Chapter 33
A/N: Hello reader/s! Welcome back to the newest chapter of my YGO: ZEXAL fanfic :D I'm currently working on various different projects, among these a few more chapters for another one of my stories on here, called "To find Purpose" which is a CardCaptor Sakura fic :) So my inspiration is spread across several stories ^^'' But I found it relaxing to write this newest chapter for you all, especially since I imagine most of us really need some stuff to pass time with, during this Corona/COVID-19 crisis…
So I hope you can enjoy these few pages, until I have more to upload here :) As always, reviews are appreciated! :D
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It took another two weeks, before Astral got the summon. It happened doing class. They were in an English lesson and the students were taking turns reading out loud from an old play. Astral had just been reading and Yuma was now standing, doing the same, when the alien suddenly moaned quietly and leaned forward over his table, a hand on his forehead and his eyes closed.
"Astral, it is time. We did not summon you last month, because our first summon was at the start of your second month, but now you are nearing your fourth and it is time for you to return to us. Use the ship. We do not trust what might happen to your child, if we move you here by portal" the voice said. It was Ennas.
"Enna" Astral moaned beneath his breath and across the connection he had with the other "we are at school". "We know. That is why we thought you could come here in the weekend. Bring your partner" Enna continued.
"You… You know?" Astral asked, but there was no answer.
He glanced up at Yuma, to see if the other had noticed. Naturally, he had. Yuma was looking back at him, frowning. "Are you alright?" he mouthed, but he didn't say anything and before Astral could answer, their teacher called out to Yuma and his partner hurriedly returned to his reading,
Once he finished and was allowed to sit back down again, and as the next reader rose and started up on the text once more, Yuma leaned over towards Astral. "What happened?" he asked in a low voice. "The call. Enna has summoned us" Astral replied. "Us?" Yuma repeated, an eyebrow raised. Astral nodded.
"I see… When are they expecting us then?" the human continued. "This weekend" Astral answered "they expect us to leave tonight. She told me to use the spaceship". "Tonight?!" Yuma exclaimed and Astral had to hush him.
Yuma glanced around them, but no one was looking at them, except Tori, who was sitting closest to them. Once she realized Yuma had noticed though, she quickly looked away, and pretended to focus on their teacher once more.
Yuma frowned, wondering what she might have heard, but then he returned his attention to his partner once more.
"I'll need to pack a bit, but it shouldn't be too much, considering we'll only be gone for two days" he whispered, and the blue alien nodded.
"We leave at sundown" he responded and then the two of them returned their attention to class once more, though they were now both somewhat distracted by their own thoughts…
Yuma and Astral were gathered at the spaceship which Astral, for launch purposes, had set up at school. Like Astral himself usually was, the spaceship was invisible to anyone that could not see the alien either. So the two of them were not worried about being seen, despite the public place. Yuma had told Kari and Haru where they were going and had assured them that they would be back by Sunday.
They'd helped Yuma pack enough food for both himself and Astral, as well as some other comforts, though Astrals ship was already well-equipped for most things. And now they were preparing to board it together. But just as they were about to, a voice called to them and hurried footsteps came closer.
"Hey, Yuma!" it said, and the young man stopped and turned around. Tori was running towards them and Yuma frowned. "Tori?" he said "what are you doing here? How did you?". The girl stopped in front of him and took a moment to catch her breath.
"Where are you going?" she asked and looked from Yuma to Astral and back again. "We are on our way to Astral world" the alien replied "I have been summoned there".
"You have?" Tori asked "and you're just gonna go on your own? Why haven't you told any of us about it?". "It's not something that concerns any of you" Yuma replied, "and we'll only be gone until Sunday anyways".
Tori looked upset at that. "If something is wrong in Astral world, and the two of you are gonna head straight into danger, like I assume will be the case, I would say that it very much does concern us!" she responded, her hands in her sides, as she stared at them.
"It's not because there is a threat there, we need to face Tori" Yuma replied "Enna and Eliphas just wants Astra back for a it. He's still the Envoy of their world after all, and he is reporting to them about the inhabitants of ours".
Tori crossed her arms over her chest at that and made it perfectly clear, that she did not believe him. "Oh really, is that so?" she said, and Yuma felt his heart skip a beat. Then, without warning, Tori walked over to Astral and pulled up his shirt, exposing his stomach.
"So, I assume this has absolutely nothing to do with it then?" she asked and Yuma and Astral send each other surprised looks. "Tori, how did you?" Yuma started, but it was Astral who finished his sentence. "How did you know I was pregnant? How long have you known?" he asked and now Tori was the one who seemed surprised.
"Pregnant?!" she exclaimed and again, Astral and Yuma looked at each other. Then Yuma walked over beside Astral and looked at Tori, feeling uncharacteristically protective of him suddenly.
"You're pregnant?!" Tori asked again "but… but how?!". Astral sighed. "That is an exceedingly long story, Tori" he responded, "and one I am afraid we do not have the time to tell right now".
"This… this is too weird" Tori said, a hand over her eyes. "How can you possible be pregnant? You're both guys!". "Tori" Yuma started "don't tell the others, alright? Then I promise we'll tell you when we come back".
"Does Kari and Haru know about this? What about your parents Yuma?! You're only 17!" the girl started again, and Yuma understood that they would have to tell her at least a little bit more, before she would let them leave.
He sighed and then spoke again. "It's something to do with how reproduction takes place in Astral World" he began "and yes, Kari and Haru knows about it. But not mom and dad. We haven't been able to reach them for months. They do still send us letters and such though, with pictures of what they are doing. And some artifacts too, occasionally. So, we know they're fine. But we can't reply, because they keep moving around so much".
"Wow, seriously?" Tori commented "how far along are you then, Astral?" she asked. The blue skinned being blushed and averted his eyes. "I'm approaching my fourth month" he replied, voice low. "4 months?!" Tori exclaimed. "Shhh, Tori. Please, you're going to draw attention to us" Yuma tried, but Tori lowered her voice only a bit. "Oh, shut it Yuma. No one is here!" she replied, and Astral sighed.
This was what he and Yuma had been worried about. But the secret was out now, and there was no going back. The only question was, would Tori keep quiet about it?
"Well, if you didn't know that Astral was pregnant, then why did you lift up his shirt like that?" Yuma asked in response to her dismissive words. "I'm surprised you haven't noticed by now Yuma" Tori responded "but all of us, that is, those who helped you with the numbers in the past, have noticed how Astral is still here, solid as ever, and how he's clearly gained weight since we first saw him! And he's been eating with us every day too!
According to both of you, he shouldn't be capable of that, because of where he hails from, so we've been talking about what might be causing this weird change, since we didn't think you'd lie to us, considering the things we all went through together, back then". She paused, but then she snorted, before adding "Well, I guess I have our answer now!" as she stared coldly at them.
For a few long moments, everything was dead silent, but then Astral said, with some urgency to his voice "we really have to go Yuma" looking at his partner and Yuma nodded.
"Seriously Tori, I mean it, okay? If you promise to keep quiet about this, then we'll tell you all you want to know once we come back. Just... wait for us, alright?".
"I'm going to keep you to that promise, you got that Tsukumo?! This whole thing is totally out of character, for both of you!" she responded, as Yuma and Astral turned around and continued into the spaceship, which took off as soon as Tori was at a safe distance from it. Now they were on their way to Astrals home once again, and yet what worried Yuma the most at that moment, was not what lay ahead of them, but what they were going to have to face, once they returned to Earth…