chances?" Squall asked that almost held an emotion. Shadow turned, surprised. He knew though, that whatever that emotion Squall was covering up, was not fear.
"If you are in good health," Shadow spoke with practiced calmness despite his surprised state. "You need not worry." With that question answered, Squall turned and walked down the hallway, ready to eat his once a week meal. Hopefully though, he would have many others after this.
As he walked in the cafeteria, he once again realized how deadly quiet this seemed to be compared to normal café anywhere else. There was some talk sure, but it was barley at normal speaking level. 'Then again,' Squall thought in his head, 'half the people here are broken 1 or are unable to speak.'
He got his food, showing his prisoner tattoo number, and looked up for a place to sit. He noticed a guy, about his height, with blond hair, that looked extremely nervous. 'Must be knew here,' Squall thought sadly. He went over to the table and seated himself across from the blonde.
When the blond looked up, to say he was surprised was describing it nicely. He practically screamed, and Squall could've sworn he wet his pants by the look on his face. The blonde clamped a hand over his mouth to keep from yelling bloody murder.
"Who… the fuck… are you?" He finally managed to gasp out. Squall just answered the question with one of his.
"New here?" He asked in a deep voice. (Please note Squall still doesn't have his shirt on, and that fact that no one really gets to hear him speak that often.)
At this the blonde's gaze dropped to his untouched food. "Why? Are you here to torcher me too?" He asked bitterly.
Squall merely raised an eyebrow. "When did you get in?" Completely ignoring the other's question yet again.
"A week ago." The blonde answered.
"Let me guess, this is your first meal here right?"
"Do they normally starve you for that long?"
"Yes." Squall had finally answered a question. "Hurry up and eat, don't worry you'll get used to it," Squall added as the still unnamed blonde looked down at the food as if he was going to throw up, "So I can show you around."
The blonde looked up as if alarmed. "Am I allowed to do that?" He asked as if almost frightened.
"Depends… who is your guard?"
"Dragshire, is he bad? Have you heard of him? What should I expect?" With every question his voice got louder and he stood up a little more each time as well so by the end he was shouting and was standing up straight. They people around the cafeteria looked up at the loud voice. When they saw it was coming from the table where Squall was, they all resumed what they were doing beforehand. 2
"Name." Squall demanded in a harsh, blunt voice ignoring the others questions for the third time that meal.
"Cloud," The blonde said. "You?"
"Squall." (Yes people Squall, it will explain in the story later why he uses his real name instead of 'Leon'.) Both finished their 'meals' fairly quickly, Cloud, gagging a couple of times, but got it down non-the less.
"What time does he want you back?" Squall asked, yet again, bluntly.
"Said in a hour, he also said that he was only giving me that much time cause it was my first time. When do you have to be back?"
"Whenever I feel I need to be." Squall said preparing his answer for the question he knew was coming.
"What? You don't have a guard or something?"
"Not that, it's just… I have my yearly evaluation today."
"Yearly? How long have you been here!" Cloud's eyes widened at the information being given to him.
"Two years…" Squall trailed off almost going into another flashback before Cloud asked him again,
"What about Dragshire?" Squall snapped out of his little trance before he got going and finally answered the question.
"Dragshire is simple, you play by his rules and win. If you earn his respect he will treat you as an equal. He is the only one that will do so, so I say you've got some good luck to get him." Squall said deliberately.
"OK great, now, how do you know all that?" Cloud asked a little more than surprised.
"I had him for a guard for about a week." Squall said as they left the café.
"How can you have had him, I thought you had one guard and that was it." Cloud said with a confused expression.
"You will learn, that I am the exception to every rule here. I have only been here for only two years, yet I am the person who has been here the longest. The people that are sent here don't tend to last more than a year, never mind two." Squall said with a forced calmness that was covered up with experience.
"OK I kind of get that, but why did they feel the need to change your guard?" Cloud asked yet another question. Squall was getting very annoyed with all the question but kept reminding himself 'relax, he's new here is all, cut him some slack.'
"They changed my guards because my original guard went on an assassin mission. When he left they gave me to different guards, and because of my grades on my previous competitions, they figured I would be fine with one of the guards that needed training. When I practically killed him, they put me in the torcher chamber for about a month. After I still didn't change, they gave me to the harshest, toughest guards they had available. All of it was a piece of cake compared to the crap Shadow put me through. I didn't eat for about a month, and only drank drugs that practically killed me. When Shadow got back they told him what had happened. The Master wanted to know what he did to me for me to listen to him. So, they had someone come in, watch our daily sessions, and they did the same exact things. I just didn't listen to them, and to be honest, I have no idea why. So the Master told Shadow to break me 3, and believe me he tried, but in the end, it just turned out how it is now."
"Holy fuck…" Cloud gaped at the older male for about 5 minutes until Squall shot him a glare. After that speech he did not want to get on this guy's bad side so he stopped staring.
"Um, do you want a shirt?" Cloud asked still greatly shocked by his speech. Cloud was half amazed by the amount the older one talked, and half by what he said. The comment itself was so random Squall wanted to burst out laughing. Instead, a small smile escaped Squall's control.
"Come on, we are nearly where you'll be seeing a lot of." As Squall said this he pointed to a door at the end of the hallway.
As the two walked through the door, Cloud immediately understood. The two prisoners had walked into the infirmary.
"Squall!" A high-pitched voice exclaimed. "I haven't seen you in a while, should I take that as a good or bad sign?" The voice became suddenly concerned. Squall didn't say anything just shook his head. "Not here for you today huh? And who might this be? It's rare for Squall to be accompanying anyone, much less someone who he is not dragged here by."
The nurse stood up. "The name's Yuna, what's yours?" She asked with a smile.
"Cloud," He said looking a little confused at Squall's lack of response.
"Well, come on over and I'll fix you up. Squall? I'm going to get you a new shirt OK? Make sure your acquaintance is comfortable." With that she walked through a door in the back of the room and closed it behind her.
As soon as the door was closed Cloud turned to Squall. "Why didn't you say anything, don't you think that's kind of rude?"
"No," came the simple answer. "People don't get to hear me talk much so they would think it was out of place if I did. Actually, I'm not sure if half the prisoners know I can talk." Squall said as an expression crossed his face then left immediately.
"I'll take it as a privilege then," Cloud said bitterly. Squall merely nodded in response.
Yuna arrived within a minute and gave Squall a plain black T-shirt. "That's your shirt actually, the only one that has managed to last all these years. I consider it a lucky shirt, it never seems to get torn, therefore, I'm giving it to you as a good luck charm for your evaluation today."
"Everyone seems to know that he has that today. What is it exactly anyways? And why is everyone so uptight about it? Even Dragshire mentioned it like it was a plague or something." Cloud said with a concerned expression.
"The yearly evaluations are said to be extremely difficult to pass. The Master himself watches the entire thing, and if he doesn't like one thing in your performance, he orders you dead on the spot. Of coarse Squall has already passed it once, which not many people do, so I think his chances are good enough." Yuna said with yet another smile.
"What do you have to do?" Cloud asked now very intrigued.
"The second year test is the obedience test. It's different for every person, so no one knows what to expect. After all, people don't usually last long enough to have two tests against the Master's judgment, therefore the obedience test is said to be the easiest test out of all of them. But no one really knows what all of them is so… that can be debated." Yuna laughed a little after her last statement. Yuna handed Squall a wet rag and told him, "Here you go Squall, go get cleaned up in the bathroom. Good luck." Squall took the rag without so much as a thank you and walked into the bathroom. The two left persons in the medical room started to clean and bandage Cloud up.
As the two left the infirmary a little while latter Cloud asked what time it was.
"10:30, when did you have to be back?" Squall asked not completely worried.
Cloud paled greatly but managed to mutter, "A half hour ago… SHIT! What am I going to do? Dragshire is going to kill me! I am really dead now, oh man, what am I going to do?"
As Cloud was panicking Squall kept walking and found Dragshire looking for the blonde. "Dragshire." The male said in a calm firm voice.
Dragshire turned around looking furious, but at seeing the younger male his gaze softened immediately. "Oh, hello there Squall! How are you today? It's your big day huh? Are you nervous? Of coarse not what was I thinking? You never get nervous."
"Looking for something?" Squall asked with a blank expression.
"Someone actually. He was supposed to be back at ten. Have you seen him?" Dragshire asked kindly.
"What does he look like?" Squall asked still calm.
Well, he's got platinum blonde hair, about your height, and a fairly muscular build." Dragshire explain with a usual calmness.
"Wait… is his name Cloud?" He asked almost innocently.
"Why… yes! Have you seen him?" Dragshire looked please to see that he has heard of him.
"Actually yes, I was showing him to the infirmary because I had to get cleaned up and get a new shirt. We seemed to have lost track of time… please forgive me, because it was my fault." Squall said, gesturing to his shirt and making a polite bow. As if on cue Cloud came sprinting around the corner, and stopping dead upon sight of his guard.
"I can explain!" He immediately exclaimed eyes wide with fear.
"No need my boy, Squall has explained everything. Thank you Squall for returning my pet now if you'll excuse us…" He turned to walk away.
"Dragshire," Squall said in a still emotionless voice.
"Yes my boy?" He answered turning around at once.
"As you know I have my yearly examination today. If it might not be to bold to ask, I would like to have you and Cloud present. I would be a great honor for me." He said with a very small smile.
Dragshire looked taken aback. "Why yes! I would love to be there for you. Cloud too right?" He turned to Cloud who quickly nodded. "It is decided then, we will see you soon. I am sure Cloud will learn much from your performance." With that, the two turned and walked away. Cloud, who was hesitating a little, gave a small wave. Squall returned the gesture with a nod of the head, and Cloud turned to catch up with his tamer.
Well that is it people. I am now going to explain some things that people might not be able to understand
1 What Squall means by "broken" is that they have no spirit left, and they have no more will to fight. Some people would refer to them as living dead. They are emotionless and no longer feel pain, or any other emotion for that matter.
2 Squall is extremely well known. He is known by his passing the first yearly examination, not breaking under any guard, but listening to Shadow, and having rather odd events following him. This will be explained further in future chapters.
3 When Shadow tried to break him it means he tried to make Squall give up. See definition of broken 1.
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Soul of a Fire Dragon
