Hello people of Fanfiction. I'm sorry to update after such a long absence, but it couldn't help it. School work has gotten in the way and I had some serious writer's block. I usually write out the chapter before I type it, but I didn't like where the written version was going so I changed it and started typing from there. I like it better the way it is now. I think it gets a bit weak near the middle, so any feedback on that would be highly appreciated (as long as it's not a flame, then it won't be appreciated). And as you are probably well aware, I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's or any of its characters, they belong to one Mr. Kazuki Takahashi-sama (man's a genius). So without further delay, please enjoy this chapter. Oh, btw, there's a big Yusei x Vaith scene.

Ch. 7- Unraveling Mysteries, Kinda

There certainly was a lot of explaining to do. Vaith had been hoping to avoid this conversation, but now there was no getting around it. She had never been comfortable talking about her powers; it usually ended for the worst. People usually thought she was some kind of freak and she'd be all alone again. So telling people she had become attached to, people she genuinely wanted to be friends with, about her powers was the last thing she wanted to do. "I guess first you'll want to know why there isn't a gash an inch deep on Yusei's shoulder or his torso," she said.

"That sounds like a good place to start," Jack retorted. Vaith sighed; things were going exactly as she feared.

"Simple, I healed his wounds. It's something I've been able to do since I was a child. Simply by touching someone I can heal wounds and ease their pain," she explained, her gaze drifting to the floor. The others were silent, intently looking at her, not sure what to make of her words. Sensing the tension in the air and their eyes focused on her, she placed her right hand over her opposite wrist. He wasn't sure how he knew, but Yusei knew she felt extremely uneasy and swung his legs over the edge of the couch.

"Don't try getting up Yusei. You are in no condition to be moving about," Vaith said softly.

"And why not, he looks fine to me," Jack cut in. His tone was a little less than friendly and that was putting it mildly. Vaith gripped her wrist more tightly.

"Heavy blood loss causes fatigue and dizziness, especially if you move too quickly. So it's better if he doesn't move around too much for a day or two." A heavy silence filled the hideout. Jack felt bad for having come off as a prick, seeing as she was genuinely concerned for Yusei and knew what she was doing. Yusei, like the others, sat silently staring at Vaith. He could tell she was uncomfortable telling the others about her powers. She'd been reluctant to tell him. Seeing her hanging her head and gripping her wrist made him want to walk up to her and wrap his arms around her, you know, just to comfort her, nothing more than that.

"Vaith, how did you know that we needed help?" Blister asked breaking the silence. She lifted her head and looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when you showed up you asked if we were alright, as if you expected something had happened," he replied. She let out another sigh and closed her eyes.

"Since I left I've been patrolling the area every night and keeping an eye on you guys."

"You've been watching us?" Yusei asked. She nodded.

"I didn't want something happening to you guys because you helped me out before so during the night I keep watch, just in case." That certainly put things into perspective and answered some of their questions, but it still didn't answer the question of why she had left in the first place.

"I need you guys to do me a favor," Vaith asked solemnly.

"What's that?" Yusei replied. If Vaith needed a favor he was more than willing to help her, though how much he could help her was in question due to his current condition.

"I need you guys to tell me exactly what happened." So the guys all told her what had transpired before she showed up. They started with the interruption of their rather giddy evening and stopped where Jack and Crow had brought a bleeding Yusei into the hideout. Vaith listened without interrupting while the eight males recalled as many details as they could. Yusei described the tattoos and phoenix design on the shirts of the intruders and it was Crow who recalled that they were looking for someone. Vaith took it all in but said nothing until they were finished; her facial expression didn't change during that time either.

"And that's about it," Crow concluded. Vaith nodded in acknowledgement but remained silent for a moment.

"Crow, you said they kept asking about someone," she said finally.

"Yeah, they kept asking about a girl. They wanted to know where she was and didn't believe us when we said we had no idea who they were talking about."

"I was afraid of that," she replied.

"Do you know those guys?" Blitz asked.

"Sort of. You see, those guys are part of a group that calls themselves the Raising Phoenix. The Phoenix originally started out as a group of people banding together just to survive the rough life of the Satellite. They didn't bother anybody, they just kept to themselves. That is until eight years ago. That's when they became aggressive. They attack anyone who enters their territory or anyone who opposes them and do so without mercy. That's why I've been keeping an eye on you guys, in case they decided to show up here."

"Why would they do that?" inquired Jack, "We've never crossed them before, we've never even heard of them." A strange look passed through Vaith's eyes and a realization dawned on Yusei. He thought back to the time when he and Vaith had first met. He caught her eye and as if she knew exactly what he was thinking, she gave him a barely perceptible nod.

"Because they were looking for me, that's why they didn't believe you when you said you didn't know who they were talking about. They knew you guys had helped me so they came to you in an effort to get to me," she admitted.

"Why would they be after you?" asked Rally.

"Let's just say that they aren't very fond of me and have a score to settle. That's why I left, so you guys wouldn't get dragged into this," she said sadly. Well, they finally had an answer to the question that had been at the back of their minds for a week, but it definitely wasn't an answer they had anticipated.

"How long have you been running from them?" Yusei questioned.

"For about five years now."

"Five years and they're still looking for you? Man, those guys really know how to hold a grudge," commented Tank who had been mostly silent since Jack and Crow brought in Yusei.

"I'll say," added Nervin, who had also been pretty quiet, "You must have done something pretty hefty to get them that angry…hey, where are you going?" Vaith had turned around and was heading for the doorway.

"I'm leaving," she stated plainly.

"What!" they others chorused together.

"But why?" pleaded Rally. He didn't want her leave, not since they had gotten to see her again; it just didn't seem fair.

"Trust me, it's better this way. Those guys attacked you because of me. I don't want to put you guys in any more danger than I already have so it's best that I just leave." With that she started to walk away. They were stunned. Losing her once was hard enough, but twice would be unbearable. Yusei was on the verge of getting up and stopping her, but Jack, of all people, beat him to it.

"You're not going anywhere," he said grabbing her arm. His grip was tight, but not tight enough to hurt her. She turned her head and looked him in the face, a confused expression on her own. "If you leave and run off on your own, who's going to help you if something happens? How will we now if you're alright? It's better that you stay here where you belong."

"Jack's right Vaith, if you're on your own we won't be able to help you if you get into trouble," Crow added.

"But…" she began in protest.

"No buts. You're better off here with us than out there on your own," Yusei said, sounding more like himself again. She didn't want to put them in any more danger and staying would do exactly that. But she couldn't bear to leave them, not again. She knew her decision to leave was the right one but Crow and Jack's words had shaken her resolve; Yusei had shattered it completely. She let out a resigned sigh.

"Alright, if you guys insist I'll stay." Rally cheered and Blitz, Nervin, Tank, and Blister did a four way high five, Jack let go of her arm. She then turned to face the others.

"You wouldn't by chance have planned on blocking the doorway if I tried to leave anyway did you?" she asked in all seriousness.

"Actually, that's exactly what we planned to do," Crow said sporting his classic goofy grin.

Later that night Yusei and Vaith sat in the front of the hideout. Yusei was still on the couch and Vaith had taken up residence in the chair by the computer. The others had retired to bed some time ago, leaving Yusei and Vaith as the only ones still in the front of the hideout.

"You know, this makes the second time in about a month that you've saved my life," Yusei commented. He lay back, resting his shoulders against the arm of the couch, one hand was settled on his stomach, the other was by his side. He was wearing his jacket again, but not his gloves, now that they were free of liquid crimson, besides, it had gotten a little chilly.

"I know," she responded, "But if things had gone as I planned I would have needed to save your life only once." By the tone of her voice Yusei could tell she felt extremely guilty about what had happened.

"Vaith," he said gently, "It's not your fault."

"Yes it is. You almost died because of me." There was an abnormal shine in her eyes, like she was fighting to hold back tears. "Any of you could have died all because you helped me. If I had never showed up you guys never would have been in danger, so yes it is my fault." As she finished she lowered her gaze to the floor.

"Vaith come here." She looked up at him for a moment then got up and walked over to the couch. Yusei sat up, slowly, swung his feet over the edge of the couch and motioned for Vaith to sit next to him. She complied, facing him, but wouldn't meet his eyes. Seeing her like that tore Yusei apart. She looked so lonely, sad, vulnerable. Yusei placed his right hand on her cheek and tilted her face upwards so their eyes met.

Vaith's soft grey eyes were brimming with unshed tears as she looked into Yusei's cerulean eyes. Now that she couldn't look away, Yusei could clearly see all the pain and loneliness in the depths of her eyes. It was well hidden, she obviously had years of practice, but reading her came naturally to Yusei. The littlest gestures, the slightest shift in her eyes spoke volumes to him. It was how he knew what she was thinking, how she was feeling. He didn't understand how he knew what the gestures meant, but it was like he had known her for years instead of only weeks.

"When was the last time you cried?" he asked finally.

"I…I don't remember."

"Vaith," he whispered softly, "You don't have to hide your tears from me. If you're hurting then go ahead and cry, I won't think less of you because of it." His words stunned Vaith. For a majority of her life it had been ground into her head that crying was not allowed, it was a display of weakness and vulnerability; and that was something she couldn't afford to show anyone. Yet here Yusei was telling her it was alright to cry.

"You've suffered on your own for much too long," he continued in the same soft whisper, "Holding it all in isn't the way to go. You need to let someone in. You have to lower your defenses and allow someone to see what your heart truly looks like. Please Vaith just let it all out, quit torturing yourself." That was it. That was all it took. It had been far too long since someone had shown so much concern for her and how she felt. And now the dam had broken. The tears cascaded down her face in an unrelenting torrent, spilling over Yusei's hand on the one side. The years of loneliness, suffering, and pain were finally making their way to the surface and there was nothing Vaith could do to stop it. Nor did she try. She laid her head on his shoulder, her hands lying on his chest, and quietly cried. Yusei wrapped an arm around her shoulders, the other around her waist and pulled her close to him. He pressed his cheek to her temple and just let her cry.

In all his years he had never seen an individual cry so much, then again, he had also never met a person who seemed to have suffered as much as Vaith had. He didn't know the cause of her pain and suffering, but that was unimportant. What was important was that she let it out before she tore her own heart to shreds.

What has she gone through to have suffered so much? And what does this Rising Phoenix have to do with anything? Yusei had so many questions, but felt that it wasn't the best time to ask. Instead, he turned his head slightly so that his face was now pressed into Vaith's hair. Her hair is really soft, Yusei thought closing his eyes. He then drew in a breath. And it smells faintly of…lavender. Go figure. As Vaith continued to cry he unwound his arm from her shoulders and started running his hand through her twilight tresses. He felt oddly calm and relaxed as he held her and the soft strands of her hair slipped through his fingers; it just felt so…natural, as if it happened all the time.

They stayed that way for hours and after some time Vaith's tears began to subside but she never made to move away from Yusei; she just let him hold her and run his fingers through her hair. Not a word had been said since Yusei had said that she needed to stop torturing herself, and frankly, nothing needed to be said; the two of them had a way of communicating without words.

Vaith fit in seamlessly with the others, it was like she had always been there. She would spar with Jack and Crow, she'd play with Rally and listen to the others tell stories. But she never said a word about herself, where she was from, what her life had been like (though they got the idea not to ask), or anything of a personal nature. She was just one big mystery.

None of the others knew about the night Vaith had cried in Yusei's arms. When they woke up the next morning they saw nothing out of the ordinary; Yusei was still asleep on the couch and Vaith was asleep in the chair by the computer. But after she had stopped crying, Vaith had spent most of the remainder of the night in Yusei's arms, letting him hold her and run his fingers through her hair. It was only after she started dozing off in his arms that he let go and carried her over to the computer chair, setting her down gently and then returning to the couch. The two of them never mentioned it, even to each other.

"I have an idea, let's go bother Trudge, for old times' sake," suggested Blitz one afternoon about a week after the incident with the lackeys. He, Yusei, Blister, Tank, Nervin, and Jack were all sitting around the hideout, bored out of their minds.

"I think Trudge is a little busy working security for the new bridge to bother with us," Yusei countered.

"That's too bad. It was really fun to make him angry and have him chase us all over the Satellite. Good times."

"Are Vaith and Rally back yet? They seem to have been gone a while," voiced Blister.

"Yeah, now that you mention it, they have been gone awhile," Tank responded.

"What were they supposed to be doing?" asked Blitz.

"They went grocery shopping," Jack stated plainly. Blitz raised an eyebrow.

"It takes that long to go grocery shopping?"

"Rally probably got sidetracked so it took longer than they thought it would," said Blister, "At least that's what I think." Suddenly they heard rapid footfalls coming down the tunnel.

"You guys hear that?" Nervin asked.

"Yeah, it sounds like someone's running down the tunnel," Blister added. Sure enough, someone was running down the tunnel.

"Hey it's Rally," Blitz said, "But where's Vaith?" Rally came sprinting down the tunnel as if he was running from his worst nightmare. He stopped outside the hideout and leaned against the doorway for support. He was panting heavily.

"What's the hurry Rally? And where's Vaith?" asked Tank.

"Vaith…trouble…back that way," he managed to say, pointing back the way he came. "Told… to…get help." Jack and Yusei were on their feet in an instant.

"What happened?" Yusei asked.

"We were…attacked by…guys in black…six of…them." Yusei nodded.

"Rally, you stay here with the others. Come on Jack." With that the two of them took off up the tunnel the way Rally had come. It didn't take them long to find Vaith locked in hand-to-hand combat with six guys. They had her surrounded and it wasn't looking too good. They all were bigger than her and one of them had a red wing shaped tattoo on his right arm. He had short, dark hair, and wore a pair of brown gloves on his hands.

"Hey let us in on the fun," Jack shouted. The six turned to see who had appeared but three of them were sent flying. Jack hit two while Yusei took out another. Seeing an opening, Vaith ducked under the other goons and moved into open space.

"Rally?" she asked looking at the two newcomers.

"Fine, just out of breath," Yusei replied. Together the three of them sent five of the goons running, the only one left was the one wearing gloves. Actually, the other five had seemed afraid of Vaith. If she come anywhere within five feet of them, they panicked.

"You two shouldn't have interfered," said the kid with gloves. He looked about seventeen, was muscular and had a serious attitude.

"Oh, and why not?" Jack taunted.

"Because now you're going to regret it." The kid charged. Jack and Yusei were directly in front of him and both of them braced themselves. He aimed a kick at Jack's knees. Jack prepared to block it, but instead was caught off-guard by a punch to the chest. He went reeling backwards and slammed into the platform.

"Jack!"

"I'd be more worried about myself if I were you," the gloved kid said aiming a punch at Yusei's head. Yusei knocked it aside with his left hand. But the kid just smirked evilly, as if he had wanted it to happen. Giving Yusei no time to react, he swung his opposite hand at Yusei's throat. Yusei closed his eyes, bracing himself for a blow that was sure to hurt like hell, but it never came. When he opened his eyes Vaith stood in front of him with her right arm in a defensive position. The gloved kid did not look happy. But before he could launch another assault Jack sent him flying with a kick to the chest. As he struggled to his feet he looked directly at Vaith.

"Just remember that as long as you bear that mark, he has power over you." He then turned and ran down the tunnel. Vaith relaxed her stance, but then Jack grabbed her right arm.

"What were you thinking? We had it under control," he shouted. Yusei was stunned that Jack was being so harsh, but then again it was Jack. Then he saw the look on Vaith's face.

"Jack, let go," he said. Jack didn't hear him.

"Jack," he said a little louder this time. Jack still didn't hear him. He kept shouting at Vaith.

"JACK," Yusei finally shouted. Jack looked at him, confused. It was very rare for Yusei to shout at anyone. "Let go of her arm." Jack obeyed, though reluctantly, and released Vaith's arm. No sooner had he let go then Vaith cradled her arm. Yusei immediately moved to her side, Jack just stared.

"I didn't grip your arm that hard," he said.

"Jack, look at you hand," Yusei replied. Jack, curious as to what Yusei was getting at, looked down at his hand. It was entirely red. His eyes widened in shock and he looked back at Vaith.

"Where's your first aid kit?" Yusei asked.

"In my bag," she replied still cradling her arm, "Back in the hideout." A few minutes later the three of them were back at the hideout. Vaith walked in and sat on the couch, no one thought anything of it. The others bombarded Yusei and Jack with questions about what had happened. All the while no one noticed Vaith sitting on the couch attempting to treat her arm herself, until Rally asked a question.

"Vaith are you alright?" The others looked and saw what she was doing. Her sleeve was rolled up to about her elbow and she was dabbing at the inside of her forearm with gauze pads. They were surprised by the look of indifference on her face. Yusei was the first one to move. He walked over to the couch and knelt down in front of Vaith, putting a hand over hers, preventing her from trying to clean the wound herself. Their eyes met and they looked at each other for a moment. Then Vaith sighed and nodded. Yusei removed his gloves and began to treat her arm. There were several cuts on the inside of her arm, all of them jagged and at an odd angle. They also looked to be quite deep.

"What happened to your arm?" Rally asked.

"It was cut by glass," she replied. Jack looked at her incredulously. "When we were fighting those guys I noticed a glint of light on that guy's gloves, so when he made a motion toward Yusei's throat I blocked it with my arm." Yusei stared at her; in return she offered him a small smile. He shook his head and continued to tend to her wounds. He carefully cleaned the gashes and removed any traces of glass left in them. He then carefully wiped off the blood and neatly bandaged her forearm.

"Thanks," she said. Yusei nodded in response. Jack and the others were leaning against the wall and quietly observing, until Jack spoke.

"Vaith, what did that asshole mean when he said that 'As long as you bear that mark he has power over you'?" Vaith sighed.

"It's a really long story," she replied.

"That's fine, we don't have anywhere we need to be."

"Then you might want to get comfortable, this will take a while." Yusei took his place against the wall to Vaith's right, Jack stayed where he was; the others shifted around until they were comfortable. Then Vaith began.

"You see, when I was seven I ran into a kid lying in the street. He was about three years older than me, had dirty blond hair and brown eyes. His clothes were a bit ragged, but that was nothing unusual in the Satellite. I ran over to him to see if he was alright; he was pretty beat up. Naturally, I did the first thing that came to mind."

"You healed his wounds," Yusei finished for her. She nodded then continued.

"He watched silently as I took care of his wounds and it was only after I had finished that he spoke to me. He asked how I did it and I told him it was something I had always been able to do. He then told me his name was Damien and that if I need a place to stay that I should come with him. I had been wandering about on my own for a while so I took him up on his offer. He led me to a remote part of the Satellite where he lived with a group of people who called themselves the Phoenix." Jack, who had been leisurely reclining against the wall and listening to Vaith, nearly fell over. Yusei turned his head and looked at her in astonishment. The others stared in disbelief.

"You were one of them?" questioned Jack, recovering his balance before plummeting to the ground. "Why didn't you tell us this before?"

"Let her finish Jack," Yusei stated calmly. Vaith took a breath and continued with her tale.

"Yes, I was one of the Rising Phoenix. But you have to remember, I was only seven years old at the time. I'm not using that as an excuse, but just think about it. What would you do if you were seven years old, all alone, and someone, who wasn't afraid of a power that many others condemned you for, offered you a home?" Jack considered the circumstances and came to a conclusion.

"I would've done the same thing." Vaith nodded and pressed on.

"So Damien explained how things worked. He told me that the group was called the Rising Phoenix and that everyone had to start at the bottom, with basic training. So the next day I went into basic training. There you were taught how to fight, survive, and avoid being captured by Sector Security. Most of the kids there were my age, seven or eight and, like me, had nowhere to go and no one to look after them. Most kids spent two years in basic training; I completed it in one year. I was so grateful that Damien had given me a chance when no one else would that I felt I owed him a great deal, so I worked non-stop until I mastered everything they had to teach. After you completed basic training you did grunt work for the gang. You usually spent four years as a grunt doing border patrol, scavenging for food, things of that nature. I was a grunt for only two years. Once you had completed basic training and did your time as a grunt you were initiated into the gang. Not many actually make it that far; those who did were thirteen or older. The initiation ceremony is where the red tattoo is placed on the forearm of the right arm."

"What's the significance of the tattoo?" Blister asked.

"It shows that you're a senior member of the gang and have authority over the grunts. It's also the symbol of the gang, the red wings of a phoenix. And by that time Damien had become leader of the Phoenix. He was impressed by how quickly I had moved up in the gang and personally oversaw my initiation. Most of the senior members were not happy at all. There I was, a ten year old girl, who had the attention of the leader of the entire gang while most of them never got any kind of recognition for their achievements. So to say that they didn't like me would be a severe understatement. Once I was initiated Damien made me the gang's medical expert. I had also told him about my ability to see people's spiritual energy so I was also the gang's recon expert."

"You can see people's spiritual energy?" asked Jack.

"Yeah, I can tell when people are close by, even if it's pitch black."

That's why they wouldn't follow us when we went into the tunnel, Yusei thought. They knew she had the advantage in the dark.

"Anyway, that's when the Phoenix started getting aggressive, pushing the other gangs out of their homes and claiming the area for themselves. And Damien had it set up so that no one in the operation knew the entirety of what was going on, so that if one was caught be Sector Security they couldn't rat out the others. It was my job to go into foreign territory and scout it out. I memorized where things were and the routines of whatever gang had their base in the area and drew up maps. Then the strike force went in with me in the lead. It was my job to make sure that we didn't run into any trouble or guards."

"How long did you do that?" asked Nervin.

"I was with the Phoenix for six years, from the time I was seven until I was thirteen," Vaith replied with a sigh. Obviously there was more to tell, and whatever it was went pretty deep. "You see, during that time Damien took me under his wing. He trained me personally, which didn't sit well with the other senior members either; so I wasn't very well liked. So Damien had been my mentor for six years. I didn't always agree with his policies but I held my tongue because I felt that I still owed him for giving me a home. Anyway, after six years he felt he could trust me enough to tell me his entire plan. There were only a few that knew, and they were his most trusted captains."

"What was it he was after?" Yusei asked.

"He wanted to take over the Satellite and then wage war against New Domino City," Vaith replied plainly. For the second time the guys were all taken aback.

"He wanted to do what?" Jack practically shouted. "How on earth did he plan to that?"

"He planned on taking over the Satellite district by district until it was entirely under his control. Then he would use the resources of Sector Security to wage war on New Domino City."

"There's nothing to worry about. There's no way he can do that," Blister added.

"He's been doing it for eight years and he's come this far. They operate mostly underground so Sector Security is completely in the dark. He originally planned to have all of Satellite under his control by now, but he's run into some problems."

"What kind of problems?" Tank asked.

"The gangs he's trying to oust from their territories somehow become aware of his plans and are able to adequately defend themselves. Also, some of his bigger schemes are being sabotaged. Their movements are reported to the other gangs so that the Phoenix can't make any progress with their plan," Vaith replied. Yusei cracked a small smile.

"It's like the Phoenix is being watched," he said.

"Yeah, but I wonder by who," Blitz said. "I mean it's a good thing these guys are being held up, but who's holding them up?"

"Yeah, I'd like to know who's keeping them at bay myself," added Nervin. Jack rolled his eyes. They had completely missed the underlying meaning of what Yusei said.

"Do you remember how Vaith said that these guys had a score to settle with her?" he asked impatiently.

"Yeah, why?" they asked. Jack smacked his forehead with his palm.

"Can you not put two and two together?" Rally asked, "Vaith is the reason they can't get anything done. She's been running from them for five years, and has been trying to stop them at every turn. She's the one who has been telling the others about the Phoenix's movements and what they plan to do. She's the one who is keeping them from accomplishing their goal."

"Oh."

"Yeesh, you guys can be so dense sometimes."

"But what does any of that have to do with this 'mark' that guy referred to?" inquired Jack looking back at Vaith. "Since you were initiated I assume that you have one of those tattoos as well." Vaith dropped her gaze and put her hand over her opposite arm, just above the wrist.

"Not exactly," she said. Jack raised an eyebrow. "You see, Damien thought I was different from everyone else in the gang hence why he oversaw my initiation personally. He was the one who placed the mark on my arm."

"Wait," Yusei said, suddenly realizing something, "You said that the tattoo was placed on the right arm, but there was no mark on your right arm." Vaith nodded and pushed up her left sleeve. There on her forearm, just above the wrist was a mark, a mark in the shape of wings. It looked like the tattoo of the Phoenix, but it seemed different somehow. The mark was a light pinkish color and the wingtips pointed to Vaith's wrist.

"What the heck?" shouted Jack. "That's not like any tattoo I've ever seen."

"Yeah, why would he make it pink if everyone else's was red?" asked Tank.

"It's because that's not a tattoo," Yusei said looking at Vaith's arm from where he stood. "It's a scar." The others looked at Yusei then back at Vaith. She nodded indicating Yusei was right.

"How did he do that?" Rally asked his face drained of color.

"It was cauterized into my arm." Jack and Yusei both froze; Blister's jaw dropped to the floor; the others just looked confused.

"What does that mean?" Rally asked, "It doesn't sound good."
"It's not," Yusei commented. "It means that it was burned into her arm."

Okay, a bit of a dramatic cliffhanger type ending. I'm sorry, it's just my tendency to be dramatic (or at least attempt to be dramatic, a lot of the time it fails miserably). So the Yusei x Vaith scene was one of my favorite parts to write. It was also a lot easier than I thought it would be. But I think the fight scene and Vaith's explanation are quite weak. I'm not sure why, but I feel it's not my best work. For that I am sorry, but I really did try. If you have suggestions on how to improve my writing please share them with me (in a kind manner) or if you have any suggestions for the plot I would love to hear them, though I make no promises on using them. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and a big thank you to those who have reviewed in the past and have marked this story as a favorite or have added me to your favorite author/author alert list. It means a lot to me. Until next time (I have no idea when that will be, but I'll make an effort to make it sooner rather than later)! ^_^