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'.
Thank you to all who reviewed:
Anaraz, Koalared, Kodachi, Angel-Belle, The-Anibee, Gryffindorlady, AngeloflightPd and Kurisushichan
Mandy925892002: If I will pair Seth up with someone? Errrrr…sorry, not gonna answer that.
Sakusha Saelbu: Thank you for the vote of confidence about my updating schedule.
Nite Nite: Errr…don't know how to respond to that…I think I'll just wear a big grin then,
Rebirth of The Damned
By Nuin
21. And Thus Begins The End.
General Aeron N. Sampson of the United States' Marine Corp. stared at the people assembled in the room, sniping at each other in frustration and none of them coming to an agreement. The aged soldier sighed at the civilians' panicky actions, their constant arguing was beginning to grate on his nerves, yet he knew that they wouldn't listen if he was to stand up and request that they shut up. The members of the United Nations Council were far too gone in their fear of the resent events to adhere to common sense. Instead they chose to come up with one incredulous scheme after the other to deal with this threat.
Sampson could understand that the Council members were under a lot of stress, what with whole town populations falling to this mysterious plague that had appeared so suddenly out of thin air. There had been no precedents in advance to help them anticipate the scale of this epidemic. Frustrated Sampson ran a hand worn from a life of hard labour and straining wars through his grey streaked auburn hair.
He sighed, when he spotted the young ambassador of Germany, a headstrong and intelligent man. Sampson had heard about the young upstart that had made short process of ascending within politics. Magnus Kühle was a swift and cruel adversary in a debate, his harsh and cutting words often ending and winning the strife. He was a cunning young man that let nothing stand in his way.
Currently Ambassador Kühle was ending his proposition of how to prevent further attacks of this epidemic, before it overcame the entire world. Sampson wondered if all these precautions would even help. So far anything they had done to prevent further happenings had been fruitless.
Sampson was still suspicious of the fact that the officials kept calling the events a 'freak of nature epidemic'. He certainly had never heard of entire cities falling into a coma just like that. Sure the epidemic of the bird flu from the East was just as sudden, but they had an explanation for it and it spread slowly and through the wind. But this…this was sporadic all across the globe with no rational explanation.
Turning his steel grey eyes back to Ambassador Kühle, he saw that the young man was stepping down from the podium and letting the President of the UN step forward once again to begin the discussion of the next subject at hand.
The even stranger attacks of these so called Shadow Monsters.
"I call to order! Any who wishes to speak stand to attention and we will acknowledge you in according fashion!" President Rachiér called, several people stood up to be recognized and allowed to speak. He nodded. "The floor recognizes Ambassador Shaharé fro…"
A loud crash interrupted the president. With reflexes honed by years of training General Sampson whirled his head around to study the origin of the noise, to see if it posed a threat or not. What he saw surprised him. A young woman with long flowing hair and a pale complexion giggled softly, if not a bit madly.
"Ooopsie." She chuckled. "Did I do that?" She looked down at the heavy wooden door she had broken down, while entering the room. She stepped over the debris, followed by a young man with oddly spiked platinum blonde hair and tanned skin. The young man only glared at any who looked at him, then kept his gaze straight forward. Lastly an older man stepped into the room.
Sampson shivered at the cool gaze the last intruder surveyed the half-circular room with, wishing that the rheumatism he suffered from in his old age would fade and allow him to take action. Instead he was left to sit back and signal for the guards, who had been shocked by the sudden intrusion and were rooted their spot, to arrest the unexpected 'guests'.
The two young men finally snapped out of their stupor and nodded in acknowledgement of the order issued from their superior. They stepped towards the three people still standing in the demolished doorway staring at the room and the people in it with barely hidden amusement. The guards raised their weapons to jaw level directing the guns at the trespassers.
None of the three gatecrashers moved an inch or stopped observing the room with amusement. Then a lazy smirk spread across the face of the older man of the group, slowly his eyes - it was then General Sampson noticed for the first time that they were a vivid golden yellow - looked first at one guard then the other. Sampson barely had the chance to blink, before the two guards were thrown away by some unseen force. Their bodies hit the concrete walls behind them with a thud, the security men fell limply to the floor and stayed still. The room was silent and every pair of eyes were riveted to the three people in shock and fear. No one dared to move or check on the fallen men.
A low chuckle emitted from the man, followed by a cackle from the female of the group, the young blonde man however kept silent. Then the yellow eyed man advanced towards the podium in a slow saunter. Casually he stepped up to stand in front of President Rachiér a smirk still firmly etched onto his face.
"Move." The yellow eyed man spoke for the first time and the President of the UN, who surprised and shocked hastened to comply with the order. Rachiér quickly hurried out the man's way and sat down beside the U.N. secretary, not wanting another repeat of what had just happened to the two guards.
Suddenly the sardonic smirk on the man's face turned into a calm, self-satisfied smile. He grasped the edges of the podium table, looked out at the gathered ambassadors for the United Nations and spoke calmly. "Ladies and Gentlemen of Earth. Greetings…"
This was the last a confused General Sampson heard before he felt the darkness creep up on him, the audience room turned dark and dank. His body felt like it had been filled with lead as he sank to floor. A low growl resonated throughout the shadowed space he was in and the last thing he saw before he felt himself slip away into unconsciousness was a pair of glowing serpentine eyes and a pair of sharp incisors firmly imbedded in his arm.
Cool lavender eyes studied the young man bent over the massive book in front him. Cocking his head in curiosity, bangs the same colour as the young man's before him fell into his eyes. Marik no Yami moved closer, his eyes narrowing in concentration.
Why did his other half suddenly interest him so much? He had never spared a thought for the other, when they had shared the same body. He hadn't been important to him then. But did his other half really mean anything to him other than he was betrayed by him and that they had once been one?
He knew that his other half intrigued him, otherwise he wouldn't have taken the time to come and simply watch the young mortal. Marik no Yami cocked his head to the other side and gazed at his near replica or rather the other way around, he himself was after all created from his other half. He watched as the platinum blonde before him absentmindedly chewed on the end of his pencil ad he groused through the thick volume in front of him. Occasionally he removed the pencil from his lips and scribbled down a few notes, then go back to gnawing at the end.
Why was it that he suddenly found his other half so fascinating?
Soft brown eyes gazed at the figure lying on the bed beside him, hesitantly he reached out and grasped the limp hand, lacing his fingers between the pale ones of the slim hand. He squeezed once, twice, thrice in an attempt to get a response out of the teen on the bed. He waited in the hopes that perhaps it just took some time for the still body to response to his touch. Nothing. He sighed in defeat and loosened his hold on the hand in his, but didn't let go.
At the sound of a short knock on the door, Honda finally took his eyes from his lover's still form.
"Yes?" He asked to the person standing on the other side.
The door opened slightly and Yugi came in with his other half in tow. The short teen smiled softly, while walking over to stand at Otogi's bedside. Yugi sighed. "How are you doing, Honda-kun?"
"Fine." The brunette answered.
"You've barely been out of this room for days, wouldn't you like to take a break, get some fresh air or something to eat?"
"No thank you, Yugi. I'm fine right here." Honda gazed at Otogi again and squeezed the black haired teen's hand again.
"But…"
"Yugi, I'm fine." Honda snapped with frustration. "I'm not leaving Ryuuji."
"But you can't fault me for worrying about you…you're one of our best friends. Right, Yami?" Yugi jerked his elbow into the former Pharaoh's side, making the red eyed man wince in pain.
"Right." Yami wheezed, clenching a hand to his ribs. "What he said."
Honda sighed and turned away from Otogi to look at Yugi. "Look, Yugi…you're one of my best friends too. No offence or anything, but I'd rather stay here with Ryuuji, what if he wakes up? Without me here?"
Yugi watched Honda with poorly hidden sympathy and pity on his much too expressive features. His shoulders slumped in defeat. "Okay, Honda-kun. We'll be back later. Are you sure you don't need anything?" He said as he was about to walk out trough the door, his head turned in Honda's direction.
"I'm sure, Yugi."
"Ok."
"Come Aibou. Let us leave him be." Yami said and reached out for his other half, when the loudspeakers blared to life.
"ALL PERSONNEL TO THE ER RECEPTION STATION."
Yami and Yugi stared in surprise as several doctors, nurses and orderlies rushed past them. The two boys cast one glance at each other before following the rushed personnel. They arrived at the emergency room shortly after all hell broke loose. The first thing Yami and Yugi noticed was the utter chaos that reigned in the area. Doctors and nurses were hurrying to and fro everywhere as gurney after gurney was wheeled in.
Then it was as if the blood in Yugi's veins froze in an instant, when he sighted the next patient being rolled in through the double doors. A flash of long, auburn hair, cream skin and if her eyes had been Yugi knew that they would have been bright green. He moved like in a trance, running towards the gurney carrying his best friend's little sister.
A shaking hand suddenly landed on Yugi's shoulder, nearly bringing the young man down to the floor with the added weight of the man leaning against him.
"A-aibou? I do not feel a-all that well." Yami breathed unsteadily, clutching at his chest with his free hand. "The souls…bodies…none…"
"You mean…" Yugi sighed, then clenched his fists in anger. "Kami, when does it end…when there are no one left on the Earth, but hollowed shells?"
"Aibou…Mai-san, Anzu-san…" Yami raised his trembling hand pointing one slim finger at two new arrivals to the ever growing lists of patients admitted with the same illness as so many others were these days.
"We have to call Jou-kun." Yugi said quietly. "He deserves to hear this from us, not some doctor or the news."
Seth sat on the window sill looking out at the rain hailing down to the ground. He had a soft blanket wrapped around his body and there was a roaring fire blazing in the hearth, but they didn't keep a sudden chill down his spine from happening. He shivered and burrowed further into the blanket, settling his chin upon his up drawn knees. He had the feeling that something would soon happen and it wasn't of the good variety.
Seth looked over at the couch where his other half and Jou were sitting close together with Mokuba at the other end of the large piece of furniture. They were watching the news. A special broadcast from New York - wherever that was - about the strange occurrence at the emergency U.N. meeting earlier that day. Apparently the very thing they had been discussing had happened to them. And since the meeting had been a closed event to the press, none of the stations could provide any images of the happenings.
But investigators had found the door to the audience room in shambles, it looked as if it had been broken down by a violent thrust. The guards outside the half-circular room were found in the same state as the ambassadors and officials inside it. In a coma-like state.
Suddenly the phone rang out in the hallway. Jou jumped up from the couch and ran out to get it with a grin. Seth watched as his Jou bounded out of the room with a fond look. He could hear Jou's voice talking in animated and happy tones to the person of the other end of the line. Then abruptly there was a loud clank and the sound of the front door slamming shut. Seth got up at the same time as his light and together they ventured out into the hallway, where they found the phone handle lying discarded on the marble floor.
The weather was grim and dank as the teen ran through the pouring rain, his feet pounding through the puddles of gathered water soaking him further than he already was. Clad in only a light t-shirt, a pair of jeans and his sneakers, the blonde was soaked and chilled to the bone, yet he cared for none of it. Suddenly he stopped dead in his tracks, tilted his head towards the heavens and screamed, throwing his arms out from his body.
"GET OUT HERE, YOU COWARDS!" Jou roared at the darkened sky. "I WANT MY SISTER BACK! COME OUT AND FACE ME!" He growled at the invisible enemy that had yet to show itself. "GIVE HER BACK!" Then he slumped down to the cool ground and hit his fist against the pavement. He sobbed. "Give her back."
Hot, stinging tears fell down his cheeks, dripped off the tip of his chin and blended with the water puddles on the ground. Jou pounded his fist against the concrete again and again, scraping the skin until it bled. His entire body racked with the heaving breaths he was taking, without being able to calm him down.
A lighting bolt struck the earth in the far distance and thunder rumbled across the sky, when a hand reached down and rested on Jou's left shoulder. Startled the blonde whipped his head around, drenched hair flying into his brown eyes.
Calm blue eyes smiled softly at him, the warm hand on his shoulder squeezed slightly and Jou understood the silent support he was given. The blonde wavered before he thrust himself into Seth's arms, winding his own around the taller man's whist and clinging to him as if his life depended on it.
Calmly Seth wrapped an arm around Jou's shoulders and corded his free hand through the golden locks of the younger man. The blonde fingers dug into Seth's back, clawing at the fabric covering the skin beneath it. His hot stinging tears trickled down already wet cheeks and stained Seth's rain soaked shirt further.
Seth quietly made small shushing noises, trying to get Jou to calm down, slowly he ran his hand back and forth on the blonde's back, rubbing it in a soothing motion. He tugged Jou closer to his own body moulding them together and sharing their body heat as the icy rain kept pelting down on them.
Suddenly Seth felt two searing hot lips upon his own, his eyes widened in shock as he realized that his Jou was kissing him. It had been such a long time since he had last felt this. The feeling of Jou's soft, but demanding lips melding with his.
Forgetting about everything else that mattered, like the fact that Jou had a boyfriend and that the blonde was grieving for the loss of his sister's soul, Seth threw himself headlong into exploring the other man's mouth. He subtly slipped his tongue past Jou's lips and drew out the other's tongue to play. Seth stroked and nipped at Jou's tongue, delving further into the blonde's mouth, relishing in the feeling of once again being able to touch this man in such a manner.
When abruptly Jou jerked back and stared at the brunette with wide golden eyes. They gazed into each others' eyes for a few moments.
Then two simple words fell from the blonde's lips.
"Oh, shit."