Felinis:need to stop doing bad things to my waifu
They run past the side of the house stopping for a moment to catch their breath. "Patty can you take Pauly back home?"
The girl salutes and takes the young boy's hand. "I'll make sure he's fine."
"That was the dragon rider." Karol says looking into the distance at its fleeting form.
"Dragon rider? More like dragon freak! Hurting my blastia like that!" Rita yells launching a spell that clearly missed.
"Dragon freak..." Karol sighs. "You know, Rita, that blastia wasn't even yours."
"Why do you think someone would go around destroying blastia?" Estelle ponders.
"That's a good question. I'd like to sit down and pick that dragon rider's brain sometime." There's something familiar about that dragon. Not to mention that a Krytian must be riding that monster.
"As if you could have a normal conversation with someone like that!" Rita mutters.
Estelle stops moving forward and grips her hands bitterly. "I still can't believe the magistrate could do such terrible things..."
"Sadly, it's pretty common." Karol says and Yuri nods.
"Haven't you already seen what the empire's capable of several times on this trip already?" Yuri says with disdain.
"While you guys are having a nice little chat, Ragou's escaping in his ship!" Karol shouts as they keep moving. Yuri doesn't care that he's still hot and his fever is running high. They chase to the pier Estelle calling after him.
"Yuri are you sure you're up to this."
He huffs. "Not the best time to worry about that." Yuri's feet slide down the wet stairs as he eyes the ship. It's just in sight and the ship is just starting to leave the port. They have to jump. He picks up Karol and leaps into the air Yuri's legs crash and roll on the ship.
They landed on containers and chests some of which are now sprung open. "These are all blastia cores!" Rita shouts looking at the spilled cores covering the deck. It's a lot of cores screaming in his ears more cores than Yuri has ever seen in his life.
"Why are there so many? And they're all just cores." Karol says looking over in wonder.
"I have no idea. We don't even have this many at the laboratory!" Few are large too and more than big enough to power some heavy duty blastia.
"Could this be connected to the core thief?" Estelle says picking one up.
"But I thought the one behind everything was a huge guy with one eye. That doesn't fit Ragou at all." Karol says and Yuri notes that he poaches one in his pocket.
All these cores are chanting for something, but he can't make out the word. It's Geraios but he's not even sure what the word is in that language. "Then he might not be the only one pulling the strings." Yuri starts rummaging through for the aqua blastia he's been searching so long for. He's heard it many times and he tries to pick its voice from the crowd. There it is! "The core from the lower quarter must be here someplace."
Rita shakes her head as she goes through another crate. "Sorry, none of these are big enough." That's fine it's here somewhere.
"Incoming!" Repede barks and they see mercenaries slide down ropes and come to surround them.
"I knew it. These guys are with the Blood Alliance. They're one of the five master guilds." Karol says readying his hammer. Well now things are getting even more intriguing.
They come rushing in at once. Yuri launches artes from a distance well aware he doesn't have it in him for a lot of close encounters. Estelle stands at the ready guarding Rita with her shield as the mage casts spells. Karol swings about wildly smacking some men overboard while Repede goes about tripping them up. An attacker comes from behind and Yuri quickly turns away from the blade and kicks the man in the shins followed by a punch to the face. Another heads from the right in a reckless arc that Karol comically knocks in the stomach.
"So these guys connected with the blastia thief too?" Yuri says staring them down.
"Just what is the magistrate up to?" Estelle says narrowing her eyes.
The men step away and the door to the captain's quarters opens with a bang. A giant man clad in red with a mechanical arm and eyes steps forward. Karol charges but is knocked away and falls to the ground as the man sneers not noticing as Yuri sneaks from behind. "Out of my way!" He looks them over and laughs. "Hah. Was that spineless worm Ragou running from a bunch of kids?"
"One-eyed giant... So you're the one getting people to bring you all these cores?" He says pointing his blade into the man's back.
"Maybe I am..." The one-eyed man grins swinging his giant blade down as Yuri rolls away having nicked at his arm. "You're quick and you've got guts, too for a Krytian. My arm's gonna feel that... Wish I had you in my guild. Ones like you are a commodity."
Yuri steels his gaze and bows his head in mock respect. "How flattering."
"But it's pushy guys like you I have to watch out for. Upsets the harmony of the guild, see? Nothing personal... I kind of even like your kind."
"Barbos, what are you waiting for? Dispose of these brats!" Ragou hisses from the shadows and Barbos looks down in boredom.
"I did all the work you paid me for. Besides, the Knights'll be here soon. Rather not have those guys following me around. Next time we meet, you kids won't be getting off so easy." Barbos says as he legs take off running for a lifeboat with a reluctant Ragou.
"Zagi! We'll leave the rest to you!" Ragou calls and Yuri sees a familiar figure walk from the shadows with a wide smile on his face.
"Who is it? Who do I get to kill this time...?" He says looking at them lazily.
Estelle gasps. "You're the one from the castle!"
Explosions rock the ship and they struggle a moment to stay upright. "My blade, it aches to...kill..." There's a twitch in his eye and he screams. "I've got to kill something!" Zagi lunges for Yuri and he dodges just barely. He feels his antenna get nipped and winces as the also attacks the ships control console creating an explosion.
"Whoa... Go easy on me this time." Yuri huffs stepping back. He is definitely not up for a fight with this loon. The ground is swaying excessively and Yuri is certain the ship isn't completely to blame.
Zagi laughs and gets up from the wreckage. The ship is breaking under their feet but the man doesn't care. "You think you can kill me? Go ahead! Try it." He yells dashing at Yuri as he holds up his blade. Rita's champagne spell gushes beneath and he's momentarily stopped in time for Yuri to push him towards Karol.
"Trust me, I will." Yuri huffs slashing his blade at the assassin who jumps it with ease and knocks him to the ground. The man's boot digs in his ribs before Zagi has to move from Repede who throws a gel his way. Yuri bites into and stands.
The blade Rita and she screams while Estelle immediately heals her. "Yes! Cry out! Writhe in pain!" He knocks Repede to the ground. "Die for me!"
They don't have time for it. Yuri throws another arte and brings Zagi's focus back to him while Karol tries to flank. A fireball almost collides with both him and Zagi but just barely misses. "Please, we have to catch Ragou!" Estelle says hopelessly trying to talk sense into a mad man. The ship shakes again and Yuri is tripped to the ground while Zagi's blade finds itself in his leg. "Yuri!" She starts casting an arte and while Yuri kicks Zagi off knocking him into the water. Yuri screams as Estelle's arte rakes through him…
…The next thing Yuri sees is Zagi below him and he's trying to bite and claw the shit out of him. His breath is gone and he feels like he might collapse. Zagi takes the moment to jump away and marvel at his wounds. "...I-I retreated..." He's stunned at the words. The ship creaks again and the fire from the explosion has now more than consumed the deck. He starts to laugh through the smoke that's coating the air. "You're tough! Yes tough! You're definitely tough! I certainly won't forget that, Yuri!" He smiles clutching his arm that dangles from the joint, striding through the fire. "I'm going to kill you, Yuri! Gonna carve you into little pieces! Don't move a muscle!" The board's beneath Zagi break and he falls through.
They're sinking fast and Yuri calls for everyone to get into the water. He coughs as the heat and smoke start to make him feel worse. "Is anyone there?" A voice coughs from inside the captain's cabin. Someone locked inside. He walks up despite his bodies protest and tries to break down the door.
It's hard but Repede pushes with him while Rita yells for Estelle to jump with her. Good… as long as they get out everything will be fine. Flynn's probably already on the way. The door finally breaks with and a man comes out coughing just as much as Yuri is. They got to make it into the water. Man, he's so tired and hot. His legs fall and he collapses just at the edge. This is just not his day…
"Norien, I just can't grasp why you'd take in such an unnatural child." A voice says as Yuri and Flynn quietly play off to the side while another housewife gossips with blonde's mother.
Norien looks idly at the boys as they play army with makeshift stick soldiers. "I don't see what's so odd about him. Yes, Yuri has his quirks, but he's a very sweet boy." He smiles at her words and Flynn complains at him for getting distracted.
"But… haven't you noticed? Practically every child in the Lower Quarter is showing symptoms of the plague except him. Doesn't that worry you? He could be a carrier." Yuri grimaces because he knows that he's one of the few children he knows of who hasn't been coughing or running fevers. Flynn pays the words no mind focused on using his army of dragons to beat Yuri's army of giant saber-toothed squid men. What if Flynn died? The thought is so bitter in his head because kids shouldn't be able to die. But, then Thomas had died last week. The blonde coughs and declares the dragon have breathed fire all over the squid men. "What if Flynn dies and that thing lives? It be a disgrace to everyone especially you as a mother to lose her only son." It's not like Yuri wants for the Scifos to be sick… It's not like he asked to be fine while Miss Norien looks weaker each day.
Norien hushes the woman and escorts her to the other room. Yuri can still hear them though and he picks up on Norien's words. "Leave my house if you plan on doing nothing but insulting my children. As far as I'm concerned, it's a blessing that Yuri is healthy during a time of crisis."
Yuri remembers that there were a lot of moments like that. Moments where Norien would shoo people off politely for being mean towards them. Maybe if Yuri hadn't been a part of their home she wouldn't have needed to turn so many away. Maybe Norien's friends could have gathered enough money for a cure like they had for others. Maybe she'd still be alive if Yuri had been human…
His head hurts as the thought spins and pusses.
The way her body had burned and how Flynn had bawled as much as he could before Hanks dragged him back so he could rest. The whispers of how Yuri had caused it. Why was that thing fine when so many good humans had died? Why was Yuri always a thing? Or an it? Why was he never a person?
Maybe Merlwe is right…
Maybe I am cursed
He's so hot… His memories shift and stir unpleasantly inside him. He wants throw-up. His body is shaking in a cold sweat as Yuri conjures more nightmares.
Being locked in a cage and unable to think beyond instinct. Eternally caught in an episode as people prod him with sticks and laugh… Shouts and stones thrown at him as people he knows shout 'freak', 'monster', or 'Krytian'… His body burning and weak dying as everyone ignores him because he's not human… Flynn cutting of the antennas from his head with a smile. The words "Good riddance." Leaving his lips as Yuri feels himself fall apart. He can't feel anything! He tries but he can't feel any emotions. No happiness or sorrow. He wonders why he should eat because there's no taste. He starts thinking that breathing is a worthless so he just stops.
It's the worst nightmare. He can feel himself suffocate! Yuri feels himself screaming for air. He wants something to blame but there's nothing to be his scapegoat. Somebody wake him up! Please!
Flynn idly stands outside the inn room with Estelle and the others as he waits for the doctor to walk out. Doctor Ellen Mathis has assured him that Yuri will be fine, but the worry still stands. He's been running a fever for two days and Flynn has never known the man to be sick. Ever!
The doctor walks out and looks at his face and gives him a comforting smile. "Don't worry. Your friend is going to be just fine." She places a hand on his shoulder. "Mr. Scifo, I can assure you that Yuri is perfectly fine. He's not even running that high of a fever."
"His skin was blistering." He mutters and she hands him her chart.
"For a human, he'd be running an abnormally high fever but Krytian bodies are known to run at higher temperatures. He's not suffering any illness either. From what you've told me this is to be expected." He doesn't really get what the chart says, but Yuri looks fine. "It is a highly unusual case though."
"Why's that?" Karol asks. "I mean, I knew he grew antennas, but is that really so weird."
Rita snorts. "Of course not, idiot. It's highly unnatural for a halfer to even be born with antennas. Most the time they take after one parent or the other."
Estelle nods. "I read that they usually resemble the mother's side." Which from the information they've gathered seems right. Hanna Quinn was human while Lowell was… something.
"That is correct. Yuri is the first case of this phenomena I've ever seen."
"Wow! That's so cool!" The kid's enthusiasm is nice, but Flynn doubts Yuri shares the same emotion. There's no doubt in Flynn's mind the sudden change is dampening Yuri's mood.
"It is." Ellen nods. "Because of this I can't say for sure what's wrong with him, but I do have a hunch."
"Oh?" A look of intrigue is plastered on both the girls faces and it might have been adorable had Flynn not found the context so chilling.
"Sadly, we don't have as much information on Krytian biology as we would like, but we do understand the grave importance of the antennas on the endocrine and nervous system. A Krytians antennas play a vital role in managing hormones and chemicals in the brain. It's why when damaged severely a Krytian will either die or become beyond any form of recovery." That would explain the yelps of pain. "When hurt they can't feel emotions or even pain. It's a tragic thing to happen. In times of incredible stress from both physical and mental stimuli often a fever occurs and a Krytian will fall sick until the stress dies down. I believe something similar has happened to your friend."
"So, if Yuri's stress dies down he'll recover?"
"Yes, but just know this could become a regular occurrence. Your friend wasn't born with antennas so his body might never adjust properly." Flynn can't imagine a Yuri whose sick often and becomes bedridden because of a sight mood swing. It feels wrong… "For now, I recommend strict bed rest. If Yuri doesn't recover in the next few days please come see me."
Flynn knows he has his duty, but he wants to make sure that Yuri is fine. Master Ioder seems also eager to thank Yuri for saving his life. Flynn has so much he needs to do! Ragou is in custody, but there's only so long and so much they can do to detain him. Right now, despite all the evidence the man is trying to play the innocent. It disgusts him because there is nothing Flynn can do.
"Flynn?" He looks at Estelle and does his best to remain professional.
"Yes, Lady Estellise?"
"I think you should rest a bit. You haven't slept much these past few days and your men are worrying."
Flynn shakes his head. "No! I can't! I have a duty to uphold as an imperial knight."
"Sir." A new voice coughs from behind. "As your subordinate it is not my place to say, but your poor health is starting to effect the moral of the troops. I highly recommend you rest and relax."
Flynn sighs knowing he's lost. "Fine. I'll get some sleep. I just want to check on Yuri for a but first." The two women nod and let him be as Flynn heads inside. Yuri's a mess of sweat and half-mumbled sickly cries. He's caught in a fever dream and Flynn tries to think of what he should do.
His mind drifts back to that dark time when Flynn thought he would die from illness. Yuri had done something to help him through the nightmares, but what was it… Right, Yuri had decided to copy his mother's wisdom. She'd mutter nice happy things and stroke their heads because then the words would soak into their dreams. It's foolish and isn't true. It's merely a sentiment from being children, but it doesn't hurt to try. Though Yuri had never been willing to copy his mother exactly. He stopped at her words, because he said it felt wrong to use his hands for something that was her job. But, Flynn holds Yuri's hand and talks about nice things.
He picks himself up and drifts asleep elsewhere. His mind still focused on his sick friend.
Felinis: And yes that is Jude's mother...