There you go - the first Yu-boy will be introduced in this chapter and considering the title, you'd probably guessed who it is. :D Hope you enjoy. Thanks a lot to elfqueen13 who did an excellent job at proofreading the chapter!
Before you start please read the tags. This chapter (and other three as well) will deal with some dark themes that some might find hard to read. Just a warning.
PS: You might need tissues for the poor tomato's head background story. I nearly did... :'(
EDIT: One of the readers reminded me of an important moment that I forgot to put into this chapter, I was going to include it in the next chapter but it doesn't seem to fit, so at the end of this chapter there's an extra scene. Hope you like it :D ( the second chapter still needs some time before it will be done).
As soon as they departed from the Realm of Spirits, Yugi and Atem found themselves back in the human world, their trusted partners not far behind. With their appearances hidden under deep blue cloaks and the magicians turning invisible, the two generals walked through a thick forest. At first it appeared to be the same as any from their now home, Pendulum kingdom. The trees stood tall, the bushes growing thick at their feet, many flowers growing by the path.
But unlike their home, the forest was devoid of life. Not a single bird sang, not a single mammal passed them by, and even the bugs seemed to have vanished. The more the duo walked, the fewer similarities they saw. Once they reached the edge of the forest they saw the trees that had been cut down, the bare branches of the bushes, the practically non-existent flowers.
"I don't like this place. . ." Dark Magician Girl muttered, floating invisibly next to Yugi. "It's so empty of life."
"I don't like it either Mana, but we must keep going," the short general said, gazing at what lay beyond the forest.
"But what exactly are we looking for Master?" Dark Magician asked. "Your orders were too sudden to be explained in detail." Saying he would elaborate, Atem stood still for a moment, stopped by something he had heard. The rest of the party heard it too, coming from a small town nearby. The rulers of the Pendulum kingdom could point out the colourful lights of paper lanterns and sounds of merriment from the humans living there.
"Mahad, could you please go take a closer look at what is happening there?" Atem asked, his loyal partner acknowledging the order and flying to the town. It was not long before he returned with a rather distinct expression on his face, like he wasn't sure how to feel about what he had observed.
"It appears as though the town has been visited by a travelling caravan full of performers. The town's citizens pay to see the shows they put on," Mahad informed them. "But despite the positive auras coming from the viewers, I sensed something. . . off about the main tent."
"Should we check it out Mou Hitori No Boku?" Yugi asked, shifting his weight nervously from one foot to the other.
"I think so Aibou. . . at least, that's what the Millennium Puzzle is telling me." Atem tightened his grip on the chain of a magical item he wore around his neck, the very same one that Yugi did.
"Let's head on in then," the shorter general said, having already started walking.
Once they entered the town, the duo tugged their hoods further down to obscure their faces and made sure their Millenium Puzzles were hidden as well. Those people may not yet have been affected by the war, but just in case they concealed their identities and had their spirit partners remain in the forest. After all, their faces - along with those of the other generals - had become well known, deemed traitors of humanity who were brainwashed by the spirits. Yugi could hardly forget all the nasty names and glares human soldiers threw at him, despite him fighting for their sake too. Atem felt his nervousness and took a hold of his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze to calm him down.
"Just walk, don't pay attention to the crowd. Your face isn't exposed and neither is mine." The taller general guided him towards the town outskirts where the whole event was taking place.
Yugi became more relaxed as he observed the stands where people were selling food and the festive decorations around them. Everyone seemed like they were having a good time, laughing and going on with their peaceful lives. The young general was happy that things looked alright now, but still couldn't shake off the dark aura he felt, the one that Dark Magician had mentioned.
"Are you here to see the performers? It's a cheap price and it's truly a unique show." A woman wearing a colorful dress and carrying a basket full of tickets approached them with a smile.
"We'll take two," Atem said instantly, handing her a few coins that she exchanged for the tickets.
"Are you sure?" Yugi asked once the woman had moved away, looking for more potential customers.
"Whatever it is that Mahad sensed, came from the very center of this." Atem pointed at the big tent, where other ticket holders were heading.
The duo entered and looked for two empty seats, which was rather difficult since more people were coming in. Fortunately they found seats with a decent view just before the show started. A chubby looking man in festive clothes stepped on the stage welcoming the audience. People began to clap, eager to see what was in store for them. The man bowed and performed few card tricks before he excused himself to give the stage to the next act.
The performers were mostly either dancers in flashy clothes or acrobats doing the impossible, with a few animal tamers. The crowd went wild with each act, shouting to entertainers about how good they were and giving them loud applause. The whole time Atem tried to scan the area for the dark aura, but the large number of performers all moving around meant he failed to detect the exact source. He was about to send a message to their spirit partners to give them a hand in the search when the announcer appeared once more, this time in different clothes.
"And now Ladies and Gentlemen, the moment you've been all waiting for! Here comes the wonder no one has ever seen, the being with the most mysterious eyes!" the man shouted dramatically, a group of performers already leading a small figure onto the stage "I give you the Boy With the Odd Eyes!"
The announcer stepped away, revealing a young boy behind him. The boy didn't seem older than ten, in fact the slightly oversized performer clothes made him look even younger. But what the audience saw first was not his young age, but rather his strange features.
One of his eyes was vivid green, while the other was crimson red.
The crowd began to whisper, many of them expressing their disgust at how weird he looked like. Yugi heard such words as spawn of the spirits, which made him clench his fist. Around him, the audience wondered what kind of show a freak like him would give them, and one person joked that all the wild animals had gotten their time to shine already.
But the boy paid them no mind as he too bowed to the audience with a smile, fully prepared to begin. He began by gripping the rope hanging from the trapeze, climbing up as swiftly as a monkey. Once he was at the top, he grabbed the next rope, performing various tricks to draw their attention. The audience got caught up in the act, many cheering when he swung down to stand directly on the ball below. Using his legs he began to roll it all over the stage, pulling several balls out of his pockets and juggling them. The Pendulum generals admitted that he was indeed a skillful performer, far more amusing than previous acts. The boy kept the smile on his face while winking at the audience with his heterochromic eyes.
The whole affair appeared normal enough, with the dark aura still undetected. Yugi was about to dismiss the whole thing when, all of a sudden, he noticed something in a split second that no one else apart from Atem did.
The boy had reached the climax of his act when he let out a peal of genuine laughter and said something that sounded like thank you. There would have been nothing wrong with it had the announcer not given him the sternest look possible. As soon as his eyes landed on the man's angry face, the boy froze completely. His smile turned to fear as he struggled to keep his balance on the three balls while swinging hula-hoops in his hands. One of the hoops was already at the tips of his fingers, slowly slipping off while the other started spinning uncontrollably.
As the first hoop hit the floor, the announcer seemingly became angrier, sending another, even scarier look to the odd-eyed boy. If one look had disturbed his concentration and balance, the second certainly broke it. The second hoop fell to the ground and so did the boy, balls scattering all around.
The boy seemed to have trouble picking himself up and yet he still kept his smile on, as though he had fallen intentionally. He shakily got to his feet, probably injured from his fall, and was prepared to wrap his act up, but before he could do anything two staff members appeared behind him. The boy flinched as they dragged him off the stage, the announcer politely stepping forward instead. The audience quickly forgot about the awkward situation when a group of dancers appeared to begin the new act.
All but the two Pendulum rulers. The boy wasn't the source of the dark aura - it was coming from the announcer, the staff members who took the boy away, and even more performers. The dark energy was increasing, not on the stage but behind the scenes. They knew they had to investigate further into the group in charge of the show. Atem was also worried for the boy with the oddly colored eyes.
Despite all the smiles the young performer was giving the audience, he knew well that it wasn't genuine - he couldn't be fooled. Not after spending so much time with his always cheerful Aibou who would often smile even if he wasn't alright. By now Atem knew well what the difference between a fake and real smile was, and the odd eyed boy was certainly a very good actor.
The crowd might've seen joyfulness, but he saw something far different.
The boy had been scared the entire length of his performance. And the announcer was definitely the cause of it.
The moment the show ended, Yugi and Atem tried to find their way to the announcer who also seemed to be in the charge of the whole show. But due to the thick crowd, they couldn't get there. The taller general so gestured his intent to leave the tent and rather search for the boy outside, where the carriages were parked. Carefully they passed the groups of tired dancers and acrobats, all of them resting by the fire and chatting about the show. There were also tamers who were leading the animals back to their cages and putting away the gear for their acts.
It was a while before they found the boy with mismatched eyes near another smaller tent, likely used for storing props and such for the show. The boy now only wore a tattered long shirt that reached all the way to his knees, his feet bare and head down. He was shaking so badly that he could barely stand in front of the announcer, who was so furious that his face was coloured red.
"Just what the hell was that?!" the man demanded, the boy flinching at the harsh words. "When have I ever allowed you to interact with the audience, let alone talk?!"
"I. . . I'm sorry. . ." boy stuttered, his voice full of fear, ". . . I. . . just thought. . ."
"Thought what? That you're an actual star? Don't make me laugh!" The man slapped him so hard the boy fell to the ground. "I've told you loud and clear, no interacting with the crowd!"
"B. . . but. . . I. . ." the child tried to explain only to receive a kick to his legs.
"You're just a freak to be watched, that's all what you are!" the man yelled.
Yugi and Atem could hardly hold themselves back when they saw that the announcer did not stop there. When the boy attempted to crawl away, he felt the man's foot connect with his stomach. And then with his chest. The beating didn't end even though the young performer quietly begged him to stop, tears streaming down his face. Once the man was done, the boy curled up in fetal position, clutching his injured torso in hopes the pain would stop.
But it didn't. The boy cried out when he felt his hair being pulled to bring him face to face with the announcer. His tiny hands scrabbled desperately at those of his, the man simply tightening his hold until the boy no longer had any strength to struggle.
"You're nothing but trash no one wants!" he continued to shout, the boy barely conscious due to the pain. "You're lucky you have those freakish eyes. People pay good money just to see an exotic creature like you."
The boy sobbed silently as the words stabbed into him like a knife. The man was right, that's all he ever was. He was just a boy with different coloured eyes which made him a freak that people liked to watch. Not his acts that he worked hard to master, not him as a performer, only as the freak the owner of the show loved to parade around.
The man then dragged the child inside the tent, Yugi and Atem slowly following, thinking it must be the place where the boy was kept when he wasn't performing. They were shocked to realize that anything at least resembling a bed or resting place wasn't there. Instead there was a small cage filled with straw, similar to those where the animals for the show were kept. The announcer threw the barely conscious boy in the cage and locked it tight. The young performer used the little strength he had left to curl into a tight ball, so there would be at least a little space around him. The cage barely fit him since it was meant for the dogs and even though he was scrawny, he couldn't fully extend his arms and legs in it.
"You better be conscious when I return. There'll be some nobles who're excited to see your eyes," the man muttered, whistling cheerily as he left the tent.
The Pendulum rulers watched him go and had every urge to give the guy a piece of their minds. But they needed to think rationally if they truly wanted to help the poor child lying in a cage like a prized animal. Their Millennium Puzzles glowed faintly as they formed a plan within their minds. They nodded in agreement and separated in order to fulfill their roles.
Atem summoned Dark Magician while Yugi called for Dark Magician Girl to give him a hand. The spirits turned invisible and teleported to join them, with Mahad following Atem out of the tent while Mana stayed with Yugi.
The taller general didn't need long before he found the owner of the show in another, luxuriously decorated tent where he was quaffing glass after glass of wine. Atem entered slowly, scaring the man a bit with how sinisterly he walked, the moonlight shining behind him.
"Who are you and what do you want? The show's over," the man said, pouring himself another drink.
"Is it really?" Atem asked coyly, sitting down next to him and leaning forward matter-of-factly. "Because I can make it last longer."
"We have enough performers, kid. So I suggest you get the hell out of here before I call the guards." He felt like he'd dealt with enough of the 'boy's' nonsense, and it didn't help that the wine was getting to his head.
"Oh my, I didn't mean for the audience, but just for you." Atem, who had somehow got the deck of cards, held it out. "Why don't we play a little game?"
The man was initially confused - how had this strange hooded person got his magic trick cards in the first place? - but seeing how skillfully he shuffled the deck and spread it across the table, he started thinking. The kid wasn't half bad and if he wanted to play a game in order to prove himself in some way, he might have skills worth hiring him for.
"Heh, sure young man, but I must warn you I'm not keen on losing." He downed another glass while suspiciously eying the cards "What kind of game are we playing."
"It's a simple game of drawing cards. We take turns removing one to three cards from all the cards that you have. Last one to take a card loses." Atem crossed his legs as if to say he was ready.
"You're right, it is quite simple. I'll start," the man grinned, taking three cards at once.
Meanwhile, Yugi received Atem's message that the announcer was sufficiently distracted, and shouldn't notice what was going on in the other tent. Quietly, the short general approached the cage, seeing that the boy still cried, even in his sleep.
"The poor child. . ." Dark Magician Girl murmured sadly. "Just what kind of beings beat their young? Spirits would never treat any child so horribly!"
"I know Mana, I know." Yugi studied the lock, mentally searching for a way to open it. "That's why we're taking him away from this horrible man."
Together, they were able to undo the rather complicated lock without the key. The cage's door creaked loudly when the Pendulum ruler opened it, praying that Atem's distraction was good enough. The noise made the boy stir from his unconsciousness, slowly opening his mismatched eyes. Now that he saw him up close, Yugi realized just how bad a state the child was in. Apart from the forming bruises he had received earlier, he had many more all over his body - most were on his arms and legs, since they were easy to conceal with costumes during performances. The bruises on his seemingly underweight body were also accompanied by cuts and what appeared to be cigarette burns. The boy was truly battered and needed to get away before that man could treat him any worse.
But when Yugi held out his hand, the child scooted deeper into the cage. His eyes were once again full of tears and he began to tremble - it was like he thought the Pendulum Ruler and female spirit were monsters.
"D-don't. . . touch me. . ." the boy winced, setting his hands like a shield he hoped would protect him from another stranger. "You c-can. . . only watch. . ."
Yugi gave him a puzzled look, then remembered what that horrible man said when he was leaving. The boy was supposed to be displayed for some rich nobles and he probably thought Yugi was one of them. That made things a bit difficult. The child was terribly frightened, and as a result, hard to approach.
"It's alright, we're not here to hurt you," the short general said gently. "My name is Yugi and this is Dark Magician Girl, but you can call her Mana."
"Do you have a name too, little one?" she asked, crouched down to get on boy's level.
The boy was still shaking from the encounter with strangers, but their soothing voices and gentle gestures convinced him to remove his hands from his face. Slowly he looked at the duo, his oddly colored eyes connecting with theirs. Seeing the sincere faces and not the scary ones or the ones that were just acting nice, the boy eventually told them what he had been forbidden to say for so many years.
"Yu. . . ya. . ." he said, almost instantly regretting it and covering his mouth like he had uttered the nastiest of curses.
"Hey, it's okay." Yugi tried to calm the fidgeting boy down. "Your name is Yuya?"
The young performer nodded, his mouth still clamped shut. 'His trust will be quite difficult to earn from everything the poor child has been through,' Yugi thought. But if they wanted to bring light into his nearly lifeless eyes, they needed to get him out of that filthy cage as soon as possible. Though that was easier said than done with how Yuya reacted towards fast movements. Fortunately Dark Magician Girl had her own way to deal with those kinds of problems.
"That's a very lovely name," she cooed, gradually bringing her hand closer and closer to his. "Why don't you shake hands with Yugi and greet each other properly?"
Yuya gave her a confused look when he saw Yugi's hand entangling with his. His first reaction was to back off right away, but once he felt the soft fingertips that belonged to the kind voice, he gave in to the little comfort he so rarely experienced. He not only held the hand, but threw himself unreservedly into Yugi's arms. Yuya, who only knew the harsh hits and mocking touches, didn't care if these two strangers would beat him up right after giving him this comfort. He just wanted to be held, to be in someone's protective arms - if only for a little while. That was all he ever prayed for, during the nights when that man was exceptionally drunk and would take all of his anger out on him.
Yugi was a bit taken aback when Yuya clung to him with tiny hands, sobbing quietly into his shoulder. The Pendulum ruler gently slipped his arm under the child's backside, so he could carry him more comfortably. Yuya only tightened his grip as if begging to never be let go of. Yugi had dealt with many scared and injured children during the war, human and spirits alike, but not one had ever been in a state as damaging as this boy was. Most of them had been scared or injured, though none had been taught to believe their own existence was a sin. It wasn't Yuya's fault that his eyes looked different from those of others, so what gave the humans the right to treat him as less than an animal?
"Mana, teleport us back to the meeting place, we have to leave," Yugi said, securing his hold on Yuya.
"Right away, Master." She nodded, and with a swift movement of her staff they were engulfed by light, appearing back at the edge of the forest. Neither Atem or Dark Magician were back yet, though he could feel through his Millennium Puzzle that their part would soon be complete as well. Yugi took off his cloak, wrapping it around the shivering child in his arms and sitting down so Yuya would be more comfortable.
Dazed from everything he'd undergone that day, the odd-eyed boy still waited to receive his punishment. He wasn't allowed to touch anyone while others were allowed, even encouraged, to touch him in order to confirm that his mismatched eyes were real. The stranger was probably just playing nice to see his eyes for free and would return him to that man as soon as he grew tired of him, right? Or he might be resold to another cruel man, as had happened before. One of those things always happened whenever he got his hopes up, and by now he'd convinced himself to take any comfort given to him when he could and face the consequences later. Even if it was only for a little while, Yuya considered worth the time in his cage of suffering.
Yugi felt the child snuggling closer to him, like he was trying to take in all the warmth he could from him. The Pendulum ruler didn't blame him. If the cage, the beatings, and people's harsh words were all he'd ever known, Yuya had every right in the world to seek comfort in the spirits' general - where else if the poor child's own kind had forsaken him? Yugi could only tuck the child further under his cape and stroke his messy hair as he waited for his partner.
Back at the owner's tent, Atem and the man had nearly taken all the cards off the table. Only five were left, and it was now the Pendulum ruler's turn. The man laughed, knowing he wasn't far from winning.
"You were good so far kid, but you're definitely going to lose," he said, grinning at the remaining cards.
"Is that so?" Atem asked with just as much confidence in his voice.
"But of course. With only five cards left and your turn, you're going to lose regardless of how many cards you take." The man eyed the cards that were still on the table. "If you take one, I'll take three. That leaves one. If you take two, then I'll take two. If you take three, then I'll take one and leave one. In any case you'll be taking the last card."
"I see, but let's just continue until the game ends," the general said while taking one card, the owner grabbing three right after.
"Told you kid, there's only one card left." the man picked up his glass. "Now go ahead and take it as the loser you are."
Atem's expression remained neutral as he reached toward the card, but instead of picking it up, his hand went further. The owner gave him a confused look, caused by both the drink and the menacing glow of the Pendulum ruler's eyes, when Atem's fingers slipped underneath the man's long sleeves.
"What the. . ." he muttered when the general pulled out the two Joker cards hidden there.
"I said all the cards that you had," Atem reminded him with a smirk. "I know perfectly well that every magician keeps a couple of cards up their sleeves."
"But. . . but that can't be!" the man protested, staring shakily at the single card on the table.
"Go on, pick up the last card." the Pendulum ruler slid it across the table.
"Screw you!" The man shouted as he threw all the cards off the table, some of them hitting Atem in the process.
Atem only stood up and as he stared back at the carnival owner, a giant golden eye appeared on his forehead. The man lost his footing as he stumbled back in fear, realizing that standing beside the mysterious kid was another, much taller person in a purple outfit.
"I see you have absolutely no honour, not even for something so simple as playing a game." Atem's Millennium puzzle began to turn of its own accord, glowing with a strange power. "This completely justifies the punishment that awaits you."
The owner was at a loss for words when the second person became more visible, pointing his weird-looking staff at him while chanting unrecognizable words. The tent was filled with a menacing violet glow that engulfed anything it came across, even the man. The shadows flooded the spot where he stood, drowning him in endless amounts of whatever it was that Atem had unleashed.
"The door of darkness has opened. . . and the darkness such as yourself belongs there," the general intoned, the owner barely hearing him over the pounding of his own heart. "The shadows will forever chase you for all the horrible crimes you committed in your life. You shall never hurt another child ever again!"
By the end of the final, shouted sentence, the darkness vanished and the tent seemed the same as before. The only difference was the man now on the ground, mumbling incoherently. The place might appear normal to others, but all he saw were the shadows creeping around his body. Atem refused to give the abuser a final look as he left the tent, Dark Magician not far behind.
"Let's get back to Yugi, Mahad. I fear I might do the same to every human I come across." Atem took a deep breath, the Millennium Puzzle ceasing to turn and the eye on his forehead fading as he did.
"We'll be there in a moment Master." Mahad quickly chanted the spell and they too transported away, before the other performers could spot them.
The next moment, when Atem opened his eyes again, he saw Yugi sitting on the ground with Dark Magician Girl beside him. She was gently caressing the boy's hair, cooing a lullaby to him as he lay in Yugi's lap since, despite his exhaustion, Yuya was still very much awake. When he saw Atem accompanied by Dark Magician, the odd-eyed boy quickly retreated beneath the cloak wrapped around him, obviously scared by more strangers.
"How is he?" Atem asked - through their link, so he could avoid scaring the child more than he already had.
"Frightened would be a mild word for it. Yuya - that's his name - has likely never experienced anything even remotely close to a loving touch. He will need a lot of time before he will truly recover; the physical injuries will heal, but the mental damage he suffered. . ." Yugi gazed at the wide-open pair of different-coloured eyes. "I don't know if he will ever recover from it. . ."
"Zarc will know what to do," the taller general assured his partner, making him blink in confusion.
"Zarc? Are you really sure this is. . ." Yugi started, interrupted by Atem before he could finish.
"Aibou, wasn't this exactly what we've been looking for from the start? Yuya needs someone who will help him get past all the trauma and Zarc needs someone who will fill the void in his heart. They will complete each other that way," Atem said, making his partner nod in agreement.
With their decision made, their spirit partners performed another teleportation spell, this time travelling much further than they had before. Yuya squeezed his eyes shut, as that kind of a transport was something he hadn't experienced before. It was like something pulled them into a bubble which was blown away at a very high speed and popped when it reached their destination. The odd eyed boy was nearly blinded by the bright place where they have arrived. While the place they were before was already in the dark of night, this place was illuminated as though it was the middle of the day.
Yuya curiously observed white marble walls traced with lines in silver and golden, brightly colored crystals serving as the lamps that provided the light. The child flinched a bit when Yugi started moving; he was so impressed by the beautiful building that he nearly forgot he was still in the arms of a stranger. The two Pendulum rulers tried to get to their Dragon King as soon as possible before the other spirits could see a human child in the palace. It wasn't that the spirits would be shocked to see a human - thanks to the positive influence of the Zarc's loyal generals, spirits saw them differently; they just preferred to get the news to their king first, then to the subjects.
They passed numerous hallways and staircases on their way. They saw magician and fairy spirits, as those types of spirits were closest to the dragon king. Atem had offered to carry Yuya, but Yugi declined politely as the odd-eyed boy clung to him like a baby koala, refusing to be touched by anyone else. The Pendulum rulers almost regretted having personally advised Zarc to make the whole palace - except the entryway - teleportation free in case of attack. Now gasping for breath after climbing so many stairs, Yugi carrying a child on top of that, the generals finally reached the entrance to the throne room. The generals spoke with the Gazers who guarded the door and after Atem had explained everything, Stargazer Magician guided them in while Timegazer accompanied Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl behind them.
Zarc was back in his human form, resembling a man in his thirties with silver hair that bore the same green markings as his dragon form. Instead of on his throne he was sitting at a separate desk covered in what appeared to be royal documents. He seemed tired from the work and despite that he was still going through some papers. The generals knew that such work was just one of the many distractions Zarc liked to use in order to drown the pain in his empty heart.
"Your Majesty." Atem bowed, the Dragon King needing some time to realize he had visitors.
"Atem? Yugi? What are you doing here? Is something going on in Pendulum?" Zarc quickly pushed away several scrolls as he tried to cover the mess on his table, failing to notice an additional visitor besides his generals.
"No, Your Highness, everything is fine," the taller general replied, calming down the Dragon King who was still taking in his surroundings after hours of nothing but reading reports.
"Oh." Zarc became confused since his generals usually visited him if there was trouble in their kingdoms. "What is it then?"
Atem nodded to his Aibou, who slowly approached the silver haired man, slowly removing the cloak from the odd-eyed boy. Zarc gave them a confused look, but once he saw Yuya's bright mismatched eyes, he felt like he was staring at the most precious treasure in the kingdom. The crimson colored eye glowed like a ruby while the other reminded him of a shiny emerald, together in a little treasure chest. For a few moments Zarc just stared at the child who was almost as puzzled as him, wondering where the strangers had brought him.
Once Zarc came back to himself, he noticed another much less pretty thing about the boy. His thin arms and legs were covered by nothing but the marks of cruelty. If there was one thing the Dragon King despised more than anything in the human world, it was child abuse. Witnessing it firsthand during the war had enraged him enough to set the world on fire if needed. The moment he got close enough to Yuya, he was hit with all the painful memories the poor child carried. The cold bars of the cage, the prying eyes full of mockery and hate, the performances where he was forced to smile when he was on the verge of crying and all the horrible people that passed him around like prized goods. Zarc wanted to turn into his dragon form and outright burn the people who hurt that boy. But that didn't matter at the moment.
"This child. . . he's not a spirit," was the only thing Zarc could say as he observed Yuya in Yugi's arms. "Though with those eyes, he might as well be one of us."
"We found him back in the human world, caged like an animal and displayed like an object," Atem explained.
"Humankind despises everything connected to spirits, and due to his features. . ." Yugi said, feeling Yuya begin to shake again, "well, he can't change how he looks and that's why his own kind shunned him. We couldn't leave him in a world that sees him as heresy."
Zarc was now closer to Yuya, gently touching his shaking hand. The boy backed off at first, then either allowed the Dragon King to touch him or simply ran out of strength to resist. The generals recalled seeing their king like this several times before, whenever there was a young or injured spirit. Zarc would instantly act like a parent, first calming them down with gentle words then offering to help them in some way. He was now doing the same thing with Yuya, who was returning the touch while quietly observing this new stranger who had a pleasant aura surrounding him. It was like Zarc had. . . something, something that felt just right whenever he approached his spirits or the generals. And just like himself, he also felt a little something coming from Yuya.
"This child's aura, it's. . . it's. . . I don't know. . ." Zarc mumbled, feeling Yuya's tiny hand squeeze his.
"We thought you could help him." Atem broke the silence, making his ruler blink in surprise.
"Me?" the Dragon King uttered in surprise when, all of a sudden, the child was in his arms instead of Yugi's.
"Yes, the boy needs a place in this world where he won't be beaten and treated like a monster," the taller general said.
"And we believe it has to be you. After all, Yuya shivered in my arms even after I did everything I could to comfort him. But with you, he calmed down almost instantly," Yugi added with a smile, seeing the odd-eyed boy snuggle closer to Zarc.
The Dragon King was at a loss for words when he saw the half-dazed child holding onto him, like he was afraid this new stranger would drop him as soon as he got bored of him. The man did his best to assure him he wouldn't be doing that as he tightened his hold on him, but with care as he was like a fragile porcelain doll that would shatter any given moment.
"I. . . I don't know what to say. . ." The mighty king, after a long time, finally showed his softer side. "This boy. . . you said his name is Yuya? I'm not sure if I am truly capable of healing this fragile child."
"Your Majesty, there's no other spirit as caring and deserving to be a parental figure as you," Atem stated, sinking any more doubts that Zarc had.
"He belongs with you, just like you belong with him," Yugi said, smiling when Yuya began to play with the various buttons on Zarc's jacket.
Then Zarc finally saw just what made him feel so connected with this child. It was their auras. Even though Yuya wasn't a spirit, the radiant aura around him felt nearly the same as Zarc's. It wasn't a coincidence, it was faith. Something brought his generals to this innocent boy and they brought the child to him. Pressing Yuya against his chest as much as he could without injuring or scaring him, Zarc felt - if only for a moment - like he was complete. Like the emptiness in his heart was filled, if only a little. In that moment he knew he would keep the child, who threw his arms around him in return, like he was begging him to never leave him alone.
"Xiangsheng," Zarc called and another of his loyal magicians appeared in the room. She wore a white dress with some autumn coloured areas, while her face was partly covered.
"Yes, my king?" the female magician asked, surprised at seeing Zarc with a human child in his arms.
"Please, draw us a warm bath with a mixture of healing magic. Also, find some clean clothes and prepare one of the guest rooms." The Dragon King was back to talking in his usual authoritarian manner.
"It will be done, right away." Xiangsheng Magician bowed as she hurried off to prepare what she was ordered.
Zarc, still securely holding Yuya, turned back to his generals who were already prepared to leave. The man wasn't sure what to say to them, although the Pendulum rulers only bowed to him, fully knowing their king was engulfed by all kinds of emotions he hadn't experienced for so long. He wanted to thank them, to tell them just how much that meant to him and how whole he felt after years of nothing but war and loneliness.
"You don't need to thank us; you've already done so much for us," Atem said, his arm around his Aibou's shoulders.
"It's your turn to be happy." Yugi nodded as he too headed to the exit, their spirit partners closely behind.
With the two generals gone, Zarc was alone with the child. Yuya still clung to him for dear life, his eyes threatening to tear up any second. The Dragon King could only trace circles on the boy's back and whisper sweet nothings to keep him from striking out. It must've been painful for the boy, taught to conceal his true emotions for years, to truly express himself. For him to shed a single tear, even when he wasn't performing, was a sin that had to be punished.
"Little one, you don't need to hold back your tears. You are allowed to cry," Zarc said as he headed out of the throne room. Then it was like a burden was lifted off Yuya's shoulders, the boy instantly tearing up into Zarc's shirt. The Dragon King didn't care if his clothing got dirty; this child was more important than a shirt he could simply change. No, in that moment Yuya's well-being was all that mattered.
It didn't take long before they reached the guest room, connected to a bathroom from where running water was heard. Xiangsheng Magician was arranging fluffy towels, soaps, bottles of shampoo, combs, and the smallest pair of clean clothes she could find, all on the table near the sink. The warm bath water gave off a radiant smell of blooming flowers, coaxing Yuya to relax a bit, since it had been a while since he was cleaned by something more than a rag and bucket of ice cold water. Without a word Zarc took one of the towels and set Yuya on the edge of the bathtub to remove the dirty shirt he wore.
"Thank you, Xiansheng, I'll be taking over from here," Zarc said, gently wrapping the towel around Yuya's body before getting rid of his tattered clothing.
"My king, are you sure you can do it without my help?" the female spirit asked, surprised to see her superior in such a position.
"I fought wars, giving a child a bath shouldn't be a problem," was the only thing he said, his servant understanding as she disappeared from the bathroom.
Being bare with nothing but a towel to cover him up made Yuya a bit more fidgety when Zarc went to put him in the bath. However, the way he held him and carefully set him in the warm water calmed him down, and for a while it made him forget about anything else.
The bath felt heavenly, like a warm blanket tucking him in and gently caressing his all too sensitive skin. Even his cuts and bruises didn't sting, like the water itself had a healing effect. It was like all of time stopped, with only him existing in a tiny little world where he was all alone, but feeling safe and happy.
He was brought out of his reverie when he felt a bar of soap being rubbed against his back. The action scared him to the point of retreating to the other side of the bathtub, throwing his hands in front of his naked and oh so vulnerable form, curling up in a ball. Yuya began to shiver all over again, remembering the times when all he wanted to do was sleep, but people would stick their hands into his tiny cage whenever they pleased. At times he would even wake up in the middle of the night, still feeling those prying hands all over his body.
"Pl. . . please don't touch. . . me," Yuya hiccupped, a new set of tears running down his face.
Zarc's heart nearly shattered when he saw the odd-eyed boy in such a state, pitiful and curled up like a terrified cub. Yuya continued to sob, hoping this one stranger, unlike so many others before him, would respect his little request. For several minutes the boy refused to peek out from the shelter of his arms, until he finally gathered the courage to look. The Dragon King was indeed still there, looking at him with a washing rag and soap in his hands, but patiently sitting on the chair. Yuya wiped his tears away, making slight eye contact with the stranger who approached him in a gentle manner.
"Yuya. . . I know you're afraid of being touched, any child would after an ordeal such as yours, but I have to wash you up. You won't be able to heal up properly if you aren't clean," Zarc said, showing him the bar of soap and bottle of shampoo.
The child didn't say a thing, staring at his blurry reflection in the bathtub. Despite the aura that calmed him so much when he was carried around by the stranger, the touch to his exposed skin was on an entirely different level. While it did comfort him, the past memories prevented him from enjoying it the way he wanted. Yuya clenched his fist as more tears poured out - he was clearly caught in a nightmare he would never truly be released from. No matter what he tried doing to escape them, images of the past caught up to him every time, recapturing him in the torturous cage he was never truly released from.
"My name is Zarc," the Dragon King said all of a sudden. "But you can call me Haoryuu."
"Hao. . . ryuu?" Yuya repeated reluctantly.
"Yeah. . . since I know your name, it's only fair that you know mine too, right?" Zarc, without Yuya noticing, moved marginally closer.
"Haoryuu." The boy said it again, this time with more certainty.
"That's right. . . that's me and I swear I'll only touch you in order to clean you up. Look." Zarc wrapped a washing rag around his hands "I won't even touch you skin to skin."
Yuya stared at the strange man, now known to him as Haoryuu. Deep down he was still afraid of him, but now, seeing him so sensitive and somewhat playful, Yuya slowly moved back to his original spot, turning his back to him.
"Here." Yuya twitched when something was put into his hands. "You can hold this. If you squeeze it, it will help you to calm down."
The boy, still puzzled, held a washing sponge in his hands; it was drenched but interesting to hold all the same. By the time Zarc began to carefully scrub his body, Yuya was busy with studying a completely random object, though it was wholly new to him. The Dragon King made sure to remove all the filth that marked the little boy and he was careful with the marks he couldn't remove. There were scars, narrow and deep all over his back. Then there were little burn marks on his limbs, especially on his hands and feet. To add to that, there were bruises forming all over his body, a particularly obvious one on his face. Zarc tried hard not to pry into the boy's memories too much, but he had to know what caused all those injuries so he would know how to treat them.
What he saw could be only described as something straight from hell. The whip hitting the boy's back until it drew blood. Cigarettes being stubbed out against his skin until his voice went hoarse from all the screaming. And that awful man beating him whenever he felt like it, especially when he was in particularly bad mood or his intoxicated mind acted on its own. Zarc could hardly keep his dragon claws and horns from forming, thanks to the anger he felt towards the humans who abused this child to the point where he could hardly be comforted.
But for now he had to push all thoughts of vengeance aside. Yuya was luckily distracted enough with the sponge that he could proceed with bath time. The child's hair was messy and also rather long, reaching to his shoulders. Considering the rest of his body though, his hair was in rather good condition, probably due to performances where he had to look presentable.
"Now it's time for the shampoo. It will make so many bubbles that you won't even feel my hands." Zarc continued speaking playfully to keep Yuya from getting scared.
Yuya looked away from the sponge and following Zarc's instructions, closed his eyes when a cup of water was poured over his head. For a second he was immersed in a memory of when the owner would hold his head under water as a punishment, making him squeeze the sponge nervously. He wanted to get out of the bathtub, but then he felt Zarc's gentle fingers. This being his first time washing someone else's hair, even the Dragon King was surprised by how well he did it. Being extra careful not to get any shampoo in Yuya's eyes, he carefully rubbed the places that appeared to be injured, likely from times when the boy's hair pulled or even ripped off.
Overall though, while his hair was being washed, Yuya entered into state of utter bliss. Compared to the moment when he was placed into the warm water, this a hundred times better. The way those fingers carded through the sensitive parts that hadn't felt that before, it was like he was in that world where he was all alone again. Only this time there was someone with him, making sure this moment would never end. Yuya nearly fell asleep from being pampered like a newborn puppy, feeling like a brand new person when the water was poured over him again to wash away the shampoo.
With Zarc deeming Yuya clean enough he gently scooped him up and wrapped him up in a soft towel before the boy could panic again. The relaxing bath might've done a little to heal his mental scars but he still had a long way to go. Holding him close to his chest, Zarc used one hand to dry up the boy's hair with another smaller towel while the other hand kept him secure in his lap. With a pinch of his dragon powers, the Dragon King was able to dry Yuya's hair in seconds. He then picked up the fresh clothes that had been left for him.
"Come on, hands up." Zarc brought the oversized shirt to Yuya who immediately held out his arms, probably due to being ordered all the time back with the performers. The boy was quiet while the shirt and the rest of the clothing were put on him, though he deeply inhaled the cleanness of the clothes he wasn't used to.
Zarc then picked him up again, taking him to the guest room that was fully prepared for him. And what a room it was. It was easily two times bigger than his previous owner's luxurious tent, furnished with a queen sized bed where even the pillow was bigger than him.
Xiangsheng Magician was standing by the bed, putting a plate of something on the nightstand. While Zarc was busy with the bath, he had mentally sent a message to the female spirit, asking her to prepare a little something for Yuya. With how underweight he looked, Zarc refused to see the boy going to bed on an empty stomach - sadly, from the looks of it that was probably something Yuya was used to. The Dragon King would gladly send for a big dinner, the kind he would get for his generals, but considering how little the child would usually eat, he began with small portions. A small bowl full of the still warm porridge along with a glass of milk was a good way to start.
Zarc almost reluctantly put Yuya in the bed as the boy refused to let go, but once he was under the covers, the boy was taken away by its softness. In a single day he'd been through so many things he hadn't imagined would happen in his whole life. Being outside of his cage, the bath, the bed and this man, Haoryuu who made him feel like a person, not some carnival animal.
"Here, you must be hungry." Zarc set the plate closer to Yuya who shakily took a hold of the spoon.
"C-can I really. . . ?" the boy still stuttered, afraid he would mess something up.
"Please, you look like you're on the brink of death from how skinny you look." The man helped him scoop up a spoonful of porridge. "Come on, just a few bites. I promise it will get better once you get used to bigger portions."
Yuya carefully took the spoon in his mouth, tasting the sweet and grainy dish, better than anything what he was given - no, thrown - back there. He immediately put another spoonful of porridge in his mouth, and another and another. He felt as though he hadn't eaten in his whole life and this was the very first time he had eaten anything. As he ate the tears started streaming down his face, but not from sadness. The meal was so tasty it made him cry.
"Whoa easy Yuya, you'll get plenty of food once your stomach gets used to it." Zarc gently rubbed the boy's back when Yuya accidently swallowed too much porridge at once. "Drink this, it will go down better."
The odd eyed boy slowly gulped down the glass of milk, again enthralled by the taste. Once Zarc took the glass from him, Yuya fell against the pillow, covering his eyes that still had tears running from them. The Dragon King didn't mind that, only putting away the dishes and tucking Yuya under three sets of blankets to provide him with as much warmth as possible. The boy gratefully sank under them, after having nothing but a thin shirt and straw to cover himself during the cold nights. Zarc also used his powers to reduce the light the crystals in the room produced, so they glowed softly like the stars.
It all seemed to be the most perfect place to rest, like he was safe in heaven compared to the hell he was used to. But despite all the comfort the room offered, Yuya's mismatched eyes were still wide open, quietly staring at the ceiling.
"Yuya. . . why won't you sleep? You're clearly exhausted from everything you've been through." Zarc removed those few strands of the boy's hair that fell across his eyes.
"I-I'm afraid. . ." Yuya whispered.
"Afraid of what?" The man looked around, searching for anything that could scare the child.
"To. . . f-fall asleep. . ." the boy uttered, his form starting to shiver.
"There's nothing scary about falling asleep." Zarc stroked his head comfortingly.
"No. . . I-I don't want to sleep," Yuya replied, hiding his face under the blanket.
"But you should, otherwise you won't get better." The Dragon King gently lifted the covers off the boy's face.
"B-but if I fall asleep. . . this dream will end. . ." Yuya said, making Zarc gasp from surprise.
Only now did Zarc realize why Yuya had been acting alright for a terribly abused victim all this time. He was treating the whole ordeal as a nice dream. It made sense that he didn't struggle when he was being pampered and taken care of. He was so sure it was something he was dreaming about that he would rather enjoy it while he could before he woke up to a cruel reality again.
"Yuya. . . this isn't a dream, it's really happening. My generals Atem and Yugi found you and brought you to me. I really washed you up, gave you food and tucked you in." Zarc crouched down so his yellow eyes could meet Yuya's mismatched ones. "I'm here with you Yuya, I really am."
"Hao. . . ryuu. . ." Yuya breathed the man's name "W-what do I. . . do. . . to know. . . this won't end. . . after I fall asleep. . . ?"
Zarc thought a bit, thinking of ways to assure this child he would never be hurt, ever again.
"What if I hold your hand while you sleep?" the man entangled his fingers with Yuya's tiny one. "That way you will feel your hand in mine while you sleep and when you wake up, I'll still be here holding your hand."
Yuya curiously observed Zarc holding his tiny hand, seeing how much bigger it was in size compared to his. It took him a while, but at last he nodded, squeezing his Haoryuu's hand in approval. The Dragon King smiled and with a small peck to the boy's forehead, tucked him in for the last time.
"Sweet dreams little one." Zarc's words fell on Yuya's ears like a soft melody, lulling him to sleep.
Zarc waited patiently until Yuya's eyelids indeed fell down and his breathing became more subtle. And even then he stayed there with him. The Dragon King didn't feel tired like he usually did after a day of reading reports and royal documents. This little child made him feel alive after years of fighting for a world where spirits would be safe, but even after he got it, it didn't feel how he thought it would. But now when he was with Yuya, the human child whose own kind had forsaken him, he felt much closer to the ideal world he'd fought for.
It took a single soul to unlock his heart and free the emptiness that kept him in the shadow of this perfect world. Gently caressing Yuya's head with his free hand made him realize just what he had been missing and he was forever grateful that his generals had taken notice of it. He swore he would protect the child with the mysterious but pleasant aura from this day on, and make him forget all about the pain he lived with his entire childhood. No one would ever hurt his Yuya again, lest they wish to face the Dragon King's fury, which was far worse than all the stages of hell.
Stargazer Magician and Timegazer Magician would come to check on their king after few hours and taking note of what they saw, they left him alone with the human child. They found him asleep right next to Yuya, his hand still gently holding the boy's. Though they were surprised, to see him so peaceful after years of seeing him empty of emotion and walking around the castle as though he was still asleep was good news to them, so they set guards outside of the guest room. If their king was feeling the happiest near the child, then they had no problem with it.
Once the sun's rays gently peeked through the windows, waking up Zarc, he found Yuya still sleeping. The Dragon King knew he should get up and continue with his duties, but he also had spirits who could do exactly that in his stead. No, his duty right now was to fulfill his promise to the little boy. He waited a couple of hours more, dismissing at least a dozen of his servants and giving them orders for the work he would usually insist on doing himself. Zarc only let Xiangsheng Magician bring him his morning cup of tea and set a glass of milk aside for Yuya.
Then, around midday when the sun was high in the sky, the boy finally began to stir from his sleep. At first his mismatched eyes opened and closed at a steady pace, like he was seeing blurs and was trying to clear his vision. Zarc patiently waited until the boy finally turned towards him, Yuya's eyes widening from surprise when he saw the very man who was so kind to him in his dream.
"You. . . you're still here. . ." Yuya uttered when seeing Zarc's hand still holding his.
"Of course I am my little one." Zarc pressed his lips against his forehead, just as when he wished him good night.
"Haoryuu!" the boy yelled this time without stuttering as he threw himself directly into the man's arms, tears running down his cheeks more than ever. "You didn't leave me!"
"I would never even think about it. You're my little Firefly, Yuya." Zarc pressed him close to his chest, not daring to ever let him go.
"Firefly?" Yuya asked confusedly once he wiped his tears on the Dragon King's sleeve.
"Yes, they are small and fragile, but they shine as brightly as the stars in the sky. Just like you," he said, removing the drenched stands of Yuya's hair from his eyes.
"Am I really?" The boy expressed a little doubt, remembering the times when he was showered by pretty names, but just for show.
To drown that doubt, Zarc took him in his arms, carrying him to the window with the magnificent view on his kingdom. The birds flew high, the winds blew through the seemingly endless grass fields surrounding the castle and then there they were, watching all that beauty.
"Yuya, my brightest Firefly, I know well what is going through your little head." Yuya held Zarc tighter, afraid of what might follow. "I know well you're afraid of what the future has in store for you now that you're with me. But mark my words, I will do everything I can to take this pain away from you."
Yuya kept his face buried in Zarc's shirt, praying that this was indeed real, not just a continuation of the dream. It would happen from time to time that he felt as though he was freed from the cage, only to be locked back in right after by the same person who released him. He hoped with all of his heart that Zarc wasn't one of those people.
"I want to make the first step and this is to make you a promise." Zarc put his hand next to Yuya's, extending his pinkie. "I promise to never hurt you, to help you get through this nightmare and to never, ever leave you alone."
The boy was at first confused what the pinkie promise meant though with Zarc's help he also extended his pinkie, tangling it with the older man's. The Dragon King repeated his promise and Yuya promised to try to trust him more, which was a really hard thing for him to say after being betrayed so many times. But with this man, Haoryuu, he had a feeling he should give him a chance.
The two broken souls finally bonded and wowed to do their best to heal each other.
. . .
The first few weeks were quite challenging for Yuya. He would follow Zarc wherever he went and would find himself in distress if he was separated from him for too long. The Dragon King didn't mind, even going as far as carrying him around if the boy was too scared to go anywhere. The spirits respected their king's decision and would assist him in every way they could, though for now Zarc asked them to not get too close to Yuya. The poor kid would still get panic attacks if too many people - or in this case spirits - would approach him or ask him too many questions, to which he could only respond with stuttering if a panic attack hadn't begun.
The nightmares were the other problem besides panic attacks. Yuya would wake up screaming in the middle of the night, sometimes even tossing and turning to the point of falling off the bed or hitting his head against the bedpost. Zarc would start spending time next to Yuya while the child slept, usually reading a book or working on unfinished businesses so he could be there. At times, when Yuya's nightmares were particularly bad, he would ask one of the healing spirits to use magic to put him into a more peaceful sleep. With time Yuya's dreams became less violent, especially once the boy got used to his new environment.
The odd-eyed boy still ate less than he should, his stomach as well as his scars still recovering from the abuse. However, Zarc noticed Yuya's growing appetite and gradually added to his meals. Despite being back to usual-sized portions, the child was still far too skinny for Zarc's liking so he kept watch on the boy's condition in order to improve it.
But little by little, Yuya's state would improve. He would get close Stargazer and Timegazer Magician who would, like always, accompany Zarc in his throne room, giving Yuya plenty of time to get used to them. They broke the ice with the boy's numerous questions about stars that they were happy to answer, even if he asked them again and again. Xiangsheng Magician who would often be found near Yuya's room was another spirit who got closer to Yuya through friendly chats. She would tell him about Zarc's kingdom, about the war they all fought and everything about his royal generals.
Atem and Yugi also paid him a visit after Yuya got more used to people. They were glad that the frightened child they rescued from the cage was gradually turning into a curious and energetic little boy who was so full of life. Zarc thanked them each time for bringing Yuya into his life to which the generals simply replied he did the same for them.
Yuya would also learn to read and write properly so he could help Zarc with his work, though it was quite challenging for a child his age. But with the help of his Haoryuu reading him legends and other stories from his massive library, Yuya managed to become literate over time.
The greatest challenge for Yuya was to leave the palace for the first time without Zarc, accompanied only by Stargazer Magician and Timegazer Magician. At first he was fidgeting and constantly hiding underneath Stargazer's white robes, even though they assured him there were no spirits present where they were going. The nearby town seemed a bit difficult for the still afraid Yuya, but the grass fields that he watched with Zarc from the palace's balconies were alright. Once the boy got used to the soft grass and pretty flowers, his fears began to fade since he found absolutely nothing scary with them. More challenging was when a group of spirit children approached him, all wondering who he was. The Gazers were prepared to take him away should he suffered a panic attack, but since the spirit children were rather interested about him as a person and not as an exotic creature with weird eyes, Yuya got friendly with them quite fast.
Yuya grew, slowly losing the fear of being abused and betrayed all over again. Zarc saw it and greatly praised him for it, fully knowing that he still had a long way to go. He listened to his every question and never forgot to give him enough physical affection, so he could replace the terrible images of abuse, which haunted him during the night, with the ones full of Zarc's loving touches.
Even when the odd-eyed boy witnessed Zarc's true form, he just stared at him in awe, adoring the majestic wings and beautiful glowing green mark all over his body. Being no stranger to seeing spirits, dragon spirits included, Yuya really didn't find anything to fear about the one person who had shown him nothing but kindness ever since he was rescued from that abusive man.
Most of the time, the Dragon King would stay in his human form, sometimes showing some of his dragon features like claws, tail and even wings. The boy wasn't one bit bothered by them, just puzzled and asking questions of what kind of magic he used to make them appear and disappear. When he finally decided to finally reveal his dragon form to his little Firefly, Zarc was full of worry and nervousness of how would Yuya react to it. The last thing he wanted was scare off the poor child whose whole life was filled fear, especially now that he was doing so well. But then he remembered about the promise and not wanting to keep any secrets from Yuya, he gently took the boy's hand and took him outside on the grass field where was enough space for his size. Zarc ruffled Yuya's hair and held him so close to his chest that boy felt his rapid heartbeat, whispering on his ear.
"Firefly… this is not how I usually look like. I'm in this human form so I can do the work around the castle easier." Zarc said quietly.
"Then how do you look like? Do you have those wings? And tail? And long nails?" Yuya asked with a sign of excitement.
"Would you like me to show you?" the Dragon King was on the same eye level as the child was "I promise I'll turn right back."
Yuya nodded and watched wide-eyed how the familiar wings sprouted out of Zarc's back. The wings grew and soon the tail joined to his growing form. His skin turned dark, being replaced by countless black scales carrying green markings at many places. Zarc's face got extended, several horns grew on his head as well on his sides. Two blades appeared on his now clawed arms and his entire form was getting bigger until he was nearly three times bigger than Yusei's Stardust Dragon. Zarc's eyes were glowing in bright yellow, like amber. The Dragon King watched how Yuya approached his tail, which was the only part of his body that he could reach, running his tiny hand through the warm scales. Seeing that the child took in the situation without panic, he carefully set his dragon hands on the ground, nudging to the boy to come closer. Yuya understood the gesture and stepped on Zarc's giant hands that lifted him so the two of them were face to face. The head of the Dragon King was huge, so huge he had to step back in order to see both of his illuminating eyes. But they were in no means terrifying. No, they glowed gently, just like the stars or the crystals in his room, producing the light that made him feel safe.
"My Firefly… do you fear me?" Zarc asked, his voice deeper and slightly altered.
"No, Haoryuu." Yuya simply buried his head into one of Zarc's dragon cheeks.
"But I look like a monster. I could've hurt you even if I didn't pick you up right." the dragon muttered, still holding onto the child.
"But you didn't." Yuya said determined, completely opposite to the way his shy stuttering self once did "And the lights on you are so pretty."
"You really don't think I'm scary?" Zarc insisted.
"Those people were scary, you aren't. You look strong and big, but I know you won't hurt me. You promised you won't and I believe you." Yuya touched Zarc's cheek that suddenly had some sort of liquid running over it.
The Dragon King, majestic as he was, slowly reverted back to his human form while still holding Yuya in his arms. Soon he was back to his smaller size, but instead of standing he was down on his knees, his face buried in the boy's shirt. Zarc spent so many times watching Yuya cry his eyes out, tears running for hours until his gentle voice and soothing touches calmed him down. He saw the child cling to him whenever he was scared or when he just needed someone to comfort him. Yuya always saw him as a parent he never had, never as monster he feared he was to him. No, the child didn't have the ability to judge the book by its cover. Years of abuse by different people taught him that nothing is ever as it seems and that the actions are the ones speaking louder than words.
At so many times when Yuya cried onto his shoulder, Zarc was now the one who did. The Dragon King never shed a tear, not ever during the war, not ever during the years of his loneliness. He was the ruler of the Spirit Realm, the leader all spirits looked up to. He was in charge of his loyal generals that were one of the strongest humans he has ever known. He was the most powerful dragon spirit that ever was.
And yet it didn't matter at that moment. Deep down, he was just a lonely being, never having the joys to experience peaceful serenity with the ones he loved. He had all the right in the world to appear as weak and pathetic as he was in his heart, crying into child's shirt for the very first time. The boy who continued to fill his empty void with happiness, only threw his arms around Zarc's shoulders, fully knowing now was the time to return back the comfort that his Haoryuu has been giving to him for so long.
"Thank you Firefly… thank you…" Zarc murmured through sobs, tightening the hold on Yuya's shirt.
"Don't cry Haoryuu…" Yuya hardly looked at the Dragon King without tearing up "… it makes me cry…"
"No, no… you don't need to cry for me…" Zarc managed to put himself together, though few tears still slipped out "I swore to never make you cry."
"But you look like you are in pain… and I don't know how to help you." Yuya was back in Zarc's arms.
For a while the two of them just sat on the grass field, their heartbeats closer than ever. Yuya was surprised to see so many new sides of Zarc that day, but all of them didn't change a thing of how he saw him. He was still his Haoryuu no matter how he looked at it. Even if he was sad, he won't leave him, because Zarc never did when he was in tears. But at that moment, he really didn't know how to help him out besides crying with him and therefore sharing his pain.
"Smile." the man said suddenly.
"Smile?" the boy asked confusedly.
"Yes, smile my little Firefly. It has the power to heal that kind of a pain." Zarc lifted him up, Yuya giggling at the rush of the adrenaline when he was so high above the Dragon King.
"Like this, Haoryuu?" the boy laughed as he pulled silly faces.
"Yes! Just like this!" Zarc joined the laughter "See how it made me laugh? See how powerful it is?"
Yuya continued to laugh while Zarc spun around holding him under his armpits. The Gazers who watched them from the castle's balcony couldn't help but see them as a parent and a child who were spending their quality life together in the best light possible. Just the two of them, laughing to the silly activity they were in the middle of. In the end they were both on the ground, gasping but with smiles on their faces. Zarc turned toward Yuya, pressing his forehead against his so his amber eyes could connect with boy's mismatched ones.
"Never forget to smile." Zarc said, pressing a small peck to Yuya's forehead, making the boy's smile grow even wider.
. . .
Several months had passed since the day Atem and Yugi brought the battered child to Zarc's care. During all this time no other generals had met him personally, only through messenger spirits, as they had their hands full with some issues back in their kingdoms. Zarc was in the middle of sealing some letters and Yuya sat by the window with the Gazers, talking about their latest trip outside, when the entrance way opened all of a sudden.
Two generals, one with blue hair and another who was brunet charged right in, accompanied by their spirit partners. They were both catching their breaths, Zarc confusedly standing up from his table to ask them what was wrong. The general with brown hair, who Yuya remembered to be Judai, the ruler of Fusion domain, was clutching something wrapped in a blanket close to his chest.
"Your Majesty. . . we found this human child. . ." Judai said with his voice shaking.
"Please help him; he's going to die if he doesn't get proper medical attention!" the other general, Johan, continued.
"Let's get him to the healing ward then." Zarc had already opened the door "Stargazer stay with Yuya, Timegazer come with me."
The Magicians nodded with Stargazer taking Yuya towards the library, probably to keep him busy so he wouldn't witness whatever occurred next. Just before the Fusion rulers left the throne room, Yuya caught a brief glimpse of the person that Judai was carrying in his arms. The rapid movements shook the blanket off the child's face, revealing his pink and purple locks. But that wasn't what surprised Yuya the most.
The unconscious boy had the same face as him.
Preview for the next chapter: Judai and Johan discover a boy who is hiding a big secret, a boy who is starving for venom.
I'm so sorry, for putting poor Yuya through this (forgive me my little tomato :'( ) Yeah, I know I'll be probably going to hell for this (like with the future chapters) if Zarc the dragon dad won't turn me into the ashes first.
You'd probably guessed by now who the next Yu-boy will join the story and let me just say that his story will be a bit more disturbing, but hey what can you expect from our lovely psycho blossom XD
I'm still in my exam period, but I might use the chapter writing as a practice, though I can't promise anything. Kudos/comments/critics/questions/suggestions highly appreciated I love reading them and replying back :D Seeya until the next chapter - The Boy That is Starving for Venom