Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Angel Hunter ❯ Angel Hunter ( Chapter 1 )

Angel Hunter

 

Yukina wandered about the forest, thinking about recent events. She was, after all, the savior of souls. A light. Hikari. The teen was rather petite in comparison to her peers; his hair was black, spiked up with red tips, his blonde bangs flowed down and framed her cherub face. Her wide amethyst eyes were larger then eyes should be. She sighed, the cool air creating a puff of smoke from hot breath. The night sky was only slightly visible through the treetops and Yukina could barley make out the crescent moon that provided what little light there was.

 

The small teen walked on, knowing there was bound to be a darkling following her in an assassination attempt. Her kind was always being killed off by darkness. A yami. They were well known for their cunning and power, making it nearly impossible to survive once confronted. Yukina knew she'd been seen despite her black clothes and inconspicuous demeanor. They always knew if a hikari was near.

 

Although, the same could be said for a light. Hikaris always knew when a yami was near. After all, they were absolute opposites. Two sides of the same coin. Yami. Hikari. Despite what most yamis believed, darkness could not exist without light. The yami demon king decided to pass a law over all darklings to begin picking off the hikaris one by one in attempt to create a new world ruled by emptiness and shadows. However, on several occasions, once a light was murdered, its yami counterpart was rumored to vanish, never to be seen again. This was true only for those that slaughtered their opposite themselves.

 

Yukina grinned in the night, uncharacteristically emitting a cold, unfeeling laugh that echoed around her through the trees. She worried not, for nature always protected their hikaris. She stopped walking and waited. There was someone following her. A yami. Sensing its position, the teen looked up. A dark figure was squatting on a high branch, its feathery black wings creating a surreal silhouette against the dim moonlight. Yukina could practically feel bloodlust in the air. It was thick and heavy. This one wasn't all that big, only about a head taller then Yukina herself, but the dark one emitted great power and strength. He leaped down and attacked.

 

~~ ^_^ ~~

 

'How lovely, a hikari.' The darkling thought maliciously to himself, his crimson eyes narrowing. He leapt into a tree, deciding to follow the little light, and wait for the right time to attack. The hikari was small and looked weak. Perfect. He grinned and skipped along the branches to keep up with the little one. The dark one could feel the light energy radiate off the small child below. This one was especially powerful. He knew that a hikari would always be weak in comparison to a yami, so he didn't worry. He watched as the little form moved through the shadows cautiously, having obviously sensed his presence.

 

This game of cat and mouse was going to be one of the best he'd played in a long time. The undersized mouse stopped walking and suddenly glanced around, then looked up. Yami knew the time to assail had come; he leapt down and attacked, tackling the small hikari to the ground. He had the light pinned. Yami now noticed the light's wings were retracted, making it easier to win. The darkling immediately clasped a collar around the girl's slender pale neck. Its purpose was to restrain a hikari's magic. It pulsed as it fought down the hikari enchantment painfully.

 

The child of light struggled; trying to wriggle free of the taller's grasp without using any magic, knowing the collars had a reputation for emitting a shock. She failed. Cold impassive scarlet eyes bore into the warm innocent amethyst harshly. Yukina flinched. Yami grinned, knowing the light was pinned with his body, the smaller's wrists were locked above her head in a bruising grip.

 

Yukina trembled. Never before had a yami been able to pin her so easily. This one was indeed powerful. The petite teen now wished she'd left her wings out despite the attention they would've attracted with the pure white feathers.

 

"I have you now, little hikari." The dark one mused in a deep baritone voice, his mouth right by Yukina's ear. The smaller stopped struggling; it was pointless. Yukina figured she was going to die that night, but not yet. Yamis were known for their pleasure in torture and intimidation. She didn't dare speak unless demanded to by the dark demon, knowing it would no doubt earn her more pain. She sensed the pleasure the yami had gotten from his capture. A pearly smirk grew on the yami's face.

 

Yami was thrilled. He loved capturing lights and torturing them, but now he was sure this powerful one was his other. His hikari. The little one trembled in fear. Yami nuzzled the pretty one's neck appreciatively, shocking the petite girl. The dark one released his harsh grip and stood, helping the other to his feet before pulling the teen into a bone-crunching hug. 'I'm not letting you get away.' He thought. Putting his hand under the other's chin, Yami delicately lifted the hikari's eyes to meet his own.

 

Dark crimson met deep violet again, piercing. The shadow creature invoked his dark powers and sent them out in the form of hypnosis. The crimson mixed around, becoming as dark as blood. He knew the hikari would be unable to resist him. Yukina began to droop, finally slumping against the yami in a deep sleep. Gathering the hikari into his arms bridal style, the Prince of Darkness sprinted off into the night.

 

~~ ^_^ ~~

 

Yukina blinked open her eyes slowly. Everything around her came into focus. Sitting up, she quietly remembered everything that had happened. She was in a bedroom of sorts, sitting on a makeshift bed in the corner beside a dresser. Around the room, Yukina saw a twin-sized bed, a few windows, a desk, a dresser, and a bedside table. Most would look at this arrangement and think of how simple it is, but Yukina could see the elegance hidden. Everything made from wood was handcrafted with personalized engravments. The bed was layered with rare silk and velvet sheets, blankets, and a number of pillows. Jewelry hung on display in a clear case, which obviously portrayed great wealth.

 

Yukina stood and tried to step foreword, finding herself sprawled out face down. Her foot was stuck on something. Looking down, the hikari saw that she was chained to the leg of the heavy dresser. She sighed. In a feeble attempt to free herself, Yukina tried to use her hikari magic. Almost instantly, a shock wave was sent through her entire body. She screamed in pain a black electric sparks flew from the collar around her neck. Curling up in the corner in front of the dresser, she hugged himself tightly, waiting for the pain to pass. It stopped only after a moment. She panted. Yukina didn't remember the collars doing it that much. The yamis must've improved their technology.

 

"I see you've met the affects of my hybrid magic-repressor." The yami stated, his black-feathered wings creating an intimidating, yet beautiful, appearance. Yukina hadn't even seen him come in. The hikari looked up at the taller, gasping. They looked almost exactly alike, only the yami had the natural sun-kissed tan all yamis had, and his blonde bangs shot up against the black spikes in tall lightning bolts. This yami was most defiantly her counterpart. The taller grinned, noticing the little one's realization.

 

"Y-you can't keep me here." Yukina hated how her voice trembled. Yami laughed, walking closer to the small form sitting on the floor.

 

"I can and will. In fact, the King of Darkness insists that we yamis capture and kill all the weak little hikaris. You're one of the last remaining." Yukina froze at the last comment. Did that mean her grandfather was dead? Her friends? She had no way of knowing. "Tell me, little one, what were you doing walking all alone in the Shadow Forest?" Yami asked curiously, smirking at how the other dropped her gaze in silence. "I can make you tell me, or you can say of your own free will."

 

Yukina thought for a moment before answering. "I-I don't really r-remember… …I-I think I was l-looking for you." Came the soft reply. The dark one hadn't expected this.

 

"You searched for torment." It wasn't a question. "Why?" Instinctively the dark one stepped close and kneeled before the trembling hikari, forcing the other to look him in the eyes. Yukina allowed a small, gentle sneer to cross her lips, then reached out and grabbed the taller's wrist. Yami's mind and body immobilized instantaneously at the contact. Memories flowed into his mind from the girl.

 

Dark assassins. A village. Blood. A screaming mother. Bloodstained swords slashing. Burning fire. Chaos. Villagers screaming and fleeing in terror. Pain. Nausea. Blood loss. A man dying. Murder. Screaming. Silence. Blood. Darkness.

 

Yami jerked away from the girl harshly, forcing the spell to break. He looked down at the hikari with interest, wondering not only how the teen had cast a spell with the collar on, but what it was he'd just experienced. Yukina still had the small smile on her lips, but her eyes were sad and full of misery. The crimson-eyed yami couldn't look away from her. Questions fired away in his mind, but Yami refrained from asking them, knowing answers wouldn't come easy. Although, there was something he had to know.

 

"How did you manage to cast that spell?" He questioned.

 

"Y-you yamis are so arrogant. Hikaris can memorize power and surpass it." Yukina answered with false confidence, but much to her surprise, the taller laughed.

 

"I'm glad you've managed to break my toy, little pet. You're just as strong as I'd hoped. If you were any weaker, I would've doubted you to be my double." Yami then jerked the other rough to her feet by simply twitching his pointer finger using magic, pressed her against the dresser, and placed a searing kiss on Yukina's lips, his tongue forcing its way into the little one's mouth. The hikari whimpered. When she finally managed to force them apart, Yukina stood gasping as Yami tilted the hikari's chin, caressing soft skin with his thumb. "You are quite an exquisite angel, you know."

 

"L-leave me be, d-demon." Yukina jerked back away from the taller, hoping Yami would let go, but there was no space between her and the dresser. She then realized the collar around her neck had been replaced with a much more powerful one, which constantly absorbed her light energy. The difference in appearance was this collar was studded with bright glowing gems, which were obviously the source that drained him.

 

"Call me Yami." He replied coolly, ignoring the attempts to break away from his grasp. "What shall I call you, pet?"

 

"M-my name's Yukina." He stated weakly, knowing that last spell had sapped him, considering that's what the collar was doing too. Yukina gave up trying to get away and stared at the ground. As one act of defiance, he added. "Don't make the mistake of calling me 'pet,' I belong to no one."

 

Yami smirked, knowing this seraph was going to be difficult to break, but not impossible. His friends Bakura and Malik had managed so find their angels and keep them, so would he. Abruptly, Yami walked away from the small teen and went over to his closet, thumbing through the clothes until he found the outfit of pure white he had waiting for his hikari, one befitting of an angel. It seemed he noted that Yukina wore all black, trying to pass off as a demon.

 

"I'll not have you dressed as a demon around here, little Yukina. Remove your clothes." Yami demanded.

 

Yukina glared at Yami when he realized the taller wasn't going to leave him any privacy, but knew he didn't have a choice. Removing his black shirt, he saw the demon stare at his chest, drinking in the sight of bare flesh. Shivering under the crimson gaze, the hikari ignored him and was soon standing in front of Yami in his black boxers, blushing hotly.

 

"Those will have to go too, you know." Yami informed, still holding the white garments in his hands. Yukina's blush grew, but he resentfully complied, standing before the taller completely nude. The dark wanted to throw the pale boy down right then and have his way with him, but knew it wasn't yet time and ended up making the young angel more uncomfortable by staring. Yukina coughed lightly to get the demon out of his trance-like state, which worked. "Put these on."

 

Yukina's outfit consisted of a pure white sleeveless shirt that stopped above his belly button and had a white lace trim. His pants were white leather that showed off his slight curves. Finally, white fluffy slippers with rubber soles adorned his feet softly. Yami smiled warmly, knowing he'd chosen the perfect clothes for his petite hikari, and now all he needed to do was show him off.

 

"Yukina, love, let your wings come out, I want to see them." Yami ordered so kindly Yukina found himself wanting to do as he was told. Gently, large snow-white feathery wings unfolded from the boy's back, showing Yami a picture of pure innocence. "Beautiful." The demon murmured.

 

Yami then reached over to the bedside table and pulled out a black leather leash that was a decent length. He walked over to his angel and clasped the leash onto Yukina's collar, tugging it a bit to make sure it was on right. He knew Yukina wouldn't be able to remove it himself, considering it was shrouded in dark power. A few white feathers dislodged and fell to the floor as Yami took Yukina's delicate hand in his and led the boy out of the room and into the hallway, then finally out of the house.

 

The dark had known Yukina would stick out, but hadn't thought it would create such commotion. People whispered as they walked by, pointing rudely at Yami's angel, who wanted nothing more then to disappear. Instinctively, he drew closer to the demon, knowing he wouldn't be able to defend himself if any of them attacked. The collar had sapped him too much for that. What he didn't know was where they were going. They passed through a market, where demons were buying and selling items Yukina had never even seen before. More then once Yami tugged roughly on the leash because the seraph had stopped to look at something he'd never seen before.

 

"Y-Yami?" Yukina called softly, knowing the only was to satisfy his curiosity was to play the part of a submitting slave.

 

"Yes, little angel?" The demon stopped and turned to the boy, who had his head slightly down, and eyes pleading. Yami knew he was going to ask something. Unable to resist, the yami tilted the little one's chin towards him. "What is it?"

 

"C-can you tell me what that thing is? I-I've never seen anything like it before." He asked apprehensively, half expecting the demon to refuse outright and drag him away from the market.

 

"You mean that item in the center of the display? It's no wonder you've never seen one before, it's used to torture angels. We call it a Karai." Yami answered. The device was silver with three claw-like spikes jutting out of it. On the opposite end, there was a large clip, which looked to be used on wings. Yukina paled visibly, regretting the question. Yami noticed this and ignored it. "Now let's move along. I trust you won't be asking any more questions."

 

They proceeded; Yukina didn't bother looking at anything but the ground. If he had, he'd have seen that most demons were glaring at him with eyes filled with hatred and malice. The hikari was better off walking behind Yami and simply following where the leash was guiding him to go. It wasn't long before they passed the market and entered an area that was almost like a subdivision where large groupings of houses were. Walking down the sidewalk, which was an odd dark gray, Yami then turned into someone's yard and knocked on the door, Yukina in tow.

 

A tall, tanned bleach-blonde man answered the door. He wore a black t-shirt, black jeans, and gold jewelry. His eyes were a misty gray-violet. Yukina saw he had wings like Yami's: black and feathery, but they were bigger due to his larger size.

 

"Hey Yami, what are you doing here today? I thought you had to-" He looked past the shorter demon and saw the hikari. "Oh, I see. Come on in."

 

"Thanks Malik, I thought he might want to meet Marik." They stepped inside. The room was warm and home-y, decorated with shades of red, gold, and black.

 

"You shouldn't keep him on that leash all the time, Yami, or he'll want to get away even more." Malik advised, sitting down on a comfy soft red couch, inviting Yami to do the same. "What's his name?"

 

"Yukina."

 

"Come here, Yukina, I want to get a good look at you." Malik ordered. The hikari found himself following the leash, which the crimson-eyed demon was handing over to the bleach-blonde. Malik grabbed it and tugged hard, making the angel fall foreword onto his knees directly in front of the taller. "I've got to hand it to you, Yami, he's adorable, looks delicious, and is frightened of us. His eyes are stunning too."

 

"I know," Yami bragged, "Is Bakura and Ryou here?"

 

"No, but they should be coming soon." Malik informed. "Didn't you say something about Yukina meeting Marik?"

 

"Yes, I thought it would be good for him to see others so he'll stop being so defiant. Maybe Marik can talk to him." Yami replied, taking the leash back. He pulled Yukina into his lap as Malik went off to fetch his Marik. Holding the little hikari tightly in his arms, the demon whispered fiercely into his ear. "Don't you dare say or do anything without my permission, and don't embarrass me in front of my friends. Understand?" Yukina nodded fearfully.

 

Malik walked back into the room, another person following him. This person looked almost exactly like him: bleach-blonde hair, violet-gray eyes, but he had white wings. His hair didn't stick up as much as Malik's did, and his eyes were softer, not as cold, and harsh as the yami's. He wore mostly white, but his kaki pants were a dark blue. His skin was tan like a yami's, but not quite as dark. He must've had a demon somewhere in his family. Perhaps one of his grandparents. The hikari walked over to Yukina and stuck out his hand.

 

"Hi, I'm Marik." He introduced. Yukina looked over at Yami, who nodded.

 

"I-I'm Yukina." The small, violet-eyed angel shook Marik's hand politely, then was prodded by Yami to stand, which he did.

 

Yami and Malik seemed to have the same idea, so they both stood and lead their hikaris into a hallway, then a bedroom. Smirking slightly, Yukina's leash was undone, then he was pushed into the room, followed by Marik, who walked in willingly. The two demons laughed as the smallest angel looked up at them in confusion.

 

"Yukina, you stay here with Marik until I get back. Make sure you listen to him and do as he says. Got it?" The light nodded. "Good." With that, they closed the door and locked it.

 

Yukina stayed on the floor, looking up at Marik. He automatically folded his arms over his knees shyly and rested his head on them, not knowing what to expect from the stranger. Marik walked in circles around him for a moment, gazing at the boy with an unreadable expression. The smaller hikari wasn't sure what to do until Marik told him.

 

"Get up." He instructed. Yukina sighed and did as he was told, then rubbed his arms. The room was cold. "Don't worry about Yami or Malik, they just like to mess with new angels around here. There are a few others, you know, and they don't mind being with the demons."

 

"B-but demons are m-murderers." Yukina replied. Marik beckoned him over to the bed, where he was sitting. After a short hesitation, the little angel complied, finding himself being wrapped in a blanket.

 

"I saw you were shivering." Marik explained. "It's cold here, but not all the time, after all, winter is near."

 

"W-winter?" the violet-eyed angel asked, "W-what's winter?" Marik looked at him with a sad expression.

"You lived in the sky, didn't you?" he asked, his voice full of ache and his eyes with sorrow. "Above the clouds."

 

"I-I did, but something happened… s-something awful…" Yukina trailed off. The taller wrapped his arms around the little one, holding him close.

 

"What happened?"

 

"There was a invasion, w-we were attacked, b-but it wasn't demons…" Yukina answered, feeling comfortable talking to the other angel. "I-I only remember little things, then waking up on Earth. After that, I wandered until Y-Yami… found me, a-and brought me here."

 

"Are you sure they weren't demons?" The spiky haired boy nodded in certainty. After a long hesitation, he went on. "I-is there anyone left?" Marik questioned, not sure if he really wanted to hear the answer.

 

Yukina's mind flashed back to that night when they attacked. He had seen so many angels brutally murdered and tortured to death…there was no way to tell if any survived. If there were any who had, then it couldn't be many. The violet-eyed seraph didn't even remember how he had escaped. Yukina remembered he was with his parents. They tortured the three of them for information, but they hadn't given any. The petite hikari hadn't even known the information they sought, then somehow, he got away after they murdered his parents.

 

"I-I don't know." Yukina answered finally. "I-I didn't see anyone escape, b-but someone might have." They way the little one said it made it sound like a prayer.

 

"…Yukina? What was it like living in the sky?" Marik asked, for he'd been born and raised on Earth, dreaming of one day flying into the clouds and never coming back. His parents prevented that. The boy didn't answer for a while, and just when Marik was ready to give up on the question, Yukina spoke.

 

"Every morning, just as the sun was rising, the other younger seraphs and I would wake up and fly through the clouds. They were damp, but we didn't care. I-it was beautiful. T-the sunrise, I mean. T-then after the sun was high, we'd bounce on the clouds, sometimes it would make them rain down to earth. We did that most when we saw that crops were drying." The small angel answered quietly. "When night fell, as the sun was going down, we would fly as high as we could to watch the stars come out."

 

"Sounds lovely." Marik commented. "What else happened there?"

 

"The high archangel would sometimes call the adults into the castle that resides in the city." Yukina replied, "Then the rest of us would go out and fly wherever we wanted. There were always a few adults who didn't go, but a lot of times, they let us get away with anything."

 

"Really?" Marik asked. Yukina nodded.

 

"M-maybe I could bring you to the city s-sometime…" Yukina offered. "Though now it's probably abandoned."

 

"Really? That would be great, and Ryou could go with us."

 

"W-who's Ryou?"

 

"He's another angel I'm sure you'll meet, since he and his demon are friends with Yami and Malik." Marik answered. Just then, Yami opened the door, seeing his angel sitting on the bed, chatting with the other. He smiled.

 

"Yukina, Marik, Bakura and Ryou are here." He hoped Marik had talked Yukina into behaving better. "Marik, why don't you introduce Yukina and Ryou?"

 

"Okay." The bleach-blonde grabbed Yukina's hand, lead him past Yami, and out the door, eager to introduce Yukina to his friend. "I think you and Ryou will get along well enough."

 

When they got to the living room, Ryou ran over to them and embraced Marik into a hug. He had pure white hair, white wings, and dark chocolate colored eyes. He wore a colorless sweater and a pair of pale blue pants. Bakura was sitting on the couch, waiting for Yami and Malik. He looked exactly like Ryou, except his white hair was spiked up more, his eyes were far more narrow, his wings were black, and he wore black pants with a matching green shirt. Yami and Malik walked into the room behind the hikaris and joined Bakura on the couch.

 

"Ryou, you three play nice now." Bakura smirked, "I'm going to hang here with Yami and Malik."

 

"Okay, love." Ryou answered, "We'll probably go out back."

 

"Just one thing," Yami started, standing and walking over to Yukina, "Malik do you that special collar anymore?"

 

"Yeah, you need to borrow it?" The other asked looking surprised. His dark friend wasn't usually so cruel. Yami nodded. After pausing for a moment, the bleach-blonde went off to get it. Ryou, Bakura, and Marik were looking down at Yukina with concern. When Malik returned, Yami immediately clasped the heavy blue thing around the smallest angel's other collar. This one was thick and painful.

 

"I don't trust you to stay here." Yami explained tonelessly, "I suggest you stay in the yard. Now go."

 

Marik and Ryou each took Yukina's hands and walked through the kitchen and out the sliding doors to the back doors. The outside was very enclosed. An in-ground pool was at the edge of a wooden deck. There were climbing trees and a small clubhouse resided in one of them. Marik, Ryou, and Yukina flew up to it and entered.

 

"That's too bad mate, your yami doesn't trust you." Ryou stated to Yukina. "Though it doesn't seem like you trust him, either."

 

"I'm not surprised, Ryou. Yami captured him against his will and tied him up on a leash. " Marik countered. "I wouldn't trust Yami either after that."

 

"W-what's this blue collar do?" Yukina asked shyly, folding his wings behind his back delicately.

 

"Look out the window." Marik instructed. He complied while Ryou just shook his head. "See those orange flags surrounding the yard? It's an invisible fence. Anyone wearing that collar will get an electric shock if they cross that fence." Yukina's eyes went wide, then he just seemed miserable.

 

"I-I just want to go home…" Yukina's voice was small and quiet. Ryou and Marik exchanged looks as the smallest angel folded his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them.

 

"Yukina…" Ryou started, not knowing what to say. He and Marik had gone with Bakura and Malik freely when they were offered. After all, there was no other option, and they had been seeing the demons behind the archangels' backs beforehand.

 

"Yukina, Yami's not a bad guy." Marik started, "He's really not. I can understand why you feel the way you feel, but you're his other half, and he loves you."

 

"I-if he loves me, then why did he put this collar around my neck?" Yukina asked, his shyness falling behind resentment.

 

"That's easy, it's because he's a yami and he doesn't know how much he really cares for you. In fact, right now, all he sees is his other half and that he doesn't want you to get away." Ryou answered, "Then he'd have to hunt you down all over again."

 

"Ryou." Marik whispered, knowing how Yukina would take being 'hunted down.' He turned to the smaller boy. "It's destiny, Yukina. Yamis and hikaris are meant for one another. We complete each other."

 

Yukina didn't answer. Yami hadn't actually hurt him that much. In fact, the hikari expected to be tortured to death as soon as he was captured. Maybe Ryou and Marik were right, but even if they were, that still didn't exclude the fact he was caged against his will and treated like a common stray dog. The only difference is Master's don't French kiss their dogs. The smallest hikari blushed at the memory of Yami's lips on his. It didn't seem planned, as if the dark one suddenly had the urge to kiss the little angel spontaneously.

 

"Yukina?" Ryou called. "Just give Yami a chance. He might surprise you."

 

"I-I'll try." He promised.

 

"That's the sprit!" Marik replied enthusiastically, then turned to what he would've normally been telling Ryou had it just been the two of them. "Ryou, remember that thing I've been trying to get Malik to do, but he just wouldn't?"

 

"Yeah, I remember." Ryou answered hesitantly, not sure if they should be talking about things like that in front of Yukina.

 

"He finally did it." Marik nearly squealed in excitement. "And I can tell you that he changed his whole outlook on things like that and wants to do it more often."

 

"I'm sure he does." The white-haired angel replied, "I told you he would. I suppose in comparison, Bakura's easily swayed to do such things, though."

 

"W-what are you guys t-talking about?" Yukina asked.

 

"Oh, it's just a position." The tanned angel replied. "It's just more of a pain with Malik because he gets so set on what he likes, he doesn't want to try anything new." Innocent little Yukina only looked bewildered.

 

"Position?" He asked, "What do you mean?" The smallest angel looked up at the other two with wide, innocent eyes.

 

"You…you don't have any idea what we're talking about?" Marik questioned back.

 

"N-no…s-should I?"

 

"Marik, maybe he was trained by the council. That would explain why he didn't even seem to know about yamis and hikaris being made for one another."

 

"That would make a lot of sense." He whispered this to Ryou so the small boy wouldn't hear how idly they were discussing his life. "Those stuck up old geezers think they know everything and every so often, they have the need to 'take in' some orphaned angel child and turn him into their little robot. Of course, it seems that Yukina hasn't fallen victim to their brainwashing, but was probably kept naive about everything in the process. I wouldn't be surprised to find that he was raped while being held there and didn't even know what was being done to him." Marik replied, not knowing just how close to the truth he was.

 

"Oh, what do you know." Ryou replied huffily, refusing to believe anyone would take advantage of their new friend like that. Unfortunately, they both knew what it meant to be taken advantage of. Instead of answering, Marik turned to Yukina, who was sitting quietly, waiting for them to include him on their conversation.

 

"Hey Yukina, where did you live when you were in the sky?" Marik asked casually. "I mean, did you live with your parents?"

 

"K-kind of. I-I mean, I had parents, b-but I didn't live with them all the time." He answered, confirming Marik's assumptions. "The elders sent for me to live with them when I turned six. I still saw my parents often, until they said I had to increase my training. Mother didn't like it, but father said it was for the best."

 

Ryou and Marik didn't say anything for a moment. The white-haired hikari knew Marik was right when he first said something about how Yukina grew up; the tanned angel seemed to have a six sense when it came to things like that. He assumed it was just a part of his unique power. Each seraph had some exceptional magic to call their own that no other angel could do.

 

"Yukina… did the elders have you train with older boys?" Ryou questioned, hating himself for asking a question that could lead to horrible findings.

 

"…Y-yeah, t-they did." Yukina answered, keeping his voice quiet. "W-why do you ask?"

 

"Oh, uh…"

 

"Ryou just wanted to know if you were the only one your own age. I'm sure you were pretty young when they decided to take you to their council boarding house." Marik saved.

 

"How do you guys know so much?" Yukina asked suddenly. "I-I mean about the council. M-Marik said you lived here on E-earth."

 

"That one's easy, Yukina. We may have lived here on earth, but we were still a part of the angel colony. There are colonies all over the world and the sky. Well, not so much anymore…but in the colonies, we operate on the same system, just on land." Ryou answered.

 

"Yeah, it wasn't much different down here as it was up there."