Author's note: Whee, I can do notes in quickedit now! I guess it's not so bad after all...except for the asterisks. I'm going to be away in Switzrland for 10 days, so no work will be done (yes, I know that's not much of a change from normal). Hrm, no review replies to do this time...well, if anyone reviews, thanks a bunch! Grr, no more tabs...darn. Oh, and...this chapter is a little violent. It's not really graphic or anything, but I just thought I'd put in the warning....well, enjoy.

Chapter 6—Warm Welcome, Not

Scat looked around, shivering slightly. It wasn't that she was cold; cold was something she was used to. Dark World was a cold place, and being a slave didn't help matters. Everything about this World was so new and amazing to her that she couldn't help but feel a little nervous. She was a stranger here.

One new thing was all of the life everywhere. In this place--the park, they called it--the ground was all green and soft, and there were tall things--trees--all over the place. There was water, and people weren't afraid of it. People laughed and smiled, walked along the paths and lay under the trees. Scat had never seen people so happy and carefree in all her life. In fact, she had never really seen people truly happy at all.

Scat wandered off to a deserted corner of the park, feeling more comfortable alone. She was not one of these people, and didn't belong with them. Scat had done something the old man referred to as "going for a walk" in order to see more of this strange new World, and it was somewhat overwhelming to her. In spite of this, however, she thought she might like it. Certainly, it was much better than being a slave.

Scat leaned back against one of the trees, savoring the moment; she had never seen any trees before coming to this World. Everything was so...nice here. She wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't seen it herself. Suddenly, she looked up. Scat had very sharp hearing, and she was almost certain she had just heard a noise...and not one the happy, benign noises of this World, either. She crouched behind the tree, looking around furtively. What could it be...?

-o-o-o-o-o-

Yuugi stood next to his desk, absently putting books into his backpack. He, like his classmates, had done this so many times it was almost second nature. Most of the children around him would go home after school and worry about their grades or their social life or some other normal thing.

Very few of them would be worrying about war.

Yuugi and his friends were a special group, singled out by chance rather than choice to know a secret they could never tell. This wasn't as easy as it had at first seemed; since they had discovered the Multiverse, they had led curious double lives, and Yuugi had it worst of all. Being a Guardian, he had no "normal life," nor had he ever. The Multiverse called being a Guardian a blessing and a curse; any Guardian would say it was true.

At the moment, Yuugi's mind was not on what he was doing, nor had he been focusing on what was going on for most of the day. He was thinking about Scat, and what a Chaos base in Dark World could mean. A few weeks ago, when Yuugi and Yami had returned from the Realm of the Lost, Vice had mentioned war in Dark the Overlord be trying to conquer it? It was certainly a possibility. According to Benjamin, many people had desired Dark World's most precious resource: its silversteel, the strange semi-organic metal found nowhere else in the Multiverse.

Yuugi finished putting his books away and went to get his tattered coat, as the other students were doing. Suddenly, however, he felt something--something strange but familiar. It was the "six sense" of the Guardians that warned them when someone intruded their World, especially with ill intent; someone was here, and Yuugi recognized the cold, slightly nauseating feeling of a Chaos being. The only reason Yuugi could think of for a Chaos creature to be here was in connection with the Overlord--with Scat. Dropping everything, he raced off toward the creature; it was close.

Tea looked around, perplexed. Students were filing out, but she didn't see her friend Yuugi...where could he possibly have gone? She turned to Joey and Tristan, who were hurriedly putting away their books to get out of school as fast as possible.

"Did you guys see Yuugi? He was here a minute ago..."

Joey shrugged, failing to see any significance in this. "Guess he went home."

Tea rolled her eyes. "Joey, his backpack and coat are still here."

Tristan looked thoughtful. "I dunno, you guys...every time Yuugi disappears, something bad happens."

Joey frowned, concerned for his friend; Yuugi had a knack for attracting trouble. "Den we gotta find him--if he's in trouble, we'll help him out!"

The others nodded, leaving to look for Yuugi. They didn't know where he might have gone, but they did know that Yuugi mysteriously disappearing, on top of an escaped slave showing up, couldn't be a good thing.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Scat backed up slowly, eyes darting about in search of an escape route. She had fled Dark World, only to be tracked down here! The Gating Device, she realized. They must have traced the Gating Device. Silently, she cursed herself for failing to disable it, but there was nothing she could have done--she was no technician. Scat knew it was hopeless. The base had sent two beings to catch her--a soldier and a demon. The soldier was a pale, skeletal Darkling, agile and ruthless. The Darklings were a solitary and suspicious people, but they were also survivors; this one had taken the Overlord's offer because it was his best chance to live for one more day. The demon's reasons were similar; in the Chaos Army, he had no need to fear the hatred of corporeal beings, and he would never starve again.

Scat tripped over a stone, unused to these surroundings. She knew she was finished; there was no way she could fight off these two. Scat was not afraid of death--she was in agony because she knew they would drag her back to the Chaos base, where she would return to her life as a slave. It was this fate which Scat despised; she had wished for death many times in her short life. She closed her eyes as they came closer, not wanting to watch the freedom she had barely tasted be taken away.

At that moment, however, help arrived in the form of the Guardian--Yuugi. Seeing Scat in trouble, he immediately ran over to fight with her. The Darkling soldier, however, was much more experienced, and easily knocked Yuugi backward. The demon, sensing the magical aura of the Millennium Puzzle, put a Seal on it. Although these two Chaos troops were not aware of the Puzzle's actual power--or Yami's presence--they knew it might be dangerous. Yuugi knew there wasn't much time left. He stuck his hand into his pocket, and--

Wait. Where was his deck? Yuugi frantically patted his pockets, but it was nowhere to be found. Then he realized...his deck was in his coat pocket! Yuugi wouldn't be able to call to his monsters or use any of his magic without his cards, and they wouldn't know he was in trouble. Yuugi knew they were done for, and he was right. The two soldiers easily bound his and Scat's hands and Gated out, leaving no sign of their presence. Yuugi's friends would have no way of knowing what had happened to him or their strange guest.

-o-o-o-o-o-

The Chaos base was perched at the edge of the ocean on a piece of land that projected slightly into the water. No Darkling would have chosen this location; they knew their sea too well. However, the Chaos Army stationed at the base was careful to have no contact whatsoever with the sea, and thus it left them alone in turn.

Yuugi shivered as he looked at the dark, looming structure before him. Like most Chaos bases, it had flat, high walls, a battlement, and a single thick, steel gate. Troops patrolled the top of the walls. It was not a large base, but it didn't have to be. Dark World was in no condition to fight back, or even to realize its presence.

The demon slipped away across the dim, misty landscape, while the Darkling soldier reported at the gate and was admitted into the base. Scat was dragged off in one direction, while Yuugi was led off in another. He had no idea what was about to happen to him, but it couldn't be good.

They soon arrived at a small chamber. A bored-looking girl sat there, idly playing with her mouse-brown hair. She looked human, but Yuugi had no way to be certain. She looked up as they came in.

"New one, huh...? Guess that means I'm on duty now," she said unconcernedly, waving them over. The soldier shoved Yuugi forward, and the girl looked at the child before her appraisingly.

"Hmm...this one's kinda small. Where you gonna put him?"

The Darkling shrugged. He was slim and wiry, like most who lived in Dark World, and had slightly reptilian features. "It is none of your concern. Do your job."

The girl shrugged, then rolled up her sleeves. "Well, say goodbye your identity, kid," she said, placing one hand on Yuugi's head.

Yuugi felt panicked. He had heard of people who could separate someone permanently from their True Names, but he had never met one. Having nearly lost his identity once, he was not eager to repeat the experience. There was nothing he could do, however. The girl shut her eyes in concentration, and Yuugi felt energy start to leave his body--a sign that the girl's magic was working. Suddenly, however, it stopped. He felt a faint tug inside him, but something pushed it away.

The girl fell to the ground, screaming and coughing blood. "Wh--wha--" she gasped, eyes wide with terror. She had never felt this terrible, searing pain before, pain that spread through her entire body like she was on fire. Her hand was gushing blood onto the floor, she was surrounded by a pool of red, her muscles twitched in agony. It was the most terrible pain she had ever felt.

The Darkling grabbed Yuugi's shoulders, shaking him. "What did you do!?" he rasped furiously, sounded slightly unnerved. Even he, who usually was said to have ice for blood, couldn't help a feeling of fear from trickling into him. He had never seen anything like this before.

Yuugi, however, had no idea what was happening. "I--I don't know!" he said, feeling very frightened himself. A strong force--a force from inside of him--had pushed back that tug on his identity, and he didn't know why.

The Darkling quickly switched on a box on the wall, which was evidently part of a base intercom system, and called both for a medic and some backup. The girl was carried out, while the Darkling debated what to do with another soldier. Yuugi understood only some of their conversation, as it was in Darkling. Then, another officer, this one a human, walked over. They switched to English.

"What happened here?" the officer asked brusquely.

The first soldier shrugged. "I don't know. She tried to take his name, but for some reason, it rebounded on her. He doesn't appear to know either, as far as I can tell."

The second soldier looked nervous. "You know the Lieutenant is inspecting us right now--we can't afford anything like this! What should we do?"

The officer considered for a moment. "...proceed as normal. Put him in with 24--he'll die soon enough anyway."

The two troops nodded, but did not salute; from the few Darklings who had been convinced to join the Overlord, the officer was lucky to get even a nod. They hurried out, dragging Yuugi along with them and stopping at a different room--a storage closet. One of them rummaged around on the top shelf before pulling out some assorted rags.

"Here--change your clothes. Give us everything you're carrying."

Yuugi knew that he had no choice but to do what they said or be killed. He changed into a uniform like Scat's; the slave uniforms of the Chaos Army, ill-fitting and uncomfortable, but cheap and practical. They didn't even have to make new ones when slaves died, as they inevitably did.

Yuugi was about to give them what he was carrying, but stopped. The only thing he had besides his clothes was the Millennium Puzzle--and he would not give them that. Even if it meant his death, he would never willing let them have this, his most precious possession other than his deck. He stood resolutely, clutching the Puzzle in his hands.

"Give me that," the Darkling said flatly. He did not expect a slave to refuse orders, but of course he was more used to dealing with people whose identities had just been forcefully stripped from them. When Yuugi did not comply, he shoved him backwards and grabbed the Millennium Puzzle, which Yuugi did not let go of. A short contest of wills began, but the end was inevitable. The soldier grabbed the Millennium Puzzle and slammed Yuugi backwards into the wall.

"When you are given an order you will obey. Now come with me."

They led a very miserable Yuugi down the corridor again. Different doors and rooms passed by on both sides--private quarters, mess halls, meeting rooms, barracks--but Yuugi noticed none of them. He was too wrapped up in remorse for having lost the Millennium Puzzle. It was more than just an object to him--it contained Yami, his Guardian partner, and someone he considered to be like a brother. Since the day he had put the Puzzle together, Yami had protected him, and now he had failed to do the same in return.

Yuugi's guilt-laden thoughts, however, were soon interrupted by arrival at a new section of the base. They seemed to be underground now, judging from the slightly damp, rough rock walls. There were several doors leading out of this small chamber. Yuugi shivered as he heard screams issuing from some of them. His two guards stopped outside one door.

"Soon you will be put into your slave division. You will remain there unless you are transferred somewhere else for some reason. In all likelihood you will die here. However, before sending slaves to their divisions, we have to break them in. It helps teach something about obedience...and you certainly seem to need that." He opened the door and shoved Yuugi inside, then closed it and walked away.

Yuugi found himself in a dim, square room. There seemed to be things hanging on the walls, but he couldn't see them clearly. Walking forward slightly, he almost slipped in a wet pool on the floor. Yuugi realized that it was blood and felt like he was going to be sick.

A cold voice spoke from the back of the room. "Come here. NOW." Yuugi fearfully crept closer; at this distance, he could see that the walls were hung with racks of torture instruments. Out of the shadows stepped two figures: a slim woman with a narrow, angular face and dark crimson hair, and a man with long, bat-like ears, slanted red eyes, and leathery-looking skin. The woman bore a long, thin whip in one hand.

"Hello, hello...I love it when we get new slaves," the woman said, grinning wickedly and revealing sharp, fang-like teeth. "I think they have us do this to make all of you more cowed and obedient, but it's not like I care; I just like whipping people till they scream. Oh, and this is my brother; he does whips too, although his favorite is really water torture. Read about it in a book one time, you know." Her grin widened, seeing the look of complete terror on Yuugi's face. "Oh, don't worry...we won't be torturing you, just whipping you a little."

The man stirred. "Don't go getting all chummy with a slave...you know you're not supposed to."

"Ah, of course," she replied, flashing her toothy smile again and brandishing her whip. "Okay, c'mere, brat. And take off your shirt--wouldn't want to get it ripped to shreds before you even start working. Don't be shy, now. You have to do as I say; you're a slave."

Yuugi knew she was right, and did as she said. He had never been physically tortured before, but he had friends, such as Benjamin, who had. Benjamin had never spoken about what had been done to him, but his terrible scars and loss of early memories spoke for itself. Yuugi knew that he wasn't as strong as Benjamin, who, according to Vice, had refused to cry out even when burning coals were shoved into the palms of his hands. He knew there was no way he could survive torture if Benjamin barely had.

The man, who Yuugi thought might be at least part imp, grabbed his hands and tied him by the wrists to a small post in the center of the room. He chuckled evilly; this was his favorite job as a member of the Chaos Army. Beside him, his sister grinned with anticipation. Before joining the Chaos Army, their lives had been made miserable by the prejudiced hatred of others, and this had given them a taste for causing pain and suffering.

Yuugi, kneeling on the cold, damp floor and about to be tortured for no real reason, shook with fear. He had been in dangerous situations before, but he had never been so completely alone. Before, even if he had been separated from his friends, Yami had still been with him. The only other time he had been alone like this was...the first time they faced Chaos...Yuugi tried not to think of this painful memory, knowing that he would soon be in enough pain without adding any of his own.

The woman raised her thin lash and brought it down sharply, making a harsh crack. Yuugi cried out in pain; there were plenty of nerves around the spine, so the back was a very vulnerable area for a human. Yuugi had felt physical pain before, such as when his throat was slit, but it had always been so much pain at once that he had almost immediately passed out. He had never endured protracted physical torment.

The woman snorted. "Sheesh...you're pretty pathetic. Shame, torturing someone like you...but orders are orders. Besides, I gotta have some fun, right?"

Yuugi felt sick inside. They regularly tortured people...because they thought it was fun. They had become so bitter that other people's suffering brought them pleasure. He knew there was nothing he could do; how could he possibly stop them? He was already beaten. He would die here...

But unexpectedly, a different feeling rose up inside Yuugi. They wanted him to suffer. They wanted to hear him scream in pain. And, just as his friend Benjamin had done under similar circumstances, Yuugi suddenly decided not to. He couldn't stop them from hurting him, but he wouldn't let them hear him scream.

The woman lashed out with her whip again; she was an expert in causing pain without giving a fatal injury. To her surprise, however, her victim did not cry out or beg for mercy, as most did. She frowned, slashing harder. Still--nothing. She knew that it must hurt, and that could mean only one thing.

"Hmm...stubborn one, huh? Nice try, but it won't help you...by the time I'm done, your back's gonna look like someone ripped the skin off. Which is basically what I'm doing." It was terrible how she spoke in a conversational, almost bored tone of voice, as though this was completely meaningless. As though the pain she was causing meant nothing.

Yuugi lost all sense of time as the brother and sister lashed out with their whips, tearing gaping holes in his back from which fountains of blood spouted. If they hadn't made him take off his shirt, it would have been soaked with blood and torn open beyond all use by now. Yuugi could feel blood run down his back, dripping to the floor in stagnant pools. Pain beyond any physical torment he had ever experienced engulfed him; it was like a raging fire inside his body. Yuugi thought he would pass out, but the Chaos Army torturers were too skilled for that. It was their special talent to keep a victim conscious and in pain for as long as possible. Yuugi's mouth also filled with blood from biting the inside of his cheek to keep from screaming.

Finally, they were done. Cutting his hands free, they put away their instruments as Yuugi collapsed to the floor, unable to move. He wondered vaguely if he would be permanently crippled or if they had avoided that. The man dragged him to his feet, shoving his slave uniform shirt over his head.

"C'mon, brat--time to go meet your slave division. Don't know why you don't have a number, but it doesn't matter...you're slated for 24; you'll be dead soon enough."

He grasped Yuugi's wrist, dragging him forward by force; Yuugi fell more than once, although he tried his best not to--the man kicked him in the ribs to make him get up whenever he did. A trail of blood appeared behind them, but no one in the base cared about such things. Forcing slaves to clean up their own blood was at least slightly amusing for the soldiers.

They descended lower into the base, until only a few glimmering lanterns pierced the gloom. Yuugi was in no condition to observe his surroundings; the trip passed in a dim haze as he struggled to stay conscious. Finally, the reached a small, barred door, beyond which lay a damp, stinking room with thick stone walls. The man unlocked the door, and, placing a hand on Yuugi's back, shoved him inside with a smirk. Wiping blood from his hand, he relocked the door and left.

Yuugi lay where he had fallen, unable to move. He whole back felt like it was on fire, especially in the center where the man had pushed him. A roaring filled his ears, and finally, mercifully, he passed out on the floor. Yuugi had barely made it through his first experience as a Chaos slave; how would he survive the rest?