Cut the sky...
Lying on the bed, it hurt to even breathe, staring at nothing, eyes hollow and lifeless.
With your paper wings...
He wanted to leave. He wanted to leave this place, but he knew he couldn't. No matter what he tried, HE always stopped him.
Soaring through the air, your soul sings.
He fought and failed. He struggled and he was restrained. Wings clipped his back, preventing his freedom from reaching him.
The Dissonance is growing near.
No matter how he tried to ignore it, he couldn't ignore the words that were whispered from the man's mouth.
The harmonics recede in fear.
"Pathetic. Disgusting. Worthless. Weakling." These words whispered gently in his ear, like a lover's whispers of love. Except they were whispers of hate.
You will be mine once again; you said I would be yours forever.
He kept saying how it will get worse and worse. How the damage he caused him is child's play compared to what will soon come.
You will be mine once again; you said I would be yours forever.
His and only his. HE would and will kill any and everyone that he cared about if he ran, no matter where he ran: he would pull him back beaten and suffering.
Lying in the bed, in that small, empty room. Yusei, bloody and in agony, said nothing. The words whispered to him constantly, singing in his head over and over, like a mantra.
Wrap around me, this rapture entices me. Never want to open my eyes.
HE was Yusei's nightmare, insanity, and fear. And Yusei shall forever remain HIS whore, HIS marionette, and HIS want. He was HIS play thing, HIS toy, HIS to use in any way he sees fit. And HE will make sure that it stays that was. HE was his puppet-master, powerful and almighty. Yusei was his puppet, beaten and oppressed.
It hurts, but the words spoken by HIM, the insults and threats, stay in his head, because no matter how much he denied it, it slowly starts becoming a truth that sings within his being.
Cold steel against me, a body now empty, blocked out by the sound of your cries.
Over and over, those words sing. And no matter what... the pain will never stop and he knows, he knows, that HE will make sure it only gets worse. He won't cry from this, he lost all emotions, he feels hollow and empty.
He won't cry. He can't cry.
Don't be scared, just calm down. Now he's gone... won't hurt you anymore, anymore.
...Yet, tears were flowing silently down from his eyes...
"We're half-way there, Jack!" Screamed Rift as they sped down the highway.
They were heading towards where Yusei was being held. Jack was angry as hell, wanting nothing more than to punch Paradox in the face, but his worry and fear for Yusei overcame the anger to a degree, but enough to cause Jack to speed up in order to get there faster.
'Yusei... Please... be okay.' Jack thought as he rode to his destination.
They remained silent for a while, every now and then Rift telling Jack to turn and how close they were.
Suddenly, Rift pulls back and grabs Jack's shoulder, hissing at him to turn and stop by the next corner as quickly as he could, causing Jack to nearly lost control of his D-Wheel as he hastily did as he was told.
After doing so, angry, Jack turns to Rift and screamed at him "WHY THE HELL DID WE STO-MFPHM." Rift cut Jack off by covering his mouth and forced him to turn his head, showing Jack the reason they stopped, causing Jack to halt any complaints that were trying to be made known.
Before them, passing by, was Paradox himself. For a brief second, time seemed to slow down. Rift and Jack held their breath as if, a single breath would alert him of their presence. Jack was able to get a good look at Paradox, time seeming to slow even further for that moment, and the anger within the signer rose as he stared at the seemingly expressionless face of Paradox.
Rift looked on at his brother in sorrow, pain shooting through his heart as he remembers what he let happen. He tightened his grip on Jack in order to keep him from going after him.
After what seemed like hours when it only was a few seconds, time moved forward again and he sped away, not noticing that they were even there.
A few minutes went by until Rift relaxed and let go of Jack. The blonde looked like he wanted to scream at him, looked like he wanted to chase after Paradox and show him how angry he was, but stayed silent as Rift looked at him, he felt the seriousness coming from the specter before him. "We can't take that route now, he might spot us, follow me. I can find another route to take, but we must hurry. What just happened just wasted a lot of time. Yusei can't hang on much longer." Rift said quietly. Jack was frozen at those words, all thoughts of going after the bastard left him.
Quietly, he jumped on his D-Wheel and revved his engines; he turned to Rift and merely said. "Lead the way." And off they both went, the sounds of clocks ticked seemed to enter their minds, as if telling them they were running out of time.
After about 30 minutes, they arrived at a broken down warehouse. Jack looked around in disbelief at the thought that Yusei was held here, and turned to Rift showing his disbelief.
It was broken down like no tomorrow, trash everywhere and the building itself seemed to be on the verge of collapsing. There was no way this was the place.
Rift simply moved forward and spoke as he motioned Jack to follow him. "Don't judge by appearance. It's because if how it looks that Paradox was able to keep Yusei here."
Jack winced at that and continued to follow Rift into the broken building. The inside was as torn down as the outside, trash everywhere, broken machines and cars, the roof had holes and the floors were cracked. Dirt and mold was everywhere. He just looked on in disgust.
Rift moved towards that center of the room and then, suddenly, melted into the rushed to him as he completely disappeared into the ground and saw that there was a door. Reaching down and pulling it open, he jumped in. Landing, he turned to see where he went and saw Rift floating down a hall in the right very quickly. Jack ran to catch up with him.
Quickly walking down the broken hall, Jack felt truly scared as they got closer to a door at the end of the hall. The door looked very used, and it was made of steel, as if to keep anyone out.
'Or to keep anyone in.' thought Jack grimly as they stopped in front of the door. Rift stayed still for a brief moment and turned to Jack as he was going to question why they stopped. Rift looked at him and opened his mouth as if to say something, but instantly closes it and shakes his head.
Waving his hand over the door, the sound of unlocking could be heard. He moves to the side and motions Jack to open the door. Walking forward, he reaches towards the handle and grips it, taking a deep breath as if to prepare himself for whatever was behind the door. He turned the handle and pulls it open.
And soon wished he was anywhere but here.
The room was bare, except for a chest that was open and the contents were pouring out, clothes to be exact, a tray stand tipped over, its contents on the floor, from a struggle maybe. There were no windows and low lighting, a bed was in the middle of the room, and that bed was occupied. The sight before them was one that would follow anyone into their dreams for many nights.
Rift and Jack stared at the bloody body that was Yusei. To think that the one strong man was now a beaten mess. No words could describe the scene before theme: the being lying on the blood soaked bed could only be an image of pure suffering.
'W-what... what did that bastard do to him?" Jack croaked out, the scene before him making him sick to his stomach. Rift looked on with an unreadable expression feeling as if he was finally seeing reality.
'I... I didn't... No, I knew it would have been... inhuman... but... this is something even I could not foresee...' Rift thought as felt shame at not being able to prevent this monstrous deed from happening.
What both men have seen will haunt their very dreams. Yusei was simply lying there, unconscious. Nothing covering him except a very thin bloody sheet. The wounds on his arms were so deep, his bones could be seen. His stomach, his whole body really, was covered in pitch-black bruises; they didn't even look like they were even beginning to heal. One of his eyes was slashed, the wound was shallow, but if not treated immediately, could permanently blind him. His legs, ankles and feet... looked like they were smashed.
'Probably to keep him from leaving.' Rift thought sorrowfully. Rope marks could be seen all over his body. His neck was worst off; skin was peeling all over as if the rope was tightened to choke him. His nails looked like they were pulled off, blood poured out of all of them. His hands were also smashed; you could see some of the finger bones sticking out of the skin. His face was swollen, it seemed like his jaw was broken. Opened wounds were all over his body, blood flowing through them all. Even his eyes had blood flowing through them, as if his very soul was crying tears of blood to show the pain he was in, and very faintly, they could see the mark of the Crimson Dragon on Yusei's arm, showing that the beast was trying to heal its signer. Jack wanted to throw up at the sight. Rift wanted to turn away, but he couldn't. He was terrified to even think about the full length of the injuries he had, just even the simple thought of it made him want to vomit.
"Let's go... Paradox... could be back any minute..." Rift murmured, Jack nodding slightly and both moved forwards, only to freeze as they hear a soft noise coming from Yusei's direction.
Looking towards Yusei's face, they could see that he was awake and staring at nothing, eyes dilated. Jack took a slow step forward and in the gentlest voice he could create, he called to Yusei.
"Yusei...?"
He felt like he wanted to die as he saw Yusei flinch at his voice, his eyes were now dulled as he stared with a vacant expression off into space.
"Yusei?" Jack whispered again as he tried to see if Yusei recognized him. Yusei flinched again at the sound, his eyes never changing as they continued to gaze at nothing.
'Oh Yusei...' Jack thought as he stared at the heartbreaking sight. He shook himself and tried to get a hold of himself and then gently walked forward. He hummed a sound as he crept forward, as if to warn Yusei he was getting near. He didn't know if it worked or not, but he kept at it to insure Yusei he was coming near him. Stopping right next to him, Jack crouched down and felt like he wanted to die a thousand times over as he looked into Yusei's eyes. They were unfocused, hollow, emotionless, and yet his eyes seemed like they were looking at something far away, something only he could see. The emotions that swirled within the depths of his eyes suffocated Jack; it could suffocate anyone looking into them. Looking into his eyes, words couldn't describe how they were. It was different in every perspective. And the damage his boy showed, dear lord it was worse up close than from the door, he could barely hear Yusei breathe, and he was inches away from him! The saddest thing was that tore Jack to shreds and struck down the blonde's resolve not to cry were the tears flowing down Yusei's cheeks, and it looked like he didn't even know he was crying.
"Yusei...?" Jack whispered, his voice trembling as he raises his hand to lightly touch Yusei's cheek. Suddenly, Jack noticed Yusei's lips move slightly, as if saying something. Jack leans in, trying to hear what Yusei was saying.
There was silence as Jack heard the whispered words that broke Jack's resolve. He let out a son that he held back since he saw Yusei; he couldn't stop the tears flowing from flowing down his face. The sight before him was too much for him to take, what he just heard was too much to take. Jack's shoulders were visibly shaking as he tried to keep his voice low as to not scare Yusei, seeing as he flinched from the loud sob Jack produced. He couldn't believe that anything like this could happen to him, to ANYONE to cause Yusei to say those words. And for it to happen to someone like Yusei was truly, truly heartbreaking.
Rift watched this from his place at the door, the scene of Jack letting out silent sobs before his injured friend's body in front of him, it tore into him. He never truly felt like this before, especially towards a human. Suddenly, he sensed Yusei's body shutting down, the Crimson Dragon's power fading away, steeling him: the specter floated to Jack's side and leaned down to his ear. "We must leave. Yusei can't stay like this any longer; the Crimson Dragon can't heal his body anymore." Rift whispered frantically into Jack's ear. Jack got a hold of him and soon got to work. As gently as he could, he picked up Yusei, bridal style, and slowly as he could, he moved him from the bed; he could feel Yusei lay limp in his arms, barely feeling his chest rise and fall, lips barely moving in a barely audible whisper, forming words that Jack didn't want to even think about. It took all of Jack's self-control not to cry again.
Nodding to Rift, Jack walked as quickly as he could out of the room and into the hall without hurting Yusei and hurried outside to get Yusei to the hospital. Rift floated after him, but stopped just in front of the doorway. He looks back into the room sadly, knowing that his brother would come back and be enraged to see this room without its prisoner.
'This is for your own good, dear brother.' He thought in shame as he remembered everything that his brother did. 'No one, not even the gods, will be able to foretell the consequences for your horrifying actions towards this innocent boy.' With another look full of shame and regret, he turned away from the room and floated as fast as he could to Jack and Yusei.
Everyone was in Yusei's room at the hospital. It had been 2 hours since they finished surgery on him. It had been 14 hours since they brought him to the hospital. The injuries on him were so severe that they had to perform a 12 hour surgery immediately. They were told that Yusei flat-lined many times over the course of the surgery. The doctors said that it was a miracle that he's even breathing. After the surgery, he fell into a coma; the damage put too much strain on his body. Right now, they were waiting for the doctor to come and talk to them. Jack, Crow, Akiza, and the twins surrounded Yusei's bed; Rift had left before anyone other than Akiza and Jack saw him. Everyone was feeling devastated at seeing Yusei like this.
"How... how could that... that bastard... how could he do this to him?" Akiza whimpered as she saw the injured body of her friend.
Crow was silent, but you could see him struggle not to cry at the sight before him. Rua and Ruka weren't even hiding the fact that they were crying; tears were flowing from their eyes as they gasped for breath, since their noses were clogged. Akiza was on the verge of breakdown, she saw Yusei when Jack and the mysterious specter Rift brought him into the lobby of the hospital.
Jack was screaming for anyone to help him, tears flowing from his eyes as Yusei laid limp in his arms, his blood covering his clothes, and seeing him now, laying there and barely alive, it shook her to very core as reality set in.
Jack, he was furious, so full of rage that he wanted to find Paradox and kill him a thousand times over. Jack wanted revenge for what the bastard did to Yusei, but he couldn't do anything since Rift said that nothing could be done, hell, he didn't even know where he was at the moment.
"Why did it have to be Yusei who had to suffer? I mean there were two other people involved in his defeat... Judai and Yugi wasn't it, so... why Yusei?" Crow spoke up for the first time since they brought the teen here.
Jack clenched his fist until they were bone white, a hint of red could be seen coming from his palm, showing that his nails pierced through his skin deep enough to bleed. "I don't know, but when I find him..." Jack was cut off from his threat when Akiza suddenly stormed to him and pushed him, enraged at his words.
"Don't you DARE go after him, Jack Atlas! You might as well be asking to die if you even think of going after him!" Akiza hissed out in a whisper as not to disturb Yusei, but it didn't change the emotion within those words. Jack glared at her with eyes full of anger.
"Oh? So I have to sit here while the asshole that did this to my best friend is out there, just WAITING to come finish the job!" Jack growled out as Akiza looked ready to blow.
"You. Will. Not. Go. After. Him. Understand?" Akiza was very close to losing it, the emotional strain that she went through these past two months along with what happened to Yusei was too much for her to handle. The three watching the argument seemed to know she was close to losing it, but Jack seemed to not have noticed in her anger.
"Oh, so you want me to let him kill Yusei? Huh? That's why you don't want me to go after him isn't it? THERE'S A MADMAN AFTER OUR FRIEND AND YOU WANT TO DO NOTHING?" Jack roared into her face. Suddenly, Akiza raised her hand and with all her strength, she slapped Jack across the face, the sound could practically be felt, it resonated throughout the room, then silence took its place. Crow and the twins were shocked, but not as shocked as Jack as he stayed still, head still turned from the slap, eyes wide in shock and disbelief. He remained still as Akiza started screaming at him.
"DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME THAT, YOU SON OF A BITCH! YOU THINK I DON'T WANT TO GO AFTER HIM MYSELF! YOU THINK I LIKE KNOWING THAT WHILE I'M HERE LOOKING AT YUSEI'S NEARLY DEAD BODY, THAT PIECE OF SHIT IS OUT THERE, JUST WAITING FOR THE CHANCE TO COME AND KILL HIM! LOOK AT HIM JACK!" She pointed at Yusei's unconscious body. "LOOK AT WHAY THE BASTARD DID TO HIM! LOOK AT WHAT HE REDUCED YUSEI TOO! YOU DAMN WELL KNOW AS WELL AS I DO THAT YUSEI FOUGHT TO ESCAPE! YOU KNOW THAT YUSEI IS A STRONG MAN, STRONGER THAT ANYONE OF US! AND LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM! LOOK AT WHAT THAT MONSTER FROM HELL DID TO THAT VERY SAME STRONG MAN WE KNOW! LOOK. AT. HIM! LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR FRIEND BECAUSE OF HIM!" She screamed this as cried for her friend that didn't deserve this. Akiza looked at him with eyes drowned in tears, fury, and sorrow. Jack slowly turned his head towards her, eyes wide with shock, a hand placed on his now red cheek as if he still couldn't believe she slapped him.
"Akiza..." Jack began, but a glare from the woman told him she was far from over.
"Look. At. Him. Jack." She said with an icy tone none of them heard coming from her before, she continued to point at Yusei. "Look. At. What. He. Has. Become." More tears appeared in her eyes. "Look at what... that MONSTER did to him...!" Her voice cracked as she continued to speak.
"LOOK AT HIM!" she screamed to his face, causing him to take a step back. "AND TELL ME THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO FIGHT HIM AND WIN! LOOK AT HIM AND TELL ME THAT YOU'LL FIGHT HIM AND WIN KNOWING WHAT HE CAN DO TO YOU! LOOK AT HIM AND TELL ME KNOWING THAT PARADOX WILL KILL YOU IN ORDER TO TORMENT YUSEI UNTIL THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO DESTROY! She shook violently and looked like she was losing it.
"Look at him, Jack..." she whispered. "And tell me... Do you want to die...?" Jack continued to stare at her; everyone in the room was silent.
Akiza stood there. Tears flowed like a river down her face, the emotional pain that she has been feeling this whole time was taking its toll on her. Her head bent down as if to hide her tears, she didn't want anyone of her friends to go through the same thing, and she didn't want anyone hurt. Jack opened his mouth, but closed immediately as if he couldn't bring himself to say whatever it was he wanted to say.
He was shocked, really shocked, in front of him was a friend in tears because he wanted to go after Paradox and she was scared, scared for HIS safety. HE made HER cry.
Boy, ain't that a kick in the teeth.
Jack placed both hands on her shoulders. "I... I'm sorry, okay... I'm... I'm... just sorry." he whispered. Akiza was still crying, but she nodded in response. The others sighed in relief, glad that nothing permanent happened.
Jack really was sorry, but that didn't mean that he wasn't angry at Paradox. Yes, Jack wanted to go after him, and wanted to so bad! But he couldn't, not when he's told that it's too dangerous. It didn't make the situation any less frustrating; Jack clenched his teeth at the thought of Paradox still out there, waiting for a chance to finish Yusei off.
He wanted to kill him, and make him pay.
Helping Akiza to gather herself together, Jack led her to a chair as the door opened; letting the doctor in charge of Yusei's care, file in hand. He looked really pale and pushed up his glasses as he looked to his patient on the bed, the others could see sadness in his eyes. They were now afraid to find out what truly happened to Yusei, but they needed to know.
"Doctor Banner..." Crow said, getting the man's attention, he looked around the room and nodded to himself.
"You are Mr. Fudo's friends, yes?" Everyone nodded, and Dr. Banner nodded in approval. Opening the file, he scanned its contents, speaking to the others as he did.
"Your friend is truly, truly a miracle case, as you know, he flat-lined many times during the procedure, weakening his heart greatly, but if he rests, his body will slowly work in order for his heart to adjust to the effort, it will return to normal. Therapy can help with that." Looking at them, he stared at each of them solemnly, and after a moment, running his hand through his hair, he sighed and spoke once more.
"I'm not going to lie to you guys. The injuries that he had were critical, how he survived, no one will ever know. He should have died a long time ago."
'Probably survived cause of the Crimson Dragon...' everyone though as Dr. Banner continued to speak.
"This is your last chance to back out." Everyone looked at him, and Dr. Banner looked at Yusei with such sad eyes.
"No one should go through what he went through, the list of injuries is graphic. I'm not going to hide or sugar coat anything and say it's going to be alright, because frankly, the physical damage could be healed, but the mental..." his voice trailed off as he shuddered at this before speaking again. "If even the most hardened doctors here saw this poor kid when he first came here and busted into tears, I doubt you can handle it any better. So this is your last chance. Do. You. Want. To. Find. Out?"
Everyone looked at him with horror. To think they had to be warned just to hear it! They looked at each other and knew they had to know, even if it haunted them.
Jack took a shaky breath and stepped towards Dr. Banner. "Tell us. We have to know, he's our friend. We have to do what we can to help him through this, even if we regret hearing this." Dr. Banner looked at him as if searching for something, and seemed to find it as he sighed and nodded.
Flipping the page, he began to read out loud the contents.
"Skull fractures, brain contusions, hemorrhaging, liver, lung, and kidney injuries, as well as a severe laceration across his tongue, and the cuts on his eyes were treated in tine so he won't lose his eyesight." Akiza slammed her hands over her mouth to stop a sob from coming out as he continued on.
"In addition to all the internal bleeding and injuries, which were critical on their own, he also had two broken legs, it's our guess they were smashed with a blunt object multiple times and then again after healing a bit since we found cracks in the bone that healed, yet were re-broken several more times, and broken arms and a broken vertebrae, a fractured femur, but several more around the ends of his bones, or metaphysical fractures, personally, I'm shocked he isn't paralyzed. Every rib was fractures and three of them were completely broken. He also suffered a broken collor bone, punctured lungs from the broken ribs and severe bruising that will take a very long time to completely heal."
Dr. Banner stopped long enough to take a deep breath before resuming.
"He is also suffering from malnourishment and, with what I can gather from the bags under his eyes, extreme insomnia. He will have to eat very soft food for quite awhile as the bruising and rope burns around his neck reveal that he was strangled multiple times and will cause swallowing anything, especially solid foods, to be a difficult task, a very painful one at that. The fact that he doesn't have brain damage from all those times air was kept from entering his brain is a miracle on its own... He has numerous stitches all around his body, so when he awakens and is healed enough to leave, which will not be for a very long time; you will have to be extra careful as to not reopen any of them. As I said before, his arms, legs, ribs and hands were broken multiple times but we were able to re-set everything but he will need to take physical therapy in order to regain use of his legs, arms, and hands."
Akiza was a wreck hearing what Yusei suffered, Crow was crouched on the ground, hands on his face, yet you could see the tears he was trying to hide. Rua and Ruka held on to each other for support and looked like they wanted this to be a bad dream. Jack was simply staring at the doctor, and suddenly spoke.
"There's more isn't there." It wasn't a question and Dr. Banner knew it. Everyone looked at Jack when he said that, then at the doctor.
Dr. Banner looked at Jack; they stared of in a silent battle of wits before he looked away from Jack's eyes, knowing when he was fighting a losing battle. He knew that Jack was expecting one thing to be said, even if he didn't want to hear it. It had to be said.
He took a shaky breath and nodded before flipping the page to another section and after a few moments, read its contents.
"We found abrasions, lacerations, tears, bite marks, burns, weapon inflicted wounds, and there appeared to be bruise marks around his arms that showed he was restrained, along with welts, scratches and the inner and outer thighs, were bruised. He suffered genital lacerations. There were bruises around the anus, scars showing signs of multiple penetrations causing anal tears and anal dilation. And we also found traces of semen in the mouth and anus."
Akiza and Crow were shocked horrified and torn apart hearing this. Jack simply shut his eyes in sorrow and silent horror. He knew that Dr. Banner would say those words. He just had hoped that it was all in his head, just he overreacting.
Akiza was rocking in her chair, sobbing, saying 'No' over and over. Crow stopped hiding his tears. The twins looked at Dr. Banner in confusion.
"What does that all mean?" Rua asked, and the doctor looked over at Jack, who nodded after a moment. They simply needed to know.
Dr. Banner hated telling people this; it devastated all of the victim's loved ones.
"He..." He truly didn't want to say anything, but he must. He hated it, but the blond boy was right, they all had to know, even if they regretted hearing it.
"It means..." Akiza started getting louder as if she knew what was coming.
"It means that Yusei was..." Crow just kept shaking his head and covered his ears to block out what was about to be said.
Jack just looked at Yusei and wondered why it had to be him to suffer instead of the other two.
"It means that he, Mr. Fudo, suffered multiple counts of rape." as he finished his sentence, the twins gasped and shouted "NO!" and busted into tears. Crow quickly got out and stormed out of the room, not being able to take being in the same room anymore. Akiza started screaming.
"NonononononononoNONONONONONO !"
Jack trembled and suddenly brought his fist up and introduced it to the wall, tears falling from his eyes knowing that nothing would truly help Yusei recover from that. Nothing.
Dr. Banner had to call for several nurses to sedate the Psychic who was breaking down. As he stared at the unconscious boy on the bed, he realized something.
Sometimes he really hated his job.
Jack wanted cry, he wanted to scream in rage, and he wanted to kill Paradox.
But he couldn't.
Not when his friend needed him by his side.
Jack stares at Yusei's unconscious form, feeling like he failed his best friend. A friend who still stood by his side even though he betrayed them and took his precious card. Even after everything that he did just to duel him again, Yusei still wanted to be friends with him. Jack wanted to help him, someone who wasn't just a friend but also like a brother to him.
But he couldn't do anything, all Jack could do was sit by his bed and pray Yusei made it through. Jack gritted his teeth trying to clam himself down, after the doctor came and told them the extent of Yusei's injuries, of the damage that bastard did to him. Akiza finally broke down. They had to sedate her and keep her on watch to make sure she didn't hurt herself. Crow left afterwards, not being able to take everything that was happening, murmuring that he'll tell the others the others the news, the twins following. Jack was the only one left in Yusei's room, even though it was passed visiting hours, he yelled at the doctors trying to take away from his friend until they let him stay.
And here Jack was, sitting in a room in total silence, the sounds of the machines that kept Yusei alive. Sounds that hurt Jack very much. Just silently praying that the heart monitor doesn't make the one sound that would destroy him. Every moment could he Yusei's last, and that's what scared him.
Paradox. The bastard that caused this. He was still out there, probably wait for the chance to get Yusei and destroy him.
Jack still remembered when they first saw Yusei in that room, the smell of blood that was everywhere, the sight of his nearly dead body laying there. And when he opened his eyes for that one, brief, agonizing moment that seemed like an eternity. That one moment when he saw the pure pain he was in. The sorrow he was drowning in. And that one short three-word sentence that felt like a thousand blades stabbing into his chest.
That one little sentence that was more powerful, more agonizingly emotional, and yet, at the same time, so hollow and defeated, that Jack wanted to cry for him.
"Let. Me. Die."
It tore through Jack and he knew that the specter next to him, Rift, was in worst shape then he was. Jack wanted to be angry at him. Wanted to yell and hit him.
But that would not help Yusei recover. That would not make Paradox pay for his deeds.
Jack wanted to be the one to make him pay. But when he looked at Yusei and remembered everything that happened to him, he would get angry but suddenly he would become numb. As if something inside himself was telling him that everything will turn bad but in the end, Yusei would be happy.
Jack didn't know why he felt this, and at the same time was a bit happy. Happy that in the end Yusei would be happy. But he was also sad that Yusei had to suffer first before he was happy. Hadn't he suffered enough?
After everything that had happened to him, even in the past, did he have to suffer more?
Jack was confused and that only led to more anger. But for Yusei, for his friend, for his brother in all but blood, he would do everything in his power to make sure that the happiness that Yusei deserved would be reality. And if Paradox suffered along the way, then it was just a bonus.
But before anything could begin, there was one thing that had to happen. One that everyone wanted at the moment.
"Please Yusei..."
And that was for one that everyone cared about, one way or another, to heal.
"Please...wake up...please...?"
Damn it, he should have done something!
Rift stared at the sleeping form of Jack and sorrowfully turned to stare at the injured form in the hospital bed.
He should have done something to prevent this.
Rift clenched his fists until they turned white. He was angry at himself and he knew that Jack wanted to hurt him many times for not being able to help sooner. Deep down, Rift knew that Jack had figured out that he knew where Yusei was the whole time. And if he was Jack, Rift would want to hurt himself too.
Damn it, he wanted a peaceful solution to this madness, a solution to saving their home. But no, he had to let his brother do what he wanted. He had to let Paradox destroy Yusei.
Rift knew that everything was going to go to hell before it got better. He knew it all revolved around Yusei and Paradox's choices. He knew that.
But that didn't stop him from feeling so goddamn guilty!
He witnessed one of his brother's...'Play dates'... with Yusei and to say he was horrified was an understatement. He still sees Yusei screaming and twisting in pain as his brother continued to tortured and break him. He still sees Yusei beg to die and his brother laughing at him cruelly. He still sees Yusei slowly lose his sanity. He still sees his brother raping him. He still sees Yusei choking on his own blood as Paradox stabs him again and again.
He still sees all that and more. And he still wants to throw up. He still sees everything from that one little 'play date', and it horrified him to think, if that was a short session, that what the fuck did he do to Yusei when it was longer! He still remembered the talk they had after Paradox was done with Yusei for the moment. Rift acted like he knew nothing in order to keep his brother from knowing what his saw.
He asked his brother how was is little torture session and even now, he still wishes to vomit, as he saw him smirk, and the sadistic lust and hatred towards Yusei filling his eyes.
He was downright terrified for Yusei after witnessing that horrific day. And he knows that it will be a miracle if Yusei were to completely heal from everything that happened. Still he sheds tears, sheds them silently as Yusei lays there unconscious, barely even breathing, tilting between life and death every moment.
"Forgive me Yusei Fudo." Whispers Rift in the silent room.
"Forgive me for allowing this madness to even begin." tears flowing from his eyes faster as he says this. The images of that cruel event flashing through his mind. He barely keeps himself from letting a sob.
Rift never felt such guilt towards anyone, especially someone he barely even knows. And he knew that even though is pained him to go through with it, he couldn't truly help him yet. He had to play his role, and helping Yusei completely wasn't part of that role, at least not yet. Not until far into the future.
He only wants peace, yet in the end, violence most happen before that peace can be obtained. It disgusts him to no end. It pains him to do this, but it must be done, no matter how much it hurts in the long run.
'Damn it, Paradox, Why did you do this? You better pray that they don't find out...'
"Rift... Damn you..." Paradox growled out through clenched teeth, anger surging through him, seeing the empty room before him. It's only occupant gone, taken from him by those retched friends of Yusei's.
Paradox turned and slams a fist into the wall behind him, punching it again and again, not stopping even when blood started appearing.
'How could you do this to me?' he thought as he slowly stops punching the abused wall. His hand was dripping wet with blood from the wounds on his knuckles. "If it wasn't for Fudo, our home would have been saved!" The blonde shouts into the silence, frustration and sheer fury present within the sentence.
If it wasn't for Fudo, his home would be alright.
If it wasn't for Fudo, his friends would still be alive.
If it wasn't for Fudo, everything would be back to normal.
If it wasn't for Fudo, Isis would still be alive and in his arms, whispering words of love with her sweet voice that always made him smile.
It's HIS fault nothing worked out the way they should.
It's HIS fault that his own brother was against him.
It's all Yusei Fudo's fault, and he WAS going to pay.
Paradox looked around the room again, stopping as his eyes reached the blood soaked bed, a smirk spreading across his face.
Oooh, how he hated Yusei.
But he had to admit, he had a VERY pleasurable body.
Oh, he put up a fight the first few times, who wouldn't? But in the end, he submitted to him.
After a while, he fought less, not that Paradox was complaining, just laying there as he indulged himself, and he did indulge, oh yes, MANY times.
Paradox hated him.
Paradox wanted him.
He wanted to see Yusei writher beneath him, to see him scream out his name as he came, only having eyes for him and him alone.
But he also wanted to destroy him, to see him beg for mercy, to hear him scream in agony as he ripped his flesh from his very bones, to see his life fade from his pain filled eyes. These emotions confused Paradox, but he pushed them aside, it didn't matter to him anyway...
Paradox wanted him.
Paradox hated him.
He will destroy Yusei, and when he won, Yusei will know nothing but pain, and Paradox will smile as he watches him suffer.
Paradox turned his back from the room and walked away, a cruel smile on his face.
He'll let Yusei go for now, let him fall into a false sense of security, and then when he least expects it, Paradox will destroy him.
"What to do... what to do..." He whispers as he walks away, lightly tapping his chin.
There was much to plan for Yusei, and he will know what happens when he disobeys Paradox.
"Oh, Yes... what to do... what to do..." Chuckling could be heard as he walks down the empty hall.