A/N: I OWN NOTHING! EVERY BIT OF YU GI OH 5DS GO TO THEIR CREATORS! THE ONLY THING I OWN IS MY OCS!

Chapter 34

Terrifying Pain

"Jack, Era and Yusei didn't come home last night and I haven't seen them anywhere," Crow said over the intercom.

"I know. This isn't like them. I'll go see if they're over at Martha's. You keep searching around town," Jack said.

Akiza's call then appeared over the com. Jack and Crow allowed her in. "What's up, guys?" she greeted.

"Listen, Akiza, we would love to talk but we're kind of in a situation," Jack said.

"What situation?" she asked worried.

"Era and Yusei didn't come home last night and neither of us can find them. Jack's going to head over to Martha's. That's where they said they were going yesterday," Crow informed.

"I start to look around too," Akiza said. "The more who look around the better."

Jack and Crow nodded in acceptance before they all hung up to look around more.

Yusei shifted around as he woke up. His eyes opened wide as he felt his arms locked above him and the shaking of chains reached his ears. The memory of the night before quickly came back.

He looked around frantically for Era. His eyes landed on a tube close to directly in front of him. "Era!" he yelled as he saw her in the tube. He yanked as hard as he could on the chains.

A dark laughter was heard approaching. "Nice to see you're finally up," said Jakob as he came into view.

"Now we can finally get started!" Lester exclaimed. "It's been so boring waiting for you to wake up."

"Lester, calm down. We'll have the power soon enough," Primo said following Lester and Jakob.

"Leave her alone!" Yusei demanded yanking at the chains more. "Her nightmare…" he muttered remembering it. They laughed as they walked over.

Era's eyes were opening and focusing. When she saw where she was, she went wide eyed with fear. Her tube was too small and she could barely move.

"Now little Era, you should take a deep breath. Because it may be your last," Jakob said pressed a button. Era frantically took a breath as the mask she was using to breathe fell off her mouth. "Think of this as payback for that little stunt you pulled last time."

Yusei yanked as hard as he could trying to get to her. "Era!" he exclaimed.

Jakob pressed another button and, to Yusei's horror, the tube Era was in began to sizzle with electricity. She struggled to hold her breath as her mind filled with fear. Her mark began to glow. She looked around and she didn't feel any cuffs or anything to hold her in the tube.

The lack of oxygen was effecting her mind and the electricity hurt her body. She frantically searched for anything to get out. Era was losing her breath and was approaching the last of it.

"Era!" Yusei called seeing her struggling.

He yanked at his chains as hard as he could. The creaking of wearing metal could be heard. 'Come on. Break! I need to get to Era!' Yusei thought. He pulled and pulled as hard as he could.

Yusei sighed with relief and the chains finally broke off his cuffs. He stood up and created a red energy bubble around the three men who stood together with smiles.

"What?!" Primo exclaimed as they were thrown high into the air and stood there while Yusei fumbled with the controls.

Era was barely able to hold her last breath.

"Era, I'm getting you out," Yusei called. "Don't worry." He pressed another button and the electricity stopped and Era gave a small look of relief but still struggled to hold her breath. He pressed another and the front of the tube slid open. The water fell out like a waterfall and Era stood there gasping for breath.

Yusei hurried to her and helped her out. He turned to the three men who were still glaring at him like the tip of a dagger in their little, energy bubble. She leaned against him for support. "I'm here, Era. You're out," Yusei tried. "Let's get out of here."

Yusei picked her up bridle style and ran out. As soon as he felt they were a good distance away, he found an alleyway to hide in and slid down the wall with Era laying in his lap. Her hair was still wet and her clothes were soaking his own.

He wiped some wet hair off her face. She clung to him for dear life with her body shaking from fear. "It's okay, Era. It's okay," he whispered.

He leaned his forehead onto hers breathing hard trying to grip what just happened. 'Her nightmare actually came true. Is it possible that with every nightmare she has, they'll come true? If that's so, what about the one where she loses to her darker self,' Yusei thought. Fear wrapped around his mind at the thought.

"Oh, Era…" he muttered.

After Jack went to Martha's he had asked if they were there. She had said they left around four last night going home. Jack immediately had run off to search around and tell Crow and Akiza the news.

"Any sign yet Jack?" Crow asked.

"None," Jack answered.

"Where could they be?" Akiza wondered.

"I don't know, but I'm worried," Crow said.

Jack drove by another alleyway. Since he was looking for his friends, he looked to it and hurried to the side noticing the familiar hair style. "Guys, I might've just found them," Jack said.

"Where? We'll meet you there," Akiza said.

"I'm sending you my coordinates," Jack said while he sent it. "Hurry here."

They nodded and hung up. Jack waited about five minutes before Crow and Akiza pulled up. "Nice hurrying," he complimented.

"Where are they?" Crow asked.

Jack waved them over. He walked them to the alleyway. Yusei was still panting with his head on Era's who was soaked but was slowly drying. "Yusei!" Akiza exclaimed.

His head sprung over to them. At first it showed alert and awareness before returning to relief. But when he saw Crow and Jack, he gave a suspicious look.

"Yusei, what happened?" Jack asked.

"We got to the garage. On the way we saw Jakob in the road and went around him. When we reach the place, you and Crow were looking at us," Yusei explained.

"Wait, what?" Crow asked.

"We never got to the garage until about ten," Jack said.

"We explained why we got back a bit late and then Jack asked if the kids we hung out with were the three regulars at Martha's," he stopped.

"Who are the three regulars? Are they those kids Era talks about once in a while?" Jack asked.

They looked at Era who was clinging onto Yusei who nodded. "When Era heard this she asked how they knew about them. She never really talked about them with you guys. They got tense. Crow said they guessed and I responded saying it didn't sound like one. When they asked if we thought they were imposters or something, they said they were our friends. But I said my friends didn't act like this. And Era agreed saying they were acting strange. Both of your guys gave a grin and laughed. Era took a step back and bumped into Jakob. The next thing I remember is being chained to a pole again and seeing Era in a tube with liquid in it," Yusei explained.

"Like her nightmare?" Crow asked.

Yusei nodded. "The nightmare became reality. They shocked her and she was struggling with her last breath when I broke my chains," he stopped raising his left hand that still had the metal cuffed attached. " I used my mark to put them in an energy bubble and get them away so I could save Era. I then carried her out and hid here for the time being."

"So who were the other Jack and Crows?" Akiza wondered.

"If I had to guess, Lester and Primo," Yusei guessed.

He looked at Era who clung onto him for dear life. She was worried that if she let go, she would be taken away and back to the tube. "It's okay, Era," Yusei whispered.

Akiza walked over. She placed a hand on Era's shoulder. Era immediately cringed in fear. "It'll be okay. We're here Era," she tried to comfort. "Let's get you guys home," Akiza suggested.

Yusei nodded and stood up with Era still in his arms. He got on with Crow and set Era in his lap as she refused to let go of him.

As they drove, Jack asked, "How did they get inside?"

"Well, Era can get into the house with the spare key," Crow mentioned.

"Maybe we should give Era her own key and take away the spare key," Jack suggested.

"Maybe," Yusei said and looked at Era sadly. 'She's really terrified now,' he thought. 'I'll be there for you, Era. I promise.' "I'll be there to protect you, Era," Yusei whispered. "I promise."

Crow looked back sadly. 'Era… Yusei… What did they do?' he thought.