Bakura's head shot up at the clatter behind him. He whirled around and found nothing, dust motes drifted lazily through the shafts of sun light as if nothing had disturbed them. The lighting was poor, no electricity to illuminate so only what natural light filtered through the cracks and gaps allowed him to see. Albeit poorly, better than nothing. But she could see better, another perk of being something other than human. His heart was racing, despite knowing she wouldn't take his life he still found the little game exciting. One day he knew he'd outsmart her, beat her. This exercise was to hone his skills, better him in situations where calling on a monster was either too much effort or a clumsy venture. It was a hands on activity, no magics and no backup. He would use magic and backup to position someone in this situation, but wanted to finish it in a far more satisfying way.
"I think I know your tactics this time. You want to bore me, get me to drop my guard before--" he fell over when she swooped down on him suddenly. "Ok, less talk then," he muttered as he got up and dusted himself off. She had already vanished, where too he couldn't be sure. The echo in the building didn't allow him to pin point the direction she fled in and she was already where ever it was she had meant to go. There were just enough old crates and other objects for her to hide behind without easily being found plus the upper floor. Well, it was more like a balcony actually, the flooring only went around the edges of the building and left the majority of the center open. He was pretty sure she was up there somewhere, and even if he did get up there she could still move easier and avoid him.
Even if the drill was for fun, Seraph wore her game face. She bore no expression and was on high alert. The fish and sea air hampered her sense of smell slightly, but he made enough noise to make up for it. It didn't matter how carefully Bakura moved, the floor boards would squeak and groan regardless. They would do the same where she was too and that was why she moved from crate to crate instead. The floorboards were already stressed beyond the creaking point so they wouldn't make a sound. The crates were stable enough as well to not give her position away. Once he had reached the second floor he would be able to figure out how she moved so silently. Her feet, hands, clothing and tail had all worn dust off whatever she had perched on. If not for the fact the roof rippled in the breeze outside and caused the light it let in to bounce around randomly, Bakura's eyes would have been able to adjust easily and catch her greyed out purple outline against the darker greys and browns of the warehouse. Just for showmanship she spread her wings and did a quick glide over the open area. Bakura was able to see her well enough this time, in fact a wing had caught a shaft of sunlight and momentarily given the area under it a pink glow.
"I have given you a clue. Come find me," she spoke at last.
Having known better than to just stand around in the open, once he was sure he knew where she was heading Bakura had taken cover. Through the gaps in the crate he stared hard at where he believed her to be. After a few moments his patience was rewarded and a stream of light fluttered close enough to her so that he could make out her form. To anyone else, the sight may have sent a chill down the spine. The light was behind her and lit up only a enough to give away her shadowed form and let her horns sparkle for a moment. She was hunched over, legs coiled and ready to launch again, wings spread loosely along with them and hands poised to give extra lift from her awkward position. Her eyes flashed softly before blinking out. Now that did send a chill down his spine, and she knew it. She loved to do it to him any chance she got, sometimes she scared the crap out of Ryou in the middle of the night with that stunt.
In the instant Bakura looked away to judge how far it was between his current location and the next object to hide behind, she moved. He heard only the scrape of her claws and flutter of her wings. No breeze from her flight or other sounds to alert him where she now was. With a mental scowl he went ahead and moved in hopes she was still settling herself and would miss him. He was wrong, it was as if she knew his plan before he could even start it. She knocked him over once again and pinned him against the floor boards. His breath came in short, ragged gasps, she had also knocked the wind out of him. The dust that was kicked up slowly stopped swirling as it shifted back to the lazy drifting.
"Boo," Seraph whispered softly to him. She couldn't resist and had to slip something in very unprofessional. A quick kiss was given before she raced off, on all fours no less.
"What is this, hide-and-go-kiss?" he laughed. She didn't answer. "Back to business I see. One day I'll hunt you, see how far we go."
"I look forward to it," she replied to him mentally.
"Cleaver, very clever," he returned the favor. So no hints this time apparently.
Bored or not, Seto didn't have time for this. The `bonus' that had come with the Rod decided to rear her head again. The milky white creature glared hard at him with bright green eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. She reminded him slightly of Seraph, but without wings, horns and more fingers and toes. Her light pink robe rippled in the breeze along with her pale blue hair. Seto made a move to step past her and she cut him off.
"Move. Now," he insisted.
"Only if you will march your thieving ass back to my rightful master and present the Rod to him!"
"It's mine now, he will never lay hands on it again," Seto replied sternly.
"You stole it!" she shrieked. "You stole me from him as well!"
"It's not my fault you were dumb enough to become bound to it," he said defiantly. "And now you belong to me. I suggest you get used to the change in management or I'll use you for all my mind controlling experiments."
"Dumb?" she hissed while puffing up defensively. "I could kill you without laying a hand on you. You would do well to mind your damned tongue!"
Having made her mad, Seto decided to milk the situation for all it was worth. Sometimes toying with another was fun, he couldn't pass up the opportunity. "I'd like to see you try," he grinned darkly.
"Now who's the dumb one? You're provoking me and I bet you don't know a thing about what I can do."
"I can handle anything you throw at me," he smirked.
Lilith just nodded slowly and ran a hand over her other arm. "Anything?"
The hair on the back of Seto's neck stood on end as he felt the magic gather around the duo. So she was a spellcaster, he'd learn quickly enough what she was capable of. The CEO made a face when he realized he was sweating, but it was cool out and he had done nothing to bring on the action. He lift a hand and flicked the excess liquid off it before looking back at the monster with an amused gaze. "This is it?" he laughed.
"No," she replied simply. The tingling around them intensified and the perspiration seemed to come faster now.
"The hell is this?" Seto barked. He was quickly becoming drenched and he didn't relish the idea of looking like a wreck in public. His tongue worked in his mouth, come to think of it he was becoming quite thirsty and his clothing clinging like it was didn't help the feeling any. His eyes raced up to see her grinning features.
"Figured it out yet?" she asked almost sweetly. "I can dehydrate you before you can muster the will for another summon."
Kaiba bit back a growl as he concentrated anyway, not on a summon. She'd only speed up her efforts if he did that. Rather he needed to stop her current action and hoped he had a means currently for it. He decided to turn inwards for help, to see if his other half had an idea. Despite their opposing views at times, they did work together. He was baffled the Priest wasn't already aware of the current situation. The second mind welled up and instantly learned of the situation. Before Seto could blink the Priest had forcefully shoved him aside for this.
Lilith's ability was suddenly blocked. She stared in wonder at the figure trembling on his knees before her. He was far too weak to cast anything to help, how had he managed to block her skill? She stormed up to him and drew her foot back for a kick before he snagged it. A hard pull was given and Lilith's balance was thrown off before she crumpled to the sidewalk. The male figure huffed a few times as he rose to his feet, the Card that hung behind the Puzzle and Ring was glowing softly when she caught sight of it.
"Really now Lilith. After all these centuries you would turn on me? You used to be so loyal when I first held the Rod. I regain it and you treat me like this?" He shook his head, wet hair sprayed droplets of water every which way.
With a groan Lilith looked up, the voice had changed into something hauntingly familiar. Through the wet locks of hair in his face she saw his eyes. She knew those eyes, her second master ever owned them. Lilith was back on her feet in no time, her features had gone slack and her jaw hung slightly agape. The Dark Priest was active in this time and resided in none other than his body's reincarnation. It had been his power that blocked hers. And judging by how well he now stood the damage her theft of his liquids had caused was being repaired with magic.
"I'm disappointed in you. In times past you would never have thought to go against me. Now you stand defiant before me when I claim what rightfully belongs to me? You never belonged to Malik, the Rod was never his either. It was your will that prevented it from turning on him. Your desire to be free again, without an owner you're stuck in limbo with no one to keep you company. I should lock you away as punishment," he mused.
"Then I would dare to turn on you!" she yelled. "You may be my master, but I desire to be with another."
"Yet he has no desire to be with you. He has eyes for another himself."
As the blood rushed to Lilith's face, she literally turned a bright red. "I can and will make him see me how I see him!" she roared. Her hands were balled into fists so tight that her claws had broken her skin and allowed blood to flow freely between her fingers and splatter on the cement. "With Ra as my witness I will do it!" she said forcefully while shaking. A few locks of long hair light blue had fallen over her shoulder and obscured her face, she did nothing to move them either.
The Priest lowered his head with a slight shake and sighed. "The centuries of imprisonment have deranged you, Lilith. If you continue to act as such no one will want a thing to do with you." With a flick of his wrist Lilith vanished, a forced retreat into the Rod. He made sure she knew her release would come only when the rage that radiated from the object died. A disgusted sound was made when the Priest got a chance to check out his condition. So few persons had been around to witness the scene thanks to the duels. He simply ignored the handful that had gathered to watch the drama unfold. He needed to shower and get in dry clothing. The Priest relinquished his hold as he walked, now with only slight damage from Lilith's attack Seto was able to function normally. He called for transportation and tried to fluff most of the water from his hair with his fingers while he waited.
Time had no meaning, but it felt like he'd been at this for a while. Somewhere along the line Seraph decided to become more vocal. But she wasn't talking. She made all sorts of growls and snarls while she hunted and toyed with Bakura. At first it had unnerved him, a rather persistent cloud had blocked the sun so the warehouse was thrown into darkness. Seraph's eyes were now the only things to give her away and she only let them glow occasionally. He was getting tired, but that was the point of this excursion. To see how much hunting he could take. Seraph was a very patient creature, she could do this all day but sensed his growing weariness and figured it was near time to end it.
The silence was deafening, the harder he tried to pick up any sound, the louder the sound of nothing seemed to get. It was hard to explain, maybe it was just the sound of his blood flowing and coursing through his veins he heard. But it did make him nervous, normally he would be comfortable in the dark but he was being worn down slowly and things began to get to him. At the same time, the feeling thrilled and delighted him. This must be what it felt like to be on the other side, what went through the minds of those he set Seraph on. Carefully Bakura backed up, something had fallen in front of him and he figured she was there. But he didn't want to end the game just yet, he began to enjoy it again. With his back firmly placed against a crate, Bakura's eyes frantically scanned the dark. If he tried to focus on something he couldn't see a thing. But moving his eyes quickly in any given area would paint a blurry picture for him, enough to pick movement out of. He got nothing from his attempts. Slowly he pushed himself off the crate to move elsewhere. The floorboards creaked under his weight and he cringed. After a moment he made another attempt to leave. A hand clamped down on his shoulder and dragged him back against the crate rather hard. He had jumped too at the unexpected action. He tilted his head up to see the two glowing yellow orbs inches above him. The glow illuminated the demoness' features slightly and he was able to make out black lips drawn into a grin. Her hand released his shoulder and she leaned down further from her perch. This time he had made the move for the kiss, his hands holding her head still so he could. The moment it was broken she took him by the hand and helped him climb up the crate to her.
"Why your heart is racing," she said when she felt his pulse through his hand.
"You really had me going," he said with a sigh. He took a moment more before he turned on her and pinned her arms above her head. "And I'm going to return the favor," he flashed a grin.
I know, I know. One hell of a place to leave off on. And no, it's not going to turn into a lemon, lime or whatever the hell those things are called. This just happened to be where I picked to end the chapter at so nyah.
Things -should- start falling into place soon. Characters will slowly gravitate towards one another and the like. I think I have things fairly well planned for a bit now. Just the end still escapes me, I guess I'll have to base it off how everything goes. Whichever side seems more worthy of winning. And that'll be determined by how I develop them, whichever looks like they could seriously pull it off.
Pretty long so far for a fan service thing, huh? Who would have thought I could carry it on this long.