His eyes had rolled open slowly. Long and heavy breathes as gazed around wherever this was. Something smelled sweet- food- there is food. There is also something touching him- touching without permission- threat! Enemy!

Kill it!

He snaps at the thing touching him. The food- its colors are pretty and bright- dangerous! Bright coloring means dangerous- threat! It's a threat. A pretty threat but still a threat and it has to die.

Need it to die

Eat. Devour. Survive.

This place- smells are not kin and this is no home. This is not safe. His mouth waters and drool falls out as he raises his head at the thing screeching at him. Food. Threat. Bright coloring… Pretty bright coloring.

Poison

Why am I scared?

He doesn't know what the noises it's making are meant to convey only that as he lifts upright and growls that they become more stressed. Good. Recognize him as a threat. Recognize the status it holds as prey. It is smaller than him- weaker- better is he than something like this that was baring its neck. So weak.

So weak.

What am I again?

Strong. Predator. Monster.

"Yuri?"

Hungry

If it's smart it will run

The wide snapping of Yuri's jaws as he struck into Flynn's arm and drew blood sent him into panic as he fell down. Flynn hurried to the door running as slamming the door and locking it behind him. He held strong against the wood as Yuri pounded against it over and over.

No way. No way! This isn't happening. This isn't- calm down. He needs to calm down.

Yuri has been like this before when he's had an episode. This isn't proof of anything- and then the door gave way as talons splintered the wood. In an instant, the door was flung against the wall along with Flynn.

The fire erupted from Yuri's mouth seconds later scorching the wall as Flynn dashed down the hallway. He shouldn't be grateful that Yuri was still clumsy in this form but he was because it meant that he was clumsy and easily ran into the walls every time Flynn zig-zagged.

The loud crash as he collided and dented the walls, that pained howling that was so angry and frustrated, the empty lost look he caught in those grey eyes.

"Ya know what part I hate the most is that suddenly I don't know what anything is or what anything means. It's just nothing but clawing and screaming- darkness and shit."

"Yuri, please listen to me! Yuri, calm down you're safe. You're fine."

Why is there so much fear running through Flynn? Why does it feel like Yuri will kill him if he doesn't run? Why is the hair on the back of his neck standing? He knows he's bleeding along the ground and the other knights are pulling out their swords.

"Captain get back. It's not safe."

No. No... They'll kill him. They'll kill Yuri.

What will I do if he dies?

What would I tell Estelle?

"No, fall back and lead him outside," Flynn commands even as protests and calling for action barrage his ears. "That's an order!"

Yuri will be fine. I won't let him die. I won't let him die!

Scared… Why am I scared?

Why?

It hurts

My body hurts

Everything…

All these threats pointed at him. Trying to kill him. Trying to destroy him.

They are trying to kill me

He keeps howling and lashing with fangs and fire trying to get away but they're circling. That poisonous one's eyes are bright and scary. No. Get away. It's all wrong. All of them are threats. Poisonous.

They'll kill me!

He jumps over ignoring the pain as the weapons draw blood along his legs but he's away from them even as they keep trying to get closer.

They'll kill me

One of them comes closer, this one with big long ears trailing on the ground and he thinks a moment this isn't a threat but it's holding one of the big sticks. The ones that hurt. This thing will hurt him. All of them are going to hurt him.

"Yuri, it's okay. No one is going to hurt you." It's talking… it's talking and it's almost clear but- no- no get away. Get away!

The stick falls. "Yuri please, just breathe. We're here to help."

What is any of this? He doesn't get it. He doesn't! She's closer and he's frozen. Get away- get away. Get away!

"Please, let me try."

"No, you'll only frighten him."

"Yuri is my best friend. I've been with him through this and know what he's feeling."

"Right now, I'm the only one that can actually understand his thoughts and he thinks you're a threat. Not a friend. Not a lover. Not even acquaintance. So get back Scifo before you get your head bitten."

All their noises are frightening and- and- and

What am I?

Huh… Yeah, what am I?

Scared?

No.. more than that.

What am I?

Don't know.

I don't know

I DON'T KNOW

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM

I DON'T KNOW WHO I AM

scared

scared

SCARED!

HELP ME

Yuri was going on a rampage running around bumping into things and trying to do everything in his power to lash out. Judith understood that this was fear. Raw unbridled fear that she's felt and heard in all the other times Yuri has had an episode around her.

He doesn't know who or what he is and this time his body is actually able to be a threat instead of just leave a few minor wounds.

And Judith can't do anything. She can't because Yuri doesn't seem to know how to even listen to their common tongue. She can hear him screaming, "Yuri, it's all right. I know who you are, all you need to do is listen to my voice. You can hear it right? You can hear me?"

He can but he is to busy trying to get past the knights that are blocking any means of escape. She manages to get close and grabs onto his horns and won't let go even as he's trying to shake her off. "Your name is Yuri Lowell. You're 21 and were born and raised in the Lower Quarter."

She tightens her grip further.

"You like to eat sweets and to fight. You think scars are cool and are a member of Brave Vesperia. You are my friend. Your best friend is Flynn Scifo," She says it and repeats it all while she tries to not be bucked off and mauled to death.

Judith will say it till it means something. Till Yuri remembers. She keeps saying it and another voice, Rita, supplies and adds more. Mentions how Yuri is stubborn and strong-willed.

That he's their friend. That he is Yuri Lowell and she's not abandoning him.

"Yuri we're here. Just let us help you. Let us all help you."

There aren't any tears but he's crying. He's crying and wailing as he finally throws her off and manages to run up Halure's tree and hides away in the branches all while they chase and call for him.

"Please, come back to us."

Go away

Want it all to go away

She reaches out and all she gets is fire. Fire burning around her and the hell of watching Yuri drift away. Drift further as those thoughts become more jumbled. As- no- no-no!

Stop it. Don't leave them like this. Don't go.

And he keeps running. Keeps fleeing them till they can't follow and she wants to collapse because she can't hear anything. She's not sure when the arms wrap around her waist but she hugs back and looks mournfully at Karol who'd run out with all the commotion. Another set joins with Patty. Then Rita.

Raven is just standing alone emptily while Flynn stands as the strong captain even as his eyes look like he wants to cry. But he's smiling and he stands strongly. He acts like he is fine.

And even though there is bad blood between them she offers condolences.

They go to bed knowing that they can't do anything right now. They don't point out that Repede is missing. That he followed Yuri and is with him.

They say absolutely nothing about what they watched transpire as they lay in bed that night but Judith knows she hears Karol crying and that Rita is not there. "Karol… would you like it if we slept together? It's lonely, right?" Because… because Karol often shared with Yuri.

Because usually there were more of them.

With a solemn nod, Karol crawls under the covers and she runs her hands through his hair. "Judith, he'll come back right?"

"I'm sure. He just needs to sort himself out. Meanwhile, we'll rescue Estelle and when Yuri comes back we'll have a happy reunion with all of us and a big cake, lots of food, streamers will be nice." Karol only sobs harder; lips thin as she pulls him tighter against her.

It will be okay. She has to believe that.

As he moves and runs to shelter it finally feels comforting enough to just breathe and think. To drink the water from the pond and wonder what he is.

The small beast followed him but it doesn't feel like a threat to him. He feels empty and he's not sure why. "Do you really not remember?"

He cocks his head and the creature's words.

"You are very deep in it this time, Yuri."

That word again.

I'm Scared

Fear. So much fear. And… he's not capable of crying but there is a sorrowful hole in him that he feels will swallow him. A hole and nothing to fill it.

I want to come back

Where from?

And he howls at the moon because he cannot say.