Author's Note: I guess I have the creative mind flowing, here comes chapter 3 faster than planned, sorry guys: there won't be a resolution of that ending for a while. 3:]
Crow's Cell, The Facility- some time later.
The empty cell, little shows that it is in fact inhabited by a once courageous duelist, the only sign of life are the bloodstains on the cot; remains from brutal beatings sustained by Crow. The door opens, letting in the harsh cold light of the Facility; two guards toss a thin body onto the cot and laugh as they shut the door. Groaning with pain, he thrashes around with no sense of time or where he is.
"How am I supposed to do this; how am I supposed to survive the constant beatings? These cruel guards take advantage of their position; Yusei, how would you handle this?"
"Quite simply Crow, Yusei would never have gotten himself in this situation. Even now he laughs in your weakness, denying any ties to what he sees as a pathetic remnant of a man." The shadow, back again to convey its own beliefs to Crow, never letting him get any sort of respite.
"Won't you just leave me alone? It feels as if I have been in this cell for a year; it is not possible for me to believe Yusei would think that…" shaking his head, Crow struggles to gain the strength to resist the words he hears. "He is my oldest friend, together with Jack they have made me who I am today…"
"What they see as a weakling puppet easily molded in their hands. They have manipulated you; Kalin even more so has treated you as his puppet. Even knowing his past, he managed to argue you into sacrificing yourself to keep him free. Is he really your friend Crow, when he tricked you into giving up the safety of all those you care for? The children that you protect are being tormented by the three people you used to call brothers, those very same duelists you trusted to guard your back have since betrayed you."
"No, these visions you have shown me cannot be true…there is just no way; the guys I have dueled with, lived with, and struggled along-side of do such horrible things." With these words, Crow slides closer to the wall, away from the Shadow; doing his best to escape the voice, the voice that is starting to get to him. "Jack may be prideful, but he is loyal as anyone I know-"
"Ha! Jack, loyal? You have not heard then, Jack was the one to set fire to Martha's house Crow…"
"No. I…I do not want to believe it…"
"Kalin has moved on, no longer satisfied with tormenting all of the kids you guarded; Kalin has moved on to bigger game. Dueling his way across Satellite he has become a tyrant again; this time with Sector Security's backing." Leaning in closer, the shadow begins to goad him, prodding his ego. "Your friends have tossed you aside, as if nothing more than trash. They discarded you, using you only as needed. No one is coming to save you Crow; even Yusei is not interested in aiding you anymore. He seeks only to fulfill his own needs and wants."
"My brothers…the kids I take care of, being beaten…" Shaking with despair, Crow begins to lose control of his emotions; growing closer to rage as the conversation continues. "Jack…if it's true, I will…" The shaking starts growing more violent, "Yusei, how could you desert me? Kalin you monster, I will make you pay for what you are doing to my city, for what you are doing to my family."
"I can help you gain what you seek" the shadow cooed, leaning ever closer to the shaking form of Crow, reaching further into his heart.
"What is it you think I seek shadow, justice or revenge?" Now shaking with anger, righteous fury driving him to move and seek action, Crow can barely control himself. "Perhaps you think I seek murder, either personally or just the act itself?"
"No, I do not think you seek anything, I KNOW you seek revenge, revenge for wrongs you have been dealt by fate and friends." Reaching deep into Crow's heart, the shadow squeezes out what little light remains, doing to him what has done to few others; creating a dark and hard to shatter bond.
"What do you aim to do with this knowledge shadow, what do you seek to gain?"
"Your allegiance; however, there is but one thing that keeps me from aiding you in your quest for vengeance." Smug, the shadow moves back to the opposite wall, satisfied by reaching his goal.
"What do I need to do for you to help me? What can I do locked up in this prison…escape is not an option for me, neither is fighting back…all that is left is to…-"
"Give up. Yes, that is what is stopping me. Besides that, it is only time. I shall be back Crow Hogan, in your time of greatest need." With these last words, the shadow seeps into the floor and fades away, leaving Crow alone once again in his cell.
Author's note: this chapter was a challenge to write, for I did not want to rush it nor drag it out. I find that I gained a nice balance, even though the chapter ended up barely longer than the first chapter. Whether you enjoyed it or not, please review and tell me why!