Yashin & Jiyu's Ultimate Adventure!

Thy Betrayer, Unhealed [33]

While Yashin was on her way to the Abyss caverns, Cyrus decided to help the others look around the island. 

Cyrus made it to the traveller's cabins as he spotted Akarui and Linette. He shouted to them, ''Guys! Wait up, I'll help look!'' as Linette said to Akarui, ''Do you know that guy?'', ''Yeah, He's Iah's brother! Don't worry, he's nice!'' Akarui answered as they greeted him and he formerly introduced himself to Linette. After that, they kept wandering around, calling Jiyu's name now and then. In between that, the three decided to talk a little.

''Oh, So you like poetry? That's cool.'' Linette replied in response to Cyrus' hobby. Cyrus brushed it off, modestly as Akarui asked another question that he, himself hadn't thought of yet. ''So, Cyrus... What are you gonna do when your family starts wanting you to fight more? If I was you, I'd say a big, fat, juicy no!'' Akarui giggled to herself slightly as she looked around one of the buildings they were near. Cyrus thought for a moment before attempting to answer, ''I'm not sure... I guess the best thing I can think of is to simply run away. I love my family, but I also love poetry and music and not being able to pursue it would be a nightmare.'' Cyrus gave a faint smile as he looked sad at the same time. That's when Linette had an idea... ''What if you travel with us?'' Cyrus and Akarui both looked surprised, but Akarui was, of course, excited. ''I think that's a great idea! What do you think, Cyrus?'' Akarui jumped as Linette knocked on another cabin to check if anyone else saw anything. Cyrus' immediate answer was, ''Of course! Or rather, I would love to! But I'd have to get past my brother's nagging. He may seem nice to you but he's a real asshole sometimes...'' Cyrus scratched the back of his neck as he called out Jiyu's name again, still looking around the premise. Linette then turned to Cyrus and said from experience, ''Whatever he says about it, do what you wanna do. Nobody can live your life but you, so go in your own direction! After all, everybody walks a different path. It's just a matter of having the guts to cross the grass to get to it.'' she chuckled for a moment, realising what she just said. Akarui nodded her head frantically, agreeing. Cyrus let out another smile as he joked, ''That was quite poetic, Linette!'', as they all had a wholesome moment.

As time went by, the search was nowhere near over.

Yashin had finally made it to the Abyss. She was tired and stressed. She just wanted to get Jiyu and go home. In a way, she was sick of all of this. 

Suddenly, a malicious laugh echoed through the cave's entrance. Out came the dragon queen with a mischievous smirk upon her lips. Yashin stepped back and tried to prepare for whatever was about to happen. ''Why, Isn't it the red-headed girl who accepted my deal yesterday! My, I'm honoured~'' she kept in her laugh as Yashin shouted back, ''Where's Jiyu!? What did you do to her?!'', to this, the dragon queen let out her laugh and replied, ''Oh, So you came here to retrieve your cat friend? Oh dear, That'll be a problem... She works for me now. Don't believe me? How about you see for yourself... Ahaha!'' She let out a loud antagonistic cackle as Jiyu came out from the darkness. But... she was different. Her hair was neater, and her ears more perked up than usual as if she were always on the lookout. Her favourite adventuring gloves had been replaced with black-painted nails, longer and as sharp as a knife. Her tail hardly moved. It showed no emotion, unlike how it usually is. The most off-putting, however, was how Jiyu's eyes glowed the same purple as the dragons of the Abyss. For once in a long time, Yashin stuttered. She had no words. But she couldn't assume that Jiyu changed any more than her looks. ''J-Jiyu... Are you... okay? Did she hurt you at all?'' to which Jiyu stepped forward. All she could feel was anger, hatred and rage. To Yashin's dismay, Jiyu's transformation into a puppet of the Abyss was complete. ''Jiyu... get rid of this rat.'' The dragon queen ordered as Jiyu replied with not words, but violence. 

Jiyu kept running forward and using her new claws to try and injure Yashin. Jiyu's view was clouded. She didn't see her life-long best friend. She saw the one who's been stringing her along on this adventure, only caring for heroism. ''Jiyu, what are you doing?! I'm your friend!'' Yashin exclaimed as Jiyu scoffed. 

''Friend?! You pushed me into your shadow! We could have been at home right now, eating sandwiches and playing video games! But no, You just HAVE to be the ambitious hero, don't you?! It's always you! The perfect little nugget among the peasants, isn't that right?'' In between arguing, Jiyu kept trying to scratch Yashin in pure despair. Yashin had learnt from Seiko to dodge whenever you can't attack. ''What?! Jiyu, It's-'' Yashin was cut off. ''It's nothing! It's you acting like the victim! As if you're the one trying to protect and save, am I right? Well no! I've helped just as much as you have, y'know! Remember when you had to get into Club Hunni? Yeah, I did that! Remember when I said Earl was innocent? I was the one to talk to him. And remember Eli?! I saw Eli die by the hand of their own father! It's not fair- It's your fault we're here! It's your fault Pico's ship is beyond repair! It's your fault I feel like I can never voice my problems with you because then I feel bad! If only I didn't encourage you to continue this fucking adventure-!'' This time, Jiyu was cut off, still attempting to hurt Yashin physically. ''Jiyu! Are you listening to yourself?! We've been friends for years, you can tell me anything! Never have I said otherwise! And I know you've done so much to help, but I-'' Yashin was cut off. Not by Jiyu, though. She cut herself off as she noticed the necklace around Jiyu's neck, glowing brighter than the sun. She then realised. Jiyu is being controlled. Well, more like motivated but the bottom line is that Jiyu feels hurt enough to fall for this manipulation by the dragon queen... Jiyu was sad, angry and hurting more than anyone else has on this journey so far. 

Yashin then spoke, stopping her dodges with tears in her eyes. ''Of course, I'm sorry. And I'm proud of you. I now know how hard you have to fight, girlie. And I see you. Don't you ever give up, kay?'' She smiled. As she finished her sentence, Jiyu started to cry as she struggled to hold back the anger that the dragon queen's magic was fueling. Unfortunately, before Jiyu could stop herself completely, her hand grazed Yashin's cheek and her nails dug in deep, almost piercing through Yashin's jaw. The realization that Jiyu had at that moment left her sobbing, not having the strength to look her in the eyes.

But not even the dragon queen could predict what would happen next.

A familiar portal opened up behind Yashin's kneeled stance. Out of it, came a furious looking Asutoro, wielding a sword that was coloured with a blood-red flame. Jiyu looked behind her at whatever was happening. It was as if the universe glitched out. Like Asutoro was trying to rewrite it. Before making her move, she whispered to Yashin, ''This is for Yae.''. With the sword, she made a clean slice right through Yashin's chest as she teared up more and looked at Jiyu, who was still looking back at the scene in fear. Asutoro then stepped back, shaking with a single tear in each eye and went back through the portal as it shrunk and disappeared.

Jiyu's eyes had turned back to her golden colour as the dragon queen had run away, hiding away in her caves once more. Jiyu, ears now down to the sides of her head, held Yashin as she kept saying things like, 'No, No... I'm so sorry! Please, stay with me, Yashy-!''. Her cries got louder as she tried to shout for someone to help. Luckily, Cyrus brought the others to look for Yashin and Jiyu so when they heard Jiyu's screams, they ran straight for the Abyss entrance.

The scene they witnessed was Jiyu holding a wounded Yashin, both of their eyes filled with tears. Yashin looked absolutely thoughtless as Jiyu tried to stop the bleeding with her hand, not thinking straight. She looked up at the small group as she pleaded for their help, not caring who it could have been.

With their help, they got Yashin to a hospital in Nahrahka's Village and Jiyu let Lady Guiz'qao keep the gem for the time being as she went back to Yashin's hospital room and sat by her side, holding her hand and falling asleep beside her limp body.