Disclaimer: Guess who doesn't own poop? This girl. Except OCs and most of the plot.

Across the lands, so far across that the tips of time's fingers can barely grasp onto this faded realm. Yes, realm. Away from the speckled human minds and peaceful duel spirits lies a realm mostly unobserved.

A place once flourishing and now coated to its smallest cracks in sand, all that is to see is desert mounds and rubble from too many times ago. The only monument still standing is the temple.

And inside is the only inhabitant in this realm.

The old dragon winces, huffs a bit of smoke from his nostrils as a pain strikes his underbelly; the pangs have become a normality now, but hurt him nonetheless. He waits for it to pass—the only thing he can do until he reaches his mark bearer again.

It wasn't until things had settled down that the boys came. They joined Martha in her talks with the stray officer, Ushio, in the kitchen.

"Who would do this to us?" says Gin, the youngest of the boys.

I had decided to stay with the kids, but it was turning out to be much harder than I thought it would, listening to their tired voices try to sort all of this out.

"Yeah, we never did nothing to nobody."

"Maria," calls Kaya shyly, "is someone coming to get us?"

"No one's after us, I can guarantee you that. Just… just try not to think about it. It will be over soon."

"How are we supposed to try not to think about it when they've got that scary tape around it?" asks Kaito. "Doesn't that mean it's a crime scene?"

"I don't know." No amount of math, science or history classes could equip me with a proper answer. I can only settle for the one I've been keeping myself afloat with for weeks: "Just try not to think about it."

I make it into the corridor outside the kitchen. Should I take the extra step and drive myself into more commotion? The kids wanted answers and so do the adults. Being in either room right now would help no one. I slide down the wall to rest my chin on knees.

A shadow befalls my right side.

"Hey," says Crow. He sidesteps and leans down in front of me. "You okay?"

My eyes fall to stare at my thin toes poking out under the fabric of my sweats. "You should go talk to the kids."

"But you're okay?"

If a yes will get him to stop asking, then I'm absolutely dandy. He rises again and I hear the kids welcome him.

"I swear if we ever find who did this they're going to regret ever being born."

It's Jack talking loud and clear.

Martha sighs, "You don't fix violence with more violence, you know that."

"But Martha—"

She must give him a look or something because he's quiet again.

"I just don't understand. Why would someone do it?"

"And how," Ushio adds. "The size of those claw marks are too big to be caused by a simple crow bar. No person could have done this."

"So then, what? An animal?"

An animal. Animal…

Eyelids close, mind opens. Roaring close to a wolf's howl echoes and eyes flicker open.

I stand again, pass Crow and the kids to the front door. At least outside I can breathe. But fresh air has little to do with anything. It seems like ages ago that I was out here for the first time gaping at the mark.

Chewing on my lip, folding my arms—if only that helped me think.

A black smudge moves at the edge of the wall and catches my eye. I twist around, make sure no one is watching, and follow Annie's lead under the tape. She doesn't do a thing other than stare at it.

"What do you see, Annie?"

She meows on cue and paws at the wall.

I glance around again. Paranoia is no friend of mine.

"I hope you know you're one bad influence on me," I tell her.

I reach for the wall and by just a touch of my finger, I feel the pounding instantly. Images go by almost like I'm watching a movie on fast forward. Still and dark at first. Then slowly a figure moves, white smoke before a black backdrop. The figure stops, peers at me just like it did when we first met and rushes forward, screeching horridly. Golden light fades it into snake-like eyes.

The eyes attach to look reminiscent to an outstretched V, except with a tiny circle in the middle.

The light emitted from the mark gets to be so bright that when I'm shoved back into reality I'm laying in the grass. Annie stares intently. Braced on elbows, I gape at the wall and at everything else to make sure I'm still alone.

I waste no time sneaking on my shoes and racing off the property.

"I don't know if I've ever been this far into the city."

The coffee shop is warm with sugary delights and creamy wonders. The atmosphere is similar to work, yet lightened by youth. Guilt knocks on the back of my brain and I remember that that's where I'm supposed to be right now. Nayla will understand, Zora not so much…

"That's why you gotta explore," Carly smiles. "I wouldn't have found this place if my car hadn't broke down in front of it! Wait, that's actually not a good thing…"

A waitress places our cups in front of us, bows then scampers off to other customers. Carly leans on the table and whispers: "Although I could do without the maid getups. They give me the heebie-jeebies."

She shakes it off and I say, "I get what you mean." Sugar and cream stir together and a few sips are taken. "But it's worth it if the coffee is this good."

She sips too and it's like the coffee changes her smile into a frown. "So, if it's okay, can I ask why the sudden call? Not that I mind. I mean, heck, if we can bust a big time gambling gang why can't we have coffee."

I grip my mug tightly as she goes on: "But is that what this is about?"

"It's difficult to say. Yes and no, I guess."

She glances side to side then leaves her eyes on the mahogany table, leaning in again. "Did you know that they still haven't figured out what killed those two guys?"

My forehead wrinkles at the thought. "But they've been saying on the news that it was an animal attack. That that's what Sector Security has claimed it as."

"They say stuff like that all the time so reporters like me will get off their backs."

"So then how do you know for sure?"

She shrugs as she leans back into the booth. "Sources. And my gut, of course." Carly grins again, "That's the one thing you've always got to count on. Even if it does fail you from time to time."

What is my gut saying now?

"Can I ask you something?" Her bangs sweep across her glasses as she bobs her head. I pull out my pocket notebook and leave it on the table. "I've been having dreams—really incredibly weird dreams—and I can't quite explain them to you because I barely know what they mean myself." I take out a pen and push the notebook to her when I'm done scribbling. "In the last one I had I saw that symbol."

She squints hard, flips the drawing around in her hands and stares at it until completing a full circle. Ultimately it's a no go. We both sigh.

"I'm sorry I can't be of anymore help."

"You sure you haven't seen it anywhere? Not on a store window or in a magazine or anything?"

"Nope. There's no telling what it could be, though."

"No one dreams about meaningless symbols. That's why they're called symbols! For symbolism and stuff!"

"You might want to quiet down," Carly whispers, eyes on the spooked civilians of the café.

I immediately lay my head between my arms on the table. "Are they done?"

"What?" Carly says after a sip. "I can't understand you through—"

I move my arm so that it covers my head from the side and repeat, "Are they done looking?"

"Oh, yeah, you're fine."

Sliding back up, and taking careful sideways looks, I mumble: "I should probably get going."

"Already? Do you have work or something? I can give you a ride." I shake my head. "Well, where are you going then?"

Thin bills are placed next to my half empty cup. "Just going out to explore is all."

Yusei presses a button on the boxy machine. The carton clanks down the tube and against the slot for the duelist to take. He yawns and chugs the milk in one go.

Ah, how revived he feels! The milk in the apartment was long past its expiration and if anything can bring Yusei out of his perpetual coma-like lethargy, it is a fresh cup of milk.

Meow.

The cat sits patiently at his boots. It surprises him at first, not hearing the feline come about and all, but they wouldn't be named for their slyness if they were loud and fumbling.

"Sorry," he shakes the carton, "all gone."

Yellow eyes stare (glare?) at the duelist and he realizes how familiar they are. He bends down with an ungloved hand. "You're not going to bite me again, are you?"

Annie pushes into his palm and he rubs a thumb behind her ear. If Annie's here then Maria can't be far behind.

Faint rumbling comes from the fluffy cat but it is nothing close to a purr. Annie's attention turns in a distant direction. Yusei stands and surveys the park, as well. Nothing out of the ordinary and yet Annie bolts away.

Down and to the left is where he sees a bench, a resting spot for an unmoving occupant. "Maria," Yusei greets. He stands response-less.

Closed eyes and steady breathing. Is she… asleep?

Annie growls again, this time facing a nearby line of bushes and some trees. He eyes her, then back to Maria.

Don't I know someone with hair like that? Mostly black with yellow stripes? Maybe if I touch it, just one spike, I'll know.

Pat pat pat.

Very soft, not pointy at all. How do they stand with no gel? The head turns under my hand and with eyes that bright I feel like I'm looking straight into the sun.

"Ah!" I cringe over to the other end of the bench. "I'm so so so so sorry."

Befuddled, Yusei's brows wedge together and he blinks it off. A swift side glance to Annie and then back at me. He drives himself out of a squatting position to stand tall, the confusion still on his forehead.

"Again, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," I say with a deep breath and a small bow. "I guess I didn't see you."

Partly true; sleep makes you do strange stuff.

He nods my apologies away and turns toward Annie completely.

"Is something wrong?" I ask, coming up beside him. Annie trots to my feet and I lean down to catch her, patting her back when I stand again.

"I don't think it meant anything, but she was growling."

"I hope she wasn't about to bite you again."

"Not at me. At the bushes."

It's like seeing a flashback. I found that forest on one of my first days here. Dark, knotted trees and no sign of the sky ever existing. Well, it feels like I've been propelled back in time when I look to my side.

"I'm sure it was just a rabbit," I say finally, quietly. "She hates rabbits."

I think he nods again, but I'm not so concerned with believability at this point. I just want to get away.

Twisting around, I tell him over my shoulder, "I should be on my way, goodbye."

"Maria." I stop in my tracks. "Be careful."

Either the best advice I've heard all day or an omen in disguise, I willingly breathe it in. "You too."

—

"I'm back!" I say, hip checking the door shut. Catching a whiff of tomatoes and beef brings me to the kitchen. "Hey, Martha. Please tell me we're having spaghetti? I could eat about a thousand meatballs right now."

She stares down at the table you would think she's trying to find the answer on the tip of a splinter. A pot sizzles to life abruptly and she gets up to turn the notch like second nature.

"Martha? Hello?"

A tap on the shoulder does it. "When did you get here?" she questions, blinking out of the daze.

"A second ago." My head tips to the side, "I called your name, though."

"Well, if it's dinner you want you'll have to wait a half hour. I haven't put the noodles in yet."

I look her up and down, "If you say so."

—

Tapping falls on the other side of my door. "Come in." Aya comes through and pushes it closed.

"Is it okay if we talk?"

I pull the book's covers together. She nears my bed and I nod for her to sit. "Did you talk to Martha yet?"

"She's being really strange," I frown.

"Didn't listen to a word you said?" I nod and she smiles. "Yeah, she's in the zone."

"I don't know if that's the correct use of that phrase."

She continues with another chuckle inflicted grin, "Eh, probably not but it's what we call it. The Zone. Happened before."

"Dare I ask when?"

"I wouldn't. And it'll pass soon, anyway."

"Does that mean she's okay?"

"I think it's just her way of processing things. Like I said, it shouldn't be long before she's back to normal."

Aya bounces up and down on a spot then lays herself flat. "You know when we found Newton the Newt and you said something about knowing where we came from? We were all young when Martha found us; there's no telling who remembers what. One thing's for sure, though. This is our home, the one place we'll never forget."

She turns over, eyelids drooping together and a sleepy grin back on her mouth. "Now this can be your home, too."

The knob of the bedside lamp rotates indecisively, like it's not sure if it wants to leave me to darkness. I leave it be and pull the bed sheets over us both.

The question's murmured under Aya's even breaths: "Do you think a person actually did that to the wall?"

"Do you?"

"Nuh-uh."

She lulls to sleep. Annie jumps on a bed corner and bounds up to curl her fluffy body in the gap separating our chests.

I poke the tip of her nose, "I'm going to ask you a favor, Annie. It's your choice on whether you want to comply, of course, but I'm asking either way."

Annie's tail swishes across Aya's face and she turns away sniffling. "Please protect them, whatever you are."

Personally, I don't really care for fillers but I have to admit they are necessary. In their own little way they progress the plot and characters' emotions and whatnot so I'll give them that.

Please drop reviews or questions or concerns because they are greatly appreciated and motivate the heck out of me.

PS—if any of you know who drew the picture I'm using as the cover, please do tell me so I can give them the credit they deserve. It's what I imagined Maria to look like (except with browner, curlier hair) and it's something I found randomly so I take no credit for it in any way.

Thanks for reading and TTFN!