And here we have a bonus chapter! Thank Cecil Kain Cerberus. She reviewed three chapters last night and that pushed us up into the bonus zone ;)

Speaking of Z-one, I just found his battle theme on YouTube and have completely fallen in love with it. With him. It helps that he looks just like Yusei :P

Anyway, my thanks to FiringShootingStar, AnimeKiwi369, theforgottenpeople96, Rapis-Razuri, RobotFish, Netiri Vi Britannia, RunoandAkizafan, Seeker Heart, and Cecil Kain Cerberus for their reviews!

And anons this week are LDC and six guests, one of whom turned out to be Star-Rose Lover! LDC: Very good points there, friend! Two out of three are in this chapter ;)

We have officially broken one hundred reviews! Thank you guys so much!

As per usual, many thanks to RobotFish for his superb beta work! Arigatou gozaimasu!

Oh, and, ah… It's a good thing most of you hate Sayer. He's not going to be a likable character in this story. And on a completely, totally unrelated subject, there's a bit of bloody/gore stuff in here. More like torture. Not a lot, but it might get some of you ^^; You have been warned.

Sunset Horizon
Chapter 10 – Insanity Unveiled

The darkness faded from Yusei's vision as consciousness seeped back into his system. He blinked against the firelight around him, his eyes darting left and right to take in the sight of cavern-like walls around him. Shifting to sit, he felt a powerful pressure above him, holding him down and keeping him from moving. What was this force? He tried moving his arms and legs, one at a time, but found them each pressed down individually.

What the hell was going on?

He managed to lift his head and look around, finding himself laying on a hard table in what he assumed was a part of the secret passage in Sayer's home. When did he get here? Why was he here? Whatever the reason, he was not feeling all that good about his odds.

"You're awake. That was rather quick, I admit."

He turned his head in the direction of the voice to find Sayer standing beside another table, still holding Stardust Dragon in his hands. That same, evil smirk stayed on his lips as he shifted the weapon back and forth before setting it down beside a tray. "It's only been a half-hour."

Yusei wasn't sure what to think of that, but knew he was unable to move and at Sayer's mercy. Giving a slight groan, he shifted to stare at the cavern ceiling above him and muttered, "What did you give me?"

A questioning sound came from his right before Sayer appeared in his vision again. "What do you mean?"

"To lock my body down like this. What kind of drug did you give me?"

"That's no drug, boy. It's a well-trained source of psychic energy."

That didn't make any sense. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Observe," he said, stepping back out of his sight for a moment.

Suddenly, Yusei felt the weight on his body leave and he shot up to a sitting position, staring at his hands and unable to believe what had just happened. It was all a trick, right? He turned to glare at the man next to him, but felt that same force slam into him, throwing him back to the table. "What the hell?"

In the time he'd known Sayer, he never realized he had a fancy for magic tricks. This was just too bizarre to be true. Psychic… That's what Sayer had called it. But psychics were things out of storybooks. There was no way someone with such a power could exist.

…Was there?

Yusei's head snapped back to the table, smashing the back against the hard wood and leaving what would no-doubt be a nasty bump. He released a grunt and moved to lift his head, but found it was now restrained by the same weight that held the rest of his body. Sayer was keeping him pinned down, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know why. Sayer's words just before he'd passed out rang in his head, causing vomit to rise up in his throat slightly.

"Akiza belongs to me and that fact will be crystal clear when I'm through with you."

What did he mean by that? What was he going to do to Miss Izinski? Why did he want her to be 'his' so badly? Yusei knew she was a special woman, but what could this magic-obsessed, snot-nosed, asshole of a politician want with her? And what did he mean by 'when I'm through with you'?

Yusei did not like where this evening was going.

His eyes could still move and see what was going on around him, but he was unable to turn his head. He was stuck facing up, forced to watch the ceiling as Sayer moved around somewhere to his right by the other table. A small object gradually drifted into his line of sight, making him pause as he tried to figure out what it was and why it was floating above him.

It looked like a… His eyes widened in surprise as he realized what it was. He hadn't ever seen one before, but he knew well enough what it was used for. A skyte, he thought it was called. A small, sharp knife used for one thing. It was shaped like a miniature garden hoe, but the edge used for tilling soil was much sharper, sharp enough to rip the toughest and driest of skin.

It lowered slowly towards his left cheek, causing him to grit his teeth since he wasn't able to move out of the way. He didn't have a choice. He couldn't escape, couldn't fight back, couldn't do a thing. The sharp-edged knife touched his cheek gently, just under his eye, before catching the skin and cutting down.

He couldn't help it. He screamed out in pain, the tool grinding down his face in a sort of jagged, backwards number '5.' He felt his blood drip down his jaw, the pain searing through his facial nerves as the skyte cut down deeply enough to scar.

His head was held still, stopping him from screaming too much. It also stopped him from straining the wound anymore and making it worse, but he couldn't care for that right now. The pain was killing him, and for the first time since the start of the Enforcers, he felt truly helpless. He felt afraid and utterly pissed off at the same time.

"You will learn your place. I am far superior to you, and you will come to know that."

Another incision cut into his skin, just to the left of the first and making a small, deep scratch in his cheek. His teeth stayed clamped together, his breathing heavy as he tried to bear with the agony caused by the knife made to be deliberately painful. Finally, the skyte drifted away from him, and he took the opportunity to catch his breath, trying to calm himself as best he could.

Before he could get too comfortable, a small bottle came into view and tipped to pour a liquid into his injuries, causing the pain to flare up even worse than before. He knew what was happening. He'd read about it and seen pictures, but had never imagined just how much it hurt.

The bottle disappeared from over his head and, a moment later, Sayer reappeared. "Do you see? See what happens when you meddle in the affairs of your master? You won't forget this for quite a long time, I imagine."

Yusei felt himself lift from the table, then crash back down. He felt a crack somewhere on his left shoulder, sending pain through his back before the action repeated. He slammed into the table top again, his body unwilling to react to any of the commands he was trying to give it. A third time caused the structure to give way, shattering beneath him and making him drop down to the floor.

"Oh, please. Don't bleed all over my floor," he heard Sayer mutter before his body dragged a few feet, his shoulders lifting from the ground as he moved without any physical help. Warmth covered his face, no doubt from his own blood, as he continued being towed. His consciousness was fading again, but he fought to stay awake as long as he was being tortured by some gypsy voodoo.

Dizziness set in as his injuries took their toll, his mind fading out one more time.

…

Jack crouched in the dry grass, keeping himself hidden in the brush as he snapped at Kalin, "What the hell is wrong with you? Why would you leave him in there alone?"

Kalin brushed Jack's hand away from where he gripped his jacket, replying, "He roamed off on his own. I assumed he would come back here at the rendezvous time."

Crow sighed and crossed his arms, leaning against the fence bordering the governor's property. "Look, guys. It doesn't matter why he's still in there. We'll just have to go in and find him."

"That won't be necessary. I have what you're looking for right here."

Jack's attention shifted sharply in the direction of the voice, only to find the new governor standing there with his hands in his pockets casually. By his feet, Yusei laid on the ground, curled on himself and obviously beaten. Jack's hand reached to his side for Archfiend automatically, but Sayer only raised his hand in a dismissal. "I'm not here to fight. I got what I want. Here, take care of the garbage, will you?"

Yusei's limp form started to slide gradually towards them without any means of propulsion before he suddenly snapped forward, sailing through the air. He hit the ground in front of the other three Enforcers and rolled a few feet before stopping by Kalin's feet.

The white-haired man bent down to check on his friend's health while Jack kept Red Dragon Archfiend in-hand, watching as Sayer turned and walked back into his home without another word. Crow bent down beside Yusei, saying, "Hey, guys, he doesn't look good."

"Then what are we still standing here, yammering about it?" Jack snapped, holstering Archfiend and moving to pick up his friend's feet. That idiot had a knack for winding up in the stupidest of situations.

…

Yusei jerked awake, clutching his hand over the left side of his face to try to quell the pain, all the while releasing a strangled gurgle of agony. Pain burned through his cheek as he gripped tighter, fighting the urge to scream out. Something cool touched his arm and he turned slightly, forcing his eyes to open to see Jack standing beside his bunk, holding a cold compress out for him to take. He accepted it and pressed it to his cheek, muttering, "Fucking burns."

"I don't doubt it. Look at what he did," he replied, holding a shaving glass towards him with his other hand.

He took it and held it in his lap for a minute, working up the nerve to pull the cool cloth away. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he removed the compress and tipped the mirror so he could see his cheek properly. A grimace crossed his face, causing him to flinch as he stretched the wound slightly.

Starting at the middle of his eye, an ugly scar ran down his cheek in an odd, jagged shape. Next to it, a small triangle was similarly cut below the corner of his eye. Both injuries were dyed yellow, giving them a strange appearance in the contrast of his tanned skin.

Frowning, he set the glass down and muttered, "Damn."

"Damn is right. What the hell got into you, wandering off like that?"

Yusei hated it when Jack was pissed with him. It usually meant that his friend was worried about him and he had trouble arguing back in that situation. "I heard footsteps. I was trying to make sure we were still clear."

He sighed and turned away. "You shouldn't have gone off alone."

"I know, I know. I get it," he muttered, turning to roll out of his bed and cringing as his injured shoulder shot pain through his torso. Only then did he realize his upper arm and shoulder were bandaged, the wraps running across his chest to hold them in place properly. He grabbed his jacket from the hook and frowned at the sight of his empty holster, cursing under his breath. "Tch… Bastard kept it."

Jack shifted slightly to face him again. "Eh?"

"Stardust Dragon. He kept it."

"That's… not good."

"Not that he needs it. It's just to spite me." He ran his uninjured arm through his hair and closed his eyes, trying to clear his thoughts. Sighing, he tugged his jacket on and grabbed a hat, turning for the door and calling over his shoulder, "I'm going to get a drink. I'll be fine. It's just a scar and a bruised shoulder."

He didn't hear a vocal complaint, so he kept going, tipping his hat down over his eyes as he walked out into the street. Biting his lip, he turned slightly to bury his scar in his collar self-consciously. He sighed, knowing deep down that there was nothing he could do about it and he would be stuck with it for the rest of his life. The fact didn't comfort him much, but he knew there was no point in fretting over it.

The Dragon's Claw came into sight, and he trudged up the four steps, ignoring a deep voice when it called out, "Hey, Yusei!"

A hand gripped his shoulder from behind, causing him to grunt when it squeezed his injury. Turning on his heel, he snapped, "What do you want, Trudge?"

The well-tanned sheriff raised an incredibly thick eyebrow at the scar running down his cheek and muttered, "I've gotten a couple complaints about you, you know."

"What's new?" he mumbled, rolling his eyes. "Look, if that's all it is, I'm having a really bad day and I'm just going to get a drink."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked inside the bar, ignoring the sheriff as he made his way to the counter. Crap. Miss Izinski was up. He was hoping he wouldn't have to face her just yet. He kept his head down as he slid onto a stool and faced straight forward, keeping his scar out of her line of sight for now. "Whiskey," he muttered when she came closer.

She gave a slight nod and shifted to pour a glass, then slid it across the counter towards him. He looked up as he moved to take it, silently cursing himself as she saw his badge of failure. Her eyes widened considerably, her hand gripping the whiskey bottle tightly on a reflex as she blinked in surprise. "What…?"

He let her sit in silence for a bit, ignoring anything his heart was telling him to feel and instead forcing his anger outward. She had made her choice, after all. He downed his drink and shifted to stand, pointing one finger at her while still holding his glass. "Tell your fiancé to watch his back." He paused, taking the opportunity to slam the glass onto the counter top and finished, "He pissed me off."

Turning, he walked for the door and called over his shoulder, "Add it to my tab, will you?"

…

Akiza walked along the path, brushing her fingers through the soft flutter of tree leaves on her way. She forced a smile on her lips as she approached the front door to her fiancé's home, knowing this was just the start of something entirely false. She should have been happy to be engaged. It was always her dream to marry for love, but then she had to go and fall for an ass like Yusei. She couldn't imagine ever marrying someone like him, so impulsive and childlike. Why couldn't she have fallen for someone like Divine? Someone who was sophisticated and noble.

She would make this work. She had to. The alternative left her endlessly longing for Yusei, a man who was carefree enough to risk the safety of children. She would live in a loveless marriage, but she would prefer this over being with someone like him.

A year ago, even, she had hated him and didn't have any doubt that she always would. A month ago, she had noticed him starting to behave a little differently. Just over a week ago, she had laid in bed beside him, naked, before he told her he loved her. Two days ago, he had spoken with such sincerity as he asked—begged—her to reconsider her engagement.

She said she wouldn't, but damn it, she found herself doing exactly that.

She didn't want to reconsider. She wanted to marry Divine, go through with the wedding, and get started on her lie of a life. Her heart was aching more with every second her mind lingered on the dark-haired criminal. Why did he have to be so painstakingly sincere all of a sudden? She had been in contact with Divine for the better part of a year now, and the concept of marriage came up only about two months ago.

She had accepted after considering it for a while, weighing her options and thinking through what he offered. It seemed like the best option to her, especially since he didn't mind if she kept running her bar. That would have been the breaking point. She loved tending to her bar and couldn't imagine life without it.

But almost immediately after she sent the letter with her acceptance, she had noticed a slight change in Yusei. Almost as if his actions held less flirtatious intention and more seriousness. His eyes seemed like they weren't quite as guarded and his hands were gentler and less roaming. He had started to seem almost bearable. Almost…

Almost worth pursuing.

She never could deny that he was an attractive man. He had a sharp tan from living under the sun, his cobalt eyes contrasting perfectly with the dark tone. A little on the short side, but he was still a little taller than she was. His shaggy hair was a mystery on its own, the way it constantly stuck into the air with no explanation. But then there was that scar… He had shown up in her bar that morning with an ugly, jagged scar down the left side of his face. The strangest part was that it was yellow, but it looked like it was done that way intentionally. What had happened to him?

She swallowed slightly in spite of herself as her mind moved on to picture his chest, so nicely taught and lean, yet not overtly so. Her thoughts started to wander as she drifted off to her memories of that night she gave herself away. She didn't regret what happened between her and Yusei. It was a moment she cherished, rather, because it gave them an opportunity to be together completely and wholly. She loved him, yes, and she was glad she could be with him, if only once.

Her opinions and his differed far too greatly, though. There was no way a relationship could actually work between them. His head was up in the clouds, and she had no patience for someone like that. And yet… Yet he had started to show a different, more caring side lately. And then there was his comment two nights ago.

"I can be a good man for you! I love you; more than Sayer ever could!"

What was it about his voice when it was so full of emotion that made her stop? It had taken every ounce of her resolve not to break down and give him a chance. She couldn't. She knew, if he had stayed a moment longer, she would have lost the battle in her heart and given him exactly what he wanted and more. She still tasted the tears that fell long into the night after he finally walked away.

Her heart was broken, but it was for the best. There was nothing that could come of a relationship with him.

"Akiza, what a pleasant surprise."

Her eyes snapped up in surprise, her reverie broken by the voice. Divine stood there, a gentle smile on his face and a neatly pressed suit falling down his slim figure. She couldn't help it as her mind wandered, thinking there was no way he could have a body as finely sculpted as Yusei's.

Shaking her head slightly, she smiled and said, "Oh, Divine. I hope you aren't busy."

He shook his head, the curve of his lips contrasted by the glint in his eye. "Not at all. Please, come in."

She nodded and accepted his hand as he held it out for her. He had yet to offer any sort of engagement ring, though she really couldn't care less. What was the point in having a symbol to represent a fake relationship?

Following him through the halls, she took a moment to peer through the governor's estate. No doubt this would become her home soon. Though the lower level was kept open to the public as a historical museum of sorts for the town, she had only been in this part twice before. The first was when Rex Goodwin had invited her to his home, telling her that his nephew had been fascinated by her and would like to get to know her. The second was three nights ago when her fiancé arrived in town.

He led her to a study and gestured for her to sit, walking over to a desk lined with decanters of varying liquors. "Would you like a drink?" he asked, pulling the stopper off of one and pouring brandy into a glass.

She shook her head lightly, saying, "No, thank you."

He nodded an acknowledgement as he walked over to her, taking a seat on the armrest of the sofa opposite her. "So, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

She flashed a smile that almost made her want to throw up from all the falsity. "Nothing in particular. I just thought I would stop by for a visit."

"Hm, I see." They sat in silence for a moment, him swirling his brandy casually in its snifter.

She paused, remembering Yusei's words from the previous night and decided to put it to the test. "Divine, do you know anything about the name 'Fudo'?"

He frowned, his attention shifting to study the contents of his glass. "Yes, I do. The Fudo family is one of the twelve prime senatorial families of Yliaster. For generations, they've been a part of our leading council. I suppose the exact names of the senators don't travel this far out, do they?"

She shook her head 'no,' saying, "I see." So, he was telling the truth. Yusei really was from a wealthy family from the Capital. At least, assuming he was using his real name and didn't just adopt a different one for a part of his plans. Something inside her told her he wasn't lying, that he really was who he said he was, but that thought only made her wonder why he left his home. If he was a rich politician's son, why would he run from his home and responsibilities to become a vigilante in a backwater town like this one?

Shaking her head, she snapped back to reality as Sayer said, "Why do you ask? Do you know someone by that name?" He paused, his free hand gradually touching his curling lips in contemplation. "Oh, I see… So, he's Senator Fudo's runaway brat, is he? The resemblance is uncanny. I didn't place it until now, though."

She felt herself tense slightly, not liking the way he said that. Had he and Yusei already met since he'd arrived in New Domino? She decided the best thing to do would be to continue with idle chatter and asked, "His runaway?"

"Mm. The senator's son ran from home almost seven years ago. No one knew where the boy went, except perhaps that rat Goodwin."

She frowned, her heart starting to hammer in her chest. She didn't like where this was going. Sayer was beginning to frighten her. Why would he refer to his own uncle as a rat, unless what Yusei said was true and they weren't really related? But all of that aside, she couldn't help but notice that her fiancé was behaving abnormally. The man she'd spoken to by post was kind and gentle, not cruel and the type to give off evil vibes.

"And, of course, you're in love with him, aren't you?"

She froze, her eyes snapping up to his at that. "No! O-of course not!"

He smiled as he walked over to her, touching his free hand to her cheek gently. "It's all right. If you love him, go ahead and marry him. I want you to be happy."

She shook her head, saying, "No, you're wrong… I don't love that man."

"You're as bad a liar as you are beautiful. You can't hide it from me, Akiza."

"I… I know…" she muttered, casting her eyes down to avoid his gaze. "I don't want to be, though. I don't want to love him. I hate him for all he stands for, but I… I do love him."

His hand traced alongside her jawline for a moment longer, then suddenly snapped out and backhanded her across the cheek. She jumped, startled, and gasped a short, "Wha-?"

He kept that same smile on his lips as he leaned closer, whispering, "I don't want you to love any man but me. We had a deal, Akiza."

"I-I know…" she stammered, touching her hand to her cheek. She wasn't liking this situation at all. "I told you, I don't want to love him-!"

"But you do!" he barked, leaning away from her and flicking his wrist.

Immediately, she felt a powerful force crash into her, throwing her from the sofa and over the back before she smashed into the wall behind it. A crushing pain tore through her left forearm, occupying her thoughts as she dropped to the floor. Unable to catch herself, she dropped to a helpless pile and curled around her injured arm. Why was he doing this? She had agreed to marry him already. Why would he hurt her like this?

She had no idea.

Well, things are changing, that's for sure! I think you'll be able to anticipate what's coming up soon ;) And I don't know if anyone else saw it, but I couldn't help but notice how Yusei's criminal mark is like a backwards '5' with a little 'D' next to it. Anyone else see that, or am I just crazier than I thought?

I'm ridiculously hungry right now, so I'm just going to keep this short so I can post and eat. Visit my Facebook, please! www. facebook. c-o-m /OCValkyrie (Remove spaces and hyphens)

Please review!

-Valk