Nekosune: Yes I missed you there for a while, but I am glad you are back, and that you like it so much! Please keep reading and OOOH, Pocky! Munch. Thank you!
PriestessSuru00: You will know about the whole blood thing next chapter! Keep reading, thanks for the review and glad you liked it!
Black-Dranzer-1119: YAY! I'm soooo glad you like it! Thak you for all of your wondeeful reviews!
koolmint26: Hahahah, glad you like it, and I hope it does get very exciting! ou will find out about all the little peeps and stuff next chap! Keep reading!
Snowbluerat: Thank you, keep reading!
TheGodFish: Gushes-You are one of my fave reviewers ever. I love that you love my story! Sorry for the long update, but my dad runs his buisness from the comp and it can be a real beotch to get on it sometimes! Someone said that my details were too much! sniff- am glad that you don't think so. Yes, the terror will fade, and them who knows what might happen? Hehehehe Keep reading! THANK YOU!
banaorama: Wondeeful review! Thank you so much, and all your fantastic q's will be a'd very soon! Except for the ending, that will be for a little while off. I'm so glad you like it, It is people like you that inspires me to write! Thank you again and please keep reading!
Fallon: OOH, a dress is a great idea! I just might do that... with credit to you, of course, for the idea. I love your reviews so much! Thank you for your reading and please keep on! Yikes, this chap took me a millionkabillion years to finish, but it's here. Yep. Hope you like it!
Bakura: Sniff...Wuv you...Sniff...
Lorna Shadows Thank you so much! Hope you like the next chap and please review!
I know this took me forever, but hopfully you wont ever have to wait that long again! Pokes at dying computer--right. Read on!
Oh, and I don't own stuff!
Ryou forced his mind to work, forced his mouth to close, forced the scream back down his throat. He breathed deeply, calming himself but keeping his eyes tightly shut. Come on, Ryou, pull yourself together. Things look a lot scarier when you're already afraid of them, just get a grip and calm down. If it was going to kill you, it would have done it while you were out cold...
The child slowly opened his eyes again, preparing himself for the brilliant shock of red blood. Keeping them trained firmly ahead at the monster's feet, Ryou took in the sight more slowly this time.
The whole being had to be at least seven feet tall, maybe more. It's ballance on the balls of it's feet caused a reptilian look (despite the lack of scales), and three deadly clawed toes extended from the front of each foot while a glittering dew-claw adorned it's heels. The fur was a cold, steely gray hue which Ryou surmised was not caused by age, just natural coloring, because of the lack of any age-faded brown or red. Lifting his eyes slightly, Ryou saw the ragged hems of the Beast's black, silky pants. They were old and severely worn...Ryou felt an odd moment of strong sympathy.
How terrible to wear clothing that's tattered and shredded because of your body size...Not even the largest man's clothing could fit this creature. And it isn't as though he could sew his own, Ryou thought sadly, remembering earlier about the Beast's huge claws. It isn't as though he could do much of anything with hands like those...
The teen's eyes slid smoothly up the creatures form, suddenly more confident. Perhaps It had only been acting so terrible because it was scared of the boy and his father; he couldn't be so bad, right? After all, he didn't kill eigther of them when there were many chances.
It had long and powerful arms and legs, the muscles standing out against it's glimmering silver fur. The body was of a strange build; strong and bulky, but sleek and elegant in it's own right.
Like a jungle cat, Ryou mused humorlessly.
The Beast was very broad shouldered with a bolder-like barrel chest, barely covered by a yellowing remnant of silken shirt. The only stains visible on any of the creature's attire was the blood which came as a surprise to the boy. Sense seemed to dictate that an animal would be filthy, but here this one stood quite clean.
Ryou closed his eyes for a moment, preparing to gaze upon his captor's face which had caused so much horror just a minute before. He couldn't remember much, just the fierce glint of red flashing eyes, bared fangs and horns. It had been much too terrible to let his gaze linger, and he didn't know if it would be any easier to bear this time. Unconciously Ryou had begun to tremble in his pile of mouldering hay at the prospect of living with this awful, ugly, vile creature which had torn his only family away.
Tears rose unbidden to his eyes as the realization began to leak in.
I really, truly must live with this...this...demon! I am forced to slave beneath the being that took my father, the only one who loves me, and threw the old man back at the world without anyone to care for him. He...
Ryou opened his eyes into the palms of his hands, pain vaulting through him.
He didn't even let me say good-bye...I'll never see him again and I couldn't even say good-bye...
(Beast's point of view)
I watched the tiny child in front of me, his eyes scanning me as though I were a dangerous animal to be strictly avoided. His fear was evident, and I loved it.
Pathetic, annoying mortal boy, sickeningly pampered and rich. The old man I had pitied somewhat for his obvious disability...More than likely that human's story had been valid. Who would intentionaly fall into the lair of this disgusting monster? It had no doubt been a mistake.
But this self-righteous, foolishly couragious spoiled whelp deserved his fate. How dare he challenge my right to keep his father hostage? How dare he question my authority at all, for that matter. I am the Beast! No one challenges me! I could tear him limb from limb, and he sits here before me, crying like a lost child full of pain. He does not consider that his antics annoy me. He does not concider that he should beg me to spare his life.
No, he just sits there, blubbering because he lost a life full of glamour and wealth. No doubt he took his father's place to look brave, to play the hero.
I have spent but a moment in this child's company, and already I hate him.
(Neutral point of view)
Ryou continued sobbing with the pain and injustice of it all, missing his father who had been the anchor of stability in his life for so long. He glared up at the Beast without fear, heedless of the monster's appearance through his watery eyes.
"You...you didn't even let me say good-bye," the child whispered.
"Speak up, wench," Bakura hissed venemously, drawing his body up to it's full height.
"You didn't e-even let me s-s-say good-bye! He's g-gone forever and...and I didn't even...I..." Ryou's voice weakened as he went on. Speaking of his loss seemed to confirm it, make it a solid fact that could not be run from. A fresh spout of tears took the place of words, and they were left in a cold silence punctuated only by the child's sobs.
Ryou did not see the taken aback expression on the Beast's face. Some of the cold glint had faded, and what was left was perhaps not so frightening at all. The ruby red eyes had twisted themselves into a hidden look of guilt and suprise, unnoticed even by Bakura himself...
The silence stretched while he listened to his prisoner cry. Helpless, distrought little noises that worked on Bakura's heart and not his nerves.
Don't you remember, fool? What it was like- Bakura tried to silence his mind there, but it pressed on unscathed -to be locked away for the first time in this place? Your eternal prison of cold, mocking walls? Do you think it is any easier for this infant-like human? You had even the smallest comfort; the walls kept out the prying eyes of others who might laugh and jeer at your freakish appearance. You, Bakura, are safe here. But these same walls which you hide behind now imprison this little being with the sum of nightmares, and there is no comfort for him.
The ice in Bakura's heart fractured. Just the tiniest bit, like a delicate new shoot of grass breaking the snow after a long, bitter winter.
His eye twitched in rough annoyance at himself. Perhaps it had been to long since he lived with humanity, and he could no longer name the emotions he now felt, but they were there none the less. He was at a complete loss of what to do. No one had evoked his compassion in a long, long time.
Confused and doubtlessly guilty, Bakura's anger flared violently to life with an audible snarl. Emotions were for the weak, and he was not weak.
The Beast blocked out Ryou's heart-broken wails and turned twards the door to leave despite his better judgement...He really ought to let the boy out of this rotting tower...
Swirling in a flutter of black and red cape, Bakura turned to the door frame to see a long, oddly curved shadow falling across it, and swiftly advanced to meet it. A beautifuly crafted golden goblet appeared before the massive Beast, bowing slightly at the stem.
"Master Bakura," It addressed.
"Atemu," Bakura inclined his head at the bow. A pause followed in which Atemu shifted uneasily, hearing the child's sobs as well and debating over what to say. He must be careful; if he were to anger the Master then the child would no doubt be punished more than himself...but if he decided not to speak up, then it was likely that the boy would stay in the tower, no food, no water...
Making an agrivated noise, Bakura moved to sweep past the goblet and thunder down the stairs. Panicking, Atemu took his last chance and blurted the first thing which came to mind: "He's crying." The statement had it's desired effect, the clanging throb of Bakura's footsteps halted as he stopped in the stairwell.
Red, feral eyes glared in response.
Atemu cleared his throat and forced himself to continue despite the lack of a plan. "Yes, uhem...The boy is crying, and...is hurt quite badly, by the look of it...a-and I thought, perhaps, it would be a good idea if we were to...accomodate him...since...since he will be with us for some time," he said, examining the floor stones.
Bakura turned around fully, trying to controll his temper and failing miserably. "Oh? And where do you suppose he would stay, hm? The west wing?"
Atemu ignored his sarcasm and pressed on. "Master, there are more than enough empty rooms to house the child, and I'm sure we could find one especially far away from the West Wing."
The Beast's nostrils flared. "NO. he will stay locked in the tower."
"You can't mean that! He'll die up here! The child came to save his old, dying father, he's done nothing wrong yet you've imprisoned him. The least you could do, Bakura, is give him a proper room!" Atemu had abandoned his servant-like manners and relied on his influence as Bakura's friend. If that didn't work, nothing else would.
"I. said. NOOO!" With a chilling roar, Bakura leaped back up the stairs and tore a ring of skeleton keys from the folds of his cloak. He snatched the dungeon door and slammed it with enough force to make Ryou scream in terror at the booming sound.
Shouting above the chaos of Bakura's roars, Ryou's sobbing and the pounding of Bakura's footsteps, Atemu tried desperately to convince Bakura to let the boy out. It was, after all, a very rare occurance that anyone happened by the castle. Just because Bakura had lost all sense of human kindness did not mean that everyone else had, and he wasn't about to let the poor little thing suffer the same fate as the others. But his Master resisted more firmly still, bellowing that the boy had in fact trespassed and would pay with his life.
Watching the Beast's back as he retreated down the stairs once more, he hurled the last thing he could think of to say. "You really have become a monster, haven't you?"
The creature froze.
Ryou pillowed his head in his arms, deep sobs still shaking his body, even though there were no more tears left to cry. He was exhausted and more than a little hungry. The boy had been riding in the forest for untold hours and then suffered through the ordeal with his captor; it seemed reasonable that he felt these physical sensations...but Ryou's mind refused to accept them.
How can I be hungry when my Papa is out there, hurt and lost?
Sniffing unhappily, the little teen raised his head and rubbed at damp eyes when the previously locked door opened. The candles has long since gone out, and he couldn't see who his visitor was, but he had a pretty good idea what to expect...
And he was right.
"On your feet, now," a sharp voice commanded. Somewhere in the distance a reproving cough was heard. The Beast growled in response, but spoke again in a slightly softer tone. "I have decided that it is not neccesary for you to stay in the tower," a tiny candle illuninated the darkness, "and I will show you to your room."
Ryou sat still, hardly able to comprehend the offer. Seconds passed in which Ryou gaped up at where he knew the Beast to be, surprised and trepedatious at the same time. The pause irritated Bakura. He had long since forgotten how to read human emotions, and hence was taking in the boy's expresion confusedly. Confusion formed anger, and the creature snapped gruffly at his captive.
"Well, do you want to stay in the tower, whelp!"
"N-no I-"
"Then move!"
Ryou yelped and scrambled to comply with shaking fervor. The Beast did not seem like the kind of person who should be crossed. Once risen, he discovered that his feet were unhelpfully dozing, and despite his best attempts to rouse them his footing remained unsteady and pained. As he moved twards the door and it's unsavory occupant little pins and needles began to make themselves known, crawling up his leg veins like so many red ants. Biting back a cry, Ryou approached the Beast.
It snorted in contempt at him and the little teen flinched fearfully, but it made no other threatening gesture. After an awkward moment of stillness (neigther of them was quite sure of what to do), Bakura swept out the door in what Ryou would later recognize as 'classic Bakura style'. Two or three tinkling little candles followed their progress down the ever lasting stone staircase. They were very much like the ones Ryou had seen when he had first come to the castle, but it occured to him that there was a difference... it was just very difficult to put his finger on.
He became acutely aware at the same instant that there was a loud, clambering noise up ahead of the Beast, as though he were being lead by someting as well. Leaning with subtle grace Ryou attempted to see past said being, but his motion was caught by a bright, angry red Bakura eye cocked at him through the dim half-light of the candle flames.
Ryou flicked his eyes away from the solitary cri mson one that questioned him, and decided to focus on something less...obstructive. Turning his attention to the decidedly boring pattern of stone-and-mortar, Ryou gazed placidly at the walls. Bakura grunted in satisfaction.
Ryou decided a great many things had changed since the (minutes? hour? hours, maybe?) time he had first entered the deeply shadowed fortress. The mystical difference in the candles had become utterly obvious to him during the long walk down the stairs (of which they were just now completing), and he would have smacked his forehead under different circumstances. Before, the candles had dissapeared when he came within any speakable distance of them, but these didn't do that, and he was able to get a good look.
The tiny things never dripped wax or lessened in height. Each buttery yellow flame blazed quietly and motionless, not even the strange ever-present breeze seemed to stir them. Ryou's only clue that they weren't just enchanted lanterns disguised as candles were the curling black wicks, each one slowly devoured by the hungery little flames.
The stones of the castle walls and floor gleamed with a polished authority which was very unlike the dusty, unkempt look he had been greeted with. Many more items of furnature appeared, as well. Fine, oak chairs covered with dainty needlepoint cushions, handsome drinking tables and slender crystal flutes of would-be champagne, all darkened by the absence of light. Ryou's mystery candles only lit the small areas in their immediate path but no more.
He suspected that this was at the command of the Beast; but there wasn't any reason for the exclusive privacy! The teen's question remained unsolved, along with all the others threatening to fracture his thin calm.
The one real shock was when his cold, bare little feet met the warmth of a true persian rug. Ryou's bright cry of delight startled the candles, Atemu the Goblet and even Bakura himself. The large composed creature hadn't expected such a musical sound of pleasure from his depressed little captive. Whirling in his own impressive manner, Bakura stared at the boy as he in turn stared at the enormous rug, pleasure rimming his grief stricken eyes.
Shock registered in Bakura's eyes as well and he glared furiously at the remarkable appearance of the rug.
"Abstulo!" he hissed silently, anger flaring when the naughty carpet refused his order. It remained for the boy's pleasure, shuddering happily under the soft 'aaah' which the child emit. More furious still, Bakura admonished his servant again, more firmly. "Abstergo confuto," and again there was no result. Only an obstinate little buck at Bakura's heels signaling that the persian would not admit defeat with a simple curse.
Ryou remained oblivious to this little exchange and went on exploring the wild, rich patterns found below his feet. Bakura was about to snap at the boy once more when a simple motion caught his eye. Ryou was tugging gently at the fringes of hair surrounding his face in excitement, and in the candle-light the soft, white locks gleamed. For a brief second, the Beast was overcome with Ryou's expression of childlike inncocence, and with the brilliant golden shade his hair had become. How did I not see that before? Even through the grime it shimmers like silk, and just as soft, I'll bet...
The red eyes floundered in the soul that owned them. What? He shook himself and double-marched powerfully across the expansive round greeting hall. He didn't have a direction in mind, destination being anywhere the human was not. He didn't have time for this. He would find Pegasus and let him deal with the runt (good old trusty Pegs, Bakura's mind hissed accusingly, you might as well send the boy off with a convicted rapist). On second thought, why not send Atemu along for the ride as well? Yes...He'd do that.
Sending a furious, snarling bark at the boy to get him moving, Bakura forced morbid thoughts into the crevases of his brain where Ryou's light had penetrated. Hair like silk...I might as well cut it off and weave a dish-rag out of it, for all he's worth. Satisfied with this unhappy alternative, he barked at Ryou again to hurry up even though the child was clearly incapable of matching his stride.
It took a moment for him to catch up. By the time he was within fifteen or so feet of Bakura he stopped, not wishing to be confronted face to face. A shy little hair-tug caught Bakura's sight but he shook of the effects without concidering them.He told Ryou that his new caretakers would show him to his room. At the word "caretakers," the little one blanched visibly and fought to keep tears at bay...it reminded him of the role that would no longer be filled in his beloved Papa's life.
"Wait here," was the 'goodbye' which the gravel hard voice hissed, and then the candles and the Beast were gone.
Ryou waited.
No one came.
He opened his mouth to call out to the darkness, but found his throat stuck and his eyes throbbing with unshed tears. Giving way with an undignified yelp of emotional pain, Ryou collapsed onto the persian rug and sobbed. He cried for all that was lost, and all that was left now, what he was to become and the new fate he bore, but most of all he cried for his daddy.
Somewhere in the reflective depths that rest in every being's soul he thought of the tears that he had shed earlier in the dungeon and he knew now that they were nothing like this. Those had been tears of shock, and he would never, ever confuse the two again.
Now, deep gutteral bawls of pain ripped the air from his lungs, and the muscles of his face stiffened into that mask of agony only possible for humans to bear. There was nothing sweet or pretty about his sobs. Only an ugly, wailing heat that seemed to infect the castle, bringing it to a state of reality that Ryou couldn't handle. He buried his face in his hands and continued to break.
He was unaware of the little flutter of candles which had gathered around him, spreading their tiny, comforting heats across his cold back, or that the rug had bunched comfortably beneath him like a cradle.
And then an interesting thing happened. Somone close by had begun to wail in the most rediculous, comical manner. Blearily, Ryou looked up, wet eyes not accepting what he saw. A pair of white dinner gloves hovered in mid-air before him above an impossibly large puddle of tears.
The gloves were clutching eachother, and were very full of who's ever hands the gloves belonged to, even though Ryou couldn't see a body.
"Wh-what are y-y-you?" Ryou sobbed, forgetting his own sadness for a moment. He had meant to say "what are you doing", and "what are you" did seem a trifle rude, but the surprise had caught his tongue.
The glove thing's obnoxious crying stopped instantly. It was replaced with a rediculously cheerful british voice, which spouted excitedly, "Why, I'm a Pegasus, of course!"
I feel like that was crap. Was it crap? (everyone nods) damn! Haha, no seriously it sucked but it will get better! Keep reading and please review!
