Chapter 6: Vitya's Magic

His blue-green eyes glaring and his expression determined, Vitya ran through the rain as fast as he could push his slender, light body, heading back to Hasetsu to face the horrific monster threatening to destroy the little town and eat the ruling Katsuki family.

I only hope I can get there fast enough, the young man worried.

He imagined Prince Yuuri's scared face as he faced the monster alone, and that made his tired legs move even faster.

I won't fail you.

I won't fail any of you.

I love your family, Yuuri. I love the people of Hasetsu, who have been so good to me. And Yuuri, I truly love you. If that means that I am a sacrifice, and that my life must be taken for all of yours to be saved, I suppose I will make the sacrifice…but I want to live.

I have everything to live for here.

I want to stay in Hasetsu and dance for you, Yuuri. I want to dance with you. I want to eat pork cutlet bowls with you and kiss you under the pretty, blossoming cherry trees. I want to be with you forever. You, your family, and the people of Hasetsu have opened up a new world for me, and I would die to protect that world.

I will prove that to you now.

Please be okay, Yuuri!

I'm almost to you.

He heard the terrible roar of the beast somewhere ahead of him, mingling with the screams of the terrified townspeople. Vitya knew very well that he would not see Yuuri Katsuki among the ones who were running away. He kept his bright, determined eyes fixed ahead of him, honing in on the position of the creature threatening his beloved Japanese host town and the people who had been so kind to him.

I can't believe it was an act, just to make me willing to die as a sacrifice.

I won't believe it!

The people of the town are placing their faith in me, and I am not going to disappoint them. I won't disappoint my beautiful prince. My lovely Yuuri.

He reached the edge of town, and felt rumbling under his feet. The beast's roar stung the insides of his ears, and he was sure he would see the wicked creature appear at any moment. But, even though he saw plenty of people running away, there was no sign of the monster, the Japanese prince or his family. It wasn't until Vitya came into view of the Katsuki palace that he could see that the entire palace was lit with a strange red glow, and that the monster appeared to be standing on a hillside, scant yards away, facing Prince Yuuri, who had taken on his godly hot spring form.

"Yuuri!" Vitya cried, forcing his feet to move faster as the beast struck at Yuuri, but was forced back by what appeared to be glowing blue water that emerged from his hands, "Yuuri, I'm here!"

"Vitya!" Yuuri sobbed, "I thought you had left. I looked and looked for you…"

"It's okay," Vitya assured him, as he reached Yuuri's side, "I'm going to stay with you."

He looked up as the beast in front of them snarled viciously and took a step forward.

"I still don't know how to release my power, but…I will find a way to do that. I promise!"

"Thank you, Vitya!" Yuuri sniffed, hugging him, "I was so scared. I can't hold him off forever. Mom, Dad, Mari and Minako refused to leave our home. They are protecting it while we face the beast."

He tried to say more, but the fierce creature in front of them stomped his feet, shaking the ground so hard they could barely stay on their feet. His roar deafened the two for a moment, and carried a horrid blast of fire and a nasty, fishy smell.

"Oh, you're in an ugly mood," Vitya chided the beast, "but I guess if I was a big, hungry beast with no manners, I'd be that way too, eh?"

Yuuri gulped as the beast hissed and spat more fire that the young prince negated with the water that shot from his hands.

"M-MINE!" the monster seethed, glaring at Yuuri, "G-GIVESSS TO MEEEEE!"

Vitya grinned up at the beast, stepping forward to challenge him.

"I agree, Yuuri is delectable, quite delicious, but he doesn't belong to you. Yuuri loves me."

"HAH! That beast roared, firing off another blast that Yuuri barely managed to counteract, "ISSS MINE!"

"Well," Vitya said saucily, "Yuuri doesn't seem to like you very much, and you know, who can really blame him? If you want someone to love you, you have to do a lot of work on yourself. You have such a big, strong body, but you don't keep it clean, you obviously don't brush, and you haven't the slightest idea how to seduce anyone! You're not going to catch anyone, the way you are. You should go home, wherever that is, and work on yourself a little…no, work on yourself a lot."

Yuuri and Vitya gasped as the creature stomped and blasted them off their feet with an even stronger burst of smelly fire that Yuuri couldn't quite negate quickly enough. Vitya climbed back onto his feet, pulling the prince up with him. The two backed up another step together.

"I don't think he really liked that, Vitya, Yuuri said nervously, "Maybe you need to try something else."

Vitya stepped out in front of Yuuri, thinking back to the old wise woman's words.

"Vitya," she said sternly, "if you want the magic to work, then your heart must be strong. The only way to release the magic is with a steadfast heart that believes! If you cannot believe, then we are all doomed!"

Vitya felt a shiver of intense fear as thunder sounded outside of the little cottage. Chiasa's blue eyes locked on him.

"The beast has sensed the weakness in your heart and he approaches. What will you do…Vitya?"

He looked back at the old woman silently for a moment, then more tears slid down his face.

I really don't know if the magic is real," he confessed, "and I don't know if everyone was telling me the truth and they really love me, or if they were just luring me so that the monster could eat me…but…I have never been in such a beautiful place. I have never had people love me like Yuuri's family has loved me. I've never had so many people be kind to me. Just to have that for a little while…I would…"

He paused, shivering hard as the thunder boomed louder outside the door. Chiasa gave him a bracing smile and brushed away his tears.

"Have a strong heart, Vitya," she said kindly, "It is your strong heart that will release the magic. You must try to believe in them…all of them. That…is how you will succeed. Go now. Yuuri is waiting for you."

Vitya felt the monster coming closer, but he closed his eyes and focused inward, recalling all of the good and beautiful things he had experienced since arriving in Hasetsu.

"Vitya!" Yuuri sobbed desperately, "Vitya, you must use your magic now. I can't hold him back anymore! Vitya!"

Vitya breathed in deeply, keeping his eyes closed and believing with all of his heart. He thought of the gentle people of the village, the old wise woman, the friendly vendors, and the way everyone greeted him, wherever he went.

The beast moved forward, closing in on them.

"Stand back, Yuuri," Vitya warned the prince, "I promise, I won't fail you. Please believe in me too, Yuuri."

Yuuri stepped back, tears running down his sweet face as he watched the monster close the distance to the Russian beauty.

"You are a fool," the beast hissed, "You have no magic, little human. They made you their Sssacrifissse!"

The beast opened his huge mouth wide, and Vitya heard Yuuri scream in terror as its toothy jaws closed, and the beast swallowed Vitya whole.

It's like what I saw before, Vitya realized, opening his eyes to take in the sight of the wild, red abyss that surrounded him, I know I don't have much time. My heart, she said…my heart must be strong.

And within moments, Vitya began to understand why.

The abyss that he floated in was not just liquid, but seemed to radiate with the presence of the beast. He felt burning on his skin, and he sensed that if his heart did not prove strong enough, he would definitely be consumed. He thought of Yuuri's teary face, of the wonderful Katsuki family, all standing bravely in place, believing that his magic would save them. He thought of the lovely people in the village, huddling in fear and watching hopefully.

But even with those things, he felt the burning grow stronger.

He thought of dancing for Yuuri, dancing with his beautiful Japanese prince, and skating with him on the smooth ice of the rink in Hasetsu.

Yes, Vitya recalled, the ice is magical. When I just think of it, I feel the wonderful cold on my flesh, making that burning feeling farther away.

He noticed, too, that as he thought about the ice, his body began to glow blue, and the monster's snarl became enraged.

Ah…

Vitya embraced the thought of the ice, letting it fill him inside as he dreamed of Prince Yuuri and him, dressing in beautiful costumes that matched…Yuuri's the lovely blue of his water power, and Vitya's the rosy hue of the love that flowed from his heart. He dreamed of them meeting on the ice, and dancing together on the ice, breathing in the chill air and enjoying the sounds of their blades sliding across the hard, smooth surface.

There is nothing like that sound…nothing like that wonderful breath of cold…nothing like sharing the light and the music while we dance together. I want to live. I want to have the chance to dance this dance with my Yuuri, and I will do whatever it takes to make this dream come true.

He didn't know, but his eyes had drifted closed again, and his body had begun to glow brightly. Pure, rosy light wrapped all around Vitya's slender form, pulsating with his love for Hasetsu, his love for the Katsukis, and his love for the magical prince, who he sensed was crying out his name again and falling onto his knees in front of the horrific beast as the last of his magic was expended.

Don't worry, Yuuri. I will love you. I will protect you. I will always, always stay close to you.

He let the love he was feeling spill over into the deep abyss. He was worried that it might not be enough, but no matter how much love poured out of his beating heart, there somehow seemed to be more. Slowly, it filled the empty space, and finally, he heard the wicked beast scream.

Vitya lost the ability to see, and he couldn't feel his body anymore. The only thing left was his love for the ones he was protecting. He felt like he might be falling, but when his body touched down, there was no pain, no feeling of impact. There was only the knowledge that the monster had been destroyed, and that the place and the people he loved so much were safe.

The light around him grew blinding, and Vitya felt a little bit of fear because he couldn't move. He couldn't open his eyes.

Oh, did I give too much?

Will it be like the one who the beast showed me in the dream I had at the wise woman's home?

Am I dying?

He felt suddenly as though he was standing outside his body, and his vision returned suddenly, to show him an image of Yuuri, collapsed on his knees in the grass, just short of the palace, with Vitya's unmoving body in his arms, and tears running down his precious face as he pleaded for his Russian beauty to wake.

"Vitya!" Yuuri cried, "Vitya, stay with me. You promised you would stay close to me. Vitya…vitya, please wake up!"

The hands that held Vitya shook and Yuuri started to fall onto his chest, sobbing inconsolably, but all at once, he felt the Russian youth move.

"Vitya!" Yuuri whispered, his eyes rounding.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Victor?" Yuuri's voice cut through the fog that filled the Russian skater's aching head.

What happened?

Where am I?

Was there a monster or something?

Warm hands touched Victor's face, and smooth fingertips caressed the skin tenderly.

"Wake up, Victor. You've been sleeping for a really long time," Yuuri coaxed him.

"Is the m-monster gone?" Victor mumbled deliriously.

He heard Yuuri give a little giggle.

"You shouldn't talk about Yakov like that. He'll start yelling at you again."

"H-he always does that."

He felt the hand that was on his face tremble.

"Can you open your eyes?" Yuuri pleaded softly, "Are you really finally awake?"

Victor took a deeper breath and cracked his heavy eyelids open. He gasped in surprise at finding himself lying in a hospital bed with Yuuri sitting beside him, looking pale and worried.

"You're awake!" Yuuri exclaimed.

"What the hell happened?" Victor mused, "Wh-where did the beast go?"

"Erm…" Yuuri said uncertainly, "b-beast?"

Victor blinked and shook his head, immediately regretting it as pain radiated inside.

"Don't do that!" Yuuri scolded him, "You have a pretty bad concussion."

"A concussion?" Victor breathed, reaching up to touch the back of his head, "Ow!"

"Don't touch it," Yuuri chided him.

"What happened? How did I…?"

"You were disobeying Yakov and trying a quad lutz when you were too tired, and your leg collapsed. You crashed into the rink wall."

"How long have I been here?" Victor asked, "How long was I unconscious?"

"Most of the afternoon," Yuuri said wearily, "and all night."

Victor gave his anxious partner a measured look.

"And I'll bet that you didn't leave me for a minute, did you, solnyshko?" he said, pulling Yuuri onto the hospital bed.

"Ack! What are you doing?" Yuuri complained, "Victor! You're supposed to be resting and recovering. You got a concussion after all."

"I know, but I'll be okay now. I'm awake, see?"

"Well, you're not making much sense, talking about monsters and all. Those must have been some dreams you had."

Victor smiled and kissed him on the nose.

"I was dreaming about you…about us," he chuckled, "so it wasn't so bad, being unconscious and doing that."

"Well, it wasn't so fun for me," Yuuri said, pouting, "I sat up all night, worrying about you."

"Poor thing," Victor said, hugging Yuuri and petting his hair, "Why don't you rest for awhile now."

"But, you just woke up, and…"

"Shh, be quiet now," Victor said sternly, "You took care of me all yesterday afternoon and all last night, let me take care of you. Close your eyes, Yuuri."

Yuuri sighed.

"I am really sleepy," he confessed.

"Good, then you'll go right to sleep if I tell you a story, won't you?"

"I…I guess," Yuuri yawned, blinking.

"Okay," Victor said, holding Yuuri against him, "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful, magical, katsudon loving prince, who lived in Hasetsu…"

The End