December~

Fresh snow, falling lightly onto the already stained white town. Houses lit up with warm fires, family together, telling stories, sharing warmth and..Love..

Joy filled the air, the moon hung high in the sky, embracing anyone in the night, with its bright, and comforting warm light.

Except for one.

One who didn't have family, warmth, or even a home to call his, or even..love.

It was cold..So, so cold.

The night was deadly silent 'round these parts, the moon giving off a chilling silence, no noises heard throughout the grounds.

There was silence..Pure silence, as to not disturb the dead.

Just..silence..

Except for one factor that had to be played into it all.

The small, auburn haired child, laying in a small ball, covered in the snow. Protected by nothing except an overly-large checkered, green coat, thin tan pants, and black worn-down boots.

The child no more than 7 or 8, lay there, sobbing his sorrow and pain away. But not all can be washed away with tears.

For what the child lay upon, was none other than a grave..A grave that was inscribed at, 'Mana Walker'

Grief and sorrow, overgoing it's normal boundaries, as this man was the child's, one and only, family.

Family..such a strange term..It could be described at many different things..It could mean blood relatives, to others it could be the ones that capture your heart, or even ones that mean everything to you..But for this young child..It was everything..

His life, his death, his sun, his moon, his light, his day..This man, was the only one who had ever shown kindness to this young child.

Most of the pain the child was caused, was because of his left arm. Red, and deformed, and in the middle of the palm, embedded a green, pointed, almost four leafed clover, with a white cross in the center, going out on all petals.

They would cast him out. Despise him. Beat him. Call him names, like 'Demon Child' 'Spawn of Satan' and much, much worse from the civilians.

The child would try his best to hide his deformed, veiny arm, with an oven mitt.

His life was a living hell, others avoiding him like he had the plague..All except him..

All except Mana Walker..

The one man in an entire town to make the child feel loved and accepted.

But now, this one man was gone..His life cruelly taken away by a carriage accident..

The man cared so deeply for the boy, the man sacrificed himself to the arms of, Death, in order to save the boy he told..

To keep walking..

And now, all hopes the boy carried through his already fragile and shattered heart-Torn away, and crushed under the weight of despair.

Alas, this despair called to a demon beyond demons..One that would feed on the despair of others, and take the ones they cry for, and turn them into..weapons..

Trying his will to take every chance he got..as to expand his army..And now this boy, would be his next victim..

((((()))))

The child whom was the one the despair emitted from, cried, and cried, sobs shaking at his small form.

Gray eyes squeezed shut, as if to shut away lifes troubles, and be hidden away. But from his despair, a form behind him slowly came into view.

But this figure..wasn't even human. It was almost like a goblin type being, but much more large, and even pointier ears. Lips at a giant smile that lay stuck in the same position in the form. A top hat lay on his grey skinned head, two blue roses attached to the hat.

The being carries a pink umbrella, with a small pumpkin head on the tip, a face content with smiling carved into the pumpkin.

The being was floating in the air, the umbrella he carry, opened wide, in the moonlight. The being landed softly on the snow, and walked towards the child, snow crunching under his feet, his umbrella now closed, and by his side.

The being observed the child before speaking, "Dear child, it seems the cruel, God, has once again, taken away the one you love too soon, is that right?"

The child peered up to the being, not once afraid of his frightful sight, but the child seemed almost..familiar with this being..but the being did not think such.

All the child did, was nod slowly.

"Well what if I told you, you could bring your dearly departed back?" the being spoke with fake, sweetened honey.

"Really?" The child looked up at the, being, hope shining in his dull grey eyes.

"All you have to do, is shout your loved one's name to the heavens, and bring them back to the living!" the being said, happily.

A strike of lightning, and a dull grey skeleton on a framework rest in the snow, staring down at the child.

The child nodded to himself, and with all the bravery he could muster, he slowly stood up, and screamed to the heavens.

"MANA!" the child screamed, and the being was slightly taken back. The name Mana sounded..familiar, but the being shook it off.

Lightning struck once more, and a spirit floated down into the skeleton. A beam of light was dragged gracefully across the forehead of the skeleton, spelling out, 'Mana'.

The child, smiled brightly, and stepped to the skeleton his arms out to embrace the skeleton.

"Mana-" the child was cut off by the skeleton.

"Allen..why!? Why did you do this to me!? You've turned me into an Akuma!" the skeleton yelled at the child, whose name by the man known as, Mana, was, Allen.

"I-I.."

The being cackled, watching as the two conversed in tense, and vicious conversation, "Now my, Akuma! I order you to kill the child and-" but the being was cut off for the first time, by the skeleton, who began screaming at the child.

"I CURSE YOU ALLEN WALKER! I CURSE YOU!" the skeleton with, Mana's soul screamed, and with a swipe of his metallic arm, sliced through the child's left side of his face.

The boy screamed silently to this, and held his face, but right before his, the skeleton's, and the being's eyes, the child's left, deformed arm, glowed a bright green and changed.

It changed into a giant silver claw, the same symbol on the palm, as the regular arm, before the claw. His auburn hair now with silver streaks varying through it.

The claw swiped the the skeleton, black seeping from the skeleton. The claw seemed to drag, the child on its own, forcing him here and there to attack the skeleton.

"Mana! NO!" the child screamed again, tears freely streaming down his pale, and bloody face.

"Yes! Kill me, and set me free!" the skeleton cried, and let the claw impale him, and allowing himself to explode almost instantaneously.

"No.." Allen breathed, and turned to his arm, "You stupid arm! You finally work and now..now you..you.." but the child..Allen..broke down, sobbing into his coat, blood still flowing freely from his wound stationed on the left of his face.

The being was fuming..As it was his job..The Earl of Millennium's job..to make the, Akuma.

The Earl stepped forward towards, Allen, prepared to end the child's life, as to not make another exorcist..As the child's so called 'deformed' arm, carried Innocence.

The Earl had to kill, Allen before he got his chance to fight against, The Earl.

With murderous eyes, glaring at the small, broken child, The Earl stepped even closer, about to kill the child when he stopped..

He had expected everything, and had steeled himself earlier in order to kill this child..this..failed Akuma..But nothing could have prepared him for this.

The child..Allen..was humming to himself, but what surprised the, Earl, was the song the child was humming.

The 14th's Melody.

The Earl's eye's widened, as his skin shedded, and he now looked more human. With a slight beard, medium-length dark hair, and a slimmer version of his previous attire, he looked like a gentleman.

The Earl, in this..human form..gently observed, Allen, and without a doubt, this child was humming the exact melody of the 14th.

The Earl was amazed at the child, but still hesitant as the child had innocence. Allen opened his molten silver eyes right when the, Earl was staring directly at his face.

Both eyes drilling into the others.

Recognition sparked in the older man's eyes, as they slowly widened.

"Nea?" he muttered, but shook his head, remembering that of the man. He died 35 years ago..but this child..he was the reincarnation..

He was the 14th.

Already regretting his decisions to the child, as of trying to turn the boy into an, Akuma, the Earl kneels down to the boy, who's still curled in a ball on the floor.

"Allen is it?" the Earl spoke softly, as of to not scare the boy.

Allen slowly nodded, darting his eyes left and right, as if searching for an escape route.

The Earl had to gain the boy's trust, as he didn't want another, Nea..He would keep this boy by his side, and mold him the way he wanted.

"There's no need to be afraid, child," the Earl said, smiling softly; his human form more comforting to the small boy.

Allen just continued to shake with the sobs that overcame his-much too thin-frame.

The Earl scooped up the boy in his arms, and held him in his arms, whispering comforting words to the small child.

After several moments of this, the boy had calmed down to silent sniffles, before turning to the man, "What happened to, Mana?" he whimpered.

A lightbulb dinged in the Earl's head, he had finally remembered where he knew the name, 'Mana' from. Mana was Nea's brother..oh how close the two were.

This child was certainly special, and the Earl knew it.

"Listen to me, dear child..The one you know as, Mana..something happened to him..but.." he had to lie quickly, "But it had nothing to with me, or you," the Earl lied.

"B-but..I k-k-killed him.."

"No, no, it wasn't you..It was the accursed innocence of your left arm..It's a bad thing, and will hurt you, and others..You see, innocence was created by the false God, and with it, people became something called, Exorcists, that were made to do bad things," the Earl spoke in much simpler words, as he was speaking to a child.

Allen sniffed, and rubbed the last of his tears away, "Who are you?" curiosity sparking in molten silver.

The Earl smiled slightly, "I am the Millennium Earl, but you may call me anything you want, Ne-Allen! Yes, Allen," the Earl quickly fixed his blunder.

Tears began to run down the child's face once more.

"What's wrong?" the Earl rubbed the child's tears away.

"I don't have anywhere else to go, Mana was my only f-family," Allen sobbed, "And I don't want to go back to the streets..Th-that's where they would hit me.."

'Hit him?' The Earl's face scrunched up in confusion and slight anger at what might have happened to the boy. He stored that away for a later date, and continued to talk to the child, "Well, Allen..How would you like to be part of my family?"

Said child stared up at the Earl, hope sparking in his eyes, but quickly died down when he looked to his now deactivated arm.

"B-but don't you hate me? My arm is evil, and you s-said it yourself."
"Don't worry, Allen, I can get rid of your innocence," 'somehow' he added mentally.

"Really? But won't that be too much trouble for you? I don't want to be a pain.." Allen looked down, ashamed.

"Allen, you don't have to worry about anything. I already consider you family, so you don't have to worry, alright? Now how about it?"

Allen looked at his hands, left then right, then back to the Earl. The child had a slight grin, when he looked at the, Earl, and nodded slowly at first, then nodded viciously, "Yes..I would that Mister..Thank you," Allen beamed up at the man, who chuckled.

"No need for formalities child, we're family now," The Earl smiled, happy to have the 14th by his side once more. This time, he could make sure the 14th wouldn't betray him, by teaching, Allen, himself as the boy grew.

"Now, I'm going to take you to my home, but I need to take care of something first, okay?"

Allen just nodded, and the, Earl set him down, and stood up. Instinctively, Allen grabbed, the Earl's hand, and held it tight, his eyes darting left and right.

"Don't be worried, you're safe now, Allen..I won't let anything hurt you," The Earl beamed, and with, Allen on one hand, and his trusty umbrella, Lero, in his other hand, and together, they walked out of the graveyard.

Allen had a loss, but from the loss, he received a gain.

Right when the two(three if you count, Lero) exited the graveyard, a deep voice yelled out to the two.

"Where do ya think you're going with that kid, Fatso?"

The Earl spun around, to be faced by the one and only, Cross Marian.

"What do you want?!" The Earl spat.

Cross just grinned, and eyed, Allen who was trying to hide behind the, Earl.

"Just give me the boy, and I'll be on my way," Cross said nonchalantly.

"Like hell I would! Scat, Cross, he's already with me!"

Cross just smirked, and lit a cigarette, popping it in his mouth, he shook his head, "Looks like I gotta do it by force," he said, and shrugged.

"Why do you want the boy, Cross?" the Earl said, and narrowed his eyes.

Cross' grin widened, "Quite a few reasons, but I ain't telling you any," Cross said, but narrowed his eye's at the, Earl, "Now I have a question..why are you in that form?" he said, but chuckled after saying it, "Kid must be just that special for you to do it, eh? Now then, why don't we hurry this up?"

"I couldn't agree more," the Earl said, and grinned. Holding tight to the scared child's hand, he used, Lero to lift them up, high into the sky.

Cross swore under his breath, "Looks like I have to use this now," he muttered, and pulled out 'Judgement' and pointed it at the locked hands of the two in the sky, and shot.

Now, the Earl couldn't use any of his powers at the moment, because of the child grasping onto his hand for dear life.

And it was because of this, that the bullet from, Judgement hit right on mark.

The bullet went between the two's hands, and broke the grasp, Allen now falling to the ground, screaming.

In a swift movement, Cross had caught, Allen, and help him protectively in his arms.

The Earl was now glaring viciously at the man that had taken the 14th away from him.

"Let go of me! Who are you!?" Allen cried, struggling in, Cross's grip.

"Shut up, kid, I'm saving you from, Fatso over there," Cross grumbled, and had Judgement at the ready.

"No!" Allen started crying again, "He's my family, and said he would take care of me, since, M-Mana d-d-died!"

Cross stared exasperated at, Allen who was now bawling, "Listen kid, that man that said he'd protect you, was lying, you gotta listen to me," Cross couldn't believe he was begging the child.

"Allen doesn't want to be with you, Cross. Now be a nice man, and give him to me.." The Earl spoke calmly, but rage burned in his eyes.

"I see you corrupted another, with your lies, eh?" Cross spat, trying even harder to keep the child in his grasp, while still having judgement at the ready to attack.

"I didn't lie about anything, Cross. Now, Give. Me. The boy."

"Like hell!"

The Earl glared daggers, fed up with, Cross's antics, he summoned a ball of dark matter, and shot at, Cross, who so surprised at the sudden attack, barely had enough time to dodge it.

But the, Earl wasn't playing around this time. No, not this time..This time, no one would take away, the 14th from him.

He fired relentlessly at the man, who never got the chance to fire judgement. The Earl finally gained one lucky shot, causing, Cross to drop, Allen, and hiss in pain from his arm.

In a swift movement, the Earl already scooped up the now shaking, Allen, and started walking away. From all the excitement, and horror of the day, Allen felt the day catch up to him, and his eyes drooped.

After several moments of fighting the battle of sleep, Allen finally gave in, and fell asleep with soft snores in the arms of the, Earl.

But the Earl stopped once he was sure, Allen was asleep, to say one last thing to the man who was crouched on the ground, clutching his arm.

"Come near the boy again, and I will kill you," and with that, the Earl walked away from the growling, Cross.

The Earl looked down the the small child in his arms, dark bags under his eyes. It made the, Earl wonder what the poor child had been through in his lifetime.

But that didn't matter now. The 14th was home before anyone else could get to him, and now, everything was falling into place with the 14th in the, Earl's hands.

This time, he wouldn't let go.

The Earl decided to do what he had to finish, later, as his first priority was to get, Allen home, and safe. He summoned a gateway to what was called the, Ark, and stepped into the white crystals that split the sky.

Almost immediately, he was bombarded by a young looking girl, with purple colored spiky hair, adorn with a punk-gothic lolita style dress. Her skin grey, and eye's golden, and seven star-like crosses adorn her forehead.

"Millenie! Where have you been? I've been so bored, and, Tyki won't play with me!" the young, teen looking girl whined, but when she spotted the child in the, Earl's arms, she squealed with delight.

"Oh my god, he's so CUTE!" she squeaked, and was about to try and hug the child in the, Earl's arms, when the, Earl stopped her.

"Road, I know you want to meet the child, but you should wait, he is quite tired, today was quite eventful."

"Um, but his face is bleeding.." Road trailed off.

"Oh..right..I forgot about that.." the Earl chuckled nervously.

"Whoa, whoa whoa, wait one second!" Road cried, and she looked at the, Earl up and down.

"Why are you..?.." Road started, but trailed off.

"It was for the child.."

"Oh..And if I may ask, why did you bring a human here?" Road asked, grabbing, Lero from the, Earl's grasp, and hopping on top of him, floating in the air.

"Ack, Lero..Too heavy, Lero!" the umbrella cried, but was unnoticed by both.

"Ah, right. I found the 14th-"

"What!?" Road stifled a scream, "But..what about, Ne-"

But the, Earl cut her off, "I have a plan for that, Road. That's why I'm so glad I found him now..We can make sure he doesn't betray this time..but I want you to promise me one thing."

"Yeah?"

"Don't tell the others about the whole, Nea accident..It would rest better with me, if you didn't."

"Alright, I won't..Anything else, Millenie?"

"Yes, his left arm is Innocence," the Earl said, which gained a gasp from, Road, but he continued, "But I'll try to keep it under control, so it doesn't suppress his, Noah. And from what I've gathered, when he lived on the streets, he was beat, so we have to take care of those, humans later.." the Earl trailed off again.

Road was angry, how dare those sub humans hurt her family! She would definitely get them back for this one day.

Allen mumbled something from his sleep, slowly waking up. He cracked his eye's open, to be face to face with, Road.

"Ack!" Allen shrieked, and clutched the coat of the, Earl, tightly.

"Don't worry, she's part of your family," the Earl said, chuckling at the child's antics.

Allen nodded slowly, and the Earl set him down. Allen looked up at the girl, and put his hand out to shake hers, "Hello Miss..My name's, Allen.."

Road squealed at, Allen's manors, which made him even cuter than he already was. She immediately wrapped her arms around him, and hugged him in a death grip.

"C-can't, b-breath!" Allen wheezed.

Road released him from the hug, and smiled brightly, laughing, "Well hello, Allen! My name's, Road!"

"H-hi Miss Road.." Allen said softly, staring at his feet.

"No need to be so formal, silly!" Road giggled, and poked, Allen's nose, "We're family!"

"O-okay, Road."

"Oh! That reminds me, we should get your face cleaned up."
"My fa-.." Allen put his hand to his face, and felt the now crusted blood, some still flowing, "Oh..ow.."

"C'mon!" Road said, and grabbed, Allen's hand, and ran off to her room, to clean, and bandage, Allen's face.

The Earl chuckled to himself, and left to his office, and to try and figure out what to do about the, boy's innocence in his arm. On a different note, the Earl was ecstatic about, Road getting along with the boy..now for the others..

((((()))))

Road grabbed a spare towel from the rack, in the bathroom of her room, and wet it slightly.

With her tongue out in concentration, she gently tried to rub off the blood on, Allen's face, but with no avail.

It just so happened that she, had, had a ton of candy right before, the Earl came back, so her arms were all shaking, and she was way too spastic to clean the child.

"Uhg!" she growled out frustrated, and lifted, Allen onto the sink counter to sit.

"Oh!" Road exclaimed, almost like a light bulb went off in her head, "I'll ask, Tyki!" she giggled, and ran out of the room, leaving a very confused, Allen.

The boy just sat on the counter, swinging his legs, the events of the day running rampant in his mind.

Mana died, he met the, Earl, he was nearly taken away by red-headed maniac man, and got a family. But, Allen still felt alone, almost, empty, now that, Mana was gone, and the only one he trusted was, the Earl, and maybe, Road..maybe..

But he still felt it at times.

'You're never alone, Allen...'

"What?" Allen shot his head up, and snapped his eyes open, but just like it came, the voice was gone.

"Must have been my imagination.." Allen muttered to himself.

"What is it you want this time, Road?!" a male, annoyed voice grumbled from the other room that was connected to the bathroom.

"Tyyyyykkkiiiiiii, I need your help with the..human boy in there! I don't know how to handle him, considering he's still human.." 'and not Noah yet' Road added mentally.

"Why is there a human here!?" the one known as, 'Tyki' screeched.

"Oh, stop your whining, Tyki! It'll be fine, you'll love him! And he's so cute!" Road squealed, "He's almost as amazing as candy," then she gasped, "Maybe even more!" The pair walked into the room, and, Road was standing next to a man with the same skin, eye's, and stigmas as, Road, but his dark, wavy hair was slick back behind his head, with a mole under his left eye, adorn with a tuxedo, and a top hat.

The cigarette in his mouth was spat out, as he stared at, Allen, mouth gaping.

"Umm..Hi?"Allen said, smiling slightly, confused.

"Why. Is. There. A. Human. Here?" Tyki growled, as he spun to, Road.

"He-" Road was rudely cut off, by Tyki.

"No, no, nope, nopety no! I am not helping you take care a human, especially a human child! How did you even get him in here, Road?!" Tyki tried to excuse himself from the room, but bumped into something..or someone..

Tyki slowly turned around and saw, the Earl, glaring down at him.

"Ehm.." Tyki trailed off.

"I brought him here," the Earl stated simply.

"But he's-"

"The 14th."

That shut, Tyki up immediately.

"Oh." with a sigh, Tyki turned back to the child in the bathroom, and with a grumble, he grabbed the town, grabbed a small chair, and sat in front of the child.

"Should've had, Sheril do this, not me.." Tyki mumbled under his breath.

"What was that?" Road called out, mockingly.

"Nothing!" Tyki snarled, and he turned back to the boy.

"So.." Tyki started, as he began rubbing off the crusted blood from, Allen's face to start with, "What's..your..name?.."

"Allen Walker..you?" Allen asked back, trying to stay as still as he could, still shaking at the man that frightened him slightly.

"Tyki Mikk." he replied simply.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Mikk.."

Tyki sighed to himself, "Just call me, Tyki..I guess we're family..unfortunately.." he added the last bit under his breath, thinking, Allen couldn't hear him..but the child heard everything..and I mean, everything..

Tyki started rubbing off the still running blood, and tried to stop the wound from bleeding anymore than it should have.

He finished washing the child's face, and wrapped it in gauze, in silence..

He was about to leave the room, and leave the child that was supposed to be his family now, to Road, when he noticed the oven mitt on the child's left hand that was now replaced once more.

"Why the mitt? You into cooking or something?" Tyki asked, and raised an eyebrow.

Allen immediately flushed, and hid his left arm, behind his back, protectively, "It's nothing.." he muttered.

Tyki narrowed his eye's, and walked closed to, Allen, "Show me your arm boy."

No response.

"Now," Tyki growled, but, Allen just looked down, ignoring the man.

"No.." Allen murmured.

"Ahem?" Tyki raised both eyebrows.

"I don't wanna.." Allen murmured again.

"And why not?"

"Because.."
"Because why!?"

"BECAUSE I HATE IT!" Allen yelled, but immediately covered his mouth, and covered his head, expecting to be stricken.

When nothing happened, Allen looked up, and saw a confused, Tyki, glaring down at him, with cold, and hard eyes.

"Should've expected this from a human.." Tyki spat.

Allen felt tears coming to his eyes, "Why do you call me that?!" he stifled a scream.

"What?"

"Why do you call me a human, like, like it's some kind of foreign thing to you!? ...I'm not even human.." Allen said through clenched teeth.

"What are even talking about?"

"HOW CAN I EVEN BE A HUMAN WHEN MY OWN RACE DISOWNED ME!?" the child screamed through all the pain of what he had gone through.

"What?" Tyki breathed, eyes wide.. 'How can your own kind 'disown' you?'

"How's that even possible?" Tyki scoffed.

Allen just stared at the floor, tears streaming out of his one available eye at the moment.

Tyki was about to give up, until, Allen spoke again.

"They did it because of my arm.." he muttered, "They called me things like, 'Demon child', and beat me whenever they saw me..A few of the priests even tried to exorcise me at one point..and at one time, they tied me to a cross and tried to burn me..They even tried to cut off my arm one time.."

Tyki was dumbfounded, how could humans do such a thing to a child..and at such a young age even..

"I..I.." Tyki tried, but no words came out.

"I know you probably hate me for intruding in on your family, but I had no where else to go, after, Mana died..He was the only one that would take care of me those times..I guess I was just so lonely, and desperate for someone..anyone.."

Tyki felt a pang of sadness and guilt, both well up inside him. Without thinking, he scooped up the crying child, and held him tight, while the child cried his sorrows away.

Both sitting on the floor, Allen on, Tyki's lap, crying into the overcoat of his tux, clutching to him for dear life. Tyki murmuring soft words to the child.

And that's how, Road found them hours later, both asleep, Tyki sitting cross-cross on the floor, gently holding on to, Allen, who was clutching the man's tux with his small palms.

The Earl sauntered up, next to, Road, and smirked, staring at the two on the floor, "I was wondering where, Tyki was during dinner..Shame the two couldn't be there for it..But I think this was better."

"Y'know, Millenie. I think, Allen's gonna be a great, Noah, 14th, and little brother," Road smiled, floating upwards, on Lero, who was currently complaining.

"Should we wake them up?" Road asked, and cocked her head to the side.

"Let them sleep, they need it."

Road nodded and the two walked out.

This was the start of something wonderful..Or so they hoped, for what the future held for dear little, Allen..was not wonderful at all..

Only thing left to do, was let fate begin it's ploy for the end times..

The players of the first team were set on the playing board..The opposing team on opposite sides..

And the players just began to move..

.

..

...

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...

Disclaimer-I don't own D. Gray-man or any of its characters~

(((READ PLEASE)))

Okay, so quick explanations-Some of the, Noah might be a bit different because of how early in the time it is, so that's kinda why, Tyki is rash when he talks to, Allen. And I would think that he wouldn't accept, Allen into the family straight away, they needed to gain each other's trust before, Tyki would accept him. So kinda in this, some of the, Noah are a bit different, but only because of how early in the times it is, so some are a bit younger. ALSO, my schedule for when I update this, is a bit confusing. It won't be this long all the time, and I will update 1 week at the latest, and 2 days at the quickest, so it won't be always on a set time, mainly because I have things to do, and I'm already updating another story at the moment. And depending on the time frame I update in, that will show for, in how many words. Sorry for the long message, and hope you'll stick around for the story! -Nyx