Chapter 17: The Internal Problems

Era's POV

The next morning, I rode behind Yusei as he tested out the new engine. "Want to head to the overlook in the Infinity Tower?" I suggested.

He nodded and turned directions. I gripped on a bit tight at the sudden turn. "Easy, Era," he called back gently grabbing my hands locked around his waist.

I realized how tight I was holding Yusei and immediately said, "S-Sorry."

"It's fine," he told me. "Don't worry about me. Besides, I know you're still trying to get over that fear. So don't worry about gripping onto me like that."

"O-Okay," I agreed and laid my head against his back. We found our way to our favorite spot inside the Infinity Tower.

I slowly got off and allowed my arms to rest on the railing. Yusei came beside me as a gently breeze blew my hair back in a relaxing current. But even so, I was still tense for two reasons. One of which, I was reluctant to tell Yusei.

But I spoke up about the other, "Are the Meklord Emperors still worrying you too?" I asked.

"Yeah," he answered. "After the Ghost and what happened to Leo and Luna…"

"I know," I agreed. We went silent again.

After a few silent minutes, Yusei asked, "What aren't you telling me?" I looked at him confused. He was looking at me with a waiting expression.

"Yusei, I…" I stopped.

"Era, let me help you," he told me. He pushed some hair out of my face saying, "I love you, Era. It's the main reason I became an angel. So I didn't have to lose you and you didn't have to lose me. So let me be there for you and help you."

I sighed and looked down in a sad worried manner. "I'm really getting scared, Yusei. Now that our friends know, they could be in serious danger. And with Brehnam coming after me like he is…" I trailed off.

"It'll be alright, Era," he told me. "I won't let him touch our friends or you. I promise, he won't be able to get you away from me." He brought me into him tight. He whispered into my hair softly, "Not again."

"I… I know," I agreed though I was reluctant. I didn't want him to get hurt.

Obviously noticing my reluctance, he brought my face up to meet him. He made me look straight in his eyes. I relaxed a bit as I saw them shine over. And when he took my lips to his, I couldn't stop myself from giving in to the loving gesture and relaxing further.

When Yusei pulled back, he looked at me carefully. "I promise I'll do everything I can to make sure you stay safe and stay with me," he whispered in Angelic. "And have I ever broken a promise that I feel like I could truly keep?"

"No," I answered.

"Then you know I'll keep the promise," he responded. I nodded. I was about to say more when I knew we both heard two duel runners driving up the base of the towers. I slowly pulled back from Yusei. "They already know about us, Era. It shouldn't matter whether we're in that position or not now."

"It's… just a bit awkward to be seen in that sort of position," I responded blushing lightly. I turned back to the oceanic view across from us followed by Yusei.

It was then that we heard two duel runners park behind us. We looked back for a moment to see Jack and Crow walking up. I slowly turned back to the ocean.

"What's up, you guys?" Crow called.

I closed my eyes as another breeze blew through my hair. I didn't like the feeling my intuition was sending me. It was foreboding and worrying.

We stayed silent, so Jack asked, "What's going on with you two?"

"We're just uneasy about all of these," Yusei replied. "And Yliaster is behind all of this. Along with Brehnam."

"Yliaster? I remember Goodwin talking about that group from time to time," Jack responded. "Brehnam I can get, but Yliaster just sounded like a bunch of mystic Junk."

Yusei turned to the two humans. "They're real, Jack. Roman told me about the group that sent him to become a Dark Signer. And then there was Sherry who dueled me. She told us about how Yliaster killed her parents. And remember, Era said the three men who had caught her called themselves the Three Emperors of Yliaster."

"Oh great, so they're royal pains," Jack grumbled. "Are they the ones behind everything?"

"I don't know. But if Brehnam was working for them, I would guess so," Yusei answered.

"What do you think, Era?" Crow asked.

"I'm with, Yusei. Something about them doesn't feel right," I replied not turning to them. "Especially if they're with Brehnam. Then I'm more than worried with that."

"If a demon does get into power in the human world, what's it goal usually?" Crow asked.

"Usually to turn as many people to the Underworld in order to destroy the world and create it in the vision of the first King of the Underworld," I explained. I just kept my eyes on the horizon. If I turned to Yusei, he would notice my worry due to my intuitions. That's the last thing I wanted.

"So you think they're planning on destroying the world?" Jack asked.

"I'm not sure if they're working with Yliaster. But I don't doubt that's the final endgame for Brehnam," Yusei answered.

"We'll beat them," Crow assured.

"We'll see…" I muttered worried. I then said louder and clearer, "This will probably be a harder fight than the Dark Signers. After all, you didn't have a demon truly working with the Dark Signers back then. Just tagging along. Here, the demons are joined with Yliaster and that'll make the fight all the harder."

"We'll beat them, Era," Yusei reassured. "Don't worry about that." I gave a slow nod in response.

"Is something else wrong, Era?" Crow asked. I didn't reply.

"Era?" Yusei called. I looked down. "Era, talk to us. You can't keep staying locked up like this."

"I…" I paused and Yusei placed a hand on my shoulder before gently turning me to him. I looked at him and I immediately gave in like I had expected I would. "I just have a bad feeling about something coming up. That's all."

"We'll overcome anything that tries to stop us, Era," Yusei told me. "You know we will."

"Yusei's right. We've done it before and we'll do it again," Crow told me.

"Right," Jack agreed. "Don't worry about any gut feeling. We'll beat whatever's coming at us."

"But what if it only gets worse?" I asked.

"We'll beat it and keep protecting people," Yusei told me. "Can you trust us to do that?"

I gave a slow, nervous nod. "Yes," I agreed.

"It'll be alright," he told me calmly.

"I know," I agreed.

"Let's get back to the garage," Jack suggested.

We nodded in acceptance. Yusei grabbed my hand and brought me back to his runner where I boarded behind him.

"Good to see you've been getting her to get on easier," Jack said as they left.

"It wasn't really me. She's just been wanting to get over her fear," Yusei responded.

"Why has been afraid of duel runners anyway?" Crow asked.

"I'll tell you when we get to the garage," I replied.

"So how did you get the engine finally to work, Yusei?" Crow asked him.

"We worked a bit deeper into the programming and found a couple bugs. Era helped fix them and it started working after that," he explained.

"With that information, it makes me wonder who's better at programming," Jack stated.

"Yusei," I immediately stepped in. "He learned on his own and actually worked to learn it. I just took an extra class at Angel Academy and got help from it."

"You can take extra classes?" Crow asked sounding bored.

I nodded. "Most Combat Angels take at least one to try to fit in with human society," I explained. "And almost everyone takes a duel class when they're home is Earth."

"Are there angels that aren't human?" Jack asked.

Yusei and I nodded. "There are too many different species of other worldly lifeforms to count. And though humans is a main species, there are many others from many different worlds," I explained. "Yusei's met a couple new friends from Darwin 4 and Neptune."

"Neptune has lifeforms on it?" Crow asked. Yusei and I nodded. He groaned. "What other planets are there?"

"I can list most of them off at the garage," I answered. "There are too many to list off right now."

"Like how many?" Jack asked.

"About 197 different planet species total," I answered. "And that's at the present moment now that new and different angels are being chosen."

"That many?" Crow responded.

"Yep," I answered.

"Talk about variety," he responded. I grinned.

We arrived at the garage and I began to explain everything. From Demaya's death and my fear of duel runners to all the different species. By the time I was done and they were finished with questions, it had gotten time for scouting.

"You guys be careful, okay?" Crow told Yusei and I as we were about to leave.

"We will," Yusei responded before we flew out.