Disclaimer: I don't, never have, never will, own YuGiOh. But I do own this setting and the species. So yeah, don't steal, k? Thanks. Oh, and watch out for language; there are a couple strong words.
Ummmm…..
Happy New Year! I finished the chapter actually during the Ball drop in NY so there's a small celebration in the middle. I'll bet it's one of the few chapters actually done in both 2005 and 2006!
And…it's awkward. Originally, this scene was supposed to be entirely different but I sacrificed the other situation in favor of bringing in some facts.
Hope you all like. Oh! And if you review, I'll send you a free preview summary of the next chapter!
Confined Anomalies: Chapter 4
Alone
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"Mmmm….!" Yami stretched and yawned luxuriously as he woke up. He hadn't slept that well for ages! And the sleep had actually been restful!
I wonder what time it…"HOLY SHIT! It's 8:15?" He glowered at his watch in disbelief. "We're supposed to be at work in a half hour!"
What's with me? I usually wake up at least two hours early! And the others…
"Marik! Bakura! WAKE-up? They've gone? He groaned, standing in between their two open doors. "Even those two slackers woke up before me. Never thought I'd see the day."
But why didn't they wake me up? Strike that; why didn't they play some kind of nasty prank on me?
Distractedly, he moved back to his room, the door two down from Marik's and beside Bakura's, and stumbled inside. And why do I feel like I'm missing something?
"Now let me see," He reviewed the day before in his mind, up to when he and Bakura bought the 'fairies' from the vender. Then did a quick fast forward to the night when he had bonded with his own multicolored flyer.
"That's it! The Little One!"
A warm feeling grew in his chest at the thought as he turned towards the night table.
It was empty.
Th-That can't be… His mind replayed the night in a flurry of connecting synapses. They'd been so happy; why would the creature even want to leave? HOW would he leave?
"I guess…" with a melancholy sigh, Yami made his way to the bathroom across the hall, picking up clothes and hygiene equipment on the way. He didn't trust the others enough to leave any of it in the bathroom. Jeans and a long sleeved shirt constituted his outfit; the company had banned belts beyond two inches, buckles, and leather after the dark trio's first week in the office. Their appearances had been 'too distracting'.
Bakura and Marik went to great lengths to push the rule's boundaries but Yami followed it to the letter; even if he did find the clothes boring and detestable.
After dressing and brushing his teeth, Yami walked out into the kitchen, emitting a sullen and brooding aura. How could he do that? I thought we were friends!
"Hey Yami."
"Sleep well, Yamikins?"
"Oh shut up." He didn't even notice the devious grins exchanged behind his back.
"Well?"
"Well what?" crimson eyes met Bakura's secretive gaze, momentarily dampening his good humor.
But not for long.
"We made a bet, remember?" Marik grinned in the background.
"A bet?" brow furrowed, Yami tried to remember. Yes, we did make a bet. It was before I took the creature out. We were talking about whether or not I'd be able to…keep…him. Come to think of it; how could he have taken the harness of on his own? Unless…
"You BLOODY BASTARD!"
"Wha-? Hey! OW!"
Yami lunged, knocking Bakura to the ground and grabbing his neck. "You did it!"
"Did what?"
"You let him go!"
"Him?" Bakura choked, scrabbling at Yami's hands.
"Leggo Pharaoh!"
"You know." The angry youth was downright scary when angry. "Insulting me might not be such a good idea in your position." His hands tightened perceptively.
"Yami, if yer gonna strangle Kura, can you do it after work? Cuz he's driving and we need to leave real soon. Unless," Marik grinned, settling back into his chair with a satisfied smirk. "You want to fight some more. That's interesting too."
With a disgusted growl, Yami dropped his opponent, making sure the albino's head hit the floor painfully before he stood up.
"No. We're leaving. Now. And don't think you're off the hook; you probably helped him."
"But I need-"
"NOW! Both of you! In the car!"
"Sheesh, alright! Now need to be a sore loser!"
A slamming door was the only answer Bakura got.
"Mebbe we shouldn't have let the critter go, Kura."
"Who cares? It's too late. Let's go."
"What about the other two? Ours?"
"They'll be fine. We'll only be gone five or six hours and somehow I don't think Yami would appreciate it if we try to bring ours without his. He'd probably kill us."
"Okay. Heheheh…Did you see how red his face got?"
-snicker- "Yeah, I-."
-SLAM!-
The sound of a closing and locking door echoed through a suddenly empty set of rooms.
Malik and Ryou had remained silent as Yami looked in Marik's room. They'd listened nervously to the entire argument, tension and worry growing. When the humans had finally left, Malik turned to his companion, making small whining sounds of uncertainty and sending his concern through their mental link.
>Ryou, would the albino have done that? Gotten rid of Yugi?>
>I-I don't know. He isn't really kind but didn't see to be a bad person. Unfortunately, I think he sees Yugi as-as an animal.>
>So he might've…gotten RID gotten rid of him? Like, permanently?>
>I…don't know.>
Ryou buried his face in the feathers of his friend's wing; taking refuge in the contact they were usually denied.
>Maybe we could try to contact him?>
>Yeah. Yugi?>
No answer. Just like the night before.
>Please,> Ryou's sending was faint, scared. >Yugi, please answer.> He couldn't be gone; not after so long; when they were finally so close to freedom! He couldn't be…
>Guys?>
>YUGI!>
>Whoa! What's wrong? I just woke up.>
>Dammit Yugi, don't do that! You had us…I mean, you had Ryou scared to death!>
>Malik!>
>What? You were scared!>
A gentle ripple of amusement. >Sorry, after that guy who looks like Ryou came in and chased me, I hid under the bed and fell back to sleep.>
>So that's what happened? My owner just chased you around?>
>Yeah. He untied me too.>
>See Malik, I told you he wasn't a bad person.>
>Mrgh. I guess. What about mine? What did he do Yugi?
>Yours?>
>Yeah, the psycho.>
>I think he just stood in the doorway. Didn't do anything but talk.>
>Hm. Whatever. You're alright?>
>Yeah. What about you guys? Ryou, are you still in your jar?>
>No; he took me out after bending my wing. I'm in a cage with Malik.>
>Cage? I thought Malik escaped.>
>Unfortunately, he caught me right before bed last night. You were already asleep; I tried to contact you.>
>Ah. Where are you?>
>In the psycho's room.> Malik answered >under a basket next to his bed.>
>Basket?>
An embarrassed silence fell until Ryou mumbled. >A wastepaper basket.>
Yugi giggled. >Alright; I'll see if I can find you.>
Wordless assent came from both the others before the link was abandoned.
Alright then. Yugi crawled out from under the bed, flapping his wings to stretch. The earlier flight from the table to the floor had been unprecedented and, after holding his wings in a set position and not exercising for so long, rather painful.
And now, he grinned, lavender eyes sparkling. Time to try something else I haven't done in a while.
Skipping to the middle of the floor, he tripped and fell with an undignified squeal, quickly popping straight up with a blush. Changing wasn't hard, but it had been so long…
Let's see…feel the energy stored in my wings…redirect the flow…A funny tingling sensation, familiar even after so many months, spread throughout his body originating at the juncture between his wings and shoulder blades. And finally…release it!
The tingles turned into full-blown fire spreading along his limbs, reforming and twisting, enlarging and stretching until…
"Ah! Finally!"
The room seemed to shrink to his eyes, but in reality, Yugi had grown. His wings were gone, replaced by smooth skin where they were absorbed into his body and he stood as a human; not tall by any means, but sufficient and with a passably matching anatomy. (1)
"Ryou! Malik! I can grow again!"
>Yugi?> Ryou sounded surprised.
>Ha! Awesome! Come on; let us out so we can do it too! I miss actually being able to use my vocal cords.>
"Heh! Comin'!" A single step was all it took to remind him how long exactly it had been since he'd walked on two legs without wings.
"Whoops!" –THUD-
>Yugi?>
"I'm okay; just off balance. It's been a while."
>Well, hurry up!>
>Malik, don't be so insensitive! He's coming as fast as he can!>
"Yeah. Just hang on." Clinging to the wall, the pale youth maneuvered his suddenly bulky feeling body down the hallway.
Ryou and Malik stood together, watching the doorway with rapt attention.
"Whoa! ... Oops."
Ryou giggled lightly as Yugi fell into view.
>Hey Grace, how was your trip?> Malik's light-hearted sarcasm made both other boys chuckle.
"Hang on guys. I think I've got it! Um…" he deflated at the sight of Marik's cluttered floored, going to all fours to crawl the rest of the way.
>Freedom!> Malik crowed happily as Yugi lifted the basket. >Now let's see if I can do it too!>
In seconds, he stood taller then Yugi, an almost exact mirror of Marik, stretching his arms and legs before jumping up on the bed and raising a defiant fist to the ceiling..
"Hahah! Watch that bastard try to capture me now! I could take him on with both arms tied behind my back!"
>We can't let them know.>
"Huh? But…"
"I think Ryou's right, Malik."
"Why? We're finally free!"
>But we don't know the way the world functions. None of us have spent more then a day or two in a human dwelling or among crowds. If we took off now, we'd be killed, recaptured, or picked up by somebody else.>
"Yeah. Also, they don't seem so bad. I know mine was nice last night."
"Speak for yourself, Runt! Mine's a psychopathic freak and I won't demean myself by acting some kind of dumb little pet! Plus, didn't you guys say they were going to treat us as specimens? Do tests and experiments to find out what we are?"
>Malik, would you rather take your chances with the humans who have not hurt us and who treat us at least semi-well or face certain death on the streets?>
"Hmph. I guess I need to go with the first choice. Just to take care of you two, of course.
The others rolled their eyes at his reluctant acceptance.
"By the way; Ryou, why aren't you changing? I'd think you'd want to."
>I do! My wing's still hurt and I don't want to take my chances with a broken bone interrupting the magic flow.>
BALL JUST DROPPED! IT'S 2006!
"Aw, Ryou, what happened?" Yugi leant further forward and gently lifted his friend up into his hand. "Can I help?"
>Well, do you remember how to heal?>
"Haven't tried yet."
"Here! Lemme!" Malik took a bouncing jump off the bed, elbowing the smaller boy gently and cupping one hand over the one holding Ryou.
"No, I want to heal him."
"Fine then, let's do it together."
"Okay."
"Ready Ryou?"
>Yeah.>
"Here goes nothing."
"On three?"
"One…"
"Two…"
"Three!"
At the same time, two hands began to glow with inner light. The small creature cupped between sighed happing as the magical force mended his wing.
>Thanks.>
The glow faded.
"Did it work?"
I think so. The pain is gone. Can you put me down?
"Here you go."
Shortly, the two disguised creatures were joined by a third. (After ridding himself of the confining wing brace and leash)
They were free!
And alone.
In the house of their new 'masters'.
Choices, choices; what to do first?
TBC?
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