Episode 11: The New Moon's Summons
A wave of icy-fire swept through him and not for the first time either. This odd sensation of hot and cold have been plaguing the youth ever since his release from the hospital and seem to intensify with the onset of the night; this numbing sensation waxed and waned with the rise and setting of the moon.
As he laid on his futon, metallic obsidian orbs gazed out into the night sky. He knew what was happening to him... Well, at least, he knew what to expect this evening like he had so many other evenings. First, he would experience the Chill; a sudden coldness that actually burned his flesh. Then slowly he would feel his blood warm up like liquid fire; a sudden warming of his limps that would seem to almost melt his insides. The raven-haired youth laid there; waiting for the icy-fire to come and go so he may sleep a bit that night. But as he waited, he sensed that this night would be different for tonight... For tonight was a New Moon; a lightless night that called to all to come out and play. If so far this icy-fire came and went with the moon then what would happen with no moon tonight?
How long had it been? Hours, minutes, seconds? Metallic obsidian eyes did not know; it felt like an eternity had gone by and yet it was only a few minutes, or was it?
Nothing existed as the youth waited. Closing his eyes, the youth could hear the world around him. The sounds of an old house settling; creaking into the foundation. The gentle snoring of an elder breathing and its old heartbeat. The soft breeze from the ocean, and its salty fresh scents tickling at his nose. The symphony of the buzzing insects followed their own sheets of music. The natural songs began with one sound and ended when another began. Everything played to its own music and yet in conjunction with one another and in harmony with the youth's own heart and blood.
The youth was happy. An entire orchestra was playing just for him... Then... Suddenly... Silence...
Metallic obsidian eyes snapped wide open as the youth shot straight up. A low trembling mewl erupted from the youth's throat. The silence was unbearable. It was heavy, oppressing, and suffocating! The youth mewled again at the lost of the beautiful music of the outside! Again and again a sorrowful melody of mewls marked the youth's mourning.
Sitting amidst the soft blankets that was neither of pelts nor rawhide, the Young's moaning paused in its melody as it noticed movement from the corner of its eye. Dropping low onto its belly, the Young's glowing eyes noted the gentle sway of the giant bushes. Its eyes followed the slow path; back and forth, back and forth. As its eyes followed the giant bushes' path, its lithe body slowly moved forward; stalking forward.
Moving giant bushes meant moving breath, and moving breath meant outside! And outside was good! Inside bad. Inside was silent; lifeless.
A finger of the giant bush swayed gently in the unseen breath; unheard was the sweet melody of the outside. With each sway, it crawled forward; pausing to hear everything but heard none. Soon it was underneath the finger of the giant bush but still inside. It gave a quiet yowl of mourning. Cautiously it reached for the finger but quickly crouched down; hidden from the finger. It frowned. There was something preventing it to go outside... Something bad!
It narrowed its glowing obsidian eyes while a low rumble purred deep within its throat. The thing that was there and yet not must go! It was bad.
Slowly standing up and glaring at the thing, the Young paused. As it looked the clear thing... Window... Yes! It was called a window, and it was still bad because it kept the Young from the outside! As it looked at the window, something about it was familiar to the Young. Suddenly the Young's hand moved on its own as if the Young's body remembered something, it did not. Before the Young reacted, the window was open! It was open! The Young mewed in joy as it leapt through the window with ease and grace that coursed through its veins.
It landed gracefully and silently on something cold, wet and yet soft. Crouching down, it sniffed the strange thing. It smelled fresh, clean and good. The Young purred in delight as it began to roll in it... Grass... Yes! Grass was good! Grass was outside; therefore, it was good.
The Young rolled in the grass, and enjoying the sounds that the outside played. Outside was good! Inside bad!
Suddenly the Young stopped. It sat up. It felt it... There was Another! It jumped to its feet and began to sway. There was Another! Another was good! Being alone was bad! The Young smiled. There was Another! Another to play with! Yeah!
The Young then disappeared in search of the Other.
Bird Rock Lamb-chop Bigger Bird Bird
The thumming pounded in its ears. It was loud and painful and yet the thumming echoed with the Young's heart. The thumming was causing the raven-haired young to sway to and fro. Metallic obsidian eyes glared at the strange cave. The strange cave was made of stone with the thumming coming from the inside, and inside was bad but... The Young liked the thumming it was like the hunt! And the hunt was good! Plus, the Other... The Other was inside! But inside was bad! But... The Other! The Young continued to sway in time of the thumming and quietly mewled in pain. The Young wanted the Other; the Young did not want to be alone...
"Beat it Brat!" A hairless one growled.
The Young growled back.
"Ye heard me! Beat it!" The hairless one hollered as his meaty arm attempted to hit the Young. But the Young was quick.
The Young stepped aside, grabbed the beefy limp then the Young spun around, throwing the hairless one off center. The Young remain still while the hairless one fell.
"Heh, come on Tony." Another chuckled.
The Young hissed as it crouched low.
The Another had sun-hair and had the scent of honeysuckle. Honeysuckle was nice but too much was bad... The Young's eyes drooped as both scent and the thumming lulled the Young into a gentle sway.
"Let him in. I promise I'll take good care of him." The sun-hair replied.
"That's what I'm afraid of, Curtis, but if..." The hairless one eyed the Young.
The Young observed them with half closed eyes. True, the hairless one tried to hurt the Young but the hairless one was only protecting its den. The sun-hair... Although the sun-haired smelled nice, the sun-haired smelled too much of honeysuckle. Many things that smelled too much was dangerous. The hairless one stepped aside while the sun-hair gently guided the Young into the loud cave. Suddenly the Young was overwhelmed by sound and scent; causing the raven-haired youth to fall under...
Bird Rock Lamb-chop Bigger Bird Bird
"It's been a long time." A sultry voice purred as the owner crawled closer to the black-clad youth. The youth ignored the female as she straddled his lap. He had been feeling edgy; twitchy but that was expected as it was the night of a new moon. The youth never knew why, but he knew that his kind were heavily influenced by the new moon and the full moon. Of course, it had not been until recently that the youth could truly control the Curse on the new moon but... But this night would be different for two reasons. The first being that he was away from his Pet, the one who kept the youth balanced during the moon's highest and lowest points of its cycle, and the second being that his Other was being born tonight.
Suddenly the Curse came alive in his veins; in response to the subconscious calling of his Other. The youth purred as he felt the Other entering the nightclub.
"You like that?" The female cooed.
The youth had forgotten about the club owner. He growled; causing his markers to glow.
The female nightclub owner immediately backed off. She had dealt with his kind before and with him specifically. She knew that it was wiser to leave a Cursed One be until they recognized those around them. However, past experience did not stop the dejected sigh escaping from her lips. It was true that she never experienced this particular youth in bed like she had with the Others, but he always came to her to play and what a play it was! With sad eyes she watched her favorite Cursed One leave and stand by the railing.
While the youth was standing by the railing; looking out to the crowd, he then looked back at her. Her eyes widen as she knew what he wanted form her. There was something that he wanted to show her. Quickly gathering herself to her feet, she rushed to the youth's side. Standing next to the humming youth, the owner gasped at what she saw.
Down on the dance floor was a beautiful pale youth with locks black as raven wings. The youth was bare footed and wore what appeared to be a pair of pajama pants and the shirt unbutton; revealing the youth's smooth, flat chest and stomach. The youth also wore bandages around his wrists and throat, but all that did not really catch the owner's attention. What did was the glowing tribal curse markers. They glowed a gentle silvery-grey hue and not the sickly venomous green of the Others or the warm honey-gold of the True Cursed One. However, there was no denying it. The boy on the dance floor was a Cursed One!
"Who is he?" The nightclub owner found herself asking without meaning to.
The True Cursed One smiled; a dark predatory smile.
"He's mine."
The woman gasped in shock as she watched the young one jumped onto the dance floor. The youth melded with the dancing crowd; the same crowd, who gave no noticed of the auburn-haired youth's unusual entrance.
Bird Rock Lamb-chop Bigger Bird Bird
The Young came alive! The sound and movement was like the hunt for the Young. As soon as the Young had entered the strange den, the Young melded with the Others, who were at play. The Young quickly forgot about its hunt as it allowed itself to be consumed by the thumming. The Young let out quiet little mewls at the feel of paws petted its body. So lost in play, the Young did not notice the angry sun-hair, who scented too much of honeysuckle, until it was too late.
Rough paws grabbed the Young's raven locks; pulling its head back and exposing its throat. The Young growled.
"You little punk! You came with me!" The sun-hair yelled.
The Young growled.
The Young instinctively grasped the sun-hair's paw, locking them in place as the Young twisted around to face its aggressor. The Sun-hair was weak. The Sun-hair was not the Other! The Sun-hair was startled by the sudden movement; the Young lunged forward. The two fell back; the crowd dispersed to watch what they sensed was a fight pending. The Sun-hair released his hold. The Young landed gracefully on its hands and feet; hissing in the Sun-hair's face. The Sun-hair tried to grab the Young but was too slow. The Young had disappeared. The Sun-hair quickly sat up and saw the Young waiting. The Sun-hair paused; afraid not of the Young. But the Young was not looking at him nor was the Young seeing the Sun-hair. No, the Young was seeing... He was seeing in the world of black inferred, and he could see the Sun-hair's fear but that was not all that the Young could see.
The Other was waiting, watching... Waiting, watching for the Young.
Neither moved.
Neither spoke.
They just stood there. The audience was confused. Was there going to be a fight or what?
Neither moved; they were still like marble statues.
Neither spoke; they were silent like death.
Then...
The two youths were suddenly engulfed in light: one honey gold and the other silvery-grey.
The two youths were suddenly on the ground; wrestling, playing like a pair of overgrown kittens.
The auburn haired youth in black with a grin on his face pinned the raven haired youth in blue pajamas.
The raven haired youth growled and rolled the stronger off then proceeded to attempt to pin the stronger.
The stronger rolled to his back and playfully slapped the younger.
The younger jerked back. Then lunged forward.
The older, still grinning, wrapped his arms around the raven haired youth's neck and rolled.
The raven haired youth mewled at the unfairness of the other's strength.
The auburn haired just slammed his hand playfully on the raven haired head's...
Bird Rock Lamb-chop Bigger Bird Bird
Sunlight blared through the open window while a cool ocean breeze wafted in; tickling Chazz' senses. An audible groan echoed throughout the small room; followed by a few colorful oaths about the sun being evil and cruel for waking him up so early. Suddenly obsidian eyes snapped wide open as he felt someone in his room and laughing at him. Chazz knew it was not the old man because his grandfather also hated mornings as much as the teen himself did. Working the graveyard shift for most of one's life could do that to a person, so no... it was not the old man... Suddenly last night came into focus...
Blankets and sheets flew off as the young misplaced millionaire sat up and came face to face with one Jaden Yuki. The Duel Academy Champ was sitting across the room with the expression akin to a content feline. The other teen's eyes still had its metallic glow but that was not what stunned the raven-haired youth... It was what...
"What are you wearing?!" Chazz blurted out; realizing the idiocy of asking an insignificant question such as the subject on the other teen's fashion.
"Hm..?" Jaden purred.
Chazz could not believe that he had ever seen Jaden in anything but tee-shirts and jeans: not even for Halloween. And yet here was the strange teen in black leather!! pants that accented his lean and muscled legs and it was not one of those punk leather pants either! It was actual hide; real animal skin which teased at Chazz' sense of smell. Piled next to the auburn haired teen was a tank-top; black and looked soft to the touch. It is. Chazz begrudgedly remembered petting the soft cotton fabric during the night's frenzy.
Chazz' eyes narrowed as he remembered more of last night.
"What happened to me? What did you do to me?" Chazz demanded then paused.
Was it his imagination or did Jaden's eyes dulled in pain? If so, it was gone; hidden behind the mask of a jester.
"The moon..." Jaden's voice was calm; uncharacteristically calm. Chazz hated it. He wanted the Slacker back! "The moon affects us... You... Me... Why? I don't know nor care... I like listening to the moon."
"What are you talking about? There was no moon last night! It was a New Moon!" Chazz was at his wits end. If it was not dueling or classic cars or even Syrus then Jaden was usually quiet but because school was about dueling and Syrus was there, the other teen rarely shut up. However, Chazz knew... Chazz knew that Jaden often spoke in riddles. And judging by the Cheshire like grin, Jaden had just done that.
"You heard the moon..." Jaden commented, "You heard the call to play..."
At first Chazz was about to question Jaden's sanity, especially since how can a person hear the moon, but he had heard something! Originally he thought it was Jaden, who was calling him: probably through some sort of telepathic link they somehow shared because Jaden infected him with the Curse but... But now, Chazz was not certain, especially now that he remembered how the old man described the Cursed Ones. They were like big cats.
Cats were generally nocturnal creatures. Of course, the Curse would be more active at night but why the sudden urge on the new moon? Why not the full moon? If the moon affected him and Jaden as Jaden had claimed then would not the full moon have a larger influence on them? Then he realized it... Yes, the full moon did have a larger impact on them; he just did not how much yet, but the lack of a moon also influenced them.
"Just great!" Chazz mumbled as he raked his hand through his hair. "Now, I have to worry about going 'kitty' every new moon. Just great."
Jaden shrugged then stretched.
Chazz watched in amazement at how cat-like Jaden really was. He wondered if he would be like that.
With graceful, fluid movement, Jaden stood up, pulled his tank-top on and walked toward Chazz.
Chazz tensed at the other's approach and lack of sound.
Suddenly Jaden pulled at a black clothe that was trapped between the sheets and blankets. It was a leather trench coat; the same leather as Jaden's pants. Chazz was curious if he would have to wear clothing similar to Jaden's. Subconsciously an eyebrow arched, which caused Jaden to smile.
"You wouldn't sleep." Jaden explained, "You might want to find some for yourself... That is if you don't want me to..."
Chazz heard the lost child in his rival's voice and hated it. How lonely was Jaden during his childhood? Not only being a member of a yakuza clan but also being the only true Cursed One among them; whatever that meant.
Chazz sighed as he raked his hand through his raven locks.
"I'm gonna regret this," Not really! "but you can stay here at nights. As long you remember to wash your flea-ridden hide! It's bad enough that I go 'kitty' thanks to you. I don't wanna need to have to take flea baths as well!"
Jaden grinned brightly, knowing that Chazz had not truly meant the other stuff then without warning bellowed "BANZAI!" as he jumped onto the fluffy futon and Chazz; causing the newly awaken Cursed One to give an undignified squeak.
"Nrgh! Die! Slacker!" Chazz growled out as he grasped for a nearby pillow then proceeded to pound the childish yakuza heir with all his might; not caring that the air was suddenly filled with loose feathers.
Laughter erupted and enveloped the room but soon slowly it die down with a sense of something was out of place. As they laid on the futon in a pile of tangled limps, neither said a word for they knew that the other was aware of the missing thing... The two shot straight up...
THUNK!
"Ewo!" Chazz groaned then complained, "I always knew that you had a thick skull, Slacker!"
"Owwie!" Jaden whimpered playfully then grinned like a loon.
Chazz could not help but to match Jaden's grin. They both knew what was missing. Their grins then turned feral; their eyes were aglow and their markers hummed. They knew what or who was missing... Their Anchor, their Center, their Chibi... Their Syrus!
Bird Rock Lamp-chop Bigger Bird Bird
Meanwhile a certain bluette chibi was floating on his back; watching the clouds gently breeze by and listen to Nature quiet hymn. Suddenly the calm was overwhelmed by the sudden sense of thrill, anticipation and passion. Syrus shot up and began treading in the water; looking around. Desperately hoping to see Jaden for he was the only one that Syrus knew of who was emotional complex and yet so simple at the same time.
"Syrus?!" Another familiar voice called in surprise; causing said youth to turn around to see his older brother. Syrus' smile grew larger and brighter than any known sun, and it was directed at Zane.
"You're swimming! But how?!" Zane slowly walked closer at the edge.
Yes, he was stunned but that quickly washed away as he watched bemusedly while Syrus doggie-paddled to the pool's edge. It was quite cute sight to see.
"Yeah... gasp Jay... pant taught me!" Syrus exclaimed then ducked into the water; missing the dark jealous look in his brother's eyes.
"Been practicing too!" Syrus continued then asked, "Will you join me?"
"Wha -?"
"Well... you'll be leaving and I don't know when I'll see you again and... And..."
"I would love to, Syrus." Zane interrupted.
"Really?!" Syrus' smile was so bright and warm that Zane felt strange; felt oddly possessive of his baby brother.
Zane quickly stood up and disappeared into the house. He politely nodded to his father in passing but stopped when his elder spoke.
"Always the same, Zane."
"Meaning."
"You'll always be there to protect him, love him and push him."
"Of course, he is my brother." Zane replied but could not help to sense that his father's word had a deeper meaning for himself than his father had intended. Shrugging the feeling aside as he changed into his swim trunks. Zane had planned to enjoy his time with his brother, and he was going to enjoy it to the fullest!