REFUGE

"How long has he been asleep…?"

"Just a few hours… Came in and scared the hell out of me"

Kouren sighed upon hearing that. Yuuki, reckless as always…

The elderly man took a seat on the nearest couch, exhausted. He was in what seemed like a basement, hidden away in the café. All around him were various computer monitors, electronics, archeological equipment, and anything in-between strewn about haphazardly.

The single light bulb illuminating the room was a warm, dull yellow. There was faint chatter from a radio droning on and on in the background. Oddly comforting.

At Yuuki’s side was his best friend, Marshal Fero. Kouren recalls having met him a while ago during a festival.

His eyes ran up and down what lay before him. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing…

"Yuuki… Is this really you…?" whispered Marshal, running his fingers along the armor. The boy held his hand up to his chin, studying closely.

It’s been a few hours since Akiyama Yuuki passed out cold. He was lying on a small makeshift bed.

Marshal snapped up and turned to grab a ragged notebook. Frantically, he flipped through the pages, equations and sketches filling the book.

Kouren tilted his head in sheer bewilderment, observing Marshal’s strange antics.

"Oh Buddha, how did someone so studious befriend a blockhead like Yuuki?" he mused.

"What are you doing, my child?" Kouren asked, getting up from his seat. Marshal kept his gaze directed at the specimen before him, scribbling frantically into the booklet.

"Not every day do you see an opportunity for research like this! I’m sure he wouldn’t mind…" Marshal trailed off, giving the strange belt on Yuuki a poke to the side with his pen.

The priest bellied a dry laugh.

Perhaps this is the reason why they’re friends.

"My boy… How did you meet Yuuki?" Kouren then directed himself to Marshal.

The boy readjusted his glasses as he paused for but a moment. He bit his lip, deep in thought, before continuing to scribble away at his notebook.

"Well, we met in college. "We were in the same physics class," he said, waving his hand in the air and tapping his pencil up his chin, "and I was the one who helped him pass."

"Hmph, he's not much of a student."

"Well, he’s exceptional if he’s actually interested in a topic!" Marshal smiled, chuckling to himself. "Though, he was devastated once I graduated—no more free rides."

Marshal continued to scribble away; his eyes were fixated on the belt.

It was a strange device.

Large and with a green, red, and white turbine in the center. It radiated a faint heat.

The belt strap itself resembled a matchbox with its small red patterns. Two buckles were on the sides, fashioned with two glowing peridot gemstones. They were pressed up against the main device.

Kouren stood in silence, contemplating what was told to him as Marshal went on to explain even further.

Skipping class…

His penchant for all things retro...

His inability to ice skate…

That dreaded nickname…

“Yuuki, to me, always felt like a free spirit. He was bound by nothing, it seems, but the desires in his heart!" He finished filling up the page with one, broad and theatrical stroke of the pencil.

Marshal’s smile then faded, staring at those dim crimson eyes.

"But I’m sure somebody even like him had something chaining him. He was always adverse when it came to his home life… never inviting me over, always making excuses…" Marshal finished, turning to Kouren with tired eyes.

"Just what on earth happened to him, Kouren?" the boy pleaded.

Kouren swallowed his guilt, bringing his hand up to his chin.

"You see…" Kouren began, "There was an accident. What I did to Yuuki was the only surefire way of saving his life… I-"

Click.

The two buckles fastened to the sleeping Yuuki’s belt loosened, sliding back to their normal position. Whirring, the turbine spun intensely before grinding to a halt. It shuttered, displaying a strange symbol.

Kouren’s eyes widened as he approached the unconscious boy, unsure of what to do. Marshal was in shock.

Yuuki’s body began to glow a bright orange, engulfing itself in a vicious flame. Marshal gasped, only to see the flames crystalize.

They shattered, fading into nothingness, leaving behind an unharmed Yuuki.

He was human once more. That belt strapped to his waist remained but for a moment, before fading away in a sea of embers.

Kouren closed his eyes and sighed in relief, while Marshal tried his best to process what he has just seen.

"He’s fine, my boy. He’s back to how he should be." Kouren concluded, placing his hand on Yuuki’s forehead.

It was burning.

Marshal collapsed on a nearby computer chair, spinning around to his work desk. He let out a deep sigh, trusting the priest’s word.

What caught his ear was the chatter from the radio. He reached out and tuned it, clearing the signal.

A tone played from the radio, signaling the turn of a new hour.

"6 am. This morning’s report."

Marshal narrowed his eyes. Kouren listened intently.

"Three casualties as a result of a Luminite attack in the Rokudou City Mall’s open court. It occurred at roughly 5:30 AM. All the victims have been hospitalized."

"The hero Kagami Rider arrived at the scene around 10 minutes after the incident escalated, quickly eliminating a majority of the assailants. However, eyewitness reports say one bearing the resemblance of an arachnid has escaped."

The sleeping Yuuki’s hand twitched.

"Takayama Industries has experts assigned to assist the police in investigating the incident-"

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Kouren’s phone began to buzz. He swung it open and turned away from the radio, with Marshal lowering its volume.

"Hello?" the priest answered before his eyes widened. "Masahi?"

On the other side of the line stood Masahi, exhausted, clutching his phone.

"Yes, morning Kouren. It’s been about a day now. Are you sure you haven’t seen Yuuki?" Masahi asked once more, his voice wavering from weariness. There was no more anger.

"Well…" Kouren trailed off, with Masahi continuing.

"I’m going to call the police over his disappearance. Hikari was stupid enough to convince me to wait any longer… but I’m-"

Kouren’s phone was snatched out of his grasp. The old man gasped, turning around to see-

Yuuki stood tall, phone in hand. He placed it up to his ear and greeted his younger brother.

"Masahi… Long time no see, huh?" Yuuki smirked, placing his hand in his pocket.

Masahi almost screamed, but Yuuki kept speaking.

"I’ll explain everything. I’ll come back home tonight, don’t worry." Yuuki winked at Kouren and the now alert Marshal. "And don’t get mad at the geezer for me, alright?"

He then hung up, taking a deep breath as he placed the phone back into Kouren’s palms.

***

Masahi was speechless.

Hikari sat at the kitchen table, leaning forward. She had a wide grin crawl across her lips.

"That bastard..." was all that Masahi could muster.

Hikari clapped her hands, throwing a wink to her brother. She always got like this whenever she was proven right.

"See? What did I tell you, Ma-kun?" Hikari rose from her seat, placing her hand over Masahi’s hand. She lowered the phone down and softened her smile.

"Look, he’ll be back, and he’ll tell us what happened."

Masahi sighed, nodding. He paced about the kitchen, going around the table.

"Listen, he’s still going to get a piece of my mind. He needs to learn." He pointed in the air, directing his sternness at nobody in particular.

"Oh, don’t worry, I’ll talk his ear off too. C’mon now, you need to go to sleep. You’ve been up all night…" Hikari motioned over to the hallway leading out of the kitchen. Her eyes caught a certain someone, however.

A sleepy Junpei, dragging a large moth plush by his side, took a step in the kitchen. He yawned before Masahi ruffled his hair.

His tone instantly softened.

"Good morning sleepyhead. We've got some good news for you, don’t we Hikari? " he shot Junpei a tired, tired smile.

Hikari nodded, motioning to her brother to make the announcement.

"Yuuki’s coming home today."

Junpei’s eyes widened, yet he remained silent for a bit. He spoke, "Why was he gone for so long…?" The boy clenched the plush in his hand, unable to wrap his head around what was going on.

Masahi’s eyes narrowed for but a moment before he reassured the boy.

"It was something for college. It took him a few days to finish… think like a field trip." was all he could come up with.

Junpei gave a slow nod, seemingly buying the explanation. Hikari took his hand and led him over to the table, "Come on, honey, you have school in an hour, so let’s get you breakfast. What do you want?"

The boy sat in his seat and pondered for a second.

"Pancakes!" he demanded.

A bead of sweat dripped down Hikari’s forehead, knowing full well how her last attempt turned out.

***

Yuuki stood outside of the café, his bike humming amidst the gentle wind.

Rokudou was waking up, with lights all in the surrounding buildings beginning to switch on one by one.

Kouren and Marshal stood by him, with Kouren bowing before Yuuki.

"Yuuki… I’m sorry. Please, forgive me for what I’ve done to you." Kouren pleaded, remaining down.

Yuuki mulled over this apology, struggling to find the right words to his old friend and mentor.

He placed both hands on his shoulders and patted them, the old man rising from the bow.

"Look… I know why you did it. If it weren’t for you my story would have come to an end." Yuuki trailed off, turning to his bike. "Despite this, that ritual… where did you learn of it?"

"Long ago, while I was on an archeological expedition to Egypt. I learned it there. Whenever we’re together at my temple, I can explain further."

Yuuki nodded, throwing a leg over the motorcycle. Marshal’s eyes lit up as he heard the mention of Egypt, looking at the notebook by his side.

"Yeah, that sounds great, honestly. Well… Marshy?" Yuuki revved his motorcycle to grab the boy’s attention.

"Marshal. Marshal! What did I tell you?"

"I finally wake up and you’re immediately giving me sass. Typical Marshy." Yuuki laughed, smiling brightly.

Marshal could only protest, resisting the urge to strangle the boy.

Perhaps he was better left as a sleeping specimen...

"I’ve got... a lot to explain to my family. A lot to dodge and a lot of lies to make up." Yuuki gripped the handles of his motorcycle, those words dripping out like venom.

"Yuuki-" Kouren began, but Yuuki raised his hand at the old man. His gaze softened.

"I got into this mess myself. My fight. But first, I got a promise to keep." Yuuki smiled, sliding on his motorcycle helmet.

He gave Marshal and Kouren a wide grin and a thumbs up before speeding away, the two turning back into the café.