Author notes:
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh
Finally an update!! A big thank you to Tenshimagic for betaing this ^_^
And yes, unfortunately, I noticed a bit later that the first chapter sounds a lot like "Mewtwo Strikes back from Pokemon" --;
*********************************************
Volume 1 - Chronicled
The fairgrounds were especially lively at this time of the year. Stalls swathed in vibrant shades of blues, yellows and reds stood out against the sandy grounds, like a vision of lost butterflies' wings; their fancily embroidered banners fluttered gently against a soft breeze, lending credence to the illusion.
Two insignificant youths plowed through the slow, unmoving mass of people. Some of the shoppers lounging by the stall turned around in annoyance as they were pushed to one side by the still scampering figures.
The smaller of the two hastily mumbled an apology as he knocked over a woman's basket of vegetables. He ignored the woman's glare as he continued running for all his short legs were worth.
"I can't believe we're late again," he bemoaned loud enough for the trailing youth behind him to hear, "we'll be lucky if we catch the end. And luckier to escape getting in trouble."
The other was a lanky-looking youth with fair, almost unnatural white hair. There was a slightly resigned look in his eyes that made his entire posture look reluctant. "I had to help." The reply was breathed out in a soft, short-of-breath whisper.
"You choose to help someone else's dragon at a time like this?" The shorter boy stopped to allow both himself and his companion a moment's rest. He took a few more heavy gasps, wiping away the sweat collecting along his jagged golden bangs and serrated red-black hair. The mid-day sun wafting through the breaks in the stall covers overhead only added to the stifled air and incredible heat wave. "You know that your father is-"
"-I don't care." His deep brown eyes became clouded with agitation, half-covered by his pure white hair. "I honestly don't care, Yuugi, what my father thinks. He knows how much I hate watching dragon duels, and he purposely forces me to go to them."
"Ryou." The shorter boy emphasized the other's name. "Your father brings you to these duels because he wants you to become one of the best dragon-masters in the world."
Ryou snorted. "My father wants me to become one of the best dragon- masters to retain the family reputation. That's all he cares about. Reputation and class."
The fairground clock tower suddenly struck twelve. It resonated over the murmuring voices of commoners and nobles alike with a deep, brazen echo.
Yuugi fell silent. The shorter boy waited for the last echo of the bell to quaver back into silence before shrugging half-heartedly. "Well, we've completely missed it. So much for that." There was a tinge of disappointment in his voice.
Ryou caught the resentment in the other's voice, suddenly feeling bad about all the complaints and reluctance he had put his companion through. "I'm sorry."
It only made things worse when he compared himself to Yuugi's life situation. To be able to endure that kind of pain, the smaller boy had to have a spirit of steel.
"Hey, no worries." The smaller, spiky-haired boy gave a passive shrug. "We have a good excuse this time. Let's head back to the Fort."
Both boys turned around, picking a single path from the many winding trails through the bazaars and tent-stands. Their pace was slower and more relaxed; this time, they were careful not to anger any passer-bys.
A shadow of darkness suddenly covered midday sun. Ryou looked up and caught the sight of an enormous sapphire dragon swooping dangerously low above the stalls. Most of the stall-owners and shoppers panicked and ran away from the shadow's trajectory, but Ryou stayed rooted on the spot, held by some inexorable mixture of terror and pride.
The gigantic creature, spanning a good twenty hands, twisted in its path and dipped even lower. It shifted into an upright stance, large membranous wings flapping powerfully and rapidly in order to maintain flight in its new position.
Both boys staggered as they were pummeled by the blasts of wind and sand that accompanied the dragon's every wingstroke. Yuugi covered his face, eyes squinting up at the beast's startlingly blue hide as his clothing and hair fluttered in imitation of the wayward flags from the stalls.
The tops of several brightly coloured tent fabrics became caught in the descending dragon's many spines and claws. The material sagged under the beast's weight, unceremoniously ripping apart. They spewed another gust of sand and wind as they collapsed rag-like onto the ground.
The sapphire leviathan of a dragon flapped its wings a few more times, landing powerfully onto the ground. Its ivory claws dug into the packed dirt and roused more slivers of sand.
At last, Yuugi mustered the courage to open his eyes and stare meekly through the slits of his fingers. The dragon was completely still now, a cold, gleaming sapphire statue; its owner, its dragon-master, was dismounting the beast, sliding noisily down the winged serpent's neck onto the ground, landing with a grunt.
The dragon-master was an aged man, sporting a grayed beard and balding crown of hair. A circlet, testimony to a vain attempt at concealment, adorned his forehead. His eyebrows were tremendously thick, to the point where they seemed to cover his eyes. He wore a full suit of battle attire, right down to the sword strapped to his back, golden handle glinting in the sun.
Ryou stood speechless as the dragon-master approached him. He involuntarily licked his dry lips, frozen on the spot as the clank-clank of armour and determined human came closer. The white-haired boy caught Yuugi dropping to his knees the moment the dragon-master approached, and Ryou hastily attempted to do the same.
The dragon-master growled angrily. "Always the one to forget, eh, Ryou?" His beady eyes glimmered. "Or is this disobedience? Disobedience similar to deciding not to go to today's dragon duel?"
Ryou dropped to his knees, touching his forehead against the sand in a gesture of complete obedience and apology. "I-I'm s-sorry. I got caught up in-"
"-You are always caught up in something." The dragon-master hissed. His eyes bulged angrily, face turning a slight violet-red. "Let me guess. You were _helping_ the dragons right?"
Meekly, Ryou nodded.
"Stand up, boy."
Shivering, keeping his eyes trained to the ground, the white-haired boy did as the other commanded. He continued to stare at the ground even as the dragon-rider neared him.
A sudden pain spread across Ryou's cheek, as a strong blow nearly dislocating his jaw. His entire face felt numb, and his ears rang with the sharp, wet sound. Eyes watering, he dared himself to look up.
The dragon-master glared at Ryou, calloused hand still raised in mid- air. The two of them stared angrily at each other.
"That was a light punishment, considering your disobedience." The dragon-master hissed, finally breaking the eye contact. "You will obey me tomorrow, Ryou. I have other ways of breaking you. Such as your little friend there."
Yuugi inhaled sharply, cowering slightly under the dragon-master's glare. His body began to relax only when the grey-haired man strode back to his dragon and took to the air again in a vortex of wind and sand. Soon, the dragon was again just a harmless speck in the air, disappearing into the distance.
Ryou blinked as people began to re-adjust their shop stalls, some rudely shoving the white-haired boy out of the way. Meekly, Yuugi walked up to the other, unsure of what to say.
The white-haired boy stared at the people re-constructing their stalls and then gently touched his bruised cheek. He winced as the pain spread across his jaw line. "Well," Ryou muttered, trying not to move his mouth too much, "that went well. It was better than Father's last tantrum."
Yuugi said nothing.
***********************************************
He slammed his fist angrily against the metal-plated wall. "Damn! Why is nothing working?"
Running a hand nervously through his thinning white hair, the scientist glanced nervously back at the heavily barred entrance several meters behind him. A team of other scientists were bustling back and forth, some nursing severe gouging wounds.
An angry roar filled the entire room, followed by the furious rattling of the cage bars. Some of the scientists jerked, as if afraid the bars would break; luckily, they held steady.
"Damn, damn, damn," the scientist chanted. "Are sedatives the only thing that can calm that thing?" he screamed in frustration, not noticing the repetition. Muttering about the injustice of his job and not being paid nearly enough, he glared angrily at the pair of coal-red eyes lurking impatiently inside the cage as more rattling and a roar from behind the bars silenced his thoughts.
"Damned asshole of a dragon." The scientist muttered to it, kicking the base of the cage. "Why can't you just listen to us? Show us _some_ sign of intellect." Most dragons would at least have stopped struggling by now.
The dragon stopped, folding its wings back. Its long ebony tail lashed in agitation before flicking around. Its large figure seemed to melt into shadows as it shrunk, wings and tail fading, the only thing apparent its burning red eyes. The darkness then faded, leaving an adolescent looking human in its wake.
The scientist sighed in relief. "At last. You're finally getting somewhere." He snorted, "At least you wont make as much noise now."
The once-dragon, the experiment called Yami, frowned, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. " 'Listen'. What do you mean when you say that?"
"You know." Frustrated, the scientist began to gesture with his hands. "To listen to us. To take orders from us."
He titled his head to one side, jagged golden bangs sliding down one cheek. "Why should I take orders from you?"
The scientist felt like he was talking to a teenaged child. "For heaven's sake, you're a _dragon_. All dragons are meant to obey. Because they're too aggressive to handle themselves."
A moment of silence. The scientist eyed the experiment, watching 'Yami' stare at his human-formed hand. The human-shifted dragon wiggled each digit experimentally, as if deriving great pleasure from watching them move.
Body of an adult; instincts of an adult; but the naïveté of a child. As the scientist stared at the experiment, he felt a biting conclusion weigh his heart. Was this what they wanted? A creature deathly powerful but easily manipulated? A light plunged completely into shadow?
True, Yami had reacted destructively upon being released for the first time. Yet it was from the panic of a new environment, of being in contact with so many others that had made the experiment snap.
'Yami' sighed, an all too human sigh. He turned his wistful ruby eyes towards the scientist. "Can I go out now? It's really small here."
**************************************************
He shivered. Sweat clung in cold beads along his forehead, transforming his downy-white bangs into jagged icicles. With another fretful toss he uttered a low moan, eyes fitfully locked in his nightmare.
Yuugi awoke just in time to hear Ryou utter another nightmare-induced cry. The amethyst-eyed boy quietly stood up from his reed matting on the floor and trotted quietly towards his master's bed, his face filled with concern. "Ryou. Ryou, wake up." Yuugi shook the white-haired boy by the shoulders. "It's just a nightmare."
Ryou's eyes snapped wide open. He glanced fretfully at his surroundings for a couple of moments, brown irises cloudy and disoriented. At last, his gaze fell on Yuugi's concerned expression. The white haired boy said nothing, mouth opening and closing wordlessly.
When Ryou finally spoke, it was barely audible, unintentionally forcing Yuugi to learn closer to hear it.
"Black Dragon." Panic seized the white-haired boy and he began to look around fretfully, as if afraid the very shadows of the night hid some unimaginable beast. "A black dragon with glowing ruby eyes."
Yuugi frowned. Was this what Ryou's nightmare had been about? What was it about the dragon that had terrified the white-haired boy? The smaller boy doubted that there were even such things as black dragons.
The smaller boy put a soothing hand on Ryou's shoulder. "It's all right. Just a nightmare." Yuugi smiled reassuringly. "Black, white, purple or any colour. I'll protect them from all from hurting you, master."
Ryo flinched upon hearing the formal title, the single word that stood between his and Yuugi's friendship. He shook his head. "You don't understand, Yuugi. Something else about that dragon." The white-haired boy shuddered. "Something dark and unnatural."
The smaller boy smiled sadly, violet eyes darting towards the ground. "You're right, Ryou. I really don't understand. But I can try to."
***********************************************
The door slammed open with a massive bang.
Yuugi jerked awake, rubbing his eyes blearily as he investigated the second interruption of the night. Through a single shaft of moonlight wafting from the open window, the spiky-haired boy could spot vague figures moving from across the room. One of the figures lit an oil lamp, flooding the room with a harsh yellow glow that danced within the shadows along the bare stone walls. Yuugi flinched under the sudden flare of light, one hand reflexively covering his eyes.
One of the figures, a well-known castle dragon-tamer, stood monolith- like to one side. The other, roughly jolting Ryou awake with forceful jerks, was none other than the Lord of the entire Fort, the dragon-master, Ryou's father.
Panic seized Yuugi's chest. Something strange was at hand.
"Get up, boy," the dragon-master growled impatiently, not bothering to wait for Ryou to make a coherent reply before dragging the half-dazed boy, still clad in a simple shift for sleeping, out of the bed. One hand still locked in Ryou's hair, the Lord roughly forced the white-haired boy out the door.
Yuugi quickly gathered his clothes, following the dragon-master and obedient dragon-tamer as inconspicuously as possible. A look of wary fear and surprise was etched clearly on Ryou's face as he descended several flights of stairs under the Lord's watchful eyes. Only silence and the dull patter of bare feet treading on stone, too loud in the silence, permeated the moment. And still they descended, one flight of stairs after another, into the depths of the castle until the very air stank of damp mildew and soil.
At last they stopped in front of a single door. Yuugi shuddered. Only condemned prisoners were locked this far underground. Why was the lord bringing Ryou there? Yuugi glanced anxiously at the dragon-tamer. He was an aged man with hardy, tanned skin, face set into what seemed a permanent frown. The dragon-tamer produced a set of thick iron keys, heavily scarred arms fumbling with the different sets of keys before wrapping his calloused fingers around the right one. Instead of plunging the key straight into the lock, the dragon-tamer paused, pressing his ear against the solid wooden door almost fearfully. Satisfied at last by the silence at the other end, he jammed the key quickly into the door, not even waiting for the lock to click before shoving the door open.
The Lord grabbed a tighter hold of Ryou, smiling wickedly as he heard the white-haired boy whimper upon noticing the abysmal darkness lying beyond the half open door. He trudged into the darkness, Ryou lodged firmly in his grip. The dragon-tamer followed, torch in hand, eyes wide and alert, nostrils flared in apprehension.
Consumed with the fear of the imminent danger, Yuugi stood rooted to his spot, feet unwilling to move. He watched the torchlight flicker from within the half-closed dungeon door and he wished that it would flicker, disappear and leave only a dream behind. The very air within the room radiated malevolence.
No such luck. With a final sigh, Yuugi gathered his remaining dregs of courage and plunged into the thicket of the dark-infested dungeon.
The dungeon itself was massive, a stone hallway of pillars and arched ceilings. There were sandstone gargoyles affixed to the tops of gothic- styled pillars; they lay half-crumbling, wrapped in thick shrouds of moss. An occasional droplet of water fell from the ceiling like a pearly-white tear, colliding with puddles below it in satisfying kerplunks.
In the middle of the dungeon was a large crate, spanning a good twenty feet in all directions. The crate seemed heavily damaged, side splintered and gouged with penetrating claw-marks. Only the front of the cage was untouched; thick metal bars spanned the opening instead.
A choked cry involuntarily escaped Yuugi's throat. Staring out from the infinitely murky depths within the cage was a pair of demonic red eyes. Large black slits representing pupils trickled down either opalescent eye, eyes that glittered like twin coals biting into virgin snow.
Yuugi could only watch in revulsion as the Lord laughed scornfully at Ryou's appalled expression.
"The son of a dragon master, and you can't even handle the sight of a dragon." The Lords bitter voice penetrated Yuugi's semi-paralyzed mind. The dragon-master laughed again, the laugh of someone deranged, drunk on the ecstasy of his prey's fear.
"S-stop it." Ryou whispered. The white-haired boy refused to look at the beast - dragon - within the cage, struggling to free himself from his father's grip. "J-just let me go. You don't understand."
"I DON'T UNDERSTAND?" the Lord roared, making both Ryou and Yuugi wince. "Who was it that told me to wait? Who was it that disobeyed my orders and then disappointed me further by neglecting his duties as a future dragon-master?" The dragon-master breathed heavily into Ryou's face, pudgy eyes filled with rage, yellowed teeth bared in a grimace. "You tell me, _failure_, who should be understood. YOU TELL ME!"
Yuugi had never seen Ryou so defiant in his life. The white-haired boy glared back, lower lip trembling as he tried to keep eye contact with his infuriated father. "I- can't-"
"-Dragons are friends," imitated the dragon-master Lord in a crudely falsetto manner. "We can't hurt the dragons - oh no! They're so delicate and fragile!"
Ryou said nothing, lashes batting away tears as he fixated his glare at the ceiling.
Either disturbed by the argument or frustrated by its imprisonment, the dragon suddenly bellowed, its cry shaking the entire dungeon.
Yuugi grit his teeth, covering his ears as the dragon roared again, only to discover the cry still just as loud, ringing both in his ears and mind. It was a screech of anger and frustration, a low rumble that crescendo into an ear-splitting shriek. Just when the cries became unbearable, grating iron prongs digging into Yuugi's mind, they disappeared.
The Lord, driven to his knees by the cries, stood up and began to laugh. His hand still held Ryou's wrist tightly like a human manacle.
"Did you hear that Ryou?" The dragon-master grinned ferally. "The dragon is angry. Go. Give it your _love_. Go _heal_ the dragon with your kindness."
In a stupendous, impulsive blur, the dragon-master seized hold of the cage, unfastened the iron padlock, and yanked the caged door open. Yuugi watched in horror as the Lord seized Ryou and shoved the white-haired boy as far as possible into the recesses of the cage.
The amethyst-eyed boy uttered a choked cry. He could see the whites of Ryou's eyes, the colour drained entirely from the white-haired boy's skin, apparent even in the sallow lighting.
The dragon snorted, slitted ruby eyes staring at Ryou with intense curiousity. It shifted closer to Ryou, leathery wingtips grating against the wooden create. Every footstep it took caused the crate to shake precariously while its claws clattered on the wooden surface.
Ryou backed away as slowly as possible from the large creature as it snorted again and regarded the white-haired boy with bemusement. Yuugi didn't dare to breathe. Whether Ryou could escape the cage or not - it was completely dependent on the temperament of the dragon.
The dragon snorted again, moving closer to Ryou, and suddenly reared back in anger. The white-haired boy stared wide-eyed at it and then behind the cage at the dragon-tamer brandishing the whip. The Lord simply watched, a haughty smile alit on his bearded face.
The dragon screeched another ear-splitting cry, heaving its body heedlessly around the cage, large claws blindly gouging at the air in both anger and annoyance from the sudden pain. Ryou was frozen on the spot, half- stuck between the dragon's torso and claws, unable to dash for the exit without being mauled.
It was sickening to watch. Yuugi felt the bile rise from his stomach at the Lord's eager and sadistically amused expression. The dragon-tamer cared even less, intent on entertaining his Lord by keeping the dragon livid with satisfying lashes of his whip.
To be orphaned and preserve happy memories of loving, caring parents was a gratuitous gift. To have a father like Ryou's, who would rather watch his son die as entertainment than suffer a blow to his own reputation, would have made Yuugi cry if the roles had been reversed. Wasn't Ryou human? Wasn't Ryou the dragon-master's son?
"Stop it!"
Yuugi wasn't aware that he screamed it until everyone save the dragon stopped and focused their attention at him, the insignificant slave boy. Yuugi wasn't even aware that he should not be watching or that he had brashly run between the dragon-tamer and the opening of the cage, arms wide outspread in vain attempt to protect both Ryou and the dragon from harm.
The dragon-master stared at Yuugi incredulously, and it seemed for a moment that the Lord had told his dragon-tamer to stop in order to reconsider things. Yet hope played vicious illusions on the desperate mind. The whip lashed viper-like through the air only seconds later. Yuugi, still standing in front of the open iron cage, took the full force of the whip, falling backwards into the cage from the lash. Agony lacerated his entire body, a thick welt already spreading across his shoulder and chest, blossoming into a trail of crimson blood.
Blinking back tears of agony, Yuugi smiled at the stunned Ryou and coughed weakly. At least the dragon had stopped panicking, but for how long?
"Master," Yuugi tried his best to keep on smiling, his vision threatening to disappear. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you sooner." He weakly shook his head. "No. I'm sorry that I didn't help you sooner."
His knees were failing him, taking his consciousness along with it. Yuugi hoped that Ryou at least had the wits to recover and escape by now. Maybe then the white-haired boy could run away - surely Ryou had other relatives that would take better care of him.
But Yuugi himself? Orphaned, abandoned, lost.
Pain. Darkness was inevitable.
Images of his parents leaving him, of Ryou running away.
Alone again.
But if he was alone, then who was holding him, supporting his fall. Another person? It couldn't be Ryou. Ryou had escaped right?
Firm muscles, strong chest.
.. Ruby eyes?
Something whispered in his mind, a deep reassuring voice not his own.
::Its okay. I wont allow them to hurt you anymore.::
*******************************************
End notes:
Nothing much to say. Gomen it took me so long to get this out - I got lazy n.n..
[random] *waves to Kokoro* Hiii!! *waves to people reading this* Hiii again! [/random]
Okay, I better run now. Still have 4 more fics to update *sighs*
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh
Finally an update!! A big thank you to Tenshimagic for betaing this ^_^
And yes, unfortunately, I noticed a bit later that the first chapter sounds a lot like "Mewtwo Strikes back from Pokemon" --;
*********************************************
Volume 1 - Chronicled
The fairgrounds were especially lively at this time of the year. Stalls swathed in vibrant shades of blues, yellows and reds stood out against the sandy grounds, like a vision of lost butterflies' wings; their fancily embroidered banners fluttered gently against a soft breeze, lending credence to the illusion.
Two insignificant youths plowed through the slow, unmoving mass of people. Some of the shoppers lounging by the stall turned around in annoyance as they were pushed to one side by the still scampering figures.
The smaller of the two hastily mumbled an apology as he knocked over a woman's basket of vegetables. He ignored the woman's glare as he continued running for all his short legs were worth.
"I can't believe we're late again," he bemoaned loud enough for the trailing youth behind him to hear, "we'll be lucky if we catch the end. And luckier to escape getting in trouble."
The other was a lanky-looking youth with fair, almost unnatural white hair. There was a slightly resigned look in his eyes that made his entire posture look reluctant. "I had to help." The reply was breathed out in a soft, short-of-breath whisper.
"You choose to help someone else's dragon at a time like this?" The shorter boy stopped to allow both himself and his companion a moment's rest. He took a few more heavy gasps, wiping away the sweat collecting along his jagged golden bangs and serrated red-black hair. The mid-day sun wafting through the breaks in the stall covers overhead only added to the stifled air and incredible heat wave. "You know that your father is-"
"-I don't care." His deep brown eyes became clouded with agitation, half-covered by his pure white hair. "I honestly don't care, Yuugi, what my father thinks. He knows how much I hate watching dragon duels, and he purposely forces me to go to them."
"Ryou." The shorter boy emphasized the other's name. "Your father brings you to these duels because he wants you to become one of the best dragon-masters in the world."
Ryou snorted. "My father wants me to become one of the best dragon- masters to retain the family reputation. That's all he cares about. Reputation and class."
The fairground clock tower suddenly struck twelve. It resonated over the murmuring voices of commoners and nobles alike with a deep, brazen echo.
Yuugi fell silent. The shorter boy waited for the last echo of the bell to quaver back into silence before shrugging half-heartedly. "Well, we've completely missed it. So much for that." There was a tinge of disappointment in his voice.
Ryou caught the resentment in the other's voice, suddenly feeling bad about all the complaints and reluctance he had put his companion through. "I'm sorry."
It only made things worse when he compared himself to Yuugi's life situation. To be able to endure that kind of pain, the smaller boy had to have a spirit of steel.
"Hey, no worries." The smaller, spiky-haired boy gave a passive shrug. "We have a good excuse this time. Let's head back to the Fort."
Both boys turned around, picking a single path from the many winding trails through the bazaars and tent-stands. Their pace was slower and more relaxed; this time, they were careful not to anger any passer-bys.
A shadow of darkness suddenly covered midday sun. Ryou looked up and caught the sight of an enormous sapphire dragon swooping dangerously low above the stalls. Most of the stall-owners and shoppers panicked and ran away from the shadow's trajectory, but Ryou stayed rooted on the spot, held by some inexorable mixture of terror and pride.
The gigantic creature, spanning a good twenty hands, twisted in its path and dipped even lower. It shifted into an upright stance, large membranous wings flapping powerfully and rapidly in order to maintain flight in its new position.
Both boys staggered as they were pummeled by the blasts of wind and sand that accompanied the dragon's every wingstroke. Yuugi covered his face, eyes squinting up at the beast's startlingly blue hide as his clothing and hair fluttered in imitation of the wayward flags from the stalls.
The tops of several brightly coloured tent fabrics became caught in the descending dragon's many spines and claws. The material sagged under the beast's weight, unceremoniously ripping apart. They spewed another gust of sand and wind as they collapsed rag-like onto the ground.
The sapphire leviathan of a dragon flapped its wings a few more times, landing powerfully onto the ground. Its ivory claws dug into the packed dirt and roused more slivers of sand.
At last, Yuugi mustered the courage to open his eyes and stare meekly through the slits of his fingers. The dragon was completely still now, a cold, gleaming sapphire statue; its owner, its dragon-master, was dismounting the beast, sliding noisily down the winged serpent's neck onto the ground, landing with a grunt.
The dragon-master was an aged man, sporting a grayed beard and balding crown of hair. A circlet, testimony to a vain attempt at concealment, adorned his forehead. His eyebrows were tremendously thick, to the point where they seemed to cover his eyes. He wore a full suit of battle attire, right down to the sword strapped to his back, golden handle glinting in the sun.
Ryou stood speechless as the dragon-master approached him. He involuntarily licked his dry lips, frozen on the spot as the clank-clank of armour and determined human came closer. The white-haired boy caught Yuugi dropping to his knees the moment the dragon-master approached, and Ryou hastily attempted to do the same.
The dragon-master growled angrily. "Always the one to forget, eh, Ryou?" His beady eyes glimmered. "Or is this disobedience? Disobedience similar to deciding not to go to today's dragon duel?"
Ryou dropped to his knees, touching his forehead against the sand in a gesture of complete obedience and apology. "I-I'm s-sorry. I got caught up in-"
"-You are always caught up in something." The dragon-master hissed. His eyes bulged angrily, face turning a slight violet-red. "Let me guess. You were _helping_ the dragons right?"
Meekly, Ryou nodded.
"Stand up, boy."
Shivering, keeping his eyes trained to the ground, the white-haired boy did as the other commanded. He continued to stare at the ground even as the dragon-rider neared him.
A sudden pain spread across Ryou's cheek, as a strong blow nearly dislocating his jaw. His entire face felt numb, and his ears rang with the sharp, wet sound. Eyes watering, he dared himself to look up.
The dragon-master glared at Ryou, calloused hand still raised in mid- air. The two of them stared angrily at each other.
"That was a light punishment, considering your disobedience." The dragon-master hissed, finally breaking the eye contact. "You will obey me tomorrow, Ryou. I have other ways of breaking you. Such as your little friend there."
Yuugi inhaled sharply, cowering slightly under the dragon-master's glare. His body began to relax only when the grey-haired man strode back to his dragon and took to the air again in a vortex of wind and sand. Soon, the dragon was again just a harmless speck in the air, disappearing into the distance.
Ryou blinked as people began to re-adjust their shop stalls, some rudely shoving the white-haired boy out of the way. Meekly, Yuugi walked up to the other, unsure of what to say.
The white-haired boy stared at the people re-constructing their stalls and then gently touched his bruised cheek. He winced as the pain spread across his jaw line. "Well," Ryou muttered, trying not to move his mouth too much, "that went well. It was better than Father's last tantrum."
Yuugi said nothing.
***********************************************
He slammed his fist angrily against the metal-plated wall. "Damn! Why is nothing working?"
Running a hand nervously through his thinning white hair, the scientist glanced nervously back at the heavily barred entrance several meters behind him. A team of other scientists were bustling back and forth, some nursing severe gouging wounds.
An angry roar filled the entire room, followed by the furious rattling of the cage bars. Some of the scientists jerked, as if afraid the bars would break; luckily, they held steady.
"Damn, damn, damn," the scientist chanted. "Are sedatives the only thing that can calm that thing?" he screamed in frustration, not noticing the repetition. Muttering about the injustice of his job and not being paid nearly enough, he glared angrily at the pair of coal-red eyes lurking impatiently inside the cage as more rattling and a roar from behind the bars silenced his thoughts.
"Damned asshole of a dragon." The scientist muttered to it, kicking the base of the cage. "Why can't you just listen to us? Show us _some_ sign of intellect." Most dragons would at least have stopped struggling by now.
The dragon stopped, folding its wings back. Its long ebony tail lashed in agitation before flicking around. Its large figure seemed to melt into shadows as it shrunk, wings and tail fading, the only thing apparent its burning red eyes. The darkness then faded, leaving an adolescent looking human in its wake.
The scientist sighed in relief. "At last. You're finally getting somewhere." He snorted, "At least you wont make as much noise now."
The once-dragon, the experiment called Yami, frowned, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. " 'Listen'. What do you mean when you say that?"
"You know." Frustrated, the scientist began to gesture with his hands. "To listen to us. To take orders from us."
He titled his head to one side, jagged golden bangs sliding down one cheek. "Why should I take orders from you?"
The scientist felt like he was talking to a teenaged child. "For heaven's sake, you're a _dragon_. All dragons are meant to obey. Because they're too aggressive to handle themselves."
A moment of silence. The scientist eyed the experiment, watching 'Yami' stare at his human-formed hand. The human-shifted dragon wiggled each digit experimentally, as if deriving great pleasure from watching them move.
Body of an adult; instincts of an adult; but the naïveté of a child. As the scientist stared at the experiment, he felt a biting conclusion weigh his heart. Was this what they wanted? A creature deathly powerful but easily manipulated? A light plunged completely into shadow?
True, Yami had reacted destructively upon being released for the first time. Yet it was from the panic of a new environment, of being in contact with so many others that had made the experiment snap.
'Yami' sighed, an all too human sigh. He turned his wistful ruby eyes towards the scientist. "Can I go out now? It's really small here."
**************************************************
He shivered. Sweat clung in cold beads along his forehead, transforming his downy-white bangs into jagged icicles. With another fretful toss he uttered a low moan, eyes fitfully locked in his nightmare.
Yuugi awoke just in time to hear Ryou utter another nightmare-induced cry. The amethyst-eyed boy quietly stood up from his reed matting on the floor and trotted quietly towards his master's bed, his face filled with concern. "Ryou. Ryou, wake up." Yuugi shook the white-haired boy by the shoulders. "It's just a nightmare."
Ryou's eyes snapped wide open. He glanced fretfully at his surroundings for a couple of moments, brown irises cloudy and disoriented. At last, his gaze fell on Yuugi's concerned expression. The white haired boy said nothing, mouth opening and closing wordlessly.
When Ryou finally spoke, it was barely audible, unintentionally forcing Yuugi to learn closer to hear it.
"Black Dragon." Panic seized the white-haired boy and he began to look around fretfully, as if afraid the very shadows of the night hid some unimaginable beast. "A black dragon with glowing ruby eyes."
Yuugi frowned. Was this what Ryou's nightmare had been about? What was it about the dragon that had terrified the white-haired boy? The smaller boy doubted that there were even such things as black dragons.
The smaller boy put a soothing hand on Ryou's shoulder. "It's all right. Just a nightmare." Yuugi smiled reassuringly. "Black, white, purple or any colour. I'll protect them from all from hurting you, master."
Ryo flinched upon hearing the formal title, the single word that stood between his and Yuugi's friendship. He shook his head. "You don't understand, Yuugi. Something else about that dragon." The white-haired boy shuddered. "Something dark and unnatural."
The smaller boy smiled sadly, violet eyes darting towards the ground. "You're right, Ryou. I really don't understand. But I can try to."
***********************************************
The door slammed open with a massive bang.
Yuugi jerked awake, rubbing his eyes blearily as he investigated the second interruption of the night. Through a single shaft of moonlight wafting from the open window, the spiky-haired boy could spot vague figures moving from across the room. One of the figures lit an oil lamp, flooding the room with a harsh yellow glow that danced within the shadows along the bare stone walls. Yuugi flinched under the sudden flare of light, one hand reflexively covering his eyes.
One of the figures, a well-known castle dragon-tamer, stood monolith- like to one side. The other, roughly jolting Ryou awake with forceful jerks, was none other than the Lord of the entire Fort, the dragon-master, Ryou's father.
Panic seized Yuugi's chest. Something strange was at hand.
"Get up, boy," the dragon-master growled impatiently, not bothering to wait for Ryou to make a coherent reply before dragging the half-dazed boy, still clad in a simple shift for sleeping, out of the bed. One hand still locked in Ryou's hair, the Lord roughly forced the white-haired boy out the door.
Yuugi quickly gathered his clothes, following the dragon-master and obedient dragon-tamer as inconspicuously as possible. A look of wary fear and surprise was etched clearly on Ryou's face as he descended several flights of stairs under the Lord's watchful eyes. Only silence and the dull patter of bare feet treading on stone, too loud in the silence, permeated the moment. And still they descended, one flight of stairs after another, into the depths of the castle until the very air stank of damp mildew and soil.
At last they stopped in front of a single door. Yuugi shuddered. Only condemned prisoners were locked this far underground. Why was the lord bringing Ryou there? Yuugi glanced anxiously at the dragon-tamer. He was an aged man with hardy, tanned skin, face set into what seemed a permanent frown. The dragon-tamer produced a set of thick iron keys, heavily scarred arms fumbling with the different sets of keys before wrapping his calloused fingers around the right one. Instead of plunging the key straight into the lock, the dragon-tamer paused, pressing his ear against the solid wooden door almost fearfully. Satisfied at last by the silence at the other end, he jammed the key quickly into the door, not even waiting for the lock to click before shoving the door open.
The Lord grabbed a tighter hold of Ryou, smiling wickedly as he heard the white-haired boy whimper upon noticing the abysmal darkness lying beyond the half open door. He trudged into the darkness, Ryou lodged firmly in his grip. The dragon-tamer followed, torch in hand, eyes wide and alert, nostrils flared in apprehension.
Consumed with the fear of the imminent danger, Yuugi stood rooted to his spot, feet unwilling to move. He watched the torchlight flicker from within the half-closed dungeon door and he wished that it would flicker, disappear and leave only a dream behind. The very air within the room radiated malevolence.
No such luck. With a final sigh, Yuugi gathered his remaining dregs of courage and plunged into the thicket of the dark-infested dungeon.
The dungeon itself was massive, a stone hallway of pillars and arched ceilings. There were sandstone gargoyles affixed to the tops of gothic- styled pillars; they lay half-crumbling, wrapped in thick shrouds of moss. An occasional droplet of water fell from the ceiling like a pearly-white tear, colliding with puddles below it in satisfying kerplunks.
In the middle of the dungeon was a large crate, spanning a good twenty feet in all directions. The crate seemed heavily damaged, side splintered and gouged with penetrating claw-marks. Only the front of the cage was untouched; thick metal bars spanned the opening instead.
A choked cry involuntarily escaped Yuugi's throat. Staring out from the infinitely murky depths within the cage was a pair of demonic red eyes. Large black slits representing pupils trickled down either opalescent eye, eyes that glittered like twin coals biting into virgin snow.
Yuugi could only watch in revulsion as the Lord laughed scornfully at Ryou's appalled expression.
"The son of a dragon master, and you can't even handle the sight of a dragon." The Lords bitter voice penetrated Yuugi's semi-paralyzed mind. The dragon-master laughed again, the laugh of someone deranged, drunk on the ecstasy of his prey's fear.
"S-stop it." Ryou whispered. The white-haired boy refused to look at the beast - dragon - within the cage, struggling to free himself from his father's grip. "J-just let me go. You don't understand."
"I DON'T UNDERSTAND?" the Lord roared, making both Ryou and Yuugi wince. "Who was it that told me to wait? Who was it that disobeyed my orders and then disappointed me further by neglecting his duties as a future dragon-master?" The dragon-master breathed heavily into Ryou's face, pudgy eyes filled with rage, yellowed teeth bared in a grimace. "You tell me, _failure_, who should be understood. YOU TELL ME!"
Yuugi had never seen Ryou so defiant in his life. The white-haired boy glared back, lower lip trembling as he tried to keep eye contact with his infuriated father. "I- can't-"
"-Dragons are friends," imitated the dragon-master Lord in a crudely falsetto manner. "We can't hurt the dragons - oh no! They're so delicate and fragile!"
Ryou said nothing, lashes batting away tears as he fixated his glare at the ceiling.
Either disturbed by the argument or frustrated by its imprisonment, the dragon suddenly bellowed, its cry shaking the entire dungeon.
Yuugi grit his teeth, covering his ears as the dragon roared again, only to discover the cry still just as loud, ringing both in his ears and mind. It was a screech of anger and frustration, a low rumble that crescendo into an ear-splitting shriek. Just when the cries became unbearable, grating iron prongs digging into Yuugi's mind, they disappeared.
The Lord, driven to his knees by the cries, stood up and began to laugh. His hand still held Ryou's wrist tightly like a human manacle.
"Did you hear that Ryou?" The dragon-master grinned ferally. "The dragon is angry. Go. Give it your _love_. Go _heal_ the dragon with your kindness."
In a stupendous, impulsive blur, the dragon-master seized hold of the cage, unfastened the iron padlock, and yanked the caged door open. Yuugi watched in horror as the Lord seized Ryou and shoved the white-haired boy as far as possible into the recesses of the cage.
The amethyst-eyed boy uttered a choked cry. He could see the whites of Ryou's eyes, the colour drained entirely from the white-haired boy's skin, apparent even in the sallow lighting.
The dragon snorted, slitted ruby eyes staring at Ryou with intense curiousity. It shifted closer to Ryou, leathery wingtips grating against the wooden create. Every footstep it took caused the crate to shake precariously while its claws clattered on the wooden surface.
Ryou backed away as slowly as possible from the large creature as it snorted again and regarded the white-haired boy with bemusement. Yuugi didn't dare to breathe. Whether Ryou could escape the cage or not - it was completely dependent on the temperament of the dragon.
The dragon snorted again, moving closer to Ryou, and suddenly reared back in anger. The white-haired boy stared wide-eyed at it and then behind the cage at the dragon-tamer brandishing the whip. The Lord simply watched, a haughty smile alit on his bearded face.
The dragon screeched another ear-splitting cry, heaving its body heedlessly around the cage, large claws blindly gouging at the air in both anger and annoyance from the sudden pain. Ryou was frozen on the spot, half- stuck between the dragon's torso and claws, unable to dash for the exit without being mauled.
It was sickening to watch. Yuugi felt the bile rise from his stomach at the Lord's eager and sadistically amused expression. The dragon-tamer cared even less, intent on entertaining his Lord by keeping the dragon livid with satisfying lashes of his whip.
To be orphaned and preserve happy memories of loving, caring parents was a gratuitous gift. To have a father like Ryou's, who would rather watch his son die as entertainment than suffer a blow to his own reputation, would have made Yuugi cry if the roles had been reversed. Wasn't Ryou human? Wasn't Ryou the dragon-master's son?
"Stop it!"
Yuugi wasn't aware that he screamed it until everyone save the dragon stopped and focused their attention at him, the insignificant slave boy. Yuugi wasn't even aware that he should not be watching or that he had brashly run between the dragon-tamer and the opening of the cage, arms wide outspread in vain attempt to protect both Ryou and the dragon from harm.
The dragon-master stared at Yuugi incredulously, and it seemed for a moment that the Lord had told his dragon-tamer to stop in order to reconsider things. Yet hope played vicious illusions on the desperate mind. The whip lashed viper-like through the air only seconds later. Yuugi, still standing in front of the open iron cage, took the full force of the whip, falling backwards into the cage from the lash. Agony lacerated his entire body, a thick welt already spreading across his shoulder and chest, blossoming into a trail of crimson blood.
Blinking back tears of agony, Yuugi smiled at the stunned Ryou and coughed weakly. At least the dragon had stopped panicking, but for how long?
"Master," Yuugi tried his best to keep on smiling, his vision threatening to disappear. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you sooner." He weakly shook his head. "No. I'm sorry that I didn't help you sooner."
His knees were failing him, taking his consciousness along with it. Yuugi hoped that Ryou at least had the wits to recover and escape by now. Maybe then the white-haired boy could run away - surely Ryou had other relatives that would take better care of him.
But Yuugi himself? Orphaned, abandoned, lost.
Pain. Darkness was inevitable.
Images of his parents leaving him, of Ryou running away.
Alone again.
But if he was alone, then who was holding him, supporting his fall. Another person? It couldn't be Ryou. Ryou had escaped right?
Firm muscles, strong chest.
.. Ruby eyes?
Something whispered in his mind, a deep reassuring voice not his own.
::Its okay. I wont allow them to hurt you anymore.::
*******************************************
End notes:
Nothing much to say. Gomen it took me so long to get this out - I got lazy n.n..
[random] *waves to Kokoro* Hiii!! *waves to people reading this* Hiii again! [/random]
Okay, I better run now. Still have 4 more fics to update *sighs*