The Beast Underneath: A Yu-Gi-Oh! Fanfiction

Chapter Sixty-One: Their Regret

Kiria felt sick. She couldn't bring herself to move from the bed Shizira had gotten her. She couldn't stand to put on her traditional black clothes, back from America. She couldn't confront them all. Not with what her hands had done.

Kiria looked at the girl and nodded. "I don't believe I ever g-got your name. I'm Kiria, b-but I think you knew that."

"Shizira. Shizira Sanunmon. And yes," the girl told her in a monotoned voice.

Kiria swallowed the sticky, hot lump of saliva in her throat and turned over.

"I'm so sorry... I didn't want her to hurt you, but she didn't listen to me! And now... and now..." She trailed off, sobbing into the pillow.

Kiria turned back over, clenching her eyes shut. She just wanted to sleep. Sleep for hours and hours and hours.

"I enjoyed that, Shi. We should hang out more like this."

"Glad to hear, Ki. To be honest, I've never really had friends before now. It's... nice. Even though I can't do much to protect you from her, I'll still do my best."

The bile burned in Kiria's throat. She never did have the strongest of stomachs.

"Shizira, you're a good person. I forgive you. Axel might not, but I do. You've done your best to be kind, and I can't ask for a more amazing experience. Axel was just running high on her own asshole-like confidence, but she'll realize she was mean and apologize. I know. She's my sister. D-Do you want a hug?"

"You want to hug me?" her friend sniffed in disbelief, ripping off another paper towel and scrubbing her face clean. Now nobody could tell she'd been crying, besides a little red, which they might assume was make-up or allergies.

Kiria wrapped her arms around Shizira's waist and hugged. "Yeah, of course. Why not?"

"Kiria, wake up," Axel reached up on tip-toes and gently shook her sister's side. "Today's the day."

"Just where exactly are we going again, Shizira?" Kiria asked.

"We're going on another magic trip!" she explained, giving a thin smile. As usual, magic seemed to be the one thing that could hardly disappoint the ravenette.

"C-Coming, Axel," Kiria whimpered, sliding out from underneath the cozy flower-patterned covers and climbing down the ladder. She was surprised to see her clothes lain out, a sudsy toothbrush at the ready for her, and Axel holding her hairbrush.

"Figured you might need a little help," Axel smiled, but it was forced and uncomfortable.

Kiria dressed and brushed her teeth and let her sister brush her short, multi-colored hair. Malice walked in - walking, for once, which was a surprise. She was dressed in Egyptian mourning colors; a yellow shirt that covered everything appropriately and black pants. They exited the apartment building and descended the elevator, shuffling out of the lobby and onto the bus. It rattled as a bit of dreary rain, a light mist really, pattered outside. The clanking of gears, the stink of bus smog, and the general atmosphere only put Kiria down in worse moods than before. It didn't help that all the good memories they'd shared had begun to haunt her.

The bus slowed to a stop and the three girls walked the rest of the way to the funeral building complex. It was big, three stories with many rooms for funerals to take place. The door was held open for them; they passed through with silent nods, save Malice, who waved sweetly but didn't speak. Asuiri and his family stood together in the lobby, all dressed in black. He strode forward and hesitated before Kiria, eventually giving a firm hug.