DISCLAIMER: Welcome! I am Nuin and I will be your guide as we embark on this wondrous tour of Yugi-Oh and Yaoi-land. Now remember that feeding and petting the characters is forbidden at all times. I do not wish for them to run off with any of you, which would result in disabling me from writing the rest of the story. Please keep your arms and legs inside the moving vehicle as I do not wish to receive any lawsuits containing dismemberment of tour-guests. Also may I make you aware of the fact that I do not own anything besides the plot. Thank you.
WARNING: May I also kindly remind you that this story is in fact a Yaoi-story. Which means lovers of the same gender. Anyone with restrictions against this form of love is asked to please leave the premises as it will probably upset the characters. Now if you'll please turn to your right, I believe that we are in for a treat as the characters begin on a new story.
NOTIFICATION: This is the sequel to 'Born to Servitude'. Though 'Rebirth of The Damned' can be read standing alone, it would help in the understanding of the relations between the characters, if you were to read 'Born to Servitude' first. If you want other additional reading 'Revenge Is Best Served With A Pinch Of Insanity' and 'You Want What?' are one-shots following after the events that take place in 'Born to Servitude' and before 'Rebirth of The Damned'.
ALSO this story is scheduled to be about 30 or so chapters long. So you're in for a long one. Up for the ride? Then read on.
Onwards to the responses to the Readers:
Kodachi: Yup, when I started out on the journey of the fic world I Born To Servitude, I decided that I wanted Jou and his father to have a good relationship with each other. Though you might remember that in the last chapter of BTS, I wrote about the elder Jounouchi's alcohol problem, so he was one a drunk, yet he is dry now. And typical cousins, yes, I wanted them to have some family action as well. Typical for some people, who grow up closely together. And the plot, well you'll just have to see where it goes.
KillmeKissme: Yes, they are going to have bodies. It would be sad for them to have through all that studying and not get what they want.
Tyri Dragonite: Here's an update for you, enjoy!
Mentaru: Aww, maybe Jou had something intelligent to say?
Angel-Belle: Yeah, I don't want them to have bodies of plants either, it doesn't match their complexion. So they have to study really hard.
Hikari Raine
CrossHunt-s
Rebirth of The Damned
By Nuin
11. As Much As I Love Valentines.
On Jou's eighteenth birthday the weather seemed to want to make a statement. The sky was dark and snow kept falling throughout the entire day making it nearly impossible for the guests to arrive on time. Though the party started two hours after the announced time, nobody seemed to mind. They had all gotten inside a nice warm apartment. The hosts were generous and all in all the mood was high spirited.
Some might say in the future that the weather was having a foresight of things to come, such were the conditions. The sky was dark and foreboding, the weather cold and blizzard like. The few that dared walk outside huddled together both in groups and deeper into their overcoats to keep warm.
Yet to three beings the conditions were perfect for hunting.
He sighed at the idiocy of his female companion, why had his master wanted her to come along was beyond him. She was freaking him out with her occasional bursts of inane cackling and that was saying something. There was hardly anything that could make him so ill at mood, he had only felt something akin to fear twice in his lifetime. The first was when that dog of a duellist had nearly beaten him in the semi-finals of that tournament the reincarnation of the High Priest had organized. The other was when his other half had banished him to the shadows.
His other half would suffer for doing that to him.
He looked over at the last part of their trio, his master. It was the first time that his master had given the order for them to hunt as a group. He had never seen his master's face. How could he? His master was always shrouded in shadows, a shadow himself. Yet his master had promised him retribution for his betrayal by his other half.
He drifted away from the laughing female and closer to his master. The shadowy figure acknowledged him with a short nod. Now was as good a time as ever to ask what had been nagging his mind for some time now.
"My Lord." He murmured. "Why is she with us?"
"Yami no Marik." His master said, he hated that name. The Darkness of Marik. He was not that anymore, not since his banishment to the shadows had he been called that. He was no longer a part of his other half. Therefore he should not be determined as such. "She is valuable to our cause. The more we are, the more we can do. And her connection to our enemies is valuable. The hatred she feels for them, feeds her ability to do what we must to be victorious." His master turned his eyes to him, the only thing he could ever make out in the shadowy figure. They were bright yellow, stained with crimson streaks and seemed to be able to bore into your very soul.
"Never doubt me, Yami no Marik." His master stated, his voice superior in tone and Yami no Marik - though he dearly hated to call himself that - knew that it was the end of their brief conversation.
His master gave him the signal to commence with their schedule for this midnight and he slowly sifted further into the shadows. He drifted away from the other two, he didn't need any help to get his assignment done.
He slithered through the darkness until he came upon a single person, all alone and outside in this weather, a perfect target. He sidled up close to the mortal and waited patiently for the chime of the clock to signal midnight. Then he pounced into the body of the male, swirled around until he found the bright light of a soul. He circled the pulsating light and ensnared into his own darkness, before he drew back outside and into the Shadow Realm with his prize.
The last he saw of his target was the male slumping down onto the sidewalk.
A few weeks later six boys came walking through the front doors of the school only to face a terrifying sight. Every where pink hearts and ribbons had been put up, in every nook and cranny. Sure they all knew that it was nearly Valentine's Day, but teenage boys could only take so much pink at once. They carefully avoided any girls they might encounter to escaped being run over by the school's resident fangirl clubs.
As soon as they had safely entered their classroom, they all broke out in relieved breaths.
"As much as I love Valentine's Day - because Hiroto always buys me a lot of chocolate - it's a nightmare with those girls hanging around. It's as if they haven't even discovered that I'm spoken for, not to mention that I am gay." Otogi complained loudly.
"I for one could do without all that pink and the decorations, I don't know whether to set it on fire or gag." Marik added.
"If you want to flame the fluff parade, I'll help." Yami Bakura added his opinion as well, before retreating back into his soul room.
"I don't think the teachers would look kindly on that." Ryou said as soon as he gained control again. "But the idea has merit. I think it has gone a bit overboard this year."
"A bit overboard?" Seto sneered. "Try a different word, such as extreme. When I opened my e-mail account this morning, it was flooded with valentines greetings. I spent a good ten minutes cleaning it up. How they even got my address is beyond me, it's the one I only use for business."
Suddenly the class door was thrown open. Mouto Yugi was standing in the door way looking terrified. He was breathing deeply and his face was completely red. Though it was not from his lack of breath, but rather from the fact that his face was covered in lipstick kisses. He quickly slammed the door shut and stalked over to his friends.
"You're looking well." Seto commented. He got a scathing glare in response, not a common reaction from the small teenager.
"If any of you are asked if you know what happened to the cheerleader squad, you don't know anything." He commanded.
"Well, we don't actually know anything anyways." Jou said. "What did you do?"
"Not me, Yami!"
"Huh?" The blonde looked confused for a moment, then it dawned. "He banished them? But I thought that was Yami Bakura's trademark?"
"Well, apparently Yami wasn't too fond of me getting mauled by a horde of girls."
"Yes, dear Atemu always was a tad too possessive if you ask me." A deep voice suddenly said. They all turned to look at Seto, who was cursing slightly. He glanced at them.
"Just Seth, who decided to give his viewpoint."
"What's has he been up to lately? I've hardly seen him since December." Jou asked.
"Hn." Seto snorted. "He doesn't tell me, though most of the time he's with Yami and Yami Bakura."
"Catching up on the good old days?" Otogi asked jokingly.
"I don't know, usually when those three get together, the door to my soul room is locked."
"Really? What about you Yugi-kun or you Ryou-kun? Do either of you know what your yamis are doing, when they're together?" The green eyed teen questioned.
"I promised Yami I wouldn't tell until they are ready to tell it themselves." Yugi shrugged.
"Same here." Ryou remarked.
"Why do your yamis tell you and mine doesn't?" Seto whispered, mostly to himself, though hey others did hear him.
"Hmm. Maybe because it's something you'll get angry with him about or perhaps it's because it took you two FREAKING months to tell us about his return?" Jou growled at his boyfriend.
"So you're saying that he wants to get back at Kaiba?" Honda wondered.
"It's plausible."
They were all silent for while until the door once again opened and the rest of their class began to file in. Soon after the teacher entered as well.
When the clock signalled the end of class and the beginning of lunch, the seven boys were the first exit the class and enter the cafeteria. They could hear the titters and whispers as they made their way towards their regular table, one of the few tables that could house them all at once. Usually only four or six people could eat at the other tables together, but being Kaiba Seto or Otogi Ryuuji had its advantages. Such as getting permission to rearrange the tables so that their entire group could sit with each other.
They carefully avoided anyone who might have the thought of approaching them, especially the girls. Even though one glare from Seto or a devilish grin from Yami Bakura could drive most people away, there were a certain flock of very adamant fangirls that tended to ignore the boys' attempts to make them go away. And though it was very tempting, it wouldn't be good for their public image, if certain spirits suddenly went on a killing spree in the effort to act on their over-protectiveness of their lights.
The reason why these seven young men so viciously steered clear of anyone? Well, in just a few days time, the annual Valentine's Day Dance would take place. And that would mean that the girls would hound them for a date. Horrifying. Especially when the boys the fan girls hunted after the most were gay.
Jou sat beside the only female in their group and probably the only female in the entire school that wasn't drooling over the guys she was sitting with. The petite brunette and the blonde was talking quietly with each other in hushed tones. This was what caught Seto's attention. Usually when Jou was talking with their friends during lunch he was somewhat louder if not boisterous.
He leaned over towards his boyfriend wanting to listen in on their conversation. When he got close enough, he gently laid his chin upon the blonde's shoulder, revelling in Jou's scent - one of his favourite things in the world, though he would never admit that to anyone. He hummed softly and nipped at Jou's ear.
The blonde couldn't help but moan softly at the gesture and turned to kiss the brunette. Seto grabbed him by his cheek and drew Jou even closer. He noticed that Jou's eyelids fluttered close and he shut his own eyes as well. He slowly traced his tongue over his boyfriend's lips and they opened to grant him entrance. Their tongues intertwined and danced, playing for dominance, when someone cleared their throat.
Displeased Seto opened his eyes and shot a glare at the smaller brunette. She smiled in return, not the least bit sorry that she had interrupted them. Jou growled faintly in annoyance as well and turned around to face Anzu.
"What?" She smiled innocently as she shrugged. "I was talking with him first."
"Hn. My boyfriend." Seto snorted.
"Possessive much?"
"Whatever. What were you two talking about?"
Jou decided to nuzzle Seto's neck, momentarily distracting the brunette. He responded in kind by slipping a hand underneath the other's shirt, caressing the flat stomach of his lover.
"Maybe it isn't all that important, considering how attentive you are." Anzu mock scowled.
"No, I'm listening. I can do two things at once."
"Good for you. Or should I say good for Jou?" She smirked wickedly.
"Just get on with it, before I decide to steal Jou and skip the rest of today's classes."
"Can't we do that anyway?" Jou pouted.
"I can, but you can't." Seto chided. "You can't afford to miss any more classes than you already have."
"And whose fault is that?" The blonde leered. "It wasn't I who once suggested we played hooky to stay in bed until late afternoon."
"Umm, yeah. Anzu-chan you were saying?"
"Well, we were just talking about the news specials that have been running lately."
"News specials?"
"Haven't you been watching the news lately?" Anzu raised an eyebrow in question.
Seto just shook his head and pulled Jou closer to him, placing the blonde in his lap and wrapped his arms around the other's midsection. He once again placed his chin on his lover's shoulder and looked at the female brunette, motioning for her to continue.
"Lately there have been several people hospitalised with the same strange syndromes. They have all fallen into a coma. The doctors are baffled and have no idea what could have happened."
"Really?"
Anzu nodded. "The strange thing is that every incident happened around midnight."
"Midnight?" Yami suddenly spoke up. "Are you sure?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Hmm. Tomb Robber we need to talk." The red eyed spirit said and turned to the albino beside him. Ryou's face suddenly hardened and his soft white hair turned wild with spikes as he looked at the smaller male sitting next to him.
"No, Atemu I do not practise shadow magic at midnight. I prefer to sleep at that time." Yami Bakura growled softly, his voice anything but offended.
"Atemu?" Otogi interrupted. It was then that the two people talking, who had turned three and then four and five saw that their entire group was listening actively. "Why is he calling you Atemu, Yami-san?"
"Because that's his name." Yami Bakura said with a look that clearly stated that he thought the green eyed teen was an idiot if he couldn't figure it out.
"But you've never called him anything but annoying Pharaoh." Honda said.
"And your point is?" Yami Bakura looked incredulous. "I thought we were talking about shadow magic, not idiot names."
"Hey!" Yami protested.
"Whatever, Pharaoh."
"Oh, so now we are back to Pharaoh then?" Otogi grinned, Yami Bakura just glared in return.
"Anyway, you did not use shadow magic and I did not shadow magic." Yami stated, he glanced at Seto. "Cousin?" He then asked.
"Seth says no." Seto answered for his dark, since he wasn't about to let the priest free, now that he had Jou in his arms. He contemplated for a few seconds. "Are you sure that it even is shadow magic?"
"Yes." Yami answered. "I felt it for the first time New Years Eve. And it has not been the last."
"So you think that there is a connection?" Jou asked curiously.
"Yes."
"Has it anything to do with the insane girl's disappearance?" Honda speculated.
"No, not directly." Yami said. "I remember the magic she used and it does not exactly feel like hers. I mean sometimes it does, but at other times it is completely different."
"So she's not alone." Yami Bakura stated. "The bitch has friends."
"Maybe, they're not connected?"
"No, Jounouchi-kun, they are. Two weeks ago I sensed her magic as well as the shadow magic of another person, maybe more." Yami said.
"But why would they put people into a coma?" Anzu asked sadly as she pushed her food around on her plate.
"A coma?" Yami's eyebrows rose to his hairline. "A coma. It think we need to look deeper into this. Perhaps we should visit these hospitals, where the victims are."
"You don't think it's possible?" Yami Bakura said, catching onto his fellow spirit's train of thought, though the other hadn't voiced it.
"That their souls could have been stolen? Yes."
"WHAT?!" Seto suddenly roared. "Their souls?" Everyone knew that such a topic was a delicate matter to the tall male. Who wouldn't feel that way, had they experienced having their soul stolen and imprisoned in a card?
"That is why we should investigate, to make sure." Yami said. The others nodded their assent.
"Then it's settled, we investigate." Marik spoke up for the first time during their conversation.
Jou sighed heavily, getting the attention of the others in their group. "Why does this always happen to us? I mean first there's all the events that happened before we knew Yami existed and we all thought Yugi had gone schizophrenic on us. Then there was Duellist Kingdom, Battle City and so on and so on. Why us? Why can't we just have a normal life or as normal as it gets with three five-thousand-year-old spirits in our group?"
"Because life would be dull otherwise?" Otogi joked.
"Because we own the Sennen Items." Seto said. "There's always someone who would want to possess the power they have."
"Yeah." Everyone agreed dejectedly.
A/N: That's it for now. Reviews are always welcome. Tell me your opinion, it matters.